Quartzsite Cruiser

That is good news. Thanks for letting us know. Lenda

Sandi, I hope things improve for your twin's loved one, and that the vet has some answers that will help Madi. If not, I know your twin will put Madi first, and help her cross the Rainbow Bridge. Fourteen is a long life for a Golden Retriever. I know you feel helpless when nothing you can say will make either situation better, but just being there and listening is a help to you twin. Lenda

Jacqui, you did the right thing by staying with Ivan this morning. I hope all the problems you are facing and the worries about about others improve soon. Take care of yourself and Ivan, and remember we're here if you need us or feel like sharing. Lenda

Ann, I'm glad you are getting some much needed rain. I hope you get a good report from the surgeon, and get the answers you need, too. Susan, what an interesting life your 3X great grandmother had. Many of my ancestors had large families until my grandparents. Beginning with them, each generation had one or two, and our DDs do not have children. We like In & Out, but it has only recently opened in a few Texas cities. Around here the choice is McDonalds or Sonic, and we like both. Debbie, I'm sorry Jacqui wasn't able to meet you today. Reading between the lines, I guess Ivan had another bad day, and I hope they figure out to help him without more meds that can bother him. It's too bad you tour for tomorrow was canceled, but given the storms and flooding, I'm glad you will make it to Halifax. I hope they find the missing people. Remember, you're on a BHB so it can't be all bad. And you can never have too many t-shirts. I hope the waterfront boardwalk was not badly damaged since it's an interesting walk. Lenda

Good morning from a sunny and calm central Texas. It was a very comfortable 73F when I walked, even without any wind. It is now 77F and feels like 77. The humidity is 63% with a dew point of 64F, so we're in the comfortable range. The hourly forecast shows a high of 102F, and triple digits are forecast for the next two weeks. Aw, summer in Texas. I'll salute Amelia Earhart and Pioneer Day. I appreciate Graham @grapau27 giving us the explanation of Pioneer Day. However, I'll include all the pioneers who pushed this country westward, including many in both my family and DH's family. Without them, we would not have made it to Texas. Being an only child of two only children, I do not have many cousins, and most of the ones I have met are descended from one of my grandmother's siblings. Unfortunately, we are not close. There are a lot of cousins on my father's side since his great great grandparents had 12 children. Many of their descendants gather at the old homestead outside of Comanche, TX, for a reunion on the second weekend in August. We've not been, but I would be able to meet many distant cousins there. I like to read, but I also like to live life. We'll pass on the meal, and probably the wine since I'm not a fan of Shiraz wines. I'll take the Cuba Libre however. It is my understanding that the drink has to have lime in it to be called a Cuba Libre; otherwise, it's just plain rum and coke, which isn't bad. I like mine made with Captain Morgan's Spiced rum, please. It's good to see another day in Canadian history. Those of us in the US need to learn more about our neighbor to the north. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, thank you for your pictures of Burnie, Tasmania. Hopefully, we'll get to Tasmania someday. @mamaofami Carol, I'm so sorry about Sam's fall and brain bleeds. I hope the doctors can stop them without resorting to surgery. @puppycanducruise Melanie, thank you for the picture of the Great Blue Heron. We used to see them all the time when we lived in Corpus Christi in the early 1970s. @smitty34877 Terry, I'm glad you are getting help cleaning the house. Our two dachshunds did not like the vacuum, but one loved to help mop until I changed to a sponge mop. @cruising sister Lorraine, thank you for the good news about Murphy's progress. I'm sending very positive thoughts that she will continue improving and will overcome this setback. I hope Molly is all right, but if not, that the vets can help her. It's sad to see our fur babies in pain. @Cruzin Terri Terri, I'm glad you got the much needed sleep and feel better today. I'm also happy that the weather cooperated and you got to take your canal boat tour. @marshhawk Annie, I hope the cardiac exercises help your DH. I love the Amelia Earhart quote. @ottahand7 Nancy, that brisket looks really good. Pretty flower arrangements. @Crazy For Cats Jake, enjoy the Ho-Ho today. It's a good way to get an overview of a city. @rafinmd Roy, I hope you have good results from your doctor visits this week. @Seasick Sailor Joy, "DAMN" is right. I can't believe they can't find another doctor for Allen since this one keeps cancelling. I hope the swarm moves on too. This is for all the Arizona Dailyites, and those further north, too. For the rest of us. Lenda

Terri, I'm glad you had another negative covid test. Get some rest so you can enjoy your stay in Copenhagen. Bruce, the Royal Inn is still there and it does have a restaurant. It was built after I was married and had moved away. The only time I've been in the place was for my 20th high school reunion. Usually, we would go to one of Mack Eplen's restaurants. I'm sorry about your great nephew's accident and the serious injuries. I'm glad he is expected to fully recover. Lenda

