Cruising-along

Greetings from the Koningsdam! Canada Place was a zoo today, but we’re finally happily settled into our cabin. The ship looks great and the crew are wonderful. We’ve met our cabin stewards Yoga and Irfan and Concierge Griselda, had our traditional big salad and rolls in the Lido for lunch, and signed in for muster. Next up is a reception for 3, 4 and 5-Star mariners and dinner in Tamarind. Life is good!

Good morning everyone! We had an excellent dinner last night with good friends and then retired early at our Bellingham hotel. On our way now to Vancouver, the border will be coming up soon. Hopefully the next time you hear from me will be from the lovely Koningsdam!

Good morning all! I'm running late, another night of lying awake. This time it was 1 1/2 hours, not 3 hrs. like last time, but still made it a later than usual start to my day. And after looking at the weather forecast, I'm still changing what clothes I'm bringing....sigh. You'd think a little 5-day cruise would be easier, but since we're both just bringing a carry-on, it's a little harder. Even though it's just a 5-day, we'll have a dressy night and an Orange Party too. Vanessa @JazzyVI'm SO sorry about your fall! Rest up and heal. So glad it was "only" bruises, but that can be very painful. I'll try to check in, hopefully send some photos. All will depend on the internet. Have a great day everyone!

Good morning all! This is our last full day at home before our short cruise out of Vancouver. Tomorrow we'll go to Bellingham, have dinner with BFF and her DH and spend the night there. With the Tulip Festival traffic this last weekend, we want to be well north of it so we don't miss our cruise on Monday! Plus it's an early sailing, 3:00. It's a 3-hour drive in good traffic, but with the tulip festival it would take much longer. Interesting collection of days. I immediately thought of my dear Dad for Astronomy Day. Then I thought of Lenda @Quartzsite Cruiser's DH and how much my Dad would love to look through his telescope. Dad had one back in the early 60's (and you know how much they've improved since then!) We spent many nights looking through it. The drink sounds ok, but will pass on the meal and red wine. We've been to Istanbul twice, it's one of my favorite ports. But like the last couple times, I won't post photos because it was pre-digital and they would be too much like Sandi @StLouisCruisersand Lenda @Quartzsite Cruiser's photos already posted. Yesterday DH took care of two wasp and yellow jacket nests on the house. So glad to have that taken care of. I'm allergic to all bee stings (not good for a gardener!) and especially wasp stings. Today is also Junior Ranger Day. Here are photos of the DGSs getting their patches in Yellowstone. A few years ago, getting his first patch. Both of them last year getting their Bison patches. I hope everyone has a great day!

And I like to do a mixture. Not all Lido and not all MDR. If we have a late excursion or if nothing on the MDR menu sounds appealing we go to the Lido. If I feel like being pampered and the menu is appealing we go to the MDR. As mentioned already, you’ll find more choices in the Lido.

Good morning all! Sandi @StLouisCruisersYou and I can move in slow motion together today. Another bad night, I was awake from 12:30 until after 3:30 am. Then up earlier than I would have liked. And coffee isn't helping. I'll pass on the drink, meal and wine today, have not been to this port. Thanks for all photos posted! It will warm up to the high 70's F tomorrow and mid 70's today. Glad to see we'll get some showers for the flowers when we're gone next week! Cheers for all celebrating and prayers for all on the care list.

According to what I've read, they can tolerate a small amount of frost, warmer is better of course. They do best with temperatures between 55 and 80 -- my neighbor has put hers out and it's dipping down to the mid 40's at night here right now. Hers is doing fine.

Good morning from a beautiful, sunny (!!) PNW! I hope to do a lot of gardening and yardwork today. My Johnny Jump Up seedlings need to be planted and the lawn needs to be mowed. The Sweet Peas that I transplanted a few weeks ago are doing very well thank goodness. With the sun my tulips are starting to open up, and the daffodils are still blooming. All the perennials are coming up -- ahh spring! I have one, rarely use it but I'll keep it. I only got it because my sister raved about hers. It's great in nice open areas, and in rooms with a lot of obstacles I guess I could use the manual function instead of letting it go free. I posted a few months ago that I heard a loud bumpbumpbump noise from downstairs and found it was the robo vacuum bumping up against the treadmill. I had accidentally turned on the function for it to come on by itself at a certain time. It was in the wee hours of the morning and was so loud it woke me up. I'm not good at reading all the directions. 🤣

Debbie @dfishI thought I'd said Happy Birthday to you here, but now I see I didn't -- silly me said it on FB and missed it here. I hope your day has been wonderful!!

