Advertisement
Published: March 3rd 2013
The One About the Cold Finally Catching up to Me
I slept fitfully. My head is congested, I ache all over. I woke up in the middle of the night and my left hip was painful – I fell asleep reading in a very awkward position and my hip was screaming at me. I hobbled to the bathroom in the dark, I think it was about 2:30. Since I didn’t know what position made the hip hurt, I opted to fall back to sleep flat on my back. Well, that didn’t work, I kept waking myself up snoring. I succumbed and took some cold medicine when I got up. And ibuprophen for the hip pain.
Kathy made us a wonderful breakfast of sausage and oatmeal walnut pancakes. Just what we both needed after yesterday’s overeating binge, but it sure was a yummy breakfast!!!!
Off to the Knap-In. Thank goodness Kathy drove the Fiat – I wouldn’t have been able to walk all the distance to the Cracker Village and museum. So, now you want to know what a cracker is. You know I googled it when I really didn’t know either. From the highly reliable source,
www.urbandictionary.com: numerous colorful definitions including:
A cracker is a white NATIVE BORN Floridian, usually with pre-civil war Floridian ancestry.
Florida was the lead cattle producing state in America, Florida cracker is from when the men were cracking their whips on the cattle to get on the ships to go to the northern states. Descendants of Florida crackers are also considered Florida crackers. Florida cracker does not mean a man who cracked his whip on slaves or white trash. Sometimes used in a derogatory manner by colored people. However, the true Cracker is not offended- he takes pride in who he is and where he came from.
Some characteristics of the Florida Cracker
1. Knows how to fish by instinct- was in to bass fishing before Bass Pro Shop existed.
2. Prefers to swim in a lake or creek, not a pool.
3. Knows what swamp cabbage is and how to cook it.
4. Takes his hat off whenever DIXIE or any Lynyrd Skynyrd song is played.
5. Liked NASCAR better when it wasn't on TV.
6. Knows that cane syrup is what you eat on biscuits. Gravy is what you eat with squirrel and rice.
7. Doesn't mistake a gopher for a turtle.
8. Knows that Fla. women are the best there is.
9. Says the blessing before eating.
10. Knows how to get to Hog Valley, Yankeetown, Scrambletown, and Yeehaw Junction.
The Florida Cracker has become an endangered species, mostly because of all the golf-playing, non-driving, constant-bitching ASSHOLE yankee retirees that move to Fla.
A rare breed, a true Native Floridian, whose family has lived out in more rural parts of the state for many generations and continues to do so. Known to be very self-sufficient by growing or hunting their own food and building their own homes. Not at all like what most people nowadays picture as a Floridian. A Florida Cracker is a true Southerner, not a transplant from a Northern state. The Florida Cracker is kin to the Georgia Cracker.
Florida Crackers, a Rare, Endangered, and Threatened Species are native born Floridians who speak a unique language. It is a language spoken from the heart that anyone can understand. True Florida Crackers have at least one lineal descendant who was also born in the Sunshine State. Florida Crackers feel comfortable shucking oysters, telling stories around a campfire, riding horses, spending time in the swamp, grilling out large steaks, and they possess sophisticated humility. Florida Crackers have a kinship with other fellow Florida Crackers and they can communicate nonverbally. Florida Crackers are resilient, courageous, and very self-sufficient. What a hoot!
The Silver River Museum is on the property of Silver River State Park. Connected, but not related. The Museum is run by the Marion County Board of Education. Each county 4th and 5th grader comes here for field trips.
A tram tour was offered thru the woods to a different river overlook than the one we were at yesterday. The tour guide/museum volunteer, originally from Michigan, has been giving these tours for 10 years, ancient like me, was a wealth of knowledge about the flora and fauna, Native American history, on and on and on. The view from the river overlook was spectacular. Silver Springs is the largest and one of the most well known of Florida’s first magnitude springs, with average discharge of 766 cubic feet per second (or over 550 million gallons per day). Main Spring, Blue Grotto, and The Abyss are collectively known as The Silver Springs Group and form the headwater of the Silver River, and are located in Silver Springs Nature Theme Park. Below the head spring area, numerous smaller springs add additional discharge within the first half-mile of the Silver River. The Silver River flows over a large area of water filled caves. Holes in the caves, vents, allow the aquifer water to rise to the surface, the boil. The water collects, in the spring pool, and flows down the spring run to the river. There are so many vents along this run, it has turned into its own river; it looks like it is boiling everywhere. The water is very clear, and looks blue and/or silver in many spots, and is almost 70 degrees all year. Silver Springs Nature Theme park is on the Silver River and the property adjoins the State Park. Our guide told us the State Park system is taking over the Theme park before the end of 2013. There are botanical gardens, amusement rides, glass bottom boat tours, and a concert venue. I will be sure to come back here in 2014 just to see the progress being made, and get a ride on one of those glass bottom boats for sure. I wonder what the state will do with the monkeys??
