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All of us Flatlanders who want to make it to NY or New England usually drive through Michigan through Ontario and then re enter the US at Niagara Falls. Slow highway speeds but less hassle. @JazzyVI hope you feel better soon and ready to go on your trip! I love your King Penguin avatar. I hope to see them in the L Falkland Islands and there is also a small colony on the SA mainland not far from Ushuia I am hoping for a double dose. Thanks for your concern for DB. DSIL texted today he is doing twice daily PT. @Quartzsite Cruiserso happy Steve's BP issues are doing better, I hope the pain meds are the key! Nancy

Good Sunday morning! @richwmnThanks for the Fleet, Daily and Cares reports!! I will pass on the fudge, peanut butter fudge was never a favorite. I will pass on the mole' enchiladas and again I will take my Basil Hayden neat. We visited there several years ago driving down to Tampa to catch the Rotterdam. I also visited Hartford Court in Sonoma many years ago. I remember the winery was on a beautiful wooded back street. They make good wines. I haven't been to today's port and am looking forward to the photos. @dfish thanks for the recipes and at least if they left 300 litter pails they must have kept the boxes tidy or you never would have bought the house. @kazuJacqui I am glad you are safely home and your neighbors provisioned you with breakfast. Sometimes lost suitcases on the way home isn't so bad other than the long wait to report them missing. @rafinmdsafe travels back to the Auto Train. Thanks for taking us along on the Eurodam. Prayers for all on our care list and for the people of Ukraine. Shout out to all on board ships and those about to board! I finished the last of the shoveling this morning. All my shoveling clothes are in the washer now. Ready for football for the rest of the afternoon, my Ravens game at one and DF's Vikings at 4:30. We will get some thawing so I will resume visits to my DB tomorrow. My DS visited my brother yesterday after she went to my cousin's memorial service that went forward despite the bad weather. She said DB is looking more alert and said he is doing his PT. 🙏 A few pictures of our snow, glad that work is behind us. Our snowy chiminea and the trail to feed the birds. Nancy

Bon Voyage @GTVCRUISER! 🍾

It took a long time. Passport number, Driver's License and I had to reset my Password. I was working last time I applied and I had to change that. Thankfully it is done.

@StLouisCruisersand @summer slope you started our day with the sturm and drang about yellow fever shots begin again in our house. I got a waiver from my doctor because I take Enbrel. It was unsigned so yesterday I sent it back to him asking for his signature on it. SASE included. We have time. Thankfully DF John has a Wellness exam Wednesday and he will have to demand one from his doctor. He is 72 and has no desire to get off at Devil's Island. We had another 12--15" dump of snow in the last 18 hours with more due with strong winds starting around noon today. I got both bird feeding areas shoveled out and I will go shovel in front of the garage in a while. The snow has been such that it isn't overwhelming the plows. John can't shovel because he had a heart attack in 2016 and has a untreated widow maker at the back side of his heart. Thank you for the Daily and Fleet Reports Rich! An unusual port for the day unless it is a riverboat port because I think Fairbanks is landlocked. Nearest I got there was Denali. I will appreciate my DF John today. He can go out and climb a ladder and use our long snow rake to bump the snow off from the dish. Three times so far and I am sure more today. It was a massive task for me when I lived here alone. I will pass on the meal and I will take my Knob Creek neat. I have never heard of Applegate Valley before a new viticultural area for me. Wine sounds nice @cat shepard. No news on my DB, I am leaving my DSIL alone as it is probably all she can do at home to keep DB's bird feeders filled and then driving to the rehab. There was going to be a memorial service for my cousin who died earlier this month but the church website says it is closed so I am sure it will be rescheduled. Prayers for all on our care list and for the people of Ukraine. @rafinmd thanks for keeping the lists and for sharing your voyage on the Eurodam. Today I will try to get my Thanksgiving prep started. Turkey moved to the fridge yesterday. I will roast the turkey legs for stock and maybe make the cranberries today too. I have an article I have to write for the Michigan Garden Clubs website on invasive plants perhaps I will get motivated today since shoveling is probably not as bad as yesterday. I took advantage of the Black Friday sale to book a B2B on the Eurodam for 2024. I was able to get a veranda cabin with a bath tub and DF will have his favorite Tamarind available too. Have a wonderful Saturday!! Nancy

@StLouisCruisers and @summer slopeBon Voyage!!

