The "too many resorts" trip, Feb 5-20, 2013

[bumbershoot]

I can see where a 15 month old wouldn't totally appreciate the show.

My "how old is that child" meter has never worked very well, so I can't say if he was a year or 1.5 years (probably not 2, though), but there was a little dude sitting next to me who quite literally went through the entire gamut of human emotion during the show. It was amazing to watch; he kept pulling my attention away from the show. It was pretty great, though, because just when you thought he was going to truly start crying, something else would catch his eye and he'd crack up. Then he would get all serious, etc. He was adorable, too.

After the show I realized that he and his mom had somehow gotten separated from their family, so heck, maybe he was watching and reacting to the back of his dad's head or something, LOL.



OK, to bed with me. Long day with learning work and Legos and everyone being crabby and no classes at the Y and then I had to make my Chinese herbs 'n roots tea to try to get my repro system wake up and take notice and THEN after I got more than halfway through that very smelly process (WHY are Chinese herbs 'n roots so nasty in teas?) I realized I'd made the wrong tea and I had to start over. (1 hour just soaking the herbs, then boil and then merely simmer for 20 minutes, strain, new water, boil then merely simmer for 20 minutes, mix) Kept me up way later than I had intended, but I'm trying to commit to this new regime before my clock runs out! And then of course Robert had Craig Ferguson on, who is always good for a few laughs, blah blah blah.

Good night!

 

[bumbershoot]

Feb 15, continued. Still at Animal Kingdom.


After the show, there was exploring. E had previously done part of the Discovery Club (or whatever it's called) activity where kids go to various stations, do a little activity, and get a stamp on a card. We wanted to finish up his card, but I had of course forgotten his old ones, so he just did the whole thing again.

Figuring out what items were inside a hollow "log".

Birds that loiter outside food stands (in this case a turkey leg stand) hoping for handouts.

Putting dinosaur jawbones together with skulls.

Believe it or not, this day we got E on Dinosaur. Which meant that I got to finally go on Dinosaur. Gotta tell you, it's funny to see Phylicia Rashad and Wallace Langham in that context. E was definitely spooked, but I thought the ride was more interesting (to look around) than scary.

Ah yes, he wore earplugs for it.

We rode the Safari, the guys went into the animal trail in order to do the activity there (for some reason I decided to just stay out and stand in the breezy sunshine instead of going on in...I thought they would rush in, do it, rush out, but they took their time). We did Expedition Everest once or twice.

I have NO real idea of how the day linked together, so these are little tidbits.


We wanted to get EE FPs, but were over in the Dino area (I think after Dinosaur and some playing around and window shopping). And we had our Tusker House reservation very very soon, which was going to require rushing. I said that I would get the EE FPs for after lunch and they could go on and sign us in. I thought they would go "under" the tree, but I suppose they crossed over the second bridge so they nearly took the same path I did. Either way, on our respective ways to Tusker House, we both saw Devine.

These were taken by Robert just moments before I came along the path. My pictures of her are terrible.

We met back up in line to check in for TH. Since I didn't know they had taken that other path, had forgotten that Robert was moving slow, and didn't know they had spent the time to get pix of and with Devine, they were nowhere near the front, and we had a bit of a wait. When we got to the podium there was confusion, when we got in back near the picture with Donald there was confusion. I don't know what their confusion was all about, but it was annoying. Eventually we got our little ticket for the pictures and after that we were taken in.

Lunch was, of course, as usual, and as always, absolutely fabulous. I tried to restrain myself but went back for seconds. So dang good there. Eamon got more adventurous and tried the pearl couscous and a couple other things along with his gigantic plate of mac&cheese (which was very tasty).

And of course there were characters.

They made me "get in the photo!" (as the 2005 planning video leisure-guy would say).

There was a kid-parade (watch out, E, there's a wild cat right behind you!).

Who says kids can't find magic and fun even after they KNOW about characters? (E noticed zippers up the back when he was something like 3, and yet Mickey always gets an unrestrained hug).

Good gravy he's almost as tall as Mickey's "friend".


