Dawn Felagund (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
dawn_felagund) wrote2005-12-11 04:56 pm
dawn_felagund) wrote2005-12-11 04:56 pm
Entry tags:
Hershey Park Happy!
Bobby and I have an annual tradition of visiting Hershey Park for the holidays. It started nine years ago, during the first Christmas that we spent together, when we went with his family. We were sporadic in visiting after, but now that we have jobs where we can take time off and receive a semblance of income, we make it a point to go every year.
The northeastern US got a snow storm on Thursday into Friday. Bobby and I, though, were undaunted. Of course, Ellicott City got about three inches, not enough to keep us from doing what we would. We left in the early afternoon, around 1 p.m.
I don't know if Friday nights are always a dead time for them or if people were put off by the snow (Hershey had about 6-7 inches or so) and so didn't go, but there was no one there. Not that we minded. Large crowds of people make me cranky. People get stoopid in groups. So we arrived, checked into our hotel, and took a nap. Yes. Took a nap. Do you know the last time that I actually got a chance to lay down for an hour and take a nap?
By then, it was time for supper at the Hershey Grill, where we always make a point to eat, as the food is goooood. Felak had a mushroom brie bisque and pasta primavera then shared a chocolate creme brulee with Bobby. Gooooood.
We always, always have to ride the chocolate tour ride, dubbed the Dumb Ride because we have ridden it so many times that we have memorized portions. And apparently, they are redoing it, so we will have to memorize it all over again.
There was no one in the park, so we could just walk right up to rides and get on them. Some of the rides weren't open because of the snow, including The Claw, which is my favorite that stays open in the winter. So I didn't get to get tossed around in the cold until my tears froze on my cheeks, but most of the other things that we like in the winter were still open, so we rode those.
Oh, and it was cold. I came prepared this year, though, starting with a pair of Christmas socks and a pair of thick soccer socks over them to my knees, boots, my red leatherlike pants, one of Bobby's Underarmor shirts, a regular shirt, a heavy sweater, my floor-length faux-fur-lined wizard/pimp coat, a scarf, a wooly hat, and gloves. So only my face was showing to be cold, and I got a bit of windburn across my cheeks as a souvenir.
We saw the Dumb Christmas Show, which we see every year because it's a good chance to warm up. I teased Bobby about dressing up like a snowflake and dancing in next year's show. I even made up some choreography for him, but he wouldn't try it out. Damn. I know he can do it.
We bought each other trinkets, which for me was a pendant shaped like an ice cream cone and for Bobby was a tree ornament shaped like a beer mug. Then we went back to Chocolate World and he had hot cocoa and I walked on the wild side and tried drinking chocolate, which tasted like unfrozen bittersweet chocolate ice cream and came in the cutest six-ounce cup. It was good, though.
Not much goes on in Hershey late at night, and we were tired, so we went back to the hotel and lo! The Two Towers was on TNT. So we watched the last half of that, enough that Bobby got to hear me ramble about the Elves at Helms Deep and their cute ears and how much I despise that they killed Haldir and he got to hear me whine whenever an Elf got killed....
Why hasn't he divorced me, you ask? I. Don't. Know. :^P
Saturday, we had lunch at Duke's Restaurant and went to the Indian Echo Caverns. When I was a kid, the most common family vacation was to Pennsylvania (we were really adventurous) and I always wanted to visit the caverns so badly. Every year, I would beg my parents, and every year, it would get pushed back to next year, with the result that--fourteen years later--my husband and I finally went. (I have since realized that--with many things in my life--if my parents didn't want to do it for themselves, they didn't want to do it for my sister and me. Our Uncle Wodie was the one who took us to the movies and the playground and McDonald's, but I think the Indian Echo Caverns were a bit outside of his realm.)
But it was awesome. Of course, nerd that I am, I took mental notes the whole time about how Nargothrond and Menegroth would have looked in their early stages and how the Elves might have used the beautiful natural features along with their own architecture. A lot of the natural features do lend themselves to spectacular, soaring rooms, and the layered effects beg for lighting and gardens. Actually, the different layers were artificially lit, so it gave me a good idea of how lovely a few cleverly placed Feanorian lamps would be.
