EWP group?

[IASW Rider]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LINDA!!!!!!!!!

We hope that you enjoyed your gala Birthday Bash, last night - those new boys sure do know how to put together a great party! It's nice to see that not only are they fun to look at - but they know how to cook and cater, too! And it sure was nice of them to arrange for that private coach to take us over to the MK to see Wishes, then over to the Grand Floridian for a Lagoon-side dessert party! You looked great in that new dress that you just bought - can't wait to see the rest of your new clothes that you just bought (and got such great deals on, too! ) Hope that you have a fantastic and wonderful day!!!!!!!!!!!

(Will resume regular correspondence once the weekend of celebrations has calmed down, here in the Suite - 2 big parties in a row, here, have wiped me out! But I'll need to recover in time for your formal Birthday Dinner at Citrico's, tonight! )

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Lisa, glad to see that you were back to yourself last night at Citrico's. The food was so good and the company so witty that it was well worth having to wear shoes. (high praise from me)


My birthday was a wonderful one. The way it started out it could not have been anything else. My first call of the day was from Colleen as they wandered through Georgia looking forward to checking into DW a bit ahead of schedule. It was such a delightful surprise. We even chatted a bit about her joining me on one of those gambling shops that I have been offered. I have never been on a Girl's Weekend so it is something to look forward to. Hope we win big bucks at the casino so that we can each plan an extra trip to DW next year. (Now, THAT would be a dream come true!)

Lots of cards, paper and cyber, bunches of phone calls and some friends dropping by to see if I looked older. LOL I am going over to visit an older friend today who was insisting on driving to my town yesterday. I threatened her into submission by promising to see her today.

Only down side was the fact that I did not even get a call from any of my kids or grandkids. Is alright, when you have low expectations it is hard to be disappointed and I am lucky in other ways. "Better women than I" is my motto.

$350 so far to fix the truck and no guarantee that will correct the problem. The part is probably about $50 and the rest is to pay for their intelligence to figure out what to replace. LOL

Somehow I have to find candy bugs today. I am providing the treats for the reading program on Saturday and the subject is bugs. I bought some candy worms the other day but they melted together in my car. It has been over 100 degrees heat index here. Supposed to rain this afternoon and cool down, about time!!

I hope it is cooler where you all are, especially Colleen and her family. Hope she remembers to bring them by the Suite for all of us to meet as I have set up a special late night snack for when we watch this evenings edition of the EWP.

SG/Linda

 

[IASW Rider]

Hi Linda!

So glad to hear that you had a nice Birthday! It sounds like a wonderful day, and I'm not surprised that so many people thought of you - you are a very special person! As for your kids and grandkids..........is it possible that the reason that you didn't happen to hear from any of them, yesterday, because they might have a surprise waiting for you, today? (perhaps they wanted you to THINK that they "forgot"?) There's no way that they would have overlooked such a special occasion!

I've been thinking of you (and Colleen and Becki and Elaine) as I've been hearing the Mid Western weather forecasts, lately - WOW! I hope that you are all holding up all right in that heat! Some of your heat is coming our way, over the next 2 days - we'll be having those 100+ temperatures (with the heat index - the "real" temperatures will be in the upper 90's), too!

As for "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", Frank and I just thought that the original film "drove the point home" more clearly - the difference between "good and "bad" and the reason that Charlie was the "chosen one". (Although the new film does a good job of depicting Charlie's loyalty to his family, probably more clearly than the original). We also liked the original Oompah Loompahs better, too - their songs and riddles seemed to be more pertinent to the children about whom they were singing (and more clever, too!). The new Oompah Loompahs try too hard to be "hip", in our opinion, singing in different modern styles, each time - rapping one song, singing in 60's "soft rock" style another, doing a dance number a third time.........we just found it to be distracting and confusing and couldn't really understand the lyrics. And there was a distracting sub-plot concerning Willy Wonka that we didn't think was necessary, either. But those are just our opinions - see the film with an open mind - you might completely disagree with us!

We were also lucky enough to hear from Colleen while she was on the road! And I'm happy to report that she and her family made it to WDW safely and are now happily checked into their (first of 3! ) room(s) at Port Orleans French Quarter and were enjoying the pool there, when last I heard from her! I'll bet that they are having a fun day of sunning and swimming today, too!

That would be so neat if you both took a girls' getaway, Linda - I'm sure that you would have a great time!

