The Fleet Report and Daily for Wednesday May 17th, 2023

[smitty34877]

Good morning. It is breezy and chilly this morning only reaching 60 or so later. I have only been to Falmouth,  MA  and not Jamaica. I am a big fan of sheet pan dinners and have a whole cookbook on them.This sounds interesting  but will not please the avid carnivores. We down sized when we moved here and I try to keep the clutter down.My mom was a pack rat and it took both brothers and myself to get her to start purging.Not fun.

@Vict0riann,Ann, I have a DH with the opposite  problem.It is very hard to get him to move or do anything physical. Both situations  are worrisome.Even DD can't  get him moving!I hope your headache is better today.

@bennybear, Brenda, I realized yesterday that the picture you posted looked that way from the smoke.I hope things improve today.

@kazu, I hope your garden assistant is able to help today.How is Ivan doing with the grass/flag issue?

 

My good news for the day:  I was able to get the A C in my ancient Subaru repaired,for a fee less mind boggling than the initial  estimate. We have a local garage that I can walk home from and the lovely man has kept that car going for us.

[RedneckBob]

Oh no, we don’t need a clone of RedneckBob! 😀

[RedneckBob]

Just now, RedneckBob said:

Oh no, we don’t need a clone of RedneckBob! 😀

Oh no, we don’t need a clone of RedneckBob

[Mtn2Sea]

We were in Falmouth in January while aboard the Zuiderdam.  We chose an excursion that took us on a rafting trip on the Martha Brae river.  We got on a bamboo river raft built for two and then glided slowly down the river, which meanders gently through whispering groves of bamboo and ferns.  After our three mile rafting journey that lasted 75 minutes, we went to Montego Bay for a “shopping opportunity” before returning to the ship.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shopping opportunities at the port area.

 

[Cruzin Terri]

Good morning,

Happy Wednesday.  

Sounds like CC is having their problems this morning.  I enjoyed reading @kazu’s post multiple times LOL.  it was fun.

Thank you @richwmn Rich for getting us started.  Nice to have you back.  Hope you are getting settled.

Interesting collection of days.

DH would win a prize for the World’s greatest pack rat.  i don’t know how to get rid of the stuff he hoards.   Hypertension.  That is my problem and I am always trying to keep it under control. Telecommunications and Information Society Day.  That is a mouthful. What would we do without a phone!  

Not sure about the meal.  Wine price is a bit high and I will pass on the drink

Have not been to Falmouth, Jamaica,.

 

Jim slept a bit better last night, Not great, but better.  That means it was better for me.  Today he cannot nap all day since we will have activity here.

 

So today we are finally getting our new dryer.  The phone call yesterday told us it will be delivered between 3:30 and 5:30.  Guess we are last on the delivery list.  That does not make me happy.  Maybe we will be lucky.  We had the same message with the washer and then we received a phone call in the morning of delivery and they asked if the could come earlier.  Hope the same thing happens today.

 

I have to clear a pathway in the garage for them to deliver the dryer to move all of Jim’s junk.  We had a clean garage before the flood,  However since the flood, not everything has been put back where it belongs and now that he is unable to do stuff, it falls on me. Oh Happy Day!

 

Hope everyone has a good day.

God Bless,

Terri

 

Edited May 17, 2023 by Cruzin Terri

[Nickelpenny]

Had to go look at my pictures but I went to Falmouth my last cruise.  Interesting place but not necessarily one I clamor to go back to.  Took an excursion to Dunn's Fall which I did enjoy.

[dfish]

Good morning, everyone. 

 

When I first logged in, I was afraid to post, but it seems that the issue has been resolved as the latest posts are not cloning at a rapid rate.  It is a chilly start to the day and temps are only supposed to get up to 60F.  That's fine. We'll have a good walk and then I want to do some weeding in the garden.  Nothing else on the agenda today, which is great.  

 

I think I am going with @rafinmd Roy's alternative meal due to the carbs in the gnocchi.  Gnocchi seems kind of heavy to me, but perhaps the supporting menu items help with that.  I had never heard of burrata before.  Burrata is an Italian cow milk (occasionally buffalo milk) cheese made from mozzarella and cream. The outer casing is solid cheese, while the inside contains stracciatella and cream, giving it an unusual, soft texture. It is typical of Puglia.

 

 

This first recipe is roasted bell peppers and gnocchi topped with the cheese and a balsamic glaze.  https://imapampchef.com/2022/03/29/sheet-pan-burrata-caprese-gnocchi-delish/

 

 

This next one replaces the bell peppers with cherry or grape tomatoes.  https://www.jocooks.com/recipes/caprese-gnocchi-sheet-pan/

 

 

The last recipe adds in some white beans.   https://kelliesfoodtoglow.com/2019/04/24/caprese-gnocchi-burrata-recipe/

 

 

Wishing you all a wonderful day!

