Saturday Smiler - Grin

That grin gets me every time.

So you want to go to England?

Last year, Disney Cruise Line announced an inaugural 12 day British Isles cruise. Mike and I were excited and when the booking window opened, we called Disney to inquire about booking. Well, there was such a demand for the sailing that we ended up on a waiting list. The operator told us that there might be a chance we'd be able to sail because sometimes people book the cruise, but cancel a few days later. Ok then, this put us to the following Monday at the earliest. Monday morning came around and the phone rang. It was Disney, there had been a cancellation on an accessible room and were we still interested in the sailing?

The rest as they say is history.

The ship departed on a Sunday, so we opted to arrive in England the day before. Since we started cruising, we've been careful to always arrive at the embarkation location the day before. One never knows what happens when travelling and the last thing you want when you've spent a great deal of money on a cruise is to miss the sailing because of a delayed flight. (Can you tell where this is going?)

We arrived at the airport on Friday afternoon, completed our check-in process/security, and headed to our gate. We stopped at one of the information screens to double check the gate number when we noticed the departure time read not 9 pm, but 1.30 am. I was sure I was misreading the information because there was another Gatwick flight that night, surely that was the delayed flight! Nope, my phone dinged a few seconds later and it was WestJet informing us of the flight departure time change. We made our way to the gate and inquired with the staff. There was a "problem" with the plane and it was being serviced. At this point, they didn't know if the flight would actually leave on time or at any point between 9pm and 1.30 am, but the latest would be 1.30 am. I presumed if things took a turn, they could bring an alternate plane for us to leave at 1.30 am... at least I hoped. We both received a food voucher so we went to dinner.

By the time we took off, it was around 2 am. The WestJet staff were pleasant and were coming around with the drinks cart soon after take off, but that's the last thing I remember before I dozed off. This was a first for me. I never sleep on planes. I'm too anxious, wound up, and uncomfortable most flights that I sit there like an owl looking around at everyone else asleep. This time, pure exhaustion. I may have slept for 4 or 5 hours, I don't remember. There was still a few hours before we landed so I started in on Stephen King's Dr. Sleep.

The next thing we knew, we had landed and were exiting the plane. We made it to the area just outside of the plane's door where we stood to wait for Mike's wheelchair. A couple strollers came up, but no wheelchair. The head flight attendant came out and spoke to us and when she found out we were waiting for a wheelchair, she went into beast mode. She phoned someone and gave them an earful, spoke to the person bringing up items from the hold, and went down the gangway to the reps at the gate to find out about the wheelchair. Turns out the wheelchair was sent with the luggage and we'd be able to pick it up at baggage claim. They gave us a temporary wheelchair to get from the gangway to the airport where we were to wait further instruction.

We were greeted by an employee driving a glorified golf cart, who squeezed us into the rear compartment, then took us for a ride through the airport and straight to immigration. We got in line behind 3 other golf carts and waited our turn. We, (sorry bad pun), sailed through immigration when the officer found out we were sailing on the Magic. The golf cart delivered us to baggage claim, where we found Mike's wheelchair in good condition for being left on a carousel.

We grabbed our luggage and made our way to the Sofitel hotel, where we were booked for the night. We checked in and freshened up quickly before we headed back out to London.

Flat Corgi Friday - Big Ben

It's 8 o'clock, well past our dinner time. Where's our food?

Flat Corgi Friday - Looking for Her Majesty

When we had confirmed we were sailing on a British Isle cruise this year, I knew I had to figure out a way to get a picture of the Flat Corgis in front of Buckingham Palace. Furthermore, I wanted to figure out a way to get a picture of them on royal property!

I wonder if the real royal corgis have ever been out in this yard?

Sneaking behind the bars.

Thorgi and a couple flat corgis

Mission accomplished: Get the Flat Corgis onto royal property. (see second picture)

Wordless Wednesday - Supersized

Saturday Smiler - Casual male

He should have been a model.

Flat Corgi Friday - Represent

One of our stops on this cruise is Liverpool. Now, this port of call had several Beatles related activities, but seeing as I'm not a Beatles fan, we passed on them.

My eye was on the ability to go visit Conwy Castle... which is in Wales. Of course I couldn't pass that up!

More to come when we return home.

