Royal Caribbean Cruisers -- How Are Things Where You Are? (was "Routine" ​ 😁 ​day in lockdown... how was yours?)

[bobmacliberty]

42 minutes ago, jagsfan said:

Bob, have you been to the World Golf Hall of Fame off 95 just north of St Augustine?

It is going to move to Pinehurst, but in a much reduced form. 
The Hall of Fame is full of the history of the game (that where I mostly volunteered for 5 years), it has a locker room full of mementos lent by the pros, and so much more. 
Worth a trip while it’s still there. 

 

Yes.  I enjoyed the World Golf Hall of Fame very much...more so than I thought I would.  I've also played the King & Bear golf course there a couple of times.  Also very enjoyable.

 

While at Pinehurst, we saw the new USGA Golf House being built.  The USGA is moving their headquarters, and their existing USGA golf museum, from New Jersey to the new USGA Golf House in Pinehurst.  I was told that some items may be moved from the World Golf HOF to the new USGA museum, but that the World Golf HOF is separate from the USGA and will stay in St. Augustine.  That's different from previous reports that said the St. Augustine HOF location will close and move to Pinehurst.  Not sure which is true.

[brillohead]

 

6 hours ago, Ozark_Kid said:

It is a good size.  The only thing I miss is a calculator pad on the side.  You have the option of adding a keyboard and mouse.   I am going to see how it goes without them for now.  If and when I start using it at a desk I might get them.  Nice to be able to sit on the couch and use it.  I will see if I enjoy it while in the car today.

Spoken like an accountant!  LOL  

In my "past lives" I've been a bank teller and a bookkeeper, and I can input 10-key numerical data like lightning!  

 

5 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

I, too, miss the number pad when on a device without one. Apparently I have become use to typing number patterns. Without the number pad I'm often lost when typing passwords, C&A number, etc.

 

I can type words like the wind, and I can use the 10-key numerical keypad like lightning, but if I have to type out numbers on an actual keyboard, I turn into the worst "hunt and peck" typist you ever did see!

[Ourusualbeach]

43 minutes ago, A&L_Ont said:

Made it to Toronto, after a heavy rain the whole way. Dinner at the Keg. Food porn to come. 

How unusual, flying out of YYZ

[Jimbo]

1 hour ago, Momof3gurlz said:

Between yearly FL road trips since 1991, two of our girls going to college out of state (West Virginia and Roanoke VA) and now our oldest living near Philly, we’ve driven I95 North & South more times than I can ever count.  IMO, South Carolina has the worst road conditions.  The two lanes are bad enough but the road surface in many areas is awful.  There are some nice stretches of 95 in northern Maryland and as someone else mentioned, the ‘new’ NJ Turnpike although even that is once again under construction.  There’s been ongoing and never ending road work on I95 in CT as long as I can remember.  As far as the DC Metro area & VA, I have three words - EZPass Express Lanes. We will never not pay whatever the fee is to use these (when they’re available).  

 Since you mentionef Roanoke,what are your thoughts on I-81..... traffic,

etc.

We are about  1 hour south of Roanoke .

Been by the college there in Roanoke many times taking our cats to the Vet there.

 

[brillohead]

47 minutes ago, HBE4 said:

 

My family have been using the "Move along, nothing to see here folks" line for as long as I can remember. Not sure who started it but at least I now know where it came from.

 

 

P.S. - Part of the magic of Dani's thread, I can learn things about my own family. 😀 Although I guess we added the word "folks". Making it our own, I guess. LOL.

 

P.S.S - The guy in the video is having a really bad day. 😁

 

 

My family adopted the "just smile and wave, boys" line from Madagascar.  Funny how certain lines just stick with you!
 

 

[brillohead]

6 hours ago, h20skibum said:

Then when you cut out lighthouse shapes after baking, they look like lighthouses. 🤣

Those darn lighthouses are going to live forever in our hearts on this thread!  😁

[dpostman]

9 minutes ago, brillohead said:

 

 

My family adopted the "just smile and wave, boys" line from Madagascar.  Funny how certain lines just stick with you!
 

