The Daily for Friday Jan 29, 2021

[superoma]

2 hours ago, Vict0riann said:

Back from the grocery store, the checker and I laughed about how grocery shopping is now considered the excitement for the week, or  even for the month.  So sorry, @doobieb, about your Covid exposure and that family members have it, and I hope you have an uneventful quarantine!  

 

We have a delivery of two recliners for TV watching today, and also someone coming to see the sofa that the two chairs will be replacing.  Pat has been having back problems, and wanted something with more support, so who am I to say him nay - but I will miss my sofa, I doubt I will be able to have the occasional nap in a chair.  I also sort stamps all over the sofa when he's not looking,  I imagine I will have to use the sofa in the living room for that from now on.  I am very sad about the whole thing, but his back comes first....

Oh, a nice blanket and a recliner is a good mixture for an incredible nap. It usually happens, for me, during the news!

[TiogaCruiser]

45 minutes ago, XBGuy said:

I have enjoyed so many of the contributions from the various Dailyites since I discovered this conversation a few weeks ago.  I am not a "birder" but I do enjoy nature, and the various pictures and stories posted in these conversations have encourage me to make a contribution.

 

There is a fair amount of bird life in our patch.  No bald eagles, but, occasionally, we will see a roadrunner.  I saw a nature program on TV a few months ago that had some interesting information on roadrunners.  They prey on snakes--including rattlers.  I had no idea.

 

But I really wanted to talk about the local hummingbirds.  Hummingbirds are fairly common throughout Southern California.  For as long as we have lived here, Mrs. XBGuy has had a hummingbird feeder in the back yard.  It seemed that hummingbirds were VERY territorial.  They don't like to share.  If one was feeding, and another approached, the feeding halted and an aerial scrum ensued.  In a few minutes the dominant one would return and take some sips until the next challenger appeared.

 

Last summer, there was a very noticeable change in behavior.  It is unclear what caused this change.  Mrs. XBGuy had not changed her recipe for the juice.  A backlash against the social distancing protocol?

 

I took this pic of the feeder, which is just outside our slider, late yesterday afternoon.

 

 

 

Notice they are, also, not wearing masks.  I suspect this is another group of pandemic deniers.  At least their group dining is outdoors.

Golly, neighbor! Now I know where the local hummingbirds go.
There’s only been 1 time I’ve seen when we have had more than 1 at a time. 

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

57 minutes ago, XBGuy said:

I have enjoyed so many of the contributions from the various Dailyites since I discovered this conversation a few weeks ago.  I am not a "birder" but I do enjoy nature, and the various pictures and stories posted in these conversations have encourage me to make a contribution.

 

There is a fair amount of bird life in our patch.  No bald eagles, but, occasionally, we will see a roadrunner.  I saw a nature program on TV a few months ago that had some interesting information on roadrunners.  They prey on snakes--including rattlers.  I had no idea.

 

But I really wanted to talk about the local hummingbirds.  Hummingbirds are fairly common throughout Southern California.  For as long as we have lived here, Mrs. XBGuy has had a hummingbird feeder in the back yard.  It seemed that hummingbirds were VERY territorial.  They don't like to share.  If one was feeding, and another approached, the feeding halted and an aerial scrum ensued.  In a few minutes the dominant one would return and take some sips until the next challenger appeared.

 

Last summer, there was a very noticeable change in behavior.  It is unclear what caused this change.  Mrs. XBGuy had not changed her recipe for the juice.  A backlash against the social distancing protocol?

 

I took this pic of the feeder, which is just outside our slider, late yesterday afternoon.

 

 

 

Notice they are, also, not wearing masks.  I suspect this is another group of pandemic deniers.  At least their group dining is outdoors.

I have never seen anything like this.  On a very rare occasion, we might have two on a feeder, but usually it is as you described -- an aerial fight.  We have four feeders in different places in the yard, and each one has it's own hummingbird.

[rafinmd]

I've had the good fortune to visit Antarctica 3 times, first on an expedition ship in 1997 (pre-digital photos are faded and poorly labeled), and sail by's in 2016 (Crystal Symphony) and 2019 (Prinsendam).  They were basically reverse directions with the Symphony starting in Buenos and going clockwise around South America, while Prinsendam was a counterclockwise circumnavigation of South America.  On January 29, 2019 Prinsendam did some glacier viewing in Chile before entering the Strait of Magellan.  I had visited one of the same glaciers in 2017 on the Zaandam and was able to view the same glacier 2 years apart.  It was an early day as we approached Brujo glacier about 6:45AM:

 

 

Brujo was calving extensively.  We saw quite a bit of brash ice as we left the glacier.

 

 

The itinerary called for us to visit either Brujo or Amalia Glaciers but by 10 we were also in front of Amalia:

 

The crew sent out a tender to bring back some glacier ice for delay:

 

 

There was a special "Taste of Chile" dinner that my tablemates attended but I chose to dine in the lido instead.  As I walked across the pool deck there was a very nice rainbow:

 

 

I had chosen the lido when I saw Turkey Tenderloin on their menu and was happy with the choice:

 

 

Roy

[1ANGELCAT]

Celebrity on the move in PEV. Beautiful sunset.

