mkingdon
Obsessed...and admits it!!
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2002
- Messages
- 408
Previously on this tour...
Introduction
Day One
Day Two
Day Three
Day Four
Day Five
Day Six
Day Seven 26th August 2007
I hope you are enjoying this holiday with us. Looking back at my notes now, I suddenly get a feeling for what a great time we had this year. I’m sure Louise will agree, and change her mind that we are more likely to visit the moon than Florida next year.
Please feel free to berate her into submission, I know I will over the coming winter months.
Anyway…..
I had agreed that today would be a shopping day, as we are venturing off to the beach soon, and I absolutely do not want to waste a second in a shop when we get back to Orlando for our last few days later in the holiday.
It is unbelievable that we are all awake by 7am today, with absolutely no reason to be up at that time. Once again, I make the breakfast, and then it is my turn to get ready as slowly as possible for a change.
This morning we are to relax around the pool, but only long enough for the washing to get done, then we are out to the mall.
So we gather everything that is dirty and put it into our large grip type bag, and drag it down to the laundry near the quiet pool. We, in case you were in any doubt, means me.
So by 9.30, I have my smalls in the water….oh yes and the washing is being done too
I’ve read a few trip reports recently from August and everyone is commenting on the ferocious heat, and today is no different. I’m getting to the end of my current book by now, and I am happy sat in the shade, reading. However, there are beads of sweat on my beads of sweat, so I have to get into the water just to avoid passing out.
Louise moves twice, to turn over, and seems oblivious to the searing rays.
What is very sad about this morning is that both myself and Louise admire the very large top loading American washer, and exchange envious comments about the UK not having these, and if we had one, we (well, Louise) wouldn’t have to do seventeen loads each weekend.
Realising that our lives are all but over, we struggle to retain the will to live, and go back to reading and sweating.
The washing is washed and dried by 12.15, so we load it all back in the bag, and drag it back to the room.
We don’t manage to leave the room for our shopping trip until 2pm, which means I have done my job well. There had been some discussion about which mall to visit, which is a bit like asking a man in front of a firing squad, which gun he would like to be shot with.
Personally, I’d rather take on Darth Mall than any that contains shops, but it seems I have no choice, opinion that matters, or function, other than to carry the required dollars in my all powerful fanny pack.
We make the short drive to Premium Outlet Malls at LBV, next to Dolly Parton’s thing, as it is nearest, and we know it has one shop where we can definitely get what the girls are after.
Today is Sunday, and the car park is fuller than a full thing, and it takes us ages to park. Drivers are lying in wait, spotting potential “leavers” at a thousand yards and then stalking them back to their space, to then sit and camp waiting for it.
I’m just about to suggest we give it up as a bad job, when we see a sign for “overflow” parking, and we have no choice but to park up.
Louise grabs the camera, which is almost unheard of really, and says she’ll take a photo of me and the girls.
Just in time, I realise what she is up to…
Yesterday’s downpour on the way home has had some catastrophic effects on my holiday wardrobe. My pair of trainers…(yes, I own one pair, only women feel the need to have dozens of pairs of shoes and only two feet,) are still wet through on our balcony.
This forces me to wear my attractive brown suede (only suitable to wear with long pants) trainers on today’s outing.
Louise’s motive here is to simply cause me embarrassment by posting said photo here for all to see….how anyone can plan to cause their spouse such personal shame on a public forum is beyond me.
Anyway, I am wise to her ploy and I take shelter behind a handy child.
Then, she sneakily pretends to be putting the camera away, and gets off a sly one.
I am seeking legal advice, and I want custody of the Sky Plus, the PC and the biscuit cupboard.
For months we’ve been promising the girls to get them some Converse/Vans shoes whilst over here. They have stored away some birthday money etc to help fund this, so the first job is that.
Last year we bought them some Heelys from Journeys here, so we’re sure they will have some.
When I say, first job, I really mean, first job after we’ve eaten something. We quickly home in on the food court, and any choice is removed when the kids spot the Starbucks. They are addicted to their Java Chip things.
