09/16/06 Double Scoop Group- see ya real soon!!

[WldWcnWmn]

In our school district, any child with 7 unexcused absences is charge with truancy and has to appear in Family Court. The child gets probation and has to report periodically to the Court to show following orders of the Court and the parent gets a nice little fine. A lot of school districts have this rule. There is a thread on this board where families post the letters they have sumbitted in the past.

I would so be fined! I can't believe that! That's just crazy! I know the schools get paid for attendance, I guess that's one way to get the $$$. I am so glad we don't have anything like that here! Cross Kentucky off my list of potential places to live. That scares me...of course I would probably scare them right back

 

[WldWcnWmn]

What is the one thing that you are most looking forward to about the cruise?

Showing Cindy why I love the DCL so much! Spending a whole week with her, too. I haven't seen my DBF a lot since she got married and moved to Washington with her husband.

 

[WldWcnWmn]

What is the thing you are least looking forward to?

Hearing the "thud" my onboard account statement's gonna' make when they drop it off outside my cabin door on Friday!

When you get onboard the Cruise Director does some speech (it's the same speech every trip) about how your onboard account statement may slide easily under your door or make a loud thud, depending on your spending and drinking! Mine's gonna' thud, I just know it! Last cruise I had a $46.00 account to settle. That's $46.00 people for a seven day cruise! We paid all our tips with cash and I never bought a drink onboard! I bought DD a necklace and a towel! So I'll be making up for that this cruise!

 

[WldWcnWmn]

If you had to pick just one thing to eat and had to eat it all week long, what would it be?

Chicken Fingers...oh wait, I will be eating those all through the cruise!

I guess the tomato soup and a grilled cheese from room service. You must must must order the tomato soup from room service at least once! Broke Da' Mouth!

 

[WldWcnWmn]

I went to the Verizon Store ~ met Mekayla's teacher, forgot to go to Home Desperate ~ I left my phone with them for an hour so they could upload the current software and bought a $29.99 music transfer cable and disk drive and uploaded all my songs that are on my laptop and now I am playing songs on my phone! I have no idea how long the phone will play songs with a full battery but I can charge it off the laptop in the cabin! EEEEEEE! I don't have to drop $$$ for a portable player after all. I should probably get an extra battery off ebay though for the phone 'cause I am sure I'm gonna' go through a few of them this year. So cool, who knew?!?! I am so happy I didn't get the sandisk e270... I think I might get it in December though if the prices are good. So, next question... all the songs on my laptop are from cd's. What's a good download site? I have never downloaded songs before. All I have done is created playlists and transferred songs from disk to computer and vice versa. Anyone got input on a music download site?

 

[WldWcnWmn]

I guess the new airline restrictions have put a cabosh on our "bring your own regional" wine and cheese party. I was looking at one of the menus, I think it was Animator's Palate and they have a Willamette Valley Oregon wine offered for the night it's like $36.00 a bottle ~ well, I live in the Willamette Valley and our wines are mostly under $15.00 a bottle! I had to laugh! I guess we'll just hit the Florida ABC Liquor stores and get champagne for the morning mimosas. Bummer

 

[paulasillars]

What is the one thing that you are most looking forward to about the cruise?

The food! I love to eat!

 

[paulasillars]

What is the thing you are least looking forward to?

If its like the last cruise, the awful getting up early for non-US citizens to do the customs thingo...

 

[paulasillars]

Is everyone in bed? I am talking to myself here!

LOL when you posted this message, it was only about 2pm here. I am just about to go to bed though.

This time tomorrow we will be boarding our flight to the US...

Paula
New Zealand

 

[paulasillars]

I have a question regarding Pirates of the Carribean night....is anyone going to dress up in pirate attire....or should I leave it at home.

S Yo ho Yo ho a pirate's life for me!

We will make a token gesture but we aren't carrying pirate costumes half way across the planet - we are also away from home for just over 3 weeks so need all the spare suitcase space we can find.

We have eye patches and bandanas.

Paula

 

[paulasillars]

Ok peoples this is me signing out ... until I see you all on deck 10 after the lifeboat drill.

Off to bed now, ready for a bright start to work tomorrow as we are moving offices so I have heaps to do before I can head home and then to the airport.

I doubt I'll get a chance to check-in with you again so be good and I look forward to meeting you all in person.

Paula
New Zealand - cabin 6313

 

[Spectro is #1]

Can you imagine not tipping? That just seems mean. On our Alaskan cruise the charge the tips to the room automatically, but we had the choice to stop that and tip directly, which we did. That way we knew who was getting the tips. We had great servers and wanted to make sure that got more than the average. Plus there were a couple of waiters in the bar that were great to DH and I. But for the life I me I still don't understand tipping the Head Server. On our last cruise I only saw him on the first and last night for a total of 20 minutes.

