The Maelstromers... a FASTPASS! Part 2

[GeorgiaAristocat]

Welcome to the newbies (you won't be newbies for long - our collective memories are shot . . .) As someone mentioned before, if you would like a list of the "classic" stories/pics from this thread, just send me a PM and I can either PM them back anytime or send them via e-mail as a word document (from Mon through Fri) if you prefer it.

I am especially excited to see that another husband-wife team is forming to gang up on us! How many will that make? 3?

I think the only way my husband will ever look at this site is to make sure that I'm not having a cyber-affair. I have told him that I am printing some of the stories, though, so he understands that we're harmless. I will choose carefully on the stories!

Happy Saturday all. I am home alone for a few hours before getting gussied up to go to a political fundraiser. (Our Governor is up for re-election and he happens to come from our county.) Actually, "gussied up" is a slight exaggeration, but I will have to actually put on make-up.

And my husband had a breakthrough on gift-giving: He came to me sweetly yesterday and said he wanted to take me shopping for a new business suit for my birthday. Find a babysitter and just the two of us go shopping. He said he thought long and hard about what would be a perfect gift for me. Either that, or he thinks the only way he is going to see me undressed these days is to buy me new clothes. For some reason he thinks I am spending too much time on the computer.

Hi L'il G - be sure to read next fall after our meet. I'm sure we'll all be writing TRs then. Of course, some of us will never live up to the expectations that have been created by the fabulous TR writers that have come before us. Sigh. It is our lot in life to be readers and not writers.

 

[Loubon]

Happy Saturday all. I am home alone for a few hours before getting gussied up to go to a political fundraiser.

 

[Shelby5514]

Lou~ is this what you wanted?

or here's the Queen all "gussied" up and picking!

 

[GeorgiaAristocat]

Thanks for having my back Shelby, I am photo/clipart challenged. I usually rely on Lou for this, but he is picking on me again.

Lou - you have seen what I look like. And the gussying up only involves slacks and a sweater today, so nothing exciting.

 

[GeorgiaAristocat]

Oh, and speaking of photos, is anyone else addicted to going to the photography board every week to vote in the photo contest? Some of those pictures! It has inspired me to want to learn how to REALLY take pictures, SLR and everything.

Anyway, if you've never checked it out, I encourage you to do so. Right now "andromeda'slove" posts polls at the beginning of the week for that week's contest, and then a final poll at the end of the week. This week is "Castmember Appreciation" and the final poll will remain up until tonight or tomorrow. Here is a LINK to the final poll.

 

[2infinity&B-ond]

I love these kind of jokes. Funny, corny, clean and Disney related.

How about this one:

My kids love the internet, and they keep track of their passwords by writing them on Post-it notes.

I noticed their Disney site password was "MickeyMinnieGoofyPluto," and so I asked why it was so long.

"Because," my son explained, "they say it has to have at least four characters."

 

[Frickles]

GaCat I can understand country bumpkin talk. We speak the same language!

 

[2infinity&B-ond]

GACat..just checked out some of those pics on the photog board. Now I feel inadequate. We've been on 2 trips with our kids (many before that) and taking pics of stuff other than the kids has never been a priority. And even then, there is so much to see and do that taking pics have never been my thing. I want to see the actual expression on their faces...not see it through a lens...but now I WISH I had taken so pictures like those!

Well, now I have a mission before my next trip!

 

[2infinity&B-ond]

Okay...I just reported a post for the first time. I am in shock. I can't even believe what I just saw....

The CB board can be a SCARY place!

 

[HaleyB]

Okay...I just reported a post for the first time. I am in shock. I can't even believe what I just saw....

The CB board can be a SCARY place!

Learn from me, woman! don't venture out there. The riddle thread is safe. Most of the game threads are safe. Little else is.

OK, I will post the 1st part of my Sea World TR here to keep you busy for a few minutes.

I expect you all to read it.

There will be a quiz later.

Yeah, I am done being subtle, not in a subtle mood today. I have to work so I may not get it all posted today (I still need to finish it, dontcha know).

 

[HaleyB]

The Sillies go on a Spring Break trip, Sea World, San Antonio Zoo, and the Methodist Hospital ER, not exactly in that order.

Welcome to Mr. Toad's wild ride.

Where to start?

I live a blessed life. I cheated death at 16, that is its own story. I have three healthy children. I have the most wonderful husband who is my soul mate, my better half, and so much a part of me I can not imagine not being with him. I was born into a world of relative privilege. Not extreme wealth, but never have I gone without a basic need or even a not so basic need. I have a loving family and parents that, for all their quirks, love me. We have always had finical stability, too. As I said, I live a blessed life.

Sometimes we take our blessing for granted. We forget how fortunate we are to have fate smile on us. And then something unexpected happens and it brings it all into focus again. We got that wake up call over spring break. This is the story.

