erinch
Parsing the same ee cummings poem for 20 years
- Joined
- Mar 22, 2001
- Messages
- 3,514
I am trying to break a long-standing tradition. We go to WDW. I start a clever, witty, insightful Trip Report. I am filled of good intentions. I never finish it. Gonna try to break that one. Sign on and hold me to it!
The Cast of Characters
ME: Erin
Will turn 53 on this trip. Gads. How did that happen? Grew up in Redlands, Ca, about an hour from Disneyland. On birthdays, we went to Disneyland or Knotts Berry Farm or Marineland. One day magical trips. I grew up with DL, and it grew up with me. Now I serve as what is known as an Executive Presbyter, for a group of presbyterian churches in Southeastern PA. That means I am a combination mother hen, midwife, and yapping sheep collie trying to keep the whole enterprise moving forward in changing times.
I have zero interest in breaking any boundaries regarding discussion of religion or politics. (Am watching the budget meltdown as I type, and am happy to get away from both for this trip.) You may find me commenting on the behavior of churches as institutions on occasion, as that does pertain to the "magic" of Disney.
I started this position 18 months ago, which meant a move from Punxsutawney, PA, home of Punxsutawney Phil, and us for 18 years. 2010 was a rather horrific challenge for our crew. I left to start the new gig in January 2010. Hubby Kent, and daughter Meredith stayed in Punxsy to finish his 18 year pastorate, and her 8th grade year, respectively. I went to our General Assembly in June 2010, then home to pack the house of 18 years. 6 weeks was about 1/4 of the time we needed. More on that in a separate post. The upshot is the last time we had a vacation was over 2 years ago. I'm tired, and can't wait to get away for awhile.
Somehow, in the moves, I gained 20 lbs I swore I'd lose. Now swearing I'll lose it when we get back. Means I'll hate the family pictures. I've got swell ones from my younger days. Maybe I'll photoshop that self in.
DH: kENT:
Kent will turn 65 a week after we return. He wants to know how that happened too. He also grew up in SoCal, Glendora. He beats me for growing up at DL: he was there 5 days after it opened. More on growing up at DL in a separate post as well. He is a Presbyterian pastor. Took early retirement so I could accept my EP position. Moved here in September 2010. Didn't know a soul. Had nothing to do. Retirement isn't always good. Is now serving one of our churches half-time, one of the ones that dipped below the level of affording a fulltime pastor. Train buff. Likes Disney when we get there. Honestly wishes we were going to the Southwest instead. On a train. We are going on the autotrain, which makes him happy. My kids have been on an airplane once. But they ride trains like pros. If I were going to name him as a character, it would be GrumpyEeyore. But all of a sudden, I blink my eyes, and he still dazzles me as Prince Charming.
DS: GRAHAM:
Graham is 23. He was born with catastrophic food allergies, world-class asthma, and an immune system that barely functioned. Until he was 15, our life was one chaotic "Oh my god, he's going to die!" At least 15 times in anaphylaxis. Missing an average of 35 days of school each year. Had to have a bag of 15 meds at hand at all times. Disney became our safe place, as they responded to food allergies long before any other destination place did. In another post, I'll recount the tale of how he nearly died at Mythos, when they denied there were ground nuts in the peach cobbler. We got through pretty well, until that incident at age 13. It sparked a number of systemic problems, that ultimately resulted in several surgeries. At age 15, it became more, he discovered there are things on this planet that when your life truly sucks can make you feel better, or think that you feel better. Life spiraled downward, with a number of interventions, and I thought that after all the years of keeping him alive, we were going to lose him to a dark place where we could not follow.
There is grace in this world. And miracles still. Last September, as we were trying to find ourselves in boxes, he finally made the call he was ready to come home. He has been involved with an amazing 12-step group here, with a new gang of young male buddies keeping sober and clean. Somehow in the spiralling, he had managed to complete all of his BA in English (following Mom's footsteps), except his internship. He did that this spring, for an organization that offers life skills support for identified at risk kids, and is teaching 8th graders. He did such a grand job, they've hired him for the coming year. He is also holding down a job delivering Dominos, and goes to meetings a number of times per week. And the gym. I've no times for pics today, but I'll post some before and afters.
dd: MEREDITH:
Meredith will be 16 in November. Leaving Punxsy, and the friends she went to preschool with has torn all the fibers of her being. 9th grade was a terrible year here, in a truly worldclass high school. She has made new friends, and is gorgeous. Discovering photography as a passion. We're taking her BFF, Tessa, on this trip, and hoping for better things academically in the year to come.
PREVIOUS TRIPS
Lots and lots of them. Starting with hauling 30-40 high schoolers on mission trips to the Duvall Home in Deland, then packing them 4 in the room in various cheesy maingate Travelodges. When there was an MK, an Epcot, and River Country, and you could do the whole shebang in 3 days with time to spare.
