Cruise 10/11/2003 Part 2

[Twinave]

Hi Everyone,
OK, now we have 30 people signed up for Brunch at Palo's.
Nancy, I'm a diet pepsi fan as well. But since Disney is Coke country I guess I'll have to put up with the diet coke. Last year we brought a 12 pack of diet pepsi on board. I was walking on deck and I heard a lady say " look she has a pepsi!!!" LOL
By the way Nancy, I had my mamogram on Friday. I was a few months late getting it, but glad to have it done and over with.
Tina, does the amount of people in a scavanger hunt effect the prises awarded at the end? Just wondering.


Loving my weekend off.....got to go FINISH the laundry.
Later, Ave'

 

[Viking]

Originally posted by Hopkins
Eric,
I meant people with kids in general probably have an edge because they think differently. The way I wrote it above, it looks like you guys have the kids. I'm 40 and think like a kid, so look out! ...and write like one, too. LOL.
Tina

OkieDokie, Tina.

BTW,
Anja always says it would be tough for me if we had kids, because I would have to share my Nintendo then - Or my collection of Lego Technic

 

[cdnmickeylover]

Count me in as another diet Pepsi fan. Will have to bring some with us because although I'll drink diet Coke and I really do prefer diet Pepsi. Ironically I prefer regular Coke over regular Pepsi but since I can now only drink diet pops I've switched brands. DS hates the fact that most of the time there's only diet pop in the house -- he likes Barq's the regular kind.

Saw the Matrix Reloaded this afternoon with DS -- it was ok. There's definately a sequel though -- it ends with "to be concluded". Guess we'll have to wait til November to see what happens. Lots of fights scenes -- in my opinion too many but the visual effects are good. Saw a preview for Legally Blonde 2 and it looks funny.

Do they play commercials before the movies in the States/Germany. The movie was scheduled at 12:30pm but didn't start til 12:50pm -- they showed ads and then previews. I don't mind the previews but the ads are a pain. It's just a new thing here so wondered if they do the same thing elsewhere.

Fiona

 

[Viking]

Originally posted by cdnmickeylover
Saw the Matrix Reloaded this afternoon with DS -- it was ok. There's definately a sequel though -- it ends with "to be concluded". Guess we'll have to wait til November to see what happens. Lots of fights scenes -- in my opinion too many but the visual effects are good. Saw a preview for Legally Blonde 2 and it looks funny.

Do they play commercials before the movies in the States/Germany. The movie was scheduled at 12:30pm but didn't start til 12:50pm -- they showed ads and then previews. I don't mind the previews but the ads are a pain. It's just a new thing here so wondered if they do the same thing elsewhere.

Fiona

PAGE 2!!!!!!!!!

Fiona,
I want to see Matrix Reloaded, too. It starts on Thursday in Germany. Due to all the "Rippers", who place films taped in American cinemas on the web for download, the time gap between release in english and German has become much shorter.
Yes,
we also have lots of commercials before the movies. I saw X-men 2 two weeks ago. The movie was scheduled to start at 7:45pm and didn't start before 8:20pm. They usually have commercials for tobacco, booze, cars, for small local businesses and a couple of trailers for about 25 minutes, then there is ashort break of about 5 minutes for the icecream-vendors, then another 1 or two trailers and then it's showtime. But I guess the tickets would be even more expensive without the advertisment, so I can live with it. Tickets are about Euro 7 to 9 for major movies during the weekend, but you can see them for about Euro 5 from Monday to Wednesday or even for as low as Euro 4 on Sunday morning.
But together with some popcorn, a beer or a Coke, the parking fee and the tickets yoy usually end up with a bill of 20 to 30 Euros for two people. So we often wait for the DVD, which usually cost between 20 and 25 Euros.

 

[Viking]

Happy Victoria Day to you, Fiona!!
Just saw it on my desk calendar, but don't have a clue what you are celebrating - I assume it is Queen Victoria or the province victoria

 

[CWD]

My Wife and I would like to be added to the Brunch as well.

Thanks,
Chris

 

[cdnmickeylover]

Eric -- Wow you have to wait even longer for the movie to start than we do. It varies somewhat between theatre chains but it's usually at least 15-20 of commercials and previews. The cost varies too -- we have a couple of value theatres that cost around $7. Matinees are cheaper at around $10 but if you want to go to a movie at night it's $13.50 and popcorn with a drink is about $11.50. We too sometimes just wait for the DVD and figure that even if we don't like the movie we've paid about the same as it would cost to see it in the theatre.

