Lee and Crissy and kids only got a nod from us before we were on our way north - though we were to return for a longer visit.
The first stop was St. Augustine - a pause on the way to Jacksonville. Werner had been there years before, and my last visit was even more years before that. It's a bit more touristy now with the "old city" converted to trendy and touristy shops and restaurants and very pedestrian friendly. But the major draw, the Castillo de San Marcos, has not changed a bit. Walking around it was a pleasure and a walk down memory lane as well. The weather could hardly have been better - cool breezes and warm sunshine. A nice omen for the rest of our trip.
I'd arranged a stop in Jacksonville to meet up with a few former high school classmates since I won't get back in April for our 50th class reunion. Everyone says it but it doesn't make it any less true - How did we get this old? Wasn't it just yesterday, the prom, the graduation? Yes (in our heads) and No (in real time). It was a special treat to see two good friends from that time - Sherry and Bonnie. Others were there as well and we had a nice evening. Werner of course is so easy - and since he's a bit exotic, people love to talk to him.
And the B&B we stayed in I will recommend to everyone: The Jenks House in Riverside, a historic neighborhood that grew out of the great fire of 1901. The Martens were wonderful hosts and breakfast with fresh-squeezed orange juice from trees in the back yard, fresh roasted (!) and ground coffee and buckwheat pancakes can hardly be described without drooling. The upper photo is a sewn fabric collage that hung over our bed. Very interesting.
Then OFF TO ATLANTA and the local Goode Sisters and families. The family hasn't grown in the last couple of years, but since we're all growing older, it seems bigger! What fun!! We missed out on Keith + Liz and kids but we'll catch them next time.
Finally we make it to Florida, Lynn Haven, the Ginn Residence. Because Hunter and Hannah were so long the focus of our trips there, it still seems it still ought to be the first stop and it is still strange that it isn't (no offense, L+C!) We got to see Hunter play soccer with his school team, mess around with Hannah's friends for a weekend sleep-over, and eat fresh oysters till we couldn't. Otherwise, it was lots of normal life - school, shopping, work, eating, cooking. All that equals wonderful.
Then a couple of days in Tallahassee with Nancy. Crazy dog! Fried shrimp! Talk, talk, talk! We are still working on solving the worlds' problems and I'm sure we'll accomplish that on our next visit.
Finally back to Orlando and time with Dylan and Hayden. There are bike rides to do, picnics to have, flower beds to weed and plants to water, more food to eat and more food to eat and votes to tally.
The political process has always been interesting to Werner (he arrived in the US just as the Bork hearings started, for those of you who remember!) and he's never got over it. I don't know exactly when I started (maybe in high school running for office in student council), but I remember putting up signs and making phone calls for McGovern, going door to door for Chiles, and donating here and there. And always reading. It's interesting to be there and see debates and reactions in real time. From now on, it will be time-delayed.
We're home again, from warm and sunny to freezing and sunny and sometimes snowy. And freezing is no exaggeration - our pipes are closed. Shut down. No water in the bathroom or shower. No washing machine. After the thaw, we'll find out what has happened and what we have to do. In the meantime, we fill the buckets from the kitchen to flush the toilet and take our showers at the fitness center after our workouts. Weird. Strange. Not so really comfortable. Really. Not.
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