Quartzsite Cruiser

Good afternoon from a still breezy and now partly cloudy central Texas. It is 95F now, and I'm glad I'm inside. The mowing wasn't too bad with the 11mph wind, which along with the cooling towel kept me cooler except when the house blocked the wind while mowing the backyard. After all the rain we got this spring, the grass is now looking brown in many places since it's been two weeks without rain. I had to increase the number of days I'm watering. Hopefully that will be enough. The good news is the grass was not as full of moisture and as heavy as it was with the rain. I even managed to sit outside for a while with the fan blowing on me along with the wind. Annie, thanks for the pictures of the kittens and the other cats. You definitely have a house full. Thanks for the pictures from your tour and the mudding ones too. We'd be interested in see the shed when it's finished. Joy, we also saw four deer when we took our ride last night. One was a young buck just getting his antlers. I don't want any damage from Beryl, but it would be nice to get some of the rain though. Gerry, I'm glad your rain stopped for a while, and you can dry out some. It's good the cardiac rehab is going well. Safe travels tomorrow. Carolyn, I wish people would leave the fireworks to the professionals. We don't have pets now, but I remember how scared they were, and how younger DD was when she was little. The fireworks stand about half a mile from us has been open for a week now. I haven't seen any customers when I've driven by, but I'm sure we'll hear from the next week. Pennie, I'm glad you got some rain and cooling weather yesterday, and hope you get more today. I also hope Quartzsite gets some rain. Vanessa, I'm glad you had a nice time last night. I hope the storms this afternoon are not severe. Thank you for the pictures of your day in Puerto Chacabuco. Wow, either the deer was very brave or very hungry. Karen, enjoy your time at the lake house. I will use my phone camera at times, but I still prefer my point and shoot camera. It fits in my pocket, and since I'm such a klutz, I like having a wrist strap that tightens, especially when I'm leaning over the rail on a BHB. Lenda

Good morning from sunny central Texas. It is 81F and feels like 89F, with 89% humidity and a dew point of 77F. There is an 11mph wind from the south which should make it a bit more comfortable while I trim and mow the grass. We are under an excessive heat warning until 7pm today, but our predicted high is 98F. As soon as I finish this, it will be time to get ready and get the yardwork done as early as possible and practical. I'll skip playing in the mud today, especially since the ground is dry and hard. Cameras deserve a day, and we own quite a few. DH worked as a photographer for Texas Student Publications which oversaw The Daily Texan newspaper, Cactus yearbook and other print media at The University of Texas. I hope they find a cure or a way to prevent Scleroderma. I also like the Charles Schulz quote. The meal sounds good, and I like the looks of the first recipe. It would be good on a much cooler day. We'll pass on the drink and the wine which seems overpriced. We have not been to Puerto Chacabuco, although we've enjoyed seeing the fjords in Chile. Today marks a sad day for the Globe Theater, but a great day for Star Trek fans. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, I hope the patient who needed land based care recovers quickly. I'm sorry about more missed ports. We enjoyed seeing Grundarfjordur twice. Huuk was an interesting stop for Rotterdam VI in 2003 even though it was rainy and muddy. @grapau27 Graham, thanks for information about Scleroderma Day. @0106 Tina and @ottahand7 Nancy, thank you for your pictures from today's port. @Haljo1935 Elizabeth, thank you for the explanation of Mud Day. @smitty34877 Terry, I'm sorry Tana doesn't feel like eating much, but glad she is trying. @Denise T Denise, I'm sorry your back is a bit sore. Hope it improves quickly. @dfish Debbie, I'm sorry Sue has been dealing with a migraine. I hope the headache is gone soon. Lenda

When in doubt, it is often better to be over cautious than take a wait and see attitude. Given his history with the first knee replacement, It seems a visit to the ER is in order. Nancy, I hope things improve soon for your DB. Nancy, thanks for the pictures. Beautiful sunrise, and wow on the butterflies. Lenda