The Cast:

HaleyB - Fearless navigator and copilot.
Mr. Silly, Steven - Pilot and lifter of all things heavy.
Max - Happy go lucky kid that likes wild rides.
Sophia- Sort of a cross between a Princess and Sogorny Weaver in Alien (I know, I am giving away my age). Not exactly happy go lucky, but still easy going as long as she is happy.


The fam is going to Sea World for Spring Break. This year for their birthdays Max and Sophia got season passes to Sea World. Two years ago we did Six Flags passes. They have way too much stuff already and we have a big gift giving crazed family so we like giving them something that is not plush, stuffed, electronic, or noise making. It is a great idea in theory, but alas, this year they still ended up with a great deal of stuff as well. If I ever learn how to post pictures here I will show you the pile o’plushies we came home from Sea World with.

Steven gets a ton of time off work. Maybe not as much as when he was doing the Graduate school/ teaching gig, but a lot. That is to make up for the fact that he works 12 hour days, sometimes, and often has to work from home at night to stay on top of everything. The week prior to our trip was one of those weeks.

I had a rather relaxed attitude towards this trip. No detailed itineraries, no packing lists, no binder full of tips and tricks. I just threw some clothing in a suitcase, added toothbrushes and stuff, and we were good to go. That was around Midnight the night before we were going to leave, as per my normal packing schedule. Everything was good and we got out the door with relative ease. We had to bring a few plushies with us, because Sophia has suddenly become interested in them again. Max, not wanting to be left out, brought one little dragon too.

Steve drives, I copilot. That is the way things should be. He also sleeps closer to the door of our bedroom so if a wacko breaks into our house they will reach him first. That is also the way things should be. We are traditional in that way, he gets to drive and deal with crazed wackos. Thankfully the crazed wacko thing has never come up, unless you count my family.

We make it to our hotel in about two hours. They have finished the construction on the 35 between Austin and San Antonio, wow. It is a minor miracle. We settle in and then walk over to Mc Donalds for lunch. I booked this place because it had a great rate, and it had free wireless internet access. We are junkies, internet junkies. But then you already know all about that. It being walking distance from McD’s was another plus. I know they are an evil corporation making America fat and all that, but my kids will both eat there and it is cheap. That is a rare combo. Anyway, we had lunch there.

After lunch we quickly repack the backpack, it had all the cords and cables the modern family needs on vacation in it, and those could stay in the room. So I dump a pile of cords in the drawer of the dresser and we are good to go. Only wait, we don’t have any idea where we are going.

Steven (Mr. Silly) says I, as the adult female in the family, should be the one to ask for directions. I beg to differ. I don’t like to ask for directions. I don’t see why women get stuck with this job all the time. What if the person you ask is a crazed wacko??? So I grab a tourist map off the front desk and give Steve the good to go smile.

I can read a map. How hard could it be? Oh, well lookie at that, so they don’t name all the streets on this thing. But I see Sea World and I can find named streets that go all the way there. Excellent. I have a plan. Smile and act confidant when I tell Steve what exit to use, and hope for good signage, that was my plan, forward march.

Max and Sophia are happily chattering away about dolphins and whales. Steve and I are talking about something, maybe I am telling him DIS stories. I don’t remember exactly. The sky was blue, mostly. It was an ideal family picture. Happy, harmonious family on the way to activate season passes at Sea World. The kids have been looking forward to this for a long time. And I may have possibly gotten us slightly lost but I am confidant we will get where we are going. I may not have found the most direct path, but we are surely heading in the right direction. So everything is good. There is a storm cloud off in the distance, but I am not too worried about it.

We are on what seems to be a major minor street. You know the kind that cut through neighborhoods sometimes. Two lanes in each direction and a lot of stop lights. Sidewalks and street lights line the road. Traffic is light. We are sitting at a red light, talking about something. Then the light turns green...

Now here is the part where I wish I was a more talented writer. Because I am not really sure how to approach this next part. So forgive me if it is a little stark. Nope, no one comes out of no where and smacks into our car. Not that. It is something else...

End Part 1

 

[kpk89]

Hey Haley, I'm reading! Thanks for sharing it. I love Sea World, but have never been to the one in TX.

DH is out at a boring alumni thing tonight, and he is so sweet that he didn't make me go, too. So bring on the Maelstromers!!!

 

[jw50]

A man in N.C. had a flat tire, pulled off on the side of the road, and
proceeded to put a bouquet of flowers in front of the car and one behind it.
Then he got back in the car to wait.
A passerby studied the scene as he drove by and was so curious he turned
around and went back. He asked the fellow what the problem was.
The man replied, "I have a flat tire."
The passerby asked, "But what's with the flowers?"
The man responded, "When you break down they tell you to put flares in the
front and flares in the back! I never did understand it neither?

 

[jw50]

A Texas rancher and his wife were arguing while touring Paris.

They were hardly speaking to each other after being seated in a fancy French
restaurant for dinner.

