The Good, The Bad, & the Nuts! ...ANYONE GOING MAY 8-15?
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mom3sonstt
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Just a few days left - I am so behind on reading everybody's trip reports it isn't funny! I'm missing all the Judy's, the movie quotes, the letters, the pole dancing, and all the other mischief!
My husband is recording the play out at the local jr College. Dress rehearsals started Monday night, so we went out Monday & Tuesday to film it and take pictures. Filming it, so he can get a feel for where the action takes place so on the nights of the performances he won't be jerking the camera around looking for the action. And I was taking pictures because they don't like pictures being taken during the actual performance - plus with a full house it's hard to get good pics without getting in someone's way. Tonight I stayed home and Mark went with him instead. Tonight is the first full-dress and make-up with a partial audience. Some of the theater appreciation students come tonight and get extra credit. The actual performances are Thurs, Fri & Sat.
Saturday we are leaving home around 1. That will get us to Bloomington and the hotel around 2:30 - hopefully, with a 3 o'clock check in, they will be able to let me in a little early. He will haul everything in and turn around and go back to the college, film the final performance, go home and load it on to one of the hard drives at home then drive back over to Bloomington. He should get there around 11 or so. Lucky for him that is daylight savings time and with the time change he will gain an hour.
Then it's rise and shine and off to Florida!!!
In our car going to Bloomington it looks like we will have 2 suitcases (to check), one suitcase that holds my dialysis machine, one bag that has all his camera equipment, one suitcase for Saturday night (we'll leave it in the car at the airport) plus my tote bag with my purse and a book and whatever. And possibly an empty bag for my machine. We bought 3 suitcases this week trying to find one that my machine will fit in that meets the carry-on guidelines.
What a mess! Most 21" bags would fit if they didn't have a lip around the lid. If they had squared off corners and the zipper was on the outermost edge my machine would fit. But most of them have rounded corners, and the actual opening is slightly smaller than the available dimensions of the bag. But if we go to a bigger one they are close or over on the maximum dimensions for a carry-on. I don't trust my dialysis machine with checked luggage - even plane-side checking scares me. Of the 3 we bought (I took 2 back today) we found one that if we use a shoe horn 
we can slide it down past the corners and it fits ok. Hopefully, after taking it in and out a couple times it will stretch a little and not be such a pain - but for now - we have a plan. He is bringing the extra bag (no wheels - very heavy to carry through orlando airport) just in case. In case of what I don't know, but he said we would throw it in the car.
We are only going to be in WDW for 5 nights - our luggage will look like we're never coming back.....
Have fun - and take a break from all your reports so I can catch up when I get home!
My husband is recording the play out at the local jr College. Dress rehearsals started Monday night, so we went out Monday & Tuesday to film it and take pictures. Filming it, so he can get a feel for where the action takes place so on the nights of the performances he won't be jerking the camera around looking for the action. And I was taking pictures because they don't like pictures being taken during the actual performance - plus with a full house it's hard to get good pics without getting in someone's way. Tonight I stayed home and Mark went with him instead. Tonight is the first full-dress and make-up with a partial audience. Some of the theater appreciation students come tonight and get extra credit. The actual performances are Thurs, Fri & Sat.
Saturday we are leaving home around 1. That will get us to Bloomington and the hotel around 2:30 - hopefully, with a 3 o'clock check in, they will be able to let me in a little early. He will haul everything in and turn around and go back to the college, film the final performance, go home and load it on to one of the hard drives at home then drive back over to Bloomington. He should get there around 11 or so. Lucky for him that is daylight savings time and with the time change he will gain an hour.
Then it's rise and shine and off to Florida!!!
In our car going to Bloomington it looks like we will have 2 suitcases (to check), one suitcase that holds my dialysis machine, one bag that has all his camera equipment, one suitcase for Saturday night (we'll leave it in the car at the airport) plus my tote bag with my purse and a book and whatever. And possibly an empty bag for my machine. We bought 3 suitcases this week trying to find one that my machine will fit in that meets the carry-on guidelines.
