Well Sunday morning started out with a 3AM rollout, of course I had been awake for most of the night anticipating the early morning leave, but mainly all I had to do with the final winterizing of the cabin and to get a 4 AM start. It was cold outside but not freezing after a couple of days of ice and frost. It was in the low 40's and what was weird the further down the mountain we went it actually got colder according to the truck thermometer. We saw lots of live deer on the way down the mountain and lots of dead ones along the roads as well. The full moon was perfect for the critters to be out an about but so deadly for them.
We made a stop in Rock Hill on I-77to use the bathroom and walk for a few minutes around 6'ish and then headed on down to Orangeburg on I-26 for a Mickey D's stop for breakfast and to walk some where around 7:30. Out next stop was in Pooler, Ga. at Sam's Club to gas up at 2.45 a gallon, the cheapest of gas any where all summer. Gas in Florida at best was 2.99 a gallon and usually much higher. My new truck got good milage; some where close to 23 MPG and we only filled up the one time in Pooler and I still have at least a 100 miles before I need to fill up again. I ran some where between 75 and 80 most of the way until we got to I-75 in Ocala and then for the next hour it was stop and go as the interstate looked like a parking lot until we got to the junction where the toll road headed east to Orlando and then I-75 continued to I-275 where we made good time into Tampa.
We did stop outside of Starke, Fl. at Wendy's for a grilled chicken sandwich which held us until supper at daughter Amy house. She made one of our favorite dishes which is what we call "sour bell'. Its mashed taters, noodles with chicken and gravy along with broccoli and sweet corn, delicious to say the least. We got to the house in Seminole right at 4 PM which meant a 12 hour drive almost to the minute from the cabin, we could have done it in 11 hours with all the stops, but the traffic back up in Ocala cost us at least an hour as we crept along for several miles before it started thinning out. There was a couple wrecks we saw on the trip and one serious crash with a semi involved in S.C.
Well the bathroom(s) remodel turned out to be very nice which has made Nancy happy, me I was thrilled with the old ones, but Brian did a good job at a reasonable cost and now we learn he and his wife are leaving the county to belong to our new church plant in Hudson area, oh well We will sure miss them as we have known them for years, but mostly in our small group from church. The back yard needs lots of work on the fence and I'm not sure I can salvage the Life Time shed which had a huge limb from the neighbors tree behind us crash into and through the roof. I don't think I can just buy a replacement roof, so some country boy engineering will need to be done to keep it rain proof, oh well. That seemed to be the greatest damage thus far and the big oak in our yard looks pitiful, but still standing which is a plus. Nancy wants it gone against my wishes but we all know who wins that battle, like the bath rooms remodel, oh well.
We got every thing unpacked and put away and all of the food stuff traveled nicely, especially the frozen meats which we always have too much when leaving. We try to "eat down" the freezer but thats hard to do when you plan for guests and the storms stopped them from coming and so you have tons of meats to bring home, oh well.
It sure was great to see our family here in Seminole and we got a warm welcome from neighbor Bobby the retired fireman who looks after our place as well as edges our yards despite the grands here mowing for us. Thankfully, he got no damage to his bee hives and is doing great with his honey business on the side. I hit the sack around 10'ish and was awaken around 3'ish with Nancy's snoring issues, which caused to me to rollout around well before 5. I even had ear plugs in and I may have to move into the spare bedroom if this continues. Of course I have lots on my mind with putting the yards etc back in order and getting my garden in as well. I have lots of physical work on tree against and in some places still on the fence and protruding into the garden area, plus lots of other small issues. It is good to be back on flat land and in warmer climate as the cold was some what hard on us thin blooded Floridians.
Many thanks to ALL who kept us prayed up for a safe and uneventful travel, LATER
