Candlelight & Cannonballs! (MANY MARDI GRAS MASK PICS!) Dec. 2012- Start Pg.235/#3524

[Sherry E]

Oy…I certainly hope that people are enjoying this journey – or reading about my DLR holiday journey – because it is taking a long time to put together!

Aunt Betty's Weepy, Wacky, Wonderful Christmas Trip to Disneyland

(12/4/11 - 12/8/11)



Day 2 - Monday, December 5, 2011 - Part 6

Giddy-up jingle horse, pick up your feet;
Jingle around the clock.
Mix and a-mingle in the jingling feet,
That’s the jingle bell…That’s the jingle bell…That's the jingle bell rock.





In my last Trip Report installment from one week ago (see previous page), while in California Adventure I managed to accidentally delete the ‘replacement’ do-over picture that I took after I botched up the original version of the same shot by sticking my finger in the frame.

I then encountered a lady – a stranger, who I have now dubbed “The Twilight Zone Lady” – with whom I’d had a brief interaction back in December 2010, during my “Evil Chair & the Peppermint Cone of Death” DLR trip. She approached me out of the blue in both 2010 and 2011, and I made the “Twilight Zone” comparison because the scenario reminded me of those episodes of that series in which various forms of otherworldly beings (mannequins-come-to-life, “death” in the form of hitchhikers and police officers, cryptic townsfolk, etc.) keep appearing to the lead character and scaring them, and then you find out at the end that the otherworldly, creepy being is really a jolly ol’ soul who is just trying to remind said scared person that they have to leave this life and go off to wherever they belong (mannequin land, heaven, the gas station, the library, wherever…).

I pondered who The Twilight Zone Lady might really ‘be’…and, if she is trying to take me somewhere, where it is I’m supposed to be going that I haven’t gone yet. I was overdue for a trip to the grocery store so maybe that was it…




Next, it was time to wind down my visit to DCA for the moment and figure out what to do about food. I hadn’t eaten anything so far that day – I was trying to save room in my stomach for a big dinner at Goofy’s Kitchen with Shawn, Jackie, Bob, “M” and “M’s” family later that evening.

This was different from my usual routine. I am the sort of person who needs to eat in the morning, and it has to be heavily protein-based to keep my blood sugar under control (in other words, I don’t really eat cereal anymore because there is little to no protein in it, and a simple piece of fruit alone will not be good because of the sugar and because it won’t fill me up; things like doughnuts and pastries don’t work either, for several reasons). I don’t normally eat big dinners unless I am at DLR and I stray from my regular patterns. At home, I eat most of what I am going to eat for the day between morning and afternoon, and by dinner time I am generally not that hungry.

However, in this case, because I knew that I had the Goofy’s dinner buffet coming up later, if I ate any breakfast or lunch I would not be hungry enough to eat the dinner. It is a lot of money to spend on a buffet dinner, so I wanted to be sure I was famished and ready to eat the chandelier by the time it rolled around. It wasn’t my preference to have dinner at Goofy’s – I would have preferred breakfast – but it wasn’t possible to get “M” and her family to DLR early enough that day to be able to make it to breakfast.

So, once again, even though it was not what I personally wanted to do, I acquiesced and went with “M’s” preference and planned for dinner. (There’s that “go with the flow at the expense of what you want to do” thing again. Not that I’m claiming to be some sort of selfless, totally altruistic person all the time, but I’m pointing out the “go with the flow” thing because it’s something we all have to experience at DLR, and in life, from time to time, and I wonder at which points we actually decide that something we want to do is worth fighting for, and at which points we just give up what we want so that someone else can do what they want.)

Still, I was hungry. I needed to eat something. What could I eat that would fill a small hunger void but not fill me up? A hot dog? Eh. I didn’t feel like schlepping over to wherever the nearest place to get a hot dog was in DCA. A pineapple spear? Well, they are yummy, but it wouldn’t be enough to fill me up and I would have to end up eating 5 of them just to not feel hungry, while sending my blood sugar racing to stratospheric heights. A gingerbread cookie with mouse ears? Um…not yet…though I would certainly work that into the Disneyland eating agenda at some point during this trip!