What a mess! Most 21" bags would fit if they didn't have a lip around the lid. If they had squared off corners and the zipper was on the outermost edge my machine would fit. But most of them have rounded corners, and the actual opening is slightly smaller than the available dimensions of the bag. But if we go to a bigger one they are close or over on the maximum dimensions for a carry-on. I don't trust my dialysis machine with checked luggage - even plane-side checking scares me. Of the 3 we bought (I took 2 back today) we found one that if we use a shoe horn we can slide it down past the corners and it fits ok. Hopefully, after taking it in and out a couple times it will stretch a little and not be such a pain - but for now - we have a plan. He is bringing the extra bag (no wheels - very heavy to carry through orlando airport) just in case. In case of what I don't know, but he said we would throw it in the car.We are only going to be in WDW for 5 nights - our luggage will look like we're never coming back.....
Have fun - and take a break from all your reports so I can catch up when I get home!
All7OfUs
<font color=darkorchid>We too are so very NOT into
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Hey Tanya, don't worry about missing out. We all ebb and flow on here as time allows! The important thing is to check back when you can, and most of all have a wonderfully, magical time!! (so you can come back here and tell us all about it! 
)
)
mom3sonstt
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Thanks - but I still have 2 boys sitting in the back of the car in the airport parking lot looking for missing DVDs on our June trip. So who knows when you will hear about this trip!
Hey Tanya, don't worry about missing out. We all ebb and flow on here as time allows! The important thing is to check back when you can, and most of all have a wonderfully, magical time!! (so you can come back here and tell us all about it!
Skipped Christmas shopping with my mom today to re-pack (we decided to take 2 suitcases after all, so now I need to spread things out between the two of them) and to catch up on my TRs. Went shopping with mom Tuesday - figured twice in one week was over-kill......actually, for me, Christmas shopping with my mother is a one day a year obligation....if we both survive I figure we pressed our luck enough for one year!
Tanya, it is almost here!!! Heading to the world on Sunday!!!
Hope you have a great trip and perfect weather!!!
Checked the 10 day forecast last night and it looks like the highs are supposed to be 78-83 and the lows in the low 50s.
mom3sonstt
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I'm home!
Saturday went pretty much according to plan. We left home around 12:30 and drove to Bloomington (about 80 miles away). Mark (DS17) had a speech meet that day so he was already gone. Ryne (DS19) rode over with us and was going to go to the play with Danny that evening.
We got to Bloomington and went to LaGondola for lunch. Ryne had meatballs (not a meatball sandwich just a bowl of meatballs
), Danny had a torpedo and I had a lasagna dinner. It came with a dinner salad and garlic bread. We also ordered some cinnamon bread. Ryne ate 7 pieces of cinnamon bread, Danny got one
..I got none. Danny also helped on my garlic bread.
From there we went to the Country Inn and Suites where we had a free room. It was from some promotion that had been offered earlier this summer, so it didnt cost us any cash or any of our points cant complain about free! Or can you?? Have you met my husband? No? Well, theres a reason for that
We get checked in and go up to our room. Its a nice room, carpet looks new, we have a King bed, a little table and chairs, and a whirlpool tub in our room. Danny calls down because our reservation says our room comes with a sofa-bed. Its just the two of us staying so I dont know why he needed a sofa bed unless he was planning on being in trouble and needing to sleep there. Well, at this location all of the King suites have whirlpools tubs in the room (not in the bathroom in the corner of the room) and no sofa beds. Eventually he got the guy to bring up another chair. The only place to sit was on the bed or on the chairs at the table which were like kitchen chairs. He explained he was leaving me there without a vehicle and it would be nice if I had a place to sit. Keep in mind, I never once mentioned that I was not ok with the original room lay-out I would have been content to crawl up on the bed and settle in with my book, but I wasnt asked. The guy at the desk did bring up a chair, and it was nice to have options but I really think I would have survived without it.
