Reading, seeing and hearing

[sheridac]

Hi to everyone else, and no, G-Cat, I don't think cutting and pasting from Word is a cheat. (I think that's what Sher does......or am I not giving her enough credit?) I'm just happy to see my name pop up every once in a while.
Back to work. TTYL

Ash~

I'm on my way out. But I feel the need to address this. 'Cause I can. So I will.

I think being smart enough to figure out cutting and pasting with add-on's is, in fact, the only way to go deserves a heck of a lot of credit.

Now kids, I've got an off campus meeting so I gotta jet. But, I have the bat phone for emergencies. Or, if you just wanna chat.

I'll be back by 4:30. Remember my motto:

Don’t stay out of trouble while I’m gone!!

Just be sure to fill me in when I get back.

One more thing, I've got to do the voices of Gram and Jami later, so look for it. Double duty this week.

 

[edcrbnsoul]

 

[1000thhappyhaunt]

Thank you ED.

There, ZZUB... one will do after all.

 

[GADISNEYGIRL]

OK I'm confused is El Rio del Tiempo now a Fastpass.

ED, evidently, does not read trip reports. Mine, anyway. See what you're missing, Ed? Commando Women (and I don't mean "Disney Commando"...more like "Friends Commando"). Maybe. I think. WE think. Since it is not just us. So I'm going with it.

Maybe Mark and I had something way back when, when we wanted to be El Rio del Tiempo-ers. And all you people missed out, and jumped on the wrong ship!

 

[HaleyB]

Originally Posted by GeorgiaAristocat
Last edited by GeorgiaAristocat : Today at 01:47 PM. Reason: You know I wuvs you. Lots. And can't wait to meet you. Would it be cheating if I saved the morning shout-out in Word and just copy/pasted it over each morning?

I don't think there are any rules in this regard. Just saying.

 

[1000thhappyhaunt]

ED, evidently, does not read trip reports. Mine, anyway. See what you're missing, Ed? Commando Women (and I don't mean "Disney Commando"...more like "Friends Commando"). Maybe. I think. WE think. Since it is not just us. So I'm going with it.

Maybe Mark and I had something way back when, when we wanted to be El Rio del Tiempo-ers. And all you people missed out, and jumped on the wrong ship!

What are you talking about Rhonda?????????

Isn't there just one kind of "Commando"? LIKE ON SEINFELD? Friends just copied. I think.

CRAP!!!! The happyhaunts have been following the Official Disney 2-Day Commando Plan for years. And, although we've been getting a lot of rides in... we're awfully chaffed and irritated by the end of the day. CRAP!!! CRAP!!! Double crap.

Glad you cleared that up for me. Thanks.

 

[pongoperdigirl]

See here I was feeling all inferior about not doing shout outs cause I can't remember everyone. I didn't do it because I didn't want to hurt feelings. Now I see you guys are clever....copy and paste masters I might add. I may have to employ this method of shoutouts. All this time I just felt stupid. I will have to work on this ...

 

[HaleyB]

See here I was feeling all inferior about not doing shout outs cause I can't remember everyone. I didn't do it because I didn't want to hurt feelings. Now I see you guys are clever....copy and paste masters I might add. I may have to employ this method of shoutouts. All this time I just felt stupid. I will have to work on this ...

You are young, it is not too late to learn.

Did I miss your new purchase or have you not made it yet? 25% off I think, right. Buy two, you will save twice as much.

Oh man, I have to get back to my list...

 

[pongoperdigirl]

You are young, it is not too late to learn.

Did I miss your new purchase or have you not made it yet? 25% off I think, right. Buy two, you will save twice as much.

Oh man, I have to get back to my list...

I will learn. I think. I need to make my list. Although I could just copy someone else's list and then edit it myself....hmmmmm maybe I should do that

Oh Haley...don't you start. That sounds like something Andy would say. Buy two. He is part of my problem. We will be in the store and I will be looking, and he will tell me to buy it. He goes...you want it, you have the money, just buy it. If you don't you'll regret it. Soooo....I usually cave. He can talk me right into it. It's the peer pressure thing again, I am a sucker for it. But no, I am going up tomorrow. To look. I probably won't get anything. And yes it's 25% off...such a temptation. That is good marketing my friends.

I am more than purses you guys....

