A Quick Post From Disneyworld

Not much time for posting, but couldn't resist a little one.

Obviously, when you do Disney in the summer, it's HOT!! I bought this battery operated fan/mister the last time we were here. I remembered to bring it this time with spare batteries. It's quite tedious filling it up with ice as you have to have just the right size of cubes and then put them in one at a time. 

Butch is such a good guy!!! He patiently filled my mister this morning! I charge 25 cents for 2 squirts. Believe me, everyone wants it! It does get tiring---carrying it around. It doesn't really stay on your shoulder and around your neck just hurts. The ice melts fairly quickly and then the water gets warm---hardly refreshing.

I'm not sure it's worth the 20 bucks I paid for it. I've only made about a buck twenty five selling squirts. I'm such a sucker.

I've Alway Been a "Cry-er"

Things move me. I cry at touching commercials. I cry with friends. I cry at weddings, I tear up in beautiful gardens. I cry during movies. I cry while reading. I cry at ceremonies---even if it's not about my family. And you can always count on Survivor to "tear me up" when family members send letters or arrive in person. I'm just empathetic. I put myself in the other person's shoes. I'm okay with that.

However, there's nothing to cry about this weekend. We're heading to the happiest place on earth!!

Disney, here we come! We're planned---I've made a schedule for each day---and printed it out---weekly as well as daily---for all 13 of us (my grandmother would be turning over at that number---once on Thanksgiving, she had my cousin bring a friend to make the number 14 for dinner---but I digress).

We've gotten our fast passes. We've made dinner reservations. We know what particular food and drink specialties to try in the various parks. We have many little known secrets to discover. Sandy is our expert there. She reads ALL the books! We count on her!

Doing Disney with us is exhausting. We always get the "park hopper" passes so we open the early park and close the late park. We carry ponchos for the showers likely to crop up. Nothing keeps us away. In fact, we like a bit of rain because the crowds thin out. We even fight! Even though we say that everyone can do their "own" thing, we all want to stay together. That leads to some bickering about what to do when. We always have a plan!

We go back to the hotel in the afternoon for a little pool time and relaxation---we stay at the Beach Club Resort. We've even been known to accidentally leave a certain family member who was napping, behind! "She" won't let us forget that! Here's a hint.

We swear we didn't do it on purpose! She's not so sure.

This year will be Nicky and Justin's first time at Disney with us. We think they might be a little afraid! They should be! I'm taking my Fitbit and will report back. This week will be a real test for my "new foot." I'm excited.

So, you see, there's nothing to be crying about. Then, just to get in the mood, I watched this---and cry I did! Just like I always did when Mindy was little. This was the only movie that kept her occupied for an hour an fifteen minutes a day. Yes, she watched it every day from about 9 months old to about 14---that would be years!

Enjoy---and see if you recognize the movie and who is singing? I'll tell you after the link, so don't peek! Baby Mine.

From Dumbo with Bette Midler singing.

I won't have much time for blogging, but I'll try to get a few photos posted.

Summers Meant Softball

And that meant this crew! Circa late 1960's. Many of us started playing together in the first grade---and continued on for eleven years. I'm the third from the right in front. My sister, Janice is on the far right in front. 

By year three, we were the City/County Champions EVERY year! That's what happens when you start a team from a young age and play together consistently. I played 3rd base for ten of those years. This is what I remember most:

1. We practiced at Mr. Beckman's farm and drank Kool Aid from a big pot with a ladle (quite unsanitary by today's standards---but we were kids and didn't know any better).
2. It was so hot during the summer that sweat dripped in to my eyes and burned, causing me to pray that the ball would not be hit to me.
3. My best friend, Reenie---far left on the front row---broke her ankle sliding in to home plate. I can still hear the crack!
4. The eight grade boys challenged us to a game. I didn't get to go, because I "lied" by omission. I just told my parents that we were having a softball party at Karen's and didn't mention the boys. Back then, you had to have graduated eighth grade to go to boy/girl parties.
5. My mom was one of the coaches---that's her 4th from the right on the back row.
6. Our coach entered us in to a pre-season league. We came up against a team that was so "bad" that they didn't even have any equipment. We had to loan them our gloves and bats. Turns out, they thought they had joined a volleyball league. (We played that too, but softball was our passion).
7. We had our banquet at Romines---known for the best fried chicken.
8. I was not a good batter, but I was a really good bunter.
9. We quit after our junior year. By then we were interested in boys and most of us had jobs!
10. If you notice the picture above I always wore crew socks. I never could stand the feel of feet in shoes without socks. Still can't. Apparently, my sister felt the same way. We didn't seem to care if that set us apart from our friends! I was always confident in my sock/no sock choice!

And that's my "throwback" for Thursday!

Family Reunion

We had a great time at the ALL family reunion. We have all been friends for 25-30 years. Our kids grew up together. When we decided to discontinue the Family Trivia Party at Christmas after 10 years, Butch and I came up with this idea---a big family picnic.

