Thrillin',Chillin',Feet are Killin' Day 11: Cash, Prang, Dollop
 

Saturday August 29th - the previous day is HERE

We woke this morning with that sinking feeling that there were only a couple of days left.

It has been so nice to have lots of down time this holiday but with two days left, that’s when you start to think about the things we didn’t do :(

But after 3 days of being in parks, we all wanted a nice quiet day

I see from my notes that the day started with a “lie in”

In Florida terms , this means 7 am

Ridiculous

I remember when a “ lie in” meant more like 10 or 11 am?

But my “ lie in” was being disturbed by my bite from Busch , which I must have absent mindedly scratched in the night as now it was festering nicely and being really irritating

http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/z...pskcwioelf.jpg

Oucha

I had also inexplicably developed a whopping bruise on my thigh – I have no recollection of how this happened but it was jeffing painful

I did take a photo but decency prevails – I couldn’t possibly subject you to my pasty , wobbly thighs even though the bruise ( even if I say so myself) is pretty impressive

How on earth can I have done that and not felt it at the time ! ?

Ah well, never mind my decrepit self

Back to the day in hand

Today was a to be a bit of a mix and match – we had decided to take the boys out to Gotha to show them where we got married – why we thought they would be in the remotest bit interested is beyond me but it’s one of those things that we felt we had to share.

Because teenage boys love visiting churches in the middle of nowhere – obviously:erm:

I am not sure what was consumed for breakfast – probably something really healthy like mountain dew and cheesecake

We set off for Gotha at 1030- on a route which involved more toll roads than felt entirely necessary

It was tres scenic

http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/z...psxm9fszex.jpg

But we were soon here

http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/z...pszon8tdml.jpg

And turning in here

http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/z...psb2y0pb4e.jpg

It was certainly warmer than November !

http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/z...psrctsesuk.jpg

http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/z...psrnn252tp.jpg

http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/z...psw7bbd7tt.jpg

http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/z...psop01ot0e.jpg

Thrilled teenagers

http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/z...psslofgt8r.jpg

http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/z...pssyygtqdn.jpg

Happy snaps done , time for some lunch and 4Rivers Smokehouse was the chosen destination as it was in the area ( sort of ). I had looked at Yellowdog Eats as that’s definitely in the area but had decided the menu wouldn’t really suit the boys.

Shame, had I made them starve we might have avoided the next adventure

But dammit, I never pack that crystal ball on these trips

We had been really looking forward to the return to 4Rivers - the boys were a bit nonplussed as to what the fuss was all about and described the place as " weird" but did agree the food was delicious.

http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/z...ps6yoffrmo.jpg

http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/z...psapmyhnvm.jpg

http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/z...pszmhgvvxn.jpg

The boys and I all had pulled pork sandwich with beans - they had fries and I had the yummy cornbread. The sandwich is $8.49 with 2 sides included

http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/z...psntnpdbbp.jpg

The beans are in a BBQ sauce, the corn bread is quite peppery and the pulled pork - well, its quite simply DELICIOUS

Andy had a prime rib sandwich with beans and fries . This is a signature stacker sandwich and is $9.99 with horseradish and 4Rivers sauce and 2 sides included

http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/z...psilsovtdp.jpg

I'm thinking of having their sign reproduced above my desk at work :

http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/z...psemvvj0il.jpg

Oh my goodness, this is full on cowboy food on a tray. The boys had bottles of mountain dew and we shared a large soda. I cant find the receipt but I know we commented that it had come to around a very cheap $45.

With very full bellies we set off again at 1245. The next stop being the outlets to get the boys some trainers.

But the satnav was having none of it – we seemed to be going round in circles:(

And this part of Orlando is definitely not on the tourist map:omg:

And we were really low on fuel ( I obviously had no comment to make on this news at all)

So , we are in the Orlando equivalent of the Bronx, running low on fuel, going round in circles

Super.

How could it possibly get any worse?

Oh yeah

You can get smacked from behind

Not in that way either you saucy lot;)

Suffice to say the next hour’s view was like this

http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/z...psf8art5mt.jpg

And this

http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/z...psnst0hooo.jpg

It was great

Because we had hardly any fuel we couldn’t have the aircon on – and it was HOT

Because it was a slightly dodgy place we didn’t feel we could de camp onto the grass verge

So we sat in a hot car, in the central reservation – all the things you really shouldn’t do

And then we had some guy start shouting at us that we had lost our way with God ( no, really , we just left him at Gotha, but , yes, we have lost our way full stop)

It was not the best hour we have ever had.

Fortunately the other driver was not some crazy person and helpfully had called the police

Two of whom arrived at 1.40 ( 30 minutes after the accident) – which felt a bit un-necessary for a minor prang

So my mind went into overtime ……..

They had sent two police cars –clearly one to cart off each driver

And I would be left stranded

Not covered as a second driver on the insurance

No fuel

Two Teens with a full monk on

It was all going horribly wrong

But then I do have an ever so slightly fevered imagination that goes rather over the top in reaction to these type of situations :d:

So whilst I was busy getting stratospherically stressed , Andy and the other guy were just sorting it all out

Police report sorted and we were on our way by 2pm:thumbs-up

Good job too as by now the buckets of mountain dew were taking their toll

But we still needed petrol and the officer helpfully gave us directions - in fact he was very helpful all round and the accident was dealt with really quickly and efficiently.

