You may have a disruption in cell phone reception today!

A solar storm is set to hit Earth on November 30 which may interfere with radio and GPS signals, NASA has warned.

Solar storms are known for causing disruptions in communication. Recent observations reveal that a solar storm, specifically a coronal mass ejection (CME), is scheduled for November 30. CMEs involve the release of solar waves containing highly charged ions capable of damaging satellites and communication systems on Earth.

Meanwhile, NASA has warned that the impending solar storm—a CME may result in a 15-hour-long G2-class solar flare, indicative of a potentially intense solar storm.

Great Christmas 🎄

Located in the BC Legislature in Victoria!

A Sea Story

The passenger steamer SS Warrimoo was quietly knifing its way through the waters of the mid-Pacific on its way from Vancouver to Australia. The navigator had just finished working out a star fix and brought Captain John DS. Phillips, the result. The Warrimoo's position was LAT 0º 31' N and LONG 179 30' W. The date was 31 December 1899.

"Know what this means?"

First Mate Payton broke in, "We're only a few miles from the intersection of the Equator and the International Date Line". Captain Phillips was prankish enough to take full advantage of the opportunity for achieving the navigational freak of a lifetime.

He called his navigators to the bridge to check & double check the ship's position. He changed course slightly so as to bear directly on his mark. Then he adjusted the engine speed. The calm weather & clear night worked in his favor. At mid-night the SS Warrimoo lay on the Equator at exactly the point where it crossed the International Date Line!

The consequences of this bizarre position were many:

The forward part (bow) of the ship was in the Southern Hemisphere & in the middle of summer.

The rear (stern) was in the Northern Hemisphere & in the middle of winter.

The date in the aft part of the ship was 31 December 1899.

In the bow (forward) part it was 1 January 1900.

This ship was therefore not only in:

Two different days,

Two different months,

Two different years,

Two different seasons

But in two different centuries - all at the same time!

Football rings

Before we moved to Surrey, our next door neighbour for a few years was Bobby Singh.  He was a football player.  We knew Bobby and his wife Alexis long before they moved in as Alexis lived on the next street with her mom when she was growing up.  Bobby not only was a well known athlete, he was also a member of the Richmond School Board.  

When they moved in Bobby was in training for the BC Lions and his lawn was long.  Alexis had three small children and her hands were full, so when Cec mowed our lawn, he continued next door.  

Bobby would give us B C Lions swag and tickets when he had them.  We weren't great football fans but watched his games and cheered him on.

Bobby was in the American National Football league where he won the Super Bowl in 1999.  He then moved to the XFL where he won another championship in 2001.  In 2006 he was with the BC Lions when they won the Grey Cup.

Bobby let me try on all his rings.  All I can say is the bling is blinding and they are very heavy!   Bobby is the only person that has all three wings.  I keep waiting for that question on Jeopardy.

Why I like retirement

 

Question:    How many days in a week? Answer:    6 Saturdays, 1 Sunday. Question:    When is a retiree's bedtime? Answer:    Two hours after falling asleep on the couch. Question:    How many retirees does it take to change a light bulb? Answer:     Only one, but it might take all day. Question:    What's the biggest gripe of retirees? Answer:    There is not enough time to get everything done. Question:    Why don't retirees mind being called Seniors? Answer:    The term comes with a 10% discount.   Question:    Among retirees, what is considered formal attire? Answer:    Tied shoes. Question:    Why do retirees count pennies? Answer:    They are the only ones who have the time. Question:    What is the common term for someone who enjoys work and refuses to retire? Answer:    NUTS! Question:    Why are retirees so slow to clean out the basement, attic or garage? Answer:    They know that as soon as they do, one of their adult kids will want to store stuff there. Question:    What do retirees call a long lunch? Answer:    Normal.   Question:    What is the best way to describe retirement? Answer:    The never-ending Coffee Break. Question:    What's the biggest advantage of going back to school as a retiree? Answer:    If you cut classes, no one calls your parents. And, my very favorite.... QUESTION:    What do you do all week? Answer:    Monday through Friday, NOTHING.  Saturday & Sunday, I rest.      SERENITY   Just before the funeral services, the undertaker came up to the very elderly widow and asked, 'How old was your husband?'  '98,' she replied.... 'Two years older than me'. 'So, you're 96,' the undertaker commented. She responded, 'Hardly worth going home, is it?   Reporters interviewing a 104-year-old woman: 'And what do you think is the best thing about being 104?'  the reporter asked... She simply replied, 'No peer pressure.' The nice thing about being senile is you can hide your own Easter eggs and have fun finding them.    I've sure gotten old! I've had two bypass surgeries, a hip replacement, new knees, fought prostate cancer and diabetes.  I'm half blind, can't hear anything quieter than a jet engine, take 40 different medications that make me dizzy, winded, and subject to blackouts.  Have bouts with dementia. Have poor circulation; hardly feel my hands and feet anymore.  Can't remember if I'm 85 or 92.  Have lost all my friends. But, thank God, I still have my driver's license.

