The Daily for Monday Jun 21, 2021

[kochleffel]

Just now, JazzyV said:

It looks like the worst of the storm has passed. Some torrential rain and wind, otherwise all seems ok. There are about 16,000 without power in my county and surrounding ones, but no issue here, thankfully.

All trees seem upright. It's still thundering but that's receding.

 It's supposed to begin here any minute now, but I don't think it's imminent. I abbreviated a grocery run because of the forecast.

[kazu]

9 minutes ago, kochleffel said:

I would guess that similar things happen to Canadians entering the U.S.

 

Oh yes.  It depends on who you get but it was so bad at one time, I had a list of all my cash (euros, U.S., Canadian, etc) and exactly how much I had in each domination.

 

And my OTC medication.  I still do it now out of habit.

Most of them are pleasant now but if you get the wrong one - uggh.  You don’t want to make a mistake in your cash estimate.  

[superoma]

57 minutes ago, Cruising-along said:

Those are the questions we've wondered too.  And how would you prove it was essentiaI or do they even ask for proof?

I don't know anyone who has tried it 😉  

 

Edited after seeing superoma's post

 

How do they know if the person quarantines?  

Health Canada or border services calls And will sometimes actually come to the door,

Edited June 21, 2021 by superoma

[kochleffel]

7 minutes ago, kazu said:

I had a list of all my cash (euros, U.S., Canadian, etc) and exactly how much I had in each domination.

 

They used to ask us that,  too, when we were returning. I remember an official's surprise when I knew that I had exactly $100 in U.S. currency and £11 U.K. It has been a long time since I was asked, and now that I have Nexus, they seem to want me to tell them as little as possible.

Edited June 21, 2021 by kochleffel

[superoma]

Changes at border apply to fully vaccinated canadians or permanent residents not other citizens. Birder is Still closed until July 21. From a local Detroit news station:

 

Canada has eased some travel restrictions for fully vaccinated Canadian citizens and permanent residents crossing the U.S. border.

Canadian citizens and permanent Canadian residents may begin entering Canada without quarantining afterward on July 5 if they are fully vaccinated, CBC News reports. It appears that this announcement does not apply to U.S. citizens and residents traveling to Canada.

Canadians and permanent residents will be required to show documentation that prove they have received all required doses of a Canadian-approved COVID vaccine at least 14 days before entering the country, according to the report. Those traveling will reportedly be required to submit the information using the ArriveCAN app, meet COVID test requirements, be asymptomatic for the virus and have a “suitable quarantine plan.”

[1ANGELCAT]

Good afternoon all.. it’s another hot day and thunderstorms are expected to be severe this evening,

     I just got a federal jury duty notice for the end of July, not happy, I sent an email asking to be excused due to CDC guidelines of over 65 and no public transportation to get to Philadelphia.🙏

    Blessings and prayers to all on our lists.

[bennybear]

Good afternoon, late to the party as some appointments this morning!  Will celebrate yoga and seashells,  the wine sounds great and dinner!  
 

We’ve been to Otaru, and suggest Japanese border control after coming from Vladivostok is strict, and took several hours so we missed the shuttle bus and had to walk into port.  I got a spectacular lacquered jewellery  box with cherry blossoms!   Also a great port renowned for sushi!  And beautiful glassware.  
 

 

Edited June 21, 2021 by bennybear

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

7 hours ago, Horizon chaser 1957 said:

Good morning, all! I will also pick seashells from the list of days to celebrate! The meal sounds wonderful. When peaches come into season here, I’d like to keep some of that sauce on hand. And today’s wine would pair nicely with all of it.

DD from Saskatchewan arrived yesterday. It is so good to see her! Her sister arrives from Taiwan on Friday. Technically they just overlap, but because one gets taken to a quarantine hotel for three days before anyone can see her, they won’t get to visit each other until later in the summer. I need to phone the quarantine hotel later. For a per diem cost slightly more than ocean view on a grand voyage, they are supposed to provide meals. DD is celiac, and apparently the hotel may not be able to accommodate gluten free requirements. You can’t incarcerate someone, charge the earth, and not feed them. I’m sure it’s a miscommunication and we can straighten that out.

