The Fleet Report and Daily for Wednesday April 5th, 2023

Crazy For Cats · April 5, 2023

Good Morning Everyone, thanks for the daily fleet report. I’d like a good deep dish pizza, DH prefers thin crust. I’m remember picking dandelions so that DM could make wine. I’ll pass on today’s meal suggestion. Yesterday I got the shareholder perk added to my September cruise and the two that follow it. I’m taking the afternoon off as sick time but it’s more a mental health afternoon. Since DH will be tied up with work until very late I’m debating on takeout for dinner. I hope everyone has a good day today.

dfish · April 5, 2023

Good morning, everyone!

It is a dark and stormy day here in mid-Michigan. Temps are supposed to be in the 70s, but that is accompanied by strong thunderstorms. We had a few thunder bumpers that woke me up during the night. I just heard the first crack of thunder for the morning. I think I'll be staying right where I am!

@NextOne

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Warm thoughts out to @tupper10 for a successful surgery and to Annie @marshhawk for her PET scan. Let it show nothing wrong!

Today's meal will be a big surprise to many. It is the Vietnamese version of a sub sandwich. In Vietnamese cuisine, bánh mì or banh mi is a short baguette with thin, crisp crust and soft, airy texture. It is often split lengthwise and filled with savory ingredients like a submarine sandwich and served as a meal, called bánh mì thịt. Plain banh mi is also eaten as a staple food.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bánh_mì

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Typically, bahn mi contains meat, often fried pork. Meat lovers can certainly replace the tofu with a meat of their choosing.

I think this one looks so good. It makes me interested in trying the tofu. https://www.loveandlemons.com/banh-mi/

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The crispy tofu and the crusty bread make a great combination. https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/8031494/banh-mi-with-crispy-tofu/

One last take on things. Don't be afraid to try your favorite ingredients. If there is something you don't like, swap it out for something you do. https://www.pickuplimes.com/recipe/tofu-vietnamese-sub-bánh-mì-81

Ok, the perfect meal for the summer coming up! Wishing all of you a wonderful day!

grapau27 · April 5, 2023

49 minutes ago, rafinmd said:

Happy Hump Day. Thank you Rich, Sandi, Vanessa, Debbie, Dixie, and Ann. I have updated my list of Daily milestones to add April 1 as the premier of "This Day in History. I believe it's also the first full day of Passover. I think I'll pass on the days today as well as the tofu, I prefer Sandi's version of the quote. I've been to Barbados many times as ports of call as well as disembarking there from Windstar Ttansatlantics, My alternative menu suggestion is Chilled Blueberry Soup, Sauteed Pork Chop, and Viennese Apple Strudel as served on MS Zaandam April 5, 2017:

Roy

Afternoon Roy.

I have a number of good Jewish friends on Royal Caribbean and have learned a lot of the greetings, celebrations etc.

Passover starts this evening.

It is 13.32pm here in the UK and 15.32pm in Israel.

Graham.

cunnorl · April 5, 2023

Good Morning from a warm and sunny day at the beach

No fog here. We seem to have a different weather pattern than the rest of the coast.

We play trivia one nite a week. When we get to the final question, one of my team mates always says " lets go for broke". I will have to tell him that has its own day!

We have been to Barbados but several year ago.

@NextOne a very Happy Birthday and many many more.

Not much on my agenda today except house cleaning.

Stay safe and enjoy today

Charlene

ottahand7 · April 5, 2023

Good morning from very stormy SW Michigan. It is raining so hard that we have no TV signal. I have a garden club meeting at a local garden center so I can do double duty and pick up Milorganite and the Tithonia seeds I couldn't find at my local stores.

Thank you for the Daily and Fleet Reports Sandi, we truly appreciate the work that you and Rich do for us each day. The Bahama Mama cocktail looks like a good one for once on a cruise and today's sine looks good too. We had Banh Mi on the Volendam but I cannot remember what was in it. I am sure it wasn't tofu.

Speaking of the Volendam, John was able to get in touch with one of our favorite waiters, Aframe on Facebook and we should be able to get hold of Lucky because he posted on Aframe's page too. They really made our times dining very special. They are already back home in Indonesia.

Prayers for all on our care list, the shooting victim's families in Nashville and the tornado damaged areas. Prayers for the people of Ukraine. We will probably have tornado watch for most of the morning.

