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I feel for you! I'd be self-medicating, too! Sorry it happened, hope you're alright and didn't get burned.

Bon Voyage! Enjoy every minute of your cruise!

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily! BTW, @richwmnI do like the new name for this thread. Both DH and I love orange ice cream sodas - yum! We occasionally see bald eagles flying around here; they are quite majestic. I often wished I could take Sochi to work, but considering the amount she sheds, it was likely better that she didn't. We had a good day yesterday at the annual cemetery clean-up - like I suspected, the numbers have dwindled down and there were only 6 of us there to tend the graves and trim trees. It only took a couple of hours and we were all done, then DH and I brought out 2 watermelons that we cut up and passed around and a big box of donuts. Nobody needed lunch yesterday! Here are some pictures from the pretty little cemetery called Riverhill; DH designed the gates and the armillary monument in the first and second photos. This morning as I sit at the computer with the window wide open, the scent of lilacs is almost intoxicating. To me it's one of the most beautiful times of year, but then I don't have allergies like some of our Daily family members do. I'm sorry @StLouisCruisers has tested positive; hopefully you'll get negative results tomorrow. Congratulations @dfishon the new niece to enjoy! Not a lot on the program for us today, although I'm on the hunt for bubble shooters for when our DGS's come in a couple of weeks. We had a couple last year, but they took them when they left and they were such fun that I thought we should have more this year. Instead of blowing the bubbles, the squirt guns spat out a bunch of bubbles at one time, filling the air around us - great fun! I like today's menu suggestion, but we have leftover salmon from yesterday's Father's Day dinner. I'm going to break it into chunks and we'll be having a dinner sized salmon salad tonight. Along with some fresh buns (I'm not baking, it's too hot right now, they'll be purchased), we'll have a good dinner on the deck tonight. And leftover lemonade pie. And wine. Prayers for everyone who needs them and even for those who don't think they do. Extra for the people of Ukraine and all who are providing assistance to them. We'll salute all on the celebration list with our glasses tonight. Stay well, wear masks when you need to, get your boosters and be safe. Smooth Sailing! 🙂🙂🙂 Gerry

@SusieKIslandGirl Happy Birthday to your DH! I’m sure he appreciates your efforts!

Good morning, thanks for the Daily! Happy Father's Day to all people (both men and women) who take on the fathering role for children. Happy Juneteenth to my friends in the US. I'll definitely kiss DH with purpose today because it's Kissing Day - he gets kissed every day, but today will be special, he'll get a hug, too. LOL This will be a short post because Father's Day is traditionally the day we drive 1.5 hours north of the city to a little rural cemetery to do the annual clean-up. We bring our weed eater, blower, tree trimmer and brooms and clean off the graves and tombstones when another fellow does the grass with a ride-on mower. Over the years the group has grown smaller and smaller and this year we'll be lucky if there are 6 or 7 of us in attendence. No matter, it's a time to reflect on the past and those who built the province for us. After the clean-up, we'll come home and instead of having today's chickpea mushroom burgers, I'll be doing the Dijon mustard salmon along with asparagus and coleslaw. We'll be able to enjoy it out on the deck this evening. And wine. Prayers for everyone who needs them and even for those who don't think they do. Extra for the people of Ukraine and all they're having to endure. We'll clink our glasses together to celebrate all on the happy list. Stay safe, wear masks when needed, get your boosters and be well. Smooth Sailing! 🙂🙂🙂 Gerry

I don't care about the towel animals, I want chocolate !!! LOL

Just checking in for the afternoon - wow, it's hot out there! I turned on the air conditioner for the first time this year, as it's +26 in the house and +32 outside. We've got a hot wind blowing, which usually means we'll get thunderstorms, but here on the "frozen tundra" you never know, it could stir up a small tornado as well. @kazudon't you just hate those emails from the airlines? They never bring good news, just stress. @erewhonI'm sorry I didn't see your reply until just a few minutes ago - the pudding mix is 102 grams (the 4 serving size), and the lemonade is 295 ml which usually makes a single pitcher full. Hope this helps. Hope everyone is having a good Saturday afternoon - see y'all tomorrow!

