If it's Tuesday, this must be Epcot. ALL FINISHED, PLEASE MOVE ME OUT. SO TIRED.

[nebo]

You do know that the phrase, "Babble on" comes from the bible right?
Course you do.
The Tower of Babel, when God got a tad cranky not liking what was going on down there, and had them all speak different languages.

Kinda like being in Wall-Mart.

Well, I'm gonna babble.
On.

WeeksforVols,,,, welcome back, we missed you. Hope you had a nice trip.
Ok, let the babbling begin.

I am all set, I just got home, and she just left for work.
Got my manhattan in front of me,,, just me and the keyboard.
Well, actually, I ran out of sweet vermouth for the manhattan.
And, without that, no point in putting in the cherry juice.

Ok, Ok, I have a glass of whiskey in front of me.
But it has ice in it.
That makes it legit right Sheridac?

A funny thing happened today on the way to work.
We had to switch cars, cuz Diane had more time to get an estimate on the
damage some swell person did to my car in a parking lot.
Now, since I drive 70 miles round trip, my car is the economy car.
Yeah, need the 30 miles to the gallon thing going on.

So I very, rarely, ever get to drive the Sante Fe.
At five o'clock, I fire it up, and all the warning lights go out on the dashboard, cept one.

There is that little gas pump lit up still.
Thanks honey, you got me.

After filling up, getting the paper and coffee, I am on my way.
And pull a u turn and go right back to the house to get the I Pass, transponder.
That is in my car.

If you remember from , oh, chapter two, this car only goes on vacations when it's on the highway.
And the work exit is right before the tri-state south exit.

This is where I know I need to take the 12 step Disney program again.
My car thinks it's going to Disney.
And I'm right with it.

Soon, I was playing the cruise control buttons like a concert pianist again.
I open the center console, grab the first cd.
One of my Disney cd's.

I drove to work listening to the Splash Mountain medley, and then Illuminations.

Just being in this car had me going all over again. It was all I could do to
yank the wheel at the St. Charles road exit.

All day, when I had a chance, I thought about a future trip, where to stay, how many days, I even have a jar of instant coffee at work.
Nescafe.
It sucks.
But I made a cup. Why?
Cuz it tastes like Disneyworld.

Oh, here come those nice men, Hey, shouldn't you guys be wearing white coats? No, I don't think that vest is big enough for me, why are the arms sowed to the front?

Just thought I'd share.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch,
Our last day, now you know how I can get on the last day.
Yep, not good.
Not my finest hour.

However, I am going to make sure that an emotional meltdown doesn't happen today.

We head back up to the room, and start getting ready for Epcot.

BJ Thomas is playing there today, and we both like him a lot.

As I'm changing, I glance at the table.
That's where we have kept the booze, our own mini bar.

She gets ready quickly, and is doing the "pre packing" thing, to save time.

I glance at the table.

" How many SHOTS have you got left, do we need the camera?"
Uh, yeah, a few, I'll bring it.

I glance at the table.

I crack.
Screw it! My last day, I'm not driving anywhere, yet.

As I tie my shoe, and get up to go to the table, I see her reach over and grab the bottle of Early Times.

OH MY GOD!
She is in total packing mode.

"PUT THE BOTTLE DOWN, CAREFULLY, AND SLOWLY STEP AWAY FROM THE TABLE!"

And I made myself a drink.

"Steve, it's eleven o'clock."
"Yeah, your right, I should have started an hour ago."



intermission

 

[sheridac]

Ok, Ok, I have a glass of whiskey in front of me.
But it has ice in it.
That makes it legit right Sheridac?

Too Legit to Quit sharkbait.

At five o'clock, I fire it up, and all the warning lights go out on the dashboard, cept one.

There is that little gas pump lit up still.
Thanks honey, you got me.

Oh. Hahahahaha!!!!! Good one Diane!!!!

All day, when I had a chance, I thought about a future trip, where to stay, how many days, I even have a jar of instant coffee at work.
Nescafe.
It sucks.
But I made a cup. Why?
Cuz it tastes like Disneyworld.

Oh nebo!!! That stuff's the bascili in the foam on top of swill!!!!

As I'm changing, I glance at the table.
That's where we have kept the booze, our own mini bar.

Good sharkbait!!!

