Thursday December 14th, 2023 -- The Fleet Report and Daily

[aliaschief]

1 minute ago, Crazy For Cats said:

Good Morning, thanks for today’s daily fleet report.  It was an early start to the day.  DH thought I was crazy for insisting that we get up at 3 for our 7 am flight.  Turns out I was right, the security line was the longest we have seen at Logan.  It took over an hour to get past security.  There was no time for a drop of coffee before the flight since we got to the gate 10 minutes before boarding started.  The plane departed 25 minutes late but we are now in the air and coffee is in hand.

I’m looking forward to @dfish recipes, I’d like to find new ways to add cabbage to the menu.

I hope everyone has a good day today.

2019 Veendam.

Safe travels.

[Haljo1935]

@marshhawk yes, you can freeze ham. You can also use it to make ham & beans (yummy w/cornbread) and soup. Since you are so accommodating to dinner guests requests, I love enchiladas  - what time is dinner, lol.

[cat shepard]

16 minutes ago, Crazy For Cats said:

Good Morning, thanks for today’s daily fleet report.  It was an early start to the day.  DH thought I was crazy for insisting that we get up at 3 for our 7 am flight.  Turns out I was right, the security line was the longest we have seen at Logan.  It took over an hour to get past security.  There was no time for a drop of coffee before the flight since we got to the gate 10 minutes before boarding started.  The plane departed 25 minutes late but we are now in the air and coffee is in hand.

I’m looking forward to @dfish recipes, I’d like to find new ways to add cabbage to the menu.

I hope everyone has a good day today.

2019 Veendam.

Safe travels, Jake!

[Lady Hudson]

Quick note to say thank you to all who keep this thread going and updated.  Prayers for all in need.  Glad to see Roy’s good report.  Busy day today.  Best wishes to all.  Katherine 

[kazu]

Happy anniversary Sharon & Craig @Sharon in AZ and many more 🙂 

 

 

 

32 minutes ago, aliaschief said:

Tomorrow we drive over to St. John’s Florida to celebrate daughter’s and granddaughter’s birthdays and will return Monday.

 

Safe travels tomorrow, Bruce.

 

 

24 minutes ago, Crazy For Cats said:

Good Morning, thanks for today’s daily fleet report.  It was an early start to the day.  DH thought I was crazy for insisting that we get up at 3 for our 7 am flight.  Turns out I was right, the security line was the longest we have seen at Logan.  It took over an hour to get past security.  There was no time for a drop of coffee before the flight since we got to the gate 10 minutes before boarding started.  

 

Safe and smooth travels to you two, Jake .  The adventure has begun 🙂 

 

 

[smitty34877]

Good morning. It is a cold sunny morning and will go up to 40 after our start of 29. I have progressed to all forms of winter apparel for dog walking including scarf and hat.

My BFF always had roasted chestnuts as part of the “ fruits and nuts” portion of their Christmas dinner. We often had the two families together for Christmas dinner and we all loved that part. We had both put together Christmas Eve feasts the night before and kept this meal simple. ha ha.

Good memories.

I have been watching a series on Amazon Prime/Masterpiece called “Murder in Sweden” and it takes place in Visby. I have not actually been to Visby but it certainly looks nice.

Happy Anniversary to @Sharon in AZ, Sharon and Craig 
Safe travels to Jake and DH @Crazy For Cats. I have enjoyed your San Juan pictures too!

Thanks to all who visit here. It is a bright spot in the day.

