10/02/04 Antigua Cruise

[jeanniec]

friday fun -- sent you a PM.

 

[piglet33]

Congratulations Fiona!!!!

I went to the DS last night and bought Haley a Tinkerbell costume, shoes and wand for Halloween. It was so cute that I couldn't pass it up. A little pricey, but oh well.....

 

[piglet33]

Are we still doing the gift swap? Haven't heard anything so I wanted to check.

Reneé

 

[papa]

Hello to all. We have been a little on the busy side as we have been down to Huntsvile twice to see Kathy's brother in the hospital. He fell off of the back of a load on a semi that he was putting a tarp over onto a concrete floor. Fractured his pelvis in 4 places.

Saw the magic on the port cam this am and it was looking good. Mike

 

[Twinave]

Congratulations Aunt Fiona and Uncle Jim!
Mike, So Sorry about your brother-in-law! Is he going to be OK?
Had the day off today, but had to bring DD to her dive class at 8am. She finishes her class tomorrow, with an open water dive. I'm just a little proud of her.
Next weekend twin sis comes for a visit! And the last week of July my doctor is going on vacation.
She will be in Mexico with her family and friends, one of her "Friends" is Courtney Cox! DD has tried to con my doc into getting her an autograph by offering to babysit her kids when they get back. LOL
Allen, I'm with you, I want to be an observer to the Battle of Serenety Bay. Just give me a cold drink, a lounge chair and a camera.
Got to get going, "L"aundry awaits.

Later, Avé

 

[RellingTwin]

Congrats to Fiona and Jim!
Mike..pixie dust to your BIL*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Add me to the "Paid In Full" List! Just mailed the check today

Today is DD sleep over birthday party. I took the kids to the beach today and let them jump waves and swim for about 3 hours. The plan is to tire them out so they sleep tonight!
Now the mini pizzas are in the oven (I let the kids make their own pizzas) then cake and ice cream.

I finally saw the Magic on the port cam today! It seems like AGES since I've seen her!!!!

 

[cdnmickeylover]

Thanks for the congrats. Haven't seen him yet but will go up to their house either Monday or Tuesday night. My mother went down to the hospital this afternoon and says that he has a great deal of really dark hair -- this is different from the first two who both have blond hair. Mom said he slept the entire time she was there so maybe this is a good sign because last baby nephew did not sleep.

We (Jim, DS and I) will go up and visit for a bit and then the plan is to take the two older siblings out to DQ for ice cream just to give them some attention and Mom and Dad a little break.

Finally nice today although was tired and didn't end up doing much of anything. Weeding is waiting for tomorrow.

Congrats Ave on your DD. Quite an accomplishment.

Renee saw the Tinkerbell costume in our DS and know how you couldn't resist! Extremely adorable.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Fiona

 

[Hygiene99]

These r the FOLKS So Far For The Gift Swap..

anyone else intrested should PM us Before JULY 28TH


Gifts should Be mailed out on or Before Aug . 2, 2004
AND SHOULD BE RECIEVED NO LATER THAN AUGUST 5TH


Will accept any one who wants to join in the Fun

UNTIL July 28,2004...............................................

Bettemom
VIKING
Twinave
JeanneG
ciadriamom
twhipple
piglet33
Relling Twin
cdnmickeylover
Two-foxes
hygiene99


aLSO HAVE AT THIS TIME WE HAVE ONLY 3 CHILDREN SO WE ARE GOING TO DROP THE CHILDREN FROM THIS EVENT....
ANY OTHER ADULTS INTRESTED....


HAVE A REAL BUSY WEEK COMING UP AT WORK BUT WILL KEEP POSTED... BUILDING A 250 MILLION DOLLAR HOTEL..
FOR WESTIN,SAME PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SWAN AND DOLPHIN




UNLIMITED OVERTIME RIGHT NOW SO TAKING ADVANTAGE !!!!

HAVE TO MAKE HAY WHILE THE SUN SHINES

 

[ciadriamom]

Renee saw the tinker bell costume when I was getting Adaria's Belle for the cruise, she also got the Kim Possible for Halloween.

Are you bringing Haley's costume on the cruise? If so, I think that would make the most adorable picture of the two of them.

Papa: Pixie dust to your BIL

BigRed1 you're not from NJ are you, I've commited that we keep our ax murders in line up here.

 

[Viking]

Hi Folks,
Ze Germans are back
Anja's Granny says Hi to everyone - Although she didn't quite catch where those greeting came from Internet US-Americans & Canadians
The Smart was fun to drive It's kind of strange to have a car which ends right in front of your feet, respectively directly behind your butt But it consumed only 3 gallons for about 140 miles and this at a constant 75-80mph on the Autobahn with the top down. I'll post a pic of the car soon.

Now we're less than 8 weeks away from our well-deserved vacation

Here a tip for all you divers out there: I just got me a new watch, a Swatch Fun Scuba. This is a wristwatch witch automatically displays and records your dive - Depth and time. After you have returned to the surface you can let the watch 'replay' your dive. It's not a substitute for dive-computer, but a fun-toy - For just €70, the US-price is $80

 

[BigRed1]

Originally posted by ciadriamom
BigRed1 you're not from NJ are you, I've commited that we keep our ax murders in line up here.

You're safe...that was the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, not Tennessee.

Allen

 

[ciadriamom]

WHEW!!!

 

[piglet33]

Originally posted by ciadriamom
Renee saw the tinker bell costume when I was getting Adaria's Belle for the cruise, she also got the Kim Possible for Halloween.

