EWP group?

[IASW Rider]

GREETINGS FROM BLIZZARD CENTRAL! :)

Just a quick, "hello" and apology for not having been able to stop by sooner. We were frantically running around and trying to get all stocked up for this weekend, and we're sure glad that we did because this is really some storm! They're predicting 15 - 20 inches of snow - we probably already have 4 - 5 on the ground, and we're only about 5 hours into the storm, at this point! (I thought of you when the Weather Channel said that the temperature was ONE degree in Bridgewater last night, Lauralee! :) ) Unfortunately, we had to postpone my post-birthday plans for this weekend, but thanks for your kind wishes, Linda! And I also kept a larger "commemorative" pair of jeans, Elaine - it's a rite of passage - keeping the larger pants to try on and watch them fall off - that always brightens my day, if I'm ever feeling discouraged or down! :) I loved reading your kitty stories, Colleen and Lauralee! :)

So sorry that this is a quick one, but I need to turn the computer over to Frank, who hasn't been on it all day. Hope that all is well with all of you and hope that you're all having a nice weekend! Talk to you again, soon (if I'm not buried under a huge pile of snow!) :)

[lunabkat]

Hi all from the blizzard state of nj :rolleyes1

How is everyone? we have about 19 inches of snow, at least on my deck, it I swear it looks like two feet in the driveway.

It'll look like four feet when i go out to shovel (lol). My dh has been called out in the storm, he won't be home till around 11pm tonite, double time for Sunday. i would rather he was home tho. Luna has had his morning milk snack and has retired to the "hideakitty" bed behind the recliner.

Its still snowing here, how's it over in Somerset Rider? The girls can't wait to go sledding across the street, i wonder if they will disappear under the snow when trying to get back up the hill. There is alot to shovel and i would like to get most done before dh comes home so he can just go right into bed instead of shoveling snow. Usually i let him take care of the driveway but the blower and the tractor are not cooperating so it is up to me - whee! :jumping4: Of course, i have my little helpers princess: princess:

Hope everyone is alright, talk later, when i get back inside.

:grouphug:
LL

[Alicnwondrln]

OK SO. I started reading this thread and after almost 20 pages realized there were to many to read. I am assuming that the EWP means Electric water parade
so what exactly is this thread about?
is it everyone just chatting which is fine I am not trying to start anything I was just wondering

[TalkisCheap]

alicnwondrln- yep, it stands for the Electric Water Parade, and it really is just a thread for everyone to talk. :) welcome..hopefully you'll like it!

Hey everyone! I skimmed over the last couple pages. No more skimming for me...after this post I'm going to read them as they're posted :teeth: I feel bad, doing it, but...they're just too many ;)

I did gather that I'm not the only one getting snowed in :rolleyes: 14 inches since yesterday, piled on top of the 6 or so we already have. Can't even get out of our neighborhood, so we skipped church for the first time in...probably 8 years{we were at my camp which was up in the mountains in northern maine, driving down an icy mountain, my dad lost control and we ended up in a snowbank...luckily we, and the car, were alright, but we missed church} so..that's how bad it is ;) My grandparents on cape cod, have over 30 inches, and no power. {knock on wood} we still have it, and hopefully will all day so we can watch the Patriots game :cheer2: :cheer2:

Basketball is alright. We've not been winning, but we've played much better than we did at the beginning of the season. My coach made a special point to come and tell me and my friend Shawn that we played very well at our game on Thursday{we were the only ones she said that too!} so, I felt good about that. I played more than anyone else..partly because our starting center has the flu, and secondly, I guess, since I was playing well! We ended up losing by 1 point. Which, of course was bad, but we played a team that had beaten us by at least 20 the first time we played them.

School, as well, is good. But, it's school! Nothing really to say. I'm doing well in all my subjects...and am just excited about going to high school!! The guy that I like, is going to my same high school..and that should be interesting :teeth: Speaking of school, my sister just heard from Fairfield University. She got in, and recieved their highest scholarship{15,000 a year} and so we're very excited for her. I'm also excited because that means another trip to WDW :teeth:

And speaking of that, our trip is fast approaching! But, I'm a little disappointed in it. We go because of my daddy's conference, and they decided to change weeks, and they couldn't get the YC/BC so we have to stay offsite :( I'm disappointed about that, but i'm going 10 days earlier, and at least I'll be there!!!

I hope everyone is good. I'm sorry I skimmed the posts. I promise after this that i'm going to read and comment when I see them :) I hope everyone survives the blizzards, too!! I'll check in soon!

Caroline

[lunabkat]

Hi all,

welcome to the suite Kelly, we like to chat and share our love of disney vacations and are rather a support group to each other, commisserate, cheer each other up and on, etc.

I am very proud of myself, i just learned to work the snowblower and cleaned the entire driveway myself while dh is working, he will be so surprised! It was actually kind of fun, when i wasn't blowing it in my face. One of our neighbors came over to show me how to work it, i even put more gas in it, i feel so accomplished. Now for five o'clock, a drink and a good book. :earboy2:


we've been sldding once, with a date to go back out around 3pm with some neighbor children. The KOTC is resting in his bed after being trapped in the garage for an hour, horrors. the girls are loving the snow and we are thawing out for a while. talk later.

LL :grouphug:

[SlightlyGoofy]

Hi there Kelly, welcome to the Suite. Sit down, take a load off and order up your favorite beverage. The fellers are here to wait on us hand and foot. We are just a bunch of Disney loving folks who like to daydream that we are there even more than we really are and that is saying something since most of us go at least once a year and often even more!! Lucky us!! Please introduce yourself so that we can get to know you better. I am a grandma to 6 and wife to one retired man who takes it entirely toooooo seriously. LOL My personal record is 4 visits to DW in one year.

Luna, you poor dear. Once you show someone you know how to do something you will forever be in charge of that chore. LOL I bet your feller knows what a lucky guy he is and will not push his luck too far though. I am doing some research to see if I can find a high tub surround but I bought mine from a store that is out of business. Sometimes you can ask at the hardware store and they will special order certain things for you. I used to have a floor like you describe too. Was very frustrating. When I finally replaced it I made sure to get something darker and easier to take care of. My daughter put a new floor in and in spite of my warning she replicated my mistake. (shaking head) It was Henney and Heiny all night long, the entire ballroom smelled like Hennesey. I have heard that phrase before but do not remember where or what the heck it means. I think it is a very old saying, how old did you say you were? LOL I could never bring myself to hurt anything, animal or whatever, but I fear I have been traumatized too much and will never be able to be close to a poor animal. They can sense fear and think I am up to no good and I do not blame them one bit.


Caroline, you have been sorely missed around here but that is the way it goes with you young folk, especially one as accomplished as yourself. I bet your parents are both proud and relieved that your sister got that scholarship. Did you read that I have a basketball star in my family now as well? My Dalton, age 7, is amazing. He is especially good at stealing the ball and can weave in and out of the smallest places. He only made 11 points this last game but in his league they have to sit down after making 20 points so his coach asks him to cool it and pass the ball to others. He got 18 points last week. Gene Keady will be calling soon. LOL I am glad that your trip has not been cancelled. You might end up liking the off site place, especially if you have a car and drive to the parks anyway. I hope your poor grandma gets her power back on soon. Some places here were without for several days recently.

Lisa, glad you were able to get stocked up. It seems that if we are prepared the worst usually does NOT happen. Sure hope you get to celebrate your birthday before the next one. Can Frank work at home if the weather is too bad? When we got our big storm it warmed up a bunch a couple of days later and we were all walking around without jackets so maybe you will get lucky as well. We had a lot of flooding but not right around here. Will they cancel classes if it is too bad and will you have to make up the days?

Colleen, thank you so much for all the info. I sent you an email and will wait to hear from you. Maybe I will see you tomorrow. Is Dr. Keller in with another dentist and his daughter? I think it is the same practice that did my dentures and I am most pleased with them. I know where the office is. I take that road to my house as a matter of fact and it is also close to where my daughter works. BTW, you already live in the South, Southern Indiana!!! Someone wrote an editorial for our paper about dreaming about living in Florida but then on second thought at least we do not have alligators in our backyards. As Emily Latella said "It's always something!" LOL

Helenebear, we might see each other in Nov/Dec as that is when our definite trip is set and then a possible one in late April/early May. Might be wistful thiinking though. My Citibank rewards have been awesome and I am racking up about $40 a month and only charging about $700 a month. My Disney card is collecting dust. I love the descriptions of your fur babies and the love they give and get. Sounds the same as when I talk about my grands.

Dalton was promised $20 if he got his reading level up to 4.0 and now he headed toward 5.0. Maybe I need a job as a WM greeter so that I will be able to pay him?? Best money I will ever spend I believe.

SG/Linda

[SlightlyGoofy]

Luna, I searched and searched and I guess that tub surrounds are one of the few things that they do not sell much of on the Internet. LOL I did find a Corian site, probably a bit more expensive than you would be going for, but it did state that they sold surrounds up to 96 inches high. I am betting that other manufacturers do so too but as I said before you might have to ask and special order. Pain, I know but from my experience it is always best to wait and get exactly what you want cause you will rue the day forever more and might even end up doing it twice. Once is enuff. LOL Hope you can find powder blue. Failing that you might try orange. Would save money cause you would not need a nightlight. (grin)

SG/Linda

[lunabkat]

Hi all

Linda, Henney and heiny refers to Hennesey congnac(?) and Heineken beer. for some reason the majority of weddings featuring african americans (this crowd were actually Creole on the bride's side, which is a very interesting and pretty language to listen to, and they were lovely people, the groomsmen however, yikes!)) include the mass consumption of these particular alcoholic beverages, most popular also being henney and coke or straight henney. Its funny, but you get certain drinks that are very popular for certain weddings, sometimes its malibu baybreezes all night, sometimes its various "tinis" like appletinins, watermelon tinis, etc., sometimes the groomsmen must all have Jaegarmiester (cold, please) and sometimes, my favorite, it the bridesmaids all drinking longneck buds with their elbow length gloves on. The polish weddings all have the "chicken dance" (at one party and old uncle actually brought in his collection of crocheted chicken puppets for the dance), italian weddings always have Sambucca with their espresso, and the irish weddings (of which i am one) wow, can they party.

Sometimes the weddings are a little sad - like when the bride or grooms parent has recently passed away,or when it is some kind of mix, (black/white, christian/jewish, etc.) and one set of parents won't come to the wedding...

We had one wedding where the brides parents were gay, took their repective partners to the wedding, and had a ball. It was a melting pot with black,white, jewish, christian, straight, gay, asian, hispanic... i bet there were even eskimos and native americans in the crowd somewhere. It was one of the best parties i've worked, everyone came to celebrate the bride and groom and enjoyed each other and the party itself, it was a lot of fun to work. Its was just the way celebrations should be.


Linda, thanks for the research, i will keep looking. Please, not orange.

Oh well, back to the kids.

Later :grouphug: LL

[IASW Rider]

Hi Everyone!

Wow, Lauralee - it must be so much fun to be around weddings and other happy occasions and affairs, all the time! You probably get to meet some really interesting people and witness some very fun events! It's so neat that you get to observe different traditions and "trends" that are popular with various cultural groups' celebrations!

Welcome, Kelly - hope to see you again! :)

Great to see you, Caroline! Congratulations on your great basketball season and congratulations to your sister on her acceptance and scholarship! That is wonderful news! When is your upcoming WDW trip? It's OK - even if you stay off site, you will BE THERE! :) THAT'S the important thing! And I'm sure that you and your family will have a great time! Also.......what is this about the guy that you like??????? Do tell.......I don't think that you've mentioned him to us before.........! :)

Hi Linda! Sounds like Dalton is doing wonderfully, as always, with both his reading and his sports! Quite a talented little guy, you have there, along with his brother! :) I suppose that Frank could work from home if the weather was bad enough, but he is very brave and gets out there and drives the 35 miles to his office, even in weather that I wouldn't step outside in! As for me..........I wimped out and didn't go to the first meeting of one of my classes, tonight. The roads might have been decent enough (all of the elementary, middle, and high schools around here were closed today) by the time that I was to leave for class.......had it not started heavily flurrying again, about 2 hours before I left! I got out there, saw how slippery the roads were beginning to get, wondered how they would be if the snow continued until 9:30 PM (the end of my class), and turned around and came back home. Hopefully the professor will understand and hopefully I was not the only one who wasn't able to make it, because of the weather. I e-mailed him right away, explaining my situation and asking for the name of the text and the week's assignment, so hopefully tonight won't be counted against me!

We wound up with about a foot and a half of snow, if I'm guessing correctly. Fortunately, it's the light, powdery kind that was not difficult or too heavy to shovel. I tried to view the shoveling, yesterday, as good exercise - that helped me to brave the cold and the horrible winds and blowing snow!

Of course, over the weekend we were watching the Weather Channel almost continually. At one point, we had it on and I was just listening, not watching. And I misunderstood something that someone said - they were interviewing the NY sanitation department about snow removal plans, and one man said "we'll have a team of 240 plows out, tomorrow".........but I thought that he said "we'll have a team of 240 CLOWNS out, tomorrow....." ......just the image of a whole gaggle of clowns, converging on the streets of NY to clean up snow kept Frank and me giggling all weekend! I know - very silly sense of humor! :)

Hope that all is well with all of you and hope that you're all having a good night! :)

[Tinkertude]

Brazen Broads unite.

I am a Grammie to 3. Mom to two and Dw to my sweetie for 37 years. I Love to laugh and am a firm beleiver that more is not enough when it comes to fun. Don't ask me what I think unless you want it straight. Welcome and stay awhile. :wave2:

[IASW Rider]

Welcome, Tinkertude! :) Love your name and love your......'tude! :) Great to have you here! Come pull up a chair and have our Men-of-the-Suite prepare for you the drink and snack of your choice! :) We've been hanging out here in our virtual "Suite" at WDW for the past 3 1/2 years, discussing life, thoughts, fun, and of course our trips to WDW! :) Glad to have you with us! And once again, glad to have you join us too, Kelly! We're always happy to welcome new visitors to the EWP Suite! We'll arrange a special performance of the EWP in honor of you both!

Have a great night, Everyone! :)

[lunabkat]

Hi All

Welcome Tinkertude, its a pleasure to meet you. How exciting to be going to disney with you dgc.

Caroline, what alot of fun news,but do tell about this boy...

Rider, sorry you had to miss your class last night, but the roads were getting a bit slick for a while. You were certainly better off staying home. I hear we are in for more fun this weekend, at least i am only working Friday, things are slowing down now until March. Yes, we do see alot of things at the Plaza. Once we even had a lady climb up on one of the tables to dance. The Matre'd had to go get her down before she fell. Then there was the night a "couple" of men had a scream fight about some lacks in their relationship in the middle of the dance floor, very nice. but my favorites are usually the flower girls and ring bearers, they are so little and cute most of the time. Although i have to say that this weekend both of my tables took their salt and pepper shakers home with them, i just don't get that, they aren't anything special...

Our party is Friday, Feb. 4th, which happens to be my birthday so i am now referring to tour staff party as my birthday party. They promised they would sing to me - yea. My nephew ratted me out to them when they made the new date.

Less than a month till our trip to RI, i can't wait to see mdfe and her family. Its a long drive, but worth it. (about 4 hours) The drive to pittsburgh in May will be about 6 hours.

I was talking to dh last nite and mentioned that "next time" (at this point i hold my breath to see if he passes out) we go to florida we should try to fit in a day at Universal and he agreed, this from the man who swore up and down last month he was never going back :love2: . i told him dd5 said she had to see Aunt Kathy's house next time. So we are up for returning, just not sure when. I know disney will be a main part again, expecially MK and AK. Even tho we were there for a week we still didn't see it all. Next time i would really like to stay on property tho.

where are we welcoming tink and kelly this evening? :cheer2:
:grouphug: LL

[TalkisCheap]

hey ladies!!

So far so good on my promise of keeping up! :D

My sister is very relieved to hear from the college...she got differed from BC and was a little upset by the rejection letter they sent her, so it was a huge confidence booster for her to be accepted to Villanova, and to get a scholarship to fairfield. Even if she doesn't end up there{she's still waiting to hear from lehigh, it's her first choice but with my brother with 2 more years of college, and high school and college still for me, my parents have pretty much stated where she gets the most money, will be where she'll go} she's happy to know that she has 2 nice colleges already to choose from for her future.

SG- your grandson Dalton never ceases to amaze me! You must be the proudest grandma! I saw something about him playing basketball, but to the extent of his talents, I hadn't read! I'm very impressed! I'm happy to score 5-6 points{8 being my highest this season} let alone being in danger of sitting out due to too much scoring!! Just leaves me hoping I have such acomplished children, and grandchildren!

Rider - I'm not sure, as I'm not looking at my counter right now. 40 days maybe? We're leaving very early on the 6th so we'll have time in the parks that day, as well. I'm not too upset about staying offsite anymore, as much as I loved the YC, a change is always nice! And the hotel is very pretty, with a lot to do, and very close to the parks. I've been basically put in charge of planning the details, and I'm finding in just as much to plan what we'll be doing, as it is when we get there!

After the snow storm, we ended up with about 2 feet outside...my sister had school cancelled today, but she was one of the few. We had a nice day, we got manicures, went to lunch, and did some shopping, before going to the middle school expecting to have a game, but finding out that it was cancelled because of a fire drill mishap. I'm still not clear on it all!!

Luna- your job sounds like it never has a dull moment! Oh, and Universal and IOA are great! We spent time at both on top of WDW last trip, and we're making sure we do it again this year..they have a lot of fun rides! How old are your daughters{i think you have 2 girls, right?} again? The best rides are MIB in Universal and Spiderman in IOA.

Haha, about the boy I like...well, his name is Ian, and he's my age. He plays basketball and baseball, and skis. He's tall..maybe 5'9, 5'10? {I'm about 5'7} with curly blonde hair and beautiful blue eyes. We've talked a couple times, but we're not really friends..I've had so many more opportunities to talk to him, but I get really nervous! He's coming to my high school, so I hope I can get to know him a lot better then! He's a really good basketball player, and really nice. Only thing...he currently has a girlfriend :( but, that's okay, because it'll take me a while to get up the courage to have a whole conversation with him! And by then, we'll probably be in some of the same classes next year so that we can talk :) So, that's the guy I like!!

It's so nice to see new people here! Welcome tinkertude! Is this where we introduce ourselves?? :teeth: My name's caroline, and I'm almost 14. I'm homeschooled and in 8th grade, but very much looking forward to HS next year! I've only been to WDW once, but I'm very excited about my upcoming trip in march! I love to play sports, I run track and cross country, and play tennis and basketball as well as cross country and downhill skiing. I've also played the piano for 7 years. I'm the youngest of 3{I have an older brother and sister} and I live in the most beautiful state, maine :teeth:

Well. My favorite show makes it's return tonight, so I'm going to go get ready to watch that! Hope everyone is well, and has a great rest of your night!

Caroline~

[TalkisCheap]

I just thought I'd post a couple pictures :)

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid154/peeadaa6a94e63327a3463739050f5758/f575d7af.jpg
me at my cousin's for christmas

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid154/paf2fdcd27b59a6dc971951bf923e71ba/f575d7be.jpg
my cousin, sister, and aunt

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid154/p8760beb038bd675ac2e8f507ece8bbf6/f575da98.jpg
my best friend shawn and I

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid154/p66c6b54af74152eb0e63ecd9ebbc06ae/f575da72.jpg
back from track season, i'm the one in the middle{in the white and grey} about to run my 400

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid155/pd3551583bd2623df2e9c269677cc8372/f56e6c30.jpg
and finally, my sister in her ball gown{she went to the president's inauguration and an inaugural ball, and that was her dress}

[Tinkertude]

Thanx for all the kind welcomes.
Today was a great day. Temp in the 60's so unlike OK this time of year. Also rented the rent house to the first couple I showed it to. But it does look sharp. Fresh paint even the ceilings and NEW carpet. So what's going on with every one?

[lunabkat]

Hi all

Nothing much happening here, supposed to get more snow, we will see. rider have you dug out yet? shoveled the deck with sweet papa yesterday so it doesn't get too much accumulation, i would hate to have it fall apart or something. The KOTC is busily watching the action outside, but does not deign to get his little feeties cold and wet. He has become quite good at putting dd3 to bed at night, earning the kitty kibble so to speak. My sister (she of the rottweiler and the "big dog") took the dogs out into the snow the other day. she went upstairs to answer the phone and when she got back Millie (the big dog) was completely covered with snow and an ear to ear grin, we wonder what she was up to. She looked like a snow dog. jakey was just hoopin' around the snow drifts like a super mutant easter bunny, they were so funny she had to sit down. :rotfl2:

Yes Caroline, i have two girls 5 and 3 (soon 6 and 4) and they sure do keep me moving. Love your pics, your sisters gown is beautiful. My neice Rebecca is in the same boat with her college, she has finally resigned herself to going to a college that is willing to give her somekind of help. She is a very talented soccer player so is looking for a scholarship, she is also a member of the Honor Society, they went and met the president last year in Washington and had some kind of dance/ball at the end of their stay, she had and awesome time. she want s to become a lawyer, i think she will be an excellent attorney.

Tink, i am jealous of your weather and happy you were able to rent so quickly.

To everyone, hello and hope you are staying warm, talk soon,

:grouphug: LL

[IASW Rider]

You're right, Lauralee - we really do need to do something special to welcome Tink and Kelly to the Suite! Let's get Beau-dacious and Don Juan (those are 2 of our faithful Suite Boys, for you newcomers) out here and see what sort of celebration they can plan for our new friends! First we'll have the Boys wait on them hand and foot, of course........then maybe a gala dinner followed by a cruise on the Seven Seas Lagoon and a private viewing of the EWP, perhaps? :)

I can't believe that we're in for more snow, today, Lauralee! I just wish that it would start, already, because I have another class tonight and don't want to have to miss that one, too! They say it's not supposed to be too bad.......but that the temperatures are going to go down to -3 (WITHOUT the wind chill!) tomorrow night - BRRRRRR! :) It sounds like you see some really funny / interesting / memorable things at some of those affairs at which you work! I can't believe that those folks took the salt and pepper shakers home with them! That is pretty funny - I guess that they wanted some "souvenirs" of your establishment! :) Glad to hear that you're broaching the subject of a possible return trip to Florida and WDW! And I'm sure that you're looking forward to YOUR party and to your upcoming trip to Rhode Island, too - always nice to have fun things to look forward to! :) I hope that you are able to stay on property, if you plan another WDW trip - there's nothing like the convenience, the theming, and the "magic" that comes along with staying at a WDW resort! :)

I never properly introduced myself to you, Tinkertude and Kelly! My name is Lisa, I'm 38 years old and live in Central NJ with my DH and our 5 cats! I'm a "retired" 15-year veteran of the financial services industry, and am now looking forward to a new career in Public Health / Health Education. I'm a full time graduate student at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of NJ's School of Public Health. I'm also a bit of a "veteran" of WDW - our upcoming May trip will be my 15th trip to WDW! My DH proposed to me there, 4 years ago and we celebrated our honeymoon and first wedding anniversary there, too - all in the same room at the Poly where DH proposed to me, and on the same dates each year! We have now started doing the WDW / DCL land and sea vacations, starting with 4 days at POR and then 3 days aboard the Disney Wonder - lots of fun! :) So, that's me! :) Oh - and I'm sure that you can guess what my all-time favorite WDW attraction is, by my DIS name.....! :)

I am also jealous of your warm weather, Tink! And congratulations on renting that house, too!

Great pictures, Caroline - thanks so much for sharing them! You look great, as always, and it's so neat to see photos of your family and friends, too! Your sister looks beautiful in her gown - that is so neat that she went to the inauguration and balls! Was she invited through the Honor Society or one of her scholarship programs? What an exciting experience that must have been for her! Did she get to meet any members of the First Family? And that's so wonderful about her acceptances! I'm sure that she will make a great choice, when all of her acceptances are in! Don't give up hope, with regard to that boy that you like - you will get to know him better when you start having classes together next year, and maybe you'll become better friends! He may not stay with his girlfriend forever..........but even if he does, at least you and he can be good friends! Believe it or not, I am stil in touch with the boy whom I liked when I was 14 - in fact, I spoke to him last week and we're trying to make a plan to get together with our respective spouses and his daughter! All this to say, good friendships last a long time! :)

Not too much to report, from here! Just hoping that the snow won't force me to miss another class, tonight! At least I was able to get the syllabus information from the professor of the class that I missed on Monday night, so that I could buy the text and catch up by next week! This weekend, we're supposed to go down to South Jersey to celebrate all of the January birthdays (including mine! :) ) in Frank's family - I hope that we don't get "snowed out" for that trip, too! It should be nice - my Dad is coming with us, again. I like the fact that he is able to be a part of Frank's family's celebrations and that he's able to spend time with them, since we live so far away.

Well, time to get a few things done around here before I head out into the winter wonderland!

Hope that all is well with all of you! And "hi" out there to Linda, Colleen, Elaine, Angie, Emily, and Amanda, too! :)

Have a great day and talk to you soon! :)

[SlightlyGoofy]

Ahhh, but it is not a Grand Gathering we have going here! Warms the cockles of me heart it does. LOL

Lisa, I am so sorry to hear that you are getting even more snow. There is a rumor that we might be getting some but it is so sunny (cold) that it is hard to believe that it is coming but it might. I hope that the expected snow does not appear and that you are able to get to your classes. While I am sure that you are more than capbable of catching up I would not want you to have to go through such stress. I bet you worry so much when Frank heads out in such conditions. I never could sleep until Tom got home when we lived far away in the Hills of Brown and he had a 42 mile commute to and from work. How many classes are you taking this term? I am so old that I am not sure how they do things nowadays.

Colleen, have you recovered from your mouth trauma yet? I may be down your way sometime this weekend, weather and time permitting. I am curious to check out that housing development I told you about. Next to a Senior Center and a school sounds like heaven to me. Change comes as easily to me as it does to you, probably a whole lot worse cause I am older and I have lived in this house for over half my life. Inertia.

Luna, was your niece a Presidental Scholar? I was. Shook hands with JFK and refused to shake hands with LBJ. I have always been a rebel. Not one bit sorry either although I have grown up enough to understand that Presidents are not more able to do everything they want than a parent. LOL Sounds as if she has a great future ahead of her. I love seeing young people get chances to see what is out in the world. The group we have here are awesome and inspiring. (gotta keep those boys away from them though so they do not get distracted (grin)

Tinkertude, attitude huh? I love attitude. Bet you are a fun granny too. Mine call me their Silly Grandma. I would get mad but truth is a perfect defense. Since neither of the two grandsons that I see often are normal we get along pretty well. I have six grands in all. Where might you hail from? I live in Indiana but am from Ohio. Welcome to the Suite. Avail yourself of any of the amenities and if there is something you desire that you cannot find please know that your own personal EWP credit card is waiting near your own computer center. Since it is a virtual Suite and a virtual CC there is virtually no bill either so spend away. LOL

Caroline, I do not know where your genes come from but there ain't an ugly one in your whole DNA. Not only are a beautiful young lady but so are all your relatives. That picture of your sister - I had to look at it twice cause it was so evocative of a very famous picture. The dress is awesome and so regal and elegant as well. My Dalton is a blessed individual. God has given him many gifts and I hope to help him use them to the fullest extent. It breaks my heart that his older brother has such a hard time of it. (He is barely passing and is living in his own fantasy world about what he will be able to do in the future). He is awfully sweet and kind and I would not want him to change, just work a bit harder so that he will get through school. He is already two years older than many in his class. I attempt to keep down my praise for the one in an effort to spare the other. They are two different people and I would not have it any other way, just worry though. I am sorry your game was cancelled. it is hard to get up for a game and then get let down. At least it spared your manicure. LOL About Ian, you know guys are just as scared of girls as girls are of guys. If it is meant to be it will be and if not you will have learned one tiny lesson in Life. Bet you ace that as well as you do everything else.

Luna, sounds as if you will have a great birthday, if you do not have to work too hard at the party. LOL You are sooo sneaky, the next time we go to DW?? (make it in April or late Nov and maybe we can meet?) I have a hubby who is willing and ready to go anywhere. I am the one who worries about expenses and such. He is like the guy in Mad magazine. "What me worry?" You could teach a class in human behavior just in what you see at work. Thank you so much for explaining the H&H thing. I have read it or heard it before and just did not know. It is funny how different groups do things differently, is a cultural thing and it is good to celebrate your roots and such. I have no roots so I appreciate them in others. LOL I love the description of the all inclusive wedding where love was celebrated in every form.

Kelly? I missed a Kelly? I will have to go back a few pages and see who I missed. If I hit the back arrow I lose all I have posted so I will have to welcome her seperately.

This posting was interrupted by a couple of boys at my door. Their dad brought them by to show me their new helmets. Being a Brazen Broad myself, I got in my sil's business (not something I do lightly) and informed him that if he would not buy them helmets I would. Seems daughter agreed with me (red letter day!!) and so they are bought. Have not gotten the bill yet but well worth it to ease this poor old granny's heart. That is the good news, the bad news is that my little 7 year old told me that he drove the 4 wheeler today all by himself. His dad made him extensions for his legs. This will add a full extra ten minutes to my night time prayers alone. Is it alright to pray for a mechanical item to break down? Just wondering.

SG/Linda

[IASW Rider]

Hi Everyone!

Well, we did wind up escaping the snow, this week - we never did get those "passing flurries" that had threatened us, the other day. So we're "safe" for now, anyway! :) And yes, I do worry when Frank has to drive to work when it's snowing or when there is a lot of snow and ice on the ground! But what can we do? We moved to the town where we live because one of ML's big home offices used to be less than a mile away (also in Somerset), and we both worked there. It was wonderful - we could run home for lunch, do food shopping (and get everything put away) during lunch breaks, etc. But then ML built its huge complex 35 miles south west of where we live and closed a bunch of its other home offices..........so Frank got stuck with the longer commute.

I'm taking 2 classes, this semester. In the future I'm hoping to take 3 at a time, but I wanted to "ease myself" back into the swing of school, rather than overwhelming / discouraging myself right from the start. I'm hoping to take a few classes over the summers, too - as many as are offered and that I need - to help myself move more quickly through the program.

We've had lots of "health maintenance stuff" going on with our furry brood, lately - we took 2 of our cats to have their thyroid levels checked, yesterday (they are both on thyroid medication and one of them is also on blood pressure medication) and next week, we have to take another 2 for teeth cleanings and a few tooth extractions. Fortunately, none of them need more serious medical attention than that - I just hate taking them out of the house when it's so cold out! :(

I can't believe that Dalton drove the 4-wheeler by himself, Linda! So glad to hear that you convinced your DD to have Austin and Dalton wear helmets when they ride - even though I'm sure that they are both very good drivers, one can never be too safe, and I'm sure that it gives you, your DD, and your DSiL peace of mind knowing that they are protected!

It's so wonderful that you were a Presidential Scholar (that doesn't surprise me) and that you had the opportunity to meet 2 Presidents! That is so neat!!

And I'm sure that Austin will find his niche - if he hasn't, already - and will be quite successful once he commits to something that he cares about and excels in! Maybe it's just taking him a bit longer because he is very thoughtful and doesn't do things impulsively. Maybe his the full extent of his talents just haven't been able to be properly displayed in a formal school setting, but will emerge when you all least expect it!

Well, the weather seems clear and it's actually going to warm up to a "balmy" 35 - 38 degrees, this weekend, so we'll be off to my in-laws' tomorrow! Have a great weekend, in case I don't get to post again, and I'll talk to you all, soon! :)

[SlightlyGoofy]

Rider, whew, sure am glad to hear that you escaped unscathed from the latest onslaught of wintery weather. Hope you continue to duck. We have a bit headed in tonight. Will only be bad cause I have a funeral to go to tomorrow. My dear friends brother passed away and I want to go and make sure that she does not tax herself too much. She is still wearing out but at a slow pace and I hope that continues. She is blessed to have a wonderful son to watch over her and make her last years happy ones and while I do not wish her to live in pain or in a nursing home I am rooting for her to continue as long as she is happy and not hurting too much. I am selfish. I have talked to her on the phone for almost 20 years, everyday at the same time of day.

What are the two classes that you are doing this semester? With your lifestyle it is a good thing to take summer courses as well and stretch things out over the year. How long are the breaks between semesters nowadays? Gotta make sure you get those DW fixes in between classes. Helps your brainpower ya know. I did not realize that being a PS was all that much of a much. I was blessed to belong to a small but interesting school system where we had several state and nationally ranked students so it did not feel like I was doing anything unusual. I was not even the Validictorian of my school. Tied for second place. It was almost like I was home schooled at public school because I did not have to attend very many classes. I was usually studying for National Merits and was doing college courses in high school. Was also the school librarian and almost ran the school office. Anything to keep from going home. (sad but true)

I am glad that you babies only need maintenance rather than tune ups or worse. Do they get upset when you have to take them for such procedures or are they easy going?

Luckily?? Austin has low ambitions so he might very well be alright IF he can get a driving license. Would be hard to get any of the jobs that he enjoys without one. As far as Dalton driving the 4-Wheeler, I am not too happy about that as he is not the calm child that Austin was and is likely to get into a lot more trouble. That much horsepower under the control of a child who does not weigh 60 pounds is frightening. Ozzy Osborne did not do too well and he was much bigger.

I called my friend in Florida today and she said it was only 20 there this morning. The poor people at DW must be freezing. As I feared her son and dil are being sued by the mortgage company. Not only did they steal Mary and her husbands lifetime of work but they have also managed to lose it all in about a years time. My prediction is that the wife will leave the son next and stick it to him with child support and look for a new victim. She is not even all that good looking and not fit either. I could maybe understand if she was good looking but - - -. Guess she must have hidden attributes. I have been right so far and I would dearly love to have been wrong. On a brighter note Mary told me that she had went out on a date. WTG~!!!!!

I hope that you and Frank take Colleen's advice and buy into the DVC. I was almost swayed myself and I am not easily swayed. Our life circumstances are different and yours are perfect for this. You might consider checking out the resales, is a bit cheaper and you could get more points. For people staying at the deluxes it is well worth the money. I love OKW but you might enjoy Saratoga Springs. Think about it. (smile)

SG/Linda

[lunabkat]

Hi All :goodvibes

Is it me or are the smilies changing every so often?

Well, we have ducked the new snow so far, i hope it doesn't show up this weekend and mess up my plans :wizard:

Linda, i am sorry to hear about Dalton's father hooking him up with those extensions, there's a reason they don't make them reachable for a seven year old, sometimes i wonder what people are thinking. I know people want to make their children happy and i bet Dalton was just beside himself to get on that thing and you have to admit its nice for dad to come thru for him like that, but yikes! I guess when you've lost a child your become more aware and protective about things you probably would not even have blinked at before. I have one ex-sil that bought a motorcycle for her 5 year old and let him compete in races at the Meadowlands because he always loved motorcycles, he couldn't even pronounce the word properly yet. My girls wear their helmuts for skating, roller blading, biking, scootering, shoot they'd wear them on the slide and swings if i had my way :rolleyes: At least they got the helmuts and thats half the battle, i am so glad they brought them over for you to see. I breathe a small sigh of relief now for all of us.

Kudos on the Presidential Honors too, i spent too much time hanging out with friends to be bothered with school work, not a mistake i want my girls to make.

Lisa, good luck with your classes, baby its cold outside today, this morning it was -5 degress, brrrrr. Hope your kitties are feeling well, its almost as much money for them as it is for a child's checkup and dental checkup. I think businesses should start offering pet insurance as a perk.

Hello to everyone else, will check in soon, have a great day.

L :grouphug:

[SlightlyGoofy]

Hi there Luna! I had a terrible time finding your post. Ever since they 'improved' the site I have been having problems. I have to register every time too and it is a pain. LOL

My sil has a good heart but he was raised a whole lot differently than my dd who was raised too carefully. When you have suffered losses you are more careful but then you know all about that. I applaud you for letting your kids do all those things even though you insist on helmets. LOL I insisted on dd wearing a helmet when she played ball,no matter what position, cause she was blind in one eye and that really affects depth preception and other things and I did not want her to lose her good eye. She still has not forgiven me. (sigh) My oldest grand called me this morning to confide in me (don't tell mom" that his dad is going to buy him a paintball set. He had asked me to buy him one for his Christmas present and I declined on moral grounds. I find it disgusting to play shoot people. I am not against hunting as long as it is not for the 'fun' of killing but to provide food or to protect property or human life but "playing" war and such is just plain sick to me. I know others feel differently, but that is just me. I keep his confidences unless it is something that will put him in jeopardy. I am honored that he trusts me.

I am embarrassed at even mentioning the PS thing. I am quite guilty about it all since it came so easy for me and I wasted any potential I once had. I have done little or nothing with what gifts were given me. Is too late now too. Guess that is why I work with kids so much and try to get them to see what they can be. Is all I can do at this point. I was not popular, nor unpopular, in school and we were very poor and isolated so reading was all that was open for me to do. Made school a breeze.

I am with you on petcare being included in benefits. I am of the opinion that employers should offer a cafeteria of benefits and people could pick and choose which they want. Some people are supporting their parents and need help with that rather than daycare or other benefits. Also when both people in a relationship work the benefits are duplicated to no benefit often and this way one could pick the higher life insurance while the other carries the medical and so on. JMO

I hope you are all shoveled out and having a great weekend.

Colleen, I have been looking at homes in the Monroe County area all morning. Was shocked to see that your water bills are about double what ours is but the property taxes are about equal.

SG/Linda

[lunabkat]

Hi all

Linda, don't for one minute think you have wasted your potential. If there is one thing the world could use is about a billion more involved, loving parents/grandparents who are there and loving and conerned about their family. There are quite enough entrepeneurs, business execs, playboys (girls) and the like, we need more loving people for our children and our childrens' children. I don't think there are many peoplewho bemoan the fact they didn't spend enough time at the office :teacher: Having a smart grandma who is there for you is much better than a grandma who can't be bothered because she has work to do.

Okay so i am :cold: and ready for spring, comeon Puxatawney Phil!

By they way my dh is busy ripping the master bath down to the very guts of the building. He pulled out some paneling and found...MOLD...could be the source of our bronchial infections since we moved here, eh? Now he won't be satified until it is all open and redone, that's my boy. He has said that he will not let me ply him with beverages and my womanly wiles again tho, lol. I know that is untrue, the next challenge is the main bathroom, good bye pinky beige yuck from the planet ugly. Linda, he had even taken out the blue sink with the toilet not being far behind, i must work on getting a new set before they get reinstalle
, perhaps they will "break".

My dh just came out of the bathroom and has most of the cement broken up and ready to haul. He was right about the floor, it is all rotted underneath and scary. He has managed to cut himself fairly well on the hand so all of his girls are taking care of him and making sure he is bandaged up.

Talk soon.

LL :grouphug:

[SlightlyGoofy]

Luna, I would just to love to hug your neck right now. So very kind of you to say all that but there are many who hold down a job and do much for their families as well.

Gee, I sure hope your hubby put some kind of medication on that injury. Working around a bathroom is bad enough but mold as well, is sure to have all sorts of germs hiding in there. Concrete? Is your house built on a slab or are talking about backer board? There are not enough beverages or womanly wiles to tear my man away from the tv set. He does wonders for Jerry Springer's ratings though. He got an omelet for dinner cause that is what I felt like eating. If I have to do all the cooking there has to be an upside to it. Congratulations on your great catch and I am sure that he deserves kudos as well. LOL

You can save a fortune on water bills with a water saving toilet (of the right type) and you cannot have a new toilet unless you get a new sink cause they don't make blue fixtures anymore, I hope. I buy off white everything ever since I got stuck with harvest gold appliances once. Quote the raven, nevermore. I hope that is not your only bathroom though. (smile)

My big teenage grandson came over from the church for a snack. He slipped in a quick hug before he left. Not sure which he came for but I was glad to have had both on hand. LOL We talked for almost two hours this morning. Guess I am blessed with having the time to do so.

Almost have the taxes done. They are earmarked for an AP so I had better get them in and get the money back.

I hope that ole Phil chooses a nice sunny day to check things out. Other than that one horrible snowstorm it really has not been all that bad but still in all I am ready for Spring.

Slightly Goofy/Linda

[lunabkat]

Hi all

Thank you so much for your kind words Linda, but they are very easy to write for you. I bet not many execs get drop in huggin's from their grandsons. Say what you want about women who can do it "all", i still think if more parents spent more time home with the kids, more kids would be able to occupy themselves without having to have "stimulation" or a hundred thousand activities. I have a friend who works all week, so does her hubby, the kids are out and in day school from 7 am to 5-6 pm and now they run around all weekend because she has signed her 5 year old daughter up for a "competition cheerleading squad" that practices 4 hours per week and competes all over the state all weekend - whew! Makes me feel a little like a slug, but i am a vacationing with my children, happy slug! ;)

Linda, i remember that quite a few threads ago you mentioned being into Scifi for a while. Did you ever read any Anne McCaffrey, i started reading her when i was a teen and still follow her stuff, i like her alot, tho sometimes i think i read stuff because i loved her so when i was younger, i still get a thrill when something new comes out. I tend more to the fantasy, and was into horror before i had children, now the world news is horror enough for me :idea: , you have to be careful when you watch the news.

My dd5 was very frightend because she thought the sunami happend here, when she heard "Indians" she assumed it was the native american indians they were talking about, they learned about them this year (as we have, every year i can remember in school) around Thanksgiving. I explained that the indians were "East Inidians" from India not American Indians, she felt sad for them but was nonetheless comforted that it happend far away.

Well, the cement shower base has been exterminated, my boy has triumped over the shower. Of course, the boards ARE all rotten underneath so this necessitates his removing the ugly blue tile floor to replace what is probably rotten under there. The mold behind the blue toilet was half and inch thick, allergies anyone?

Jumping tacks, i think next time we go to disney we will stay at the wilderness villas, i wanted to stay there this time, but cash would not permit. Maybe i will rent points.

Talk later
:grouphug: LL

[IASW Rider]

Looks like I have been missing some interesting conversations, here, over the weekend! How are you all doing, today?

I agree with Lauralee, Linda - there is no way that you should even remotely think that you have or are "wasting your potential"! Yoou give so much of yourself to your family, friends, neighbors, and community - the things that you do for other people make them so happy and enrich their lives - and that is far more important than some fancy job and title, billions of advanced degrees, or all the money in the world! The people and lives that you touch are better because they have you in them!

And you shouldn't feel anything like a "slug", Lauralee! You spend quality time with your children and your family, doing things that you all enjoy doing - you all don't need to be running around to 5 billion activities / lessons / etc. - the time that you share with your DD's is more important than all of that! And they're probably getting more out of the time that you spend together than they would out of weekends filled with superfluous activities, anyway!

It sounds like your DH is doing a great job with those bathrooms, Lauralee! Thank God he started in and found all that mold - now you all can get rid of it and hopefully be free from the health hazards that went with it! Plus, you'll have beautiful, new bathrooms, too!

I'm taking Health Education and Behavioral Science in Public Health and Principles and Methods of Epidemiology this semester, Linda. And yes - there will definitely be time in between semesters for WDW trips! (of course I checked that out before I applied / made our May reservations! :) ) There should be a few weeks in between the current, Spring semester and the first Summer session. Then classes will resume again in September, for the Fall semester. I'm starting to get into the swing of having my classes at night, instead of during the day times. Going to a career fair at school tomorrow night - lots of Federal, State, and Local health agencies and health-related private corporations will be represented there, discussing what they do and what sorts of Public Health careers / positions they offer. It should be interesting to hear about different aspects of the field - hopefully it will give me some more specific ideas about what sort of work I might do in the future.

We had a nice weekend down at Frank's mother's house. We all went out to dinner to celebrate his grandmother's, step-father's, cousin's, and my birthdays, and then came back to my in-laws' for a big cake and gifts, afterwards. Wouldn't you know, though, when we woke up yesterday morning......it was snowing! We couldn't believe it, since no snow had been predicted for Central Jersey! Fortunately, we made it home all right (as we drove north, the snow tapered off). What a pain this winter has been, so far! As soon as Valentine's Day passes, we can skip directly to Spring, as far as I'm concerned! :)

Hope that all is well with all of you and hope that you're all having a nice day! :)

[SlightlyGoofy]

Thank you all for your kind words. I will attempt to answer your posts later in the day. I am headed out right now so I do not have much time.

I need to ask you all for your thoughts and prayers for my oldest grandson, Austin. He has found a lump on his chest and is going to the doctor this morning. I am hoping that it is just a minor thing relating to puberty or whatever but the poor kid has not ever had anything normal happen to him and I am a bit afraid. His mom has promised to call me when she hears, the dad is taking him to the doctor at 9, and I will be holding my breath until then.

Thank you all again for all that you give to me.

SG/Linda

[lunabkat]

Hi all,

The "saga of the blue bathroom" continues. As i was vacuuming a bit up yesterday, the flooring started coming up, as i vacuumed, more flooring came up, i finally stopped because i am a scant few boards short of a hole in my floor. Its that bad. Better news is that i called my homeowners' insurance and they are having an adjuster come out to look at the bathroom, they think it should be covered under our insurance and have put in a claim, thank goodness. My hair was standing on end thinking about my dh and i peeling all those boards up and installing a whole new floor. The sill plates are rotten and the floor for the whole bathroom is just about dust, scary stuff. :earseek:

Linda, Austin is in our prayers and we are thinking about you and him.

Lisa, nice to hear from you , you busy thing. Here to hoping the weather holds thru my busy Friday, no...more...snow!

dd5 wants a new dress for her daddy dance on Firday, how can i refuse? So, after i talk to the adjuster (which could be anytime today or tomorrow) i will head off to the store.

that all for now...

LL :grouphug:

[IASW Rider]

Linda,

Austin is certainly in our thoughts and prayers. We are thinking of you all and hoping that everything will be all right. Please do not feel obligated to rush and post again, but please let us know when you have some more information. Until then, we are sending the best wishes, pixie dust, and all the magic in the world Austin's way, and we're hoping with all our might that you have already heard some good and hopeful news. Take care and love from all of us in the Suite.