I was hoping I had some pix of food, but nope. So good. We spent a nice long time there, ate just what we wanted to eat, had some coffee....it was all very good. I think that next time we might not do the lunchtime lunch (our ADR was scheduled for 12:25 but I think we got in line at 12:30, got to the podium probably 10, 15 minutes after that, and didn't get seated until at least 10 minutes after THAT), but instead do the late breakfast/early lunch seating time that might allow us a bit of breakfast food before they bring out the lunch stuff.


After that there was Expedition Everest to ride. We *just barely* made it. I don't remember if it was just lunch that got in the way or if there was enough time before that FP that we had other things to do, but we skated in by seconds. I even had to have people move aside...those people were standing outside the FP return line, waiting for their return time, of course. Whew! I'm really not into this whole strict return time nonsense. But that's a rant for another day.


Robert took some pictures...

Birds settling in for the later afternoon. I had to bump the contrast almost all the way and bring the brightness way up so you could see them. For some reason pictures of them, at the time that they start roosting, come out REALLY dark.

Real tree? Fake tree? Cellphone tower? A mystery.

We love Primeval Whirl and even waited in standby for it.


I'm going to end this post with this story, but then post more pictures in the next post to take our thoughts off of it.

We had gone all through the Discovery activities except for Rafiki's planet watch. We've been out there before, and I remembered that he did an activity but didn't get a stamp. So we wanted to do the activity. We went to the train station and got in line.

Now I'll be really up front with you and state that I didn't look at...didn't even pick up...a Times Guide for this day. If I had, things might have been different. Then again, I'm not sure I should HAVE TO scour such a thing to get info on when something closes; I feel that CMs at the entrance should be telling us such things.

We got in line at something like 4:15. The line was out the building, though a train left and then we all got inside pretty quickly. And set in to wait. And then the announcements started. Incomprehensible announcements, except for bits and pieces that sort of sounded like they were saying the area we were going to closed AT FIVE.

All through line, every time the guy got on the PA (or someone pushed a button for the recording) people around us were trying to figure out what he was saying. I normally can't hear that kind of stuff, and was glad that I wasn't the only one struggling. A train came in, offloaded, onloaded, and left, and it was something like 4:55 and we were just towards the front, not quite let onto the platform, and we were still trying to comprehend why we were being sent to a place that was closing before we would even get there. There was a mutiny stirring, and it was not just with us.

Every time we tried to ask CMs, they didn't make ANY sense with their replies. I was not the only one that thought this. They seemed to focus on the concept that no one would be left behind, that the train would run until everyone was gone. They REFUSED to focus on the question of why were we being put on a train to go to an attraction that would be closed before we got there. Their answers never addressed that.

We were let onto the platform and we just refused. We left. We had just wasted, truly and completely WASTED, almost an hour of our day, the last "we know this day is being spent at a theme park because we are HERE" day, for something we wouldn't get to enjoy. It made no sense.

We were the only ones that left. Guess the other people who were grumbling all along the line wanted to bet on it. I hope they had a nice time. I hope there was just a mass misunderstanding of the essential question and how to answer it correctly, and that they got to visit the area. I hope it wasn't just a line to take a train ride to stand in line to take a train ride.

On the way out we ran into a CM. We stopped him. And tried to get answers. And got no answers. At the end of it I just asked if he could take other CMs into the line one day and try to actually HEAR what the CM on the PA is saying. That no one could hear it. And that if an attraction is closing, maybe have the CM at the very outside tell people about it? Don't just assume that everyone has memorized the Times Guide, or even picked one up.

We were VERY frustrated.

The CM at the very front of the line, at the entrance to the area? She was still letting people in.


I think our brains went black for a bit because I really don't know what we did for a little bit after that. If you're a Harry Potter reader...the wrackspurts got us.

 

[bumbershoot]

I'm in a time crunch for classes at the Y, but I can't just leave it like that.


We love the dinoland area, it does something happy for us. AK, don't change!

OK gotta go.

 

[bumbershoot]

More pictures.

After the whole Rafiki's train debacle (and probably while all the others go actually got on the train had a lovely time full of pixie dust and cheer while we grumped along), we huffed and puffed and finally stopped. After all we had some more time left at the park.

We decided to go on to the Boneyard playground area, because that was something E really wanted to do. E and I got stopped at this exhibit while Robert continued walking because he wanted to get there and SIT (his leg was hurting). If I recall correctly, the CMs were exhibiting Vietnamese (I think that's the country) toy-making, using leaves and weaving them together. It was like magic, watching them make these things. At the end, the CM gave what she had just made to a girl up front, and then got a previously-made one out to give to E. That was lovely.

