Quartzsite Cruiser

I found some pictures of downtown Anchorage. As we usually rent a car, we don't often spend time in Anchorage. In 2018 on the Zaandam, we did not have a car rental reservation, so we walked around the area where the shuttle drops us off. We then checked with the company and were able to rent a car. The visitor center Downtown Anchorage The Alaska Mint is actually an unique store that is worth wandering through for a few minutes. There are flowers all over Anchorage and Alaska. This is for the garden club. In 2015 on the Statendam and 2012 on the Amsterdam, we went to the State Fair in Palmer. This is the "big" or main state fair, but since Alaska is so big, we have seen signs for the state fair in southeast Alaska, on the Kenai Peninsula and Kodiak. The fair in Palmer is held in August and ends Labor Day weekend. The fair is not big like the state fairs in Texas, Minnesota or even Arizona, but it is more a traditional state fair from years ago. They even have tractor pulls. I think the sign says it all. The stories about the giant vegetables are true. The Matsu Valley has warm summer days with a lot of daylight for growing big produce. Then there are the giant pumpkins. The midway and the vendor areas A lot of flowers I'm not sure why, but I thought this group would like this picture. I think even though the growing season is short, the long days of sunshine are the reason for the giant vegetables and the bigger flowers seen all around Alaska. Lenda

Good morning from a cooler central Texas. It is 68F with 100% humidity and a dew point of 68F. As I'm typing this, I see clouds and blue skies. Our high will be 81F with rain and thunderstorms returning around 4pm. If all goes as planned, we'll be heading to Waco to buy a new golf cart. I'll miss the old one since it was unique here between the body style of 31 years ago and being painted Texas Longhorn orange. I hope our neighbor can fix it, and that the nice camper we met will buy it. This is not a good picture since it's been cropped, but it's the best one of the golf cart. This was taken at Christmas either in 1999 or 2000. Sadly the United Nations Peacekeepers have their work cut out for them in too many places. Composting is good, but we don't have enough of a need for it here. National 529s are a great way to set aside money for college. We were fortunate to be able to contribute to our DDs college accounts so they did not need to take out student loans. I like the Mark Twain quote, it is probably very true with a lot of readers. We'll pass on the meal and probably the drink. The wine sounds nice and the price is right. We have been to Anchorage many times both on BHBs and by motorhome. The ascent of Mt. Everest by Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary in 1953 was quite an accomplishment. It's sad that so many climbers now are leaving the mountain a mess. @puppycanducruise Beautiful flowers, Melanie. Thanks for the picture. @grapau27 Graham, I hope you and Pauline are feeling better today. @LambKnuckles Lambie, I'm glad they are finally breaking ground for the Senior Center today. @aliaschief Enjoy your last day/night of being pampered as a small group of passengers. @richwmn Rich, I loved the wine meme. It was me last night after no having wine for a week. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, your tour sounded interesting. Lenda

@Horizon chaser 1957 Laura, I hope you and your DH have a wonderful anniversary, and many more anniversaries in the years to come. Lenda

@cat shepard Ann. may your birthday be filled with fun, laughter and joy, and be followed by many more birthdays. Lenda

Glad you are also got good news after your CT scan and test results. Elizabeth, I'm sorry your procedure was postponed again. I hope the new Rx and the plugs work. Lenda

Great news from the dermatologist, Maureen. Lenda

It did have a good run, and I wish we could have kept it. Before DH had his health problems, he would have worked on it. If it can be fixed and not too expensively, it could have a few more years in it. We've owned it for almost 25 years. We're not sure what year it is, but 1993 was the last year they had split seat backs. I'm sure we'll like the new one. I just hope the weather cooperates tomorrow. Lenda

Not really, Paul. We love dachshunds, but they could pull a sled. Lenda

Thanks, Joy. That was my guess, and what our old one is that lasted at least 31 years. We're getting a new brand, Evolution, which is about half the price of a new EZ-GO. Lenda

