The Next Leg

Well, that week sure went by fast!

Ken and I were talking today about how when we first get here, it’s like the week stretches out in front of us and it feels like forever. Once we hit Wednesday, it just zooms by. Next thing you know, we’re packing up to leave!

It was a fun but very low-key week. Our biggest activity was going to the Speakeasy on Monday and the rest of the time was total vegecation. Even though I don’t work anymore, I told Ken that it was still a true vacation for me because I didn’t have to do laundry or cook meals or take care of any of those little tasks that consume a day. I got to sit out on the balcony and get some serious reading in. Very enjoyable!

Our activities were curtailed a bit by Tropical Storm/Hurricane Hermine. Although it hit on the Gulf Coast (we’re on the Atlantic Coast), we still got the outer edges with some heavy rain and even a tornado warning! The lights in the condo flickered a few times but we never lost power. I was saddened to hear that one person died due to the storm.

We got to hit our very favorite places, including the Sea Shack, Norwood’s, Oceans Seafood, The Breakers (my favorite burger ever!), Toni and Joe’s, Bethune Park to see the manatees, and JB’s Fish Camp. Ken also got to golf one morning and I got to drive the cart, and I had two new bird sightings on the course: a roseate spoonbill and a wood stork! Yay!

It was no surprise that today, the day before we leave, we had the nicest afternoon we had all week. There was actual sunshine and even a beautiful rainbow over the ocean, very close to shore. Hard to believe that just yesterday we were under a tornado warning!

Our next stop will be Newnan, Georgia followed by some activities in Senoia, Georgia on Sunday. Some of you might know the significance of that! I will post more about it soon. I am very excited!

It is to laugh

We got problems right here in Central City,

We have problems on the North, South, East and West,

New York City, Saint Louis, Philadelphia, Los Angeles,

Detroit, Chicago,

Everybody has problems,

And personally, I don't care

~~ “Elected” by Alice Cooper

Ohhhh, lawd. Lawdy lawd.

You know, I’m to the point where my only recourse when dealing with the Vulgar Talking Yam is to laugh.

I mean, really. He is just absurd. I am laughing at you, Yam!

His latest weird waffling about the immigration thing is playing right into Hillary’s hands. It’s impossible to know what his policies are. Hell, I don’t think HE knows what his policies are. It seems to me that a couple of months away from the election, you should have figured that out by now. “Unpredictable” is not a desirable trait when choosing the most powerful leader in the world.

I think the majority of people are starting to figure that out now. I’m still taking nothing for granted, but we’re onto you, Yam. The American people have your number, as does Hillary. The upcoming debates are going to be delightful! Hillary’s got your stamina right here, pal. HA!

But it’s time to leave this all behind as we hit the road for our annual vegecation in New Smyrna Beach! I’m looking forward to some beach time and relaxation and some time away from politics.

Oh, I’m totally kidding! I’ll still be reading my usual political feeds but more importantly, the TV market (Orlando/Daytona Beach/Melbourne) where we’ll be is the #1 political ad buy in the country for both campaigns at the moment. NUMBER ONE. We’ve been down there in election season before but this time it’s going to be insane. We don’t plan on having the TV on a lot—we like to just sit outside and read if we’re not out and about or on the beach—but I’m sure we’ll get plenty of exposure to politics gone wild.

We also have a special visit planned on the drive back when we stop in the Atlanta area. More to follow, but if you know me, you might be able to guess what we’ll be doing!

Last Dance

Not a bad way to end our time in Florida today. Not bad at all!

It was a little overcast this morning, so it was a decent time for Ken to get in a last round of golf. As the morning wore on, the sun started peeking out, and I put on my suit and sat outside to read and catch a few rays. I didn’t want to head to the beach or the pool, because we were planning on doing lunch at one of the nicer restaurants in New Smyrna Beach.

When Ken got back, we headed over to Norwood’s, a cool mid-century modern restaurant that has been around since the mid-1940’s. I love the rock columns, the high ceilings, the large windows, and the pendant lights. This is a real throwback, and a true beauty. Even better, it’s some of the best food we’ve had in New Smyrna Beach.

We started off with escargot for the two of us, and Ken had two appetizers for lunch—their She-Crab soup and bacon-wrapped scallops. I had tastes of both, and they were delicious! I had the mid-day special of Mediterranean Mahi Mahi, a filet topped with grilled vegetables and feta cheese. So good! I didn’t care that we were having mahi mahi tonight for dinner. It was a mahi mahi mahi mahi day!

I finished up with my annual piece of Key Lime pie, and Norwood’s does it up right. I have no need for meringue on my Key Lime pie, but it was easy to peel that off. The pie itself is dense and creamy, a pastel yellow rather than artificially green. True Key Lime pie isn’t green. Accept no substitutes! I considered getting it to go, but once I dug in, that piece o’ pie was history. I think my eyes rolled up in my head for a moment there...it was that good!

When we got back, it was a little overcast but still warm enough that we were able to spend some time on the beach and in the ocean. After frolicking in the waves, I conked out on the beach, and learned that falling asleep on your back when it’s windy on the beach results in sand in your teeth! The waves were apparently strong enough that I had sand pretty much everywhere, as I found out later when I showered!

We spent some time packing up what we could and getting ready to head out tomorrow morning. After twelve years here, we’ve got it down to a science, and we’ll be able to clear out easily.

