Cunard Cruisers - How are things where you are ?

[Lanky Lad]

1 hour ago, Bigmike911 said:

I am glad it worked out for you LL. Let us hope by September 2021 Cunard is back to sailing, actually I hope it is July for my westbound, but that is looking iffy. And good luck on the Job Hunting.

Thanks 

[alc13]

I’m rooting for you too, Lanky Lad.  Hope you have good news soon.

[Camgirl]

Here in Cambridge our numbers are sadly going up with the return of the students to two universities. My daughter in law has told us they are going to test every student at Cambridge university in the next week, so the numbers will undoubtedly rise due to that as well. I really hope that doesn't push us into a higher tier as I'm booked to stay in Norfolk with my sister in December, and I really don't want to have to cancel that as well.

 

On another note, my new Acer has turned a beautiful red colour. I'm really pleased with it. And, bizarrely, our strawberry plants, which performed poorly in the summer, are now covered in fruit. Some of which is even ripening! I don't think they realise it is actually mid October!!! I hope it means we will get a nice crop next year. Hopefully at the right time!!

 

We also had a hotel room booked for November, which we won't need. I'm wondering if they would move the booking to next October, when we hope to be on QV. I shall ask, anyway. 

 

Fingers crossed for the job hunting, Lanky lad. There is a job out there, somewhere with your name on it.

[Ray66]

20 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

 Mr HH has taken his Mother to close up her caravan in Pembrokeshire for the winter. It's one of the "reasonable excuses" for leaving the county.

 

We went over the border into Wales yesterday to prepare our caravan for winter in case we don 't get to go again for a while. We had had visions of being stopped by the police but barely saw any.

 

I guess the circuit breaker set to be announced today is to stop us English going there over the half-term. A shame as it would have been good for the Welsh economy.

[Bigmike911]

As I was out for groceries today, I was listening to Classic FM in the car. Apparently Wales is going into a 'hard lockdown' for nineteen days. I gather there is a problem with available hospital space, as hard lockdowns do very little to slow the spread as several states in the US have unfortunately learned.  I am glad you got your Fish and Chips HH, it may be a while before you can get more. With the spread in Europe, I suspect my mid summer westbound from Hamburg won't happen. 

[Host Hattie]

Yes, we are having a circuit breaker/fire break to give us some time to improve track and trace and to make sure our hospitals can cope with Covid-19 patients as well as the normal winter pressures. A lot of routine work was cancelled first time round which is something to be avoided.

It's not really a hard lockdown, people can still leave home for exercise, essential shopping and if they can't work from home. Primary and some secondary school classes will be open after the half term break on November 2nd.

Our pub will be doing deliveries so we can still have Fish & Chips. Not much will change for us as we both have to go to work. Half the time for me, all the time for Me HH, you can't fix Steelworks trains from home !

[Kynance]

My partner’s daughter lives in north Wales and has already lost one job in hospitality this year as a result of the impact of the pandemic. I really hope she doesn’t lose a second one as a result of this “fire break”. 
 

Professor Jonathan Van Tam, one of England’s deputy chief medical officers is apparently more sanguine about next spring and the prospect of better treatments and a vaccine. I hope he is right - otherwise what is the exit strategy for any government? 
 

On a more positive note, we had an enjoyable day yesterday, having breakfast down by the canal and then going for a lovely woodland walk in the afternoon, followed by tea & cake at home.  Today, my OH planted some daffodil bulbs for the spring, to replace a load which had gone blind. We’ve one more job to do before the end of the month, which is to put the agapanthus undercover - they are mostly evergreen ones which like to remain dry over winter. 
 

@Camgirl - glad to hear that your Cambridge Favourite strawberries are still in vigour. I cut ours back a few weeks ago - they had just given up  and were looking very careworn. 
 

Have a good week and stay safe everyone. 

[Lanky Lad]

22 hours ago, alc13 said:

I’m rooting for you too, Lanky Lad.  Hope you have good news soon.

Thanks for the good wishes. 

[Lanky Lad]

21 hours ago, Camgirl said:

We also had a hotel room booked for November, which we won't need. I'm wondering if they would move the booking to next October, when we hope to be on QV. I shall ask, anyway. 

 

Fingers crossed for the job hunting, Lanky lad. There is a job out there, somewhere with your name on it.

I hope you can move your hotel booking.  As I am moving from December to September, I am expecting to have to pay extra but we will see.

 

Thanks for good wishes.