We could not make our tour in Barbados. Our first pick was cancelled before we even boarded the Volendam which was a rum distillery and St. Nicholas Abbey. Late in the cruise we booked Barbados Natural Sights or something like that but it was at 12:30. Meanwhile we signed up for the Chef's dinner at 6:00. No problem we figured but when it got to be 12:30 our tour bus wasn't there so we asked for a refund because of it being delayed, it took some work to get them to honor their commitment but they did. We will be back next year in February. I have wonderful memories of the smell of molasses in the port area probably from some nearby distillery. Have a

kochleffel · April 5, 2023

Pizza is off my list for the coming week (Passover). Banh Mi is also off, because of the bread, even if made with tofu instead of pork, and so is Roy's alternative. The cocktail is a low priority because of the coconut, but if you want to bring the wine, I'm ready even though it's not even 9:00 a.m. yet. I haven't been to Barbados, but I can tell you that the "local" beer, Brion, in Curacao is actually brewed in Barbados.

Traditional Passover cooking, in my eastern European tradition, is not very healthful, and I've gravitated toward Mediterranean traditions, with more reliance on fresh vegetables and fruits. This means that the refrigerator is currently crammed with them. I also have eggs on the stove, because a roasted (!) egg is a requirement for the seder and it works better to hard-cook the egg before trying to brown the shell. Peculiarly, although the egg is required, the traditional seder text never mentions it. After that, charoset (chopped fruit and nuts, with a little wine).

Then baking a sweet potato, which is a complicated joke. One of the required symbols is the shankbone of a lamb. It is hard to get a kosher shankbone, especially at Passover, and many people substitute a chicken bone or, in Chabad-Lubavitch practice, a chicken neck. Vegetarians usually substitute a roasted beet--because a beet bleeds red, I suppose it's considered the most meat-like vegetable. I use a sweet potato, so that I can call it the Paschal Yam.

Actual cooking will begin after that.

grapau27 · April 5, 2023

4 minutes ago, kochleffel said:

Pizza is off my list for the coming week (Passover). Banh Mi is also off, because of the bread, even if made with tofu instead of pork, and so is Roy's alternative. The cocktail is a low priority because of the coconut, but if you want to bring the wine, I'm ready even though it's not even 9:00 a.m. yet. I haven't been to Barbados, but I can tell you that the "local" beer, Brion, in Curacao is actually brewed in Barbados.

Traditional Passover cooking, in my eastern European tradition, is not very healthful, and I've gravitated toward Mediterranean traditions, with more reliance on fresh vegetables and fruits. This means that the refrigerator is currently crammed with them. I also have eggs on the stove, because a roasted (!) egg is a requirement for the seder and it works better to hard-cook the egg before trying to brown the shell. Peculiarly, although the egg is required, the traditional seder text never mentions it. After that, charoset (chopped fruit and nuts, with a little wine).

Then baking a sweet potato, which is a complicated joke. One of the required symbols is the shankbone of a lamb. It is hard to get a kosher shankbone, especially at Passover, and many people substitute a chicken bone or, in Chabad-Lubavitch practice, a chicken neck. Vegetarians usually substitute a roasted beet--because a beet bleeds red, I suppose it's considered the most meat-like vegetable. I use a sweet potato, so that I can call it the Paschal Yam.

Actual cooking will begin after that.

marshhawk · April 5, 2023

@NextOne

aliaschief · April 5, 2023

Good morning! Ten hours of wonderful sleep and woke up to 72 degrees which will top off at 80 F. Need to get our taxes and check in the mail and a few other errands. We have been to Barbados several times and usually spend our day there on a catamaran excursion which we did in January.

Well our large oak has shed most of her leaves and is pretty with its new growth but has inundated the yard and driveway with its wormy seeds. Between acorns, leaves and wormy seeds it’s a high maintenance tree but beautiful.

Thanks Sandi for getting up early and getting the Daily rolling. Debbie thanks for the recipe that looks so interesting and all who make the Daily our special place. @NextOne Happy Birthday!🎂

Have a great Hump Day!

Bruce

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Edited April 5, 2023 by aliaschief

ger_77 · April 5, 2023

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily! While I've had deep dish pizza, I prefer a thin crust instead. Usually on the last night of a cruise, we head into the casino with our $20 and go for broke. We won't be seeing dandelions any time soon, as there is still 3 feet of snow on the lawns.

The sun is shining brightly and the sky is clear, but don't let it fool you; right now we're sitting at -31C with the wind chill. It's like the never ending winter. Sigh.

@NextOnewishing you a Happy Birthday with many returns of the day!

@tupper10sending good vibes for a successful surgery.

@marshhawkthinking of you today as you have your PET scan.

