Quartzsite Cruiser

We have been lucky enough to visit Qaqortoq twice, once in 2009 on the Tahitian Princess and again in 2017 on the Prinsendam. The weather the first time was cold and rainy, but in 2017, we had a nice sunny day. These are some of the pictures I posted before, but I've added a few more today. This is one of the buildings as it was in 2009. And the same building in 2017. We were looking forward to seeing that car again. This is the building in 2009 from the front and inside. In 2017, it was still a restaurant, but it had changed names and was not open when we walked by. A stone statue A few of the carvings cut into some of the rock around town. An overview of the town. Like most towns in Greenland, the houses are brightly painted. Lenda

Good evening. I knew this morning the port of the day was Halibut Point, and I had looked it up on Google maps several days ago. I don't know if I was still half asleep or just in a hurry when I wrote Halibut Cove instead of Halibut Point. I did know that the pictures from the boat I posted were taken in the area of Halibut Point. BTW, Google Maps still shows the cruise terminal as Sitka Sound Cruise Terminal. Sorry about any confusion my mistake caused. This will be strange since I am going to post the links to tomorrow's port of the day and my pictures from the port tonight. Unfortunately, when I checked Sandi's @StLouisCruisers posts for Qaqortoq, her pictures could not be accessed. DH has an appointment at UTSW at 9 am in the morning, and we have to leave here at 7am at the latest. I know I won't have time to get everything posted in the morning. I'm hoping that if it's all on today's Daily and I wake up early enough, I can copy and paste the posts tomorrow morning. If not, maybe someone else could do it for me. The port of the day for Wednesday, August 23, is Qaqortoq. It has been the port of the day twice before, on March 2, 2021 and September 23, 2022. Thanks to Sandi, @StLouisCruisers, I was able to find the link to the first time we had Qaqortoq as the port of the day, since a search did not go back that far. I used the link in her post from last year to get to this link. Lenda

Karen, thanks for the great pictures. Glad your DH enjoyed Sitka. Lenda

Karen, I'm glad you are getting the insurance, and other things straightened out. I'm glad you are doing something for yourself. I hope the PT takes care of the sciatica issues. Debbie, I'm glad you had a good day in Bar Harbor. We did Ollie's trolley in 2013 on Veendam and enjoyed it. I agree those seats are hard, and I thought I was well padded back there. Lobster rolls are good, but they don't beat just plain old lobster with butter. Lenda

Good morning from a partly sunny, partly cloudy central Texas. With all the dormant grass that doesn't get watered, the mowing and trimming only too about an hour. However, since part of the front yard was still in shade, I decided to pull some of the crab grass I've been battling for the last several years. The difference is this year, the Bermuda grass is healthy and growing, so I could risk a few small spots being bare. The grass will (hopefully) fill in the areas. There is still more to pull, but that is for another day. I quit when after kneeling down to work on one area that looked like it was just grass and weeds, I was attacked on that knee and thigh by fire ants. They must have been moving from one area to another. Those little pests can pack a mighty sting that feels like it's burning. I'm slightly allergic to them, so I expect some of the bites to look a little worse tomorrow. I still managed to fill up a 30 gal trash bag with crab grass. Terry, I'm glad the nurse and therapist had some more good ideas, and I hope some of them will be a big help. I understand your "escape" to the grocery store. In the past three years, between Covid and medical appointments, my big outings are to the grocery store. I've gotten to know some of the employees very well. Debbie, you won't have any trouble finding lobster today. Safe travels to your and Sue tomorrow. Maureen, I'm glad the trust lawyer is finally responding to your requests. Gerry, you and your DH should have a great time on the cruise with Wayne and his lady friend. I'm glad they are joining you. Penny, I'm glad you made it to Huntington Beach and back with only a few detours. I guessed you had gone when we didn't hear from you yesterday. Maureen, I'm glad everyone made it safely to Susan's brother's place. I hope her last days are pain free and comfortable. I'm glad she will be surrounded by family. Safe travels back to NM for your angel friends. Terri, I hope you are feeling better soon, and that things improve for you too. Peter, your wonderful and uplifting story is inspiring. Vaccines do work. Good news, Bruce. HAPPY 78TH BIRTHDAY to your DH today. Tony, thank you for sharing your special day with us. @JazzyV Vanessa, I'm sorry your legs are still itching. I can get out and work in the yard early since the humidity is low. Earlier this summer and last spring, it was another story when we had heavy dew. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, safe travels tomorrow for you and your DH. Lenda

