The Fleet Report and Daily for Saturday August 12th, 2023

[richwmn]

 

Today is Annual Perseid Meteor Shower, National Kool-Aid Day, and National Vinyl Record Day
 

Memories warm you up from the inside. But they also tear you apart.--Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore

Meal Suggestion for today - Easy 15 Minute Lo Mein
Drink of the Day - Pineapple Smash
Wine of the Day - J Lohr - Cabernet Seven Oaks Paso Robles 2020
Destination of the Day - Boca da Valeria, Brazil Amazon

Today in History:
1851 American inventor Isaac Singer patents the sewing machine

Ship Locations
 

Eurodam

Seattle, Washington d1500
 

Koningsdam

Vancouver, Canada d1600
 

Nieuw Amsterdam

At Sea destination Vancouver, Canada eta 13 Aug
 

Nieuw Statendam

Liverpool, England 1000-2000
 

Noordam

At Sea destination Whittier, Alaska eta 13 Aug
 

Oosterdam

Istanbul, Turkey 1600(+1
 

Rotterdam

Amsterdam, Holland, The Netherlands 0700-1600
 

Volendam

Skagway, Alaska 0700-2000
 

Westerdam

Victoria, British Columbia 2000-2359
 

Zaandam

Reykjavik, Iceland 1000-2300
 

Zuiderdam

Stornoway, Isle of Lewis 1000-2000
 

 

 

[portofrome]

Thank you for the Fleet Report.

[JazzyV]

Today’s Care list:

Smitty34877’s DH Lou in the hospital

Cruising sister’s great niece Baby Murphy post-op, hopefully off ECMO soon

All Dailyites going through worries and stress, whether mentioned or not

Ill pets – Heartgrove’s Sam. Cruising sister’s Molly

 

Wildfires in Maui/Lahaina town gone

Canadian/US/Greek wildfires, storms/flooding, dangerous heat conditions

Shooting victims again and again

Citizens of Ukraine

 

From the rotation:

Seasick Sailor’s teenager “S”

Sharon in AZ’s family member’s situation

StLouisCruiser’s DB with pulmonary fibrosis

Lobsternight’s great nephew with bike crash, multiple fractures, surgery

 

Celebrations and Shoutouts:

Happy Birthday Rich (richwmn)!

Happy 75^th Birthday StLouisCruiser’s DH Dennis!

Happy Anniversary Copper10-8!

StLouisCruiser’s DGS Ren invited to soccer tournament in Mexico City

Ger_77’s DH with good angiogram report

DeeniEncinitas safe on Maui

Mamaofami’s DH Sam released from the hospital to rehab

RMLincoln heading to NY for a family gathering; DH with good eye checkup

Highland Cruiser heading to Yellowstone Park with DGS

Aliaschief visiting DS in PA

 

The Daily Gardening Club posting wonderful flower pictures

All the contributors to the Fleet Report/Daily

 

Upcoming Cruises or At Sea:

5 days for Lady Hudson (Vision of the Seas Aug 17 to Aug 26)

 

AV8rix (Nieuw Amsterdam to Aug 13), Copper10-8 (Nieuw Amsterdam to Aug 13), Dfish (Zaandam to Aug 23), StLouisCruisers (Zaandam to Aug 23) and NextOne (Zuiderdam to Aug 25)

[RedneckBob]

Since this is Vinyl Record Day I will say this this very slow (at 33 rpm).

 

Thaaankk fooor the Fleeeet Update and Geneeeral Infooo frooom alllll the contributoooors!

 

Also National Kool-Aid Day. I had a kool aid stand as a kid back in Alabama. It was a real hit. Maybe adding Jack Daniels to the mix made it very popular

Edited August 12, 2023 by RedneckBob

[ocean sounds]

Thank you for the Daily, and Happy Birthday  🎂 🎈 @richwmn !

 

@JazzyV, thank you for the Care and Celebration report.

 

I love the Days, today!   Kool-Aid reminds me of summer days as a kid.  What was your favorite flavor?  Grape or Black Cherry for me!

 

Also love this day in history - what would we have done without Mr. Singer?

 

Have a happy Saturday, everyone ! 

[StLouisCruisers]

Good morning friends!  At 9:30 am we were docking in Reykajavik, just ahead of our scheduled arrival time of 10 am.  The weather here is sunny with some clouds moving in later and a high of 63.  A great day to arrive in Reykjavik!  There is a shuttle bus that will take us closer to downtown and drop us at the Harpa Concert Hall. Having been here many times I don’t really need to get off the ship, but for some reason I always want to. 

