RMLincoln

@kazu Thank you for posting the photo of you and Jose. Beautiful. And for sharing so much of your joys together with us over the years and the journeys! 💐 @marshhawk Annie, I used a TracFone for years. They have an international add-on for $10. You add it to your account and international calls are deducted per minute use. And I don’t think it expires. I hope it’s easy for you, lessens your stress about making calls in Canada. It’s one of the things I miss about TracFone, it was easy. @grapau27 I’m very encouraged about your positive experience with MSC. We might consider them. Hoping you can get on a good path for your hip issues. Mine are working🤞, not able to walk as far as I have on our travels, but working! Will get to pool this week for exercises. And I did recognize several of your exercises that you posted the drawings for! Universal challenges! For now our priority is to stabilize DHs eye issues. Going Wednesday for pressure check (been off the double med eye drop for a week, both eyes, the surgical one with the new stent drain and the other too, so we’ll learn…). 🙏 Blessing to all in need of healing paths, comfort, hope or strength! Prayers, hearts and hugs! Yay for all celebrating milestones 🥂🌠. Life is Good! Smooth travels fir all away, and especially for those on cruises. Ice @JazzyV, take care of that knee! 🥴 Having tea today with a close friend (long ago friend from Albuquerque that fate has brought me to again and after decades of living in different parts of the country, we now live in the same complex!) who has a NM friend of her’s visiting here in MD. Should be a fun visit. Weather has been a bit wet, blustery and cool but I don’t have to be out in it much so I don’t mind it. I rather like the frequent changes in the weather around here, and none of it is particularly bad. And I prefer cool to hot. 💨. Blessings all for a good start to May and the week! (I said my rabbits way too early today 🤣, but I did get back to sleep!) Maureen

Rabbit Rabbit White Rabbit. Now maybe I can go back to sleep. Blessings everyone! m—

@JazzyV and @57redbird ice is good for those bruises- as often as you can for 15 minutes. Vanessa, hoping the troublesome knee issues don’t flare up! 🙏 @mamaofami thanks for the good news Carol! @ger_77 You’re a hearty bunch on the frozen tundra, having meetings and meals in the deck when it was zero, even zero C. Prayers for your Ukrainian friends and their families. Feels like it’ll never end. 💔 Wonderful pix of Norway. We didn’t get to that particular port, it’s lovely. We had rain Friday and today but yesterday was a good day to open get the kayaks out! First day is a chore finding everything, and then found that someone had turned the boats over to rummage the hatches for things to steal (they are locked to a post on the shore at a nearby lake.). They were filled with water and leaves and yuck, the hatches too. But no damage, just had to hand pump them. Getting on the water was heavenly, saw bald eagles 🦅! Today is indoor chores! Blessings to all in need. Cheers for those celebrating. And Bon Voyage to @lobsternight even without the limo!

Appreciate your time in sharing your experiences. Have been on both ships though not recently, so not familiar with NCL app… we’ve thought the HAL app was not great, not as easy as Carnival’s which is my only comparison so I’m surprised NCL isn’t as good. We might be cruising NCL more again, maybe out of NY which is a lot closer than Florida… I think I’m done with the drive from Maryland to FL. And without Lincoln Center Stage we’re not as drawn to HAL m—

Thanks for all the pix of Istanbul! We did two days of ship tours there. They looked daunting but were excellent. We saw everything we could, including a boat ride on the Bosporus. It rained a lot but they were so well organized. Figured we’d never get back so we absorbed as much as possible. So glad we did. Great to relive it through Sandi’s pictures! 🙏Blessings for all on the Cares List, and each one of you for being here! 🥂Cheers to all celebrating! Life is Good! Smooth travels to all away, Bon Voyage 🎈to those embarking! Many thanks for sharing your preparations, your experiences… brightens our time in the mundane and deepens our connections! m—

VeriFLY is an app that pre-verifies some of your check-in data. It was more useful when we had to present vaccination cards and recent COVID tests showing negative. It’s not needed now. I had some difficulty getting my picture right for the check-in. Mostly couldn’t get it framed well in a selfie. Finally I just took a picture, had it in my photos, opened it, edited it to reframe it, then could upload it easily from photos. m—

Roy, glad you were able to get your outside errands done early and safely. It’s been pretty ugly here this afternoon. Good day inside! We are getting emails from Strathmore and watching for an opportunity. They are advertising a first-time symphony on the Cosmos with a backdrop of Hubble telescope images. I think we’ll keep an eye open for a more familiar classical presentation first. Thank you for encouraging me! We’re still branching out into our new environment. Well, not today! Staying in! m—

