Cruising-along

Happy birthday Susan @durangoscots!

Ditto!! He's great!

Did you get photos of them? I'm wondering if I've seen them on other ships...(still can't help with names, sorry!)

Good morning all! Well the rain/drizzle has begun, and according to the forecast will stay with us for the next week. Much cooler too. This is more typical June weather for us, not the hot weather we had before. We eat a lot of vegetables here, and I would love to take a road trip. Our last one was a couple years ago when we did a big loop and went to several national parks. Usually jugglers don't interest me, but I do remember one on a BHB who was a lot funnier than the comedian we had!! Good quote, and DH keeps me laughing every day. I'll pass on the meal, drink and wine, and have not been to Colon. Prayers for all in need and a big cheer for all who are celebrating.

The odds of seeing the same formation is very low, if not 0. They do "mix and match" for the blues clubs on HAL. We usually see one or two familiar faces each cruise, but have never seen the same formation twice and we go to BB King every cruise that has it.

Good morning all! Another kind of cloudy day, mid 60's again. But at least not raining (yet). I'll be finishing the laundry I started yesterday, and do some gardening. Today would have been my sister's 82nd birthday. She passed after a long battle with cancer at the age of 69. She and I shared the love of gardening, and I always feel her presence in my garden. I love fresh veggies and the best are freshly picked from my own garden when possible. Waterfalls are wonderful, as are nursing assistants. I admire everyone who is in the medical field, it's hard, hard work. Good quote, will pass on the red wine. The drink sounds interesting, not sure about it, but would try it. We don't have Fluke here (I see that it's an east coast fish) but the coconut rice would ruin it for me even if I substituted another white fish. And sadly even low sodium soy sauce is off limits for me so I try to avoid dishes with that ingredient. Airlie Beach is on the Grand Australia itinerary and I'm trying to find something to do there. One idea is to walk part of the Bicentennial Walkway if it isn't too hot. Hoping there will be some photos today! Here is a photo of our most well-known waterfall, Snoqualmie Falls with Salish Lodge in the background. Prayers for the families and victims of the horrific crash in Manitoba. How very, very sad.

Yes, I just did this a few weeks ago and it was also a 5-day Pacific Coastal.

Good morning all! We have a couple days of sunshine before the drizzle is back. Maybe heading to 70 F today. I love nature photography and follow several photographers online. Prunes are ok, and believe smiles hold a lot of power. I like the quote, and the meal sounds very yummy. I've printed off the 2nd recipe (you had me at balsamic glaze) but will make it another night. We've had a lot of fish the past week. Rosemary isn't usually an herb I would choose, but in this recipe it sounds great. My neighbor and I are each growing some herbs in our front yards and are sharing. She's growing Rosemary, so I'll pop over and snip some when I do make this. Will pass on the drink and red wine. We've been to Scotland but not to Lerwick. Thank you Sandi @StLouisCruisers and Lenda @Quartzsite Cruiser for the great photos. All the talk about painting houses and now I'm thinking maybe we'll do that next summer. I do still love the color we have (similar to Jack's @Heartgrove) so will try to have it matched as closely as possible. We also have Hardie Plank, I didn't know it can pull away! Getting my hair cut is tops on the agenda today, and then probably gardening. Not sure what we'll have for dinner, I'm thinking maybe pork chops. Gerry @ger_77 Happy Birthday to your DS! Susan @durangoscots great news that Bandit is doing well!

