The ABC's of a BSN Celebration! Trip Wrap up; Final Thoughts (7/11)

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

I hope your appointment went ok on Tuesday. Thinking good thoughts!

 

[Steppesister]

I was one of those who went was had the most fun.... throwing toast, dancing in the aisles, such silly fun.

If it was a mount... that better be one heck of a mount!

Well, sure, but I came to the same conclusion.... definitely not one, but rather a camera. Tricky place!!

Eh? What's that? Type louder.

I found your cousin has something to help you out.

To steal a line from Jaws...
I think I'm gonna need a bigger boat to sail across that gap.

and for the really big fish in the Fish and Chips tank!

Makes as much sense as any other theory.

....theoretically speaking.

If only they had some kind of imagination place in Epcotopia!

Oh come, that's just a Figment.

Praying for you.
Hope everything will be okay.

The appointment went as well as could be expected. We'll do a biopsy in a couple of weeks after it heals up from the chemo treatment and go from there.

 

[Steppesister]

On it !

Thank you so much, my friend. It went as well as could be expected.... biopsy in a couple of weeks. Likely a squamous.

 

[Steppesister]

The Land is one of our favorite family rides. Very interesting journey you took on the ride. Lots of great photos too.

OH trust me... Steppe's Adventures are always interesting. LOL!! It is such a great ride, such a wonderful concept! Did you look carefully at the photos?

Praying everything goes well for your procedure.

Thanks, Vanessa! I went okay. I'm scheduled for a biopsy in a couple of weeks. I'm just glad it wasn't a Moh's. Yet.

 

[Steppesister]

I can imagine! I would have run out of ideas a long time ago.

Already thinking of my next one. So far zero ideas.

Huh. I would have bet against it!

Ok, now you're just making stuff up.

No. It's true and they even have their how hex codes!!! I should switch my font color to ZOMP just for fun!!

Hopefully yours took less time.

One never knows how long a journey will take when they fall into Epcotopia!

Odd diet, but it would totally work!

I'd eat that for a few months. Might get boring after that.

Sooner or later, you're going to have a week-long trip with only one outfit.

That way I'd save $50 on luggage costs.

That would make road trips so much easier!

Just think you could harvest the PB AND use the trees as pit stops. (at least that's what we'd do in Crapistan.)

Hmm.. Probably a pagan symbol of some sort. Best to steer clear.

Steppe tried, but man those images were EVERYWHERE in Epcotopia!!

That looks more like sushi to me.

You put fried in your sushi?! Ew.

THen again, I don't imagine you eating sushi at all. #amiright?

Well, that turned dark in a hurry!

So did 2020.

Needs more exploding helicopters.

Okay, I'll give you that one.

Noted.

Yikes! Praying it is nothing to worry about.

Well, it is something to worry about and a biospy is set for 2 weeks from now. We'll know where to go from there.

 

[Steppesister]

Lovely rendition of one of my favorite attractions.
Ahh can’t wait to enjoy it again, maybe with you!

Thanks, Caroline. I had a ton of fun writing that one. Brings out my silly and sarcastic side.

And YES!!! That's such a fun and quiet one to ride together!! I mean, we could always stop at the Agave Juice party while there! LOL!

 

[Steppesister]

I hope your appointment went ok on Tuesday. Thinking good thoughts!

It went as well as could be expected. Biopsy in a few weeks and we'll go from there.

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

It went as well as could be expected. Biopsy in a few weeks and we'll go from there.

That's good to hear. Waiting is the worst part.

 

[Wood Nymph]

I'm scheduled for a biopsy in a couple of weeks. I'm just glad it wasn't a Moh's.

I'm had several Moh's surgeries, including two on my face. I hope you don't have to have one. The worst part is having to wear bandages on the face for a while - people stare.

 

[Steppesister]

I'm had several Moh's surgeries, including two on my face. I hope you don't have to have one. The worst part is having to wear bandages on the face for a while - people stare.

They are awful. I recover those patients regularly, and it's not something I'd wish on anyone. The flap stage is the WORST! Most of our surgeons leave the flaps open to air with steristrips on other parts. Most of our patients that come in for the take down say that they just stayed home and were super self conscious about it. Just super praying I can avoid that with freezing, light therapy or some other less invasive method. The good news is that it's not melanoma or fast-growing.

 

[Wood Nymph]

They are awful. I recover those patients regularly, and it's not something I'd wish on anyone. The flap stage is the WORST! Most of our surgeons leave the flaps open to air with steristrips on other parts. Most of our patients that come in for the take down say that they just stayed home and were super self conscious about it. Just super praying I can avoid that with freezing, light therapy or some other less invasive method. The good news is that it's not melanoma or fast-growing.