Well yesterday was a busy day and today will be as well. When I had breakfast with my retired colleagues, a couple of them said to be sure to stop by their vehicles before leaving so they could put something in my car to take to the young Ukrainian family. My goodness, 7 boxes and 2 overflowing laundry baskets later, I had trouble seeing out my back window, so off I went to deliver these gifts from the heart from some very caring friends. The young woman was astonished that complete strangers would be so generous. I told her it was simply what we do for people in need.

Today is getting the house ready for our departure to Calgary, heading to Walmart to pick up food so Sochi doesn't starve before we return, and of course, baking my famous "Grandma's cookies" (our little secret, right?) to bring along. Then it's packing some clothes, doing up the laundry and heading for bed.

I like today's menu selection, as we had several bahn mi's when we were in Vietnam, but they always had meat, not tofu. Because we're leaving tomorrow morning, I'm not going to do any serious cooking; I'm pretty sure we'll be having toasted bacon and tomato sandwiches and vegetable soup at the kitchen table tonight. And wine.

Prayers for everyone who is in need, cheers to all with celebrations.

Smooth Sailing! ☺️☺️☺️

Gerry

marshhawk · April 5, 2023

Good Wednesday Morning Dailyites! Thank you for all the well wishes for today, but the test is actually tomorrow. So I will hold all your well wishes in my heart and go in tomorrow knowing you are all with me. My neighbor got the day confused also, and when I went over yesterday to walk the dog, she had left me my "pay" on the table, I left her a message that I wont take money until job done, and I would pick it up today.

We had a very nice lunch with our friend yesterday. Had Vietnamese food, and while I like Bahn mi, I had a Filet Mignon Shaken beef with vermicelli. I like deep dish pizza, if there is deep cheese and sauce on it. Other wise it's just bread with flavoring.

I am tempted to eat dandelions but with all the loose dogs in the neighborhood, I wont eat anything from the yard...

Both Uggles and Bubbles showed up yesterday for breakfast, it was nice seeing them both. But the oddest thing I saw in the yard yesterday was a strange orange cat....Who happened to come when called, let me pick him up and bring him in the house. It was Furnando, DH had left a door open and he went outside. I was working, so I didn't see him go out, and if I hadn't gone out to check on a package delivery, who knows how far he would have wandered. I am not sure that he appreciated being "rescued."

After three weeks of no sales, I finally got my mojo back, and had two sales in a row. The big boss came back yesterday (he was off for several days) and told me I was #1 in sales so far this week. Yay, and then we got into an argument about reporting the failed to dial problems. He was questioning why I had more than other callers, and I told him I didn't think I did, but maybe the other ones were not reporting it. He said they were and it seemed it was my problem. DH doesnt report them, so I already know that people are not, and when I called the boss who handles the failed to dials, she said I do report more, but she thinks others are just skipping over the facts, and not reporting them. I hope that during a review, she actually will share that information with the big boss.

I think it was @Sharon in AZ who said said that on her upcoming cruise, there were 4 Gala evenings. I am not the one booking this cruise, and do not have access to the information about events on the cruise, but how do I find out how many Gala evenings are on the 5/7 14 day Alaskan Nieuw Amsterdam cruise? I already know that the BFF will not want to get all gussied up, DH does not mind, but I did buy two nice dresses right before COVID, and would like to wear them....wonder if I still fit in them.....Just wondering how I can tell the BFF where to look for the information. Thanks.

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Edited April 5, 2023 by marshhawk

3.1k · April 5, 2023

Thank you to all the Daily posters who make this a special place.

I do not celebrate Dandelion Day. My DH calls them flowers and asked me why I was on my hands and knees digging them up yesterday. They are the invasive weeds to me. 2F8651AD-6A45-4F03-82EC-ADDD0511CC77.jpeg.9a46af19dd819ae992e422bbe3be6cd8.jpeg

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I will salute these Dandy Lions. D1F9425F-E8BF-43B6-9AC7-816CAE11DAE1.jpeg.af31008cee4cbdf36babb69e17d77d64.jpeg

I prefer thin crust brick oven pizza. I love banh mi. Thank you for the wonderful recipes @dfish (if you don’t like tofu, try them with meat!)

It was a dreary day when we were in Barbados in February. We had been there before so we just took a walk along the boardwalk and through town and ended up getting soak, glad we changed our mind about the catamaran trip.

Wishing everyone the best day possible.

travelingbums · April 5, 2023

Thank you everyone for sharing.

