Cunard Cruisers - How are things where you are ?

[Host Hattie]

It's not much warmer here but the sun is out so it's a beautiful day.

 

[Bigmike911]

The dishwasher tales continue. The repairman arrived promptly on Thursday, Actually a bit to prompt at 7:45 am. The diagnosis. The unit can be repaired for US$500, but the recommendation is to replace it. It is ten years old and the 'effective life' is seven years.

 

So following the idiom that doing the same thing over and expecting a different result, I ordered a new one. The white one which matches with the cabinetry, is no longer manufactured so I am going stainless steel. It is the path of least resistance. They have a built in version, but I would have to find a cabinet maker to create panels for it. I have  stainless ovens, built in microwave and cook top, so it won't be a big deal. The new one is due to be installed on Tuesday.

 

Christmas decorating has begun, a series of tasks that will take us til Sunday. Happy Weekend All.

[techteach]

@Bigmike911 Glad to hear there was no damage to your floor, the SubZero is covered by insurance, and a new dishwasher is on the way. We got the tree up this weekend, but the mantel still needs to be done. Tomorrow is the annual Swedish Breakfast at church. I will cook Swedish pancakes from 6:00 - 12:30, two pans at a time. Proceeds go to charities. It is suppose to pour down rain for several days but at least it isn’t snow. Everyone have a good weekend.

[alc13]

We watched the GBBO final last night.  I guess (?) it was the right outcome.  They all had ups and downs this season.  

 

Not wild about the new co-host but Noel Fielding is finally growing on me.  

 

[Host Hattie]

4 hours ago, alc13 said:

We watched the GBBO final last night.  I guess (?) it was the right outcome.  They all had ups and downs this season.  

 

Not wild about the new co-host but Noel Fielding is finally growing on me.  

 

Definitely the right result on the day, the other 2 had a bad day and the winner peaked at the perfect time. 

I prefer Alison to Matt but I can see she might be an acquired taste !

Disappointed that my favourite has had to leave Strictly.

[TowandaUK]

On 11/13/2023 at 3:15 PM, techteach said:

@ronpes If you liked “All the light…” be sure to read the book. As is usual, it is much better than the movie.

Just finished reading this. Tried watching the Netflix series but gave up after 30 minutes. Don’t expect everything to be the same in 4 hours filmed as in a 500 page book, but too much of the story had been changed for me. I’m content to remember the story as told so beautifully in the book. 

[techteach]

Another book I love, The Boys in the Boat, is coming out in a few weeks as a movie. I hope they do it justice.

[Host Hattie]

The book I'm reading had a few chapters about a crossing on Queen Mary in September 1939. I was hoping more of the story would take place on the ship but there might be a return journey. 

[ronpes]

8 hours ago, TowandaUK said:

Just finished reading this. Tried watching the Netflix series but gave up after 30 minutes. Don’t expect everything to be the same in 4 hours filmed as in a 500 page book, but too much of the story had been changed for me. I’m content to remember the story as told so beautifully in the book. 

I have just started to read the book after enjoying the series. I totally "get it" that if you read the book first then the series / film etc never quite lives up to the expectation.

I understand where you are coming from. 

[ronpes]

I hope most of you have escaped the snow today.

We did, but unfortunately, the overnight rain froze and turned the tracks down to the ponies like an ice-rink and too dangerous to bring them in over that. So,...we had to humph thier feed and medication down to them for a change. Oh well,,..it.keeps me busy. 

Not saying it was cold yesterday but,...I had 3 pairs of socks, a thermal vest, long johns, 2 shirts and two fleeces on lol,.....

[ronpes]

PS: Forgot to mention, the only way I could walk safely over this surface was due to the fact I was wearing crampons over my yard boots !"

[Lanky Lad]

We had snow on Saturday night, looked lovely on Sunday and had mostly gone by 8am on Monday. Perfect. 

[techteach]

3 hours ago, ronpes said:

PS: Forgot to mention, the only way I could walk safely over this surface was due to the fact I was wearing crampons over my yard boots !"

@ronpes I’m so glad you didn’t fall. I lived in an area for several years that frequently received freezing rain and I learned to just not go out. Hauling all of that feed sounds like a lot of work. I hope it warms up and melts soon.

[techteach]

1 hour ago, Lanky Lad said:

We had snow on Saturday night, looked lovely on Sunday and had mostly gone by 8am on Monday. Perfect. 

@Lanky Lad Did you get enough to have some fun with it?

[Bigmike911]

22 hours ago, ronpes said:

I hope most of you have escaped the snow today.

We did, but unfortunately, the overnight rain froze and turned the tracks down to the ponies like an ice-rink and too dangerous to bring them in over that. So,...we had to humph thier feed and medication down to them for a change. Oh well,,..it.keeps me busy. 

Not saying it was cold yesterday but,...I had 3 pairs of socks, a thermal vest, long johns, 2 shirts and two fleeces on lol,.....

There are reasons, I live in S.E. Texas and ice is one of them. Every three or four winters we might get snow, but never that kind of Ice. In the fifties when my dad was chasing oil and gas in Alberta and Montana, I got all the snow, Ice and cold this fifth generation Texan could stand. Here is to warmer times. 