We were happy we got some time on the beach and in the ocean on our last day this year. We were able to sit outside a while longer to dry off, but the clouds rolled in and we got a good rain in the evening. This was the first night that Ken wasn’t able to grill our fish, and had to cook it in a skillet inside. It still turned out great, and I’ve loved eating all this fresh seafood this week. I can also say honestly that I’m looking forward to a burger or a steak tomorrow!

Our next stop is Newnan, Georgia, just a few miles from Senoia. That is the town that doubled for Woodbury in “The Walking Dead,” and I’ll be gettin’ my Dead on for a couple of days before we head back home!

“It’s been a wonderful week,” she said, as she sipped the last of her margarita. “You’ve all been dears, and you are all lovely people. I look forward to seeing you next year! Cheers!”

The penultimate day

YES. I got to use the word ‘penultimate!’ Always a good day when that happens.

Our plan was to try a kayaking adventure on nearby Indian River and Mosquito Lagoon, but after a morning of sitting outside in the sun and reading, the clouds moved in around noon and we got some rain. It didn’t really clear fully until late afternoon, so we decided to do the kayaking next time.

We still made a trip down the island to visit our special manatee spot, at a small local park on a little inlet. You used to be able to get down closer to the water and get right near the manatees, but they have it all roped off now. That’s okay...you can still get close enough to get a good look at them, and we saw at least eight of them. We also got a bonus dolphin sighting! We didn’t get to see them leaping out of the water, but we could see that they were chasing something underwater, and we could see their fins bobbing up and down. It was neat!

Then it was over to J.B.’s Fish Camp, one of our annual stops. This is also where you can rent kayaks. Since we weren’t doing that, we had some appetizers and a pitcher. Raw oysters (I only had one...too rich for me anymore), shrimp cocktail, and a crab cake. Their crab cakes are to die for! We also encountered a trick we hadn’t seen before: float a cup of ice in the pitcher of beer to keep it chilled in this heat and humidity. How brilliant is that?!

Unfortunately, I felt really crummy after this appetizer meal. This is the second time this has happened to me after J.B.’s. It’s not food poisoning, because it hits me very quickly, and food poisoning takes a few hours at minimum. I think it’s a matter of the richness of some of the food...in this case, the oyster and the crab cake. The time before, it was because I had a deep fried platter, and ohhhh, I felt so awful. My tummy doesn’t do deep fried anymore! I was careful this time, but it was still a little too much for me. I took a nap after we got back, and it eventually eased up. I lived to fight another day!

I also lived to eat the swordfish that Ken grilled tonight. It was delicious! Old Bay seasoning is a good addition. We watched a couple of Soprano’s episodes, and had several laugh out loud moments. Tonight’s favorite was Carmela saying to A.J. “Be a good Catholic for 15 fucking minutes! Is that so much to ask?” Ha! One more night of grilling. I think we can both say that we’ve gotten our fill of fresh seafood this time around! Tomorrow, Ken will get in another round of golf in the morning (weather permitting), we will have lunch at Norwood’s, a great old school place that dates back to the ‘40s, and I will get my annual piece of Key Lime pie! Mmm...Key Lime pie....

Fingers crossed for decent weather tomorrow afternoon, so we can get a last dip in the ocean and a little more time on the beach!

I hope your day was as pleasant!

Now wouldn’t you…Barracuda?

Today was a carbon copy of yesterday! We might get some rain and cloudy skies tomorrow, but we have had two perfect, sunshiny days, and I will TAKE IT!

We both got up fairly early this morning. Ken was planning on a round of golf, and I just kind of woke up. Good thing, because the maintenance crew was out and about early, and if we were trying to sleep or if we had hangovers, it would have sucked! But it was all okay. Ken headed out, and I hung around here and got some sun and reading time outside. I gave my Mom a call and chatted with her for a while and let her know that we made it here safely and that we’re having a good time.

After Ken got back (he shot an 81...not too shabby!), we hung out for a bit and then went to the fiiiiish shop for our dinners for the rest of the week. Tuna tonight (tasty!), swordfish tomorrow, and mahi mahi Friday.

Then it was a short walk down the beach to oooo...Barracuda’s! We had a couple of beverages, calamari, and a kickass smoked fish dip. When we got back home, we headed out to the beach and did some frolicking in the ocean. It was very pleasant, and I fell asleep on the beach for a while.


My little anole friend.


Our little bungalow…doesn’t it look welcoming?


We got cleaned up, and Ken grilled the oooo...grilled the tuna! It was delicious, and we’ll see what Thursday holds for us. It might be rainy, and if so, we have a contingency plan: “World War Z” at the local theater.

The sunset was beautiful tonight, orangy-pink clouds against an indigo sky, the palms a dark silhouetto of a tree.

I hope your day was as pleasant!

Perfection

After a couple of days of “iffy” weather, we finally got our perfect day!

It was sunny when I got up a little after 9 AM, and I was able to sit outside and read in the morning. It was hot and humid enough that when Ken went for a run, I put on my swimsuit in order to sit outside. I was getting overheated even in a tank top and shorts! I still had to come inside to cool off periodically.

