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

[brillohead]

The Michigan Liquor Control Commission sets all prices for liquor (spirits, not beer or wine).  All stores purchase it from the state at the same set price, and have to sell it at or above a minimum set price.  

Lots of convenience stores have signs out front that say "liquor at state minimum prices!" as if that's something special... due to competition, I've never seen ANY type of store not just sell it at the state minimum price!

[brillohead]

[bobmacliberty]

15 minutes ago, Arzeena said:

I need some planning help from the CC family, please:

We are planning on driving to Columbus/Polaris Ohio, next September for a family wedding.

Need suggestions please:

- Best routes to drive from Orlando FL to Columbus /Polaris OH and return. Not too fond of mountains 😨 and although the Blue Ridge is absolutely beautiful, I am absolutely scared of that winding drive. I am absolutely terrified of flying now, so not flying.
- Any hotel suggestions in Columbus/Polaris area plus other suggestions?

- Any suggestions for along the routes: stops, hotels, etc etc.
- How many stops suggested along the way. We want to do one stop over night and do the trip in 2 days since it cannot be done in one day.

Thanks in advance, for all the help I can get.
 

OK to send me email with trip suggestions.

 

 

I'm not sure if the winding road that you're referring to is I-40 north of Asheville or I-77 in Virginia, but taking I-75 all the way is a pretty easy alternative.  It's a little longer and involves going through Atlanta, but it's certainly better than driving the twisting/turny section of I-40.  There's a little bit of winding road north of Knoxville on I-75 going over the Great Smokies into Kentucky but it's not too bad.

 

We've never stayed in a hotel in Columbus but there are a lot of options in the Polaris area (both hotels and restaurants).  Columbus has a great zoo and a great science museum called COSI.  

[Ocean Boy]

32 minutes ago, Arzeena said:

I need some planning help from the CC family, please:

We are planning on driving to Columbus/Polaris Ohio, next September for a family wedding.

Need suggestions please:

- Best routes to drive from Orlando FL to Columbus /Polaris OH and return. Not too fond of mountains 😨 and although the Blue Ridge is absolutely beautiful, I am absolutely scared of that winding drive. I am absolutely terrified of flying now, so not flying.
- Any hotel suggestions in Columbus/Polaris area plus other suggestions?

- Any suggestions for along the routes: stops, hotels, etc etc.
- How many stops suggested along the way. We want to do one stop over night and do the trip in 2 days since it cannot be done in one day.

Thanks in advance, for all the help I can get.
 

OK to send me email with trip suggestions.

 

Why do you not like flying?

[h20skibum]

21 minutes ago, bobmacliberty said:

The good news for this lottery is that prices look reasonable.  These bourbons are often sold on a secondary market for a significant premium over MSRP.  Do a search for Blanton's Gold and you'll see that it typically sells for $200+ a bottle rather than the lottery price of $120.

Part of the story is that when you sign up for the lottery to buy them, you have to acknowledge that you will not be reselling them, and that it is illegal to resell.

[Keksie]

Fun morning yesterday.  

Rearranging things in the guest bathroom I saw a little lizard.  Caught him and put him in a nice bush.

Was on the way to my closet with clean clothes when I saw Coal had something.  Maybe a bird?  No it was a chipmunk who was very active.  I screamed at Coal who dropped the chipmunk and the race was on.  Chipmunk running for his life, Coal wanting his toy back and I following screaming at the cat.  The chipmunk ran up a curtain and perched at the top.  I threw the cat in a bathroom keeping an eye on Chip, looking out for any other cats approaching and texted my husband "help". He came running in from his shop, I tossed him a towel and ran to get an animal box that I have on hand.  In the box Chip went.  In a few minutes we had all calmed down enough for me to examine him for damage.  He checked out ok with no cuts and nothing broken so I put him outside far away from the cat pen.  

[Keksie]

5 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

Why do you not like flying?

I don't like flying because unless you fly first:

Limited luggage you have to pay for.

Sitting by people you don't know who are kind of creepy, smell and hog the arm rest.

Having to make a big production to go pee and hope that when you really have to pee they don't have the fasten seat belt sign on.

Having to.spend hours waiting for a flight attendant to show up, making you miss your connecting flight so you get to.spend the night in the airport.

 

 

 

[Ocean Boy]

6 minutes ago, Keksie said:

I don't like flying because unless you fly first:

Limited luggage you have to pay for.

Sitting by people you don't know who are kind of creepy, smell and hog the arm rest.

Having to make a big production to go pee and hope that when you really have to pee they don't have the fasten seat belt sign on.

Having to.spend hours waiting for a flight attendant to show up, making you miss your connecting flight so you get to.spend the night in the airport.

 

 

 

I definitely get all your points and they are quite valid. I was just wondering why she is terrified and what might have happened to make her feel that way.