Have a great day.

puppycanducruise · April 5, 2023

@NextOne Happy Birthday! 🎂

durangoscots · April 5, 2023

Good morning. Sunny bur cold here this morning. High is supposed to be only 28F today, but I think it will be a little warmer. A warming trend is due to start tomorrow and next week the temps should be in the 50's which will feel really springlike to me.

I always enjoy Barbados when I stop there on cruises. Weather has always been good for me, although a bit windy a couple of times.

Another day of clearing and errand running for me today. I need to schedule a lab appointment at the hospital... or rather see if my doctor ordered one. Also check on one of my neighbor's who is in and has been for a little over a week .... he fell while I was sick and broke his collarbone which the family did not know for a few days....while in the hospital being treated, they discovered he was in kidney failure. He rents a condo I manage. I feel bad that I just found all this out.

Take care all. Dogs need a walk and then I need to get going or the day will get away from me.

Susan

durangoscots · April 5, 2023

Good morning. Sunny bur cold here this morning. High is supposed to be only 28F today, but I think it will be a little warmer. A warming trend is due to start tomorrow and next week the temps should be in the 50's which will feel really springlike to me.

I always enjoy Barbados when I stop there on cruises. Weather has always been good for me, although a bit windy a couple of times.

Another day of clearing and errand running for me today. I need to schedule a lab appointment at the hospital... or rather see if my doctor ordered one. Also check on one of my neighbor's who is in and has been for a little over a week .... he fell while I was sick and broke his collarbone which the family did not know for a few days....while in the hospital being treated, they discovered he was in kidney failure. He rents a condo I manage. I feel bad that I just found all this out.

Take care all. Dogs need a walk and then I need to get going or the day will get away from me.

Susan

JazzyV · April 5, 2023

Good morning. Thanks for the Fleet Report/Daily. Happy Passover this evening to those celebrating.

I have rarely had deep dish pizza; I don't like thin crust but not deep dish. I won't go for broke today, and I get rid of any dandelions in my grass. Growing up, there was an elderly Italian couple a couple of houses down from us who picked dandelions for salads and to make wine. Funny quote, although it takes longer for folks to become burdens or pests for me. Tofu is a no for me, but I can substitute meat instead. Love Bahama mamas on board a ship. Pass on the wine.

I haven't been to Bridgetown.

It's sunny and going up to 84F, breaking a record! But they've been ominously warning of bad storms, high winds, and even a possible tornado watch overnight! I will get some errands done before the weather turns. I haven't been waking up early the last few days, so I haven't been posting the Care List quite as early. I laid out a lot of clothing this morning on a spare bed. I don't think I can take it all. We'll see.

@tupper10 Prayers for a successful surgery and recovery. And congratulations on the new baby granddaughter!

@StLouisCruisers Thanks for starting up the Fleet Report/Daily today. Good news that Ren's team won yesterday. Nice photos from Bridgetown. I am an orchid fan, so love those pics.

@NextOne Happy Birthday!

@richwmn Casablanca sounds so exotic!

@seagarsmoker Thanks for sharing your cruise pics.

@RMLincoln Great Barbados sunset. Prayers for DH that he gets a good report from the eye surgeon.

@Vict0riann I hope you're having a great time aboard the Rotterdam!

@rafinmd Your alternate meal looks tasty. Nice sunrise.

@smitty34877 I hope the new aide works out.

@kochleffel Happy Passover. Thanks for explaining some of Passover cooking. In college, for a couple of years both my housemates were Jewish; we had a seder one year at our apartment, but I can't recall the particulars (this was back in the 70's!).

@ger_77 Safe travels tomorrow. And bless your friends for being so generous!

@marshhawk Good luck tomorrow with your scan. I'm glad you got Furnando back inside. And congrats on the sales.

@durangoscots Oh my about your neighbor; I hope he's ok. Nice of you to check in on him.

@kazu Missing you and I hope you're ok.

Prayers for the Care List and Cheers for the Celebration List.

RedneckBob · April 5, 2023

Thanks for the Fleet Update and General Info SLC

AncientWanderer · April 5, 2023

Good morning from sunshiny San Diego. I've been down with the mother of all influenzas. I wonder if it's the same that @Seasick Sailor has. Also wonder if having had covid is making these bugs harder to knock out.

I've skimmed through Dailys and, of course, the high point has been @ger_77's wonderful interaction with her new Ukrainian neighbors.

@marshhawk Annie, I did have Thursday in mind as the day of your scan. Thoughts are with you. Also, @bennybear Brenda has some testing this week. Sending prayers and good thoughts. Also wishing @tupper10 a successful surgery.

