May 10, 2008 Ship of Thieves! Stealing the Magic..AGAIN!!! Panama Canal FL to CA!!! Part 4

[mom_of_2_princesses]

I love seeing the tickers going down. 12 months 3 weeks. I need to put mine back on.

 

[fourmcds]

I think I used the correct term for here with 'visit the bathroom' didn't I? I would usually say 'go to the loo'!!

I think most people would understand the loo'. In our house, my girls say they have to go 'shi shi'. It is what they say in Hawaii for going to the bathroom. My dad (who is Hawaiian) taught them that.

 

[fourmcds]

Congrats on selling the apartment complex. We've had rentals for 9 years now and it can be a crazy business. We live in a university town, so we've had lots of students. Pretty messy, but usually pay the bills on time (mom & dad are usually still willing to help out) and aren't much trouble. Recently, we've had a few problem tenants, however (non-students). We actually had to evict one guy & his girlfriend. The guy was already in jail, his kids had been taken by DHS to live with the grandmother, and girlfriend was just clueless. That was the only tenant I have ever been afraid of. He ended up in jail for drug and weapons charges. scared1: I'd just as soon get rid of the rest of our rentals, but now isn't a good time to sell in this town, so we'll wait it out a few more years. There's also the problem of capital gains unless we do a like-kind exchange.

Thanks, we owned them for 4 years and are much happier with just a few houses here and there. We were doing some other real estate purchases at the time of the sale, so we didn't have to deal with the capital gains, which was a definate plus! Your situation sounds much nicer than ours. We had the cops at our units all the time and had to do at least 1 eviction process a month (with sheriffs escorting people out of the units). Never again for us (at least not in that area or price range).

Our weather has been freakishly cold. Soccer canceled yesterday because of SNOW. DS has been a major grump the past couple of days, wondering if it is ever going to get warm. I have to say I agree with him. It looks like it might get better next week.

I agree, this winter seems to be going on and on and on......I know the east coast is feeling that way as well. Of course our friends in CA here are enjoying fabulous weather

We are going to WDW on the free dining plan!.

DS and girlfriend are going too so it should be interesting.

We'll be there Aug 28 - Sept 4th at Riverside.

Hope everyone is well.

Fiona

How fun...have a great time. That plan is too good to pass up!

The Disney shows are running again on the Travel Channel (Sorry Holly) today, starting at 3:00 pm Eastern. I think it starts with Imagineering. The DCL one runs at 5:00.

Better set up the VCR right now, thanks for the reminder!

 

[nskjerven]

I can't move!!! The plumbers are here - been here 2 hours. We live in a small bungalow and the loft access is in the hall, so the ladder blocks the route to the bathroom and bedrooms. I have the lounge and kitchen, but I must look so lazy just sitting on the laptop with the TV on!!!

okay if you look lazy (because your stuck)

I am lazy because I'm not stuck and I sit and

 

[granmaz]

okay if you look lazy (because your stuck)

I am lazy because I'm not stuck and I sit and

Ok, truth here. I possibly, ok, probably would have been sitting and for some of the time anyway!!!

 

[HollyTyler]

UhOh Holly, I sense another Karoake duet coming on and if I remember correctly, neither of us had the greatest voice
One of my favorite songs to sing after a DOD or 2

NO singing for me! I'd hate to cause anybody to jump overboard!

 

[HollyTyler]

So, John, I guess I need to join you and Holly on the karoake stage....That song comes on my ipod when I am working out and I start singing and everyone starts staring

 

[lillygator]

well the luncheon went well. Now I am stuffed and need a nap!

 

[HollyTyler]

As crazy as my household is, I can not believe we are doing this. We applied in Jan to host an exchange student for a year. We have now been accepted and it looks like we will have a senior from Norway!! My girls are very excited.
Daniel will be gone to school....so he really does not care one way or the other.

I am not sure about you guys but I would have a very hard time sending either of my girls to a far away place to live for a year

So we all decided we can see what the life of an exchange student is like, by having one come to us!!

