EWP group?

[IASW Rider]

Here is where our cats like to sleep:

Shirley likes to sleep in a bed (this is actually one of the beds which we no longer have......because The Big Ragoo destroyed it with his "passion"! ):

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/lisaruthb6/detail?.dir=8fc6&.dnm=0dc9.jpg&.src=ph

Tasha likes to "go into outer space" in her "space ship":

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/lisaruthb3/detail?.dir=5865&.dnm=36db.jpg&.src=ph

Ashley spends all day sleeping on "her" rocking chair, with her "pet" spiders:

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/lisaruthb6/detail?.dir=8fc6&.dnm=acd8.jpg&.src=ph

The Big Ragoo likes to nap UNDER the towels that we put on the furniture to protect the couches and chairs from cat hair (but we take them away when we have guests, of course!):


http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/lisaruthb6/detail?.dir=8fc6&.dnm=74a4.jpg&.src=ph

Boo Boo Kitty prefers the top "shelf" of the "cat tree":

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/lisaruthb6/detail?.dir=8fc6&.dnm=ed9c.jpg&.src=ph

But Ashley and Tasha's favorite place to sleep is.......on Daddy's lap!

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/lisaruthb6/detail?.dir=8fc6&.dnm=4575.jpg&.src=ph

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Gosh, I sure have a lot of catching up to do. I have not been getting notices otherwise I would surely have been here before, this is my favorite place. LOL

Rider, I am sure that you survived and surmounted the algebra test. Glad to see that you spell Chanukah with a C. I got heck for it in trivia last night. LOL I will refer them to you and you can stick up for me. When I die I surely do hope I come back as one of your cats. Sounds like a heavenly life to me. What kind of computer are you guys going to get? I am sort of shopping myself but am confused on how much stuff I really need and how much I do not. Will be a Dell for me. I will gladly dub you a tape as soon as I find some time. Might be after the holidays as I have to get some of our family tapes done so we have something to watch Christmas Eve. After watching hours and hours of tapes, so far I am struck by all the things I have done for my family. Wonder if sending a copy of some of the tapes to my dear son he might be struck by the same thought. Not that I have done anything more than any other mother but search as I could I never found me wielding any wire coat hangers and making people scrub the floors on their hands and knees. I did find some scenes of where my dear son pulled the motor in his old junk heap in our brand, spanking new garage though. (sigh)

Depply, your dad is sure going to have a lot of fun going through airport security from now on. Make him get a note from his doctor. LOL I am happy to hear that everyone seems to be on the mend. Sure makes you appreciate the boring old days. Please do not be afraid to drive. You will be a better than average driver because of this experience. Just look around at the dumb older people you know who drive and have never had an accident. You could just as easily get hurt by a falling tree branch or something beyond your control. By taking some simple precautions, such as leaving enough room between you and the other cars, you can grealy increase your safety. From what I know of you, you are much safer being behind the wheel rather than trusting someone else to drive you around. I did not learn to drive until I was in my thirties and I remember being scared also but I have gotten over most of it. I was in a very bad wreck when I was young and had the top of my head cut off.

Luna, are you older than I am thinking? You know who Hazel is? LOL Yep, I make chocolate fudge but only when I have people waiting for it as I do not like to keep any around the house. Chocolate is my weakness.

Helenabear, you lucky dogs. Hope you are having a wonderful time and were not present at the CP when a couple of 'adults' acted like jerks. Is a sad thing. I got a card from another friend who said that she loved the Osborne Lights. Can't wait to see what your impressions were.

Good night ladies, SG/Linda

 

[lunabkat]

Hi all,

Well, i am finished packing and soon headed for bed. Must be at the airport at 8am for a 10 am flight so we need to leave here around 7am. The girls were a bear to put to bed tonight, whew ! They are so excited. Dd5 was upset because she was going to miss her stuffed animals and Luna (another kind of stuffed animal entirely), speaking of which, he left us a present yesterday under the kitchen table, thanks buddy

I am so beat right now i can't wait to get to sleep, what a day. a lot of running around and packing with two dds who are wound tight between the trip and Christmas.

helenabear, will wave to you on the way past. rider good luck with your tests. amanda and caroline, be good but have fun. Colleen, good luck with your hunt for the perfect kitty bed. Linda, i used to watch Hazel reruns when i was home sick from school, along with Jeannie and Petticoat Junction and, who could forget, Green Acres. I think sending your son copies of your tapes would be a great idea.

Gotta go, be good. I will tell all when we return.

by the way, i hope these boards get better at letting us know when someone has posted, i just have been checking back every so often to see if anyone has posted, and the darn search ain't workin' yet either.

Later

LL

 

[colleen costello]

I am missing all sorts of action, thinking there are no posts. I get no notices... What's the deal? Other times, the message not only comes but tells me what the post says, and I don't even have to get on the Boards at all. WHAT IS GOING ON?

I have caught up on all the info now. Lisa, glad your Chanukah is off ot a good start. I am going to spend this weekend wrapping gifts for the teachers as Monday is the beginning of the last week of school for this semester. Also have to wrap and pack boxes for the East Coast relatives and plan a journed to FedEx. Scott and I are also goignto paint our little powder room today. We picked a color we THINK we like and are paintigna teeny room to see how the color really looks. If we like it, we will buy gallons more and go to town on the whole house. Our goal is to have everything painted by May, when we can focus on powerwashing and landscaping. The list never ends!

I have read all the kitty bed info, as well as enjoyed lots of Lisa's kitty photos. Lisa, I know exactly what you mean about the male cats and that charming "humpy" behavior. I swore my vet had neglected to remove something I paid to have removed from our last cat, Casey. But poor old Doctor Combs swore that the only thing left to do was a lobotomy. I used to have these big, green fuzzy Gumby slippers. I kept them in my closet and sometimes when we had been out a few hours, we'd get home to find a Gumby in the living room. We'd laugh because poor Gumby had obviously been violated while we were out. Go figure. The minute we left, Casey would go to town. He did that right up until he died, at 18 years old. I would say to Scott that the darn cat was about 4,000 in people years yet he was still messing with those Gumbies... Yikes.

Off to wrap and paint. Hope everyone is doing well. Can't wait for Elaine to get back and give us the lowdown. I saw on the tv that Orlando has been in the 80's, lucky her!

 

[IASW Rider]

BON VOYAGE, LAURALEE!!!!!!!!!!!

So sorry that I didn't get here sooner to wish you a wonderful trip! Well, with the holiday season upon us all, things have been very busy here, in the Suite. We promise you a gala "Welcome Back" party, upon your return, since we missed giving you a fitting send off! Hope that you and your DH and DD's have a wonderful time!

Hi Linda! Great to hear from you! And we are thinking about going with a Dell, too! There seem to be some really great deals at this time of year - you even get a free printer if you order one now (although I am very attached to our HP printer / scanner / copier and would never want to replace it!)! We need to do it soon, so that it is up and running and all of our files transferred well in advance of my starting school in January and Frank's starting school again in February. Please don't rush to copy that tape onto DVD for us - you have many more important things to tend to, now! I think it's so nice that you will be making some DVD's of home video for you all to watch on Christmas Eve! That will be very special! And I say that one can spell "Chanukah" with a "C" or an "H" and either way is correct! It's just a phoenetic translation of a Hebrew word, so there is really no "correct" English spelling. I just spell it with a "C" because it is the closest to the way that the word sounds in Hebrew. Most people (or should I say ALL people who didn't happen to learn Hebrew at a very early age) are physically incapable of making the "sound" that goes with the "ch" sound in Hebrew (it sort of sounds like a cat spitting up a hair ball - kindly excuse the reference / imagery!), and it's easier to make an "h" sound, so that's why some people spell the holiday "Hanukkah"!

Speaking of cats, I am so happy to learn that Ragoo is not the only male cat in history who enjoys getting "intimate" with inanimate objects, Colleen! I have never heard of another cat who enjoyed doing so, so I am very happy to hear about your Casey (though very sorry to hear that he is no longer with us). Ragoo would really enjoy those Gumby slippers, I'm sure! He loves all towels and blankets.......and you can't leave a jacket lying around on the couch and have it be "safe" from his affections, either! I remember after one of our first official dates years ago, Frank had come back to my house and had draped his fleece pullover sweater / jacket on my couch........we turned around and the next thing we knew, there was The Big Ragoo having his way with it! Fortunately, Frank had been at my house a million times before and had long since made Ragoo's acquaintance......so it wasn't horrifically embarrassing......but I wish that he had had better manners with my new boyfriend!

All is well, here - we've had a very busy few days. We had my father, uncle, and sister-in-law over for a Chanukah dinner on Thursday night, and that went very well! I made my first brisket (in the crock pot!) and it came out wonderfully! And that's coming from ME, who is hardly a big fan of red meat! I made up little "goody bags" for our guests, with dreidels and Chanukah gelt (the foil wrapped chocolate coins) in them, and placed them at everyone's seat at the dinner table. It was cute to see my 78 year old uncle and 73 year old father playing dreidel and eating candy in between courses! We also exchanged our first "round" of gifts (the second "round" to come at my in-laws' on Christmas), which was fun. I told Frank that you would probably be amused by his first 2 gifts to me, Linda. The first one that I opened was.......A BLACK SWEATER! And the second one that I opened was......a WHITE sweater!

We spent all day Friday and Friday evening with some old friends from ML. We went to see "National Treasure", went out to dinner, then came back here and let one of them light our menorah - neither of them had ever lit one or even been in a home where one was lit, so they got to see how it was done. We played board games and reminisced and had a nice time.

