-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
The Chit Chat Chit Chat Thread
- Thread starter The Mom
- Start date
MySmallWorldof4
Well-Known Member
MySmallWorldof4
Well-Known Member
Yes!
donaldtoo
Well-Known Member
Very pretty. Your pictures of the Austin area have totally changed my thoughts of what Texas looks like. In a good way, of course.
Thanks!!!
Yes it seems many have either never been here, or maybe only drove through the Panhandle on their away across the country...!
Texas covers a vast area, and has much varying geography. Everything from the Central Texas Hill Country, to the coastal plains of South Texas, to the Piney Woods of East Texas, to the high plains of North Texas, and the Mountains of West Texas, including Big Bend National Park, and at least 5 mountain peaks well over 8,000 ft. in elevation.
As some of our tourism advertising says...!!!
donaldtoo
Well-Known Member
Ooooh, almost time! Counting down days now and not months. So happy and excited for you!
Thank you so very much!!!!!
It’s just so crazy how time flies...
I remember the day oldest DD (all 3 kiddos, for that matter) was born like it was yesterday, although she turned 27 in July, and now she and SonIL are bringing their first child into the world...!!!!!
Of course, we’re as excited as all get-out...!!!!!!!!!
.....But, where the friggin’ heck did all the time go...!!!!!!!
I actually know, as I was there, but Jeeez, wayyyyy tooooo fast...!!!!!
Goofyernmost
Well-Known Member
I played the mellophone in a Marching band for about a year. I hated it. That is what they called it back then, but, I'm not sure that is true today. Basically it was a French Horn that was fingered on the right side instead of the left. I do have a fairly good, if not perfect, repertoire on piano and guitar self taught. So I had a terrible teacher.I played violin as well.
donaldtoo
Well-Known Member
donaldtoo
Well-Known Member
There is no way in HECK I would EVER get “beer” mixed up with “bare” or “bear”...!!!!!!!
donaldtoo
Well-Known Member
I have never seen a bat where we live in PA. We did have bats where we lived in Central Jersey. No pine trees there. I liked them because they ate bugs. I don't have a fear of bats like you, so don't mind them. I would if they were in my house though. My younger 2 loooove bats. One even did a report on them last school year. They squeal with joy at videos of bats too.
Yet another reason to love Austin...!!!!!
We have the largest urban bat colony in the world...!!!!!!!
MySmallWorldof4
Well-Known Member
Do they take care of the mosquitos for you?Yet another reason to love Austin...!!!!!
We have the largest urban bat colony in the world...!!!!!!!
View attachment 316926
MySmallWorldof4
Well-Known Member
So we went to Joann’s today @figmentfan423 and loaded up on fleece. Lots of projects planned. Oldest dd is going to make this:
Rista1313
Well-Known Member
Oh thank you! That looks yummy!
donaldtoo
Well-Known Member
Unfortunately, not for us so much, as we’re about 17-ish miles northwest of downtown. They “hang out”
under the Congress Avenue bridge...! 
Cesar R M
Well-Known Member
Aaaand, lets start.
We had planned this trip to get done the following.. and then added a few things more...
Anyway There was a confusion at first between my mother and I.
I had planned everything for September (this month). But my mom wanted to go earlier to fit her "free time" after leaving my grandmah temporarily in a care house for some small vacations.
So In the end I ended paying the plane of my mom.
And then we shared the cost of everything.
We rented a place via AirBnb. Beautiful location but quite far from everything.
At first we had no idea how to maneouver but we found there was a convenient bus stop nearby.. more later on.
Anyway, the trip starts on September 11, we had to wake up somewhat early to get things done. Because we had to fly at 12:00 or so in the afternoon.
Going thru check in was uneventful as usual, unfortunately.. one of the things that me off is..
I had to ditch my bottled deodorant because it was "too big" (It was not that big, its the shape of the new deodorants).
So I had to trash it because they said so.
Worse is, there was a store right after the damn security area.. that sold the SAME bottles.
Anyway, we got to the gate, there were few people and the plane hadnt arrived yet.
The plane itself took a bit to arrive and to get filled with people. We took a few minutes later than expected (but the flight was uneventful and managed to reach in time for the connection flight.)
The connection was way better despite the horrible conditions of the Mexico city's terminal B (its so busy, filled to the seams and takes a ton to get a place to "park" the plane.
