Quartzsite Cruiser

Good afternoon. The house is clean, the first load of towels dried quickly with our high winds and are ready to be folded. The second load of towels is on the line, and some were already dry by the time I got the last ones hung up. They should be dry by the time I finish here and get the first load folded. Once that is done, we'll start getting outside things done in case the rain lasts into tomorrow. @lazey1 Welcome home, Jane. I hope you are rested and relaxed after a wonderful cruise. Thank you. Graham. Vanessa, you have every right to whine after all the pain you've endured for so many months. Thank you for the nice comments about my pictures. Nancy, the big white building is Palacio Quitandinha which is a hotel that was built in 1941. Part of it are apartments that are individually owned. We did not stop at the hotel. Sharon, I know you'll enjoy your visit with your DM, and I hope tomorrow is one of the days with really good food. Pennie, I hope your surgery is successful in relieving your pain. DH had a laminectomy at L4-L3 with fusion. He has not had any leg or hip pain since. Lenda

The second day we were in Rio, we took a tour to see the Christ the Redeemer. The tour also included riding the tram up and back down, and a stop at Copacabana Beach. Not only were there crowds looking at the statue, but there were crowds waiting to board the trams. While we waited, we had a chance to tour their workshop and displays. A vintage tram car Scenes on the way up the mountain. Christ the Redeemer with most of the crowd on the stairs omitted. We also had a cloudy day. Rio looking down from the mountain. Looking up as we descended the mountain The area outside the tram station as we waited for our bus. Copacabana Beach on a windy day. That afternoon, we took the H. Stern shuttle into town, and walked around the area a little. We stopped in a grocery store to pick up something, and wound up talking to a nice lady in line. She even guided us to the senior line so we'd get the senior discount. In the entrance to H. Stern we saw this display of Carnival costumes. We also saw some of the floats from various parades parked along the streets near the dock, but we were unable to get pictures from the bus. Lenda

We were in Rio on February 17 and 18, 2015, on Ruby Princess. I'll divide my pictures into two posts by days. On February 17, we took a tour to Petropolis, named after Pedro II, the last Emperor of Brazil, and where Pedro II built his summer palace. The town is about 42 miles northeast of Rio in the mountains. A few scenes from Petropolis. The large white building may have been a grand palace or house, but is now a hotel. Our first stop was lunch at a restaurant that served many varies of meat that was sliced at the table. There was also a salad bar, so we had more food than we could possibly eat, but it was all good. I normally don't like to show pictures of people I don't know, but the one of the server slicing the meat is the only one I have like that, and it can't be cropped and still show the server and the meat. The next stop was the former summer palace. We got to tour inside, but couldn't take pictures. To protect the floors, we had to wear some type of shoe covering that would not stay on and was very slick on the floors. We wound up sliding our feet around the palace. At least, we could take the covering off to climb the stairs and to come back down. The entrance to the palace grounds and the outside of the palace. One of the residents of the palace's extensive gardens and grounds. Our last stop was the Catedral Sao Pedro de Alcantara. Pedro II and is family are entombed in the cathedral. Rio at night from the ship. Lenda

Good morning from a sunny and not windy now Quarzsite. It was 49F when I got up and is now 53F with a predicted high of 75F. We are under a wind advisory with 22mph winds this afternoon. It looks like we'll get some rain overnight, and lower temperatures tomorrow. After I finish cleaning house, we'll do more work to get ready to leave Monday. The main thing will be getting DH's storage building straightened up and what needs to go into it put away. Also, I'm going to try to get most except the last minute items loaded in the motorhome today. It will be another busy day, but I'm hoping tomorrow will be an easier day. I'll definitely celebrate all but two of the doctors we've seen in the past two years. I folded laundry yesterday, but will be folding clean towels later today. I think the quote applies to men than women. I think women can be a mystery to most men. We'll pass on the meal, drink and wine today. We have been to Rio de Janeiro twice, but only once in the digital age. The US really got a bargain when they purchased Alaska, even though most called it Seward's Folly. It was not a good day for Paris in 845. We've enjoyed our two visits to Salvador da Bahia. @aliaschief Bruce, thank you for the pictures of Angkor Wat. We passed on an opportunity to take a side trip there in 2002. I doubt if we'll make it there now. @grapau27 Graham, thank you for the explanation of the days. @Denise T I'm sorry that Chase's tumor was malignant. I hope they got it all and there is not reoccurrence, Denise. @ger_77 Gerry, I hope they are able to reduce the sedation for Gord and that he will recover from this setback. @summer slope Dixie, I'm glad there are no new aches and pains. Quick healing for you and George. @Nickelpenny Pennie, I hope you get over your cold quickly. @RMLincoln Maureen, I'm sorry your DSIL was transferred back to the hospital. The last I saw yesterday afternoon, the earliest the Starlink satellite launch would be 7:30 tonight. That will depend on the weather though. Lenda

