Quartzsite Cruiser

I just finished reading the thread, and now the possible banned number is five. There was a saying going around several years ago that covers a lot of situations, "Ship happens". Just be careful how you say it. I got a good laugh from the Chief Engineer on Prinsendam when I told hom. Debbie, you did goos at the outlet mall. The last two times I stopped in Macy's I was very disappointed. There was not the variety of merchandise, and even less range of sizes. The worst was the worn, filthy carpet. Brenda, I'm glad you can now take a regular showe. All the paintings are wonderful, but I love the first one. So far, we have not heard any fireworks. Unfortunately, I think that is about to change. Inhad to go to the dollar store, and when I passed the fireworks stand, there were a lot of customers. Lenda

Paul, I learned something new today. Thanks. I'm glad everyone was safe, but please, next time get out, and then call 911. Roy @rafinmd is correct, quilts and equipment can be replaced, people can't. Lenda

Good afternoon from a hot and windy central Texas. The weather app says it's 96F but feels like 103F. It was hot when I took the golf cart up to the mailbox, and if it hadn't been for the wind, it would have been miserable. Our humidity has dropped to 48% with a dew point of 68F, and that makes it a bit more comfortable outside. The house is clean, and I'm waiting for the towels to finish drying. Since the house looks good, we're having our neighbors over for happy hour this afternoon. We always have happy hour here since they have a cat, and DH is allergic. Besides the package I was expecting, we received a Christmas card today from our neighbors down the street. They had mailed it last December, and used our Texas address thinking it would be forwarded to Quartzsite. However, unknown to us until much later, our forwarding request did not go through because the local post office missed a step. Anyway, the label on the envelop said undeliverable, return to sender. I guess it was just now going to the sender, and our mail carrier saw the address and put it in our box. Thank you, Graham. Joy, our condolences to your neighbor on the passing of her mother. I'm glad your foot is almost healed. Tina, we all need to do our part in reducing the use of plastics, and a much better job of recycling or disposing of it. When calms are not easy to get, and a Howard Johnson's was close, that was the best place to get fired clams. We've also gotten some very good fried clams in Charleston, OR, near Coos Bay. RNB, now we know, you don't need to worry about the neighbor who's house the cops stop in front of. Paul, that must have been scary. I'm glad it turned out all right, but it would have been nice to find the correct address. Terry, I may not say it often, but you, Tana, the teenager, and the rest of the family are always in my thoughts. After DH's surgeries and other problems, I understand the isolation. HUGS Tony, thanks for your pictures from Rhodes. Now, I know where my picture of the donkeys was taken. After reading your post, DH is watching the Guns of Navaronne again. Enjoyed seeing your pictures, Ann. Oskar is a cutie. Sharon, glad you figured your iPhone settings out. It always feels good when you can do that. Carolyn, your family's trip sounds like a few rv trips we took with the DDs. Enjoyed your pictures from Rhodes. Lenda

The island of Rhodes. These pictures were taken as we drove along the north side of the island. Near the far end of the north shore, we stopped at a small harbor with a café where we had a coke. There was a Lycean tomb in the hill by the harbor. Lycean tombs are not normally found on Rhodes. It is the area of the hill that looks manmade. We saw the runs of Kritinia Castle on the hill near the harbor; so we drove up there but did not go inside. A secluded beach which I think is on the south shore. I'm not sure where these were taken, but I thought they were interesting. It might have been in Rhodes Town or one of the villages the taxi driver showed us in 2003. A view of Lindos from an overlook up in the hills Lindos from the parking lot on the main road And finally, our elegant home away from home Lenda

We have been to Rhodes three times. In 2003, the old Regal Princess stopped there on the mystery cruise. Because of the Iraq invasion and SARS, Rhodes was not crowded. The next two times, 2016 and 2017, we were there on the Prinsendam. Part of our days were spent walking around town, and the rest of the day we either hired a taxi for a tour (2003) or rented a car. I am going to divide my pictures between Rhodes town and the rest of the island. This is where the Colossus of Rhodes stood in ancient times. (Added that I read something last week that said this might not have been the place. So who knows after so many centuries.) The area around the harbor entrance, but outside the city walls A church in the area Inside the old city Inside the Grand Masters Palace, where most of the furnishing had been moved to Malta The Acropolis of Rhodes, which is surrounded by the modern city. Lenda

