Squeezing Quarters Til the Eagle Screams..a May 2010 PTR! 4/9 Update!!

[scooby9932]

Hey, ya'll & welcome to my new PTR!

Some of you may remember my old TR that didn't get finished. What can I say, I'm a bad, bad Dis'er! I have my reasons & they are good ones, but you know what they say, "Excuses are like behinds. Everybody's got one and they all stink."

So, now that I'm finished with the chemo & ready to get my yearly Mickey fix, I've decided to write this PTR.

First, I'll introduce the cast:

There's me:
My name's Dawn & I'm a 40 year old who LOVES all things Disney! The magic, the romance, the fairy dust...I'm a HUGE sucker for it all. I was born in Los Angeles, but lived in Louisiana since age 2, so I'm southern by design, not right, as they say.

I'm a single mom of one very Princess-y DD, Somer, who turns 21 this March. We are the Gilmore Girls. Everyone likens us to them & it's true. I've always been her mom, but we're also best friends & traveling buddies. It took awhile, but I finally converted my DD to a complete Disney nut. Woot! And now she's as addicted as I am & now she says we MUST go to Disney every year. Who am I to refuse?

In other news, I've got Lupus (dx since 2001) & as of 2008, I now have Stage 4 metastatic cancer (in the lungs & bones) that they treat all the time. I spend about 6-9 months out of every year on chemo & radiation (for any new sites). But my strong will (ahem...stubbornness some say) has kept me alive so far & I'm still kicking & screaming & fighting this nasty disease. The thing about cancer is you CAN live with it. It's not fun, and it's not easy, but I'm living proof it CAN be done! There, I'll get off my soap box. For now. Who knows when I'll get the urge again?

What that means for the trip? I have to use a scooter. *putting on flame suit* Sorry to all of you who HATE us scooter drivers & bi!tch & moan about how we don't deserve to use them & make your bus travel a PITA & get front of the line access. Here's a lesson - You CAN'T always tell if someone has a NEED. And we DON'T get front of the line. Mostly, it takes longer to board than waiting with the normal queue. I won't even go into how often we scooter drivers get pushed, shoved, hit, derided, etc. SO...be kind, be patient, and if you can't...well, just HUSH UP! You'll be pleased to know I have a perfect record of never hitting anyone while on my scooter!

Darn! There's that pesky soap box again. Ahem...sorry... back to our regularly scheduled PTR.

Next in this cast is my DD, Somer.
Somer is, in a word, girly. She is a southern belle through & through. The only thing lacking is an outrageous accent - just a nice soft drawl is all, ya'll.

She's always loved fairy tales & romance & sparkle. To illustrate: When she was 4 she came home from her father's house & told me this story: A$$...um, I mean, Johnny asked her what her favorite color was. Somer told him, "Rainbow!" He then said, "Well I was asking because I was going to paint your room in your favoriet color. Don't you have a favorite?" She said she thought about it a minute and then said: "Oh, OK, then. Rainbow Sparkle!" Yep, that's right, DD's favorite color in all the world - Rainbow Sparkle. Can you tell, she's a ?

Anyhoo, Somer is a professional photographer & does mostly weddings. While photography is her passion, wedding photography is not. It's stressful & doesn't pay much for the hours & effort put forth. Her real love is art photography. So, she's decided she'd like to go back to school & get another degree in Early Childhood Education. Her 2nd biggest love? Babies & Children! She's a natural & kids just love her, so I think it'll be a good fit. Won't bring in the big bucks, but she'll be doing something she loves & I'm all for that! We're hoping to get her back in the school groove next Fall.

Just after our trip last May, she started to experience some tingling & numbness in her legs. Thus started the long, drawn out, and as yet still unofficially diagnosed health issue. Since then she's been exhibitiing all the classic signs of MS, but since her brain MRI came back with no lesions, they won't give her the official diagnosis. We're frustrated as all get out, but keep plugging away trying to get answers & seeking treatment for her symptoms. The worst is when she loses all control of her legs & can't walk for small periods of time. Scary!

