Cruising-along

Good morning all! Our good weather continues, mid-high 70's and sunny for at least the next 10 days. I love tigers (and all cats), like lasagna but will pass on the chicken wings. Great quote! The meal sounds yummy, will pass on the drink and red wine. Have never been to Japan. Every time I hear something about Mickey Mouse I remember how our DIL always said she "worked for the mouse" when she was an Imagineer for Disney. We plan to go see "Haunted Mansion" based on the Haunted Mansion in Disneyland (I know, but it's one of my favorite parts of the park LOL). The previews looked good and a good cast. Other than that not much on the agenda. I'm on 2 very active roll calls now, I'm sure I'll start getting them mixed up... @StLouisCruisers Sandi Bon Voyage!! Have a great cruise! @Crazy For Cats Jake welcome home! @ger_77 Gerry sorry to hear about your DH's gout -- ouch. My DH had it once and I remember how painful it was for him. I hope the meds help quickly. I'm like you, I tear up at all funerals and even weddings. Sending hugs. @cat shepard Ann sending prayers for your family today as you say goodbye to your nephew. @Nickelpenny I love the photo of you and the tiger. My niece did the same when she was in Thailand (and like you didn't know about the controversy until later).

Good morning all! I never turn down any chocolate (except white chocolate, that isn't even really chocolate IMO) but prefer dark. The grandsons love water parks, and the Buffalo Soldiers deserve more than 1 day. Will pass on the red wine, the drink sounds good as does the meal but I would add a little meat. Like the quote, have never been to the port. Not much on the agenda today other than gardening and cruise planning. The cruise we booked yesterday already has an active roll call, so catching up on that. @smitty34877 Terry I'm glad it went well yesterday for your DH's port placement. @Heartgrove Jack your house is lovely and I love the color. Oh my, our house is probably half the size of yours (but 2-story too) and I'm already worrying about being able to keep it up. 😂 @cat shepard Ann safe travels! @rafinmd Roy I hope you have a good appointment today with the cardiologist. @StLouisCruisers Sandi safe travels to Boston! @dobiemom Laura thank you for letting us know the tip about the BLT Pasta Salad. @superoma Belated Happy Birthday! @0106 Tina thank you for another BLT pasta salad recipe. @durangoscotsSusan I'm so very sorry about your friends. It must have been quite a shock. 😞

Oh dear, I'm so sorry to hear about the A/C problem and your new floor is warped. As for the post office, it sounds just like the nightmare I went through with our local P.O. 4 years ago. I had paid for a P.O. Box but they never used it. Instead the carrier kept delivering until the box was full, and then he put a note on our front door (!!) pretty much letting anyone know we were away. If it weren't for our neighbor who picked up our mail, I don't know what would have happened. Oh, and they wouldn't reimburse us for the post office box either. After that I got Informed Delivery because I just can't trust our local service.

Just...wow.

Lenda that would be great if you did decide to book this one too. But I understand about the medical stuff. Yes, getting home so close to Christmas is a concern, but may just force me to do things early for once. 😉

Good (barely here on the West Coast) morning all! I'm very late today, slept late but also because we booked a new cruise this morning! DH found it accidentally, it's an itinerary HAL hasn't done in 100 years -- 42 days round trip FLL to the Med (and back to Egypt and Israel for us!) Could not resist when we saw the itinerary and no long flights. Yesterday I had a wonderful time with my BFF, as always. It was perfect weather for our walk after lunch. We were marveling over how much cooler it was than it usually is during her birthday week. I'll pass on the drink, but would probably like the Zinfandel. I printed off the first recipe and we'll have that tonight. Thank you Tina @0106! Annie @marshhawk I was sorry to hear about @catmando's cancer recurrence. Carol @mamaofami Wonderful that Sam is home and surgery wasn't needed. Continued healing! Laura @dobiemom Let us know how the BLT Pasta Salad turns out -- looks yummy! I printed off the recipe and may use it for a family reunion next month. Jake @Crazy For Cats That's odd that your art piece was confiscated. What did they find objectionable? Vanessa @JazzyV How wonderful that your DD's GF loved the painting -- as we all knew she would! @Cruzin Terri Safe travels home today. Sandi @StLouisCruisers Great photo of Ren! I'll just leave you with this. From our one time in St. Thomas....and no, my mouth wasn't touching the bottle. 😉

Granted this is our first Grand Voyage, but when we booked our upcoming Grand Australia, we got some perks including unlimited luggage forwarding, prepaid gratuities, Wifi, complimentary shore excursion, etc. Some or all of that may have been because we booked early too.

