"Double Dip Delight" 09.27.2008 - Take 3!

[LuvtheEars]

Julie - I'm glad to hear Alex is doing better! I hope everything goes well on Friday and he continues to mend!

Uggg! I'm up because I can't sleep knowing all the things I have to do in the next 3 weeks and Hanna possibly throwing a kink in my plans! I was joking with Doug today that if the power goes out for an extended period of time we can always park the gererator outside my sewing room window and run a drop cord to my machines.

Honestly though, this is the least of my worries! We have not had a big storm through this area in years and I think there will be a lot of trees down and the power will be out for a while. We are doing what we need to do to prepare, water, batteries, food, etc. and cleaning up the yard, but I'm just worried. We are not concerned about flooding, just high wind. We live in a wooded area.

I know the track changes and predictions can be wrong, so let's hope this one is wrong and just goes out to sea and doesn't bother anyone. Grady told me today that he never wants to be in a hurricane. . . What do you say to that?

The interesting thing is the last Big Storm was Hurricane Fran that hit on September 5, 1996. Hanna is predicted to make landfall on Friday September 5.

Thank's for letting me vent! Perhaps I'll try to get back to sleep now.

Tiffany

 

[TVEPFOX]

From the Associated Press...Hanna expected to move over the Bahamas
SAINT-MARC, Haiti (AP) - A day after sending Haitian families
scrambling onto rooftops to avoid flooding, Tropical Storm Hanna
was expected to begin moving over the Bahamas on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Hanna added to the misery in Haiti, a country still
recovering from drenchings by Hurricane Gustav and Tropical Storm
Fay in the past two weeks.
In all, floods and mudslides from the three storms have killed
more than 100 people as Haiti's deforested hills melted away in
torrential rains.
Families screamed for help from rooftops Tuesday in a flooded
city as U.N. peacekeepers and rescue convoys tried in vain to reach
them.
By Tuesday night, Hanna claimed 21 lives in Haiti, including 12
dead in the state containing the cutoff city of Gonaives, said
Marie Alta Jean-Baptiste of the country's civil protection office
in Port-au-Prince, the capital.
Iris Norsil, 20, managed to flee Gonaives on Haiti's western
shore and told The Associated Press people there were isolated by
muddy floodwaters as evening fell, seeking refuge on rooftops as
wind gusts drove horizontal sheets of rain.
"They are screaming for help," Norsil said as a U.N. aid
convoy tried unsuccessfully to drive into Gonaives, now surrounded
by a virtual lake of floodwaters. A team of AP journalists
accompanied the convoy.
Another convoy carrying Prime Minister Michele Pierre-Louis had
to abandon efforts at getting into Gonaives when one of the cars
was nearly swept away, said Julian Frantz, a Haitian police officer
who was providing security for the group.
Floodwaters rose rapidly outside Gonaives, where Norsil and
scores of other residents who abandoned the low-lying city shivered
violently in soaked clothing, nervously eying the rushing,
debris-clogged waters.
"The situation is as bad as it can be," said Vadre Louis, a
U.N. official in Gonaives. "The wind is ripping up trees. Houses
are flooded with water. Cars can't drive on the street. You can't
rescue anyone, wherever they may be."
Those who could move clutched mattresses, chairs and other
belongings as they slogged through waist-high floodwaters.
At 2 a.m. EDT Wednesday, Hanna's maximum sustained winds were 65
mph (100 kph), but the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said
it could regain hurricane strength and turn toward the east coast
of Florida, Georgia or South Carolina in the next few days.
The storm was drifting southward toward northern Haiti, early
Wednesday. But forecasters expected Hanna to turn north or
northwest later in the day and begin moving across the Bahamas.
In Puerto Rico, flooding was blamed for the drowning death of a
Colombian university student in a raging river. The man's Brazilian
friend was missing despite a desperate search in the water.
Swirling slowly through the southern Bahamas on Tuesday, Hanna
lingered over the island of Great Inagua for hours, toppling power
lines but otherwise doing little damage. There were reports of
heavy winds stripping shingles from roofs and knocking down trees,
but no injuries, said Chrystal Glinton, a spokeswoman for the
Bahamas' National Emergency Management Agency.
"Everyone is alive and well," Glinton said. "The damages have
been minimal."
The same could not be said for Haiti, a country particularly
vulnerable to devastating floods because of its steep terrain and
hills that have been deforested for agriculture and by peasants who
burn trees for charcoal.
In the fertile Artibonite Valley, rice fields were flooded and
farm animals huddled on small plots of dry land. In the village of
L'Ester, Wilson Elie, a local official, said rain had overwhelmed
his community and he pleaded for government help.
"The people cannot live in water," Elie said.
Tropical storm winds extended out 230 miles (370 kilometers)
from Hanna's center.
Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Ike was cruising westward across the
Atlantic with top winds of 65 mph (100 kph), projected to near the
Bahamas by Sunday as a hurricane. Just behind it was Tropical Storm
Josephine, with top winds of about 50 mph (85 kph), and forecasters
said it could near hurricane force by Wednesday or Thursday.
And in the Pacific, Tropical Storm Karina formed south of
Mexico's Baja California Peninsula, on a path leading out to sea.
It weakened to a tropical depression Tuesday night.



