Hark the Herald, SG's sing....

[Princess Susi]

Oh Big Wall! It would be great to have all the SGT members at the world for Christmas wouldn't it? That would be one heckuva celebration! But no, we are going to Disneyland...

Ralphie and I will be coming to The World next Spring and if I have my way (Remember I have menopause and am not afraid to use it to get my way!!!! ;) ) we will be moving to Florida! Our CPA wants us to do a *try out*, come to Florida and rent for a year, to be there all 4 seasons to see if we really, really want to live there for the rest of our lives. That is why he came out to visit us over last weekend when Orion died, to discuss the future, yada, yada, yada... So we may be able to come to Florida to live sooner than I thought! That would be just wonderful. If we leave the house up for sale and rent a small place in Florida and fall in love with the greater central Florida area, we WILL be settling down there. And the house here *should* sell better staged with us not living in it. So I am hoping we will be in Florida a LOT longer time than just our next trip in the Spring! :D: That would make me happy. And even tho I joked about getting my way, Ralphie actually loves the tropics and would love to live in Florida as well. He would really love to live on Tahiti, except that it is governed by the French and I don't want to be out in the middle of the ocean on a tiny little island. Global warming will put that island UNDER the ocean. Florida is the closest thing in the U.S. to living tropical! And the models of global warming show Orlando as beachfront property in about 50 to a hundred yrs. I won't be around to soak up the rays on the Orlando beaches by then!

So we both really want to move to Florida ASAP! All our relatives and our CPA/Financial Advisor do NOT want us to move that far away from California. But I am done with Calif, other than as a place to visit or maybe have a small shack somewhere up in the Northern half of the state.

Anyway, you thought we were all talking bout coming to WDW for Christmas. I understand now, maybe you should try to get some time off at the holidays and you and your lovely wife should come to DL for a big meet and greet! Like Disney is gonna give you time off at Christmas, right?
We WILL see you in the Spring for sure. We had to cancel this yrs May trip due to Orion's illness. It was right after we got the prognosis and we did not want to risk him dying alone without us here while we were gone. So we missed our trip to WDW this year. NOT next year! We will be coming.
And riding your bus!
And when we live there, we will be at WDW for Christmas!!!! :D:
Susi-Q

[mechurchlady]

Why have Christmas at the better WDW when you can be out west with some really nice people on the west coast.

[Big Wallaby]

Why have Christmas at the better WDW when you can be out west with some really nice people on the west coast.

He's going to visit some other nice people over in the other direction.

Susie, that sounds like a great plan. The only thing we don't have here that we would like is family close by, and it's interesting to see what that is doing to how I make friendships with people. Having never lived away from my parents and brother more than about ten miles, this is a whole new thing. But when they come visit now, it is very special.

As far as the decision about moving here, you have to do what makes you happy. And unlike Liz and me, I know you're not going to miss your animal family when you move here. Mind if I sub-adopt or occasionally rent some of your cats? Having not petted one in... years? ... I do miss the feel of my fingers moving across and through cat fur. Right now, we can't get a cat, but perhaps the next time we move it'll be into a place that accepts small pets. Hmm... Tonight, we were at a flea market where someone had set up a small shop with a couple dogs, some conures, 'tiels and turkey pigeons (my name for them, but here's a picture, tell me what you would call it!) along with a couple other hornbills and such. I probably stood there looking at the cockatiels for a good 45 minutes wishing I could take one home. Of course, since I don't know where the seller got his stock or what kind of care he takes of them, there's no snowball's chance in hell that I would buy one from there. But still, I loved seeing some 'tiels, and I miss mine.

Oh, yeah... here's a turkey pigeon:


Okay, actual name is the "Fantail", but I prefer "Turkey Pigeon".

[Princess Susi]

Hey a flying rat is a flying rat! That is what we call pidgies. They are so messy and carry foul (fowl??) diseases.
We are in Denver now and have been for 7 yrs, and have had family come to see us, albeit less than when we lived in Berkeley. We have to stay away from the Bay Area, that is where my in-laws are and they are weird. Ralphie will tell ya the same thng. We cannot live near his mother, no way, no how! She is a religious fanatic who tells Ralphie that he still has the chance to become a Catholic priest. I wonder where I, the wife, fit into that equation ...I don't and that's her point. She has always wanted Ralph to be a priest and even our *marriage* which was not in a Catholic church won't stop her. If we were not married in *The Church* then we are not really married! We want to be away from that. She used to call everynight to just tell us she was going to bed and goodnight. Ralphie put an end to that crap. He is good about keeping his mom from pushing her way in to our lives every second. My parents are pretty cool, always let me have my independence and they adore Ralph. I always say they love him morre than they love me! LOLOLOL! He adores them too. They are up there, 85 yrs old, so we try to visit a couple times a yr. I know it would hurt them for us to move to Florida, but you are right. One has to go where one is going to be happy and most of all HEALTHY! and that is the big key for us. I have had 3 sinus surgeries here due to the arid climate and my back hurts less at sea level, believe it or not. Still hurts, mind you, just not as much. Air pressure is different at altitude! That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

You will be more than welcome to come over when we move there and have the cats as your surrogate kids...er, pets. They love new Aunts and Uncles. Lots of attention! We are going to get a new kitten or 2 new kittens after the first of the year! YAY! More cats! I swear I am the crazy cat lady, and Ralphie is the crazy cat man! :cat1: :supercat:

Zazu, we need a crazy cat lady smilie!

