Another pie day…Favorite dishes…

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Penguin statues were everywhere in the adorable town of Penguin, Tasmania. For more photos, please click here.

There’s a hard reality I feel I must face when I say goodbye to my sister Susan today. With our plans to leave Nevada on Monday, this will be the last time I see her before we depart. This may be the last time I ever see her. Her health is failing daily.


Tomorrow, we have plans with Richard all day, including the brunch I’ll be making during the Vikings football game; attending the Vegas Golden Knight hockey game at 3:00 pm, followed by dinner on the strip around 7:00 pm.


I certainly hope Tom is feeling better by tomorrow. On top of it all, he pulled a muscle in his back and now he’s even more miserable. He’s taking Tylenol (Paracetamol), cough medicine and again laying low today. 


This morning, awakening at 5:30 am, it dawned on me that I wanted to make my sister’s favorite dessert in the world; our mother’s recipe for cheese pie (not cheesecake which often includes flour which is not the case here).


Oddly, last night Richard mentioned that Cheesecake Factory has a low carb cheese pie and this thought stuck in my mind overnight. I also wanted to make him a low carb cheese pie (my low carb version of my mother’s fabulous pie) that we can all have for dessert tonight.


I bolted out of bed at 6:15 am, showered and dressed for the day and was on my way to Smith’s Market in no time at all. As I write here now, Susan’s pie is out of the oven, cooling so I can add the topping and the low carb pie is baking after I had to first,  pre-bake the almond flour crust.


Waiting for the crust to cool, I made the low carb filling and was able to get the pie into the oven to bake in plenty of time. Now I’m timing the low carb pie until it’s done. After I remove it from the oven, I’ll have to let it also cool enough to add the sweet vanilla-flavored sour cream topping.


This morning I found Madagascar vanilla at Smith’s, some of the finest vanilla extract in the world. It’s unreal how easily I can find the proper ingredients in markets in the US. When we’re outside the US it’s a constant challenge trying to figure out alternatives for some of our favorite recipes. Then again, that is a part of the adaptation we so much enjoy.


Yesterday, I made another of Susan’s favorites, that delicious broccoli salad we all love with almonds and raisins. I will be bringing a good-sized portion for her while leaving plenty for tonight’s dinner. I plan to stop on the way to her assisted living facility and get her a Chipotle burrito, which should go well with the salad for a special dinner for her tonight.


Many people find great comfort in favorite dishes, often bringing up memories from our youth or other periods in our lives. With Susan lying in bed 24/7 with COPD and a variety of other conditions, at this point, she’s less concerned about her diet and instead focusing on getting through each day. These treats mean a lot to her.


This may be the last time I see her. When I saw her on Thursday, I assured her, we will be together again in a feeble attempt to dismiss the prospect of her not living much longer. It breaks my heart.


Isn’t this the case with many of our loved ones, as we age, we’ll lose many along the way? Any love and comfort we can provide our loved ones during the waning years of their lives are never time lost or wasted. All these seven years of world travel, I have stayed in close touch with her and will do so as we continue on.


Speaking of continuing on… Yesterday, we fully booked our two-month gap in India. We’re excited to share the details in tomorrow’s post.


Have a fantastic Saturday!

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Photo from one year ago today, December 7, 2018:

Yesterday, no less than 10 warthogs waded in our cement pond including mom and four piglets.  The animals are feeling the heat as well as us humans. For more photos, please click here.

A fun win with fun photos…Four days and counting…

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Tom won the last game, Bingo Coverall winning $200! Fun! (He looks tired, having had
little sleep while here, mainly due to me coughing all night).

Each day when I sit down on the comfy sofa in the walkout (ground level) lower level of Karen and Rich’s gorgeous home in Eden Praire, I’ve wondered if I would have enough time to get the post completed and uploaded. Today is no different. 

There’s always something to do before the day ends; dinners out and activities with family members or friends, visits to various family members’ homes, and a plan for dinner if we’re alone.

Rich was served a bloody Mary with a BLT (bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich)
at the end of his straw. That is so USA!

Last night’s plans were dashed last minute when Greg and Camille weren’t feeling well. Instead, we stayed in, munching on various snacks we had on hand, still full from yesterday’s big lunch event at Lucky 13 Pub, where we had a great time with Karen and Rich.

They’d suggested we take a break from our busy status to join them in this popular pub where bingo is played for three hours every Saturday from noon to 3:00 pm. We jumped on board and headed out in two cars when we had some shopping to do afterward.

Tom’s Rueben sandwich with jumbo onion rings.

