Canadian Buffoon European Vacation - 30/03 - Endings and Silver Linings

[Thumper_Man]

Perhaps she intuited (correctly) that pkondz is not a big fan of oatmeal cookies either.

Now I'm not a big fan of oatmeal cookies either, but there's something about the way they make these that you can't even tell that they're made from oatmeal. Oh well. To each their own. Just leaves more for me.

 

[pkondz]

Now I'm not a big fan of oatmeal cookies either, but there's something about the way they make these that you can't even tell that they're made from oatmeal. Oh well. To each their own. Just leaves more for me.

Sooo.... You're saying you're greedy, there, right?
Not even going to share with Mrs. T.

We opened a package of Thanks-a-lot and there's a bit of a problem.
Within seconds, most of them had evaporated or something.

All I know is that they were there for a second, but now they're gone.

 

[Backstage_Gal]

Sooo.... You're saying you're greedy, there, right?
Not even going to share with Mrs. T.

We opened a package of Thanks-a-lot and there's a bit of a problem.
Within seconds, most of them had evaporated or something.

Why do you people insist on confusing me so much? What are Thanks-a-lot?

Maybe we should come up with a universal (cookie) language?

 

[buzz1121]

Wait, wait wait!

You didn't answer the most important question in the chapter! When you had the fake light saber, were you Jedi or Sith? I mean I suspect Sith because if you were Jedi you would have used the force to heal your aching back. Better you would be in Yoda speak.

Maybe Darth Vader's problem all along was a bad back?

I feel for you Pkondz, but I have to tell you that I was laughing really hard. The herculean effort to try to stand, my goodness, that was something. I wanted to throw up in sympathy for your pain and laugh at the same time.

And in that airplane, with the hot, still temperature, just for a second you longed for the Peg winter temps to blast, didn't you?

 

[buzz1121]

I'm sure all three choices are sweet, at times , but none of them.

I meant Buzz. The thoughtfulness.

That's so kind of you to say! That does it, I am seriously contemplating moving to Canada......if I can bring 60-80 degree temps with me.

Perhaps she intuited (correctly) that pkondz is not a big fan of oatmeal cookies either.

She's a smart cookie.


(see what I did there?)

Yeah, that ol Buzz, she is a smart cookie. Actually she doesn't care for the Peanut Butter sandwich cookies either and she had a hunch, with oatmeal being of a consistency similar to coconut, that ol Pkondz wouldn't like them too much either.

She really outdid herself.
I'm really not too sure what I did to deserve such wonderful friends... whom I've yet to meet!

Aww, the meeting is a mere technicality. If what you have said before is true, when we do meet, we need to bring lap tops or ipads as you mentioned you usually tend to be quiet in person. I can see it now, "Hi", "Hi"...... commence to type rapidly back and forth while sitting at same table!

Sooo.... You're saying you're greedy, there, right?
Not even going to share with Mrs. T.

We opened a package of Thanks-a-lot and there's a bit of a problem.
Within seconds, most of them had evaporated or something.

All I know is that they were there for a second, but now they're gone.

Now aren't you are glad you have a spare carton!

Why do you people insist on confusing me so much? What are Thanks-a-lot?

Maybe we should come up with a universal (cookie) language?

Love it Marita.....universal cookie language!

Thanks-a-lots are a shortbread base with a a chocolate layer on top. They were pretty popular in DD's troop, I got the last two cartons for Pkondz. DD did pretty well with her first cookie sales, remember we live in the country....she/we sold 100 boxes.

 

[pkondz]

Why do you people insist on confusing me so much? What are Thanks-a-lot?

Maybe we should come up with a universal (cookie) language?

Don't feel bad. I had no idea what they were either.
Here's the link I used to try and make sense of what everyone else was talking about.

Girl Scout Cookies - Meet the Cookies


I still use it.
"mmmmm... I really like those... those... um... <clicks link, scrolls down>... Thanks-A-Lots! Yeah! That's it!"

You didn't answer the most important question in the chapter! When you had the fake light saber, were you Jedi or Sith? I mean I suspect Sith because if you were Jedi you would have used the force to heal your aching back. Better you would be in Yoda speak.

Maybe Darth Vader's problem all along was a bad back?

I must admit that at the time, I didn't really think about it.
But if the young padawan was fencing with me, I can only imagine him thinking he's the hero fighting the villain.

So if that make me Darth Vader... so be it.

And Darth with a bad back? Could be... could be.

I feel for you Pkondz, but I have to tell you that I was laughing really hard. The herculean effort to try to stand, my goodness, that was something. I wanted to throw up in sympathy for your pain and laugh at the same time.

I'm glad you didn't. I would think that barfing and laughing at the same time would be problematic.

Ha ha ha haaaaaarrrrrghgghghhhhh...

And in that airplane, with the hot, still temperature, just for a second you longed for the Peg winter temps to blast, didn't you?

Nope. Not even once.
It's cold!

That does it, I am seriously contemplating moving to Canada......if I can bring 60-80 degree temps with me.

If you can bring it with you, then you have to move up here!
Specifically my neck of the woods.
LisaV lives in the deep south. We need it more than she does.