[ocean sounds]

1 hour ago, kazu said:

Sorry everyone.  I kept getting a message to wait 15 seconds to post.  I corrected the post (which doesn’t seem to have taken) and then CC was under maintenance.  Just got back and see all these posts and it’s too late to edit 😡. I’ve asked mods to delete but so sorry I made the thread cumbersome.

 

 

 

@kazu, it happened to me also!  CC was either cloning our posts, or read that today is Pack Rat day, and decided we needed to hoard our own posts, 😂.  
 

I was able to delete the contents of all but one clone. Wish I’d thought to report them instead.

 

have a good day!

[kazu]

3 minutes ago, ocean sounds said:

@kazu, it happened to me also!  CC was either cloning our posts, or read that today is Pack Rat day, and decided we needed to hoard our own posts, 😂.  
 

I was able to delete the contents of all but one clone. Wish I’d thought to report them instead.

 

have a good day!

 

Oh no - you did he right thing just typing deleted.  If I could have done that I would have.  The mods can take time to delete a post so I’m afraid mine will hang around for a while 😔 

[rafinmd]

I have a sunset today rather than a sunrise.  It's from my 2017 Crystal Symphony cruise from San Diego to New York.  On May 17 Symphony was at sea from Charleston to New York.

 

 

Roy

[lindaler]

Good morning all. It is a beautiful day here. It has been getting very warm but I still enjoy the random lightning storms. On my Monday night kayak trip we had a wonderful time but I returned bruised and battered from my disembarking. Apparently my kayak was on a rock and as I tried to get out the whole thing tipped over on top of me and I ended up sitting in the water up to my chest. I managed to get out and up but having the kayak come over my head twice was funny for those watching and as I wasn't hurt too bad I was able to laugh too. It's hard when you get old. Funny but hard.

 

 

[ger_77]

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily!  I'm married to a pack rat and I'm afraid to say some of it has rubbed off on me.  Fortunately though, my collections tend to be fabric, yarn, and things we can use when we travel, all useful, right?  I've always had good blood pressure except when in the doctor's office - I always find the arm cuff so tight that it's truly painful.  I describe it to my DH just like we were playing "snake" as a child where you twist the skin in opposite directions at the same time.  I always take my BP at home and take a photo of it before I have a medical appt so they can see I'm not lying or dying.  

 

Telecommunications and Information - wow, where would we be without them?  Does anyone remember the original teletype machines?  Big beasts with ticker tape coming out of one side and heavy round typewriter keys.  My aunt often invited me to their auto glass shop so I could learn to type on it - I'm sure that's where my administrative talents took hold.

 

Well we're in the smoke big time today - like @bennybear - we've got air quality warnings in the extreme range due to the smoke from wildfires in both Alberta and Saskatchewan.  Currently there are 30 wildfires in our province alone, but that's much fewer than in Alberta.  About 30,000 have been evacuated from various northern locations with more to come.  Any outdoor activities, even like groceries will include masking - thank goodness we still have them around.

 

@kazu thanks for the recipe for tick repellent - DH had 3 on him at the acreage, and after he came home, found another one.  I'll pick up some essential oils, and give it a try!

 

Not a lot going on today because of the smoke, so will concentrate on finishing a couple of blankets.  I discovered the other day that when using an acrylic/viscose blend, my eyes became very dry and itchy; even thought I'm not prone to allergies, I think I'm allergic to it.  I have a blanket that's about 2/3 complete, and think I'll try using a mask when finishing it to see if that helps.  It seems a shame to take it all apart at this stage.

 

I'd like to try the drink of the day; it sounds like something we would call "Adult Iced Tea".  The wine sounds delicious, but is a little on the high side of my budget.  Neither of us is a huge fan of gnocchi, so I'll take a pass on today's menu suggestion.  I cleaned out the fridge freezer yesterday and found a couple of salmon fillets that will be baked in the toaster oven on the deck and will be served along with corn on the cob and a marinated vegetable salad. In the kitchen (too smokey on the deck).  And wine.

 

Prayers for everyone who is in need, cheers to all with celebrations.

 

Smooth Sailing!  ☺️☺️☺️

Gerry

[travelingbums]

Thank you everyone for sharing,

 

Happy Hump day.

[richwmn]

11 minutes ago, ger_77 said:

Does anyone remember the original teletype machines?  Big beasts with ticker tape coming out of one side and heavy round typewriter keys. 

My dad repaired teletype machines for the Navy. When I was real young I got to go to his shop and learned to repair them. Good memories.

