The Fleet Report and Daily for Sunday September 18th, 2022

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

53 minutes ago, atexsix said:

Good Morning,

 

Thought I'd pop in, just to feel a little more normal from the weekly cacophony of nurses and therapists coming by.  Dad is doing fine, he sleeps a lot and the only real pain he's been in lately is in his lower legs.  We finally got a hospital bed, the kind with the air mattress that rotates the pressure.  An RN drops by twice a week and a PT as well, although the benefit of the latter is questionable because Dad refuses to do the assignments in between visits.  My entire dining room has been transformed into a makeshift supply room, which doesn't really matter because we're not having people over outside of brief periodic visits just to say hello. 

 

We've had a couple chilly mornings and there's a hint of fall in the air.  It's hard to believe how fast the time is going, in another couple weeks I'll be putting out the pumpkins and fall decorations.  

 

Cruising feels like a million miles away, but once in a while I think about it and I know I'll return to it someday in the future, whether that's in a couple of years or ten; I wonder how many changes there'll be by that time?  I wonder how large the ships will be?  Hopefully the world cruises will be returning this winter, it's so enjoyable to read about them. 

 

I hope everybody is doing well and having fantastic trips abroad.  And my apologies to our British friends about the Queen, you're in my thoughts.  

 

Take care!

 

~Bruno

 

Bruno, thanks for stopping by and for the update on Dear Dad.  As others have found, take care of yourself too, and take breaks when needed.  An aide, maybe not every day, but for several hours to a couple of days a week could give you the time to take care of yourself.

 

I just realized that no one has posted pictures of Florence.  I guess all those who posted their pictures last year, are not here today.  I went through my pictures of the days we actually visited Florence instead of touring Tuscany.  After our day in Florence in 2016, we decided the crowds were just getting too big.

 

My pictures are a collection from our visits in 2001, 2002 and 2016.  I'll begin with the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Flore, also know as the Duomo, and the Baptistry. 

 

 

 

 

 

The Basilica di Santa Croce di Firenze, which has the tombs of many famous Italians or at least monuments to them.

 

 

 

 

A replica of Michelangelo's David and another statue outside a church near the Uffizi Gallery, and the gallery.

 

 

Ponte Vecchio

 

 

Looking toward the Uffizi Gallery from the Pone Vecchio

 

In 2001, we took a ships tour to Florence as it was our first visit to the city.  The tour buses were not allowed in the main tourist area.  We had to board these little buses to go from the parking lot into the main area. 

 

Lenda

 

[Sharon in AZ]

Good morning!  I was just in Livorno on June 4, 2022 on the Oosterdam and knew I had posted about the tour I took there.  BTW, I've discovered it's easier to find when you search for a specific date range.  Craig was in covid quarantine so I was on my own.  This is part one of my post:

 

 

Good afternoon everyone from Livorno!  It’s a lovely day. I changed all my tours to shorter ones since I’m by myself, plus most were the ones that Craig wanted. Today was a walking tour, fish market and several stops for food and wine. Wine at 10:00 am!  Yes, please. 
 

Sardine on the fish market. 

Inside the fish auction. 

Typical local fish stew served on bread. It was yummy. 

 

Bruschetta with toppings. The white things are white sardines. Yum. The olives were good too. 

 

Outdoor market. 

 

 

One of the many churches. 

 

[Sharon in AZ]

Part two:

 

Another church. 

Time to make the doughnuts. 

The Oosterdam. 

Our cabin is to the right of the Pinnacle Suite (the one with all the wood). We can see the hot tub from our balcony. 

 

 

 

[Horizon chaser 1957]

Good morning, all! Cheeseburgers and Wife Appreciation - I can see something coming from that combination. I would love the stuffed shells, but have never found large gluten free shells, so none for me.

DD in Taiwan called this morning. They’ve had a string of earthquakes in the last 16 hours or so. The strongest was 6.9. Fortunately it was far from Taipei, and while she felt prolonged shaking on the strongest ones, she’s safe and no damage there.

She had to work Sunday and was home, in fact at work, when the quakes hit. The day before she’d taken the train south and spent the day hiking. There is now major damage to the train and road infrastructure in the south, and many weekenders are unable to travel home. I’m praying the quakes are over, and that we don’t start getting a rise in casualties as reports come in.

Live for today. Don’t put off that cruise, or visit, or hug, as there are no guarantees the chance will come again.

[bennybear]

Good morning and thanks all!   We’ve enjoyed visiting Livorno several times, but as we love Lucca  we highly recommend visiting there.   Riding the walls on a bicycle is a lot of fun! 
 

[cat shepard]

3 hours ago, TiogaCruiser said:

Good Morning All,

And we have another cloudy morning. I’m not complaining.😉 Not sure what is on the agenda for today.

 

@cat shepard Welcome back! Can’t wait to hear about your trip. I’m not sure if our agreement included today, but I’ll post my findings and hand the Wine Department back to you for tomorrow.

 

Today’s Wine:

****************

Forstreiter 2019 Ried Kremser Kogl Gruner Veltline

I’m giving this one a pass.

