12/29/07 Western - New Year's Eve

[halfan]

Just stopping by to catch up on postings and check birkner's countdown clock.

"Only" 1 month and three way too long days to go!

 

[birkner]

Just stopping by to catch up on postings and check birkner's countdown clock.

"Only" 1 month and three way too long days to go!

Just checking in this morning for a brief post. I have to get DH to San Francisco airport this morning by 11 AM for his flight to Taiwan. He will be on the plane for approximately 14 hours and 5 minutes. Glad he is flying and not me!!

 

[JimV]

I'm in Birkner's neck of the woods in San Jose working for this week (and next week and the week after next). But alas, it does not work out for me to visit this time (customer wanted to get together for dinner tonight and have another commitment for Wed evening) so I guess meeting Noel will have to wait until the cruise.

I leave a month from today for Florida

We probably won't do the pirate costume. We will be renting tuxes for the boys and I will be bringing mine for NYE. Other than that, no decisions were made this past weekend about the cruise. Sigh -- I just can't the rest of my family to become compulsive vacation planners. Maybe I should just become a travel agent, quit my day job and get excited over other people's vacations. ... Um... No.

Okay, back to doing whatever I do for a living (at the moment watching a computer do something for a few more minutes until I can go to bed)

Night all...

 

[Caitsmama]

Morning everyone! Time for a ticker check!!! Whoohooo!

I am missing that warm sunshine from Orlando - it is freezing here this a.m. I have started my "preliminary" packing" - where i throw everything i MIGHT want in my suitcase, then you know how it goes, you gotta take out 1/2. LOL
We put up our lil' fiber optic Christmas tree yesterday.. LOL, nothing big, but it somehow fits us just fine. Even my dd is satisfied with it. I would love a big ol' fancy tree, but somehow the lil' fiber optic one just speaks to us - kinda fitting of where we are in our lives i guess. I left the big ol' fancy trees in WDW last weekend.
I am planning somewhat of a "tropical" theme Christmas eve here -- since most of the family coming over that night will be on the cruise with us - and we leave Dec. 28th, it just seemed to fit.. I picked up those lil' umbrellas for drinks at the end of the summer on clearance, and i will be making a fruit punch for them to go with. We always get italian buffet for Christmas Eve, so that won't change, but i plan on doing some other "tropical" touches..

Gotta get busy working on our cabin signs too.. and tshirts. And gotta finish up some FE gifts!

Can ya tell i am getting REALLY excited!!!??

 

[birkner]

I'm in Birkner's neck of the woods in San Jose working for this week (and next week and the week after next). But alas, it does not work out for me to visit this time (customer wanted to get together for dinner tonight and have another commitment for Wed evening) so I guess meeting Noel will have to wait until the cruise.

I leave a month from today for Florida

We probably won't do the pirate costume. We will be renting tuxes for the boys and I will be bringing mine for NYE. Other than that, no decisions were made this past weekend about the cruise. Sigh -- I just can't the rest of my family to become compulsive vacation planners. Maybe I should just become a travel agent, quit my day job and get excited over other people's vacations. ... Um... No.

Okay, back to doing whatever I do for a living (at the moment watching a computer do something for a few more minutes until I can go to bed)

Night all...

Jim, I am sorry we will not be able to meet this week but do understand about trying to schedule any personal time during a business trip.

Got an email this morning from DH who arrived in Taiwan at 7:15 PM Taiwan time or 3:15 AM time. Email time was 9:41 AM California time or 1:40 AM Taiwan time. It is so hard to get on the 8+ hour time difference even after flying 14 hours.

My family just expects me to do all the planning and they will just show up. DD Jennifer will help with some of the plans but the rest of the planning is up to me.

Still not sure about any pirate costumes here.

 

[birkner]

Morning everyone! Time for a ticker check!!! Whoohooo!

