5/27/06 "Il pochi il fiero i blabbermouths" We *will* sail again Part 13

[scuba diver]

We just received a phone call from Sharon's family. Her father just passed away.

He was been fighting cancer for many years and it's a blessing he has survived this long. The last few months have been very painful for him so this is the best that could be hoped for. The last few weeks have been more about pain management then cure.

Sharon's brother held the phone to his ear last night so she was able to say a final good-bye.

This makes our Alaska trip last year all the more special.

Sharon's family has never let anything come before any type of sporting event. Sports rule! We are continuing with our plans to head to WDW this afternoon and running the Tower of Terror.

Sharon flys out in the morning from MCO and the rest will follow some time next week.

This does complicate our plans for this weekend so if we don't meet up with everyone in WDW F&W you will understand.

 

[WVMD]

Scubas - Please accept our sincere condolences......

Virgil and family

 

[justmestace]

Sharon & Jim, and family....I am so very sorry to hear of the loss of your Dad and Granddad. My deepest sympathies!

 

[justmestace]

Leaving tomorrow at noon to fly to Mom and Dad's. I've been having more than my usual pre-flight jitters for some reason. I guess because my world has been so topsy-turvy lately. It's only a 2 1/2 hour flight, so not too bad. I guess I mostly am just tired....so what better place to sleep than on a plane??

 

[WVMD]

Leaving tomorrow at noon to fly to Mom and Dad's. I've been having more than my usual pre-flight jitters for some reason. I guess because my world has been so topsy-turvy lately. It's only a 2 1/2 hour flight, so not too bad. I guess I mostly am just tired....so what better place to sleep than on a plane??

Have FUN!!!

Enjoy the break away from home!

Virgil

 

[kikipug]

Sharon, Jim, Lisa & Matt...
Our deepest sympathies to all of you. So glad that you were able to make some really special memories on your Alaska trip.

Safe travels this week. Let us know if there's anything we can do.

 

[kikipug]

Just got in from another marathon-day at the football field. Christopher's team won 22-0. They were guaranteed a spot in Monday night's Kansas City tie-breaker to decide who gets into Tuesday night's conference playoffs, but they STILL wanted the big win. It has been really fun with Ray coaching Christopher for the first time this year!!

If... by some blessing of a chance, they got into Tuesday nights playoffs and won, they would play the Regional Championship Game next Saturday in the Citrus Bowl... how cool would THAT be? (And my football-loving sister happens to be coming down for the weekend...). The next, absolutely far-fetched step after that is the National Championship Super Bowl at WDW. Let's get through the tie breaker first!!!!

Elizabeth's state cheer competition is tomorrow. She's already in bed, as the bus leaves at 5:30AM, and there's lots of primping and hair-straightening to be done before then! The football team that she cheers for is ALSO headed to a tie-breaker on Monday night to see if THEY get to the playoffs... theirs, however, is a 3-way tie, and they are a long shot... they won their game tonight to get them into the 3-way tie breaker... unfortunately, the post-game handshake got ugly (not our kids faults...), and we almost needed a police escort out of the high school parking lot.

So this week is getting more insane by the minute!!!!! My Red Sox are on and winning 6-0 right now... can't go to sleep yet!!!!!!

 

[WDWLVR]

Our condolences to Sharon, Jim and the rest of the family. It is always so hard saying goodbye to a parent, but I know the memories you all made in Alaska and before will help get you through the tough times.

 

[ohiominnie]

Jim, Sharon, Matt and Lisa,
I'm sorry to hear about your loss. My prayers are with you during this tough time. Also praying for safe travel for everyone this week.

 

[CajunGirl2]

Sharon, Jim, Matt & Lisa, I'm sorry to hear of your loss. My thoughts & prayers go out to all of you. Safe travels this week.

Angie

 

[CajunGirl2]

Stacey, guess you're in the air right now. Hope you are having a safe flight!

Ang

 

[WDWLVR]

We're home! A brief recap for those that didn't get a chance to read the live thread.