[h20skibum]

51 minutes ago, Arzeena said:

I need some planning help from the CC family, please:

We are planning on driving to Columbus/Polaris Ohio, next September for a family wedding.

Need suggestions please:

- Best routes to drive from Orlando FL to Columbus /Polaris OH and return. Not too fond of mountains 😨 and although the Blue Ridge is absolutely beautiful, I am absolutely scared of that winding drive. I am absolutely terrified of flying now, so not flying.
- Any hotel suggestions in Columbus/Polaris area plus other suggestions?

- Any suggestions for along the routes: stops, hotels, etc etc.
- How many stops suggested along the way. We want to do one stop over night and do the trip in 2 days since it cannot be done in one day.

Thanks in advance, for all the help I can get.
 

OK to send me email with trip suggestions.

 

 

My wife has been going to Polaris / Columbus , for years, for her Sister’s weekend.  That seems to be a central meeting point for them to get together a couple times a year.  They have stayed at the Drury Inn Polaris.  Free breakfast, and they have free drinks and snacks for a happy hour each night.  Pretty reasonable prices also.

 

In addition to the couple places Bob mentioned, it is close to Easton Town Center, which is a large, outdoor shopping area, if you like those kinds of places.

 

https://eastontowncenter.com/

 

As far as the drive north, we usually spend three days, but we are usually going about 1200 miles to our destination in Florida.  Looks like you would be doing 950-1,000 for two days.

 

Looks like google would route you 95, 26, 77, and then some backroads in Kentucky and Ohio.   We have a nice place we stay on 77, but it would be a little far on a two day drive.  We have done the drive on 75 that Bob mentioned, and didn’t think it was too bad.

 

 

[aussielozzie18]

47 minutes ago, Keksie said:

Fun morning yesterday.  

Rearranging things in the guest bathroom I saw a little lizard.  Caught him and put him in a nice bush.

Was on the way to my closet with clean clothes when I saw Coal had something.  Maybe a bird?  No it was a chipmunk who was very active.  I screamed at Coal who dropped the chipmunk and the race was on.  Chipmunk running for his life, Coal wanting his toy back and I following screaming at the cat.  The chipmunk ran up a curtain and perched at the top.  I threw the cat in a bathroom keeping an eye on Chip, looking out for any other cats approaching and texted my husband "help". He came running in from his shop, I tossed him a towel and ran to get an animal box that I have on hand.  In the box Chip went.  In a few minutes we had all calmed down enough for me to examine him for damage.  He checked out ok with no cuts and nothing broken so I put him outside far away from the cat pen.  

Gosh that was an eventful morning.  Would have got your heart pumping.  Glad the chipmunk was ok.

[derorim]

2 hours ago, h20skibum said:

For all of our whiskey drinkers in Pennsylvania, just saw this, this morning.  
 

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB), through its Limited-Release Lottery, will award lottery winners the opportunity to purchase 4,429 bottles of rare whiskeys.

 

Pennsylvania residents and licensees will have until 5 p.m. Friday to opt in to the lottery by visiting the Limited-Release Lottery web page at FWGS.com.

 

This event will feature six products in five lotteries. If a participant wins the right to purchase a bottle in a drawing, they will be removed from subsequent drawings in that lottery. Purchase is limited to one bottle per participant per lottery. Only one entry per household per lottery is allowed; duplicative entries will be disqualified. 

 

Lotteries will be held, in the following order, to award the opportunity to purchase individual bottles:

 

Lottery 1

Blanton’s Gold Straight Bourbon, $119.99 each.

Blanton’s Straight From the Barrel Bourbon, $149.99 each.

 

Lottery 2

Eagle Rare Straight Bourbon 17-Year-Old 2022 Release, $109.99 each.

 

Lottery 3

Heaven Hill Heritage Collection Straight Corn Whiskey 20-Year-Old 2023 Edition, $289.99 each.

 

Lottery 4

Russell’s Reserve Straight Bourbon 13-Year-Old Barrel Proof, $149.99 each.

 

Lottery 5

Stagg Straight Bourbon Barrel Proof, $54.99 each.

 

Virginia's Alcoholic Beverage Control Board also has lotteries. This was the most recent one: My son likes bourbon, so I enter the lottery on his behalf since it's limited to one entry per person.  I've never won one.  We did not submit entries for either of the Michter's.  🙂  Who in the world buys $6,000 bottles of whiskey?

 

Virginia ABC will distribute four special whiskeys via lottery on our website. The lottery will be open for entries Monday, October 9 through Friday, October 13. Winners and non-winners will be notified via email by October 20, 2023.

