It is 20 days, 17 hours, 46 minutes and 1 second until Monday, March 19, 2007 at 12:00:00 Noon (Toronto time) until we get on the plane in Detroit. Hawaii here we come. Aloha!
Monday, February 26, 2007
Up 6 lb. - Not Much Chance of Wasting Away
It is 20 days, 17 hours, 46 minutes and 1 second until Monday, March 19, 2007 at 12:00:00 Noon (Toronto time) until we get on the plane in Detroit. Hawaii here we come. Aloha!
Some Days Are Better Than Others
Today is again Gene’s bus trip to McCormick Home. I don’t think it’s a good idea to call ahead to remind her about this or any other event. It seems that anything that a normal person would want to prepare for only causes her to fuss and stew. Last night there was high tension to say the least as Gene raged on to Wendy on the phone. The jury is still out on whether this social outing will continue to be a weekly event, although the folks at McCormick called last week to say how well Gene interacted with the other ladies. It’s sad that she can be so cruel to her family and yet come across as a real sweetheart to outsiders. Just part of the terrible tragedy of onset Alzheimer’s disease. Sunday, February 25, 2007
We Used To Call It A Furnace
Give me the Bad News last!
Our twenty year old furnace and a/c (Sorry - Home Comfort Centre) has come to the end of its useful life. I suppose I could have had it cleaned up and replace some parts but I felt it would be safer to turf the whole thing. There was an aged heat pump here in Wistful Vista when we moved here in 1986. It was replaced by the present inefficient gas monster that was a lemon from day one. It was too large and very noisy. I have threatened to replace it many times. The crowning touch was when I received a flyer from the local furnace mafia informing me that I could save at least $2000 if I acted now to keep their tradesmen busy in the off season. (I've always felt that particular trade has done a terrific job of eliminating all competition). Having had a quote this past summer for $7000, I thought I would jump at a chance to get the job done for $5000. As you might suspect, there is no free lunch. The knowledgeable young Nathan explained that he recommended the $10,000 Dave Lennox system that I could steal for $7000. I have no way of really knowing if the deal was 'a steal' but it seems $7000 is the current figure of choice. The sad thing ironically, is if it lasts as long as they claim, this might be my last furnace. It cost me as much as a very nice cruise so I hope I get some enjoyment from the dang thing. At least unlike a cruise it's not fattening!
Monday, February 19, 2007
Not Too Grateful - More Like Grating!
Wendy's Mom Gene seems to be doing fine in Waverley Mansion - until she talks to any of her ever loving children. Then it's like waving a red flag at a bull. Look out!Today is the first outing for Gene by herself. A day of activities at McCormick Home. We all have our fingers crossed that this will work out fine and become a weekly Monday routine. A bus will pick her up at 8:35 AM and deliver her back to Waverly mansion after 4:00 PM. A long day and a long drive. She enjoys drives so hopefully she’ll like this one. She’s the first person on and the last person off. We will see! She certainly sounds ticked off at Wendy and Doug for “plotting all this” to get rid of her.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Still "Low Carbing" and Never, Ever Felt Better!
"Sugar, second only to tobacco smoke, is the most dangerous legal substance, in terms of long-term health damage..." April S. Fields
Although our household is not 'religious' about adhering to the Atkins rules, we do embrace the principles of reducing sugar and starch (carbs) in the diet. We also tout the 300 year proven advantage of consuming dietary fiber (in our case in the form of psyllium seed husks) daily.
Low Carbing - Is the Low-Carb Craze Over?
By April S. Fields
If you set your opinions by media hype, you will likely believe that Low-Carb, as a diet and lifestyle, is yesterday's news. Apparently, the ship has sailed. This conclusion is founded in the general statistics as formulated by the ever mysterious, all knowing, "they" who have tracked how many "band wagon" Low-Carb specialty food companies that are now defunct and grocers who have reduced shelf space to Low-Carb products because of steady decline in sales.
Interestingly, the primary reason sited for the deteriorating sales of Low-Carb food items is "Eating the same thing over and over is monotonous."
While I can't address the issue of Low-Carb product vendors going out of business, I can debate, with some authority, by virtue of experience, on the issue of monotonous eating. First of all, let me restate that the underlying concept of Low-Carb dieting is a means to eliminate food addictions. Low-Carb foods typically do not trigger food addiction responses. Sugar and high glycemic foods, such as potatoes, white bread and pastas made from white flour, fall into the category of habit-forming because these foods evoke cravings and create cyclic demand on glucose and insulin production, falling into both physical and psychological addiction categories.
What does this really mean? It means that I could eat a bowl of Frosted Flakes or a glazed donut or buttered toast slathered with jelly every morning or I could have a potato, in some configuration with lunch and dinner for the rest of my life and never be bored.