We've been to Sitka and Baranof Island many times, but since the port of the day is Halibut Cove, I stick to my pictures from our wildlife tour in 2010. I know we've gone through Halibut Cove on the shuttle bus from the cruise terminal, but I don't have any pictures taken on land. First some pictures of the island in the area of Halibut Cove. Mount Edgecombe across from Halibut Cove. An eagle on the shore, and the shoreline with a bear our guide spotted, but I don't think I got him in the picture. Some of the wildlife in the area Lenda

Good morning from a dark and very warm central Texas. It is 81F and feels like 84F with 62% humidity and a dew point pf 67F. Our high this afternoon will be 103F to 105F. I'm heading out to mow and trim the yard as soon as it's light enough. I've put it off too long already, and I hope to be back inside before it gets too hot. I try to be angel, but sometimes the imp in me comes out. It has been quite awhile since the tooth fairy visited our house. I looked up Hoodie Hoo Day, but did not learn much. In the northern hemisphere it is celebrated on February 23 each year. I hope all the Dailyites in the southern hemisphere enjoy Hoodie Hoo day. The C.S. Lewis quote is interesting, and as a book lover, I can agree. We'll pass on the meal and the drink. The wine sounds nice, but getting a little pricey for me. We have been to Halibut Cove, and anyone who has been to Baranof Island and Sitka have been close. It is north of Sitka on the way to the cruise terminal. I'll post the links I found for Sitka, and my pictures of the area around Halibut Cove from our 2010 wildlife tour in Sitka. Another interesting day in history. The Geneva Convention is important in how POWs are supposed to be treated. Unfortunately, not all countries signed the Geneva Convention in it's many iterations. @ottahand7 Our condolences to you and Frank's family on his passing. Lenda

@grapau27 Wishing you and Pauline a very HAPPY 42nd ANNIVERSARY, and many more happy years together. Lenda

Good afternoon from a hazy or cloudy hot central Texas. It has been a busy afternoon, but now with what I had planned to do today. Maybe I can get those things done tomorrow after I mow the yard. Maxine, I'm glad you are safe, and that your nephew is also safe in his home. Vanessa, I'm sorry about the mosquito bites. I once had them bite me through my socks since I didn't think to put insect repellent on that area. I'm sorry about all the smoke. I wish all the wildfires could be contained soon, and then burn out quickly. Denise, that is great news. I couldn't figure out what the car is. I even tried to enlarge the imagine I'd downloaded, but it was too blurry to do any good. My thought had been an MG, but I'm just guessing. Debbie, I'm glad you got to do the tour this cruise. Great pictures. Sandi, that is a great photo of Ren. Don't worry, the pictures and links will be posted somehow. I've figured out what I'm going to do. I also noticed that your pictures could not be found on Shutterfly. I've enjoyed all the pictures of Catalina today. I'm glad that everyone who has checked in from SoCal is safe. I hope we hear from @Nickelpenny Penny today. Lenda

@aliaschief Bruce, our condolences to you and your entire family. Even when it's expected and the family is at peace, losing a loved one is never easy. Lenda

Good morning again. It is now 87F and feels like 91F. Although the weather app says the humidity is 52% and the wind is 8 mph, I didn't feel any wind when I walked or ran errands and it seemed humid too. @DeniseT Denise, good luck with your oral defense, but with all your preparations, I'm sure you won't need luck today. Joy, we have scorpions here and in Quartzsite. Unfortunately here, they can get in the house. If DH isn't around and I have be kill them, I beat the you know what out of them with the fly swatter. Then I wait a few minutes to make sure they are dead, scoop the up with the fly swatter and flush them. Did they make your day, RNB? 🤣 Maureen, I will keep Susan and your friends in my thoughts today, as they preform their mission of mercy. I how they do not have many problems from Hilary. Terry, I think the only thing hotter than Texas warm or hot, is Arizona hot. I'm sorry your DH is still having a tough time. I hope the nurse and therapist can help with new ideas and foods. Thanks for checking in and for the link. Please stay safe. Lenda

We were in Avalon in 2022 on March 25 and again on March 28. It was a sunny, pleasant day on the first stop and windy, rainy with rough seas on March 28. We only went in on the first visit, and we rented a golf cart for a quick tour of the island. The walk from the tender dock and their Veterans memorial. Starting our golf cart ride. Looking down at Avalon from the hilltop viewpoint. We passed the pet cemetery The Casino, which we did not have time to visit since we only had the golf cart for an hour. DH dropped me off at one end of the pedestrian street while he took the golf cart to the other end. The Wrigley house on the hill top. We drove by it on our golf cart ride, but this is a better picture. Lenda

