Quartzsite Cruiser

Marcia, enjoy LV now that you finally made it there. Lenda

Denise, our condolences on the passing of your father. I'm glad that he was able to be home in familiar surroundings for a while before he died. I hope you can take comfort in knowing you did everything you could to make his life and his wife's life easier the last few years. May the good memories of your time with your father give you comfort. As others have said, cruise when you are ready, but don't rush anything. Lenda

Good afternoon. I think the rain is over until sometime tonight and into tomorrow morning. At least that is the prediction for now. The sun is out and there are scattered clouds. We've warmed up to 78F and it feels like 83F. It's still humid at 80% with the dew point at 72F. DH's weather station says we got 0.31 inches of rain, and my old fashioned one reads 0.4 inches. They are less than 12 inches apart, so who knows why they read so differently. Ann, thanks for the pictures from Fiji. Susan, I hope they can bring the hiker home for the family's sake. Teri, that's really a bummer. I hope it doesn't take too long for them to get the samples. Debbie, I hope you can get some relief for your back pain so you can continue your hikes. Lenda

Happy Rosh Hashanah I hope all our Jewish friend have a wonderful new year. Good morning from a wet central Texas. It is raining, but not hard, right now. It looks like there will be more rain and harder rain over the next two hours. In fact, I think the harder rain is very close since we just got a loud thunder clap. Our weather forecast is a moving target. We didn't get the predicted rain overnight, and what was predicted for this morning was just a passing shower, but that has changed. This afternoon should be rain free, but more rain overnight, unless the prediction changes again. It is 72F and feels like 72F with 97% humidity and a dew point of 71F. Our high for this afternoon is supposed to be 82F. The operative words are supposed to be. I won't be making a hat today, but I have made a few hats as part of Halloween costumes for our DDs. Interestingly, my paternal grandmother and her sister owned hat shops in Abilene and San Angelo. In fact, they were the only exclusively hat shops between Dallas and El Paso at the time. When I was very little, she'd let me try on the hats. Greenpeace does a good job at protecting the environment, but needs all our help. I will salute caregivers of whom I am now one. My father was my mother's main caregiver for 16 years. He had the help of a wonderful lady, Miami, who looked after my mother on work days and at night when he had to travel. The quote is very true. We'll pass on the seafood chowder, and the drink. I would like to try the wine. We have not been to Lautoka, Fiji. Today in history is an important date for all Central American countries. @kazu Jacqui, you did an amazing job getting your yard ready for the hurricane. I hope you and Ivan remain safe during the storm, and that there is minimal damage. @ger_77 Gerry, sending positive thoughts for Maurice today as he gets the pacemaker implanted. I hope it solves his heart issues, and he can do the things he wants to do. @Crazy For Cats Jake, that is good news your DM will be discharged from rehab Sunday. Good luck taking two cats to the vet today. Benn there, done that. 😁 @smitty34877 Terry, I hope your family members in New Bedford and Fall River stay safe from the storm. I also hope your DS and family will have a safe trip from New Hampshire today. Not only was it nice of your DB and DSIL to visit Lou, but how wonderful of your DSIL to cook dinner for everyone. I'm glad Lou is able to enjoy the visits from everyone. @mamaofami Carol, I hope Sam can have his surgery soon, and that it solves the problem of the brain bleeds. I hope your DS's text to the chief medical officer helps move things along. @Seasick Sailor Joy, I'm glad your DS made it there safely last night, and that he found enough to eat. 😉 @Heartgrove I'm glad you all are enjoying the cruise and the ship. Thanks for all the great pictures, especially the one of all of you. @1ANGELCAT I'm happy the medicine is working and that Tux is doing well. @aliaschief Bruce, thanks for more great pictures. Enjoy the train ride. @cunnorl Charlene, I hope your DS and DBIL stay safe from the storm. @marshhawk Annie, congratulations on the two sales, and on one being the biggest sale of the day. @Haljo1935 I hope these rain storms don't affect your flight today. I looks like the rain will stop by 2 pm. Safe travels. @JazzyV Vanessa, enjoy your trip to Maryland with BFF and his friends. Safe travels. @Cruzin Terri Terri, I hope you have a much better day today. Lenda

