It’s a cloudy morning in Hammerfest. We have a 2 hour excursion this morning and we may or may not go into town - the ship is here till 10:30 tonight. FCD and I both woke around 4, so it may be a hot tub and snooze afternoon. It’s vacation - we can do what we want.
Happen Saturday!
Good Mornin’ Y’all! Up and caffeinatin’. YAWN ‘Tis 73 Amurrkin out and clear with a predicted high of 91 and mostly sunny. We will have quality cee-mint pond time today. I shall make two lemon icebox pies to take to first Sunday brunch tomorrow. I foresee nappage as well. Sup will be leftovers from yestiddy. We went to bed at eight last night. I awoke at some point to the call of nature. I awoke again at five a.m. and felt rested, so here I am. No booms nearby last night. Strange, but no complaints from me!
Now I need more caffeine and to feed rumbly tummy. Then, onward into the day! Rah.
Happy Sattidy Y’all!
Whew! That was a lot to catch up on!
Yesterday was a very good day. We had a great time with our friend that came up to visit. I think the one that had the best time was Annie. Literally as soon as G walked in the door he saw Annie and scooped her up and they were pretty much inseparable the whole time he was here.
Today is going to be a chill day for me. Poor MusicMan is working, though. I’m hopeful that it will be a short day for him.
Mornin’ all - about 0645 as I start driveling. Been up 90 minutes now caffinatin’ and balconatin’. Sun’s up but hiding behind the clouds over the ocean. Today ought to be sunnier, but still plagued by partial high thin overcast.
Yesterday it rained heavily for awhile in the afternoon pretty much everywhere, but the whole region dried out for the last of the day and all of the overnight. Folks who’d camped at the beach all day waiting for evening firework shows had a bad time of it, but everybody else made out well on the weather.
I had an unexpected sort of 4th celebration, but fun. Managed to completely skip the patriotic glurge and just have the incipient mayhem instead. During which an ambulance sped by all lit up and separately a gaggle of cops chased down a scruffy car and later bodily dragged the scruffy white 20-somethings out of it. Lights, sirens, skyrockets, and booms; what more could a man want for the occasion? Oh yeah, booze and smokes and wimmin in party outfits. And a standard poodle somebody brought to the party who seemed utterly unfazed by the fireworks. Also caught a cool drone show.
Went to bed around 10pm as the pro shows had all wound down and the drunken amateurs were picking up speed. Lots of distant muffled booms, but nothing that interfered w sleeping. Concrete buildings and double-paned double-thickness hurricane-proof windows are good at sound attenuation. I’m also deef, which helps. 
Prolly need a nap later, as I got about 6-1/2 hours sleep, not my preferred 7+.
Sounds like most of us survived the holiday. Yaay.
Onward into the weekend. Cheers all!
Morning, mumpers! It’s currently 17 c/63f with a predicted high of 19c/65f and cloudy. Weather app says “It’s mild and fucking overcast. You should stay inside and pay some fucking bills.” Yes, it’s overcast but I have places to be!
**metalmouse ** it’s rare for us to have an entire weekend at home and we never spend the entire time indoors. Saturday is usually gym and errands day for me, and often there’s something on in one of the music venues near us. Always something to do, even if it’s only day-drinking!
Oopsie glad the washine machine was an easy fix and the repair man did a temporary fix as well.
Taters the cost of the roof will be worth it, and it sounds like the roofer knows his stuff.
Friday was a fun day, we left home around midday and I drove us up to Oldham. We passed three minor accidents/breakdowns on the M6 and sat in a bit of queuing traffic before we made it to the M56 and M60. Arrived at our accommodation and got checked in, then I had a shower and quick change of clothes. We went to the pub next door and waited for two of our friends to arrive.
After some food, we got an Uber to the festival venue and were there just in time for the first band of the day. The bands were all good,we met up with other friends and gig buddies, chatted with some of the bands and had a really good night.
Today we have achieved breakfast! Back in our room, I am off for a shower next, and we are heading out for Day 2 at SOS Festival. Time to make a t-shirt decision!
I just got a message from G that he had leftover lasagna that I had sent home with him for breakfast this morning!