I'm sorry to hear that Sharon! At least you liked the dinner...it looks delicious! Red wine gives me a headache, so I can't drink it. Who knows, if I did it might keep me awake too. Truthfully I don't sleep well ever unless I'm sick (that's how I knew I was getting over Covid, I wasn't sleeping well again) or on a rocking BHB.

Good morning all! I'm glad I posted 7 hours ago (just to get on the first page) when I couldn't sleep, because now this may not post until page 4. 🤣 Yes, it was "one of those nights" and strangely DH was having a hard time sleeping too. Not sure why. It took a l o n g time to get back to sleep, but then slept until after 8. I don't know any Australians to hug unfortunately, and can take or leave pretzels which is good because I shouldn't have the salt anyway. Whenever the Richter Scale is mentioned in our local news it isn't good news because it always means we've had an earthquake. We don't get many, but can get some real shakers. I'll pass on the tofu (but love PF Chang's Lettuce Wraps made with meat). Also will pass on the drink but would like the wine. I took the quote at first to be insulting to all women, but then I Googled Hedy Lamarr and the photos of her looked just like her quote so I hope she was including herself in that description! Yesterday afternoon was very nice because I sat outside in the sunshine and chatted with neighbors for 4 hours. We definitely got all caught up on the news! Today will be laundry and finishing the packing for Monday's cruise. Thinking of Jacqui @kazuand Brenda @bennybear today as they have their surgeries. I hope they both have successful surgeries and positive outcomes. Laura @dobiemomthat's great that you were finally able to sleep longer than a couple hours last night! Hugs to Nancy @ottahand7on the anniversary of her DH's passing. Karen @luvteachingThat's great news about your DH's progress!

Good early morning Sandi. It’s 2:45 am here and yes, I’m awake. 🥴 just popping in here so for once I can get on the 1st page lol! See you in a few hours IF I can get back to sleep. 😉

Annie I've never heard of anyone getting a boarding time before 11:00...so the 10:00 seems strange. Anyway, I have noticed that people who book their hotel and transfer through HAL do seem to get the earlier times. Besides that, 4 & 5-stars, Neptune Suites, Pinnacle Suites (and I guess Orange Club) get priority boarding times. Our boarding time for our cruise next week is 12:00, and marked priority. 😉 Everyone gets the tiles. You should each get 1 left on your bed during the cruise. Yes, I've seen that you can get wake up calls. We've never had to do it, DH sets the alarm on his watch.

Praying for you Brenda.

Good morning all! We're finally heading into a dry stretch. April has broken records for the amount of rain we've gotten (and it's always a lot anyway). My neighborhood gals and I have chosen today for an outdoor pow-wow, lots to catch up on. We'll light up the firepit if it's cool enough, not sure yet. So good to see that the Koningsdam (our next ship) has left Hawaii and headed this way for our cruise on the 1st! We are packed and ready! Interesting collection of days, the drink actually sounds tasty to me, will pass on the meal (and stick to my own stir-fry) and red wine. Tina @0106 Thank you for giving the context to the quote. Like Lenda @Quartzsite Cruiser I still find it a bit odd though... We have been to Manta once, on our S. America cruise on the Statendam in 2015. Photos to follow. Happy 82nd birthday to Gerry's @ger_77 DH! Jacqui @kazu Thinking of you as you have your surgery tomorrow. Prayers for a swift and full recovery. Lorraine @cruising sister Ouch on the fractured and infected toe! It's good you have a week before your cruise. Mary Kay @cruzn singleBest wishes for a successful MOHS surgery tomorrow. Great news that your stepson's large tumor was non cancerous, but I'm sorry to hear about the adrenal gland malignancy and melanoma. Prayers that all will be resolved successfully. Here are a few photos from our tour out of Manta in 2015. We also went to see a family-run Panama hat business. As said before, Panama hats originated in Ecuador, not Panama. DH did buy one. Terry @smitty34877 I'm glad to hear that Tana's oxygen problem has been solved. She's been through so much. Annie @marshhawk Thinking of you as you made the hard but necessary decision about Irving. Sorry to hear about the cut in your hours too. Hugs!

Have a great time, Bon Voyage!

Thanks Jacqui. That is a good idea. I can't do anything yet until after mid-May, we'll be going to Yellowstone for a week after getting home from the cruise. I will keep this in mind!

Very pretty! I'll have to enjoy others' hanging baskets. I made the sad decision this year to not put any up. The reason is that the last few years the birds build nests in them and then I can't water the flowers. I'm not going to go to any more expense and work just to have to let them die. Last year I did put pokey things in the nest and they stayed out of it, but it's just a lot of trouble. They also nest in a small tree I have, but that's ok -- I'm just baffled though why they would nest so close to the ground where cats can easily get to them (??)

