4/29/06 Eastern Magic...We're Going!!!!!

[castlegazer]

Julie & Tom - How did the soccer tournament go? Any new trophies in your house?

 

[castlegazer]

update: we're getting a plane load in now to the Cape and it appears its people who have been plucked from rooftops today and others who probably were the holdouts in the city. Its people who have not been in a shelter yet - imagine that, a week later.

Michigan was slated to get 10,000 people earlier in the week and apparently people there are more ticked off at FEMA about this wierd miscommunication problem. I think a lot of it has to do with the fcat that the people in the astro dome don't have TVs and don't know how bad it is - they are living by rumor and don't know that they will have no where to return to for a very very long time. I don't know what I would do - but I do know I would take the $2,000 FEMA debit card and high tail it out of there to a relatives house immediately but that is not a luxury I am sure many of these people have.

 

[suziemva]

Tori's picture is sooooooo cute Suzie . was she excited about her first day going to school or was she a little scared ?

She's been asking me for the last couple of weeks if she can go to school and was so ready when the day came. We walked into her school, she gave me a hug and a kiss and pushed me out the door!! "Bye, mommy. See you later!" I did fine until I saw the 2 year olds with their little backpacks on and standing in line to go to class. OMGoodness! They are so cute!

I haven't watched the news for more than 5 minutes because of all the pics. It really stresses and distresses me out. I have horrible dreams at night and can't sleep because of it. So, my solution is this: be an ostrich and hide my head in the sand! I know this is not a good solution but neither is not getting sleep or my little one asking me why the people are floating in the water (in boats) or on top of their houses. My heart goes out to these people and to all the people helping in the efforts for everything. My friend's daughters are setting up a lemonade stand this weekend at their community yard sale for HK victims. Even if they only get $5, hey, at least they're trying!

So, spread a bit of pixie dust, hug your family and tell them that you love them.

Okay, off my soapbox now.

 

[inthemood]

Will your son and daughter be those ages next year? My son will be 4 next year when we cruise. Sounds like we have a great group of friends for them already in the club.

My son will be 7 on the cruise and my daughter will 6.

I also heard about heating cost going up 71% Can't fathom them being any higher. My GOSH!!!

It cost me $74.65 to fill up my van (25 Gal tank) and this isn't going to get any better either! I'll have to start driving one of these

Sorry for the vent!

ITM

 

[suziemva]

It cost me $74.65 to fill up my van (25 Gal tank) and this isn't going to get any better either! I'll have to start driving one of these

HA!!! I got you beat!! Cost me $150 to fill up my Suburban - well, I guess the 44 gallon tank doesn't help~! So, we are only going to school and back and/or whatever necessary errands!

DH is "forced" to drive the motorcycle to work when it's good weather! The car (his) uses too much gas for a week to keep doing that! PLUS he doesn't have to pick up slugs for HOV to get home on the motorcycle! Gotta love that!! He just hates picking the bugs out of his teeth but I told him to cherish the protein because we can't afford meat with these gas prices!!!!!

 

[castlegazer]

That's no vent! That's the honest truth! I just bought a mini van and it costs about $60 to fill. I commute to Natick every day and my husband commutes also - he has the shorter commute by about 10 miles so he drives the van and I get our little car. I soo miss my big car but its the least we can do in our situation.

suziemva, I have been scouring the news today. Its sad. My son asked me why the trucks were floating in the water and whether or not someone would rescue them. He isn't old enough for me to let him see anything more than that. Its the first time I actually did let him see the images of a major news event - I thought he needed to. He spent about an hour that night asking me questions which were of the likes of what will happen to the trucks (yeah, he has a one track 3-yr old mind) but he also wanted to understand whether or not something like that could happen here. He has a good fear of storms and this may exagerate it.
OK - I am done being chatty patty today. Ciao for now.

 

[suziemva]

Good Morning, Fellow Cruisers!!!! How is everyone on this bright and beautiful Friday morning?!?!?! Official countdown, please.

Belle&Rella's dad and mom - How did the soccer tourny go? Busy gazing at trophies we hope...

Hope everyone is well and healthy! The temps are getting lower here in the night but not low enough for the heat to kick on. We're starting to get little season change colds here, but nothing that can't be fixed with a little meds. Although, now I'm getting a bit worried about the heater kicking on and our gas bill going through the roof this winter. Oh, lordy, can we just get the gas problems under control here?!?! Wait, that didn't sound right, did it?

MY VENT FOR THE DAY - what ever happened to customer service??

