The link I provided in the "Alert" post was from Harbor House.  Webcam followed the QM2 from the point where the Hudson and East Rivers meet until the ship had gone under the Veranzo (sp?) bridge. It had zoomed in a bit when the ship went past the statue and turned.

I didn't see the QM2 in the panoramic view with the "upside down check mark" building.  That's why I think it was coming from a different direction.

Harbor House and Charter (the panorama) are both on the New Jersey shore looking across the river to NYC. Charter follows the cruise ships from Pier 88 but doesn't go as far as the bridge seen in the one from Harbor House.  I haven't had much luck trying to switch webcams and pick up the progress..

Clear as mud?    Sorry 'bout that.   

Callie - I was a nice clear description . . . Thank you!   I'm trying to locate the Statue of Liberty, on either one of the cams, but can't seem to find it?

Mary Ann - I didn't see any messages from you in this folder today?  I hope you're feeling well, and maybe just keeping busy with other things.  Not many posts in S&F today at all.

Hi Everyone.  We have sunshine this morning after several days of not seeing very much of it.  Of course, our temperatures will be in the upper 80's this afternoon with more chances of shower.  We did get a couple of brief showers yesterday, one of which was enough to do some good.  I did stay home all day yesterday.  Today I plan on attending a meeting at 10:30.   I plan on stopping at Aldi's to pick up a sack of food for our Community Ministries.  We had an email from our Church saying they were very low on food.  This evening we are going to go to Pizza Hut for our main meal. We haven't been there for awhile and it has the added benefit of getting to spend a couple of minutes with our son and at least getting a hug as we leave even if he is too busy to spend a few minutes with us. 

Joan, did they actually do something to the spine for Dan or maybe just kill a nerve?  It sounds like he is making remarkable progress in recovery which is wonderful.  I understand your concern for Candy. 

Jean, thanks for the information on Acorn.  We don't have Apple TV but I will have to check and see if our TV has the Acorn app.  I agree with you about the movies we watch but have enjoyed a number of the British police series.  Pat watches the Hallmark Mystery and Movies channel a lot during the day but usually after Jeopardy ends at 8 pm we turn the TV off.  I think you have sent some of your sunshine up this way.  Thanks.

JeanneP, I don't think I have ever known anyone who has sailed on the Queen Mary.  That must have been a very nice experience. 

Marilyne, I agree the number of postings do seemed to be down yesterday. 

Marilyn, I don't know why I didn't post yesterday, but I didn't do anything that required posting.  I know I spent much of the afternoon getting and recording some family information.  A woman/family in Idaho had been friends with a second cousin (now deceased) of mine who I never met.  The woman is not too computer savvy so her daughter e-mailed me last night and took over the conversation and search.  The daughter is bound to find a connection between their family and the deceased second cousin and I told her it was going to be hard because we'll have to find the 3rd great-grandparents and I've never been able to get that far and I think they have not either.  It's a challenge but after my grandfather was born in 1854, the Prussian War happened and Schleswig-Holstein was awarded to Germany (had been Denmark for hundreds of years). 

Anyway, that is what took much of my time yesterday.  I also found time to sit on the deck a couple of times and enjoy the surroundings.  Kendrick goes out there with me and finds a comfortable spot on the floor and does what cats do naturally - sleep.

Today looks kind of overcast, but radar shows nothing for rain.

I varied my getting up this morning, coming in here first.  So, at 9:30 I am going in to shower and wash my hair. 

This afternoon Tom, Dot and I are going to Jan's to see Geoff and family from California.  Their son is a month younger than the twins, who I doubt will be there, but I didn't ask - I'll be surprised.  Geoff married a Chinese woman so their son is half Chinese and looks it; he is a doll.  Geoff wrote recently that Isaiah knows what he wants and doesn't want (takes after his dad!!!).

Mary Ann

Larry, do not have specifics as am not  that medically educated, but what I was told is that they removed a bone at the top of his back and replaced it with with something.    That stops the pinched nerves  and such in the arms and hands.   Amazing how far medicine has come just in our lifetime.  He was miserable before and could barely use his hands for anythings.  He says all that is gone now.

wjoan, what good news about the results of Dan's surgery (did I remember his name correctly?).  I know he is VERY HAPPY!  and you are, too.