 

Thank you Rich @richwmn for our Daily and Fleet Report.  We have a variety of days today, such as perseid meteor showers, Kool-Aid, and vinyl records.  I doubt if any of those things show up in my life today.  An interesting quote about memories.  Thanks to Tina @0106, Dixie @summer slope, and Ann @cat shepard for information about the Lo Mein, Pineapple Smash drink, and the Cabernet.  Thanks to Isaac Singer for the invention of the sewing machine, an excellent time saver.

 

Hoping each day for fewer Care list people as their health improves.  Special prayers for Baby Murphy, Lou, Chuck and the people of Maui who lost loved ones or their possessions in the horrific fires there.  Sincere congrats to all the Celebration people.  And thanks to Vanessa @JazzyV for posting the lists for us all.  Happy Birthday to Rich @richwmn and happy anniversary to @Copper10-8 .  Tomorrow is actually DH's birthday but we can celebrate as long as we want to, right?  He was born on Left Handers Day which is Aug. 13 and he is left handed.  How appropriate!

 

The port today is Boca da Valeria from the Amazon region of Brazil.  I was finally able to visit there on Dec. 4, 2022 while on the Amazon River cruise on Volendam (with Dixie).  It was the port of the day on Aug. 3, 2021 and Sept. 1, 2022 so I didn’t have photos on those dates.  However here are the links to help you retrieve yours.  I did post photos of Boca da Valeria on Dec. 4, 2022, the day we were there in port.

 

 

Hope your day is extra special, no matter what you do or where you are.  I'll try to post photos now.

 

 

 

Edited August 12, 2023 by StLouisCruisers

[puppycanducruise]

Good morning.  Thanks for the Report.

 

Cloudy and mild here this morning with a chance of thunderstorms later.  Too cloudy to see the meteor shower, maybe it will clear up by tomorrow night. 

True quote.

The meal sounds good.  I'm sure the drink and wine are tasty too.

 

Prayers for everyone on the Care List.  Cheers for all the celebrations.

 

@richwmn   Happy Birthday Rich!  (and many more)

@StLouisCruisers Happy Birthday Dennis.

@Copper10-8 Happy Anniversary.

 

I hope everyone has a wonderful day.

[cat shepard]

Happy Birthday, Rich! May your new year be filled with laughter, great health & cruises!

[summer slope]

Good morning.  After an MRI, CAT scan, and a Colonoscopy they still haven't discovered the cause of my MINOR problem.  It is something I will live with I guess.  Not life threatening so all good.  Please remove me from the care list.  Prayers and congratulations to everyone.

 

Pineapple Smash cocktial:

 

Ingredients
1 part Cruzan® 9 Spiced Rum
1 part Cruzan® Pineapple Rum
1/2 fresh Lime Juice
2 grilled Pineapple Ring
2 parts Soda Water
Lime Wedges

Instructions
Grill pineapple rings for 3 minutes each side. Muddle Pineapple in a tumbler then add Rums, Juice & ice. Shake 2 times (just to mix) Pour into a rocks glass and top with soda. Garnish with one grilled Pineapple ring & one Lime wedge

 

[StLouisCruisers]

My post from Dec. 4, 2022 while on our Amazon River cruise on Volendam.

 

We decided to go ahead today and take the short tender ride to Boca Da Valeria. This village has 100 or so native residents but apparently folks from other nearby rural areas show up when a ship comes to call. CD Ryan says the first time a ship dropped anchor there to make a repair they sent the restless passengers ashore for a little look around while the repair was in progress. The locals ran for the hills not knowing what to expect. Now they come running FROM the hills to greet passengers with dollar bills in hand. Here is an early morning photo of our destination. 
 

Captain Arno Jutten wanted to stop in and pay a visit so here he is driving our tender to shore. One of the other drivers was quick with advice on moving a little closer to the dock (which appears to be a recent addition to the village).  
 

The children were lined up to adopt you for a while and I quickly had a boy hanging on my left arm and a girl holding my right hand. I allowed it because I had those dollar bills ready for their reward. We walked along the dirt path towards the church and school. 

Here’s the church

 

and inside where the wooden pews are a new feature. My adopted daughter sat on one to pose. 
 

We continued on and saw the school, the local watering hole, a display of artwork and many pet sloths, parrots, and even a large turtle. There is a small tributary running along the village to the Amazon and some people took boat rides for a small fee. 
 

