ABCs of A Trip Worth Waiting For + PNWMM: P: A Practically Perfect Pacific NW Mouse Meet- pg. 26

Thanks for your prayers. I am not sure about the time off without pay. That has not been allowed at my current job, but we also had more time off. I can't really afford more than a day or two. I hear you on the rental home. We would like to sell ours but need to fix it up some first and just can't swing it. We are continually putting our fix up money into basic maintenance stuff and
The mortgage is more than the rent right now. Our renters pay every month, so I have been dragging my feet on making any changes.

Have a fun flight, and a good travel day. Hope your visit is extra special.

NO PTO?! That really sux!!

I really hope you can know that perfect time to sell and will have peace about when that is.

Thanks Tammie! I leave at 3:00AM in just a few hours. I'm sure it'll be a really nice, and very much needed getaway for me! :)

This summer seems to be the more controlled chaos. I guess relative to last summer which was very uncontrolled. I have lots of very young ( high school age) staff and well a certain amount of angst goes along with that. Hopefully we settle for a bit then once August hits we do it all over again. :rolleyes:

Of course it does! EEK! They carry a heavy responsibility and you should be vigilant over them!

Keep at it special lady!

Well, how about this? A TR that I've missed for the last 2 months? Go figure. Well, I've caught up... not commenting on everything, but there were just a few things I picked out.

Yeah, I did notice you were MIA, but also knew you are in the height of your spring/summer work on the farm, so certainly wasn't going to track you down and hound you.

Glad you're here, Andy!!

:rotfl2::rotfl::lmao: I mean, didn't they have food coloring back in the old days? :rolleyes1 :duck:

This was the generation who was actually creative and came up with all kinds of good fun. The Golden Age when kids could still ride in the bed of a pickup.

Well, if you're going to commit a party foul, go big in the classiest place you can find. That's actually some impressive service that they refilled your drink.

That's how I roll! And yes, the service was rather... impressive. (Still want to buy an ice sphere maker.)

How does one go about leaving $1000-$1500 worth of camera gear laying around, not once, but twice in the same day??? You'd think those extra 40 minutes on the road would have taught you that lesson.

Apparently if you're name is Liesa, it's pretty darned easy. 40 minutes on the road was filled with dreams of Disney and other good things, like, you know... adulting.

Congrats Gramma!!!!!

Thanks, Andy! Good times ahead. I already love my little Go-to-Disney-Excuses!
 
Wow! Look at all of you Hoity Toities! You all clean up nice -especially PKondz! I'm so excited you got to do Club 33! Thank you for sharing, and I love your souvies!
 
Oh, I am so happy that you were able to eat there, I knew you would love it!! And especially with your personal history of working in New Orleans Square!

I got the pin as well - and shot glasses that I since haven't used... But admire them every time I open my "good glass ware cupboard".

You mentioning Mucha (and I think you mentioned him in a previous update, too) reminds me of my visit to Prague last summer- not only Mucha's home town, but what an amazing variety of the most over the top Art Nouveau buildings. You should put Prague on your list of places to visit in Europe for the next time you are here (oh - and I have to admit that their castle tops Nuremberg's castle by a fair bit.).
 


Side note: Are clams truly happy?

Reply below is courtesy of Google...

The original full phrase is "Happy as a clam in high water". Clams can only be "harvested/dug up" during low tide - so when the tide is high, they are less likely to be captured, cooked and eaten.

You're welcome. :teeth:

That’s a lie; I nearly peed myself when I was told that this was something Alison got an invitation for.

Well I'm glad that you were able to clean yourself all up. :lmao:

The menu was fairly extensive and I went with something pink. At this point, it’s no use asking me what it was; I have no idea.

It was a Hurricane. Signature glass, plus it's a New Orleans favorite.

The level of self-conscious, in fact, constrained this lame TR writer to exactly ONE (1) photo. Sad.

I looked through my photos and this was all I could find.





When the tune featured a sax solo, the guy playing sax disappeared from the painting and a sax appeared over the bar as an animated image.

