marshhawk

and for the Culinarians today

@erewhon I hope you get your zip back. I sit at my desk calling people, scared I will fall asleep before I get the answering machine or an actual person. You were one of the missing, that I was missing. DH finally admitted that he didn't feel well after the booster, but more nauseous than "dead". Graham and Sandi have both been very quiet today, and that has worried me. Maybe they are both napping today. The heat has been terrible, and I went out to get the mail, at 9 tonight there was no breeze just HOT air every where. I think we need some funnies today....

Well there was a pretty argument earlier today about getting HAL to end pre cruise covid testing. I kept reading, but it kept getting angrier, and thought, this is like the Carnival page, let me come back home. So I checked in here a couple of times, and because i was (working) busy, thought better of posting. You never know where those bosses of mine will show up.🙀 But yes, there are fewer posts from the usual suspects....we need to fix that! But it's summer, everyone may be doing something...like melting.... I talked with someone in TX today that said they had had enough of the political climate, and the actual temperature and were heading up to Colorado for 4-5 months. I asked where, and he said 80 miles north of Durango. I said I have a friend in Durango, @durangoscots, and it made me smile to say that. I wonder why the dogs didn't bark if the bear was there. Probably didn't want to give away their location. I know I wouldn't say anything if I saw one. I would hide and call the police. or animal control. @Quartzsite CruiserI love your pictures of the whale shark. OMG, it's on my list to see! In the wild, not at the Atlanta Aquarium. They are impressive! Thanks for the packing tips. I still didn't get any info about Kodiak or Sitka. Ship to port distance. BFF thinks he should just wander the woods alone in Kodiak. I would hate for him to be eaten by a bear. Chapter three is packing tips. You all have been so helpful! Just wait until I ask how to pack for the Europe cruise for 25 days. Oh yes, I will have free laundry service on that cruise. It's the style of clothing. I know I'm American i just don't want to stand out as one.

2016, second week of September. It snowed in the Yukon and followed us down the mountains back into Skagway. We about froze in Glacier Bay. I wore three pairs of everything that day, couldn't fit in a booth at lunch without taking several layers off. I loved every minute of it.!

The last time I was in Alaska, I had my vest, a flannel lined rain jacket, two sweaters, two pairs jeans, socks, (there were times I was still cold) but while I had one dress, and a skirt, and fancy leggins with a fancy top, I'm not sure that I can get away with that on a formal (gala) night in the MDR. I like the idea of doing some laundry, but I am pushing the BFF to add the laundry package. I will be wearing compression stocking/socks on the flights this time. I will be wearing my walking shoes, take one pair of dressy sandals to dine in, and I'm planning on getting another pair of Bear paws slides for the cruise. Back packs of a decent size sound good. If it's not too big, then I can just stick it under my feet. How dressy to you get?

Happy Monday Dailyites! I have not had any "zip" since that booster on Tuesday. I think even my sense of mischief has taken a break. @0106 Thank you for the great recipes today. They look a whole lot more appealing than @aliaschief's Haggis. I have a few questions for you all- one is regarding Kodiak. BFF and I finally hooked up with excursion ideas for next May. How far from the town does the ship dock? Is this a town where we can walk off the ship and be in town, or are we docked outside of town? And if we tender in to Sitka, the same question. We are on the Nieuw Amsterdam if that matters. And now for my main question today- most of my cruises have been 7 days long, and except for the Alaska cruise we took back in 2016, we have for the most part driven to our embarkation port. So suitcase size has not been a problem. My question is, how much do you pack, or what do you pack for a 14 + cruise. The two guys are hemming and hawing about having to pack fancy outfits for dinner (me too actually) to see if we can actually pack all in a small suitcase, and not have so much to carry around or pay extra for the luggage. I managed Alaska last time in a small suitcase, but we were only gone for 11 days, this time we are going to be gone for 20. I need suggestions, on how to pack light, and stay warm in May in Alaska. Thanks!

What a morning most of you had! I'm so glad that Ren's team won @StLouisCruisers! I'm glad he is not a bull fighter, you'd never get over the nerves! @grapau27Thank you again for my Sunday Church fix. I waited too long to show it to Chuck, and now, the screen is dark. We got up early to watch the F1 race and then , Chuck realized he had missed a meeting up with a friend (he was an hour off) so we went grocery shopping. Not sure what he can eat after the biopsy, so I didnt buy anything for Tuesday night. I am taking my friend Debbie to her eye appointment for her second cataract surgery on Wednesday, and then on Thursday we are back at the oncologist. So even though we managed to spend 150.00 bucks, I really only have food for Monday and Wednesday night. I actually am hungry, so I'm fixing shrimp cocktails, and Chuck is fixing Steak. I have some left over orange rice from our Vietnamese dinner last night, and I'll fix a small salad. A feast! I have two cousins, haven't spoken to them in years, I have no idea where they are, but if I know them, they are up to no good. On the other hand, through Ancestry, I have over a 100 cousins. Maybe too many.

