Quartzsite Cruiser

@Lady Hudson Katherine, I hope you and Bill have a wonderful time on your cruise. Lenda

A late good evening. We are celebrating the Longhorns' win in OT, even though we missed the end of the game. The weather turned nice this afternoon, and we drove up to the motorhome dealership. Before the battery snafu yesterday afternoon, we had decided to keep the 24 year old diesel pusher. After thinking about getting four "house" batteries too and six new, expensive tires, plus who knows what else, we wanted to take a closer look at the motorhome we saw two weeks ago. The salesman , who was vey low key, left us alone to really look at the motorhome. While it will be a change to downsize some. We put a deposit on a 2024 gas Class A motorhome. We thinknit will be less hassle, and know it will be cheaper to operate. We should get it in a week to two weeks, we hope to be in Quartzsite by Thanksgiving if all goes well. Bruce, I got full just looking at all that food. Vanessa, I'm glad you got more sleep. I just wish you could have a pain free night. Lorraine, that's more great news about Murphy. She's proven she's a fighter. I'm glad your DB is continuing to improve. Sandi, that's good news that the Dallas team won, and Ren played the first half. Edi, I'm sorry you landed back in the hospital, but glad your heart self-regulated before an intervention was needed. Graham, I hope all goes well at your check up Monday. Bruce, enjoy your remaining time on the ship. Lenda

Good morning, again. We went out for a drive-thru breakfast, followed by a stop at the auto parts store to get two engine batteries for the motorhome. With very careful planning, including backing the car up as close to the motorhome as possible, some how, I managed to get the batteries to the compartment. With a boost from DH, we raised them a couple of inches and onto the tray. They way about 60 pounds each. We are relaxing now and watching the Texas v Kansas State game. At halftime, we'll probably hook the batteries up. Before DH moves the motorhome back in place, I'll get out the blower and blow the leaves and dirt from where the motorhome sits. It has warmed up to 66F, and the sun is trying to come out. It was very foggy, which explains the 100% humidity earlier. @smitty34877 Terri, we'll be thinking of you and your family as you celebrate Lou's life. @ger_77 Gerry, I hope your Ukrainian family enjoys the Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow. @Seasick Sailor Joy, I bet you'll enjoy the Christmas celebration more in January when things aren't so busy. @seagarsmoker Thanks for the explanation about why the ship stopped for so long. Losing a family member when your away is bad enough. Glad the ship was able to help the family get home. Sorry to read about the passenger drowning. As a general rule, I skip the magicians and jugglers. @luvteaching Karen, it's nice you had a good visit with your DS, and got things checked off the to do list. It is nice of your DDIL's family to include you at Thanksgiving. Lenda

We have been to Horta once in 2002 on the Noordam III. I don't think too many ships had called there before. We just walked around town. I hope there is only one picture that is a repeat of those @StLouisCruisers Sandy posted. Lenda

Good morning from a mostly cloudy central Texas where it is 56F and feels like 55F. The weather app says the humidity is 100% with a dew point of 56F. Our high today should reach 75F with light winds and no rain. I'm not exactly sure what will be on the agenda today, but hopefully we should be able to watch at least part of the Texas v Kansas State game. HOOKEM HORNS! 🤘 I am not looking forward to the time change tonight. I wish we would just do like Arizona and stay on standard time all year. We will both celebrate candy day. Community service is good, and using common sense is even better. It's good to know that wasting time isn't really wasting time. That's one less thing to worry about. 😉 Chicken pot pie sounds good, but it probably won't be on our dinner menu today, even though I don't know what we'll be having. I feel about the same with all the different mojitos as Paul @kochleffel does about the pseudo martinis. Just quit messing up a good drink. The red wine also sounds nice. We visited Horta once in 2002 on Noordam III. I'll retrieve my pictures in a few minutes. Three good days in history. We think it's a long drive from central Texas to Quartzsite, near the California border. I can't imagine what it was like in 1841 going from Missouri to California by wagon train. Hats off to Thomas Elkins for patenting the Refrigerating Apparatus. Howard Carter's discovering King Tut's tomb in 1922 has always fascinated me. We were lucky to see some of the treasures from the tomb in the Cairo Museum in 2003. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, good luck to Ren and the team today. I hope everyone gets back home safely after the game. @kazu Jacqui, I'm glad you taught Ivan "home" and that it worked. That must have been scary. @seagarsmoker Thanks for the beautiful sun rise pictures. Lenda