Are you bringing Haley's costume on the cruise? If so, I think that would make the most adorable picture of the two of them.

Papa: Pixie dust to your BIL

BigRed1 you're not from NJ are you, I've commited that we keep our ax murders in line up here.

Yes, I'm planning on bringing the Tinkerbell, Belle and Cinderella ones for her to wear to dinner. I did that last year and she looked so cute when she had her pics taken with the characters. Was also cheaper than me buying regular dresses for her.

I think the kids look so adorable when they dress like the princesses. can't wait to see your DD in her's. We will definitely have to take pics of them.

Reneé

 

[two-foxes]

We got back from Utah (which is beautiful!) and our open water cert and it was a bad weekend. We knew our dive instructor was a bit of a jerk, as he taught our classroom and confined water dives, but he was very unpleasant on this trip this weekend. Out of the 3 divers getting the cert, I was the only one who passed. He told another diver she needed to get mental health treatment because was apprehensive of going too deep because she was having an ear ache. He also said, "diving isn't for everybody." We all heard this, and that just sucks to hear when you are stuggling with a skill. He was "okay" with Tim, who did everything, but Tim refused to flood his mask. He did on the very first dive, but inhaled ALOT of water through his nose (he forgot the whole "don't breath through your nose" thing !) It was just disappointing that he offerered no encouragement, no words of advice, NOTHING!!!!! Just "I don't know what to tell you." A fourth diver was getting her rescue cert, and she offered so much help to Tim. She recommended tons of things, but oddly enough, the dive instructor didn't offer any help, even if when asked. Even when we were done diving, he would barely speak to us, wouldn't sit with us a breakfast (my table manners are not that bad!)...he is just an unpleasant man! Plus, he put us up in a disgusting motel. So, unfortunately, Tim will need to continue his cert process with this jerk, as he may just make Tim do the mask skills in open water because he did everything else fine, but it just irritates me that we will have to give this moron more of our money!

Ahhh, nothing like a Monday morning vent!

 

[disneybride96]

Jill-
What a jerk! I think he needs to be reminded that he is being paid to teach you enough that you can be certified! It's no wonder people don't pass if they are made to be so uncomfortable. I think learning to dive is as much mental as it is skill to start off with. I would have never made it through my first dive in Cayman without a woulderful dive master.

If it is PADI - maybe they need some feedback on his attitude. Remember, you do have to do open waters with this guy. We did our pool work in Indiana, and our open waters in Sarasota.

 

[cdnmickeylover]

Jill -- well he certainly is a jerk. And 'teaching isn't for everyone' obviously. Any way you can take it with someone else??

Sorry you had such an unsuccessful weekend.

Fiona

 

[Viking]

Jill,
what a jerk
I'd report him to PADI.
Anja also had major problems with the 'One-Minute-Without-Mask-Routine', but our instructor gave her a lot of tips and was extremely patient. I practiced it with Anja in the motel's pool for about 90 minutes until she got it and next day she passed that part, too.
BTW, we did a 4-day-program, more or less full time. We started each morning at 9am, did classroom work or some diving til noon, then we had 90 minutes lunchbreak and at 1:30pm we continued in the water til 4/5pm. Each day we did parts of the practical tests and on the last morning we did our written exam. With the last afternoon we received our license.
Our first two days of this year's vacation we'll spend again with our instructor Rudy of Bird's Underwater on Crystal River, doing kind of a refresher and a some cavern-diving.
We'll keep our fingers crossed for Tim
Tell him that one single dive in Caribbean waters will pay for all the hardships he had to endure with this jerk

 

[Twinave]

Oh Jill, I'm so sorry you guys did not have a good teacher. What is he doing in this line of work? After seeing a small part of what my DD went through this weekend, I can't imagine her getting through it without an encouraging teacher. True, PADI is not for everyone, and letting someone pass just because they paid you money is not ethical. But letting them fail because you don't want to spend the time teaching them the way to do it safely, and correctly, is just plain lazy. I'm with Eric, I would report him. Otherwise he just keeps on going, like the Energizer bunny with a snorkle.


Later, Avé

 

[two-foxes]

Tim is going to call around AFTER Steve (aka jerk dive instructor) signs off on his first open dive that he passed, plus any comments he may add regarding his other 3 dives (in which he did all ok!) The girl who needed "mental health treatment" said she was going to report him to PADI. She rode out with him to Utah, but we drove on our own. She refused to ride back with him for the 6 1/2 hour ride, she was so upset, so we drove her back (at which time we got a 6 hour lesson in the vegan lifestyle and the ignorance of meat eaters....all fine and dandy until she drug Walt Disney into it somehow. I had to let her know she crossed the line But that is another story!)

Ultimately, the dives we have planned for this trip are one of the things we are looking foward to the most....only second to meeting all you guys in person! So, when we had this experience, it was just a major major disappointment. There is still plenty of time to get it done however, so we will be hanging with the fishies in the Caribbean (and the Living Seas!)

Just edited this to clear up that I have nothing against the being vegan, I just was shocked it turned into a LOOOONNNNGGGGG talk that started with my asking about difficulty in maintaining such a rigid diet, concluding in the evils of Walt and meat. Strange, but true. Just didn't want to offend anyone who may be vegan!

 

[Auntmeme]

Hi all

We'll be joining you and wanted to say HI! It's me, my dh & ds(3). I've tried reading some of the pages but can't get a clue as to who everyone is and what is going on Can someone please provide a run down?

We're also looking for a hotel for 10/1, any recommendations? still need airfare, any good deals?