It’s easy to spend upwards of $40 combined with two people playing bingo with two cards (each with three games) during each of the 13 rounds. It couldn’t have been more fun! We never gamble, and for me, this felt like gambling, but I tossed aside my anti-gambling mentality and went with the flow.

Tom was all in, determined to win, but the disappointing thing about bingo, it’s entirely a game of chance with no opportunity for strategy or clever play. What a surprise! Little did we know or anticipate either of us would win, but he won the $200 cash prize in the last match, as shown in the main photo.

Karen’s huge platter of chicken tacos. Complimentary popcorn was served.

After the lunch and bingo playing ended, we each took off in our respective vehicles while we headed to TJ Maxx to purchase a carry-on bag. Our black duffle bag finally died on this last flight. 

When the old duffle bag’s wheels weren’t very functional, and the load was often heavy with its contents consisting of mostly jeans and heavy clothing, it was time to replace it with an easier to use a carry-on bag with sturdy wheels. 

Rich’s burger and fries.

It took us quite a while to find just the right bag, but finally, after carefully inspecting several suitcases, we found a high-quality London Fog bag that fit the bill. With sturdy wheels and a handle, it definitely will be easier to use. 

In the next few days, we’ll be loading up the new bag with the former contents of the duffle bag and begin packing. We’re leaving Minnesota in a mere four days. The time passed quickly, but we’re grateful for the quality time we spent with family and friends.

My fresh and delicious Cobb salad with chicken, bacon, avocado, hard-boiled egg, tomato,
onion, and bleu cheese crumbles.

This morning, we drove to Blaine (45 minutes each way) to see Tom’s sister Patty and say goodbye. We have no idea when we’ll see her again, along with everyone else. It was beautiful to spend time with her.

When we returned to Karen’s and Rich’s after visiting Patty, we dropped Tom off while I did a little local shopping: Target (first time there this trip for a few items); and Lakewind’s Food Coop. 

The rules of play for Lucky 13 Bingo in Bloomington, only available from 12:00 to 3:00 pm on Saturdays at this festive pub and restaurant, plus the dabbers, which were provided at no cost. Each three-game sheet was $1. Overall, we spent about $50 to win the $200.

My friend Chere, a highly experienced nutritionist and motivational speaker, introduced me to Simply Snakin’ seasoned chicken and beef sticks. Made with grass-fed and free-range meats, these low-carb, sugar-free, chemical-free 60 calorie meat sticks are the perfect pick-me-up snack. They may be purchased at Lakewinds in this area or Amazon online at this link.

Back at the house after shopping, I got to work on today’s post but took out 30 minutes to speak to my old friend Lisa on the phone with whom I’ve been friends for over 30 years. It was such a treat getting to hear her voice. 

The brightly lit, typical bar/restaurant was set for the bingo enthusiastic, eat and play.

There are many other friends we’d have loved to see and spoken to, but the time here has just been too short. Also, I believe my pre-occupation with recovering from this dreadful virus and cough has put a damper on many activities, including spending time at my son Greg’s house. I am grossly allergic to cats and couldn’t pay the amount of time at their home that I’d have loved.

Tomorrow, I’ll spend the better part of the day with DIL Camille. There’s a project at the kid’s school in which I plan to participate. Then, some shopping for grandkids’ Christmas gifts. It will be another busy day. Tom will finally have a day to relax and catch up while I am away.

We’ll be back tomorrow, most likely later than usual, since I’ll be leaving early in the morning and won’t be able to work on the post until later in the day.

Have a superb evening!

Photo from one year ago today, November 24, 2018:
Mom was very easy-going and loving with each of her piglets, even when they ate pellets intended for her. For more photos, please click here.

I did it again!…I forgot to take photos…

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Lovely drive into the Kahili Golf Course in Maui from our post on this date in 2014, found here.

The photo-taking situation hasn’t been good while we’ve been in Minnesota. The only way I can explain this is the fact that we’ve been so distracted by the interactions with family and friends, we’ve forgotten to take photos. 

Once we’re on the move again and feel we’re “traveling” again, we’ll surely kick the photo-taking back into gear. During this time in the US, it doesn’t feel as if we’re traveling even if we will be moving to other states over the next 67 days until we leave the US again.

Several times, we’ve been asked when we expect to return to the US. At this point, we have no idea. With my looming cardiology appointment, we’re a bit tentative to book far into the future.

Providing I get a good result from the appointment, we’ll feel more at ease in booking plans for the future. We’ll have to see how it goes this upcoming Wednesday.