Good evening. After the drama of getting the motorhome batteries jump started, trying to find new batteries for the engine, not to mention house batteries, which are totally different, has DH rethinking keeping the almost 25 year old motorhome with all the other systems that can fail due to age. We are beginning to weigh the pros and cons of old v new. It's not an easy decision, especially since the diesel engine is really just getting broken in. Stay tuned. 😁 Lorraine, I thought I had your post set to quote, but it disappeared. I am extemely happy Murphy is doimg so well in her new room. I know her mom holdimg her and Murphy being held is a big plus. The fact her strength impressed the PT tells me what a fighter Murphy is. Sending very positive thoughts that her recovery continues without any more set backs. I'm glad your DB is doing better. I hope they identify the bacteria soon and can then get the right antibiotic to knock it out. Vanessa, I'm glad you were abpe to sleep some in your recliner. The Gabapentin and muscle relaxers help DH sleep, and I hope they help you too. Carolyn, I'm sorry your DGS broke his wrist. The young ones heal faster than we do, and I hope he heals quickly. Lenda

It turns out, one of our several neighbors who are part of our volunteer fire department was working the wreck where the tow truck was called to get the car. When our neighbor got home, he saw the tow truck with the car. Shortly afterwards I got a text from his wife asking if we were all right and if that was our car. Unfortunately, I'm afraid the car was totaled, more because of it's age. The repairs would be expensive since the left rear quarter panel and back door were damaged. The axle was obviously bent or broken since the tire was at a strange angle. I don't know the year of the car which looked well cared for, but I know they have not made Saturns in many years. I don't know if the driver was hurt or not. DH said the car was beinf taken to an impound lot. Lenda

Good afternoon from a warmer, 70F, central Texas, but the clouds are trying to move back in, and the sun keeps breaking through. Today has not gone quite as planned. I got my hair cut, but never made it to vote. I'll do that Tuesday on election day, and our poling place will be a lot closer than the early voting location. At least, our county now has three or four early voting sites instead of the just at the courthouse. We are finally beginning to make plans for the migration to Quartzsite with the departure date yet to be determined. We've about decided to keep the old motorhome for now, until we decide if we'll be traveling more in a motorhome in the future. We've known for a while that both the coach and engine batteries need replacing. DH went out to start the motorhome so he could back it out enough to get to the battery compartment open to charge the batteries. He needs to get the motorhome up to our corner station for new batteries and the state inspection. It turns out we waited a little to long, and the batteries do not have enough power left to start the motorhome. Where it is parked in the port, there is a support pole keeping the compartment door from opening enough for us to get to the batteries. Thank goodness for our emergency road service. They are on their way to jump start the batteries, however, DH got a call they were almost here, but DPS (Department of Public Safety) called them to tow a car asap. So we'll get it done sometime today. Tomorrow morning, DH will drive the motorhome to the local gas station to get the new batteries installed and the motorhome inspected. I hope this is the last time the vehicle gremlins visit us. 🤞 How nice of your DH to return the billfold, and I'm glad the gentleman had some one watching to make sure he was all right. Glad you got the Covid and flu shots. Joy, that's nice of your friends to have Thanksgiving and Christmas with you and Allen before you leave on your cruise. Ann, I'm sorry you will miss three ports, but it is better to miss ports in order to miss a bad storm. Vanessa, I wish there was more any of us could to to ease your pain. I hope the pain meds and the extra gabapentin help ease the pain. The gabapentin and muscle relaxer should help you sleep a little better, too. I hope the x-ray and MRI show clearly what the problem is and that it can be fixed. I also hope you're on the cancellation list to see the neurosurgeon sooner than mid-December. Joy, it's been a while since I've cooked greens. My mother made the combination of the greens, but over the years DH and I have found we like the mustard greens best. The seem to be the ones that are hard to find. I often make them with chicken and dumplings. The southerners in your group should really like the dinner. Jacqui, Ivan is very lucky to have you as his human mom. Your have worked wonders with him. Terri, I'm very glad the dermatologist back you and all of us on Jim going to UC. It was good she recommended the ortho UC, too. I'm glad there was no serious damage, and hope the swelling goes down quickly. The steroids and antibiotics should help too. I hope they don't have to drain the knee next week, but that should help relieve the pressure and pain if needed. A quick update on the batteries. The guy came with the car DPS wanted towed on his big wrecker. He was able to reach the coach batteries and get the jumper cables on them. DH got the motorhome backed up enough to get the compartment door open. While this was going on, I went to the corner station to get the new batteries since the guy agreed to take the old ones out and install the new ones. Of course, there was a hitch. The new batteries weren't the correct ones. The old batteries are in the back of my car, and it will either be W-M or Sam's for new batteries. I'm sure one of our neighbors will help get the batteries installed. I think I'm about ready for a few dull, uneventful days. Lenda

