Wow, long time no blog! SO sorry, it's been a very busy time the last few weeks! Here's a (hopefully) quick rundown

Tuesday 23rd November: I went into work and Character 1 told me I had my Maleficent approval. It took me by surprise as I wasn't expecting to do it before I come home but when I went to costuming to get my kit they told me they didn't have my costume!! Apparently after Halloween they sent all the Maleficent costumes back to the warehouse, BUT the next day a French girl had her approval and they had HER costume. So I was very annoyed. So instead of that I did 1 set as Geppetto in the morning and 1 set in the afternoon as Tigger.

Wednesday 24th November: Tigger on the train. Not a very exciting day.

Thursday 25th November: I was Tigger all day in Park 2 which a few other very random characters. My ACC was REALLY bad and lazy so I was doing all the crowd control myself and the only time I saw her once I was out in the park was when she told me it was time to go. She wouldn't even help me with anything and getting her to do up my costume was a struggle. I should've reported it to a team leader but it seemed like a lot of hassle.

Friday 26th November: I woke up on Friday and there was snow everywhere! It had definitely been getting colder but I didn't think that it would snow. And for the end of November too it seemed really early to have some which meant that it would only get colder from there on and more snow must be on the way. I was Geppetto on the train that day and I was absolutely freezing! I put on an extra t-shirt but I was still so cold. On my way to my flat in the residence there was already a guy going around between the apartments gritting which I thought was very efficient of Disney. When I woke up the next day though the snow was pretty much gone anyway which I felt good about because I always worry about falling over on snow and ice because of my back.

Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th November: I was Tigger on the train again which I was pleased about because it meant I could be a bit warmer than if I was Geppetto. It was a really fun day too. There was a good mix of French and English people and for the last few breaks of the day we played some fun, silly games with dares like pretending to be a chicken and dance etc. and a game that's like wink murder, but you have a Chief instead of a murderer and they start a repetitive movement that everyone else copies. Then, while 1 person stands in the middle trying to work out who is the leader, the Chief tries to change the movements without the "detective" knowing. These games got us in a really good mood for when we actually had to do some work and the girl playing Stitch was particularly excitable and kept messing around and pushed me onto the box in the middle of our carriage and being very cheeky.By Saturday I was getting really excited about my parents and Tom coming to visit, but also a bit stressed because I hadn't sorted out their free entry and also presents to give them to take home for my second Christmas in January. I had planned to do it on the Monday before because I had the day off so I would have a good length of time to get the "Pass en Scene" which is the free entry tickets and also the Christmas presents at Val d.
On Sunday I worked a 10-6 and did Tigger in Park 2 in the morning which wasn't too bad, but incredibly busy and then was Green Army Chief on DOUD. There were only 3 Green Army that day and all of us were girls which was quite good. But that day was particularly cold and even with extra tights and a fleece top underneath my costume, the cold whipped right through and I felt chilled to the bone which is not a nice feeling at all! L

Monday 29th November: I managed to get all the Christmas shopping I needed for the family except 1 but I figured I could just look again another day and bring that back with me in January as it's only 1 present to fit in my suitcase. Before I went to Val d' though I went to Disney to get the free pass for Mum, Dad and Tom which made it seem so much more real that they were arriving in just 2 days. I was supposed to be working a late CAF shift the evening they arrived which meant I wouldn't have been able to check them into the hotel and use my discount, but luckily I swapped with my friend Laura so I would be working a 10-6, finishing close to them arriving which was good. I also managed to get the presents wrapped once I got back to the flat and also sorted out clothes and shoes etc. for them to take back with them to give me some extra space in my suitcases just in case. I filled a fairly big bag full of things and it made my clothes shelves a bit empty but it felt good because in my head it made me feel like the time until I go home is even shorter. I also didn't need many clothes as I don't wear them for long from day to day because I just get into kit and my costumes for work.

