Quartzsite Cruiser

Good morning from a sunny central Texas, where right now there is no wind either. It is 50F and feels like 47F with a predicted high of 73F. This morning we will be heading back to Cleburne for a joint appointment with the dermatologist. This is a follow up to last year's visit, which was postponed from last September. We canceled that visit which was scheduled for two weeks before DH's shunt placement surgery. since a Covid variant was on the rise, and we did not want to take any chances. We are not expecting anything except a visual exam. We also expect the guys back to finish installing the fiber optic internet. They didn't get here until after 7 pm last night. I think the inside installation is finished, but they didn't get much done outside because of darkness. I always liked "Louie Louie". I cleaned up my pantry here before we left for Quartzsite last fall, and there still isn't too much in the pantry. I guess I need to bring the things in from the motorhome pantry. Before we left Quartzsite, I cleaned the pantry there, so I'm good for today. We no longer have pets due to traveling a lot before 2020, and they will be on my mind today. I have always loved the Alice Roosevelt Longworth quote. She was quite a character. I think we'll skip the meal, drink and the wine today. We have not explored Norfolk, but have driven through there a few times. The signing of the Civil Rights Act in 1968 was very important. It was also an act of conscience and courage on the part of LBJ since it cost him the nomination and election that year. In fact, he announced on television he would not seek the nomination. @USN59-79 Welcome home, Ray and Sara. @Haljo1935 Elizabeth, please wish your DH a 🎂 VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY 🎈 for us. @aliaschief That's a lot of food, Bruce. Thanks for the pictures. @summer slope Dixie, I hope you and George are doing better after the golf cart accident. @Heartgrove Jack, thanks for the pictures of handsome Sam. I'm glad your DW and DSIL are getting a port day, finally. @kazu Jacqui, I hope you don't encounter too much rain today. @smitty34877 Terry, I'm glad Tana is doing better, and you are getting more sleep. I hope this trend continues. It was nice of the aide to say you could call her on short notice. @rafinmd In cases like the closed port of Baltimore, the PVSA can sure mess things up for cruise lines. I hope an exception to the law can be made under the circumstances. Lenda

Maureen, I'm sorry it's not going well with your DSIL which makes it hard for your DB and neice. I'm also sorry there is troubling news from your other brother’s family. It's good you are near by and can offer support as needed. @erewhon and @bennybear, thank you for your nice comments. For some posts I like to reach out to others individually because of circumstances. Other times, there are a lot of multiquotes because I couldn't read the Daily during the day. Multiquoting in that case helps me remember everyone who I want to mention and why. Glad it helps you, too. Terri, I hope your DH has a good report from the neurologist today, and he says you can go on the trip to Italy. You both need to get away and relax. HUGS! Lenda

Good afternoon from a cool and very windy central Texas. It is 63F with a 18mph wind from the northwest, so it feels like 59F out. While there are still heavy clouds, it looks like we won't get more rain until next Wednesday. Since Monday evening, we've received about 1.5 inches of rain. Our yard is to soggy to go check the rain gauge closely. It has been a busy day, but the house is clean as is the motorhome. The last load of towels are in the drier. I was going to cook fish and vegetables in the air fryer, but I think instead we'll have the rest of last night's pizza. It's easier. The two hour window for the people to come hook up the fiber optic internet was 3:15 to 5:15. It is 6:00, and they are not here yet. I saw one of their trucks about 4:45 minutes ago going through the neighborhood, and DH said they are down the street. I imagine all the rain today slowed them down. Great pictures of the siblings Debbie. Joy, that must have been some storm last night to blow pots off the patio. We had some wind and thunder, but mostly rain. Carolyn, I'm sorry your oldest sister lost her battle with lymphoma. Great pictures. Elizabeth, thanks for sharing the family picture and the sketch. I hope the picture brings back good memories. Cute picture. Terry, thanks for sharing such a wonderful picture. I'm glad your DM got everyone cruising. What a lovey cup and a lovey gesture by your sister. I hope the doctor signed the FT leave for you. Pennie, thanks for all the pictures from Petra. It is the top of my bucket list, but I doubt we'll make it there now, and Covid ruined our two chance to go a couple of years ago. I agree that part of the are looks like AZ. This area of the Judean Desert reminded us of the area around Borrego Springs, CA. Vanessa, I hope everything went well at your pre-op exam. Best wishes to your BFF for a successful MOHS surgery tomorrow. Wonderful painting, Denise. Cute picture, Eva. Nice picture, Graham. Annie, I hope you don't have a reaction to the shingles shot. A bit of advice I was given when I had my first shingles shot. The second shot has to be between two months and six months after the first shingles shot. When I got mine, the pharmacist told me that if I had any reaction to wait as close as possible to the six month date to lessen the reaction for the second shot. Edi, a lovely picture of three lovely girls. I'm sorry your middle sister died so young. I hope your oldest sister has a wonderful 80th birthday. Karen, I'm glad your birthday went so well. How nice that your DS's first baking attempt tasted as good as it looked. Maybe, he has a new career. I'm glad your DBIL is doing all right. @RMLincoln Maureen, I hope your brother and niece are doing all right with all the decisions about your DSIL that need to be made. Lenda

