The Fleet Report and Daily for Tuesday February 14th, 2023

[smitty34877]

4 hours ago, grapau27 said:

Good afternoon.

I have just had my follow up skin cancer appointment.

Doctor said it was a rodent ulcer basal cell skin cancer and it was all removed in December.

Graham.

I am glad it was all removed in December. Hope all is well now. 

[tupper10]

Thank you for the fleet report.  Glad to see that a few of us are getting good doctor reports. Sorry to hear about Tana and Roy I  wish your doctor had given you better news vs just more tests.

 

My son is now home with a port and his drain but he is very glad to be out of the hospital.  He has a visiting nurse coming to deal with everything.  He is hoping to get back to work soon.  I am going to see the doctor again.  I don't think the epidural worked at all and I am essentially home bound due to the back pain.  Since I can't really do much, I looked into another Panama canal cruise and had our TA book a full canal transit on the Zaandam.   We really wanted to do a 1/2 transit but it looks like all of those do the new locks which we really didn't want.  I used to live in San Diego so it is an excuse to see some friends pre cruise and my old hang outs.  

 

Terry and Sandy it looks like you are having a fabulous time on your respective cruises.

 

Re issues with Holland America - and getting compensated -  we didn't have much luck until we contacted corporate so I suggest if you don't get satisfaction you contact the president of HAL by email.  Use the name elliot and then advocacy to get all the email addresses you need.  

 

So worrisome to hear about the continued gun violence in our country.  Here in Florida there are memorials for the Parkland school shooting. Hard to believe it was 5. years ago it seems like yesterday that these poor children were killed.  Prayers for those in Turkey/Syria and Ukraine.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

Good afternoon from a sunny central Texas.  The weather turned out better than predicted, and the wind is not being felt near DH's grill.  That means tonight's dinner will be a ribeye split between us, plus what ever we decide to add.

 

Today, I turned into a messy baker.  Making the cake wasn't too messy, but the icing is another story.  There was powdered sugar and cocoa powder over much of the kitchen and me.  While the icing is setting, I'm letting the butter for the icing for the decoration soften.  

 

My always reliable cake pans have let me down the last two times I've used them.  Part of the cakes stuck to the bottom of the pan, so I needed to "glue" the layers back together with icing.  These pans have been around for decades, and I guess it's time to let them go.  So I ordered new pans as a Valentine present to me.  

 

5 hours ago, grapau27 said:

Good afternoon.

I have just had my follow up skin cancer appointment.

Doctor said it was a rodent ulcer basal cell skin cancer and it was all removed in December.

Graham.

 

Graham, I'm glad the doctor got all the cancer in December.

 

4 hours ago, HAL4NOW said:

For those that are thinking their body parts are too old for donations, here is a quote from the Washington State Organ Donation Registry: 

"Organs, eyes, and tissues can be used for research after it has been determined they are not usable for life-saving or enhancing transplant."

 

Thanks for the information.  It's good to know that some of my parts might still help others.

 

4 hours ago, kazu said:

Thanks for our Tuesday Daily, Ann

 

Great collection of days.  I celebrated by book gifting and a bunch of other stuff to a charity who picked them up today.  National Donor day is easily celebrated here by just signing your car registration.

 

But for most, Valentine’s Day is at the top of their list.

 

 

Of course, let’s not forget our pets also celebrate Valentine’s Day.  For the cat owner/lovers:

 

 

And of course, can’t leave the dog lovers out 😉 

 

 

That Sparks post is right on the money on love.

 

My first physio today and of course she needed the history - she was dumfounded with all that transpired.  Once we moved into action she was pleased with what I had been doing / trying to do.  Our goal is to gain 90 degree flexion and flexibility before I go back.  No weight bearing or anything else allowed until I see the specialist again.  It’s going to be challenge to get the arm straight again - but I’ll work on it.  I have my homework until the next week when I return.  I think I will have earned my glass tonight 🍷 

 

 

And for those that might have thought I was crazy trying to type - she was thrilled - it really does help (as long as you know when to stop 😉)

 

 

 

 

