Today is the 21st of Feb. And it is Real cold up here in the mountains; not much snow anymore since I guess it's blown off a bit.
Barn cat is fat and sassy, Autie took the drive in good shape, cows look good, and it doesn't seem we had any damage done due to the extreme cold spell they had when we were gone. Just lots of clean up to do and re-stock the hay supply, etc.
Plan is to drive home Thursday, maybe via Phx to squeeze the grand-kids! It's been too long.
Love to all, DAD/UR
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
Snapfish
After several trial and errors, think I got most if not all of pics uploaded to snapfish. Check it out when send the link. If they don't have your current email address, i.e. Mark, just try to get to www.snapfish.com and look for my name or something. I named it Panama Canal cruise.pe
Hope all is well around the country! Love DAD/UR
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Panama Canal, day 14.
Just a quickie today: this is our 2nd consecutive day at sea, going to interesting lectures, reading, and, on occasion, eating. (burp). Actually, starting to do fine on that department getting a little more self discipline..
Had some rougher waves yesterday which made the sail interesting, but today it has been nice and smooth. We rounded the tip of Haiti which was clearly visible in the not-so-far distance and saw some fishermen in their boats. No whales/dolphins for some time now.
Right now it is raining; first rain we've had and it is a nice variation! We will probably start to pack this eve, but for sure tomorrow. Home soon; Hope all is well, Love to All, Dad/UR
Had some rougher waves yesterday which made the sail interesting, but today it has been nice and smooth. We rounded the tip of Haiti which was clearly visible in the not-so-far distance and saw some fishermen in their boats. No whales/dolphins for some time now.
Right now it is raining; first rain we've had and it is a nice variation! We will probably start to pack this eve, but for sure tomorrow. Home soon; Hope all is well, Love to All, Dad/UR
Friday, February 11, 2011
Panama Canal, Day 13
Tonight is 11 February: a couple of milestones!
Addison is 4! wow. Here's hoping Ash and Paul can give her a hug and a kiss from Grandpa and Grandma Dickson! We have been thinking about her.
We just left seeing Mark! We got to the pier in Cartegena, Columbia, a couple of hours earlier than planned and had the opportunity to see a couple of the local sights around the docks...taxi drivers that would NOT leave you alone, hawkers of various junk stuffs that would follow you everywhere, and then we met up with Mark! Was great to see him, spent several really fun hours together, and saw old town Cartegena up one side and down the other. Visited a couple of museums inside the old walled city, hired a guide for the Inquisition Museum which dated from 1622, all the good stuff. Finally got back to the ship by a little after 11 before the gang-way went up. Now we're under power already, leaving the harbor. Thank You Mark for a really good time in Cartegena!! The weather, incidentally, was wonderful, but was too hot and steamy for this desert rat. Reminded me of Charleston SC in June-August!
Now we have 3 days at sea, heading North by North-East, for Miami. Get there early morning on Tuesday I think, then to airport, then to Houston, then to Tucson. whew.
Love to all, thinking about each and every one of you guys, DAD/UR
Addison is 4! wow. Here's hoping Ash and Paul can give her a hug and a kiss from Grandpa and Grandma Dickson! We have been thinking about her.
We just left seeing Mark! We got to the pier in Cartegena, Columbia, a couple of hours earlier than planned and had the opportunity to see a couple of the local sights around the docks...taxi drivers that would NOT leave you alone, hawkers of various junk stuffs that would follow you everywhere, and then we met up with Mark! Was great to see him, spent several really fun hours together, and saw old town Cartegena up one side and down the other. Visited a couple of museums inside the old walled city, hired a guide for the Inquisition Museum which dated from 1622, all the good stuff. Finally got back to the ship by a little after 11 before the gang-way went up. Now we're under power already, leaving the harbor. Thank You Mark for a really good time in Cartegena!! The weather, incidentally, was wonderful, but was too hot and steamy for this desert rat. Reminded me of Charleston SC in June-August!
Now we have 3 days at sea, heading North by North-East, for Miami. Get there early morning on Tuesday I think, then to airport, then to Houston, then to Tucson. whew.
Love to all, thinking about each and every one of you guys, DAD/UR
Thursday, February 10, 2011
The Canal
Today is Thursday, the 10th of February: right Now we are traversing the locks of the Panama Canal! This is a very cool experience. They've given lots of history of the building of the canal, and it's an amazing place. WE've watched the process starting on the forward deck sipping our morning coffee and just watching the tug boats assist, the locks open and close, and the "locomotives" that act as mules to help stabilize the ship as it sits in the locks. It seems they have an active Web camera that continuously broadcasts the activity, so I'm pretty sure we were famous for about 15 seconds..What an experience!
