May 10, 2008 Ship of Thieves! Stealing the Magic..AGAIN!!! Panama Canal FL to CA!!! Part 7

[EllaEnchanted]

well since I am driving myself crazy I bit the bullet and called....


guess what --- voice mail! So I went ahead and left a message.

You know what V....I would have done the same exact thing! Patience is hard to have at a time like this. I would have given in too.

 

[birkner]

Have you ever cruised NYE before? I bet that would be a spectacular cruise to do.

Hey Geeks....cruising next Jan....how about NYE?

Noel, would you do it again next year?

We have cruised on NYE on other lines but never DCL. What I have heard from other DIS cruisers is that it is pretty spectacular.

I think we are only going to do the NYE this year, not next as we are doing the Panama Canal. Since DH is in a start up time off is not easily taken.

I know Nan is doing the 2008 NYE and there may be others as there is quite a lively thread going.

My DH and I have not made any more cruise plans beyond the Panama Canal at this point but who knows???

 

[EllaEnchanted]

I've been catching up on the last 60 or so pages, so please bear with me if I seem a little out-of-date!



My DH is a mixture. He doesn't DIS, and I don't think of him as being quite so Disney keen as me, and he has lots of other interests. But then sometimes he surprises me, like in the last couple of weeks we've started to get new WDW TV adverts and he got all excited about them. And suddenly says that he'd like to go to WDW for his birthday week in February. Which I'd never even thought to suggest, especially as we would be strictly limited to 6 nights and it's a long way to travel for such a short time.

But now I have a good excuse to look and plan for a possible WDW vacation!

What a great surprise!!!! Take advantage and GO GO GO GO GO!

 

[granmaz]

I've been catching up on the last 60 or so pages, so please bear with me if I seem a little out-of-date!



My DH is a mixture. He doesn't DIS, and I don't think of him as being quite so Disney keen as me, and he has lots of other interests. But then sometimes he surprises me, like in the last couple of weeks we've started to get new WDW TV adverts and he got all excited about them. And suddenly says that he'd like to go to WDW for his birthday week in February. Which I'd never even thought to suggest, especially as we would be strictly limited to 6 nights and it's a long way to travel for such a short time.

But now I have a good excuse to look and plan for a possible WDW vacation!

John does get excited about the holiday(well, as good as it gets!!!) once he has finished work and on his way. I look forward to that as much as the holiday.

I would go even if it was for 6 nights!

We have cruised on NYE on other lines but never DCL. What I have heard from other DIS cruisers is that it is pretty spectacular.

I think we are only going to do the NYE this year, not next as we are doing the Panama Canal. Since DH is in a start up time off is not easily taken.

I know Nan is doing the 2008 NYE and there may be others as there is quite a lively thread going.

My DH and I have not made any more cruise plans beyond the Panama Canal at this point but who knows???

Maybe we will be all booking a reunion cruise!

 

[tigger137]

I am thinking it is a common thing for stitchers to have 'unused' items, and even unfinished ones.

I was amazed how many finished but 'unused' embroideries I found in my sister's house. So much work that had been put into them but they were just sitting there unseen. I think that she just stitched because she loved doing it then tucked them away. It's just she gave so many items as gifts I didn't realise she'd have so many others left. She only left one unfinished one, which I believe her son's fiance is going to try and finish because it was being done specifically for someone as a gift.

She did also have lots framed and on her walls. Including a sampler on which it says it was stitched for me and my DH! My nephew insisted we take that one.

 

[granmaz]

I was amazed how many finished but 'unused' embroideries I found in my sister's house. So much work that had been put into them but they were just sitting there unseen. I think that she just stitched because she loved doing it then tucked them away. It's just she gave so many items as gifts I didn't realise she'd have so many others left. She only left one unfinished one, which I believe her son's fiance is going to try and finish because it was being done specifically for someone as a gift.

She did also have lots framed and on her walls. Including a sampler on which it says it was stitched for me and my DH! My nephew insisted we take that one.

Well that is a lovely memory for you.