I'm sorry to hear about the impending bill for fixing your truck - I don't understand how they can get away with charging so much. I hope that what ever they wind up doing does solve the problem, though - it definitely sounds like that has been a good and reliable truck, so it's worth it to invest in having it fixed! Frank's car is at the Toyota Dealer, being fixed, today - it will be interesting to see how much they charge! It's just a problem with his air conditioning, but AC is not a "luxury" in the sort of heat that we've been having, so he needed to have it fixed, right away!

Lots of luck on your quest for candy bugs! Gummy worms are the only sorts with which I'm familiar, but I'm sure that there must be more "styles" out there!

Loved that story about Dalton and President Lincoln! That must have been adorable! You need to take him to WDW so that he can be in his glory, in the Hall of Presidents!

Speaking of which, we were at the "birthplace" of such classic WDW attractions as the Hall of Presidents (actually, Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln at DL), PeopleMover, IASW, and CoP, this weekend - the site of the 1964-65 World's Fair! And I am thrilled to report that I stood on the actual former sites of IASW and CoP! They are not marked in any way - I had studied all of my maps and aerial photos (that I have been collecting for years) of the Fair and confirmed their former locations, then just "felt my way there" on Sunday - but I know that I found the right places! I know that it sounds silly, but it was so neat to know that I was standing on ground of such Disney-historical significance! We also went to the Mets game and watched them shut out the Dodgers, so that was great, too!

Looking forward to our evening snack and EWP viewing, tonight!

Hope that all is well with all of you and hope that you're having a nice week!

 

[lunabkat]

Hi ALL

Hi ho, hi ho, the stiches get to go, I go see Doc at 1 o'clock, Hi ho, Hi ho.

I can't wait to get these things out, i look like i have a fuzzy caterpillar on my foot.

Linda, Happy Happy Belated Birthday, sorry to have missed the day, I can't seem to get turned around around here this week. Since you are too kind hearted and much too nice, I will be officially affronted for you that your kin did not acknowledge your special day, shame on them (and me too, i am most contrite and sorry)

Well, its a hot one in Jersey and i feel bad for my dh out in this weather all day, he is just beat and hot and sticky (aka stinky) when he gets home and the girls just want to go outside with him to play, poor daddy. The truck is at the new mechanic but still no news...Good luck with your truck Linda, ours apparently has some "mystery illness".

I am off this weekend, yea, and just washed my good for nothing kitchen floor...it should be filthy in about two minutes.

I have a siding guy here for estimates and the fence guy was just here giving an estimate ($5,000 and he is the cheaper of three) yikes, to be a homeowner. The bathroom is still in its "virgin state" meaning untouched as a primeval forest. But the fixin' up should be commencing any week now.

Talk soon,

LL

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Lisa, thank you for the report on Colleen. It is always so special when you finally get on property and are ready to start having fun.

I think I will wait until Willie Wonka gets to the dollar theater. It is always a difficult, if not impossible, thing to improve upon success. I was prepared for a darker version but the thing I love so much about the original is the moral of the story.

Has Frank had an oil change recently? The only actual repair I have ever had on my Toyotas was a $50 a/c repair one time. I think it was caused by someone doing an oil change and doing something wrong. I do not count having to fix a car door because that was Tom's fault. Only repair other than routine maintenance in over 20 years. Probably will have more now that we are retired and will be keeping vehicles longer. Yes, the truck is worth some bucks especially since I have been checking out new ones (I have the money put back to buy a new one if need be) but I do not like what I am seeing. I will NOT have a Ford no matter what, long sad story.

I can safely say that there are not secret plans for any family celebrations of my birthday. I have always been the one to do so for everyone else. I have a sister who spends much time reminding her family of all she has done for them and they would not dare forget her birthday but I am of the opinion that if it does not come from the heart I would not want it. Heck, I am easy. A card would be more than I get usually. Even the grands do not make me a homemade card as per my request. My dear friend, Dorthea, who is the sweetest most loving person I know (around here) has kids who take off on trips when she is failing in health and leaves her to my care. "Better women than I" is my motto and I know many such. I have far too much to be thankful for to get too down. I love those rotten chldren of mine though.

Can you imagine Colleen and I on a wild weekend gambling? She is a hoot and a half and bound to be luckier at gambling than I am. I am going to send for more info on the shop. It requires a huge investment on my part and I must make sure this is a legitimate company as I have not done any shops for them before. They take PayPal so maybe that is a good sign. I would have to set up an account.