Blanton’s Gold Edition Bourbon $119.99 1,382 bottles | 51.5% ABV Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel Bourbon $149.99 717 bottles | 65.5% ABV Michter’s Celebration Sour Mash Whiskey 2022 $5,999.99 1 bottle | 56.4% ABV Michter’s Limited Release 20 Year Bourbon $1,149.99 11 bottles | 56.2% ABV

For multi-product lotteries, Virginia ABC runs a separate lottery for each product. To enter the lottery for more than one product, customers must enter a separate entry form for each individual lottery.

[derorim]

53 minutes ago, Keksie said:

Fun morning yesterday.  

Rearranging things in the guest bathroom I saw a little lizard.  Caught him and put him in a nice bush.

Was on the way to my closet with clean clothes when I saw Coal had something.  Maybe a bird?  No it was a chipmunk who was very active.  I screamed at Coal who dropped the chipmunk and the race was on.  Chipmunk running for his life, Coal wanting his toy back and I following screaming at the cat.  The chipmunk ran up a curtain and perched at the top.  I threw the cat in a bathroom keeping an eye on Chip, looking out for any other cats approaching and texted my husband "help". He came running in from his shop, I tossed him a towel and ran to get an animal box that I have on hand.  In the box Chip went.  In a few minutes we had all calmed down enough for me to examine him for damage.  He checked out ok with no cuts and nothing broken so I put him outside far away from the cat pen.  

 

Those critters were lucky you are an animal lover and know how to deal with them humanely.  Good job!

[Arzeena]

1 hour ago, bobmacliberty said:

 

I'm not sure if the winding road that you're referring to is I-40 north of Asheville or I-77 in Virginia, but taking I-75 all the way is a pretty easy alternative.  It's a little longer and involves going through Atlanta, but it's certainly better than driving the twisting/turny section of I-40.  There's a little bit of winding road north of Knoxville on I-75 going over the Great Smokies into Kentucky but it's not too bad.

 

We've never stayed in a hotel in Columbus but there are a lot of options in the Polaris area (both hotels and restaurants).  Columbus has a great zoo and a great science museum called COSI.  

Thank you.

The winding road I was thinking was from a trip to the Biltmore in Asheville, that took us from our home in NJ, up to Hagarstown (MD), then Blue Ridge Pkwy....(absolutely gorgeously beautiful but I was terrified); to Tenessee and then to Asheville.

 

I am also looking at 95 north (from Orlando) up to N. Carolina, then 77.

Edited October 25, 2023 by Arzeena

[Arzeena]

1 hour ago, Ocean Boy said:

Why do you not like flying?

😪

[Arzeena]

32 minutes ago, h20skibum said:

 

My wife has been going to Polaris / Columbus , for years, for her Sister’s weekend.  That seems to be a central meeting point for them to get together a couple times a year.  They have stayed at the Drury Inn Polaris.  Free breakfast, and they have free drinks and snacks for a happy hour each night.  Pretty reasonable prices also.

 

In addition to the couple places Bob mentioned, it is close to Easton Town Center, which is a large, outdoor shopping area, if you like those kinds of places.

 

https://eastontowncenter.com/

 

As far as the drive north, we usually spend three days, but we are usually going about 1200 miles to our destination in Florida.  Looks like you would be doing 950-1,000 for two days.

 

Looks like google would route you 95, 26, 77, and then some backroads in Kentucky and Ohio.   We have a nice place we stay on 77, but it would be a little far on a two day drive.  We have done the drive on 75 that Bob mentioned, and didn’t think it was too bad.

 

 

Thank you.

I am taking notes.

[Arzeena]

54 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

I definitely get all your points and they are quite valid. I was just wondering why she is terrified and what might have happened to make her feel that way.

OB we will have a private consultation on Bella 2.

Accompanied by a glass of Kraken and a glass of H2O.

Edited October 25, 2023 by Arzeena

[George C]

59 minutes ago, Keksie said:

I don't like flying because unless you fly first:

Limited luggage you have to pay for.

Sitting by people you don't know who are kind of creepy, smell and hog the arm rest.

Having to make a big production to go pee and hope that when you really have to pee they don't have the fasten seat belt sign on.

Having to.spend hours waiting for a flight attendant to show up, making you miss your connecting flight so you get to.spend the night in the airport.

 

 

 

We now always fly first , on last trip I got email on how my flight was , I complained that we didn’t get a drink before plane took off , on next two flights we had our drinks .

   Loads of rain which is needed here, pool is almost full with lots of rain in forecast, might need to pump some water out of the pool. Next flight a month away for our cruise to Galveston , we are the only people we know that flys rather than the 5 hour drive. 

[bobmacliberty]

36 minutes ago, Arzeena said:

I am also looking at 95 north (from Orlando) up to N. Carolina, then 77.

 

That's probably the fastest route, depending on traffic on I-95 and I-26 in South Carolina.  Those stretches of road are only 2 lane and can get backed up quickly.  It's been a while since I've driven I-77 north but I don't remember the curves being too bad.  

