Quartzsite Cruiser

@HAL4NOW Tony, I'm glad the MOHS surgery was successful. Lenda

Good evening. I just realized that putting up the outside Christmas lights will be somewhat delayed. The Big 12 Championship game starts at 10 am tomorrow. Of course we'll be watching and cheering for Texas. I was right. We set the new telescope out. Unfortunately, there was a problem. Its attachment to the tripod didn't work properly, and it didn't align properly. Hopefully, it will tomorrow night if the skies cooperate. Terri, I hope tomorrow's drive is better than today. I'm glad that overall the cruise was good. Sometimes booking the last cabin is not bad. On out first cruise we got the last cabin, a two room suite with a balcony. The bathroom was bigger than some cabins Roy, glad you are on the train. I hope you get a good night's sleep. Annie, I hope you get to do a Panama Canal cruise. We haven't been through the new locks, but the old ones are an engineering marvel. I also recommend the full transit. There's so much to see in the Canal. Lenda

Good afternoon. The Christmas lights are still not up outside, but the weeds are history. It took a little longer than I expected, but I also got a few other things done during that time. And I had a nice visit with our neighbor from across the street. It's nice to catch up with friends we haven't seen for almost two years. I've already told DH I will need a little help tomorrow so I can put up the lights. The flag poles will also go up, then it will begin to feel like we're settled in. Right now, DH is playing with his new toy, another telescope that he can control from his tablet. He might even be able to look at more of the eastern sky since the tree has been trimmed. Here is an after picture. In order to get the the tall main branch cut back to prevent it from breaking they had to cut all the lower branches off first. Right now, it looks more like a stump of a dead tree, but I know it will start putting out new branches soon. Hopefully, I will be able to keep it tamed for a few years. Debbie, it may be time to be a squeaky wheel again to get a surgery date soon. Vanessa, I'm so very sorry this was such a bad day for you. I hope the MRI shows what is causing so much pain, and they can fix it quickly. It's time for you to get some relief. Nancy, I hope the pictures help you and John plan your day there. Brenda, that good news your furnace is repaired. She is a beautiful dog. Graham, I wish our water company gave us that good service. Sandi, congratulations to Ren! I know the entire family is proud and very happy. BTW, that was my guess for your big announcement. Annie, I'm glad both your oxygen devices arrived today. I hope they help you feel better. Carolyn, I'm glad you got your refund so quickly after pointing out their mistake. I also hope the item arrives in time. Lenda

Good afternoon. It is a beautiful sunny day, and since I finally caught up inside, I'm heading out to do battle with the tumble weeds and others. The weather app says it's 59F and the outdoor thermometer says it's 63F in the shade. However, it is warm in the sun since there is not a strong wind. @ger_77 Gerry, I was sorry to read about Wayne's heart problem. I hope the doctors can find the cause and can fix it so he can go on the cruise in February. Annie, I'm glad at least one of the oxygen devices will be delivered today. Graham, i also hope your lawn will recover. The sand shouldn't be a problem since that is what we used to fill in low places in the grass. I'm not sure what effect the dolomite will have. I hope they can get it all out of the grass. Pat, that is good news you have a surgery date. Best wishes for a successful outcome and a speedy recovery. Carolyn, I'm glad you enjoyed the band concert. Too bad about the canceled shore excursion, especially at this late a date. Maureen, I'm sorry you both have colds. I hope they are gone soon. Debbie and Carolyn, I learned about the genetic connection with diabetes from a very good friend in Victoria, BC. It runs in her family, and she decided not to have children for that reason. She watches her weight and her diet very carefully, and as far as I know she is not diabetic. As far as those want Ozempic for weight loss, there are doctors who will prescribe it without considering a drug shortage. Lenda

