8/17/08 Captain Jack's Repossession Repo Cruise to PC thru TPC #4

[Sarangel]

I was looking at Krystal's too but I don't think my timing is going to work out on that day . . .

Hmmm... Massage at the Krystal... That's not a bad idea.

The Krystal is literally walking distance from the port. We did this in 2005 with DD in her stroller. We spent 3 hours in their pool and DD was in heaven. When we pulled her out, her teeth were chattering and she said, "I w-w-want t-t-to g-g-go b-b-back in the p-p-p-ool," so I suppose we really need to go back this time.

 

[Sarangel]

Hey Roger (or anyone else that's working on the DL meet next weekend),

Do we have any specific plans, other than dinner at the Blue Bayou? Times? Places? Headcount?

Just checking, since I haven't seen anything here or on the planning boards about it.

We'll be there from 3/15 to 3/17. Looking forward to meeting folks.

 

[captaincrash]

We have bad storms coming on Sunday night Monday morning, severe weather warnings being broadcast for very strong gales etc, (for us), thats 80mph+.

We are getting hit hard too, Paula. We are in for the day...the whole City has been cancelled.

To Deanna, Andrew and everyone else with adverse weather - stay safe and look on the bright side... the weather does make you day kind of interesting doesn't it?​

15 days of cruise food. We're all ordering formalwear from Omar the Tentmaker, i.e. clothing roughly the size of a tent.

Ahhh.... so now i get it ... thanks M

I alluded to this in chat last night...feel free to skip this post...

RANT WARNING

Well, so far DH and I (maybe) are going on TOAL. The kids, notsomuch. I now know why Passports are being processed so fast. NO ONE IS PAYING ANY FREEKING ATTENTION.

Here is our story:
Some of you may remember that I was all excited last spring when it looked like we would need Passports to leave Alaska (we had to drive through Canada), and the CG was going to have to get them for us. Well, the kids and I got our no-cost-to-us passports – mine came in hours before we left – BUT there was an endorsement on page 27 that made them only valid when traveling with a military member on orders. OK, so much for free passports, now we have to do the whole process again.

So here we go again. I went to the web site, answered the questions and the web site spit out a no-fee-passport renewal form. Sweet. Although I wasn’t holding my breath on the free part. We went to an office that was open on Saturday and the guy looked at me like I had 9 heads. He said I must have checked the wrong box somewhere. I checked everything about 9 times, but OK. Of course no one in the government is answering the phone on Saturday, so we would have to come back during the week. “Anytime between 12 & 4.” Oh so convenient for working families. We insisted on signing all the forms (literally every version of the passport application!) in front of him while we were all there, so DH could take a day of leave and go back to the post office by himself. The post office guy was actually quite nice and wanted to help us.

So, DH goes back, they get someone on the phone who tell him that we used the wrong application. Uhhh, it’s the application that your web site filled in for us based on the information we supplied…but OK. We started all over again, filled out more forms, wrote a check, and sent everything in.

DH had an expired regular tourist passport, so his was no problem and showed up in a week. 2 weeks later (yesterday) here is what arrives in the mail:
A new passport for me – only the Endorsement section says: See Page 27. On my old passport, page 27 said something like “only valid when traveling with active duty military member on orders.” Well, page 27 of my new passport is blank. So I can’t wait for the hassle that is going to cause!

For the kids, we got their old passports back with a letter stating that they are too far away from the expiration date (2012) to renew them. Ummm, we aren’t renewing these passports, that’s why we had to fill out (and pay for) an application for a new passport. The best part…no birth certificates! They not only cashed our check, but kept the kids birth certificates! DH called “customer no service” as Clark Howard would say and got the run around. We have to apply again…using the same forms we just used…and we have to pay again…and apply for a refund that we may or may not get from the first time…and of course the $25/per fee we paid at the post office is not refundable since they did their part…AAAAARRRRGGGGHHHHH!

So basically we have to do the exact same thing we just did and hope for a different result...and pay for it!

We are going to get back on the phone before we do any of this, but regardless, this whole thing is ridiculous.[/SIZE]

OK rant over, thanks for listening, carry on.

I took some pics too. Although 14"+ of s**w is probably nothing to our Northern neighbors, it's a record here in Central Ohio.