Why is this not monotonous? The short answer is that addictions of any kind are self-serving and enslaving. Regardless of the substance, human desire for it is based less on variety and more on chemical dependency. Sugar, second only to tobacco smoke, is the most dangerous legal substance, in terms of long-term health damage, we can ingest, and yet it is the most common ingredient, (often called high fructose corn syrup), in manufactured foods. Study after study reveals the inherent dangers in over consumption of sugar and yet, every single day, new, sucrose-laden products are introduced to the marketplace.
Not to put too fine a point on it but sugar sells well because sugar is addictive, not just because it tastes good. Recently I heard a report on WSB radio, by Clark Howard, an Atlanta-based consumer advocate, that detailed a four-year clinical study conducted with a group of nurses. The results were profound. The control group that consumed one sugared cola and/or one fruit juice drink per day were 80% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than the group that had abstained. 80% is not a small number. And yet we consume colas and sugary fruit juices every day, often in place of water.
Do you know someone who drinks one or more colas a day? Do you suppose that person will ever get bored with colas? Probably not, and the cola producing companies are counting on it. I would love to see a formal clinical study tracking the eating habits of successful dieters who have given up Low-Carb because of food boredom. Would it be a leap to assume these folks would return to sugar based breakfasts, fast foods for lunch, snacks and high-carb dinners. Let's consider the primary choices out there. Donuts? Bagels? Pop Tarts? Sugar coated cereal? Hamburgers? Tacos? Pizza? Pasta? Everything incased in or accompanied by some form of white bread or breading.
We delude ourselves by thinking easy-to-get food is tastier or that there is greater variety available. Easy-to-get food is just that - easy-to-get.
It isn't monotony that sends us back to empty carbs; it's convenience.
But once the cravings are back in place, addiction takes over and we do not recognize the difference or why we never tire of our three o'clock pick-me-up candy bar. Admittedly, eating Low-Carb takes more conscious effort and planning. In spite of all the restaurants and fast food chains that have added Low-Carb items to the menu, high-carb still reigns supreme. But if Low-Carb choices had the same chemical hook, as high glycemic foods, there would be more and more demand, not less, for Low-Carb.
Conclusion? Low-Carb foods are not addictive and therefore will always take a back seat to the foods that keep us dependent upon them. The real issue here is about human nature and not monotony. In addition, with the advent of modern food processing, we have been slowly conditioned to respect convenience over food value. We have been trained to regard speed of delivery over health. We never consider that fast foods save us time but are slowly killing us. This includes the "quick and easy" boxed and canned goods we stock in our pantries.
Why do we never tire of potato chips? You can't eat just one says it all. We are addicted to processed food and our preferences have little, if anything, to do with desire for variety. Given the way human nature responds so readily to the siren call of "easy" living, the ending of the most recent flurry of interest in Low-Carb eating comes as no great shock. But, at least, some irrefutable truths have been brought to light in the process.
For one thing, the Food Pyramid, that has been the basis for all food science for the past five decades, has been exposed not only as bad science but also fraud based on nothing more than economics. Secondly, "fat-free" has been revealed to be the empty, meaningless catch phrase that it is. And lastly, but not least, health professionals who focus and treat diabetes have finally recognized and admitted the role excess carbohydrates play in the maintenance of blood sugar. If nothing else, this most recent Low-Carb frenzy has forced the medical community to address issues like processed and junk food, trans-fatty acids, good carbs versus bad carbs and what these things are doing to us in the long term.
Let us also remember that Low-Carbing or Carb-Control isn't a new concept, having been introduced to American consumers in the early seventies by Dr. Atkins who had formed his dieting model from an even earlier study. Those opportunists, who have misrepresented and manipulated it into a fad diet and then grabbed all the attention, are certainly destined to fail.
In the realm of good health and well being, however, those who understand that monitoring empty carb intake requires some effort in this highly processed, convenience food and carb-laced world we live in, will not cave as the fickle spot-light moves on to refocus on the next new buzz word.
One other thing is true and worth pointing out. I was Low-Carbing successfully long before Low-Carb products were available. Why? Simply because Low-Carb eating is nothing more than eliminating zero value carbohydrates and consuming fresh, whole vegetables, fruit, (not fruit juice), lean meat and fish and thus controlling cravings and food addictions. As a side benefit, because Low-Carb foods are more satisfying and digest more slowly, portion control also becomes an automatic and significant factor in daily food consumption.
Low-Carb also means preparing meals at home more than eating out and, of course, this also takes advance prep work. But then sometimes convenience isn't all it's cracked up to be. I can whip up breakfast at home faster than I can go get an Egg McMuffin. Nothing is quicker than preparing a Low-Carb meal. The effort is expended beforehand in the planning, shopping for and stocking of the pantry, not in the final preparation.
