Wednesday December 6th, 2023 -- The Fleet Report and Daily

[grapau27]

1 hour ago, puppycanducruise said:

@Cat in my lap Happy Birthday! 🎂

+1 Happy birthday@Cat in my lap

 

[ottahand7]

Good morning everyone!   Thanks for the Daily Rich.   Last time I had gazpacho was on the Volendam when he had a wonderful Spanish executive chef.   He is also the same chef that Penny has on her current cruise.   Miners are important and the culture of the Upper Peninsula of MI is still mining related although logging has overtaken it as the major occupation now.   I love in the mitten state no idea what a mitten tree is unless it to give away mittens.   Great quote by Swami, similar to Christ's parable about the birds who neither sow or reap but never worry about their next day.   Congratulations to Taylor Swift as Time's person of they year!    The meal sounds good, pass on the green drink and today's wine sounds lovely.  

 

@Cat in my lap  Happy Birthday!!   🎂

 

[Crazy For Cats]

@Cat in my lap Happy Birthday!🎂 

[Cruzin Terri]

Good morning to all.

Thank you to Rich for the Daily and Fleet Report. And to Ann and Dixie in the beverage department.

@JazzyV Vanessa, thank you for including me in the cares list.  The fatigue continues.  I just can’t seem to shake it.  Prayers for everyone on the list needing prayers.

Thank you in advance to Debbie for the recipe.  I will wait to see it.

 

Interesting days.  I do like Gazpacho and wish i could have some.  Just don’t have the energy to make some.  Or to make anything right now. I respect the work done by Miners.  We don’t have Mitten Trees down here where I live because it never gets that cold.  

 

i like the quote.

 

I have yet to read all the Dailies from the days I missed.  I will catch up if I can stay awake.

 

Tomorrow, Jim has an appointment with the Neurologist. We will see where we go from there.

 

I have appointments at the Mayo Clinic next week for a number of tests related to my PMR.  Also have a Dermatology appt.  For two areas of concern.  

 

I hope everyone has a great Wednesday.  I hope to finish my unpacking.

 

God Bless,

Terri

[richwmn]

Two weeks from now I will be sitting at HJAIA (The Atlanta Airport) waiting to board a plane to San Diego to board Volendam. Everything is pretty well set for this thread to continue again while I am gone. I'll be in San Diego for 2 days, boarding on Friday, most likely around noon.

 

[Seasick Sailor]

Happy Birthday to @Cat in my lap

[Cruzin Terri]

@Cat in my lap

[smitty34877]

Good morning. It is 32 going up to 38 with sun and clouds. The roofers are busy and the competing pipe line diggers are jack hammering away. I have an appointment today and will be glad to leave the noise. 
I love gazpacho but it is only good when the tomatoes are at their best. Tortilla soup would be lovely and I look forward to the recipes. I salute miners and like @ger_77 I am too claustrophobic to even imagine doing that. I agree with the quote and wish I could visit the port.

 

@Cat in my lap a very happy birthday!

 

@aliaschief, Bruce, I am glad your back is improving. I snorted  my coffee when I read the last meme as it was particularly funny. 
Have a great day everyone 

[cunnorl]

 Good Morning from a cool but sunny day at the beach

       Not one for Gazpacho. One of my sisters is constantly knitting for projects. At this time of year, it is always a mitten tree. The quote is a good one.

      We were in Bay of Islands last year and there was an excursion to Russell but we did a different one. Should have gone to Russell, heard it was nice.

   @Cat in my lap A very Happy Birthday . May you enjoy many more.

    Thank you all for the many well wishes for my new niece, Maeve Grace.

    Have to wrap and get a few packages shipped today.  Have a cardiology appointment then will stop at the post office.

 

Stay well and enjoy today

      Charlene

    

 

[Mr. Boston]

Good morning everyone.  Woke up to snow flurries, finally.  I was getting jealous of everyone’s snow reports.  I love snow, there I’ve said it!  Thanks for the daily report, recipes and lists.  Three nice days to celebrate, I like them all. Really appreciate the work that miners do as I’m claustrophobic.  The soup sounds nice but I’ll pass on the drink.  I like today’s quote, a good reminder to enjoy today.  Haven’t been to today’s port.  Prayers for all on the prayer list.  Cheers to everyone celebrating happy events and a special cheer to baby Maeve!

[ottahand7]

Prayers for @JazzyV Vanessa I pray there is some relief on your horizon.  Prayers for  @Cruzin Terri that your energy level gets back to normal.  Prayers for everyone on our care list, and those is war zones for no fault of their own, Ukraine, Israel and the innocents in Gaza.  

I completed my Christmas cards yesterday!

