Teenage Mutant Backseat Dancers - 11/18 UPDATE! P25 - Leaving on a jet plane

[MAGICFOR2]

Well I thought I'd posted after your tallest man pic, but I see I must have fallen asleep - no your TR is not boring, I'm just exhausted Wow! I'm amazed at your boat trip - the pic of the falls from a distance with the boat in it really puts it in perspective - just WOW!

Nice of you to escort the girls out on the town. Too bad the fireworks were a little underwhelming.

 

[pkondz]

Maybe if I tried it with the actual dance shoes on

Try tap shoes...

Well I thought I'd posted after your tallest man pic, but I see I must have fallen asleep - no your TR is not boring, I'm just exhausted

Not boring. Just exciting enough to put you to sleep. Check

Wow! I'm amazed at your boat trip - the pic of the falls from a distance with the boat in it really puts it in perspective - just WOW!

I am so glad we took that boat trip.
I have to admit, having seen the Falls before, that up until then I was a little blasé about them.
But not on that boat!

Nice of you to escort the girls out on the town. Too bad the fireworks were a little underwhelming.

I thought it was nice of me too!
Where's my Dad of the year medal????

 

[petals]

Try tap shoes...

The "hard" shoes as we call them for Irish dancing are similar to tap shoes kinda... If you look up heavy jigs or hornpipes or even riverdance on youtube you'll see what I mean

 

[pkondz]

The "hard" shoes as we call them for Irish dancing are similar to tap shoes kinda... If you look up heavy jigs or hornpipes or even riverdance on youtube you'll see what I mean

Looked 'em up.
Yup! That'll do.

 

[pkondz]

James Bond and the Ice Bucket Challenge

When we got back to the hotel the previous night,
the girls had said they wanted some friends over.
And even though I was beat, I agreed, but no one was free and/or willing.

I had a little party in my head.


I do that a lot.
Don't judge.


This didn't stop the girls from staying up late.
ipso facto I was up late.

This is how my night went:

"mumble, mumble, mumble ELLE!!! mumble, mumble, <LAUGHTER>
mumble, mumble, DEE!!! mumble, <LAUGHTER>".
Repeat.
Again... and again... and again...

Eventually, they wound down and I fell asleep.

Maybe if my "bed" hadn't been so uncomfortable, I might've been able to sleep, despite the noise.
But probably not.

Sleep has a direct impact on health, ya know.
Falling asleep prevented me from using their pillows to suffocate them.




The next morning, I woke up early so I could run around for my sleeping 'lil darlings.

I needed to get tickets for Journey Behind the Falls.
It was located about a mile and a half from the hotel.
I could walk it easily enough, but I figured it would be too far for the girls.

So I decided to do a trial run with the car, so I could figure out parking, etc.

Before I left, I sent a quick text to my sister.
I figured if she was up, we could do breakfast before the Falls thing.
She was up, and said we could meet at a nearby restaurant.
(I think it was a Perkins.)


Driving to the Falls is very easy. Just look for the perpetual mist hanging above it and aim for that.
STOP before you plunge into the river.

I got to the Falls in no time flat and there was parking right across the street.
Very expensive parking.

I drove around a bit and found parking at the casino for five bucks.
And it was only half a mile from the Falls... all downhill!
Sweet!


Ten minutes or so later, I'm in line for my tickets.
There's no repeat of yesterday's sheep bleatings.
As a matter of fact, there are two windows open and two lines.

I get in line behind a young couple with a baby who were next up.

I have no idea what the people in front of them were doing, but it took forever!


Here's how it should go:
"Hello, I'd like x tickets for Journey Behind the Falls."
"Certainly, sir/ma'am. That'll be x dollars."
"Here's my cash/debit card/credit card."
"Thank you, here are your tickets, have a nice day."

The end. Done.
Total time? Under three minutes.


But this isn't what happened.
When I got there, the couple with the baby were already waiting.
I hesitate to consider how long they had already been waiting,
but considering the lack of foot shuffling or eye rolling, it probably hadn't been too long yet.
After I had waited for what seemed to me to be an inordinate amount of time to purchase tickets,
the mother left to go change the baby.

