StLouisCruisers

That is so cool you got to meet your lookalike on the WC! People often say I look just like someone they know, and I have to tell them I have a twin already. We just aren't identical though. Congrats on the casino win by the way!

Thanks Debbie for your thoughtfulness and warm wishes. I'm glad we made it through unscathed! Terry, good to hear your niece's family were safe and sound. Basements aren't as common in Georgia as they are in other parts of the country. I'm happy we insisted on a basement lot when we bought here. It's very reassuring. And our electricity was only off for about an hour thank goodness. We had a pot of ham and bean soup simmering so we turned that off for a while because it just seemed like a smart idea in case a tornado came through. 😳 But once we headed back upstairs we continued on with it. Thank goodness for gas stoves! Your black cats are beautiful by the way! What a beauty Miss Camilla is! Thank you for the latest photo of her. Your photos are amazing! I love how clean those cobblestone streets are. They must be constantly sweeping. Thanks Lenda for your Napfion photos. Strange about the links to Rich's posts not working.🤔 We've definitely been staying home because local officials have begged people to stay out of the way for one thing, but mostly because there are so many trees here and they say trees and lines are down everywhere. Hard to tell from our little cul-de-sac because everything looks exactly the same as before. It will probably be a shock when we do leave here. We had planned to do some grocery shopping yesterday but after the storm decided we had enough of everything to get by for several days. Nice photos! Thanks Vanessa! That rubber ducky reminds me of the one my kids had for bathtime - but wow, so big!☺️ Annie, thanks hon but we had power (electricity) the whole time except for one hour. I hear there are a lot of people still without power though. There were actually 3 tornados here so it's supposed to be a real mess in parts of the town. I realized how much I depend on internet for communication and cable to keep up to date on news and weather. I hated being without it. And yes, it's turned really cold and the wind isn't helping things any.🥶 Bruno, glad to hear things are working out healthwise for DD. I hope you will come back and let us know what decision you make on a cruise together. 🚢

Good morning friends! Finally after 36 hours our internet, cable TV and home phone are working!! Yesterday I was so bored. I did Sudoku puzzles and read books all day long. Not being able to join in here whenever I wanted was no fun at all. Anyway I can now tell you that it's 31F and very windy. I have a lot to catch up with on this board so will get to that shortly. Thanks to Rich and Roy for our Daily and Fleet Report. Nice to see the photos of Nieuw Statendam and Rotterdam gliding into Port Everglades earlier today. Joy @Seasick SailorI'm sorry to hear about your friend breaking his wrist on those heavy doors. They are quite dangerous in high winds. Graham @grapau27I hope Sarah is not in too much pain as she waits for her injection. Sorry if I'm behind on the Daily news but want to reassure everyone they are in my prayers, including Jacqui and Kathi in addition to Sarah.🙏 Cheers for all on the Celebration list! 🥂 A salute to kites, and dressing up pets (if they allow that sort of thing), and organizing your home. I bet a lot of us need to do that job, including me naturally. The shepherd's pie sounds interesting so will wait for Debbie's @dfish recipes. Thanks for the drink and wine descriptions ladies! Our port today is Cartagena, Spain and those who have been there know what a lovely city is is. Rich last posted that city on Aug. 22, 2022 (Graham @grapau27 and Pauline's anniversary I noticed). Here is the link to that date to retrieve your photos. I have been to Cartagena and will post my photos next. We enjoyed Cartagena, Spain twice, in 2014 on Celebrity Constellation and Sept. 2018 on Prinsendam. Most of my favorite photos were take our first time there in 2014 on Celebrity Constellation. In 2018 as the Prinsendam docked we saw a submarine come into the harbor. Something I didn't see our first time here My favorite photo of the peacocks. The Elegant Explorer, Prinsendam 2018 Mom, Dad and the kiddies all dressed up for the festival that weekend. In November, 2014 we tried Celebrity Constellation out for a transatlantic back to the states. There were many things we enjoyed about the ship, but we didn't care for the food or price of a bottle of wine. This photo was the cover of my cruise photo book. It's the monument to the Heroes of Cavite and Santiago de Cuba. The date was November 8 so fewer tourists were in town crowding the streets. The historic Town Hall. You almost walk right by this church but it's beautiful inside. The Church of Santo Domingo. Ruins just below street level On the elevator bridge looking below while starting our visit to Conception Castle. The restaurant we visited for a drink and their very fast Wi-Fi.

