It is 8 and the sun is going down. We are packing. I have the car loaded with anything spare, and I have my clothing for tomorrow and the next few days until I return home on Monday. Deborah is checked into her flight.
Dinner was at Duca di Beppo, with a mass of garlic bread left over, and a leftover dinner for me on Tuesday. I like the place, but it is priced for three (served family style), not two (thus the leftovers). We did not get a kitchen table this time, but still, it was good. We like the place.
(Chip)
Going backward, we relaxed, and I might have napped for part of the afternoon. No plans today, and after a marathon day at Disney, it was good to just hang out together. We did head out back to Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and used valet parking. We went to the Story Tellers’ Character Brunch just after noon. There we saw Pluto, Mikey, and Minnie Mouse, plus Chip and Dale (Chip has a chocolate-chip-like nose). I always see these and folks in costume, but I saw Deborah greet them as real. They are, I learned by watching, the emanation of the character, and as real as you respond to them. To Deborah, the kids, and others who understand: while these are people in costume, they are also the characters and real. After I stopped resisting, it was really fun to see the characters and interact with them.
Aside: I should have known this. When I play Dungeons & Dragons, and even more so with Call of Cthulhu, both tabletop role-playing games, it is your mind that creates the interactions, and you have to play as if these things were really happening. I should do the same with these characters.
(Dale)
The food at the brunch was a super-powered buffet of everything for adults and kids. I loaded my plate with everything and went back for a small plate for some more dessert. It was wonderful, and I was glad I skipped breakfast. Our server, Tom, was great and ensured we had coffee and other drinks.
We had three hours on the paid valet parking, and we went back to Disney Downtown and shopped some. It was nice to return. Deborah found a few items. We also toured the hotel, which is wonderful but about $ 1,000+ a night.
Going a bit further back, we slept in and went slow all morning. Our feet hurt, and I began packing and took the first load to Air VW the Gray, and moved it closer. The hotel is now less busy as it is the start of the week. Everyone will be back in Anaheim on Wednesday and Thursday for another busy weekend. We will be headed out on Tuesday. Deborah flies home, and I start my drive back. We got going and took the EV across town to the Brunch.
And that is all for Monday. Thanks for reading.
Travel:
Deborah is back at Detroit Airport on Tuesday
Michael at IHG Holiday Inn Express Madera-Yosemite Pk Area Tuesday
Michael Wed-Thur: The Bidwell House B&B Inn, Chester, CA. Off to see the local sights.
Michael, after an 8-hour drive, is home on Friday.
Detail plan here.
Alohawild (Michael Wild's) Website 