What I Did on My Christmas Vacation
by Scott Hardie on January 3, 2008
The last week and a half was some of the most fun I've had in a long time, and a much-needed vacation. I tend to take many short weekend trips each year rather than one long break, but it feels so good to be rejuvenated and rested for a change.
"Christmas" came on Sunday the 23rd, dinner with my mom and Santa's usual generosity all around. This is one of the most accurate collection of gifts I've received in years (thank you Amazon wish list!), and I'm thrilled about the Elder Scrolls expansion packs, which will give me six more months playing a game that I've already been at for more than a year. I gave my mom Carl Sagan's Cosmos, a long-ago favorite (she still has the coffee-table book), which I look forward to watching with her in coming months. Kelly arrived at midnight and we had our own little Christmas morning at my apartment, listening to Sarah McLachlan's Wintersong and giving the cat lots of torn wrapping paper to play in.
Monday morning, we set out for Disney World on only ninety minutes' sleep, which I'd done before without difficulty but was a lot harder this time. Animal Kingdom was fun but brief, as usual, with the gorgeous Maharajah Jungle Trek being the highlight; I'd never walked that trail and suddenly wished I'd done so sooner. On the sidewalk heading to the car, we became winners of that "year of a million dreams" contest where Disney staff randomly select one million visitors over the calendar year and hand them free prizes; a parking lot attendant saw us shuffling along and offered us a free golf-cart ride to our car, so we wouldn't have to wait around for a tram and fight the crowd. Not much of a prize, even with the buttons and certificate that came with it, but it was a surprise spirit-lifter. We were so tired checking into the hotel that we wound up sleeping until dinnertime, which would have ruined the day if the Magic Kingdom wasn't open until 1am for the holidays. Refreshed and fed, we wound up having the most fun at that kiddie park that I've had since I was a kid, taking in new attractions (Laugh Floor is outstanding) and enjoying old favorites (Haunted Mansion is much better in the dark of night).
Tuesday took us to the newly-renamed Disney Hollywood Studios for an abbreviated day. We took in lesser attractions for the first time like Sounds Dangerous and the Animation Studio Tour, lame jokes and all. I got to try a peanut-butter-and-jelly milkshake at the Primetime Cafe and found it delicious. It was a little disappointing that we missed a few favorites due to inopportune showtimes and long lines, but it was a fun day nonetheless.
Wednesday at Epcot was a blast, the best of the three. Minimizing our time in Future World gave us enough time to linger in every single international pavilion; I rarely get the chance to spend ample time in every country around the lagoon and still get out before the crowds choke the walkways for the fireworks show. We splurged on souvenirs for friends and ourselves, had a terrific Mexican dinner, and laughed the whole day through; Kelly calls the wonderful Soarin' her new favorite ride. The only blights on the day were my fat ass holding up the Test Track ride because my seat belt wouldn't fit and I had to change seats, and two idiot clerks at the Japanese shop not knowing how to run a credit-card machine and holding us up for half an hour with an angry line behind us. Tip: Bring cash.
After sleeping in a hotel offsite (nicer rooms than Disney for a fraction of the price), we set out Thursday morning for a leisurely drive to Tampa and home to Sarasota. My mom's generous Christmas gift of a Garmin led us to sushi and around unfamiliar neighborhoods in Tampa. What a great device; finally I feel comfortable exploring a city, knowing I can easily find my way home again. We watched A Scanner Darkly (good movie) and took a late dinner at Olive Garden, which has been a favorite ever since our first date many years ago.
By the time we treated ourselves to Friday lunch at the Columbia on sun-drenched St. Armand's Key, Kelly was already in love with the area and was ready to set a date to move here (April 5). We joined Aaron Shurtleff and Miah Poisson for games and snacks well into the night, and Aaron kicked out butts at Munchkin.
Saturday brought a tour of the city and a visit to McCurdy's Comedy Theatre with Miah and fiancée Ines. If you sit in the front row, expect the comedians to single you out – when I told the comic I'd been dating Kelly for "a very long time," he quipped that I apparently didn't want to get laid tonight, but I knew it was better than telling him we'd been dating for twelve years. The laughs were much-needed and I definitely need to go to comedy clubs more often.
On Sunday, Kelly wanted to meet the Amtgard group in Tampa since she looked forward to spending a lot of time with them, and we found them to be a friendly, welcoming bunch, one member taking the time to introduce us around. They're full of men who like freestyle combat and women who like to gab at the benches, without someone to organize them into structured quests, which is the only role I could see myself fitting into if I tried Amtgard again. Kelly wants to live near this group when she moves here so that we can have them over to our home, and that's just fine with me. I got a rude jolt when I hit a tree on the way out of the park, but navigating the rest of Tampa was easy with the Garmin. Hot Fuzz and good homemade lasagna made for a preview of the home life ahead of us.
Monday brought sleeplessness and the bloody Sweeney Todd, sure to bring more nightmares. We joined Miah & Ines again for a feast at a local Japanese steakhouse where the snobby Siesta Key locals pushed us aside and treated the performing chef like their personal pet. We followed it with a pirate-themed mini-golf course, but couldn't really enjoy it in the sauna-like climate; who wants to be drenched in sweat at 10pm on New Years Eve? Kelly had a hard time embracing the warm weather and had to be reassured that this was unusually hot even for Florida. We called it a night early so we could get some rest before Kelly had to pack and fly home the next morning.
It was an expensive week and we ate way too much food, but I don't think I've had that much fun in a very long time. I haven't written much about Kelly on this blog for private reasons (ask in a secret reply if you'd really like to know), but she's a big part of my life, and soon we get to spend every day together instead of just chatting on the phone every night. I can't wait.
Three Replies to What I Did on My Christmas Vacation
Amy Austin | January 6, 2008
Man, you are *SO* making me miss my home state... and now I really want to live near YOU guys! Doesn't help matters any that on the one other forum I read (but don't post much on) there is a woman in Texas always pining for Florida (never been, wants to move there) and another woman in... Sarasota!... urging her on -- pardon my very mean and selfish spirit, but they make me so sick always gushing to each other about it, and if she gets back there before I do, I think it will just crush me.
It sounds like you had a really great, terrific fun week... I am really happy for you (and I am so frickin' jealous). ;-D
Jackie Mason | January 7, 2008
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Logical Operator
The creator of Funeratic, Scott Hardie, blogs about running this site, losing weight, and other passions including his wife Kelly, his friends, movies, gaming, and Florida. Read more »
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Aaron Shurtleff | January 3, 2008
I only won the one game! You'll make everyone think I'm a Munchkin shark or something!! ;)
It was great to actually see Scott in person (for once!), to see Miah again, and, of course, to meet Kelly as well. It was a great evening, even if Scott left out my amazing surgical skillz, and how badly he schooled us all at the table tennis! :)
We should definately do this again some time. :)