The Daily for Friday Apr 30, 2021

[richwmn]

Today is Arbor Day, Hairstyle Appreciation Day, and International Jazz Day

Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself. - George Bernard Shaw

Meal suggestion for today - Garlic Butter Mushrooms and Cauliflower

Drink of the Day - Vesper

Wine of the day - Arboleda Cabernet Sauvignon - Chile - Red

Port of the Day - Saint Lawrence River Cruising

At Sea Gulf of California
Koningsdam Drifting

At Sea Pacific
Westerdam Destination Los Angeles eta 4/30

Corfu GR
Volendam

La Paz MX
Nieuw Amsterdam Anchorage
Noordam

Limassol CY
Zaandam

Long Beach CA
Zuiderdam

Port Everglades
Nieuw Statendam

Torquay UK
Eurodam Anchorage
Oosterdam Anchorage

Trieste, IT
Rotterdam

 

[portofrome]

Thank you for the Daily Report.

[dfish]

Good morning, everyone! 

 

The rain will be moving out, but colder temperatures are moving in.  I'll have to drag out the jacket again.  I am hoping the work is all done in the locker rooms at the pool.  I guess I'll find out when I get there!  After that, just a Zoom this afternoon and then the weekend begins.

 

Today's meal is a side dish, but one that sounds  yummy.  I love garlic in anything and garlicky mushrooms and cauliflower is a marriage made in heaven for me.   

 

https://damndelicious.net/2021/03/18/garlic-butter-mushrooms-and-cauliflower/

 

Again, no nutritional information provided.  

 

 

[rafinmd]

Thank you for the last April Daily of 2021, Rich.  A big salute to trees, Jazz, and hair stylists.  Great quote by Shaw.  I have cruised the St. Lawrence a lot although not on HAL (I should have on Zuiderdam last September but we know what happened to that.  I'll pass on the meal.  My alternative is Jimco and Mango Salad, Baked Ziti with Saisage and Sun-dried Tomato, and Mixed Berry Crisp, as served on the ship currently in Port Everglades 2 years ago today:

 

https://getawaysfrom21044.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/dishes0430.jpg

 

Today's care list:

Kakalina

myself facing cardiac surgery May 14

Welfare of furloughed crews

India

NextOne DH in hospital

 

Today's Celebrations and Shoutouts:

 

Teachers, school workers and at home surrogates

Front Line Health Care Workers

Welcome home Sharon

Nieuw Statendam in Port Everglades

Negative biopsy for Vict0riann

Meals on Wheels volunteers like @erewhon

and Sabine, HAL’s likely first female Captain(I know this is a repeat but she’s worth it)

 

Roy

 

[puppycanducruise]

Good morning, thanks for the Daily Report.

Cold and windy here today with a chance of flurries tonight.  Hurry up spring!

Interesting collection of days.  Love trees.  I haven't been to the hair dresser in a while, so not sure anyone can appreciate my latest hair style. 

The dinner suggestion looks good, I think I'll file that away for another day.  Thanks @dfishfor the recipe.

Sending prayers for everyone.  A toast to all who celebrate.

Stay safe.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Thanks for the info ..

[Mr. Boston]

Good morning all and thank you for the daily Rich.  What a great collection of days, love trees, jazz and who doesn’t appreciate a good hairstyle.  The recipe sounds delicious and will be a nice addition to our diet.  One of my favorite cruising memories is floating up the St. Lawrence seaway after departing Quebec City in an overcast afternoon while freighters sailed past. I think that cruising helps me create myself!  Prayers to all who need them.

[kazu]

Thanks for the Daily, Rich and our morning smile 🙂 

 

Trees are earth’s lungs and so important.  I’ll happily celebrate Arbor Day even though I curse the leaves in the Fall 😉 Yay for our hairdressers & Jazz.