More minutes tick by.
I felt not unlike how you feel right now at having to read through this.

I pity you, truly, I do.


Eventually, hmmmm.... I'll guess after about fifteen minutes,
the oh-so-slow guest leaves the window.
I'm not sure if he even bought tickets or was just getting information!

Or maybe he was debating the chicken or the egg.
(The answer, of course, is the egg. It came from space.)



Shortly after the slowest guest in the world departed the window and one half of the couple approached it,
the wife returned with a freshly changed baby.
It was still a baby though, so I guess it wasn't that changed.
It definitely was not a chicken... or an egg.


The woman could not believe her eyes.
She started to lose it right there.
Wife: "You're still getting tickets?!?!!!"
Husband: "It's okay..."
Wife: "This is crazy! How long does it take to get some tickets?"
(How long, indeed?)
Husband: "Relax. It's okay, I'm..."
Wife: "I will not relax! This is insane! It's been at least half an hour!"
(I suspect she might not be quite correct here... but then again, I don't know for sure.)
Husband: "I just got here, just give me a second."
Wife: "Let me talk to them. How long does it take..."
Husband: "Shhhh! Just wait a..."
Clerk: "Here are your tickets, sir."

The husband escorts his still fuming wife out of the area so I do not hear the classic line,
"Don't you shush me!"


I step up to the window.

"Hello, I'd like 4 tickets for Journey Behind the Falls."
"Certainly, sir. That'll be 45 dollars."
"Here's my debit card."
"Thank you, here are your tickets, have a nice day."

Done.
In under three minutes.

By now, it was looking a little doubtful whether or not I could meet sis for breakfast.
I sent her a text and told her so.
She had just been sat, so there was still time to join her.

Great! I'll just grab the car from the casino parkade and scoot over there.


Remember how pleased I was that the Falls was downhill from the parking lot?

Guess what?

The parking lot is all uphill from the Falls!

A steep hill.

By the time I trudged all the way back up to the lot, found the way in
(No smarty pants, I couldn't go back in through the exit I took)
and found the car, I realized it was too late for breakfast.
I texted sis and told her to meet us at our hotel when she was done.


When I got back to the hotel room, the girls were still sleeping.
So while I was enduring endless lines, irate mothers and slogging up seemingly vertical cliff faces,
all for their benefit, mind you,
they were sleeping quite contentedly in their beds.

I quietly crept back out of the room and walked down the hall to the ice machine.

I filled the ice bucket with ice and water, crept quietly into their room...


And threw the bucket of ice water on them!!!



No, I didn't.
I didn't even think of doing this at the time.
Besides, I'm pretty sure hotel management would've loved to hear
why the mattress was soaking wet and needed to be replaced.

What I did do, was open the door a crack (there's that feeling of terror, again)
and called out, "Rise 'n shine!"


It's funny how each girl has their own very distinct way of waking up.
I saw it a few times, and it never really varied.
Elle would immediately sit straight up,
sometimes with a declaration of "Ten more minutes!" before falling face first back onto a pillow.
Dee would barely move, except for a feeble attempt at burrowing deeper into the blankets.
As if this was even possible, considering how deeply ensconced she usually already was.


While the girls made themselves up, I relaxed and waited for my sister to arrive.
My phone chirped at me and I looked at the incoming text.
"Open the door" is all it said.
I laughed, walked over to the door and opened it.
My sister was waiting on the other side.

Ain't technology a wonderful thing?
It can even replace door knocking!


When we were all ready, we piled into the car and sped off to the Falls.
I dropped the girls off by the entrance and returned to the Casino to park.
Ten minutes later, we were all together and heading down for our tour.


You know what I hate?
I hate being forced to do ridiculous things.
And one of those things is being forced to have my picture taken against a green screen
so that they can put me in front of some totally unbelievable scene and sell it to me for an exorbitant price.
Don't get me wrong, I know some people love those pictures and it's important to them to have them.
What I'm objecting to is having to submit when you know you don't want one.
Just ask me if I want to do it. Don't make it part of the process.
Worse, don't claim that it's a requirement.
It just... irks me.