In spite of the bad news that Low-Carb food companies are now falling away and the remaining choices will most certainly be reduced when the dust clears, I can continue to maintain Low-Carb and still eat a diverse range of good food. I have spent the past five years developing recipes, like Orange Cookies, that not only satisfy the psychological cravings of comfort food we have convinced ourselves we need, but at the same time do not contain the ingredients that keep us physically enslaved to them and are damaging to our health.
There are several new carb-controlled products that I personally hope do not leave the shelves. The pastas by Dreamfields are both Low-Carb and delicious. I can serve Linguini Alfredo to anyone with not a single complaint. My Steak'n Penne is another hearty meal that meets with approval from both Low-Carbers and non alike. But the casserole that I actually get requests for is my Baked Macaroni and Cheese, which proves to me that, while the Low-Carb craze may be waning, Low-Carbing is not a fad and can be done for life, properly and successfully, without monotony, and even without the attention or approval of the media.
Although our household is not 'religious' about adhering to the Atkins rules, we do embrace the principles of reducing sugar and starch (carbs) in the diet. We also tout the 300 year proven advantage of consuming dietary fiber (in our case in the form of psyllium seed husks) daily.
Low Carbing - Is the Low-Carb Craze Over?
By April S. Fields
If you set your opinions by media hype, you will likely believe that Low-Carb, as a diet and lifestyle, is yesterday's news. Apparently, the ship has sailed. This conclusion is founded in the general statistics as formulated by the ever mysterious, all knowing, "they" who have tracked how many "band wagon" Low-Carb specialty food companies that are now defunct and grocers who have reduced shelf space to Low-Carb products because of steady decline in sales.
Interestingly, the primary reason sited for the deteriorating sales of Low-Carb food items is "Eating the same thing over and over is monotonous."
While I can't address the issue of Low-Carb product vendors going out of business, I can debate, with some authority, by virtue of experience, on the issue of monotonous eating. First of all, let me restate that the underlying concept of Low-Carb dieting is a means to eliminate food addictions. Low-Carb foods typically do not trigger food addiction responses. Sugar and high glycemic foods, such as potatoes, white bread and pastas made from white flour, fall into the category of habit-forming because these foods evoke cravings and create cyclic demand on glucose and insulin production, falling into both physical and psychological addiction categories.
What does this really mean? It means that I could eat a bowl of Frosted Flakes or a glazed donut or buttered toast slathered with jelly every morning or I could have a potato, in some configuration with lunch and dinner for the rest of my life and never be bored.
Why is this not monotonous? The short answer is that addictions of any kind are self-serving and enslaving. Regardless of the substance, human desire for it is based less on variety and more on chemical dependency. Sugar, second only to tobacco smoke, is the most dangerous legal substance, in terms of long-term health damage, we can ingest, and yet it is the most common ingredient, (often called high fructose corn syrup), in manufactured foods. Study after study reveals the inherent dangers in over consumption of sugar and yet, every single day, new, sucrose-laden products are introduced to the marketplace.
Not to put too fine a point on it but sugar sells well because sugar is addictive, not just because it tastes good. Recently I heard a report on WSB radio, by Clark Howard, an Atlanta-based consumer advocate, that detailed a four-year clinical study conducted with a group of nurses. The results were profound. The control group that consumed one sugared cola and/or one fruit juice drink per day were 80% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than the group that had abstained. 80% is not a small number. And yet we consume colas and sugary fruit juices every day, often in place of water.
Do you know someone who drinks one or more colas a day? Do you suppose that person will ever get bored with colas? Probably not, and the cola producing companies are counting on it. I would love to see a formal clinical study tracking the eating habits of successful dieters who have given up Low-Carb because of food boredom. Would it be a leap to assume these folks would return to sugar based breakfasts, fast foods for lunch, snacks and high-carb dinners. Let's consider the primary choices out there. Donuts? Bagels? Pop Tarts? Sugar coated cereal? Hamburgers? Tacos? Pizza? Pasta? Everything incased in or accompanied by some form of white bread or breading.
We delude ourselves by thinking easy-to-get food is tastier or that there is greater variety available. Easy-to-get food is just that - easy-to-get.
It isn't monotony that sends us back to empty carbs; it's convenience.
But once the cravings are back in place, addiction takes over and we do not recognize the difference or why we never tire of our three o'clock pick-me-up candy bar. Admittedly, eating Low-Carb takes more conscious effort and planning. In spite of all the restaurants and fast food chains that have added Low-Carb items to the menu, high-carb still reigns supreme. But if Low-Carb choices had the same chemical hook, as high glycemic foods, there would be more and more demand, not less, for Low-Carb.
Conclusion? Low-Carb foods are not addictive and therefore will always take a back seat to the foods that keep us dependent upon them. The real issue here is about human nature and not monotony. In addition, with the advent of modern food processing, we have been slowly conditioned to respect convenience over food value. We have been trained to regard speed of delivery over health. We never consider that fast foods save us time but are slowly killing us. This includes the "quick and easy" boxed and canned goods we stock in our pantries.
