Birthdays and Disney

Tuesday/Wednesday, November 17/18, 2015

Rachel, one of our granddaughters celebrated her 15th birthday Tuesday.  We had a chance to chat with her on the phone for a short time and hear about her day but especially enjoyed this photo she posted of herself as a 15 year old.  Isn't she a beauty?  Her mom had made her a Mickey Mouse waffle for breakfast - something she really enjoys.  Later in the day her dad took out for dinner at the local restaurant, Rachel's Roadhouse (a most appropriate name isn't it?)

Wednesday was our oldest daughter's birthday - she turned 50!!!  I found myself all day wondering how we could have a daughter that old when I feel like I just was that age myself.  Alas, that was almost 25 years ago.  Her staff at work presented her with a beautifully decorated sheet cake on her special day.

 This is her staff at Henry Ford Hospital - she  is 2nd from the left in the first row.

Wednesday was also Mickey Mouse's birthday although that wasn't an announced thing.  We just know since from past experience that Beth has shared this birthday with him.  Anyway, we chose to go over to Disney World and spend the day at the Hollywood Park.  Christmas trims are up and it has been quite awhile since we've been able to go for a visit.  In fact, Wednesday was the last day our yearly pass was good so if we wanted to renew it we had to go - and we did. :-)  This tree was at the entrance and drawing throngs of visitors eager to get pictures by it.

One of the wonderful things about being in Florida is that we can get a Florida pass for less than the cost of 3 days of visiting the park.  That is quite a deal but also means we don't have to feel like we have to arrive when it opens and stay till the close pushing constantly to do everything possible to fully use the day's ticket.  It is so nice to just go over and enjoy the trims, people watch, go to a few of the shows or rides and just soak up the atmosphere.

Wednesday we did manage to get to several of the shows including 

Just as the show began the storm clouds let go of tons of water - luckily we were far enough up in the stands to be under the roof so we just felt a bit of the mist.  But it made the show a bit more interesting watching the stunt drivers do their thing on very wet pavement.  Besides, during the show the rain quit and this beautiful rainbow appeared

At 6:00 when it was fully dark, the Osborne Lights were turned on along the city streets giving just a delightful show flashing to the sounds of the Christmas songs being played.  Huge numbers of people were there to see them (this is the last year they will be displayed) so we could only move as the crowd moved but just hearing all of them delighting in the display made it another great experience.  We've seen them several times but they always do amaze us.

We then went to the evening show in stands that seat about 25,000 people.  The laser pictures in the water spray from the many shooting fountains

are absolutely amazing to see.  They don't photograph to well but I attempted to get a shot

The show features the music from many of the Disney movies first of the heroes and then of the villans then ends with a large paddle wheel sailing by with all of the well known characters followed by fireworks.

During the day we had a chance to chat with Beth on the phone and wish her a happy birthday but we also got a sad call from my cousin Sarah.  She was helping out Laurie by notifying each of us that my Aunt Margie, my mother's sister and the last of the siblings alive, had been taken to the hospital with a perforated intestine.  The doctors had given her medications to make her comfortable and sent her back home with the assistance of hospice saying she probably wouldn't last more than 24-48 hours. But it did mean that nearby family members would have a chance to spend a little time with her saying their goodbyes.  How glad I am that I was able to visit her when we were in California this past summer.