 

It’s also National Raisin Day and to celebrate here is HAL’s recipe for their Chocolate & Raisin Bread Pudding:

 

 

 

Love the quote by Shaw.  So true.  That meal suggestion sounds good!

 

St. Lawrence River is always beautiful to cruise.  Ships have to go much slower now though to protect the whales.

it’s raining here today and will be for a few days but that’s ok.  Yesterday was nicer than forecast and we (we is mostly me 😉) worked our tails off. I got my garden earth added, my deer fence up, topped and turned mulch and got all of my perennials in.  I lost count on the perennials when I passed 35. Yippee.

 

There were more signs of spring as I worked away.

 

 

and the first daffodil has opened in my lamp garden

 

 

These are tiny but so pretty and nice to see some colour at long last

 

 

Needless to say I was one tired, achy puppy when I was done. Definitely out of shape! Today might be a bit of a lazy one 😉 

 

 

Prayers for everyone on Roy’s Care list & for those that need them and 🥂 to those on the Celebratory / Shout Out list.

 

Have a great TGIF everyone.  Stay safe & please don’t forget your masks 😷 

[smitty34877]

Good  morning. I  will  certainly  celebrate  trees,Jazz  and  hairstyles. My  grandson  told  me  my  shoulder  length  grey  hair  made  him  his "hippy Grandma". Perhaps  it  is time  for  a  change...

The  recipe  sounds  delicious  and  will  be  saved  for  another  day.  Although  this  picture  is  not one  of  the  St Lawrence River,  we  were  on  it on  our  way  to  Quebec  City on  the Maasdam. I  was  enchanted  by  the  towel  animals  all  around  the  pool.      Terry

[KirkNC]

Happy Friday to all!

[1ANGELCAT]

Good morning and thanks for the update.

Its a cool and sunny day here, better than the humidity yesterday.

      @rafinmd  we need to add the tragedy in Israel to the care list . So sad , at least 44 dead in the stampede 🥲💔

         Blessings and prayers to all on our lists 

[cat shepard]

Thank you for today’s Daily, Rich! A great combo of days.  I know I will never take my hairstyle for granted again!

Thank you for our lists, Roy! I seem to be slacking a bit in noticing our new Dailyites.  Welcome to everyone who has joined in recently! Morning Dailyites & my Sisters. Another glorious morning here, though it is going to be a warm one. Interesting quote. Debbie that meal does sound delicious. The name of today’s drink is intriguing.  Off to early Zumba - after coffee, of course!

 

Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Stay well everyone!

 

*********

I chose to focus on the 2016 vintage of Today’s wine. It has excellent ratings and a very reasonable price. I found it online for as low as $16.94. 

Winemaker Notes

This bright, deep ruby-red Cabernet Sauvignon is very appealing on the nose with a complex character of black fruits. Pleasing aromas of black cherry, raspberry, tea leaf, tobacco, clove, chocolate and a soft smoky touch appear as it opens. This is a wine with great balance and structure, and its firm, fine-grained tannins contribute to its elegant texture, complemented by a full mid-palate and delightful juiciness.

JS92 James Suckling: Blackcurrants and fresh herbs such as basil on the nose. Medium body, firm and silky tannins. Subtle complexity. Understated.

RP90 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon contains 5% Cabernet Franc and 4% Syrah from vines planted in 1999 on alluvial soils. It fermented in stainless steel with selected yeasts and matured in French barriques (25% new) for 12 months. It's serious, classical and balanced, produced in a more elegant and harmonious style. It's nicely textured, with elegance and high drinkability. Rating: 90+

 

Edited April 30, 2021 by cat shepard

[summer slope]

Good morning.  Yea for the last day in April.  Thank you Rich and Roy. 

I get so sad when I see people cut down healthy trees because of various reasons.

Had my hair cut yesterday so I appreciate the new style.  Love soft jazz.

Will skip the meal, but like Roy's.  Thank you Debbie for the picture and Jacqui for the recipe for the Bread pudding recipe.

