Thanks so much for visiting our travel blog. We hope that you enjoy reading about our adventures as much as we're enjoying living them. Let us know what you think - leave a comment or two.
. . . literally!!! The deep south has not been warm! Today we had the best day we've had (weather-wise) in about 10 days!! It's either been raining, threatening to rain, or just plain chilly. We have been watching a lot of videos, reading & sewing. Well, I've been sewing, working on a cross-stitch scene for my mom. Anyway, it's been a very mellow beginning to our winter travels. Sorry we've haven't had a lot to share here on the blog. "Guiler Travels" probably needs to be renamed to "Guiler Sits!"
We have had some excitement, albeit not personally. Our son, Kevin, has enlisted in the Army and is awaiting the date for booth camp. While we are concerned about the situation in Iraq, we truly believe that this is a great step for Kev; that he will thrive under the structure and discipline of the service. We also have faith that he is God's hands and that his future has already been planned for him. I have always thought Kev should go in the service, it just took him a little longer to figure it out!
Jason, Lindsay & Reagan are doing well. Reagan is growing and becoming quite an independent little girl. She is giving her parents a run for their money. We love it! Of course, there is some bittersweet emotion in their lives as they continue to wait for a buyer for their home while their new house is going up fast. If you think of them, we covet all prayers that a buyer will be found before they have to settle on the new house.
Here's a couple of the latest pictures of Reagan. Isn't she just adorable!?!?!?!! We're hoping to do some sightseeing next week. There is so much to see in this area. Keep in touch. Take care of one another. Until the next time . . .
. . . and comfortably ensconced in our RV! We got back to Summerdale yesterday, picked up the RV and set up camp by 5:30. Not bad, not bad at all. As wonderful as it was to be in Maryland and Birmingham with family and friends, there's truth to that saying, "There's no place like home." There's just something about your own bed.
We are so very grateful for good friends like Tricia and Dan & Debbie. They opened their homes to us for great lengths of time and made us feel so very welcome. We feel so fortunate to have them in our lives.
Plans have changed once again. We will be sitting still in Summerdale for a couple of months. It looks like we probably won't travel west this year. But, if we have to sit in one place, we love that we are able to do it here. We really like this area and the campground. There are lots of things to do and the climate is not bad. The weather can get fairly cool, but it rebounds quickly. Today was over 70 degrees!! That's the kind of winter weather I can get used to! :)
Hopefully, I'll be able to share the Gulf Shores area with you over the next couple of months. We also have found a church in Foley that we like very much. So, we are just grateful that we have the flexibility to change plans this easily. You just never know the direction God is going to take you, so you gotta enjoy the ride.
Here's a picture of our camp site here at Summerdale. And yes, it is as relaxing as it looks! Until the next time, take a minute and tell someone you love him/her. You'll be glad you did!
The nice thing about being retired is when life throws you a curve, you just try to swing through it! We had planned to be back in the RV by now, but it wasn't quite ready for us. The shop is waiting on a part, so we decided to continue to mooch off Dan & Debbie's hospitality! We could have gotten the RV back and the mechanic would have come out the campground to finish the repairs, but it seemed just to make more sense to sit tight and let the RV stay in the shop.
So, here we are, just hanging out in Birmingham. We'll get on the road eventually, and the blog will get more interesting then, I hope! :)
We arrived in Birmingham around 7pm last night. It was an easy trip - long, but uneventful. God has been so gracious to us in our travels.
It was tough to leave, though. We spent all of Tuesday with the kids and when it was time to leave them in the evening, that old tug of "maybe I can't go" hit me. I always feel as though I am abandoning them. I know that's silly, but the feelings are real so I have to acknowledge them. Many times throughout that day I would find myself just watching one of the kids, Lindsay, Kevin or Reagan. Just watching them, trying to commit to memory the laughter or a certain look. Sometimes I think it's going to be the last time I see them. But, I'm so grateful for who each one is, or is becoming. I think of Ginny, struggling to make ends meet and being a good parent to Tommy. And I reassure myself that, as much as I love each one of them, God loves them more and He is watching over them - and can do a much better job than I!! (Yes, I do know that even though I think He could use my help sometimes!! hehehehe)
Sorry to be so introspective, but these are the many feelings that assault me when we set off on a long trip and it's nice to be able to "share" them. I know that my kids will be okay, after all they're my kids! :)
Here are a couple of pictures taken our last night together. Unfortunately, we didn't get any pictures of Ginny and Tommy when we saw them, so I'll just post a picture she gave me awhile ago. We plan to get back to southern Alabama on Friday, picking up the RV and getting it restocked for the next leg of the trip. Then, next week we'll head west for new adventures. Please drop us an e-mail and let us know what's going on in your lives. We always love to hear from family and friends.