Deonyms and Eponyms

I always knew "Scotch Tape by 3M" was a product name and the real name was invisible tape.  Here is some information on brand identification:

1924

The United States Patent and Trademark Office granted International Cellucotton Products Company the trademark for Kleenex. It's interesting to note, that unlike Nestlé, the brand name Kleenex became universally used for the type of product Kleenex was - a tissue. The use of such eponyms often happens when a product becomes a household name. For example, we Xerox to make copies, even if we're not using a Xerox machine. In the winter, we coat our lips with Chapstick but the brand of lip balm we're really using might be something else. And if you're Googling an eponym right now, what search engine are you using? Oh, and chocolate isn't a brand name of any kind and Nestlé never replaced it.

I had to look up the meaning so if you don't know the definition here it is:

Deonym Vs. Eponym

The difference between a deonym and an eponym is only relevant in a linguistic context. Eponyms are generally generic terms that originate from a person’s name. That also means that eponyms are generally new words — neologisms — that didn’t exist before. For example, Disneyland or Dickensian are eponyms because they originate from Walt Disney and Charles Dickens, who are both real people. Kleenex, on the other hand, is a deonym since it’s a product name that stands for a paper tissue. The two terms are often used synonymously. So let’s move on to something much more important.

If you have a good sense for brand names, that could help with learning a language! How? It’s not just English that uses brand names as generic words. In parts of the United States you can order a Coke, in Germany a Cola, and in Italy a coca. All of these terms come from the caffeinated soft drink made by Coca Cola®.

Off to the races.......

Miss Vyvyanne is racing again on Saturday at Woodbine Race Track in Toronto.  She's in Race #7 at 1:03 PM Pacific Standard Time.  There are 11 horses in this race.  If you want to watch, it's shown live and here is the link:  

Woodbine Race Track

I knew she is three years old but I found out she has the same birthday at Cec, January 9th.  She's a lot younger than Cec.  

Happy American Thanksgiving!

On Monday I went to Bellingham Costco.  Gas was US$3.65 a gallon and it converts to $1.31 Canadian a litre.  When you have a large SUV, it pays to go for the drive.  We had a nice lunch at Bob's Burgers & Brew enroute.  Costco had fresh grade A turkey's for US$0.99 a pound, so I bought a small turkey.   I purchased some dairy and other items you can't get in Canada.  Most groceries I buy at Costco in Canada are more expensive in the US!  

I asked Cheryl and Dave what night dinner works for them and they said "Thursday".  So, we will celebrate with our neighbours to the south. 

I love turkey dinner and I love the leftovers the next day even more.

Happy 2nd Thanksgiving to us this year!  We have a lot to be thankful for.

Wednesday Smiles

 

Prince Harry and Meghan

Quite a surprise for people at the Vancouver Canucks game last night!

The Crown - Season 6, the first four episodes

This weekend, I watched the first four episodes of Season 6, the final season of The Crown.  Netflix released four episodes on November 16 and the final six episodes will be released December 14.

I loved the first five seasons.  This season starts showing Charles and Diana co-parenting William and Harry.  Most of the episodes were about Diana and Dodi, a love story.  Did he really propose to her?  I didn't know, or I forgot, Dodi was already engaged when he met Diana and dumped the American actress.  

I read an article in the New York Times that Mario Benna, the photographer that got the photos on the yacht was not hired by Mohamed al-Fayed as the story says.   He spent his summers in Sardinia so he could take paparazzi shots of famous people.  Coming across the yacht with Dodi and Diana was a "great stroke of luck".

I wasn't overwhelmed, it was more like a Hallmark movie.  You need to remember when you watch it, it's fiction.  

I was young once.....

 

Who knew?

