Quartzsite Cruiser

@smitty34877 You are in my thoughts everyday, especially on your rough days. You do an incredible job of taking care of Tana and the teenager, along with you DD and DSIL. Please remember to take care of yourself, too. Lenda

@Mr. Boston Our condolences on the death of your dear Aunt Robert. I hope the memories of the good times you spent with her bring you comfort. Lenda

Welcome to the Fleet Report/Daily. We hope you'll join us in the future. Lenda

Terri, I'm glad you beat the rain today. Best wishes for good test results tomorrow. Sending positive thoughts for a successful surgery and a good recovery tomorrow. DH had the same surgery last year, and has been pain free since. His pain was from sciatica. Lenda

The rocks are raked and the yard looks much better. We also got the RZRs out of the shed, so now, I can move boxes and stuff from DH's shed and my shed. That will be on the agenda tomorrow afternoon -- hopefully. In the morning, I hope I have time to make the dough for the gingerbread cookies. It needs to sit in the refrigerator several hours or over night is best. If not, the dough is too sticky to roll out. I have two boxes of cookies that need mailing and should really be mailed by Friday. Once they are in the mail, then I can get the last of the straightening up done, and be ready for Christmas and New Year's. Dogs have such varied personalities and quirks it makes life interesting. Jacqui, good luck. I hope it works. Lenda

Good afternoon rom a warming Quartzsite. We made a trip to Parker today to get some things in preparation for Christmas when older DD and DSIL will be here. That way, we only have to go to Blythe just before Christmas. I managed to find all but two things. It seems they don't stock frozen hush puppies or key lime juice in this area even though I've found key lime juice at Safeway before. This afternoon, I'll be raking the gravel, and trying to straighten some things up in the storage building. I'm slowly working my way through the last few things that will really get us settled here. If I keep up at this pace, I'll get finished about the time I'll need to start preparing to migrate back to Texas. So I guess I better get my you know what in gear. Annie, the feral cats are lucky to have a warm place to sleep in the summer. DH lived lived in San Diego when he was in junior high school. Occasionally, we will drive by his old house if we have time. San Diego seems to be a difficult to fly into without changing planes. I'm glad we drive. Charlene, I'm glad you enjoyed the boat parade. Thank you, Graham. Carolyn, I'm glad your relatives are okay after the tornado. Susan, it looks like you are getting things under control. Sharon, I'm glad your recovery is going so well. We generally don't do the special dinners with the fixed menu. We did one Cellar Master's dinner that was really good, but the menu for others haven't appealed to us. Linda, yes family comes first. I hope the minor crisis is resolved successfully and quickly. Vanessa, I wish I could wave a magic wand and grant you more sleep and less or no pain. Annie, our two dachshunds did not like the vacuum. When we were in the motorhome, DH would have to take them outside or put then in the car when I vaccumed. But one loved to help me mop when I had a rag mop. She would try to grab it. Otherwise, the slept a lot. Welcome to the Fleet Report/Daily. Cute dog. Karen, the contrabass saxophone is huge. What is a celesta? Lenda

We have been to La Paz once in March 2018, on Ruby Princess. It is a nice town to walk around. We also hired a boat on the dock to take us out of see the whale sharks. A few pictures from our walk around La Paz. When we got off the shuttle from Puerto de Pichilingue, we saw this whale skeleton display. We walked down this street to the Teatro de Juarez. The Cathedral de Nuestra Senora de La Paz Jardin Velasco across the street from the Cathedral We also saw this museum and spent some time inside. We then headed back to the Malecon La Paz, where we found a boat to take us out to see the whale sharks. We followed one shark as we was swimming, and he was as long or longer than the boat. Our boat was like the ones pictured, but we were the only passengers. People were swimming with the shark, but as you can see, the swimmer was having to work to keep up. My point and shoot camera is waterproof and DH took some pictures by leaning over the side and holding the camera underwater. It helped that the shark was near the surface. This is the best of the underwater pictures. At one point we probably could have touched the shark, but we were told not to do that. The pier and the beach along with some of the sculptures on the Malecon. One of the many restaurants across the street from the Malecon. Naturally, there was a shopping opportunity when we returned to the port. This is just a small portion of the booths. The port area from our balcony as we sailed. Lenda

