8/17/08 Captain Jack's Repossession Repo Cruise to PC thru TPC Part 7

[yargrnhoj]

20 gallons for 1 fish?? That must be one happy fish! I like the name - pretty clever.

Oh no, sorry for the confusion. "Sean", Rebecca's first-ever fish lived in a little plastic tank in the kitchen. Sean was a gift to her and we didn't want to invest too much. Sean, a comet, lived about six months before dying one weekend. Rebecca was devestated, and we decided we liked having fish around, so we went and bought a 20-gallon tank and Rebecca currently has three fish it it: "Kalya, Draco, and Lord Voldemort". [LV got his name because two other comets died in the first week we had the tank, but he survived so we blamed him.] We lost a fourth fish to dropsy in the winter. We owe Rebecca some more fish, which she will get for her birthday next week.

The old plastic tank was now empty, so SWMBO picked up a blue betta for it.

 

[lbgraves]

So, we are going to be changing the name from "Grandpa's Trains and Things" to "Grumpy's Train Shop/Store"

Wish us luck!!!

WOW!!! That sounds so cool! GOOD LUCK!!!!

 

[yargrnhoj]

Congrats on the pinewood.. can you post some pic of the cars? We never did figure out how to make a car that went fast or straight..

Since we are talking pinewood derby, here is a picture of my car from our parent's race last year:

 

[yargrnhoj]

OK, so I got all caught up with Saturday...that is 2/17 Saturday, not today. You guys were a riot. I wanted to join in the sing-a-long, but just thought it would be too silly joining in a week later.

Congrats to everyone that got their shiney, new TAGS (really, I mean that...not jealous at all.....I go on vacation and ten more fellow pirate DISers get tagged THAT afternoon, and then the TF gets tired and goes away...I'm not taking it personally....nope, not at all....really...)

Mark - loved the Mickey Jail story.

Welcome TMTIP

...and now I am really tired and going to bed.

'Night all

Been wondering where you were -- hadn't seen you on either this thread or the 10-day HC one lately. Glad to know you are still well.

J. R.

 

[Diznyfan68]

An interesting Dad story.
My parents divorced when I was 3. I have only a couple of memories of my parents being married.
When my parents divorced (my mom's idea) my dad not being the single kind, immediately got remarried. But my step-mother would give Cinderella's SM a run for her money. She was very mean to us. Later we found the majority was jealously. She made seeing my dad miserable for all, so we just did not do it. Since they lived in another state it was not that hard.
Over the next 15 years I rarely saw my dad. He was the VP of the university I graduated from and he did not come to my graduation. The funny part is I, nor any of my siblings, harbored any ill will toward him period. He was not mean- just was not anything.
After he retired he kinda started to get back in touch. I took it in stride but told DH that there was NO WAY I was going to take any flack from SM. Turns out she was sick and although never friendly, I could handle her.
SM died at 12:05am 01/01/02. Within 2 days of her funeral my dad asked for my mothers phone number. I was beyond shocked. They had hardly spoken in 30 years. I gave it to him and warned my mother. She could not imagine why he wanted to talk to her. Long story- somewhat shorter - they got married again 5 months later, on their original wedding date!
We even had a "Fake 50th" Anniversary party for them 2 years ago on what would have been their 50th.
They are absolutely hysterical. It is like the last 35 years never existed.
So for the 1st time in my life, I got a dad ....at 35.

I'm glad you were able to have a relationship with your father at whatever age.

I can relate to the step-monster. My parents split when I was 13 - it was the happiest day of my life up to that point. Both my brother and I were abused by both of my parents, but my father also abused my mom. Anyway, my mom basically forced both my brother and I to have a relationship with my father because he claimed he really wanted one, etc. So we would see him every Thursday for dinner with him and my grandmother, and every other weekend. He dated several women, one his age with 5 kids, one much younger with no children (I really loved her) and another one around his age with no children. The last one had no desire to ever have any children, didn't really like them and my father lied to her about the relationship he had with us. Now it wasn't the best but it was a relationship.

Anyway, they end up getting married and when my father told us they had gotten engaged we told him that we didn't like her and that she didn't like us and gave him some examples of her treatment towards us. Of course, we got the "you kids are exaggarating" etc. etc.

