Ready, Set, Let the Games Begin! - Link to new PTR/TR!

[Pinkocto]

I'll see if my friend can meet us out there while you're in town. I'll take one for the team and order one, they have some good non-alcoholic drinks there too!

That would be amazing!!! I hope he's available I'd be adventurous if that's what it takes to get one of those spheres

 

[ACDSNY]

By the way Alison, AA does fly to San Juan so you could join us in Oct 2014. The booking for the 3 night repo opened up today. I think were going to head to WDW Oct 4th, then to San Juan on Oct 9th, catch the 7 + 3 night cruise on Oct 11th. DD/DSIL will fly home after the 7 night cruise.

 

[TifffanyD]

By the way Alison, AA does fly to San Juan so you could join us in Oct 2014. The booking for the 3 night repo opened up today. I think were going to head to WDW Oct 4th, then to San Juan on Oct 9th, catch the 7 + 3 night cruise on Oct 11th. DD/DSIL will fly home after the 7 night cruise.

Yes! Join us!!

 

[franandaj]

That would be amazing!!! I hope he's available I'd be adventurous if that's what it takes to get one of those spheres

We'll have to see, I don't mind ordering one!

That roadtrip sounds great. Joe and I took a southwest road trip in 2011 (although we started from St. Louis so we did a lot more meandering along the way). We visited Painted Desert, Grand Canyon, Zion and drove through Monument Valley (although we didn't stay there). It was one of the best experiences we've had together, you'll have a great time!

What an amazing DISmeet...how fantastic for both of you to get to meet each other for the first time in such an amazing location!

I'm glad to hear that you found it enjoyable! I think it's going to be fun. I do like being able to set our own pace and not having to worry if we make the plane or ADRs so this should hopefully be a relaxing trip!

By the way Alison, AA does fly to San Juan so you could join us in Oct 2014. The booking for the 3 night repo opened up today. I think were going to head to WDW Oct 4th, then to San Juan on Oct 9th, catch the 7 + 3 night cruise on Oct 11th. DD/DSIL will fly home after the 7 night cruise.

The 7 + 3 sounds really cool, but I'll just have to see what Fran thinks about airfare and stuff. Until we get the two apartments rented, I don't think she wants to talk about vacations. I was pushing it with the road trip.

Yes! Join us!!

We'll see!

 

[franandaj]

My hopes and dreams for this trip – Day 1

Without much else to do, I may as well tell you all my expectations for this trip and how I hope that it plays out. I know how the first day of any trip to WDW will go. I hope that the car is all packed the night before and I actually get to sleep before midnight. I also hope that we get out of the house at the expected time (around 6AM) as we have a 9:15AM flight.

We will arrive at MCO hopefully just before 5PM and hop on DME to our resort, the Villas at the Wilderness Lodge. We have a one bedroom Villa, and I know all too well how the first travel day goes, which is why I have a nice big grocery order set to be delivered!

As soon as we get to the Villa, Fran will need a nap. Travel really wipes both of us out, so we never make a dinner reservations for the first night. In addition to some of the things that I’ve talked about bringing, I plan to have groceries delivered to the Villa. Here is my list, and I’m sure that I will be adding to it. Especially once I show it to Fran!

Grocery list

8 oz Farmer John sausage links
2 yellow onions
1 bunch celery
Velveeta 12 oz block
Cream Cheese
Diced Green Chilies
Tortilla Chips
8 tomatoes
5 cucumbers
Small bottle Canola oil
1 lb bacon
1 loaf white bread
Small jar of mayonnaise
1 lb ground beef
Onion hamburger buns
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
Tater Tots
½ dozen eggs
12 pack Diet Mtn Dew
12 pack Dr. Pepper 10
Horseradish
Pack of sliced Ham
6 Yoplait Light Yogurt (3 Strawberry, 1 Peach, 2 Raspberry)
V8 Juice
2 Individual Serving Cereal Bowls (Honey Nut Cheerios)
Milk
½ head cabbage
Carrot
Butter
Green Pepper

Bring

Lipton Chicken Soup Mix
Rice
Tri Tip
Ground Coffee
Splenda
Brown Sugar
Spice Box

All these items will allow me to cook two meals just for Fran and I for dinners. I will make our portion of the cookout food, plus there are some breakfast and snack items in there. Combined with the stuff in our OL, there is plenty for us to live comfortably for one week.

Once I’ve got our groceries sorted out and put away, I plan to start on dinner. I will be making Joan Bergner’s Sausage Casserole. I have no idea who Joan Bergner is, but evidently she is a neighbor out of Fran’s childhood who made this recipe. It is a childhood comfort food for Fran, very simple to make without a lot of ingredients, so I’m happy to prepare it for her on the first night of our trip. Plus there are usually leftovers so we can have it for snacks throughout the rest of the trip. I know that some of you out there are eating healthy and organic foods and this is a completely processed meal, but it’s easy and makes Fran happy, so for now, that’s what counts.

