Heading to Amsterdam
It’s July 3, 2024 and it looks like we’re finally going to take that cruise to Norway. Here’s a summary of how this trip unfolded:
We started before Covid with this weirdness:
August 2021 RCL Serenade of the Seas from Seattle to Alaska – changed from September 2021: Royal Caribbean Radiance of the Seas Alaska Southbound from Seward with Cruisetour because Canada wouldn’t let us in due to Covid 🙁 …which was lifted and shifted from 2020 August: Royal Caribbean Jewel of the Seas out of Copenhagen to Norway Cancelled due to COVID-19 😞
Then, we tried again but in 2023 May RCL Jewel of the Seas Arctic Circle (Norway) out of Amsterdam – cancelled due to knee surgery.
Finally, July 5, 2024 July RCL Jewel of the Seas Arctic Circle (Norway) out of Amsterdam
Not surprisingly I’ve been optimistically cautious that this trip would happen. My mom is nearly 101, DH had some potentially cruise-cancelling issues last week, who knows?
So, here I find myself on the morning of our flight, not yet packed, doing work, teaching piano later this morning.
Sunday night my mom said that her TV wasn’t working so I spent Monday night unattaching the Tivo and all the cables and installing a new Roku TV. The channel numbers start in the 100s. All she wanted to know was how to watch the local news, a game show or two, maybe Penn and Teller. I showed her how to get to those and she said it was too hard. So, I reversed the whole process and she got her non-working TV/TiVo combination back.
Tuesday, she wanted the Roku back so I spent Tuesday night unattaching the Tivo and all the cables and installing a new Roku TV. She says that she’s going to always keep it on the one news channel I left her with. We’ll see. She got a call from a friend who has a similar TV so maybe, while we’re gone, the friend will have more patience in showing her how to get the channels she wants. At 100.75 technology can be a challenge, I guess.
So, today I can focus on the piano student, packing and finally getting to the plane.
Incidentally, while we’re flying from the US to Ireland to Amsterdam, our DIL and grandkids are flying from China to the US. Small world!
Unicorns!
And why, you might ask, is the unicorn Scotland’s national animal? Beyond the mythical lore, unicorns symbolize purity, innocence, and power in Celtic mythology, embodying the fierce independence and resilience seen throughout Scottish history. They are often depicted in chains in Scottish heraldry, symbolizing that only the king could tame such a powerful creature.
Where to Spot Unicorns in Scotland:
Even though unicorns are the stuff of legends, Scotland embraces them wholeheartedly. You can spot these noble creatures across the country, from the heraldic shields at the Palace of Holyroodhouse to the mercat crosses of old Scottish towns, and even on the prow of HMS Unicorn in Dundee.
So, whether you believe in the literal existence of unicorns or just love the magic they represent, National Unicorn Day is the perfect time to celebrate these symbols of wonder and majesty. Grab your glitter and let’s make some magic happen!
Let’s all sing along: