Coffee on the Verandah - Two by two - 5/21

[eandesmom]

Our 6th day of the trip started early for me. Or it didn't quite end, I am not quite sure. I had a rather horrendous night of attempting to sleep and not scratch my feet off. I did try some relief spray that I have that does help some but the reality is nothing really works, never has. It is frustrating. Benadryl doesn't do a thing for me, cortisone cream is worthless. The only thing that really helps is flat out ignoring and not scratching. Which can be very difficult in the middle of the night. I was motivated to try awfully hard though, I was not remotely keen on the idea of what my feet would look like if I gave in to the scratching, I knew it would be bad enough even if I didn't touch them at all (I tend to get a pretty large like hive reaction on any bit, immediately and then it turns bright red. Hard to miss) ]. We had 4 days of cruise on the horizon which meant 4 nights of dresses and cute shoes! Yes, I'm vain. What can I say.

It never occurred to me that they would be attracted to standing water like that (especially transitory standing water) and I'm not sure how effective spray would be anyway once the skin was wet. UGH. I will remember this for the future, that much I know.

Jeff and I woke up (or I gave up on trying to sleep, keeping busy is often best when this happens) and decided to go enjoy our last morning on the beach. A run for him and a walk for me while the kids slept in. I did spray my feet first!

Walk with us. Actually, walk with me and

See Jeff run!











I had some fun playing around with photo edits











I kept trying to catch these darn birds but no luck. They looked so much cooler live! I was mesmerized by them.







So bright the camera needed shades





More birds





Turtle Nest Protection is on the job!





It was a lovely walk, heading in the opposite direction of where I had been before. Past sunrise for sure but still early. So peaceful, hardly anyone out.
Arriving back at the villa I found a very cranky Evan. “You were supposed to wake/take me with you”. Oops. I definitely hadn't remembered that if I had agreed to it. He was really bummed out and I felt awful, though I had honestly loved my solo walk. The plan was to work for about an hour or as long as it took and take care of breakfast, checking out by checkout time, at noon.

Work went, well, about as well as it had the previous 3 days I’d attempted it. Changes I swore I had made, hadn't taken and I kept trying to get it to go through...searching for signal again (and again and again and again). Finally I got in gear (aka gave up) finished up most of the packing and went to start breakfast, calling down for the room service order (and trying to be sneaky at the same time). Had the hardest time getting through, it would ring and ring and ring. Kept trying, kept getting re-routed, finally intercepted before they could transfer and the CM went to investigate what was happening.

"Room service is closed."

What do you mean it's closed? How can room service be closed? How can breakfast be over? It was 10 at the absolute latest (though I have no proof of that) My stress level, combined with the fiery feet and work internet fiasco started to go up quickly. VERY quickly. We conferred and Jeff went down to try and order them as "take out" from the restaurant instead. While he did, I made the rest of us French toast, putting it in the oven to warm. Finally...he arrived. With pancakes! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!! Happy Birthday Kendall.



Of course since I was a cooking, cleaning, packing trying to get out of the villa on time maniac, I didn't get any pictures of the actual breakfast, or her opening her gift. Which was really only part of her gift but she didn't know it. We gave her a choice of a spa service, on the Dream, at the Teen only spa. She thought that was pretty cool. Of course since I was a cooking, cleaning, packing trying to get out of the villa on time maniac, who hadn't gotten up super early and had taken an hour long stroll on the beach the morning of said checkout, we were not out on time. Shocker I know! By the time we got the car loaded, a last trip for bio breaks, pressed pennies and something else I can’t remember, it was noon.

In theory and according to Google Maps it is an hour and 9 minute drive to the port. We had some errands to run along the way, none of them awful but figured we were still more than fine to make it there in time for lunch and our FE DIS meet at 3.

No ice

[Mndisneygirl]

HOW can room service be closed??? Oh man! Good recovery on the take out though!
Glad Kendall liked her spa gift! Can't wait to hear what she chose!

So you say "in theory" you should have had plenty of time and that leads me to believe that "in reality" meant something different!! Oh boy.

[natebenma]

Originally Posted by eandesmom

I love all the pictures from your beach stroll, but these two especially. Gorgeous!

Sorry that your feet were bothering you. Not being able to sleep is an awful feeling!

Room service was closed? Seriously? Don't they realize people are on VACATION and some may not be getting it into gear until later in the morning? Glad takeout was able to save the day.

OK, I'll do the math.

An hour, 15 minutes for the drive. 45 minutes for errands (if you immediately find what and where you are looking for) 1 hour for the boarding processing.

You are gonna be cutting it seriously close for that FE meeting!