A quick good morning from a wet central Texas. It is 60F with a high of 64F and more rain today. It will be a busy day of house cleaning and motorhome cleaning. The technician is supposed to come sometime today to hook up the fiber optics for our internet. Supposedly they will let us know the two hour window when they will be here. Farm animals are very important. I don't have any siblings, but DH has two brothers, and I can celebrate our two DDs. The Salvation Army does good work. The C. S. Lewis quote is good. I prefer meat in my stuffed cabbage, but haven't made it in decades. We'll pass on the drink and DH might like the wine. We were supposed to be in Petra on our two canceled Princess world cruises. Maybe someday. An interesting day in 1858 when Big Ben was recast. @MISTER 67 I'm glad your cold is better, but sorry your DW now has a cold. Enjoy the beach. @smitty34877 Terry, I'm sorry about the rough night and a day without the aide. I hope it is an easy day. HUGS to everyone. @kochleffel Paul, I'm glad you are doing better after your fall. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, thanks for the pictures of Petra. Lenda

The pizza dough is rising and will be ready to roll out and assemble the pizza in about 30 minutes. Everything else is prepped. Vanessa, I'm glad you got to see the eclipse yesterday, but sorry your long day caught up with you today. I hope you are better tomorrow, and that you get some much needed sleep tonight. I hope your pre-op visit tomorrow goes well. I also hope they can get everything in one pass for your BFF's MOHs surgeries. BTW, DH does not need to be on the care list. We're just waiting to see what UTSW has o say. He is getting better, but slowly. Our PCP works with older patients. In fact, two days a week he sees patients in the area nursing homes. He is a very popular doctor in our little town. Lenda

Good afternoon from a cloudy but not raining central Texas. It is still windy, and we could still get some rain overnight and into tomorrow. I'm not sure if we will reach our predicted high of 71F, but the computer says it's 69F now. Just after we got on the road to Cleburne, the skies opened up and we had very heavy rain. We were lucky that the rain was over, or we out ran it quickly. The rest of the drive and the return trip were rain free. DH's CT scan went well. It takes a while for the shunt to relieve all of the symptoms, and he wondered if he might need an adjustment. However, since getting the appointment for the CT scan, the symptoms have lessened more. We'll see what the people at UT Southwester say when the see the results of the CT scan. My routine dental cleaning had some not surprising but unwelcome news. There is a tooth that has become a problem. The dentist said the bone is receding and that within a year, he needs to pull that tooth and maybe another. One solution is a bridge, but if it is done within a year, an implant will be possible. That is my preference. I'll probably schedule it in late August or early September before we head to Quartzsite again. I already have one implant, and it's the same tooth on the opposite side of my mouth, so I know what to expect, and it's not that big a deal. Gerry, thanks for sharing the great wedding picture. Pennie, the picture box with Martina's collar and paw print, plus her pictures is a lovely tribute to her. Elizabeth, I'm glad you have a new faucet, but I can't believe the plumber didn't put a bucket under the sink while working. Brenda, thanks for the great picture of the pheasant. They are lovely birds. Karen, how sweet and thoughtful of your DS to make a special cake for your birthday. I'm glad it brings back such a sweet memory from your birthday and anniversary last year. And it does look decadent. Carolyn, loved the Denali pictures. All our trips to the interior, including Denali, have been by motorhome. That is good news you had a good weekend in Arizona. I'm glad you are home safely. Susan, the dogs might not like it, but if the roadwork is a problem, you could spend the summer on a BHB. Paul, thanks for the picture of the waterfall. The first time we drove to Alaska, I think I drove the DDs crazy pointing out all the waterfalls. Graham, glad you had a good report today. Roy, that is good news everything is lining up quickly, and that the cardiologist feels the valve clinic is less urgent. Also, it's good you can go to a satellite office for the valve evaluation. Annie, I hope DH can be helped with the pain. Sometimes, too many doctors who do not communicate can make things more complicated. Now, I better go make the pizza dough so it has times to rise. Lenda