Aha! Why didn’t I think of it before? I suddenly knew exactly what I would eat…and a wise, healthy choice it was, indeed.

A peppermint ice cream cone! Blood sugar? What blood sugar? Protein? Who needs protein? I reasoned that if I got the ice cream served up in one of the festive holiday cones, it would fill me up enough to last me until Goofy’s Kitchen. Yep. That makes sense.

The bottom line is that, during this entire holiday excursion to DLR, I knew that I wanted to eat certain things – like the gingerbread cookies and the peppermint ice cream and maybe some extra goodies too, if I felt so inclined and had the $ to spend – but I had to work them into the schedule somewhere. True, I could just buy Dreyer’s Peppermint Ice cream at the store – and I think I eventually did, as a matter of fact – but there is something extra holiday-esque about eating it at Disneyland, in a holiday-esque cone. It’s all about being in the spirit of the season for me. Sitting at home with a big bowl o’ peppermint ice cream is just not as fun as gobbling it up out of a peppermint candy-encrusted cone on Main Street…next to a wobbly trash can perched on a curb…while trying to take a photo…

But I digress. No need to rehash old traumas right now.

Anyway, I was kind of thinking ahead to what I thought I would be doing for the next few days at DLR – presumably with “M” - and how much money I might have to throw around, and somehow I came to the conclusion that I’d better work the peppermint ice cream into my schedule sooner rather than later, because it might not happen if I put it off until later.

Now was as good a time as any, I decided.

I began to make my way out of California Adventure to head towards Disneyland. On my way out, I snapped a few more pictures…

I love that his belt buckle has a paw print on it! Gotta appreciate those Disney details!

Finally, I reached Main Street. Even though the crazy wind had subsided a bit, I could tell that the crowds were still low (compared to what one would expect at DLR during the holidays in December). Main Street is usually a good barometer of how busy Disneyland will be – you can always tell by all the people milling about on the sidewalks, gathered in Blue Ribbon Bakery (which is gone forever), waiting in line at Carnation Café for a table and packed into Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor, etc., whether it will be a really crowded day in the park or if the crowds are on the light side. There were only a couple of people in Blue Ribbon Bakery and maybe one person in line at Gibson Girl! That meant the rest of the park would likely be pleasant. I was excited because I thought it meant I would find some prime, people-free photo-taking spots.

But first – I had a little peppermint ice cream business to take care of. No need to dilly dally with the photos just yet, when there was Peppermint Stick Ice Cream calling my name like a siren of the sea.

I poked my head in Blue Ribbon Bakery…







A festive display…I guess the DLR decorators needed a place to display all of the extra ‘faux’ cakes and cookies they had sitting in the holiday season storage room! I wonder if this same display will appear in Jolly Holiday Bakery this year?





Deejdigsdis got pictures of these things too, which she posted in her TR. (She had no idea what I was taking photos of at DLR, nor did I have any idea what she had taken photos of when I got snapped these, but the funny thing is that it appears we both decided to take these Blue Ribbon Bakery decorations pictures in 2011– and I’m not sure if either of us took them on any other previous holiday trip?!! Even during my photo-taking frenzy in December 2010, I didn’t get any Blue Ribbon decoration pictures.)








Excuse this one being blurry…I was running out of patience with trying to get a non-blurry version and I needed to get to my ice cream, so I gave up! Lol.

From what I remember, after taking that last Blue Ribbon Bakery picture above I went into Gibson Girl Ice Cream. I saw that there was basically no line – or the customers who were finishing up at the register were about to clear out. I could literally walk right up and place my order. An uncrowded Gibson Girl was a phenomenon to which I was unaccustomed, so I almost didn’t know what to do! I had to take advantage of it!

I noticed that there was no “Dreyer’s Peppermint Stick Ice Cream” sign anywhere on the counter, as there usually is each year during the holidays. Silently I panicked, thinking that somehow they had made the decision to stop serving this sweet delight. I was afraid to approach the Cast Member behind the register for fear of her telling me they didn’t have any peppermint ice cream. What would I do if this happened? My whole little candy-coated fantasy world of peppermint goodness would come crashing down around me and I may not be able to carry on with my DLR trip.

