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Published: March 4th 2013
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Kat, Roy, Numa, Maggie
Roy is 18 months old and weighs around 130 pounds. Maggie is somewhat older, but not sure exactly. She weighs just a little less. Roy greeted me by standing in front of me and putting his head on my chest, chin right between my boobs. It was quite an experience. He likes to lean on you, which makes it fun trying to stand up! Wonderful dogs! Neither of them really has devil eyes..... It was soooo cold last night; it was the first night I had the furnace on all evening until I went to bed. Overnight I just left on the space heater, and it was 41 inside when I woke up this morning. I cranked the furnace then jumped back into bed until it warmed up. My cold seems somewhat better this morning, my nose is less runny for sure. After a quick hug goodbye with Kathy, I was on the road pretty close to 8:30. Dumping at this dump station was easy, nice and level, easy. Over the river and thru the woods winding my way to US 301 passing thru towns such as Anthony and Stark and unusual signs such as “Migrant Christian Workers Hall”. An interesting looking sign said “Mud Bogg – events every Sunday”. I wonder if that’s for People? Cars?
I also passed thru Indian Lake State Forest, a sign I have never noticed before. Of course I googled it. These FL people can be slick, despite the fact that they still don’t have any idea how to count ballots. It seems several counties got together and along with some state funding they bought 4500 acres adjoining the Ocala National Forest and pretty close to Silver River State Park from a developer for $76M and saved the Silver River watershed from 11000 homes and the resulting roads, shopping malls and office buildings. The forest management plans are being reviewed by the state to clean up and replant some of the area and restore the wildlife habitat. Wow.
Speaking of wildlife, While driving north on I95 I saw a wild hog. About 20 yards along the side of the road is mowed down, then there was a fence separating the forest from the mowed grass. This beast was between the fence and the road. It was very big, very black and very ugly. It was just standing there foraging. I thought at first it was a black plastic bag. Freaky. Ugly.
I arrived in Jacksonville around 11 and stopped to see Numa and Laurie Saisselin. It was Numa who hired me oh those many years ago to work in the box office at Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, and then on to Group Sales Manager, and back to box office in my ‘retirement’. Numa and Laurie relocated to Jacksonville where he runs The (historic) Florida Theatre in Jacksonville. It was good to catch up with them, meet their 2 Great Danes, Roy and Maggie (PICTURE), and see their lovely Florida Bungalow house. It is in a cute Jacksonville area called Avondale where they can walk to the shoppes and restaurants. Numa brought Southside Johnny to his theatre a while ago, and many NJ people now living in FL were there, including 2 who now live in Red Bank but were taking vacation to follow Southside on his 4 show FL tour. ((Valerie and Bill Schade and Richard Schade, take note: Numa is going to The Straz ??tomorrow?? and I asked him to introduce himself to Richard. Very small world, right????)) Remember cousins Valerie and Bill from earlier Blogs? Their son, Richard, is the interim director at The Straz center (a very large multi venue performing arts center) in Tampa. I think Numa said he is going there tomorrow or sometime in the very near future. Laurie has found a job as receptionist for the Jacksonville Symphony. Their house is just darling, a neat porch, a wonderful kitchen, and a cute backyard for Roy and Maggie and cat in a neighborhood full of historic homes. I tried to introduce Winston to these large puppies, but he gets intimidated by large dogs and the first meeting did not go well, so I put him in his crate while we went out for lunch. (Breakfast for me, including some really good grits).
I had a lofty goal of making it 200 miles north to the Thousand Trails preserve in Yemassee, SC, one of the first places I stayed at with Ginnie what seems like months ago. Oh, it was. 2 months ago. I put the cruise control on, hooked my ipod up to the radio (The Dressmaker of Khair Khana) and drove and drove. I stopped only once at the Camping World near Savannah (new sewer connection hose and toilet chemical) and gasoline. What a rip off!!! Right up the street from Camping World was an Enfield gas station. The sign said 3.559. Such a deal! Last gas I bought was 3.829. When I got to the pump, that price was if you used THEIR credit card. Price for my Anex as 3.629. I only bought $50 worth; with what I had in the tank that should be enough to get me home. Gas Buddy tells me gas near Myrtle Beach is 3.499, now that seems so cheap!!!
I made it to the TT preserve and what to my surprise, since I was here 2 months ago they have a new manager!!! The office and rec room have been painted and the campsites have been raked. The little old lady at the desk told me she was the only remaining employee, the other 5 all left. She said the sites will get some work this summer. How wonderful is that. This place is really run down and needs some love and affection. It is just a good spot for a quick layover on the I95 corridor, easy on, easy off. I plugged in, read my new sewer hose instructions, and stowed it away for future use, made dinner, and here I sit contemplating a Vodka and V8 splash!!!
I heard from Kathy and she made it to her campground on the gulf where she stays for a week before heading north. Her pictures looked wonderful!!! Last year when she was there and it rained, so she is hoping for a beautiful week. I heard from Ginnie and she did her shuffle today, ending up at a really great site TT in Orlando with some pavement!!! I like it when all is calm in my camping universe.
Tomorrow I head 200 miles north for my all time favorite Myrtle Beach Travel Park, where, despite the forecasted cold weather, I will get to spend some time walking on the beach with my dog. Heaven.
Kat out
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