durangoscots

@Cruzin TerriI have to chime in here and agree with those who feel that it was best to not travel with DH taking a new and untried medication. When I used to take groups abroad I had several times when some of the elders involved became ill while traveling (one wound up in hospital) and it was generally a reaction to a newly prescribed medication. You did the right thing with the cancellations even though I know it was hard for you. However, you should certainly get full information about the medication and then, after seeing how DH reacts to it... perhaps think of a somewhat less stressful travel option as a trial run. Hugs and know you did the right thing at the time and even now, waiting a bit is best. Susan

Good morning. Durango is sunny this morning and high will get into the 60's before the cooler weather to our west arrives tomorrow. Nights are still pretty brisk and it looks like we may get a couple of frosts from the incoming cold front. And maybe some rain. I think the best we can say right now is "uncertain". Dogs and I had a nice walk early this morning. They have gotten better about not waking me up at 5 or so. They need to learn to sleep in again. I do not like early morning walks in the dark. Am slowly getting things straightened around here and thinking wistfully of another cruise - but nothing in the immediate future right now. Interesting to see how life on the Volendam has changed from the Grand Australia. Still looks wonderful. Off to the thrift store with another load of clothes. Also am putting up flyers for another rattlesnake avoidance clinic. It is that time of year. The last one we held last year had over 100 dogs. I notice our local lizards are out and basking in the sun. We have fewer deer in the yard these days - I suspect all the road work around us is upsetting their routine. It certainly is upsetting mine. Take care all. Susan

Sorry you have waiter problems in the MDR. It really takes the edge off. I know there were a number leaving both in San Diego and Ft. Lauderdale so you well may have a new one although he should be better trained. Let dining staff know if problems continue ... and I know you know to do that. Escargot was good on our cruise as was the creme brule which I had rather regularly. Sometimes you have to wonder what on earth is going on in the kitchen. Susan

Good morning. A cool 40F here right now, but it is supposed to warm up into the low 70's. They are threatening us with hard freezes the end of the week. My allergies are having a field day. Little on the agenda today except to continue trying to bring the house to order. The daughter of the friend who died in January is coming in a couple of weeks to close down her condo and since I packed stuff up when she left, I am going to have to help her. She has not allowed nearly enough time... so it is going to be a rough couple of days. I have a friend with a truck on stand-by for dump runs. There are some of my archaeology books over there which I will have to find a place for.... they are pretty dated so some may get tossed. I have this real reluctance to toss books...which is why I have a house full of them. And no one seems to read anymore. One of the things that set me off at my kennel club meeting the other day was an exchange when I handed our assistant show chair the "Summary Guide to show rules"... she asked me "Anything I have to know in here?"... my answer "the whole d*@m thing". Susan

Glad to hear from you. Take it easy. Susan

Sorry about the cancellation, but it is always best to act on the side of caution in these cases. Hugs. Susan

Good morning.... just barely. No reason to be late this morning except I have the Sunday slows. Actually, I just don't feel like doing anything but will at least try to get a couple of things moved and organized and then settle down with a book and the dogs. Monday's list is long. Sending positive thoughts and prayers to Amber. @JazzyVHope your procedure tomorrow is successful and that you can get rest at home. Having a spot set up downstairs sounds like a good move. Will watch the Volendam sail this afternoon if I can remember. I really enjoyed that ship. It was so easy to navigate and crew was wonderful. And I wish someone was preparing meals for me now... I just can't get enthused about cooking for one. Better get something constructive done. Yesterday was something of a lost day with my dreaded meeting living up to expectations and taking up 4 hours of my day. Way too long. People need to read. Take care all. Susan

Good morning from Durango. Chilly and sunny but will warm up as the day goes along. We may or may not get some showers in the afternoon. I only have one outing planned for the day .... a meeting of the kennel club at 1:30 which may turn into an argue session. Some members need to read the by-laws. I will have my copy handy. Glad @kazuis ready to board the Volendam. I really enjoyed that ship. If you or anyone you know is interested... give the string trio a listen... they are really good. Off to walk the dogs and make a couple phone calls and prepare for battle at the meeting. Susan

Good afternoon. Back from dermatologist and all is well. Have to recheck in 6 months but that is ok. Hopefully all that sunscreen I slathered on while on the Grand Australia will pay off. There were times I felt I was downright slippery. So.... now back to work. Good news on Amber and on Lenda's cyst. Hope others on our care list are as fortunate moving forward. Susan