I hope everyone had a wonderful start to the new year! Randy & I had a lazy (what a surprise!) day today, but started it off with breakfast out with Kevin. That was a nice way to start the year - we don't get a lot of time with him anymore. I found out that I really enjoy his company; isn't that a nice thing to know about your relationship with your kids? I think it is.
I hope that all of you have a great year - do something that you've always wanted to do! Don't wait, 'cause you never know if you'll ever get another chance to do it. Don't waste energy on missed opportunities, make new ones! And be sure to tell those you love that you love them.
We leave Maryland early, early Wednesday morning and will spend a couple of nights with Dan & Debbie in Birmingham. Then, Friday morning it's off to Summerdale to pick up the RV. We hope to be on the road middle to late next week. First stop, New Orleans; then who knows!
I talked with Ray & Judy this evening. They're at Frog Creek in Florida with the rest of the gang. Kinda makes me a little sad that we're not going back this year, but I know we're going to have a wonderful time out west. And, we'll see them again on the road or back in Florida another year. It's just nice to be reminded that we've got lots of folks to catch up with in one way or another.
Well, we'll "talk" again soon. Until the next time . . . enjoy!
Hard as it is to believe, Christmas is over. But, what a great holiday it was for us. We have been able to be with our kids and spend time with other family and friends. We still have another week before we leave Maryland and it promises to be as busy as the last two have been. We are making dinner dates to get together with friends and getting as much "baby time" in as possible. Here are a couple of my favorite pictures from Christmas Day (can you guess why they're my favorites????).
We hope that all of you had the best Christmas ever, too. Let us know some of your favorite events from your holiday celebrations. We love to share!
Until the next time . . . enjoy the life you've been given!
We made it home around 8:45pm Thursday. It was a looooooooonnnng drive, but surprisingly, not a bad one. Guess what "they" say is true, it's all in how you decide to deal with it. We knew we had a long drive ahead of us and just did it. Tricia was up waiting for us and welcomed us with hugs and smiles. It was great.
Friday morning, we were up and moving early. I went to traffic court with Kev and then we both went over to Lindsay's to see her and that beautiful little girl, Reagan. It was so wonderful to walk up to the door and see them waiting there for us!! Reagan was laughing and bouncing up and down in Lindsay's arms, so excited to see me. I loved it!! The four of us went out to lunch and then back to Lindsay's for the afternoon. Randy didn't get there until later because he went to a lunch with some of his work buddies. But, we had a great reunion with the kids.
It's good to be home. We're babysitting Kelly & Kate tonight, so that will be good to see them again. Then, we need to make arrangements to get down to Ginny's to see them. So much to do!!! And, we need to get some Christmas shopping done at some point, too.
We hope everyone is safe and looking forward to a wonderful celebration of Jesus' birthday. We sure are!
Until next time . . . take care of each other and keep in touch.
It's Monday afternoon and the preparations have begun! Randy washed both the RV and the truck today while I did some cleaning inside the RV. Of course, he worked a whole lot harder than I did! But, no one is surprised about that, are they???? :) Now the ugly part begins - PACKING!! UGH! We haven't had to pack for a trip in two years!! And for three weeks, no less. Hope the truck can hold it all!
We leave this Wednesday and will stop for the night in Birmingham at the luxurious Domer B & B. Then, it's up very early and out the door to spend all of Thursday in the truck so we can get to Columbia that night. We are so grateful to my friend, Tricia, for opening her home to us during the holidays. She is wonderful!!
Our plan is to be in Maryland for about three weeks. Randy says after Christmas he'll be watching the weather 'cause he doesn't want to get stuck in the snow! But, the plan is to leave around January 3rd. Hopefully, we'll be able to touch base with lots of folks during those three weeks. We sure didn't get to see many of you while we were home at Thanksgiving.
One thing I didn't do this year that I normally do and that was to send out Christmas cards. It was just one thing that I could cross off the list of what to spend money on. But, please be assured, that all of you are in our hearts and thoughts this Christmas and you are loved!!