Thanks, Joy. That's good to know. What make os Elvis? Lenda

This afternoon turned out to be pleasant. The sun was out with just a few clouds, and the wind slowed down. However, more rain and thunderstorms are on their way. We no longer have a golf cart. One of the people in our community buys golf carts, fixes them and sells them. We just gave the cart away since it's probably not worth too much. There is a place that will repair them, but that would probably cost more than it's worth. Tomorrow if the weather is all right, we're planning on going to Waco to buy a new golf cart that runs on lithium batteries. The bonus is it's a lot cheaper than the name brand golf carts with the lithium batteries. Carolyn, that is good news that Amber is home. That will definitely boost her morale, and hopefully help her recovery. Lenda

Terri, I'm glad everything went well today except the BP. DH had steroid shots in his shoulders for quite a while and they helped him a lot. I'm very happy your PCP gave you some helpful information for going forward with care for your DH. Now, you can relax and enjoy visiting with your friends. Lenda

I made it back from the dentist just as the storm hit our little community. There was some light rain and high winds on the way home, and I was surprised it how much the side wind pushed my little Smart around. The rain didn't last long, but the wind just now began slowing down. I didn't see the dentist, just a very nice dental tech who checked the extraction and implant site and said it looked good. She did rinse the site with mouthwash from a syringe to clean it some. I go back three months from yesterday for the impressions. YUCK! The best part was this visit was included in the large payment I gave them last week. Last night, we set out for our nightly golf cart ride to see the deer in the field next to our community. We've seen anywhere from one to four mule deer around sunset. Last night, we didn't make it that far as the golf cart quit running. When it stopped, DH thought it needed more gas, so I walked back to the house to get the gas can, and our nice nextdoor neighbor, took me back to the golf cart. He waited until it started running, but just after we left, it quit again. It's not lack of gas, but DH suspects it's the fuel pump, fuel filter or the carburetor. We decided to push it off the road, and leave it until today. As background, our little community is a home base for RVers, and it has a campground in the middle, which actually came first. Anyway, one of the campers saw me pushing the golf cart while DH steered, and he came over to help push. He then gave DH a ride home in his truck, while I walked. The golf cart is at least 31 years old and has run very well until lately. It just might be time for a new golf cart. Our wacky weather, now it is still windy, but I see a bit of blue sky. Who know what will happen in an hour. Fred, thanks for the picture of more beautiful flowers. Pennie, I got it too. We kept a pencil in the cars to rewind out cassette tapes. I also like the warning about ice. As you can see, we had the upgraded tool kit. In fact, the pencil is still in one car, but no tapes. Lenda

That is true for entering a National Park in a car. However, there are some sites that are in buildings and are walk in where each person needs the pass.

RNB. I can be sneaky. Lenda

Amnesty International does good work, and they have their work cutout for them these days. We enjoy a good hamburger and a good smoked brisket. The Robert Byrne quote is very good. We'll skip the meal. Tacos are best with beef, but the shrimp tacos on BHBs are good too. We'll also skip the drink and the wine. We've driven through Norfolk to get to other places, but have never spent any time there. This day in 1936 was the beginning of the computer age. Graham, I hope you and Pauline are feeling better soon. Thanks for the information about Amnesty International. Sandi, I hope the rain lets up and you can go ashore. I hope your DS and DDIL have a great time in Cabo. I hope you have a safe and smooth flight today. Enjoy Montreal before your cruise. Dixie, I laughed at the name of the drink and the tory behind it. Thanks for the information. Ann, I cook salmon in the air fryer as well as all my fish. I have an air fryer that has a door and shelves, not a basket. I cook the salmon at 400 degrees, and the time depends on the thickness of the fillet, but generally about 12 minutes. Most of the time the salmon is moist, but it only takes a few seconds to go from done to dry. I put olive oil on both side, and on the top, salt, pepper and teriyaki sauce. Jacqui, I hope your appointments go well. Be careful driving in the rain. I'm glad you finally have a CT scan scheduled. Bruce, thanks for the pictures of Corfu. We always enjoy the island. I'm glad you will get into Venice. Annie, congratulations on the sale. Good luck with the four kittens at the vet today. Terry, I'm glad the teenager had fun at the prom. Enjoy your time with your DB. Lenda

