Holiday Treats

Holiday Treats... You can't start too early. Something for everyone. 

Magical Taping

Disney World & Disneyland have special tapings for special holiday shows to bevaired on tv. There's always the Christmas Parade that airs on Christmas morning,  and this year there was a special show aired on Thanksgiving evening. Disneys Magical Holiday Special which was basically an introduction to the start of the Christmas Holidays at the parks. Christmas decorations start to go up shortly after Halloween in the first week of November... marking the start of Christmas at Disney. This gives guests two full months to enjoy the Christmas celebration and decorations in the parks. The first decorations to go up are for the taping of ABC specials. This year preparation started on November 5th for taping of the Magical Holiday Special, November 7th-11th. Some taping are done after the park closes early and no general admission guests are around... some are done when the parks are open. The guests you see around the performances are special admission guests... not those in under general admission. We found this out on our first and only attempt to visit the park while taping was going on. It's not as good as you would think. Special admission VIP guests are the only ones permitted by the performances... sections are roped or barricated off so general admission guests can not even get close to see the performances. You are lucky to get a view from a distance. And they are not real shows... It's a tv production with delays, takes & retakes... segmented in bits and pieces. During the taping of the Christmas Parade, a 5 minute segment on tv, of Main Street filled with cheer groups filmed for 4 hours until they got the production shots they wanted. Not very entertaining in person to watch. So not only can you not get close under general admission, but you won't even enjoy the taping. It was an experience that was not worth repeating. Much more enjoyable to simply watch the show and performances on the TV special. Hope you got to see the special on Thanksgiving, and get to enjoy the Christmas Day Parade.

Break time

Holiday break time...

DEATH

DEATH TO ALL TELEMARKETERS, SCAMMERS, AND FRAUD CALLS.

Unwanted phone calls are worse than ever... and once they get your number they pass it on,  and sell it to other asshole nuisance callars.  And even though I'm on the national registry for do not call list since 2008, unwanted calls are worse than ever. Two weeks ago I downloaded the AT&T Call Protect app. In the past 30 days I've had 141 calls... 27 were legitimate... 104 were unwanted. Telemarketers, spam, fraud, scams, and unknowns. I took the time, just a few moments on each,  use the app to block and report calls from all of them. If they leave a message, or no message... I block and report them all. Telemarketer, fraud, scam... block and report them all. Since doing so the app has blocked 54 calls (my phone doesn't even ring). AT&T also has a data base that flags calls that others have reported... I block and report them too so next time my phone won't even ring. Working good so far, can't wait to see the results after a full 30 day of using the app.

BLOCK & REPORT THEM ALL... MESSAGE OR NO MESSAGE! No message and don't know why they called... block & report anyway ... Death to telemarketers! 

Students loans scams, real estate scams, contest scams, extended warranty scams, inheritance scams, Medicare scams... all seeking personal information or fraud/scam selling. If by chance do answer the phone from suspected number, never confirm any information, not even your name. 

My secondary app, Mr Number allows me to block individual numbers or entire area codes, and unknown & blocked numbers. My phone still rings ( this app works internally to my phone) but its usually cuts them off after 3-4 seconds. 

So... there you have it... take control of your phone and stop the calls!

Africa

Memories of Africa...

Magical

Simply Magical... Nothing else to say...

Party?

It's not a real party... until it's a tea party. 

Escape the heat

Escape the heat and the crowds.  Magic Kingdom... Tomorrowland. Another great little show to sit, relax, cool off, and be entertained. 

Never gets old...

The show that never gets old.  Disney World... Magic Kingdom... Adventureland... The Enchanted Tiki Room. I know, with small changes from time to time its basically the same show. So what's the appeal?  When its hot, and it usually is most of the time,  it's a great escape from the heat. Usually minimal wait time, dark, cool, air conditioned, pleasant Polynesian atmosphere to include a tropical forest rain fall outside the tiki hut auditorium windows... plus an entertaining little show. What's not to like... And you are out of the heat and crowds for a too brief little show. 

Soup season

We need to make this... It's soup season. Hearty vegetable beef soup. Beef, potatoes,  carrots, tomatoes, some beans, some corn... ok, delete the peas... but add some pasta. Some onions would be nice. And make it a bit more brothy. Maybe even some bits of crumbled sausage. We'll need something to break up the 12 days of turkey. Fala...la...lala...lala...la...la.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all. Be thankful for family, friends, and everything that made it possible to enjoy this wonderful feast.

Coming soon...

Coming soon... Disney World is under a massive construction program as well as reconstruction program. New things under construction... Current ammenties being reconstructed... and lots of things simply being removed and destroyed. It seems like everywhere you go in the parks and resorts, construction is everywhere. We always seen construction and remodeling projects over time, but nothing as widespread as currently going on. New rides, new attractions, new restaurants,  and updates to accomidate increased crowds,  as well as removal of iconic features like the fountain of nations that is clearing away space for future improvements and additions. Again... massive protects everywhere. It will certainly be nice when its all done, but I'm not sure how much the "magic" is diminished by all the construction.

