ANNIVERSARY WEEK IN ORLANDO

We just got back from another trip to Orlando, courtesy of the recent bribe we all received from the federal government. Actually we had been planning to go already, but the check helped. We definitely did this one on the cheap -- we drove instead of flying, found nice rooms on International Drive for $35 a night, which were in walking distance to the Universal Studios Resort, which was offering one-week admission to both of their parks for about the price of a single day at Disney.... Of course we went to Walt Disney World too, but only for two days, and mainly by using up old admission tickets from past trips. We gave a lot less money to the Mouse than ever before, yet we had just as much fun, if not more than usual. We liked the convenience and location of our budget hotel, and will likely stay there again even if we can afford better.

The nicest day of the trip was a break from the theme parks... a return to the beautiful Leu botannical gardens, where we married five years ago.