Wordless Wednesday - That nose

Saturday Smiler - A lovely stand-in

Gimli and Merida in the back, with a new corgi friend - Sandy in the front

A couple weeks ago, the four of us went to a local museum to celebrate Her Majesty's 90th birthday.

As luck would have it, they had a... flat Queen Elizabeth II!

Of course, we had to get a picture of the corgis with this stand in.

Yum!

Flat Corgi Friday - Port of Entry

Tonight, we leave for our British Isles cruise on the Disney Magic. Naturally, the Flat Corgis will be with us, while the real corgis remain at home.

This time it's a little different, the corgis are staying in our house and pet sitters are stopping by to spoil them.

Naturally, I'm sad to leave them and worried about the flight, (nervous flier), and worried how they'll behave, so it's the usual par for the course going through my brain at this time.

Flat Corgi Friday - King Candy!

The corgis with King Candy. If you've seen Wreck it Ralph, you know he has to be the winner... that's his personality.

Flat Corgi Friday - Royal Mail

Do you think if I mailed the Flat Corgis they'd arrive at our destination in time?

This year Mike and I are going on a special trip, one that I'm over the moon about... except of course the part where I leave the corgis behind.

More to come later.

Yum, worms

She's probably thinking about the rabbit poop or dried up earthworms that she likes to gobble up on our walks.

Such a stinker.

Go to bed

I don't sleep.

I don't mean it in an insomnia sort of way, but when I'm supposed to be in bed, I'm not. I'm doing other things like playing around on the computer, scrolling through my phone, or watching something stupid on tv. All such things can be put off until the next day, but I don't. Then, I struggle in the morning, and I struggle in mid-afternoon. I cannot remember a time when I didn't have dark circles under my eyes.

Several local folks that I follow on Twitter were posting about an initiative called #MayHealth, which believes that small changes towards healthy habits can make a difference, and the sense of community created around MayHealth can serve as a powerful motivator.

I figured, 'Why not?'. I've read it takes 21 days for something to become a habit, and why not start now?

Since the start of the month, I've been slowly modifying my sleep patterns. I had set bedtime to be 10 pm, but that remains a work in progress. Before bed, I have a cup of chamomile tea, brush my teeth and put in my mouth-guard. For the most part, the tv and computer have been turned off and I've started leaving my phone in another room.

I've seen mixed success - on those nights when I'm in bed, I fall asleep quite quickly. However there are other nights where I've fallen down the rabbit hole of the Internet.

Little by little, I'll get there.

Flat Corgi Friday - Princess Merida

All hail Princess Merida who:

- has perma-resting bitch face
- plays by her own rules
- bosses around her big brofur
- chases away meanie birds from her kingdom
- refuses to play with the squeaker, instead forces you to squeak it for her
- loves to inspect every article of clothes you wear
- wears that crown so well
- loves to go for a run with you
- is a little cuddle monster
- is 3 years old today

She doesn't know it yet

Merida's birthday is on Friday and while we have her presents already, there's one present she's going to get on Saturday.

A bath. With the Spring thaw/rain/snow/ice/thaw again/snow again we've had in the past few weeks, she's a little stinky. She rolls in whatever nasty thing has appeared - worms or goose poo - and then comes up to us for a snuggle. Yeah little girl, not happening.

That cute face fools no one!

Sunday Smiler - Spring

It's snowing outside right now and in an attempt to coax Mother Nature to put away the snow until December, I'm posting this picture of my two lovelies.

This picture was taken a couple weeks ago, when there was no snow on the ground and we thought Spring had actually sprung.

Wordless Wednesday - National Puppy Day

Flat Corgi Friday - Hello Zazu

As I've mentioned before Merida despises, with every fiber of her being, birds. I think crows are at the top of her list because she can hear them even when the windows are closed and they send her barking and scurrying to the back door. On one occasion, I was watching Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban when she heard the crows around Hagrid's hut. She was not amused. I was though :).

These days on our walks with the birds steadily waking up for Spring, she charges at them... and consequently forgets she's on a leash.

Alas, Zazu is the only bird that she would tolerate.

Flat Corgi Friday - Panda

I have a soft spot for pandas.

I could watch panda videos all day... like this one:

And this one:

Alas, since I can't go play with pandas, I'll settle for a fluffy corgi.