After three nights in Vegas, we were back in Orlando, ready to meet my grandkids at Disney World. An old fart like me enjoys a routine, so long breaks away from the norm tend to be exhausting. The constant noise, scream-talking, lack of sleep, rich meals, and alcohol have already taken their toll, with two more days of Disney magic through the eyes of a four-year old yet to experience. We’ve really stacked one thing on top of another throughout March, including these two travel stops, dining with friends, Hippie Fest, IndyCar, Spring Training games, movies, concerts, house guests, Gypsy musical, and neighbor parties, in addition to our normal routine. 

It’s funny, because my wife’s physician scolded her about the snowbirds that live in our neighborhood. “They come to their Florida second homes and think they’re on vacation, dragging you into their world of constant partying. They are bad for your health,” she warned.  We’ve fallen into their trap, adding even more activities to our busy routine. 

We managed one evening at Epcot without additional family – just the two of us for dinner at Le Creperie de Pari, the Ratatouille ride, and fireworks. There were, however, thousands in the park on the first day of Florida spring break. My son and his entourage arrived later that night. My wife and I stayed at the Marriott Vacation Club Harbour Lake property and met him in the Magic Kingdom the next morning. My four-year-old granddaughter was now old enough to appreciate the rides and characters, but she did not seem openly impressed. The other two grandkids had been there many times. It wasn’t until the afternoon lunch at the Crystal Palace with the Winnie the Pooh characters that they all seemed to light up. It was a pricy affair but well worth the price of admission after the expansive buffet, hugs and autographs. We all left the park that night after the fireworks over Cinderella’s Castle with lots of pictures, smiles, and memories. 

The kids stayed for four more days, while my wife and I headed to lunch with friends at Ovation BBQ on the drive back home. Once we picked up Tally at Schnauzerville, it was time to get dressed for Hippie Fest, a fundraiser that also included a pre-party at a neighbor’s house. We donned our headbands, beads, jeans, and tie-dye but it didn’t hide the bags under our eyes. After a few dances we snuck away from the crowd in favor of our beds. Finally, we were home and looking forward to transitioning into our normal busy life routines…at least for a month or so.