.......idle jottings

[Jim Avery]

It's ok Commander. We all would be Canadians if you would just do something about all that white pollution that falls most months of the year. :eek: I always enjoy my Canadian neighbors when they return in the Fall. Sort of like the swallows and Capistrano. But then, they all seem to clog up the gun range all Winter. Strange, what?:D:D

[ho-hum]

Morning HH.

Hope you're well and having a great time. That darned Velux and I haven't had the greatest relationship over the years :rolleyes:

Got my cruise and flights booked for sept. Two weeks out of here, yeah.

I'll email you re the flight situation, just not too sure if I can post the detail here!!

Have you heard of or stayed at http://www.qctermeroma.it in Rome? Tried to send the weblink. I've an early flight out of Rome and this is 10 mins from the airport. I've done Rome to death so no interest in staying centrally for one night so thought just disembark, transfer to here and relax for 24hrs before home.

Have a fabulous day as ever. Ali xx

 

No we have'nt stayed at the hotel you posted but Blondie has heard about it and the feedback has been good: so we would love to hear your report.

Totally understand the Rome thing.

Staying IN Rome in late July heat was silly but there is nowhere decent in Civitevechia (Hum spells it differently each time).

You seem to have come up with an excellent alternative.

Next time we will return to Getty's former holiday home on the coast (Posta Vecchia): divine but lots of "lire".

Hum will send you the contact details of Marco if you need a reliable taxi transfer (remember he can enter the port, most cannot and they dump you in the main terminal from where you travel by the free bus with "common people" ! Simply ghastly dahling !).

HHx

Please dont jam your foot or head in the cabin, balcony doors onboard or have any other type of altercation with other types of opening doors or windows !

Thank heavens they don't fit those pesky roof lights onboard: we dont like to think of you concussed for the duration of the cruise !

[ho-hum]

Well, paid subscriptions no less! It seems that Hum has found a way to tap

a "buck or two" for these fusillades of banalities as he oft refers, from

the more insatiable of Sea Dream aficionados. If that is what it takes for

the "inside scoop", where do I sign up? We do expect a little more for our

buck, however, than news of minor contretemps ... come on Hum, spill the

beans! And as for the Hum bio-epic replacing a 1970's Engleburt Humperdinck concert on the ship's CTV ... its a close call.

 

Sounds like you are having a great time. Please give our regards to

Gareth, Tomaz, el al. Can't wait to see them in October. Do try Trattoria da Ignazzio and

Atiche Carampane (you visited last year) for a good meal in Venice.

Love to the Misses!:)

 

Hum will give you the "inside scoop" when he is safely off the boat, when he is not likely to be thrown off the ruddy boat by the offended miscreants !

 

By the way Blondie (in subscriptions department) has checked your account where you have previously signed up for subscription editions and the last two cheques have both been returned unpaid !

We ave called in the bailiffs to collect a few of THOSE paintings to settle your account.

 

Your regards to crew and love to B has been passed on and returned "right back at yeh" as well as to "ol thingy-ma-jib" (name escapes Hum) who has been silent for far too long.

[ho-hum]

Well last night Hum and Blondie were presented with a beautiful, oil miniature painting of a seaside town scene along the Amalfi coast and a parchment signed by ALL the crew of SDII for our contribution in THAT film, by the Captain of SDII.

 

We shall prize the mementos forever ! Very touched and very appreciative. Truly.

 

So ruddy nice of them to even think about it and so appropriate (it also means Hum can now forge the Provision Master's signature for bottles of Mouton-Rothschild and the like from wine stores along the voyage points of embarkation and disembarkation ! What a cunning plan Hum ! Whooaaaa-whooAaa ! (maniacal laughter).

 

Life onboard continues to be delightful though temperatures are a tad high for Hum.

Kotor in Montenegro this morning: leaving right now in fact for a trip to Dubrovnik, Croatia, arriving noon.

Time for a massage with Pla in the Spa beforehand........(must not fall asleep this time !). Love Pla, known her for years.

Only one allowed to lay her hands on the pure white, wobbly mounds of Ho.

[ho-hum]

It's now official.

