The DDA Trouble Free Zone Part 9

[Tammi67]

Picking up the house must be a regionalism. I am from western Pennsylvania originally and that is a common term there. However, for some reason I think the roots of the saying go back to the Pennsylvania Dutch.

Don't you "red up" the house too, Elin?

 

[Tammi67]

Speaking of trips, I decided to take the train to Washington for the DDA meet. I can catch the train in Poughkeepsie, change at Penn Station in New York, and on to Union Station. Then the metro to the hotel. I haven't taken a train trip before (except for the commuter to NYC and Amtrak once to Albany). I'm really looking forward to it. I wasn't looking forward to driving to Washington on a Friday afternoon (or even being a navigating passenger, since Melanie was going to drive). Now we're both looking forward to the weekend.

I was looking into taking the train to NY for a long weekend in the fall. Nicholas was learning about the Statue of Liberty in school and Mary Poppins opens on Broadway.....what better reasons to go to NY?

 

[tink2020]

Paula -- great pictures of the end of the year program!

Kristen -- I was a little premature in asking about you... thanks for stopping in! Happy belated birthday to Kyle!

Vicki -- tell Becky congratulations on passing her test! (a bit late )

Tammi -- OMG, this is hysterical

I thought the webmasters had gone crazy while I was gone, but that is too funny!

Denise -- did you book a Disney cruise? I know I haven't supplied any details yet, but you should seriously consider it! Kyle and I can't stop talking about it, and are planning our next. It was one of the best trips ever, hands down! As far as early June being less crowded, I'm not so sure with Disney anyway. We went on the 2nd cruise in June (June 4th) and it was sold out a while before the trip. With the Disney ships anyway, we felt like there was nobody else there most of the time! It was amazing! Hmm... Now I see the Mediterranean dilemma. I'll keep reading PM me though if you want about cruise research. On our budget (no real income ), I almost booked RCCL a hundred times (and cancelled the DCL), but couldn't justify it. I have heard great things about it, but heard a few strong arguments about DCL that I couldn't pass up! Either way, you'll have a great time! By the way, the bike picture is adorable! How are they doing with them?

Glynis -- thanks for the trip details! I'd love to go to DL someday, you'll have to provide some info for us then!

Kate -- have you heard any more about Karen?!

June -- the autograph pages are adorable! I'm sorry to hear about the loss of a friend in your community. You and his family are in my prayers

4disney -- welcome!

Tammi -- how are you doing today? I'm so sorry to hear about the divorce. I have no advice, but you and your family are absolutely in my prayers. I hope that you and the kids will benefit greatly from counseling.... I applaud you for taking them, as I think it's a great start to sorting out feeilngs, healing, etc.

 

[tink2020]

Well, since Kyle's home for once, I better get back to work! We're hoping to finish up the study today, as well as mow the lawn (well, not "we" on that one ) and maybe even see a movie later. Talk to you all soon! Have a great day!

 

[MrsHeg]

Good Morning DDA,

I thought I would take some time this morning to post the pictures from my DD reception. Because we got such a late start on planning the only hall we could get was a small one the isn't in the best shape. The windows are really ugly so we decided to turn them into blackboards, when trying to decide on a theme for teaching the thing that kept popping into my head was apples, so apples it was! I've thrown i a picture of my Bad Boy being himself, this is a before picture, before his mom shaved his head and gave him a buzz cut and before he broke his front tooth. He went to the dentist yesterday and they pulled part of the tooth, it was barely hanging in the gums, they said it was almost exposed and started him on antibiotics. He has an appointment with the pediatric dentist on Monday.

Here's the pics:

And here's the design I came up with as a joke for my youngest DD's BF, the
shirt has Minnie and Mickey skipping with Zip-a-dee-do-da on the back. She
says she's going to make him wear it,

My DH thinks I'm nuts but I'n going to start packing today, we leave next weekend and I only have one more day off before then so I like to pack a little at a time as I do laundry and pick up all the extras we need

For all those who need it.

Hope everyone has a great day,

Debbie

 

[Blueeyes101817]

Debbie-great pics! thanks for sharing

 

[Blueeyes101817]

Morning DDA!
Happy Saturday! It looks like it is going to be a beautiful weekend here .
Todays plan is to go shopping and out to lunch with a friend and then babysitting tonight..Tomrrow is pool day i think !