Tuesday 30th November: Last day of the month! I was Geppetto on the train (again!) and it was freezing again! We had snow overnight again on Sunday through to Monday and things were still covered with a layer of powdery white magic :P I was worried that transport would stop because of it, but luckily they don't have the same work ethic in France as they do in England and everything was running pretty much as normal which was good. It was just incredibly cold wherever I went. Underneath my costume (which 2, sometimes three layers in places - tights, padding suit, trousers, shirt, apron and waistcoat) I wore an extra pair of tights, a pair of socks, a tank top, a body (leotard), an extra pair of gloves as well as my t-shirt and boxers of my "kit". I also had hand and toe warmers underneath, but there's something about this kind of cold just penetrates through it all and so I felt pretty miserable all day :S

Wednesday 1st December!: December already! And the day that family arrives! I was Tweedle Dum in Park 2 all day and had a guy called Joe from the newest English formation as my Tweedle Dee. He hadn't been a Tweedle yet but I showed him how fun it is and we spent all day stealing hats and scarves and running around with them. As well as being funny, it was also quite practical because it kept us warm as the costume is quite thin and cold. Mum, Dad and Tom were delayed at Dover for the ferry so they didn't arrive until about 8.30pm so after my shift I went back to the flat to relax before going to Val d to meet them at the hotel. It was very exciting to open my post box because there was a BIG package inside for me. When I opened it at the flat it turned out to be a Toy Story 3 chocolate advent calendar from George and his mum which was really kind. When the family got to Val d we checked in and then put their bags in their room. It was quite nice with 2 double beds and a TV. The bathroom was really shiny too and was jealous I wasn't staying too. We went to the bar/pub/restaurant around the corner where I did karaoke a few weeks ago and had some really nice burgers to dinner. There was also karaoke that night too and some people from work were there so it was cool for them to meet my family. The guy who hosts the karaoke recognised me from before and asked me to duet with him so we sang Come What May from Moulin Rouge which felt a bit cringey in front of my family and my friend Alex was being very immature about it and I kept wanting to laugh. I also sang Rock This Country! by Shania Twain (yes I'm a Shania fan - bad I know!) and Tom sang Wanted Dead or Alive by Bon Jovi which was really good. It felt really nice to spend time with my parents and Tom since the last time I saw them was Sarah and Adam's wedding which was such a busy time that I didn't really feel like we got some nice chillax time together. After karaoke they took me back to my flat and I gave Dad one of my adapters so he could charge his phone for the next day.