Then we went to a holiday party at some friends' of Frank's from high school last night, which was fun, too. It was nice to see them, and though there was more great looking food there than one can possibly imagined, I successfully avoided temptation and "did" pretty well resisting consuming everything in sight! I wasn't able to "resist" the hosts' attempts to rope me into singing karaoke, however...........UGH. Well, what can you do? I couldn't break their holiday spirit (........so I broke their ear drums by singing, instead!). I had only subjected myself to that once before - and it was in front of a lot more people. In 1989, one of my best friends from high school and I wanted to do something special for our other best friend's birthday (she was away in law school in Georgia, at the time). So we went to a now-defunct club in NYC called "Singalong", where people can get up on a real stage, in front of a live (mostly drunk!) audience, and have a music video professionally made. So we did that (I don't know where we got the courage!) - we got up on stage and had a video of ourselves singing "That's What Friends are For" made, and we sent it to our other friend for her birthday (she said that she cried when she watched it........hopefully because she was touched......not because we sounded so bad! ). Aside from my Bat Mitzvah - and singing in front of only 20 or so people last night - that was my one "foray" into public performance for a large crowd!

I got my results back, from that quantitative assessment that I had to take for school at the orientation..........and I passed! I don't know how the heck I managed to pass an algebra test with no preparation at 8:00 AM n a Monday morning, but I somehow managed to do it - yipee!

Hope that you're all having a great weekend!

 

[colleen costello]

Lisa, what a post. All the fun of your holiday is contagious. I laughed so hard at your description of the "ch" sound... Of course being form Jersey, I know it well... Really Billy Crystal has probably introduced it to more people than we realize... Also, I am so glad you passed out of algebra. I am so proud... You give me... Oh, I can't spell it. You know it. It's like Yiddish for "knockers?" "Knock-uz?" Do you know what I am saying? I know what it means and how to pronounce it but not how to spell it (Having never been to yeshiva but instead a miserable failure at Sunday School...) Girls, I am trying to say to Lisa that I am overcome with pride!

Busy weekend. We re-did the powder room, the first attempt at home improvement. Very tiny room, chunky people. I still have paint in my hair. Looks like hilights done at a beauty school where they are still learning... We painted a new peachy color and added a new light fixture and new towel ring and TP-thingy. It looks nifty. Also prepped the other 2 bathrooms for serious touch-up, tomorrow. Scott took the day off and we are heading to Lowe's, the Indiana version of Home Depot. I wrapped all the presents for the teachers at the kids' schools, plus started on wrapping the gifts that have to be shipped. Fed Ex on Wednesday! Plus a friend asked me to watch her boys this evening, so for 5 hours I had four kids instead of two. I am always exhausted when they leave. They are no trouble, but they are KIDS. With 4 loose you never sit! I can't imagine that some Mom's have four of their own... They must have WAY more energy (and inner calm) than me!

Been watching the Orlando weather for our traveling Suitemates. Looks like Elaine will return with a tan. Luna's visit will begin on the chilly side, but coming from NJ winter I bet it'll suit her just fine. Can't wait for our friends to return with all their tales. I am looking forward to hearing all about Elaine's first stay at OKW.

Gotta call Mickey this week. It is 90 days out from my spring break trip, time to make Priority Seatings. It's so much fun deciding! We are checking in to Carribean Beach on a Friday and will just eat there that night. Saturday we'll have breakfast at Kona Cafe, a favorite. Saturday we'll enjoy the resort as we haven't stayed before. Sunday we check into our room at the Wilderness Lodge and that night we're trying Park Fair for the Cinderella character dinner. Tuesday my friends arrive and we'll do Chef Mickey's that evening. Wednesday is our MK day, and luckily the new "extended hours" for onsite guests will keep the MK open 3 hours extra that night. Whatever day we do Epcot we'll probably go to Garden Grille, per Linda's recommendation. Friday, our last night, we'll probably go to Kona Cafe. We always finish up at the Poly, my favorite place in the world. We eat dinner then hit the beach for the EWP. Heaven!

I am leaving room to add NEW places. If anyone has an idea about a restaurant I can't miss, please say so. I am thinking about the one on the top of the Contemporary -- I will always think of it as "Top of the World" because that's what it was called forever -- OH... "California Grill?" I need to go check the menus at WDWIG. My family need the basics, not sea bass with polenta or things they can't pronounce. Lisa, isn't this where Frank proposed? I need the scoop!

A good night to all.

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Lisa, how did you pull of your Algebra coup? Easy, you are one brainy broad. LOL I already have one Dell and in spite of the first one's hard drive dying shortly after I got it I am going to get another one. They have the best record for service. They did replace my hard drive quickly but it still was a pain in the ahhh rear! Christmas brings out the child in all of us and I loved hearing about your dad and uncle enjoying a second childhood. You get old only when you grow all the way up so I will be eternally young. LOL So will you with all your enthusiasm. Black and white, huh? Guess Frank is going to get you to be more colorful. I know that you city slickers tend to dress in black, keeps the smog from showing. (grin) What song(s) did you torture people with? Hope it was NOT People who love People! Is such a cliche and I cannot see you doing anything so ordinary. Sounds as if your Ragoo was just seperating the wheat from the chaff with his antics. I cannot imagine how you could have lived with someone who did not love your babies as much as you do. A match made in kittie heaven it were.

