I am researching a cruise for the Sisters Week.

Disney World

The whole family having fun at Disney World.

Disney World

Ethan, Mom and Dad with Mickey

Ethan and Papa Jerry carousing at Disney World, doing the Old Man Dance

Disney World

Baby Einsteins Show at Disney world with a real baby Einstein. Dad and Ethan both have Einstein DNA!

Disney World

On the Disney World bus.

DISNEY WORLD DAY TWO

BEING ON A 21-MONTH'S OLD SCHEDULE IS NOT THAT DIFFICULT. THE GRANDPARENTS GET TIRED SOONER AND ARE FAR MORE CRANKY. YESTERDAY ETHAN HANDLED EVERYTHING THROWN AT HIM PERFECTLY. WE HAD BRUNCH WITH GOOFY AND PLUTO AND ALTHOUGH HE HAD NEVER SEEN THE CHARACTERS FULL-SIZE HE LOVED THEM, ALBEIT A LITTLE APPREHENSIVELY AT FIRST. HE WAS FULL OF INTEREST AND WONDER. HE LOVED ALL THE RIDES WHICH, OF COURSE, WE ALL JOINED HIM ON. HIS FAVORITE WAS "IT'S A SMALL WORLD." WE HAD TO DO THAT ONE TWICE! WHEN HE SAW MICKEY FOR THE FIRST TIME I THOUGHT HIS EYES WOULD POP OUT OF HIS HEAD. HE LOVES MICKEY! WE STAYED FOR THE FIREWORKS AND THE ELECTRICAL PARADE WHICH FASCINATED HIM TO NO END. HIS FIRST RIDE ON A CAROUSEL WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL AS WELL. EVERYONE ELSE WAS TOTALLY EXHAUSTED AND HE JUST KEPT GOING LIKE THE TROOPER HE IS AND JUST WANTED TO SEE MORE AND MORE. WHAT A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE FOR A GRANDPARENT TO SEE THESE KINDS OF REACTION AND WONDER. AS USUAL, THE CAMERAS WERE FLASHING AWAY AND HE POSED LIKE THE TRUE STAR HE IS.

TODAY IS THE LAST DAY AND WE ARE PLANNING TO CRAM IN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE BEFORE ALL FOUR GRANDPARENTS DROP DEAD FROM EXHAUSTION. THE PARKS ARE VERY CROWDED BECAUSE OF HALLOWEEN AND THE FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL. YESTERDAY IT WAS SO HOT IT BROKE THE RECORD AND WE WERE SWELTERING. TODAY SEEMS A LITTLE COOLER AND THEREFORE MORE PLEASANT SO, IT'S TIME TO HAVE BREAKFAST TO FORTIFY US FOR THE COMING ACTIVITIES AND IT'S ON TO THE MAGIC KINGDOM, MGM AND THE ANIMAL PARK, IF WE SURVIVE.

PEOPLE-WATCHING HERE IS GREAT. I FEEL LIKE A BEAUTIFUL, YOUNG, SKINNY PRINCESS AFTER LOOKING AT SOME OF THESE WOMEN. AND I AM SURE I HAVE LOST WEIGHT FROM ALL THIS WALKING AND NOT EATING GARBAGE. ASHLEY IS HOLDING UP VERY WELL ALTHOUGH IN HER CONDITION I THINK I WOULD HAVE NOT HELD UP AS WELL. DAVID'S ARM MIGHT FALL OFF FROM CARRYING ETHAN SO MUCH EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE A STROLLER. SPEAKING OF THAT, SOMEONE STOLE THAT VERY EXPENSIVE STROLLER FROM THE STROLLER PARK LAST NIGHT AND DISNEY IS NOT THAT FORTHCOMING ON THE RESPONSIBILITY ISSUE. WE ARE SUPPOSED TO CHECK TODAY TO SEE IF SOMEONE TURNS IT IN. RIGHT! THEY PROBABLY SAW THIS $200 BEAUTY AND TRADED IT IN FOR THEIR $14.99 TARGET SPECIAL. SO NOW THEY WILL HAVE BAD KARMA. THE MAIN THING IS THAT ETHAN IS HAVING THE TIME OF HIS LIFE AND LOVING EVERY MINUTE OF IT. WELL, IT'S ON TO THE MAGIC KINGDOM ONCE AGAIN FOR ETHAN AND HIS ENTOURAGE.