Meanwhile Annie continues to snooze upon my lap.
BooFae I hope you enjoy the festival!
Morning all. Only one sleep-interrupting micturation, so feeling pretty good this morning. Have broken fast and will shortly…do something, be it more shopping or housework or reading Not Always Right on the internet…already 76F and heading to 93F with no rain to been seen.
So no Stop-Hammer Time? But as you say, vacation is for doing what you want (my last night on my cruise I spend extra and had a huge T-Bone steak just because I could).
Sticky Buns, glad you had a good day and sounds like Annie had an even better one!
Pilot, sounds like you got caught in an episode of Cops. Enjoy the weekend.
boo fae, good on ya for getting out and enjoying things that you enjoy.
And guess I should put some clothes on…(I know, TMI…) and get about the day. Have a good one all.
We’re back from our excursion. FCD is now a member of the Polar Bear Society and we got t-shirts for the grands. Poor, tired sweetie is napping and I found a semi-quiet spot so I can read… if I can stay awake.
And I posted more reindeer pics on FB.
If strawberry glop = strawberry jello or strawberries with corn starch and water, yes. 
Haven’t made one in years, but have a hankering. I bought the strawberries today. I decided to go with the makeshift graham cracker crust, made with Lotus Biscoff cookies and Digestive biscuits.
I don’t mind the work, but I really don’t want to turn on the oven. Kitchen’s already warmed up a bit because I made fajitas for lunch.
Hopefully so. I presume there’s more space for everybody. Hope you’ll have enough insulation before spending winter there.
Woke up at 5 something this morning due to nature calling. As the sun was already making an appearance, we didn’t managed to get back to sleep. Got the errands done and now sitting on the patio underneath the awning. Could use a nap, but I gave those up before I was 2. Dishwasher’s washing and the dryer already finished it’s business. So I could go make and bake a cookie crust. And play with strawberry glop. Decisisions, decisions.
Good visit with the niecelings yesterday. We’re far enough away from the river to where the fireworks didn’t interrupt our sleep at all, and our building is also on the edge of a very upscale neighborhood, so no racket from the owners.
We’re supposed to get some rain in the next few days and it’s going to continue to be in the 80s. Boring is how I like it.
Going to Memphis wasn’t exactly planned. My niece’s husband wanted to surprise her with tickets to a Sounds game (she’s been kind of sad since they lost one of their dogs a little over a week ago) and bought tickets online. He hit submit about the same time as he realized that the game was in Memphis instead of an hour from their house.
I got Nelson out before dark last night. When the booms began, I kept him cuddled and he survived with minimal trauma.
Up, caffeinating, breakfasted and fixing to do KP. I plan on being fully RDOS today.
Stay safe and healthy y’all!
Started Typing: 10:20 AM ET
Clicked Reply: 11:37 AM ET
I was impressed last night: the neighborhood was quite loud/noisy from 9-10pm, but there were no booms much after that! I had the front door open most of the night so Bailey could look outside through the storm door, and at one point I could see fireworks from my couch:
I remembered there being a similarly visible display last year, and got curious about where they might have been set off so I looked at Google Maps: there’s a small park just a few blocks away that I had no idea about! This neighborhood is kind of big and there are lots of little parks/playgrounds tucked around, but I’ve lived here for 11 years and didn’t know about the one closest to my house. Heh. It was kind of nice to be able to see not-bad fireworks from a comfy spot inside a cool house while wearing my jammies.
Ok, are y’all ready to hear about an amazing Mumper coincidence? 
Yesterday, FCM posted about passing herds of reindeer and I said that I’d love to see a photo. She replied that she’d posted one on FB and I should message her if I’d like a friend invite, and I did. Two things to note at this point: we both lived in the Baltimore area 40-45 years ago, and I have an uncommon last name. Turns out that for a couple of years in the early '80s she was in a church choir that my father directed! 
