Saturday, 24 May 2008

I need to update

my blog more often.





Well at least that is what some (2, to be precise) of you think, and you may be right.





My excuse is that I have been very busy and have been away without proper Internet access.





After returning from holiday, it took some time to get everything back to normal, whatever that might be.





I found a message on our answerphone from the recruiting officer from Leonard Cheshire, my employer and where our oldest, Mike, (I am giving up on calling the boys SS* (silly son) and calling everyone by their names) had applied for a job as a carer. They wanted to check that the address he had supplied for his previous employer, McDonald's, was correct. This seemed rather odd as they told me before we went away that they had had the reference from them, but was waiting for the other reference. I even supplied them with name and address of someone else to replace that reference. Ah well, left hand and right hand syndrome I think. When I went to work on the Monday, I had a quick word with the head of home, who told me she had phoned McD on the Friday and sorted this out, now we were just waiting for this reference before he could start. I also spoke to the person in charge of accommodation as Mike would be moving there!! Yes!!!


Half past four the same afternoon, the phone rang. Head of home! Reference in and would Mike like to start Thursday (1st)! Yes, he would (I said), what time? 7am!!! I went ouch, I have to take him! Her answer was, well how about 2pm. Oh yes, much better. So 2pm Thursday and Friday, then whatever they wanted as he would move over the weekend. So guess what I was doing over the bank holiday weekend?? Yep, sorting him out and taking him shopping. We got him a small fridge with a separate freezer as they have a shared kitchen and food often disappears from there. He also got a small microwave and a small grill. We already had a spare kettle. Cooking sorted. Took a long time over food shopping as I was trying to explain easy, but healthy and filling food to him; he is not a great help in the kitchen, that is Pete.





It has been so nice and quiet here since Mike left and oddly tidy, I cannot imagine he really was the source of the mess, but .....





The following weekend I was away on a Beadworkers Guild weekend. Great fun, but sooo very hot. The heating in the hotel was on full and could not be turned down or off. Add to that that the temperature outside was in the 20's C and as it was an old building, the windows did not open very well...I am sure you can imagine it. Got home Sunday afternoon, Monday was my birthday and Tuesday morning I flew off to Denmark to see Mum.



Whilst there I saw this in a supermarket:





Are the monkeys taking over everywhere?? Does Monkee Maker know about this??

As this is getting rather long, I think I will split it in several posts.

Saturday, 26 April 2008

Day 14 Thursday 24th

Last full day and time for more swimming

Seaworld opened a new swimming park last month so we thought we should try it out.
What had really surprised me was, that you are allowed to take photos in the swimming parks. I don’t think that would be allowed in the UK. As I have recently bought an underwater housing for my camera, it was time to try it out.





First we tried Roa’s Rapids






Quite nice, infact the best thing there






Camera found this under water





The boys tried a slide, but found the queues were just too long to be bothered with any more slides.






Then we tried the inner tube river, far, far too short, but had a few good features






Including torture spots






Next the wave pool. I did not like this as all it did was make very choppy water. The one at Typhoon Lagoon which makes a very large wave every 90 seconds is far better






There was a bit of fooling around here






Some of the playground features looked good






I am just glad I was not standing under that bucket






Outside the park was this tree






With a strange fruit, about 6”, does anyone know what it is?

Update: thanks to Bronwyn in Australia I now know that it is a Screw Palm/Pine and that the fruit is not edible







Afterwards we went to Disney Quest, again, outside in the car park SS2 spotted this tour bus. We discovered that they were playing tonight and tomorrow night and the boys could have got tickets for tomorrow, poor boys, they will be on a plane then, never mind, perhaps another time.


I am now off to finish packing, we have to check out by 11am (4pm UK time) and be at the airport by 2pm. We should be home by 8am tomorrow morning UK time. I will try to take a few photos of the hotel etc before we leave.

Day 13 Wednesday 23rd


No photos today, we just did shopping/sitting by the pool, work out for yourselves who did what.

Later Dragonslayer, SS2 and I went to Island of Adventure as I missed out when the boys went. Had a go on two roller coasters, the Hulk and Ice Dragon. I did manage to get what I really wanted there, a new Spongebob Hat. Got a couple of spare ones too, will try them out on Ebay as sooo many people have wanted mine.

Day 12 Tuesday 22nd




Disney’s Hollywood Studios was where we went today, again minus SS1.

We did not do many rides, there were just too many people there.




An unusual Disney symbol






Disaster Canyon




Then we went to see



Lights, Motors, Action!






Lots of tyre smoke






Flames






And cars




Then it was time for



Tower of Terror!






From the inside




Orlando discovered something new, again




frozen lemonade






Dragonslayer spoon-fed him






Very nice






But followed by more torture






All of us.

Day 11 Monday 21st




Busch Gardens in Tampa was our destination today




The Anheuser-Busch Logo, they own the park




Some more floral sculptures




Lots of animals too





More animals




And more



We went on the roller coasters here too, including the vertical roller coaster! I bought the photo of us and will show you when I get home and can scan it




A nice flower on a tree




Spot the Munkea




Can you see him now?




At lunchtime there was some Munkea torture taking place




Later Orlando found something to show me




Do they look similar?




They seemed friendly

Day 10 Sunday 20th


We went swimming at Typhoon Lagoon today, definitely the best swimming park here




SS1, 2 and 3 on the raft ride




Dragonslayer and SS1 on a slide

Day 9 Saturday 19th




Today we decided to leave the theme parks alone and see some of the real Florida.


We decided on an Airboat ride, south of Kissimee. It was not cheap, but well worth it.



Some birds and alligators




The real Florida





As we had had a large lunch at the lake, we decide to have snacks for dinner. Orlando quite liked the look of what we chose



Strawberries




They taste nice




Melon




That is nice too.

Newer Posts Older Posts Home