The Fleet Report and Daily for Monday April 8th, 2024

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

Good morning from a very cloudy central Texas.  It is currently 57F heading to a high of 81F this afternoon.  It looks like the sun will attempt to make an appearance between 11 am and 3 pm, and I hope it is clearer during the eclipse.  Yesterday, DH spent quite a bit of time getting his telescopes ready.  Our rain will begin about 5pm and continue through Wednesday.

 

D.A.R.E. was big in schools when the DDs were in school.  We don't see much mention of the program now.  I could probably draw a bird if I tried very hard.  Roma Day celebrated the Romani people.

 

An interesting quote by C. S. Lewis.

 

We eat a lot of chicken, but we'll probably pass on today's meal, along with the drink.  The wine sounds nice, but a bit pricy.

 

We visited Darwin on October 30, 2002, while on the Asia Pacific Explorer Cruise on Volendam.

 

I remember all the build up and excitement in 1974 to Hank Aaron's historic home run.  Unfortunately, I was at a meeting the night he broke Babe Ruth's record and didn't see it.

 

@rafinmd  Roy, I hope the cardiologist visit goes well.  I also hope you find time to see the eclipse.

@seagarsmoker  Congratulations to the Lady Gamecocks on winning the National Championship.

@MISTER 67  I'm glad your cold is getting better.  What an honor to caddy for Gary Player.

@dfish  Debbie, that is good news the stye is improving.  Safe travels to Toledo to see the eclipse.  I hope it is clear there.

@ottahand7  Nancy, enjoy your getaway.  Good luck on the presentation.

@grapau27  Great video of the Rotterdam harbor, Graham.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lenda

 

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

Darwin was a port on our 2002 Volendam Asia Pacific Explorer Cruise.  We were there on October 30, and the hot, humid season had not started then.  We did not look at the town, but as per our usual port day, we rented a car and explored the surrounding area.

 

Giant termite mounds were along the highway.  DH, who is 6'1" stood next to it, and it towered over his head.  

 

Our first stop was a nature/animal preserve, that could have been in one of the national parks near Darwin.  These are some of the local residents.

 

On the way back to Darwin, we detoured to take a river cruise to see the jumping crocodiles. 

 

Our final stop that day was the Mindil Beach Sunset Market.  It was the last night of the market until the next April.  There were all types of crafts, clothing, food, and even didgeridoos for sale.  As we walked around, we sampled kangaroo (which isn't bad, but does not taste like chicken) and crocodile, which tastes somewhat like alligator.  DH bought a didgeridoo, which the vendor promised he'd ship to our house in Texas, since we couldn't haul it back on the plane.  DH's comment when we left, was that we may have wasted our money.  When we walked in the house after the cruise, the didgeridoo was on the couch.  Let's just say, he can make a noise with it.

 

A few scenes of the sunset market.

 

Mindil Beach

 

A local band to entertain the shoppers.

 

Another local group to enjoy as we reboarded the Volendam.

 

At dinner that night, kangaroo was on the menu.  No one wanted to order it, but after we told them we'd tasted it at the market, the table decided to order one kangaroo dinner and share it between the six of us.

 

The cruise was during the time the LA port locked the longshoremen out, so the Volendam could not get the containers of food that were sitting on the LA dock shipped to the various ports.  The HD, F&B manager, and executive chef went shopping in most of our ports around Asia and Australia.  We had good, and interesting things show up on the menu.  We heard that our food did not go to waste, but went to the Veendam.

 

Upon our arrival in LA the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, the longshoremen were working, but were protesting the lockout by unloading the ship one piece of luggage at a time by hand.  We could not get off the ship until well after 1 pm., so the executive chef and the Lido cooks quickly fixed a modified lunch for everyone.  Needless to say, just about all the passengers missed their flights.  We did get out that day, as the ticket agent at LAX did not want extra passengers the next day.  The adventures of travelling are not for the faint of heart, but do make travelling interesting.

 

Lenda

[marshhawk]

@StLouisCruisers

[seagarsmoker]

@StLouisCruisers Happy Birthday, Sandy!