Joy, I hope Brenda can improve and become pain free with PT. Great pictures of the wildlife and the guard dog. 😉 Brenda, thanks for the picture of the American Goldfinch. I'm not a birder, I just googled the image. Karen, I'm glad you had a good time with your family yesterday. Denise, I hope you will be able to finish your dissertation over the weekend. Vanessa, I hope you enjoy the 70th anniversary party, and I'm glad your BFF will be able to join you. Ann, I'm glad you had a good, restful, comfortable night last night. I hope Pat's tests will help the cardiologist decide on a course of action to help Pat feel better. Lenda

Good morning from a beautiful sunny day in central Texas. Unfortunately, the sunny day means it will be very hot again today. Yesterday, our outdoor thermometers read 100F, and it was still in the 80s at 10pm. It is currently 81F and feels like 90F with a south wind every so often according to our neighbor's flag. The weather app says it's a 7mph wind from the south with 90% humidity and a dew point of 78F. The predicted high is 100F, and we'll be in the triple digits for another week. I'll be looking for things to do inside again today, and for most of the remainder of the summer. The caps lock key is useful when you need it, but it should be used sparingly. Staying safe from lightning and logistics are good days to celebrate. The Neil Gaiman quote is interesting, and some times doing something you are scared of doing helps. We'll pass on the meal as we're not fans of gnocchi, and I don't think adding zucchini would help. We'll also pass on the drink. DH might like the wine, but Shiraz is the one red wine I do not enjoy. I'm sure we sailed by the Barra Norte River twice on our Amazon River cruise in 2006, but from my pictures I can't separate that area from other areas of the river. In 1919, Treaty of Versailles officially ended a brutal war and established the League Nations which might have worked if the US had ratified the treaty. @kazu Jacqui, I hope all goes well with Ivan at the vet today, and that the dental work coming up goes well. @1ANGELCAT I hope all goes well with the new round of Botox, and that you learn who your new neurologist will be. @Heartgrove Jack, 11 am on November 11, 1918, was the signing of the Armistice between the Allies and Germany. It was also my mother's 7th birthday. The Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919. @RMLincoln Maureen, as prepared as you are, your leading your Maryland group by phone should go well. I hope your DGD doesn't have trouble with the insurance claims. @smitty34877 Terry, I'm glad you have backup oxygen tanks. Having the oxygen concentrator quit in the middle of the night must be very scary for Tana and for you. I hope your DB gets his power back soon. @marshhawk Annie, thanks for sharing your mother's story. I can understand why she was afraid of lightning. Lenda

Ann, I'm glad you are home and have very little discomfort. Lenda

Good afternoon from a mostly sunny and breezy central Texas. It is 91F, so I'm staying inside except to run to the pack and ship store to drop off another package for UPS. I spent quite a while working with Amazon on the return because they now say the easiest way to return items is to take them to a UPS Store for a box and label. That's fine if you live in a city, but the nearest one to us is 50 miles away. Not the easiest way to return items, and the local drop off store doesn't have the capability of reading QR codes. After a 30 minute (at least) on line chat, got a label emailed to me, and the associate also sent the problem to higher levels in several departments. Living in a rural area is nice except when people don't understand rural life. This morning I also got a much needed haircut. My stylist was on vacation until Tuesday, and it turns out it wasn't much of a vacation. First she go sick, then she needed surgery on her foot. She's doing okay, but was heading home after I left since the foot is still healing. That is dedication coming to work with a bum foot. Thank you, Graham. Maureen, I'm glad the family visit went well. I'm sorry your DGD had damage for the store. I hope the eye doctor can do something about your DH's eye pressure that does not involve the drops that cause problems. Good luck with your group you are leading tomorrow. Thanks for all pictures of the pretty flowers. Pennie, that is good news you are feeling better, and are planning on taking it easy until the incision heals. Karen, HUGS today on this last first. I loved the story about the restaurant, and sometimes hole in the wall places are the best. Enjoy your lunch with the family. Susan, I'm glad you are getting much needed rain. Brenda, thanks for the bluebonnet pictures. They are very similar to Texas bluebonnets which are their own variety. These were in our neighbor's yard this year. Carolyn, you may need a vacation after your kitty sitting is over. I'm glad the family is enjoying their trip. Ann, thanks for checking in with us, and I hope all goes well today. Lenda

