HBE4

I'm getting the impression that there are a large percentage of people that will eat nothing but stale bread & drink warm water for an entire week and will "just be happy to be on a cruise ship".

My post about tipping in Half-and-half was also a joke.

Is it okay to give half & half to a stranger? Half & half seems to be a precious commodity these days, maybe even more valuable than a cash tip.😇😉

I'm pretty sure I'm king of the typos so I'm always happy to see on from another poster.

Seeing the amount of Christmas decorations you've put up in the past, it might make for a great project for the local Boy Scout troop to earn a Merit badge. It certainly more involved than building a park bench or local playground enhancement that is typical Boy Scout projects. 🙂

Great minds think alike.

I was wondering the same thing. Until I saw this next post 2023 Royal's President Weeks cruise. https://www.royalcaribbean.com/crown-anchor-society/presidents-cruise I'm surprised I haven't seen any Live review threads on it or complaints about Pins taking over the Suite Lounge😄

Took me a minute to figure out the true meaning. My first guess was "Decatur (GA) Friends of Cats Society.😄"

Surprisingly it was not. Even when we first went it, it didn't have that momentarily chill. Maybe it's a shallow lake that warms up quickly?

And I always wonder if it's a good memory or a bad memory 😉 Speaking only for myself. 😇

You forgot option #3 which is: Tip + Extra Tip in place of candy bar + the candy bar. 😉 Just kidding. Don't be sorry. You should see some of the responses when the subject is "Tip standard amt vs Tip Extra vs Don't Tip at all". Then you'll see some real heated and silly responses. My reply to you is the same as I post on those thread. Your tip to the crew member is between you and the crew member. It's allowed, for sure. Will the appreciation they show be genuine? Nobody knows but sometimes yes and sometimes no and there is no way for you to know for sure. Will they find it demeaning? Maybe some will and some won't but again there will be no way for you or anyone else here to know. It is a thoughtful touch in addition to the cash but unless you really know that it's something the person wants (like the root beer story), it's not all that thoughtful. For example, my adult niece doesn't 't eat chocolate because it makes her skin breakout. But in that case, the crew member will probably just pass it along to someone else so it will get appreciated by someone else. I personally wouldn't do it myself only cause I'm not thoughtful - I'm a cash is king kind of guy - but it's your cruise, your money, your candy and your tip so do as you like.

I'm a little late to this thread but I'm amazed by some of the, uh, "passion" shown. I just discovered Tim Tam. They are amazing and apparently not very many stores in my area sell them. Just one in fact, which is now my favorite store.

After reading Bimmer09 Celebrity cruise Trip Report with a pre- & post-cruse stay in Amsterdam, that's disappointing. But I do get it, seems like the city is a victim of it's own success. No time line is given. And on a related note, thank you @singinalot for directing us to Bimmer09 reviews. My first time reading one of his reports & I was hooked instantly. I kinda want to do the exact trip he took. And @singinalotI think it's already been decided but please do a trip report for your upcoming trip. It can be Live, Semi-Live or after-the-fact, do it however is best for you but just do it! 🙂

The lake supposedly has small-mouth bass, yellow perch and several different types of trout. I say supposedly since the 1 person that did try to fish came up empty handed after a few hours and he's a fairly experienced fisherman. Even though the NY State DEC agency stocks the lake, fishing has not been great the past few years. Surprisingly, the mosquitos were not that bad considering how deep into the forest we were. Deer flies on the other hand were a nuisance, especially when the breeze died down. I did bring home several souvenir bites.

Sounds like you have a fantastic birthday weekend coming up. Enjoy & Happy Birthday!

67 days, wow! That's amazing. I read his story in Men Journal, which was the first result Google returned. I guess there was no rescue or "chase" boat nearby? At least the article didn't mention it. So he was totally on his own. I wonder how long it took to get his "land legs" back?

Following 🙂

Have a great cruise! Both of them. 😄 I may have missed it but are you doing a Live review?

As I was typing up that last post, this picture was sent to me. Action shot proof that I was kayaking.

Peaceful and relaxing it was! I guess I timed the pictures perfectly as there was no activity there at the time but no, it did get busy later on. But the part of the lake the cabin is on is in a large cove - "The Bay" my friends call it - so it was a bit quieter. The main part of the lake is much busier with boats of all sizes and speed including pontoon boats, Jet Skis (PWC - Personal Watercraft as they are officially known), etc. It was rustic. Even had a little mouse scampering about. The original plan was to go tent camping but this old body is too old to sleep on the ground. Plus, all my tent camping gear - sleeping bags, air mattress and the tent itself - are long gone and I didn't want to invest in all new gear that might only be used once. Fortunately one of my other college buddies was of the same mindset so this cabin was the perfect compromise! Thank you. I drove right past Lake George on I87 - The Northway - and it was as busy as it ever way, judging from the traffic. It was the halfway point on my trip north. I've driven past many a time but never went there. As for being too soft, see my comments above to @Coralc🙂 First day was calm, smooth as glass. The other days had some wind. One day was too choppy to take the Kayaks out. No limit on HP. There were boats of all sizes and shapes and the unmistakable rumble of a Chevy V-8 in one of them. One of the most beautiful boats was an old Chris Craft (stock image). According to my car guy buddy, that "only" has an inline-6 cylinder engine. That it was! For sure. Most of the houses on the lake are true camp cabins that are not winterized. But there have been a few tear downs that have been rebuilt into something resembling The Great Lodges for year round living. The area is pretty remote with the nearest town - and stores - being about 35-45 minutes away. So plan your shopping carefully and don't forget the milk.

Last post. This picture sums up the trip perfectly. The foreground is the wife of college friend#1 (the one I see frequently) floating lazily on the lake while in the background, I and Little Miss HBE4 sit on our version of Perfect Day (not at Coco Cay) Floating Bar. 😁

That's me, pumping water from the spring. And on the way back, came across the little fella. There was no Turtle Crossing sign to be seen.

Trying to take pictures from the kayak and somehow didn't get the kayak in the picture!

The dock. Views from the dock. You can see the Boathouse behind and slightly above the chairs Kayaks are still in the boathouse but there is also a canoe. Path from dock back to cabin, it kinda zig-zags up the hill

The boathouse. Top of the Boathouse View from top of Boathouse. The powerboat and pier belong to a neighbor so, sorry no pictures of mooring lines. That little dock with chairs by the rock "jetty" is also part of the property.