Debbie, I'm glad you made it in time to see the eclipse. I'm not surprised about the traffic. Thanks for finding some variations on the egg muffins. Lenda

An early good morning from central Texas. The rain started last night with a very heavy rain that dumped 0.19 inches in a very, very short time. It is not raining now, but will pick up again about mid-morning if the weather app is correct. Our best chance of rain is about 11am and noon, with a 100% chance of rain. It is currently 66F with a predicted high of 71F. I think I'll take advantage of the cooler weather and make a pizza tonight for dinner. The main things on the agenda are a visit to the dentist to have my teeth cleaned, and DH's CT scan to check how well the shunt is working. My appointment was scheduled for 9am, but last week they asked if I could come in at 8am, and I said yes. What was I thinking? At least, it will be out of the way earlier, and the hygienist shouldn't be running behind at 8 am. 😉 I was wondering what Jenkins Ear Day was about. Thank you, Graham @grapau27 for giving us the answer. As a circus elephant, I'm not sure how good a life Jumbo had, but he deserves a day. I have a few antiques that I inherited and that mean a lot to me. The Saint Augustine quote is very true. Didn't we have broccoli and cheese egg muffins a few weeks ago as the meal? We'll pass on the meal and the wine. Riesling is my go to white wine, but I'm not sure if today's Riesling is not a bit too sweet. We have been to Denali several times, beginning in 1992 on our first trip to Alaska when we drove the Alaska Highway on its 50th anniversary. We camped in the park for three of the five sunny days they had in 1996. All my Denali pictures are pre-digital. My only picture of Denali is of the mountain. Denali. It was taken on an exceptionally clear day in 2015, from the deck of a lodge near Talkeetna. Interesting day in history when in 1768 John Hancock stood up the the British Customs Officers. @MISTER 67 I'm glad your cold is better, and that you can play golf tomorrow. @Overhead Fred Fred, thanks for the great pictures from your anniversary dinner. Good to see everyone having a good time. @aliaschief Bruce, thanks for the pictures from Sabang. After seeing the pictures of the meat market, I probably would have become a vegetarian for the day. @smitty34877 Terry, using a colander and white paper was a different but good way to see the eclipse. Lenda

@ger_77 Have a wonderful day on your anniversary, Gerry and Maurice, with many more anniversaries in your future. Lenda

@luvteaching Karen, I hope you have a Happy Birthday today, and that the day isn't too difficult for you. HUGS! Lenda

Sandi, I'm sorry Linda had such a disappointing day today. I know here we were getting warnings about heavy traffic due to the eclipse. The Texas Department of Transportation even banned large trucks from I-35 in this part of the state and around the DFW area. Jane, I'm sorry you are still light headed and still having some balance issues. I'm glad you are going to ask you BIL to go with you to your appointment Wednesday, Please, if your symptoms worsen before the appointment, call 911 and get to the ER. Lenda

We had some good views of the eclipse, but as it progressed the high thin clouds got thicker. We could still see the eclipse, but you could tell the difference in the pictures DH's telescopes took as it progressed. Totality was amazing as it went almost totally dark when totality was reached. Then when the first edge of the sun peeked out, it brightened up instantly. We could see some planets during totality. Roy, I hope the tests and the consult show there is nothing serious happening. Lenda

