Quartzsite Cruiser

Welcome to the Fleet Report/Daily. I hope you will join us often. Lenda

Good morning, barely. I had just finished writing when everything went poof. I must have hit the wrong key. I was early enough this morning that I had more shade than normal while mowing and trimming the grass. The earlier time and lower humidity made for a more pleasant time working on the yard. In spite of our hot temperatures, in desperation, I trimmed the overgrown marigolds. It will be interesting to to see if they survive. I also found the one remaining zinnia under one of the marigolds. It can now get some sun and water, so maybe it will survive too. I wish our weather was cooler so I could sit out side and enjoy the yard while it is looking good. Maybe this fall. Lorraine, I too am hoping no news is good news, and hoping for a miracle in the form of a complete recovery that leads to a normal live for Baby Murphy. Sending positive thoughts for strength for the family as they support Baby Murphy. Annie, I hope you enjoy your visit to the Fernbank Science Center Museum and your dinner with your friend Debbie. Terry, I hope you find some foods that your DH not only can eat, but can enjoy. When DH was in rehab before they discovered the blood clot he was not hungry. The clot had the affect of making most things taste bad and rancid. They gave him Boost at least three times a day, along with ice cream for lunch. Tina, I'm happy your DH has been cancer free for 8 years. Safe travels tomorrow, Fred and Mitzi. Maureen, just being on a ship will be rejuvenating. When we did out b2b2b2b cruises in 2021 and 2022, the change of scenery and having people looking after us was just what we needed at that time. Susan, the death of a loved one or very good friend can affect those left behind in various ways. I hope the picnic with friends and dogs helps lift your mood. Debbie, thanks for your pictures of Qaqortoq. We've been there twice, and if we hadn't canceled our Coral Princess cruise, today would have been our third time there. I'm glad you had such a pretty day. Carolyn, we took the Guinness brewery tour the first time we were in Dublin, which I thought was very interesting. DH go his Guinness, which I tasted. I then used my token for a Coke. I am not a fan or dark or strong beer. Lenda

Good early morning from central Texas. It is already 83F and feels like 88F with a 9mph wind. The humidity is 65% with a dew point of 71F. Our high will be 106F. It is mowing day, so I'm trying to get outside as early as possible before it gets too much hotter. I like beer but lately it has not liked me. I would think national underwear day would be everyday. I will also celebrate oyster day, but without any oysters which are hard to find in central Texas. I like oysters most ways except raw. It's good to test yourself with things that are scary, but I don't think I'd want to everyday. We'll pass on the salad, the drink, and. the wine. We may or may not been to Hakodate, but stopped at that island, for a tour to Sapporo. Either port, it was pre-digital. Another interesting day in history. @cruzn single Mary Kay, congratulations on the move and on how quickly and efficiently you got things done. Enjoy your new home. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, if we hadn't canceled this years world cruise on Coral Princess, we could have met you, Dennis, @dfish Debbie and Sue in Qaqortoq today. @kazu Jacqui, it's nice you could arrange your homeward flight to allow you to treat your DS, DBIL and friends to dinner. I hope your BFF's DH can get a grant to help with the chemo costs. @aliaschief Bruce, I'm glad the tree people managed to get a lot accomplished in spite of the heat. It's time to start getting ready to tackle the yard and face the hot weather. With our drought, there is now a lot less to mow, so I should be finished fairly quickly. Lenda

@cunnorl Charlene, wishing you and your DH a very HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! with many more happy years together. Lenda

Lately, when I start to write a post, the previous one will still be in the message box. I've learned tp scroll back to see if I had posted it, and usually I have. Sorry about the jury duty. Lenda

Sandi, tomorrow you could ask medical for an alcohol swab. I think they have them in small packs for use with blood draws and shots. Lenda