Good morning all! Today I'll be driving to Mt. Vernon to take my BFF out to lunch for her birthday. She lives in Bellingham so we meet there (half-way). It must be the coolest birthday she's had in ages, usually it's HOT and today will only be in the high 60's -- but sunny! We deal with ice and snow for my birthday and heat for her birthday. 😉 I had 8 aunts and uncles, all gone now. My dear Dad's sister almost made it to 100, but not quite. Dad lived to be almost 102. I'm more of a happy medium kind of person, no all or nothing. Will pass on the Tofu. I'd like to try the meal if someone made it for me and cut the spice some and omitted the cilantro...also would like to try the drink but pass on the red wine. Our DD and DSIL went diving from a live-aboard in Palau, but I don't know if it was the same one since there are a few of them. Bruce @aliaschief I'm not surprised at Sue's description of the movie Barbie. I'm just glad our grandsons wouldn't be interested in it. Did your granddaughter like it? I read that it would probably go over young children's heads. Roy @rafinmd I hope you get a great report from the Cardiologist today. Vanessa @JazzyV what a thoughtful gift your BFF is giving his dear Dad's GF.

Good morning all! We enjoyed the rain yesterday, very much needed! It will stay cooler (high 60's-low 70's) for another week before heating up again. I don't consider myself a culinarian other than on the days I make one of Debbie's @dfish or Tina's @0106 recipes 😉 No chili dogs for me. In the literal sense, I can still thread a needle since I'm near-sighted. If I'm wearing my contacts it's harder. I always liked the Twain quote, but also heard it was misquoted. I love any stir fry and we have it often. But I can't have any with soy sauce because even the low sodium is too high for me. Tonight will be slow cooker BBQ ribs. I'd also love the drink but would have to have it in the morning (LOL) because any caffeine later in the day keeps me awake all night. 😂 Will pass on the red wine. DH was in Singapore in the Navy, but we haven't cruised there. Yesterday I had a message from my primary care office saying they have to cancel my August appointment because my doctor is doing only virtual visits for the next few months (!!) I'm wondering why, I've never had this happen before. I hope she's ok, this is kind of odd. It's just a follow-up of my 6-month labs, and I honestly think those appointments are a waste of time unless I'm having a problem. I can see my lab results within minutes online, I don't see the need to go in, wait, and have her tell me what I already know. So I'm not sure I'll do the online visit, have never done one, and the one time DH did, it didn't work well. Nancy @ottahand7 Very nice tomato plants! I just have 1 plant, but last night we had our first tomato with dinner -- yum.

Absolutely ridiculous! Joy I have been wondering about this. Could Allen use Tricare instead and get medical care locally? DH (and I) use Tricare and never have problems like you've had -- inexcusable! DH won't go to the VA, and thankfully he hasn't had to. Between Tricare and Medicare we're completely covered and no medical bills. I really hope Allen can do that too. Roy @rafinmd YAY about the booked cruise! You deserve it.

I wish we could use it on Grand Voyages too. 😞

Melisa I read it the way you meant it, and didn't even "see" it this way until now LOL.

Good morning all! I woke up before 5 this morning, mainly because I couldn't get comfortable due to some upper back pain I've had for almost a week. No idea how I did it, but must have pulled a muscle or something. This too shall pass, but it's annoying and painful. The Icy Hot and heating pad aren't helping much. Amelia Earhart was an amazing woman and rightfully admired by many. I have 14 first cousins, and (so far) have lost only 2 to death. Surprising since I'm nearly the youngest of the 14. Interesting that Pioneer Day is about the Mormons. Yesterday I got a notice from one of the ancestry sites I use (the Mormon site) letting me know I had 4 female pioneer ancestors on my maternal grandmother's side -- it's all making sense now, maybe they were Mormon (?) . I'll pass on the meal (only because of the avocado), the drink sounds good, and will pass on the red wine. We will be in Tasmania on the Grand Australia, but not Burnie (unless our itinerary changes some more!) 😉 I think the quote is a little strange. Sandi @StLouisCruisers my DH also calls himself my pack mule. 🤣 Thank you for the photos of Burnie. Carol @mamaofami I'm so sorry to hear that your DH is in the hospital. I hope he won't need surgery and can come home soon. Lorraine @cruising sister thank you for the encouraging news about baby Murphy! I'm sorry to hear about Molly's torn ligament. Roy @rafinmd I hope all your medical appointments this week have good news. Take care of yourself.

Bon Voyage!!

Bon Voyage!!