Peter Rima is the new (and returning) Hotel Manager on SDI after Pierre left (again).

Edited July 29, 2016 by ho-hum

[ho-hum]

An man is stumbling through the woods, totally drunk, when he comes upon a preacher baptizing people in the river.

He proceeds into the water, subsequently bumping into the preacher.

The preacher turns around and is almost overcome by the smell of alcohol, whereupon, he asks the drunk, “Are you ready to find Jesus?”

The drunk shouts, “Yes, I am.”

So the preacher grabs him and dunks him in the water.

He pulls him back and asks, “Brother, have you found Jesus?”

The preacher, shocked at the answer "no", dunks him again but for a little longer.

He again pulls him out of the water and asks, “Have you found Jesus, brother?”

The drunk answers, “No, I haven’t found Jesus!”

By this time, the preacher is at his wit's end and dunks the drunk again – but this time holds him down for about 30 seconds, and when he begins kicking his arms and legs about, he pulls him up.

The preacher again asks the drunk, “For the love of God, have you found Jesus?!”

The drunk staggers upright, wipes his eyes, coughs up a bit of water, catches his breath, and says to the preacher, "Are you sure this is where he fell in?”

 

Dined with Cruise Critic chums at lunch and dinner yesterday.

Have a nice weekend.

[The A Train]

So, where did Pierre go?

[ho-hum]

So, where did Pierre go?

 

Dunno............. but did you ALL know that Hayden (Club Director) and Michelle (Activity Manager) got married recently.

A wonderful couple.

Gives Hum hope for the future.

Congratulations to them.

Love them both.

[abenaki]

Well Hum, you are not going to win any awards again this year for your travel reporting if you don't put a bit more of an effort into it than this offering up of "Dunno"

Hardly qualifies as Pulitzer material, in my mind. Your dear mother would not be impressed. Whatever are you doing with your time?

 

Now, try again, con amore. ... Be inspired by the famous Venetian light and let the ink flow from your quill...

[COCOYOTE]

Commander, looking forward to seeing you in less than 90 days. Glad to be out of the states in the run up to the election. Interesting story about 1960. Our election process is way too long. Too bad there couldn't be a snap election here. What was the old saying, "people deserve the leaders they choose"? What a choice this year. Interesting to compare the decline of the Roman Empire and the similarities to what's occurring today. Nothing that a Balenese bed, Sea Dream food and drink, a beautiful blue icean and wonderful company won't solve. To Barcelona and beyond:):)

Edited July 31, 2016 by COCOYOTE

[COCOYOTE]

Well Hum, you are not going to win any awards again this year for your travel reporting if you don't put a bit more of an effort into it than this offering up of "Dunno"

Hardly qualifies as Pulitzer material, in my mind. Your dear mother would not be impressed. Whatever are you doing with your time?

 

Now, try again, con amore. ... Be inspired by the famous Venetian light and let the ink flow from your quill...

 

Word has it that with 110 passengers on board, Hum might not have enough "elbow room" to provide us his normal lovely discourse on the voyage. Such wit need time to brew and steep before us mortals may consume. Nevertheless, wait we shall until the muse strikes and the next chapter of "The Journeys of Hum and Blondie" continue. Hum, we wait with baited breath.

[ho-hum]

Well Hum, you are not going to win any awards again this year for your travel reporting if you don't put a bit more of an effort into it than this offering up of "Dunno"

Hardly qualifies as Pulitzer material, in my mind. Your dear mother would not be impressed. Whatever are you doing with your time?

 

Now, try again, con amore. ... Be inspired by the famous Venetian light and let the ink flow from your quill...

 

Well Hum is obliged to reply to you after not hearing from you for ages and it is always a delight to read your posts but to reprimand Hum after such an un-forgivable absence for simply saying he didn't know the whereabouts of a crew member is rather unfair.

How many other crew members who have left do you wish Hum to enquire about on your behalf ? Pedro, the nipple greaser in the engine room, perhaps ?

The "dunno" response was in reply to the brief (and some would say curt) "where is he then" enquiry: not couched particularly approachable, je croix.