@ocean sounds Have a great time on your cruise. Lenda

@USN59-79 I hope your 61st anniversary is wonderful. Lenda

@Suslor A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SUSAN! HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, SUSAN AND LORENZO! Lenda

@cruzn single Have wonderful birthday, Mary Kay. Lenda

Finally, everything that we wanted to get done today is finished. The wind is still blowing, but in gusts and then settles down for a bit. I think I'll try to sit outside with my book for a bit, and hope I don't blow away. The SpaceX launch has now been rescheduled for not earlier than 7:30 pm PDT tomorrow night. It is really raining now at the launch site. Welcome to the Fleet Report/Daily. I hope you will join us often. Jacqui, it sounds like Debbie would give Ivan lots of attention if it comes to needing to take him there. Good luck with the interviews. Vanessa, I admire you for sticking with your PT even when you don't want to go. I'm glad BFF was able to help today, and also provided dinner. Lenda

Dixie, I hope the aches and pains ease sooner. Wow, that's a bummer Edi. At least you have one working toilet. Lenda

Taking a quick break before getting back to work. We got most of the sunscreens on the windows. There are four left for later, since they are for windows under the patio covers and don't get direct sunlight, so they will wait until late Sunday afternoon. Otherwise, it would make those rooms too dark. It's about time to bring the laundry in off the line and to get the sheets out of the dryer. I also need to unload the dishwasher. After that, I'll tackle more of the to-do list. Dixie, I hope your aches, pain and bruises are history soon. Otherwise take it easy. Hugs. Sandi, I'm glad your DD made it home safely. She made good time in spite of the delay. Annie, I really hope the exercises work and you won't need further tests or surgery. With your hectic schedule, you might need to set aside a certain time every day to do the excercises. Terry, I'm glad you made it to New Hampshire and did not encounter much traffic. Enjoy Easter with your kids, grandkids and the adorable granddog. Lenda

We visited Nuuk on August 24, 2003, as part of a 33 day roundtrip cruise from NYC that included two stops above the Artic Circle in Greenland and all the way to St. Petersburg with many stops in between before returning to NYC. It was the precursor of the VOV, and it was also a very unusual cruise, at least for the part between NYC and Iceland. We were scheduled to sail the day after the big blackout, but wound up sailing very early the next morning. We were lucky to make the ship thanks to the ticket agent at DFW. She routed us and another couple to what was then Washington National and then on the shuttle to the Coast Guard Terminal at La Guardia which had it's own power supply. We were joined by a cruising friend for the shuttle flight. We were lucky we made the ship that day, and with our luggage. Many were so lucky and many did not get their luggage until days later and some in Iceland. The day we were in Nuuk, it was raining the the town was very muddy so we did not walk around too much. A small museum was open that day. Out side the museum What little we saw of town. Our adventure continued after leaving Nuuk. There was a bad storm with huge waves, and the Captain had to head the ship back toward Canada for two days. One of the nights was a formal night, and while I was getting ready for dinner at second seating, DH was in the Crow's Nest until a wave came over the top of the ship. We had a window table on the lower level of the dining room and the waves were above the bottom of the window. We managed to eat our dinner without much incident except the other man's shrimp cocktail landed in his lap, fortunately on this napkin. At that time, they still showed the desserts on a large tray, and when we hit a very big wave which caused the ship to shutter violently and almost stop, the tray, which was behind me landed upside down on the floor. Others had everything on their table land on the floor, and several people upstairs were thrown out of the chairs with one lady having some ribs broken.. We learned later that water had breeched a door above the showroom and water poured down the stairs in the showroom and onto the stage during the first show. The water shorted out the electrical system in around the stage, and they could not have bingo the next morning because of lack of power for the bingo machine. It was fixed for the afternoon bingo session. That wave also bent the thick metal at the top edge of the bow. Lenda