Yeah, that ol Buzz, she is a smart cookie. Actually she doesn't care for the Peanut Butter sandwich cookies either and she had a hunch, with oatmeal being of a consistency similar to coconut, that ol Pkondz wouldn't like them too much either.

I rest my case.

Aww, the meeting is a mere technicality. If what you have said before is true, when we do meet, we need to bring lap tops or ipads as you mentioned you usually tend to be quiet in person. I can see it now, "Hi", "Hi"...... commence to type rapidly back and forth while sitting at same table!

We'd be... just like the kids today!
We've discovered the fountain of youth!!!!
Those kids aren't being anti-social, they're just being good DISers!

Who knew?

Now aren't you are glad you have a spare carton!

I don't have a spare carton anymore... just a carton.
And I'm hoarding that puppy!

You'll never know how tough it's been, sharing with the rest of the family.

They should be mine! All mine!!!

DD did pretty well with her first cookie sales, remember we live in the country....she/we sold 100 boxes.

100 boxes? That sounds pretty good to me!

I remember having to sell stuff when I was in school. I'd be lucky to sell twenty chocolate bars, or whatever.

 

[Thumper_Man's Wife]

Sooo.... You're saying you're greedy, there, right?
Not even going to share with Mrs. T.

We opened a package of Thanks-a-lot and there's a bit of a problem.
Within seconds, most of them had evaporated or something.

All I know is that they were there for a second, but now they're gone.

Nope. He does not share with Mrs. T. Mrs. T has to order her own cookies. While T_Man has his Do-Si-Doh's all to himself. I have my Dulce de Leche, all to myself. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it) I still have 2 boxes in the pantry because I am trying desperately to be good on this diet of mine.

However, I still have some thin mints in the freezer from last year that I may have to put out of their misery and use for my next batch of homemade ice cream.

 

[pkondz]

However, I still have some thin mints in the freezer from last year that I may have to put out of their misery and use for my next batch of homemade ice cream.

That's a good idea.
Unfortunately, these cookies are far to rare for me to risk any on a recipe.
Even though I think they'd be great in ice cream.

 

[pkondz]

So what do you want first?
The good news? Or the bad news?

The good news is Elle's team qualified for Niagara Falls.

The bad news...

After crunching some numbers, it looks like we'll probably be flying.
Which means no meets with Nebo & Smidgy in Chi town and no meet with OC2 in Cleveland.

Of course, if anyone wants to come up to Niagara Falls...

 

[lisaviolet]

Of course, if anyone wants to come up to Niagara Falls...

Hey! Or down - or a bit down and sideways!

Yeah for her. That's exciting. I call it Looneytown. Everything is nuts. The throng of tourists. The fact that sometimes it can be a good 10 degrees warmer despite being a mere 90 minutes from my door. THE PRICE of everything. Boo! That all of us keep paying.

You know what one of my favourite things to do in Niagara Falls is? Besides eating at the Indian restaurant behind the Burger King? Guess. No forget it, you would never get it.

 

[pkondz]

Hey! Or down - or a bit down and sideways!

So you're coming then?

You know what one of my favourite things to do in Niagara Falls is? Besides eating at the Indian restaurant behind the Burger King? Guess. No forget it, you would never get it.

Inserting yourself into a barrel and rolling into the river slightly upstream of a rather steep, wet, precipice?

 

[lisaviolet]

Inserting yourself into a barrel and rolling into the river slightly upstream of a rather steep, wet, precipice?

OMG. Yes, that's it! Every single year I come out totally unscathed.

 

[pkondz]

OMG. Yes, that's it! Every single year I come out totally unscathed.

Thought so.

 

[Queenofallthings]

so happy for Elle and her team! ... and Niagara Falls, don't think it gets better than that!

 

[pkondz]

so happy for Elle and her team! ... and Niagara Falls, don't think it gets better than that!

Thanks Jacquie! I'll pass that along to her!

 

[lisaviolet]

Thought so.

Okay, so you know that walkway along the Falls. When it's really busy, it's quite fun to start with another person and race by meandering in and out of the crowds, always looking for the best path forward without taking out an entire group of Japanese tourists. Without being too obnoxious and bothersome of course. It's a city girl skill. I use it in NYC too. Kind of like pretending I'm a race car.

Oh Niagara Falls. Wonder what it costs to get your clothes laundered there?

 

[lisaviolet]

So I don't know if this is good news, or bad news.
This was supposed to be the last chapter... but it just got too darn big!
So I've broken it up into two uneven chunks...

Without further ado...


Is my Lightsaber allowed in my carry on?

After dining on Chinese pizza and enjoying the novelty of lying prone all day, it was time to call it a night.

]I guess so! ------- By the way I've obviously lost my mind here. I can't remember how to format a simple reply/quote. Something is amiss. Obviously some vital neurons.

-----------------------------------------------------------

The next morning took a loooong time to show up.

Every few minutes, I would have to shift or move and someone would stab me in the back with a pin.
I suspect it was Ruby.

