A Viking Voyage-Switzerland

When we booked our Viking cruise, they offered the option of an additional two day add on at either end of the cruise. After looking at our calendars, our group decided that pre-cruise time in Basel would work better for us.

The group organizer let our agent know, and other than paying the extra money we didn't have to do a thing. Viking arranged the air and hotel componants. Several weeks before leaving we found out that we would be staying at the Movenpick Hotel, which was close to both public transportation and the train station.

Tripadvisor

Our flight left St. Louis at Monday at 6 pm, and after transfers in Detroit and Amsterdam arrived in Basel on Tuesday at 6 pm their time. The Viking airport host met our group just outside the luggage carousel and drove us to the hotel. After getting settled in our room we had dinner at the hotel restaurant, then Hubby Tony and I fell into bed. I had barely slept on the airplane, so it felt so good!

An included walking tour of Basel was scheduled for 10 AM. In the lobby the guide passed out wireless audio systems to the group, ensured they all worked, then we set out. The first adventure was taking the tram to the Old Town. There our guide told us about the history of the city as she pointed out the noteworthy buildings and the beautiful Rhine riverfront.

Bridge over the river

 After the tour was over and our friends wanted a cold drink. The closest and easiest option was a McDonald's, but that was the first and last time I patronized a non-local place on the trip. We got lunch at a traditional Swiss restaurant, did some souvenir shopping, then came back to the hotel to relax. Each afternoon the hotel had a chocolate 'happy hour', which included samples of several kinds. All of them were yummy. Dinner was at a Thai place, and once again bedtime was early.

Thursday afternoon was ship embarkation, so we had the morning to ourselves. Our friends decided to make it a quiet day, but after picking the brain of the Viking host in the hotel lobby on Wednesday Tony and I decided to take a train ride to Lucerne (which was one hour each way). The host made it easy, telling us exactly which train to take coming and going and exactly where in the station we would buy the tickets. He even gave us a map of the city outlined with a suggested walking route so we could see the most in our limited time.

Good thing we didn't need to read the board details

Before we left Tony and I stowed our luggage with the hotel for safekeeping. Everything about our adventure went according to plan. There was a couple of hours to walk along the lake, see the medieval architecture, and browse through some of the shops in the Old Town area. I felt like a sophisticated traveler when I was able to pay for a post card with Swiss francs instead of pulling out my charge card 😀.

Lake Lucerne

Tony and I ended up taking an earlier train back then planned, which meant we didn't have time for lunch in Lucerne. Fortunately, the Basel train station had two levels worth of shops and eateries. We stopped at the first place we walked by. My sandwich had a thick layer of hummus topped with fresh and pickled vegetables on a hearty roll, and the coffee that accompanied it was fresh and strong.

Back at the hotel, it was about time to gather in the lobby to transfer to the boat. I appreciated that the host made everyone acknowledge that their luggage had been put on the bus before leaving for the cruise port to begin the main adventure.

A Viking Voyage

Last November some long-time friends mentioned they were interested in doing a Viking European river cruise this year, and asked if we were interested in joining them. After some discussion of time frames and routes we chose a Rhine River cruise from Basel, Switzerland to Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Every other time I've sailed it's been on a very large ship, but many of our acquaintances had already gone on a river cruise and they all raved about the experience. I can now add myself to the list of satisfied sailors.

• Instead of being large, the Hervor (our Viking ship) was intimate. The ship could hold a maximum of 190 guests. There was no casino, gift shop, photographers, or formal dinner night. Children under 21 were prohibited.

• Our cabin had a French balcony, with floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors that opened to a protective railing to let in fresh air. The bathroom was compact, but not cramped. Tony and I appreciated the twice-daily attention from our room steward.

• There was free wi-fi throughout the ship. It was adequate and appreciated.

• Each port included a free excursion or guided tour with a local guide.

• There was only one seating for meals, and we weren't tied to any particular table. Lunch and dinner included complimentary house wine, beer, and soft drinks. Two coffee machines on the third floor offered basic and specialty drinks at the touch of a button, or hot water for tea. Next to the coffee machines baskets held sweet and savory baked goods.

