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rosie
 4236 Posts
Joined: 14 May 2004
Status: offline |  Posted - 23 Jul 2005 : 16:54:16  
| Day 15 – Mon July 11th
At around the time we should have been landing in the UK, I woke up to sun streaming through the blinds.
Coffee pot on, cossie on and into the pool. It’s a tough job but someone has to do it.
Today was spent pottering around and getting a few more finishing touches done. We called out an electrician to put new lights and switches up and he promised to be back in a day or 2….
Joe’s Crab Shack was on the agenda tonight to sample something else from their delicious menu. Garlic shrimp and veggies and we remembered to save some room for the Cold Stone Ice Cream Parlour opposite.
There is always a big queue here and when we got near the counter we could see why. You are presented with a range of basic flavours of home-made ice cream then comes the difficult decision of adding the extras. Everything from the usual choc chips and sprinkles to nuts, kit kat, key lime pie, even liquorice!!
A word of warning… buy the smallest tub you can…. This ice cream is seriously good but boy is it huge. We ended up wishing we had bought one between us and threw half of it away.
Day 16 – Tues July 12th
A friend and fellow Windie had very kindly offered to send us her Launch tickets for tomorrow (thanks Dianna) as she had been unable to use them in May. We have never seen a shuttle launch and were ecstatic at the chance to see one up close. Di told us that we didn’t need to be at home to receive the tickets as DHL would leave them outside. So off we went to Florida Mall for some “proper” shopping.
It’s funny, but since buying the house I have pretty much lost interest in shopping for anything else except the house. But I had a list of things that other people wanted so off we went. Spent a few hours at the Mall, and came home via the Outlet stores on the 535, with only one thing on the list. I must be slipping…..
Arrived home and no tickets had arrived. We spoke to our other friends on Windwood and arranged to go for a meal at Villa de Flora on Thursday evening. I rang and booked a table as there was going to be 14 of us eating.
We had arranged to go out for a meal with our MC tonight and we went to the Longhorn Steakhouse on their recommendation. It was a great evening and lovely to spend some social time with the friends who look after our home so well.
Day 17 – Weds July 13th
Today we should have been on our way to Kennedy but as the tickets hadn’t arrived, we were at a bit of a loose end. Slept late again and when we eventually got up within a few minutes there was a knock at the door. It was a guy staying 3 doors down the road. He was clutching a package that looked suspiciously like our tickets….. Seems DHL had delivered them on time yesterday but had just left them on the doorstep and they had blown down the road and been retrieved by our neighbour.
Once again we were ecstatic at the thought of seeing the launch. We tore the packet open and began reading, only to have our hearts sink….. These tickets meant we had to be at Kennedy by 8.30am to be included in the launch tour. As it was already 9.30 we had blown it…. To say we were pee’d off was an understatement. No one’s fault really I guess but this had been a gift and now we had missed our chance.
Well as you all know by now, the launch was cancelled, so as it turned out Dianna may yet get the chance to use her own tickets, so all’s well that end’s well.
The electrician turned up as promised (we had left the door code with him in case we weren’t in) and then told us he had forgotten what he was meant to be doing so couldn’t do the work today anyway…. And we were letting this guy loose in the electric box
He promised he would be back tomorrow with the correct things….
With nothing planned today as we expected to be at Kennedy, we had another “admin” day in the pool.
The phone rang early evening and it was a neighbour offering beer and wine, so off we went (on foot) and had a lovely chat and a drink with them.
Day 18 – Thurs July 14th
After the customary swim and coffee, we got ready, and no sooner were we dressed and ready than the electrician turned up, did his work and left. That was another tick on the list.
Alison had taken delivery of my new rail for the Master Bedroom so Al was tasked with putting that up. Much cursing at the drywall later and it was finished. I was delighted with the new look of the bedroom and wished I could have got my new VR tour done, but never mind, that can wait till Sept now.
We still hadn’t been to a park, and apart from the first week with CDV, we hadn’t really done many “holiday” things. The more time I spend at the house, the less important the parks become, and knowing that our Sept trip would be 2 weeks of holiday, the more unfussed I was about doing them this trip. As this had been a bonus trip it meant that I had done all my cleaning now and so when we come back in a few weeks for my mum’s first visit to the house, we can really go out as much as mum and my aunts want to.
Time seems to move at a much faster speed than at home when you are in Florida and before we knew it; it was time to get ready for our Windwood meet up.
As none of the others had been to the Gaylord before, we all met at our house and set off in a convoy.