Victoria Day is for Queen Victoria although now it's just really a long weekend in May. Because of civic holidays we actually get a long weekend once a month throughout the summer. It doesn't work out this year though because July 1st (Canada Day) is a Tuesday and we don't get the Monday (June 30th) off. Can't take it off either although I'm sure that a lot of people will. I can't take it off because it's the busiest real estate day in the year. Traditionally it's the day that the most people buy or sell a house. Means that we are really busy which sucks this year since it's a Monday and Tuesday is a holiday but oh well things happen.

We have a civic holiday the first Monday in August to make a long weekend and then there's Labour Day in September -- the first Monday in September.

Actually I think most of our holidays are Mondays because Thanksgiving is a Monday too -- it will be the Monday of the cruise.

Lots of yard work done and still lots to do. The weather has been really nice though.

Off to the outside and more pruning.

Fiona

 

[@GoofyNut]

Why are weekends so short and workdays sooooooooooooooo long?

At least the weather was nice enough for us to get the game in Friday night and Art got his fireworks (they are amazing).
I went to the close-out souvenior shop and OMG they had a GOOFY BOBBLEHEAD in a PHILLIES UNIFORM. I was like a kid in a candy store, especially since it was only $10 and it's really large at about 8 inches high. So if anyone loves Goofy like me and the Phillies .. let me know if you want a BobbleHead and I can pick it up for you.

Rest of the weekend, I did a lot of yard work. Last weekend we re-did all of the shrubs in the front of the house, so then this weekend I moved some perennials around.Today, shoot me cause I'm really tired and sore.

Eric ... give us the details of Opa's birthday party.

Mike & Kathy ... Hope you guys are feeling better and how was the birthday party for Katie? Did she get cake all over herself?
I can't believe she is one ... seems like just last month we were agonizing over her birth and being a premie.

Looks like we are taking over Palo's Brunch again.

Gotta get back to work .... D#*^ It!

Cathy with @ C

 

[Viking]

OK Folks,
here are some details of Opa's birthday:
We met at noon in a specialty restaurant (For those who want to have a closer look at it: Schuch's Restaurant ), which specializes in Apple Cuisine. The cook is our state's best. This means that many dishes or drinks have apples in it. We were greeted with Apple Champagne flavoured with quince or elder.
For starters we had a chicken soup, then a wonderful salad with caramelised walnuts. After the salad we had a choice of three entrees (Poultry, Fish or Calf) and finally we had "Variations of Strawberry", a delicious dessert consisting of strawberries served in 5 different kinds.
Between the different dishes my cousins and I distributed a questionnaire with 20 questions about Opa's life. The guests all had to answer the questions to get two passwords for the final lottery. Additionally they had to write down how to spend a beautiful day with Opa. We were 36 people from the age of 3 up to 95. Opa's brother-in-law, aged 93, even came with his own BMW 330i. He used to have a health clinic & spa until he retired 10 years ago and is fit like a 70year-old.
After the dessert we collected all the questionaires and drew 3 winners. #2 & 3 received small bottles of champagne, #1 a large one. Additionally they "won" their idea for a day with Opa One of his nieces will do a riverboat shuffle on the river Main with him, another niece will do the same on the Rhine and his grandnephew, who breeds Friesian Horses, will make a carriage-ride with him.
And then we presented him with the big surprise: I had bough a 1 foot-model-helicopter as a voucher for a heli-ride around Frankfurt's Skyline. A couple of years ago Opa stated that he would like to fly with the Ju 52, a vintage aircraft from the early 1930ies which can be chartered for scenic flights. But as the airframe is very small and confined and Opa isn't what you would call "agile" anymore , we chartered a Bell Jet Ranger, a 5-seated heli. You can enter it as easy as an SUV or a large van and you see even better. My two cousins and Anja will accompany him on the flight, which will take place next sunday.
Around 5 pm -after some coffee/espresso/cappuccino- we all went home. With all the old folks it was better to celebrate that early
But nevertheless it was a wonderful day and Opa really enjoyed it.
Anja & I had Anja's parents as sleep-ins with us. They are enthusiastic hikers and spent their vacation about 200 miles north from us in the Harz Mountain Range. They dropped by at our place 2 hours before the party. We spent a nice evening at our place, talking, drinking and watching a box-fight on TV. The next day they returned to Kiel, about 389 miles due north - And we went to the gym to work off all that excess food

 

[@GoofyNut]

OK Eric ... now I'm drooling over all the neat food you guys had.
So nice Gramps had a good time with all his family.

 

[RellingTwin]

Eric, the party sounds wonderful!

Cathy, congrats on your bobblehead. Don't you just love it when the things you would buy anyway are on SALE!!

Chris..welcome to the Brunch.

 

[cdnmickeylover]

Eric -- All that food sounds so good!!