Hope you all have fun!

 

[UP Disney]

Picking up the house must be a regionalism. I am from western Pennsylvania originally and that is a common term there. However, for some reason I think the roots of the saying go back to the Pennsylvania Dutch.

We use that term and I'm part Pennsylvania Dutch so that makes sense. Friendsville PA is named after a great, great, ... grandfather. My grandmother was raised there.

 

[PNO4TE]

Don't you "red up" the house too, Elin?

We never did, but lots of friends and neighbors used that term too!

 

[UP Disney]

ok last post in my p3 I promise...

Can't remember who said this - but I agree - that when we all descend on a thread it must be obvious we all know each other... we should all get our photo taken in the same place on a trip to the world - I like June's Goofy... and then put the same photo in our sigs (all you Landers could pick a landmark too)

That is a really cool idea! Another way that I could feel "close" to me my DDA friends. Pal Mickey visiting you all is the first, of course. I like June's Goofy as well and they mention it in Kingdom Keepers! So what say the rest of the DDA?

 

[tinker1bell]

for everyone who needs it.
What are SAS?

Only the most comfortable shoes and sneakers. Kinda expensive but worth it.

 

[UP Disney]

Good Morning DDA,

I thought I would take some time this morning to post the pictures from my DD reception. Because we got such a late start on planning the only hall we could get was a small one the isn't in the best shape. The windows are really ugly so we decided to turn them into blackboards, when trying to decide on a theme for teaching the thing that kept popping into my head was apples, so apples it was! I've thrown i a picture of my Bad Boy being himself, this is a before picture, before his mom shaved his head and gave him a buzz cut and before he broke his front tooth. He went to the dentist yesterday and they pulled part of the tooth, it was barely hanging in the gums, they said it was almost exposed and started him on antibiotics. He has an appointment with the pediatric dentist on Monday.
And here's the design I came up with as a joke for my youngest DD's BF, the
shirt has Minnie and Mickey skipping with Zip-a-dee-do-da on the back. She
says she's going to make him wear it,

My DH thinks I'm nuts but I'n going to start packing today, we leave next weekend and I only have one more day off before then so I like to pack a little at a time as I do laundry and pick up all the extras we need

For all those who need it.

Hope everyone has a great day,

Debbie

The reception hall looked fantastic. I loved the center pieces. Your young man is a real cutie!!!

I love the design for your DD's boyfriend. That is really a neat design. Great job!!!!! Minnie & Mickey skipping on the back would be so cute too!

 

[UP Disney]

We never did, but lots of friends and neighbors used that term too!

I've never heard of "red up" the house. Interesting.

 

[bengalbelle]

Picking up the house must be a regionalism. I am from western Pennsylvania originally and that is a common term there. However, for some reason I think the roots of the saying go back to the Pennsylvania Dutch.

Picking up the house is a common expression around here too.

 

[bengalbelle]

I need some creative ideas, so guess where I came to? I want to make a door sign/t-shirt for my boys for the cruise. Jake and Andrew have been saying for over two years now (since our bridge tour two years ago) that they want to be captain of the Disney Magic one day. I know everyone is busy right now, so I don't want anyone to make time to do a design. What I am looking for are ideas/inspiration to help me brainstorm. I was thinking of getting captain's hats and taking their picture, then putting something like "We want to be Captain of the Disney Magic one day...."

Anyone have any other ideas?

Thanks!

Sorry Marci I'm not all that creative but I'm bumping this back up in case someone else can help!

 

[UP Disney]

Only the most comfortable shoes and sneakers. Kinda expensive but worth it.

The thing about expensive is it also usually means "well made" so they last forever. Chuck is still wearing the same two pair of dress shoes (one brown, one black) that he had when we met 25 years ago. He's had them resoled a couple of times over the years but they look fantastic. They have probably cost him a couple of cents for each time he wore them. I'm going to have to look into these SAS shoes. I may ask Mom what kind she wears as well because she has trouble with her feet and these would be great for her.

 

[bengalbelle]

Thank you but say a prayer for Katie's family it will be a very hard day for them.


Now about the list. See you all thought I was all that and a bag of chips with creamcheese and salsa for remembering so many people at one time.....now you know.