I am missing that warm sunshine from Orlando - it is freezing here this a.m. I have started my "preliminary" packing" - where i throw everything i MIGHT want in my suitcase, then you know how it goes, you gotta take out 1/2. LOL
We put up our lil' fiber optic Christmas tree yesterday.. LOL, nothing big, but it somehow fits us just fine. Even my dd is satisfied with it. I would love a big ol' fancy tree, but somehow the lil' fiber optic one just speaks to us - kinda fitting of where we are in our lives i guess. I left the big ol' fancy trees in WDW last weekend.
I am planning somewhat of a "tropical" theme Christmas eve here -- since most of the family coming over that night will be on the cruise with us - and we leave Dec. 28th, it just seemed to fit.. I picked up those lil' umbrellas for drinks at the end of the summer on clearance, and i will be making a fruit punch for them to go with. We always get italian buffet for Christmas Eve, so that won't change, but i plan on doing some other "tropical" touches..

Gotta get busy working on our cabin signs too.. and tshirts. And gotta finish up some FE gifts!

Can ya tell i am getting REALLY excited!!!??

We usually have a big Noble fir tree every year but with DH in China and us not being home for Xmas spending the $500 seems a waste. DD and I are going to do some more decorating but our tree this year is about 1/4 the size we usually have. However, we have taken out all the rest of the decorations so the house looks festive.

DD's and I will have to figure out a small tree at WDW because we are not doing very many Xmas presents this year.

We are starting to get really excited and I am sure fever pitch will start to kick in as soon as it is December 1. We are going to use our Advent Calendar as a countdown to flying to WDW!!

 

[birkner]

Just bumping us back to the main page. DH and I talked for about an hour on Skype last night. He had a long flight, made even longer by the fact he did not have power in his seat for his computer.

He and his boss have almost decided that it is worth the additional fare to upgrade to business class since they both had to stay up an additional 6 hours to prepare for a last minute meeting that was added to the trip.

Speaking to United, they have no plans to add power to the economy section of the plane which must be frustrating for other business travelers. I guess to add fuel to the fire is the TA told them that their "upgraded" coach seats would have power. Granted they had the extra leg room but they needed power more than leg room!!

He is staying at the Royal Hotel Royal Hotel Hsinchu which seems to be a very nice hotel situated on the doorstep of Hsinchu's Science Park - Taiwan's Silicon Valley. The hotel is just a few minutes drive from the Chung Shan and is only a 10 minutes drive from all the major companies.

Each room is equipped with DVD player, LCD TV, a facsimile machine, free hi-speed wireless internet access, electric socket for computers, voice mail, work desk, private bathroom with separate shower, trouser-presser, safety deposit box, individually controlled air conditioning and heated toilet seat.

He ESPECIALLY likes the trouser press but haven't heard any comments on the heated toilet seat!!

 

[Caitsmama]

Haaaa... a heated toilet seat!!! LOL That would definately be something my dh would like..
LOL
Glad he made the trip ok, despite the issues he had. I personally don't know if i could fly so many hours.. I am dreading my 6 hr flight to Cali. in Feb. myself! LOL
I am thinking of investing in a portable DVD player, as i have no idea what i can do for 6 hrs to keep my dd occupied!

 

[birkner]

Haaaa... a heated toilet seat!!! LOL That would definitely be something my dh would like..
LOL
Glad he made the trip ok, despite the issues he had. I personally don't know if i could fly so many hours.. I am dreading my 6 hr flight to Cali. in Feb. myself! LOL
I am thinking of investing in a portable DVD player, as i have no idea what i can do for 6 hrs to keep my dd occupied!

When Samantha was little, we made her tapes of her favorite movies so she could watch them when we flew to the East Coast or Hawaii. We had a portable Sony 8MM player which was also a tv. We also brought toys, coloring books and plenty of activities to keep her busy for the 6 hour flights. She loved to fly but it is always hard for a youngster to sit still for that many hours.

I sure miss the days when you could let the kids go upstairs in a 747 and run around!! Boy that sure shows my age!!

Off to airport for a quick flight to Reno. Will check in later today.

 

[WiscBill]

Haaaa... a heated toilet seat!!! LOL That would definately be something my dh would like..
LOL
Glad he made the trip ok, despite the issues he had. I personally don't know if i could fly so many hours.. I am dreading my 6 hr flight to Cali. in Feb. myself! LOL
I am thinking of investing in a portable DVD player, as i have no idea what i can do for 6 hrs to keep my dd occupied!

