The Chit Chat Chit Chat Thread

[donaldtoo]

Goodies at work are necessary to maintain sanity in the workplace. Last week, one of our group brought in some huge chocolate candy bars--we were all breaking off pieces of those huge bars all day long. Yum, yum, yum--and FREE!!!

More good news--I'm taking today off!!

We've (of course ) had the chocolate bar thing happen before, as well. A coworkers kid not being able to sell all their fundraiser inventory, the parent having to "eat" the money, and us getting to eat the chocolate...!!!!!
Also, the last 2 holiday seasons, we have gotten a gift basket from a client of some great stuff, including spicy Mexican chocolate bars that most in the office don't seem to care for, but, absolutelely love...!!!!!
More for me...!!!!!
I put them in the fridge, and there is more than enough to last a coupla' weeks...!!!

And, an almost 2-week-late congrats on the day off...!!!

 

[donaldtoo]

Happy birthday to your wife!! Looks like pretty good food. I want those enchiladas!

Thanks!
It was all really delicious , as per usual, and so much food we needed 4 to-go boxes between the 6 of us...!!!

 

[Gabe1]

Please

Ha! Well here ya are, again. I agree. Loved that place.

 

[donaldtoo]

BTW @Songbird76...
Are you getting any closer to wrapping things up here in the states and getting back home.
So sorry the "red tape" of it all has been such a pain. Hope you are able to get things in order soon and get back to your family...!
Prayers...

 

[donaldtoo]

I do hope he behaves for a very long time. Like I said I have a full and comprehensive list of walking tours for Donkeys

I know I've posted this before, but, one of my favorite lines from the aftermath of a "driving tour" from a particular movie is... "Leave the gun, take the cannoli."

 

[Gabe1]

Yes. Actually the retina surgeon who is monitoring my Macular Pucker is the one that spoke to me in great length about the cataract surgery. His dad does the cataract surgery in their practice. He did explain benefits that I had not even thought of. That is why I decided to finally have this done. My vision is pretty bad. It has gradually deteriorated, of course, but I am never without my glasses. I could not function without them.

My Mom has Mac also. They waited as long as they could but they did one eye at a time because of the Mac. The first eye went smoother. She was seeing like a kid again at day 3.
The second eye took a bit longer, it was sharper but she said like looking threw water. It made her nervous but the Doc told her to be patient and about week 2 everything was great.
That second eye she still needs a correction with glasses because of the Mac but it is still so much better. If she isn't driving she doesn't wear glasses except to read.

 

[donaldtoo]

Just had some deja vu here--when I was a kid we had SOLID chocolate bunnies. Haven't seen a solid one in so many years now. Everything is hollow.

Yep, I have yet to meet a chocolate bunny I didn't like, but, the solid ones just seemed so much more...personable...?!

 

[Gabe1]

Do you remember layered Jello in a box?

or the infant accessory every infant had to have? My DD woke up in her crib every morning and played with this for about 10 minutes. Enough time for me to shower and pour coffee.

or had one of these things shoved up your nose?

Or trying to be convinced that soaking your hands in pure dish soap would make your skin soft????

Or remember drive thru film drop off?

Or remember the laughter from Edith Ann?

 

[donaldtoo]

I was hoping to talk my dh into a few days for F&W but he said if James does the band thing we should wait and go down then. Hopefully it will be during F&G

 

[donaldtoo]

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[donaldtoo]

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[Songbird76]

BTW @Songbird76...
Are you getting any closer to wrapping things up here in the states and getting back home.
So sorry the "red tape" of it all has been such a pain. Hope you are able to get things in order soon and get back to your family...!
Prayers...

I'm hoping to go back around the 5th or 6th of May. Right now it's just waiting until the 30 days have passed so we can file the paperwork. I'm really hoping we don't have to go into probate, but I hear from friends that it can take up to 2 years to go through probate. Obviously I can't stay here for 2 years, so it's just a matter of having someone who can sign on my behalf. Long story short, Lord I hope so!!!!

 

[donaldtoo]

OK gang, I'm a goner...!
Hope the sweet Disney dreamin' is still happenin' for y'all, or already did...!!!
See y'alllllllllllllll...!!!!!

 

[Songbird76]

Do you remember layered Jello in a box?

or the infant accessory every infant had to have? My DD woke up in her crib every morning and played with this for about 10 minutes. Enough time for me to shower and pour coffee.

or had one of these things shoved up your nose?

Or trying to be convinced that soaking your hands in pure dish soap would make your skin soft????

Or remember drive thru film drop off?

