September 22, 2007 -- WESTERN

[CustardTart]

I met my lovely wife on the 8th of July, 1972, and we were married on the 1st September 1972. She has tolerated me for almost 35 years. Mike

I love that story, Mike!

Just got the great news that my wife was able to get all of her shifts covered and we are going to Orlando July 14th-21st to do the Universal studios...

That's brilliant news! Have a fantastic time...

...The rest of the cruise husbands are going to have to talk to Richard about being so loving and generous. Makes us look bad...

Sorry about that! Tho' TBH I think you need to have a word with Bob too - just look at the size of that man's head!!!

 

[CustardTart]

if anyone knows an available (single) charming and adorable middle aged man let me know <G> esp if he has money LOL

If I knew anyone, Marsha, I'd point him in your direction! Sadly, all the middle-aged single men I know are lacking in charm and could never manage adorable...

 

[papa]

We usually carry on our laptop, medications and cpap machines. We both have sleep apnea and the cpap machines are the first thing that we pack. Mike

 

[eva]

We usually carry on our laptop, medications and cpap machines. We both have sleep apnea and the cpap machines are the first thing that we pack. Mike

Glad you mentioned the medications Mike. I need to make a note to put them in my carry on. We weren't on daily prescriptions on the last cruise. But now we are old and decrepit and take daily meds to keep us going. Although, the doctor is talking about taking Steve off his blood pressure medicine after losing almost 20 pounds.

 

[eva]

A boarding question.

As I understand it, you are permitted to board the ship with one carry on. I have this image of 2000 people roaming the ship with luggage everywhere until the staterooms are available. Is that pretty accurate? What do you all generally carry on board? We will have our laptop, cameras, and I do not know what else that we do not want to trust to our luggage.

Bob, I can't stop laughing!

 

[FatCat]

Out of curiosity why are people bringing their laptops?
I am beyond computer geek and I am actually not bringing mine.
Perhaps because I work with them all day long I want nothing to do with them.

I am fiddling around with buying and memory card reader.
They have them now that are about 80 gigs that will read 15 formats.
They are about the size of a ipod and are battery powered(rechargable).

They also double as an external 80 GIG USB hard drive.

Currently $150. Still a bit high I think. If they drop under $100 I think I may get one. I am also waiting for memory to get cheaper at cruise time and purchase another memory stick for camera. I have 2 Gig now. Want to be able to do some movies though.

 

[eva]

We aren't bringing our laptop for our pictures. We have a gig memory card and I'll never fill it on the cruise. Plus, we have a back-up card. But we need the laptop for the second week of our trip at WDW to check work email each day. On the cruise we can use Cove Cafe for checking email. Unfortunately, Steve and I work at jobs that being away for two weeks without any access is not an option. The problem is that we have nowhere to store the computer while on the cruise. I don't think our hot car will be an option. So I guess it has to go with us.

 

[papa]

I bring our laptop to process our photo's through Photoshop Elements each night. I do not want to go home and wade through hundreds of photos. I have two memory cards that are 2 gigs each. A 10 megapixel camera will go through them quick. Mike

PS the laptop is good to play tumblebugs on and movies on the way down in the car.

 

[FatCat]

Yeah I have a portable DVD player for kids to beat on. They have done a good job beating on it.

Just came from Costco. Got two snorkel sets for our party of 9. Figure we can fight over them.

$29.99 with carrying bag(normal 39.99). US diver brand. Instant $10 rebate going on now.

Keeping my eye out for those cheap clear shoe organizers.
Gonna hit up the clothes store in Sept for end season close outs. Great time to get Tropical shirts for $5.

Back to work...Ugh.

 

[#1 Minnie Lover]

if anyone knows an available (single) charming and adorable middle aged man let me know <G> esp if he has money LOL

Maybe! We are headed to Orlando in the morning and will be visiting lots of friends. Let me see if anyone is single and I can send them your way!!

 

[papa]

Yeah I have a portable DVD player for kids to beat on. They have done a good job beating on it.

Just came from Costco. Got two snorkel sets for our party of 9. Figure we can fight over them.

$29.99 with carrying bag(normal 39.99). US diver brand. Instant $10 rebate going on now.

Keeping my eye out for those cheap clear shoe organizers.
Gonna hit up the clothes store in Sept for end season close outs. Great time to get Tropical shirts for $5.

Back to work...Ugh.

Check the dollar stores, they usually have the shoe organizers.

We have a 7 inch screen portable dvd player too, but getting away from the grand daughter is tough. I told her yesterday that she was spoiled rotten. She told me" Alright Mister, you are getting a timeout for that. And then she told me thats the name of that tune " Mike

Out of the mouths of Babes.

 

[ThreeSmiths]

Gosh! Every time I come back to the boards it's like reading a novel! I need to check in more often! I have to say, I've gotten a major laugh from the virgin protector outfits! Be careful, if too many protectors are running around in uniform it could catch on & become a theme night!