After Ken got back and got cleaned up, we took a walk down the beach to one of our favorite places, Breakers. After sitting at the inside bar for a few minutes, a spot opened up at the outer bar. That’s where you can sit in front of open windows and look out onto the beach and the ocean, so we nabbed those seats quickly! We both had burgers, and these are the best burgers I’ve ever had. I don’t know how they do it, but even with me ordering my burgers well done (it’s an E coli thing, you know?), they’re still tender and juicy. LOVE me a Breakers burger!

Then we headed back—the sun still shining—and hit the beach. The sun felt great! Ken took a picture, and I was very surprised to see how brown I’ve gotten. Since the sun had been shining all day, the water was nicely warmed up, and it felt great to get in and feel some waves. I did my best to keep my footing and stand my ground against them. Haaaa...see what I did there? “Stand my ground?” In Florida? Yeah, those laws SUCK. We have it in Indiana, too, so that also sucks.

Anyway, the ocean felt great. I held onto my suit and had no “flashing” moments...maybe a butt cheek here and there, and a close call with the top, but I managed to hang onto everything. I noticed a woman close by who was also hanging onto her suit and we shared a laugh. We exchanged a couple of remarks, and she had an accent, so I asked her where she was from. She was from Venezuela! They do a lot of traveling, but this was their first time in New Smyrna Beach. I gave her a few tips about places to eat, and she mentioned shopping in boutiques, so I told her about the little Flagler Avenue area with neat shops and galleries. If I recall, her name was Azita (I’m not sure if that’s how it is spelled), and she was very sweet and lovely. I really enjoyed talking to her as we both held onto our suits and got pummeled by the waves! Haha!

She mentioned being at Ocean City, New Jersey. She said the waves are much worse there, and she said she had a few “exposures” due to those waves, so she’s more careful now! She also said that she liked this beach very much, and that it is not nearly as crowded as Ocean City and other beaches she has been. She said that you would never find as many spots open as you find here. I told her that New Smyrna Beach is a small town, maybe 25,000 people, and although it’s open to everyone, it’s just not as crowded as other beaches. Daytona is only about 20 minutes north of here, but its beach is completely different from this one.

We had a really nice chat, and you all can be very proud of this introvert. I chatted up a woman from Venezuela. How about that?!

That's mah butt over there.

After getting worn out by the ocean, Ken and I flopped on our beach towel and dried out a bit. We headed up to the bungalow, and since the perfect weather held, we got to spend a little more time outside reading (although in the shade this time). We enjoyed a pleasant evening, Ken grilled some salmon (it was delicious!), and we watched a Sopranos episode.

I have a feeling it’s not going to be a late night tonight. The ocean and the sun really takes it out of me! Ken is planning on golfing in the morning, but I plan on sleeping in and maybe hitting the pool while he’s out and about.

Here’s hoping for a carbon copy of today, but like I told Ken, if this was the only perfect day this week, it was a week well spent. This is the kind of day we come down here for, every year.

Perfect!

Florida’s new name is Sybil

The sun was shining when I got up this morning, and I went outside to read and drink my mango tea. It was already hot and humid at 9 AM, but the breeze felt great! I was glad I got out when I did, because the clouds rolled in off the ocean soon, and we got a decent sprinkle.

It began to clear up after a couple of hours, but we had to meet with the timeshare people for a bit. After the usual spiel, we got out of there with our hides intact. By that time, we had full sunshine, so we slathered on the sunscreen and hit the beach! YAY! It felt so good to feel that sand and soak up the heat and sun. Aaaaand since this is Florida in the summertime, the clouds soon rolled in again. We dipped our toes in the water, but with the recent rain, it was super cold. A full-body dunk just was not happening for me.

We carted our gear in and put some clothes on for a short walk down the beach to Tony & Joe’s, a little beachside tavern that has been here for a while. We’ve always talked about stopping there and never have, so today was the day. We got sprinkled on a little bit on the way there, but by the time we had a couple of beers and a shrimp appetizer, you guessed it...the sun was back out! We headed back and by this time, I was sunned and beered out, so it was nap time for me. I had Ken wake me up an hour later, and then I caught a little more sun and watched some people celebrating a beach wedding. Looks like the happy couple is staying in one of the bungalows, and they had friends and family celebrating with them. Very nice, and I wish them much happiness!

Tonight’s dinner was wahoo perfectly grilled by Ken. Love me some wahoo! It’s a mild, firm fish, and it grills up nicely. A couple of Sopranos episodes and “Under the Dome,” and now I think I’ll do a little reading and then hit the hay. Ken didn’t take a nap today, so he’s already there.

I’m hoping for some more nice weather tomorrow, probably interspersed with the occasional shower—I’m getting used to this Multiple Personality Disorder weather—and we’re planning on taking a walk down the beach to another beachside grill and tavern, Breakers. It’s my #1 favorite burger I’ve ever had, and we look forward to it every year!

See ya on the beach!

Back to the Beach

Just so you know, I won’t be commenting on the Zimmerman verdict, other than to say that “disappointment” doesn’t even begin to cover how I’m feeling. “Disgust” is probably a better word for it. I just don’t have it in me right now to go to such a dark place. If my writing about our trip seems shallow or uncaring, please know that that is not the case at all. It is a choice I am consciously making, because it is one I need to make for myself. I am privileged to have the ability to make that choice; far too many have that choice taken away from them...permanently.

