He wants to stay at home and paint the house. Need your help

[heatherbelle]

Well, as some of you know, I have a cruise booked for next year with Disney around the med. The flights were too expensive for Orlando, so the next best thing.

Then Wayne came along with the fantastic M+M offer flying into Miami, this was very tempting.

So I asked my DH, where would you rather go, Miami and Cruise or the Med, (Ds isn't aware of the already booked cruise as it was a surprise). He asked what the price difference was around 1000.00 and then he said he'd rather not go anywhere as the outside of the house needs painting and it needs to be done and that's the only time e can get it done. I hate men sometimes.

I'd spent ages sorting out trips for our Europe Cruise etc. I now need help.

I think Miami will appeal to him more, he likes the US, although I would have to cruise with Carnival or RC instead of Disney, a small sacrifice.

So what's Miami like for those with kids (DS is 12), is there plenty to do, we aren't beach people at all? Any good places to stay?

In 2012, we will probably be back at Disney, I have mr Tesco vocuhers currently burning a hole in my pocket, so we won't be driving up to visit the world, if we do go to Miami.

 

[WiganTony]

As a male, any excuse to get out of painting would be fine with me!!!

How long would you have on dry land as opposed to cruising? If four or five days, you could look at staying down in the Florida Keys which may be a little better for DS, or alternatively, staying a little further up the Atlantic Coast.

 

[luke]

I'm with you, whereas DW would be with your husband.

Sometimes tho stuff could be more necessary than a trip to WDW so I give in to Paula's home improvement demands and am having to skip WDW for the time being

 

[Pooh's-Honey-Pot]

For my part - and I'm not trying to rain on your parade - we disliked Miami intently. Had 5 nights there and couldn't wait for them to be over!!! It is mainly just beaches, so if you're not in to them (as we're not) you will struggle. We went on a "sightseeing" tour that we booked through Virgin - this drove us past all the sights without stopping the mini-bus, then dumped us at a hotel for the day - I think the bus driver was on a kick-back from the management; we booked a trip to the Indian village / Everglades - we had a 20 minute airboat ride, the "authentic Indian village" consisted of photocopied photo's of Indian people stapled to wooden posts, then got dumped at a mall for the rest of the day.

The seas were beautiful, clean and blue one day. The next day the wind direction changed and dragged masses of seaweed up from the bottom, making the water virtually unusable (it really was that thick and plentiful). It was like clammy hands kept grabbing me!

We found the people in Miami rude and unhelpful. We stayed in South Beach because the brochure said there were "hundreds of restaurants in walking distance"; after walking 20 minutes in each direction we still hadn't found one, apart from in other hotels, so had to get the car out each night to go eat. If you do go and have a car check parking costs - its not all free like hotels in Florida are!!

Sorry - talk of Miami always unleashes the grumpy beast in me!!

However I would NEVER put decorating over a holiday!!!!! Stick with your Med cruise in my opinion!!

 

[irongirlof12]

painting the exterior of your house is a very sensible thing to do given the climate situation etc.Good on your DH. However I have never been known for being very sensible and would much prefer to holiday instead of WATCHING PAINT DRY!!

 

[Pooh's-Honey-Pot]

painting the exterior of your house is a very sensible thing to do given the climate situation etc.Good on your DH. However I have never been known for being very sensible and would much prefer to holiday instead of WATCHING PAINT DRY!!

LOVE IT!!! Genius!!!!

 

[scojos]

I'm with you, whereas DW would be with your husband.

Sometimes tho stuff could be more necessary than a trip to WDW so I give in to Paula's home improvement demands and am having to skip WDW for the time being

senseable lass you have there

we too have given up holiday plans fornext year and spent£10k on new windows and doors...
the way i look at it, wdw will still be there in a few years time, and we ll appreciate more if we dont go all the time.
that said we flew into miami,and didnt hang around, it took 3 hrs to drive up, and we dont like beaches so i know where id rather be...

whatever you decide, dont let it cause a rift

 

[luke]

Too sensible for my liking Tracey, she keeps me sensible tho, otherwise I'd be broke

 

[scojos]

Too sensible for my liking Tracey, she keeps me sensible tho, otherwise I'd be broke

welcome to my world
its the kids that kill me like most people on here

 

[luke]

No doubt, I shudder about when that day may come

 

[paulh]

if you have seen the paint the DW has picked for the extension (looks like barbies blood) then no problem go with holiday.he will paint when back
Paul

 

[wayneg]

we too have given up holiday plans fornext year and spent£10k on new windows and doors...
the way i look at it, wdw will still be there in a few years time, and we ll appreciate more if we dont go all the time.

Too sensible Tracy

Maybe its because of the business I am in, doing funeral flowers week in week out, also the fact we have lost 3 out of 4 parents in their 50's my outlook is the house will wait, holidays & family time won't.
Last few weeks I have done funerals for a 38 year, and someone in their 20's as well as a 6 month old.
I also look at travel insurance for retired people, DMIL going with us in Feb £364 for a weeks insurance.
I get constant earache about needing a new bathroom, this needs doing or that needs doing but holidays are far too important for me. House can be done when we win the lottery.