Thursday 10/18 - drive from home to Dalton, GA. Started at 4 am and ran into some nasty storms but made it by early evening and was able to get a good nights sleep.

Friday 10/19 - drive from Dalton, GA to WDW. Rain, rain and more rain. Most of it not too bad, but a few really nasty spots in both GA and FL. Got into WDW about 3pm and was able to get our room right away at Boardwalk. Got to walk around the food and wine booths and buy a few things at Epcot. Called it an early evening.

Saturday 10/20. More rain. Had a fantastic Thomas Kinkade breakfast and got to meet him. Awesome. Went over to Magic Kingdom to ride the new Haunted Mansion - cool! Had a DIS meet at the Beach Club at 3 pm. Very well attended by a good number of Member Cruisers both past and present. Had dinner with a our co-mod Robin and her family who just got off the Magic. Another early evening.

Sunday 10/21. Mass at Mary Queen of the Universe. Breakfast at McDonalds and then to check out and head to the port. Got there about 11, had boarding number 7. Boarding was quick and painless as usual. Lots of gifts on the first day.

Monday 10/22. First day at Castaway Cay. Did the eco tour (jet skis). I did better than last year but still didn't do too well. It was fun though. Lunch on the island and then back to the ship in the afternoon to see the first of the special DVC special presentations. DVC brought on a number of Disney Legends and they were amazing. The show tonight was a special one featuring a performance by Richard Sherman (of the Sherman Brothers). He told so many stories and performed many of the songs he and his brother wrote. It was AMAZING!

Tuesday 10/23. Sea Day. This one was jam packed! Started with another DVC panel. Then Palo Brunch - yum! Got out just in time to see the shuttle lift off (on the Dumbotron) and see the contrails of the shuttle in the distance. Then some more panels! The show tonight was the revamped Disney Dreams and since we hadn't seen it in a few cruises went and enjoyed it.

Wednesday 10/24. 2nd CC Day. This morning was the DVC group photo on the beach. Then we rode bikes over to the observation tower and went up to that. Very cool. Tonights performance was by Sarah Litzsinger, Eden Espanoza and Andrea McArdle. Fantastic!

Thursday 10/25. We have to leave the ship. More rain as we headed from the ship up to Hilton Head. We've never stayed at this DVC before and wanted to try it out. Nice and we got to see a bit of the area and have a very nice dinner.

Friday 10/26. More rain! Yuck! Drove from Hilton Head to Welcome, NC. Toured the Richard Childress Racing museum - very cool. Also went and visited the RCR race shop. Pretty empty as most of them were at the race already but very cool to see. Then drove to Hickory, NC to spend the night.

Saturday 10/27 No rain! Yeah! Also our 17th wedding anniversary. Had a wonderful drive through the mountains from Hickory, NC to Franklin, TN. Then we got to visit with family including little Ariel who is only one week old! She is the baby daughter of the young man who 17 years earlier was our ring bearer.

Sunday 10/28. The most boring day as we drove from Franklin, TN to home. Great weather so the trip ended on a high note.

All in all a great vacation. DVC has announced another Member Cruise for 2008 and we're going to try and get on it.


OK so I realized that wasn't a very brief recap.

 

[ohiominnie]

I've got a giveaway on my blog right now for some customized Christmas cards. Thought some of you might be interested in entering.
www.pediascribe.com Look for the post called "Fall ya'll bloggy giveaway--card my Christmas"

 

[chip&dale&fun]

Hi folks - back from our (second) Food and Wine weekend and back in town after a hectic two days.

We were able to meet up with the Scubas and Bugs on Saturday - it was good to see them all and catch up, but like all of you who were posted, we were very sorry to hear about Sharon's Dad. We talked about the Alaskan cruise and you are right - it makes it all the more special. Hence, I called my mother and made a dinner date for this weekend - time is important.

