Smidgy and the Grump, Freaky Friday, 11-06

[jcc0621]

see honey.. they love me!!!!

 

[babynurse1]

babynurse.. you MET stephen King!!?? and he has his arm around you? I am SO jealous! (is he blond or grey?) on our honeymoon cruise, I couldn't put down "the shining". I read "the stand" 3 times, the 3rd time when they came out with the "extra" 200(?) pages. his mind is even scarier than Nebo's(maybe). stephen king writes about scary stuff. Nebo makes every day stuff scary! and yet funny! nebo has something on you there, Mr. king!

The dh and I did meet Stephen King. We went to Boston back in November and you could buy tickets to go to a small reception for about an hour before he did an interview and book signing of his newest book, Just After Sunset. The money for the tickets all went to a charity, so it was for a good cause and I told the dh that was his Christmas present. It was lots of fun as the reception was really small and you could actually go up and talk to him and he was walking around mingling with the 30 or so people in the room.

His hair is dark brown with lots of grey. He really was a very nice guy.

Btw, I really am just joking around about meeting him. Most people could care less which is why I keep bringing it up on the other thread. Not that I EVER do things like that.

I have met quite a few sports stars if y'all want me to impress you later with those pictures. Joking, joking, joking.

Back to the TR. And the guy who makes every day stuff scary yet funny.

 

[Philadisney]

Yep, floatin around, lot's of stuff in there floatin around. "We all float down here!" Ok, who said it?

Pick me. Pick me. Pick me!!!!

Pennywise said "it" in the book "It"

Awww, you beat me to it! I love that book. My tag about the clown climbing up the shower drain is a reference to a scene from It.

ETA: Here's pictures of that scene from the movie starring Tim Curry.

Still loving every word Nebo & Smidgy, even the ones about boring donuts and creepy Day Inn lounge patrons

 

[luvmyboys]

Only in a Nebo (and smidgy) report do we get

Lost Highways
Steek beatings
Extreme Parking Manuevers
Seedy Motels
Celebrity Sightings
and Scary, Shower Haunting Clowns

Love it!!!

 

[babynurse1]

Awww, you beat me to it! I love that book. My tag about the clown climbing up the shower drain is a reference to a scene from It.

I'm so jealous! I would love a Stephen Kingesque tag!!! Although I would never want to part with my Atticus Finch tag, since it is from my very favorite novel, but still an SK tag would be awesome. woohoo.

I am green with tag envy.

 

[lisalonglash]

Wicked good stuff Can't wait for the next spine-tingling update!

 

[nebo]

A hearty greeting to Princess Caitlan who has joined us in our love fest, even though I couldn't slide the page over enough to hit her quote button.

Was that YOU in the barn that night?!?!?!


Wanna know how I know? Stephen is my bff. (he just doesn't realize "it". heh)

Elivabiff is a winner! She get's the hearty handshake and a slap on the back. That's a great pic Biff, I was a huge fan of his for a long time. Read all his books up until it seemed to me that he started losing it.

We love ya, Nebo! And we love Smidgy too. And she got a very funny line in! Still laughing at the house tipping over.

I vouch for EliSabeth that she really met SK! Trust me, she won't let us forget it, LOL

LYMI2

Maybe you should consider hiring Diane as your comedy writer.

Just a thought.

tee hee.

Yeah, great idea, better yet, she can write the rest of the story. (miss you Paul) and then YOU can tell her how to quote and change her avatar and signature. tee hee indeed!

YIPPEEE! Another Nebo report. I'm loving it. Can't wait for more.

ummmmm I think you may be in just a tad of trouble from smidgy, but I could be wrong.

Welcome back AngelRose, nah, no trouble, she's used to it. Right Honey?

We bought our first trailer in Birmingham. We left at 10:00 at nite and made it down there by 8:00 a.m. The foothills of the Appalachian mountains start in Alabama.

Yeah, I never knew that, it was quite a pretty drivve there for awhile.

 

[nebo]

oh boy monica, did you just open up a can of worms!!! don't you know HE's the funny writer in the family? (just joking; I make a funnier "straight man".
I'm just fodder for his (and yours) amusement!! ... (um.. ever notice how funny George Burns was and yet, Gracie always "stole the show"? just sayin'.