Just had to say your photos look really exotic to me. I would really enjoy living the photos you've posted. At least for a few weeks that is!

as always, you are too funny.

Good afternoon everyone!

It is raining cats & dogs here (at least it is not snow) so DH & I are dreaming of the warmth to come in August. We were thinking about excursions and wondering; would any of you go on one and leave your child on the ship? When we went in 06 we agreed it was all of us or one of us. DD was 4 that time, this time she will be 6.

Thanks

I'd say that the alpha-numeric pagers only reach a mile or so from the ship - and supposedly if in port you may not be recommended to leave a child in the clubs if you're out of pager range. However, I am not perfectly certain that was the policy.

Otherwise, in the absence of a DCL policy on this ... what you do really depends upon what you predict you child will do in this kind of situation. IE, are they likely to NEED you ... or might they MELT down if you were not there to pick them up when or if paged? Otherwise, I would agree that the kids clubs seem pretty safe and secure for our kids

Marian -

I had to once sort of - we were on one of the Mexican Ports - Cozumel I think when it coincided with my college class sign ups - the computers were too slow onboard so we had to find an internet cafe to sign up on. We left our then 9 yr old - only for a couple of hours. We came back after 1 1/2 hrs and checked on her - the internet cafe was only about 10 minutes walking and that included the checkout points - it was literally in front of the ship outside the terminal so the ship was in view the whole time.

Anyway, DD being alone. She went to dinner and the waiters had a ball with her. She was princess for the moment. In fact, she had everyone around her asking her to join them and she graciously refused - why? She the attention. She had the photographers come over, the head waiter sat with her and she was done and out in a matter of 1/2 hr - enough time to go back and do what she wanted in the kids club. In fact, she asked us the next night if we could go away again. Go figure - she asked us to leave! And no - we didn't - but we did go back out after she assured us she'd be fine (Carlos & Charlies or was it Senor Frog? ) I still have a picture of her that night at the dinner table by herself - it was Mexican dress-up night and she dressed up in her "finest".

So whatever decision you make - DCL makes the best out of it. Up to this point, I was terribly worried that dd - who can be kinda shy - would be scarred for life - but she amazed me and I haven't worried about her since. She's usually pretty good and has a smart sense on who she can talk to and not. Being on the DCL ship - she knows that they will never let anything happen to her especially if she is alone.

Well now...

I just had to say I found this story SOooooo amusing and IMPRESSIVE. I can just imagine how my Julianna and Kalea might have handled such an opportunity... and - well - it simply warms my heart to read this and think about it. < wink >

Hi all, I just skipped 70 pages so I may have missed something important. It's been crazy busy since I checked in, I picked up a bunch of overtime this past week at work and this week looks like its going to be nuts too.

I have just packed my suitcase for our cruise around Hawaii, we leave next Saturday so anticipating a crazy work week, I thought I'd get it packed now. It has upset the furkids though, they hate the suitcase!

We are seeing the bank tomorrow about financing for buying a section of land about 40 minutes drive away - its 4.85 hectares so pretty nice lifestyle block. It doesn't have a house on it so we'll look at building potentially once we've paid the mortgage on it.

Right, better go and do some chores... or sit in the sun and read a book... tough choice

This sounds like such fun! That is... the land deal AND the Hawaiian Cruise. I've often mused what we'd have to do in order to put a house on a spread of vacant land... and the considerations for water wells, utility hook ups, zoning, permit/construction requirements have alwaysleft me wondering how I could evaluate the VALUE of a potential purchase. As I am mostly interested in the FINAL utility of a stretch of land... as opposed to holding for the returns.

Um,excuse me Tom.....how do you pronounce the 4th place on your list?

Phuket (Thai: ภูเก็ต, IPA: [pʰu:ket]; formerly known as Tha-Laang or Talang) is one of the southern provinces (changwat) of Thailand. Neighbouring provinces are (from north clockwise) Phang Nga and Krabi, but as Phuket is an island there are no land boundaries. The island is served by Phuket International Airport, located in the north of the island.

The name Phuket (of which the ph sound is an aspirated p) is apparently derived from the word bukit in Malay which means mountain or hill, as this is what the island appears like from a distance.

Before that its old name was Thalang, derived from the old Malay "Telong" which means "Cape". The northern district of the province, which was the location of the old capital, still uses this name.