Bon Voyage! Enjoy every minute of the cruise and Happy Birthday to your DH!

Good morning, thanks for the Daily! I love fishing; we used to have a friend who had a boat and we'd go out with him for hours, often catching our limit in perch and walleye. We'd come back and he would clean all of them and then the feast would begin. Sadly, he passed away a number of years ago and we haven't done much fishing since. I'm usually pretty cool and calm, but I do remember panicking when our 3 year old son went missing in a department store. I love picnics and look forward to summer when we can enjoy them - the only proviso now is that there has to be a picnic table. Getting up and down off the ground isn't a fun experience any longer. LOL We had a hot and windy day yesterday and are expecting more of the same with higher temps today. It's already 24C (75C) in the house and with the outdoor temps going up to 33 (95) I'm sure we'll be turning on the AC in a few hours. We kept most of the main floor windows open through the night to help bring in cool air, but that won't last long. I'm going to enjoy every degree though, as I keep reminding DH, we don't have to shovel heat. In reading my post yesterday, it sounded like I was depriving DH of his favourite dessert by not making the lemonade pie. What I didn't write is that I'm making it today so it's ready for Father's Day for him. We enjoyed yesterday's lemon square with our friends, but it was too sweet for my taste - I like it more tart, and can control it by using more lemon juice. @Sharon in AZpacking up to go home is never fun - thanks for taking us along with you! @HAL Sailergood news that DH's nephew has been moved out of ICU. I like today's menu suggestion, but don't have everything needed to create it. We haven't had sub sandwiches in absolutely ages, but I know there's a sub shop called Quizno's that makes great toasted subs and it's not far away. I think I'll convince DH that we're having Italian subs tonight and we'll be heading over there for take-out because it's going to be too hot to cook. It's looking like sub sandwiches will be on our table on the deck tonight. And wine. Prayers for everyone who needs them and even for those who don't think they do. Extra prayers for the people of Ukraine and all who are providing aid, especially for the 2 volunteers who went to help and are now missing. We'll clink our glasses together to salute all on the celebration list. Be safe, wear masks when you need to, get your boosters, and stay well. Smooth Sailing! 🙂🙂🙂 Gerry

Friends of ours are considering HAL for the first time. I know that both parties in the room have to purchase the drink package, but he’s been a member of AA for 20+ years and only drinks coffee or tea. Does he have to bring a letter to verify the fact that he’s a member of AA so that his wife can get the drink package and so he doesn’t have to pay for something he’s not going to use? I did a topic search and couldn’t find anything about this. Thanks in advance.

Hi everyone, sorry I haven't been back in a while - lots of things came up that needed tending to. @HAL Sailersending prayers for your DH's nephew for a full recovery; how fortunate for him someone saw the accident happen and was able to enlist others to help. Happy Birthday to you @durangoscots with many more returns of the day! @cat shepard @marshhawk @kochleffel @smitty34877 @dfish @puppycanducruise and @TiogaCruiser here is the recipe I've used for years to make Lemonade Pie. It's DH's favourite and instead of making it today, I made a simple lemon slice (from a mix) that is eerily similar to the one I make from scratch at Christmas. LEMONADE PIE 2 small boxes vanilla instant pudding mix 1 3/4 cups milk 1 can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed (I like to use pink) 1 8oz container Cool Whip, thawed Graham wafer crust (I cheat and buy them) Combine the pudding and milk until well mixed, then stir in the lemonade concentrate until it is spread throughout. Fold in the Cool whip, then mound into the graham wafer pie shell. Chill 4 hours. There's usually a little too much for the pie shell unless you can find a deep dish one, but that's rare around here, so I put the remainder in a dish for DH to snack on till the pie is ready. LOL Enjoy!