 

 

 

 

I rewarded this young lady for taking a picture with me. 

 

I said goodbye to my new family and they took off clutching their reward and got back into line to adopt another new Mom or Dad. 

 

 

It was fun and more like what I imagined the Amazon River cruise would be like. Another bonus today was seeing a few pink dolphins cavorting beside the ship from my room.  You can see just a speck of pink in this photo. 

 

The dollars being given out to the children was on the recommendation of our CD Ryan.  I know that others have said you should not give them money, but who is to say what happens to the cash when given to local establishments.  The families may do what they wish with it, IMHO. 

[smitty34877]

@richwmn,Rich. a very Happy Birthday  to  you and many thanks for bringing us the Daily.

[StLouisCruisers]

11 minutes ago, summer slope said:

Good morning.  After an MRI, CAT scan, and a Colonoscopy they still haven't discovered the cause of my MINOR problem.  It is something I will live with I guess.  Not life threatening so all good.  Please remove me from the care list.  Prayers and congratulations to everyone.

 

Pineapple Smash cocktial:

 

Ingredients
1 part Cruzan® 9 Spiced Rum
1 part Cruzan® Pineapple Rum
1/2 fresh Lime Juice
2 grilled Pineapple Ring
2 parts Soda Water
Lime Wedges

Instructions
Grill pineapple rings for 3 minutes each side. Muddle Pineapple in a tumbler then add Rums, Juice & ice. Shake 2 times (just to mix) Pour into a rocks glass and top with soda. Garnish with one grilled Pineapple ring & one Lime wedge

 

 

Dixie, I'm sorry to hear the medical "experts" can't diagnose a problem with all that testing.  I hope something positive comes up in the future that will help you live a more normal life.  Like you said, it's not life threatening but that doesn't mean it isn't a problem in your life.  Good luck!  And thank you for the cocktail recipe for today.

[smitty34877]

I came home last night and went straight to bed.I read all of the kind and supportive  posts  from everyone  this morning.Thank you everyone  as it means a lot to all of us.

My DH is doing a little better this morning  after a blood transfusion  and multiple IV antibiotics. DD and I will head over soon to the hospital.He is in a private room since his bloodwork is quite off.

The ER folks bent the rules and let the two of us stay with him until he was in a room.The oncology nurses were also so kind and supportive.

DSIL was left in charge of Tana and did a great job.

I am so fortunate to have my family with me at this time.DS is arriving from New Hampshire  this afternoon.My brother is also planning a visit  later today.

Hopefully  there will be good news today.

[grapau27]

40 minutes ago, richwmn said:

 

Today is Annual Perseid Meteor Shower, National Kool-Aid Day, and National Vinyl Record Day
 

Memories warm you up from the inside. But they also tear you apart.--Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore

Meal Suggestion for today - Easy 15 Minute Lo Mein
Drink of the Day - Pineapple Smash
Wine of the Day - J Lohr - Cabernet Seven Oaks Paso Robles 2020
Destination of the Day - Boca da Valeria, Brazil Amazon

Today in History:
1851 American inventor Isaac Singer patents the sewing machine

Ship Locations
 

Eurodam

Seattle, Washington d1500
 

Koningsdam

Vancouver, Canada d1600
 

Nieuw Amsterdam

At Sea destination Vancouver, Canada eta 13 Aug
 

Nieuw Statendam

Liverpool, England 1000-2000
 

Noordam

At Sea destination Whittier, Alaska eta 13 Aug
 

Oosterdam

Istanbul, Turkey 1600(+1
 

Rotterdam

Amsterdam, Holland, The Netherlands 0700-1600
 

Volendam

Skagway, Alaska 0700-2000
 

Westerdam

Victoria, British Columbia 2000-2359
 

Zaandam

Reykjavik, Iceland 1000-2300
 

Zuiderdam

Stornoway, Isle of Lewis 1000-2000
 

 

 

Happy birthday Rich.

[grapau27]

9 minutes ago, StLouisCruisers said:

 

Dixie, I'm sorry to hear the medical "experts" can't diagnose a problem with all that testing.  I hope something positive comes up in the future that will help you live a more normal life.  Like you said, it's not life threatening but that doesn't mean it isn't a problem in your life.  Good luck!  And thank you for the cocktail recipe for today.

Happy birthday to your Dennis today Sandi.