Oh my, that was an awful lot in that day 😞. I’m sorry it was depressing and so hard.  Bless you for your care of her - you are Tana’s Valentine 365 days a year ♥️ Glad to hear you are happy with the hip - hope your ortho doc is as well 🙏🏻 

 

 

 

a sad day for you today indeed Roy.  Prayers that you can find some happy memories and not just sadness 🙏🏻 

Best of luck with our appointment today 🤞 

 

 

 

Sorry to hear your DH’s vision problem continues.  Hopefully his recovery doesn’t take too long and he will well soon 🙏🏻 

 

 

 

As already stated, HAL shouldn’t take your passport for your sailing unless something changes dramatically.  They do take them at times when immigration authorities need to review them all (saves everyone lining up at an awful early morning to have their passports checked).  If they do need them, no worries - you are given a receipt and HAL keeps them in their safe.  Pick up is organized nicely so there are no long lineups and you have yours back well before disembarkation.

 

 

 

A very happy birthday to your DH

 

 

 

@Seasick SailorSounds like dumping that guy is a wise decision to me.

 

Very happy to say we escaped the ‘Nor Easter with apologies to the other 3 Maritime Provinces.  In my memories on FB was a post apologizing to my dogs as I couldn’t take them for a walk in the blizzard outside so it looks like Feb. 13th is a common date for our “Nor Easters.  I disagree with this one - I want my flowers AND my wine 🌺 🍷 

 

 

Prayers for everyone on the Care list the people of Ukraine, those affected by the earthquake and now sadly, those in New Zealand affected by the cyclone.  And cheers 🥂 to everyone celebrating.

 

 

Have a great Tuesday everyone and a wonderful Valentine’s Day

 

 

Jacqui, I'm glad your therapy session went well, and that the therapist was please with what you've done on your own.  With your determination (an a few bottles of wine), you should make good progress.  

 

4 hours ago, luvteaching said:

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!
 

Woke up to a skiff of snow this morning but it should melt off before I have to head in to see DH. Today is my niece's birthday so will stop at Starbucks and load her card with $20.00. She's in Canada so this is a quick and easy way to do it. 

Love books and the bookcase beside the bed is overflowing! Currently reading the Rhys Bowen "Her Royal Spyness" series and picking them up used on Amazon. Have the newest Alex Cross to get read as well. 

 

I like a Ferris wheel but it's been years but not fast carnival rides. 

DH is making progress and hopefully will be home before our Medicare days run out. He's got about 19 or so left. He's been standing in the parallel bars independently and even tried to walk the other day. Yesterday was speech and the coughing has pretty much stopped during eating so he has an exercise to work on. The speech therapist will see him again tomorrow. Sunday he was up in the wheelchair all day, enjoyed Super Bowl snacks, etc. so he was tired yesterday. I have an aviator stuffed pig for him for Valentines Day and I told him I didn't know what he was getting me yet but I'd figure it out! 

Have a good day!
 

Karen

 

Karen, I'm glad your DH is doing so well.  I hope he is able to come home soon.

 

2 hours ago, smitty34877 said:

I am very happy to report that the surgeon is happy with my snazzy new hip joint. Good news,at least today.I will see him in a year.

 

Terry, I'm glad you got a good report from the surgeon.

 

2 hours ago, Cruising-along said:

I'm back from the ultrasound, it wasn't as bad as I feared.  Drinking 32 oz of water and holding it for an hour+ didn't sound very appealing to me. Probably having to hold my breath over and over for WAY too long was the hardest part.  But it went well and the results were on MyChart before I had even left the parking lot.  As far as I can tell, there were no surprises -- no tumors, stones, etc. (good news!) It did show worsening chronic kidney disease, which we expected it would.  Now I wait to hear the doctor's explanation.

 

Jacqui @kazuThat's great that your physio appointment went so well!  Sounds like you're doing everything right. 🙂  Also glad to hear that you escaped the 'Nor Easter.

 

Karen @luvteachingGood to hear that your DH is making good progress.

 

Vanessa @JazzyVwhat a great photo!!  

 

Carolyn, I'm glad the ultrasound didn't show any surprises, just what you expected.  I wish what you expected had been better though.

 

2 hours ago, rafinmd said:

No answers from the pulmonologist but more tests ordered.

