Hello blog? It's me, Lori

Hello blog? It's me, Lori.

You didn't call. You didn't write. I thought you fell off the face of the earth.

Yes, yes. I know. I've got no excuse except for procrastination and laziness.

Damn straight, girlie. Where have you been?

For starters, I've had a few fun Disney-centric trips. The usual Food and Wine Festival Trip in October, and I also took a Girls Trip to see some of my VMK (Virtual Magic Kingdom; R.I.P) gal friends down at Disney in July. I was able to enjoy Summer-nightastic stuff before the wonderful fireworks show went away. I'm glad they kept the revamped Main Street Electrical Parade.

Ok, that's all well and good. What else did you do?

I crammed in some bookend nights pre-cruise and post-cruise on the Disney Wonder last December with 600 of my closest ...well, to be honest, many were friendly acquaintances, and some friends, too. I was there to attend the DIS Unplugged Podcast Cruise 2.0. I saw Jodi Benson perform a wonderful full concert, and I enjoyed presentations by Disney Legends Charlie Ridgway (of Spinning Disney's World book fame) and Bob Gurr, bon vivant and the guy responsible for just about every vehicle that moved inside a Disney park. The man was an octogenarian who could out-party people half his age, me included!

Is that it?

Isn't that enough???

Ok, I see your point. Did you do anything exciting in 2011? Half a year is practically gone, you know...

Yeah, I know. Ahem. I do have plans this year. Some big plans. HUGE plans, even.

Are you going to elaborate or are you going to make me guess? I don't have all year...scratch that thought.

Alright, I'll tell you. I'm booked with some of the DIS Unplugged podcasters and listeners on an Adventures by Disney trip in September. We're doing a special "Cities of Knights and Lights" tour of London and Paris with an add-on for Disneyland Paris!

::thud::

Yes, that's how I felt when I realized I'm actually booked for this trip! The final payment has been made, and all I have to do is do some pre-trip preparations. I would have paid single supplement rates had I not offered to share double occupancy expenses with a really nice gal I met on the podcast cruise. She was in my "fish extender" group, and I sort of forced her to share wine with me and a couple of friends I knew from the DIS. (For those not indoctrinated into the Disboards cruise forum sub-culture, "fish extenders" are pockets of fabric or any bag that can hold little items or tchotchkes to brighten the day of fellow cruisers. You hang them off of the letter holder shaped like a fish, outside the stateroom door.)

Is that why you caved in after over a YEAR of being away to come back?

Pretty much.

Welcome back. Don't be such a stranger. Stay a while.

I have my usual Disney food porn if you're interested...

Save it for next time. There WILL be a next time, right?

Sigh. Ok. Until next time.