We had to get bussed. At least they opened the connection flight area so we didn't need to go thru security again.
And after a few delays and an overpriced pizza slice. We were on board.
Our flight was 6+ hours (minus the -2 hours separation).
The airport was full to the seams. So many flights from China were arriving at the same time as we did. And the international arrival section had a huge line.
The line thankfully moved at decent speed. And the "speeded up" automated kiosks helped a lot (they look like the Global Entry kiosks from US airports )
The kiosks were only tricky because if someone had set it in a different language, there was no way to switch languages until it "timed out" or you somehow found a way to get back to the start.
All kiosks were in chinese when we arrived.
But with a bit of logic, managed to get it on english and we fulfilled everything.
Once we explained our reasons of our trip, we got inside to pick up our bags and we used the time there for a pit stop to the restroom.
Funny thing of Vancouver. The lavatories and restrooms are called "washrooms" there.
Anyway.. after picking up our bags and get ready.. we got out of the airport, asked for directions to the metro.. and we had to fight again with the ticket system of the sky trains.
A pair or one month before. Vancouver transportation had switched to a "single paid mode" where you pay a single time, and it works for all the transportations for 90 minutes (or you could buy a day pass).
And before I remembered that you had to purchase a "2 zone" tickets, this no longer true. Yet the machines still say "1 zone ticket". So it was a bit confusing.
After asking a few people, we managed to buy our tickets, boarded the train and onwards.
It took a bit of time (30 minutes) to go from the terminus to the other terminus on Waterfront downtown vancouver terminal.
There we went to get on the SeaBus, first time we got there. We had never used the service before. IT adds another confusion.. because we tought we had to pay again for a different segment. After asking a few people.. turns out the Seabus AND buses are also included in the same smart Compass Card.
It was almost midnight at this point.. good thing the SeaBus's last trip is at 1:30 am.. so we had a little time more.
Upon arrival, we wanted to eat something but the entire area was closed down. Infact, after we got out of the Seabus towards the entrance to the Bus Stop (which is right infront of the seabus entrance). It started to rain, and in less than 10 minutes (while we tried to locate a taxi or which bus to take.. )
The entire area EMPTIED. IT was soooo eerily.. It was absolutely empty while raining hard.
Luckily.. after a few minutes of panic with no buses in sigh and no taxis, one managed to pass nearby and I managed to flag it. We ran to get inside and our bags as it was now downpouring.
Ironically, as soon we got to the taxi and the driver moved towards the area of the house we were renting.. the rain stopped completely :|
It was a bit of a shore finding the house in the dark but we did.
And then we had to "do" the meeting process that we agreed with the AirBNB host.
Since I had to knock out.. then wait for the host to open the back door for the other house..
The host's husband was the one who greeted us.. sleepy and all but opened us and we got inside, thanked our way and we went to bed.
The mini cottage was pretty good. It was a reconverted 3 room garage/storage unit. It had a full bathroom, 2 bedrooms, kitchen and TV room in a 3 room style (kitchen and one bed, tv room and one bed, bathroom and entrance in the last part)
And had nice heating on each room.
We settled down and planned our next day.
As one of the friends of my mom who lives in vancouver, was going to get us around..
NEXT DAY is.. VANCOUVER DAY 1.
We had planned this trip to get done the following.. and then added a few things more...
- my CELPIP exam
- Check information of inmigration
- Check a local home that they are offering to rent me for very very cheap (compared to similar offers in the town).
- Check Butchart Gardens and see other Tourist attractions of the Vancouver area.
- Added a COMPTIA 901 Exam To get certified.
Anyway There was a confusion at first between my mother and I.
I had planned everything for September (this month). But my mom wanted to go earlier to fit her "free time" after leaving my grandmah temporarily in a care house for some small vacations.
So In the end I ended paying the plane of my mom.
And then we shared the cost of everything.
We rented a place via AirBnb. Beautiful location but quite far from everything.
At first we had no idea how to maneouver but we found there was a convenient bus stop nearby.. more later on.
Anyway, the trip starts on September 11, we had to wake up somewhat early to get things done. Because we had to fly at 12:00 or so in the afternoon.
Going thru check in was uneventful as usual, unfortunately.. one of the things that me off is..