I was a kid at the time; around 10 or 11. My dad – who has been an organist/choir director since he was in high school; he still does it now at the age of 76 – doesn’t remember her (not really surprising), but he does remember that choir being a dedicated little group. I don’t remember ever going to that church regularly though I knew he’d worked there, but yesterday he told me it’s where my younger brother made his First Communion. There’s actually a chance that I once attended the same Mass (or two) as FCM and heard her sing!
Bailey had no issues last night, though we were outside during one or two of the loudest booms and I think they were starting to stress her a little. While inside, she was oblivious. A silver lining of her being old and not hearing so well anymore is that she has a greater tolerance for fireworks and thunder. She continues to recover from her 2-week “pain/not eating/pain” cycle, and yesterday she ate a fair amount…but then this morning she didn’t want breakfast. Who knows what’s going on in that furry little head! As long as she keeps eating the laced peanut butter, I’m happy; I know the prednisone helps.
I’m still not feeling like I really want to go to my BFFs’ tonight – with their niece’s 6-person family – but I’m going: last night I agreed to go pick up the 5-year-old’s ice cream birthday cake after dinner (so they wouldn’t have to try to find room for it in their freezer). 
They’re all good people who I like and have known forever, the kids are smart and well-behaved, and I know that once I get there I’ll be glad to see everyone. If HusbandBFF wants to set off fireworks once it gets dark (~9:15pm), I’ll leave at that point and blame needing to get home to Bailey – unless the niece and family leave before me, because I know he’ll be disappointed if he only has WifeBFF as audience. I can suck up my apprehension one more time to make him happy, but I might say something about it to set up not watching them next year. I’m not worried about his/our safety, I’m just not a big fan of any amatuer fireworks: for some reason they set off the remnants of my fire-related anxiety (my family’s apartment building burned down 49 years ago this month).
I heard more from the appliance guy yesterday: he gave me a quote for the washing machine repair (I felt it was reasonable), but unfortunately he doesn’t have the part on hand so he ordered it. I told him I’d happily pay for expedited shipping if it’s available! If the part arrives on a day when I’m at the office, he’s willing to come out in the evening (after I get home); I greatly appreciate that. Either way, there’s a nice tip in this guy’s future.
Time for an early lunch, so I’ll have room for all of the yummy food (and ice cream cake!) that I know will be at my BFFs’ later.
Ooopsie - One thing I neglected to mention about your dad (and I’m still kinda hesitant ) - waaaay back then, he had a combover that was slicked rather stiff. And when he’d conduct particularly enthusiastically, that flap of hair would bounce up and down! That’s the most vivid memory I have of him! 
We’re just back from a really really mediocre comedy show. His routine was packed full of old jokes, some flat-out stolen. Plus he fell back on the old “All men…” and “All women…” bits, which I rarely find amusing. It was a long 45 minutes.
There’s a costume party around the pool tonight - I don’t recall seeing anything about bring-a-costume in the pre-cruise planner. Not that we’d have done it anyway. We both had a bad night, so we’ll watch a movie, then crash early (I hope.)
Tomorrow’s stop is Alta, and our first tendered-in port call. That means they’ll drop several of the lifeboats and they’ll use them to shuttle us from anchorage to port, since there’s no pier big enough in Alta. No biggie, unless you use a wheelchair… We’ve got a short tour, and I don’t know if we’ll hang around after or just come back to the ship. To be determined.
For now, tho, waking at 4 is catching up with me - so, jammie time!
Did fcd go isbading?
The usual Saturday shopping trip with clickity clax. Had to get cat food. Had filet o fish for lunch! Good times.
I have a few days to get stuff done before I can’t lift and bend again. Last eye drop last night.
We sat in the hot tub, so, um, no. But thanks for the giggle!
Today was a monument to human stupidity.
Of course a lot of the Tues-Sat people called out, because how often do you get a 4 day weekend? But nothing was set up in the PDC in 128, so they had to pull 7 people to catch it up[(usually you’d have 3. If you were lucky.). Then because they pulled all but 1 person off the 200 Sort Table, that bricked up, the belt overload, and boxes were going over the guide wires. And there was a leaker on the 200 Table, but the one guy couldn’t be assed to flag down an adult-like creature to call HazMat. But just as well, because by the time Dan the Hazmat Man got there, there were 3 more leakers. I was also on the 100 Sort Table at one point.