His bird. Note that it's on a long stem, which allows you to fly it around. It dried out, but otherwise last for days.

We went on to the play area, where E ran off and Robert and I sat. Ahhhhhh. Sitting. So nice. Hmm, those kids are up awfully high. What are they doing? OK those kids are up on a BIG rock, and are actually touching the netting that goes over the play area. Surely that's not OK? No one's saying to get down...well yeah, no one is watching them. The CM at the entrance/exit area is distracted by the people coming in, another CM is talking to someone...no one sees them. Are there signs? I walked over to see...no signs. But that's just NOT safe. on my way to the talking CM and she looks past me, walks briskly towards me, I say "oh good you've got it", and she makes CERTAIN that those kids knew that they were NOT supposed to be up there. Whew! 3 brain injuries averted for the moment.

Meanwhile...where's our kid? Hmm. Haven't seen him for a little too long for my comfort. Hmm.

Robert was hurting so he stayed in the same basic area, looking up, as you do in that playground, wondering if you actually will be able to recognize The Underside of Your Child. I went up and started looking around.

And there I discovered the up-in-the-sky pathway to the Boneyard. The real one, where you sit in the coarse sand and uncover dinosaurs. Which is up and over/across the path below, and into a totally different area.

I decided to just watch E for a bit from up top, to see if he understood that he had gone somewhere we didn't know about, if he felt guilty or bad or lonely.... Yeah, no, he didn't. He was just playing. He didn't know. Probably didn't even know the rope bridge had gone over the sidewalk or that he was in a different area. Just didn't realize. He was being his usual social self, playing with kids!

I waited a little while then got his attention, and he came with me willingly.


I truly see nothing wrong or tacky about this place. I love it.

He had sand in his shoes.

I am not sure how his shoe is balancing on the bench like that....

Ahhhh! Watch out dinosaur!

E insisted I take these pictures.

Please note the tiny dino under him.

with flash...

Vegetarians take note! Alas I was too full to partake in a summer roll. Sad.

We ended on a good note. Up next.

 

[kaoden39]

I love everything I see about AK. Sigh someday.

 

[bumbershoot]

Early on in the day, we had gotten a phone message from Saratoga Springs saying that we needed to come back and "get the rest of your keys to the world". Uh, what? Well whatever, we're here and we can deal with that later.

Some hours after that we got a text with our room number.
************************



On the way in to meet Robert at the play area, I talked to a CM really quick who was manning a meet&greet area. The sign said something like Tigger Pooh Eeyore, and I asked if they were separate or together. She said that they are all generally there, and I made a note of the ending time. She said that *sometimes* they stay later, so to be sure to check. I was glad, because Eeyore is right up there with Hook for Robert (he has an Eeyore plush sitting in the living room), and he was really bummed out because of his leg.

On the way out we passed by the area again, and although it was beyond the end-time, there was a CM at the entrance. I asked if they were still open, and the answer was yes. I dragged the guys in...


And they were all there. And we were basically all alone with them. I chatted with CMs while the guys had tons of fun with the characters. Then they dragged me in for a pic.

This put Robert in such a good mood, and I was glad I insisted on walking down the path to get there. On that high note Robert asked to take bunches of nighttime Photopass photos, which basically look like the same people you see above, in front of the tree of life and in front of the park.


And so we headed to SSR, to the weirdness that awaited us there.

 

[bumbershoot]

I love everything I see about AK. Sigh someday.

Yes, someday! You'll make it there, I know you will.

 

[kaoden39]

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Looks and sounds like a fun, busy visit. It's so nice to see you with Goofy and E at Tusker House

 

[pktbMouse]

loving your trip report so far

 

[nunzia]

THAT is a great family picture..3 characters at once? good one...

 

[bumbershoot]

Sorry for the lack of updates!

I've been feeling super-scattered, where it's easier to just spend the day helping E with his homeschool and straightening and answering umpteen random, but QUICK, questions on the interwebz (ha)...vs thinking and putting things in order and posting here.