Love,
Lisa

[IASW Rider]

Hi Lauralee!

Wow - that is really something, with your bathroom floor! I hope that you were able to get everything straightened out with your insurance company, and that your floor is hanging in there! I'm sure that you will be very relieved when the whole saga is over and when you have a nice, new floor!

That's so nice that your DD is going to a Daddy Dance - I assume that that means that your DH will be her "date"? I hope that you take lots of pictures! Please post some for us to see, if you do! :)

Tons of work for school to catch up on - sorry for the short post! Hope that all is well with all of you! :)

[IASW Rider]

BELATED BON VOYAGE, ELAINE!!!!!

I hadn't checked your counter, in a bit, and didn't realize that you had ALREADY left on your Birthday Cruise! Hope that you are having a fantastic time, and we can't wait to hear all about it, when you return!

Also, since we'll miss you on Friday (as you'll still be cruising around the islands, enjoying the lovely tropical weather!),

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!! :) :) :)

Have a wonderful day, and we'll have a big, post-Birthday celebration for you in the Suite, upon your return! :)

[SlightlyGoofy]

Thank you, thank you, thank you all very, very much for all the good thoughts and prayers sent Austin's way. It seems that it is teen hormones related problem and fairly common. His mom will be keeping an eye out just in case it does not act as it is supposed to. I guess I was just scared cause the poor guy has quite a bit of bad luck in other things and I was afraid that more was going to be piled on.

Seems that Indiana is having a rash of children being hurt right now and is making us all a bit on edge. Several girls have been abducted and harmed. One ten year old girl up the road was taken and they found her body the other day. She is the first child from here that had an Amber alert and was not recovered alive. My heart was breaking enough and then when I read that she often visited the library taking out dozens of books at a time it completely burst. I simply cannot understand a mind that would hurt a defenseless child or animal. They have people in custody, sadly at least one has a long history of such doings. May they never see the light of day again.

On a happier note, how perfectly perfect that Elaine and Luis are celebrating her birthday on a Disney cruise! I am sure that they will make it the most special day ever. I hope that she posts pictures when she returns. Bet she will as she is almost as good at the details as Lisa.

Luna, I am happy to hear that your home owners insurance will take care of your problem. Please be careful though as I have heard of many horror stories of people being cancelled and being forced to have to get a high risk policy or having to pay much higher rates. Hopefully you have a close relationship with someone in the office and these ills will not befall you. I am so scared that I have huge deductibles on everything since I am afraid to file a claim for a small sum, or a not so small claim. I hope that the rest of your house is not in danger. Losing a blue bathroom would be a plus but a whole house could be a problem. (gentle smile) How wonderful that your dd has a wonderful dad to take her to a dance. Every girl needs to have a good father so she knows how to pick well when she is ready to marry IMHO. Bet you enjoyed shopping for that dress almost as much as she will wearing it.

Lisa, are you feeling better now? How are the classes going? Were you able to make up for the snow days? It must have been very hard on you guys to have bought a home so near work and to have it all change so quickly. Your place is so nice and comfortable looking that I hope that makes up for it all. Is Frank planning on retiring early? If so, you can hang on until you are able to move to Florida and start your 'real' life. LOL

SG/Linda

[colleen costello]

Linda, thank goodness all is well with Austin. We have been fretting. Nosy me finally Emailed you today, as the panic patient in me took over! I am also hearsick over that little girl. My Erin is the very same age and I can't even imagine what the parents are feeling right now. I am praying they can find the demon that did this so he doesn't hurt any other little ones.

Been very busy here with housework and school stuff, but of course I always make time to check the Boards and daydream about Disney. In only a month I will have to start "pre-emptive packing" which means I start assembling stuff I fear I will otherwise forget, like baseball caps, sunscreen and small pool toys. It is easy to get overexcited as my Mom, Dad and pal Tisha also talk of little but spring break. Really it helps us nuts to stick together. Remember my plan is to convert Tisha into a full-fledged Mickey fan. I believe in the powers of an afternoon at the Wilderness Lodge!

Gotta go return videos now. The kids want to add some icons: :banana: ::MickeyMo

[SlightlyGoofy]

Hi there Colleen!

I got your email and thought I would answer it in the Suite as I just got home. They caught the guy who hurt Katie. He confessed. They got the guy in Indpls as well. Is beyond my ken. They are taking up a collection for Katie to go toward buying something for the Crothersville children. Is my kind of thing, I am not much for putting hundreds of dollars of flowers on a grave to rot.

I hear you on the pre packing but I have carried it one step further. I keep all our Disney stuff in one suitcase. I also have a database of things to do and pack for each trip. Is the hardest thing for any trip, deciding what to do and such. Saves a whole lot of trouble. I just found out that the lady who runs the Community Center will be in DW in May (possibly when we are) and she is willing to lend me her daughter to go the tea party. I have always wanted to do that but Tom would not do well in such surroundings and would ruin the mood for the other participants. I will park him at a buffet somewhere and that will give us many hours to enjoy the Grand Floridian and its dainty treats. LOL

Please tell you little ones that I too am 'bananas' over'Mickey" too !!!! :cheer2:


SG/Linda

[lunabkat]

Hi all :wave2:

Linda, thank goodness that Austin is okay, we have been on pins and needles waiting to hear good new. Unfortunately, the sad news of Katie is just about breaking my heart, what a world we live in. After Shannon was killed i had a few dreams where she was missing and i couldn't find her and didn't know where to look or what was happening to her, i have to say that that must be the most truly horrific thing for a parent (or anyone who loves the child) to go thru. I can't bear to think of her poor family and friends and the grief they are going thru. I will include them in my prayers...

I must make this short tonite as dd5 is not going to bed quietly this evening, love to all :grouphug: LL

[colleen costello]

Linda, I never thought of putting the "master list" on the computer -- that's such a smart idea! I have a big box I keep in the basement and I also keep it full of stuff we use only for travel. I keep extras of shampoos and ointments and stuff in there. Seems like I pack tons of that sort of stuff. We joke that the minute we cross into Florida, everyone starts itching. Various body parts get prickly heat and I have to have tons of hydrocortisone and medicated powder. I hope that some day if I get to move to Florida, my skin eventually adjusts. Actually, I have few problems. It is my family members who scratch!

Anyhow, the idea of keeping the list on the computer, and being able to update and check things off, brings a whole new dimension to my obsessive packing... Evidently I have not been as obsessive as I thought I was being...I fret less than I used to about packing for these trips. Now that I know where Winn Dixie and Walgreen's are, I feel comforted. Anything I forget can be easily found, and not for Mickey's prices either. I am still smarting from the $5 tube of petroleum jelly I bought at the Wilderness Lodge!

Thank goodness they have managed to capture and identify these nuts that have been loose in Indiana lately. It reminds me why I keep my poor kids under such tight rein. It is horrible to imagine one of mine accidentally meeting up with one of these characters, so I hover. It's a sad fact of modern life that my kids have a lot less freedom to run wild like we did when I was little. My Mom would toss us out the door and just yell at mealtimes. The kids ran in packs and the big warnings we all got were about traffic. Seems like another world...

I can't wait for HelenaBear to return and share details with us about this latest trip. I hope she pities us and posts right after getting home!

Linda, thank goodness al is well with your grandson. Are you coming to Ellettsville this weekend? The forecast is nice.

[SlightlyGoofy]

Luna, no matter what you do - do NOT say sleep or nap to your little ones. It brings out Grumpy Gus and he is an ornery critter who loves to take tired kids and turn them into monsters. I always had/have quiet time instead. No pressure to sleep and when they get bored enough they fall asleep. LOL Worked/works for me!!

My heart aches for your pain. I did not get to know my children and the pain still is with me. What you described is exactly what I imagined Katie's poor mother to be feeling. This sounds awful but it must almost be a relief to know that the poor child is beyond pain than to wonder and think about the pain and fear she must have felt. I am a pretty peaceful person but I would genuinely enjoy a bit of 'private' time with that monster. I do not want to hear that he was abused or whatever excuse he offers up. Many go through the same and do not pass on the pain. Many of us make the choice NOT to. I am ranting. I know. Righteous anger though.

Colleen, I just printed off instructions on how to get to Ellettsville and am thinking about coming tomorrow. The house on Mustang is quite tempting, handicapped acessible and all. Is sort of like giving up on my family and is painful. Do I move where I can better get around or do I stay here and when the first heart attack/stroke hits just go to the nursing home and hope for an early death? Gee, I am sure cheerful tonight. (shakes head and gets brain back in gear)

Yep, I have lists of my lists. I have a master list for Christmas as well. Any activity that you do on a regular basis is better handled with a list. I did once hear of a woman who always got everything on her list done but it was only because she only wrote something down AFTER she had done it. LOL The great thing about keeping a computer list is that you can adjust as needed. Cross off that which does not work and keep that which does and add as needed. I hear you on the high Disney prices. I once made a trip off site for some people staying at our resort to pick up those heating coils just out of sympathy. I bet someone could make a fortune off of selling food stuffs from their rooms. (hush, don't tell anyone else on the Boards I said that, I get in enough trouble for taking a microwave with me) LOL (besides I could never make money off someone else's problem-is why I am not rich) (smile)

I am watching that skinny Terri Hatcher eat a humongous chocolate chip cookie. I hate her!!! (not really but it felt good to say that)

What are you up to Lisa? Doing homework? Hold on, Friday is nearly here and then the weekend. Hope your weather is going to be as good as ours.

I am headed off to get some work done. Sure glad I do not have nary a chocolate chip in the entire house. (sort of)

SG/Linda

[IASW Rider]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LAURALEE! :) :) :)!!!!!!

And welcome to your first Birthday Celebration in the EWP Suite! Wait 'til you see what our boys have lined up for you! A whole day of your favorite WDW activities, capped off by a whole evening of fun, adventure, parties, and of course a special showing of the EWP in your honor! Get ready to celebrate! :) Love from all of us, here in the Suite! :)

[IASW Rider]

(We know that you're currently cruising the tropics, but........)


HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ELAINE! :) :) :)!!!!!!


Bo, Don, and the others are on call and are eagerly waiting at the port for your arrival home! Upon disembarking your ship, you will be whisked to the Suite, where we will have a whole day of surprises waiting for you (I hope that the boys remembered to order Segways for all of us........I will have to check on that as soon as I am done posting...... :) ) Hope that you are having a wonderful day and a fantastic time on your cruise! Love from your Suite pals! :)

[IASW Rider]

Hi Everyone!

So glad to hear that all is well with Austin, Linda! Thank God everything is all right! We were concerned. So glad to hear that all is well.

But so sorry to hear about the little girl whom you mentioned. What kind of world are we living in, now? It's so sad.

Are you planning to go to Ellettsville, this weekend? If so, are you and Colleen getting together?

It's so neat to hear what "stage of WDW planning" everyone is in - while Colleen is getting ready to start packing, we are getting ready to "hit" 90 Days Out - yipee! :) My finger is all ready for dialing, to make our first PS's! :)

All has been well, here. I've been keeping very busy with school. I will have a quantitative (all math - FUN!) assignment for Epidemiology every week - took care of this week's right after class, to get it out of the way. And I have a paper due next week for my Health Ed. class, so I took care of that, yesterday. Will do my tons of reading over the next few days.

Everything else has been pretty quiet and nice. My father and uncle are coming over for dinner, tonight - it will be another brisket-o-rama, since I bought way too much meat when I made the first batch for Chanukah and my father's birthday. Maybe we can turn the leftovers into Philly Cheesesteaks in honor of the future-Super-Bowl-winning Eagles, on Sunday! :)

Hope that all is well with all of you! Have a great weekend, Everyone! And Happy Birthday, again, to the Birthday Ladies! :)

[SlightlyGoofy]

Lauralee, please forgive me for being late. If it makes you feel any better I am always late. My excuse is that it makes my congratulations stand out from the crowd. LOL Getting a Christmas card on the 4th of July is sure to make an impression nearly anybody. I always hope that they think it is just really, really early. LOL How did you spend your special day?

Rider, I did not get any notification that you had posted. Just a chance made me come in and see what was going on. I'm glad I did as it is always wonderful to see you around. I did not get to see Colleen. It would not have been fair of me to expect her to be able to meet me on such short notice and then I had Tom with me and much to do also. She was so very kind to send me great instructions on how to get there. It turned out that it would do for a retirement home for us but it sure was nice to see where Colleen and her family live and so I can now visualize her environs when she posts about her activities.

Are you planning on eating at any different places on your next DW trip? I enjoy trying somewhere new. Fresh is high on my list for next time. Do you find it hard to get your school work done or are you just naturally organized and one of those people who likes to get things done right away rather than rush around at the last minute? Do you show your dad your report card? LOL I love Philly Cheesesteaks and that and eating at Bookbinders were the top things, right after the Liberty Bell, that we did when we went to Philly. I make a diet version that makes me very happy.

Do you make your briskets in the oven or the crockpot? My sil is being made a deacon at church tomorrow night so I am cooking up a feast so they can come here to change and eat between church services. Two entrees, several side dishes and making sure that everyone has something they like.

Thank you for the best wishes for Austin. I was worried sick about him. Seems that the sweet kids often get sick. JMO He went to a farm auction today while his brother played ball. He only got 11 points today but two of them were easily 3 pointers. He got a bit overconfident and they ended up losing by only two points. Was a learning experience.

Wish you were here. I am doing some income taxes and could use an extra brain. LOL

SG/Linda

[IASW Rider]

GO EAGLES, GO!!!!! :) :) :)

I'm sort of listening to the Super Bowl as I post - hoping for a Philadelphia victory! Would have been nice if one of the NY teams had gotten into the Bowl, but Philly is "local" enough! :)

I made my briskets in the crock pot - I just love the crock pot! It is one of my all-time favorite inventions (along with Caller ID, the video camera, the VCR/ DVD player, and the digital camera! :) )! And they come out so nice and tender when left in the crock pot for hours on end, too!

I am pretty organized when it comes to school work (and other chores) - I try to get it done as soon after the class as possible, so that I'm never stuck rushing, right before the next class (if I can help it, anyway! :) ) ! And believe it or not, I DID show my Dad my last "report card".........it was the first time in my life that he ever had a chance to see me get straight A's, so I left a copy for him to find on our kitchen counter, when he came to feed the cats for the first time, when we were in WDW last May! :)

We are hoping to try some place new, this May, too - we always have to go to all of our traditional favorites - the Kona Cafe, 'Ohana, and the Brown Derby - but we always try to try a new restaurant for our "romantic night out". This year, we're considering Narcoosee's at the Grand Floridian (since Citricos isn't open on the night when we want to have our "romantic night out")!

So glad to hear that Austin is well! And congratulations to Dalton on his high scoring game!

That's so wonderful that you are getting your taxes done, now - we finally have everything together........now I just need to find the time to sit down and DO them! I always like to try to get them done in February - again, so that we don't have to worry about them later!

Glad to hear that you and Tom had a nice trip to Ellettsville! And I'm sure that it is a beautiful place, since Colleen and her family live there! :)

And congratulations to your SIL on being appointed as a Deacon - that is wonderful news!

Hope that all is well with all of you and hope that you all had a great weekend! :)

[helenabear]

That is odd... I know I came in here to do a bon voyage post before I left... but I don't see it!

I did read and catch up with all y'all were up to. But I wanted to post this for y'all.

Here is a trip report and a link to pictures :)

Cruise Pictures (http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2131112938&code=14400290&mode=invite&DCMP=isc-email-AlbumInvite)

We had a rather uneventful flight down to Mobile. There was a teeny delay in the flight from Memphis to Mobile, but we were only about 20 minutes late. We got the shuttle from the airport to the hotel, and eventually went to our room. The hotel shuttled us the next morning (after a fine breakfast of Krispy Kremes) to the dock. There was a bit of a line, but we boarded just after noon, and wound up meeting a very nice couple from Cleveland in line as well.

We went to our cabin immediately, and then checked out the rest of the ship. It was huge and I admit if it weren’t for the map, we would have been very lost most of the time. We decided to have lunch, which was just pizza and ice cream. I swear if there was anything to do, it was to eat.

After we ate, I decided to get this conditioning oil treatment for my hair, which included a half hour long head, neck & upper back massage. Oh I was in 7<SUP>th</SUP> heaven with that!!!!!! After the oil treatment, I went back, showered, dressed & went to dinner. They had amazing sit down service and we were seated with some wonderful people. Since we had the late seating, we more or less went to bed as soon as we got back home.

Tuesday morning we got up at a reasonable hour, had breakfast and by 8 am we were out on the sun deck just taking in the sun & the gulf water views. We watched an ice sculpture being made, watched a Newlywed/Not so Newlywed game, lazed around a ton and after we watched the sun set, we got dressed for the formal dinner and cocktail hour. This was the only time that you could drink alcohol for free. After dinner, we watched a stage show, then went up to take pictures of the midnight buffet (didn’t eat it though) and then went to sleep.
Wednesday we were docked in Calica. I admit this place was a sad sight to see. Just the way people live makes me feel blessed. We had a nice shopping & beach tour. I got to try on some amazingly expensive and huge diamond rings, but settled for a beautiful delicate sterling silver bracelet. We spent 2 hours at Playa del Carmen beach... just gorgeous!

We went back to the ship to have a very late lunch, relax and then had dinner before we went to a swing class. So Luis finally learned how to dance swing style!!! They had a few more shows/activities on the ship that we did (battle of the sexes... women won!!! comedy show among them) and we went to sleep a bit early to make sure we could get up for the excursion.

Thursday morning we docked in Cozumel. The water there is amazingly wonderful as well! We thought we were going to have to tender in to port, but we were lucky and were able to dock. So we had a quick breakfast, browsed some of the shops of Cozumel, then went to go on our beach buggy & snorkeling excursion. That was a BLAST!!! We did a little driving to where we snorkeled (which was cool, but I hated being stung as much as I was by the jellyfish). Then we drove to a private beach and had an excellent lunch. The scenery was gorgeous and I LOVED driving that beach buggy!!! We looked around Cozumel a little more and headed back to the ship.

From this point on, we just did a ton of relaxing. That might sound very boring, but trust me, I loved being rocked to sleep in the afternoon and evening when I would lay on the bed! We had dinner in the dining room each of the remaining nights and just had a blast lazing around.

On my birthday, we had room service for lunch in our cabin (which was yummy) and he embarrassed me terribly at dinner by having a cake brought to the table and then had them sing to me. We did try out the casino at one point as well... spent $3 and then left. I guess gambling isn’t for us.

Saturday was the day we disembarked from the ship. We were up really really early (even for me) and were packed and off the ship by about 9 am. Within about 30 minutes Alan and Rebecca showed up. It was a perfect way to end the trip. We more or less just hung out at a near by mall after seeing some of the city by car... loved the beads hanging from the trees in the streets. We had lunch, and then eventually headed to the airport. Alan & Rebecca were sweet enough to wait with us while we moved flights from NWA to Delta (due to flight delays). We honestly had a blast with the both of them, and really the time flew by so quickly. We had a wonderful time with them and the trip in general. It was the best birthday I have had in years!

[TalkisCheap]

Hey everyone!

First of all, thanks SG for dropping in on the teen post...reminded me to check in here. I was a little behind on posts, but I always enjoy reading everything you guys talk about, even if some of it doesn't really affect me{taxes, bathroom remodels..you know :teeth: }

First off...wow! We have a quite a few birthdays in february here!!! Happy belated birthdays!!! I'm still deciding what I want to do for my own birthday..I know that we'll have cake with my grandma on my actual birthday, and I'm planning on going shopping with my friends from basketball...and then I'll probably just have a sleepover for my two best friends shawn and megan :teeth:

SG, so glad that Austin is okay!! I got worried reading through the posts...I enjoyed not having to wait for an answer though, being a little behind. Lumps and such scare me because of what happened with my uncle a few years ago and all...a scary thing I hope doesn't happen again! Personally, I'm scared to death of 4-wheelers and at almost 14, I'd be reluctant to ride myself, let alone how young your grandsons are...and without helmets :earseek: glad you got them into helmets..PD for them, and your nerves!!

Helenabear, great pictures - it all looks great, especially that buffet!! I envy you...all I've wanted to do for as long as I can remember is go on a cruise!!! Well, hopefully all in good time, I thought I'd never go to WDW but soon i'll be there for the second time!!! Sounds like a great time!

Speaking of WDW...I'm getting very excited for my trip! Much to my complaining, we're only going for a grand total of three days :mad: we were going to stay 5-6 but the ONLY time, remotely soon my brother can get his tonsils out of course has to be the thursday of that week!! He has sleep...something, appneia{or however it's spelled...i'm too lazy to look it up, I'm sure I butchered it but you know what I mean!} and they think a major part of his problem is his tonsils - they're HUGE, so...hopefully it'll cure it, his snoring is unbearable, and of course it can't be good for him. Although he won't take anyone's advice and try to exercise or lose weight... :rolleyes: he doesn't know how concerned my parents are for him.

But, I'll take the 3 days over nothing! We're staying at the beach club this time{we were supposed to stay offsite, but we got back onsite, to the beach club!} so we're excited about that. We're also excited about the free passes they're giving us for my daddy's conference...my parents love anything free ;) Right now I'm just having a great time planning the details, shopping for summer clothes - all that!!

Well...nothing else really to report around here. It's been pretty dead now that basketball is over...basically just school, running, and relaxing through the afternoon. Well, it's kind of late and I think I'm going to zone out in front of the tv and go to bed ;) Hope everyone is well!!

Caroline~

[lunabkat]

Hi all

Well, the party friday nite was great, we all had a good time and got home safely. Daddy and dd5 had a wonderful time at their dance as well, and both girls had a ball staying the nite at my sister's house with my neice and her friends.

The blue bathroom is still a wreck, apparently daddy thinkds it is a good idea to work on it while we are away the weekend after next, no help from his "girls" lol. For my birthday my dh got me an electric car starter for those cold nites at the plaza so i don't have to wait in the parking lot to warm up the car. Niiiice!

The girls are well, as is the KOTC, he is looking forward to a "vacation" when we go away as well. He has become dd3's favorite stuffed animal to take to bed with her at nite, so it is now his job to put her to sleep and then he may come out and wander around, i believe he enjoys it as its pretty much the only time she is near him without hugging the living bejesus out of him. I put his cat bed on her bed and he sleeps thru till about 10 and then is up for a walk and a snack, in the morning he is usually back in bed with her, what a helpful kitty!

I am so glad i got a large calendar for the wall this year, i can't believe how many things we are doing in February, 4 b-day parties, dr. appts., daisy girl scout activities, school functions, yikes, i am exhausted just looking at it.

Hope all is well with everyone, i am still not getting post notices most of the time and must check back regularly to see who has posted :sad2:

:grouphug:
LL

[colleen costello]

Caroline, I guess I am an old lady because while I think your Andre is darling, someone needs to tell him to PULL HIS PANTS UP! As a Mom, I just hope he realizes they are about to fall to his ankles! :)

Elaine, so glad you are home safely and THANKS FOR SHARING! Your pics were great and my you guys look like you are having a great time. I was puzzled by the statement "photgraphed the buffet but didn't eat." HUH? It just never occured to me that one might approach a buffet and not partake! It looked amazing. What was the name of your ship? My cruise-crazy friend is sailing on "Navigator of the Seas" next fall. I have hopes to oneday sail with Mickey, but not for a while. Can't bear to use up all my DVC points on a cruise just yet... I am so addicted to Orlando.

Hope the Ohio weather stays reasonable as you re-acclimate to winter. My friend Debbie sailed in the southern Carribean last February, right around this time. It was over ninety down there. When they landed in Indy it was barely zero and and ice storm was hitting. It took longer to get here from Indy airport -- just 50 miles -- than it had taken to fly from Puerto Rico! Needless to say, Debbie hid out in her house for a few days!

I think I am next up. We leave March 10th for 8 nights with Mickey. I can't wait... We have made lots of plans and PS's. I will take the usual zillion photos and hope to post some while down there.

Gotta go -- Erin wants to use the computer!

xoxo ::MinnieMo

[TalkisCheap]

Caroline, I guess I am an old lady because while I think your Andre is darling, someone needs to tell him to PULL HIS PANTS UP! As a Mom, I just hope he realizes they are about to fall to his ankles! :)


:rotfl: :rotfl: Oh, I know! He doesn't dress like that..well...ever in real life!! It's just for the movie "Be Cool" he plays a wanna be gangster :teeth:

<img height=400 src=http://us.movies1.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/tv_pix/mtv/mtv_video_music_awards_2004_press_room_photos/outkast/pressroomg.jpg>


is what he usually looks like ::yes:: always wearing dress pants/vests/ties, etc. He's a very preppy, conservative, GOOD guy ::yes:: really, he's...not your typical rapper ::yes::

[colleen costello]

Caroline, I saw a special on Andre on VH-1 (geezer-MTV) so I know he is quite the snazzy dresser. I was just teasing you! I was fascinated to learn about him (and his collaborator) since you are so into him. His outfits have landed him on many "best-dressed" lists!

xoxo

[TalkisCheap]

Caroline, I saw a special on Andre on VH-1 (geezer-MTV) so I know he is quite the snazzy dresser. I was just teasing you! I was fascinated to learn about him (and his collaborator) since you are so into him. His outfits have landed him on many "best-dressed" lists!

xoxo


:teeth: oh, lol!!! Well, not everyone knows who outkast is, so just clerifying ::yes:: when most people think of a rapper, they think of someone like in his picture ::yes:: But, you know he's not ::yes:: he's clothes are adorable...the worlds best dressed man ::yes:: :teeth: I hope his clothes line is still around when I'm older...my husband is going to own every article of clothing from it ;) :teeth:

[SlightlyGoofy]

I are hanging my head in shame. Just heard on the news that 'my' legistature is considering making it illegal to dress with droopy drawers. I am a Washingtonian in that I believe that the less government the better. Will not get into the amendment to the constitution against gay marriage. (sigh) Wonder how many more teachers will have to be laid off in order to pay for more people to enforce these new 'laws"? ( us old folks tend to mutter Caroline) LOL

Hey, Colleen, speak for yourself I like MTV. Well, maybe not all of it, but some. LOL You are a one computer home? You poor deprived woman. LOL I give my old computers to my grands but their mom usually ends up taking mine as she buys crummy ones that seem to break soon after I give my gift computer. Poor kids. Hope they get to use this one or the one their mom just bought. Computers are the future and I want them to be computer savvy.

Luna, you have a very special feller. Sounds as if you got the perfect gift and it shows a lot of love too. A whole lot better than some overpriced flowers that droop after a week and only warm the cockles of your heart for a few days. The car starter will warm your cockles and any other areas that need it through many a long cold winter. He is also smart to wait for you guys to be gone to finish the bathroom. Did the insurance come through? You hubby will NOT think that lime green is a great color for the Bathroom will he? Just in case, buy the materials before you leave and lose the receipts so he cannot exchange them. :)

Caroline, you are so correct in your thinking that you will be able to dress your hubby anyway you want. Most women buy their fellers clothes and they don't care one bit. They will also let you do most anything else you want as long as a they do not have to do any of the work also. Some things will never change. Do try to get one who knows how to cook though, if he is extremely picky about what he eats, all the better, as he will INSIST on doing all the cooking. LOL It is sleep apnea that your brother has. I have it also and it is a serious thing. Can lead to heart attacks and strokes. I do not remember him being overweight. If his tonsils are enlarged they might cause such though. I hope that corrects his problem. Does he require a mask to sleep with? I am sorry you are not getting to stay longer than three days but it is three days longer than many so hold on to that thought and start planning for your next and much longer trip. Thank you so very much for your comments about my grands safety. I am always worried that I AM the over protective mom that my dd says I am. Now they planning on letting the 7 year old walk the mile from their house, up a country road, to their neighbors to use his basketball court to practice. There is only one house in between and it was the target of a meth bust about a year ago and is now occupied by a man who has been convicted of drunk driving twice in the last few months. I am going to give Dalton some instruction on walking on the left so he can see vechicles and to jump into a ditch if necessary. AND to take his meanest dog with him on his walks. (my knees are going to wear out from praying)

Elaine, you are such a generous soul. Thank you so very much for the report and the pictures. I cannot imagine your hair needing any treatments but then maybe that is why it is so lovely. Swing dance huh? I would love to have seen that. Bet you guys were the hit of the dance floor. Bet it is hard to be home again. Have you started to plan your next trip? (dumb question, of course you have) LOL

Lisa, ain't technology great? Between the crockpot and the microwave they have liberated this old lady. LOL Until they came into being I was forced to actually be here to serve each meal. Granted I have to replace the microwave more often than many cause a certain somebody slams the door causing it to warp eventually but since they are so cheap it is well worth it. Crockpot cooking is also very healthy. I give crockpots as presents often. Your team won, I think. Hooray!!!!! The only sports I watch is Dalton's games. LOL Did you dad give you a dollar for each A? I used to post my report card on the fridge when my kids were at home hoping that they would want to compete with dear old mom. Once I stayed in after a class to do some work and the teacher wanted to know why as I already had an A and I told the teacher I was going for an A plus. She told me she would give it to me if I would leave. LOL I can see you guys at Narcossee's. I keep a list of 'to do's" for each trip and usually am able to mark off a couple or more. Just checked the list of bands appearing for the Flower & Garden thing at EPCOT and have already seen all of them so there is not a strong reason for me to want to go any particular week. Would make it easier to plan a trip. Just waiting to see if better rates come out.

I am having some asthma problems right now, was out and about all day, am worn out and have to be up early to take some ladies to town tomorrow. If I am not feeling better I am going to beg off as I do not want to kill anyone. I might feel better in the morning though. Old age is NOT for sissies. :sad2:


Slightly Goofy

[colleen costello]

Linda, hope you woke up feeling better this morning and that you are all ready to squire your friends all around Bartholemew County! Just had to laugh when you said "one computer." No way! Hubby loves the things and we have zillions it seems... Like tv's, our home has more computers than people. Many belong to IU as he is always bringing them home like lost puppies and "fixing" them. Unfortunately, my kiddos love MY computer the best and are always trying to boot me off the boards so they can play their games. After a while I get cranky from missing you all and I demand mine back. :)

Are they really wanting to legislate "no droopy drawers?" Good Lord there are idiots in power, aren't there? I can't stand to wear a bra and am a big undershirt fan myself... Soon the **** POLICE might show up and try to issue me (them?) a summons...

[colleen costello]

HA! I got bleeped! The word I used was a harmless enough one, it starts with a B and rhymes with "tube." Didn't know that was a bad one... See? Big Brother is everywhere!

[helenabear]

Hello all! Feeling like I have a bit more real time in my life than I used to! It's kind of nice when you get that way.

Caroline, I admit I wasn't much into cruising until my family went on one to Alaska. I really love the Gulf waters though... so I see myself doing one again soon. The food was great, and even the regular meals (a bit more low key ;)) had good food there too. Sorry your trip got cut short at WDW, but I am with you, I'd take 3 days over nothing at all :)

Lauralee, glad all went well with the party! And wow, sounds like you are extremely busy coming up!

Colleen, that midnight buffet was a huge deal... they only do one *that* amazingly complex per 5 night cruise. The buffet was set up at 11 PM so you could take pictures of it (I swear it looks more impressive even in person). Then at midnight you could eat it... we didn't make it that long ;) We sailed on an older ship called the Holiday. It was a perfectly good ship, but not near as grand as some of the newer ships out there. It was perfect for what we wanted. I admit, even after cruising, I doubt I would ever go on a cruise with Mickey... I won't give up DVC points for that, nor will I pay the money :rolleyes1

Weather is holding out... not as nice as the 80s we had, but it could be worse :)

Oh wow... amazing how clothes can make a guy look so much better!!! I just thought it was funny that it seems his shirt is tucked into his boxers in your sig... I was always told that was a no no ;)

Linda, I am glad you enjoyed the trip report and pics. So many asked so I got them up so quickly. Yep, swing dancing. Luis had never done it before and couldn't learn until someone like the dancers showed him a slightly different move I guess. I was just glad he was so willing to do it :) It is hard to be home, but I do like it all the same. And yep, next trip is planned. Actually my next three are all in various stages of planning. My May trip is booked solidly, my December trip I have the room booked, and my February trip is in the back of my mind so I will have it set up when my friend gives me her dates. Both May this year and Feb next year are for me to meet up with friends :)

Well I suppose I should get back to work... enjoy the day everyone!

[IASW Rider]

Hey Everyone!

Wow - it happened again - I'm away from the Suite for a few days and everyone checks in! :)

So glad to hear that our Birthday Ladies had a wonderful one, last Friday! And so glad to hear that you had such a wonderful time on your cruise, Elaine! You look amazing in those pictures - I love that black dress! And your landscape and ship photos are just beautiful - you always do a great job at taking pictures that look like postcards! It sounds like you all had a great time!

And glad to hear that your party went well, Lauralee! It sounds like you have a very exciting and busy birthday month ahead of you, too! Loved your story about KOTC putting your DD to bed - that is so cute! :)

Hope that you are feeling much better, Linda! And hope that you were able to get together with your lady friends, today! And I heard about the "droopy drawers" legislation on the news last night - unbelievable!

Speaking of other things that I heard on the news last night, did any of you hear about the (3 year old) case that they are investigating, pertaining to pornographic pictures taken of a little girl at POFQ? Apparently, they have been investigating the case for awhile but only recently identified the backdrops / location as POFQ. Of course none of it has anything to do with Disney - that just happened to be the unfortunate location of the unfortunate events. It was all over our local news, last night. Very sad.

On to happier topics! Hi Caroline! Great to hear from you! And I not only know who Outkast is, but I am a big fan, too! Looking forward to the movie musical that they are thinking of doing, based on Speakerboxx / The Love Below! :)

Just a little less than a month, now, Colleen! Yea!!!! We will be counting down with you! And with Caroline and Elaine, too - they're up, after you, and then me! :)

Sorry that this is a quickie, as usual, but I have a ton of work to get done before class tonight. Plus, Frank was unexpectedly released early from jury duty, today, so I've been spending some of the time that I had planned to use to get work done "entertaining" him! We're going to run out to a late lunch / early dinner before I have to go to school, soon, so I'd better run. Hope that all is well with all of you! Will be in touch soon! :)

[IASW Rider]

Hey Everyone!

How are you all doing, today? Just wanted to stop by and say "hi"! (Figures - when I'm "here", everyone else is "out", and when I'm "out", everyone else is "here"! :) )

Frank was off from work, today, and we had a nice day - treated ourselves to breakfast out, then went to see "The Phantom of the Opera" movie, which I'd been dying to see for the past 2 months! It was wonderful! It was almost exactly like the stage production - I get goosebumps just thinking about it! :)

We're going to celebrate Valentine's Day on Saturday and Saturday night, since I have class on Monday night until 9:15 PM or so. So we're hoping to catch another movie then - we've "fallen so far behind", since we hadn't been to a film in so long - I want to "catch up" on the Oscar nominees before the end of the month!

Hope that all is well with all of you and hope that you're all having a great day! :)

[IASW Rider]

Hello!

Just me, again! Hope that you're all having a nice weekend! :)

We are celebrating Valentine's Day today, as I said in my last post, and we've been having a very nice day so far! We started off with a big pot of Kona coffee (from the Kona Cafe! :) ) and exchanged gifts (I gave Frank a pair of Mickey and a pair of Tigger flannel pj's! :) And he gave me a beautiful silver necklace with a really neat heart charm on it!). Then we went to see the movie "Sideways", which was fantastic! We're having dinner at our favorite, local French restaurant tonight, that is very cozy and cute and has wonderful food and wine! Then we'll settle into a nice evening of "Sex and the City" DVD's by the fire, afterwards!

Hope that you're all having a great weekend! Talk to you soon! :)

[IASW Rider]

Happy Valentine's Day, Everyone! :)

I'll be "celebrating" by going to Epidemiology class, tonight..........but hopefully we can "sneak in" a little celebration on the actual day when I get home! (Read: we will watch our nightly tape of the day's episode of "All My Children" over a bottle of champagne. :) ) Hope that all is well with all of you and hope that you all have a happy day! :)

[SlightlyGoofy]

Hello there you dear people. This is a special day for all you lovers out there. I hope that it is exactly what you could possibly want from the day.

Lisa, what a perfect way to celebrate the day. It is so wonderful that you and Frank enjoy so many of the same things. Even the same favorite soap opera? Tom used to watch them back when he was working cause he worked second shift but I have not watched any in years and years. I must have missed something as I had not heard that Frank had been called to jury duty. While I think it is an important thing to do I will get excused from any further calls. The last time I was called it was impossible for me to hear much of what was going on and I would not want me on any jury.

It is odd since my sister had just told me that she hated "Sideways" and you loved it. Such are the differences in life. Dalton is going to be so jealous that you got to see Phantom of the Opera. LOL I wait until they get a couple of good movies at the fifty cent (yes, you read that right) movies and go up and spend the day watching movies with a break for shopping and/or eating out. Is my guilty pleasure in life. I wish they taped more Broadway shows. I ran right out and bought CATS when it came out. Was that the first video of a Broadway show?

It is heartbreaking that a child was abused at DW but that is the way molesters do. I have known ones who used their magician skills or musical skills to lure children. I hope they get the people involved.

Helenabear, I am glad to hear that you are getting a bit of a break. Is so needed from time to time. Enjoy cause it is sure not to last long. It is so true that sometimes something needs to be explained by another person, in another way sometimes. I could not learn how to braid hair for years until someone explained it in such a way that I GOT it. I often have to try different approaches to get my kids interested in reading and more capable. Luis had the right attitude in that he was willing to learn and that is the most important thing. Now you guys will have to go dancing more often so you can keep up with the new skills. LOL I am not much of a one for cruising but an Alaskan cruise sounds wonderful. I enjoy seeing new scenery and such. My bil wants to go on a cruise and we have been checking things out. Would be doable if I had him to help with Tom. I have about 5 future DW trips in the works right now but that is mostly cause my boys are thrilled at the idea of me meeting them down there in 2006. Only bad problem is that they really want me to keep them with me after their parents leave. I hate to disappoint them but there is no way I could do that.

Colleen, I am feeling better, thank you. I erred, it was NOT Indiana that is wanting to pass such legislation. I forget the place but it was voted down as being silly and a waste of time. Good for them. I know, from experience, that if you tell a teen they cannot do something they are just going to want to do it even more. My hubby goes off on how bad teens are now and I keep reminding him of his leather jacket, duck tail hair days. He does not see the comparison but there it is. LOL I drove my friends everywhere they needed to go and made it home safely. You hubby and I sort of have something in common as I have stacks of vcrs. One of these days I will get them up and working or out the door. Probably pretty soon as I am about to start on wallpapering the hallway where they are stored. LOL

Have to get some work done now. Have been up since 4:30 so I have gotten quite a bit done but I know I am going to crash early tonight.

Slightly Goofy

[colleen costello]

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! I am the proud recipient of Disney's "Scene It" boardgame. We are all going to play tonight. I have heard it is lots of fun and had dropped some serious hints. Luckily my two little ones are smart enough to tell Daddy "Get Disney stuff." :)

Rider, I see I have an Ecard from you. I will go and open it right now. I am hanging out until 2pm when I am do at the first grade V-day party at school. I hope you all have a great day.

[TalkisCheap]

I'm a little behind, but Happy Valentine's Day ladies!!!


Well, I have to do school even though it's my birthday...my mom's mean like that ;) and then I'm going to volunteer at a soup kitchen with my friends for my ccd class, and then it's cake and presents...I'll definitly try to catch up tomorrow. Have a great day everyone!!!

[SlightlyGoofy]

Talk, how wonderful of you to stop by here on your birthday. When you finish your day, and it sounds like a wonderful way to share your birthday, please stop back at the Suite as we have a surprise party planned for you. Luis is going to Swing by and show you a few steps and many of the younger CM's have requested to have the honor of showing you Behind the Scenes this evening. Hope you do not mind if us old ones tag along to watch your face as you experience the many surprises in store for you. WTG for your 'mean' mom. I sincerely wish that all moms were so mean so that we could have more delightful young people like yourself in the world.

Colleen, glad you hear that you received your most wanted present for Valentine's Day. I swear I have written a detailed list, what store, what shelf, how much it costs and still did not get what I requested. Tom says it is my fault as I do not ask for the 'normal things that most women want. Furs and diamonds are NOT my thing. I grew up in a fur lined home and as much as my hands are in paint and solvents diamonds would lose their lusture quickly. I am not a high maintenance woman. LOL

I have to go open my card from Rider as well. She picks out the best cards.

Slightly Goofy/Linda

[IASW Rider]

Hey Everyone!

BELATED HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CAROLINE!!!!!! :) :) :)

So sorry - I wish that we had known - we'll have to reprimand our Suite Boys for not having told us sooner! Well, we'll just have to get them to work, planning a very special belated birthday celebration for you, that's all! :) Since we always seem to focus on the MK, I think that we should start Caroline's Suite Birthday Celebration in Epcot - what do you all say? Cap it off with an evening of IllumiNations? :)

Speaking of WDW (our favorite topic! :) ) We are officially "90 DAYS OUT", as of today, and so I "celebrated" by making our first round of PS's! :) I so love calling down there and speaking with the WDW-DINE CM's! We're all set for our traditional "opening night" at 'Ohana (and of course we'll be thinking of you and Tom there, Linda! :) ) and lunch the following day at the Brown Derby! I wanted to make PS's for the entire week (actually 4 days!) that we will be there, but it's too soon to make them for the last 2 days. That's OK - it will just give me another excuse to call down there! :)

I'm sorry to hear that your sister didn't like "Sideways", Linda! It's kind of an "offbeat" movie - I can see how some people might not be that thrilled with it. But we really enjoyed it! You're so lucky that you have a fifty cent movie theater, nearby - that would be wonderful! I can't believe how expensive movie tickets are, now - I always sneak in my own popcorn and soda, though! :)

I also have the "Cats" video! I don't know if that's the first time that they ever taped a Broadway show - I have a concert version of "Les Miserables" on tape, too (the entire score sung in costume, but with no sets or blocking, etc.). Every once in awhile, PBS will broadcast a stage show on "Great Performances". I know that they did that with the last performance of "Contact", while it was still on Broadway. And I've seen taped performances of some of the shows that we've seen at the Paper Mill Playhouse (a well known professional regional theater in North Jersey, which attracts many Broadway performers) on PBS, too. But I don't think that they would allow current shows to be taped - unless they were just about to close. I loved that "Broadway: the American Theatre" series that PBS had, a few months ago - that's more of a documentary, though. And I know that it's available on video and DVD, now, too. I also know that 3 more movie versions of current Broadway shows are now in production: "Rent", "Hairspray", and "The Producers"!

Hope that you enjoyed playing "Scene It", Colleen - I've heard that that game is a lot of fun! :) Tha's a great Valentine's gift! :)

Well, just wanted to stop by and say "hello"! Hope that you're all having a nice week! Talk to you soon! :)

[SlightlyGoofy]

Hi there Lisa, would you believe that I have two VHS tapes right here on my desk from where I taped the Broadway, American Theater PBS show? It is not perfect as there was a glitch on the show when it ran here but it could be easily made into a DVD if you would like. I am still transferring stuff from VHS to DVD and have started a DVD for you and Frank but it is far from full as yet. All of this has to be done in 'real' time so it is time consuming. I will have the boys for the weekends the next few weeks so that slows me down considerably also since they demand to watch their shows instead of mine. LOL If you should happen to notice a Broadway play being performed on PBS please give me a heads up. I am looking forward to the movies you listed, especially Hairspray. I love it when the fat girl wins!! LOL

I knew that you were my kind of gal. My daughter is ashamed of me since I sneak in snacks also. Only at the full price places though. My grandkids are used to getting at least $10 worth of snacks each when they go with their parents. I give them a choice between the snacks or going out to eat afterward, the later is much cheaper.

My sister and I do not always agree on movies so I will try to see "Sideways" sometime. The local convenience store rents DVD;s for only a $1 during a weekday daytime period. Since it is close by and we are retired we rent a lot of movies. Is one of my favorite vices. :cool1:

I fear my little guy is getting a bit full of himself now. His last game of basketball he took the ball away from one of his teammates and attempted many half court shots. I pointed out that although he did make three of them there were many others that he missed. Gotta get him in a basketball camp this summer for some training. He will not be allowed to get the stringed instrument lessons he wanted as they are being given by someone the family does not like. The person in question has always been nice to me and mine and offered to give the lessons before I knew it would not be allowed.

I had better go ready for our Illuminations Cruise for Caroline/Talk. It was so thoughtful of you to include everyone's favorite foods. I was thinking, I probably have shoes that are older than Caroline. Depressing thought is it not?? LOL

SG/Linda

[lunabkat]

Hi all :flower:

Whew! Alot of reading to do and not and email notifying me about them at all, its a good thing i check old posts occassionally or i would be lost.

VDay was nice, we cooked shrimp and stayed in as we went out to Red Lobster for my birthday last week, my girls are going to be expensive dates. we just get an ultimate lobster feast and split it between the two of them, they love the crab legs and lobster, etc.

Worked a party last Saturday and i swear it was like throwing a party for the desperate housewives. It was a nieghborhood party (from some high priced development) these people get together several time a year to party and boy they do a good job. With all the money floating around that room you would think someone would have gotten a tip, but nooooo. It seems like the best tippers are New Yorkers, they almost always tip their waiters/waitresses. One time i got a little old lady a pitcher of diet coke and she threw me $10, not even my table - ya just never know. So these people left around 12:30 and some guy swears he brought his Ralph Lauren jacket and its missing. His coat was with his wife's (underneath, on the same hanger) but he says its not his coat and he wants $500 to replace it - yeah, riiiight. He came on a bus and probably picked up the wrong coat there, they, of course, were drinking on the bus, after all 5 hours of open bar wouldn't be enough alcohol for you.