I got a call from someone asking me what to do.  She hurt her foot and thought it could be broken.  Where do I go?  The hospital?  A Clinic?   I've been in Emergency and it's a very busy place with very long wait times.  She could walk but it really hurt.  It was slightly swollen but no bruising has shown yet.

I said "call 811".   811 is our British Columbia provincial nurse's telephone line.  You call when you need medical advice.  She called and was put in "triage".  Then a nurse came on the phone and asked a few questions.  She said "a doctor will call within the hour".  Sure enough a Zoom Dr. called.  He asked a few questions, she showed him her foot.  He said "ice it, if the swelling gets worse, go to ER for x-rays".  Hopefully it's just a sprain, but she stayed at home and didn't have to sit in an ER waiting room for hours!  Hopefully it is just a sprain.

It's great to know they would pass you on to a doctor!   

8-1-1 is a free-of-charge provincial health information and advice phone line available in British Columbia. The 8-1-1 phone line is operated by HealthLink BC, which is part of the Ministry of Health. By calling 8-1-1, you can speak to a health service navigator, who can help you find health information and services; or connect you directly with a registered nurse, a registered dietitian, a qualified exercise professional, or a pharmacist.

Murphy's other 15 Laws

            1. Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

2. A fine is a tax for doing wrong.   A tax is a fine for doing well.

3. He who laughs last, thinks slowest.

4. A day w/out sunshine is like, well, night.

5. Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.

6. Those who live by the sword get shot by those who don't.

7. Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool.

8. The 50-50-90 rule: Anytime you have a 50-50 chance of getting something right, there's a 90% probability you'll get it wrong.

9. It is said that if you line up all the cars in the world end-to-end, someone from California would be stupid enough to try to pass them.

10. If the shoe fits, get another one just like it.

11. The things that come to those who wait, may be the things left by those who got there 1^st.

12. Give a man a fish & he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish & he will sit in a boat all day drinking beer.

13. Flashlight: A case for holding dead batteries.

14. God gave you toes as a device for finding furniture in the dark.

15. When you go into court, you are putting yourself in the hands of twelve (12) people who weren't smart enough to get out of jury duty.

Canada according to Jeff Foxworthy

If your local Dairy Queen is closed from September through May; you may live in Canada.

If someone in a Home Depot store offers you assistance and they don’t work there; you may live in Canada.

If you’ve worn shorts and a parka at the same time; you may live in Canada.

If you’ve had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number; you may live in Canada.

If ‘Vacation’ means going anywhere South of Detroit for the weekend; you may live in Canada.

If you measure distance in hours; you may live in Canada.

If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once; you may live in Canada.

If you have switched from ‘heat’ to ‘A/C’ on the same day and back again; you may live in Canada.

If you can drive 90 km/hr through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching; you may live in Canada.

If you install security lights on your house and garage, but leave both unlocked; you may live in Canada.

If you carry jumper cables in your car and your wife knows how to use them; you may live in Canada.

If you design your kid’s Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit; you may live in Canada.

If the speed limit on the highway is 80 km — you’re going 95 and everybody is passing you; you may live in Canada.

If driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow; you may live in Canada.

If you know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter, and road construction; you may live in Canada.

If you have more miles on your snow blower than your car; you may live in Canada.

If you find -2 degrees ‘a little chilly’; you may live in Canada.

If you actually understand these jokes; you definitely are Canadian and proud to be.

What day is November 15th?

I always wonder what "day" it is, so I signed into the National Day Calendar website.  Just in case you don't know to do on November 15th:

• It's great to support Education Professionals.  
• I just cleaned out my refrigerator when I got home from my cruise as it had no food in it so I won't be cleaning it. 
• I don't eat raisin bran but spicy hermit cookies sound good.  
• I haven't baked a bundt since the 80's and I recycle every day.  

So the I'll celebrate:

• Philanthropy Day!  I'll have to get out the cheque book.

Time for a laugh

Due to my isolation, I finished three books yesterday. And believe me, that’s a lot of coloring.

What did our parents do to kill boredom before the internet? I asked my 26 brothers and sisters, and they didn’t know either.

I tried donating blood today…NEVER AGAIN!  Too many stupid questions:  Who’s blood, is it?  Where did you get it from?  Why is it in a bucket?

When I offer to wash your back in the shower, all you have to say is ‘yes’ or ‘no’.  Not all this “Who are you and how did you get in here?” nonsense.

Today, I melted an ice cube with my mind just by staring at it.  It took a lot longer than I thought it would.