Next we go into the huge man-made lake, Gatun Lake, then it's on to the the Gatun Locks, then a shorter canal voyage to the Caribbean. The whole process takes about 9 hours. We have about 15 miles to go before we get to the Lake itself.
Love to all, I'll be in touch..after this we travel to Columbia, then after an afternoon and night there (leave at midnight), the it's a 3 day sail to Miami. It's going fast!
Love, DAD/UR
Next we go into the huge man-made lake, Gatun Lake, then it's on to the the Gatun Locks, then a shorter canal voyage to the Caribbean. The whole process takes about 9 hours. We have about 15 miles to go before we get to the Lake itself.
Love to all, I'll be in touch..after this we travel to Columbia, then after an afternoon and night there (leave at midnight), the it's a 3 day sail to Miami. It's going fast!
Love, DAD/UR
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Panama Canal Cruise, Day 10 ?
Day 10, I'm pretty sure.
We are just leaving Punctarenas: lots of adventures the last few days.Looks like I've been absent a bit.
On day 7 we were at sea all day, trying our best not to starve; more like trying our best not to miss anything even remotely edible. Susan was still sick, I was at 75%, getting better. Was a good day reading on deck, lounging by the salt water hot tub up front, and went to a couple of real interesting lectures. One guy is traveling with us and talks about the forensic use of DNA going back to the mid-90’s. He’s a professor somewhere specializing in cold cases and he has some great stories.
On day 8 we docked in Nicaragua. Now THAT’s an interesting but poor country. We got off the boat, each was assigned a machete and/or AK-47, and plunged into the jungle. Well, not exactly but close. We had a great tour leaving the coast and went deep into the country. We arrived at Lake Nicaragua, fairly large, and it has about 300 small islets around the shore, very tropical with a big central island of active volcanoes. We took a little boat tour in and around the islets, seeing some primitive homes and some really nice ones. We saw beautiful flowers, birds, and monkeys, and how some of the islet people fished and lived.
Everyone seems to have a close eye on the next election, at least our guide does, and hopes the “Ortegan’s” do not regain power. We didn’t run into any Contra’s or Sandinistas this time, but they are out there I guess. After the boat tour we traveled into a little town called Granada. This is the oldest town established on the western hemisphere, North or South America, and was started exactly Dec 8, 1522. That’s where we had lunch, and then started the long and bumpy bus ride back to the ship. We did have a good guide, lots of great discussions, and scenery is beautiful. After we got back we cleaned up, and came back into the American 21st century. We had signed up for a wine-pairing special dinner that night, and it was even more spectacular that what we’ve had thus far. The Cruise Director joined us, we had about 6 courses, each accompanied by a special wine. What a treat.
Today we got up early, found ourselves in Puntarenas, Costa Rica, and had another fun day. We had to travel 3 hours in a bus on little, narrow, twisting mountain roads, through jungles, deep into the country in the mountains, crossing a couple of mountain ranges. The area is punctuated by several volcanoes, still active. There is a resort "way up there" that has diverted a naturally hot little stream into a series of waterfalls and pools and it is an amazing place. We had our swim suits and in we all went! Beautiful flowers, hot flowing mountain/volcano water, etc. Had a nice lunch up there, just got back, and we are ready to go “out”. What a wonderful couple of days, and can’t wait to show the pictures and hope we get the opportunity in near future. Tomorrow we will wake up entering the Panama Canal, take the day to travel that into the Caribean, then head for Cartegena and Mark! What fun!!! Now it’s off to eat Escargot, Cornish hen/pheasant breast/duck combo. It just seems to go on and on. Tomorrow I diet….Love to all, UR/DAD
We are just leaving Punctarenas: lots of adventures the last few days.Looks like I've been absent a bit.
On day 7 we were at sea all day, trying our best not to starve; more like trying our best not to miss anything even remotely edible. Susan was still sick, I was at 75%, getting better. Was a good day reading on deck, lounging by the salt water hot tub up front, and went to a couple of real interesting lectures. One guy is traveling with us and talks about the forensic use of DNA going back to the mid-90’s. He’s a professor somewhere specializing in cold cases and he has some great stories.
