A blur and a blog

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I’m back home, on solid ground, after being in constant motion for the last 5 ½ months in our
motorhome.

I’m sitting at my desk, covered with research books, book proposals, correspondence, works by
upcoming Claire’s Day authors and illustrators, sipping tea and reflecting on our adventures.

Here’s how the (approximate!) numbers stack up; 8,000 miles. Endless hikes with Luna.100
miles biking. 25 rounds of golf. 16 unique camping experiences.13 different bodies of water we
kayaked on. 7 States. 6 visits with friends. Only 4 days of rain. 3 weeks spent with family
members. 2 vet visits with Luna. 1 fun fishing expedition. 0 days laid up due to illness.

When I add up all of the adventures, it equals one hell of an experience.

We left in October when the leaves were just changing in Ohio. We came home in early April
with the trees blooming again. We left with an itinerary, a wish, and a prayer that we’d be safe on
our travels. We came home with unforgettable memories and a sense of accomplishment.

I mean, let’s face it. 5 ½ months spent together in the equivalent of 500 square feet would be a
challenge for anyone.

But we rose to the occasion and had a blast together. Sure, there were squabbles, but, as I offered to
Brad, other than the few times we wanted to throw each other out the window, we did great. I
feel so blessed to have a partner in every sense of the word.

The whole experience reflected how we deal with life. If there’s a problem, we work together to
figure it out. If one of us is feeling a bit down, we build each other up. If one of us is literally or
figuratively on the ledge, we guide each other to a safe place. If we get pissed at each other, we
let it out and let it go.

During our wedding vows 35 years ago, our minister encouraged us to laugh together, cry together, dance
together, make love together, to celebrate life together.

Together.

Here are a few shots of the blur of the last weeks on the road. We visited Blue Ridge,
Georgia, kayaked on the Toccoa River, shopped in the vibrant downtown, and stopped at the
little Serenberry winery for a tasting.

We had to maneuver around the many fishermen on the Toccoa.

I cracked up when seeing this memory again…I thought the hens were going to peck Brad’s toes as he put the kayaks back on the Jeep.

Sun. Wine. Cheers.

We snuck in a short visit with our daughter Kyle, our son-in-law Will, and their pup, Riggins.
Sadly, we didn’t sneak in any pictures of our hike, lunch at a brewery, and cookout at their house.

We wrapped up the journey as it began, stopping at the Rubini family home in Tryon, NC and a
quick overnight with friends Chris and Diane Evans in Lexington.

With Brad’s mom, Lynn, and sister Gail outside the Purple Onion in Saluda.

Thank you for following along on our journeys. These reflections in my blog have been fun for me to create, an outlet as I contemplate my next writing project.

We hope that perhaps our adventures have inspired you to get out there and discover our beautiful country.

Until next time…

 

Trip to the Mother Ship

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Red Bay.

It sounds like a spice, or for those in Florida currently, a description of the coast lines getting hit with Red tide.

But, for every Tiffin motorhome owner, Red Bay means home. As in Sweet Alabama home.

In 1941, Alex Tiffin opened Tiffin Supply Company in this little town in northern Alabama. Throw a stick and you’re in neighboring Mississippi. The store carried any and every thing one needed to build a home. The family business expanded in 1965, with the purchase of a cotton gin. Alex’s son, Bob, took to the management of the operation like a fish takes to water.

Tiffin Supply provided materials to a business that came to town that manufactured recreational vehicles. The business folded and the Tiffin family seized the opportunity to hang another shingle with their name on it. Tiffin Motorhomes was established in 1972.

A 1984 Tiffin Allegro bus. Credit: Tiffin Motorhomes Facebook

Bob Tiffin summed up the competition and determined he wanted to build a better product, one that would stand the test of time. Other RVs were being made out of fiberglass and aluminum. Bob built his Tiffins on a much more durable steel chassis.

Tiffin started with making just two coaches a day. Now the company makes thousands of their hand-crafted, quality motorhomes every year. The company builds both gas as well as diesel fueled motorhomes, with models ranging from smaller 25-foot Class C vehicles, all the way up to 45 foot Class A motorhomes. Check out their models here.