 

[tigger137]

I have read on the thread where others are already booking airline reservations....have you all done this yet? I though it was kinda early in the game for that, but maybe not. Whatcha think?

We booked as soon as the dates became available. But that was because we wanted very specific dates out and back, and there's only the one flight each day on our route.

 

[birkner]

John does get excited about the holiday(well, as good as it gets!!!) once he has finished work and on his way. I look forward to that as much as the holiday.

I would go even if it was for 6 nights!



Maybe we will be all booking a reunion cruise!

You never know!! One of my dreams is to cruise around the world. My TA sends me info all the time but of course the timing is not right yet for us to go.

Here the latest 2009 Crystal cruise itinerary:

Crystal Serenity will embark from Los Angeles to the golden beaches of Mexico , the turquoise waters of Polynesia, the landscapes of New Zealand and Australia , the exotic cultures of Asia, the history of Russia , and the rugged beauty of Alaska , Canada and California . With 11 overnights in cities such as Sydney , Hong Kong and Shanghai there will be ample time to discover the sights and relish in the local culture. Five maiden calls add to the excitement: Rangiroa, French Polynesia; Napier , New Zealand ; Komodo , Indonesia ; Sihanoukville , Cambodia and Petropavlovsk , Russia.

 

[tigger137]

My favorite days are the sea days. I LOVE just being on the boat either relaxing by the pool or running around and doing Navigator activities. That's why I can't wait for our May cruise because we have a lot of days at sea.

We love sea days too. In fact I think we'd be quite happy with a cruise that didn't stop anywhere!

 

[birkner]

I was amazed how many finished but 'unused' embroideries I found in my sister's house. So much work that had been put into them but they were just sitting there unseen. I think that she just stitched because she loved doing it then tucked them away. It's just she gave so many items as gifts I didn't realize she'd have so many others left. She only left one unfinished one, which I believe her son's fiancée is going to try and finish because it was being done specifically for someone as a gift.

She did also have lots framed and on her walls. Including a sampler on which it says it was stitched for me and my DH! My nephew insisted we take that one.

My mother was an inveterate knitted and loved to sew. She left hundred of skeins of yards and so many bolts of cloth that we could have opened a fabric store!!

 

[lillygator]

We talked last night and I think we decided we are going to get a puppy for Xmas. John wants a large dog still, I don't but we tossed around the idea of labs, dobermans and golden retreiver. John wants the lab but if we get a large dog I would like a dobie.

So we'll see.

 

[tigger137]

You guys have been busy. 1800++ pages. Whoa!

Just wanted you all to know I'm doing ok. Between treatments, dr appointments, and internet not working I haven't been online for quite some time.

I've had 20 radiation treatments and 3 chemos, I have an MRI scheduled for the 28th which, will tell us how the tumors in the head have reacted to the radiation treatments.

My faith and my family have been key to my outlook and spirits have been kept positive and high.

We just finished a trip to Disneyland/Vegas and we are now on our way home. This trip was really good for keeping my mind off my problems and keep me from feeling sorry for myself.

But now, I'm excited that the cruise is getting closer and I can start planning more for it. We will be in WDW May 2nd - 10th so soon I'll be able to start making dining ressies. Still gotta figure out how to pay off the darn cruise, but I can't afford to NOT go on the cruise at this point. I may not get another chance.

We're selling the house and plan on getting an RV so that should help. We'll be selling almost all of our funiture and stuff so that will help too.

I've got to get working on those door signs and fish extender decorations! Asked the dr about drinking alcohol and he said no problem, just not a ton. Yeah!!!! DOD's and champagne.

Thank you all for all your messages, hugs, prayers, and best wishes. They are all very, very appreciated.

All the best,
Tina

Tina - for you and your family.

 

[lillygator]

third day on Olive Garden, I just had a salad today though. We have tons of ice cream left as well!

Oh, Samantha had a follow up ear appt this am. I am not sure if you remember she has a hole in her one ear, caused by tubes she had a while ago. The dr said all is well, she passed her hearing test fine and he is just going to continue to monitor her about every 4 months to see if the hole needs patching.