On day 8 we docked in Nicaragua. Now THAT’s an interesting but poor country. We got off the boat, each was assigned a machete and/or AK-47, and plunged into the jungle. Well, not exactly but close. We had a great tour leaving the coast and went deep into the country. We arrived at Lake Nicaragua, fairly large, and it has about 300 small islets around the shore, very tropical with a big central island of active volcanoes. We took a little boat tour in and around the islets, seeing some primitive homes and some really nice ones. We saw beautiful flowers, birds, and monkeys, and how some of the islet people fished and lived.
Everyone seems to have a close eye on the next election, at least our guide does, and hopes the “Ortegan’s” do not regain power. We didn’t run into any Contra’s or Sandinistas this time, but they are out there I guess. After the boat tour we traveled into a little town called Granada. This is the oldest town established on the western hemisphere, North or South America, and was started exactly Dec 8, 1522. That’s where we had lunch, and then started the long and bumpy bus ride back to the ship. We did have a good guide, lots of great discussions, and scenery is beautiful. After we got back we cleaned up, and came back into the American 21st century. We had signed up for a wine-pairing special dinner that night, and it was even more spectacular that what we’ve had thus far. The Cruise Director joined us, we had about 6 courses, each accompanied by a special wine. What a treat.
Today we got up early, found ourselves in Puntarenas, Costa Rica, and had another fun day. We had to travel 3 hours in a bus on little, narrow, twisting mountain roads, through jungles, deep into the country in the mountains, crossing a couple of mountain ranges. The area is punctuated by several volcanoes, still active. There is a resort "way up there" that has diverted a naturally hot little stream into a series of waterfalls and pools and it is an amazing place. We had our swim suits and in we all went! Beautiful flowers, hot flowing mountain/volcano water, etc. Had a nice lunch up there, just got back, and we are ready to go “out”. What a wonderful couple of days, and can’t wait to show the pictures and hope we get the opportunity in near future. Tomorrow we will wake up entering the Panama Canal, take the day to travel that into the Caribean, then head for Cartegena and Mark! What fun!!! Now it’s off to eat Escargot, Cornish hen/pheasant breast/duck combo. It just seems to go on and on. Tomorrow I diet….Love to all, UR/DAD
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Saturday, day 6
Well, I'm pretty sure this is day 6; starting to run together!
Today we are in a beautiful little cove in Huatuclco, still Mexico. It's a far cry from busy Alcupulco (never spelled the same way twice..)We get off the ship and can walk to a little town and nice beach.
The food on this ship is crazy good, with wide variations. I'm porking out. The last couple of days I've been feeling well enough to hit the gym/work out room and so it's been better. Speaking of feeling well enough, getting a good lesson in epidemiology INGER. I started getting the scratchy throat on Sunday in San Diego, INGER, then went into full blown upper respir infection. Took about 36 hours to get better, then Judy Montalto went down, same stuff, now it's Susan. Word has it one of our favorite waiters is down and hiding in his cabin. There are some other people coughing and hacking and sneezing and I'd love to trace this virus!! Wonder how UK is doing.
Yesterday afternoon when everyone got back on the ship from wherever they went, the staff put on a neat Mexican "ballet" in the afternoon, followed by a Mexican buffet by the pool, followed by music, etc. Was real nice, and the performers did a great job. Montalto's and Susan and I walked off the boat and across the street to check out a small star shaped early fort and museum, kind of a Saint Augustine in Fla smaller version, but really interesting. Didn't know there was so much trade between Spanish Mexico and China via the Phillipines even 400 years ago!
We are enjoying each other's company, getting some weight lifting done not only in the gym but also at every ice cream station and dining table. The weather is starting to get warmer and the humidity is definitely rising! The sea in the port is crystal clear. I'm taking pics but don't really know how to post them on this thing so we'll have to wait to share.
Hope all is well in AZ and around the country! Rumor has it from here that the temp dropped to 17 below zero in Nutrioso! True??
We see where U of A beat Stanford, that kind of news always good. Today it's Cal I guess.
Well, got to go: Love to All, and I know we have a birthday girl coming up...few days. Mom and Dad will have to give her a hug for us, this time.
Thinking of you all, Love, DAD, UR.
Today we are in a beautiful little cove in Huatuclco, still Mexico. It's a far cry from busy Alcupulco (never spelled the same way twice..)We get off the ship and can walk to a little town and nice beach.
