Cunard Cruisers - How are things where you are ?

[Kynance]

@Camgirl  - have a lovely trip to Norway. We’re boarding QV when you disembark on the 18th. 
@Host Hattie - likewise I hope you have a lovely time on QM2.  We’re doing a short trip on her in the autumn. 
 

I’m sooo looking forward to my first Cunard trips since 2019 - in fact first time leaving the UK since then as all our holidays have been in Cornwall. I’m not really that fussed about the destinations - but I am really excited about not having to cook for a week! I’m also really looking forward to coffee at the bar in the Chart Room and a Commodore’s Cure in the Commodore Club before dinner. 
 

It looks like it will be a largely dry & sunny month at home - we have been enjoying time in our garden - but I will probably need to ask my neighbour for help with watering whilst we are away. I’m sure there will be an appropriate Cunard-themed gift which I can bring back for her. 😎😀

[Essiesmom]

I’m up much too early on a cruise day.  Have about a 90 mile drive to Cape Liberty to board Celebrity Summit to Bermuda.  I have been there three times, have nothing planned but to go to St. George’s and browse the touristy shops and see if they are dunking the wench at noon.  
Drove up to eastern PA from GA on Tuesday/Wednesday to attend the graduation of a grand niece and visit with family.  EM

[Lanky Lad]

7 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

I’m up much too early on a cruise day.  Have about a 90 mile drive to Cape Liberty to board Celebrity Summit to Bermuda.  I have been there three times, have nothing planned but to go to St. George’s and browse the touristy shops and see if they are dunking the wench at noon.  
Drove up to eastern PA from GA on Tuesday/Wednesday to attend the graduation of a grand niece and visit with family.  EM

Have a great time EM. 

[Host Hattie]

Bon Voyage @Camgirl, I hope you enjoyed your stay in Southampton. 

[techteach]

Have fun @Camgirl!

[D&N]

Carmel was back for 2nd recall with her dental consultant on Tuesday afternoon. He was very pleased with her. The gums have healed well after the extractions and there is hardly any inflammation remaining. I don't think I noted that a small mass had been removed with the teeth but it was found to simply be inflamed tissue. She doesn't need to go back.

 

The photos were taken about a week ago. Not sure why she was lying between her covered bed and her cushion, it's only time we've seen her do that. And the following morning there were two of her in a sun spot.

 

[Bigmike911]

23 hours ago, D&N said:

Carmel was back for 2nd recall with her dental consultant on Tuesday afternoon. He was very pleased with her. The gums have healed well after the extractions and there is hardly any inflammation remaining. I don't think I noted that a small mass had been removed with the teeth but it was found to simply be inflamed tissue. She doesn't need to go back.

 

The photos were taken about a week ago. Not sure why she was lying between her covered bed and her cushion, it's only time we've seen her do that. And the following morning there were two of her in a sun spot.

 

My cat Charlie, loves to lie in the sun on a rug by the front door too. It's something that gives them great pleasure. A cat's life is filled with simply joys. 

[D&N]

Bit of a local ramble today to a spot we've never been before. Had to give up first attempt to get onto hillside paths as a big travel tech company has the whole area fenced off. Had to do a few more kms than we'd aimed for.

The tree behind us is the one seen on the platform of the other photo. Was a bit hairy getting there, and even more so on way back down!

Pre breakfast we did a 10km coastal run. Nora usually does 8km/5miles. I've  been pacing her for 10km on recent Sunday mornings. She sets new personal bests each time. Today she had PBs at 5km , 8km & 10km. All under 5:30/km.

Note the collared shirt for rambling, giving upper arm sun protection and a breast pocket for placing phone or sun specs. 😀

 

 

[Lanky Lad]

We had some rain today for the first time in weeks. Not much but enough to save having to water the garden. Now we have a beautiful sunset. 

[techteach]

After several months the house is painted and the new deck is installed. We spent the day moving things back onto the deck and pulling weeds we haven’t been able to access. Next step is cement stairs, that will take 2 weeks, and a new back door, which is being custom built and will installed in early August. It is a beautiful day in Seattle.

[NE John]

Arrived this morning in London for our land portion before our Crossing. Enjoying the cafe at Tate Britain now. Staying at Westminster Curio. 
London, Bath, and Wales await for next 10 days. 

[alc13]

Summer finally came to Maine.  A beaver has decided to build a dam in front of a culvert that runs under our driveway.  Every day we remove it, and every morning it's back.  Long term we need a so-called beaver deceiver, a contraption of wire and maybe tubing that prevents access to the culvert opening.  But in the meantime, we admire the beaver's work.  We've had a lot of rain lately, which fills the pond that drains through our culvert out to a river, and now that the rains have stopped, the beaver will, too. 

 

We planted a lot of perennials when we moved here 4 years ago and many of them now need cutting back.  I'm still learning about gardening, so my pruning may not be expert, but I love how much it tidies up an overgrown bed.  This week I'll buy new plants to replace a few that didn't come back this spring.  Sometimes I think winter is my favorite season here, but early summer is pretty wonderful, too.

