rdancemom... Pam

We've got an acre now and really only use half of it b/c the back half is wooded on a hill. Same with the neighbors. I'd be happy with that.

My problem is the butler pantry. I want it. Don't want the help to have access to my beautiful home though... heaven forbid, all that cleaning, serving, and groveling might get bothersome... but I also want Jeeves to put away all my groceries and linens. *sigh* decisions, decisions...

Such a nice sight to start the day. On a trip several years ago, DD14 saved so much chicken skin from Trails End at Bob's suggestion that we were finding nasty skin-filled napkins stuck in the GC for a week. She'd much rather spend the day fishing from the dock or the grass by the bridge than go to the parks most days. 

Security just knocked on the door to deliver a letter warning about black bears at the fort. Sharing the image on my fb page. It won't let me add upload it here.  I've missed my fiends. Feel free to share it when you see it...

You all know I have a mean purse monkey on my back. It's time to share! 

Went to the disnneystore site today just to look and saw that 3 Dooney & Bourke purses have been marked down by more than 30%. Then I started to add codes just for fun. DOONEYTEN takes off an additional 10%, SHIPMAGIC gives free shipping, and if you pay with a disney visa or rewards card, there's an extra 10% on top of that with DRVCMEMBER. DOONEY will add a cosmetic case in the comic pattern to your order for just $35 with a purchase too.

sooo...before adding the disney visa code it breaks down as follows. If you have a disney visa, you can subtract another 10% off these totals with code. BTW - those of you who are lucky to have a cm discount will obviously do way better, but shhh, my wallet's sleeping so don't tell me, I couldn't bear to know, So far, I have resisted all temptation today...

Minnie Mouse Bow Patty Pouchette Bag by Dooney & Bourke

#400003757220                           $91.35   was $145

Balloon Mickey Mouse Patty Pouchette Bag by Dooney & Bourke

#400001123140                            $103.95   was $165

:partythree: Happy Birthday!!  :partythree:

Sil wont be out of school till mid June so probably have to count us out on this one. We wont be heading anywhere long distance in July because of SIl wrapping up grad school so we will miss everybody at the Fort too. 

boooo hissss

Don't know nothing bout no names but that's sure one adorable lil critter ya got there!!  :heartsmiley:

:partythree: Happy Birthday!!  :partythree:

This would make a great stop for us on the way to the Fort next year as long as it's before June 26th is that to early?

 I was thinking the same thing! We'll be in transit south that week too. I suspect quite a few of us might be on the way either the weekend before the 26th or the one after to get to the fort in time for July 4th. Somewhere not too incredibly far off i95 would be an awesome break in the trip...

There's no doubt that I'd stay with the dogs too. And sadly, that's exactly what happened in this accident - they wouldn't leave the dogs and were eventually hit by a truck while sitting with the disabled rv on the shoulder. Details are still filtering down. This morning more details and pictures were posted here. With my towing anxiety, I probably never should have looked at them. With that kind of destruction, it seems like a blessing that there weren't more deaths or injuries.

 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2512356/Three-dogs-killed-woman-left-broken-leg-crash-M40.html

The 19 year old Russian kennel assistant is still in intensive care with a broken leg, three fractured vertebra in her spine plus a punctured lung. She's reportedly on a board and being turned every five minutes for the collapsed lung. Sending my prayers for this young girl hospitalized so far from her home and family as well as to the breeders involved...

okay, I don't know what I'm doing wrong, but I can't get the picture to post. :banghead:  I've got to take Starla to work and will try again when I get back, Maybe one of you could copy it from my fb page before then? maybe? possibly? perhaps? pretty please?? 

ETA: And Starla saves the Picture day!! <3 <-Starla

We've talked about safely transporting our furry companions here before (squirrels not included) but this latest accident has me wondering about our pets fate in the event we'd need to call road service. Do you know what your emergency road service allows regarding animals? 

Friends in the UK have discovered a heartbreaking clause in their auto club coverage which allowed the tow truck driver to refuse to transport members returning from an agility show after their vehicle broke down. The women were left alone on the roadside with 12 show dogs for hours when their rv broke down. The tow truck came but refused to take them with the dogs so they waited for help on the shoulder for hours until a truck hit them. This is what it looked like after that.

If my info is up to date three dogs perished in the accident, one of the humans suffered a badly broken leg, and the dogs roaming the highway were being searched for. As of now, I think all have been recovered, some are still being treated at animal hospitals but sadly, one of the three beautiful cardigan corgis that got loose and wandered the highway didn't make it on the busy road.

A lot of us travel with dogs. I plan to call AAA on Monday to clarify their policy. Does anyone know if Good Sam road service excludes animal transport in the event of accident or breakdown? What about Coachnet?

.

We've never rented while at the fort but we used to rent when staying at BC all the time. Sometimes even just for a day or two to hit Universal Studios and the outlets. Alamo/National at the Swalphin offer great service and more flexibility, especially when dropping off. You can easily get there & back from DTD, Epcot or DHS. After hours you just leave it with valet parking. Haven't rented a car in a few years now, but I highly recommend the budget option of picking a day or two at the beginning or end of your vacation instead of paying to have it sit parked most of your vacation.

