Birthdays, Anniversaries, and one very happy Pirate!

[piratehannelore]

Ok everyone. Hallo from the land of rain, coffee and big foot! (a.k.a.Washington) Taking an inspiration from the likes of utahmama and others, I’m writing one of these things. This is my first trip report and I’m hoping people will read. If not, oh well, I will set this forth into the cyber world and hope I don’t scar anyone.

Cast of Characters

Me- 24 yr. old college student – wanted to be Indiana Jones or a Pirate growing up. Thus the name, piratehannelore! Pirate and Tink fan. Side note- my earliest memory is riding BTMRR @ DL. I was 3 or 4. Just goes to show how Disney has helped mold me into such a well adjusted adult Enjoys belly dancing , learning new languages, and scarring people young and old. I’m the short (by family standards) sarcastic one with the crazy sense of humor.

DM- 46 yr. young Goofy fan who started the whole Disney fanatic syndrome that my entire family (Except the middle sister) suffers from.

DS- 17, nearly 18 (Sept. 28) a complete anime nut/hitaku. Enjoys belly dancing, video games, math (yuck!) and plans on being a engineer technologist. Also speaks German and we fully intend on picking on any German speaking CM’s and pass the time in long lines belly dancing and arguing in foreign languages. Tink fan as well, (she stole it from me).

DF-53 yr. young working on his Master’s degree and is the family pessimist. Still not sure if he’s coming this go around or not because he, after all, invented emo. He like’s Mickey and him and Grumpy are homies.


The Plan
Leave the land of rain, coffee, and bigfoot on Aug. 30, (after making sure Bigfoot is well fed of course,) and drive straight through to L.A. Check into Anaheim Plaza Inn for 8 nights , with a six day park hopper. Maybe do a day at Universal Studios. (I hope!) Will definitely do a birthday dinner and possible 25th wedding anniversary dinner (if DF stops being emo and actually comes) at Pirates dinner theater. Hopefully nobody in the family try’s to instigate a mutiny and take over the ship at Pirates or the Columbia! On a side note, last time we went to DL as a family we drove straight through on the way back. Me, DM, and DS staged a mutiny against DF somewhere south of Sacramento. What can I say, he was asking for it and wouldn’t shut up. He was thus bound and gagged in the backseat while we sung sea shanties and threatened to strap him to the roof if he didn’t stop his emo, pessimistic jabbering . The drive home will also include driving up the Cali coast with stops at Winchester Mystery house and San Francisco. (Maybe we can drop off a certain father at Alcatraz?)

That's all she wrote for now, the more I learn, the more I'll share. Hope nobody needs to see the therapist after this. If you must, send me the bill. Just address it to Bigfoot's keeper.

 

[PirateFish989]

I'm looking forward to reading more!

Our fathers should get together and create a Grumpy club...good grief!

 

[piratehannelore]

Yay! One person decided to say something, (and not send me a therapist's bill! Even Better!) Glad to have ya.

 

[piratehannelore]

Ok, so there has been some drama on the home front about if Petty Officer Emo (DF) is accompanying us or not. For awhile we thought he would fly down. Now we think we'll be driving his big red beast of a van. See, Petty Officer Emo is in a motorized wheelchair. Great for when we're staging jousting tournaments; one in the chair, another in a car or on a bike, each with a mop or broom and go! Bad when going on family road trips envolving new state laws for wheelchair ramps. DF is some one who, when faced with a set back, goes into hyperventalating, everything is ruined mode. To make matters worse his lovely wife and eldest and youngest daughters are optimists. We are the half full people, and can't stand the pessimistic mode. On a sour note, the middle sister and him are perfectly alike. And thats why she lives on the east coast. The whole brough ha ha has been about if he can get new shocks so the chair dosn't weigh the back of the van down too much. (The chair scraping the ground as we drive isn't a good thing we learned) So Petty Officer Emo had entered pessimistic mode and said he wouldn't be going. Then he said he'd fly. Finally, after several threats, he engaged his brain a few days ago (The bus for Hades will be leaving shortly, don't forget your skates!!! ) and decided he could use a portable ramp to get the chair inside the van. I love my father, I really do. But he's definately a super planner that gets Grumpy when things don't go his way. On a side note, watch out for those Grumpy fans in chairs, they may run you down. Poor Alice. He got her a couple years ago. True story for another time.
I'll post more when I learn more.

 

[PirateFish989]

Its amazing to me how alike our fathers are...mood wise that is. One little thing goes wrong and they become Mr. I Can't Do This and I'm Going to Ruin the Vacation for Everyone. Or at least my father.

Oh, poor Alice indeed. I would love to hear that story.

 

[Disney owl]

great start

 

[stagemomx3]

Hello fellow dweller in the land of rain, coffee, and big foot. I'm impatiently waiting your next installment.