I couldn't stay home and hide. I worked in downtown Chicago and took a commuter train downtown with a 22 minute walk to the office. I am an absolute pro with steristrips now.

 

[Steppesister]

I couldn't stay home and hide. I worked in downtown Chicago and took a commuter train downtown with a 22 minute walk to the office. I am an absolute pro with steristrips now.

Good for you for powering through!! I don't think I could either (stay at home), I think I'd throw some gauze over it all and have a 1000% more insight and empathy for my patients.

 

[pkondz]

I was one of those who went was had the most fun.... throwing toast, dancing in the aisles, such silly fun.

That doesn’t surprise me!

and for the really big fish in the Fish and Chips tank!

Oh come, that's just a Figment.

A fig noodle of the imagination.

The appointment went as well as could be expected. We'll do a biopsy in a couple of weeks after it heals up from the chemo treatment and go from there.

Keep us posted!

Likely a squamous.

Had to Google that.

 

[Steppesister]

A fig noodle of the imagination.

Just a spark, mind you.

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Hey Sister! I'm so hit and miss with the DIS, but I'm looking to see what your foodie experiences where on the last trippie! It was so fun to see you!

 

[irene_dsc]

The good news is that it's not melanoma or fast-growing.

Thank goodness for that. Keeping you in my thoughts as you wait for the biopsy results. (((hugs)))

But on a less serious note - I was another to go to Rocky Horror with all the stuff to throw, dancing along, and saying all the extra lines. At my wedding, one of my bridesmaids passed out toast to people, and had them throw toast at us during her toast! I don't think I could remember all the extra lines now, but I can still dance the Time Warp...

 

[vamassey1]

Did you look carefully at the photos?

Nice additions. You've been taking lessons from Ponzi.

 

[Paulaparm]

Prayers, pixie dust, well wishes...whatever will help

 

[Steppesister]

M is for Magical Moments on Mountains- Pt. 1​

Truth be told I took a lot of photos this trip and ended up with a happy “problem”. A friend once told me, (paraphrasing), “Better to have too many good ones than not have any!”. So, while I had originally planned to do one or two giant chapters that included ALL of my photos from MK, combining the 3 dips this last trip, it is just too much. So instead, with no witty writing or silliness, I’ll take you, Dear Reader, on a photographical excursion to our favorite Magical Kingdom where 3 magical mountains thrill happy, screaming riders every day.

Mood Music!!

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Let’s start with my least favorite. I mean, it’s okay; I like it, but that track... OY! My poor neck and old, decrepit body is almost always happier elsewhere. However, I will say that there is some pretty neat, albeit outdated, theming going on in the queue. Not quite as cool as its sister attraction in Cali, but when you slow down and take the time to appreciate, it is there. I’ll never forget the suspense and anticipation I felt as a kid waiting for what seemed like hours in the Star Tunnel in an interminably long line to ride a coaster in the dark. Back then, it was a completely novel and thrilling concept! Then again, there were nights during private, special events that I could ride over and over, screaming the time away with no waits at all. Either way, I was, like most teens, living life in the fast lane and not even noticing the finer details of any of the attractions. Now I’m old and move a bit slower. I have time to really see and admire.

And the first thing I notice and enjoy is the queue music. I searched quite a bit for the composer but ran out of time. I’m sure its discoverable, but one of you can do that. Instead, if you clicked on the link, you are listening to its synthesized familiarity right now!

The queue itself is fun with both real science-y stuff and quirky pseudo-science-y stuff. Here are a couple of snaps to illustrate. I’m positive these star maps/images are the real deal from NASA.

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The droids and control panels clearly are not. In a closer study of the photo with the droid, I realize I need to look a bit more scrupulously at the images you can see in the far bottom left hand corner of this photo next time I go. Umm….. Disney’s been known to sneak naughtiness in their work before.

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Obviously, it’s pointless to try and take any photos on the ride, but here are two. I always look like a dweeb because I just don’t ride this one enough to ever remember where the camera is anyway. My daughter and Mary Ellen look great though!

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My favorite parts of this attraction are AFTER the coaster. I’m a sucker for diorama and these knock it out of the park! There are 3 scenes (maybe 4?) that you pass as you work your way out. The soundtrack is altogether different and actually very retro in sound. Perfect for the kitchy, 1950’s-reminescent scenes you see. One is a futuristic home where a droid is supposedly serving the family in some capacity... Cooking dinner? Cleaning? I just want to know why this isn’t a reality yet. Because anything a droid could cook and serve me would be better than the usual fare I have after a long day at work. The next 2 are super fun! One is what camping might look like 500 years from now and another is an underwater diving adventure. I mean who wouldn’t want to go 20,000 light years under the sea?! Side note, those last two photos were incredibly difficult to get and needed quite a bit of tweaking in after-processing. Bright and dark/shadowy together is TOUGH! I don’t know how to merge photos in PS yet, but it’s a “Someday Goal” to learn.