Good morning, thanks for the Daily! Happy Friday everyone - remember when we were all working (sorry, I forgot some of us still are) and we so looked forward to Friday? So yesterday was Fresh Veggies Day and today is Eat Your Vegetables Day; were we just supposed to admire the vegetables yesterday? LOL With the cost of gasoline, it will be a little while until we take a road trip, but I'm sure we will. I wear Clarks flip flops because they are so comfortable. I remember wearing the rubber ones as a child - we used to call them thongs, but then those fancy undies came along and suddenly we had to call them flip flops. Well it looks like the warmth is finally happening - there are heat warnings all around us, but not for our city. People are advised to be sure to wear sunscreen, have lots of water, etc., because it's supposed to hit the mid 30's (90+) and we certainly aren't used to it. With all the rain we've had the past couple of days there will be a high humidex as well which will make it seem even warmer. Never fear though, it's only for a couple of days, then Sunday we're back to clouds and rain. Not a lot going on here today, will have to make a quick grocery run, as friends are coming over for a visit this afternoon and I'm going to make a lemonade pie to serve along with iced coffee. It will make a nice cool treat on a hot day. I like today's menu suggestion but it's Friday night pizza night at our house, so we'll look over the online menus and make our selection from there for pick up. It'll be pizza on the deck tonight for us. And wine. Prayers for everyone who needs them and even for those who don't think they do. Extra for the people of Ukraine and all who continue to provide aid to them. We'll celebrate all on the happy list by raising our glasses tonight. Stay well, get your boosters, wear masks when you need to and be safe. Smooth Sailing! 🙂🙂🙂 Gerry

There's a Carrefour store mid-way between our hotels that we'll be hitting up for some "supplies" to take onboard - crackers and chocolate (because apparently we now only get chocolates on gala nights). I'm going to put a chocolate on my pillow before we head out for dinner, then act surprised when we return at the end of the evening. LOL

Good morning, thanks for the Daily! I enjoy fresh veggies, especially when they come right out of the garden. Watching waterfalls can be so relaxing. Nursing assistants are a valuable resource in every medical office and hospital. Well I won't have to water the plants or lawn for a few days - over the past 24 hours, 22 of them involved gentle rain which has soaked into the ground nicely. After the drought we experienced last year it's nice looking out onto the street and seeing puddles. Now we're going to need some heat to really make the plants reach their potential. I'm loving all the plant and flower photos folks are posting, it always gives me ideas for next year's yard. @kazuI love your new avatar and it's significance. @Heartgrovethinking of you and your family today as you lay your sister to rest. @StLouisCruiserssorry your DH is feeling so unwell and that you can't get any rest. I'd be calling guest services to see if there's a possibility of moving into a different cabin because of the noise. It's sounding like your meals are real hit and miss. I had lunch with a friend yesterday - in a couple of weeks she and her extended family (there will be 8 of them) are going to Hawaii for 3 weeks. I nearly fell off my chair when she told me what the car rental company wanted for an 8 seater mini-van - $8,500. I didn't realize there was a shortage of rental cars and that they can charge whatever they like. Yikes! Apparently the rental company said they were getting a discount because it was a long term rental. What a discount!?! Thanks for all your birthday wishes for our son - I told him about them and he was so pleased. We called him yesterday evening just as they were giving the boys a bubble bath, so got to speak to the whole family. They're planning on coming here at the beginning of July for a brief visit, so we have that to look forward to. Not a lot going on here today, so that means I have to work indoors . . . looks like the laundry will get done and maybe even the vacuuming and dusting. The house won't know what hit it! LOL I think I'd like today's menu suggestion, although I'm not overly fond of spinach in my pizzas. Last night before we went to bed, DH said "You know, we haven't had breakfast for dinner for a long time." Well you don't have to tell me twice, so we're having bacon, eggs, hashbrowns and toast for dinner tonight! And wine. Prayers for everyone who needs them and even for those who don't think they do. Extra prayers for the people of Ukraine and all they're having to do just to stay alive. We'll celebrate the happy list with a solid clinking of glasses tonight. Stay well, wear masks when you need to, get your boosters and be safe. Smooth Sailing! 🙂🙂🙂 Gerry

Bon Voyage! Enjoy every bit of your cruise!

