Year 5, Day 300 “Living the Dream”. Tuesday, 2/24/2026, The Wellington. By the end of day yesterday the snow was totally melted.
Worked on bathrooms finishing work during the day.
Slept through The Expendables in the evening. We saw that Expendables 4 was out. We decided to start with number 1. What a terrible movie. One of the worse movies I have seen in a long time.
Thought for today.
Here’s a link to today’s Amazon recommendation: https://amzn.to/3PNrbRrBaggallini Rfid Crossbody Love this brand of purses. This one is small yet holds the essentials and is perfect for traveling. It holds money, credit cards, passport, and has room for paper and pen. It also has an open, easy access in between the two zippered pockets for a cell phone.
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Year 5, Day 299 “Living the Dream”. Monday, 2/23/2026, The Wellington. The Somerset police department posted “If you are out traveling this morning, please be careful. There are areas of ice and snow on the roadways throughout the city.” We tend to forget as we are stuck home that someone has to get up and plow. Someone has to dig out to make sure you the roads are clear. Someone has to climb a pole to make sure you have electricity when electric goes out. Someone has to get to the Hospital to make sure the communities health needs are available. If we see the good, the good will happen more often in our lives. Home working on finishing the Wellington today. So funny being from NJ to see schools closed with one inch of snow.
Thought for today.
Here’s a link to today’s Amazon recommendation: https://amzn.to/3PNrbRrBaggallini Rfid Crossbody Love this brand of purses. This one is small yet holds the essentials and is perfect for traveling. It holds money, credit cards, passport, and has room for paper and pen. It also has an open, easy access in between the two zippered pockets for a cell phone.
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Year 5, Day 298 “Living the Dream”. Sunday, 2/22/2026, The Wellington. Cold puttering day. Sprucing up the closets and waiting to see if Kentucky has any significant storm issues. It is cold and the snow is sputtering on and off. Inside it is warm and cozy. Even though this house is large the electric bills are low. This home has 2×6 walls and good insulation, windows and doors. The home is totally electric.
In the evening we have a dusting while Pennsylvania has a lot. For the winter, I’ll take Kentucky.
Thought for today.
Here’s a link to today’s Amazon recommendation: https://amzn.to/3PNrbRrBaggallini Rfid Crossbody Love this brand of purses. This one is small yet holds the essentials and is perfect for traveling. It holds money, credit cards, passport, and has room for paper and pen. It also has an open, easy access in between the two zippered pockets for a cell phone.
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Year 5, Day 297 “Living the Dream”. Saturday, 2/21/2026, The Wellington. The woodpeckers are really loving the bird feeder today. They are more active at a feeder when bad weather is coming. They consume high-fat, high-calorie foods to generate body heat. It is going to be cold and snowy the next two days. You don’t need weather.com to predict that cold bad weather is coming when you have bird feeders. Woody Woodpecker the Pileated Woodpecker has not been here yet. That Woodpecker is a sight to see. They are huge and the largest woodpecker found in North America. Today we only have had small and medium size ones show up. But lots of them.
Thought for today.
Here’s a link to today’s Amazon recommendation: https://amzn.to/4sjKDCN French Onion Soup Bowls with Handles Best bowls for placing in the broiler oven to melt that cheese. Perfect size.
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Year 5, Day 296 “Living the Dream”. Friday, 2/20/2026, The Wellington. Newcomers Coffee fellowship at Sweet Thing today. Great fellowship with lovely women. It is nice to get away from the worksite.
More finish work completed. Closets are getting completed and windows are being trimmed. Almost ready for the punch list. New construction should start end of March.
Thought for today.
Here’s a link to today’s Amazon recommendation: https://amzn.to/4sjKDCN French Onion Soup Bowls with Handles Best bowls for placing in the broiler oven to melt that cheese. Perfect size.
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Year 5, Day 295 “Living the Dream”. Thursday, 2/19/2026, The Wellington. More trim work completed. The hallway linen closet across from the Laundry area is ready. Paint has to dry and the tomorrow things can be placed in it.
Thought for today.