You're going to have so much fun with your exchange student! When I was a teenager, my very first boyfriend's parents had hosted an exchange student from Japan in the past and she would come back to visit the family every year for a week. The family told me you become very attached to your exchange student, as he/she will be part of your life for a while. Creates a lifelong relationship!

 

[UKANGEL]

I had a BIG SURPRISE last night. Peg and I got to have dinner with clynne and Surley and the kids! They had a slight change in their road trip itinerary and ended up doing an overnight stop in Phoenix! What a treat! AND I get to see them again in 5 weeks in Disneyland along with a collection of you thieves!

Here are some for all who need it today!

Was thinking I haven't seen Carolyn on here for a while, that must be why! Glad you all had a good time!

Life is too short not take time to laugh, and sometimes, laughter truly is the best medicine.

So true!

We are going to WDW on the free dining plan!.

DS and girlfriend are going too so it should be interesting.

We'll be there Aug 28 - Sept 4th at Riverside.

Hope everyone is well.

Fiona

Happy planning Fiona!

okay if you look lazy (because your stuck)

I am lazy because I'm not stuck and I sit and

Yep, that's me too Nan!

 

[calmom]

I am in total sympathy with you about the tax situation. We pay more in taxes every year than we paid for our first house!!

Noel

That is so amazing! So glad to hear others have tax woos. My sister called to tell me she is getting money back.

I completely hear you Lisa...we were just talking about that tonight....money, taxes and if we would have enough for the cruise, but we both decided there is NO WAY we are not going! I think DH would be ok not, but he knows it would break my heart. I know we will be filing an extension so we won't have to news for a bit! So, I will be there celebrating your bday with you (and everyone else here!!!).
My DH is the same - I figure he should be especially excited to do the cruise as he gets out of doing a big 40 party for me! Getting up at 6am to see the Canal will be my party! Can't wait for the sail away party with everyone!



Oh, Champagne girls...that would be one thing you might want to look into. I think there is some info on it on page 1. You can decide if you want to join or be an honorary member (ie- champagne drinker or not!) And then there are the Beer Boys....

I am SO into the Champagne girl idea. Do I bring a bottle?

Lisa,

Mult-quote if you feel you need to comment, but otherwise it will go pretty quickly as the snow falls, in Tahoe!

Karen

So into this multi-quoting thing. First time doing it!

Lisa, I have missed you!! I was away for a week and I did the reading to catch up. It was very hard. In the future, I will just pick and read and ask questions.....have you noticed how everyone likes to answer questions!!

Hi Lisa! How did the performance go with your church? I recall your husband having some involvement in some big performance?

Note to myself: where do I sign up for this program?

Even the little ones count for something!

Congrats!


OK - I am about 170 pages behind, but I have the baby napping, kids are playing in the cabin. Here I go! Lisa

 

[calmom]

NO singing for me! I'd hate to cause anybody to jump overboard!

After a bit too much champange on one cruise, I got up and sang Happy Birthday to a stranger "Marilyn Monroe" style. I'm basically tone deaf. It was a like an episode of Saturday Night Live.

 

[HollyTyler]

About 18 mo. after my father died unexpectedly, his father (my grandfather) was stricken with a massive heart attack while he was at work (he was the justice of the peace of our hometown). He never regained consciousness and although his vital signs were good, he was in a coma, without any higher brain function. He ended up passing about a week later after being weaned from a ventilator. It was wrenching seeing this strong, independent man in such a helpless state and we all felt he never would have wanted to linger for months (or who knows how long) in a care center.

Early on in that week, as the events were unfolding I was at my mom's house, in my old bedroom, sleeping. In a dream I saw my grandfather, sitting in the rocking chair in my room, holding his head in his hands, shaking his head. I asked him what was wrong and he said, "I'm sorry, I'm just so sorry...I never meant for it to happen like this..." It was so vivid. As the week went on, I thought I understood what he meant, that he didn't want to end up in a coma, etc. But after he died, we found out that he didn't have a proper will, the instructions were very vague, he'd verbally told some of us certain things but not others, and the real mess came from the fact that my father had predecesed him, making us 4 kids heirs along with my aunt (the only other sibling). My aunt felt that she should be the sole heir. It turned into a terrible situation, and caused a rift between my family and my aunt and uncle that lasted for several years. As this ugly situation began to take shape I remembered the dream, and I feel certain that THIS was what he was referring to when he said, "I never meant for it to happen like this". Very often in the last year of his life (after my dad was gone), he would say things like, "I know when I die you all will be able to work everything out". He just couldn't make himself get his affairs in order, I guess.