 

[lillygator]

Holly, guess who needs a water heater?

Yup, us!

So on Tuesday for $350, we are getting one....cold showers until then, unless I use your method of boiling water...or there is always the hot tub.

 

[lillygator]

how long are water heaters supposed to last? I KNOW we have only had this one 5 years.

 

[Jhalkias]

Have you ever cruised NYE before? I bet that would be a spectacular cruise to do.

Hey Geeks....cruising next Jan....how about NYE?

Noel, would you do it again next year?

I would love to do that, but between work, and the expense (I think it is one of the MOST expensive times to cruise) I don't think we can do it.

V - Remember - Labradoodle!

 

[tigger137]

Gotta go see the lawyer again tomorrow with the hen brother. Have to sign the Auction Agreement and hand over $750 for half the advertising fee. All these out of pocket expenses are so cutting into my vacation funds....I hate that....but I'm still going. Fortunately, this upcoming one is mostly prepaid and I have started working on the next one. When we get back from the Halloween cruise, we'll only have six months until this one. YEA!!!

The financial aspects must make an already difficult situation even more so.
In the US, do you always have to pay to advertise when you sell a property?
Over here you don't pay anything upfront - all fees are taken from the proceeds once the property has sold.

For example, the sale of my sister's house was completed this morning. The buyer (or their solicitor) sent the money to our solicitor, who pays the estate agent and themselves, and then sends the rest to us. So we didn't have to pay for anything directly.

Somewhere there is now a large cheque with our names on it.

And as soon as it clears into our account, we have to transfer it all to my nephew.

Our bank manager will be surprised and thrilled, and then disappointed, in very quick succession.

 

[tigger137]

Good morning! It was a lovely dinner wasn't it? When you go to the Keg on your first trip they give you a serving of shrimp cocktail too!

I believe it's a chain, so I thought I'd share that piece of info. Gotta get my post count up, I think I was LAST - on the last list. UGH!

I like the Keg. We didn't realise it was a chain when we first ate in the one on Granville Island, Vancouver. (Which was where we first heard the phrase 'dine-n-dash'!) Then years later we came across the one in Denver.

Now I'm drooling ...... no chance of a good steak for me until I'm back in the US in December.

 

[birkner]

The financial aspects must make an already difficult situation even more so.
In the US, do you always have to pay to advertise when you sell a property?
Over here you don't pay anything upfront - all fees are taken from the proceeds once the property has sold.

For example, the sale of my sister's house was completed this morning. The buyer (or their solicitor) sent the money to our solicitor, who pays the estate agent and themselves, and then sends the rest to us. So we didn't have to pay for anything directly.

Somewhere there is now a large cheque with our names on it.

And as soon as it clears into our account, we have to transfer it all to my nephew.

Our bank manager will be surprised and thrilled, and then disappointed, in very quick succession.

Typically, the way it works here is that you may pay for some repairs etc. but the title company handles and disburses all the funds which include real estate commissions etc. The title company is used to assure the new buyer that they are obtaining a clear title to their new property.

With the proceeds from my father's estate, we purchased a home for my nephew which is held in trust until he is 21. He owns 4/5's of the house and his father 1/5 though his father makes the payments on the balance due on the mortgage.

We felt that this was only fair since the money his dad is using comes from my sisters pension, 401 and her social security payments to the dad. Dad does not work. Long story why he doesn'w work but laziness has a great deal to do with the reason.

 

[EllaEnchanted]

We talked last night and I think we decided we are going to get a puppy for Xmas. John wants a large dog still, I don't but we tossed around the idea of labs, dobermans and golden retreiver. John wants the lab but if we get a large dog I would like a dobie.

So we'll see.

Christmas is such a great time to get a puppy for the girls. They will SO love it! Growing up, me and my brother got our first puppy at Christmas....a collie. We loved that dog. Then she had puppies and we had kittens at the same time....so much fun growing up with pets.