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

[Sunshine3601]

20 hours ago, Ozark_Kid said:

Wednesday was the anniversary of my official diagnosis. Time sure does fly!  Physically things have changed a lot.  I am not going list those changes.  I think the one thing that has changed for the better is my love of life and those around me!  I give thanks for each new day!  So much love shown to me and my family.  An example of how we have been blessed, remember me telling about our new neighbor, on her own, came over and shoveled the snow off our driveway?  Well, yesterday she surprised us with a great homemade strawberry pie!  We are still having people bringing us meals each week to help ease the burden off Sharon and to bring a smile to our face.  And what I love the most is so often I still hear someone add their name to the long list from around the world of those that are thinking and praying for us.  So special!

💖 Your love of life is Shining Bright!    I would love to meet you in person someday, on a cruise would be even better.    

[ReneeFLL]

On 4/11/2024 at 7:53 PM, ReneeFLL said:

I guess better late than never. 😁  This was our VV cruise on the Scarlet Lady. This was our first VV cruise and we liked it for the most part. If the price is much cheaper than Royal we would go back. More thoughts on this later. …

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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On 4/12/2024 at 12:24 PM, firefly333 said:

I'm seeing your pictures of food but nothing yet which ship or cruiseline you are on. I skipped the last day or two and trying to scroll back but wondering which ship….

Jane, the info was in my first post, but I did forget to mention in that post that the cruise was in March.

 

On 4/12/2024 at 12:43 PM, A&L_Ont said:

Have to ask, is the chair to show the distance between tables or you had a ghost join you?😉😂

I did take it to show the distance between tables compared to some on Royal, but I forgot to mention it. I didn’t see any tables that were crowded.

 

On 4/12/2024 at 12:44 PM, A&L_Ont said:

All the food looks delicious. 

It was all very good, except for the tuna sushi. 🤮

[ReneeFLL]

On 4/11/2024 at 7:53 PM, ReneeFLL said:

I guess better late than never. 😁  This was our VV cruise on the Scarlet Lady. This was our first VV cruise and we liked it for the most part. If the price is much cheaper than Royal we would go back. More thoughts on this later. …

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

…

 

 

On 4/12/2024 at 12:24 PM, firefly333 said:

I'm seeing your pictures of food but nothing yet which ship or cruiseline you are on. I skipped the last day or two and trying to scroll back but wondering which ship….

Jane, the info was in my first post, but I did forget to mention in that post that the cruise was in March.

 

On 4/12/2024 at 12:43 PM, A&L_Ont said:

Have to ask, is the chair to show the distance between tables or you had a ghost join you?😉😂

I did take it to show the distance between tables compared to some on Royal, but I forgot to mention it. I didn’t see any tables that were crowded.

 

On 4/12/2024 at 12:44 PM, A&L_Ont said:

All the food looks delicious. 

It was all very good, except for the tuna sushi. 🤮

[Sunshine3601]

Another question about EV cars....What are people that live in a major city and have to park on the street or parking garages suppose to do?    It is not like "they" will provide a charging station for everyone in major cities to charge overnight.   

Same question for people that live in condos or apartment complexes in the suburbs.

[Sunshine3601]

On 4/12/2024 at 12:24 PM, firefly333 said:

I'm seeing your pictures of food but nothing yet which ship or cruiseline you are on. I skipped the last day or two and trying to scroll back but wondering which ship. 

 

Saw eye doc Wednesday and stopped by cpa after and doors locked. Thought ok maybe they close for lunch but went back later in person and still locked up. Turned out it's a Muslim holiday. They assume their clients know it's a big Muslim holiday I guess. I was told they fast for 2 weeks and last Wednesday they are allowed to eat. 

 

Told myself dont panic there is a good reason. They havent closed up shop and absconded with my tax documents. So yesterday we got thru the tsxes. Yipee.

