5/30/2010-5 Night Disney Wonder Memorial Day Double Dip! Roster-Post 626 on page 42

[danceteacher]

Hi everyone, long time, no post.

First of all, I got more friends of dmonroe added. That sounds like a fun group. I also got GreatWhiteNorth and Pooh Friend #1 taken off.

Second, IrishCowboy...are you on our cruise? I noticed you subscribing to our thread, but I can't find you on the roster. Do you want me to add you and your party to our roster?

Third, we are PROBABLY still going...but...we were scheduled to travel with my mother, her husband and his daughter and her son. (My mom, step father, step sister an step nephew) Here's the deal...my step father had a massive stroke last Tuesday (December 8th). Evidently, he also has had several small strokes over the course of a year. He recently had bypass surgery. So, his heart is also in poor health. The damage done by the stroke was too great (he will never walk, talk, swallow, or see again, those parts of his brain are just...gone) and yesterday (December 16th) the decision was made to stop care. So for sure he won't be going. I don't know about mom or my step sister or her son. I'm not going to worry about that now. That said, we will probably still go. Unless my mom really doesn't want us to go. I know this has little to do with our cruise, but I also know this is a caring group of people, and if we go off radar (again!) it's because we are dealing with family stuff. I also know I could get in trouble for talking about this but if you pray, pray for mom. It's going to get a lot worse for her before it gets better.

Thanks,
Cari (danceteacher)

 

[bmalonef45]

So sad to hear of your family's troubles. I will pray for you all. Hopefully this summer's trip will be a trip you all can take to recharge. I know the first Cruise my wife and I took was a month after my brother suddenly passed and it was a great way for us to take a break from the day to day and catch up with life again. Good luck!

 

[danceteacher]

Thanks Bryan. We are just at a loss right now. I don't know if mom will feel like she is betraying Richard (her husband) by going on ahead and doing this vacation he was looking so forward to. And, the cruise is the furthest from her mind right now. Right now, hospice care is at the forefront of her mind.
Cari

 

[bmalonef45]

People deal with grief different ways. For us it was helpful. My parents followed on a cruise a few months later and also said it was nice. Yours is different as he was planning to go along. That would be tough. Just keep praying and it all seems to work out... even though it doesn't feel like it is.

 

[minnie4me]

Cari,

Sorry to hear the terrible news, especially so close to the holidays. Our thoughts and prayers are with your mom and extended family !! My father died of brain cancer last January, we had a tough 8 months and Christmas was just awful, he was in a rehab center, (w/ stroke like complications and blood clots in his leg from 2 surgeries.) My mom couldn't take care of him at home herself and I think he was really mad to be there over the holidays. He basically ignored us all on Christmas day, so my DS, DH and I ate a crappy ham dinner in the basement cafeteria that day and as much as we tried he had little interest in us. When we went back to visit the following weekend, he was like a totally different person, pretty upbeat for the situation. We had planned on going on vacation the following summer (DH, DS & I) to Universal, so I talked my mom into going, and she really enjoyed herself. Getting away from the reality of it all for a few days did us all some good. While she is not a big ride rider, she enjoyed being with DS, eating good food and lounging poolside. Encourage your mom (& step family) to still go. Don't dwell on your poor stepfathers demise, honor him and his life by continuing to live yours !! Wishing you the best holiday possible !!

 

[danceteacher]

Thanks Minnie!
Tim and I have pretty much decided we are going anyway. I think it would be a great way to honor him. However, we have not even discussed with mom or my step sister Jenny. They are so blinded by grief right now; plus we feel it's not really appropriate to discuss right exactly now. Anyway, we are still waiting...waiting...waiting...they are home and hospice has been set up. His extended family is all here now and out at mom's. It just sucks all the way around. Thanks for the prayers and nice thoughts everyone. We appreciate it.
Cari

 

[minnie4me]

How did those of you in eastern PA , Jersey area make out with this weekend storm ?
Here in western PA we were lucky, only got about 6 inches where we live. It is odd, because we are normally the ones to get dumped on. A county or two south of us (Preston WV) got about 2 feet !! I guess we will have a white Christmas here (well, more like a brown sloshy Christmas by the end of the week.)

