Trip Report The Audrey’s 3rd Birthday Trip Trip Report…!!!!!

Who: myself (Steve), my DWifey of 35+ years (Carolyn), oldest DD (Megan, turned 33 today), DS (Matthew, 31), youngest DD (Sarah, 29), SonIL (Daniel, oldest DDs husband, 34), oldest granddaughter (Emory, “Emmy”, 5) and youngest granddaughter (Audrey, turned 3 during the trip) for who the TR title is obviously dedicated to…!!!

When: June 26th to July 2nd, 2024.

Where: Old Key West Resort. First time ever staying there…!!!

Some initial fave PP pics below…!!!!!

More to come, soon…!!!

 

[fractal]

My condolences on your loss.

 

[k8einwdw]

So sorry for your loss

 

[donaldtoo]

My condolences to you and your wife! One can never be prepared enough to say goodbye for good. She was obviously well loved and loving. Sending giant hugs to all of you!

Thinking of you and your family.

My condolences on your loss.

So sorry for your loss

Thank you all very much for your kind thoughts and words, as it is indeed greatly appreciated.

As has been mentioned, all the prep in the world doesn’t truly prepare you for something like this.
Other than dropping our special needs son off at work, I was here with her all day since about the middle of March. But, towards the end, I had one of my parents (fortunately, my Mom and Pop are still pretty healthy at age 86 and 91, respectively) taking care of that, as I didn’t want her to be here alone for that long.
Her dexterity had gotten to the point where she couldn’t even answer her phone anymore, much less plug her iPhone or iPad in for charging, or even feed herself.
A few months back she became, pretty much, completely immobile, so she needed help with everything. Her eyesight and hearing had been bad for a while, too.
I catch myself, in short moments, doing things like turning down our living room TV volume so as not to disturb her, making sure the A/C isn’t set too low, as she got cold easy, making sure when I go out to the garage refrigerator that I don’t let the door shut too loudly, etc.
For the first times today, I let the door from the house to the garage close on its own, turned the TV volume up a couple of notches, and the A/C down about 4 more degrees.

Anyway, I’m rambling.
I just didn’t expect it to be quite this difficult, I guess.

Thanks again to everyone for your kind thoughts and words. It means a lot.

 

[donaldtoo]

On a lighter note…
Audrey needs glasses and got them today.
Her favorite color is purple, so she tried some purple frames on, but ended up going with pink because she thought they were, according to Megan, “brighter and prettier”…!!!!!

 

[Tiki Traveler]

So sorry for your loss. What a testament to your MIL and your family to be so well taken care of at home.

 

[erstwo]

So sorry to hear about your mother in law. Thinking of your wife and your whole family.
I say it all the time since losing my mom - for me- it never gets easier, but as time passes, the memories get sweeter. I wish the same (or better!) for your family- May your mother in law’s memory be a blessing. 🩷

 

[donaldtoo]

So sorry for your loss. What a testament to your MIL and your family to be so well taken care of at home.

So sorry to hear about your mother in law. Thinking of your wife and your whole family.
I say it all the time since losing my mom - for me- it never gets easier, but as time passes, the memories get sweeter. I wish the same (or better!) for your family- May your mother in law’s memory be a blessing. 🩷

Thank you both very much.

She actually worked in custodial in a pretty nice retirement facility from her mid 50’s to her late 60’s, but she definitely didn’t want to pass in one, or even a hospital, so we felt we really needed to honor that wish.

We are watching the Astros v. Rangers game right now. She was a huge Astros fan, and that is just one good memory.
And, the Astros just beat the Rangers 4-2…I’m sure she is smiling down on that.

Thanks again very much, to you both.

 

[annienevells]

So sorry for your loss!

Audrey's glasses are ADORABLE, and she is definitely rocking the bright and pretty pink!

 

[donaldtoo]

Thank you so much.

Thanks, and she’s lovin’ ‘em…!!!
They got her the flexible frames, as she has A LOT of energy…!!!!!

 

[donaldtoo]

I think we finally reached our high temps for today…???!!!!!

 

[donaldtoo]

OK, back to this TR…

Friday, June 28th, and Audrey’s 3rd birthday celebration at MK continued…!!!