 

Roy

 

Roy,  I'm sorry you didn't get any answers, just more tests.  Hopefully, the tests will give you some answers.

 

Lenda

 

[aliaschief]

Couldn’t wait another day? In Atlanta awaiting flight home!

 

[rafinmd]

2 hours ago, rafinmd said:

No answers from the pulmonologist but more tests ordered.

 

Roy

CT scan tomorrow (I'll probably miss sailaway) and lab tests Thursday.

 

See the doctor again in 3 weeks.

 

Roy

[JazzyV]

BFF arrived at the door with these. Then we went out for an early dinner. 
 

[aliaschief]

27 minutes ago, JazzyV said:

BFF arrived at the door with these. Then we went out for an early dinner. 
 

Beautiful! Enjoy your night out.

[kochleffel]

5 hours ago, kazu said:

I’d go through your list and double check your zones and try to recall what is growing well in the neighbours gardens.  I have a couple little micro climates in mine which lets me grow things that won’t work elsewhere in the gardens (found that out the hard way 😉)

 

Many of the best gardens here emphasize landscaping over flowers--indicating the people aren't gardeners but could afford to hire professionals! And many of them are in spots less subject to the depredations of deer. I have thought about fencing the entire back garden and planting the front only in plants that deer don't like. That's the way I'm heading with perennials, and also doing a bit more with flowering shrubs because so many herbaceous plants take until midsummer to flower.

 

One new risk I'm taking is with Agastache 'Little Adder.' In a gardening forum where I inquired once, the result was a dire warning against any and all agastaches, because it's so wet here. 'Little Adder' has A. rugosa, which grows in East Asia in some places that are cold and wet, as one of its ancestors. The Missouri Botanical Garden says that A. foeniculum, native to North America--but to the northern plains, not this vale of summer humidity and winter thaws--is another of its ancestors. I'll plant it in a raised bed with some poultry grit added to the soil.

[StLouisCruisers]

7 hours ago, grapau27 said:

Good afternoon.

I have just had my follow up skin cancer appointment.

Doctor said it was a rodent ulcer basal cell skin cancer and it was all removed in December.

Graham.

Very good news Graham!
 

 

 

5 hours ago, JazzyV said:

@StLouisCruisers I found a couple of pictures from that cruise (2004)

 

What a lovely photo of you Vanessa!  

 

 

 

32 minutes ago, JazzyV said:

BFF arrived at the door with these. Then we went out for an early dinner. 
 

Your BFF is a keeper!  Such beautiful flowers. 
 

 

The sun came out and we took the local tender to shore and back in Belize City.  We didn’t spend a lot of time there.  A couple of women had too much to drink today and were pretty rowdy on the trip back to the ship. I’ve never seen that type of behavior on Princess before. 🤪

 

Hoping for a nice dinner in Soleil (MDR) tonight with a yummy dessert to celebrate Valentine’s Day. 🥳🥰

[Seasick Sailor]

Running to get ready for friends over.

 

No word from Doctor Crappy Person.

 

Called at 4:30 and nurse said she'd send a message to him.

 

New doctor request when we get home!

[kazu]

4 hours ago, smitty34877 said:

I am very happy to report that the surgeon is happy with my snazzy new hip joint. Good news,at least today.I will see him in a year.

 

YIPPEE 👏 🥳 

 

 

4 hours ago, rafinmd said:

No answers from the pulmonologist but more tests ordered.

 

 

Disappointing I’m sure Roy, but hang in there and good luck with the other tests now ordered 🤞 

 

 

2 hours ago, tupper10 said:

My son is now home with a port and his drain but he is very glad to be out of the hospital.  He has a visiting nurse coming to deal with everything.  He is hoping to get back to work soon.

 

Happy to hear it 🙂 

 

 

2 hours ago, tupper10 said:

 

  I am going to see the doctor again.  I don't think the epidural worked at all and I am essentially home bound due to the back pain.  Since I can't really do much, I looked into another Panama canal cruise and had our TA book a full canal transit on the Zaandam. 

 

 

Oh no on your ongoing back pain 😔. Glad you are going back to the doctor - hopefully there is a solution.