The Prinsendam stopped in Bari on October 13, 2016. It is a small town on the east coast of Italy down near the top of the heel. It is know for the local ladies who sit outside their homes and make pasta each morning. By the time we got our act together and got off the ship, the pasta making was finished for the day. We walked around town and enjoyed our day in port. This memorial honors the victims of an air raid on Bari on December 2, 1943. Some of the streets, houses and piazzas in Bari. The narrowest street in Bari Basilica San Nicola with a crowd of locals and tourists waiting outside for the bridal couple to emerge after their wedding. We never did get to see the inside of the church. Statue of San Nicola, Patron Saint of Bari Piazza Mercantile The water fountain in the piazza Colonna Infama (Infamous Column) where debtors were placed to face humiliation. It was erected in 1546. Cathedral of San Sabino Isabella d'Este, a professional school. Swabian Castle built in 1131 by Ruggero II the Norman. Lenda

Good morning from a sunny and warming central Texas. It's not quite 9 am, and it is 86F, but feels like 93F. The humidity is low, 62% with a dew point of 71F. Most of my walk was pleasant when I went out about 7:30. We are still under an excessive heat warning with an expected high of 104F to 106F. Chinese Valentine's Day is an interesting day to celebrate. However, I'll be celebrating Daughter's Day, chocolate chip cookie day and U. S. Coast Guard Day. Sadly, it is too hot to bake chocolate chip cookies, so that will have to wait another month or two. An amusing quote today from Bill Vaughan. I think we'll pass on the meal and the drink. We haven't had Grenache wine in a great many years. I'd like to try today's wine sometime. We were in Bari in 2016 on Prinsendam. It was a substitute port when the Black Sea cruise was canceled after the attempted coup in Turkey. I'll go through my pictures in a few minutes. It was a sad day in history when Ann Frank and her family were arrested because of a tip from an anonymous person. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, I thought I'd posted pictures of Bari before, but I also couldn't find a link, and there are no copies of pictures from Bari in my file of pictures that have been posted. @aliaschief Bruce, when I was a very young child, my parents made a car seat for me. Using a wooden box, my mother covered it in padded material and made a long sash from sturdy material. Once I was seated on the box, the sash was put across my lap and threaded under the fold down seat back. My father rigged up a sturdy pole to wedge between the front seat and the back seat, and the sash was tied around the pole. I could ride in the front seat and was high enough to see out. They even got me one of those play steering wheels with a horn so I could "help" drive. 🤣 When seatbelts were first introduced, he had them installed in our 1956 Plymouth, which I drove in high school and college years later. @Denise T Denise, I hope you feel better soon. @Heartgrove Jack, thanks for the pictures of you carrying the flag in the parade. @1ANGELCAT I hope all goes well with Houdini for the blood draw. I'm glad Barb's surgery is behind her, and wish her a speedy recovery. I'm happy the surgeon feels he got all the cancer, but sorry the surgery was so long. @cat shepard Ann, I hope the quest for a good supplemental health insurance policy goes smoothly. We have ours through AARP, and with the best policy, we don't pay anything except the premium. That policy is no longer offered unless you were born before a certain date which I don't remember. @smitty34877 Terry, I'm sorry your DH is suffering from the expected side effects and does not have much of an appetite. I liked Annie's @marshhawk suggestion of small meals during the day, but that will mean more work for you. Dogs are sometimes the best medicine for those not feeling well. I'm glad you have help a few hours a day while Tana's aide is on vacation. @ger_77 Gerry, enjoy your family visit. @kazu Jacqui, I hope the flight changes are one and done. I think it's good that the doctor is keeping your BFF's DH in the hospital until the cause of pneumonia is found and it is cleared up. I'm glad she is taking a mental health day, and you two can have a good visit. Lenda

@Mr. Boston Enjoy your retirement. If you're like many of us, you'll soon wonder how you had time to work. Lenda

Annie, I hope the doctor doesn't find anything wonky either. I can’t help believing that if something really bad had shown up, the doctor would not wait a month to tell you. Lenda

Annie, that is great news about your DH starts the immunotherapy next Thursday. Kudos to the doctor for telling you to take the cruise. Lenda