 

About Forstreiter 2019 Gruner Veltliner, Ried Kremser Kogl:

The Forstreiter family, owners of Meinhard Forstreiter have been making wine since the late 1800s. With winemaking in their blood, they have brought their current property to an exceptional level of quality. The vineyard is situated in Krems-Hollenburg in the Kremstal, along the right bank of the Danube River, across from the Wachau, an ideal micro-climate for Gruner Veltliner. Grapes for this wine are sourced from a single vineyard located in Hollenburg, the southernmost district of Krems, with slopes facing the southeast. The soils are dominated by loess and supplemented by conglomerate and gravel. The warm Pannonian climate from the east meets the Continental influenced climate of the higher situated Waldviertel. This results in extreme temperature differences between day and night, which has intense positive effect on the formation of flavor.

 

Wine Enthusiast Magazine selected this as the #20 Top 100 Wine of 2021. They scored it 93 points, saying "Yeast and salty miso are the chief notions on the nose. The palate adds pepper and wonderfully vivid, slight spritz to the slender but concentrated body while lemon brightness highlights the purity."

-- ANNE KREBIEHL MW
 

Have a great day everyone!

 

 

 

 

Bless you, Laura. Thank you for taking such great care of The Dailyites’ wine needs. I will take back the reins tomorrow.
 

My last load of laundry is in the dryer. And Bindi has sniffed EVERY blade of grass on her favorite walk & marked every foot or so. At least that is what it seemed like. 

 

[JazzyV]

Good afternoon. Thanks for the Fleet Report/Daily.

Great days. I like cheeseburgers a lot. Women's friendships can be special. Wives should be appreciated, as should husbands. I will disagree with the quote.

I like the meal (although carby) and the drink. Pass on the wine.

I have been to Florence, but on a land trip. Thanks for all the photos.

 

It's partly sunny and 80F. I got out and mowed the lawn while much of it was in shade, but was still sweating a lot. It's supposed to rain tomorrow. Now watching the Steeler game.

 

@grapau27 Thank you for Father David's sermon today. 

@cat shepard @lindaler Welcome home.

@1ANGELCAT I hope you're able to go on your cruise. Oh my with the wrangling over payment of your treatment for your hand. How can they expect you to sign about paying if it's not covered, when they don't state the cost?

@HAL Sailer Prayers for DSIL as she navigates this process. And for DH too as he suffers from not being able to visit her.

@Quartzsite Cruiser I hope the new roof screws solves the leak problem. 

@kazu Thank goodness for the extended warranty on the freezer. Oh my on the front door alarm.

@TiogaCruiser Thanks for the excellent job you did with the daily wine.

@kochleffel Yay, it sounds like Junior Cat is doing better.

@durangoscots Maybe I should rethink my flu and booster shots together. I don't usually have any issue with the flu shot, but I figured to possibly feel bad all at once!

@atexsix Good to see you stopping in Bruno. It's very commendable all you're doing for DD.

@Horizon chaser 1957 I'm glad DD is safe; that's scary.

@bennybear Woohoo on the good check up with the Oncologist!

 

Prayers for the Care List and a Toast to the Celebration List.

Stay safe and healthy everyone.

 

A few pictures from Florence (pre-digital photos scanned so not the best quality)

View of Florence from Piazalle Michelangelo

 

Galleria dell'Accademia, Michelangelo's David

 

 

Duomo of Florence

 

East Doors of Baptistry of San Giovanni

 

 

Neptune Fountain, Piazza della Signoria

 

Basilica of Santa Croce

Edited September 18, 2022 by JazzyV

[grapau27]

3 minutes ago, JazzyV said:

Good afternoon. Thanks for the Fleet Report/Daily.

Great days. I like cheeseburgers a lot. Women's friendships can be special. Wives should be appreciated, as should husbands. I will disagree with the quote.

I like the meal (although carby) and the drink. Pass on the wine.

I have been to Florence, but on a land trip. Thanks for all the photos.

 

It's partly sunny and 80F. I got out and mowed the lawn while much of it was in shade, but was still sweating a lot. It's supposed to rain tomorrow. Now watching the Steeler game.

 

@grapau27 Thank you for Father David's sermon today. 

@cat shepard @lindaler Welcome home.

@1ANGELCAT I hope you're able to go on your cruise. Oh my with the wrangling over payment of your treatment for your hand. How can they expect you to sign about paying if it's not covered, when they don't state the cost?

@HAL Sailer Prayers for DSIL as she navigates this process. And for DH too as he suffers from not being able to visit her.

@Quartzsite Cruiser I hope the new roof screws solves the leak problem. 

@kazu Thank goodness for the extended warranty on the freezer. Oh my on the front door alarm.

@TiogaCruiser Thanks for the excellent job you did with the daily wine.

@kochleffel Yay, it sounds like Junior Cat is doing better.

@durangoscots Maybe I should rethink my flu and booster shots together. I don't usually have any issue with the flu shot, but I figured to possibly feel bad all at once!

@atexsix Good to see you stopping in Bruno. It's very commendable all you're doing for DD.

@Horizon chaser 1957 I'm glad DD is safe; that's scary.

@bennybear Woohoo on the good check up with the Oncologist!

 

Prayers for the Care List and a Toast to the Celebration List.