Check out this beautiful 2023 Tiffin Zephyr. Photo credit: Tiffin website

Bob’s sons are now involved in the business, which was bought out by Thor Industries in 2020.The company has stated that they intend to remain in little Red Bay, Alabama, population 3200, give or take. Moving the company out of the area would be devastating to the community.

What Bob Tiffin began has exploded into a whole cottage industry, with service providers ranging from garages that do mechanical repairs, paint shops, detailing mobile vans, and even businesses that will custom make new cabinetry and update and replace furniture.

The Tiffin company has an excellent warranty program, so many travelers to the small town stay in graveled make-do parking lots and head out first thing every morning to get in line for warranty service. For those of us with vehicles that are out of warranty, Red Bay is still the place to come for repairs. Many of the off-shoot business owners and mechanics are former Tiffin employees. They know these coaches inside and out.

We had a whole laundry list of items that were beyond our mechanical abilities, and had absolutely no clue how to figure out which businesses in Red Bay to tackle the repairs. We read about owners who were spending several weeks scheduling their various appointments. We didn’t have that kind of time frame to work with. So, April Fowler of Happy Host RV Concierge to the rescue! April contacted service providers on our behalf, and stacked our appointments within a four-day window. Davidson RV did a fantastic job with most of our repairs, and had a comfortable, dog-friendly lounge for us to work from. The crew wanted to adopt Luna as their shop dog!

On day 2 of our repairs, we snuck in a tour of the main Tiffin manufacturing plant in Red Bay. No cameras were allowed, so I just had to stamp the imprint of the sight of all the workers diligently laboring at their jobs in my memory banks. From custom-made wood pieces for the cabinetry, to all the color-coded wires that make up the three miles of wiring in each coach, to seeing a unit nearly complete at the end of all the processes, it was amazing.

Our last stop involved getting our cracked windshield replaced. The repair entailed nearly 5 hours of work in the repair shop, then letting the seal settle overnight. I wish I took a picture of the huge garage from the inside of our coach. I can now add sleeping overnight in a service garage to my list of life experiences. We slept well, and were protected from the massive rain storm that pounded on their tin roof through the early morning hours.

We woke up early in time to open up the big garage doors and let our last provider in for a special touch to our coach.

The special paint job is a reflection of our love for our country and our shared joy in seeing all of her beauty.

With clear skies and bright sun filtering in from our new windshield, we left the Mother Ship.

One more step closer to home.

But before then…more adventures await in Blue Ridge, Georgia.

 

Sweet Coast

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Some call the stretch of coastal Florida from the towns of Carrabelle to Seaside the Forgotten Coast. It’s also known as the Gulf Coast.

I’d call it the Sweet Coast. With it’s sugary beaches and laid-back vibe, it was just what my soul needed.

My friend Margie gave us a lovely book as a Bon Voyage gift. The Most Scenic Drives in America should live on everybody’s coffee table. The images alone will make you want to pack a bag and head off on an adventure. Route 98, the drive along this coast of Florida is one of the featured routes. Tall pines flanked the roadway, with glimpses of the Gulf occasionally peering through.

I booked two nights at a campground directly off Route 98…the Ho-Hum RV Park. Yep, you read that correctly. This campground prides itself on its simplicity. When you rent a spot at the park, you get your water, sewer and electric hookups, a beach, a pier and a few nice porch swing chairs to view the Gulf. Each morning I took my coffee and watched the dolphins play in the water. How much better does it get?

This is what I woke up to each morning at the Ho-Hum RV Park. Far from Ho-Hum!

Well, seeing dolphins from a distance isn’t nearly as fun as seeing them up close. So, yes, it did get better as Brad and I jumped in the kayaks and frolicked with the playful creatures just off the coast of where we were camped.

We slowed our roll as we spent the few days reading, relaxing and exploring the area a bit. We drove to the little town of Carrabelle. The large marina featured charter boats in search of local fish…tarpon, grouper and red snapper (my favorite!).  We were hungry when we arrived in Apalachicola. The law mandates that no building can be taller than three stories, which made for a comfy feel to the town.

