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Post by Scrappy Amazon on Aug 10, 2005 19:24:43 GMT -6
So after the Winnie adventure, as I call it, we wandered back to the closest smoking area, which happens to be on a little dock by the river. The Tom Sawyer ferry is right there and you can watch both the pirate ship and the paddle wheeler leaving and coming into dock from there. My personal favorite area to relax a bit. Semi comfy benches and a small cool breeze from the water. By now it was starting to get dark and we noticed that they were starting to get set up for the “Fantasmic” show. Like three hours before the show was scheduled and people were already picking out their spots. So we decide to go grab a snack (some pretty good beef kabob things) and come right back to wait for the show. We ended up catching a ride on the haunted house ride first, mostly because it’s right across the street from where we were, and also because the line was really short due to everyone waiting for the show. I love this ride. It’s like the Pirates of the Caribbean. Nothing has changed in a zillion years but it’s still great. One part scare factor one part tongue in cheek campy joke. Again, the attention to detail is very cool. The animatronics, the holograms, the fog rolling around the graves, right down to the Spanish moss hanging from the trees. So we go back to the dock and pick out a pretty good spot to watch the show. Only sucks because we have to stand for the whole thing and it’s pretty crowded. Too many bodies crunched up on this little damn dock. But the minute the show started I forgot all about that. Did I mention we took three hundred pictures while we were there? And did I mention none of the ones we took of the show turned out? Yeah crappy....(I had to “borrow” the ones I posted from someone else) If this show was the only thing I had gotten to see while I was there, I’d have gone home happy. Ecstatic in fact. It was one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. The whole show was supposed to be a story based on what Mickey Mouse dreams. About 15 minutes into the show some of our favorite villains decide to start giving him nightmares. An interesting thought that occurred to me during the show, all of the “bad guys” were women. The wicked witch from sleeping beauty, the evil queen from snow white and the sea hag from the mermaid movie. They played scenes from the movies Dumbo and Fantasia on giant jets of water spraying out from the river. I was to say the least, enthralled. Beautiful and powerful music, fantastic lights and sound effects. Some of the best scenes and music from both of the movies I mentioned, and also from the new Winnie the pooh movie. A flotilla of dream sequences floating by on every boat they own, and pyrotechnics to satisfy even the most hardcore firebug. At one point the Evil Queen is transformed from the pictures on the water jets into a “live” dragon that spews fire out over the water setting the river on fire. Outstanding! Ultimately Mickey “kills” the dragon and his dreams return to normal. Ending on a happy note as is fitting with a Disney show.
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Post by Phalon on Aug 16, 2005 0:10:59 GMT -6
Nice report, Scrappy. Too bad your pictures of the show didn’t turn out, but the borrowed ones are nice. I like the gray-haired man’s head. Ursula. The sea hag’s name is Ursula. I know this because the Little Mermaid was LX’s favorite movie when she was little, (one of them anyway), and I’ve seen it 53 million times. But that is interesting: that all the really bad guys in Disney movies were women. Don’t forget the evil stepmother in Cinderella and Cruella Deville from 101 Dalmatians. I can’t think of one truly evil male character though, and what’s up with that? * * * * Big festival this weekend in town. Music playing on two stages both nights. We saw one concert Friday night, (not sponsored by the festival, but in a small theater in town), that was really, really good, and went to the other – the headliners of the festival – Saturday night down at the marina. This one was as bad as the other was good. If we weren’t with friends we would have left shortly after it started. So many did; the lawn and street that was packed with people in the beginning cleared out more quickly than I’ve ever seen happen – it was that bad. We left about half-way through…song playing was Inna Godda De Vita, (sp?), and I’m sure they were still playing it by the time we walked in our front door twenty minutes later. Other than that, a fun time. Pie-eating contests, 5-K run for charity, sand sculpture building contest, a handful of rides, food booths, (I had one of those elephant ear things….what was I thinking?), sidewalk sales, craft fair, rides in scary-looking 4-seater single-engine planes, (Hubs and LX