12/09/06 Cruise Continued ~ Pirating Bananas DIS Geekorama Part 2 Part 15

[pyramid2000]

OY! Septic backed up into the laundry room yesterday. Called to get someone out. First fellow said $400. It is Saturday, you know. Second fellow said $300, usually is $280, but it is Saturday. Come on out!! So, DrHug and I headed out in the cold (has not gotten above 30 the last couple of days) and started digging a hole to uncover it. We are old folks! DD and DGS soon came out an helped with the SECOND hole (it's hard to remember exactly where it is ). We got it uncovered and the honey bucket man showed up. EWWW! Told DGS see this is why you need an education - don't be that man! He was a very nice fellow though and asked DrHug how long since it has been pumped. Well, uh, let me think.... maybe about 10 years. The felllow said, "you are about 6 years overdue for a family of 5." Uh, sorry, we've been busy planning Disney trips for the last 10 years. We have not had time to think about mundane things like the septic tank! Anyway, got it pumped, now we just have to go back out and undig the hole now. We undug the first hole with the dirt from the second hole.

This was one thing I was worried about when we bought our house. My brother had a septic tank and needed it pumped every 3-4 years. I was not surprised then when we had a backup ( luckily nothing came "backup" though) on Christmas day with about 30 people here. We got someone out the next day, but he showed DH where the entrance pipe was and he dug it up while I was talking with the guy and he was setting up the paper work. Turns out there was a clog and DH got it loose. Needless to say, the guy tore up the papers. I asked him if we should have it pumped anyways and he said it was fine. He also ssaid we shouldn't need it pumped out if it is working properly. So far so good after almost eight years.

 

[pyramid2000]

Daisies started when I was in scouts so they have been around for 20 or so years. I can't see the point...organized babysitting maybe?

Daisies was the easiest level for me as a leader. I started with Brownies for Sarah, but did Daisies for Amanda. It is the most organized in the way it is done (it is spelled out for the leader a whole lot more) and the girls have a lot of fun learning the basics of GS. They aren't allowed to sell anything though. EEK! Cookies will be filling my house in 5 days!

 

[pyramid2000]

Do troops meet at the leader's house anymore???

We met at my house for half a year when the troop had dwindled significantly and most of the girls were from around the neighborhood. We also had various things at my house from time to time. I do not miss it so far this year!

 

[pyramid2000]

Nathan is just so on top of things today. He is at the table playing with Play-doh while DD is sleeping. He keeps coming over here to show me things and wants me to "deliver" the playdoh food he is making to him at the table. After the 50th time I got a bit frustrated and told him that he needed to play at the table and that I was trying to read to plan our next WDW vacation. Nathan then told "you don't need to do that....I already planned our next vacation for Thanksgiving".

The girls are insisting that we go twice a year! They say we have to plan one for before this summer since we aren't doing the Repo now and October is too far away.

 

[pyramid2000]

So much for going early and getting home right away (the Patriots are playing you know)
So he had NOTHING to bring. Of course he didn't my DH! Oh wait some tacky outfit that they would have blamed me for...I almost let that be it. So I gave him the 2 gift boxes of clothes (very nice I might add) for his baby niece that I bought before we left on the cruise. Then didn't he have the nerve to ask "Didn't you say you had something else for my mother?" I just looked at him. "No, I believe you said that you had something special for her.

Anyway there he goes again waiting until the last possible minute to go run around looking for something for his mother expecting me to bail him out. Nope. Not this time. He left to go to this store and that (nope I didn't bother telling him those store were closed because he was on a "mission". Been there dealt with that ). He came back frantic that those stores were closed. Then he asked me whether Target sold what he was looking for and I said "I did not know" "How could I not know?! You are there every day" he puffs out all worked up. he's beside himself at this point Not my problem. I reply "Gee, I've never looked to buy that there so I never noticed" (that is technically true I never have)

So he goes off on his mission.

Meanwhile back at the range....I go get all of the gifts for the 6 family members that he neglected to buy anything for and start bagging or wrapping put it in a big bag beside the door. Explain to DD what each item represents, write the names on them etc. I truly didn't want to do it. I wrote them all from our daughter which made me feel better. I place it all by the entry way so when he comes in he'll see the two shopping bags.

The brat comes home then proceeds to ask how is he going to know what is what. I patiently go through each present with each name and the contents. He starts putting them together and I say "Thank you Carla!" and he replies "Thank you"

He then asked whether I was coming. Uhm nah no thank you. I have work to finish. I don't have tomorrow off. Besides who else has experience giving people very nice and thoughtful presents and having them look to your spouse and say thank you.

