ottahand7

Good afternoon everyone. I got done with my stint at the Greens Sale selling wreath and roping a little early because it seems volunteers show up in droves for the end of the sale for when unsold arrangements are marked down. I saw one I liked when I first arrived but later in the sale it was gone. I did buy a giant custom made silver bow which I will use for my outdoor decor next year. It was very windy all night and earlier today. I was very happy with our new venue at a Senior Center there was space for us to be inside. @richwmnthank you for the daily and fleet reports. Everyone thank you for sharing the photos of Iceland. It is a beautiful place and I look forward to visiting there in the future. The last tortilla pie that was heated looked very yummy especially if made with corn tortillas. I will pass on a cocktail with candy in it but the Riesling looks like a good wine with seafood. @rafinmdthank you for the Cares and Celebrations and thank you for adding my brother back in. They are keeping him at least through the day in the hospital but they are having him do PT while there. Hopefully they can get his red blood cells at a normal level and he can return to his rehab. Have a nice weekend! Nancy

DB is in good spirits and they were slowly infusing his first bag of blood. If that is uneventful they will give him another. I will miss seeing him tomorrow because my shifts at our annual Greens Sale. Thank you to @HAL4NOW for the pictures of Inca Civilization and Pachamac. That is one of our tours in Lima. @Quartzsite CruiserThanks for the photos of Miraflores. It looks like a great area at the end of the shuttle from the port. We are getting excited!

We are on the Grand SA too. I hope to meet you at our Meet & Greet if you have signed up. Nancy

Good Friday morning. A brief report for me today because my DB has been admitted to the hospital for at least a couple of days due to bleeding and low RBC count. I will go pick up some meds at the pharmacy, a trip to the bird feed store visit DB in the hospital and then another trip back to Costco. Their bird suet is 20 packs for the price of 10 at Tractor Supply. I am going to give my neighbor across the street bird feed and suet to help my overfed birds through the winter. Looking forward to the photos of Callao/Lima. We are going to be there January 13-15. We will do a couple of HA tours, a dinner at Casa Aliaga and Inca civilization and Pachamac. Have a great Friday. Nancy

US Flu map from last week. If you don't get it at home you may get it staying at the ports. Mask up if you are in crowds. I have no idea how effective our flu vaccine is this year. Looking at this I would say not too effective to prevent illness but perhaps preventing severe illness.

Good Thursday morning and the first of December! Thanks for the Daily and Fleet Reports. No Christmas lights for us because we don't want to have to take them down prior to Christmas or face them at the end of March. My dear neighbor in MD would leave her tree up well into March. World AIDS day is a day of remembrance and also to recognize the advances that have been made in treatment but not a cure. The company I worked for developed the first drug approved to treat AIDS and continued to develop a lot of the combination treatments that have made AIDS a chronic disease for many. Sadly those treatments haven't reached a lot of the world. So happy Romania can celebrate their independence! @dfishThe third meatloaf recipe looks like a winner. @summer slopethanks for the cocktail but I think I will have my cukes in a salad instead. @cat shepardthanks for the wine information, I had to look up where it is grown and it is an area near Sacramento. A new one for me. @smitty34877Prayers for Tana since she has pneumonia and also for you for having your hip complications. @ger_77thanks for the happy memories of the snack Nuts & Bolts. In the US it has been hijacked to Chex Mix missing the "nuts" that were Cheerios. The bolts were rod pretzels. So much better when homemade and the house smelled so good when it was in the oven. Thanks for the Daily care and celebration lists Roy. Prayers for all on the list and for the people of Ukraine. Today I will stay home, DB has a surgeon's appointment. I need to pay my January taxes, shut up my shipping suitcase that has been on the bed for weeks and start my Christmas cards. A big sign of relief I found my address book under my taxes clipboard. That makes writing my Christmas cards a lot easier. No need to text everyone for their addresses. Have a great day!! Nancy