Good morning from central Texas where it is 81F and feels like 84F already. It shouldn't be too bad for my walk in a few minutes with a 6 mph breeze, 64% humidity and a dewpoint of 67F. However, it will be 105F to 107F this afternoon, and the triple digits will continue for at least the next two weeks. I plan to get my errands run as early as possible. DH has eaten spumoni before and liked it. I don't feel like a senior citizen although I am definitely one, and I do enjoy the senior discounts. 😉 I'll honor all poets even though it is not my favorite form of literature. The John Lennon quote is very true. I think I'd like the second recipe today since I could adapt it for both the vegetarians and carnivores in the family. We'll pass on the drink, but the wine might be nice. It's been a lot of years since we've had a Grenache. We were in Avalon in March 2022 on Koningsdam. The adding machine was a game changer until the calculator came along. @kazu Jacqui, I hope your rain lets up for a while. @GTVCRUISER Thanks for the great pictures of Avalon. I hope you are safe during the storm. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, whatever you do in Halifax, I hope you have a great day. A walk along the boardwalk is always nice. Glad Ren and the team got to see some of Mexico City. I hope all the Dailyites and their families in the path of Hilary and of the wildfires are safe. For Senior Citizen Day And for laughs Lenda

No problem. Glad it's not a wildfire. Lenda

Sharon, I think we'll be all right. We only have one saguaro in the yard, and it is still short. I only found it a few years ago under a lot of debris under an ironwood tree. It had grown a lot since then, but if it feel, it wouldn't do any damage. If it keeps growing, it will grow up through the center of the tree. The first picture was taken in 2016 or 2017, and the second picture was taken last year. Last year, we had our overgrown mesquite tree cut way back, so it should also be okay, but I imagine it has grown quite a bit in the last 16 months. A before and after picture. Lenda

Good afternoon from hot central Texas. It is now 107F at 2:10 in the afternoon, so I expect it to get hotter. To help keep the house cooler, all the blinds except one are closed all the way or almost all the way. The one that's open is on the door to the port that does not get the afternoon sun. I miss being able to see outside, but if it keeps the house cool, and the electric bill a smidgen lower, then I'll live with it. It's been a frustrating afternoon since I've been comparing prescription prices between three pharmacies. A few years ago we switched from W-M pharmacy, mainly because dealing with the one in Parker when we were in Quartzsite was beyond frustrating. We decided to go with a regional chain in Blythe, and our local grocery store in Texas which is an east Texas family owned chain. It was worth it even with spending a little more on some prescriptions. Last month, our local grocery chain sold their pharmacy to a national chain, and the letter said there was a savings app for the new pharmacy. Long story short, I checked their prices today, and they are not great, even with using coupons. Most prescriptions are more than what we've been paying. I also checked W-M prices, and it looks like we'll be switching back, at least in Texas. I'll miss being able to pick our prescriptions up in town, and the friendly service. At least, our nearest W-M is run a lot better than the one in Parker. Thanks for letting me vent. Penny, even if the rain stops early, there could still be flooding in low lying places from runoff from the mountains. I know you will be careful and not take chances, but we all worry about our Daily family members. Sandi, I don't know if you saw my post from Friday. I'm pretty sure with leaving the ship and flying home, you won't be able to post the port of the day. My guess is your DH will have already packed his computer. I'll will try to get it posted that morning, but we have to leave by 7 am since DH has an appointment at UTSW at 9 am. Thanks to some help from Rich, @richwmn I have the information I need, and I've already checked out the previous times we've had the port, and where I can find the pictures. In an abundance of caution, in case I run out of time, I'm going to post the links late Tuesday night on the Fleet Report and Daily. That way they will be available even if people have to look a little for them. When I was looking the pictures, I noticed that your pictures had the same problem as the ones last week from Gozo. They could not be found on Shutterfly. Let me know if you would like for me to handle the links on Thursday in case you want some time to settle back in at home. Great pictures of you and your DD today. Karen, I hope your family remains safe from the fires, and if they have to evacuate, their places will escape damage. Sharon, I know you need the rain, and I hope you get some, but not too much. It has been raining in Quartzsite for a while. This morning it was a gentle rain, but no updates since then on rain, but there is a strong wind.. There have been quite a few tall saguaros that have fallen in peoples' yards recently. Roy, even if it's just quality control, I would still be concerned. Oh no, about the fire in Everett, especially since that's a more populated area. I hope it can be contained quickly.

