Royal Caribbean Cruisers -- How Are Things Where You Are? (was "Routine" ​ 😁 ​day in lockdown... how was yours?)

[derorim]

1 hour ago, dani negreanu said:

 

@BonTexasNY, Bonnie, 💐 + 1

😉  הרבה מזל טוב ויום הולדת שמח לג'אק, עד מאה ועשרים שנה, עם אופציה להארכה על התנהגות טובה

What she said. I don't know what it was, but I’m sure it was nice. 🙂 

[Jimbo]

48 minutes ago, Momof3gurlz said:

Interesting.  I doubt Andy would want to jerry-rig something though.  I’m not crazy about the auto start/stop but it’s not really a big deal.  

I think when I read further down on that link you can actually just unplug that connection and it will stop that auto stop.........I think I would just try that and see if it works, no need to spend the $140.......just tape up both ends of that connectors pieces so no water gets in it.

 

Curiosity would get the best of me I would have to at least try that.  Connector looks to be right behind radiator.

 

I hate that when the car stops, I always get the feeling when I put my foot back on the gas it's not going to start and I'm going to get rear ended.

 

That starting and stopping I know is not good for the engine. Just makes parts wear out earlier then need be. Auto makers love it though, selling parts and car repairs.

Edited January 20, 2023 by Jimbo

[Bailey & Sophie]

8 hours ago, BonTexasNY said:

22 Seconds was good.  The 23rd Midnight book comes out in March. Yes, I love them too.  I think the 23rd is the only book I might buy to read on the Bella cruise.  They really are wonderful reads.

 

I'll be bringing a couple of Lee Child's and Clive Cussler on the Bella cruise. I'll be donating them to the library at the end of the cruise unless someone wants them. I just have to figure out which ones are next in line.

[Ocean Boy]

12 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

I think when I read further down on that link you can actually just unplug that connection and it will stop that auto stop.........I think I would just try that and see if it works, no need to spend the $140.......just tape up both ends of that connectors pieces so no water gets in it.

 

Curiosity would get the best of me I would have to at least try that.  Connector looks to be right behind radiator.

 

I hate that when the car stops, I always get the feeling when I put my foot back on the gas it's not going to start and I'm going to get rear ended.

 

That starting and stopping I know is not good for the engine. Just makes parts wear out earlier then need be. Auto makers love it though, selling parts and car repairs.

I wonder if the "hood open" light will always be on if that connector is open? 

[Bailey & Sophie]

13 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

From yesterday's bike ride... 

 

 

 

 

We did not go on a bike ride. Too much white crap all over.

 

[Jimbo]

7 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

I wonder if the "hood open" light will always be on if that connector is open? 

I could live with  that as long as my car stayed running.

 

 

I need my car to stay running from the time i turn the key in my driveway until I get to me destination and turn the key in the off position. Any other way is just nuts !

Edited January 20, 2023 by Jimbo

[Bailey & Sophie]

9 hours ago, h20skibum said:

Here are a couple grandkids pictures for you.  One of the reasons I was missing for a couple days, because they have been trading sickness, and we were watching them. Thankfully it was not Covid.  
 

So I have an AI app that will give them a movie star look, and you can even swap out backgrounds. 
 

Grandson tried his first. 
 

 

Then granddaughter 

 

 

We tried to do Ricky, but it said it couldn’t find a face. So he must not have a future in the movies. He just has to use his regular face. 
 

 

The kids tried it on both of us, and we haven’t looked that good in years. 🤣

 

 

Beautiful, even Little Ricky.

[Bailey & Sophie]

7 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

12-hour excursion when the ship is in Ashdod....

Drive with your guide across the Negev Desert to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Masada, perched at the edge of a desert plateau that overlooks the Dead Sea. Along the way you will pass Qumran, where the famed Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in a cave in the mid-20th century. Upon arrival at Masada, ascend to the fortress by cable car, taking in spectacular views. Constructed just before the time of Christ by King Herod, it is arguably the most impressive archaeological site in Israel and is the site of a famous Roman siege that ended in the tragic mass suicide of Masada’s residents. Later, continue to the western shores of the Dead Sea. You will stop at a seaside resort so you can take a dip in these buoyant waters, known for their curative properties for centuries.

12-hour excursion when the ship gets to Haifa (and stays there overnight)..  