Then just as I was gearing up for it, I messed up during my run on Tuesday, didn't bring my cereal, and that morning/early afternoon managed to have 4 "servings" of caffeine...everything culminated in wooziness I shrugged off at the Y.

Spoiler alert: I'm OK. This doesn't go anywhere scary! Painful, but not SCARY.

E and I got home, I asked Robert to make simple dinner, went to shower and run the hot water on my muscles which hurt (b/c the other mistake I had made was I increased the length of my run by half a mile, instead of going slower and easier).

I was stretching low to the floor, and thank goodness, because I straightened up, thought "ooooh, dizzy"....then there's nothing, then I vaguely heard "OW!", then there's a short blank and I realized I was rubbing my head and that my head hurt, then there's a blank and I realized I was sitting up, still in the shower. I had fainted, fallen back (thank goodness I was low to the ground), and hit my head probably on the faucet.

Thank goodness there was no blood, no breaking, nothing like that. Though it is ALWAYS disconcerting to lose a bit of memory like that.

So I thought that was that; messed up, will fuel my workouts and not be stupid, and it was a full day later that I realized the caffeine thing meant I was probably ALSO dehydrated even though I drank my normal (copious amounts) of water that day.

But then I didn't feel OK to really do my workout on Wednesday, just felt off.

Wed evening I realized my shoulders bones hurt, the ones towards the back of the shoulders, when I touched them. No bruises, but felt like they were bruised. That's when I realized I must have ALSO hit there in the shower. Still can't figure out how I didn't break anything if I hit there, too.

And then by the very very end of Wednesday (we are night owls) I was hurting hurting hurting. Low back, sacrum and lumbars, oh so hurty. Chiro isn't in on Thursday, and I couldn't imagine how I could have an acupuncture session since I can't lie down on my belly (can't even get into that position), and no other position is comfy for more than 5 minutes. I realize now, at the end of Thursday, that I should have just gone in, but I wasn't thinking.

As I think about it, since I fell back and then, while still actually unconscious, sat back up quickly, I could have done damage in both directions. Just like the problem of whiplash isn't in when your head goes back but when it flops forcefully forward, I probably hurt myself in many ways when I went back up and forward without actually being in conscious control of my body.

Tomorrow, unless my chiro is closed for some reason (he's doing this motivational speaking sort of thing, and his wife is closing in on the end of her pregnancy), I will see him and be reassured that it's just a chiropractic type of injury and not something I'll have to think about MRIs for (claustrophobic!). And I'll see the acupuncturist soon and I'll probably be all better very soon.

But for now, this has been the longest I've typed without moving position over the day, and I'm due to move soon and maybe go take an aspirin or something, but in all honesty I wish I could just stay here because getting up and down, and lying down and getting back up, and moving from lying on one side to lying on the other (and let's not even TALK about lying on my back) just "bites", to use a silly term.



Note: it seems that hearing your wife or mother fall, say "ow", and then realize she doesn't know how she got there, is a bit disturbing. Sorry guys! I will fuel my workouts and not accidentally dehydrate myself again! I will eat *something* before I get in the shower, too! And I won't increase my runs by over 10% at a time! PROMISE!

 

[kaoden39]

Molly, I am so sorry. You need to take care of you.

 

[bumbershoot]

Thanks Michele, I am.

Saw Docta Pablo today, and while initially there was new, weird, unusual, and increased pain, it's definitely getting better now. Definitely.

I'm definitely not working out today, or for another couple days, but I'm on the mend. Yay!

Especially after what you guys are going through with Scotty, I did NOT like the idea that I hit my head at all! I know that it's common to not remember what happened immediately after fainting, but it's the sort of in and out memory I have of those moments that I really dislike. Robert acted all medico-like, checking my pupils and whatnot... It's funny to see him like that, and it's so rare. Usually it's me checking everyone out, not him!


I had to go out to the credit union and banks to deal with rent because I ran out of checks, and while out I went to the store to get nail polish remover since my "manicure" from a couple days ago is chipping terribly and I was out. While there I found a nail color for 1.09 that is the EXACT match to my pants (the same pants I wore to Animal Kingdom in the pictures earlier). I had to buy it! I mean, I was wearing them today. And I'm washing this outfit and wearing it tomorrow, too, LOL. The color is just too good to not wear and be matchy with!


