I just realized that i havent told you guys about our trip to Florida yet!!!
We got to Nalples on a Sunday. That evening the check engine light came on so on Monday we finally got the car in to see what that was all about. Some valve that has to do with the emissions system was stuck so we got it fixed on Tuesday. We used ALOT of gas on the was there so now we know why.
We were 5 blocks from the ocean so those two days we spent at the beach. 300 and something dollars later we had our van back and went on an airboat tour of the everglades... That was so cool. We saw alligators in their natural habitat. I got some cool photos. at least i hope i did...
Rick and Scott went deep sea fishing. They didnt catch anything they could keep, but caught several smaller fish. I told Rick to be sure and give Scott some dramamine "before" they got on the boat but he didn't and poor scott spent alot of his time hurling... While the guys were fishing Rebecca and I found an outlet mall with 153 sotres in it!!!! She thought she had died and went to Heaven. We spent to much money, but i woudn't take back even one minute of the time we had together...
The last day there we went snorkeling. The boat ride out in the ocean was exhilarating. Sis and I got to stand on the bow. It was so cool....
Once we anchored the swells came in and the boat started to rock andpeople started getting sick . Sis swallowed to much ocean water from the waves crashing over us while we were snorkeling and the waves brought up quite a bit of sediment from the bottom so it was difficult to see stuff. We decided to swim back to the boat "AGAINST" the current... I'm not a strong swimmer and i DONT like water stuff so i had a difficult time getting back. I found swimming on my back was easiest. I was exhausted and Rebecca was nauseous. Once we were back on the boat (which was still rocking) we saw a shark. Not a big one, but some people still out snorkeling started to freak, and others were trying to catch it with their hands..
Sis and i got to be on the bow again going back in so that helped with her nausea. I got a whopper of a sun burn that day. I guess the salt water washed off my sunscreen. We left out on Saturday and met up with the "MOIs" in Savannah Georgia.... That was the highlight of our trip. Savannah is a beautiful place. Buildings from the 1800s, Big ole trees covering the streets... The ocean, dolphins, cobblestone streets, and little shops. We sat and watched some street performers... it was a magical evening for sure.
The MOIs are awesome people. Rick says our next big vacation will be back to Savannah. We left the next morning and got as far as Birmingham Alabama. the serpentine belt on the van was shredding. This was Sunday so on Monday morning we had just enough left to get it to a mechanic. We were on the road around noon and drove straight through as we did NOT want to say another night in a motel. We got home early Tuesday morning.
I went into work that afternoon then again on the 4th and 5th. I was off yesterday but spent it taking my FIL to the dr and doing laundry!!!!!
I'm so glad to be back home... I have such fond memories of our trip, but do not wish to do it again LOL...... I hope everybody here is doing well.
I've got another busy day ahead of me. ssssssss to the room
vicky

It sounds like a wonderful, exiting trip.
I'm glad you're home safe & sound ... talking to us.

Vicky I got tired just reading about your schedule. Did you pull any ears?

Wren.......??? How did it go dear lady?

LOL - Alffe - my little trip was faster and even easier than Vicky's but not as much fun. The neurosurgeon said that we'd start the big tests in October (I knew that) and the neurologist said the usual things (I knew that). yadda yadda. At least, no matter how often you see them - this is my second visit - they never charge one cent until 90 days after surgery.

I did pull an ear, but no butt pinches.... i let somebody else do that

Vicky,

Wow, I would have have been scared to death to see a real life alligator in it's own habitat or to be in ocean getting tired before reaching the boat. Savannah sounds more like my place. I have a brother in Kennesaw, GA.

befuddled2

yep, she pulled the ear...Scott and I were misbehavin'...

the butt pinches the Mrs. did plenty of later on...LOLOLOL

but in all sincerety, it was wonderful meeting you folks, Vicks...