Good morning from a clear central Texas where the sun is just now appearing over the tops of the trees. Again we have a 5mph wind according to the weather app, but no wind according to the neighbor's flag. it is 76F and feels like 76F with 85% humidity and a dew point of 71F. Our predicted high is 99F. The good news is there is rain in our future forecast beginning Friday and through most of next week. The forecast is for scattered thunderstorms, some of which may be from Beryl, but this far inland the winds should not be a problem. We'll take any rain we can get. We see the painted rocks around the neighborhood here and in Quartzsite, but with my lack of artist ability, I'll not be dropping any rocks. Yes to fried clams day, but they are hard to find here. The fewer plastic bags we use the better, and I try not to use too many. Mother Teresa was a wise woman, and I like the quote. Lamb kebabs would be good, but since DH is not a fan of lamb, I'll wait to get my lamb on a BHB. I would prefer a tequila sunrise, and I'll skip the Riesling since it could be sweet. We have visited Rhodes several times, and I'll repost my pictures next. Yeah to the beginning of the Dow-Jones Index in 1884. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, I'm glad your DH is getting over his cold. Cute picture of Sadie. @grapau27 Graham, thanks for the explanation of drop a rock day. @Denise T Denise, I hope any fireworks don't bother Fancy or the cats. @ottahand7 Nancy, I'm glad your DB saw the surgeon yesterday, but I wish he didn't have to wait to have the knee drained. I hope he reconsiders the needed surgery, but can understand his being a bit leery. @kazu Jacqui, I'm sorry you will need surgery, but I hope it's soon so you can be out of pain and can get some decent sleep. @RedneckBob RNB, Howard Johnson fried clams were the best, especially when followed by their fudge ripple ice cream. @cat shepard Ann, where's a six year old when you need them? I hope the dealership can help with the display problem. Once I repost my pictures of Rhodes, I'm off to a fun day of house cleaning. Lenda

Terri, I'm sorry your arm is not any better. I'm also sorry you are having problems with the a/c unit and the thermostat. I hope it's not serious and can easily be fixed. Lenda

Debbie, I know the doctors in the practices owned by hospitals and insurance companies are frustrated, but I still say those companies care more abiutnthe bottom line than good patient care. That affects everyone. Karen, I'm glad your mother is doing well after her surgery. Continued positive thoughts for a quick amd full recovery. Thank you for the update about Barb. I'm glad she is doing well after the radiation treatment. Lenda

Cute picture, Carolyn. We've been lucky that the few specialists we've seen have let us get the necessary tests, x-rays, CT scans, and MRIs at our PCP's office or a place closer to us. Joy, living out in the country, it's hard to keep the native grasses out of the cultivated areas. Also, I'm to blame for the recent invasion. Several years ago, when the grass was growing so fast due to the fertilizer, we decided to skip it a year or two, that turned into a few more years. With the grass not as robust as it should have been, the crab grass moved in. The past two years and this year, we've fertilized in the spring and in the fall, plus sprayed heavy duty weed killer. There is only a bit of crab grass in the grass now, but we know we have to keep on top of it. If I kill the crabgrass in the native area, we'll have bare dirt that will be dry and dusty in the summer. So the crabgrass being green most of the year is the lesser of two evils, but not by much. Our sodded areas are looking better than they have in several years. I do not want to haul in topsoil, add more to the sprinkler system and sod the native areas. Plus part of the area is the utility right-of-way, that we can't do anything with but keep looking presentable. Lenda

Good afternoon after a busy day. It is 100F, and the sky has turned hazy. I'm not sure if it is a thin cloud layer or the Sahara dust that is heading our way from Africa. After checking on line, I think it is the dust cloud, and there may be another to follow this one. @Sir PMP DH found the movie "Beyond Mombasa" on a streaming service, and watched it today, It looked like a fairly decent B movie. Gerry, I don't blame you for being miffed about the missing lab order. We're lucky here that our PCP has someone in the office every day to do the blood draws. We can schedule the blood tests before our annual or semi-annual visits, or have them done shortly after we see the doctor or the PA, and before leaving. There is even a small x-ray machine in the office, and an x-ray tech comes one morning a week. Even in Quartzsite, there is someone who comes to the clinic on Monday and Tuesday mornings to do the draws. There it is on a first come, first served basis, and timing is everything. Vanessa, even with the reported sore back muscles, it is so good to read that you are able to do so much. I hope BFF gets a good report from the six week follow up visit and is able to start some weight bearing on his ankle. I'm glad you are still planning on your fall cruise. Even just being on a ship and being pampered will be good. Joy, I'm glad Allen gained some weight even it it wasn't quite a pound. I hope the low WBC is not a problem. It's too bad your doctor is moving, and you have to "break in" a new one. We're lucky our PCP has a busy and thriving practice, so we should not have that worry. Good luck with getting rid of the crab grass. I've been fighting that battle for more years than I can remember. Even the weed killer that is supposed to kill it, only gets it to die back some. Pulling it can help temporarily, but you can never get it all. I'm at the point, that it's not as bad in the Bermuda grass, and in the unsodded areas, it's green and not too bad when it's mowed. 😁 Debbie, I'm beginning to think that these medical practices owned by hospitals or big medical conglomerates are only interested in the bottom line, not the patients. Elizabeth, she's a cutie with a big decision. Paul, I'm sure you will get the presentation done in plenty of time, but waiting so late was inconsiderate of the conference planners. @kazu Jacqui, I hope the vascular surgeon had some answers for you, and a plan to fix you leg and foot. Lenda