[Mr. Boston]

Good morning everyone from a sunny, chilly (29F) Boston.  Thanks for the daily report, recipes and lists.  I’ve been MIA the past two days as we went on our annual Christmas shopping trip to Freeport, ME via the train. Today is my Aunt Roberta’s funeral service in Detroit, MI.  Her family only wanted a small service at the funeral home due to her age and the fact that our family is so scattered, so my sister will be representing our family.  Thank-you everyone for your kind thoughts and prayers. There’s always room for more good.  I try and conserve energy every day.  We tried roasting chestnuts once and didn’t feel it was worth the effort.  I like today’s quote very much.  The soup sounds like a winner that I may try this evening.  The drink also sounds nice.  I haven’t been to today’s port.  Prayers for everyone on our prayer list today.  Cheers to those of you who are celebrating happy events today.  Happy anniversary to @Sharon in AZ!

[kazu]

1 hour ago, Haljo1935 said:

Dr pleased w/progress on the frozen shoulder & showed me an exercise to help w/backward movement. Says it's the last to regain and even though I continuously mention it to PT, she has not been working on it; I will now, though. He gave me a shot & ordered an MRI for the other shoulder, still saying it is secondary to the frozen one. I am glad we have a plan.

 

It sounds like you are making good progress 👍 Great news!  So glad your hard work at physio and exercises is starting to pay off 🙂 

 

 

[grapau27]

Bruce @aliaschief.

Happy birthday to your daughter and granddaughter tomorrow.

[durangoscots]

Good morning. If I had gotten on the computer when I first got up, I could have made page 1. But I was standing out in the ice and snow begging the dogs to please complete their business. It is dark out still but my luggage is ready to go and I have set it on the porch as my porch does not face the street and if anyone comes they have to drive up the driveway between the two buildings. My back is protesting. Anyway, hope it gets off today. There was not much snow last nights.... only about 2 inches but it is heavy. After this it is supposed to warm for awhile. 

 

Off for a second cup of coffee and then I will take the "snow brum" and clear the car and maybe clear a spot for the dogs just to make my life easier. I can just push the snow around, don't have to lift.

 

Susan

 

 

 

 

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

@Sharon in AZ  Sharon, I hope you and Craig have a wonderful anniversary.

 

 

Lenda

[cruising sister]

Good morning,

I had a nice dinner with friends last night. It was a Bon Voyage/ Holiday meal. My friend was a home education teacher and is a fabulous cook. A year ago I could not have done this. My friends were patient with me and I appreciate their love and kindness. Time does help with the pain. 
 

@Crazy For CatsI feel your pain I will be doing the same for an early flight on the 31st. Happy anniversary @Sharon in AZ .

My LF bags are in the hallway. They are scheduled from 1 to 5 today. I will drag them to the porch later. 

 

prayers to all on our care list, safe travels and have a great day. 

[dfish]

God morning, everyone!

 

We have a cold start to the day here in mid-Michigan, but we'll have sunny skies and warmer temperatures this afternoon with a high of 48F.  I have coffee with former classmates this morning followed by a hair appointment and Sister Zoom tonight.  So, a full day.

 

@Sharon in AZ

 

 

@StLouisCruisers I didn't get back on yesterday, so please accept my tardy condolences on the death of your cousin.  

@Cruzin Terri Wow!   Sorry to hear the biopsies are both positive, but hopefully it will be taken care of quickly.  Fingers crossed for nothing serious to come from Jim's MRI.

Hugs to all the Dailyites with relatives who are ill.   Also hugs to @marshhawk Annie and @catmando Chuck.  Hoping Chuck is feeling better soon.  Very happy to hear good news from the doctors for @rafinmd Roy, @Lady Hudson Katherine, and anyone I may have missed.  

Very happy that @RMLincoln Maureen and DH made it safely to Texas.   Apologies to anyone I left out, but good wishes to all Dailyites.  We all have our struggles and sometimes we share and sometimes we don't.  But, warm wishes to you even if you don't share.  