When Danny left I realized I hadnt given him his to-do list that we had made on the way over. So I started texting it to him. When I got to item #3 Put money in envelope for Mark I realized I also hadnt given him the money for the boys that week. I had tried a couple different times and he wouldnt take it, then with all the hassle over the chair, I forgot to get it out at the hotel. I called him and asked how far he had gotten. Well, he wasnt too far yet because there was an accident up ahead that had caused a traffic jam. He was able to get turned around and came back and got the money and the list.
He headed out again, went to Galesburg for his final night of recording, stopped by home to drop Ryne off, switch out some of his stuff out of his camera bag, and a couple other miscellaneous things and came back to Bloomington.
I had spent the evening watching 100 One Hit Wonders of the 80s on a pink tv.
Well, the tv itself wasnt pink, but the picture on it sure was. I was oh so very happy that my husband was not spending the evening watching a pink tv. That would have been one more thing for him to complain about and I was ready to be feeling the Disney Magic, not fussing over chairs and pink tvs. 
Country Inn & Suites that we have been staying at usually have an evening reception where they serve snacks, and they usually have fresh baked cookies at the check in desk. We stayed at 2 different ones on our way to Florida this summer, one down where my son goes to college, and one in Schaumburg when we had our week-end getaway. They all had it to different varying degrees. That was my supper plan.
My back-up plan was eating a larger lunch so I wouldnt be too hungry in the evening. That was a good back up plan. This location only offers the reception Mon-Thurs, and there were no cookies. I wound up going down and getting a bag of chips and made a cup of coffee for supper.
After my 80s countdown was done, I changed clothes and got hooked up to my dialysis machine and started reading my book. Danny got there later and had to change the clocks. He also set the alarm on his cell phone just in case the hotel alarm didnt work, or if it was set to automatically change with the time change and he screwed it up by changing it.
I dont remember what time I gave up and went to sleep, but I do know that breakfast started at 7AM and with the time change being that night we were going to get an extra hour to sleep, so it wasnt too early.
And so ended our last night in Illinois for a few days ..
Two weeks from today we leave!!
Sort of..... On Saturday night we are spending the night at a hotel close to the airport. Danny's going to run me over there in the afternoon then go back home because he has to record a play out at the college for the theater dept. That will give me time to get my dialysis started early so I can get unhooked and get my machine packed back up for our flight on Sunday morning.
Initial sketchy plans.
Sat. - Go to Bloomington, do dialysis, watch TV, try to sleep
Saturday went pretty much according to plan. We left home around 12:30 and drove to Bloomington (about 80 miles away). Mark (DS17) had a speech meet that day so he was already gone. Ryne (DS19) rode over with us and was going to go to the play with Danny that evening.
We got to Bloomington and went to LaGondola for lunch. Ryne had meatballs (not a meatball sandwich just a bowl of meatballs
), Danny had a torpedo and I had a lasagna dinner. It came with a dinner salad and garlic bread. We also ordered some cinnamon bread. Ryne ate 7 pieces of cinnamon bread, Danny got one
..I got none. Danny also helped on my garlic bread.From there we went to the Country Inn and Suites where we had a free room. It was from some promotion that had been offered earlier this summer, so it didnt cost us any cash or any of our points cant complain about free!
Or can you?? Have you met my husband? No? Well, theres a reason for that
We get checked in and go up to our room. Its a nice room, carpet looks new, we have a King bed, a little table and chairs, and a whirlpool tub in our room. Danny calls down because our reservation says our room comes with a sofa-bed. Its just the two of us staying so I dont know why he needed a sofa bed unless he was planning on being in trouble and needing to sleep there. Well, at this location all of the King suites have whirlpools tubs in the room (not in the bathroom in the corner of the room) and no sofa beds. Eventually he got the guy to bring up another chair. The only place to sit was on the bed or on the chairs at the table which were like kitchen chairs. He explained he was leaving me there without a vehicle and it would be nice if I had a place to sit. Keep in mind, I never once mentioned that I was not ok with the original room lay-out I would have been content to crawl up on the bed and settle in with my book, but I wasnt asked. The guy at the desk did bring up a chair, and it was nice to have options but I really think I would have survived without it.When Danny left I realized I hadnt given him his to-do list that we had made on the way over. So I started texting it to him. When I got to item #3 Put money in envelope for Mark I realized I also hadnt given him the money for the boys that week.