[RMLincoln]

🎂 Happy Birthday Rich and Dennis 

And Happy Anniversary to John and his “child bride” 🎈

 

DH had a very high eye pressure reading last night in the surgery eye at bedtime. He redid it twice, similar results. So we called the after-hours number they gave us with the surgery discharge and they called back within a half hour. We got some explanation of what was probably happening and instructions to add back one of his previous medications (a double one) which lowered the pressure 👍. Very thankful we have the monitoring device and for the better pressure.  But it made for a late night before an early morning. 
 

If pressures are still ok this morning we’ll head north to NY as planned. 
 

Sending out blessings to you all, and all in need. A toast to those celebrating, every day Life is Good! 

Terry, so glad you have such great family support!  Wonderful to hear Lou improved a bit. I hope he’s comfortable. You must be exhausted. Please breathe in peace, breathe out joy. 
 

May everyone stay well and safe!  Keeping you all in my heart and prayers!  
 Maureen

 

Pressure is low this morning so the 2nd med is working!  We’ll keep moving forward even if it means sideways sometimes!  

Edited August 12, 2023 by RMLincoln

[grapau27]

Good afternoon.

It is cloudy and 62°F currently.

I sold vinyl records for 3 years in the early 1980s.

Memories can be good but also bad.

Not sure about today's food.

We have never been to today's port.

Prayers 🙏 for all who are unwell.

I hope everyone has a nice day.

 

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

@richwmn  Rich, I hope you have a wonderful birthday, followed by many more.

 

 

Lenda

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

@Copper10-8  Wishing you and your lovely bride a very Happy Anniversary, and many more happy years to come.

 

 

Lenda

 

[rafinmd]

Thank you for the reports Rich, Vanessa, Dixie, Ann, and Tina.  Happy Birthday Rich and Dennis, and Happy Anniversary John and Maria.  Too much light here for me to see a meteor shower.  I haven't had Kool-Aid in many years but will celebrate sewing machines and vinyl records. 

 

I've been to Boca da Valeria twice, both times on the Elegant Explorer.  I love the Murakami quote.  No idea what the meal is.  My alternative is Sunset Salad, Lamb Shank, and Pineapple Crisp A La Mode which might have been my choices on the Grande Dame (Rotterdam V) August 12, 1997.

 

Roy

[MrSnuffleupagus]

Thank you for the fleet report. 
 

My last vinyl record purchase was of a collab that my favorite radio station, KEXP, put together.

[cat shepard]

Thank you for your Birthday R & D, Rich!
It was a lovely morning for a walk. Last night’s T-storm made it a lot less humid this morning. But that won’t take long to change. 
 

Vanessa, thank you, yet again, for keeping up with all of us. Gym, chores, Bindi walks - yes she still wants to walk in this heat and she refuses to walk on the grass. She is part Australian cattle dog, so perhaps her paws are not as sensitive. 🤷🏻‍♀️ This evening I am off to a friend’s where we are all bringing finger food & appetizers. Very casual. 

 

 

 

 

 

My neighbor’s 18 year old Emma crossed the rainbow bridge recently, and we talk about her every day. My Bindi still looks for her. 
 

 

 

Prayers for all who need our support. Jeesh @summer slope Dixie, praying it stays minor. ❤️

Cheers to all who are celebrating. Get well & stay well everyone!

 

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

J Lohr - Cabernet Seven Oaks Paso Robles 2020

I have enjoyed this Cab on several occasions, though I seem to gravitate more towards red blends these days. Easy for me to find in stores & online with online prices starting at $12.98.

Winemaker Notes

The 2020 J. Lohr Estates Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon is dense and dark at the core. Ripe fruit aromas of black cherry and currant are accented by notes of toasted pastry, hazelnut, and vanilla from our extensive barrel aging program. Big, juicy red-fruit flavors infuse the palate while softly textured tannins lead to a long, gratifying finish.

TP92 Tasting Panel

Thanks to their certified sustainable properties in five of Paso Robles' 11 sub-AVAs, the folks at J. Lohr are able to produce a super high-quality Cab at this price point. With 9% Petite Sirah plus some Cab Franc and Petit Verdot, it has a deep purple hue that enhances the immediate rush of blueberry in a stream of silky tannins. Spiced black tea takes heather, fennel, hazelnut, and vanilla bean on a long ride toward the finish.

