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

[Sunshine3601]

41 minutes ago, aussielozzie18 said:

Good morning.  Forecast today is for 38C (100F) so all kind of warnings in place.

 

DD has been following Harry Styles round the country. Due to flexible workplaces post Pandemic, she has been able to work in her company’s offices in Perth and Melbourne during the day and then go to the concert with friends at night, so no leave needed to be taken. Final hurrah  was seeing him in Sydney this weekend with 30 of her friends.  His concerts have been getting great reviews in the media and on social media and DD & friends certainly enjoyed them.
Unsurprisingly, this morning DD tested positive to Covid.

 

Have booked another cruise.  Going to the South Pacific - Noumea x 2, Lifou and Mystery Island.  Looking forward to lots of swimming and cocktails.  Sorry not with RCL.

 

Yesterday, my brother & I installed a new clothes line in my dad’s garden after my brother took out the 40yo clothes line of dads when a limb of tree he was cutting down fell in the wrong direction…oops.  Dad very happy  though to have a brand new one.  
 

Dad’s regular visiting lorikeets were chatting away nearby as we put together the clothes line.

 

His tamarillo tree bearing fruit after he planted a seed.

 

For those of you excitedly looking forward to the Bella, have a fabulous time.

I would love to have beautiful birds like that in my yard.     I have never heard of a tamarillo and just looked it up - sounds yummy.   

[bobmacliberty]

After a bit of rain yesterday, we had perfect weather for the Amelia Concours today.  It seemed like there were slightly fewer cars compared to last year, but more people.  

 

 

 

 

I won't bore you with a lot of pictures but if I could have any car at the show, I think I'd go with a Bentley convertible.  The golfer stitched into the headrests was probably the deciding factor. That was part of a $46K optional package.  😜

 

 

 

 

My close second choice was a 1998 McLaren F1.  Just an absolutely beautiful car.

 

 

A new model McLaren also caught my eye, but I think the wind would blow away what little hair I have left.

 

Micheline on the other hand decided that she would want to be driven in style in the back of a 1931 Rolls Royce "Springfield" Phantom I Riviera Town Car.  

 

 

 

 

[Sunshine3601]

My Boss and his Wife took their catamaran from west coast Florida to the Keys for several days.    I just received a shipment from Kermit's Key West Lime Shoppe with a tin of Key Lime Snap cookies and a key lime liqueur cake.     The cookies are really good.     Directions say to put the cake in the fridge then top with whipped cream.     Will have to try this tomorrow after I get some whipped cream.   When I called to thank him he said he tried to get a key lime pie but they wouldn't ship it to PA ---bummer, but really enjoying these cookies.    

[bobmacliberty]

8 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

What is the plastic thing in the front on the grass for?

 

It's actually part of the car, although it doesn't really look like it from that angle.  It controls air flow under the car that helps create downforce so that the car hugs the road better.  

[BonTexasNY]

3 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

My Boss and his Wife took their catamaran from west coast Florida to the Keys for several days.    I just received a shipment from Kermit's Key West Lime Shoppe with a tin of Key Lime Snap cookies and a key lime liqueur cake.     The cookies are really good.     Directions say to put the cake in the fridge then top with whipped cream.     Will have to try this tomorrow after I get some whipped cream.   When I called to thank him he said he tried to get a key lime pie but they wouldn't ship it to PA ---bummer, but really enjoying these cookies.    

What a thoughtful boss you have.  Enjoy all the goodies.

Their frozen chocolate covered key lime pie slice on a stick is pure ambrosia.

[DaniDanielle]

@aussielozzie18My 14 year old granddaughter has seen Harry twice in concert, she loves him!!

I told her about your daughter and she is very jealous😊

[Jimbo]

Jupiter and Venus are back.

 

From my Sister's house in NJ

 

 

[h20skibum]

Dinner tonight.  Ossobuco sous vide, with Yukon golds and peppers. Delicious and tender. 

 

[bobmacliberty]

OK...I can't help myself.  A few more pictures from the car show. Not sure what kind of car this was, but check out the alligator upholstery and matching luggage.

 

A concept electric motorcycle.  There were a few other upcoming and concept electric vehicles including a nice looking Cadillac Celestiq.

 

The Shelby area had a couple of GT40s, a 1965 Cobra, and a GT500.

 

 

 

There was an entire class of LeMans Corvettes.  The yellow C5R was the car that Dale Sr. and Dale Jr. raced in shortly before Dale Sr. was killed.  

 

 

There was a company that remakes Fiats into cute little beach town vehicles.  All wicker interiors and cloth tops.  Unfortunately, they sell for $70K +/-.

 

 

Take your pick of Ferrari Enzos.  Micheline likes the yellow and I prefer the blue.  A red Ferrari is too cliche.  Sorry if I offended any of you red Ferrari owners.