Yes, say goodnight, Gracie

Yippee another Nebo report I am onboard for the ride

Allright! Another guy! Welcome back Randy.

all caught up, so far sooo gooood.

And welcome back Connie, we've missed the bote of you.

Back to the TR. And the guy who makes every day stuff scary yet funny.

You mean George W is back?

Awww, you beat me to it! I love that book. My tag about the clown climbing up the shower drain is a reference to a scene from It.

ETA: Here's pictures of that scene from the movie starring Tim Curry.

Still loving every word Nebo & Smidgy, even the ones about boring donuts and creepy Day Inn lounge patrons

Kelly, I thought of you when I posted that question and wondered if you'd get to it first.

Only in a Nebo (and smidgy) report do we get

Lost Highways
Steek beatings
Extreme Parking Manuevers
Seedy Motels
Celebrity Sightings
and Scary, Shower Haunting Clowns

Love it!!!

It's funny how I remember you from having the same avatar I had for a long time. And to be honest, I owe someone an apology. I can't remember who made my new avatar for me. Javamom? PrincessV? I'm really sorry about that, if your reading please let me know.

Wicked good stuff Can't wait for the next spine-tingling update!

And Lisa has Winkers old Avatar, that's one of my all time favorites.

 

[Sleeping*Beauty]

Yes, say goodnight, Gracie

You know Kyle Bush said that last night when he took the lead in Las Vegas.

 

[nebo]

Hoo ray Hoo ray!
I did it, I actually figured out again how to add a link in my sig.
Monica will be so proud!

 

[nebo]

Checking into the Knight's Inn went a little bit smoother, even after having to cancel the first night.

It turned out to be a great location for us too, way on the west side of town, and a block away from Sherbeth Rd. For the uninitiated, remember that name, you will probably use it at sometime. It also turned out that we were right across the street from that lovely motel we stayed at on our last trip, an America's Best Value Inn.

That was the place where everthing in our room was broken, from the smoke alarm that wouldn't stop cheaping to the headboard of my bed. We are now right next door to a Radison Inn, where we actually went and sang karaoke last time, and we are still in walking distance of a Ponderosa that we also tried last time with good results.

And golly gee, this Knight's Inn also has a resort fee, but at least I knew that when I booked over the phone. I got the receipt right away and for two nights it came to 81 dollars. I can live with that being so close to the Mouse.

Carlos was our host at check in, and pretty much the only guy we saw there the whole time in the office. Room 222, that's ours.

Smidgy sometimes asks how I remember all the room numbers,,,,,,well, duh, this one's pretty darn easy, doncha think? (I had a thing for Karen Valentine)
At least this time I was able to back right up to the room, no Diagon Alley in sight. And of course the first thing I did was go and find the ice machine, for the bucket and for the cooler. This took some work, it was in another building in what looked like a room door. Normally Smidgy takes care of the ice duties, but I was so happy to be in Florida, after driving through Narnia and hitting every stop light in Alabama, I would have been happy sleeping in the car.

One thing I did omit to mention the other night was driving down that road in Alabama, the scary thing was all the train tracks you had to cross. After catching all the stoplights, that would have been just fitting to get nailed by a two mile freight train. And I kept waiting to hit a roadblock, for the Mayberry Honor Society to come marching down the road with Barney up front and Goober and Emmit in the band playing Stars and Stripes forever.

Two vikes later and a couple beers, and I was a happy camper, back on my bed, yes, my bed, my bad, no, my bed.
If the room comes with two beds, baby, we are using da bote of em!

You see, Smidgy has this problem when she sleeps;
Snoring!
I know, you wouldn't have thought it either, but she does.
She has a hard time sleeping when there is a lot of snoring going on, so I sleep in the other bed just so I don't get smothered by a pillow in the middle of the night.

We decided to put off Ponderosa for dinner until tomorrow night, and somehow I let her talk me into going next door to try karaoke again.

THis is actually a cool hotel, after you pass through the lobby there is a huge room with a bar, a snack counter and a stage where the karaoke is, the indoor swimming pool is right next to it so it's nice and warm in there, and glass walled elevators going up on one wall. Unfortunately, karaoke guy called in sick, so Diane wanted to go up and check out what an upper floor looked like. So we did.

