Home again! Home again! Jiggity jog!

Yes, I know.  The last part of that phrase is usually Jiggity Jig, but this is what my Grandma Greta always said.  So be it!

We are home.  Gary commented when we were on the road between Star City and Pulaski that this was the longest we had ever been away from home since we were married 40 years ago.  He is right.  We left on Tuesday afternoon, May 2, and we returned on Monday evening, May 15.  We traveled through Indiana to Ohio (Cincinnati) into Kentucky and spent the first night.  Then we went on to Gatlinburg, Tennessee to search for a cabin for our New Year's Eve trip with Karen and Clay.

We left Tennessee to drive to Charleston where we spent four nights in the Patriots Point area.  Walking around town, enjoying a carriage ride on my birthday, checking out  a couple of restaurants and the market plus driving to see Angel Oak were highlights.   We also enjoyed the ferry ride and visiting Fort Sumpter, then the drive to Isle of Palms for dinner and to Sullivan's Island to see Fort Moultrie.  One of my favorite stops was at the Boone Plantation where we walked about the slave quarters and gardens, took a wagon ride around the grounds, and toured the house. We even had time to explore an outdoor shopping area which included a large Barnes and Noble store and a movie theatre where we watched Going in Style.  

The next stop was Myrtle Beach where we had made reservations at Ocean 22 resort with the points which were returned to us after Tree Tops burned in Gatlinburg before NYEve.  Our one bedroom condo was very nice except the closet was too small and the four small drawers were not large enough to warrant any type of unpacking.  Living out of suitcases for five days worked for us though.  We rented a cabana on the beach one day, visited both outlet malls, and walked to Pier 14 and back twice.  We also met Sara Horner for lunch Thursday. It was good to see her and hear about her plans to return to Indiana after working for Ground Zero for four years.  On Friday I met Trish, a friend from the DWLZ forum who lives at Calabash, N.C., just north of MB.  It was the first time we had met in person even though we have been 'friends' on Dotti's for several years.  We had a great time talking, just like we were old friends!

We dreaded Saturday with the long drive from MB to Wooster.  The map said 10 hours but with numerous 'potty break' and gas stops, a couple of missed turns, and a longer-than-anticipated lunch, it was more like 12 hours on the road.  That night was not easy for either of us since we had been used to a king sized bed and AC and were not in a double with no cool air at all.

Visiting Mom in the hospital was difficult.  It is hard to see her that ill with very little hope that she will improve.  It was good to see Greta and Kent.   

I'll share more later.  For now, at 12:31 a.m., it is time to go to bed!