[Mndisneygirl]

That's one good thing about the Disney Cruise - 24 HOUR FREE room service!!!

[Captain_Oblivious]

Originally Posted by eandesmom

I did try some relief spray that I have that does help some but the reality is nothing really works, never has. It is frustrating. Benadryl doesn't do a thing for me, cortisone cream is worthless.

I bet you could pick up some Beverly from Club Cool to try. That would kill off just about anything.

Originally Posted by eandesmom

I had some fun playing around with photo edits

Some very nice beach pictures here!

Originally Posted by eandesmom

Turtle Nest Protection is on the job!

Is that Maryann?

Originally Posted by eandesmom

So peaceful, hardly anyone out.
Arriving back at the villa I found a very cranky Evan. “You were supposed to wake/take me with you”. Oops.

Uh oh. Time to distract him. Squirrel!

Originally Posted by eandesmom

"Room service is closed."

[Disney9.9.10]

I love the beach shots! It looks so peaceful and empty early in the morning. That is crazy about room service being closed so early though, I don't think I've ever heard of that happening anywhere before. Can't wait to read about the cruise!

[dizneeat]

Great pics of the beach. It looks so peaceful.

Yikes again for patchy internet - looks like you got a taste of the internet on the Disney ships.
NO room service SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!! I am so glad Jeff was able to get some pancakes from the restaurant!
AND, you are on your way to the DREAM!

[KatMark]

Beautiful pictures from your walk (Jeff's run) on the beach. I love the beach first thing in the morning...so peaceful.

I can't believe room service was closed, but glad Jeff could get the pancakes from take out at the restaurant.

I'm glad everything worked out in the end.

Hope you made it on time for lunch and your DIS meet.

[MEK]

Nothing better than an early morning beach stroll to brighten the spirits after an itchy night.

Poor feet. I have visions of my ankles when they get flea bites. Ouch.

So - glad you were able to get pancakes and glad you were able to get out by noon. Now I just hope you get to the port on time with your "stops".

[eandesmom]

Originally Posted by Captain_Oblivious

I see. Didn't realize the number was so low. I think she did wait list us for either standard or island view, so maybe that will help our chances. Fingers crossed. Given the points chart and the cost of renting points, I didn't feel like we could justify the cost of the pool/ocean view rooms. This would all be moot if they would just build the hotel rooms to hold 5 people!

Kind of a bummer that they didn't do the regular resort rooms wiht a daybed like many of the deluxes at WDW have. Or at least part of them (as not all of them have it at WDW). The regular resort rates are brutal, though I guess not all that different than WDW deluxe without a discount. A cash 1 bedroom is cheaper than the resort side parlor suite but both are ouch! And that's at the "off peak" rates until 6/7.

Originally Posted by Captain_Oblivious

I can't give away all of that; then you'd skip the last chapter of my TR!

We are hoping to do 4 islands: Oahu, Maui, Hawaii, and Kauai. It's ambitious, but we have a couple of aces up our sleeve keeping some costs down. So far we have our flights out booked and paid for (or miles used), and I have a hotel on the big island and a condo in Kauai rented. Baby steps...

No way would I skip, I need to spot some more lies. I suck at the movie quotes (and besides, lies are worth way more points). We stayed at some great condo's on both the Big Island and Maui (though the Maui one wouldn't be big enough I don't think). Paying stuff ahead of time helps a ton that's for sure. That will be an amazing trip, when we take the boys we will definitely do more than one island. We've still never been to Kauai.

[MeMom]

Originally Posted by eandesmom

I really like this one.

Good to hear that you managed to come up with breakfast for all.

Looking forward to starting the cruise next!

[Poolrat]

Now I know what I am doing on my last day at Vero if I ever get to stay there.



A lovely walk on the beach amid all the packing up and getting on the road.



So glad Kendal got her pancakes and WOW how crazy that room service was closed!!!!

[MAGICFOR2]

Yikes! So sorry your feet were so miserable. I hope they don't create problems on the cruise.

Nice beach pics!

Why would room service be closed? They must be short staffed or something. I'm glad Kendal got her pancakes!

I was sad to see you leaving the beach, but then I remembered that you have a DREAM cruise to look forward to!

[Chilly]

Room service closes!?!?

I guessing you board later than planned.

Looking forward to hearing about the Dream.

[brookelizabeth]

What a stressful morning between the bites and the room service fiasco and trying to get out of the villa! I'm glad you had that morning stroll!!! Your pictures are beautiful and make me want to be on a beach RIGHT NOW instead of in this chilly, damp NE weather!

I would have been thinking the EXACT same thing about the bright red bites on my feet, totally vain, but well, there are pictures documenting moments on the cruise!