Sarahsmom85
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Nov 2, 2000
- Messages
- 437
Pre-trip test
Characters and I mean characters.
Me-Linda --Sarah's mom over planner, worrier, budget minded. Tells everyone her life story and rattles on and on. You'll see.
DH- Martin-- electric wheelchair user, talks non stop but thinks he near says a word.
DD-- Sarah -- Apple of her mothers eye, 1st yr college student. Joined at the hip to
DD-Boyfiend-- Matty also 1 st yr college student, fell in love w/Sarah at first glance. haven't been able to get rid of him since. LOL He's a keeper.
After reading all the trip report, and loving them, mean it. I can't wait to write one, until my friend reminded me that my trip when then be over.
This is where my pre-trip test comes in. Martin wanted to go to the Auto show in NYC a mear 2 1/2 hrs away. Matty who has lived his life in a bubble only leaving to attend soccer games wanted to go too. The only day that they had only one class was Thursday so we planned to travel to NYC. I'm thinking this will prepare us for Disney. Setting the alarm clock for 6:30 planning to leave for 8. What the normal person doesn't understand is when you are working with a disabled person you just can't up and go out the door in 1/2 hr. There are things to be done. So this is good we are in the van a ready to leave by 8. We have passed that test. We hit the highway thinking we would make it to NYC by 11.
We buzzed down I-91 using the carpool lane and waving to all the other cars heading in to Hartford. Made great time into New Haven but outside of Bridgeport hit bumper to bumper traffic. Radio station said delays from exit 21-29 then again for 19 -11. But the Merrit Parkway was smooth sailing. Checking the map we see that we can jump off 95 and take the Merrit. Get on the Merrit and are joyous that we are driving over 5 miles per hour. Talking how this was good decision. Hey what does that sign say? Left lane closed ahead. ok I will get in the right lane. Traffic is slowing in the right lane. Left lane still moving, and moving. OK well the left lane will soon merge into the right and we will get past this and be moving again. Its all the jerks in the left lane trying to get right lane up ahead that are slowing us down. Read the sign one lane ahead. Remember what the nice lady on the radio said "No delays on the Merrit" lier, lier pants on fire. Where is the left line merging? Any time now. No not yet. Now. Now. About 5 miles later, we finally see the merge, and guess what? Just like the wait for the ride at Disney as soon as you get on it, it breaks. Dumb, dumbly, dumb, two cars in front of us hit bumpers. They get off the road and we get past the merge at last and it is free sailing into NY. Delays oh only about 45 minutes to a hour.
We get to NYC, not at 11 but 12:30. Drop the boys at the Auto show, hand them money, this will be a recurring theme I'm sure will happen at Disney. Sarah and I will go park, yea right park in NYC. and do a little shopping. We know just the store we want to go to Conway's......
How I hate to not get a bargain and spending real money kills me. So we circle the block a few times checking out the parking garage prices. $7.38 a half hr is a little more than I want to pay. Finally I give up and am able to find a place between Conway's and Javis Center for only $40 all day. $7 a day at Disney now begins to look good. We shop till we drop and put bags in van and go see if the boys are still in one piece. See I don't leave Martin in anyone else's care very often. We are very dependent on one another. This is a Matty and Martin test to see if they can survive together. We call them and ask if they are ready to leave. Heck no. I really didn't think so. I know from the past I would have to drag martin screaming and kicking out of any type of shows or museums. So I fork over more money so Sarah and I can go look at the cars. Can't you do this for free at any car dealership? I must also say Sarah and I got an NYC hotdog and pretzel on the street. The boys left with money have not even stopped for a drink or food. This needs to change, at Disney water and food need to be consumed. Matty remember I told you there is bottled water in the backpack on Martins chair. This we will have to work on.