Good Friday morning! Well my garden club was cancelled last minute last evening, great idea. I think we have gotten 18" of snow and more is due. We will have to get the snow rake out and stand in the back of our pickup to try knock snow off from our Direct TV dish. We don't get the local channels and and we can get the others in low resolution. Not too bad but it always interesting to see the traffic woes when we get this horrible weather. Since I did not drive the truck last night we neglected to put it in the garage so when the plow man came it was still sitting out. We will work on cleaning it off shortly. I got a phone call from DB yesterday, he was asking about a news story so I am hoping he is beginning to turn the corner. This morning before shoveling I renewed my Global Pass, a long process and sent our PCC a request for a couple of B2Bs for early 2024 listed in the Black Friday Sale. I am heading back out to shovel again but a wish for safe travels for @StLouisCruisers and @summer slope! A few time lapses from our storm. The final one is when we had done a wee bit of shoveling.

Good morning! I saw my DB yesterday briefly. He is back on his IV antibiotic and it appears that the rash is still receding so that is great news. My DS visited yesterday afternoon and reported he did do his PT which is great. Today he goes to the surgeon's office to have his staples removed. I told him to do everything possible to do his OT and PT. I told him I wouldn't see him until Sunday at the earliest because we are going to get a huge, extended dump of lake effect snow. We were in balmy New Buffalo a week ago. In the last 2 days they got over a foot of snow, timing is everything and we lucked out. An interesting group of days. The Great American Smoke Out was a big thing for us when I was working for several years. One of our obscure anti-depressants was found to help with smokers' cravings and the company got it FDA approved. Always a big sales push in November through January peak times for people pledging to stop smoking. The only international student I remember at my school was 5th grade and I recall the boy was from Cuba. That was post Cuban missile crisis and he spoke no English. His name was Raul. I love Baklava, I had friends from Pakistan when I lived in Ohio and she made rolled Baklava and it was more crisp than sticky and syrupy. I have friends and family probably in both Heaven and Hell, I will go with my family in Heaven. OW quote is his view. The panzanella looked good, I have a couple of squash my DS grew and I will be cooking a part of a large butternut tonight. The cocktail looks really good, enough to take a photo of it for future drinking on a BHB. The wine looks great too, Bordeaux has had a good run of vintages. @Quartzsite Cruiserthanks for the photos of today's port. I have already been out shoveling to get to my bird feeders and also pushing the heavy recycling bin to the curb for tomorrow's pickup. I am glad I didn't wait any longer. It was difficult pushing it through wet snow that built up on the wheels. I will have to shovel again when I go feed the birds again. I have garden club tonight and I am really hoping that they have the wisdom to cancel it. Usually when schools are closed is the guide. I think the local schools are doing conferences so they probably won't close early because it was happening anyway. I am providing food and doing a brief talk so there is no way I can bail out if they go forward. Prayers for all on our care report and the people of Ukraine. Thinking of all of you on cruises and preparing to go one one! Have a great day!

DF and I had a discussion and about this and a new Kindle is on my Christmas wish list for sure. You made me make up my mind for sure.

If one's team is in the playoff hunt or the playoffs there is great interest. I hope to be bringing my Ravens swag on the Grand SA.

That must be confounding about your Kindle. I use mine offline for books and for their ersatz Scrabble game. We are heading to South America so I guess I had better throw in a couple of actual books. My Kindle is a 10 year old model.... Thanks for the heads up! Enjoy the rest of your journey!

Good Wednesday morning. We have 6-8" of snow in the forecast for tomorrow through Friday. Therefore we are going to make another visit with my DB today since I hate driving in snow. I see yesterday's snow melting off the trees. Thanks for the Daily and Fleet Reports @richwmn. I used to play the clarinet and I especially remember the Principal clarinetist in the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. He looked like our neighbor who died of leukemia but he was a master of the clarinet. Amazing I can remember him after all those years. Tolerance is so important and an interesting story on the news today is that the Church of Latter Day Saints is supporting the gay marriage bill in the Senate now, walking the walk. I brought a large bag of buttons from all my years wearing business clothes to the Salvation Army when I moved away from MD. I have a small collection building again. Has anyone here done the button factory visit in Manta Ecuador? @dfishthanks for the photo of your beautiful street but I will take a pass on the potato soup. @summer slopeThanks for the coconut spritz recipe, it looks really good, I love coconut. @cat shepardthanks for your daily search for our wines of the day, I think I will pass on Greek wine. @Quartzsite Cruiserthanks for the photos of Kiritimati. It looks like a beautiful island. So glad Steve is doing better. @StLouisCruisersI know your Covid test will come back negative. @rafinmdRoy thanks for sharing your dining choices on the Eurodam. I hope you are having a great cruise with great weather. Thanks for our care and celebration lists. Prayers for all on our care list and for the people of Ukraine. Have a great Wednesday. Hopefully no bad news for my DB today and that he is doing his PT. Nancy