 

I'm not sure about this Ferrari Monza SP2.  

 

And finally, the pièce de résistance, a 1971 Buick Riviera.  In case you're wondering, it was part of a judging class of Buicks. 🤷‍♂️

 

Micheline's family had the same year, make, and model when she was very young.  She'd sleep either on the floor behind the passenger seat or up on the back dash.  A parent would be arrested for that today.

 

 

[lenquixote66]

3 hours ago, BonTexasNY said:

My dad used to have a beer maybe once a week at home.  I used to love seeing him pour the beer from the can into a tall glass.  I always asked if I could have a sip to taste and he always said no until one time he gave in.  I must have been 13 or so.  I thought it would taste like ginger ale.  I took a large sip, choked it up and to this day never had any beer nor will I ever again.  

 

 

My father had a glass of whiskey every night .I never wanted to taste it.I drank beer for the first time when I was in college at McSorleys in Manhattan.

From 1972 to 1979 I had a liquid lunch every Friday then returned to work.The last time I drank beer was in 1990.

[lenquixote66]

47 minutes ago, DaniDanielle said:

@aussielozzie18My 14 year old granddaughter has seen Harry twice in concert, she loves him!!

I told her about your daughter and she is very jealous😊

My 18 year old granddaughter also saw him twice in concert and is planning to go to Chicago to see him,I have no idea when.

[aussielozzie18]

56 minutes ago, DaniDanielle said:

@aussielozzie18My 14 year old granddaughter has seen Harry twice in concert, she loves him!!

I told her about your daughter and she is very jealous😊

He puts on a great show.  Glad she was able to see him in concert (twice).

[1ANGELCAT]

2 hours ago, Sunshine3601 said:

My Boss and his Wife took their catamaran from west coast Florida to the Keys for several days.    I just received a shipment from Kermit's Key West Lime Shoppe with a tin of Key Lime Snap cookies and a key lime liqueur cake.     The cookies are really good.     Directions say to put the cake in the fridge then top with whipped cream.     Will have to try this tomorrow after I get some whipped cream.   When I called to thank him he said he tried to get a key lime pie but they wouldn't ship it to PA ---bummer, but really enjoying these cookies.    

Adelphi’a Seafood company based in Reading sells Kermit’s key lime pies for cheaper than the price in Key West. They do ship within PA.

[A&L_Ont]

A few more photos from my friend.  Clearly his Instagram story revolves around Rolls for the paid for trip, but I can’t wait to see his other photos when he returns home. 

 

 
 

 

Edited March 6, 2023 by A&L_Ont

[brillohead]

2 hours ago, bobmacliberty said:

Micheline's family had the same year, make, and model when she was very young.  She'd sleep either on the floor behind the passenger seat or up on the back dash.  A parent would be arrested for that today.

My family had a 1974 Chevy Caprice Classic, and my fave riding place on road trips was that huge back dash!  Gosh, that thing was the size of the Titanic!  

[Ozark_Kid]

7 minutes ago, brillohead said:

My family had a 1974 Chevy Caprice Classic, and my fave riding place on road trips was that huge back dash!  Gosh, that thing was the size of the Titanic!  

My 1st car was a 1966 Chevy Caprice. 

[brillohead]

2 hours ago, bobmacliberty said:

There was a company that remakes Fiats into cute little beach town vehicles.  All wicker interiors and cloth tops.  Unfortunately, they sell for $70K +/-.

 

 

I'm not one to waste money on a vehicle -- they're just transportation to me, so I'm more about function than style -- but those Fiats are beyond adorable!!!!  If I ever won the lottery, I'd get one made up on a side-by-side frame to tool around my property!  

Okay, since we talk about random stuff here.... what's everyone's "lottery dream"?  

For me, in addition to a ton of Caribbean cruising, my lottery plan is to buy a ton of property and get it all fenced in, then build a huge house with a ton of bedrooms with en suite bathrooms.  Then I'd take in older foster kids/siblings.  Each kid would get their own bedroom and bathroom, and each kid would go to the animal shelter and pick out their own dog or cat. 

A trust would be set up for each animal, so that even if the kid moves out in adulthood, the pet's food and vet care would always be covered.  College or vocational training would be covered for each child as well.  And even if the kid didn't want to be adopted by me, they would ALWAYS have a home and family with me on "the compound". 

I've always had a soft spot for unwanted kids and unwanted pets... probably because I was an unwanted mutt myself.  

[lenquixote66]

3 minutes ago, Ozark_Kid said:

My 1st car was a 1966 Chevy Caprice. 

My first car was a 1972 Chevy Impala

[brillohead]

22 minutes ago, Ozark_Kid said:

My 1st car was a 1966 Chevy Caprice. 

She's just a tank of a car!!!!

[grapau27]

Good morning.

It is a sunny morning at the beach.

