Murphy's Law - That should be my middle name!
So, we fast-forward to the end of June, since I had planned a get-together with our friends (they live a little bit over an hour away from us, so we don't get to see them often). By phone, Maureen and I decided to have a powwow so that we could both reveal our expectations. This is extremely important since many a participant in ths situation ultimately mistakes that THE ENTIRE GROUP will be basically handcuffed and hogtied during the duration of the vaca (trust me - I know FIRSTHAND what I'm talking about!
). So, in order to get any preconceived ideas out of the way and virtually eliminate any misgivings, thereby ruining a perfectly good friendship, we had a drag-em-out, no-holds-barred deathmatch, including fisticuffs and switchblades.....just kidding - I invited them to spend the afternoon and I also cooked dinner. [
] There was also another reason why I had invited Jean and Maureen to our home - if we all were sitting face-to-face, it would make it 'more real' and instill in my DH that this was truly going to be a vacation.
Well, the wine flowed, and the talk and laughter went on until it was dark and we still hadn't come up with an itinerary. My DH was beginning to get impatient, but we forged ahead, making several ADR's at WDW (you didn't REALLY think that I was going to go ALL THE WAY TO WDW and not eat at Boma, did you??
) Well, my DH actually DID have some input into the discussion - there was NO WAY that he was spending the day at a water park and that was that! This option was fine with me - they'd be going, along with my DS, Jesse and his GF, while we'd (my DH, my DS, and I) spend the day at AK. It seems that they decided not to spend any of their time at a WDW park, since they[Jesse & Alexis] had just been there for 8 days back in February [2010]. Remember the big blizzard of the Northeast?? While we were digging ourselves out of 28 inches of snow, Jesse and Alexis were scoring points on the Buzz Lightyear ride and screaming on Tot....
....hours later, and we finally have a written-down itinerary, complete with several ADR's that everyone has now agreed upon, the actual cast of characters going along this bumpy journey, and other tidbits of info, like important items to bring, key phone numbers, a rough menu of what we will be cooking for the non-ADR nights, and a handful of various brochures for any other activities we'd perhaps like to try. Jean and Maureen plan to pull an 'all-nighter' by driving from south Jersey on Friday straight through to Fla overnight and stopping at a reasonably-priced hotel in the Orlando area, so that they can awaken and head to Mystic Dunes first thing on Saturday morning to check in [since it's a 'first-come-first-serve' kinda deal at check-in]. My DH suddenly decided to want to get in touch with his sister, who has relocated to N.C. and, since we've never been to her brand new house, decides we can 'kill two birds with one stone' and head out a day earlier and stop by them for a day or two. Boy, this vaca is looking better and better.....or IS it?
....it's now nearing our departure date - my DSis-in-L is expecting us to be knocking on her door sometime late Wednesday night (I figured it'd be about a 10-hour drive) when there is a possible 'Handyman Special' in the works that my DH is trying to purchase with several business partners. Okay fine, but less than 10 days before we are set to leave, he makes the announcement that he might NOT be able to go after all.....oooooh, shocker. Seriously, can't you come up with a better one than THAT lame-o line? It seems that there are problems back and forth with the seller and the tentative closing date is for sometime in the late afternoon on WEDNESDAY, our original departure day!
Unfortunately, I am delegated the task of calling my DSis-i-L to tell her that we won't be able to visit her after all....plus, now my DH doesn't want to leave until SATURDAY, to arrive Sunday. Wait, back the cabbage truck up - WHAT?!???! Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, my DS and his GF were planning to stay till Wednesday, which doesn't give them much time to spend with us, not to mention that it would be kinda awkward to spend time with our friends when we aren't even there. Add to the mix the fact that our itinerary included activities for Sunday - basically, we SHOULD be spending the day at IoA...by now, there is a lot of uncomfortable silence in the house, since at this point, I am now VERY angry that, once again, my dear DH has effectively sabotaged our vaca, and we haven't even gotten there yet....
....that's IT! I am taking matters in my own hands....yup, I'm going online to see if there are any more available seats on the departing flight that my DS and his GF booked. YESSSSSSS, there IS a God! Not only did I book the same round-trip airfare out of AC for all three of us [arriving in Orlando around 2:30 PM], but it was $62 going and $89 return! WHAT???? I repeat - am I in a 'Twilight-Zone' dimension? Could this actually have a happy ending? Excuse me, I gotta go check my shoes - I may have stepped in something
...........
[...my DH never DID put up a fight, since I convinced him that he'd be able to work 3 extra days, which would more than make up for the cost of the airfare - apparently, my DH married one smart cookie! 
Let the single-digit happy dance BEGIN!]
[...continued on Page 6 - Post #90]
So I now declare it to be the "Princess" thread.
I TOLD ya it has a happy ending.. 
[ 
]
I'm in for sure now!
