Planning this trip to the US and our dear family ran into a number of hindrances - first, our move. Yow, we couldn't go while we were packing, couldn't go while we were unpacking. In the meantime, Michelle and company came for a long-hoped-for visit, so there was that! AND, there was Dylan's high school graduation! So, the date found itself. We just had two days between the Ginns departure and our own, but we arrived in Orlando with a good day and a half to spare before the big event.
Before the ceremony.
And what an event! Over 1,200 graduates, an arena full of parents and family and friends, pictures, shouts! It was a festive affair if a bit long.
Afterwards, we celebrated at Cheesecake Factory with great food. Lee had a chance to greet some former co-workers, too.
After that, it was A LOT of stitching. Dylan's quilt, as predicted, was not finished when we arrived and though I worked a good bit on it (though not continuously...) it was STILL not finished when we left! Crissy and Lee felt bad that we didn't have more play time, but honestly, it was nice to have no other obligations except stitching! Besides that, it was so H O T in Orlando that taking walks or any other outdoor events were not very appealing.
Time flew! We left Orlando and drove to Cross Creek and the territory of Majorie Kinnan Rawlings, the author of The Yearling. This is Old Florida, narrow roads, waterways, lots of fishing boats, little cabins, trees full of Spanish moss. Quiet. We met up with Bonnie and Larry, old high school friends and had a nice time catching up.
Before heading north, we stopped next day in Micanopy. It's always a little treat. This time, lunch was accompanied by an older couple playing at the lunch place - sweet.
Next day, we headed to Thomasville. Since I'd not planned on any Tallahassee visits, it seemed better to avoid the "city" and keep to the small towns. It was a pleasant drive there and our Bed and Breakfast was luxurious compared to our rustic accommodations the night before. Our hostess was from Bulgaria by way of Texas, showed us all the expected hospitality of Thomasville and in the morning gave us a gourmet breakfast.
We wandered around the area and found The Big Tree. Boy, is it ever! Look carefully at the 2nd pic - that's Werner way, way, way back there.
Dinner was fun and lively. Thomasville has done an amazing job of keeping their old downtown alive. A bajillion years ago, Tallahassee had a great downtown with lots of local shops and restaurants and movie theaters. Now it's (mostly) a desert of law offices it seems. Panama City seems to be working hard to make its old downtown a magnet, too. Keep working at it!
Our morning tablemates were interesting; they were former residents in town for a family event and of course the conversation wandered here and there. We landed on Florida beaches and they allowed as how the best beach in Florida was hardly known. Did we know it - St. George Island?? LOL.
In PC, there was a bit more on the social calendar. Dinner with kids, Werner's birthday (wow, what a feast!), lunch with Hunter, a surprise hospital admission for a kidney stone (poor Hannah! but things are better...) and the opening of the Dolly Parton Pirate Venture in PCBeach. Wow. This was a major event - and seeing Dolly, so petite, in this huge arena! Fun show, but NO PICTURES of the show, of course!
A very special gift came my way from something so upsetting. The dinnerware (and some other parts of the shipment) that was sent from Germany to Florida ended up much, much worse for wear. Dinner plates were in shards, and I was distressed to say the least. But Michelle found a way to make it all a bit better - she found someone who made precious pieces of jewelry from the shipping disaster! Incredibly thoughtful and kind. Thank you. Michelle, so much.
Ah, and Werner's birthday! Yow! What a meal - steaks that melted in your mouth, amazing service, and a gifted bottle of wine to boot! On the way into our table, M+J ran into one of the festival sponsors they knew and we were just standing there with his other guest and began talking. He asked were we were form and when we told him Germany, he started speaking to us in German! Such a surprise! He's been a frequent visitor here in Old Germany and has worked hard at learning the language. A very special encounter that added to our special evening (that wasn't a birthday party because it wasn't Werner's birthday! LOL).
Ah, finished the quilt. Went through all the boxes and organized some of the stuff that Michelle and Lee will now have to sort. Pictures! So many pictures. Hope they have fun with that. I can only say, better now than later. I guess.
Then to our last stop, Atlanta. It is different there. Even in the airport you hear Ma'ams and Sirs and Sweeties and Hons that I don't hear in Florida. Music to my ears.
Atlanta weather was just a touch cooler than Florida, and welcome. We ate more food, celebrated Julia and Larry's 60th Anniversary (!) and Ginny and Barry's 65th (!!!) with an unusual dinner that won't likely be repeated. Lots of beets, and though I like beets, it was a bit many beets. And it was such traffic getting to the place. I was not far, however, from were I lived in Atlanta the last time (1974-76) and Julia drove us by. Still a nice neighborhood....
We saw Tim and Carla for the first time in at least two years, went to the High Museum with Dave and family, had a visit with Liz and Kelly, now back from years overseas but sadly missed seeing others. Times are gone when it was relatively easy to get all the family together for pool parties at Ginny and Barry's!
Speaking of which, G+B are now in new digs, and dealing with the same things we dealt with the last few months! Fun and games downsizing and rearranging your life. Hoping they find their new place as comfortable as we do ours.
Was that it? Yeah, just about. While we're there, it is forever and as soon as we're gone, it was done in a flash. But we have some memories (and pictures!) that will keep us happy for a while, hopefully till our next visit.
No comments:
Post a Comment