I join the queue, proud in my brown shoed-ness….and order suitable coffees, cakes and buckets of liquid sugar for the girls. We find a table outside, and enjoy them.
Suitably fed and watered we find Journeys without too much bother, and the girls love it as there is quite a lot of choice here. After a few minutes one of the young assistants realises that my taste in shoes is not shared by my daughters and there is a fair chance of us buying something.
For the next half hour or so we run her ragged, trying on every shoe in at least three different sizes. Eventually Emily chooses two pairs….
and Rebecca has these….
They are roughly a dollar to pound equivalent in price, so I don’t feel as heartbroken sacrificing the credit card.
One of the assistants admires one of Emily’s vast Fall Out Boy clothing collection and we tell her where we got it from. I am so hip, cool and down with the kids…until she sees my shoes that is. So I leave, head bowed.
We then just aimlessly wander from shop to shop for eternity.
Very quickly the girls have become fed up….
We wander past…well we try to wander past…a diamond outlet, and Louise literally drags me inside. I humour her and let her ooh and ahh at a few of the treasures inside, and I wander about looking for a seat.
A sales guy pounces on Louise and asks her what she is looking for.
They tell her that they don’t sell wealthy husbands, but does she want a diamond ring instead. Yes she does, but she is just browsing today. This guy will not let go, and in an attempt to speed up our departure I wander across, and say we have to go.
Louise is encouraging him by trying on every ring in the shop, and this chap is working really hard to do a deal.
He is knocking off big chunks from the prices, and then converting them into sterling. You have to admire his determination really.
“Look” he says “that one only works out at £1700/£2000/£3000 etc etc”.
Well, I laughed so hard I almost passed a vital organ. He obviously thinks that rich English people wear brown suede trainers and comedy shorts….
Now then, don’t any of you go thinking I relented here, cracked out the credit card, and bought Louise that eternity ring she has been on about for…well eternity….do not be silly….
I tell him we are not buying today, and I drag Louise back out into the heat. Now, our kids can sulk for England, but they have nothing on Louise. I somehow think it was a bad move in the shop to raise her expectations by taking a picture of the one she liked…
Continued....
Introduction
Day One
Day Two
Day Three
Day Four
Day Five
Day Six
Day Seven 26th August 2007
I hope you are enjoying this holiday with us. Looking back at my notes now, I suddenly get a feeling for what a great time we had this year. I’m sure Louise will agree, and change her mind that we are more likely to visit the moon than Florida next year.
Please feel free to berate her into submission, I know I will over the coming winter months.
Anyway…..
I had agreed that today would be a shopping day, as we are venturing off to the beach soon, and I absolutely do not want to waste a second in a shop when we get back to Orlando for our last few days later in the holiday.
It is unbelievable that we are all awake by 7am today, with absolutely no reason to be up at that time. Once again, I make the breakfast, and then it is my turn to get ready as slowly as possible for a change.
This morning we are to relax around the pool, but only long enough for the washing to get done, then we are out to the mall.
So we gather everything that is dirty and put it into our large grip type bag, and drag it down to the laundry near the quiet pool. We, in case you were in any doubt, means me.
So by 9.30, I have my smalls in the water….oh yes and the washing is being done too
I’ve read a few trip reports recently from August and everyone is commenting on the ferocious heat, and today is no different. I’m getting to the end of my current book by now, and I am happy sat in the shade, reading. However, there are beads of sweat on my beads of sweat, so I have to get into the water just to avoid passing out.
Louise moves twice, to turn over, and seems oblivious to the searing rays.
What is very sad about this morning is that both myself and Louise admire the very large top loading American washer, and exchange envious comments about the UK not having these, and if we had one, we (well, Louise) wouldn’t have to do seventeen loads each weekend.
Realising that our lives are all but over, we struggle to retain the will to live, and go back to reading and sweating.
The washing is washed and dried by 12.15, so we load it all back in the bag, and drag it back to the room.
We don’t manage to leave the room for our shopping trip until 2pm, which means I have done my job well. There had been some discussion about which mall to visit, which is a bit like asking a man in front of a firing squad, which gun he would like to be shot with.