Stay safe and healthy everyone.

 

A few pictures from Florence (pre-digital photos scanned so not the best quality)

View of Florence from Piazalle Michelangelo

 

Galleria dell'Accademia, Michelangelo's David

 

 

Duomo of Florence

 

East Doors of Baptistry of San Giovanni

 

 

Neptune Fountain, Piazza della Signoria

 

Basilica of Santa Croce

Thank you Vanessa.

I'm pleased you always enjoy Father Davids sermons and I'm happy to post them.

Lovely photos of Florence one of our favourite Italian cities.

Graham.

 

[cat shepard]

My adventure was so very special. Three years in the planning thanks to the Big C, I feared that something was bound to go wrong. Two minor hiccups, one is an opportunity for HAL.  Referred to as “The Lunch”, by my fellow passengers and I. 😎. The other disappears, if airport ground crews can staff up.

 

After all my worry about testing positive, it did not happen. ArriveCAN actually worked more smoothly for me than VerFLY. The latter would not allow me to complete and record my health assessment. All flights were timely. A bit rough returning to Orlando last night, we really bounced when we touched down. I had my first wine in a can on the flight to Anchorage - the start of a wine-filled adventure. 

 

 

We were so lucky with our weather. Rain & wind on our 26 Glacier excursion out of Whittier. Fog and low clouds for our Fly Denali trip, with a smattering of light rain on our hikes in the National Park that day. And then it rained a little bit in Juneau for our combo small boat whale trip & Mendenhall hike. The rest was gorgeous sun, or partly sunny!
 

The Alaska Railroad trains are a wonderful way to enjoy traveling without anyone needing to watch the road. Good food. Fun drinks - I had my first Moose Kiss. Baileys in black coffee. Met some great people & wonderful conductors.

 

The day after landing in Anchorage, we headed to Seward via train. The train delivered our luggage to the hotel, so we did not have anything to lug around.

 

 

 

We walked around Seward our first afternoon and then did the full day Kenai fjords small boat trip.

 

One of Sewards many murals…

 

 

Our hotel delivered our luggage to the train depot, so we only had to worry about ourselves catching the train back that evening.  I know I already posted my orca video from that day. I was very happy to have my gloves, windproof pants and long underwear that day - ooh and my smart wool socks and hiking boots. Though it did not rain, the windproof aspect of my rain jacket was most welcome. The seas were very calm that day - even the Captain commented how lucky we were.  We had a great lunch, but their coffee was gross. Luckily the day was so fantastic, it made up for it.  

 

 

 

 

 

We made it back to Seward and to the evening train with minutes to spare. The boat returned to a dock much further out than the one we left from, so I admit to being a bit nervous. And we were not the last passengers to board. Phew!

 

Our rooms were ready at the Westmark and HAL’s welcome packet greeted us. We link with the HAL Denali group the day after tomorrow. The hotel is clean, but boy those rooms need to be updated. No real complaints since we only slept, showered and had breakfast there. Which brings me to their continental breakfast buffet - it had the most amazing array of fresh fruit I have encountered at a hotel. A decent choice of bread for toasts, or sweet rolls. And excellent coffee. Our first morning we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast, since our train to Whittier for the 26 Glacier cruise did not leave until mid-morning.

 

We arrived at Whittier. Walked across the main drag and boarded our vessel. We quickly learned that the squeegees on the window sills were there for a reason.

 

 

All that talking and breathing steamed things up.
 

Forest Ranger Kathleen was on board and a wealth of knowledge.

 

 

 

Lunch was a delicious salmon chowder. About an hour from Whittier the Captain announced that College fjord was so foggy that it would be dangerous for us to travel up it. So only 10 glaciers today. We all smiled, because we all knew that getting close to just one would be wonderful. The only time I wished I had warned my rain pants was on this tour. The sideways wind drove the rain hard against my windproof pants. Not 100% waterproof, but close. After commenting to Ranger Kathleen that it was too bad I had just aged out of Junior Ranger qualification, she came over with Junior Ranger books for my friend and I. We saw Sea Lions and Seals. And a couple bear enjoying a salmon lunch & a glacier very close.

 

 

A great tour, though coming down the very steep, soaking we gangway was treacherous.  The train back to Anchorage was even fun. We saw a couple moose far off in a field, but hundreds of Beluga whales feasting on salmon in Turnagain Arm! We were tired, but very glad we went. 

To be continued….

Edited September 18, 2022 by cat shepard

[rafinmd]

Today's sunrise is from my 2014 Carnival Fantasy cruise.  September 18 was our sea day, the last day before our return to Charleston and meeting my brother for his reunion.

 

 

Roy

[kazu]

2 hours ago, Sharon in AZ said:

Good afternoon everyone from Livorno!  It’s a lovely day. I changed all my tours to shorter ones since I’m by myself, plus most were the ones that Craig wanted. Today was a walking tour, fish market and several stops for food and wine. Wine at 10:00 am!  Yes, please. 

 

That walking tour looks very nice, Sharon - do you mind if I ask - was it through HAL or another guide or diy?

 

2 hours ago, Horizon chaser 1957 said:

Live for today. Don’t put off that cruise, or visit, or hug, as there are no guarantees the chance will come again.