Good morning from a cloudy and humid central Texas. There is condensation on the windows again this morning, and it might be foggy like it was yesterday morning. It is 78F at 7 am and feels like 84F. The humidity is 88% with a dew point of 74F. Our predicted high is 83F and rain is in the forecast with thunderstorms. In fact, we're under a sever thunderstorm watch until 11 am. I have a follow up dentist appointment at 9 and that's when the thunderstorms begin. I hope I can get home before it gets too bad. Well, I goofed again and hit submit instead of loading the multi quotes. Those will be in the next post. Lenda

Terri, I'm glad you arrived safely and that the traffic wasn't bad. Enjoy dinner with your friends tomorrow night. Lenda

MEMORIAL DAY A very late good morning from a partly sunny central Texas. It was foggy here until after 10am. It is 87F and slightly humid with a predicted high of 93F and a heat advisory. This morning I made a lemon-blueberry Bundt cake with the rest of the blueberries. While many still settled to the bottom of the pan (top of the cake) a lot were spread out in the top half of the cake. I tried a trick I'd read about, lightly dusting the blueberries with either flour or cornstarch. I used the latter and it seemed to work. I also made the deviled eggs to go with our fruit salad and air fryer fried chicken for tonight's dinner. I noticed Ann @cat shepard caught my typo which added a new day to January. 🤣 When we were young, we used tanning oil or lotion instead of sunscreen. I've been lucky to have only had one basal cell carcinoma, and a few places frozen. I do my best to remember the sun screen when I'm working outside. Old-time player pianos are interesting and getting hard to find. We have a new fangled player attached to our piano that uses 3.5 inch floppy discs; so it's not that new now. I don't remember the last time I had a popsicle, but I preferred the cherry ones. We used to get the ones with two sticks and split them. Now, the are just single popsicles. I totally agree and love the John Lennon quote. We'll skip the meal (kale and chickpeas), the drink and the wine, but only because of the price. We have sailed Glacier Alley twice, once pre-digital and once mostly at night. I would love to sail Glacier Alley during the daylight hours. The 1940 evacuation of Dunkirk was a huge operation using almost every boat England could find to save as many lives as possible. @MISTER 67 I was sad, but not overly surprised to read that Grayson Murray took his life after learning of his personal battles. I hope his family and fiancé will be able to move forward without too many thoughts about what they could have done. @grapau27 Graham, thanks for the history of popsicles/ice lollies. @aliaschief Bruce, thanks for the wonderful pictures of Carthage, Tunis and Medina. Carthage is on the bucket list. @rafinmd Roy, I'm glad your hand is better, and you are home before the storms arrive. @Cruzin Terri Terri, I hope the traffic is not too bad today, and you arrive before the worst of the traffic. Good luck with the appointments. @RMLincoln Maureen, I'm glad you are meeting your neighbors, and that you enjoyed the community theater. @marshhawk Annie, I hope Furnado has recovered from the thunder. I also hope you are home safely and that your power stayed on today. @0106 Tina, thank you for the pictures of the American Cemetery and Omaha Beach. @ger_77 Gerry, I loved the meme. You could tell anyone who asked that it was grape juice. 😉😁 @Haljo1935 Elizabeth, that is indeed good new the dry needle treatment works on your frozen shoulder. @Overhead Fred Thanks for the amazing pictures, Fred. @Vict0riann Ann I hope all your tests come back negative. Lenda

These are the pictures I posted on August 15, 2021, when we cruised through the beginnings of Glacier Alley after leaving Ushuaia. I have a few pictures from the Chilean fjords, but not too many. Let's just say the weather was not even close to it's best. These pictures were taken between Ushuaia and Punta Arenas. Looking back down the channel at what was trying to be a sunset and the heavy clouds we'd sailed through. Lenda

