RayColey

Forever Young!!

He's a she (one photo holding a drink with an umbrella - a dead giveaway!)
 

I will ask about Crazie.  I have his brother here, and these bears talk to each other...

I got the Cliff Notes version, and my eyes glazed over from just reading that.

Hi Jan!
No, we don’t have crazies cards - I used my entertainer cards, to a small selection of really nice cruise couples.  We’ve had two people who had issues with the altitude, but Yuki and I have been ok.  Gotta run now, headed off to the Jokang Temple!,

Hello, Crazies!
   There are just 47 days left to get ready for our China cruise.  I thought we were ready two weeks ago, but Yuki keeps on finding things that she wants to arrange.  I say, go for the cheese, gal!  
   The studio has 17 students now and that, coupled with the ten regular gigs I play plus choir and church council, has me running pretty much all the time.
   Andi, the cruise (on, as Jan so aptly put it, the Anthem of The River) now looms large on the horizon.  I didn't mean to jump on upcoming cruising plans for 2020 - I'm still fine with doing the Adriatic in 2021 (more time to save up for it!)  I think the Viking river boats are taking an ancient viking stance toward the competition, and figuring to ram any boat on the river with the wrong marque.  I'm not too worried about the problem on the ocean cruiser, since we have done so many RC cruises, and their record is not stellar, either.  In any event, nobody can possibly catch up to Carnival when it comes to cruising mishaps...
   Shari, my church is still praying for your total recovery (and that you'll follow doctor's orders!!!)  You have a small army out here cheering for you.
   Jan, if I wanted to eliminate all worries about incidents at sea, I woldn't cruise at all.  All lines experience problems (although it seems like the low-cost lines experience more - then again, they have more ships!)  Anyway, I'm not likely to curtail my cruising because my favorite line has a .01% rate of at-sea incidents!!  I've put away the sneau blower, which is not just wishful thinking.  I do believe we've seen the last of the below-thirty degree days here on the Shore.  How's it looking up there in New Inkland?
   Miranda, it's nice to know that you're totally back in place, keeping the Continent from falling apart (the Brits, well, that's another question.)
   Jackie, it looks like clear weather in the east, at least until mid-summer.  Here, we get about six days of spring.  How does it fit together in the Sunshine State?
   I have a few chores to do before the onslaught of students starting at 4:00, so I'd better get to it...   
   Have A Great Day, Crazies!
 

There is no message that I would rather see on the Dock than a few words from Shari!  It's wonderful to see you back with us, Sweetie!  God really does answer prayer.

Sunday, 13 January, 2019
Good Morning, Crazies!
   HYuki and I are both battling bronchitis now.   We're both into prednisone and I'm additionally on ampicillin.  It's beginning to look like we're coming out from under it, but progress is slow.  Unfortunately, we did not escape the sneaustorm, so I'm afraid that I have to go out and clean the driveway - hopefully, all the meds will help me through that ordeal.
   On another topic, I called Shari yesterday and got the answering machine, but Marc called me back in the evening.  Sadly, Shari has suffered a massive stroke that has left her without use of her right side, and unable to talk.  The stroke required brain surgery to relieve a one-inch diameter clot, and she has been in the hospital recovering from the procedure.  Her condition has improved to the point that she has been moved to a rehab wing of the hospital.  Shari and Marc are strong in faith, and have put their trust in God and in the medical professionals, and Marc has requested that each one of us turn to God with our prayers for Shari.  I have added their names to the prayer list at my church, and I hope that each one of us, whatever our faith happens to be, seeks the help of God for our friend Shari, and for Marc in this trying time.
   Have A Blessed Day, Crazies.

Jan,  there are no ports missed, just a substitution of transport mode; an extra night in Budapest (a bonus!) and motoring to Belgrade instead of a nighttime transit by boat.  We'll be able to cruise the Iron Gates and the lower Danube, too.  The port in Romania is a bit further from Bucharest, but we get to see more of the Romanian countryside at the peak time for autumn colors!  And the 25% Viking is giving us will actually allow us to get a suite on the Adriatic cruise instead of a balcony.  I don't see any real minuses here...
   Well, we're off to the airport in five hours...  I'll be checking in while we're away.
TTFN

Jan,  there are no ports missed, just a substitution of transport mode; an extra night in Budapest (a bonus!) and motoring to Belgrade instead of a nighttime transit by boat.  We'll be able to cruise the Iron Gates and the lower Danube, too.  The port in Romania is a bit further from Bucharest, but we get to see more of the Romanian countryside at the peak time for autumn colors!  And the 25% Viking is giving us will actually allow us to get a suite on the Adriatic cruise instead of a balcony.  I don't see any real minuses here...
   Well, we're off to the airport in five hours...  I'll be checking in while we're away.
TTFN

