Silversea Water Cooler: Welcome! Part Four

[UKCruiseJeff]

Thanks all,

 

There is possibly no greater proof of love than if there are only nine crevettes .... you take just four ..... and leave wonderful wifey five .... :D

 

It was a lovely lunch and tommorow is a highlight dish. Fishfinger sandwiches. :)

 

This Friday's shop has a great opportunistic basket. 30 day dry aged Aberdeen Angus sirloin joints which means that if the delivery gods play ball and actually deliver, then I can halve them (they are around 1.5kg each) and re-vacuum pack them for the freezer into large joints for wifey and I. They are eye-wateringly expensive at full price but at half price is an opportunity worth clearing the freezer for.

[napria]

Hello Coolers. Sorry to be an infrequent popper-inner. My work has been taken 10 to 11 hours of my day each day till this week. On Saturday -- at the ripe old age of 54 -- I had my wisdom teeth removed. Unfortunately one was not an easy removal and the surgeon had to remove the good tooth in front and a quantity of jaw bone as well. Although he did give me a "bovine or cadaver" bone graft, which I noticed he said very quickly and nearly under his breath.

 

All of which means I'm home, convalescing. The thoughts of my upcoming cruise are keeping me in decent spirits while I heal and eat jars of baby food and yogurt. And I've discovered that mushed avocado is fine if eaten on it's own and Cream of Rice is an acceptable substitute for rice.

 

I've skimmed over the last few pages, and the chocolate cakes look delicious. The master bath remodel is quite interesting because we are getting ready to tackle our master bath as well. And Mysty, I tried to read back to find the cause of your challenges, but I couldn't find it. All I can say is that you have my thoughts with you.

 

Now off to do yet another warm saltwater rinse.

[Mudhen]

'Evening, Coolers!

Back from Newport which now must be the snow capital of the world! Had about 8" of "flurries" with a miserable wind, but Elizabeth and Bob plowed out the drive, dug out my car, loaded it and sent me on my way this am. Drive home was excellent with little traffic....not usual....Where was everyone? Did an earthquake strike? A Tsunami?.....anyway, made it home in record time!

Was happy to see John and Snitch and at this second in time, John just fixed me a Screwdriver with freshly squeezed OJ in a crystal Royal Viking Skald glass....Of course, I've forgotten that y'all are so young that you don't remember or know of that great line.....ah sigh!

We have put the final touches on our TA on the Spirit in Sept. Virgin Atlantic over the pond, a night at the Conrad St. James in London and then on to the Spirit. We're excited!

That's about all the news for now. Jeff's foodie shots are always mouth watering....those above are no exception! Are you sure you weren't a photographer for Bon Appetit? Cooks? maybe the long gone Gourmet? (giggle!)

Have a good evening, all....

Linda

[mysty]

Thanks Napria! Best wishes for a smooth recovery!

 

Linda...glad your trip home went well! Enjoy your Screwdriver!

[Camillus112]

Screwdriver! It's been a while since I've heard of anybody asking for that drink. But it's sooo good! Enjoy, Linda.

 

Napria, great to have you with us again. Hope your recovery is swift and painless.

 

Good night, everyone (only 5pm here but sort of ready for bed).

[Lois R]

Hi friends, tomorrow is my follow up from my surgery......can you believe it has been 2 weeks?:eek: Hopefully the Doc is going to say everything looks good:)

And it seems as of last night, I have caught a cold........been sneezing on and off all day.........yuck!

[Bill B]

Dentists -

Finding a dentist in China (I lived live in a small hick town in a hillbilly province) was a challenge. I walked around town looking in windows/through doors. In one place with a dirt floor, people were sitting on wooden benches waiting for their turn 'in the open' with a guy who wore no mask or gloves... and used foot pedal-powered drill (think of an old sewing machine). I finally found a guy with modern equipment and a real dentist chair... and the place was clean. He even got a X-ray machine about a year ago. Of course, he didn't speak English.

 

I went to him for six years and had several extractions, root canal procedures and crowns/bridges. From last Sept. to mid-January I went almost every week and had ALL my teeth 'done' except three lower incisors. It cost a fortune by Chinese standards... but probably about a tenth of what it would in the west. I have a dazzling smile now. :D

 

 

Weather -

Yesterday, I left Zhengzhou, China where it was -8 C and am now on Phu Quoc, Vietnam where it's 27 C.... much better!