Our Party of the Senses was with November cruise mates. I think I cursed S. Florida by mentioning how different it was this year vs 2005 when we were recovering from Hurricane Wilma - bang - check the timing - when was Noel born. The PFTS was fabulous as usual....The cruise friends were in awe.....no clue that such a thing existed.....and the offerings were all completely different than our first encounter...I am ready to go again.

Sunday we met up with Diana and Laura - It is strange that we haven't seen each other for over a year and we fall back into conversations....Kinda nice. The weather was not the best - rather warm this time of year....We then ran into Jim, Matt and Lisa and Bugs.....so I expect that qualifies as a DISMEET in Germany.....

Jim and Matt claim they completed the Tower of Terror race. I don't know -- I did not see a medal or any other proof.. Hey at least Jim agreed with my recommendation on Arroz con Pato - the duck dish in Peru was the best.

Time to go home and carve a pumpkin....or not?

 

[chip&dale&fun]

Just got in from another marathon-day at the football field. Christopher's team won 22-0. They were guaranteed a spot in Monday night's Kansas City tie-breaker to decide who gets into Tuesday night's conference playoffs, but they STILL wanted the big win. It has been really fun with Ray coaching Christopher for the first time this year!!

If... by some blessing of a chance, they got into Tuesday nights playoffs and won, they would play the Regional Championship Game next Saturday in the Citrus Bowl... how cool would THAT be? (And my football-loving sister happens to be coming down for the weekend...). The next, absolutely far-fetched step after that is the National Championship Super Bowl at WDW. Let's get through the tie breaker first!!!!

Elizabeth's state cheer competition is tomorrow. She's already in bed, as the bus leaves at 5:30AM, and there's lots of primping and hair-straightening to be done before then! The football team that she cheers for is ALSO headed to a tie-breaker on Monday night to see if THEY get to the playoffs... theirs, however, is a 3-way tie, and they are a long shot... they won their game tonight to get them into the 3-way tie breaker... unfortunately, the post-game handshake got ugly (not our kids faults...), and we almost needed a police escort out of the high school parking lot.

So this week is getting more insane by the minute!!!!! My Red Sox are on and winning 6-0 right now... can't go to sleep yet!!!!!!

I stayed up and watched the game to the very end....so that was your screamin' I heard around 12:15 am???

Congrats....and good luck to Christopher and Elizabeth...

 

[justmestace]

Well, I'm here in warm sunny Nebraska. Actually it hasn't been too bad yet, but they are supposed to get their first snow before I leave....of course.The flight was unusually smooth...even over Denver. I slept off and on so it went quickly. I'm still pretty tired...will probably be a few days before I settle in and get a decent sleep schedule going.We were up at 5:00 this morning (unheard of for all of us!) to get Dad to the hospital by 6. The surgery went really well, and he has some improvement already. Full healing will take about 6 weeks. The doctor tightened and also loosened the muscles behind his eyes, to "even" them out so that he wouldn't have double vision any more and also get rid of the bulging eyes.I wasn't prepared for the sight of him at first...it wasn't pretty....but he's doing well.Talk to you all later.

 

[WDWLVR]

Stacey - thanks for checking in and glad to hear that all went well.

 

[kikipug]

Christopher's team won the first tie breaker last night after 4 rounds, but came up short on the second. It was heartbreaking... they played so hard all season. They finished the season 8-1, with 6 shutouts...
He's walking around the house tonight not knowing what to do with himself... but then again, so is Ray!!

Please keep my mom in your prayers tomorrow... she is having arterial surgery on her leg, and will be in the hospital until at least Saturday. I'm not sure who will need prayers more... her or Dad. I just wish I could be there...

 

[wdwgoose]

GOOD MORNIN ALL

you can tell when SOMEBODY is outta town??????????????????????

getting cold out here.



staCy glad things are going good,


gaRRy

 

[ohiominnie]

Please keep my mom in your prayers tomorrow... she is having arterial surgery on her leg, and will be in the hospital until at least Saturday. I'm not sure who will need prayers more... her or Dad. I just wish I could be there...

Hope all went well.