Colleen, I am getting ready to do my powder room as well! What color have you decided on? Have you checked out the Behr paint site? It is awesome as you can try out paint colors to your hearts content without having to do the actual work. I am going to do mine in shades of off white and sage green. I have enough carpet left from the last room I did (med beige) and am doing a faux wainscotting treatment on two walls (white) and wallpaper with the embossed paper (semi gloss sage green to match the toliet set and throw rug) I have a magazine/tp holder that I got for a quarter somewhere and it will be painted white as well. The light, switch cover and faucets are antique brass and I am going to touch up the mirror, storage cabinet and trash can to match the theme. Will have about $20 in it when I get done. I have all my mailing done and ordered some books from Amazon.com this morning. All the cards are done and mailed and after I do my door to door rounds and have one last party, tomorrow, I am pretty well set. Did you have to buy a lot of new stuff when you moved or are you doing a room at a time?

Luna, getting ready for vacation is a killer around here too and there are just the two of us. What you describe is why we used to leave in the middle of the night so our dear ones would sleep a good part of the way. I was so glad when seat belts were mandatory so I could seperate them until their arms got longer. (sigh) I hope you are settled in and enjoying the fruits of all your labor. I am more happy for you than I am jealous. I hope you waved at me when you passed over also.

Depply, how did things go with your dad and brother? Are you able to be with them much? This will be a Christmas to remember for all time. I have a list that I keep on my desk has a list of people to make sure I think of each day and you have been on it and will remain until you longer need my feeble attempts at prayer. You should know that I address Him by the name of George. Just makes it feel more personal to me. Hope I do not offend others who are more normal than I am.

I have enjoyed seeing lost lost tapes this afternoon. I have found that it is almost easier to do the tapes manually than the quick dub way so that I can make my chapters and such. So much to learn and only so much brain power. Would be easier if the manual was not such a 'piece of work'. I have seen tax forms that are more comprehensable. I have old tape of Food Rocks and the Tiki Room that I plan to add to your tape Lisa. If I ever get time to combine all my Disney footage onto one DVD I may surprise you all with a copy. Please do not hold your breaths though, not because I do not care, but there are only 24 hours a day and I am so old, slow and easily distracted.

I have a Christmas party with two of my oldest and dearest friends tomorrow. We have been getting together for the holidays and our birthdays for years. They pretend I am doing it for them but they are doing it for me. I do not let on but I know.

Hope everyone had a good weekend and has most of their holiday preparations made so that you can enjoy the Reason for the Season (or the thought behind it).

SG/Linda

 

[helenabear]

Wow... I stopped in here yesterday and was overwhelmed with all the posts to read... I didn't get any notices that anyone posted here while I was gone, or I would have read as I went along last week (wasn't posting much though)

Big hugs Manda... you all are in my thoughts

Loved the kitty pics!!!

As for last week... well it was wonderful!!! It was great to have Luis there and we had a great balance of alone time and time with friends! He got an anual pass and we are planning on being htere the first week after Thanksgiving!

OKW was wonderful as ever. Luis liked it and I was able to show him a couple other DVC resorts and what their rooms were like. He seems to be hooked

THe weather was mostly great! A couple dreary days and only one cooler day there. Most of the time I was in shorts

I did the Segway tour and it was excellent!!!! I loved it completely!!! Here is a pic with me and a few friends (I'm the short one)

The Osborne Lights were great! I happened to like them more than before. It was a different feeling, but it was amazing all the same!!!

So the trip was great, but good to be home

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Wow, a crowd!! I love it. It is so much fun when we can all be together in one place even if it is in our imagination.

Helenabear, do you know that you and Luis may be at DW when we are next? It will be awhile before we have the dates figured out but I know it will be sometime around Thanksgiving. I have to plan it carefully so that we will be able to get two other trips out of our AP and one will be the summer of 2006. Tom and I love Christmas time the best, especially when the crowds are gone. Did you fall off the Segway at all? Whenever one appeared kids gathered from far and near to check it out. Will you be posting a report?

Colleen, peach is most favorite color. It is light yet pretty and gives such a warm glow. Small rooms are harder to do than big ones IMO. Favorite restaurants? At MK it has to be the Crystal Palace, great character interaction and the kids get to parade through the restaurant). The Trail's End over at Fort Wilderness is not only cheap and filling but if you go before you go in the park it is an easy and fun boatride over. On a long MK day it is good to take a break and go over to get rested up for the remainder of the day. There are playgrounds and such for the kids to blow off a bit of steam as well. EPCOT is the Garden Grill, revolving, lots of characters. Biergarten is good also if you go after 1;30 when the entertainment begins. Buffet, reasonable, for Disney and the kids can get up and dance and such. MGM, Hollywood & Vine is the only place we like. Not sure the kids would like it as much but the desserts are made at Starring Rolls and the food is pretty good but no characters and not a whole lot of atmosphere. AK, the Rainforest is what most kids like but it is terribly noisy for us old folks, even with hearing aids. LOL BTW, the McD's is open 24 hours now. Is a good idea.

Did anyone catch the Dateline story about the woman who makes a living doing Mystery Shopping? If you live somewhere like NYC it might be possible but not around here. Was too high faluting for me anyway. Required that you wear shoes. LOL

Back to work for me, unless you all start another party. I would not want to miss that.