Latest info on Hanna from the NOAA

Latest Tropical Overview

 

[TVEPFOX]

News on Hanna... she's not looking too organized. If she doesn't get her act together (keep your fingers crossed) Castaway Cay could be spared.

 

[pfishgirl]

Wow, Great Map, Thank You

DH says, he believes... Castaway is at the 2am Friday "H" mark..

Anyone know for sure?

 

[TVEPFOX]

Wow, Great Map, Thank You

DH says, he believes... Castaway is at the 2am Friday "H" mark..

Anyone know for sure?

Yes, CC is at the 2am Friday mark.

Here's another cool site to track the ships and CC.

http://www.sailwx.info/

go to ship tracker, pull down cruise ship tracker and scroll down to Disney Magic and click. She's near CC right now, remember CC is Gorda Cay on the maps.

 

[ilovemangoes]

I just wanted to say thanks for all of the hurricane updates. Great info!!

Trav

 

[Magic3forme]

TVepfox: thanks for all the updates! Our own mini celebrity.

Hadley: I was wondering how you pronounce your daughters name?

 

[TVEPFOX]

Port News... Issued Tuesday at 4:00 pm

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The captain of the port for Port Canveral, Fla., Fernandina Beach, Fla., Jacksonville, Fla., Savannah, Ga., and Brunswick, Ga., has established port readiness condition WHISKEY due to the potential impacts from Tropical Storm Hanna.

The ports are open to all commercial traffic and transfer operations may continue during this port condition. Threatening winds in excess of 39 mph from Tropical Storm Hanna are possible along the coast of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina within 72 hours.

All oceangoing commercial vessels and oceangoing barges greater than 500 gross tons should make plans for departing the port. Vessels desiring to remain in port must immediately contact the captain of the port to receive permission to do so and are required to submit a safe mooring plan in writing. Vessels bound for this port, which are unable to depart 24 hours prior to threatening winds making landfall, are advised to seek an alternate destination.

 

[rkandmjsmommy]

Do you remember that Staples commercial? The one where the dad is singing this song thruout the school supply isle? My kids start school today FINALLY!

ITs been a long summer and this is the first time in almost 10 years I will have the WHOLE day to myself, first stop GYM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TVEPFOX: thanks for the updates, I really hope our cruise is OK!

glad alex is feeling better

Luvetheears: Hope all is Ok with your family

 

[nenner1]

so I asked her what exactly it was. It turned out to be a taxadermied snake!

No WAY I missed out on the stuffed snake story. My dad had one of those, a cobra...sounds just like the one you saw, forever frozen in the same position. He thought it was just the coolest thing. I used to play with it when I was like, 8 or 9. He kept it in the corner of the living room. I think calling his choice of decor eclectic is giving him the benefit of the doubt....but thanks for the blast from the past and a big laugh, Amy!