Please drop us an e-mail and let us know how you are doing and what the most special part of your holiday was. Merry Christmas!! and Happy New Year!
What a gorgeous day we had today! The weather couldn't have been nicer - especially after the cold couple of days we've just had. It was sunny and over 65 degrees. A perfect day for going to see the USS Alabama in Mobile. When we left Maryland, Randy had said he really want to see this ship, so off we went today. I have to admit I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would.
Your first impression of this ship is just how HUGE it is. Just amazing. And you get to walk through just about every part of it: crew quarters; eating areas (excuse me, the mess halls); gun turrets; captain's quarters; medical areas; ammunition storage, etc. And the size of that ammo!! Oh, my gosh! Of course, not all of it was as big as Randy, but you get my meaning. Doesn't he look so happy!?!?!?!! He was enjoying himself, I promise!
At this site, there are also other historic planes and war memorials. The Korean War and Viet Nam memorials are very moving, especially when you realize that the names listed are just from the Mobile area and there are SO many. The flags surrounding the Korean War memorial are from each of the countries that were involved in that war. There is a short history on each country's involvement in the war written on the base of the flag.
Randy & I are always so moved when we visit these historic sites. Here we got such a sense of humility just knowing what these servicemen & women went through to preserve the freedoms we so enjoy. I know that sounds hokey, but it's true. Standing on that battleship and seeing the skills it took to man that ship and the victories they achieved in war, you just can't help but be grateful. At least, I know I am. It's good to be reminded of what we have here in this country.
We arrived at our final destination in Summerdale, AL today around 3pm. It was a long trip for some reason today. Doesn't matter though, we made it safe and sound - that's what matters! Lately, I've been reflecting on how gracious God has been to Randy & me since we've been traveling. We have had no major issues with the truck or the rig and have always arrived safely. I am grateful to God for his continued protection of us.
We did have a nice interlude last night when we stopped for the night just outside of Talledega, AL. We were able to meet up with Dan & Debbie for dinner. Even though it was just a short visit, it was special anyway. Our time with Dan & Debbie is always good. We can sit around a table and talk until late, if we have the time. Unfortunately, last night we couldn't do that, but we made the most of the time we did have.
Looking forward to relaxing here in Summerdale. No big plans, but if we find something neat to share with you, you know I will. Until then, take care of each other and please remember why we celebrate Christmas. It's not about the presents, it about Jesus!
The weather cooperated with us really well today for our visit to Historic Rugby. It got to over 70 degrees!! Boy, was that nice. Anyway, it took us about an hour and half to get to Rugby from our campground. We took the scenic route instead of the highway. It's always fun to see the surrounding area. We almost missed Rugby as we drove by! It was not the "town" I thought it was going to be. I thought it was a fully functioning town. And although people do live there, there is no commerce, so to speak.
The town consists of the 26 remaining original buildings from the establishment of the town in 1880. Its founder, Thomas Hughes, came to America to found a town where second sons could come and work since that was not acceptable in England. Second sons had very little future in England at that time. Hughes' mother came over in 1881 along with his 18 year old niece, Emily. Mrs. Hughes lived in Rugby until her death in 1887. Emily became very interested in photography and is responsible for many of the photographs found in the schoolhouse museum. The Episcopal church is still in used today. It is a beautifully kept building. The library is name forThomas Hughes and was established a couple of years after the town, in 1882. The final picture I've posted here is of Hughes' home, named Kingstone Lisle. There are other buildings in town that private owners have purchased to live as well as some that have been turned into Bed & Breakfast inns.
We also took a walk on one of the trails that leads down to the local river. We followed the trail to the "Gentlemen's Swimming Hole." Apparently, this was where the men in town would go to swim since it was taboo for men and women to sunbathe together back then. Let me tell you, it was quite a walk. Supposedly it was only .4 of a mile, but it seemed much longer - especially coming back up!!! Got my exercise for the day!
Just a little more history of our country. The more we travel, the more I am amazed at the widely varied history we have. And we are having so much fun learning about it!
When we got back to the campground today, we had a nice surprise. One of the couples from Ramblin' Pines checked in here this afternoon! Roger & Melissa lived at Ramblin' Pines since March. Randy & Roger played golf together a couple of times and Roger took over Randy's duties when we left. We had never met Melissa because she was still working full-time while they were there. We got caught up with them this evening. That was fun!
