My family headed down to
Gasparilla Grill for a quick bite to eat. It was warm outside but not too warm (that would come later). We chose to dine outside next to the marina (we love dining there). After filling our bellies full of all sorts of yummy breakfast foods, it was time to move on to the themed pool (the Grand Floridians newer pool).
On our way to the pool, we walked by the Summerhouse. I could see that it was being set up for some sort of luncheon party, and judging by the decorations, the theme for the party appeared to be
lobster / fishing. Everything looked lovely.
I found it amusing that in less than 24 hours time, I had seen two parties being set up at the Summerhouse. When I compared those 24 hours to the prior X number of years worth of Walt Disney World vacations where I had seen zero parties being set up, I found it terribly ironic, especially considering my own party was going to begin in approximately seven hours. It was blatantly obvious to me that the Summerhouse was
the happening place that weekend. I was lucky I was already on its busy social calendar.
After my family had finished checking out the Summerhouses current party setup, it was time to continue on to the swimming pool. My family had a strenuous afternoon of
fun in the sun awaiting it.
My daughter, husband, and I wound up playing in the theme pool for a few hours, stopping only long enough for a quick bite to eat poolside (my husband fetched us some soup & sandwiches from Gasparilla Grill). It was hot outside now (mid-90s in the shade), but we didnt let the heat bother us because we had a swimming pool to cool us off.
Ahhhhhhh
And speaking of the swimming pool, I should probably mention that I had my newest electronic toy with me that day. Okay, maybe it wasnt
my toy, maybe it was actually my
husbands toy. Strike that. Who am I kidding? It was
my toy.
Let me come out of the closet right here and now. I admit it. I am one of those spouses who buys a present for the other spouse that isnt really targeted for that spouse but rather for herself instead. Guilty as charged. Book me, Dan-o.
As you folks know, I am a high-tech geek. I live for technology. Technology flows through my veins. And if my mother had been thinking when I was born, my middle name would have been Technology instead of some girlie name. My husband, on the other hand, is the complete opposite of me. Sure, he knows technology. Heck, he even enjoys it sometimes. However, he doesnt touch the stuff in his personal life. The two of us are like oil and water in that regard, and it has worked out well in our marriage (he never fights me for the computer, cameras, or camcorder). So what did I buy him for Fathers Day this year? A high-tech gadget, of course. A digital camera with a JIS Class 7 waterproof rating.
Fathers Day was slated to arrive a week or two after we had returned home from vacation. That meant I had to buy my husband something before we went away. I was a little stumped regarding what to get him this year, but one morning I was put out of my misery in the best way imaginable. I was flipping through the cable channels when I stumbled upon QVC. I discovered that their Todays Special Value was a digital camera. Sure, I already had a few digital cameras and wasnt in the market for any more. That was, however, until I saw Paul R. (QVCs resident camera guy) showing a video clip of himself going down a water slide at one of the Walt Disney World resorts. When I saw that video clip, I thought it was the coolest thing
ever.
If you read my
trip report from last Falls vacation, you know that I had brought a watertight camera bag with me on vacation and had used it to videotape my daughter swimming under water in our resorts swimming pool. I used that watertight bag with both my digital camcorder and my digital camera. My video and photos turned out well for the most part; however, with a bag, you have to be careful that it does not curve over the cameras lens while filming. If it does, your images will have a fisheye effect. Needless to say, I wound up with some video and photos with that effect. Drats.
I remembered that fact as I listened to the sales pitch for the camera on
the QVC cable channel (note: it was a
Pentax camera with a QVC item number of E21359; for more information on that camera,
click here). Since the camera was JIS Class 7 certified, it didnt need a watertight camera bag. It could take photos/video underwater at a maximum depth of 3 feet for up to 30 minutes. Hhhhmmm
I marveled at the thought of the photos and video that I could take with that snazzy, little high-tech gadget. I was thrilled at the prospect of using it during my upcoming WDW vacation. And so I did as any geek would do when faced with a temptation too great to resist
I picked up the telephone and placed my order. Then I justified my purchase by convincing myself that it would be my
husbands early Fathers Day present
[wink, wink]. And if I was real lucky, maybe, just maybe, he would allow me to use it during our vacation. After my order had been placed, I told my two children about the Fathers Day gift and asked them to keep quiet.
Big mistake. Little did I know, as high-tech offspring of a high-tech mother, they were as excited about the new toy as I was.
A few days later, the box from QVC arrived. My husband asked me what was inside it. I stated: Its your Fathers Day present and were going to take it on vacation with us. He said, I know what it is and its
not for me. Its for
you. Its a digital camera. And then he pointed at our daughter. I suddenly found myself shooting daggers with my eyes at the stool pigeon. I couldnt believe my daughter had betrayed me like that. Off with her head. (Just kidding, I ~think.~) It was at that point in time that my husband informed me that next years Mothers Day present would be a fly fishing rod & reel. I told him that I looked forward to receiving those wonderful gifts. (Note: I am deathly allergic to fish and wouldnt be caught dead fishing. Actually, if I were caught fishing, I probably would be dead.)
Have I told you folks how much I love my husband and what a good guy he is? Yep, he is. He allowed me to use
his Fathers Day present during our vacation (and to this day, it is still in
my possession, God love him).
So, there we were at the Grand Floridians themed swimming pool. I took the new camera into the pool with me and took some underwater video and photos of my daughter swimming. I wish I could share the video with you; the color, clarity, and sound were wonderful. But since I cant share the video, I thought Id at least share a few photographs:
Underwater Photo # 1
Underwater Photo # 2
Underwater Photo # 3
Underwater Photo # 4
Underwater Photo # 5
I took those photos both
below water (underneath the water) and
in water (underneath the waterfall and inside the water fountain). The colors turned out beautifully. And not one fisheye photo in the bunch. I should mention that during my photography session, a little boy splashed me. His mother told him, Be careful! That lady has a camera with her in the pool. I told the mother that it didnt matter how much her son splashed me because my camera was waterproof. The look on her face was priceless as I swam away, dragging my camera through the water behind me. Aint high-technology grand?
Eventually, it was time to leave the pool and head back up to our resort room. No, I hadnt filled the new camera's digital memory card (but I tried awfully hard). It was simply time to get ready for the Summerhouse dinner party. Its time had finally
arrived.
