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

[Ozark_Kid]

9 hours ago, aussielozzie18 said:

I had to look up Kohlrabi as I hadn’t heard of it.  How do you cook/eat it?

I decided to grow it after a few talked about it here.  The best advice I heard about preparing it is to think of it as a potato.  I have not tried mashing it yet.  I have diced it up for salad and once diced it and added it to a bowl containing a variety of vegetables.  Dizzled them all with olive oil, spread them out on a cookie sheet and roasted them.  Soooo good.  

[grapau27]

16 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

You are amazing! 

+1 @Ozark_Kid.

Wishing you all the best always.

[A&L_Ont]

5 hours ago, dani negreanu said:

 

Kohlrabi is very popular here. We have the green version of it.

 

DH is eating it raw, or baking it in the oven with a sprinkle of olive oil on it. Usually when preparing antipasti, along with other legumes, like zucchini, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, etc.

We used to eat a ground meat stuffed Kohlrabi as kids. I think it was a Romanian throwback meal. I remember it being delicious but a lot of work. 

[HBE4]

14 hours ago, Coralc said:

 

Just out of curiosity, are all kinds of fireworks legal to buy in PA? We have a few municipalities nearby that allow the purchase and use of Safe & Sane fireworks. Sparklers, cones and that sort of thing. Aerials, Roman candles, mortars and firecrackers and M-80's and M-100's are illegal in the whole state. But millions of people here seem to find them to purchase. 😏

 

What are people allowed to buy there? ☺️ Just curious about the differences.

 

 

New York State only allows handheld or ground-based sparklers.  Nothing that can be shot into the air. No Roman candles. Firecrackers are illegal as well and that includes M-80' and anything else that's pretty much of stick of dynamite, etc.  The fine is $50 if you get caught in possession.

 

NY also lets each county decide if it even will allow sparklers at all, leaving it a patchwork of confusion across the state.  Not that it matters as nobody follows the law. I saw no less than 5 different neighboring houses shoot fireworks into the air while listening to the constant booming of explosives all around.

 

 

5 hours ago, Sunshine3601 said:

In PA consumers can purchase Class C fireworks which includes bottles rockets, Roman candles, firecrackers, aerials and mortars (up to a certain size).   

Pa law states they cannot be launched between 10 pm to 10 am on any day except July 2, 3 and 4th and Dec 31st they can be used up until 1 am.

Unfortunately, there are far too many people who don't follow the law on how and where they can be launched.

 

That's what I call a "Feel Good" law, meaning that it's pretty much impossible to enforce but it made the politicians that passed the law feel good about themselves, that they (sarcastic air quotes) "did something"  to better the community. 🙄

 

Whenever I travel into PA, the very first business I see - after the visitor center - is Phantom Fireworks, along I-84, I-80 and I-78.  Out of curoisty, I went to their website and you can see their retail locations ring the border of the entire state in all directions along every major highway.

 

https://fireworks.com/locations

 

I'm guessing they have a lot of out-of-state drive up business😄

Edited July 6, 2023 by HBE4

[Arzeena]

@Sea Dog

Looking into that April 1 Beyond sailing. Calculating some numbers.

[Sea Dog]

2 minutes ago, Arzeena said:

@Sea Dog

Looking into that April 1 Beyond sailing. Calculating some numbers.

Great ! I hope you can join us.

[mo&fran]

2 hours ago, HBE4 said:

 

New York State only allows handheld or ground-based sparklers.  Nothing that can be shot into the air. No Roman candles. Firecrackers are illegal as well and that includes M-80' and anything else that's pretty much of stick of dynamite, etc.  The fine is $50 if you get caught in possession.

 

NY also lets each county decide if it even will allow sparklers at all, leaving it a patchwork of confusion across the state.  Not that it matters as nobody follows the law. I saw no less than 5 different neighboring houses shoot fireworks into the air while listening to the constant booming of explosives all around.

