Quartzsite Cruiser

Sandi, yesterday when I posted shortly after you posted the links, the link for 6/6/22 wasn't there. I guess I should have mentioned it, but I didn't since I knew how to find that thread, and I was in a hurry to get outside before it got hot. Lenda

Good evening. We may not have reached triple digits today, but our high came close. It's 9:15 and it's still 91F. Camping with all that smoke cannot be all that much fun. I hope the smoke clears in the Provence soon. Graham, our condolences to Sarah and her friend on the death of the friend's BIL. Debbie, the situation River and her siblings are in with their mother is so sad. She is very lucky to have you, Sue, and her other grandmother in her life and looking out for her. Unfortunately, the sad fact is that many parents do not have the best interests of their children in their hearts. I hope there is something that can be done for River and her siblings. In the mean time bless all of you for giving River a safe place to be. Bruce, I'm glad the weather improved. Thank you for sharing your pictures from Sitka, and the one of both of you. Best wishes for a good outcome with your ongoing health battles. I hope this is the time you are able to quit smoking for good. Lenda

Maureen, you and your DH deserve the Royal Treatment. Glad you got your train tickets and know what you need to do tomorrow. I'm glad your DH's eye pressures are good, and that he can manage the itching. You were very lucky to get a small group tour and to see the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel before they opened to the public. We had a ship tour in Rome in 2001, where the tours were allowed into the museum and Sistine chapel after they closed at 1 pm on a Saturday afternoon. The seven buses were staggered so that no more than two groups were in the Sistine chapel at once. That allowed us to really see and appreciate that special place. Going through the museum all the buses were separated. Thanks for the great pictures. Have a safe flight tomorrow. Ann, I hope you find just what you are looking for without too much trouble. We've talked about our Prius, and like the idea of a hybrid better than an EV. Lenda

Good afternoon from a partly cloudy and warm central Texas. It is about 94F now, and I'm in for the rest of the day. After doing a couple of chores, I finally finished reading the Daily. I got the mowing and trimming done quickly this morning, but after our wind last night, the blowing took about as long as the trimming. I also filled two more 33 gallon trash bags with more crab grass that I pulled. I think the rest of the day will be an easy day. Tonight we're also taking it easy and having hamburgers and potato chips since we had French fries last night. And we won't forget the wine. 🍷 At one point last night, DH's weather station said the wind was 33mph, and it is in a place where it reads the speed lower than it really is. I think we had a micro burst of wind, since it did not last long, but did some damage. The house across the street that is for sale, and that the owners had some of the siding replaced this summer, had some of the siding in the port blow off the house. Some was even in our yard, along with a lot of branches of their crepe myrtle that had been trimmed. I got those bagged for the trash last night, and the siding put out of the wind. The weird thing I noticed this morning was the wind had pushed the golf cart into the Smart. There was no damage since the golf cart tires made contact with the bottom trim on the back before any part of the golf cart could come in contact with the rest of the car. We don't set the brake on the golf cart, but it is heavy and takes effort to push, so the wind had to be pretty strong. I just wish we'd gotten more rain than just a sprinkle. One neighbor mentioned she couldn't get their back storm door open during the high winds. @Lady HudsonKatherine, congratulations on the birth of your great grandson, Jalen Alexander. I was glad to read that both the baby and mother are cleared to go home. It's good that you are taking precautions until the escaped prisoner is captured. @Heartgrove Jack, that is interesting that you received a pre-cruise survey from MSC. @Haljo1935 I would have passed on the $17k coat too. Thanks for your pictures from Sitka. @cruising sister Lorraine, I hope Murphy's parents are at peace with the difficult decisions they have had to make. I'm still hoping for a miracle for that sweet little girl. Thanks for the pictures of your niece, DGS and DGD, all real cuties. @Crazy For Cats Jake, I'm so sorry your DM passed out and fell. I hope with time, she will keep improving and will have a full recovery. I'm sorry you are having to deal with this news while on your cruise. Thanks for your pictures from Quebec City. They do have some interesting buildings. @1ANGELCAT I hope they capture the escaped convict soon so everyone can return to life as normal. @Seasick Sailor Joy, what time is dinner? It's been so long since we've had hot roast beef sandwiches, that I can't remember the last time we had them. I'm glad the dogs are getting along, and I hope the two visitors don't get spoiled eating Oliver's food. Good luck with the garage cleaning. @marshhawk Annie, sending positive thoughts that this time the quitting smoking will stick for DH. I'm sorry you missed most of Sitka, but thanks for the good pictures from the ship. @ger_77 Gerry, it's about time you got a break from the bad smoke. How nice of you to leave hand warmers and water out for the paper carrier. We haven't had one in so long I can't remember when they quit. We do get our weekly local paper in the mail. @Live4cruises I'm glad your DH is continuing to improve and is mostly independent again. @Norseh2o Safe travels to you and your DH. I hope he enjoys the camping and fishing trip, and that you have a good visit with your DM. @Sharon in AZ Sharon, I'm sorry you have not been feeling well, but glad that you are better. Enjoy your lunch with your DM. Thank you for the anniversary wishes, which are always appreciated. @Cruising-along Carolyn, I'm glad your DS is still testing negative, but sorry the Covid seems to be settling in DDIL's lungs. I hope she feels better soon. @durangoscots Susan, I hope the motorcycles have left town by now. Most weekends, there are quite a few motorcycle groups that go for rides in this area, and they take the road behind our house. It seems for the riders, the louder the better. @cat shepard We have a 2008 Prius that is a hybrid, but not a plug in version. It is our second Prius. We got one of the first ones, a 2001 model that we sold to younger DD. She kept it until last year. Our 2008, gets about 60mpg, and even when we take it to San Diego for a cruise and it's loaded with luggage, it gets around 50mpg. We keep it in Quartzsite, and usually just drive it around town and to Blythe or Parker, so we don't have to put gas in very often. Lenda

