Fruition After Much Pain...

Note that there have not been any entries this week, as the anxiety and stress level at my house has been way in the red zone....


Without yet getting into the details that got us to that point, let me just say that I visited Disneyland for the first time in twelve years as a belated birthday gift to my daughter; I spent four hours in traffic court supporting my son, helped to get my daughter off to her semester abroad in Rome [this morning at 4:30 a.m.] and my hot water heater went out last evening.  These things would cause us all to cry (if we were allowed), but they had to be dealt with, as only Disneyland was a choice.  The others; well let me say that there are many of Murphy's Laws being enforced here- none of which has caused us to win the Lottery - or even feel that we are getting an even break!


Now for the details:
We drove down to Anaheim, in record time of ninety minutes, down Interstate 5 last Saturday to spend the night in a motel adjacent to Disneyland.  I like to be present when they open the doors at the park.  Previously, we left our car at the motel and walked across the street to catch the shuttle to the ticket counters. Much has changed.  The motel now charges eight dollars a day to park.  That wasn't so bad, but if it is parked before three p.m. and stays parked after 3 p.m., then it is $24.  If it is parked after 3 p.m., then the $8 dollar price is used.  The park charges $15 to park, so we opted for that.
Previously, I entered off Harbor Boulevard into a large parking lot.  Much has changed.  That parking lot is now the California Adventure Park. So we opted to enter (with the car) on Disneyland Drive which allowed us to pass Downtown Disney (more about that later) on our way to the largest free-standing parking garage in the west that is not associated with a mall.  We parked and took the escalator down to a lower level where we caught the shuttle to the ticket counters. 

Now, these shuttles are new also, and about a block long.  The truck is a single seat, with a large compressed natural gas v-8 behind it.  It seems to pull a full train with ease, as it snakes around other vehicles and turns corners with ease.


At the ticket counter, we met Brett, our oldest, who works for Disney Studios and has a "Cast member" ID which gets us all in for free, 20% off food, and 35% off purchases.  That all sounds great until you look at how much ticket prices have gone up to.  Our tickets were $99 each, which would have been $398 to enter the park, plus the $15 to park.  Perhaps Disney is making some money on this, or maybe not.  Much has changed.  Disneyland used to be where you could drop off your kids for an all day treat (for parents too), but it is too expensive for that now.  There are no gangs entering the park.  There are strict dress codes and they make you go through a metal detector and a pat down, as well as inspecting your bags.  No gang members can afford the price or the recognition if they are caught with something they shouldn't have. Score one for the rest of us.
Meanwhile, the park is much different, and yet strangely the same. Pirates of the Carri bean now has tributes to Captain Jack Sparrow. Toontown sucks, as there isn't anything worthwhile there anymore.  Small World was decorated for Christmas, and they were playing Jingle Bells in many languages, so I did not get an injection of "It's a Small World", that resurfaces like a rash for weeks on end! Many of the other rides were also upgraded and enjoyable as none of them had lines more than ten minutes long.  It was a cold and overcast day, too soon after the Christmas and Property Tax dates to warrant a large crowd.
Soon, we decided to jump to the other park, California Adventure.  We discovered that they are rebuilding about two thirds of that park because the demand was so low.  What was open, though, was very interesting.  The kids went on the Hollywood Tower of Terror ride and the Screamin' roller coaster (maglev driven) and loved them.   We all went on Soarin' over California and it was great.  The 4D show at the Bug's Life area is also not to be missed- very worthwhile, at least once.  All in all the parks were fun, especially when free. 
Not to be outdone, Disney also added Downtown Disney.  This is a copy of Knott's and Universal, as they have both had shopping areas outside their parks for years.  Here is where you can find many chain restaurants such as PF Chang's and Rainforest Cafe, as well as many stores that are accessible without going into the park.  A great idea, but still too far to walk from your local motel- so that means $15 to park...


Traffic court was not fun, especially for four hours.  With the fine and conditions, my son now has had his eye opener and perhaps he will be more respectful to his PRIVILEGE to drive.


Well, we finally got to the day that Tori leaves.  This, of course, after sweating the Taxi driver and truck driver strike in Rome.  The school decided to provide a bus.  Enough said there. That morning, we couldn't get her suitcase closed, so I began pulling stuff out, and put a strap on the outside.  We got it closed, but even on my bathroom scale, it was overweight.  At my wife's insistence, Tori couldn't handle three suitcases at the airport, so we were stuck with two- a carry on and a large check-in.  We got up at 3:30 a.m. to get to the airport by 4:30 for a 5:30 flight.  I had figured that there would be an extra charge because of the over weight, but we wouldn't have to pay for the second one. At the check-in counter, the suitcase weighed 75 pounds.  The fee for an INTERNATIONAL flight was $400, and could have been as high as $1200.  What choice did we have at that point?  I paid the fee and Tori made it to her room at the convent in Rome by about eleven p.m., or 8:00 in the morning Friday in Rome.

The Convent Tori is Staying In

We received a phone call from Newark airport and an email from Rome that she arrived safely and her room is about 5x5 (I'm sure that that is an exaggeration), but she said that her bathroom was almost too small to turn around in.  The shower is not enclosed, but open to the rest of the bathroom, with a drain on the shower floor.  What a deal!