I feel the same way when I am walking on hallowed ground. For me it is historical places, odd but I just realized that many of those places are related to Presidents. Also authors homes and people I admire. Pearl Buck's home, Laura Ingalls Wilder etc. If I ever made it to the Holy Land I would just pure die of excitement. I once touched a clay soldier that was on Earth when Jesus was and I still remember it.

Which one of your parents was the big Disney fan? Did you go other places on vacation? Dalton is my one chance to have someone in my family who will love the Mouse as I do. Maybe, when he hits the big bucks, he will wheel my ancient carcass around the parks?

I am headed to town to search for some candy bugs,wish me luck! Going to visit with a dear friend today also. It is always special to spend time with this woman. I have learned so much from her.

SG/Linda

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Hey there LL, guess we were both in the Suite and just missed each other. I should look around a bit better when I am there but I am usually too busy sitting on the deck taking in the view. Next time, check out there and I will look closer inside. LOL

I am happy that you are getting the stitches out. It is always a big relief. I once had a doctor tell me naughty jokes while he took out my many ones. Sure did take my mind off what he was doing. LOL

Pshaw!! No problems about being late for my birthday. After all I did not spend three days in labor with you, diaper your bottom for a couple of years, sit beside your bed when you had nightmares, put up with your teen age years, baby sit your kids, potty train them, teach them to read etc. Bitter? Me?? Nah, honestly I find it all a bit funny. I take comfort in the fact that they are so used to me being there that they just do not notice. I am so darned thoughtful that I picked out a burial plot next to the road so they can do drive by mourning. (I am sooo bad)

Tip on your kitchen floor - after suffering from a hard to please one for years I replaced it with one that is dirt colored. Works well for me. Just takes a bit of planning.

I thought your hubby were the handy kind and could do fencing etc. himself? Is probably easier to get it done though. I hope you can find someone reasonable. I was spoiled by next door neighbor, who I kid you not, charged me $5-9 an hour, and did more work in an hour than many could do in a day. It cost me under $300 to have my new kitchen installed by him, including the flooring, plumbing etc. I always bought him really good BD and Xmas presents though.

As far as your primal bathroom, guess you are having to do as the bears do. Poor dears. I would hate that with a passion. Been there,done that and I ain't a going back.

Hope you are skipping when you return from the doctor's office and the heat abates so that your dh is not quite as stinky.

SG/Linda

 

[IASW Rider]

Hi Lauralee!

So glad to hear that your stitches were scheduled to come out - I'm sure that you're relieved that all of that is over, and that you can put it behind you! How is your foot feeling, now that the stitches have come out? It sounds like you're preparing to have a lot of work done on your home! It's great that you are taking the time to get estimates to determine the best way to do it and best people to handle the different things, first! Hope that you will be able to have some time to yourself to relax, during your weekend off, too!

Hi Linda!

I heard from Janet, yesterday - I had sent her (and many others) PM's about our 4 Year Anniversary Celebration, a few weeks ago, and she had just received hers, having just returned from DL! She said that she would try to check in with us before she and her family blast off for WDW!

Speaking of WDW, I'll bet that Colleen and her family are having fun, running around the MK, as I write - that's what they had originally planned to do, today! I hope that they are having great weather and are able to hit all of their favorite attractions with no long lines!

Frank actually had an oil change yesterday! He has only had small issues with his Toyota, since he bought it in 1999 (I think it was making a mysterious noise, once......). The issue yesterday was that for some reason, he could only use his AC / fan on the "high" setting - I guess that there was a little problem with the knob that controls the intensity of the fan. But the dealer was able to fix it, relatively inexpensively!

How did you do with your candy bug excursion? I hope that you were able to find some tasty ones!

I know what you mean about historical places - there are other, non-Disney related ones that fascinate me, too! (You mentioned Laura Ingalls Wilder's house - a friend of mine just attended a symposium of some sort, there, this past week! She was so excited to be going to the "Prairie" for the first time! )

I would say that my mother was the bigger Disney fan than my father (although my father is the one who took me to see most of the Disney animated classics in the movie theater) - in terms of the theme parks, anyway! Neither of my parents were huge Disney fans, per se. But my mother was definitely more "in to it" than my father. Like me, she was also fascinated by the whole "how did they do that?" aspect of the theme park shows and attractions and the attention to detail in the parks and resorts.