It was also an even 52 degrees in the caves, so it was a pleasant change from the below-freezing temperatures outside. It stays that way year-round, summer and winter. So I don't think that much temperature modification would have been necessary in the Elven caves. It was very comfortable underground and smelled so nice, so clean, like minerals. The outside world, when we stepped above ground, smelled filthy by comparison.
Of course, Bobby and I walked at the back of the group and made snickering jokes about "Lords of Caves" the whole time. (For those who don't know, I got the "Felagund" on my alias when, frustrated by my disastrous first reading of The Sil, I came upon the part where Finrod is introduced as "Felagund, Lord of Caves" and laughingly--more than a bit slap-happy--told my sister and Bobby, "I will henceforth be known as Felagund, Lord of Caves." Well, the name stuck....)
After that, Bobby and I went back to Hershey to finish what we didn't see the day before, including the zoo, grabbed a quick supper of pizza, and went to the Hershey Bears hockey game. They won, 4 to 1, which was a nice change from the Capitals games because--despite being my favorite hockey team--they seem determined to lose whenever I go to a game.)
(However, they need to win on 23 December, when they play Bobby's favorite team, the Montreal Canadiens. We have a bet going: If his team wins, I have to watch a hockey game of his choice on TV. If I win, he has to read the Silmfic of my choice.)
After the football game, it was unfortunately time to go home. But it was an awesome trip, and we'll be going back next year.
The northeastern US got a snow storm on Thursday into Friday. Bobby and I, though, were undaunted. Of course, Ellicott City got about three inches, not enough to keep us from doing what we would. We left in the early afternoon, around 1 p.m.
I don't know if Friday nights are always a dead time for them or if people were put off by the snow (Hershey had about 6-7 inches or so) and so didn't go, but there was no one there. Not that we minded. Large crowds of people make me cranky. People get stoopid in groups. So we arrived, checked into our hotel, and took a nap. Yes. Took a nap. Do you know the last time that I actually got a chance to lay down for an hour and take a nap?
By then, it was time for supper at the Hershey Grill, where we always make a point to eat, as the food is goooood. Felak had a mushroom brie bisque and pasta primavera then shared a chocolate creme brulee with Bobby. Gooooood.
We always, always have to ride the chocolate tour ride, dubbed the Dumb Ride because we have ridden it so many times that we have memorized portions. And apparently, they are redoing it, so we will have to memorize it all over again.
There was no one in the park, so we could just walk right up to rides and get on them. Some of the rides weren't open because of the snow, including The Claw, which is my favorite that stays open in the winter. So I didn't get to get tossed around in the cold until my tears froze on my cheeks, but most of the other things that we like in the winter were still open, so we rode those.
Oh, and it was cold. I came prepared this year, though, starting with a pair of Christmas socks and a pair of thick soccer socks over them to my knees, boots, my red leatherlike pants, one of Bobby's Underarmor shirts, a regular shirt, a heavy sweater, my floor-length faux-fur-lined wizard/pimp coat, a scarf, a wooly hat, and gloves. So only my face was showing to be cold, and I got a bit of windburn across my cheeks as a souvenir.
We saw the Dumb Christmas Show, which we see every year because it's a good chance to warm up. I teased Bobby about dressing up like a snowflake and dancing in next year's show. I even made up some choreography for him, but he wouldn't try it out. Damn. I know he can do it.
We bought each other trinkets, which for me was a pendant shaped like an ice cream cone and for Bobby was a tree ornament shaped like a beer mug. Then we went back to Chocolate World and he had hot cocoa and I walked on the wild side and tried drinking chocolate, which tasted like unfrozen bittersweet chocolate ice cream and came in the cutest six-ounce cup. It was good, though.
Not much goes on in Hershey late at night, and we were tired, so we went back to the hotel and lo! The Two Towers was on TNT. So we watched the last half of that, enough that Bobby got to hear me ramble about the Elves at Helms Deep and their cute ears and how much I despise that they killed Haldir and he got to hear me whine whenever an Elf got killed....