Struggling to get your wife’s attention?  Just sit down and look comfortable.

Just sold my homing pigeon on eBay for the 22nd time.

I grew up with Bob Hope, Steve Jobs, and Johnny Cash.  Now there’s no jobs, no cash, and no hope.  Please don’t let anything happen to Kevin Bacon.

Shout out to everyone who can still remember their childhood phone number but can’t remember the password they created yesterday.  You are my people.

One minute you’re young and fun.  And next, you’re turning down the stereo in your car to see better.

Think you’re old and you will be old.  Think you are young, and you will be delusional.

There’s nothing scarier that that split second when you lose your balance in the shower and you think, “They are going to find me naked.”

Not in jail, not in a mental hospital, not in a grave—I say I’m having a very good day.

When one door closes and another door opens, you are probably in prison.

Be Yourself

That was quite the storm

Friday night we were warned about high winds.  They knew the storm was coming and BC Ferries cancelled ferries.  The rain was really heavy and the winds were wild.  No surprise at 11:10 PM when our lights went out.  We were ready with flashlights and had everything charged.  I was thrilled when we woke up at 5:41 AM and our power came back on.  

I was watching the Remembrance Ceremony in Ottawa at 8:00 AM and our cable, phone and internet went out.  It came back on in about 90 minutes.  

The houses behind us have been without electricity for hours!  This photo is wrong as they lost power on November 10 at 11:10 PM, same time as we did.  Ours came on at 5:41 AM but their power was already out.  They are not getting power back until 1:30 PM today!

There are still many people without power.  

Traffic in Surrey was a nightmare yesterday.  Hwy. 15 (176 St) and Fraser Highway were closed for hours.  Wires were down and there was an electrical fire from the down power lines.  If you don't know Surrey, that intersection is two major highways.

Street lights were out everywhere and people were running four way stops!  We stayed in all day and heard from friends that went to Remembrance Ceremonies and shopping that got stuck in some ugly traffic.

The Poppy

Blackberry the movie

I loved this movie!  It details the spectacular rise and catastrophic demise of Research in Motion.  It's the story of two Canadian IT guys, Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie who have an idea and a lot of computer expertise but have no business experience.  

Taylor Swift Tickets

Taylor Swift is coming to Vancouver in December 2024.  Tickets go on sale at 10 AM today.  However, you could already get them from Stub Hub at RIDICULOUS prices!  

Tickets go on sale at 10 AM if you have a presale code, but someone bought one 5 days ago.  This screenshot was taken at 7:30 AM November 9th!   Parents will be sitting at their computers at 10AM but if you have the cash you could have purchased them last weekend!

Why is this allowed?

More Paraprosdokians

I once dated a guy who broke up with me because I only have 9 toes. Yes, he was lack toes intolerant.

I've started telling everyone about the benefits of eating dried grapes. It's all about raisin awareness.

 

I've started investing in stocks: beef, vegetable, chicken. One day I hope to be a bouillianaire.

 

If you boil a funny bone, it becomes a laughing stock. Now that's humerus.

 

I accidentally rubbed ketchup in my eyes. Now I have Heinzsight.

 

Did you know muffins spelled backwards is what you do when you take them out of the oven.

 

I was walking in the jungle and saw a lizard on his hind legs telling jokes. I turned to a local tribal leader and said, “That lizard is really funny!" He replied, "That's not a lizard. He's a stand-up chameleon."

 

I tried to come up with a carpentry pun that woodwork. I thought I nailed it but nobody saw it.

 

Singing in the shower is fine until you get soap in your mouth. Then it's a soap opera.

 

The Black-Eyed Peas can sing us a song but the chick peas can only hummus one.

 

Then there was the time Fruit of the Loom took Hanes to court. It was a brief case.

 

How much does a chimney cost? Nothing, it's on the house.

 

My friend said she wouldn't eat cow's tongue because it came out of a cow's mouth. I gave her an egg.

 

Once upon a time there was a king who was only 12 inches tall. He was a terrible king but he made a great ruler.

 

My friend Jack says he can communicate with vegetables. That's right...Jack and the beans talk.

 

I was struggling to understand how lightning works and then it struck me.

 

Six cows were smoking joints and playing poker. That's right, the steaks were pretty high.

 

I went to the paint store to get thinner.  It didn't work.

 

Proud to be a Canadian

On our cruise we met a lot of Americans.  No one discussed American politics.  It's always a good thing to keep politics to yourself.  

