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Author Archives: Sparky

I am not a loser!

That sounds like a mantra and I should probably say that to myself every day while I shave. I believe that am not a loser and two recent events reinforce that belief. First, the 2024 senior softball season ended with my team having a 9-9 record. Not a winning record, but not a losing record … Continue reading »

Categories: Commentary | Leave a comment

Replacing the toilet. Again.

If you have been following my adventures long enough you will remember that the extensive repairs to the RV in 2018 included replacement of the half-bath toilet. This was a $500 repair item. That toilet started dripping from the water connection, occasionally, almost immediately, prompting me to put a cup under the connection to catch … Continue reading »

Categories: RV Living | Leave a comment

2023 blog booklet

2023 was a year of extensive travel, though none of the travel was by RV. The amount of travel and the large number of photos posted in the blog necessitated breaking the booklet into two sections: 2023-1: Includes the transatlantic cruise (TC2) and the auto trip north (TN9) 2023-2: Includes the auto trip south (TS9), … Continue reading »

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Carnival Conquest wrapup

I have been very busy since the end of the Carnival Conquest journey so I am a bit tardy in my wrapup. I know you were on the edge of your seat… Highlights: Robbie, the Cruise Director. He was fun, always upbeat and the guy can dance. A very good cruise director. The Conquest Rockband. … Continue reading »

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“Twisted” by Jonathan Kellerman

Copyright 2004 by Jonathan Kellerman. Published by Ballantine Books, New York. I was expecting this to be a mystery featuring Alex Delaware, Kellerman’s most popular protagonist. But it is actually his second novel featuring Petra Connor, a female detective in Hollywood CA. Delaware is mentioned several times but does not appear as a character in … Continue reading »

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Carnival Conquest Day 15 – Disembarkation in Miami

Getting off the Conquest was considerably easier than getting off the Vista. We rose at 6am, packed and took our luggage up to the Lido Deck to grab a bite. It was a very light breakfast as neither of us was very hungry. Marlene’s brother met us when we got off and we were on … Continue reading »

Categories: Cruise, FL | Leave a comment

Carnival Conquest Day 14 – At sea

Our last day of the cruise. We slept in. The big event was the “Platinum and Diamond Reunion”, an event only for Carnival’s most ardent cruisers. For the first time, I qualified to attend on my own merits. It isn’t much of a party – some music and a promo video from Carnival, then they … Continue reading »

Categories: Caribbean, Cruise | Leave a comment

Carnival Conquest Day 13 – Grand Turk

Grand Turk was port #8 of 8. It is the only port that we also visited recently on the Carnival Vista cruise. Because we had been there recently we were not interested in hanging around the port area, so we decided to go into town – Cockburn Town. We inquired as to the availability of … Continue reading »

Categories: Caribbean, Cruise | Leave a comment

Carnival Conquest Day 12 – At sea

I don’t know what is in the “Funship Special” drink that you can get on a Carnival cruise, but they are deadly. I had about two and a half and ended up with the worst hangover that I have had in years. I slept until noon. After a brief breakfast consisting mostly of coffee, Marlene … Continue reading »

Categories: Caribbean, Cruise | Leave a comment

Carnival Conquest Day 11 – Aruba

It is always sunny in Aruba. Except on the day we were there. It was cloudy all day and even rained a bit. I felt sorry for those people who had booked one of those high-priced beach or snorkeling excursions. They couldn’t have been pleasant. As is our wont (or at least Marlene’s wont), we … Continue reading »

Categories: Caribbean, Cruise | Leave a comment