White Lightning Axiom: Redux

Let's jump into the way-back machine and regurgitate the agglomeration of the last weeks events, shall we? Friday night, I was laying in bed with the twins acting as book-ends. As the mundane tv-show (animated, kid safe) droned on, I slowly slipped into a hazy state of non-lucid painlessness. The condition was impervious to the constant pinging of my Type A personality screaming that we were late for something or other. Indeed, we were. By the time I collected my wits, it was much too late to go to TSD/Karate. To compensate the loss of 'play day', we all went downstairs and played dodge ball in the Manors Grand Court/Throne Room. No damage was done to the facility and the urge to do violence was abated. For now. Once I managed to peel my self away from the barrage of missiles, I wandered off to the Agricultural Sector and collected a few loads of tomatoes and about 20+ pumpkins. We did quite well this year with the gourds; now I just need to figure out what to do with some of these beasties since the Tyrants only wanted the smallest ones. Later on the following Saturday afternoon, the Grandparents arrived along with BigLittleBrother. Over the next week, the Twin Tyrants of Turpitude would be allowed to slake their thirst for being crooned and fussed over by extended family members. Once the first hour or so of jubilant dancing was finished, we all went to the 1715 mass; we would not have the time on Sunday since we would be dropping the Cybernetic Hounds off at a Kennel and then zipping off to the Local International Airport. Sunday, of course, was the final stretch for our fantastical trip to the the land of ...well, fantasy. Of course, there was the nightmare of getting up at the ass-crack of dawn to escort the cybernetic mammoths of doom to an interim holding facility. We could not very well let them roam free on the Manor grounds for a week while we sunned our buns in the Okey-Fanokey swamp. So, at 0700 we were transferring responsibility of their care and feeding (they love to run down and devour hippies and door-to-door volcano insurance salesmen) during our absence. Thor was a mess. His sissy-like nature does not allow him to handle this kind of thing very well. Once we had abandoned them to their fate, we rallied the troops back at the Manor and began the indomitable task of loading all the excursion resources and equipment into the Family Tank V2.0. Then, off to the international airport for our 1255 departure. We got there roughly 2 years early as mandated by the TSA. I dropped off the vehicle in the 9$/day long term parking lot ... somewhere near Iowa and then had to hoof it back to the ticketing terminal. Fortunately for us, there was a 'please touch' museum exhibit at the terminal we were slated to depart from so the Tyrants had something to keep them occupied till our boarding was announced.

It was not a direct flight so we had a brief lay-over in HotLanta, GA. While landing, Jake and I had the opportunity to take a look out the window and see 2 other jets next to us apparently landing at the same airport AT THE SAME TIME. Of course, I was relieved to learn that there were 2 other runways open for landing craft. Without that knowledge, I was rather disconcerted. Once we had disembarked, we had to take a train to another terminal ... this was rather interesting for Jovial Jake. Plane, Train, Auto ... just need to get that boat and rickshaw in to complete the set. We were off again by 1600 and well on our way to Happy-Land. The rest is a blur:

Sunday:
Magic Kindom from 9pm till 0130am .. yes, it was open till 3am! KILLER.
We watched Spectra Magic Light Parade, Rode on Dumbo, the Cinderella's Merry Go Round, Indy Race Track, Buzz Lightyear and watched fireworks.

Monday:
Check out of our hotel room (Saratoga Springs) only to find out that our new room was the same one we left. Argh. Spent the rest of the day at MGM:
Saw the High School Musical concert, got some Character pics with Little Einstein's Leo and Annie (Brother/Sister ... Apropos?), Emile the rat at the Disney Animation Exhibit along with The Incredibles - Mom & Dad. Watched the Little Mermaid show and Disney Playhouse with Bear in the Big Blue House.
Ran off to have Dinner @ Germany in EPCOT and then returned to MGM to watch the evening show: Fantasmic in the concert area. Rode the Tower of Terror with Jake (He was not pleased). The 'Magic Hours' allowed us to see Indiania Jones, Star Tours, and the Muppet 3-D Show. Result: Kids exhausted. Parents near coma.

Tuesday:
Sleep in a bit - Head off to Port Canaveral/NASA - our expected launch of the military satellite was delayed 1 day so we went to Magic Kingdom after hours instead.

Wednesday:
Animal Kingdom till 2000 hours. Watch the parade, do the Everest Expedition Roller coaster (reduced the adults to jelly) and got many, many more photos with costumed characters. Go to watch the NASA Rocket launch from Contemporary Resort while waiting to be seated for Chef Mickey Dinner - meet MORE Disney Characters. Again, exhaustion.

Thursday:
Magic Kingdom, met a bunch of Disney Princesses, Jake gets kissed by Belle. Then Hoop-de-doo review at Fort Wilderness.
Jake in show as the Texas Rangers, gets kissed by one of the female actors - blushes.

Friday:
EPCOT - Massive fireworks. Met Mulan in China @ EPCOT, dinner at Princess Storybook Dining @ Norway: Meet more Disney Princesses
Ride the Test Track; surprised when we get up to 68mph on the return track.

Saturday:
EPCOT - Dinner at Coral Reef
Watch Fife & drum parade at America
Ride on Soaring and the Norway Malstrom
The Dutiful Mrs runs off to Magic Kingdom TWICE! First with Alexis to get Snow White pic and then back again to buy Figaro stuff animal (Minnie's cat) that is ONLY sold there. Argh. Back at the hotel, pay bill, check out and pack up till 0100 hours.

Sunday:
Up at 0430AM, just make baggage check in
Enjoy company of the TSA at 3 separate stops.
After escaping, we find that our flight is boarding as we arrive at terminal.
More TSA probing before we are allowed on.
Arrive in Philly only to get charged 1 day price at the parking lot for 15 minutes on Sunday: too tired to whine.
Managed to get the dogs by noon so we did not get charged 1 day for them as well.
Went to sleep for 4 hr after the family left late - NE Extension issue delayed their departure.
Unpacked for HOURS ... still ongoing.

In conclusion; it was a spiritual, physical, emotional, mental and economically bankrupting experience. It was hot, humid and every calorie I consumed was burned by my efforts to pound through the heaving and throbbing masses of unwashed humanity. Translation: We enjoyed ourselves beyond description.

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