Sad image of a roof missing.

Good morning friends! As I reported on the Daily last night our nearby town experienced a tornado (or possibly 3) late yesterday afternoon. The roof was blown off a large business and there was a lot of damage to the business district which is about 4 miles from us as the crow flies. Power was out for an hour and I’m grateful that’s back on but we still don’t have internet, cable TV, or our phone line. I need my news and internet!! Anyway, wanted to inform everyone we had the port of Nafplion, Greece twice before but I can’t get Rich’s posts from Oct. 10, 2021 or Sept. 30, 2022 from my phone. We have not been there and have no photos to share. Prayers for Sarah and others on our Care list. Guess we’d better get Comcast on the phone and make them aware of our issues. Happy Friday the 13th everyone!

Around 4 pm we got alerts that our area was now in a tornado warning zone. Turned on the TV in the basement and they predicted a chance around 4:27 in the adjoining town. Power went off but we had flashlights. We eventually left our safe room when the rain slowed down. We had no internet, TV or landline so I kept trying to see anything I could on my phone using cellular data. All of a sudden I got a text from DD asking if we were okay. DGD Ashley had heard a tornado hit our town and sent a photo of a large business with the roof torn off. Apparently the business district has a lot of damage. That area is about 4 miles SE of our neighborhood. I’m just glad it missed our neighborhood! But who knows I could find out tomorrow the fringes of our development could have been hit. We are going to have to check our roof for shingle damage because a neighbor saw shingles coming off someone’s house across the street from them. I’m just glad our house is still standing. I still don’t have internet just cellular on my phone. Hoping by the morning everything will be back. Annie @marshhawk I hope all is well up there in Stone Mountain. Take care and talk to you all tomorrow. Saying my prayers of thanks tonight for sure!🙏🏻

Tornado watch just issued a few minutes ago for our area until 7 pm. Hopefully nothing turns up but we should get some heavy rain at 5 pm if the current maps are accurate. Going back now to read some posts and view the photos. Edited to add Lenda @Quartzsite Cruiserlove the photos. The baby monkey sure was cute, but boy I feel bad about the chickens kept under the small baskets in the one photo. They need some room to run around! And somehow I think I failed to wish our Daily poster Nancy @ottahand7a happy birthday this week! Congrats on reaching 70 and I hope your cruise is all you wanted and more.🎂

We were on Volendam with Dixie @summer slopeand have to agree that the condition of the ship was very good. I didn't even notice the rust! The crew was wonderful so you should have a great cruise.

