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

[jagsfan]

9 hours ago, aussielozzie18 said:

DS’ hometown right now - Waterton in the very south of  Alberta.  I’d rather not say where he is working at this point but he is looking forward to doing lots of hikes in his time off.  Deer are everywhere here & he has seen plenty of ground squirrels and their holes…

 

 

What an area to hike in! I’m glad he’s taking advantage of it!

[BonTexasNY]

10 hours ago, ownedbypets said:

 

I look at Zillow every day for homes in Ft Myers and prices have dropped very little. The inventory is small because of hurricane damage and homes are selling for a premium in the desirable areas. My daughter wants to buy because her one bedroom apartment that she pays $1800 a month for is being raised to $2200. 

Our previous apartment jumped an extra $500 a month when our lease was up for renewal.  We moved elsewhere. I think I'm about the only one to post on this thread who lives in a rental apartment.  We're so happy we downsized from our large house 5 years ago.  Jack and I grew up in apartments so for us, no big deal. 

[Sunshine3601]

16 hours ago, Tree_skier said:

The downtown Eastside is utterly destroyed.  It is a true tragedy. I have a friend who does extensive work down there. He was recently assaulted on his way to the mission to teach a substance abuse class.  YVR has the best and the worst of Canada all within a few Postal Codes.

So sorry to hear about your friend.    I hope this doesn't stop his mission to help and teach people with substance abuse.   I also hope is doing ok.    Thank you for all the help with people suffering with addiction problems.    😃

[Sunshine3601]

We were originally planning on going to LBI this weekend but have had trouble with our central AC at our home in PA.    The HVAC guy we have been using for years has had a lot of personal issues in the past year and has been unreliable and never shows up and when he does show up he says a bunch of ideas that could fix the problem but has not resolved the problem so today we had a new guy come to our home.     He is highly recommended on our local Nextdoor neighbor app and lives 2 streets from us.      

He arrived on time (big plus considering what we have dealing with trying to get our regular guy here).   Unfortunately, he recommends we get a new unit installed as there are a couple issues with the current AC and he could be chasing after parts and by the time he is done with what may be wrong the answer may be to just replace it.     So we decided today just install a new unit.    Opted for a 16 seer 3-ton high efficiency unit that will be installed this coming week.     

This expense along with the fact we are going to have a new roof installed (working on estimates this week).     Homeownership is a Joy🙃

[HBE4]

14 hours ago, helen haywood said:

My DH told me when he lived in Miami that 60 degrees was when the fur coats came out. 😜

 

My first time to Miami was mid-Nov 2009 for a cruise.  Temps were hovering around 70 while dining outdoors (back in NY it was probably mid-40's) & we are enjoying the comfortable night wearing short sleeved shirts & shorts when the restaurant workers started to wheel out the patio heaters!  We politely asked them to not turn on the one closest to us & the one guy laughed and said we must be from the Northeast.

That's also when we noticed everyone around us hand long pants and windbreaker jackets on.

[Ozark_Kid]

2 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

This expense along with the fact we are going to have a new roof installed (working on estimates this week).     Homeownership is a Joy🙃

We had our roof replaced last year.   In the end insurance covered it all.  After they submitted an estimate for our roof it was going to cost our deductible of I think $1,000.  After completing the roof they submitted other cost to insurance and it covered our deductible and they received a little more.   Hope your insurance helps with the roof.

[Ozark_Kid]

We spent an extra day with my DD and will be headed home this afternoon.  Corrie woke up and put her Hawaii flower in her hair this morning.

 

 

[HBE4]

12 hours ago, aussielozzie18 said:

DS’ hometown right now - Waterton in the very south of  Alberta.  I’d rather not say where he is working at this point but he is looking forward to doing lots of hikes in his time off.  Deer are everywhere here & he has seen plenty of ground squirrels and their holes…

 

 

 

Spectacular photo. Your DS seems to be embracing life's adventures. Good for him! 👍

[grapau27]

[helen haywood]

1 hour ago, Ozark_Kid said:

We spent an extra day with my DD and will be headed home this afternoon.  Corrie woke up and put her Hawaii flower in her hair this morning.

 

 

O, to have skin that beautiful again!

[FromSea2ShiningSea]

Just a few more to share.

 

Headliner Show:  Oh What A Night.  Everyone really enjoyed the show.

 

Headliner Show:  Drums of Paradise- featured the spirit and culture of Polynesian and Hawaiian dance 

 

This crew member won the championship for their crew talent show.  He performed for us in one of the four Crew Connection performances that showcased all the talents of some of the crew members.  He sang “Time To Say Goodbye”.  It gave me goosebumps he was so good.  