@StLouisCruisers Sandi, it's great that Ren is having a smooth start with his team. I'm waiting to hear what his older brother does. Our DDIL and my brother both went to "SC." Can't wait to hear if he ends up in So Cal.

That's about it from me today. Plans are to lay around on the sofa all day again. How's that for ambitious? DSIL is preparing a Seder dinner tomorrow night, and his mom is visiting from Philadelphia, but it's looking unlikely that I'll be able to attend. I have a feeling I won't be able to see anyone until Easter Brunch. We have a group of 11 planned for that, so I really don't want to miss it.

Thanks Daily Team for keeping things lively and interesting here. Wishing everyone a pleasant Wednesday. Thinking of all of you.

Safety Squirrel · April 5, 2023

Dandelions are known in Canada as the official (unoffical) flower of the military child. As a military 'brat' (dad was in the Army for 30+ years) and a wife of soldier, I can relate to the following poem. Hope you enjoy the poem.

Dandelions put down roots almost anywhere and it is almost impossible to destroy. It is an unpretentious plant, yet good looking. It is a survivor in a broad range of climates.

Military children bloom everywhere the winds carry them. They are hardy and upright. Their roots are strong, cultivated deeply in the culture of the Military, planted swiftly and surely. They’re ready to fly in the breezes that take them to new adventures, new lands, and new friends.

Military children are well-rounded, culturally aware, tolerant, and extremely resilient. They have learned from an early age that home is where their hearts are. That a good friend can be found in every corner of the world.

They learn that to survive means to adapt. That the door that closes one chapter of their life opens to a new and exciting adventure full of new friends and new experiences.

dfish · April 5, 2023

2 hours ago, kochleffel said:

Pizza is off my list for the coming week (Passover). Banh Mi is also off, because of the bread, even if made with tofu instead of pork, and so is Roy's alternative. The cocktail is a low priority because of the coconut, but if you want to bring the wine, I'm ready even though it's not even 9:00 a.m. yet. I haven't been to Barbados, but I can tell you that the "local" beer, Brion, in Curacao is actually brewed in Barbados.

Traditional Passover cooking, in my eastern European tradition, is not very healthful, and I've gravitated toward Mediterranean traditions, with more reliance on fresh vegetables and fruits. This means that the refrigerator is currently crammed with them. I also have eggs on the stove, because a roasted (!) egg is a requirement for the seder and it works better to hard-cook the egg before trying to brown the shell. Peculiarly, although the egg is required, the traditional seder text never mentions it. After that, charoset (chopped fruit and nuts, with a little wine).

Then baking a sweet potato, which is a complicated joke. One of the required symbols is the shankbone of a lamb. It is hard to get a kosher shankbone, especially at Passover, and many people substitute a chicken bone or, in Chabad-Lubavitch practice, a chicken neck. Vegetarians usually substitute a roasted beet--because a beet bleeds red, I suppose it's considered the most meat-like vegetable. I use a sweet potato, so that I can call it the Paschal Yam.

Actual cooking will begin after that.

Thank you for the explanation of the food traditions associated with Passover. Food is so much more than sustenance - it is strongly a part of culture and knowing those cultural traditions makes us so much richer.

I keep forgetting to mention: Michigan accepted my tax return, so there is no arrest imminent No need for a Go Fund Me for bail money at this point. I will keep you posted!

Edited April 5, 2023 by dfish

Quartzsite Cruiser · April 5, 2023

Good morning from a cloudy, windy and cooler central Texas. It is currently 61F and should warm to the low to mid 70s this afternoon. A very noisy thunderstorm rolled through here about 5 am leaving 3/4 inch of rain. I turned over and went back to sleep until 7:30

Since I'm running late today, I repost my pictures of Barbados, and then finish reading the Daily.

I only found pictures from our 2000 world cruise on P&O Oriana and the 2015 Ruby Princess. I'll try not to repeat any pictures. We had been to Barbados several times before 2000 on various ships and cruise lines, including two calls on 1998 on the Ryndam. Each time, we've rented cars are visited various places on the island. We have always enjoyed our visits to Barbados.

First a look at the port. There was a nice shopping complex at the port.

In 2015, we took the tour through Harrison's Cave. These are of the complex looking down from the top of the cliff and the elevators to reach the complex. I'll not repeat any pictures of the caves.

We also stopped at Animal Flower Caves on the northern tip of the island in 2015. Since we'd toured the caves, which are partially open to the ocean, with our DDs in 1998, we did not go back down. These pictures are of the restaurant, the sea cliffs and the entrance to the caves.