Sue

Sue, you remembered correctly.    Yes he is thrilled with the results and of course I am too.

GENERAL QUESTION:  Anyone have a good site to get  weather info?  I have been using ACCU but lately if you are on their site more than 30 seconds  you get VERY loud music.

Mary Ann - Looks like we were both busy with family history yesterday.  This past week, I made a long awaited breakthrough, in finding a long lost cousin.  She was a family member who "slipped through the cracks", way back in the 1950's, when she eloped and pretty much vanished after that. She is my age almost exactly. Her mother was my mom's first cousin, which would mean she is my second cousin, I think?  Her grandmother and my grandmother were sisters.  There were seven sisters altogether.

Anyway, it's a long, interesting story, of searching over the years.  I could write a real book, if I had the talent for it, as that branch of the family is filled with intrigue and mystery!  Ancestry.com, is a wonderful site, for those of us who are looking for a family member.  I'm really grateful that I have found this cousin, after such a long time.

Good morning from a rainy Interior! I spent a wonderful time with friends and fell in love...with "White Chocolate Raspberry Yum" ice cream! The hostess served it with a cold raspberry, (raspberries from her yard); sauce with just a hint of rum.
I had a great time catching up with friends and tagging along shopping altho I was there as encouragement and help rather than purchasing myself! It's been a great start to my new year! 

Starting yesterday, (Just in time for the state fair); we entered August's rainy season. Sunday's expected collision of a high from Siberia and a low from Canada, plus another Siberian high on Monday, has dropped temperatures from the eighties to the sixties.
Sunday is expected to be gusting wind, heavy rains, minor flooding and perhaps a tree topping or two. The ridges and mountain passes are expected to be hazardous if not careful, for travelers through perhaps Tuesday. As ominous as it sounds, this is expected August weather where it makes the transition from summer to fall. September, if usual, should be cooler but bright with clear skies.

Joan, I'm glad Dan is feeling better! Now perhaps, hopefully, it's Candy's turn. I also use ACCU but usually have my sound turned off as I prefer print over videos. An annoying peeve is the videos that either turn your sound back on w/o your consent, and or follow you down the right side of the page without your ability to turn them off!

MaryAnn, it will be nice for you to see Geoff and family, especially Isaiah, enjoy!

Larry, perhaps Shirleyn may have taken such a cruise?

Hi Marilyne! You sound like my greatuncle who spent his life precomputer and pre ancestry.com searching for all the "loose threads." Nowadays we have it so much easier but I'm so glad for him doing it for us!

This afternoon I plan on doing my hunting and gathering so I can stay in the following week!

Enjoying the genealogy stories.  My half sister and I knew our grandfather had 6 sisters but did not know he had a brother until she discovered him in some of her research.  The only comment either of us could get from our aunt was "Oh, that's Uncle Will.  He went west and we don't know what happened to him."
After our aunt died we discovered that Uncle Will had gone to Arizona to make his fortune in the gold mines.  He didn't - and, apparently, kept asking his brother for money.  That would NOT have set well with our grandmother and we were sure that's why our aunt "didn't know what happened to him."

Out-of-town niece and daughters coming for lunch.   I didn't invite the rest of the family because I want them all to myself this time.  They'll be with their cousins the rest of the weekend.

I keep looking for family on both sides, but I seem to have hit brick walls - my dad's great-grandfather died in Denmark which later became part of Germany.  I tried a couple of times to get information and I got the same story twice - that Germany was hard to get information about that particular area.  Later generations went to the Jutland Peninsula and they all came to the US and I have information on them.  My mother's grandfather was from Northern Ireland and his name is so common that it's like looking for a needle in a haystack - William Fleming.  Jim and I found that true when looking for a Scots friend - Jim Allen.  On my mother's side of the family I have names like Cook, Curtis, Mason and more and I've nearly gone back to the beginning of time!  So I continue looking but not expecting anything.  Maybe we can go back with my 2nd gr-grandfather and the 2nd gr-grandfather of the family in Idaho - who knows we might find a link.  Wishful thinking?