 

On top of that my bil who told me last year he understood karen had to change her address on her id to apply for homeowners. He said he did it, he didnt. My eyes didnt see well enough i cand read her address so didnt notice he lied. We sent in her ID with old address. Today they are going to update. 2 pm he says. My fault also for not noticing and double checking. He said he was tired of putting out fires. I said me too, and thinking had he updated his driving license and ID it wouldnt be a  push now. My time here in texas is getting tight. 

 

And yes you can change address online and pay via credit card. He says he has a unused credit card for travel. Still never used, and not for this. It's like dealing with 2 kids. How hard can it be to homestead their house lol. Well you do need a texas id or drivers license with a matching address. I'm paying their property taxes so I need to make sure that it's done. Cant trust him to do anything. 

 

Oh did I mention their car was totalled and he bought a pick up. My sister is on a walker or a wheelchair ... this is a really stupid choice with a hc wife. So hes dealing with paying off old car and the new pick up paperwork and feeling stressed. Me too. 

 

Anyway I didnt read cc much yesterday. Numbers and stress overload. 

Sounds like your move to FL cannot come soon enough.    Hopefully once you do move you do not have too many dealings with your BIL.    Yes, it sure does seem ridiculous to buy a pick up truck with a HC wife and the fact he helps another HC woman with a seeing eye dog get to church.     

[BonTexasNY]

3 hours ago, HBE4 said:

 

I learn something new every day. I've heard the word used in conversation before & was always a bit confused as to context. I thought it was an insult like saying someone is just "meh!" Unexceptional, dull or average at best.  Now I know better when someone is using mensch was a way of praise.

 

Other Yiddish words like Chutzpah and Kvetch actually sound like their meanings. 😉  And since I'm looking at a Yiddish online dictionary, never knew Nosh, Klutz and Schmuck were Yiddish words and always thought Putz was Italian.  🙂

 

Phew, glad you found out what "mensch" really means.  Yes, praise.  NOT like the Southern "bless her little heart" which is praise dipped in venom (at times). I'm impressed with your new found Yiddish knowledge.

 

On a much more serious note, please pray for Israel.  Dozens of drones from Iran have been launched.  It's a matter of hours before we know what is definitely in store for Israel.  I'm holding special positive thoughts of safety for Dani, Jack's sister and their families living in harm's way.

 

AND, prayers to the families that were impacted by the horrendous Sydney Mall.

[barbeyg]

@dani negreanu, just saw the breaking news. Praying for the safety of all in Israel, especially your family. Much love to you. 
 

May the evil leadership of Iran be removed.  I know the women of Iran are standing fearless and strong against their hate. 😢

Edited April 13 by barbeyg

[DaniDanielle]

Prayers for all, so very sad

[Ourusualbeach]

3 minutes ago, barbeyg said:

@dani negreanu, just saw the breaking news. Praying for the safety of all in Israel, especially your family. Much love to you. 

+1

[h20skibum]

1 hour ago, SteelCityCruiser10 said:

I was wishing we had a dome for our home opener.  Snow squalls and baseball just don’t go together.  We’re headed to the Pens game later.  Bruins are always tough.

I hope you are bringing them luck for a win.  They are in the driver’s seat for a playoff spot.  All they have to do is win their final 3, but all three are good teams. 

[h20skibum]

5 minutes ago, barbeyg said:

@dani negreanu, just saw the breaking news. Praying for the safety of all in Israel, especially your family. Much love to you. 
 

May the evil leadership of Iran be removed.  I know the women of Iran are standing fearless and strong against them. 😢

@dani negreanu +2

[Ocean Boy]

5 minutes ago, barbeyg said:

@dani negreanu, just saw the breaking news. Praying for the safety of all in Israel, especially your family. Much love to you. 
 

May the evil leadership of Iran be removed.  I know the women of Iran are standing fearless and strong against their hate. 😢

God, this is the start......

[Sunshine3601]

6 minutes ago, barbeyg said:

@dani negreanu, just saw the breaking news. Praying for the safety of all in Israel, especially your family. Much love to you. 
 