Sandi, that's a great picture. Gerry, that must have been a letdown after getting ready for the procedure. Hopefully, next week will go smoothly. Ann, what a fantastic sight. I see why it's called a "boil". Jacqui, we didn't make it to the Monastario de Rabida. We did not know about it, so spent the rest of the day wandering around Huelva, indulging in hamburguesas and gelato. We also tried their version of a hot dog at a different stand, but did not like it as much. Huelva was an interesting town to just wander around. If we ever get back there, hopefully we'll make it to the Monastario de Rabida. Lenda

In 2016, the Prinsendam stopped at Huelva, Spain, just across the Rio Tinto from Palos de la Frontera. The replicas of Columbus' ships are moored near the mouth of the Rio Tinto, downstream from Palos de la Frontera. The site is called Muelle de las Carabelas. Huelva also lays claim to being the start of Columbus' voyage in 1492. While we were in Huelva, we hired a taxi to take us to see the replicas which were built to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Columbus' first voyage to the New World. After sailing across the Atlantic, the three ships were returned to Palos de la Frontera. Unlike 1492, the three replicas survived the voyage. This statue is in a plaza in the heart of Huelva. The Nina The Pinta The Santa Maria We were allowed to tour the ships, and it was amazing how small and cramped they were. Lenda

Good morning again from a sunny and warm central Texas. It is 94F at 11:30am, with a predicted high of 104F. There is a 8mph wind which will pick up to 13mph this afternoon. With our low humidity the wind will make it more comfortable outside. I still plan to stay inside the rest of the day. It was nice for my walk and errands this morning, and I did not need the a/c in the car. We only have pecans in the house, but won't be eating any today. I'd planned to pickup a watermelon at the store this morning, but the did not have a single watermelon. I wound up getting a small precut portion of one. I am not a fan of IPA, and I haven't had any beer in several years. Today's quote is thought provoking. I'm sure that the "establishment" consider the women who made history were not well-behaved. I can think of plenty of well-behaved women who made history. We'll skip the meal and have catfish, sweet potato fries, fried okra and hush puppies tonight, all cooked in the air fryer. I'll pass on the drink, but would like to try the wine. I posted my pictures of our day in Manila earlier this morning. Columbus certainly changed the world when he headed west to find the Indies. @cat shepard Ann, I loved the memes today. @marshhawk Annie, I hope your DH gets some answers today from the oncologist's office. It's unbelievable the don't answer the phones or return calls. @Heartgrove Bruce, I'm glad that Sam is doing better. I hope not finishing his food was just a one off. @kochleffel Paul, congratulations on being accepted for the graduate program. 👏 @lazey1 Jane, another HAPPY BIRTHDAY wish. Lenda

I'll finish our 2018 tour, and I did find a few of downtown Manila that aren't horrible. From the Jeepney factory, we went to Taal Lake for a buffet lunch of Filipino food, and a view of the lake and Taal Volcano, which erupted in 2020. A view of the lake, which is a caldera with a cone inside. It was very humid so the distance pictures are a little hazy. Next door to the hotel The hotel and the grounds. On the way back to Manila, we stopped at a roadside market where they were selling fruit and flowers. Manila traffic One of their malls A quick view of some of downtown from the bus We had another band for our sail away. One last view of Manila The next morning, we saw a lot of these little boats near the ship. We were told that the fishermen rowed our to the fishing grounds. This was many miles off shore. Lenda

Good morning from a sunny and warming central Texas. It was already 82F when I took my walk a few minutes ago. Since I have a couple of early errands, I'll repost my pictures of our 2018 Coral Princess visit to Manila. When I get back, and probably after breakfast, I'll come back and read the Daily. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, thanks for posting the links. It seems the wifi is working better on the ship. We were in Manila on October 31, 2018, on Coral Princess. These are the pictures I posted on June 16, 2021. As far as Manila itself was concerned, we did a quick drive through of the city, and my pictures out the bus window are not good. We did a tour that took us out of the city to Taal Lake, with stops along the way. The view of Manila as we sailed into port. We were greeted by one of the local bands. A couple of pictures of the Jeepneys that are the main "public" transportation in the Philippines. Some have set routes. They were originally made from Jeeps left at the end of WWII, but now they use many different vehicles. Our first stop St. Joseph Parish Church in Las Pilas to see the 19th century bamboo organ. Our next stop was the Jeepney "factory", the term used in the tour description. I'll let you decide if it's a factory. And their inventory control. In another post I'll share pictures of our final destination and the trip back to the dock. Lenda