This is the second and final day of our mini heat wave, and the lilies are going wild. One of them has produced an unusual stem, wide like a ribbon and with 36 flower buds instead of the usual 6 or so. It started with 41, but five didn’t develope. The flowers have begun to open, and it should be quite a sight!

 

Happy Monday, have a great week, and dream of those BHBs getting closer!

The flower is stunning.  Can’t wait to see it when more pod bloom.

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

53 minutes ago, JazzyV said:

It looks like the worst of the storm has passed. Some torrential rain and wind, otherwise all seems ok. There are about 16,000 without power in my county and surrounding ones, but no issue here, thankfully.

All trees seem upright. It's still thundering but that's receding.

Glad you made it through safely.

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

1 hour ago, kochleffel said:

 Years ago I had a strange encounter with Border Control Canada, or whatever it was called then, at Sault Ste. Marie. I was staying on the Michigan side, but Sault St. Marie, Michigan, is a small village, while the one in Ontario is a city of some size. I wanted a better dinner than I could find on the U.S. side, so I made a reservation at a restaurant in Canada.

 

The border-control agent asked, "Why are you coming to Canada," and I replied, "To have dinner."

"How long will you be in Canada?"

"About two hours."

"Where are you going?"

I replied with the street address.

 

This all sounded extremely fishy to him. In Montreal, saying that you had come there to have dinner might have made sense; apparently in didn't in western Ontario. It probably didn't help that I was a young man, alone, in a sporty car.

 

He told me to park the car and go inside the building. There, a senior inspector with a strong Scottish accent checked an enormous black book to see if I had ever made trouble in Canada before. Since I hadn't, he let me in.

 

On my return, the U.S. inspector saw nothing peculiar about it. Possibly his family crossed the bridge for dinner frequently; I don't know. His only concern was that I had finished the dinner and wasn't bringing a doggie bag back with me.

 

I would guess that similar things happen to Canadians entering the U.S. The only other country where I've had that kind of difficulty was the United Kingdom. Her Majesty's inspectors have often seemed to be trying to talk me out of staying (strikes, awful weather, etc.). Back in the day, it took a long time to get into East Germany and Czechoslovakia, but they didn't imply that it was wrong of me to want to visit.

Crossing into Canada with Texas license plates takes the experience to a whole new level.  Remember everyone “knows” all Texans carry guns and owns ranches. 😜 Canada does not want the guns in the country.  
 

In 1992, with our DDs and the dog, the Canadian border inspectors were nice, but the opened every drawer, compartment and cabinet, including removing the cover to the heater filter in the motorhome.  It took the four of us an hour to put everything back.  

 

Another time at a different crossing, they took me and the dogs outside while an agent took the gun sniffing dog through the motorhome.  He said it was to keep the dachshund safe from their dog.  It was also to see if my answers matched DH’s answers.  We were moving and had everything in storage and were touring while the new house was being built.  The agent asked me if the box with the guns was marked as such and to show him the inventory sheet which I did.  My reply about the box was it was not marked as having guns in it, as that would be asking to be robbed.  😜

 

I don’t blame the Canadian officials for making sure their laws were followed. It’s the macho Texas reputation that has them double check. 😀

 

Lenda

[Red Haired Lady]

5 hours ago, garlictown said:

🚢Announcement from HAL:

 

And the other part of the announcement today is not so good.  Especially since I have a 6 week cruise booked to Australia and New Zealand on the Oosterdam.The good news is that they will roll it over to the nearly identical sailings in 2022. I should be used to this by now, but I'm not. 

