I have internet connection!

My fingers are flying across the keyboard and I am beyond thrilled to have received my very own personal internet code to connect to Starlink/internet. I had gone ashore after lunch to run some errands and when I came back the Chief Engineer handed me my internet voucher. I was beyond excited and asked a crew member to capture the moment for me to share with you. I got back from my little trip ashore leaving just enough time to make supper so, I had to wait until supper was made, served and cleaned up before I could enter the secret code and connect. A program which I had tried to open with the existing internet never went further than a blank screen with the blue swirl sprang to the opening page almost shouting "where have you been?" Most of the programs that I use, my book design program, my video program, my website program etc are all online and I quickly opened each one to see if it was really true and I was easily connected to each one! I am connected to the world again. My little Hotspot Voucher is valid for 30 days and I have 40GB. I will use it wisely, but I don't download movies or music so it should last me.

I am so excited to have my Starlink internet hotspot voucher

Wednesday I got my few groceries that I ordered. It was tempting to add to the list but I just ordered the essentials that would get us to the crew coming back and the big fitout order. Of course after I put in the order I thought, I should have ordered this, and I should have ordered that, but I reminded myself that I was trying to keep it small. I was shocked when I saw the invoice that came with the small order and wondered how is it possible that this small amount of food came to $1,700.00. I can account for $200 for dish soap (I could have bought a lot of Dawn dish soap for $200 and I wouldn't have to worry about my hands breaking out in a rash from the soap they send) I also bought coffee which was almost $200. I thought I was getting drip coffee but got a case of coffee beans instead. After taking off the $400 for those two items I was still having trouble coming to grips with the $1,300 for my few groceries. I only ordered one case of bacon, 20lb of hamburger meat and the rest was vegetables, a few melons,10 lb of cheese, sour cream, 35% (heavy) cream and coffee cream. I immediately wondered about my fit-out order and how expensive that was going to be. I am so grateful that I can cook and don't have to rely on processed food. I usually stay away from using the processed food in the freezer, opting to make meals from scratch, but I didn't have any hamburger meat before my groceries came and I wanted to make spaghetti and meatballs. I had found the premade meatballs in the freezer. I have to say, Even though they were processed, they were pretty good. I used the leftover meatballs to make meatball calzones for lunch the next day and served them with a spinach salad. I had brought some fresh dill with me when I came onboard and made a dill vinaigrette for the salad. I added bacon, sliced onions, sliced mushrooms and boiled eggs. It went great with the calzone. I also had chicken noodle soup. Chicken noodle soup is a favorite on every ship.

$1,700.00 I cannot believe how expensive these few items were.

I used the leftover meatballs from the spaghetti and meatball supper to make meatball calzones for lunch with a side spinach salad with dill vinaigrette.

My galley portholes face the morning sunrise and I already have numerous photos of the rising sun. I am excited that Lorraine (my sister, best friend and publisher) is coming back today. There is always a lot to do during fit out and she offered to come and help and I happily agreed. This gave me more free time the past few days to go ashore for a walk to Sophia's Coffee shop beside lock 8. It's a short walk from the ship and a lovely place to have a tea. She has beautiful homemade treats and while I was waiting inline, the lady in front of me who had just returned from wintering in Miami told Sophia, "I have been thinking of your biscotti" she then turned around to me and said "Sophia makes the best biscotti" The road to the ship is very muddy and I was grateful that I did not fall in a big mud puddle. I was walking along, carefully planning each placement of my feet when I cautioned myself, be careful that looks slippery and at the exact moment my one foot skated away in the slippery mud. I thankfully caught myself and continued on my way.

I enjoy the morning sunrise through my galley porthole

The Spruceglen is the red ship behind the Captain Henry Jackman. The road is muddy and full of water puddles

I thought this was a cool photo.

Although Lorraine is coming to help me do all the organizing and cleaning I am still trying to do little tasks as I come across them. My crew of 9 are easy to cook for and they were happy the other night when the supper menu said "Chinese Food" I found 5 individually wrapped steaks in the freezer and received beautiful broccoli with my groceries so I made steak and broccoli stir fry. With the  leftover cooked spaghetti I made Singapore noodles and for a treat I made homemade spring rolls. They really are not difficult to make. I used phyllo dough and filled them with sausage, cabbage and carrots. I baked them but they came out so beautiful and crispy, they really looked like they were deep fried. Even when they cooled off they were still crispy! Chinese food is always popular. There are no food restrictions which makes menu planning easy.

Chinese food night is always a hit

Spring rolls are so easy to make with phyllo dough.

I baked the homemade spring rolls and they came out so beautiful and crispy

When I am preparing a meal, I usually go through the crew I am cooking for and imagine what they will have. I was completely wrong on Thursday's lunch. I had made liver, onions, bacon and gravy or grilled cheese which I knew would go really well with the homemade cream of tomato soup. Eight of my crew went for the liver and onions and only one had the grilled cheese. I used the new flat top grill to make my grilled cheese and they came out perfect. I put the leftover grilled cheese out for snacking later in the day.

eight out of nine crew ordered the liver and onions

Only one crew member ordered the grilled cheese.

Right now I am working by myself. The second cook will come when the rest of the crew come. I am responsible for all the meals. When the second cook comes they will start making breakfast. I actually like making breakfast and enjoy making breakfast sandwiches. I usually have some breakfast sandwiches ready for those who take a few minutes of sleep and just grab a sandwich to go. I also have a lot of oatmeal eaters so I make a pot of oatmeal every day and I always make hard steamed eggs. They have the perfect sized ramekins here to steam eggs for the egg muffins. If you haven't tried steaming eggs, you have to. They come out so perfect. I get a lot of comments from people who, after reading about steaming eggs in the first book, thave said they will never boil eggs again. Steaming eggs will be one thing that I share again in the next book with a few extra tips and ideas.

These ramekins are the perfect size to steam the eggs for egg muffins

I love to make breakfast sandwiches

Good way to start the day

I made egg pockets one morning, they disappeared quickly.

Yesterday I made hotdogs on homemade buns and a taco salad. For myself I made my taco salad with nacho chips from almond tortillas. They came out exceptionally good. For supper we had fish and curried rice with chicken. I don't have any oil for the fryer so I baked fish. I made coleslaw and tartar sauce.

Hotdogs on homemade buns and a side taco salad

This was my lunch. I made my nachos from almond flour tortillas. They were delicious. I still use a little cheese on my salad. I can give up sugar, no problem, but I still like to have a little cheese.

They are not big dessert eaters so I usually just make one sweet item a day. One day I made oatmeal raisin cookies and yesterday I found some frozen bananas in the freezer and I made banana bread. I was surprised when there were leftovers. Who can pass up homemade cookies?

Oatmeal raisin cookies. I use my oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe in the book and substitute raisins for the chocolate chips.

For myself I make cookies from the new book. They are so good and made with a little maple syrup instead of sugar, and almond four instead of regular flour. They are very good and will be in the next cookbook. Both Lorraine and I are excited about the next book. We will work on some recipes this week while she is here. The book is available for pre-order until June 1st so that we know how many books to order for printing. just click on the following link More Recipes & Stories As We Navigate Healthier Eating – Ship to Shore Chef We will commence shipping as soon as the books are printed.  Have a great weekend and see you soon. 

Both Lorraine and I are excited about the new book.