Misc Boring Schtuff

Well, I didn't gain 10 pounds on the trip.

I gained sixteen.

Yikes.

Other than that - oh, and the paralyzing distaste for my everyday life as I compare everything to the trip - there were no negatives to the vacation.

The Sunday after we got back I took YaYa to see Pirates of the Caribbean II at the local second run theater. A little old for her, obviously, but she's become obsessed with pirates. She talked a little during the show, just essential questions about the action, and she came away loving pirates (and Jack Sparrow) all the more.

Often heard around my house nowadays:

"Yo Ho Yo Ho"

answered by:

 "A pirate's life for me!"

And we've determined the pecking order on our Pirate ship. I'm the Captain, natch, Lis is the Navigator, Lu is the Gunnery Mate ("Gun nee May"), YaYa is the Pilot, and Parker is the lowly deck-hand.

That started a string of Sunday excursions with YaYa. The next week it was she and I at 3 or 4 stores and a baptism, and this past Sunday she went out with her Mom.

The day of the baptism we also watched Irwin Allen's Alice in Wonderland, which YaYa loved, save for the Jabberwocky that scared her to death. [Lu, btw, was overnight at Grandma's that weekend]

The next weekend both girls watched the 1981 version of Annie, which I grudginly loved as a kid. The girls are used to the late '90's Disney version, but quickly grew fond of my fave.

I also spent a lovely afternoon with Lu going to different libraries and some stores. She's a doll.

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Have I ever mentioned that Lu has a paralyzing fear of rewinding a videotape? It's true - just mention the word 'rewind' and she freaks. I have no idea what her little mind thinks it means, but it's right up there with the JabberWocky.

* * *                

As I write this YaYa is fighting going to sleep and I'm at my wit's end and increasingly angry, but usually Monday nights are very relaxing for me.

At 5:15 Lis and the girls leave for dance class. At 7 I go and pick up the girls with Parker, switching cars and then putting all the kids to bed while Lis goes to her class. By this time I've usually - usually - had a good hour or 90 minutes alone to do whatever. I look forward to it.

* * *
Nothing annoys me - nay, disgusts me - more than the richy rich folks in the Lexus Holiday Event commercials.

 Not that I'm anything close to a Socialist, and folks are entitled to spend their money on anything from foodstuffs to million dollar paintings, but . . .

hmmm, in the spirit of, oh, Christmas, how 'bout you forego the $50,000 gift you're rubbing in your neighbor's face and use just a smidge of that money to make the world a better place.

Or not, you obnoxious ****.

* * *            

On Wednesday the Falk Corporation here in Milwaukee suffered an explosion that killed three workers. The force of the blast could be felt as far away as Oak Creek, and at the time I was driving within 12 blocks of it (we live close by).

I didn't feel a thing.

How's this for an (unintenional) joke in bad taste:

I told my landlord "I don't know how I didn't feel it. I guess I'm so used to my shit*y shocks I just assumed the road got bumpy"

* * *

Six Feet Under on Bravo - the show has become a ritual in this house on Monday's. Not as enjoyable for me as Dead Like Me, but a great show even so.          

* * *         

On November 7th, 5 weeks ago tomorrow, I had my last cigarette. Sure, I advertised that I quit month's back. But I reached the 5 week mark, caved and returned to form.

Unlike that time I haven't so much as held a cig in those five weeks, much less dragged or bummed off someone else.

Not to say I don't miss it - 'tis a lovely/stinky/life stealing/expensive habit - but I hope/pray I have the strength to keep going.

 I'm sure it hasn't helped in that sixteen pounds category either . .

 

The Story of Our Trip

If you had the misfortune of missing any of my (future) VIVI Award winning commentary on our Disney vacation, you can catch up on it here:

Our Departure and the Magic Kingdom:  Part One and Part Two 

The Animal Kingdom

MGM  and MGM pt. 2

Embarkment

Nassau

Castaway Cay

Our Final Day at Sea and Our Return Home

I think that's all of 'em - if I've missed any, or put any out of sequence I'll touch it up tonight.

Hope you enjoy!

Our last day on the Wonder

Our last day on the cruise was spent entirely at sea, doing a leisurely 7-8 knots, as opposed to the 22 knots we did on the way to the Bahamas.

It also began later than usual. The girls were exhausted and we let them sleep in, waking in time to catch the tail end of the breakfast buffet in the Parrot Cay restaurant.

After that we dropped the girls off at the Oceanneer Club, their first quasi-extensive time there. Lu would participate in Mouseketeer Training, then Picture This! where she would make a picture frame and take a pic with Goofy before having some 'Slide Time'. YaYa would have some lab time before taking part in Eggsperiments, an engineering hour involving, natch, eggs.

[Later I went back to the Club to pick up the copy of Lu's photograph with Goofy. I tore through the pile twice for the pic but never found it. After returning frustrated Lu finally broke the news - she hadn't bothered taking a photo with Goofy because she didn't 'like him]

Lis and I spent part of our time alone just wandering around, enjoying the ship. For a good half hour we camped out in deck chairs on the 4th Deck, watching a cargo ship in the distance grow larger as we approached, then slip away as we traveled past it.