What this means for our trip is she'll have to take it a lot slower than normal, maybe trade off walking with using a scooter, etc.

There's no place like WDW to give me some healing pixie dust, so even though it's been a tough year, we're heading back in May.

Explaining the Name
What's in the PTR name, you ask? Well, the medical bills have made this year kind of rough on us, but with skimping & saving & squeezing those quarters, we've managed to save enough for our healing trip! It's therapeutic, doncha know?

Well, I've rambled on so I'm going to leave you all in suspense! Mwahaha! Where are they staying? When are they going? How will they get there? Are the screaming eagles going, too?

Until next time....

CHAPTER LINKS:
Picture Heavy Post - Cast Intro by Way of Photo
Itinerary - Pics Included!
The Moose Started It!
It's A Rainbow Sparkle Kind of Day
Souvenir Wish Lists
Boys Are Stoopid
Let the Shopping Begin...
Budgets & Plans
Dreamin' of Epcot
Just Kill Me Now!
I'm Late, I'm Late for a Very Important Date! No Time to Say Hello, Goodbye, I'm Late, I'm Late, I'm Late!
Shopping & Crafting Ideas
The Pillowcases Are Finished!
Look Who's Legal - And A Whirlwind Romance!
A New Cast Member for Our Trip - It's no longer just us girls!You want excitement? How about a shooting, ER visits, and Oh, Yeah! Somer's getting Married!!!

 

[bellebookworm9]

Loving the intro so far! My mom and I are also compared to the Gilmore Girls, so true for us as well I'm sorry to hear about the lupus and cancer and Somer's possible MS, I can't even imagine what that must be like. Here's a hug But congratulations on pushing on with your lives!

I understand why some people get frustrated with scooter users; it isn't fun to be run into. However, when we went last time one of my friend's mom had had back surgery and it was difficult for her to walk for long periods of time so she rented a scooter. The night we saw Fantasmic! we managed to get wheelchair seating for a party of 14!

Haha I have to agree with Somer about rainbow sparkle, as you can see by my dorm room pics! Did her room get painted rainbow sparkle? That would be really cool!

Also, I see in your sig that you're going to be staying at POR. My mom and I would love to stay there, she wants Riverside and I want French Quarter. Maybe next trip! Looking forward to reading more plans!

 

[Disneymoon09]

Love it! Well except for the illness parts. those stick. been there, still there, still doing that too, i have cystic fibrosis so i understand the medical bills. Say hello to $50 grand a year just for maintenince meds. yuck. Anyways, I am def. in for this PTR, and if I could convince my DH to go as crazy as I am, we would also be returning to the World in may or june.

 

[jenbear123]

Great intro! I applaud your strength with battling cancer. I hope Somer gets to the bottom of her leg numbness. That must be scary not really knowing what's wrong!

Somer is a photographer? This must mean some great photos are on their way

I can totally relate to pinching every penny (or quarters as it may be). I have a piggy bank entirely dedicated to the Disney fund!

 

[scooby9932]

Loving the intro so far! My mom and I are also compared to the Gilmore Girls, so true for us as well I'm sorry to hear about the lupus and cancer and Somer's possible MS, I can't even imagine what that must be like. Here's a hug But congratulations on pushing on with your lives! Thanks for the hugs! Isn't it great to have a close mother/daughter relationship? I always wished I would have had one with my mother. Enjoy it! Hmmm...that makes it sound like my mom isn't with us anymore. Not true, she is. We just aren't close. She doesn't "get" me at all, IYKWIM.

I understand why some people get frustrated with scooter users; it isn't fun to be run into. However, when we went last time one of my friend's mom had had back surgery and it was difficult for her to walk for long periods of time so she rented a scooter. The night we saw Fantasmic! we managed to get wheelchair seating for a party of 14! Oh, I understand the frustration, too. I guess I just get so peeved when I hear people make sweeping characterizations on these boards - about any group of people. And I get really upset when I'm physically or verbally accosted while at WDW by people for no reason (Yep, it's happened - more than once). But, yes, I've seen some scooter drivers hit people or act obnoxious...just like I've seen just about any other group have bad representatives. Ah, well. I don't let it get me down or ruin my vacation! Life's too short!

