The Daily for Wednesday 12/22/2021

[durangoscots]

Good morning to everyone. Will be headed out to the shelter soon to take care of a few things administrative-wise and then do some dog walking. Weather here is cold and we are under a winter storm warning starting tomorrow. Here in the lower elevations it will probably start as rain and then transition to snow. The High Country will get snow.... probably plenty of it. We can use it. By the way.... when I say "lower elevations" realize that Durango lies at 6580 feet.  I just hope some of the snow makes it over the mountains and Denver gets some. They are really dry.

 

My niece and family left early this morning for the Denver area. We had a nice visit but too short. They hope to be back when the weather is more comfortable for them. The kids did get to go sledding which was a high point for them if not their parents.

 

As a side note.... this incoming weather is very typical for this time of year. In the past when I have been headed out to try to catch cruises in Ft. Lauderdale, I posted my efforts to get out of Durango. There was one time people on the list were taking bets as to whether I would make it or not. And, I always give myself a good window. Small airport.... have to fly through Denver!!!.... or, if I drive to another airport, there are mountain passes. Never missed a cruise, but sometimes cut the window a lot shorter than intended.

 

Susan

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Cruising-along]

Good morning all!

Today is clean the house day for Christmas.  I was pleasantly surprised yesterday that our Navy Commissary had everything I needed -- I did get the last pkg of cinnamon sticks and can of whole cranberry sauce though!  They (like many stores) are having supply issues, so I was quite relieved not to have to hunt around town for what I need.

 

I'm not a fan of date nut bread, and it's been years since I've been part of a cookie exchange (thanks to Diabetes).  Cheers to everyone of all abilities.  The meal sounds like it could be quite good.  Never been to the port today (this month I haven't been to most of them!)  Maybe yesterday I should have posted photos of all 4 days we had in Israel instead of just the day in Haifa to make up for that!  🤣

 

Bon Voyage @richwmn

Prayers for @kazu, @Himselfand everyone on the care list.

[grapau27]

2 hours ago, Sharon in AZ said:

Good morning everyone and Happy Wednesday from Ft Lauderdale!

 

We are now just waiting at the hotel for our transfer to the ship. The bus is supposed to leave at 11:30. My Navigator app says “Welcome Onboard”. There are a lot of passengers staying here for both the Rotterdam and the Eurodam. It’ll be nice to see 2 BHB’s at the port today. 
 

Have a great day everyone!

I hope you both have an absolutely fantastic cruise Sharon.

Graham.

[Norseh2o]

Excited to read about cc'ers boarding ships! Bon Voyage!  Safe travels to all. We had a nice weekend in AZ, spending time just being with family is so valuable.  My mother, Ruth, holds her youngest great grandchild, my Granddaughter, Baby V.  101 and 1/2 years age difference.🥰

[Cruising-along]

4 minutes ago, Norseh2o said:

Excited to read about cc'ers boarding ships! Bon Voyage!  Safe travels to all. We had a nice weekend in AZ, spending time just being with family is so valuable.  My mother, Ruth, holds her youngest great grandchild, my Granddaughter, Baby V.  101 and 1/2 years age difference.🥰

Oh I love this so much!  And your Mother looks great. 🙂  We have a similar photo of my Dad around the same age holding a great-grandchild.  Precious!

[dobiemom]

4 hours ago, marshhawk said:

 

😂🤣😂
 

4 hours ago, *Miss G* said:

Good morning, all.  Just reading The Daily before I brave the cold and hit the road to Canada.  I see there is snow expected in Buffalo.  When isn’t there?  Safe travels and a Bon Voyage to all who are boarding!

Safe travels to you, too. 

 

4 hours ago, StLouisCruisers said:

Only news I have for today is my sister tells me Amy's DH was able to eat soft foods yesterday so he should be (or already is) out of ICU.  

Great news. 🙏
 

2 hours ago, Quartzsite Cruiser said:

Date nut bread is not a favorite, but our neighbor gave us some zucchini bread yesterday.  I took the cookies to the neighbors yesterday and had a nice visit the two vaccinated and boostered neighbors.  Confession -- I waited until the unvaccinated neighbors weren't home to deliver their cookies. 