Terri, that must have been a very scary discovery. I'm glad the concierge was so persistent, and that all the people at the pier were kind and helpful. I hope your cold is better and that you and Jim can enjoy Copenhagen. As a freshman at The University of Texas, I had to pass a swimming test or take a semester of swimming lessons. I was a fair enough swimmer so I passed the test. Graham, we had a similar experience on Princess in 2001. So many people canceled after 9/11, we were upgraded from a balcony to an mini-suite. When our luggage had not arrived in a timely manner, I went to our "old" cabin, and there were our suitcases. I started to take them to the cabin, but the cabin steward insisted on having them delivered. Lenda

Your post brought back a lot of good memories of growing up in Abilene. Dyess was a big boost for the economy and helped Abilene grow from a small city of 50,000 to a town of 125,000+ today. While Dyess opened in 1956, it began in 1942 as Abilene Army Air Base (AKA Tye Field), but was deactivated after the war. After the Korean War broke out, the city lobbied the Pentagon and LBJ to have the base reactivated, and impressed the Pentagon by raising $1million to purchase and extra 3,500 acres. Dyess was officially opened on April 15, 1956. I remember being able to tour the base when it opened. Thank you, Bruce, for helping with the Rehab Telethon while you were at Dyess. The Rehab Center was a special place to my family. It was begun when physical therapist Shelly Smith had a vision of a place for children to received therapy at no cost to the parents. With the help of the Junior League which my mother was a member of, in 1953 the center started in an spare classroom at an elementary school. It has grown a lot since then, with facilities in San Angelo and Ozona. My father was on the BOD until his health prevented him from serving in the late 1980s. BTW, the telethon along with an auction is still being held. They are planning a new, bigger facility in Abilene. Bruce and Susan, I looked online today, and Lowake in Rowena is still in business. Did you ever go to Zentners Steakhouse or Zentner's Daughters Steakhouse in San Angelo? They were also popular with people from Abilene. Sadly, both have now closed. Most people in Abilene now go to Perini Ranch Steakhouse in Buffalo Gap, which I mentioned in my earlier post. Lenda

Joy, we did "duck and cover" drills in elementary school in case of an atomic bomb being dropped near by. Dyess Air Force Base was in our town, and was the home of B-52s at the time. I guess it made feel good to have practice drills even if they were impractical. Now days, I don't think I can duck and cover quickly, not to mention getting out from under one of the desks. 🤣 Lenda

We've been to Okinawa twice, (both times on Princess)., but I did not remember the port's name. A little history, Okinawa is part of the Ryukyu Islands, which originally were part of China, until annexed by Japan in 1609. It is the fifth largest island. Naha is the capital. A few pictures of the area. The middle one was taken from the monorail station near the castle. A couple of pictures of the tunnels used by the Japan during WWII. A couple of pictures of Shurijo Castle. It is easy to see the Chinese influence. This just a small portion of the indoor market that covers almost a full block. And finally, our send off as the ship sailed. We enjoyed this performance on both visits. Lenda

Good morning from a sunny and still pleasant central Texas. It was 75F when I took my walk before 8am. It is currently 78F, and the predicted high if you look at the hourly forecast is 98F. If you look at the overall day's forecast, the high will be 100F. I think I'll stick with the hourly forecast until proven wrong. There is not much on the agenda today, so I'll probably continue to work on my pictures. Being from Abilene in west Texas, I know a few cowboys. A couple of my classmates owned ranches. The brother of another classmate turned the family ranch into a steakhouse more than 40 years ago. It is a favorite go to steakhouse in Texas, and they prepare cowboy steaks over an open fire. I like vanilla ice cream especially if it's made with Mexican or Tahitian vanilla. It is also good with fresh strawberries, peaches or chocolate sauce. There are still too many drownings, and I hope many more can be prevented. My parents gave me swimming lessons at a young age, and we also took the DDs to swimming lessons when they were young. At the time, we lived in PA, and DH and I could not understand how they endured the cold pool water, which was about 72F. The Suzanne Collins quote is true. We'll pass on the meal and the drink. The wine sounds lovely, but the price is a wee bit high. We have been to Naha, Okinawa twice. I'll post my pictures in a few minutes. Today is another important day in Canadian history. @Crazy For Cats Jake, I hope you have a great day in Portland. @mamaofami Carol, please wish your DS a belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY, and your DD an early HAPPY BIRTHDAY. @Lady Hudson Katherine, I hope the new round of physical therapy helps more than the previous one. @cruising sister Lorraine, this is a very welcoming and supportive thread. I remember how nice everyone was when I joined. Sending more positive thoughts for Murphy. I hope she is resting and healing. I also hope her parents are getting the support they need during this very difficult time. @Denise T Denise, I'm glad Fancy is settling into her new home and has many happy hours on the couch. @Ichiban Nekko I hope you have a great time in Charlottesville and enjoy whichever movie you see. @ottahand7 Nancy, that brisket looks good, and I hope it tastes as good as it looks before cooking. @Seasick Sailor Joy, that's such a cute picture of Oliver. I hope his brother finds his furever home soon. @Nickelpenny Penny, I hope you can stay cool enough in this heat. Tucson seems to be a little cooler than Phoenix. @cunnorl Charlene, your friend is indeed very lucky to have her mother at her party. @grapau27 Thank you for the information about the 1840 Act of Union. Lenda