 

2021 Cruises To Asia, Australia And South America Canceled 

While Holland America Line continues to work with governments and port authorities in coordination with the phased resumption of cruising in other areas of the world, the company is canceling cruises in Asia, Australia and New Zealand and South America through the remainder of 2021, along with the Collectors’ Voyages (combined cruises) associated with those departures. This affects itineraries on Noordam (Asia), Oosterdam (Australia) and Westerdam (South America). View replacement Noordam, Oosterdam and Westerdam replacement voyages PDF . In addition, fall sailings through the end of 2021 on Volendam and Zaandam also are cancelled. View replacement Volandam and Zaandam voyages PDF .

[kazu]

30 minutes ago, Red Haired Lady said:

And the other part of the announcement today is not so good.  Especially since I have a 6 week cruise booked to Australia and New Zealand on the Oosterdam.The good news is that they will roll it over to the nearly identical sailings in 2022. I should be used to this by now, but I'm not. 

 

2021 Cruises To Asia, Australia And South America Canceled 

While Holland America Line continues to work with governments and port authorities in coordination with the phased resumption of cruising in other areas of the world, the company is canceling cruises in Asia, Australia and New Zealand and South America through the remainder of 2021, along with the Collectors’ Voyages (combined cruises) associated with those departures. This affects itineraries on Noordam (Asia), Oosterdam (Australia) and Westerdam (South America). View replacement Noordam, Oosterdam and Westerdam replacement voyages PDF . In addition, fall sailings through the end of 2021 on Volendam and Zaandam also are cancelled. View replacement Volandam and Zaandam voyages PDF .

 

Thanks,  I didn’t see the Volendam and Zaandam sailing earlier in the announcement.

I’m sure I’ll miss something somehow on the FCL and get some more snark.

I feel your pain.  It’s tiresome but nothing we can do but go with the flow.

 

[Sharon in AZ]

14 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

Thanks,  I didn’t see the Volendam and Zaandam sailing earlier in the announcement.

I’m sure I’ll miss something somehow on the FCL and get some more snark.

I feel your pain.  It’s tiresome but nothing we can do but go with the flow.

 

Yes, my Holiday Zaandam cruise was canceled but you will get no snark from me. 

[kazu]

3 minutes ago, Sharon in AZ said:

Yes, my Holiday Zaandam cruise was canceled but you will get no snark from me. 

 

I KNOW you wouldn’t do that.  Honestly, some people are just plain not nice at times or is very blunt the better description?

I’m trying to be nice but I am getting weary of it.

 

Sorry for the vent.

 

[erewhon]

Thank you to Rich for the Daily and to Roy for the lists. 

Have not been to the port, thanks to those who have shared their photos.

It's a sunny winter day, temperature 9 C.

Take care and stay safe everyone.

[sailingdutchy]

8 hours ago, Vict0riann said:

 

My DD sent me this this morning, but I don't think she realized there is a BHB in it!

 

Bridges

 

 

 

Thank you for showing this nice video Ann @VictOriann  that bridge #2 we have been under on the River Garonne near Bordeaux while on the Prinsendam . As a  " Dutch Civil Engineer " I love looking at all these modern solutions and creations . 

 

A couple of my pictures from May 2019 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It really did not take very long to open up for us , I was quite impressed with this in 2013 completed design .

 

 

 

 

Chapeau , Messieurs  ! 

Tony 

Edited June 22, 2021 by sailingdutchy

[erewhon]

11 hours ago, Horizon chaser 1957 said:

 

This is the second and final day of our mini heat wave, and the lilies are going wild. One of them has produced an unusual stem, wide like a ribbon and with 36 flower buds instead of the usual 6 or so. It started with 41, but five didn’t develope. The flowers have begun to open, and it should be quite a sight!

 

Happy Monday, have a great week, and dream of those BHBs getting closer!

 

What a magnificent lily, thank you for posting the photo.

[Sharon in AZ]

8 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

I KNOW you wouldn’t do that.  Honestly, some people are just plain not nice at times or is very blunt the better description?