May the evil leadership of Iran be removed.  I know the women of Iran are standing fearless and strong against their hate. 😢

+3    Prayers for all 🙏  @dani negreanu @BonTexasNY and anyone else with family or friends in the area.

I hope and pray the iron dome and whatever other resources are available are able to stop these drones.🙏

Edited April 13 by Sunshine3601

[barbeyg]

@BonTexasNY, praying for your family and friends in the path of danger too.  I’m so sorry. 😢

Edited April 13 by barbeyg

[Tree_skier]

23 hours ago, A&L_Ont said:

 

Just a brief take IMO in Canada.  @Ourusualbeach and @Tree_skier can chime in to give their thoughts as fellow Canadians, if they differ or are similar. 

 

There is promotion by government, mainly by using tax payer's funds to invest in battery plants and automotive plants to build electric vehicles.  

 

IMO they are being dictated by the current federal government.  "The Liberals have announced Canada's move away from fully gas-powered cars and toward electric vehicles, mandating that all sales of passenger cars, SUVs, crossovers and light trucks be hybrids, electric or hydrogen-powered by 2035".  Our current Minister of Environment and Climate Change was previously a Green Peace activist who climbed the CN Tower and was sentenced to one year's probation.  The court also ordered him to pay a portion of costs estimated at $50,000.  His task is to protect the environment, but I would philosphically ask where should the line of reality be drawn versus a unrealistic goals. 

 

As it stands our electrical grid where I live in my rural county could not support all electric cars, let alone the entire province nor entire country.  To upgrade the grid for my county makes no sense.  Neither does diesel generators at gas stations to provide power for the cars. Doing that defeats the purpose of not burning fossil fuels.  

 

The theory is good, the practicality in my eyes not so much. I have personally had a hybrid SUV and bought 2 more for our family business. There are many that feel the same way as me about this mandated change, but there are others who are passionate about it.  If I did a lot of commuting and had a fast charger near my home I would add one to my fleet of cars.  Their raw speed and power is interesting but for me, at this point, it is not even on my radar. I have loved riding in them and when using Uber if it is an option I pick it.

 

As for the stories you have mentioned you can find a news stories here and here about electric vehicle demand dropping and plants cutting shifts. 

 

Just my take, and maybe Dave and Ken can chime in what their thoughts are about Canada and electric cars. I did my best to make it about the car VS politics.

Very good synopsis.  I will try and add as best I can, being as apolitical and I can.

 

As an avid lover of the outdoors I have always been an advocate of conservation and measured harvesting on natural resources.  However, the current political climate has subverted conservationism and is demanding mandates that are unsustainable by any reasonable metric.

 

In the interest of full disclosure I am currently considering purchasing an EV.  I was test driving a Tesla Y last week and will likely purchase one in the near future.  However, I currently live in Southern California an no longer reside in my former "home and native land". 

 

Electric cars have problems in Canada,  I'll catalog just a few.  Firstly they have severely compromised range when operated below freezing.  Most tests indicate a 30% - 40% decrease in range at temps 30° (-1° C) to 19° (-7° C) . When those temps hit -20 or -25, which is very real in most parts of Canada,  it gets even worse.  The obvious problem is that large parts of Canada experience real winter conditions for very extended periods of time.

 

Secondly the expanse of Canadian geography and traveling around outside major metro areas renders EV's impractical.  The absence viable charging makes anything but local commuting in metropolitan areas extremely difficult.  

 

I'll use an example the location I lived if for 4 months while we were back in Canada during the pandemic... Christina Lake, BC.  Had we owned a Tesla Y getting to the coast (Vancouver) or to a centre with anything more than rudimentary medical services (Kelowna, BC) would have been really challenging.  A standard Tesla Y has a range of either 242 or 260 miles depending on how it was kitted out. The distance from where we lived to the first Tesla charging station along the route was 248 miles.  That is too close for comfort in ideal conditions and having to pass through mountains and the winter simply make it impossible.  I knew of one guy who did it and said he would turn off everything that consumed any electrical power, heat, stereo, etc and he just barely made.  That was in early fall time.