You're a very lucky man. 😉 Lenda

RABBIT RABBIT WHITE RABBIT! Good morning from a mostly sunny Quartzsite. The sun has just come up over the mountains, but there are a few pesky clouds to the west. I hope they stay there for a while. It is 44F feeling like 43F with a 92% humidity and a dew point of 42F. The predicted high is 67F. Today I hope to finish pulling the dead weeds and put up the Christmas lights. For some reason all the Emojis disappeared. They were there when I clicked on the smiley face, but then poof, they were going and it said no results. I'll celebrate Christmas lights day, especially if I get mine up today. I usually put them up the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Until there is a vaccine or cure for AIDS, World AIDS Day is needed. The Romanians are surely celebrating their independence today. Sadly, the Ukrainians are having to fight to keep their independence. I like the James Joyce quote. The arctic char sounds good as does the wine. We'll skip the drink. We have not been to Fortaleza, Brazil. In fact, I had to search on Google Maps to see where it is. @Cruzin Terri Terri, welcome home. I hope you and Jim had a good cruise. @arzz Welcome home. I hope getting the water damage fixed is not a big hassle especially with everyone that's involved. @seagarsmoker Sorry about the phone issues and needing a new phone. There's never a convenient time for that to happen. @richwmn Rich, thanks for adding the two important days in history. Ford's assembly line revolutionized manufacturing. Rosa Parks was a remarkable lady who helped start a movement for civil rights. @kazu Jacqui, I'm glad the snow did not make the sidewalks and driveway slippery yesterday. @grapau27 Graham, I hope your gardens were not damaged. Here, we're lucky to get the water main fixed. Any and all cleanup is up to us. @1ANGELCAT I'm glad Tee Tee came home on his own. @ocean sounds That is early to get the lights up, but when your on someone else's schedule, you do what you have to do. @RedneckBob RNB, your bunny, bunny, playboy bunny would probably bring good luck until Mrs. RNB found out about the Playboy Bunny. @Heartgrove Jack, I'm sorry your and Sue are still feeling the effects of Covid. I'm glad DSIL is still well. @superoma Eva, I'm glad the antibiotics are beginning to help Dena. I hope they find the cause of the problems and ways to keep it from happening again. @cruising sister Larraine, I hope the new medicine works. Enjoy the Christmas program. Lenda

Annie, I'm not 100% sure, but IIRC. Roy said he booked the autotrain for Friday. I think he is driving to the train tomorrow, and the driving home from the train Saturday once it reaches a point near his home. Lenda

@ottahand7 Nancy, to give you an idea of Nuka Hiva away from the waterfront and along in the town. This is what I posted on April 21 of this year when Nuka Hiva was the port of the day. We have been fortunate to visit Nuka Hiva twice. In 2002 on the Volendam APEC cruise and in 2004 on the Tahitian Princess. In 2002, there were no tours offered as it was a relatively new port, but we were lucky to find a French lady who gave tours in her Land Rover Discovery. The first group of pictures are from our 2002 tour. I will not show the Survivor Beach again. On our tour, we drove into the interior of the island, and our first stop was at a small hotel and restaurant where we had a beer and fried taro, which was good. We also got a look at their hydroponic garden and some of their fields. I thought the gardens might interest the Garden Club. A look down at the road and a village nestled in a valley Our next stop was a marae, a Polynesian religious site. Next was the remains of a church Back in town, we stopped at the local church and a statue of John Paul II. Back at the dock, the Executive Chef, F&B Manager, etc, were buying the fresh catch from local fishermen. They told us the fish were for the crew and not for the passengers. In 2004, we stayed in town and walked around. We also took a truck to a restaurant on top of a hill where we had the most expensive cokes at $7 each. The expensive view of town from the restaurant and the restaurant. A pretty tree or bush The tender dock The sunset at Nuka Hiva Whatever you and John decide to do, I think you will enjoy your day in Nuka Hiva. Lenda