Good morning all! It's a cool 47 degrees and will get up only to the low 50's today. Tomorrow starts a warming trend and looks to be very nice this week. I'll be putting the rest of the seedlings out (have been hardening them off) because I won't be here most of the first half of May to water them. I don't really care for pigs in a blanket, so sad about the terrible loss of life in the Armenian genocide. Thank you @Denise T for sharing your family history. I can't think of many times I've actually screamed out loud, other than if I was suddenly startled in a spooky place. The quote is funny, I'll pass on the meal (not a fan of eggplant), the red wine, but the drink is one of my favorites. I thought the name of the port sounded familiar, and sure enough we were there in April of 2015 on the Statendam. We took an all-day tour "Mayan Cosmology and Ancient Ruins". It was a long ride there and back, through fields and past volcanoes. @Ichiban NekkoWelcome back! Your tour in France sounds amazing. Here are a few of my photos from our tour out of Puerto Quetzal to the Mayan ruins. One of many volcanoes in the area. Passing workers in a field And at the ruins

(Not lobsternight) but it looks like he's sailing on the NA on the 30th. 🙂

Not much longer now! I guess we won't be having a Meet & Greet on this cruise. I hope you have a wonderful anniversary celebration! I've posted my photo here enough times -- if you see me please say hello. 🙂 That does look like a lot of food Sharon. What time is the brunch offered?

I agree, Roy. Apparently the wife didn't want to do that because she was alone. For some reason they couldn't use the ship's morgue and the body was put where they keep drinks cool (not cool enough). Edited to add the news link https://abc7chicago.com/cruise-ship-celebrity-equinox-decomposed-body-do-ships-have-a-morgue/13170894/

Good morning all! It's slowly, finally warming up here, it will be 20-30 degrees warmer by Friday (mid 70's F). And sunshine after tomorrow. We did luck out yesterday though, no rain at the tulip fields so we were all happy about that! And the ground wasn't even wet. Karen @luvteaching you are so right about the traffic yesterday. I'm so sorry you have to put up with that to visit your DH. Of course I warned DD and DS about the tulip festival traffic on a weekend, but DD's family was still about half an hour late getting to lunch at Il Granaio. (they also live furthest away). It took all of us double the time to get there. Good days today, I'll give DH a kiss and say happy lover's day. English muffins are ok, but I rarely think to have one. I do like them with apricot jam. No picnics here today, it's raining. I'll pass on the meal (not a fan of mac and cheese), the drink and red wine. HAPPY BIRTHDAY Annie @marshhawk! HAPPY BIRTHDAY Charlene @cunnorl! Terry @smitty34877I agree with everyone that what happened with the oxygen company was unforgiveable. I'm so sorry you, Tana and everyone had that added stress. Lorraine @cruising sister sending hugs today as you attend your friend's son's celebration of life. Joy @Seasick SailorI read about what happened on that ship (it was a Celebrity ship). How awful! Sharon @Sharon in AZ Thanks for posting the menu for the Sunday brunch. Is there an added charge for that? I'm hoping we'll have several on our Grand Voyage next year. Karen @luvteaching I'm glad your DH is doing better and hope you won't have to make that long drive much longer. Here are a few of my photos from yesterday's visit to the Tulip Festival. Everyone agreed that we won't be making this a yearly tradition anymore because the traffic on weekends in April is just terrible (and none of them can go during the week). But we had fun and I loved the whole day. After being quarantined for several weeks with Covid it was just what I needed. 🙂 I loved this pattern with Grape Hyacinth and tulips Another favorite, I loved these tulips. This is DGSs with their cousins. One of the reenactments from the photo taken 6 years ago. They're a lot taller now!

Good morning all! I will celebrate Earth Day by going to the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival today. 12 of the family will be there! DDIL has found that the house they bought has no spring bulbs in the yard, so she's hoping to buy a lot of tulip bulbs today. I have plenty, including some I brought from Amsterdam a few years ago. I was never a Girl Scout, love jelly beans but don't buy them because they're like chips (you can't eat just one). 🤣 I've always liked that quote. I will be having ravioli for lunch today (no mushrooms) when we all meet at our favorite Italian restaurant -- but will be walking a lot so I refuse to think about the carbs. 😉 😅 Have never been to Falmouth, will pass on the drink and red wine. Happy Birthday Sue @Rowsby! Love the cake. 🙂 Terry @smitty34877I'm so sorry about the oxygen scare and hope it has been delivered by now. Katherine @Lady Hudson Safe travels and Bon Voyage! Congrats on the weight loss too! Carol @mamaofami I'm sorry your DH has pneumonia and hope the antibiotics help quickly. Vanessa @JazzyV Bon Voyage!!

Thank you Graham. I hope to get more tomorrow. 🙂