My father, who turned 90 earlier in the year, now lives with us. After we got a tenant for his house, I pointed out he would have extra money each month and asked what he wanted to do with it. His response was visit Alaska and Hawaii because they’re two states he hasn’t been too yet. And he thought we should start with Alaska since he “wants to see the glaciers before they’re gone.”
Don’t know about you but the idea of taking a mobility-challenged nonagenarian into the wilderness struck me as foolish so we started considering cruises. A cruise has never appealed to me but I have said that if I did one, it would be to Alaska. Once I discovered that a couple of ships make the roundtrip from SF, the die was cast. We made our reservations last summer and set sail yesterday.
So far, the experience has exceeded our expectations. We’ll see how I feel in 10 days but at this point, I can’t help wondering what took me so long.
Traveling with mobility limitations has its perks. We got to skip the massive line outside the terminal so found ourselves in the dining room less than half an hour after the car dropped us at curbside.
I’m admittedly biased by the city does look fabulous.
Still not sure how we were lucky enough to have chocolate-dipped strawberries waiting in our room. Anyone who knows my dad knows he has an insatiable sweet tooth. Foolish of me to step back into the room after taking the shot. When I came back 5 minutes laters, all had mysteriously disappeared.
Play spot our first SF apartment building.
Mandatory shot moments after sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge.
Approaching the Farallons.
Of course, I’d heard about cruise food. But had my doubts. When they have to feed thousands could the quality rise above a wedding banquet? Preliminary answer is yes. I loved the salmon in a lemon-dill sauce at lunch while an innovative curry roasted cabbage wedge with chickpeas and tomatoes for dinner ranks among the best vegetarian/vegan dishes I’ve ever had. Would fit right in on the menu at Greens in SF or Cookies Cream in Berlin.
January 24, 2026 at 10:52 pm | 1 Comment »
I don’t know how anyone can look at the death and destruction Trump’s white supremacist troops are causing without concluding the current administration is at war with its citizenry. The first go round, his ineptitude killed over 1 million Americans. Now the body count is rising for his second fling. When do we say enough and throw his ass out? Abolish ICE. Prosecute the leaders.
Our peaceful morning got interrupted by an unfamiliar alarm and urgent voice to drop and cover. I was puttering at the kitchen island so took a moment to register the racket was coming from my phone that had been left on my living room armchair.
Really MyShake? Why sound the alarm for an event 214 miles away? If it had been an actual threat, the couple of minutes to took me to find my phone then multiple taps to see the alert would have been too late.
And the next time I hear that rude noise, maybe I’m not going to take it as seriously. Boy who cried will and all.
With Thanksgiving a week away, I guess we can declare the holidays officially upon us. Brought home the first panettone of the season yesterday. I know some people see them as too fruitcake adjacent to enjoy. I don’t care. Can’t resist the orange peel-raisin-custard notes whether toasted with a bit of butter or as a base for French toast.
And any fellow denizens of the Apple who wandered by no doubt spotted the Greek diner to-go coffee cup. No, I’m still very much in NorCal. Found ceramic versions recently that faithfully recreate the classic even down to the side seam. Had to have them. Once a New Yorker always a New Yorker, right?
Propublica documented more than 170 cases where ICE have illegally held U.S. citizens against their will. DHS officials are unapologetic over their illegal behavior. The tactic of intimidating and terrorizing the population is copied directly from the Nazi playbook.
I’m not afraid though. Just pissed. And determined to help make sure history judges Trump, Vance, Hegseth, Noem, and all the other F-list reality show stooges dredged up by the GOP as inept versions of Hitler, Goering, Gobbels, Himmler, et al.
Woke to a beautiful Sunday so decided pizza was in order. Threw together dough and at the risk of sounding self-congratulatory, gotta say I’m pleased with the my skills development.
Hard to believe our little girl Alice turns 18 this month. Thankfully she still shows glimpses of the kitten we brought home in 2007. Even though I know most cats don’t make it into their 20s, I have to hope she defies the odds.