Head servers are different. Some, like the one we had last cruise, was great and always stopped by to say hi and chit-chat. He even came around on lobster night with the tray to offers us more. He told me he had been fishing all day and insisted I have another one; it was really funny.
Now our first cruise was the same scenario you described. We tipped him but others at our table did not because they felt he added nothing to their vacation.
The head server is the director and often controls aspects of dinner you do not see. Celebrations, pacing on meals, and training. They are the reason why the servers are so special.
Another one that sticks in memory; we have had lunch at Lumiers only once on 2 trips. The trips were 5 years apart but after we were seated and our order was taken the head server came over and made us feel real comfortable and welcome. He had made such an impresion on us that on our second trip we remebered we had him for lunch on our first cruise. So head servers do very.

 

[JOANNEL]

Wow I have missed so many pages. I only take my lap top home on weekends so I don't see much of this at night. MY DH is taking some microsoft class so he is on the computer all night.

I will try to remember all the questions.

1. I am bringing our own snorkle gear. The thought of puting a snorkle in my mouth that some one else used freakes me out.
2. Beer & wine tasting- sign me up.
3. Thea room 6100 any extra bottle emptying.
4. We are not dressing up for Pirates night.
5. Favorite thing to eat- Palo- yum. After this diet everything will be great. I am bringing some bigger clothes for the end of the week
6. Least looking forward to- getting off the ship.And paying that bill. That week goes so fast.

Paula have a safe trip and fun in WDW.

Every one have a great Thursday.

 

[seashells]

How old is Mekayla? I think I remember you saying she is 9. My DD will be 9 in November and, while after school is not an issue for us, she has been asking to stay at home alone on weekends when I run to the office for an hour or two to finish things up. She is a very responsible child. She knows the rules and follows them even when I'm not around (except for when she is at her Dads where there are no rules at all). She isn't afraid to be alone, and in fact gets angry because I won't agree to let her stay. I have thought about it, but haven't been to do it yet. My office is no more than a mile away and she knows the number. What do you guys think?

I too have left the kids for and 1 -1 1/2 to go to my yoga class or the grocery. I am toying with the idea of coming home after school by themselves. If it were Rekha alone I would feel secure about it, its Rasheed Im worried about.

 

[seashells]

Free movies and free music downloads? O.K. Canada's looking better and better

Oh Canada...Oh Canada {sing wit' me now...}

Remember when I said Mekayla wants something Canadian? Well now I now what she wants...she wants free movie downloads and free music downloads!

Your a joker Thea! I love it!

Its www.mininova.org - thats were i find the stuff I want to download

and Azureus is the program I use to download. Canada has a big gray area when it comes to downloading, not sure how it works for the US.

 

[seashells]

Most looking forward, the drive to the airport on Wed 13th, it will mean all the planning and prep (work) is done and the vacation has started.

Least looking forward to boarding the plane on Sat 23rd, cause the next time I touch land will be back home and the vacation is over.

Food that I could eat all week, cant decide, I love food too much!!!

 

[seashells]

LOL when you posted this message, it was only about 2pm here. I am just about to go to bed though.

This time tomorrow we will be boarding our flight to the US...

Paula
New Zealand

Can you see the green of envy spread across my face!!

See u in a couple weeks

 

[seashells]

Well the dumb a** that is my kids father has decided he will not sign the letter I need noterized for the kids to travel.

What was I thinking 10 years ago, oh yeah ..I wasnt thinking!!

 

[Nette]

Well the dumb a** that is my kids father has decided he will not sign the letter I need noterized for the kids to travel.

What was I thinking 10 years ago, oh yeah ..I wasnt thinking!!

Well be sure to tell him that you'll return the favor (or lack thereof) next time he wants to take a trip with the kids. What a jerk!

 

[jjgarv]

Seeing this is DW and I's 5th DCL cruise, but DD's first...our first priority is to spoil her rotten. We have a $200 credit from rebooking on board 2 years ago that my wife has already said we are spending on everything my daughter wants. We are forgoing any spa treatments, excursions, etc. so that we can focus on her and her whims. Now that is not to say we will not spend our fair share on Konk Koolers (which by the way we have mastered at home thatnks to DW's Disney Cookbook!), Decaf Irish Coffees for late night strolls around deck 10 with my Cuban Cigars bought in Cozumel!
We have also become quite fond of Capitan Morgans ....my wife now buys what she calls "the alcoholic 1 gallon jug". I plan to pick up a bottle in Orlando to add to our Diet Cokes at the pool!

We are in 6096 ...DW is a master at door signs!
Looking forward to double dipping with everyone!