 

And after all this time you enquire (with full awareness of Hum's circumstances).

"Whatever are you doing with your time ?"

Knowing full well that Hum is supposedly on ruddy vacation !

But nay you expect more !

 

You manipulate Hum firstly with admonishments then flattery.

Hum is your plaything, emotionally manipulated into submission and compliance ...... again!

 

You dastardly fiend Abenaki !

 

Well as it transpires, the subject of Pierre was touched on during dinner hier soir. Hum's dining companion must be kept anonymous.

Well it transpires that Pierre was never moving back to SDI permanently anyway but the return was always temporary and that he will be returning to San Diego to ..........

No that is all you're gettin'.

 

May Hum respectfully remind you that as well as Hum being on holiday, he is not so well acquainted with what is going on SDI (as he is banned from that vessel and has been for many years and so is not so well acquainted with "contacts" there as he is on SDII) and that "idle jottings" is not investigative reporting but ........ err idle jottings.

Jottings of whatever comes to Hum's mind on a whim and idly jotted !

The "method" is in the title dear chap, don't be so tiresome.

 

May Hum respectfully suggest that if you want this kind of information that you go undercover yourself and apply for the position of dish washer on SDI or better still janitor to the senior crew quarters to discover the information you seek and may also wish to publish to feed the direct and abrasive inquisitiveness of ruthless readers like your very self who has obviously had a bad day in the spoon whittling shed at the end of the settlement !

 

Now, with your permission, of course, may Hum return to his morning routine onboard on the full final day ?

Tres gentile

 

Oh what a horrible day it looks out there !

Very grey.

After it being so hot (too hot for Hummy: 23C is Hum's top limit. It has been near 35C).

We are heading to Choggia.

No, Hum hadn't heard of it either.

It is on a premonitory, south of Venice.

It is referred to as "The little brother of Venice": probably by the Choggia town tourist board to gain extra revenue for it's members by "riding on the coat tails" of the real jewel in the Crown (how on earth does GCMV ever follow any of this ? Sorry old chum).

The pictures of the place look tres charmant and we will explore tout seul and not with the 3 hour tour group even though it does include "a break in a local Trattoria (and) enjoy some local refreshments and snacks", all for the price of $49.

Wandering aimlessly and finding a shady spot for a Campari and soda with crisps, suits Hum better but Hum hates the ready mixed, bottled Campari and sodas. No he likes the heavy Campari at the base of a tall tumbler and the soda at the top, supplied with a whisk.

Small detail but vital.

Hoping this ramble will entice you to post again "dearest of dears".

Choi baby.

[gcmv]

It is referred to as "The little brother of Venice": probably by the Choggia town tourist board to gain extra revenue for it's members by "riding on the coat tails" of the real jewel in the Crown (how on earth does GCMV ever follow any of this ? Sorry old chum).

 

No problem, hum! Gcmv will ask a native speaking collegaue for assistance in translation. :)

But hum gets old - he didn't write even one line refering to gcmv's post #4720. :D

Did hum enjoy Kotor and cruising the winding fjords?

Enjoy the cruise, the wine, the Champagne and the Trattorias, old chap!

Be careful with the Vermentino when temperature is around 35 degrees. ;)

Give my love to Blondie ...

[abenaki]

In fact, the whereabouts of Pierre aren't nearly as interesting as the whereabouts of you. My reprimand of DUNNO was more of a general reprimand you understand, nothing specific. You have been lollygagging for days now. Tattle and gossip isn't for me, good heavens man. No No, give us some of your deepest most inner thoughts and raw emotions... or perhaps describe the passing countryside, if you like.

You can make it all up if you desire. In any case, Very few of your readers have any idea what you are talking about at the best of times, so a bit of flimflam will be quite acceptable to most, not all, but most.

You just have to try a little harder when your reputation is what it is....Think of the great writers who have come before you as you enter the city of the lagoons, and dig out that battered Underwood and let your fingers be released.

 

But remember to do it before lunch, you are quite hopeless after.

[commander courageous]

As Bette Davis said,"fasten your seatbelts, its going to be a bumpy night" ... the crossing has an incendiary mixture of guests, surely to cause sparks to fly on occasion. Isn't it juicy!