Got quite a bit accomplished, but of course, not everything I had planned. Tomorrow I'll be working on the yard tying to pull all the weeds from the past two summers. I hope to get the outside Christmas lights up. We've been looking for a few things, mainly DH's things, and I'm beginning to think they did not make it on the motorhome. I remember taking them out to the port, and I think putting them down on a storage unit so I could open the door. I'm beginning to suspect they are still sitting on the storage unit. 😱 It was such a hectic two weeks getting ready to pick up the new motorhome and then getting it ready to leave, I'm surprised as many things made it as they did. Of course, they can be replaced, but it will take a while. For some reason Amazon is taking a week to get things to us. DH spent a frustrating afternoon trying to get the new Dish receivers to work with the TVs in the motorhome. I think he was partially successful, and I can't repeat what he said about the process. Nancy, until recently, DH has fixed almost every thing that needed fixing. Now, it's time to let me or others do the work. We were in Nuka Hiva in 2002 on Volendam, and I think very few ships had been there before. There were no shore excursions, but some of the locals were at the pier with their cars and offered to show us the island. Along with two of our tablemates, we had a lovely afternoon seeing the unspoiled island. Lorraine, Murphy is adorable and looks so serious and determined too. Please thank your niece for letting us see Murphy now. She is such a fighter and survivor besides being a true miracle. Roy, I'm glad you did well today, and are safely checked in to a hotel. I hope you have a good dinner and a good night's sleep. Debbie, I hope you hear from the surgeon soon, and are scheduled to have the hernia repaired asap. This has dragged on long enough. Annie, I hope you get the needed oxygen soon. Just remember, no smoking around the oxygen. Katherine, I hope you feel better soon. Pennie, thanks for the pictures of Honolulu and the Christmas decorations. Lenda

Debbie, I would have been a squeaky wheel much soon. That's good that the scans have been read -- finally. Vanessa, that is good news you got more sleep last night. I hope the mitigation team and their fans can save the floor or at least make it easier to fix. I'm sorry your DH has a bug, but glad he is feeling better. Good wishes you will both be well and rested in time to attend your granddaughter's wedding. Eva, I hope the doctors and nurses can figure out the cause of your friend's problem and that she has a quick and full recovery. Our good news is the parts for the washer will be in Tuesday, and they will install them asap. I think I can hold off on the rest of the laundry until the washer is repaired. Lenda

Good morning from a partly cloudy Quartzsite. The sun just came over our mountains to the east, and for once I got to see it. It is a crisp 46F and feels like 43F. Our high will be 64F with a pretty good chance of rain in the early evening. I can't wait to enjoy the smell of the desert after it rains, if that happens. Currently the humidity is 66% with a dew point of 35F and a 5 mph wind from the south. Today after finishing the computer work I started yesterday, I'm going to try to finish straightening the house and motorhome. This afternoon, I hope to finish the yard work, and put up the outdoor Christmas lights. I have a feeling some of that will carry over into tomorrow. Computer security is very important everyday. Since DH had a software company, we have been aware of the security issue since the World Wide Web was introduced. Today, with all the computer malware it is even more important. Give me a good chocolate mousse any day. On the other hand, the styling mousse is also important to help hold my hair in place. 😉 I will celebrate the independence of the lovely island of Barbados. We've enjoyed many visits there. A very interesting quote from Mark Twain, and I will give it some more thought as the day progresses. The lasagna looks good, and I might give it a try for a change, but then the traditional lasagna with Italian sausage is hard to beat. I'll pass on the drink since I don't like anyone to mess with my mojito. The red wine sounds good. Sadly, the lovely port of Seydisfjordur has not been on any itineraries, but hopefully. we'll get there someday. Thank you Sandi, @StLouisCruisers, Jack @Heartgrove and Debbie @dfish for sharing your pictures. Debbie, good you figured how to do it. As Sandi said, good old cut and paste into the quote box also works well for me. The first beer purity law in 1487 was good. In 1872, the first international soccer game was the start of a world phenomena. @Sharon in AZ Sharon, sending positive thoughts for a successful surgery today. @kazu Jacqui, good luck figuring out how to get home after your cruise next year. @Seasick Sailor Joy, that is interesting about the officers stopping to talk to you. I hope they get the balcony door fixed. In the meantime, watch those fingers and thumbs. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, I'll be checking back to see the big announcement later. @cunnorl Charlene, I hope you have plenty of help decorating the tree at the Library. @aliaschief Bruce, I hope you have good results from your lab work, and no more surprises. @ottahand7 Nancy, the washer that has the problem is not the new one, but the 15 year old one here in Quartzsite. After checking on new washers, that may not be deliverable here, we opted to repair this one. We toyed with the idea of doing the work ourselves since it's not difficult to do. Instead, we are getting the company who installed our new HVAC system to do the work. AC work is their specialty, but they also do a lot of appliance repair. Now, we just have to wait for the parts to arrive. @superoma Eva, sending very positive thoughts that the antibiotics work for your friend and that she recovers fully. That is a scary situation. @marshhawk Annie, I hope the insurance for the oxygen is approved soon. The automated call systems used by doctors and dentists seem to have a mind of their own. I always say computers are nice when they work. When they don't I call DH. @rafinmd Roy, safe travels today, and a safe journey on the train tomorrow. I'm glad you got a good night's sleep last night. Please take it easy. @cruising sister Lorraine, that was nice of you doing the baking for your DGS's bake sale. How is your brother doing after his surgery? Lenda

