WBRepo-Ship of Thieves-Remember the Magic Pt 12

[HollyTyler]

Good Morning Thieves!!

Happy hump day! Everyone wish my sister a happy bday! Happy tax day!

Had a dr's appt this am - scale says I'm at 208 (gasp! but really I'm happy about that) - I started out the year at 224. Nurse even gave me kudos! (AND that's after I had pizza last night - I gave pizza up for lent & have been craving it so bought some last night....ate more than I should but enjoyed EVERY bite )

MONICA, way to go! 16 pounds is wonderful! Keep up the good work, and you certainly deserved to treat yourself with pizza!

 

[HollyTyler]

I called my sister today to wish her a happy bday - Sydney helped me sing to her & then when it was time for her to say goodbye to me she said "I luv you" Unprompted & everything! 1st time !

(can't tell I'm totally in love w/ my niece, can you?)

Awww, that's so cute!!

 

[HollyTyler]

I wonder if DU has a waitlist. I'm thinking not for some reason.

They don't. Somebody PM'd me telling me that and asked for my TA info.

OK, nevermind, I just read Deborah's post saying they do have a waitlist. Maybe the person who PM'd me talked to somebody who doesn't know.

 

[iankh]

Good Morning Thieves!!

Happy hump day! Everyone wish my sister a happy bday! Happy tax day!

Had a dr's appt this am - scale says I'm at 208 (gasp! but really I'm happy about that) - I started out the year at 224. Nurse even gave me kudos! (AND that's after I had pizza last night - I gave pizza up for lent & have been craving it so bought some last night....ate more than I should but enjoyed EVERY bite )

Bravo!

That's a WW thing.

 

[iankh]

Ian - did you find out anything more about pimping Mrs F out?

Yes, I did. I have to sit and really read through everything, though.

The short of it is, I get to pick the advertiser, and when I don't want to do it anymore, the car is washed and waxed.

I believe I get paid based on my weekly monthly mileage. The minimum payment for a month is $200 and the maximum is $500.

 

[iankh]

I ordered 2 bottles of wine to be in the room waiting for us when we get on board....so Dad's going to have 2 different surprises - the balcony & the wine.

How sad that you continue to perpetuate the myth that you are going on a "cruise." I imagine your dad enjoys your back yard quite a bit.

 

[iankh]

I think I remember Michelle making a comment about this:

New Waterfront Eatery Opens at Downtown Disney Early May 2009
Paradiso 37, a high-energy restaurant and bar featuring cuisine from North, South and Central America, welcomes guests to its table in May at Pleasure Island at Downtown Disney at Walt Disney World Resort.
The lakeside eatery will offer a delectable variety of menu offerings representing the 37 countries of the Americas, plus an international wine bar, 37 varieties of tequila and 10 signature frozen margaritas.
The lively Downtown Disney restaurant will feature nightly entertainment and will be open daily from 11 am until late night.

Yet another menu I have to get, and restaurant photos to take to boot!

 

[iankh]

We now have 15 days until our trip down to WDW.

Sort of a bummer though, considering that I started the week thinking that there was about a week.

I guess I have to start contemplating cleaning the house for Cheri.

I also have to go shopping for some Cheri-chow.

I just hope Tallulah and Truman behave themselves when she's here and we don't come home to find her tied up in the corner. I guess that's unlikely considering Tallulah curses the fact that she does not have opposable thumbs!

What a relief! I cannot imagine the horror if she did.

 

[nskjerven]

Nan... I saw this over on the POTD thread... I think it's on Tom Sawyers Island???

OMG!!! That is so cool

NAN!! LOOK!! Wilson has a cave!!

Hmmmmm, wonder what he does in there

Molly's going to be SO jealous...

I bet she has a part and place in that vey cave.

I can't wait to show this to him. It's at Disneyland, right? not WDW. We must see this in person soon

 

[cquick]

Today when I was walking to my car in the SSR parking lot, I saw the new balloon ride going up at DTD. I need to find out if it's open officially or just in a soft opening. It looks like fun, though!

 

[cquick]

On another subject, I just saw the Susan Boyle video of her performance at the Britain's got Talent show. All I can say is WOW! And, Deborah, she's from Scotland! Wowee

 

[cquick]

I can't wait to show this to him. It's at Disneyland, right? not WDW. We must see this in person soon

It's at WDW too, you can see it as you take the Mark Twain Riverboat ride around Tom Sawyer's Island....it's where the wild drunken party goes on every day!

 

[cquick]

Hi Connie -

I know they're headed this way at some point, but not sure when. They are meeting us & taking us from Heathrow to Dover on the 26th.

Oh, that's wonderful!

 

[Tracyvp]

I'm so mad I could spit. I finally finished doing our taxes. I kept putting off finishing them because I was SO SURE I had made a mistake! Every single year we've gotten a refund on our Federal taxes. Not a huge refund because I try to minimize it, but somewhere between $300-$600. I've counted on it every year.

So this year, when Turbo Tax kept showing a balance due of around $2,000 I knew I had made a mistake somewhere because nothing had changed that drastically in our circumstances from any other year. We made a little more, but not THAT much more!

Finally, I discovered that since Erik turned 17 last year, our $1000 child tax credit goes away. WHAT? He's still considered a child under the law in just about every other case! That made me mad to start with.

THEN, I discovered that they changed the law this year, and I guess we are NOW considered "rich" and so we lost the other $1000 child tax credit that we should have had for Alison because we make "too much money."

I'm sorry. I live in Southern California. We survive on a single income. I drive a 10 year old van. David just last year bought a 2 year old truck to replace the 12 year old car that Erik now drives. I buy most of my clothes at Target and JC Penney. I clip coupons for groceries. We are NOT rich!