I had tried a couple different times and he wouldnt take it, then with all the hassle over the chair, I forgot to get it out at the hotel. I called him and asked how far he had gotten. Well, he wasnt too far yet because there was an accident up ahead that had caused a traffic jam. He was able to get turned around and came back and got the money and the list.He headed out again, went to Galesburg for his final night of recording, stopped by home to drop Ryne off, switch out some of his stuff out of his camera bag, and a couple other miscellaneous things and came back to Bloomington.
I had spent the evening watching 100 One Hit Wonders of the 80s on a pink tv.
Well, the tv itself wasnt pink, but the picture on it sure was. I was oh so very happy that my husband was not spending the evening watching a pink tv. That would have been one more thing for him to complain about and I was ready to be feeling the Disney Magic, not fussing over chairs and pink tvs. Country Inn & Suites that we have been staying at usually have an evening reception where they serve snacks, and they usually have fresh baked cookies at the check in desk. We stayed at 2 different ones on our way to Florida this summer, one down where my son goes to college, and one in Schaumburg when we had our week-end getaway. They all had it to different varying degrees. That was my supper plan.
My back-up plan was eating a larger lunch so I wouldnt be too hungry in the evening. That was a good back up plan. This location only offers the reception Mon-Thurs, and there were no cookies. I wound up going down and getting a bag of chips and made a cup of coffee for supper.After my 80s countdown was done, I changed clothes and got hooked up to my dialysis machine and started reading my book. Danny got there later and had to change the clocks. He also set the alarm on his cell phone just in case the hotel alarm didnt work, or if it was set to automatically change with the time change and he screwed it up by changing it.
I dont remember what time I gave up and went to sleep, but I do know that breakfast started at 7AM and with the time change being that night we were going to get an extra hour to sleep, so it wasnt too early.
And so ended our last night in Illinois for a few days ..
All7OfUs
<font color=darkorchid>We too are so very NOT into
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It doesn't sound like too bad of a start, Tanya! Except the unnecessary complaining. But, hey, sounds like your hubby just wants you to be comfortable. I"m with you though, curling up in bed after a hot bath for some extra cozy time sounds wonderful!
Ready for more.
I"m with you though, curling up in bed after a hot bath for some extra cozy time sounds wonderful!Ready for more.
Okay, maybe it is a matter of perspective, or a "man" thing, but unlike Liesa I thought it sounded like you were off to a rough start with the hassles. Free Room is good though. On our upcoming trip this December we will probably use some of our accumulated points for a room on the trip down. Right now I'm not 100% sure if we will be going half way after I go in to work, or if I will end up being off and driving all the way down and then staying off-property the first night until we check in at Kidani the next day!
100 1-hit wonders? On a pink TV picture?? Sounds like a wonderful evening to me.......
I wouldn't have really enjoyed all the driving back and forth, but sometimes you just have to do what you just have to do!!! Can't wait for the Disney magic to kick in! Hope the rest of your trip was truly magical!!!
mom3sonstt
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It doesn't sound like too bad of a start, Tanya! Except the unnecessary complaining. But, hey, sounds like your hubby just wants you to be comfortable.
Ready for more.
That may have been his excuse - but really, he just likes to have things his way. Doesn't matter if it's important - if he thinks he's being slighted, or that he isn't getting what he is entitled to he raises a stink.
I wish I had some of those magic sedatives that they always have in the tv shows where they jab them with a needle and they immediately fall asleep Okay, maybe it is a matter of perspective, or a "man" thing, but unlike Liesa I thought it sounded like you were off to a rough start with the hassles. Free Room is good though. On our upcoming trip this December we will probably use some of our accumulated points for a room on the trip down. Right now I'm not 100% sure if we will be going half way after I go in to work, or if I will end up being off and driving all the way down and then staying off-property the first night until we check in at Kidani the next day!