So they get married and several months later an opportunity comes along for me to go to Spain on a school trip for 10 days. My mother and stepfather (not married at the time) didn't have much money and wanted me to go, so mom called my father and told him about it. They agreed to split the cost of the trip and to each give me X dollars for spending money and that I would have to earn anything over that. To make a really long story short, when it came time for me to go, I was at my father's and SM's the weekend before when he hands me a check for $50 and tells me it's all he can afford to give me. I was in utter shock, so I didn't say anything and he took us home. When I got home I gave the check to my mom and told her what he said - now she is in shock because this is no where near what they agreed upon.

I decide I don't want it and the following week they came to the airport to see me off - here comes SM in her fur coat, diamond jewels, (you get the picture) and dad with all his stuff. My mom pulls him aside and gives him the check and tells him that basically I don't want him to be short so he can have it back. He and SM leave and later on the witch comes back and starts a fight with my mom in the middle of Kennedy Airport. Saying what an ungrateful b**** I am, how lucky I was that they paid anything for the trip as I wasn't her daughter and it was her money that was sending me, etc. etc., etc. That was the first time I didn't speak to my father for several months.

 

[lbgraves]

An interesting Dad story.
My parents divorced when I was 3. I have only a couple of memories of my parents being married.
When my parents divorced (my mom's idea) my dad not being the single kind, immediately got remarried. But my step-mother would give Cinderella's SM a run for her money. She was very mean to us. Later we found the majority was jealously. She made seeing my dad miserable for all, so we just did not do it. Since they lived in another state it was not that hard.
Over the next 15 years I rarely saw my dad. He was the VP of the university I graduated from and he did not come to my graduation. The funny part is I, nor any of my siblings, harbored any ill will toward him period. He was not mean- just was not anything.
After he retired he kinda started to get back in touch. I took it in stride but told DH that there was NO WAY I was going to take any flack from SM. Turns out she was sick and although never friendly, I could handle her.
SM died at 12:05am 01/01/02. Within 2 days of her funeral my dad asked for my mothers phone number. I was beyond shocked. They had hardly spoken in 30 years. I gave it to him and warned my mother. She could not imagine why he wanted to talk to her. Long story- somewhat shorter - they got married again 5 months later, on their original wedding date!
We even had a "Fake 50th" Anniversary party for them 2 years ago on what would have been their 50th.
They are absolutely hysterical. It is like the last 35 years never existed.
So for the 1st time in my life, I got a dad ....at 35.

WOW! That just goes to show that miracles do happen.

 

[geffric]

Since we are talking pinewood derby, here is a picture of my car from our parent's race last year:

Great picture.. that looks like a super pinewood car.. how did it do? Did you get the award for style?

 

[lbgraves]

Oh I so know what you mean! I am currently reading here in the present and page 1785 (2/18 at 7:30pm).

I wanted to join the sing-a-long also - but I also thought it would be pretty silly...

Don't be too surprised if I actually post some responses going back to last week - I've clicked that multi-quote button a few times and I'll probably post something before I give up for the night.

pdarrah (Pamela)

Go ahead! Reliving the moment can be even funnier.

 

[yargrnhoj]

I've always wondered if there were ever any "normal" families. I can remember as a kid watching reruns of shows from the 50's, and even the Brady Bunch and wondering why my family wasn't like that. When I got older and my mom sobbered up, she and I were able to discuss and come to terms with her part of the abuse my brother and I lived through. During one of our conversations I told her about my longings for a normal family, just like Donna Reed or the Brady's. She told me she never saw a "real" family that even came close to those, that it wasn't always sweetness and light and problems weren't solved in 22 minutes. Once I got that I was able to move on from it and stopped trying to be the perfect daughter, perfect wife and mother.

No one's perfect and the only "normal" is what you make "normal" - there are always issues, what ultimately matters is how you handle those issues and what you do to brake the cycle of abuse.

I agree 100%. My biggest fear is someday my children not wanting anything to do with me because of something I did to them growing up. I know there are never any guarantees and children can be just as mean-spirited as parents but having that in my background makes me want to stop the cycle so badly.

Then, of course, I have nights like tonight where my wife catches my DS10 'flipping off' his brother in the kitchen and we want to sell them to the lowest bidder.