We’ve enjoyed the nature walk path. And stopping in at the cute little chapel. There are some restrooms along the way too. I prefer to skip the barbecue luncheon. The chicken is ok but I find the trimmings less than appealing. If we go ashore we come back to eat on the ship. Maureen

Thank you to all the Dailyites! In no particular order : — Lotta rain today, and the days to come. Will await the first kayaking of the season a little longer until the timing is right. —Had an OK trip to Kennedy Center last night but most of the music was not to my liking, very modern, intense and chaotic even discordant. Oh well. The musicians were excellent! The Bach piece was very nice, short. Not sure it’s worth the 6 hrs, 5pm-11pm. But it’s nice to get out and downtown. Spent most of this morning online buying tickets to 3 (mostly) Beethoven concerts in May and June. Should enjoy (most of) those better. Learning that Kennedy Center presents a mix of classics and modern in their classical events. I will look forward to them for the unique opportunities they are - won’t be able to do these forever. —Gentle hugs for @marshhawkAnnie, Chuck and Irving today. So much love shared 💕 —Fr David is in my thoughts! I’d be great to hear an update as he goes along. Jacqui @kazu That tire challenge will get resolved! Breathe through it, and I hope you can devote your inner peace to healing. I love the posts about packing! It’s always a gazillion decisions but once you’re out the door I hope the calm can set in. Go with confidence! Enjoy it all! I like pumpkin sort of, and curry sort of. Will not be making it but would give it a taste if somebody else made it… but that’s not happening around here! I like bourbon, and maybe some of the other ingredients but probably not all together. No red wine for me, sniffle! Haven’t been to Orkney Islands. So interesting, historic, and remote. @ottahand7 Glad you felt supported through a difficult day. Loss is forever. May you find a safe place to hold it. Thank you for your posts, your adventures, and your flowers! You brighten my world! @luvteaching hoping you get a shorter drive soon and DH’s health continues to return. @kochleffel May all the errands go smoothly. Then the work starts…. @aliaschief So happy for your good cruise experience! Wonderful of you ti take us along! @JazzyV please remember one hand for yourself and one for the ship! Stay safe! @St Pete Cruiser Wow! Glad you are getting care. The nerve toxins in some spider bites can be challenging. Sending healing thoughts to you and support for your Care Team. It is really raining here today! Great to see the sunrise pix from Roy! @rafinmd please be extra careful out and about in this poor visibility. My beans are done soaking, time to start the soup! (This is a solo treat for me, DH is not interested!). Blessings to all in need! Cheers to all celebrating! Life is Good! Happy Friday to all, especially the workers in need of time to refuel! Maureen Wanting to add my thoughts to all those remembering losses in Canada 🇨🇦 today!

Zaandam and Nordam have more open Promenade decks. Koningsdam has the lifeboats in the way so extremely limited viewing. But you might not care so that’s personal preference. Id take the itinerary with the most glacier viewing options because sometimes they don’t all work out for weather or too icy if early in the season. m—

Used to be able to rent one for $2/day but that was several years ago. We did it because DGD had tons of food allergies and we brought some safe foods with us. Hoping others with more recent experience chime in. Somehow we put in a request beforehand and then upon boarding we went to guest services to pay fir it/ sign the charge slip. It went under the vanity so the chair was more in the way. And it uses up one outlet! We brought a triple tap but might need something more for your electronics. Could use the European outlet with an adapter. m—

@cruising sister The old packing advice is: Take half the clothes and twice the money! @dfish Debbie, congrats to Sue! Enjoy beautiful Lake City! It is such a spot of heavenly beauty! I was so thrilled the first time in Ponto Delgado! As a geologist it was spine tingling for me to be walking around on the tips of the mid-Atlantic Ridge! I loved sitting on the harbor side benches made of the local basalt, even seeing many blocks with green olivine crystals. Very special place for me! We walked up to the fort and enjoyed the museum there, lots of WWII exhibits. Of course it is such a strategic location. Also found a scarf store- bought a bunch for friends, so glad I’ve kept a couple for myself! Wore one yesterday. Talked with DH last night about travels. Time to start making some plans, assuming next week we get a good report from the eye doctor, and find out if she has a plan for the left eye. We’ll figure it out! Since 2019 we’ve been trying to get to Newfoundland to visit friends we met on a houseboat trip in the St Lawrence Thousand Islands in 2018. But first it was a cancer treatment series, then COVID, moving, more COVID…. Now it’s time! Need to nail down ferry reservations and just do it! And Idaho daughter loved our family cruise so much she’s booking HAL to Hawaii Jan 2025… maybe we will too? Feels good to be thinking of fun life ahead! Healing blessings to Jacqui and Brenda! And for a path forward for @smitty34877 and DH. And all on the Care List… @cruising sister, @mamaofami … Arrrgh I’m not making it work. Well, all of you… Annie and Chuck with Irving today, keeping all of you in my heart and prayers! Sending blessings to all in need of healing, comfort or hope! And congrats to all celebrating milestones and new chapters! 🌟🌻🥂🎂 Smooth travels to all away and especially our lucky cruisers! 🚢 Life is good👍. Even on the tough days! One day at a time is enough! 💖 love to you all! Maureen

