May 10, 2008 Ship of Thieves! Stealing the Magic..AGAIN!!! Panama Canal FL to CA!!! Part 7

[HollyTyler]

Holly, guess who needs a water heater?

Yup, us!

So on Tuesday for $350, we are getting one....cold showers until then, unless I use your method of boiling water...or there is always the hot tub.

OH NO! What a bummer! But a few days without is much better than my almost a month without!

how long are water heaters supposed to last? I KNOW we have only had this one 5 years.

I've been told most last about 15 -18 years. My old one was closer to 30 years old!

 

[DrHug]

Thank you for your kind thoughts.

Some trivia about Sine Qua Non Pinot Noir Omega.

So what's the logical thing to do if you're a restaurateur who can't get the necessary allocations of "cult" wines that you want? Why, start your own winery and beat the players at their own game, of course! In 1992, Manfred Krankl, a managing partner in Campanile restaurant in Los Angeles made his first wine with Michael Havens of Havens Wine Cellars. His debut under the Sine Qua Non label was "Queen of Spades" and the wordplay has just become more and more interesting with each subsequent release. One of the intriguing elements about these wines is the fact that he never makes the same wine twice. Between the deliciously wicked prose and delectably indulgent wines, Sine Qua Non is synonymous with the precisely wrought excess that is so de rigeur. There is a inexorable "WOW!" factor that the highly extracted, concentrated and flashy wines inspire in their acolytes and they are definitely California-style wines. The name, translated from Latin, means "something indispensable." Well, considering the frenzy of buying and trading that occurs after every new release, it obviously is. Sine Qua Non is also quite famous for its wine names, label artwork and bottle shapes. Each label features artwork by Manfred.

The Wine Advocate:

The top-notch 2003 Pinot Noir Omega Shea Vineyard offers up beautiful aromatics of raspberries, plums, blueberries, and flowers. This deeply fruity, medium to full-bodied Pinot boasts tremendous opulence, a sweet mid-palate, admirable purity, and a seamless finish. Drink it over the next 5-7 years. After 2003, Elaine and Manfred Krankl will no longer produce a Shea Vineyard Pinot Noir due to the logistical problems of moving fruit from Oregon to their winery in Ventura.

Hi Noel ! Glad you are recovering well.

The Pinot sounds very good. Hmmm? We just bottled about 48 bottles of our own Pinot. Hope it turns out THAT good. It is very promising from early tasting. We were lucky enough to get the grapes at no cost. Our property is in the middle of the North Willamette Vinyard country, and friends gave us some of their last years harvest. It turned out much better than I thought it would, since Pinot is a first for me. Dick Erath told me he would sell me some of his grafted plants from his own nursery, but he sold out and retired last year. I didn't jump on the opportunity.
Oh well. He is probably playing golf in AZ somewhere.
I love to make wine.

 

[kymma]

DH's car died yesterday and needs over 2k in repairs. We are going to have to just replace it because it has been nothing but a money sink for the past year and I can't see putting 2k more into it.

So we have to go new car shopping this weekend. To make things even better, he drove my car to work today and the check engine light came on! So we are in car panic now.

 

[HollyTyler]

DH's car died yesterday and needs over 2k in repairs. We are going to have to just replace it because it has been nothing but a money sink for the past year and I can't see putting 2k more into it.

So we have to go new car shopping this weekend. To make things even better, he drove my car to work today and the check engine light came on! So we are in car panic now.

OH NO! How awful to get a double-whammy on cars. I hope you husband gets a new car quickly and that your engine light is really nothing. Some cars have the light come on just to tell you it's time for some scheduled maintenance.

 

[DrHug]

I would love to do that, but between work, and the expense (I think it is one of the MOST expensive times to cruise) I don't think we can do it.

V - Remember - Labradoodle!

Hi my friend!

I just popped onto the boards to see how things were going. I don't really even try to catch up anymore. Can't wait to see you all. The last two cruises still seem like yesterday. I guess that's what happens when one gets to be a geezer.

Hope all is well with you and yours.

Den

 

[kymma]

OH NO! How awful to get a double-whammy on cars. I hope you husband gets a new car quickly and that your engine light is really nothing. Some cars have the light come on just to tell you it's time for some scheduled maintenance.

Yea that's what I am hoping. The last time the check engine light came on in this car it was just telling us it was time for maintenance. But it will go into the shop today and we will hope.

 

[HollyTyler]

Yea that's what I am hoping. The last time the check engine light came on in this car it was just telling us it was time for maintenance. But it will go into the shop today and we will hope.

Fingers & toes crossed!

 

[granmaz]

You never know!! One of my dreams is to cruise around the world. My TA sends me info all the time but of course the timing is not right yet for us to go.

Here the latest 2009 Crystal cruise itinerary:

Crystal Serenity will embark from Los Angeles to the golden beaches of Mexico , the turquoise waters of Polynesia, the landscapes of New Zealand and Australia , the exotic cultures of Asia, the history of Russia , and the rugged beauty of Alaska , Canada and California . With 11 overnights in cities such as Sydney , Hong Kong and Shanghai there will be ample time to discover the sights and relish in the local culture. Five maiden calls add to the excitement: Rangiroa, French Polynesia; Napier , New Zealand ; Komodo , Indonesia ; Sihanoukville , Cambodia and Petropavlovsk , Russia.