We leave Tennessee tomorrow morning to continue our journey to southern Alabama. We'll stop for the night tomorrow in Alpine, AL which is near Talledega. It's close enough to Birmingham that we'll be able to meet our friends, Dan & Debbie, for dinner. I'm excited about that! Seeing Dan & Debbie, I mean, not dinner. Although, dinner is always good, too! :) We'll get to Summerdale, our final destination for this trip, on Friday afternoon.
Until the next time . . . take care of one another. Drop us a line once in a while.
We spent a great day today at the Museum of Appalachia. It is a 40 acre facility that John Rice Irwin created to honor the people of Appalachia in the late 1700s, early 1800s. Mr. Irwin spent the last 40 years collecting all of the items found here. There are more than 35 buildings on the facility and all of them are actual buildings that were lived in, worked in, worshiped in, and farmed. They are not replicas, but were owned by various individuals and families who have since allowed Mr. Irwin to move them to his museum for others to appreciate.
As you enter the compound, the first thing you see is a farmhouse that we weren't sure if it is still lived in or not and various livestock, cows, goats, sheep, and mules. The ram shown here was so camera happy! As soon as I got out of the truck, he ran over to the fence as if to say, "Take my picture!" Or he could have hoped I'd feed him. There are also chickens, peacocks and peahens on the land. One type of chicken I had never seen before - it was furry!! In addition to the pictures I've posted here, I have sooooooooo many more at our Webshots site. You really need to see those, too. I tried to give you a "virtual" tour of the place. That address is: http://community.webshots.com/user/guiler85/0
In addition to the buildings, he has collected tools, housewares, Native American artifacts, toys, the facade of a Post Office and inventory of a General Store. You can spend the entire day going through the Hall of Fame which houses so many of the collectibles and the Display Barn which holds even more of them. One of the neat displays in the Hall of Fame is the Sgt. York display. Apparently, the Sgt. York that was immortalized in the film with Gary Cooper, came from East Tennessee. Another of the amazing displays records the history of the music of this region. So many famous musicians and instruments came from here - Roy Acuff, Grandpa Jones, the Carter Family, just to name a few. And the instruments - dulcimers, mandolins, banjoes, guitars. Some of the homes Mr. Irwin moved here are: one of Mark Twain's family homes (he never lived in this particular one); the cabin used in the TV show, "Young Dan'l Boone;" and the Arnwine Cabin. This cabin is the smallest structure to be listed on the National Historic Register. The last home pictured is the "homestead" house around which stood all of the buildings one family would use to function, i.e., privy, loom house, slave quarters, smokehouse, underground dairy, etc.
If you do go to the website to look at the rest of the pictures, know that I tried to order them as we saw them. As you have probably guessed, we really enjoyed this trip through Appalachia. It is amazing the work these people did with the primitive tools they had. And as one of the musicians on the site said, they didn't know they were poor, they just functioned as the only way they knew.
We are going to Rugby tomorrow. That is a Utopian town founded by Thomas Hughes, an Englishman who was a second son and therefore did not have an inheritance, so he came to America to "make his way." More history - I love it!
I hope you can find enjoyment in every day, too! Until the next time . . .
Well, we left Maryland and family on Sunday and began our trip to southern Alabama. It's good that we leave from a campground and not from one of the kids' homes 'cause I'm not sure I could really leave if I had to be hugging on them as I got into the RV! It's hard enough to say good-bye the night before! It was a good visit, though, and we'll be back very soon - just three weeks!
On our way to our first night's stop in Natural Bridge, VA, we went through Harper's Ferry, WV. I gotta tell you, the Potomac River at the MD/VA/WV never ceases to thrill me. Its power is overwhelming to me. I find it fascinating. Don't ask me why, but I do. Natural Bridge, VA is right in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. We had a gorgeous view of them all the way down the road. They look so very different in their "winter coats" - I told Randy they almost seem hairy. I'm used to seeing them in their brilliant fall colors, but they are still beautiful to look at. We plan to take a trip down the Blue Ridge Parkway next fall - I can't wait! That's gonna be an awesome trip!
Monday morning we set out for Tennessee and our next stop, Knoxville. We got to our campground, Raccoon Valley RV Park, around 2:30pm. This is one of our Escapees parks. I know you all just love that organization's name!! This is our first stay at this particular Escapees park. And it's very nice; a small park, but clean and level. Two very important characteristics for us. We will stay here for a few days, leaving Thursday for Alabama.