Hugs and prayers to Sarah as well as you and Pauline. {{{ }}}

Good morning friends! It is a warm morning here at 60F, and it will be cloudy with a high of 69F. Rain should begin around tea time and possibly continue until bedtime. My prayers sent out for dear Sarah this morning. Graham @grapau27I think I would make the same decision as Sarah did with what the surgeon explained to her. Prayers that the injections help and that the extended period of rest helps considerably. I'm sure you and Pauline will do everything you can to help her. 🙏❤️ Thanks for the Daily today Rich and Roy! What a nutty feast day we're celebrating! I don't know any wild men thankfully. Hot tea is a comfort to many. We all love our pharmacists. My next door neighbor is a retired pharmacist so I would feel comfortable asking him any questions that come up about our medications. What a great quote from Mae West! Making your own hamburger helper seems like an interesting menu suggestion so can't wait to see what Debbie @dfishsays about it. Thanks Dixie @summer slopeand Ann @cat shepardfor your drink and wine descriptions. Three cheers for all the Celebration list people today. Hoping all are enjoying their cruises, too. So glad Jacqui and Kathi are home and hope they get the help they need to recover and heal. Also, prayers for everyone on the Care list and let's not forget the people of Ukraine still under attack. 🙏 Today's port is Benoa in Bali which has been our destination of the day twice before...Nov. 7, 2021 and April 13, 2022. Below are the posts from that date in order to retrieve your photos. I'm sure we have new people reading the Daily all the time and they might not have seen any photos before so be sure to post yours for their benefit. I'll post mine next. Today's port of Benoa, Bali Indonesia was on a B2B2B cruise in November and December 2013. We started the cruise in Singapore in early November and ended up in Auckland on Dec. 23. We stayed overnight in Auckland and began our flights home early on Christmas Eve. Auckland to Sydney, Sydney to Los Angeles, Los Angeles to Atlanta. We arrived home late on Christmas Eve (yes, still!) and slept late on Christmas Day. A couple days later we drove to our DD's house in Ohio to celebrate the holidays late. When we started the cruises in Singapore we had been staying at our DS's apartment in Singapore with his family for 8 days. He was on his university sabbatical for a year, and that was the reason we booked all the cruises - so we could see them and do some interesting cruising. It was great fun! November 23, 2013 on Diamond Princess. Welcomers We were lucky this trip to have a couple from Australia on board whom we'd met in 2010 on a Princess ship. He had hired a driver for this port who would drive them around to see the sights, and they asked if we'd like to go along. Yes! First we drove to the Pura Gunung Kawi temple. Here, the cliffs flanking the Packerisan river feature shrines carved into stone honoring kings and queens from the 11th century. It was beautiful! It was so peaceful there. Then we went to Tirta Empul temple. The sacred spring there provides holy water for priests and bathing for ordinary Balinese, who believe that a dip here can bring good fortune and health. An offering must first be made at the temple before you can climb into the long main pool to bathe and meditate. This photo was taken from the car on the way to the volcano. The Balinese prepare and decorate a penjor made from a long bamboo pole hung vertically in front of their home. They can be up to 10 meters high and they droop and hang over the roads making a beautiful sight. We didn't get real close to the volcano, Mount Batur, because it's active. Instead we viewed it from the village of Penelokan. Here is a misty view of the Mount Batur and Lake Batur. That's all for today. I hope this gives you a glimpse of Benoa and the surrounding area.

Thanks Vanessa. I am so sorry to hear about that police chief who was killed last week. My condolences to the family and his community which he served. Thanks for the photo! Jacqui, it's a relief to hear you made it home late last night. I' m sure it's pretty difficult doing just about anything so sending prayers and good wishes for your continued improvement. You did a darn good job typing with one hand! Please get all the rest you can while you heal.

Thank you Graham. I've just finished saying a prayer for Sarah as she navigates these tests and finds pain relief. Thank goodness she has Pauline and you to help get her through this.

I heard Newark and Atlanta airports were opened early due to flight congestion. Moments ago I heard a jet which sounded louder than usual crossing overhead on its way to the ATL airport. I hope that flight was at the proper elevation because we usually don't hear them so loud!

Looking at photos from my week-long cruise with the kids and grandkids, here are a couple of photos from our day on Grand Turk. I went to the kids' club with the "baby" helping entertain him. We had all been to shore, walking that long pier, trying to keep the little one from breaking free and jumping off the pier. Just kidding! It was very hot that day as it usually is, and we didn't stay too long. When we got back to the ship (Emerald Princess) we let him run around the atrium in circles for a bit before lunch and playtime at the kid's club. Lucky for us, the atrium was almost empty. Well, except for that one poor man! Here's the kid's club photo. And here's the endless energy machine. Whoops! Sorry fella! The afternoon was spent watching the three eldest swim while DD took a nap with the baby. Good times I'll never forget.

