7/18/2010 Mickey's Baltic Ballyhoo!! Part 3

[MrsG]

What's this I hear about Izzi being in a Tizzi????

 

[MrsG]

Oh Izzi,

We cannot even imagine the cruise without you.

Everything will work out and we will all be together, God willing.

It wouldn't be a Ballyhoo without you!

 

[salliep]

Hi everyone... yes Im still alive !!! I cant understand how quickly hours turn to days, days to weeks, and weeks to months so quickly, but here I am after a month, checking in.
First- HAPPY BIRtHDAY JOANNE !!!I wish you so much love , laughter and wishes fulfilled this year!!
Everything here is great- holidays were wonderful, the mess is all cleaned up, the cookies ,chocolate and endless holiday treats have settled peacefully into my thighs, all relatives are still speaking, and we started the new year without any major traumas ! AMEN!!!

I spoke to Izzi this morning and realized I havent posted in a while so I wanted to drop in and say I miss you all and I am always "logged in" in my heart. I am just so exhausted when I get home from school, that after I make dinner....(YES I DO COOK FOR THE POOR MAN) I head straight for the couch, watch a little tv, and doze off between 9 and 10!!! Someone said I need vitamins.. no.. I need to hit Lotto.. and go for massages, manicures, and eat bon bons after a mid day nap... I bet I wont be passing out at 9 pm anymore!!! Teaching first grade is the greatest joy, but 21 six year olds suck the life blood out of me!
I tried to read back a few posts, but I didnt get far- Im just going to have to start from here- if I missed birthdays, anniversaries, or celebrations I send my belated love out to all!!

Carley has found her first "love". Since Jimmy and I are very strict parents, we are having a really hard with this. She is only 14 ( 15 not till August), and a freshman in high school. I was hoping we wouldnt have to face this until 16, but here we go...thank you Izzi for always listening to my ranting and raving about her growing up and for all your advice. I know if keep the rope too tight she will rebel, but I cant loosen the rope too much because she is only 14, I dont care that EVERYONE ELSE is dating, or that Im old fashioned! Thank goodness, this is all "group dating" right now- they all go to the mall, bowling, etc. Jimmy and I told her there will be no single dating for at least a year- I hope and pray she continues to listen, and I make the right decisions. I hate that she is growing up so fast, as much as I am adoring the way she is growing up ....
I also hate the whole cell phone generation.... at least when many of us were growing up parents knew who was calling, how much time we were on the phone, we have also set up a few more rules about the cell phone usage- I want to go back in time and live with the Waltons.... no tv, one phone, everyone eating together at the table, church every Sunday, and saying.......Good Night John Boy each night!!!

 

[salliep]

Maryanne, Jo and Julie... I got the pms- yes we will be at the meet in February... I cant wait- Maryann, lets go in together again!!!

 

[jilljill]

I heard you were an Earl or at least a Duke or Baron!

Too bad Andrew isn't the Earl of Sandwich so we could all get free sandwiches at the restaurant at DTD.

 

[jilljill]

Nope it is Gettin Twizzie with Izzie at the Confalutin Coffee House in Amsterdam!

.....while drinking Scrumpy.


Now it just got better.

 

[jilljill]

Quick good late morning, afternoon and evening!
I hate being so busy that I can't even get here. Work is busy, afternoons/evenings are busy with the girls activities.
As Andrew said last night, the DD14 had a very good day yesterday! She was in an exceptionally good mood! No argueing, yelling, screaming, etc! I made sure I told her at bedtime how much I enjoyed being around her yesterday.

Glad to hear you had a good day yesterday with the 14yo. So did she go for 2 in a row?!?

 

[MrsScooby]

CRUISE RELATED​

Darren forwarded home the email response he got from his Russian friends. Some of the advice we can't really use as it requires changing our cruise date, but I left it all in thinking for future reference
Basically Darren forwarded them the basic itinerary that Anastasia had sent us (identical to one the Barb posted I think) and asked their opinions.

(from Anatoly) Hi, two days is a very small amount of time for St. Petersburg. Everything on the list appears to be on point. However, I would recommend to see the Pavlovsky Park (with the Great Palace located in it), considered the best landscaped park in Europe and the Summer Garden. Also, the Kunstkamera museum would be interesting (google it to see the details). Further, the best adviser for St. Petersburg would be Boris, since he is from there. Regards.

(from Michael) Looks good. The only one thing, which would be better, if the time is in summer, it is the rivers/channels tour. Starts somewhere on Moyka river corner Hevskiy Prospect and lasts about 4 hours. Actually, the best time to go there is last week of July-first week of August-it is white nights time, something so beautiful, you will never see again. You can read on the streets till 2 a.m.

(from Boris) As a former "leningrader" I feel sorry for you.
City tour in 1 hour - outrages!!
Tsarskoe Selo and Peterhoff in one day - impossible!!
Hermitage in two hours - incomprehensible!!!
You need at least one day for each destination and may be two weeks for whole tour, but I understand that you have just two days.
So, don't be discouraged.
You don't want to skip anything in that list, but you will be overwhelmed.
You may consider to spend less time in Metro on the first day, and extend your time in Hermitage by skipping shopping on the second day.
If this tour is properly organized you will be OK.
I hope you will enjoy it.
The best time for such travel is end of August, beginning of September because the chance for a good whether is a bit higher.
Good luck
Let me know how it was.