 

The High “C” Horn in Music Hall

 

Sorrento’s Pizza fresh and hot right out of the oven

 

Happy Windjammer crew members clapping us in for dinner on the last night

 

 

This used to be free in the Windjammer but now it’s $1.50 for a scoop

 

So that’s how they do it.  Right at midnight

 

Almost time to go home

 

Edited May 13, 2023 by FromSea2ShiningSea

[h20skibum]

We spent the morning going to four different greenhouses, just so we could pick out the perfect flowers to kill off in a couple weeks.  Yes, with our black thumbs, that is about all the longer they last.

 

Every year, I say just one word to Susan.

 

 

So far she has resisted.

 

[ollienbertsmum]

On 5/5/2023 at 5:36 PM, grapau27 said:

We were on Norwegian Gems maiden voyage from Dover England in October 2007.

It was Pauline's dad's last cruise.

We took Pauline's mam a year later on Norwegian Gem in memory of Pauline's dad.

 

 

We were back at 2 am. I have spent the day catching up with the Eurovision semis to settle my favourites before the final.  I cannot get below a top 6!!  

 

I have been on Star, Epic and now Gem.  Gem has been my favourite ship of the three, I seemed to find my way around.  We had some brilliant trips on the Epic but I never thought that it was easy to get around.  I have to say that I was a bit apprehensive about any post pandemic changes.  I think we timed it perfectly.  There were several staff still wearing masks but no other social distancing etc.  All we did was answer a few questions about Covid along with stomach bugs and we were good to go.    

 

We went from Trieste, getting there (like Ravenna) was a bit of a faff, but I am glad that we went.  I am now a fan of Croatia, although not their Euro entry.  

 

We don’t have any more cruises planned.  DH keeps pushing me to plan some driving trips.  There are so many cool trips ahead in Portugal and Spain.  

[Ocean Boy]

38 minutes ago, FromSea2ShiningSea said:

 

This used to be free in the Windjammer but now it’s $1.50 for a scoop

 

 

RCI is actually charging now?😡

[lenquixote66]

21 hours ago, Arzeena said:

We do that is true!
But we also don't want to pay $12K + in taxes.
Our daughter is in FL.
RJ can work from anywhere.

We are close to 3 cruise ports🤣

I wish you and family only the best in your new home .

[George C]

6 hours ago, BonTexasNY said:

Our previous apartment jumped an extra $500 a month when our lease was up for renewal.  We moved elsewhere. I think I'm about the only one to post on this thread who lives in a rental apartment.  We're so happy we downsized from our large house 5 years ago.  Jack and I grew up in apartments so for us, no big deal. 

My wife thinks bigger is better , only reason we moved 11 years ago was I wanted a one story house, we sold our old house which didn’t have a mortgage and bought our house in Carrollton for exactly the same amount of money and this house was 500 sq Ft bigger.

[FromSea2ShiningSea]

49 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

RCI is actually charging now?😡

 

That’s right.  When we were on Odyssey in October/November, that ice cream in the Windjammer was free.  Different flavors (besides the usual standard flavors) everyday.  When the menus changed in the MDR and Windjammer, that free ice cream went away along with it, so I was told from one of the officers walking around in the Windjammer.  How was it when you were on Odyssey in January?

 

BTW, @Ozark_Kidand I noticed this when we were sailing away from Kona.  We thought it might be a little lighthouse.  We took a picture of it for you anyway.

 

[BonTexasNY]

3 hours ago, Sunshine3601 said:

We were originally planning on going to LBI this weekend but have had trouble with our central AC at our home in PA.    The HVAC guy we have been using for years has had a lot of personal issues in the past year and has been unreliable and never shows up and when he does show up he says a bunch of ideas that could fix the problem but has not resolved the problem so today we had a new guy come to our home.     He is highly recommended on our local Nextdoor neighbor app and lives 2 streets from us.      

He arrived on time (big plus considering what we have dealing with trying to get our regular guy here).   Unfortunately, he recommends we get a new unit installed as there are a couple issues with the current AC and he could be chasing after parts and by the time he is done with what may be wrong the answer may be to just replace it.     So we decided today just install a new unit.    Opted for a 16 seer 3-ton high efficiency unit that will be installed this coming week.     