We have been to Arhus twice, in 2003 on the Rotterdam VI and in 2005 on the Marco Polo. In 2003, we did a tour to The Old Town, Den Gamle By, which is a living museum of life from 1864 to 1974. After the tour, we wandered around town, and got a Danish pastry. In 2005, we just walked around town and got a Danish pastry. While many will get coffee, beer or wine, when we are in a port we usually get a pastry or gelato, and we've been known to get both. 🍦🍩 These pictures were taken at Den Gamle By. In addition to walking around the site, you could go into most buildings, and watch people performing tasks from that time period. The pictures of Aarhus were taken on both cruises. I hope there are not too many almost duplicates. Looking at the town from the Marco Polo The rest were from our meanderings on both cruises. Lenda

Good morning from central Texas where the skies are mostly clear, and according to the neighbor's flag, there is no wind even though the weather app says there's a 3mph wind from the SSW. It is 80F and feels like 90F with another heat advisory. The humidity is 92% with a dew point of 78F. The predicted high is 99F; so it will be another day inside except for getting a haircut this morning and dropping the package with the watch off at the UPS drop off store. For us, Decide to Be Married Day happened 57 years ago in February with the wedding in September. Happy Birthday to you day is celebrated on June 27 every year, and is supposed to commemorate the date the song was published even though there is doubt about the publication date. Industrial workers do a difficult job and all too often under less than ideal conditions. While the Morihti Ueshiba seems harsh, it is partially true. If I were to make today's meal, it would be the third recipe. We'll pass on the drink. The wine sounds lovely, but the price doesn't. We visited Arhus twice. An interesting day in history commemorating the exploration of the California coast. @Vict0riann Ann, positive thoughts heading your way for a successful surgery today. @Mr. Boston I'm sorry your DH is not feeling well, and I hope he recovers soon. Good luck with the packing and the move. @kazu Jacqui, I'm sorry the chiropractor couldn't help you yesterday, but I think he was wise to want more information before doing anything. I hope the vascular surgeon will have the answers you need to solve the problem. @Heartgrove Jack, I'm glad you got much needed rain. A third cruise is never a bad idea. @LambKnuckles Lambie, the popsicles look good, but I'd leave out the Kahlua since I don't like coffee. @smitty34877 Terry, I'm glad the pasta was a success, and Tana felt like eating some. @aliaschief I hope the doctor appointment goes well today. @Cruzin Terri Terri, I'm glad the shoulder is not as painful, but I'm sorry you did not sleep well. @Mtn2Sea Thanks for the pictures from your tour. Lenda

Elizabeth, I sent you and email at the above address, and I got a message the email address could not be found. Email me at mscrystal70 at gmail dot com. I hope that will work as I'll send a reply. Lenda

Terri, I hope the steroid injection helps and keeps you from needing surgery. Eva, thanks for showing us the other two members of the Wednesday group. Beautiful, sunset, Debbie. Annie, congratulations on the BIG sale. Way to go. Lenda

Good afternoon from a hot central Texas. I also had one of the those days, but it was just a bunch of little things not going right. The good news is DH found a watch repair center that will take a look at the last watch that needs work. They even sent us a shipping label, so the watch is boxed and ready to drop off for UPS tomorrow. Then, dealing with the HAL website today was not easy as it should have been. The good news is, after a call from our PCC today, we rebooked the cruise we book Monday and saved a good chunk of change. I think we finally have a good PCC again after our really good one decided to be a stay at home mother a few years ago. Now, we just need her to stay on the job. 🤞 Ouch, Pennie, that doesn't sound good. I'm glad you got the incision restitched. I hope that is the last of the problems for you. I'm sorry Shirl is still not happy, but it's good she wasn't nasty on the phone. Thanks for sharing your purple iris with us, Brenda. Purple iris are my favorite flower. Joy, I hope tomorrow is better. Thanks for the pictures of the fawns. We see between one and four deer at night, but have not seen any fawns. I wonder if they are hiding in the trees. @Vict0riann Ann, best wishes for a successful surgery tomorrow, and a speedy recovery. Lenda