 

[ocean sounds]

19 minutes ago, ger_77 said:

I've always had good blood pressure except when in the doctor's office - I always find the arm cuff so tight that it's truly painful.  I describe it to my DH just like we were playing "snake" as a child where you twist the skin in opposite directions at the same time.  I always take my BP at home and take a photo of it before I have a medical appt so they can see I'm not lying or dying. 

Oh my gosh, @ger_77, this is me as well! 
 

I laughed at the “take a photo … to show not lying or dying!”  I’ll have to remember that 😂

Edited May 17, 2023 by ocean sounds

[Rowsby]

3 minutes ago, ocean sounds said:

Oh my gosh, @ger_77, this is me as well! 
 

I laughed at the “take a photo to show not lying or dying!”  I’ll have to remember that 😂

 

Me too...!!!   They always think it's going to be higher than it really is...they crank it up and my arm spasms...!!   Love the "take a photo" idea....😅

[GTVCRUISER]

Jamaica 

[rafinmd]

Falmouth is another cruise line built port.  It's owned by Royal Caribbean but they will happily accept fees by others.  It is actually though part of the town of Falmouth.  If we only get 3 reports on it they may be very different. 

 

Falmouth and Ocho Rios are very close, about 30 to 40 miles.apart.  @Mtn2Sea rafted on Martha Brae river.  @Nickelpenny went to Dunn's River Falls.  I did that as well but it is very close to Ocho Rios and my visit was from there on the Crystal Symphony.  I visited Falmouth in 2015 on the Grandeur of the Seas and I did a "Heritage Walking Tour" of the town of Falmouth.  Crime may have not been as great a concern in 2015 and of course we were accompanied by a couple of local guides,  I'll start with a view of the port from the ship:

 

 

 

One of the first stops was the court house.  Note the alternating yellow and white squares on the trim,

 

 

We visited several churches on our walk.  The first was the Walter Knibb Baptist.

 

 

Knibb was a leader in the emancipation movement and when slavery was abolished about the 1830's he buried a pair of shackles signifying the end of slavery.  Today a monument stands above the shackles.

 

 

The Anglican church was not just lovely but also a rest stop.

 

 

 

 

We stopped at a traditional house marked by wide porticos  and thick walls to cope with Jamaica's oppressive heat.

 

 

@Nickelpenny mentioned rafting on the Martha Brae river,  I walked to the mouth of the Martha Brae in town and it was not at all attractive,  It was also an excursion on my cruise and was glad to see that it was nicer further upstream.

 

 

 

There is a bit more information and more pictures on my blog post for that day:

 

https://getawaysfrom21044.wordpress.com/2015/03/28/day-15-friday-march-27-falmouth-jamaica/

 

Roy

[JazzyV]

Good afternoon. Thanks for the Fleet Report/Daily @richwmn and Welcome back!

I try not to be a packrat, and am trying to get rid of “stuff”. Hypertension is a silent killer and people should pay attention to their BP. I’ll salute telecommunications and information. Interesting quote. Pass on the meal, yes to the drink and wine. I’ve never been to Falmouth. 
 

The weather here has been cool for May. Yesterday it rained in the AM, but BFF and I took the bus into town and did some walking around. I did pretty good I thought. I was looking for something to bring to my hair stylist, who cut my lawn on Monday. He came back yesterday and I suspect the batteries ran out as the grass was high. BFF and I both noticed sniffles last night. My ears also feel clogged. So I’m staying in today and resting. I will do another Covid test just to be sure. The post office started leaving mail on my porch (the storm door is locked, so the mail slot is inaccessible), despite the mail hold! I sent an email about it, and they picked it up yesterday. This morning I made an Ortho appointment for 2 days after I return, to get checked out. 
 

It’s white asparagus season here and all the rage for this month. 
 

@kazu I hope your garden helper is better today.

@1ANGELCAT Thinking of you and Fluff.

@smitty34877 I was glad to read that the new aide for Tana is working out well. Good news on the car AC.

@Mtn2Sea @Nickelpenny @rafinmd Thanks for the photos.

@Cruzin Terri I’m glad DH slept somewhat better. I hope you can get some rest soon.

@lindaler Sorry about the rough kayak ending, but luckily no serious damage.

@bennybear That photo of the smoke looked frightening! Stay safe. 
@ger_77 I record my home BP measurements on my phone, and take a printout to my Cardiologist when I go; much better readings at home and I brought the machine it so they could see it matches their in-office one and is accurate. 
 

Prayers for the Care List and Cheers for the Celebration List. 

 

 

 

Edited May 17, 2023 by JazzyV

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Thanks for the info.