My parents and I certainly vacationed in other places besides WDW, when I was growing up, too! We visited lots of Caribbean islands (Nassau, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas), Hawaii, Cancun, Montreal (my mother and I followed the NY Mets there and got tickets to all 3 games of one of their series, up there. We even ran into the team in the airport, when we were all changing our money!), San Francisco / Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Bermuda, Nantucket, and always spent the week before Labor Day at either Provincetown on Cape Cod or at the Jersey Shore. We also took long weekend trips to places like Washington, DC, Williamsburg, VA, Lancaster, PA, etc. I was only ever in Europe once - my best friend from elementary school and I spent a week in England in 1990, which was a lot of fun! But the WDW vacations were always very special and memorable, needless to say!

I think that you should definitely look into that weekend excursion - whether or not you choose to actually gamble - I'm sure that you and Colleen would have a wild and fun weekend together! If the organization has a PayPal account - as you said - they are probably a reputable one, so that is a good sign!

Well, it's going to be another scorcher, here in the Garden State! Hope that the heat wave breaks before the weekend - we're going down to South Jersey (the East Coast side - near Atlantic City - as opposed to the Western side, where my in-laws live) to visit my aforementioned best friend from elementary school and her family...........and swim in their pool!

Hope that you're all having a great week! Talk to you soon!

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Thought I would let you other Suite ladies know that Becki's husband and other local police officers are trying to end a bank hostage situation as I write. It is the credit union for the company my hubby used to work for. Is scary. Praying that things end safely.

SG/Linda

 

[IASW Rider]

Our thoughts and prayers are certainly with Becki's husband, Becki, their family, and the other police officers involved. They exemplify bravery and kindness and strength. We know that all will end well and safely. We are thinking of them all.

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

It seems that all has ended well. The Indpls new channel had a helicopter over the scene and the man turned the hostage loose and then came out and the police did a fantastic and very professional job in securing him. Very sad and scary for all involved and I am thankful as it could have been so bad.

Linda

 

[IASW Rider]

Thank God everything worked out as it did and no one was hurt. I can imagine what an upsetting experience that must have been for Becki and her family, though. I hope that they are all doing well!

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Becki was waiting up for her hubby. As nervous as I used to get worrying about Tom getting home when it was bad weather etc. I cannot imagine how she and other police wives must feel.

Seems the young man (18) was attempting suicide by cop. Since I was able to see it live on tv I was very impressed with our local police officers in how they handled the situation. It was sudden and they did not have a lot of time to clear the area and believe it or not there were idiots who argued with the police and gave them trouble for telling them to get out of the area. They should be ashamed. Someone wrote a fantastic article in the paper on the subject today.

Another dear friend of mine passed away this morning. It was a blessing as she had suffered for several years. She had greatly changed when she came to our club meeting at my house last year. When I got out my file card to call the other club members to tell them I was struck by how very many names on the list are now gone. I am the youngest member and have been in for 25 years in October. I would not have missed knowing these ladies for anything but I have got to get some younger friends. One of my younger friends was chiding me for saying that once pointing out that she WAS younger and then I reminded her that she is going blind so is still in need of my help. LOL Sick humor is better than no humor.

Austin is spening the night and we are watching old Dukes of Hazzard shows. This was one of my son's favorite shows also. I even had a cake made with the General Lee for his BD once. We are headed to the country to visit my in laws tomorrow and I am hoping to make some blackberry cobblers, since I do not have the ingredients for a certain Peaches and Cream pie. (BTW, was that crust homemade? It appeared to be) I bought 6 quarts of blackberries this morning from a friend, the first of the season. I have had two big bowls so far, with Splenda. Yummm!!

Did you all know that Janet2K just left DL and is now at DW!! Some people know how to live.

Good night all, see you later!

SG/Linda

 

[IASW Rider]

Hi Everyone!

Hi Linda!

Wow - that blackberry cobbler sounds wonderful! I'm sure that they came out beautifully! How was your visit with your in-laws?

(And hey - I sent over said Peaches and Cream Pie recipe! Please let me know if you didn't receive it - I will send it again! ) And yes, the crust was homemade - Frank wouldn't have it any other way!

Since Austin is enjoying "The Dukes of Hazzard" so much, I assume that you'll all be seeing the film version when it comes out, in a few weeks? That's so neat that your DS was such a big fan, too, and that you had a General Lee cake for his birthday, one year!