Here’s a link to today’s Amazon recommendation: https://amzn.to/4sjKDCN French Onion Soup Bowls with Handles Best bowls for placing in the broiler oven to melt that cheese. Perfect size.
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Year 5, Day 294 “Living the Dream”. Wednesday, 2/18/2026, The Wellington. Exercise, Kroger, work, and birthday dinner. Justin requested Aunt Frans cheesecake for his birthday cake. Okay that is great it is an easy recipe where you just throw everything into the blender. Blend till watery then put in a prepared shortbread crust. Last night at 8pm I preheated the oven and blend everything up. I go to pour the blended cheesecake mixture into the crust and notice the glass blender jar has a piece of glass broken off the rim. Oh well everything is thrown out including the blender. Steve says pour it through a screen. No way.
Quick change of Plans. Made a Kroger stop after gym class to buy a store made cheesecake and an ice cream cake for birthday celebration. Our garage door opener would not work today. Somerset-Burnside Garage Door & Glass Co, Inc sent someone out to check it out. The one wall unit was burned out. They were installed October, 2024. They charged $135.00 for the service call. I picked up the part for $40.00 and Steve replaced it himself. Of course, I hear “You see how much money I save us by doing everything myself”. Yup. He sure does.
He also did a lot of spackle sanding. Will the finish work ever get done?
Little birthday party this evening for Justin with Rouladen. Do you know what Rouladen is? It is one of Germany’s most famous dishes. They are thin strips of meat slathered with mustard and filled with bacon, onions, ground beef, and pickles. They are simmered in the oven for hours and served with gravy. No leftovers when this meal is served.
The Kroger cheesecake was fantastic.
Need a series to watch? The Lincoln Lawyer on Netflix is great! The show has been renewed for a fifth season. The fourth season premiered on Feb 5, 2026.
Thought for today.
Here’s a link to today’s Amazon recommendation: https://amzn.to/4sjKDCN French Onion Soup Bowls with Handles Best bowls for placing in the broiler oven to melt that cheese. Perfect size.
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Year 5, Day 293 “Living the Dream”. Tuesday, 2/17/2026, The Wellington. Another nice day with lots of closets being finished.
I just read these eight easy things you can do to avoid crimes of opportunity at night. So let’s all build a habit of every night at 9 p.m., take just a few minutes to:
1) Lock your car doors
2) Remove valuables from vehicles
3) Secure your garage door. If you have garage door openers Press lock so that remote controls will not work.
4) Lock exterior doors and windows
5) Turn on outside lights
6) Activate your security system
7) Bring in packages
Look around and report suspicious activity
Most crimes of opportunity happen overnight. Individuals walk through neighborhoods simply checking for unlocked doors and open garages. Don’t make it easy. When an entire neighborhood participates, petty theft drops. Awareness increases. Community involvement grows. And criminals move on to easier targets. Our neighborhood is really safe, except the Coyotes make me nervous.
Thought for today.
Here’s a link to today’s Amazon recommendation: https://amzn.to/4sjKDCN French Onion Soup Bowls with Handles Best bowls for placing in the broiler oven to melt that cheese. Perfect size.
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Year 5, Day 292 “Living the Dream”. Monday, 2/16/2026, The Wellington. First thought of the day – Happy Birthday Justin. No matter how old you get, you will always be our baby. Hope your day is filled with fun, laughter, and lots of cake. Can’t wait to celebrate on Wednesday.
Okay now it is gym time.
Installed a utility room wall cabinet to clean up and organize our wifi stuff.
Purchased a stand for the compactor. Now it is easy to move around when not in use.
Thought for today.
Here’s a link to today’s Amazon recommendation: https://amzn.to/4sjKDCN French Onion Soup Bowls with Handles Best bowls for placing in the broiler oven to melt that cheese. Perfect size.
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Year 5, Day 291 “Living the Dream”. Sunday, 2/15/2026, The Wellington. Rainy blah Sunday Funday. Good day to warm up with pizza at Mellow Mushroom.
Thought for today.
Here’s a link to today’s Amazon recommendation: https://amzn.to/4sjKDCN French Onion Soup Bowls with Handles Best bowls for placing in the broiler oven to melt that cheese. Perfect size.