Fortunately, my trip would, indeed, go on and my candy-coated world of rainbows and unicorns would remain intact. I gathered up the courage to inquire about the peppermint ice cream and the CM checked with a fellow CM to confirm they had it on hand. I have no clue why the usual countertop sign was not there, but at least they had the ice cream!

I stepped away from the counter and began to fumble with my bag to dig out my money, or to determine if I was going to pay for the ice cream with cash or with a debit card. This feat is easier said than done, as my bag is a Bermuda Triangle of zippers and compartments, and even more compartments, and it tends to eat up all the contents or bury them at the bottommost corners where I cannot access them.

I stood there and pulled out a number of different items in my bag to finally get to my wallet. And then I had to put the other items back in the bag. I noticed that the CM I had spoken with was watching me and probably giggling as I did all of this.

Finally, at long last, I reached my wallet and deduced that I would pay with cash. I rifled through the folded bills in one of the pockets and pulled out a few $1 bills and a $5, to cover whatever the cost would be.

And…just at the precise moment I began heading towards the register with cash in hand and opening my mouth to place my order, my cell phone started playing a jaunty tune. Someone was calling. I shoved the cash in my pocket and quickly unzipped the pouch where I had stored my cell. I looked at the Caller ID display and photo. It was “M”!!

We had arranged for her to call me when she and the family got to their hotel – which I thought was also MY hotel (the Paradise Pier), but she hadn’t expected that they’d arrive until later in the afternoon. Frankly, I didn’t expect “M” and family would arrive until late afternoon either. She has always had a habit of running late (that’s an enormous understatement), and I suspected that this habit had not changed over the years. So I just assumed they wouldn’t show up until 4 p.m. or so. Our Goofy’s Kitchen reservation was for 6:30 p.m., with the hope of possibly getting seated earlier.

I had been telling “M” that she should try to show up and check in at the PPH as early as they all could manage, because they’d beat the check-in crowds at the front desk and they might have a chance of being upgraded to a better room – which is what has happened in my experience, as you all know. Still, I figured they’d show up at 3 p.m. at the absolute earliest. Probably much later than that.

It was 12:40 p.m. When I expect “M” to be on time, she is hours late. When I expect her to be late, she is hours early!

Not only that, but it turned out that even though “M” had been telling me for weeks and weeks that they were staying at my hotel – Paradise Pier – so that it would be easier for her to carry her stuff from my room to their room and vice versa (she was staying with me at PPH on the night of December 5th), apparently the reservation they had was for the Disneyland Hotel.

I exited Gibson Girl (with no peppermint ice cream cone in tow) to try to talk to “M” on the phone, but the ambient noise and occasional chatty people walking by me made it difficult for me to hear anything. I detest talking on cell phones to begin with – I really don’t even like talking on any kind of phone at all anymore – and yet I found myself caught in any annoying loop of “Can you hear me now? What about now? I can’t hear you. This connection is terrible. Let me call you right back.” I HATE that kind of thing because I feel like it wastes so much time as well as tries my patience.

When I could manage to make out a word or two of what “M” was saying, I heard “We’re here. It turns out we’re not at the Pier. We’re at the Disneyland Hotel. I thought we were staying at the Pier.” Her husband, “B,” made the reservation using some sort of discount he got through his job, and apparently “M” had either misunderstood him as to where they were staying or he misunderstood where they were staying and gave her the wrong information.

So, basically, the whole point of staying close to me so that “M” could easily get back and forth between rooms with her stuff was now for naught.

‘Where are you,” “M” asked me, with a vague tone of “Why aren’t you where you’re supposed to be and what could you possibly be doing” in her voice.

I said, “On Main Street.”

Garble garble garble…random distortion…random noise…random Main Street vehicle driving by, honking out a tune.

At the same time, we both said “What?” Lol.

She repeated her query. “Where are you?”

This was getting us nowhere, fast.

I said, “On Main Street. I can barely hear you so let’s hurry and figure out what’s going on. Should I come and meet you now, or just wait?”

