Antics of the Orange Banded Monkeys: Heartbreaking News June 2017

natebenma

Beach Club Dee
Joined
Jul 19, 2008
Antics of the Orange Banded Monkeys

This report is dedicated to the memory of our dear friend Bob, beloved husband of Teena, devoted dad to Jeanne and doting Pop-Pop to Princess Lily.

I promise there will be a lot of fun in this report- at times, we laughed so hard we cried. And at other times, we just cried.

Please see the following post for a tribute to Bob.

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Rafiki, YC Monkey Lamp, Chim Chim, Abu, Bubbles

Introductions:

Rafiki (aka HockeyMomR) (aka Rebecca)
“Sees No Evil”
Age: Old Enough to Know Better
Habitat: Maryland and The Beach Club

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(Whatcha lookin’ at there, Rafiki?)


Abu, the Monkey formerly known as Cheeta* (aka natebenma) (aka Dee)
“Hears No Evil”
Age: Forever 17!
Habitat: Massachusetts and The Beach Club

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(I apologize. I don't have a monkey picture for Abu. So I figured a Beach Club selfie would be the most appropriate substitution)

ETA: Here's a picture of Abu and Aladdin from my Jan 2016 visit

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*Originally, I chose the name “Cheeta”, the chimp from Tarzan because I had forgotten all about Abu from Aladdin. I decided I would rather be Abu, literally the day after we were able to make final changes to our bands. So for this report, I shall be known as “Abu, the monkey formerly known as Cheeta”. Abu for short.

Bubbles (aka Nannette) (aka Nannette)
“Speaks No Evil”
Age: 29 Plus Shipping and Handling
Habitat: Texas, NYC and The Beach Club


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Chim Chim (aka NinjaMom) (aka ???)
NinjaMom has refused to reveal her real-life identity to anyone, including us. She is a Ninja, after all, An International Mom/Monkey of Mystery.
“Fears No Evil” (Evil Fears HER!)
Age: Unknown
Habitat: Out There! (and the Beach Club)



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(Go Speed Racer! Go Speed Racer! Go Speed Racer, Go!)




Our strong friendships have developed, as many relationships do these day, online. No, not through Match.Com or Ashley Madison, but on the Beach and Yacht Club FAQ thread right here on the DIS.

We have a very tight group of friends, who socialize both online and offline. We are Facebook friends and we email members of our group to share events in our lives, and particularly when we need support. We have each others’ backs, always!

For the past few years, there have been real-life meets in the summer for various members of our FAQ “family”. Robyn (Disneymomx7) (aka Magilla Gorilla) and Teena have been constants at all of the meets. I attended the first 4 as Flat Dee in poster form and last year was the first time I was there in person. My Mothers’ Day gift for the past two years has been a plane ticket to Florida so I could attend the meet.

You can read all about past meets here:

Annual Beach and Yacht Club FAQ meets


Last year, I received a private message from Rebecca (HockeyMomR) inviting me to stay in a room with her and her mom so I could attend the meet. I accepted her offer and we had an amazing time together. I loved telling people I was staying in Disney with someone from the internet who I have never met.


That trip was chronicled in the trip report "What Happens at the Beach Club..."


This year my roomies would be Rebecca again, Nannette and the infamous NinjaMom. During one of our email planning sessions when we were discussing customizing our Magic Bands, we all decided to use monkey names and to choose the same color bands.

The Orange Banded Monkeys were born.

I would be coming to The Beach Club Saturday night following a 3 night/4 day visit with my family to The Theme Park Which Must Not Be Named. The other monkeys would be arriving throughout the day on Saturday.

Please join us for some Monkey Business.



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Next Up: A Tribute to Bob
 
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A Tribute to Bob:

Anyone who has read any of my past trip reports, or who has visited the Beach and Yacht Club FAQ thread has heard of our dear friend Teena. She works as a greeter at Disney’s Beach Club resort which is where I met her 6 years ago. She has made many friends and fans throughout the years, and several of us were gathered together for the weekend for the Annual Beach & Yacht Club FAQ DIS meet.

Teena worked on Sunday and was visited throughout the day by her friends. After work, she joined us for our meet and then we gathered at the YC Crews Cup lounge for dinner. We parted and went our separate ways for the evening.

On Monday, we received the very sad news that Teena’s husband Bob had passed away unexpectedly that morning. Our hearts remain broken. Her good friend, Lauren, spent the day with Teena while she waited for her daughter Jeanne to arrive from Las Vegas. We offered to come to visit with her, but in typical Teena fashion, she told us “Go to EPCOT. Have fun.”

We did our best to honor her wishes, but our love and concern for our friend and her family were ever-present. We feel that we were all there together, at that time, for a reason. To support and love one another during this unspeakably tragic time.