 

Truer words were never spoken. ♥️ there are no guarantees in life 💔 

[Kurtybee123]

7 hours ago, Quartzsite Cruiser said:

Good morning from sunny, warm and breezy central Texas.  There is not much on the agenda today, so it may be another lazy day like yesterday.

 

We watched the Texas Longhorns game last night.  After losing by one point to #1 Alabama last week, the Longhorns moved up to #21.  At the beginning of the game last night, it looked like UT San Antonio might win, but UT out played them in the second half, and the Horns beat the Roadrunners 42-20. 🤘

 

Some good news this morning, we received an email from the people who will replace the screws in our metal roof.  They have a change in their schedule, and wanted to know if first thing tomorrow was all right to do the job.  When I emailed them back, I ask just what time "first thing" tomorrow was.  It turns out, their idea of first thing in the morning is earlier than ours, and they'll be here at 7:15 am.  I can be up by then, but I'm not sure about DH.  Hopefully, replacing the screws will solve our leak problem.

 

As far as national cheeseburger day, we celebrated a couple of days early since cheeseburgers were our dinner Friday night.  I value my women friends and hope I'm appreciated as a wife.

 

The Oscar Wilde quote is interesting, but I'm not sure I completely agree with it.  

 

Stuffed shells are good, and I make them occasionally.  We'll pass on the drink and think about the wine.

 

We have been to Livorno many times, and all but the first time were on BHBs.  I'll repost my pictures in a few minutes.

 

@1ANGELCAT    I hope you will be able to enjoy your cruise, and not have to cancel.  However, you know what you can and cannot do, and I'm sure you will decide what is best for you.  And I hope the insurance issue with the doctor is solved soon.

@HAL Sailer  Melisa, I hope your DSIL gets the results of the full body scan soon.  In a way, I can understand her doctor recommending beginning chemo based on what was found during the surgery.  This will give them a head start on fighting the cancer, and hopefully slowing or stopping any further spread of cancer cells.  I feel so sad for your DH not being able to visit with his sister. 

@HAL4NOW  Have safe if longer drive to the coast today.  Thanks for the update on the fire and road closures.  You are right, I wouldn't want to be in the path of one of those falling trees.

@ottahand7  Loved the picture of the flowers and the butterfly.  It's interesting the different versions of the King Ranch Casserole recipe.

@cunnorl  It sounds like you have everything under control for you long cruise.  We like longer cruises and have everything arranged so we don't have to worry when we are away.  All our bills are either direct debited from the bank account or charged to a credit card which is debited from the bank account.  Since we travel a lot (or did pre-Covid), our mail is sent to a mail forwarding service which will hold the mail as long as needed.  Needless to say, after a very long trip, we get a big box of forwarded mail, mostly junk.  We no longer have houseplants to worry about, and our neighbor, who has a mowing service, looks after the yard.  

@rafinmd  Roy, sending best wishes to the search and rescue members going to Puerto Rico for their safety.

@Crazy For Cats  Jake, I think I know who the boss of your house is.  🤣 🐈

@cat shepard  Welcome home, Ann.  Can't wait to hear about your trip.

@lindaler  Linda, welcome home.  Enjoy your sister's visit to Mobile.

 

Lenda

🤘🐂🤘

[SusieKIslandGirl]

Thank you for all the photos of Florence and Pisa. We will be taking the train from Rome to Florence, plus a bus tour to Pisa, before our Island Princess cruise back to Ft. Lauderdale in November. I was looking forward to this before but the photos have really amped up my excitement. We also added on a 10-day cruise after arriving in FLL and will then fly to Atlanta to spend Christmas with DS and DDIL, celebrate our 53rd anniversary 2 days later, their anniversary 3 days after that and finally a flight back to Seattle. Phew!

Have a great week and welcome to Fall. 

[dobiemom]

6 hours ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

YES I WANT ONE! 😋

[RedneckBob]

3 hours ago, JazzyV said:

Good afternoon. Thanks for the Fleet Report/Daily.

Great days. I like cheeseburgers a lot. Women's friendships can be special. Wives should be appreciated, as should husbands. I will disagree with the quote.

I like the meal (although carby) and the drink. Pass on the wine.

I have been to Florence, but on a land trip. Thanks for all the photos.

 

It's partly sunny and 80F. I got out and mowed the lawn while much of it was in shade, but was still sweating a lot. It's supposed to rain tomorrow. Now watching the Steeler game.

 

@grapau27 Thank you for Father David's sermon today. 

@cat shepard @lindaler Welcome home.

@1ANGELCAT I hope you're able to go on your cruise. Oh my with the wrangling over payment of your treatment for your hand. How can they expect you to sign about paying if it's not covered, when they don't state the cost?

@HAL Sailer Prayers for DSIL as she navigates this process. And for DH too as he suffers from not being able to visit her.

@Quartzsite Cruiser I hope the new roof screws solves the leak problem. 

@kazu Thank goodness for the extended warranty on the freezer. Oh my on the front door alarm.

@TiogaCruiser Thanks for the excellent job you did with the daily wine.

@kochleffel Yay, it sounds like Junior Cat is doing better.