@summer slope Dixie, I hope you have a wonderful day today, and many more happy and healthy birthdays to come. Lenda

Sandi, one less thing for you to worry about. I know you are an early riser, but I'll also do the links the morning after you get home. I know there will be a lot for you to do do that day. Lenda

Gerry, I'm sorry you had so much bad news today. Our condolences to your the family and friends of the family of the friend of your friend. I hope the wife of the CC member can get the proper help with her cancer. We've also lost family members to cancer. Jacqui, I'm sorry about the sad news from your friend. Yes, DAMN cancer. And I hope the other dam can be stabilized and will not cause more damage in Nova Scotia. Lenda

Good afternoon from a sunny, but slightly hazy central Texas. It is currently about 93F which is a lot better than our recent triple digits. To celebrate a cooler day, (It's all relative.) we will be grilling a ribeye to split, along with baked potatoes, salad, ice cream and of course red wine. The wine of the day will be a lovely and inexpensive cardbordeaux cabernet sauvignon. 🍷 Tomorrow, our triple digits will return. With the nice north wind today, mowing and trimming the yard was not that bad. I still took a 15 minute break to cool down during mowing because of the sun. When I finished, I sprayed pesticide around the house to try to keep the bugs out. With our Texas bugs, it will probably just slow them down a little. Thanks to a lot of watering, our Bermuda grass is beginning to reclaim the yard from the crab grass I've been fighting the last two summers. Now, I need to get rid of the crab grass in the area where we didn't sod the yard to keep it from encroaching again. The heavy duty weed killer that doesn't harm the Bermuda works, but it works slowly. Today, it was time for another application, and there will probably be another one in two weeks. For those that are worried about getting out of a hammock, getting in can also be problematic. One hint is to hang it close to the ground in case you wind up tumbling out. You don't have as far to fall and less chance to get injured. BTW, hang it over the grass not the concrete. 😁 Penny, I'm glad you got some rain to cool it down. Hope there is more in the future. Winging it is all part of retirement. Yikes, Terri, on another incident with the oxygen concentrator. I'm glad you keep backup tanks. I can understand the apprehension about the side affects of the cancer treatments, but I'm glad there are more and more options for such treatments. Thank you, Graham. Vanessa, please wish your BFF a VERYY HAPPY BIRTHDAY for us. Eva, I know it must be a relief to have the sale of your father's house complete, but that it is also bittersweet. He will always be with you in your heart and sweet memories of him. Jacqui, I'm also sorry they are closing the cruise terminal in Amsterdam. I wouldn't be to unhappy to stop in Rotterdam, since we haven't had the pleasure of visiting that city. I just don't want to see them use Ijmuiden again. It's too far from anything for a DIY day. I also hope there are ships that can still stop in Ceuta. Charlene, I'm glad the doctor cleared you with caution. Please use that caution so that you don't over do. Great news you are onboard! ✨ 🥂 🍾 Jacqui, that's good news they think they have the dam under control. I hope there was not too much serious damage from all that rain. Ann, I'm glad you have finally gotten rid of the headache and that Pat is off the antibiotics and has no sign of a recurrence of the infection. The lily is tall, but what a beautiful color. Sandi, I'll be glad to take over finding the links to the ports of the day while you are enjoying your time on Zaandam. My guess is you will be traveling next Friday, so I can start then. Sharon, I'm glad there was some rain. I hope there is more in the coming days. What a great smile your mother was giving you (or maybe the margarita). Tony, thank you for both sets of pictures of Ceuta. You realize how close Ceuta and Gibraltar are when you spend a day sailing back and forth between them. Love the birthday cake in Sel de Mer. Fancy is adorable, Denise. She lucky to have joined your family. Gerry, I hope the smoke clears soon, and that they can get the fires contained and then out. Welcome home and back to reality. The cruise must have been fun, if you're ready to book another one. Lenda

Lorraine, words cannot describe how much I hated to read you post about Baby Murphy. She was doing so well. I hope the doctors and nurses caught it in time, and that she will recover from this devastating set back. Sending positive thoughts for a quick recovery, strength for her family, and for her medical team to do all that's necessary for Murphy to recover. Lenda