I hand them some snack bars and they get another burst of energy. The Auto show had a Jeep experience in a tent off the main room. You can sit in a jeep and they drive you over a bumpy road and in mud and up a steep, steep hill. There is a line with a sign saying 30 minutes from here. Gosh our 1st Disney ride. Matty says 30 minutes too long a wait. Remember I said he lives in a bubble. I see the line is moving right along, Come on pretend you are at Disney, lines are a way of life. our 30 minute wait was more like 15. Matty needs to work on line judgment martin of course was told to go look at the cars and we will met him. We come out and he is waiting for us, he is afraid he will lose us. This floor is finished, lets go home. I really planned on leaving in time to get home to see the end of Survivor and all of the Apprentice. Like all plans for Disney this is not to happen and I decide I am fine with this. I have passed that test. I can have my plans changed and its OK.
We get off the elevator and guess what there is a whole other room of cars. I forgot to tell you when Sarah and I got to the show all Matt wanted was the digital camera. Hey matty it was in martins backpack along with the water. So he's running all over the place taking pictures of all the SICK as they put it cars. Guess this is the new BAD. I mean GOOD.
Whatever. OK so I see there might be a Disney camera problem here. We need to work on this.
At 6:30 my feet on fire, the boys starving we decide it is time to leave. Dragging Martin and Matty kicking and screaming we leave. Our plan is to get out of the city and find some fast food chicken as that is what martin has a taste for. Eight o'clock we are again on the Merrit parkway, I hate that they do not have signs for food at the exits. We finally see one that says food. I myself do not think it looks like the area that would have fast food but since the boys did not use the money I gave them to grab a snack they are staving. At the exit, which way to go? Mart says left. Why do I learn to him? No food, want me to turn around?
No, we are going north we will hit food soon. Woods, more woods, twisty, turny roads. Drive by a gas station with a sign "NO GAs" can't be a good sign. I look I have little less then 1/2 a tank. I'm OK for now, if we get out of the woods, soon. Heres a sign. Something county, NY. What! NY how did we get back in NY. Laugh Martin go ahead laugh, I had a hot dog, and I have a secret slim fast bar in my pocketbook. I tell them to start eating the grapes and crackers and pudding I took along. I finally see a gas station with gas that is open. $2.05 a gallon for the cheap stuff. No thanks I still have a little less than 1/2 a tank. But for free the nice man in side shows me on the map where we are and how to get to 684 since we are now closer to Danbury than New Haven. Happy, happy we are now back on track. Martin see a billboard for a dinner at exit 10 on 84 in CT. Food. We get to the dinner around 9:30. By this time I am not too hungry. I have been dieting, at least trying to diet. I say how many pieces of chicken come with the meal? Waitress says 4, I say to Martin lets share. He doesn't eat a whole lot either.
We share. Another test passed. While we are waiting for the food, matty calls home to tell his sister he will not be home in time to help her with the homework she needs help with. he is planning on being a Math teacher and his mom pays him to help his sister. So I give him a pen and he helps her over the phone. Meanwhile Sarah needs a pen to so she can connect the dots on her placemat. oh how this brings back memories. i want my baby back. not this big grown up college girl, but the little squeaky voice baby who colored on her placemat. Sigh.
All filled up and the gas tank too. ($1.78 a gallon) we are on the road again and home a 11:30.
What I learned in our Pre-trip test.
I will need 1 1/2 hrs morning time.
Find all the backroad short cut to Disney and do not let Martin have the map.
Martin and matty need to be reminded to eat and drink.
matty is a camera hog.
i can live with a change of plans
We can share a meal and not starve.
If children offer you your change take it. or else be prepared never to see it again.
Guys hit on Sarah all day long.
Oh yea I forgot we (Martin and I) are not allowed to sing in the car. It scares the young ones.
I need to lose a few more pounds, (lost 19 so far)
Money will slip through my fingers and I will have to be OK with it. Wrong, I still don;t know if I will be OK with that. But I am trying.
I'm not sure that we will survive 15 days at Disney but I am willing to try.
Hey my heel is killing me this morning, anyone know anything I can do or what causes a heel to be on fire? I'm wearing broken in good sneakers,
I also learned to wash new clothing before wearing, (lost wieght need new)I took my new black slacks off last night and almost had a heart attack when seeing my legs had turned purple. Luckily I noticed my white socks where also purple before I called 911.
I got my fix of writing a trip report for now and if you enjoyed it or even if you didn't, I will be back in early June to report on our trip.
love ay mean it
Sarah's mom
Linda
Characters and I mean characters.
