Hazmat of the Seas has taken passengers for the ride of their lives . . .

'Overflowing urinals, uncovered drains and muddy carpets' - Harmony of the Seas cruise liner is a 'building site', claim irate passengers

. . . complete with overflowing urinals, muck, construction debris, and closed amenities.

Maddog can hear the announcement now. "Tonight for your dining pleasure, Hazmat of the Seas will be serving American Casserole." More about this later in a Maddog Story, which can be found below the fold.

We wrote about the Hazmat of the Seas here:

Eager for a look inside the largest cruise ship ever built?

Our eagerness to avoid being trapped with 7610 of our closest strangers has paid off once again. This seems a poor choice from a future sales stand point, but what does Maddog know about selling cruise ship cabins?

​About that American Casserole . . . 

​Maddog Story below the fold.

Back in 1981-1982, Maddog was living in Mexico and had been for many months. Maddogsmom became worried that Maddog was never coming home. This was a prescient worry, Maddog was having a great time, and had no desire to exchange the Life of Riley for university, and ultimately work. 

In a Machiavellian maneuver, Maddogsmom enlisted the family forger, Maddogsbrer1 to simply enroll Maddog at Oregon State University, and write all necessary checks on Maddogs checking account. Done, a letter was sent to Maddog, and was received 2 weeks later, informing Maddog of his now lighter bank account and instructing him that if he desired productive use of said monies, he should return post haste as the time for attendance was to hand. 

Maddog complied realizing that these shenanigans were unlikely to resolve absent muscular interference. 

Maddog returned in time for the second summer session of the 1982 season, and took 2 classes, Bicycling, and Western Civilization. One must be careful returning from a long period of the life of Riley to work, too much might shock the system resulting in catatonia, Maddog eased back in with a single low level history course.

The intent was for Maddog and Maddogsbrer1 to room together while finishing up college. Maddog was instructed to find a 3 bedroom house since Maddogsbrer1 had obligations to a roommate already, one Maddog knew well. 

A suitable house was secured, leases signed, funds paid, and Maddog and brer1's furniture moved. The third roommate (R3) soon moved his furniture, and we proceeded to play foosball, and host parties. Somehow we would also wedged a bit of schooling in along the margins. Maddog eased back into college averaging a bit more than 17 credit hours per term his junior year in 1982/83, and a bit more than 24 credit hours per term his senior year in 1983/84.

Being lazy pikers we decided to have communal meals and each pick up either one or two meals per week, we had not made a decision on number. Before we could decide, a desperate 4th roommate (R4) applicant appeared, was accepted, and, so,we decided upon one meal apiece, Monday through Thursday, with Friday's, and weekends on one's own recognizance. We drew straws to determine poll position, and R3 won, becoming the first to cook. 

R3 feted the house with American Casserole, a mixture of cheap store brand boxed macaroni and cheese, low price store brand hot dogs, a salad of iceberg lettuce, sans dressing or amenities, and a slice apiece of Wonder Bread. The only wonder is R3 survived the night. Maddog and Maddogsbrer1 were better cooks than that in the womb, and we were now in our 20's. Maddogsbrer was a ship cook aboard a tender boat working in Alaska during summer. We were competitive, meals were good, we had standards. American Casserole would not do, and with all deference to R3's feelings we told him the next American Casserole or anything like American Casserole would result in a sudden death in his family, his. 

Maddog and brer1 then rejiggered the schedule so we would go the next two days, offering the roommates the opportunity to see what a dinner was, and the ability to compare it to the American Casserole fiasco. Maddog no longer remembers what brer1 served, but Maddog served wine/beer, a simple Romaine and tomato salad dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, halibut, rice pilaf, frenched beans, and fresh bread. 

R4 was a bit concerned about his first dinner, as he wanted to grill burgers, our only rule was that simple meals must have a full compliment of condiments, so pickles, relish, catsup, mustard, lettuce, tomato, onion, oven fries, or potatoes, with enough extra condiments to make salad if desired, good buns (we didn't require homemade), and the burger itself should be "jazzed" up a bit with something, diced mushrooms, or cheese, or onion, etc. R4 made burgers, actually quite good, and when asked said he added (just as Maddogsbrer1 advised) an egg, mushroom, onion, and cereal to the burgers to make them tasty, and hold together on the grill. 

We were a bit nonplussed when he informed us the cereal used was Lucky Charms, with the charms! Talk about lost in translation.

American Casserole went one and out, roommate Eric actually had his mother come down to school during the day he next cooked and helped him shop for three stew recipes. So every fourth week we started over with his stew recipes, they were good, and we never complained. 

On weekends, Maddog and brer1 cooked dinner for our Great Aunt most Sundays. GA would bake a pie, we would do the rest. 

We threw dinner parties on most Fridays and Saturdays until school began interfering late in the term, we were too old to find boozing interesting, but dinner parties were a great way to meet and mingle (Maddog had not dated since Mexico). The dating situation resolved itself quickly after Maddog invited Maddogswif (future wife) to a dinner. Making that the best dinner party Maddog has ever attended. 

Maddog's basic position on Americans is they are a moral people who love family, friends, and work above all else. Maddog and roommates were surrounded by all three, and Maddog found the Life of Riley he was living in Mexico, while excellent, was only a close second in comparison.