< box tumbles >
T: “Be careful!”
Me: “I’m not worried.”
T: “I’m not a healer, I’m a necromancer, you’d end up a zombie.”
Me: “Shambling about and moaning incoherently? That seems to suit a bunch of people here.”
T: “Good point.”
Then Dispatch had a mega brain fart, and assigned something like 300 300 Boxline packages to the 200. So I had to pull them off the belt and rescan them, then put them back on the belt since they were coming up “No Saturday Service”. Until the Monday plan kicked in in the computer when I was 75% done, so they were back to scanning wrong again. < headdesk > So I started back on the damages. Some guy ordered four of these. But he ordered them from Home Depot. Did I mention they had zero tape on them, and the boxes themselves were only slightly thicker than the paper trays that hold the packs of gum at the grocery store checkouts? Nothing like $400 of lighting turned in metallic pretzels. So I didn’t get home until after 1, and I’m just now finishing my bacon and eggs and gin&tonic. I shall now nap. Spot is currently sulking. Or watching Edgar the Overly Aggressive Squirrel.
Sounds like a Viking metal show. I’d enjoy that. \m/–\m/
yay!
Nifty! I heard the Fairground fireworks, but I can’t see because of the trees.
It’s OKC, so we get some tourists but I certainly wouldn’t call it a tourist town. But maybe you’re right? A friend speculated that maybe they were trying to keep it more “family friendly” by avoiding Friday and Saturday nights.
My neighbors were on a tear last night - it was loud enough I actually thought a professional show was going off for a bit! The last of the fireworks didn’t stop until almost 1am.
I really hadn’t expected that. One of the things I love about my neighborhood is it’s very culturally diverse, including a sizable Hispanic population. With everything going on I thought they might dial things back a bit to fly under the radar. That was most definitely not the case, so I am trying to be thankful instead that my neighbors felt safe and had a blast (literally).
But gosh I don’t want to be up until 1am again tonight
And oospie and FCM what a neat connection!!
Howdy Y’all! We had some nice and quiet quality cee-mint pond time today. Yestiddy was fun with all the other people, but quiet time is so blissful! I like to lie still on my float and pretend I am a corpse floatin’ in the water. The pies got made and leftovers got et. Now ‘tis chill time.
Dicey that’s what I mean by strawberry glop. I have never made a strawberry pie, but I have eaten a lot of ‘em over the years.
Oopsie that’s all well and good, but how does that connect MOOOOOOM and you to Kevin Bacon. That there is the true test!
We have returned from our sojourn to foreign lands; a strange and wondrous place, which the natives call ‘Ca-na-da’.
Yeah, we went up to White Rock. I’ve been here over 21 years, and Mrs. L.A. has been here over 14 years; yet we’ve never gone to White Rock. We parked a little past a Greek restaurant, which was, sadly, not open while we were there. We actually parked right in front of a souvenir shop. Mrs. L.A. bought a tuque, a cup with a maple leaf design, a bowl designed by a First Nations artist, and a couple of small prints. And a yellow ‘rubber duck’ with a maple leaf on it for me to put in my Jeep.
We went to the walk next to the railroad tracks and visited a tent pavilion set up by a local photographer. We liked one photo taken on a grey day, looking down the length of the pier. We walked down to the pier and walked to the end of it and back. I walked down the white rock, from which Whit Rock got its name, and took two pictures of it; then I met Mrs. L.A. at the little museum. She had put some American dollars into the donation box. I’ve had some Canadian money in my wallet for about 20 year, and I put a 5 into the box. The woman at the counter said she could tell I’d had it a while, because it was made of paper instead of plastic.
We walked back to the photographer’s tent, but he wasn’t there. We went across the street for lunch, and then went back after he returned. Mrs. L.A. bought the photograph we liked. He asked (politely) what we thought of Trump, and we told him. ‘We hate him.’ He said he’d heard about the terrible things in Trump’s ‘Big Bogus Bill’ and wished us luck.
We had about an hour left on our parking ticket, so I gave it to the guy who was waiting for the spot.