“M” said that I should come to meet them right then. I agreed.

From what I recall, I think I got as far as past the Disneyland turnstiles, and was right at the Security tent, making my way into Downtown Disney.

“M” called back. She said that they had decided they were going to eat lunch – probably at Rainforest Café – because “R,” her then-4-year-old boy, needed to eat. Originally she was just going to have “B” take him to get a snack but they decided on a sit-down meal. I reminded her that we had a big buffet dinner coming up and not to get too full.

I decided to turn around and head straight back to Disneyland to get my peppermint ice cream cone, and I hoped that the crowds had not picked up yet and piled into Gibson Girl.

The Cast Member at the GG counter recognized me and said, “You came back!” Lol.

I said, “Yes! I was determined to get my ice cream cone, especially when I saw that there was no line in here, and just when I was about to give you my order before, my friend called me to tell me she had arrived.”

So, in 2010, my peppermint ice cream in the peppermint, chocolate, candy-encrusted cone looked like this…





Here’s a better shot of what it looked like…This is a photo that I found online, on Google Images, of the same cone, on a blog called “Clara Cupcake”…

So just imagine the peppermint ice cream from 2010 in a red & green sprinkled cone instead of the candy-encrusted kind, and that’s what my 2011 treat looked like!


Ahhh…delicious peppermint-y delight was finally mine. As I scarfed it down, I glanced at my camera. I glanced at the ice cream cone. I glanced at a nearby trash can. I surveyed the ominous curb nearby. I learned my lesson in the ways of the Peppermint Cone of Death in 2010. Should I even try?

No, I should not. I kept walking without pause, Downtown Disney-bound.

And, just for photographic reference, here is the holiday cone that I opted to get in 2011, minus the peppermint ice cream – the chocolate, red & green sprinkled cone. Since I took no photos of it myself, and I couldn’t find a picture of this cone with the actual peppermint ice cream in it (like from the Guy Fieri “Disney Holiday” special from a few years ago), I found a photo of the cone with some different ice cream in it, on a site called “From the Rice Bowl”…









Back in Downtown Disney, I spotted a fun window display at World of Disney…





This “Tree Decorating Contest” to which the sign below is referring was something that was not really visible in the daytime, so I had no real concept of what or where it was. I don’t remember such a contest in 2010 – I never saw any signs about it when I was walking all over the place on photo missions. And even though my group of friends and I would walk past where the trees were on display, I think they were partially covered up and so we didn’t really get to see them.

Laurie/DizNee Luver ended up getting a couple of nighttime pictures of the trees in the contest after she arrived at DLR to stay with me over the next couple of days, which she posted in her TR.

I was making my way through Downtown Disney, heading slowly towards the Disneyland Hotel, again, and waiting for the eventual call from “M” to tell me that their lunch was over and she was ready to meet up. I figured I would take photos around the DLH until I got the call. I was almost at the giant Sorcerer’s Hat when she finally called.

“M” told me she had gone back to the Disneyland Hotel after lunch with the family because “B” didn’t want her to leave them just yet to hang out with me. He wanted her to come back to the room and put “R” down for a nap, get settled in the room, etc. I could understand that point of view – I just wish I’d known that before stepping out of Disneyland – again – and heading towards DLH. I could have easily just stayed in DL and taken more pictures.

I think I was sounding a little exasperated at this point because of all the back and forth. I said, “Really? I’m already in Downtown Disney, close to your hotel. Okay, I’ll just do something else until you can finally leave the room.”

I turned around and began to head back to the gates of Disneyland. Again. But...I got as far as World of Disney.

“M” called back, and after much whispering on her end about making a grand escape from the room despite her husband’s wishes, she told me she was going to come down and see me anyway, and said that I should come and meet her at the DLH before “B” stopped her or changed his mind or whatever.

"M said, "So are you coming to meet me?"

I said, "Yeah. I'll walk back to meet you. I'm heading over now. Which tower are you in?"

"M" had apparently forgotten the entire layout of Disneyland Hotel. She said, "They have towers? Where?"