They were a hoot though and danced the night away. The girls and i leave on Friday for my friends house in RI and are very excited, we always enjoy our time with them.

Linda, you are so busy with your brood, hope your next house project goes as well as the last, our bathroom is still in a shambles but dh is planning to work it this weekend while we are away.

Lisa, sounds like you had a wonderful Valentine weekend, keep up the good work at school.
Hope everyone is having a great week, Caroline Happy Birthday to you, see you at the next party!

:grouphug:
LL

[IASW Rider]

Hi Everyone!

Hi Linda! That's so sweet that you are putting together DVD footage for us! Thanks for thinking of us! But please take your time - we look forward to the surprise! We also taped the PBS "Broadway" series on VHS, so we have the tape! Thanks for offering to add it to the DVD, though! I thought that that was a great series! And I will definitely let you know if I hear about any other upcoming interesting "Great Performances" - I try to keep my eyes open for things like those. In addition to occasionally airing full Broadway shows, sometimes they air full special events, like Lord of the Dance or Riverdance, etc.

Sneaking snacks into the movies is so much better than paying millions of dollars for popcorn and soda! :) Plus, then I can sneak in my healthier air popped variety and avoid the apparent "evils" associated with movie theater popcorn, that we always hear about on the news, or whatever! :)

It sounds like you have quite the basketball player there, Linda! I'm sure that he will refine his skills in basketball camp and will continue to be a real contender, next season!

Hi Lauralee! Glad to hear that you all had a nice Valentine's Day! And that party that you worked sounds like quite the gathering! That's pretty wild that a development / group of neighbors would throw a party like that, every year - and come on a bus, too! Did they come in from NY or are they from another part of NJ? That stinks that they didn't tip, though - some people just don't think, I guess. Anyway, it certainly sounds like they were an amusing bunch to spend an evening with! I didn't realize that your Rhode Island trip was coming up so soon - I'm sure that you and your DD's will have a wonderful time! :)

I have my first big test on Monday night in Epidemiology (yes, I have class on President's Day :( ) , and I've been trying to get some studying done every day, since I bombed my first homework assignment in that class.
:( Fortunately, I got my first paper back, in Health Ed last night, and got a perfect score on it, so all hope is not lost! Hoping that that first Epi homework assignment was just a "fluke", as I'm getting used to the subject matter, etc. I can't let myself get "psyched out", as I tend to do with math-oriented things. I remember defeating myself so many times when I was studying for that GRE over last summer, telling myself that I would never "get" the algebra and geometry........and then I managed to pull it off, somehow, on the real exam! So I have to believe that that will happen with this stuff, too! :)

Looking forward to the weekend - getting together with different groups of friends on each day - all folks whom we haven't seen in awhile, so that should be nice! And we're taking 2 of our cats for dental cleanings and some tooth extractions tomorrow, too. I'll be happy when that's over with - even though I know that these are just routine procedures, I hate to think of them having anesthesia! I'm sure that they'll be fine, but I'll be happy when they are safely back home, tomorrow night!

Have a great day, Everyone, and talk to you soon! :)

[SlightlyGoofy]

Dalton and I have been hanging out the last couple of days and we are getting ready to go to his basketball game in a bit. He plays at the HS game this Friday so grandma will be front and center once again. Only one game left after that. Poor guy will be devestated until next season. He loves the game. Maybe he will go to a camp (local) this summer and that will keep him from being too depressed. LOL

Rider, is no problem about the DVD just darned slow going. I did finally complete putting all my odds and ends of VHS on Master tapes so that is one step done. I may be able to start transferring the VHS Masters to DVD Masters as that can be done at night since there is no editing involved but when I have to find bits and pieces to put on individual DVD's that is another matter. An 8 hour one could well take 8-9 hours according to how much editing needs to be done. Must be an easier way but I do not know it. Will have a plan for future tapings though.

It has often seemed like a no brainer that movie theaters should offer better and healthier foods but then after looking at the floors with the popcorn and sticky soda messes I guess I can see their point. We have a theater here that is sort of like a restaurant in that you set at tables and booths and order full meals while watching a movie screen. Sounds like a way to go for me but it is quite a bit more expensive. I miss the drive in movie theaters and cannot figure out why they went out of business.

Dalton is already a contender, if he can get some discipline he might very well be a star. It is hard to be proud of him without letting it go to his head. I taped the game last week and caught him playing to the camera after a few shots.

I am sorry that you have to go to school on President's Day. How in the world did YOU bomb a homework assignment? Not like you at all? Must have been the bad weather. Sounds as if though you are back in action though and going strong. WTG!!!!!

My heart goes out to your kitties, they have to medicate me to do cleanings too. Have fun catching up with your friends.

Luna, bet your daughters are not only gonna be expensive dates but they will be watching to see what sort of tip is left and if it is lacking they will not be doing a seond date. LOL I avoid Red Lobster, those darned cheese biscuits get me every time. I know exactly how many calories each one is but they have a siren call that I cannot resist.

Wow, you could write a book about your experiences. I wonder if these groups believe that the tip is included? I see a notation on lots of bills nowadays that say that the tip is NOT included to give people a clue but maybe there are not individual bills handed out there? A tip jar possibly? Of course if you got tips it might lead your employer to believe he only has to pay you $2 an hour or some other silly thing. Bet watching all those people drink and how they act makes you not want to drink much, if any.

My household renovations are never ending. The house is so massive and I am so slow. The hard thing now is making up for getting so far behind when I was so very sick. It was all I could do to keep the laundry up and keep us fed in those days. It once took me several hours to make a bed. I had to keep stopping to lay down. I bet your bathroom will be wonderful when you hubby gets done. Does he do the detail work (paint etc) as well or do you trust him in such areas? LOL

You called my grands my brood, apt word as I am surely a Mother Hen. :love:

I have met another DISer on another thread. It was strange, sort of a bunch of us all discovered that we all live in IN and got to talking. This one lady PM'd me as she lives about ten miles from here. We have friends in common. It's a Small World After All!!! She comes to Hope almost everyday and we might meet soon.

Slightly Goofy

[colleen costello]

Hi girls. Just finished reading and responding to a nice Email from Rider. Seeing those in my Inbox makes my day. Sort of helps me recover from all the solicitations for Viagra and organ-enhancers that somehow sneak thru my junkmail filter. Some of the stuff that gets thru makes me blush. There seem to be an awful lot of unemployed folks using the internet to try and sell stuff to the wrong people! What exactly is a 40-year old woman supposed to need Viagra for?

Anyhow, Linda, I am so glad to see you have connected with all those code-watching Hoosier ladies over on the Resorts Board. It IS a small world. There were more locals chiming in than I ever imagined were out there. Fill us all in if you get to meet the lady who visits Hope. And by the way, we here in Ellettsville have access to not one but TWO nice drive-in theaters. If this helps sway you in your decision to relocate, great! My family goes with friends quite a few times each summer. We always have fun and eat LOTS of junk food. You can bring your own but we always buy their wonderful popcorn!

Ladies, I am hard at work planning my July WDW trip. As I told dear Rider, obsessing over where to stay is a good part of the fun. I have to add 3 cash nights as I only had DVC points for 6 nights. 9 is about right for my family. Bad weather always passes in that much time, and it's a solid week PLUS some between the long car trips. Any longer and I'd be out of money... So we are tossing around where to stay. Right now my main contenders are Wilderness Lodge (which I love) and AKL (kids want to try it). These two are the "bargain" deluxes. But I am also considering a return to the Poly, if a good enough annual passholder rate is released. That place is PARADISE and 3 nights won't quite break me. Such decisions.

Friends are coming over soon for pizza and cake, celebrating birthdays. I guess I had better go check that the bathrooms are clean.

Have a great weekend everybody! :flower:

[SlightlyGoofy]

Colleen, you are a hoot and a holler. I am amused at the emails I get offering to show me body parts that I already possess. LOL On a serious side it is scary what our children are being subjected to. Luckily you and I are able to withstand the onslaught of smut with a sense of humor. :goodvibes

I always report any DISSER sightings, they are too few and too important for me to forget. LOL While many have detailed memories of every tiny corner of DW I tend to remember the people, if not their names. LOL

Two drive in movies huh? Got to cater to those college students. Do you take your kids? I remember the days of packing a meal and lots of blankets and pillows to take our small ones to the movies. In good weather a pick up truck is even better. LOL

You are a nine night family and twelve is just about right for us. I hope that you are able to stay at the Poly. It seems to be the favorite of many around here. Since I have been considering renting points for the 2006 trip I have been doing some research and it seems as if using points during the week and paying cash for the weekends, at cheaper places is the way to go. If any of you lucky point owners, around here, would be interested in renting points in 2006 please let me know. (not holding my breath though as I know you all toooo well and know that you will use every single point you can scrape up, no dummies you.) LOL

Dalton lost his ballgame big time. Not sure if it was because of grandma's bragging or the fact that his coach/dad forgot to show up for practice last week. Dalton only got ten points the whole game. He even made a basket for the opposing team. LOL More lessons to be learned in adversity than triumph.

This old broad is headed to the doctor tomorrow. Seems my hair is falling out. Is an amazing thing as I have always been blessed with a heavy head of curly hair. It was found at the beauty shop on Thursday. Shocked me a bit. At least it is not painful but I have never worn a hat in my life so it will change my style (if in fact I have one) quite a bit. Only the fact that I have so many curls has kept it from being evident before now. Maybe I should look in the mirror when I comb my hair?

Slightly Goofy/Bald

[IASW Rider]

Hi Everyone!

Oh no! I'm sorry to hear about your hair, Linda! :( Is it possible that it's just a "phase" (like some times of the month / year, etc. more of our hair falls out than others?)? Or just a temporary, hormonal sort of thing? I've noticed more and more of my hair falling out in the shower, over the past few years, so I certainly understand your concern. But hopefully your doctor will have some good suggestions, if something needs to be done. When I was in my early 20's, an entire patch of my hair spontaneously fell out, and I had an actual bald spot! I went to the dermatologist who said that it's not uncommon for something like that to occasionally happen. He gave me bi-monthly cortisone shots in my scalp (sounds more painful than they actually were!), and lo and behold, peach fuzz began to grow there.........and eventually all my hair grew back and I haven't had an issue like that, since! So I'm sure that your doctor will have some great suggestions for you! Don't worry - your beautiful head of thick, curly hair isn't going anywhere! :)

I'm sorry to hear about Dalton's most recent game. :( But the loss was obviously just a fluke, since he's had such a great winning streak, up until now. Was that the last game of the season? Or does he have another chance or 2 to dazzle you all, with his athletic prowess? And how is Austin feeling? Has he been (safely!) out there, riding his new 4-wheeler, lately?

And thank you for your kind words - BELIEVE ME, I am quite capable of bombing homework assignments! Fortunately, I did much better on the one that I got back last night.......but I know that I messed up a few questions on the test............ARRRGGGGH, that class is so frustrating! So many statistical measurements of disease, mortality, survival analysis, and the like..........depressing and dry. But I have to get through it, so I keep plugging away! :)

Hi Colleen! :) Thank you for your kind words, too! How was the rest of your weekend and your gathering on Saturday night? That is so neat that you still have actual drive in movie theaters, in your area - I'm jealous! They took away the last of the ones around here over 20 years ago. But I definitely remember them, from my childhood! That theater near you that serves actual meals sounds like the Sci-Fi Dine In Restaurant, Linda! :) Actually, my mother and I once took a trip up to Montreal together years ago, to see the Mets play a whole series against the Expos - and they served actual, full meals on trays at Olympic Stadium, there, too! :) It was so funny to watch a baseball game with the audience dining with knives and forks in the stands! :)

Our cats made it through their dental extravaganza on Friday - and had a total of 7 teeth extracted, between the 2 of them. The strangest thing is that when we returned home from dropping Ashley and The Big Ragoo off at the vet, first thing Friday morning.........we found that another of our cats, Tasha, had lost a tooth "out of the blue" - Frank just found it on the floor! We joked that she spontaneously lost that tooth to show her sympathy for / solidarity with Ashley and Ragoo, since she "sensed" what they would be going through, that day! Anyway, Tasha is 15.5 years old and is already on blood pressure and thyroid medication, so we don't take any chances with her health. We brought her in to see the vet, when we went back to pick up Ashley and Ragoo in the evening. Now we have 3 cats on 2 different types of antibiotics, 2 cats on pain medication, 2 cats on thyroid medication, and 1 cat on blood pressure / heart medication - it's like a regular veterinary hospital around here every morning and evening, as I run around administering everyone's various and sundry "squirts"! Only one of our cats, Shirley, is on no medication at all, right now - and we hope that it stays that way! :)

We saw "The Aviator", over the weekend. Great movie! We are frantically trying to see as many of the Best Picture nominees before Sunday night. Hopefully we'll be able to sneak in "Million Dollar Baby" in the theater, next weekend, and we plan to rent "Ray", too!

My head is still spinning from that dumb test that I took, last night, so I think that I will cheer myself up by making my remaining PS's, now! Hope that all is well with all of you! Have a great day and talk to you soon! :)

[SlightlyGoofy]

Hello there Lisa/Rider, were your ears burning this afternoon? You were being talked about. When I got home from town I had a message from twinscandc/aka Becky. I called her cell right back and as luck would have it she had a few minutes free to stop by and meet. She is our kind of gal. Very pretty, extremely nice, smart and such an interesting life. She does much good in the world. Colleen and she have a whole bunch in common. Since I am hoping that she will come by the Suite I will allow her to introduce herself to you all. I hope this was the first of many visits.Suite and my home) Funny thing was that she was leaving the local library just before I dropped by. We could have almost met there!!! I have a sneaking suspicion that I may be offered a job, paying, at the library. If I do what I want I will take it, but there is so much else to consider. I would not be free to do much that I do now, for others, but it sure would be good for me.

I have about a dozen fairly large (2 in plus) bald spots on my head. Sounds similar to what you had that time and the remedy is the shots but I am going to wait and see what happens. With all the hair I have I should be able to camoflauge things for awhile. It is called Alopecia Areata. Fairly common and not known to cause any real problems so I shall survive. Only problem that I can see is that I doubt that I can carry off a turban. Not my style. LOL BTW, there were no signs such as lots of hair on my brush or anything, just happened.

A bit of a defeat is good for one's character development so Dalton is dealing well with the failure. He is blaming it on his dad cause he forgot to go to practice. LOL Sounds as if he might be headed for a political career with his pass the buck philosophy. Austin has been driving the 4 wheeler, hope not as fast as he has told me though. Dalton has been driving it also. They will be spending the weekend with me while their mom attends Journey Through Faith again. Chris goes next weekend so we will be together again. Lucky thing I like those kids. (grin)

The theater I was talking about, that serves full meals, is not a drive in but a regular theater with restaurant type seating. You just reminded me that I forgot to pick up a copy of "Ray". I saw that it was advertised as being in at the video store in town ($1 rentals, can't beat that). I watched Kill Bill and Cold Mountain the other day. I liked both of them, for different reasons. I love special effects.

You, goof up on an assignment or anything else??? I am not buying that one. If you did it was for an awfully good reason.

I am sure that you are grateful to have the latest round of medical treatments over for your babies. It is hard to watch those you love hurt or age. I hope all the pains are over for at least awhile.

LOL, just saw on the tv that there is a new therapy for COPD, learning to play the harmonica. Sounds like a lot more fun that my deep breathing exercises.

I will go get our Dalton's harmonica. Any requests??

SG/Linda

[twinscandc]

Hello EWP Group!!

Thank you SlightlyGoofy for your kind remarks!! I certainly enjoyed our time that we had together today!! I can tell that we could become "fast friends!!" Thank you for inviting me!! I also hope will be able to continue our Dis friendship!!

So, now that I've been invited to your special Electric Water Parade Group (BTW - it's such a cute idea!), I will introuduce myself. My name is Becki and I'm obsessed with all things Disney!! I've been to WDW 2 times in the last three years. We are returning in May and we can't wait!! I'm the mother of two beautiful girls (see below) and I am married to a wonderful man (it will be 10 years this September!). My official work title is: "Family Preservation Counselor". I work with families that are involved in the Welfare system and also families whoes kids are on Probation. It's a very rewarding job, but can be pretty stressful at times. My DH is a police officer in our town. Because we both have intense jobs we really enjoy our vacations!!

This EWP thread is sooooo long!! I'll try to start from the beginning and "read up" on everybody!! It is always nice to have someone to talk to and have a support system!!

Thanks again for inviting me into your group!! I love the Electric Water Parade!!

twinscandc/aka Becki

[SlightlyGoofy]

LOL, Becki, I was just over on the other thread reporting our meeting. Great minds etc. I can tell that you are my kind of gal too. Real people. The only kind we have around here.

No need to go back and read all those postings, we will catch up up quickly. As you know my name is Linda, 56 (oldest member of the EWP), mother of two (plus one step daughter near my age) and grandmother to six perfect grandchildren. I volunteer at the Community Center I showed you as well as serve as a driver for my many older friends. I have done much of the work on our house through the years. We have lived here 28 years, half my life. I am originally from Ohio.

We met on a thread over three years ago and were castigated for being 'off' topic so we gathered here in our virtual suite. It is on a lagoon at DW, of course, and is outfitted with the latest technology. I had a rotating device installed recently so that we can change our view at will and being hydralic it also raises and lowers to suit our needs. Every possible convenience is at your beck and call, including our men servants, BoDacious, Don Juan and assorted other beefcake types. Your personal Suite CC is awaiting you. No limits and most important of all, no bills. Charge!!!!

I will allow everyone else to introduce themselves. What we lack in quantity we make up for in quantity. Some of the finest ladies I have ever had to good luck to meet. Glad to add you to our collection.

Slightly Goofy

[colleen costello]

Welcome Becki! I also was invited into the EWP Suite by dear Linda, and I have had so much fun getting to know all the wonderful regulars here. I also live in Indiana. My husband and I came to go to grad school in 1987 (we weren't even married quite yet) and here we are almost 20 years later. Scott got a job at IU and now we live in Ellettsville. I worked as a counselor/ care manager for the local Agency on Aging until baby #2 was born. Since then I am a stay-at-home Mom. I volunteer a lot at our school and help run the PTO. My daughter is 10 and in 4th grade and my son is almost 7 and he is in 1st grade. I have been a big WDW fan since the 1970's. My Mom is a Disney nut and we had a travel trailer when I was a kid. Most summers we drove -- in a pickup truck with no A/c, all the way from New Jersey -- and camped at Fort Wilderness. Now we are DVC members so we go to WDW twice a year, usually with my parents. It's a great way to get together since we live far apart.

One of the best things about the suite is that when you are not heading to WDW anytime soon, someone else here usually is. You'll get to hear all about those trips and often see pictures when the person gets back home. I am leaving for spring break in just over 2 weeks and will try to post from Orlando. Rider and HelenaBear always post beautiful pictures. I am not computer-savvy and rely on the kindness of DH to help me post pics at all!

Again, welcome. Lots of love and support are found here. :flower:

[lunabkat]

Hi all

Welcome Becki, nice to meet you.

Well, we have returned from RI and all are sick. The girls have a fever and i have a sinus infection, fever and cough - whoo hoo.

Unfortunately, i really just wanted to get back home ever since we arrived. My firend is not having a good year and has put on more weight and is drinking heavily (along with antidepressant medication). I try and tell her that things won't change without help but she just keeps sinking and i am at a loss. I want to be there to support her but cannot seem to get her motivated to really change anything, even though she keeps saying she knows she needs to fix things. It was a tough weekend in a really small house, i couldn't wait to get home, tho i miss her, i was shocked at how bad things have gotten for her. "Death, dissertion and divorce make a woman bloom"...or something close to that. Tho i like her husband Peter, they need to get serious counseling and personally i think they need to part ways, he is so firmly and enabler to her and she controls so much of what he does that i am afraid they will never surmount it. She says she can't bear to part the kids from him, but frankly, i think that is a crock -- after all they don't really have much of a mother now and they need her just a much, if not more, than a dad who like to party after work.

I feel like beating my head into a wall, is it me or isn't there a whole life out there that has nothing to do with partying till your numb? We drank 6, that's right, 6 bottles of wine the first night i was there and i did not wake up with a hangover, or even feel much of a "buzz" so how much did she put away? When i tallied up the bottles in recycle the next morning, i couldn't believe that many bottles had been opened. It was a little hard to get a true count because i later found out that hubby drinks what's left after she passes out at night, good lord, someone help me. I wouldn't go back to the liquor store so she sent her husband. It was like all she did from 4pm till she fell alsleep at 9, 10 11 o'clock was drink and smoke cigarettes, i could scream...


the only thing i can think right now is thank god we are home and had a home worth looking forward to getting back to. I feel so bad for her i could just cry...

Sorry for the bumout note, but i had to get it out, thanks guys.

:grouphug: LL

[IASW Rider]

Welcome, Becki! :)

So glad to have you here with us, in the Suite! And so glad that you and Linda enjoyed meeting one another and spending time together! She is a very special and wonderful person, as are Colleen and Lauralee, whom you've already "met", and so are the rest of our Suite-Mates, whom I'm sure that you'll be "meeting", over the next several days: Elaine, Angie, Wendy, Caroline, Emily, and Amanda! :)

My name is Lisa, age 38, a life-long resident of Central New Jersey. (I was thinking that our Suite's Indiana "contingent" now outnumbers our NJ "contingent"........but can we kinda "claim" Colleen as half "ours", since she was raised in the Garden State? :) ) I live here with my DH and our 5 cats (?!?!), "Shirley", "Boo Boo Kitty", "The Big Ragoo", "Tasha", and "Ashley"! After spending 15 years working in the financial services industry, I'm in the process of a hopeful career change and am now a full-time graduate student, pursuing a Masters of Public Health degree. I'm also a life-long WDW fan - I will be making my 15th trip there, this May (the last 6 of which have been with my DH, who proposed to me at the Poly, and then we subsequently spent our honeymoon and first anniversary in the exact same room, during the exact same week in which he proposed! :) )! Anyway, just wanted to say "hello" and "welcome", introduce myself, and say that we are glad to have you join us! :)

Now, let's get those Suite boys into action to plan a great welcome party and Parks Tour for Becki, shall we?! :)

Have a great day, Everyone! :)

[IASW Rider]

Hi Lauralee,

So sorry to hear that your RI trip was so upsetting and disappointing - I know how much you were looking forward to it and to seeing your friend. I'm sure that it was very disturbing to actually see and experience how difficult things have been for your friend and the toll that it has taken on her, her outlook on life, her behavior, and her health. And I'm sure that it was just hard to be around her and not quite know what to say or do. Is there any way that you might be able to get through to her and possibly give her some ideas for ways that she can help herself regain control of her life, make herself feel better, and direct her energies to something more positive / healthful / productive? Or to do something to either make her marriage better and more satisfying..........or to get out all together, if things are that bad? She's obviously withdrawing into a "place" where she "doesn't have to deal with it", which is very sad - but understandable - believe me, I've seen that happen to friends before. Heck, it even kind of happened to me, soon after I got divorced, several years ago! But there has to be a way for her to "pull herself out" of the depression that obviously came through in the behavior that you observed when you were up there, visiting her. It's obviously not your "job" to make everything right for her - obviously she has to do that on her own. But once a little time has passed, the next time that you call to check in on her and say "hello", maybe there might be some suggestions that you could give her about things that she could do? Or at least make her see that you noticed how bad things have gotten for her, that you sympathize with her and that you want her to be happy and well and are concerned about her?

Anyway, I certainly understand how painful and disappointing your trip must have been. But hopefully it gives you some comfort to know that in her own way, I'm sure that your friend was happy that you were there and that you and your family made the trip to see her. And I'm sure that she appreciated the support that you gave her, just by being there. Maybe just seeing you and your family gave her some hope - and made her remember the way that her life used to be, "the person she once was", etc., and that alone might motivate her to start making some positive changes for herself. Anyway, it's good that you all made it home safely! Now you can put that experience behind you for a bit and let some time pass - hopefully everything will seem brighter in a few days, if not sooner! Hope that all else is well with you and your family! And hope that you're all feeling better, soon! Big hugs to you! :grouphug:

[IASW Rider]

Hi Linda and Colleen! How are you both doing, out there?

So glad that you brought Becki to join us, Linda, and so glad that the 2 of you enjoyed getting together and meeting one another! You are the QUEEN OF THE SUITE MEETS - this time, you met someone from the Suite before she even posted! :) Of course, it's fitting that you are the QUEEN OF THE SUITE MEETS, since you are the FOUNDER OF THE SUITE! (No arguments, please! :) ) Anyway, it's always nice to have someone come and join us - you always bring the nicest people along with you! :)

Alopecia areata - that's exactly what I had, years ago, when I found that big bald spot on my head. It was the exact same thing - I had no "warning", either - no extra hair in my brush or in the shower - all of a sudden, I just noticed it when I was drying my hair! Very weird how something like that just happens! But as you said - there are treatments and it's not a sign of something more serious, so that's a good thing. The shots aren't too bad - and they do work pretty quickly, if you decide to go that "route". My situation now is probably just the natural thinning of my hair due to age. Either that or my "imagination" (Frank says that I just notice my hair in the tub more, because it's long and more noticible than his is, for example)!

Glad to hear that you will have some quality time with your little men coming up, soon! And looking forward to hearing you play that harmonica, too! :)

So, have you reached a "verdict" with regard to your July trip, yet, Colleen? Can't wait to hear what your ultimate decision is! All of the resorts that you mentioned are wonderful, needless to say.......but you know what my personal favorite is........so you know which one I'd "vote" for! :)

All is well here - not too much to report - the feline "patients" are hanging in there.........and I think that I deserve an honorary veterinary degree for being able to keep all of their various medicines and dosages straight and properly administered, 2ce a day! :) I think I made some stupid mistakes on my test on Monday night, but I'm trying not to beat myself up about it, too much! Still haven't made my last few PS's.........I've been having some crazy thoughts.........about going nuts and surprising Frank with an evening at Victoria and Albert's.........you only live once........! :)

Hope that all is well with all of you and hope that you're all having a great day! :)

[SlightlyGoofy]

Just came from the library, there was a magazine I wanted to read, and I had the most interesting thought. It occured to me that since Becky hangs out in the library between appointments (maybe she will hang out sometime now) that some of the times we were chatting on line she might well have been just around the corner from my house. Is that strange or what? I am a firm believer that God puts people in our paths and He sure has scatterd some blossoms my way in my lifetime. OK, a couple of weeds too but hey life is not perfect. LOL

Lisa, if you are old what the heck does that make me? I am old enough to be the mother of everyone here. (gotta get me a cane, whoops, forgot I already have one) :rotfl: It is a fairly common ailment. Glad to hear that the shots are not all that bad. I are scared of needles, give my invasive surgery any old day. For now I am able to hide the condition so I will hold off on worrying too much. Is not as if I am known for my great beauty although my hair has always been my crowning glory and the envy of many, low maintanence as it is.

I was reading a thread the other day about what resorts people hated and I do not think any one was NOT listed. I was amazed at how many did not like the Poly though. Tom and I had gone over and checked it out a long time ago and decided it was not for us. Old Key West suits our personalities. Grand Floridian is just too darned grand, Wilderness Lodge imposing and a bit cold. I was checking out places for my daughter the other day and was impressed with what the Fort Wilderness homes had to offer for families and such easy access to MK too. We have stayed at several places.

I have no doubts that you have done very well in figuring out doses and such for your Fur Babies. Love works wonders. I hope you are wrong about messing up on your test but if you did just remember that we learn more from our mistakes and one thing is for certain you will NEVER do that one again. Is not in your nature. I once aced an important test by guessing something correctly and never felt that I truly deserved the honors I got for it. Now that I am older I give myself some credit for educated guessing though. LOL

I can see you and Frank at Victoria and Alberts and having the time of your lives. Go for it!! Would not work for Tom or I as we are not gormands and Tom does not notice the differences in foods at all. I am allergic to wine so we will just stay away but that being said, you guys are just right for it.

Lauralee, how heartbreaking it must have been for you. It was not a trip wasted though as you just never know what effect you might have had on your friend. Most of the time you never do. Lisa said it all so much better than I could and I totally agree. It is hard, when you are in a bad relationship, to get out especially when you do not feel worthy. I hope your friend realizes that anyone able to have such a wonderful friend IS worthy. I hope the two of them can find some sort of help, sounds as if both are hurting. I am of the belief that you can take two perfectly nice people and they can still not have a good marriage. I hear you on the alcohol. I have a sister who always has a drink in her hand. Our grandmother died of liver disease from drinking. My sister had Weight Loss surgery last year and since I have had it also I know that one thing is that you are not supposed to drink at all since it causes problems. I worry. I have always been grateful that I did not inherit that family curse. I am glad that you are back in your happy home, with your brand new bathroom(?).

I took Tom to the dentist early this morning and am opting out of the rest of the day. My daughter picked up Dalton last night and stayed for a few minutes (a rare occasion). I had one of my attacks while she was here so I guess she talked my sil out of me taking care of his nephews in addition to Dalton this weekend. I am sort of relieved as I really am not up to taking care of three small children at one time. Dalton is pretty calm in spite of being in training for President. He was telling me that he was playing President on the playground yesterday and started humming "Hail to the Chief". How many 7 year olds know that particular tune? He had his friends act as his bodyguards. He is smart, funny and sneaky enough to make a good president. LOL I am taking Tom to his brothers tomorrow and will pick him back up Tuesday so I am going to get some work done around here. Dalton is playng basketball at half time at the big boys game tomorrow night so I am going to see that and bring him home with me afterward. I have Shark's Tale for us to watch. I got Ray for myself.

SG/Linda

[twinscandc]

Good Morning Everyone!!

I know it's not morning (actually it's 12:30, Indiana time), but I just got up!! I just want to say: I love my DH because he volunteered to stay up this morning to get our girls ready for school!! DH works 3rd shift so he is ready to sleep when he comes in at 7am!! But today, I am one sick puppy!! It started coming on a few days ago, but now it's here with full force!! I've got the whole thing.....aches, fever, sneezes, congestion, ear pain.....I feel like I've been run over by a Mack truck!! I've called to Doctor, but he won't be able to see me until MONDAY!! I was supposed to be in court this morning for one of my cases....I'm glad I faxed my report to the judge yesterday!! I dont have time to be sick....too much to do!! I think I'm going to curl back into bed and watch Beauty and the Beast (my favorite!!) It always makes me feel better!!

So, Linda.....I've not been around your way since Tuesday afternoon. And now I'm hoping that I didn't give you any germs when I was there! I'm apologizing in advance if I did!! Did you see my name on the Library internet sign up sheet for Tuesday? I have been on the Dis boards several times while in the Library. Isn't that funny that I was just around the corner all those times....and yes, I do believe that God is in control and "plants" people in our paths!!

I'm sorry I haven't posted for a few days....l've been very busy with work and the start of this sickness!! I teach an anger management class on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons. It's a 10 week class for 90 minutes each night!! So, I have to get in all my other contacts plus teach this class. It's a huge committment for myself as well as the 7 students in my class!! It's a good class that teaches young people how to control their anger. etc.... I enjoy it but it sure does keep me busy!! The other "good" part about it, is that I get paid extra for teaching the class!! It's $1000 for the 30 sessions (before taxes- :sad2: ). I told them not to pay me until the end because it will be all Disney money!! I will not be teaching tonight (my co-instructor will be there!). We are ending our 3rd week....only 7 more to go!!

I'm sorry, I got a little off topic, but I wanted to say thank you to all of you for your warm welcomes!! You all seem very down to earth and my kind of people!! Especially since we all love Disney!!

Well, the snow is really coming down....I went to bed early last night and didn't watch the news....I had no idea it was even going to snow...As pretty as it is....I'M READY FOR SPRING!!

Thanks again for welcoming me into your group.....I will be happy to offer loving support and an ear to bend at times....I'm looking forward to getting to know all of you!!

Have a great day!!

Twinscandc aka: Becki

[IASW Rider]

Hey Everyone!

So, you not only have a future NBA star on your hands, there, Linda, but also a future President of the United States? Sounds good to me! :) I love that Dalton was humming "Hail to the Chief" and having his friends act as his Secret Service Men! That is so adorable! :)

I hope that you are feeling better, and glad to hear that you will be able to spend some one-on-one time with Dalton, this weekend! And hope that Tom did well at the dentist and has a nice time at his brother's too!

Hope that you are feeling much better very soon, Becki! It's horrible when you know that a flu / virus is "sneaking up on you" and then comes and hits you full force! But don't worry about all the work that you have to do, the class that you were supposed to teach, etc. As you said, you already did the pre-work for the case that you were to work on, today, and I'm sure that your class will understand why you're unable to teach tonight. Just concentrate on taking care of yourself and feeling better! Enjoy resting and watching "Beauty and the Beast"! And hopefully you'll be back to feeling 100%, very soon!

The snow is headed this way and we should have 5 - 9 inches on the ground by tomorrow - UGH. The timing is too bad, because a 78 year old cousin of mine (actually my father's first cousin. She is very funny and "hip" and we stay in touch by e-mail, all the time) is up here from Florida and we are supposed to get together with her and a bunch of other cousins, tomorrow. I was assuring her via e-mail, all last week, that our weather here has been unseasonably warm and that it would surely hold out for her trip........and then she gets here and we have 9 inches of snow dumped on us! (Actually probably more where she is staying - she is staying with her daughter and son-in-law on Long Island). So hopefully we'll all still be able to get together - she's not sure whether they'll be able to make it here to meet with us NJ cousins, because of the weather. This is a really fun "branch" of my family, and I was looking forward to Frank's getting to know them better. And I know how much my father and uncle were looking forward to seeing their cousins, too. Hopefully it will all work out! Will be doing taxes for the rest of the weekend. If we get them done on Saturday, we're hoping to "sneak in" seeing one last Oscar contender in the theaters, before the awards ceremony on Sunday night! (I just love those award shows! :) )

Hope that all is well with all of you and hope that you're all having a nice day! :)

[twinscandc]

Thank you Lisa for the Well Wishes!! I haven't made it up to start my Beauty and the Beast movie yet....I'm making me some warm Tomato Soup!!

Hopefully you will be able to have your family get together....Spending precious time together is what it's all about!! Isn't this weather crazy? We were also having warmer temps, and then....SNOW???!!??

[SlightlyGoofy]

Becki, Colleen and I know what you are talking about. Indiana weather is interesting. If you do not like it you do not have to worry cause it will change in a minute or so. The snow was not so bad since I was able to drive in it and I am the biggest chicken there is. (cluck, cluck) Please do not worry about germs. Remember I work with small children at the Community Center and there were so many germs around there Wednesday that I came home and washed my hands several times. I do not get things easily, at least not colds and such (just the serious stuff) LOL One little boy had a temp of 105 and had been taken to the emergency room. My heart aches and I so wish I could go over and bring those poor sick childen to my home where I could bundle them up on my couch in comfort until their poor parents can get off work. Can you tell I used to be a single (married but single, long story) working mother? I do bring home the kids that I know their parents. I also hug any kid that asks for one. I do keep the door open when I am reading with the kids though. So sad we have to think about such things but is for the kid's safety also. I even had to run one of the teenagers that works at the center home as he was having a reaction to some medication. I come in handy occasionally.

I used to be on a Home Extension Committee that worked in the West end of Columbus to help train families in budgeting and such. I was the only common person on the committee and that is cause I was the only one with actual experience in being poor. I am afraid it was a failure though. I reached far more people in the classes I taught at North and East as I occasionally run into a young person who remembers me from those classes. Poverty seems to run in families. In the nearly thirty years I have lived here I see the same family names over and over again for bankruptcy, arrests, etc. It is heartbreaking. I admire you and your hubby as you do a much needed and terribly hard job. I hope that you have had some success (overt) so that you can know that what you are doing is worthwhile. Since I tend to follow traffic laws I am not apt to meet your hubby any time soon. LOL I have never had a traffic ticket and am proud of it~!!

It makes it a bit easier to spend those evenings away from your family when you can know that the dollars are going toward such a worthwhile thing as DW!!! Is how I feel about saving a dollar here and there. Watch for me when Kroger has the doubles and triples. I am often there for a few hours. BTW, do you remember seeing local newspaper articles about a coupon lady? Is me.

I hope you are feeling better this evening and I am so glad that you are blessed with a wonderful husband to take care of you and pitch in when needed. You deserve it.

Maybe we can make plans to get together with Colleen one of these days or you could come for lunch one day. I do not do much cooking nowadays since I cannot eat anything that tastes good but I might rustle up something.

A bit of trivia, when you are watching B&the B check out Chip. His voice was done by a family friend of mine. Bradley Pierce. He also did Jumunji and several other things. He currently is working at DL.

Lisa, so you think Dalton is adorable huh? I thought so too until he told me that he figured out that one of his Secret Service men was actually Sadaam Hussein in disguise so he shot him in the back of the head. (sigh) Whatever happened to a good game of Cowboy and Indians, on second thought that was not any good either. Wonder if I could get him to play a good game of Checkers??

Our tiny bit of snow is nothing like what you are going to get. My bil used to live in your area and I remember the weather he had back then. I guess I will stay in Indiana, not so bad. I am supposed to go on a trip with one of my sisters in a couple of weeks so I am hoping for an early spring. We are going to Ohio Amish country. I hope that your hip relative arrives and finds the snow melted and the sun shining. Would be terrible to get that far and not be able to see everyone. Hipness has nothing to do with age, some people are old when they are born. Others are eternally youthful. She must take after you. LOL

Tom did well at the dentist until we got the bill. $300 just to reline his bottom dentures. I had to drop off a check for over $200 for the furnace repair this morning also. I am trying hard to be grateful that we had the money to pay it. (mostly) LOL

Who are rooting for at the Oscars? Hope you find a bunch of extra deductions so that you get a super big refund check.

I have to go study for my trivia game. I did not win last week. That will not do at all. (grin)

SG/Linda

[SlightlyGoofy]

The boys have gone to church so I am having a bit of a break. Watching "Ray" as I compute. Even us homemakers have to dual task. LOL

Went to the big basketball game Friday night to see Dalton play with the big boys at half time. He worked his heart out and made a couple of baskets. They had a free throw contest afterward and people bought chances to be in it. Dalton's name was called and he step up to the free throw line, where a few grownups had already faltered, and tossed it right in to win $50. He has it already spent. LOL There was an expensive Lego set that he has been wanting. He played his last game of the season Saturday against a strong team. Got injured but came back on the court toward the end to throw in 4 baskets to win the game in the last couple of minutes. And yes, we DID play checkers. He cannot beat me but he does make me think before I make a move and that is a promising sign. That and the fact that he refuses to let me give him a handicap cause he wants to win 'fair and square". No, I am not proud at all. If any of you want to me to shut up I would not blame you a bit.

I hope you are all enjoying some Spring Sunshine, Good Company and Rest for the coming week.

SG/Linda

[depplyinluv]

Hey Linda!

I just saw Ray a few weeks ago. Definately think Jamie Foxx will win the oscar...

I'm glad Dalton won the $50! what a talented young man! :)

Anyhoo...it seems i have stumbled upon the disboards once again, after a long period of absence...last week i went to florida with my dad to visit my grandparents, wish I could go back! the weather was so beautiful.

other than that, I've been busy and my computer was busted. It works now luckily, but im still busy! I've missed you ladies!! my week is filled to the gill with school, hockey, mock trial, play practice, SADD, art club, and guitar...and band. But hockey and mock trial are ending soon, so that's good(well not good, but you know) but my fiddler on the roof practices are going to start getting more frequent and longer(I'm going to play Yente)

so how is everyone doing? Hopefully i came back to see everyone in good health :sunny:

-depply

[IASW Rider]

Hi Everyone!

How are you feeling, now, Becki? Hopefully you were able to have a nice, restful weekend, and are fully recuperated, by now!

Hi Linda! Boy, that Dalton sure is creative! I know that it sounds weird saying this, but it's so funny that he "determined" that one of his Secret Service men "was" Sadaam Hussein, and so he executed him - very advanced role playing, there! That just shows how aware and sophisticated the youth of today are, I suppose! That's so wonderful that he showed up all of the grown ups by making that free throw and winning the prize! He deserves that new Lego set for that and for all of his hard work, this season! Glad to hear that all went well for Tom at the dentist, and hope that he enjoyed his stay with his brother, too. And things like that always happen - whenever we happen to get a big medical bill, like a dental bill.......something else always winds up needing to be fixed, like your furnace! Frank just had some expensive dental work done, too........and our automatic garage door opener just decided to "die", so now we have to have that replaced! Things always seem to happen that way!

Great to hear from you, Amanda! I'm sorry that Johnny didn't win, last night, but it was great that he was there and that so many people praised his performance and work, in various interviews! So glad to hear that all is well with you, that you had a nice trip to Florida (LUCKY!), and that everything is going well with school and all of the other great things that you're involved with!

We did wind up getting that snow at the end of last week, but fortunately most of it had been plowed and had started to melt by Friday, so we were able to get together with all of our out of town cousins, after all, which was a lot of fun!

And Frank and I did manage to see both "Ray" and "Million Dollar Baby" before last night, so we were appropriately "prepared" when we sat down to watch the Oscars last night! We were very happy with the way that things turned out - everyone who won certainly deserved to win (although we were rooting for the "Super Size Me" guy in the documentary category - that was a great film!), but it would have been nice if "Sideways" had been able to win more awards. At least they swept the Independent Spirit Awards! We just loved that movie! Although every single one of the nominated films were excellent, something about "Sideways" just really touched us! I am going to read the book on which it was based, over spring break in 2 weeks.

I also managed to get our taxes done, and we are going to get both state and federal refunds - yipee! I never care how much we're getting back - I'm always just relieved when I determine that we don't owe anything! :)

Well, we're bracing for another 7 - 12 inches of snow, now........looks like I will be submitting my homework via e-mail, today, and staying home from class, tonight! (Very bad timing - this is the class that totally puzzles me, and the professor was going to review for next week's mid-term, tonight.........oh well, I guess that I will have to "wing it"!)

Hope that all is well with all of you! Take care and have a great week! :)

[SlightlyGoofy]

Depply, could not help but think of you last night, especially every time I saw Johnny in the audience. I love quirky and he sure fits the bill. Sorry he did not win. There was an awful lot of good competition last night though and coming in second in good company is a whole lot better than coming in first with no competition. There will be another movie, another year, and many more chances for him. Because of his wise career choices he will be acting well into his later years as opposed to those who burn out young or are type cast into younger roles. I was happy that Jamie Fox won though. He was fantastic in Ray. Since I have long been a fan of Ray Charles' it was amazing to see how well he did the part and I could have sworn it WAS Ray!! Loved his interview where he talked about his grandma and daughter also. It is somewhat rare to find a talent who is also a good person. Often one or the other.

Your life sure is interesting and so diverse. You are a woman of many talents. LOL, Yente? My first thought was to smile at the thought of such a beautiful and dainty young lady, such as yourself, doing such a part but then I had another 'thunk" and then it seemed perfectly reasonable that a mature person as yourself do the part. You are following in some mighty big shoes and I am sure you will not trip. Mock Trial is such a useful thing to be involved with. It will stand you in good stead throughout life. I always think of the right thing to say an hour, day or week later.

Lisa, is there anyone who might audio tape the lecture for you and play it back over the phone or something? Maybe even hold up a cell phone while you listen in? There are so many options available today and hopefully something might be allowed so that you will not miss out on tonight's lecture. If all that fails I am sure that you will pull it out of the hat. Just remember, when you do, do NOT think it luck. It is educated guessing and that is a very good thing. That is one thing I try to explain to my students, they do not give themselves enough credit. Neither do you.

Dalton is short $20 of getting the Lego set he wants and this grandma believes in earning things. He is so close to the reading goal and the promised $20 so the ball is in his court and he is very good with a ball. LOL

It is so true that things happen in groups. It is easy to forget the weeks, ,months, years that things go smoothly. I feel very lucky in that we could afford the repairs. The dental work could have been done cheaper but there are some things that you do not want done on the cheap. Wonder how many millions of dollars of dentures are sitting in drawers because of poor fit and grumpy people who are wearing other ill fitting sets. LOL

I hope that you were able to get your garage door fixed without a lot of bother or expense. I keep ours oiled and checked on a regular basis. Heck, I am so nuts that if I have several trips in a day I just leave the car out so that I do not have to put the door up and down etc. LOL Being Obssessive Compulsive is not ALL bad.

I wish our children did not have to be quite as conversant with the violence of the world. You should have heard the conversation we had the other night when he was telling me about Harriet Tubman and asking questions about the Civil War. As an aside, during this evening, he tossed out the information that the Wright Brothers flew their plane from Kitty Hawk, NC in 1903. Heck, all I was trying to tell him was that they had lived up the road from here when they were kids. I believe that after sixth grade that kid will have outgrown anything I have to teach him.

We are in the midst of a promised 2-4 inches of snow but now I feel guilty worrying about such when you are being drowned in the stuff. Is Frank having much trouble getting to and from work? Can he go in later in the day or work from home any?

How about some advice here. My dear Austin is having a very hard time having a super star brother. I can well see his point of view and am worried that he will develop more problems than he already has. He is on the cusp of failing yet another grade while Dalton does not have to study and gets 'A's and everyone in this basketball obsessed town is always coming up to talk about Dalton while Austin is in the background. He is a good hearted kid but does not live up to even his limited potential and has so few aspirations. He has actually told me that he wants to marry a woman who does not want anything as he plans to live in the old house he lives in now and drive the over twenty year old truck that his dad drives. I do not care if he is ever rich or anything, just want him to be able to support himself and be happy. I do my best to tone down my praise to Dalton (for both their sakes) and to always have time to listen to Austin no matter what else is going on. I know that one of my Suite Mates has the knowledge I seek. It is hard to see when something is so very close (to my heart).

SG/Linda

[IASW Rider]

Hi Everyone,

So sorry that I have not been in touch in awhile. I've been busy with school and with an under-the-weather kitty, who had a dizzy spell / seizure related to her heart condition, yesterday (she's all right, thank God, but I was running back and forth to the vet and panicking).