@Cruising-along Carolyn, I hope you have a safe drive to your DD's today, followed by a wonderful cruise. Lenda

It looks like our rain won't return until about 4 am, and then, go through the morning. My old fashion rain gauge and DH's weather station rain guage aren't always in agreement, but today they were really out of sync. The weather station said we got 2.75 inches of rain, while mine read 3.15 inches. Either way, we got quite a bit of rain. Terri, I had hoped things were getting better for you. I'm sorry the pain was back this morning. I hope tomorrow is better. While I've looked into my father's family, I don't remember any of them being from Florida. I just thought it was interesting when I saw your last name. Dallas isn't as charming as it was 24 years ago when we first moved to this area. The traffic, especially on I-35E, is horrible at best. Lenda

I'm glad the vet was able to give Tux some antibiotic and a nail trim. I'm glad the eye wasn't scratched. I just checked the rain gauge and the old fashioned one outside. So far, we've gotten 2.75 inches today. The rain stopped about 45 minutes ago, for now. Lenda

Thanks, Carolyn. I hope we get a chance to meet someday. As far as the bruises and scrapes, today was an easy day with only one very minor cut. It was so minor, I didn't notice it until well after I finished in the attic, and it didn't even bleed.. I'll be interested in what you have to say about Celebrity. We sailed them four times in the late 1990s. DH liked them better than I did, since I found the daytime activities mostly lacking and boring. Our last two cruises were interesting since one was when RCCL was in the process of acquiring Celebrity. The crew was very unhappy and uncertain about the future. The last time was in 1998 after RCCL owned them. I noticed a lot of changes, many small, but they still seemed to cheapen Celebrity, and this was before all the cruise lines started cutbacks and added costs. Lenda

Good afternoon from central Texas where the rain continues. Right now, it is just a light rain, but since 11:30 the amount of rain has gone from 1.64 inches to 2.58 inches. The only problem with getting so much rain so quickly is, it stands in the yard, and we often have small "ponds" in places. Our soil is fairly firm with limestone just inches under it, so the water takes a long time to soak into the ground. I predict there will be a lot of yard work next week and more grass to mow for the next few weeks. The temperature has cooled off enough that I was able to get into the attic to change the a/c filter. Since DH is a mechanical engineer with a sub-specialty in hvac, we have a pretty sophisticated a/c and heating unit. Besides the traditional filter, we have two electrostatic filters and two metal mesh pre-filters. In April, I just changed the regular filter, but today, I also pulled the two electrostatic filters and cleaned them. The mesh filters needed to have the dust and dirt blown out of them, which meant another down the ladder and back up. But the air pump for the tires, took care of those filters. While I was in the attic, I could hear the rain hitting the metal roof. Now, the attic unit is back together and ready to run when it get a bit warmer. Besides learning to do "man" chores around the house, I've also picked up another thing from DH. It seems I can't do a lot of the work without a couple of bruises or cuts and scrapes. Carolyn, at times, I'm afraid I turn into one of those who keep talking. Being in a small group, I get nervous when the conversation lags, and seem to need to fill the gap. At other, times, I seem to not be able to think of anything to say. I know that no matter what the weather is, you'll have a good time in Alaska. Just the scenery is worth going there. Karen, I'm happy the cruise went well and the tears lessoned as the cruise progressed. I'm glad your cousin will be able to come down for the weekend. I hope that Tux's eye problem is not serious and that the vet can help. Susan, growing up in Abilene, we had some spectacular thunderstorms. One of my earliest childhood memories is standing with my grandmother in the front door watching all the rain, wind and lightning going on. My parents were out-of-town, and she and my regular babysitter were staying with me. The baby sitter was scared of the thunderstorm and spent most of the time hiding in the bathroom, but she would stick her head out every so often to urge us to get out of the door. I think that time with my grandmother taught me to respect but not fear thunder storms. In the it's a small world category, I noticed you added your last name on another thread. It caught my eye because it's my maiden name. My grandfather's family was from Alvarado. I never met him or his family since he and my grandmother divorced when my father was three years old. Graham, I love Italian food, and your pictures of your food from your favorite Italian restaurant always make me hungry. It looks like the last wave of rain has stopped. Lenda