R's almost home and is taking E to aikido, and I think I'm going to rest and relax if I can lay down. Looking forward to it being even more quiet for an hour or so.

 

[kaoden39]

Molly, I hope you are feeling better!

Scotty had his first treatment for the vertigo and as I expected it isn't going to be that easy of a fix. He starts his other therapy later in the month. The neuro feels there isn't any major damage to Scotty's brain!! He has arthritis in his neck but you his chiropractor can take care of that.

 

[bumbershoot]

I'm feeling much better. Did a treadmill run yesterday, but kept it on the shorter side. Will likely do the same today. The part of my head where I hit is still tender when I touch it, but I'm not feeling as "off" as I had been feeling, thank goodness. Another visit with the chiro helped me get over some more back stuff that was still there. Totally has thrown off our plans, though; we get 20 visits each per year with him, and I had planned on 2 visits per month until it runs out, then do a plan with him which involves pre-paying for a certain number of visits to get to the end of the insurance year (our year starts April 1). And here I had to already do 2 of those visits, and should go back again this month. Ah the best laid plans.

Thanks for waiting patiently!

Michele, glad Scotty has started his therapy.

 

[bumbershoot]

2/15, SSR day.



We had done online checkin, we had done the at-desk experience where we realized that some of the info I had put in hadn't gotten through to the front desk, and I learned that the packets are NOT always made up weeks in advance as some people think, since our packet had just been made up not that long ago. We got a phone message while in the park telling us to come back and do something with our keycards, and we got a text message later giving us our room number (1135).

We headed back knowing that *something* weird was happening.

We got there, and something had gone wonky with our KTTW. They said that they weren't activated and wouldn't have worked to do anything. Odd, since I had just used it at the keycard pad at the entrance to SSR to open the gates, which I mentioned to her and she just ignored it b/c it didn't fit with what she "knew" to be true.

So they took our cards and printed new ones, and we had to go through the whole thing about wanting my relatives to be able to pick up their tickets and convinced them that they really could do this.

Went to our room and we were blown away by the MILDEW smell in there. It was truly overwhelming. Instantly overwhelming, actually.

I have a weird reaction to things like that. I have severe problems with offgassing of new furniture and carpets, too. Now that Robert has seen it happen a few times, he'll be better able to protect me from myself, because my reaction to the mildew (the stench was in EVERY room of the 2 bedroom unit) caused a near shutdown of my ability to think, and in my ability to protect myself. I went all whimpery and quiet and passive, almost immediately.

Once when staying at a brand new Westin, I woke in the middle of the night having freaky hallucinations and delusions, and had a hard time breathing, and was just freaking out. We SHOULD HAVE packed up and left. We did not, because I said "no", because even though I feel like I'm dying when it's happening, I also make horrible decisions.

The only good thing about the mildew in room 1135 was that it showed Robert how I cannot defend myself when having one of these reactions, and I know he'll know that HE gets to make the decision for us in the future.

He did, however, use the "front desk" button on the phone, and ultimately did talk to a night manager at the hotel, and got a "file" started for when we would be changing rooms the following day.

At one point that evening, after I had shut down but before my cousins arrived, I was huddled in a ball up on the pillows of the bed, with tons of blankets, including our Disneyland fleece, trying to get warm and trying to get somewhat sane.

An hour or so later I got up and felt semi-human...we never did find that Disneyland fleece again ,though, which is sadness beyond sad.

Cousins arrived, without my aunt. She hadn't told us she wasn't coming until the next day, and I don't know why. She is a huge reason we have these extended family trips, so I can spend time with her. She has some friend/boss relationships though, where she feels an obligation when invited somewhere, and she was invited. Or she secretly dislikes me. One of the two. Anyway, they said she would be there the following day.

Every adult in the room was having problems with the mildew. Even the guys, and they aren't usually the sensitive ones. I found out much later that my cousin is horribly sensitive to mildew, and was really miserable. All I gotta say is...speak up! Robert was still blindly following my "let's not make trouble, we'll move tomorrow" directives, but if we had known that it was causing my cousin serious troubles we would have moved.

The kids didn't care about the smell, though the little cousin showed up with a snorfely nose and an apparent cold, and it got worse that night. It was late when they arrived, so it was bedtime somewhat shortly.