 

[tiggerbell]

Must be something in the rain we've been havin', Nebo - I was looking at a map today, see I'm going to Joliet for a concert Saturday night with a friend from work - well, Rick Springfield, if you must know - oh, shut up! - and I don't know where Joliet is at... well, I kinda know the general direction, but anyway - it's at 55 & 80. From BOTH OR EITHER numbers, I can get to Disneyworld. Can't get the 48 minutes it'll take me to get from home to Joliet, but from Joliet I can drive another 18 hours without checking another map!

What? YOU said we could babble!

 

[JoAnnPan]

looking forward to the rest...hope the intermission doesn't last too long....

 

[nebo]

I have to tell you.
When I said "intermission" , I meant just that.
5 minutes.
I have been typing for the last hour and a half, was almost done, and I foolishly went to hit the "caps lock" key.
Not sure what I hit, but it all just " went away"

This could be a "tad" edgier than what you should have read, a bit ago.

continuing,,,,

So, I ended up making her a drink as well, then we had another, and another, and just drank ourselves into oblivion.

Memo to self.
Not that edgy

However, we did have a couple, and then I found a couple of water bottles in the cooler, and made a couple to go.
Got to Epcot, and went and got fastpasses for Soarin right away.
Not too long a wait.
Did Living with the Land again.
Then Soarin.

Went over to Test track and I did the single rider line. Got on right away.

Wandered into World Showcase, and down to the American Gardens Theatre.

It was time for some BJ. The singer.
Hound, don't go there, don't think it.

Well, he was terrific, not the showman that Davy Jones was, but he sang way, way better than the Association did.

"Hooked on a Feeling, The Eyes of a New York woman, Mighty Clouds of Joy, and of course, Raindrops keep falling on my head."

I kinda wished he went into some of his Christian songs that he did in the seventies but he didn't.

After it was over, we just kinda wandered along looking at the flowers a lot.
If you have never been here during the Festival of Flowers, you are missing a lot.
From late april to early june, it's incredible.
Now, we knew this was going to be an abbreviated session here today, so we headed out.
Back at the room, she called main desk to have a bellhop sent up at six, the next morning.

Uh uh.
luggage service doesn't open till seven.

One of those little differences you don't know about staying at a value.

Ok, fine.
We go down and get one of those transformer dollies and bring it up to the room.

"Hey, just tell the guy I was going to tip him fifty bucks, but if he needs to sleep till seven, hey, don't let me stop him."

In four seconds , she shows me how to open the two wheel dolly into the platform dolly.

But it's dark out now, can't see a thing she's doing.
So, push it up to the room that way. Hey, that's the way we want it anyway.

Can barely maneuver this sucker into the room, then I start packing up like Diane was doing earlier.

time out, checks, not losin this again

 

[sheridac]

I have to tell you.
When I said "intermission" , I meant just that.
5 minutes.
I have been typing for the last hour and a half, was almost done, and I foolishly went to hit the "caps lock" key.
Not sure what I hit, but it all just " went away"

Uuumm. What did you say was in that glass???

It was time for some BJ. The singer.
Hound, don't go there, don't think it.

And. Of course I did.
a) because you didnt tell ME not to
322.ii) because you pointed the way

 

[nebo]

I' m packing, getting all my stuff together, I look, and there's at least 3 bucks in change in the night stand. I also leave 3 bucks on the vanity.
Now, I tipped the maid, yesterday.

Diane kinda yells at me, " You can't leave her all that change, that's tacky."
What's tacky about over 3 bucks in change?

Cuz now she has to carry it around with her all day. Well, I dunno. I leave it.
I gather up the camera off the table, the books, I grab the bottle of whiskey and start putting it in the cooler,

PUT THE BOTTLE DOWN, STEP SLOWLY AWAY FROM THE TABLE AND DON'T MAKE ANY FAST MOVES."

A little while later, we take one more walk down. She bought a souvenier or something, and we sat for the first time at the Petals bar.

I could tell I wasn't the only one feeling that last day thing.
It's Friday, we left our house exactly two weeks ago, gotta remember, we were at Uni, first.
And it's killing me that we didn't see Illuminations one more time.
Yeah, we saw it twice, but that was a week ago.

Ok, I have to be honest and say, as I am writing this, I am feeling a bit of
the same feeling I had that night.
Trip coming to an end.
Trip report coming to and end.

I get up and walk behind my wife's chair and hug her.

back at the room, I open the door and step in,,,,,,

And promptly smash my shin on the dolly sitting there.