I pushed some buttons and fired those neurons up. Well at least I *think* I did. EDIT: Uh oh! They're not working up to par here. Something is very wrong with my brain.

What was I going to say? Oh, how awful. What an awful night that must have been. But you must have been very grateful for that shot, eh?

Eventually, though, it was time to get up.
Or at least make an attempt to get up.

Using the same technique as from the previous evening, I managed to stand up again.

I knew, I knew that once I was up, I'd be able to walk.
And I could.
As long as I kept my stride to about six inches.

Oh no. Oh no! But hey you're standing and moving.


Would you believe that my next stumbling block was getting dressed?
Oh, brother. The things you take for granted.
I managed most of it, but Ruby had to put my shoes and socks on for me.
I thanked her for not doing it in that order.

That's so silly, it's cute.

I can't take credit for that one.
I've heard the "Easy peasy lemon squeezy" so often from you people.
(You know who you are.)
But about a month or two ago, I mumbled, "Easy peasy."
And Kay quickly responded with, "Chicken queasy" and I knew I had to use it.

And you stored it?

We go to check out and cringe as we check to see how much our long distance calls have cost us.

Significantly less than doing laundry in Cologne.
I think it was only something like two or three Euros.

Come on! It wasn't THAT bad.

The alley was fairly long.... actually, maybe it was short and I was just fairly slow.

Perfect.

Doesn't that sound cool?
Taxi driver... cast off.
Love it.

It does!

And it seems like about two years since Germany. The breakfast, oh the breakfast, it seems like a lifetime ago. Insert sad face, this TR is almost over. Boo!

Boy there are a lot of thoughts in there.

I guess they're smiling and content remembering their favourite day! Oh no.

We sit back and relax for the ride over to the airport.
Wanna see?

Of course!

Click the picture for video.

Loved.

Arriving at the Venice airport docks, we immediately spot some baggage carts that had split off from the herd.
Improvising a lasso from a lock of her hair, Elle quickly corrals one.


While all this is going on, I manage to exit the boat without dying.
(With the help, once again, of our very nice taxi driver.)


.

Yeah. Fine work.

 

[lisaviolet]

That's so kind of you to say! That does it, I am seriously contemplating moving to Canada......if I can bring 60-80 degree temps with me.
[/COLOR][/B]

Well it was very sweet of you.

And it would be very sweet of you to bring 60-80 degrees with you as soon as you can.

These last two winters have been crazy strange. Downtown Toronto rarely even gets any snow - just a snow line deal. And we usually hover around 26-36 F most winter days. No huge deal. I wear clogs without socks most days. Rarely that Winterpeg like. But these last two winters!!! So strange and awful.

The summers here are mostly hot and humid. We had a 100 degree day last summer. I wish every summer night was hot though. You simply can't rely on that. That's one thing I love about WDW in the summer. The nights! Okay, I'm a ramblin'.

If you can bring it with you, then you have to move up here!
Specifically my neck of the woods.
LisaV lives in the deep south. We need it more than she does.


.[/B][/COLOR]

Hey! HEY!!!! HEY!!!!

Yeah, I live in the deep south. Where Jamaican talking mayors smoke crack and think it's just a mere character flaw. I live in the fish tail that deceptively lies south of a few - and parts of quite a few - US states.

 

[pkondz]

Okay, so you know that walkway along the Falls. When it's really busy, it's quite fun to start with another person and race by meandering in and out of the crowds, always looking for the best path forward without taking out an entire group of Japanese tourists. Without being too obnoxious and bothersome of course. It's a city girl skill. I use it in NYC too. Kind of like pretending I'm a race car.

I just might have to try that!

Oh Niagara Falls. Wonder what it costs to get your clothes laundered there?

It's free.
Place clothes in river, upstream of falls.
Pick up remnants of clothes downstream of falls.

Nice and tumbled clean!

Something is amiss. Obviously some vital neurons.

I think you mentioned earlier that you were neuronic.

But you must have been very grateful for that shot, eh?

Honestly I have no idea if it did anything or not.

Oh no! But hey you're standing and moving.

You have no idea, how relieved I was!

And you stored it?

But of course. How could I deprive my legion of fans.
And when I say "legion", I mean two or three.

And it seems like about two years since Germany. The breakfast, oh the breakfast, it seems like a lifetime ago. Insert sad face, this TR is almost over. Boo!

I'm pretty sure this TR has been going on for at least two years... right?

I guess they're smiling and content remembering their favourite day!

Yes. Horrible, horrible little wretches.

Yeah, I live in the deep south. Where Jamaican talking mayors smoke crack and think it's just a mere character flaw. I live in the fish tail that deceptively lies south of a few - and parts of quite a few - US states.

See? She admits it! Bring your warm weather over here where it'll be appreciated!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

I can almost feel your pain as you describe just getting up to stand and getting into the taxi. You were a trooper. Or a Mountie, I don't know. if this translates to Canada Speak.

I'm glad you got a wheelchair for the airport. It does make things easier if you can't move at a regular pace, but if you need to get off the plane, forget it. We have been through this with Jim's mom before. How is your back now? I hope you are doing okay.