Tomorrow, a new chapter in the lives of Maria and I, we are heading off to Disney World for six days. I will be bringing camera and computer, so I will not be signing off you will be hearing from me, but the photos will be very different. Disney is a lifelong interest of mine, for many reasons, I have often written about Walt Disney and Disney World, his remarkable life, his complex and difficult personality, his lifelong fascinated with technology and the world of tomorrow. I hope to be writing about some of these things this week in Florida.

Disney’s life personifies the tragedy of technology, which brings things and takes things away, sometimes in equal measure.

The trip is the result of a very generous group from the members of the Creative Group at Bedlam Farm, a very vibrant and creative group of people who have created a safe place online in which to share their creativity – photos, blogs, poetry, photography, painting, fiberworks, weaving and sketching, digital college and more. (We are thinking of a Creative Group store online to sell the amazing works of these people, hopefully by Summer.)

When the members of my group learned of my Open Heart Surgery, they got busy and started raising money for Maria and I to go to Disney World in January, a time when even the most devoted country person in the North thinks of being warm. We tried to refuse, but they bought a bunch of Disney gift cards that are not refundable or returnable or transferable.  We folded, and have not looked back.

Our magic bands arrived recently, I just checked to make sure out flight arrangements are secure and we are running around scrambling to pack and get ready. The trip is a Godsend, really, it is not something we could have done for ourselves this year, Disney is as expensive as it is fun. Since few people on the group are rich, if any, I much appreciate their sacrifice and generosity. They should not have done it, but I am glad they did.

I may not be low-key, but my Disney philosophy is. We will sleep late, make few reservations, walk and walk, sketch and photograph, talk and sit by the pool and read and listen to music. I had a good time pointing out to my friends up here on Friday that at 2:15 Friday morning it was 100 degrees warmer in Orlando that it was in my town of Cambridge, N.Y.

I am not big on struggle stories, but this summer kicked off with Open Heart Surgery and then offered up a lot of life, including the deaths of Simon and Lenore. Maria and I are worn out, drained, edgy and very tired. Our farm and pet sitter Deb Foster will take over the farm, we could not do better than that. Red will get a little bit of work and a lot of cuddling, and Frieda will get as much cuddling as she is in the mood for and will tolerate. That is usually not much.

We are leaving the farm at 4 a.m. on Tuesday, returning next Monday. I expect to be blogging pretty regularly from there, perhaps will be quiet for a day or two along the way, we’ll see. As you know, it is hard to keep my camera in the bag and my mouth shut.

Disney World is a complex and overwhelming place, in America, corporations have to grow or die, and it just gets bigger and bigger there, more and more expensive, and more and more complex. It is also great fun, a world in which to vanish and be well cared for and warm.  It takes as much planning to be there as to get there. We plan to chill. And walk and walk. I wanted to meet some dolphins, but that tour is sold out.

I like to think of themes for my photographs, I don’t have one yet for Disney, one of the most photographed places on earth. Something may occur to me when I am there. Maria and I have being poring over menus and choices she has been  muttering for two days about $40 salmon dinners, which she says we are not ordering. Yes, dear.

Thanks for all your warm and very good support in recent weeks, it was felt and appreciated. I  like writing about grieving, it is needed, I think, and I will do more. In the meantime, I will thaw out, look for Walt Disney’s ghost and snow crab legs, I am thinking about what to bring back for Tyler.

The group – this campaign led by my friend Lisa Dingle, who knows how much I love Disney World (almost as much as she does) – raised enough money to pay for our airfare, hotel, passes and some good meals.