disneyland

as a condition of vacationing in las vegas, laura agreed to ask her brother, big d - who works for disney (reader, at the REAL magic kingdom, in anaheim, not that ersatz one in florida) - to sign her and the baron in to the park. he seemed happy sign them in (thanks, big d!), so on thursday they met him in anaheim.

that's him, below.




(a note: the baron thinks of big d as big for a reason... in this, she's standing on her tippy toes, as tall as she can be. if she weren't, the top of her head would reach the top of his shoulder. maybe.)









the baron and laura also spent time with the baron's cousin and her son... there's the son and travel duck at cafe orleans, waiting on their monte cristo sandwiches.








here are laura and the baron, near the end of it's a small world. the baron's thumb? covering the flash.
(it's a small world is one of the baron's favorite rides at disneyland. she always, every time she visits the park, makes an effort to ride it at least once. so. when laura and then big d told her there had been some changes to it's a small world, she was very prepared to hate the ride, or, to hate the park for having changed her beloved ride. it turns out, reader, that the changes were small (incorporating disney film characters into the landscape of the ride) and in keeping with the concept of the ride, which is to say all the new additions were done in the exact same style as the rest of the ride. phew.)



here are tbe baron and laura just inside the park. the baron suggested they smile BIG for the camera, and laura - as you can plainly see - took that advice to heart.


some conversation from thursday (names removed to protect the ridiculous):

-hey. i just parked at the pinocchio lot. where are you?
-i have no idea. what's with this parking? it used to be that the parking lot was right in front of the ticket windows. i'm turning onto disneyland drive.
-ok. you're close.
-i'll call you when i get to the garage.


(while waiting for indiana jones adventure: temple of the forbidden eye)
-dude, i think those two girls...
-are looking at porn on their blackberries!?
-yes! i feel like there could be a better time to do that.
-me too. inappropriate.


(at the churro stand and just after)
-is it time for a churro?
-that sounds good.
[8 minutes later]
-this is so good. i love churros.
-it's a good idea. fried and sugared dough. and you know what?
-huh?
-this is my first churro. i never had one before.
-[swallowing] what? dude, this is your FIRST churro? you sounded so excited about it before!
-well. i was.


(near pirates of the carribean)
-hello.
-[big d]
-we just got churros.
-[big d]
-we haven't been to calfornia adventure yet but-
-[big d]
-we're going over now.
-[big d]
-ok. bye. (to the baron) we'd better go to california adventure.


(inside california adventure)
-this place feels like knott's berry farm.
-what's that?
-it's a terrible amusement park. peanuts characters.



(after two terrible rides at california adventure)
-it's almost 6. xtina should be here soon for dinner. i'll call.
(after calling)
-we'll meet her by the california sign outside.




(at the california sign)
-xtina! you look so tan!
-yeah... just had my hair colored, which makes me look tan. so.


(at dinner)
waitress: are you related to monique?
-what?
waitress: you look just like this girl i used to know named monique.
-oh, no. i have a brother named jonathan.


(at dinner)
-so. how's everything with e?
-he's great! he just got another promotion...
-right. when are you getting married?
-right. i love getting that question.


(later, back at disneyland, while in line for space mountain)
-i am tired.
-i know. me too. i'm thinking this is the last one.
-it's 8:15pm.
-what! we've been here all day!
-do you think that woman behind us in line is dressed like that on purpose? is that a costume?
-because she's a stripper for her day job?
-or a hooker maybe?
-dude. do you think that waitress was hitting on me?
-i would not be surprised, no.
-did it occur to you as she was asking me about monique?
-yes.
-um, why did you not say something to me then? i have no ability to see that kind of thing as it's happening.