Good morning all! We have a cloudy day with a high in the mid 60's. I don't care for Bourbon, have done a little family history on Ancestry and also the Mormon site. My Mother's side has been traced back to 1100 but it's all much too complicated for me to keep up with. DH spent 4 years in the Army (and was in Viet Nam one of those years) and then retired from the Navy. In honor of Flag Day here's one of my favorite photos -- our youngest DGS helping DH raise our flag 6 years ago. Good quote, I'll take a hard pass on the meal. Not only does it have cilantro, but what's up with chicken and waffles?? I'll keep mine separate. The NZ wine sounds great, and I'd probably like the drink. Red Bay was on our Voyage of the Vikings itinerary in 2018, the only port in New Foundland and we had to miss it because of fog. We were disappointed, but hearing about the bugs maybe I should feel relieved lol. Thanks for all the great photos! Terry @smitty34877 I'm sorry yesterday was a tough day. It sounds like your DH has a great medical team, keeping you in my prayers. Lorraine @cruising sister I agree with the others, it sounds like that woman has a jealousy problem. Keep your head held high and in time she'll probably wise up. 😉 Roy @rafinmd Happy Heavenly Birthday to your dear brother. He was born 2 days before my sister who has been gone now for 13 years. Graham @grapau27 We've only done the Panama Canal once, in April. We had absolutely no problems with insects, but the heat and humidity was intense. Today I'm meeting up with my BFF for lunch, so will scoot now. I hope everyone has a great day! Photos from our near-miss of Red Bay. It was even foggier than this at times. The Captain was wise not to try to use the tenders that day. We did get a glimpse off some of it as we gave up and departed.

Oh thank you, Lenda. I had a feeling what I saw wasn't the right one. I did look up and down the regular grocery aisles too and didn't see it. Maybe our local Haggens would have it... thanks again. I hope your internet stays on now, that can be very frustrating!

The rain is back this afternoon so my weeding and deadheading was cut short. Lenda @Quartzsite Cruiser I may have found the pad Thai kit at the big box store -- it was in the refrigerated section and has chicken -- but when I read the sodium content I thought better of getting it, darn. It also has cilantro, which was no surprise. We did find plenty of other things to buy though and as usual I went for a couple things and came out with a cart-full. 🤣

Good morning all! Today will be 15 degrees cooler than yesterday, the low 60's. Maybe summer will come next month. 😉 Any day without rain I'm weeding the garden. I also took sewing in school (we had to have one semester of sewing, one of cooking). My DD borrowed my sewing machine a couple years ago and I haven't seen it since -- but don't miss it LOL! Never was good at softball. I like the quote and drink, will pass on the Chianti and meal. It looks so yummy, but I know I'd have to reduce the spice down to nothing so it wouldn't be the same dish. We've been to Key West twice, the first time in 2017 when we walked to the Hemingway House and took the Ghosts and Gravestones tour. The second time was just last fall, we took the trolley tour and the glass bottom boat. I'm kicking myself that I never got the key lime pie on a stick, since I doubt we'll ever get back there.. Today will be a run to the big box store, and gardening. Oh, and cruise planning of course. Welcome back Melanie @puppycanducruise! Thinking of you and your DH Terry @smitty34877as you go to the appointments and the surgery comes up this month. Vanessa @JazzyV good that the nerve test looked ok, sorry they had to push those needles so far into the tissues. Susan @durangoscots I'm sorry that Bandit was sick all night and you had so much to clean up -- hoping he's much better today. Here are some photos from our first visit to Key West in 2017. The photos from last time are similar to those already posted. The main thing I wanted to see was the Hemingway House (the cats, of course). Not being beach or bar people, we just walked there, and then took a Ghosts and Graveyards tour. It was as funky as it sounds. A little blurry, it was hard to catch him sitting still. Sharon @Sharon in AZ Do you think this is the same cat you saw 2 years before? If so, this is definitely that cat's bed! 😉 🤣 We visited this museum as part of the tour "Robert the Doll", supposedly haunted 😉 Our ghostly guide

Adorable! Thank you. 🙂 I believe he was the Captain for our Pacific Coastal last month.

Loved this story, something the children will always remember. So what's the Captain's name?

Thank you Lenda, I'll take a look there!