I read this piece on Twitter and thought it was so good, I would share it.  I am happy and proud I'm Canadian!  

I live in a sovereign, free, democratic nation, our system of governance is called a Constitutional Monarchy, our MP's are elected. We don't elect our Prime Minister, the leader of the party with the most votes becomes our PM.  We don't have a '5th Amendment', nor 1st, 2nd or or or. We do have a Charter of Rights and Freedoms. 

I live in a nation with a public broadcaster-radio/tv called the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.  It serves as a voice for our culture, news, people's voices, it has been undermined/underfunded in the hopes it'll be destroyed so private $ can dictate what we see/hear.

I have the right to peaceful protest, I fly my nation's flag with pride, I do not use it to promote hate, vulgar smears against my Prime Minister, nor join hate groups to undermine democracy or attempt to overthrow my duly elected government.  

I am NOT nice, I am not a doormat, I do attempt to be kind, respectful and stand up for my rights and those of my fellow Canadians. We fought in wars but we are not war mongers, we stand for peace. We led the way to end landmines to protect innocents.  We're inventors, progressive thinkers, looking to improve lives, not simply make a buck off other people. We love our environment more than money. We're rich in compassion and we don't idolize the American way, that's why we choose Confederation.

We don't need guns to shop for groceries, We are multicultural, not a melting pot. We enjoy all cultures' expressions of art/food/traditions even those we do not agree with.  We know we have a dark history via colonialism. We regret what we didn't learn in school and are attempting to make the future better.  We built a society on sharing, mutual respect, acceptance, we know Confederation is our strength, we don't like division-it hurts.

Catherine Whelan Costen

Western American Mountains!

Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams, Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Rainier all in one picture taken from a plane, or the Cascade Volcanic Arc at its best.

Day 12 - the last day

This was on the interactive screen by the elevator as we walked by!
I did not tell Princess about our anniversary.  It must be imbedded in our file from years ago!

We are sorry to see this cruise end.  It's been a wonderful vacation.  The ports were unique and very enjoyable.  No tenders, all ports had proper docking facilities.

Food:  We enjoyed every meal.  We ate in the main dining room for most meals but did go to the buffet when the dining room was closed and it was good.  The service in the buffet was very good.  We never had to wait for a table.  They were always clean.  The dining room staff were excellent.  When you have open dining you have different waiters and they all did a great job.  Alfredo's Pizza, Lexie's favorite place was good.  They now charge for this venue but if you have the Plus or Premier package, you don't pay but you get two free meals there.  The picture below was our second lunch at Alfredo's and it's great pizza.

Yesterday's lunch!  A margarita, delicious pizza and a window table!

Internet:  Finally Starlink has made an internet connection tolerable.  You could stream You Tube, Netflix and other sites you didn't have refresh happening.  I had problems with Shaw email.  I kept getting "cannot connect to the server".  It's happened in Europe so it didn't surprise me.  I don't believe it was the ship, but Shaw.  Hopefully when they transition completely to Rogers it's fixed.  I just went to Gmail.

Last night the BC Lions played the Calgary Stampeders for the Western Semi-Final in the CFL.  We found the game on an American Football site and watched the entire game live!  Thank you Starlink for a great connection!

Sorry this cruise is ending, but we've got another cruise booked for next year.  

Day 11 - Cozumel

Yesterday we docked in Cozumel along with four other ships.  We paid for our shore excursions a couple of months ago.  In Cozumel Cec wanted to go on the Atlantis Submarine.  We have done it in St. Thomas and Barbados and ordered it in Cozumel for this cruise.  The day after I paid for the shore excursion, the Titanic submarine was lost and we know what happened.  I was apprehensive about this tour.  We found out when we got on shore, it was cancelled.  They said "rough seas and it's a safety issue".  I was thrilled, we would get a refund!   We did some shopping and went back to the ship for an enjoyable afternoon.  

Our ship was an hour and a half late in leaving Cozumel because of a late tour.   After a delicious dinner consisting of escargot, steak, lobster and a chocolate dome, we met some ladies we've talked to before.  They were on the late tour that went to the Mayan ruins in a boat.  When they got on the boat, they gave them barf bags!  It was so rough they all got sick and one lady fell and broke a few bones!  I am thankful Atlantis cancelled our tour as well as very pleased!  No wonder they were so late!