Since we usually do b2b2b2b... cruises, we've been to Sitka 12 times on the 14 day Alaska cruise. It is one of my favorite Alaskan ports and one of the prettiest. We've been to the Fortress of the Bears twice and the Raptor Center at least three times. My pictures are from all our cruises. I found in looking at the pictures, on each visit after the first two or three times, I took fewer and fewer pictures. There is a statue of Alexander Baranof near the Ceremonial Hall. On one of our 2010 visits the statue was on a pedestal, but by 2015 it had been lowered and moved. Meet Volta, the mascot of the Raptor Center. It's his picture on the t-shirts and on the wall behind him. This is along the forest path between the Raptor Center and the Totem Park On our first visit in 2010, we took a wildlife small boat tour, and these are from the boat. In later visits, as we explored further from downtown, we saw the National Cemetery. On an early visit we toured the Bishop's House, which is now run by the National Park Service. They left two rooms partially restored so visitors could see some of the construction details. The Bishop's private chapel One of the old Russian blockhouses on the island The Cable House near downtown The inside of St. Michaels Cathedral We were told it is considered good luck when the eagles perch on the cross on top of the Cathedral. We've seen a bird there twice and once saw an adult and a juvenile eagle at the same time. A plaque commemorating the 250th anniversary of the 1741 Russian expedition One of the many sculptures of marine animals found along the path between the road and the harbor. The Episcopal Church is in the background. On our third visit to Sitka in 2015, the Statendam docked at the new cruise dock instead of tendering. It is a nice dock and building, even if it is out of town. The drive to and from the new dock gives a good picture of the rest of the island. This was Statendam's last call to Sitka. When she got back to Seattle, she then headed to Singapore for a drydock before joining P&O Australia. Lenda

An early good Labor Day morning from central Texas. I'm up early so I can tackle the mowing and other yard work before it gets too hot. It is 77F and feels like 77F. The humidity is 76% with a dew point of 69F. Our predicted high is 99F. At least, there is a good wind predicted for a little later this morning. I always tried to bring my manners to work. Newspaper carriers do a necessary job, but there are fewer and fewer newspaper carriers no. Spice blend day is an interesting day to celebrate. The quote is interesting, and one I like. We'll pass on the meal, drink and wine today. Tonight we'll be having hamburgers. We have been to Sitka many times and always enjoy our day there. Pictures will be coming shortly. Today's day in history is interesting. I bet the founders of LA would be amazed at the town they founded if the saw it today. @Sharon in AZ Sharon, please wish your mother A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY from us. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, I'm glad both DGSs are feeling better today. Lenda

Maureen, our deepest condolences on the passing of your dear friend. I hope when the shock wears off, you will find comfort in your memories of her and her DH. I'm glad you arrived in NY safely, and hope you got some rest last night. BTW, I'm happy the pie was good. Lenda