@ger_77 I was so sorry to hear of the loss of your dear friend/cruise friend. You are right, there are people who you meet in life, that are soul sisters and brothers, and when you are together it feels complete. Sometimes, they are there only for part of your life, and sometimes they are there a few times in your life, and sometimes like two wheels on the same cart you roll through life together. Enjoy the memories. My neighbor asked me last July to start walking her dog at 12:30 every day. Unless I am out of town, I am attached to that dog. She refuses to walk on grass, and is walking at high noon in the southern heat down the street on the street, grumbling and mumbling the whole way. When we get to the corner, she does her business on the grass, I pick up bag up, and we walk back home. She loves her air conditioning. And so do I. She gets walked before 7 a.m., at 12:30 (my turn) at 6 p.m. and again at 8, and then since her mom doesnt sleep but two hours, she lets her out two or three times in the middle of the night. I have tried repeatedly to get the the dog to walk on the grass, but she thinks that's trespassing, and wont do it.

@Live4cruises Happy Birthday!

@summer slope I Hope you have a great birthday!

Happy Saturday Dailyites! While my grandfather on my dad's side was a farm manager, pretty much all his life, my grandfather on my mothers side, ( I called him Pa) was a man of many talents. He was one of the first to fly float planes, he was a Mason, and one of his many jobs, was as a cowboy. He had an interesting bunk mate, during his cowboy times, a man who I know you all know, a very young, James Cagney. When I was young I always dressed up as a cow girl. I was still buying Annie Oakley outfits and cowboy hats in high school. (remember I grew up in NJ) I was sort of an odd duck. My dad got me, my mother was rather appalled, but since I had to wear a school uniform -creating myself into something else made me happy. l love the quote today. It is so easy to change the world for the better each day. Just make someone smile. You people here do this every day. And the smiles make the reader feel joy, and they carry it on to someone else. A tiny wave around the world of joy. It passes state lines, border to other countries, across the seas.... It's amazing. On a more serious note, I told Chuck last night that we can help the world more, by not driving everyday. If we all took one day off a week where we didn't get in the car, we can change the world. Of course everyone else has to do the same thing, and that's the problem, getting everyone on board to not drive on one day a week. We chose Monday. He rarely has to go anywhere on a Monday. We just need to make sure that what we need to get done can be done on the weekend, so that Monday is a no drive day. Wish us luck on getting our lives organized enough to live up to our goal. @kazuI love your begonias. I bought some two years ago, and they all died back to nothing, but this year, they came back, smaller than before, but it was pretty amazing. Have a wonderful day!

I spoke to someone in Louisville KY last night, her husband had gone to the post office, as they had not received any mail all week. The post office told him that they did not have enough employees to deliver the mail, the packages, and the junk mail (third class mail) so they are rotating, and should get their mail every other week, until they can hire people. Have you ever heard that you cant get your package that was shipped UPS or Fedex because they have no one to deliver it? I haven't. Maybe they pay way too much. So no one wants to deliver mail? It's not just little towns in the west, this is happening in middle America. I know plenty of seniors that dont have money that would enjoy delivering, maybe not standing and sorting, but driving around delivering half of the day. Would have to be better than not getting your mail. first they took away the stamp machines, so that employees would have jobs, and then they get rid of the jobs, maybe they want every one to get post boxes at the station, so that don't have to do anything.

I'm back, long day of working??? @Quartzsite Cruiser Your picture of the bird on the fence reminded me of an old Peter Paul and Mary song lyrics- There was a bird, sitting on a fence "Once I courted a handsome wench. She took fickle and from me fled, and ever since then my heads been red". well here's one answer to a mystery On the television series Hee Haw, comedian/writer Archie Campbell was well known for using spoonerisms in his skits, most famously the “Rindercella” skit https://www.youtube.com/wa Also if you are into listening to the Capitol Steps, they do an entire monologue of political information in spoonerisms. We saw them when in DC, and once in Atlanta with a discussion about Para-Sailin (sarah palin). Loved it!

Happy Friday Dailyites! @StLouisCruisers Yes, I too see the head and two paws of the kitty in the sun ray. Off to go get donuts before work, it's an F1 weekend! And of course we work. We watched the end of RRR last night, and totally loved it. Great Indian film, violent but in a Mortal Combat original film way, so over the top and beautifully choreographed, happy ending, and great Bollywood Music and dancing. The bad guys die, the good guys live, how great is that? Add dancing. Then we watched the latest F1 news, and went to bed. Apparently cats appear often in clouds...

I have a junk desk, a junk buffet, a junk drawer in the kitchen and a cruise drawer in the guest room. I now own an empty set of drawers, guess I could start stuffing them.... Way too much stuff that doesn't get used. @StLouisCruisers Fantastic for the Tigers! @aliaschiefenjoy your trip! Good night sweet angels!