Good afternoon after a busy morning. Our skies are clearing for a while and then clouding up some. The eclipse started here a few minutes ago, and the cloud layer is thin enough that DH's three (yes, three) telescopes are getting good images. Totality will in a bit over an hour and will last about 4 minutes, give or take a few seconds. After the heavy cloud cover early this morning, we are lucky to see the eclipse. Could it be that DH has on his eclipse t-shirt that I found last week at W-M? Karen, I'm glad your DS could spend time with you and brighten your mood. That is not the best way to see an eclipse. Susan, I'm glad the dogs were happy to see you and are settled in at home. Thank you, Graham. Lenda

Darwin was a port on our 2002 Volendam Asia Pacific Explorer Cruise. We were there on October 30, and the hot, humid season had not started then. We did not look at the town, but as per our usual port day, we rented a car and explored the surrounding area. Giant termite mounds were along the highway. DH, who is 6'1" stood next to it, and it towered over his head. Our first stop was a nature/animal preserve, that could have been in one of the national parks near Darwin. These are some of the local residents. On the way back to Darwin, we detoured to take a river cruise to see the jumping crocodiles. Our final stop that day was the Mindil Beach Sunset Market. It was the last night of the market until the next April. There were all types of crafts, clothing, food, and even didgeridoos for sale. As we walked around, we sampled kangaroo (which isn't bad, but does not taste like chicken) and crocodile, which tastes somewhat like alligator. DH bought a didgeridoo, which the vendor promised he'd ship to our house in Texas, since we couldn't haul it back on the plane. DH's comment when we left, was that we may have wasted our money. When we walked in the house after the cruise, the didgeridoo was on the couch. Let's just say, he can make a noise with it. A few scenes of the sunset market. Mindil Beach A local band to entertain the shoppers. Another local group to enjoy as we reboarded the Volendam. At dinner that night, kangaroo was on the menu. No one wanted to order it, but after we told them we'd tasted it at the market, the table decided to order one kangaroo dinner and share it between the six of us. The cruise was during the time the LA port locked the longshoremen out, so the Volendam could not get the containers of food that were sitting on the LA dock shipped to the various ports. The HD, F&B manager, and executive chef went shopping in most of our ports around Asia and Australia. We had good, and interesting things show up on the menu. We heard that our food did not go to waste, but went to the Veendam. Upon our arrival in LA the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, the longshoremen were working, but were protesting the lockout by unloading the ship one piece of luggage at a time by hand. We could not get off the ship until well after 1 pm., so the executive chef and the Lido cooks quickly fixed a modified lunch for everyone. Needless to say, just about all the passengers missed their flights. We did get out that day, as the ticket agent at LAX did not want extra passengers the next day. The adventures of travelling are not for the faint of heart, but do make travelling interesting. Lenda

Good morning from a very cloudy central Texas. It is currently 57F heading to a high of 81F this afternoon. It looks like the sun will attempt to make an appearance between 11 am and 3 pm, and I hope it is clearer during the eclipse. Yesterday, DH spent quite a bit of time getting his telescopes ready. Our rain will begin about 5pm and continue through Wednesday. D.A.R.E. was big in schools when the DDs were in school. We don't see much mention of the program now. I could probably draw a bird if I tried very hard. Roma Day celebrated the Romani people. An interesting quote by C. S. Lewis. We eat a lot of chicken, but we'll probably pass on today's meal, along with the drink. The wine sounds nice, but a bit pricy. We visited Darwin on October 30, 2002, while on the Asia Pacific Explorer Cruise on Volendam. I remember all the build up and excitement in 1974 to Hank Aaron's historic home run. Unfortunately, I was at a meeting the night he broke Babe Ruth's record and didn't see it. @rafinmd Roy, I hope the cardiologist visit goes well. I also hope you find time to see the eclipse. @seagarsmoker Congratulations to the Lady Gamecocks on winning the National Championship. @MISTER 67 I'm glad your cold is getting better. What an honor to caddy for Gary Player. @dfish Debbie, that is good news the stye is improving. Safe travels to Toledo to see the eclipse. I hope it is clear there. @ottahand7 Nancy, enjoy your getaway. Good luck on the presentation. @grapau27 Great video of the Rotterdam harbor, Graham. Lenda

@erewhon I hope you and your DH have a wonderful day, and many more anniversaries to celebrate. Lenda

@Overhead Fred Fred and Mitzi, wishing you a wonderful anniversary, followed by many more anniversaries. Lenda