[cruisemom42]

No curmudgeons in our house, which is good considering how much time we've spent inside it in the last year.

 

I would love to do a jigsaw puzzle, but every available flat surface is just about taken over with the remote office set-ups for me (kitchen table) and my DS (dining room table -- because he has more monitors!)  I do the occasional crossword puzzle though. No sudoku -- too much like math!

 

 

4 hours ago, kazu said:

 

 Would love a good Bellini preferably in a lovely outdoor spot in Europe 😉 

 

 

Oh yes, please!!!  Any piazza in Italy will do for me and I love a good Bellini. Fortunately I live in an area where delicious white peaches are widely available in summer.

 

History of the Bellini cocktail:

 

The first Bellini was poured in the summer of 1948 by Giuseppe Cipriani, founder and barman of the legendary Harry’s Bar in Venice. Located just off the Grand Canal, the iconic bar was frequented by the likes of Humphrey Bogart, Truman Capote, and Ernest Hemingway.

 

These glamorous guests flocked to Harry’s Bar for Cipriani's frank conversation, peaceful atmosphere, and simple food and drink. The menu drew from seasonal produce found in the Venetian countryside. In fact, inspired by the region’s fragrant white peaches and world-famous sparkling wine, the barman invented the Bellini.

 

Cipriani's recipe calls to gently stir two parts Prosecco and one part fresh peach pureé, served in a chilled flute. Legend has it that the drink’s characteristic sunset shade reminded the bartender of the strikingly chromatic paintings by 15th-century Venetian artist Giovani Bellini, hence the name.

 

Thanks to Cipriani’s international regulars, word of the refreshing drink quickly spread to New York, Paris, and beyond.

 

 

 

Have a good weekend all!  Stay safe and warm...

[cruisemom42]

2 hours ago, XBGuy said:

 

 

I took this pic of the feeder, which is just outside our slider, late yesterday afternoon.

 

 

 

 

I'm so envious of your gregarious guests.  Hummingbirds seem to be somewhat rare here -- I can only think of a handful of times I've seen one during the many years living here, even when we tried putting out a feeder. 

 

Lately all I've spotted are a gaggle of robins in our backyard every morning, hoping to be the early bird that gets the worm...

[bennybear]

Oh to be on a piazza with a Bellini.   Ripe peaches are my absolute faves!  

[Sharon in AZ]

5 hours ago, Horizon chaser 1957 said:

Good morning, all! puzzle Day takes it here - DH has just unboxed a new one this morning. We’ve done quite a few, and will be hitting up the strata’s puzzle exchange soon. Dinner will be meatloaf tonight, so that’s set. I love a good Bellini. @cat shepard- that wine! What more can a girl ask than a wine that tastes like burnt meat in a gravel pit? How refreshing!😏

The sun is out today! Luckily the puzzle room is nice and bright with big windows. Our walk today should be enjoyable with no rain lots of sun.

Meanwhile, Happy Friday from the elevator mats of the Amsterdam. A year ago she was taking us down towards Antarctica.

 

Wouldn’t it be fun to have a puzzle of a HAL elevator mat?  I think it would be very hard with only two colors. 😊

[garlictown]

  🙂  Happy Friday and Be Safe!  😷

I will wish everyone a Happy Puzzle Day but I really prefer the card game of Hand and Foot.🤓I attended a Cruise Critic activity and learned how to play this game and now my husband and I have been playing it a lot during the pandemic. 👍Additionally, another favorite on the HAL shelves (not sure if the newer ships have the board games, etc.????) near the ☕Explorations Cafe is Rummikup! What a fun tile game. We look forward to the relaxing sea days and have our own set for travel. 🛳️

[Happily@Sea]

15 minutes ago, Sharon in AZ said:

Wouldn’t it be fun to have a puzzle of a HAL elevator mat?  I think it would be very hard with only two colors. 😊

You could have the whole set of daily mats. That would help a little. 😄 

[Vict0riann]

The two eagle babies have been removed from their nest, as it was observed that they were having eye problems.  Hopefully they can be helped and then returned to the nest.  

 

We have seen multiple hummingbirds on our feeders at times, but usually they are very aggressive and don't allow anyone else on.   I have seen videos of many birds on feeders as they migrate south, perhaps they loose that aggressiveness when they are migrating.  

[Sharon in AZ]

Good afternoon everyone!  Thank you for the Daily Rich and thank you for your list Roy. 
 

I am also a puzzle fan but haven’t done one in a long time. The last one we did was very frustrating so I think we just gave up but I’m thinking we should put it back out now that we have so much time on our hands. 
 

The meal suggestion sounds really good but I’m planning on making the tomato feta fish suggestion from the other day. 
 

Last evening I got two bad news phone calls. The first was that my 91 year old Mother had been taken to the hospital with abdominal pain. Turns out she has a bowel blockage that will probably require surgery. She is a colon cancer survivor and had two colon surgeries with chemo many years ago. Problems like this are not unusual afterward. It is just scary at her age. Thank goodness her Covid test was negative. She’s hoping to be home by Monday to have her first vaccine but I don’t think that is possible. 
 