We were in Liverpool on August 11, 2017, on the Prinsendam. We were not as lucky as some with our weather that day. The first thing we did was The Beatles Ho-Ho tour in a light rain. There were just a few of us brave enough that morning, so everyone could all sit under the covered portion of the upper deck. This was our guide, who also sang Beatles songs between stops and sights related to The Beatles. Fortunately for us, he was quite good. After the tour, we visited The Beatles Museum, then walked around the port area. In the afternoon under heavy overcast skies, but with no rain, we took the regular Ho-Ho to see more of the city. The Mersey Fetty terminal This building has been shown earlier today, but I'm adding it for prospective with the picture below it. I managed to get a close up of the statue on top. Notice the guy wires and the ladder going up to the top of the statue. These are pictures from the Ho-Ho as we drove through Liverpool The train station An interesting church Lenda

Good morning from a slightly warmer central Texas where it is 47F and feels like 47F. The humidity is 87% with a dew point of 43F. The sun will warm us up to a nice 71F. I have a haircut this morning, and then we plan to vote. There are 14 amendments to the state constitution on the ballot. I'll salute Dominica on her independence day. Give someone a dollar day is good, and someone else can have my stout. The quote by Douglas MacArthur is good. We'll pass on the meal and the drink, but the wine would be worth a try. We were in Liverpool once on Prinsendam, and I'll get my pictures in a few minutes. A good day in history for those in the area of the Plymouth Colony. The adoption of SOS in 1906 was a milestone, but it took several more years for all to switch to the new distress signal. @Cruzin Terri Terri, I hope the x-ray shows no broken bones or other serious injury to Jim's knee. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, I think we have all had packages take the scenic route to our houses. @superoma Eva, I'm glad the surgery was easy, and that you only need the drops for a week. @dfish Debbie, I know River will enjoy her small birthday celebration tonight. @ottahand7 Nancy, I hope you can get the tooth taken care of soon. Lenda

Living in a small town can have its disadvantages, but sometimes there are advantages. Our golf cart was picked up a little after 1pm. We got a call ahortly after 4 pm that it was fixed and would be delivered between 5 and 5:30. It is back home and running like new, except the lights and the horn. That's becauase we didn’t ask them to sork on those. We must have caught them ln a slow day. Terri, that is good news. Since you will be out and you do the driving, UC shouldn't be a problem. I hope he's correct and there's nothing to worry about. Lenda

The first time DH met with the surgeon who did the back surgery, he said Medicare required the patient to try non-surgical interventions first. He'd already met the requirement to try the steroid shots and the only one left was wearing a back brace for a month to see if it would help. Medicare will pay for a new brace every five years, so we still have it, even though it did not solve the problem. DH did all he could to avoid surgery. Lenda