Technically it was a clarinet...but who's keeping track. :rolleyes1

I also did the wine pairing and found myself… ummmm… on the snockered side by the time I walked out (yes, I did walk out).

Yes, you were a little schnockered! Sounds a little better with the "sch" it's a little bit more slurring that way. But you did make it through the rest of the day and you did walk out of there, even down the stairs without falling down! :lmao:
 
Not waiting to see if others comment on the same things...

birthing a child in my heart

I'm very curious to know how one would birth a child in one's heart. That seems like quite the anatomical feat of wonder. :scared1:

Side note: Are clams truly happy? I wonder about these things… usually around 2:00 AM when Brain won’t shut up. If clams are happy in the salty sand, is there anything that would make them happier? Can clams be unhappy? What life lessons can we learn from clams???

:rotfl2::rotfl::thumbsup2

Never, ever in my wildest fantasies, did I think I’d have a chance to set foot inside such a coveted piece of real estate during my lifetime, let alone have lunch for an afternoon.

Very cool. @franandaj did good with her pixie dust. pixiedust:

The menu was fairly extensive and I went with something pink. At this point, it’s no use asking me what it was; I have no idea.

Good thing you weren't on an alphabetical quest at the time.

The customary hoity-toity purse stools were given to the ladies, and the napkin folding was amusingly creative.

Love the napkin folding. I don't think I've seen the customary purse stools, but it sounds vaguely familiar from your V&A discussion.

All in all, seems like a good meal and a fun experience!
 
Wow a meal in club 33.
You have joined a club of a very few privlaged people that manage to get in there.Fran and Alison did you proud by getting your self Pkondz and kay in to one of the most exclusive resturants in California.A memory that will last a life time I bet.
How was your first flight with yourself at the controls I bet that was just as good as eating in Club 33.
 


So, I've got a Disneyland/Anaheim Convention Center area question. I was doing some Expedia searching, and went ahead and made a reservation at the Super-8, since it had the highest ratings of anywhere cheap that seemed walkable to the Convention Center. It seems like that area should be pedestrian friendly. (It's on Katella, in or next to the GardenWalk area). I feel like driving would be annoying due to all the Disney traffic - is that a reasonable assumption? Everything closer seems to be more expensive, not good reviews, or something else - I haven't looked at *every* possibility, but some. It's just a reservation, so I'm thinking of also reserving something at somewhere a little nicer if the budget can increase, but I'm not sure which is more important - nicer hotel, or proximity. (And if I have to drive, then I have to pay to park, too, and they are doing construction on the convention center parking, if I understand correctly). I don't mind walking 10-15 minutes, since we will be sitting a lot during the day, but I also prefer to walk places where it is actually pedestrian friendly.

(ETA: I'm tagging @franandaj since she knows the area, even if she would probably never consider staying at a Super 8!)
 
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(ETA: I'm tagging @franandaj since she knows the area, even if she would probably never consider staying at a Super 8!)

Have you stayed at a Super8 before? To quote Mark's son (I think it was Scotty). "Dad, the Super8 is not super."

I don't even know where the Super8 is. But we only get to the West side of Katella from Harbor, the Garden Walk is on the East. We've never been to the Garden Walk. It probably won't be so bad that you feel you need to mobe the bed in front of the door!

With that knowledge, for me it's too far to walk. When we had super passes to D23, we stayed at the Hilton to be super close, but that ran $200 per night. I'm sure the Super8 is much cheaper. But from your description of where the Super8 is located, that's waaaay too far for me to walk. YMMV.

If I were staying as a conventionee, I would stay at the Homewood Suites on Harbor, as it's fairly reasonable, free breakfast, and not fat to walk. Plus you have a cooktop with pans, utensils, and service for four, microwave and full refrigerator.

You do not want to park at the convention center, it's expensive and while they are building the new parking garage, there isn't a lot to go around.
 
Have you stayed at a Super8 before? To quote Mark's son (I think it was Scotty). "Dad, the Super8 is not super."

I don't even know where the Super8 is. But we only get to the West side of Katella from Harbor, the Garden Walk is on the East. We've never been to the Garden Walk. It probably won't be so bad that you feel you need to mobe the bed in front of the door!