Last night was another fabulously entertaining evening. We met with Marie and Bill (friends/readers) for dinner at Redstone Restaurant and had a delightful time catching up. Of course, they didn’t need much catching up from us. 

They’d been reading our posts from the beginning and have been apprised of everything that’s transpired over these past seven years. It was fun hearing how much they knew about us, our travels, and of course, our trials and tribulations. It was great hearing about their lives. They are a lovely couple, and we hope to see them again next time we come to Minnesota.

As we mentioned in yesterday’s post here, by coincidence, Karen and Rich had plans to also meet a couple at the exact Redstone location for dinner. After dinner, Marie and Bill had to head out for an early morning road trip to attend a funeral out of town. Karen had stopped by to welcome us to join their group at their table when we were available.

Well, of course, again, we had a fantastic time, chatting, laughing, and sharing stories as a group of six. Tom and I each ordered another beverage and settled in for a few more hours of good times.

We didn’t get to bed until after 1:00 am. Fortunately, we both slept well, albeit with my less frequent coughing (improving a little each day) awakening at around 8:00.

This morning, we’re going to lunch with Karen and Rich at a pub in Bloomington where guests can play bingo while dining. We’ll be leaving here soon to get cash from an ATM, and off we go to “Lucky 13.” 

They both raved about how fun this establishment is and wanted to share the experience with us. We could hardly turn down another opportunity for a good time.

After we’re done there, about 3:00 PM, we do a little shopping and then meet Greg, Camille, and the three kids at Pinstripes in Edina for dinner and bowling. I made reservations as is often required for any events in busy Minneapolis and its suburbs. We’re meeting at 5:00 pm for dinner, and the bowling begins after dining. 

I doubt I’ll be able to bowl at this point, but it will be fun to watch them all enjoy playfully competing with one another. Most likely, we’ll be back at the house around 10:00 pm and perhaps have an early night tonight.

It’s incredible how well we both are holding out with the constant activity. Neither of us feels exhausted or overwhelmed. We’re simply rolling with the punches and the high level of activity.

We don’t have big plans tomorrow other than to visit Tom’s sister Patty to say goodbye. She won’t be coming to Arizona this winter, and this will be the last time we’ll see her until we leave on Thursday.

It’s hard to believe we are leaving for Nevada in a mere five days.

Please stay in touch for more as we wind down our time in Minnesota.

Have a fabulous weekend wherever you may be.

Photo from one year ago today, November 23, 2018:

We call this pair of wildebeest, Dad & Son.  They aren’t frequent visitors like Wildebeest Willie but always welcome, as are the zebras and warthogs. For more photos, please click here.

Oh, my…what a night we had!…

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Our hosts and dear friends Karen and Rich.

Today’s another busy day as we prepare for our upcoming four-year passport appointment tomorrow at the local government service center at 11:40 am. We had piles of forms and paperwork to prepare and accumulate for the upcoming appointment.

Also, I needed to make copies of all the medical documents from my heart surgery in preparation for my upcoming cardiology appointment next Wednesday, November 27th.

The two of us were at dinner last night.

Subsequently, it made sense to place everything on a flash drive to take to an OfficeMax store for printing. With so many forms, it took me almost an hour to get everything printed at the store resulting in a stack of about 80 pages.

Before heading to the OfficeMax store, at 10:00 am, I visited my dear long-time friend Chere at her home in Eden Prairie, only a few miles from Karen’s home. We chatted in her cozy living room, sipping on organic caffeine-free tea as Chere and I had often done over the years, anxious to take advantage of every moment as time is running out until we leave Minnesota a week from today.

The four of us were ready for dinner at the fabulous Gianni’s Steakhouse in Wayzata, Minnesota.

After leaving her home, I headed to the Office Max store and then stopped to purchase a few “unwiches” (breadless healthy sub sandwiches like we often make in our travels).

Tom has some leftovers from last night’s big dinner at Gianni’s Steakhouse but may need to supplement it with at least a part of an “unwich.” Since I couldn’t have bread or potatoes, I ultimately finished my salad and scallops and thus purchased an “unwich” for tonight’s dinner.

Tom was thrilled to dig into these rolls and garlic toasts.

We’re at a point where we don’t feel like rushing off to a restaurant every night but rather save those meals to enjoy with family and friends. At this point, selecting some healthy “to go” dinner options fit the bill for us. 