@durangoscots Maybe I should rethink my flu and booster shots together. I don't usually have any issue with the flu shot, but I figured to possibly feel bad all at once!

@atexsix Good to see you stopping in Bruno. It's very commendable all you're doing for DD.

@Horizon chaser 1957 I'm glad DD is safe; that's scary.

@bennybear Woohoo on the good check up with the Oncologist!

 

Prayers for the Care List and a Toast to the Celebration List.

Stay safe and healthy everyone.

 

A few pictures from Florence (pre-digital photos scanned so not the best quality)

View of Florence from Piazalle Michelangelo

 

Galleria dell'Accademia, Michelangelo's David

 

 

Duomo of Florence

 

East Doors of Baptistry of San Giovanni

 

 

Neptune Fountain, Piazza della Signoria

 

Basilica of Santa Croce

I am glad you told me these photos were scanned since it was pre digital. That explains why the photo of David seems to have certain things out of proportion 😀.

By the way when I was there you could not take a picture of David, only pay for one.

[Mr. Boston]

9 hours ago, kazu said:

Thanks for our Sunday Daily, Rich.

 

Great collection of days - a cheeseburger sounds good if it stops raining & I will gladly celebrate my friendship with women.  Wives are priceless.

 

Not sure what to make of the today’s quote and don’t agree with it.  Today’s meal is a good one but I may opt for a cheeseburger instead.

 

We’ve been to Livorno a few times - so much to see in the area aside from Florence and, always an enjoyable, interesting day.

 

Well the appliance and electronic bug have bit.  My deep freeze didn’t have the light on so I unplugged, unloaded it and defrosted and cleaned it.  Put it back on and it seems to be working sort of but the light that tells me it is isn’t.  The warranty was expiring in May and fortunately when they offered the extended warranty in April, I took it.  Didn’t want the hassle of replacing if repair was too pricey with Jose in the hospital/nursing home (I had nor crystal ball 😔).  So, just a call to the company for service.

 

 

Went to replace the front door battery for the alarm system and there’s nothing there to put a battery in 😱 Hopefully they are out today to replace and not like this guy:

 

 

Talk about a weird garden year - this vine has gone nuts but never flowered.

 

 

Finally last night I saw the first 2 flowers (You can see them at the top in the other pic)

 

 

 

Dumb vine - don’t you know it’s mid September and you are going to be ripped out soon?

 

 

I hope you can go and make it work 🤞 

 

 

Ugh.  That ‘unknown’ is scary

 

 

Oh dear Melissa - I hope the centre can get what she needs and she can gain some strength.  My prayers continue for her 🙏 

 

 

 

Welcome home 🙂. Can’t wait to hear about it 👍 

 

 

Smart thinking Debbie 👍 The more you catch and do, the less for the inspector.  I wouldn’t fret too much on it - I’ve saw one miss a lot when we bought a house.  On this one, I nixed an inspector and instead brought in a contractor I trusted.

 

 

Prayers for everyone on the Care list & those that need them and 🥂 to those on the Celebratory / Shout Out list.  Have a great Saturday everyone!

 

Stay safe & please don’t forget your 😷 

 

 

Our morning glories have done the exact same thing, minus two flowers!

[cat shepard]

Ann’s great adventure part 2….

 

Some of the pics I want to post, are not cooperating. If I ever figure out the problem, I promise to share them.

 

We joined the rest of our fellow Triple Denali-ties in a waiting area in the Westmark. It eventually got very crowded. Two bus loads of approximately 70 people each headed off to the McKinley Chalet Lodge. Our driver/guide Chrissy was very personable.  
 

The bus was a great one for a 30 minute ride. Not so great for a 4+ hour one. HAL needed to use the bus that transported us on the 15 minute ride from the Chalet to the train station for the 4+ hour ride.  That one had drink holders and charging ports and ample leg room. The Anchorage to Denali bus had decent seats, but that was it.  I already shared “The Lunch” experience with you. Sometime this week, I will be sharing my opinion with HAL corporate office, though I already included the experience in my survey response. 
 

We arrived at the Chalet. A young man boarded the bus and gave out room assignments and keys, and then Chrissy drove us down “Heart Attack” hill to our building. It looked like a dormitory from the road. But as we walked closer, we were impressed. Their was a gas fireplace and sitting area outside. Our rooms were beautiful and decorated in “rustic modern”.  Our luggage was waiting for us.  It helped us move away from the lunch experience. 

 

We unpacked a bit, then headed up to the lodge. It felt great to walk, and though Heart Attack hill got my heart pumping, it was wonderful. We peaked in the main building of the Chalet, and then Crossed the street to see what options for dinner might be available. We loved the menu of Moose-aka, so in we went. It did not disappoint. My goal of making it to dessert was helped by sharing several appetizers. We enjoyed a lovely Mark West Pinot Noir. When our waiter said they would be closed Saturday, we decided we would return the next day & then eat at Karstens on the Chalet property on Saturday. Back across the street and after enjoying the outside fire, headed in to the room. 
 

The morning was a chilly 39 but sunny and clear with promises of sixty degree temps. We headed to the Black Bear for breakfast. I had avocado toast with scrambled eggs and the avocado was sliced!  It was delicious.  