• The third floor also had a large window-lined lounge and an observation lounge. The top deck had a sun deck and walking track that wound around a small herb garden and a two-hole putting green.

Five years ago today: Happy Unbirthday To Me

You Sure Know How To Make A Girl Feel Special!

When I announced almost two weeks ago I was taking a blog break I had no expectation of any comments. Imagine my surprise to find out there were almost two dozen comments on that post (and others) waiting for me! 

Thank you. I've realized again that blogging is quite the community of like-minded souls.

Public Domain Vector

After I wade through the dirty laundry, photos, videos, and memorabilia that came home with me I will be documenting things here (because Hubby Tony and I are already forgetting some of the details of the whirlwind trip). In the meantime I'm off to see what you've been up to.

Five years ago: A Very Purple Path

Be Back...

When I started blogging in 2008 (a New Thing A Day journey that started on my 49th birthday and ended a year later), the idea of stepping away from my project never entered my mind. Eighteen years later I am more comfortable doing things to take care of myself.

Along that line, I will be taking a break from my computer for a couple of weeks. I suspect the internet will keep on functioning without my posting or my commenting 🤣.

Giphy

Five years ago: Covering Before Coating

Feels Like Summer

Just in time for Memorial Day, the unofficial start of the summer season, it feels like summer.

Public Domain Vectors

Usually the warm weather starts slowly ramping up in the middle of May, but for the past few weeks, instead of warm weather shorts I've been wearing shoulder season Capris. Half the time I choose a three-quarter sleeve top instead of a tee shirt.

Our furnace has been turned off for weeks. Once or twice we had to turn the air conditioner on for a couple of hours in the afternoon, but otherwise the windows have been open to let in the wonderful breeze and outside sounds. At bedtime it feels good to turn the ceiling fan on low to circulate the air, but by the middle of the night I'm searching for the blanket.

However, my weather app says the high temperatures for the next ten days indicate closing up the house and running the air conditioner full time. The shoulder season clothes will get shoved into the back of the closet for the inevitable outlier chilly day or two. When I washed the sheets this morning I included the blanket, which will get folded up and put into the closet until fall.

Five years ago today: A Zoo Adventure

Sneakiness Update

I am sure that it was a coincidence that the day after I filed a missing package search request with the Post Office it shipped from a distribution center in New York to one in California, transferred to the post office closest to its final destination, then was put on a truck for actual delivery this afternoon.

And then, after all the kerfluffle about the delivery attempt notice that turned out to be a scam text, I was extremely leery when Hubby Tony announced that he received an email with the subject line:

"USPS Expected Delivery on Saturday, May 23, 2026 arriving by 9:00pm 9200190312735697768933"

that said we were scheduled to get a package delivered today when we hadn't ordered anything. But the message turned out to be real; the package was a dose of flea and tick preventive medicine sent from the online store of the vet that Foster Cat Smokey Joe last visited.

Five years ago today: Too Good Not To Share

Sneaky To The Max

You may remember that Hubby Tony and I recently bought a jigsaw puzzle for our oldest granddaughter in California. Two days later I dropped off the package at the post office. I chose to send it via Ground Advantage, which includes tracking and more than enough insurance. The clerk told me the package would arrive two days before Gee's birthday.

According to the USPS website the package left the post office that day and left St. Louis two days later, headed to a distribution center in New York. However, there the progress stopped. Gee's birthday came and went, and we were forced to send an apology text to her parents.

Today I learned that since it's been seven days since the package was mailed I could file a missing package search request. Search request has been filed. In all of the kerfluffle this text I received almost made sense....

until I read it more carefully. Then I realized it was a smishing scam text and did NOT take action on it!

Five years ago: Supreme Signpost

Confrontation And Confidence

At the end of 2025 I was elected as the communications person for a fellowship. The position also has a backup, who is appointed from people who express an interest.

In every other role I've volunteered for in this organization the two people worked together as a team. This time Backup was a lovely person, but I quickly found that when they said they would do something they wouldn't follow through. Emails, texts, and phone calls went unanswered (sometimes for weeks). Eventually I started doing things on my own, copying Backup on any emails I sent to keep them in the loop.