But the aircon was no longer a problem, as the atmosphere in the car was definitely a bit chilly.

And so off we went in our slightly dented Dodge

http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/z...psfxeayfz0.jpg

We pitched up at the I Drive outlets in our quest to find trainers for the boys.

Given the extensive trainer shopping experience of one of the party, this should be no problem

But for fans of choice theory – that less is best , more leads to indecision, lack of purchase etc then you know already how this is going to go

2 Teens, 2 pairs of trainers – that’s all we needed

But each shop was like exquisite torture:nonono:

http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/z...psni6iwcpd.jpg

So trainer shopping was abandoned temporarily and we set off for some other purchases

But not before I managed to purchase the world’s ugliest trainers – utterly unattractive but totally practical being slip proof for my commuting (or so I thought, the only problem being, they really hurt my calves, they weigh a ton and are as uncomfortable as they are hideous ). But cheap at $20

http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/z...pspwoemdxx.jpg

And of course Andy has no trouble picking up some new shoes $64

http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/z...ps2g9paln8.jpg

So total spend in Nike $89 after tax

Andy went off to buy some jeans – which were on offer with 20% off if you bought two pairs at $49.99 each.

I picked up some baby stuff for $43 from Carters for an impending new arrival

http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/z...psh40zog0p.jpg

Then I stopped at Aeropostale and picked up my journey home gear – nice and grungey but totally comfy

http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/z...ps984em7gv.jpg

And a snip at $23

We then discovered that the boys could pick up Ralph Lauren gear much cheaper at the kids outlet – Connor found the age 18-20 was the same size as the mediums he had been looking at in the Mens store, but much cheaper especially as the store had a 50% promotion on the tees

So he bought two tees for $18 – that’s crazy prices, 2 RL tees for about £12 !

http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/z...psmf4t7gp4.jpg

And Jamie found the same for the age 14-16 and went for a polo and a tee which came to $38 as the polos didn’t have the same offer.

And we picked one up for Nick too – $9

http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/z...psp3ii4lqe.jpg

So – if you have teen sons – then shop in the childrens outlet first !

We gave up the quest for trainers and popped across to the Nike clearance outlet just along the road and amazingly Jamie did in fact buy a pair of trainers – just plain black with the Nike Swoosh – but I don’t seem to have a pic or a receipt. But it did somewhat pile the pressure on his brother - with only one full day left and limited stores to look in ….

We made a brief stop at Walmart to pick up sweets to take home

http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/z...psbxfoffmb.jpg

I know Hersheys is a bit marmite – well, clearly its not actually marmite obviously but I know it’s a love or hate it thing – that cookies and cream variety .. LOVE IT !

And I was somewhat taken with this for the Gruffalo

http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/z...pscdv6v9hz.jpg

We picked up other exciting items like orthotic insoles ( they are so cheap here !) , Various mahoosive pots of painkillers and other amazing products that you cant get over here ( like the Kanka mouth ulcer pens, they are brilliant and with Jamie having braces, ulcers can be a problem for him)

So $80 later and the most odd looking selection of shopping ever , ( the lady at the till must have thought we had left a slightly lame , ulcer ridden , hershey loving, mountain dew addict at home)

We were feeling a bit tired and niggly now so set off for home around 5pm– in another torrential downpour. It was so bad that when we stopped at the Subway in Formosa Gardens, the small puddle I stepped into, turned out to be more like a 4ft monsoon drain and I was completely drenched.

We picked up subs for the boys who had declared the shopping so exhaustingly stressful they couldn’t possibly contemplate any further activity today.

Back at the condo and the boys settle in for the night. And we are too tired for supper so just finish off whatever was in the fridge – which did include some nice chilled beverages at least !

What an odd sort of day it had been in the end - bit pants in parts

And tomorrow is our last full day – that’s total pants

But its got Downtown Disney and DisneyQuest so not all bad !

God that sounded a bit over dramatic for a wee bump! Haha! Glad it all got sorted!

You don't half find the bargains! I think I need to take you with me to the outlets next year ;) x

Gosh that sounds like a bit of a mixed day. Glad no one was hurt in the crash. Pussycat

Oh goodness what an eventful day. Glad you were all ok.

Glad you were all OK and your bargain-hunting super senses weren't damaged!

Oh poor you!
What a dramatic kind of day.

Nice to go back to where you got married.
Sorry about the bump.

Hope you enjoyed your final day.
Merry Christmas x

Oh dear, what a drama with the crash! Glad everyone was ok and it all got sorted out quite easily.

More great shopping bargains. I'll just pick your super shopper brains if you don't mind... does the kids Ralph Lauren thing apply to girls as well, my DD (15) wants some RL jumpers when we go in June?

Sounds like a nice relaxing evening, probably just what you needed after all the drama! :erm:

Another great read Amanda :wavey:

What a day xx I think you coped fantastically with the 'bump' and it's comforting to know that the police deal with it so well.
Fantastic shopping though which kinda puts a silver lining on the day.
Really enjoying your trippie :wavey:

Oh what a nightmare with the bump. I'd have panicked big time too!