I said, “Yes. Don’t you remember? You’ve stayed there a bunch of times. There are 3 towers. The names of the towers have changed over the years but there are still 3 towers. Didn’t you see 3 towers?”

“No.”

I said, “Okay. Let’s do process of elimination. We’ll start with the check-in area. Are you in the tower where you check in?”

“Yes!” said “M”. Jackpot! “We’re in the tower where you check in.”

Exhaustedly I replied, “Okay. I’m heading back there now. It will take me a few minutes. I’ll go to the lobby and you come down and meet me.”




Sigh. Don’t get me wrong – I expect a lot of walking at DLR. I’m used to walking a lot. What bothers me is unnecessary walking (rooted in confusion) that wastes a lot of time. I wanted to stay in Disneyland until it was time to meet “M.” But there was so much back and forth going on that I wasn’t sure where I should be and when.


Once again, I changed direction, turned around and began heading towards the Disneyland Hotel.


When I arrived at the Fantasy Tower (that is the new name of the tower where you check in, right?) I saw no sign of “M” in the lobby. I stood there, looking around. No “M.” I finally had to call her and tell her I was there (which she should have known).

Finally, a familiar figure emerged from the elevator and I was reunited with “M” after 10 long years…and much meet-up confusion!




It was pretty much as if no time had passed. Of course, we look older but there wasn’t any of that ‘I haven’t seen you in 10 years’ weirdness that can occur. She was her usual self, full of mayhem and chaos, and I was my usual self – impatient with it all. However, I only stew about certain things for a short time, and I wasn’t going to spend too long on stewing over all of this madness. So I let it go pretty quickly.

“M” stopped at the DLH front desk and asked some questions about ECV rentals for her dad, “S,” who was still up in their DLH room. He is elderly and is not in good health for a variety of reasons, and the choices were either to push him around in a wheelchair in the parks or to rent a scooter of some kind. I kept telling her that the scooter was the way to go. I knew she would have no interest in pushing a wheelchair when her son was also going to be in a stroller that required pushing. (Plus, I had no intention of pushing a wheelchair, either, so if she had that idea in her mind she could wipe it away!)

She was still leaning towards the wheelchair, despite my best efforts to sing the praises of the scooter. But it would be decided later.

As we left the DLH front desk, we ran into Goofy…







And this is the version of the picture I created with Photobucket’s Disney Parks effects…






“M” and I – old partners and comrades in Disneyland crime (not really “crime,” but you know what I mean) – merrily romped through the grounds of Disneyland Hotel and onward into Downtown Disney. Since she had 10 years of catching up to do around the Resort, over the next couple of days I was going to show her all the things that had changed since she was last in town, in DTD, at the GCH and in the parks. At least, that was my plan. What is that they say about the “best laid plans”? Whatever it is, it means your plans don’t work out.






We stopped at Vault 28, first (that was “M’s” request…








And in World of Disney…

At that point Shawn text messaged me to let me know she had gotten out of work and was coming to Downtown Disney to meet us. She had also assumed that “M” would arrive late, and was shocked to hear that “M” was already there.

So we stayed in World of Disney until Shawn arrived and, when she did, more hugs were exchanged all around.

At my suggestion, we decided to head to the Grand Californian Hotel’s lobby to plop down in the middle of the festive holiday environment for catch-up time. “M” would arrange to have “B,” "R” and “S” meet us at the GCH.

But we couldn’t go to the GCH without stopping at this kiosk so “M” could undergo the same torture I had to endure earlier in the day, and meet one of the evil puppet masters (not the same one I dealt with in the morning so there are clearly two mad scientists at work, conducting their diabolical puppetry)…





And here is the version with Photobucket’s Disney Parks effects…

Coming up next, in Part 7 of Day 2, more puppet mayhem, some bear-building and some fun with Goofy and friends at Goofy’s Kitchen. Also, I learn the hard way that I should probably keep my mouth shut about telling people what a great place the GCH lobby is during the holiday season - because I just might not be able to find a place to sit and enjoy it!