Got off on 4, "Yep, this is a hotel floor allright."
And I headed back to the elevator, man, what a waste of good vikes.

Another family got on with us going down so I told him we were spies and how did he like staying there?
Nope, didn't like it at all. But he said his vacation package was supposed to include a 5 star hotel, and this sure isn't a 5 star hotel!

I told him it's the economy, they've all been downgraded. He looked thoughtful and nodded, "Guess SO".

Back in the room we finished the chicken we brought, and turned in, got a busy day tomorrow.

During the night I had to leak, and on the way in the dark I stepped in a huge wet spot by the vanity, guess Diane must have spilled something. Checked the cooler, nope, plug is still in. But boy this carpet here is soaked.

Speaking of bathrooms, not that they had one here, but who is the sadist that came up with that brush people put in the holder next to the toilet?

Man, that thing hurts!

Next day we are back trying a new continental breakfast. And it was packed in there. Got my coffee with much elbowing and snatched a doughnut and took it back to the room. This doughnut was good though, big difference.

I spent an hour seeing an old acquaintance that works in a machine shop, Diane came with, and we were off to check out some homesites. Even I couldn't believe how much we got done so quickly, and in the afternoon we decided to keep heading a bit east on 192 cuz Diane wanted to check out this place we drove past before called "Old Town."

Beware!
This is your usual tourist attraction, that goes right for the wallet. It's a small amusement park, with many eateries and rides and go-carts.
Everything had it's own price, 12 bucks if the two of us wanted to try two laps in the carts. I have to admit they also had a lot of shops to look in, but every time Smidgy stopped to even glance I looked at my watch.

She hates when I do that but it worked. Well, at least it used to.

Soon we were back at the resor,,,,,motel, having no spent a penny in Old Town.

This time it was back to a manhattan in the room and we got ready to walk over to the Ponderosa for dinner. I snapped a picture of the pool.

It was a rather nice small pool, I wished I had spent some time there but the temperature today hit a high of 62, and there really wasn't any time.
Diane had grabbed a coupon magazine from the lobby, and we used a ten percent off one at Ponderosa. All meals come with an all you can eat buffet, once you order a main course.

I had a sirloin for 11 bucks, she had a T-bone for 14 I think. After the discount I think our bill was for 23 dollars and change.

My problem with this is that I pig out on the salad stuff. Salad, macaroni salad, potatoe salad,, cottage cheese, soup, bread,,,,,,then they bring the steak and baked potatoe out and I'm already stuffed.

But I try.

Now comes the tricky part that they don't tell you about in any guidebooks.

Our room is on the north side of 192.
Ponderosa is on the south, across the street.

You CANNOT cross this street, at least, not without serious injury and lawsuits.

There is a stop light there that sees but doesn't care. Three times we waited for it to go through it's cycle but the flashing red hand never changed.
I looked on a post and sure enough there was a button.
Of course I pushed it!

I have no idea what that button did, but it certainly had no effect on that light. I think it was a shutter release for a satellite picture of two morons trying to cross 192.

Finally, I told her we are just going to have to make a break for it. "Just try to make it to the center island, if we can do that maybe the westbound traffic will let up by morning."

And we did.
After waiting ten minutes or so, another couple joined us on the island and I thought we would have to fight for it. I felt like Piggy, but Samneric weren't a problem. We all decided that sooner or later, we have to make a break for it, even exchanged numbers in case some of us didn't make it, and all I'm thinking about is my bad foot.
I felt like the injured antelope trailing the rest of the herd while the lions stalked!

Nope, I'm not gonna be creamed by a Lexus, and I broke!
Left, right, left, right, right, whoops, almost went down but I made it!

They all still passed me up but without that sneak break I would've been dead meat.

Back in the room I was feeling very full, but good about myself, hey, I outfoxed the herd. Well, at least I was until we turned on the tv, in particular, the weather channel.

Tomorrow's HIGH, 58!

Monday's HIGH, 57

Tuesday's HIGH, 56

Welcome back Mr. Grumpy Gills!


Nah, I can't leave it there like that, that's too much of a downer, even for me.

In the room, Diane mentioned going back to the Radison, maybe karaoke guy is all better.
I just glared at her.
(see? that's much more cheery, right?)