Both times we were in Ceuta, we took tours to Tetouan, Morocco. In 2002 it was an afternoon tour, and in 2009 we had an all day tour. We barely got a chance to see Ceuta, only what was outside the bus window. When you go into Morocco from Ceuta, the guide collects your passport and leaves them with the border officials. The first time when we didn't no what was happening, it was a little disconcerting. The guide picked up the passports on the way back to Ceuta. The pictures are a combination from both tours. This first one was in 2002 when we stopped just before crossing the border. Just a few people decided to ride a camel. One of the King of Morocco's many palaces and the open area around the palace. Interesting woodwork A stroll through some of the markets Some locals consuming the goods instead of taking them home. The obligatory stop for a rug demonstration and sales pitch. The entertainment either at the stop for a snack in 2002 or lunch in 2009. Of course, we could leave Tetouan without seeing a snake charmer. A few pictures of Ceuta from the ships as we sailed. Lenda

Good morning from a sunny central Texas. It is currently 78F and our high will be 96F, It was supposed to be cloudy, but even with the sun, I'll be outside soon mowing and trimming the grass. We had a Pawley Island hammock for many years, and the neighborhood kids liked to play in it. We left it with the house when we moved here in 1999. It'll probably will be a leisurely day after I finish the yard work. I try to avoid Spoonerisms. Today's quote is pretty true. Just when we think we have life planned, something happens that changes everything. I think we'll skip the meal and the drink. There will be wine tonight, either white or red depending on what I decide to cook. We have been to Ceuta, Spanish Morocco, twice. Once in 2002 on Noordam III and again in 2009 on Tahitian Princess. Both times we did not stay in Ceuta, but took a tour to Tetouan, Morocco. We were supposed to stop there in 2004 on Noordam III, but it was to rough to get into port. Captain John Scott, headed to Gibraltar, but we couldn't get in there either. Before we could stop in Barcelona, we had to call at one of the two. We headed back to Ceuta where an official came out to the ship in the pilot boat with the necessary paperwork. Another interesting day in history. @kazu Jacqui, I'm glad you got Ivan outside in time today. Thanks for all the lovely pictures of Ceuta. @ottahand7 Nancy, thanks for the beautiful flower pictures. Now, to retrieve my pictures and then head out to do yardwork. Lenda

@NextOne Edi, have a fabulous time on Zuiderdam. BON VOYAGE! Lenda

@Crazy For Cats Jake, I hope you and Juan have a wonderful cruise. BON VOYAGE! Lenda

@dfish BON VOYAGE! Debbie, I know you and Sue will have a wonderful time on Zaandam. Be sure to check out the organ at noon on sea days. If they are not playing it, ask at Guest Services to have it turned on on sea days. Lenda

Edi, I'm glad you made it to Boston safely and without any problems. That is good news about Denny showing small signs of improvement. Sending positive thoughts for continued improvement and a complete recovery. Lenda

Debbie, glad you finally made it safely to Boston. A free drink and food sounds like a good way to end a long day. Lenda

Jacqui, I also hope the injection is working and that reducing or stopping the pain meds helps Ivan without causing pain. It would be nice if sometimes they could talk so they could tell us how they feel. Annie, I'm not happy about what I'm reading about the place where you are getting your PT. They seem disorganized and understaffed. Is there another place close by that you can go to for PT? You might want talk to Sidney about today when you have your next session. Vanessa, that seems unusual for a therapy place to be warm. In the past year, I've noticed almost every medical place we've been, and especially the hospitals are cold. I think I will avoid Picklesburgh, especially since I'm not fond of pickles. Debbie, I'm sorry about the delay getting your flight off the ground. I hope you get there early enough for dinner and to get some rest. @bennybear Brenda, I'm glad you are feeling better today. Lenda

We got some pretty good news on the medical front this morning. DH now has an appointment with the neurosurgeon at UTSW on September 5. The nurse was trying to arrange an appointment for the end of August, so with the surgeon's schedule, this is pretty close. I just hope he has an early opening in his schedule to place the shunt. Joy, I'm glad Oliver's bump does not seem serious and just needs watching. I hope the doctor gives you a full release today. Enjoy getting back to the things you love doing. Have fun at the zoo. I'm glad they gave you plenty of time to rearrange things on the cruise. Sandi, the story of Princess and P&O in the early 2000s is interesting. When we took the P&O world cruise in 2000, Princess owned P&O. For some reason, but 2002 the ownership had switched and P&O owned Princess. Things changed again when Carnival Corp. bought both cruise lines. Terri, I'm sorry the tourist train was a problem and that Jim and another man got hurt. I hope Jim is doing okay now. Karen, it's good to hear from you, and that you and your DS are getting projects tackled. Lenda