A few nights ago, we had Chinese food (I had steamed prawns and vegetables), and then the next night, I had the Chipotle chicken bowl; double grilled chicken, lettuce, tomato salsa, cheese, and guacamole while Tom had Chinese leftovers. The abundance of food offerings here in the US is quite a treat for us.
Our efficient and friendly waiter prepared our choose-your-ingredients-salad tableside. Delicious!

Last night’s dinner at Gianni’s Steakhouse in Wayzata was the pièce de résistance when it comes to dining. We insisted on taking Karen and Rich out to dinner at this fantastic restaurant where, many years ago, Tom and I dined on special occasions.

It was as spectacular as we remembered. Every morsel, every bit of service, the presentation, the options, and the ambiance was over-the-top. We feared the food and service may have declined over the past seven years, but we were delightfully wrong. It was as wonderful as we remembered.
Karen and I each ordered the scallops with pureed butternut in a delicious gluten-free buttery sauce.

Adding to the food and ambiance of the celebratory evening was being with Karen and Rich, with whom we made an even greater bond than we’d expected. I’ve been friends with Karen for many years but only met her love and partner, Rich. 

He and Tom have hit it off famously, and I haven’t fallen far behind. Our evenings together, after family events have ended for the day, have been exceptionally enjoyable, as we’ve mentioned several times over the past few days.
Both Rich and Tom ordered the grilled “double” pork chops with baked garlic and creamed corn.

With one week remaining until we depart for Nevada, we’ll continue to make the most of each day with our family and friends. This has been a great visit, one we’ll always treasure.
These hashbrown potatoes, a signature dish at Gianni’s Steakhouse, are filled with cheese and sour cream.

Next, we’re off to see daughter Tammy say goodbye. Tomorrow, their family leaves for Washington, DC, for a holiday and then spent Thanksgiving with Tracy’s family in Pennsylvania.

Please check back for more as we continue over the next several days. Finally, I am on the mend from this dreadful cough and virus, looking forward to feeling well once again.

Photo from one year ago today, November 21, 2018:

We drove past friends Kathy and Don’s home yesterday, and their front garden was filled with kudus and impalas. Click here for more photos. Take care, dear readers.

Busy days, busy nights…Life in the USA…

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My cioppino (fish stew) at Stella’s Fish House was delicious.

Our days and nights couldn’t be busier consisting of one event after another. Today, my dear daughter-in-law Camille and I shopped at Cub Foods, Target and the dollar store in preparation for making a fabulous rocky road bar recipe (from my baking days, long past).


The goal was to make as many as we could with the ingredients we purchased for an upcoming bake sale event at the three grandchildren’s charter school in Edina which we visited on Monday for a special Veteran’s Day celebration.


Maisie, our granddaughter is on the school council and each of the council members planned to participate in the bake sale.  Maisie was excited Grandma was here to help bake something special for the event occurring on Thursday evening. I was “all-in” of course, never wanting to disappoint our precious grandchildren.


Camille and I shopped this morning and my eyes were like saucers at the abundance of “stuff” on sale in the three stores we visited, particularly Cub Foods, a massive supermarket, containing literally everything a person could dream of buying at a grocery store. I was on information overload.


It had been over two years since we’ve visited the US and as expected, walking into a spacious store of any type makes our heads spin in sheer delight over the vast options, more than we’d ever imagined.


Back at hers and Greg’s homes, we hustled to get the bar’s ingredients mixed together to get them into the oven before Tom planned to pick me up by 5:00 pm.


We told our kids and our thoughtful host not to worry about meals for us. We’d figure them out on our own. Plus, I didn’t feel up to standing in the kitchen cooking big meals for hours since in any case, it’s in my nature to help out.


But, busy all of these hours made me realize I still wasn’t quite “up to snuff” and didn’t possess the stamina and strength to perform lots of tasks to help anyone out with their day-to-day lives.


This was the first time in nine months I’ve had busy full days and I could easily feel the strain on my still recovering body. I’d overestimated what I was capable of doing and in my typical style I jumped in with both feet pushing myself as hard as I can with some consequence.


Going forward, I will take it a little easier, reducing what I expect of myself to a more manageable level. No one in our family is expecting me to push myself. It’s all on me.


Tomorrow will be a little more low key. Tom and I will hang around at Karen’s home during the day while we work on our visas, two-year passports, and logging receipts. In the afternoon, we’ll head back to Camille and Greg’s home so I can cut up the bars and arrange them in the pretty containers we purchased to use to sell the bars at the bake sale. 

Afterward, we’ll take the three kids out to dinner at their favorite local restaurant, Bunny’s, returning them home after dinner.