Grand Floridian in 1991, when Graham was 3. Deluxe plan. He had an asthma attack on the way down, and the airplane was not equipped with electricity to run the nebulizer (the days before battery operated ones.) And we didn't know that till the plane took off from Michigan, where we lived at the time. It was a short flight, and he was okay. But every single time we sat down to eat, he had an asthma attack, triggered by panic about not being able to breathe. In the meantime, I was invading the kitchen at the GF, to read labels, as any trace of any milk product derivative could kill him. A speck of sodium caseinate, and without epi-pens, he would have died.
After that, life is so much a blur, we can't remember the years and places. Wilderness Lodge, PoR. AKL twice. Added Meredith somewhere in there. Had an abysmal stay at Westgate Villas, when Meredith was 6 months old. It had just stopped being Sonesta. Switched to Vistana, where we now stay, as cramming us all in a room is too stressful to call it a vacation.
This trip:
August 2: Leave on Autotrain.
Augst 3: Arrive. Check into Hard Rock Hotel. Two roooms. Graham, Meredith and Tessa in one; us in the other. We don't care if they are on the same floor.
August 4: I at least will do early entry to Harry Potter land. The howler monkeys can get up. Or not. I am trying to vacation from having to be the MOM.
August 5: Check out; tickets are 4 day, so can go back in IOA, or US if anybody wants to. At noon, leave for Key West.
August 5: Check into Hyatt Windward Pointe, where I will drag my hubby to a timeshare presenation we won't buy into, in exchange for a condo for two nights for $245 total. We will see some of the historic places we didn't see on the last quick trip. Graham wants to snorkel. Amazingly, given the option of snorkeling or historic touring, the girls have picked snorking as well.
August 7: Make the trip back, and check into the Vistana for 2 weeks. Fountains 1. Have requested 3rd floor; sky light; pondview, not poolview. This will be the 6th time staying at the Vistana.
Kent and I will both be doing some study leave, and we have 10 day hoppers with waterpark etc. We'll do one day at Discovery Cove (not Kent) and one day at Sea World, most likely. At this point, no ADRS. As they want to be "spontaneous." I'm going to make some anyhow, and cancel if need be. My must dos are Boma, Jiko, and date night at Bistro de Paris on my bday. The girls are still determined to "get" characters. More on that "getting" in a separate post.
That's us. Hopefully, this time, I'll write it. And hopefully, somebody will read it.
The Cast of Characters
ME: Erin
Will turn 53 on this trip. Gads. How did that happen? Grew up in Redlands, Ca, about an hour from Disneyland. On birthdays, we went to Disneyland or Knotts Berry Farm or Marineland. One day magical trips. I grew up with DL, and it grew up with me. Now I serve as what is known as an Executive Presbyter, for a group of presbyterian churches in Southeastern PA. That means I am a combination mother hen, midwife, and yapping sheep collie trying to keep the whole enterprise moving forward in changing times.
I have zero interest in breaking any boundaries regarding discussion of religion or politics. (Am watching the budget meltdown as I type, and am happy to get away from both for this trip.) You may find me commenting on the behavior of churches as institutions on occasion, as that does pertain to the "magic" of Disney.
I started this position 18 months ago, which meant a move from Punxsutawney, PA, home of Punxsutawney Phil, and us for 18 years. 2010 was a rather horrific challenge for our crew. I left to start the new gig in January 2010. Hubby Kent, and daughter Meredith stayed in Punxsy to finish his 18 year pastorate, and her 8th grade year, respectively. I went to our General Assembly in June 2010, then home to pack the house of 18 years. 6 weeks was about 1/4 of the time we needed. More on that in a separate post. The upshot is the last time we had a vacation was over 2 years ago. I'm tired, and can't wait to get away for awhile.
Somehow, in the moves, I gained 20 lbs I swore I'd lose. Now swearing I'll lose it when we get back. Means I'll hate the family pictures. I've got swell ones from my younger days. Maybe I'll photoshop that self in.
DH: kENT:
Kent will turn 65 a week after we return. He wants to know how that happened too. He also grew up in SoCal, Glendora. He beats me for growing up at DL: he was there 5 days after it opened. More on growing up at DL in a separate post as well. He is a Presbyterian pastor. Took early retirement so I could accept my EP position. Moved here in September 2010. Didn't know a soul. Had nothing to do. Retirement isn't always good. Is now serving one of our churches half-time, one of the ones that dipped below the level of affording a fulltime pastor. Train buff. Likes Disney when we get there. Honestly wishes we were going to the Southwest instead. On a train. We are going on the autotrain, which makes him happy. My kids have been on an airplane once. But they ride trains like pros. If I were going to name him as a character, it would be GrumpyEeyore. But all of a sudden, I blink my eyes, and he still dazzles me as Prince Charming.