Linda, I'm sure that you and your family are very supportive of Austin and give him all of the loving attention, encouragement, hope, and wisdom that are in your hearts. I've never had a sibling before, so I only sort of understand the concept of "sibling rivalry". I'm sure that Austin's situation is made more difficult by the fact that his brother is so successful in so many areas of his life. I wish that there was some bit of "advice" that I could offer, other than what I know that you are already doing - supporting Austin and highlighting all of HIS achievements and the things that he is good at and enjoys. And continuing to let him know that you all believe in him and that he can accomplish anything that he sets his mind to do. And to try not to compare himself to Dalton and realize that they each have different strengths and talents. I know that you and your family already do all these things, and I can't imagine any grandmother more wonderful, caring, sensitive, and thoughtful than you to give Austin the hope and strength that he needs to succeed to the best of his ability in any area of his life! I wish I had some more words of "wisdom" for you - but you are so wise, I'm sure that you know and are aware of all of those things, already!

We did wind up with a little less than a foot of snow here, at the beginning of the week, and fortunately the class that I was concerned about was cancelled all together - AND it's mid-term pushed back 2 weeks, as a result - Yipee! The snow is in the process of melting, now, and no more is predicted for the near future, so that is a good thing!

Frank is off to buy a new garage door opener right now, in fact. Unfortunately, the one that we have is completely "shot" - we think that the motor "died". That's OK - it is 18 years old and we certainly got our money's worth out of it!

Well, I'm off to get some studying done and to check on our feline "patient" and make sure that she is calm and comfortable! Hope that all is well with all of you and hope that you all had a nice week! :)

[TalkisCheap]

Hi Ladies!! Well, i'm all caught up!!!


Belated welcome to you, twinscandc! Well, I'll introduce myself, I suppose. My name is Caroline and I just turned 14. I'm homeschooled until i go to a private, catholic co-ed HS next year{which i cannot wait for!} I live in maine with my parents, and my sister{18} and my brother{almost 20} when he's not in college. I play a lot of sports...right now, i'm inbetween basketball and track. though. I've also played the piano for 7 years. It's always good to see new faces around here! Oh, and you're daughters are beautiful!!

How has everyone been? It's been pretty boring around here. Well, except for the excitment of leaving for WDW sunday! I've been shopping the last few days, getting clothes to wear, a bathing suit, and such...I can't wait to finally be warm and escape all the snow here!! Everytime it seems to be melting, another 6 inches get dumped on us :rolleyes2 I just want it to be spring, and track season!

Hmm..commenting on old news, luna so sorry to hear about your trip to RI and your friend, sounds so sad! I hope things get better for her and her family!

SG, dalton cracks me up, what with his half court shots and winning $50$ for free throws...a very talented young man he is!! I do feel bad for Austen though, but i'm sure he'll turn out just fine with all the love he gets from his family. He'll find something for him, i'm sure. I know I used to feel in the background to my cousins/siblings. My sister has always been the tennis star, my brother the math genius, and my cousins perfect in everyway, i always thought i wasn't good enough. But, i've found my strenghts and I hope he does too! Also, sorry to hear about your hair. That sounds aweful! We always had a drive-in thats about 20 minutes away. We used to go alot in the summer, there would be a kids movie first and then when we fell asleep there was an adult movie. We always brought blankets and our own food...I miss that! It's still open but a bit run down and we use to live minutes away. I don't go to a lot of movies in theatre. Outrageous prices for tickets and food. Also, i cannot stomach the smell/taste of movie theatre popcorn!! The last movie I went to see was Ocean's 12 because I couldn't wait to see that!! When I return from florida, me and my friend megan are off to see Be Cool, because we both love Andre Benajmin!!

Good to see you Amanda! I was disappointed Johnny didn't win. I actually haven't seen Finding Neverland because the one week they had it at the movie theatre near us, we were gone for christmas and now the closest one isn't in the nicest section of Portland. Although people criticized his look, i thought he look handsome as always!!

Well. My dad just came home from miami, so I'm going to go and talk to him, I guess! I hope everyone has a great afternoon, and I'll check in before leaving on Sunday!!

[IASW Rider]

Great to hear from you, Caroline! And wishing you and your family a FANTASTIC trip to WDW! You had better stop back here, ASAP, upon your return and tell us all of the details! :)

Colleen will be following right behind you - I believe that her WDW "countdown" is at 6-days-to-go, now! Lucky ladies you are! :) We're coming up on the 2-months-to-go-mark, ourselves! :)

Our recovering kitty, Tasha, seems to be doing well. She is acting like herself and seems to be feeling fine. We're keeping our fingers crossed that the adjustment in her medication will keep her well and that we won't have another scare like we did, the other day!

Will be spending most of the weekend studying for mid-terms - wouldn't you know, I have one on the night of Frank's birthday, next week??? Hopefully I can finish early so that we might still be able to go out to dinner or otherwise celebrate on the actual night!

Hope that all is well with all of you and hope that you all have a great weekend! :)

[IASW Rider]

Hi Everyone!

I have mid-terms this week, so I don't know how often I will be able to check in, over the next few days. But I wanted to wish you all a nice week and send a special BON VOYAGE out to Colleen, who will be blasting off for the LAND OF MAGIC on Thursday!! :) :) :) Wishing you and your family a wonderful, safe, and magical trip! And hope that you and your family are having a fantastic time in WDW RIGHT NOW, Caroline! :)

Have a great week, Everyone! :)

[colleen costello]

Hi everyone! Taking a break from packing and planning to say HI! Thanks for the send-off Lisa... Ladies, I was really stressing yesterday (my normal pre-trip anxiety attack) and Rider sent me the BEST photos to make me feel better... All different shots of the "Tiki Gods" from the Poly. Of course just the sight of these guys made me smile... Especially the shot of the famed 'Ohana "butt tiki" -- the one with the fanny that shows. We always visit this guy whenever we visit the Poly. He offers the closest thing to nudity you'll ever find at WDW, I suppose! Anyhow, today I got started on loading the suitcases and I feel a lot better. I have made (at Linda's recommendation) a great master list on my computer and I am working off that. I have also realized that Orlando is not a "remote" destination and if I forgot anything major, I can buy it there. :)

I hope you all have a great week while I am gone. If the Wilderness Lodge has internet hookup I will try to post from WDW. Will share pics when I get back. Maybe I will recognize Caroline in a line for a ride! I have my lime-green Mickey ears on my bag to ID me as a DIS-er.

Linda, I received an Email form you but it was blank... It warms my heart to know I am not the only person who struggles with technology! I often send letters that friends tell me have no words or pics... I just took the message as "thinking of you," so thanks!

xoxo

[lunabkat]

hi all

Well the flu kicked my butt for the last two weeks and i am finally feeling close to normal, thank goodness the girls and dh didn't get it. My firend from RI sounded a lot better over the phone the last couple times we talked, i hope she is feeling better and trying to work out her situation, thanks for all of your kind words.

Linda, has Austin ever been tested for Central Auditory Processing Disorder? It runs on my husbands side of the family and, in a nutshell, the person can hear as far as loudness goes but the clarity of what they hear can be very "fuzzy". What happens is the more voices there are the more buzzy they get, it is hard for them to filter out background noise and they can't understand what is being said. Does he withdraw with larger groups of people, even family, where noise level can be high shich makes it much more difficult to make out what anyone is saying? I ask because it is very hard for these people to hear what is being said clearly, especially in a classroom situation where lots of kids are almost always talking, and then to add insult to injury, the child starts to feel like they are stupid and stop trying because they are sure it is their brain, when it is really their hearing. My sil is a leader in the field on this subject and there are two very good programs that are made for these children one is FastForword and the other is Metronome. Unfortunately they are expensive to run but perhaps the school system can help. Alot of times the children who are borderline are left behind because the schools have limited funds for children with special needs and the ones who are worse off often get the help while the borderline children are left to fend for themselves unless they have parents (or other family) who know of the disorder and can push them thru for help. My dd5 has it to some extent, of course not enough for the school system to help, she would have to be practically autistic for that, but having my dsil we are going to run her thru the programs this summer and again next year.

I hope this might help. Talk later, love to all. :grouphug:

LL

[IASW Rider]

BON VOYAGE, COLLEEN!!!!!!!!!!! :) :) :) Wishing you and your family a fantastic, magical, special trip! :)

Hi Lauralee! So glad to hear that you're feeling better! And also glad to hear that your friend in Rhode Island sounded much better when you spoke with her recently, too.

I have a friend who has a 3 year old son, whom I believe has Central Auditory Processing disorder. They realized it when they saw that he was behind in learning to speak and to respond to them nonverbally (and verbally) as was appropriate for his age. He is now in a full-time program at a school that I believe is dedicated to such disorders, and they say that he is doing really well there, and will eventually catch up to all of the other children his age.

We are having the weirdest weather here in the Garden State, this week. It was literally 63 degrees and beautiful here on Monday.........and then there was a mini-blizzard with 50 mph winds and 20 degree temperatures here, yesterday! The temperature literally dropped over 30 degrees between yesterday morning and afternoon!

I have the first of my mid-terms tonight - the "easier" of the 2. The second is after spring break, in 2 weeks, but I'll need all next week to prepare for it! Today is Frank's birthday - we're hoping to get some celebrating time in, when I get home from my class - I hope that I can finish the exam in less than 3 hours!

Hope that all is well with all of you and hope that you're all having a nice week!

[colleen costello]

Bye everyone! I will post from Orlando or once I get back. Hope everyone has good weather (no more winter!) while I am gone!

[SlightlyGoofy]

Colleen, if you should see me standing along 46 just before the 65 on ramp with my bag in hand and DIS lime green t shirt on will you take me along? How I wish I could. If I cannot the next best thing is to have one of my Suite Mates going though. I know you are going to have a blast! LOL on the empty email, it might have been your filter as I remember it was a tiny bit ornery. Or it might have fallen out on its way to you. LOL Butt Tiki huh? Sounds like a great screensaver to me. Rider knows the best details.

Lisa, it seems as if Spring is playing with us much as a cat plays with a string. Same weather here. I am supposed to go to Ohio for a few days next week but am waiting to see what the weather has in store. It is also Spring Break here, which I was not informed of, so the boys are rooting for bad weather so grandma is available. LOL Dalton just called to give me a report on Mt. St. Helens. He also read a book he had written to me but gave an excuse for its brevity because he was only six then. I agreed that that was when he was but a mere child. ROTF I am glad to hear that you have sufficient time to study for your harder test. Do you ever cram like crazy for a test and then promptly forget the info afterward? I used to be awfully guilty of such and still am if it is information that I am not interested in. May Tasha continue to live long and prosper!! Frank is having another birthday? Seems as if he just had one. LOL Time flies when you are having fun. Bet you have something special planned. You are the queen of celebrations. (I am sure that a new garage door opener is not his present)

Luna, I am sorry to hear that you were so sick. Were you able to take some time off work to recuperate? Please do not try to do too much or you might relapse and we would not want that. Did your bathroom get completed? I do believe it is worse to have a non operating bathroom than a kitchen even. I have been there and with only one. When we moved here where we have 2.5 baths I thought I had died and went to heaven. (until it it time to clean them all) :smooth: My Austin has an eye condition called Nystagmus which makes it harder to focus. Another problem is the lack of time or opportunity or even the incentive to study. He is destined to be a farm boy which would not be so bad if there were not a real chance that there will not be a farm someday. I worry, hopefully for nothing. I used to tutor him until the day he decided that grandma did not know that 2 plus 2 was 4. He did not believe it was so. You cannot teach unless the student wants to learn. I decided that he needed to get help elsewhere under the assumption that having to pay for such services would mean he would be more regular in attendance and focus. I was wrong. Being hard of hearing myself I can relate to what CAP must be like though. I had a student once that was in sore need of glasses and that was a big help. Sometimes students with such needs are ignored or just plain fall between the cracks. You can demand services for your child but I fear in today's economy it will be even harder to get it and if you irritate the school system/teacher too much it can cause other problems. Very frustrating. (BTW , I do know how to punctuate, am just too darned tired and lazy) :teacher:

Caroline, I am afraid that I am going to have to ask for ID. I will buy that you are an extremely talented and focused young person but when you speak about the high prices of theater tickets and taste of popcorn I gotta wonder. LOL The hair thing is not too big of a deal cause I still have so much of it. Also when you get to be my age you do not worry too much about what you look like. Clean is all I aspire to nowadays. :teeth: You are totally correct in that people need to be the best themselves that they can rather than compete to be like other people. My grandkids are loved and that is all anyone needs to survive. I am a big proponet of education and a different kind of parent (very old fashioned) so I worry but then I worry about everything. LOL I read that 99% of what you worry about does not happen so I worry about it all so it will NOT happen. :Pinkbounc Off to speak to your dad? If you are not asking for an increase in your allowance or something I am going to be very concerned. (great big grin)

Becky, was that your dh who helped the woman who was involved in domestic battery recently? What he must see in the scope of his job. Bet you see even more. I told a couple of local friends about how we met. IASW!!!!

I am sorry to be so far behind but I did not get any notices and then I went to bed at 5:30 last night cause I was worn out. You know I am tired when I do not turn the computer on all day. I have the bottom of the upstairs hall almost done now so I am going to remove the tarp from the dining room table. About time. :rotfl:

SG/Linda

[colleen costello]

Girls, it is the morning of the trip and I am so excitd I can hardly function. I slept like a log, thank goodness (actually thank prescription meds, bless my doctor's heart!) and now I am ready to party! Linda, we only stop for hitch-hikers who love Disney. If you see us pass, jump on. You'll recognize the antenna ears!

Everyone have a great week and I will post form Orlando if I can.

xoxo

[SlightlyGoofy]

Colleen, I don't need no mouseears I would remember the big smile. LOL If I did not have two fellers who are in sore need of me right this minute I would gladly jump in back with all the luggage and happily serve as your own private Fairy Godmother for those evenings when you and your dh wanted to go out on your own. Staying in and reading to children is magical for me.

Have a safe and wonderful trip and whatever you do, do NOT pass up any fun to post anything. We will wait, maybe not patiently, but we will wait.

SG/Linda

[SlightlyGoofy]

There were big doings in our tiny town last night. Sirens and a huge parade of honking cars driving back and forth on the 4 streets of town. (just kidding I think we have six streets LOL) Our boy's team made it to the regionals and they won their two games on Saturday. If (when) they win their game next weekend they will be just one game away from a State championship. Our girls team is headed in the same direction. I went shopping for red and black ribbons to decorate my front porch today. Got to show team spirit!!!! My grandsons dressed for the occasion. They bought huge afro wigs. Scary thing was how much they looked like me with all that wild hair. LOL

I hope the weekend was good to each and everyone of you. Pixie dust going out to Colleen and her crew as they soak up that Florida sunshine and wander the magical streets of DW. (did you finally make it to EPCOT by yourself?)

Slightly Goofy/Linda

[TalkisCheap]

Sounds like quite a parade, SG!!! We're in the same boat here, only no parades - we're rooting for the two catholic high schools{where my sister goes{for girls}, and the one i'm going to{for boys} tonight is the western maine finals for both...they were postponed due to the bazillion feet of snow we CONTINUE to get :rolleyes2 hard to believe this time in a month i'll be into track season...i wonder if it'll actually start on time!!

So yes, I'm back from florida! I have been for a couple days...it was so nice. I hate being back!! Perfect weather, not a lot of lines, loved the beach club, good food...everything was perfect! Except for wanting to stay longer!! But like I said{i think?} it was cut short by my brother getting his tonsils removed. He's alright, although he had to go back to school yesterday as classes start again for him today...he's alright for sitting doing nothing, but he still has a hard to talking and the only solid foods he's had are mashed potatoes and eggs...so, hopefully he'll get through the worst of it! He's coming home in...a week and a half again for his easter break. :teeth:

SG, I laughed about your needed to see an ID comment. :rotfl: :teeth: And no, it wasn't a boost in my allowance...I wouldn't get that anyway! And I certainly don't need it...I'm much more of a saver than a spender! My friends make fun of me because we'll go shopping and I always leave with nothing, or one thing. I'm not stingy, when it comes to gifts I give people nice gifts...I just don't splurge on myself, I have everything I need! I just went to talk to him because he had just gotten home from miami. Or maybe it was las vegas? I forget when I posted...he's gone most weeks on business.

Colleen, I'm so sorry I missed you in the world, and to wish a bon voyage! I'm you're weather is much better than here...25 with 3 feet of snow on the ground...I have a feeling it is ;) have a great time!

Well, I have to go finish getting ready because I have to babysit for a few hours this morning. Then we'll have to finish some school before I'm off to volunteer at a soup kitchen and then we leave from there to go to the basketball games! I love keeping busy...it makes the days till track go by so much faster!! Have a great day everyone!

Caroline~*

[SlightlyGoofy]

Caroline, you have no idea what it is for me to read your adventures and thoughts. I love my dd more than life itself but she decided I was dumber than a box of rocks when she was about ten and it has not improved much since. It tore my heart out to watch her making so many poor choices but I stuck right in there and am still hanging around. It could be so much worse though as she did have a life altering moment a few years back and had some fear instilled in her which has greatly improved her chances at a happy life. It is the delight of my life to have grandkids who enjoy talking to me and I love being able to be available for whenever they need someone to talk to. I had one call this morning at 7 and will probably hear from one or both of them late tonight as well. Who else but a grandma has such the luxury of time? LOL You have such a head start on a wonderful and rewarding life and I cannot help but think that not only do you have a fantastic family but that you deserve much credit for taking your advantages and making the most of them. I like the balance I see between work, play and doing for others. Life is all about balance. I sometimes lose mine but I get back up and try again.

I am sorry that your trip was not longer but is any trip truly long enough? LOL I have a friend (young) who is having his tonsils taken out tomorrow. He is a teenager who works at the Community Center and will be recuperating at home alone as his parents have to work. Wanna bet he will end up on my couch? LOL He is a cousin of my grandsons. Better stock up on some smooth flavors of ice cream. Best wishes to your local teams. I can say that since they are not in the running against our Jets. (grin) I put up the black and red ribbons and made some posters for my front porch this morning.

I have a bunch of small stuff to do today to get ready for our trip. We are going to Amish country in Ohio. Not much to do there this time of year and I would prefer to go later but my sister and her hubby want to go now and being an obedient older sister I must comply. LOL

A great Monday to all your Suite people.

SG/Linda

[SlightlyGoofy]

Just had to drop by and tell you all the news. I had to go out to the school to pick up my oldest grandson to take him to the funeral home. One of his best friend's grandmother died. As I was getting out of my car Becky was getting out of hers so we had a small Suite Meet. Wish you all could have been there.

BTW, they do not call me SG for naught, I was at the wrong school! LOL Is what happens when I get called at the last minute and do not have time to engage my brain. I had to drive a few hundred feet to the right school. (shaking head in shame)

SG/Linda

[twinscandc]

Hello Everyone!!

I'm sorry it's taken so long for me to chime in!! My whole family has been sicker than dogs, including myself!! I'm finally feeling better. One of DD's was out of school last week for 3 days....The doc has said that it was a combination of the flu and sinus infections!! I'm so glad to be amongst the land of the living again!! For the past two weeks, I've either been wiping my nose, or other "areas"!!

SG - I was so happy to see you today!! It sure was a good surprise!! LOL about the wrong school!!! But, you know, if you would have gone to the right school, we would have not run into each other today!! So, really, it was the "right" school!! Again, it was so good to see you today!! Certainly a high point of my day!!

I'm soooooooo ready for Spring weather!! It cannot get here soon enough!! I love to watch all the buds come out on the trees and the flowers start to bloom! The Easter Holiday is my favorite!!

SG - Have fun on your trip next week to Ohio. We've visited the Amish country here in Northern Indiana. Have you ever been up to that area?

Well, take care everyone!! I'll check back in later!! I now have to go put a desk together, while I'm watching the Travel Channel story on Disney that I taped earlier today!!

Becki

[SlightlyGoofy]

Hey, Becki!! What a wonderful and unexpected surprise to see you today. I had been wondering what had happened to you. There sure is a bunch of 'stuff" going around is there not? I am on so many meds that I do not get simple colds and such. I used to get pneumonia all the time but have avoided it the last couple of years. (keeping my fingers crossed) You looked fully healed today and I am glad of that as I am sure are your clients.

It was the cars fault that I went to the wrong school. My grandson goes to study club after school at the high school and that is where I am used to picking him up from. In case you were wondering, I did not go to the funeral with him. I offered but he wanted to sit with his friend. Is why I was not dressed up. Even I am not that much of a hick to go dressed as I was. I was in the middle of wallpapering so it was a miracle that I was relatively clean.

Yes, we have been to Indiana Amish country quite a bit. Have you ever been to Bear Creek Farms? If not I will have to tell you about it as it is a cheap and fantastic mini getaway for the family. I am planning on taking a grandkid up with me this summer. We used to take the older one. Do you do the Shipshewanna flea market? I have so much stuff already that I do not like to shop much. (hope that does not appall everyone else here and they boot me out) :love:

So you are the handy person in your family as well? As long as you have a Disney show to watch you will not suffer too much though.

SG/Linda

[colleen costello]

Greetings from the Wilderness Lodge! Scott signed up for the internet connection and here we are. We are having a nice time. We had two great nights at Carribean Beach which was a very pleasant surprise. The resort was bright and fun and they gave us a preferred room with a beach and lake view, right by the food court. My Mom checked us in and I think they were kind to us because they saw the cane she uses... In any case, we had a great two nights there and the kids spent a lot of time swimming and playing on the beach. We could see them right out the window. At night we could see the Illuminations fireworks out above the trees.

We moved to the Lodge Sunday and I was thrilled to have our room ready at noon. Blame Mom again. When you make medical requests they seem to take them seriously and a room had been assigned to us and was waiting. For those of you who have been here, there is a topiary Mickey with a DVC sign at the Villas entrance. We are on the second floor right above this sign and every night before bed I look out the window at Mickey's fanny. I got a great picture of the kids on our balcony with Mickey in the foreground and I can't wait to share it with all of you! The Lodge is so beautiful and our friends are meeting us here today. They are checking into Pop Century but will hang out with us here today. I am trying to make Disney fans of them!

The evidence of the hurricanes is all around. Trees must be gone because you can see things you couldn't see before... When you leave the Lodge, before you turn to head out the driveway, there is a woods. It used to be very thick. Now we noticed you can see the Contemporary thru these woods at night! We also caught a glimpse of the Animal Lodge roofs on the drive in, thru woods that were obviously thinned. While the resorts lookk perfect, on the roads to Epcot and off the monorail line you can see lots of trees bent and downed branches. It makes me realize all that went on here last fall!

My Dad is waiting for his turn on the computer so I will sign off. I am thinking of all of you and will share details after we are home. Love to all!

xoxo

[IASW Rider]

Hi Everyone!

Thanks for checking in, Colleen! It's always exciting to hear from a Suite-Mate while she is away in the Land of Magic! So glad to hear that you and your family are enjoying your trip, so far, and that you had such a great experience at Caribbean Beach! I know that you all will love the Wilderness Lodge, as always, and hope that you and your friends have a great time when you all get together, today!

Linda - I know that Frank was in touch with you, but please forgive me if it has taken me this long to thank you and Tom so much for thinking of him and remembering his Birthday! Last week was so hectic that I literally can't remember whether I thanked you myself - so please forgive me if I did not until now! It was so nice of you both to think of Frank!

And it's so nice that you and Becki had a surprise mini-meet, a few days ago! Though I am sorry to hear about Austin's friend's grandmother.
How was your trip to the Ohio Amish country? I didn't realize that there were Amish countries in Ohio and Indiana. My Aunt and cousin used to live in Lancaster, PA, where there is a substantial Amish community. We loved going to visit them and always came home with wonderful, home baked Amish pastries and home made crafts!

So glad to hear that you and your family are feeling better, Becki! And which Travel Channel Disney special did they recently show? I keep forgetting to check their schedule to see when the Disney programs are on - I know that there were several broadcast recently!

WELCOME BACK, CAROLINE! So glad to hear that you and your family had a nice trip! Tell us all about it! Did you all do anything "new", that you'd never done before? Ride or "attend" any attractions that you'd never experienced before? Eat in any restaurants that you'd never tried before? Visit all of your traditional favorite parks / rides / attractions / resorts?

All has been well, here! We had a fun weekend, celebrating Frank's birthday with my father and uncle and on our own, too! And I had a very productive Matron of Honor dress shopping excursion with my friend from college (who is getting married in September), yesterday - it was a lot of fun! We found a great dress, right off the bat, but I had fun trying on a bunch of bridesmaid's dresses! I haven't been in a wedding in several years and I really enjoy sharing in the planning and excitement!

Hope that all is well with all of you and hope that you all had a nice weekend! :)

[TalkisCheap]

SG/Becky - that is so funny you guys ran into each other! I sure wish some of you dissers lived by me :teeth: the closest I know is Amanda who lives somewhere in NH :rotfl: :teeth: Oh well, I plan on meeting all of you one day!

Colleen, so glad you're having a good time so far! I'm so jealous...I want to go back!!! I know what you mean about the hurricane being apparent...well, we thought that was what was up at the yacht/beach club. Lot's of shingles gone on the roof, a whole part of the yacht club had scaffolding.

Rider - we did LOTS we didn't do before! Last year we did hardly anything...I think I FINALLY might be getting through to my parents how fun WDW is...it helped there were not many lines...my parents HATE waiting in lines. Anyway, I went on splash/space mountain, TOT, RnR all for the first time. We also ate at The Rose and Crown and the San Angel Inn for the first time, as well as the ESPN club and spoodles, and got a No Way Jose at Beaches and Creme. We loved all of it! Next year I hope we have more time...there are so many rides I didn't go on/restuarants I want to try! Oh well, every year you do something new!! :teeth:

We might be going back in novemeber or january...we're still debating about it. My parents said if my sister got a scholarship we're going on vacation and WDW is okay by them! We're trying to hit one of the slow times, since as I said above, lines arn't one of my family's favorites! We also might take a few days to go to Busch Gardens{my parents went there just the two of them...a while ago and liked it!} and we also want to go during Spring Training and catch a baseball game, as well as maybe go to Sea World. We went to IOA two days in a row{we got free tickets for both days. My dad couldn't go the first day, and since he likes IOA more than Universal, we went again} But I'm dying to go back to Universal and try the Mummy roller coaster, and do MIB my favorite ride there again!

I have a bunch of pictures...I however don't feel like posting them so, here's the link - http://community.webshots.com/user/talkischeap01 some of them are pretty bad...so just excuse those!!!

Well, I promised my mom I'd help her with dinner so I should probably go do that. Have a great night everyone!

[twinscandc]

Talkischeap - Your Florida pics are great!! Are pics of the Dr. Suess area from Universal Studios? We are thinking about getting one day tickets for US for our upcoming trip in May. All of us are roller coaster lovers and I've heard they have great ones over there. I would love to hear more about your trip!!

Thanks all for your well wishes and YES, I am so glad to be feeling better!! I don't have time to be sick!!

Colleen - I am also so very jealous!! I hope the weather has been good for you. Plenty of Sunshine is good for the soul (You know - Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah :sunny: ) I can't wait to hear more about you time down there in the Most Magical Place on Earth!!

About the Disney shows on the Travel Channel. Someone posted the times and dates up on the Resorts Board. I wrote them down. The upcoming shows are: 3/16 at 10am, 3/18 at 4pm and 9pm, 3/19 at 12am and 3/31 at 6pm. The shows that I taped the other day were the Behind the Scenes and then a Imagineer show (kind of like "How'd they do that" show) My girls have already watched the shows several times since I taped them.

I did get my desk assembled. I'm pretty handy and, in a strange way, I enjoy figuring things out and putting things together!! Not that my DH is not handy, he just doesn't have the motivation like I do. It doesn't bother him to see things unfinished around the house. For example: there are two shoe racks, that are still in the boxes, that have been sitting in our garage for over a year. He bought them to organize the girls shoes. When it comes to home improvement projects, such as painting or small repairs, I'm usually the one that gets the stuff done!!

Linda - Yes, I have been to Shipshewanna several times. I went to college in Warsaw, which isn't too far from all that stuff. We have never been to Bear Creek Farms....I would love to hear more about it. We usually go on several weekend trips during the summer. We love to camp and try out different campgrounds. I'm sure we could find several up there. In fact, I've heard they have a wonderful RV/Camper museum in Elkhart. We've always talked about touring it.

Well, it's getting late and I've got to up pretty early in the morning!! Everyone enjoy your day!!

Becki

[IASW Rider]

Hi Everyone!

GREAT PHOTOS, CAROLINE! :) Thanks so much for posting them! You all look great, and it looks like you were having so much fun! And it was neat to see the pictures from Universal - I haven't been there in YEARS - since well before IOA was built - so it was neat to see them! And of course it was great to see you having so much fun in WDW, too! You are very brave to have gone on ToT and RNR - I have been on all 3 Mountains, but those 2 (and Mission: Space) are ones that I don't think I'll ever be able to get myself on! My big "challenge" for our May trip will be to get myself on Soarin'! :) What did you think of Spoodles? We were thinking of going there last year and may go there this year. We haven't spent very much time at Boardwalk, and are thinking about spending more time there this year. We've been to San Angel and the Rose and Crown - I think that the only WS pavilion that I haven't eaten in is China! That's great that you and your family are already thinking about planning your next trip! I have been to Busch Gardens and Sea World before, and they're both a lot of fun, too. It would be so cool to see a baseball game / spring training game there! Some friends of ours just got back and were able to see the Braves play the Yankees at Wide World of Sports! Anyway, thanks again for sharing the great photos!

I can't wait for Colleen and her family to get back, so that we can see all her pictures and hear all about their adventures!

Thanks so much for posting the information about the upcoming Travel Channel Disney shows, Becki! Will definitely make note of that and try to tape them!

All is well, here - not too much to report since last I posted - will be spending a quiet weekend, cramming for my dreaded Epidemiology mid-term on Monday night! Hope that all is well with all of you!

[IASW Rider]

Hi Everyone!

Hope that you all had a great weekend! I'm just "bumping us up" - nothing too exciting to report, here! I took my killer Epidemiology exam last night, and I'm glad that it's over. I messed up a few things horribly (I'm sure that my professor will get a few laughs over the few answers that I literally made up........like the one about the guy who "discovered" the tuberculosis vaccine.........:) ), but I felt pretty comfortable with most of it. I KNEW the stuff......it's just the way that the actual exam questions are worded that totally puzzles me, sometimes.........!

Anyway, Colleen has returned from her Magical vacation, and I can't wait for her to check in, tell us about her trip, and hopefully post some pictures for us, too! :)

Hope that all is well with all of you! Have a great day! :)

[colleen costello]

Hi everyone. I am takinga break while yet more of my post-WD laundry spins... One week away and it will take at least that to unpack! I have been doing a little at a time.

We had a good trip. Ian got sick for 2 days and that was a bummer, but otherwise all went well. It is ironic that on this trip I packed disinfecting wipes and a tiny can of Lysol, yet he got a stomach bug anyhow. He got up one morning and barfed and had to miss some time with our friends. Luckily he is a hearty little soul and was able to go to the MK for the next day.

The weather was weird. We had a little of everything. Some days were sunny and beautiful but VERY windy. We had one day of pouring rain, and a few days were very chilly. There was even a tornado watch, but nothing came of it. Crazy! I had fun anyhow, as all of this was better than being back in the cold, gray, pre-Spring of Indiana. But we did not get as much done because weather pre-empted some of our activities. So I am already planning our summer trip...

Carribean Beach was a great surprise and the Wilderness Lodge was lovely as always. It SMELLS so good there and I always love being there. We had a nice room close to the lobby but it was still a bit much walking for my parents. Next spring we'll head back to Old Key West, "the retirement home."

It wasn't too crowded at the parks and we had fun days at Epcot and the MK. Ian bought a glass dragon and when we got it back to the room we saw it was broken... The next day was the pouring rain plus Ian's tummy felt bad again, so Erin and I headed off to the MK in the downpour to swap dragons. It turned out to be one of our best days! The MK was quite empty and we walked on a bunch of rides. We saw Pirates, Tiki Birds, Jungle Cruise (where I became completely soaked) and then Haunted Mansion and Philharmagic. We finished with a ride on the Carousel. As we were leaving it was starting to get more crowded because I think folks realized the rain was not going to stop... But we had a really special morning together.

Our friends enjoyed WDW and said they did lots they never wold have done without us "experts" there. We had dinner at Chef Mickey's and the kids enjoyed that. CM's if my favorite place to eat in the whole World. It's just so much fun with all the characters and the monorail right over your head. I got great pics of the kids and then we headed out to the monorail and the kids got to ride up front. We finished up on the 4th floor observation deck with a great view of the Castle and Space Mountain!

The next day we did the MK together. The kids rode all the Mountains together and we saw "Stitch" and "Buzz" too. Ate lunch at Pinnocchio House and Small World was still completely boarded up. The Castle is decorated in gold for the 50th anniversary. The turrets are coated in gold and there is gold trim and "ribbon" all over the top. I wasn't sure I liked it until I got close... up on top, also in gold, are characters frolicking around up there... We saw Simba and Pumbaa, and Wendy and Peter Pan, plus Flounder and Ariel and Kaa the snake from Jungle Book. King Louie the Orangutan is balancing on one turret... It is fun to look up and identify the characters. The new "Cinderellabration" show was getting ready to open and we will undoubtedly see it in July.

Epcot was fun and we really enjoyed "The Living Seas." This attraction had gotten so bad but they have rejuvanated it with the Nemo characters and now it is a lot of fun. "Turtle Talk with Crush" was adorable and so funny. It is an interactive show with Crush on a screen, computer-animated and evidently voiced by a real actor who can see the audience. We really enoyed it. The guy voicing Crush was amazing!

Had a great meal at Boma, as always. I was telling the waitress how I always seem to miss my favorite dessert, the Coconut Tiramisu. She was kind enough to tell me they serve it regularly on certain days, so I said next trip I will book Boma on Tuesday or Friday... We were there on a Monday! Anyhow, right before we left, here she came with a GIANT bowl of something... She put it down in front of me and I was like "HUH?" and I realized it was a serving of Cocomisu! She must have smuggled it out of the cooler! I was so thrilled and her thoughtful gesture made me smile. I was literally so stuffed I had to carry it out in a to-go coffee cup... Enjoyed it later! It makes you feel very special when a CM goes the extra mile to offer an unexpected surprise.

Our last day, Friday, we spent at the Polynesian. It was very chilly and the kids had the Volcano pool practically to themselves. We swam, had snacks, shopped, and walked around and that night had our last meal at Kona Cafe. Then we watched the EWP and Wishes from the lobby looking toward the beach. It was only about 50 degrees that evening and we wimped out on going down to the beach. The view from the lobby was just fine, and the coolest thing was right after the fireworks started. We were able to see a little shining light head from the Castle down toward the right -- TINKERBELL! We were surprised we could see her from that far away! We made a pact to see the fireworks and Tink from up close when we go back in July. :)

I am trying to figure out how to share some pics. Will work on posting some this weekend when DH is home to help!

xoxo

[IASW Rider]

WELCOME BACK, COLLEEN! :) :) :)

So glad to hear that you all had such a great trip! And can't wait to see some of your photos, when you have a chance! :)

Hope that all is well with all of you, and hope that you're all having a nice week! :)

[SlightlyGoofy]

Colleen, welcome home! Sounds as if you had a great time in spite of a few imperfections. I am so sorry to hear that your dear little one was not feeling up to par some of the time. Please tell him that it is best to be sick when school is in session rather than on vacation. Bomba's came through for you. I bet it made your server feel almost as good as you did to get that longed for dessert. Magic is why we keep returning. The Living Seas is something I had been reading about and now that you have given it a thumbs up I will have to add that to my 'to do' list. Ever notice how long it takes to get TO DW while a trip home is so darned quick BUT packing is the opposite. It is so much fun to pack and get ready but unpacking takes forever. Odd, but true. Thank you so much for thinking of us while you were on vacation. I surely did not expect it but it was a wonderful surprise. We saw the destruction right afterward last year and it was odd to see less than perfection there. Is scary that it is still evident but I guess even DW cannot grow new trees that fast. Hope you watched your speed while you were there as I hear they are cracking down. LOL

Rider, I bet your answers were right on target whether exactly what they might have expected or not. Wish I could read your papers as I do Dalton's. I love doing that. Remember what I tell him, you learn more from your 'mistakes' than you do your success. Is why I am so 'schmart". LOL BTW. the China counter serve is one of all time favorite places to eat at EPCOT. Gotta check out those Mango Smoothies, won ton strips (bargain of DW), egg rolls, rice bowls etc. etc. Almost forgot the red bean ice cream, wonderful!! The dining room is a nice get away from the hustle and bustle of the WS as well. We have eaten at Spoodles as well and I think you would enjoy it. Upscale food and atmosphere and so near Jellyrolls. I used to like their breakfast buffet for Tom too. You can write a report about Soaring and I will read it as I will NEVER attempt that one. Peter Pan's Flight was about as high as I will ever get, take that any way you want. LOL I was sorry to not have been able to send a paper card to Frank but somehow I seem to have lost my birthday reminder thing. My brain does not function at all so I depend on my computer to keep me in line, or attempt at any rate.

Becki, I fear it always is and always will be the women who get things done, at least the little creature comforts. I read somewhere that in the refugee camps the men dissolve into depression and sit doing nothing while the women wander miles and miles looking for a bug, a blade of grass or anything to feed their children. Must be some sort of genetic thing. I bet your project is beautful. BTW, ever see that new ad in magazines that says "Your husband thinks he has better aim than he does so here are some wipes for you women to clean up after him"? That ranks right up there with the 'ring around the collar' thing from years ago. I say tell him to wash his darned neck and aim better or clean it up himself. LOL Was that not a barn burner about our school losing their shot at the state championship by one last minute point? I was out of town but my grandson called me on my expensive (per minute) cell phone in Ohio to tell me. I was proud of the town for taking it so well and seeing that it was a fair call. Some might not. I love this town and most of its people. Please do a search on Bearcreek Farms and I think you will like what you see.

Talk, your family is so lucky to have their own private DW guide. How could not enjoy it when you are there to guide them to all the best it has to offer. I am rooting for your sister to get a scholarship anyway but especially since there is a chance you might be there when I am. I bet there are plenty of DISers right around you but you just do not know it yet. If it is fated to be you will meet. After all you MUST marry someone who loves DW if you are to be happy. LOL

Yes, there are Amish in Ohio and Indiana and spreading rapidly everywhere as some of the older colonies are finding that the land is worth so much that they are better off to sell and move elsewhere and gain acreage. We had a wonderful time visiting with my sister and bil. My bil drove and I let them pick where we would go as I took a vacation from being the 'Boss of all". We went to an Amish/Mennonite museum where they have a gigantic mural depicting scenes from religious history. I was surprised to see the leader of the Moravian Church there as I live in a Moravian town. We went to a hardware store that was loaded with all sorts of old time items that we cannot find anywhere nowadays. I bought massive amounts of cookie cutters to give as gifts and such.

We are going to our daughters for Easter and our youngest grandson. Dalton, is being baptized that day also. There is a rumor that my beloved son and his family might attend. Any prayers, good wishes or hints on how I can contain my emotions and possibly even come up with the perfect things to say would be most welcome. Is very hard but I am so hoping it will be so. Is the time of year for forgiveness and love but then it always is. Do I tell the children that I am their grandma? Probably not, as if things do not work out it would just hurt them more. I think the two older ones would remember me though.

I went to the church to watch Austin do a puppet play. It was wonderful and they had an act, hard to describe, where Austin portrayed Jesus and did such a lovely job. I was so proud of him. I had a lapful of children off and on, some of them I even knew. LOL I introduced Dalton to the wonders of Mel Brooks. Started him out with Young Frankenstein. Blazing Saddles will have to wait a bit. The child told me, very seriously, that he and I are just alike. Poor child.

Linda/SG

[colleen costello]

Linda, I am trying hard in life to be a "glass half full" kind of person. It's not easy, as after spending a week with my dear Mom, who is SO a "glass half empty" girl, I realize I probably don't have that DNA, but I am trying... So I count myself lucky that Ian didn't miss much. He felt well enough to go to the MK with our friends, and what he most wanted was to swim in the pool with them, and he got to do that too. He missed Chef Mickey's so I will make that our first stop in July! I am also thrilled that the child had the good sense to barf in the sink... As they get older they can sense an eruption and it worked out very well... I was also very thankful he wasn't ill on the long rides south or north. A barfy kid in a minivan with 500 miles to go... Now THAT is a problem!

It is sad to see the havoc wreaked by the hurricanes. It made me realize how folks who live there are still dealing with the aftermath. The WDW property in general looks great, but on the stretches of woods -- like when you take the monorail to Epcot -- you can see the damage that was really done. In some places the trees are down in all directions and I bet those hurricanes caused some brief tornadoes. I spoke about this with a CM at the Lodge and he agreed that many residents down there are sure some tornadoes were caused. Really I think it is amazing that the property looks as nice as it does.

I went to Walmart and Target yesterday and found frames for 5 prints I bought at WDW. I was so thrilled to find frames that would fit, and not have to go to the professional framer. If I needed a pro, I would have had to do a print at a time as framing is so costly. I was able to buy 5 frames yesterday for well under $100 and when Scott got home we had the fun of hanging them all up. Now my newly-painted master bedroom has a Disney character print (a freebie if you spent $75 at World of Disney, imagaine that, something FREE at WDW!), a watercolor of Old Key West's dock, and a watercolor of the Polynesian beach! We got a watercolor of the Poly's volcano pool and hung that in the den, and put the one of Carribean Beach (which depicts the marina and the very building we stayed in!) in the kitchen. I bought a collage frame and filled it with pictures and hung that in the hall. Now virtually everywhere I look has evidence of WDW, and that is a good thing!

Back to housework and errand running. The kids are off school tomorrow so anything that is going to get done will need to get done today! Linda, I am praying your son shows up for the Easter dinner. That would be so nice for you. Hope everyone has a great weekend. We are going to color eggs and do an egg hunt in the yard. Praying for sunshine! :sunny:

[SlightlyGoofy]

Colleen, do you happen to have one of those new laser levels? Makes hanging pictures so much easier. If only I were not able to see if a picture is off by a centimeter. LOL

BTW, I am a glass half full person myself. If I cannot quite do it I fill the glass with some wine and it helps. (ornery smile)

Tom is still recuperating from his cold. Lord help me if he ever gets truly sick. He has spent the past week in bed. Know how you judge how sick a kid is by certain activities? His appetite and television watching are still in operating order so I am not terribly worried. LOL His worst symptom is that his leg is crampy. Wonder if it has anything to do with all the 'rest"?

I have all the fattening ingredients laid out for my Saturday baking spree. Bunny cake, cookies and cupcakes. Should be enough to satisfy those chocolate rabbit stuffed children as well as others. It will be fun to bake. I do not do much of that any more.

Everyone must be out in the parks hunting for eggs or something as it is awfully quiet around here. Is fine as long as everyone is having fun and not getting into too much trouble. Rider is over directing the last minute touches on the IASW ride. The pictures I have seen are awesome. I am looking forward to seeing it open once again and riding it as soon as I can.

Slightly Goofy/Linda

[SlightlyGoofy]

Whew, I finally finished the baking and other than one finger of icing I did not sample anything. I had to check the frosting to make sure it was the right consistency. LOL The Runny Babbit is all happy looking and the sugar cookies are decorated to look like Easter Eggs. I even have a bag of sugar free Easter Eggs for those of us who are too sweet already. :cool1:

Colleen, are you eating that lasagna now? I am jealous as I could easily eat the entire pan of it, especially if it is cold. Ever notice that weight challenged people love cold pizza etc?

Lisa, have you gotten your grades back yet? Bet you did far better than you thought you did. I guess it would be an awesome burden for you to realize just how darned perfect you are. Humble suits you though. LOL

Becki, are you celebrating at home or travelling? As hard as it is to decorate and cook I would rather have it at my house. Is easier on me than travelling. Speaking of travelling, my sister who lives in Columbus, Ohio has invited myself and another sister for a girls only weekend. I have never driven more than fifty miles from home alone and learned how to drive late in life. I am trying to tell myself that I can do it since I do almost all the driving and if the car broke down Tom would not know what to do either. Anyone got any extra bravery to send me? Maybe the promise of comedy clubs will buck me up. Now, if a Broadway play were in the offing I might walk the 240 miles. LOL

I am taping Little House on the Prarie for Dalton. They had an Easter Egg Hunt on the town square this morning and while my dd and I were talking I guess Dalton was scoping things out. Instead of going for the candy he headed right for all the plastic eggs he could find as those were redeemable for gifts. To no ones surprise he picked out every kind of ball he could find. I am going to post a picture I took of him playing ball one of these fine days when I have more time and more brains.

Happy Easter to all and may the day be sunny and bright!!

SG/Linda

[Dan Murphy]

Stopping by the EWP group for a Happy and Blessed Easter wish to all you guys!!.

http://www.disgalaxy.com/holidays/Easter/easter8.gif


Dan :wave2:

[TalkisCheap]

thanks for stopping bye dan!! you too!!


happy easter to everyone!!! i'm caught up but no real time to comment on eveything as i'm tired and it's late, lol!!

it's been boring around here lately...just school and counting the days{15!} till track!

went to the easter vigil tonight which was beautiful. i love that mass with all the candles and such. it's long but nice!

well, just wanted to wish everyone a happy easter! we're having just my grandma over for dinner tomorrow and an easter egg hunt{well, me and my 20 year old brother :rotfl: } so no big doings here!!

I'll be sure to comment on everything on monday! have a great easter!

[twinscandc]

Thank you Dan!! And, Happy Easter to everyone else!!

Linda - I know it's a little late, but I'm truely sorry about "our" small town Basketball team losing!! It's really hard to lose by only one point!! I know those boys tried so hard and played their best!! There is always next year!!