Good morning all! It will be another sunny day here, high 70's. Tomorrow shows a chance of rain, we really need it (yes, it can get very dry here in the middle of summer) 😉 😄 When people from other parts of the country ask when is the best time to come, I always tell them July or August (especially if they don't like rain). Interesting collection of days. Living in Montana we saw a lot of cowboys, I like vanilla ice cream but only with a slice of cake or pie or in a sundae -- never just a scoop by itself. Sadly a school friend drowned in a local park when we were in high school 😞 I remember getting lessons at the Y when I was small, then in high school in CA swimming was required in PE. We had a pool then, so I got a lot of practice. I'll pass on the meal (spice), drink (coconut) and red wine. Interesting that it's a blend with Viognier, one of my favorite white wines. Have never been to Japan. Thanks for all the photos! Yesterday it took awhile, but my Grand Australia spreadsheet is now up to date with all our itinerary changes. Thankfully so far all the private tour operators have agreed to the date changes. Waiting for refunds on those that had to be canceled. It will be interesting to research our 3 new ports, but so far they appear to be very small and most likely beach days. @summer slope Dixie Happy Birthday!! I hope your day is splendid. @Denise T Fancy is adorable. Are the 3 cats welcoming or shunning him? Since things are going well I'm guessing they're ok with the new fur baby. 🙂

I join the others, this is rotten news. Continued prayers for sweet baby Murphy, all the family, and the medical team.

Good morning all! I would love to have a hammock, but probably would end up splat on the ground when it's time to get out of it...today will be a day of leisure compared to yesterday after 13 hours with the DGS -- but still will be a day of laundry and redoing my Grand Australia spreadsheet after all our itinerary changes. When I hear spoonerisms I think of my dear DF -- he did a lot of them, mostly unintentional and quite funny! I miss him. The drink sounds yummy, and maybe the meal, but I don't have any saffron. Maybe if someone else made it for me. Haven't decided yet what will be for dinner tonight. We may BBQ something. Have never been to this port, thank you Jacqui @kazu and Lenda @Quartzsite Cruiser for the great photos! Bon Voyage Debbie @dfish and Sue, Jake @Crazy For Cats and Juan, and Edi @NextOne! Thank you for the lovely photos of your Iris Nancy @ottahand7.

Good afternoon We had a great time at the zoo and after picking up our oldest DGS from camp we’re resting at their house before going out for dinner. As many times as we’ve gone to the zoo here, I seem to see new things each time. For one thing this was the first time we were able to see a couple programs. First was the feeding of the penguins (trout) and then training a gorgeous tiger. All fascinating. We also saw Grizzlies and a beautiful Lynx.

A quick good morning everyone before we head to Seattle. It will be a long but hopefully fun day with the DGSs. Zoo, dinner out, then games etc. etc. tonight. Probably a 12-14-hour day. Tomorrow I rest! Like others have said, our Grand Australia itinerary had LOTS of changes last night. No more Bora Bora (not a surprise there) but another port taken off (and we had a fun private tour booked there). 😢 I feel for those arranging private tours because their work has been cut out for them now. Ports removed and others have had their dates changed. At least 3 new ports to research. My spreadsheet will have to be completely redone LOL! Happy Birthday Craig @Sharon in AZ!! Safe travels and Bon Voyage to all who are cruising!

I was worried about DH, he's claustrophobic -- but he was fine. And the lights along the pathway going down went out so we were in pitch darkness for what seemed like minutes but was probably less than a minute. It was quite the experience!

Thanks Jacqui, I agree and have had the same experience. Gardening can be one big experiment sometimes. I can't count the number of plants I've replaced. We're the original owners of the home, so I started from scratch. Yes, curious indeed!

Wow, the sage and Marigolds have grown! Like I said, I didn't have much luck growing anything when we lived in a hot, dry place, so I think you're doing well. I wonder if the Zinnias didn't get enough light after the sage and Marigolds overshadowed them (?) Jacqui @kazu any thoughts?

Lenda I just re-checked the price now, it's $299.95 p/p. I wasn't remembering correctly yesterday.

Good morning all! It will be another sunny day in the low 80's here, then will cool off to the 70's for awhile. One of my tomatoes in the yard is starting to turn -- yippee! I haven't had an ice cream soda since I was a child, and like others I prefer a float. Hot dogs are ok, but no plans to have one today, and will pass on the lollipops. Love the quote, it sounds just like BFF and me. Will pass on the drink (coconut and pineapple). The wine that Ann @cat shepardsuggested sounds lovely. I haven't tried King Estate wine but have always liked most Willamette Valley wines. My choice tonight will be my usual, one of the NZ Sauvignon Blancs. The meal sounds yummy too, I printed off the first recipe. Tonight we'll be having Chicken Pesto meatballs with Marinara sauce though. We've been to Norway but not this area. I remember the first moon walk well, I watched it with my parents on TV. DH was stationed across the country, and we were preparing for our wedding in September. @dfish Debbie safe travels for you and Sue! @cruising sister Lorraine that's great news about baby Murphy 🙂