As we approached our departure in the last week, of course we’ve had conversations about what would happen if we are asked to self-quarantine while we are here or how would we get home if flights are grounded. 3 weeks ago when we booked flights, deciding that Air Canada’s seat sale was enticing enough to that we could skip the 20 hour drive, COVID-19 wasn’t even a second thought. But this week several texts went back and forth between Jay and I and some jokes about zombie hoards (whore’s as Steve thought Jay said), even then we didn’t really think the impact would be so big this quickly.
Today we set our alarm for 2:30am because our flight departs at 6:00am and we want to be to the airport parking around 4:00am. Trev slept at our place last night so that we could get up and out in good time. We left home at 3:17am and arrived to the airport just after 4am, after parking and the monorail to the terminal, some negotiating the terminal and a line at NEXUS security we were through customs and border control around 5am. The flight was boarding at 5:20am so Jay went to go do our passport verification and I waited in line at Booster Juice with the girls and Trev. I said to Jay to ask them if we could get boarding with those that need additional time because its a big plane, a 2-3-2 configuration and we are in row 39 - the girls would be a little anxious with that many people and if we could board early without the stress of everything else they would be more comfortable. The check in agent told Jay that was fine and we got on no problem early.
The plane was busy, there were about 25 empty seats, which I had seen when I checked in online yesterday. There didn’t seem to be any more cancellations, despite the fact that Air Canada and the major airlines started to offer cancellations without any fees amidst the growing COVID-19 concerns.
Paige wasn’t feeling well, which isn’t unusual during a flight. With the girls anxiety often she feels bad on a plane, we have an air sickness bag at the ready but have never had to use one. She doesn’t talk on a plane, she doesn’t like the way her voice sounds in her head with the pressure, engine noise and vibrations, so when she said “Mom, I think I’m actually going to be sick” she actually was. Since I was in the middle of the set of 3 seats I passed off the sick bag (which she noted “tasted like smoothie!” Which she was happy about - just wait until she’s throwing up tequila, she won’t be so delighted) to Jay and he had to take it to the bathroom to dispose of the double bagged strawberry sunshine vomit.
Sophie was a champ, she had no issues with the flight today except the girl in the seat behind her kept kicking her seat and she kept complaining about it the whole flight. Finally I just said “suck it up, it happens, stop being a candy ass”. “What’s that?” “Like a sissy pants, a delicate flower” and she laughed, I foresee Paige coming and asking me what a candy ass is any day now.
We got into the airport about 20 minutes early, walked the arrival terminal to a shuttle to the main terminal to get our car from Alamo. The Alamo check in clerk, Mark, asked if we wanted to upgrade from our VW Atlas to an Audi Q7, also a 7 seater, for $19 a day, its usually $100 a day difference but they’ve had “lots of cancellations” so are offering cheaper upgrades. So we took it and Jay turned to Trev and said “We got upgraded”. I said “No, we got Up Sold..nice job Mark”.
We texted Julia and Steve to see where they are now, they drove down with the kids (Julia got out voted 4-1).
They did compromise though and stopped yesterday in Georgia for the night so they only have a 4 hour drive today after a 16 hour drive yesterday instead of driving all the way through. They’ll be at the resort by 1pm is the plan.
Dwayne and Leanne were on a Westjet flight leaving Toronto at 7:30 so they land while we are picking up the car, we let them know we’re going to get breakfast at a Cracker Barrel we’ve googled and to touch base when they have their car.
Sarah texted at breakfast and said that her parents had offered to keep Anna so she was coming without her.
We can’t get into the house until 4pm, I double checked that the house was booked before our arrival but also touched base with the owner when we arrived just to ask if we could be advised if it was ready early. No go. We can access the resort amenities as soon as we arrive but we can’t access the house itself. We’re staying at Encore Resort by Reunion and its awesome. There is a pool, 4 big water slides, a kids fun water structure, lots of shade and a bar! The bar is expensive though, I told Trev not to buy me a pina colada unless it was under $6 and he brought it over and I was so excited, especially since it was heavy on the rum but I asked how much it was and my illusions were shattered. $12. So coconut milk, coconut cream and pineapple juice went immediately on the grocery list.
Dwayne and Leanne were on a Westjet flight leaving Toronto at 7:30 so they land while we are picking up the car, we let them know we’re going to get breakfast at a Cracker Barrel we’ve googled and to touch base when they have their car.
Sarah texted at breakfast and said that her parents had offered to keep Anna so she was coming without her.
We can’t get into the house until 4pm, I double checked that the house was booked before our arrival but also touched base with the owner when we arrived just to ask if we could be advised if it was ready early. No go. We can access the resort amenities as soon as we arrive but we can’t access the house itself. We’re staying at Encore Resort by Reunion and its awesome. There is a pool, 4 big water slides, a kids fun water structure, lots of shade and a bar! The bar is expensive though, I told Trev not to buy me a pina colada unless it was under $6 and he brought it over and I was so excited, especially since it was heavy on the rum but I asked how much it was and my illusions were shattered. $12. So coconut milk, coconut cream and pineapple juice went immediately on the grocery list.