Good evening after a long day. I managed to get caught up on most of my computer work. Then, it was time to head to Parker. Since the rough roads that jostled DHs head and neck on the way here caused some side effects that are slow to resolve, the team at UTSW wanted a CT scan of his head just to make sure everything was okay. They felt things would clear up but wanted to err on the side of caution. Wnile it will be a few days before we hear from UTSW, DH got a cd of the scan. By comparing it to copies of older, but recent scans, to us laymen, it didn't look like there was a problem. We went to Parker early so I could pick up some things at W-M and another store. We were still earIy for the scan, so we were on our way home soon. When we got home, John the tree trimmer and his wife had just finished the mesquite tree. They also finished the ironwood tree, and cleaned up the mesquite beans and small branches that dropped on the ground. In fact, they did a better job cleaning up than I usually do. For all they did including two trips to the landfill, it was worth every penny, and not as much as our former tree trimmer would have charged. Since John or his boss would be the ones to repair the washer, DH talked to him about it. It is not a difficult repair, and we considered trying the repair. In the end, we asked them to order the parts and install them. It takes 7 to 10 days days for the parts to come in. We're going to try to baby the washer to get at least one more load washed. The rest probably can wait. It not, I'll go to the laundromat. The next day or so I plan to get the rest of the stuff put away and find a few things I stuck in the motorhome but haven't found yet. I also hope to get the rest of the weeds pulled and the overhanging branches from our neighbor's yard trimmed. Hopefully, I can get the outside lights put up too. Maybe when I finish, the yard will look as good as what John and his wife did. They certainly are a hard working couple. Debbie, I'm glad the electric outlets arre fixed ,and that Sue got prescriptions for antibiotics. Roy, I'm sorry your diagnosis was not what you expected and you are out of th3 hospital. I hope you get some much needed sleep. We found both the Arizona and the Missouri veryn sobering and moving. Carolyn, that is good news about the labwork. Now, y9u can relax and enjoynthe cruise. Lenda

Good morning again. It turns out it was the washer not the low water. This morning it is still banging around instead of spinning smoothly. DH thinks the thing filled with fluid that balances the drum and helps it spin is stuck. After some research, he thinks we might need a new washer. That would make two in one year. One lasted 34 years and this on 15 years. It looks like I'll be going to the laundromat tomorrow or Friday to get the rest of the clothes washed. Debbie, I hope the election can fix the outlets. Maureen, I'm sorry you are feeling unsettled. It may take some time to adjust, especially moving into a situation where everybody all ready knows everybody. Susan, my parents were also in a square dance group. I remember all the fancy full skirts and matching tops. Carolyn, we took the van to the pearl farm on Rangiora. It was interesting, and then we walked around. Jacqui, thanks for passing Roy's @rafinmd update along. Sandi, Rarotonga is in the Cook Islands, and that's where we took the bus around the island. Rangiora is an atoll that is part of French Polynesia. That is where the Pearl Farm is located. So there are three R island which adds to the confusion. @rafinmd Roy, I hope you are discharged today, but please listen to the doctors and don't rush things. I know you'll follow up with your own doctors when you get home. Moving is good, but please don't push yourself. @JazzyV Vanessa, I hope your can find someone to fix the radiator. You don't need any more hassle or stress now. Lenda