An early good morning from Quartzsite. It is 44F and fells like 40F, and we should reach 70F this afternoon.. A bit later we'll be heading to Parker to W-M and Safeway. We'll also get a drive-thru breakfast. The Dew Decimal system is important in libraries, but I think a new system has been or is being introduced. Animal rights should be every day. I used to like lagers until they stopped liking me. An interesting quote. I like lamb but not curry or coconut, and DH is not a fan of lamb, so we'll pass on the meal and the drink. The wine sounds like it is worth a try. We have been to La Paz, and I'll retrieve my pictures. I'll celebrate the awarding of the first Nobel Peace Prize, and the introduction of the metric system in France. @Nickelpenny Pennie and @Haljo1935 Welcome home. @kazu Jacqui, I hope you and Ivan will be staying warm and safe at home. @ger_77 Gerry, I'm glad your DS and family got to see the Christmas Train. I'm sorry Wayne and Fran will not be able to join you on the cruise. @Cruising-along Carolyn, please wish Henry a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY for us. @Denise T Denise, I hope Chase does not cause problems with the tree. @RMLincoln Maureen, sending positive thoughts that you can get the medicine and that your DH's eye pressure stabilizes. Lenda

@lindaler BON VOYAGE, Linda, as you set off on your big adventure. Lenda

@dobiemom Marcia, I hope you have a wonderful and relaxing cruise. Lenda

Chuck, I'll add my thanks for sharing your pictures of Madeira. I hope you start feeling better soon. Lenda

Carolyn, DH says thank you. He reads the Daily, but doesn't post. Lenda

While I was writing the last post, DH got these pictures of the sun with his little telescope. If he had used the solar telescope, it would have take a couple of hours to get it set up and get the pictures. The first one is obviously the sun. The area Ann @cat shepard had in her picture is in the lower right of the sun among the five sun spots. The second picture is the same picture which I cropped so it focused on the area of the sun spots. Lenda

Good afternoon. We are both are in recovery mode after this morning. After procrastinating, we had to replace the broken bolt that held the toilet tank in place. After seeing the other one and the two in the toilet in the spare bathroom, we replaced all four. DH did two of them and I did the other two. We also changed the seats for the new ones DH bought last week. All that bending over did not do either of our backs any favors, but we'll recover. I also sent in the request for the obc from the Carnival stock this morning. It's not bad outside in the sun, but the wind has come up. I may just try to do some of the things inside that I haven't had time to do. Debbie, I think you might be right, but I have a hunch that it is a special meal in all the specialty restaurants since none of them had any openings. Actually, I don't know about Rudy's since we didn't try to reserve a time there. Even on other nights, the times between 6 pm and 8 pm were taken on quite a few days. Carol, I hope yesterday's procedure works and the implant can be saved. I hope the upcoming work will not be too painful, and will help you save some of you teeth. A belated HAPPY 18TH BIRTHDAY to your grandson. I admire your oldest grandson for volunteering to help at a kibbutz, and I'm sending positive thoughts for his safety and that he will not be "drafted" into the IDF. Ann, that is an awesome picture of the sun. DH has his newest little telescope out looking at the sun. However, he has a specialized solar telescope that would do a better job. We hope to get it set up outside in a day or two. Maureen, that is good news the buyers accepted your counter offer. That should relieve some of your stress. I'm glad you slept better last night. Charlene, I hope you have a good time watching the boat parade. How nice of your sister to fix a big dinner for the first responders who helped your niece. Thank you, Graham. Jacqui, I hope the scar tissue in your elbow loosens up as time passes. I'm glad you have full range of motion and can do most things. Karen, enjoy the Skagit Symphony tonight and be careful in the rain. Brenda, as I said before, the snow is beautiful, especially from sunny Arizona. Vanessa, I'm glad you got a little more sleep. I hope uninstalling the update helps keep the computer working. Jake, it must be like an early Christmas for the kitties. I have enjoyed seeing everyone's pictures of Madeira today. We have enjoyed all our visits to that lovely island. Lenda

I looked through my pictures from our 2017 visit to Funchal on Prinsendam. With a little work, some of the ones on the other side of the island are now decent enough to share. Quite a few were taken from the car, so please forgive the pictures of the dashboard. This was taken as we headed toward the north shore of Madeira. On the way, we took the main road that traveled through several tunnels. These pictures were taken along the coast road between Sao Vincente and Seixal. The next few were taken in the area of Porto Moniz at the northwestern tip of the island. This island is just off the coast at Porto Moniz, and if you look carefully at the top, there is a navigational light powered by solar panels. These rock formations were just off shore at Riberia da Janela. The town of Seixal Going back across the island, we took the scenic road that goes over the mountains. We passed this vineyard. Views from the lookout point at the top of a pass. Looking down at the road we would be traveling back to Funchal. A few pictures of Funchal We drove up a valley on the other side to the main area of Funchal. We took a couple of pictures of this bridge, but weren't planning on crossing it. Somehow, we managed to get on the road that took the bridge across the valley. It was scarier looking up at it than driving across it. Lenda