Good morning, thanks for the Daily! I am sometimes quite in awe of the nature photos shown in magazines. My mom used to eat 2 prunes a day - she said it kept her healthy. Smiles can be powerful, but even with masks on, you could tell if someone was smiling by the crinkles around their eyes. @StLouisCruisersI'm really sorry DH tested positive - now you're going to have to fight over who gets to look out the window and through the tender to see where you are. LOL Hopefully he doesn't get too sick, and also that your cough doesn't last long. @smitty34877I'm glad the work outside your home has finished and that the city workers took care of clean up as well. And bringing Tana back into your side of the house was just icing on the cake. Well I don't know how this happened, but our DS turns 40 today. I'm pretty sure I'm not old enough to have a child that old, but according to the calendar, it's true. I know he's already treated himself to a new drone for photography, and his loving wife bought him backstage passes for next month to see one of his favourite entertainers - Weird Al Yankovic. LOL We'll video chat with him this evening and look forward to the visit. I'm going to take a pass on the drink of the day, but even though I'm a red wine girl, I'd like to try the wine - it sounds nice. I'm pretty sure DH wouldn't appreciate today's menu suggestion, as he doesn't care for anything pumpkin except pie, and only when it's submerged in whipped cream. I've got salmon steaks thawing that will be done on a cedar plank on the barbecue tonight. Salmon, corn on the cob and salad will be what's happening on our dinner table tonight. And wine. Prayers for everyone who needs them and even for those who don't think they do. Extra for the people of Ukraine and all countries who are giving them aid. Clinking the glasses together to celebrate all on the happy list. Stay safe, wear masks when needed, get your boosters and be well. Smooth Sailing! 🙂🙂🙂 Gerry

@StLouisCruisersSandi, I'm so sorry to hear Buddy isn't doing well at all; hopefully the MRI will provide information the medical team needs to help him. What a bummer, testing positive . . .and then being placed in an obstructed OV? Well that's just adding insult to injury! I'd certainly follow the advice others have provided by ordering food before you get really hungry, otherwise you could turn hangry! I hope your symptoms continue to be mild and that your DH continues to test negative. I said I'd post a couple of pics of yesterday's purchases - the basil bowl and the succulent bowl, which are enjoying the deck today.

Jackets are not required. We dress like we would normally do if we were going to an elegant restaurant. Having said that, we've seen folks dressed to the nines with tuxedos and gowns, but it's up to you.

Good morning, thanks for the Daily! Happy Flag Day to my American friends. I used to be a blood donor, will have to look into doing that again. I haven't had a bath in a very long time - showers are so much quicker. I'll pass on the bourbon. Late yesterday afternoon we prepared for an evening thunderstorm by getting the candles ready, making sure there was propane for the barbecue in case the power went out, etc. What a letdown! DH and I sat on the deck, drinks in hand (port for him, scotch for moi), and all we heard was a few rumbles and saw some sheet lightning. It seems the storm was like the Red Sea - it parted and went around us. We haven't had a good storm for a number of years; we love sitting on the deck listening to the rumbles, watching lightning, and hearing the rain come down, so will have to wait about a week when another storm is supposed to roll through. DH and I had to go to home depot yesterday to get some fittings for the garden hose, and while I was there, I just had to check to see if they had any succulent bowls. Well of course, one came home with me! I also snagged a basil bowl, which I usually get at the big box store, but since we gave up our membership, that wasn't an option this year. I was happy to find both and of course, made room for them on the deck. I'll snap a photo and post it later. @rafinmdthinking of you as you remember your brother today; anniversary dates are always difficult. @RowsbyI'm so sad for you over Casey's loss; it's so hard to say goodbye to our sweet furbabies. I'm going to take a pass on today's menu suggestion - it seems the "small stew" I made yesterday turned out to be a little bigger than I thought. LOL It looks like we're having leftovers tonight with a side salad. And wine. Prayers for everyone who needs them and even for those who don't think they do. Extra for the people of Ukraine and all who are providing assistance to them. We'll clink our glasses together to celebrate all on the happy list. Be safe, wear masks when you need to, get your boosters and stay well. Smooth Sailing! 🙂🙂🙂 Gerry

@HeartgroveI'm adding my condolences to you and your family over your sister's passing. I'm glad you were there with her, as I'm sure she felt comforted by your presence. I was with my mom and also a friend when they passed and regarded it as a privilege to have been there for them. Prayers for you for strength to get through the days to come, and for your brother's PEG insertion. Gerry