Good morning from a chilly Quartzsite, but what would seem balmy to those in the northern regions. It is 45F and feels like that. There is a 1 mph breeze so that is not really a factor. The humidity is 43% with a dew point of 24F. Today will be partly cloudy with a high of 67F and no chance of rain. I used to love to square dance, but haven't done that since high school or the first summer in college. Square dancing was big in west Texas in the 1950s and 1960s. I'll stop at chocolates day, and I'll let someone else have my lemon cream pie. The Albert Schweitzer quote is very true. IIRC, we had slow cooker Korean short ribs a the meal of the day last year, and they were very good. We'll pass on the drink, but the wine sounds lovely. It's just not in our wine cellar and the nearest Total Wine is at least 120 miles away. We have not been to today's port, so I don't have any pictures to share. In 1876, Thomas Edison changed how the world listened to music. @Cruise Suzy Welcome home. I hope you had a great cruise. @Mr. Boston I hope the remainder of your trip home is hassle free and uneventful. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, that is good news Scott got the Paxlovid and antibiotics he needed, but I'm sorry it took a trip to the ER to get them. Maybe it's time to think about a new PCP, @smitty34877 Terri, I'm glad that Tana is "somewhat" recovered from the pneumonia, but I'm so very sorry it made her breathing even more difficult. She is very lucky to have your and the dogs as caregivers. You and Tana are in our thoughts. @kazu Jacqui, please be careful when your out today. I hope you get a good report from the doctor. I love the last meme and totally agree with it. @RedneckBob RNB, that is good news you won't be cut off from the real world on your next cruise. @Seasick Sailor Joy, I hope you and Allen don't get sick from that elevator ride. Lenda

Hope it is nothing serious and you are both doing well and getting better. Thanks for the pictures. Lenda

Good afternoon. The guy and his wife came and cut the mesquite tree back really far. There is more for them to cut tomorrow. It is really naked, since they had to cut the low branches off to get to the main branches, and since I wanted it cut much lower to the ground, there will only be a few small beginnings of new branches. The main branch of the tree had gotten too tall, and I was afraid it would break off in a high wind. Part of it broke off about ten years ago. Tomorrow and Thursday, he will finish the mesquite and trim the ironwood tree. With the ironwood, we mainly need to get the branches off the roof, from over the new HVAC unit, the gazebo and what is hanging over the fence. He is also going to open up the center of the ironwood so the saguaro has a place to grow. Hopefully, I will be able to keep up with the trees for a few years. I think after the man from the water company sat watching the water gush from the broken main for five hours, he initiated a work order and they may be repairing it now. Our trickle of water is no more since the system is shut down. It's not filled out now. It's basically the bare branches, but it will grow again. Sandi, I think the annoying voices are to get your attention. Carolyn, great pictures of Naples. We've been to Pompeii and Herculaneum and enjoyed seeing them. Vanessa, I'm glad you got a little more sleep last night. I hope the trend continues no matter what it takes. Pennie, I'm sorry your tour was rained out. Sharon, I didn't plant the saguaro. I think it got there from recycled seeds deposited by a bird or a coyote. I'm just glad we have one in the yard. Gerry, I'm glad your DH could be things moving on getting a new partial plate. Annie, I'm glad you finally have a plan to help your breathing and to feel better. I hope they get the oxygen to you soon. With the oxygen and the medicines, I hope you feel better soon. Lenda