 

But, I do have to say - you made good use of your bed ridden time booking that cruise 👏 

 

 

1 hour ago, Quartzsite Cruiser said:

Jacqui, I'm glad your therapy session went well, and that the therapist was please with what you've done on your own.  With your determination (an a few bottles of wine), you should make good progress.  

 

Just a few?  😂. With the way I am feeling tonight - might need a truckload of wine 😜 

 

 

37 minutes ago, JazzyV said:

BFF arrived at the door with these. Then we went out for an early dinner. 
 

 

Beautiful!

 

4 minutes ago, kochleffel said:

 

Many of the best gardens here emphasize landscaping over flowers--indicating the people aren't gardeners but could afford to hire professionals! And many of them are in spots less subject to the depredations of deer.

 

I guess I am not a good gardener as the only landscaping I’ve done is by me 😂 

 

There is no spot safe here from the depredations of deer, believe me.

 

4 minutes ago, kochleffel said:

 

I have thought about fencing the entire back garden and planting the front only in plants that deer don't like.

 

My back yard is fenced - we did it originally for our first dog but then the 💡 came on and I said let’s make it high enough to keep out the deer.  it opened a whole new world.

 

4 minutes ago, kochleffel said:

 

That's the way I'm heading with perennials, and also doing a bit more with flowering shrubs because so many herbaceous plants take until midsummer to flower.

 

Sound like a good plan 👍 

 

 

4 minutes ago, kochleffel said:

 

One new risk I'm taking is with Agastache 'Little Adder.' In a gardening forum where I inquired once, the result was a dire warning against any and all agastaches, because it's so wet here. 'Little Adder' has A. rugosa, which grows in East Asia in some places that are cold and wet, as one of its ancestors. The Missouri Botanical Garden says that A. foeniculum, native to North America--but to the northern plains, not this vale of summer humidity and winter thaws--is another of its ancestors. I'll plant it in a raised bed with some poultry grit added to the soil.

 

Love it - hope you will let us know how it turns out?  I”m trying something new this year too - I think it will work in the micro-climate section of my garden - but if it doesn’;t - there’s no one here to criticize.

[Vict0riann]

Good afternoon, Dailyites, sorry to hear the sad news today, not much good news here, either, but happy to hear that Jacqui is progressing in her recovery, also Graham's Sarah, and that all of Graham's skin cancer was removed.  

 

In 2014 we had a wonderful 28 days on the Volendam in the Far East.  Younger DD was with us, also Pat's sister and her hubby, and I organized 8 of the tours, just about killed me!  We also did a few ports DIY, and a few ship's tours, too, so a nice mixture.  In Georgetown, we went ashore on our own and walked for miles,  or so it seemed in the steaming hot sunshine.   It is an amazing mix of cultures, and rich and poor.  There is a community called Chew Jetty where the structures are built over the water and you wander on boardwalks built over the water.  I have tons of pictures, I'll post a few.

 

British and Portuguese -

 

 

 

 

 

St. George's Church 

 

Very much a jungle, where allowed!

 

 

Other religions!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 15, 2023 by Vict0riann

[Vict0riann]

Sorry, I got a few mixed up in the last post.. then couldn't edit properly.

 

A few street scenes in Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And the Chew Jetty

 

 

 

 

 

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

At least, the end results don't reflect the mess getting there. 😉

 

 

Lenda

[dfish]

@JazzyV Beautiful flowers!   I hope you and BFF had a great dinner tonight.  

@Quartzsite Cruiser Good looking cake.  Worth the messy baker designation!

@tupper10 Congrats on booking the cruise!  I'm glad your son is home now, but sad your back is still giving you problems.  I hope the Dr. can figure it out. 

@rafinmd Hang in there.  Sending you hugs.

@kazu I'm glad the therapy went well.  It sounds like you are making forward progress with the elbow, just in slow motion.  You'll get there.

 

DB decided that today wouldn't be good to clean his apartment.  He wants me to come late tomorrow afternoon.  I asked about the state inspection and he said it is every two years and they just make sure everything in the apartment works like smoke detectors, emergency pull cords, etc.  They won't care if he hasn't scrubbed the toilet.  He does make it hard for people to help him sometimes.