Good morning, thanks for the Daily! While we don't have a garden, we have many areas where there are flowers and there is always an abundance of weeding to be done. My sewing machine saw lots and lots of use during the pandemic when I used it to sew masks to donate to various organizations. I'm not much of a kitchen klutz, but I have a habit of making a bunch of dishes and usually forgetting to put 1 of them on the table during a big dinner. @VMax1700Bon Voyage - have a wonderful cruise! @kazuits' so nice to see you back again; take your time and do what you need to. @smitty34877what a fright!!! I'm so glad everyone was alright, and that the firefighters arrived quickly. Thank goodness for your alarm. Well, my motto for years has been "persistence pays off" and it did. I've been struggling for a number of days trying to learn how to crochet tiny angel wings for the teeny blankets for "sleeping babies", and yesterday it all seemed to come together. I must have watched that YouTube video a hundred times and discarded countless tries before I was finally able to make them. Here's a picture of some of them - to give you an idea as to how small they are, they are on a 10" x 10" blanket. They have long tails that allow them to be tied onto the blanket which can then be removed by the parents and kept as a memento after the baby has been buried. I'm not sure I'd like the drink of the day, a cilantro/jalapeno margarita. It sounds like it might have a bite to it! I'm pretty sure I'd like the wine though. LOL Today's menu suggestion sounds interesting, but I'd seriously love to have @rafinmd's selection. It's a grey, cloudy day out there with the threat of rain, so I think I'm going to put together a small stew that can simmer all afternoon for us. It's looking like stew and salad will be what's on our table tonight. And wine. Prayers for everyone who needs them and even for those who don't think they do. Extra for the people of Ukraine and all who are continuing to provide support, and for the victims of gun violence. We'll raise our glasses to cheer all on the celebration list. Stay well, get your boosters, wear masks when you need to, and be safe. Smooth Sailing! 🙂🙂🙂 Gerry

It's super simple; 1/2 cup each of brewed coffee and apricot jam, 1/4 cup ketchup, 1 Tbsp each of grated onion, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar and sugar. Combine all in a saucepan and simmer together for 10 minutes. If it's too thin, thicken with a bit of cornstarch and water before using to baste pork chops or chicken pieces. BTW, you can also use peach jam - yummy!

Bon Voyage! Enjoy every minute !!!

Good morning, thanks for the Daily! Didn't we have Children's Day just a short time ago? I played girls softball when I was a child and enjoyed it even though I wasn't very good. Magic is fun to watch and try to figure out how it's done. Well we just woke up a bunch of the neighbours. DH's SUV started honking like crazy even though there wasn't anyone around it. Although we both got out there as quickly as we could, many of the neighbours came out to see if it was their vehicle making all the noise. Great apologies to all. LOL I think there's something wrong with the wiring, as he had replaced the batteries in the remote start just a few weeks ago. That'll likely be expensive. @marshhawkHappy Birthday to your DH! @Heartgrovethoughts for you, and prayers for your sister's peaceful passing, and for your brother's comfort. Not a lot going on here today, just making sure the plants all have enough water (even with the rain, some are in protected areas and don't get wet), and enjoying the warm weather. I think DH has plans of filling the propane tank for the BBQ and that's about all. Oh, a bit of success - I've been able to make 2 cute little angel wings out of yarn, but haven't mastered the technique using crochet cotton. It seems the yarn is a lot more forgiving of mistakes. We bought some pork loins on sale the other day, so I cut them in large chunks to put in the freezer. Today one is coming out and will be cut up into chops that DH will cook on the BBQ along with a coffee/apricot glaze and we'll have them with corn on the cob and salad for dinner tonight. And wine. Prayers for everyone who needs them and even for those who don't think they do. Extra for the people of Ukraine and for the families of the victims of gun violence. We will raise the glasses to celebrate all on the happy list, especially the return of the Westerdam to service! Stay safe, get your boosters, wear masks when you need to, and be well. Smooth Sailing! 🙂🙂🙂 Gerry

Woo Hoo!!! Have a great cruise!