Why do we never tire of potato chips? You can't eat just one says it all. We are addicted to processed food and our preferences have little, if anything, to do with desire for variety. Given the way human nature responds so readily to the siren call of "easy" living, the ending of the most recent flurry of interest in Low-Carb eating comes as no great shock. But, at least, some irrefutable truths have been brought to light in the process.
For one thing, the Food Pyramid, that has been the basis for all food science for the past five decades, has been exposed not only as bad science but also fraud based on nothing more than economics. Secondly, "fat-free" has been revealed to be the empty, meaningless catch phrase that it is. And lastly, but not least, health professionals who focus and treat diabetes have finally recognized and admitted the role excess carbohydrates play in the maintenance of blood sugar. If nothing else, this most recent Low-Carb frenzy has forced the medical community to address issues like processed and junk food, trans-fatty acids, good carbs versus bad carbs and what these things are doing to us in the long term.
Let us also remember that Low-Carbing or Carb-Control isn't a new concept, having been introduced to American consumers in the early seventies by Dr. Atkins who had formed his dieting model from an even earlier study. Those opportunists, who have misrepresented and manipulated it into a fad diet and then grabbed all the attention, are certainly destined to fail.
In the realm of good health and well being, however, those who understand that monitoring empty carb intake requires some effort in this highly processed, convenience food and carb-laced world we live in, will not cave as the fickle spot-light moves on to refocus on the next new buzz word.
One other thing is true and worth pointing out. I was Low-Carbing successfully long before Low-Carb products were available. Why? Simply because Low-Carb eating is nothing more than eliminating zero value carbohydrates and consuming fresh, whole vegetables, fruit, (not fruit juice), lean meat and fish and thus controlling cravings and food addictions. As a side benefit, because Low-Carb foods are more satisfying and digest more slowly, portion control also becomes an automatic and significant factor in daily food consumption.
Low-Carb also means preparing meals at home more than eating out and, of course, this also takes advance prep work. But then sometimes convenience isn't all it's cracked up to be. I can whip up breakfast at home faster than I can go get an Egg McMuffin. Nothing is quicker than preparing a Low-Carb meal. The effort is expended beforehand in the planning, shopping for and stocking of the pantry, not in the final preparation.
In spite of the bad news that Low-Carb food companies are now falling away and the remaining choices will most certainly be reduced when the dust clears, I can continue to maintain Low-Carb and still eat a diverse range of good food. I have spent the past five years developing recipes, like Orange Cookies, that not only satisfy the psychological cravings of comfort food we have convinced ourselves we need, but at the same time do not contain the ingredients that keep us physically enslaved to them and are damaging to our health.
There are several new carb-controlled products that I personally hope do not leave the shelves. The pastas by Dreamfields are both Low-Carb and delicious. I can serve Linguini Alfredo to anyone with not a single complaint. My Steak'n Penne is another hearty meal that meets with approval from both Low-Carbers and non alike. But the casserole that I actually get requests for is my Baked Macaroni and Cheese, which proves to me that, while the Low-Carb craze may be waning, Low-Carbing is not a fad and can be done for life, properly and successfully, without monotony, and even without the attention or approval of the media.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
We're Booked!!!
This will be our third cruise with this rather exhuberant bunch. 
How romantic for Valentine's Day! I didn’t think we were gonna do it but we did. We booked eleven days out of Honolulu, leaving Saturday, March the 24th on the Norwegian Wind. Holly and Barry, John and Cheryl and Donna and Pete had already booked this cruise back in January. We had so much fun with them on the last cruise in November, that I was hoping all along that we could do something. This will be our third cruise with this rather exhuberant bunch. I called Eric at Cruises’n More and he showed me a deal I couldn’t refuse. For $609.00 + taxes he said we could upgrade from a category D outside cabin to a category CC way up on Deck eight. Our cabin #8109 superior oceanview is located right beside the “owner’s suite” which would cost $2,799.00 + tax. Our luxury sized outside cabin (normally $1049 + tax) features forward facing, floor to ceiling windows, queen size bed and a refrigerator. (When I booked, the two other prime cabins 8000 and 8100 were available at this amazing price. Book them, we'd love to have you as neighbours!)
We also receive concierge service. At first I thought there would be no need for the concierge, but upon reading a review by another traveler, I now realize we can use the concierge to book our dinner seating for the eight of us. Since Norwegian does not offer preassigned seating for dinner this could turn out to be a real plus. With our 8:00pm dinner reservations made, we hopefully will not have to stand in line. The Free-style dining was one of my main concerns with Norwegian because I hate standing in line for anything! We'll see.
