Norseh2o

February 15, 2025 Konigsdam 35 days South Pacific, (Hawaii, Tahiti, Marquesas)

Karen - I thought of you and your dear DH as we traveled to Sedro-Wooley. ❤️ Norseh2o (Kathy)

Thanks to all who contribute to The Daily. In June, DH talked about a HAL cruise in 2025, RT San Diego to San Diego, Hawaii and Tahiti. I reminded him that we had enjoyed that cruise in 2022 on the beautiful Zuiderdam. He agreed and said that as we grow older we might not enjoy flying across the USA, the pond or the poles to Europe to cruise, so why not build up loyalty and points to ships near our home. I emailed our TA a few days ago and this morning received a quote with a cabin that we like and a request for a $2.00 deposit. I quickly responded to our TA yes, please! Another cruise booked! Then we drove to Sedro-Wooley for my passport picture. Across Deception Pass, mountains, forests, farmland to the charming post office in Sedro-Wooley. The best post office staff in a beautiful, built in 1938 took a not bad photo, $15.00 and I was finished in less than 10 minutes. A stop for “senior” coffee at McDonalds and we were headed home. What a beautiful world!

Just booked February, 2025 Tahiti 35 days (round trip from San Diego) with a $2.00 deposit. Should have waited a week and saved a dollar!

Yes, the bottles are yours to keep. We have a dozen that we fill with water, freeze and use in a cooler when traveling on land.

Thanks for the advice. Have arranged for passport picture next week, will look for an Expeditor service now.

Six months can be difficult. My passport expires February, 2024. I need anew passport for October-December, 2023 travel on Nautica and Marina. I traveled to South America, Feb-April, 2023, France the first 2 weeks of June, 2023, will board the Regatta to Alaska in 2 weeks, Nautica and Marina trips October-December, 2023. Not enough time between January to August to be without passport. Hopeful that the time between August 1, disembark the Regatta in Seattle and October 20, fly to Venice is enough time for expedited passport service. Will need new passport for fall, 2023 and January-February, 2024 trips.

Happy Independence Day! When I talked with my mother earlier, I asked her about her day. She told me that she had shared a history lesson with her caregiver. En route to breakfast, (DM, 103 yrs old, uses a wheel chair and or walker) the caregiver asked, What is this 4th of July, Independence Day celebration? DM wondered if this history was not being taught in schools and asked, Where are you from? Caregiver replied, The Sudan. DM said, Oh, you are from the eastern part of Africa. Do you miss it? Would you ever return? Caregiver answered, Oh no, never! DM then explained that Independence Day was a celebration of America’s independence. Caregiver asked, From what? DM answered, From England. Caregiver said, Why from England? I wonder if DM will have a chance to explain ‘the rest of the story’. Happy 4th of July to those who celebrate, 🎆and many thanks to all who work while others have a vacation day.

Visited Ushuaia twice, west to east from Santiago to Buenos Aires, and back around all the way to Miami on our b2b2b on Oceania’s Marina in February/March, 2023. Our pictures are much as others have posted. We bought wine and penguin shaped back packs for our youngest granddaughters from a small shop at the port. Prayers & peace for so many on the Care list. Some days, the bad news seems overwhelming. I use my (old!) iPhone for pictures. Surprised that with all of our downsizing the last 2 years, we never found our “real” camera. Today is sunny and calm. We plan to spend the day tidying up for the 4th of July company, DD, DSIL and 3 grands, repacking suitcases, one for the the 3 more WA weeks, one for our 11 day Alaska cruise on Oceania’s Regatta, and one for the travel home, stopping for visits with family and friends in CA. 6/29/23 view from the porch:

Happy Birthday, Roy! And thanks to @ottahand7 for sharing her fix-up of her toe. We are enjoying a sunny weekend in Seattle after rather cool, grumpy days on Whidbey Island last week. DD and I made a quick IKEA trip this morning & will set up tomorrow for Sunday’s (postponed from last weekend due to cool weather) birthday party for 6 year old DGD. Tonight we will make stuffed bell peppers - thanks for the pepper suggestions on The Daily earlier in the week. Happy summer days to Daily-ites!