My sister Julie has flown back to Los Angeles. It was wonderful to see her and in the next month, I’ll see my other sister Susan in Las Vegas, Nevada along with son Richard in Henderson. Busy times. Good times. Memorable times.


Back at you soon!

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Photo from one year ago today, November 12, 2018:
The convoluted photo is difficult to decipher at first.  Note the one kudu attempting to eat the seeds in the birdfeeder which she eventually accomplished. For more photos, please click here.

Fun times dining with family…Cold, cold, cold…Veteran’s Day event…

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Out to dinner at Stella’s Fish House, charming granddaughter Maisie sat next to me.
Introspective grandson Miles wasn’t interested in fish and had a burger instead.
Always-smiling Madighan loved being with her family and eating seafood along with a taste of Grandpa’s barbeque ribs (who, like Miles, didn’t eat fish). 

We knew it would be cold in Minnesota, even as early as November, but we had no idea it would be as cold as today. As of this moment, close to 2:00 pm, the temperature is 15F, -9.44C. That’s cold. 

Considering today’s windchill is bitter cold -1F, -18C, walking outside is downright uncomfortable. For the locals, this is normal. We remember living here seven years ago.

This bitter cold weather takes our breath away with a cold grasp that sucks our lungs dry. Yesterday, a light covering of snow fell, which melted a short time later. Upcoming on Wednesday, the snowfall could be substantial enough to cause congestion and accidents on the roads. I’ve yet to drive a car.

I wasn’t a good driver in the best of conditions, and I doubt I’d be any good in this slippery weather. We’re doing everything we can to avoid the necessity of me driving either the rental car or the SUV offered by Greg and Camille (son and DIL). 

We’ll see how that goes since it seems we’re always on the move and often finding we need to split up on several occasions to spend time with our respective families. That’s how it goes with “blended families.” Very few situations allow for the two separate families to get together.

Our grandchildren are delightful and the parents happy to see us at long last. We feel bad about being away for so long, but my health issues of this past year kept us away for an additional seven months, over and above the time we’d initially planned to be here.

The price we paid for the unavoidable delay has been cold weather which will only worsen during our remaining time here, depending upon when we decide to leave Minnesota to head to Nevada to see son Richard in Henderson and sister Susan in North Las Vegas.

How’s it going here? Very well. Thus far, we’ve been swamped, more than we ever have while traveling since my surgery in February. It’s beautiful to spend time with the family, and I look forward to plans together over the next few weeks.

I’m working hard to keep up with everyone and all the planned events. Previously, we had many more hours a day to lounge and lay low.  Now, it’s a relatively consistent activity level, and I’m striving to stay in tune with everyone else.

At night, after a long day and evening, we wind up back at Karen’s gorgeous home to relax and spend more time catching up. Over these years, Karen and I have stayed in fairly close touch, and now our conversations are similar to those wonderful chats we had together, day after day, for many years. 

Tom and Karen’s significant other, Rich, get along well. They watched the winning Minnesota Vikings game late last night while I wandered off to bed for much-needed rest. It’s all going quite well.

This morning at Maisie, Miles and Madigan’s charter school, Agamim Academy, a school devoted to educating eager students about US history, the Constitution, and the American way, we attended a beautiful presentation for Veteran’s Day commemorating many veterans in attendance and recognition of service provided by our armed forces.

It couldn’t have been a more inspiring presentation. Seeing the smiling faces of our three grandchildren and all the other almost 400 students, so proud of their school and country, was inspiring in itself.

At the moment, we’re back at Karen’s, working on today’s post and reviewing the prep necessary to apply for our visas for India, which we’ll need in a little over 60 days. 

That is quite an undertaking, as we heard it would be. We’ll be using the services of a visa company to assist. Also, we’re applying for other passports…for two years. Our current tickets don’t expire until 2021. We’ll explain more about this later.

Tonight, Tom has plans with grandson Vincent and daughter Tammy while I am going back to Greg and Camille’s home to spend the evening with sister Julie (she leaves tomorrow to return to LA), Camille, and the kids while Greg is out on business.

We are happy to be here with family and muster our way through the bitter cold weather and the busy family activities.

Happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, November 11, 2018:
“Little” came back for more pellets on the veranda. He feels quite at home here. Who knew pigs climb stairs? For more details, please click here.

Part 2…Murano, another fine dining option aboard the ship…Our anniversary cake…No boredom here…

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The anniversary cake was hosted by the restaurant. Tom didn’t eat any of it. We handed it over to the neighbors from Minnesota in the next cabin for them to enjoy.