So as we made our way down several flights of stairs and through several long halls,
we eventually come to the inevitable point where you pose for that picture.

I politely decline.
"No thanks." I say.
The girl manning the camera looks at me and is obviously confused.
A young man... teenager, really, tells me I have to.
"No, I'd rather not. Thanks."
He tries to guilt me into it.
"Oh, but if you don't, I'm going to get in trouble with my boss."
I'm thinking, "Your boss doesn't give a hoot about me. And now I'm annoyed."
I decide to have fun, instead.
"I'm sorry, but I'm legally prohibited from being photographed due to my profession."
(Let him think I'm James Bond... an older, balder, fatter James Bond, but still...)
"Ummm..." Says photo boy, at a loss for words.
"Look, I'll be more than happy to explain it to your boss if you want to call him down here."

That did it. He gave up.
I assume a synapse fired and he finally figured out that I didn't want my picture taken
and he was putting way too much effort into trying to convince me otherwise.

Besides, I can take my own pictures.
See?



Much nicer than the fake one they would've sold us, don't you think?


Eventually, we entered the tunnels that take you behind the Falls.
They literally do!

One tunnel is carved into the rock and terminates at a solid wall of falling water.
Now this is great (I suppose) if you've never seen it before,
but really, if you just look at a blank, white wall,
while wearing headphones playing white noise really loudly,
you'll get the same effect.
There really is nothing to see.
The novelty is in the location, not the unvarying view.

I wanted to take a picture of the girls there, but someone was there taking a selfie so we had to wait.

While that person was doing that, another person went up and also took a selfie.
The first person left and was replaced by a couple who.... took a selfie.
So at all times, there was at least one person standing in the way.

This repeated until I gave up and just took what I could.
Here ya go, that's about as empty as it got.



Oh, well.

One thing I noticed though.
I had done this with my parents back when I was ten or so.
Back then, the barrier was a lot closer to the edge.
If memory serves, it was close enough that if you stretched,
you could reach out a hand and touch the water.
I didn't do that myself, at least I don't remember doing it.
But I do remember being a lot closer.
Apparently, at some point, the barricade was moved back for safety reasons.

Now I wonder what would've happened if I had reached out...




The next stop is the observation platform.
It's actually two levels.
There's a smaller upper level and a larger lower level.

Whichever you chose, you're going to get wet.
Really wet.
They don't give you those ponchos for nuthin'!

Here's the girls getting ready to go out on the upper platform.



The view from the upper level.
The upper level is like a wooden deck, whereas you can see that the lower level is concrete.



And the view from the lower level.



Yes... it's a tad moist.



I like the upper level picture better, but when you're there, the lower level is where it's at.
Yes it's a lot more wet, but you're a lot closer to the Falls, too.

Either way, it was fun and that's all that really matters anyway.


After we had our fill of the sound and fury of the Falls, we headed back up.
I studiously avoided the photo booth.
No one asked me to go look for our picture, so I guess it wasn't that necessary after all.

We were regurgitated into the inevitable gift shop (I know, you're shocked).
We eventually found an exit and made our way back out into the sunshine.


I led our band back to the car.
About halfway up the hill, one of the girls asked if it was much further.
I did not say that this was my fourth trip on this stretch.
I did not even say that this was my second trip uphill.
I did not mention that some of those trips were while you were sleeping.

No. I bit my tongue.
I think I tasted blood.
Or maybe it was just the bitter acrid taste of defeat.

"It's just up ahead on the corner." I said.

I don't think anyone noticed I was figuratively waving a white flag.


Right across the street from the casino was a Margaritaville.
I had never been and had heard good things, so I suggested we try it for lunch.

We didn’t have to wait, we were sat immediately.
The place was actually pretty empty.
I guess Sunday afternoons are not the busiest time for a Margarita.

Which is silly of course.
Anytime is the right time for a Margarita!


We were no sooner sat than our server walked up and handed us our menus.
She then asked if we were ready to order, or did we want to look at the menus?
Ummmm… yeah?