Or remember the laughter from Edith Ann?

I had that infant play thing! I loved that as a little one.

 

[Daveeeeed]

I guess we were lucky not to have it go down. We didn't get to ride Space Mountain, it was down for refurb. I had wanted to try that one too, but if I had to pick between space or thunder I'm glad thunder was up and running.






Looks so yummy! Happy birthday to your wife!

It was the opposite for me. Thunder was down, but Space wasn't.

As DLP's Frontierland is arguably the best Magic Kingdom park land in the world definitely Big Thunder was the superior one to have open, but Space is very different in Paris... it feels more like a super Rock n' Rollercoaster, but it is still gorgeous.

But mind you, Ratatouille's downtime isn't that bad... it's just that it breaks down often compared to low downtime rides like Pinocchio and Phantom Manor.

 

[Gabe1]

Ok, so when I get home, I am going to need a vacation to unwind. Disneyland Paris is celebrating 25 years and they have some decent deals going for Dutch residents. We could go in October when the kids have fall break. So...I need to pick a resort to see how much it costs. Where do you all stay, those of you who have done Paris? And why?
And also, for those of you who do cruises...I was talking to my brother and brother-in-law and they did a cruise for their honeymoon and there was a musical show that passengers could audition to be in and they got a photo and a DVD...it looks like a hoot. I was wondering if that's standard on most cruise lines/ships? They were on the Star Princess, which I THINK they said was Carnival? But I could be wrong...but that sounds like so much fun to do.

I betcha you're going to need a vacation to look forward to. But it is a good sentence, WHEN I GET HOME, you haven't lost faith.
Oy. {{{HUGS}}}

My sons last cruise was on the Breeze-Carnival. He was beyond impressed with their offerings, food and activities. He really had an exceptionally good time. But then I see the other option being great for your family with the discounts. A little taste of Disney does the soul good.

Glad you are thinking some happy thoughts.

 

[Gabe1]

I'm hoping to go back around the 5th or 6th of May. Right now it's just waiting until the 30 days have passed so we can file the paperwork. I'm really hoping we don't have to go into probate, but I hear from friends that it can take up to 2 years to go through probate. Obviously I can't stay here for 2 years, so it's just a matter of having someone who can sign on my behalf. Long story short, Lord I hope so!!!!

Oy. And yes. Living just a scratch of that. But we are not doing that again. We have an estate attorney that has now reworked my Mom's estate so we don't have a rerun of this. My attorney Sis is annoyed. Had the parents not been, yeah yeah everything is in order blah blah blah, we wouldn't still be in this freak'n mess.

My Mom sat quietly as we set up her estate until specific wishes came up that we need input on. I feel your pain and I'm not separated from my family, feel for ya kid.

 

[Gabe1]

We had breakfast, just a continental breakfast included in our room cost, and the croissants were really good! There were also cold meats and cheeses as well. We did not use the the pool but it did look nice. Most of it was indoors and there was a portion connected to the outside.

Here are a couple pictures of the Sequoia Lodge, our room and the pool area.
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I liked the Bambi details around the room.
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We have a hotel near my Mom's that has a pool just like this.
We use to as a special treat get a room there every once in a while and we lived at that pool. My Dad was big on his daughters swimming. Funny how that rubbed off on me with my kids being competition swimmers.

 

[Gabe1]

I understand, but, even with the need for corrective lenses what you do see will be much, much sharper, brighter and cleaner. That alone, a factor that I was not even aware of, made it all worth while.

The routine surgery now a days for cataracts is very different concerns for Mac patients. They look for the prime time when the fluid isn't built up behind. Poor timing could lead to blindness after surgery. My Mom had many shots to the the eye for several years to dry up the fluids until she got to the point where the surgeons would risk. It's heck getting old isn't it?

 

[Gabe1]

They look like a lawsuit waiting to happen This coming from somebody who grew up with a dart board in their house. Pins to those on the other side of the pond.

Now a days maybe a lawsuit. If a kid can't walk on these they certainly should never walk on stilts. My DD's fake Grandfather, another story, bought her stills when he heard her say around age 8 she wanted stilts. Guess as a kid he had 2'x2' wood ones and loved them. She loved them.

Sadly fake Grandpa died while she was away at college her freshman first semester. I so miss him as do my kids.

 

[Gabe1]

Pins
View attachment 201409

Darts
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I beleive we invented the game(ish) here in the United of Kingdom

Ahhh darts. One of my adult sons favorite pastimes.
We had a board in the basement when he was a kid and one on the service door to the garage outside our gazebo. Fun times.