The Magic Kingdom

This was the first time we paid in advance for the Disney dining plan. Before we'd just eat whenever and wherever and without reservations. When you only have a part of two is generally isn't a problem. On our last visit we did run into a problem. We were at Epcot and all the restaurants were booked so we at a one of the quick serve and it was terrible. The food was cold and tasteless. This time we decided to buy the dining plan in advance and make reservations. The plan we chose gave us one quick service meal, a restaurant style meal and one snack per person per day. It doesn't seem like much but each meal includes a dessert and hubby and I often share one. Also if you eat at a buffet you generally eat more. In the end I think it was worth it and I do it again. I generally ordered fish which can often be the most expensive things on the menu.

On our third day at Disney World we had a late start on purpose. We decided to take it easy in the morning. The hot Florida sun was getting to us so we took a swim in the morning and made it to the Magic Kingdom in time to take a train ride around the park and then meet Tigger and friends for lunch at the Crystal Palace. It is really called Pooh and friends but Tigger is my favorite character.

Here's some photos of me with:

Tigger

Piglet

Eyore

Lilo and Stitch

Woody and Jessie

In the evening we left and tried to watch the fireworks from the observation tower at the Contemporary Resort but a lot of other folks had the same idea so we couldn't even get close. Then we headed over to the Grand Floridian to see their life size gingerbread house.

Until my next post,

Diane

Great day on the slopes at Sugarloaf USA. Got 12 runs in going for 15....we'll see.

Disney's Animal Kingdom

The second day of our Disney World vacation was spent at Animal Kindom in the day and then off Germany in Epcot for dinner. The thrilling ride at Animal Kingdom is the Expedition Everst roller coaster but the best part for me is the Safari ride in Africa and the walk through Asia.

Here's some photos of me with:

Rafiki of the Lion King

Jiminy Cricket

Terk from Tarzan

Goofy and Pluto

Pooh

Tigger

Donald and Daisy Duck

Thumper and Miss Bunny (this was the first time I've ever seen them at a theme park).

After dinner we walked outside Epcot and towards the Yacht and Beach club. Inside their lobby was a great carousel horse made of gingerbread and chocolate. That's where I got the kit to make mine.

Until my next post,
Diane

As promised...finally Disney World Photos

It has been about three weeks and I'm finally presenting you with some more photos of Disney World. I'm a character freek, I love hunting these folks out and posing with them. Maybe the characters like it too since I'm pretty quick and just jump in there and pose for the photos. If you haven't been to Disney World in a while they have they have a way for you to get photos from them. They have photographers stationed at various locations in all of the parks and Downtown Disney too armed with digital SLR's. They give you a photopass card and everytime you see one of their photographers you hand them your card and they scan it and take your photos. You can go on a special website and see your photos and apply tailored backgrounds and email them to friends and family. There is no obligation to purchase anything. It's a great deal if you 1)forgot your camera, 2)forgot to charge your camera battery (I heard that in line at Animal Kingdom), 3)missed that extra special shot because someone wasn't looking at the camera or other reasons.

All of these photos were taken at Disney's Hollywood Studios where we spent our first day. The two great thrill rides there are the Rock and Rollercoaster and the Tower of Terror. The newest great attraction is called Toy Story Mania where you play old style carnival games with a Toy Story character feel against the person riding in your vechicle. Here's some photos of me with:

Buzz Lightyear and Woody from the Toy Story movies

Mickey as the sorcerer from Fantasia

Russel and Carl from UP

Mike and Sulley from Monsters Inc.

Elasticgirl and Mr. Incredible

Until my next post,
Diane

Thank U

I made part of this card a long time ago at a make and take. It wasn't any special technique that I need to keep for a reference so I finally completed the card and gave it to the gal that watched the house when we were in Disney World last month.

Until my next post,
Diane

Finally "reading" the classics (a.k.a. another foot story sort of)

Before I retired from the USAF I was volunteering for the local Friends of the Library group(s). I was working shifts so I had time off during the week when my husband was working. I kept coming across all the classic fiction that you don't want to read when you are growing up. When you "have to" read something because a teacher assigns it your enthusiasm level is low.

Now that I'm all grown up I thought I'd read these books during retirement. Unfortunately wanting to and actually doing are two different things. I found myself getting distracted by the latest and greatest and then discovering other books by that author. I was volunteering with other folks at the library that...liked to read (go figure!). They'd mention books they recently read and liked so I'd get a copy and read it.

