mrsgoggins

Thanks for posting this Graham. They once stayed at Floridays along the newer part of I-Drive and although the accommodation was similar to what you describe (and I thought it was lovely), they really wanted to be on Disney property, and so for their last visit in 2019 that was what I arranged. My friend’s daughter and grandson have always been early risers and so they were able to use the Disney transportation system and all meet up in the parks much later. They had a 2-bedroom villa at Disney’s Old Key West resort and they would like the same again but the cost is eye-watering! The other option is 2 rooms at somewhere like Port Orleans with the Disney Dining plan. I’ve costed them all up, but I think they will go for Old Key West again, mostly because it was perfect for them last time, but also it’s because what my late friend would have chosen again. I made a note of your accommodation the last time you went, because if ever we need somewhere else to stay to eke out our Disney Vacation club points, it might come in useful so thank you 👍

Good morning all I watched Eurovision until the start of the voting but, it made me feel very old! I don't much care for all the technological marvels that 'aid' presentation of many of the songs. I like Ollie Alexander and thought the 'Dizzy' was okay, but I wasn't at one with Graham Norton in thinking that the staging of it was magnificent. Too weird for me, as were lots of them. Croatia was also my favourite. I'm having lunch later with the husband of my late best friend (60 years of unbroken friendship), their daughter and grandson. I've been included because I'm alone as DH is in Belgium with our son and grandson at a car event. It will be bitter-sweet because I am helping to plan their holiday to Florida next year, as it was what my friend had wanted to happen and they are keen to carry out her wishes. We have been back from holiday for a week and the pots containing spring bulbs need attention, so a visit to a garden centre to buy geraniums is called for. They are my favourites because they provide lots of colour for months, are very easy and require minimum attention apart from dead-heading. 'Easy' is definitely my key word when it comes to the garden 😁. Here's to a pleasant day to all 🥂

It was really good thanks Graham. I think I’ve said before that the older I’ve become, the less fond I am of overnight flights back from the USA. Cruising back was a good way to do it and next year I’ve booked Celebrity Eclipse (relatively cheap but only 2 ports of call) home from Fort Lauderdale to Southampton in March then a one-way car rental home. And because I know you like Florida too, here’s a photo taken from our room at Disney’s Vero Beach resort on the Atlantic coast, where we spent a couple of days before heading down to Fort Lauderdale for the cruise. It was wonderful, helped by fabulous weather.

I'm back from a 3 week jolly to Florida - flew out Virgin PE on points and taxes and sailed back to Amsterdam on Celebrity Silhouette, followed by a flight home to Manchester. We spent 8 days in Florida. All worked well and we were especially impressed with Amsterdam airport, and is so often the case, were unimpressed with Manchester airport! It was sunny and pleasant as we drove home from the airport on Sunday afternoon and yesterday was not too bad in my neck of the woods, although I didn't go outside and did unpacking and catching up instead. DH started on cutting grass and trimming hedges. I skim read most of the posts on here as the Celebrity internet (basic) does not seem to allow me access, although I can access other sites I visit 😏 I have enjoyed all of your photographs (Graham's 'fancy' tea was a stand-out 😋) and hope that those of you who are facing challenges right now, whether they be your own or of those close to you, have positive changes in your near future. And Jane, if you are reading this, good luck with giving up the cigarettes once again. I turn to chocolate when stressed - and when not stressed for that matter 😁

Not at all. I received $750 OBC for my September, 31 night Canada/USA cruise (booked thanks to seeing a post by @yorkshirephil ) and we have the Princess Plus package (drinks, gratuities and internet). It has all been used on excursions booked with Princess, and more besides! You are unable to do that on P&O currently of course, until you are on board, by which time the popular ones are likely to have been sold out. Regarding another of your posts, it’s the gratuities, internet and good coffees that are the most attractive elements of the Princess package to me, not the alcohol. So I’m not at all surprised by the post that mentions the popularity of the internet package with P&O.

Am I the only one who thinks in Celsius for low temperatures but understand high temperatures better in Fahrenheit? I was good with your 10C but I’m currently in central Florida where I’ve just heard that temperatures are going to go over 90F for the next few days! No ….. too hot!! 🥵 As my mum would have said ‘there’s no pleasing some folk’. Leaving for the coast tomorrow so hoping for a breeze. Wishing you all a good weekend, and to my fellow poor sleepers, some good nights 😴😴

I'll bite, what's Yorkshire caviar 😁?