@kazu glad you’re through that, and that little Jose was a comfort ! And hoping you can rest tonight. One day at a time is enough! Maureen

Oiy! Hoping there is a better answer, soon! Pneumonia can be a slow recovery! Keep us posted Carol! 🤞 maureen

Just heard it is Israel’s 75th Anniversary! 🇮🇱 Wishing them peace! Maureen

Nancy, it’s such a privilege to be with a loved one to the end! 💐 m—

HAPPY BIRTHDAY @dfish Debbie! Enjoy your special day! Blessings to all with surgery, Jacqui @kazu and Brenda, and those beginning recovery @cruzn single, glad you are through that procedure. Onward. @dobiemom it must feel grand to get a 6 hr sleep. What an ordeal. I find the Lamar quote a tongue-in-cheek swipe at the world that swirled around her actress career. I might try the meal, definitely the gin tonic, and I’d love the Prosecco if it didn’t make me congested- some do, some don’t. Haven’t been to Canary Islands, but a funny memory came up: my high school sweetheart and I had a dream long, long ago that we’d visit there. I think we liked the name! By college we each had moved on…. It does look lovely. I wish I were closer to my Australian friends. Just heard from one of them yesterday, will write back today, and send hugs! I think I’m just about prepared for leading my monthly Spiritual Companioning group this afternoon. I chose modern parables as a topic focus: the flood victim who drowned after praying for divine rescue but turned down the rowboat, motorboat and helicopter; and the footprints in the sand story. I hope the group will find them thought-provoking. Sending blessings to all in need of healing, comfort or hope. I am deeply grateful I slept well, and have only happy things on our calendar today. DH will discontinue his double med eye drop beginning today - in 1 week he’ll get an eye pressure check. We’ll see if he gets relief from the itching which is just intolerable at times and if the one eye drop med he’s still on will be enough to treat the glaucoma? One day at a time is Everything! Thanks for your support! 🥂 Cheers to all celebrating milestones! Life is Good! Smooth travels to all who are away, and happy cruising to all those aboard! Thanks for sharing with us! 🚢 Appreciation to Sandi and all who make this gathering place possible 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 where we can half our burdens and double our joys! Maureen—

@0106 thanks for giving context to the quote. It’ll be nice here in Maryland today but my close friend here is looking at altering plans for the weekend that she made to entertain a friend visiting from New Mexico- rains are moving in. Poor timing. I really enjoyed my book discussion group last night, even though I didn’t enjoy the book enough to slog through it. (Reading Lolita in Tehran). Too disturbing for me, but maybe part of that is the overlay of current and inevitable upcoming loss. I think I need to work on plans for a vacation to lift my spirits! Thanks for the photos and memories of Manta! Did the same tour. And watched the tuna being loaded, dropped and loaded! Probably not the same tuna! Love seeing the flowers! 👍💐🌻🌺🌷 Blessings to all in need of healing, comfort or hope. Eva has a tough job keeping track of us all! Thank you @superoma (((Hugs))) to Annie and Chuck and ‘“gentle pets’’’ to Irving! @marshhawk And nice to see @Mr. Boston post today. One day at a time…. And Debbie too @dfish, remember to breathe, in and out… @kazu Jacqui, 🙏 for Amazing! 🥂Cheers to all celebrating. Happy birthday to Gerry’s @ger_77husband! Smooth, healthy travels to all! And we do not forget the Anzac sacrifice! 🙏 for all touched by war, and a change of heart for the decision makers of current wars. Today is a good day to Happy! One day at a time is Everything! Maureen

@daisybertie and @erewhon thank you for posting remembrance for ANZAC day honoring their sacrifice. Maureen