[tksbaskets]

SO happy you got your ice cream cone! I laughed out loud when you recounted the trashcan of doom event. I was thinking it before I read it. Does that make me a TR stalker?? Man I would have been...er...miffed if I had not gotten my peppermint treat and then had to wait for my pal... I'm a bit confused by her eating a big lunch at noon-ish with Goofy's Kitchen in the evening. A sense of things to come?

Looking forward to more

[Sherry E]

Originally Posted by tksbaskets

SO happy you got your ice cream cone! I laughed out loud when you recounted the trashcan of doom event. I was thinking it before I read it. Does that make me a TR stalker?? Man I would have been...er...miffed if I had not gotten my peppermint treat and then had to wait for my pal... I'm a bit confused by her eating a big lunch at noon-ish with Goofy's Kitchen in the evening. A sense of things to come?

Looking forward to more

TK -

I largely put in the reference to glancing at the trash can, the camera, the cone and the curb for you and for Deej (who seems to have disappeared from here since before my last TR installment), as I knew you two would automatically know what I was getting at (whereas people who are totally new to this TR would have no clue).

No - you're not a TR stalker at all. You've been with me here since that 2010 trash can/cone fiasco, so thankfully you remember it well enough to get my references!

You know, I could have dealt with putting off eating the ice cream cone for a little while, but the 'going back and forth' thing was getting old...fast. First I headed out of DL and towards DTD, thinking that I was going to meet up with "M," only to find out they had lunch plans. I went back into DL, got the cone, then ventured out to DTD again and on to the DLH, only to find out that "B" didn't want "M" to leave just yet. I turned around again, headed back to DL, only to get the call from "M" saying that she was ready for me to meet her at the DLH, causing me to turn around again. Sigh.

To be honest, I was confused about them needing a whole sit-down lunch when we had a big dinner buffet coming up later (no later than 6:30 p.m., and I was actually pushing for arriving ahead of schedule so that we may be seated early) - within several hours, really. She called me at 12:40-ish. By the time they actually got out of the DLH and went to RFC to eat, it was well after 1 p.m.

But then I thought, okay, I don't have kids so I have no idea how often they have to eat large meals during the day. She said they had to go to RFC because their 4-year-old needed sustenance, even though we would be eating a big meal later on. Maybe it was just beyond my comprehension because I don't have kids. That's what I thought. So I'm glad that someone else (you, who has kids) also thought it was confusing. It didn't make sense to me.

Yep - that's kind of a sense of things to come. Well, that whole explanation of how the events were transpiring before "M" and I finally met up is really a good indicator of the way in which things were handled on their end (or her end) through the rest of the trip...kind of disorganized and not really considerate of other people. But...things were still good, somewhat, on this particular day when we met up at the DLH. It was the next day (Tuesday - Day 3) when things began to go south...which I hate saying, because that was also the day when Laurie and Molly arrived and it should have been a good day because of that fact. But things went downhill quickly and it only got more confusing and disorganized on Tuesday.

Let's not jump ahead, though. I still have to get through the rest of Day 2, and the Goofy's Kitchen meal! I will be glad when I am done with this TR!

[PHXscuba]

Ok, I am voting that I like the 2010 ice cream cone with the crushed peppermint better than the 2011 version with sprinkles, although anything with sprinkles is a winner. More research needed? I volunteer!

I can see (especially since you've hinted before) how frustrating your time with your old friend could turn into. Different expectations already even though you're just meeting up, and adding her family into the mix.

PHXscuba

[tksbaskets]

We're voting?? I too vote for the crushed peppermint on the chocolate part of the cone too!

Why am I craving peppermint ice cream in August??

[Chereya]

I am really enjoying reading your trip reports, Sherry! I know you have so many other threads to keep up with but I look forward to reading each new one!

[mvf-m11c]

Glad that you got your ice cream on that day. I'm sorry that u had to walk back and forth from DL to the DLH. I understand that it isn't fun when someone in your group asks to meet u at a specific spot and all of a sudden they changed their minds.

Very nice photos from that day.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

[Sherry E]

Originally Posted by PHXscuba

Ok, I am voting that I like the 2010 ice cream cone with the crushed peppermint better than the 2011 version with sprinkles, although anything with sprinkles is a winner. More research needed? I volunteer!