Boy, Patricia, does that ice cream sound delicious.  It's nearly 90 degrees here now at 12:30 pm and I could use some right this minute!  I did make a root beer float yesterday afternoon and it was very welcome.  We'd like some of your rain.  We haven't had any for a while and while we are not as bad as the western states, our grass is getting brown and my plants need a drink. 

I found out in seeing Geoff and family that we will be going to a pizza place in the south end.  Dot will go with us but I don't know if James and family will be there.  It would be more fun if the babies could crawl on the floor and play with one another.  They are second cousins.

Marilyn, write that book even if for yourself.  If no one else has written about the intrigue and mystery, if you don't write it down, no one else will know.  Do what was suggested for Don (Radioman), write a page each day in a loose-leaf notebook - one incident. 

I'm always interested in hearing about contacts between long-lost family members, even when I don't know the people.  DNA has helped a lot in that respect and I've noticed several family members in my DNA matches.  I've usually contacted them, but haven't kept up correspondence as most of them are much younger than I am.  Most are children of my cousins.

I wish the a/c would go on because it is warm in here.  I turned the thermostat down as far as I want it to go.  Tom came in and told me it is a lot cooler in here than outside.

Grand Haven is busy today.  Lots of boats in the water and lots of people where you can see them through the trees.

This is my book for the day - I hope!  Blabbermouth!

Mary Ann

I had a very scary experience riding from the fifth to the first floor in one of the elevators. With the wind and rain, we have experienced some one to two-minute blackouts. Unfortunately, while I was riding, the elevator stopped, shuddered, started again by going up. Then it stopped. It began going down, then back up and finally down to the first floor lit only by emergency lights. I have never had that happen before, and luckily it all happened very quickly so I was more alarmed afterward.

I was stuck in an elevator one day
for an hour.   

Fortunately,  the other people in the elevator were
my two daughters (Kelly and Erin and my first Grand
Daughter Madison)...   

We just all sat down on the floor and waited
together.     

I would have a hard time today if I got
stuck in an elevator alone like you did
Angel....     

So sorry to hear about that. 

Sandy

My "bugaboo" is revolving doors.  When I was about three years old, my dad and I were going through a revolving door and "big me" thought I could go through alone.  A man followed and did not realize I was in the door and he pushed it to make it go faster.  I fell.  My dad picked me up and the man was so apologetic; I was not hurt.  To this day if I have my choice, I will go through another door than a revolving door.  Sometimes that is the only option and I can go through them with no problem, but if there is another door, I'll choose that!

Grand Haven is very busy.  I don't know when I've seen so many people in the water and there are lots of boats going in and out of the channel.  Come to think of it, this is Coast Guard Week and that is why there is so much activity.  A Coast Guard boat - the Escanaba - is there for tours.  Coast Guard Week is a big thing in Grand Haven and I've been there when Norm had a boat.

Mary Ann

I was having lunch with my gal friend
at the Top of the Pru in Boston Mass. 

(https://www.google.com/search?safe=active&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1108&bih=547&ei=awpmW9QFqe_mAozNhKAF&q=the+prudential+center+boston&oq=the+&gs_l=img.1.0.35i39k1l2j0l8.3426.4712.0.6915.5.5.0.0.0.0.117.450.0j4.4.0....0...1ac.1.64.img..1.4.448.0...0.CEhUsQIVmlk)

Coming down,  we had to pass through to
the outside using a "Revolving Door"...   
I zipped on through it so fast that I smashed my head on
the glass on inside of the door...   

I came out the other side and almost
passed out....  but fortunately,   I didn't ...

It was an experience that left me
leary of those doors,  for ever....   
and from that time  forward,  I approached
them with caution.   

You just never know,  some days!!!
Sandy

MaryAnn, I have a thing about escalator My grandson, was about  2 when he fell on the escalator he was almost to the top when Dennis grabbed him up.that was in Germany Now  the way my legs and feet act with no feeling , I am twice as afraid to go on one

In my childhood, we had one department store with an escalator.  I am sure all kids visiting that store loved to ride it, sometimes ran up.  I'm fortunate that I never had an accident on ours, but I can relate that to my dread of revolving doors.  I doubt any of our stores have escalators now, but there are revolving doors galore.  I just don't get out to stores now - oh, I think revolving doors have mostly been replaced by automatic doors and they can be scary too.