@Lady HudsonBon Voyage! 🍾

@Ichiban NekkoI am so sorry to hear of your husband's pneumonia. I sure hope he can get a bed soon. You must be so exhausted. @smitty34877Prayers for Tana. @Cruising-along I hope that you feel better soon and hoping it is a reaction to your flu shot. @Vict0riannThank you for the photos of Alter Do Chao! @StLouisCruisersI am glad you are going to the Boi Bumba show. You probably remember when one of the Dailyites posted a rousing video of the show when Parintins was the port of the day. That is one of the first shore excursions we booked for our cruise. He recommended getting there early and getting a front row seat. Please share some pictures. My visit with DB was great today. He looks a lot better and so happy to see that he only has a small bend in his knee that they have the brace on. When he spent the night at the hospital they did not put the Pic in his chest they just reinserted it in his right arm. I was so happy to see my dear nephew when I arrived. I don't think I have seen him since Christmas last year. After he left I had a nice visit with DB and shortly thereafter my younger DS showed up. Lots of company and encouragement for DB today. Costco was a mess, I will not go back there until we return from our cruise.

@dfishtodays pork chop recipes look wonderful. I had just ripped a recipe out of Cooks Country for pork chops with prunes. It looks tasty. I have a freezer full of pork so I am looking for new recipes. I will pass on the drink and take my Beam neat. That Chilean wine looks good too. @rafinmdthanks for the photos of Fortaleza, we will be there February 25th. We have nothing planned so your photos looks like a walk around it appropriate for that port. @StLouisCruisersthanks for the comments on Alter Do Chao, we have nothing booked there either and if it is really hot we may stay aboard. I put a note in the itinerary I have printed about the issues in the port. Thank you for sharing the Gingerbread Village photos, along with @lindalerwe will be able to enjoy in on the New Year's cruise. @aliaschiefI hope that you feel better soon and that it isn't Covid. @kazuSo happy to hear your foot is slowly getting better! Prayers for all on our care list and for the people of Ukraine. DF showed me a 3 minute video of Ukrainians using their US provided Javelin missiles to attack a convoy of Russian tanks and Humvee type vehicles. Not a single missed. Probably 30 vehicles wiped out. Have a wonderful day and a shout out for everyone getting ready to go on a cruise! Nancy

Happy Hump Day! We will be heading out in an hour to visit DB and hopefully make the last Costco visit before we hit the road to FL 12/22. I will have a report about his progress later. @Quartzsite CruiserGreat news that Steve is going to be released to home. I am sure you will be so happy to have him home with you. Thanks for the Fleet and Daily Reports! A great quote. I have been diligent in doing computer security on my laptop. I have Norton that came with my latest one. It is fairly unobtrusive versus the AVG we used to use. Yesterday DF John gave me an early birthday gift, a new battery for my Dell computer. I bought a Costco floor model for $500 off a year ago. One of the hazards of floor models is they sit on a charger constantly and that really shortens the battery life. He had to open up the back of the computer and installed. All is good. Here is another kind of moose, thanks for the hint @RedneckBob! I took her picture driving back to the cabin through my truck window.

A bit of thread drift but if anyone notices smoking from nearby cabins contact ship's services right away. We were on a B2B and second leg we smelled the smoke starting on day one. They tried to hide it by smoking early but we are early risers and got a snoot full every morning. My dramatic coughing did nothing to curtail them so I ratted them out. They were visited according to our NS concierge and told to cease smoking. It isn't the bothering one's neighbors but more so the risk for fire.

Time to start wearing your masks if you don't already. I always follow this map when I decide I want to go into the public since I catch everything that comes along. Thankfully Michigan isn't a hot spot yet. When I work at our annual Greens Sale next Saturday I signed up for outside duty doing Wreathes and Roping. We will have to slowly drive through the south on our way to our 12/27 cruise. It has been a hot zone for the last 4 weeks. Stay safe!