Now you're talking!!! I would just love it!

third day on Olive Garden, I just had a salad today though. We have tons of ice cream left as well!

Oh, Samantha had a follow up ear appt this am. I am not sure if you remember she has a hole in her one ear, caused by tubes she had a while ago. The dr said all is well, she passed her hearing test fine and he is just going to continue to monitor her about every 4 months to see if the hole needs patching.

Good news.

Uh, Can I go to V's house for dinner?

Always a good place to go by the sound of it, though tonight they might just be eating Olive Garden left overs from Wednesday!!

When we went grocery shopping last night, they have already got a whole aisle of Christmas things including selection boxes. I didn't look at the sell-by dates but I wouldn't be surprised if they're before Christmas!

Now that wouldn't surprise me. I love selection boxes.

MrsMork, DrHug and crew will be down 12/3 through 12/7, pre-cruise. Hope we can get together too.

Don't see why not!! I'm going to love knowing so many of you before we set sail! Meeting at Port Canaveral will be like old home week.

We are there from 6th Dec to 10th Dec too. Were originally hoping to have a meet then, but not sure if there was time with the group who are going cruising. Hope to meet a few at AKL at PJ's though.

 

[lillygator]

ok, I am convincing myself no news is good news right? And that HR takes off early on Friday's!

 

[Jhalkias]

Hi my friend!

I just popped onto the boards to see how things were going. I don't really even try to catch up anymore. Can't wait to see you all. The last two cruises still seem like yesterday. I guess that's what happens when one gets to be a geezer.

Hope all is well with you and yours.

Den

Well, if that is the case, then I'm a geezer too!

ok, I am convincing myself no news is good news right? And that HR takes off early on Friday's!

I'm still here!

 

[DrHug]

ok, I am convincing myself no news is good news right? And that HR takes off early on Friday's!

That's usually the case V. Keepng you in our thoughts and .

I know that when I used to interview for Techs it was usually a two weeks, or more, process.

You should have used all of us for a reference list. You'd be a shoo in.

Make any wine yet?

 

[DrHug]

Well, gotta go make sure Angie hasn't thrown any of my guitars or cameras in the dumpster.

& until next time,

DrHug

 

[lillygator]

No wine, but the inlaws returned with grapes from Uncle Sam's grape plants...the same kind of plant we are growning....that he sent down last year.

 

[birkner]

Hi Noel ! Glad you are recovering well.

The Pinot sounds very good. Hmmm? We just bottled about 48 bottles of our own Pinot. Hope it turns out THAT good. It is very promising from early tasting. We were lucky enough to get the grapes at no cost. Our property is in the middle of the North Willamette Vinyard country, and friends gave us some of their last years harvest. It turned out much better than I thought it would, since Pinot is a first for me. Dick Erath told me he would sell me some of his grafted plants from his own nursery, but he sold out and retired last year. I didn't jump on the opportunity.
Oh well. He is probably playing golf in AZ somewhere.
I love to make wine.

I am feeling better and stronger every day!! We used to live in a planned development that had a winery on the property. I hope you bring at least one bottle of your Pinot along for all of us to sample.

 

[Jhalkias]

I am feeling better and stronger every day!! We used to live in a planned development that had a winery on the property. I hope you bring at least one bottle of your Pinot along for all of us to sample.

In Ohio, those usually have golf courses! A winery? You guys know how to live in California . . . probably the ideal would be to have both - one to frustrate, and the other to drown your sorrows.

 

[birkner]

In Ohio, those usually have golf courses! A winery? You guys know how to live in California . . . probably the ideal would be to have both - one to frustrate, and the other to drown your sorrows.

Our development did not have a golf course, but I think you have the right idea!!

 

[MrsMork]

Now you're talking!!! I would just love it!



Good news.



Always a good place to go by the sound of it, though tonight they might just be eating Olive Garden left overs from Wednesday!!



Now that wouldn't surprise me. I love selection boxes.





We are there from 6th Dec to 10th Dec too. Were originally hoping to have a meet then, but not sure if there was time with the group who are going cruising. Hope to meet a few at AKL at PJ's though.

Yes, I remember now. Friday the 7th at PJ's was the plan, I think. Too much planning to keep it straight. I need a spreadsheet!

 

[MrsMork]

I am feeling better and stronger every day!! We used to live in a planned development that had a winery on the property. I hope you bring at least one bottle of your Pinot along for all of us to sample.

It will be a year and a half aged by this cruise. We will bring a bottle for tasting.

 

[mishoe01]

Yes, I remember now. Friday the 7th at PJ's was the plan, I think. Too much planning to keep it straight. I need a spreadsheet!

I know!! That's why I'm trying to write everything down now! Don't want to miss any opportunities.

 

[granmaz]

Yes, I remember now. Friday the 7th at PJ's was the plan, I think. Too much planning to keep it straight. I need a spreadsheet!

I think 4pm - was that right? We have Illuminations dessert party and viewing that night!!