So after a Friday with quite a few traffic woes, Saturday turned out to be pretty darn good. We zipped through downtown Atlanta—very little traffic early on a Saturday morning—and once we got south of the city, we just tore through Georgia like Sherman’s Army. Inappropriate analogy? Sorry, but that’s payback for the huge Confederate flag we saw flying on a tall flagpole right by the highway. If you fly flags like that, I feel perfectly fine with referencing Sherman’s Army. So there. Actions have consequences, people.

We stopped for lunch in Valdosta at a place called Bad Habitz Saloon & Grub. The food was good and the beer selection was fantastic, but they need to work a little on bathroom cleanliness, and I know it’s the South, but could you please play something besides country music? I know, I know, when in Rome, blah blah blah. But seriously...UGH.

We ran into some torrential rains as we headed east towards Jacksonville, bad enough that Ken pulled over for a couple of minutes, and he never pulls over! As we got closer to the coast, we ran out of it and finally saw some sunshine as we headed south towards New Smyrna Beach. We made great time and got to the timeshare around 5 PM. We got checked in and found our bungalow, the one closest to the beach.

This is our first time staying in one of the bungalows, and I have to say that I really like it. I miss the large overhang on the balcony of the two-story building which allows us to sit outside while it’s raining, especially because it is sprinkling right now (thus this blog entry on a Sunday afternoon)! I think we’ll continue to try for the two-story building, but this is a very comfortable and reasonable backup. I especially love the six large windows that wrap around the front of the bungalow...I love opening the blinds and looking out on the ocean! I’m looking at you right now, Atlantic Ocean, and I see you waving at me!

After we got unpacked and relaxed a bit, we headed to the liquor store and grocery store and got stocked up for the week. We like to have lunches out, but we usually get some fresh fish at Ocean’s fish market and restaurant for Ken to grill for our dinners. We were in the mood for steak, so we got some T-bones for tonight. (I hope the weather will cooperate!) Once we got everything unloaded and put away, we were off to our Saturday night tradition, PJ’s Sea Shack. I had grilled Mahi Mahi and Ken had Chilean Sea Bass. It was the best meal I’ve had there, and when I mentioned it to our server, she said that was good to hear, and that they are under new management and have a new menu. I always like it when I see a favorite place make positive changes!

We slept in today, and I did my weights and then sat outside to read. (I am setting From Here to Eternity aside for the moment and rereading The Shining...I wanted a more fun read for the beach.) Ken went for a run, and we’ll be heading out to Ocean’s in a moment to pick up some fish. Today started out overcast, and somewhat cooler than normal, and we’re getting some rain now. A chance we take coming down here when we do, and I suspect that this is the tattered remnants of that tropical storm that came up through the Caribbean and along Florida’s Atlantic coast this week. I’m hoping it will clear out considerably this week and we’ll get some good beach time in. We shall see!

It’s good to be back. It’s great to hear and smell the ocean, and to feel that breeze. Tomorrow I’m hoping for some sand between my toes!

Dammit, Jim, I’m a vacationer, not a blogger!

Shameful. Just shameful. Every night, except for that first travel night, I’ve meant to write a blog entry, but nooooo. I just keep being all vacationy and junk.

To catch up a little bit. Friday night we made it past Chattanooga and stayed just north of Atlanta, in a suburb called Kennesaw. I had been to Kennesaw before with my folks, when we went to the Civil War battlefield there. The warm, damp evening and the sound of the cicadas brought back fond memories of my time in north Georgia, where I spent my summers between college with my parents (they bought a house there). When Ken and I left in the morning, there was that same quiet, wet, slightly overcast ‘hush’ that I remembered so well. Like being surrounded by damp cotton...but a good feeling, not a creepy one. Everything smelled fresh and clean. It never fails to amaze me how a certain quality can trigger such intense memories. I enjoyed my time in college, including my summers in the north Georgia mountains, so it was a very pleasant memory.

Then we were off on the final leg of our trip, and got into New Smyrna Beach around 5:30 and got checked in. Due to some changes in management of the timeshare property, we have a short week this time (we’re leaving Thursday morning), and we didn’t get into the building we are usually in. But it actually worked out better! It’s got a different layout, which is fine, and the walls seem rather thin, which is annoying, but we have a nice long balcony and we look out right onto the ocean. The best part is that it is much quieter, because they don’t play loud, irritating music poolside or play stupid games with the guests or make constant announcements about signing up for the tie-dye t-shirt activity. ::sigh:: The pool is right outside our condo, but it’s a small pool and it’s been very quiet. Beyond that is the walkway to the beach, then the beach, and then hey presto! The Atlantic Ocean! I would be happy to stay in this building again, although next time we might get one of the little bungalows.

As you can see in the above photo, it wasn’t exactly nice weather on Saturday. In fact, it POURED that night. We went to our usual first night restaurant, PJ’s SeaShack, and sat in the bar area with open windows and watched the rain just pour off the roof. We also watched a group of people having their 20th high school reunion. I’m guessing that they probably didn’t remember enough to feel embarrassed the next day...but they should have!