went up, and had a good time. BP and I watched from the ground as they took off over the lake, and I worried if the seat cushions could be used for floatation devices), a parade, (got plenty of parade waving practice in), pancake breakfast…all the stuff you’d find at a typical small town festival. Oh – and blueberries. Tons of blueberries. It is what this area is known for – the second in the nation in blueberry production, and the third or fourth in the world, (last I heard anyway). Yep – it was Blueberry Fest. I’ve eaten more blueberries in the last three weeks than most people probably eat in a lifetime. Took the kids berry-picking a few weeks ago. LX just likes to pick; she doesn’t eat them. BP eats all she picks. We ended up with nearly 10 pounds which were gone in less than a week. Went back to the berry farm a few more times in the last couple of weeks – didn’t do the U-pick thing again though; just too hot for that. And that is a bummer: the heat. Bushes that were dripping with berries when we picked; absolutely loaded, are now bare. The continued extreme heat, (extreme for this area anyway), made the berries just drop from the branches. I feel bad for the farmers who were expecting a good harvest. Another bummer: the bakery at the berry farm stopped making that wonderful White Chocolate Blueberry Cream pie. Just too time consuming they said; it tied up their kitchen for hours, and they could not keep up with the orders. Its replacement? Cream-cheese Blueberry Cream pie. I had a piece. Or two. Could have had three. Thinking it does not really matter that there is no more White Chocolate Blueberry Cream pie anymore.
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Post by Scrappy Amazon on Aug 26, 2005 1:22:17 GMT -6
Been meaning to ask....do these pies have meringue? Or whipped cream?
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Post by Phalon on Aug 27, 2005 23:45:04 GMT -6
Ick...not meringue. Not whipped cream either, though nearly I think; but stiffer, and thicker.....and doesn't that just sound good? Pie crust, a layer of thick cream cheese type fluff, a layer of blueberry filling, then the stiff, thick whipped cream stuff with fresh blueberries on top. Mmmm...a perfect summertime dessert.
And it seems summer is nearly over; Labor day weekend next week, and then the day after: school starts here. The tourists and summer residents will be gone shortly and our town will be a sleepy small town once again. Cooler nights, shorter days, and soon it'll be autumn.
We had a great summer even with Hubs spending much of the first half traveling for work, and the rest has been miserably hot. A lot of fun stuff though throughout.
But every season has it's drawbacks; things you could do without. Spring is rainy and cold, and with the weather: tornadoes. Fall...hhmmm...what's not to like about autumn? Let me think on that one. Winter; cold and the sun seldom shines.
A drawback to summer I've experienced here recently is bees. Dang, I've been stung at least five or six times in the past few weeks; most recently today. At work, with all the flowering things, we've got all sorts of bees, wasps, hornets, and whatever else you can imagine...buzzing about....big scary looking things that you know would just kill you if you got stung by them. Just feeding on the flower nectar though, and generally they will leave you alone then.
Yellow-jackets are not the scariest looking; but are the most likely to sting, I think. And they hurt. All of the stings I've ever received are from yellow-jackets...except one a week or so ago. One of those big, sleek bronzy colored wasps got me. Didn't hurt anywhere near like a sting from a yellow-jacket - those can throb for days afterward.
It is when you get close to their nests that they feel threatened and are most likely to sting....and they sting over and over again. Especially this time of year - and especially yellow-jackets. A lot of time they build their nest in the ground...or in the drainage holes in pots, and all it takes to provoke them is to walk too close, or pick up a pot with a nest. Have picked up a pot and come out with a hand covered in yellow-jackets a few times.
The colonies are at their peak, and they are readying new queens. The queens will survive in the fall and go off to start new colonies, and the rest of the old colony dies. Perhaps that's why they are so mean.
Ok - entomology lesson over; now on to the preaching part of this post....wait let me grab some boxed wine and move to the kitchen - the place where the best preaching takes place. Xena-Sista friend is out of town though for the weekend, so no brawling will take place...and dang, she's the one with the boxed wine. Pfft.
I'd just like to take a moment here to reiterate what everyone knows, but some may not pay too much attention to: the sun can be dangerous.