Good morning all! I plan to enjoy today's weather (high 70's) because we're headed for a cool spell after today. June is turning out to have its typical weather now after the hot weather we had earlier in the month. I'll pass on the jerky (and jerks), and the peanut butter cookies. I like peanut butter and peanuts, just not in cookies. Love, love red roses and have 3 red rose bushes. IMO the quote is only half right, don't judge but do think. I'd like the meal but don't have a lot of the ingredients -- so maybe if someone prepared it for me. 😉 Lenda @Quartzsite Cruiser the kit is a good idea, if I could find one. Will pass on the drink and red wine. We've been to Egypt but only to Cairo and Alexandria. HAPPY BIRTHDAY Chuck @catmando! Thank you for the beautiful photo from your cruise and you ARE giving yourself the best gift by quitting smoking. 🙂 You can do it! Lenda @Quartzsite Cruiser WOW on that thunderstorm! Jacqui @kazu Yikes about the sting on your head. Very good it wasn't on your temple, that could have been even worse. I wonder if it was a bee.

It is a lot to do, but thankfully it's what I like doing best -- planning travels! lol. I'm no expert at Excel either, and I'm sure an expert would take one look at my spreadsheets and laugh...but they do what I want them to, and I figure nobody sees them but DH and me. 😉

Good morning all! Good collection of days and we also love corn on the cob. Maybe will pick up some for tonight. I thought we'd been to Seville, but no, only to Cadiz a few times. Thanks to all for the amazing photos. I won't try to name everyone, lest I leave someone out! Will pass on the red wine and sweet drink. Debbie @dfish I'm going to make the last recipe tonight. We have a lot of salmon in the freezer. Of course, no surprise, I'll leave out the cilantro! Instead I'll add some of my homegrown parsley and basil. Lorraine @cruising sister I hear you about the activity on our roll call! Do you have notifications turned on if anyone posts? It helps to not miss anything. Those private tours go fast!! This morning I spent over an hour going over my personal spreadsheet, booked excursions, and the roll call spreadsheet. So much to keep up with and we still have over 6 months to go! Today our 2-day rain is ending so I'll get out in the garden. All I could do those 2 days was try to keep up with the slugs, who came out in force with the first rain. 😞 I hope everyone has a great day!

I've used it some too. I found it to be much more complete (for my family anyway) than Ancestry. That said, I'm not very good at it and months go by when I'm not looking at it. For some reason I'm always doing cruise research instead! 🤣

It's the same here, Lenda. However you want it -- and nobody laughs however you choose it! I admire your patience in looking up your ancestry. I lose patience and go a little nuts after a few hours. I have seen some "famous characters" supposedly in my lineage, but they weren't as well known as George Washington, most were European and way back...

Good morning all! It has been raining (more like a drizzle) here since yesterday, but we really need it. Someone told me today that we're heading into a drought. I use ball point pens and herbs and spices every day. Ice tea I can take or leave, not one of my favorite drinks. I'm chuckling because just this morning one of our GA relatives complained on FB that he overheard someone ordering an UNsweet tea with NO ice. 😉 They seem to make a huge deal over it -- and of course his friends said it had to be a Yankee...no thought that some of us are diabetic and can't have sweet drinks (no excuse about the lack of ice though LOL). I like the quote, will pass on the drink and red wine. The meal sounds very good but a bit high in carbs and sodium for me. Have never been to Indonesia yet. Happy Birthday @Denise T I hope you have a wonderful day! Debbie @dfish The photos of the lake look beautiful. Is it warm enough to go swimming? Jack @Heartgrove Good news about your DW's echocardiogram.

Good morning all! I woke up to a welcome drizzle/rain. We need it, even though I watered everything yesterday (of course!) I like Donald Duck, support writers' rights, but will pass on the strawberry-rhubarb pie. I've never been a fan of rhubarb and would prefer the strawberries alone. Our local strawberry fields have just opened up this week for picking -- yay! The drink sounds good (maybe as dessert?) would love to try the wine, I love Chenin Blanc, but will pass on the meal and prefer my salmon prepared other ways. Not much on the agenda today other than some cleaning and, of course, cruise planning. Getting more and more excited for the Grand Australia as we make plans! @Nickelpenny Bon Voyage!! Debbie @dfish Enjoy your weekend with the family! Maureen @RMLincoln Good to hear that your banking issues are clearing up. @Cruzin Terri Don't assume that it will be cold on your cruise. When we were in Norway in July it was 90 degrees (!) Layers is the way to go, as others have said. Gerry @ger_77 Happy 40th birthday to your DIL! Welcome to the Daily @loveandpeas, we hope to hear more from you. 🙂 We've been to Korcula at least 3 times. Once we took winery tours, once we took the "Dalmatian Riviera Cruise" excursion, and once we enjoyed walking, browsing and shopping. It's a beautiful port as are most of the ports in Croatia. I would love to go back! Way too many photos to post, so here are some of them: Approaching Korcula A church seen from our Riviera cruise through 20 islands in the Korcula Archipelago I loved this private courtyard with apartments Gorgeous peeks of the water through the alleys We saw this same cat twice on two different visits. She belongs to a man who sells jewelry, she has her own chair near him. Korcula market Mosaics in the sidewalk On one tour we also visited Vela Luka Another time a winery Where we saw old grape growing and harvesting tools The last tender returning to the ship