We have been to Bonaire once in 2000 on the P&O Oriana world cruise. At that time, only DH had a digital camera, and took a few pictures. We rented a car and drove around the island, then walked around town. All the pictures are from our drive. These were some of the former slave cottages in 2000 before any were restored. Other pictures from our drive. Finally, in 2000 on the Rotterdam Panama Canal cruise, we completed seeing the ABC Islands with two visits to Curacao. Lenda

Good morning from central Texas where it is 81F and feels like 84F. It was warm but not to bad when I walked a little while ago since our humidity is 54% with a dew point of 63F. I think I'm in for the day since our high will be 108F. The grass will look a little shaggy for a couple of more days. Tuesday is predicted to be cloudy and only 104F, so I plan to get out and tackle the yard early that morning. I was sorry to see that England lost to Spain in the Women's World Cup Finals. I will celebrate honey bees, which love the Silverado Sage when it blooms. Sadly, with our drought, they have not bloomed much this summer even will watering. I'll also celebrate radio day. We used to listen to "Tradio" when we traveled, and enjoyed the messages people sent by radio when traveling in Alaska. I'll not celebrate mosquitoes, which are the unofficial state bird of Alaska. Like everything else they grow really big up there. Another interesting quote today, which I'll have to think about some more. The meal looks good, but I think I'll stick with the grilled garlic shrimp from a few weeks ago. We'll pass on the drink and the wine. We have visited Bonaire once in 2000 on P&O Oriana world cruise. Another good day in history. @kazu Jacqui, I'm glad the visit with the neighbor went well, and that Ivan enjoyed his time there. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, I'm glad you are feeling better today. @cruising sister Safe travels today, Lorraine. Enjoy your spa retreat. @rafinmd Roy, like the others, my first thought was you know it works. @smitty34877 Terry, when DH was stationed in Dover, NJ, at Picatinny Arsenal we used to listen to the NYC radio stations, especially to Cousin Brucie on WABC. We now sometimes catch his show on Sirius 60s Gold channel. I hope all the Dailyites and others in the path of the storm are prepared and are safe. I was glad to read @Nickelpenny Penny's posts last night about watching the news and reports before deciding on whether or not to head to Huntington Beach. Lenda

What a nice treat for your brother. When we lived in Kemblesville, we took all our visitors to ride the Strasburg RR. We also went often with our young DDs. Lenda

Carolyn, you might want to check out cooling towels or something similar that you can carry with you and use if you get hot. I have one for mowing the yard in the summer, but since you soak it in water before using, it would not be practical for a day on shore. I'm sure there are other items that can do the same thing, only drier. Lenda

Terry, I can understand about nothing tasting right. After DH's second surgery, he complained that all the food in rehab tasted rancid, even things not fried. He just couldn't eat it. After a couple of days, I pointed out to him that if the food was really rancid, they'd be getting a lot of complaints, which they were not getting. They gave him Boost three times a day, not that he drank all of it. After they discovered the blood clot and removed it, food started tasting normal again. I'm not suggesting Lou has a blood clot, but that there may be extenuating factors that will clear up, hopefully soon. In the meantime, take care of yourself, too. Let the dogs play "nursemaid" to both of you. 👏 👍 Lenda

Good afternoon from central Texas where it is 100F and feels like 103F. It looks like I'll be heading to the mailbox during the hottest part of the day. I have an Amazon package that is out for delivery, and on Saturday's the mail carrier doesn't get here until late afternoon. Weekdays, the mail is normally delivered by about 9:30 am. Penny, please be careful driving to Huntington Beach. Hurricanes and tropical storms are not something you want to be driving in, especially in the desert where sometimes there is nothing for miles and miles. Is there a possibility to reschedule the appointment? Huntington Beach was one of the places that could be hard hit that was mentioned in the National Hurricane Center update two hours ago. There is the potential for flooding in low lying areas in California and Arizona. There might be the possibility that your appointment could be canceled due to storm damage. Debbie, I'm glad you and Sue made it into town in spite of the weather. Thanks you for your pictures. Carolyn, I think you will enjoy Broome. It wasn't too hot when we were there, but then we were there about the end of October on a lovely spring day. Sharon, I'm glad I could help with the wood suggestions. If you use chips on charcoal, they will burn faster than the chunks, so you might want to add more part way through the smoking depending upon how much smoke you want. We switched to chips since too much smoke bothers me. Maxine, I'm glad you are on high ground and inland. From what I just read on the update from two hours ago, all of Baja could see heavy flooding along with California and Arizona. Even a tropical storm can dump a lot of rain. Lenda