As for the hot water heater; it was only a bad thermocouple which amounted to a $65 visit from an HONEST plumber.  What was REALLY unfortunate is that Tori's last shower at home was ICE COLD!


Nuff said... we are looking forward to basking in the Santa Barbara sunshine and taking the couch for a drive this weekend, while we lick our wounds and feed them beer.

"USA Today reports today that in France they are having trouble translating the Internet terms into French. Apparently, there are no French words for 'surfing the net' or 'chat session' or 'hacker.' Of course there are a lot of other word that don't translate into French. 'Military victory,' 'deodorant,' 'please and thank you.'"

- Jay Leno

A sweet old lady telephoned St. Joseph's Hospital. She timidly asked, "Is it possible to speak to someone who can tell me how a patient is doing?"
The operator said, "I can, what's the name and room number?"

The old lady in her weak voice said, "Norma Findlay, Room 302."

The operator replied, "Let me place you on hold while I check with her nurse."

After a few minutes the operator returned to the phone and said, "Oh, I have good news, her nurse just told me that Norma is doing very well. Her blood pressure is fine; her blood work just came back as normal and her physician, Dr. Cohen, has scheduled her to be discharged on Tuesday."

The old lady said, "Thank you. That's wonderful! I was so worried! God bless you!"

The operator replied, "You're more than welcome. Is Norma your daughter?"

The grandmother said, "No, I'm Norma Findlay in 302. No one tells me shit."

Senior Citizen Sayings

I'm the life of the party...even when it lasts till 8 p.m.

I'm very good at opening child-proof caps with a hammer.

I'm usually interested in going home before I get to where I'm going.

I'm good on a trip for at least an hour without my aspirin, beano, & antacid.

I'm awake many hours before my body allows me to get up.

I'm smiling all the time because I can't hear a word you are saying.

I'm aware that other people's grandchildren are not as bright as mine.

I'm so cared for: Long term care, Eye care, Private care, Dental care...

I'm not grouchy, I just don't like traffic, waiting, crowds, children, politicians.

I'm sure everything I can't find is in a secure place.

I'm wrinkled, saggy and bumpy and that's just my left leg.

I'm realizing that aging is not for sissies.

I'm anti-everything now: Anti-fat, Anti-smoke, Anti-noise, Anti-inflammatory

I'm going to reveal what goes on behind closed doors... Absolutely nothing!

I'm sure they are making adults much younger these days.

I'm in the initial stage of my golden years: SS, CD's, IRA's, AARP. . .

I'm wondering... If you're only as old as you feel, how could I be alive at 150?

I'm supporting all movements now... by eating bran, prunes and raisins.

I'm a walking storeroom of facts... I've just lost the storeroom. 

Phrases

Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.

Insanity is my only means of relaxation.

Forget the health food. I need all the preservatives I can get.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst, for they are sticking to their diets.

You're getting old when you get the same sensation from a rocking chair that you once got from a roller coaster.

Perhaps you know why women over fifty don't have babies: They would put them down somewhere and forget where they left them.

My mind not only wanders, sometimes it leaves completely.

Every time I think about exercise, I lie down til the thought goes away.

God put me on earth to accomplish a certain number of things. Right now I am so far behind, I will live forever.

It's frustrating when you know all the answers, but nobody bothers to ask you the questions.

If you can remain calm, you just don't have all the facts.

Stress reducer: Put a bag on your head. Mark it "Closed for remodeling." **caution - leave air holes.

I finally got my head together, and my body fell apart.

There cannot be a crisis this week; my schedule is already full.

The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing in the right place, but also to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.

The best way to forget all your troubles is to wear tight shoes.

Words that should Exist

1. AQUADEXTROUS (ak wa deks'trus) adj. Possessing the ability to turn the bathtub tap on and off with your toes.

2. CARPERPETUATION (kar'pur pet u a shun) n. The act, when vacuuming, of running over a string or a piece of lint at least a dozen times, reaching over and picking it up, examining it, then putting it back down to give the vacuum one more chance.

3. DISCONFECT (dis kon fekt') v. To sterilize the piece of confection (lolly) you dropped on the floor by blowing on it, assuming this will somehow 'remove' all the germs.

4. ELBONICS (el bon'iks) n. The actions of two people maneuvering for one armrest in a movie theater.

5. FRUST (frust) n. The small line of debris that refuses to be swept onto the dust pan and keeps backing a person across the room until he finally decides to give up and sweep it under the rug.

6. LACTOMANGULATION (lak' to man gyu lay' shun) n. Manhandling the "open here" spout on a milk container so badly that one has to resort to the 'illegal' side.

7. PEPPIER (peph ee ay') n. The waiter at a fancy restaurant whose sole purpose seems to be walking around asking diners if they want fresh ground pepper.

8. PHONESIA (fo nee' zhuh) n. The affliction of dialing a phone number and forgetting whom you were calling just as they answer.

9. PUPKUS (pup'kus) n. The moist residue left on a window after a dog presses its nose to it.

10. TELECRASTINATION (tel e kras tin ay' shun) n. The act of always letting the phone ring at least twice before you pick it up, even when you're only six inches away.