Thursday, 11 October 2018
Good Morning, Crazies!
   A  frenetic couple of weeks, both past and upcoming - I had two root canals on the same tooth, and went through an entire bottle of painkillers, at the same time doubling up on lessons and gigs in order to make up for the things I won't be able to do when we're away.  It's twelve days to go now, and we'll be off to Hungary, then onward to Bulimia.  So far, I haven't had any time available to get organized and start packing; I only take one suitcase, a Kelty expandable and back-packable job which can go anywhere from St. Tropez to Kathmandu (love that bag!) Other than that one piece of luggage, I only take a small under-the-seat bag which contains my snacks (including  miniatures, so I don't have to buy drinks - how cheap is that?) 
   Jackie, I'm happy to hear that you didn't get the full blast of the hurricane... I feel so sorry for those poor people up in the Panhandle who did, and the poor folks in the Carolinas, as if they didn't have enough rain already... and it looks like we're going to get them on a much more regular basis, too!
   Shari, you may not know it, but the Hawaiian Wedding Song was originally a song of the last queen of the Kingdom of Hawaii, Queen Luliuokalani.  I play that song frequently when I go out performing.
   Jan, I have to wish you a belated bon voyage (but I'm sure that you'll be lurking...)  David and I have to get together some time to chat about musics (intentional plural.)  I'm doing a lecture series on the history of jazz for Chesapeake College now...
   Andi, I obviously have no mojo left.  I hope you guys can keep the rivers down in their courses.  I don't know if anybody else has noticed it, but a decade ago, we could count on a bad hurricane once every three or four years; now, we're getting two or three every year.  Oh, well.  Climate change is just a hoax...
   Miranda, even if we can't catch up with you when we're in Europe, we'll be thinking of you when we're in Brasov, visiting Dracula's castle and having glasses of blood wine.
   And now, Yuki is pulling me toward Annapolis...
Have A Great Day, Crazies!
 

@ExpatCruise and All,
Regardless of political views, this IS NOT the place for politics.  Let me repeat that - We are not here for politics .. but cruising.  That is it.  Anyone who has a concern on this policy (see sections 1, 8, 12, 14 in our Guidelines, link is below) can contact me directly.
https://www.cruisecrazies.com/cruisecrazies-community-guidelines/
Consider this the first and FINAL warning regarding politically divisive content (such as what was posted above which will be dealt with).

Todd, I will not argue with you on any of your points, I will simply drop it.

Todd, I will not argue with you on any of your points, I will simply drop it.

Todd, I will not argue with you on any of your points, I will simply drop it.

Andi, I do believe that I said that Viking has no dance venues or casino...  The elite meet at the spa! ?

Jackie, I will definitely keep Yvonne in my prayers, and with your permission I will pass her along to our church prayer group and our congregational prayer list as well.

Wednesday, May 9 2018
Good Morning, Crazies!
   I have an extension on the book to June 30, WHICH I SORELY NEED!  I had put so many bandaids on that manuscript that it looked like a refugee from a war zone.  I started a major rewrite about three weeks ago, and the story has begun to get back in shape.  Characters have been rehabilitated!  I'm pretty confident that I'll make the deadline.
   Also, the academic year is drawing to a close and all my students are getting pieces ready for the end-of-year recital.  They did very well in the All-Shore Auditions, with four of them placing at the top level.  For those who were following, my concert went pretty well, and I have had many people asking when I will do a reprise. For now, though, I have my sights on the club scene in Annapolis...
   Jan, glad you had a nice run to Ft Lauderdale.  I intend to get to South Florida on one of these trips, because of the twin dangers of overdevelopment and rising sea levels endangering the Everglades.  I wanna do the airboat run! (I also want to do a kayak trip from Ft Pierce and sleep in the Glades, on one of those platforms built for the purpose - you know, the ones that the 'gators occasionally hop up onto...)  We're finally getting psyched over the upcoming river cruise, so there's a lot of planning going on here concerning what city in which to catch an opera, what out-of-the-way places can we scoot off to and still get back to the boat in time.
   Shari, nice to hear that you have sunshine.  The trick this spring and summer is to keep yourself from overdoing it... I am hoping to get up there sometime during the summer, if Kevin is going to be free enough to spend time with us...
   Andi, for a while I was worried that the Nats would be left in the dust, but they seem to be back on the trail of another division title.  Also, amazingly, the Caps have finally beaten the Penguins to move on in the playoffs (I don't expect them to last much longer, though.)  BTW, we have no "dreaded clothes switch" here.  If we did, it would be every two hours or so.  Just last week, it was in the low 40s, then it went to the high 80s, now it's in the 70s - I keep the space heater right beside the portable A/C unit...
   Kelly, I agree that the 4-day cruises are all pretty fun, because you won't run out of things to do on the ship.  I can't say that I'm wild about Carnival, though.  Our experience with that line convinced us to go with any line BUT that one (deficient in safety procedures, too inefficient in the dining areas, too frenetic in the pool parties and the staff was too overworked to adequately take care of the passenger needs - other than those things, it was OK!)  If you are in the midwest, you may be captive to Galveston, but I would suggest looking at one of the slightly higher-priced lines, because generally you get what you pay for.
   Miranda, are you going to hop down to Budapest to par-tay with us this October?
   Appointment coming up in Eastonbul, so I gotta get ready.
Have A Great Day, Crazies!
 

