09/21/08 SSMC08 S.S. Member Cruise 2008 - Part 2!

[tikimimi]

Mary, I am so sorry about your basement. I am glad it is while you are home, but it is stress you don't need now. I want to start getting things packed, but I am awaiting this call to help me friend moving. I am more concerned I will leave things like our confirmation numbers or sunscreen. I am infamous for having to make a stop at the drugstore in Cocoa. Once I even left my prescription antihistiamine. That was a blast but we got all calls made and still got to port on time.

 

[grumpy62]

Well we have good news and bad news.

The good news is we are done packing. Garment bag, cruise bag and road bag are all packed and ready to go.

The bad news - we have water in the basement. Nothing compared to the devastation down in TX but we woke up this morning to heavy rains. Our back yard is under water (I'm sure Mark will post a picture later) and water started seeping in from our escape window down in the furnace room. Mark is taking care of it and as I said it isn't nearly as bad as it could be but not the stress we need right before we leave. On the bright side better now than when we are gone.

Mary, sorry about the water but when we used to live in chicago we put some kind of sensors on the floor by window and sump pump that if water was on floor it would make a loud beep sound we did that since our pool equipment was in basement and had problems where it would leak and it sure happened evertime we were going out of town arghhhhh good luck see u soon

diana

 

[njprincess]

Mary, I am so sorry about your basement. I am glad it is while you are home, but it is stress you don't need now. I want to start getting things packed, but I am awaiting this call to help me friend moving. I am more concerned I will leave things like our confirmation numbers or sunscreen. I am infamous for having to make a stop at the drugstore in Cocoa. Once I even left my prescription antihistiamine. That was a blast but we got all calls made and still got to port on time.

Don't worry Pixie, I probably have everything you forgot!

Has Mack got that Pop Warner guy straightened out yet?

 

[tikimimi]

Apparently Pop Warner likes to pretend he is a pig or at least a pig skin and Mack likes to run around looking like a zebra - sounds like one big farm safari to me! I better get his head examined.

 

[njprincess]

Apparently Pop Warner likes to pretend he is a pig or at least a pig skin and Mack likes to run around looking like a zebra - sounds like one big farm safari to me! I better get his head examined.

 

[tinkerbelle77]

I read somewhere online that they dont serve lunch at Serenity Bay anymore...is that true? I cannot find the thread, but it said everyone had to go to Cookies. Just thought that is a lot to do if you are hanging on the adult beach side. We usually hang out by the Heads Up Bar (my favorite) but I was curious.

In Feb they surved lunch at Serinity Bay...As far as I know they still do

 

[tinkerbelle77]

Well we have good news and bad news.

The good news is we are done packing. Garment bag, cruise bag and road bag are all packed and ready to go.

The bad news - we have water in the basement. Nothing compared to the devastation down in TX but we woke up this morning to heavy rains. Our back yard is under water (I'm sure Mark will post a picture later) and water started seeping in from our escape window down in the furnace room. Mark is taking care of it and as I said it isn't nearly as bad as it could be but not the stress we need right before we leave. On the bright side better now than when we are gone.

Mary...Sorry to hear about your basement...hopefully the rain will stop...and we dont get any from Ike.

 

[kamgen]

Thanks! DH loves Serenity Bay and was upset that we read that we would have to go back to the main beach for lunch.

 

[MarkRG]

Here's that picture Mary said I would post - this is our backyard as of an hour or so ago. It isn't getting any higher, and don't think it will. What is happening is we have this thing on the back of the house called an 'escape well' for the basement. It's basically a 3 foot deep cut in the foundation with a window installed. There is a metal enclosure around it on the outside, kind of a half circle, that I presume is sealed to the foundation, but it probably needs a digging out and reseal at this point as we are getting seepage around it. I have since setup a small utility pump in the well with an automatic switch that should keep the water from filling the well to the point it would leak into the basement again. Absolutely nothing compared to what I've been seeing in other areas right around us, or even worse what Ike brought.

 

[kamgen]

Wow Mark! If it was gonna happen, glad it did while you guys were home instead of cruising!

 

[tikimimi]

Mark, that is a lot of water but true - not as bad as those being hit by Ike. I am jsut glad it has not done damage and sat for a week or so while you both were gone.

 

[cobbler]

Mary and Mark,
Sorry to hear about your basement. Hopefully it won't be too terrible and not a lot of damage.

We are getting some pretty good rain here but we haven't had any flooding yet. Last time there were the really heavy rains this spring we didn't get any either. And we have a really nice grade hill for our backyard. The kids can actually hit the house sledding down it.

I will be packing tomorrow. Today I am playing a bit on the computer and catching up on all the housework, laundry, banking, bills and whatnot that I couldn't - and didn't feel like doing this past week.

I am getting excited We went to Meijer's today and bought some road-trip food for our drive down, since we will be doing the 21-22 hour straight drive again this year.

 

[MarkRG]

Don't get too concerned, only a small section of carpet got wet and I've been vacing it with our carpet cleaning machine repeatedly to dry it up as quick as possible, if it has any indications of problems I'll wash it with ammonia and water. Thankfully this is reasonably clean seepage water, not sewer overflow. This isn't the first time it has gotten wet, just the first time from this unexpected source of water, never saw the escape well with 2 feet of water in it before.

 

[kamgen]

We love Meijer!! We used to do the 20hr drive down from Michigan too. So glad we moved to FL...now it only takes me about 25minutes to see the mouse!

 

[WDWLVR]

As Mark said no real damage just a wet carpet which can be cleaned.

Our snack bag is filled as well. We don't drive straight through. We'll stop after 14 hours or so in Macon and then have a short hop the next morning. I would not do well overnight.

One of the major streets by us must be closed because we have had a steady stream of cars past our house including a route bus!

So it has been a crazy rainy day here in Chicago but still so very minor compared to those in LA and TX.

 

[njprincess]

As Mark said no real damage just a wet carpet which can be cleaned.

That is good news! But I'm sure there are things Mark would rather be doing today...

I just printed my postcard labels! (yet another good tip I got on this board) and have my packing list complete. Now I have to finish the and actually pack it!

 

[JOANNEL]

Question for our south florida friends- are you having gas shortages down there? All our stations are empty. We have full tanks now but what if it's not better by Friday?

I did 2 and a half hours at the aerobathon. I am pooped. Floated in the pool after that.

Mary good luck with the water.

Off to church and dinner.

 

[OKWMEMBER]

I was looking forward to lunch at Serenity Bay also. I hope we find out for sure before we go. It might change some of our plans.

 

[njprincess]

I was looking forward to lunch at Serenity Bay also. I hope we find out for sure before we go. It might change some of our plans.

The DCL website still talks about the BBQ at the Air Bar in Serenity Bay and Deb Wills site (allearsnet.com) doesn't say anything about them getting rid of it. Deb usually picks up that kind of stuff right away. So, it sounds like were OK.

 

[WDWLVR]

Just a reminder especially for those of you on a member cruise for the first time. There is usually a higher ratio of adults vs. children on these cruises. That means that a) second seating dining is usually a lot emptier and b) serenity bay is usually a lot more crowded.

You have a lot of cabins with 2 adults only instead of a family of 4 which is why dining is emptier. Since for many of these adults it is the first time traveling without kids they head over to serenity bay. So with 2 days at CC you may want to split your time with serenity bay one day and the far end of the family beach (where it is usually quieter) the other day.