The cruise is rapidly coming to an end with only four days until we disembark in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, from which we’ll immediately fly to Minnesota on the only flight that worked time-wise for us, requiring a lengthy layover in Detroit. We don’t mind since it’s a relatively short travel time compared to most international flights.

For the next few days, we’ll revel in the relaxation and delightful encounters and interactions with other passengers and, of course, with one another. It’s funny how people often assume we cruise all the time when they first hear we are world travelers.  

The lobster was fabulous!

Neither of us would ever be interested in cruising all the time. Firstly, it would be too expensive for our budget unless we selected “inside” cabins which don’t appeal to us.  

Secondly, we’d eventually become bored with cruising if it were to be our permanent status. The novelty of cruising an average of three times a year is ideal for us. We use cruising as a means of transportation whenever possible, significantly reducing travel day stresses.

Besides, who wants to socialize every day? The ability to interact with others at our option is ultimately an ideal scenario. Doing so every daily could become trite and boring.

Tom’s plate with chateaubriand, potatoes, and vegetables.

Neither of us ever feels bored with our lifestyle.  We’ve shaped it in a manner to avoid becoming bored and lackluster. This is one of the innate requirements of ensuring long-term travel has purpose and meaning.

With considerable forethought and planning as we research each new location, we allow ourselves quiet time to relax, reflect and recharge. Even during these less-than-exciting times, we seldom, if ever, feel bored.

If a moment of “what-do-I-do-now?” overcomes us, we both easily switch gears to tackle a new project, conduct more interesting travel options or engage in research on our favorite topics.

Tom’s dessert of chocolate bites, coconut macaroons, and sugared ginger.

In the worst case, we can always stream a movie or favorite show to watch on our laptops. Our lives are no different from anyone else who may or may not be traveling in these respects. 

Sure, in most cases, others have the option to make a phone call to meet up with family and friends for social activities, lengthy phone chats, or planned activities. This is rarely the case for us when everyone is so far away. But we have each other and find tremendous fulfillment in our time together.

Soon, we’ll be in the US and spending some time apart with our respective families during an undetermined time in Minnesota. We have no doubt we’ll figure it all out with ease. 

In any case, regardless of how much time we spend in the US, on January 30th, we’re flying to Mumbai for the next leg of our journey when the adventure continues.

Happy Monday to all!

Photo from one year ago today, November 4, 2018:
Finally, the lions reached the kill, perhaps left behind by another lion. For more photos, please click here.

Part 1…Murano, another fine dining option aboard the ship…

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Tom seated at the table in Murano specialty restaurant. Tom took a photo of me, but it was too blurry to post here.

Celebrating our seventh anniversary of traveling the world in Murano Restaurant aboard Celebrity Silhouette was ideal for observing the special occasion.

A tower of unsalted butter and crusty rolls, which Tom tackled with enthusiasm.

The fact that Celebrity had “comped” the meal due to the flood in our cabin in the middle of the night made the event all the more enjoyable, knowing we didn’t have to add another $150 (including gratuity) to our bill.

My ice cold seviche.

We’ve easily used our $400 cabin credit for other items, including dinner in Qsine and a lovely sterling silver necklace I purchased that hides the scar from my open-heart surgery. I also included a high-quality pair of matching earrings.

Murano has a pleasing atmosphere.

The jewelry was pricey at $345, but I rarely purchase anything expensive for myself. I justified this purchase for these particular reasons. It felt wonderful wearing this fine piece of jewelry on the two formal nights when I wore dresses with a little bit of a low neckline.  

This small tower of seafood was not only pleasing to the eye but delicious. I asked them to return this one and bring me another without the wheat cracker at the bottom.

Most likely, there will be one more formal night to go.

This jewelry will serve me well in the future for dress-up nights on other cruises and other social events. I can’t begin to say how much more at ease I am wearing the necklace.

Tom’s lobster bisque.

Yesterday, we spent the day in Boston, but we, along with many other passengers, stayed aboard the ship again. It was cold and windy, and we didn’t have the appropriate clothing for such weather.

Scallops in a puff pastry roll.

We’ll have to figure something out for clothing for our arrival in Minnesota in five days as the cold winter weather rolls in, not unusual for November. No doubt, it will snow while we’re there.

This was fish in another pastry for Tom.

We continue to have a perfect time on this ship. We’ve probably made more friends on this ship than any other in the past, literally handing out dozens of business cards with our web address. 

This was my cold spinach salad, dressed in a tasty vinaigrette and topped with a chilled poached egg. Its appearance was odd, but the flavor was superb.