We returned to Road Town on April 28 on our way back to FLL. That time, we took a tour to Virgin Gorda, another island in the BVIs. This was on the recommendation of DFIL who along with DH's stepmother, and others had rented a catamaran and sailed around the islands. Our destination was The Baths, an area of large boulders and caves. We snorkeled and swam through one of the caves. Since we didn't want to fight the current to swim back to the starting point, we walked through another cave. In hindsight, I think the swim would have been easier since there was one steep point where we had to climb over a boulder and use a rope "handrail" to help pull yourself up the boulder. I didn't get any pictures in either cave because the camera was not waterproof, and I needed both hands walking through the second cave. The view of Road Town as we headed toward Virgin Gorda. The Baths from the parking lot from our open air bus. Tortola is in the background. The area of The Baths at sea level. This is just a small portion of the area. The restaurant at the top of The Baths and the views from the restaurant. Our final view of Road Town and Tortola as we headed to sea and FLL. I wish more ships that sail from the US would call at the BVIs. Lenda

On April 10, 2006, we arrived in Road Town, Tortola, BVI, for our first visit on the Old Regal Princess. We were on our Amazon River cruise, but would be returning later that month as we headed back to Florida. That was easier and more fun than flying home from Manaus. If you were not a charter flight, you would have to fly to another city in South America and then to FLL or Miami, and a final flight(s) to your home airport. The first day in Road Town, we rented a car and drove around the island. This first picture is from the ship as we approached Road Town. The boardwalk in the small boat harbor. I seem to get a lot of pictures of DH from the back. This time he was heading to the car rental place. A nice beach close to the harbor The view from a high point of the island, the observatory, and Road Town in the distance. We didn't do the swim with the dolphins or see their show, but we did see this one interacting with one of the trainers. We found a lovely place on the beach to have a beer or a coke. Some of the locals at the bar Our final view of Road Town as we sailed toward Dominica. Lenda

Good morning again. I just checked the rain gauge, and since about 4 am we've gotten 1.30 inches of rain. The rain has slowed to a light sprinkle, but more will arrived by mid-afternoon. Texas, unlike the PNW, gets its rain in big bursts of rain. In other words, it's kind of like Morton's Salt, "When it rains, it pours". I realized after it was too late to edit my post that I had forgotten the memes. I'm making up for that lapse now. Lenda