She walked away for a bit.
I think she possibly walked to the kitchen and spun on her heels.
In any event, she was back in about a minute.
“Are you ready to order?”
I guess the fact that we were all peering intently at our menus wasn’t a big enough clue for her.
“No, not yet.”
We did, however give her our drink orders, so it wasn’t a completely wasted visit.
Sis chose a Margarita, I had a strawberry Margarita, Dee had a virgin pomegranate Margarita and Elle…
Had lemonade.

Way to ruin the Margarita chain!

A minute (might’ve been less) later the waitress came back to tell us our drinks would be out soon
(couldn’t have been sooner as it wasn’t physically possible)
and were we ready to order?
Still no. I contemplated setting up some sort of signal with her to indicate when we’d actually be ready to order.
But then I couldn't bear the thought of her coming over every few seconds and asking,
"So are you ready to signal that you're ready to order yet?"

Another minute or so later, she returns with our drinks and asks if we’re ready to order.




Panicked into picking something…. Anything… we all agree that we are indeed ready to order.
(if a little rushed, I might’ve muttered under my breath)

Sis ordered some pasta, Elle picked fish ‘n chips, Dee asked for the buffalo chicken wrap and I…
I had to… had to order the cheeseburger in paradise.


It was pretty good, too! Maybe not the best I’ve ever had, but that’s okay, I wasn’t expecting it to be.

Oh, and a bit of trivia.
You may have looked at the burger and thought something wasn't quite right.
Or maybe you thought it was a healthy choice.

I'm talking about there being a salad and no fries.


I love fries.
The burger actually comes with fries... so what gives?

Late last year, Kay (my youngest daughter) and I made a bet.
The bet was to see if we could go an entire year without eating french fries.
That was last November.
Neither one of us has had fries since.

We are both dying for fries!!!
And just to prove I can, I haven't had chips either.

Gawd I want fries. And chips. And poutine. And fries & chili.
Fresh cut, frozen, unpeeled.... I don't care! I want 'em!!
Ten months down... two to go.

December first. Kay and I are making a special trip to The Poutinerie.



Back to Niagara Falls.


Halfway through our meal, I noticed Dee struggling with her chicken.
(which, of course, came after the egg…. and incessant nagging from the server)
Dee had the chicken in a choke hold, but the darned bird kept pecking, pecking, pecking!

Oh, all right.
Apparently, it was a bit on the spicy side so she only ate about half.
When we were done, the server asked if she wanted it boxed up and I mentioned that it was a bit too spicy.

I’ll give the server some points, because she only charged us half price for the chicken, which I thought was pretty nice.
Almost made up for rushing us.

Hmmmm… then again, if given more time, maybe Dee would’ve ordered something else?


While we were at Margaritaville, one of the girls got a text.
The scores from the competition had been announced,
as well as the routines that would be performing in the evening Gala.

Both girls were in five routines in five different categories. Dee also had an additional Pointe routine.
They actually swept the competition finishing first in every routine except one!
In that routine, by a quirk of the competition, they actually competed against themselves so they came in first and second.

Way to go guys!!

I was so proud, I could've burst!
Or maybe that was the burger... whatever. I was still proud of them.


One of the routines they were in was selected for the Gala as well as Dee's pointe.
This meant we had to head back to the hotel so they could get their costumes and get ready.

I dropped them off at the Convention Centre and told Elle to text me when they were done.

(If you're wondering why I didn't watch the Gala, the reason is thus:
We'd already seen all their routines, plus all the other ones as well.
And for the honour of re-watching the same routines...
We'd have to pay for the privilege!")


Sis didn't have to leave for Toronto for a couple of hours so this gave us a chance to chat.
We found a small park and parked our butts on the grass.
We yapped for two hours straight with ne'er a pause.
It was great!
I don't speak with my sister nearly as often as I'd like so this was pure heaven.
Just the two of us, no interruptions, just catching up.

Another trip highlight.


After my sister left, I headed back to my room and relaxed for a bit.
Then I realized that I was alone!
What was I doing in a hotel room?