 

[LITTLEKID58]

GM

Presently 46 going up to 68 here in Chilly Central Florida

and prayers to everyone who is going to need it today

aboard to all the newbies

Happy Birthday and Anniversary to all we have missed

Have a great Sunday

 

[sk8ingmom]

Yes it says see page 27 on all three of them... (must be the idiot direction to a blank page)

Thanks, one less thing to worry about. Also funny to note - the endorsement on our old (OK the kids current) passports is actually on page 26!

What and where is the bacon scrum?

Any buffet where Buckidad, radiodude, and sk8ingboy see bacon.
A few pages back, we were talking of thier love of bacon and ability to eat mass quantities of it, and the battle that will ensue.

GEEZ!

We're just starting the passport renewal process. Got pics taken last weekend. Ours all expire at the end of APR08. DH and I get to do the simplified process - eg - no guarantor needed. But, for the kids we have to do the whole guarantor route again. I'm assuming it's because they want to make sure DH and I are still together and still their parents. Pain in the b***. Luckily we can go directly to a Passport office, so I don't have to mail our id and I'm dragging DH with me.

Let me know how that goes. It may be easier for us to move to Canada and become citizens before TOAL.

Plus, we'll get a better pick of Olympic tickets.

ok - dd just called all excited. Seems that her brother told her he'd only go out to dinner with us when she breaks 1:10 in the 400. This is her first year at St Paul and 1st year of track. IN FACT, this is her first year EVER in sports - she called all giddy -seems on the 4X400 Relay team - her time was clocked as 68 seconds. She has only run it 3 times - those were 1:18 and 1:19 seconds.

Now there is no living with that girl - did I mention she is ultra-competitive? Now she's holding DS to his end of the bargain. This I will have to see.

Anyway, here I go dragging this carcass down to the school - has anyone invented the driver's port-a-potty yet? I'm still feeling a bit around the edges but not as bad - must have been me laying off the housework- still takes time to recover.

Oh that - and I wanted to try something - well see who's the first to get it!

YAY!
I hope you are feeling better Laura.

Second, my DH (who used to be AF) says that technically your DH will be traveling under orders for the TOAL - OK, so they're leave orders, but they you will still be traveling with a military member on orders.

He says "CHPH2O = USCG"

He also says that the rules may have changed since CG is now part of DHS, and normal military rules may not apply. It might be worth asking someone in the command structure if you can do an end-run. Good luck, and we'll keep our fingers crossed.

DH's response: "Ahhh, yeah "
Good thought, but for some reason I don't really want to bet my vacation on the $12/hour customs person making that connection.

CG is military. Same rules, same paperwork, same hassles, same perks, just a different cabinet department. Used to be DOT, now DHS.

 

[Joel110]

I never miss Westminster! I have an almost 1yr old Boxer...Harley.

This is him during our big ice storm last Dec.

And his favorite place to sit....

That's one big lap dog He's a great looking dog.

Anyway, here I go dragging this carcass down to the school - has anyone invented the driver's port-a-potty yet?

NASA

Astronaut Lisa Nowak Boosts Depends Sales

"The defendant, who avoided bathroom breaks during her nine-hundred-mile interstate stalking spree with the help of adult diapers, hasn't released any official statements, but the Celebratty Chatter has learned of one party involved that is all too happy with the lack of leaks in this case.

Depends, the leading maker of adult diapers, has garnered not only prime product placement in this soggy saga but also a new spokesmodel.

“Lisa has opened a whole new demographic for us,” confirmed a secret company source. “Up to now we've just been focusing on the incontinence issue, but now we have the gal-on-the-go angle. We see a whole Lady Depends product line in the making.”


“Lisa’s really flushed out the concept,” he chuckled. “Now just think of all the things the modern woman can do while wearing depends: drink five cups of coffee, make great time on the Georgia state parkway, and have a full psychotic break. All June Allyson ever did was play tennis.”

http://www.pugbus.net/artman/publish/20070208_22_nowakdepends.shtml

Just had to say your photos look really exotic to me. I would really enjoy living the photos you've posted. At least for a few weeks that is!

I really enjoy a good snowstorm. The 36 degree rainy days are the worst though, but I guess they make those 70 degree spring days much more appreciated.

