The past two days I have felt like I was in an alternate time-space, everything out of sync, nothing predictable. It's not been a bad two days, just strange. Of course, not being able to use a computer for 1.5 days leaves me feeling adrift, cut off from my techno lifeline...
We got up and ran around yesterday morning, getting ready to leave, and trying to do all the last-minute things one does before a trip. In our case, it's compounded by having to deal with Coco, who has to have her own overnight bag packed for her stay with Bronwyn, including her favorite toy, piddle pads, and eggs and cooked rice - her current diet, since actual dog food makes her sick. We are so incredibly lucky because Bronwyn adores Coco and vice-versa, so she really gets her own little vacation, and we don't feel bad leaving her. Bronwyn also checks on the house, and if she has to leave Coco for an hour or two, she leaves her in the house where things are familiar.
We had a pleasant drive over here, despite the fact that we quickly realized we didn't bring enough jackets or umbrellas. When we left Atlanta it was drizzly, but soon enough we got into actual pouring RAIN!! Yes! Although I HATE driving in the rain, I was just thrilled to be getting help for our poor ravaged yard and gardens.
The kids watched DVD's, Mother and I chatted, we stopped a couple of times, and THEN - just outside Columbia - a tire blew. WHAPPPPP! and I steered the car over to the side. Oh joy. I called my brother, who lives nearby, and he came to the rescue. We had to spend about an hour on the side of I-20 while he changed the tire and put on the spare. It was nice weather, though, not raining - about 65.
I got stung by ants who crawled in my Crocs. Bruce and I had a little disagreement about whether to put the spare on - he thought a can of Fix-A-Flat would do the trick and I disagreed. Suddenly, he hauled off and threw the can into the woods. I said "I'll just get in the car and wait." So I got in the car and sat and he put on the spare. He had the grace to apologize later because I was right, the dadgum tire was totally blown. Just when I think he is totally Hasty [Mother's family] he has a little temper tantrum that reminds me of my father...
We cruised on into Columbia and had lunch at a place called Lizard's Thicket. I kid you not. Think Shoney's run by VERY southern people, people who cook with lard and salt, and serve actual SweetTea, yes m'am. I was just happy to find someplace open. After he had calmed down, Bruce was in a good humor and we had a very pleasant meal. He declined out invitation to come to Myrtle Beach, since he had to work today. He had a chance to get to know Michael a little more. He brought Mike a book on swords [a hobby of his; he collects them] and me a book on gardening. Alesia got an old shirt of his, which is way too small, but fashionably shabby. He gave us a DVD of a movie called The Ghost and the Darkness, which the kids watched. He didn't have anything for Mother, but he picked up the lunch check, which was a gift in itself...
The rest of trip here was without incident. Michael and Alesia watched the movie. Then they kept looking at the sun setting over the low country as we drove in and saying "WOW! It looks like Africa!" - Mother thought that was odd until I pointed out they had just watched a movie set in Africa. We had an argument about whether giraffes are nice or ornery.
Our condo is very nice, although I was disappointed it's not the same one we stayed at in June. There are two big bedrooms and a decent little kitchen. This one features a completely mirrored wall in the dining room. There's nothing I enjoy less than watching myself eat. Yikes. The views of the ocean outside the condo are wonderful, though.
We ate dinner at one of the few places open last night, the Golden Corral. I have to admit, I was actually impressed by it. It's about the largest buffet in the world, with every kind of food imagineable, from steaks to chinese food, italian food, soups, salads, plus of course turkey and dressing.
We were a big group, because there were my aunt and uncle, their daughter and son, and two grown grandchildren, one of whom is married. I don't think I've had a meal with that many family members in a long time. It was very pleasant. I enjoyed especially talking to my cousin Raye's son Michael, who has his own marketing company here in Myrtle Beach, and is just a very personable young man.
My Uncle Bob, the paterfamilias at nearly 80, is sharp as a tack. However, he has Parkinson's and it's really affecting his ability to walk. He shakes a lot. He fell a couple of years ago and broke his hip, so he is very careful how he walks now, and he has to walk quite slowly. Mother is distressed to see him this way, because he's 6 years older and has always been a father figure to her.
We watched some TV back at the condo last night and headed to bed at 10. I was pooped after all the driving and the events of the day. Alesia and Michael decided to sleep on the pullout couch in the main room, and they went right off to sleep. I didn't know until this morning that they had decided the bed was a mite uncomfortable - as such beds tend to be, let's face it - and so they improved it a bit. Alesia found all the pillows in the condo except the ones used by me and Granny, and she placed them over the mattress, and fixed a cozy extra layer of padding. Other sofa cushions were placed for maximum padding. It was truly a marvel of engineering and I had to admire it.
For breakfast, I took the kids and ran out to Bojangles and got a variety of eggs, grits, sausage bisquits, and cinnamon bisquits. I miss Bojangles because we don't have them around Atlanta any more. They have great bisquits. The woman who served the food looked like a manager, but she snarled at me like I was a terrorist. It was not what she said - "I'll get you some more tea. These are the breakfast platters." - but HOW she said it. It was busy in there, but dadgummit, there was no call to snarl at me. The kids just froze, the looks on their faces like "uh oh, what's Mom gonna do now." If I had been channeling my mother I would've drawn myself up to all of my 5'4 and said imperiously something like "Well, it would be lovely to see CUSTOMER SERVICE in this establishment!" Instead, I just grabbed my food and hustled the kids out of there. I hadn't had my caffeine yet. It certainly was bizarre.
We spent some time visiting at my uncle's house, then went to lunch, again with the family, to Cheeseburger in Paradise. I love the sweet potato chips there. They have excellent burgers. [Yes, this is the Cholesterol Tour, in case you hadn't guessed it]
We went for a very chilly walk on the beach when we got back. The wind was fierce. I was surprised - it seems so bizarre for Myrtle Beach to be cold. Michael found some shells. I dipped my toe in the ocean - no visit would be complete without a toe dip - and it was like ice water. Yikes.
The place where we are stauing has an indoor pool, and the kids had fun playing in it. Michael kept saying "I LOVE that thing - what's it called - za cooshee?!" and I had to keep saying "No honey, the JACUZZI."
He complained bitterly about having to take a shower last night, because "the water was too HARD and it hurt Mr. Happy!" I told Mother, he's already obsessed with that thing. Mother said "And will be for the rest of his life!" LOL
We have had a pretty busy day, although relaxing. I am looking forward to eating a ham sandwich for dinner and watching a DVD before bed. We had such a big lunch nobody wants a big dinner.
I promised Mike that tomorrow we could find one of the gloriously Las Vegas like courses that abound here, and play mini golf. This wind is going to play hell with my game...