This is a superb restaurant and because we were a large party, we had a whole area to ourselves. The service is fantastic and the food even better, and a great time was had by everyone. Even the children in the party were so well behaved and had a good time.
Day 18 – Fri July 15th
The builders were meant to appear today to fix a couple of things we weren’t happy with…. Yeah right…. Not a word from them… so the jobs would be left in Alison’s capable hands or until we came back. It never ceases to amaze me how laid back everyone in Florida is, especially anyone you want to do some work, and us homeowners on a time budget feel it more than most I guess.
Another shopping day to try and pick up the rest of the list we had, and yet again we came home pretty empty handed. Oh well at least it meant I would be coming home tomorrow one case lighter than when we arrived. Another peculiarity for homeowners LOL.
One more trip to Joe’s was planned for tonight, yes we really do love seafood, but we liked the laid back feel of this restaurant too. They play music we can remember and even sing too. There is a sign hanging from the ceiling saying “If you can’t sing good, sing loud” so we did
Day 19 – Sat July 16th
Our flight was (I thought) at 19.40pm, so we went off to Downtown Disney to check our single case in. Just as well we did or we would have missed our flight time. I had read the tickets wrong; we were on the earlier flight at 17.50pm. Al wouldn’t believe me when I told him it was a simple mistake and was convinced I was trying to make us miss the flight. Well had I thought of it, I may well have tried that tactic but it was a genuine mistake on my part. And besides if it was deliberate at least give me credit for not going to Downtown to check in duhhhh.
Once checked in, we went home to clean the house for our guests arriving later that day. OK that was my first mistake. Although the house had been spring cleaned, I still had to clean up our room, bathroom, kitchen, and Hoover through. The cleaners deserve a medal doing what they do in such a short time. We were knackered by the end of it, not helped by the fact that I had thought we had 2 hours more than we actually had.
We saw all the neighbours to say our goodbyes, and locked up the house. I hate this bit most of all.
We got to the airport, checked through to departures and bought the Duty Free. The journey home was quiet and subdued and I slept most of it.
I console myself with the fact that I will be going back in 7 weeks and that visit will be all holiday, otherwise without a date set to go back I’m not sure Al would be able to get me on the plane……
More to come in a couple of months…….
Link to Sept 05 trip report http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/topic_24436.asp |
Rosie
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Edited by - rosie on 21 Sep 2005 21:22:16 | | Report this post to a moderator |
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caroline
 United Kingdom
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Joined: 29 Apr 2002
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erowlands
United Kingdom
445 Posts
Joined: 18 Aug 2004
Status: offline | Posted - 23 Jul 2005 : 19:17:23
| | Rosie, great report,so many of the things you mention we have also felt,like not worried about missing the parks,going home with less than you came with,we were out in April and fly out again 6 weeks tomorrow can't wait, the only thing different is that when we go with a long list of things to get we come home with most of them but the list is just as long the next day,I'm sure Ann only does it so I don't get too much of a shock all at once. Eric and Ann |
http://www.orlandovillas.com/florida-vacation-rental-1453.aspx | | Report this post to a moderator | goto top of page |
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LiesaAnna
 United Kingdom
11925 Posts
Joined: 04 Sep 2004
Status: offline | Posted - 23 Jul 2005 : 21:14:00
| | well done Rosie Al and the CDV'S for giving us a great "free" holiday in thought!! have been there with you this last couple of weeks, its been fab hearing all about your trip!!!! thankyou for sharing it with us all!! xx |
Liesa | | Report this post to a moderator | goto top of page |
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stabard
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rosie
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emm
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Ray&Sarah
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CarolAnn
United Kingdom
4785 Posts
Joined: 12 Apr 2004
Status: offline | Posted - 24 Aug 2005 : 09:32:16
| As it is raining nicely here at the moment, needed a good Florida trip report and a cappuccino I sure wish I could be there by lunchtime, I am in the mood to be there RIGHT NOW!!!!! | | Report this post to a moderator | goto top of page |
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Twiglet
 Australia
478 Posts
Joined: 05 Apr 2005
Status: offline | Posted - 24 Aug 2005 : 22:15:43
| It must be so sad leaving a much holiday home in Florida, especially when you are adding bits and pieces to it, and don't actually get to 'enjoy' them extras for too long.
Good reporting...restaurants sound lovely! |
Theresa
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Windies head West... the final part
but I guess I do have CA in October to look forward to. Now I wonder if I can get the granfparents to babysit so I can go out and do some "admin"???