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Year 5, Day 290 “Living the Dream”. Saturday, 2/14/2026, The Wellington. Happy Valentines Day!!
Although it is just another day of finish work!
Thought for today.
Here’s a link to today’s Amazon recommendation: https://amzn.to/4sjKDCN French Onion Soup Bowls with Handles Best bowls for placing in the broiler oven to melt that cheese. Perfect size.
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Year 5, Day 289 “Living the Dream”. Friday, 2/13/2026, The Wellington. Happy Friday the 13th. Another day of never ending closet work.
Went to exercise class in the morning and Lowe’s in the evening.
Finally was able to get a few good pictures of the huge cow. He was close to the road all day. He must be seven feet tall. I have been trying to get some good pictures of that monster cow in the field down the street for months. That is one big cow. Look at the size of that cow. Is it a bull, a cow, or a steer? It looks like an oxen. He just stared me in the eyes. I am sure glad there is a fence and a car between us. Although I wonder how fast he can run. His back looks bony and he looks like he is built awkward. Maybe he has trouble walking and standing due to his size. Years ago I met the tallest woman in the world and she could not stand for long periods due to her height. Her story was so sad with teenage ridicule, and back troubles. She actually had to remove the front seat of her VW when she started driving as a teenager and drive from the back seat. So I feel sorry for that cow being so different! It is hard being different!
The faculty at St, Mary’s are feeling love today.
Thought for today.
Here’s a link to today’s Amazon recommendation: https://amzn.to/4sg7X4gC&S High Energy Suet Treat Birds love this Suet and are happy at our feeders.
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Year 5, Day 287 “Living the Dream”. Wednesday, 2/11/2026, The Wellington. Another sunny nice day. Finally, back to a normal routine. Having a regular routine is so important. It improves our concentration and productivity. When we allocate specific time slots for tasks, we’re more likely to complete them. Completing tasks boosts our self-esteem and sense of accomplishment. Morning started with working on DeesTimes. I basically ignored updating it while on vacation. Sometimes I feel like bagging it. Okay then off to the gym for a one hour exercise class. That will be my new morning schedule from now on. Then back to weekly grocery shopping. Walking into Kroger was like walking into a Valentines day party. It is amazing how many flowers and balloons that store has. They are ready for Valentine’s Day on Saturday February 14th. Valentines Day started to honor Saint Valentine, a Christian martyr executed around 270 AD. It was a feast day set by Pope Gelasius I in the 5th century. Later it evolved into a romantic holiday during the Middle Ages.
Steve worked on trimming more windows out downstairs. We have a new Roomba for downstairs. She is much quieter than the three upstairs. I named her Barmaid.
Thought for today.
Here’s a link to today’s Amazon recommendation: https://amzn.to/4sg7X4gC&S High Energy Suet Treat Birds love this Suet and are happy at our feeders.
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Year 5, Day 286 “Living the Dream”. Tuesday, 2/10/2026, The Wellington. I read this Breaking News this morning “A large yellow ball radiating warmth has appeared over our Kentucky skies. Authorities are investigating” It is a beautiful sunny day. Today we started out in the 30’s and hit a high of 71. Now this is more my kind of weather. It is a goof off day and we headed to Lexington. We drove 75 miles to Lexington and found the snow. What a difference, 75 miles north and the fields are snow covered.
On the way we stopped at McDonalds drive thru in Mt Vernon . NO COFFEE!! Is there a coffee supply issue in Kentucky? We have run into three restaurants within the last week with no coffee. The Mellow Mushroom, and Chili’s both in Somerset. Then today it was McDonalds in Mount Vernon.
Thought for today.
Here’s a link to today’s Amazon recommendation: https://amzn.to/4sg7X4gC&S High Energy Suet Treat Birds love this Suet and are happy at our feeders.
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Year 5, Day 285 “Living the Dream”. Monday, 2/09/2026, The Wellington. Beautiful sunny day. We were able to open a garage door and cut closet shelves in the garage. Finish work is getting done.
