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

[George C]

9 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

ON my list Alaska is higher than Panama. But my wife doesn't like anything cold so I have to work on her for Alaska. She really wants to do the canal.

I have done 70 cruises but Alaska is not one of them , cruise I would like to repeat is Hawaii. I thought Panama was ok. 

[bobmacliberty]

27 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

I'm really excited and scared of retirement. I've never not worked since I was a little kid. I thin I can handle it. I have not met too many people that said oh I hated retirement I wish I would go back and work. 😁

 

Best advice that I received was to do nothing for some period of time.  How long varies from person to person.  Allow yourself to de-stress.  If you're like me, you'll be amazed at how much less stress you will feel.  I was running with a very high "base" stress level while working...even when I was supposedly relaxing at home (which didn't really happen with smart phones allowing you to be constantly connected).  It takes a while to feel OK about not doing anything, or to not be in a hurry all of the time.

[jagsfan]

5 hours ago, FromSea2ShiningSea said:

Are you all ready to go to Seattle with me before we sail to Alaska on Ovation OTS?

 

There’s our plane waiting for us to board —September 9, 7:45AM

 

So empty.  Pick a seat, any seat.

 

 

We’re almost there.  You can see a cruise ship right above the wing and the Space Needle just below the wing.  

Ladies & Gentlemen, prepare for landing.

 

We’ve  arrived.  Welcome to Seattle.

 

We use the Link and bus to get to our hotel. 

 

 

 

Ready to go explore and get some lunch?    To walk to Pike’s Place Market from the hotel is very doable, only a mile so let’s walk.  On the way, there’s the Space Needle.  We won’t stop as we’ll come back later.  Let’s keep walking.

 

Oh, look.  A poke place.  There’s a long line so it must be good.  Let’s try that and miso soup.

 

So good.  No wonder the long lines and all the online orders.  Let’s continue on and walk it off.

 

 

 

Look what we could’ve had for lunch.

 

 

Seafood looks so fresh here.  It is a fun place to watch fish throwing. If someone buys a whole salmon, the guy will throw the salmon to the guy behind the counter to catch it and they’ll throw it back and forth to each other several times without dropping it.  Gets quite a big crowd around there.

 

 

 

Lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.

 

 

 

And flowers.  Especially dahlias.  They must grow very well in Washington.

 

 

The fruits and vegetables are what always impressed me the most. I see they’re still as healthy and fresh. 
I love Seattle. It always seemed so full of energy and joy. And I love dinner atop the Space Needle. The Dungeness crab cakes there are the best I’ve eaten anywhere. 
Great place to begin a cruise!

[Sea Dog]

11 minutes ago, George C said:

I would like to repeat is Hawaii

I have a feeling we will end up in Hawaii before Alaska. I guess we could do solo cruises, I could go to Alaska and her Panama Canal. Just think of the points?

[A&L_Ont]

That lunch from the Market in Seattle looks amazing. 

[c-leg5]

3 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

I was referring to black pudding not HP sauce.   Sorry for any confusion.  

Oh, OK makes more sense LOL!

 

Actually  even black pudding CAN be bought through British specialty suppliers. The finished product cannot be directly imported but there are some US facilities that actually produce it “in the style”, just like sausage, and pies. Never quite the same in our experience, and at an extortionate price, but satisfies a craving once in a while!
 

Then of course there is always “white pudding” or “Scottish fruit pudding” …..

[Sea Dog]

6 minutes ago, bobmacliberty said:

 

Best advice that I received was to do nothing for some period of time.  How long varies from person to person.  Allow yourself to de-stress.  If you're like me, you'll be amazed at how much less stress you will feel.  I was running with a very high "base" stress level while working...even when I was supposedly relaxing at home (which didn't really happen with smart phones allowing you to be constantly connected).  It takes a while to feel OK about not doing anything, or to not be in a hurry all of the time.

I think that is exactly what I am going to do as you recommend. After being in a high stress, deadline based business for 41 years, I'm ready to take it easy. I'm lucky in that I am also a musician who will have more time to devote to it. The other thing I want to do is get healthier. I've lost 25 pounds and it feels great. Being retired will give me more time to walk and swim.