@kazu I'm so happy Shadow is coming sooner! Hurray for Puppy Day! @Quartzsite Cruiser Loved your memes today. @grapau27your 1500 calories is more than I am supposed to eat in one day. Thanks for the food porn. I'm currently on my one hour mandated break from my desk. so i move to this desk. 😸 But I have to give up this desk, so Chuck can have this desk, and I will sit somewhere else. Musical chairs all day long. Hugs to you all. Carpel tunnel is the reason I gave up playing my beloved guitars. It does act up with excessive repetition of actions, like being on the computer, typing, writing, etc, all things in moderation but that is better than surgery. Unless you have to be on the computer 8 hours a day. I am blessed that only 1 day a week I have to be.

@rafinmd Yes there is a cats day, and if you liked the music of Al Stewart, there is "the Year of the Cat".

Good Thursday Morning Dailyites! I got out of bed at 7 to the sound of thunder rumbling in the distance. Always the fear of losing power, I got up to make the coffee, and now it is pouring with thunder and lightening. Very close lightening, so the cats are pretty much hiding. Except for Irving, who I think is deaf along with senile. I did sleep all day yesterday, got up twice, and was back in bed and asleep by midnight, and slept until 7. I am feeling better, thank you for the well wishes. But since I missed work yesterday, I will have a long day today to make up some hours. @0106I like the fact that Italy bypassed the ounces of "liquid" with a special pass that donates to a charity. I wish there was more active common sense like that in our travels. Thank you for the recipes, I did print out one from yesterdays list so that DH can make it. DH's doc called yesterday and changed the location of the biopsy to the downtown hospital, rather than the college hospital which is closer to us. So a bit of a longer drive, and the drive doesn't go past the donut shop. DH does appreciate the prayers, and said it was OK if I put down his name here, so prayers get to him faster (LOL). It's Chuck.

I did eventually crawl out of bed at 5, and melted into the love seat, and watched a foreign film, Toscana, which apparently inspired DH to watch more foreign film, an Indian film RRR. Set in the 30's the music is all Bollywood. I'm listening, but not watching, very violent, and I cant seem to pay much attention to anything. I have heard that getting sick after the booster means it's working, but working at what? DH never gets sick from them. This was my first day calling out sick since I started with this job over a year ago. When I was little and my mom would take me shopping with her at B. Altmans' I used to "get lost" in the store, but was always found again at the lollipop counter. Licorice was my favorite! http://s5.favim.com/orig/51/goodnight-good-night-kitten-Favim.com-557116.jpg

Happy Wednesday Dailyites. I am suffering ftom my second booster shot, have been sick since last night, slept all day. going back to bed now. hope you are all well, and i love the quote. My favorite book for living those lives is And Ladies of the Club. virtual hugs!

All I saw in the news today was that the CDC will no longer be reporting cases on cruise ships. We all have pretty much figured out that presenting a negative test 72 hours before getting on a ship is worthless. We do all know that every one says that masks and social distancing are the best defense. And do I mask. I do wish however that since 5 Atlanta area counties are listed in the HIGH Red zone, that the pharmacy people would wear masks. Or shop owners, or employees at grocery stores. Cruise is now about 50 some days away. I am boosted, vaccinated, and caffeinated, ready to go. BUT I did hear that the newer shot available this fall, will be fighting the current Covid, and I wish I could get that before I get on a ship. Big storm about to come in. so off the computer I go. Hugs, stay safe!

Good Tuesday Morning Dailyites! DH and I are off for our second booster this morning. He does well with them, and I get sick as a dog! But it effects me in the middle of the night, so get the booster, make hay during the day(means work and go our for lunch) and then begin suffering around 2 a.m.. I did mention this to the pharmacist last time and she just said it means that it's working. @rafinmd DH says thank you for adding him to the prayer list. It cant hurt to be prayed for he said. The biopsy is 7/26. I wasn't reading the small print yesterday when my schedule was sent to me, so I added more hours to my other campaign, and then read it again this morning, and realized that he added hours, not took away hours, so this will be a busy week (unless I cant function on Wednesday). Even though we work from home, feeling sick does effect the way you are on the phones. Today I pay off the Greek cruise. Part one will be done, part two, ? well I guess I will have to work more!

Good Monday afternoon! I am so late, but I did get that walk in this morning. When we climbed down from the forest section (full of fallen trees and mushrooms) there was a young stag in the meadow. How beautiful! When we got to the second meadow, it was full of butterflies, and bumblebees and other flying insects. What an excellent morning walk! Got two errands done, mailed my bills, bought stamps, came home, started reading the Daily (love Guacamole) made lunch, and now am off to walk the neighbors dog. Tomorrow I will have guacamole at lunch at our favorite Mexican restaurant. DH got his biopsy date- next Tuesday the 26th at 10:10 am at the Emory Clinic. Every one- stay cool if you can, stay hydrated, turn off all things that you dont need, and try to keep cool. It's currently 86 and I heard the weatherperson talking about severe thunderstorms, hope for us.

@Cruzin Terri Drive safe. I personally live by Cracker Barrel Travels. Thursday being the best day with Thanksgiving turkey, alas, our next drive will be on a Sunday, and Cracker Barrel is the pre church, post church, feed your momma place on Sundays. Be safe and have good time! @dfish Your cruise sounds great so far! Enjoy!