[h20skibum]

2 minutes ago, bobmacliberty said:

 

That's probably the fastest route, depending on traffic on I-95 and I-26 in South Carolina.  Those stretches of road are only 2 lane and can get backed up quickly.  It's been a while since I've driven I-77 north but I don't remember the curves being too bad.  

Yes, I hate that I-26 portion.   If traffic is bad, it can really slow things down. 
 

I think most of the mountains and curves are north of Beckley, WV. 

[helen haywood]

I can relate to the cat/chipmunk story.  On the only brand new build house we’ve lived in…we had a cat door.  Big mistake.  Tidbit liked bringing in live treats to enjoy in the comfort of our home…after, let’s say, tenderizing the meat.  One day I saw she’d brought in a chipmunk and was playing tag.  The chipmunk and the cat were headed straight for the powder room where I was.  I screamed and slammed the door.  This new house had been sloppily built by unsupervised subs and the powder room door had a two inch gap at the bottom.  The chipmunk cleared it easily but the cat could not…so now I was alone, on the throne, with a terrified chipmunk.

[StanleyandGus]

2 hours ago, Arzeena said:

I need some planning help from the CC family, please:

We are planning on driving to Columbus/Polaris Ohio, next September for a family wedding.

Need suggestions please:

- Best routes to drive from Orlando FL to Columbus /Polaris OH and return. Not too fond of mountains 😨 and although the Blue Ridge is absolutely beautiful, I am absolutely scared of that winding drive. I am absolutely terrified of flying now, so not flying.
- Any hotel suggestions in Columbus/Polaris area plus other suggestions?

- Any suggestions for along the routes: stops, hotels, etc etc.
- How many stops suggested along the way. We want to do one stop over night and do the trip in 2 days since it cannot be done in one day.

Thanks in advance, for all the help I can get.
 

OK to send me email with trip suggestions.

 

When we lived in Ontario we did this trip several times- I would recommend the I-75. It’s slightly longer, but there are lots of motels, gas stations and restaurants en route. It’s also a bit less wind-y. I would probably spend the night north of Atlanta, but how far north depends on you. 
 

There is an excellent book for the co-driver, “Dave Hunter’s Along I-75” that gives the route as well as interesting tidbits of information and hotels, restaurants and gas stations.

[Arzeena]

33 minutes ago, bobmacliberty said:

 

That's probably the fastest route, depending on traffic on I-95 and I-26 in South Carolina.  Those stretches of road are only 2 lane and can get backed up quickly.  It's been a while since I've driven I-77 north but I don't remember the curves being too bad.  

Bob and Mark,

 Looking at map and it is taking me along 95 to 77 then 77 up to Silverton then a route 33 to Columbus.

But to get to 77 around Columbia Sc, one has to use I 26. I can work around that.

Sorry, this is woman asking for directions 🤣. Would a man ever!

Thanks for all your input.

[BonTexasNY]

9 hours ago, NHProud said:

I really do not want to drag this out . I’m French-Canadian American. My family is from Trois Rivières.  Reason why ? Didn’t know my family comes from French Canada. You would have to ask that person why slam French Canadians ? 

Apologies, but I wasn't the one to mention this in the first place.  I agree, no reason to drag it out.  Peace!

[aussielozzie18]

17 minutes ago, helen haywood said:

I can relate to the cat/chipmunk story.  On the only brand new build house we’ve lived in…we had a cat door.  Big mistake.  Tidbit liked bringing in live treats to enjoy in the comfort of our home…after, let’s say, tenderizing the meat.  One day I saw she’d brought in a chipmunk and was playing tag.  The chipmunk and the cat were headed straight for the powder room where I was.  I screamed and slammed the door.  This new house had been sloppily built by unsupervised subs and the powder room door had a two inch gap at the bottom.  The chipmunk cleared it easily but the cat could not…so now I was alone, on the throne, with a terrified chipmunk.

Not sure I should laugh at this but that last line….Hope the chipmunk stayed on the floor and didn’t try to climb up you to escape 

[NHProud]

3 hours ago, reallyitsmema said:

Years ago I took the CAT ferry from Bar Harbor to Yarmouth and spent a week in Nova Scotia with my Mom. We saw a lot but didn’t do the Cabot Trail. The high speed ferry was a great way to get there. My DH and I have taken the Ne/Canada cruise from Boston a bunch of times but always to Halifax. This was the first time we have been to Sydney. We are getting ready to dock in Halifax right now. Another ship just came in ahead of us. 
 

Were you greeted by a bagpiper ? On the Queen Mary 2 ,  he played on arrival and departure.  The land trip to Nova Scotia was with a friend .  We were disappointed that our excursion to see some puffins was canceled due to weather.  We have kept the puffin thing going since 1995 . She sent me a puffin tote bag for my birthday.