I’m trying to be nice but I am getting weary of it.

 

Sorry for the vent.

 

You can’t be expected to know about every cruise on the list, some people need to get a life. 
 

And no worries about the venting. 

[erewhon]

1 hour ago, Red Haired Lady said:

And the other part of the announcement today is not so good.  Especially since I have a 6 week cruise booked to Australia and New Zealand on the Oosterdam.The good news is that they will roll it over to the nearly identical sailings in 2022. I should be used to this by now, but I'm not. 

 

2021 Cruises To Asia, Australia And South America Canceled 

While Holland America Line continues to work with governments and port authorities in coordination with the phased resumption of cruising in other areas of the world, the company is canceling cruises in Asia, Australia and New Zealand and South America through the remainder of 2021, along with the Collectors’ Voyages (combined cruises) associated with those departures. This affects itineraries on Noordam (Asia), Oosterdam (Australia) and Westerdam (South America). View replacement Noordam, Oosterdam and Westerdam replacement voyages PDF . In addition, fall sailings through the end of 2021 on Volendam and Zaandam also are cancelled. View replacement Volandam and Zaandam voyages PDF .

 

Thanks for the information, we are not surprised that the Australian and New Zealand cruises are cancelled for our cruise season this summer.

Hopefully we will see Noordam in our ports during the 2022/2023 season.

 

Edited June 22, 2021 by erewhon

[Tbay]

@kazuNo one should ever criticize some one who volunteers their time to do something.

Your work on this site is appreciated.

[cruzn single]

Interesting days to be celebrated today.  Thanks to all!  @kazu, I thought you had a direct line to HAL to get all the ways they are changing cruises.  (Said very tongue in check.)

 

I have spent the day working Red Cross due to numerous new wildfires.  @rafinmd, please change the Care list to all Western wildfires.  I know Arizona has 22 large fires.  We need the Eastern water and rain so desperately.

 

I love the photos, recipes, good wishes shared, and just the general friendliness shown here.  It turns a bad day into a positive for me.

 

Have a good night.

 

 

 

 

 

[highland cruiser]

Good evening !

been a busy day. Finally getting on to read the news. A lot happened today  on here. Prayers to all and cheers to those celebrating.  Stay safe those who are in harms way from weather issues  and fires.  Thanks to all who have posted.  On to see what tomorrow will bring. 

 

[kazu]

14 hours ago, Cruising-along said:

I wonder if this would help DD's MIL who hasn't seen her Mother in Canada since before Covid?  Up until now she hasn't gone up because it would mean her DM and DS would have to quarantine, and her DM has dementia so wouldn't understand 😞  They are all fully vaccinated.

 

A bit more enlightenment and clarification on the news this morning.

 

The lifting of the quarantine only applies to Canadians right now, however, Canada does plan on opening the border to those that are fully vaccinated and not require quarantine once 75% of Canadians are fully vaccinated.

So, until July 21st the news isn’t of help to your DD’s MIL but, it is very possible that there will be a more positive announcement before July 21st.  Canada is moving quickly now on the second vaccination and the time table has moved up significantly.  Here in NB, the Government will fully re-open NB to code green (normalcy) as long as 75% of the population is fully vaccinated and the Government has pledged sufficient vaccine to inoculate every NB’er who wants it.  🤞 

[cat shepard]

9 hours ago, kazu said:

 

I KNOW you wouldn’t do that.  Honestly, some people are just plain not nice at times or is very blunt the better description?

I’m trying to be nice but I am getting weary of it.

 

Sorry for the vent.

 

Jacqui some people are just not satisfied unless they find fault with others. 

[kazu]

4 minutes ago, cat shepard said:

Jacqui some people are just not satisfied unless they find fault with others. 

 

Thanks.  It just goes tiresome at times.

 

I shouldn’t have vented, apologies but I honestly felt like this last night:

 

Love your saying 🙂