 

Witness the legacy of Jesus in two of Christianity’s most important cities. After a scenic drive, make a photo stop at the Mount of Olives and its panorama of the Old City. See the Garden of Gethsemane and visit the Church of All Nations; then, walk into Jerusalem’s Old City. You will find the Western Wall, where Jews insert written prayers into the mortar’s nooks. From here, view the Temple Mount, crowned by the glittering Dome of the Rock, sacred to Muslims. Follow the Via Dolorosa—or “Way of Sorrows,” the road that Jesus walked while bearing the cross—to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the site of Christ’s crucifixion, entombment and resurrection. (A visit inside the tomb cannot be guaranteed.) Continue to Bethlehem for exterior views of the Church of the Nativity, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a major place of pilgrimage for Christians.

 

Next day, still in Haifa...  about a 9 hour excursion...Visit some of the most important places in the life of Jesus. 

Journey with your guide into Canaan of old, crossing the coastal mountain range to Nazareth, city of Jesus’s youth. Stop at the Church of the Annunciation, where the angel Gabriel announced the coming of Christ, and the Church of St. Joseph. Browse the city’s Arab Bazaar before continuing to the Sea of Galilee. En route you will pass through the village of Cana, where Jesus is said to have turned water into wine, and ascend the Mount of Beatitudes, where he delivered the Sermon on the Mount. In the small fishing village of Capernaum, see the ruins of a synagogue where he is believed to have preached. In Tabgha, visit the Church of the Multiplication, named for the miracle of loaves and fishes that occurred here. Later, stop along the banks of the River Jordan at Yardenit, site of Jesus’s baptism.

 

That's it. Next day we leave Israel for Cyprus. There is a 2-day (overnight) thing that they offer for Holy Land touring but it doesn't include as much sightseeing overall. I know it'll be LONG bus rides but probably a chance to catch up on some sleep! Thanks for any additional thoughts. 

 

 

 

This sounds awesome. I love long bus rides. You get to see parts of the country a lot of people don't. I like seeing laundry on the lines, dogs in the yard, kids playing--every day life. I never tire of looking out the window.

[BonTexasNY]

2 hours ago, dani negreanu said:

 

@BonTexasNY, Bonnie, 💐 + 1

😉  הרבה מזל טוב ויום הולדת שמח לג'אק, עד מאה ועשרים שנה, עם אופציה להארכה על התנהגות טובה

Jack says thank you, especially the last part 😉

[BonTexasNY]

2 hours ago, George C said:

What is the name of your favorite Italian restaurant ? Mine closed a year ago , but we recently found another that isn’t bad .

not looking forward to tomorrow have dental surgery 😢😢😢

Napoli's in Plano, McDermott and Independence.  Good luck with your dental surgery.  Eddy's Pizza in Plano is good.  15th St.  Name is misleading. Great food.  Never had pizza there.

2 hours ago, h20skibum said:

+2 @BonTexasNY

Thank you!

1 hour ago, Sunshine3601 said:

That soo Cute!    Happy Birthday to Jack and I wish him many more years of love and happiness🥰    He's one lucky guy!

Thank you.  I try to remind him daily!🤣

1 hour ago, akcruz said:

 

Happy Birthday to Jack 🥂🎉🎁

Thank you.

[Momof3gurlz]

1 hour ago, Ocean Boy said:

I have become used to it. I actually like that there is no vibration in the car while it is stopped. If I don't want the auto stop to activate I simply shift the car into low gear just before coming to a stop. Since the shifter is electronic, not linkage, it is effortless to accomplish this. Auto stop only works when the transmission is in "D". 

I’ll have to try that with shifting.  Like you, I’ve gotten used to it (but would rather not have it at all).  Since I love everything else about the car I consider it minor.  
BTW, I’ve already started weather-stalking and it looks good for flying next weekend 🙂.
 

[Sea Dog]

2 hours ago, George C said:

What is the name of your favorite Italian restaurant ? Mine closed a year ago , but we recently found another that isn’t bad .

not looking forward to tomorrow have dental surgery 😢😢😢

I feel for you. Good luck tomorrow!!

[Ocean Boy]

7 minutes ago, Momof3gurlz said:

I’ll have to try that with shifting.  Like you, I’ve gotten used to it (but would rather not have it at all).  Since I love everything else about the car I consider it minor.  
BTW, I’ve already started weather-stalking and it looks good for flying next weekend 🙂.
 

Thanks for the info. I can't tell you how many times I've pulled up weather dot com to check. I have been having minor flashbacks of last winter and my flight home being canceled.... but I get over it quickly. 🙂

 

I can't believe someone has not come up with some simple way to deactivate that auto stop. There has to be some simple computer code to deactivate it for good. 

[George C]

7 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

I feel for you. Good luck tomorrow!!