[Bigmike911]

Host Hattie, your fish and chips meal has my mouth watering. There are no pubs in my area, and few places that actually do fish and chips, so I am going to make do. I have battered cod from the market freezer and some Aunt Bessie's Chips from the British Depot, my local Brit foods store. And some malt vinegar from Heinz. It won't be as good as yours or the Golden Lion on QM, but it will fill a void. 

[Lanky Lad]

1 hour ago, Bigmike911 said:

Host Hattie, your fish and chips meal has my mouth watering. There are no pubs in my area, and few places that actually do fish and chips, so I am going to make do. I have battered cod from the market freezer and some Aunt Bessie's Chips from the British Depot, my local Brit foods store. And some malt vinegar from Heinz. It won't be as good as yours or the Golden Lion on QM, but it will fill a void. 

I would recommend Sarsons vinegar.  My local chip shop does wonderful fish and chips, but they are fried in beef dripping (fat) so not healthy. 

[naturelovergirl]

Oh yes... totally jealous about the fantastic Fish and Chips you all have in the UK 😊

I have yet to find anything here in the US which compares.... 

I’ve found good here... but you all have THE BEST!!

[majortom10]

13 hours ago, Lanky Lad said:

I would recommend Sarsons vinegar.  My local chip shop does wonderful fish and chips, but they are fried in beef dripping (fat) so not healthy. 

Might not be the healthiest but the best way to fry chips.

 

[LewiLewi]

I really miss the Golden Lion and 3 o’clock tea in the Queen’s room. Also, the petit fours that followed dessert in the Brittania dining room each evening after dinne. Do you think cruising will ever be the same again?

[Host Hattie]

In the short term it will certainly be different, you'll probably be able to do all the things you mentioned but only with your travelling companions.

In the medium term once there are quicker tests/more effective treatments and vaccinations it will probably be much more like cruising as we currently know it.

As a hospital consultant posted on Twitter today, this is a once in a lifetime event but it will pass.

That's my hope anyway ...

[navybankerteacher]

1 hour ago, majortom10 said:

Might not be the healthiest but the best way to fry chips.

 

Undeniable.  It is sad, but true, that we are always facing compromise - here, McDonalds fries (in my view the ONLY reason to pass under those Golden Arches) are now “healthily” fried in vegetable vs. beef fat - but no longer worth the calories.

[Colin_Cameron]

2 years ago we had a long, dry, hot (for Scotland) summer and our lawn got burned. I thought it might recover last year but if anything, the dead patches just got bigger. As soon as we got out of our first lockdown this year I reseeded the patches, but by last month only about 20 of the 200,000,000(?) seeds had taken so it was time for drastic action.

 

I’ve spent the last couple of weeks lifting the old turf, rotovating  the soil (would you believe if you need a two day hire it’s cheaper to buy one?), breaking up a couple of large boulders only inches below the surface with a pick axe, and levelling the whole area (well, evening out. About a third of it is on a 45 degree slope).

 

After checking the weather forecast I ordered the turf for Friday. At 08:00 this morning the delivery driver called to say he was 10 mins away! It’s been raining for 5 days with at least 2 more to go. Because of the wind and rain the hill up to our house is slick with leaves and the truck can’t make it so he drops the load where he can and I spent the morning in the pouring rain moving 3 ton of soggy, muddy turf the last 300 yards in my wife’s car (well, I’m not going to use mine. Am I?).

 

I managed to get about a third of it laid this afternoon before it got dark at 5pm and I’m currently recovering in a hot bath, with a large malt (whisky). I feel I deserve it.

[Bigmike911]

6 hours ago, Colin_Cameron said:

2 years ago we had a long, dry, hot (for Scotland) summer and our lawn got burned. I thought it might recover last year but if anything, the dead patches just got bigger. As soon as we got out of our first lockdown this year I reseeded the patches, but by last month only about 20 of the 200,000,000(?) seeds had taken so it was time for drastic action.

 

I’ve spent the last couple of weeks lifting the old turf, rotovating  the soil (would you believe if you need a two day hire it’s cheaper to buy one?), breaking up a couple of large boulders only inches below the surface with a pick axe, and levelling the whole area (well, evening out. About a third of it is on a 45 degree slope).

 

After checking the weather forecast I ordered the turf for Friday. At 08:00 this morning the delivery driver called to say he was 10 mins away! It’s been raining for 5 days with at least 2 more to go. Because of the wind and rain the hill up to our house is slick with leaves and the truck can’t make it so he drops the load where he can and I spent the morning in the pouring rain moving 3 ton of soggy, muddy turf the last 300 yards in my wife’s car (well, I’m not going to use mine. Am I?).