Me-Linda --Sarah's mom over planner, worrier, budget minded. Tells everyone her life story and rattles on and on. You'll see.
DH- Martin-- electric wheelchair user, talks non stop but thinks he near says a word.
DD-- Sarah -- Apple of her mothers eye, 1st yr college student. Joined at the hip to
DD-Boyfiend-- Matty also 1 st yr college student, fell in love w/Sarah at first glance. haven't been able to get rid of him since. LOL He's a keeper.
After reading all the trip report, and loving them, mean it. I can't wait to write one, until my friend reminded me that my trip when then be over.
This is where my pre-trip test comes in. Martin wanted to go to the Auto show in NYC a mear 2 1/2 hrs away. Matty who has lived his life in a bubble only leaving to attend soccer games wanted to go too. The only day that they had only one class was Thursday so we planned to travel to NYC. I'm thinking this will prepare us for Disney. Setting the alarm clock for 6:30 planning to leave for 8. What the normal person doesn't understand is when you are working with a disabled person you just can't up and go out the door in 1/2 hr. There are things to be done. So this is good we are in the van a ready to leave by 8. We have passed that test. We hit the highway thinking we would make it to NYC by 11.
We buzzed down I-91 using the carpool lane and waving to all the other cars heading in to Hartford. Made great time into New Haven but outside of Bridgeport hit bumper to bumper traffic. Radio station said delays from exit 21-29 then again for 19 -11. But the Merrit Parkway was smooth sailing. Checking the map we see that we can jump off 95 and take the Merrit. Get on the Merrit and are joyous that we are driving over 5 miles per hour. Talking how this was good decision. Hey what does that sign say? Left lane closed ahead. ok I will get in the right lane. Traffic is slowing in the right lane. Left lane still moving, and moving. OK well the left lane will soon merge into the right and we will get past this and be moving again. Its all the jerks in the left lane trying to get right lane up ahead that are slowing us down. Read the sign one lane ahead. Remember what the nice lady on the radio said "No delays on the Merrit" lier, lier pants on fire. Where is the left line merging? Any time now. No not yet. Now. Now. About 5 miles later, we finally see the merge, and guess what? Just like the wait for the ride at Disney as soon as you get on it, it breaks. Dumb, dumbly, dumb, two cars in front of us hit bumpers. They get off the road and we get past the merge at last and it is free sailing into NY. Delays oh only about 45 minutes to a hour.
We get to NYC, not at 11 but 12:30. Drop the boys at the Auto show, hand them money, this will be a recurring theme I'm sure will happen at Disney. Sarah and I will go park, yea right park in NYC. and do a little shopping. We know just the store we want to go to Conway's......
How I hate to not get a bargain and spending real money kills me. So we circle the block a few times checking out the parking garage prices. $7.38 a half hr is a little more than I want to pay. Finally I give up and am able to find a place between Conway's and Javis Center for only $40 all day. $7 a day at Disney now begins to look good. We shop till we drop and put bags in van and go see if the boys are still in one piece. See I don't leave Martin in anyone else's care very often. We are very dependent on one another. This is a Matty and Martin test to see if they can survive together. We call them and ask if they are ready to leave. Heck no. I really didn't think so. I know from the past I would have to drag martin screaming and kicking out of any type of shows or museums. So I fork over more money so Sarah and I can go look at the cars. Can't you do this for free at any car dealership? I must also say Sarah and I got an NYC hotdog and pretzel on the street. The boys left with money have not even stopped for a drink or food. This needs to change, at Disney water and food need to be consumed. Matty remember I told you there is bottled water in the backpack on Martins chair. This we will have to work on.
I hand them some snack bars and they get another burst of energy. The Auto show had a Jeep experience in a tent off the main room. You can sit in a jeep and they drive you over a bumpy road and in mud and up a steep, steep hill. There is a line with a sign saying 30 minutes from here. Gosh our 1st Disney ride. Matty says 30 minutes too long a wait. Remember I said he lives in a bubble. I see the line is moving right along, Come on pretend you are at Disney, lines are a way of life. our 30 minute wait was more like 15. Matty needs to work on line judgment martin of course was told to go look at the cars and we will met him. We come out and he is waiting for us, he is afraid he will lose us. This floor is finished, lets go home. I really planned on leaving in time to get home to see the end of Survivor and all of the Apprentice. Like all plans for Disney this is not to happen and I decide I am fine with this. I have passed that test. I can have my plans changed and its OK.