 

Today's meal is a good one for a winter's night.   @Crazy For Cats Jake, cabbage is easy to add to a lot of dishes.  I add it to many soups and use it to replace noodles in chicken soup.  I even slice it in thick "steaks" and grill it.  It is super good that way!  But, tonight's meal has it all taken care of.  This first one is easy to make and would make a great dinner with a piece of crusty bread.  https://www.aheadofthyme.com/beef-cabbage-barley-soup/

 

 

The previous recipe used ground beef, but this one uses a chuck roast.  Different strokes.  You could make this soup with chicken as well.   Or tuck away the cabbage and barley part for leftover turkey or ham.  https://suebeehomemaker.com/beef-barley-vegetable-soup/

 

 

This one doesn't include the barley, but you can easily add in a half cup of it.  https://www.food.com/recipe/cabbage-and-beef-soup-21886

 

 

Wishing you all a wonderful day!

 

[Haljo1935]

Hey @cruising sister (and/or anyone who uses LF) - question on LF service: is luggage delivered to the ship and ultimately your stateroom? Or do you have to claim it somewhere and turn over to a porter?

I use Luggage Direct for return in SEA & FLL, but have not used LF on the front end and am considering it for a couple of my upcoming cruises. On their website, it shows recommended date to be the day before your cruise leaves, which caused me to 2nd guess my idea of how the service works. I thought once they picked them up, I would next see my bags in my cabin, but maybe not?🤔

Edited December 14, 2023 by Haljo1935
Typo

[kochleffel]

This morning I am going to conserve energy by going back to bed. For most of my life I've been a night owl,  waking up very slowly and then blundering around half-asleep for a while. Recently I've been waking a a reasonable time without an alarm and feeling alert, but that's misleading. Yesterday I felt wide awake at 7:00 a.m. but did not remember to take my blood-pressure medicine until much, much later.

 

The soup would be OK with me, but I won't be having any today. No on the cocktail; too complicated. I don't think our Finger Lakes wines are liberated; most of them are held prisoner in wine shops, but I'll suggest Barnstormer Winery 2021.

 

I was at Visby in 2019 on the Serenade of the Seas. It happened to be during Almedalen Week, which is a huge political festivity. There was a free walking tour given each day by an expat Scot, Aiden MacFarlane, who started giving tours because he wanted to stay on Gotland but didn't speak Swedish well enough to hold a regular job. He didn't ordinarily give tours during Almedalen Week, because political types had all the hotel rooms and there were few other visitors, but he would by arrangement during cruise calls. He was an excellent guide, except for one thing: he's rather agoraphobic, which is odd for a tour guide.

 

Because of the politicians everywhere, there were also lots of news reporters and lots of demonstrators.

 

Almedalen Week, BTW, originated with Olof Palme when he was prime minister. Reporters tracked him down at his family's summer home on a smaller island off Gotland. He refused to talk with them there but said he would speak (I think) the next day in Visby. He continued to speak there each year, and it grew in a a week-long (or longer) event where each party currently represented in the Swedish parliament is assigned a day. In 2019 there were eight parties represented, so it was longer than a week.

 

Today is the last day of class for the semester.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ger_77]

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily!  I think we should try to do more good every day, just imagine how nice life would be if we all could.  I sometimes try to conserve energy by having an afternoon nap.  LOL  I've never had roast chestnuts, but often see them enjoyed in movies.

 

It's cool and dark this morning with a temp of -4(24F), with a high of +3(37F), and we still don't have snow.   Wherever you go, our weather is the topic of conversation as people are marveling over the fact that we will be having a brown Christmas.  That was so true yesterday as I had lunch with over 100 retired colleagues - many of them much older than me - who remembered when they had to dig out snowdrifts on their driveways to get to church on Christmas eve.

 

@Sharon in AZwishing you and Craig a very Happy Anniversary!

@Crazy For Catssafe travels to you!

@StLouisCruisersmy sympathies to you on the loss of your cousin.

@Haljo1935I'm glad you're getting somewhere with your shoulder pain.

@aliaschiefwishing you safe travels as you join your family for birthday celebrations.

@marshhawkyes, you certainly can freeze ham - pack it tightly into zip top bags or airtight containers and toss them in the freezer for use later.