@Norseh2o I hope you have a wonderful day today on your birthday. Lenda

@StLouisCruisers Sandi and twin Linda, I hope you both have a wonderful birthday, and many more. Lenda

Good evening. It was a long amd busy day, but the weather was good. There was a light breeze, and sun with high thin clouds. Since it seemed to be the only good day weather wise, I spent most of the day working in the yard. I got the weeds in the flower beds pulled along with the worst ones in the grass. Then, I got the grass trimmed and mowed. I was pleasantly surprised that there was quite a bit of good grass under the weeds. I didn't have time or the energy to spray the heavy duty weed killer or spread the fertilizer. I did get Roundup sprayed on the weeds that weren't in the grass, and the marigolds planted. By then it was time to put everything away. I will be sore tomorrow, but Advil, Apercreme, and wine helped with the soreness tonight. A good dinner of a great ribeye which we shared with baked potato, salad and wine helped too. DH has always coojed good steaks, but since he got an infared grill, the steaks beat anything you can order out. Karen, with an upcoming birthday and wedding anniversary a funk is understandable. You are a strong woman, and you will overcome the funk. Your DM sounds like a strong woman too. Thanks for the information. It is good to know. Jane, I hope this was a one off. If it happens again, please call 911. Don't take any unnecessary changesnwith your health. Vanessa thanks for the picture of the Dailyites. In 1961, they broke ground for the original Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington. As Elizabeth @Haljo1935 said, each section represented on of the six countries whose flags have flown over Texas. They were France, Spain, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the United States and the Confederate States of America. I remember going to Six Flags more than once when I was in high school. As more Six Flags parks opened, the one in Arrington dropped the Over Texas from there name. Lenda

Terry, I wish you could have help today and tonight. I'm glad Tana is feeling better this morning, but sorry she couldn't sleep. The teenager is amazing with his cooking and helping with housework. Teen years are stressful enough, and with the added burden of a sick mother, this must really be hard on him. Tana and the rest of the family must be very proud of the fine young man he is becoming. Jacqui, I'm sorry you are not feeling well and I hope you feel better soon, and that your pain lessens soon. Thank you for the beautiful pictures, Bruce. They brought wonderful memories of our visit to KL. Carolyn, I'm glad you had such a great time on the cruise. There is not need to apologize for missing events when you were seeing a big part of the world. Ann, glad embarkation was easy. Have a wonderful time. It's finally warmed up, so I'm going to change into yard clothes and go tackle the yard. Lenda

Good morning from central Texas where it is basically clear and not windy, It is currently 56F, and the humidity is down to 46% with a dew point of 36F. The predicted high will be 79F with clouds giving way to sun this afternoon. Once it warms up a bit, I will be out pulling weeds, trimming the grass and mowing. Tomorrow's weather is still iffy, but about the time of totality the sun could be breaking out of the clouds. That is also the time rain and isolated thunderstorms could begin. Beavers are interesting animals and good for the environment. Snail-papers day celebrates print newspapers which are an endangered but necessary form for getting information. If you Google just snail-papers, you would find they are for rolling marijuana. The Metric system is good, and I can now mentally figure out some temperatures and measurements in metric. A funny quote from a funny man who died recently. I like potato salad as a side dish, but it must have mayo, and I prefer my version of my mother's recipe. Sometimes, dishes should not be too healthy. The drink might be interesting, but I prefer a real key lime pie. We'll pass on the wine. We have not been to Costa Maya. A nice day in history for music lovers and Bach fans. @grapau27 Welcome home Graham and Pauline. I suspected you were away the last several days. Thanks for the nice pictures, and too bad about the weather. @Heartgrove Bruce, please wish Sue and her sister BON VOYAGE for us. I'm glad Sam is doing so much better. @MISTER 67 I'm sorry you have a cold, and I hope you are better soon. Lenda

@Overhead Fred Fred, I hope you and Mitzi have a great cruise. Lenda

@Vict0riann Ann and Pat, have a wonderful cruise. Lenda

You will always be welcome in Texas. We were intoduced to Tastykakes when we lived in Pennsylvania and Delaware. Tastykakes finally arrived in Texas several years ago. Now days I like their sweet rolls. Lenda