So sorry to hear about your friend. It's always sad to hear news like that, especially about an old friend from a group with which you've been a part for so long. But as you said, those friendships have been important and meaningful in your life for many years, and I'm sure that you'll always cherish them and the special time that you've spent and are spending with those ladies!

So glad to hear that Janet2K is in WDW, just after her return from DL! (I saw her most recent post on her Vow Renewal thread - glad to hear that she plans to update that thread upon her return, too!)

I'm sure that Colleen will be sharing all the news of her WDW vacation with us, upon her return, but I don't think she'd mind my giving everyone a few updates! She and her family are having a wonderful time! They spent a few fun days at PO-FQ, where they enjoyed the sea serpent pool and visited the MK and the Studios (Colleen's DH, Scott had a great sounding Birthday dinner at the Sci Fi!)! They then spent some relaxing time at the Vero Beach Resort, before meeting up with Colleen's parents back at PO-FQ! They all moved over to the Beach Club, over the weekend, and met up with Colleen's old friends and their children, and have all been able to spend some time together! In the mean time, Colleen and her family spent some time swimming at the Poly and at Coronado Springs, dining in Boma, The Plaza, Beaches and Cream, and the Kona Cafe (amongst other places!), and her children have been having a blast! OK - I'll shut up, now - I'm sure that Colleen would want to share all of the details with you all, herself!

I will say that I called her at an "inopportune moment", a few nights ago........I called her and she answered her cell phone, whispering "guess where I am?" She held up the phone so that I could hear.........and immediately recognized that she was right in the middle of riding Carousel of Progress! I can't believe that I picked just that moment to call her!

So glad to hear that she and her family are having such a fun and special vacation, and can't wait to hear more, upon her return! I hope that Janet and her family are having a great time, too!

Not too much to report from the North East, today! We visited with some friends who live near Atlantic City, on Saturday, and spent a nice day relaxing in their backyard, swimming in their pool (well, at least Frank did - I'm such a baby that the water was too cold for me!), and catching up. We finally got around to seeing "War of the Worlds" last night, and then had a nice BBQ dinner on our deck - the weather was just gorgeous here, this weekend! (Will be going back into the sticky 90's this week, though. That's OK - I don't mind - better the "sticky 90's" than the icy 20's, as I always say! )

Hope that all is well with all of you and hope that you all had a great weekend! Talk to you soon!

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Hi ya Lisa!

How cool to call during COP. I like that silly ride and not just for an easy to get onto ride where I can rest for a bit. I have many pictures of it in my files and one day hope to add the appropriate music to it when I manage to find time to make Disney slideshows.

I got the Peaches and Cream pie recipe and plan to make it in Septemember when we have the big open house (if I am able). Having been a food judge once upon a time I thought I could detect a homemade crust. It appeared to be a blue ribbon champion too! I am impressed. Frank must have had a wonderful mom who raised him well. It is a good thing to be able to do things for oneself. Thank you so much. I thought I had mentioned it in an email but maybe not. I am easily confused.

I believe the blackberry cobblers were pretty good. My inlaws are odd and one bil rarely eats anyone's cooking. He has been known to eat mine though. I cannot convince him that the restaurants he frequents are far more dangerous. LOL I made two more for Tom to take to a church pitch in. Nothing came back in the pans so I am guesing that they were liked. Nothing remotely diet about the recipe. It consists of a lot of cooking oil and sugar.

The visitation and funeral for my friend was so well done by her daughters. Instead of just statisics it was filled with love and a celebration of a life well lived by a special person.

Had a nice lunch with the inlaws and Austin decided he wanted to wanted to go up the road a bit further to visit some other relatives as well. It was so nice as he is very close to his dad's side of the family (they all live next to each other on a farm). He loved touring one uncles garden and newly constructed barn and they talked building. The other uncle is a city uncle so he enjoyed the high life there. I think the new high tech big screen tv was the hit of the day there. He was given a Michael Jordon baseball card with a bit of his bat and a bag of foreign coins from their many travels. We did not get home until late and he told me had a fantastic day. So did I. Had to hammer out some legal things with my lawyer bil who will have to help Tom make any decisions that have to be made. I am afraid that I will want my way even from the grave. LOL

Your weekend was my favorite kind, sitting around with friends and just talking. Not enough time for such these days. It is a blessing when it occurs though.