One day I was grumbling to someone about the situation, and that person pointed out I wasn't doing Backup any favors. They suggested I talk with Backup to explain my position and ask if they understood where I was coming from.

That sounded like an interesting plan, but I really dislike confrontation. What would happen if Backup got angry at me or got defensive and tried to make me the baddie? How would I follow through?

Backup lives on the other side of the state, so it wasn't feasible to have a face to face conversation. I procrastinated making a phone call for almost a week, but eventually I put on my big girl panties and did it. The call went to voice mail, but I got a call back a couple of hours later.

During our chat I was factual, telling them I needed someone who communicated well and followed through when they said they would do something. I asked them to think about if the time commitments for this volunteer task were too much for their available time, and assured them no one would look down on them if they decided to step away.

Two weeks later Backup told me they had decided it was best to step down. Although I was sorry to see them go, now I can look around for someone else. 

Five years ago: What Would You Have Done?

First Time Reveal

Hubby Tony and I aren't often on the cutting edge of classical music, but this afternoon we attended a world premiere performance of a new composition performed at the spring concert of the Metropolitan Orchestra of St. Louis

"How Mr. Silver Stole the Show" was based on a children's book written in 2023 by Kate Klise. It's about a stray cat that walked into the Hamilton Hotel in St. Louis in 1947. Two days later he won first prize in two categories (Best Color for Kittens and Best in the Non-Champion Class) at the Greater St. Louis Cat Club Show.

The event took place in a beautiful Art Deco building that started life as a synagogue. When the congregation moved the building became a community music school for a couple of decades and now houses the music school of Washington University.

The program  began with Maurice Ravel's "Mother Goose Suite". After that ended the musicians on the left side of the stage moved their chairs slightly and a large screen descended from the ceiling. Two narrators (the composer and a local media celebrity) took their places at music stands at the front of the stage. Even though the orchestra had already gone through their opening routine they did it again. The concertmaster entered, the instruments were tuned. The conductor entered to applause, bowed, then turned and started.

Illustrations from the book were projected onto the screen during the piece. The narrators and the orchestra did a great job of tag-teaming to bring the story to life. Of course the story had a happy ending. When the last note was played the conductor turned around to acknowledge the enthusiastic clapping from the audience. He had the soloists, then the entire orchestra, stand for recognition before the house lights came on for intermission.

During intermission the shelter we foster with was there with a information table and a litter of incredibly cute kittens. It was fun to talk with the other volunteers before returning back to our seats for the second portion, Paul Hindemith's "Symphonic Metamorphosis".

Escapologist

Yesterday Foster Cat Smokey Joe went to a second veterinarian's office for a consultation about the scab on his back. 

The vet shaved a half-dollar sized patch around the area so she could get a better look at the scab, but even after consulting with others in the office she diidn't have a definite answer as to what it could be. One possibility was that even through Smokey Joe never goes outside at our house, he might be having an extreme delayed reaction to past flea bites. Whatever the cause, she didn't see the need for him to visit an animal dermatologist, an option that had been thrown out by his normal vet. 

We came home with prescription ear drops, a medicated powder, and Revolution flea and tick preventative (which we will apply monthly). It was also recommend that Smokey Joe wear a recovery shirt to keep him from licking his affected area. After dinner Hubby Tony and I drove to the shelter to borrow one.

Back at home we introduced the shirt to Smokey Joe. It looked almost like a baby onesie that opened completely down the back/closed with Velcro, with a large hole in the rear so he could use his litter box. Once Tony put it on him the cat had trouble walking with the fabric pooled around his legs. However, he made it across the room and jumped on the cedar chest, where he gave us the stink eye.

Nope. Not happy at all.

At bedtime Smokey Joe did not jump up and take his place in between Tony and me, but he was there in the middle of the night. This morning Tony woke up first, and I could hear him rooting around on his side of the bed. I asked what was going on, and he said that somehow Smokey Joe had completely ditched the shirt. When Tony found it, the Velcro closures were still completely intact.

If Smokey Joe ever has a need for a walk-up song this would be the perfect one for him.

Five years ago: Tiny Morsels Of Chocolate Goodness