After mentioning the epitaph on Rodney Dangerfield's headstone, I found a picture a little while ago. Terri, I don't know if this would work, but you might think about using reverse phycology. You could ask your DH if as a personal favor to you to help ease your mind with the cruise coming up, if he would consider getting an x-ray of his knee. Let him know you'd feel some much better knowing there was nothing wrong expect a badly bruised knee. Good luck in the casino tonight. Vanessa, I don't know why, but we thought the success rate of the epidural shots was better before he got them. That could have been because the steroid shots in his hip worked for several years. The other option the doctor mentioned was having pain management put a device like a tens unit in his back. First, they would put one on externally to see if it would help. DH did not want to go that direction. The problem with the non-surgical route first, is it delays surgery if it's needed. Part of the problem for DH was requirements by Medicare, and I bet other insurance plans work the same way. Bruce, those pictures turned out very well. The sail in is always impressive. Lenda

Congratulations on booking the cruise. Hawaii is a wonderful way to get out of the winter cold. Lenda

After trying to troubleshoot the golf cart's problem starting when it's cold, but sometimes starting when it warms up, DH now thinks it might be the fuel pump. Since it's been quite a while since DH changed the oil, he called the place that works on golf carts. It's now on it's way to have the oil changed along with the fuel filter, fuel pump and anything else that needs work. When we bought it used in 1999, we were told it was a 1995 model, but we learned a few years ago, it was at least at 1993. Now, we know it was built in May of 1992, so I think it's definitely time for a tune up. Vanessa, I hope you get some answers tomorrow. I'm sorry the pain relief only lasted 2 1/2 days. I have hesitated saying anything about what happened when DH the epidural spine shots in 2018 and 2021, because I did not want to dampen anyone's hope they would work. In 2018, he had two rounds of two shots, one on each side of the spine, that only worked marginally. In 2021, he had one more epidural shot directly in the center of the spine, that did not work. It was a step that was needed before he could be considered for back surgery. When he got the last shot at Baylor Scott and White in Tempe, he was told the shots only work about 10% of the time. I was hoping that both of you would be in the 10% group. I hope you both can find a solution to your pain. Lenda

Brenda, thanks for the pictures of today's port. I hope we get there someday. Safe travels, Sharon. Enjoy the weekend and the time with Craig in San Diego. Lorraine, thanks for the latest update on Murphy. That is indeed great news, and I'm sure her parents and grandparents are thrilled. I'm glad your DB had a better night. I hope he doesn't get behind on the pain meds, but I think many of us have a tendency to do that. Also, good news that your surgery has been moved up, and you will have more time to recover before your cruise. Terri, I hope Jim's knee is better soon. I'm probably beginning to sound like a broken record, but when I injured my knee, I found Aspercreme really helped even with taking Advil. I agree with Roy, @rafinmd that it wouldn't hurt to have a doctor look at the knee and maybe get some x-rays. It could be some type of knee brace or support could help redistribute the weight on the knee. Lenda

I like that part of your nutrition plan. Since I fill the glass a bit fuller than what is considered a glass and usually top it off and have another glass, I might get close the the recommended servings of fruit. 🍷 😉 Lenda

Good morning from a still cold but warming central Texas. It is 34F and feels like 34F. At least, the 2 mph breeze won't make it feel any colder. The 92% humidity should drop as the sun warms the temperature since the dew point if 32F. This afternoon we should see a high of 62F. There is not much on the agenda today. Three interesting days with All Souls' Day being important to many people. DH doesn't make dinner, but does do a great job on the grill -- if the weather ever cooperates. I won't be making dinner tonight either since I'll just be warming the leftover pizza. I don't think I'll plan my epitaph, but I'll share my favorite one. When Rodney Dangerfield died, at his request, his epitaph was "There goes the neighborhood." The Mark Twain quote is a good one, and while I don't fear life, I don't think I'm prepared to die yet. We'll pass on the meal mainly because of curry and chickpeas. We'll also pass on the drink, but I would like to try the wine. We have not been to Kochi, Japan Today is an important day in Indonesian history, and I hope all the Indonesians on BHBs are able to celebrate. @grapau27 Graham, I'll be thinking of you and Pauline as you remember your dear mam on her 12th Remembrance Day. @Seasick Sailor Joy, thanks for sharing some of those epitaphs. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, thanks for filling in for Dixie @summer slope today. @smitty34877 Terry, I'm glad your boiler is working. It is good that your DD and DS could plan you DD DH's last party and relieve you of an emotional burden. Lenda