 

[piratehannelore]

I'm Sorry!!! Classes have restarted and my disney loving booty is being kicked by Biology and Math. I am not a science person....or a math person. That would be DS. Ok, so welcome Disney owl and Stagemomx3!!! Two more to be added to me and Piratefish!! We're not alone! (And I don't feel as crazy while I post! )
Stagemomx3- How do you like the weather we've been having? 80 one day, 32 with SNOW the next!!!

So, we are officially a little over 4 months out from holliday time. Petty Officer Emo (DF) has sorted out his emo ways, and will be joining us, officially. Before it wasn't official, it was just him sorting through his troubled mind. This means we will be taking the big red beast of a van as we drive straight through to D.L. We'll be at the Anaheim Plaza Inn, just across the street from the old Main gate. (Is it still considered the Main gate?) I get my own bed because I'm being a good little girl and helping to pay for this trip. (I'm 23; 24 on May 9th, I am so getting the bed of my dreams...I can finally afford it!) Let me tell you something, I am the one that always ends up on the floor. All of my sisters and me. I understand that, especially with 5 people on a budget. But we went to D.L. when I graduated High School in 2002, and I was still on the floor. ANd it was my trip. So this time, I get the bed and I am soooo HAPPY!!! We will have a family suite (i.e. two connecting rooms). This way when Petty Officer Emo cranks the AC or starts to snore we can lock DM in there with no access to our room. There will be no theivery of the BEDS!!! I'm kidding, me and DS arn't that cruel....we'll give her a pillow and she can have the floor.

We've begun planning out the departure day and the driving schedule. It looks something like this.
8 a.m. -piratehannelore gets off of work after working an 8 hour graveyard shift. (Happy I'm off for 2 count em', 2 weeks!!!)
8:30 am- piratehannelore returns home, feeds bigfoot, check on Mrs. Lovett (our stray kitty) and hope she's not eaten by an Eagle while we're gone, and jump in big red beast.
9 a.m. -arrive at Java Joe's in Marysville by the new casino and get the giant 32 oz. mochas for the drive. Everything is still new. Everyone is still excited and hopefully no one has broken into tears or cursing. (what am I saying, no one in my family of Amazons cry...we hit something or laugh. we only have two emotions) Take a sip of heaven and realize this will be one of the last places for decent coffee till we get to D.L. (although there is one coffee shack in Northern Cali just over the border with o.k. coffee. )
9a.m. till somewhere in Cali- Petty Officer Emo drives, DM riding shotgun, DS watching movies or reading in back of van with me trying to sleep. Rolls eyes when petty officer emo starts the pessimistic jabbering again... rolleyes1 ) Those three continue to switch out drivers as needed.

Nightfall- The other three are completely tuckered out, I've gotten maybe an hour of sleep as I take over around 9 p.m. for the final leg of the journey. Pop in soundtracks to various disney productions, and Sweeny Todd (love the music!!!) try to stay awake while the three that prevented my much needed rest snooze peacefully....purposely roll down windows and blare "A little Priest" just to annoy them ...listen to the old radio shows as nearing the Grape Vine on XM radio ( I love that). Drive on sheer Disney will power and adreneline till we reach hotel at 4 a.m.

4 a.m. - reach hotel, haul in everybody's junk (and realize how pale I am in early morning rays), and attmept sleep....it won't come....D.L. is just across the street...There is sunshine outside .... I can turn off white if I stay outside with 70 SPF on (need a high spf so we don't burst into flames... stagemomx3 knows what I'm talking about )....
So that is the departure plan. We are currently taking bets on who will whine the most on the trip down. I'm betting Petty Officer Emo; he's the biggest kid of them all.
On a side note, DM got a new Huandayi (sp?) Ellantra and named it goofy. DS got a new car the exact shade of Tinker Bell's dress and named it....Morty. Seriously, we name vehicles in our family. My truck is named Dorkus- The mightly Buffalo Hunter and has pirate stickers in the back window.... and one from frozen dead guy days. (its a Colorado thing).
I will post again soon, and thanks to everyone who's read...and thanks for not sending me therapy bills...this college student is poor... till next time my amigos!!!

 

[stagemomx3]

Stagemomx3- How do you like the weather we've been having? 80 one day, 32 with SNOW the next!!!

It's crazy! Here's my house Monday.

There is sunshine outside .... I can turn off white if I stay outside with 70 SPF on (need a high spf so we don't burst into flames... stagemomx3 knows what I'm talking about )....

Yes I do.

I loved your update, so funny your description of what your travel day will be like.

The lack of decent coffee at Disneyland is a serious problem!

 

[6Smiles]

WOW! Details, Details, Details! Sounds like the trip to DL is going to be an adventure in itself! Isn't family fabulous! Can't wait to read more!