We have been watching Rizzoli & Isles in the evenings since we have been back from California. There are seven seasons and we are enjoying the show. It is funny because I did not realize how old it is. I only realized it was an old series after a friend’s husband mentioned it. The series started in 2010. Anyway, I would recommend watching it.
Thought for today.
Here’s a link to today’s Amazon recommendation: https://amzn.to/4sg7X4gC&S High Energy Suet Treat Birds love this Suet and are happy at our feeders.
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Year 5, Day 284 “Living the Dream”. Sunday, 2/08/2026, The Wellington. Sunday/Funday. SPRING IS ON THE WAY. The snow has mostly melted and we have Robins in our yard. In the winter, robins hide in trees in large, nomadic flocks. As spring nears, they disperse and reappear on lawns, making them seem as though they have just arrived. These birds don’t eat seeds. They are not here for our bird feeders. They’re on the hunt in our law for earthworms, grubs, and insects. Have you ever had chili’s restaurant chips and salsa. The chips are very thin, crispy, and tasty. The salsa has just the right kick. The chips are made fresh everyday. The cook at Chill’s comes in at 8am to make the chips every morning.
We went for an early lunch there today. We knew that the bar would be crowded with the Superbowl game in the evening.
Hope you all enjoy the Superbowl 60 game tonight. No Superbowl pool boxes for us this year. So will the Seattle Seahawks or the New England Patriots win? With no money on the game I really doubt it will be on our TV.
Thought for today.
Here’s a link to today’s Amazon recommendation: https://amzn.to/4sg7X4gC&S High Energy Suet Treat Birds love this Suet and are happy at our feeders.
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Year 5, Day 283 “Living the Dream”. Saturday, 2/07/2026, The Wellington. Another new exciting day of interior trim painting.
Thinking about cruise tips and read this today. “Cruise veterans tend to leave automatic gratuities in place. To them, it’s part of the cruise fare. They then tip extra when service truly stands out. The gratuities pool keeps the ship balanced. Cash tips become a thank-you, not a replacement.” Agree totally with that statement. This is the system for now. My opinion is that tips should be included in the cost of the cruise. No envelopes for tipping and no expectations. Tipping has gotten out of control in all aspects in the United States. Tipping should recognize good, prompt, or exceptional service. Hilton Hotels now has a QR code in your room to tip the housekeeping. Every take out counter has a tip jar. How did we come to this? Everyone just expects tips, regardless of how well or poorly they do their job. In a lot of countries, servers are paid a living wage. They don’t rely as heavily or at all on tips as a main source of their income. In fact in some countries a tip is an insult. We have been told by employees in other countries that nobody tips but the Americans. Actually, we have been told on cruise ships where most of the passengers are not American. They ask us to please not tip.
Thought for today.
Here’s a link to today’s Amazon recommendation: https://amzn.to/4sg7X4gC&S High Energy Suet Treat Birds love this Suet and are happy at our feeders.
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Year 5, Day 281 “Living the Dream”. Thursday, 2/05/2026, The Wellington. Finish work continues. A little bit gets done everyday. The snow is melting quickly now.
Steve is dreaming about Royal Caribbean’s French Onion Soup. He is really missing it at lunch time. He ate it for dinner a lot on our last cruise. Actually he eats it a lot on every cruise.
Thought for today.
Here’s a link to today’s Amazon recommendation: https://amzn.to/4beszn9goPure Advanced Repair Eye Cream Can’t wait to start using this.
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Year 5, Day 280 “Living the Dream”. Wednesday, 2/04/2026, The Wellington. Another door and trim painting day. Actually this is day four. Pretty soon it will be punch list day.
Thought for today.
Here’s a link to today’s Amazon recommendation: https://amzn.to/4beszn9goPure Advanced Repair Eye Cream Can’t wait to start using this.
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Year 5, Day 279 “Living the Dream”. Tuesday, 2/03/2026, The Wellington. It is hard to be motivated in this cold snowy weather. Schools have been closed here for 7 days and we have no garbage pick up. Lunch with Spencer and Bobi was fun. These kids need to go back to school. Spencer misses his friends. Hey but if he was in school he would have missed seeing me.