I booked a flight, Northwest Air out of Detroit for Monday March 19th This gets us in at 5:45pm on Monday with 4 full days to ease the jet-lag and tour the island before embarking. We’ll meet the others flying in on Wednesday afternoon. Our hotel, The Aqua Coconut Plaza is in Waikiki a few blocks away from the beach.
How romantic for Valentine's Day! I didn’t think we were gonna do it but we did. We booked eleven days out of Honolulu, leaving Saturday, March the 24th on the Norwegian Wind. Holly and Barry, John and Cheryl and Donna and Pete had already booked this cruise back in January. We had so much fun with them on the last cruise in November, that I was hoping all along that we could do something. This will be our third cruise with this rather exhuberant bunch. I called Eric at Cruises’n More and he showed me a deal I couldn’t refuse. For $609.00 + taxes he said we could upgrade from a category D outside cabin to a category CC way up on Deck eight. Our cabin #8109 superior oceanview is located right beside the “owner’s suite” which would cost $2,799.00 + tax. Our luxury sized outside cabin (normally $1049 + tax) features forward facing, floor to ceiling windows, queen size bed and a refrigerator. (When I booked, the two other prime cabins 8000 and 8100 were available at this amazing price. Book them, we'd love to have you as neighbours!)We also receive concierge service. At first I thought there would be no need for the concierge, but upon reading a review by another traveler, I now realize we can use the concierge to book our dinner seating for the eight of us. Since Norwegian does not offer preassigned seating for dinner this could turn out to be a real plus. With our 8:00pm dinner reservations made, we hopefully will not have to stand in line. The Free-style dining was one of my main concerns with Norwegian because I hate standing in line for anything! We'll see.
I booked a flight, Northwest Air out of Detroit for Monday March 19th This gets us in at 5:45pm on Monday with 4 full days to ease the jet-lag and tour the island before embarking. We’ll meet the others flying in on Wednesday afternoon. Our hotel, The Aqua Coconut Plaza is in Waikiki a few blocks away from the beach.
Monday, February 5, 2007
THIS COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE OR A LOVED ONES
Stroke + Heart Attack LIFESAVER Actions
This might be a lifesaver if we can remember the three
questions!
Is It a Stroke?
Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify.
Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke
victim may suffer brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize
the symptoms of a stroke. Now doctors say a bystander can recognize
a stroke by asking three simple questions:
Ask the individual to smile.
Ask him or her to raise both arms.
Ask the person to speak a simple sentence.
If he or she has trouble with any of these tasks, call 9-1-1
immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.
After discovering that a group of non-medical volunteers could
identify facial weakness, arm weakness and speech problems,
researchers urged the general public to learn the three questions.
They presented their conclusions at the American Stroke
Association's annual meeting last February. Widespread use of this
test could result in prompt diagnosis and treatment of the stroke
and prevent brain damage.
Heart Attack Self Help
A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this e-mail sends it to
10 people, you can bet that at least one life will be saved.
Read this ... it could save your life!!
Let's say it's 6:15 p.m. and you're driving home (alone, of
course) after an unusually hard day on the job. You're really
tired, upset and frustrated. Suddenly you start experiencing
severe pain in your chest that starts to radiate out into your arm
and up into your jaw. You are only about five miles from the
hospital nearest your home. Unfortunately, you don't know if you'll
be able to make it that far. You have been trained in CPR, but the
guy that taught the course did not tell you how to perform it on
yourself.
HOW TO SURVIVE A HEART ATTACK WHEN ALONE
Since many people are alone when they suffer a heart attack, without
help, the person whose heart is beating improperly and who begins to
feel faint, has only about 10 seconds left before losing consciousness.
However, these victims can help themselves by coughing repeatedly
and very vigorously. A deep breath should be taken before each
cough, and the cough must be deep and prolonged, as when
producing sputum from deep inside the chest. A breath and a
cough must be repeated about every two seconds without let-up until
help arrives, or until the heart is felt to be beating normally
again. Deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs and coughing movements
squeeze the heart and keep the blood circulating. The squeezing
pressure on the heart also helps it regain normal rhythm. In this
way, heart attack victims can get to a hospital.
BE A FRIEND AND SEND THIS ARTICLE TO AS MANY FRIENDS AS POSSIBLE.
This might be a lifesaver if we can remember the three
questions!
Is It a Stroke?
Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify.
Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke
victim may suffer brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize
the symptoms of a stroke. Now doctors say a bystander can recognize
a stroke by asking three simple questions:
Ask the individual to smile.
Ask him or her to raise both arms.
Ask the person to speak a simple sentence.
If he or she has trouble with any of these tasks, call 9-1-1
immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.
After discovering that a group of non-medical volunteers could
identify facial weakness, arm weakness and speech problems,
researchers urged the general public to learn the three questions.