 

 

 

That's what I call a "Feel Good" law, meaning that it's pretty much impossible to enforce but it made the politicians that passed the law feel good about themselves, that they (sarcastic air quotes) "did something"  to better the community. 🙄

 

Whenever I travel into PA, the very first business I see - after the visitor center - is Phantom Fireworks, along I-84, I-80 and I-78.  Out of curoisty, I went to their website and you can see their retail locations ring the border of the entire state in all directions along every major highway.

 

https://fireworks.com/locations

 

I'm guessing they have a lot of out-of-state drive up business😄

Kind of like NH with their state liquor  stores. In fact I95 has exit ramps to the stores  in both directions.  ( no state sales tax in NH). I thought that you could also buy fireworks that state also. 

[Coralc]

There would be even more mayhem. (than there already is) if consumers were allowed to purchase Class C fireworks in California. Obviously, a lot of people here are able to purchase them anyway, illegal or not. There were 2 more local fires last evening. And there would be even more. It is probably a good thing that they aren't for sale. 

 

And cruise related: Ruby Princess ran into the dock in San Francisco today. 

Edited July 6, 2023 by Coralc

[akcruz]

4 hours ago, HBE4 said:

 

New York State only allows handheld or ground-based sparklers.  Nothing that can be shot into the air. No Roman candles. Firecrackers are illegal as well and that includes M-80' and anything else that's pretty much of stick of dynamite, etc.  The fine is $50 if you get caught in possession.

 

NY also lets each county decide if it even will allow sparklers at all, leaving it a patchwork of confusion across the state.  Not that it matters as nobody follows the law. I saw no less than 5 different neighboring houses shoot fireworks into the air while listening to the constant booming of explosives all around.

 

 

 

That's what I call a "Feel Good" law, meaning that it's pretty much impossible to enforce but it made the politicians that passed the law feel good about themselves, that they (sarcastic air quotes) "did something"  to better the community. 🙄

 

Whenever I travel into PA, the very first business I see - after the visitor center - is Phantom Fireworks, along I-84, I-80 and I-78.  Out of curoisty, I went to their website and you can see their retail locations ring the border of the entire state in all directions along every major highway.

 

https://fireworks.com/locations

 

I'm guessing they have a lot of out-of-state drive up business😄

 

I have been to one off 78 when my daughter decided she wanted the long sparklers at her wedding a few days beforehand. I was there buying about 75 of them, all they had, needed to fill out all kinds of paperwork.  Of course took them over many state lines to get to the wedding in VA.  Well worth it, one if the pics as they were leaving that night.

 

[grapau27]

44 minutes ago, akcruz said:

 

I have been to one off 78 when my daughter decided she wanted the long sparklers at her wedding a few days beforehand. I was there buying about 75 of them, all they had, needed to fill out all kinds of paperwork.  Of course took them over many state lines to get to the wedding in VA.  Well worth it, one if the pics as they were leaving that night.

 

Nice photo.

 

[brillohead]

23 hours ago, Ozark_Kid said:

Today I harvested 44 tomatoes.   That makes 145 so far this year!  Last year at this time I had harvested 28.  

Looks like in another week the cherry tomatoes will be ready to pick. 

 

Leave it to an accountant to have a spreadsheet of how many veggies he harvests each week from one year to the next!  🤣

[brillohead]

Just ran across this on FB and had to share!  

 

[Sunshine3601]

16 hours ago, sgmn said:

Yesterday I went to the Royal Horticultural Garden Festival at Hampton Court Palace with friends. Lots of walking around the exhibits, lots of plants and anything and everything to do with gardening and outdoors to buy 

Hampton Court,  garden view

I bought a swing for the garden  I thought it was a good price. Will be delivered in a couple of weeks

 

One of the hundreds of roses in the rose section

Another view of HCP

 

Lovely place.   Very nice swing, looks like a great price too!  I'm sure you and the Grandchildren will enjoy for many years.

[aussielozzie18]

Good morning.  Another beautiful day in Sydney. Kalkari Discovery Centre at Ku-ring-Gai Chase National Park, north of Sydney.

 

 

 

 

 

And another nice day for hiking in  Waterton, Alberta courtesy of DS.
 