Safe travels to Maine. Enjoy your new home. Lenda

Good morning from another sunny day in central Texas. The neighbor's flag says there is no wind, and the trees agrees. However, the weather app show a 5mph wind from the SSE, with 81% humidity and a dew point of 74F. It is currently 80F and feels like 86F. The predicted high is 101F, so after the trip to the grocery store, I'll be staying inside and doing laundry. Items made in the USA are good if you can find them. Wildland firefighters do a necessary but extremely dangerous job, and deserve to be recognized. World UFO Day is interesting. An interesting quote from Paul Cezanne. We'll skip the fish, drink and wine today. We have not been to Mombasa, Kenya. It must have been an exciting day in 1679 when Daniel Greysolon de Du Luth and his explorers first saw the headwaters of the Mississippi. @RMLincoln Maureen, I'm glad yesterday's visit to DH's eye doctor was mostly positive. I hope he won't need the eye drops again. I hope you will be able to find a cruise to enjoy. @marshhawk Annie, I hope you can get DH an appointment with a neurologist sooner than one year. Congratulations on the five sales yesterday. Too bad you can't ignore your boss. @Mr. Boston Congratulations on the sale of your condo. I hope the move goes smoothly. @aliaschief Bruce, safe travels to Sue today. @smitty34877 Terry, I hope your DSIL and family will have a great cruise far away from Beryl. @Denise T Denise, I hope your sinuses improve soon. @summer slope Dixie, I hope all goes well as you prepare for your cataract surgery. I started the dental implant process in late May and should be finished in late August or mid-September. I'm just in the waiting period for the bone to grow around the implant, before getting the crown. Lenda

When we were poor college students and DH was in the Army, we got the can, but it was chow mein. No that great either. Been decades since I bought it. Now, I get a kir with sauce and noodles and make pad Thai. It helps that I can add what we like. Lenda

Me either. 😄 Lenda

I was looking for a recipe in my mother's recipe box, when I found a recipe for American Chop Suey that she'd clipped from a magazine. I know I've not made it, and I can't remember her making it either. We usually just opened a can of La Choy Chop Suey. After our discussion of Chop Suey a few days ago, I thought I'd share the recipe. I'm not sure when she clipped the recipe, but it was before 1957 or 1958. Lenda

Joy, I hope Bonnie's scleroderma does not cause too many problems for the surgeon. It's good she is able to spend so much time with the doctor, getting an MRI and the surgeon so quickly. Lenda

Ann, thanks for sharing the good news. It's always good when they do not have to remove any lymph nodes. I'm glad you are feeling like working in the garden. Good luck with the radiation, and I hope it's not too difficult.. Lenda

Karen, I hope all goes well for your DM tomorrow. The party sounds like it was a nice send off your friend's DS. Annie, I couldn't like your post, but thanks for letting us know. Pennie, I'm glad the surgeon was pleased with how your incision is doing. Oh, Joy, that's not the news anyone wanted to hear. I hope your DS's cancer was caught early, and can be taken care of easily. Sending positive thoughts to both of you. Lenda