We are in town this year for Easter. I wish I was someplace warm....hummmmm I'm dreaming of the most magical place on earth!! At least my mom got to go somewhere fun...she flew up to the Detroit area to visit my sister and spend Easter with her and her family. I'm feeling a little depressed!! My DH has to spend Easter Sunday proctecting the streets of our city and can't spend it with his family!! He's planning on going to our Sunrise Service with us (in uniform) and sitting in the back, just in case he gets called out....then off to work he goes!! My plans are just to come back home after church. All dressed up and no where to go!! We did go to Bloomington last weekend to look for Easter dresses. Found some really cute ones at the College Mall at Ayers. It's so fun dressing twin girls!!

Colleen - how is your little guy feeling these days? I would love to see pictures of all the wonderful things you did down there!! About the stomach stuff...It seemed like it went around our house, not once, but twice!! And you're right, it's so nice when they are old enough to feel those things coming on and you don't have a huge mess to clean up in a bed!! I'm glad to hear he was able to enjoy most of his trip.

Linda.....get in that car and go!!! Trust yourself!! Columbus, Ohio is not that far away and it really isn't a bad drive, mostly Interestate driving. Columbus is about half way between me and my sister who lives near Detroit. We've met several times there...just us and our kids. We usually stay in a Embassy Suites and let the kids swim while we catch up. If I can do it with two kids, then I'm sure you can do it!! Oh, and we almost came to your little town today for that Easter Egg hunt. Instead we went to Seymour to the Indiana State Police post egg hunt. It was really COLD!! My girls hand were like ice cubes!! They had fun anyway.

Did everyone watch the Little House on the Prarie? The girls and I watched it and thought it was very good. The girls kept asking...."is that how it really was?" There was some pretty scary stuff - wolves, crossing creeks, crossing on ice, etc. It's hard to imagine what that must have been like back then. We are looking forward to the next episode.

Take care every one and enjoy your Easter Holiday!!

Becki - twinscandc

[SlightlyGoofy]

Hello Dan! It is so nice of you to stop by and see us gals. What a cute graphic. I wish I were talented instead of so good looking. (grin and lying through my teeth) LOL

Caroline, how sweet that you and your big brother will have an Easter Egg Hunt. You have learned the secret to a happy life, never grow all the way up. If you ever do then life will be Boring!!! Nah, you could not be that even if you tried. Have a great Easter with your grandma. Is the best present a grandma could want. I know.

Becki, so much to say in response to your post. It is a shame that you and Colleen could not have gotten together at the College Mall. She & I met at the Ryan's just up the street. Shopping for dresses? Awwww!! I find myself wanting to stop some family at DW and just ask if I could, please, buy their little girl a princess dress. The only thing that stops me is that they might think I am some kind of pervert. My daughter was a tomboy and by the time I did get granddaughters I was not allowed to buy them anything. Thank you so much for the kind words about our Jets. We were all so touched that Columbus was rooting for us also. I even decorated my porch and I am not into sports at all. I wish you had come to the Easter Egg hunt, I was there, front row and center. They had one at Donner's Center as well. Next year we have to make plans and your kids can come over here and play afterward. Several of my friends bring their kids and grands to the Hope town square to play on the equipment as it is so much quieter than Columbus. I often pack a picnic and us grownups visit while the kids play. (hint) I can get you into Ceraland as well. I would have invited you to come with us for Easter dinner if I had known you had nowhere to go. My daughter would not have minded at all and it might have impressed her to know that I know such a special person. I hope your hubby was able to sit through the services. I appreciate what he does as I am sure many others do. One of my former kids sat with her State Trooper hubby in front of us at church today. I have driven to Columbus, Ohio many times but I am blind in my left eye and cannot hear worth a hoot. Tom is not really of much help when I drive (I do almost all the driving) but it gives me a bit of confidence anyway. I did not learn to drive until late in life. When we were first married we lived in the country and I did not do much of anything, except eat.

Dalton loved the One Way Bible I got him at Wal Mart for his baptism present. I highly reccommend it. They have several versions in different reading levels. Each story is complete on two pages and there is a paragraph that invites discussion and thought and a Bible verse as well. He was especially pleased cause his was listed as a 6. He loves a challenge. He played to the crowd and even gave a speech. I do wish he had done this when he was a bit older and could take it more seriously though. Just my unspoken thoughts.

I know you were all rooting for me today that I might see my dear son and family but it was not to be. My heart aches. I wore my family necklace. They used to sit on my lap and look at each charm that represented each of my grands and their parents. All I can do is love and pray.



SG/Linda

[IASW Rider]

Hi Everyone!

So sorry that I haven't had a chance to stop in, lately! But I've been thinking of you all and hoping that you all had a very Happy Easter and holiday weekend!

I'm sorry that I missed "seeing" Dan, when he stopped in! If you're still out there, Dan, hope that you and your family had a very happy holiday, and thanks for thinking of us, here in the Suite! :)

Belated congratulations on Dalton's Baptism and Austin's great job in his play, Linda! Those are very happy things! And the Bible that you gave Dalton sounds really neat! It's funny that I just happened to read your post about it - I have been doing some reorganizing of my bookshelves, lately, and yesterday was reorganizing all of my childhood bibles and prayer books. Most of them are all in Hebrew, but some have English translations on one side of the page, as well.

I'm so sorry to hear that you did not see your DS and his family on Easter. I'm sure that you will see them some time - somehow - soon. As you said, all you can do is love and pray. I'm sure that they know that you are thinking of them, in their hearts. And I hope that you and Tom had a special day with your DD and her family. (I hope that Tom is feeling better now, too!)

Hi Colleen! Looking forward to seeing some more great WDW photos, when you have a chance! :)

Hi Caroline! Glad to hear that you were having a nice holiday weekend, when last you wrote! It sounds like you had a fun Easter Sunday planned, too! I can't believe that it's almost time for your track season, again - where does the time go? It seems like it was just yesterday that we were discussing your last track season - can an entire year have passed, already?!!

Hi Becki! I'm sorry to hear that your DH had to work on Easter, but it's nice that he was able to attend services with you and your DD's - I'm sure that that was very special! And I'm sure that your DD's looked just adorable in their new dresses, too! Unfortunately, we didn't get to see "Little House" - we were driving back from my in-laws' at the time. We arrived home at exactly 8:54 PM on Sunday night.......just enough time for me to race up the stairs and program the VCR to tape "Desperate Housewives", so that DH and I could watch it after we were finished unloading the car and unpacking! :)

We had a nice holiday weekend. My father came with us, down to my in-laws'. It was very low-key and pleasant. It's good that it was a pretty "uneventful" weekend, because I was suffering with a pinched nerve in my neck for most of last week, and was in a tremendous amount of pain (throbbing in my head and sharp pains in my neck and shoulders). I did go to the chiropractor once, but I think that it eventually worked its way out, on its own. After spending 4 nights "sleeping" in the recliner, I'm finally able to sleep in bed, again! And I've slowly gone back to working out, too, though I'm trying to take it a bit easier for awhile. Anyway, I'm glad that I was able to make it to Frank's mother's - for a few days, I was concerned that I would not be able to make the trip at all.

Thanks for thinking of me, Linda - I had some good news and some not-so-great news, about my exams. I got the first score back, last week.........and I actually managed to get .............100% on my Health Education mid-term! I was in a total state of shock - I have NEVER gotten a perfect score on a major exam like a mid-term or final, before! As for Epidemiology, as predicted, the news was not as great - 78.5% - UGH. And I studied so hard for that one, too. BUT news might not be quite that bad. I didn't stick around long enough to hear the professor tell the class what the mean score was (but I sort of overheard the teaching assistant tell him that it was an "80-something-point-five" ), but maybe it was close enough to my grade that 78.5% is actually BETTER than it sounds. If the mean was in the low 80's, maybe I actually wound up getting a "B" on that test........maybe that's just wishful thinking! :) Oh well - it's over now - there's nothing that I can do about it.

I will check in as often as I can, but the next month is going to be extremely hectic for me. I have 2 papers and a test due by the end of the month, Passover (which we are hosting here and for which I am doing ALL the cooking) during the weekend of the 23rd-24th, and then finals right afterwards. So I'm not sure how much "recreational computer time" I'm going to allow myself, in between! But I will try to come by the Suite as often as I can, to keep up with all of you and all of your news! And of course I'll be back before we blast off for WDW - just 47 more days to go! :)

Take care and have a great day, Everyone! :)

[SlightlyGoofy]

Dear Lisa, it is always great to hear from you. You have such an interesting life. Do you read Hebrew? I think you said you went to Hebrew school (am thinking that is a common thing for Jewish people and is attended on Saturdays?? correct me if I am wrong) I am so ashamed that I only speak one language fluently (most of the time) and scatterings of a few others. Wow, 100% on a major test? That is an awesome achievement. As far as the other grade goes it sounds like it should be graded on the curve. Is fair when a test is so hard that few get a very high score IMHO. Saved my bacon a few times along the way. IMO when few people get high scores on a test it is a failure to either teach or do the test properly. JMO I have an entire bookshelf filled with religious books of all different affiliataions. I am greatly interested in the history of organized religions. I am far too scatterbrained to be that organized though. (smile)

I am sorry you missed Dan but he sent me an email and told me that he is going to organize an Indianapolis meet after Labor Day. I hope I can get Colleen and Becky to meet me up there. Would be a blast!! I went to one meet several years ago.

Have you had the pinched nerve in your neck before? Could it have been all the stress? Aren't recliners wonderful inventions. Many of my older friends sleep in them, much cheaper and more comfortable than hospital beds and such. When we get moved or whatever I plan on buying two great big ones for Tom and I to rock into oblivion in. He wants a cooler and a place for his remote on his. LOL

It was a wonderful Easter Sunday here in spite of the absence of my son. Could always be better but better to appreciate what you have rather than what you do not have. The kids (teens and all) insisted on me sitting at the kid's table. I was proud and honored.

Please take care of yourself so that you will be able to meet Colleen. You two will hit it off big time. Sounds as if Passover is going to be something with you in charge once again. Hire some of it done or buy ready made, they would rather have you than all the food anyway.

Love, SG/Linda

[IASW Rider]

Hi Everyone!

Hi Linda! How are you doing, today?

Thanks so much for your kind words, as always! I am feeling much better, thanks. And I think that you're absolutely right - stress definitely brought on that situation with my neck, last week. It disappeared almost as quickly as it came on (which is very strange, considering that I had real, legitimate, EXCRUCIATING pain for several days.......and now I can't even tell that I was practically paralyzed, just a few days ago!). I did have a pinched nerve in a different part of my neck, a few years ago (you have a good memory!), only that one seemed to "last" much longer - it took several months before I felt completely back to normal after that one. I'm just thankful that this one "worked itself out" as quickly as it did!

I did go to Hebrew school - I actually went to a "Yeshiva", which is a Hebrew Day School, from Kindergarten through 8th grade. We would have religious subjects (like prayer, bible (Torah - Old Testament), various interpretations of the bible, prophets, Jewish History, etc.) in the mornings and secular subjects in the afternoons. My family is not very observant, but my parents sent me to that school because they did want me to have a Jewish education, plus the school was close by and they didn't feel comfortable sending me to the public school in our area. Many children go to Hebrew school "part time" (sort of like "Sunday School", CCD, etc.) - usually on Thursday evenings and Sunday afternoons - and go to secular schools during the day. Hebrew school classes would not be held on Saturdays, since that is the Sabbath. Anyway, at this point I can still read Hebrew and understand most of it, but I was never great at speaking it (at least not gramatically correctly!). The only "practice" I get now (with the exception of the few times a year that I go to synagogue) is when my friend Gary calls me from his office and talks to me in Hebrew, so that none of his co-workers will be able to understand what he's saying or eavesdrop on our conversation! :)

I hope that you're right and that my Epidemiology exam WILL be graded on a curve - that's what I'm hoping for...........wishful thinking, anyway! :)

So glad to hear that you and your family had a nice holiday! And I'm sure that you were the highlight and the star of the kids' table, as you were their honored guest! :)

Anyway, I need to finish up a paper, now (critiquing and analyzing a health promotion brochure and web site - my topic is Breast Health), but I just wanted to say "hello"!

Hope that all is well with all of you! Have a nice day! :)

[SlightlyGoofy]

Lisa, I knew better than Saturday school for you. I believe that Shabbat starts on Friday evening. It is all in how you count the days. LOL On reflection I believe it is the Japanese that send their kids to school on Saturday for religious training. I know it is someone. LOL I am in awe that you can remember so much Hebrew with so few outlets to use it in. On the other hand it is amazing what the human brain will retain sometimes. When I am playing trivia I am often surprised at what I remember from way back and when and then there are the times when I just plain do not know why I know something. Worse is when it is something I should know and do not. Speaking of trivia, I am asking for prayers for the wonderful guy who has conducted the game all these years. He is in the hospital, in a coma, and not expected to live. Poor guy has had a hard life. No trivia without him, he was the foundation and no one would ever be able to take his place. Takes a special person to engender such trust and devotion needed to gather such a group together for years and years.

It does not much matter why we hurt,physical or mental it hurts just the same and needs attention. Do you happen to enjoy a bit of wine? Maybe that would help when you get the neck pain (hopefully never again)? I do not drink alcohol as a matter of course, too many meds and I do not really like the taste so I find that a sip does me good when I am in pain. Seems much more healthy than the chemicals in most pills.

I doubt that I ended up being the hit of the children's table after my grands 15 year old cousin (with whom I work at the Community Center) regaled me with his story of taking my grands on an interstate ride at over 80 mph. The next time my daughter wants to inform me of my imperfections I might offer to take lessons from her fil who inspires such dangerous behavior. (a girl can dream can't one?) (sigh)

Glad you liked the pictures. Please do not try to respond to my emails. You have far too much going on and I do not want to be the cause of even one twinge in your neck. Just take care of yourself and do what you have to and when you have more time we will catch up. Just wanted you to see some of my projects.

I am taking Tom to the doctor tomorrow as the cough has gone on too darned long. Time to 'nip it in the bud'.

Have a great day all and hoping that you are all enjoying weather as great as we are having. Will be in the 70's today.

Love, SG/Linda

[IASW Rider]

Hi Everyone!

Hi Linda! How are you doing, today? And how is Tom feeling?

I'm sorry that you had such an unpleasant evening with Chuck E Cheese........that just goes to show that the only Mouse we can trust and look up to is the one and only Mickey Mouse! :)

I'm so sorry to hear about the man who runs your Trivia competition - I hope that he will somehow be all right and recover his health.

Wow - an interstate ride at over 80 mph?! I would be scared, too! Thank God they made it back from that ride safely........and hopefully they won't do it again!

It's a very rainy and stormy weekend, here in the North East - lots of high winds, and they're predicting thunderstorms, too. Fortunately there will be no temptation for me to go outside, since I have so much work to do for school! But they're predicting sunny skies and 65 degree temperatures for the middle of the week, so hopefully spring is finally on its way!

Not too much to report from here - productive week, but nothing worth boring you all with! Just wanted to stop in and say "hi" and wish you all a great weekend! Talk to you soon! :)

[SlightlyGoofy]

Hi Lisa!! Tom is much better, thank you. The upside to my encounter with the RAT is that I was not tempted by the pizza at all. LOL Always a good side to everything.

I am afraid that our trivia master will never regain himself if he even survives this last bout. He has never been that healthy and this past year has been difficult for him. Is a cautionary tale on staying away from tobacco. If you do not start you do not have to quit. Is why I advise all my young friends.

My grands will surely have more 80mph rides in their lifetimes, which I sincerely hope is a long one. From hick to redneck on one generation. (sigh)

We are going to have 70 degree days the beginning of the week. Would be wonderful except that signals the beginning of tornado season around there parts. We usually escape the worst of the weather but it is heartbreaking to learn of what others have to deal with. Have to keep Dalton contained as he would surely want to go out and chase a tornado if he heard of one in the area. (Watches too much "Twister") LOL I can just see him trying to emulate Pecos Bill and grabbing one by its tail.

I am glad to hear that you have gotten lots done. Maybe that is giving you a free weekend to enjoy being with Frank and having some fun for a change. I am going to see Mama Mia on Thursday night and will think of you while I am there. I bet you have already seen it.

Shucks, darn. Would you believe that this mornings ads offered a similar Kodak camera for $26 dollar less AND included a battery charger? At least they have the cards on sale so I can benefit from that. I hate it when that happens.

There were big doings around here in that local law officals caught a really bad guy, there was shooting involved but thank heavens none of the officers were hurt. I thought of Becki and even if her hubby was not involved it had to have been hard on her anyway.

I am headed for a chuch after a bit as my oldest is performing in his puppet show. He told me that it was the same show I had already seen but I told him that is was also the same grandchild so what was his point? LOL Seems that he will not be able to say he is Sweet Sixteen and never been kissed. They grow up so darned fast.

They are tearing down the old school across the street tomorrow. I should rent out my front porch for viewers. :rotfl: It will be an interesting sight at any rate.

It is awfully quiet around here. Everyone must be out and about in the parks checking out all the new attractions. Since I am not going to get in my spring trip I can but dream and envision it all with you.

SG/Linda

[SlightlyGoofy]

Rider, I just saw a thread where it was talking about massive flooding in NJ. Is that near you? Are you and Frank alright?

Just wondering and hoping for the best for you both.

SG/Linda

[IASW Rider]

Hi Linda!

Yes, we are fine - thanks for thinking of us! :) There was some unbelievable flooding in various parts of NJ, where various rivers overflowed - it was scary to see footage on the news - I couldn't believe that the places that they were showing were in the same state! I believe that the areas that were most affected were north and west of where we live (likewise not close to where Lauralee lives, either). Fortunately, the Raritan did not overflow - or at least the part closest to us didn't - so we are all right! :)

How did Austin's most recent puppet show go? I'm sure that he did a great job, as always! And I'm sure that you will enjoy "Mama Mia"! We did see it on Broadway, a few years ago - lots of great Abba music and a very cute storyline - with a surprise at the end! :) I know that you will like it!

Our next "foray" into the theater will be in June, when we see "Spamalot", the new musical based on Monty Python's "Holy Grail". Of course, Frank is not aware of that, yet - the tickets are part of my anniversary gift to him! That will give us something to look forward to, for after we return from WDW. I'm already trying to make some fun summer plans, to sort of "lessen the blow" of WDW Blues that always hit immediately upon landing in Newark, when returning from a WDW trip. If we have some fun things to look forward to, right away, hopefully that will make our coming home from vacation a little easier, anyway! :)

The month of April is just so nutty - I know that it's just going to fly right by! I have a huge project, due at the end of the month, that will surely take me all month to finish. "Thrown in there" will also be weekly homework assignments and a test in my other class, and as soon as the BIG PROJECT is handed in, I have a BIG FINAL in the other class..........of course Passover is thrown in, during all of that, too! And 6 days after my last test.........we leave for WDW! So I'm sure that I will be scrambling around like a maniac to pack and get everything ready, during those few days! The only good thing I can say is that being so preoccupied with all of the school and holiday stuff sort of "keeps my mind off of" the fact that our trip is coming up so soon.......so that by the time it actually arrives, it will be like a "happy surprise" - like "yea! Our vacation is just.......ONE WEEK AWAY!" :)

Anyway, I will try to check in as often as I can, but please forgive me if I am not able to come by as often as I would like, over the next few weeks! Hope that all is well with all of you and hope that you're all having a great day! :)

[SlightlyGoofy]

Lisa, sure glad to hear that you are keeping your powder dry. The news programs go way overboard on their reporting nowadays and from the sound of things it is always trouble everywhere. If I watched too much news tv I would be more of a paranoid than I already am. LOL

There was a glitch on the puppet program but the kids handled it very well. If I had not seen the program before I might not have noticed the mistake at all.

Only a week until you guys go to DW? I am so happy for you and so sorry that I will not be there as well. I could use a vacation but getting ready for it would probably kill me. Do you have a list of new things to try this time and places to eat? That is the best part for me. Only problem is that as I cross out items on my list I can think of two others to add. LOL Seems that my dd and family have decided to go to Gatlinburg instead of DW but who knows, it could change. Not likely if the great codes are not there and ticket prices increase. Many different income levels involved among the couples and one family has several children so it is hard to plan for everyone. I have to admit that Gatlinburg, in a rented cabin or two makes sense. Maybe Dalton will grow up to be a DW lover and take me along if I am still able to manuever.

I am going to try to take Dalton to see Suessical this weekend. Just a High School production but it is silly enough to please him, I think. Thursday night we are going to see Mama Mia in Indpls on a Senior Citizens bus tour. They did not sell out as they usually do but I think it is because it is not an old standard that many have heard of. I liked Abba's music well enough and it will be interesting to me to see how they worked the songs into a show.

Headed to the basement to start packing the truck for my weekend sale. Hope I can get rid of a bunch of stuff. Even have some furniture to sell as well. Hope I live long enough to enjoy all this clutter free life. :confused3

Do not worry about us in the Suite. Take care of yourself, get the work out of the way and have a ball at DW. I will hold down the fort as best as I can.

SG/Linda

[IASW Rider]

Hi Linda!

How are you doing, today?

Please - I WISH that we were leaving for WDW in a week! We'll be there in a little over a month, though! I'm sorry - I guess my rambling on about my schedule got confusing - I meant that we will be in WDW a week after I finish school in May! But it's still coming up pretty quickly!

I'm sorry to hear that your DD and her family are considering changing your big family vacation plans. But I'm sure that you'll all have a great time in Gatlinburg! Although I've never been there before, Frank has vacationed there in a cabin and he loved it! I've seen pictures and it looks beautiful, there! Plus, even if you don't go to WDW..........you can go to Dollywood! :)

I'm sure that Dalton will enjoy "Seussical" - that seems like such a cute show! And you'll definitely have to let me know what you think of "Mama Mia", too!

Sorry that this is so short, but I'm just popping on to say "hi" - gotta get back to work, now! Have a great day and talk to you soon! And good luck with your sale, this weekend! :)

[IASW Rider]

Hi Everyone!

Not too much to report from here, though we did have an amazing day, yesterday - 78 degrees and sunny! I was able to go outside in shorts and a T-shirt for the first time, this season! And my father, uncle, and I took Frank out last night, to celebrate his completion of a management training program in which he's been involved for the past year (the actual "graduation" ceremony was 2 days ago), and that was a lot of fun!

Just doing school stuff, this weekend - nothing too exciting! But I wanted to stop by and wish you all a great weekend! :)

P.S. Just got off the phone with the coffee bar at the Kona Cafe, ordering our latest installment of Kona coffee to be shipped to our home! They called back for confirmation - I just loved seeing "Disney's Polynesian Resort" and the phone number show up on our caller ID! :)

[colleen costello]

:flower: Hi everyone. Hope everyone is well and good. Lisa, I owe you an Email and I promise it'll come... I have been so busy at school all week. We had our yearly PTO fundraiser and all week I have been tallying candle orders and counting up checks. As I am no math genius it took the better part of my week. Luckily today we got the last of the orders accounted for. We made over $4000 which is a fortune for a small group of Moms :)

Lisa, my parents have been driving all sorts of odd routes this week to get where they have to go -- eastern PA is terribly flooded, too. Mom says the worst of it is over by now but I guess the downtown area of Easton, where they live, was well under water. Yikes!

Linda, wish I was coming with you to see "Mama Mia." I LOVE Abba! I guess there is no acounting for taste... I can't resist their cheery pop muzak and I have heard great things about the show. Please let us all know how it goes.

What is this I see about your family replacing WDW with Gatlinburg? Gatlinburg is scenic and there is lots for families but we Disney nuts here know it isn't even in the same LEAGUE as Orlando! Luckily you get enough regular Mickey trips that you'll be able to emjoy Tennessee with your family. I know being with your grands is what floats your boat so you'll have fun no matter WHERE you go!

Lisa, I guess you are our "next member to travel to WDW." It will be so much fun for all of us when you get back and share info and pics. I am still planning to post some pictures but we have been painting so much that the weekends fly by. This Saturday we will paint the family room and then the whole downstairs will be done, at least what I can do. The painter is doing to do the entryway so Scott and I don't fall to our middle-aged deaths from a scaffold. Then I can hang up my brush and roller and get to landscaping and working outside. I won't paint anymore until next fall. Most of the upstairs is minor work anyhow.

Love to all.

[IASW Rider]

Hey Everyone!

Hi Colleen! Don't worry about being in touch - I understand - please don't rush - just be in touch when ever you have a chance or are in the mood! I'm all bogged down with my school stuff, anyway!

Lots of good luck with your painting, this weekend - I'm sure that it will all come out wonderfully, as your other rooms have! Are you going to be painting your family room the same color as your living room and / or kitchen? Or are you doing something slightly different, but in the same "theme" / "family" of colors? I'm sure that you will be happy when it's all done, and then you can all admire and enjoy your beautiful "new" downstairs!

You would love "Mama Mia" too, Colleen - I know that Linda will enjoy it! In addition to including all of Abba's biggest hits (and a few of their lesser-known songs, too) in the score, the story is very cute, and there is a surprise at the end, too! It's a fun show - when we saw it in 2003, everyone around us was singing along with the performers! And then during the finale, the cast encourages everyone to get up and dance by their seats! :) (That was also the case when we saw "Saturday Night Fever" on Broadway in 2000 - the whole audience got up and danced, during the finale!)

Actually, I believe that Elaine might actually be the next Suite mate to head to WDW, if I am not mistaken - I think that she may be going a week or two before Frank and I go. Regardless, I can't believe that our trip is just a little over a month away, and that I'm in the "home stretch" of my semester at school! I have so much to accomplish before we leave that it seems like the next 6 weeks will be never-ending......but I have a feeling that they might just fly by!

Anyway, hope that all is well with all of you and hope that you're all having a great weekend! Talk to you soon! :)

[SlightlyGoofy]

I would not think of asking to go along to Gatlinburg. I figure if they wanted me they would ask and since they are going with several other couples it would feel like butting in. I dared with DW cause I just love the place so much and you never know when the last chance to be with my grands there will be. I do not go to their house without being invited either. Was there at Easter so I figure that it is for the year. Some years I have never set foot there. Makes me a bit sad as I would like to be closer to my dd but at least I do get to see my grandkids.

The sale went perfectly yesterday. I sold almost everything I had and I had a truckload and then some. I set up Friday night and sold from 8-1 the next day. Started out slow but then things went nuts and people were throwing money at me. I made a bunch of nice large ladies happy too. I sort of watched the door and when I saw someone of the right size I invited them over to pick through my old clothing (very nice and some quite expensive). One lady could not afford much so I practically gave some items to her. I remember what it was like cause when you are that big you never find things at garage sales and if you do they are usually in pretty bad shape. Made quite a bit toward an AP too. Since I will probably accrue enough rewards for the other that is a big thing. Most important thing is that I cleared out the basement room though.

Lisa, the nicest thing about this group is how laid back and relaxed everyone is. The best friends are the low maintenence kind imho. Sometimes life just catches us up and takes us away for a bit. I did not get to boogie in the aisles at Mama Mia, they were having a collection for the Aids organization that night so maybe that is why. I love surprise endings and that one got me and I am hard to trick. LOL I am so glad we went. Riverdance is on next but I do not think I would enjoy that one as much. There is a production called "Menopause" that looks promising but I am worried about whether I could hear the words well enough. I am sure that all the work you have to do the next few weeks will go quicker because of what is waiting at the end of it. You will sorely deserve that vacation but it will make it all that more special.

Helenabear, I hope you and Luis have a magical time in DW and please post a report when you get back. I know you will have pictures. LOL Do you have anything new planned for this time? I thrive on trying new things each and every trip. For every one I cross out I come up with 2 new ones for the next trip. LOL

Colleen, I am sure glad that you have hired someone to do the high parts as it would be terrible for you two old people to risk your delicate necks. LOL Actually I have hired someone to do a hall for me too. Will be the first time I have ever hired someone to do painting for me. I am a bit nervous cause he made the remark that he was not as 'perfect' a painter as I am. Since he is not too high priced I will deal with it. The walls and ceiling are going to be the same color so I can touch up if need be. I just want nice and clean. Is a basement hallway, upstairs is another story altogether. Have you just about gotten all the rooms done now? Congratulations on the great fund raising. I usually just give a donation as it is cheaper than buying some of the stuff they sell. I have too much stuff as it is. LOL I hope that the PA flooding does not get to the Johnstown stage. Is your parent's home safe? The government finally came in and tore down the downtown part of my hometown after the last flood. Is strange to see now. BTW, I wish you had gone to Mama Mia with me too. I hear that the shows are cheaper in Bloomington (easier for me to drive too) Maybe someday we can go to a show together?

I bought a huge box of children's books yesterday. One lady had a bunch and I asked her to make me a deal after the sale. Only paid $10 for them all and added quite a few to my collection and have many others that I can give to the kids to take home with them. While I was at it I color coded the books to make it easier for the kids to pick books in their reading level. Too easy and they learn nothing, too hard and they get frustrated. I love Accelerated Reading programs!!! One of the books is Abraham Lincoln Jokes - two of Dalton's things!! Strange child. Ummm, wonder where he got it from?? (be kind ladies)

SG/Linda

[IASW Rider]

Hey Everyone!

Hi Linda! How are you doing? That's so nice that you found so many great children's books to add to your library / collection! It's so nice that you have them on hand for the children - and that you take the time to divide them into reading levels, as well! You are probably much more efficient than most teachers or librarians are!

And congratulations on the success that you had with your sale, as well! That's great news, and I'm sure that your items did make lots of people happy! It's always satisfying to come across some great finds at garage sales (or flea markets, etc.)!

I hope that your DD does invite you and Tom along, if they decide to go to Gatlinburg. I'm sure that you would all have a good time together, and I'm sure that she knows how much it would mean to you both and to Austin and Dalton to spend some nice vacation time together! Have they decided when they might go? I think that they were originally thinking of this summer?

Glad to hear that you enjoyed "Mama Mia"! I didn't see the surprise at the end of the show coming, either! But I thought that the way that it ended was very nice! I have never seen "Riverdance" or "Lord of the Dance", but Frank has seen both and he really enjoyed them. I have read good things about the NY production of "Menopause: The Musical" - I believe that it's been playing Off-Broadway for awhile, now - but unfortunately, I don't know very much else about it!

As always, not too much to report, here - just plugging away at school stuff! But we and the kitties are fine, the weather is getting nicer, and all of the flowers are in bloom, now, so those are good things! :)

Hope that all is well with you, Tom, and your family!

And hope that all is well with all of you Ladies, out there!

Have a great day, Everyone! :)

[angelina]

Hi, everyone, I'm just sticking my head in to say hi. I tried to read a couple of pages back, to catch up, but I'm afraid I've been away too long to ever get back in the swing of things. I have a bit of Disney news I thought you all might find interesting. The Black Pearl pirate: is ready to cast off this weekend. Actually, Disney imagineers and local shipbuilders are putting the finishing touches on the new ship to be used in the POTC sequels at a shipbuilding facility in Bayou LaBatre, and it's set to leave Saturday for Dominica. My Children are out of school tomorrow and I promised to take them there to try to find it. I don't know how successful we'll be, though. Once they put the tall masts on the ship, it won't be able to come back under the bridge to the upper bayou, so it may not be so easy to find. They've been testing its seaworthiness today.

I will check back with you all later. I hope things are going will with all of you.

Angelina :wave2:

[SlightlyGoofy]

Angie, I did not see that you had come to the Suite!! We have missed your smiling face. How are you and yours doing? Are you still catering? Thanks for the info on the pirate ship. Disney is always doing something special. I am surprised that one of your kids will not be steering the ship. Hey, it is not too late, anything might happen, especially to you. LOL

Lisa, I was my plan to be either a teacher or a librarian way back when. I have OCD and I love it. LOL No way I would go to Garlinburg. It is a different kettle of fish. I would slow them down and I would not do that. Dalton took several books home with him to enjoy. He read two of them here this afternoon. There were only 2 in the pile I put aside for him that he did not want. He is reading one about the Golden Spike right now. Two of my sisters have decided to come here rather than have me to drive there (I am grateful) so we are going to have a girl's weekend. Tom will go to visit his brother and since I do not drink anything I will do the driving and we are planning on a comedy club and maybe seeing Menopause. Seems like our kind of play. LOL They can tell me what is going on it I cannot hear. Comes in handy having much younger sisters. LOL Do you guys ever go yard saling? They have a huge one on Route 50, goes through several states. It is fun hunting for bargains but unfortunately I have a good imagination and end up thinking I can use almost everything. LOL I found some bargains at a place nearby that is going out of business. I got the nicest yard things for pennies on the dollar. Two things were metal stands/columns that I am using on my side steps for decoration and also something to help me keep my balance when going up and down the steps. Much needed and pretty too. Hopefully the school work is under control, or nearly so. Do you find it hard to work on your own? I have a feeling the answer is no. It takes a special person to be so dedicated and organized. But then you ARE.

SG/Linda

[angelina]

Hi, Guys. I read in this morning's paper that sea trials went well and today the Pearl is being fitted with its masts and sails. We are going to see if we can catch a glimpse of the ship later this morning. At any rate, there is a great article on al.com about the trip out of the bayou yesterday. I wish there were pictures on the website like there are in the paper.

Linda, thanks for the picture! I didn't realize they were so grown up--I guess time really does fly.

I haven't done any catering since Christmas--too stressful on my own and the kids have me busy with baseball,t-ball and basketball. Meg went to state in the free-throw competition and took second place--with a jammed middle finger, too. She's been invited to play on a tournament basketball team, but she already had signed up for softball, and she's one of the pitchers. I don't know if we can pull this off, but we'll try. Basketball is her true love these days.

I've been going to obedience training with our golden retriever, and would like to have hhim certified to be a therapy dog. We could go to childrens' hospitals and nurning homes to visit. He has a wonderful disposition and good temperament,so he may be suited to that kind of work. He's almost 7 months old now, and must be a year to take the test, so we'll keep working.

I'm jealous of all the plays and musicals you all get to see. Lisa, you get to see all the good ones! Did I read that you have another trip coming up? Are you sstaying at the Poly? I love the Kona coffee idea--what a terrific way to keep the vacation memories going! And is Elaine there now? I went to bed last night remembering the spectromagic parade--it's one of my favorite things to see there. I'm hoping to get the soundtrack the next time we're there. No plans right now, but maybe next year, if things work out. I had planned a trip for this summer, but car repairs and a cruise in december(ugh) ate up my savings, so I had to start over.:(

Linda, what happened to Depply? I thought she'd love to hear about the ship, but didn't see any posts from her in the last 2 or 3 pages I read.

Well, gotta run, the kids are ransacking the kitchen. See you later

Angelina

[SlightlyGoofy]

Howdy there Angie. Thank you for the update on the Pearl. I am jealous that you are getting to see it first hand but who knows maybe someday. (sigh)

I am not quite sure where the youngsters such as Depply are right now. They stop by when they have the time and it is always awesome to hear what they are up to but being young they are off and about with their own most of the time and us oldsters have to content ourselves with occasional updates. They add so much life to the Suite and are such extraordinary people.

Yes, my boys are growing up so fast. Dalton has turned into a local basketball star. He is a sight to behold. I have a few pics of him in action. Sort of like a mouse in that he fits into small places and sneaks away with the cheese/basketball. He makes a lot of baskets as well but is too much into 3 pointers right now. Got to get him calmed down a bit and more reliable. Austin has a girlfriend and drives everything he can get his hands on. Congratulations to your dd's achievements. Is there anything that gal cannot do? Tell her that I won a volleyball tournament with a broken finger (gotten during the game) once so I am a competitor as well. Amazing what adreneline will get you to do. LOL

When we buy AP's we will go this fall and then twice next year as well so maybe you guys will be there sometime when we are. Would be a dream come true. Please let us know when you get dates set as someone here will surely be there then.

I am driving the pickup to take Tom bowling today as I have to do a lot of garden shopping. Sprng has arrived early here and I am ready to plant. LOL My cutrate buys really add interest to the front gardens. Now that I have a digital camera I can bore you all with photos of my projects. Have to get my hair cut today as well otherwise it will take a bush hog to do it. Find a new purse and my day will be complete. So nice to not have anything more worrisome to worry about today. Tomorrow may be a different story but for today all is well.

SG/Linda

[IASW Rider]

Hey Everyone!

Hi Angie!!!!! Great to hear from you!!!!!! Welcome back!!! So glad to see that you stopped by! And so glad to hear that all is well! How is Meghan's finger doing? I hope that it will be feeling much better, soon! She is quite the athlete - it sounds like she does a great job with basketball, and I'm sure that she'll have a great season with her softball team, as well! How is everyone else doing? I think it's a wonderful idea that you might have your puppy certified as a therapy dog! We have some friends who have their pit bull (believe it or not) certified as a therapy dog, and they love visiting the patients at hospitals and residents in senior centers and seeing how happy their doggie's visits make them! And your dog is so pretty, too! It's so neat that the PoC ship was so close by - I will have to check out the web site when I am finished posting here!

We are heading back to WDW - exactly one month from today, in fact! :) We are doing the exact same thing that we did last year - we'll be spending 4 days at Port Orleans Riverside and then 3 days on the Disney Wonder in the Bahamas - can't wait! Of course we will go over and visit the Poly, though - and have dinner in 'Ohana and breakfast in the Kona Cafe! :) We do miss staying there, but we do the cruise as a land / sea package, and it's much more affordable to stay in a Moderate resort (and the corresponding stateroom "category" on the ship") than to do the package with a Deluxe resort. In the mean time, we really enjoyed staying in POR last year, and we're looking forward to staying there again, this year! And yes - it's great to be able to have coffee from the Kona Cafe delivered right to your door! If you're interested in doing the same, I will give you the "super secret direct telephone number" of the Kona Coffee Bar, so that you can order some over the phone! :)

Hi Linda! If what you've done in your garden and around your yards in the past years is any indication of what you're planning for this spring, I'm sure that the areas around your home are going to look just beautiful! You will have to take pictures with your new digital camera and send them to us so that we can see your great work! It's so nice that your sisters are coming to visit - I'll bet that you will all have a great time together! You'll have to give us your review of "Menopause", too! :) You should get your basketball star together with Angie's basketball star - maybe our athletic younger Suite-mates could coach them and give them tips, and then they can all start an all-star team! :)

We don't see too many yard sales right around our immediate area, but it is fun to go to flea markets and craft sales, etc.! I love finding good buys, too - I feel so "accomplished" if I can find a good deal on something, like that - or if I can find something very rare that is not easily found anywhere else!

As for doing school work alone, I actually prefer it. As much as I love people and being around others, when it comes to any sort of work, I have always been a bit of a "loner" ("only child thing", I guess! :)). I always like to feel fully responsible for whatever I do - good or bad - and I don't like relying on other people, when it comes to either professional work or something for which I will receive a grade. So I am perfectly happy on my own! :)

Well, the first draft of my fast food / obesity project is just about done..........even though I recently realized that I may need to re-work a big part of it. It's just a hypothetical program - not one that will actually be "produced" - the professor just wants to see that we are applying learning theories correctly and can structure a health education program properly. My "problem" is that I have most of my recruiting coming from a Weight Watchers membership.........and then realized that there would be no truly valid way to assess the success of my program if I did.........because there would be no way to say that the participants lost weight as the result of my program, since most of them would be on Weight Watchers, anyway! Oh well - back to the drawing board! :) Actually, I might just leave it the way it is and see what the professor has to say.........this is just the first draft.........she will review it this week and then the final draft is due at the beginning of May. In the mean time, while working on that, this weekend, I also have an epidemiology test to study for, too. UGH.

Frank is going to his mother's to celebrate her birthday, this weekend, and is leaving straight from work today, so I won't see him again until Sunday. I would have gone with him, but I just have too much work to do. It will be nice to have a quiet weekend, anyway! I will rent some "chick flicks" that Frank wouldn't be interested in (so that I have a chance to see them while he is away) to entertain myself during the evenings!

Anyway, hope that all is well with all of you! Hope that you all have a great weekend! :)

[SlightlyGoofy]

Lisa, I hear you on liking to work on your own. Guess mine started in HS when I was appointed to a committee to make the prom decorations. Guess who ended up making every single rose? That is when I learned that it was easier to work alone. I wasted a lot of time trying to get the other organized and present to work. When that failed I just sighed and set out on my task. Took me most of a semester but was a well earned lesson. Bet I could still make those darned roses. LOL I am VP of every organization I belong to. Fits me well, I just fill in where I am needed and am not in charge of anything. Love it. LOL

I fear your assessment of your project is true, in that your chosen focus group would not give you an accurate view of what you are attempting to prove. Would you happen to have access to a work group (as they are the most frequent fast food buyers) or is this all just on paper and not actual? I seldom, if ever, take a survey or report seriously cause it matters so much who is commissioning it and their pov. Wendy's and other restaurants have started offering some healthy items but the things that are on sale are always the worst things you can buy, the sliced apples at McD being the exception. If you think of it the most healthy foods that you can eat are more easily acquired at a grocery store, and for much less than a restaurant. I often stop at a grocery when we are vacation and pick up things for meals. Fruit, yogurt and such.

I fear it would not work for Angie's daughter and my grandson to play on a team together as he is already enamoured of her picture and is easily distracted by beauty. LOL I pray that he will be able to avoid getting married until he is at least graduated from HS. He has given me much to worry about in that area. (sigh)

Clean house day today and have been getting a bit of outside work done as well. The front is mostly done and now I have to start down the alley. Oh joy!! If I had gotten the mulching done last fall things would be much easier but I had a DW trip planned and we had an early winter. Excuses, excuses. I am currently trying to plot ways to cut down on the yard chores. Have gone to fake plants for the front porch. (lazy me)

Enjoy your weekend. It is wonderful that Frank is so attentive to his mom and that you are comfortable with it. Unfortunately some couples do not know how important families are. What chick flicks are you looking forward to? I am watching a lot more movies since our local video outlet has offered rentals for only a $1. Almost any movie is worth that and it it is only a five minute walk to return or pick up. I have it made.

SG/Linda

[IASW Rider]

Hello Everyone!

Hi Linda! How are you doing? And how is that landscaping coming along?

Yes, my project is just "hypothetical" - it's not an actual program that will be held or offered to real people. But I did want to make it as authentic as possible. My professor is away this weekend, but my teaching assistant e-mailed back to me (after I inquired of both of them whether I need to totally re-work the paper) and said that while in "real life" recruiting from Weight Watchers might be an issue (in terms of eventually evaluating the success of my program), for the purposes of this project, I could probably leave it as is. I figure that if the professor e-mails back to me and tells me that it would be better that I change it, I will do so. Aside from that, I'll just leave it alone. I think that the real purpose of this project is to demonstrate that we can put the concepts and theories that we've learned this semester to practical, contextual use - rather than actually creating programs that will actually be used, using statistical measures to test their validity, etc..........that will come in later classes for me, though! :) So I'm putting that project aside for now and am concentrating on studying for the test that I will have in the other class, on Monday night. Sorry - pretty boring stuff! :)

I rented "Closer" last night - very good film, excellent performances, but it was very hard to sympathize with any of the characters, since they all seemed heartless and despicable in their own ways. But the 4 lead actors were fantastic. I also rented "Garden State" which was a bit odd, but entertaining. Frank and I rented "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" before he left for the weekend - another interesting, but strange film - with very good performances by Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet.

Anyway, back to the books! Hope that all is well with you, Tom, and your family!

And hope that all is well with all of you, out there! Have a great weekend, Everyone! :)

[SlightlyGoofy]

Hi there Lisa!

Been spending time digging holes around here. I have a supply of free dirt for the digging and I have been making liberal use of it. Goes against this country gal's nature to pay for dirt. LOL

Yes, your project sounds like a lot more fun than studying for a test. Having a faulty memory I used to type my textbook pages. Somehow the very nature of typing the information seemed to install into my hard memory better than just plain reading it. As much as I love to read you would think it would be different but it is not. I always play with my new gadgets before reading the instruction manual, if in fact I ever do read it. Only in dire circumstances. LOL

Garden State is the only movie that you mentioned that I have ever heard of. I will have to see if I can find the others. I saw a copy of Jersey Girl the other day and thought of you. I like the stereotype that goes along with being a Jersey Girl, attitude and smart. Not sure that you have much attitude though as you are just too darned sweet but if you hang around with me a bit longer I can fix that. :banana:

It is beautiful around here and Colleen and I are planning another get together. Think we can talk Becki into joining us? Sort of a mini Suite Meet.

SG/Linda

[twinscandc]

Hello Everyone!!

I'm so sorry that I have been "around" lately!! Work is really crazy right now - I'm probably working about 50 hours/week - just crazy!! I went to a awesome Woman's conference (Woman of Faith) this weekend in Columbus, Ohio with some ladies for our church! We had a great time. The speakers were fantastic as well as the music, etc. I'm just a little tired this morning!

How is everyone? Slighty Goofy....I've been meaning to give you a call when in your little neck of the woods....I'm there just about everyday now because my client is really struggling (home issues, substance use, etc.) I'm sorry that I haven't gotten touch with you. There is just not enough hours in the day!! I would really like to see how your landscape adventures are coming!!

The mini suite meet sounds good!! Maybe we could meet in Nashville and do lunch or something!! Just let me know!

Besides working a lot of hours, we are very busy with the girls....They just ended their Basketball season and now we are starting Softball. Of course, Mark and I want to be involved, so somehow we always end up coaching their teams!! I'm playing Softball myself on Wednesday nights and Volleyball on Tuesday nights. I'm very athletic and love the excercise (although, by my waist line you wouldn't be able to tell!! - I also love food!!) You're probably figuring out why I'm so busy!!

We are looking forward to our trip to the most magical place on earth!! Can't wait!! We leave in 35 days!!! By that time, I'm probably going to collapse :faint: when we get on that airplane!! Mark and I are going to surprise the girls by renting a convertible while down there!! Should be a great time!! I'll try to get on the internet at some point and post about our trip!!