I can’t use my electric toothbrush or water pick for 8 weeks , just in time for our 70’s music charter cruise on Celebrity summit 

[HBE4]

11 hours ago, Ozark_Kid said:

Since retiring 5 years ago I drive my Ford Ranger very little.  It sits outside so no way to charge it but the battery is still good. 

I drove it to my appointment yesterday in the rain.  I had to turn the key to start it, turn on the headlights, the wipers didn't automatically turn on when rain hit the windshield, no way to heat the seats, I had to shift the gears and there was no back up camera.  On the good side lane assist didn't beep and the truck didn't turn off at the stop light!   Then I had to park, there was no surrounding cameras to help me park!  A lot of difference in a basic 1996 truck and today's cars. 

 

It does have seat belts & a passenger side mirror though, right? 😉 At least you don't have to hand crank the engine before starting it.

 

All kidding aside, one modern feature that I love and should be standard equipment on every car is Blind Spot Monitoring, where a little light comes on when the car in the next lane is in your blind spot. I have 2 cars, one with and one without., and there have been a few close calls with the car without BSM as I've gotten so used to the little red light in the driver side mirror warning me there is a car next to me.

 

 

Edited January 20, 2023 by HBE4

[HBE4]

1 hour ago, Ocean Boy said:

can't believe someone has not come up with some simple way to deactivate that auto stop. There has to be some simple computer code to deactivate it for good. 

 

Not too inconvenient, right? 😉😄

 

 

"As it turns out, engine auto-stop-start does not operate if the car is started with the hood open. Moreover, the system remains off even after the hood is closed, effectively disabling the system from functioning until the next key cycle. For those who despise the system, this could be welcomed knowledge.

 

To take advantage of the workaround, one would need to pop the hood (before starting the vehicle), start the car with the hood open, and then shut the hood. It’s not the most ideal scenario, but it does provide one more option to those with GM vehicles without toggles to disable the engine auto-stop-start system."

 

https://gmauthority.com/blog/2019/04/little-known-trick-will-disable-your-engine-auto-stop-start-system/ 

 

 

 

Edited January 20, 2023 by HBE4

[Ozark_Kid]

12 minutes ago, HBE4 said:

does have seat belts & a passenger side mirror though, right?

Yes, but the outside mirrors are manual too!  I usually don't realize they are not properly aligned until after I am driving down the road. 

I agree with the Blind Spot. Has helped out more than once.  Another thing that helps is the auto brake system.  We really didn't think about how long it was until we got it home to park it in the garage.  When we pull in we slowly pull forward until it brakes.  Gives a little more room to walk around the back. 

[lenquixote66]

5 hours ago, grapau27 said:

Happy 51st birthday today to your youngest son in law Lenny.

Thanks,Graham 

[lenquixote66]

4 hours ago, BonTexasNY said:

I was in my 20s and didn't give it a second thought.  Now?  Not sure I would go to the trouble.

My Jack shares your son in law's birthday.  However, NOT 51. We had a wonderful lunch today with friends at our favorite Italian joint.  There was a cake, some singing and we laughed, carried on and stayed over 2 hours.  I look at him and still see that young hunk I met and fell in love with over 50 years ago.

This is my son in law who lived in Israel.He and my daughter who are both fluent in Hebrew speak to their dog in Hebrew.A dog who understands two languages.A very happy birthday to Jack.

[lenquixote66]

4 hours ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Happy Birthday to your SIL.    I hope he is enjoying his special day

Thanks,Debbie.We had a nice dinner in my house tonight and a. lot of conversation.

[Sea Dog]

1 hour ago, George C said:

I can’t use my electric toothbrush or water pick for 8 weeks , just in time for our 70’s music charter cruise on Celebrity summit 

 

Sounds like gum surgery. Not fun. Wishing you luck. That 70's cruise will be fantastic.

[George C]

31 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

 

Sounds like gum surgery. Not fun. Wishing you luck. That 70's cruise will be fantastic.

I should be fine, on last year’s music cruise we had a long conversation with the drummer from the guess who , very friendly guy, I asked him bout playing the White House while Nixon was president.

[BonTexasNY]

1 hour ago, lenquixote66 said:

This is my son in law who lived in Israel.He and my daughter who are both fluent in Hebrew speak to their dog in Hebrew.A dog who understands two languages.A very happy birthday to Jack.

Thanks, Lenny.  I hope your son in law had a wonderful birthday as well.

[aussielozzie18]

Drizzling rain in Sydney today

 

 

Think we might be in for a week weekend but the temps are mild so not complaining.

[grapau27]

Good morning.

34°F and partly cloudy here.

Sorry to hear David Crosby of 

Crosby Stills and Nash has died.

Take care and have a lovely day.