A Moravian cookie anyone? Is my specialty.

SG/Linda

 

[IASW Rider]

Hey Everyone!

Welcome back, Elaine!!!!! So glad to hear that you had a great trip and that Luis enjoyed it, too! And I love that Segway picture - that is fantastic! Also, so glad to hear that you loved your "new home"! And it's great that you got to see the Osborne lights in their new location, too!

Hi Linda! Yes, I guess that Frank is trying to get me to try a new color.......that new white sweater sure does stand out in my closet, amidst all the black ones! I think that we are going to go with a Dell - Frank is looking into ordering one, this week. We also heard that the service record is very good - that was one of the things that "sold" us on the brand. (Also, Frank's constant scouring of Consumer Reports and the fact that they give Dell a good review!) I tortured the crowd with my karaoke "renditions" of Jimmy Buffet's "Margaritaville", The Foundations' "Build me up, Buttercup", and I started Meatloaf's "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" with another person at the party, but I had to stop because it was straining my voice too much. I purposely picked songs in lower keys because my voice hasn't been the same since I spent all night screaming at people at the Haunted Hotel on Halloween. I mentioned it to my doctor - I told him that my voice cracks when I sing in the car.......so he told me not to sing in the car for awhile! (Lucky car!) I've been trying to not even hum along with music for awhile, in the hopes that my voice will get a rest and will get back to normal.

Hi Colleen! Actually, Frank proposed to me right in our hotel room at the Poly - we just celebrated at the California Grill! (And I still think of it as the Top of the World, too!) I would definitely recommend going to the California Grill - it is wonderful, as is Jiko at the Animal Kingdom Lodge (although both of those places might be along the lines of the "sea bass with polenta and other things that cannot be pronounced!" ). We are also very attached to 'Ohana and the Hollywood Brown Derby. You have already mentioned our all-time favorite WDW restaurant for any meal - the Kona Cafe!!!!! In the World Showcase, we love Norway and Morrocco! And you mentioned Chef Mickey's - and Linda mentioned Hollywood and Vine - our favorite character meals (with special mentions to the Crystal Palace and 'Ohana, of course!) It's so neat that you are 90 days out - I always love when that time rolls around and it's time to start making PS's! It always makes the upcoming trip seem more real! Congratulations on successfully completing your powder room renovation - I'm sure that it looks wonderful! Oh - and I think that the word that you were looking for is "naches", which does mean "pride" in Yiddish! You are very good - you probably know more Yiddish phrases than I do! (I just pick them up from my father as he mutters them, sometimes!) Very knowledgeable and impressive, as always!

Not too much to report from here, this week. Very busy with errands and such, but nothing really worth boring you all with! Just wanted to stop in and say "hi"! Hope that all is well with all of you!

 

[colleen costello]

Elaine! I have been dying for you to get back as OKW is my favorite place in the whole world. Please, more details when you have time. What building were you in? Was this Luis' first OKW trip? My friends who went in October liked it OK, but missed their Boardwalk. OKW was too "slow" for them. I guess I am slow, because I just love the place. So beautiful and peaceful. In March we are at the Lodge and in July at Beach Club, and I know I will miss OKW. I think we'll go over in July, to let the kids try the new slide (unless it is restricted, but I doubt it will be) and let me do laundry (There's never a line!) If you post a trip report, let us know. I am glad that if some of your weather was only so-so, this was not the case on your Segway Tour day. It looks lovely in the photo, and so do you

Lisa, I have made a mental note of "naches." I do recall now a friend writing it. I will have to remember is resebles "nachos!"

Linda, I will be at WDW in summer 2006. Of course I haven't told hubby yet, but that is my plan, unless we wind up waiting 'til Xmas. You'll have to keep me posted because it would be such a treat to see you there. In the meanwhile, Indiana meets wil have to do.

I am noting Hollywood and Vine as the concensus here seems to be that it's a good one. Will probably have to wait on California Grill until the kids are a bit bigger. I love the character buffets the best, anyhow. Who can resist all those desserts PLUS giant characters? When we did Chef Mickey's in June, my Mom and the kids particularly liked the tiny desserts they had. They were teeny-sized pieces of things like carrot cake and chocolate cake, so you could try a few. They would disappear as soon as the pastry chef came to put them out. Mom and the kids figured out what the guy looked like (plump from tasting, with a large hat) and watched for him. When he emerged again from the kitchen, the three of them stampeded toward the dessert area, nearly killing a few characters on the way. My husband and I had to laugh that grandma and the kids had enough of the characters, thanks, they just wanted those little desserts!

Can someoen tell me where to find the EWP on the Boards if I don't get an Email? Today I did a search but that is not always available... I tried community board but all that was there was birthdays and "united we stand." Where are we?

Thanks!

xoxo

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

I gotta get me some middle aged friends, between my elderly friends and the children I am plumb worn out. I think I finished up my last bit of shopping today. I ran across a 6 movie set of Rogers and Hammerstein movies. I have always told myself that I would buy that when I found it. Was only $60 for them all. I cried the first time I ever heard "You Have to be Taught, Carefully Taught" and still do.