 

[Kim&Chris]

How did those of you in eastern PA , Jersey area make out with this weekend storm ?
Here in western PA we were lucky, only got about 6 inches where we live. It is odd, because we are normally the ones to get dumped on. A county or two south of us (Preston WV) got about 2 feet !! I guess we will have a white Christmas here (well, more like a brown sloshy Christmas by the end of the week.)

Here in the Philly area we got about 20-22 inches. YUCK! All the Christmas decorations on my lawn are half buried

This should make for lovely driving conditions tomorrow

 

[mollygirl13]

Yup, here in Ivyland we got about 20 inches of snow. (i hate it, BTW!)

I keep looking at my Castaway Cay Screensaver to get me through this nasty weather.
On the brightside, we leave for WDW on Dec 30th! Very much looking forward to that!

Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!

 

[Kim&Chris]

Yup, here in Ivyland we got about 20 inches of snow. (i hate it, BTW!)

I keep looking at my Castaway Cay Screensaver to get me through this nasty weather.
On the brightside, we leave for WDW on Dec 30th! Very much looking forward to that!

Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!

I hate it too!!! Nothing is more frustrating than trying to drive over the bridge from NJ to Philly when it's icy. YIKES!!

Merry Christmas, and say hi to Mickey for us!!

 

[ldalvarado]

Alas, I must bid farewell to this sailing date. I have switched my and my girls tot he 7/11/10 DD due to a situation that is too complicated to get into. Y'all have fun on the first DD of the summer. (At least now the rest of us will have some navigators to preview, right?)

 

[minnie4me]

Merry Christmas !!
Happy Holidays !!
Happy New Years !!
Wishing you all the best of times this holiday season, enjoy your time with family and friends !!

 

[Time4disney]

Happy Holidays to everyone!

I can't wait till the end of May! I think it will be here before we know it!

 

[ksucats]

My family and I are so excited that we are going to go on a Disney Cruise for our first experience to cruising. We have a 6 and 8 year old and have been to Disney twice. We spent last Christmas at Dw and had a great time. SOooo excited for this! Any tips you can give us we would love! Thanks.

 

[Time4disney]

My first Disney cruise was June 2008. I learned a lot by reading these boards. If you have any questions, we will be here to help answer them.

 

[Disney753]

just checking in to say it's still a go for us who's kidding who I really just wanted to see how many days left.

 

[oldshovelhead]

Dw and I are doing the 5/30 double dip cruise (our first cruise ever) on the Wonder. It's all I can think about as I sit here on New Years Eve waiting for the ball to drop...Happy New Years!!!

 

[Kim&Chris]

Dw and I are doing the 5/30 double dip cruise (our first cruise ever) on the Wonder. It's all I can think about as I sit here on New Years Eve waiting for the ball to drop...Happy New Years!!!

In a few minutes, we'll all be able to say "We'll be on the Wonder THIS YEAR"!!!!!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

 

[danceteacher]

Ok,
I just took off ldavarado and my step father

But I added ksucats with kids and oldshovelhead and DW onto our roster on page 42.

Our family has decided to go ahead with our cruise despite the loss of my step father. My mom, his daughter and grandson will also be going to honor his memory. I'm sure the trip will be bittersweet for all of us.

Happy New Year, everyone!
Cari

 

[annmorr]

Hi all,

It looks as though I might have to switch into this sailing instead of the June 2010 date that I had booked along with 8 other family members. My grandaughter has picked that date to get married, so we're all scrambling to rearrange our cruise plans.
And it might turn out that I'll have to do this cruise on my own, something I'm not really too comfortable with, but if the only other alternative is to not cruise at all, then I guess I'd rather do it alone!
Are there any other solo cruisers going on this one? Or anyone else who might need a partner for brunch at Palo?
And if anyone has advice for solo travelers, please don't hesitate to share!

Thanks!