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Storytime with Steppe….

I had taken quite a while to exit the ride behind Mik and MEK and was surprised to find them not too far out and, in fact, near the entrance talking to a CM. “Huh, this is odd”, I thought to myself. Turns out…I’m not the only one who loses their phone on rides, so there! MEK’s had fallen out of the pocket of her purse when she was getting out of the rocket. It only took them 10 minutes to find it and of course she was incredibly grateful and so happy! I can’t think of a worse trip bummer short of missing a flight or breaking a leg. While we waited, I toddled off to take a couple more photos around the area. I try so hard to really love Tomorrowland, but it’s just not my thing, so finding appealing photo material is a bit tough. Sorry for the lack of creativity. LOL!

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Let’s move on to our next mountain!

Mood Music!!

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Splash- the mountain about to be transformed from something that, in my own humble opinion, is just fine the way it is. But that’s a topic probably best debated elsewhere. Because of this, I admit I went totally overboard with trying to document it so that in the years to come I can properly lament and look back with longing. It’s cute, the song is incredibly catchy and altogether iconically Disney in every way, and the animals tell such a great story of finding a happy, laughing place- a message that is so needed in today’s world of uncertainty and heaviness.

I don’t think there is any need for further commentary at this point. Enjoy a ride through a beloved Magic Kingdom Mountain through this trip's lineup of photos:

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The queue is so well-themed! Setting the scene for a rural jaunt:

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Continued in next post...

 

[Steppesister]

M is for Magical Moments on Mountains- Pt. 2​

And now my favorite of the 3 Mountains- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad!

Mood Music!!

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Here’s a bit of the backstory to the attraction because every Disney attraction must tell a story!!

*** Warning! Long bit of story about the attraction’s storyline but how many of you knew this about the ride?!***​

“According to the enhanced backstory: “Barnabas T. Bullion is the founder and president of the Big Thunder Mining Company. The longtime mining magnate comes from a powerful East Coast family and considers gold to be his very birthright by virtue of his oddly appropriate name; in fact, he considers the ultimate gold strike to be his destiny. And that is why he is having so much trouble with Big Thunder Mountain. According to superstitious locals, Big Thunder Mountain is very protective of the gold it holds within, and the unfortunate soul who attempts to mine its riches is destined to fail. And so far that prophecy is coming to pass. The mine has been plagued by mysterious forces and natural disasters ever since. And yet the Big Thunder Mining Co. is still in operation. In fact, Bullion is discovering new veins of gold and digging new shafts every day, offering a closer look at the Big Thunder mining operation than ever before. But a word to the wise for anyone attempting to visit the mountain: watch out for runaway trains.”- https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...-and-president-of-big-thunder-mining-company/

“Now, the legend and secret history of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Magic Kingdom is crazy cool! Once a working mine during America’s Gold Rush, there was gold found deep within Big Thunder Mountain in Red Rock Canyon. Almost overnight, the town of Tumbleweed became a thriving mining town. According to Disney Parks Blog, a one Barnabas T. Bullion established the Big Thunder Mining Company to go after the gold. Barnabas was born into a powerful East Coast family, so naturally, he thought it was his very right to claim the gold inside the mountain. Well, the mountain had other ideas!

Big Thunder Mountain was said to be protective of its gold and would curse any who dare try to take it. While in operation, miners would hear ghostly sounds and believed supernatural powers inhabited the mine. Strange events would occur, including cave-ins and equipment failing. On a very stormy night, a flash flood completely wiped out the town, destroying the mining company. Rumors have it Professor Cumulus Isobar, a rainmaker, brought the flood to Tumbleweed. If you look carefully, you might just spot a mysterious machine with Cumulus’ name on it while experiencing Big Thunder Mountain Railroad!

Nowadays, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad travels through an empty ghost mine and rushes riders through the canyons, caverns, abandoned mine shaft and ghost town of Tumbleweed! Barnabas, however, is still trying to dig and find gold inside Big Thunder Mountain, despite the warnings and curses from the mountain. The legend is, the mountain and mine are both still haunted.”- https://www.*****************.com/blog/secret-history-big-thunder-mountain-railroad/

Again, without too terribly much commentary here are some of the better shots I got this time around.

(Amazing how they had such futuristic lighting equipment to light the way back then. )


(The tongue and cheek sight gags are such a gas here!)












(Bonus points if you catch the reference! Trust me, it's there!)




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And there we are... at the end of our little tour of the 3 mountains of MK. Remember, Friendlies... Keep your hands in the air and a song in your hearts!!