You can also drop off cars rented at the airport or other locations at the Swalphin. It may have changed but in my experience we've never been charged a late fee when leaving it with the valet after hours either. The rental office at the Car Care Center always had limited hours. The Swalphin Valet is 24/7.

wow. Seems odd that overflow would be that full. They were resurfacing parts in July and even then it wasn't full. I wonder if more people are checking out later or the cleanup crew is missing people? Could that many people be on cruises and such to use overflow storage this week?

I don't mind public posts on ff. I just don't want it linked to my personal fb. We do the same with Starla's cosplay - that's why she has a cosplay page not in her legal name.

 I'd never stop posting here b/c I like fiends much better than most of the other people in my world. It will make me think more before posting pics or some other details though if TRs start getting linked to our fb pages...

excuse me...

'scuze me...

pardon me...

need to get by...

carry on, nothing to see here...

pay no attention to the dancemom as she runs to be first in line for the Mama Swap...  :doodebug:

Many of the other people in my life don't do disney. They also don't camp. I like to think that what I post here, isn't going to be seen there. I wonder if there's a way to block it? 

BTW - while we're on the subject of facebook... can anyone tell me how to make everything on my fb private to the public except my name/profile pics? I've tried everything and still can't figure out how to get rid of the recent activity box...

The perception, and the hassle with buses, is why DH didn't go into the parks at all during the five weeks we were there last summer. With all his medical issues we own his ecv. He can walk as long as it's a short distance, there's no curb or step, and he's not standing more than 15-20 minutes.

Even after 5 yrs, it's still hard for the girls and I to remember not to go up the curb to get into the restaurant or mall when he's with us. Curbs are everywhere, and a part of life you don't normally even think about, but they're impossible for him even though he can walk. The looks he got at times when parking the ecv to get on a ride or after boarding the bus made him uncomfortable. I'd love to see that perception change for good...

yay! I knew the wild wimmenz would be able to give me honest insight. That ride sounded like so much fun. I really wish I'd been able to join in the excitement.

My family teases me about stopping at every rest stop so that would be huge for me. lol I live on diet coke and caffiene. No way would either DD12 or I make it 12 hours without visiting stall number 2.

I'm still playing with numbers today. DH thinks I shouldn't take my van that far before some repairs are made. It's a totally impractical idea but way better than laying carpet and painting the bedroom here at home...

Frontier only flies into MCO from Trenton and Philly. Rates still looked good but sadly, they only fly MCO on Tuesdays & Saturdays.

I'm thinking by the time I take the auto train, I'd spend just as much as I would flying. Frontier flies from BWI but I'm checking Dulles & Reagan for SW so will check on Frontier too. Problem is, the only non-stops on SW are from BWI so DC airports mean cooling my heels for hours in ATL...

I need a fort break bad. DD12 needs it worse. Due to very unexpected events, combined with a major lack of planning & organization this season by those we pay to be responsible, the cheer schedule that was responsible for us not going to the Halloween GG has been cancelled.

I've been checking air every single day for the last two weeks. Yesterday morning it tripled. Last night, the rest of the cheer season was cancelled. It shouldn't be a surprise, as games and competitions cancelled at the last minute have sadly become the norm this year. Still, we gave up ToT at the fort to be responsible parents and now we find out the leaders could care less about honoring their responsibilities to the girls. I'm kicking myself for not telling them to shove it and booking southwest last week.

After lots of number crunching, our budget wont allow us to fly next week. I just can't rationalize it. I can still - as of this moment at any rate - afford Amtrak though. Amtrak is roughly the same price as gas to drive it alone in my van. So, for those of you who have taken the train...

How bad was it? We'd be looking at 19 hrs on the rails in coach seats. 

How far is the Orlando train station from the fort?

I could rent a car, but is there a better/cheaper option?

Is it worth it for 2-3 days at the fort without DH and Starla?  We wouldn't be doing parks, just hanging with my fiends...

ooooo,aaaaahhhh!

Count me in! I expect it to be positively shameless too, might as well expect it up front. I'm sure you'll deliver... :hah:  :heart:   :raspberry2:

I was asked this by a friend who needs input for an economics class assignment. It really made me think. Naturally, my first thought was more disney dooney & bourke purses but that isn't especially helpful.

Fiends are some of the most intelligent and creative people I know so I'm putting the question to you. I'm sure you've got tons of ideas. Just for fun, why not share them with the rest of us... what would you like to see made that isn't?? 

oh and BTW, I'm calling dibs on all the new purse design royalities! Mine, mine, I tell you... mine, mine, mine, mine, mine, mine :purpleflam:

We're expecting to be there Friday and Sunday but Saturday is going to be really iffy for us. Normally it's Starla's work schedule but this time she put in for time off well in advance and it's DD12's cheer competition in DC that's the issue.  :gaah: Lately, I can't win for losing...