Good morning. @kazuGreat news that you will be able to join the Volendam. That is not a terribly ambitious cruise, so you should be able to enjoy yourself once on board. My day .... I have an appointment with the dermatologist in the early afternoon and I suspect I have a couple spots to be removed. I have managed to finish the unpacking from the cruise.... now I just have to put everything away and do some laundry. Our thrift store restricts the number of items you can drop off so I will be doing multiple trips over the next few weeks. I feel like I am making progress. Then, I need to start on serious downsizing. The meal of the day looks interesting. I am a bit of a fussy eater, but I think I would try it. I would have to skip the drink. I have been to Sydney multiple times including on this past cruise. I enjoy it but I have to admit that cities are really not my thing and after a couple of days I am ready to move on. I have attended the opera and visited the Blue Mountains and walked and walked. Did not do the bridge climb.... I don't like heights. Take care all. We all need to stay on our feet. Susan

I hope so too.

Well... my comments disappeared. If you find a half finished note from me ignore it. I will start again. I was up early to walk the dogs then headed out to the dentist. I was past due for my cleaning and X-rays. I was worried about getting there on time due to the road work, but I made it. No problems found. Whew!!! Annie... take care of yourself. I am glad there seems to be no damage from your fall but don't push things. I agree better the butt than the face. The kittens will be such fun to watch as they grow. Jacqui @kazuI hope your foot issues can be resolved and quickly. Foot problems can really interfere with life plans. I know from experience. I hope you can do the cruise and enjoy it to max. My plan for this afternoon is to get that last piece of luggage unpacked and work on sorting the two closets that hold the bulk of my clothes. I took a few things on the cruise that I found I did not want to wear for various reasons.... and I know I will never wear them again. So I have started a thrift store bag. I plan to add items from the "at home" closets to it. For those who find themselves saying a farewell to old friends... you have my sympathy. I suspect that at least part of my inertia on my return home from the cruise is that my two closest friends are missing. Diane passed in July and Susan passed just after I left San Diego on the cruise in January. I find I keep feeling I should be calling them. Both have cruised with me in the past and we have done lots of things together over the past years .... some 50 of them. Both were younger than me. But as we get older, it happens more frequently. You should hear my 95 year old sister on the subject. Take care all. Susan

I am still have one bag to go.... it is in my bedroom and I carefully walk around it. Hope I can get it done this afternoon. Nothing like procrastination. Susan

Oh ouch!!!! Hope ankle and leg are not damaged. My problem with falling is that if I am down, I can't get up. Glad you can manage. I think about cats vs. dogs every time I have to take mine out at night.... kitties do have an advantage. Take it easy and watch that ankle. Susan

Agree with the above. I had a minor issue with pick up at my home, but that I think was the result of my being in a very rural area and it was picked up and delivered to the ship. Its return home was swift and flawless. Just look carefully at the restricted list. At my age I need the service and will use them in the future. Susan

Good morning. As I predicted, our snow did not stick and was gone by this morning even though the temperature when the dogs and I went out was around 28. Warming should start today and it may reach 60. Monty Chihuahua was not pleased even through I put his little jacket on him (and a struggle that was). Loved this pictures of the Volendam going through the canal. Hope all remaining on board from the Grand Australia and enjoying themselves. As for me, I am still trying to get myself sorted out. I don't know why I am feeling so tired and just not like doing much. I will just keep plugging along but i need to get this place organized. Take care all. Susan

EEEKKKKK!!! It is snowing. Cold and windy today but this should pass quickly and tomorrow it will slowly start warming up. What we are getting now should not stick. Guess it is a welcome home gift for me. This morning was spent running errands. The first item on the agenda was the car registration and that took all of about 3 minutes. I was amazed. No one at the DMV and I was not even that early. Then picked up dog food and came home to give the dogs a good walk. Now am back to slowly sorting. Still unpacking... just don't have much interest in doing it although there are a few gifts that I had better bring to the surface. And laundry.... no thanks. The road work and subsequent increased traffic in front of the condo seems to have settled down a bit. There is work on several streets around us and it looks like people have now have their preferred detours. As long as I avoid morning and evening rush I am ok.... and rush hour here is really about 20 minutes each time. Off to get back to sorting and getting bags ready for the thrift store. Susan