I took off my shoes and walked to the bathroom, right through soaking wet carpet again, in my socks.
Yep, definately a leak somewhere under the vanity, but I'm not going to complain about it now.

Sunday, Feb 1, D-Day

that's Disney Day, geesh

After packing up we pull the car around in front and enjoy another delightful continental breakfast, then we hit the liquour store.

Yes, that's right, the liquour store.
We were on our way to Publix, a grocery store when I saw it right next door. After picking up what we need in Publix,,,,, and let me tell you, that place isn't that cheap, up here I usually shop at either Woodman's or Butera, this is more like a Jewel.

On the way out, I looked at my watch, ten after nine, Sunday morning, no liquour store is open then.

This one was.

After picking up more supplies,,,, ok, ok, I was going through the whiskey a tad fasster then I thought I would,,,,,we headed back toward the Knight's Inn,,and, more importantly,, the Sherbeth road previously forementioned.

It is a small street, west of I-4, and east of rt. 27, where our beloved Vista Dell lago resides, where we want to live. There is a stop light there,,,, and it takes you directly into Disney World.

You will run right into Osceola Parkway, right next to the Animal Kingdom.

No having to get on I-4, don't even have to get on World Drive, this is, as someone once said, it's "Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy".

Next stop: Pop Century



is peasy with and s or a z?

 

[jcc0621]

the Sherbeth road previously forementioned.

It is a small street, west of I-4, and east of rt. 27, where our beloved Vista Dell lago resides, where we want to live. There is a stop light there,,,, and it takes you directly into Disney World.

You will run right into Osceola Parkway, right next to the Animal Kingdom.

No having to get on I-4, don't even have to get on World Drive, this is, as someone once said, it's "Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy".

Next stop: Pop Century



is peasy with and s or a z?

We use this road all the time when we are at my parents and not staying on property

Vista is awesome! My mother knows a couple of people who live there!

 

[TyRy]

I guess I'll address your tailbone with my responses..just in case it is speaking to me again

"I don't know about this" I mentioned to her.
She shrugged her shoulders and with a mighty heave flung her door open.
"WAIT! Don't get out first!"
I had this terrible image of the vehicle just rolling over on it's side if I was still in the driver's seat when she got out.

So I got out on the low end first, then got the cooler out that is right behind Diane's seat, THEN, she could get out.
They say SUV's have a tendancy to roll over and I didn't want to find out!

Smidgy is a good woman to not have smacked you for that...Mark would have been hurting

It's 7:10, and we go right through Birmingham.
I used to think the folks in Nashville were the craziest/worst drivers, but no, Birmingham passed them up. It was like I was in invisible mode, I must have accidentally hit the "cloaking" device switch that renders us impossible to see.

I started out admiring the scenery, I didn't know there were mountainous terrain in northern Alabama and it was pretty to look at. Then in the city I had to keep watching out the side windows because guys would change lanes right next to me, like I wasn't even there.

How come, if you see a car on the shoulder up ahead, it is guaranteed that he will begin to pull out as soon as you come up to him?

Just for perspective, I think we got to Birmingham around 4pmish..

Finally, clear,,,on to Montgomery. As we approach, Diane has TyRy's instructions out and we followed them to a tee. We switched to 231 at exactly 9:00, and now I am wondering what this will be like.

Now we didn't get to Montgomery until probably 8ish...why....because we had a two hour delay while we first jumped off the highway to avoid a 13 car pileup and then we were delayed for two hours by tornadoes coming up and down 65...that was scary At one point we were going to head into Mississippi to avoid the storms and then loop back...be happy I didn't send you that way

If you travel on interstates to get places, after a day's driving you will usually end up averaging about 60 miles an hour, maybe a bit more depending on how much you push it. This is taking in rest stops and fill ups along the way, and occasional road construction, but if you drive for 11 hours, you will usually have gone about 660 miles for example.

Tracy and Mark think this is a good alternative to the normal rt. 75 that goes through Atlanta. Now, I wasn't aware that the REASON they did this was to avoid tornados, I think it was cuz Tracy just didn't want any Georgia pecans and didn't want to see all the billboards that advertise strip clubs and peep shows that you see on 75.