 

[Mickey&Co]

Since we are talking pinewood derby, here is a picture of my car from our parent's race last year:

Yargrnhoj love your car!

Mickey&Co

 

[Diznyfan68]

Since we are talking pinewood derby, here is a picture of my car from our parent's race last year:

Now I know what a pinewood derby car is! Nice

 

[lbgraves]

Since we are talking pinewood derby, here is a picture of my car from our parent's race last year:

Nice! I thought that the derbys were for cars that the kids actually got in to. That must be something else.

 

[lbgraves]

I decide I don't want it and the following week they came to the airport to see me off - here comes SM in her fur coat, diamond jewels, (you get the picture) and dad with all his stuff. My mom pulls him aside and gives him the check and tells him that basically I don't want him to be short so he can have it back. He and SM leave and later on the witch comes back and starts a fight with my mom in the middle of Kennedy Airport. Saying what an ungrateful b**** I am, how lucky I was that they paid anything for the trip as I wasn't her daughter and it was her money that was sending me, etc. etc., etc. That was the first time I didn't speak to my father for several months.

 

[yargrnhoj]

Great picture.. that looks like a super pinewood car.. how did it do? Did you get the award for style?

We had a separate 'Dad's Race' the past two years and that was what I made for it. I could not get my son to do anything Disney. He had to have a monster truck last year and a hot rod this year.

He and I are really good at designing and crafting cars, but are horrible at getting the wheels aligned to make them run fast. Of course part of that is we always wait until the last minute to start cutting and sanding and painting.

 

[yargrnhoj]

Nice! I thought that the derbys were for cars that the kids actually got in to. That must be something else.

You are thinking of "Soapbox Derby". That's different. We have never done that.

 

[Mickey&Co]

Doing a minimeet is easy really. Just find out who is in the area & contact them to meet. With DH in DC last year, we met Kristina for dinner one night when the kids & I went up to see him over the weekend. When we went to Baltimore for DH's graduation last September we met her family & Caroline's at the aquarium for the day. It has been great for the kids to meet other kids they will see on the cruise beforehand. Some people in the MD area planned a meet at a big fair up there. Here in NC we could figure out a central location & either meet for dinner there or go to an event that everyone would be interested.

The one thing you HAVE to do is take a group picture so that we can post it on the site.

Good ideas thanks! When we do get together I will be sure to send you some pictures.

Mickey&Co

 

[lbgraves]

I agree 100%. My biggest fear is someday my children not wanting anything to do with me because of something I did to them growing up. I know there are never any guarantees and children can be just as mean-spirited as parents but having that in my background makes me want to stop the cycle so badly.

Then, of course, I have nights like tonight where my wife catches my DS10 'flipping off' his brother in the kitchen and we want to sell them to the lowest bidder.

I have to believe that those of us who have made a conscious decision to make a change are already doing better. My sister told me that my mother once told her they took me to a therapist to find out what was wrong with me...must have been very young because I do NOT remember it. The doctor spent time with me then started asking THEM questions about themselves. Forget about them even considering that there was anything wrong with THEM!!! No way! OY! They left the office & never went back again.

 

[justmestace]

WHOO HOO !! I can't wait! Only 25 more days!!!

 

[pdarrah]

He and I are really good at designing and crafting cars, but are horrible at getting the wheels aligned to make them run fast. Of course part of that is we always wait until the last minute to start cutting and sanding and painting.

DS did his first derby this year (he is a Wolf cub, but there wasn't a Tiger group at his school last year). It was a little weird - my father is our "primary" cub scout person in the family - he is the one who really wanted DS to do scouting (DF is an Eagle scout from the 50's). They handed out the kits at a pack meeting in mid-December - right in the midst of the holiday bustle. Immediately after Christmas (the 27th) my parents took DS on an intergenerational Elderhostel trip to Mexico. When they got back, DS was literally home for 6 days before our cruise and the derby was while we were gone. Even with all of this, DS REALLY wanted to make his car. My father and DS actually managed to make it during those 6 days between trips and one of DS's friends from his Den raced it for him. It didn't do all that well, but all involved seemed to enjoy it!

pdarrah (Pamela)

 

[disneypilots]

Well that wasnt fun.............Windows Vista.........its alotta work to install


Mark