Janet is enjoying her summer to the fullest. She has a knack for making the most out of life, as do you. Cannot wait until Colleen gets back and I am going to have to go her way so I can see the pictures. Becki showed me hers from her last trip and it was so much fun seeing them all. I love seeing other peoples pictures and even their home movies. I gave my new camera to my daughter to take when they left on vacation this morning so that I can share some of their experiences. I am so glad they are getting away from everything and everybody.

I prefer the cold weather as it is a bunch easier to add some clothing than take some off. Some days are so hot that wearing nothing at all would not only not help but be downright dangerous. It was 104 here one day last week and it is starting to heat up again.

I am heading to Indianapolis tomorrow but am leaving early so that I can make sure I can find the surgeon's office. If it is easy to find and I have some extra time there are many places to wile away the hours to great advantage.

I have had many friends offer to go with me but I would not consign anyone to sitting, for possible hours, reading the original Saturday Evening Post published by Ben Franklin.

I have to go pick up some more blackberries. I went through 6 quart in the past few days. Guess what I am having for dinner??

SG/Linda

 

[colleen costello]

GREETINGS FROM BCV!!!

Hi all. We sprung for internet tonight so I am checking in. We are having a ball and I am gald Lisa has let you know I am alive and well. I could get used to living here, BCV is so nice. Two days left and then we head home, before the poor cats forget who we are.

Have seen and done a lot. Mk was open til 2am last night and we made it til about 1:30. Saw the late parade and rode rides together with our friends who are here from Jersey and my parents. Eating a Mickey Head bar at midnight in Tomorrowland was pretty cool! Tonight we ate at Chef Mickey's and my friend's parents joined us. They brought all sorts of info from THE VILLAGES -- the retirement community to end all retirement communities -- and now my parents are all tanked up to visit and move there! So exciting... I have big plans to invite myself to their place once they settle in central FL!

Swimming a lot as it is very hot. Enjoying nice meals and taking lots of pics, which I will share upon returning. I have also bought lots of pins, for my collection of resort ones. It is just too easy to spend money here!

Hope all of you are well and I will write more when I get back to Indiana.

xoxoxo

 

[IASW Rider]

Just when I was coming by the Suite to tell everyone that Colleen sent her love to everyone, I see that she has already been here and posted! So glad to hear that she and her family are having such a wonderful time!!!!!! I would love to be in the MK at midnight - I haven't done that since I was a child! I have gotten a "sneak preview" of some of Colleen's WDW pictures and they are just FANTASTIC! Everyone looks wonderful and like they are all having a blast and visiting lots of fun and beautiful resorts - and the parks, of course!

How did everything go with your doctor's appointment, Linda? I'm assuming that this was a "consultation" sort of appointment with your surgeon, about the upcoming procedure? I hope that everything went well and that everything is "on track", and that you can "get this over with" and move on from it, very soon!

You'll have to stop talking about those blackberries and that yummy sounding cobbler - my mouth is watering, just thinking about them!

I hope that you will enjoy that Peaches and Cream pie - I know that it's a favorite around here, in the summertime - every time we are invited to a party or BBQ over the summer, the hosts always ask Frank to bring that pie - it's "legendary"! And I told Frank what you said about his pie crust and he was very honored that a connoisseur, such as yourself, would compliment him and his baking skills!

So glad to hear that you had such a nice day with your in-laws and that Austin had a chance to visit with some additional family, as well!

Sorry that this is such a quick one - just wanted to stop in and say "hi" - nothing to report from here - a pretty quiet week, so far! Hope that all is well with all of you!

 

[IASW Rider]

Hi Everyone!

Just wanted to pop in and wish you all a great weekend!

I hope that all went well with your doctor's appointment, earlier in the week, Linda, and that you had a nice rest-of-the-week!

And I can't wait to hear from Colleen, when she returns, and hear all about the rest of her vacation! I believe that she and her family will be preparing to leave and make the journey home, this weekend! I can't wait for her to post more details about her magical trip!

As inspired by Colleen's excitement and enthusiasm, Frank and I have already figured out our 2006 "itinerary" for the land portion of our WDW / DCL trip - PS-wise, anyway!