Considering all week they predicted rain, we couldn't have asked for a better day. It was sunny and hot, but not too humid. Everyone brought a dish so we had a wide variety of food. We had a lot leftover!

We had a corn hole tournament. The "buy in" was $2.00.

 Even the kids got in on the act.

Basically, without them knowing it, we gave them their money back. They thought they had won $2.00! Of course, since their grandparents paid for them, they did WIN $2.00.

 Everyone has decided that we need to make this an annual event. We will!

Italians Beware!!

Do not buy bracelets with magnetic closures!!! I repeat: DO NOT BUY BRACELETS WITH MAGNETIC CLOSURES!

These were some of my favorite bracelets. But I have not been able to wear them. It got to be too dangerous---and a potential liability!

A close-up in case you don't know what a magnetic closure looks like.

Once you start talking, they fly off. The magnet is just not strong enough to withstand an Italian during normal conversation.

(Get it---we talk with our hands???)

Retro-Sno

Last Sunday, I decided to surprise the girls. We went to White Castle first. Sandy loves White Castle and they do not have them in Charlotte. From there, we met the Retro Sno truck in Elmington Park.

 I have never done this before but had heard about it. You just have to check their website to see where the trucks are going to be throughout the week.

 Elizabeth got the rainbow---which seemed like the best---lots of juice.

 Stephanie told us that Retro Sno had been at her work. She got the Raspberry Wedding Cake. Sandy got it and said it was good.

Victoria got the pink lemonade. I got plain old-fashioned cherry. It was good, but really nothing more than a regular sno cone. Still, it was a fun little surprise on a steamy hot day!

Lately...

Outside my window: What can I say? It's hot. You can fry an egg on the patio. The pool is barely refreshing these days.

 I am thinking: I want to get up in my scrapbook room. I haven't been able to spend any time up there since the big clean out a few weeks ago---or maybe it has been more than a month---yikes! Where does the time go? I'm planning to have an hour today--perhaps two. 

I am thankful for: Air conditioning! No explanation necessary!

From the kitchen: I have planned the first annual ALL Family Reunion for my friends tomorrow at the park. I have a couple dishes to make for that---Cowboy Caviar (click for recipe---makes a lot) and Carrot Casserole. 

I am wearing: I'm still in my pajamas and plan to stay that way until my friends come over for a swim party.

I am hoping: To break in my new tennis shoes. I used my rewards and "thanks for sharing" dollars from Macy's to buy two new pairs before Disney. I have a week.

I am reading: I've just started The Invention of Wings for book club. I've already finished Industry Darling. Unfortunately, I won't be able to go to book club since I'll be at the beach. This will be the first meeting I've missed since Connie and I started the club six or seven years ago. The funny part about it is that I could have gone if I hadn't changed the date to accommodate someone else. That's what I get for not checking my own calendar! I'll send my comments anyway. 

I'm watching: I finally got Butch to watch a series. I really like watching full seasons on dvd. We're watching Suits---recommended by my friend, Nancy. The only problem? Butch doesn't want to watch more than one episode at a time. I could watch two in a row for sure!

I am busy creating: I haven't created anything since the centerpiece for Mitchell's little party.

I'm itching to do some scrapbooking.

I'm bummed: That the weather forecast for tomorrow is not looking good. It could be a soggy picnic.

I am hearing: GMA in the background.

Around the house: I think it's really "cute" that Butch bought these glasses. We have tons of glasses and don't really need them. I guess you can never have too many gin and tonic glasses. 

 I guarantee you they came from the Dollar Store! Actually, the Dollar Store has some good stuff.

In other news: Jordan and friends have been over to swim three times this week. The problem? It's always after 10:00 p.m. I guess that's when everyone is finished working. It's not really a problem, but the music can get loud. We're happy to have them here. I keep the refrigerator stocked with soda and pantry stocked with chips. Reminds me of when our girls were young. Our house was the "go to" house. We didn't have a pool then. We're just glad to have them around. They clean up perfectly! I like that!

 One of my favorite things right now: 

First---who doesn't like free stuff? The first free things were the tickets to the Sounds Game---minor league baseball. Nicky's office has season tickets, so he offered me some. I took a couple friends. They were giving out free t-shirts. For what the shirts cost them I wish they'd had the park sprayed for mosquitoes. Maybe the did. My friend, Mary Jo and I were the only ones bothered. Of course, I have a problem with mosquitoes. Remember recently, I found out that they like O- blood types. I always knew it was the universal blood type, but I had no idea that everything in the universe would love it!

Second---I discovered Lemonheads when I was putting together the sunshine boxes I sent to the girls at school. They are tart lemony things that last a long time---for when you want just a little something. 

I appreciate: Friends that bring lunch to the pool and then leave half of it behind for dinner! Thanks Connie---delicious pasta salad, cheese toast and German Chocolate dessert!

I regret: that rain is predicted for tomorrow. Our First Annual ALL Family Reunion might be very short.

How the weekend is shaping up: Besides the picnic tomorrow, the "kids" are coming over on Sunday for a Father's Day pool party. It's supposed to be sunny by then.