Lisa, Frank is my kinda guy ( a real mensch)! Consumer Reports is second only to the Bible in my life. They have never steered me wrong. I even spend considerable time filling out their surveys when they send them out so that I do my share. I loved Kona the time we accidentally ate there. Did not care for the KoKo Puffs though. I am not much of a dessert kind of person although the tiny chocolate shells with mousse I get at H&V keeps me up nights. I can only eat one or two so it is not too harmful. Other than "Buttercup' you picked well for your songs. LOL Would you believe that I actually like Meatloaf? Songs and person. One of my all time favorite movies is Rocky Horror even though I blushed when I first saw it (not an easy thing). I like different kinds of things. Oy Vay!! (spelling) I grew up watching Jewish comics so I know a few words, most of them rude I believe. LOL

Colleen, our next trip is planned for late Nov/early Dec of 2005 but the second trip will be in the summer of 2006. If it works out maybe I can steal you from your family and take you for a tour of EPCOT. Speaking of which, I have a funny story. I always pick up presents for my grandsons at DW as well as a couple of my nearest and dearest friends. Last trip I went to England and got some Lemon Curd for my Bristish loving friend and some fancy German mustard for my German friend. When I gave them their presents yesterday they both exclaimed - just what we buy at Marsh (a local grocery). LOL I tried though. I will send you a link to the EWP. I keep a copy around just in case I get get lost.

Had a bit of news about my Fab Four, not too good but not anything life threatening. Ddil is ticked at daughter and sil so it should be interesting to see if her powers extend to my dear son not seeing his sister either, not that he sees her much already. Her powers may falter there as dd and dsil are not blessed with the tender sensibilities that I have. To put it mildly, they will not give a darn. Human nature is a strange thing. I have come to the conclusion that if God cannot get all of His children to toe the line, what chance do a poor mortal mother have?

BTW, dear Lisa, did you happen to come in and edit your last post? When I first read it the wording was that your voice cracks when you 'sin'. LOL It must seldom crack if that be true. (hug and smile)

SG/Linda

 

[helenabear]

Evening all! Taking a break from doing some stuff around the house

Linda, I think Luis and I will be there the first week after Thanksgiving. At least for now that is the plan. We will see as time goes on though
Nope, I did not fall off of the Segway at all. Actually after about 15 minutes on it, it became 2nd nature. I admit I am not one to do a trip report of any kind anymore, so you won't be seeing one from me Of course I am always just very happy to answer all questiona nd share any stories... I guess that is more how I am... a story sharer But I do wish you all the best with the Fab Four... as you said, human nature is a strange thing!

Lisa, take care of your voice there! I admit I am like you though... color was never my big thing. For the longest time if it wasn't an earthy blue or green, I didn't wear it. Blue was it for me... now you will find me in almost anything. My favorite thing to do is to take a bright color like hot pink or salmon and pair it with black. Very dramatic and cool looking... oh for work, I am very much of a black person. I have finally branched out and gotten some cream colored pants... loving them more than I thought I would

Colleen, this was Luis' first trip to OKW, but he seemed to like it just fine. I like my vacations to be more relaxed and I admit OKW is right up my alley. I like hanging on the boardwalk and all that,b ut I like to go home to the quiet We were in building 35, right across from the Old Turtle Pond bus stop. We had a nice studio facing the pond (covered by trees of course) and up on the 3rd floor. He really seemed quite positive on it, and I cannot wait to get him in a one bedroom

 

[colleen costello]

Elaine, We LOVE building #35! It's so convenient to roll out of the room and right into the bus stop. Plus my kids love all that water right behind the building. Last Spring there were zillions of baby ducks and we went through our usual ten loaves of ninety-nine cent Winn Dixie bread! We also like being so close to Turtle Pond Pool. It's fun to grab lunch at that snack bar (when it's open) and just hang out at that great pool all afternoon. How could your sweetie NOT like this wonderful place? LIke you, I enjoy stayingat a "relaxing" resort. After all the action at the parks, it is so nice to come home to such an oasis.

Did you like the tropical Xmas decorations? Old Key West's were among my favorites. I loved the garlands with fish and shells, very funky. Really there is nothing I DON'T like about the place, except having to leave! SO glad you guys had fun.

I have finished up my PS list and by this weekend it will be time to book all my reservations. I love calling and making these arrangements -- it's a great step toward the actual trip. I keep thinking "only 90 days!" and I get so excited. It will be extra special this time as my friend and her family are meeting us. I have Disney Dollars for her Xmas gift and can't wait to give them to her. I will make a Mickey fan-atic out of her yet!

Linda, thanks for the help. Evil Hotmail blocked the address you sent me as "potentially dangerous (idiots can't recognize a Disney address) but I showed Scott what you sent and he fixed me up. Now I can get to the suite whenever I want! Thanks.