My starting ingredients:

8 oz pork sausage
1 large onion
1 cup chopped celery
2/3 cup uncooked rice
1 pkg Lipton’s Chicken Noodle Soup
3 ½ - 4 cups water (not pictured here)
¼ tsp freshly ground pepper



Cut Celery in to small pieces



Chop onion into small pieces.



Cook sausage in a stove top to oven pan



When sausage is cooked add celery and onion



Saute until tender



At this point, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Add rice and brown a little until crunchy



Add water. I’ve started to cut it down to 3 cups which seems to work out perfectly.



Add soup mix



Add pepper (you don’t need any salt, lord knows that Lipton soup is 50% salt! )



Bring to a boil



cover and cook in oven for about 30 minutes.



Test for casserole consistency, if water has not all been absorbed, remove lid and cook for another 5-10 minutes. Serve immediately



Dinner! (I call the celery in there my vegetable There is a whole cup in the recipe!)



After dinner I will probably take a bath, upload some photos and work a little bit on the computer before going to bed. I may sit out on the balcony (If I don’t have the dumpster view), but I have a feeling I might be too tired to actually get out and explore the resort. We’ll save that for the next day!

 

[wwwosie]

Yum! I am now hungry!

 

[rentayenta]

That looks good, so easy, and perfect for leftovers.


What's Dr. Pepper 10? Yes, I read your entire grocery list.

 

[Pinkocto]

That looks delicious, I could substitute veggie chicken and be good to go.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Yum! Looks great.

 

[rentayenta]

I bet it'd be good with a flavored chicken or turkey sausage too. Costco and TJ's sell all sorts of delicious non-pork sausages.

 

[missmdr]

Hey, that recipe looks easy enough and fairly quick, too! My kids might light that one - always enjoy the step by step instructions, too!!

 

[dgbg100106]

Yummy. Thanks Alison. The grocery list looks good I don't think you are missing anything.

 

[dolphingirl47]

I love the sound of this casserole. The only problem is that I don't eat celery. Maybe I could substitute this with red peppers. I think I may have to experiment. Amazon.co.uk sells the Lipton Chicken Noodle Soup.

Corinna

 

[lisaviolet]

We were able to have a get together courtesy of my friend who let us into the exclusive lounge that most people don't even know exists! He requests to remain anonymous and therefore will not appear in any of our pictures. This exclusive lounge serves certain cocktails made tableside, so we made sure to order those!


Here is the finished ice sphere



Here it is in the glass awaiting the nectar



!

WT H.

Speechless AGAIN.

 

[lisaviolet]

I will be making Joan Bergner’s Sausage Casserole. I have no idea who Joan Bergner is, but evidently she is a neighbor out of Fran’s childhood who made this recipe.

on the bold.

_____________

Okay, I'm over the shock of lifestyles of the rich and Alison. Sort of. Lovely picture of you and Corinna. And loving her trip.

One day Alison. One day.

 

[franandaj]

Yum! I am now hungry!

You will learn not to open my PTR/TR on an empty stomach, I have that effect on people!

That looks good, so easy, and perfect for leftovers.


What's Dr. Pepper 10? Yes, I read your entire grocery list.

Yes, it is very easy. Dr. Pepper 10 is the "diet version" that guys won't be afraid to drink. It has 10 calories and we think it tastes better the Diet Dr. Pepper. I'm not surprised that you read my whole grocery list. I read yours!

That looks delicious, I could substitute veggie chicken and be good to go.

Just choose a veggie Lipton soup option too....It is actually pretty tasty and reheats very well.

Yum! Looks great.

Thanks!

I bet it'd be good with a flavored chicken or turkey sausage too. Costco and TJ's sell all sorts of delicious non-pork sausages.

Substitute away. I just like the Farmer John sausages because I used to get them for $.99 a package on sale. And I have no aversion to pork, in fact since it isn't beef that's good. Dr. Oz says only eat beef once a week. Since our weeks are only two days long, I can do that.

Hey, that recipe looks easy enough and fairly quick, too! My kids might light that one - always enjoy the step by step instructions, too!!

It is very easy and I hope your kids might like it. You might check out the What's for Dinner thread on the Community Board, we share recipes and sometimes even the step by step instructions as well.

Yummy. Thanks Alison. The grocery list looks good I don't think you are missing anything.

Fran will tell me that I am missing Ice Cream.

I love the sound of this casserole. The only problem is that I don't eat celery. Maybe I could substitute this with red peppers. I think I may have to experiment. Amazon.co.uk sells the Lipton Chicken Noodle Soup.

Corinna

That would work out perfect. I was thinking of other veggies I could add just to up the veggie quotient, but I like the flavor of it as is was afraid that adding peppers or something would change the flavor I've become accustomed to.

WT H.

Speechless AGAIN.

It always amazes me when I can make YOU speechless!

Evidently they get their ice from a special place that makes it without air bubbles in it so that they can make those perfect ice spheres.

on the bold.