Ahhhhh…….to be back in Town Square again, for the first time since early last October (which is actually our shortest time span ever between trips)…!!!!!

We’ll get to the WDWR a little later in the day…!!!

There was already a substantial line at the Emporium at 7:20a, specifically for PatF merch, as this was the day TBA opened to the public…

Gotta’ love the architectural detail of City Hall…!!!

And, of course, the Firehouse/Engine Co. 71, with the patches from all over the world on the walls…!!!

Up next: Friday, June 28th, and Audrey’s 3rd birthday celebration at MK continued…!!!

 

[luvinthemajik]

I think we finally reached our high temps for today…???!!!!!

View attachment 807253

WOW, just WOW!!!

 

[donaldtoo]

Friday, June 28th, and Audrey’s 3rd birthday celebration at MK continued…!!!

A few more pics from Engine Co. 71…

Then, we took that stroll down Main Street USA, towards Cinderella Castle, with Audrey granting wishes along the way…!!!

Up next: Friday, June 28th, and Audrey’s 3rd birthday celebration at MK continued…!!!

 

[donaldtoo]

WOW, just WOW!!!

Yep, we’re finally back to our normal very hot summer again this year. It was so unusually mild earlier this summer, so I was getting worried…!!!!!

 

[luvinthemajik]

Yep, we’re finally back to our normal very hot summer again this year. It was so unusually mild earlier this summer, so I was getting worried…!!!!!

Once upon a time we lived in McKinney and Plano, Texas, and as my Dad used to say," If you don't like 105° heat during the day, hang on, it will cool right down to 90 at night"
Hang in,Texas's other season, winter, lol, will be along before you know it.

 

[donaldtoo]

Once upon a time we lived in McKinney and Plano, Texas, and as my Dad used to say," If you don't like 105° heat during the day, hang on, it will cool right down to 90 at night"
Hang in,Texas's other season, winter, lol, will be along before you know it.

Yes indeed…!!!!!
And yes, we do actually have occasional weather extremes like the one below from our “SNOWMAGEDDON 2021…!!!!!!!!!!!”…!!!!!

 

[Wicked Sisters]

I’m so jealous of the snow you get as we never seem to get any round where we live in the UK anymore. Would not like your hot summers though, I suppose if you have A/C you can cope with it better.

 

[luvinthemajik]

Yes indeed…!!!!!
And yes, we do actually have occasional weather extremes like the one below from our “SNOWMAGEDDON 2021…!!!!!!!!!!!”…!!!!!

View attachment 807431View attachment 807432View attachment 807433View attachment 807434

Some time in the late 1980's there was a storm with the same look , I learned about " black ice" that year.
Texas, a place of bizarre weather possibilities, but, nothing takes the cake like a tornado.
So, heat, snow, ice...You learn to cope, but , churning black funnel clouds? No thank you.

 

[donaldtoo]

I’m so jealous of the snow you get as we never seem to get any round where we live in the UK anymore. Would not like your hot summers though, I suppose if you have A/C you can cope with it better.

We do tend to get a little snow, if only a dusting, almost every year, but that was the most snow we’d had in our area in years. We had over 6 inches, which is very unusual for us, plus about an inch of ice from freezing rain, and that storm covered so much of the state. We had below freezing temps for 5 days, and all nonessential workers were told to stay home. We missed almost a full week of work.
Millions lost power, many also had no water, etc., and 246 lost their lives. It was pretty crazy.
And yes, there hasn’t been a house built here, that I know of, without central A/C in many decades.

And, it looks like we had a cold front come through today…!!!!!

 

[donaldtoo]

Some time in the late 1980's there was a storm with the same look , I learned about " black ice" that year.
Texas, a place of bizarre weather possibilities, but, nothing takes the cake like a tornado.
So, heat, snow, ice...You learn to cope, but , churning black funnel clouds? No thank you.

We had 3 decent snows back in 1985, from early January to early February, with anywhere from 3-5 inches. Could it have been that year, maybe…?
I’ve seen one tornado up close, but, although it had just touched down, it was still developing and couldn’t have been more than an EF1, if not less, at that point. I do know that it did some minor damage down the road before it went back up into the clouds.
We never have too many bad ones in our area, as I believe the hills tend to break them up from the direction they usually come.