CrabbyPatti

Good Morning Dailyites!

         So fun to read about the "days"  Love chocolate................I have never met a chocolate I didn't like!  We still haven't cut the cord parents have our landline number memorized! 

        @Cruise Suzy thanks for the recipe  I think I will make that for a group of ladies I travel with the next time we get together!

          Well need to run time to take Mom to doctors appointment.

Have a good day everyone.

Denise

Good Afternoon!

     I like puzzles, don't do many now that the kids are grown, when they were home we always seemed to have one set up to work on during the winter days.  Recently we have had puzzle tables for my clients, I enjoy taking time to sit and visit with them while finding a piece or two.  They have been a hit with the clients, many of them reminiscence about doing puzzles as children.

      @Miss G and @kazu Thank you for the welcome back from Covid dodgeball!  We ventured out for dinner last night at a small Italian restaurant near us.  We had a wonderful dinner, I told hubby while we were eating dinner would be perfect if we were sitting on a ship somewhere!

       @grapau27 in 2007 we took our first cruise to Alaska (hubby wasn't excited but said he would give it a try)  We still laugh as that cruise was "too perfect" ................we have returned 6 times, and probably will again, plus we have ventured to other itineraries.  The weather most of the time was beautiful.

         We tell friends, watch out that first cruise can cause a Cruise habit to develop!

Take care everyone and stay safe those of you in the storm path.

Denise

Good Evening Everyone!

        Been a while since I posted, been trying to read everyday as I try to keep up on my "friends".

        We have been playing Covid dodge ball the past 2-3 weeks.  # 2 daughter and one of her sons, tested positive and did not feel well, then her oldest got strep throat but negative for Covid.  So, other 2 boys were out of school and we did "drive by" homework delivery!  Then I started to be hoarse and scratchy throat, worried I had it, and would possibly take it to my elderly folks.  Fortunately I had 3 tests and all were negative, symptoms cleared up.  Then # 1 daughter's son wasn't feeling well and tested positive he is a Type 1 Diabetic so worried about complications, but he seems to be improving rapidly.

        So glad he is at the teenage stage where he no longer wants to  hugged by Grandma,  so we didn't have any contact.  His Mom is a school teacher and staff have been getting ill.  We usually help both girls by watching boys before and after school, so usually have between all the boys at the house at least sometime during the week!  That is why I feel like it was Covid dodge ball!  Everyone seems to on the mend now.  So grateful none of us were very ill.

@swin26  Congratulations on the new Grandaughter!  Grands are so special!

     Take care everyone and wish you all well.  Be safe those of you in the way of this winter storm.  Enjoy your weekend!

Denise

Good Morning Everyone,

Been a while since I posted, been quite busy,  I try to read the Daily everyday though.

      # 2 Daughter and her family have the Covid and the boys are on the mend and get to return to school today.  Interesting how one son and her tested positive, the other 3 boys and her husband were negative, but yet they had symptoms.  Any way they stayed isolated  and we did a "drive by" homework drop off for the boys!  Fortunately # 1 daughter and her family have not gotten it, even though the cousins spend much of their time together (same school and our house after school).

       Hubby got his booster yesterday, I need to get mine but with the reaction the first twos time I have been dragging my feet, I will wait till next week, so if I don't feel well for a couple of days it won't be the same days!

        @mamaofami  I am sorry you are having such trouble with caregivers.  We have been having troubles too.  Dad's main caregiver hurt herself (at another job) and some of the replacements have not been helpful, we got one that is wonderful and we asked to have her assigned full time, but they won't do it as she is the "float" and fills in for others when they are off.  I can see why she is the float,  she is good with Dad, takes initiative and works with him, she doesn't have to be watch and reminded of her duties!  Gives Dad's wife a much need break.

         Still watching some cruise plans, January has always been my time, to look and plan for future trips while it is to cold to go outside much!

         Take care and I hope all stay well, prayers to all who are sick and hurting.

Denise

Good Morning Dailyites!

         Thank you all for the birthday well wishes yesterday, your kindness is appreciated.  We did go out for lunch as the "freezing rain" didn't materialize.  The temps did go up overnight from 27 degrees to 48 now!  The wind is blowing at about 35 mph!  So, with melted water on packed snow it is still slippery.

         Much of our Washington state transportation is shut down  the passes over the mountains are closed due to snow, and now part of  I 5 is closed due to water.  Hope no one had travel plans.