Good morning from a sunny and windy Quartzsite. It is 57F with a predicted high of 78F, and winds this afternoon up to 18mph. Besides doing the laundry today, I think it is time to bring the flags in for the summer since tomorrow afternoon the winds are predicted to be 22 mph. Rain is predicted overnight tomorrow night, but it looks like any rain Monday will be several hours after we are on the road back to Texas. I hope we can keep ahead of any rain, or at best, have it rain after we stop for the day. Virtual Vacations can be nice, but I prefer the real thing. Mermaids are an interesting concept and Gerry @ger_77 thanks for the laugh about mermaids. I'd never considered that question. I will honor manatees who are thought to be the inspiration for mermaids. Mom and Pop stores need our support. The Truman Capote quote is true. I think I'd like the meal but without the broccoli. A hard pass on the drink, but would like to try the wine. However, at that price, I'll stick with my cardbordeaux. We were in Nuuk in 2003 on Rotterdam VI, and I'll post my pictures in a few minutes. We would like to be able to see the Terracotta Soldiers in person. DFIL and DH's stepmother took our place on a People to People tour to China in 1986, and as part of the tour, visited the Terracotta Soldiers. @Hogladyrider Thank you for the good wishes for our travels back to Texas. We've enjoyed seeing that part of Utah. Enjoy your summer. @JazzyV Vanessa, thank you for keeping up our lists. I didn't realize until later yesterday that it is Hogladyrider not Ladyhogrider who is on her way to Utah. I hope you can manage with the leg pain until your surgery, which I very much hope solves your problems. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, I hope your DD does not have any problems on the road today and arrives home safely. @Crazy For Cats Jake, we switched to Delta in 2017 for most of our flights, and have been pleased with the switch. We have used JB mainly for flights between DFW and Boston. @dfish Debbie, I'm sorry your brackets were decimated. Sadly, Texas lost in the first round, but the Texas women are going strong. @kazu Jacqui, I hope your power is back on soon, and there is no serious damage or injuries from the flooding. I hope you can find a wonderful and reliable person to take care of Ivan, and soon. @Haljo1935 Elizabeth good luck at the eye doctor. I hope the procedure is approved. @1ANGELCAT Safe travels to and from Hershey, and I hope there are no side effects to the injection. @ger_77 Gerry, sending very positive thoughts for Gord and his wife Ollie. Enjoy your busy weekend with the DGSs and family. @Seasick Sailor Joy, I hope Oliver is all right now, and that your friends are more careful with the plackers. If it was me, I'd wait until I got home to use one. I was sorry to read about your friends and what they are facing. @Scrapnana Welcome home. I hope you had a wonderful cruise. @Nickelpenny Pennie, congratulations on the shout out. I hope you feel better soon. Lenda

@POA1 @Huskerchick and @Smmessineo I hope all of you have a wonderful cruise. Lenda

DH checked the SpaceX site, and the launch was scrubbed. Not sure if it's the reason but they mentioned clouds. They will try again tomorrow night at 7:23 pm. @erewhon Welcome home. Hope it was a good cruise. Lenda

Some of the hardest chores are done instead of waiting until the last day before we leave. The worst things to haul and put in the shed were the very heavy duty 100 ft. hoses. It made the 50 ft. one seem like nothing. We also got the handle installed on the very difficult to open cabinet door and the towel bar installed. I still have three days to get more done, and I hope that most will be finished by Saturday afternoon. That way, maybe Sunday won't be such a busy, hectic day that has happened in the past. Now, it's time to head into town and get a much needed haircut. Roy, I'm glad the weather is cooperated for the opening game and that the O's won. Thanks for the pictures of the blooming desert. It is blooming more than it did almost three weeks ago when we were coming back from Yuma. It's greener around here than we've see it in years. DH and I may be some of the few Dailyites who have been through Helper more than once. Coming from Texas, the road through Helper is a lot closer to SLC and staying on I-70 to I-15. It's a neat little town with interesting railroad history. Safe travels. Lenda