Then I had my foot surgery last May. After that I decided to finally start going to a chiropractor. During my initial treatments he didn't want me riding my bike too much. His idea of a short ride was about 1-2 miles, mine was about 8 miles. He wanted me to walk, which turned out great for my foot too. At first I just absorbed the sights and sounds of the neighborhood. One of my crafting friends mentioned she listens to books on tape when she walks and that's the only way she can find out what happens in her book. I decided to give the audio book thing a try.

I set up a free account with my library to download audio books. I set them up in my iTunes as .mp3 files and loaded them as one long song. That works fine until you do something else with the iPod since the book plays from the beginning and doesn't save your place. I then discovered a way to change the format from .mp3 to the Apple .m4b audio book file via free software. Now I can stop and start and play something else and the book automatically resumes where I left off. I also discovered there are a few other sites where you can download books for free.

I started with the Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz and then The Swiss Family Robinson. I'll keep "reading" the classics and discovering what I missed as a kid (or read and forgot).

Until my next post,
Diane

The lesser of two evils...I guess

We found out this morning that our kitty BC does NOT have cancer. That is good, BUT he does have Inflammatory Bowel Disease. He's already been on prescription food but we will now be giving him steriods. We started him on a wet food but have transitioned back to dry and I was hoping he'd be able to stay on dry but it is much easier to give him a pill with wet food.

I've never owned a dog but my understanding is that they take pills better than cats. If you put a whole pill in a cats food more than likely they will somehow very carefully eat around it. I grind the pill up and put it in wet food and then it is distributed. When we first brought BC back from the emergency clinic he had a pill and ate it when I ground it up. Since he'll be on steroids forever I'll have to go back to a combination or all wet food which is messy and sort of smelly too. He doesn't really care, being one of those cats that never met a food he didn't like.

He's gained back a bunch of the weight he lost and his fur is growing back so he "seems" to be doing better. But as I mentioned before you just don't know with cats, they are very secretive. In this picture you can just see his shaved belly and left arm about mid way up. He's waiting me to turn on the faucet so I'd better go.

Until my next post,
Diane

Card for Sid...finally!

For the last few swaps I didn't send a card to Sid. I really like to send a card with my ATC swaps but I had run out of "guy" cards so I had to fix that. I'm happy to say I should have enough for a few months now! For this one I used patterned paper by the Life's Journey collection by K&Co. I used Tim Holtz designed Stampers Anonymous stamps and added one of Tims charms that I colored with alcohol ink and paint (in the recessed areas) as the final touch.

Until my next post,
Diane

Another year another threefold win for UConn

Yesterday the University of Connecticut men's basketball team won by a comfortable margin against Big East foe Notre Dame. Even though they played at home it was a good win for them considering they lost their Big East opener.

The football team won convincingly over South Carolina in the PapaJohns.com bowl in Birmingham, Alabama. This was a great ending to a very emotional season with the tragic death of Jasper Howard and their five looses by a total of 15 points.

Finally the women's basketball team routed fellow Big East opponent Seton Hall in their new off campus arena. This was the 51st consecutive game they won and the 800th of the programs history.

Needless to say I spent a great time sitting down yesterday and didn't work off too much of my holiday munching...need to do that.

Until my next post,
Diane

Fun and Games ATCs

Like last time Sid and I decided to allow ourselves two months for the final swap of the year. I picked Fun and Games for the theme.

My first ATC uses a Tim Holtz designed, Stampers Anonymous stamp of Bingo. I colored it in with the Ranger Distress Inks and then used another stamp of just the ticket and raised it on pop dots. I got the image of the sulky lady from Tack-O-Rama and then printed up my own words with a very small font. The final touch is the bingo chip.

For my second ATC I used the card game Mille Bournes as my inspiration. The object of this game is to complete a 1000 (mille) mile journey. Along the way you might have car trouble, get a flat or be subject to speeding zones. I shrunk down some cards distressed them and glued them down as a collage. I stamped and embossed a Crafty Secrets image of a man driving and "Enjoy The Journey" on vellum to complete the card.

The last one uses another Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous stamp as the background. I stamped that with VersaMark and embossed with detail white embossing powder then I colored it with Ranger Alcohol Inks. In the foreground I used a Ouija board stamp StampCamp on vellum with StazOn. The final touch uses some Just Rite stamps with the beginnings of the types of questions you'd ask the Ouija board: will I?, does he? and is she?

Until my next post,
Diane