 

This is just one of a myriad of real world examples that I could give.

 

Lastly, I'm opposed to government mandates at the best of times. Demanding people use a particular type of ever increasingly expensive ( see govt. imposed carbon tax) fuel/energy (electricity) when you won't even consider the most cost effective source for that energy (nuclear) is something that is going to face growing resistance from a populace growing weary with increasing government interference in their day to day life.

[grapau27]

Dani @dani negreanu.

Sending you and all of your family and friends our prayers for your protection and safety.

Graham & Pauline.

[HBE4]

1 hour ago, Ocean Boy said:

Italian words don't end in "Z" unless you are speaking some dialect that the folks from Florence or Rome would probably not even understand.😉

 

Probably when I was growing up, some of my Italian friends used that word fairly often so I just associated with them.

[Tree_skier]

3 hours ago, dani negreanu said:

@MJSailors

 

Speaking of "promoting"....

 

I just remembered that my cousin's DH in Germany got a 10% rebate when buying a Tesla worth 60.000 Euros from the German government.

 

You can get a $7500 Fed rebate in the US right now on "some" EV's. Tesla Y is one of the ones getting the rebate and why we have considered it.

 

We looked at the Ford Mustang mach-e but they lost there rebate for whatever reason and so Ford offered 0% financing in lieu of that.  However, if you aren't financing or not financing very much of the purchase price you don't get much advantage from that. 

[firefly333]

28 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Sounds like your move to FL cannot come soon enough.    Hopefully once you do move you do not have too many dealings with your BIL.    Yes, it sure does seem ridiculous to buy a pick up truck with a HC wife and the fact he helps another HC woman with a seeing eye dog get to church.     

I had serious anger issues last year. Somehow buying the new florida condo helped and now I no longer wake up so angry I cant sleep. Yes I dont want to live near them. I admit it. He snuck I to the safe 2 days after moms funeral. Even after I explained the house was in my name only, not my sisters he went right back and cleaned out the house. 9 days after moms funeral they had a garage sale. I went over to check the mail and like a bunch of hillbillies they piled up stuff on the tree lawn. They cleaned out MY bedroom. They had my HS year books out in the pile in the rain. Top of the pile was my parents wedding photo books. She runs a 2nd hand store and took whatever she wanted without asking me. 

 

I asked her what gave her to think it was ok to throw out stuff. She said oh I asked your sister. My sister has a 80 IQ and would agree to anything. She had no authority to decide what I got to keep. I was pretty angry last year. Probably miserable to be around. I woke up at 3 am so angry I coukdnt sleep. The doll my mom kept in a tiny rocking chair in her living room was my doll I got at age 3 moms tells me when I agreed to stop sucking my thumb and I quit as promised. Gone. They were there when my cousin at the funeral said she was collecting pictures of my moms family. How could they not know to keep pictures.... and took off with quilts some of which I got back recently when even now she remembers I said I wanted the quilts and relish tray. I said how could I decide what I want if you guys took it and I didnt see it was there? I said you coukdnt tell I was pissed when I asked why my stuff was sitting out in a pile in the rain. She said wel, she didnt know why I was angry, maybe I had a bad day. I was livid both times I confronted them.

 

It's like dealing with Larry Curley and Moe. I called his pastor even and called him a thief. Like there was a rolling tool cart really nice in the garage he asked to give to someone at his church. I said no I'm not ready to decide. He gave it away anyway. I told my gp doctor I had anger issues and he right away starts defending my hc sister. I'm sick and tired all my life no one is ever on my side. I'm always supposed to be ok with her misbehaving. And his family is greedy imo I dont care what he says. Hes broken every promise to us the whole marriage dealing with money. This is who is picking up mail for the taxes I filed .. I gave them the house. So mail still goes there. 