Wow! That's quite an experience too! I've never had any type of experience like that, but love reading about everybody else's!

 

[HollyTyler]

Hello everyone! I soooo miss you all. It has been just crazy. We are selling our first home (which has been a rental). All with the secret plans to have enough money to take this cruise!! Just kidding (somewhat!). Tax season has KILLED us! My husband had his severance from his last job before starting his business. The taxes are sooo big. My DH is questioning this cruise and I WILL NOT LET IT GO! Of course they make real estate taxes come the same time as income taxes. Noel, you can I sure imagine what our real estate taxes is since we just got in the Woodside market in 2005. Yikes! Anyway, work and taxes has taken over our lives but I wanted to take a breath to say hi. I think soon I can do my nightly reading of DIS to catch up. But until then please keep me in your thoughts! By the way, my friend got an okay from Stanford oncology to wait for chemo and try IVF for one more month. She is thrilled as last month she could only get one egg (or how ever that works). I'm scared of course because she is postponing treatment, but I figure the doctors wouldn't okay it unless it wasn't too risky.
That's all - sorry for the long posting. Lisa

Great to hear from you Lisa! Glad to hear the update on your friend.

 

[HollyTyler]

Aw come on, touch it!

I don't know.....it might bite!

 

[HollyTyler]

I'll never forget being 11 and having a French exchange student. My parents didn't know what to do when the 17 year old went nude sunbathing while my 18 year old brother just watched the show! Lisa

I'll bet that's a memory your brother recalls vividly and fondly!

 

[disneylover5]

Hi Lisa! How did the performance go with your church? I recall your husband having some involvement in some big performance?

Thanks for asking, and I have an update. We did Godspell. We sold out for two shows (414 each show) and the Friday night show sold 390 tickets!! So it was AWESOME!! We figured that 60% of the tickets were bought by people who went to church with us and 40% were bought by the community at large. It was so good to see so many vistors come though the doors. The show was AWESOME.....they did a great job.

Now the update!! The decided yesterday they are going to tackle West Side Story!! Godspell was so successful.....they want to try again.

Oh well, another year without a DH.....

 

[HollyTyler]

Oh my goodness, John. I am not Greek and had never heard this, however...I was visited by two relatives shortly after they died and I was wide awake both times. One was my Grandmother who evidently visited several family members. My Dad described her dress to my aunt (he was not at her funeral) and the dress he described was one he had never seen, but that she was buried in. When she visited me she said nothing, she just stood at the foot of my bed. It was very peaceful. Then several years later when Dennis' dad passed he came to visit. He was quite a gardner and he was on my deck looking at some tomatoes I had growing in pots. He too said nothing, he just looked over the plants, looked at me and disappeared over the side of the deck. Again it was very peaceful and I was neither frightened or surprised either time. When Dennis came home that day I said "Your Daddy came to visit today" and he just said "oh really" and I told him about it. He too was not surprised or freaked out. I must add, Dennis' dad and I loved each other very much and my grandmother and I were very close too. My dad and I were not close after I was 16 and he filled that void for me. I spent the last night he was alive with him as Dennis' mom was just worn out and needed sleep. He died at home of cancer and the last few days and nights was very restless, getting up and down every few minutes and he needed help to get up.

I miss them both still and it has been 17 years since we lost my grandmother and 11 for Dennis' dad.

Oh my goodness! Gave me chills! What great experiences!

 

[HollyTyler]

:


Are you going to entertain us with some magic?? Maybe after a couple of DODs?

QUOTE]

I'll have DrHug bring along some "gear" he and John1 can play with and entertain us.

I can bring Tyler's handcuffs!

 

[mom_of_2_princesses]

I don't know.....it might bite!

We are waiting.