(But shhh....I have three new ones I bought and haven't used yet. and one is coach....)

 

[GeorgiaAristocat]

Okay, some (very few) people asked whether I was going to do a mini-trippie about my beach trip. So I did. To prove that you DON'T want me to do a big trippie for WDW in October. Just sayin.

Part One:

So, sometimes being a government worker is actually a good thing. Once (sometimes twice) a year, the State sees fit to send me to a conference at the beach. I suppose it is small compensation for the truly crappy pay. Don’t get me wrong, I love my job, as much as anyone can love a job. I feel good about what I do. I sleep well at night (well, except for when the boy wakes me up. Which is every night, but other than that . . .)

One of these trips, errrr, conferences, was planned for the Tuesday through Thursday following Memorial Day.

Being the generous person that I am, I invited my husband and children to join me in this little expedition. I mean, I’m not so selfish as to come home and tell my family that I was taking a beach trip and that they were not invited (unlike another member of my family who is currently at Myrtle Beach without his lovely wife and children). So, this was to be a family trip.

One thing I love about these trips is that the hotel, wherever we are staying, invariably offers rooms at the discount rate for longer than the actual conference. So I had originally planned two extra nights in our “executive studio” at the bargain rate of $110/night. Then, I considered that I have another of these trips planned six weeks later and a Disney vacation to save for and decided to cut that down to one extra night.

So, on Memorial Day, off we head for the Atlantic Ocean. Knowing my husband as I do, I set an 8 a.m. departure goal, hoping to be out of there by lunchtime. I packed clothes for myself and both children, gathered food, sundries, drinks, toys, books, floaties, towels, pillows, plasticware, sunscreen, a first aid kit, and an emergency travel kit. You know, just in case. I did my packing the night before, so that I wouldn’t interfere with the 8 am departure. (Well, okay, I was going to have to get the cooler ready in the morning, grab the pillows off the bed and the toothbrushes from the bathroom and pack up one of the coffeepots, but I did the rest the night before.) ALL Brian had to do was put his own clothes in his own suitcase.

He doesn’t like to share a suitcase with me and the kids. We have cooties. And cause wrinkles to appear in his t-shirts.

Anyhoo – Brian decided that packing the MORNING OF the trip was a good idea. We finally left at about 9:15 a.m. Frankly, it’s a new family record.

The drive was uneventful. I love the DVD system in my silver bullet van. A lot. The boy fell asleep about 15 minutes into the trip. Audrey watched movies.

Of note: gas in Hazlehurst, GA at the Wal-Mart was only $2.48/gallon. Bargain! We also went inside briefly (Brian was looking for a new book. They didn’t have it. But they did have a deli counter so that I could get the boy some ‘roni’s for lunch.)

On with the drive. And on. And on. And on.

About 30 minutes from the island, the kids had reached their limit. And started blasting.

Blasting: when the excitement builds up so much inside you that you have to let it out, so you blast “AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

“Stop Screaming” say Brian and I.
Giggles from the kids.
Blast.
“Stop Screaming! Hush!”
Giggles
Blast.

You get the idea. Even I started giggling after about the fourth episode. Poor Brian.

We finally get to the island and check in. (We had lunch somewhere along the way. Can you believe, I let Brian choose, and he picked Captain D’s? I mean, we’re headed to the beach and you want to eat pre-frozen and then deep fried fake seafood?)

We quickly cart everything to the room (which was obviously a smoking room, but I didn’t feel like hassling w/ the front desk, since they let us check in early), did a quick change to beach clothes, and headed out again. We were supposed to have “private” beach access through a sister resort that was beachside. I asked about this at check-in. Specifically. I was given a map (with line directions) on it to show how to get to the public beaches as well as the Beach Club. So I asked again. Specifically. And was given a typed out set of directions to the Beach Club (which, incidentally, were not the same as the map.)

We set off. The map was more help than the written directions, but still not clear. Fortunately the island is really not big enough to get THAT lost on. We eventually found our way to the gate of the Beach Club. We rang, per the instructions on our written sheet. No response. So we ring again. Answer from the front desk. “We’re Here!” we announce, and were let in and told to report to the front desk, which we did. Turns out there were two front desks. I choose poorly the first time and was directed where to go. And go I did. Once I arrived, I was asked for my “pool pass.”