As it turns out, many people have approached us, saying they “already know us” from our over seven years of posts. We certainly realize our lifestyle is unique from that of many other frequent world travelers. 

The platter of accompaniments was prepared for the chateaubriand served tableside.

We haven’t met anyone on this ship that has a situation similar to ours. Yes, many people travel, but all have homes, apartments, belongings, and a place they call “home.”

The flambe of the chateaubriand.

Many express shock over how we ever managed to leave everything behind to embark on such an adventure. Overall, most struggle with the concept of ridding themselves of their treasured belongings. 

Many have moved to other states/countries to their desired locales with good weather and, like us, don’t see their family and friends as often as they’d like. But, they, too, feel a powerful sense of freedom and commitment to carry on their lives, experiencing as much of the world as possible.

Slicing the delicious, well seasoned, and prepared chateaubriand.

It’s been purely delightful sharing stories with other travelers, further confirming that we are not alone in our desire for wanderlust and a somewhat nomadic lifestyle.

Today, a sea day, we spent most of the day in the Cafe al Bacio enjoying our unlimited drink package, including specialty coffee, tea, and other beverages. I don’t drink alcoholic beverages during the day, but Tom has partaken of a few Pina Coladas and other exciting coffee drinks.

We shared the chateaubriand for two but also ordered the lobster as the main course.

Soon, we’re off again for yet another evening of entertaining conversation, good food, and adult beverages. I’ve been sticking with my daily limit of two small glasses of fine cabernet sauvignon, which is included in the unlimited drink package.  

With each of the two glasses of wine, I always order a green glass bottle of Pelligrino (sparkling mineral water), making it possible for me to easily “stretch” the wine throughout the evening.

We’ll be back tomorrow with more food photos and updates. 

May your Sunday evening be entertaining as well.

Photo from one year ago today, November 3, 2018:

Mom and offspring cuddling during a nap in our garden. Note the oxpecker on mom’s head. For more photos, please click here.

Part 2…Two spectacular videos of a most exciting 3D dining experience…A flood in our cabin….

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Please watch this second video of our extraordinary experience in Qsine Restaurant.

Note: Please excuse the less-than-perfect photos all taken in the darkened dining room.  For more clarity, please watch today and tomorrow’s videos.

It’s Monday afternoon. We’re seated in Cafe al Bacio with another couple, the third couple of the day that has joined us at our table while I’ve attempted to post today’s story when I’m not distracted by the delightful conversation.

A digital preview of Tom’s dessert.

Since the onset of this cruise, we’ve had an excellent experience, which included a few nights where we’ve stayed up until 1:00 am or later. Subsequently, last night it caught up with me and I desperately needed an early night and by midnight we were sleeping.

There have been three changes since the onset of the cruise, all of which resulted in turning back the clock that “seemed” to help with an extra hour of sleep each night.  

Tom’s dessert.

On the dress-up night, Saturday, when we returned to our cabin at 1:00 am, a pipe broke in the toilet in the cabin, and water literally filled up the bathroom floor in a minute or two.

Between courses…

We immediately called guest relations to report it, pleading with them to hurry.  There was no way for us to turn off the water. In the 10 minutes it took for the plumber and cleaner to arrive at our cabin, the water escaped the bathroom and soaked the carpeting outside the door.

By the time the plumbing was repaired and the carpeting cleaned, it was 2:30 am.  After all the excitement, I couldn’t fall asleep. My fitness watched showed I’d slept two hours by morning, and I felt exhausted and beside myself.
Colorful displays…

Yesterday, I had a lazy and exhausting day. Mid-afternoon tried napping with no luck. Last night, I hadn’t fallen asleep until midnight but managed a total of six hours of sleep, feeling a lot better today.

Guest relations contacted us, apologetic for the inconvenience, and offered a complimentary dinner in a specialty restaurant. We’d already booked Halloween night, October 31st, the day of our seventh travel anniversary, for dinner in Murano Restaurant.  

It couldn’t have been a more delightful presentation.

This worked out perfectly for us…they pay for our anniversary dinner, priced at US $55 per person. I suppose in the realm of things. It didn’t turn out so badly after all. We’ll undoubtedly enjoy our comped dinner at this fine restaurant.

The tabletop is a plain white blank canvas, making such colorful presentations possible.

Tonight, we’ll dine in the main dining room, most likely seated with a new group of people, enjoying the fun chatter, among which seems to center around travel-related experiences.