Hope everyone is doing well....I've been reading along on this post and I'm really jealous of Rider going on her cruise!! We love DCL!! Only been one time, but would love to go again!!

Take care everyone and have a terrific Monday!!

twinscandc/aka: Becki

[SlightlyGoofy]

Becki, never you fear. This is a laid back kind of place and you jest come and go as the mood hits. Life gets in the way and especially when you are doing such important work as you do, your family AND taking care of other families. I admire people who do such work. I have to confess that I would be terrified of your job. Fear comes from ignorance and even though I grew up in the 60's I have no experience with drugs. My father was a hypocondriac and so I have had an adversion to any medication, legal or otherwise. Too much going on in our area about meth and such and since my two grandsons live on a farm and my other ones lives in a very bad part of the area I am always worried. If you ever come across a child that goes to the Community Center you could tell them that I am there to help them with any school work or whatever. Sometimes just having someone pay attention to you and let you know that you are important is enough to change a life. I know, I was that child once.

If you ever want to come by please feel free. Will have to take me as I am since I am not very fancy and sometimes look downright grungy. I have so many flower beds that I have to work in the yard almost every day and even then I do not keep them as I would like. Going to kill weeds today. Hope it does not rain and ruin my efforts. I tend to care for those spots I can see rather than those others can see. LOL I fixed up the inside of the house long before I got to the outside. I am so selfish. (smile)

I bet my sister, who lives in Columbus, Ohio, might have been at the Woman of Faith thing. I think my daughter was to have gome to something there but have not heard more. If you ever go again please let me know and maybe Nellie can give you a guided tour of the town. She is that kind of lady. If you ever see a puppet program from the Hope Baptist, check out the tall boy, he is my grandson. They give programs at the local churches. If you have not had them at yours you might consider it. They are very good. Austin is joining the Purity Club this weekend. I think that is a great idea, if the kids join of their own free will. Does not work otherwise but it is always good to strive for perfection, in all things. He is so good looking and popular with the girls that I pray that he does not get serious, married or anything until he is mature enough to make the right decsions. He is also sweet and that is a horrible combination. LOL

I love volleyball and have several trophies. I weighed about 350 when I played so I had to have some kind of talent. I taught myself to serve to point by using a hula hoop. Worked pretty good. I sure was not able to slide along the floor going after balls like some. LOL It is so good that you guys are involved with the girls sports teams.

They have some good bargains on DCL later in the year. I am considering adding a 3-4 night cruise to our November vacation. I cannot plan such too far in advance so we shall see. If it is meant to be, it will be.

I hope the girls do not have the same problem with the convertible as our son did. He was convinced that when the top went up it was going to 'eat' him. LOL He was scared of the dinosaur exhibit at the Children's Museum as well. He is 6 fioot 5 and over 300 pounds now LOL

Bet the girls are excited and ready for the trip. Any new things you are planning on trying this time? Old favorites and new things are what I look forward to.

Your friend, Linda aka Slightly Goofy ak The Reading Lady

[twinscandc]

Thanks Slightly Goofy (and eveyone else) for being understanding!! I get here when I can, but it's good to know that you guys are always a click away.

Had a rough day in court today. Very emotional for my client. I felt so bad for her. She is 14 years old and lives with her mom. Her dad lives near Cincinnati and doesn't have much to do with her, but whenever there is a court hearing for her, he tries to march in on his "white horse" and try to save the day, saying all these things about her, etc. It's so hard for her. Then, after the hearing is over, he leaves without much of a goodbye. I'd like to strangle him!!

Linda, it is so cool that you have played Volleyball. It is truely my favorite sport. I played all through High School and then got a (small) scholarship to play in college. I hope to be playing until the day I can no longer get out of bed. It's sounds as if we have several athletes (or parents of athletes) around this suite!!

Rider - I love doing research for projects such as yours. I think it's so interesting to study people's behavior and choices, etc. What is your course of study?

I've got to get going.....more court tomorrow. I don't think tomorrow will be as bad as today! Atleast I hope not!!

Have a great day!

Twinscandc aka: Becki

[SlightlyGoofy]

Good morning Becki

It is indeed a small world but then when you live in a small community like we do it is much easier to be done. Pastor Tim went to school with my sil. He seems very nice. Even though I could not join the church, would have been convenient, the people are nice. I have many friends who have been members all their lives. If I see him I will tell him hi from you.

I liked volleyball cause I am nearsighted and cannot do the sports that involve smaller equipment.

My heart goes out to that girl. Do you use the child advocates in your cases? It is something I would have loved to do but Tom would have a cat fit. He gets upset enough at me volunteering at the Community Center. I have a step daughter, near my age, and she is a constant worry. My dh once told me that it could not be his fault as he had not had anything to do with her until she was in her 30's. (sigh) Bet that jerk from Cincinnati thinks his poor daughters problems are all the fault of the mother since she is the one raising her. When you are abused as a child you have a high probability of marrying someone who will abuse you, is what you are used to. I fell into that trap when I was young but for the sake of my child I got out of it. There is one little girl at the CC who casually told me one day "I have a picture of my mommy. It was taken before she died. ***** killed my mommy". I pray that ****** was not also this child's father. Small comfort. There is so much sadness in the world that sometimes we forget that there is much more happiness. I bet that you and I know a lot of the same children. So many wander the streets, day after day, just looking for a bit of attention. I am so glad that I am a fat grandma and can get away with giving it to them. There are a group of boys who skateboard at the church next door and they are constanting being chased away. They do not bother me. Looks like fun. I know that the church cannot but worry about a possible lawsuit if one of them were hurt. Things we so much simplier when mine were growing up. There were so many more places for them to go and things for them to do.

I am not sure when the new church is going to be started. My sil says this year but I know that money is hard to come by just now. If it is meant to be it will be. If you have my grandson's puppet group at your church I will probably be there also. He likes it when I show up at his activities.

I am going to send you a pm so that you can tell me the church so I will know.

See you in a bit.

SG/Linda

[SlightlyGoofy]

I thought I would stop by the Suite and let you all know that there will be a Mini Meet of the Suite on Monday at noon. Becki is coming by for lunch. Would be a dream come true if Colleen could come too but that would probably be too good to be true. We will all have to plan a Brown County meet as that is about half way between us all. All of the meets in the Suite have all been of only two of us at a time but someday we will manage a bigger one, I hope, I hope. LOL

Slightly Goofy

[SlightlyGoofy]

Today was a red letter day! We had a mini meet between myself, SG and twinscandc, Becki at my home. It was so nice of her to take the time out of her busy day to come by. Before she got here my grandson, Dalton, wanted to know who she was and I told him a bit about her. When I got to what she does for a living (helping troubled families) he smiled and said "Oh, like Mary Poppins"! Yes, just like. LOL

She brought me a garden rock with a frog on it (how did she know I collect frogs?) and an adorable garden stake that I decided was far too pretty to trust to the elements so it is residing comfortably in my favorite plant. Dalton was gifted also and enjoyed playing with the tiny additions to his playset. Thank you Becki but please do not feel like you have to bring anything other than yourself when you come by, and I hope you do so often.

Becki brought a photo album of their last Disney vacation. Such a beautiful family she has and it was fun seeing them react to all the characters.

It is so funny all the similarities that we are finding in our lives. We are even doing the same kind of diet so lunch was easy to whomp up. I hope she did not get offended by my casual attire as I only wear shoes on formal occasions and when I drive. You can take the hick out of the country but you cannot take the country out of the hick. LOL

Special thanks to the men in my life,my dh who allowed us to talk (being hard of hearing it is extremely hard for me to follow a conversation with more than one person) and then my small grandson who played all by himself for an hour. Since he is usually to be found on my lap or at least nearby it was a great gift from him. I spoiled them this afternoon in thanks. Tom is sitting in the kitchen enjoying a big bowl of rice pudding, one of his favorites (made from scratch). All is well in my world. :cool1:

Slightly Goofy/Linda

[IASW Rider]

Hi Everyone!

Hi Linda and Becki!

So sorry that I missed so many of your posts! And glad to hear that you both had a nice time together, yesterday! It's so nice that you both had a chance to get together and spend some time, catching up in person! I always say that one of these years, we will have a full Suite Meet.........of course the ultimate place for us all to meet would be WDW (so that we could watch the EWP together!)........but if that can't be arranged, I say that the Suite Meet should be somewhere near where you all live, since Colleen is also close by and Elaine isn't too far away, either! :)

How have you all been doing? Glad to hear that all is well with your little ladies, Becki, and your little gentlemen, Linda!

I was also a volleyball player - in high school - I was even Varsity and JV captain, "back in the day", and I went to Olympic Volleyball camp, too, believe it or not! I haven't had a chance to play in awhile - I joke that I only play sports with nets - volleyball, tennis, etc.! But it was always fun!

I didn't realize that you had a WDW trip coming up so soon, Becki! Where will you all be staying? On what date are you actually leaving? The convertible sounds great - you will have to take lots of pictures! I have a feeling that Elaine is getting ready to leave on a WDW trip, very soon - next week, if I am remembering correctly?

We have a little less than 3 weeks to go, ourselves! I just have to get through any revisions to my final project that my Health Ed. professor wants me to make, my final exam in Epi, and then I am free to think only about our trip! (By then it will be time to start packing, since my exam is 6 days before we leave! :))

I just started a Masters of Public Health program, Becki - concentrating in Health Education. I'd eventually like to design diabetes prevention / nutrition education programs, or write for a nutrition education publication. I'm just finishing my first semester, now - will take classes straight through the summer, into the fall - I have a ways to go, but I am enjoying it, so far!

Your work sounds so interesting! But I can imagine - as you said - that some of the people with whom you come in contact and some of the situations that you see and deal with can be upsetting, emotionally affecting, etc., which can be difficult. Still, it must be so rewarding and satisfying, as well!

How is everything going out there, Linda? How are all of your gardening projects coming along? You definitely have to take some pictures with your new digital camera and send them to us, so that we can see how beautiful your gardens look, when you are all finished! What else has been new, out there? I feel badly that I am only now catching up on your news of the past week or 2!

This is the first time that I have been on the Boards in a little over a week - first I was scrambling to finish the first draft of that Health Ed. project, then I had to quickly finish shopping and start getting things ready for Passover, which we celebrated on Saturday and Sunday nights. Passover has always been my favorite holiday - since it falls in the spring, when things are just starting to turn green and pretty, and since there are so many fun songs to sing and neat foods to eat! We had very small Seders (dinners) - just Frank, my father, my uncle, and me (and my uncle wasn't feeling well enough to come back on the second night - his Parkinson's is making him more and more uncomfortable - so that night it was just the 3 of us). But they were nice, and the dinners came out well, so I was relieved and happy!

Now I have a relatively quiet week - had my last Epi. lecture last night (all about infectious diseases - which is what I thought the majority of the subject matter in that class would deal with, all along! I was wrong - the majority of the subject matter dealt with different study designs and statistical measures of disease prevalence, efficacy of treatments and screening tests, etc.), and just listening to my classmates' oral presentations in Health Ed. tomorrow night (since I "got mine over with" last week - yea! :)). Then I will start studying for that last exam!

That's about all the "excitement" from the Garden State! Hope that all is well with all of you and hope that you're all having a nice week! Take care.

[IASW Rider]

Hi Everyone!

Just wanted to wish you all a nice weekend, in case I don't get to stop by again, for a few days!

Not too much to report from the North East, today - Frank is off, today, I'm having my car serviced (of course it's just a standard oil change appointment........but they found $780 worth of other things to fix......), and we're going to see "Sahara", this afternoon. Got the first draft of my BIG PROJECT back, last night, and got a perfect score on it - so I'm "batting 1000" in that class - perfect scores on everything, so far......I just hope that I don't mess up my "record" with the final draft of this Health Ed. program!

To continue with the baseball "theme", we just got some NY Mets tickets for the first of many games we hope to see, this season. Even though Flushing is a bit of a trek for us (really only 40 miles away, but there is always traffic and construction getting from here to Queens), I've always loved going out to Shea Stadium. Besides, then we can visit the World's Fair Grounds, again - the birthplace of IASW! :)

Hope that all is well with all of you! And hope that everything is all right with your computer, Linda! (May I ask - what do you think was / is the issue with it? I hope that it's not "Dell-related"........I was so nervous about getting a Dell when we got our new computer in January, because I had heard some stories about various issues that people have had with them........so far so good with ours.......I hope that yours is OK, too!)

Take care and talk to you soon! :)

[SlightlyGoofy]

It is so painful to incur an expected expense but those ones that sneak up on us are the hardest. There is always something more fun we could have spent the money on. I hope that fixes your car for a long time, Lisa. That is why I buy Camry's. In over twenty years of having them (3 so far) I have only had one non maintenance repair and that was when Tom broke the door handle. Oops, forgot the $50 when the cheap oil place broke something. If I won the lottery I would buy another Camry. Have to confess I did something stupid the other day. I had an extremely busy day Tuesday and when it was time to pick Tom up from bowling to take him to his banquet I was worn out so I decided to take a break, recline the seat and read some magazines a friend had given me instead of going inside to wait for him. I have automatic lights on the car but they do NOT work unless you open the door to exit the car. Luckily there were two knights in white armour equipped with jumper cables who saved my bacon. I had dropped my AAA since they had moved the office so far away and $160 a year is just too darn much for those of us who keep our vehicles in good condtion IMHO. I am going to bake the guys a lemon meringue pie to take next week.

100%. I knew you were worrying about nothing. Now don't cha stress yourself out too much over trying to keep up those standards though. You are so darned good at so many things that trying to be perfect all at of them could take away from a lot of the fun you have in you too. I am proud of you though. I know that you work hard. Does Frank sign your report cards?

I thought maybe I had a virus but I have been scanning all day long and cannot come up with any problems in that area. I am not able to save my info to a disk either and cannot find a restore point either. I had it set for every so often and since I had only had to use it once had not been paying much attention to it. I had read that some Dell 4700's had an issue but I think that has been fixed. Dell always comes out the highest with Consumer Reports so that is what I have been looking to buy when I get a new one. I missed a great deal last week that someone posted on the Boards but I got there a bit too late, through my own fault. Everything just seems unstable. I can shut it down and most of the time it will all come up alright but sometimes it does not. I will keep playing with it. One good thing about today's computers is that they have several ways to do most everything and common sense does miracles.

I had a moment the other day. After I dropped Tom off at his banquet I drove for a bit to get the battery back up and then came back to the church. I was kind of all aflutter because I do not do stuff like that often and was feeling badly about it so I did not eat anything and since I could not hear much of anything I just looked around the room. Right in front of me was a beautiful quilt. I was drawn to a pink square as it is my favorite color and discovered that different families had made their own squares for the quilt. Great idea! Just above the pink square was a blue one with a tiny Noah's ar on it. I looked at for a bit before I discovered that it was twinscandc's family square!! She says she chose the Noah's Ark cause God was sending her children, two by two. LOL

I just bet that many of our other members were volleyball players as well. I would be the only one people might not think was. I used a hula hoop to teach myself to serve to a specific opposing player so that I would be welcome on a team since I was surely not going to be sliding across the floor, on purpose. :rotfl:

I just love the effort you put into the seders and such with your family. They sound so lovely and loving. Does your uncle have someone staying with him now? It is wonderful that he was able to be there for at least one night.

Statistics would not be my thing. I have trouble relating to numbers that are not personally relevant. Has been my curse in school. I could never do what you are doing. Am glad someone is though.

It is drizzling rain here today so I have been weeding gardens, It is easier that way. I have a lot of bulbs to plant too. One of my credit card companies gave me $20 just to use my card this week and then the hardware sent me a $10 gift certificate so I spent it all on flowers. Wish someone would send me a certificate to plant them. (greedy are I not?)

Three weeks to go until you are there. I am wondering if your trip and Becki's might not overlap? We did not need many snow days this year so it should be out early. When she gets back maybe we can get together with Colleen and have the largest Suite Meet in our history. Can't let you and Lauralee have all the fun.

SG/Linda

[colleen costello]

Hi all! Linda, I was thinking of you today. Our fundraiser candles were delivered to Erin's school and the lady who helped us said "Well, I am off to Hope next." I was laughing at what a "small world" it indeed is. Told her I have a pal there, who knows lots of schoolkids thru her grands... Surely Hope is not so big as to have more than 1 elementary school? These are wonderful candles and you may well have been solicited if they are what your local school sold. We were happy with our profit and our now planning our big end-of-the-year carnival.

I have been calling DVC member services every day, making Priority Seatings for our July trip (nice DVC perk). I am caving into my obsessive compulsive tendencies and "double-booking." I am making reservations for lunch AND dinner most days (at the same place), as not sure which we will use. I have general plans but not TOO specific... So far the DVC ladies have said this is fine, but I have a bit of guilt... I suppose as long as I call to cancel whichever one we WON'T use on any given day, I won't go to PS Purgatory. I just get so anxious trying to plan for all contingencies, The problem is the darn weather -- I can't control it! I can look at maps, menus, charts, and reviews but the doggone weather can still cause me to get a late start or cancel an evening... Maybe Mickey needs to put the whole place under a giant dome? :)

School is getting crazy as it always does in the last weeks. Lots of field trips, field days, special events. It is a flurry of activity and I run around like a crazy chicken-woman, from school to school. Often I find two things conflict and I am sent into a dizzing panic of Mommy-guilt, wondering which kid I should acommodate on the given day. Thank goodness I only have two children! :)

I received today the wedding invitation for the "Big Jersey Wedding" we will attend in June. This trip is turning into a huge pain, costing a fortune in clothes and gifts and travel. It has me downright cranky! The truth is (and Linda will back me up here) that Hoosiers are a very casual bunch, and I have grown lazy. The kind of outfit that counts as "dressy enough for a wedding" in Indiana is not even close to what that means in Eastern NJ... So I have a sick feeling that my little family is going to look likea bunch of bumpkins off the onion cart, despite my shopping and spending. I keep picturing us walking into a roomful of Carmella Sopranos, with beaded gowns, gigantic hair and long (fake) nails! Honestly I am not even sure where I COULD purchase the right kind of outfit for this extravaganza, certainly not here in Bloomington. :) Rest assured that I will show up as promised, however, because this whole silly affair is affording me a wonderful opportunity: I am going ot meet Lisa! We are going to get together and carry on and talk Mickey for hours. I have warned her that if she drags poor Frank along, he may not know what hit him. My Mom wants to come to, and I just can't wait. I keep telling myself that all the grief of travel with the kiddos will be worth it for an afternoon with the Rossellos! :)

Hope all is well with everyone. We have a birthday party at the skating rink tomorrow, then -- what else? -- more painting!

Love to all.

[SlightlyGoofy]

Hi there Colleen! I had to smile at your description of Indiana as laid back. Shure is and I am darned lucky it is cause I shure aint't too darned fancy. I even entertained Becki in my bare feet. Hick that I are. LOL I have a sil from NJ and she dresses a bit differently than I do but then Lisa is always so understated and elegant. Does not pay to generalize I guess. LOL I was blessed to have had a mil who took me aside and taught me that less is more but I fear I took it a bit too far. I bet you will look wonderful in whatever you decide to wear and I somehow do not think you will let others determine what is right for YOU. :cheer2:

Making plans is almost, not quite, but almost the best part of the trip. By making plans we can live and relive our trips. I recently made a slide show of my Disney photos to use for a screen saver and I so enjoy seeing my favorite places flash by. Are you planning to eat at any new places this time?

Yes, we have but one elementary and one high school with grades K-2 up the road a bit. I think I was asked about the candles but I just do not buy overpriced things. I often give a donation and they can use 100% of the proceeds. We had an auction here one time that I liked. It was for the HS students though. They auctioned off their services for a day. Great way to make money IMHO. Works in this small town though since everyone knows everyone. You would not want your child off at some strangers home.

A dear friend of mine died yesterday. It was the Trivia Master who headed the group I have belonged to for the past few years. He will be sorely missed and my brain will probably atrophy from lack of use.

Never fear about Frank, he can hold his own just fine. He is a bit quiet but it is the intelligent kind of quiet where he is scoping out the situation and since he had the great taste to marry Lisa you just know that he has a great sense of humor as well as a sense of adventure. They are the nicest couple in the world and you will have a fantastic time cause you are no slouch yourself. :grouphug:

SG/Linda

[IASW Rider]

Hi Everyone!

Hi Linda and Colleen!

So sorry that I had not been able to stop in sooner! And thank you both so much for your wonderful words - you both are too kind! :)

First of all, Colleen, I must reiterate that you and your family are going to look fantastic at that wedding and will put all of the Jersey folks to shame! I'm sure that you will all have a great time! And we can't wait to meet you, too!

We've been thinking about you and Tom, Linda, as we think about our upcoming annual-first-night-dinner at 'Ohana! We will miss you both being there with us, sharing the endless parade of meats-on-skewers, and seeing the EWP with you, too! :( We will be thinking of you! :)

As for entertaining in your bare feet, I rarely wear shoes or socks around the house, unless it's really cold - I am barefoot most of the time - any entertaining I do is probably done in bare feet, and I don't even realize it! :)

That's a great idea about making a donation to a school so that they will receive 100% of the proceeds, Linda! We just got a fundraiser in the mail from the 7 year old son of some friends of ours, asking us to subscribe to magazines to benefit his school. We certainly want to help out........but between Frank and me, we already subscribe to at least 15 different magazines, and with school we find that we have to "struggle" to keep up with them all (and hate giving them away without reading them)! Maybe I will offer to make a donation, instead of getting another magazine subscription that we don't need.

As always, I agree with you that planning a WDW trip is half the fun! I love hearing about all of the PS's that Colleen is making for her upcoming summer trip - it helps us get psyched for our trip, which is now just 13 days away - woo hoo! :)

Uh oh - I just noticed the time - time to run to my very last class of the semester (actually just a review for the final), before final exams! Sorry to end this so abruptly! Hope that all is well with you both and your families! And thanks so much again for all of your thoughtful and wonderful words!

And hope that all is well with the rest of you fellow Suite Mates out there, too! Talk to you soon! :)

[SlightlyGoofy]

Dear Lisa, of all the souveniers I bring back from DW the most precious are the memories and the people we spent time with. Our time together ranks right up there as the best. Hopefully we will be able to replicate it someday soon.

I should have figured you for a barefooter. I yam what I yam and all. No sense in trying to be anything else. :cool1:

The schools are sorely pressed for money in this economy and they need all the help they can get. I used to subscribe to National Geographic World for two teachers but they have since retired. It is amazing the money that teachers have to pay out of their pockets in order to give the kids things they need. Sometimes even buying a warm coat for kids or shoes. Our PTO gives each teacher a stipend to be used as they see fit each year. I do not like the fund raisers around here where the kids go door to door and in big cities and areas it would be even more fearful. I do not know the answer. Actually I do have a few thoughts but will not get into it here. :teacher:

The kids at the Community Center have been meeting at the local playground since the renovation has started on their building. I think I will take my carload of books down to the playground tomorrow and see if anyone wants to read down there. Might be a nice change of scenery. Only having a half day of school tomorrow so Dalton will be coming. His 8th birthday is this weekend so he has a busy time ahead of him. He wanted the Lego Police Set but it will not come in until next week, unless a miracle happens.

I came straight from town and went to a mother daughter banquet this evening. I picked up a dear friend and took her with me. She and her husband are up in years and getting awfully fragile so I think she enjoyed being out and about a bit. I enjoyed spending time with her too. She is a sweetheart. Only bad thing I can say about her is that she makes the most delicious homemade chocolate concoctions. Scary. LOL

Might I ask how far you live from the school? I get a sense that it is not very far as you always seem to be dashing off there. How many hours do you have to attend each week. I hope you enjoyed your last class and are now busy doing the important things of life, planning your upcoming trip.

I'm agoin' to be dreaming of giant seasoned shrimps tonight. Best I ever had and I have had a lot of shrimp in my life.

Good night Suite Ladies, SG/Linda

[SlightlyGoofy]

Am I the only one who has noticed a slight lapse in service around the Suite? Just small things such as a tad bit of dust in the corners, our meals are not appearing quite as quickly and such. At first I just thought that maybe spring fever had hit and the fellers were getting out into the parks a bit more than they had been but last night it hit me.

I was watching American Idol when I realized that there was a familar face on the screen. I had not noticed before because he always wore his hair differently around here. Who knew that our dear Bodacious's last name was Bice?

Now I am a doddering old lady and am not prone to notice men the age of my son, sort of a thing of mine, but I gotta root for Bo's to win the contest even though he might not be available for the Suite anymore. I am hoping it is his talent and personality I am attracted to. :angel:

SG/Linda

[colleen costello]

Hi All! I had a very exciting Disney day today! I got up this morning and called the reservation line, and lo and behold! The AP rates were out for late summer. I scored 5 nights at Port Orleans French Quarter, the only Mod we have yet to try. The rate was $99 per night so my balance when I get down there will be under $400. Pretty good deal! I also discovered that since FQ no longer has a sit-down restaurant, my Disney Dining Card will get me 20% off at their food court! Sounds good to me... The kids are happy about trying out the "serpent" slide. Erin has wanted to go there since seeing a picture of the beast a few years back. :) So we'll have 5 nights at FQ then 6 at Beach Club Villas. I am very excited about having a trip so long that it puts me up in the category of Linda and Tom's "mega-stays!"

I called back later as I have been doing every day for the past week... Been making Priority Seatings one day at a time. Today they informed me they are no longer Priority Seatings! For the life of me I can't recall what they are calling them now but this new change in lingo is surely big news...Tomorrow when I call again I will WRITE DOWN what the new term is and we can all memorize it.. Meanwhile I made a seating for Chef Mickey's for TWELVE... God help the waitress! It will be my family of 4 plus my parents, my friend John and his wife and 2 daughters plus his parents (who live in The Villages like Linda's pal and are a walking commercial for the joys of Florida retirement, according to John). I can just IMAGINE the roar of the 12 of us, catching up and carrying on. It should be a lot of fun.

So that's all. Still busy at school every day with various trips and events and programs. The last month is always crazy. Hope all is well with everyone in the Suite. Lisa, I will Email you ASAP!

xoxo

[SlightlyGoofy]

Colleen, you will be making 'advance reservations' now. I know many used to misunderstand what Priority Reservations were and got upset when they had some waiting time with PR. DW's reservations are really more like when you call ahead to some restaurants. You do not go right in but are seated in the order that you arrive. LOL

POR? That is my favorite resort that we have stayed at. I think you will absolutely love it. It is also so romantic there and is small enough that you and your hubby could take a small stroll when the kids are asleep. I know you are like me and would not want to be out of room sight but just being outside of the room after spending several days cooped up together can be a Godsend. LOL Back when we used to stay there they had a sit down restaurant too and it was better than most of the deluxes IMO. I hope they still have the piano player in the evenings. It is a most delightful way to wind down the day. My grands are bound and determined that they want to stay there someday for the pool slide. I took them over for a tour once and they fell in love with the place. I am so happy for you and you got a great price too. The lowest I have seen is $74 but $99 right now is super and I would not want certain things to happen again that would make the bottom dollar prices necessary again. Even I am NOT that cheap. Make sure to have some beignets for breakfast at least one morning. Boatwright's used to be one our favorites but alas, no more. You can even take the boat over to DTD in the evenings. The bus service is great also. You done good gal!!!

I wonder if you guys are going to be at Chef Mickey's the same night that my friend who runs the Community Center is. She will be there Memorial Day weekend for a three day trip, her first. Poor dear. I am trying to tell her not to judge possible future trips by this one. Her sister is getting married there. The waitstaff at DW is well able to handle your party. They have far worse things to handle than a bunch of fun loving Disney fans. LOL

My friend from The Villages just got home a couple of weeks ago and is now in the process of taking down her Christmas tree. Since she is even more Disney nuts than you all are, hard to believe isn't it??, she has literally hundreds of tiny Disney ornaments to carefully pack away. Must be a bit surreal.

BTW, you only have to add 11 days to your trip to match our personal best. I am thinking 14 next trip, we shall see. Gotta see the performers schedule for the F&W shows first. I am grateful that there was no one I really cared about on the F&G schedule as I had seen them all.

Looking forward to a get together with you after you get rested up from your trip. Lotsa pictures to look at too. :3dglasses

Love, SG/Linda

[IASW Rider]

Hey Everyone!

Hi Linda and Colleen!

Linda - fear not - Boatwright's is still there! (At least it had better be, because we are planning to eat there in less than 2 weeks! :)) It's the sit down restaurant in French Quarter (I can't recall its name) that closed. I think it's sort of strange that there is only one sit down restaurant for such a huge resort (if you count French Quarter and Riverside as "one resort"), but at least each one does have its own food court! And the piano player is definitely still at Riverside in the lounge - you can hear him while you're eating dinner in Boatwright's too!

So THAT explains why we haven't seen our Suite gentlemen around here, lately - they are all in California, cheering on Bo in "American Idol"! Oh well, if they have to be in the greater Los Angeles area, maybe they can stop by Disneyland and visit the Happiest Homecoming Celebration, there! :)

Speaking of which, HAPPY 05/05/05, Everyone! :) :) :) :) :)

Happy Birthday to Dalton! Are you all having a party for him, this weekend? Wow - 8 years old - he is really growing up! I'm sure that he is going to love his Legos, too!

I am so sorry to hear about your Trivia Master friend. That is very sad. I'm sure that he knows how many people cared about him and how many people he brought together through the Trivia competitions. Hopefully you all can continue to play in his honor and in his memory.

School is not very far away from where we live, at all - just 4 miles away, right next to one of the Rutgers campuses! Both UMDNJ and Rutgers have campuses in the 2 towns that our next to ours, New Brunswick and Piscataway. UMDNJ is also affiliated with 2 major hospitals which are located in New Brunswick. So it doesn't take very much time for me to get there, at all - it's just a quick hop across the Raritan River to Piscataway to get to the School of Public Health!

I love those shrimps at 'Ohana too, Linda! YUM! I also love all of the neat appetizers that they put on the lazy susan! I just love that place!

Hi Colleen! No problem - please be in touch when ever you have a chance - it's always great to hear from you! And CONGRATULATIONS on getting your reservation at POFQ!!!! I knew that it would work out for you all! And it's so neat that you made that great, "communal" PS - uh, I mean - "AR" (?!?!) for Chef Mickey's, too! You are all going to have a blast! :)

In case anyone is interested, Regis and Kelly will be showing pieces from WDW next Wednesday, Thursday (when the show will be broadcast live from WDW), and Friday (they will be in DL on Monday and Tuesday). They've already started taping segments for next week's shows! Also, keep your eyes open for Happiest Homecoming Celebration pieces on "Good Morning, America" next week, too!

One more final exam and then I'm done! And just 10 more days 'til we blast off for THE PROMISED LAND! :)

Hope that all is well with all of you! Talk to you soon! :)

[SlightlyGoofy]

Hi ya Lisa!! I did not make myself clear when I was rambling on about POR. I do not even remember the name of the sit down restaurant there but it was good and the prices were reasonable. Had to be back in those days for us to have been able to afford it. LOL Since Boatwrights is not too far away I had thought that Colleen and gang might end up there one night. It used to be such a great place to eat as the food was so original, alligator and all kinds of sweet potato things. They still have some sweet potato items. You can tell by how quiet the place is that others feel likewise. We usually go over to the old DL to hear the piano player in the lounge, choosing to sit in the front area so that we are not made to get up and perform LOL but there also used to be a piano player in the area in front of the bar/lounge at POR. I got drunk there one time. Long, embarrassing story. Does not take much to ge me drunk mind you and it wasted a whole day of Disney so I have sworn off since then.

How convenient to be so close to your campus. As I remember there were sometimes several hours between classes and to be able to go home rather than have to hang around is a great luxury.

I am not sure that Darth our trivia master knew how much he meant to us all. He was a very special guy but he did not have much self confidence in spite of having plenty of reason to have plenty. I doubt that anyone would step forward to do as much work as he had done and especially with such a high degree of trustworthyness. It is am important quality to have so that people feel the game was fair and square. Many who run such games do so out of a need to be in charge and boss of it all and often have favorites. I will greatly miss him and the game. It was truly the highlight of my week. I am the final Grand Poohbah of the game, Small comfort.

I saw some scenes from both DW and DL on the Good Morning America show today. Lots on the new stunt show and it looked like lots of fun. I even got to see the interior of Walt's apartment at DL.

Promised land huh? I have friends who are there now but they went to Israel, I will have to tell them they were wrong. LOL I get chills walking into Monicello or any such historic home and cannot imagine how I would feel being in the Holy Land. Even more emotional than when I enter DW and that is saying something.

I have the front gardens planted and watered today but am taking a break now as I have to stop to get a bit sick in between jobs. Old age is such fun. Ok, so I am not all that old yet but at this rate I am not sure but that I am glad of the fact that I will probably not make it It was so bad yesterday that Dalton offered to help me up from the couch. I sang him a verse or two of High Hopes, especially the ant and the rubber tree plant.

Yes, big doings for Dalton's birthday weekend. Everyone is gathering at our daughters for Sunday. Will be our second invite of the year. While I am glad of it I am sorely worried about dd getting any rest herself. I am going to make the deviled eggs and potato salad so that she will not stay up all night doing it, she would. Dalton has requested that I make some Cherry Fluff and hide it in his refrigerator (does not like to share).

The Community Center was fantastic yesterday as I got two kids who had never read a book to read one and they were so very proud of themselves. Now, if only I have a few other volumes in their level so that I can keep them going. Long rule Dr. Suess!!!

05/05/05?? I had not even noticed that. Trust you to notice and alert us. I depend you for such. :cheer2:

Feeling better and I am off to plant the geraniums now.

SG/Linda

[IASW Rider]

Hi Everyone!

Happy Mother's Day to all of the wonderful Mothers in the Suite! When the boys get back from cheering on Bo, on "American Idol", they will be putting together a lovely brunch for all of you in 1900 Park Faire! :)

Hi Linda!

You know, I was kicking myself after I read that they showed all kinds of stuff from WDW and DL on "Good Morning, America" on Thursday morning! I had turned on "GMA" several mornings last week, thinking that they might show footage then, but like an idiot, it didn't occur to me to turn on the TV that morning! Fortunately, my friend Mike (the one who works at the Motor Stunt Show) taped it and has already transferred it to DVD, so I am going to steal a copy from him. He said that the broadcast of the Stunt Show stuff was actually shot live on Thursday morning (he's the Show Controller / Special Effects guru, so he was responsible for all of the explosions that you saw in those scenes!). Also, in case anyone is interested there will be WDW footage shown on "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" tomorrow night!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO DALTON! I'm sure that his party will be wonderful! And please save me some of those deviled eggs - I just love those! :)

They definitely still have the sweet potato things at Boatwright's! They even have sweet potato pancakes on the breakfast menu! Unfortunately, I'm not a sweet potato / yam fan, but Frank loves them and he really enjoyed some of those dishes, there, last year! Sorry that I misunderstood - I definitely remember there being a sit down restaurant at POFQ, years ago. It's strange that they now only have one sit down restaurant for such a huge resort ("counting" FQ and Riverside as one resort). But the food courts in both are very good! I just love that place - I know that Colleen and her family will enjoy staying there (and then she can give us her "official ranking" of all of the Moderate Resorts, since after staying in FQ, she will have stayed in each and every one of them!)

Well, we have just a week and a day until we blast off - yipee! :) Now I just have to make myself calm down and concentrate so that I can get through my last final on Monday night........and then.........LET THE PACKING FRENZY BEGIN!

Guess what? When I e-mailed the final draft of my big Health Education project to my professor, she wrote back to confirm receipt, told me that it was nice to have me in her class..........and offered me a Graduate Research Assistant position! :) I'm not sure that I will take it, as it's not really in my area of interest (plus I don't know if / how it would fit into my summer class schedule, fall class schedule, how long-term it would be, etc.), but whether or not I do, I am very flattered that she thought of me and asked - ESPECIALLY since that professor is not only my Advisor, but she's also the Chair of the Health Education Department! :)

Congratulations on inspiring 2 new readers at the Community Center! That is wonderful, and it must be such a great feeling to know that you have started them on a path of discovery through reading! (I love to read!)

And I'm sure that your gardens look great, too! Remember to send lots of pictures when they are complete!

Speaking of "the Promised Land", my father is actually thinking about going there (to Israel, that is) with my uncle, this summer. He has never been there before and has always wanted to go. My uncle has been there many times, knows his way around very well, and even lived there on a Kibbutz (sort of like a communal farm, where everyone lives together and works the land) for awhile. But my uncle's Parkinson's has been getting worse and they're not sure that they will be able to go. My father feels that maybe being in Israel will lift my uncle's spirits and will make him feel better, but my uncle is hesitant to have to sit on a plane for 14 hours (he has difficulty sitting or standing for long periods of time) and is afraid of falling when walking. He's going to his specialist in a few weeks, so I guess they will wait to hear what the doctor says before making a final decision. On the one hand, I hope that they go because I know how much my uncle loves it there and I know that it would mean a lot to my father to go. On the other hand, I would be nervous about their going there, not just because of the constant threat of violence but because of both of their health(s) and their being so far away. We'll see what happens.

ANYWAY, hope that all is well with all of you and hope that you're all having a great weekend! Take care.

[TalkisCheap]

:wave2: Yes, I know...long time no post! And I'm very sorry to admit that. I love hearing about everything going on but it seems like all the days run together and the unread posts amount quickly! School is almost done for the year{11 days, hopefully!} and so keeping caught up will definitely be a lot easier when I have a chance to really sit down before 6 p.m.! I have to thank Slightly Goofy for her stop by the teen thread which influenced me to come and post, and beg your forgiveness for being absent so long! ;) :)

I'm sure I missed a lot, so if anything important happened in my absense I'd appreciate a recap and in return I'm definitely keeping caught up from now on! I sorely miss the going ons of all of our suite members!

Life is hectic as usual around here. I can't believe I'm almost down 8th grade - and homeschooling! As anxious as I am to have this year over, I'm more anxious for the next school year to arrive! Although I won't pretend I'm not scared by the concept of a completely new school filled with strangers, and the daunting task of expiriencing schoolwork{and homework} for the first time since 1st grade, the excitement of a drastic life change will be quite welcome in my rather monotonous life! However there are only 24 hours in a day, and I'm a little worried everything I want to do next year will fit in! Honors courses, various clubs, and a Class A sport every season is a little overwhelming to think of now but I'm sure once I get into the swing of high school everything will run smoothly!

Besides finishing this year of school and preparing for next year, track season has gotten into full swing. Our first meet was rained out, but our second was Wednesday. I didn't do as well as I would have liked, but I finished 1st in the high jump, 2nd in the 400, and my relay team finished 1st. I've been working at the high school meets the past two weeks, where I worked at the high jump and so I've been exposed to the best{and worst} techniques and I really feel I can excel by the end of the year if I set my mind to it. My coachs certainly believe in me, which gives me confidence, and I really want to do well this year and establish a good reputation for next year. Especially since I'm going to a school with a virtually non-exsistant track team{the school I'm going to, if you remember, is a private, catholic establishment that was all boys until 5 years ago. So, needless to say their girl's sports programs arn't the strongest.}

So that's what has been going on with me. Although looking back at the little I have to do in a day compared to all my parents and even my two older siblings accomplish, makes me wonder how they fit any more in! It seems that days are flying by, and most of the time I wish I could slow it down. Only four weeks and I'll be saying goodbye to my two favorite coaches, and my countless friends I see just at track. It's amazing how fast three years can go by, and it seems like just yesterday I was entering sixth grade, in a new town, without knowing a person. At the same time, though, it's astonishing to think of all that has happened since then and how I've changed and grown{hopefully all for the better!} since that time.

My family is good, as I hope all of your's are as well! It's quite a relief around here now that my sister has chosen which university she's planning on attending, and having her future settled. After many discussions, several tear filled ones, and much to my parent's happiness she's decided on Fairfield Univeristy in Connecticut. My parents really thought it was a good fit for her, and although it was not her first choice, the financial aid, my parent's persuassion, and several of her fellow classmates going there as well, finally settled the decision and made for a much more pleasent household! My brother is doing well at Villanova, and it's startling to think he'll be halfway done college on Wednesday!

Well, it's late and I'm tired. I'm getting over a cold and last night my friend slept over so I've been a little sleep deprived. I'm glad I came in time to wish all you mother's a VERY Happy Mother's Day! I'll be spending tomorrow at my Uncle's with my family to celebrate, and I hope you all have a special day as well. Take care,

Caroline

[colleen costello]

Hi everyone! Caroline, how nice to hear from you. Hope you have a nice day with your Mom! It seems to me that any Mom who homeschools deserves EXTRA accolades! :)

Girls, that now-closed restaurant at PO-FQ was my dad's FAVE. I think it was "Bonfamille's" or something very close to that. We ate there for breakfast once and my Dad has never forgotten it. Neither have we... He ordered a crawfish omelette! EEEW! Now if you ask me, a crawfish looks an awful lot like a cockroach, and my Mom agrees. He ordered it and we were just about ILL watching him eat it. On the top of the thing they sat a whole crawfish, cooked, and I swear the eyes looked at you before you dug in. So that omelette and the now-closed restaurant are a part of our family's "Disney folkore."

I am looking forward to staying at PO-FQ in less than 90 days. All week I made "Advanced Reservations" at all sorts of wonderful places. Got Boma, 'Ohana, Chef Mickey's, Hollywood and Vine, Kona, Sci-Fi at MGM and Cape May Cafe. We will of course have a meal or two at Beaches & Cream, but they don't accept reservations. Of course we'll fill in with pancake dinners at Perkins! I am really looking forward to the trip. While I love Riverside, I think the smaller size of French Quarter wil be perfect for steamy July. Then it's over to Beach Club Villas, where my parents have never stayed. I think they'll love it!

I am having a GREAT Mother's Day weekend. Yesterday we went to the home improvement store and I got a new mailbox and a tree for Mom's day. We got the nice mailbox with the newspaper box included right in there (so we can toss the tacky plastic news box that was attached to the old mailbox) and we got a River Birch tree and planted it on the front lawn. I also got some annual flowers and potted them. We spent the afternoon installing all of our purchases and at night we hit the local ice cream place and I got butter pecan, my favorite. Then we all watched a movie together. Today we are going to my friend Tisha's for a BBQ. The weather is warm and sunny and we have taken advantage of that!

Hope everyone enjoys the rest of this lovely weekend. Happy Mother's Day to all!

[SlightlyGoofy]

Colleen, surely you did not mean to say that any mother who has Caroline around all day long deserves a special prize? LOL I love those mailboxes, they make the whole street look nicer and they are almost indestructible. I bought my dd and dsil one for Christmas a few years back and they were underwhelmed but they are won over now, especially since I pointed out the fact that it was black and gold (Purdue colors). Did your dh plant everything for you or did you have to install your Mother's Day presents? I see you, laying in the lounge, pointing out what you wanted done. (dreams are nice) Might I suggest that you try out the Golden Corral, near Perkin's on your next trip? If you pick up a coupon book in the entry you can get breakfast for $5 , including drinks (oj, coffee, hot cocoa etc.) The buffet is not to be believed, especially for that price. Several different versions of each breakfast favorite and so pretty as well. I am afraid that Perkin's had declined in status on our last trip. The Ale House is fantastic as well. Bonfamille's was the name of the restaurant. You named my hubby's favorite breakfast dish too. Ugh!!

Caroline, being homeschooled, especially as well as you have, has more than prepared you to face the world of high school. My only fear for you is that you might find many to be very immature but then you will also find that out in the cold cruel world. So you do not think you are up to your family standards? Bet you are the only one who feels that way. It is touching that you respect your family so much though. I can never figure out when you sleep as it is. Hooray for your sister making the big decision. I bet it is a relief for her also. Getting through college without incuring huge debts is a good thing.

You will be a great asset to your new school in setting up a better sports program. Since you are a leader you can make your mark there and know that you have helped others on their way as well.

In life nothing stays the same. Many people, places and possessions will pass through your life and each will change you and teach you. It is NOT what happens to you but how you deal with it that counts and you are well on your way already.

Lisa, I am surprised at your getting the job offer. Actually I am most surprised that it has not happened before now. LOL How wonderful would it be if you could get a job so close to home, whether that one or a better one some day. I can see you in academia. Oh, I hope that your dad and uncle can make that trip. Maybe a guided tour would be best so that they would not have much stress and would have someone to watch over them in case of illness? Dalton had a great birthday but got hurt last night bouncing on a trampoline. A friend of mine was there and told me got hurt and sat all alone on a chair afterward. I guess I am too much of a fussy mother as I would have been holding him. Heck, who am I kidding, I would be holding a strange crying kid too. LOL Sorry, the deviled eggs were the first to go. Great low carb food ya know.

I am glad that your friend was able to copy the DW shows for you. Thanks to your heads up I am taping the Makeover show to see later. We are watching Elvis tonight. Thank you, thank you verry much! (grin)

SG/Linda

[IASW Rider]

Hey Everyone!

Hope that you all had a very Happy Mother's Day! And hope that Dalton had a Happy Birthday, too, Linda! I'm sorry to hear about his getting hurt, though - how is he feeling, now? I hope that he forgot all about being hurt and was able to enjoy his special day! (AND that cherry fluff! :))

I LOVED the story about your father's crawfish omelette, Colleen! That is so funny! (I'm glad that I didn't have to see it, though.......it sounds kinda scary! :)) So glad to hear that your trip plans are coming along nicely and that you've secured all of those great PS's! :) And I'm sure that the outside of your house is looking just as beautiful as the newly re-painted inside is!

CONGRATULATIONS on finishing 8th grade, Caroline! That is so exciting - it's a real milestone! And I'm sure that you will do wonderfully in your new school, next year - it's like a whole new "chapter" of your life is beginning - it's a great time for you! And no doubt you will have an amazing track season, as always - you'll have to keep us posted about your meets! Great to hear from you and so glad to hear that all is well with you and your family! Congratulations to your brother for being half way done with college and congratulations to your sister for selecting one! Lots of great things happening for all of you and lots of great things to look forward to!