Mary Ann

I also have an escalator story . . . my mother used to love telling this story, so I heard it countless times while I was growing up. 

When I was about three years old, I was holding my mother's hand, going up the escalator at a major downtown Los Angeles department store.  Just as we approached the top, I suddenly sat down, and the skirt of my dress caught in that scissory looking mechanism that goes flat at the top and bottom. The pull was strong, and my mom was screaming and finally succeeded in getting my dress off of me.  Needless to say, the dress was mangled, but I was okay. The only thing I remember about it, was all the people gathered around, and my mom crying.  The store manager arrived on the scene, and he carried me to the children's department, and told my mom to pick out any dress she wanted for me, free of course. 

How the times have changed!  Can you just imagine the difference in today's world?  Lawsuits for sure - suing the department store, as well as the elevator company.  At that time, 1937, no such thing as suing anybody in the event of an accident. My mom was just grateful that I was not injured, and that we received a nice new dress!

Marilyn, you reminded me of my escalator story.  I was in the Chicago airport on my way home from Indianapolis.  Our gate was in the lower level, of course no gateway(!) and I always had my purse and computer.  I had my computer bag on the step and figured it would ease off the escalator - only it didn't.  I gave the bag a kick and fell backward.  I didn't tell anyone, but my left wrist hurt.  I was able to carry either my purse or computer bag with that arm and got onto the plane and got home OK.  My neighbor picked me up at the GR airport and I mentioned the fall to her, saying I would go to the med center the next day.  She suggested going then and there and I agreed.  It turned out I had a fractured left wrist so sported a colorful cast for a few weeks.  Since I no longer care to fly, I should not come in contact with airport escalators, but if I do have to take an escalator, I know enough to not kick anything on the escalator!  Thanks for the memory!

Tom, Dot and I just got home from a very delightful time with Jan, Geoff, Charissa and Isaiah.  They flew in from California and I learned that Erin will join them tomorrow and they are going to spread Terry's ashes at a State park; Jan wasn't sure which one it would be, but it will be in the Holland area.  We ate at a pizza place in the south end of town and I remember being there before.  Isaiah is a cute little boy, 17 months old.  A month younger than James' twin girls.  His mother is Chinese and she would be hard pressed to deny him.  He has black hair and dark brown eyes, cute as a button.  Tom, Dot and I shared a veggie pizza (not vegan) and it was very good.

Mary Ann

How has the rest of my day been, you ask? First, a child knocked over a soup can display so now I have a bruise and a blister on my left foot's toes. That coupled with the earlier elevator adventure was two. Then when I got home, I realized I had no cell phone or keys. The security office charges twenty-five dollars for each lockout after regular business hours so I'm now locked back in my apartment and may not get off the couch until next week!       


Thanks for all the elevator, escalator and revolving door stories. Almost every door here in town is automatic which brings its own challenges. Locally, both the Pioneers' home and the local Denneys had moose come in on automatic doors. And I remember hearing about a North Slope workers barracks where a polar bear somehow managed to come in and stroll through. I understand there was quite a scramble at the time.

Patricia, each area has its own challenges.  We read about deer getting into homes and cottages, often by going in through closed windows or doors, of course, glass.  I think I read about a bear being seen in the county - not here, thank goodness. 

I hope you are recovering from your episodes.  If things come in threes, maybe you are finished with them.  It just wasn't your day, was it?  Or was it???

Mary Ann

Hi Everyone.  We are to be in the high 80's again today with the possibility of more isolated thundershowers.  We did get some more rain yesterday.  I plan on going to Sunday School and Church this morning and getting something to bring home for lunch.  I woke up around 2 am this morning and then laid there for an hour and decided I might as well get up for awhile.  Pat has been having problems with her laptop so decided it was time to refresh the operating system so I did the back up and took pictures of the desktop for reference to put it back in order.  While her files remain during the back up all of the programs I had loaded on it must be reloaded.  So I have several hours of work ahead later today but should have it pretty much back in shape by this evening.  I have done this numerous times on different computers over the years so know what is required.  After I got the reset started I laid back down for a couple of hours.