I’ve been awake since 3 am Florida time (8 am UK) despite less than 6 hours’ sleep. I don’t travel, or cope with time differences nearly as well as when I was younger. As with most other things 🙄. So, spurred on by all the food photos, I thought I’d add one of yesterday’s Virgin Atlantic lunch, which was surprisingly good, and I don’t think I say that often of airline food. It’s the veggie main of macaroni cheese with mushrooms and the dessert was a light lemon mousse-type of cheesecake. The barely visible dinky silver salt and pepper pots have on their bases ‘Stolen from Virgin Atlantic’. It’s sunny and with temperatures in the 80s - I think most posters here can still understand Fahrenheit 😉

Interesting. I haven't had any herb pots for quite a while but I do have a 'suspect' indoor plant, which has spent the last 2 nights outside ..... if it survives it survives, and it may be innocent, but I want the little flies gone before I leave tomorrow. My fear is that there are fly eggs lurking, the vinegar will lose its potency, and we will open our front door when we return in May to be greeted with a swarm 😱. I think I will get my BIL to pop in and replace vinegar. Just 'talking' about it has helped to formulate a plan 👍

😁 In a shallow dish. This morning 5 were floating in it with a couple more hovering around the dish ready to dive in! The house now smells of vinegar, as flushed with success, there are a few more 'just in case' dishes of vinegar around the house.

I have sailed mostly on Celebrity and on each class of ship and I am with you on preferring the layout of the older fleet, especially the Solstice class. Not as keen on the Edge class and as Constellation was the first Celebrity ship we ever sailed on (and we have sailed on Infinity) I have a soft spot for the Millenium class. Whilst their cruises are undoubtedly expensive compared with P&O, it is possible to get a bargain and I've had a few in the past. My sailing on Silhouette from Fort Lauderdale to Amsterdam later this month was £103 pppn and that is all inclusive with $400 OBC (includes $100 for booking on board). I also have a cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Southampton booked for March 2025 and that was £70 pp per night including gratuities only but with $100 of OBC for booking on board. These bookings are mid-ship balcony cabins. We are mostly doing these sailings because I loathe overnight flights and will enjoy the TAs on favourite ships. We are Elite Plus on Celebrity and therefore get free drinks between 5-7 pm - DH will have a couple of glasses of wine and I am likely to get water and a soft drink as I have never cared for alcohol. We will get 125 minutes of internet time each, 2 bags of laundry each and the perk I value most of all, free speciality teas and coffees. I have never had any interest in the Martini Bar of course 😉

I was up just after 6 am this morning. I knew that today was the day to book my one-way Premium Economy reward flights out to Florida for next March, using points and taxes. All done! 45k points and £738 for the 2 of us with the back row in PE booked, yeah! As with this year, we are sailing back from Fort Lauderdale but next year into Southampton. This year we are sailing into Amsterdam and flying back to Manchester. No overnight flight and no jet lag; result! On to more mundane matters, we have been besieged by small black flies. Ugh! The sort you don't pay much attention to when there's only the odd one but then you do start to notice when they multiply. We really don't know what has caused it, old bits of fruit in the kitchen bin? Except we have never seen them around the bin. Anyhow we found some old (and probably now illegal) fly spray which got rid of some of the blighters yesterday, and then thanks to Mr Google, I tried a dish of white vinegar last night and this morning, discovered that IT WORKS 🙂. @indiana123 I hope you get some permanent relief very soon. Off to finish my last minute packing for tomorrow's Florida flight, but I hope to pop in from time to time 👋

I'm a cat person but I do like dogs too. Haven't owned cats for about 8 years since my two 20 year old litter sisters had to be put down, six months apart. Every time I see a big pet cat with chunky paws I just fawn over it. It's only holidays and 'our time' that prevents me from rushing to a cat rescue centre and getting another one or two. Old cats though, not kittens; I'm sure I don't have another 20 years!

I bet you challenged that forcefully! Did they relent?

The emboldened part was always our view, especially DH's, so we even travelled to the USA with the cancer cover excluded since he said if there were any problems (very highly unlikely; we had taken advice from the consultant on that) we would return home self-funded. I was still happier when it went back as being covered, but DH was totally disinterested! You are quite correct, it was Cigna and is now Aviva.