[kochleffel]

I come from a family of pack rats and seem to have inherited the gene for it. For my mother it was expressed in collecting things that would actually be useful in certain situations that were unlikely to arise. In my case it seems to be a form of selective ADD: attention surfeit for things that are interesting but attention deficit for things that are not.

 

My father was a participant in a research program on hypertension in the 1950s and was the longest survivor of the original cohort. I can't really complain about telecommunications and information, although there are times when I think we have too much of the latter.

 

I like gnocchi but this seems like a complicated and peculiar way to make them. I would probably like the drink, although tea is the only component of it that I have (I don't even have ice right now). The wine would probably be OK. It's not long since Falmouth in the UK was the destination of the day; I still haven't been to that one, or the one in Jamaica, or any Falmouth at all, not even the one in Massachusetts.

 

It was cold when I got up and I'm postponing outdoor work until the afternoon when it will reach 51°. There is a freeze (not just frost) warning for tonight.

 

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

Good morning from a sunny and slightly breezy central Texas.  The sun is supposed to stick around until the rain returns Friday night, but so far, just for the night.  It is 66F with a predicted high of 82F.  Finally, a nice spring day, even though spring is normally our rainy season.

 

DH is more of a pack rat than I am, but like Jacqui's @kazu  DD DH, it's generally things he thinks he'll need some day.  Usually, within two weeks for throwing something out that hasn't been needed in decades, he'll need it.  We are both on blood pressure medicine.  Until last year, my BP would be high at the doctor's office (White Coat Syndrome) and lower at home.  After the stress of the last few years, I finally needed to take something to lower it.  Telecommunications and information are important, and I don't see how the world functioned without them.  

 

Forgiving is a good thing, even then, it's sometimes more difficult to forget.

 

We'll pass on the meal as neither of us are fans of gnocchi.  The drink sounds good if it's not too peachy, and I'd like to try the wine.

 

We spent a week in Falmouth at an all inclusive resort in 1975, so all our pictures are slides.  This was at a time before things in Jamaica got bad.  Back then, only the capital, Kingston, was a place to avoid.  We rented a car for three days, and toured the island from Ocho Rios to Negril.  We flew into Montego Bay, and that was a nice place then.

 

Rich @richwmn thank you for giving us two interesting days in history today.

 

@kazu  Jacqui, don't feel bad about the multiple posts.  It could have happened to any of us.

@Lady Hudson  Katherine, I like the idea of your card club meeting at a restaurant so no one has be responsible for food, etc.

@smitty34877  Terry, I'm glad you have someone reliable to keep your car going.

@Mtn2Sea  Robert, thanks for your pictures.  Jamaica is a lovely island, and it's too bad it's no longer a safe place.

@Cruzin Terri  Terri, I'm happy you both got a better night's sleep.  I know you are happy your dryer will be delivered today.

@lindaler  Linda, sorry about the problems with the kayak the other night.  I hope the bruises fade quickly and you are not too sore after the incident.

@ger_77  Gerry, I hope the smoke clears quickly.  I had a job once where using the teletype was one of the duties.  It was hard enough trying not to get typos when "cutting" the tape.  The one time we had to send and receive messages in real time was a nightmare.  With two or three "big bosses" standing behind me dictating, trying not to make a mistake, but still type quickly was a challenge.  The client, who I think was in Saudi Arabia, at least, understood what we were trying to say in spite of typos.

@rafinmd  Roy, thanks for your great pictures of Falmouth.  Ironically, even though we were staying at a resort outside of town, we did not see much of Falmouth.

@JazzyV  Vanessa, I'm sorry you both have the sniffles, and I hope the test is negative.

 

 

 

 

 

Lenda

[aliaschief]

Good morning. Back on Central Time and slept late. Wonderful!

We dined out last night Al Fresco with beautiful views (see pics) overlooking the Bayou. Pretty much had to dine out as we need to go to the grocery store.

So it’s time to get busy as I have many things I want to get done today.

Have to admit I was a bit surprised we were already on page three but soon found out the problem.

Welcome back @richwmn Rich. Don’t have to answer but I’m curious did you have much of a weight gain on World Cruise? One of my concerns on my up and coming World Voyage.

Have a great hump day everyone.

Bruce

 

 

[summer slope]

We have visited Falmouth, got off the ship walked the square and got back on. 

[durangoscots]

Good morning. Off to the dog shows shortly. Weather is going to be pretty warm in Farmington today but things will cool a bit the rest of the week. Durango is always about 10 degrees cooler. I suspect I will feel the heat.

 

Take care all. And I really understand what the those dealing with smoke are feeling. Fire is terribly scary and the smoke really triggers allergies and stress. Hope things get under control soon, but it takes awhile for the smoke and the stress to clear.

 

Susan