I keep forgetting to post a picture of our Christmas tree. Same tree and same decorations as two years ago, but the ornaments are in different places. A few years ago, I found a baby saguaro growing under our ironwood tree. They are supposed to be slow growing, but this one doesn't seem to know that. The first picture was taken in 2016 or 2017, and the second one was taken in April 2022, when it was 21 inches tall. The last one was taken a couple of days ago, and it's now 31 inches tall. Soon, I'll need to cut back the center branches on the ironwood tree so the saguaro has a place to grow. That's easier than trying to transplant it. It's doing very well and survived the dry, hot summer this year when so many saguaros were dying. Lenda

Well, the laundry is at a standstill. DH guessed we were getting unbalance load errors and noisy spinning because our water pressure is very low and there was not enough water in the washer. We just got a boil water advisory and learned there is a water main break one street over. They will be shutting down the entire system while they repair the break. It looks like I'll be doing laundry tomorrow too. I'm just glad we filled the water tank on the motorhome last week. The good news is we got a call this morning that the tree trimming guy and his helper, probably his wife, will be here this afternoon. Two years ago, we had the mesquite tree trimmed back drastically, but the large tall branch was not cut off because the man only had a ladder. Hopefully, today, it can be cut back, once they get to it. These are pictures from April 2022 and a couple of days ago. Besides hanging over the shed and the trailers, it is also hanging over the fence into our neighbor's yard. Terry, I forgot to say I'm very happy the new hip is "perfect" and the other one is not too bad. DH and I looked at the article you mentioned. That is typically what happens before NPH is diagnosed. Jacqui, thanks for sharing Roy's @rafinmd update. Joy, Karen may not speak, but the way the announcer says her name really grates on me. It's so condescending. Sharon, I found my Naples pictures using Sand's @StLouisCruisers link today. I forgot to mention earlier that the pantry was pretty much restocked too. There are just a few things I chose not to get as they weren't really needed. I'll pick them up in a few days. Lenda

Hopefully, these are some different pictures of Naples. In 2019, on the Veendam, we were in Naples three times, and the fourth we had to dock in Salerno. The second time we were in Naples, we took the Ho-Ho as we'd never really spent time in Naples. That year, the streets were crowded but not littered with trash. I think in the past 20 years or so, Italy has cleaned up its act so to speak. These pictures are of the area in the next little bay to the left of the Castel Nuovo as you're looking at it from the dock. It is more of a residential area and not as crowded with people, but the buildings are densely packed together.. Lenda