I love vibrant, active old downtowns, and Apalachicola definitely has it going on. Lots of retail, including several shops in converted old cotton warehouses. The seafood restaurants looked enticing, but as we had Luna with us, we opted for Tamara’s On the Go food truck. With a bright yellow exterior and adorable courtyard tucked around the truck, it was perfect to chill with Luna. The chef created a delicious gluten free gyro salad for me. Yum.

We drove the rest of the route, passing by St. Andrews State Park (we hiked here later in the week) and into our next destination, Panama City Beach. Our campground, Sun Outdoors Panama City Beach, was right next door to Zoo World. One morning I was greeted by their resident giraffe as she poked her head over the tall fence, as if to say hello. I woke at daybreak one day to the sounds of lions roaring their morning greeting.

Route 98 isn’t as pretty in Panama City Beach. The stretch is filled with kitschy family activities…putt-putt, go-karts and more discount beach stores than you can count. We did enjoy taking Luna to the small section of beach where dogs are allowed. Pier Park Dog Beach extends from the pier to a short distance away. Strong winds brought riptides, so we kept Luna close to the edge. We walked around the fun outdoor Pier Park Shopping Complex after to let our pup dry off. 🙂  We loved watching a young woman zig and zag while rollerblading on the streets, bopping away to the music piping outside of the stores.

Our daughter Kyle encouraged us to drive from Route 98 to Highway 30A and discover the towns along the way. Her husband Will’s family spent many summer vacations in Rosemary Beach when he was a boy. Will whisked Kyle to  the town for a weekend getaway, and she fell in love with this charming town. Serendipitously, Brad’s second cousin Jane, and her husband Gary, were renting a home in the neighboring town of Seaside during our time in the area. We went from kitschy to kismet!

Out of all the areas that we’ve ventured to over the years, I can honestly say I’ve never seen such a unique place. Each of the towns, Alys Beach, Rosemary Beach and Seaside were well-planned and restrictive on their building codes. Think of Hilton Head on steroids.

Our first stop was Seaside to visit Jane and Gary. Each of the homes have names on their white picket fences. Pebbled pathways wind through the community, from the adorable square filled with shops ranging from a book store to a market with delectable edibles.

Hanging out on the outside second-level porch of Jane and Gary’s rental. Heaven.

The community church hosted a wedding the Saturday evening we were there. As the church sits amongst the quaint homes, there is a strict sound ordinance. No music after 9 PM. Perfect timing for us…we had just come back to the rental house after a dinner at the fun and delicious Café Thirty-A. The four of us decided to take Luna and their pup, Bear, out for an evening walk. When the wedding band struck up “An American Girl” as their last hurrah, I couldn’t resist. I hung out on the outskirts of the crowd, dancing away. Life is too short…dance when you can!

We had such a great time with Jane and Gary. They’ve been coming to the area for years from their home in New Orleans, so we were in excellent hands for travel guides. We took many walks, ventured to the farmer’s market Saturday morning, and hung out at the beach one afternoon. They even joined us for a cookout at the coach!

Brad and I ventured on a bike ride through Rosemary Beach. The town had a European feel to it, with it’s cobblestone streets and town square

Biking in Rosemary Beach and the town square.

Before our time in this area was just a memory, we drove to Econfina Creek, a spring fed, quiet waterway. We got a great workout paddling up stream, then turning around and floating on the return. We packed a lunch, and unlike the borrowed photo below, we didn’t see a soul. So, once again, YOLO, so what does one do in a secluded creek to cool down? I felt like a kid again as I dove into the water, naked as a jaybird, and jumped out just as fast. That water was dang cold.

Photo credit: Lori Ceier/Walton Outdoors

Our travels are winding down…but adventures still await in Dora and Red Bay, Alabama. Stay tuned, and thanks for coming along on our journey.

 

From Coast to Coast

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Don’t you love it when the perfect book enters your life at the perfect time?

My friend Beth Fry lent me Last Train to Paradise, the story of Henry Flagler’s quest to build the railroad along the eastern coastline, and ultimately, all the way to Key West.

The timing to read this fascinating account couldn’t have been better, as we had just traveled along much of the railway route.