I hope everyone is well and you all have a great day.

[dani negreanu]

11 hours ago, bobmacliberty said:

Take your pick of Ferrari Enzos.  Micheline likes the yellow and I prefer the blue. 

 

+ 1 

[bobmacliberty]

8 hours ago, brillohead said:

She's just a tank of a car!!!!

 

I didn't post this picture earlier, but it's a 1960 Cadillac Eldorado.  She's not a tank, she's a boat.  You could fit one of those little Fiats inside her trunk and then drive it into a lake and she'd float!

 

[Lionesss]

My first car was a Ford Granada.

I never needed a car  till I started working as a nurse having lived in a dorm, and my father had to sign the loan for me.

I paid this car off in 6 months, I hated it.  It was brown with a tan interior and had a radio, no air.

 

So over the years, my car history.

 

1977.  Ford Granada

1978   Cordoba, had air but never worked. It was more in the shop, than on the road.

1979   Cutlass

1984   Cutlass

1988   Cutlass Calais  Almost killed this car.  Too busy to get oil changes, the electrical went.

1994   Voyager  (Mom mobile)

2000   Explorer

2007   Equinox

2015   Equinox

2019   GTO (2006 model)

2020   Equinox

 

And soon,  after our cruise me and  the spouse  are picking up our new vehicle which should have been made and delivered.  We are soon to be the proud owners of a ***************.

 

You know I will post pictures when that day arrives.

 

Be safe

[Keksie]

11 hours ago, brillohead said:

Okay, since we talk about random stuff here.... what's everyone's "lottery dream"?  

 

I wouldn't change anything I currently have or do except I would have a housekeeper come once a week and a gardener come twice a week.  Then the Refuge would not need anything for the medical building.  That is my lottery dream.

[dani negreanu]

LONG.

 

I want to tell you how important is to share your thoughts, your musings, what's bothering you, what's confusing you, with friends and family.

 

1) I've always been a very avid reader. In childhood and young adulthood in Romania, I was devouring every book in sight. I was walking to my tennis and ballet lessons while reading a book. Luckily, in the early fifties of the previous millennium, there were not many people on the streets and cards on the roads.

One of the books that stuck to my mind involved a dog, named Dingo (but the book's plot was not in Australia), who died at the book's end and slavery. Dingo was not the title. 

 

For many years I've tried to find out the book's name, without results. Tried to ask on Google, no finds.

 

Then the "new kid in town" -- chatgpt -- arrived, and I said to myself -- for sure the "chat" will know. To my huge disappointment, the chat immediately gave me 5 books with Dingo in the title. I've tried and tried, but the "chat" kept asking for more details... Hey, buddy, if I had more details, I didn't need your help... I gave up.

 

At the week end, I've shared with my sons and DIL my frustration. All 3 of them googled the "data" and, surprise -- my DIL found a plot ticking "my" boxes. I read the summary, and, YES, found it -- Dick Sand, A captain at fifteen, by Jules Verne. I've read all of Verne's books, the famous ones, didn't remember this one. DIL said: "you didn't ask Google the right questions"....

 

Of course, I've immediately ordered it on Kindle.

 

I cannot describe how relieved I felt after this. It was something that for years was in the back of my mind, and I've often said to myself that I'll die without finding, again, the book's name.

 

2) For the last year, I've checked options to visit Marrakech, but the flights back to Israel are awful. ALL of them leave between 11PM and midnight. It means checking out at 11am more or less, and wandering, "homeless", until late evening. Moreover, when our security guys at the airport hear that you've left your luggage at the hotel/rented house, they get very suspicious. I don't sleep in planes. So round and round I kept checking flights, no dice.

 

At an evening with friends, I've aired out my frustration. One of my friends, the coolest guy on earth, said: "what's the problem? you don't have to fly BACK from Marrakech!! fly to another very near airport, like Marseille, or Barcelona, find a quick connection, or stay a night, and fetch a "normal" flight back to Israel".

 

Eurika!!! 

 

Found a noon flight from Marrakech to Madrid (a mere 2 hours flight), and decided to spend 3 days in Madrid too, since last time we were there was... 1976. Then a noon flight to Israel. "Problem" solved.

 

Marrakech, finally, here we go....

 

3) Speaking of the flight to Marrakech... I'm not keen on the seats we have, and I was following the seat's map, hopefully, for cancellations. The seats didn't "move", but I've noticed a very nice drop of price... The tickets are already paid. No refunds. What to do?

 

Again, talking with my sons and DIL, she said: "why don't you phone [being on hold an hour or two...], may be they'll let you cancel for a fee, but if the fee will be less than the drop in price, it will be worth it?"

 

That's what I've done. The cancellation fee was 50$ pp, and the gain was 250$.

 

I still have the same seats...☹️

 

Talk, share, speak your mind, it costs nothing, and the results are wonderful.