Good morning from a chilly Quartzsite where it is 47F and feels like 45F with a 4mph wind. It is cloudy Our high is supposed to be 69F, and we should have a few sun breaks. The main item on the agenda is laundry. Right now the washer is acting up at times. It is very noisy when it spins like the load is unbalanced, but at other times is spins quietly. I just hope it's from not being used for 19 months. At first, I thought it might be from a very full load, but it still was noisy after taking about half the load out. I just hope I get the laundry done. I used to write letters often, but now I write them as email except for the Christmas letter. We also enjoy French toast, but I haven't made it in a while. Mauritania independence is an important day. I still am not fond of today's quote even after the explanation from Tina @0106. Thank you for giving us the background of the quote. The meal might be good on another day. The drink is a big no, but the wine sounds interesting. We have been to Naples many times and enjoyed our visits. I'll look for my pictures in a few minutes. In 1520, Magellan made history. I'll definitely celebrate the anniversary of women getting the vote in NZ in 1893. The Grand Ole Opry has had a big impact on Country Music. @seagarsmoker That is good news you were able to change your cruise to next month. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, I was sorry to read that Scott has Covid, and that Susan has been feeling bad for a while even though she is testing negative. I hope they are all better soon. Yeah for their daughter pushing the doctor for Paxlovid. Thanks for the pictures from Capri. @aliaschief Bruce, I hope all goes well with your PCP visit. @Seasick Sailor Joy, I'm glad you are enjoying the cruise. Thanks for the great picture of the two of you. If you will be in Grenada on your cruise, it is a good place to find spices. @kazu Jacqui, thank you for sharing Roy's @rafinmd update. @rafinmd Roy, I hope you are feeling better and the doctors can have you healthy and on your way home soon. That is good news that it appears you are not in heart failure. @ger_77 Gerry, we have traditional Medicare and a top tier supplemental policy, and do not have to reenroll each year. We have not had to pay out of pocket for any of our medical expenses since we got Medicare. The only time we had to get a referral was when the doctor required it. I hope your DH has a good report from the dentist and that he can get the tooth put back on the bridge soon. @kochleffel Paul, your explanation of Medicare vs Medicare advantage, which is really private insurance, was very good. @marshhawk Annie, I hope you can get some much needed help today at the lung doctor. BTW, your secret ingredients for French toast aren't so secret. That's what I add to my French toast. @StLouisCruisers The commercial I don't like is with the woman named Karen. I put all the Medicare commercials in the same category as political ads, The only difference is we only get the Medicare ads from October 15 to December 7. @RedneckBob RNB, some of the best people watching is on cruise ships. @dfish Debbie, I hope Sue gets some help with whatever it is she has. It has been way too long since your CT scan to not have the results. @RMLincoln Maureen, it sounds like you are settling in and enjoying your new home. @smitty34877 Terry, thanks for the heads up about the NPH article. We subscribe to WaPo on line, and I'll look for the article. DH was lucky that when he mentioned constant dizziness and pressure on one side of his head, our PA immediately order a CT scan of his head. The results showed the classic signs of NPH. Looking back, we realize the NPH was causing some of the symptoms attributed to his spinal stenosis. Lenda

A late good evening. Today got away from us. The HVAC was installed quickly, and is working well. Once they left, we headed to Blythe. I knew it would take a while since I had a long list. What neither of us expected was the number of people like us who waited until today to avoid the crowds. I got just about everything on the list. The really good news is the liquor cabinet/wine cellar (aka a two unit cabinet from Ikea) are fully stocked. The best part was all the booze and wine were still on sale. Bruce, while I'm sorry you fractured your tibia, the good news is it's healing, and you don't need surgery. Jacqui, thank you for sharing Roy's report Karen, I'm glad you are feeling better. I was lucky to see a sea turtle when I was snorkeling off Cayman Brac many years ago. Dh and the others who were diving missed the turtle. Joy, it's always nice when you meet a Dailyite on a ship. Annie, that's great news about the appointment tomorrow. I hope they can help you. Lenda