Cathy -- Great about the bobblehead. I was actually able to get a Mickey bobblehead in a Blue Jays uniform. It's really cute. There was a web site mentioned on the packaging and supposedly there is Mickey, Goofy and Donald in each of the major league uniforms. All I've seen so far is Mickey but I look every game we go too. The weather sounded yucky. Toronto now has the Skydome so we don't have to worry so much about the weather because if it's bad they don't open the roof. So far they haven't opened the roof at all but I'm hopeful. It's much nicer with the roof open. Been to lots of games in cold yuck weather though so can sympathize. Most of Chris' soccer games seemed to be on the coldest days and that was during summer!!

Jim and I are exhausted from our weekend of pruning. We are making progress though. We are basically taking all the trees and bushes out and starting over since the trees and bushes have just gotten so big over the years. We want something smaller and more flowers. We went looking for stones to make flower beds and they are nice but expensive when you start adding up the number that you need. We are starting to think this is an all summer job but at least it will be outdoors. Of course the indoors isn't looking so great at the moment but there's only so much time in a day and more importantly energy in the body.

Hope everyone is well and feeling better.

Fiona

 

[papa]

Good evening all. Hope that everyone is doing well.

Kathy's leg is doing much better. We had Katie's early birthday party last night. She had her first oreo cookie and her face was a chocolate mess.

Looking forward to the cruise. Mike

 

[padisneyfan]

Cathy & Fionna--- I just saw the Mickey bobblehead in an Orioles uniform on Sat night at the game. However, they were selling them for $22. My Brian really likes Goofey so will ask him if he would like the Phillie one.

Less than 48 hours till I leave and so much to do. I am nearly packed, but tonight was a washout as far as doing anything. Just paid bills and got the passports out. The weather doesn't look good for the Carribean for the next few days. I wonder how far I have to travel to get away from the rain.

Nancy

 

[padisneyfan]

Hi Mike

Glad Kathy's leg is better and Katie's birthday was fun.

Eric--- Your birthday party looked like a great success. I remember how special my Granny's 90th Birthday party was.

Nancy

 

[RellingTwin]

What cute pictures!! Thanks for sharing Mike.

 

[Hopkins]

Nancy,

My sister and I will be on Royal Caribbean's Adventure of the Seas the same time you'll be on Carnival's Pride. I wonder if we'll be at any ports at the same time?

Sun (May 25) - San Juan
Mon - St. Thomas
Tues - St. Marteen
Wed - Antigua
Thurs - St. Lucia
Fri - Barbados
Sat - Sea
Sun - San Juan

This is the first time cruising on another cruise line, so I'm curious to see what the experience is like. The Adventure of the Seas is a "Voyager Class" cruise ship. so like the Voyager of the Seas (sister ship) it's the largest ship afloat. They have the rock wall, ice skating rink, in-line skating, mini-golf, golf-simulator,... . I'll probably miss the Mouse!

Tina

 

[@GoofyNut]

Tina ... You have to give us a report on the Adventure of the sea and the ice skating, etc.

Tine & Nancy ................. You guys are killing me knowing you will be afloat so soon and I'll still be trying to decide about getting out the summer clothes! HAVE SAFE TRIPS!

Nice tohear Kathy's leg is getting better. Seems Mike and I were playing telephone tag yesterday.

Just got a Nikon - Coolpix 3200 digital camera. I wanted something point and shoot but with other features for when I get better at it. Sure I get the Camera Saturday and Sunday's newspaper they have a 256 smart card for what I just paid for a 128. That's my luck....Art said I should just get the 256 one too and then you'll have lots of room for your pictures. As I get into things, I may have some ?'s for your Digital Guru's!

Great ... here comes the long weekend and it's supposed to be yucky and rainy. Maybe I'll put a dent in making the name tags for the people on Erick's current listing.

Gotta Run .......... Jag & NYPD Blue is supposed to have their season enders tonite!

Cathy with @ C

 

[CWD]

Bump

 

[padisneyfan]

Tina,

We are doing a Western Carribean. I thought at least with going there 2x that maybe we will make it at least one of the two.

Sat Port Canaveral
Sun Key West
Mon @ sea
Tues Cozumel
Wed Belize
Thur Progresso/Merida
Fri @ sea
Sat Port Canaveral

You are doing more Southern which you can when leaving from San Juan. Let me know how you like the RCI Adventure of the Sea. That is one of their Voyager class ships and the new Mariner of the Seas will be coming to Port Canaveral in NOv.

Are you flying out of BWI to San Juan?

Cathy--- Congratulations on the digital camera. I am still looking at them. So maybe by Oct will have one.

Busy day at work. I just found out today, I am being evicted from my office tomorrow. So my last day at work will be a moving day.

Nancy