Friday, 28 June 2024

Nigel's First Ever Character Meal ....................

Yesterday, the family with Nigel in tow headed over to The Plaza Gardens for a character meal tea, armed and charged, including Nigel, with Nanny made autograph books and pens ........


https://www.disneyphotoblography.com/2015/06/retour-plaza-gardens.html


Lets's just say it was ...................

........ emotional!


......... with huge hugs all the way round ..........


........ and autographs signed with great flourish ........


....... by everyone, except for Eeyore, who sadly explained, through the medium of sign language, that he actually had no fingers with which to hold a pen, which had the table mournfully sighing along with him, but according to Little Miss Iris and Young Master Bertie, he still gave the bestest hugs!


Nigel said that with all this excitement going on around him, it was, even for him, difficult at times to pull away to avail himself of the wonderful buffet (and, needless to say take a few pictures of said buffet, of which he took none!) ..........


https://d23.com/a-to-z/plaza-gardens-restaurant/

....... however .......


...... towards the end, when the things had died down a little, even withMickey chasing Tigger round the tables, he did manage to sample a little cold rabbit pie and a Mickey shaped cheese, declaring, in future ......


...... that French, slightly salted, President butter would now be his very most favourite butter of choice, forever! What is he like?


Then, what better way to end a perfect day than with a gentle meander through Sleeping Beauty's castle ...........


...... before a cheeky ride on the carousel, while the usually humungous queue was a little shorter during the parks twilight hours ........ happy, happy days!

Thursday, 27 June 2024

Nigel is Overwhelmed AND Upgraded!!!

Nigel zoomed us sooooooooooo full of unfettered and unbridled excitement we thought he might just spontaneously combust if he didn't calm down.


Not only was his Newport Bay Club Hotel very, very beautiful and probably the poshest and most expensive he had ever stayed in.........


........ where T the S had paid a little more for a "Compass Club" room with all the extra facilities that came with it, including their very "own" reception area with private check in and a valet service that took their bags up to their rooms for them.


Soooooo, it came to pass, when it came to assigning Nigel's room at said exclusive reception, that he was told, if he didn't mind, that he'd been upgraded to his very own 8th floor room, instead of sharing with his beloved nephew, as had been planned! They would now have a separate but adjoining room each, so that Nigel could still keep an eye on Young Master Bertie!  Let's just say it all got very EMOTIONAL, all round, once again! 


Needless to say, after that, the little fella couldn't wait to hop into the lift to see his "new" room.


Let's just say, it did not disappoint ......... from it's Mickey Mouse inspired carpet, mahoooooooooosive nautical style bed and other Disney decor.


 ....... to a hospitality shelf complete with a proper, real life, coffee pod machine, something Nigel is a total stranger too and so put the fear of god in him, so he said he resolved that if he indeed felt the urge for a coffee, he would simply go downstairs to the exclusive Compass Club lounge and get a complimentary one there, to save mucking things up!  What is he like? 


There was also a desk for writing his correspondence, plus an abundance of water and even an ice bucket (with an ice machine just round the corner in the corridor), should the urge take him. 


It was almost too much ........ 


....... especially when the worlds biggest tele is thrown in, complete with Disney Channel.


As for the view from his lofty perch, across the lake, looking towards the park itself .........


....... even if it was raining a little, was all still pretty spectacular!


There is more, a lot more, but we'll save it for another day, as we're jealous enough already, as it is .......


........ but we'll leave you with Nigel in front of the hotel, with a ring, as instructed, round his room window ........... happy days!

Wednesday, 26 June 2024

The Eagle Has Finally Landed ...................

I gather it's been rather emotional over in Paris, but the eagle has finally landed, to be greeted by a magnificent double rainbow, even if it doesn't quite show in his picture.


I am keeping my fingers well and truly crossed for the quality of the pictures Nigel has promised to send back during his adventure ........


I am afraid he'll get a little overexcited and forget to snap at the appropriate moment, but there again, so long as the pictures and memories are in his head, that's all that matters ......


........ as there are far too many experiences lost to people who only see things through their phone screen and totally miss whatever else is going around them, according to Darrell.


I hear that seeing Sleeping Beauty's Castle or, more romantically, Le Chateau de la Belle au Bois Dormant
 for the first time was a moment to pause .........


......... and say "We're really, really, really here" ............. 


....... followed by their first ever Disney parade! 

Tuesday, 25 June 2024

So Near ....... And Yet So Far

As they are not due to check in to Disneyland Paris until tomorrow morning, Nigel spent last night at the Residhome Val d'Europe, an app (apartment) hotel, where you can self cater ........ 


......  a concept not that far from our usual choice of establishment when we're on our annual Greek Oddity, but in France it just seems so much more romantique!  


Nigel says it's all very lovely and wonderful, but knowing that the pleasures of Disney were all but a two minute train journey away, made him a little impatient to finally get to the Magical Kingdom and rub shoulders with Les Mickey and Minnie .......


...... but, he still managed to take full advantage of the hospitality tray, with it's tiny cartons of festively named "Gloria" milk  .........


....... and St Michel Galettes biscuits, avec pure beurre! 


However, despite having a fully operational kitchen avec un fridge, une microwave, une hob, un kettle and une coffee maker, plus les cutlery and les plates etc. Nigel opted to nip out to get a supermarche style tea, an adventure in itself, but sadly the little fella was soooooooo overwhelmed at being surrounded by all manner of real life, French, comestibles that he totally forgot to take any pictures, zut alors, comment est il? 