 

 

We headed back to the lodge to pick up some luggage tags that were missing from our welcome package. They tried to help me with VeriFLY, but no one could figure out why the app would not allow me to complete and save my health assessment, since everything else worked for me. 🤔. We then had our COVID test completed and within minutes had our results - negative!

 

We went back to the room & put on our luggage tags. Then we picked up our pre-ordered boxed lunches for the Tundra Wilderness Tour. They looked great, but about an hour into the tour, we were provided lunch and water. None of our info told us that lunch would be included. And then we saw Denali.
 

 

Truly awesome in the true sense of the word.  We saw caribou, Dall sheep, prairie dog-type critters,

 

 

a grizzly bear!

 

 

It was an amazing trip, shortened by the road closure at Mile 43, but we were all very satisfied with the tour. And one thing that tickled all of us was that a certain section of the road was closed to vehicular traffic for the first 10 minutes of every hour to allow Dall sheep to safely cross.

 

 

Back to the Lodge, we did a quick change and headed back to Moose-aka for supper. We had a short wait before we were seated, and then enjoyed another amazing meal. Another pre-bed chat by the fire. A couple who had ventured out at midnight in hopes of seeing the Aurora were nice enough to share their pics. We had asked the lodge to call us, if the Aurora appeared, but they did not.

 

 

 

Our last day in Denali dawned cloudy and foggy. We went to Karstens for their breakfast buffet, because we expected Fly Denali to pick us up at 7:45 a.m.  As we neared Karstens we received a call from Fly Denali offering us a later time, in hopes that the weather would clear and we might be able to land on a glacier. We grabbed the offer. After a lackluster breakfast, we headed to the Lodge to grab a Denali National Park shuttle. We now wanted to get a couple of hikes in before getting picked up for our flight.
 

A squirrel enjoying breakfast…

 

And the colors of the turning Aspen and Birch trees were gorgeous even in cloudy weather. 

 

 

We also watched a great documentary about the sled dogs raised, trained and used by Park Rangers. We knew we wouldn’t have time to actually get out to the kennels, so we enjoyed watching the movie. 
 

Back to the Lodge, we enjoyed eating the boxed lunch we did not eat the previous day. Fly Denali picked us up promptly and after a 15 minute ride by mountains, crevasses, waterfalls and cliffs - we arrived. Our pilot, Michael was great. I got to fly co-pilot! Perhaps because the button in front of me had “GPS Ann” under it? Though the only thing I had to do was keep my feet off the pedals.  We knew the weather would not permit a landing on the glacier, but we enjoyed every minute of the flight. 
 

 

 

 

 

Back at the Lodge we wandered around looking at all the flowers on the property. Something that we did not expect to see. 
 

 

 

 

We went back to our room. Showered. Did some packing. And then headed to Karstens for supper. They had Meiomi! And they sent us back to our room with two wine glasses and our unfinished bottle. We sat out by the fire and enjoyed our last night in Denali. Fellow visitors popped by to chat.  And we even had a chance to chat with two young European woman who had been working at the Lodge for the summer.  We quickly dispelled their idea that we were all rich. But we also explained that we knew we were very fortunate to have had the careers and pensions that allowed us to do this. 
 

We finally hit the bed after doing a bit more packing. We had to be up early to get our luggage out in time to be transported to the ship.

 

To be continued….

 

Edited September 19, 2022 by cat shepard

[maryandmarge]

8 hours ago, atexsix said:

Good Morning,

 

Thought I'd pop in, just to feel a little more normal from the weekly cacophony of nurses and therapists coming by.  Dad is doing fine, he sleeps a lot and the only real pain he's been in lately is in his lower legs.  We finally got a hospital bed, the kind with the air mattress that rotates the pressure.  An RN drops by twice a week and a PT as well, although the benefit of the latter is questionable because Dad refuses to do the assignments in between visits.  My entire dining room has been transformed into a makeshift supply room, which doesn't really matter because we're not having people over outside of brief periodic visits just to say hello. 

 

We've had a couple chilly mornings and there's a hint of fall in the air.  It's hard to believe how fast the time is going, in another couple weeks I'll be putting out the pumpkins and fall decorations.  

 

Cruising feels like a million miles away, but once in a while I think about it and I know I'll return to it someday in the future, whether that's in a couple of years or ten; I wonder how many changes there'll be by that time?  I wonder how large the ships will be?  Hopefully the world cruises will be returning this winter, it's so enjoyable to read about them. 

 

I hope everybody is doing well and having fantastic trips abroad.  And my apologies to our British friends about the Queen, you're in my thoughts.  

 

Take care!

 

~Bruno

HI Bruno

Great to hear from you - I always watch for you to post.    I have a close friend since elementary school who is dealing with the same issues as you - her mom has lived with her for years and she's 98 and has been failing this past month.   We offer what help we can to support her - but know that the outcome will not be good.   Her mom is 98 and has had a great life.    

My sister and I are on the Nieuw Amsterdam on October 8th - going from San Diego to Ft. Lauderdale thru the Panama Canal.   We'll do a toast to you and hope to be able to sail with you once again in the future.    Stay healthy and take care.