[marshhawk]

@erewhon

[0106]

17 minutes ago, Quartzsite Cruiser said:

D.A.R.E. was big in schools when the DDs were in school.  We don't see much mention of the program now. 

The old DARE was basically a “just say no” program created by the LAPD in 1983.  It was found to be ineffective and phrased out of schools in about 2009.  There is a new “DARE” program, created by substance abuse and prevention specialists called “keepin’ it REAL” which stands for Refuse. Explain. Avoid. Leave. The program is intended to improve decision-making and communication skills through peer interaction and role-playing scenarios. It also addresses coping skills, assessing risk, support networks, and emotional and mental health topics.  The curriculum involves 10 45-minute lessons that consist of five situational videos and short, eight-minute lectures. The rest of the time is dedicated to experiential and role-playing activities among small groups of students.

Edited April 8 by 0106

[marshhawk]

@Overhead Fred and Mitzi

Edited April 8 by marshhawk

[marshhawk]

@Norseh2o

[kochleffel]

 

When I lived in New England, I always attented the Town Meeting. One year a question was raised about the absence of a line in the police department budget for deer officers. I was puzzled, because the town was full of deer but I never saw any indication that the police department took any interest in them. Being from the Middle West, I did not understand that the questioner meant D.A.R.E. officers. (The reply was that full-time officers did it as overtime, which was reimbursed by Federal funds.)

 

The chicken might be OK but I don't love artichokes. Absolutely NO NO NO on the drink. Carménère is one of the original six grapes of Bordeaux, but after the phylloxera plague in the 19th century, it wasn't replanted there. It was supposedly rediscovered in Chile, but had also been planted in California before the outbreak. It dislikes cool, wet springs and wouldn't thrive in the Finger Lakes, so I'll go with another of the original Bordeaux grapes that does, Cabernet Franc, the Fox Run Vineyards 2022. Like Carménère, Cabernet Franc is low in tannins. BTW, I have a Carménère in the wine rack, but it's from Israel.

 

I'm getting ready for a trip to Wally World but will be home in time for the eclipse. Although it will be 98% here, there probably won't be much to see--it's sunny now but that isn't predicted to last.

 

[RMLincoln]

30s early morning but 60s this afternoon!  A 30 degree spread is unusual here in north Jersey. But clouds are expected. We have a car maintenance appt at 11, hopefully not more than a couple of hours but our first time here since we moved so not sure what to expect. 
 

Our community will have an eclipse viewing party 3-4 with glasses on one of the patios but I think our apartment balcony will work for us. We’re said to be at 91.6% so maybe we’ll notice a bit of darkening beyond the clouds. May all on the road for this event be safe!  
 

Happy Anniversary to @erewhon and DH. Sounds like you had a lovely celebratory lunch 🍾.  Hard to believe it’ll be 10 years this September since we were on Volendam together!  And to @Overhead Fred and DW on your celebration cruise. Never enough anniversaries! 💞
 

And double Happy Birthday Sandi and your sister. 🎂🎉🎂🎉

 

Thinking of you today Roy and hoping for good results. 🤞
 

Thank you Vanesss for your excellent lists! And for including us.  It’s been a long journey with DH’s glaucoma. I hope that seeing our journey encourages everyone to get their eye pressure checked. It was a routine check by a Costco-contracted optometrist that caught the first signs of his issues. There have been several members of my family with glaucoma but no one in DH’s line until him. Some in my family lost sight in one eye but that was before they had this amazing type of surgery DH had in January and will have again this month🤞.  Thank you all for your support!  
 

Blessings to all in need, as Vanessa says, “whether mentioned or not!”  Hoping that those who need relieve have it soon. Blessings for our country, your country, all those struggling to survive war and oppression.  Peace to all burdened with grief and worry. Thinking of @HAL SailerMelissa and DH one day at a time!  
 

Cheers to all celebrating joys of Life🥂. You lift our spirits and remind us that Life is Good🌈. 
 