_____________

Okay, I'm over the shock of lifestyles of the rich and Alison. Sort of. Lovely picture of you and Corinna. And loving her trip.

One day Alison. One day.

But on the other hand, we are very thrifty. That casserole costs us less than $5 for the meal and we get 5-6 meals out of it. While we have some incredible experiences, we also do a lot of cooking at home and when we eat out often we have restaurant.com certificates, groupons or entertainment book coupons, so we try to keep a balance. Sometimes we spend a lot, but the rest of the time we use whatever we can to save a buck! Plus Fran picks up every can and bottle she sees on the side of the road and she has even been known to dumpster dive!

 

[franandaj]

So I have a few updates in the works but I thought that I might just kvetch a bit with you all since I assume you are all my friends and I can do a bit of kvetching amongst friends.

I have spent the last week trying to get our apartments ready for rental which means that I have been doing manual labor like cleaning second story windows (which is not fun). Since I didn't want to climb a two story ladder I was basically hanging out the windows and reaching in directions that I would have never thought possible. You would think that I would have lost some weight doing this stuff, but no, not yet! We have like seven more windows left, the screens and the blinds to hang before we are done with these two apartments. I'm already done, but that doesn't count.

Tomorrow we have to go buy more blinds because I got exhausted today after getting the living room and some of the kitchen blinds and that was over $500!!!!!! I still have to get the slats for the bedrooms and two of the frames, probably another $500. Once those are hung and the screens are cleaned and hung, we'll be done. Then I just need to show the dang places.

For those who know about our "dream house" that we are hoping to build, the hearing is on July 8th. We now have a big a$$ sign out in front of the house saying that we want to add on to it and the date of hearing. Anyone who has been following knows that the next door neighbor vows to "fight us every step of the way", but the architect told us that unless she has a really valid reason, she can't contest it. Like "I don't want them to have a second story." won't cut it. Plus there are quite a few properties on the agenda the night that we are appearing so hopefully they will just want to get through it quickly and the historic commission will agree with the city and just grant us the addition.

We'll see! And once we have it complete, we are always open to a DISmeet at the house once it's finished since I hope that this house will be really cool and not the Hoaders nightmare that we currently live in!

 

[PrincessInOz]

So I have a few updates in the works but I thought that I might just kvetch a bit with you all since I assume you are all my friends and I can do a bit of kvetching amongst friends.

I have spent the last week trying to get our apartments ready for rental which means that I have been doing manual labor like cleaning second story windows (which is not fun). Since I didn't want to climb a two story ladder I was basically hanging out the windows and reaching in directions that I would have never thought possible. You would think that I would have lost some weight doing this stuff, but no, not yet! We have like seven more windows left, the screens and the blinds to hang before we are done with these two apartments. I'm already done, but that doesn't count.

Tomorrow we have to go buy more blinds because I got exhausted today after getting the living room and some of the kitchen blinds and that was over $500!!!!!! I still have to get the slats for the bedrooms and two of the frames, probably another $500. Once those are hung and the screens are cleaned and hung, we'll be done. Then I just need to show the dang places.

For those who know about our "dream house" that we are hoping to build, the hearing is on July 8th. We now have a big a$$ sign out in front of the house saying that we want to add on to it and the date of hearing. Anyone who has been following knows that the next door neighbor vows to "fight us every step of the way", but the architect told us that unless she has a really valid reason, she can't contest it. Like "I don't want them to have a second story." won't cut it. Plus there are quite a few properties on the agenda the night that we are appearing so hopefully they will just want to get through it quickly and the historic commission will agree with the city and just grant us the addition.

We'll see! And once we have it complete, we are always open to a DISmeet at the house once it's finished since I hope that this house will be really cool and not the Hoaders nightmare that we currently live in!

Sounds like a lot of work. I hope that you and Fran are taking time out to rest in between.

Not long to the hearing. Over here, the neighbours can protest but usually that means that there are minor changes to windows e.g., making sure they are frosted to a height of 1.5 m rather than clear glass etc. if they are protesting about being "spied on". It has to be something major before the councils completely knock back a reno. I hope it's the same for you.

 

[ACDSNY]

Sounds like your making great progress on the apartments, hopefully they'll be rented soon. Good luck and we wish you success on your July hearing for your addition.

 

[franandaj]

Sounds like a lot of work. I hope that you and Fran are taking time out to rest in between.

Not long to the hearing. Over here, the neighbours can protest but usually that means that there are minor changes to windows e.g., making sure they are frosted to a height of 1.5 m rather than clear glass etc. if they are protesting about being "spied on". It has to be something major before the councils completely knock back a reno. I hope it's the same for you.

That's kind of what I got from the Architect. We don't know why she is so against the addition, whether she doesn't like us, or if it will block the sun in her backyard, but I think she will be seen as a psycho and not a valid complaint. We will even take out the windows on her side because that is our "movie room".

I can't wait for this to be overwith so we can know how our lives will proceed!