10-14-2006 Cruisetoberfest IV

[jeanneg]

Tracy: I thought you were doing the repo......just got confused when you started talking about being in CA to greet the Magic when it arrives. Sounds like you're going to experience the best of both ends and I'm so envious! Have a great time everyone!
Arlene: didn't see anything about the Tony nominations....which actors were recognized?

 

[bettemom]

Leaving very early in the morning...Meeting old friends for lunch (at Sweet Tomatoes)...then picking up Peter & Jen at mouseland and off to the port...

Thanks for many phone calls wishing us Bon Voyage..Wish you were all going with us...

Kim & Bette

 

[Viking]

Folks,
I just sent a 'Special Bullletin' - Check out your mailboxes.
I hope it reaches those lucky Repo-cruisers in time.

Mike,
this morning I got a call from the shop to pick up our car. So I left work a bit earlier today (Only did one hour overtime instead of two ) and traded the rental against mine. Everything was repaired to my full satisfaction, the car looks like new. I then immediately made an appointment with the other dealership for tomorrow. They already faxed me an offer for our potential new car offering a rebate of €3,600. So tomorrow they will make an asessment of our car for the trade-in - and then the bargaining will start As the initial rebate is already quite good, the main topic of the bargaining will be the amount they're willing to give for our present car. I additionally want a warranty-extension for the new car, which is worth another €570. We'll see what they're willing to offer. We are in the best position possible: We do not need a new car, we just want one. So if there's no good deal, we simply leave and look somewhere else

 

[Sarah'sMomfrom PA]

I had an email from CRSNDSNY and she has been MIA for quite awhile.....remember she was pregnant.....she delivered her baby girl alot earlier than expected and she weighed 2 lbs. 13 oz. and the baby is still in the hospital....doing good but still tiny!! Congratulations Melody and EB.

Just got off of the phone with Colleen (scootersmom) All is well in their lives but they are just extremely busy like everyone else...she sometimes lurks but hasn't had a chance to post.

We went from gorgeous weather yesterday to cold today....supposed to rain for the weekend.

Phase one of our Family Birthing Suites project is just about finished (there is a light at the end of the tunnel) but the second phase of the project is expected to start next month. Then project #3 which is to add a final deck to the hospital parking garage will start by the end of the summer!! Needless to say, with my boss the head honcho on the project, I have been busy!!

Sarah and I leave for Sedona, Arizona in a month....we will be there for 10 days and I can't wait. Might have to plan a drive to Las Vegas or maybe Mesa Verde Colorado since my National Park Service pass is good until August.

 

[@GoofyNut]

Hi MaryJo ... nice to see you here. Hope your enjoyed our few days of "summer"!

Eric ... You may appreciate this. Several cars ago we were in a dealership trying to wrangle a good deal when the salesman leans over the desk and sarcastically says to me "Lady, do you realize at that price you want you are cutting into my commission!" Not a smart thing to say to "the lady". I promptly got up leaned across the desk and very loudly said "Well the little commission you would have made on the sale is better than no commission" and left him in the dust. The guy was there trying to talk Art into staying and continue working up a deal and he told the guy the person who writes the checks just walked out and I know she isn't coming back and out he goes too! Needless to say we never went back to that dealership to this day.

When Art bought the truck he has now ... guess who did the wrangling? The salesman gave us an offer and I looked toward my purse on the chair beside me and shook my head "not good enough" he gave us another offer, "not good enough" after three tries he looks at Art who warned him "she's been on the internet and has all the costs, trade-in values, accessories, etc, etc so you may as well give us your best deal now and save yourself some time". Again I succeeded to get a really really good deal.

So if you'll pay the airfare (and the price of a gallon of apple schnapps to get me on the plane) I'll be glad to help you wrangle!!!!

Another ? on the Re-Po cruise ... are they stopping at Castaway Cay at all? I am so happy for those lucky guys (and admitedly Jealous) and can't wait for their reports. AGAIN - HAPPY VOYAGE! Make lots of memories.

 

[Sarah'sMomfrom PA]

Hi goofyNut...geez...you wouldn't think that we work 5 miles from each other would you.....we never even cross paths!!

As Sarah would say.....talk to my mother.....she's the boss...not my dad!! Do I have her trained or what???