Maryell

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

Good evening.  This afternoon  the thermometer read 98F, but by the time we took our nightly golf cart ride, it was pleasant out.

 

 

 

 

7 hours ago, Horizon chaser 1957 said:

Good morning, all! Cheeseburgers and Wife Appreciation - I can see something coming from that combination. I would love the stuffed shells, but have never found large gluten free shells, so none for me.

DD in Taiwan called this morning. They’ve had a string of earthquakes in the last 16 hours or so. The strongest was 6.9. Fortunately it was far from Taipei, and while she felt prolonged shaking on the strongest ones, she’s safe and no damage there.

She had to work Sunday and was home, in fact at work, when the quakes hit. The day before she’d taken the train south and spent the day hiking. There is now major damage to the train and road infrastructure in the south, and many weekenders are unable to travel home. I’m praying the quakes are over, and that we don’t start getting a rise in casualties as reports come in.

Live for today. Don’t put off that cruise, or visit, or hug, as there are no guarantees the chance will come again.

 

I'm glad your DD is safe after the earthquake.  I saw video of the quake, and I feel for those caught in it.  

 

5 hours ago, JazzyV said:

Good afternoon. Thanks for the Fleet Report/Daily.

Great days. I like cheeseburgers a lot. Women's friendships can be special. Wives should be appreciated, as should husbands. I will disagree with the quote.

I like the meal (although carby) and the drink. Pass on the wine.

I have been to Florence, but on a land trip. Thanks for all the photos.

 

It's partly sunny and 80F. I got out and mowed the lawn while much of it was in shade, but was still sweating a lot. It's supposed to rain tomorrow. Now watching the Steeler game.

 

@grapau27 Thank you for Father David's sermon today. 

@cat shepard @lindaler Welcome home.

@1ANGELCAT I hope you're able to go on your cruise. Oh my with the wrangling over payment of your treatment for your hand. How can they expect you to sign about paying if it's not covered, when they don't state the cost?

@HAL Sailer Prayers for DSIL as she navigates this process. And for DH too as he suffers from not being able to visit her.

@Quartzsite Cruiser I hope the new roof screws solves the leak problem. 

@kazu Thank goodness for the extended warranty on the freezer. Oh my on the front door alarm.

@TiogaCruiser Thanks for the excellent job you did with the daily wine.

@kochleffel Yay, it sounds like Junior Cat is doing better.

@durangoscots Maybe I should rethink my flu and booster shots together. I don't usually have any issue with the flu shot, but I figured to possibly feel bad all at once!

@atexsix Good to see you stopping in Bruno. It's very commendable all you're doing for DD.

@Horizon chaser 1957 I'm glad DD is safe; that's scary.

@bennybear Woohoo on the good check up with the Oncologist!

 

Prayers for the Care List and a Toast to the Celebration List.

Stay safe and healthy everyone.

 

A few pictures from Florence (pre-digital photos scanned so not the best quality)

View of Florence from Piazalle Michelangelo

 

Galleria dell'Accademia, Michelangelo's David

 

 

Duomo of Florence

 

East Doors of Baptistry of San Giovanni

 

 

Neptune Fountain, Piazza della Signoria

 

Basilica of Santa Croce

 

Vanessa, we also hope the screws solve the leak problem.  🤞  The next step if that doesn't fix it would be to open up the cieling to try to determine where the water is getting in.  I only want to open the ceiling when the leak is fixed and we're ready replace the insulation and wallboard.

 

5 hours ago, cat shepard said:

My adventure was so very special. Three years in the planning thanks to the Big C, I feared that something was bound to go wrong. Two minor hiccups, one is an opportunity for HAL.  Referred to as “The Lunch”, by my fellow passengers and I. 😎. The other disappears, if airport ground crews can staff up.

 

After all my worry about testing positive, it did not happen. ArriveCAN actually worked more smoothly for me than VerFLY. The latter would not allow me to complete and record my health assessment. All flights were timely. A bit rough returning to Orlando last night, we really bounced when we touched down. I had my first wine in a can on the flight to Anchorage - the start of a wine-filled adventure. 

 

 

We were so lucky with our weather. Rain & wind on our 26 Glacier excursion out of Whittier. Fog and low clouds for our Fly Denali trip, with a smattering of light rain on our hikes in the National Park that day. And then it rained a little bit in Juneau for our combo small boat whale trip & Mendenhall hike. The rest was gorgeous sun, or partly sunny!
 

The Alaska Railroad trains are a wonderful way to enjoy traveling without anyone needing to watch the road. Good food. Fun drinks - I had my first Moose Kiss. Baileys in black coffee. Met some great people & wonderful conductors.

 

The day after landing in Anchorage, we headed to Seward via train. The train delivered our luggage to the hotel, so we did not have anything to lug around.

 

 

 

We walked around Seward our first afternoon and then did the full day Kenai fjords small boat trip.