Getting seating for a group of 14 was definitely magical! They're only required to accomodate 5 people to each wheelchair/scooter person & with the crowds at Fantasmic you guys really lucked out! Congrats! I hope your mom's friend is doing better. My dad had back surgery & it was no picnic recovering from that.

Haha I have to agree with Somer about rainbow sparkle, as you can see by my dorm room pics! Did her room get painted rainbow sparkle? That would be really cool! Yes, I saw your dorm room pic - really cute & right up Somer's alley! Well, no, she didn't get her room painted. Long story - but just another one of her father's stunts. He was always promising things & then taking them back. She didn't even get the room, much less the walls painted. (Hence him being my EX husband!) She was so disappointed, poor baby. I was renting a house at the time & couldn't paint her walls, but when I heard she didn't get her room, I did paint a big rainbow sparkle picture for her to hang on her wall with a castle, sparkly rainbow, clouds, and flying fairies - lots of glitter & sparkle. She loved it!

Also, I see in your sig that you're going to be staying at POR. My mom and I would love to stay there, she wants Riverside and I want French Quarter. Maybe next trip! Looking forward to reading more plans!POR is our absolute favorite resort. You guys will love it. It's so beautiful, quiet & peaceful there. We took advantage of the 4/3 deal last year & upgraded to the Poly. Everyone said we'd love it so much & never want to go back to a moderate. Well, wouldn't you know, neither of us liked it as much as POR. I guess we're just not deluxe resort people?

Thanks for stopping by my PTR!

Love it! Well except for the illness parts. those stick. been there, still there, still doing that too, i have cystic fibrosis so i understand the medical bills. Say hello to $50 grand a year just for maintenince meds. yuck. Oh, I so feel your pain about the cost of meds. Just stinking rotten what they charge. I hope you're doing well with the cystic fibrosis. Anyways, I am def. in for this PTR, and if I could convince my DH to go as crazy as I am, we would also be returning to the World in may or june.

You should definitely work on convincing your DH about a May/June return! The weather in early May is wonderful & the Flower & Garden Festival is gorgeous! They have that good gift card deal going on right now - hint hint!

Great intro! I applaud your strength with battling cancer. Thank you. I fight like a girl, doncha know. I hope Somer gets to the bottom of her leg numbness. That must be scary not really knowing what's wrong! Oh, it is scary - and so frustrating. The whole right side of her body is exhibiting symptoms, but all the tests keep coming back negative. Hopefully we'll finally find a doctor with the magic answer!

Somer is a photographer? This must mean some great photos are on their way Yep! She takes some amazing photos. The hardest part is getting her to upload them so I can post! I'll have to think of some type of bribe...wait! I already did - bought her a new camera for Christmas! Hee Hee! I'll have to leverage that one.

I can totally relate to pinching every penny (or quarters as it may be). I have a piggy bank entirely dedicated to the Disney fund!I don't know why the saying is squeezing quarters & not pennies. I guess we pinch pennies, but squeeze quarters? Maybe it has something to do with not wanting to make Mr. Lincoln scream?

and thanks for joining in! I hope to keep this thing updated on a timely schedule & keep it fun & interesting.

 

[coteau_chick]

I can't wait to read more about your plans. I am curious as to when you are going. I would love to do a mother daughter trip one day with my oldest daughter.

 

[scooby9932]

Ok, so after leaving ya'll in suspense all night & half the day, I decided to post a few more updates on our trip....Later!

But first, here are a few pics of the cast:

Me - sporting the red hair I tried out before losing it all in September. I never dyed my hair before & I LOVED it! I plan to go back to red when my hair grows out again.