They presented their conclusions at the American Stroke
Association's annual meeting last February. Widespread use of this
test could result in prompt diagnosis and treatment of the stroke
and prevent brain damage.
Heart Attack Self Help
A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this e-mail sends it to
10 people, you can bet that at least one life will be saved.
Read this ... it could save your life!!
Let's say it's 6:15 p.m. and you're driving home (alone, of
course) after an unusually hard day on the job. You're really
tired, upset and frustrated. Suddenly you start experiencing
severe pain in your chest that starts to radiate out into your arm
and up into your jaw. You are only about five miles from the
hospital nearest your home. Unfortunately, you don't know if you'll
be able to make it that far. You have been trained in CPR, but the
guy that taught the course did not tell you how to perform it on
yourself.
HOW TO SURVIVE A HEART ATTACK WHEN ALONE
Since many people are alone when they suffer a heart attack, without
help, the person whose heart is beating improperly and who begins to
feel faint, has only about 10 seconds left before losing consciousness.
However, these victims can help themselves by coughing repeatedly
and very vigorously. A deep breath should be taken before each
cough, and the cough must be deep and prolonged, as when
producing sputum from deep inside the chest. A breath and a
cough must be repeated about every two seconds without let-up until
help arrives, or until the heart is felt to be beating normally
again. Deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs and coughing movements
squeeze the heart and keep the blood circulating. The squeezing
pressure on the heart also helps it regain normal rhythm. In this
way, heart attack victims can get to a hospital.
BE A FRIEND AND SEND THIS ARTICLE TO AS MANY FRIENDS AS POSSIBLE.
Friday, February 2, 2007
Fellow Cruisers Might Like This Review
Here’s a excellent report from Cheryl. Cheryl and husband Doug were on the Barbados Bus trip in November. They live in Michigan. They recently returned from a 7 day cruise on the Norwegian Dream
Cheryl,
Hope you had a wonderful trip.
Tell me, how did the Norwegian Dream compare with the Sun Princesss? Service, cabins, food, etc. I have been holding off until I heard from you. May I post your observations on my blog?
Waiting to hear
Tim
Tim
Here ya go:
My observations of the Norwegian Dream.
Since our Sun Princess cruise was just 2 months ago and still fresh in my mind, many of the observations are in comparisons to that boat, fair or not.
While the Dream is an ok ship, the Sun Princess and other ships we have been on were nicer in some minor or subtle ways:
The layout of the Dream is very "odd". This ship was lengthened a few years back and that affects the layout. For instance, one of the dining rooms is in the middle of the ship, Deck 9. Our room was on the very front of the ship, Deck 9. To get from the middle or back section of Deck 9 to our room, we had to either go up or down one floor to get around the dining room, or go through it. Most people go through it. Kinda odd to be parading around in your pool attire while people are trying to enjoy lunch.
The buffet was the biggest aggravation. The Sports Bar IS the buffet. There is only seating for around 150 people in the area (with several TVs, which is what makes it the Sports Bar). Not nearly big enough for a boat that holds 1700 passengers. On days we were arriving in port at 7 or 8 AM, most people preferred the buffet to a more time-consuming breakfast in the restaurant, so the buffet lines were long with A LOT of people standing around waiting for a table to open up. You can take your food to tables outside, but 2 mornings it was either too windy or rainy to enjoy eating outside. I saw 2 teenage girls eating on the steps by the elevators one morning. It was a disaster!
On personal note, another major inconvenience to having the buffet in the Sports Bar: we sailed on the day of the 2 football playoff games. They broadcast the first game in the Sports Bar and in the staterooms, even though Fox is not one of the normally carried channels. However, the second game which featured Indianapolis (where my sister-in-law lives) was not broadcast at all. She was not a happy camper, and she wasn't alone. There were A LOT of really pissed off people. Our assumption is they didn't want the sports fans taking up all the tables in the buffet area for three hours right in the middle of dinner time.
Another of the little things that was disappointing about this ship -- the buffets (main one, BBQ on deck, etc) didn't have trays. It is difficult to carry a plate of food, silverware and napkin, dessert, and glass or 2 of beverages without a tray. Not a big deal, but a bit of an annoyance to have to fight the traffic at the buffets to go back 2 or 3 times to get everything you want. I honestly don't remember if all of other ships have had trays or not. I know the Sun did.
Glasses on the buffet were smaller (8oz) like most other ships so you almost always needed more than one for a meal. On the Sun, they were a little larger which I thought was a nice feature.
Food was good and very compatible to Princess. We have sailed with Norwegian 3 other times and all 4 times the food was good. Not gourmet, but I didn't think Princess or Carnival was any better or any worse. All were what we expect for the category of cruising that these lines fall in. If I want gourmet food, I will sail on Crystal. The Italian Trattoria (specialty restaurant without an additional charge) was particularly good. We ate there twice.