Chilly start to this morning.... around 28F. I cheated today.... got up and pulled on jeans and jacket, took dogs for a walk... went back to bed and slept another 3 hours. It has improved my outlook on life. I need to head for the grocery store this afternoon or I will be eating the dog's food. Am nearly unpacked from the Grand Australia.... but now I have some laundry to do and lots of sorting to do. At least there is no rush. Funny a relaxing cruise has left me exhausted. For the most part, I got plenty of sleep. @cruising sisterI am sure you got a joyous welcome home. I hope the "squares" were properly received. Hope Murphy continues to improve. Off to try to salvage some of the day, but then it really does not matter. One advantage of living alone is to be able to do things at your own pace. At this pace a snail could outpace me. Susan

Good morning. Sunny here at current temp is 44F. It will reach high 60's this afternoon. I'll take it. My agenda for the day is to get the two suitcases from the Grand Australia unpacked and maybe get to the store. The latter may wait until tomorrow morning. I think I am feeling a bit off due to the change in altitude. 3+ months at sea level and now back to 6200+ feet. Or maybe, just maybe, I am getting older. It is going to take me some time to bring order out of the chaos of the house. Susan

I am sorry to hear this sad news. Susan

This conversation is getting out of hand. I have seen dogs on 3 cruises. One was obviously a guide dog for the blind.... well trained, well mannered. The second I suspect was not a service dog for that particular owner. As I understand she had been a service dog for the man's deceased wife. I do not think it was currently functioning as a service dogs because 1) he let it run around in the Crow's Nest and 2) he did an all day trip ashore where the dog could not go and left the dog on the ship. The third was treated as a pet but the owner did not let it run loose and as far as I know there were no incidents. And, it is possible it was a home trained alert dog of some sort. But it often was not with them being left in a crate in the cabin. I have no idea what kind of papers were filled out .... dog #2 did have some sort of international doggie passport. This is a very complicated issue and not easily solved. The people who need those dogs should able to go places with them although of course some destinations will not let them disembark. The behavior of the dog on the ship is a real issue. By the way.... even a service dog can be banned from someplace if it misbehaves. More likely from a home trained dog than a professionally trained one. I have worked with service dogs in training.... I have two very well trained pets. Would take them on a cruise. Nope. I would spend all my time worrying about my dog and not enjoying the cruise. Susan

Good morning. Sunny here and temperature around 45F. Supposed to get to low 70's this afternoon before it cools off a bit the next few days. Winds seem to come and go. Yesterday was a highly successful day as my 2 luggage forward bags arrived in the afternoon and even better.... I got my taxes completed, sent, and they have been accepted!!! I will start unpacking this afternoon but the pace of everything is slowed now. More time for dog walking, reading and getting things reorganized. I think the trip from San Diego to Durango wore me out more than anything else has done and I still sometimes feel the ship move. Strange feeling. Take care all and for those on the sea.... enjoy!!!! Susan

Good morning. Cool here.... 37 when the dogs and I walked about an hour ago, but it is supposed to get up to the mid 60's this afternoon. My condo stays pretty cool right now because the sun does not hit directly. That comes in about another month. Checked Luggage Forward this morning and my luggage is in Durango, so I am assuming it will be delivered today. Much faster than when it went out. They seem to avoided a couple mountain passes on the way home. So while I wait I will tackle the taxes. Should only take a few hours since I have things together. Mainly checking my figures. Take care all and watch out driving in all that rain!!! Susan

Durango is chilly in the mornings, especially after the Australian summer. 27F when the dogs and I went out this morning.... and they did let me sleep a bit longer. I am feeling the altitude after being at sea for 3 months... so I am slow about getting things done and right now am concentrating on things non-physical. Taxes seem to be at the front of the line. And I do need to go to DMV and register my car.... I am in the grace period since registration came due while I was away. One more thing to do. Take care all. Susan

They are indeed service dogs..... otherwise you would be restricting the person who needs them. Service dogs will lie under the table in a food establishment. They do not eat at the table. By the way.... I can not see taking a non-service dog on a cruise. I would spend more time caring for the dogs than enjoying the cruise. I have two dogs.... I just finished a 94 day cruise. My dogs have been taught to board and are familiar with the kennels and they evidently had a blast since they were not particularly happy to see me home. I am now broke from bailing them out but it is Part of the cost of cruising that I figure in when planning.