Sam had a problem with his unemployment and they kept giving him the runaround that the check would be in our account by next Wednesday...this went on for 5 weeks....I called the PA unemployment and was told that they couldn't discuss anything about the claim with me unless Sam was there...I didn't want any specific information (heck, I could tell them more than they know) but wanted to know when we would be getting a check so we could eat and put gas in the car....the girl refused to even let me speak to a supervisor.....I very patiently asked her to tell me her name again and to give me the correct spelling of it....she of course, asked why I needed it....I told her that when I hung up with her (who I might add was very rude and I pay her salary with our PA taxes)....I was calling both of our state senators and also the state representative and just wanted to make sure I had the correct spelling of her name to report her....she said "Hold On" I was on hold for about 10 minutes and then a supervisor talked to me...two days later, the check was in our account. Sam's favorite line is "Talk to my wife"!!

 

[BigRed1]

Safe travels and magical memories to all on the repo cruise. We'll look for you on the Panama Canal webcam on Friday, so smile for the cameras!
Allen

 

[WDWCrazzyCunninghams]

Happy Sailing to all our friends who are leaving on the cruise! We were going to take one of these sailings, but decided not too....too much money and the kids missing more school. I can't wait to see the photographs and hear the reports! I hope that at least one of you will get internet access and keep us up to date on the happenings!
BigRed1 said they will be going through the canal on Friday. Any idea what time? Morning, noon or night? Thanks for the link Tracy! If someone has all the webcams saved, could you post them and maybe the days that we can see them go by? So way cool!
Wish I was there....

 

[winotracy]

The will be going through the Gatun locks first in the morning (between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m.??), later in the day, they will pass the bridge, and shortly after the bridge the Miraflores locks.

Just got off the phone with Peter and Jenn. They sound like they are having a blast!! Lots of people at the World!

Tracy

 

[papa]

Thanks for the info Tracy.

 

[cdnmickeylover]

Great to hear from you Mary Jo!

Happy sailing to all those on the Panama Cruise!

Gearing up here for a busy, busy summer. Will not probably have the opportunity to take any time off and the fall will probably be even worse. The firm has a new client so we are doing work on that also at the moment. Wish I got paid overtime but all this might lead to a bonus which would be nice. I thought May would be slow but it hasn't turned out that way!

It was nice and warm here at the beginning of the week but the last two days have been downright cold. There was frost last night!

Off to get ready for work - thankfully it's Friday and then there's Sunday night's Survivor finale.

Fiona

 

[papa]

Hello Mary Jo, glad to hear that everyone is doing well. Kathy is the one that takes care of the problems in our family.

Hang in there Fiona it will eventually get better. More clients will mean better job security and maybe a nice bonus check Good to know that your son is ok and no one was injured in his accident.

Our youngest daughter, Katie's mom turned 30 yesterday and the grandbaby was supposed to spend the night with us. Didn't work out that way.

Mike

 

[cdnmickeylover]

I'll be fine Mike - just really busy which is a good thing. Time passes much more quickly when it's busy than when it's slow that's for sure.

Fiona

 

[Viking]

AAARGH!!!
Those car dealerships: We spent 40 minutes there to have our present car checked for trade-in-value. They did a test-drive, lifted it, checked it from below, etc., but as they were busy delivering a couple of new cars, the boss asked us to give him time until the next business day to do the calculation. As this is Pentecost-Weekend and Monday is a holiday over here, we'll have to wait til Tuesday for his offer. He's going to call me at the office. And even if the offer is good, we can't make a deal then, because in Frankfurt there is a local holiday called 'Forest Day'. It's the day we celebrate our municipal forest, a recreational area south of the city with hiking trails, jogging paths, small lakes, etc. Most small businesses close around 1pm that day. Unfortunately I work outside the city limits and so it is not a holiday fro my company, and additionally I have an appointment at my dentist's for the replacement of a crown and a bridge ($2400 ) on Tuesday at 230pm.

 

[JJsmama]

Haggling over a new car is probably my least favorite thing.

 

[jeanniec]

Mike -- Interesting to hear of your daughter's birthday. Our daughter turned 30 on Wednesday (5/11) so she is one day older than your daughter.

 

[winotracy]

Mike, sorry I missed your call. I was on the phone with Peter and Jenn. They are having a great time!!

Tracy

 

[winotracy]

With all the pictures, calls and voice mails all day, I forgot to post

Happy Birthday Peter​

Hope it was a great one!!
Tracy and Bill

 

[padisneyfan]

Sitting here printing out my SWA boarding passes. My bags are packed and I'm ready to go. Leaving for the airport around 1pm.

Bon Voyage to all the Panama Canal cruisers.

Disney here we come.

Belated Happy Birthday to Peter.

Nancy

 

[papa]

Have a great trip Nancy and Norm. Hope that you have great weather. Mike and Kathy.

PS Happy Birthday Peter.