Interesting quote.

Prayers and toasts for our lists.

Stay safe, social distance, and please continue to wear your mask.

Vesper:

The Vesper or Vesper Martini is a cocktail that was originally made of gin, vodka, and Kina Lillet. The formulations of its ingredients have changed since its original publication in print, and so some modern bartenders have created new versions which attempt to more closely mimic the original taste. Wikipedia

Main alcohol: Gin

Ingredients: 1/2 oz Vodka, 1/4 oz Lillet Blonde, 2 oz Gin

Preparation: Shake over ice until well chilled, then strain into a deep goblet and garnish with a thin slice of lemon peel.

Served: Straight up; without ice

Standard garnish: Lemon Peel

Drinkware: Champagne Coupe, Cocktail glass

[StLouisCruisers]

Another pretty morning but much too warm at night for me already.  I like it cool so will have to resort to fans until AC season.  Hope the weather is nice wherever you all are!  

 

Arbor Day is a worthwhile day to celebrate but we won't be planting any trees today.  As for Hairstyle Appreciation Day, I would appreciate finding a better hairstyle but haven't been able to lately.  There are lots of styles I like but you have to work with the hair you've got, not the hair you wish you had.  Jazz isn't my favorite music but I can celebrate it for one day.  

 

I've cruised the Saint Lawrence River twice, both in 2018.  That was a very busy cruise year for us.  Something like 160 days that year.  Anyway, the first time was on Seabourn Quest on a unique itinerary from Reykjavik to Montreal, taking in many ports in Greenland and maritime Canada.  I found only two photos taken out a window at lunch of smooth water with what looked like fog.  Nothing mentioned in notes in my photo book.  

 

Thrilling, right?  That was a fabulous cruise and I hated to get off the ship.  But 6 weeks later we were back in Montreal to board the Rotterdam for a New England and Atlantic Coast Cruise.  After our first port stop in Quebec City (lovely as usual) we headed up the Saint Lawrence River to Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.  I was especially looking forward to this new port since it was our first time there.  Well, it was not to be!  We had high seas due to wind, with gusts of up to 86 miles per hour.  I suppose I didn't go outside but I did take one photo of the front of the ship on TV so here it is.

 

 

So there's my cruising of the Saint Lawrence River for you!

Edited April 30, 2021 by StLouisCruisers

[cunnorl]

Good Morning Everyone from a very warm and sunny day at the beach

      Both meal suggestions look good  but not for today. Our friends have invited us to go on a sunset cruise on the river and we will stop at one of the restaurants for take out. It is fun and the one place where we can take take DD safely. She has only had the first vaccine, next one on the 7th.

    I love my hair dresser or stylist as they are called now. I have been going to the same one for 25 years and drive back to Orlando just to see him.

     Port Canaveral is all hyped up about yesterdays announcement. It was all over our news. So hopefully, it will happen!

   Off to water aerobics.

   I absolutely love all the pictures of the ports and gardens. A big thank you to all who post them.

 

Be safe and enjoy today.

    

[Seasick Sailor]

Good morning Dailyites,  sweet sisters. Prayers to Roy, thanks to Rich.

 

Had a lovely evening with 6 friends. We played music and danced, ate BBQ ribs, brisket, turkey and all the fixings thanks to Rudy's Country Store. The weather cooperated for a little bit so we could enjoy the outdoors. Our last couple arrives today. 

 

We loved cruising St. Lawrence river. We went from Quebec to Boston on NCL Gem.

I love mushrooms,  like cauliflower,  but I don't think I want them served together. I think everyone has been through the wringer on hair styles this past year..

 

 

Wishing everyone a great day. God bless, prayers and cheers!

[seagarsmoker]

Thanks for the Daily Report! I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend as it looks like we are 1 day closer to cruising again!!!