I would have done the same thing. 
 

1 minute ago, Norseh2o said:

My mother, Ruth, holds her youngest great grandchild, my Granddaughter, Baby V.  101 and 1/2 years age difference.🥰

Awww. 🥰. 
 

Prayers to @kazu Jacqui and Jose, @Himself Father, and everyone on the Care List. 🙏🙏🙏

[Cruzin Terri]

Good afternoon.

Greetings from sunny but cold Bluffton, SC.  

If things had been different.we would have been boarding the Eurodam today with my late DBIL for a Christmas cruise.

He was so looking forward to it and so excited about it. We even managed to get the Pinnacle Suite for that cruise at the Casino rate.  Once he became ill and it was apparent he was not going to recover, we cancelled not knowing how long he would live. 

So DH and I will be here for the holiday by ourselves. Given the uptick in COVID/Omicron cases, I guess that is a good thing.

 Glad we were able to get in a cruise on the Riviera and get a much needed rest.

We decided that we will get a small dinner from the Fresh Market for Christmas so that I do not have to cook and help my painful upper extremities  recover from my autoimmune disease.  

I am doing better but don’t want to push my luck at this point.

I hope everyone has a great Wednesday and stays warm and cozy.

God bless,

Terri

 

 

[grapau27]

18 minutes ago, Norseh2o said:

Excited to read about cc'ers boarding ships! Bon Voyage!  Safe travels to all. We had a nice weekend in AZ, spending time just being with family is so valuable.  My mother, Ruth, holds her youngest great grandchild, my Granddaughter, Baby V.  101 and 1/2 years age difference.🥰

Lovely photo of your mam and granddaughter.

At 101 years old your mam is amazing.

Graham.

[cat shepard]

40 minutes ago, Norseh2o said:

Excited to read about cc'ers boarding ships! Bon Voyage!  Safe travels to all. We had a nice weekend in AZ, spending time just being with family is so valuable.  My mother, Ruth, holds her youngest great grandchild, my Granddaughter, Baby V.  101 and 1/2 years age difference.🥰

 

This is just so special on so many levels! Sheer joy!

[JazzyV]

46 minutes ago, Norseh2o said:

Excited to read about cc'ers boarding ships! Bon Voyage!  Safe travels to all. We had a nice weekend in AZ, spending time just being with family is so valuable.  My mother, Ruth, holds her youngest great grandchild, my Granddaughter, Baby V.  101 and 1/2 years age difference.🥰

 

What a wonderful picture! Your Mother looks great and you are so fortunate to have her still with you.

[SusieKIslandGirl]

5 hours ago, marshhawk said:

 

@marshhawk

I got my Christmas bonus yesterday-a gift card for Starbucks.   Think I need an eggnog latte. 

 

Hate to be the one to disappoint but Starbucks doesn't have eggnog lattes this year. They decided we all need to try new flavors. Bah Humbug!

 

 

 

[bennybear]

Good morning and thanks all! Bon voyage to those boarding today! 
@Norseh2o how special that lovely photo is!  We have a couple of four generations that are so special to me. Love the sweet smiles! 
I looked up Tsuguru, it looks like it’s the port for Hirosaki castle about half an hour away. When we visited we docked in Aomori, and it was over an hour drive.  So I will share some photos of the castle. 
 

[richwmn]

On board now, Dive In Burger completed.  My drink was served by Marlon (Brando), a name I have seen mentioned here.

[Cruising-along]

6 minutes ago, richwmn said:

On board now, Dive In Burger completed.  My drink was served by Marlon (Brando), a name I have seen mentioned here.

I remember Marlon (Brando) -- pretty sure he was on either the Koningsdam or Nieuw Statendam with us in 2019. 

[Cruzin Terri]

15 minutes ago, richwmn said:

On board now, Dive In Burger completed.  My drink was served by Marlon (Brando), a name I have seen mentioned here.