With that knowledge, for me it's too far to walk. When we had super passes to D23, we stayed at the Hilton to be super close, but that ran $200 per night. I'm sure the Super8 is much cheaper. But from your description of where the Super8 is located, that's waaaay too far for me to walk. YMMV.

If I were staying as a conventionee, I would stay at the Homewood Suites on Harbor, as it's fairly reasonable, free breakfast, and not fat to walk. Plus you have a cooktop with pans, utensils, and service for four, microwave and full refrigerator.

You do not want to park at the convention center, it's expensive and while they are building the new parking garage, there isn't a lot to go around.

Well, I did what I should've done before, and look at google maps with streetview. It actually looks like a very easy walk - the distance down Katella to the north entrance of the convention center is about the same as the length of the entire convention center! Plus, there are sidewalks on both sides of the street, and a stoplight just across from the convention center. Plus, if we don't want to walk, there's a bus that runs every 12 minutes for $2, according to google maps. And, it definitely is a nice area.

I talked to dd about what we might want to look for if we wanted a nicer option, and she said she was fine with basic but close. (And I checked the Homewood Suites - the nights we would be there would be $189 a night, vs $116!) I don't think we would make enough use of a kitchen to make it worth the difference, tbh. I haven't specifically stayed at a Super 8, but I've stayed at some pretty basic places before - some much more basic than this looks like. I also don't anticipate spending much time in the room. We do have friends staying at the Hilton - the mom is somewhat mobility impaired, so she paid for proximity.

I did find it amusing that Google maps routed me to the parking entrance when I asked it for walking directions, however. It was only through looking at streetview that I was able to figure out that we cut off about half a mile by just walking directly to the north entrance! I also noticed a Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf along the route - I seem to remember liking their coffee. :)
 
Well, I did what I should've done before, and look at google maps with streetview. It actually looks like a very easy walk - the distance down Katella to the north entrance of the convention center is about the same as the length of the entire convention center!

You are healthier than I! Often times just being at the convention center wears me out. You're absolutely right. The convention center is HUGE, and is longer than a city block. After a long day there, the thought of walking a long way back to the hotel would just wipe me out!

Plus, there are sidewalks on both sides of the street, and a stoplight just across from the convention center. Plus, if we don't want to walk, there's a bus that runs every 12 minutes for $2, according to google maps. And, it definitely is a nice area.

Yes the ART can be a good option, but sometimes the line can be very long.

I talked to dd about what we might want to look for if we wanted a nicer option, and she said she was fine with basic but close. (And I checked the Homewood Suites - the nights we would be there would be $189 a night, vs $116!)

That's a big difference! When I priced it for my friends a month ago, the Homewood Suites WAS $116 per night!

I don't think we would make enough use of a kitchen to make it worth the difference, tbh.

I don't usually either, but I like the free breakfast, and the HS are the closest Hilton Hotel with a complimentary breakfast. I might use the stove to reheat leftovers though.

haven't specifically stayed at a Super 8, but I've stayed at some pretty basic places before - some much more basic than this looks like. I also don't anticipate spending much time in the room.

In Anaheim it's probably better than some rat infested hotel in East LA.

We do have friends staying at the Hilton - the mom is somewhat mobility impaired, so she paid for proximity.

That's our situation!

I did find it amusing that Google maps routed me to the parking entrance when I asked it for walking directions, however. It was only through looking at streetview that I was able to figure out that we cut off about half a mile by just walking directly to the north entrance! I also noticed a Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf along the route - I seem to remember liking their coffee. :)

Yeah the walk is easy, and you pass lots of convenience stores and places to eat on the way. It's always crowded with folks when we drive by. Always have to look out for pedestrian's crossing Harbor and Katella.
 
You are healthier than I! Often times just being at the convention center wears me out. You're absolutely right. The convention center is HUGE, and is longer than a city block. After a long day there, the thought of walking a long way back to the hotel would just wipe me out!