 

We talked it out recently. He says I need to get over it and move on. I said both sides of the family agree even a moron knows you dont go into someone elses safe without asking. And we dropped it. I'm moving to florida and it's a blessing how well that is working out. It was meant to be. I want my life back. Last year I was a very unhappy individual. Taxes got filed thursday. Missing a few papers I'm afraid, but best I could gather. Filed 5 taxes. The cpa and ubs are keepers. I couldnt find a cpa who would file trusts. Many cpa will not. My fix it guy evidently is muslim though idk but the cpa he uses I am sure they are. The women wear those head scarves. So when they were closed Wednesday I tried to tell myself it was something Muslim..whew it was. Very nice folks. So glad I found them. Yes I'm coming out the other end. You are so right. I cant wait. I've been generously giving them checks. I for sure want him happy, dont want my sister moving in with me. If money helps, heres more money. My sister does nothing but get her hair done and  nails done. She does no work. No cleaning, cooking, or any housework. He is a ball of energy. I'm willing to pay him off as my mom did. We paid off their mortgage and gave them a monthly check before she died. I want my freedom. It's my turn. He sold their house to move into moms is why probably the first time in his life he had a pile of cash. Hence him going crazy and buying the pick up. Give it to your daughter, buy a family car. I see a light at the end of this tunnel. My anger disappeared finally. Sorry if my anger spilled out on cc. 

[Tree_skier]

1 hour ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Another question about EV cars....What are people that live in a major city and have to park on the street or parking garages suppose to do?    It is not like "they" will provide a charging station for everyone in major cities to charge overnight.   

Same question for people that live in condos or apartment complexes in the suburbs.

I know several people who charge only at Superchargers.  I think the cost is about double of the normal elctricity charge would be if you are charging at home.  Your costs would still be substantially cheaper than paying CA gas prices.

[dani negreanu]

Thank you

@Sunshine3601, @barbeyg, @grapau27 , @Ocean Boy, @h20skibum, @DaniDanielle and

 @Ourusualbeach   Ken, should "something" happens to us, pls. cancel our cruises and my reservation at HI Express Cape Canaveral

 

I big thank you to Mr. President Biden for standing by us. He's a real "mensch".

 

It's after midnight and all around us people are awake. We're glued to the TV, if the air raid is sound, we're 2 seconds from our in house shelter. Hope it'll help....

 

[BonTexasNY]

@reneee Renee, wishing you a marvelous, belated Happy Birthday!

[BonTexasNY]

2 minutes ago, dani negreanu said:

Thank you

@Sunshine3601, @barbeyg, @grapau27 , @Ocean Boy, @h20skibum, @DaniDanielle and

 @Ourusualbeach   Ken, should "something" happens to us, pls. cancel our cruises and my reservation at HI Express Cape Canaveral

 

I big thank you to Mr. President Biden for standing by us. He's a real "mensch".

 

It's after midnight and all around us people are awake. We're glued to the TV, if the air raid is sound, we're 2 seconds from our in house shelter. Hope it'll help....

 

I can't seem to hit a "like" button but I can give you a big hug:

((((((((((((((((((((((DANI and Family)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Edited April 13 by BonTexasNY

[aussielozzie18]

49 minutes ago, BonTexasNY said:

 

 

On a much more serious note, please pray for Israel.  Dozens of drones from Iran have been launched.  It's a matter of hours before we know what is definitely in store for Israel.  I'm holding special positive thoughts of safety for Dani, Jack's sister and their families living in harm's way.

 

 

Sending prayers from Australia that Dani, Jack’s sister and their families and all those they hold dear stay safe.  

[SteelCityCruiser10]

42 minutes ago, h20skibum said:

I hope you are bringing them luck for a win.  They are in the driver’s seat for a playoff spot.  All they have to do is win their final 3, but all three are good teams. 

🤞🏻 Hope we can sneak in the playoffs.  Playoff hockey is awesome.  Those 3 wins won’t come easy though.  Not too long ago I was thinking they had no shot so pleasantly surprised now.