 

[2Tiggies]

For my part - and I'm not trying to rain on your parade - we disliked Miami intently. Had 5 nights there and couldn't wait for them to be over!!! It is mainly just beaches, so if you're not in to them (as we're not) you will struggle. We went on a "sightseeing" tour that we booked through Virgin - this drove us past all the sights without stopping the mini-bus, then dumped us at a hotel for the day - I think the bus driver was on a kick-back from the management; we booked a trip to the Indian village / Everglades - we had a 20 minute airboat ride, the "authentic Indian village" consisted of photocopied photo's of Indian people stapled to wooden posts, then got dumped at a mall for the rest of the day.

The seas were beautiful, clean and blue one day. The next day the wind direction changed and dragged masses of seaweed up from the bottom, making the water virtually unusable (it really was that thick and plentiful). It was like clammy hands kept grabbing me!

We found the people in Miami rude and unhelpful. We stayed in South Beach because the brochure said there were "hundreds of restaurants in walking distance"; after walking 20 minutes in each direction we still hadn't found one, apart from in other hotels, so had to get the car out each night to go eat. If you do go and have a car check parking costs - its not all free like hotels in Florida are!!

Sorry - talk of Miami always unleashes the grumpy beast in me!!

However I would NEVER put decorating over a holiday!!!!! Stick with your Med cruise in my opinion!!

And after this post, nobody will ever stay in Miami again!

we too have given up holiday plans fornext year and spent£10k on new windows and doors...

Doesn't your B&Q sell duct tape?

the way i look at it, wdw will still be there in a few years time, and we ll appreciate more if we dont go all the time.

I thought we would skip next year and go the following Easter so I could save more and spend a few nights at the Poly. We landed. 12 days later: New ticker. And remind me to get some more of that duct tape!

Too sensible Tracy

I get constant earache about needing a new bathroom

Just be nice to the neighbours and borrow theirs.

 

[wayneg]

Just be nice to the neighbours and borrow theirs.

I have just looked after their house for a couple of weeks while they were in Mexico, why didn't I think to test drive their new bathroom?

 

[2Tiggies]

I have just looked after their house for a couple of weeks while they were in Mexico, why didn't I think to test drive their new bathroom?

You're kidding! How could you forget? That is an important part of the Florida Financial Planning Campaign!

 

[Netty]

well we go away to wdw every yr, but not this yr, as the house is falling apart around us! we have put new drains around the house, and have made a new downstairs loo, although this still needs tiling etc, new doors as well.

they way i look at it though -is that our 3 kids have been to Florida loads of times, they will always remember that than the house being done up..
they are all grown up now
roll on next september when we are all going again with our little grandson and the new granchild! a yrs gap will make everything feel fresh and new in wdw!!

 

[london75]

Too sensible Tracy

Maybe its because of the business I am in, doing funeral flowers week in week out, also the fact we have lost 3 out of 4 parents in their 50's my outlook is the house will wait, holidays & family time won't.
Last few weeks I have done funerals for a 38 year, and someone in their 20's as well as a 6 month old.
I also look at travel insurance for retired people, DMIL going with us in Feb £364 for a weeks insurance.
I get constant earache about needing a new bathroom, this needs doing or that needs doing but holidays are far too important for me. House can be done when we win the lottery.

That's me to a tee (except the funeral flowers as I'm in IT and that would be weird). Kids are 5 and 2 and I drive a crummy old car, wife keeps saying "you need a new car, why not skip a holiday and get one" to which my thought process is always, "in 20 years, will I remember every moment of a 3 weeks holiday with my girls or a new car which will have been scrapped and crushed long ago!"

Holiday wins every time.

Currently being put on the back burner in favour of holidays are , 2 bathrooms need doing, garden needs sorting, both cars need replacing, we need a new bed, need new carpets and I should probably start looking at doing some more qualifications and stuff as I get older!

 

[jonoble]

I take it that the £1000 difference is an increase and not a saving?

Either way, take the cheaper holiday option and use some of that £1000 you're now not spending on the more expensive holiday to hire a painter.

 

[heatherbelle]

Thanks for your replies guys, some of them are so funny!

I couldn't get a painter in, as DH works in the building trade and does everthing himself!

I too believe in holidays holidays holidays, you never know what's around the corner.

We've reached a compromise. We're going on holiday for 8 days, 1 day in Barcelona pre-cruise and then 7 nights on the magic. . I've booked the flights so he can't change his mind and the hotel too. That gives him 6 days to paint the house!! Honestly men! It does need painting though, it was last painted 12 years ago when DS was born. I've said I'll help him do it, I hope we have a warm summer, so we can paint it. Otherwise he'll have an excuse for 2012 and I am going to Florida, even if me and Matt have to go on our own and leave Dad at home. I promise I won't drive, so you'll all be safe if it comes to that.