When I went to bed last night I read all of the postings from yesterday.  I hope to be brief in my comments this morning as have a lot of work to do on the computer and then will be gone all morning. 

Joan, modern medicine has some really great things they can do now with interesting replacements.  I am sure Dan is elated at the results.  I use the weather app that our local TV station has and they give access to our local forecast and I can also access radar on the site.  It is available on my phone and I can get it on my computer.  I also use the Weather Channel site. 

Marilyne and Mary Ann, it sounds like you both have been busy working with your Ancestry files. 

Patricia, that ice cream sounds delicious.  Glad you had such a good time with your friends.  Too bad there will be rain for your State Fair.  It has been awhile since we have heard anything from Shirleyn and sure hope all is well there in Florida. The elevator experience isn't something anyone would enjoy.  Glad you didn't get stuck in it for a longer period of time. The rest of your day yesterday sure didn't turn out well with lost cell phone and keys.  I do hope they can be found and your foot isn't too sore today. 

Sandy, an hour is way too long to be confined in an elevator and it sounds like this was a fairly recent event. 

deAngel, I have never been real comfortable riding an escalator but never had any problem.  The longest one I ever road was across the river from DC that went down from the subway station, as I recall, to an understand shopping center.  It has to have been at least two stories tall.   

Callie, my grandfather had one brother who went to California when he was young and was never heard of again.  The family thinks he may have died in Death Valley. 

Good Morning Everyone from the warm
but over cast rocky coast of Maine.     Still very humid,
even though the temps aren't too bad.   

I am going out today to the store a few steps
down the street to pick up a few items ... 
I stay in as much as possible in this humidity ..
which makes for slow going ...

Quote from: larryhanna on August 05, 2018, 07:34:32 AM Sandy, an hour is way too long to be confined in an elevator and it sounds like this was a fairly recent event.

Actually Larry,  the baby that Kelly had in the
elevator was Maeve,  who today is 15...  so that was a
long time ago.    Had I not been in that elevator
with my family,  I surely would have panicked ...
I am very claustrophobic.       I could fight
those feelings with the family around me...
we sustained one another,   thankfully. 

Have a good day,  everyone.
Sandy

Patricia - I remember seeing the news story of the moose inside the Denny's restaurant.  Also there was one of a bear in a 7-11 market.

My phobia is high rise hotels and apartments with outside patio/decks. I can deal with a two story balcony, but any higher than that, and I stay inside. I get a weak tingly feeling in my legs and stomach, just watching people on TV, when they're looking to buy an apartment in a high rise condo.  They walk right out onto the balcony, and stand at the edge and exclaim over the view.   The newer high rise buildings here, have floor to ceiling glass windows in all the rooms! I can't imagine living in a place like that!  Many of us have these comfort/panic issues I think, only most people don't talk about it.

My older daughter has a major problem with elevators, and will always take the stairs, no matter how many floors she has to climb!  The same with driving through a tunnel.  Panic attack time for her, whether she is driving or whether she is a passenger.  Needless to say, she maps out a route before driving on a trip anywhere, so she can avoid the dreaded tunnel.  My husband has a friend who has an extremely difficult time driving across bridges.  He even went to a therapist, in hopes of overcoming his problem.  Didn't work, and now his wife drives when they go on any trip that involves crossing a bridge.

Marilyn, you mention the friend of your husband and his trouble with bridges.  In WVa is the New Bridge, a very high bridge, over (I think) the New River.  Jackwv, who posts in the picture folders has a phobia about that bridge.  At time it might be necessary to cross it and I think he puts his eyes straight ahead so as to not see the side of the bridge.