100 1-hit wonders? On a pink TV picture?? Sounds like a wonderful evening to me.......
Can't wait for the Disney magic to kick in! Hope the rest of your trip was truly magical!!!
The driving back and forth was somewhat optional. My mom offered to drive me over, but with that would have come the possibility of one of us thinking the other had something and we both leave it behind. So he decided, especially since we had the time change working in our favor, that he would just rack up the miles. That also made it easier when he got there late at night already having his room key.
As for the rest of the trip, well, lets just say it gets worse (much worse) before it gets better. Cue ominous music.......
glennbo123
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Every trip needs a little drama, right? Oh well, just take it in stride.
I've watched some "One hit wonders" shows, but never on a pink TV. I don't think I would've liked that.
I've watched some "One hit wonders" shows, but never on a pink TV.
I don't think I would've liked that.
mom3sonstt
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Every trip needs a little drama, right? Oh well, just take it in stride.
I've watched some "One hit wonders" shows, but never on a pink TV.
Oh, you ain't seen nothin' 'till you've seen Flock of Seagulls and Georgia Satellites with a decidedly pink hue
I would love to have a trip with just a little drama. When I get to our check in experience I will probably flip and start making excuses for him....but he really does need to learn how to behave in public.
mom3sonstt
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I have some errands to run tomorrow (the people in this house seem to think we should have food on hand ), and Thursday I have a doctor's appt, so hopefully Friday I can get back to this, drink some coffee and get the ugly part of the trip down and out of the way so I can get to the good stuff. Maybe I will find some time before then - but that's my goal now.
), and Thursday I have a doctor's appt, so hopefully Friday I can get back to this, drink some coffee and get the ugly part of the trip down and out of the way so I can get to the good stuff. Maybe I will find some time before then - but that's my goal now.
FauntleroyFAN07
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wow what a start...glad you made it home okay, cant wait to read more.
KatMark
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I have some errands to run tomorrow (the people in this house seem to think we should have food on hand
We're not going anywhere...we'll be waiting.
mom3sonstt
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Don't remember if I commented on you TR or not - but my DVR-ing of Undercover Boss was unsuccessful. It shows up in my history as "Done" but it is not in my list of shows that I recorded.
There was also a show I recorded for my son that isn't there at all so I don't know what happened. But, you did say that you guys didn't make the final cut didn't you - other than a possible, blurry cameo? Another "celebrity sighting" I missed was this last weeks Home Makeover. They re-did a pre-school in Nashville that was literally washed away in the floods last spring. My husband's cousin's daughter works at that pre-school and was a volunteer during the make-over. I had a total brain-fart and forgot to watch it.
mom3sonstt
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Ok - I have a little bit of time before I need to leave, so let me get Sunday started. I won't get to the bad stuff so it should go quickly.
Woke up Sunday morning around 6:30, took my shower and got dressed. I had unpacked our Saturday night suitcase so it was empty and I could just repack it with our dirty clothes. We were leaving that suitcase in the car while we were gone. I did have to drag our bathroom stuff out of our trip suitcase,t hough so they weren't left totally untouched. The time change was that night, but since we were going to Florida I didn't change my watch since it would be right when I got there.
Danny got up and around and we went down for breakfast. The juice machine was broken so they just had a pitcher each of orange and apple juice in with the yogurt and stuff. I looked around to see what was offered, they had scrambled eggs, sausage links, and biscuits and gravy in the hot food, and pastries, cold cereal, fruit, bagels, bread & muffins, yogurt....and I think maybe a pot of oatmeal. None of it particularly appealed to me. I got a spoonful of eggs.....I don't usually like buffet scrambled eggs....these were no exception. They were ok - not great, one sausage link, and I made a piece of "toast". I'm not sure what was up with that toaster, but one side was nearly black when I popped it out, while the other side hadn't seen any heat whatsoever. Not the greatest breakfast in the world. As I was throwing away my trash I spotted someone eating a waffle Where did they find the waffles???? 