Sunday was also a washout weather-wise, gloomy and grey. But it was still nice enough to sit outside and read, and to watch the Olympics when we’d come inside. In the evening, my Aunt June and Cousin Greg were nice enough to come down from Daytona Beach to visit us, and we had a very yummy dinner at a place called Blackbeard’s. (Yarrrr!) All the years we’ve been coming down here, and we’d never gone to that restaurant! It was good enough that we will add it to the rotation. We had a really nice time talking and laughing, and look forward to seeing Aunt June again when she comes up for an extended stay with my Mom.

Oh, Ken told me to let this go, but I said I wasn’t going to let it go until I blogged about it! On the way out to the car to meet up with Aunt June and Greg, we found that someone had double-parked behind us. Someone else was nearby unloading their vehicle, and she said it was a couple who unloaded a couple of coolers and took them upstairs. So there we were, unable to get out of the parking space. There was absolutely no way to finagle it to get out. Ken walked upstairs to see if he could see anyone that might be them, and I waited by the car and fumed. Finally some dude came down and was standing by the car, and by this time, I was spittin’ fire. I was like “Is this your car?!” He said yeah, she’s getting the keys right now. I said, “What were you thinking just parking here? You can’t do that!” The guy just looked uncomfortable and shrugged and said, “Sorry...she’s getting the keys right now.” But I wasn’t done yet. I said, “You don’t just park behind a car to unload your stuff! I mean, you couldn’t even pull over THERE by the curb so that any of these cars could get out? What were you thinking??” Ken finally had to say, “Beth.” I think I muttered one final, disgusted, “Jesus,” and got in our car. I told Ken that actually, he should be kind of proud of me, because I didn’t cuss the guy out. Not a single F-bomb passed my lips. Oh, I wanted to, believe me...but I think I showed remarkable restraint. [wink] But seriously...who does that?! How unbelievably arrogant and rude!

There. I blogged about it, so now I’ll let it go.

Last night, we stayed up to watch the landing of the Mars rover, Curiosity. I’m really glad I stayed up (even though I was so jazzed up I was awake until after 3 am), because it was nothing less than amazing. Science rocks!

Today turned out to be beautiful and sunny, so Ken went for a run while I read. We had a brief appointment with management at 12:30, which we followed up with more reading (Ken had to do a little work, I’m sorry to say), and then a walk down the beach to one of our yearly stops, Breakers, for a couple of beers and burgers. Their burgers are consistently voted as the best in central Florida, and they really are amazingly good. Even when you get them well done (which I do), they’re still juicy and full of flavor. So I got my Breakers burger fix! Then it was back to the condo for some more reading, which soon resulted in what was a combination of a nap and a food coma. A nafooco.

Now it’s more Olympics, and hoping for another nice day tomorrow.

And now you’re all caught up!

My bags are packed, I’m ready to go

Well, not quite. We’ve got everything laid out, but Ken, the Master Packer (hush your mouth) still needs to get the suitcases loaded. And we aren’t leaving on a jet plane...since I stopped working, we’ve been driving down to Florida rather than flying. ROAD TRIP! Unfortunately, we can’t really take our time getting down there, so it will be Interstate travel. On the way back, we’ll probably get a little off the beaten path, and that is always fun and often an adventure!

It’s our annual trip to our timeshare at New Smyrna Beach, and I look forward to it every year. Some wonder why we go to Florida in the summer, but we like the hot weather and a warm ocean, and our timeshare is right on the beach, so we get a very brisk ocean breeze. We’re looking forward to seeing my Aunt June and Cousin Greg, who live in Daytona Beach and are coming down to have dinner with us. (Unfortunately, Greg’s son Russell is off doing military training as he prepares for his last year of aviation school at Embry-Riddle, so we won’t get to see him. An amazing and super smart young man!) Other than that, we have no real plans for our time in Florida other than our usual ‘vegecation’: reading, ocean, beer, sun, and visits to some of our favorite restaurants. (Mmm...a walk down the beach for a burger at Breakers! My mouth is already watering! And real Key Lime Pie!) Of course, this year, we’ll also be watching the Olympics in the evening. I think that’s a first for our Florida trip. In fact, I’m sure of it.

As for my reading, I’ve been struggling a little bit with Of Human Bondage. I’m enjoying it, but I’m not tearing through it, so I think I want to set it aside on this vacation and read something a little more fun. I’ve chosen The Audacity to Win by David Plouffe, about the 2008 Obama run for the presidency. Yes, I know I’m a little bit insane, but I started reading it today, and I’m already loving it! I’m getting fired up about this fall, so I’m happy with my book choice. My Kindle is well-loaded and ready for bear, so I may choose a fun book after that...maybe an Egyptian mystery or something like that.

On our way back, we’ll be making a stop in Charleston (I’ve never been there, so I’m looking forward to seeing if it’s a place we might want to revisit, like Memphis.), and then a couple of nights in Raleigh. I’m super excited about that, because we get to meet our long-time blogger and Facebook friend, the fabulous Ms. Sheria! She is a total peach, and I am so excited to meet her. Lucy and Ethel, baby! I guess that would make Ken Ricky...?

We’ll be taking our laptops and blogging from Florida, although I’m not sure if it will be every day. But there will be pictures!

