Did you ever have one of those experiences where you walked away and thought to yourself, "I bet this is a trainwreck waiting to happen. To me."
I went to my local FedEx/Kinko's yesterday to ship a box to the Wonder. I went there because I wanted to make sure I filled out the paperwork correctly, since we've got all that extra info to make sure the box gets to us. Also, I wanted to make sure I could get a pre-filled form to ship it back to us from the resort.
I was helped by a nice associate there, we'll call her Bubblehead (names changed to protect the innocent/guilty). Bubblehead's first language wasn't English, which was just fine with me. Really, that wasn't the problem. If her first language HAD been English she still wouldn't be the sharpest crayon in the box. I had typed out the information Dana said we needed (thanks Dana!!), just so there would be no miscommunication about the address and info. I explain that I'm going on vacation, I want to ship the box to this address (point to address on paper) with this extra information (point again) on the shipment. Then I want to include a pre-filled out form to ship it back. Insert blank look here.
OK, I talk fast. I'll slow down, use some different words that might be more understandable if your first language isn't English. Explain again.
OK, let's try one thing at a time. First, I want to include a way to ship it back to me.
She grabs a form and I fill it out. No, she assures me, they do not need to know the address for the WL. Receiving address: me. Return address: me. While I'm filling out the form, she tapes my box shut. Um. . . aren't we going to put this in there?
Oh, right. She opens the box back up, and after I remind her, she includes a plastic sleeve for the shipping form along with the pre-filled form. Retapes the box.
On to task #2! I want to ship it to myself at this address (point to address on printout). I am going on a cruise and I want this box to meet me at the ship.
"Is this a residential address?" Um, no. It's a warehouse. Much discussion follows. I ended up addressing it to DH (his name mysteriously became the lead one on the reservation--although, bless his heart, he's done nothing but say, "Sure. That sounds like fun."
) at IDS. I went to write the rest of the stuff on the box. No, says Bubblehead, write with marker. She handed me a silver Sharpie to write on my brown cardboard box. Anybody want to guess how effective that was?!
I wrote it all out, then traced over it with a ballpoint pen.
"That will be $14.41." Um, can you bill it to my account? You know, the one I wrote on the form to bill it to?
Struggle, struggle, struggle. All this time I'm being very friendly and patient, but I have that feeling. You know the one. "Goodbye, snorkel gear and FE gifts. I hope whoever gets you gives you a good home!"
So I've been tracking my box. I have no doubt it will eventually find its way home to me. That's one of the reasons I sent it FedEx. My key concern is that it won't make it to the boat!!
Cross your fingers for me, will you? It's left Irving, Texas on its way to PC. My prayers at night start like this "Dear God, bless my family. Bless my box and help it find its way to me on the Disney Wonder before we leave port next Sunday. . ."
mk
we are leaving on wednesday and we have so much to do still like pac and still get organized 
but i am really really excited
Our first trip to WDW in '85 had been postponed for 5 months when he injured his knee plaing soccer. 
We don't like to travel without it. . . but he hasn't needed it in about two years. . . and I'm thinking how nice it would be not to lug the nebulizer with us as a "just in case" thing. . . But you know that if we go without one, we'll be in the middle of the ocean when DS's asthma kicks into full gear.