 

[captaincrash]

Look at the current chart of Influenza Mortality

Pneumonia and Influenza (P&I) Mortality Surveillance
During week 9, 8.9% of all deaths reported through the 122 Cities Mortality Reporting System were reported as due to P&I. This percentage is above the epidemic threshold of 7.2% for week 9. Including week 9, P&I mortality has been above epidemic threshold for eight consecutive weeks.

So Im wondering... is Influenza the common Flu everyone is referrin' to or am I just confused?​

So I've been up a lot this morning as my little one awoke in the middle of the nite needing to go potty and with a high fever. I tell you she was hot enuf we could toast bread on her forehead... My spouse and I dosed her with dual junior Ibuprofin and Tylenol (or whatever the dual combo is supposed to be) and damped her forehead/neck with a cool towel + popsicles... and I stayed by her for a spell checking temps and I fell asleep after noting her temps had dropped to very low fever levels (100) ... and just now I awoke with her as she needed to go potty again with the sunrise and her meds had evidently worn off. This morning it was even slightly warmer -so I just dosed her with one med (not sure which it was by name ) and did the cool towel on the forehead / neck and popsicle thing ... and the temps are dropping well enough but temp is still moderate at 102... so I'm waiting for the meds and care to bring the temps lower and for Julianna to fall back asleep...

And while waiting I noticed a DCL banner on MSN... so clicking it I thought I'd check our PCREPO cruise... and no surprise there.. booked solid ... however....

... I noticed there was still space to reserve on the May 10th PC REPO sailing today on DCLs' web site at 7:47AM California time. Maybe this is news someone can use to squeeze on, eh?...

05/10/2008 15-Night Westbound Panama Cruise
Category 04 : Deluxe Family Stateroom w/ Verandah $ 9,594.58 for 2

What do ya think ? This sound about right or is it representative of top tier pricing???​

 

[GoofyontheHiSeas]

Anaheim presently 53F and foggy going up to 76 this afternoon and windy.

Updated forecast for the end of the week

Friday: Patchy fog before 11am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 71.

Friday Night: A slight chance of rain. Increasing clouds, with a low around 52.

Saturday: A slight chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 65.

Hey Roger (or anyone else that's working on the DL meet next weekend),

Do we have any specific plans, other than dinner at the Blue Bayou? Times? Places? Headcount?

Just checking, since I haven't seen anything here or on the planning boards about it.

We'll be there from 3/15 to 3/17. Looking forward to meeting folks.

Sara.
Here is the list as it stands right now.
Todd X 4
Stace X 3
Roger X 3
Monica X 2
Chris X 4
Sara X 3
Andy X 3
Laura X 2

I know that Monica, Stacey, Todd and Andy will all be there on Friday through Sunday. Chris and Laura will be showing up Saturday afternoon and joining us for dinner. The girls and I will be driving down early Saturday morning and arriving around 8-9am. I think that those of use there early on Saturday should contact each other so we could spend the day together. Disneyland will be opening at 8am that day so anyone staying at a DLR hotel can get in at 7am.

Disneyland refurbishment closures are Small World and King Arthur's Carousel.

 

[Nutty4Disney]

Anaheim presently 53F and foggy going up to 76 this afternoon and windy.

Updated forecast for the end of the week

Roger,
Sure wish I were there instead of snowy Ohio, although by next weekend it is supposed to be in the 50's.

I'm sure you will all have a great time. Sorry I can't join you. Say hi to Mickey for me.

 

[justmestace]

Darn! I was going to say - but saw you beat me to it. And you aren't going to wear your lime green shirt? How could you?

Although I have to mention - don't know what happened to me but I woke up feeling ok - decided to "clean" - WHICH I KNOW BETTER THAN TOO - but promptly got sick. My stomach and my back have been talking and they are not being nice. I hope I don't get sick. so far this year I've been able to avoid that ugly flu, bronichitis and any other nasty bug - but now this! Why, I even took a nap and that is definitely not like me - even the oldest asked what was wrong. I told him it was because I was cleaning. His reply - Its about time. Then suggested I get some help! No sympathy - nothing - nada - zip - zilch. I knew I should hvae listened to myself and not started cleaning.

We get home from Disneyland at about 9 pm Monday night and have out of town company arriving Tuesday. I REALLY need to clean this week, so that it might be at least halfway presentable.....but if it's going to make me sick.......forget it!!