Edited April 30, 2021 by seagarsmoker

[Seasick Sailor]

Sept. 2019 Quebec to Boston NCL

Edited April 30, 2021 by Seasick Sailor
Add

[StLouisCruisers]

2 minutes ago, Seasick Sailor said:

Sept. 2019 Quebec to Boston NCL

 

I love this picture!  Thank you!

[rafinmd]

Today's sunrise is the last  from my 2018 Crystal 2-ship World Cruise.  On April 30 Symphony's cruise ended in Fort Lauderdale and I flew home.

 

 

Roy

[ger_77]

Good morning, thanks for the Daily!  Love trees - they do so much for our beautiful planet.  The best thing you can do for your grandchildren is plant a tree today.  @Seasick SailorI'm stealing your photo, as that's what I do practically every day!   Not a fan of jazz, but realize it's like chocolate - some like it, some not so much.

 

Had to take DH to the chiropractor yesterday - he's not one to complain, but was really having some back issues, so off we went.  He had a treatment, then we went for a walk when his back began going into spasms, which continued throughout the day.  I'm winging him back to the chiro this morning to see what can be done.

 

On another note, I have reached "a certain age" where yesterday I experienced my first eye floater.  It came on rather suddenly while we were out walking, and was accompanied by a series of quick flashes, which rather alarmed me.  I went to the nearest optometrist where they examined me thoroughly, and said it was simply a floater, not a detached retina.  He said it was a small one, and laughed when I said "No it isn't, it's the size of a dog!"  Apparently I'm lucky, they can be quite large.  Ah, aging .  . . . 

 

I like today's menu suggestion, and will certainly try it out, but Friday's pizza night at our house, so will see what we'll order for dinner tonight.  The weather has taken a positive spin, and we're expecting a high temp of +23 (73F), so we'll be able to enjoy dinner on the deck again tonight.  And wine.

 

Prayers for everyone who needs them and even for those who don't think they do.  Extra prayers for Roy.  And the heartbreaking loss of life in Israel yesterday.  Raising the glasses (maybe just mine tonight) to celebrate all on the happy list.  Be safe, stay well, wash your hands, wear your mask(s), and get your jabs!

 

Smooth Sailing!  🙂🙂🙂

Gerry

 

[Cruise Suzy]

1 hour ago, summer slope said:

The Vesper or Vesper Martini is a cocktail that was originally made of gin, vodka, and Kina Lillet. The formulations of its ingredients have changed since its original publication in print, and so some modern bartenders have created new versions which attempt to more closely mimic the original taste. Wikipedia

 

And on October 18, 2020 @Overhead Fred added:

Supposedly, the Vesper first appeared in the Ian Fleming Bond novel Casino Royal. It is an interesting variation on the Martini that I quite like. Cocchi Americano can be used in place of the Lillet, the Cocchi has a slightly more bitter taste (which I prefer)

[summer slope]

@ger_77I had to laugh at your post about floaters.  We have a lot of no see'ms here and I can't tell if it's a bug or a floater.  LOL

[jimgev]

Thanks for the daily. Love the words of wisdom from Shaw. That side dish really sounds good. I would bet it would pair well with a nice grilled steak.

 

Jim

[NextOne]

Hi friends! It's been a couple of weeks, so I thought I'd check in. I love trees, but not raking the leaves in the fall! My hairstyle suffered during the pandemic & I decided to embrace the gray. DH has always teased me that if I had to go into Witness Protection, he knew he could find me listening to jazz at Snug Harbor in New Orleans! We are booked for the October 2022 cruise from Quebec City to FLL, so I'd love to see pictures of the St. Lawrence.

DH is still in the hospital & is scheduled for surgery on Monday to remove a section of the bowel. Once he recovers from that, the drs hope to finally start the new chemo regime. The hospital is still observing covid restrictions, so he can have one visitor for one hour a day. Annoying! Our son is still visiting & is a big help.

Happy Friday & enjoy the weekend!