🐰RABBIT 🐰 RABBIT 🐇 WHITE RABBIT! Happy Canada Day to all our Canadian Dailyites. A later good morning as I was just plain lazy this morning. It is 86F at 9:15 and feels like 94F. Our predicted high is 99F. and I wouldn't be surprised if our outdoor thermometers read 100F this afternoon. We're still under a heat advisory, which I don't expect to be lifted until sometime in September. The humidity is 68% with a dew point of 74F; so it wasn't too bad when I put the trash out a little while ago. Our 7mph wind from the SW hasn't reached our neighbor's flag yet. There's not much on the agenda except staying cool today. Three good days to honor today. I like the Mark Twain quote, but that is as far as I'll go. We'll pass on the meal, drink and the wine. Aburatsu, Miyazaki, Japan, is another Japanese port we haven't visited. A good day to celebrate the 1867 formation of the Dominion of Canada. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, I'm sorry your DH has caught a cold. I hope he is better soon. @marshhawk Annie, I hope your DH's infusion goes well today. I also hope you get to talk to the doctor or the PA regarding the behavioral changes. @ottahand7 Nancy, I hope your DB starts improving soon. It sounds like he needs to be seen by the surgeon, and maybe transferred back to the hospital. @Cruzin Terri Terri, I'm sorry you are still having such bad arm pain and that nothing seems to be easing it. @RMLincoln Maureen, I hope all goes well at the eye doctor this morning. @cunnorl Charlene, I bet the dogs, cats, and little kids will be glad to celebrate July 4 without fireworks. @dobiemom Marcia, thanks for checking in, and letting us know everything is all right just busy. Enjoy your Alaska cruise. @0106 Tina, thanks for the quote. It is a good one to remember. Thanks for adding the rest of the quote that @superoma Eva shared. @superoma Eva, I like that quote, too. We've found that we have a different world view and more open minds than many we know who have never traveled far from where they were born. @aliaschief Safe travels today and tomorrow to Sue. Lenda

Carolyn, I also like the smaller towns, but sometimes we want to see some of the bigger cities. When we were Inchon, SK, in 2018, it was still polluted, but not as bad as it was in 2000. Overall, Asia is still polluted, but again not as bad as it was 20 years ago, if it is still like it was in 2018. Debbie, I wonder if all the tourists have something to do with all the lobster roll in Canada/New England. If you don't have much time, lobster rolls are probably quicker and easier than a lobster dinner. Thank you, Graham. Joy, DH also liked the Morimoto lobster in the MDR. It was okay, but I though it masked the wonderful lobster flavor. We were lucky with the two lobsters we ordered in the Pinnacle on Koningsdam. They were good. Lenda

When we visited Busan in 2000, I was still using a film camera. These are some of the pictures I scanned them into the computer. It was a sunny day, but as you can see from the pictures, the pollution was bad. We did a tour that day which included a temple and the UN cemetery. Our first stop was the Tongdosa Temple. This Buddhist temple is known for having shrines instead of statues and includes 35 buildings. The UN Memorial Cemetery which is divided into sections, each of which contain the graves of soldiers from the same country. It is the only UN cemetery in the World. This is the section where the British soldiers were buried. Interestingly, there is a small section for the US since most the US dead were repatriated home. All my pictures of the city were taken form the ship when we sailed. Lenda

Good morning from sunny central Texas. It is a little cooler this morning at 78F and feels like 85F. The predicted high is 97F. Currently, the weather app says there's a 3 mph wind, but the neighbor's flag is just hanging there. We could get an 8 mph wind this afternoon. The humidity is 93% with a dew point of 73F. There is still no rain in our future, so basically, it is a typical summer day. California avocados would be good today. Parliamentarians are good at keeping a meeting on topic. Leap seconds help us stay on time. I like the Maya Angelou quote. The one lobster roll we shared was good, but we also prefer our lobster with just butter. We'll pass on the drink and the wine. We were in Busan in 2000 on the old Regal Princess when the town was still Pusan. The 1860 debate on Darwin's theory would have been interesting to see. I don't remember "The Johnny Carson Show", but in 1955 we only had one tv station and it was not CBS. @StLouisCruisers I hope you can make up the lost time to Alesund. Thanks for the pictures from Busan. @MISTER 67 I don't remember a major tropical storm or hurricane this early in the season. The two so far seem to targeting the Gulf of Mexico. @dfish Debbie, while I would enjoy your cooler high today, I would not enjoy your morning low. @Lady Hudson Katherine, I hope the cardiologist can help your DH. It's good that the doctor got the appointment rescheduled sooner. Lenda

Debbie, that's a good idea. Wish I'd thought of it. Besides Icy Hot, we've found Apercreme to work very well. Lenda

Dixie, it would be nice, but the timing is not good for us. Terri, I'm sorry you're still having so much pain in your arm, and that the injection did not help. I hope you have a good night's sleep tonight. Lenda

Dixie, that itinerary sounds wonderful, and we'd love to do the cruise, except for the timing. We'd get back to Quarzsite too close to Christmas, and our "kids" like to spend Christmas playing in the desert. It would be nice to cruise with you and your DH again. Eva, I've seen the same thing at W-M, and wondered how they can keep the orders straight. I've not ordered groceries on line since I like to see what I'm buying . However, I've noticed at our local grocery store, they do one order at a time. Last week, there were three employees filling orders at the same time. Rich, basically, we look at the itineraries, but generally we like the smaller ships. We almost sailed on all the R and S class ships, but they sold the Maasdam before we could sail on her. The only two bigger ships we've sailed on were Westerdam and Koningsdam. Lenda