Paula, I hope you all have the strength to make it through today

 

[Moonbeams]

Vicki --

I was thinking about the girls' trip to Japan. I grew up there (well, ages 3-9, so it was pretty formative). I was going to save that as my "thing no one knows about you" for the Pixie Dust site, but since your girls are leaving tomorrow, I thought I would mention a few things.

1) They need to realize that some things (lots of things) get lost in the translation. Think about how we think some of the things Rosiejo says are hilarious because we don't use those expressions, but we're both speaking English!! Now translate that into another language and culture. The girls are going to see things on people's t-shirts and window signs that make no sense in English. For instance, when a childhood friend of mine went for a visit a few years ago, she saw a shirt that said "Viagra -- the opiate of a new generation." There are so many hilarious parts of that statement, I don't even know where to start. My friend kept a journal of all the sayings and things she saw, and we had tears streaming down our faces reading it when she returned.

To see what I mean, check out www.engrish.com. Click here to see what I mean. Clothes, food and store signs are the most hilarious.

2) The girls need to realize Japan is a totally different culture. By that I mean they aren't a Judeo-Christian culture. I'm not saying that is good, bad or indifferent, it just is. They should go visit some of the shrines while they are there.

3) They are going in June. There is a reason all the ex-patriates leave Japan the day after school gets out and return mere days before school starts again. It is hot and sticky. Hot and sticky like none of us in the US can imagine. From the photos I've seen, Main Street at Tokyo Disneyland has an overhang to protect people from the sun, rain and snow in the winter. Hats and sunscreen are a must.

4) It is crowded. Again, crowded like we could never imagine. My mother was not claustrophobic before we moved to Japan. But she has been knocked over and trampled on by more than one crowd pushing its way off the subway. They had people whose job it was to push and pack as many people into the subway car as possible. The girls should find out when rush hour is on the subway, and avoid it. In non-rush hour, the subway is great.

5) Hopefully some things, like people going potty on the street, have ceased since the 70s when I was there. We think of the 70s as contemporary times, but my mom used to go out to the country with her ikebana teacher (flower arranging) and she would meet people who had never seen an American woman before. She was proposed to on the spot on more than one occasion.

6) Since Americans travel all over the world these days, hopefully the girls will not experience what I did as a child which is having people pet me on the street as I passed. They would comment how cute I was, and pet my blonde hair, touch my fair skin, etc. I used to literally crawl up the front of my mom's clothes to get away from them (funny that I'm not big on people touching my face unless they've just washed their hands).

7) The Japanese know more than a thing or two about making high quality umbrellas. The girls will see what I mean. They make beautiful, really sturdy umbrellas. Heck, they have to stand up to those typhoons! There are the walking stick kind, various sizes of fold up, etc. Have the girls bring those back as gifts. It's called omiyagi (I hope I spelled that right), which means that when someone goes on a trip, they bring presents home to the people they left behind.

Thus concludes my Japanese lesson for the day. The girls are going to have a wonderful trip!! I think I turned out a better person for having spent years of my childhood in another country (coming back to the US was no bowl of cherries as I assimilated back into US culture, but that's another story). The girls are going to have their eyes opened to a whole other culture and way of life, and that is always a good thing.

Can't wait to see the photos when they return!!

Jennifer

P.S. Where do DSIL's kids go to school? I went to Sacred Heart (for girls).

 

[UP Disney]

Vicki --

I was thinking about the girls' trip to Japan. I grew up there (well, ages 3-9, so it was pretty formative). I was going to save that as my "thing no one knows about you" for the Pixie Dust site, but since your girls are leaving tomorrow, I thought I would mention a few things.

Thanks for all the wonderful info. I'll pass it onto the girls. They are really excited about seeing a different culture. My brother is living on the base so I think the kids are probably going to a school on base. He is a civilian but gets a lot of the privileges of the base. I believe he is the assistant manager to all the recreation (clubs, etc.) including the restaurants for the base.

When Bill was on Okinawa, he was engaged to a Japanese girl. He really loves the culture. I'm sure he will make sure that he shows them some of the shrines, etc. He'll make sure that they get a good feeling for the culture.

 

[Moonbeams]

When is the DC meet?

Is there a NY meet planned? I'll be in Westchester County, Ghent and Manhattan starting Wed for a week.

Jennifer