Nevertheless,  it is what it is. Bigger and bigger crowds and massive construction has certainly got to be making some of the magic a bit less... well... magical. No doubt still worth the visit, but it will be nice to see it all when the  projects are completed.  
Here's s some captures from my favorite Facebook Disney sites. Check them out... Lots of great information. 

Tis' the season

Tis' the season... Christmas at Epcot... 

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Flashback

Flashback to childhood memories. 
A local favorite that we have heard about for quite some time. Yoders Old Fashioned Donuts. They are only sold from a noble truck that travels around to different places. Was in the right place at the right time several months ago,  saw them through the window, and yes,  they are quite large. Then again, they should be for $2.50 each. Yep... That's a whopping $30 / dozen. So we passed on our first chance meeting. Then recently we decided to try them. Now my favorite plain glazed donut is from Krispy Kreme... Light and airy, sweet and delightful. You could easily eat 6-8 of them easily with coffee of a cold glass of milk. In fact, if you squished one donut down completely it would be the size of a donut hole. But, back to the topic at hand... Yoder's donuts. 
Big and heavy. So much so that one single Yoder's donut could weigh as much as all twelve Krispy Kreme original glazed put together. Now forvtge taste test... one small bite... Extremely heavy full bodied, you've got a whole mouthful in one small bite. The was a flashback to childhood... I know this flavor... this heavy texture. It had the distinct flavor of donuts that were fried in lard. Yep, that was a childhood memory. Now as a adult you could feel your arteries clogging with each bite. That saturated oily taste that actually made your lips slippery. One donut was way more than enough. Fifty years ago you would havdcate them until you got sick... which I think I did more times than I care to remember. But now... they are a one n done thing. Thanks for the trip down memory lane, but I think I'd like to live a big longer... And like my arteries not so clogged. But, to each his own. They were good by health standards from 50 years ago. And you can't have too many vices... I'll stick with bacon as my choice for unhealthy eats. They say each piece of bacon takes 8 minutes off your life. I did the rough estimation and calculations... Using the 8 minute premous times the estimated pieces of bacon I've eaten in my life... I died 16 years ago. Shows you what they know. 

Time is running out

Time is running out.  Every year there seems to be lots of time to do Christmas shopping... then, all of a sudden... There's only days left. Panic and desperation set in... So little time and lots to do.

Solution...

Simple...easy... just start now and finish quickly. Shop from home, at your leisure, and have everything delivered right to your door.

Wrapping... now you have lots of time if you prefer to wrap... But why wrap. Take the easy way out... Decorative holiday gift bags... Drop the gift in... label..  and you are done. 
Well... that was easy!

Pain ...

Pain... pain from surgery takes away the desire to do anything except to wait out and get rid of the pain. It's been that kind of a year. February - total knee replacement. 
November - again TKR (other knee).

So now both knees are done and in three months recovery should be well on its way. Almost a new man by spring. Meanwhile,  travel and inspiration is limited... as well as posts. More to follow as I improve. 
TKR is not for the faint of heart... lots of pain, especially in therapy. But it will all be worth it in the end.  

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving... a celebration and a day of giving thanks for all the good things we enjoy in our life. Family, friends, and the love of food holidays. One of the biggest food holidays of the year,  its a feast that will leave you bursting at the seams. So just like you adjust your clock to fall back an hour, adjust your scale to fall back 5 pounds, and enjoy the feast. There's the traditional oven roasted turkey, honey baked ham, all the wonderful side dishes, followed by delightful desserts. Even just to get a little taste of everything you'll need a platter rather than a plate. Each recipe tries to out do the other... a cornucopia of wonderous flavors. I already feel stuffed just thinking about it. There's always the issue of self control... nope... Forget that... It's never gonna happen. Then there's the issue of seconds, thirds, nibbling throughout the rest of the day. Perhaps that scale need to be set back 10 pounds! 
Needless to say, a relaxing day with family filled with friendship, fellowship, feasting, and less not forget... Football. 
Discussion of politics, religion, or what offends you today is permitted, less you the ostracized in the basement with the dogs. No complaining, no criticizing, or tattle tailing is permitted. 
Hoping y'all enjoy a great holiday.  Be safe, be happy, and despite your best efforts, don't eat terribly too much. After all, you'll have leftovers to enjoy for days to come. 

Space 220

Space 220... The new dining experience restaurant that's coming to Epcot... delayed to a new projected date of February 2020. The mission to launch the much anticipated restaurant at Epcot means we will all have a wait a little longer to enjoy an out of this world dining experience. Entering the elevators to the dining area, Disney Magic, as only they can, will situlate travel from earth to the restaurant in orbit 220 miles above the earth. Once there you will be treated to a view of the earth and the surrounding space. No doubt dining unmatched anywhere on terra firma. Expected to open in late 2019, the delay centers around staffing issues from the head chef leaving just prior to the planned opening, as well as many other staff issues from the kitchen to the front end. Several articles chronicle the story, and there seems to be some issue as to the menu.... American verses international cuisine. All agree that there will be an extensive wine cellar featuring over 100 selections. Did that make you see dollars signs yet? $$$$$. No doubt reservations will be a must and probably hard to obtain for the first months after opening. Can't wait to see the menu being offered, which will only be surpassed by the experience of dining 220 miles out into space.