I can see (especially since you've hinted before) how frustrating your time with your old friend could turn into. Different expectations already even though you're just meeting up, and adding her family into the mix.

PHXscuba

PHX -

You know, I actually think there may have been a wee bit o' crushed peppermint mixed in with the red & green sprinkles on the cone from 2011. I tasted a little bit of candy cane on the cone itself. But, of course, the 2010 version was all crushed peppermint and no red/green sprinkles.

I think I like the crushed peppermint version too.

As for "M" - yes, I suppose you could say that there were different expectations. Some things were discussed back and forth and clarified and reminded beforehand - meaning before "M" and family ever showed up, we had decided certain things we would be doing over two days in the parks together (not counting the Goofy's Kitchen dinner day), and she told me up front what time she would be available and what she would be able to do or not do. Basically, she reneged and backed out on a large part of what we had planned and talked about. So it wasn't as if I just expected certain things that hadn't been discussed, and then they didn't go the way I wanted. Oh no, indeed. It was all discussed beforehand.

I don't want to jump too far ahead and reveal too much of what's to come - because even with what I have hinted at, you guys still don't know exactly what led to my crying on a bench in DCA - but let's just say that it all was clearly defined beforehand what we were doing and not doing...and yet it changed when they actually arrived, and everything went downhill. I suspect that "M" knew how some things would end up early on, but she led me to think that they would be different and didn't tell me exactly what was happening - to the point where I altered my own plans and ideas of what I wanted to do, just to be with her - all for naught. She didn't communicate when it came right down to the important stuff, like backing out on plans...which is, sadly, something that is not uncommon for her to do.

The thing is, I can take a lot of elements into consideration when looking back at this whole fiasco - er, I mean, trip. I can accept the fact that "M" was with her father, who is in poor health; her husband, who has his own ideas of what he does and does not want her doing; and her young son, whose needs (obviously) have to be a major concern. She also had all kinds of family members and other friends clamoring to see her - and for some reason, many of them wanted to see her at Disneyland. Also, "M" had not been to DLR in 10 whole years, so everything was kind of sensory overload for her and she got caught up in shopping and things like that, and didn't really think about how it was being inconsiderate to others. (More on that later.)

At the end of the day, I think, as the saying goes, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Anyway, stay tuned for more TR updates as things slowly descend into a dark abyss of frustration and exasperation, on different levels! Fun times ahead!

Originally Posted by tksbaskets

We're voting?? I too vote for the crushed peppermint on the chocolate part of the cone too!

Why am I craving peppermint ice cream in August??

TK -

I am craving it too. I am gleeful at the notion that my local Ralphs will get the peppermint ice cream in stock next month! Even before Halloween! Then again, it's hot - I am craving any kind of ice cream at this point.

[Sherry E]

I had just responded to PHX & TK above and didn't think there were anymore replies, and I just happened to see Chereya's and Bret's posts before I signed off!

Originally Posted by Chereya

I am really enjoying reading your trip reports, Sherry! I know you have so many other threads to keep up with but I look forward to reading each new one!

Chereya -

Thank you so much for the kind words. I really do appreciate it, and I appreciate you hanging in here with me even beyond the Cars Land report! I know that a lot of times, when we write TR's or put together threads, we aren't sure if too many people are actually enjoying them. Sometimes it seems like we're talking to ourselves, or like no one else is out there!

Suddenly I got into some thread gridlock and there are a bunch of them happening at once! It's not always that way. For one thing, I am normally not working on a holiday TR 8 months after the trip happened! My TR's are usually done pretty soon after the trip in question. So this little holiday epic from 2011 is a thorn in my side because it's a story I want to tell, and yet I took so long to get it going that I have kind of lost the momentum. But still, I carry on! It just so happens that this thread is going on while the Halloween & Christmas Superthreads are hoppin,' and I have a Catalina photo report that is active (another unusual thing for me). One Year from now, I probably won't have so many active threads at one time!