 

One of Sewards many murals…

 

 

Our hotel delivered our luggage to the train depot, so we only had to worry about ourselves catching the train back that evening.  I know I already posted my orca video from that day. I was very happy to have my gloves, windproof pants and long underwear that day - ooh and my smart wool socks and hiking boots. Though it did not rain, the windproof aspect of my rain jacket was most welcome. The seas were very calm that day - even the Captain commented how lucky we were.  We had a great lunch, but their coffee was gross. Luckily the day was so fantastic, it made up for it.  

 

 

 

 

 

We made it back to Seward and to the evening train with minutes to spare. The boat returned to a dock much further out than the one we left from, so I admit to being a bit nervous. And we were not the last passengers to board. Phew!

 

Our rooms were ready at the Westmark and HAL’s welcome packet greeted us. We link with the HAL Denali group the day after tomorrow. The hotel is clean, but boy those rooms need to be updated. No real complaints since we only slept, showered and had breakfast there. Which brings me to their continental breakfast buffet - it had the most amazing array of fresh fruit I have encountered at a hotel. A decent choice of bread for toasts, or sweet rolls. And excellent coffee. Our first morning we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast, since our train to Whittier for the 26 Glacier cruise did not leave until mid-morning.

 

We arrived at Whittier. Walked across the main drag and boarded our vessel. We quickly learned that the squeegees on the window sills were there for a reason.

 

 

All that talking and breathing steamed things up.
 

Forest Ranger Kathleen was on board and a wealth of knowledge.

 

 

 

Lunch was a delicious salmon chowder. About an hour from Whittier the Captain announced that College fjord was so foggy that it would be dangerous for us to travel up it. So only 10 glaciers today. We all smiled, because we all knew that getting close to just one would be wonderful. The only time I wished I had warned my rain pants was on this tour. The sideways wind drove the rain hard against my windproof pants. Not 100% waterproof, but close. After commenting to Ranger Kathleen that it was too bad I had just aged out of Junior Ranger qualification, she came over with Junior Ranger books for my friend and I. We saw Sea Lions and Seals. And a couple bear enjoying a salmon lunch & a glacier very close.

 

 

A great tour, though coming down the very steep, soaking we gangway was treacherous.  The train back to Anchorage was even fun. We saw a couple moose far off in a field, but hundreds of Beluga whales feasting on salmon in Turnagain Arm! We were tired, but very glad we went. 

To be continued….

 

Ann, I'm enjoying the installments about your trip.  You can't really see Alaska unless you also see at least part of the interior.

 

Lenda

[Cruzin Terri]

Good evening all.  I didn’t expect to be so late in posting tonight but things just got ahead of me.

For a change we did not drive to our home today.  We just stayed and rested.  We needed that so badly.  I caught up on some phone calls I had to make and other things I needed to do.

i was glad not to do the hour drive each way. And then it is so depressing to see our house in such disarray and not to be able to do anything about it.

We shall see what tomorrow brings.

Thank you Rich for the Daily and Fleet report.  I like the days.  I am a big fan of cheeseburgers but must admit that I don’t eat them often.  I had one the other night when we did not feel like cooking so we ate out before coming back to the condo.

I appreciate my women friends and recently lost my dearest friend.  I know that DH appreciates me and that means the world to me.

The quote is not one that I actually care for.

I like the meal and the drink.  Not sure of the wine.

Have been to Livorno a number of times and always have spent the day in Florence,  I will not post any photos since at this point I am not really sure if I can.

 

We have a busy week ahead of us. We are awaiting an estimate from the contractor along with the contract to sign so that the work can get started on the house. I really hope we are not going to have a contractor-insurance war.  We are also waiting for the plumber to come this week to disconnect the garden tub and shower so that they can be removed from the master bath. 

 

All this is so heartbreaking. I really appreciate all your support and prayers.  It makes a difference.

 

Take care everyone, stay safe and

God Bless,

Terri

[HAL Sailer]

12 hours ago, ottahand7 said:

I have found and scanned the recipe for King Ranch Chicken.

Thank you!

-Melisa

[HAL Sailer]

11 hours ago, Quartzsite Cruiser said:

In a way, I can understand her doctor recommending beginning chemo based on what was found during the surgery.  This will give them a head start on fighting the cancer, and hopefully slowing or stopping any further spread of cancer cells. 

DH and I had not thought of it that way. Thanks for the different perspective.

-Melisa

[HAL Sailer]

9 hours ago, atexsix said:

Cruising feels like a million miles away, but once in a while I think about it and I know I'll return to it someday in the future, whether that's in a couple of years or ten.

You put into words exactly how I've been feeling and thinking. Here's hoping we are able to go to sea when our land based duties are complete -- "whether in a couple of years or ten."

-Melisa

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

35 minutes ago, HAL Sailer said:

DH and I had not thought of it that way. Thanks for the different perspective.

-Melisa

 

Melisa, I'm glad I could add a different perspective.  Sometimes, it takes someone who's not so close to a situation to see another point of view.

 

Lenda

 

Edited September 19, 2022 by Quartzsite Cruiser

[grapau27]

Good morning.

It is 50°F and cloudy at 07.50am here in the UK.

Her Majesty the Queen's funeral is due to take place at 11am at Westminster Abbey and her coffin is due to leave Westminster Hall at 10.44am.

The last people walked past the coffin at Westminster Hall around 06.00am this morning.

Graham.