Well, got three of our four new appliances in yesterday. Here's a story for you! We had to call to find out if they were in and then schedule the delivery/installation. Oh, so and so is on his honeymoon so we have to wait for him to come back since he's the one that does the installs for the convection ovens (WHAT?!?! You only have one guy that can do this?!?) So we schedule for the first available day (yesterday). We have to call the morning of to find out what time they will be here (WHAT?!?! You don't call US the night before?!?! - I used to be a moving company dispatcher and had to call ALL of my customers {State Dept and Military along with COD} the day before to let them know the two hour window of when we'd be there!!!!) So, yesterday morning I call at 8:10 and no one is there yet in deliveries. Okay, I'll go get my shower and call after. Finally get ahold of the scheduler only to hear that we are #7 (the last one of the day!!) on the schedule and they will be here between 3 and 5 pm. Um....you do know I have four appliances to be installed...yes, we know....how long do you anticipate this taking...oh, two to three hours....so, if they get here at 5 they could be here till 8? Is that right?....no, we wouldn't be there that late....okay.....Not happy, but what can you do???? So, 4:45 rolls around, no sign of anyone and no phone calls. I can't leave the house for fear that I'll miss a phone call from them - short version, my cell phone died and I'm waiting on a new one to be couriered to me today. Call them, oh, they just got to delivery #6 but they won't be to our house for at least an hour....WHAT?!?! You should have called me....my fridge is empty and off so now we have to go out to eat.....Please have them call me when they are on their way, home first then DH's cell phone.....Get home, still nothing. Call again, they are 15 minutes away (Thanks for calling me when they ARE ON THEIR WAY!) 30 minutes later they pull into the driveway. It's now 6:25 pm.... Get the fridge off the truck and it's not in a box...hmmmm....DH inspects it because it was supposed to come in A BOX for safe transporting!!! Yup, sure enough. There's a dent on the side facing out. Nope, no one back at the office can help. Only Beau and he's off till Monday. Alrighty then. Next is the dishwasher. Realize after disconnecting the old one and ready to put the new one in - THIS ISN"T THE ONE WE ORDERED!! All I can research online shows that this could possibly be a newer version of the other model. Guys pull ticket has the number scratched out and the new one written in.....Nope, no one called us to let us know and didn't tell us on our numerous conversations....Okay, go ahead and install. They finally get the microwave and the convection ovens installed and ready to walk out the door. It's now 9:35!!!!! Tori has just gotten her bath and ready for bed - um, bed time is 8:00 and she has school the next morning. BUT OH, NO, THEY WON'T BE HERE AFTER 8:00 PM - WE DON'T WORK THAT LATE!!!!! (sidenote: I had asked which one of them was to be congratulated because of the honeymoon issue.....NEITHER! Joey, the newlywed, wasn't assigned this job and doesn't install dishwashers!!! Can you believe this?!?!?)

Okay, I feel much better now. My kitchen looks wonderful with three new appliances in black and stainless steel. But for the lone blue/gray refrigerator...Oh, you are so pitiful, so out of place.....GET OUT!!!

 

[ohsodisney]

Good morning

I was just doing a quick search on the Disney 11 day cruises and was actually contemplating on whether to change to the 11 day cruise in September I love those islands. This way we can get 2 vacations next year . Has anyone heard anything about 11 day cruises on disney not during peek hurricane season ? That is the only thing that is stopping me right now . I am hoping that they would concider an 11 day during April or May .WHY PEEK SEASON DISNEY ?

As far as the gas prices go . My husband and I do a 40 minute commute into work , I only go in 2-3 days a week , but the Mountaineer he drives costs $75.00 a week not including his travel time to investigations or work sites . I bought a new Impala LX and I have to say it gets great gas mileage .

I think we are going to take the girls put-putting this weekend , they are free so we figured why not . I'm sure we will be chasing the balls everywhere but it should be cute .

Well I'm off to do my running around today

Countdown to Legend of the Seas cruise ! 78 days

 

[inthemood]

I told him to cherish the protein because we can't afford meat with these gas prices!!!!!

Just think, if he gets real good at this bug thing, he could make some gas money for the Suburban, on Survivor or Fear Factor!!

 

[suziemva]

Just think, if he gets real good at this bug thing, he could make some gas money for the Suburban, on Survivor or Fear Factor!!

 

[ohsodisney]

Hi everyone

Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend . We start our bowling league tonight , yup we are nerds HEHE I have been bowling since I was real little and I still s--- ! . It runs way too long thou 35 weeks , thats past our Disney cruise . Oh yeah , I didn't change to the Southern cruise , in fact we just booked our flights home so I could stop driving my husband crazy I hear that they should be coming out with the 2007 cruising dates sometime in October .