No apologies necessary. While I tried to explain things but keep it simple and short, it was difficult to include all the details. Lenda

Jacqui, the doctors are looking for improvement after the lumbar puncture, it is not ecpected to last. It's just a diagnostic tool to help determine if a shunt will help. Sadly, they really needed 30ml but only got 20ml, so we were pleasantly surprised with the quick improvement. There was also improvement for several months after the second back surgery due to loss of spinal fluid. We understabd they want to be as confident as possible before placing the shunt since it is brain surgery. Now, it's just see what happens over the next month and keep a diary. I'lI not be giving updates after today since it's the long term results that matter. Lenda

No need to apologize for confusing me with someone else. It happena to me too. Riding in the car for a long time makes walking difficult at the best of times. After driving in traffic which we don't have, I was stiff too. After resting for a couple of hours, DH was walking better without the walker than he has in a couple of months. He didn't have any trouble with the dizziness in the shower and said he's "seriously better". 🤞Hope it keeps up so he won't need to have the slow drain test for five days in the hospital. Of course over the month before we see the surgeon, things could start going the other way, but that's what they are looking for. I hope your DH feels better and does not have bad side affects from the chemo. Lenda

Good afternoon from hot central Texas. It is 105F now. DH survived my driving home in Dallas traffic and on the Interstate. I'm feel better about having to do it again in the future. The road in Dallas was crowded, but at least we were out of there before rush hour. The nurse who looked after DH before and after the procedure was wonderful, and he found out for me why it was taking so long. It will be a while before we really see if the lumbar puncture will relieve some of the NPH symptoms. When we were leaving the hospital, he was walking better, and the nurse even noticed the difference. After the long drive home on our not so smooth roads, he was back to walking like he's been walking. Because of getting so little spinal fluid and the time it took, we don't know of he'll need more tests, which would include 5 days in the hospital, before gettimg the shunt. I guess we'll find out next month when we see the surgeon. In the meantime, we keep a diary of how he is doing. Thank you all for your support and concern today. Overall, while this is a big thing for us, it doesn't compare to what others are going through. Vanessa, these shootings are hard to hear about but even more so when you know some od the victims. Last year wuen a therapist gave DH some back exercises, she said if he couldn't get up from the floor, he could lie on the bed to do them. Maureen, I glad your DH got a good report from the doctor and that the pressure is down. Paul, being married to an engineer, I enjoyed the story about the class full of engineers. Thanks for the prayer. Terry, I'm glad you also survived a long day at a medical facility. I wasn't the person besides Joy @Seasick Sailor to talk about rolling on the floor for back problems, but I don't remember who it was. Lenda

DH is back in the room. At was about 35 minutes after they took him back before they got started. Add to that we don't do anything normally, so it took a long time to get enough spinal fluid, but not as much as they wanted. We should be on our way home in an hour or so. Carol, I am sorry Sam is back in the hospital. I hope they can help him and avoid surgery. Brenda, oh no about the address change. I hope you can get it straightened out easily. Lenda

Thanks to both you and your DH for going to the trouble if finding my pictures. Sorry about the wring page number. I knew it was the last page. DH is still back in the imaging room. They use imaging to guide the needle. Lenda

Posting the last post worked. They came for DH a few minutes after I posted. Lenda

As is usual in a medical setting things happen. It's now 30 minutes after the time, and we're still waiting. Lenda

Congratulations on the picture win. Sending good thoughts for your DH tomorrow. Bruce, glad it was an easy if expensive fix. RNB, thought you would like it. Lorraine, I so sorry about the latest setback for Murphy. Sending positive thoughts for an improvement, and strength for the family. Safe travels home. Try to do this on my phone is hard. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, or anyone else, I also posted some pictures of Skjolden on July 20. I you or someone could repost them, I would be grateful. They are on page 4 of that day's Daily. I couldn't type under the quote of Sandi's post. Lenda