Anyway, when I checked in we got all the information on the resort and there is an Activity desk, there is a shuttle to Disney so I wanted to get the schedule for that. I mentioned that Sophie doesn’t like rides, because she was with me looking at the flyers for LEGO Land, etc, but that she wanted to see the castle and she said that if you go to any of the Disney Hotels that are on the monorail you can get on the monorail and it will take you through the park and past the castle so she could see it. This is great for Sophie because she can see the park, see how busy it is and prepare herself for the park if she decides she wants to go in. We have agreed to pay to go into Disney, even if they don’t go on a single ride, just to give them the experience of it if they want it - it will hurt to spend that much money on Disney but we’ll just suck it up.
Paige said she was hungry so I told her she could take my debit card and go get something to eat. She came back and said “So I asked for a chocolate chip muffin but she brought me a double chocolate chip muffin and I was like (shoulder shrug) “Oh well””. Later Sophie came to me that she was hungry too and I told her that Paige had got a muffin from the front snack area - she came back and said “The lady said to me “You liked that?! Keep coming back for more!”” She thought she was Paige coming back for another double chocolate chip muffin!
The Faust’s arrived right around 1pm and the girls set off to the water slides while we stayed in the shade for a bit. Kobe was on his phone, we hadn’t heard that the NBA had shut down and while he was looking we found out the NHL had been shut down as well and then all sporting events.
Dwayne and Lea arrived around 2:30pm all ready to get in the water and we didn’t see them for another hour when the big girls took their kids on the play structure. Julia and I went and cooled off in the pool for a while - we have totally lucked out on the weather, its supposed to be 30 degrees all this week and 18 at night, perfect weather for the pool. A little hot for Disney, which we will do for a couple of days, but better than cold which it can be in March.
Finally its 4pm and we can go to the house - it’s SO nice!
We decide on bedrooms, there are 8, set our stuff down, the kids got in the pool and Julia, Leanne and I went to Walmart to do a grocery shop and get stuff for dinner tonight. One weird thing about the house, well not weird but annoying, is the pool alarm. Every home has an alarm attached to any door that opens up into the pool area and it is LOUD and if you forget to press the button to silence the alarm before you open the door it goes off.
Walmart is crazy busy, I assume this is just how it is all the time, there is still toilet paper and there is still water but it is crazy. We spent just over $350 in groceries and we figure that we have enough for 2 days. 36 eggs, 36 hamburgers, 10 avocados, 3 bunches of bananas, 2 bags of grapes, 100 eggos (some Mickey Mouse shaped for the little kids), one 12 pack of toilet paper, lol. We ended up with 3 carts of groceries as we walked out and packed up the entire back of the car with groceries, including 24 white claws and 12 corona selzers.
After the craziness in Walmart I got this text from Trev.
He sent me the photo that wasn’t there.
Walmart is crazy busy, I assume this is just how it is all the time, there is still toilet paper and there is still water but it is crazy. We spent just over $350 in groceries and we figure that we have enough for 2 days. 36 eggs, 36 hamburgers, 10 avocados, 3 bunches of bananas, 2 bags of grapes, 100 eggos (some Mickey Mouse shaped for the little kids), one 12 pack of toilet paper, lol. We ended up with 3 carts of groceries as we walked out and packed up the entire back of the car with groceries, including 24 white claws and 12 corona selzers.
After the craziness in Walmart I got this text from Trev.
He sent me the photo that wasn’t there.
Walmart has a liquor section that you have to access from outside the store, like a separate liquor store, I didn’t know if there would be any beer in there because there was beer inside the store but there was a small cooler section and I bought 12 Corona and 12 Coors Banquet in addition to Jay’s Ron Zacapa.
I walked back to the car to meet Julia and Lea, opened the door and said “I think the Dad’s should make dinner”. Leanne had literally just said that to Julia - I was so done in Walmart at one point I said to Leanne “I’m done, I need to leave here I don’t care what we’ve forgotten”.
So we got home and asked the guys to cook dinner and Jay said “I’ll start the BBQ”. “Can you start the salad please” “The salad?”. “Yes, can you please start chopping all the vegetables for the salad”. Sure. He’s so good - he wasn’t expecting to have to do it but they definitely stepped up because I got a glass full of ice, poured a White Claw and went out to sit by the pool. In my defence I’ve been up since 2:30am and Jay had a nap while I was pushing a 100lb grocery cart around the apocalypse that was Walmart in Kissimmee.
Sarah got here as we were just starting to eat dinner. She ended up taking an Uber and cancelling her rental car since she doesn’t have Anna and doesn’t need a car seat.
After dinner it was announced Disney is closing. Originally Dwayne thought that it was immediately but we read afterwards that it is actually closing as of end of day on Sunday - so we are planning on going Saturday and maybe Sunday.
School is off until April 5th was the next announcement.
As we sat around after dinner OMHA and OWHA cancelled all sanctioned hockey events which means no more practices, games, tournaments until further notice.
As we sat around after dinner OMHA and OWHA cancelled all sanctioned hockey events which means no more practices, games, tournaments until further notice.
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