Have a wonderful time.

Terri

[StLouisCruisers]

1 hour ago, Norseh2o said:

Excited to read about cc'ers boarding ships! Bon Voyage!  Safe travels to all. We had a nice weekend in AZ, spending time just being with family is so valuable.  My mother, Ruth, holds her youngest great grandchild, my Granddaughter, Baby V.  101 and 1/2 years age difference.🥰

 

Love the photo!  A treasure for all the generations in your family.

[StLouisCruisers]

@bennybearthanks for the photos!  It looks like we should plan our Japanese visits for springtime so we can see all those cherry blossoms!

[StLouisCruisers]

25 minutes ago, richwmn said:

On board now, Dive In Burger completed.  My drink was served by Marlon (Brando), a name I have seen mentioned here.

 

I see you're off to a good start - a drink and a Dive In Burger!

[Love the beach]

32 minutes ago, richwmn said:

On board now, Dive In Burger completed.  My drink was served by Marlon (Brando), a name I have seen mentioned here.

Have a wonderful time! That brings back memories of a "Hunky Dory" from years ago...he was always the talk of the HAL board. Wonder where he is now....

[FL,Cruiser]

42 minutes ago, richwmn said:

On board now, Dive In Burger completed.  My drink was served by Marlon (Brando), a name I have seen mentioned here.

Did you have the fries????   I already miss them....   Have a GREAT cruise, Rich!!

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

2 hours ago, Norseh2o said:

Excited to read about cc'ers boarding ships! Bon Voyage!  Safe travels to all. We had a nice weekend in AZ, spending time just being with family is so valuable.  My mother, Ruth, holds her youngest great grandchild, my Granddaughter, Baby V.  101 and 1/2 years age difference.🥰

 

What a lovely picture of a lovely woman with her very cute great-granddaughter.  This is something you will always treasure.

 

1 hour ago, bennybear said:

Good morning and thanks all! Bon voyage to those boarding today! 
@Norseh2o how special that lovely photo is!  We have a couple of four generations that are so special to me. Love the sweet smiles! 
I looked up Tsuguru, it looks like it’s the port for Hirosaki castle about half an hour away. When we visited we docked in Aomori, and it was over an hour drive.  So I will share some photos of the castle. 
 

 

Thank you for the lovely pictures from Japan.  The cherry blossoms are beautiful.

 

1 hour ago, richwmn said:

On board now, Dive In Burger completed.  My drink was served by Marlon (Brando), a name I have seen mentioned here.

 

Sounds like you are off to a good start on your cruise.  Enjoy every minute.

 

Lenda

[Suslor]

2 hours ago, Love the beach said:

Have a wonderful time! That brings back memories of a "Hunky Dory" from years ago...he was always the talk of the HAL board. Wonder where he is now....

We met Hunky Dory on our first HAL cruise in 2014 and looked for him on subsequent cruises. Someone told us he left HAL. We have a picture taken with him. He was so much fun 😁

[Love the beach]

6 minutes ago, Suslor said:

We met Hunky Dory on our first HAL cruise in 2014 and looked for him on subsequent cruises. Someone told us he left HAL. We have a picture taken with him. He was so much fun 😁

Yes he was.....and remembered everyone's name even a few years later!

[richwmn]

Sailaway was a bit late, but still very nice. Met a couple of the CC members, and will meet more shortly.

When I got back to my cabin there was a list of port experiences

The ports are: Phillipsburg, Sint Maarten

Castries, St Lucia

Bridgetown, Barbados

Roseau, Dominica

Basseterre, St Kitts & Nevis

Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas, USVI

All are allowing HAL Excursions. Barbados and St Kitts are allowing government approved excursions as well. Sint Maarten and St Thomas are allowing Independent Tours.

[mamaofami]

9 hours ago, grapau27 said:

Prayers 🙏 for a negative covid result for your grandson Carol.

Hopefully your routine ECG is fine.

Take care and stay safe.

Graham.

Thank you. One negative and one still waiting.