        I saw the Harlem Globetrotter once as a kid, remember it was a fun evening, but not much else as it was so long ago!

         Take care

Denise

Good Morning Everyone,

         We got up to 6-7 inches of new snow.................but they say this afternoon we are supposed to get freezing rain!  Not looking forward to that.

         In 2019 we were down in New Orleans and then got on the NCL Breakaway for a cruise on my birthday( the 6th)!  Had a wonderful time.  We had quite a time trying to find a cruise, that we could get to with out traveling on the busy holiday travel days.  We flew to New Orleans on January 4 and then sailed January 6.  Discovered a couple things,  we need to go back and spend more time in New Orleans, so much to see.  Won't try to cruise on my birthday, just too close to major holidays for us.....but that means I will just have to go another time and celebrate my birthday then!

         Tres Leches Cake sounds good for this evening, but with the snow and freezing rain I think going out for dinner will have to wait!

         Everyone stay healthy and be careful in this weather, looks like many of us are getting foul weather.

Denise

Happy New Year to you to!

Denise

Happy New Year to Everyone!

       We will just have a quiet evening here at home.  Picked up some shrimp and steak for dinner, but am leaning for shrimp tonight and steak tomorrow!  Will see what happens when I make dinner!

        Sure will miss Betty White, never met her but over the years she has made us laugh>

       Wishing you all well in the New Year!  Would be nice to meet many of you on a cruise in the future, you are all so warm, welcoming and caring.  I am glad to meet you "in print" everyday!

Denise

    We have sailed several times to Alaska.  Always enjoyed the sea days.  We found plenty to do, and sometimes did nothing at all!  Yes, it can be different the a Caribbean sea day but we found plenty of activities to keep our interest!  Have fun!

Denise

Good Afternoon Dailyites!

      Another cold snowy day here, temperature got up to 25 F but now down to 23 F with wind chill takes it to about 9 F..........just to cold.  Grands stopped by and helped me get fresh warm water out to the chickens and ducks, fortunately with shelter, feed and warm water they take the weather pretty well.

      Thank you all who posted the pictures from the Guernsey Port, I would love to visit there one of these days!  Thank you @StLouis Cruiser for posting the sign with the misspelling! 

      I love catching things like that, I share them with my son who once  was upset with me as a teenager when he said Sister Ann and I used our  "red pens" too much!  Guess who proofreads and corrects things in his job now!  Will share it with him.

       Been trying to decide on a future cruise but with this Covid situation and caring for the folks, I am hesitant to schedule a cruise.  Not afraid to go on a cruise with all the precautions, but concerned with all the "rule changes"  about the time I schedule something it would get canceled!  So, I guess while this snow keeps me inside I will keep surfing cruises and dreaming!

       Please stay safe, prayers to all who need them.  Blessings to all for a better 2022!

Denise

Merry Christmas to all!

       I wish you all a safe and healthy holiday time.  Healing for all who are in need.

I am pretty much ready for the holiday meal, I have all the food prepped for tomorrow (except the "Tired Pigs", these are biscuit wrapped sausages, years ago one of the Grands said he didn't want "Tired Pigs" when I asked if he wanted "Pigs in a Blanket" for dinner)  So now "Tired Pigs" are a tradition at our Christmas Lunch!

       We will go to Christmas mass this evening and then have a light dinner.  Tomorrow 3 of the 4 kids and the Grands will join us for Christmas Lunch about noon.  Keeping it simple with finger foods.  Then we will face time with DS and DIL and their 3 grands, we were able to take their Christmas goodies to them a couple of weeks ago, miss having them here but hard to travel with "littles"

       Prayers to all who are in need, safe travels to those traveling!

Denise

Good Evening Everyone,

      Looks like everyone is getting ready for the holidays!  I love hearing about those that are actually getting to board some cruises, keep posting updates, for those of us that are stuck on land for now!

      Been busy here, have been working more (covering for Boss as her father passed away) Technically I am retired, but now just cover vacation/sick calls/family emergencies etc.  It works well as I know the clients and the job duties, and then I can put away a little bit into my "cruise fund."  Had fun yesterday singing Christmas songs with the clients..........they don't care that I can't sing for nothing!

       Been getting some holiday baking done this evening, now catching up on CC while the cheesecake cools.  Thank you to those that have shared recipes!  I enjoy checking them out.

       Wishing you all well and prayers to those that are not feeling well.