I've never been a "sun-worshiper"; love the beach, but can't stand to just lay there, getting a tan; boring, and I'd rather be doing something physical than just laying in one spot.
But I work outside in it all day, and as a result my arms, and especially my shoulders are covered in freckles and moles. I've never really applied sunscreen with any consistency, until this year, and now I applied it religiously - even when it is overcast - (it's amazing what turning forty will do - suddenly becoming concerned with all sorts of things).
Hubs noticed one of the moles looked a bit "funny", so I made an appointment to have it checked out. Doc ended up removing a couple dozen of them; very small ones that looked more like freckles, and they could all just be snipped off. The biopsies all came back negative; everything was cool.
A bigger mole, though still small - about the size of my pinkie fingertip - looked suspect, and I had to go back this week to have a biopsy done that would require stitches. The test came back showing abnormal cell growth, and I'll have to go back next week to have the whole thing cut out. It was not malignant yet; it was caught early enough - lucky for me.
Point is...pay attention to all those warnings about wearing sunscreen. Pay attention to any changes in color or shape to moles or freckles. Have your other half or your doctor check the ones you can't see periodically just to make sure. I am so thankful Hubs noticed - though the mole he thought looked funny was not the abnormal one; I have never paid much attention to them. Now I will.
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Post by marysgurl1 on Aug 28, 2005 13:01:49 GMT -6
totally agree...never did like the stuff.... I'd just like to take a moment here to reiterate what everyone knows, but some may not pay too much attention to: the sun can be dangerous. I've never been a "sun-worshiper"; love the beach, but can't stand to just lay there, getting a tan; boring, and I'd rather be doing something physical than just laying in one spot. But I work outside in it all day, and as a result my arms, and especially my shoulders are covered in freckles and moles. I've never really applied sunscreen with any consistency, until this year, and now I applied it religiously - even when it is overcast - (it's amazing what turning forty will do - suddenly becoming concerned with all sorts of things). Hubs noticed one of the moles looked a bit "funny", so I made an appointment to have it checked out. Doc ended up removing a couple dozen of them; very small ones that looked more like freckles, and they could all just be snipped off. The biopsies all came back negative; everything was cool. A bigger mole, though still small - about the size of my pinkie fingertip - looked suspect, and I had to go back this week to have a biopsy done that would require stitches. The test came back showing abnormal cell growth, and I'll have to go back next week to have the whole thing cut out. It was not malignant yet; it was caught early enough - lucky for me. Point is...pay attention to all those warnings about wearing sunscreen. Pay attention to any changes in color or shape to moles or freckles. Have your other half or your doctor check the ones you can't see periodically just to make sure. I am so thankful Hubs noticed - though the mole he thought looked funny was not the abnormal one; I have never paid much attention to them. Now I will. very well put, p & much appreciated! my mom is allergic to the sun--has been her whole life....she grew up on a tobbacco farm & of course had to be out in the sun from daylight til dusk....she has had over 200! places zapped, cut off, dug out over the past 5 or so years--many of them on her face....she's had other places give her problems thruout her life also.... most people make the mistake of waiting til they get to the pool to apply sun screen....you should always apply it at least 30 minutes before leaving home so it has time to penetrate the underlying layers of skin & not be stingy with it.....our girls spent the entire summer at the pool & everytime they went, i lathered them with no less than 45 spf.....they both have their mom's olive skin tone & the youngest has blond hair....even with the 45, they both end up with golden tans......i use to have the misconception that the higher the spf, the less tan you were gonna get...(i can't stand to "lie out" either, p.....bored in about 5 minutes....about the time it takes me to get settled)....it is also important to protect around the eyes & the lips also....(mom had a tuff time with the place on her lip)..... *hands soapbox back to p* glad to hear that you actually listened to hubs....i know how stubborn someone can be at times....& props to him for having your back... it's nice having someone who loves you enough to pay attention to those small (sometimes bigger) details! good luck from here, p. we'll be sending good karma your way....what day is your surgery? i go back to the doc on wed .....maybe i can drop you off on my way....