Before I go, just a quick commentary on the Chick-Fil-A brouhaha. (And yes, I WILL be paying attention to politics while we’re on vacation! You have been warned.) This cartoon says it perfectly for me. I don’t dispute the right of Dan Cathy to spew whatever bigotry he wants to spew, and I don’t disagree with his right to contribute his money to whatever hate groups to which he wants to contribute. But rest assured: if you are the owner of a company and you come out with your thoughts on social issues, there are going to be people who disagree. And you know what? We have every right to push back, protest, and voice our disagreement. The First Amendment works both ways. I don’t believe anyone is suggesting that Dan Cathy should shut up and not voice his feelings about marriage equality. But I’m also not going to shut up about my opposition to that viewpoint, and I am going to continue to support the right for everyone to have the same rights as the rest of us. This is constantly being framed as a religious issue, but it is not. It is a human rights issue. Dan Cathy, you put it out there. Don’t cry ‘foul’ when people push back. Welcome to the jungle, baby!

For a couple of great reads about it, I recommend this recent entry from Hemant Mehta, as well as my friend Mark Olmsted’s blog post. I approve of these viewpoints.

Catch ya soon!

More vegecation pictures

The weather has been beautiful the past few days, and my connection has been slow, so I haven’t been overly concerned about spending much time online. Today is a little overcast, and we’ll be leaving soon to go see a movie, so I have a little time.

While driving through New Smyrna, we came across my new car. Oh yeah!

I’m still keeping my fingers crossed for Friday’s shuttle launch, but right now there is only a 30% chance that it will launch. I’m bummed. But the shuttle launch was going to be a bonus, anyway, so I’ll have to just make do with having a nice week at the beach! I remain hopeful. Apparently, if they can find a window to launch, they’ll do so tomorrow, rather than wait until Sunday.

We met up with Cousin Greg and Aunt June at a good seafood place called Norwood’s. It was great to see them, because it’s been a while! I think I talked my head off, but it had just been quite a while since we’d gotten together. There is the possibility that Greg’s son (and Aunt June’s grandson) will be able to take us up in a small plane Friday afternoon, but that might not happen, either. Russell is attending Embry-Riddle University in Daytona (apparently considered the best aeronautics school in the world), has his pilot’s license, and has a guaranteed slot for his Marine Corps pilot training. All right, Russell! I hope a trip Friday afternoon will work out, but if not, we’ll catch it next time! Update: I just spoke with Greg, and it looks like the weather isn’t going to cooperate tomorrow. I’ll take Russell up on his flight offer next year when we’re down!

One of Monday’s highlights was a walk down the beach to Breakers, a place that is right on the beach. I love sitting out on the balcony to have a drink, looking out at the beach and catching the ocean breeze. I had two Rum Runners, which was a mistake. Note to self: stick with one in the future! Man, those were tasty and went down like freakin’ Kool-Aid, but they pack a wallop!

There was another trip to Breakers for burgers. They have amazing burgers, big and juicy. One of my two favorite burgers I’ve experienced so far. (The other was a recent addition, Port Of Call’s in New Orleans. Thanks George, sweetie! You were right!) I couldn’t resist an IPA from Athens, Gee-Ay (home of the B-52s and REM), Terrapin Hopsecutioner. It was tasty, too! I got a nice picture of a great blue heron at the golf course on Wednesday. I was initially puzzled by this sign at the vehicle entrance to the beach. I thought, “Are people planking or something?” After thinking about it, I guess they mean that where the cars park on the beach, you can’t stake out a place to lie in between them.

After the early movie this afternoon, I’m hoping for some decent enough weather to hit the beach again. (Update: It’s still very overcast, but I’m seeing some clear skies on the horizon.) If I have to, I’ll lay out between the clouds! I’ve got some pretty good tan lines going, especially after I made an executive decision to wear a bikini down here. I said to myself, “Self, have you seen some of the people wearing bikinis down here? Honey, you just feel free to go right ahead.” And I did!

Travelin’ Gal

We made it to New Smyrna Beach with few problems. It actually went pretty well, other than some traffic slowdowns in a few areas. (South Carolina seemed particularly prone to traffic snarls.) That’s so frustrating when you’re anxious to get to a place!

One quick note about the trip down. When we were going through Kokomo, Indiana, I noticed the “Welcome To Kokomo” sign. We zipped by fairly quickly, and I said, “Did that say ‘city of florists’?” Ken was like “What?” I said, “It looked like that sign said ‘city of florists.’ That can’t be right.” We eventually drove by a building that had a big sign on the roof that said ‘city of firsts.’ I said, “Ohhhh, city of FIRSTS. That makes more sense then florists!” But Kokomo will forever, to me, be the city of florists.

Okay, so finally we made it to New Smyrna. The weather is typical summer weather in Florida: hot and steamy! I know it’s hurricane season, but I love this kind of weather, at least when you’re right by the ocean to catch that breeze. The building where we stay is right on the ocean, but we got a special surprise when we checked in. We had been confirmed in a second level room (which we prefer), but a few units down from the end. Not ideal, but still good. Apparently, someone had canceled, so we got second level, but the end unit...yeah, the one that faces the ocean! There are two sliding glass doors, one off of the living room and one off of our bedroom, and they go right onto balconies facing the ocean. SCORE! We’ve been coming down here for 10 years, and we’ve only gotten the end unit one other time.

There was much rejoicing! Ken’s mom is loving it, says this is the most peaceful she’s felt for some time now. I’m very happy to hear that.