I noticed a latino man and his wife on the tour, mid 40s or so, both about 5’2” tall, and both his feet up to mid calf were in plastic casts. He was walking on them, without the assistance of canes, but he hobbled along and his wife helped him up and down the stairs of the tram. Cub Reporter in me had to ask him what happened. He was at the top of a 25 foot ladder holding on to a roll of material on his right shoulder when he slipped down. He managed to hold on most of the way, but lost grip at the end. He came down on both heels and broke them. Both. I told him he was very very lucky, to fall from that height, and only suffer the broken heels, and an obvious shrinkage in his height. They thought that was funny, thank goodness, I didn’t need my mouth getting me in trouble again.
Back to the Knap In. We toured the wonderful museum of early life (dinosaurs), inhabitants (many different tribes before the Seminoles), and artifacts including arrow heads and other tools. We saw lessons in tomahawk throwing and atlatl spear hurling. (an atlatl is a hook like devise you load a spear in and throw over arm like a baseball – you know those plastic gizmos people throw tennis balls to their dogs with? Think that, only with a hook on it to hold a spear.) The festival today, sponsored by the Museum, had numerous flint knappers instructing how to use flint to create tools just as the early Americans did out of different types of stone, bone, and shells. It was very interesting, actually. I would have loved the museum on any other day, reading every display,but my hip and head cold were botherine me a lot. Kathy gave me the Fiat keys and I drove back to sit down and relax. The wind is so intense this afternoon, it blew a small branch on to Moya’s roof and scared the ‘bleep’ out of me! I also had several sneezing fits - 20 times in row and I assume that is all allergies.
I managed to take a short nap. First I fell asleep sitting bolt upright at the dinette. I moved over to the chair, which has a low back. I should have gone to the drivers’ or passengers’ seat, but didn’t. I curled up in the short back chair and slept for about an hour, again, bolt upright. I woke up sneezing. I started to suck on Cold-Eeze again. I AM NOT A HAPPY CAMPER!!!!
Kathy and I went out to dinner to celebrate our last night together. Fat Boys BBQ, a real local joint, worn linoleum tile floor, business cards scotch taped to the register, old black and white photos in old frames as wall decorations, highly lacquered but very worn tables and bench seats. Saturday is all you can eat chicken or ribs, with fries, beans, slaw, garlic toast, $12.95. We opted for the ‘senior’ platters. I had pork, which ended up being sliced, not shredded as I was used to. The edges of the slices were black and sticky sweet with sauce. The meat was served dry, with four squeeze bottles of sauce, catsup, honey something, Kraft BBQ type, and ultra hot with visible pepper seeds. I tried them all (except catsup) and couldn’t taste a one, so opted to smother in the Kraft looking one. The fries were so crisp and so good. The beans were a little bland, and the cold slaw was shredded, not my favorite type, but overall it was excellent. Total with drink, $6.75. Kathy had the senior rib plate, served with the same sides, and hers was $2 more than mine. I sneezed and blew my nose constantly. We were overdressed. We did not have on our camo sweat suits or jackets or baseball hats. A quick trip to Wal-Mart revealed it was date night in the aisles. I think all the camo garbed people from Fat Boys ended their evening at Wallyworld.
Back at Moya, I put my roadie styrofoam cup of diet coke on the top step while I unlocked the door, lit by the super slick light on my keychain. When I opened the door, it knocked the cup over onto my right foot. Frak. First chore, rinse off sneaker, put on crocs over wet sock. Then go outside to disconnect my water hose - it might go down to 29 tonight for a long time. Of course, you know what happened, the water leaked out of the hose all over both feet, the one already wet from the coke. It is time for me to knock it off for the day.
I am heading north tomorrow to Jacksonville. I plan on a quick visit with Numa and Laurie before continuing on as far as I can make it before 5:00. It will be a long day, and I might not make it as far as I want to, especially if I am blowing my nose every minute, but I will give it a shot. I am woman, hear me roar. Sick, maybe not a roar, but a meow. Kat/cat, you know.
Kat out
Advertisement
Tot: 0.107s; Tpl: 0.013s; cc: 13; qc: 32; dbt: 0.0672s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1mb
Grace
non-member comment
Safe travels home
Hey Kat! First, I hope you are feeling better. I know how it is to have a bad cold while away. I wanted to let you know how much I have enjoyed reading our blog. It has made me laugh as well as made me smarter!!! Lol quite an adventure for you. Although I will miss reading this, I look forward to seeing you in Wilmington, and maybe even having a look-see at Moya. Get home safely.