I loosened up on the NS last February when they took off the mask mandate for part 2 of our B2b. Handwashing and avoiding touching surfaces are something I did including using the towel to open the public bathroom door. As people loosen their guard the norovirus will begin to rear its' ugly head. That makes you wish you would die..... I will be masking on our upcoming Grand SA unless they give us the all clear that the crew is not required to wear them. I still will avoid crowds.

NS in February played the Super Bowl in the Main Stage. On the old Rotterdam we found our game in the bar off from the casino.

I think I remember that upstairs area one time. I think there was lemonade and cookies.

I did get to see DB today and he looked much brighter today and his rash is fading somewhat. The doctor was in and he said he thought the rash was due to the anti-fungal he was on so they are re-starting the cefazolin. I told DSIL to look at a spot free place on his arm and watch it once they restart the meds. If she sees a change call the nurse. He travels to the surgeon in the next couple days to get his staples removed. I hope he doesn't cheat out of his OT today. Nancy

Linda thanks for the heads up on that. I am glad I didn't wait on my luggage shipment after I read you had done yours. I did write on my itinerary the nights that I had guessed would be "special nights" based on lack of ability to book the specialty restaurants. I guess I will throw in something black and gold and something orange in case they decide to call those events. Specialty restaurants blocked. January 12, January 18, January 25, February 6, February 10, February 14 after those dates I quit looking to prebook dinners. I haven't had time to look on roll call or our page on FB so thanks again! Kind of takes some of the excitement out of the preparation.

Good morning, the system snow is coming down and it is 32 degrees. We are heading down to see DB in about 30 minutes. An interesting group of days. Thanks @richwmnand @rafinmdfor our daily updates! I like Bundt cakes and while rummaging around for pie pans I came across a Bundt pan that DF brought when he moved in. We both do Atkins for the most part though. I will be cleaning out the fridge as it is recycling in two days and I see a jar of marinara that is past its' prime. Our recycling is once monthly. Sometimes it is so heavy I have a hard time picking it up to roll it. But last month the wind blew it over. This month it is full with the usual wine bottles but also the cardboard and pulp packaging for the bottles. @Quartzsite CruiserLenda I agree with you comment on Marilyn Monroe. She was defined by others. She allowed it though. Pass on the cauliflower and kale, kryptonite for me. The cocktail looks a little too fussy for me. We have 2 bottles of Chateau Lafite 1998 in our cellar. One a gift from my DH and another from a hostess/host gift from one of our over the top wine dinners. Lenda and Sandi thank you for the photos of Broome! Prayers for all on our Care List. Prayers for those cleaning up from the hurricanes and the people of Ukraine. Thanks to all here who research our daily events, it makes this group so interesting to start the day with! Nancy

Good afternoon. I am very late because of a day of running around. Nurse Practitioner and also a flu shot, a cholesterol and thyroid blood draw then a pedicure and then Walmart. By the time I got home DF wanted to go somewhere for lunch. It was Mexican and disappointing so we will cross that restaurant off our list. Not a lot to choose from on a Monday. DSIL has been keeping me posted on my DB. Yesterday they suggested him going back to the hospital due to his continuing pain and a general rash all over him not reduced by Benadryl and then something higher strength. I urged them to go back to hospital but he wanted to wait for the Infectious Disease doctor who is due today, not yet. He was able to do 15 minutes of out of bed PT today and then since his brace slid down they allowed him do PT sitting in bed. He told my sister to leave yesterday and no more visitors because he is so tired. I asked DSIL if he feels like me visiting tomorrow. His WBC count is up and he is off antibiotics. Prayers for all on our care list and a shout out to all on cruises! Thanks for the photos of Cobh, it looks like a beautiful port. @HAL Sailer and @Quartzsite Cruiser I hope your husbands do better soon. Prayers for the people of Ukraine. Have a nice day.