Here is the beautiful tribute that Teena wrote about her beloved husband and shared on our FAQ thread:

Just wanted to thank everybody for their love and support. Jeanne, Lily, and I really appreciate it.

Bob had a super good life, he loved retirement and our home here in Florida. He said on Saturday that life sure was good...at the time we were talking about our upcoming October 10th cruise on his favorite ship, the Disney Fantasy. He never thought with his family history he would live past 70 so he did real good. He went fast and they said he didn't have any pain. We are very thankful for that. He did not want any kind of service and we are honoring that. But the next time you are at a bar, please have a Manhattan and raise your glass to him. Just make sure it's the way he liked it, "up, very cold, stirred not shaken." He'll be up there smiling down at you!

He loved animals and the Sand Hill Cranes that adopted us here in Florida and live in our backyard were a constant source of pleasure for him. Yesterday they were looking for him.

Lily loved her Pop-Pop so much. I honestly think that was what kept Bob going. Lily was pretty much his life ... the last thing we did on Saturday together (I worked on Sunday) was spend time at the computer looking for the Disney Palace Pets she wanted for Christmas. She told me to make sure Pop-Pop knew what she wanted. I asked her about Santa ... was she going to tell him too. She said, no, just Pop-Pop. She knew he was a sure thing. On the way to the babysitter in the morning, she would always want to call Pop-Pop on the phone in the car and sing to him. He would listen to Let It Go over and over again with a huge smile on his face.

He left this world a very loved man. I'm having a very hard time thinking about a life without him!



Please keep this family in your thoughts and prayers.


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Here is a picture of Nannette and Rebecca toasting Bob at the Mizner Lounge in the Grand Floridian, one of Bob’s favorites.


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Cheers to Bob!
 
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Preview of Coming Attractions


Sat August 29

Who is this "Erika" threatening to crash our party?

Antics Before Abu

Abu Arrives: “Guess the Room Number!”

OBM go to the (Blue) Zoo

Antics at the Yacht Club: Floor Model


Sunday August 30

Bus Stop Babe

Don’t Feed the Monkeys 1 (La Trattoria)

What is your “proper” name?

Trained Monkeys: SAB Synchronized Pool Tube Team-No Tubes in the Tub!!!

Stormalong Bay Synchronized Pool Tube Team, August 2014 edition

“Yes, We Have No Bananas” We don’t have any Pineapples, either so Hot Fudge Sundae for Lunch

Cortana!!! Exploring the Wilderness Lodge

An Uber Scary Ride: aka The Wildest Ride from the Wilderness (Lodge)

Marinated Monkey Meet (You are My People)

Monkey Bars (at the Top of the World)

Wishes!

"I Can Organize This Trip in My Sleep!" (excerpt from trip report of the same name)

Woozy: I Have To Sleep With One Eye Open. That’s Why I’m Wearing Sunglasses.


Monday Aug 31

Honoring Teena’s Wishes
Hi, JanetMom!, Soarin’, A Moment of Silence for a Salad, NOT a fast pass at Space Ship Earth and the Censored Photo, Club Cool, Secret Bathroom and Special Popcorn

Mono (Monkeys in Mexico)

Monkeys in Japan:, Monkeys in France (Singe) and Monkeys in Morocco
Curse of the Orange Pearl and Double Dog Dare Ya

Solo at SAB

SHHH! (Quiet Pool)

Can You Keep A Secret? (Pre-dinner antics)

Don’t Feed the Monkeys II (Captain’s Grille)

Hidden Treasure in Morroco

Hidden Treasure in the Marketplace


Tuesday September 1

Early Morning Wanderings at the Yacht Club, Part 1
Early Morning Wanderings at the Yacht Club, Continued


Goodbye(s), the Cruelest Ride of All, Deja Vu and A Wing and a Prayer
 
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Dee - wonderful tribute to Bob.

Teena - can't wait to finally meet you in November but you will continue to be in our thoughts and prayers.

To the Orange Banded Monkeys - I fastened my seat belt...let's go!!!
 
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Teena's beautiful tribute to Bob made me tear up (again).
Excited to read about the escapades of you monkeys. I'm sure there will be much fun, laughter and more than a few years along the way
 
Here!

Dee - Such a nice tribute to Bob. Well done.

Rebecca

:welcome: Rafiki and Congrats on getting here first!

Thank you. I love the picture you and Nannette raising your glasses to him.

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:welcome: Bubbles!

Thank you for your part in a memorable weekend, even if there are parts I can't remember!

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Can't wait!

:welcome: Magilla

It was great to see you again! There is never enough time together!

:hug:


Sorry for your loss and will be praying for the family. Lovely tribute and loved the pictures of toasting Bob

:welcome:

Thank you so much for the very kind words! I really appreciate your post.

:hug:
 

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