This expense along with the fact we are going to have a new roof installed (working on estimates this week).     Homeownership is a Joy🙃

Oh no!  So sorry this happened to you.  We were lucky when our AC went out as a result of a 2 day  blackout.  The unit was 25+ years old.  Insurance covered the cost to replace/install a new unit since when the power came back on the AC didn't. Insurance guy said we were very lucky it happened this way.

 

We once had our washing machine totally die on us, the very last day of warranty.  Machine needed a brand new motor so we dodged the bullet on that one.  However, with ownership of 3 homes we sank plenty of $$$$ through the years.

 

@FromSea2ShiningSea Helen, your pictures are beyond beautiful.  Thank you for sharing them with us!

Time to Say Goodbye always gives me chills even though I have no idea what the words are. One of the most passionate songs I have ever heard.  Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman sing it to perfection.

[lenquixote66]

My family celebrated Mothers Day today because my soon to be 19 year old granddaughter is leaving early tomorrow morning for her college trip to Israel.

Toby and I are not thrilled by this but there is nothing that we can do .

There will be armed security guards traveling with them.

[BonTexasNY]

9 minutes ago, George C said:

My wife thinks bigger is better , only reason we moved 11 years ago was I wanted a one story house, we sold our old house which didn’t have a mortgage and bought our house in Carrollton for exactly the same amount of money and this house was 500 sq Ft bigger.

All 3 houses we owned were 2 story.  The one saving grace was that our Plano house had a master suite on the first level. Oh I miss those huge closets.

[QueSeraSera]

We adopted a new puppy a couple weeks ago; she had a slight limp at the shelter that was improving in our home.  Then a few days ago she had a setback, walking on 3 paws, so we brought her to the vet for xrays.  Vet told us yesterday she suffered trauma at some point in her past that had probably been temporarily fixed but would now require surgery.  Was groaning about the costs, but then a friend sent this:

 

“No more lonely cold nights or hearing that I'm bad

No more growling belly from the meals I never had.

No more scorching sunshine with a water bowl that's dry.

No more complaining neighbors about the noise when I cry.

No more hearing "shut up", "get down" or "get out of here"!

No more feeling disliked, only peace is in the air.

Euthanasia is a blessing, though some still can't see

Why I was ever born If I weren't meant to be.

My last day of living was the best I ever had.

Someone held me very close; I could see she was very sad.

I kissed the lady's face, and she hugged me as she cried.

I wagged my tail to thank her, and then I closed my eyes and died……"

 

Author unknown

 

[voyager70]

3 hours ago, Sunshine3601 said:

We were originally planning on going to LBI this weekend but have had trouble with our central AC at our home in PA.    The HVAC guy we have been using for years has had a lot of personal issues in the past year and has been unreliable and never shows up and when he does show up he says a bunch of ideas that could fix the problem but has not resolved the problem so today we had a new guy come to our home.     He is highly recommended on our local Nextdoor neighbor app and lives 2 streets from us.      

He arrived on time (big plus considering what we have dealing with trying to get our regular guy here).   Unfortunately, he recommends we get a new unit installed as there are a couple issues with the current AC and he could be chasing after parts and by the time he is done with what may be wrong the answer may be to just replace it.     So we decided today just install a new unit.    Opted for a 16 seer 3-ton high efficiency unit that will be installed this coming week.     

This expense along with the fact we are going to have a new roof installed (working on estimates this week).     Homeownership is a Joy🙃

I know the feeling. Had to have a/c and furnace replaced over a short span a few years ago. Set me back around 15k. It is times like these when renting doesn’t seem like such a bad option 🙂

 

[aussielozzie18]

8 hours ago, A&L_Ont said:

We stayed in the Lodge in the bottom of this photo. It’s a beautiful and small community.  I think he will love it there. Let him know to be mindful of the bears. 

That lodge would have had been picturesque. Thank you for the warning.  He is well aware of the bear situation as my daughter and her friend did hikes in the Glacier NP area last year and has made him well aware of the bears + my dad has sent him multiple videos of hikers encountering bears on trails…

 

DD has also asked him to hike with friends where possible and if hiking solo to let us and his work colleagues know where exactly he plans to hike.

[QueSeraSera]

12 minutes ago, FromSea2ShiningSea said:

that free ice cream went away along with it

There was free ice cream in Windjammer on Odyssey late March this year

[aussielozzie18]

3 hours ago, Ozark_Kid said:

We spent an extra day with my DD and will be headed home this afternoon.  Corrie woke up and put her Hawaii flower in her hair this morning.

 

 

Corrie is a beauty and love the flowers in her hair.

 

(I’m sure there is a song about flowers in the hair)