Bear with me as I get re-oriented after my travels and tough week.
Not gonna give you any pity for the California part, but... tough week?

Sorry to hear that.
Hope this week goes better.
On a brighter note, my daughter is in labor and it shouldn't be too much longer til Baby Declan arrives. I'll post a few baby pix as I get them.
Wonderful! Hope everything goes well.
ETA!!! If you are friends with me on FB, please don't post anything there. They are very private and don't want their own friends to know.
Wilco
Ah yes. Your classic PDX carpet shot.
In one sense, “the travel chapter” is that dreaded one; the one that’s both expected and loathed.
A necessary evil...
If you can’t stand the riveting drama, please feel free to skip this chapter altogether.
No way. You're writing is too fun to skip anything.
And I'd miss little gems like...
(If you’re American that is; if you’re Canadian maybe a Coffee Crisp),
Can I have a Caramilk instead? Not a fan of coffee, so not a fan of Coffee Crisp.
Now, let’s get this WDW Trip ticked off!
Kicked!! I meant kicked off....

Go to Raglan without your TIW card and do both!
Nothing like starting off a trip with a completely depleted rest tank.
Yep. That's me on my last trip to the world.
If you think going to Disney is going to be a vacation that replenishes that, either you have never been, or you don’t vacation like we do.
I deliberately chose a flight on Alaska
Really! That's a 45 hour drive from Portland to Anchorage. Impressed!
they have the only non-stop to MCO from Portland,
Kidding aside... that surprises me. I would've thought that DAL, UAL or AAL would have some.
there was small chance in Hades we’d get the Disney plane.
Well... Florida
is pretty hot, so...
Then again, we’d have about as much chance of that as Disney lowering ticket prices.
Ah. Less than zero. Gotcha.
After missing a couple (too many!) flights,
Really? You've missed flights because of being late???
Or are you referring to missed connections? That's altogether a different thing.
I had made some spaghetti earlier in the week and we made a feast of that
Yum! Want now.
liverwurst (tease all you want; we love it!)
No teasing here. I love it too. On rye bread please!
I know you can relate- it’s every Disney traveler anywhere, ever.
I PayPal'd her roomie the $50 I said I'd pay her thinking that was very fair as an Uber would have cost more and I'm not sure they even run at 3:00AM.
Nice of you and I'm sure she appreciated it.
The airport is creepy at 3:40AM
Oh? How so?
Now
that looks creepy.
Here's what 4:00AM looks like:
They look pretty good... but, yes... also tired.
I did love my entire row to myself.
Nice! Lie down to fly!
Okay... I know you're going to WDW, but... that's
way too chipper for 6am!!
Zach entertained himself with playing Ground Control on his phone
What's that?
That looks yummy! (except for the Cheetos. Not a fan)
awww...
I lollygagged while they went ahead to the bathrooms, but there are 2 sets, one on each side of the fake-o-rail entry area. Wanna take bets on which one I stood in front of for 10 minutes?

Of course!
I would've been happy to have listened in on the ensuing conversation...
(which was coincidentally the EXACT same conversation I had with them in 2016 and probably every trip we’ve ever taken as a family to WDW)
we were ON our ME by 4:00.
At first I thought that was 4am... had to do the quick math...
and in no time, we were headed to Jamaica.
But you just got to Florida!
We got exactly the room I’d requested- a corner, 2nd floor, waterview.
Score!
Aren't Disney smiles fantastic smiles?

Lovely kids.
No, neither drink had more than a bees fart worth of booze.
Reggie's Revenge Florida Cane Orange Vodka, Midori Melon Liqueur, White Cranberry Juice, and fresh Lime Juice;
It tasted bad? That actually sounds really good!
Zach was the first to chime in and REALLY wanted to eat at Raglan again. It was, and remains, one of his favorite places in all of WDW.
I liked it there too. Not surprised he wanted to go back.
Cute photo.
When we checked in I made myself a nuisance and asked for a table near the stage and told them we’d be more than happy to wait up to 30 minutes for one.
Not a nuisance. At least I don't think so. I would've done the exact same thing.
...and Snapchat to know all about it. It was something I was going to have to get used to.
I can feel your judging on the top quality of these photos.
Nope. I usually just use my phone for that. I don't write dining reports where it's maybe more important.
I'm just usually pointing out what I got... not worried about how it looks, overly much.
Bangin' Bangers & Mighty Mash: Cheshire heritage pork Irish banger, mashed potato and traditional onion gravy $22.00
Yum. Sounds good!
I’m curious about exactly what heritage the pork actually had. Was its grandfather a wealthy banker? Did his mother’s side have a hint of South American that no one really knows the story about? "Cheshire"... was its heritage one of constant grinning?

His father invested heavily in pork bellies. He came into money on his deathbed. Sad... but lucrative.
And here, I had to wonder just a little how they import the Irish peat to smoke the potatoes. You know, things that make you go… hmmm…..
They only had to figure it out once. After that, they just re-peat the process.
You, over there who is about to comment on my drink spilling: Remember I have good aim!
Who, me?
I was taking the photos of my girls when I glanced at the portrait behind them. I recognized that dancer, Hannah, and evidently, she hung up her shoes at Raglan just a year after we watched her perform in 2016.
That's pretty cool. I wouldn't have remembered the name... or the person.
Me: "Look! It's generic dancer!"
This chapter is definitely starting to drag a bit
Nope!
So basic even I know that it can be done.
So basically, you're saying it's basically basic?
But I want to thank you! Tonight, you get to be the one who let me do a good deed and helped me feel good about myself.”
Um... okay? If you have to gloat/proclaim it, then… you're not really doing it for someone else, are you?
Gee, it's like he's saying he has a quota.
the bread service was complementary.

"Love the hair! And that dress is to die for!"
Just as we’d gotten to the bus area (do you have ANY idea how far of a trek that is?!) from Raglan, I felt something was missing…. Hmmm… what could it be?
Phone. Betting it's your phone.
look for little details that go unnoticed by most-
I really like that! I should try to do that more, myself.
Is it weird that I also like to use the time in lines to listen to the BGM (background music) or audio loops?
Depends... do you listen to the BGM that's playing in the area, or on your phone?
There are absolutely NO wrong answers here as we are all unique and there are simply no wrong ways to vacation. Even if you sashay.
Thanks!....
Hey!!!
(little gems like that)
Was I over-reacting to the TIW card thing? What would you have done (besides take it in the first place). Things to consider: 1) The card/prvilege did cost me $175 so naturally I wanted to use it as much as possible, 2) am I wrong it thinking it should be extremely easy for them to look up cardholders? 3) if he'd argued and wouldn't honor it, would you have been irritated?
Everyone reacts differently.
1. I may have commented: "Oh, shoot. I forgot to bring my TIW card. Oh well." and not given it another thought.
2. I don't know the logistics. It may be anywhere from easy to impossible. I would doubt restaurants have files, but Disney does... how hard is it to contact them and confirm it? I don't know.
3. He wouldn't argue because I wouldn't have insisted. It's my own fault for not bringing it. I would have only been irritated with myself for forgetting it.