DS: GRAHAM:
Graham is 23. He was born with catastrophic food allergies, world-class asthma, and an immune system that barely functioned. Until he was 15, our life was one chaotic "Oh my god, he's going to die!" At least 15 times in anaphylaxis. Missing an average of 35 days of school each year. Had to have a bag of 15 meds at hand at all times. Disney became our safe place, as they responded to food allergies long before any other destination place did. In another post, I'll recount the tale of how he nearly died at Mythos, when they denied there were ground nuts in the peach cobbler. We got through pretty well, until that incident at age 13. It sparked a number of systemic problems, that ultimately resulted in several surgeries. At age 15, it became more, he discovered there are things on this planet that when your life truly sucks can make you feel better, or think that you feel better. Life spiraled downward, with a number of interventions, and I thought that after all the years of keeping him alive, we were going to lose him to a dark place where we could not follow.
There is grace in this world. And miracles still. Last September, as we were trying to find ourselves in boxes, he finally made the call he was ready to come home. He has been involved with an amazing 12-step group here, with a new gang of young male buddies keeping sober and clean. Somehow in the spiralling, he had managed to complete all of his BA in English (following Mom's footsteps), except his internship. He did that this spring, for an organization that offers life skills support for identified at risk kids, and is teaching 8th graders. He did such a grand job, they've hired him for the coming year. He is also holding down a job delivering Dominos, and goes to meetings a number of times per week. And the gym. I've no times for pics today, but I'll post some before and afters.
dd: MEREDITH:
Meredith will be 16 in November. Leaving Punxsy, and the friends she went to preschool with has torn all the fibers of her being. 9th grade was a terrible year here, in a truly worldclass high school. She has made new friends, and is gorgeous. Discovering photography as a passion. We're taking her BFF, Tessa, on this trip, and hoping for better things academically in the year to come.
PREVIOUS TRIPS
Lots and lots of them. Starting with hauling 30-40 high schoolers on mission trips to the Duvall Home in Deland, then packing them 4 in the room in various cheesy maingate Travelodges. When there was an MK, an Epcot, and River Country, and you could do the whole shebang in 3 days with time to spare.
Grand Floridian in 1991, when Graham was 3. Deluxe plan. He had an asthma attack on the way down, and the airplane was not equipped with electricity to run the nebulizer (the days before battery operated ones.) And we didn't know that till the plane took off from Michigan, where we lived at the time. It was a short flight, and he was okay. But every single time we sat down to eat, he had an asthma attack, triggered by panic about not being able to breathe. In the meantime, I was invading the kitchen at the GF, to read labels, as any trace of any milk product derivative could kill him. A speck of sodium caseinate, and without epi-pens, he would have died.
After that, life is so much a blur, we can't remember the years and places. Wilderness Lodge, PoR. AKL twice. Added Meredith somewhere in there. Had an abysmal stay at Westgate Villas, when Meredith was 6 months old. It had just stopped being Sonesta. Switched to Vistana, where we now stay, as cramming us all in a room is too stressful to call it a vacation.
This trip:
August 2: Leave on Autotrain.
Augst 3: Arrive. Check into Hard Rock Hotel. Two roooms. Graham, Meredith and Tessa in one; us in the other. We don't care if they are on the same floor.
August 4: I at least will do early entry to Harry Potter land. The howler monkeys can get up. Or not. I am trying to vacation from having to be the MOM.
August 5: Check out; tickets are 4 day, so can go back in IOA, or US if anybody wants to. At noon, leave for Key West.
August 5: Check into Hyatt Windward Pointe, where I will drag my hubby to a timeshare presenation we won't buy into, in exchange for a condo for two nights for $245 total. We will see some of the historic places we didn't see on the last quick trip. Graham wants to snorkel. Amazingly, given the option of snorkeling or historic touring, the girls have picked snorking as well.
August 7: Make the trip back, and check into the Vistana for 2 weeks. Fountains 1. Have requested 3rd floor; sky light; pondview, not poolview. This will be the 6th time staying at the Vistana.
Kent and I will both be doing some study leave, and we have 10 day hoppers with waterpark etc. We'll do one day at Discovery Cove (not Kent) and one day at Sea World, most likely. At this point, no ADRS. As they want to be "spontaneous." I'm going to make some anyhow, and cancel if need be. My must dos are Boma, Jiko, and date night at Bistro de Paris on my bday. The girls are still determined to "get" characters. More on that "getting" in a separate post.
That's us. Hopefully, this time, I'll write it. And hopefully, somebody will read it.