 

[pyramid2000]

DrHug is searching for Montana property today. He found a repo that he is sending a friend to look at. Maybe we will really get this done!

Is you DD and DGS going with you?

 

[pyramid2000]

so was I missed??

We had a great day!! Saw Horace Horsecollar, one of the Main St characters, Brer Bear and Brer Fox, lGideon and lots of the regular ones. Samantha got her first haircut at the barber shop, special cert and all, John got his hair cut there as well. ate at LTT for lunch and wow, I got the best compliment - as we left a woman at a table with about 7 - that were seated next to us and all had southern accents...stopped me and said "may I just tell you how well behaved your children are"....I got tears in my eyes...(and someone also told me this a bit ago when I took the two ALONE (first time) out to Olive Garden) you know as a parent I try hard to make sure I am doing the right thing....hoping they are polite and not annoying anyone....for me it is so rewarding to think that for 30-40 min of a stranger seeing my children - they think they are behaved and I may just be doing a good job of it after all!

We did tons of rides and were home by 5:30 pm......writing my one day tripper now before I forget. I think I am giving up on my 06 WDW adventures....and starting fresh this year....

What I would give to be able to run to WDW whenever!

Is is very nice to hear something like that coming from a total stranger. I haven't heard words like that for awhile now though.

 

[lillygator]

V- could you apply for the new Senior Accountant position?

I could but they have been interviewing for the one we currently have open and they have two they like.

 

[pyramid2000]

DH doesn't work today, I don't start until Wed. and Jake doesn't have preschool. We are going to spend the day together. We are going to go to Hershey Chocolate world after breakfast.

Have a great day!

 

[pyramid2000]

There's so much more at Chocolate World than they used to have! We spent a bit of time there on our trip this summer after skipping it for years. You really can spend quite a bit of time there. The Cows/Milk Marketing people appear to have taken over the "chocolate factory tour" ride!

Another place to add to my list. If we are going to be here all summer, I need places to go!! So whose coming with me to visit with PJ this spring?

 

[pyramid2000]

We're shopping for a motorhome. I think we finally made the decision between motorhome and 5th wheel. Well, maybe...

Angie, did you concider renting one first to get a good feel for it? My mom and dad bought one and used it once, then our neighbors got one last year, took it to FL for the winter, did that again this year, but ended up buying something there. Now they say their kids can use the motorhome.

I would rent one to see whicn kind fits you best.

 

[pyramid2000]

Crud! The 9-night out of NJ I was looking at for DH and I in April is 2008!

 

[pjpoohbear]

Ship Name: Explorer Of The Seas
Departure Port: Cape Liberty Cruise Port, New Jersey
Ports of Call: Cape Liberty Cruise Port, New Jersey; Kings Wharf, Bermuda; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Cape Liberty Cruise Port, New Jersey
2007 Date(s): May 11 , May 25 ,


On Carnival
Ship: Carnival Miracle
Sailing From: New York, NY on 04/25/2007
Itinerary: New York, NY ; San Juan, Puerto Rico ; St. Thomas, USVI ; Tortola, BVI ; New York, NY

PJ

 

[kimerinc]

DD wants to do TBall - I have until this Saturday to decide. 15 games - twice a week for the school year. She turns 7 in March and this would be her first experience in a team sport. I'm thinking its quite a commitment and I'm trying to explain to her that she HAS to go because the team expects it. She can't say "I don't feel like going today" Her reply "Well, I've very good at T-Ball - well is it on the tee or will they pitch it? I'm great at hitting" Oy. Any thoughts/advice?


From their website:
Practices start the middle of April. Games start April 22. Teams play 2 games each week, one week night game and one Saturday game.


Weekday game nights and Saturday game times are varied. Teams will play 15 games and will be done by the end of the school year.

LEAGUES
Players are assigned to a level of play according to their age.
5 year-olds play T-Ball I. Players hit off a tee the entire year. Players bat every inning and play every inning in the field.
6 Year-olds play T-Ball II. Players hit off a tee for the first half of the year. During the second half of the year the coach's pitch to the players. Players are given three swings and then the ball is placed on the tee, for the player to hit. No one is allowed to strike out. Players bat every inning and play every inning in the field.
7 Year-olds play Instructional Baseball. Coaches pitch, 3 outs per inning, 10 players in the field.

Savannah LOVED Soccer! I have to sign her up this month if she wants to do it again, but she said she only wants to do Ice Skating.... The Winter Games are Saturday and I can tell she is starting to feel the excitement/pressure. Hard to tell which one. This is her last time at this level because she advances in 2 weeks so a whole new program after this week.