 

 

[techteach]

@Host Hattie Interesting article - I hope you can read it without paying…https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/06/11/restoring-this-rare-medieval-ship-means-putting-2500-pieces-back-together/

 

You probably have local news stories.

[Kynance]

We had rain on Sunday for the first time since the Coronation weekend. It was a heavy downpour for about 30 minutes, enough to fill 2 of our water butts - about 250 litres worth now stored. Probably enough for 2 or 3 days of watering by hand. 
 

More excitingly, we also got our cases down from the attic for our sailing on Sunday. 🥳. I say “we”, it was really Mr Kynance doing the grafting. (No mean feat manoeuvring in an attic when you are nearly 6 foot 6!)  However, today he said he needs to go back up there because all his travel chargers & adapters are in the case he isn’t taking. Doh! 
 

After work today I spent 30 minutes waiting to speak to someone in Cunard’s contact centre to get Mr K’s second middle name added to his booking details as the online booking portal only has space for 2 forenames. It probably wasn’t necessary but it was just in case anyone queried it when we check-in.  Apparently there are 2 systems but only one of them can accommodate three forenames….

 

I’ve written my packing list and 4 birthday cards I need to send before we go. I’m working up to Thursday and then have Friday & Saturday to pack and sort out the house & personal admin. We live less than 90 minutes drive from Southampton so will head down late morning - we have an arrival time of 1.30. (Deck 7, standard Britannia balcony, Diamond CWC, for anyone wondering about check-in times these days - discussed in detail on another thread.)

 

In the meantime, further rain in west Berkshire would be welcome. 

[Bigmike911]

22 hours ago, techteach said:

@Host Hattie Interesting article - I hope you can read it without paying…https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/06/11/restoring-this-rare-medieval-ship-means-putting-2500-pieces-back-together/

 

You probably have local news stories.

Alas, it is behind Wapo's paywall. What is the name of the ship, perhaps we can find more information that way. Thanks. 

[techteach]

@Bigmike911 It doesn’t have a name. Now that I’ve started this reply and I’ll go ahead and submit it, but then I’ll try to find the article again and leave more information.

[bluemarble]

7 minutes ago, Bigmike911 said:

Alas, it is behind Wapo's paywall. What is the name of the ship, perhaps we can find more information that way. Thanks. 

 

1 minute ago, techteach said:

@Bigmike911 It doesn’t have a name. Now that I’ve started this reply and I’ll go ahead and submit it, but then I’ll try to find the article again and leave more information.

 

I'll help. It's an article about the Newport Medieval Ship Project. More information can be found here.

 

https://www.newport.gov.uk/heritage/en/Newport-Ship/Newport-Ship.aspx

and

https://www.newportship.org/discover-the-ship/what-is-the-newport-ship

[Host Hattie]

I could read it, thanks for posting.

[techteach]

Newport Midieval Ship Project. Read more at Wikkipedia

 

https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FNewport_Ship%3Fwprov%3Dsfti1&data=05%7C01%7C%7Cb32c9aa7e5e44f5ce2f508db6c13ac18%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638222603970666587%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=pKqQIBIcePz8ju1cxcg%2BUYa31L9dNkEJX8c9sJ4Xk6Y%3D&reserved=0

 

 

[Bigmike911]

8 minutes ago, bluemarble said:

 

 

I'll help. It's an article about the Newport Medieval Ship Project. More information can be found here.

 

https://www.newport.gov.uk/heritage/en/Newport-Ship/Newport-Ship.aspx

and

https://www.newportship.org/discover-the-ship/what-is-the-newport-ship

Thank you. Obviously older than the Marie Rose in Portsmouth, which I had to pleasure of visiting several years ago. It is good that there is an effort to preserve it. 

[techteach]

@Bigmike911 I also immediately thought of the Marie Rose, which is fantastic. The Washington Post article made some really good points describing requirements of the future display. They need to find a billionaire who loves ships!

[techteach]

@Bigmike911 have you read about the Vrouw Maria? There is actually a really good book about it. In a nutshell - Catherine the Great amassed art and other expensive goods and hired a ship to deliver them to her. The ship went down. The book includes the politics of why it is still on the bottom of the ocean. The Tsarina’s Lost Treasure, by Catherine Curzon.

[Kynance]

Boarding QV on Sunday! I’ve been saving up laundry and the machine is currently on its third load. It won’t all be needed of course but it means there will be less to do when we are back. I also had to pay the balance on our QM2 September short break to Hamburg as it is due when we are away. Tomorrow is packing day once everything is dry & ironed. That’s not a job either Mr K or I like but the list is ready so it will be a case of ploughing through it methodically. 
 

Like most of the south east of England we are in a hot (by British standards!) period of weather - I am therefore very much looking forward to a week in air conditioned comfort, though I expect there will be a tussle over the cabin temperature as I prefer it much cooler than Mr K. (He can put a jumper on!) 

[NE John]

Enjoying a nice day in Bath after attending Singing Eucharist at the Abbey. Now - - Tea and bun time!

Southhampton on Thursday. 

[Host Hattie]

Bon Voyage @Kynance