Good morning friends! It is 39F and will be sunny and 64 later today. No complaints. I heard on the news about the flight problems this morning and immediately thought of Kathi @Scrapnana's daughter flying in to help her home this evening. I really hope her airline is still flying though since it's a safety issue, there's a good chance she won't unless the plane is in the air. Thank goodness Jacqui @kazuwas flying yesterday! (I see above that she is in flight. Thanks @1ANGELCAT) Graham @grapau27prayers for Sarah as she gets her X-ray and MRI done today. She is no doubt grateful for your and Pauline's support. Thanks Rich @richwmnand Roy @rafinmdfor the Daily this morning. The days we're celebrating are certainly unique. I think they should call Roy's suggestion National Human Trafficking Prevention Day. I would love to try the lasagna dish and I'm sure Debbie @dfishhas some interesting versions. Thanks to everyone for their contributions to the Daily. Prayers for all on the Care list and cheers for the Celebration list. Yesterday I made an error because it was actually 11 years since my Mom's passing. I must have thought it was still 2022. Today on the other hand is a happy day, DGS Ren's 16th birthday. I hear he is close to having enough hours behind the wheel of a car to get his driver's license. A Michigan law and yes, his parents do keep track. The port today is Cockburn Town, Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos. We have seen Turks and Caicos listed here twice before on Oct. 20, 2021 and on April 29, 2022. My first time there was when I accompanied DD, her hubby and 4 children on a Caribbean cruise in 2010. The kids were 12, 10, 8 and 23 months old. I shared a cabin with the three eldest and the rest of the family was right next door. I had a blast! DH was more than happy to stay home that week for some reason. 😄 DH's first visit was on Veendam in 2018 and I will post photos from then shortly. Here are Rich's posts from the last two postings so you can retrieve your photos. Some photos from our January 2018 stop in Grand Turk on the Veendam. The view from the ship of the beach. Oh my! We were there first but the Koningsdam arrived during our walk around on the shore. Pulling up to the pier across from the Veendam. 😲 I'm really gonna miss the Veendam. I like a smaller ship. Another look at the Margaritaville Beach. The shopping area. Before the crowds arrived Sit down and take a load off while your significant other does some shopping. Some damage to the palm trees on the beach due to an prior hurricane We're on the lower right portion of this map where the red star is. A local Harley Davidson store. Goodbye Grand Turk! Have a great day everyone!

Thanks to all for the photos today... @Mr. Boston, @0106, @Quartzsite Cruiser, and @Sharon in AZ. Sharon, I'm happy to help everyone get to their photos easier. And I like your upholstery jacket! It's cute! Lenda, happy birthday to your DD. Amazing how the years pass so quickly. Annie @marshhawk you really do need to go with DH to his appointments. I hope this new medication helps him. Good luck keeping him from rubbing his eyes though. And what a pity Bubbles has to suffer through abcesses. You see a lot of that on the veterinarian shows. Hope you get some sleep this afternoon.

Tina, thank YOU for all your kind words to everyone. I'm happy to add anything I can each day, and you provided valuable information about Bar Harbor that we can all use. 💖 Melisa, these last days can be the hardest. Hugs to you both... That does sound rather extreme! I hope anyone near the strike is okay. It's not going to be easy to patch things up while on this extended voyage. Nice that we have friends on board who can report back on this most unusual event and fix up.🛠️

Congrats on making 4 stars! I hope you are feeling a little more normal after returning from the other side of the world. It really does a number on you having to switch so many time zones at one time. I wish we could see you on the GSA&A this October. We've had it booked for several years now but will be changing plans soon at DH's request. Just too long for him. I know you will all have a wonderful time. Thanks Graham for your kind words. Strange how the same events happened on the same date for you as well as me. I asked my DD how her foot is doing and she feels it's healing quite well. She's always healed quickly after surgeries, thankfully. I'm really happy you are finally getting moved back into your home. Good luck finishing up. This looks delicious! I would enjoy it with the rice, myself. Thanks for sharing these great recipes. Atlanta traffic is frightening! This is called spaghetti junction. Where's the traffic here? Enjoy your replay!! Crazy the Zuiderdam was hit by lightning, but I'm glad damage was minor. Hope there are plenty of activities for everyone during the next week (especially trivia).

Exactly my thoughts Terri. Jacqui, get well soon! Hoping the worst is behind you.🤞