In honor of Aviation Day. Lenda

We were lucky to visit Broome in 2002 on the Asian Pacific Explorer Cruise (APEC) on Volendam. Broome was not on the original itinerary, but was substituted for Bali after the nightclub bombing. We thoroughly enjoyed our day in Broome. Since we'd been to Bali two years before, we were not as disappointed to miss it as many others were. We went into town and rented a car to explore the area. Later, we stopped at the airport to see about a sightseeing flight. All the ones booked by the ship had finished, and the pilot gave us a good price (below the ship's price if we promised to to tell). The airport Broome is on a peninsula and there are many beaches Cable Beach is the best known beach. It is 22 miles long, and was named after the telegraph cable that was laid between Broome and Java in 1889. We stopped at this restaurant on Cable Beach for a cold beer. Scenes from our flight. Some of the pictures taken out the window are not as clear as I would have liked. The Volendam at the end of a very long pier The runway Broome Lenda

Good morning from central Texas. I slept later than usual, so I got my walk in before reading the Fleet Report/Daily. It was about 83F when I walked and already warm in the sun, so I stuck to more shady areas of the community for my walk. It is now 84F, feels like 87F and heading to a high of 105F to 107F. Thankfully, our humidity is low at 59% with a dew point of 67F for walking. I do not like high humidity, but we need it and rain since everything is so dry and could burn easily. There's not much on the agenda today, so I'll probably continue to work on my pictures. I will celebrate Aviation Day with a shout out to Susan @AV8rix. We had more of the potato salad with our left over ribs and beans last night. Tonight, we'll probably have mashed potatoes with salmon (me) and cod (DH) and a salad to go with our wine. Humanitarians especially those who lost their lives helping others deserve to be honored everyday. They are certainly being challenged this summer with the fires, storms and floods. The Marilyn Monroe quote is a good one and not as cynical as some of the others. We like Chow Mein, but will pass on the meal, drink and wine today. We visited Broome in 2002 on Volendam when the port was substituted for Bali after the bombing there. Louis Daguerre's 1st practical photographic process changed how we see the world. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, I hope your cold is better along with the weather, and that you can enjoy your tour today. Veendam was scheduled to stop there in 2019 on her TA, but rough seas and bad weather prevented the visit. As one of the younger players, I guess Ren is starting over as far as time in the game. Loved reading about the announcer. @Cruzin Terri Terri, I hope you can used today and tomorrow to relax, rest and recuperate. @1ANGELCAT Please wish your DB a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY from us. Enjoy the dinner out. @ottahand7 Nancy, I hope today isn't too difficult with the asthma. I'm sorry fishing has not been good this summer. Your flowers are beautiful. @aliaschief Bruce, I'm glad your DBIL is not suffering. @dobiemom Marcia, stay safe and let us know how things are going. I hope your office roof does not leak. @TiogaCruiser, @AncientWanderer and @GTVCRUISER and all other Dailyites in the path of the storm, I hope you stay safe and do hot have any damage. Please let us know how you are doing when you can. @TiogaCruiser It sounds like you will be prepared for the storm. @RMLincoln Maureen, that is good news you made the decision about the retirement community. It sounds like it will work well for you. Now, you can concentrate on your upcoming cruise. I hope you can get the attorney to do the work or find a new one who will help you. @kazu Jacqui, thanks for pictures of more beautiful flowers. I hope you and Ivan enjoy your visit today. @rafinmd Roy, once I pack and make it through security, I don't mind flying too much. Our last flight was in September 2019 after our Veendam TA. With all the problems with the airlines lately, I just haven't wanted to fly. I also think they are bigger Petri dishes than ships. @smitty34877 Terry, I hope you can persuade your DH to eat and drink more. I like @ger_77 Gerry's idea to talk to the nurse and therapist about the problem if you haven't already done so. @ger_77 Gerry, I hope you can convince your friend and his lady friend (Yes, I know that's sexist.) to join you on your winter cruise. Lenda