There was one Daily where the port of the day was Cruising Chilean Fjords. I found The Daily for Sunday, August 15, 2021, by borrowing Ann's @cat shepard decoder ring. Here is the link to that post. In addition to Sandi's @StLouisCruisers links for the Beagle Channel, I think there might be some glacier pictures in former Dailies where Ushuaia was the port of the day on January 3, 2022, June 29, 2023 and January 22, 2024. This is the link to the January 33, 2023 if anyone thinks they may have posted pictures of glaciers. The links to the other two days are in this link. There is a third possibility, although small. for glacier pictures when the port of the day was Punta Arenas, Chile. That has been the port of the day on January 26, 2024, March 23, 2023, and August 17, 2022. This is the link to Sandi's post for January 26,2024, and it includes links to the other two days. I hope this is not too confusing and too much information. I found the last two links before I finally found the one for cruising Chilean fjords. I'll go back and read rest of the posts, and comment in a little while. Lenda

Vanessa, I'm glad you are still getting some much needed sleep. Terry, I'm glad you DB is staying a few more days. What fun to look at old pictures and remember earlier times with your family. Debbie, the flowers are beautiful and River looks like she's having a lot of fun. Thanks for more great memes, John. Debbie, I'm glad the visit is going well. It seems like the mom's release date keeps getting pushed back. Lenda

Good morning from a windy and partly cloudy heading to sunny day in central Texas. It is 77F and heading to 95F this afternoon. I'm glad I got the yard work done yesterday since we are now under a heat advisory. This time of year our weather can't decide if it's still spring or already summer. It looks like we'll have two rain free days, and after tomorrow will be back in the more comfortable mid-80 range. Of course, there is always a possibility of scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon this time of year. Today's agenda includes laundry. Fingers crossed 🤞 the drier vent hose stays in place. Paper airplanes are interesting when they fly very well. I could make them, but they never really flew. The Lindy Hop was also way before my time. I remember cellophane tape and that I was very glad when the "invisible" tape was introduced. Love the Erma Bombeck quote. I always enjoyed reading her columns and her book It's Always Greener Over The Septic Tank. She was a very witty lady. We'll pass on the meal, drink, and wine. Tonight it will grilled shrimp, vegetable rice and salad. We have not been to the Isle of Man. Today marks the anniversary of the end of an era for Henry Ford and the Ford Motor Company in 1927. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, I hope any rain next week is just brief showers. @MISTER 67 It is sad that Grayson Murray died yesterday just one day after withdrawing from the Colonial. It sounds like he'd turned his life around and had a lot to live for now. @cat shepard Ann, I like the alligator meme. We have alligators in Texas along the Gulf coast. Lately one or two have been spotted in rivers pretty far inland. @Cruzin Terri Terri, safe travels tomorrow. I hope your appointments go well. I also hope the wonderful memories of your mother make today easier. @aliaschief Bruce, all that food for so few passengers! I might be tempted to skip the meal and head straight for the yummy looking desserts. @kazu Jacqui, I'm glad you found Jose's gadget. @ger_77 Gerry, I hope your DH's back improves quickly. Lenda

A quick note since I'm not finished mowing. Wouldn't you know it, the sun came out and it's pretty warm. I'm using my cooling towel, but with less than ten minutes to go the last battery died. They don't last as long in hot weather. I'm waiting for a battery to charge to finish the mowing and use the blower. DH is ordering another battery. There ia a good breeze, and the humidity is lower. Pennie, that's good news your incisions look good. Brenda, thanks for the great picture of a woodpecker I'd never heard about. Charlene, when I got my first shingles vaccine shot, the pharmacist said if I had any reaction, to wait as close to the six month deadline to get the second one. I still had a reaction, but it wasn't as bad. Debbie, I'm glad the Mexican stree corn turned out well. I still haven't made it. Oh my, Lorraine, Murphy is adorable with that red hair. and so grown up. Good pictures of your DGD who is very cute. Thanks for the great memes, John. Lenda

Great picture, Jack. Enjoy your birthday party with DD, DSIL and Lily. Joy, I hope you can find an assessible tour in the new ports. Gerry, I admire your way of making friends where ever you are. I realized early on when working for businesses that it was the support staff and secretaries that really made things happen and kept things running smoothly. It pays to be nice to everyone, but especially those who make life easier for others. Enjoy your alternate birthday dinner. Lenda