This year its more than a vacation.

[rpbert1]

July 7th [happy birthday to me] i stopped counting birthdays a while ago, but guess what , no one has remembered yet. Will, wait to see when they remember, or even if they remember, as you tend to forget what day your at.
We have plenty of time EPRV We love Disney, so can afford to take it at a slower pace than most.
Today was at the pool in the morning, was very quiet , but started raining around 1 pm, with lightning. They had forecast this ,so thought we would go to the shops as DW needed to get some medication there as she has not been to good. came back about 4:30 as we planned another few hours nat the pool, and then Universal tonight, but it started raining again as we got to the car park.
We are going to Bubbalous tonight for something to eat, as i have read how good the place is, nothing fancy but as long as the foods good i dont mind.
If i take some pics will post them later.
We are all looking forward to Discovery Cove tomorrow, its a surprise for DD, and still have kept it a secret. Told her we where going to DC tomorrow to pick up tickets for Busch Gardens and Seaworld as they are the only ones do the tickets, and then driving down to Busch, she is excited and cannot wait to go to Busch Gardens, so hopefully she will enjoy DC.

 

[macraven]

SOMETHING I SHOULD HAVE SAID AT THE START OF MY REPORT, WITH THE NAME.
WE HAD BEEN LOOKING IN TO MY DW FAMILY HISTORY, AS NOT A LOT WAS KNOWN AND HER FATHER DIED WHEN SHE WAS VERY YOUNG. hE HAD 2 SISTERS, AND THERE MOTHER DIED IN 1926, AND HER FATHER WAS VERY YOUNG AND SENT TO AN AUNT IN BELFAST WHILE 2 SISTERS WENT TO NEW YORK, BUT NOTHING WAS REALLY KNOWN ,AND ALL CONTACT WAS LOST. ABOUT 8 WEEKS AGO WE FOUND OUT THAT SHE HAS 4 COUSINS IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE US, AND THEY HAD BEEN TRYING WITH NO LUCK TO TRACE HER AND HER FAMILY FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS , EVEN VISITING UK AND IRELAND. MY DW HAS BEEN ON THE PHONE WITH ALL OF THEM , AND WE ARE MEETING UP WITH 1 OF HER COUSINS AND HER HUSBAND ,WHO ARE MEETING UP WITH US IN ST. PETES ON THE 16TH FOR A FEW DAYS, THEY ARE FLYING IN FROM LOS ANGELES,SO WE ARE ALL REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS TRIP.

that will be one sweet reunion for all of you!!
it is fabulous that contact has finally been made and your dw can meet the long lost relatives.


take tissues with.
there might be some tears of joy..

July 7th [happy birthday to me] i stopped counting birthdays a while ago, but guess what , no one has remembered yet. Will, wait to see when they remember, or even if they remember, as you tend to forget what day your at.

your dd looks as taller if not taller than your dw.
she has grown since last year's pictures.


btw, how is the "shopping" going for the wife??

 

[rpbert1]

thanks for the Birthday wishes Mac, no one has remembered yet.

Just saying today , that i might need to get tissues for the airport, as i can imagine what they will be like, but it will be a happy occassion. Barb was saying you do Genealogy searching, can be very addicting, even with the very short time i was looking.

DD is now offically half an inch taller than DW, but then DW is only 4ft 10inches .

 

[EPRV We love Disney]

Robert...

Happy Birthday!!

Best, E

 

[dogodisney]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Have a great time tomorrow at DC.

 

[rpbert1]

July 8th.
Thanks for the Birthday wishes guys, DW remembered today driving out of RPR, well she did not exactly remember, she asked DD what day it was, and DD said wed the 8th, then she remembered
We had a good day at DC today. Arrived about 8am, and DD got a swim time for 9:45, at Sanddollar Cabana. They ran late as one of the dolphins had opened a gate, and all the dolphins where in playing together, and did not want to play with the guests, so the swim she had for 9:45 eventually took place at 10:55.Did not take many pics, as i was videoing the interaction, and have forgot the video lead to connect to comp.

We all went into the lagoon and stingray pool, and could not get DD out of it, she loved in there.
We all went on the lazy river, DW was apprehensive about it, but had a life vest as well as the DC vest, she was enjoying it, we usually waited at the next area you could stand in for us all to keep together, but DW did not arrive. Apparently someone kicked her by accident, as we left the river where the exit for the Aviary was, and she decided to go back and get out there, but with the waterfall area she could not get back and started panicing, the life guard paid no attention,[had read on a couple of reports a while back ,that the lifegurds did not seem to enthustic to help people who where having difficulty] and a guy standing waiting on his family jumped in and helped her back, Dw was not impressed with the Lifeguard and neither was the guy. She reported the incident , and they came back and said the lifeguard did not see her having trouble, Dw said thats why the guy beside her jumped in, he was able to see.
Anyway we had a good day.
Did not get to Bubbalous last night, just when we where about to leave, it started raining heavily, so decided to eat at The Islands, I had the Spring rolls for starters then Terrayiki beef, and DW had the Honey Chicken, and DD had the kids Buffett, food was excellent.