@Cruising-along Carolyn and @NextOne Edi, can you please email me at mscrystal70 at gmail dot com. Lenda

@mamaofami Carol, I hope you have a wonderful birthday, and there are many more birthdays to follow. Lenda

Good morning from central Texas. It is a typical summer morning with a mix of clouds and sun. It is 81F at 8:15 am and feels like 90F, so we are under a heat advisory until 7 pm. Given the long range forecast shows triple digits, I think the heat advisory could legitimately extend to October. We have a 9mph wind from the south and 90% humidity with a heat index of 78F. Our predicted high is 91F, so after I run to the store to get ice cream on sale before they run out, I plan to stay inside until close to sunset when it will be cool enough for our golf cart ride. Bar codes are very handy when shopping, especially grocery shopping. During my teens, I discovered that canoes and I were not made for each other. I enjoyed the Harry Potter books, and DH and I enjoyed the movies. An interesting quote about authors from J. D. Salinger. Thirty years ago, I knew an author who's daughter was my aerobics instructor. Her mother wrote romance novels for Harlequin, and the daughter told our class that mother's shouldn't know about a lot of what was in her books, much less write about them. Grilled pork chops are good, but it's probably too hot to grill some today. We normally just season them with salt and pepper. We'll pass on the drink, and I would love to try the wine if the price was a lot lower. We have not been to Oman, so I am not able to help with pictures today. Two interesting days in history, one for England and one for the world. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, enjoy your day and tour in Kirkwall. I hope you have better weather than we did in 2017 with a torrential rain. I hope your sister didn't tear her bicep, but if so, I hope the fix isn't too bad. @rafinmd Roy, thanks for the pictures of the new locks in the Panama Canal. @aliaschief Safe travels for Sue today and for her and your DD tomorrow. @Cruzin Terri Terri, I'm glad you made it safely to Jacksonville. I hope the doctor can help you with the shoulder in a way that you can avoid surgery. @smitty34877 Terry, that is good news Tana is showing interest in food. Sending positive thoughts for a quiet day today, and many more quiet days ahead. @cunnorl Charlene, the return of the Starligner is very concerning. We're hoping for the best and a safe return soon. @superoma Great picture of your Wednesday group, Eva. Is the dog a regular member of the group or an interloper? @dfish Debbie, I loved the picture of the lake you posted yesterday. Lenda

Debbie, you and Sue should consider the cruise. There is a good sale intil the end of the month with a lot of perks. I'm not sure when HAL will offermit again. Lenda

We've never been to Nome and only one brief visit to Dutch Harbor 24 years ago. As I said, Wrangell was a quick ferry stop, so I'm looking forward to seeing it. We also disembarked the ferry in Prince Rupert, but only saw part of it in the very early morning in the rain as we drove through town. Homer and Valdez are interesting, quirky towns. The pipeline ends in Valdez. Lenda

Thanks, Carolyn. I looked at the roll call Sunday and will join shortly. I tried to book our HIA dinners and shore excursions. The site said no dining options available, and the excursions I wanted to do were sold out. Of course, we've cruised and driven to Alaska so many times, we've pretty much seen it all and done just about everything. We even stopped in Wrangell on the ferry, but after a couple of blocks, I realized it was too far to walk into town and get back in time. Besides, it started raining. Lenda