“Eh?”
“You need to get a pool pass from your front desk. Just ask about the private beach access, they’ll know what to do.”
Guess again, lady. I already did that, TWICE. They couldn’t even give me a good map, and certainly didn’t know the names of the streets along the way. They let us stay anyway, which was good of them.

The true advantage of the beach access from the Beach Club was the covered parking. Yup, covered, as in, your Silver Bullet Van won’t melt from the inside out. [No meltdowns, get it?]

We trooped out to the ocean and a good time was had by all. Except the boy. Because I forgot (yes, I FORGOT) to bring his earplugs and headband with me from the hotel. That was the headband that I HAD to make it to the doctor’s to get on Friday so that he could swim. Poor little mite. But fortune smiled on me. He was afraid of the waves. And not too jazzed about getting his feet dirty. He’s his father’s child. Down to the fact that he wants to be held by me almost continuously.

As is natural, Audrey dove right into the ocean with her float ring. Joshua eventually got over his OCD and started digging in the sand. We left several hours later when Joshua’s OCD started prompting him to want to sit in the nice beach chairs with umbrellas that were set up behind us. “Wan’ SIT!” I never inquired how much the rental was as I had no intention of paying whatever it was. So, before Joshy reached meltdown stage, we packed it in to head back to the hotel for baths and showers and then to supper, for REAL seafood.

Yada, yada, went to supper. Good times. Yummy foods. Brian had a beer (or three), I drove us all back to the hotel. Collapse, sweet dreams, etc.

 

[GeorgiaAristocat]

Day Two

We awoke on Wednesday to Brian, and me, and Joshy in the same bed, and Audrey in a bed by herself. What’s wrong with that picture? My conference didn’t start until after lunch, but then went until suppertime, and the next day was a full day of it, followed by a half day on Thursday and then departure. So I believed that Tuesday morning was likely to be the last beach time we had. So I was raring to go. Brian, not so much. He’s lazy in the mornings. So we had some breakfast (cereal and watermelon) and we “discussed” what we should do that morning. I pointed out the likelihood of a beach return, and we decided to go for it. As is customary, I got myself and both children ready in less time than it took Brian to fetch his trunks from the bathroom. We eventually set off.

We stopped at our front desk for the “pool pass” and were told that we didn’t NEED to check in at the other front desk. Apparently they had JUST changed the procedures the weekend before. That explains it. I told them that it was of little consequence to me, but that perhaps they had some communication problems with the Beach Club. Off we went, good times had by all, no meltdowns. Left in enough time to grab lunch and a shower before heading to conference.

Ahh, conference. Bored out of my skull. For three days. The things I’ll do for a (virtually) free trip to the beach. I sacrifice myself for my family. Really. We avoided meltdown when I left b/c I had gotten Joshy down for his nap. Daddy and the kids went to a pre-revolutionary Fort, the lighthouse, a playground, and got ice cream while I was in conference. Only meltdown was the ice cream. Chocolate. All over the boy’s shirt. I FORGOT the stain stick. Something new to add to the packing list. Thank goodness we will have a washer and dryer for the Disney trip in October.

For supper, we decided to walk around the pier area and do some wandering. We wandered over to one of my most favorite places to eat anywhere: The Georgia Sea Grill. Incredible (at least in my world), and they could seat us! To be fair, we were there very early (@ 5:00), I try not to inflict my children on other diners except very early in the dinner hour. Except at Disney. The restaurant was practically empty when we arrived, but was filling up by the time we left. The kids were really quite good, and our waitress was wonderful at keeping them occupied. MMMMM, I had a soup for appetizer, salad, filet and scallops with some twice baked potatoes, and shared a sour cream cheesecake with chocolate cookie crust and raspberry puree for dessert. Sinful. I gained two pounds.

Afterwards, we wandered the pier, and shops, and got some good pics of the kids.

Back to the shopping expedition, which was my idea, so I blame myself (a teensy bit) for the mayhem that it eventually caused. Yup, that would be the knee surgery.

My husband has a hard time remembering that he’s not 17 anymore. It is said that at some point each of us fixes a mental image of ourselves, and no matter what else happens in life, when we picture ourselves, we always revert to the same image. It is this image that dictates how we think we look, or ought to look, what our weight should be, our hairstyle, everything. My mental image is from when I was 24 – 25. My first real job, living on my own, skinny as all get out (I was a size 2P – 4P. Me!) Apparently my husband’s is at about age 17. Who knew?