Yeah, I know, I know, shoulda let her go first. heh

coming: the epilogue

 

[smidgy]

Re: leavng a ton of change for the maid.
I clean houses, I tend bar, and have waitressed for quite a few years in the past. now, I know how it feels to clean other people's dirt, and I know tipping.
and it sucks to have to carry heavy change in your apron all night.
( also; my motto: if you can't afford to tip decently, you can't afford to go!)
she didn't touch our booze all week.. she saw we needed no help! :
ps. nebo is thinking about a future trip yay!

 

[tiggerwannabe]

wow, noone's been here today...



when ya goin back?

 

[smidgy]

All right, all right. I see there is virtually no interest whatsoever in Disney trivia here.
At least Smidgy asked for the answer.

Ahem, the original voice of the commander in Star Tours was done by no other than A Mr. Paul Ruebens.

AKA,,,,, pee Wee Herman.

After he got caught , um, dangling his participle in public, Disney didn't want to touch him anymore.

So to speak.

 

[tiggerwannabe]

I did not know that

Hi Ms Smidgy, where's Mr Nebo?

writing, I hope...

 

[sheridac]

Ahem, the original voice of the commander in Star Tours was done by no other than A Mr. Paul Ruebens.

AKA,,,,, pee Wee Herman.

After he got caught , um, dangling his participle in public, Disney didn't want to touch him anymore.

So to speak.

Oh. Smidge!!!!! Hahahahahaha!!!!!

 

[Hound 109]

Nebo,

i figured I'd let Sher hit that hanging curve (BJ Thomas reference) out of the park. I'll save my swings for more obscure "coded" stuff.....like baloney sandwiches.

& mrs. nebo.....dangling participles indeed!


hound

 

[sheridac]

Nebo,

i figured I'd let Sher hit that hanging curve (BJ Thomas reference) out of the park. hound

HA!!!!!!

I would. If I was old enough to know who you were talking about!!!!!

 

[smidgy]

the post dated oct.21 answering the paul ruebens trivia question and dangling his particliple was NEBO, not me. (you didn't think there were 2 comedians in the family?) apparently I didn't log out the last time I was on the dis, and he didn't check - don't get it, we have 1 account, but 2 different screen names with e-mail, etc. ANYWAY, boy am I in t-r-o-u-b-l-e!! I will be SURE to log out this time. and nebo said he is posting tonight, while I'm at work

 

[smidgy]

What a delightful day, it hit a high of 41 at O'hare.
Wonder if Disney could use a good machinist down there.
I'm ready.

You know, I just posted this installment, and for a change hung around to see if it all took.

And then I saw the "Smidgy" name after it posted.
So, just call me Diane from now on.
Nope, not gonna yell at her for not signing off, my fault, ,,, always my fault,,, like the time when we were moving, and took all the helpers to dinnerandleftthepizzaattherestaurant,,,,,,,,,,,,

Sorry about the posting delay.
Seems we had to have one of those household emergencies, one of the kitchen cabinets decided it didn't want to be there anymore.

In hindsight, I guess I picked the wrong place to keep my bowling ball collection.

Resume.

Saturday morning, we wake up, and both of us are in "efficiency" mode.
Just doing what has to be done, and little talking.

After getting most of our crap on the dolley,, I open the door to get this thing out of the room.
My shins can't take it anymore.

And there it is.
Yep, just hanging there, like a dead cat.
The kiss of death.
It's official.

We have now Unceremoniously been kicked out of Disney.

Nope, no last minute pardon from the Governor.

Time to walk the "green mile".

The envelope is hanging from the doorknob.

It's ten to six, sat. morn.

Funny how they didn't have any bell service before seven,,,,,
But they can get that anthrax loaded envelope to your room before six.

With me pushing the cart, and her carrying stuff, we leave and go down to the car.

Now, I still don't really understand this part.
Remember when we left? I said, sorry , even though you're invited to come with, the wasn't enough room for a gerbil after the packing was done?

Well, I thought it would be better, going home.
You know, less stuff,,,, crap we have used supplies.
Gone through almost a case of beer, case of pop, food.

What's left is in the cooler.

We barely get the thing packed, ok, let's go.
And I look.
Next to the left rear tire is the Mother of all lawn and leaf bags.

You got it.
The dirty laundry bag.

I drag it over to the back, she see's it, and her head spins around like the exorcist, looking back in the car for where to put it.

We are talking a bean bag chair here.

I just started laughing.
Couldn't stop.

"Well, we can put it in the front passenger seat."
" Yeah, and where am I going to sit?"
oh.

"Well, we still have the luggage rack on the roof."