Well, I've officially finished my first semester of graduate school, now, with my last exam completed last night! Now we'll just have to see how my grades come out.........! Of course, I ceremoniously received my summer session term bill, today - great timing! :) Anyway, now that that exam is over, I can concentrate on the REALLY important stuff..........GETTING READY TO GO TO WDW!!!!!!! :) :) :) :)

We'll be bringing in the suitcases to air them out, soon, and I'm already accumulating the "weird stuff" = stuff that we're most likely to forget to pack, like our cell phone charger, stamps, video cassettes for the camcorder, etc. and putting them all in one place so that we don't forget them! Just 5 more days! :)

We've been taping "Regis and Kelly", this week - they've been having some cute segments from DL. They'll be in WDW the rest of the week, so we'll have to be sure to tape those and see them, too!

Anyway, time to think about what to make for dinner. I like what I'll be "making" for dinner next week better, though...........PS's! (or whatever they're called, now! :)) Hope that all is well with all of you and hope that you had a great weekend! I'll check in again before we blast off! :)

[SlightlyGoofy]

Lisa, we are like minded. I always air out my suitcases and start getting the odd things ready too. I do keep a couple of fabric softener sheets in my suitcase so that it smells good when I open it though. The hardest part of packing was always the 'bathroom' stuff so I finally bought a small case that holds it all and it is always ready to go as I refill it after each trip. I also keep a master list of things to do before and after the trip so that I do not forget as many things. LOL

A crawfish is a nasty looking creature. Figures that Tom would like it. He is attracted to strange things. Ummmm, I had better think THAT one over LOL

I hope the tutiion bill was not too hard to contemplate. They are raising prices around here like crazy. It is frightening to think what college will cost when Dalton comes of age. I may well be the oldest Wal Mart greeter in history. :flower: I know that your grades will validate whatever the cost of your education though.

I caught a few minutes of Regis this morning before I had to head out and was struck by how tiny their castle is. I have a whole folder of Castle photos in my files. Is one of my favorite scenes.

Are you guys going to do that meal plan? Have I asked you if you were going to try any new places, or are there any you have NOT tried?

Never fear about dear Dalton, the kid bounces. He is tough. He was glad to have grandma's attention though. Austin was sick last week too and I had to go get him at school as he had a terrible headache. His face was as red as a beet. They are not allowed to give an aspirn or Tylenol nowadays. I got him back on his feet after some medication and a few hours of sleep though.

I am taking a group to tour our new Hospice facility tomorrow. It is such a comfort to know that we have something like that available around here. It is a beautiful place and I am sure comforts many families.

SG/Linda

[IASW Rider]

Hi Linda!

So glad to hear that Dalton was all right and that Austin is feeling better, too!

And when Frank and I were watching the "Regis and Kelly" tape last night, we were also commenting on how tiny Sleeping Beauty Castle is! It's like a little, miniature version of Cinderella Castle! I'm sure that it is breathtaking to see, in person, though - and I like the way that they decorated both castles for the 50 Years celebration (a lot better than the big, pink "cake" in 1996! :))! I hope that we get to visit DL some day - it would be neat to see "the original", although I can't imagine that it wouldn't be a bit disappointing after being at WDW so many times!

We are not doing the meal plan, since our land stay is part of the cruise package (all of our meals on the ship are "taken care of", though, with the exception of a $10 fee to dine in the "adult restaurant", Palo, which is amazing!). But that's OK - we tend not to eat every meal, anyway, and the one time that I did do the meal plan, I felt compelled to eat big meals at sit-down restaurants 3 times a day, to "justify" the cost of the plan. It's better for us when we "do our own thing"!

We are going back to our "old favorites": 'Ohana (of course! :)) on Sunday night, the Hollywood Brown Derby on Monday, and the Kona Cafe on Wednesday morning. And then Wednesday night.........unbeknowst to Frank (and I hope that I can KEEP IT THAT WAY until then! :)), we are having dinner at Victoria and Albert's, as one of my (early) anniversary gifts to Frank! I'm still figuring out how I will convince Frank that he needs to wear a jacket to Narcoossee's, which is where he THINKS that we're having dinner that night! :) I know that it's ridiculously expensive, but we love food and wine and we always talk about how we "have to try Victoria and Albert's some day"..........so what the heck? We only live once - why wait? :) We also left 2 nights open for meeting up with our CM pals, so we'll probably be dining in the World Showcase (their favorite) on one of those evenings.

I can't wait to check out the "new and improved" IASW and see the new shows........and gather my courage to try Soarin'! :)

I apologize for failing to respond to your suggestion in your last post - if my father and uncle were to go to Israel this summer, my father himself would be the "caretaker" (as he always is - like I always say, he missed his calling and really should have been a doctor or a nurse!), looking out for my uncle, getting him a wheelchair in the airport if he needs it, etc. As for touring, they wouldn't tour very much - my uncle has seen everything after being there so many times and my father is only really interested in seeing the Western / Wailing Wall. If he wanted to see anything else, I'm sure that my uncle would "guide" or advise - neither of them have any patience for formal tours! I hope that they get to go, too.........although I would be a nervous wreck with both of them so far away in a country that is prone to violence, for 3 weeks!

That's so nice that you're taking the group to tour the hospice facility, tomorrow - I also think it's nice that there is a place like that in your area, and it's nice of you to bring people to show them!

My term bill wasn't anything that I didn't expect.......I'd estimated how much the classes would be before I registered, so that I wouldn't be totally shocked when the tuition bill came. The classes are actually not all that more expensive than the undergraduate classes that I was taking at Rutgers last year were (surprisingly!). It helps that I live in state, too! Since I'm only taking 2 or 3 classes at a time, the tuition is sort of "staggered" the tuition so that I don't get hit with huge amounts all at once (likewise I take 2 or 3 classes at a time so that I don't get hit with huge amounts of work at once)!

OK - time to tear myself away from the computer and get some more things done! Have a good night and talk to you soon! :)

[SlightlyGoofy]

Dear Lisa, as usual you have come up with the perfect way to celebrate an occasion. I can see you guys at V&A and cannot wait to hear what you think of it. Will you be at a Chef's Table? I fear I would not survive the second course if wine was included. As you might remember I get drunk rather easily but I am violently allergic to wine, sulfites. Do you have your meal selections made? Bet you do. LOL

Can you imagine how crowded the center part of the Castle must get at DL? I guess even dear Walt had not idea how many people would flock to his park. There was a site that told of the many differences between the two parks and some parts of DL sounded interesting but it is not something I am likely to ever see. Wish I were more capable but alas I am not. :smooth: The pink castle was a bust with me also. The Castle is the centerpiece of the park and when it is so different it is most disappointing. I have enjoyed seeing pictures of the newest version and I think it looks similar but a bit special. Congrats to the Imagineers.

I have considered the meal plans from every point of view and fear that while we might save a few dollars I would gain far more pounds and it is not worth it for me. Have read of many having problems getting PS (or whatever) for their restaurant of choice and ending up with many extra coupons left over and that would negate any possible savings. We are not much on the fancy restaurants anyway cause Tom has to have a lot. I well remember his face when we ate at the Brown Derby one time. LOL Luckily I had plenty of the Cobb Salad to share or he would have died of starvation. I truly enjoyed the Kona Cafe. We went to go to O'Hana's one night and had to settle but it was fantastic albeit I did NOT like the KoKo Puffs. Must be because I make my own from scratch and it is hard to beat anything freshly made.

I bet you notice every single new nuance of IASW. Is in your nature to do such. I hope they did not mess up my White Room though, that is my favorite part. You do the Soaring and make a report because unless I should decide to commit suicide by fear it ain't a gonna happen. (to me)

It is fantastic that your dad is in such good shape that he is not only able to take such a trip but take care of his brother too. He is doing so well. I remember when you worried about him. Parents are as able to surprise as their children. LOL

The Hospice was wonderful. So much attention to detail and so homey feeling, if you live in perfection. Family friendly. I am thrilled to know that not only is something like available for myself or family but I know many of the people who run it so it means a bit more. It is not for profit so Medicare and/or private insurance are billed but anything not covered is not billed. It is one of the things that Tom and I contribute to. Since we do not support a church we donate a percentage of our income to a select group of things that we believe in. Might not be for everyone but works for us.

I did not doubt that two such financially savvy people would have failed to plan for tuition bills. If only everyone had such training. I think our school children need some training in basic life skills, although I doubt that many of them would appreciate the lessons until later in life. I left home without even having lit a match or used a paring knife. Everything I learned I did the hard way. :confused3

I will be going to Helenabear's neck of the woods the end of the month. My sister is having surgery and for some reason she thinks I am the only one who can possibly take care of her just because I used to change her diapers. She lives in a tri level house so I should get plenty of exercise. The plan is for me to spend a few days but you never know so I cannot tell you when I will be back. I am to leave the 27th.

Would you believe I missed a visit by Becki? To make it worse she sent me an email that she might come by Friday and I just remembered I promised someone I would go see them at a Senior Fair thing in Columbus.

Turned the air conditioning on for the first time this season. All seems to be working well. I hate that first moment when you turn things on for the season as sometimes you get an unpleasant surprise. I had a rather bad asthma attact at the Hospice so I decided it was better to spend some bucks on cooling the house rather than cooling my heels in a hospital. No fool I. (sometimes)

I had better get some work done. It is going to cooler tomorrow and the weeds await.

:wave2: SG/Linda

[SlightlyGoofy]

I am truly a terrible person. Today is nice and cool and since it rained last night it was a perfect day for pulling the myriad weeds that have sprouted up with all the rain and sun. Did I do that? No, but it is NOT by fault. Regis and Kelly came on and promised me sights of Disney. I am amply supplied with various recording devices that could have saved the material for a more appropriate time but instead I decided to dust the living room. It is now the cleanest room in my house. Each book has been removed and dusted underneath. My collection of Disney toys are immaculate and shining. Even my desk has clean spots on it. I am truly a Disneyaholic and the worst thing is that I am unrepentant.

I kept hoping that Becki might come by and share my addiction too. Only thing better than a Disney day is having a similarly afflicted person to share it with you.

Slightly Goofy/Linda

[IASW Rider]

Hi Linda!

You are not a "terrible person" - you can take care of those weeds another time! It sounds like you got plenty done inside your house, anyway! :)

That's so nice that you are going out to be with your sister while / after she has her surgery. It's not a serious procedure, I hope? I'm sure that she will be comforted by knowing that you will be there for her when it's all finished, and I'm sure that your presence will help speed her recovery!

I also think that your idea of contributing to organizations and causes which you feel worthy is a wonderful idea - we do the same thing, and we contribute to our synagogue by paying annual dues, too. The Hospice sounds like a wonderful and valuable place to have nearby.

We watched Regis and Kelly the past several days, too! I love seeing all of the "backdrops" of WDW and the cute little segments that they've been doing (like Kelly interviewing the kids in DL and her taking her staff on their workouts through the parks, today). Can't wait to see Regis try to become a stunt person at LMA, tomorrow! :) It was also neat to see the musical numbers from Cinderellabration (our Princess pal was in that piece! She was Snow White!) and Festival of the Lion King, too!

I didn't reserve us the Chef's Table at V&A's - I figured that dinner will be expensive enough at a "regular table"! I doubt that we'll do the wine pairings, either - we'll just pace ourselves with individual glasses of wine, there. They say that a typical dinner there can take up to 3 hours.......and our PS is at 9:30 PM..........when I made the PS the lady told me to expect that we will be there past midnight! :) I don't know exactly what we'll be having for dinner because they change the menu at V&A's every night. But I do know that we will be receiving a souvenir "copy" of our menu, with our names, the date, and the fact that we're celebrating our 3rd anniversary printed on it! :) Again - I hope that I can keep it a secret until next Wednesday night! :)

Well, time to go.........it's time for the annual ritual of bringing the suitcases in from the garage and starting to air them out - yipee! :)

Hope that all is well with all of you and hope that you're all having a great day! :)

[IASW Rider]

Hey Everyone!

I don't know if I'll have a chance to check in again before we blast off (at 5:00 AM!!!) Sunday morning (remember how I only had 3 hours of sleep on the first day, last year, Linda? Here we go again! :)), so I just wanted to stop by and wish you all a great week! Unlike previous years, we won't have the laptop with us this year, unfortunately, so I won't be able to post in from The World. :( (That's what happens when one acquires a digital camera that is sophisticated enough so that one DOES NOT have to upload pictures every night before taking more. :) ) But please know that we will be thinking of all of you........especially when we see the EWP from the shores of the Poly in just a little over 48 hours from now! :) And will be thinking of you at 'Ohana, Linda, and at Kona, Colleen! "Crazy Guy With Fish" and IASW, here we come! :)

Take care and have a Magical Week! Love ya! - Lisa :)

[SlightlyGoofy]

Dear Lisa

Please get your rest now so that you can truly enjoy every single moment you are at DW. Even as good spirited as you guys are you cannot have the full value of your vacation if you are too tired. Should I come over and tuck you guys in on Saturday night? :flower:

Everyone, except me, is headed there this month. I am despondent. Shucks, darn and other harsh words. :rolleyes: If it cannot be me I will have to content myself with the fact that my dear friends will be there.

I had a lovely visit by Becki this afternoon. I was not supposed to be home but since I was too sick to drive it was a wonderful surprise to see Becki. Next time she is to come empty handed. I threatened her and she looked truly frightened. :rotfl: She brought me a flower to make me feel better. Seeing her smiling face was enough to do that. I was even able to eat some dinner.

I was able to recognize a couple of people in the Lion King program. Not my favorite lead singer though. The Stunt Car show looks awesome. Tom will love that one and so will I, if we can sit down a bit lower than the top of the stadium.

I like the idea of paying annual dues to your church/synagogue. I truly understand that they need to know how much is coming in so that they can plan but if I give 10% to them I would have scant little left for other things that are important. For years my main charity was helping to support my mom. I know many think differently than I do but hey, is fine with me.

I am glad that you are NOT taking your laptop. This is a time to enjoy yourself and not worry about reporting to others. Cut back on the postcards and such too. I once spent an entire day at sea writing cards and decided to not do that anymore. I put names and addresses on those peel off labels and that makes it easier to send cards to those I do send to.

I will be envisioning you in your little black dress, acting like a swell, at V&A. Bet you guys are the pets of the place. Do you ever write reports on your trips to post on the DIS? I am betting that yours would be right up there with Zurgswife and such.

May the weather be balmy and only rain at night, may the EWP be at full force, may you get to ride IASW over and over (if it is not busy and you ask it is allowed, we have done it) and may every parade be the best you have ever seen. God bless and we will miss you, greatly, until you return to the Suite to plan your NEXT trip. :cheer2:

Love, SG/Linda

[IASW Rider]

Thank you, Linda! We'll miss you and Tom! :(

And I'll miss all of you, here in the Suite! Once again, have a great week, Everyone! xxxxx - :)

[SlightlyGoofy]

Dear Lisa and Frank

While we will miss you our hearts with be soothed by knowing that you are in the midst of the Magic and we will patiently await your return. :wave2:

What evening are you going to see EWP so that we can gather in the Suite to watch over you guys?

Slightly Goofy/Linda

[IASW Rider]

Look for us at 9:00 PM tomorrow night! (And if you miss us then, look over at the Grand Floridian at around 9:45 PM on Wednesday night - we'll sneak out of Victoria and Albert's to get one last peek at the EWP that night, too! :)) Bye again! (I know - you're all probably like "why doesn't she just LEAVE, already?!") :)

[SlightlyGoofy]

I have the dates and times written down and will make my plans accordingly. Tomorrow I will toast you and Frank with a hot cup of my new blueberry tea.

Now don't cha be answering this post. Have a nice dinner and get plenty of sleep. You need your energy for DW.

SG/Linda

[colleen costello]

Well it is Sunday at around 1pm here which is 2pm Florida time... By now Lisa and Frank are probably settling in at Riverside (or at least heading there on a giant Disney bus!) It is so exciting to me to realize that all this week they will be enjoying WDW and then the beautiful Carribean. I always say the next best thing to traveling myself is living vicariously through the trips of good friends. I miss Lisa already! We should all be treated to some great photos once she returns.

Is anyone else from the Suite heading south this summer or am I next? We leave July 24th and it can't come soon enough for me! I have a lot of plans and most of the best ones involve enjoying tropical drinks alongside the wonderful pool at Beach Club. I wish I was there NOW!

Hope everyone is having a great weekend.

Colleen

[SlightlyGoofy]

A tiny bit of the sunshine is gone from around here. I hope everyone remembers to be here tonight to 'watch' the EWP with Frank and Lisa. Having gotten to see it with them once I have to say it is an unique experience. They have probably seen it a few dozen times but their level of enthusiasm is still contagious.

Colleen, I believe you ARE the next to go. Rider would know for sure, she knows everything. LOL You will be there on my birthday too!! As much as I love DW the summer is not for me. I am headed to the doctor tomorrow for asthma problems now and I well remember the hot days way back BEFORE I got sick. Would only venture then for the sake of my grandkids.

Colleen and Becki, there are big doings on the Community Board as Serena is trying to set up a DIS meet soon. I am hoping the days are a bit later than the first week of June that is being bandied about as I might still be in Helenabear territory then. Scuttlebutt is that Elaine (Helenabear) and Luis might be coming. Would it not be fantastic you guys, myself and our songbird could get together then? Would be the biggest Suite Meet so far. While I am dreaming I could hope that Rider (Lisa) and Frank might have enough energy left to hop a plane and come too. (I am soooo greedy!!)

Becki is having a garage sale this next weekend and I am hoping to go by even though I am NOT in the market for any more stuff. LOL Maybe I can take of mine to her. Hummmmm - ornery grin!!

Slightly Goofy/Really Sick/ Linda

[SlightlyGoofy]

Come join me on the veranda ladies. Lisa and Frank are on the beach at the Poly and I do believe I hear the music starting. It was so nice of her to give me a call to remind me so we will not miss anything. The whole shebang had better be back up and running cause nothing less than the best is good enough for our Rider.

Beverages of choice at hand, all children, fur or otherwise safely asleep, and it is time for us to unwind.

Slightly Goofy/Linda

[SlightlyGoofy]

Please people, please???? Please tell me that Bo is the best singer? If not I am extremely worried that I might be a dirty old lady and I have never been such. He just sang without accompaniment (cannot remember how to spell the right word) LOL and it sent chills down my spine. Now, in my youth I served a short stint with a well known charity and it was my job to audition talent. I cannot carry a tune in a bucket myself but when someone had 'IT" I got chills.

I like the other singers too but not quite the same. Guess we should have known that our Bo would prove to be a winner. Clive Davis just predicted he would win. I will let you younger gals hire the new help to replace him. Sure hope he does not take any of the other fellers for background singers. LOL

Can you tell the medication is kicking in? Life is so much better when you can breathe.

Hope that Lisa and Frank got some much needed rest so that they would enjoy the day fully. Not sure if they are going to try to get in an extra viewing of the EWP after their dinner at Victoria & Albert's tomorrow night. (hush, don't anyone tell Frank) I sort have a feeling he will not be all that surprised, he knows Lisa well and knows she is capable of coming up with most anything and it is always special.

I am cleaning carpets. Tom has gone to his brothers for a few days so that I can catch up on my work.

See you Saturday Becki!!

SG/Linda

[SlightlyGoofy]

I got up bright and early, ok it was early at least. LOL Headed to town to check out Becki's garage sale and found it as easily as can be. I have a friend who lives right down the street so that helped. I got to meet the two beautiful girls who the rest of you only get to see pictures of. They were so sweet and gave me hugs. Take right after their mom they do! I gifted them with lime green, what else, sun visors. Hope they come in handy on their upcoming trip. I even got to meet their grandma. From what Becki has said she and I have a lot in common. Very sweet lady. I would have liked to spend more time visiting but the sale was only for a few hours and no one needed the distraction. I hope it all got sold. Need the money to buy Disney stuff!! I took away the real prize of the day, a lovely heart decorated shelf done by Becki's hand.

If only I had thought to bring my camera as Becki was wearing a "I'm with Goofy" t shirt. Too perfect. :jumping1:

Since I was already in town I took in a couple of other sales and lucked out in finding some folding chairs I had been looking for, the lady was just marking them down when I got there. 4 for $5. A bit dirty but I am German and I KNOW how to deal with dirt. :bounce: Then off to do my other shopping. No luck in finding a new purse. I have been looking for two years but it is now getting to be more of a necessity than a whim. The paper clip that helps me undo the zipper is starting to cause me some consternation. :crazy: Found some perfect cards including one for the next EWP birthday that I accidentally forget. I must remember to do that as this card is too perfect. :earsboy:

The big news of the day is that I just finished ordering my brand, spanking new computer. There is a great code out that gives you 25% off any system over $999. Of course, that just gave me license to buy more bells and whistles. I even got a flat screen and 160 gb along with the Media Center, tv tuner and lots of other stuff. Sure hope I learn to use it all before it is time to buy the next one.

All in all it has been an interesting and fun filled day but I am one tired lady. Had to make meatloaves when I got home and the only meat I wanted to loaf was my own. :rotfl2:

Colleen, did you get rested up from your wild night last night? Did ya get the threshold? Tell your hubby that you need one so that he can carry you over it. (might work, one never knows)

Poor Lisa and Frank are just ending their long awaited vacation but I am sure that their heads and hearts are full of brand new memories and recollections of favorite things. Can't wait to hear how the dinner at V&A came out.

Good night and Suite Dreams! SG/Linda

[colleen costello]

Our school carnival Friday night was a big hit. Very busy and we made some money. Only 4 days left of school for this year, thank goodness. I have things to do at the school each of those days and I am getting tired!

It sounds like Becki and Linda's meeting was a nice time. I don't trust myself to go to garage sales as I have too much stuff of my own! We have a homeless mission here that accepts all sorts of things and I hand down to them if have items our school can't use. I don't get any money for the used stuff but it is EASY to do!

I have thought of Lisa and Frank all week and hope they are not TOO sad about coming home tonight. I hope their great memories will hold them until next trip and I hope they are not TOO tired out because I am dying for details and photos. Can't wait to get the whole scoop on V&A's.

Love to all. :goodvibes

Colleen

[SlightlyGoofy]

As Lisa winds her way home our Becki is restlessly awaiting the morrow when she starts on her adventure. Only the die hard Disney lovers dwell here, in this hallowed hall. LOL

Colleen, I hear you. I avoid garage sales and such nowadays too. I practically furnished this house on such sales and auctions though. We moved from a normal sized home into this behomouth and had over a dozen rooms that were hungry for furnishings and a very limited budget. My dh used to sell off whole rooms of furnishings sometimes too. The first time he did it I freaked but when he told me how much he got I became much happier. LOL If it had not been for the fact that I was headed to Becki's I would not have found the great folding chairs as I really needed them. They do not sell that kind anymore and, hard as it is to believe, I am not able to cart those new fangled ones in a bag around. I can barely motivate myself.

I save up my extras for my, now annual, expedition to the Fairgrounds where I have been able to download truckloads of stuff with whatever left over going to a local charity.

School is out here now and summer has officially begun. They dropped my Dalton off here after church and he will start his first day of Granny School tomorrow. The first thing he did was head for the bookshelves to pick out what he was going to read tomorrow. A pretty big pile. I am thrilled. He will be my only student this summer.

Happy traveling to our wanders and good night to the housebound who can but dream of future adventures.

SG/Linda

[IASW Rider]

Hi Everyone!

WE HAVE RETURNED! :)

And our vacation was magical as ever! Everything was wonderful - Riverside, the EWP, the cruise, Victoria and Albert's............and especially the newly refurbished IASW!!!!! It looks and sounds fantastic - wait 'til you all see it! :)

Will be back with a longer post very soon - just wanted to check in and say "hello"! Thanks so much for thinking of us, while we were away, last week!

And a very belated "Bon Voyage" to Becki and her family, and hope that they are all enjoying a wonderful vacation, right now! :)

Have a great night, Everyone, and talk to you soon! :)

[SlightlyGoofy]

Welcome home Lisa and Frank!! We missed you but were able to contain ourselves since we knew you were in a far better place. LOL

I would have responded earlier but I have been, happily, going through hundreds of your pictures. I was tickled to see that you were wearing the exact dress that I had pictured you in at V&A. Dalton wanted to know about the food there but he decided he liked Taco Bell better. He may change his mind one day, he does not like girls right now either.

I may snag a couple of your pics. I especially loved one over in the MK, it was every bit as good as a studio portrait IMO. It was fun to see the subtle differences in the many flower gardens from last year. I was so sorry not to be able to be there this spring but next spring awaits me.

I hope you are getting caught up on your rest and Frank is over his surprises. I am sure that you had more than one.

Love, SG/Linda

[IASW Rider]

Hi Everyone!

Hi Linda! I hope that you weren't bored to tears, looking through all those pictures! I admit that I went a little crazy, this year........but that's just because my nifty, new digital camera has so much memory that I could just take pictures of EVERYTHING in sight, without worrying about running out of space (or developing film, for that matter!)!

I uploaded our pictures from V&A's, this morning - there are pictures of each course of food that we ate, too, in case Dalton changes his mind about Taco Bell being superior! :) How is Granny School going so far, by the way?

Please feel free to snag any pictures that you might like - we are flattered that you would want to do so! And it's funny that you had predicted that I would wear a black dress to V&A's - I did to Palo on the ship, as well - what else would I wear, right? :) There is never a lack of black dresses in my wardrobe! :)

I am so thrilled that I was able to "pull off" my V&A's surprise for Frank! He was completely convinced that we were going to another restaurant in the GF, until just before our PS time. I had managed to "lure" him up to the second floor of the main building (where V&A's and Citrico's are located), under the auspices of "wanting to see what those restaurants look like". We were sort of puttering around in the "lobby" area in between the 2 restaurants at about 15 minutes 'til our PS time, and I was still trying to think about how to actually get Frank IN TO V&A's (since he knows that I am not the sort who would REALLY open the door and peer into a restaurant at which we did not have reservations). Fortunately, fate took over. We wound up running into some friends of our CM friends, Mike and Danny, one of whom we'd met earlier in the week (they are also WD Entertainment CM's). They were dining at Citrico's, that night, with one set of their parents who were visiting. So they asked us if we were dining in Citrico's or V&A's that night and Frank said "no, we're having dinner in Narcoosee's" and I said "uh.......actually........no we're not..........we're having dinner at Victoria and Albert's - Happy Anniversary!" And our new friends and their parents all went "awwwwww!" and started clapping, and Frank was totally shocked! He couldn't believe it! I'm glad that they inadvertently gave me the opening to tell him! Anyway, the dinner was just wonderful - 6 courses, very relaxing atmosphere (the restaurant is divided into small dining areas, so there were only 2 other tables of patrons in our "room"), and a very relaxed pace - we were there for over 3 hours! Since our PS was at 9:30 PM, we didn't wind up getting back to POR until well after 12:30 AM (fortunately, I had ensured that we were completely packed and ready to go to the Port BEFORE we left for dinner, that night!)! It was very nice - a great experience! Our server said "maybe you will come back and celebrate your anniversary with us, every year" and we said "OK!" :)

The "new" IASW is just fantastic! The queue area looks beautiful, with it's new, traditional DL-like theming. We even got to see the clock tower open up (as it does every 15 minutes) to "bong" the time! And the soundtrack inside is amazing - you can definitely hear the subtle differences in the themed music of each "land", now, whereas they all sort of "ran into one another" before. And the finale is much more - powerful is the only word that I can think of to describe it - than before - it gave me goose bumps! And everything looks vibrant and beautiful, too!

We saw the LMA Stunt Show and were treated to front row seats and a tour of the control booth by our pal, Mike, which was neat! The show was awesome, too, and we really enjoyed it! WARNING, though: you all might want to bring ear plugs with you, if you plan to see the show - it is VERY LOUD! Frank and I both wore earplugs when we saw it and were very glad that we did! I have no idea how Mike can be around that noise, all the time, and not go deaf!

We also tried Soarin' in Epcot..........I'm glad that I did........it IS an amazing, unique experience..........but frankly, I was thrilled to be back on the ground when it was over! I'll tell you, it probably IS the closest thing to experiencing the sensation of flying that there is, out there - I found it to be VERY REALISTIC......a little TOO realistic for my pseudo-height-sensitive self!

One of the best parts of our trip was receiving the very special surprises in the forms of phone messages from Linda and Colleen, during our land stay! Hearing your voices really made our evenings, and it was so kind of you both to think of us - we were certainly thinking of you both - and of everyone here in the Suite!

Our cruise was amazing, as always, too! It seemed to flow much more smoothly, this year, since we were familiar with the ship and its layout and amenities and the way that everything "runs" in terms of scheduling, etc. We took a fun shore excursion to the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island and toured its fantastic underground aquarium! We were also invited to a wonderful reception for Castaway Club Members (ie: repeat cruisers), at which the Captain (whom we later met) and Cruise Director (who actually looks a bit like "Julie" from "The Love Boat"! She was our Cruise Director last year, too!) spoke and thanked everyone for their loyalty to DCL, etc. We also received wonderful gifts in our stateroom from Castaway Club and also from our great travel agency, Dreams Unlimited! Those were great and thoughtful surprises, too!

And of course we were so thrilled with our entire trip, that in an unprecedented move (even "beating" our re-booking 3 days after our return, last year), we made our 2006 reservations while we were still on the ship!!!!!! So we'll be spending 4 days at CBR (a new resort for us!), May 21 - 24 next year, and then 3 days on "our" ship, the Wonder, May 25-28! Just a mere 360 days to go! :)

Will go back and catch up on all of your posts, from the past 2 weeks, now!

Hope that all is well with all of you and hope that you're all having a great day! :)

[SlightlyGoofy]

Hi ya Lisa! I have never been bored a day in my life and especially not when looking at pictures of my favorite place with some of my favorite people in them. I love my digital camera as well and bet I will love it even more when I get my fancy new computer with Media on it.

Lots of reading , writing and 'rithmetic going on around here. So far he thinks it is great fun, hope I can continue to keep under that impression. It helps that the library is just behind the house and we make frequent trips.

Hey, I not only knew it would be a black dress but I knew which black dress. Scary how much we know about each other is it not? Never fear, I only use my power for good. :banana:

What perfect timing for your V&A! I could have never pulled off anything like that. Did you guys like it enough to want to go again? Tom would want to know if it was all you could eat and when those beautful, but sparse, plates arrived he would freak out. LOL I am afraid that we are more H&V people. I do not blame them for trying to get you to book a return trip. Bet it was as much fun for them as you.

Trust you to notice all the subtle differences in IASW. I will miss the Kraph though. I like those bits of adult? humor. If Soaring was hard for you it just reinforces the fact that I dare not darken its doors. I fear I do not need earplugs for much of anything. I feel for those with normal hearing though cause if I can hear it must be deafening for others.

Each cruise is so different just because there are different people to meet each time but knowing your way around sure does add to the experience. Hope the Julie cruise director was a bit more on the ball than the one on the old tv show. Being that it was Disney I am sure it was. Did I ever tell you that Love Boat was one of the shows I hated my kids to watch cause they were always falling in 'love' with someone different each week? I am an old fashioned kinda gal.

I am thrilled that you already have your plans made for next year. Gives you something to look forward to while you are working/studying and surviving real life.

Love ya, I really mean it! SG/Linda

[SlightlyGoofy]

Hi everyone!

I am headed out tomorrow. My sister is getting out tomorrow instead of Sunday. She sounded great on the phone. Might not have much caretaking to do from the sound of it. She says she will need a sponge bath. Might take longer than the last one I gave her about 40 years ago though. LOL

My new computer arrived today and is sitting on the pool table to await my return. I fear it will be calling me all night but I think sleep is a good thing when you are hitting the highways, especially on a holiday weekend and especially around Indianapolis this particular weekend. Tom will be thrilled that we are going early since that means he will get to SEE the cars go round and round instead of just hearing the tires squeal.

See you when I return. Might be earlier than expected if baby sister does as well as I am thinking she will.

SG/Linda

[SlightlyGoofy]

I had not meant to post again before leaving but I just got news that my dil's mother was found dead this morning. Her grandmother, who raised her, called and asked me to help contact them. They screen their calls and will not respond to her calls. Mine either. I have asked my daughter and sil to go over the give the news. I hope they do and I sincerely hope that Linda and my son go to the services, for their sakes if for no other.

Is beyond my understanding.

SG/Linda

[IASW Rider]

Hi Everyone!

It sure has been quiet around the Suite, lately! I guess that everyone is out and about, waiting for Linda to return!

I'm so sorry to hear about your DIL's mother, Linda. What a thing to have to find out, right before you go away. I hope that your son and DIL and grandchildren are doing all right.

And I hope that your sister is doing well, too - it sounded like she was, when you spoke to her before you left - I hope that she is feeling well and doing fine!

I am definitely ready for that next trip (just 355 days to go, I think! :)) - now that I am back in school (very brutal accelerated summer schedule), I am definitely "back to reality".........and I like fantasy, better! Aside from the fact that my back and shoulders are now peeling (but they're still tan! :)), it's becoming harder and harder to "remember" that we were in WDW just 2 weeks ago - it seems like forever ago. :(

Now I'm gearing up for my next surprise for Frank - tomorrow is our actual Anniversary, and that's when I am going to give him the tickets for Monty Python's "Spamalot" - we're going this Saturday, and Frank still has no idea! :)

Hope that all is well with all of you and hope that you all had a great holiday weekend! :)

[colleen costello]

Linda, I am so sorry for your daughter-in-law and hope all went as well as could be hoped regarding the funeral. What a sad shock for her! I also hope you have had a nice visit with your sister. When you are home safe you will have the fun of setting up your new computer, all the better to keep in touch with us here on the Suite.

Did you hear that the Bloomington performance of "Producers" has been cancelled? Not sure why but I saw something in the paper. I am disappointed but now more determined to drag Marla to "Mamma Mia." I am silly in that I hate to fork over money NOW for a show that isn't for months, yet that is how it works. Funny I never worry the same way when it is DISNEY I am shelling out the bucks for! :)

Can't wait for Becki to get back and tell her Mickey tales.

Love to all!

[SlightlyGoofy]

Hi Colleen, I am afraid that my dil has few if any emotions about anything other than herself and the death of her mom, who abused her, would not elicite any either. Is a very sad situation. Thank you for the kind words though. I had hoped that this might bring her back in contact with her grandma who raised her. Some good from any bad. No Producers!!! I am so disappointed. I thought that it was the same as in Indy and that you could not buy tickets until a month or so before a show. Thank you for the heads up. The good from this situation was that it was going to be hard to make ressies for DW around the show. Honestly, it is all I can do to just get through most days and going to a show in Bloomington would require me to rest for a few days before heading out on the road. See what you youngsters have to look forward too?

Spamalot for an anniversary? Sounds perfect to me. Leave it to you, Lisa, to come up with something special for any occasion. Let me know how you liked it. Monty Python is a favorite of mine. I am glad that you still have a bit of tan to remind you of those precious vacation days. Will you be doing a report for the boards?

My sister is doing well, for her. She was not nearly as bad from this operation as the last one but she was overdosing on her pain meds and washing them down with bottles of wine. I tend to be a bit of a teetotaller so maybe she is right when she told me that she was used to drinking so it would not hurt her but the info on the bottle said no alcohol and it could cause breathing problems. She uses a c pap (sp) so I sincerely doubt that it is doing her any good. She even had a friend give her more medicines. I failed to get that particular family curse. I am blessed.

Dalton is doing great at summer school. He started basketball camp today so I picked him up from there and we signed up for the summer reading program, like that is going to be a problem. LOL I actually find myself telling him that we have to walk up to the park or something cause he is reading tooooo much.

You are so wise to take the summer classes. It is worth the pain it will cause you but then you already know that. I remember some of the classes being a bit easier in the summer cause the teachers are a bit lassitudial then also. LOL

I have some of my stuff transferred to the new computer but it is slow going cause I am having to clean stuff up first. For some reason it did not dawn on me that I would need a tv cable connection even though I have a tv tuner on my new machine. LOL It is only about six feet from the other connection and even I should be able to do that. One of my odd jobs in my younger days was hooking up reverb systems in automobiles. Not a whole lot different.

I cannot wait for Becki to return the spin her tales. The girls were so excited.

SG/Linda

[IASW Rider]

Hi Everyone!

Welcome back, Linda! So glad to hear that you are home and that you have begun to set up your new computer! And glad to hear that your sister is well - although I agree with you about being concerned with her taking all of that medication - along with the alcohol. I guess that all you could do was warn her about the drug interactions - she should really be careful, though - especially while she is healing and recovering. I'm sure that she appreciated your being there with and for her!

It sounds like Dalton is off to a good and fun and active summer! How is Austin doing? Does he have any special plans for the summer?

Hi Colleen! How is everything going, out there? Have you finished all of your projects at Erin's and Ian's schools? Getting ready for your upcoming trips?

I also can't wait to hear about Becki's vacation, when she and her family return! And then it's Colleen's turn to entertain and thrill us with stories and news from the Land of Magic! Me - I have a mere 352 days to go, until we return! :)

Today is the 4 year anniversary of the day on which Frank proposed to me at the Poly (and yesterday was our 3 year wedding anniversary)! It also happens to be Frank's 20 year anniversary at Merrill Lynch - a very festive day! My father and uncle are taking us out to dinner, tonight, and then we are going into NYC to see "Spamalot" tomorrow! I'm so thrilled that I was able to pull off yet another surprise for Frank! And it's so neat that we are seeing the show tomorrow, since the Tony Awards are on Sunday night (I have to admit that I kind of planned it that way, since I suspected - correctly - that "Spamalot" would be nominated for tons of awards!) and "Spamalot" is sure to win Best Musical! :)

My summer classes are already in full swing - believe it or not, I have the MID-TERM for the class that I started last week, NEXT THURSDAY! That's how quickly they are moving along! Tons and tons of reading to do - I apologize in advance if I am not able to stop by very often, over the next month!

Anyway, hope that all is well with all of you and hope that you all have a great weekend! :)

[twinscandc]

Just wanted to post a quick note to tell all of you that we have returned from the Magic!! I will post a more detail account of our trip, but I've got a ton of unpacking to do, etc.

We had a wonderful time!! The Boardwalk Villas were beautiful and we had a nice view of the Luna Park pool. The girls loved the coaster slide. I think they wore it out!!

We ate, and ate, and ate!! My fav was Ohana's!! We were able to see Wishes and the EWP!!!! I thought the food was fantastic!!

I think the biggest highlight was that Mark (my DH) was able to set up for us to be the family to open Magic Kingdom!! We were supposed to do it on Monday, 5/30, but there was a mistake and another family was picked for that day. The girls (and myself) were in tears!! A very nice CM (a young man named Matt) told us the news and gave us some compensation for the mistake. He gave us a comp day (FREE!!) day in the park for that day, breakfast at CRT (FREE!!) and set it up for us to be the First Family on Wednesday. He was so nice - he felt so bad for the mistake and he handled beautifully. The funny thing was he was from Southern Indiana orginally and went to the same college as my DH!! Well, Wednesday came along and we got up very early to be there by 8am (that's 7am Indiana time!!). Well, Wednesday was raining, lightening, etc. We didn't even think about them not doing the "opening show" in the rain! They cancelled the show and we didn't get to do it!! Luckily Thursday was still open and we were able to do it then!! It was the best. We got in the park at 8am and then rode the old time fire truck to Toontown were we got on the Train with Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, Chip, Dale, Wendy, Alice, Peter Pan and Cruella!! We were able to visit with them for about 30 minutes before we headed for the front of the park. After the dancers got done, we were able to get off the train and stand with the characters and throw pixie dust in the air. The Mayor of Main Street announced our name and then we had a ton of pictures taken with the characters, etc. It was the most exciting thing I've ever done. I had tears in my eyes the entire time!!

So, needless to say, we had a absolutely wonderful time and we anticipate our return!!

I'll try to post more later, or if you have any questions, just let me know.

Linda, I'm so sorry to hear about your dil's mother. Did they go to the funeral? How is your sister doing now? My brother is a heavy drinker and has had 2 open heart surgerys. The last surgery was in 2003 and my mom and I went up to Grand Rapids to be with him before and after the surgery. (He is divorced, and lives by himself). When we walked into his apartment, the day before his major surgery, he was drinking a beer!! After the surgery his surgeon told us that he had told Randy to stop drinking b/f the surgery and that his heart was the most enlarged he had ever seen!! We had thought about sending him to rehab, but it has to be his decision!! So, I know what it's like to have alcohol be a part of your family!! Linda, I wish your sister well!!

Well, gotta go....it was nice to have easy free access to a washer and dryer, but the clothes don't unpack themselves!!

Twinscandc/Becki

[IASW Rider]

Welcome back, Becki! So glad to hear that you all had such a wonderful trip - can't wait to hear more about it! And I STILL have tears in my eyes and goosebumps, after just reading about your experience being the First Family to open the Magic Kingdom! That is so exciting!!!!!! I would love to see some pictures, if you happen to have any online! Please tell us more about your trip, once you're all settled in and unpacked! I'm sure that it was fantastic!!!!!

We had a wonderful anniversary weekend and a great day in NYC, yesterday! The weather was just perfect and we had a chance to do a lot of walking around, had a nice dinner in the City, etc. We also saw "Monty Python's Spamalot", which was just fantastic - it was hilarious and beautifully staged! And I got to meet David Hyde Pierce and Hank Azaria, up close and personal, for a few moments, too! Look for the show to win tons of Tony Awards tonight - it's definitely "the toast of Broadway", this year!

Hope that all is well with all of you and hope that you're all having a great weekend! :)

[colleen costello]

Becki, WOW! Who knew there was an opening show? Certainly not my family full of snoozer-losers, who consider it a success if we make it to a park by 10! I am mightily impressed. If promised the bit you got to do, my family might actually wake up at 6am! :) Can't wait to hear more about it.

Lisa, your pics with the stars are amazing. Ladies, I saw these photos and there is our Rider, right next to Hank Azaria and David Hyde Pierce. Nothing could beat it (excpet perhaps meeting them at the Polynesian?). I am half dreading my trip east (my crazy Mom is trying to force me to visit gobs of relatives) but am DEFINTIELY looking forward to meeting Lisa and Frank. We are planning to meet early and stay late -- on a night Lisa has no classes. I have gotten a serious permanent in my hair and am ready for the NJ wedding. I will fit right in with my big hair. Lisa tells me with enough Aqua I will be gorgeous throughout the evening.

Crazy Indiana weather never fails to amaze me, and here it goes again. All last week I told the kids it was too chilly to swim outdoors and here for the weekend a heat wave hit and today it is almost 90 degrees. It is very humid and feels nasty, coming on as suddenly as it did. It was a real reality check for my late-July/early-August Florida trip. This evening (while watching the Tony awards!) I plan to review our battle plan and perhaps tweak it a bit. After being outside today I think we need to plan on MORE swimming and NO PARKS BEFORE 7pm... Don't think we'll last otherwise. Thank goodness for those annual passes!

The big news on the DISBoards is the "value season free dining" deal. It appears that if you book any resort plus tickets thru Disney in the fall value season (late August and on) you get the dining plan free. This can be a great deal especially if you stay in a Value resort. Linda, this may get you to Mickey in the fall... I know you have annual pases, but supposedly you only have to buy a ticket for ONE DAY to make it a "package" worthy of the free dining plan. If you have an AP you don't even have to activate that 1-day ticket; you can save it for a rainy day. The meal plan is worth $35 per person per day, which is a lot of "freebie" for a room that costs perhaps $80. I am tempted to plan another trip... Wish the kids and Scott weren't so busy at school and work during Value Season! I LOVE hearing all about the WDW bargains... Gives me hope for lots more trips.

Love to all!

[IASW Rider]

Hi Everyone!

Hi Colleen! Like I said, I'm sure that your hair looks wonderful - I can't wait to see it - and you - in just a few weeks! :)

I also heard about the special packages being offered during the fall. We received an e-mail offer regarding a week's stay at a Value Resort for 2 people, including the meal plan, for just a little over $400! Frank and I couldn't believe it! We would actually think about doing it, if it wasn't for the fact that that would mean that I would miss a week of classes. :( There are some amazing deals out there now, though!

Well, even though "Spamalot" didn't sweep the Tony's as many (including me!) predicted it would, it DID take home the night's biggest prize! :) The Awards don't really matter, in terms of our "Broadway viewing habits" - just like reading film reviews - we pick what we want to go see, regardless of how many awards it has won or what the reviewers say! That "Spelling Bee" show looks very cute, too!

Looking forward to hearing more about your trip, Becki, and more about your upcoming trip plans, Colleen (and Linda!)! Hope that you all had a great weekend! :)

[SlightlyGoofy]

Hello everyone, welcome home Becki

I am so sorry to be tardy in replying and am, in fact, not doing so even now.

I am so overwhelmed, overworked and overly tired that I must beg to be forgiven. Hopefully things will improve tomorrow afternoon and I will have time to read the posts and write some witty things (lol).

SG/Linda

[SlightlyGoofy]

Well, I might not have everything cleaned back up, yet, but I need to take a few minutes in here resting up a bit before finishing. For the past two weeks I have been looking forward to Thursday and a bit of a rest. Dalton has gone shopping with his dad so I am getting an early respite. LOL

Lisa, I am so sorry to be late in sending anniversay congratulations to you and Frank. I kept thinking of you guys the night of the Tonys. Am I the only one who thought the first sentence from the guy who accepted for the top prize was a bit overconfident and arrogant? "Teleprompter"???? I had never heard of the Spelling Bee one and thought it was very funny also. Dalton would enjoy that one as he already has his eye on the National Spelling Bee. He watched it the other day. Austin is working at the ball diamonds as the groundskeeper this summer. He is already spending the money even though he does not get the check until the end of the season. He had better do a good job as his mom is in charge of writing the check. LOL He is also going to summer school. I hope it takes. He will be nearly 20 before he graduates as it is and I fear what might happen if he should falter again. I keep trying to encourage him to be a good worker as that can overcome education sometimes. I am grateful that there is a huge age difference between the boys as it would be so much harder on them both. Austin is good hearted and sweet as all get out though. Dalton is a sweetie as well. No strain for them to be around here for me. Dalton was watching a Disney show (what else??) the other day and the kids were telling who their hero was. He told me I was his. I told him that he was mine, so is Austin. I have great grandkids.