Just wanted to remind the Dailyites in Arizona and southern California, there will be a launch at 7:30 pm today from Vandenberg. It will be a Starlink launch carrying 22 satellites. According to Space.com there is a four hour window for the launch beginning at 7:30 p.m., but Spaceflight now says the launch is at 7:30. Lenda

Before getting started on today's to-do list, we decided to have one last drive-thru breakfast. We also dropped off the donation at Carol's Closet, check the PO Box and got what was needed at the dollar store. Brenda, thanks for the picture of the bald eagles. The only time we saw that many or more was in June 1992 when we drove along the Chilkat River going into Haines from Haines Junction. The trees were full of bald eagles for miles. Karen, hugs to you as you face the "firsts". Very glad you DS and DDIL will join you on Easter Sunday. Ann, I'm glad you are feeling better today. It's nice you can arrange the top freezer shelf to hold meals for your DD while you are on your cruise. Now, it's time to start on the to-do list. Lenda

Good morning from a mostly cloudy Quarzsite, but I can see a bit of sunshine too. It is currently 54F with a predicted high of 81F with sun most of the day. It looks like our winds will be picking up this afternoon, and it will be pretty windy tomorrow and Saturday. Today will be more of the same getting the motorhome ready to leave Monday. I also need to drop some more items off at Carol's closet, stop at the post office and get a haircut. The three days today are all good. I remember our Maundy Thursday night church service when I was in high school. DH likes hot tubs, but I can take them or leave them. Opening day for MLB is welcome. After living near Houston for 14 year, I'm still a big Astros fan even though I don't follow them like I used to. I also root for the Diamondbacks unless they are playing the Astros. Sorry Elizabeth @Haljo1935 I never was a big Rangers fan, maybe because they "stole" Nolan Ryan away from the Astros. 😉 I really like the Audrey Hepburn quote. I'll pass on the meal since I'm not a fan of radishes, and on the drink too. The wine sounds like one to try, but it is bit pricey. We have been to Croatia many times, but never to Zadar. The first seaplane to take off from water in 1910 occurred earlier than I thought. @summer slope Dixie, I'm sorry you are so sore today. Take it easy, and I hope you feel better soon. @Ladyhogrider Safe travels as you head to Utah. The blue bubble didn't work, so I made my own. @kazu Jacqui, I hope the financial problem is resolved without having to get nasty again. I'm sorry about Ivan's vacation home not working out. I hope you find something soon and without a hassle. @aliaschief Bruce, the ramp to the sampan does look dicey, but not as bad as the single board used to exit the boat on the Perfume River in Hue. Safe travels tomorrow and enjoy Angkor Wat. Thanks for the pictures. @Lady Hudson Katherine, I hope your DH's health concerns have been taken care of, and he is doing better. @Mr. Boston Enjoy your relaxing train ride and your visit with your mother. @ger_77 Gerry, sending very positive thoughts that your DH is approved for the valve replacement surgery. Safe travels for your family today. @RMLincoln Maureen, I hope your DB and his daughter can find a suitable place for you DSIL very quickly. Is there an Encompass Rehabilitation Hospital near them? That might be a good fit for her. I'm sorry your DH's doctor's visit was postponed. @dobiemom Congratulations on booking the cruise for April 2026. Lenda

That's good news about her insurance, Dixie. Lenda

Some of the to-do list is now done, but we didn't get everything accomplished. The new towel bar is up, but it didn't go too smoothly. The new one was longer than the old one, so DH decided to shorten the new one so we didn't have to drill two new sets of holes and try to patch the old ones. BTW, the new towel bar is a double one, other wise we would have just kept the old one in place. The plan is to use the old one on another wall for the hand towels. Hopefully, that and the door handle for one cabinet will be installed with a lot less trouble tomorrow. I did get the last of the weed killer sprayed before the wind really started blowing. Ann, I'm sorry DH's appointment didn't go so well. I hope he gets the all clear to travel next week. The Camellias are lovely. Paul, with cats, I doubt any service is up to their standards. Great news, Annie. I know you will enjoy the cruise, with the bonus of meeting Gerry @ger_77 and Maurice. Dixie, I hope the lady's family takes away the keys and that her insurance will cover your medical and ambulance bill, plus any repairs to the golf cart. Take it easy for a couple of days. Safe travels to you DD tomorrow. I was wondering the same thing, Roy. I hope there is some insurance to cover Dixie's expenses. Lenda