Yeah, and dd has been doing a lot of long walks while playing Pokemon Go, so it should be ok. Her Pokemon tournaments tend to involve a lot of sitting, and not a lot of walking around during the day, so a little bit of a walk can be a nice change. They did just publish the schedule, and of course, we are in the hall that is on the south side of the building. Bad for me, but good for my mobility-challenged friend staying at the Hilton.

Yes the ART can be a good option, but sometimes the line can be very long.

Good to know about the line. We may also want to do it our last day, when we have our luggage. I think that's the biggest thing I'm now worrying about, since checkout is 11, but we probably won't be flying out until the afternoon. The last time we did something similar, we were at a nice enough hotel that they kept our bags for us at the front desk, but I don't know that a Super 8 would do that, so we would have to deal with our stuff. (At least we tend to pack lightly - we will probably just have one wheeled suitcase, plus backpacks. Last time, carry-ons were free, so we each had a small duffle, not a suitcase.) I may try to see if I can stash it with one of our friends, lol.

ETA: Also, we are currently looking to do the airport shuttle, and not rent a car at all. If we had a car, we would just leave the luggage in the trunk!

That's a big difference! When I priced it for my friends a month ago, the Homewood Suites WAS $116 per night!

Wow. That's a pretty big difference!

I don't usually either, but I like the free breakfast, and the HS are the closest Hilton Hotel with a complimentary breakfast. I might use the stove to reheat leftovers though.

Dd has also recently decided she doesn't like most hotel breakfasts, so that doesn't even help me! She has gotten very picky about what she considers good breakfast, especially on tournament days. Although apparently a bagel and cream cheese is an approved breakfast, but only sometimes.

In Anaheim it's probably better than some rat infested hotel in East LA.

Lol! It really did look pretty nice and non-scary from the photos.

Yeah the walk is easy, and you pass lots of convenience stores and places to eat on the way. It's always crowded with folks when we drive by. Always have to look out for pedestrian's crossing Harbor and Katella.

Yeah, it seemed that way. I love google maps sometimes!
 
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Btw, I'm paying a lot of attention to the Anaheim hotel discussion, since Pokemon Worlds will be at the Anaheim Convention center, and dd clinched her invite! I still have to figure out how to pay for this trip, but I'm scoping things out. The crazy thing is, it is right after school starts, so there may not be any time for DL or DCA, even though we would be right across the street! (Dd is also incredibly focused on keeping in her Pokemon bubble on tournament trips, so she wouldn't be up for Dismeets)

You might try @mvf-m11c for all things Orange Co. hotels. He recently went, as you know, and has all the low down. I can't imagine being that close to a park and not going though! :scared1:

I barely stay outside of the DLR hotel area when I go but there are advantages and disadvantages as well. The good one is that if you stay away from the DLR, the prices of the hotels are way cheaper (depends on what hotel you stay). Even though I save quite a lot of money by staying off-site you do lose a lot of park time which is important.

Glad that you had a great time at that restaurant and get to experience it. Even though it is nice, I really missed the old one. I do miss going through Court of Angels before it was changed for the m
 
Yes! Yes, I do! I've not heard of Pat O's; a smaller scale Du Monde??

Pat O's is a legendary bar in the Quarter. http://www.patobriens.com/patobriens/default.asp They made hurricane's (drink) famous. I met Anita and Marc there a couple of years ago.


There are times in life when all is in order. With not a care in the world, my camera where it belonged (in my possession, but handily stashed in Alison’s storage tote on her scooter), good friends alongside of me, and Main Street mere yards away, I skipped along happy as a clam.

What a Lovely picture this makes.

(That’s a lie; I nearly peed myself when I was told that this was something Alison got an invitation for. I’d have given up 3 cameras for a chance to go to the exclusive, beautiful Club 33. (If you’ll recall, I almost did give up 1.))

I would have experienced the same reaction.

Before going upstairs to where we’d be dining, we paused just inside the private entrance and Fran and Alison parked their scooters. I changed from my flats into some heels more appropriate to the occasion, we were offered a glass of infused water to sip, which we gratefully accepted, and then paused on the stairway for a portrait of we threesome.

What a beautiful picture. Ya'll look fabulous!