 

And, we'll be able to follow the comings and goings (from afar) of our stellar presidential candidates as they make their last ditch (where they belong) appeals to the unwary electorate. If the flags are at half-staff when we make landfall in St. Thomas, we can always book another week.

 

Give my regards to Denver,the Broncos and Larimer Square, where I lived in the eighties. Probably

changed a lot in the interim.

 

All the best to you and the misses!

 

 

 

 

[ho-hum]

I has been a momentous last night on SDII in Venice and both Hum and Blondie have fallen in love with SD all over again !

We travel first thing so no posting.

Great meeting up with CC chums Beignetboy and MillieRyan.

Safe travels.

HHx

[ho-hum]

It has been..............

[vandrefalk]

Happy to report that we have been medical clearance to do the crossing!! As the neurosurgeon said "You gotta live your life!" So we look forward to seeing HH and Blondie again and meeting Commander Courageous and CoCoyote!

 

Also wanted to post an article from our AAA magazine -- editor sailed SD and loved it!! But appears it is too large :(

And Hayden and Michelle are an absolutely beautiful couple!! We met them on their very first SD cruise and they have continued to impress us.

Vandrefalk

[ho-hum]

Word has it that with 110 passengers on board, Hum might not have enough "elbow room" to provide us his normal lovely discourse on the voyage. Such wit need time to brew and steep before us mortals may consume. Nevertheless, wait we shall until the muse strikes and the next chapter of "The Journeys of Hum and Blondie" continue. Hum, we wait with baited breath.

 

Well another post from a dearest chum who has been silent for far too long and as eloquent and generous as ever: "secretly canadian" Abenaki would be well to heed your charming approach towards Hum who blossoms when kindly beseeched to jot a few lines as opposed to the "must try harder" approach of that ruffian and brute.

Whatever happened to that kind gentleman, Hum knows not what.

You remember his "talk of doom and economic gloom" on Hum's country of birth and Hum's restrained, patient and polite correction ?

Talk of the "kettle calling the pot black": the Canadian dollar has yet to stop falling against it's southern neighbour since his dear PT came to office though this may help whittle wooden spoon sales at the settlement to enable him to buy reindeer meat for the winter.

 

But enough of he, what of you ?

At the time you penned your post, a mutual dear chum onboard spoke of you and Hum requested that the dearest and warmest felicitations were passed onto you and your dear lady and "hound" (though it is a German shepherd dog or Alsatian: are they the same ?).

 

Hum saw your earlier kind post to The Commander and the general subject of US politics. Our mutual CC chum onboard gave a fascinating lecture to Hum on the very subject and as a result, a less partisan and reasoned picture of the political landscape was outlined. Hum would love to discuss the matter further with yourself: being an educated and balanced chum with noticeable "leanings" of support to the majority of the brave men and women serving your country both domestically and abroad.

No one is going to argue with you on that score: indeed they would fully support you.

 

You refer to the voyage and Hum's commentary.

Well Hum is in the Marco Polo Lounge at Venice airport waiting to return to "Blighty" and he was aware you posted a few days ago and Hum was eager to reply. Apologies for not doing so earlier old chum. It has been hectic and Hum has not been on the finest form. No nothing serious.

 

Well dear COCOYOTE and fellow readers the review which Hum customarily posts has two huge shocks !!

Two significant downgrades in two very important categories onboard !!

 

But you don t want to hear this Hum knows so Hum will desist and "keep it under his hat" this time.

Hum does not wish to detract others from ever going on the beloved ship AND IT IS WHOLLY A PERSONAL ISSUE, very, very few seem at all aware of the issues: only Hum (and Blondie) but you know how sensitive Hum is to faint nuance of the lowering of a standard in isolated areas.

So no, this time Hum will say nought ............... unless someone from the north of your country has it within him to entice Hum to "gush".

But that wont happen.....or will it ?

Maybe the value of Hum's critique and observations will be prized once more by he.....or maybe not.

Time will tell.

Is it worth beseeching Hum?