The food on this ship is crazy good, with wide variations. I'm porking out. The last couple of days I've been feeling well enough to hit the gym/work out room and so it's been better. Speaking of feeling well enough, getting a good lesson in epidemiology INGER. I started getting the scratchy throat on Sunday in San Diego, INGER, then went into full blown upper respir infection. Took about 36 hours to get better, then Judy Montalto went down, same stuff, now it's Susan. Word has it one of our favorite waiters is down and hiding in his cabin. There are some other people coughing and hacking and sneezing and I'd love to trace this virus!! Wonder how UK is doing.
Yesterday afternoon when everyone got back on the ship from wherever they went, the staff put on a neat Mexican "ballet" in the afternoon, followed by a Mexican buffet by the pool, followed by music, etc. Was real nice, and the performers did a great job. Montalto's and Susan and I walked off the boat and across the street to check out a small star shaped early fort and museum, kind of a Saint Augustine in Fla smaller version, but really interesting. Didn't know there was so much trade between Spanish Mexico and China via the Phillipines even 400 years ago!
We are enjoying each other's company, getting some weight lifting done not only in the gym but also at every ice cream station and dining table. The weather is starting to get warmer and the humidity is definitely rising! The sea in the port is crystal clear. I'm taking pics but don't really know how to post them on this thing so we'll have to wait to share.
Hope all is well in AZ and around the country! Rumor has it from here that the temp dropped to 17 below zero in Nutrioso! True??
We see where U of A beat Stanford, that kind of news always good. Today it's Cal I guess.
Well, got to go: Love to All, and I know we have a birthday girl coming up...few days. Mom and Dad will have to give her a hug for us, this time.
Thinking of you all, Love, DAD, UR.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Day 4, Mazatlan
Good; yesterday we Did see whale or two spouting, way off in the distance. Was still a cool thing to see. The porpoises were much closer!
For dinner last night we had the usual sumptuous fare, that of a small filet with lobster tail, etc etc. This is a Really Nice ship...!
Sailed into Mazatlan this morning. The dock area is rather dreary actually, and the 6 of us took a taxi to the old town, had a nice lunch, a short walk around some real pretty neighborhoods and an old square dating back to 1841, and then taxi'd it back to the ship. We had lunch where the Richard Burton's and the E. Taylor's and the J Wayne's used to back in the days..time marches on. The little bay is pretty, reminds me of the bay in Rocky Point. We didn't get to go up to the "new" area where the big hotels are.
Came back to the room and found a notice where they had changed the itinerary so that now we get to Cartegena on Fri afternoon, leaving about Mid-night. Wer'e hoping that won't preclude a nice visit with Mark! Wish they'd just skip Aculpuerco (sp??);
Having a nice trip, relaxing, good food and company. Thinking of you all,hope all is well. Love, Dad/UR
For dinner last night we had the usual sumptuous fare, that of a small filet with lobster tail, etc etc. This is a Really Nice ship...!
Sailed into Mazatlan this morning. The dock area is rather dreary actually, and the 6 of us took a taxi to the old town, had a nice lunch, a short walk around some real pretty neighborhoods and an old square dating back to 1841, and then taxi'd it back to the ship. We had lunch where the Richard Burton's and the E. Taylor's and the J Wayne's used to back in the days..time marches on. The little bay is pretty, reminds me of the bay in Rocky Point. We didn't get to go up to the "new" area where the big hotels are.
Came back to the room and found a notice where they had changed the itinerary so that now we get to Cartegena on Fri afternoon, leaving about Mid-night. Wer'e hoping that won't preclude a nice visit with Mark! Wish they'd just skip Aculpuerco (sp??);
Having a nice trip, relaxing, good food and company. Thinking of you all,hope all is well. Love, Dad/UR
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Travel, Panama Cruise..
Hello Everyone,
We are now in Day 3, still at sea, rounding Cabo San Lucas that is clearly visible in the distance to the left. The seas are wonderfully quiet and the skies are clear, though it's a little cool outside. Have by now explored the ship and it is very nice and I think we like the smallness. The food is great.
We don't land until tomorrow sometime, in Matzatlan; we've seen a couple hundred of dolphins but no whales yet. We have our hopes up though since they saw lots of them on their recent trip back up the coast to San Diego.
OOPS; now just got a notice we DO have whales off the starboard side! Got to go.....Love to all, Dad/UR
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