We have been to Madeira four times on different cruises. The first time was in 2000 while on the P&O World Cruise out of Southampton. Then next time was in 2004 on the Noordam. Capt. Jon Scott suggested that we try the toboggans that go down a steep street. It was an interesting ride, and the two men who guide each toboggan down the street do a good job. The scary part was the cross traffic that did not stop. The third time, we were on the Tahitian Princess, and yes she was a long way from home. The ship was headed to Singapore for a drydock and name change to Ocean Princess. Our final visit was in 2017 on the Prinsendam's TA to Ft. Lauderdale. When we have visited Madeira, we have walked around town, taken a tour, taken the Ho-Ho and the last time rented a car. Our one tour was a 4-wheel drive to the mountain top which was partially successful. It had snowed on the mountain the night before, and while we drove up there, we could not do the off-road part. Instead, we had our picnic lunch in the vehicle and then proceeded back to town to tour a winery. This is a view from our 4-wheel vehicle. The toboggans after we finished our run. A view of the main shopping street. The outside of the market that sells fish, fruits, vegetables and arts and crafts. Two blue-hulled beauties in 2004. The Prinsendam was on her World Cruise. One of our tablemates parents were on the Pdam and they got to visit the ship. The other side of the island is totally different. It is the windy side of the island and the towns are smaller. None of my pictures there were very good. Lenda

Good morning from sunny Quartzsite. Currently it is 48F and feels like 45F. The humidify is 24% with a dew point of 13F. Our high should reach 67F, and with the low humidity and sun, it should be pleasant outside today. Our upcoming cruise is beginning to seem, real since yesterday, I made our reservations at the specialty restaurants. I'm glad I did because the time slots that we wanted were almost filled. There were no reservations left for Valentine's Day. Today, I'll be sending in the information for the CCL stock obc. I guess I was early for Christmas Card Day since all but one were mailed Thursday. The one wasn't mailed since I don't know if they are still in Washington state or have made the annual migration to Mesa, AZ. I hope everything that has been lost will be found today. I wish Genocide Prevention Day could actually prevent genocide. There is too much genocide in the world today when there shouldn't be any. The Robert Hall quote is interesting, but I'll need to think about it more. The meal sounds good, and Debbie's @dfish recipes look good. Today's drink is one I hope to remember to try on Koningsdam. The Pinot Noir is one I'd be willing to try. Two interesting and important days in history. The Mother of all Demos in 1968 showed the world the possibilities of computers. The founding of the WNBA in 1978 was a big step for women's sports. @grapau27 Graham, thank you for your nice pictures of Madeira. @kazu Jacqui, I hope you were not hurt except possibly your pride yesterday. Hopefully the deicing will help keep the driveway ice free. @rafinmd Roy, we took the gondola up and the toboggan down on the recommendation of Capt. John Scott. It was fun and a bit scary at intersections since cars on the cross streets didin't stop. The two men steering the toboggan knew what they were doing. @Cruzin Terri Terri, safe travels tomorrow to Jacksonville. I hope all your tests show improvement and the dosage on the medicine for the PMR can be reduced. I hope the concerning place on your leg is nothing to worry about. @dobiemom Safe travels today Marcia. Glad you got a good night's sleep last night. @ger_77 Gerry, it's a shame the weather didn't cooperate so your DGS could see the Christmas Train. That is very nice of Wayne to take you and your DH to dinner as a thank you. @ottahand7 Nancy, I'm glad John's shingles are stable and that the medicine is working. @Nickelpenny Pennie, enjoy your last full sea day. Lenda