We were preparing for leaving for a 2 day casino trip to New Buffalo by the Indiana border which is popular with Chicago visitors in the summer when John showed me a rash on his stomach.  He has shingles I am 99% sure.   I have always told him if you get a rash or tingle to let me know ASAP.   Thank goodness it was on the front so he noticed it.  My company that I worked as a sales manager for many years developed both drugs needed for the treatments for shingles acyclovir and valacyclovir so I know shingles treatment inside and out.   I told him let me know ASAP as I have a stash of valacyclovir for cold sores.  He has already taken one dose and has a call into his doctor to get an Rx.  We will go forward with hour trip and celebrate an early birthday dinner at their steak house.   We lucked out on the weather, this time of year that area is prone to large snow squalls as it is right at Lake Michigan.    Have a lovely day everyone!   Nancy 

Edited December 6, 2023 by ottahand7

[cruising sister]

21 minutes ago, richwmn said:

Two weeks from now I will be sitting at HJAIA (The Atlanta Airport) waiting to board a plane to San Diego to board Volendam. Everything is pretty well set for this thread to continue again while I am gone. I'll be in San Diego for 2 days, boarding on Friday, most likely around noon.

 

We need to get a Daily meet up. 

[marshhawk]

@Cat in my lap

 

[travelingbums]

Thank you everyone for sharing.

Happy Hump Day.

[dfish]

Good morning, everyone!

 

We have that Christmas movie kind of snow falling right now.  It isn't supposed to accumulate to much, so that is a good thing.  Absolutely nothing on the agenda today except a Christmas party tonight.  I made cookies to take to that yesterday.   

 

We bought a motorized auger to snake out the drain the in the laundry room.   It backs up every three to four months and I figured we would save money by getting the auger and doing it ourselves.  It worked pretty well yesterday.  I can get a lot further down the drain with this than I could with the hand operated one, so we'll see how long this clean out lasts.  We've had the drain specialists out several times since we moved in.  I figure I can do at least half as good as they do.  We'll just do a snake job once a month to keep things clear.  It is a nasty job.

 

We're trying to figure out how to work things for my surgery.  We will have River then.  Unfortunately, her mother violated her probation and is looking at a lengthy time in jail.  River is with her other grandma for now.  I am actually kind of glad as River will be in a more stable environment while her mother is up the river.  I wouldn't mind if she's there for a good, long time.  I think it would be better for River.  

 

I love gazpacho, but it is a summer time soup.  It is way too cold to have it now, but I can eat off it daily in the summer.  Today's soup sounds good for the weather and I may just have to make up a batch.  https://natashaskitchen.com/chicken-tortilla-soup-recipe/

 

 

Here's one for the slow cooker.  https://www.dinneratthezoo.com/slow-cooker-chicken-tortilla-soup/

 

 

And here's a creamy version.  https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/creamy-chicken-tortilla-soup/

 

 

@Cat in my lap

 

 

Wishing you all a wonderful day.

[aliaschief]

@Cat in my lap Happy Birthday!🎂🍾

[Haljo1935]

Happy Birthday @Cat in my lap

Edited December 6, 2023 by Haljo1935
Typo

[kochleffel]

We have a little snow on the ground this morning, which indicates that gazpacho isn't in season. In the spring I will plant a mitten in the garden and see if it grows.

 

The soup would be OK but I would skip the cocktail. I'm already in a haze most of the time. I wouldn't buy a wine named for a pig. Substitute: Hazlitt 1852 Schooner Red. I haven't been to New Zealand.

 

 

 

 

[marshhawk]

oh dear, once again, I lost my post.

 

Happy Wednesday Morning Dailites!  Its 43 and sunny, so says the computer, and it is sunny and the temperature when I went out to feed the stray cats actually seemed warm.

 

@ger_77Chuck is probably not feeling much better than yesterday.  He seems quite low on oxygen and has been using my tank, both last night and evening.  I think he may have been under a bit too long.  They did find more blockage during the  test yesterday, and he is scheduled for an angioplasty again in January.  But they never ask before they schedule, and we get home and see the calendar and have to reschedule, as they scheduled for a day he has an infusion.

 

Which also happens today.  So, it's walk the dog, and then drive to midtown, downtown.

 

While looking for a picture of a mitten tree, I saw that it is also Put on your own shoes day.  

Was I wearing someone else's?  I celebrate the "I can bend over and tie my shoes day".

 

I hope everyone has a great day today.

 

I too like snow, but in the Atlanta area it is not normally loved.  No one knows how to drive in it, and those who do, get confused when they see southerners drive in it.  We get no plowing in the suburbs, so if you make it home during a snowfall, you are stuck at home for at least an hour  or up to 3 days.

 

In the 30 plus years I have lived here, I have seen snow once before Christmas (not including when it snowed on Halloween at Road Atlanta at a week long event).  Most of our snow comes in January-april and it is a wonderful thing! 