Soon, we made our way up the staircase, and Kay and I visited the (is there a word more descriptive than posh?) opulent bathroom.

I like to check out the swanky loos too.

The menu was fairly extensive and I went with something pink. At this point, it’s no use asking me what it was; I have no idea. It tasted great.

I see Allison already helped you with this. Having never been there I thought when I saw it that it looked a lot like a hurricane from Pat O's.

The menus were handed around in the usual fancy fashion, and I occupied myself with reading the little history accompanying it. I found it fascinating and especially pleased it originally opened in the month and year I was born.

Love all the little special touches. 1967 was a very good year if I do say so myself.

This experience was truly a once-in-a-lifetime treat, one I’ll never forget. (And yes, your wisecracks aside, I do remember all of it. )

I'm so happy for you! What a special treat and memory of a lifetime.
 
(in my possession, but handily stashed in Alison’s storage tote on her scooter

Yes. I remember that. You snagged her storage area, relegating me to lugging mine on my shoulder.
To the swift fall the rewards.

good friends alongside of me

:goodvibes

Side note: Are clams truly happy? I wonder about these things… usually around 2:00 AM when Brain won’t shut up. If clams are happy in the salty sand, is there anything that would make them happier? Can clams be unhappy? What life lessons can we learn from clams???

This has already been answered by a couple people, but.... I'm happy enough eating them.
Actually I had clams just last week. It was really good too!

This old gal was mostly along for the ride

There was an old gal with us?
I only remember an old fart (me of course) and beautiful young ladies.

being a Bucket List item for, oooooohhhh, I dunno, 3+ decades, I reluctantly agreed to tag along.

I had no idea. When I was told about it, it was pretty much the first I'd heard of it.
I think I had in passing, but, since I'd never get in there (wrong!!! :)) I relegated it to the dusty cobwebs of my mind.

That’s a lie; I nearly peed myself when I was told that this was something Alison got an invitation for.

So that's what the puddle was! I just assumed you'd spilled a drink again.

Actually, the skipping part was also only in my heart because it was so freaking crowded in the park (scary crowded!),

Oh, thank goodness.
I didn't say anything, since I had no frame of reference.
But I do remember thinking it was insanely crowded.

Make no mistake though, Ladies and Gentlemen, if there is room, this girl skips.

:laughing: I'd like to see that someday.

From a jealous distance, I would envy the members and yearn to be chosen to serve or host "up there".

This goes back a long ways. I'm really glad you were finally able to realize your dream.

Never, ever in my wildest fantasies, did I think I’d have a chance to set foot inside such a coveted piece of real estate during my lifetime, let alone have lunch for an afternoon.

:) I'm very happy for you!
Heck... I'm happy for me too!!

Our two lovely hostesses wanted our group to experience La Salon Nouveau first

So that's what it's called! I've been calling it "This lounge that was beside the restaurant"

But, point of order, it would be "Le" Salon Nouveau.

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Nice shot of two beautiful ladies.
Too bad the ol' geezer is blocking you both.

Actually, that's very uncharacteristic of me. I'd almost always put myself behind two such lovely ladies. You both deserve to be out front and be the center of attention.

OH Look! Another of the light fixtures I drool over!

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I loved those!

is there a word more descriptive than posh?

How about 'opulent'?

opulent bathroom.

You're welcome.


And I think that's mine in the background. No idea either. Maybe @franandaj knows?

Relax, it’ll be brief as I was too self-conscious to take many photos.

Ditto. I just soaked it in.

And, no, I won’t let you kick me too; one of us doing that is enough.

<puts boots away>

The level of self-conscious, in fact, constrained this lame TR writer to exactly ONE (1) photo. Sad.

I think that's one more than I took.

When the tune featured a sax solo, the guy playing sax disappeared from the painting and a sax appeared over the bar as an animated image.

As Alison pointed out, it was a clarinet... But it wasn't an animated image. It was an actual clarinet... and it moved.

(Kay found a hidden Darth Vader in a race she and I had over one picture that Alison pointed out.)

I didn't know about this!!

Actually, I can’t speak for the others, but I saw a lot of food consumed during the meal, which usually testifies to one’s state of appetite.