I had to ditch my bottled deodorant because it was "too big" (It was not that big, its the shape of the new deodorants).
So I had to trash it because they said so.
Worse is, there was a store right after the damn security area.. that sold the SAME bottles.
Anyway, we got to the gate, there were few people and the plane hadnt arrived yet.
The plane itself took a bit to arrive and to get filled with people. We took a few minutes later than expected (but the flight was uneventful and managed to reach in time for the connection flight.)
The connection was way better despite the horrible conditions of the Mexico city's terminal B (its so busy, filled to the seams and takes a ton to get a place to "park" the plane.
We had to get bussed. At least they opened the connection flight area so we didn't need to go thru security again.
And after a few delays and an overpriced pizza slice. We were on board.
Our flight was 6+ hours (minus the -2 hours separation).
The airport was full to the seams. So many flights from China were arriving at the same time as we did. And the international arrival section had a huge line.
The line thankfully moved at decent speed. And the "speeded up" automated kiosks helped a lot (they look like the Global Entry kiosks from US airports )
The kiosks were only tricky because if someone had set it in a different language, there was no way to switch languages until it "timed out" or you somehow found a way to get back to the start.
All kiosks were in chinese when we arrived.
But with a bit of logic, managed to get it on english and we fulfilled everything.
Once we explained our reasons of our trip, we got inside to pick up our bags and we used the time there for a pit stop to the restroom.
Funny thing of Vancouver. The lavatories and restrooms are called "washrooms" there.
Anyway.. after picking up our bags and get ready.. we got out of the airport, asked for directions to the metro.. and we had to fight again with the ticket system of the sky trains.
A pair or one month before. Vancouver transportation had switched to a "single paid mode" where you pay a single time, and it works for all the transportations for 90 minutes (or you could buy a day pass).
And before I remembered that you had to purchase a "2 zone" tickets, this no longer true. Yet the machines still say "1 zone ticket". So it was a bit confusing.
After asking a few people, we managed to buy our tickets, boarded the train and onwards.
It took a bit of time (30 minutes) to go from the terminus to the other terminus on Waterfront downtown vancouver terminal.
There we went to get on the SeaBus, first time we got there. We had never used the service before. IT adds another confusion.. because we tought we had to pay again for a different segment. After asking a few people.. turns out the Seabus AND buses are also included in the same smart Compass Card.
It was almost midnight at this point.. good thing the SeaBus's last trip is at 1:30 am.. so we had a little time more.
Upon arrival, we wanted to eat something but the entire area was closed down. Infact, after we got out of the Seabus towards the entrance to the Bus Stop (which is right infront of the seabus entrance). It started to rain, and in less than 10 minutes (while we tried to locate a taxi or which bus to take.. )
The entire area EMPTIED. IT was soooo eerily.. It was absolutely empty while raining hard.
Luckily.. after a few minutes of panic with no buses in sigh and no taxis, one managed to pass nearby and I managed to flag it. We ran to get inside and our bags as it was now downpouring.
Ironically, as soon we got to the taxi and the driver moved towards the area of the house we were renting.. the rain stopped completely :|
It was a bit of a shore finding the house in the dark but we did.
And then we had to "do" the meeting process that we agreed with the AirBNB host.
Since I had to knock out.. then wait for the host to open the back door for the other house..
The host's husband was the one who greeted us.. sleepy and all but opened us and we got inside, thanked our way and we went to bed.
The mini cottage was pretty good. It was a reconverted 3 room garage/storage unit. It had a full bathroom, 2 bedrooms, kitchen and TV room in a 3 room style (kitchen and one bed, tv room and one bed, bathroom and entrance in the last part)
And had nice heating on each room.
We settled down and planned our next day.
As one of the friends of my mom who lives in vancouver, was going to get us around..
NEXT DAY is.. VANCOUVER DAY 1.
DryerLintFan
Well-Known Member
This resort has been incredible, but the showers give you the real military shower experience..... Either wait fifteen minutes for the water to warm up, or tough it out with cold water 
Figgy1
Well-Known Member
Again maybe I'm not the best one to describe the taste seeing I ate it as a kid. It is supposedly one of the best sources of pro and pre biotics. It's a one two bonus for your gut
Seeing I don't have soy beans in the house I think the first batch will be made with black beans.
Figgy1
Well-Known Member
My sister from another misterI played violin as well.