Where We've Been Recently

I realize that I don't post regularly on this blog - only when something interesting comes along.  So you may have been wondering, 'what are those guys up to?'

What we've been up to included 39 nights on three back-to-back cruises plus about6 days at Walt Disney World.  [Who can go to Orlando for a cruise and ignore the parks?]

This all began with a bucket list, of course.  We had noted that Disney Cruise Line was headed to the Baltics this spring.  On the bucket list was the Norwegian Fjords, which they would be visiting.  So we booked that cruise.

Of course, we would need to get to the Baltics (all their cruises sailed out of Copenhagen) and it seemed like a good idea to sail on the EastBound TransAtlantic cruise from Florida to Copenhagen.  Flights are expensive, anyway - right?

Then we were left with a week between the EBTA and the Fjord cruises, so we signed up for the Baltic Capitals cruise rather that stay in Copenhagen for the week (a notoriously expensive place to stay).

So we left on May 9th and returned to San Miguel on June 15th.  Whew!  There were many adventures: ports cancelled due to ice, new friends made and old friends reunited on board, and, of course, the usual supply of dim-witted fellow cruisers to avoid at all costs.

For those interested in a blow-by-blow description you might look at Michael's Facebook entries.  He was pretty diligent at posting comments and pictures.  If I ever get around to sorting through my own pictures, I may post them.  That's a big 'If'.

But we're back at home for now.  Bought two new cruises while onboard (it's one of the few discounts that Disney offers) so we'll be gone from time to time.  We've got five trips in the works through 2016: Disneyland and Club 33 in September 2015; Cabo San Lucas in January/February 2016; the Santa Fe Opera in August; an EastBound Panama Canal in late August (did the westbound PC a couple of years ago) this is just the reverse - San Diego to Port Canaveral; and a Eastern Caribbean in October.  Should keep us hopping!

[I never want to drag two suitcases and a carry-on with me again.  There were tons of clothes that went unworn.]  The dogs did not forget us and seemed quite happy to be home again.

Wonders Never Cease

I tend to be a little cynical about most things.  Especially new-fangled products promoted with extravagant claims.

So it should come with no surprises that the use of a magnetic gizmo to soften the water in ones home got short shrift from me.  Never mind their users' claims that built-up gunk could be eventually removed by running the processed water through the gunked-up fixture.

But I must say, it seems to be time to take a big bite of humble pie!

Our city-supplied water is very hard.  Watering the lawn leaves white spots on the windows from the sprinkler.  Flushing toilets leaves a trail of white residue from the outlets around the rim of the fixture as well as a ring at the edge of the water level.

Living in a rental, it wasn't in the cards for us to spend big bucks for a water softening outfit for the house.  But for $50 bucks, it might be worth it to try one out.  Not that we'd try out a big water softener that uses salt to soften the water, but there was an offer for a magnetic gizmo for around $50 bucks.

We had recently done a partial remodel on our kitchen (see earlier posts), which included a new sink and faucet duo.  I was getting tired of constantly drying the sink (and going through a lot of towels) to keep the water from drying in place and leaving the infamous white rings.

So - after reading the supporting comments from users, I decided to spring for the 50-buck model.  After all, if it didn't work, it was only $50 bucks - right?

Well, bless my soul, but it seemed to work!  We installed it on the outflow of our tinaco (took about 15 minutes, including the time to carry an extension ladder up to the roof top) so that all the water in the house would be treated; both hot and cold water is sourced from our tinaco.  And it works! And not only that, but a couple of months down the road, the white stains in our toilets seem to be gradually disappearing.  And the filter for the hot water to our washing machine doesn't need cleaning nearly as often as it earlier needed to maintain a flow.

We bought the model that had strong magnets that are held around the water supply pipe (some require an electrical connection).  I might even spring for a second unit that should fit around the incoming pipe for our water supply so that the lawns can also enjoy the benefits of gunk-free water!

The units don't remove the gunk in the water, but 'realign' the molecules so that they aren't attracted to fixtures.  Go figure; still doesn't sound possible, but it works!

Now, I'm still a little cynical about some claims, but I must say that I'm happy we tried this one out!