Relaxing in the afternoon

It feels good to dry off, and the air’s not too chilly once I’m dry. We walk back through the resort to Rarotonga. It feels right to be among palm trees and island theming wearing flip flops and a swimsuit.

Once back in the room, I change and then grab the postcards and start filling them out. Three of them are going to kids of families who are soon traveling to Walt Disney World, “from” Mickey Mouse. When we were first coming here in 2003, our friend Dennis volunteered to send the kids postcards “from Mickey” – wink, wink – and then surprised even me by taking the time out of his vacation to track down the real Mickey and having him sign the postcards. We still have them at home, scrawled in Mickey’s big handwriting, “See you real soon!”

I’m not that adventurous, so I hope Mickey doesn’t mind that I’m signing on his behalf.

Two of the cards are going to Dennis’s granddaughters, and the third is to the four-year-old son of some friends from church, who are going on their first trip to Walt Disney World in a few months. We didn’t tell them we were sending this, so I’m curious to hear their reaction.

I take my time, alternately resting, watching TV, and filling out the postcards. By 5:00 I have them all done and stamped. Brandon is itching to get out on his own and explore the resort – he’s such a teenager all of the sudden! – and he volunteers to take the postcards to be mailed. That’s actually a great solution, because it means I can rest more.

I stretch out on the bed and begin to doze. My cell phone rings, disturbing my slumber. I groggily check the caller ID and see that it’s Big Wallaby, my cast member friend from Stupid Guest Tricks. I’m kind of out of it at the moment so I let it roll to voice mail (sorry, Wallaby!), and shut my eyes again. Becky’s dozing, too, and Benjamin is flipping TV channels quietly. Ah… relaxing in the islands…

At 5:30, Benjamin nudges me awake, as I’d asked him to do. We’re meeting Bob & Linda at Captain Cook’s Snack Company for a light supper at 6. A short while later I rouse Becky, and we get ready for the evening’s activities. It’s dinnertime!