 

Some running around for us today, as I have a couple of packages to mail - thankfully the destinations are relatively close, so they "should" get there by Christmas.  Then I'm picking up things to take with us for Christmas dinner that are in today's sale flyers.  Late this afternoon our friends (the fellow with post-polio syndrome) have invited us and another couple out for a Christmas dinner at a local restaurant.  She said she just doesn't feel like doing a lot of cooking lately, but wanted to be sure we were able to get together, so they're treating us to dinner instead.  These are life-long friends, in fact the two ladies have known my DH longer than I have.  I know there will be great conversations, much laughter, and good food around the table.   And wine.

 

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

 

Smooth Sailing! ☺️☺️☺️

Gerry

 

 

[ottahand7]

Good morning everyone!   @marshhawk there are store brand honey baked hams that are 1/2 the price of the brand name ham, spiral cut and sugar crust and all, pretty good.

Thanks for the Daily and Fleet Reports Rich.  More Good Today works as my LF bag is closed, the cruise is getting closer.  Conservation is important, I am sad when I bake and have to throw non reusable material in the trash.   While shopping at Meijer two days ago I saw they had bagged chestnuts by the radishes so people here must enjoy them.  Late DH put them in turkey stuffing one year.  A great quote by Einstein, a sad human being who treats people differently depending where they are in life.  Celebrating Amundsen making it to the South Pole in 1911.   Pass on the meal, another wacky cocktail and aged cheap cabernet.   

Happy Anniversary @Sharon in AZ!   

 

 

Thanks for the Cares and Celebrations reports Vanessa.  Praying you get some relief soon.  Prayers for everyone in our group needing them, those in war zones through no fault of their own, Ukraine, Israel and the innocents in Gaza.   

 

As I mentioned earlier our bags are out but John noticed the plastic around the grommets had ripped just being moved around on the bed so it took some duck tape reinforcing.   My cookies turned out great yesterday, especially since it was all new recipes except for the Magic Cookies Bars.  I have fruit bars to finish today and all can be dropped off tomorrow.   My garden club has their annual potluck tonight.  A trip is due tomorrow back to my doctor because my red blood cells are low, I hesitated about going for another blood draw but I researched from my last blood results the number has decreased since April.   My Vitamin B12 level was fine last time so it isn't pernicious anemia.  Thankfully I feel fine.   Time to start stuffing the pill boxes for the cruise once my baking is done.   Have a lovely Thursday!   Nancy 

[rafinmd]

8 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

Hey @cruising sister (and/or anyone who uses LF) - question on LF service: is luggage delivered to the ship and ultimately your stateroom? Or do you have to claim it somewhere and turn over to a porter?

I use Luggage Direct for return in SEA & FLL, but have not used LF on the front end and am considering it for a couple of my upcoming cruises. On their website, it shows recommended date to be the day before your cruise leaves, which caused me to 2nd guess my idea of how the service works. I thought once they picked them up, I would next see my bags in my cabin, but maybe not?🤔

You were absolutely right about that.  Basically, Luggage Forward delivers it to the porters, and from there it's just like you left it with the porters. 

 

By the way, once the bags are picked up you should be able to track them via Luggage Forward.

 

Roy

[travelingbums]

Thank you everyone for sharing.

Have a great day.

[0106]

 

More Good Today Day…I appreciate the Daily posters who show kindness and generosity every day.

 

I have been reading a lot about Antarctica in preparation for my trip.  I really enjoyed The Last Viking: The Life of Roald Amundsen by Stephen R Bown.  An amazing man who explored the Northwest Passage, the Northeast Passage, the South Pole and the North Pole.  
 