We wandered through a beach shop. He ASKED about (didn’t just spot) a skim board. Everyone know what a skim board is? A thin piece of plywood, shaped sort of like a fat surfboard. It is designed to be cast in shallow water, and then skim along the edge of the surf. The rider jumps on, like surfing. I took a picture, but forgot to upload it. Have I mentioned that my husband popped his ACL just before the boy was born? Had surgery, 6 weeks of recovery. Thankfully covered by Worker’s Comp. More on this topic to come later.

After shopping, we returned to the hotel, kids put to bed, I read for a bit. Sweet dreams, night night.

 

[MommyPoppins]

Minnie - Yay for you! You have avoided a WL crisis. And now I don't feel pressured to hurry my TR along to the WL so you could find out why I hated it before making your choice!

LaLa - Great Memo - maybe some Febreeze Air Effects would be a good gift for Boss Day. If there is such a thing.

 

[LaLa]

LALA....Your memo is hysterical. You're much too smart to be working for that ZZUB. Typing up his stuff and fetching him coffee. What is this the 1950's!!!


Plus, I found Z's ATM receipt at the Texaco station.

He's loaded!!! Looks like the wallets winning the battle. Ask for a raise ASAP

Now that's funny, I don't care who ya are. And thank you Paslea Pooh. And Rhonda. And Mommy P. And Mel. At least I know someone appreciates my mad office skillz. I really was only trying to help. They've got it in for him I think. But shhh. Don't tell him. No more heads up from me. We'll let him found out the hard way when they change the locks next week.

 

[ZZUB]

But they did have a deli counter so that I could get the boy some ‘roni’s for lunch.)

What? Was there no Texaco? Not even a Circle K? Y'all must be fancy, eatin at the Walmarts.

Great mini-TR, GACat.

You posted more while I was editing. So here's more back at ya:

My husband has a hard time remembering that he’s not 17 anymore. It is said that at some point each of us fixes a mental image of ourselves, and no matter what else happens in life, when we picture ourselves, we always revert to the same image. It is this image that dictates how we think we look . . .Apparently my husband’s is at about age 17. Who knew?

Well said. I am frequently surprised when I pass a mirror that I'm not 18 anymore. That's the age I still think of myself as.

By the way, your kids are beautiful. I don't mean that in a creepy internet pervy way, I mean it in a nice way. Well as nice as a compliment can be about your kids from an almost complete stranger you've never met.

 

[LaLa]

GEORGIA A: I LOVE THOSE PICS!

They are so, so cute! Thanks for posting them!

 

[GeorgiaAristocat]

Day Three

Full day of conference for me. With a 1 ½ hour break for lunch. Kids go off with Daddy in the morning to a park to play, and take pics: (I put smaller photos here, but if you want to see them bigger, and actually see the kids' faces, go to my photo gallery here on the DIS. I don't know how to do the fancy click the photo to make it bigger thing. Lou? Joe? Ed?)

They arrived back just before my lunch break. I suggest an hour of pool time to get them good and tuckered for some naps when I have to go back to conference. Wooohooty! We jump into our suits, I make myself some PB&J’s and grab a bottle of water, and we’re off like a herd of turtles.

Audrey was all about floating around the pool in her swim ring. Joshy was all about being held. But I did remember his earplugs and headband, so he finally got over it and decided that he, too, could jump into the pool from the side. Good times. Until we had to leave. Tight schedule, remember? And Brian can’t handle both at the pool by himself. Slight meltdown when we had to leave the pool, but not major. Somewhat averted by the promise of more ice cream.

Another boring half day at conference. Return to the room. Kids are playing. Brian is watching TV. They did indeed get more ice cream at some point. Strawberry. All over the boy’s shirt.

Discussions about the evening ensue. We had eaten at the two restaurants we each wanted to hit. We could go to the pool. Or, we could go back to the beach for a couple of hours, so that Brian could try out his brand spanking new skim board. (Wives are not allowed to discuss their husband’s penchant for engaging in high risk behavior, right? This is a family friendly board, remember.) Beach it is.

