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Old 08-18-2009, 10:27 AM   #1
cindybelle
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Wink Cindybelle's Bella Notte TR COMPLETE!! - UPDATED 10/19 With Prices!

Those who know me -- and there are many of you -- won't be surprised to see I'm starting with a Pre-TR. I mean, "Patience" is definitely not my middle name!

Who: Cindy, 54 (but perpetually 5, as only a Disney freak can be)
Rick, 55 (structural engineer who has built furniture for my Disney room, "endured" three trips to WDW and one to DL with me, who has been my DBF for 23 years -- don't try to figure it out; it works for us)
Paul, 55 (structural engineer who worked with Rick almost 30 years ago and has remained good friends -- the two have helped each other reroof, added bathrooms, rewired their houses, you name it -- a couple of do-it-yourselfers)
Robbie, 55 (Paul's wife, mother of three, who shares my love for birds, musicals, and chocolate -- and she's developing nicely as a Disney fan)

Paul and Robbie are the nicest people on the planet, so we don't know why they put up with a couple of loud-mouthed, opinionated jerks like us. But Paul & Robbie think that they are boring and that we are a million laughs, and so they don't understand what WE see in THEM. The entire time their three kids were growing up, I kept saying to Rick, "Someday, I bet we'll vacation with Paul & Robbie, and that the four of us will travel well together."

Our first venture together was in 2005, when I was celebrating my 50th bday and Disney was celebrating DL's 50th as well. I knew WDW would be the perfect place for four people to "try out" vacationing together. Despite assurances that they should peel off from us whenever we were driving them nuts, Paul & Robbie stuck around. The four of us had the BEST TIME together. That trip was especially great for Robbie, who had been the young mother sitting on the park bench with the baby when Paul and she had taken their three kids -- many years ago. With us, Robbie did every thrill ride. And as Paul said, "It was like we were five years old for a whole week, just having fun." I know all you readers can relate to THAT statement.

So that was Trip #1 for Cindy-Rick-Paul-Robbie.

Trip #2 was one year ago -- at the beginning of September 2008. The four of us spent a week at my boss's incredible log home in western Colorado.

We drove down to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison.


Left-to-right: Robbie, Paul, Cindy, Rick



We set up a tripod on the deck and had so much fun with the camera.










Well, you get the idea. The four of us have been sharing New Year's Eve since Paul & Robbie's children were -- well, children. (The "kids" are all over the age of 25 now -- where did the time go? ) We play cards (or, the last few years, we use the evening to plan our next big trip together). Robbie and I make enough food for an army. We also get together throughout the year, go out to dinner, play games, etc. We simply have a wonderful time whenever the four of us are together.

Which leads me to

What: Trip to Italy!!! Rick's been to Rome (and London and Paris and you-name-it, from when he worked on a project in Saudi Arabia and then another project in Germany many, many years ago -- long before he met ME, might I add ). The rest of us have never been to Italy, and it's been my dream for a long time.

When: September 1-12, 2009.

Where: Rome, then Florence, Pisa (did I mention that Robbie & I are stuck with a couple of structural engineers? ), and Venice.


So, dear Disney pals, I'm gonna need some pixie dust! I'd like to order safe and smooth travels, lovely weather, a great time had by all, and my ear plugs to do the trick against Rick's snoring!

That's not asking for too much, is it?
Attached Images
File Type: jpg FoursomeBlackCanyon.jpg (51.3 KB, 222 views)
File Type: jpg FoursomeDeck1.jpg (51.2 KB, 223 views)
File Type: jpg FoursomeDeckLaugh.jpg (51.2 KB, 221 views)
File Type: jpg FoursomeKissPaul.jpg (51.0 KB, 221 views)
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My Previous TripsWDW March 1975 (first visit when I turned 20. Space Mountain was brand new--what a blast!), 1979, 1983, 1986, 1989, 1995, 1999 (solo/Herzogs), 2005 (Disneyland's and my 50th bdays -- four of us acted like 5-year-olds! - CSR/AKL), Dec. 2005 chick trip (CSR), solo Feb 2009, Passporters May 2009 (ASMo), Feb 2010 Solo/Sheri (BW), Oct 2010 MNSSHP (Poly), Dec 2010 MVMCP (WL), Mar 2011 GF, Dec 2011 WL, Feb 2012 AKL/BC, Nov 2012 AKL/PC Dreams Take Flight, Apr 2013 w/Sheri & Nora, Nov 2013 w/Sheri & Dreams Take Flight, Feb 2014 Sheri, May 2014 Nora, June 2014 SHRM & Sheri, Nov 2014 Dreams Take Flight w/Sheri & Diane, Dec 2014 Nora, Feb 2015 Sheri, Nov 2015 Dreams Take Flight w/Sheri, Dec 2015 weekend w/Nora ---- Disneyland June 2006
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