Okay, our party of three might be turning into a party of four. As we get closer to our sailing date I am getting more hesitant about leaving Baby Tegan behind. I've been getting opinions from others who have cruised with infants, and it seems that the most daunting part is the packing of all the baby needs. So while it's not official, we might be FourSmiths instead of ThreeSmiths on the cruise! How can I leave this cheeky monkey behind????

 

[Bareacuda]

Gosh! Every time I come back to the boards it's like reading a novel! I need to check in more often! I have to say, I've gotten a major laugh from the virgin protector outfits! Be careful, if too many protectors are running around in uniform it could catch on & become a theme night!

Okay, our party of three might be turning into a party of four. As we get closer to our sailing date I am getting more hesitant about leaving Baby Tegan behind. I've been getting opinions from others who have cruised with infants, and it seems that the most daunting part is the packing of all the baby needs. So while it's not official, we might be FourSmiths instead of ThreeSmiths on the cruise! How can I leave this cheeky monkey behind????

Tegan's hair looks like Mine!!! She is a Doll!
Now who said cruising is boring??? Not with this group

 

[CustardTart]

...Okay, our party of three might be turning into a party of four. As we get closer to our sailing date I am getting more hesitant about leaving Baby Tegan behind. I've been getting opinions from others who have cruised with infants, and it seems that the most daunting part is the packing of all the baby needs. So while it's not official, we might be FourSmiths instead of ThreeSmiths on the cruise! How can I leave this cheeky monkey behind????

Awww!!! She's adorable!!!

 

[Lucky Penny]

Okay, our party of three might be turning into a party of four. As we get closer to our sailing date I am getting more hesitant about leaving Baby Tegan behind. I've been getting opinions from others who have cruised with infants, and it seems that the most daunting part is the packing of all the baby needs. So while it's not official, we might be FourSmiths instead of ThreeSmiths on the cruise! How can I leave this cheeky monkey behind????

What a beautiful little doll baby!!! I'm sure you'll figure out what's best for you to do - and thanks for sharing the picture!

 

[brady961]

boy she is soooo cute. and that smile will take anyone's heart anytime.

Ok Minnie is packed and ready to go. She believe since she is packed the cruise will be here faster <G>

I have picked out my clothes to take, pushed them all to one side of closet. So now just need to touch up ironing on a few, throw in suitcase etc.... things i took recently on three night stayed in suitcase/s. just need to get clothes and toiletries and those last minute items in bags and I am ready.

Ya think if I put my clothes in the suitcase the cruise will get here faster? LOL

 

[ThreeSmiths]

Thanks for all of the nice compliments about Tegan. I'm about 99% sure we'll be taking her with us....the more people I talk to on the Dis and on a mom's forum I belong to say that it's actually easier to take an infant than it is a toddler...they're not mobile yet!

Here's a question: Anyone interested in scuba diving in Cozumel? DH (Eric) is a diver and he is interested in diving through Aldora Divers in Cozumel. We stayed at their small resort last summer and he dove with them every day. They have incredible dive masters and only take a small number of divers on their boats (I think the max is 6 divers.) The cost is $87 per diver for two dives. Their dive boats pick up at the Aldora Villa which is at the north end of the island (a very short cab ride from the port). There is no need to charter a boat since they are now taking single reservations from cruise passengers, but Eric thought it would be more fun to go with some people from the Magic. If you want more info check them out at www.aldoradivers.com and be sure to see the info on cruise passengers.

Let me know if you're interested!

 

[scrapperjill]

CUTE pic Stacy I'm sure we'd totally be up for a dive "IF" we were certified divers...We'd LOVE it. Hopefully Eric will be able to find someone intrested in going with him.


Laptop....we also bring our for downloading the memory cards and burning CD's for backup. Right now I have 2-1 gig cards and 2-1/2 gig cards...so 3 gig altogether...with one camera then about the same for the the other camera...It's exactly what I took last time we cruised and wasn't nearly enough. We've looked into other options to get/take instead that would be smaller...BUT I REALLY like the ablity to view the photos on the large Laptop screen so I know what I took or what I may need to retake AND I like the idea of backing them up with the CD....Just incase something happens to the laptop or hard drive. That would be my worry with the external hard drive/ card readers....that they'd fail somehow and I'd have NO clue until we got back home and tryed to retreive the pics. However....we were just looking at a card reader/cd burner a couple weeks ago. It's not super small, but it is good deal smaller than our laptop....so after some research we may opt to go that route.

Luggage/Carry-on's on the first day.... We handed most of our luggage over at the curb. I sure don't recall running into a huge number of people with carry-ons everywhere. And both times for us...we headed for lunch right after boarding...then up to check on our room...BOTH times the rooms have been ready so we were able to drop off what ever we did bring aboard. I'd say the biggest hastle with toteing a BUNCH of stuff with you would be in the terminal before boarding the ship.

 

[Bareacuda]

I have to bring my laptop. We'll be gone for 3 weeks, and we'll have to download all the pics we're going to take.And do the e mail thing.

We've always let the guys take it at the hotel, and we've never had a problem. So this time, looks like I'll be toting the rolling laptop. And a box of lime green wristbands

Ann

 

[papa]

Hope that everyone had a great weekend. Happy Canada Day for our Canadian friends. Mike