So I am hoping we can do our *try out* of Florida starting next yr. We just have to let the CPA crunch the numbers and go from there.
I want a Palm Christmas tree with lights on it, like I have in my library downstairs. I have a big fake palm tree and I always decorate it with Christmas lights every year. We rarely put up a tree. Last yr we were at Disneyland Anaheim and got one of the Christmas amenity trees (VERY PRICEY :eek :) but it was cute and we will be there again this yr and maybe get a tree again. They theme them differently every year. Last yr was the Gingerbead tree. We even got the recipe for the DL gingerbread and Ralphie has been promising to bake some cookies for a while. Too much to do this yr, so he did not get to it.
But there WILL be a day when I have my Christmas Palm tree! Cue up the Jimmy Buffet Christmas album! We are Parrotheads! :D:
susi *squawk, Parrothead* slicker

[mechurchlady]

I stand by my belief that WDW is much better than DLR and that West Coast people are very cool.

[Shorty82]

I stand by my belief that WDW is much better than DLR and that West Coast people are very cool.

It is kinda hard to compare the two, even I know that and have never been to DLR. Walt Disney World is made up of four theme parks, two water parks, many resort hotels, a campground, a shopping/entertainment area, and I'm certain I'm forgetting a few things.

Disneyland Resort, on the other hand, is made up of two parks both smaller than the ones at WDW, a smaller shopping/entertainment area, and only one or two resort hotels (I believe). But one thing it has going for it is that Walt actually walked there.

WDW also has a lot more room to expand while DLR is at the limits of its property.

Both are wonderful places to visit and both have things that are better than their counterpart on the other coast. For instance WDW has Animal Kingdom but DLR has California Adventure.

[Princess Susi]

*Purpura sings to the tune of Silent Night*

I probably will be
At Plaza Inn But I don't know
When my shifts will be over
with

For the night or day either
But I'd love to meet youuuuuuu
But I'd love to meet you!

Purpura, we actually have a character breakfast at Plaza Inn one of the days. I will look it up and post later. I am very excited to meet you and Polar and Mainstreeter and Lady Ulrike and who else is at DL? I am just gonna have so much fun finally meeting ya'll! :D: YAY! YAY! :D:
It cannot come soon enough for me! We went last Christmas, but I was in the DL Hotel for 4 days in bed. It was the nightmare trip of the intestinal virus! Bad one. I do NOT plan on being sick this year! NO WAY! It is meeting CM's and hopefully the Bubble Ladeez and days filled with attractions (and long lines, I know), and a Monte Cristo at Blue Bayou, ressie is made, and Christmas dinner at Steakhouse 55, ressie is made! We always book our meals at exactly 60 days out especially around the holidays. The only thing left to book is the Holiday Time Tour and we cannot do that until 30 days out and when they post the schedule. It is still Halloween!!!! :pumpkin: I have a friend who is going to take us to Club33 if we can get the ressies for it for lunch!!!!! :D: She is going to let me know soon! Even if we do not get to eat lunch there, I won't cry, DL at Christmas or ANY time of yr is going to be FUN!
(Susi starts to dance with Purpura on Main Street, causing all the rest of the guests to join in and have a block party! :D: )
Getting more antsy to be there!
susi Fa-La-La-La-La La-La-La-La :xwin:

[Princess Susi]

It is kinda hard to compare the two, even I know that and have never been to DLR. Walt Disney World is made up of four theme parks, two water parks, many resort hotels, a campground, a shopping/entertainment area, and I'm certain I'm forgetting a few things.

Disneyland Resort, on the other hand, is made up of two parks both smaller than the ones at WDW, a smaller shopping/entertainment area, and only one or two resort hotels (I believe). But one thing it has going for it is that Walt actually walked there.

WDW also has a lot more room to expand while DLR is at the limits of its property.

Both are wonderful places to visit and both have things that are better than their counterpart on the other coast. For instance WDW has Animal Kingdom but DLR has California Adventure.

AND, Disneyland is the Original Dream! It has a better Pirates Attraction and has the Matterhorn and lagoon with submarines! :p: I like both DL and WDW for different reasons! We go for a week to DL and a month to WDW! And I want to live in Florida..been there, done that, born there in California! It will be great to take our vacations to Disneyland and have WDW and the rest of the many things to do in Florida year round as retirees! :D:
Gotta love em both! I still wanna see Tokyo Disneyland and especially Tokyo DisneySea which is supposed to be the Crown Jewel of the Disney Parks, or so I have heard from many, many sources who have been to all of the Parks. I have always wanted to go to Japan anyway, love the culture and it is beautiful. My brother has been to Japan, NOT Disney Parks there, and loved it. Gotta love Disney, period!
susi*disneyfreek*slicker :D:

[Cranbiz]

But one thing it has going for it is that Walt actually walked there.

Sorry Shorty, got to correct you, Walt walked in FL too, it just did not look like it does today. Walt picked the site for Cinderella castle.

[Main Streeter]

I am very excited to meet you and Polar and Mainstreeter and Lady Ulrike and who else is at DL? I am just gonna have so much fun finally meeting ya'll! :D: YAY! YAY! :D:

susi, finding me seems a real "challange" to some. :D: Fa La La La