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Post by Phalon on Aug 28, 2005 17:25:53 GMT -6
A coincidence, MG: I go under the knife on Wednesday also. Would love a ride - but pick me up on the return? Can't stand the sight of my own blood, and I'll probably end up on the floor.
Hoping for you, the doctor gives you the "a-ok" and all is well.
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Post by marysgurl1 on Aug 28, 2005 18:27:10 GMT -6
no problem....hopefully i'll be tooling home with both hands operational!! actually i know better than that....i should get the splint off, but it will be weeks until i get any use from my thumb & mr. pointer..... ::)the dang tendon going up my thumb is so tight, it pops up 1/8 inch above the skin when i try to straighten my thumb...what a mess... anyhoo, did you say where on your bod?? you won't be going to sleep, will you??
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Post by Phalon on Aug 28, 2005 22:40:28 GMT -6
Damn, it sounds like you're going to have your work cut out for you rehabilitating your hand once the splint is off. Wishing you well on that.
No - nothing so major as being asleep during the procedure. Actually, I was scheduled to have the whole thing removed last week, but doc decided that although it is small it would leave too big a scar to remove it all, and opted for taking just a chunk of it to biopsy.
And where on my body? A scar is really no big deal; it'll be seldom seen. I just hope the bandage can suffice for a bra until the thing heals, cuz I imagine wearing one with the stitches will be uncomfortable.
LMAO. Why do I suddenly feel like those elderly people who sit around and discuss their ailments?
Uhm, cuz that's what we are doing? But never old.
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Post by marysgurl1 on Aug 28, 2005 22:48:37 GMT -6
ah well....battlescars in the game of life.....
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Post by marysgurl1 on Aug 28, 2005 22:51:03 GMT -6
maybe i should change that.....
battlescars in the "adventure" of life....
going for the mindset....
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Post by Phalon on Aug 28, 2005 22:59:31 GMT -6
Yes - it is definately about the mindset. The adventure of life: one big thrill ride with all its ups and downs. And I love rides.
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Post by Joxcenia on Aug 29, 2005 18:01:05 GMT -6
My paternal grandmother died from cancer that started from a big black mole on her right arm. She asked a local doctor to remove it a few years earlier and he wouldn't. It would have saved her life, I'm sure. And my maternal grandfather died from cancer that started from a mole on his shoulder/back of neck area. Another local doctor just tossed it in the trash and didn't have it examined.
I've had moles removed, but have never had to go back to remove more of the areas. My sister, and some cousins, have had to go back for the removal of a wider area to examine, but it turned out well. A maternal Uncle had to have minor surgery, but they got it all and he's fine.
I may let other ailments slide by, but never a discolored/misshapened mole. Good job on the alert... hopefully all who read this will have someone look their moles over very closely, or they'll make an appointment with a skin doctor.
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Post by Phalon on Sept 2, 2005 6:24:02 GMT -6
And so...Labor Day Weekend; typically what most people consider the end of summer, though technically it lasts for a few more weeks.
No big plans for us; I'm working all weekend. A cook-out and that's about it. Fine with me, I'd rather relax and hang-out with friends than just about anything.
Hope everyone has a happy and safe holiday.
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Post by Scrappy Amazon on Sept 2, 2005 8:57:21 GMT -6
Cool...I love a good BBQ! Send some ribs my way....or whatever you are cooking.
I'm having breakfast with my fearless leader! YAY!
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Post by Phalon on Sept 11, 2005 22:22:45 GMT -6
I said recently in another thread that it seemed as if autumn was in the air. Pfft. Cooler temperatures; wishful thinking. A week or so of really nice weather - in the seventies - and now we're pushing ninety again.
Too hot for this time of year....or rather, too much continual heat without rain. The worst drought since 1946, I heard. A lot of the trees here went from green to brown it seemed overnight; stress from lack of water, and I'm thinking there will be little yellows, oranges and reds of autumn this year - just brown.