 

It took 'forever' (almost 3 hrs. - longer than the flight from Guangzhou) to get through Immigration/Customs and out of the airport (every Chinese person needed a VoA even though Phu Quoc gives a 30-day, free, Tourist visa). There were only four guys processing visas. I finally got my one-year, multiple entry Business visa; and declared $5000 worth of Chinese cash (the max. one can bring in to Vietnam) to Customs (they kept thinking I wanted to change money). That took 'forever'... because I don't think the Customs officer had ever filled out the paperwork for someone declaring cash before. I can now open a Vietnamese bank account (you can't unless the money has been declared).

 

All is well. My resort 'room' has a full kitchen, a light above the bathroom mirror (so I can see to shave)... and a great mattress on the bed (rare in Asia). Off to the buffet breakfast in a bout 30 min., then arrange to rent a 'moto', go to the store for supplies... and spend the rest of the day lounging by by the pool drinking beer.

:cool:

[Camillus112]

Bill B, you are living a life of adventure! I bet you have many stories which I hope you will continue sharing with us. My son has also done the company's bidding, in terms of relocation, but never as colorful as yours.

[mysty]

Greetings Coolers! Weather roller coaster continues. A balmy 29 F this morning.

 

Bill B.....enjoy the start of the next phase of life!

 

The funny for today.....

 

 

Have a great day all!

[UKCruiseJeff]

Good Afternoon All ...

 

Bill ... hope I can prevail on you with others to blog a bit about your life in China. Cannot talk for others but I'd most like to hear detail of what may seem trivial to you but I'd love to hear about the normal day to day life of living in your hillbilly province. What was your home like and how did you eat and shop and what were the people like and all that sort of stuff. Give us a window on how you lived.

 

:)

[UKCruiseJeff]

Nice newsletter from Idlers .....

 

"Dear idlers,

 

Last night at our January Idler Dinner, the great and wise Charles Handy, speaking on “the disappearing weekend”, said it was foolish to attempt to work after lunch. That is the time for wandering about, for snoozing and reflection, he said. Idling, in other words.

 

Handy told the story of having lunch with his father-in-law to be, a colonel in the army, many years ago. At 2.15pm, the young Charles stood up to retire.

 

“Where the hell are you going?” asked the patriarch.

 

“Well, back to work.”

 

“You don’t work in the afternoon do you!”

 

Nobody should try to do any intellectual work after lunch, said Charles. That is the time for idleness: “Our body rhythms don’t want to work from nine to five. So I ended up working 'Oxford hours': nine to one, and five to seven, with the time after lunch for recreation."

 

And in his appealingly named book Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less, author Alex Soojung-Kim Pang points out that writers and scientists, from Darwin to Maya Angelou, very often did, or do, Oxford hours, allowing themselves a proper period of downtime during the afternoon.

 

Then of course there was the old Ronald Reagan joke. “I never drink coffee at lunch. I find it keeps me awake in the afternoon."

 

So let’s hear it for Oxford Hours, the idle way to work."

 

Today's fish finger sandwich with boîte du vin blanc.

 

 

 

 

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[rosepark]

Now that's what I call lunch!! Mayo or tartare sauce?

Rp

[UKCruiseJeff]

Tartare on mine, Heinz tomato sauce on hers. :D

[rosepark]

Tartare on mine, Heinz tomato sauce on hers. :D

Ah. Not a marriage of true minds then.

Rp

[napria]

Oh, Jeff, that sandwich is mouthwatering to me! I haven been able to eat solid food since last Friday and this morning I broke down and had a good cry to myself about it. Although I gave up eating anything that once had four legs (does that make me a semi-vegetarian?), I love fish. I think the steroids are making me emotional. And hungry.

 

Mysty that is a funny I can relate to as I have two cats and a dog. One cat wouldn't hesitate to tie my goofy pup up in a heartbeat! Stay warm.