How's this for a view?

We decided to scrap two of our longest-standing plans for the day. First, we cancelled the private dinner at Palo's we had reserved, on the grounds that the 'normal' dinners on board had been extensive and formal enough to meet our needs. Secondly we cancelled a private spa appointment, for no reason other than we just felt like loitering on the ship instead.

On one pass through the ship we came across the Queen of Hearts, and in an effort to fill up the girls autograph books we asked her to sign for us. We were informed that she would do so only if I, and I alone, bowed to her.

"Sure," I said. "I'm used to bowing to women anyway"

So we got the pic.

A short while later we stumbled across an entire table of Disney characters signing for their fans. We joined the line and got a bunch of great autographs for the girls. Here's Mulan:

And Wendy Darling from Peter Pan

And Alice and the great Mad Hatter

Peter Pan was there too. He wanted to sign but Lis asked him not to because of YaYa's fondness for Hook at his expense. You would think that a guy dressed up in tights would take things with a dose of good humour, but he seemed genuinely hurt and angry. A wee bit uncomfortable for a minute there, let me tell ya.

Since both girls were provided a meal at the club, Lis and I  took lunch on the furthest point of the ship, a delicious buffet lunch of sushi (my 2nd time ever) and Asian food.

Here's some more shots of the Oceaneer Club

and one of YaYa on the comp when we picked her up

We then took the girls back up to where we ate, to snack on some ice cream and enjoy the view as a family.

Here's some shots YaYa took of her and I

Not the greatest shots, but I dig them. Anyway, one of the benefits of those last minute cancellations was a little more cash in my wallet, and I promptly blew some of it to get the girls hair done, Bahamas' Style.

This hair wrap led to a cute little saying that continues to this day:

"Where'd you get your hair done?"

"In da Bahamas mon!"

Here's two great shots of the ship:

We followed this up with a return to the Club, as the girls were set to graduate from Disney Sea University. The 'ceremony' was held in the Walt Disney theater and featured all the stops - Mickey Eared graduation hats, T-shirts to commerate the event, guest speakers, and of course, Mickey.

The girls were ecstatic, especially Lu who approached the whole thing with a sense of wonder and glee - really a sight to behold!

After that it was on to Parrot Cay for our final dinner of the cruise. This one wasn't the greatest - Lu had a fit walking in that continued through the first few minutes of the meal, and the food itself (while great) wasn't up to par with what we'd had before on board.

Lis did join the girls for a Mickey ice cream bar tho'

Here's the least attactive pic of YaYa EVER featured on this site lol:

After dinner I went to the customer service desk (er, it's equivalent) to pay the tips on our servers.

We didn't have the $ to tip them the way Disney recommends (and who does, short of a milliionare) but we treated them pretty good :)

Just in case we didn't, here they are: If you go on a Disney cruise, ask for them by name, they're great!

Kecha Langkaweekhet - Server

Veronica Ceretti - Ass't Server

Dalton Boyce - Stateroom Host

Arnold Cummings - Dining Room Head Server

At 8:15 we went to see a performance of Disney Dreams, the musical that closes the cruise. It was highly touted by the crew and fellow passengers, but I think we all agreed it fell short of the standard set by the Golden Mickey's show.

Here's a neat thing. Earlier in the day - in fact I think it was right before the show - YaYa bemoaned the fact that she had never run across the girl she hung out with at the hotel the day we left for the ship.

Wouldn't ya know it, that same girl wound up sitting in front of us at the show!

After the show we packed our bags and put them in the hall. Lu stayed in the room to watch a movie with Lis while I grabbed YaYa and (strictly by Lis's foresight and wishes) took her up to the Oceanner Lab to make Flubber.

There was a make-up session scheduled, but naturally, the show ran late and we wound up getting there too late. I pleaded my case and they were kind enough to make an exception and walk YaYa through the process. She was honestly thrilled - I was surprised how much so!

On the way back to the room we ran into Goofy and got an autograph

Then it was back to the room. I ordered room service, then ventured up to the 9th deck for some sodas (running into Kecha at the finale party taking place there), then we fell asleep watching Disney movies.

At one point I was so saddened at the thought of leaving the ship and returning to my 'normal' life that YaYa asked what my favorite animal and color was, then produced a coloring book page of a blue bird. Baby that I am, I couldn't stop hugging her.

In the morning we grabbed a quick breakfast, and then, on that rainy morning, headed home.

A long bus ride back to Orlando, where we managed to bump up to an earlier flight, which still left us time to kill in the airport's shops:

and then the flight home. I helped a woman traveling alone to Milwaukee by carrying her seven day old baby aboard (she had a 2 year old with her too - my Lord!) then we took our seats. Unlike on the way out, this was a 2-across jet, and Lu again sat with me. On the entire trip she seemed very close to me.

The kids fell asleep on the flight.

And then that was it - our trip was over, and it was back to everyday life. What a great time; what a great great time!