You have mail. Love it! Lenda

Good afternoon. This morning got away from me again. DH's new telescope had to be sent back to the manufacturer in France. They changed from a magnet connection for the charging cable to a USB connection. It is very difficult to plug the cable into the connection, and even then it does not charge. I had to get the package to the UPS drop off place before noon. At least, they are paying for the shipping. While I was in town, I also ran a few errands and was partially successful, which is about what I expected. I've also been helping DH with the new battery for the Ranger, and a few other things. In addition, we are having the satellite antenna on the motorhome changed to one that will actually work and receive two satellites at the same time on different TVs. We know the owner of the company who's doing the work, and he said the unit on the motorhome was a piece of junk and they just throw them away. We did not have any choice as the piece of junk was on the motorhome when we bought it. Once I finish here, I'm going to try to check in for the cruise and get some things arranged. Karen, I'm glad the rivers crested below flood stage and that you are high and dry. Forty-five years ago, you son was very lucky to become a member of your family. All children give their parents gray hair. 😁 I'm happy he and your DDIL have been such a big help the last few months. I hope you have a safe and uneventful flight tomorrow. Upgrading to first class was a good idea, and should help you get some rest. Carolyn, I'm finally getting excited about the cruise. After all the stress trying to book it, last night I was too drained. I also wish we were on the cruise with you, but for various reasons, this was not the year for that cruise. Still, it will be nice to meet Dailyite friends in person. Hopefully, we'll meet on a BHB in the future. Ann, I hope the exercise class helps you deal with the hip pain. Welcome home, sort of. You will be logging a lot of miles this month and I wish you safe travels. I hope Dear Mother Ruth is around for several more New Year's. Vanessa, I'm sorry the pain is so bad today, and I hope you get some relief soon. I hope your PCP can do something while you wait to see the neurosurgeon. Your computer needs a swift kick you know where. I agree, typing on a tablet is not as easy. Debbie, I'm looking forward to finally meeting you, Sue and all the others. I hope to be in the Ocean Bar at 7 pm on embarkation day. DH and I usually try eat about 6 and about 7 on embarkation day, but I don't want to miss meeting you. Roy, do they have a frequent patient discount? 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 sunny Quartzsite. It's 51F with a predicted high of 71F. The forecast has changed again. It will be 69F and in the lower 70s from Sunday through December 22 with just a few days in the upper 60s thrown in. I am not complaining about the forecast. I'm hoping for a warm sunny Christmas where we might be able to enjoy Christmas dinner outside. It will be a welcome change from the colder and drearier weather of the past several Decembers here. Yesterday, I would have been doing my happy dance if we hadn't spent several hours trying to reach our PCC and fighting the HAL web-site. We were given the name of our new PCC, and she emailed us with the suggestion to make an appointment. After trying for a couple of hours to book a cruise on line, DH called HAL and reached a very nice lady who got our next cruise booked. We wanted to do a cruise, but not a long one since we won't have as much time here as normal. I'm looking forward to being on a BHB, and the good part is we'll be meeting (hopefully) several Dailyites. We booked the January 30 Hawaii cruise on Koningsdam. I like to do crossword puzzles, but I'm not that good. My mother was a crossword puzzle genius, and was insulted when my father gave her a crossword dictionary for Christmas one year. Without those willing to do the blue collar jobs, our economy would grind to a halt. I'll salute the young girls who are Brownies, and will never turn down a chocolate brownie. The Robin Williams quote is funny and different. He really did have a different sense of humor. I like salmon but would leave off the turmeric and coconut. We'll pass on the drink (peanut butter) and the wine. We have been to Rhodes several times, and I'll retrieve my pictures in a few minutes. Abraham Lincoln did all he could to keep the union together and to reunite the country when he couldn't. @Ichiban Nekko Please wish your DH a VERY HAPPY 81ST BIRTHDAY for us. @grapau27 Graham, Pauline did a great job with the tree, and it's lovely. @Cruzin Terri Terri, I'm sorry the neurologist's tentative diagnosis was worrying. I'm glad he is ordering tests. If his thought is what I think it is, there are some physical conditions that can lead to the same symptoms you've described, and they can be treated with a pretty good outcome. I'm glad your fatigue is getting better. @Crazy For Cats Jake, that is a beautiful tree in San Juan. @kazu Jacqui, I hope you enjoy your day at the City Market. @Denise T Denise, that is good news the desk was easy to assemble and that you like it. @cunnorl Charlene, I think it was worth a penalty to avoid the gator. @RedneckBob RNB, glad you are enjoying the cruise. @kochleffel Paul, thank you for the pictures of the interior of the synagogue in Rhodes. We've walked by it many times, but never saw the interior. @ger_77 Gerry, please wish Parker a HAPPY 4TH BIRTHDAY for us. @rafinmd Roy, I hope you get a good report from your PCP today. @marshhawk Annie, I hope Chuck will feel better soon. I'm glad your cough is improving even if it doing so slowly. @cruising sister Lorraine, I can't imagine how scary losing Molly was. I'm glad you found her and are updating her chip. The news about Murphy is very encouraging. Lenda

Good evening. It was a busy day, and I'm just now catching up with The Daily. I got caught up with all the paperwork and bills that have come in the last couple of weeks. That took most of the morning. This afternoon was busy with errands. Terri, I'm sorry you didn't get an answer today, but hopefully the test and MRI will give you some answers or at least point the doctor in the right direction. That'sgood news about your dental exam. Jake, I'm happy Jasper can have his meds reduced. Vanessa, I'm glad your computer is working again. Congratulations on the upsell, Debbie. Welcomemto The Daily, Maryell. Sharon, that is good news. Lenda

Roy, I think we answer the same questions every time we check in for an appointment. I asked once why I was filling out the form I fill out every year, and the answer was in case something had changed. Terry, I'm sorry the insurance company is giving you such a hassle. I bet you will be happy when the roof is finished and quiet returns. Vanessa, you are way past due for something good to happen. I'm sorry about the computer and hope the Geek Squad can solve the problem easily. Lenda

Eva, that is good news Dena is home and in good spirits. I love the idea of your Wednesday group bringing lunch to her house and helping with the Christmas decorations. I hope she feels like having you there. Annie, I love the 12 Days of Catmess. I have a feeling the song will be in my head the rest of the day. 😁 Lenda