There is currently steam coming out my ears and I'm ready to scream. I cannot believe those bloodsuckers want another $2k from me!!!!

I guess there goes my plan to try to sneak in a trip to WDW this year. GRRRRRR!!!

Okay, Rant done! Here's the part where I point out that I'm thankful that everyone in my family is healthy, we have a roof over our heads, food on our table and the resources to go on a great Disney cruise every 3-4 years. Compared to most of the rest of the world, we ARE rich.

Thanks for listening!!

 

[nskjerven]

Sorry about the evil taxes. That really does stink about the kiddos at 17. Makes no sense. We are liable for them and their actions but get no credit!!!

As for being "rich" being in California by nature I think makes us "poor" since we have to pay a premium on most things...real estate being the biggest. We can beat ya in San Jose for the high gas costs, I understand it is a little less in So. Cal, but that makes no sense as we have the darn refineries in our backyards. Sometimes it makes me thing the whole set up is screwy....

On another interesting note, Paul is working a lead for General Counsel for a job in London. Why not Life's too short, I'd move in a minute. I wish he would open up his eyes to other places in the world, but for him he looks only where there would be good track for Willie (as a side line) makes me laugh.

Oh yea, another good note. Paul just sent me the lap times for his first race and he came in with the 2nd best lap time. It was ahead of the 1st place guy but behind Chole (who DQed) which means that he is for sure in the running for 1st place with this pack Paul also did some major seat adjustments last week and we are trying to get Wil to use a heel stop which should push him back into his seat better for better control (but he is resisting this since it's different to what he does now)

ok, back in the house to get dinner going....

 

[katypop]

I think I remember Michelle making a comment about this:

New Waterfront Eatery Opens at Downtown Disney Early May 2009
Paradiso 37, a high-energy restaurant and bar featuring cuisine from North, South and Central America, welcomes guests to its table in May at Pleasure Island at Downtown Disney at Walt Disney World Resort.
The lakeside eatery will offer a delectable variety of menu offerings representing the 37 countries of the Americas, plus an international wine bar, 37 varieties of tequila and 10 signature frozen margaritas.
The lively Downtown Disney restaurant will feature nightly entertainment and will be open daily from 11 am until late night.

Ah, an assignment for Ian in his MouseManager role. This sounds like it would really appeal to my brother in law.

BUBBA...did you see....37 varieties of tequila.

No Ian, not THAT Margarita bar! On Deb Wills site in the restaurant news she reported in January about a new restaurant and bar that is to open this spring featuring Mexican and South American cuisine. There is supposed to be an international wine bar and a TEQUILA BAR featuring more than 50 kinds of tequila and 10 signature frozen margaritas Sadly, I am kind of doubting now that this will be open in time for our May vacations? But, maybe by Sept Bubba, did you say you and Venetia are going to wdw sometime in the next year? You might want to keep an ear open

Kathe

That was me that posted about this However, I haven't been able to find anything new so I'm thinking they will not be opening by May

Kathe

 

[katypop]

Hi everyone

Monica, Ian and Marilyn, you must all be getting pretty excited about now

Kathe

 

[iankh]

Sorry about the evil taxes. That really does stink about the kiddos at 17. Makes no sense. We are liable for them and their actions but get no credit!!!

As for being "rich" being in California by nature I think makes us "poor" since we have to pay a premium on most things...real estate being the biggest. We can beat ya in San Jose for the high gas costs, I understand it is a little less in So. Cal, but that makes no sense as we have the darn refineries in our backyards. Sometimes it makes me thing the whole set up is screwy....

On another interesting note, Paul is working a lead for General Counsel for a job in London. Why not Life's too short, I'd move in a minute. I wish he would open up his eyes to other places in the world, but for him he looks only where there would be good track for Willie (as a side line) makes me laugh.

Oh yea, another good note. Paul just sent me the lap times for his first race and he came in with the 2nd best lap time. It was ahead of the 1st place guy but behind Chole (who DQed) which means that he is for sure in the running for 1st place with this pack Paul also did some major seat adjustments last week and we are trying to get Wil to use a heel stop which should push him back into his seat better for better control (but he is resisting this since it's different to what he does now)

ok, back in the house to get dinner going....

I pay taxes on my benefits, because the federal government passed a law expressly forbidding recognizing my marriage or any of the tax benefits thereof.

So, the employer health insurance benefits that other couples enjoy tax free are added to my salary as imputed income and I am then pay income tax for them on the state and federal level.

I also cannot use any tax exempt health savings accounts.

So I can understand being upset.

 

[iankh]

On a lighter note (Marilyn will appreciate this) we are glued to the British series "The House of Elliott."

We were watching and in one exterior scene Sukie said, "Isn't that Queen's Square in Bath?"

I froze the DVD and said, "Yeah, that's the bottom bit. If you go to the end of the street and turn right, you're at Sainsbury."

 

[nskjerven]

I pay taxes on my benefits, because the federal government passed a law expressly forbidding recognizing my marriage or any of the tax benefits thereof.

So, the employer health insurance benefits that other couples enjoy tax free are added to my salary as imputed income and I am then pay income tax for them on the state and federal level.

I also cannot use any tax exempt health savings accounts.

So I can understand being upset.

Hey the bright side of that is YOU HAVE BENEFITS!!!! We're paying $1.6K per month out of pocket for JUST medical insurance, and sadly it isn't a luxury plan. Oh woe is us....As Tracy says we're thankful for what we have and can do.

I declare....NO MORE MOANING... Snide wasn't I getting the last word in