With your mention of high balconies, I thought of a viewing platform at Royal Gorge in Colorado.  The platform is thick glass (or something similar).  I think it was built after I had been there.  I probably would have walked out on the platform just to say I had done it, but I am sure it was not there when I was.  I'm not a daredevil, but if a structure has held for the previous umpteen people, why would it not hold for me?  And I think those things are inspected periodically.  Since my going to such places now is almost 'nil', I don't worry about them. 

The Paul just went through the Soo on its way to St Clair.

Mary Ann

My mother had a fear of bridges. The first time we went to Charleston,SC we had to take the Cooper River bridge.I thought my mother would dye  on the spot, she went into such a panic.There was no way to get into Charleston but that bridge. This ws1939 and we had never seen such a long bridge it went way up in the air, come down again on and island and then up again plus  it was a two way road. It was so high , because ships going to the Navy Yard had to go under it.

Patricia, that was a terrible day you had,  If I had a day like that I would have just set down, hugged  my cat an had a bloody Mary

Gloria, I like your solution to a problem - hug the cat and have a bloody Mary!

To change the subject - Dot and I did not have our usual Sunday because I did not sleep well last night so did not go to church.  I slept from 3:30 am to 5:30 am and I did not think I could get through an hour of church with that background, nor did I feel like eating out.  I felt fine, even when trying to sleep, but my mind was working overtime, my feet hurt and my shins ached.  I didn't really toss and turn, but I was trying to find a comfortable position.  I don't think it was the pizza I ate yesterday because Tom and Dot had some of the same pizza.  I had just laid down when Tom called, offering to bring me a hamburger and chocolate shake, which I accepted.  He left a while ago and I went back to my bed and slept hard for an hour, so I think things are better now.  Kendrick joined me as I napped and I did not feel him come on the bed.

Now I'm watching the PGA Tour from Akron OH; it's more interesting because name players are playing.  I also have the a/c going because it is over 90 degrees outside.  Tomorrow it is to be in the 80s, still hot, but a bit cooler.

Mary Ann

Today is the day that the two weather systems collide and it is very dark and gloomy out with swaying trees and sideways rain. We have dropped from late sixties to late fifties for lows and from highs of mid to late eighties to highs of late sixties to early seventies. So far no trees down or minor flooding of basements and bicycle paths but the area rivers, creeks and sloughs are high and full of debris.

My barometric weather caused arthritis has me bent over, and I can't wear shoes with my blisters, so I'm a couch potato today. I'm thinking of going ahead and draining them and bandaging them so I can do laundry tomorrow as no one is allowed in public areas without shoes. Today is a day for me to have a pity party....

Gloria, if I tried to hug Farrah, it wouldn't end well. Her idea of being affectionate is to lie close to me than a foot away on the couch. A drink would sound good if I weren't loaded up with antihistamines and Tylenol.

Larry, my keys and cell phone were in my apartment. I needed to knock on the outside glass of the security room as I don't know how to use the computer to let me in the entry without my key fob. Since my cell was in the apartment, I couldn't call them. At the grocery, as payphones have vanished, I had to wait in line at customer service to ask them to call me a taxi. Not my favorite day.

Mary Ann - Looks like we had the same problem sleeping last night.  I've had two nights in a row like that, and I'm hoping that tonight will be better. Today I seem to be as wide awake as ever, but I'm still going to take it easy.  I don't ever take naps, but I do plan to sit quietly this afternoon and watch some programs that I have recorded on my DVR . . . or I may take a look at the PGA tour and see who's playing.   

Speaking of "Paul" . . . he was supposed to arrive or depart Duluth on the 3rd, and I was planning to watch.  I noticed on the schedule that the time kept changing.  They changed it a number of time, and finally the name vanished from the schedule.  So he must have gone out overnight sometime, if he has already gone through the Soo Locks.

Yesterday I watched the NYC cams, and saw two beautiful cruise ships leaving the harbor.  One was called the Norwegian Gem, and had diamonds and other gems painted around the name of the ship.  The other one was, The Anthem of the Seas.  They showed a close-up of that one, so you could see the passengers clearly, as they moved around on the decks.

That's interesting that JackWV, has the bridge problem.  I wonder if it's just that particular bridge, or if it's all bridges?

Gloria - I see that your mother had it too!  I've read that it's a very common phobia.