[UKCruiseJeff]

N,

 

Glad you liked the pic. Sorry to read you've had an unhappy moment ..... life certainly is presenting many of us with challenges at the moment. On the plus side, we can all chat here without any fear of catching anything or feeling roo embarrassed about talking about anything! :D

 

It is weird that as we are eating less some of our favourite meals seem to be the simplest. The trouble is I feel as though I'm cheating wifey if I only make a sandwich for a meal but more and more we both seem to enjoy them more than full blown meals. Yesterday we realised that we were enjoying the garlic flatbread and wine more than the crevettes and paella. In fact the rice in the paella was nicer than thenproteins.

 

We have just been chatting about having our very favourite meal next week .... a monster bacon and chip sandwich (the chips must overflow out of the sandwich ... ) with Sarsons vinegar and course sea salt.

 

I think we must be going weird as we get older. :)

[UKCruiseJeff]

N,

 

You might like this I made some time ago. A calamari panini.

 

 

 

Keep the spirits up .... and make a sandwich!

 

 

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[Mudhen]

Oh yum! That all looks so good! I don't think it matters at all what you eat and when, as long as you enjoy it! A week or so ago, I begged John to make pancakes and sausage for dinner (would've loved scrapple, but that's hard for us to find....however any port in a storm!). It was fabulous!

[MLeh]

Oh, Jeff, that sandwich is mouthwatering to me! I haven been able to eat solid food since last Friday and this morning I broke down and had a good cry to myself about it. Although I gave up eating anything that once had four legs (does that make me a semi-vegetarian?), I love fish. I think the steroids are making me emotional. And hungry.

 

 

I can totally relate and you have all my sympathies. You’ve spared everyone the graphic details, but ... My DH has been going through the same procedure, and is now only a couple of months away from his new permanent implants. The jaw bone graft was the worst, but it has been getting better, and will for you too! Hang in there!

 

 

 

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[jpalbny]

All those tasty sandwiches are making me hungry! We love sandwiches for lunch too. Grilled cheese is the ultimate weekend lunch comfort dish.

 

Tuesday I seared a piece of tuna and served it over rice with a tomato and avocado salsa. Quick and easy.

 

 

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[spinnaker2]

mysty.

thinking about you. i've nothing profound to offer.

just good thoughts and positive energy to you across the border. place your arms around you and hug. Thats from me.

i read mans search for meaning by viktor frankl when i was young. i often go back read it again.

each time i reread it, i take something different away.

i find that if i am immersed in doing something, i am moving in a direction and not dwelling on my bellybutton.

i had a friend who always said eat dessert first, while i really don't eat dessert, i get the concept. i am making a small but purposeful choice in the now.

[napria]

Jeff, is that an ONION RING sandwich?! Yum!!! And that other fish sandwich above it... mmmmmm!

 

MLeh, my oral surgeon says he'll check me in four months to see if I'm ready for the permanent implant. The bone graft has to "take" first. How long till this constant achy pain subsides? It's wearing me down. The other problem is that the nerve was much too close to the tooth. I may have permanent nerve damage, but we may not know for months. In the meantime my mouth on that side feels like it's still numb. Makes it hard to brush my teeth properly because I'm not to brush near the surgery but I can't feel how far back to go :(

 

 

Jpalbny, that looks absolutely delicious! I see it's seared to perfection!

[mysty]

JP...your meal looks scrumptious!

 

Spins...thank you so much! I can feel your caring and support and very much appreciate it! I will check out the book you suggested! I am definitely in search of inspiration. Son-in-law had surgery this morning and is still in Recovery. Perilous condition so we are all holding our breath!

 

Napria....hope the damage to the nerve is temporary! How about some yummy ice cream? :)

[Tothesunset]

Napria, loss of sensation as you describe us not uncommon. If the nerve is damaged healing is VERY slow. I have known sensation to slowly return over a period of many months but, thankfully, permanent numbness is very rare.

 

In the meanwhile have you been given an antibacterial mouthwash such as chlorhexidine gluconate?

[UKCruiseJeff]

Good Morning All .... and best wishes to M (hope there is a swift recovery ...... ) and N ..... hope the pain subsides.:)

 

Tim's great BA app worked and overnight I was alerted to a couple of BA F seats returning from Singapore so we now have a trip planned for January 2019. 2k and 3k reserved. I do feel lucky and I am going to be on the "good boy" list today with wifey. LPGS is now waiting to be drunk ..... :)