Portable DVD players are the best invention for parents on long flights (along with in-flight cocktails). We bought one for our daughter a few years back and are now on our second one. Of course, one time, I left all the DVDs on the plane. Sometimes though, we just play them on a laptop if one of us has to bring a computer with for any reason.

Noel, I too remember those 8 mm DVD players. American used to pass them out in business class in the days before they had individual screens at each seat.

 

[Caitsmama]

Thanks guys! I have a laptop i am bringing, but the battery life on it is only just over an hour fully charged.. So, maybe for her bday in january, i will get her a portable dvd.
Maybe i can score one at a great deal after the holidays...

Noel - have fun in Reno! I went there once when i was about 12.. it was fun for a kid to be in Circus Circus! LOL

 

[pit303]

We finally got our stateroom # We are in 6632

Maureen

 

[WiscBill]

We finally got our stateroom # We are in 6632

Maureen

Great!! Just down the hall from us. We're in 6624. Four weeks and we should be arriving at the terminal around this time.

 

[JimV]

Noel -- tell your DH to buck up and go business class

I completely agree, having a day of productive time in the plane to Asia makes all the difference. The rooms there are amazing, but when I stayed there there was a bidet in the toilet with four or five different options. Not knowing what that extra switch was on the toilet, I was very surprised when I thought I was flushing

A month from today everyone! And I am so ready. Getting the boy's tux measurements today (and bringing out the snowblower since the forecast calls for 6-8 inches of snow tonight)

 

[birkner]

Portable DVD players are the best invention for parents on long flights (along with in-flight cocktails). We bought one for our daughter a few years back and are now on our second one. Of course, one time, I left all the DVDs on the plane. Sometimes though, we just play them on a laptop if one of us has to bring a computer with for any reason.

Noel, I too remember those 8 mm DVD players. American used to pass them out in business class in the days before they had individual screens at each seat.

We carried several extra large batteries with us on long flights as that was the times before airplanes had plug ins for power.

 

[birkner]

Thanks guys! I have a laptop i am bringing, but the battery life on it is only just over an hour fully charged.. So, maybe for her bday in january, i will get her a portable dvd.
Maybe i can score one at a great deal after the holidays...

Noel - have fun in Reno! I went there once when i was about 12.. it was fun for a kid to be in Circus Circus! LOL

I actually sat on the tarmac for about 40 minutes as it was snowing in Reno and visibility was below the ceiling to land. I met a couple who were on there way to Spain for a cruise.

Once in Reno, the snow flurries only lasted for about a half an hour, not even sticking to the ground. Got my hair colored and cut and feel wonderful!!

 

[birkner]

We finally got our stateroom # We are in 6632

Maureen

WAHOO for you!! Can you believe only 28 more days left til the cruise!!

 

[birkner]

Noel -- tell your DH to buck up and go business class

I completely agree, having a day of productive time in the plane to Asia makes all the difference. The rooms there are amazing, but when I stayed there there was a bidet in the toilet with four or five different options. Not knowing what that extra switch was on the toilet, I was very surprised when I thought I was flushing

A month from today everyone! And I am so ready. Getting the boy's tux measurements today (and bringing out the snowblower since the forecast calls for 6-8 inches of snow tonight)

As I may have told you, DH is in a start up so they watch every penny they spend. However, I am hopeful after this latest fiasco, they will let him fly business class next time.

The bidet story reminds me of hotels in Europe which have the same sort of accouterments. DH and I had quite an email discussion about this very subject!!

I am sure after all the snowblowing you will be ready for the warm Carribean!!

 

[pit303]

Great!! Just down the hall from us. We're in 6624. Four weeks and we should be arriving at the terminal around this time.

that is our stateroom# on our family cruise Sept 28 Double Dip

 

[JimV]

So we are thinking about going to MGM and seeing the Osbourne lights. Not sure if that is workable given that we land at 4:00 PM in Orlando. But, we enjoy Christmas lights and thought it would be a fun way to spend the evening.