(Everyone keeps thanking me for all my work in coordinating and designing and printing and ordering...and Hadley for all her legwork compiling lists and everything....but Jason deserves a big round of applause because I made him do the REALLY hard work....I printed the name badges three to a sheet and I made him sit and cut out all 300 of them so we could stuff them into their individual badge holders!).

Wow. Just....Wow. Jason, thank you for your hard work!! 300???
I know your hands are cramped!

Our door magnets are quite fun...everyone will have to stop by our room daily to see! You scrappers will like many of ours because we tend not to just print something out of the computer...we actually arts and craft constructed most of our magnets using actual photos, scrapbooking paper, Disney decals, etc. We have a good 8 or 10 general magnets (including our official "disney fairies" magnet ) and then one themed for each day!

You guys aren't far from us...we'll be stopping by to see the magnets. I love checking out all the original magnet designs. I made Brendan a special Hidden Mickey design for his birthday. I was pulling my hair out making just that one. I'm thinking all future magnets will be *much* simpler designs.

Erica -- put your picture back, I hardly recognized you.

I knew something wasn't quite right, but I couldn't put my finger on it.

Uggg! I'm up because I can't sleep knowing all the things I have to do in the next 3 weeks and Hanna possibly throwing a kink in my plans!

Hopefully Hanna does not make it up to you...even if she does, I think her strenth will be diminished greatly.

TVEPFOX: thanks for the updates, I really hope our cruise is OK!

Yep. I second that. I appreciate the one-stop-shopping. Now I no longer have to navigate over to the NOAA site!

I had a crappy night at work and the only way I kept my big mouth shut was by thinking to myself...24 more days...JUST 24 MORE DAYS!

 

[TheDisneyGirl02]

NKOTB was also on the VIEW this morning. There was a short interview and two songs. (Amy I saved it in case you want to see that section when you are back down).

Thank you for saving it!!!! I'll have go and buy their CD! LOL!!!! Dave will be thrilled!

I will also have to remember to set the DVR for Thursday for 90210! Nat from the Peach Pit was on the radio this morning...it's neat that he's back for the next chapter in the series!

 

[Belle1997]

Hi all thought I better pop in and say hello as I have been missing for a long while. Yesterday we got our cruise documents I really hope castaway key is not affected we already not going to Costa Mya. Lets keep our fingers crossed

 

[FatCat]

So I did not have any mayo yesterday.

So I drank two beers.


MGD L's 64 calories




So what is the average calorie intake per day on the cruise?
I gotta guess I average 5000 at least

 

[TheDisneyGirl02]

I had a crappy night at work and the only way I kept my big mouth shut was by thinking to myself...24 more days...JUST 24 MORE DAYS!

OMG! I'm having a crazy day at work!!!!! I need to keep thinking only 12 more work days, 12 more work days!!!!!

 

[TVEPFOX]

Reading the new boards I see there's a new CC gift. Take a look... nice bag, water bottles, photo box (not sure about that) etc...

Not much new on the Tropical Update... Hanna is slowing down over Haiti.

 

[TVEPFOX]

From the Associated Press 11:47 am

AP-Tropical Weather (Tops)
Hanna prowls through the Caribbean


MIAMI (AP) - Tropical Storm Hanna is getting bigger, although
not necessarily badder.
The National Hurricane Center says the storm is packing maximum
sustained winds near 60 miles per hour. While little change is
expected today, forecasters say Hanna could regain hurricane
strength tomorrow or Friday.
However, Hanna is getting larger, with tropical storm force
winds extending outward up to 290 miles.
A hurricane warning is in effect for the central and
southeastern Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos (KAY'-kohs) islands.
Earlier today, Hanna drenched Haiti, which already had lost more
than 100 lives to mudslides and flooding since mid-August.
Forecasters expect the storm will start climbing along the U.S.
coastline by the weekend.