 

 

We also used that one frequently.  But since last weekend, we have a new one...

 

This is the way!

 

dp

[brillohead]

Thanks, everyone, for all the comments on my biological father saga.

With the popularity and affordability of DNA tests these days, a lot of families are finding out that they're related to people they had no idea existed (and, conversely, that they aren't related to people they thought they were.... there were a lot of outside-of-the-marriage pregnancies that nobody ever knew were outside of the marriage at the time, but it's coming to light when siblings find out they're only half-siblings!).  

If you ever know someone who finds themselves in that type of situation, please encourage them to seek out professional help if they're feeling conflicted by it.  Or even feel free to have them talk to me -- I'm always available to help!  

When I thought that R (Chuck's son) was my half-brother, he was really having trouble with the idea that his dad cheated on his mother (and he felt tremendous relief to find out that Bill was my father instead).  In so many of these cases, one or more parents are deceased by the time the truth is discovered, and there's no way to "talk it through" with the involved person.  

And as I said, Bill is feeling tremendous guilt over the fact that he wasn't there for me my whole life, even though he literally had ABSOLUTELY no way of knowing that I ever existed.  I've known I was adopted my whole entire life -- I don't even remember being told, I was so young when I found out (probably 3yo). 

I've had five decades to live with the reality of not knowing my biological father/family, but this is all brand spanking new to Bill.  I will continue to reinforce to him how happy I am to know him, and that his willingness to step right up and accept me as his daughter is more than I ever even dreamed of. 

Talking to others who "get it" can make a world of difference (I've been through more than my fair share of therapy through the years), so if you ever know someone in this circumstance, please encourage them to seek out support in some fashion -- even if it's just from some weird brillohead person you know on the internet!

(And now that you have seen my picture, you know why my screen name is brillohead -- my hair is like a rusted out pad of steel wool!)

[jagsfan]

On 4/3/2023 at 4:35 PM, lenquixote66 said:

If by any chance it was Hofstra my youngest daughter went there for a second graduate degree after going to an upstate college for undergraduate and fist Masters.

In the early 70’s my wife and I would do summer day trips to the Hamptons  ,Sunken Meadow State Park and Montauk Point nearly every summer .Those were our exotic vacations .Since be moved to LI in 2003 we have not been to any of those places.

 

 

I remember Montauk Point being about the farthest you could drive and still make it home by bedtime. 
back then, the closer you got the more sand dunes and open spaces. 
I can’t imagine what it would be like now. 

[Sea Dog]

38 minutes ago, A&L_Ont said:

Blue cheese wedge. 
 

Petite Filet. 
 

Nice looking potatoes, garlic mashed? Love a bechamal sauce.

[jagsfan]

31 minutes ago, bobmacliberty said:

 

Yes.  I enjoyed the World Golf Hall of Fame very much...more so than I thought I would.  I've also played the King & Bear golf course there a couple of times.  Also very enjoyable.

 

While at Pinehurst, we saw the new USGA Golf House being built.  The USGA is moving their headquarters, and their existing USGA golf museum, from New Jersey to the new USGA Golf House in Pinehurst.  I was told that some items may be moved from the World Golf HOF to the new USGA museum, but that the World Golf HOF is separate from the USGA and will stay in St. Augustine.  That's different from previous reports that said the St. Augustine HOF location will close and move to Pinehurst.  Not sure which is true.

I had not heard that. The latest thing I read was that everything donated or lent by the golfers would be returned to them. 
I haven’t been in half a dozen years, but back when I was there we had putting contests and a golf simulator, and revolving special exhibits like Ben Hogan’s life. 
I went to a driving range once, on a first date. I never heard from him again. 
I’m just about as good putting. 
But I love to watch…loved my 18 years of leaderboard, scorer, and marshal. 

[Luckynana]

1 hour ago, Momof3gurlz said:

.  IMO, South Carolina has the worst road conditions.  The two lanes are bad enough but the road surface in many areas is awful.    As far as the DC Metro area & VA, I have three words - EZPass Express Lanes. We will never not pay whatever the fee is to use these (when they’re available).  