Later in the evening, there’s a Queen (rock group) sing-along in the Sky Lounge, which we look forward to attending. We may dance a little as we had a few nights ago, good exercise for both of us.

We loved the polka dot display!

In a few days, we’ll arrive in New York. We’ve yet to decide what we’ll do in the Big Apple, but whatever it is, we’ll be sharing it with all of you here.

May your Monday be filled with insight and purpose. Happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, October 28, 2018:

A young male kudu learns the ways of being so cute its impossible to resist giving him pellets.
For more photos, please click here.

Part 1…Two spectacular videos of a most exciting 3D dining experience…

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The 3D mapping presentation with Le Petit Chef far exceeded our expectations. Our photos are blurry, but the videos are more precise.

Note: Please excuse the less-than-perfect photos all taken in the darkened dining room.  For more clarity, please watch today and tomorrow’s videos.

If you tend to avoid watching our videos, as we do from time to time on other sites, please watch each of the two videos on today’s and tomorrow’s post. You won’t be disappointed. No words we can write here can adequately explain last night’s unique and entertaining dining experience.
When we first got situated at the table, the only special lighting we noticed was this white line around our perfectly placed plates.

As described online and on each of the two YouTube videos, Friday night’s dining experience was genuinely over-the-top, unlike anything we’d experienced in the past. It’s not easy to explain but here goes:

“Le Petit Chef is a two-hour dining show that tells the story of how the world’s smallest chef followed the route of Marco Polo. The 3D mapping concept has been live since 2015, which uses animated optical illusion techniques to project a little chef cooking on your plate.”  

Moments later, the letter Q appeared on our plates to represent the specialty restaurant, Qsine.

What a fantastic experience we had aboard the Celebrity Silhouette in Qsine Restaurant at a shared table, including other diners and members of Cruise Critic, each of us experiencing this unusual show for the first time.  

More advertising for the ship.

The conversation at the table was lively, and responses to the animated show were enthusiastic and enthralled over the unique dining experience. The light show, coupled with the exceptional food and service, was as good as it could have been for a memorable experience.

The company that created this exciting and entertaining concept.

Adaptations were made for my way of eating, and I never felt cheated over anything I missed…except perhaps the delicious dessert I eyeballed on Tom’s plate, as shown in the photo below.  

The digital Le Petit Chef appeared on our plates, dragging a digital lobster onto the plate in preparation for serving the bouillabaisse.

Instead, our fantastic waiter Alton (who remembered us from a cruise in the same-named specialty restaurant on another Celebrity ship in 2017) brought me a special dessert of a small bowl of fresh berries and a little unsweetened whipped cream, exactly what I needed to “hit the spot.”

Before dinner, we had a delightful happy hour on deck 14 in the Sky Lounge, again meeting new people to become delightfully engaged in enriching conversations.

The delicious bouillabaisse was served in “real-time.”

After the fabulous dinner ended, we headed to the  Entertainment Court, next to the Quasar Nightclub where the silent disco was in full force with all the participants dancing in a quiet room with the lighted headsets on their heads, listening and dancing to three options of types of music such as rock, disco or current pop.

Le Petit Chef illustrates an upcoming steak to be served in “real-time.”

I hadn’t danced since the heart surgery, and at first, I was hesitant. It’s so easy to get wildly winded while dancing to fast tempo music, but I gave it a try, and did we ever have fun!  

Tom’s plate with filet mignon, fingerling potatoes, crispy onions, and broccoli.

I must admit I checked my fitness watch to see how my pulse was doing a few times, but all seemed fine at a maximum of 130, shortly returning to the 60s when stopping. After this traumatic heart experience, it’s hard not to be a little paranoid when getting one’s pulse up through vigorous exercise.

My filet mignon was cooked to perfection…rare.

By midnight we were back in our cabin with both of us so energized we didn’t fall asleep until after 1:00 am, even with the second of two-time changes. There will be several more time changes as we get closer and closer to the US.

A video representation of Tom’s upcoming dessert.

Tonight is “dress-up night,” and we’ve gotten the wrinkles out of our clothes after hanging them in the steamy bathroom. Ships don’t provide irons due to fire hazards. We won’t be the only passengers with wrinkled clothing and, of course, with this older (like us) crowd, wrinkled faces. Who cares? We’re having fun!

What a novel concept!

Have a superb Sunday!

Photo from one year ago today, October 27, 2018:

The Matsamo tribe in Swaziland performs for tourists providing the village with income.  The cost for the performance and tour is ZAR 200 (US $13.70) per person. For more photos, please click here.