::yes::

(With 3 exceptions: Thanksgiving Dinner, pizza and lasagna. Those are always consumed far beyond the point of one being “full”. Hungry or not, I have no problem eating those until the Heartburn Ogre declares a win.)

Ah! So that explains a certain incident that took place about two weeks ago.......

I found it fascinating and especially pleased it originally opened in the month and year I was born.

Happy 29th birthday Club 33!

The customary hoity-toity purse stools were given to the ladies,

That's one of my favourite memories of that trip. Kay's reaction to her stool.

and the napkin folding was amusingly creative.

I really liked that!

The Birthday Girl enjoyed an extra splash of attention which I believe she enjoyed a bit.

::yes::

Seared Fish:

I believe you were the only one who ordered that. How was it? I'm not sure I asked?

I also did the wine pairing and found myself… ummmm… on the snockered side by the time I walked out (yes, I did walk out). I’ll let the others give their commentary and friendly ribbing on the levels of inebriation

Nope. I will not.
You enjoyed yourself and lived your dream to the fullest.
It would be in poor taste for me to lessen that experience.

but the upside is that had I not been, I doubt I’d have left with these beauties:

I didn't know you got those! I know you were talking about getting the pin, but...

(And yes, your wisecracks aside, I do remember all of it. )

I didn't say a thing!!!

:)
 
But I do remember thinking it was insanely crowded.

It was absolutely INSANE that week, and the next one too. I was just out there a couple hours ago, and it was amazing how short the waits were. However people with the So Cal resident passes are blocked for the entire month of July.

But, point of order, it would be "Le" Salon Nouveau.

Very true, you could also say, "the Lounge" or "the Jazz Lounge", or "the new part."

You both deserve to be out front and be the center of attention.

We didn't want to show how much shorter we were than you. :laughing:

And I think that's mine in the background. No idea either. Maybe @franandaj knows?

As I said, she had a Hurricaine, I have no idea what yours was. I don't pay attention to that part of the menu. :laughing:

Kay's reaction to her stool.

:eek: :eek: :eek:

I believe you were the only one who ordered that. How was it? I'm not sure I asked?

I ordered it too and it was delicious. Perfectly cooked.

You enjoyed yourself and lived your dream to the fullest.
It would be in poor taste for me to lessen that experience.

Awwww. C'mon, she was very happy when we left, although you didn't ride on Pirates with us afterwards....
 
H is for: Have Corn Dog, Will Scratch


Lunch was a smash hit. Well, at least in my book. The food was delicious, even with the inventive and creative takes on old dishes of the escargot and “French Onion Soup”. I thought they were both fantastic renditions and the chefs put a nice spin on them. Food and wine aside, it was time to head out to see what further shenanigans would come our way. You didn’t really doubt there would be a lack of those, did you?

Alison (@franandaj )and I peeled off from the others to find our own fun, while Fran went to stake out our spots and wait for the evening parade and fireworks. Ponzi and Kay went one direction, while we headed towards PoTC. Aarrgh! I forgot to include these guys in my last update, and it seems fitting and altogether appropriate to include them here. If you know me at all, you’ll realize that if there is ANY chance of watching a live music performance, I’mma gonna take it. Every time. If there’s a banjo, even better. Or an upright bass. They sort of, you know, tickle my fancy.

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Given the chance, I’ll also stop for this guy, 100% of the time.

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He plays near here:

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We rode and enjoyed it just as much as ever. Yes, we did yell out, "We wants the Red Head!" If they change that scene, I will be one of the sorely disappointed!