Personally, I’d rather take on Darth Mall than any that contains shops, but it seems I have no choice, opinion that matters, or function, other than to carry the required dollars in my all powerful fanny pack.
We make the short drive to Premium Outlet Malls at LBV, next to Dolly Parton’s thing, as it is nearest, and we know it has one shop where we can definitely get what the girls are after.
Today is Sunday, and the car park is fuller than a full thing, and it takes us ages to park. Drivers are lying in wait, spotting potential “leavers” at a thousand yards and then stalking them back to their space, to then sit and camp waiting for it.
I’m just about to suggest we give it up as a bad job, when we see a sign for “overflow” parking, and we have no choice but to park up.
Louise grabs the camera, which is almost unheard of really, and says she’ll take a photo of me and the girls.
Just in time, I realise what she is up to…
Yesterday’s downpour on the way home has had some catastrophic effects on my holiday wardrobe. My pair of trainers…(yes, I own one pair, only women feel the need to have dozens of pairs of shoes and only two feet,) are still wet through on our balcony.
This forces me to wear my attractive brown suede (only suitable to wear with long pants) trainers on today’s outing.
Louise’s motive here is to simply cause me embarrassment by posting said photo here for all to see….how anyone can plan to cause their spouse such personal shame on a public forum is beyond me.
Anyway, I am wise to her ploy and I take shelter behind a handy child.
Then, she sneakily pretends to be putting the camera away, and gets off a sly one.
I am seeking legal advice, and I want custody of the Sky Plus, the PC and the biscuit cupboard.
For months we’ve been promising the girls to get them some Converse/Vans shoes whilst over here. They have stored away some birthday money etc to help fund this, so the first job is that.
Last year we bought them some Heelys from Journeys here, so we’re sure they will have some.
When I say, first job, I really mean, first job after we’ve eaten something. We quickly home in on the food court, and any choice is removed when the kids spot the Starbucks. They are addicted to their Java Chip things.
I join the queue, proud in my brown shoed-ness….and order suitable coffees, cakes and buckets of liquid sugar for the girls. We find a table outside, and enjoy them.
Suitably fed and watered we find Journeys without too much bother, and the girls love it as there is quite a lot of choice here. After a few minutes one of the young assistants realises that my taste in shoes is not shared by my daughters and there is a fair chance of us buying something.
For the next half hour or so we run her ragged, trying on every shoe in at least three different sizes. Eventually Emily chooses two pairs….
and Rebecca has these….
They are roughly a dollar to pound equivalent in price, so I don’t feel as heartbroken sacrificing the credit card.
One of the assistants admires one of Emily’s vast Fall Out Boy clothing collection and we tell her where we got it from. I am so hip, cool and down with the kids…until she sees my shoes that is. So I leave, head bowed.
We then just aimlessly wander from shop to shop for eternity.
Very quickly the girls have become fed up….
We wander past…well we try to wander past…a diamond outlet, and Louise literally drags me inside. I humour her and let her ooh and ahh at a few of the treasures inside, and I wander about looking for a seat.
A sales guy pounces on Louise and asks her what she is looking for.
They tell her that they don’t sell wealthy husbands, but does she want a diamond ring instead. Yes she does, but she is just browsing today. This guy will not let go, and in an attempt to speed up our departure I wander across, and say we have to go.
Louise is encouraging him by trying on every ring in the shop, and this chap is working really hard to do a deal.
He is knocking off big chunks from the prices, and then converting them into sterling. You have to admire his determination really.
“Look” he says “that one only works out at £1700/£2000/£3000 etc etc”.
Well, I laughed so hard I almost passed a vital organ. He obviously thinks that rich English people wear brown suede trainers and comedy shorts….
Now then, don’t any of you go thinking I relented here, cracked out the credit card, and bought Louise that eternity ring she has been on about for…well eternity….do not be silly….
I tell him we are not buying today, and I drag Louise back out into the heat. Now, our kids can sulk for England, but they have nothing on Louise. I somehow think it was a bad move in the shop to raise her expectations by taking a picture of the one she liked…
Continued....
Lovely ring Louise 