In the morning, we had mass confusion and scurrying around and for some bizarre reason making breakfast in the OLD room before moving to the NEW room. Why? I have NO idea. It's not like anyone was really unpacked.

After a few discussions with the various managers, we opted to not be moved to a 3 bedroom as was offered, because we didn't want to take advantage and just wanted what we had booked.

Once again, BAD DECISION! Why on earth did we not take the 3 bedroom?

Anyway, there were missing items in the kitchen so we got those sent over. Housekeeping had NOT gotten the message that we were waiting for bell services and our new keycards, and kept asking (at something like 8am) when they could clean. We were getting phone calls to leave, but without a new room being assigned to us, or keys to the new room. (so much for being able to reassign key info remotely, eh?) It was extremely confusing.

Shortly before official checkout time we finally got the new room's keys, got our cars packed with some things, and FINALLY the bell guys got there to help with the bulk of my family's stuff (I was wiped out and Robert was still injured, and we needed help to move our things). As we were doing the final runs to the car, the Housekeeping Manager showed up.

Said something vague like "I hear you have some sort of problem with the room?" I did the step aside, sweep my arm into the room, "welcome" movement, and invited him in for a sniff. He took two steps in, inhaled, and just about rolled 'crime scene' tape outside the room. He agreed that it was BAD. Bad bad bad. NOT something they could just stick an air freshener in the a/c unit for (this is literally something they had offered to do the evening before, can you even imagine? DH replied that things were bad enough with me, and he had no interest in spending the night at the ER which is where that combo would have sent me).

He PROMISED me that the room would be closed until it was FIXED. I truly hope so.


So we moved over to the Paddock section of SSR, pretty close to the pool. 3rd floor, but they have elevators.

The kids and I piled in to the golf cart the Bell Services guy brought for our luggage, and took us on over. The kids loved it, and I loved making them happy! Robert somehow managed to miss the easy turn altogether, and had to go all the way around the property before he got there.

My cousin and her husband had gone over a little earlier, making sure it wasn't awful, so it was good to know the room was fine. I know they were wishing we had just moved the night before, and I felt bad and still feel bad that I made that bad decision. Especially b/c I lost that fleece blanket.

So my "fun" was done, with the new room and clean air, but Robert's "fun" was just beginning, as he dealt with more SSR managers following through on what they said they would do.

The rest of us decided to swim at the Paddock Pool. It wasn't overly hot, but it was sunny and warmish. Robert had been promised the ubiquitous $100 in room credit for our troubles, but the "problem" with that is that you have to open a room charge account for that. Which means you put your CC info down, put charging on the keys, and that's what you have to do in order to get your credit.

Usually simple.

Not this time.

It took him two hours at the front desk. With multiple trips to Artist's Palette to see if it was working yet. The second time he came back frustrated, the CM started going with him. After about an hour they upped the credit by an extra $50. But still couldn't get the room charge going. And they have absolutely NO option to just give you a giftcard or money or anything; it HAS TO BE done with a room charge option.

Robert was so tired and annoyed. He'd been so worried about me, had spent so much time on the phone that night and morning. And he was doing something that should have taken no time at all, and he was missing out on the swimming and time in the sun.

At one point a higher level manager came by and was incredibly rude about the whole situation to Robert. Like it was somehow Robert's fault? They had offered money to help with a problem they had caused (seriously, it wasn't just sensitive me who was bothered, it was everyone who entered that room...I have no idea how the housekeepers didn't notice it starting or continuing, or while cleaning the day we checked in). Their systems cause the room charge to be necessary. It was THEIR computers causing this problem. It was taking so long, they insisted on upping the amount. There was absolutely nothing on OUR end for fault to be found, but the manager had a flippy attitude. I mean, heck, we had even turned DOWN the upgrade that was offered by their own free will, because we just wanted what we had booked, but still he got attitude.

Ultimately it was all done. Ultimately we got $150 in compensation, two mugs (when the CM went with him to see if the cards were actually activated, he had them ring a charge for two mugs, and then they added that exact amount to our room charge), and the room change, for the low low price of me getting REALLY sick, my cousin having severe allergy problems, my cousin-once-removed getting sicker, and they also had to CANCEL and re-book the whole stay.