But wait....we are going camping this weekend. Sounds like a beautiful place - one we've never been - with miles and miles of hiking and biking trails, (also good for roller-skiing, I hope), a lake for swimming, (warmer than the big lake here, I'm sure), a river with canoe rental....and it's inland, so hopefully spared from the drought that we are experiencing on the shoreline. Should be a great weekend.
How much you wanna bet it'll rain.....there, and not here.
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Post by Gabbin on Sept 11, 2005 22:33:40 GMT -6
That was an interesting observation on the Disney flicks. They were probably trying to keep women in their places and not aspire or plot for power. Gosh, where did that come from?
Hoopah! I am sorry to hear about your skin doohickey, Gams.
It is good that your sex-romp injury is healing, MG. LMAO.
Bees and their ilk are naaaaasty. You give me the heebie jeebies just talking about them. Bees have those hooks in their stingers which pulles them out. I forgot how to get them out but squeezing the poison sack is not one of them. I stomp the critters.
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Post by marysgurl1 on Sept 11, 2005 22:46:05 GMT -6
It is good that your sex-romp injury is healing, MG. LMAO. hey gabbin...in the illustrious words of gabrielle, "i've never heard it put quite like that before", but yes, i am healing slowly & back at work...thanks!
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Post by Phalon on Sept 13, 2005 21:34:56 GMT -6
So yes...camping this weekend; not exactly roughing it, but sleeping in a tent, and I am being laughed at. Pfft. Just because I made sure we get a site with electricity and am bringing an extension cord and my coffee pot. I see nothing wrong with this, but my family thinks it's a bit much. A bit much, I think, would be me in the morning without my coffee.
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Post by Scrappy Amazon on Sept 13, 2005 21:36:05 GMT -6
I take it you don't do the boiled over the fire type stuff?
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Post by Phalon on Sept 13, 2005 21:39:51 GMT -6
I don't mind rot-gut coffee, but I do have my standards. (rolls eyes) It's gotta be brewed and not boiled. And instant...pfft. Might as well drink decaffeinated, and then, what's the purpose?
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Post by Scrappy Amazon on Sept 13, 2005 21:44:27 GMT -6
LMAO....I have made some pretty good over the fire stuff. Pretty easy if you have the right equipment.
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Post by katina2nd on Sept 15, 2005 19:45:27 GMT -6
When are we getting another installment of your Disney escapade Scrappy, there's gotta be lots more to tell.
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Post by Scrappy Amazon on Sept 16, 2005 23:24:57 GMT -6
Well..I was kinda figuring everyone was getting tired of my Disney talk. I'm sure I can bore you some more though if you really want..I haven't even gotten to the Princess stalking or how I got to meet Sweetums!
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Post by katina2nd on Sept 16, 2005 23:32:44 GMT -6
Well good grief, after those teasers ya gotta write another instalment [ or five ] it's been great so far, but it seems like it's gonna get even better.
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Post by Scrappy Amazon on Sept 16, 2005 23:42:03 GMT -6
Ok...I'll get to working on it...though I do owe a HOW post too. And by the way....have you thought about joining us in the house?
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Post by katina2nd on Sept 16, 2005 23:50:17 GMT -6
I'll keep an eye on this space, along, I'm sure, with the rest of your loyal following. Not really, I'd be to scared of making a right wally of myself, you guys are darn good.
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Post by Scrappy Amazon on Sept 17, 2005 0:01:27 GMT -6
Pfft...have you ACTUALLY read the story? We made a right, what was it you said "wally" of it at fist too...none of knew what the heck we were doing. Kept stepping on each other's toes all over the place. Point is....it's fun!
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Post by katina2nd on Sept 17, 2005 0:10:03 GMT -6
Yeah maybe so, at first, but the writing and story have just kept getting better and better, plus I'm really just like the Cowardly Lion in Wizard of Oz. ;D
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Post by Scrappy Amazon on Sept 17, 2005 0:14:39 GMT -6
So why not turn that into a character...maybe you could take over one of our spares....I think you would make a great Aiden!
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Post by katina2nd on Sept 17, 2005 0:27:50 GMT -6
Dunno bout that. Hey what do you mean I'd make a great Aiden, he's an evil sod.
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