Thursday 2nd and Friday 1st December: That morning I went to the Hotel for breakfast with the family and we got away with me eating for free which was good J and afterwards we got a free bus from the Hotel to Disney, making it there at about 10.30. We went into Park 2 first and went on the Tower of Terror which is a multiple drop ride and at one point you look out over the Park which is really scary and I clung on to Dad quite a lot. Afterwards we went on Rock 'n' Rollercoaster which is my favourite ride in the whole of the two parks. Dad didn't really enjoy them as he's not really a rollercoaster person but I'm glad he came on with us for two of the best rides. After that we went to see Moteur Action! Stun Show Spectacular which was really good, but incredibly cold sitting on the seats for so long! All of our toes went numb, but it was worth seeing it and even mum enjoyed it! :P When we came out it was around lunchtime so we went to a fast food place in the Studios entrance and also went on a ride in Toyland to kill some time before the Stars 'n' Cars Parade. Dad got some really good photos and lots of people I knew were in it, and Tamsin was the Evil Queen which was cool. While that finished and dad and I took some more photos as the cars exited, mum and Tom went on the Tower of Terror again before we left to go into Park 1.
There we went straight to Space Mountain and I bought Tom the photo of all four of us as his birthday present which I wrote on the back of. Dad didn't want to go on any more rides, but he did join us for Star Tours which we both nerded out on :P I was really hoping to see Chewbacca and Darth Vader but I think we missed them which was a shame L After that we went into Videopolis for a hot drink and we watched half of the Disney Classics and shorts that they play on a projection screen. It's just a shame that they don't put shows on there anymore, there's be more for performers to do and also it's another exciting thing going on. We then took a trip to Frontierland and went on Big Thunder Mountain (Dad stayed behind) which was quite good, but there was a long wait for it. Luckily we came out just in time to catch DOUD going past and again I saw lots of people I know, some who noticed, some who didn't.
Afterwards Tom went on Space Mountain again while Mum, Dad and I saw the Captain EO 3D film with Michael Jackson in it. We went there because it was somewhere warm to go and also to kill time before Fantillusion. It was pretty good really seeing as some reviews of it were terrible. But for its time (it first came on at Disney California in 1986) it must have been really modern and exciting. The dancing was good (as always) and there was an abundance of make-up and puppets which was no surprise as it was co-directed by George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola. Before we saw it there was a short film about the production process with rehearsals and things which was really cool to watch.
After Captain EO we met up with Tom and went back into Videopolis and it was at the same place in the cartoon clips as when we left off so we sat down again and watched through to the end. I really wanted Dad to see a recent Disney Pixar short with a Magician and his Rabbit which I found hilarious when I first saw it and when we did both Dad and I were laughing so much, I knew he'd like it. It was just his kind of humour. By the time it finished there was about 10 minutes before Fantullision started so we walked down to Main Street near the exit to watch the Parade, I always forget how pretty it is. We went to L'Agape again for dinner because it was so nice the night before and mum really liked the burgers! :P Mum and Dad took me back to my flat again afterwards. We arranged for them to come over at about 8.30am the next day to hopefully see my flat before taking me to work.
I woke up at around 8am and was ready for 8.30 and wandered down to the gate to wait for them. As I turned the corner I saw them pull up and luckily there wasn't a security guard like there had been the day before so they came in and looked at my flat/room. I gave them the back of presents and the bag of clothes to put into the boot of the car and then they took me to work. I was dropped off at Chessy station and we parted ways. I didn't cry but I did feel sad to see them go. It had been such a lovely couple of days and I think I fully realised how much I'd missed them. Thankfully it's only another 5 weeks or so 'til I'm back so it's not too long to wait. It's weird to think that I have just over a month until I'm back in England. I've made so many great friends out here that I really want to stay in touch with but it will be nice to be in familiar and homely surroundings and around family again. I was Tigger on the train yesterday so I was being energetic which sort of took my mind off of things. After work Charlotte, Lance, Sandra and I went to see Harry Potter 7 Part 1 at the big IMAX cinema in the Disney Village which was AMAZING! It was so cool to see it, but I'd originally planned to see it Thursday with Mum, Dad and Tom but the cinema changed the day so we couldn't, but it made me sad that I hadn't shared it with them. It also made me sad as I'd really wanted to see it with George, but we'll just have to see Part 2 together next summer. When I got back I quickly checked my facebook and George has got some really good gigs lined up in Bristol with the help of a guy called Mark Venus. George and the boys (Bob and Alex) played a semi-acoustic set last week for this guy and they've now got a mini Bristol Tour including Colston Hall which is awesome. Things have been going so well for him recently. I just wish I could've made some of the recent gigs. Luckily George has arranged for this mini tour to be happening a few days after I've got back so I'll be able to make it to them which I'm so happy about. They're also playing at the Christmas Brewery Blues gig at the Brewery Arts in Cirencester on the 10th December which will be a really good gig so if you can make it, pop along and check out their stuff (Or go to www.georgemontague.com)

Today (Saturday 4th December): Today I was Tigger on the train again (my fourth train shift this week!) and it was a fairly good day with a good team. I checked my planning and I've got some Evil Queen shifts coming up with is really cool. The provisional planning for Christmas week is up too and I'm doing to Evil Queen shifts which will be cool, one of which is on Christmas Eve so I'm looking forward to it. I also found out George has a gig at the New Inn in Gloucester on Christmas Eve which is great, and they'll get paid too. It's such a great place to gig, so things are definitely picking up.

I'm working late CAF tomorrow AND Monday so I'll have a lie-in tomorrow after a mad and busy week and then I have Tuesday and Wednesday off which will be lovely.

Phew! That's it for this blog, I'll update you in a week or so. (I'll try not to leave it too long because these long ones are a lot to read for you, and also I forget the details if I leave it)

'Til next time!
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