[Jillybean]

This pre-trip report could actually be entitled "Blame it on Bob and Larry," but as I've already written one of those, I had to come up with another title! It all started back in the summer when Larry sent me this very innocent PM asking if any of the CLQ were planning on attending MouseFest. Well . . . since I had never been and I was itching to see those gals again after our fabu June trip, I sent off a PM to them myself just asking.

Turns out, Sharon was already going (as if that surprises any of us??? ), but Eileen and Karen had no plans (to which they readily admitted ). The PM's started flying fast and furious the weekend that I was in Wisconsin. I couldn't take another day being away from the boards, so I snagged Thom's laptop on a Saturday afternoon and was tickled pink when I saw a mailbox full of PM's.

We batted resorts back and forth, but finally decided on AKL concierge. Karen booked this for us, but within a couple of weeks, the discount rates at BC came available so Sharon had her fine TA, Keri, book us a room right in the middle of the action. At first, they put four of us in a 1-bedroom suite (now wouldn't the four of us have been precious in one king size bed ???), but Keri soon rectified the situation for a standard double. We were able to keep our club level room which you know is crucial for some member of our party (I'm talking about you, Eileen ).

The months went by and our plans finally began to take shape. Lots of PP meets and MouseFest eventsbut I have to admit that I didn't pay a lot of attention to some of our plans because I knew that the one and only creator and owner of the BA$$ had it under control.

Then the unthinkable happened a couple of weeks ago and Karen broke her ankle. We had it all worked out how we could get her around, but her doctor had the final say and put the icksnay on her trip. I know that we've all cried tears over not seeing our buddy, but we plan to raise many a to her and do a little drunk dialing too. Eileen, Sharon and I do feel a little out of sorts without Karen and her BA$$, so if you see us wandering aimlessly just point us in the direction of the Italian margarita kiosk.

Thom has been so supportive of me going on this trip because he him some CLT, but I simply could not tell the girls that I was going to Disney without them. I hadn't even mentioned that I was going anywhere until last night when we were at Target and I picked up a new cosmetic bag. Mary Devall asked me why I needed it (um . . . thanks shopping police ) and I said that it was for my trip. When she asked me where I was going, I just mumbled "Going to see Ms. Eileen." She said okay and just dropped it.

When Mary Devall got home tonight, she saw me and said "Oh, I thought you had already left to go to Charleston." Even I was confused at this point. Thom later said "Mary Devall said something about you going to Charleston." Apparently Mary Devall has convinced herself that Ms. Eileen lives in Charleston. Works for me!

When I kissed them goodbye tonight and told them that I was leaving early in the morning, they both said that they wanted to come with me. I simply cannot imagine the tears if they knew where I was actually meeting Ms. Eileen. I'll probably just wait until they're teenagers to tell them.

So here I am . . . writing my shortest pre-trip report ever because I haven't even packed yet! Guess that means I need to get going.

So . . . Eileen and Sharon, I simply cannot wait to see your smiling faces again. To the new PP's that I have yet to met and the ones I have met before, I'll be seeing you soon!

And finally to Karen . . . we'll miss, we love, but we won't forget who was supposed to be with us.

Jill