Hey - we probably could have made some type of game out of all the strip club billboards

I kind of expected to hit a few stoplights on the way, please, just not too many. It started out ok, within 10 miles we were up to 65 miles an hour speed limit, then I caught up to a gravel truck.

It was suddenly like being in a meteor storm, so I went left to pass him.
Which he didn't take kindly to it seems.
He came flying right by me and then pulled over right in front of me again. I tried once more with the same results, so now I just hung back, and soon enough, he was out of site apparently terrorizing somebody else.

Then we came upon a town called Troy.
Stoplight ahead. I caught it.
Stoplight ahead. I caught it.
Repeat.

I couldn't remember how many stop lights there were, but we got caught by allmost all of them.
30 miles down the road, another town, ok, you know the drill, repeat. And these were no 40 second lights. You could turn off the engine and save gas at these light, or play a game of Monopoly.

I was starting to lose it after the second town, but I needed gas and pulled into a Shell where the sign said 1.83 regular.

They were out. All they had was premium for 2.03. Oh, the gills are flapping now.

One more town, same results, but caught up to the gravel truck again, this time I was able to get past him cuz of traffic and all the lights, it took him too long to get the thing moving.

Then we hit Dothan, a small city near the boundary of my beloved Florida.
In Dothan, we took the bypass around just like we were instructed to do, and followed the signs to interstate 10.

I almost peed my pants with excitement when we got on 10, mostly with relief.

It is now 1:00 o'clock in the afternoon.
So, let's do the math.

We were in Montgomery at 9, it is now 4 hours later.
It is 107 miles from Montgomery to Dothan, then another 20 miles to the border, then another 25 to rt. 10 for a total of 150 miles.
In 4 HOURS!

That is an average of 37.5 miles per hour!

I also figured that there must have been at least 55 stop lights we went through, and got caught by 45 of them,

Hmmmm - once we got to Montgomery and the Dothan circle we started to make good time, as the storms were now behind us. BUT, I think I got stopped by exactly one light the entire way. Maybe it's like Atlanta, you have to go through it at late night...which is what we did. I think we hit Florida around midnight so we were through the little towns after 10pm. I didn't even realize the little towns had stores until we drove back in the daylight.

Normally, on the second day I am in Disney by noon at the latest, now, I'm just getting into the pan handle part of the state and it's already 1 in the afternoon!

This is why Tracy should be beaten with steeks. I can understand wanting to avoid tomatoes, I have been in a building myself and had one skip along our roor and destroy a brick wall of the building across the street in Franklin Park, Il. I have also had the good times to be in New Orleans during one of the worst hurricanes ever at the time, Camille in '69. But I would NEVER advise this as an ALTERNATIVE route unless you're a masochist.

Sorry Nebo - I still recommend it as we made great time. Even on the way back we got totally killed for almost two hours by traffic/construction on 65 and still made it to Nashville in about 11 hours from Orlando. But then again, Mark was driving almost the whole way...he didn't want to have to listen to Abba/Dancing Queen anymore

My times may be a wee bit off, and I'm sure DH will correct me if I am wrong, but I know he still likes the Alabama route and will take it again this year.

From the Florida Turnpike we took the shortcut that's called the Western Way bypass, then stayed on 27 into Kissimmee and 192.

We found our Knight's Inn Motel right away, great location but you have to go past it and make a u-turn and come back.

The Time? It was quarter to five, eastern time, and my tailbone will never talk to Tracy again.

Two manhattans and two vikes later, I was curled up in bed with my Uncle John's newest Bathroom Reader, things were better, and my tailbone said it "might talk to her again".
maybe

Manhattans and vikes make for forgiving friends...and body parts

 

[winkers]

I have one question.....what exactly were you doing with the toilet brush that caused pain?

 

[lisalonglash]

I have one question.....what exactly were you doing with the toilet brush that caused pain?

Do you really want to know?

Hey Winkers - I evidently absconded with your avatar. Well, at least I have good taste

 

[nebo]

I guess I'll address your tailbone with my responses..just in case it is speaking to me again



Smidgy is a good woman to not have smacked you for that...Mark would have been hurting



Just for perspective, I think we got to Birmingham around 4pmish..