Congratulations to the Texas Rangers on winning the World Series. Carolyn, congratulations to your DDIL on having a gallery want to show some of her artwork. Even so, we wouldn't tell until Graham @grapau27 and Pauline were home. What a nice donation to your quilting group. Safe travels tomorrow, and enjoy your visit with your DS. Aspercreme might help with your knee tomorrow. We've been to the Gold Creek salmon bake twice. It does have good salmon. Having been there made the Alaska season of Top Chef more interesting. Lenda

Ray, that is good news, especially since you got an appointment so quickly once you got the approval. Good news about the boiler. Lenda

Vanessa, I hope at the check-in appointment with the pain management staff can give you some answers. I also hope the appointment with the neurosurgeon's PA can get things started toward a solution to ending the pain. I am not surprised that the Zuiderdam and other cruise lines are rearranging their itineraries. It reminds me of our 2003 mystery cruise from Bangkok to Rome shortly after the invasion of Iran and the emergence of SARS in Asia. We had seven of the 13 ports changed, but still had a wonderful cruise, except for getting Delhi Belly in Agra. Debbie, I'm glad you and Sue will have River for the weekend. It sounds like she needs normalcy in her life, and she's very lucky to have the two of you in her life. Gerry, how wonderful your young Ukrainian friends are settling in to live on the frozen tundra, and are enjoying some of the "western" customs and holidays. Lorraine, your Halloween at your DS's house sounds like fun. I'm sorry your DB had a rough night, and I hope he sees a big improvement today. I'm glad your DF got to see Alaska even if it was from a cruise ship. Terry, I hope the boiler is fixed quickly and easily. Carolyn, I too hope November is better than the end of October for you. Bruce, I remember a swim on Rotterdam VI across the Arctic Circle. The heated Sea View pool wasn't bad, but getting out was brutal. It didn't help that someone took the towels we'd left on the edge of the pool. I have enjoyed all the pictures from Juneau today. Alaska is one of our two favorite places to visit. The other is Bora Bora. Lenda

We've only begun one cruise in Barcelona and that was exactly two weeks after 9/11. With a smaller number of passengers embarking Golden Princess for her inaugural TA the check in process was very quick. We were even upgraded from a forward balcony on an upper deck to a mini-suite on a lower deck mid-ship. We had to go to our former cabin to locate our luggage, but it soon arrived in our new cabin. We did have a small glitch when we returned to the ship later that afternoon after walking along the Rambles and getting a stash of cokes. The glitch was getting back through security, but that was our fault. We found a Toledo sword "replica" of King Arthur's Excalibur and carried it back to the ship. When that long box went through the x-ray machine, the security guard's eyes got bigger and bigger. After consulting his supervisor, he asked us to step aside and wait for an officer from the ship to talk to us. The officer said we could bring the sword on board, but they would keep it until we arrived in Fort Lauderdale. The last day of the cruise, our cabin steward returned it to us. We knew we would have to check the box for our flight from FLL to DFW. The box was not that strong, so with the help of our steward who found some stronger cardboard and packing tape, we reinforced the box. The agent at the airport gladly check the box with our luggage.

@ocean sounds Enjoy your quick get away. Lenda

@kochleffel Paul, I hope your cruise is all you expect it to be and more. Lenda

@Vict0riann Ann, I hope you and Pat have a very enjoyable cruise. Lenda