We had a little rain, but not enough to measure. We also had a lot of wind that blew some of our neighbor's cut crape myrtle braches into the street and into our port. The worse was some of the siding they had replaced earlier this year was blown off their house. DH's wind guage measured one gust at 33 mph, and the guage is not in the best place to get an accurate reading. They don't live here and have the house for sale. Our next door neighbors are their friends, so I'm sure they will let them know what happened. We didn’t have any damage. Carolyn, I'm sorry your DDIL had a rough night, but I'm glad her fever broke. I hope your DS continues to test negative. Lenda

It's been more than ten years since we spent any time in Oregon and had Tillamook Ice Cream. We can get it in our local grocery store, but with Blue Bell readily available, why get an import. While we enjoyed Tillamook, we discovered Umpqua ice cream which we liked even better. It is more a southern Oregon ice cream. Jake, I'm glad you and your DH had an easy embarkation. Love the flowers for you DH. Lenda

It is the old much loved Prinsendam. Lenda

Thanks, Graham. It's an interesting place to visit. Lenda

👍 On the ice cream and cheese. Lenda

Here are the remaining pictures of our day in Bali. We were supposed to be there in 2002 on Volendam's APEC cruise. The port was canceled after the nightclub bombing. Captain Peter Harris sailed close enough to Bali for us to take a few pictures of the island. It was a very grey, cloudy day, and the pictures are not good enough to share. I'm pretty sure we were the only four people on the ship who got to see how the Balinese live. Our driver took us to his family's home, which is really a compound. His brother's job is carving masks which someone else paints before the "big boss" sells them to the shops. We got to see the brother carving a mask out of balsa wood. After much discussion, the brother agreed to sell us an unpainted mask. He was afraid he would get in trouble with his boss, but in the end each couple walked away with a mask. It means more to me than a finished one I could buy in a store. Notice the chickens in the cages. Our next stop was Klungkung, a former royal palace in Semarapura, Bali. One the way back to the tender pier. At the tender dock. Some of the girls who danced for the passengers as they shopped. If you did not want to be hassled, you kept your eyes off the items for sale. We wanted one of the large, decorative kites for sale on the island, but knew we couldn't get it home on the plane. Ironically, we found one in Quartzsite the next winter, and it's hanging on our livingroom wall. Good thing the ceiling is 17 feet high. Our driver for the day stopped on the way back to the tender, and asked us to pay him then. He, along with other drivers, lived with the owner of the car. If we paid him at the dock and tipped him (which we did ), the owner would see the transaction and want all the money. By paying before the final stop at the dock, he got to keep the tip. We also had to get back a little earlier than necessary, as the driver had to be at the owner's house in time for the evening meal. If he arrived after the meal, he would not be fed that night. Lenda

Since no one seems to have been to today's port in Bali, I thought I'd repost my pictures from our 2000 visit to the other side of the island. I think some of the places we visited can be reached from Celukan Bawang, but others could be a bit too far away. We were in Bali in 2000 on the P&O world cruise. Another couple invited us to share a taxi for the day with them. We saw a lot more of the island than most people who took tours. It was a very interesting and fun day. I will need to split the pictures into two groups and post them separately. Approaching Bali Greeters at the tender dock The majority of the population on Bali are Hindu, and there are personal shrines at most businesses and homes. This shrine was at the gas station where the driver stopped. There are interesting statues along the roads. I think this was our shopping stop. Our driver took us to the Scared Monkey Forest, which is a sanctuary and old temple. The monkeys know the tourists will feed them bananas. Our driver bought each of us a small bunch and warned us to only hold out one banana at a time as the monkeys can be a little aggressive trying to get the bananas. We finally had to give several bananas to one monkey. A mother and her baby. The temple in the monkey forest. We were required to cover our legs since we had on shorts, but they provided a cloth we could tie around our waist. That included the men, too. Lenda

Thanks for the pictures, Bruce. It looks like a nice place to relax and enjoy the family. We spent several summers in the RV in that area, but mainly used Newport as our base. Karen, leaky eyes are to be expected as you begin a new cruise experience. I have no doubt you will have a great cruise. Vanessa, I'm sorry your leg issues didn't let you sleep well last night. Tony, thanks for the pictures. That is my kind of turnaround day. Enjoy the remainder of your cruise. @ottahand7 Nancy, I'm sorry the fishing was not good this year, and the tomatoes are not ripening. As far as the fishing, have you tried this hint? Sorry, but I couldn't resist posting this when I saw it. 😁 Lenda