Now we didn't get to Montgomery until probably 8ish...why....because we had a two hour delay while we first jumped off the highway to avoid a 13 car pileup and then we were delayed for two hours by tornadoes coming up and down 65...that was scary At one point we were going to head into Mississippi to avoid the storms and then loop back...be happy I didn't send you that way



Hey - we probably could have made some type of game out of all the strip club billboards



Hmmmm - once we got to Montgomery and the Dothan circle we started to make good time, as the storms were now behind us. BUT, I think I got stopped by exactly one light the entire way. Maybe it's like Atlanta, you have to go through it at late night...which is what we did. I think we hit Florida around midnight so we were through the little towns after 10pm. I didn't even realize the little towns had stores until we drove back in the daylight.



Sorry Nebo - I still recommend it as we made great time. Even on the way back we got totally killed for almost two hours by traffic/construction on 65 and still made it to Nashville in about 11 hours from Orlando. But then again, Mark was driving almost the whole way...he didn't want to have to listen to Abba/Dancing Queen anymore

My times may be a wee bit off, and I'm sure DH will correct me if I am wrong, but I know he still likes the Alabama route and will take it again this year.



Manhattans and vikes make for forgiving friends...and body parts

tracy, a great post, LYMI. But on rt. 75 to 24, Nashville is a 9, maybe 9 and a half hour drive, from Disney.

We use this road all the time when we are at my parents and not staying on property

Vista is awesome! My mother knows a couple of people who live there!

Janet, we checked out Polo Park,, but it's all brand new stuffage, and the lot rental is really high, plus, we are not that into golf. Also checked out the Ridge, right nearby, but again, high lot rental, and no lakes at all. Nope, we know where we want to live. One house we looked at was right across from a small lake with a grassy parkway in front of it. As I was looking out the window across at the lake I saw a sign in the grass down by the lake. Of coarse I had to check it out and walked down to read it.
"Please don't feed the alligators."

Yep, that'll teach Mischief to keep running out the door when we open it.

I have one question.....what exactly were you doing with the toilet brush that caused pain?

Do you really want to know?

Hey Winkers - I evidently absconded with your avatar. Well, at least I have good taste

And you gave it a good home too.
The avatar, not the toilet brush.

 

[jcc0621]

Janet, we checked out Polo Park,, but it's all brand new stuffage, and the lot rental is really high, plus, we are not that into golf. Also checked out the Ridge, right nearby, but again, high lot rental, and no lakes at all. Nope, we know where we want to live. One house we looked at was right across from a small lake with a grassy parkway in front of it. As I was looking out the window across at the lake I saw a sign in the grass down by the lake. Of coarse I had to check it out and walked down to read it.
"Please don't feed the alligators.".

Yep, gotta watch for the gators! One time Jim was playing golf with my dad and lost 6 or 7 balls in the lake. When he lost the last one he started to reach into to get it and my father said to him "I wouldn't do that if I were you" Jim looked up and there was a gator

 

[KathyRN137]

You see, Smidgy has this problem when she sleeps;
Snoring!
I know, you wouldn't have thought it either, but she does.
She has a hard time sleeping when there is a lot of snoring going on, so I sleep in the other bed just so I don't get smothered by a pillow in the middle of the night.

Kathy

 

[dvc at last !]

Just found this TR.

Gotta save to read later -

must get sleep - work tomorrow !

 

[TyRy]

tracy, a great post, LYMI. But on rt. 75 to 24, Nashville is a 9, maybe 9 and a half hour drive, from Disney.

Is that with or without traffic So Alabama would have been the same if we didn't get completely blocked by the trucks on the highway for miles..I swear I could have walked faster. It was worse than the Kennedy on a Friday night with snow!

And does this mean your tailbone is talking to me again?

Janet, we checked out Polo Park,, but it's all brand new stuffage, and the lot rental is really high, plus, we are not that into golf. Also checked out the Ridge, right nearby, but again, high lot rental, and no lakes at all. Nope, we know where we want to live. One house we looked at was right across from a small lake with a grassy parkway in front of it. As I was looking out the window across at the lake I saw a sign in the grass down by the lake. Of coarse I had to check it out and walked down to read it.
"Please don't feed the alligators."

Yep, that'll teach Mischief to keep running out the door when we open it.

I'm glad you guys have made up your minds...sometimes I think that can be one of the hardest parts about moving.