 

[kimerinc]

Lisa that was a terrible incident with your friend. I hope she persues it escalating to Walmart Sr Mgmt, Town Govt, formal complaints to the Police Department etc. I was particularly sad to read her son is afraid of police officers now.

Savannah is afraid of police officers because she saw someone get arrested in Olive Garden. Of course, so am I, so I am sure that does not help! I would so have our Lawyer on that if it were me!

 

[kimerinc]

Fanelli also said Wishnefsky has signed a consent deree with the state Bureau of Charitable Organizations agreeing never to be involved in a charitable organization again, which he said means the court should nto worry about recidivism.
"We're not talking about a violent criminal," he said. "She is genuinely remorseful and she needs to make amends."
What Wishnefsky must make amends for is her taking money from the PTO between Nov. 17,2004 and June 13, 2005 as charged by Frackville police.
"She embezzled PTO funds and started credit cards in the individual's name, and wrote checks out and used PTO funds for her personal use," Frackville police Chief John M. Morgan said after the hearing.
That individual was Dixon, who served as PTO president while Wishnefsky was treasurer. In the statment she read to the court, she worried mostly about the impact on the organization and community, even thought Miller said Wishnefsky had done "a terrible thing" to her.

Brandi,

that is terrible! She must have been in some dire straights to steal from the PTO! Wow!

 

[kimerinc]

yes I would definitely ask about the practices - it probably depends on the coach.

We play soccer once a week and are just about ready for another game when the next Sunday comes round. We had 1 or 2 practices early in the season and then it got too cold and dark and dropped them.

You probably need to balance it with her school work. I know when we had evening practices - we had just enough time to get dressed, dinner done and get over to the field. It was really too much after a day at school and then hard to go to bed after. Does she do any other after school activities?

Saturdays are tougher to give up than Sundays I think because there are errands that can only be done then - post office, dry cleaner etc.

I think at that age a comittment of more than once a week is too much - that is why I hate karate classes - they all meet 2x week. It means you are really devoted to that sport exclusively. Savannah has devoted herself to skating but not many kids are really that interested in one thing early on.

The team participation is a great personal/social skill. She may also be interested for the social aspects with friends from school. I think my kids learned a lot about working with a coach and other team members. and they learned some things about themselves.

Soccer is an alternative but she seems fixed on tball. Does she understand that at her age the ball is not tethered - not quite as easy when pitched.

Elaine,

I am kind of suprise myself. I thought it would take a few years to find what she really liked. We did ballet, Dance, Gymnastics, Swimming, Tumbling, Soccer and now she does not want to do anything else. I don't think it is typical and I do think it is a good idea to expose your kids to lots of things so they can try everything once...

 

[lbgraves]

Hey there everybody! Today has been nice and balmy. Can't believe that I am describing a day in mid January as balmy. OY! Don't envy us for long though because it ends later today. The cold front & rain move in overnight and it will be 30-50 the rest of the week.

 

[lbgraves]

I am going to have some work to do this week. I haven't been paying much attention to the repo cruise discussion outside of being a referee. This morning I decided not to make the decision not to go on my own. When I asked DH if he would be interested he asked how much. I figure that it will be around 6000 in the end for a cat 10. He didn't say no! YIKES!!! I'm not sure if May or August would work best for us. May weather wise and we could spend time in CA at DL for the first time for all of us. We could book cheap air thru alligient to FL. Maybe be able to use some of the tons of airmiles Mike has accumulated over the past 12 years to fly home. September would probably work better with school...just withdraw the kids from school in June and not reenroll them until we get back. They don't loose time that way and will just miss a week or so of review work. OY! Angie & V...you guys are going in May, right? I guess that we have 2 weeks to research & decide. We do have the dummy 2008 date booked onboard that can be transferred for the discount and the 12/1 still on the books to transfer for the additional deposit. IDK!!!

 

[bubbasmom99]

Morning all.....
I am really frustrated with my job....on Friday my boss and another director took me out to lunch. Somehow in the conversation it was noted that we (our department) was approved for another FTE...a senior accountant position...now our dept currently has 8 senior accountants and me...the lowly accountant...my problem firstly is that in my Nov review....I was told there is nothing in the budget for changing titles and pay scales. Secondly, why the need to bring in a new FTE at the top? Shouldn't they have something to work for?

can you apply for the promotion? In our department, we have a little flexibility in reallocating the FTEs... we just need to stay under 46, but since we have a career-pathing program that goes through 3 positions, we don't always hire to replace the same position... my boss likes to keep the "bench" full with our entry-level positions migrating into the upper level positions eventually.

Seems like you should fill that sr position and then they can request to replace your position