" Hey! It worked for Aunt Edna."
In "Vacation". Not even a smile out of that one. So, I counter;

" I say it's easier to leave it, we'll buy more clothes when we get home."

"Nope, not happening."

I see the fire in her eyes and just stand back.
In five minutes she has just about everything out, ,,,,, and then back in again.

Without blocking the windows.

She's good.

Diane brings the dolley back while I pull the suv around to the front.
I got there first, and had a couple minutes to look around.
About all I can really see from where I'm at are a couple of big bowling pins.
It was enough.

Man, I can't believe it's over.

Weren't we just toolin down the road listening to Jiminy Cricket doing Wishes?
Me trying to keep her awake?

And that was just over TWO weeks ago.

She comes back, one more glance at a bowling pin, and we're off.

At least I couldn't see a yo yo.

About 3 hours down the road, I turned on the stereo.

"Welcome to the laughing place, laughing place , laughi,,,
I couldn't get that cd out of there quick enough.

As cheerful as that music is, now, NOT.

It's funny, when you are on your way home, the miles seem to go by quicker.
As the day wears on, we start talking more and more about how great a trip this was.
We made it into Scottsborough Indiana, close enough, and stayed the night.
The next morning is much easier, emotionally, she can't wait to see the cats, I'm wondering if they are still alive.

As we near the house, I'm smiling.
Yeah, what a great trip.
And I"m smiling for another reason.

Stop it hound, oh, I'm sorry, Sheridac, no.

I'm smiling because if all goes well, we will be back at CBR come september for free dining.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[tiggerwannabe]

~someone forgot to sign off before she left today

 

[sheridac]

And there it is.
Yep, just hanging there, like a dead cat.
The kiss of death.

Hi Smidgy!!!!

Just exactly how many dead cats have you had hanging on your door, huh???

"Well, we still have the luggage rack on the roof."

" Hey! It worked for Aunt Edna."

Oh nebo. You sure can tell you're a man. Smidgy CARES about her clothes. Even if they are dirty.

" I say it's easier to leave it, we'll buy more clothes when we get home."

Oh see!!! That's what I'D do!!!!

As we near the house, I'm smiling.
Yeah, what a great trip.
And I"m smiling for another reason.

Stop it hound, oh, I'm sorry, Sheridac, no.

I'm smiling because if all goes well, we will be back at CBR come september for free dining.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What???

And. Hey!!! Me too, you!!! Well. Not. CBR. But. September!!!

 

[nebo]

I want you guys to know, this was and outstanding vacation, unfortunately, the bar has been set pretty high.
No, sorry, can't, and won't spend two weeks at the Grand Floridian.

FYI, this is the first time in my entire life I have ever tried to write anything, other than something on a birthday card or anniversary card for Diane.

I did have a lot of fun doing it, and I hope you had some good laughs reading it. I know for sure I ended up telling you all a lot more about us than I ever thought I would. And I hope I didn't give the wrong impression at times, I'm not really a cynical bigot stupid racist,,,,,,just sharing my thoughts at the time they happened.
Well, ok, maybe stupid.
I do want to thank all of you that stuck with me, Tiggerbell, Hound, Tiggerwannabe, Sheridac, and the rest of you readers that may not have posted that often, but read this crap anyway.

I'm not decided on whether to do a TR on the Sept. trip. , I still kinda feel like it's a field that most people want to know where a good changing table is, or how to deal with the youngsters when they have a meltdown.

I hope, and she does too, we can suffer these problems with our grandkids in the near future. I will never forget the look on my older son's face in the beginning of Pirates of the Carib. "Mom, Dad, look!!"

I actually saw little of Disney that first trip, spent too much time either taping on the camcorder or watching my sons.

Ok, here's where you guys come in.
I'd really like to know, what you didn't like about this report, Hey, I can take it, I'm my worst critic.

Please don't be shy posting here, it would also help if I do the future september trip that we already took. ????????

Allright, I have babbled enough. If I do, do, a september trip, ( can i say do do here?), gotta think of a clever title, so just look for the "nebo" name underneath anything that sounds stupid. Night night.



P. S. Mod, please give this two weeks before you bury it in the crypt.

 

[tiggerwannabe]

I love your sense of humor...

and the fact that you're not afraid to share...everything...

The best stories are from those who tell all~

Having Smidgy around adds that je ne sais quio, she's a lucky lady who's caught herself a very funny guy~Twice!

type on Dude! type on....