Why hasn't he divorced me, you ask? I. Don't. Know. :^P
Saturday, we had lunch at Duke's Restaurant and went to the Indian Echo Caverns. When I was a kid, the most common family vacation was to Pennsylvania (we were really adventurous) and I always wanted to visit the caverns so badly. Every year, I would beg my parents, and every year, it would get pushed back to next year, with the result that--fourteen years later--my husband and I finally went. (I have since realized that--with many things in my life--if my parents didn't want to do it for themselves, they didn't want to do it for my sister and me. Our Uncle Wodie was the one who took us to the movies and the playground and McDonald's, but I think the Indian Echo Caverns were a bit outside of his realm.)
But it was awesome. Of course, nerd that I am, I took mental notes the whole time about how Nargothrond and Menegroth would have looked in their early stages and how the Elves might have used the beautiful natural features along with their own architecture. A lot of the natural features do lend themselves to spectacular, soaring rooms, and the layered effects beg for lighting and gardens. Actually, the different layers were artificially lit, so it gave me a good idea of how lovely a few cleverly placed Feanorian lamps would be.
It was also an even 52 degrees in the caves, so it was a pleasant change from the below-freezing temperatures outside. It stays that way year-round, summer and winter. So I don't think that much temperature modification would have been necessary in the Elven caves. It was very comfortable underground and smelled so nice, so clean, like minerals. The outside world, when we stepped above ground, smelled filthy by comparison.
Of course, Bobby and I walked at the back of the group and made snickering jokes about "Lords of Caves" the whole time. (For those who don't know, I got the "Felagund" on my alias when, frustrated by my disastrous first reading of The Sil, I came upon the part where Finrod is introduced as "Felagund, Lord of Caves" and laughingly--more than a bit slap-happy--told my sister and Bobby, "I will henceforth be known as Felagund, Lord of Caves." Well, the name stuck....)
After that, Bobby and I went back to Hershey to finish what we didn't see the day before, including the zoo, grabbed a quick supper of pizza, and went to the Hershey Bears hockey game. They won, 4 to 1, which was a nice change from the Capitals games because--despite being my favorite hockey team--they seem determined to lose whenever I go to a game.)
(However, they need to win on 23 December, when they play Bobby's favorite team, the Montreal Canadiens. We have a bet going: If his team wins, I have to watch a hockey game of his choice on TV. If I win, he has to read the Silmfic of my choice.)
After the football game, it was unfortunately time to go home. But it was an awesome trip, and we'll be going back next year.
no subject
Why hasn't he divorced me, you ask? I. Don't. Know. :^P
Just curious, but does the hubby ever get jealous of your deep abiding affection for male Elves? I'm only asking because my husband's reaction to Elves is so *amusing*, and was wondering if it's just a "guy" thing.
I have gone seriously overboard with Elves and have pictures of them pasted all over the house. Usually this would draw the male chest beating nature out of my husband, and since it didn't, I just figured he must be maturing (where as I am obviously backsliding into teen idiot obsession)
So I asked him about it and he says, quote: "I just don't get why you think elves are so hot. They are just a bunch of skinny, effeminate, guys with pointed ears."
That crash would be my jaw hitting the floor.
Is it only women that can see the hottness factor that *is* Male Elf?!?!
no subject
1) Elves are hott in canon. I didn't make that up. I'm only repeating what I'm told.
2) The above goes for male and female Elves, so if he wants to obsess over Arwen or Aredhel, I'm behind him all the way!
3) They're totally made up. I can't run off with Feanor and he doesn't exist (in the sense that I see him anyway) outside of my head, so I could have far more harmful obsessions than something that keeps me mostly quiet, introspective, and out of his hair.
4) While I'm writing/chatting/squeeing, Bobby, you get to watch all the hockey that you want! :^P
Is it only women that can see the hottness factor that *is* Male Elf?!?!
My sister, who is also an LJ friend of mine, will occasionally through my LJ encounter Elf art either on my friends' pages or their icons. And she likes to tease me: "I saw a picture on so-and-so's icon but I couldn't tell if it was a boy or a girl." So apparently not all women understand!
Maybe it's along the lines of men almost solely appreciating E-cup bottle blonds in leopard hot pants and string bikinis a la the WWE? :^P
I would trust that Bobby would find this entry (he is also an LJ friend) and perhaps let you know what he really thinks, but he's scared of my "Elf friends." He's afraid to even comment on discussions of a political or entirely un-Elf-related nature, claiming that most of my conversations come back to Elves, like, "Bush sucks! Elves are cool! YAY!!!" But,
In the meantime, I had this idea that a support group should be formed for the husbands of we Elfanatics. They could have their own little email group kind of like Henneth Annun and complain about us all they wanted! :^D
no subject
*g* I'm going to have to remember that one next time the hubby starts whining. ;-)
And she likes to tease me: "I saw a picture on so-and-so's icon but I couldn't tell if it was a boy or a girl." So apparently not all women understand!
