TGIF

Yes, I know.  It was a short week, but the day after we arrived home, I came down with a head cold.  I hate feeling all stuffy.  But, at least I didn't get sick until after we got home.

Today's topic is the decorations in the parks.  I have never seen so many poinsettias in one place.  They have the most beautiful poinsettia balls in the parks. The wreaths in the parks were so gorgeous.  And in Disney's Hollywood Studios, all the trees were decorated with tinsel -- you know, Tinseltown.  In Animal Kingdom (as well as in our resort, Animal Kingdom Lodge) the trees were decorated in an African theme with masks of the various animals, woven baskets,  and the like. 
 But the most magnificent lighting display was most definitely in Hollywood Studios, where we saw the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights.  You just didn't know where to look because there was so much to see.  And the lights danced to various Christmas carols.  The Spectacle of Lights includes: over 5 million lights, 32 miles of extension cables, 66 snow machines, 100 gallons of snow fluid a night, and 43 hidden Mickeys.  Disney at Christmas is truly a sight to see, and I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

Disney Characters and the Quilt Blocks

I haven't counted the blocks that I had signed, but I have 9 out of 50 that aren't signed.  However, we had lunch one day with the characters from Playhouse Disney, and I got signatures from JoJo, Goliath, June and Leo. So, I think I have 44 signed blocks since JoJo and Goliath signed on one block.  Not bad, huh?  Hooping the blocks with the spring hoops was a great idea.  The hoop kept the block stretched tight for signatures, and also gave the characters something rigid to hold on to.  It was also quick to remove one block and replace it with another.  I had a total of 6 hoops - three small and three larger.  So I could hoop more than one block at a time.  It worked well since I could hoop all four Pooh characters at once for breakfast at Crystal Palace.  This is a photo of the grandkids with Alice.

The characters were very impressed with my blocks.  They see a lot of autograph books, so the fabric blocks must have been something different for them.  Ariel asked what I was making with the blocks, asked to see some of the others, and even put my name on with her signature.  Goofy, who is one of my fav Disney characters,  just kept kissing me and showed his approval of his block.  I got Woody's signature at one point with Jessie.  When I met him later with Buzz Lightyear, he indicated that he remembered signing his block.  It was so much fun getting the signatures, and the characters were so much fun.  This is a photo of the grandkids with Snow White.  Krissy has on a replica of Belle's peasant dress that Jimmy's Aunt Karen made.

But I think that the best thing about meeting the characters was watching them interact with Bubs and Krissy.  Bubby gets so excited when the characters approach him, and wants to kiss everybody.  Pluto even managed to give him a kiss with his fake tongue.  The Mad Hatter was certainly the most fun -- he just kept going around the restaurant yelling "Mary Poppins".  And everytime he shouted, so did Bubby.  He came to the table and was just the silliest I had ever seen.  This photo is Mary and the twins with the grandkids and Chip and Dale.  Pam is on the far right, Pat is kneeling in front of Krissy.  Mary is the one standing.

Jimmy's aunt made the Mary Poppins outfit for Krissy.  Mary Poppins was so impressed that she took Krissy by the hand and took her to some of the tables at 1900 Park Fare to show that today her twin was there.  Krissy was so proud.  So often she is overlooked because Bubby is so cute and uses the walker.  But at Disney she gets as much attention as Bubby.  Doesn't she look so cute with Mary Poppins in her matching outfit?

I'm home

Yes, I'm home -- with mixed emotions.  I'm glad to be home, but I loved Disney.  Mary asked me yesterday what was my favorite part, and I couldn't really pick just one part.  I don't have the pictures yet, Mary took most of the photos.

And I'm still so excited that I could go on for hours.  But I'll try to organize my thoughts and tell you a little bit each day.  Today I guess I'll discuss what was my biggest worry - how I would get around my disability.  I just can't walk very far, and standing for long periods of time is almost impossible. You guys were all right. Disney makes nearly everything easy for those with disabilities.  In fact, you are practically treated like royalty.
Those using scooters or wheelchairs are loaded onto the shuttle buses first, and their families go with them.  Then the other passengers are let onto the buses.  I only had one person who voiced their dislike of this procedure, and I just figured that some day I may be able to get around better, but he will always be ignorant!  And only one bus driver got nasty, and the cast member handling transportation for our resort overheard it and reported him.  Disrespect and cursing is just not tolerated in the Disney family.

Each show has special seating for those with wheelchairs or scooters, and you are entered in a separate line. (Your family is always admitted with you. They are never chased away to the other line.)  There is special areas for parking in each theater with seats separating each area so that your family sits with you.  There is special viewing areas for handicapped for the parades.  It was just so incredible to me that all these special accommodations are made for the disabled, and I applaud Disney's consideration.  I was so at ease at this amazing park, that we booked another trip for late October.  See you tomorrow.

Do I hear Five?

Yes, I do.  Only 5 days left until we leave for Disney. I didn't take enough photos of the blocks, and there aren't a lot of photos you haven't seen.  Today's blocks are Cinderella, Aurora (Sleeping Beauty) and Dopey.

We had a great Thanksgiving.  Good Food, great family and of course, I ate too much and some of the things I shouldn't have.  We ate early - 12:30, all were gone by 4:15.  But Mary's family returned in the evening for pie, and the twins came back to eat again.  That's what's so great about having family so close by.  Hope your holiday was a good one.

Mickey and Minnie and Goof, OH MY!!

Yes, today I'm starting to feel a little like Dorothy on her way to Oz.  I'm what you get when you cross excitement and fear.  So today's blocks are Mickey and Minnie.  All 50 blocks are finally finished, and have been pressed for the final time before packing.  T-shirts are done.  My rewards card has been validated. The pins I'm planning to trade have been put on my lanyard.  And this weekend, we will start to pack.  Not to difficult for me since I don't wear the same clothes each day that I'm taking to Disney.  But Rod will still need to keep out clothes for work.  And so, today, the readiness begins in earnest.  Hope your holiday is the best.

8 days to go

Oh yeah, only eight more days.  Since Disney would consider me "Pooh Shaped", I decided to show you my blocks for Tigger and Pooh.

Today I want to finish zigzag stitching the final 5 blocks, and get them ready to pack.  Also I need to start making my list of when to do what for Thanksgiving.  Rod works on Friday, so there won't be any Black Friday shopping for me.  Most of my shopping is done, just a few small items to pick up.  Have a great day.

Single Digits

Yes, today we're in single digits.  9 days to go.  I've never been on an airplane, so I'm thinking of it as my own  magic carpet ride.  I showed you the Genie block the other day, and now her's Aladdin and Jasmine, who rode on their own magic carpet.