Good morning from a chilly Quartzsite. It is 50F and feels like 48F with a 5mph wing from the north,. The humidity is lower at 38% with a dewpoint of 26F. I'm glad I ordered more hand cream during the Black Friday sale. We should reach 67F today and 70F tomorrow, and then back to the mid to upper 60s. We're waiting for the gut to bring the new HVAC system. He said between 8 and noon, but probably nearer 8, but that didn't happen. Depending on how that goes, I will be going to Blythe for groceries later or maybe tomorrow. We had a little excitement(?) yesterday afternoon and early this morning, but everything is fine now. All the systems in our new motorhome are controlled from a central touch screen panel, and DH can access the panel from his tablet. (We still have to set up my tablet and phone to do that too.) Shortly after I put the bedroom slide in yesterday, DH could not access the panel to check something. It was not working which meant the 12V system was not working. We tried a few things that didn't work, but this morning he called the manufacturer's help line, and the tech walked us through getting it going. It's too complicated for me to know exactly what they did, but it is working. It turns out that in this motorhome we should not turn the 12V batteries off since they are charged when the motorhome is plugged in or the engine is running. They are somehow tied into the engine battery charging system. Now, we just have to get the water heater fixed. I'm not sure if I mentioned it, but we could never get it to work. I'm just glad the campgrounds had nice showers for us to use. I'm ready for a little stretch of dull normality, or whatever passes for normality. While I don't want a pie in my face, some of the pie fights in movies have been funny. My favorite is the pie fight in "The Great Race". Bavarian Cream Pie would be good today. I like the idea of Turtle adoption day. We need to do all we can to save the turtles and tortoises. The Charlotte Bronte quote is very true. We'll pass on the butternut squash dish and the drink. I would like to try the wine. We have not been to Maputo, Mozambique. It may have been on the itinerary of a cruise we canceled in 2004 when Kenya and Tanzania were dropped. They were the reason we booked the cruise to begin with. In 1807, the Portuguese royal family made a wise decision to escape Napoleon. Alfred Nobel's establishment of the Nobel Prize was a good idea in 1895. We've been to the Nobel Museum in Stockholm and the Nobel Peace Museum in Oslo, but were very interesting. @rafinmd Roy, I hope you are feeling better today. Your night sounds like what we went through in September at UTSW. I hope you get some rest and food today. @grapau27 Graham, thanks for the information on adopt a turtle day. @aliaschief Bruce, hope today's appointment goes well. It would be good if you could avoid surgery, but if it is needed, I hope it is done quickly so you can go on your cruise and enjoy it. @seagarsmoker I hope you can get your cruise moved to next month. I hope you find a new job soon. @kazu Jacqui, thank you for sharing Roy's @rafinmd update. @Heartgrove I'm sorry Sue tested positive over the weekend. I hope your DSIL does not get Covid. Jack, I hope both of you feel better soon. @cruising sister Lorraine, I'm glad the roads are clear, and hope the appointment to remove the sutures goes well. @kazu Jacqui, I hope you and Ivan stay safe during the storm, and that there are no power outages. @marshhawk Annie, I hope your cough goes away soon and you can get more rest. I'm sorry your friend is feeling so bad and is still in the hospital. From what you said, I also feel sorry for the doctors, nurses and his wife. @mamaofami Carol, it was good to hear from you and that things are quiet there. @RMLincoln Maureen, our condolences on the passing of your friend. I'm glad you are close to your family and settling into your new life. @Nickelpenny Pennie, the Hula show should be good today. Have fun. The guys with the new HVAC unit are here, and are already installing the new unit. They are working fast. The new unit is about twice as tall as the old one since the new one is more efficient. We had to trim some more branches off the ironwood tree. It will be a battle to keep the branches way from it. Lenda

Katherine, I'm sorry a migraine put you in the hospital. The good news is there was no brain bleed or stroke. I hopenyour PCP finds nothingnto worry about. Roy, I'm sorry they trnasferred you to anothernhospital. I hope you finally got somethiing to eat. Lenda

Sandi, thank you for letting us know. Our condolences to the family. A 75 year love story is always nice to see. Lenda

We knew the temperatures in Quartzsite were higher than normal last summer, and after learning our HVAC had quit before the summer heat began, we were pleasantly surprised that there was no damage to the house. When we're gone, we keep the a/c on and set between 90 and 92F to keep things from drying out. Today, when I was putting out the rest of the Christmas decorations, I was surprised that some of the candles stored on the top shelf of a closet didn't fare very well. Two were red, green and white. Now, they are more red and green, and part of the design is flatter, but I still put them out. These are the ones that didn't do so well. . The one on the left was a round ball candle, but I think it is funky like this, so it's a keeper. The one the right was three round candles to fit in a round glass holder. They can still be lighted and used, so they too are on display. However, poor Santa didn't survive, instead collapsed in on himself. Some of the foil he was wrapped in melted into the wax. One additional item, the snow globe we've had since 1985, lost more than half the liquid inside. We now know how a snow globe is made since we took it apart. We drained the remaining liquid and cleaned the scene and inside of the globe. Once it's dry, DH will put it back together, and it will be displayed dry. BTW, the "snow" was tiny pieces of plastic, which are in the trash. Lenda