Free!

I walked across the street to a Casino and tried my luck at blackjack.
Unfortunately, my luck wasn't very good, so I didn't stay very long.
Just as I was leaving, Elle texted me and let me know they were ready to be picked up.

When I picked them up, they had the tutus with them.
"Did you get them all?" I asked.
Elle told me that they had all four.
That makes it easy.
I wasn't going to go chasing after people to get their tutus,
but I didn't want to just leave without them either.
At least not without making a token effort.
i.e. I'll call you to let you know when you can deliver them to me.


The girls were a little hungry, but not in the mood for a big meal,
so I grabbed some Starbucks muffins and drinks and they were happy.

Shortly after we got back to the room,
I got a text from one of the moms saying they had one of the tutus we were to bring back.

What? I thought we already had all four?

So.... Whose do we have, then????

It turned out that the fourth girl had two tutus all along.
So all the way to Niagara Falls, unbeknownst to me, I was transporting five tutus, not four, the whole time!


The wayward tutu was dropped off and I spent the rest of the evening doing laundry,
writing notes for this TR and watching TV.


Ya know, what's going to drive me crazy is the fact that after writing that whole chapter,
the only thing some of you are going to remember was that I did laundry.

Oh, well.


Tomorrow, we start the drive home....


and the girls try to kill me.

 

[Backstage_Gal]

Hurray for the girls doing so well, that is exciting. And for spending time with your sister. My kids are so close (after much fighting in their early years), it warms my heart.
And you are a wuss, my father regularly threw water in my face to wake me up when I was a child (minus the ice cubes, Germany doesn't do ice cubes).
All in all, sounds like a nice day.

Now, where are you travelling to next ? (where is the popcorn smilies????????????)

 

[pkondz]

Hurray for the girls doing so well, that is exciting. And for spending time with your sister. My kids are so close (after much fighting in their early years), it warms my heart.

I know a few people who don't speak to their siblings, indeed, haven't for years.
Like all siblings, we fought when we were younger, but now we get along really well.

And you are a wuss, my father regularly threw water in my face to wake me up when I was a child (minus the ice cubes, Germany doesn't do ice cubes).

I'm sure that was pretty effective!

And now my life is complete now that Marita has called me a wuss.

And I chuckled at the no ice remark. That's definitely a North American thing.

Now, where are you travelling to next ?

Hmmmm.... I'm not sure what you're asking me here.
If you're referring to this TR, well you'll just have to wait and see.
If you're not, well, Ruby and I are off for a whirlwind tour of Halifax next month.

 

[ddstratton]

Nice visit to the Falls. Too bad you missed breakfast with your sister, but sounds like you had a nice visit with her the rest of the day. Your chat in the park sounds lovely.

Odd experience at Margaritaville. I'm not sure which is worse - a hovering waitress or one you can't find. I'm not sure I could do a year without fries. I LOVE fries. But that salad does look good along with the cheeseburger.... And it was nice of the server to knock off some of the cost for the extra-spicy chicken.

Congrats to the girls for doing so well in the competition!

 

[pkondz]

Nice visit to the Falls. Too bad you missed breakfast with your sister, but sounds like you had a nice visit with her the rest of the day. Your chat in the park sounds lovely.

Yeah, it was really nice.
Nice to just sit and chat instead of running, too.

Odd experience at Margaritaville. I'm not sure which is worse - a hovering waitress or one you can't find.

Hover server at least brings you food.
Not being able to find one would be much worse.
You'd starve!
I can't think of anything worse than....


wait for it...



wasting away again in Margaritaville



sorry. had to.

I'm not sure I could do a year without fries. I LOVE fries. But that salad does look good along with the cheeseburger....

Oh, sure. The salad was fine.
But everytime I order a burger with salad, a little part of me dies.

And it was nice of the server to knock off some of the cost for the extra-spicy chicken.

I didn't expect it, so it took my by surprise.
Pleasantly so.

Congrats to the girls for doing so well in the competition!

I'll pass that along!

 

[bankr63]

Looked 'em up.
Yup! That'll do.