Good morning from a wet and dreary central Texas; since that means it's raining, I'm not complaining. I'll enjoy a day or two of quiet rain. At least, I didn't jinx things when I made a quick grocery run last night after dinner to avoid having to go in the rain. It is currently 71F and feels like 71F. The humidity is 100% with a dew point of 71F. The predicted high will be 80F with the rain tapering off during the day, but basically hanging around through Saturday. It's just started raining harder. I'll have to check on the rain total soon. And here comes the thunder. Crab Fest will have to wait for another day, along with cream filled donuts. A quiet day will be nice before the hectic few days week after next. The Walt Whitman quote is interesting, and I sometimes wonder if I really deserve my friends. Today, we'll pass on the meal, drink and wine. I'm not sure what is for dinner today, maybe some crab cakes. Last nights pot roast was good. I normally cut the roast into two pieces and only cook just one, I will need to cook the other half soon because we ate all the meat, but have plenty of veggies and gravy left. In 2006 on b2b trips from FLL to Manaus and back on the old Regal Princess, we stopped at Road Town twice. I'll retrieve my pictures in a few minutes. Two interesting days in history. The Gregorian Calendar made tracking the earth's orbit around the sun more manageable. The first computers took up entire rooms and required a lot of a/c. Those who built the first ones, including the one IBM introduced, would be greatly surprised at what even smart phones can do today. @StLouisCruisers Safe travels to your DS and DGS as they fly home from Lisbon today. The weather for Frisco next week looks good with mostly sunny skies and temperatures in the upper 80s to low 90s. @Denise T Denise, I'm glad Fancy likes her crate, but sorry she has separation anxiety. I hope it's not a serious case like our granddog Ginnie had. I'm glad they caught the escapee and was surprised he was so close to your home. @Nickelpenny Penny, I'm glad you are enjoying subbing. I hope your PCP can help with the knee pain. Steroid shots in the knees helped DH. @ottahand7 Nancy, I hope the zoom meeting and setting up the scholarships goes smoothly. I understand about the yard work after being gone for several months. @rafinmd Roy, that's great news about the negative test. @Haljo1935 I hope all your DH's tests have good results, and that you can get the therapist to email you the exercises. Does the cardiologist have a patient portal where you can access the test results? @dfish Debbie, I'm sorry walking is so hard on your back, but I'm happy the gym doesn't cause the back problems. @kazu Jacqui, I'm glad you have most of the yard work done. Stay safe when Lee "visits". @cruising sister Lorraine, it seems the news about Murphy is a mixed bag of progress and problems to be overcome. My heart breaks for the parents and Murphy with all they are going through. @ger_77 Gerry, wishing your DH all the best with the pacemaker implant tomorrow. Lenda

@Mr. Boston I hope your cruise is all you want it to be. Lenda

@Lady Hudson For real this time, I hope you have a wonderful time on your cruise and that you miss most of the bad weather. Lenda

@Heartgrove I'm glad you enjoyed Hamburg even with less English speakers, and no a/c. Miniatur Wonderland has to be seen to be believed. Have a great cruise. Lenda

Teri, I'm glad you are feeling better and that some of the pain is subsiding. It seems you will have to give it sometime, but I hope all the pain and stiffness is behind you for your trip and cruise. Terry, I'm glad that Lou is home. Being with family should give him some comfort. Graham, I can't imagine how hard it was for Pauline's parents to lose Roy at 2 months. Susan, that is such a sad situation with the missing hiker. At some point, even experienced hikers need to realize they have reached a stage in life when they should not hike alone. I can't imagine what his family is going through not knowing what happened. Jacqui, thank you for checking in, and good going on the free upgrade to the alarm system. I hope Lee dies down before reaching the Bay of Fundy and your area. Stay safe. Lenda

I know many Dailyites are relieved that the escapee is back in custody. I bet they'll keep a closer watch on him now. I checked the rain gauge earlier, and we received 0.06 inch of rain. It could be a little more since the fancy rain gauge report the rain amount in 0.03 inch increments. Carol, I was very sorry to read that Sam is back in the hospital with an increase brain bleed. I hope the doctors find a way to stop the bleed without surgery. Sending positive thoughts that what ever is decided, it results in a good outcome, and Sam will be able to go home soon. Welcome home, Jake! Enjoy your last day of vacation in spite of the laundry and yard mowing. Vanessa, you can have my peanut butter, and I'll take you peanuts. I hope all goes well at the doctor's appointment and at PT. Lenda

Debbie, I just used Google to see if I could find the recipe for the shrimp tacos I had on HAL. It turns out it is a America's Test Kitchen recipe. It uses lettuce, tomatoes, avocados along with a lot of other things that can be left out if you want to. I guess since HAL is not longer affiliated with ATK, that explains why I haven't seen them since 2018. I thought it had been on the Amsterdam, but it must have been on the Zaandam where I had them. Here is a picture of the tacos and a link to the recipe. https://www.americastestkitchen.com/guides/america-s-test-kitchen-onboard-holland-america-line/serious-tacos I might give the recipe a try even though I am not a fan of ATK. Lenda