Thought for today.
Here’s a link to today’s Amazon recommendation: https://amzn.to/4beszn9goPure Advanced Repair Eye Cream Can’t wait to start using this.
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Year 5, Day 278 “Living the Dream”. Monday, 2/02/2026, The Wellington. Happy Groundhog day. Punxsutawney Phil says six more weeks of winter. Hope that little guy is wrong.
Steve worked on puttying nail holes and painting trim
while I attended the Newcomers club monthly meeting.
Thought for today.
Here’s a link to today’s Amazon recommendation: https://amzn.to/4beszn9goPure Advanced Repair Eye Cream Can’t wait to start using this.
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Year 5, Day 277 “Living the Dream”. Sunday, 2/01/2026, The Wellington. Cold winter day.
A good day to do our taxes. Well as much as we can. Need that win/loss statement from Royal Caribbean to finish. They will not have them available until 2/14/2026.
Thought for today.
Here’s a link to today’s Amazon recommendation: https://amzn.to/4beszn9goPure Advanced Repair Eye Cream Can’t wait to start using this.
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Year 5, Day 276 “Living the Dream”. Saturday, 1/31/2026, The Wellington. It is definitely a back to work day. Interior doors being painted.
It is super cold outside like 11 degrees.
We have so many big fat Red Cardinals outside by our feeders. At least they appear fat and chubby because they fluff their feathers (piloerection) to trap body heat for insulation. They do increase food intake in the winter to build up fat reserves for survival. They have a rounded appearance making them look like a ball of feathers. Reminds me of a big beer belly. Did you know? Cardinals can increase their visible body volume by nearly 50%. They puff up their feathers to keep warm. It is pretty fascinating that cardinals can drop their body temperature by 3-6 degrees Fahrenheit. This helps them conserve energy during extreme cold spells. This allows them to endure harsh winter conditions without needing to migrate south. In the summer they do the exact opposite and appear thin. They say seeing cardinals in winter means hope, love, and a spiritual connection. We must have a ton of hope, love, and a spiritual connection in this house then.
Yesterday, I was thinking about the new Alexa Plus. Now I have to tell you about our security camera system. This morning while showering, I hear our camera announce there is a man climbing our stairs. Oh my gosh – haha it was Steve. Oh yea, I was also diagnosed today with Post-Disembarkation Adjustment Disorder (PDAD). It is the emotional crash that happens when a cruise ends and you’re forced back into real life. Sadness, irritability, and missing the buffet. No known cure. Just give it a few days or just get on another ship and go.
Looking at the five states left to visit. Just not enough lifetime left to do everything.
Thought for today.
Here’s a link to today’s Amazon recommendation: https://amzn.to/4beszn9goPure Advanced Repair Eye Cream Can’t wait to start using this.
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Year 5, Day 275 “Living the Dream”. Friday, 1/30/2026, The Wellington. Getting back into the no cruise groove. OR AM I? I just keep looking at cruises. STOP IT DOLORES.
Snowy day.
Went to eat an orange and realized I bought two bags of Raspberry Oranges. Even the birds won’t eat them.
Does anyone have an opinion of Megan 2.0? We watched it last night. It is a fantastic movie. I would highly recommend.
We have Alexa Plus now. I am not so sure if I am happy or not after that movie. Alexa Plus is so real sounding and carries on conversations. Also the more we talk to her she is learning about us. Definitely Freaky.
Thought for today.
Here’s a link to today’s Amazon recommendation: https://amzn.to/4atjHcO4Nelko Label Maker Machine with Tape: This handy little label maker will make you go label craaaazzzzzy!
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Year 5, Day 274 “Living the Dream”. Thursday, 1/29/2026, The Wellington. We are home. BOOHOO and we canceled our February cruise. My plants are happy to see us though. They now have water and company.
Steve used the excavator claw to scratch the ice in the driveway.
When he was done I was able to go out and do our grocery shopping. Kroger was packed due to more snow and cold weather expected tomorrow. The birds are loving the seed in the bird feeder and the high energy suet we just put out. There are lots of Red Cardinals. I actually am making Chili for dinner. It is so much easier and nicer to go to dinner and have someone serve you. Oh well. No cruises booked until September. Is that crazy or what. 8 MONTHS OF NO CRUISES. I guess you have to work sometimes.