OH, and we went through FOUR sets of keycards inside of one 24 hour period. That's 8 keys per set.


When Robert finally arrived at the pool he was emotionally drained, and sad that the sun had gone away. And it was approaching our time to go have tea as a big family unit.

My aunt had also arrived, so the fussing about extra sunscreen and sunhats and whatnot began.

Aunt, cousin, little cousins, and Eamon all went off to the room to slowly start getting ready.

Cousin's husband, Robert, and I lazed around in the hot tub, trying to get some sort of good cheer going with Robert. He was just so wiped out.


We did go to tea, and it was wonderful. Used quite a bit of that room credit on our tab; we kept trying to think of souvenirs, etc, that could be extra, but frankly we were too wiped out to think of fun things we could get. So it was mainly just used on things we had already budgeted for. Not fun, but worked out.


That night was the second Mardi Gras concert over at Universal, and we had talked a lot about going to see the Steve Miller Band, just the 4 non-grandmothery adults. But Robert bailed on the idea, because he was wiped out. He felt bad about that later (because it caused the rest of us to bail, too) but it was the only decision he could come to at the time.

I love this shirt.

 

[bumbershoot]

Thanks to this cup I found in the Grand Floridian giftshop after tea, I have become part of the Tervis Tumbler cult.

 

[kaoden39]

I'm feeling much better. Did a treadmill run yesterday, but kept it on the shorter side. Will likely do the same today. The part of my head where I hit is still tender when I touch it, but I'm not feeling as "off" as I had been feeling, thank goodness. Another visit with the chiro helped me get over some more back stuff that was still there. Totally has thrown off our plans, though; we get 20 visits each per year with him, and I had planned on 2 visits per month until it runs out, then do a plan with him which involves pre-paying for a certain number of visits to get to the end of the insurance year (our year starts April 1). And here I had to already do 2 of those visits, and should go back again this month. Ah the best laid plans.

Thanks for waiting patiently!

Michele, glad Scotty has started his therapy.

I am glad you feeling better.


We are displaced from our home for the next 6 months or so. Tuesday morning at around 4:15 or so our oldest daughter woke us up saying that our garage was on fire. Loren had been up playing video games when he was supposed to be sleeping. He was dozing off and something woke him up. He smelled smoke and got up to use the bathroom. His bathroom which shared a wall was hot and he heard crackling noise. As he ran to the kitchen to get my fire extinguisher he yelled to wake the girls and my mom. He sent Kacy upstairs to get us. I grabbed my phone and the TV remote (the things we do). Didn't grab anything else. Scotty grabbed his glasses and threw on his pants. Kacy ran downstairs calling 911. Loren by this time had run back in to get our dogs and Kody who didn't hear him yelling. As I came down the stairs I was in white smoke. As Scotty came down and headed out the door he saw the white smoke turn into a fire ball that went up the stairs.

Loren, my mom, Kody and the dogs were still inside. Scotty screamed at Loren to take them out the backdoor. They got out and then Scotty had to break the neighbors fence to get them out of the backyard. By the time the fire department got there the garage was fully engulfed and the flames were flipping over the roof. They evacuated three houses in all directions. I was in my nightgown, no pants, braless, shoeless and it was not pretty. Scotty had no shirt, we were all messes. It was a two alarm fire. We lost everything but our loved ones but that is the most important thing. That and that we have insurance. The news crews started arriving and what a bunch of vultures. Then the contractors and other vultures showed up, they learned that an angry Michele is not a nice Michele. This has happened every time I have been to my house they there have been creeps trying to get my business.

Tuesday night some scum of the earth took bolt cutters and cut the lock on the gate and broke into the house. They took my moms pearl necklace that her dad gave her when she was 13 and some jewelry of her mom's too. They also stole the tool set that we gave Loren for Christmas. What kind of creep does that sort of thing? But even in light of all that the out pouring of love, support and help that we have received from people. Neighbors that I have never met have done things like bring breakfast from McDonalds. Enough to feed everyone. With coffee and juice. The neighbor behind us that gathered toiletries, food for the dogs and for us. I could go on and on.


Sorry for but I really needed to share.

 

[bumbershoot]

Oh Michele, I'm SO sorry. I'm sure you know that words can't express anything like what I'm feeling for you and your family right now.