So I scanned the room again - oh - they are on the wall opposite all the other food on a little table. As you come in the door the wall to the immediate left was beverages and cold cereal, as you round the corner you run in to the hot food. The backt quarter of that wall is empty, the back wall is empty, you round the corner again - and there is the "waffle station". Danny was already done eating, and I had to finish putting my machine away and gathering up our stuff - plus - I was going to Disney World where there is lots of good food! But I really wish I had seen that waffle station when I first went in.
Back upstairs we make sure everything is put back in the right suitcase. DH weighs our checked luggage to make sure we don't need to re-distribute anything. Then he goes down and gets a cart to haul all of our stuff to the car.
The airport is just a little further down the road and we are there in no time. He drops me off at the front door and drags in the 2 suitcases, my tote bag, and my machine bag. I sit with my little pile of luggage while he goes and parks. He brings his camera bag with him when he comes back. Bloomington airport is pretty small. We go to the AirTran counter, ring the bell (there is never anyone at the desk just waiting) and check our luggage. Then we go through security where we strike up a bizarre conversation about my husband's name (Danny Thomas) and how fewer and fewer people make the connection that it is a "famous" name. Then the TSA guy tells me that I am probably to young to have heard of "Alice's Restaurant" and that his kids thought he was referring to the sit-com "Alice" and not the extremely long, extremely strange Arlo Guthrie song. While I was caught up in that conversation, Danny was going through the scanner. I still had to take my shoes off, get the iPad out of my tote bag to put in a separate tray, then they told me just to lay my cane on the belt by itself. Meanwhile another gal is in line behind me trying to pile her stuff on - then Danny gets motioned aside. He has to go off to the side and have his hands scanned. So I am trying to gather up all my stuf that's spread out all over the place, plus his shoes, his camera bag, his laptop that he had to take out of the camera bag, my machine....and the gal behind me is fussing because her stuff isn't coming through yet. Danny's hand scan comes back ok, we get past the obviously bored TSA agaent and went upstairs to the gate....and sat. We were there and settled in probably around 9 - for a 10:26 flight. We were the first ones at the gate. I had a soduku book, so I did a couple of those. DH fiddled around on his iPad. We called home - oh wait - we were there a little before 9 because Ryne leaves for Sunday School at 9 and we called home to make sure he was up and ready to go - he was. And we sat some more. Then DH went and got 3 diet Pepsis. We shared one and he packed the other 2 in with my machine - to be rationed out slowly over the week of Pepsi-deprivation.
When somebody finally turned up at the counter he asked if we could board early. He always gives a sob story about needing to make sure I can get my machine stored away safely - and then he says I have trouble getting down the aisles and he nods to my cane. I don;t actually use the cane going down the aisle of the plane - I do use it when I am chasing him through an airport since he can't seem to slow his pace to my speed. It doesn't make me any quicker, but it makes me hurt a little less - and gives me something to threaten him with. 
They let us board in the first group after business class, and we got settled in. The plane was 5 seats across and we were on the 2-seater side.
Going down was fine - we got our little cup of diet coke (getting us ready for our Pepsi free vacation) and our little graham cracker cookie things. It was a direct flight and we got there a few minutes early.
Then came the Amazing Race - Orlando airport style. We got off the plane and off he went. He was rushing to get to the elevator, to the fake monorail thing.....rush rush rush. He gets a ways ahead of me then stops and turns around and waits until I almost get caught up then he turns and is off again. I don't know what his big hurry is - I assume he is not going anywhere until I get there anyway. So we continue with his rush, turn, wait, rush again routine all the way to the Magical Express. We get there and are siphoned off to line B. From there we are narrowed further down to the Boardwalk line.
We go through the queue, get to the front only to see that it switches back and forth before you get to the real front. Only there is nobody else in the line. DH ducks under the line and tells me to do the same. Just as I am considering it (I wasn't quite caught up with him yet), one of CMs comes over and says she will let us out because our bus is here already.