 

[prettyprincessbelle]

On a side note, DM got a new Huandayi (sp?) Ellantra and named it goofy. DS got a new car the exact shade of Tinker Bell's dress and named it....Morty.

Lol I have a Hyundai Elantra! It doesn't have a name! I just call it a piece of poop! Seriously!

Great start though! Keep it coming!

 

[piratehannelore]

I feel so loved....this is not an emotion this pirate is accostumed to.

Welcome prettyprincess and 6Smiles!! I was actually reading your pre-trippie before you posted, P.P. Good stuff.

Stagemomx3- I've gotten to you waiting for husband to return so ya'll can ride the Safari. I love it!!! You have kept me awake and throughly entertained at work tonight. And the snow was insane. Our house was twice as bad.

Ok , so a small update...not really an update, but..an idea...I'm thinking of doing something...I can't beleive I'm saying this...like a band aid I just gotta say it quick...nice. There, its out and now I have to see the therapist. This trip is celebrating DS 18th birthday and 25 yrs. of our parents not killing- I mean wedded bliss - to each other. So I was thinking of doing up some killer gift bags all themed up with stuff they like, smuggle them down to L.A., and then when they return from the park one day, Oh My! There's these bags of goodies full of chocolate, and squirt guns (oddly for the rents') and cute disney-themed gifts. I can sew like nobody's business, ( I did form and was Prez. of the sewing club in H.S. Just to show you how dorky I truly am ) so I was thinking of making tote bags with their fav. characters or something. Still in the works though. This is what happens when I read Piratefish's trippie...I get ideas ...Only bad things can come of this...

On a high note, Petty Officer Emo nearly had a heartattack after our puppies were born yesterday. It was so bad he actually relinquished control of all vacation monies to DM and me. We didn't have to instigate a mutiny or nothing this go around. Kind of bummed...now I have to return the cannon...So the story is this, POE (the new shortened form of Petty Officer Emo aka DF) was planning on at least 6 puppies. I should tell you all that we are a licsenced (sp?) show kennel and have showed and bred Beagles and Old English Sheep Dogs for years. We breed for temperment and each female has maybe one litter a year, if that. We are responsible breeders and this was a family business for over 10 years. We were like the crazy professionals you see on t.v. Only not as insane (shocker I know). Anyways, this is our last litter, as everyone is getting older, and we've retired from showing. However, Lilo, our beagle mama, had a small litter. Perfectly fine by DM, DS, and me. POE starts freaking because puppie money has always equaled vacation money. POE goes into Pessimistic mode. This happy Pirate and DM threaten the cannon while DS begins sharpening her cutlass . Then POE does something he has never done, ever! Proof he's either going senile or sane . He handed over all vacation funds to DM, the rightful planning person, along with all rights, privleges, etc... to do all vacation planning. He actually said he is just along for the ride, he is only a passanger. After hearing that I nearly had a heartattack. More proof that I need to get new ice skates cause the bus for hades leaves in 5.
So, I felt I should put that out there before my biology/math ladened brain revolts and I forget . Post more as I learn. ANY suggestions for those bags are welcomed, and I hope ya'll enjoy...I still havn't seen those therapy bills...maybe Bigfoot ate them.

 

[piratehannelore]

Ok bros and gurls, a small update from the Land of Rain, Caffiene and Bigfoot (It used to end with granola instead of Bigfoot, but we lost granola along time ago with the hippies. Stupid starbucks ran them all out ). We've decided to get out tickets from a website (getawaytoday.com) for way cheaper than we usually do. This is something new as this pirate is paranoid that we wont have tickets to experience all that is disney goodness. You have to pick the tickets up at the ticket booth instead of them being mailed to you. We're getting the (gasp ) 8 day park hopper. I'm so happy I could cry. How awesome is that. Its a disney kid's dream come true. lol We'll more later.

 

[julezdisney]

I'm on board! You are too too funny. Petty Officer Emo. Hilarous. Love it.

 

[piratehannelore]

Welcome Julezdisney!!! May I never scar a fellow disney lover!





I've been naughty.

There I said it. I'm naughty and I can prove it. Finals just finnished partly good partly bad. So I passed Biology with a B !Yay!!! I failed Math gloriously....who care's.....I'm going to Disney!

Failing a math class (a non-college level math class, thats how much mathmatics and I are sworn enemies. There's been blood for crying out loud) isn't why I'm naughty. No, I've been doing something much, much worse. I've been...plotting....for Disney....

Yes, I know. I've been shopping for vacation, for DISNEY. I've been buying (gasp) summer clothes like cute dresses and killer cute walking shoes for my 12 hour days in the park so I don't melt in a puddle of sweat and tears. I've been spending an inordinate amount of time on the disney website just staring at the calendar, waiting, waiting, waiting for the week I'll be there to finally show up.