I've said before how much I've enjoyed the entertainment.  Last night I was blown away with the performance of "Born To Dance".  It is our fourth performance of the singers and dancers in 11 days.  I don't know what artistic company is hiring and training these incredibly talented people, but it was awesome!  I've been on many cruise lines and no other cruise line has talent like this.  I've done three Princess cruises this year and only seen one repeat show.  Way to go Princess, you are the best in talent!

Happy 56th wedding anniversary to us.  We like to celebrate on a cruise and it worked out this year.  

 

Day 10 - at sea

Yesterday was another relaxing day at sea.  They have shown many movies on board.  Before Halloween they were all Halloween related.  The Barbie movie showed up yesterday.  No, we didn't watch it but I thought how nice it is to see first run movies on board.

Many people on board decorate their doors.  We don't but I like to admire the creativity of fellow passengers:

There were many to choose from and I only searched the 12th Floor!  I never saw any pineapples, right side up or upside down.  Just in case Nancy Walker was wondering!!!

Day 9 - At Sea

 

I saw this yesterday and thought it was pretty funny.  We've met a lot of lovely people on this cruise.  I booked "private table dining", but we've done shared tables and they really make things interesting.  Not one person has complained about anything - which is a first!  This is a great cruise.

The most interesting couple has just sold their home and signed onto a 37 month cruise!  Yes, they say it's cheaper than a retirement home and they are our age.  I've priced long back to back and world cruises and they aren't too cheap, however, they found one.  They are American citizens.

Victoria Cruises

One cost people don't count on is travel medical insurance.  If you live in British Columbia and you leave for more than seven months:  

• Eligible B.C. residents (citizens of Canada or persons who are lawfully admitted to Canada for permanent residence) who are outside B.C. for vacation purposes only, are allowed a total absence of up to seven months in a calendar year

You must have your home in BC, so if you don't you probably won't qualify when you return and reapply and wait the six months or more.  

Yesterday was another great day at sea.  Lots of activities,  The one we loved the most was Behind The Seas: Life At Sea with Cruise Director Allie.  She's only 28 and majored in theatre and marketing in university.  She is from New Jersey and worked at NBC New York and in the Broadway Theatre.  She is a singer and was a few Broadway shows including Wicked.  When she wasn't in a theatre performance she would usher.  Princess hired her as a Headline Entertainer.  She was about to leave and the Cruise Director on the Regal had a death in the family and had to immediately leave.  They asked her to take on the position and with no cruise experience other than being a contracted entertainer, she took on the role.  She did such a fabulous job they gave her a permanent job.  

Last night was "Dress to Impress".  They only had one formal night.  I wore my formal attire and most did, however I did see shorts and Hawaiian shirts in the dining room.  I don't care how people dress but I was shocked they allowed shorts in the dining room for dinner.

Day 8 - Aruba

We arrived in Aruba at 7:00 AM and sailed at 5:00 PM.  We've been to Aruba before on a few cruises and stayed here for a week years ago.  We decided to enjoy the ship so we stayed on board.  There were no shore excursions that excited us and we love the ship when it's quiet.  I took these pictures from our balcony:

The weather says 29C/84.2F, feels like 35C/95F.  Nice to stay in an air conditioned ship!

When we departed from Aruba, the ships horn played "The Love Boat".  They can't do it at every port because of sound by-laws.  I know in Alaska we've only heard it at Icy Strait, but I love it every time I hear it.

As frequent cruises on Princess we get free laundry.  We put it in a bag and leave it on the bed.  They take it away and they bring it back in two days, cleaned and pressed on hangars!   On this cruise there are so many elite passengers, instead of two days it's taking three days.  Yesterday for the first time on a Princess cruise, I decided to do a load of laundry on the ship.  Our cabin is very close to the laundromat and because we are elite, we get the tokens for the soap, dryer sheets, washer and dryer for free! They gave me enough tokens to do two loads, but one will work for me so I gave another passenger my extra tokens!  I heard it's $7.00 for one load when you purchase the tokens for soap, dryer sheets, washer and dryer.  Many people pack soap and dryer sheets!  My one load turned out great!

Happy Halloween

We haven't brought any Halloween costumes but many have.  The costumes were great.  They had a big party in the Piazza.  We couldn't get close to get pictures as there were so many people there.  We went and enjoyed the piano bar and on our way to bed, the party was still going on but the crowd was much thinner.

I loved the chicken!

It was very late and it appears many have gone to bed!

Leaving Aruba