This is true. When I have my quilting friends over I have to rush around the house and locate all the elf pics and hide them. And change my screensaver on my computer, and the desktop pic, and.......I lead a double life. ;-)
I would trust that Bobby would find this entry (he is also an LJ friend) and perhaps let you know what he really thinks, but he's scared of my "Elf friends."
Lol! I don't blame him. We can be scary in our one-track-mindedness.Bush sucks! Elves are cool! YAY!!! See? already back on track. :D
I had this idea that a support group should be formed for the husbands of we Elfanatics.
In theory, a good idea, but you know how it would end up:
"Hey, Bobby, I hear your wife likes those skinny elves too."
"Yeah, Weird!"
"Weird. So how bout those Red Socks............." *pops can of beer*
no subject
ROFLMAO!!! Oh my goodness, that is priceless! I'm lucky in that most of my friends are nerds and like things far weirder and more nerdy than Elves. Like Initial D. *waves to
"Hey, Bobby, I hear your wife likes those skinny elves too."
"Yeah, Weird!"
"Weird. So how bout those Red Socks............." *pops can of beer*
Lol! True! Well, there goes that idea.... ;)
no subject
Jealous? Nah, that would be entirely ridiculous, Elves are make believe, and as far as some female obsessions are concerned, you could faint and scream every time one of those boy band idiots comes on TV, so I am not complaining about some fictional characters from a book. (At least it’s original) Although I do question the taste factor in the elf obsession sometimes because, from what I’ve seen, I agree with your friend’s husband in that most of them look like they belong in a hair band from the 80’s, case in point:
http://www.hoorayforanything.com/poison.jpg
Hehehehehehehe...But if that’s what floats your boat, that’s what floats your boat….who am I to deny the inner Poison and Def Leppard fan. (Just Kidding). Plus it’s like you said, while you are reading, writing, and doing arithmetic about elves, I get to watch/play all of the hockey I want without my wife bugging me to clean the toothpaste out of the sink or any of the other crazy litany of things that wives ask (I love you babe J.)
However, there is a warning here, unless you want me to start putting posters of Patrick Roy, the Calgary Flames Stanley Cup team, the Joe Juneau poster, and any of my other various hockey/football paraphernalia items all over the apartment, there shall be no pictures of elves all over the place in the house.
no subject
Ok, there will be absolutely NO "husbands of Elfanatics" support group! My husband hasn't caught on to the "I can say 'no'?" to the hot elf posters being draped all over the house.....and I don't want him getting any ideas! ;-)
no subject
0:^)
no subject
(However, I can't resist a teehee because that is one funny-ass picture!)
I get to watch/play all of the hockey I want without my wife bugging me to clean the toothpaste out of the sink or any of the other crazy litany of things that wives ask (I love you babe J.)
Oh. I see. So you're going to go there. Never mind that men can't pee without dribbling on the floor (which I clean up) and leave their sweaty jockstraps laying around the living room (which I launder), but I ask you to wipe the toothpaste lugers out of the sink, and I'm Morgoth?? :^x *huggles Bobby hard*
there shall be no pictures of elves all over the place in the house.
Lol! But love, there's already two LotR calendars in the study.... ;)
But seriously, I can be content with my Feany sleeping on my desktop and the occasional Elf that I drop in my Photobucket. And the fifty or so Elves that my friend emailed me...hmmm...anyone think I need to redo the living room?
Ree, I still think you need to be nominated for sainthood for putting up with me. And see? You got into a conversation about Elves and no one hurled a vat of Maedhros-inspired drool over your head! ;)
Yet.no subject
Oh, and Initial D is teh aw3some, so meh.
*quietly slips back out into non-existence*
no subject
Yes, you must find the Metal Dust banner! I'll post it in my LJ for the laughter of all! Pleasepleaseplease.... *begins shameless begging*