Good Tuesday morning! I love lemon cream pie but I haven't had it in years. We had to take square dancing class in gym when I was in 10th grade. It was in addition to other dances and it was called Folk Activity, we had a more appropriate name for us who hated it. Rhymes with Folk activity. A good thought provoking quote. I will pass on the cauliflower pizza, I can only enjoy cauliflower raw. The cocktail looks great and will probably pass on the Rose'. On this dingy but warm day I am enjoying the photos of sunny La Rochelle. Thanks for the Daily and Fleet Reports! Thanks for the Cares and Celebrations lists! Prayers for all on our care list and for the people of Ukraine. DSIL texted me this morning. DB had a vascular ultrasound yesterday afternoon and he spent the night in the hospital, hopefully in a room. He went through the insertion of the PIc line procedure at 8AM today. DSIL does not know if he will get back to the rehab by evening as slow as the transfer ambulance service. At least with it in his chest it won't interfere with his arm movements for PT. I have to get mouthwash and toothpaste. I have a lot on the house but it is relegated for the long cruise and I don't want to draw from that. I am also going to get my nails done and see DB if he arrives back at rehab at a decent hour. Have a great day!

I checked my cabin photos from the NS and there were 2 hooks on the wall but we were in a Neptune Suite. Check out Halfacts for pictures of yours or nearby cabins.

@HAL SailerPrayers for your DSIL, she has gone through a lot and must be a tough woman. Sandi and Dixie looks like you are enjoying your Amazon cruise, thanks for sharing the picture of you together. Sandi thanks for letting us know those ancient TVs have been updated! Thanks for the Daily and Fleet Reports. I love French toast and today would be perfect day for it because we have macerated raspberries in the fridge. Not to be because I have an ultrasound today and some blood work then we will probably head to the nearby tavern for lunch/dinner. When I eat there I don't need any dinner. I'll take my brisket on a roll with horseradish rather than sauerkraut. The drink looks great minus the mint. When I looked at the wine's name earlier I knew it would be pricy. Looking forward to pictures of Mauritania. Prayers for all on the care list, @JazzyV and for the people in Ukraine. It is very dark and cold there right now. I didn't see my brother yesterday as I decided it was time to do a good housecleaning before the Ravens loss. I got a call from DSIL about 11 and she asked if DB could go on oral meds instead of IV because he had Pic line issues again. I explained he has a Pic line that goes directly into his heart because he needs the antibiotic into his blood constantly. He has osteomyelitis or bone infection. Since the bones have limited blood supply he needs the IV drug delivery. The mess dragged on all afternoon. His arm with the Pic was cold and clammy so they did an x-ray. After that they decided they were going to move the Pic back to his left arm that had issues last week. Then they had to wait for a specialized IV nurse to move the line. She tried several times and it did not work. Therefore he has no line in now and will be at the ER this morning to have one put in his chest. My older sister saw him yesterday and he looked great and sitting up in a wheelchair but he was limited in movement due to the Pic line issue in his right arm. It seems he is two steps forward and one and a half steps back. So sad for him and my DSIL. Have a nice day! Nancy

@Sharon in AZ Nice rum pour in Barcelona!

Good Sunday morning! We were thrilled to see Michigan beat Ohio State. First time on their stadium in 22 years! Today is the Ravens versus the Jaguars. @richwmnThanks for the Daily and Fleet reports and the comments on my favorite summer cocktail. I love a CL with Diet Pepsi and Pusser's rum and some lime. Since we have been traveling in the Caribbean a lot of late I picked up some new ones in the DR and Barbados. A couple of those I really enjoyed at our cabin this summer. A great quote and some interesting days. @0106Thanks for the happy memories of the Orioles pie in the face activities, my DH loved the Orioles. All the comestibles look like winners! @Quartzsite Cruiserthank you for the photos today. Such beautiful sunny weather there. @rafinmdThank you for the Cares and Celebrations reports. Prayers for all needing them and for the people of Ukraine. I had a very brief visit with DB yesterday but for a good reason. I got there at my usual 10 am and he was still in bed. He said don't stay long because they had put him on a bike in PT and he suffered the consequences all night in pain. He called later and apologized but I said no problem. DF asked why I was home so quickly and I told him that it was for a good reason since DB was put through his paces in PT. Today we are putting all of our Thanksgiving decor away and I will bring out a small fabric Christmas tree with a matching white bunny in a cap. That will be the extent of our decorating. Usually every flat surface is covered and two Christmas trees plus lights front and back. Have a wonderful day! Nancy