The second phone call was from our 40 year old daughter telling us that she and her boyfriend have Covid. Thankfully she has minor symptoms with fatigue, sore throat, loss of smell. 
 

I was just a mess afterwards but feel better today knowing that things will get better. Stay strong and carry on!

 

 I also wanted to share a picture of the Catalina Mountains north of us with snow.  I took it this morning on my way to the grocery store at our closest intersection.  I was going to crop out most of the sky but changed my mind, the clouds were just too pretty. 

 

Edited January 29, 2021 by Sharon in AZ
Typo

[ger_77]

@Sharon in AZsorry to hear about your mom; hopefully they'll be able to get her fixed up quickly.  I also hope your daughter and her boyfriend have mild symptoms, and not more than that.

 

Smooth Sailing!  🙂🙂🙂

Gerry

[StLouisCruisers]

@Sharon in AZHoping your Mother does well coming through her surgery with a quick recovery.  And that she gets her vaccination ASAP.

 

And sorry to hear about your DD and her boyfriend testing positive.  Believe me, I know that sinking feeling when you hear that kind of news.  Glad to hear they are feeling okay so far with mild symptoms.  Best of luck to them both.

[JazzyV]

@Sharon in AZ Prayers for your mother, DD and her boyfriend. Seems when it rains, it pours!

 

[summer slope]

@Sharon in AZPrayers for your family.

[Love the beach]

3 hours ago, superoma said:

Oh, a nice blanket and a recliner is a good mixture for an incredible nap. It usually happens, for me, during the news!

It usually happens for me too...I have to make sure to record my favorite programs as I usually nod off!

Thanks Rich, Roy and everyone for the daily....I don't post much but do enjoy reading it each day!

Edited January 29, 2021 by Love the beach

[Vict0riann]

3 minutes ago, Love the beach said:

It usually happens for me too...I have to make sure to record my favorite programs as I usually nod off!

 

 

Perhaps I can look forward to that, too!

 

@Sharon in AZ prayers for you and your family.  

[cat shepard]

@Sharon in AZ

 

Prayers for your Mom’s successful surgery, rapid recovery and vaccination.

 

Praying that the symptoms of your DD & her boyfriend remain less severe.

 

And love the sky in your pic.  Stay strong... the Dailyites are on it!❤️

[cruzn single]

@Sharon in AZ, sorry to hear about your DM and daughter and BF.  Prayers for successful surgery, and that the 2 with virus sail through with few issues!

 

@Vict0riann, recliners are great for naps.  I am an authority on this subject!

 

The hummingbirds are amazing.  Never knew they could get along that well.  On our feeders there was always just one at a time, when I had feeders in the yard.

[doobieb]

4 hours ago, Cruising-along said:

Do you do the Jigzone ones?  I love them (and the sound when the piece fits) 😉  My favorites are the mosaics. 

Jigzone? now that sounds intriguing. Will go on a hunt on Amazon. 

Thanks for the tip.

Debbie

 

[erewhon]

Thanks for the daily reports, photos and humour.

Now thst we have our ocean view restored. hoping to see any passing ships.

Stay safe and well everyone.

[erewhon]

1 hour ago, Sharon in AZ said:

Good afternoon everyone!  Thank you for the Daily Rich and thank you for your list Roy. 
 

I am also a puzzle fan but haven’t done one in a long time. The last one we did was very frustrating so I think we just gave up but I’m thinking we should put it back out now that we have so much time on our hands. 
 

The meal suggestion sounds really good but I’m planning on making the tomato feta fish suggestion from the other day. 
 

Last evening I got two bad news phone calls. The first was that my 91 year old Mother had been taken to the hospital with abdominal pain. Turns out she has a bowel blockage that will probably require surgery. She is a colon cancer survivor and had two colon surgeries with chemo many years ago. Problems like this are not unusual afterward. It is just scary at her age. Thank goodness her Covid test was negative. She’s hoping to be home by Monday to have her first vaccine but I don’t think that is possible. 
 

The second phone call was from our 40 year old daughter telling us that she and her boyfriend have Covid. Thankfully she has minor symptoms with fatigue, sore throat, loss of smell. 
 

I was just a mess afterwards but feel better today knowing that things will get better. Stay strong and carry on!

 

 I also wanted to share a picture of the Catalina Mountains north of us with snow.  I took it this morning on my way to the grocery store at our closest intersection.  I was going to crop out most of the sky but changed my mind, the clouds were just too pretty. 

 

 

Hope the surgery goes well for your DM, and that your daughter and her boyfriend quickly recover from the covid.

Thanks for posting this lovely photo.

[doobieb]

6 hours ago, rafinmd said:

I'm scheduled for Monday.  It's about 3 years since we've had a significant snow but it's due Sunday night.  Wishing for the best for both of us.

 

Roy

Congratulations on the scheduled shots. That has to be a big relief to get started. Do you know what brand you will get?  

They announced shots for the 65+ age group here today, but won’t start until Feb.