When the waiter arrived, the rancher said," I'll have a BIG THICK PORTERHOUSE STEAK."

The waiter replied,"Monsieur, what about Ze Mad Cow? "


He said, "She'll have a Salad!

 

[Loubon]

Nice one Haley!

 

[sheridac]

I live a blessed life. I cheated death at 16, that is its own story. I have three healthy children. I have the most wonderful husband who is my soul mate, my better half, and so much a part of me I can not imagine not being with him. I was born into a world of relative privilege. Not extreme wealth, but never have I gone without a basic need or even a not so basic need. I have a loving family and parents that, for all their quirks, love me. We have always had finical stability, too. As I said, I live a blessed life.

Sometimes we take our blessing for granted. We forget how fortunate we are to have fate smile on us. And then something unexpected happens and it brings it all into focus again. We got that wake up call over spring break. This is the story.

Haley, one of the reasons I most enjoy reading the stories we all write, apart from the personal memories that are evoked by the shared experiences, is that these reports provide a little window in which we are allowed to see into, and get to know, each other. I cannot think of one person on this thread that I haven't come to love and appreciate and look forward to hearing from. So, thank you, for this peek into you and your life. I look forward to more.

Steve drives, I copilot. That is the way things should be. He also sleeps closer to the door of our bedroom so if a wacko breaks into our house they will reach him first. That is also the way things should be. We are traditional in that way, he gets to drive and deal with crazed wackos. Thankfully the crazed wacko thing has never come up, unless you count my family.

I totally agree. It must be the Scarlett in me

Now here is the part where I wish I was a more talented writer. Because I am not really sure how to approach this next part. So forgive me if it is a little stark. Nope, no one comes out of no where and smacks into our car. Not that. It is something else... End Part 1

Put it down. We will read, share, commiserate, support. That's another reason I keep coming back. Full, unconditional support. No judgement. No belittlement. Just support and genuine affection.

So swing away, Merryl. Swing away. You won't strike out.

 

[hooP]

A Texas rancher and his wife were arguing while touring Paris.

They were hardly speaking to each other after being seated in a fancy French
restaurant for dinner.

When the waiter arrived, the rancher said," I'll have a BIG THICK PORTERHOUSE STEAK."

The waiter replied,"Monsieur, what about Ze Mad Cow? "


He said, "She'll have a Salad!

Good one!

 

[ZZUB]

This is a rare thing for me. I have a free Saturday afternoon. I didn't go into my office today because I promised my wife I'd get the barkdust done. Well I finished by lunch time, had lunch with my family and (although neither of them did ANY work at all) my wife and daughter are both taking naps. Even my stupid dog is sleeping. Again.

What do you do when you don't have work to do and time to yourself? You get on these stupid boards of course.

LaLa: I surfed back to page 319. Not an easy task. Maybe it is, but the only way I knew to do it was to click along the page numbers at the top of the thread. You can only go back 9 pages at a time. Along the way, someone was offering pixie dust to Lou which made me concerned for him. I don't know Lou, or his dog, but he's Johnny on the spot with computer help and pictures and all of his posts I've seen are generally humorous. So what could be wrong with Lou? So I then started reading back through the posts to figure out what happened. Loubon: I'm sorry to hear about your scare but glad to hear everything worked out ok. And thanks for the admonition. When my daughter wakes up I'll give her a big hug.

Now, back to LaLa. I finally found your MOST DISTURBING post! That was just gross! The very idea of Michael Jackson having a "Mini-Me" creeps me out in ways I cannot even begin to describe. Is there no end to your efforts to make me hurl, woman?!

Horsegirl: Although I'm a screaming conservative, I love animals (it's not such an oxymoron, it's just the moronic media that would tell you otherwise). We were last in the National Zoo in 1997. It was depressing! I hated seeing animals treated so poorly. It was dirty and unkempt. Like Six Flags in Atlanta. I was glad to hear your report and see your pictures. If anyone cares for animals, it would be the woman we know as Horsegirl.

HaleyB: loved what you posted so far. I'm looking forward to more.

This is for the person who invented Ibuprofen.

 

[hooP]

Me and PP bought our DD this car today because she is starting college this fall. It gets 130 miles to the gallon. Is that good?

 

[kpk89]

Horsegirl: Although I'm a screaming conservative, I love animals (it's not such an oxymoron, it's just the moronic media that would tell you otherwise). We were last in the National Zoo in 1997. It was depressing! I hated seeing animals treated so poorly. It was dirty and unkempt.

ZZUB, I'm soo glad you said this! I thought I must've been on drugs. Or spices. We were at the National Zoo just 2 years ago and I thought the same thing -- dirty and unkempt. Smelly and sad, too.

And, I'm sooo glad that Horsegirl is here to report that things have changed! I hate to think of our National Zoo being such a poor representation of our nation. I saw more greenery in her photos that I did in our whole visit 2 years ago.

Glad glad glad. That's me!