So instead of winding through the line she opened up the end and motioned us over to a waiting bus. Well, there is one complaining point out of the way. Oh wait, spoke too soon. We get to the bus and Danny is explaining to the driver that my bag with my machine is medical equipment and to lay it on its back. He smiles and nods and probably didn't understand a word he said. We get on the bus and it's only a few minutes until we take off. The driver says he will be stopping at Port Orleans, Swan, Dolphin, Beach & Yacht Club and Boardwalk. Mr. Grumpy-pants grumbles that we will probably be the last stop. Wrong again - we were the 2nd stop.
Mr Smile-and-Nod Bus Driver drags my machine out from underneath the bus with a bang on the ground - apparently not thinking "be careful with it - it's medical equipment" means anything. DH gives him a tip anyway and in we go.
There's only one family ahead of us in line so the wait wasn't terribly long getting checked in. I had a moment of concern when I told the gal we would be paying down traveler's checks on our room (this resulted in a scene on our summer trip - but I guess I haven't got that far on that TR). She wasn't familiar with handling traveler's checks, but figured it out quickly and we were over that hurdle. Our room was ready and she gave us our packet and room keys and told us the general direction of where to go to find it. I think her directions were go through that door and look for the signs.
So since we are checked in, we have charging privileges, we have a room that is ready, I am headed over to bell services to get my scooter and to tell them what room to deliver my dialysis soltution to. I think this is where I will stop. This is about the point that all my pixie dust ran out. The slightly early flight, the bus ready and waiting, the hotel only being the second stop, the room being ready - used up every speck of pixie dust I had lying around.
Woke up Sunday morning around 6:30, took my shower and got dressed. I had unpacked our Saturday night suitcase so it was empty and I could just repack it with our dirty clothes. We were leaving that suitcase in the car while we were gone. I did have to drag our bathroom stuff out of our trip suitcase,t hough so they weren't left totally untouched. The time change was that night, but since we were going to Florida I didn't change my watch since it would be right when I got there.
Danny got up and around and we went down for breakfast. The juice machine was broken so they just had a pitcher each of orange and apple juice in with the yogurt and stuff. I looked around to see what was offered, they had scrambled eggs, sausage links, and biscuits and gravy in the hot food, and pastries, cold cereal, fruit, bagels, bread & muffins, yogurt....and I think maybe a pot of oatmeal. None of it particularly appealed to me. I got a spoonful of eggs.....I don't usually like buffet scrambled eggs....these were no exception. They were ok - not great, one sausage link, and I made a piece of "toast". I'm not sure what was up with that toaster, but one side was nearly black when I popped it out, while the other side hadn't seen any heat whatsoever.
Not the greatest breakfast in the world. As I was throwing away my trash I spotted someone eating a waffle Where did they find the waffles???? So I scanned the room again - oh - they are on the wall opposite all the other food on a little table. As you come in the door the wall to the immediate left was beverages and cold cereal, as you round the corner you run in to the hot food. The backt quarter of that wall is empty, the back wall is empty, you round the corner again - and there is the "waffle station". Danny was already done eating, and I had to finish putting my machine away and gathering up our stuff - plus - I was going to Disney World where there is lots of good food! But I really wish I had seen that waffle station when I first went in. Back upstairs we make sure everything is put back in the right suitcase. DH weighs our checked luggage to make sure we don't need to re-distribute anything. Then he goes down and gets a cart to haul all of our stuff to the car.