 

I managed to get about a third of it laid this afternoon before it got dark at 5pm and I’m currently recovering in a hot bath, with a large malt (whisky). I feel I deserve it.

A warm bath and a large whisky, is truly what you deserve for your effort. I think I might have been tempted to ask him to take the turf back and come again on a dry day, myself. 

[navybankerteacher]

20 hours ago, Colin_Cameron said:

...

 

...Because of the wind and rain the hill up to our house is slick with leaves and the truck can’t make it so he drops the load where he can and I spent the morning in the pouring rain moving 3 ton of soggy, muddy turf the last 300 yards in my wife’s car (well, I’m not going to use mine. Am I?).

 

...

Aren’t deliveries typically made ALL THE WAY to wherever they are meant to go- unless, perhaps, you are careless enough to pay in advance?

 

In any event you seem to have made a rational decision on which car to use.

[alc13]

21 hours ago, Colin_Cameron said:

2 years ago we had a long, dry, hot (for Scotland) summer and our lawn got burned. I thought it might recover last year but if anything, the dead patches just got bigger. As soon as we got out of our first lockdown this year I reseeded the patches, but by last month only about 20 of the 200,000,000(?) seeds had taken so it was time for drastic action.

 

I’ve spent the last couple of weeks lifting the old turf, rotovating  the soil (would you believe if you need a two day hire it’s cheaper to buy one?), breaking up a couple of large boulders only inches below the surface with a pick axe, and levelling the whole area (well, evening out. About a third of it is on a 45 degree slope).

 

After checking the weather forecast I ordered the turf for Friday. At 08:00 this morning the delivery driver called to say he was 10 mins away! It’s been raining for 5 days with at least 2 more to go. Because of the wind and rain the hill up to our house is slick with leaves and the truck can’t make it so he drops the load where he can and I spent the morning in the pouring rain moving 3 ton of soggy, muddy turf the last 300 yards in my wife’s car (well, I’m not going to use mine. Am I?).

 

I managed to get about a third of it laid this afternoon before it got dark at 5pm and I’m currently recovering in a hot bath, with a large malt (whisky). I feel I deserve it.

You are your father's son, Colin_Cameron!

 

Yes, you deserve the hot bath and whisky.

[Colin_Cameron]

17 hours ago, Bigmike911 said:

 I think I might have been tempted to ask him to take the turf back and come again on a dry day, myself. 

 

As tempting as that idea was, turf is perishable, and our next dry day could well be in May😆. It wasn’t that Friday was due to be dry, just less wet.

 

2 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

Aren’t deliveries typically made ALL THE WAY to wherever they are meant to go ...

 

Unfortunately there’s a very tight hair-pin bend half-way up the hill that all the delivery companies know about and all deliveries to this postcode have the caveat that delivery “to the door” may not be possible. To this drivers credit, he reversed 100yds to the bend in order to drive up the next section because he knew he wouldn’t get round it, but then couldn’t get any traction. He made more of an effort than most. As usual, the larger the vehicle, the better the driver. (a nine foot wide vehicle reversing along an eight foot wide road with a forty foot drop at the side) I had a neighbour lined up to help out on Friday with a van as I was more than half expecting this outcome, but of course he wasn’t available yesterday.

 

Anyway, I now have 99% of the turf laid with only some small cut pieces to fit tomorrow. The stuff on the slope took longer than expected as it had to be pinned in place to hold it until it takes root. 

 

One more skill to add to my CV.

[Host Hattie]

Well done @Colin_Cameron

We getting ready for our "firebreak" starting tomorrow and with perfect timing Mr HH is having to self isolate. 😱

One of his colleagues lost his sense of taste yesterday morning and had a positive test result by this afternoon. They'd spent time in the same room for breaks so Mr HH was considered a close contact.

[Lanky Lad]

5 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

Well done @Colin_Cameron

We getting ready for our "firebreak" starting tomorrow and with perfect timing Mr HH is having to self isolate. 😱

One of his colleagues lost his sense of taste yesterday morning and had a positive test result by this afternoon. They'd spent time in the same room for breaks so Mr HH was considered a close contact.

I hope Mr HH is ok.

[Lanky Lad]

I found these pictures and thought it was time for some food porn.

 

 

[Host Hattie]

6 minutes ago, Lanky Lad said:

I hope Mr HH is ok.

Thanks, me too !

No symptoms so far but it's very early days, I'll feel a bit more relaxed once we get through the weekend.

Fortunately we have enough room to be able to stay out of each other's way.