Nothing interesting to report, from here, it was a very quiet week. Just working on my final project for my class (too boring to describe, here!) and tying that up, as the class ends in 2 weeks (then I'll have 2 "free" weeks before the fall semester starts). Got my newly-dyed shoes back, for my friend's wedding, yesterday - they look very cute - indigo ballet slippers! Having lunch with my father, today, taking 2 of our feline brood members for their annual check-ups at the vet, tomorrow, and we're going swimming with some friends at their swim club on Sunday. See? Told you there was nothing thrilling to report! But that's the "news" from the Garden State!

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

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Howdy there in the Garden State, always did think that was a lovely motto. Hoosier, what the heck is a Hoosier, even we do not know.

Colleen and family know the right way to do DW, taking it easy and taking in the sights along the way. They should either be home or nearly so now and suffering from withdrawal. It is not nearly as much fun to do laundry without having a swimming pool right outside with loads of great people to talk to. Almost worth the mega bucks it costs.

Lisa, you have just reconfirmed my admiration of you and your wise ways. Ballet slippers are fantastic for a party, pretty yet comfortable. Cannot have fun if you are not comfortable. My dear daughter used to buy them for her proms and even though they were only wearable for that one night it was a wise investment. Do you have a picture of the dress?

Does Frank roll out the dough or pat in in place, as it appears to my eyes? Baking is a great art and lots of fun. I have told Dalton that it is a whole lot better than playing with play doh as you cannot (should not) eat play doh. LOL

The blackberries are good but believe me, you would not want the cobbler. Everyone raves over it but it is a conglomeration of oil and sugar and instantly adds pounds directly to the thighs.

My sister is back in the hospital for the third time and this time they are sending her to a nursing facility for a few weeks afterward. She is swearing (literally) off all future plastic surgery but I fear she will forget and go for it once again, if she manages to survive this. I am gravely worried about her and most concerned because she is all alone. Her husband has used up all available time off and he must work as the medical bills are going to be outrageous. Thank heaves the firm she works for offers six months full pay in case of illness.

My dd and family should be home tomorrow. The boys have called me every single night and I look forward to it. The swam in Lake Michigan yesterday. Dalton said he had to grab his brothers arm because he almost got swept away. He is a featherweight and could be swept off by the bathtub draining. His brother has arms of steel.

It seems that they have found a small complication and my bile duct is extended so they are going to have to check that out. Is probably a gallstone stuck but there is a chance (small) of cancer. It is a bit more dangerous surgery though so I am packing a bag in case I wake up to find a big old hole in my tummy instead of 4 small ones. I would be in the hospital for a week if they have to do the harder surgery and need to recuperate for about two months instead of two weeks. (bummer) Since I am so heriated the good news is that they will not have to cut into many muscles. (hey, a bit of good in most everything)

Luna and family went to the zoo yesterday. I hope they made it home alright and did not end up in a cage themselves. Bet they would a whole lot of fun to watch though. Ever wonder what the animals think when they see "us"? Ruminations.

I was looking over some of your photos again the other day. It is almost like being there with you. As Dalton says "It's a sweeeeet life!"

SG/Linda

 

[lunabkat]

Hi All

Well we are back safe from the Bronx Zoo aw: and are off to JCPenney with my dear frind Ellen and her girls today for back to school shopping.

It was H O T yesterday but i have to say the girls couldn't have been any more wellbehaved. It was just a pleasure to be with them yesterday, oh if that were only the norm

We saw many animals but the girls were among the best at ferreting out where the little buggers were hiding. They found the two baby snow leopards and one large one hiding in the rocks, the brown bear in the pool, the poor polar bear in a big furry puddle by the cave and the female tiger sneaking around thru the forest. They were also very good at spotting the turtles and frogs and snakes in the reptile house. We all loved the sealions, they are such show offs and basically had a great time even if we were hot, sticky and sweaty. Next time we are going in October when it is a little cooler.

Got to go, will check back soon. Linda i hope your surgery is as uneventful as possible

Love to all
LL

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Howdy there LL. Sure glad to see that the girls did not throw you to the lions or something. Did you ever notice that kids always throw in a sweet adorable day once in awhile, generally right after they have logged in a whole string of really rotten days, to throw you off track and convince you to keep them a bit longer??

Hard to believe that those intelligent kids who are so darned good at finding the smallest animal cannot find their own shoes on a school morning but there it is.

Thank you for the good wishes, I am hoping for boring as well. There is enough drama in my family already.

SG/Linda/LL etc.