The airport is just a little further down the road and we are there in no time. He drops me off at the front door and drags in the 2 suitcases, my tote bag, and my machine bag. I sit with my little pile of luggage while he goes and parks. He brings his camera bag with him when he comes back. Bloomington airport is pretty small. We go to the AirTran counter, ring the bell (there is never anyone at the desk just waiting) and check our luggage. Then we go through security where we strike up a bizarre conversation about my husband's name (Danny Thomas) and how fewer and fewer people make the connection that it is a "famous" name. Then the TSA guy tells me that I am probably to young to have heard of "Alice's Restaurant" and that his kids thought he was referring to the sit-com "Alice" and not the extremely long, extremely strange Arlo Guthrie song. While I was caught up in that conversation, Danny was going through the scanner. I still had to take my shoes off, get the iPad out of my tote bag to put in a separate tray, then they told me just to lay my cane on the belt by itself. Meanwhile another gal is in line behind me trying to pile her stuff on - then Danny gets motioned aside. He has to go off to the side and have his hands scanned
. So I am trying to gather up all my stuf that's spread out all over the place, plus his shoes, his camera bag, his laptop that he had to take out of the camera bag, my machine....and the gal behind me is fussing because her stuff isn't coming through yet. Danny's hand scan comes back ok, we get past the obviously bored TSA agaent and went upstairs to the gate....and sat. We were there and settled in probably around 9 - for a 10:26 flight. We were the first ones at the gate. I had a soduku book, so I did a couple of those. DH fiddled around on his iPad. We called home - oh wait - we were there a little before 9 because Ryne leaves for Sunday School at 9 and we called home to make sure he was up and ready to go - he was. And we sat some more. Then DH went and got 3 diet Pepsis. We shared one and he packed the other 2 in with my machine - to be rationed out slowly over the week of Pepsi-deprivation. When somebody finally turned up at the counter he asked if we could board early. He always gives a sob story about needing to make sure I can get my machine stored away safely - and then he says I have trouble getting down the aisles and he nods to my cane.
I don;t actually use the cane going down the aisle of the plane - I do use it when I am chasing him through an airport since he can't seem to slow his pace to my speed. It doesn't make me any quicker, but it makes me hurt a little less - and gives me something to threaten him with. They let us board in the first group after business class, and we got settled in. The plane was 5 seats across and we were on the 2-seater side.Going down was fine - we got our little cup of diet coke (getting us ready for our Pepsi free vacation) and our little graham cracker cookie things. It was a direct flight and we got there a few minutes early.
Then came the Amazing Race - Orlando airport style. We got off the plane and off he went.
He was rushing to get to the elevator, to the fake monorail thing.....rush rush rush. He gets a ways ahead of me then stops and turns around and waits until I almost get caught up then he turns and is off again. I don't know what his big hurry is - I assume he is not going anywhere until I get there anyway. So we continue with his rush, turn, wait, rush again routine all the way to the Magical Express. We get there and are siphoned off to line B. From there we are narrowed further down to the Boardwalk line. We go through the queue, get to the front only to see that it switches back and forth before you get to the real front. Only there is nobody else in the line. DH ducks under the line and tells me to do the same. Just as I am considering it (I wasn't quite caught up with him yet), one of CMs comes over and says she will let us out because our bus is here already.
So instead of winding through the line she opened up the end and motioned us over to a waiting bus. Well, there is one complaining point out of the way. Oh wait, spoke too soon. We get to the bus and Danny is explaining to the driver that my bag with my machine is medical equipment and to lay it on its back. He smiles and nods and probably didn't understand a word he said. We get on the bus and it's only a few minutes until we take off. The driver says he will be stopping at Port Orleans, Swan, Dolphin, Beach & Yacht Club and Boardwalk. Mr. Grumpy-pants grumbles that we will probably be the last stop. Wrong again - we were the 2nd stop. Mr Smile-and-Nod Bus Driver drags my machine out from underneath the bus with a bang on the ground - apparently not thinking "be careful with it - it's medical equipment" means anything. DH gives him a tip anyway and in we go.
There's only one family ahead of us in line so the wait wasn't terribly long getting checked in. I had a moment of concern when I told the gal we would be paying down traveler's checks on our room (this resulted in a scene on our summer trip - but I guess I haven't got that far on that TR). She wasn't familiar with handling traveler's checks, but figured it out quickly and we were over that hurdle. Our room was ready
and she gave us our packet and room keys and told us the general direction of where to go to find it. I think her directions were go through that door and look for the signs.So since we are checked in, we have charging privileges, we have a room that is ready, I am headed over to bell services to get my scooter and to tell them what room to deliver my dialysis soltution to. I think this is where I will stop. This is about the point that all my pixie dust ran out. The slightly early flight, the bus ready and waiting, the hotel only being the second stop, the room being ready - used up every speck of pixie dust I had lying around.
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