Charlene, thank your for the anniversary wishes. They are much appreciated anytime. I don't know how I missed that I hadn't commented on this when I quoted it earlier. I'm glad you had a great week in Alaska, but was sorry to read about some of the Lido staff being rude. They really must have been slammed with a lot of pushy passengers. We spent eight weeks over two b2b2b2b cruises on Koningsdam, and I really liked the ship. However, this was when the ship was not sailing full, but neither of us are enthusiastic about a full Pinnacle class ship. Too many passengers, in too small venues. We liked all the dining options except we didn't try Rudi's. I've found over the years that the Pinnacle Grill on most of the ships can be hit or miss, a lot depends on how busy they are. I've had over cooked lamb chops and fillets there and some really good ones. I couldn't eat the one that came back more than well done. It was cooked to hockey puck. Lenda

My walk wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but still I was a little warm by the time I got home. It was nice enough that since there is not much on the agenda today, I walked a little longer than my normal walk. It is supposed to be sunny until about 1pm, but it is already getting a bit cloudy. Clouds, unfortunately do not equate with rain, even though there is a 34% chance of a shower early this evening. We'll see. 🤞 I wish it was going to be cloudy tomorrow when I plan to do the yard work, at least, they are predicting a 10+mph wind for tomorrow and the should help. I just hope it doesn't blow my hat off. Lorraine, it sounds like you've had a busy, but fun week. Thank you for the very sad update on Murphy. That must have been a heart wrenching the decision the parents made. Sending positive thoughts for a miracle, and for extra strength for the family. It is very nice that your niece is thinking about others and donating her breast milk. Graham, that is a great picture of the two of you. I agree with Sandi @StLouisCruisers that you should print and frame the picture. Eva, we have seen one migration of the monarch butterflies as they headed north from Mexico. For about two days, there were monarch butterflies all around us in Quartzite. It was truly amazing. Sandi, being sick on your birthday makes being sick doubly bad. I think I'd rather pick up pine cones than iron. I don't remember the last time I needed to iron anything. I wonder if my iron here and the one in Quartzsite still work. Lenda

Good morning from a warmer central Texas. It is 79F and feels like 83F. The humidity is up at 71% with a dew point of 69F, so my walk will not be quite as pleasant as the last few days, especially since I slept late and will be walking later. Our predicted high is 98F, but my guess is it will be higher. It's been quite a while since we went to the cinema or bowling. I was in a league in high school one year. Skyscrapers are interesting. I've been on some committees that sound like the ones Milton Berle was talking about in today's quote. We'll pass on the meal and the drink. The wine might be worth a try. We have been to Bali once in 2000 on P&O world cruise on Oriana, but our port was Benoa. I don't think we were any where near Celukan Bawang. In 2002, the Volendam had to miss Bali after the night club bombing. We were supposed to take a tour to San Marino in 2016 while on Prinsendam, but had to cancel the tour. The Treaty of Paris is important in US history. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, I'm sorry your DGSs are sick, and I hope they are better soon. The trip to Portugal for the college bound DGS sounds interesting even if it's a work trip for his dad. I'm sorry Mark is having so many problems. @kazu Jacqui, a dog can't have too many toys. 😁 @cat shepard Ann, thank you for the anniversary wishes. It was a quiet day here. @Beckett Welcome to the Daily, Jane. @Cruzin Terri Terri, after you and your house cleaner get the house back together, I hope you will enjoy many quiet and relaxing days. @ottahand7 Nancy, I'm glad most of the staining is finished. Thanks for the picture of the monarch butterfly. @1ANGELCAT I hope they can catch the escaped prisoner soon. It too bad Longwood Gardens has to close on a holiday weekend, but safety comes first. @aliaschief Bruce, I'm glad you arrived safely yesterday, and are having a good time. @RMLincoln Maureen, I'm glad you had a good time last night. I'm sorry your DH had a pressure spike, and hope it gets under control soon. Safe travels today. Lenda

@luvteaching Karen, I hope your cruise is everything you want it to be. Enjoy a relaxing and refreshing cruise to Alaska. Lenda

@Crazy For Cats Jake, I'm glad you and your DH arrived safely, if late, in Montreal. Have a wonderful and relaxing cruise. Lenda