Good afternoon from a partly cloudy, wind and hot (96F) central Texas. I had a mostly successful day in Fort Worth. The jewelry store could send one of my watches and one of DH's in to be fixed. My other watch was not one they could handle, but he was nice enough to get me the information on how to contact the service center and the name of a jewelry store in Arlington that could possibly send the watch in. As far as the rest of the errands, I was mostly successful, but there were a few things I could not find. I'm just glad there was a breeze to make being outside tolerable, and the a/c in the car worked. Yesterday, after fighting the HAL website, we did something we never had done. We booked the 2025 Artic Circle Solstice cruise. We normally book a lot closer to the cruise, but this is one I've wanted to do, and they had a good sail going until the end of the month. Carolyn @Cruising-along if all goes right, we'll finally get to meet. Glad you got good news from your cardiologist, Charlene. Annie, our condolences to you, @catmando Chuck, and BFF on the passing of your friend. It's a shame he missed the items on his bucket list. Beautiful flowers and good looking cats, Jake. Thanks for sharing the poster from 1965. Terri, good news about the appointment tomorrow. I hope they can help without surgery. Ann, thanks for the picture from the gardens. I like looking at beautiful gardens, but not all the work they entail. We'll be thinking of you Thursday. Thanks for the pictures from your tour. Interesting pictures, Roy, and a great way to recycle oil drums. Thanks for sharing them.

Sandi, if you don't have time to post before your tour tomorrow, I'll be happy to post the links to tomorrow's port od the day. Lenda

Good morning from a partly cloudy and humid central Texas. It is 79F and feels like 87F with 96% humidity and a dew point of 78F. Our predicted high is 98F, so my errands in Fort Worth will not be that fun. We have a 7 mph wind which will help some. I hope to head out early and get home as early as possible. I'm still trying to find some one to fix my two watches. They need to be sent to the manufacturers service center, and the store in Waco did not have an account with those watch makers. I'm hoping the jeweler in Fort Worth can help. Since I'll be there, I'll also stop at Costco and Total Wine plus the mall. Seafarers deserve a day for all the hard work the do away from home. I'm a huge Beatles fan and will definitely celebrate their day. The DDs loved the Smurfs growing up; so I'll celebrate them too. I hope the Carrie Fisher quote was said in jest; otherwise, it's rather sad. We like French onion soup, but will wait until we are on a BHB to have some. My one attempt to make it was not a big success. We'll pass on the drink and the wine. We have not been to Puerto Limon, but have been to San Jose from the Pacific side. I don't remember the day in history, but it was a big milestone in communications. @Crazy For Cats Jake, please wish Juan a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY for us. @dfish Debbie, safe travels today and enjoy your visit to Barb's lake house. @cat shepard Ann, for most red wines Black Box is my go to wine label. I have not tried their Pinot Grigio, either full bodied or their Brilliant Collection version. We did try their Brilliant Collection Cabernet Sauvignon, and I thought it was rather weak for a red. @ottahand7 Nancy, I hope your DB's infection is soon just a memory, and he can go home. @Cruzin Terri Terri, I hope you do not have a torn bicep, but something more easily fixed. @0106 Tina, that is one huge catfish. @kazu Jacqui, I hope the chiropractor can help determine the source of your foot and leg pain. Good luck with the car a/c. Lenda

Maybe buy the factory. Lenda

Terri, I'm sorry about the latest news. I hope there is a simple fix. Most of all, I hooe your luck changes soon. Lenda

Tony, thank you for your pictures of Valencia and your wonderful, talented family. Great pictures as usual, Brenda. Thank you. Thanks for the picture of the cute DGSs and the kitties. The family will have fun on their rv trip. We took a lot of rv trips when the DDs were little, and learned to always get a campground with a pool unless we were in a national park or national forest campground. Jacqui, thank you for sharing the special pictures of you and DD DH. Lenda

Thank you, Graham, for your report and the great pictures. We've enjoyed our stops in all the ports on your cruise, and the pictures being back great memories. Our one cruise on P&O Oriana in 2000 was before there were specialty restaurants on ships. I happy you and Pauline enjoyed your cruise.