We get off the elevator and guess what there is a whole other room of cars. I forgot to tell you when Sarah and I got to the show all Matt wanted was the digital camera. Hey matty it was in martins backpack along with the water. So he's running all over the place taking pictures of all the SICK as they put it cars. Guess this is the new BAD. I mean GOOD.
Whatever. OK so I see there might be a Disney camera problem here. We need to work on this.
At 6:30 my feet on fire, the boys starving we decide it is time to leave. Dragging Martin and Matty kicking and screaming we leave. Our plan is to get out of the city and find some fast food chicken as that is what martin has a taste for. Eight o'clock we are again on the Merrit parkway, I hate that they do not have signs for food at the exits. We finally see one that says food. I myself do not think it looks like the area that would have fast food but since the boys did not use the money I gave them to grab a snack they are staving. At the exit, which way to go? Mart says left. Why do I learn to him? No food, want me to turn around?
No, we are going north we will hit food soon. Woods, more woods, twisty, turny roads. Drive by a gas station with a sign "NO GAs" can't be a good sign. I look I have little less then 1/2 a tank. I'm OK for now, if we get out of the woods, soon. Heres a sign. Something county, NY. What! NY how did we get back in NY. Laugh Martin go ahead laugh, I had a hot dog, and I have a secret slim fast bar in my pocketbook. I tell them to start eating the grapes and crackers and pudding I took along. I finally see a gas station with gas that is open. $2.05 a gallon for the cheap stuff. No thanks I still have a little less than 1/2 a tank. But for free the nice man in side shows me on the map where we are and how to get to 684 since we are now closer to Danbury than New Haven. Happy, happy we are now back on track. Martin see a billboard for a dinner at exit 10 on 84 in CT. Food. We get to the dinner around 9:30. By this time I am not too hungry. I have been dieting, at least trying to diet. I say how many pieces of chicken come with the meal? Waitress says 4, I say to Martin lets share. He doesn't eat a whole lot either.
We share. Another test passed. While we are waiting for the food, matty calls home to tell his sister he will not be home in time to help her with the homework she needs help with. he is planning on being a Math teacher and his mom pays him to help his sister. So I give him a pen and he helps her over the phone. Meanwhile Sarah needs a pen to so she can connect the dots on her placemat. oh how this brings back memories. i want my baby back. not this big grown up college girl, but the little squeaky voice baby who colored on her placemat. Sigh.
All filled up and the gas tank too. ($1.78 a gallon) we are on the road again and home a 11:30.
What I learned in our Pre-trip test.
I will need 1 1/2 hrs morning time.
Find all the backroad short cut to Disney and do not let Martin have the map.
Martin and matty need to be reminded to eat and drink.
matty is a camera hog.
i can live with a change of plans
We can share a meal and not starve.
If children offer you your change take it. or else be prepared never to see it again.
Guys hit on Sarah all day long.
Oh yea I forgot we (Martin and I) are not allowed to sing in the car. It scares the young ones.
I need to lose a few more pounds, (lost 19 so far)
Money will slip through my fingers and I will have to be OK with it. Wrong, I still don;t know if I will be OK with that. But I am trying.
I'm not sure that we will survive 15 days at Disney but I am willing to try.
Hey my heel is killing me this morning, anyone know anything I can do or what causes a heel to be on fire? I'm wearing broken in good sneakers,
I also learned to wash new clothing before wearing, (lost wieght need new)I took my new black slacks off last night and almost had a heart attack when seeing my legs had turned purple. Luckily I noticed my white socks where also purple before I called 911.
I got my fix of writing a trip report for now and if you enjoyed it or even if you didn't, I will be back in early June to report on our trip.
love ay mean it
Sarah's mom
Linda