Good evening. It was a fairly quiet day. I caught up on some paperwork this morning, and then read and watched Texas beat Rice. We had a quiet anniversary dinner. We split a ribeye which DH cooked perfectly. Along with our steak and wine, we had salad, sautéed mushrooms and sautéed squash. We both appreciated all the good anniversary wishes today. Thank you all for helping us celebrate our 56th anniversary. Glad you made it to Rome safely, and had a good tour. Nice picture of your group. Jake, I glad your new fights worked out, and you will be in Montreal soon. Carolyn, I sorry you DDIL tested positive, and I hope the rest of the family stays negative. I also hope your DDIL has a very mild case, and is well soon. Tony, thanks for the great pictures from Quebec . Lenda

Robin, I'm glad that Nicholas is doing better, and now feels like he no longer needs the pain meds. I hope you will be able to take your cruise. I hope you will be able to take the cruise. Once you are on board, you can do as much or as little as you feel like doing. Brenda, thank you for the anniversary wishes. Ann, thank you for your picture of Belem. I enjoyed seeing what the town looks like. Carolyn, that's for helping us celebrate our anniversary. Thank you, Caron. Terri, I'm glad the floor guy is finished. Rest this afternoon so you can enjoy your belated birthday dinner. I'm glad you will have help tomorrow putting everything back in place. We lived in Chester County from 1980 to May 1985, and still have friends who live in Kennett Square. I hope they are safe and are taking precautions until the escaped prisoner is captured. Chester County is such a pretty area, and we enjoyed living there, but when we went back in 2012, we found the entire area, especially along Route 1 around Longwood Gardens, was too crowded. Lenda

Even though we will be back in triple digits tomorrow or the next day, we will not reach the highs we had in July and August. That must mean that fall is around the corner -- maybe way, way around the corner. 😉 It was really pleasant early this morning when I walked and ran my errands. I even opened the top on the Smart. It is their convertible version, but you can stop the top just before it goes all the way down and have a nice open car. Besides the grocery store, which was not crowded early, I stopped to pick up donuts for breakfast. I was sorry to read about Jimmy Buffet's passing. RIP Denise, thanks for the good wishes. Bruce, I'm glad you had a safe and easy flight yesterday. Have a safe drive today, and enjoy your time at the beach. Thank you, Bruce. Thank you for the anniversary wishes, Terry. I'm not offended about the medical marijuana, especially since it seems to help many people with many conditions. I hope it helps your DH especially with his appetite. Debbie, thank you for the good wishes today. River and Sue's project for the day sounds like fun. Thank you, Annie. Thank you for the good wishes, Penny. Terri, I too hope the flooring guy finishes today, and that's the last you will see him. I hope you get to celebrate your birthday with dinner out today. Joy, thanks for the anniversary wishes. Great picture of the two of you. Gerry, thank you for the good wishes. It's always nice to find something you like on sale. Jake. I'm glad you reached HAL, and they are notifying the representatives on the ground in Montreal. Great news that the PT is working. Even small steps mean your making good progress. Vanessa, thanks for the anniversary wishes. Lenda

Good morning from central Texas. It is 70F and feels like 70F. The humidity is 63% with a dew point of 56F, so it should be pleasant for my walk. Our predicted high is 98F. On the agenda today is a quick run to the store even if it is Saturday of a holiday weekend, and this afternoon, we'll be watching the UT 🤘 v Rice 🦉 game. VJ day ended a very long and brutal war. DH has never had a beard. Tailgating has changed greatly in the last few decades. Bacon is always good. Another interesting quote from Emerson. We'll pass on the meal and the drink. I'd like to try the wine. We have not been to Iccaraci or Belem. The Great London Fire in 1666 was devastating. We visited the USS Missouri like many other Dailyites and saw where the treaty was signed in 1945. Thank you for the good wishes, Graham. Thank you, Roy. Sandi, thank you for the anniversary wishes. I hope Ren and DDIL enjoy being home for the weekend. Jacqui, I'm glad you feel comfortable with the therapist and are confident in what she is doing. I hope it doesn't take too long for the elbow to start feeling better. Terri, thank your very much. Thank you for the anniversary wishes, Jacqui. Nancy, thank you for the good wishes. I hope the staining goes well today. Thank you, Maureen. Enjoy your evening at the dinner theater. Safe travels tomorrow. Jake, I'm sorry your flight was canceled and that things are messed up. I'm glad you got another flight. Safe travels to Montreal with no more changes. Lenda

@RMLincoln Maureen, wishing you a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY, and many more birthdays to come. Lenda