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Published: January 4th 2015
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Welcome to Florida
Sandy, Lulu and Spaceman We have just put our two feet down on Florida ground. We always stop at the Florida Welcome Center to load up on a thousand travel brochures and coupon books (it doesn't take much to thrill me). Of course, Lulu didn't have any feet to put on the ground but she stood proud on her head in front of the Welcome Sign. It is warm but overcast. Ladies around me are in tube tops and mini shorts while I have my long sleeve shirt, long pants and vest on. It takes awhile to catch up with this new environment we find ourselves in. Because we are de-winterized, we are going to take a different path on our way to Tropical Palms. We are going to stop today in St.Augustine and then head onto TP tomorrow. Can't check in until after 1:00 PM. This footloose and fancy free lifestyle is a dream come to true. It is almost surreal. Geez...Another traffic backup as we sail along...worse for the folks going North as it happened on their side. Our side is slow just because everyone wants to see what happened. I ride with my toes curled because no one seems safe.
I
Barn Pictures
Painting by Cris Guenter
Photograph by Sandy Guenter was thrilled with an email I received from my terrific sister-in-law, Cris. She showed a great photograph of her 3 cats but also included a picture she painted with her finger on her IPad....yes, with her finger on her IPad. It was a picture of that old barn/shed that Cory took us to in Conover......the one I took my photograph of to include in my Facebook group "Old Farms and Barns" as well as my travel blog. Take a look...she is fantastic...sooo very talented. She has her PhD and is a professor at Chico State University (California). She holds multiple titles and roles with all her accomplishments. She is a professional artist. You could probably Goggle her: Cris Guenter, to learn all about her talents.
Our first lemon on our adventure has happened ? but already we have turned it into lemonade ?. We reached St.Augustine and started the hunt for the motel that listed "bus and truck" parking (with my coupon book). Never found it! Rats! Instead we found ourselves rumbling through tight traffic and the business district. (White knuckles) We found one motel on the list but the parking looked like it was only for Smart Cars.
Rats! Got on US 1 for awhile and decided we had had enough...went back on I-95. What's the plan now? Go North and try again or just go South and see what comes up. South it was. So here we are: Daytona Beach. Found a Days Inn right off the exit with good parking (in coupon book). Haven't gone inside yet as they said rooms weren't available until after 3:00 PM. Cory unhooked the car and we are somewhere along the beach. We passed the Daytona 500 Speedway....from the back side. Looks like they are constructing more stands for on-lookers. It is enormous....from the back. The area seems festive enough with shops and restaurants. We went down to the ocean for a peek. Now we are waiting outside for a movie to start: "Unbroken". It is about a fellow who lived in Olean, NY....@ 35 miles from where we live. It has good reviews but I bet I will close my eyes through the difficult scenes. We never go to the movies except while in Florida. I love it. The theaters are so big and have such comfy chairs. (I'm rocking in one right now....rock,rock,rock). Sometimes we have gone from
one movie to another within the theater....3 being our max. What fun. I'll let you know our review of this one later. Later is now. Whew.....it was a good movie but tough to watch. I had to hold my dinner napkin over my face through quite a bit of it. If you like true survival movies.....watch this. If you don't like violence and brutality....don't watch it. It is amazing all what this man went through for years and years. The actual man recently died in 2014. Now we are back to our motel room. Not the best place to stay but it will do. Their seems to be some lively revival meeting going on off the lobby. A high priest in an elaborate white garb came out for a minute. Not sure what he is saying to his followers but he has his face right in theirs and has them all caught up in a wild frenzy. We didn't linger. OMG....now I can't find my phone. This is getting bad. My stomach has been in turmoil too many times so far. Search and re- search. Finally found it on the floor behind my seat in the car. Must be when
On the Ocean
Shops, Restaurants and Movies Cory retrieved my IPad bag from there, it fell out. Oh, thank you Jesus.....it has been found! I should join the revival meeting! That's it......for today. The best is yet to come so stay tuned. Keep all things close to you, ei: phones, tote bags, pocketbooks. Where is that knapsack?
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