And after all that, although Notre Dame could also be very tempting at another juncture in time....... to be honest, Nigel's mind couldn't really focus on anything beyond the next day ............so again, comment est il?

Monday, 24 June 2024

Lost Breakfast, Then Up Up and Away ..........

What can we say, except that all the planning and secrecy behind Nigel's back for  the past few months to finally get him to Disneyland Paris (after Covid ruined all our previous plans) certainly paid off. Tom the Scientist said the little fella didn't suspect a single thing, until all was revealed as they parked up at Birmingham airport, suitcases hoisted from the boot and they proceeded to walk towards the monorail 


And yes, as we predicted, Nigel didn't manage to hang on to his breakfast with all the excitement, so thank goodness Darrell didn't send him off with a full English, cunningly telling him, when he looked at his toast a little disappointedly, before he was picked up, that T the S and The Lovely Laura had a fulsome brunch planned for him later that morning, and well, it would just look rude to turn up already half "stuffed"!


I am told that Nigel was totally overwhelmed and aghast that we'd all managed to pull off this audacious plan without him having even the slightest suspicion ..........


....... with his bags packed. 
his travel insurance sorted, his passport squirrelled away safe with everyone else's, not to mention his spending money in Francs already in his wallet.


It was ......... emotional and T the S says there were a few quickly dabbed tears and muffled sniffles when Nigel thought no one was looking, as he tried nonchalantly to  to check on the wings and cloud conditions! 


However, he was sufficiently recovered, by the time the seat belt sign was turned off,  to tuck in to his traditional mid-flight Twix, pinching himself at the thought of the adventures that was about to unfold.


When they landed at Charles De Gaulle airport, Nigel was then whisked off to his pre-Disney, Val d'Europe hotel on the TGV train, which took just ten minutes, instead of an hour and a half on a normal train, with Nigel swearing he could feel the G-force pulling on his face!  What is he like?

We believe is now ensconced at said hotel ...... a little more of that tomorrow! 

Friday, 21 June 2024

Absolutely Sworn To Secrecy

Oh my goodness, this past week or so Darrell and I have been doing our level best to maintain an air of normal normality throughout The Towers because, unbeknownst to Nigel, he's off to Euro Disney tomorrow morning and, as far as we can see, he hasn't got a flipping clue! 


This is all stems back to just before the Covid times when everything was sorted for him to go, but then the dreaded lurgy struck and the rest is of course history. Bless him, he's never mentioned it since, I think the heartbreak was just too much and he didn't want to risk the dams bursting.....


Soooooooo, Darrell and I have packed his bags and if he's questioned where his lucky pants, favouritist t-shirt or bestest socks have disappeared to, Darrell has put on his most convincing, serious face and apologised profusely that they're still somewhere in the washing pile, as he hasn't had a chance to sort it all out yet, but really they're all safe in his case, in the back of Tom the Scientists car, ready for the off.  We've even packed our traditional Twix for when the seatbelt sign goes off and he's cruising at 40,000 feet!  


Tomorrow, when he's picked  up, he's expecting a day out embracing the pleasures of Birmingham's museums, art galleries, open spaces and eateries with his beloved niece and nephew,  however, as soon as he clocks that he's actually approaching the airport instead .........  all will be revealed, as they say! 


I have warned Tom the Scientist and The Lovely Laura that a paper bag or two may be handy in the glove box, as the little fella might become so excited he might inadvertently 
eject his breakfast!  


Meanwhile, back home, Darrell and I intend to take a well earned rest from the stress of the surreptitious 
fuselage subterfuge and then look forward to all Nigel's daily reports from the aforementioned Euro Disney and Newport Bay Compass Club .......... happy days all round, me thinks! 

Thursday, 20 June 2024

Nigel Visits "The" 50p Charity Shop.

When Nigel was invited by LuLu to visit an out of the way, 50p charity shop in Worcester, well, it was a no brainer and would have been rude not to say yes, so off they popped, full of tangible and palpable excitement for the unknown ........


....... not sure what they would find, but with a pocket of 50p's.


Let's just say, it did not disappoint ...... with £1.50 duly spent by Nigel, not on himself, but on Darrell and Alice .......


Now, Alice is yet to share in one of our annual Halloween sleepovers and. as such. probably hasn't given a single thought to her outfit yet, but when Nigel spotted a beautiful pumpkin tutu combo on the rack, he knew it would be just perfect for her, but at 50p, if she hated it, then nothing was really lost as it could easily be re-donated. He also found her the cutest pair of embroidered shoes, he wasn't too sure what size she is, but again at 50p, it was still worth a punt.


And, for Darrell (or me, if he didn't like it, as we are almost the same size) there was a new shirt that simply spelt S U M M E R and Greek Oddity.  
The little fella arrived back at The Towers in triumphant mood.


Alice was thrilled with her outfit, it fit like a dream. It was cute, feminine and with just the right level of spookiness to remain as fragrant as ever. She loved it ....... and the shoes?


Well, just 
think Cinderella, with Nigel as her handsome Prince!


As for Darrell's shirt, well, I'm probably not going to get a look in, he was as equally thrilled as Alice, not only with the shirt itself but also with all the thought Nigel had put into each purchase, thinking of others on his little adventure.


It has to be said ........ the boy "dun gud"! 

https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/23163991.charity-shop-can-get-boohoo-fatface-50p/

https://www.facebook.com/NewHope50p/?locale=en_GB