Typical guy thinking shopping is expendable

Anyway I thought their comments to be interesting and entertaining(especially Boris).
Seems like they all thought Anastasia's tour to be acceptable as far as hitting the highlights

 

[bellelinus]

Maryanne, Jo and Julie... I got the pms- yes we will be at the meet in February... I cant wait- Maryann, lets go in together again!!!

Hi Sallie! Can't wait to see you on the 28th of Feb!!!!!!! By the way, my oldest started seeing someone when she was still 15 -- a friend of mine's son and a great guy and a great family, but a grade older -- and is still seeing him over a year later -- he is really another member of the family now and (I think) a very good example of how you can be treated in a relationship. So, I guess I would say to you that as long as you trust him and find that he is treating her well (not too much drama in the relationship, etc.) it will probably be overall a positive experience. Just be sure you keep the lines of communication open with Carley

Too bad Andrew isn't the Earl of Sandwich so we could all get free sandwiches at the restaurant at DTD.

He didn't say he WASN'T . . .

 

[bellelinus]

CRUISE RELATED​

Anyway I thought their comments to be interesting and entertaining(especially Boris).
Seems like they all thought Anastasia's tour to be acceptable as far as hitting the highlights

You know, Laurie, their responses would be much like mine if someone was going to "do" Manhattan in a day and a half, so understandable . . . it does sound as though the agree on what should be seen, just pointing out that the time is short (which we can do nothing about!) . . .

 

[jlawall]

Happy Birthday JoAnn!!!!!

What's this I hear about Izzi being in a Tizzi????

Maryanne, Jo and Julie... I got the pms- yes we will be at the meet in February... I cant wait- Maryann, lets go in together again!!!

Thx Sallie!! Glad to have you back.......really I've had ALOT of experience with the BFs.....it comes with having pretty DDs...........my advice is, keep an eye on the situation, if the young man is a nice guy, it will be okay.....my youngest DD started out as friends with her BF for about 2 years, he took her to both of her proms and now their in freshman year of college together......sometimes it actually works out......hang in there......

 

[jlawall]

Hi Sallie! Can't wait to see you on the 28th of Feb!!!!!!! By the way, my oldest started seeing someone when she was still 15 -- a friend of mine's son and a great guy and a great family, but a grade older -- and is still seeing him over a year later -- he is really another member of the family now and (I think) a very good example of how you can be treated in a relationship. So, I guess I would say to you that as long as you trust him and find that he is treating her well (not too much drama in the relationship, etc.) it will probably be overall a positive experience. Just be sure you keep the lines of communication open with Carley

I agree with this.......if the guy is a decent guy, he can date my daughter.....sometimes it actually works out..........

 

[MrsScooby]

You know, Laurie, their responses would be much like mine if someone was going to "do" Manhattan in a day and a half, so understandable . . . it does sound as though the agree on what should be seen, just pointing out that the time is short (which we can do nothing about!) . . .

Darren was just asking them if there was something really important missing from the suggested itinerary. Kind of a way just to feel secure that we haven't overlooked anything crucial in our plans.
We haven't traveled extensively (our last cruise was our first trip to Mexico), but have had the good fortune to work with people that have immigrated here from all over the world. Now we have a chance to visit the places we have only read or heard about- we're very excited

 

[cruisin'Mike]

Maryanne, Jo and Julie... I got the pms- yes we will be at the meet in February... I cant wait- Maryann, lets go in together again!!!

Can I offer you something for your pms?

 

[jlawall]

Can I offer you something for your pms?

 

[MrsScooby]

Can I offer you something for your pms?

I thought that too at first
I usually put PMs to avoid confusion

 

[jilljill]

Can I offer you something for your pms?

Thanks for the laugh. Just had to deal with the 14yo.

 

[jilljill]

Darren was just asking them if there was something really important missing from the suggested itinerary. Kind of a way just to feel secure that we haven't overlooked anything crucial in our plans.
We haven't traveled extensively (our last cruise was our first trip to Mexico), but have had the good fortune to work with people that have immigrated here from all over the world. Now we have a chance to visit the places we have only read or heard about- we're very excited

At least they agreed with just about everything.
Anastasia builds in extra travel time so it is possible to be at a venue longer than is listed on the itinerary.

 

[MrsScooby]

At least they agreed with just about everything.
Anastasia builds in extra travel time so it is possible to be at a venue longer than is listed on the itinerary.

Oh yeah, they weren't critical of her as a tour guide/company or anything. She even says that the itinerary can be changed to fit anyone's preference. It's just trying to decide what to skip and what to give the most time to is daunting for us newcomers
The more I read the more I want to plan a second longer visit

 

[danfromca]

Todays £/$ exchange rate is £1 = $1.33 the lowest for 23 years. If it's at this level when we come to pay for this trip I'm afraid that the Davis family will not be joining the Ballyhooers

I can't put anything away at the moment for the cruise as everything is being put away for Joshua's barmitzvah, but come July 18th 2009, the we can start saving for July 18th 2010

If rates keep dropping you might have surprise guests for Joshua's Bar Mitzvah..

Seriously - if it hits 1:1 I'm on a plane to the UK to play tourist. Meanwhile, I'm slowly buying up pounds for the pre-cruise visit.

Don't worry - as Andrew has so often said, the dollar is sure to drop - it's value is absurd.