Colleen, that free dining program has me going also. If I should be lucky enough to get an offer like Lisa did I will pack my bags so fast (after the summer as I have Dalton). I am afraid of the huge weight gain though. I do believe that you HAVE to use that one day ticket though. I have read dozens of posts and that is the way I took it. Seems too good to be true and have a feeling that Disney will see the error of their ways and change some things the next go around. Room AND food for about $80 is just too good to last. I am reading posts about having trouble getting ressies for the sit down restaurants though and getting the snacks redeeemed seems to be a big hassle. Someone suggested a punch card and that sounded good to me. How about going to the parks early, coming back to swim and then going back in the evening?

Hey, how come you got to see the pictures of Hank Azaria and David Hyde Pierce getting to meet Frank and Lisa? I am sooo jealous.

Welcome home Becki!! I guess it does not hurt to have such beautiful daughters in getting chosen to open the park. Did I understand that you had to be there 3 different days at opening before you were finally able to accomplish the feat? Were you able to keep it a secret from the girls? Did ya get pictures?? Did you see the EWP and Wishes from O'Hana's or the beach? I will never be able to think of O'Hana's without thinking of Rider and hubby. Her enthusiasm is infectious.

Addiction is a terrible thing. I have seen many in its clutches and am always grateful that I escaped that particular hell. It is so hard to see people you love struggling and even worse when they do not. We had a lesson on the meth problem locally today and it was very scary. As you know we only have one neighbor since we are surrounded by churches but with all the rental homes in our town it seems to me to be something to be very scared about not to mention the fact that my grandsons are often alone on the farm. I plan to talk to my oldest again tonight and hope to warn him about a few things, I hope he listens. I have read of houses that explode so it pays to know what your neighbors might be up to. I have many elderly friends in town who are scared. I heard of groups of teens wandering the streets at 4:30 in the morning. I am so insulated by where I live but do not want anything to happen to others in town. I am hoping that this being a small town people being a bit snoopy will be a good thing.

Maybe if you had NOT washed those clothes they MIGHT have been better able to get out of the suitcase at least.

Well, I have chattered enough for now so I had better go get the next batch of dishes out of the dishwasher. Supper? Do we NEED supper? I don't but I bet I know someone who will.

Love ya all!! SG/Linda

[SlightlyGoofy]

Colleen, seems I am wrong, yet again. Here is what I just read.

The CM I talked to confirmed it is still the same key to the magic style room key with everything on one key. However she did also say you could save it (she had to put me on hold for awhile to make sure) and use it latter or upgrade it to ANY ticket (I assume that an AP would be part of that). I had asked about someone else using it, she forgot to ask and I needed to get off the phone. I don't see why not, it is not like they ask for ID and check the name on the key (as far as I remember."

I am now wondering if I could not buy the one day tickets and then upgrade to a new AP when we arrived. A thought. Hey, every dollar saved is a dollar I can spend on Mickey bars. LOL

SG/Linda

[MeanLaureen]

Hey EWPers! We are looking to add a little challege between the group threads in the next round of WPASADI!

Do you guys think you have what it takes to have one of your members come out as the ULTIMATE DISer?

Click here for details! (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=8792451#post8792451)

Let us know what group thread you post on in your application!

[SlightlyGoofy]

Now I cannot speak for everyone but I can attest to the fact that there is massive talent in the Suite. Whether or not anyone has the time to devote to such a fantastic sounding contest is quite another matter.

MeanLaureen, thank you so much for the kind invitation.

Anyone want to defend our honor?

Slightly Goofy and Totally Worn Out

[IASW Rider]

Hi Everyone!

Welcome, MeanLaureen! :) And thanks so much for your kind (and exciting!) invitation! I'll tell ya - I would volunteer to represent our Suite in a second......if everyone trusted me to do so.......and if it wasn't for the fact that I am engaged in 2 very challenging (and very accelerated!) graduate school summer classes, right now! If this was any other time, and I had a bit more time to truly devote to this venture, I would certainly volunteer, because it sounds fantastic and like a lot of fun! But unfortunately, I don't have the time to thoroughly participate and truly defend the honor of our wonderful group, at this time! Perhaps I might be able to participate in the next round, should you happen to have one? (And should my Suite Mates allow me to represent them!) Thanks again for the great invitation!

So sorry that I haven't been in touch in a bit, Ladies - just returned from a whole weekend at my in-laws', and I'm still catching up on things around the house and assignments for the upcoming week (I have a presentation, representing a group of 5 of my classmates and myself, on Tuesday night - UGH. But I'm trying to seek out and take as many public speaking opportunites as I can. As uncomfortable as they can be for me, I know that the experience will only benefit me in the future (and I've gotten pretty "rusty" since my ML public speaking days!), so I'm trying to volunteer for as much stuff as I can!). Will be in touch with a "real post" as soon as I can! Hope that all is well with all of you and hope that you all had a great weekend! :)

[kaylajr]

MeanLaureen, thank you so much for the kind invitation.

Anyone want to defend our honor?



HI everyone
I am cohosting WPASADI 2 with MeanLaureen

hope some of you sign up

just an FYI it can be one of you or several of you

the more the merrier

it is alot of fun
I know cause i played part one and actually WON!!!

so come on and join us :cheer2: :cheer2: :cheer2:

[IASW Rider]

I wish that I could, Kaylajr! If this was August (and my classes were over), I would definitely volunteer, 'cause it sounds like a lot of fun! But I know that I wouldn't have time to do a good job, right now! Maybe one of my intrepid Suite Mates would be interested in participating, now? Catch me on the next round, though! :)

Glad to hear that all is well with the boys, Linda! And I loved that video of Austin performing at church! That's neat that he is working at the ball diamonds - will he be playing at all, too? And I loved Dalton's saying that you are his hero - that is so sweet!

I also thought that the "Spelling Bee" musical looked cute - I always like to see the numbers from those "underdog" shows that are nominated - last year, the "underdog", "Avenue Q", actually won Best Musical and we saw it and it was fantastic! So maybe we will go and see the "Spelling Bee" show, too - it might wind up being the surprise hit of the season!

Well, back to the books for now! Hope that all is well with all of you! Have a great day! :)

[SlightlyGoofy]

kaylajr, this sounds like something right up my alley however between taking care of my grandkids, tutoring at the Community Center and driving my older friends (am doing it all today) I have little time for going to the bathroom let alone a game. I have my doubts as to whether I will survive my life let alone your game. :banana:

Who better than our resident Disney expert, Rider, to compete for us but knowing how very busy she is I would not want to put even more stress upon her at this time.

Colleen, is so talented but has a houseful of children all summer long and Becki is so busy with her family AND saving the world being our resident Mary Poppins that it would not do to ask either of them.

If only one of our youngsters would drop by because they would surely take on this task and take on all comers, extinquishing their fires, one by one.

Lisa, TY for the compliments on my grands. No, Austin is not interested in sports and was delighted when his younger brother became a superstar as it let him bow out. He is a fantastic manager and such though. Would not do to have all superstars and no backup anyway.

I am always rooting for the underdogs in every category. I wish I had more time to keep up with current events. Have spent the morning explaining Aristotle, Plato and other ancients to Dalton. We explored how the world is mapped and the different theories that have been disproved and validated through the centuries. This child is destined to be some sort of scientist.

Sounds as if you had a delightful weekend and are now busy trying to catch up with your everyday life. I hope you do not have too much to deal with. The good thing about a/c going down is that it does not require much inside cleaning as some repairs do. Is it working well and quietly? I hope that you take MeanLaureen and kaylajr up on their challenge the next go around. That is something I would love to see. Maybe if they have a round the first of the year I will join you, not that I think I could match wits with you, but I do so enjoy competition.

SG/Linda

[SlightlyGoofy]

Unless I am mistaken there will be yet another Suite Meet tomorrow as Becki and her twins and I and my Dalton are going to meet at a local park to see a magic act. I have made Dalton promise not to tell if he figures out how the tricks are done. He has mastered a couple of sleight of hand things that amaze me and I know how they are done! LOL

Not too much longer until Rider and Colleen meet. The amount of energy in that room would aleiviate the world energy crisis. LOL

Looking forward to seeing you Becki!


SG/Linda

[colleen costello]

Hi girls. Linda, you have said in a nice way that when Lisa and I get together our mouths will not stop... Truer words rarely spoken! I am really looking forward to meeting with her. We are getting together at Bridgewater Commons Mall, a fave of mine and close to where Lisa lives. They have wonderful stores -- even if just for window-shopping -- and we are going to hit the Disney Store and then have lunch. My Mom is coming too. Alas I have lived in Indiana too long to safely drive the NJ highways anymore. I fear that I am like an old lion who has lived in a zoo or preserve too long -- the killer instinct you need to survive the east coast roads has left me!

Today my daughter turned 11. We had our friends come by for dinner and the kids ran amok and we adults had fun, too. Hard to believe that my baby is approaching her teen years. I clearly remember her first birthday. Through the haze of too little sleep (the child always wanted to nurse all night!) I felt so proud that I had SURVIVED! Here she is a big girl of 11. It's sad and happy all at once, like so many things are with children. She got as a gift a pink IPod Mini, an amazing little contraption not much bigger than a pack of gum, that can store and play (with amazing clarity) around 1,000 songs. As I told Rider in an Email, I couldn't have imagined such a wonderful toy when I was in high school. Time flies, and so does technology. I secretly want one of the things myself, to play my "old lady" songs plus my favorites from Radio Disney!

A week from tomorrow we head east on the big wedding road trip. I am anxious about packing as I can't afford to forget any of our "dress up" clothes. Luckily my good friend Linda told me to make a master list for roadtrips and keep it on my computer. This time the list will need to be tweaked as I am traveling east, not south. But overall, that list will come in handy. I will definitely have a camera handy when Lisa and I meet so I can post pictures -- or better yet, make her do it -- afterward!

Back to "Dancing with the Stars." It is a fun diversion and a rarity in that it is appropriate for the whole family... Becki and Linda, enjoy the show tomorrow.

Love to all!

PS: A little bird told me that our Lisa scored a 96 (!) on her recent exam. WOW! :rolleyes:

[SlightlyGoofy]

Now, Colleen, you know me well enough to know that if I had meant that you and Lisa would be gabbing a mile a minute I would have said so. Is so true, but since it will be intelligent and interesting conversation it is a good thing. LOL You guys do not have much longer to wait. We want a full report when you return. Be aware that our Lisa is the reigning Queen of Disney trivia. I expect her to keep her crown but I bet you could share it with her if you accept the challenge. Now, Becki, with her myarid Disney details might give you both a run for your money though. I am betting her THRONE is even Disney decorated. (smile)

Would you believe I was watching "Dancing with the Stars" also last night? It is a cute show. I am rooting for the guy with the white hair but that one guy was awesome last night. I fear that I know no one except for Trista and the boxer. He is younger and dark haired and did a fast dance to a tune I cannot remember now. The judges did not like him but I thought he rocked! It was a swing number and he slid on his knees and the whole bit. I cannot dance a lick but well remember, one time a very long time ago, when a young feller asked me (young myself then) to dance and insisted that I COULD dance. It was like being on a thrill ride at DW in that he was so good that I was just swept away and did truly dance. Was memorable.

I am glad to hear that my master list is working for you. I figure I spend about as much time making lists as doing stuff so by making master lists I cut down on my work.

It is not that you are 'tamed' by living in the Midwest but you have adapted to a more normal pace of life and no longer feel compelled to live the 'fast' life of the city dwellers. I hope you survive the bright lights after being in the boondocks for so long. LOL

After Dalton got over his fear of all things female he made friends with our dear Becki's adorable, intelligent and thoughtful daughters. We all met for the magic show. It was pretty good and seemed to tickle the kids fancies. I ended up with a couple of extra kids on the table in front of me and beside me. Let's face it, I am a kid magnet. LOL I just love the fact that some jobs are family friendly and Becki was able to share that experience with her daughters and I bet they loved it as well. Their grandma and I stayed afterward and let the kids blow off some steam before we took them home. I had a couple of chores to run and one of them was to go by Office Max and pick up a couple of cases of cases for my new business. Dalton found a computer program he had been wanting and since grandma just happened to have a coupon that required that I spend a few dollars more to use Dalton got his fondest wish. Unfortunately when his poor mom picked him up she accidentally dropped it and cut his face. Not sure which one was hurting more. I gave them each a hug and sent them home. Since Mr. D is plotting to spend the entire weekend here I thought I needed a bit of a rest.

Lisa, so you racked up yet another fantastic grade!!! Not surprising and IF you are somehow worrying about the mere 3% that you did not ace, quit it!! Right now!! I mean it!!! Want me to come over there and snap you out of it??? (scared yet??) :smooth: Maybe we should all be saving up for a big trip East for when you make the validictory address. Heck, you could fill the whole auditorium with everyone that is rooting for you. Any news about the job offer you received? I bet you could make a deal for whatever you want, if not right this minute, eventually. So close to home also. Is good to not have to spend so much time going to and from work IMO.

OK, party on the roof tonight in Lisa's honor. Since she was the one to interview the new fellers that we were forced to hire to replace Bo, who ungratefully took the rest of the crew as his backup singers, I will allow her to introduce them to you all. I met one, in the kitchen, today and just you wait until you see what he has prepared for tonight's feast. I do believe he has done extensive research on this thread as he has somehow figured out what each and everyone of us cannot resist at DW. How in the heck he came up with a homemade version of the Mickey Bar for me is a mystery. OK, I never claimed to be a gormand but those MB are the best of the best as far as I am concerned. Hey, they have milk and the chocolate comes from a tree so it must be a fruit, sounds nutitious to me. (Lisa, do NOT tell me differently) Leave me to my illusions. Please?

I had better go get some work done. I got an invitation to go see Menopause up in Indy for free and cannot wait!!

Love, SG/Linda

[IASW Rider]

Hi Everyone!

You are all way too kind, as always! Especially since I have been such a slug and have not had a chance to stop in and say "hi" in so long! Thanks so much for thinking of me, for planning that great celebration last night, and for all of your thoughtful words, as always! :)

And of course I am counting the days until Colleen and I (and her Mom!) finally meet in person! I can't wait!!!! I know that we are going to have a great afternoon together - I just fear that the time will pass much too quickly, as all great things (like WDW trips!) tend to do! We wish that you could join us too, Linda - one of these years, I am going to come out to Indiana, so that the 3 of us (and Becki! And maybe Elaine!) can all get together!

That's so nice that you and Becki and your little gentleman and ladies all got together! It sounds like you all had a fun time at the magic show and with one another!

I watched "Dancing with the Stars" last week, but missed it this week (I decided to try "Hit Me Baby, One More Time", the show where "one hit wonder" bands and performers of the 1980's compete against one another. Of course, I wound up missing half of that show, too, 'cause my friend Gary called and gabbed to me on the phone through the rest of it). Normally, I wouldn't be able to see either show, but I happened to get out of my classes early, the past 2 Thursday nights. Anyway, I don't know how the couples did, last night, but I think that they were way too harsh with the woman from "General Hospital", last week - they totally berated her, for no reason, in my opinion! I love John - ugh - I can't remember his last name - the gentleman with the white hair who used to be on "Seinfeld" - I thought that he and his partner did a great job with the "quick-step" last week - very graceful! And it was neat watching Evander Holyfield - hey! He's trying! He's just a BIG MAN, so I'm sure that it's hard for him to be very light on his feet!

Belated Happy Birthday to Erin!!!!!! I hope that she had a wonderful day and will have a wonderful celebration and slumber party, this weekend! :) And hope that she is enjoying her new I-Pod Mini, too!

Does everyone have big plans for Father's Day and / or for the weekend? We're going to see our local minor league pro baseball team, the Somerset Patriots, play tonight, along with some old ML pals. We have a friend's party to attend in North Jersey, tomorrow night, and then we're having my father and uncle over for a BBQ on Sunday. I did all of the food shopping for it, today and got some really neat salads to serve on the side (along with steak - for my father - the meat freak - and chicken for the rest of us!). I just hope that the weather stays nice and that it doesn't rain, so that we can sit outside!

Thanks so much again for thinking of me and for all of your kindness and friendship! Wishing you all a great weekend! Love ya! :)

[SlightlyGoofy]

Seems as if most, if not all of us, have the same taste in tv shows. I like that Hit Me Baby One More Time too even though some of the songs are out of my era. It takes a lot of bravery for some to compete, with wrinkles and such and then on the dancing show for Evander to even show up is awesome. I don't have that kind of guts for sure. LOL

Just a couple of days until you and Colleen meet for the first time. No awkward moments there, you two are a matched set for enthusiasm and Disney knowledge. Maybe you can team up and whoop behind!!! :cheer2: I will be your cheerleader.

Lisa, whenever you get that Suite Meet in Hoosierland planned I volunteer to hostess the whole thing. Heck, I think I can even put everyone up. Pick a cool month though as my a/c does not work upstairs. Gotta conserve somewhere. There are 4 bedrooms and a bath upstairs, going to waste.

I have been offered a ushering job at the performance of "Menopause" on July 2nd. Sounds like a lot of fun and free to boot. This couple, the man graduated with Tom, and I have gotten to know each other thru the Internet. They just got back from Israel so I am looking forward to seeing some pictures also. Would you believe I recently got offered a Mystery Shop at a local casino. 2 nites at a Sheraton, 250 dollars to gamble with, all meals and even money for tips included. If I should luck out and win I get to keep everything over $250. How could I turn that one down?

My dear grandson has come up with a new name for me. The first time he called me "Hot Suff" I about fell down laughing. After some further thought I am encouraging him to come up with another name, more fitting. LOL


I will be keeping my fingers crossed that you get some of the great weather that we are experiencing so that you can enjoy your Father's Day celebration in the great outdoors. You guys have a lot to celebrate. Does your dad know how well you are doing in school?

I had better get some work done. I have to get up early and get in town early to do some shopping as tomorrow will be my only chance. My dear friend Dorthea is having severe breathing problems and her son is leaving for camp tomorrow and will be gone for a week. Her birthday is Thursday and after I take her to the hospital for tests myself and a friend are taking her out to eat so that means I will NOT get to take Dalton to the puppet show and see Becki and her delightful girls. I am only one woman and cannot do it all, no matter how much I would like to.

Love and Happy Father's Day to you all! SG

[IASW Rider]

Hi Everyone!

Hi Linda! That's so neat that you will be ushering at "Menopause" - great way to see the show for free, too! And the Mystery Shop offer sounded great, too! Are you going to do it?

How is Dorothea feeling? I'm sure that you had a very nice Birthday celebration for her, and hopefully that made her feel better, in and of itself!

"Hot Stuff"? That sounds like a very appropriate name for you! In fact, I think that I heard Don Juan referring to you by just that nickname, when you were out of the Suite, the other day...........! :)

Sorry that this is so quick - I promise to write longer and more interesting (and frequent!) posts after my 2ce-a-week class ends, next week. It's coming down to the wire, with my final exam and a final paper due, right on top of each other. After next Thursday, I should have more time to post and visit the Boards!

Hope that all is well with all of you, and hope that you're all having a nice week! :)

[IASW Rider]

Have a great weekend, everyone! I promise that I will be back to post more often, after one of my summer classes ends, next week! In the mean time, I will certainly report in on Monday, after Colleen and her Mom and I get together! Can't wait! Guess where we are all meeting? At the Disney Store, of course! :) Hope that all is well with all of you! :)

[SlightlyGoofy]

I am so sorry to have been away for a bit and so very glad to be back here. I had to call the squad for my friend last week and she was taken to the hospital so I have been there and then had to bring her home with me as her son and daughter were out of town. I had tried to tell her to let them know how she was feeling but as she said "It only hurts when I move". (sigh)

Is today the big day for Colleen and Rider to meet? I am going to imagine the scene in my head right now as I sip my beverage. I am in sore need of a beverage AND some good thoughts.

Slightly Goofy/Linda

[IASW Rider]

Hi Linda!

I'm so sorry to hear about your friend - is that Dorothea? I hope that she is all right. I'm sure that she really appreciated your helping and caring for her, especially since her children were out of town. I hope that everything will be all right!

I spent a wonderful afternoon with Colleen and her Mom, today! We met at our favorite, local mall, here in NJ and had a great time talking, catching up in person, and sharing fun Disney stories from the present and from our childhoods! It was so great to meet Colleen in person - she is just as fantastic live as she is, here in the Suite!

Here are some pictures that we took, today, if you'd like to see:

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/lisaruthb6/album?.dir=f074&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/lisaruthb6/my_photos

Hope that all is well with all of you and hope that you're all having a nice week! :)

[SlightlyGoofy]

Dear Lisa, of course she is good people. Have you not noticed that every single person around the Suite is just plain folks, no pretense just Disney lovers all.

Great pictures. The mall looks fantastic. Is that the Disney store that I see there also?

Yes, it is Dorthea but she is home now. Had a doctor's appointment today but her son took her so I got the day off. I like being useful but that was a tad bit much for me. If something had happened to her on my watch I could not have beared it but I could not leave her to be alone, especially on her birthday. I guess my choice of nightgown and robe was a timely gift.

Will you be able to meet again? I am going to add the pictures to my Suite album. This is the first Meet photos that I am not in. I are jealous but just a tiny bit and another beverage will help heal the pain. LOL

SG/Linda

[colleen costello]

HI Girls! WOW! What fun Mom and I had today. My Mom (Carole) says she feels like she has known Lisa her whole life. We had such a nice visit. Scott is retrieving my pics now and we'll send them to Lisa, tonite via Email, and perhaps if there are any good ones she will add them to the slideshow. We laughed that one of our cameras just might make us look more beautiful! :rotfl:

We met at Bridgewater Commons Mall, my favorite spot in NJ as it has all the great stores. Boy I could have fun there after hitting the Hoosier Lottery... Anyhow, we spotted Lisa and descended on the nice Disney Store. They were having a great sale and we spent a good while there. I can't exactly resist $5 Mickey Tshirts and got them for all my family. They had giant Men's sweatshirts on sale and we got my Dad one that says "Grumpy" across the front. His birthday is later this week and it will be PERFECT! Lisa bought a few small items and resisted the plush characters and Mom got the kiddos some little toys. We also went to Williams Sonoma where Lisa picked up some "cedar planks" so Frank can cook salmon just like they do at Artist's Point at the Wilderness Lodge. Lisa, take some pics of THAT meal when it is done, for us to see!

Then we had lunch at the food court and the gabbing commenced. What fun! We talked about Disney trips past, present and future and about meeting Linda (and Tom!). Mom and I got to hear all about Frank's proposal to Lisa, and about their recent anniversary meal at Victoria and Albert's. It is so special to hear Disney stories from someone who loves it so much. Before we knew it, 5pm had arrived and it was time to head home.

Lisa brought me souvenirs from her recent "Spamalot" show and also some wonderful Disney pins, one from the Cruise line. I will treasure everything. The best thing is Lisa brought me a VCR tape of "Lisa and Frank do the Disney Cruise" and tomorrow Mom and I are going to watch it together. I know I will want to rush out and book a cruise! :)

Tonight I am resting up after hearing all about Scott's day -- at Chuck E Cheese. That's where he and his Mom spent the day with the kids. I think I got the better deal, huh?

Love to all!

[SlightlyGoofy]

Colleen, I know exactly what you mean. I recognized Lisa and Frank right off (speaking of which, did Frank not come too?) and it completely ruined the sneaky surprise I had intended when we met at the Poly. You are every bit as comfortable to talk to as well. I am fine, one on one, but I get lost with more.

Sounds as if you guys found some fantastic bargains. I am looking forward to adding some more pictures to my collection. Speaking of which, would anyone like a dvd with my collection of DW pics? I have a few hundred and most of them are pretty good, especially the ones I got from someone else. LOL

SG/Linda

[IASW Rider]

Hi Everyone!

Soooo sorry that it's taken me so long to check in, again! After my great day with Colleen and her Mom, I had a very full week - a doctor's appointment and class (with final exam) on Tuesday, a brunch at my Dad's with our visiting out of town cousins and another class on Wednesday, another doctor's appointment and another class (with final presentation / debate and submission of final paper) yesterday, and manicure / pedicure and lunch with Dad, today! Whew! I'm glad that the week is over and am looking forward to doing a bit of relaxing, this weekend! :)

I'm sorry that I mis-spelled your Mom's name in the photo albums, Colleen! Please apologize to her, on my behalf - I'm going to fix that, right away! And thanks so much for posting such a detailed, fun account of our adventures in the Bridgewater Mall! Yes - I was "strong" - after spending hundreds of dollars on WDW / DCL souvenirs in May, I had to MAKE MYSELF resist buying things for myself in the Disney Store (very hard, since as Colleen said, there were such fantastic bargains, that day)! But I did buy Frank 2 T-shirts, though (one of which he's been wearing to lounge around the house in the evenings, all week! :))! And it will actually be I who will be attempting to make that Cedar Plank Atlantic Salmon from Artist Point - I need to "stretch" my culinary skills and become brave enough to cook fish that doesn't come frozen in Gorton's Fisherman boxes! :) Frank would probably do the better job........but I must try! :)

Actually, Frank had to work on Monday, so he was not able to join us, Linda. :( His Unit at work had to take away the "alternate work arrangement" that had allowed him to work 4 10.5 hour days per week (and have one day off every week) for the past few years, as 2 of the women in his unit are out on maternity leave, so everyone else needs to cover for them. Hopefully we will ALL be able to meet in WDW, at the same time, some day! :)

It's so funny that you mentioned "ruined surprises", Linda - because I had been planning to "assault" Linda and Tom with my video camera, when we first met them, too........but we all happened to get to the Poly early, and wound up running into one another before our assigned meeting time! I still say that that was fate, Linda! We were thinking along the same lines and even showed up in the same place at the same time - what are the chances of that happening?!! Guess what else was on that tape that I made for Colleen, Linda? All of the footage of our meeting at the Poly last year! :)

Anyway, I am thrilled to say that I have actually had the honor of meeting both of you ladies in person! And I really DO hope that some time, we will be able to get together, all of us - and we can ALL watch the EWP, together! And everyone else, here in the Suite, too! (HEY - where has everybody else been?!! Did we scare them away? I think that we need to send Don and Bo out after them, to bring them back to visit us! :))

Thank you both for all of your kind and thoughtful words, as always! You are both such wonderful and special people, and I am very fortunate to know you both and to have such wonderful friends! :)

So, what are everyone's 4th of July weekend plans? We will be attending the (co-ed, informal) bridal shower of my friend, for whom I'll be serving as Matron of Honor in September, tomorrow. It should be fun - a big, outdoor BBQ in North Jersey. I'll get to see some old friends from college, whom I haven't seen in a long time (the bride and I and these friends were all in the same co-ed community service fraternity, at Rutgers). One of them had always dated women in college and later married a woman for a few years........and then left her to live out his "true life".........and will now be marrying his boyfriend of the past 6 years, this fall! I haven't seen him since he made his big "revelation" (although we have corresponded by e-mail), and I can't wait to meet his boyfriend! (I never liked his wife very much, to be honest! :))

We'll be having a "low key" rest-of-the-weekend - just having dinner with my best friend from high school and her husband and son on Sunday night, and relaxing the rest of the time - we really need a few quiet days, after this hectic week!

Hey - guess what? I learned today that Frank and I have been honored by being invited to sit at one of the head tables at next weekend's North East DIS Meet! We are very excited - we'll be sitting with the organizer and his family, the guest speakers, and others who helped out with the planning and execution of the Meet - very nice! :)

So, what else has been new with you both? And your families? I hope that Dorothea is feeling better and has been comfortable and well at home, too, Linda.

I would love to see your Disney pictures, Linda - you always take such great photos!

Well, time to get some things done around here, now! Hope that all is well with all of you! Have a great weekend and take care. :)

[SlightlyGoofy]

Dear Lisa, you are forgiven. LOL Might I ask why you are having so many doctor's visits? Are you alright? You had better be!!! (scared?) (did not think so, sigh) I am glad to see that you have been pampering yourself a bit. With my life just finding time to clip my nails myself is a luxury.

Where else should the reigning Disney Trivia Queen sit but at the head table? Please make sure that your camera is up and ready for the meet -like I have to remind you of that. Yeah, right. :teeth:

Ever notice that the best sales come out right after you have over extended yourself? I am carefully avoiding the Dell site as I do not want to see what they are offering now. Am a bit sorry I did not hold out for a bigger monitor though. Since this one has a tv tuner in it there is scant chance I will be changing any time soon. The old computer is now all cleaned up and reloaded for the boys to take home. Dalton has been teaching himself how to type for awhile and he is looking forward to being able to practice at home as well as here. We even found him a fantastic algebra baseball game to play.

You forgot that Bo has departed and took Don with him as well. Are you sure that you remembered to hire new staff? I would do so but my taste in men is less than stellar and I might end up with US waiting on THEM. :confused3

Matron? You?? You are far too young. I am happy for your friend. I have always hated the fact that people have to pretend to be other than who they are. Makes for a whole lot of unhappy people and life is far too darned short for such. Please give them my congratulations and many good wishes for a happy life together. IMO I would rather have the romance of a Sigfried and Roy rather than the many marriages of an Elizabeth Taylor. Since I am stuck firmly in hetrosexuality I will have to muddle through the best as I can. (grin) Was not a choice, I was born that way. (sigh)

Your idea of a low key weekend and mine are a whole lot different. I go out and work in the yard for about 30 minutes and then come in and collapse for an hour. I have had enough excitement this weekend. My bil was in a bad accident. Long story, short -he got the top of his head bashed in. They had to fly in a surgeon and he put in 4 metal plates. No brain damage, thankfully. Tests will be done soon to see if other damage has been done. Hopefully none. I am sure glad that my hubby comes from a long line of hard headed men.

Dorthea was most pleased when I told her that you had asked about her. She is sleeping more and more. She has rallied before so I just enjoy whatever time I have with her.

Love, SG/Linda (who is all alone in the Suite tonight and looking for some company) Guess I will go look at Janet2K's video once more and get over it. :3dglasses

[IASW Rider]

Hi Everyone!

Happy 4th of July Weekend to you all! :)

Hi Linda! I'm sorry that you were alone in the Suite, last night! :( But I'm glad that you mentioned that Janet has apparently finally been able to post some video (I know that she'd had some difficulties posting the fireworks video) - I will have to check it out! I've fallen behind in keeping up with her Vow Renewal Planning Thread - I will have to catch up - I love reading her installments - it's like a soap opera - very addictive!

So Bo and Don are gone for good?? I thought that they would certainly return after their world tour! I guess that they have left us to go and seek fame and fortune, elsewhere. Their loss! We will get together and begin interviewing new candidates, immediately! We will surely find some worthy replacements who are capable of..........entertaining us..........as well or better than our original Suite Men did! :)

We will definitely bring a camera to the DIS Meet, next weekend! I'm in the process of finishing up this year's installment of "What / Where Am I, in WDW?" - maybe I will post some of my clues, after I'm done, if you would all like to try some of them.......they may be too easy if I post the clues, though (as opposed to slowly reading them out loud and your guessing them before I get to the next clue) - I'll just have to call you each and "test" you over the phone, that's all! :)

I'm fine, thanks for asking, Linda. The doctor's appointments are all routine, annual check-up's of various sorts that just happened to all fall around the same time. Now that I'm finished with one of my classes, I have to make my bi-annual dentist appointment and annual check-up appointments for 3 of our cats, too!

The shower was a lot of fun, yesterday - the weather was absolutely perfect - low 80's, sunny, no humidity - and our friends were very happy! I got to do my first "Matron of Honor duties" by presenting the couple of honor with each of their gifts to open, and taking care of the ones that they already opened, afterwards. It was much nicer than a "traditional shower", in our opinion - first of all, because men were invited, so the entire family could be there. Also, because it was a relaxed, informal barbecue, as opposed to a formal affair in a catering hall. It was a great way for the bride and groom's family to meet for the first time and get to know each other, too! It was a lot of fun.

And it was nice to see my other college friend and to meet his boyfriend, at the shower, too. As it turns out, they are getting "married" (in NJ, where it's not "legal", but they are having a formal commitment ceremony, performed by a minister) in December and are going all out - they're having a huge reception for over 100 people, a photographer and videographer, all the trimmings, etc. And they are hoping to eventually adopt children, too! I think that's very nice - and the boyfriend seems like a very nice person, too! Best of all, my friend's parents are going to be there and are supporting him. Back when he married the woman, over 10 years ago, I know that his parents gave him a very hard time because she was Jewish (and he was raised Catholic). It's nice to see that his parents have come around to the extent that they are supporting his choices and the new addition to their family!

So sorry to hear about your BIL, Linda! Thank God he is all right and that his injuries weren't worse (although the ones that he suffered sound pretty bad) - that must have been so frightening! I hope that he is all right and that he continues to recover well!

And so glad to hear that Dorothea is feeling better and is doing well, too!

Well, believe it or not, Frank just got up (he deserves to sleep this late, after a busy week at work and our long day at the shower, yesterday! :)), so it's time for me to go and re-heat the coffee that I made a few hours ago!

Hope that all is well with all of you and hope that you are all enjoying the holiday weekend! Talk to you soon! :)

[SlightlyGoofy]

Lisa, seems as if, even with the brief and only meeting, that Tom has rubbed off on Frank. LOL Even I think that sleeping in occasionally is good. I used to do that about once every couple of months but nowadays I am down to a couple of times a year. If I do not get up early and get things done nothing gets done after Tom wakes up or Dalton gets here. I am a single minded person. Complciated boggles my poor brain. :confused3

Janet sent her video to me directly. It is a great scene of the beach. I could forward it if you are interested. I made you a DVD last night but it is not terribly good. I did not get the video on the movies. Will have to try again. Practice makes perfect. If anyone else wants a copy of my Disney videos and pictures I will gladly send them one as it is much easier to make copies.

Bo is gone forever. He has a great career ahead of him and we must wish him well. He did mention that he would pop in occasionally, on special occasions, to give us a private concert though. I met someone last night who wanted to apply for our opening. His name is Constantine and although he is not nearly as talented as Bo, he smiles pretty and can whomp up the best food you have ever wrapped your lips around.

If you want to test me make it on a Thursday night. I am suffering terrible withdrawals pangs from the loss of my weekly trivia game. I was the last Grand Poohbah but that is small consolation. I feel terribly evil for missing the game when the man who ran it is even missed more. No one else like him will ever come along. Very generous with his time and talent and kept everyone, including me, in line. :flower:

I am glad to hear that you are just doing routine maintenance instead of suffering from any kind of physical breakdowns.

I like showers with mixed company. Sounds like it went a whole lot better than a recent shower here. They had it down the road and the families got into a fight and the groom ended up stabbing his future bil. What a mess! Redneck country around here. I have a wedding to go to next week at the church behind my house. It is for one of the kids I had in 4-H years ago. Her brother is also my son's best friend. They wore a path between the streets when they were growing up.

Parents usually start out by wanting 'perfection' for their children but somewhere along the way we learn to accept 'reasonably happy' no matter what that entails and it sounds as if your friend has surpassed that expectation.

(soapbox here) I have to smile at those who do not want gay marriage to taint the 'normal' marriages. Heck, if you can meet someone in a bar and run off to Las Vegas and get married, sometimes more than once or twice in a lifetime just how 'special' is it? Marriage is what each couple makes it and for some it is nothing while for others it is everything. Gay people have the right to make as many mistakes as the rest of us. (grin) Hey, if they can get a middle aged, Midwest housewife in their corner can the rest of the world be far behind?

I always told my kids that I would accept any marriage they made as long as it was within their 'race' ------ the HUMAN race!!!!!!

Both patients are doing well as per reports of this morning. My sil says that her patient is raring to go back to work and she is worried about keeping him quiet. Boy, the brothers sure are different. Wonder if we took the both of them and shook them up in a bag if we could come up with 2 perfect guys? Is a thought.

The old computer went home with the boys today. I hope that Dalton is allowed to use it. It is going in Austin's room and he does not use a computer much at all. I am glad to get the extra room back in the LR.

I am about to fill up the truck bed with what I have pulled from the flower beds. They are faster than I am.

Happy 4th of July to everyone, wherever you are!!!!

SG/Linda

[lunabkat]

Hi all,

Just checking in after reading lots of posts. You all are always so busy, its exhausting!

Recap of last few weeks:

Yard being worked on (drainage problem)
Truck has finally died, this after 3 mechanics, 2000$ in parts and service, not to mention the 2 months of rental cars.
Fencing to start, when finished, get dog or two.
House to be painted, windows replaced, doors replaced
Surprise root canal, says it all doesn't it?
Bathroom- yikes, still in the "undone" stage, meaning no facilities, thanks dh.
I have small "big cell" tumor in foot, also called cyst, which i prefer, need operation in next two weeks, will be out of work for at least 2 weeks, doctor prefers 5 - yeah right, who pays the bills then?
Went camping with friends, yikes, at least one day too long...just moms and the girls, fun but glad to be home, i prefer hotel vacations thankyou.
And someone please tell me how a cat can be put on a low calorie diet for a year and gain two pounds? :sad2:

I am so in limbo around here, can't something be done and finished around here? (Excepting the truck, because its done alright.) Can you say anxiety attack...someone give me something...I'm not picky, ( i need to center, deep breathing, close eyes...)maybe a glass of wine and 8 solid hours of sleep, Chai tea, decaf anything?

On the up side, my friend has quit drinking and is doing much, much better, which is a blessing, i've gotten a small raise, the root canal is over and school is out for the summer (tho if that's a plus or a minus depends upon the day, eh?).

Glad to hear everyone is doing well, sorry about Dorothea, Linda, I hope she feels better soon.

Linda and Colleen, I live literally 5 mins. from the Bridgewater Mall, I wonder if we have seen each other there... :rolleyes: perhaps in the Disney Store?
:grouphug:
Take care all, talk soon,


Lauralee

[MonorailDude]

Hi. Sorry to interupt. But don't for get to vote for me! ;)

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid176/p684ccc49f1df65195aec0c52c4220929/f3671cb1.jpg

[colleen costello]

Hi all! First off, who is this cute young man and what is he running for? Is there a "DIS King" and we never knew it?

Luna, your post made me laugh as life is so crazy... Stuff sure likes to happen all at once, doesn't it? I haev had many root canals and the only real pain is when they hand you the huge bill...I thought of you during my trip to NJ. We went to a wedding and I was extra careful to be polite around the staff at the reception because I have seen through your eyes how some wedding guests are viewed as real stinkers. The wedding was lovely and boy those people work hard to see that you have a good time... It was at a place called "Cliffdale" in Moonachie; I am sure the layout is similar to your place. There was a nice room where we had cocktails and food (enough for twice the people attending, it seemed) then there was a big bar room, then the banquet room where we had dinner, dessert and dancing. What fun! Everything was lovely and my children, who had never been to a wedding, were mightily impressed.

Right after the wedding Mom and I road-tripped to meet Rider at Bridgewater Commons Mall. That was so much fun. We talked serious Mickey. Lisa brought me some wonderful souvenirs which I am currently figuring out how to properly display. That mall is great, too. If I lived there I would need 3 jobs because who can resist Disney Store, Williams Sonoma and Macy's all under one roof?

Our time home was nice with various relatives showing up in succession. Scott's family was on good behavior, and I got to miss one visit with them while I hung out with Lisa -an extra perk of the trip! We drove back to Indiana on Saturday which was clear, sunny and free of construction workers -- a perfect trip if we had been going SOUTH (my favorite direction!)

All is well back at home. House is still here and kitties did fine in our absence. We spent July 4th with friends and of course all I can think of is "I am going to Disney World in 3 weeks!" I sat down with a calendar and made our travel plans for 2006. We will be at Old Key West in March and then back to Orlando mid-July. I am always hoping for a windfall and after July 4th the Deluxes go into Value Season. If I have won the lottery by then I can splurge on the Poly.

Ian is at YMCA day camp all this week so I am down to one kid. Feel like a real queen as no one is yelling "shut up" or bellowing for me to break up fights. Dear hubby went back to work this morning but I assured him the next 14 workdays will fly and then we roadtrip again! We were able to book 1 night at Vero Beach (Disney has a DVC resort there) during our trip and we are all looking forward to seeing that ocean (although not dipping in it with all the shark attacks lately!)

Off to Target... Again, with only one child I can accomplish a lot this week!

Love to all. :wizard:

[jstmee]

Hi everyone at my favorite resting place, i've been trieng to find you all. It's been awhile. Over a year. Since my last WDW trip. I went back to school for Nursing and that has kept me sooooo busy.

The awful new is that my son, Kenny, 16, one of my twins, died on 6/3/05 a sudden death. I attached two sites so you can read about it.

http://www.bangornews.com/news/templates/?a=114831

http://www.bangornews.com/news/templates/?a=114700&z=175


I needed to stop in here for some comfort and relaxation.

On a good note we are going to WDW in Sept.

I'll read some posts and come join you all later.

I'll be back.

Wendy

[SlightlyGoofy]

I am so delighted to see so many in the Suite but I just cannot find the words to say much more right now. Wendy, dear Wendy, you special and loving lady. I am so sorry for your loss (and ours) but I am comforted by the knowledge that your son was blessed to have had a loving family and a fantastic life while we were lucky enough to have had him among us.

There are tears running down my face and I am speechless. Not something that often occurs. I will write more later when I have a chance to get my mind wrapped around your news.

May God bless you and keep you during this time.

Please, Colleen and Lauralee forgive me.

SG/Linda/Mom/Grandma/Friend

[colleen costello]

Wendy, my sympathy is with you. Of course you will have the prayers of everyone in the Suite. How nice that our silly gabbing can be a comfort for you! It sounds in the articles like your son was a special human being. I am hoping and praying that your family can get to a point where the memories bring more smiles than tears!

Love and Best Wishes...

[lunabkat]

Hi all

Wendy, i am so sorry for your loss. My daughter, Shannon, was killed 9 years ago at age twelve and i know how devastating a sudden death is. I wish i could write something to really help you but all what i can offer is that, although time does not make you forget, i found that, as time went by, I was slowly able to ( a tiny bit at a time) lift the gigantic boulder that fell on me that day and although i carry it with me every day, time has allowed me to gradually build my strength so that rather than crushing me beneath it, i am able to once again stand up and am able hold it on my shoulders as I carry it with me. So, although i think of her and miss her every day I guess i have become "accustomed" to missing her and it has integrated itself into my daily life. My one suggestion, and i give it wholeheartedly, it to contact a chapter of Compassionalte Friends, if you have not already. It was a tremendous help to me and the people were wonderful and supporting. I know it isn't everybody's cup of tea, but some of us find it very helpful. Compassionate friends also has chapters for grieving siblings. try to make sure your son has an outlet for his grief and doesn't feel like he has to put on a "happy face" for everyone else so they feel better. For some kids it is better to try and go back to "normal life" as soon as they feel like it so they can keep busy through the "numb" stage and to have things to look forward to in the days ahead (i.e. camping trip, baseball game, practices, etc.) This also is important for you and others in your family. Even if it is only a weekly lunch out with a couple of close friends, it helps you to move through the days, weeks, months, etc.

Above all, please remember that people grieve in different ways and there is no one right way to grieve. Allow yourselves your differences and respect how each of you reacts.

If I can be of any help, please feel free to contact me, if you would like my phone number I would be happy to talk with you if you want, just pm me and let me know if I can be of any help. My thoughts, love and prayers are with you all,

With great empathy,

Lauralee

[SlightlyGoofy]

Dear Wendy, no one could have said it better than our Lauralee. It is unfortunate that you two should share such a bond but it is good that you have someone to talk to that knows what to say. You have been on my mind all day long. My grandson, Dalton, sends his sympathies as well. He read the news reports and was taken with the fact that your son was both an athlete and a scholar. Rare and so special. When and if you are able we would love to hear stories about him.

Lauralee, some answers to your questions - your cat is obviously related to me. -no facilities and no transportation to get to any? Yikes, that would make me more than stressed. Been there, done that.- I am a room service gal myself, no camping for me, even the FW trailers scare me. =cyst sounds better to me too but the doctor can charge more for a 'tumor"- May all of your customers chip in and give you enough tips to help you through your 'off' time. BIG BUMMER that you were not able to meet Colleen and Lisa at the Mall. There is no way that you would not recognize Lisa if you ever ran into her. She is so pretty and unique. Colleen lives far enough away that you are not likely to run into her but one never knows when her sweet smile might show up for another wedding.

Colleen, one kid is a delight!! Amazing how nice a kid can be when they are getting undivided attention and a bit of spoiling. I was tickled cause my dear little one went and brought me a cough drop yesterday. I am used to waiting on others so when I get a bit back I am so happy. Rare things are easily noticeable. If I won the lottery I would stay at OKW. I am seriously considering renting points there some visit. Was it you who has a contact with points to rent or Becki? When you get to my age you are easily confused. :confused3 I cannot believe you made it through the state without seeing any construction workers but I guess the state cannot afford holiday time right now. I love traveling on weekends for that reason.

I heard from my niece who lives right outside London and she and her family are safe but they are not sure about friends and neighbors as yet. My heart bleeds for my second favorite country.

I have a major doctor's appointment tomorrow. If I have to be hospitalized it would make 5 family members in at the same time. I am crossing my fingers and eyes and hoping for a horse rather than a zebra. I like things I can spell. Oh, did I tell you guys that my hair grew back? Small but significant.

SG/Linda

[colleen costello]

Linda, we have had a nice week with Ian greatly enjoying camp and Erin greatly enjoying time off from brother. Ian loves school so I suspected he would like camp. They keep awfully busy and lu