From our last reported east coast adventures in Port St. Lucie, we traveled down to Fort Lauderdale. Our digs for the two weeks were quite unique…

Yep, that’s our rig, with literally a million (or Five!) dollar view. We stayed at the Yacht Haven Park and Marina which is located in the Marina Mile district. As the term suggests, yachts of all sizes call this area home.

We had awesome neighbors, the Covely family of New Jersey. John is an avid fisherman, and was kind enough to take us out on his boat. We had a great time listening to John’s stories and catching a variety of fish. Sadly, none of them were large enough to keep. As John offered, the hour long trip through the channel, past the Intercoastal and out to the ocean was worth the price of admission. The closer we got to the big water, the bigger the homes got!

We also had a blast cheering on the Eagles in the Super Bowl with John and Marianne’s family, including their daughter Colleen and crew. We love making new friends on the road!

Two are always better than one!

During our stay, we ventured over to Naples for an annual golf event staged by our friends Jim and Susan Stahl. The event drew over 50 golfers from Toledo, with another 50 joining us after for cocktails. Our foursome was the only team of women, and took a respectable 3rd place.  Brad and I spent the night with brother and sister-in-law, Mark and Marcia before heading back to Fort Lauderdale.

Our awesome team…from r to l Susan Stahl, Linda Gilmore, Marcia and yours truly!

We also snuck in a day trip to visit our friends Rob and Marina Wade in Boca Raton. Luna made herself quite at home, enjoying the salt water pool. The four of us ventured out for a St. Valentine’s dinner at Louie Bossi’s Italian Ristorante. The salmon was delicious!

We don’t go out to eat too often on the road, so this was a special treat, with special friends.

After two weeks exploring, kayaking, golfing, biking and seeing friends on the east coast, our travels took us west.

Although Henry Flagler’s rail line ran along the other coast, The Last Train to Paradise detailed the horrific damage to the railway due to hurricanes. This was relevant as we ventured into Port Charlotte/Punta Gorda and witnessed first-hand the devastating effects of Hurricane Ian.

We had a lovely time with Tom and Beth Fry, who were kind enough to allow us to park our rig on their lot. What fun we had hanging out with them during the day, and popping back into the motorhome to sleep at night. Luna enjoyed swimming in their pool too. We cruised in their boat across the bay to Fishermen’s Village in Punta Gorda for lunch.

Tom and Beth were quite hospitable, even hosting a Rubini family gathering. We were treated to a visit with Brad’s niece, Liz and her family, including husband Jason and sons Jackson and Brendan. (Brad’s half-brother Stan stopped by too.) We had so much fun at the cookout that we forgot to take pictures! But, we snuck in some extra time with Liz and Jackson the next morning at the farmer’s market in Punta Gorda.

After our brief three-day visit, we pointed the coach north, traveling to Land O’ Lakes, outside of Tampa. We stayed for a week, hanging with long-time friends, Jan and Bryan Spaulding. Bryan was Brad’s fraternity father, that’s how far the friendship goes back to!

Jan is training for an upcoming biking adventure through Amsterdam, so Brad and I were happy to help in her efforts to prepare for the trip. Jan and I spent a morning on the Pinellas Bike Trail, then enjoyed brunch at the Wild Iris Cafe in the cute little town of Dunedin. I’d love to get back and explore the adorable village more in the future.

Bryan and Jan hosted us for several awesome dinners at their lovely home, and a fun evening out watching their friend, Cat, participate in the finals of a community karaoke contest. On our last day in the area, we traveled to the Weeki Wachee River for a kayaking adventure. We launched from Mary’s Fish Camp on the Mud River. Established in 1946, this camp is a quaint, old school spot. Brad and I wished that we could have hung out there for a few days.

We didn’t see any of the famous live mermaids, but we did see two manatees literally swimming under our kayaks.

This is the only picture we took over the week of Bryan and Jan…both trying to see the elusive manatee. 

During our time in the area, Brad, Luna and I snuck in a visit with a friend who can claim responsibility for us. We traveled to Holiday to enjoy the hospitality of none other than Tim Gage and his lovely wife, Carrie and their daughter, Griffin. Their dachshund, Minnie, was quite tolerant of Luna as she made herself at home immediately, jumping into the pool and making a mess of their landscaping. (I’m sensing a pattern here!)