The pictures in this entry are views from the balcony. The first is what the beach looked like late yesterday, after they’d closed it to vehicle traffic. The other two are what it looks like today, on a holiday weekend. I prefer the non-crowded version. During the week, it won’t be quite as bad.

I’m happy to be back in our home away from home. Now it’s back out on the deck for a little more reading, then a little sun time. More to come!

Let the vegecation begin!

Well, darn it all. Here it is the night before we leave for our annual “vegecation” at our timeshare in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, and I haven’t updated for about a week. I had fully intended to, but I was busy with laundry and packing and watering the plants and just enjoying the beautiful weather we’ve had here lately. I have a good base tan so that I won’t fry in Florida. I’ll make sure I wear sunscreen down there, don’t worry!

This year, my mother-in-law is coming along. I get along very well with her, so I don’t anticipate any problems. I told Ken, “Just as long as she doesn’t expect me to talk a lot!” I’m not kidding. The Florida vacation is about enjoying the beach and the ocean, and lots of reading. Just a general down-time. Even with me not working anymore, I still enjoy it. It’s a very different atmosphere from land-locked Indiana!

The final shuttle launch is scheduled for Friday, July 8th, and I am keeping my fingers crossed that it will go as planned. We can watch it from the beach at New Smyrna, because Cape Canaveral is just an hour or so south of there. I also plan on getting together with Cousin Greg and my Aunt June, since they live in Daytona Beach, a half an hour north of New Smyrna. There are tentative plans to have Greg’s son, my cousin Russell, take us up in a plane after the launch on Friday. Russell is in college now, and has his pilot’s license. How awesome is that? A very smart and super sweet young man. I hope it works out that we get to do that!

Cousin Shane and Matt will be taking good care of Sheeba, so I will have no worries there (other than missing my kitty). On the way back, we’ll be making a detour over to Memphis in order to stop at Graceland (I’ve been there once, but Ken and his mom have never been). HUNH! Awww man. We hope to spend a little time on Beale Street, too. I hear the music rivals that on Bourbon Street. I can hardly wait to find out!

I’ll be taking the computer and my cameras along, so I hope to have updates along the way. I hope I can get video of the shuttle launch, although it will just be a bright spot in the sky from my vantage point. None of that right in the middle of the exhaust assembly footage, sorry!

See ya on the road!

Bloggin’s like a box o’ chocolates….

You never know what you're going to find...or what is going to find you.

As if I wasn't have a great enough weekend already, I received an email today that went to my spam folder. I didn't recognize the address (and neither did AOL's software, obviously), but the subject line concerned the Alba Court Inn. At the risk of opening some sort of scam email, I decided to check it out.

First of all, a little background. Most of you know that Ken and I have a timeshare in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, and go there every year. We really do feel as though it's our second home, and we enjoy our visit and the town every time we go. When we first started going, there was a place in town called the Alba Court Inn. It was an old hotel, long abandoned, and of course it captured my imagination, as such places often do. I always speculate that places like that are haunted, but that's just my runaway imagination. If they're haunted by anything, it's memories, or by people like me who wonder about the visitors over the years. Although, one never knows, does one...? [spooky laughter]

I tried to find out some information about the Alba Court Inn, but there wasn't a whole lot out there. I wrote to one of the city officials, and he didn't have much more information for me, other than that the hotel was slated for demolition. We were able to get quite a few pictures before that happened, including of the trashed interior, and he later sent me a few of the actual demolition. Although we know it's been gone for a couple of years now, we still drive by the location. I was saddened to see this time that even the sign is gone. I wrote several times about the place, and you can read those entries here, here, and here. I was able to find a postcard on eBay, and it resides in one of the curio cabinets with other treasures like a nail from John's Modern Cabins on Route 66.

Back to the email. When I opened it, I was delighted to read this:

Dear Beth

I just came across your blog postings at http://nutwoodarchives.blogspot.com/2007/09/alba-revisited.html etc

I am doing some research on the Alba Court Inn, as it was owned in the 1920s by T J Talty, first cousin of my greatgrandfather. When T J died on April 1, 1926, he left a substantial estate but no will. The case became known as the Talty Millions here in Ireland, and my greatgrandfather was one of numerous beneficiaries (first cousins, etc) who shared in the proceeds (more like a quarter of a million dollars in total).

I thought you might be interested in the bits and pieces below which I have come across in my search. If you ever come across any further information on T J Talty or the Alba Court Inn, I would be delighted to hear from you.

Best wishes

Paddy W.

Ireland

==========================================================

In December 1922, the Miami Herald Record in its Business and Hotel Directory of the East Coast of Florida carried regular advertisements for `Alba Court Inn BOTH PLANS

OPEN ALL THE YEAR

REFINED - COMFORTABLE

RATES REASONABLE

WASHINGTON ST. & FAULKNER ST.

T. J. TALTY, PROP.'

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle Winter Resort Directory, 1923-24 gives a more detailed description. The Alba Court Inn was one of four establishments in New Smyrna Beach in this directory. It accommodated 75 guests, was half a mile from the local (railway?) depot, was near water, the proprietor was T J Talty and the season ran from November to March.