Don't know if anyone else is getting this, but my advertisement at the top was for Keily's Irish Dance - shoes and accessories. Sometimes these Google ads are just scary.

 

[pkondz]

Don't know if anyone else is getting this, but my advertisement at the top was for Keily's Irish Dance - shoes and accessories. Sometimes these Google ads are just scary.

I'm not sure whether to or

 

[jedijill]

Congrats to the girls for doing so well! I love spending time with my brother.....not enough time now that I've moved out of state.

Jill in CO

 

[Backstage_Gal]

Hmmmm.... I'm not sure what you're asking me here.
If you're referring to this TR, well you'll just have to wait and see.
If you're not, well, Ruby and I are off for a whirlwind tour of Halifax next month.

I was referring to your next trip after this one (aka, another trip report )

 

[pkondz]

Congrats to the girls for doing so well! I love spending time with my brother.....not enough time now that I've moved out of state.

I've passed on your congrats (as well as everyone else's.

I was referring to your next trip after this one (aka, another trip report )

Hate to tell you this, but this will be my last report.
I checked the numbers and views are way down.

I'm not upset or anything, it's just that this is a Disney board and I'm not exactly talking about Disney, so...
interest's down.

I'm thinking that I should just stick to Disney reports from now on,
but since there isn't a Disney trip on the horizon...

 

[Backstage_Gal]

I'm thinking that I should just stick to Disney reports from now on,
but since there isn't a Disney trip on the horizon...

Well, maybe you need to change your plans for a Disney trip!

 

[nowellsl]

Well, maybe you need to change your plans for a Disney trip!

I agree!

 

[smidgy]

Can't be photographed due to your profession? that is just hilarious!!!

so glad to come home to a new chapter from Ponzi!!! and what a good dad you are , truding back and forth, up and down (to and fro, pell mell, helter skelter, hither and yon, etc etc) to get those tickets.

we too always seem to get in the line that has a guest that, for some reason of another, takes an inordinate amount of time. opr that computer is down.. or they are training a new cast memeber at that line (oops.. disney speak for employee.. lol)

nebo's favorite thing to order at Jimmy Buffet's is the Volcano Nachos. we lvoe them. HUGE!!!

we got back from Fla. yesterday. we were supposed to meet up with MHSweb but we had to cancel due to a Nebo mishap . so sorry Laura!

so great the the girls made the "finals" in their categories!!!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

I thought it was nice of me too!
Where's my Dad of the year medal????[/QUOTE]

 

[pkondz]

Well, maybe you need to change your plans for a Disney trip!

I agree!

Wellll.... Afraid I've got to wait a bit on that.
With Hawaii, Europe and Niagara Falls just behind us,
it'll be at minimum two years before any thought of Disney can roll around.

Can't be photographed due to your profession? that is just hilarious!!!

Hey! Look who's back!

so glad to come home to a new chapter from Ponzi!!!

That just made my day.

and what a good dad you are , truding back and forth, up and down (to and fro, pell mell, helter skelter, hither and yon, etc etc) to get those tickets.

Good dad? Or sucker?

we too always seem to get in the line that has a guest that, for some reason of another, takes an inordinate amount of time. opr that computer is down.. or they are training a new cast memeber at that line

Well, of course.
Next time, tell Neebs to stay put while you deal with it.
It'll be a lot quicker.
Trust me.

nebo's favorite thing to order at Jimmy Buffet's is the Volcano Nachos. we lvoe them. HUGE!!!

Ah, shoot!
I remember that!
Wish I'd remembered it while I was there, though.

we got back from Fla. yesterday. we were supposed to meet up with MHSweb but we had to cancel due to a Nebo mishap . so sorry Laura!

Another Nebo mishap???
I'll be calling you guys soon and you can tell me all about your trip. (mishap too.... he's okay, though, isn't he?)

so great the the girls made the "finals" in their categories!!!

Sweet! And I even get the remote!

So awesome.

 

[Thumper_Man]

Miss me?

NO.

I didn't think so.

That's ok though. I missed you all.


LAUNDRY SONG