We did have to wait at least 30 minutes for the main dining rooms at least twice when we arrived to eat at 7:30 or 8:00 at the main dining rooms. On contrast, we found we were seated immediately if we went anytime before 7, but there was a rush later. Unfortunately they don't provide "flashing beepers" for the waiting crowd, so you couldn't wander too far from the entrance or you risked missing your name being called. Other passengers I talked to that have been on Norwegian's bigger, newer ships say they have more restaurants and choices so the wait at the main restaurants is not a problem. This boat had 2 main dining rooms, the buffet, the Italian restaurant, and one additional-charge French restaurant. So basically only 5 restaurant choices, where the new ships have 8 or 10, I heard. The serving time in all the restaurants was comparable with other lines we have been on -- 60- 90 minutes for dinner. In spite of the wait times, we much prefer the open seating system to an assigned time, though I think Princess hit the jackpot by making both options available to its passengers.
Stateroom was very similar to the room we had on the Princess and other boats (inside standard cabin). Shower was smaller than some, but I don't recall which lines have the larger showers.
Condition of the ship was excellent. While it doesn't have the grand, multi-story atrium like many other ships, thus it doesn't have the "grandiose" feel, it was still very clean, modern, well maintained.
Staff was very personable and knowledgeable, other than when faced with "why aren't you showing the Indy / New England playoff game" question from 100 passengers. They refused to even acknowledge that they had just showen the first game. The reception desk staff kept INSISTING that if the game was on Fox, we didn't see it because they don't get Fox. It was kind of humorous -- "You mean that game we just watched -- you didn't broadcast it?" "No, we don't broadcast Fox" "then what did we just watch?" "I don't know but it wasn't Fox". This went on for about 10 minutes. Kinda like watching a hamster on a wheel....
While who the captain of a ship is doesn't matter one iota to me, I do have to say that this one (don't remember his name) was a real kick. His daily announcements and speeches at the various occasions were very entertaining. The guy had a real sense of humor and personable demeanor -- not at all as formal or stand-offish as some captains can be. Really a nice guy.
Overall, there were things with this boat we didn't like as well, but if the price were right, we would sail on it again. As I said, this was our 4th Norwegian cruise and we have been happy with all of them. As a reference, we have been on 3 Carnival (last one was 1999, so it has been awhile), 4 Norwegian, 1 Princess, and 1 Costa (Mediterranean). All of them have had their pluses and minuses, but we would sail any of them again. I think more has to do with the ship itself than the line. While the Sun Princess and the Dream are similar in size, the Sun is just laid out in a much nicer manner. In ratings, the Princess and Costa are our two favorite cruises, but in each case the people we met and ports of call are what made the difference more than the boat itself. Obviously, the newer the boat, the better the design is going to be as they learn what works as years go by, and can design to match new design "styles" like freestyle. But given the opportunity, I would probably get on just about any ship to sail with folks we had a good history with. Friends can make a trip on a mediocre ship one of your best vacations while a brand new ship can get boring after a week if there is no one to share the fun with or the rest of the passengers are all over 80 (we did one of those, once, too).
Hope this info helps you (yes, you can post it to your blog). Sorry if I got too long winded (family has always said I talk to much -- guess it carries over to my typing, too ).
If you (or anyone else) has anything else I can answer, fire away.
Happy February!
Cheryl
Cheryl,
Hope you had a wonderful trip.
Tell me, how did the Norwegian Dream compare with the Sun Princesss? Service, cabins, food, etc. I have been holding off until I heard from you. May I post your observations on my blog?
Waiting to hear
Tim
Tim
Here ya go:
My observations of the Norwegian Dream.
Since our Sun Princess cruise was just 2 months ago and still fresh in my mind, many of the observations are in comparisons to that boat, fair or not.
While the Dream is an ok ship, the Sun Princess and other ships we have been on were nicer in some minor or subtle ways:
The layout of the Dream is very "odd". This ship was lengthened a few years back and that affects the layout. For instance, one of the dining rooms is in the middle of the ship, Deck 9. Our room was on the very front of the ship, Deck 9. To get from the middle or back section of Deck 9 to our room, we had to either go up or down one floor to get around the dining room, or go through it. Most people go through it. Kinda odd to be parading around in your pool attire while people are trying to enjoy lunch.
The buffet was the biggest aggravation. The Sports Bar IS the buffet. There is only seating for around 150 people in the area (with several TVs, which is what makes it the Sports Bar). Not nearly big enough for a boat that holds 1700 passengers. On days we were arriving in port at 7 or 8 AM, most people preferred the buffet to a more time-consuming breakfast in the restaurant, so the buffet lines were long with A LOT of people standing around waiting for a table to open up. You can take your food to tables outside, but 2 mornings it was either too windy or rainy to enjoy eating outside. I saw 2 teenage girls eating on the steps by the elevators one morning. It was a disaster!