ETHAN AND HIS ENTOURAGE IN DISNEY WORLD

THE CARAVAN COMPOSED OF ETHAN, HIS PARENTS AND BOTH SETS OF GRANDPARENTS MADE IT SUCCESSFULLY TO DISNEY WORLD AND CHECKED INTO ONE OF THE ON-PROPERTY HOTELS. WE THEN TOOK A BOAT RIDE TO EPCOT AND MADE IT OVER TO DOWNTOWN DISNEY FOR DINNER AT THE RAINFOREST CAFE. ETHAN WAS ALL EYES AND FULL OF WONDER AT EVERYTHING HE SAW. HE WAS NOT CRANKY, STAYED UP LATE AND WAS ALL SMILES AND HAPPINESS. IN CONTRAST, HIS GRANDPARENTS WERE TIRED, CRANKY AND VERY HUNGRY. WHEN WE GOT BACK TO THE HOTEL OUR DARLING LITTLE GUY WENT RIGHT TO SLEEP. TOMORROW IT'S THE MAGIC KINGDOM AND MICKEY MOUSE!

Travel Advisory

As a result of the cramped quarters on the flight home Jerry developed a DVT in his leg. A DVT, for those of you who are not familiar with the term, is a deep vein thrombosis or blood clot, cause by the tight conditions in economy class and the failure to move around sufficiently on long flights. They are very dangerous and can be fatal if not treated properly. After two days in the hospital he was able to come home but has to self inject a blood thinner every day in addition to taking a blood thinning pill.

So please consider this information as a caution when flying. You must move around as much as possible no matter how much you disturb people. It's your health we are talking about here. You must get up and walk, walk, walk.

This weekend our grandson and his entourage (including us) are heading for Disney World. I will be writing about the adventures of a 21-month old, his parents and both sets of grandparents on our family adventure in the Magic Kingdom. Stay tuned.

Last for now

Sorry for all the typos and misspellings. Had loads of computer issues to deal with. Anyone want to join us for the World's Fair Exposition in Shanghai in the spring of 2010?

ANOTHER CANAL, AMSTERDAM

SMALL CANAL, AMSTERDAM

MORE TEE SHIRTS

OUR CABIN

MY FAVORITE PLACE

MY ATM RENEWING HIS SUPPLY

ON THE TRAIN IN SPAIN

TWO ARAB WOMEN IN THE RAIN, TUNISIA. NOTICE THE
CLASH OF TRADITIONS

ANOTHER FORMAL NIGHT

QUEEN OF THE NILE WITH HER CROWN

AT THE CAIRO MUSEUM OF ANTIQUITIES. I ACTUALLY GOT
JERRY TO GO IN!

ISRAELING SOLDIERS. HE HAS AN UZI. SO DOES SHE!

FORMAL NIGHT ON THE VISION OF THE SEAS

LONG VIEW OF THE WESTERN WALL IN JERUSALEM

MARKET IN TUNISIA

BEACH IN LIMASSOL, CYPRUS

WOMAN SMOKING A HOOKAH IN CAIRO

SUNSET AT SEA IN THE MEDITERRANEAN

JERRY AS A BLONDE

BUYING SHOES IN RHODES

FRONT OF THE NEW LIBRARY IN ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT

MORE GRAND BAZAAR, ISTANBUL

JERRY BUYING FOOD FROM A STREET VENDOR. NO WONDER HE GETS SICK!