In 2017 on the Prinsendam for 106 days, we visited Invergordon twice. The first time was on August 7 when we rented a car and headed to Loch Ness. Unfortunately, Nessie did not make an appearance that day. These pictures are of Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle, which is in ruins. I walked down to the ruins while DH stayed at the visitors center and enjoyed the view. I have some pictures of the ruins, but there are more people than ruins in the pictures. From Loch Ness, we drove to Cawdor Castle. We walked up to the entrance of the castle, but decided we did not want to go through the building because of all the stairs. Instead, I wandered through the gardens. The outside of Cawdor Castle, and yes, that is a working drawbridge. A few pictures of the gardens for the Garden Club and others who enjoy looking at flowers. We then drove through Inverness and toured the Ord Distillery, but I could not find any really good pictures of the town or distillery. North Sea off shore oil rigs parked in the bay as we sailed that day. We were back in Invergordon on September 12. This time in our rental car, we headed east and north to explore the area. Our first stop was Dunrobin Castle. We just took a picture of the castle from the car park, and decided to skip the tour. The rest of the pictures are scenes along the road and of the various towns we visited. We drove through and walked around Tain, Dornoch and Alness, but I don't remember which pictures are from which town. They were all picturesque as was the countryside. Lenda

Good morning from a wet central Texas. Yes! We finally got some rain overnight, but I haven't checked the rain gauge to see how much rain. It has stopped raining for now, but it is predicted to start again tonight and to last on and off all day tomorrow and into Saturday morning. It is currently 70F and feels like 70F with 94% humidity and a dew point of 68F. The predicted high is 84F. I may be able to squeeze a walk in this morning. Defying superstition is not always easy, and fortune cookies are interesting. I like peanuts, but for me they are like potato chips. I can't eat just one. The Benjamin Disraeli quote is basically true. Shrimp tacos might be good, but I'd leave the slaw out. For a while, the Amsterdam had shrimp tacos in the MDR as an appetizer, and they were very good. If I drank a Zombie, I'd be a zombie. I think we'll pass on the wine. In 2017 on b2b2b2b... cruises on Prinsendam, we visited Invergordon twice. I'll look for my pictures in a few minutes. Michelangelo's David turned out to be a masterpiece. We've seen the replica outside the Uffizi, but not the real one. @Lady Hudson Katherine, I'm glad your great-grandson is back home, and I hope the breathing issues are behind him. I hope the humidifier helps with his breathing. I'm glad the cruise is still on even with an itinerary change. It should be interesting sailing from Cape Liberty to Manhattan. @Denise T Denise, I'm sorry the mass has grown some, but that is good news it is benign. @HAL4NOW Tony, safe travels to you and your DW today. @grapau27 Graham, our thoughts are with you and Pauline as she remembers her little brother today. @Crazy For Cats Welcome home, Jake. @cruising sister Lorraine, I'm glad you got the VOV cruise booked and the cabin you wanted, @Nickelpenny That is good news. Thanks, Penny. Lenda

Terri, I hope the Prednisone kicks in soon, and glad the covid test was negative. Try to let things go and rest until you feel better. Lenda

Denise, I'm sorry you had to place your father in hospice. I hope he will remain comfortable for the time he has left. I'm glad he will be home in familiar surroundings. Please take care of yourself, and let the good memories of the cruise and other good times comfort you. ((((((HUGS)))))) Lenda

The owner of the rifle was lucky Danelo didn't use it on him. I hope for everyone's sake, this will end soon. Brenda, I hope everyone sick with E coli can recover completely, and those with complications, I hope the complications are not lasting side effects. Lenda

Vanessa, I hope the itchy eyes are not because of a flare and that the extra drops make the feel better soon. I'm not really sure, but if I had to guess, I'd guess for soup. I had forgotten about them until I saw the picture this morning. Jake, I hope everything goes smoothly in the morning. Customs might be handled at the same time as immigration or could be handled in the terminal. Lenda