I hope to see a couple of historic sites while we are in Knoxville. One is a town called Rugby which is a little more than an hour north of here. It's called one of the Utopia towns that was founded by Englishmen who had no inheritance back home. From articles I've read, it looks interesting.
Another place I want to see is the Museum of Appalachia and it is just a few miles up the road. Some guy started collecting Appalachian stuff as a kid and kept it up and then, as an adult, began acquiring houses and tradesmen buildings and then set up a "town" on his property. I'm really looking forward to seeing it. Will take lots of pictures.
That's all for now. Looking forward to some warmer weather! Have discovered I don't like 30/40 degree weather and have become spoiled. hehehee Take care of each other. Until the next time . . .
Wow! How is it that sometimes one day can feel like a week and a week can seem like just one day? That has been the case for us this last week - it seems like just one day! We arrived in Maryland last Sunday around noon. We took about an hour or so to set up the RV and then jumped back into the truck to head down to Columbia to see the kids. We just couldn't wait to hug Lindsay, Jason, Kevin and, oh yeah - that baby girl, Reagan! And we weren't disappointed, with one exception; we wouldn't see Kevin until the next day. And we never got to see Ginny and her family during this trip. We spent the night with Lindsay and her family Sunday night. We wanted to get in as much time as we could. It was so much fun to see Reagan perform all of the things she's learned, instead of just hearing about them. Of course, I might be just a little biased, but I think she's just about the cutest, smartest, most beautiful 14 month old on the planet! Randy thinks so, too!
Thanksgiving Day was great, too. Our niece, Lisa, hosted us and did a great job. We all ate too much, talked and laughed loud and long, and just enjoyed being together. I got a great picture of Randy and Kevin together. I think they are so handsome! I must admit, as I looked around the room that day, there were more than a couple of times that I teared up with gratitude to God for the wonderful family He's blessed me with. Oh, we do get on each other's nerves at times, and we'll bicker and fume, but we are family. And for that, I am very grateful.
Tonight we are readying ourselves for the road once again. We're heading to southern Alabama where we'll hang out for a couple of weeks. Then, the RV is going into the shop for the time we'll be back in Maryland. We have so enjoyed being home and continue to be grateful for the lifestyle God has allowed us to have. It truly makes coming home even more fun.
Randy & I hope each of you have had a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration and were able to connect with family and friends. But, remember - thanksgiving shouldn't be kept to just one day of the year, let's all try to be a little thankful every day. I know I'm going to.
We spent our last night at Myrtle Beach with Karen, our friend that we hadn't seen in several years. We spent the evening catching up on what we've been doing as well as our kids. It was like we had just been together last week rather than years. I guess it's like that when you share lots of good memories. We hope to keep in touch now that we've reconnected. This picture is of Karen and her youngest daughter, Katie. Aren't they beautiful!?!!
We took a couple of days to get home and pulled into Ramblin' Pines about noon on Sunday. Of course, I was in a hurry to get down to Lindsay's, so we hurriedly set up camp, ensured that the hoses were wrapped against the cold (not liking this 30 to 40 degree weather!!!) and headed down the road.
As we walked up to Lindsay's front door, it opened and all we heard were squeals of laughter!! It was Reagan - and she seemed excited to see us. We're not sure if Lindsay hyped her up or what, but we didn't care. We were finally able to touch and hug on her. She has grown up a lot in the two months since we've seen her! More hair, running, talking, and just plain gorgeous. We spent last night with them just so we could get as much Reagan-time as possible. She is just too much fun.
Lindsay and Jason are doing great, too. They look wonderful and it was great to just hug Lindsay and been with her. He had to work late yesterday so we weren't able to see him until today, finally! He always looks taller to me when I've been away from him. He also was the recipient of a very loooonnng hug.
We're looking forward to getting lots of family time in this week - got lots to catch up on. Hope you are going to have a wonderful Thanksgiving and are able to take time to reflect on the many blessings in your lives!