Smooth travels to all away especially our cruisers and eclipse chasers.
Welcome home to those returning, there’s no place like home🏡. 
Maureen

 

PS. There was mention of Ramadan recently in the Daily which is a sacred time for our Muslim friends, not Hindus who had their sacred day of Holi recently. 🙏 The Daily is a place of respect for all our varied traditions and I felt uncomfortable leaving that uncorrected. m—
 

 

[travelingbums]

Thank you everyone for sharing.

Have a great day.

[ger_77]

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily!  In high school, our DS was part of the D.A.R.E. group and was shunned by a number of others at the school because of his affiliation.  Interestingly enough, I saw some of those same classmates in my courtroom for having engaged in drugs and dealing, so what goes around comes around.  I'm still proud of his standing and ethics; it couldn't have been easy for a teenager.  Can someone please draw a bird for me?  I have no artistic ability.  The Romani culture is an interesting one to be sure.

 

Right now it's only partially cloudy, but according to the weather app, it is likely to be cloudy most of the day.  That's the way it's been here for absolutely ever - you have no idea how many celestial events we've missed because of clouds.  I guess the positive part is that I'll save my eyesight by watching the eclipse on television.  

 

Happy Birthday to @StLouisCruisers, DS Linda, and to @Norseh2o; I hope you have a great day of celebration.

Happy Anniversary to @erewhon and @Overhead Fred; wishing you and your spouses many more years of love and laughter together.

 

Not much on the agenda today except getting the car washed and an oil change so it's ready for us to head off to Calgary on Wednesday.  I'm going to take a pass on the drink of the day, as it makes my teeth hurt just thinking about it!  The wine may be good, but a little pricey, and if I was making today's menu suggestion, I'd leave out the artichokes.  I need to use up some things in the fridge, so tonight it's going to be Denver omelettes and fruit bread toast for us at the kitchen table.  And wine.

 

Prayers for everyone who is in need, in pain, in grief, and in wars not of their making.  Cheers to all our Daily family who are celebrating today.

 

Smooth Sailing!  ☺️☺️☺️

Gerry

[marshhawk]

Good Monday Morning Dailyites!  I wont say that I coughed all night long, but if I was DH, I would have thrown me out of bed.  Must be spring time!  The Laurels are about to bloom.  The azaleas are in bloom.  And i think it might finally warm up enough for me to actually work in the yard this afternoon.  The wind is not blowing!  

 

Plans for the day, walk the dog, it's out Monday Taco day, DH works this afternoon, and then dinner.  I am all caught up with my shows on Britbox,  watched all of the F1 shows affiliated with the race this weekend, and now, I'm out of shows to watch.  I might just have to read!  I have ordered 3 books from ABE books, Rick Steves' Spain, got that one, Tales of Ships and the Sea (quite a lot of short stories written by some of my favorite authors)  and Rick Steves Barcelona.  I got the first two, but no sign of the third.  I have bills to pay today so a visit to the post office. Another thrilling day in paradise. 

 

I hope you all have a wonderful day.  

 

I couldnt find a picture of cats watching eclipses, but I did find this amusing

 

.

[kazu]

sorry everyone.

 

I just realized I forgot to change the location of the Zaandam.  it is actually in Mazatlan today.  Apologies

[quilty964]

Happy Monday!  It's supposed to get to the 60's this afternoon.  The weather peeps are very excited this morning...it's sunny and forecasted to stay that way for the eclipse.  We're in the 80-90% coverage area.  My glasses are ready! 

Thanks for the pictures and recipes today.  I'm not a big artichoke fan, so will pass.  

 

Happy Birthday to @StLouisCruisers and your twin! 

Happy anniversary to @erewhon and @Overhead Fred

@rafinmdPrayers your Dr. apt. goes well today.

 

Prayers for all who need them and cheers for the celebrations.  Karen

[Seasick Sailor]

Good morning Dailyites from 69 going to 83 degree day. Thunderstorms will start about 4. Just hoping to catch the eclipse today at 1:35. 

 

 

Happy Birthday Sandi and Linda!

 

Happy Anniversary @erewhon and @Overhead Fred

 

 

Prayers lifted this morning to all on Vanessa's carefully crafted list, Sandi's friends and family (the babies!) Tana, and family. Wishing Roy good news at your doctor appt today. Prayers for our soldiers, homeless veterans, families torn apart by war and hunger. 