Wednesday, May 9 2018
Good Morning, Crazies!
   I have an extension on the book to June 30, WHICH I SORELY NEED!  I had put so many bandaids on that manuscript that it looked like a refugee from a war zone.  I started a major rewrite about three weeks ago, and the story has begun to get back in shape.  Characters have been rehabilitated!  I'm pretty confident that I'll make the deadline.
   Also, the academic year is drawing to a close and all my students are getting pieces ready for the end-of-year recital.  They did very well in the All-Shore Auditions, with four of them placing at the top level.  For those who were following, my concert went pretty well, and I have had many people asking when I will do a reprise. For now, though, I have my sights on the club scene in Annapolis...
   Jan, glad you had a nice run to Ft Lauderdale.  I intend to get to South Florida on one of these trips, because of the twin dangers of overdevelopment and rising sea levels endangering the Everglades.  I wanna do the airboat run! (I also want to do a kayak trip from Ft Pierce and sleep in the Glades, on one of those platforms built for the purpose - you know, the ones that the 'gators occasionally hop up onto...)  We're finally getting psyched over the upcoming river cruise, so there's a lot of planning going on here concerning what city in which to catch an opera, what out-of-the-way places can we scoot off to and still get back to the boat in time.
   Shari, nice to hear that you have sunshine.  The trick this spring and summer is to keep yourself from overdoing it... I am hoping to get up there sometime during the summer, if Kevin is going to be free enough to spend time with us...
   Andi, for a while I was worried that the Nats would be left in the dust, but they seem to be back on the trail of another division title.  Also, amazingly, the Caps have finally beaten the Penguins to move on in the playoffs (I don't expect them to last much longer, though.)  BTW, we have no "dreaded clothes switch" here.  If we did, it would be every two hours or so.  Just last week, it was in the low 40s, then it went to the high 80s, now it's in the 70s - I keep the space heater right beside the portable A/C unit...
   Kelly, I agree that the 4-day cruises are all pretty fun, because you won't run out of things to do on the ship.  I can't say that I'm wild about Carnival, though.  Our experience with that line convinced us to go with any line BUT that one (deficient in safety procedures, too inefficient in the dining areas, too frenetic in the pool parties and the staff was too overworked to adequately take care of the passenger needs - other than those things, it was OK!)  If you are in the midwest, you may be captive to Galveston, but I would suggest looking at one of the slightly higher-priced lines, because generally you get what you pay for.
   Miranda, are you going to hop down to Budapest to par-tay with us this October?
   Appointment coming up in Eastonbul, so I gotta get ready.
Have A Great Day, Crazies!
 

Falina, sorry I missed you in my previous post.
   I'm glad that you're looking for good weather for Mum's Day.  Here (unfortunately) I will be working - my line of work requires that I spend all the holidays toiling over a hot piano!  Wow! Twenty-one years teaching the kiddies is a long time. For me, I'm ready to take a break after twnety-one minutes!
   Have a great day!

Hello, My Friends,
   I have been off the Dock for over a month, trying to get caught up on so many things that I have (but probably should not have) gotten myself involved with.  I am in the process of climbing out of the hole, and I'll fill you all in on the details, but right now I want to turn my attention to the passing of MaryLou.
   Unlike most who remain here on the Dock, I did have the pleasure of meeting MaryLou and Jim, went out to dinner with them and shared a number of stories of ports and ships.  MaryLou was, despite her medical issues, quite a vibrant person, and certainly a leader by example.  I am sure that she is now cruising the universe in the company of angels and saints.
   Requiem eterna, MaryLou
 

Hello, My Friends,
   I have been off the Dock for over a month, trying to get caught up on so many things that I have (but probably should not have) gotten myself involved with.  I am in the process of climbing out of the hole, and I'll fill you all in on the details, but right now I want to turn my attention to the passing of MaryLou.
   Unlike most who remain here on the Dock, I did have the pleasure of meeting MaryLou and Jim, went out to dinner with them and shared a number of stories of ports and ships.  MaryLou was, despite her medical issues, quite a vibrant person, and certainly a leader by example.  I am sure that she is now cruising the universe in the company of angels and saints.
   Requiem eterna, MaryLou
 

Andi and Miranda, I can't believe that you went to all the trouble of planning a group cruise and didn't coordinate excursions... tsk, tsk!
 

Sadly, I just had to bury my little kitty Addie in the snow outside, by the back fence...

Sadly, I just had to bury my little kitty Addie in the snow outside, by the back fence...