 

[TVEPFOX]

From the Associated Press 11:47 am

AP-Tropical Weather (Tops)
Hanna prowls through the Caribbean


MIAMI (AP) - Tropical Storm Hanna is getting bigger, although
not necessarily badder.
The National Hurricane Center says the storm is packing maximum
sustained winds near 60 miles per hour. While little change is
expected today, forecasters say Hanna could regain hurricane
strength tomorrow or Friday.
However, Hanna is getting larger, with tropical storm force
winds extending outward up to 290 miles.
A hurricane warning is in effect for the central and
southeastern Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos (KAY'-kohs) islands.
Earlier today, Hanna drenched Haiti, which already had lost more
than 100 lives to mudslides and flooding since mid-August.
Forecasters expect the storm will start climbing along the U.S.
coastline by the weekend.

 

[Buckeye Gal]

I'm an '80's kid, so perhaps that's why I quit watching 90210 before the series ended. So....thanks for explaining how Kelly's sister Silver came into the picture! It did sound vaguely familiar once I read that.

So I did not have any mayo yesterday....

I made a bleu cheesburger for dinner last night. I thought of you, Chris, when I put a thin layer of real mayo on my bread!

...Hey all you other 90's kids, you know the NKOTB cd came out today right....

I bet some of you are setting your DVRs for the Today show tomorrow morning, too.

Do you remember that Staples commercial? The one where the dad is singing this song thruout the school supply isle? My kids start school today FINALLY!

ITs been a long summer and this is the first time in almost 10 years I will have the WHOLE day to myself, first stop GYM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!....

I LOVE that commerical. Brilliant! Congrats on the newly found freedom!

Hi all thought I better pop in and say hello as I have been missing for a long while.....

Glad to see you back with us!! If you haven't already, check out Post #1 to get you current.

Post #1.....that leads me to letting you all know I'm watching as Page 250 is in our future in less than a week. I have the code all saved and ready to put in Chapter 4, Post #1. I'll start it before we get to 250, but I'll certainly let you all know.

 

[ntheory]

Kimberly, Val, and anyone else that's curious - I just finished updating my blog with the invitations! Let me know what you think.

 

[MagicMe]

Hey just saw this out on the main DCL forum and thought I would borrow it:

""CELEBRATION, Fla. – An exciting collection of enhancements awaits the Disney Magic as the ship heads into dry dock Sept. 6-24, 2008. The 2,700 passenger cruise ship will undergo a series of upgrades for guests of all ages.

Here is a glimpse at what’s in store:


Indulgence and Relaxation
Quiet Cove, the serene pool retreat reserved for the enjoyment of adults, will undergo a makeover including upgrades to Cove Café, the pool and the deck area. Cove Café, the ship’s sophisticated coffee lounge, will incorporate a new seating area with plush, comfortable chairs providing the perfect venue to relax while sipping a cup of gourmet coffee. Meanwhile, the adult pool will be outfitted with soothing, cascading waterfalls from the two hot tubs. Teak deck and lounge chairs with plush cushions will line the pool, creating an inviting, stylish ambiance in line with the Vista Spa and Salon.

Fun for the Little Ones
The Oceaneer Club, a Neverland-themed play space for 3-7 year olds, and the Oceaneer Lab, a whacky and interactive laboratory exclusively for 8-12 year olds, will be enhanced with new registration areas that make the check-in process more efficient and hassle-free. This sets the stage for incorporating Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology in the youth activity areas later this year, which will further enhance and streamline the check-in process. The technology uses RFID tags embedded on wristbands, allowing children to simply tap a sensor to check in and out of the clubs.
Even the youngest cruisers will have a splashtacular time in “Mickey’s Splash Zone,” a new toddler water playground inspired by Fantasia’s Sorcerer’s Apprentice. This 385-square-foot extension to the Mickey Pool on deck 9 will feature star- and moon-shaped interactive fountains, a soft play surface and whimsical splash zones; creating an inviting environment for children not yet toilet trained and in swim diapers.

New Conveniences
The guest staterooms onboard the Disney Magic are receiving an infusion of technology with the installation of flat-screen LCD television sets. The new 22-inch units will be mounted on a swivel arm to allow easy viewing from multiple locations within the stateroom.""


Most everthing is what was expected but nice to see they're installing the flat screen TV's. No mention of AP.