Vacation Planned!

Seems like I just got back from vacation - I shouldn't be planning another one already. But I am!! Come October, we are going to spend two nights at a brand new hotel resort at Universal Studios, spend a whirlwind day dashing through the two Universal parks (including Harry Potter!!!) and then board the Disney Dream for a four-night cruise that includes two days at Castaway Cay!!! I am so excited! No idea how I'm going to pay for it - this will be a summer of no-spending. Our week-ends will be spent at the Weissenbach pool, maybe share a $15 bottle of wine at a winery. Catch a $5 matinee. Watch a lot of TV. Thrifty spending at the grocery store (no impulse purchases, no flowers, no candy/cookies/pastries.) It won't be easy but it will so be worth it!

Next year's vacation will be playing Hawaiian music on the back deck.

Settling Into Summer

Not a whole lot to report - summer has hit us and the boredom is setting in. I can't believe a few weeks ago I was discovering Ireland, and now I'm back in Kansas sitting in front of a computer for 9 hours a day, growing fatter and older by the minute. Heavy sigh.

I am ready to book the Disney Cruise but I can't get Shawn to totally commit. I think I should do it anyway and we can worry about airfare and determine if we want to add a quick jaunt to Universal, later. I just know I will be able to hang on through the summer if I know Disney is my reward!

There's talk of finishing the basement this winter. I still need to get to the Hot Tub place to buy my hot tub. My summer clothes are still in boxes. Did I mention Jackass was diagnosed with cancer (I think it's colon, stage 2)? I'm a good 12 years away from retirement - yesterday marked my 16th anniversary with ACI. Dan has his girls for the next two months. 

Told you I had nothing to report!!

And We're Home

Home again after my Bucket List trip to Ireland. Had a wonderful time, though I shouldn't have dragged Shawn - he didn't enjoy it. The driving on the other side of the street (down narrow, windy roads) did him in, even though he drove for exactly five minutes out of the entire time we were there. He became very critical of my driving, to the point of my telling him to 'shut the f&%! up in front of his parents. All he wanted to do was drive from Point A to Point B without stopping at sites along the way. And once we got to Point B, he went to the nearest pub and drank - a lot. Truth be told, he came close to ruining the trip for me. I told him, and will hold myself to it, that I will never suggest another trip. If he wants to go someplace, he needs to approach me. If I want to go someplace, I will find another travel partner. 

But I loved Ireland - and found Eyrecourt and Eyrecastle! Even got the opportunity to walk around the Eyrecastle grounds a bit (though the cows chased us off!) Walked where my ancestors walked - it was an amazing experience.

Apparently, Jackass has cancer. Don't know the details as I only heard it secondhand.

Breathing Easier

It's hard work, but I am getting my stats back to where they were while I was writing letters. I'm doing it with barely a break and it only works when I hit the simple Beneficiary project work by 9:00 am, but I'm beginning to see greens and blues on my stats chart again. 

Next Saturday I am off to Ireland! I have been dreaming of and planning this trip for so long and am so excited, I'm beginning to wonder if it all won't be just a bit anticlimatic. I realized yesterday that I have three trips in the future - Ireland, Disney Cruise and Disney World - and then nothing. No plans past next year. I've had a far-reaching trip in the works for so long that I don't know what it will be like to NOT have one stewing on the back stove!

I need to finish my scrap booking. I haven't touched it in two years - still have half of the Disney 2011 trip to finish. And then Scotland, Maui and soon Ireland. My goal is to be caught up with the scrapbooks by the holidays. I haven't even plugged in the Cricut scrapping machine. Pathetic.

Tired

I am so tired. Tired of the dog barking. Tired of taking care of Shawn. Tired of listening to Melissa go on and on about her miserable marriage and amazing kids. I'm tired of cleaning the house and doing the shopping. I'm tired of failing at work. Of pulling Shawn tooth-and-nail on vacation. Babysitting Piper so Mommy can go play with her fairy friends. 

Tired of being alone most of the day. Tired of cleaning up people's messes and coming to their rescue. Being fat and struggling to lose it. Getting old and not being able to hide it. 

God, I am so tired. 

Getting Closer

I am getting closer to Ireland! Next month I jet off to fulfill a dream. Very excited. I've been researching things to see/do in the towns we'll be in and have a list. Of course top of that list is Eyrecastle - I only hope it won't require us going out of our way or giving up an entire day to do that one thing. I can't believe I'm going!!

I'm having an Easter Egg Hunt for Piper and Eva in two weeks. I really debated over whether to offer to do it and finally decided that I did it for the other Hunt kids for years and it's not fair Piper should miss out just because she came along so late. And an Egg Hunt isn't much fun alone, so I thought I would have Eva come over as well, though at nine months there's not a lot of hunting for her. She's maybe crawling, definitely not walking. And probably no candy for her at all. And I had declared that I was finished have Tom and his family over for gatherings. Oh, well.

Shawn's parents are going on a cruise next January - and apparently have invited us along (we would have to pay our own way of course. They only pay for Todd's and Scott's vacations!) I am not sure we will be going - if we do Disney World next year (and we will!), I'm not sure we will be able to afford a cruise, too. And we are planning a Weissenbach family get-away week-end to celebrate Del and Gayle's 50th wedding anniversary, too. Lots of money going out the door!

If At Once You Don't Succeed, Try, Try Again

Well, I am trying the Weight Watchers diet - again. I got a three-month online membership for $50. If I don't see some success within that time frame, I will give up dieting forever. I'm into Week 3 and have not seen a change. I think it might be too late for me.

Tomorrow Piper Shae is coming for a sleepover! I think we'll go see the Mr. Peabody and Sherman movie and maybe grab some ice cream? Don't worry, I will count the ice cream points! 

Sunday Shawn and I are going to see Disney on Ice. I'm excited - I've always wanted to see that show. Shawn said 'Let's do it, and get the best seats in the house.' So, we are sitting front row, a bit off to the side of center stage. Should be magical and make me miss Disney!!

I think George might back out of the Disney cruise. It's going to cost him $4,200 (they will all need passports) and that might be too steep a price for him. And that price tag doesn't include Piper's airfare as I told him I would pay for that (saving him about $300.) I asked if they decide they can't make it if Shawn and I could still take Piper and got no response for that. I know that if Piper gets to go, Breezy will make a stink about going, too. So, the Disney cruise might just be me and Shawn. George will have to decide fairly soon because I want to book within the next few weeks. Prices seem to be going up.

SEVEN WEEKS TILL IRELAND!!!!