 

Last night we had a few couples over for drinks on the patio. A beautiful night. I have plenty of food for our dinner tonight so will not need to travel anywhere today. Our neighbors next door are having an eclipse get together starting at 1. Remember to keep your pets away from the eclipse.

 

Sending blessings to you, and wishing all a wonderful week. Xx

[RedneckBob]

2 hours ago, summer slope said:

Good morning.  I like sweet drinks, but I think today's is oner the top.

 

Cotton Candy cocktail:

 

Ingredients

1 large bag cotton candy (any flavor)
1 bottle marshmallow vodka
1 bottle sparkling water

Fill a glass with fluffy cotton candy and place them on a serving tray.
Pour one ounce (2 tablespoons) vodka over the cotton candy. Top with sparkling water  and
iice. The cotton candy will melt immediately and sweeten the cocktail to taste like, well, cotton
candy!

Garnish with a cotton candy drink stick.

 

Never saw this offered at the Alabama County Fair when I was growing up!

[RedneckBob]

2 hours ago, summer slope said:

@StLouisCruisers Happy Birthday

Yummy and HBD, SLC,

[RedneckBob]

1 hour ago, seagarsmoker said:

@StLouisCruisers Happy Birthday, Sandy!

Ditto

[RedneckBob]

Thanks for the Fleet Update and General Info from all contributors!

 

I will not draw the bird today as I do not want to be banded from the CC site! 😳

[kazu]

Happy Birthday Sandi & your twin - @SaintLouisCruiser

 

[kazu]

Happy Anniversary Fred & Mitzi @Overhead Fred  & @erewhon

 

 

 

[rafinmd]

A sunrise from that 2017 Zaandam cruise Buenos Aires to San Diego.  On April 8 Zaandam visited Pisco, Peru:

 

 

 

Roy

[StLouisCruisers]

Keeping busy today with lots of texts, emails, and calls so I keep getting interrupted here!  I wanted to make absolutely sure my spreadsheet listing was correct with Kathy @Norseh2o's birthday being today too and found her post on April 9, 2022 when she mentioned it.  She said it was the day after her DM's birthday, who has unfortunately passed away recently.

 

I asked DD if D.A.R.E. was still active in their school and she said yes.  I'm happy to hear that.  Anything we can do to keep kids safe and try to turn them away from harmful behaviors.

 

I'd like to thank all of you who have sent your warm wishes since my last post.  Elizabeth @Haljo1935 yes, Linda almost had a different birthday from me.  I have a hunch the doctor or nurses discussed the time and just gave her April 8 as the date so we would share a birthday.  Nowadays I think they'd go by the actual time but times were different then.  Thanks also to Terry @smitty34877, Denise @Denise T, Dixie @summer slope, Nancy @ottahand7, Graham @grapau27, Lenda @Quartzsite Cruiser, Annie @marshhawk, @seagarsmoker, Mauren @RMLincoln, Gerry @ger_77, Karen @quilty964, Joy @Seasick Sailor, @RedneckBob, and Jacqui @kazu.  So nice to enjoy all my friends here wishing Linda and I happy birthday today.  I can't wait to hear about her picnic and total eclipse watching when we chat later. 

   

[Cruzin Terri]

Good morning, or what is left of it.

Happy Monday.

Thank you to Jacqui, Vanessa, Roy, Debbie, Ann and Dixie for their dedication and contributions to this thread.

Prayers for all especially those celebrating special days.

@StLouisCruisers Happy Birthday to you and your twin

@Norseh2oHappy Birthday to you

@ottahand7 Happy Anniversary

@erewhon Happy Anniversary.

 

I hope you all enjoy your special day.

 

We do not have much planned for today.  Need to get some things done around the house and work on some finances.

We are not in the direct path of the eclipse but I understand that we will be able to see a partial view between 2 pm and 4 pm.  Don’t have the special glasses and don’t know where to get them. So I guess we will watch it on TV instead.

 

Have a great day everyone and

God Bless,

Terri