Sad thing is, when it did....heads rolled at my house. We're accustomed to the park staying open till 11pm or midnight. Non of this, the park is closing at eight or nine bologna. HA! DM bought near had a heart attack till I pulled up the tea cups web page and she got to listen to the song they play on there. Kind of like the mouse at the Mad Hatter's tea party. Get some jelly STAT!

But we will survive....we'll actually get something that resembles sleep this vacation .... and I'll get to wear all those lovely summer things I bought. Because Heaven know's I wont get to wear them here, at home, in WASHINGTON....stoopid October weather.

So I'll keep on dreaming of disney. Even if I failed a math class. Even if the weather is pure crapola. I'll gaze fondly at cute summer tops, my really cool walking shoes that don't look like marshmellows ate my feet when worn, and smile. Because I'm less than 3 months away from the mouse....from two weeks work free....from my certain favorite Pirate and a certain sexy Archeologist.....I'm going to DISNEY.

So NYAH!

 

[wendylady36]

It's almost spooky how alike we are...wait, should I be admitting that?

So, should I have my therapist address the bill to Miss Bigfoot's keeper or just Bigfoot's keeper?

We name the cars in my family too. My car is Chandler...he's gay.

I'm horrible at math and biology. Like super-duper-what-the-heck-are-you-really-THAT-stupid, horrible.

My dream dog is a beagle. Once my kitties go bye-bye I'll probably get a beagle. I almost got a beagle a couple years ago, but I decided to take in a cat that was being abused by it's owner, and then ended up adopting another cat, and then took in a stray cat. Just call me the cat lady!

I'm enjoying your report. I look forward to reading more!

 

[julezdisney]

Again, too funny. I wish wish wish I could get our schedule for the dates we'll be there. Not ready yet though.....

I'll sit and stare as well until they appear....

 

[piratehannelore]

It's almost spooky how alike we are...wait, should I be admitting that?

So, should I have my therapist address the bill to Miss Bigfoot's keeper or just Bigfoot's keeper?

We name the cars in my family too. My car is Chandler...he's gay.

I'm horrible at math and biology. Like super-duper-what-the-heck-are-you-really-THAT-stupid, horrible.

My dream dog is a beagle. Once my kitties go bye-bye I'll probably get a beagle. I almost got a beagle a couple years ago, but I decided to take in a cat that was being abused by it's owner, and then ended up adopting another cat, and then took in a stray cat. Just call me the cat lady!
I'm enjoying your report. I look forward to reading more!

Welcome Wendy Lady!!! Therepy bills may be addressed to Bigfoot's keeper....God willing it will arive when someone else is taking care of him....Or he'll just eat it and I'll never see it. Beagles are fun, awesome, and loyal to you and only you....They also will only listen to you and only you and discover new and inventive ways to get into the garbage can just so you can wake up in the morning, walk into the kitchen and say "W.T.F? How did that happen?" I hear ya with the math and biology; I was gobsmacked I passed bio this past quarter....Thank God for all the papers we had to write.


YAY!!! We have two pages of randomness and utter 'huh?' moments now!!! I'm so proud!

 

[piratehannelore]

Again, too funny. I wish wish wish I could get our schedule for the dates we'll be there. Not ready yet though.....

I'll sit and stare as well until they appear....

Half the fun is sitting and staring....Just keep the tea cups site up just in case you get thrown a curve ball.

 

[piratehannelore]

Alright. So my disney obsession (or I should say the family's and my disney obsession) has spilled over from our personal lives into our work lives. I opened the laptop at work and was greeted with the 'All Aboard' from the train that goes all around disneyland. My mother was on the website before I went to work and was listening to the teacups, tiki room, etc...getting her daily fix. Only the site was left up and this happy lil' pirate got a lovely surprise here at work. Only problem is, I do in home care and just got my client to sleep ....but it was worth it.

On a side note, I'm going to Eastern Washington for two days....and the laptop is going with me. DM will be by herself for two nights something that hasn't happened for 25yrs. Anyways, what will she do without her disney fix? I have nightmares (actually daymares since I work nights ahahahahah ) about returning home friday morning, the puppies barking, hearing 'In the Tiki-tiki-tiki-tiki-tiki Room....' emitting from our ancient and should be condemned computer with DM laying on the floor with a smile on her face, unable to move because the blasted thing electrocuted her.
I can see this happening.....Bigfoot would be far too entertained by the music to assist her and the dogs would just eat the loaf of bread off the counter and naw on their own hindquarters as a light snack till someone came home to feed them. So this is what we are taking bets on at my disney loving house. What state our fearless leader will be in when we (myself and DS) return home. I invite anyone who reads this to place a bet.
What do you think I'll find apon returning home this friday after cutting a disney obsessed DM off from her fix of the Disneyland website?
Will the house be standing?
Will the still be coherent?
Will she be curled up in the corner singing 'Its a small World', gently rocking back and forth?

Place your bets everyone.....till next time.