 

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

7 hours ago, JazzyV said:

@StLouisCruisers I found a couple of pictures from that cruise (2004)

 

 

Great picture, Vanessa.

 

3 hours ago, rafinmd said:

CT scan tomorrow (I'll probably miss sailaway) and lab tests Thursday.

 

See the doctor again in 3 weeks.

 

Roy

 

Roy, I hope you don't gave to wait three weeks for answers.

 

2 hours ago, JazzyV said:

BFF arrived at the door with these. Then we went out for an early dinner. 
 

 

Vanessa, beautiful flowers.  I agree, he's a keeper.

 

2 hours ago, Seasick Sailor said:

Running to get ready for friends over.

 

No word from Doctor Crappy Person.

 

Called at 4:30 and nurse said she'd send a message to him.

 

New doctor request when we get home!

 

A wise decision.  Safe travels for you and Allen tomorrow.

 

2 hours ago, kazu said:

 

Just a few?  😂. With the way I am feeling tonight - might need a truckload of wine.

 

 

Jacqui, maybe I should have said wineries.  🤣

 

1 hour ago, Vict0riann said:

Sorry, I got a few mixed up in the last post.. then couldn't edit properly.

 

A few street scenes in Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And the Chew Jetty

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ann, great pictures in both posts.  Thank you for sharing.

 

Lenda

[aliaschief]

[HAL Sailer]

6 hours ago, tupper10 said:

So worrisome to hear about the continued gun violence in our country. 

 

In addition to last night's horrid loss of three student's lives at Michigan State is the fact that some MSU students who hid from last night's gunman did exactly the same thing only 14 months ago at Oxford High School when four of their classmates were slaughtered.

 

-M.

[marshhawk]

@XBGuy  Please remember that the DSO is a county symphony, with a most excellent conductor. (Paul Bhasin) The members of the orchestra that we have met are truly friendly and talented...and our subscription seats are right next to the complimentary family members seats.  The guests are all somehow tied to Emory University, as are many of the members of the orchestra,  Professors, and students, or local musicians and guests from the Atlanta Symphony.

 

Tonights program began with 

Rakaczy March from Berlioz' La damnation de Faust.

This was followed by three arias performed by Bethany Grace Mamola

 

https://www.bethanygracesoprano.com/about

Her Si mi chiamano Mimi from La Boheme was fantastic

 

Then they performed Down a Country Lane, by Copland.  Then intermission.

 

The two final performances were Faure's  Pelleas et Milisande Suite and Variations on a Theme of Joseph Hayden by Brahms.

They are very good on the first four pieces, and then sort of lose momentum in the second half, but if it's big and loud they are great, just not so great on the quieter moments on a Country Lane or Faure.

And of course the upside is, they are grateful for all that come, they give us candy when we leave, and it takes us less than 5 minutes to get home.  Parking is free and the hall is just the right size.  The hall has about 500-600 seats, so it is very intimate.

 

This was our second concert of our season, but with all the perks we have decided to renew for next year.

 

 

[marshhawk]

I finished out my last day with Houston, and had 3- 100 $ donations, put on the actual cards, not pledges, so I feel I closed out my account well.  Our phone problems were never told to the client, and they had already replaced us with another company last week, they just didn't tell our management.

 

All well that ends well, and off to Hollywood Bowl full time starting at 5 tomorrow night.  Yeah!  I however will really miss my boss, even though he is a cat hater.  My cat Tazi must have known that because every time we had a zoom meeting, she would jump up on the desk, and show her butt.  All the other members of my team knew her from previous campaigns, and would say hello to her.  My boss hated that.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Thanks for the info. 

[grapau27]

8 hours ago, Vict0riann said:

Sorry, I got a few mixed up in the last post.. then couldn't edit properly.

 

A few street scenes in Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And the Chew Jetty

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you Ann for your kind words about Sarah and all of my skin cancer being removed. 

Excellent collection of photos.

Graham.

[dfish]

The Meal of the Day for Wednesday will be slightly delayed as I have an early dr. appointment.

[XBGuy]

Thank you @marshhawk.  That's a terrific program covering multiple styles and eras.