[Jim Avery]

How bout a "Beseech Thee" from out West???:eek:

[JES4845]

Second the motion ... Beseech thee from 34,000 feet hurtling from US West to East ... depart this Saturday PM for Athens to board aforementioned dearly beloved ship one week from today, next Tuesday - so would be eternally grateful for the highly prized Hum observations ...

[COCOYOTE]

Dear Friend, I would not impose upon you if you are under the weather but we all know even a Hum in less than finest form is better than most. Here's hoping for a speedy recovery.

 

Thank you for your warm regards although the the "hound" is a bit miffed as she believes there are differences between Alsatians and GSDs and would be pleased to acquaint you with a few of them should you visit on one of your future world tours.

 

Respect for the men and women of our military and police forces comes with very personal family connections from grandfather, to father, to each and every uncle, to brother and today our nephew was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant in the US Army. We are honored, proud and thankful for their unselfish service to our country and communities.

 

Rest up and recover, dear Hum. We look forward to your observations when the muse strikes.

[ho-hum]

Second the motion ... Beseech thee from 34,000 feet hurtling from US West to East ... depart this Saturday PM for Athens to board aforementioned dearly beloved ship one week from today, next Tuesday - so would be eternally grateful for the highly prized Hum observations ...

 

Now JES4845, allow Hum to immediately re-assure you (and anyone else travelling on glorious SDII) that Hum's displeasure related to two isolated and extremely rare issues of service: one specific to Hum (and no other accept Blondie) and the other was a manner of service observed regarding service to others (and not Hum at all though Blondie was treated in a manner she was un-familiar with onboard).

Both simply had the effect of reducing historic highest scoring to less than perfect levels and were both sufficient to cause discussion with senior crew.

 

So go and enjoy yourself dear chum: fret not. Hum will elucidate later.

 

Mindful of Hum's desire to restore standards of observation in every obscure nuance (and worthy of Pullitzer prize consideration), Hum has simply "prepared the ground" for a certain chum to re-assess his recent commentary on Hum's offerings and to become sufficiently curious to entice Hum to "spill the, oh so, delicate beans" and so to also satisfy his appetite for deliberating over extremely subtle nuance that is only possible by the rarest of cultured individuals or as Jim would describe "someone who is stuck up his......" ask......not Hum to continue.

[ho-hum]

It has been a momentous last night on SDII in Venice and both Hum and Blondie have fallen in love with SD all over again !

HHx

 

And remember Hum's last post onboard JES and all:

"Hum and Blondie have fallen in love with SD all over again !"

Edited August 3, 2016 by ho-hum

[ho-hum]

Dearest hum,

Baron of Heidelberg (BoH) was a bit busy during the past days and as a result of this a bit (much more than 20 minutes) late in writing.

Today BoH read the statements of Hum about total stranger women - unbelievable!!!

BoH hopes, that beloved, glamorous Blondie will not read hum's idle talk.

What a facile chat-up???

Hum fiddled the TV to get in contact with the young ladies and to invite HIMSELF to go home with them ... :eek:

 

BoH is not quite sure, if only the bottle of wine was "cheap" at the Trattoria while reading about "crisp blouses" - hum, hum be careful!!! :D

 

Great itinerary you choose: The only complaint from BoH's side is, that it might be too hot (temperature! ;)) for the older ones like hum.

My favourite port Kotor is a part of hum's cruise - enjoy the long winding fjords in the early morning on your even longer winding way back from TOYB to your suite - PRICELESS!!!

 

Well dearest Baron Heidelberg, you are quite correct to chide Hum for not replying to your earlier post (4720).

And yes Hum did enjoy the fjord to Kotor but Hum must report on being shocked by the explosion in holiday home development along the shore line to Kotor.

There is too much capacity surely, Hum thought to himself.

Sad to see the original properties and churches higher up the mountain side being abandoned.

Temperatures were exceedingly high as you so warned and imbibing in various delightful liquids added to the swooning effect for a man of Hum's advanced years, as you bluntly state !

Despite your cheekiness, Hum will certainly pass on your dearest love to Blondie, if you will do the same to the wonderful lady of yours too.

Miss you old chum.