Good Sunday morning! We missed most of the snow bands and only have about 1.5" on the deck when I went out to feed the birds. My visit was brief seeing my DB. He has a rash all over him so they suspect (I agree) an allergic to the IV cefazolin or the rifampin he is taking for his bone infection. We had a good talk for about 20 minutes and then he started to nod off. I told him I would let him sleep but make sure to do his required PT. I think he understands the consequences of not doing his PT and showing progression. Thanks for the Daily and Fleet Reports @richwmn. I like the Twain quote and it basically sums up the editing process for fewer words. All the comestibles sound good! Recife is on our agenda next February 23rd for a long stay until 11 that night. I look forward to the photos of the port. We have nothing planned yet for that port. @rafinmdthank you for keeping the Care and Celebration reports daily, even when n the Eurodam. I enjoy looking at your MDR food offerings. Prayers for all on our care list, Lenda I hope Steve is back in his rehab and making progress. Prayers for the people of Ukraine and those in Florida suffering from the remnants of the hurricanes. Have a wonderful Sunday morning!

Happy birthday @Crazy For Cats!

Sandi since you are going to be on the Volendam the Cellar #2 package has the Pine Ridge white blend is listed. Much pricier onboard than the $10 store price. Your daughter's ornaments are beautiful. No Christmas trees for us this year. We don't want to return in March for one waiting for us. @rafinmdCongratulations on 5 Star! 🍾 I am heading off to see my brother soon. We have snow in the forecast for tonight into tomorrow and I will probably take a day off since his kids and grandkids will visit while off from work. We got all the needed lawn work done before the snow flies. I am sure leaves will blow in and a few more fall but this lovely run of warm weather made fall bearable. Thanks for the Daily and Fleet Reports! I like French Dip sandwiches, our local tavern near our cabin has a good one. We are holing up for a few days after our casino junket to New Buffalo. The quote is strange. Pass on the food, cocktail but probably drinking a lot of that wine in our future. I look forward to the photos of the port. DF worked for Kawasaki and he had many trips to Japan but he doesn't recognize the port. I look forward to some photos. I got our Luggage Forward completed. Our last communication said we will be contacted but I got sick of waiting. Ours will be picked up 12/14. I also talked to Optum Rx about getting three months of medicine in advance so hopefully that will be handled. I will go several days early to make sure things go through OK, especially since we are starting our drive south to Fort Lauderdale on 12/22. HA finally opened up specialty dining yesterday. I will work on that next. I try to prepay as much as I can before departure. Prayers for all on our cares list, especially people in FL who can't get a break from the huricanes and the people of Ukraine.

Thanks for reminding us to bring small snacks for shore excursions. I remember a few times wishing we had something. Sometimes when we get hungry we head up to the Lido and it is not open. If we are lucky we are in a NS or have the Grand Dutch option but that doesn't always happen. I guess there is room service cookies but by the time they come it may be dinner time. I too am a Pepsi product fan. I miss my Diet Pepsi and Mtn. Dew. First long HA cruise I took we stopped at Puerta Vallarta first. I traipsed across the road to Walmart and brought back 4 8 packs of DP. Sadly we can't do that. I am now on no caffeine but I am planning to bring on a bunch of Starbucks Via Decaf packs so I can get the strong coffee I crave. Great topic!

Just got home from seeing my DB. @JazzyVonce he finishes his IV antibiotic course and being better to ambulate better he will be released to home and then he will have to travel to wound care at the hospital. My DSIL is doing a terrific job motivating him to not slack off which he is prone to do. If he fails to make progress he will be kicked out to a nursing home. I had to deal with that with my DF when he was 90. He refused to do PT so ended up in a nursing home. We made him understand that he could come home but not in a wheel chair. He thought through that and got up and with help from my siblings started walking and was able to go home. I talked to DB just as I did with my Dad, going home requires a lot of work on his part. He has PT at 1:00 today and my DSIL took a break but will return for his PT session. Looking forward to seeing the comments I missed earlier. I think I see some photos of Manaus. Thanks for the photos!

So lucky that they caught that! AFib is the leading cause of stroke. The new Senator from PA had a stroke and it was due to uncontrolled AFib that he probably never realized he had. My late DH had it too. He had to go through cardioversion and they had to shock him three times. Prayers for this to heal!