[jagsfan]

10 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

I think that is exactly what I am going to do as you recommend. After being in a high stress, deadline based business for 41 years, I'm ready to take it easy. I'm lucky in that I am also a musician who will have more time to devote to it. The other thing I want to do is get healthier. I've lost 25 pounds and it feels great. Being retired will give me more time to walk and swim.

My employer was angry when I decided to retire. She asked what I was going to do with my time. I told her clean and organize my closet. She sad “And how long will that take you?” and I told her three or four years. 
Well, it’s been 20, and I still haven’t had time to finish it. 
Retirement years can be an adventure. 
Shopping when everyone else is working feels a little strange at first. Having time to explore new activities is glorious. 
We were able to take four week road trips, and saw all of the states and seven provinces at our leisure. 
Enjoy yourself doing what you’ve always wanted to do, and things you never even thought of doing. 

Edited September 10, 2021 by jagsfan

[davekathy]

43 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

I'm really excited and scared of retirement. I've never not worked since I was a little kid. I thin I can handle it. I have not met too many people that said oh I hated retirement I wish I would go back and work. 😁

Same here. It's seemed weird at first but I quickly got use to my new way of life.  I retired June of 2014 and I don't regret it one bit. I'm always busy doing something to occupy my time. Just a lot different pace now. Easy to loose track of the days of the week. If that really matters anymore. Enjoy. 🍻

[dani negreanu]

5 minutes ago, davekathy said:

Just a lot different pace now.

 

👍 You nailed it 👍

[Sea Dog]

11 minutes ago, jagsfan said:

 I told her clean and organize my closet. She sad “And how long will that take you?” and I told her three or four years. 

I love this!

Retirement years can be an adventure. 

That's exactly how I want to look at it.

Shopping when everyone else is working feels a little strange at first. 

I will love this as I hate crowds.

We were able to take four week road trips, and saw all of the states and seven provinces at our leisure. 

I have been all over the US but there are still many places I have not see. I want to go back and spend more time in the Northeast. I want to travel Route 66. Explore the Grand Canyon and visit some of the places Crystal has seen in Utah.

Enjoy yourself doing what you’ve always wanted to do, and things you never even thought of doing. 

Life to too short. Time to smell the roses.

 

Thank You!

[island lady]

51 minutes ago, dani negreanu said:

 

 

Your posts, Pat & Joy, made me "musing" to myself -- which is preferable?

 

A 2nd home in Maine, or renting different properties during the "Maine season" and waking up, every 3 weeks or so, to a different view.... "Grounded" in a local community, or "dislocated"/moving house every so often.

 

Somehow, I would prefer the latter 😕

 

 

LOL...yeah, I think Bucky would too, though I am leaning towards the fact that we might not want to hassle with having the 2nd home at our age, and worrying about it during the harsh winters up here when we are gone.   But Bucky does seem to still be on board with wanting to look yet.  

 

Though on the other hand, Bucky loves to putter in the yard, I would love a veggie garden in the summer up here, and we both love doing "fix up" projects and improvements while we are here.  Pride in our own place.. doing those things we love.  And having our own things is a plus too, instead of dragging it all around with us. 

 

With selling the land yacht, it would be the replacement for it, and all of our stuff we have in the land yacht (think small condo full of stuff on wheels) would then end up here in the 2nd home (without wheels 😉).

 

But....If the home buying market is still in feeding frenzy "sellers market" with the overpriced housing next year.  It won't happen in 2022 either.  Then...I doubt it will happen at all after that.  

[island lady]

27 minutes ago, davekathy said:

Same here. It's seemed weird at first but I quickly got use to my new way of life.  I retired June of 2014 and I don't regret it one bit. I'm always busy doing something to occupy my time. Just a lot different pace now. Easy to loose track of the days of the week. If that really matters anymore. Enjoy. 🍻

 

We hit the ground running when I retired 14 years ago, and have not stopped yet.  Loving the travel!  🙂 The time really does fly by now.  So happy Bucky "twisted my arm" to join him in retirement early.  🤗

 

 

[George C]

45 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

I have a feeling we will end up in Hawaii before Alaska. I guess we could do solo cruises, I could go to Alaska and her Panama Canal. Just think of the points?