On personal note, another major inconvenience to having the buffet in the Sports Bar: we sailed on the day of the 2 football playoff games. They broadcast the first game in the Sports Bar and in the staterooms, even though Fox is not one of the normally carried channels. However, the second game which featured Indianapolis (where my sister-in-law lives) was not broadcast at all. She was not a happy camper, and she wasn't alone. There were A LOT of really pissed off people. Our assumption is they didn't want the sports fans taking up all the tables in the buffet area for three hours right in the middle of dinner time.
Another of the little things that was disappointing about this ship -- the buffets (main one, BBQ on deck, etc) didn't have trays. It is difficult to carry a plate of food, silverware and napkin, dessert, and glass or 2 of beverages without a tray. Not a big deal, but a bit of an annoyance to have to fight the traffic at the buffets to go back 2 or 3 times to get everything you want. I honestly don't remember if all of other ships have had trays or not. I know the Sun did.
Glasses on the buffet were smaller (8oz) like most other ships so you almost always needed more than one for a meal. On the Sun, they were a little larger which I thought was a nice feature.
Food was good and very compatible to Princess. We have sailed with Norwegian 3 other times and all 4 times the food was good. Not gourmet, but I didn't think Princess or Carnival was any better or any worse. All were what we expect for the category of cruising that these lines fall in. If I want gourmet food, I will sail on Crystal. The Italian Trattoria (specialty restaurant without an additional charge) was particularly good. We ate there twice.
We did have to wait at least 30 minutes for the main dining rooms at least twice when we arrived to eat at 7:30 or 8:00 at the main dining rooms. On contrast, we found we were seated immediately if we went anytime before 7, but there was a rush later. Unfortunately they don't provide "flashing beepers" for the waiting crowd, so you couldn't wander too far from the entrance or you risked missing your name being called. Other passengers I talked to that have been on Norwegian's bigger, newer ships say they have more restaurants and choices so the wait at the main restaurants is not a problem. This boat had 2 main dining rooms, the buffet, the Italian restaurant, and one additional-charge French restaurant. So basically only 5 restaurant choices, where the new ships have 8 or 10, I heard. The serving time in all the restaurants was comparable with other lines we have been on -- 60- 90 minutes for dinner. In spite of the wait times, we much prefer the open seating system to an assigned time, though I think Princess hit the jackpot by making both options available to its passengers.
Stateroom was very similar to the room we had on the Princess and other boats (inside standard cabin). Shower was smaller than some, but I don't recall which lines have the larger showers.
Condition of the ship was excellent. While it doesn't have the grand, multi-story atrium like many other ships, thus it doesn't have the "grandiose" feel, it was still very clean, modern, well maintained.
Staff was very personable and knowledgeable, other than when faced with "why aren't you showing the Indy / New England playoff game" question from 100 passengers. They refused to even acknowledge that they had just showen the first game. The reception desk staff kept INSISTING that if the game was on Fox, we didn't see it because they don't get Fox. It was kind of humorous -- "You mean that game we just watched -- you didn't broadcast it?" "No, we don't broadcast Fox" "then what did we just watch?" "I don't know but it wasn't Fox". This went on for about 10 minutes. Kinda like watching a hamster on a wheel....
While who the captain of a ship is doesn't matter one iota to me, I do have to say that this one (don't remember his name) was a real kick. His daily announcements and speeches at the various occasions were very entertaining. The guy had a real sense of humor and personable demeanor -- not at all as formal or stand-offish as some captains can be. Really a nice guy.
Overall, there were things with this boat we didn't like as well, but if the price were right, we would sail on it again. As I said, this was our 4th Norwegian cruise and we have been happy with all of them. As a reference, we have been on 3 Carnival (last one was 1999, so it has been awhile), 4 Norwegian, 1 Princess, and 1 Costa (Mediterranean). All of them have had their pluses and minuses, but we would sail any of them again. I think more has to do with the ship itself than the line. While the Sun Princess and the Dream are similar in size, the Sun is just laid out in a much nicer manner. In ratings, the Princess and Costa are our two favorite cruises, but in each case the people we met and ports of call are what made the difference more than the boat itself. Obviously, the newer the boat, the better the design is going to be as they learn what works as years go by, and can design to match new design "styles" like freestyle. But given the opportunity, I would probably get on just about any ship to sail with folks we had a good history with. Friends can make a trip on a mediocre ship one of your best vacations while a brand new ship can get boring after a week if there is no one to share the fun with or the rest of the passengers are all over 80 (we did one of those, once, too).
Hope this info helps you (yes, you can post it to your blog). Sorry if I got too long winded (family has always said I talk to much -- guess it carries over to my typing, too ).
If you (or anyone else) has anything else I can answer, fire away.
Happy February!
Cheryl
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