So sorry Annie and Chuck💔. You’ve given Irving a lot of love and life! And received back more love to share. You are beautiful in the circle of life and circle of love. m—

@dfish and @superoma.. regarding tofu When DH was at MD Anderson in Houston for radiation treatment, the dietitian recommended more of a plant based diet. DH does not eat mushy food, it’s a texture thing. So I blenderized tofu with a little almond or coconut milk and added the slurry to soups, stews, cake batter, brownies, muffins, pancakes, lasagna, fried croquets, chocolate shakes…. just about anything I could think of. DH knew it was there, I wasn’t hiding it, but as long as he wasn’t asked to eat mushy foods he was ok. Basically, I used the tofu slurry in place of a white sauce, ricotta cheese, or as a milk or cream ingredient. It can be flavored with vanilla, sweetener (I used Truvia), or savory herbs. I tried frying it but he just couldn’t manage that. m— ps. I loved the HEB stores there! Best supermarkets ever!

Love the Cinco de Mayo pix! Thanks for the lift Sandi! I may not have regrets about moving to Maryland from New Mexico, but there are many things I miss! m—

I think I’m still recovering from our hectic trip last week to another cousin funeral. Have to get groceries today. Symphony was most pleasant yesterday but takes a fair amount of energy. My heart goes out to @Mr. Boston and @cruising sister . Losses come to us in so many forms. We can never be prepared so there is always so much to process. And we all process our own way and in our own time. Please take YOUR time. Do not feel guilty about appreciating your own blessings; feel safe and loved… these will cocoon you as you slowly adjust to this new reality. Taking care of yourselves is essential. Good to know you both are doing that! Give yourself a loving hug! My memory of Puerto Quetzal is that it was very HOT. The local greeters as we got off the ship handed us heavy paper hand-fans which we had for years and fondly called our “Guatemala air conditioners”. And that the Jade Museum in the port area was blissfully cool - air conditioned for real and very interesting! Coffee beans in the market were priced according to the elevation of the farms with the higher elevation coffee beans being the more expensive, but all the coffee from there is excellent! The Holocaust museum in Washington DC has an epilogue of all the genocides happening now! Thanks for sharing your family history @Denise T 🙏 Sending out blessings to all in need of healing, comfort or hope! 🥂Cheers to all celebrating. Life is Good! Smooth, healthy travels and seas for all who are away especially our cruisers! 🚢. Thanks for sharing your travels with us! Thanks Eva for keeping up our lists! And Sandi and all who contribute here. Thanks Debbie for the food ideas. The drinks and wines are usually a pass for me, I’ve become allergic to most wines, and if I do have an alcoholic, which is rare, I keep it very simple… but they all sound interesting! Off to a new week! Maureen

Thank you for the further explanation of Fr David’s journey 🙏. M—

One day at a time is Everything! Here in Maryland just north of Washington DC it is cool and lovely out. We’re heading to the Kennedy Center this afternoon for National Symphony, one of the many reasons we decided to move here from New Mexico 2 years ago. It turns out that it’s not that easy for us to get into downtown DC but still doable. It takes us at least an hour and a half so we’ll allow 2 hrs. Not bad on a Sunday afternoon but harder on a weeknight like we’ll do Thursday and get home after 11 which I don’t care for. But at least we can use our tickets this time! Had to give away two sets of tickets last month after bringing COVID back from our family cruise on Rotterdam. So disruptive. Today will be good! Very Happy Birthday wishes to Annie @marshhawk and Charlene @cunnorl 🎂🎂 🙏Sending out blessings to all in need of healing, comfort or hope. And a breather for Terry and Tana, @smitty34877 Thinking too of @luvteaching…. And Roy, @rafinmd it should be a good day for a walk, a little at a time! 🥂 Congratulations to all celebrating milestones, Life is Good! Your celebrations remind us on our tougher days that we’ve all come through them to get where we’re are! Smooth travels to all away from home, and happy, healthy cruising to all aboard. Shoutout to Vanessa @JazzyV, hope your knee is healing and you are settling in comfortably. Enjoy it all! @grapau27 Graham, thanks for Fr David’s message. We’ll miss him! Keep us updated if you hear anything from him along his pilgrimage… that’s a pretty far piece to cover in just 3 weeks! I hope he has a support system along his way. Maybe this is a common path? Tell us what you can. Sounds like a life-changing event. Will keep him in my prayers! Sandi @StLouisCruisers many thanks for keeping us going and for the PNG photos! And thanks to all who share here: your presence is a gift! Maureen