@marshhawk I think the best way to freeze ham is before you “bake” it.  Peel off enough slices for a meal.  Wrap in Saran Wrap.  After all slices are wrapped, place in Ziplock.  Use within three months.  Btw, I do not bake Honey Baked ham.  I put the slices needed for the meal on a serving dish and allow to come to room temperature.  Baking these hams causes them to dry out.  After all meat is off the bone,  make an easy stock by simmering the bone in water for 3 hours.  Makes the best bean soup.

[tupper10]

@Sharon in AZ  Have a wonderful anniversary today.

 

Awful weather in Florida today and for the weekend. I hope everyone who is coming to this area to cruise makes it in - Saturday is scheduled to be the worst day.  My son was supposed to be visiting today from the NY area but we told him to re schedule since there really is not much to do in the pouring rain and wind.

 

@StLouisCruiserssorry about the passing of your cousin. It is hard to lose family members even if we didn't see them often.

 

@RMLincoln Glad that you made it to Texas have a wonderful time at all the celebrations.

 

@Cruzin Terri Sorry to hear about your medical issues. One of my closest friends has the temporal arteritis and the treatment is the steroid you are on.   She is much better now and was weaned down from the steroid and is now totally off - she was put on a new medicine which has been controlling everything for her.  I hope that you don't have to go this route but I did want you to know that there is a treatment for it that works.  

 

I have PT on the agenda for today and not much else.   Work has been slow - given what I do which centers around the school calendar. I imagine most people are busy planning for the holidays.

 

Sending healing thoughts to all and a Bon Voyage to those with cruises. How exciting for those with long cruises coming up.  

 

[marshhawk]

@Sharon in AZ

[ottahand7]

Waiting for their 12-5 pm pickup.   

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

Good morning from a chilly Quartzsite.  The weather app says it's 40F, but the indoor/outdoor thermometer says it's 35F.  Either way, it is going to be sunny with a high of 65F this afternoon.  Right now there is a 2mph breeze, 50% humidity and a dew point of 23F.  Guess what's on the agenda today.  Yes, more cookie decorating.  Tomorrow, I'll make the Christmas candy.  Nothing like holiday meals, cookies, candy and pies as month before a cruise.  😁

 

We need More Good everyday.  We try to conserve energy whenever possible.  Roasted chestnuts remind me of winters in NYC with the street vendors roasting chestnuts.  

 

The Albert Einstein quote is very good.  I try to treat everyone the same, no matter who they are or what the do.  

 

We'll pass on the meal and the drink.  I would like to try the wine.

 

We have not been to Visby.  Our only two times to visit Sweden, we were in Stockholm.

 

Queen Mary Stuart becoming queen at such a young age probably meant there was a regent acting for her until she was old enough to reign.

 

Roald Amundsen was an amazing man and explorer.  We toured his boat the Fram when we were in Oslo once.  If you are in Oslo, a visit to the Fram museum is worthwhile.

 

@Cruzin Terri  Terri, I hope the increased dosage helps with the headache and fatigue soon and

that you hear from the dermatologist with a plan.  I also hope Jim's dentist appointment goes well.

@Haljo1935  I'm glad the doctor was pleased with the progress of your shoulder.

@kazu  Jacqui, that was nice of your friend to remove the tree for you.

@marshhawk  Annie, we get a spiral sliced ham at W-M and have found the bone in hams are better than the small ones without the bones.  We always have a lot of ham leftover, and I freeze it in meal size portions baggies.  Some of the pieces near the bone along with the bone make good bean soup.  I also have a recipe for ham and cabbage that is good on New Year's Day.

@aliaschief  Bruce, safe travels tomorrow, and enjoy your daughter's and granddaughter's birthdays.

@kochleffel  Paul, thanks for the pictures of Visby.

@rafinmd  Roy, thanks for the information about LF.

 

 

 

 

 

Lenda

 

[RMLincoln]

Slept reasonably ok, too tired not to. Blessings sent out first thing, then fell back asleep!   Breakfast with family here was simple and loving. Now time to read posts… 

Edited December 14, 2023 by RMLincoln