Scott is a 6'-5" young man (age 17) that has a special place in my heart..

in the Restaurant, he and I were exchanging "tics" (not to be confused with the 8 legged buggers, ladies and gents, we don't like to exchange those ticks, although we did exchange a few fleas...) and I still have a couple of leftover tics that are just weaning away slowly...LOL

(to those that are now very cornfuseled and cornfucious, I have Tourette Syndrome as do Scott and we have "tics" and "shouts" and for some TSers, they seem to pick up eachother's tics for some periods of time...)

Scott is a bright young man with a little bit of "devil" streak in him, a LOT like me...LMAO...he and Vicks share beautiful singing voices together...

we had a delicious meal at Olive Garden, as Vicks said and Scott ate for all of us...LOLOLOL! I loved it!

Then we drove to downtown Savannah, which was given to Lincoln after the Civil War.

Downtown Savannah is considered HISTORIC, with beautiful victorian and old style houses adorning its streets. The roads have live oaks that are hundreds(some of them even thousands) years old that drapes over the streets to form a natural canopy. Spanish Moss waves in the air hanging from the tree trunks and creates a type of "welcoming" committee as if they were welcoming you into the city.

parts of the old towne kept it's original fire brick walls and cobble stone roads. Especially by the river front. Old horse buggys used to carry cannons down these cobble stoned roads...

The street by the river is filled with old buildings with unique shops. We all loved the candy one where they made old fashioned candies by hand and let you taste them! We saw an old taffy machine where a kid was pulling the salt water taffy by hand into the machin and the machine was cutting and rolling about 10 candies per second. The machine was red and clicked away while patrons watched with delights. Little children(and us) stood by to grab the taffys as they rolled off the machine...

between the shops and the river there is a center square where one can rest and sit and watch the ships go by. But the street performers usually take up these spots to earn a little keep or something extra.

Two of my favorite performers were there that night(I really wished hard that they'd be there and voila, they were there!)

They are a couple of old soul gentleman that plays old bluesy tunes...I started going to Savannah 7 years ago and I have sanged with them ONE time...LOL They had a guest this time, a lady with a beautiful voice..

before we sat and enjoyed these gentleman, we saw the cargo ships go by.

Savannah is the largest port on the East Coast and let me describe these ships to you.

If you've ever drive next to one of those 18 axel trucks (semis) and saw that big gigantic thing that they drag (cargo trunk) when you are on the roads(I always get scared when I drive pass these trucks, they just scare me). Now, picture about 200 of these cargoes on a large ship.

That's how much cargoes there were on these ships (200 or more) and they are long, huge, and in YOUR face...but it is a sight to see...

well, one of the particular ones we saw had two porpoises swimming infront of it, as if guiding it...they would flip out and time their way infront of the ship, as if giving a show...one was an albino if I remembered correctly...

the rest of the night was enjoying the two gentlemen singing their hearts out, their bluesy tunes attracted a great audience as their slightly hoarse, southern draw vocals vibrated everyone's hearts...some were sad, some were funny, but most were just simply good ole clap your thigh and sing along or smile tunes...everyone had smiles on their faces...

finally, it was time to bid our farewells, but none of us were sad...we had been planning this meeting for quite a few years now, and it is a good beginning...Scott is everything that I thought he'd be...a special young man.
Rebecaa, the shy younger sister that is more quiet and embarassed(at her age where everyone at her age is embarassed by their family. LOL) yet silently watches over her brother...

we observed a few times when Scott was really pushing her buttons as a big brother would and she would show the "face" of "don't mess with me" yet, when he would bump into things or drop things, she was always watchful of him with a caring eye...

Rick is a nice, gentle, quiet man, that saved the day. At one point, the bluesy guitarist dropped his guitar pick and had everyone searching for it...it was Rick's keen observation that found a black pick in the pitch of the dark night...way to go, RICK!

Vicks, Scott takes after your vibrat, sly, smile and more outgoing personality. He IS definitely your son and you should be very proud him. I know he'll have some rough roads ahead of him, but with you, Rick,and Rebecca and now US by his side, I am sure he'll do just fine!

OK, enough blabbering from me. I really should be working...