We got together with Ken & Lesley Trinkley yesterday as planned. Randy & I were a little wary of how the afternoon would go because it's always a little disconcerting to plan an afternoon with people you don't really know. What happens if we don't get along??? Well, I'm grateful to say, it was a wonderful afternoon!! We found out that we have lots of connections, other than Lesley & I having worked at the school system - actually that was the least of them! They had just recently camped at Ramblin' Pines, in June, and I had checked them in!!! Back in the late 80s, they had also rented their home to Dana & Karen Collett, our friends & pastor from Covenant Baptist Church! We spent many evenings in their home. Isn't that just too bizarre!?!?!! The four of us felt that we were truly meant to connect.
Ken & Lesley actually live in Conway, SC which is a few miles west of Myrtle Beach. They wanted to show us their town as it has a lot of history as well as a quaint ambiance. We took a walking tour through the town with Lesley as our guide. It is a lovely town, as promised! Many, many live oak trees ("live" because they stay green all year long) and lots of very old buildings and homes - many from the 1700s. Conway sits on the Waccamaw River and was once the last stop on the river for the old sidewheel steamboats coming up the river.
After our tour of Conway, we went back to Ken & Lesley's home for tea. Lesley is British and they have tea each afternoon. We sat outside on their patio and watch the sun set over the pond their house overlooks. Such a great way to end the day! We look forward to seeing them again in our travels.
Another neat thing that came up in our talking about Ken & Lesley's renting to the Colletts was the reminder that Karen now lives in Myrtle Beach! I knew that, but had forgotten it until Lesley mentioned it. We got out the phone book and Lesley encouraged me to call her from their home. I did and left a message for Karen to call when she could. She returned my call later that evening and we made plans to meet on Friday evening. Randy & I are excited to catch up with her. It has been several years since we've seen her and Katie, her daughter. Our two families were very close at one time and have many fond memories so it will be nice to reconnect.
Sometimes we forget how God is always working in our lives - at least I do. And He cares about every aspect of my life. He's working "behind the scenes" every minute. Randy & I felt this very much in our meeting Ken & Lesley and the reconnection with Karen. It's a reminder that, as believers, we have "family" everywhere we go, we just don't always know who they are. We were fortunate to meet some new family in Myrtle Beach and look forward to seeing them again.
Take time to thank God for the blessings He's given you, and I'm sure there are many. Until the next time, I hope you feel His presence . . .
We had a great day exploring some of the historic sites in Georgetown which is about 50 miles south of Myrtle Beach. It was a perfect day to sightsee - the sun was bright and it wasn't too hot, around 70 degrees.
Georgetown is full of history as it is the third oldest city in South Carolina. It sits on the Sambit River and there's a short harbor walk along the river. It's not prettiest view because of the iron factory, but it was still nice. There are lots of historic homes as well as churches within a five block radius of the town square - some from the 1700s. The houses were not very distinctive like we saw in San Antonio, but I did get a couple of pictures of the old churches. They were neat.
We went even further south of town and found a couple of plantation houses. The first one we went to is Hampton Plantation. This was a rice growing plantation. I didn't know that rice was grown in the south back in the late 1600s, early 1700s! I always thought it was just a tobacco and cotton industry. Anyway, that's what was grown at Hampton. Lots and lots of rice fields, and although it is no longer being grown, the rice fields can be seen and are now full of reeds.
One of the cool facts is that there is a HUGE oak tree right in front of the main house and it is told that the plantation owner's wife didn't like the tree because it obscured the view of the house and was going to remove it. However, George Washington was visiting during this time and he liked the tree and asked her not to take it down. So, she didn't! This tree is so huge that there is a pole propping up one of its branches.
The second plantation we visited is Hopsewee Plantation. Its claim to fame is that the original owner, Thomas Lynch, Jr., was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. The plantation sits right on the North Santee River. The house is still lived in and the owners allow tours. We just walked around the grounds.
I have read many books by authors Pat Conroy and Dorothea Benton Frank. They both write about this area, especially the Santee River. It was kinda neat finally seeing it as well as some other areas mentioned in their books; makes the books come alive.
Really nice day. It is a little humbling to walk the grounds of these plantations, knowing what a tough life the workers/slaves had. Looking around, it is amazing to me what the owners and their slaves were able to accomplish with the technology (or lack thereof) they had. We should have no complaints about the amenities and ease of life we enjoy!!
Just a few more days and we'll be on our way home! So looking forward to seeing the kids and the rest of the family. Hope all is well in your world. Take a look at the rest of the pictures from today on our Webshots website. Until the next time . . . take care of one another!
that you never know who you'll run into, so always be on your best behavior!