Hope you're feeling better!!

And no, lime green is NOT my color.

 

[justmestace]

Look closely Stacey....it's a coloring book!

I'm crushed. You could have had me believing that you're better than an animator!! But at least YOU can color in the lines...I can't. I'm just an out-of-the-lines type I guess.

 

[justmestace]

Thanks for the weather update, Roger. I'll be sure to pack the ponchos.

 

[justmestace]

Thanks, one less thing to worry about. Also funny to note - the endorsement on our old (OK the kids current) passports is actually on page 26!

Let me know how that goes. It may be easier for us to move to Canada and become citizens before TOAL.

Plus, we'll get a better pick of Olympic tickets.

DH's response: "Ahhh, yeah "
Good thought, but for some reason I don't really want to bet my vacation on the $12/hour customs person making that connection.

CG is military. Same rules, same paperwork, same hassles, same perks, just a different cabinet department. Used to be DOT, now DHS.

How close are you to DC? Isn't there someplace there that you can go and get them done in the same day?
Better than relying on our lovely postal service.

 

[dahuffy]

Good Sunday to everyone,hope all is well! It looks like I'm trying to catch everybody's cold darnit, thought I'd missed it. Dousing myself with oj and Tylenol cough syrup and trying not to bark my fool head off. Oh well,one more week with the darlins and then it's Spring Break. Plan on working on costumes and getting some paperwork caught up while we're off.....we'll see if it holds true.

 

[justmestace]

I'm outta here. Wish I could just lay on the couch for one more day, but I have to take DS to set up his "illegal" science project at the Science Fair. Too bad the police department confiscated the best part of the project, it might have actually won!

Later!

 

[renknt]

DH's response: "Ahhh, yeah "
Good thought, but for some reason I don't really want to bet my vacation on the $12/hour customs person making that connection.

CG is military. Same rules, same paperwork, same hassles, same perks, just a different cabinet department. Used to be DOT, now DHS.

As a former member of DHS I feel your concern. I hope you get everything sorted out but I would keep the military orders as a backup plan and remember always go up the chain for a different response.


Good Luck

Mike

 

[darthrugby]

Just stopping by to say a quick hello to all.

Wish we could go to the mini meet in LA this week.

Hope you all have a good time!

 

[Celestine]

Just dropping in - the last week has benn manic as I've been on a computer systems auditor course in Bristol, daily travelling - a 2 hour commute each way & now seem to have been paid with an annoying cold & associated sniffles! As well as that, it was DDs parents night - her reports were fine altho' her maths teacher said she got stroppy if she got the answer wrong, LOL! He spent a while trying to find a more diplomatic word, but failed! Have finally managed to ketchup, although at times I wish there was a "fluff filter" so ketchup would be quicker. Can't believe how quickly time is going, once Easter & our school hols are out the way it will be PIF time (for those that haven't) & the mad scramble to book excursions.

Celestine

 

[tom31b]

As a former member of DHS I feel

Former DHS?

 

[captaincrash]

Gee...

.. from just about 8AM of my last posting til about now 12:20 I fell asleep. Only to awaken and find my daughter awakening as well with almost NO FEVER? I'm supposed to wait 72 hours to decide how next proceed according to our nurse at the Ped office ( I had that tele consult Friday ... and initial onset was thursday evning at roughly 4-8PM in my estimation ). That mean I'm to wait until tonite at 4-8PM to let this fever run it's course to determine if it's viral where upon it should fade... or if it persists then I schedule a visit wih the doc to access the nature of what might be a bacterial infection and possible perscription.

At any rate... its' looking good the fever apparently fading naturally ... just as predicted... so far.

On another note I'm trying to select a rental for our Yosemite visit at month end. I was reading the trip advistor reports on a place I was considering ... Yosemite West Condos ... or one of a couple of inexpensive houses to rent. Anyone have any opinions or recommendations on this I would be appreciative. Enough so as to send tokens of appreciation (billed to Andrews' ship account, of course!). So... just NAME YOUR BOON for renderin' a constructive opinion.... would ya like a nice couples massage on Castaway Caye? No problem.... just furnish me a copy Andrews' signature with his cabin number and we'll .... arrange .... da appointment!

Remember... I'm the INNOCENT one here...

< wink >

Former DHS?