Home from France, what a dream! Nice flight but this across the pond stuff is for youngsters! Great immigration in Seattle, less than 4 minutes as we joined the Global Entry line and zipped through. Whidbey Shuttle from airport to island was efficient, once inside our little cabin, I sat on the couch as was soon asleep. We spent the next morning switching out clothes and joined DD and DSIL and grands in Seattle for an elementary school sing/performance (@BallardHigh, what a treat to be on a school campus after 3 + years of pandemic absence!). Byen Bakeri for Scandinavian treats for Fathers’ Day this morning. We spent a lazy day in cool, cloudy Seattle. Thanks to all for the Daily news, hope and prayers for all in need, Gerry, I love the cemetery clean up!

Bonjour! Surprised to be posting on page 1 of the Daily. We are enjoying Vence, France for a family wedding, fine weather and, oh, the food! As much as cruise travel can be our favorite way to see the world, staying in a beautiful place like Vence for a week or two is unbeatable.

Not much of a cookie fan, and have not tried the O cookies, but decades ago while living and working in Honduras, I often stopped on the way home from work at a bakery to buy a cookie or two. The best sugar cookies ever! I later learned that the deliciousness was due to the lard used in the recipe. Yes, lard. 🙂

No noise from Horizons, yes, cabins are very convenient for Barista coffee (and spending time in Horizons)! Thanks for the ‘warning’ about the nearby bakery on Vista . 🥐🍪🍩

We stayed in cabin #12003 on the Marina, October-November 2021, for a transatlantic trip. This was our first cruise after the shutdown & our first time in the deck 12 A1 Concierge cabins. Following the November, 2021 Marina cruise, & discovering deck 12 cabins, we changed our South America Feb-April, 2023 cruise from the 9th deck to #12004. Our future Marina, Rivera and Vista cruises, if not in a PH cabin, are in one of the 12th deck A-1 Concierge cabins. I’d say we like these cabins! We prefer front of ship, high decks when at sea. We haven’t been seasick. If motion sickness is a consideration, ship front and high deck might not be the best choice.

We joined the ATW 2022 cruise Lisbon-NYC. Booked for the itinerary and multiple sea days, joined old friends & made new friends. Have booked and are looking forward to joining the last part of 2025 ATW, Papeete-San Diego for the itinerary and sea days.

Plenty of red heads in my family, my mother, two of my four sisters (the other two blonde) brother and I all had red hair, dear MIL had nice auburn hair. Now, blonder, whiter or more silver as we age. 🙂 Today, we travel to the great state of Washington for most of the summer. Looking forward to fun with grandchildren, shucking oysters, pulling crab pots, fishing, some sewing and needlework & hours of “niksen”, doing nothing (Dutch wellness). Prayers for the care list, prayers for safe travels to Daily-ites on the move, thanks to all for sharing stories. Thanks and honor on Memorial Day and every day, to those who lost their lives in service to protect us.

Nice review of the Vista. Details were great, loved the pictures, food and menu observations and personnel comments. Thank you!

Great fan of The Boys and Girls Clubs! Our local club includes a swimming pool and year round swim team. Our three children flourished at the Club with occasional after school programs, summer activities and swim team events. We continue with annual financial support. Years ago, DH and DS went to a NASCAR race. DS was so impressed with the politeness of the fans, holding doors open, saying please and thank you, and the prayers before the races. DH commented on the noise, but would certainly return! Thanks, Dailyites for the news and comments, happy sailing for all on board. Prayers for wellness.

May 18, 2023! Celebrating our wedding anniversary today, This morning, DH is helping our good friends with ‘taking the boat out of the lake til next time’, I will pack, gaze at the lake a little longer and get ready to travel to Nevada for golf and spending time with at least 2 relatives, our youngest BIL (who ‘founded’ and continues to organize this top notch, very amateur golf gathering!) and my oldest sister (who is the best traveling companion!). We will look for a celebratory anniversary dinner on the weekend and continue to celebrate our anniversary into the summer months with travel, family and friends. Thank you Rich, for the Daily postings & for all the Daily-ites.

Horizons pictures, please! Is coffee available @ the bar in Horizons? Pool pictures, outdoor golf and shuffleboard, staff pictures? The Terrace looks great! Thank you.

We live on the west coast and travel on the Regatta as often as possible!

Rich - Thank you for posting so many details and highlights of your around the world adventure. Hopeful that an ATW is in my future!

Thank you for the Daily. Wish that I had the time to read all of the days that I miss! I am second of six, DH & I spend as much time as possible with siblings. One of my sisters left us in December, 2019, we are all pleased that her husband, my first brother-in-law {we were in the same high school typing class 🙄, typing?} spends plenty of time with us, frequently visits his mother-in-law (my 103 year DM!) and when he remarried in February, we all sent love and heartfelt congratulations. ❤️