Well, that happened this morning. We went to church this morning at the campground and I saw a woman sitting toward the front of the room. I told Randy that she looked awfully familiar. Of course, he just shook his head 'cause he and the kids laugh at me because it seems I meet up with someone I know almost everywhere we go.
Anyway, I figured I'd speak to the woman after the service if I got a chance. And so it happened that I did. I couldn't come up with her name, so I just went up to her and asked if she was from Maryland. She said yes and so I asked if she was from the Columbia area. Again, she said yes. I told her she looked so very familiar but I couldn't figure out from where. I asked is she ever worked for the Howard County School System and she said yes! We finally introduced ourselves, (Ken & Lesley Trinkley) but her name was not familiar at all! We talked a bit and decided we must have seen each other at meetings or even around the Columbia area since she lived in Kings Contrivance and we were in Stevens Forest (neighborhoods very close to one another).
We chatted a bit and, come to find out, she and her husband are now living in the Myrtle Beach area, having retired down here. They used to camp here at this campground and like it so much, they come to church here each Sunday.
I told her that Randy & I are enjoying this area and how we always look at each new area with an "eye" for settling down somewhere someday. We agreed that none of us miss Maryland winters and have no desire to live there again during them! They invited us to visit with them on Tuesday and explore their town. They actually live in Conway which is about 15 minutes west of Myrtle Beach. We made a date to get together on Tuesday afternoon. Then we're going to have "tea" at their house! Lesly is British, so this should be interesting! Who'd think we'd be getting a bit of British culture in South Carolina!!
We're in Myrtle Beach! And we couldn't have asked for more perfect weather! We got here a little before 2pm on Friday afternoon and it was 75 degrees and sunny! It was an easy trip. We stopped overnight Thursday,in Aiken, SC which was about 4 hours from Atlanta and then got up Friday morning and came on to Myrtle Beach, another 3.5 hour drive. Of course I had to get a picture of another river - the Savannah River, as we drove into South Carolina.
We're staying at Lakewood Camping Resort. This is a Christian-owned campground and it was really neat to pull in and see a Scripture verse on the marquee! It is a HUGE complex. The office looks more like a four star hotel lobby (not that I've been in many four star hotels!) They have many oceanfront campsites but you still can't see the ocean 'cause the dunes hide it from view. You can hear it, though! Then they have many, many other campsites as well as park model villas for rent around the two lakes they have. There's also annual lease sites as well as a small mobile home part onsite. There are many activities planned even though it's the off season. Can't imagine what it's like during the summer.
Got up this morning and walked around part of the complex. Was lucky enough to get a couple of pictures of the sunrise on the beach. Also saw some of the birds that call this home; cranes, herons, mallard ducks. So cool.
We are going exploring tomorrow. There are a couple of plantations for touring south of here - in Georgetown. Who knows what we'll find! But, we'll share it with you, I promise!
Take care of each other. Until the next time . . .
We got to Atlanta on Saturday afternoon. We were going to watch our nephew, Patrick's, playoff football game at 4pm. We left Birmingham around 8:15 that morning and, since it was only a 3 hour drive, we figured we had plenty of time. We even stopped at a Cracker Barrel on the way (imagine that!) and checked off another one on Randy's list. BUT, we didn't allow for the change from Central to Eastern time zone! So, we were actually an hour behind what we thought we'd be! We got to the campground around 2:15 and set up the RV just enough to get the electric & all going as well as settling Blackie so that we could get to Patrick's game on time.
It was fun seeing Patrick play in the game. And, they won, decisively! 26 to 0 and they go on to another playoff game next week. Was kinda glad when it was over, though, 'cause it was cold!!
Spent all day Sunday with Missy & the kids. Tara had to get back to Auburn early yesterday, but it was great that she came home just so she could see us. Really loved that! We're getting ready to go back over to Missy's this evening for dinner. Patrick had football practice tonight, so we'll be eating a little later than usual. I'm hoping to get a picture of the three of them so I can show you!
School's out tomorrow because of election day, so we'll be spending time with the kids tomorrow. Patrick wants his Uncle Randy to take him golfing and I think I'm taking MacKenzie out for lunch. Not sure what else we'll be doing.
We leave Atlanta on Thursday morning and head to Myrtle Beach. We'll take a couple of days to get there. Then, we'll be there for a week before heading home to MD for Thanksgiving.
Take care of each other! Until the next time . . .