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Colleen and Elaine, I totally agree with your choice of Disney accomadations. Way back when we had the kids with us we used to stay at the Villa's. A lot of people did not care for them as they were not Disneylike but I loved the quiet and serenity (as well as the washers and dryers). OKW is a place that I would consider spending more for IF I were not going to be in the parks all day. I am considering renting some points in 2006 so that my grandkids could enjoy it there. Otherwise I think that Port Orleans is our second choice. We love the New Orleans type scenery and the pool is outrageous for the kids.

Colleen, I could never make PS's this far in advance. I usually wait until we get there and if there is somewhere that is likely to be busy I might call for a ressie that morning but even then I cannot be sure I will be hungry when the time comes. I still remember spending nearly $30 at Bomba's one night when I could literally only eat one or two bites. I do have a sheet with general info on each park, constantly updated, with stars by new places to try. Rose & Crown in my upcoming list. I do not mind the money when it gets me quality and ambience. What PS's did you make? Have you been to the Zoo yet? If so, how did it go and did your poor hubby survive?

Elaine, black goes with anything. Even in decorating a house it is a rule that you add a bit of black, it makes the other colors pop. White is the color in a garden though. My dh is a bit mystified as I bought a lovely tank and shirt set in cranberry red, lots of great detailing, for only $12 at WM and did not feel the need to buy a pair of slacks since I have several pairs of black ones already. LOL He just does not know how lucky he has it. I imagine that Luis would like anywhere that you were so getting him to fall in love with Disney is just a matter of time. He could not have a better tour guide. I do not know what DIS people do whose spouses do not share the love. From what I have heard even I could ride a Segway. I cannot help but think how much harder it will be on fat people if everyone had one. Bet it saves Disney a bunch though as they can get away with fewer employees and I bet the employees vie to get a job that requires one.

Easy day today. Nursing home, Community Center and then Austin has a program at school tonight. I am taking Tom to Brown County to visit his family this weekend so it will give me a headstart on getting the house deep cleaned for the big day.

SG/Linda

 

[colleen costello]

Linda, the weather has been uncooperative so we have NOT done the zoo yet. I mentioned today to Scott that at least the little miniature holiday trains are inside so perhaps we cold go even if it's gross out? Friday is his last day of work so he was rather cooperative and said OK. Gotta love the university; you don't rake in the money buy you sure do get a lot of time off. I prefer having the time! So we're still planning on going... Might even convince him to go via Greenwood and let me visit the Disney Store!

Linda, it's easy to make PS's for my family as we are ALWAYS hungry. If I make one that really doesn't suit our plans, we just cancel. Better to be prepared. We are a large group and if someone doesn't say "Here's what we are doing as we have dinner at 6," things tend to turn ugly. I have learned that we need a basic plan but Scott teases me and calls me "vacation nazi" after the "soup Nazi" on Seinfeld! My Dad is fond of saying that an army travels on it's stomach and I am embarassed to confess that we tend to work our whole trip around these meals! I can usually plan tentatively and MOST of the reservations do, fact, work out. I know, for example, that the new "late night" hours at the MK are scheduled for Wednesday, so that day I will make no dinner reservations. We'll be too busy having fun and will just eat at a counter place, Cosmic Ray's or even Columbia Harbor House. Been going to CCH since the 1970's! I might also just call that afternoon and make a dinner reservation at Plaza Restaurant, the little ice cream shop atthe end of Main Street. That place has great sandwiches and wonderful sundaes, and is reasonable by WDW standards. So much food, so little time.

OK, I am off to gather a recipe and attempt to join in on a recipe exchange Linda Emailed me. We'll see how it goes... Cutting and pasting taxes my meager computer skills!

xoxo

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Do not dispair Colleen, it is reputed to be getting up over freezing, possibly all the way to 36 one day. LOL It does seem like the lower paid jobs do have some perks. My dh had the perfect job, good pay AND lots of time off. Wish he had realized this before retiring and I suspect there are days he wishes so also. The Plaza Ice Cream place is on my to do list for next trip. I saw the most delicious looking sundaes in waffle cone bowls. I am sure that Tom will gladly eat one so that I can have a bite or two. (all the calories will be in those bites)

I always make a loose plan and if given enough time always put in one day for whatever we need to make up or strikes our fancy. Is so much more enjoyable when it rains or you just do not feel well to know that you have some leeway. The 16 days (horrors) was almost too much time but well worth it to see Three Dog Night. I think 12 is just about right, for us. LOL

I am going to send you my diet version of your recipe. I fear I best not try the one you sent. I do not usually do these sorts of things but the person who sent it is just so dear I could not refuse. (smile)

I have gotten several things done and about to leave for my outside 'chores'. I have added a bag of Christmas books to my hand truck and it is getting hard to move that darned thing. Thank heavens they have a ramp and some very kind children. I will wave in your direction when I dump (I mean drop) Tom off in Brown County tomorrow night. I love my bil. LOL I might make it to Bloomington one day when my sil invites me to visit her new digs over by the Mall. Right next to the Y from what I hear. Sounds nice to me but then my hubby were not a government agent so we are jest plain folk. LOL

SG/Linda

 

[depplyinluv]

Hello ladies!!
Had sort of a busy week so I haven't been on here..i've missed so much!
anyways...