Good morning friends! Like Annie @marshhawksaid it's 34F here in our neck of the woods, clear skies with a high of 59 expected. I'm freezing! But I don't have anywhere I have to be so that's good. Not sure where you are headed today Annie since I haven't read the rest of the posts since last night, but good luck! Today is a "bittersweet" day for me. We became engaged on January 10 many years ago. However my Mom passed away on this date 10 years ago. Prayers for her soul and all my other loved ones in heaven. 🙏 Congratulations to the Georgia Bulldogs (Go Dawgs!) for winning their championship game last night in spectacular style. Wow, just wow! I bet Rich @richwmnstayed up late to watch it. 😄 Speaking of Rich, thanks to him and Roy @rafinmdfor creating and posting the Daily and Fleet Report. I'm enjoying the maps. Today we have bittersweet chocolate which is fine, but dark chocolate is my favorite. Aren't the chocolate chips we all buy to put in our chocolate chip cookies, bittersweet chocolate? I appreciate a houseplant but am glad I gave up growing any in my home. It just didn't work with our lifestyle in the past couple of decades. I moved once and needed to stay in a hotel for a week between closings, and ended up with a roomful of houseplants to care for there. 😏 There are lots of peculiar people in this world! Graham @grapau27I can imagine who you are referencing when you say you know some peculiar folks. The kung pao chicken meatballs sound interesting so will wait to see the recipes. No thanks to the drink and wine. Prayers for all on our Care list today, especially Jacqui @kazuand Kathi @Scrapnana. I'm happy Jacqui is on her way home, and that Kathi has a plan to return home where she can undergo further treatment. The uncertainty of not knowing what to do next is so stressful. Best wishes to both you ladies! Cheers to our Celebration people. I'm always happy to hear good news! For instance, one of my seven nieces put her house on the market Saturday and got 4 offers between Sunday and Monday. They signed a contract with an offer over asking price and only one month until closing. Now that's good news! She and her DH will be building a home on an acre lot which will take all year to do, so she's living in my twin's home until it's completed, including niece's DH and two dogs. Should be lots of fun! 🤪 Today's port is Bar Harbor, Maine which was posted here last on July 4, 2021. I'm sure this is a very popular port for our Dailyites. Here is Rich's post for July 4 so you can retrieve your photos to post again. We went to Bar Harbor on the Rotterdam in Oct. 2018. From a T-shirt seen at a store there. Now that we know how to pronounce the name of the town properly, let us continue. This is the exterior of a restaurant. Good thing they hung that sign at the doorway or you'd never find your way inside. Some of the interesting rock formations. Lot of variations in the color in this rock. Here we are at the Village Burying Ground. This plaque tells you more. Low tide It was quite a pretty little spot to visit. I wouldn't mind seeing this sight this very day, as long as it was on a BHB! Have a great, if not chilly, day everyone!

Keep after your PCC. If it shows online when you're signed in then you should get it. Take a screenshot of it and send it to them. Something is off there and you need to be persistent. Also to the question by @Iamthesea the deposit under the Have It All promo is refundable as far as I can see on the website. I notice the cheaper fare without Have It All says it is non-refundable while the Have It All doesn't mention deposit. We booked the HIA on a booking about 10 days ago and it has a refundable deposit. If anyone knows how far into a booking online you go before you see the words refundable deposit, please chime in. We called a travel agent and didn't complete a booking online.

Karen, I'm sorry to hear of your husband's UTI. It's good you are attuned to his behaviors and figured it out. So nice of the assistant fire chief came over to help with moving him. This is why our first responders are so important. Always there when needed! Ann, thanks for that update on Jacqui. I feel so badly for all she's gone through. Hopefully someone in her family was able to come down to give her support. Sending more prayers for her quick recovery and journey home.

Joy @Seasick Sailorinteresting you are having less than stellar specialty dining experiences. We felt the same on Volendam. Canaletto was just mediocre and we had gone on a Saturday night to get the shrimp special which you said wasn't great Saturday. I know I was quite disappointed. Then our Pinnacle Grill dinner was the same. Our steaks weren't cooked as we had asked so they had to go back, which never seems to make them taste better even if they cook them more. We didn't stay for dessert either. I hope the next time they get everything right, including getting the cocktails quickly. You shouldn't have to wait that long!

Good morning friends! We are 42F and expect sunshine and 54 for a high, although we could have some windy conditions here and there. Thanks Roy @rafinmdfor posting the Daily for Rich @richwmn. I'm happy to see National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day since they do so much to protect our citizens. I doubt I'd want to ascend in a balloon though I know many love that. I'm pretty sure it's Choreographers Day, as @RedneckBobsaid. True quote! My mom used to prepare sauerkraut for us but I never did like it much. Much appreciation to our food and beverage department (Debbie, Ann and Dixie) even though I often pass on those things. I know you don't take it personally!🙂 Today we have a new port, Ronne (Bornholm Island), Denmark. I would love to go there but have not yet. I hope someone here has and will post some photos. Prayers for all on the Care list🙏 and a shout out to all on the Celebration list. 🥂 I hope we get some better news on Jacqui @kazusoon. I'm worried about her being alone and having had surgery with no one with her. I know she will report in as soon as she possibly can. ❤️ Not much news to report today so I will move on. Sometimes no news is a good thing! Have a great day!

Thanks Vanessa! I wonder if there are rules against tooting of horns while in the locks? 😂