Somer Looking Beautiful as Always - but hey, I'm biased!

Somer enjoying some red beans & rice at the Gumbo Shop in New Orleans this past August:

And goofing off in N.O.:

With Her 1st True Love - she was giggling & blushing like a little girl:

Here we are together in Disney last May:

Excited About Spaceship Earth: Excited Much?

Doing our "Bug" faces at ITTBAB: Caution - NOT Pretty - but it's a tradition!

And, for nostalgia's sake - here Somer is on her 1st ever WDW trip-she was 3 months old!

EPCOT DAY:
Me (with my 80's bang bump! Oh to be that skinny again & I still had 40 lb of baby gain to get to my normal weight!), my dad (gasp - smoking! this was before I convinced my parents to quit for her sake - thank goodness they both did!), and Somer's in the stroller:

And here, looking out the camper window at the beach - thus started the tradition of stopping at the beach after every WDW trip!

Ok - someone mentioned since Somer is a professional photographer we should expect a lot of photos. YEP! This post is just a sampling as I also have been bitten by the shutterbug!

Here's a sample of Somer's photos of things she loves:

Her very 1st photo that was published in a magazine! She was 14. I'm one proud mom!

Her yearly birthday orchid:

Cranes in the swamp - I think we were in Lafayette or New Iberia, LA:

And just to show off a bit of my artistic photo abilities (meh - I'm ok, she's awesome, but still):

Street lamp in the French Quarter:

So, that's it for now. I'll be posting a bit more about our plans later on!

 

[scooby9932]

I can't wait to read more about your plans. I am curious as to when you are going. I would love to do a mother daughter trip one day with my oldest daughter.

Oooh! I just love having posters! And one from my neck of the woods, to boot!

As to when we're going, I'll be posting some more details in a little bit! I'm gonna make you wait! hee hee

You should definitely do the mother/daughter trip! It's so nice & a great way to bond.

 

[mickeystoontown]

Well, look whose trip planning thread I found! Now, I gotta go back and read all the little nitty gritty details.

 

[coteau_chick]

I love your red hair. You and your daughter are both beautiful. My cousin who is als my bff has cancer too, ovarian. She has just finished another round of chemo and she goes tomorrow for ct scan. I hope we have good news this time. She has done four six month rounds of chemo so far. Her hair grew back so pretty and this round of chemo didn't make it fall out.

Somer is sooooooooooooooo talented. WOW !! I bet you are so proud of her.

I enjoyed the photos you posted.

 

[scooby9932]

Well, look whose trip planning thread I found! Now, I gotta go back and read all the little nitty gritty details.

Hey, Look who's here! Lisa! Looks like we might have a Louisiana WDW lovers Hootenanny right soon!

I sure do hope you like the nitty gritty - 'cause I'm a bit long winded or so they tell me.

Another update coming soon!

 

[scooby9932]

I love your red hair. You and your daughter are both beautiful. Aw, shucks, you're too kind! But I agree about Somer!

My cousin who is als my bff has cancer too, ovarian. She has just finished another round of chemo and she goes tomorrow for ct scan. I hope we have good news this time. She has done four six month rounds of chemo so far. Her hair grew back so pretty and this round of chemo didn't make it fall out.
Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that! to both of you! Cancer is such a nasty disease, but the therapy is the worst! I will put her in my prayers. I hope her CT comes back clean!

Somer is sooooooooooooooo talented. WOW !! I bet you are so proud of her. Thanks - I'll tell her you said so. She never believes me, she just thinks I'm mom & so of course I love her work. Proud mom? You betcha! I am! I really am. I'm one of those annoying moms who just gushes about her darling girl. I try to contain myself, honestly! And, believe me, I know she's not perfect!

I enjoyed the photos you posted.

Thanks so much! I'll be posting some more photos along the way. I like seeing photos in TR's so I try to put as many in as I can. I should have the next installment up soon!