At http://fulltextt10.fcla.edu/DLData/SN/SN0AAB9617/1925_000/file24.pdf is a directory of New Smyrna (an incorporated city in Volusia county) from Polk's Florida Gazetteer and Business Directory 1925 in which the first entry is: `Alba Court Inn T J Talty prop hotel'

http://www.geocities.com/yosemite/rapids/8428/hikeplans/new_smyrna_beach/plannewsmyrna.html says that the Alba Court Hotel, Alba Court Inn, a 26-room hotel, `was built in 1906 by James and Clyde Pennell. The three-story lobby provided cross-ventilation to the guest rooms. Steam heat and gas were supplemented by in-room plumbing added in 1917.'

The hotel address is 114 or 115 Washington Street.

`Maine cottages: Fred L. Savage and the architecture of Mount Desert' by John Morrill Bryan, Fred L. Savage, Richard Cheek (House & Home, 2005) says that by 1911 Herman Savage, brother of Fred, owned the Alba Court Hotel.

According to http://www.myhometownnews.net/index.php?id=32623, the Alba Court Inn, built in 1906, was demolished Abt 19 Oct 2007.

Ballina

Killaloe

Co. Clare

Ireland

~~~~~

How amazing is that? Someone from County Clare, Ireland came across a 2007 entry of a girl from Indiana about an obscure and now-demolished Florida hotel, and he is related to one of the people who owned it. I have responded and asked him if he would like me to send the pictures I have.

As you can imagine, it made my day.

All things considered, I prefer Smucker’s

Wow, I missed an entry yesterday! I feel so ashamed. Okay, not really, but it was weird to not update! I intended to, but our friend Lee came down to visit from Jacksonville, and there just wasn't time.

He got here around noon, and after sitting on the balcony and getting caught up a bit, we headed down the beach to one of our yearly stops, Breakers. They make the best burgers I've ever had, and every year, I love them even more. (Debbie L., we had a basket of onion rings, too!) Q: How do you make a cheeseburger better? A: Add more cheese! Ken and I both got the Three Cheese Burger, with American, Swiss, and Provolone. The extra cheese was delicious, and it was great to sit by the open window and look out at the beach as we ate.

After lunch, we went out to the beach and yes, frolicked. Ken and I tried to get one of his stunt kites up and running with limited success. I decided to hop in the water while Ken and Lee worked with the other kite, and had a pleasant time bobbing in the waves. They were those gentle swells that let you just float along and I was thoroughly enjoying myself, even feeling a little brave and taking on some bigger waves. (I can't swim, so I stay in where it's not over my head, but sometimes the waves are big!) It was beautiful and sunny, and I was as happy as a little girl.

Then, WHAM! I felt a sharp pain on my back and the underside of my arm. I knew right away that it had to be a jellyfish, and when I looked down, I saw a blob of jelly on my board shorts. I tried to rinse it off in the ocean right away, but it slithered down and stung my leg, too. In all the years we've been coming down here, I've never gotten a jellyfish sting before, and wow, that initial impact is intense! I came up and put Benadryl spray on it, and that really seemed to help. The initial sting wore off quickly, and there were no ill side effects, but those babies pack a wallop. I can now say that I know what a jellyfish sting feels like, and I hope they leave me alone for another eight years! I really don't hate the jellyfish...he was bob-bob-bobbing along just like I was, and the waves smashed him into me. After all, I was invading his space, wasn't I? I also suspect that he perished in the impact. I'm still alive. So I don't hate the little gel guy.

In the evening, Ken cooked spaghetti (Lee has braces, so we tried to make something that he could eat easily) and then we played card games. It's always great to see Lee, and we had a fun time!

Today, we made a stop at the cove where the manatees hang out, and Jamie, we took two bottles of water! As you can see, they came right up to Ken and got a nice drink. It was so cool!

After that, we went to JB's Fish Camp and had lunch. More fresh seafood (we had more raw oysters, and I had steamed rock shrimp--Ken had steamed clams), and all delicious. JB's has a very funky decor, with all kinds of fishing regalia, funny signs, and oddly, a lone snow ski. I noticed something up in the rafters and thought of our friend DB. (Check out the book!) On the way to JB's, I enjoyed looking at all the buildings and homes along the way. There are some impressive beach homes, but my favorite thing to see is the older, 50's-style homes, pastel stucco with flat roofs and louvered windows. I don't think I can describe how I feel when I see such buildings. It gives me a feeling of nostalgia that is almost palpable, and I can almost see and smell the interiors of such homes. The heat, the humidity, the still air in the yard, the sound of the cicadas in the trees, and the Spanish moss hanging from the trees. It reminds me so much of our trips down here when I was a kid, going to visit relatives, picking oranges from their trees, riding my bike down the road at Lemon Bluff and seeing the alligators at the side of the road, seeing the cottonmouths by the river, and the incredible lush verdancy of the countryside. The growth is almost frightening, and Stephen King alluded to that in his novel Duma Key. I understood immediately what he was trying to say, because that strange wild and violent growth seems almost sentient at times.

But I digress.

Then it was back "home," and after Lee left, we went back out to the ocean one last time (at least for this year). Happily, no jellyfish encounters, just a pleasant time enjoying the sun, waves, and sand! A storm rolled in this evening, but we've been so fortunate with having nice weather. Hard to believe that the week has gone by so quickly, and I know I'll feel sad when we leave tomorrow morning...but I'll look forward to next year!

Next stop...Asheville, North Carolina!