Believe me, Deb, we would've been on the EZPass Express Lanes, but they were closed to the Northbound (us) Friday night.  What a nightmare!  I've always hated SC I-95 in both directions, and Va is now at the top of the list along with SC.😜

[jagsfan]

5 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

Nice looking potatoes, garlic mashed? Love a bechamal sauce.

I thought it was Béarnaise! 
probably because I love it.  

[Luckynana]

3 hours ago, mo&fran said:

When my job relocated  to Florida in 1976, I drove down I95.  Problem was, it wasn't completed in Georgia,  so there was a long section on US1,which I95 was to replace.  

We drove down to Florida in July 1976 also.  It was an eye opener driving through what I thought at that time were the back roads of Georgia.  

It is such a pleasure driving in Georgia now!!...except through Savannah lol!  Talk about traffic!!

[Momof3gurlz]

31 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

 Since you mentionef Roanoke,what are your thoughts on I-81..... traffic,

etc.

We are about  1 hour south of Roanoke .

Been by the college there in Roanoke many times taking our cats to the Vet there.

 

It’s been quite a few years since we’ve been down that way. My oldest graduated from Roanoke in 2005, but our youngest attended Virginia Tech for one semester (she quickly realized being so far from home wasn’t for her).  So we’ve spent some time in your neck of the woods which is, as others have said, beautiful country. We picked her up in Blacksburg December 2010. 
I don’t recall any issues with I-81 other than how many trucks there were.  The day we brought her home there was an accident on 81 North that shut down the two northbound lanes near Salem. We just got off, had lunch at one of the old Roanoke haunts (Mac n Bobs) until it cleared .  
That’s really the big issue with interstates having only two lanes in each direction; even a minor accident has huge impacts. 

[Sea Dog]

11 minutes ago, jagsfan said:

I thought it was Béarnaise! 
probably because I love it.  

Mimi I think you are right, I got those two sauces mixed up. Thanks for the correction.

[A&L_Ont]

47 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

How unusual, flying out of YYZ

An hour closer to home is nice but more interesting enough the flights were cheaper. 

[Jimbo]

10 minutes ago, Momof3gurlz said:

It’s been quite a few years since we’ve been down that way. My oldest graduated from Roanoke in 2005, but our youngest attended Virginia Tech for one semester (she quickly realized being so far from home wasn’t for her).  So we’ve spent some time in your neck of the woods which is, as others have said, beautiful country. We picked her up in Blacksburg December 2010. 
I don’t recall any issues with I-81 other than how many trucks there were.  The day we brought her home there was an accident on 81 North that shut down the two northbound lanes near Salem. We just got off, had lunch at one of the old Roanoke haunts (Mac n Bobs) until it cleared .  
That’s really the big issue with interstates having only two lanes in each direction; even a minor accident has huge impacts. 

My Wife doesn't like all the big trucks either,most of the time we take the back roads from our house and Christiansburg and Blacksburg.

 

Along I-81 the Red Bud Trees are out in bloom now,really beautiful.

Edited April 5, 2023 by Jimbo

[barbeyg]

17 hours ago, Ozark_Kid said:

I have no idea what the old ones compared to this one.  This is my 1st Apple computer.   The touch pad is huge.  Not sure yet why.  There is an option to get a mouse.  This is all new to me.  So much to learn.  I had to. Google how to make a new file 😆.   Here's a pic to give you an idea how big the pad is.  It has surprised me how heavy this thing is.

That is one huge trackpad! My newish MacBook Air with the M2 chip has an oblong trackpad, about 3/5 of that depth.  Not sure why the Pro is so large, but when I first saw them, I decided to go with the Air partly because of the size and weight difference and how I use mine.  This may be helpful for shortcuts using that large trackpad:

 

https://support.apple.com/guide/macbook-pro/trackpad-apdbb563a1bc/mac

 

 

[Ourusualbeach]

4 minutes ago, A&L_Ont said:

An hour closer to home is nice but more interesting enough the flights were cheaper. 