Good morning all! My best friend and I have been friends since 1960, I guess my "poison" would be a Marlborough SV although I'd rather call it my drink of choice, and all of us here care about the oceans. The meal looks really yummy, especially the first recipe. But between the carbs and sodium content, I should stay away from it lol. Also even though I do like Gorgonzola a lot, it can be pretty rich. So I will sadly pass. The drink looks good, will pass on the pricey wine (and unlike most, I prefer a Chardonnay with a hint of oak). Have not been to the port of the day. Today I'm having lunch with a friend, and then probably more gardening and watering. I'm so sorry to hear about all the smoke and poor air quality in Canada and on the East Coast of the US. Nancy @ottahand7 Yikes about the wolf!! Terry @smitty34877 I was so sorry to hear about your DH's pathology report, and the need for more surgery and chemo. Prayers and hugs. Thinking of you today Mary Kay @cruzn single as you have surgery. Dixie @summer slope Praying that your minor health problem is resolved and improves very soon. Jack @Heartgrove I hope your DW's heart monitor gives some answers and a treatment plan if necessary.

Good morning all! Today will be the warmest of the week, (80) then we'll have a sudden cooling trend. June doesn't usually get this warm here, so I'm wondering how July and August will be. I like any ice cream that has chocolate in it, we may still have our VCR here somewhere, and tailors seem to be a dying breed around here. I'll pass on the red wine and drink. Like Lenda @Quartzsite Cruiser I've never found seafood tacos to be appealing. Last night's steak fajitas were yummy. Today will be more gardening, I just need to finish up a few things in the back yard. And more watering everywhere, things are drying out fast. We were in Catania in 2019, we took the transfer to Taormina and wandered around the ruins on our own. A great day! Sandi @StLouisCruisers and Terri @Cruzin Terri I'm sorry you both aren't feeling well, and hope you feel better soon! Maureen @RMLincoln Oh my on the banking issues! I'm so sorry you're going through this. @Nickelpenny Good to hear you made it safely to Long Island! Here are the photos of our day out of Catania, Sicily. These planter heads fascinated me. On our walk to the Roman Theater in Taormina. Lots of pretty flowers We spent a lot of time at the Roman Theater, just soaking up the atmosphere. One reason I love DIY, you have more time to do this than on a tour. Our view from where we sat for awhile. The town of Taormina We rewarded ourselves with Gelato on the walk back.

Good morning all! All good days -- we also visited the Normandy sites. I think I got my gardening exercise yesterday! So today I'll take it easier. I never was good at the yo-yo, but mastered the hula hoop LOL. I like the quote, and even though I don't have an air fryer, will have steak fajitas tonight. I printed out the first recipe, I have some pineapple juice to use up and the sodium content is lower than my other choice. I haven't been to Japan, will pass on the drink and would like the wine if it isn't sweet. Another beautiful day here, it's warming up but only for a couple days. Looking at 80 tomorrow, then cooler again. The plan today is making chocolate chip cookies to take to the grandsons. Unfortunately we won't see them because they'll be in school, but I know they'll appreciate getting them. Speaking of making cookies, I better get at it. I hope everyone has a great day and prayers for all on the Care list and cheers for everyone celebrating!