Some things just never get old. Except the wet pants afterwards. If someone in our family says they have IBS, they aren’t talking about cramping or the need for Lomtil. They’re talking about having Itchy Butt Syndrome- an affliction that should be added to the Handbook of Effective Torture Methods. Waterboarding has NOTHING on post Wet-Disney-Ride IBS. Seriously, walking down Main Street scratching one’s backside all nonchalant-like is funny… when it’s someone else. “Hey Mom, why is that lady itching her rear end?” “Oh, Little Johny, she just rode Splash Mountain or Pirates, and will now be uncomfortable for hours. And cold”

Yes, I was rather chilly, so ended up buying yet another $485 sweatshirt. Those are the only kind they sell in the Emporium. For what it’s worth, you can buy an identical one in the Goodwill for $5 when the original purchaser realizes that the vacation weight gain hasn’t caught up with her yet, and she just bought said $485 sweatshirt 2 sizes too small. It’s called Vacation Weight Gain Denial and can only be diagnosed about a week after one gets home. Your co-workers will say, “You look so tan!” Don’t be deceived. What they really mean is, “You look so FAT!”

My brand spanking new sweatshirt only helped a teensy bit, and there was still time to kill before finding seats for the show, so naturally I had to find more food. (Just to make sure the sweatshirt would absolutely NOT fit when I got home.) And just to make sure I don't come across as too snooty to sink to the delicious lows of a corndog with mustard. So, I found The Little Red Wagon. And bought two. In the case of corndogs, more is better. The line for the Little Red Wagon was surprisingly short, and in no time I had 2 of these in my hot freezing little hand. Back to the Hub I scurried and found the gals. I gave my 2nd corny dog to Fran who gratefully accepted it (Hey, Lady, I’ll trade you a corn dog for an invitation to The Club! :rolleyes:) and we chatted it up for a bit and got some silly on. Well, I did. I don’t know about Fran and Alison.

To Infinity and Beyond!

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After not too long, a friend of Alison’s found us and it was GREAT meeting and getting to know Bret a little bit (@mvf-m11c ). Seriously, we had a really nice talk and all too soon, it was dark and time for him to find his own place for viewing. Ponzi and Kay found us "just in the nick of time", as Alison put it in her TR chapter for this day, and we all enjoyed the MSEP.

The castle just before MSEP began:

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And other scenes around the Hub:

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What a delight to watch this back where it belonged- on Disneyland Main Street. Our view was a touch obscured by trees, but it didn’t matter. All of my photos sucked regardless. I have no idea why I just couldn’t get my settings right AT ALL, so eventually I just sat back and enjoyed it. I got a little misted up when the Baroque Hoedown started up, and was glad for the darkness to hide my ridiculous grin reaching from ear to ear. How old ARE you, anyway, Steppe?

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The Salute to America was given and then it was time to wait on the start of the Fireworks. I’m sure it has a name, but I’m too lazy to look it up. Sue me.

During the hiatus, there were several announcements made that there was a chance that the Fireworks show would be cancelled due to high winds. Well, duh! My goosebumps were ample proof that it was windy and chilly. Yeah, it was a bummer (my IBS was NOT abating), but we four held out hope that they’d still be able to launch the show.

Sure enough, the music began and soon enough the pyrotechnics and projection show commenced. And it was beautiful. And unique. And decidedly skewed to the left. (Hmmmm?)

Enjoy the shots I did get:

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And…. stunted. About halfway through, they abruptly stopped and an announcement came on saying it was just too windy to continue. Ah well. A nice hot shower, and my nice clean sheets were sounding quite inviting right about then anyway, and I was becoming anxious to get back to my hotel room for some downtime. It had been a long and wonderful day and there would be more fantastic memories made the next.

Until Next Time....

Yours Truly,

Steppe
 
We rode and enjoyed it just as much as ever. Yes, we did yell out, "We wants the Red Head!" If they change that scene, I will be one of the sorely disappointed!
Funny, I just sent you a PM for picture guesses a few minutes ago and mentioned this same thing. Glad to know we are on the same page!

And bought two. In the case of corndogs, more is better. The line for the Little Red Wagon was surprisingly short, and in no time I had 2 of these in my hot freezing little hand.
I enjoy the corn dog nuggets at Casey's Corner. I've read that the corn dogs in Disneyland are different and better. Any truth to that? Just curious. I may never get to experience a DL corn dog, but one can always dream.

What a delight to watch this back where it belonged- on Disneyland Main Street.
I can't disagree that it may truly belong in Disneyland, but I am sad that I would have much farther to travel if I ever want to see this treasure again.
 

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