The funny thing was our Hawaii cruise then went to Vancouver where we got off but many people stayed on the ship and went to Alaska, gift shop started with short sleeve shirts and shorts then went to sweatshirts etc.

[island lady]

16 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

 

Thank You!

 

Happy you are getting out now.  High stress jobs may be lucrative...but can cost you.  I didn't get out of my high stress job in time, ended up suffering mild heart attack from the stress.  Permanent damage to the left side of my heart.  But, eh...it's under control...as long as I don't go mountain climbing.  😮😉 

[Ozark_Kid]

6 hours ago, FromSea2ShiningSea said:

Are you all ready to go to Seattle with me before we sail to Alaska on Ovation OTS?

Thanks for taking us along!  Were you the first on the plane or did it remain that empty.  The market place pic are nice.  Crazy how nice the flowers are this time of year.  Enjoy the cruise!  

[Ozark_Kid]

1 hour ago, island lady said:

 

LOL...kind of funny though.  Something labeled "brown sauce" could really be just about anything brown.  Like buying something labeled "meat".    🤔🤭 

When Graham mentioned Pauline preferred brown sauce on her breakfast I was thinking 🤔 he was talking gravy. 

[bmblob]

1 hour ago, Sea Dog said:

ON my list Alaska is higher than Panama. But my wife doesn't like anything cold so I have to work on her for Alaska. She really wants to do the canal.

Alaska in the mid summer may not be that cold and is a great outdoors cruise.  Trans-Panama Canal is a really interesting trip, especially with a good historian speaker who can explain how the canal came to be during the cruise.  And another great "tropical" cruise to enjoy the outdoors, just different.  I hope you get to eventually do both itineraries.

[Sea Dog]

43 minutes ago, singinalot said:

this is the YouTube from day 1:

This is great! I love it. You have a gift of storytelling. The guy from sailing doodles makes over 900K on You Tube. I think your videos are just as good.

[Sea Dog]

5 minutes ago, bmblob said:

I hope you get to eventually do both itineraries.

Me too. Joy of being retired will mean we have lots of time.

[Ozark_Kid]

2 hours ago, Sunshine3601 said:

She has to show her Dad she knows how to drive😉

She has the sweetest smiles and always looks happy and content🥰💕

 
Kenzie was born at 10:04 AM a year ago today. We were just sent her one year old birthday pictures.  Hope you don’t mind so many pics but it’s hard to pick just one. They plan to come visit us at noon.

 

 

 

 

[bobmacliberty]

38 minutes ago, George C said:

The funny thing was our Hawaii cruise then went to Vancouver where we got off but many people stayed on the ship and went to Alaska, gift shop started with short sleeve shirts and shorts then went to sweatshirts etc.

 

We're doing this next Sept although in reverse...sort of.  We're on Quantum out of Seattle for a week, then 3 days to make our way to Vancouver when we'll be on Ovation to Hawaii.  We'll then spend some time in Hawaii (details still TBD) before flying home.  Should be a great month or so total.  Not sure yet how to manage clothes for late season Alaska and then Hawaii.  Multiple suitcases with laundry somewhere I guess.

[h20skibum]

@Ozark_Kidcute pictures. Happy 1st birthday to her. 

[bobmacliberty]

3 minutes ago, Ozark_Kid said:

 
Kenzie was born at 10:04 AM a year ago today. We were just sent her one year old birthday pictures.  Hope you don’t mind so many pics but it’s hard to pick just one. They plan to come visit us at noon.

 

 

 

 

 

Kenzie reminds me of my niece's baby.  I don't think she is capable of taking a bad picture.  Always smiling.  

[Ozark_Kid]

2 minutes ago, Ozark_Kid said:

Hope you don’t mind so many pics but it’s hard to pick just one.

But that’s not all.  CC giving me a hard time posting.