[ronpes]

48 minutes ago, Bigmike911 said:

There are reasons, I live in S.E. Texas and ice is one of them. Every three or four winters we might get snow, but never that kind of Ice. In the fifties when my dad was chasing oil and gas in Alberta and Montana, I got all the snow, Ice and cold this fifth generation Texan could stand. Here is to warmer times. 

I've been to Dallas and Houston many times. Beautiful country but at times a wee bit too warm for my pasty Scottish skin. I remember once going there for a training seminar thingy and the guy had us all outside in the car park in mid-day scorching sun doing some "team building" exercise and we were absolutely melting. With the skin prickling on the back of our necks and our shirts absolutely soaking, my Scottish colleagues and I decided to show some "initiative" and said "b*gger this" and trooped off to the cool shade. I think he got the message,....lol 

Edited December 5, 2023 by ronpes

[Lanky Lad]

22 hours ago, techteach said:

@Lanky Lad Did you get enough to have some fun with it?

Yes there was enough on the ground for people to have fun. I just went for a nice walk and enjoyed the views. 

[TowandaUK]

On 12/2/2023 at 1:04 PM, alc13 said:

We watched the GBBO final last night.  I guess (?) it was the right outcome.  They all had ups and downs this season.  

 

Not wild about the new co-host but Noel Fielding is finally growing on me.  

 

If you have enjoyed GBBO try looking for past series of The Great Pottery throwdown - originally on channel 4. I believe a new series is due in the New Year. Emotional Keith is my favourite judge of all time.
Also worth a watch is Handmade - Britains Best Woodworker on BBC iPlayer. 

[alc13]

Emotional Keith! - intriguing.  So far I don't think those are airing in the US but I will remember to look for them.  We see a lot of British TV here.  

[techteach]

@Lanky Lad @exlondoner I love choral music and would love to be in London for a John Rutter concert. We missed it in 2022 by a week at the V and A Hall. Does anyone know if this is a yearly tradition? If so, is there a usual schedule? I’m trying to fit it into TA’s and Christmas Markets. (We attended a family choir concert at St. Martin’s In The Field in 2022 and loved it). Thanks for any help.

[Lanky Lad]

3 hours ago, techteach said:

@Lanky Lad @exlondoner I love choral music and would love to be in London for a John Rutter concert. We missed it in 2022 by a week at the V and A Hall. Does anyone know if this is a yearly tradition? If so, is there a usual schedule? I’m trying to fit it into TA’s and Christmas Markets. (We attended a family choir concert at St. Martin’s In The Field in 2022 and loved it). Thanks 

Nothing in London but you can check where the concerts are here https://johnrutter.com/events

[TowandaUK]

Just now, Lanky Lad said:

Nothing in London but you can check where the concerts are here https://johnrutter.com/events

If you scroll to the bottom of the events page there is a contact us link where you can ask about future events. 

[Colin_Cameron]

Life has been a bit of a roller-coaster these last couple of weeks. We had a big trip planned to NZ and Australia for the end of Jan including getting between them on QV as part of her world cruise. Final payment date for everything was the end of November. When dad's health deteriorated two weeks ago, suddenly going away for three months at the start of next year didn't seem like such a good idea. Everything else was changeable or cancellable, even after final payment but we had to make a decision on the cruise. Fast. So on the 27th we moved the booking to a short QA cruise closer to home later in the year (Copenhagen and Oslo).

 

Without getting too morbid about things, we never got around to making any of the other changes and this week we have re-booked the Auckland to Sydney voyage on QV.

 

I may be quiet for another couple of weeks as I'll be quite busy. Those Christmas cakes are not going to finish themselves, amoungst other things. So I'll wish you all a Merry Christmas now, and I'll be back in the New Year.

[D&N]

Talk of Christmas cakes and the prior mention of gingerbread reindeer reminded me that the girls next door brought us some biscuits as a thank you for presents we had given them for helping their dad look after our cats on a recent weekend when we visited London.

The girls pet and play with the cats while their dad attends to their food and other needs.

 

Not quite gingerbread reindeer but very tasty with a coffee.

 

[alc13]

On 12/9/2023 at 5:38 AM, Colin_Cameron said:

Life has been a bit of a roller-coaster these last couple of weeks. We had a big trip planned to NZ and Australia for the end of Jan including getting between them on QV as part of her world cruise. Final payment date for everything was the end of November. When dad's health deteriorated two weeks ago, suddenly going away for three months at the start of next year didn't seem like such a good idea. Everything else was changeable or cancellable, even after final payment but we had to make a decision on the cruise. Fast. So on the 27th we moved the booking to a short QA cruise closer to home later in the year (Copenhagen and Oslo).

 

Without getting too morbid about things, we never got around to making any of the other changes and this week we have re-booked the Auckland to Sydney voyage on QV.

 

I may be quiet for another couple of weeks as I'll be quite busy. Those Christmas cakes are not going to finish themselves, amoungst other things. So I'll wish you all a Merry Christmas now, and I'll be back in the New Year.

Sorry to hear about your dad’s declining condition.  I plan to make your Christmas fruitcake recipe this year and will post a photo.  Happy holidays to you, too.