I've done a lot of checking on various trips and as odd as it sounds flights from Toronto are have been quite a bit cheaper lately. 

[barbeyg]

9 hours ago, brillohead said:

Tuesday report on the newly discovered family!

We started the day with a mid-morning breakfast with my son joining, as well as my new Aunt Linda. And I did bring my pen and a notebook to write down all the immediate family members!  My grandfather had four kids with each of his three wives, and the family refers to them as his "litters"... "the first litter was these four kids, and our litter was Jack, Bill, Charles, and Linda, and then he married that old cross-eyed witch and that litter was these four kids...."  LOL  And then each of the brothers from my litter married / had kids with three different women.  Aunt Linda was the "easy" one -- she just has the one husband, but they still had four kids. 

After breakfast we went to their hotel to drop off Uncle Jack so he could put his swollen feet up on some pillows (sound familiar, Bella cruisers?).  Bill showed my son his Army pictures from Vietnam (my son just completed his Army enlistment at Christmastime) and gave him a medal from when he was in the Army.  

Then Bill drove me and Matthew around and showed us a few places he used to frequent back in the day (he lived here for five years in the late 60s/early 70s). We dropped my son off at his place for the afternoon, did a bit more driving around, then back to the hotel.  Bill and Jack told stories on each other all afternoon (these guys never stop teasing each other!), then we went off to meet "the kids" (my son and his girlfriend) for dinner.  

After dinner, Bill and Jack and I went out to Aunt Linda's house again, and I got to meet one of her daughters and son-in-law.  When it was time to leave, it was hugs all around again, and Linda hugged me tight, let go, then pulled me in for a second hug and told me how glad she was that I found them. 

 

I'm invited to "Easter Dinner" on Saturday night at Linda's house.  I will only be able to stay for a couple hours (because I work the night before and that night), but I can't pass up the opportunity to get to know these loving people!  I'm hoping I can get my son and his girlfriend to join... my son has half a dozen cousins (technically second cousins -- Aunt Linda's grandkids) who are right around his age (within five years in each direction), and I think he'd fit right in with these kids.  

We left Aunt Linda's and went back to the hotel. Bill and Jack were going to hit the road early this morning, so we said our goodbyes last night.  Not gonna lie, I teared up a little saying goodbye to Bill... this sweet man is still beating himself up for not knowing about me for the past 50+ years, and nothing I say will stop him from feeling guilty about something he had no possible way of knowing about.  I hope that with time he'll learn to just accept it like I have, and just enjoy the time we do have together now that we know the truth.

And I don't usually post pics on CC, but I feel like you guys are invested in the story.... here's a pic of me with Bill at dinner last night:

 

 

Oh, and my luck has officially run out -- I had five tickets for last night's Mega Millions lottery drawing, and I had one number on one ticket and one number on another, so no big Group Cruise courtesy of the Michigan Lottery!  😂
 

So very happy for you, and I can see the resemblance as well. 🙂

[jagsfan]

14 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

Mimi I think you are right, I got those two sauces mixed up. Thanks for the correction.

Tarragon specks!

[jagsfan]

9 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

My Wife doesn't like all the big trucks either,most of the time we take the back roads from our house and Christiansburg and Blacksburg.

 

Along I-81 the Red Bud Trees are out in bloom now,really beautiful.

You live in a gorgeous area!

[Momof3gurlz]

34 minutes ago, Luckynana said:

Believe me, Deb, we would've been on the EZPass Express Lanes, but they were closed to the Northbound (us) Friday night.  What a nightmare!  I've always hated SC I-95 in both directions, and Va is now at the top of the list along with SC.😜

You’ve got to wonder who decides which direction is open 😉🤨 !

[Momof3gurlz]

15 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

My Wife doesn't like all the big trucks either,most of the time we take the back roads from our house and Christiansburg and Blacksburg.

 

Along I-81 the Red Bud Trees are out in bloom now,really beautiful.

There are plenty of trucks on I-95 too but the mountainous terrain in I-81 makes it a little more ummm..interesting?!