Edited July 7, 2023 by aussielozzie18

[Etta1213]

7 hours ago, brillohead said:

 

Leave it to an accountant to have a spreadsheet of how many veggies he harvests each week from one year to the next!  🤣

Yup!! He's so doggone cute, I'd hug him if he were here.🤗

[Coralc]

1 hour ago, aussielozzie18 said:

Good morning.  Another beautiful day in Sydney. Kalkari Discovery Centre at Ku-ring-Gai Chase National Park, north of Sydney.

 

 

That is so cool to see Kangaroos and your other exotic animals in the wild! It is like us seeing coyotes. Which are so common, that they are not really unique or exotic. Or the skunks in the backyard. But your wildlife is so unusual to us in North America. ☺️ I really enjoy your photos.

[Coralc]

Last time we stopped in Barbados, we booked a Viator trip to their wildlife park, because I specifically wanted to see their Patagonian Mara. They are not exhibited very many places. The park was old and failing and rundown. They used to have 7 of them, but this old guy is the last one left. It is not a caged park, and we hiked all over to find him. And he is probably gone, and there won't be any more on Barbados. 

[aussielozzie18]

9 minutes ago, Coralc said:

Last time we stopped in Barbados, we booked a Viator trip to their wildlife park, because I specifically wanted to see their Patagonian Mara. They are not exhibited very many places. The park was old and failing and rundown. They used to have 7 of them, but this old guy is the last one left. It is not a caged park, and we hiked all over to find him. And he is probably gone, and there won't be any more on Barbados. 

I never heard of these.  Had to look them up.  I love what we learn from each other in this group.

[sgmn]

22 hours ago, dani negreanu said:

 

Beautiful, Sue. Thanks for sharing. I had no idea about this place, making a note 😘

It's a nice day out and easy to get to from London. About 40min on train from Waterloo train station and then just five min walk to the Palace.  Apparently all six wives of Henry VIII stayed there. 

 

We've got annual passes for Historic Royal Palaces so have been there a few times.

https://www.hrp.org.uk/hampton-court-palace/history-and-stories/the-story-of-hampton-court-palace/#gs.2aw6ya

[sgmn]

Our normal everyday dog walking route in our local woods, just five min from us, the woods are getting quite lush now 

 

 

[aussielozzie18]

10 minutes ago, sgmn said:

It's a nice day out and easy to get to from London. About 40min on train from Waterloo train station and then just five min walk to the Palace.  Apparently all six wives of Henry VIII stayed there. 

 

We've got annual passes for Historic Royal Palaces so have been there a few times.

https://www.hrp.org.uk/hampton-court-palace/history-and-stories/the-story-of-hampton-court-palace/#gs.2aw6ya

I am pretty sure that I visited here as a child but I wouldn’t have appreciated the gardens at the time.  Putting this on my list for a future visit especially as it’s easy to get to via public transport.  Love your new swing seat too.

[aussielozzie18]

1 minute ago, sgmn said:

Our normal everyday dog walking route in our local woods, just five min from us, the woods are getting quite lush now 

 

 

Very nice!  Its lovely to have scenic places to walk close to home.

[dani negreanu]

12 minutes ago, sgmn said:

Apparently all six wives of Henry VIII stayed there. 

 

I remembered that a few minutes after I wrote the post.... Read lots of historical novels about "old" Henry the 8th' "shenanigans" 😉

[Ocean Boy]

1 hour ago, sgmn said:

It's a nice day out and easy to get to from London. About 40min on train from Waterloo train station and then just five min walk to the Palace.  Apparently all six wives of Henry VIII stayed there. 

 

We've got annual passes for Historic Royal Palaces so have been there a few times.

https://www.hrp.org.uk/hampton-court-palace/history-and-stories/the-story-of-hampton-court-palace/#gs.2aw6ya

I really enjoyed visiting Hampton Court. It is a beautiful place and so much history there.

[sgmn]

1 hour ago, dani negreanu said:

 

I remembered that a few minutes after I wrote the post.... Read lots of historical novels about "old" Henry the 8th' "shenanigans" 😉

Bridgerton series (netflix) was also filmed there recently