an update on my dad: He came home Tuesday!!!! we set up a hospital bed for him in the living room with curtains and book cases all around it. He is still in a lot of pain, but he's gettiing better. He likes to cruise around the house in his wheel chair

i had hockey practer this morning and yesterday...i think it was about 12 degrees outside yesterday..!!! The rink was really cold too .. I also started mock trial this week ( btw i really have no interest in being a lawyer) so that 's cool too



Linda- the first thing i thought of when my dad had his surgery was flying! They're going to have to do a strip search lol...I'm not so afraid of driving anymore. I figured stuff happens, and sometimes there isn't anything you can do about it. It should be fun that sounds like a pretty bad accident that you got into when you were younger
So...George? good name
lol i see my brother everyday, but not my dad because i can't sleep over there when i have school because no one can drive me. But thank you so much for keeping me on your prayer list
--also, i hope things get better with your children and son/daughter in law
----I loved the villas at OKW. so nice...my mom didn't like it for a few reasons, but i had no complaints.
Colleen- I bet the powder room looks lovely! peach is a great color! good luck with the recipe exchange-

Elaine- Welcome back! glad you had lots of fun!!
thanks for the hugs :Hug:


*~*~*~ just thought everyone should know that Johnny Depp was nominated for a Golden Globe award - best actor in a leading role -drama~*~*~

 

[IASW Rider]

Whoa! I've missed so many posts this week that I don't even know where to begin! I actually just wanted to stop by and wish you all a great weekend! Will catch up on everyone's posts and latest news as soon as I can! (I scanned through and it looks like everyone has lots of interesting things to report! I want to take my time "savoring" everyone's posts and not just rush through them, so I will come back later when I hopefully have more time!) I did, however, take note of Amanda's above, and just wanted to say that I am so glad to hear that your Dad is out of the hospital and is well on the road to recovery!

I've just been really busy this week - had to stop by school and take care of some administrative stuff, had a few doctor's appointments for tests / immunizations that I needed for school, and lots of shopping and preparation for the birthday brunch we're having for my father, tomorrow! So I'm sorry that I haven't been around more - next week should be a bit quieter........until Christmas weekend comes!

Hope that all is well with all of you! Have a great weekend!

 

[lunabkat]

Hi all!

Well, freshly back from wdw and exhausted What a trip, we had a misadventure everyday, but they all turned out well in the end so someone was really looking out for us. As follows:

Sat. - we arrive, i go to get the car and can't get back to where i left everyone, park car, they have left the area, found them in the parking garage, can't find the car, set the car to beeping and follow the sound, finally - success!


Sun.- Go to animal kingdom, daddy knocks candy bag from dd3's hands into anteater enclosure, dd3 cries because candy is gone, dh cries because candy cost $2.50, momy and dd5 worried about anteater, get help, get new candy, get old candy (for dh) and anteater is fine Go to hotel pool, dd3 follows dd5 to the deeper end, head goes under, mommy steps onto shelf in pool, grabs dd3 and pulls her out of water, no one goes past the ladder!

Mon.- do Princess Teaparty have a great time, lose dd3 in cosmic ray's, went to put down tray, turn around, she's gone! an enternal 30 seconds later she comes around the corner with the disney employee and is crying into my arms, thank God. meanwhile, i have panicked and yelled at dd5 because i asked her to hold dd3's hand. Appologize to dd5 and hugs all around - feel like crap, go back to hotel pool.

Tues.- Magic Kingdom, do Pooh bear lunch at Crystal, have a great time, pay for check, go to adventureland, credit card is missing, never found, cancel, no charges on it thank goodness.

Weds. - Sea World, meet with my Aunts and Uncles, have a great time, dd3 is splashed right in the face by one of thoses *&^%$%^& dolphins, and he was laughing about it, she was soaked but thought it was funny, i was thinking about germs of course, got great picture of dd's and me with dolphin, one of which is where i am telling him off.

Thurs. - go to big pool which has just opened, dds go down little slide, watching dd3 come down slide, see dd5 disappear down big slide going into deep pool, stunned , race to other side of pool, see lifeguard jump into water , see dd5 in pool, face up, arms out to side fanning, guard grabs her, she lays with head back and limp (no drama queens here), i race to other side of pool where she is being dried off and is crying, feeling much like the front runner of the rotten parent award now

Friday - With great trepidation, we go to Gatorland, have fine time, go into lorikeet cage (like smallish parrots), where dh is promply bitten on the ear twice by one stinking parrot was not ready for an aerial attack, who knew

Sat - Can't get boarding passes to print, finally, success and its off to Animal Kingdom for several hours followed by an uneventful flight and drive home Thank you God.

All in all, we had a great time and the girls are already talking about next time. I think when we go again, in several years, we will get a suite with a full kitchen because i got really tired of the eat out food. The girls had a ball with the meet and greets and if you ask them their favorite parts dd5 will say meeting the princesses and dd3 will say Pirates of the Carribean (dd3 also liked Haunted Mansion, dd5 would NOT go on it or splash mt.)

Sounds like everyone is gearing up for the holidays, will check back soon, i need a glass of wine and a nap, in that order.

LL