Tim and Carrie introduced us to their favorite haunt, Miss Vicki’s on the River. It was a beautiful, fun evening, spent reminiscing about high school antics (the guys) and sharing favorite music and concert experiences (the ladies).

Just as Henry Flagler’s quest came to an end, so too did our coast to coast adventures.

Next stop: The “Forgotten Coast.”

 

 

Touchstones

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My friend Rita had me at “Hey there traveler! Missing you and wondering where you will be the last couple weeks of January?”

Rita’s text couldn’t have come at a better time. I was feeling a little bit homesick. Rita and her husband Curt have been friends for nearly thirty years. We moved into our home at the end of our cul-de-sac soon after they had.  From flashlight tag and chasing fireflies to celebrating graduations together (literally!) our kids navigated their childhood as a unit.

When our oldest daughter, Claire, died, Rita was one of the first to help guide me on my path. I remember walking down the street together just days after, Rita holding onto my hand. She was a literal lifeline.

Rita was a tremendous help in getting Claire’s Day, our tribute to Claire established. Like so many angels who descended upon us during our most difficult hours, Curt and Rita were always there.

The kids moved on and out, as did Curt and Rita.

But the friendship remained.

So it ended up that we all got together at our stop in Port St. Lucie. The Motorcoach Resort St. Lucie West offered the nicest accommodations we’ve had so far on the trip. Our site included an outdoor living area complete with fireplace, fridge and comfy seating.

Brad and Luna hanging out on our site.

Curt and Rita stayed just five minutes up the way, in a nice Holiday Inn. Brad and I vied for best Uber rating in bringing them back and forth to the coach.

As they are both as adventuresome as we are, Julie the Cruise Director set to task in organizing activities for the long weekend.

We kicked off the reunion by sharing excellent Thai food and a bottle of wine at the Malakor Thai Cafe. Yummy.

The next day happened to be Brad’s birthday. His choice of how to spend his special day included kayaking then cooking up a steak dinner at our campsite. Curt and Rita were able to rent kayaks at the River Park Marina, where the owner Jackie was awesome. We were too busy paddling through the mangroves to take pictures, but trust me, it was the perfect start to our adventures.

Brad’s birthday dinner was perfect…steaks grilled by Brad and Curt, excellent salad and potatoes, yummy wine to accompany.

The next day’s forecast didn’t play out as expected. Instead of the sunny skies and warm temperatures we’d been enjoying, we woke up to clouds on Saturday.

But, we didn’t let that stop us as we ventured to Fort Pierce, strolled around and stumbled into their Saturday morning farmer’s market. We ventured to the little manatee education center, and then grabbed a bite to eat at Cobb’s Landing.

I’d rented a boat from Salty’s Water Sports, complete with personal instructions for operating the pontoon boat. We were told numerous times to make sure to follow the channel and to pay attention to the No Wake signs posted. This was manatee country. We were warned that the Coast Guard monitored the waters closely.

Note how Curt and Rita look concerned about what lies in store.

Sure enough, the Coast Guard takes their job seriously.

This unit pulled us over. Captain Brad was fortunately taking the warnings seriously. After a routine check, we were back merrily on our way. We witnessed dolphins chasing fish, and playing together in the water.

Photo credit: Tom van O0ssanen

Note, this is not the boat we rented. This is the 384 foot megayacht (I didn’t even realize there was such a term, and apparently Spell Check doesn’t either) owned by Eric Smith, the CEO of Harbor Freight. The Infinity is the largest motoryacht ever to materialize from a Dutch shipyard. It features seven decks, three pools and a yoga studio. I’d definitely feel like Namaste on this vessel.

We wrapped the weekend with a fun round of golf at The Saints Golf Course. We had a beautiful day on the challenging course. We even saw a few little gators.

As I write this several weekends after Curt and Rita’s visit, I find myself missing home once again.

But these fun memories serve as a touchstones for the rest of our journey.