Thought for today.
Here’s a link to today’s Amazon recommendation: https://amzn.to/4atjHcO4Nelko Label Maker Machine with Tape: This handy little label maker will make you go label craaaazzzzzy!
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Year 5, Day 273 “Living the Dream”. Wednesday, 1/28/2026, Day 23 of 22 day California Zephyr cross country trip, followed by a California coastal drive, and then a 14 night Mexico Cruise -First let me finish last nights travels. We flew into Chicago, Illinois and it was 10 degrees Fahrenheit at 8pm. We then caught another flight to Lexington, Kentucky. At the O’Hare airport while walking to our next gate we passed an amnesty box. There are 12 green, locked metal amnesty boxes positioned after the TSA security checkpoints across O’Hare. Marijuana is legal in Illinois but illegal on federal property (including airplanes and TSA checkpoints). These boxes provide a legal way to dispose of products to avoid issues. I never saw that before. We walked from one gate to the other. We waited maybe five minutes. Then, we boarded our flight to Lexington. The plane was a small CRJ700 and it was fairly empty. We flew 22,000 feet for 42 minutes wheels up to wheels down. When we landed in Lexington around 11pm it was 17 degrees. The parking area where the plane taxied up to the gate was a sheet of ice. I guess they don’t believe in salt. After landing we very slowly creeped to the gate. The airport is pretty deserted.
We booked the closest Hilton to the airport which is a home2suites. They have shuttle service from the airport. We picked up our luggage and called the hotel. They arranged for a Lyft car to pick us up. OMG – the roads were covered with ice by the hotel and he drove really fast. I was gripping Steve’s hand the total five to ten minute drive. Ok, you know we are in Kentucky. You really think this driver has experience with driving on wintry roads. I really highly doubt it. We made it to the hotel. As I am crashing (falling asleep that is), my thoughts are YIKES. I am really glad Justin is picking us up in the morning. No more crazy driver on icy roads. Today I had a chance to take some time to look around. This is the first Home2Suites we have stayed in. It has a very minimalistic feel to it. It is clean and has everything you need for a few days stay. Our room is a small efficiency with a full size refrigerator. Lots of dishes and utensils are in the drawers. Everything has a modern crisp feel to it. Not homey at all. The room furnishings including the closet are very modular. The breakfast offerings were good. I like the design where the employees taking care of the food do it from a walkway behind. The employees kept the tables wiped clean. As soon as someone left they made sure to wipe the tables.
Justin picked us up and we made it home. Once we were on the highway there was no ice. The highways were clear. The large hill to our house was a mess though. If Justin hadn’t picked us up with his 4 wheel drive truck we would not have made it home. No Uber was coming up that hill. Our driveway is also a sheet of ice. Walking to the front door was even a chore. Tomorrow is clean the walkways and driveway up. Look at the thickness of the ice pulled on the front deck.
My plants are happy we are home. I guess I am also, but it is cold.
Thought for today.
Here’s a link to today’s Amazon recommendation: https://amzn.to/4atjHcO4Nelko Label Maker Machine with Tape: This handy little label maker will make you go label craaaazzzzzy!
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Year 5, Day 272 “Living the Dream”. Tuesday, 1/27/2026, Day 22 of 22 day California Zephyr cross country trip, followed by a California coastal drive, and then a 14 night Mexico Cruise -Day 7 of 6 night Cabo overnight and Ensenada Cruise from Los Angeles on Quantum of the seas. Disembarkation day Los Angeles California. Ensenada is only a dream.
The pool chairs are lonely. They are lined up and ready for some new warm bodies to bring life to them.
We are back in the good old USA. It is a beautiful sunny day 59 degrees Fahrenheit at 9:30am. At 8:15am we disembarked in Los Angeles at Pier 91.