Hey, did anyone else know that there is a pirate night ? I thought I heard it was for the Bon Voyage party . I was going to get pirate costumes for Halloween for my DD's so they could wear them that day but Holly insists on being a princess and McKenna would like to be anything that has to do with power rangers , superman ,or batman , yup bet you didn't know we had a little boy , all this time we thought she was a girl

countdown to the Legend of the Seas cruise 10 weeks 6 days

 

[suziemva]

Pirate night on our Western cruise was leaving Cozumel on Wednesday. Not sure why they wouldn't have done it from Grand Cayman (Tortuga Islands) instead, but oh, well....

Anyway, it's fun. Pirate story is a bit lame, but fun as a first time. Fireworks are cool. And I believe there's a midnight buffet too, after the show, etc. Tori fell asleep during the fireworks and since we were exhausted, we went back to our cabin and slept. Some people dress up in Pirate costumes and some just wear pirate things. It's pretty cool to see everyone, just a bit loud for us. It becomes a huge big deck party!

The bon voyage party is fun too. Lots of interactive dancing with the song crew. This time we're going to try to get near the front of the ship and see all the boats "lead off" the Magic. I missed most of the Terminal crew wave off the ship, too! So these will be the scenes we will be trying to catch on the upcoming trip. It's pretty cool because all along the Port there are people on the grass waving and at the restaurants too! Makes you cry - at least it made me! It's a great send off and a wonderful way to start the cruise.

I think these are both things that once you've done them, you've done them. Not really sure what we're going to do, though.

 

[ohsodisney]

Hi Suzie

Do they have fireworks on every Disney cruise ? My girls love them , we have them every year at our party ( the girls said don't tell the coppers )

Good night everyone , time for the girls to hit the hay . Oh yup I was right about my bowling skills , My average tonight was 133 .

 

[suziemva]

Fireworks, hmmmm......I believe that they have Pirate night on all of the cruises and along with it (weather permitting), fireworks. They were pretty cool, I must say!

Pirate Mickey and Pirate Minnie dancing in the Atrium

Even the towelagami gets in the Pirate act!

Sorry these pics seem so big!! Either they're too big or too small if I reduce them further!!!


Nite all!

4 days till my Birthday trip to the World!!!

 

[inthemood]

You better get packin!!!

Have fun.

 

[suziemva]

Yup, doing laundry tonight.....my FAVORITE thing to do, dontcha know?

 

[ohsodisney]

Hi suzie

Have a wonderful time on your vacation . Happy Birthday too

We loved your pictures , my girls love fireworks we have them every year for our party , ( the girls said don't tell the coppers )

Well I guess we are no longer in our bowling leaque . Our friend called us and said someone complained that the girls were there and we being interuptive what ever that means . They said McKenna spilled some water and that was dangerous I said thats crazy I told DH she spilled a tiny tiny bit on the table !! They only came with us twice all last year . We said we don't want to be on one of thoses serious leagues , we were there to just have a good time . Sad thing is I think it was our team mate that told him because she asked why the girls were there and we said no sitter and they may be with us a few more times this year , she said her and Joe want to leave the kids home because it was their time .I wish she would have said something to us We are too old for this highschool stuff

Oh well that was my vent for the night .I wish everyone could just get along , its so sad when simple things in life turn out to be so complicated !

3 weeks 4 days till our family gathering for Canada's Animal Safari

7 weeks to Halloween and the girls birthday

75 days till 7 day Western cruise on Legend of the Seas

225 days till AKL & Disney cruise

 

[inthemood]

BOWLING SNOBS!!!!
What is the world coming to?

 

[castlegazer]

Goodmorning everyone.

You can join another league. It sounds like its a lot of fun for you guys so just find a new league that is less snobby. we have tons here. We aren't members of any - nor do we bowl - but I know of many. I am in a co-ed soccer league and I love bringing my kids to see Mommy play. Its wicked competitive, though. I am getting too old to play against college stars anymore. When I was on one team where the male members who were fresh from college were limiting the women's play time - I switched teams immediately. I am there to have fun - not be pushed around. So, therefore, you should too.

My door sign for the cruise is actually in the theme of pirate night. I can't post it because, well, I can't get to photo storage web sites here at work and I keep forgetting to get it up while I am at home.

OK - I need a mental siesta today very badly:

 

[castlegazer]

Oh MY GAWD!!!!!! I was just reading the confirmed dry-dock changes and I am sooo totally going to try and get that new spa experience!!!! I want to go into a glass-bottom hot tub suspended over the ocean!!!!!! This takes the RASUL to a whole new level.

I also can't wait for the movie screen- I think that will be cool!