Stay safe

Denise

    Rabbit, rabbit, rabbit, and rabbit, rabbit, rabbit!  LOL had to add the extra 3 rabbits, as I got 6 new baby rabbits out in the barn this am.  Good timing on Mama rabbit!

     I love the sharing of all the travel adventures on this page.  Would love to get to Monterey one of these days.  I enjoy the pictures everyone posts of the various ports they have been too.

     Today the wind is trying to blow us away, but we have broke warm temperature records for December 1st it has reach 70 degrees!  Hubby says that means we are in for a "cold" spell!

      National Aids Day makes me think back to when we just starting hearing about Aids when I was a new nurse and how it changed our approach to care.  We have come a long ways but still have a ways to go with Aids and other diseases.

       Everyone stay safe and wear those masks!  Keep posting pictures!

Denise

Good Morning Dailyites!

Have been stopping in and reading, but not posting.  Things have been busy here!

@Cruzin Terri My condolences with the loss of your BIL. 

@Horizon chaser 1957  I hope things are not to soggy when you get home.  Western Washington has had some flooding also, and have some friends who are working through the mess.  Here in Eastern Washington, I can't believe the amount of rain we have had in the past week.  Today my dog was quite wet when she came in..........she is not understanding why she has to dry in her crate!

      Hubby had a friends ask us when our next cruise was yesterday................well our cruise money went to give each of us a new dental crown.  2 in one week was a bit spendy!  I have sworn off ever eating popcorn again!  Bit down on a corn kernal and tooth broke....................I had just had a dental check up two weeks ago and all was good.  Dentist said it was just bad luck!

        Wishing all who are ill, or hurting speedy healing!  Take care and stay dry out there!

Denise

Dear Dailyites!

        Be careful out there, too many falls! @StLouis Cruiser Hope you are feeling okay!

I like the quote today!  I always felt as if folks used more common sense they wouldn't be meeting me in the ER!

      @Vict0riann Glad to see that the Coho is sailing again, hubby and I took a road trip around the Olympic Peninsula,  parked our vehicle, then took a side trip on the Coho over to Victoria for the day! Had a wonderful time.

        Be careful and stay safe out there everyone!  We have "wind warnings" here tonight, hope everyone has things tied down!  I am sure most the leaves will be off the trees in the morning.

Denise

Good Morning Everyone!

        Prayers here for all who are deployed and their families,  I always loved watching Johnny Carson when I could manage to stay up that late........................seems like I would be able to watch him when taking care of a fussy little one and trying to get them to sleep!

        I think the chicken thawing in the refrigerator will become "Lemon Chicken" tonight!  I managed to get the freezer defrosted and cleaned out yesterday.

@ger_77  I read your dinner special of the ribs to hubby, and he was disappointed it wasn't a "local" special!  Well tonight he will get chicken, maybe I will make some ribs later this week!

Denise

Good Afternoon Everyone!

      I love the quote of the day! 

I like salmon, but rarely have it.  I grew up with beef, pork and chicken grown on our place so never had the opportunity to learn how to cook salmon, and at the price of it don't want to mess it up!  Maybe I will venture out of my comfort zone and try preparing some!

@rafinmd  Thank you for the shout out!  Getting my A1C down was a goal I wanted to reach as it is something positive that I can do for myself and to share with my Grandson who is a Type 1 Diabetic, (his A1C was down to, not as much as we want but better!)

@Quartzsite Cruiser Thank you for the kinds words on the A1C!

@JazzyVThank you for the kind words, loosing weight is an ongoing process here.  The kind words help encourage me to keep on the path!

      Hope everyone is able to get out and enjoy this nice fall weather, we worked out side and did yard clean up today, now taking a break and enjoying looking at all your cruise pictures everyone has been sharing!  Look forward to seeing more pictures!

Take Care

Denise

Hello Friends,

     It has been a while since I posted anything, but I do stop by and look to see what everyone is up to!   Been busy here with the folks and fall clean up chores!

     Saw the Dr on Tuesday and was quite pleased, lost enough weight my A1C is back to the normal range!!  She was excited at my results (I don't think she thought I would, loose).  Got my flu shot while I was there, had to laugh when I looked at the record it was exactly a year before that I got the 2020 Flu shot, guess I am a creature of habit!

       Raining today so I put a ham hock on to cook, will add split peas to it in a bit and make some cornbread.  Will make a good raining day meal.

      Have enjoyed looking at the Huatulca pictures, would like to cruise that direction one day.