By now, the kids are all about the beach, and we pretty much have a routine down. Suits and sunscreen at the hotel. Change of clothes in the van for the return trip. Toys, floaties, towels in the appropriate bags for transport. Today we added the skim board as an item needed for transport, but dropped the need to carry the cooler out. It was left in the car for when we finished.

Away we went. Good times, Brian trying to surf, fell a couple of times, wasn’t deterred. Kids playing, I help them dig holes and build sand castles, then decide, when Brian takes a break, to try out his new toy for myself. I have little luck, and give it up pretty quickly. This is when things took a turn for the worse. Brian decided to give it “just one more try.”

Remember those words, folks. If you hear them. JUST STOP WHATEVER YOU ARE DOING. Nothing good ever follows those words.

His “one more try” resulted in full body plant, rolling, and agony. His knee. The one he has already had surgery on once. I saw him go one way, the board the other, him do a full roll and get to his knees. This was the same movement he had already made a couple of times that evening. It wasn’t until he stayed down that I had a clue that something was wrong. I ran down, grabbed the board, threw it above the water line, and went back to him. Yup, agony. I’m walking around helplessly, and finally three big burly guys come walking down from where they watched the whole thing (from those expensive beach chairs with umbrellas). They thought he had thrown his back out. The finally helped Brian to his feet, and he started hobbling around. At that point, I turned my attention back to the kids, who were still playing. That went on (as Brian walked) for another 10 minutes. After my fourth time questioning him if he needed to go, he finally admitted that leaving might be a good idea. His knee was already starting to swell.

Long story longer, his knee was the size of, well, a small melon before too much longer. He took a hot bath, then iced the knee. I decided that he should be the lone-bed sleeper that night, so took a bed with the kids. By the next morning, it was obvious that there was something very wrong. That would also be the morning that I got up, repacked EVERYTHING and put it in the van b/c Brian was incapacitated. And still made it to the conference by 8:30 a.m.

We had the van packed, I was released from conference around 11:30 a.m., and we were on our way home. Brian went to the Ortho doc on Friday who confirmed that most likely he had ripped some more ligaments (but not his ACL) and would need more surgery. Still need the MRI to confirm that. But Brian can’t get the MRI this week. He’s in Myrtle Beach, ‘member?

Moral of this (very long and boring) story: 33 year old knees and skim boards don’t mix. Sun, Surf, and (ice cream) meltdowns do. Choose your poison wisely.

(Isn’t everyone SOOOOO looking forward to me writing a TR after a 9 day trip to the world? I will be able to give others a run at who can drag it out the longest. Really!)

 

[kpk89]

I just caused myself to pull a ZZUB or is it pull a KIMMIE???? No matter. I vomitted on my keyboard. Driver pull over, next stop.....

Office Depot!!!

For the record, I have never ever vomitted on any sort of office equipment and/or furniture. I believe you pulled a ZZUB.

Pulling a Kimmie would be getting puked ON. For example: Mrs. ZZ pulled a Kimmie yesterday. When little zz hurled on her. Poor things. Both of them.

 

[GADISNEYGIRL]

AMY! You HAVE to do an Oct trippie! Period! Complete with pictures. Only smaller ones. Cause scrolling back and forth reading gave me a headache. But other than that...good stuff! I recognize all those landmarks...

 

[Yzma and Kronk]

Did y'all notice I committed a huge Maelstrom sin!

I didn't edit on #1898. Gasp!



Ok GA - you are forgiven. LY/MI!
The cut and paste thing works. I have often thought of it, but I'm too lazy. I just do the general Shout (not to Mel's mom though) Off ignore.

Great Mini-TR - but I'll admit I haven't read it yet. I can't read TR's off the 'puter. Have to print them out. But I did look at pictures. Very cute! I can't wait to meet y'all in July.

Pongo/Jen - freezing It's summer girl! Must be all those shopping trips to the air Cond malls.

Poop - I think the Zzub stalking finger needs to be pointed elsewhere L0L.

 

[kpk89]

Ok, I am finally all caught up on the thread. So you can expect me to begin posting in my random and sporadic way again. Lucky you.

Kim - So you got a free Skynard concert? That's cool. I have been listenting to a CD of theirs for the past few days.

No, Master G, that was Tink. The coolest thing I've ever had in my backyard is a moose.