 

[mickeystoontown]

Okay Dawn, I have gone back and read all the details (you know I love 'em and I am a detail person too...must be a Southern/Louisiana thing). Lord have mercy! You and Somer have been through hell and back and are still beating down the flames as you are running away.

You are definitely going on my prayer list. I'm a firm believer that every single one of them helps.

Somer's photographs are absolutely beautiful. I don't blame you one little bit for being so proud.

Lookin' forward to more details!

 

[scooby9932]

Ok, so I guess I’ll end the suspense!

So, here’s the plan, Stan – I’ll add more details to our day plans as time goes on:

Thursday, April 29 - Departure Day

• Depart House around 7 a.m. – if I can get Somer up, primped & out in time!
• Drive to Lake City, FL.
• Lunch at Dairy Queen in Pensacola overlooking the bay – A Great Tradition! Such a gorgeous view - and you can't beat Ice Cream!
• Check into the Comfort Suites in Lake City
• Dinner somewhere on Hwy 90 near our hotel.
• If we keep to habits, I’m sure a trip to the local Wal Mart will also be made!

Friday, April 30 – Arrival Day

• Wake up by 8 a.m.
• Eat the hotel’s yummy free break-y!
• Pack up our small suitcases – the ones we pack just for the overnights to & from WDW.
• Head on out towards... wait for it....wait for it...
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  (wait some more)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Port Orleans Riverside!! Woot!
  
  
  
  
  
• Arrive POR approximately 2.5 hours later –which will only work if Somer doesn’t need to stop umpteen times for potty breaks. I swear that child has a bladder the size of pea.
• Check in & hope there’s a room ready for us! If not, we’ll just carry on & unload our luggage later.
  
  If we're lucky, we'll get a room in Oak Manor where we've been blessed to stay in the past:
  
  
  
  
• We’ll pick up my scooter rental, buy our refillable mugs, and head out to MK! More details to follow later.

Saturday, May 1 – Animal Kingdom Day!
Sunday, May 2 – Sleep in, swim & tour resort a bit, MK EMH tonight!
Monday, May 3 – Epcot F/W in the a.m. DTD in the p.m.
Tuesday, May 4 – MK Day
Wed, May 5 – Epcot WS day – PuttPutt golf at Fantasia Gardens
Thu, May 6 – This day is open, but we usually go back to Epcot, Somer’s favorite park
Fri, May 7 – Check-Out Day - Drive to Beach Day!

• Check out of POR
• Drive to Treasure Island, FL
• Check into Bilmar Beach Resort
• Dinner at the little Mexican restaurant we found last year – OMG! The food was delish! And the prices were great – especially after paying for Disney food all week!

Sat, May 8 – Day at the beach, lounging, swimming, shelling, the usual
Sun, May 9 – Driving Towards Home – no real plan on where we’re staying, but will stop after about 7 hours of driving. Hope to have a nice sit-down dinner to celebrate Mother’s Day.

Mon, May 10 – Drive the rest of the way home! I'll be happy to get back to our furbabies!

Rufus:

And Jasper:

Just look at the lovin's these 2 guys give me when I feel bad:

I swear these 2 little guys make me feel so good whenever I get back from vacation. The little buggars are always so excited to see me - even if I've only been gone for 5 minutes!

So I was thinking, I would to try to end each update with a photo blast from the past! Just something to add a little pizzazz! What do ya think?

An old highschool friend published these on Facebook from our Senior Trip to WDW for Grad Nites. Here's my best friend, Vicki, Me, & Cris trying on sombreros @ the store in POC. I don't know what the rules are now, but this was it's first year (1987) & the seniors had to dress up for the event in the MK that ran from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m.:

And here's one with me & a bunch of boys I didn't know talking to Mickey at Grad Nite. Yeah, I was kind of a boy magnet back when - what can I say? Or maybe the draw was Mickey? Nah, I'm going with me! Don't you just love the 80's stylin' going on?

Well, that's it for now. Until Next Time...What are their dining plans?