Stay healthy and well everyone.  Have a great weekend!

Denise

Hope this doesn't post a bunch of times, cruise critic is not being friendly with my computer today!

Good Morning!

     A cool day here, I had to look for a shirt with sleeves this morning, time to put the summer warm weather things away!

       Love apple dumplings...............that and the cool weather have put me in the mood for making some dumplings!  I haven't done that in years.  So after Dave brings some apples home later this a, will get to making them!

       Citizen ship day is a good day to celebrate.  I was my son in laws sponsor for his citizenship 3 years ago, a lot of study went into it.

        Last night Dave and I discussed committing to a spring cruise and we decided we are going to talk with our friend the TA and get it scheduled!  We have been so wishy-washy on committing to a cruise between Covid and the cancellations and the folks' needs, figure we will go ahead and plan and hope for the best.  Worse come to worse we reschedule!

Have a good day!

Denise

Good afternoon Everyone!

        Would love to visit Australia one day, will keep it on the bucket list!

Busy morning today, got my mammogram done...............ladies just do it!  It just takes a few minutes and is not that uncomfortable.  I lost a friend and colleague last week due to breast cancer.

        Then went off to the hardware store and got some shelving for my barn,  moving some barn stuff to the shelf so we can put up a dog kennel.  Holly dog is pretty well behaved, but during "school" hours we have her brother Biscuit here.  They are fine and play well together until like kids they start "fighting" over a toy or stick, then somebody has to go to time out for a bit.  They are 10 months old so still puppies, and busy!

       I collect rocks occasionally, I have some pieces of petrified wood out with my flower pots.  I do have a small rock on my desk that appears to have some "fossilized" figures in it, found it out on our place, it is interesting and the Grands like looking at it.

       Hope everyone is doing well, we are still trying to think of when we can cruise again, have several ideas but hesitant to book anything at the moment.

Take Care

Denise

      We will never forget this day.  We awoke(on PST) to our alarm radio playing the news and we turned on the TV  disbelieving what we were hearing, but it was happening!  We kept watching as we were getting dressed for work.  I arrived early to the emergency room that day.  We found a small TV and set it on a file cabinet in the ER, where we could keep up on the tragedy while we cared for people.

       We worked closely with EMS and the Police department in our town and this had hit us really hard.  Our fire department sent paramedics and firemen to help.  It still brings tears to my eyes to think of all the people who lost their lives and the memories that we still feel.  May we never forget.

Denise

Duck Point Smokehouse Restaurant was excellent,  I had the Salmon dip and crackers and hubby had some sort of burger.  We both enjoyed them (this was in 2019 before all the Covid, restrictions)  I would go there again.

@Copper10-8  Thanks for the "name"  couldn't think of it at all last night!

Denise

Good Morning Everyone,

        I took Holly (the pup) for a walk this am and then came back to look at the daily and it is to page 5 all ready!

       What a combination of days!  I love to read a good book, to the point it can make me procrastinate at getting other things done!  I just downloaded 3 more kindle books last night.  I really prefer real books but the kindle books are easier for taking with me.

       @rafinmd  I too read New Zealand Cookies at first, and was thinking why would I want Linguine with Cookies, and just what is a New Zealand cookie!

       @StLouis CruiserCongratulations and Happy Anniversary!

     Hope all are doing well.  Son with Covid feels just fine now, but still tests positive (he only had "headache and head cold feeling for about 3 days")  maybe that is all he felt as he was vaccinated, if his employer hadn't sent him to be tested we may not of even known he was positive.  Hubby and I are still staying home for a few more days, even though we feel fine.  Just would not want to potentially expose anyone, and there are just too many unknowns with this darn virus.

       Take care and enjoy your day.

Denise

     When you arrive at ISP head to the "meeting area"  (I am sorry can't think of what they call it officially, but tours leave from here) and ask if they have any tickets left.  The second time we took the zip line we had booked a last minute cruise, so the ship listed them as sold out, but we were able to get 2 (you may need to be flexible on the time).  The lady selling the tickets  a lot of availability depends on if 1 or 2 ships are in port.   We have been on it twice and will go again if we get the chance!

Good Luck!

Denise

More good news!  Hubby was also negative!  We will continue to be cautious and keep ourselves isolated until we are sure we are in the clear.  Son will have to test negative before he returns to work!

Hope all of you sailing this weekend have a great time!

Denise