WE91 Wine Enthusiast

For about a million cases, this is a reliable stud of a wine. Deep, dark blackberry and light wood aromas on the nose lead into berry jam, wood spice and caramel flavors, with amplified tannins promising at least a few years of freshness.  Editors' Choice

Edited August 12, 2023 by cat shepard

[kazu]

thanks for our Saturday Daily, Rich and thanks to Vanessa, Ann, Dixie & Tina.

 

there is a meteor shower tonight in honour of the day.  Kool-Aid was a rarity for me when I was young.  Not in our house but at my friends 😉 That quote is ever so true - at least, for me.  The meal sounds tempting - looking forward to Tina’s description.

 

Major rain yesterday with T-storms.  Severe warnings for both.  Every time it looked like it was going to clear up, the thunder would roar and and the downpour started all over again.  Ivan won’t “go” in that kind of rain (most dogs don’t like it) so I risked walking him when it looked like the sun was coming out.  Ivan was running - he must have known.  I could hear the thunder starting and just as we got back to the front gate, the skies opened, the thunder & lightening struck and the deluge began all over again. We lucked out.  Ivan is buying me a T-shirt with this:

 

 

Hoping for better weather today although there is the threat of rain.

 

Rich @richwmn a very happy birthday to you.

 

 

 

@StLouisCruisers a happy birthday to Dennis

 

 

 

@Copper10-8 happy anniversary, John 

 

 

Lots to do today, so I better get moving.  With luck I will whittle my list down.

 

Prayers for those on the Care list, those who have suffered losses, health issues and worries and those that need them.  Cheers to all celebrating today 🥂 

 

 

Have a great Saturday everyone.

[0106]

Lo Mein translates to tossed or stirred noodles.  Lo mein noodles are a wheat pasta that comes from China. Spaghetti and Ramen noodles are two popular substitutes for lo mein noodles. In addition, Rice Noodles and Vermicelli Noodles are also options for people who don't eat eggs. 

 

Lo mein sauce usually has a deep, rich color from the soy sauce with a subtle hint of sweetness from the sugar. The oyster sauce gives it a savory, umami flavor while the sesame oil adds a toasty, nutty flavor that brings it all together.

 

Easy 15 Minute Lo Mein  Made with just soy sauce, sesame oil, a pinch of sugar, ramen noodles or spaghetti noodles, and any veggies or protein you like.

 

Quick and Easy Lo Mein This Vegetable Lo Mein has soft, tender noodles coated in a savory but sweet sauce. It is loaded up with veggies too, from snow peas and peppers to mushrooms and carrots. 

 

Chicken Lo Mein This easy chicken lo mein is made with fresh Chinese egg noodles, healthy colorful vegetables, and lean chicken breast as protein.  The fresh egg noodles in this recipe really stood out to me.  I can buy these in the Asian refrigerated section of my grocery store (same place tofu can be found). They're a beautiful yellow color, made of wheat flour and eggs, and have a chewy, al dente texture. They are usually pre-cooked so they don't require boiling. Be sure to check the label for cooking instructions if they are still raw. Of course you could always substitute spaghetti. 

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

Good mroring from central Texas where it is already 80F and feels like 86F.  The predicted high is 106F, so I'll be heading out as early as possible to mow and trim the yard.  I also need to wash the cars before it gets too hot.  It will be humid since it's already 77% humidity with a dew point of 72F.  The humidity should drop some as it warms up this morning, and the 11 mph wind will help.

 

The Perseid Meteor Shower will be good this year, and I hope it's not to hot to sit outside to watch it.  I had Kool-Aid growing up, but my mother did not buy it often.  We still have all our old vinyl record allums, and my 45s.  In honor of the day:

 

 

Today's quote is true, but we need our memories as they are part of who we are.

 

The meal might be good, and I'd like to try the wine.  We'll pass on the wine.

 

We visited Boca da Valeria in 2006 on the old Regal Princess.

 

The invention of the sewing machine made sewing easier.

 

@StLouisCruisers  Sandi, enjoy your time in Reykajavik.  An early HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Dennis.

@summer slope  Dixie, I'm sorry they could not find the reason for your minor problem, but I hope they will soon.

@smitty34877  Terry, I'm glad your DH Lou is doing better this morning.  I hope they can figure out what is happening to his blood work.  It is good you have such a caring and supportive family to help during this time.  Safe travels to your DS and DB.

@RMLincoln  Maureen, I hope the pressure in your DH's eye is lower this moring and you can leave as planned today.  Safe travels if you leave today.

 

@ger_77  Gerry, for some strange reason I thought of you when I saw this yesterday afternoon. 

 

 

 

 

 

Lenda