@Quartzsite CruiserThanks for the beautiful pictures of Ha Long Bay! @Horizon chaser 1957are you and the Grand Africa cruise? Your pictures are great! That is one cruise I would pay for the 5-day safari because when would one ever get back to Africa. I hope it will be offered in 2025. @StLouisCruisersGreat news on Ren and Colton, they must be spectacular players. Thanks for the Daily and Fleet Reports. In place of cake I will have apple pie left over from Thanksgiving. @dfishthanks for the great onion soup recipes. It takes so many onions to make a good one so I think we will have it on the Volendam at the end of the month. @summer slope and @cat shepard thank you for our daily libations. They look really tasty but high in the sugar content. Thanks for the cares and celebrations reports! @seagarsmokerglad that you are on the mend from Covid. Prayers for all on our care list and for the people of Ukraine. I am heading to see dear brother today after a 3 day hiatus. Two for Thanksgiving and prep and yesterday our adventure cutting greens on 4 different sites. The weather was sunny and in the 40s and I only had to put my knee boots on at one spot due to the snow depth. We started with white pine at a farmstead, then next to a property owned by the small city near us for spruce and more beautiful white pine, the next stop was another old farmstead for Junipers and finally a ranch home that had a beautiful stand of arborvitae which they allowed us to cut small pieces. In all my pickup and another pickup with a cap were filled up with greens. We unloaded them at our Council house and our members will begin crafting arrangements for us to sell at our annual fundraiser. They do some beautiful work with those greens. I am praying that when I see him there has been marked improvement! Have a wonderful Saturday and Go Michigan!!

I love Notes tastings. I started with whiskies of the world. I found there were certain scotches I like. We were on for 21 days on NS and the Islay Scotch and Japanese whiskey tastings were new experiences for me. If Jarrie is pouring at Notes she is the best!

@ger_77 Thank you! Both recipes look like they would taste like my Mom's. Nancy

@0106Thanks for the recipe! Nancy

Good Friday morning! No Black Friday shopping for me. Like Jacqui we did ours early booking a couple cruises for 2024. Today I am meeting several members of our garden club to go cut pine branches by the truckload and then haul them to our Council House. They will be used for the swags and fresh green arrangements for our annual Greens Sale a week from today. Thankfully we had a thaw the last several days so we hopefully won't be trudging through knee deep snow. I was going to prune a lot off my Mugo pines and carpet junipers but most are still buried. Thanks for the Daily and Fleet Reports @richwmn. I love the quote by Fitzgerald. Today's fish is an absolute no. I will have my Laphroiag neat but the Pinot will probably be very tasty. Thanks @grapau27for photos of today's port. Thanks for our cares and celebrations list. Very happy so see many in our group at sea or soon to be. We have 31 days until we board the Volendam for our New Year's cruise B2B. Prayers for all on our care list. The poor people of Ukraine are all mainly in the dark due to Russian rockets disabling their electrical grid. President of the EU calls for Russia to be designated as a State Sponsor of Terror due to their crimes against humanity. Prayers for them and for this war to end. @ger_77 Would you share your recipe for the porcupine meatballs? My mom made them once or twice when I was a kid and would like to have them. Have a nice day! Nancy

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FOR ALL OF US IN THE US! My sister is due in about 30 minutes. A quiet day for the three of us and I am sure a lot of wine will be consumed. So many things to be grateful for in this house. I have been to today's port mainly flying through to southern Caribbean islands. We were there in February 2019 on the old Rotterdam. It was raining so we stayed aboard. @dfish I will share some food porn later today and I am looking forward to everyone elses'. Have a fun day!!

After being married for almost 20 years to a life long Baltimore guy we had the Sauerkraut and my DH would find Smithfield Ham which was served with dinner. His Dad grew up in Accomac Virginia and that was their tradition. @Vict0riannHappy 60th Anniversary! @kazu Sending you wishes on the anniversary of Jose's birthday. February 28th is always a memory day for me.

@bennybear I am sorry to hear about your cancer's return. Maybe time for Mohs. My cousin who recently passed had a cancerous lesion on his ear. They kept burning it off. Finally it got so invasive that they had to remover his ear. Thanks for your lovely photos of Kotor! @Cruising-alongThanks for a Pepper update! Nancy