Grabbed a porter who took us through customs facial recognition, walked us outside and down the sidewalk to Pier 92. Remember the best tip is to grab a porter whenever disembarking a cruise ship. With a porter you will get through customs and out of the cruise terminal much quicker. It is so worth the extra money. Uber pick up is at Pier 92. From the Los Angeles World Cruise center to John Wayne Airport the cost was $91.97 plus any tip. It took over one hour to get to the airport.
John Wayne Airport commercial airport serves over 11 million passengers. Its IATA code is SNA and it is located in Orange County. The day is long waiting in the airport. Numerous times I checked the electrical outages in our home area. Oh yes, we also were planning another cruise adventure.
We boarded our first flight traveling to Chicago, Illinois and are off at 3:55pm. We traveled at 37,000 feet for 3 hours and 38 minutes. That time was wheels up to wheels down. Traveling first class is how flying should always be. We had an exceptional experience on American Airlines flight 2212. We flew first class from John Wayne Airport, Orange County, California, to O’Hara International Airport, Chicago, Illinois. Here’s a brief synopsis of the experience. – ( Leaving California it is a sunny 72 degrees Fahrenheit and it is 14 degrees Fahrenheit in Chicago. NOOO – SAY IT ISN’T SO. OPEN THOSE DOORS I CHANGED MY MIND. We are in first class. Very comfortable nice seats. Before everyone else boarded we are offered drinks. It is so relaxing drinking a red blend wine and coffee while the rest of the passengers frantically board. First class is definitely nice.
Our Flight attendant is so sweet. The only thing I don’ t like about American Airlines is they serve Titos vodka. I am allergic to Titos, but I like vodka. That’s why the wine. The plane appears full. We are given hot towels to wash our hands. I also washed my phone. The towels are super hot. After our hands and in my case my phone are all clean. Hot mixed nuts arrive in little bowls. First class is definitely nice. I NEVER want to go back to economy. The space we are sitting in for two people would be three in economy. After take off we are served dinner with a cloth table cloth and real silverware. There is a choice of wheat, white, or sour dough rolls. Steve said the wheat and white were excellent. The salad looked wilted. The short rib was excellent. Just a little bit of extra fat.
Our Flight attendant is so sweet while providing exceptional service to 16 people. Not only is she excellent at serving, but she is constantly cleaning the bathroom.) Flight attendant Allison is amazing and deserves a huge credit for everything she did on our flight. What a great American Airlines representative she is. Stellar service from American Airlines.
Now it is time for a Review of the 6 night Cabo overnight and Ensenada Cruise from Los Angeles on Quantum of the seas from January 21, 2026 – January 27, 2026.
Embarkation: This was a back to back. First was breakfast. Then packed up our luggage and headed to the Music Hall on deck 4 at 8:30am. There wasn’t any complimentary beverages or pastries for the back to backers. Meanwhile the stateroom attendant moved our luggage to our new room. Items hanging in closet were moved on hangers. Easy Peasy for us. We quickly got our new room keys, walked off the ship through customs facial recognition and back on the ship. We did our muster station check in and headed to our new room.
Balcony stateroom 10628: Larger than the last two balcony staterooms on this trip. It was wider and longer. Balcony was less private though. Room was clean.
Casino: Excellent clean and not smoke filled. This cruise was one of a handful of cruises you could play a long time with your money.
Bars: We visited the Casino Bar, the NorthStar bar, and the Crown and Harp. Excellent service at all.
Crew: This ship has the best happiest nicest crew. They always are there with a smile.
Stateroom attendant: Pleasant but kept his distance. He kept the room clean and left us alone. Laundry service was great. We were provided a huge bag free because of being Diamond plus. No robes or shampoos/body wash were provided in our room.
Ports: We got off and walked around at both Ensenada, Mexico, and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Both good ports to walk around at. Ensenada is a much nicer comfortable port to walk around in. We had done excursions last week at both ports.
Disembarkation: Easy pick up of luggage and porter was excellent. Uber pickup good.
Dining: Windjammer service and food was excellent for breakfast and lunch. Dining room was good. Rolls were excellent and servers were superb. Sorrentos pizza again was disgusting. I could not even eat it. The Crown Lounge had good coffee and appetizers. Servers were great. The concierge lady was ok. Not the best I have seen.