Oh Dixie, how awful. I'm glad there were now serious injuries, but it's a good thing you got checked out. I hope the bruising fades quickly and you feel better tomorrow. Lenda

On our January 30 Koningsdam cruise we were in 6052 which like 6128 is actually the first cabin after the aft end of a bump out. The balcony was slightly larger than a regular balcony, and the advantage was two fold. First the door to the balcony did not open between the chairs but on the end of the angled balcony. The room was longer so that the desk was next to the couch not across from the couch. This gave more open space in the cabin and made it easier to walk in that area. I'm glad to see you are looking at an aft facing cabin, because from what I've heard, the forward facing balconies are pretty windy when the ship is under way. The angled balconies are not as private, we never found that to be a problem. I did not take any pictures of the cabin or the balcony, but his is one is looking aft and you can see the lifeboats below between deck 3 and deck 4. I hope this answers some of your questions.

Good morning from a beautiful, sunny Quartzsite. At the moment there is no wind. I hope it stays that way, so I can spray the weeds that have popped up since the last time I spray. Then, I won't be spraying until next fall. It was 50F when I got up about 40 minutes ago. We're heading to a high of 78F this afternoon with 7mph winds in the afternoon. Otherwise, DH and I will be adding towel bars to the motorhome. There was only one in the bathroom, and it is not big enough for two bath towels and two hand towels. We'll also be cutting a board which will be another self in a very tall cabinet with only one shelf. The American Red Cross does some amazing working after disasters. My handwriting can still be pretty good when I write slowly and think about what I'm doing. Otherwise, it can be a scribble that even I can't read at times. DH was a day early for International Whiskey Day, as he finished a bottle of Jamesons last night that he'd been working on for a while. But he does have one more bottle. The Fred Allen quote made me smile. We'll pass on the "meal" but if I ever make Hollandaise sauce, it would be Debbie's @dfish third "recipe". We have not been to Falmouth, England. It was a port on the 2022 Coral Princess world cruise that was canceled because of you know what. I imagine our Florida Dailyites will celebrate the 1513 discovery of Florida by Juan Ponce de Leon. The first non-direct blood transfusion in 1914 by Dr. Albert Hustin led to many lives being saved. @Mr. Boston Safe travels tomorrow, and enjoy the train ride. @Crazy For Cats Have a safe flight home, Jake, and welcome home. We have never been separated going through US Customs at the end of a cruise. That is not a good practice. @grapau27 Thanks for the great pictures of Weymouth, Graham. @smitty34877 Terry, I can attest to the fact you never outgrow the love of or the need for chocolate. 🍫 Safe travels to New Hampshire on Friday. @dfish Debbie, I'm glad River is better. @Niagarawine I'm sorry you will need knee surgery. @Seasick Sailor Joy, I hope the doctor can convince the insurance company that Allen needs the Jardiance. It's time the medical establishment put the patients needs ahead of the bottom line. @RMLincoln Maureen, I'm sorry your DSIL had a setback. I hope a week without the radiation treatments will help her feel better and also eating. @ger_77 Gerry, good news on the cruise booking. @Nickelpenny Pennie, how nice of the reading specialist to compliment your teaching skills. It's always nice to save a chunk of change on a cruise. Congratulations. @JazzyV Vanessa, I'm sorry you are still not getting a lot of sleep. That accident was horrible. Our condolences to the family and friends of those killed. Lenda

Sharon, I'm glad Blue is over his upset. Our plan is to leave next Monday, April 1. Debbie, we usually have a glass or two with dinner. Unless we're on a cruise, I rarely drink after dinner. I'm sorry about the meltdown. Lenda