JULY 9th.
Dw went and got her nails done, at Vineland Rd just across from Walgreens. She was happy with them, but after lunch she had to go and see a doctor. She has a sinus infection, so is now on Antibiotics. we got back to RPR about 4pm, so i took DD to IOA, as we where supposed to be at PBH to see Barb, thought she might have went rto IOA, but she left a message on our phone last night, so will meet up before she goes home.
spent rest of the evening at the pool and DW relaxed and went to the room around 9:15.
So a pretty quiet day.

July 10th
Went to the pool this morning about 10am, and stayed till about 1:30, before going to Sea World, we always get caught in storms at SW , but forecast seemed not to bad this morning.
Got into SW about 2:15, got a locker, and queued for Kraken first. There was 4 people in front of us and we where for the next ride, when it closed because of the weather, everyone waited--- and waited, thunder lightning and torrential rain, stuck for about 1hr 45 mins, before it stopped and rides where still not running, so we where all cold and wet, so decided to go back to RPR. There was a weather warning on a few mins back for Thunder and lightning, so we are going to Jakes tonight, and just take it easy. if it stays clear will head over to HRH and see Barb, as she told us they would be there tonight.
So not much happening here only Rain, and no Pics took.

 

[keishashadow]

what an amazing surprise re reunion!

Discovery Cove, wow, what a treat, on our bucket list - thanx for the pics.

really like the pic of ur wife & DD on 7/4 citiwalk, such big smiles

we changed our planned trip (alaskan cruise instead), so im eagerly awaiting ur thoughts on the Don Cesar, going to try & work it in next summer...pending ur review

 

[macraven]

how was the family reunion?

i know you had to have taken pictures.



now that you have met the long lost relatives, you have another trip destination for the future...



hope the rain goes away and the rest of your vacation is loverly.

 

[rpbert1]

July11th to July 13th
Not much happened these days, spent relaxing at the pool, and a day in IOA. The day we went to the park, the \Google earth team where taking PIcs around the park so will have to check the site to see if we are there at Popeye

Meet Barb and Randy and Ryan at PBH, before they came home, hopethey had a great last day, and arrived home safely.

Mac, we do not meet them till tomorrow, when we pick them up at Tampa airport, but will post some pics when i have them.

July 14th,
Travelled down to St Petes, for our week at Don Cesar. The place is beautiful, and definetly recommend anyone thinking about it to just do it. Place is spotlessly clean , and the resort is very nice. Had to come in as its much to warm at the pool about 2pm, so DW is feeling much better and is planning a shopping trip

 

[bubba's mom]

Tell Lily I think that's a good look for her!


oh...and we saw the Google Earth car entering the Studios too. But my camera was in my bag and I wouldn't have had enuf time to get it out...we were on our way to IOA.

Last day went well...glad you are having a good time.

Can't wait to hear about the family & St Pete's.

 

[rpbert1]

July14th to July21st.
I can say we are not doing much down here just on the beach and pool, and eating.
Like i said about DonCesar, this place is definetly our fav place to stay, no parks, but its a beautiful resort and St. Petes is definetly on our list form future visits. So relaxing.
Picked Cousins upmat Tampa airport on Tues, it was slightly emotional, but we are having a great time together, just sitting around the pool, talking about family and things that happened over the years. tomorrow is there last full day before heading back to California on Sunday, but before we came DW was on the phone everyweek to them. They are planning our visit to them next year, which is lovely, but now i will have to start saving for our hol to California and to Florida, and getting all the time of work for them.
they are lovely people, and Sunday i am sure DW will be a bit sad, But it has been great meeting them as DW dad and their mother lost contact back in the late 1920s.
have no pics uploaded yet but will post them later.

Glad you guys had a good last day Barb. Got the pic Randy sent on Facebook.
Will tell Lily she looks good with the hair , and maybe get her one when we go back up next week

 

[macraven]

i'm happy for you and your entire family that you finally have been able to meet.

how loverly !!


planning two destinations for next year will be great fun.
the money and time off of work is the hard part.


enjoy the rest of your stay Robert!!

 

[rpbert1]

i'm happy for you and your entire family that you finally have been able to meet.

how loverly !!


planning two destinations for next year will be great fun.
the money and time off of work is the hard part.


enjoy the rest of your stay Robert!!

thanks Mac, we have such a great 3 days together, and my DW saw a pic of her Grandmother for the first time , thay have only got one pic of her, but they got her a copy, a few tears was shed, as DW is a very emotional person. Our cousins mother died in 87, and she cannot get over the resemblance between my DW and her mother, she says her sisters and her do not have such a close resemblance to her, and some of the things my wife does makes it uncanny they said.
have a few pics i will put up, as we are going out now as its there last full day.

Esther

Her husband Mike

Esther and Mike

Dw and her cousin Esther

Pic of us ,before taking cousins to the airport for their flight to LA