Before I close out for the day I have to add this shout out again for American Airlines. We traveled first class on American Airlines flight 2212 today. We flew from John Wayne Airport, Orange County, California to OHare International Airport, Chicago, Illinois. Our flight attendant Allison was amazing and deserves a huge credit for everything she did on our flight. What a great American Airlines representative she is. Her smile, her mannerism, and her efficiency should be commended. Exceptional service. She served 16 people with the sweetest smile. She was excellent. Not only was she excellent at serving. She was constantly cleaning the bathroom.
Thought for today.
Here’s a link to today’s Amazon recommendation: https://amzn.to/4atjHcO4Nelko Label Maker Machine with Tape: This handy little label maker will make you go label craaaazzzzzy!
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Year 5, Day 271 “Living the Dream”. Monday, 1/26/2026, Day 21 of 22 day California Zephyr cross country trip, followed by a California coastal drive, and then a 14 night Mexico Cruise – Day 6 of 6 night Cabo overnight and Ensenada Cruise from Los Angeles on Quantum of the seas. Woke up to a beautiful morning in Ensenada, Mexico. We will be docked here from 8:30am to 4:00pm. Ensenada is a coastal city in Mexico and the third-largest on the Baja Peninsula, California. We are 77.67 miles south of San Diego, California and 7 miles south of the California border. This town is situated on the coastline of All Saints Bay (Bahia de Todos Santos). One of the most popular things to se here is La Bufadora. La Bufadora is one of the largest blowholes in the world. This geyser shoots ocean water high into the air from a coastal cave.
Started getting pictures from KY. NJ, and PA about the snow, ice, and cold conditions. So glad we are not cruising out of NJ or NY today.
Looks like we made the correct decision with getting a hotel room for tomorrow night in Lexington. Neighbor texted me and said “roads are bad here, they’re frozen back over and snow covered. I’m not sure about the main roads. It’s going to be colder tonight. There’s no traffic on our road so far.”
Did a little video of the Windjammer buffet breakfast in the morning.
This port has room for two cruise ships to dock.
We headed off the ship and just walked this time. The weather is just perfect. Last week we did an open air bus tour. It is a level .6 mile walk downtown. At a leisurely stroll it takes 10 to 15 minutes .
You can take a shuttle bus for $4.00 round trip to downtown if you don’t want to walk.
When you walk up the side of the little inlet, there is a lot of garbage. It is in the water and mud.
Once you get out of the port area there are many taxis that will give you a tour. There are also horseless carriage rides. They are $30.00.
We visited the Plaza Civica De La Patria. The name translates to “Civic Square of the Motherland,”.
Did a little shopping and then visited the seafood market. The local people are so nice and friendly. My favorite thing to do wherever we travel is to talk to the locals. Love to hear what they think of the world and where they live. It gives you a different prospective to contemplate. Life is not about just you and your little world. We often focus on ourselves and our surroundings. We rarely take or get the opportunity to step away. We automatically assume other people see the world the same way as we do. I am constantly learning through travel that the diversity of perspective is so crucial if we want to gain wisdom. All the seafood has been brought out of the ocean within the last 24 hours in the market. You can pick a fish. Take it to one of the local restaurants right there. They will cook it for you. Many crew members say they get off the ship to enjoy freshly cooked fish..
We walked back to the ship on the waterfront promenade.
There were some really nice benches along the walk where many were sitting and enjoying the day. We also sat and enjoyed the lovely warm weather and views.
Then headed back onto the ship in the afternoon. Great day in Ensenada. I really like Ensenada compared to Cabo San Lucas. Just going for a nice walk and talking to local fisherman and Restaurant owners was the best. Ensenada has a laid-back, welcoming atmosphere and it is very easy-to-navigate.
Cruise Compass: Day 6 of 6 – Ensenada, Mexico 8:30am-4pm
Thought for today.
Here’s a link to today’s Amazon recommendation: https://amzn.to/4atjHcO4Nelko Label Maker Machine with Tape: This handy little label maker will make you go label craaaazzzzzy!
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. #CommissionsEarned
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