Originally Posted by mvf-m11c

Glad that you got your ice cream on that day. I'm sorry that u had to walk back and forth from DL to the DLH. I understand that it isn't fun when someone in your group asks to meet u at a specific spot and all of a sudden they changed their minds.

Very nice photos from that day.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

Bret -

Thank you.

That ice cream cone was going to happen no matter what during my trip - it was just a matter of when!

Yes, it is soooo annoying walking back and forth because someone else in the group can't be clear on what's happening or make up their minds. I could have so much time in walking to and fro if my friend had just picked a plan of action for her family when they arrived at DLH and stuck to it. It was all the indecision and confusion that really bummed me out because it seemed unnecessary. If I had handled things in the same way and had her/them walking back and forth because I couldn't make up my mind and stick to it, they would not have been pleased!

[Sherry E]

My last installment was 3 days ago. I'm working on another one which should be up by tomorrow (Monday). I was actually working on it yesterday and it was way too hot to sit by my window, which is where the PC is located! I couldn't stand it. I had to move.

Today, I tried to write at times when the heat was a little less intense. I am beginning to get into some territory in the TR where (you could say) there were a few little early "red flags" going up about "M" (before and after Goofy's Kitchen) and how the rest of the DLR trip might go. As I was explaining these scenarios and hoping that my readers would pick up on the red flags, I kept getting writer's block - or I kept wanting to remove certain things and add other stuff in its place. I think the heat was making my mind go numb. Anyway, I got most of what I wanted to say typed out, so it's now just mainly a matter of pulling the IMG codes for the photos and then posting!!

So stay tuned for more TR tomorrow!!

[tksbaskets]

Standing by

[rentayenta]

Still reading along! Great pics as usual.

[Sherry E]

Originally Posted by tksbaskets

Standing by

Thank you, TK! I appreciate it!

Deej seems to have vanished from this thread. Molly is in and out of it. Michele is in and out of it. Marie is in and out of it. Others come and go. Bret is headed to the Expo. It's pretty much just you, PHXscuba and Chereya who seem to be sticking with me! I appreciate your loyalty!

Originally Posted by rentayenta

Still reading along! Great pics as usual.

Jenny -

Thank you!

I didn't think you were still out there - when you posted during my Cars Land segment, I replied to you and you never answered so I thought you disappeared well before I got to the holiday TR!

I remembered you had asked me long, long ago to send you a PM and let you know when and where my holiday TR was beginning. Once I finally got going with it, I kept thinking, "Should I let her know that it's begun? Or is she still out there, silently following along?" I had a feeling that you would have gotten a kick out of some of what I was describing - like nearly ending up in the forest on my way to DLR, due to the Super Shuttle guy who had his own agenda - but I just didn't know whether or not to alert you.

I was also going to PM you to let you know that there's a Halloween Superthread Theme Week Countdown happening. We finished with the Haunted Mansion Holiday theme week and are currently in the middle of Halloween Round-Up week. This coming Friday starts a new theme.

And in the Christmas Superthread, Theme Week begins again on Monday, August 27th! (Can you believe it's been a full year - almost - since we started the theme week countdown in the Christmas thread last year?) So even if you don't plan any DLR visits for either Halloween or Christmas this year, I know you have pictures!!!!

I literally just thought of you yesterday because I got to writing the part in my TR where I was expanding upon being at the Hearthstone Lounge, and I had commented about it once in your TR thread, when you were talking about being there as well! You said you were sitting in the love seat that was facing the bar, and I said that we were sitting in the love seat facing away from the bar.

That Hearthstone Lounge part of the TR is coming up later today.

[rentayenta]

Always send me a PM! I'm overwhelmed with planning our WDW trip so I'm slow on catching up so a little prompting is good with me! I wish the WDW section had a Halloween countdown thread. They've got a bazillion super threads but nothing with pics like you keep going.


Can't wait for the Heartstone update. It's one of my favorite places in all of the DLR.

I'll be on the lookout for the Christmas countdown thread. It's always so much fun!

[Virgoinab]

Still reading along, and thinking good thoughts as you write, what I think (maybe I'm wrong) a difficult next few chapter's for you.

But dang I do love your TR'S with all the mystery, intrigue and well the pics