Driving Lessons

We're in a very, very hot North Carolina! And we're in for the night. Things we learned today:
1) When you download a google map and get unusual directions, there's probably a reason for it. 2) When there are signs along the way telling you the road ahead is closed, probably a good idea to pay heed!
3) When you have to turn around and go back for miles, just enjoy the scenery.
4) When you get audio books from the library, probably a good idea to actually look at the CD's for titles. You may be picking up hours and hours and hours of Bob Hope's radio shows with the really unfunny Jerry Colona.
Husband to waitress at Cracker Barrel: "For Christmas, I'm going to buy you all a new ice cream scoop 'cause the one you are using is obviously wearing out. Look how small these scoops are!!!" Oh dear!

A Journey of A Thousand Miles...

...begins with laundry, house cleaning, checking med supply, confirming reservations, getting new tires, getting oil changed, notifying neighbors, preparing email group, stopping mail, packing, setting thermostat higher, shutting off appliances, turning off water, setting alarm, setting alarm clock, and taking that first step!

Off to find some beautiful country, cool weather and friendly folks!

Cedar Key

Norm just recently restored our "little" boat with the goal of taking it to the Keys for snokeling and island hopping. But, we decided to go to Cedar Key for a test drive first. Lesson 1: Be sure to check the old van's vitals so you don't get a "check engine" light. (Yes "van's", not "man's"! lol) Topping off the radiator fluid and oil and driving faster seemed to work. The light didn't reappear!

We got to Cedar Key and immediately launched the boat and began to island hop. "This one looks pretty good!"

We pulled the boat up to the beach and started exploring when I just happened to notice the boat moving.

Norm caught up with it before it got too far out!

And we tied it to a huge piece of driftwood.

We had taken along our camping equipment and decided to do some primitive island camping. Just a little problem...the camping equipment was in the van, and we were on the island.

This island is a nesting/breeding ground for horseshoe crabs.

On the ride back to Cedar Key, we saw lots of dolphins who were playing in our wake, but we couldn't get any pictures of them. They're so tricky!
So we got to Cedar Key and loaded the camping equipment in the boat. We also decided to have dinner and visit with John, the policeman who drives a golf car and borrow some electricity to charge up Norm's phone. We just forgot to think about the tide! Did you know that in low tide the birds can walk on water? Lesson 2: Get a tide chart!
There are no pictures of us stuck between Cedar Key and the deserted island. There are also no pictures of us trying to row off the sand bars, and there is no sound! (Thankfully!)
We did finally make it back to Cedar Key. Norm had "had about all the fun" he could handle for one day, and the Dockside Hotel looked pretty good!







We got up this morning, checked the tides, knew we would be in trouble, rowed the boat--which had been docked on the opposite side of the boat ramp--out of the mud, loaded the boat and returned home.
And we loved every minute of it!!!