[StLouisCruisers]

Debbie @dfish I'm sorry to hear about the instability in River's life due to her Mom's lifestyle and legal issues to put it kindly.  My DD tells me she keeps an eye out for listings of when parents of her students go to or get out of jail, and there are always a few each year.  She wants to know if they are having problems in school caused by the chaos at home, or the fear of the person coming home and violating protection orders.  I never thought about things like this because it didn't happen in my household, but so many kids suffer from the mistakes of their parents.  I can't blame you for wishing River's Mom would stay locked up for a while to give the poor child a break.  Kudos to you and Sue for all you do for her.

[rafinmd]

Thank you Rich, Vanessa, Debbie, Ann, and Dixie.  I'll celebrate the days both the 3  "days"  and the ones from history.  I also like the quote, so true,  I think I would like my chicken soup without the tortilla.  My alternative is Spaghetti, Sauteed Veal Piccata, and Tiramisu as served in MS Prinsendam's Canaletto December 6, 2013.

I visited Bay of Islands on Crystal Symphony in 2018 and Crystal Serenity in 2020.  My favorite photo from there:

 

Roy

 

[StLouisCruisers]

13 minutes ago, rafinmd said:

 

I visited Bay of Islands on Crystal Symphony in 2018 and Crystal Serenity in 2020.  My favorite photo from there:

 

Roy

 

 

I agree that's a great sign and so true!!

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

@Cat in my lap  

 

 

Lenda

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

Good morning from Quartzsite where we have a beautiful, sunny day.  It is 57F and no wind.  The humidity is high for the desert, but low for most places at 43% with a dew point of 35F.  The predicted high is 80F which will be a good time to wash the car and the lower part of the motorhome.  Since this motorhome des not have air suspension, we cannot have it lower closer to the ground when it is parked, so it will not be easy to wash the upper areas.  Fortunately, they did not get dirty on the drive out here.

 

I am not a fan of gazpacho either, so next summer someone can have my share.  We don't have mitten trees here, but do have Angel Trees.  They have cards you can choose with a child's name, clothing size and Christmas wish list.  This lets others get Christmas presents for a child that otherwise might not get any.  My hats are off the miners, especially ones who work underground.  We toured a non-working coal mine outside of Sydney, NS, and in places, the ceiling was about four feet above the floor. 

 

I like the Swami Sivananda quote, and unfortunately it is eventually true for all of us.  I hope we all have many tomorrows ahead of us.

 

The meal sounds good, as does the wine.  However, it's a firm no to the drink.

 

We have been to the Bay of Islands, but not to Russell.  I'll retrieve my pictures in a few minutes.

 

Thomas Edison had many inventions to his credit, but the phonograph was one to bring pleasure to people.  The 1921 Anglo-Irish treaty signing was a good start to peace in that area.

 

@kazu  Jacqui, I'm glad Ivan's visit to the vet yesterday went well.  We both wish the roads were car and motorhome worthy.

@aliaschief  Bruce, I'm glad your back is better and that you are being gentle with it.

@cat shepard  Ann, I hope your tree crew is as good as our tree trimmer was last week.

@Cruzin Terri  Terri, I hope you can get some relief from the fatigue.

@smitty34877  Terry, I hope the roofers and the pipe line diggers are finished quickly.

@ottahand7  Nancy, I'm sorry John has shingles, and I hope the medicine keeps the pain down.  Safe travels.

@dfish  Debbie, having her mother in prison must be difficult for River, but I'm glad River is out of that unhealthy home life environment.  I too hope her mother is away for a long time.  River is lucky to have two wonderful grandmothers, and you in her life.

@marshhawk  Annie, I'm sorry Chuck @catmando is having problems after his test yesterday.  I hope when you reschedule the angioplasty, you can get an earlier appointment.

@rafinmd  Roy, add me to the list of those that like the sign in your picture.

 

 

 

 

 

Lenda

 

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

This is what I posted on February 9, 2022.  We have been to the Bay of Islands once on the Volendam on the APEX cruise in 2002.  I posted a few pictures when Whangarei was the port last August.  Since we tendered into Paihia near Waitangi, I will post the pictures I didn't share then.  

 

It was cloudy in the morning when we arrived, but by the afternoon the clouds had burned off and it was a glorious day.  Once off the tender, we walked around town checking the sites and things to do.  We booked a boat tour for the afternoon and took a private drive in the country with one of the locals before the boat trip.  

 

These are pictures of town in the morning and in the afternoon.

 

 

 

 

A few pictures from our drive in the country including a stop at Haruru Falls.  We were lucky that it was in November and there was water flowing over the falls.

 

 

 

 

Our boat tour took us around the Bay and out to the Hole in the Rock, where we actually motored through the hole.

 

 

 

 

 

Volendam from the tour boat

 

I'll close with the beautiful sunset as we sailed toward Auckland.

 

Lenda