 

[coteau_chick]

Great update. I love POR. Sounds like you have wonderful plans. I hope you get to stay in oak mannor. Love the fur babies.

 

[scooby9932]

Okay Dawn, I have gone back and read all the details (you know I love 'em and I am a detail person too...must be a Southern/Louisiana thing). Yay! Another detail person! I knew there might be a few of us here on the DIS! Lord have mercy! You and Somer have been through hell and back and are still beating down the flames as you are running away. Yeah, I often tell people that my life is like a Lifetime Movie! It's ok, though, because that which does not kill us makes us stronger!

You are definitely going on my prayer list. I'm a firm believer that every single one of them helps. Amen, sister! I am a big believer in the power of prayer! It's the most wonderful gift anyone could give me, so thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Somer's photographs are absolutely beautiful. I don't blame you one little bit for being so proud. Thanks!

Lookin' forward to more details!

I've posted another update & hope to do a better job this time around in getting the updates out there. My goal is at least 2-3 a week, excluding weekends. Weekends are just too busy around here & I don't even visit the DIS unless it's a quick peek from my cellphone.

 

[mickeystoontown]

Yep, you guys are going the same old stupid boring route that we will be taking in May too. Except, we also have to drive all the way down Mississippi before we hit I-10.

I love the picture of you and your furbabies. Isn't it amazing what the love of a pet can do for you when you're feeling tired. Just what the doctor ordered.

My mother may need to rent a scooter while in Disney but that's not something I've ever dealt with. Who do you rent from?

 

[scooby9932]

Ooooh! Just have to do a little happy dance - I'm at 2 pages! Woot!

Anyone wanna join me? I've got "Bad Romance" by Lady Gaga in my head, but feel free to jam to whatever tunes you like!



a little head banging left over from the 80's & 90's

 

[scooby9932]

Yep, you guys are going the same old stupid boring route that we will be taking in May too. Except, we also have to drive all the way down Mississippi before we hit I-10.

I love the picture of you and your furbabies. Isn't it amazing what the love of a pet can do for you when you're feeling tired. Just what the doctor ordered.

My mother may need to rent a scooter while in Disney but that's not something I've ever dealt with. Who do you rent from?

Ooh, I feel your pain! We drive to northeast Texas a couple of times a year & live north of Baton Rouge so take the old 2 lane road route through Natchez, Ferriday, Rayville, & then hit I-20 West. I have to say that long, winding road of cotton & soybean fields is better than having to drive I-10 through Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama & Florida! So, which route do you take to get through MS?

Yep, furbaby love (or featherbaby or well, whatever outside adornments they may have) is therapeutic & I'm on a daily regimen of loves & snoogles. I LOVE animals!

A scooter for WDW is a Godsend. I simply could not go without one. I have rented from Walker the past 2 trips. I started out my 1st scooter trip with them, then tried a couple other companies to save a few dollars, but returned to Walker. I like them because their scooters are always much more comfortable & their customer service has always been wonderful! Plus, they usually send me a return customer coupon code before my trip for about 20% off. If they send one this time, I'll send you a PM with the code, how about that?

I just went back to last year's records, and my total charge was $163.60 for 8 days, 7 nights for a regular scooter (not heavy duty) with the coupon applied. It was originally $209.50 including all fuel surcharges, tax included. Here's a link to their site: Walker Mobility

If you decide to research different companies, the disABILITIES thread with the different companies & reviews is located here: Wheelchair/Scooter FAQ

Hope that helps! Let me know if you need any other info. I love to share what I've learned!

 

[scooby9932]

Great update. I love POR. Sounds like you have wonderful plans. I hope you get to stay in oak mannor. Love the fur babies.

Thanks! We love Oak Manor - both times we've stayed at POR we've lucked out & gotten a river/fountain facing room. It's just so relaxing & beautiful! We love the furbabies, too! I swear they don't know they're dogs - they just think they're extremely hairy humans who happen to walk on all fours! Somer jokingly calls Rufus her baby brother.