Death by Alligator

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I sensed movement off to my left, just behind reeds that lined the Juniper Spring Run. I drew my paddle back into the water, quietly, cautiously. As I came around a bend, I felt my pulse quicken. There, just a paddle length away was the biggest alligator I had ever seen. He stopped moving, just on the brink of the clear water.  His massive body seemingly ready to use his legs and tail to jettison off the well-worn dirt shore and into the spring run. The urge to spin around in the current and try and capture his image passed as I saw Brad come up from behind me on his kayak. Not wanting to startle the beast,  I simply nodded my head to the shore, and said, “Gator.”

Brad and I were camping for a few days in the Juniper Springs Recreation area. Our site was beautiful and private with a fire ring we stoked up to smoke some ribs over, followed by the requisite S’mores for dessert. The site also featured a storage locker for your food, so as to not let the other creatures that roam the park enjoy your provisions while away. The first night we were there I heard the dense foliage crack and shift. Was it bear or the wild turkey that were prominent in the park? I’ll never know.

When we learned of the 7 mile Spring Run, considered one of the top 25 kayak/canoe runs in the country, we knew we had to figure out how to work through the logistics of the trip. There is no official ferry service any longer from the end of the one-way run back to the launch site. Brad initially suggested that we dump the kayaks at the start, drive our Jeep with our kayak carrier to the end of the run, then bike the 9 miles back to the start. All well and good in my book, with the exception that the 9 mile bike ride back was along major highways with a narrow shoulder. I think if we’d gone that route this post might be titled “Death by Distracted Driver.”

I got my research brain working and found a woman who transports paddlers from the end spot to the start for $40. We were lucky, for someone else had already booked her and she charged us just $20. I would have been happy to pay the original amount, especially when Brad told me that she informed Brad that the intersection of Route 19 and Highway 40 is one of the deadliest in Florida. Yikes.

While Brad drove the Jeep to the end, I waited with the kayaks. I struck up a conversation with a younger couple getting ready to launch. I wished I hadn’t. The young man’s words were so cautionary that I began to question my paddling abilities and whether it was safe to even attempt the run.

“You know it’s quite a challenging, narrow, waterway with a fast current,” he said.

Yes, I was aware.

“It’s tough to navigate, not ideal for everyone.”

My husband and I are proficient paddlers, I responded.

“There’s quite a few gators, snakes and spiders on the run,” he said.

I understand.

As his words brought about a bit of anxiety, I thought about how we can all be guilty of being naysayers. As a mom with two adventuresome adult children, I’ve tried to bite my tongue when they share their upcoming endeavors. Better yet, I have asked to have them tell me after the fact.

It’s probably just as well that they heard about this adventure afterwards.

Especially after seeing that gator.

One of the dozens of turtles we saw on the Jupiter Run.

We came upon the young couple on the run while they were stopped along the bank. I think the young guy was rather impressed that I’d not only managed to navigate that far without being eaten, but was also bypassing him. I intentionally paddled hard and strong down the run as we went past, missing the first gator sighting. I wanted to prove to this obnoxious young man that I was quite capable. As I paddled away, I said, “Haven’t seen any rapids yet.”

This was the first gator on the run…I missed it because I was too busy trying to prove myself.

“Oh, they’re coming, trust me. And, by the way, your paddle is upside down.”

Note the upside down paddle. I didn’t start that way…the many twists and turns often required a twirling of ones body and paddle to avoid running into trees or the bank. Just sayin’.

It was about fifteen minutes later that I saw the huge reptile. He watched me with his dark, black eyes, perhaps weighing whether I was worth the effort to slide off the bank. I knew that in colder temperatures alligators metabolism slows. I was hoping he’d had a good meal recently. I was amazed at how calm I felt, given that it would probably take just a nudge of his snout and a slap of his huge tail to capsize me.

This isn’t the actual gator we saw on the bank, but his size was similar. Seriously.

Photo credit:dreamstime.com

I paddled away, and he stayed.

And those rapids I was supposed to be so afraid of? They were maybe a level 1, the easiest of rapids. I think I’ve seen bigger waves in the swimming pool during annual family cannonball contests.

My story doesn’t finish with me meeting my end by Death by Alligator.

But I never did see that young man finish the run…

Time Outs

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Years ago I traveled with my dear friends Susan and Pam to Europe. Our itinerary included flying to Paris, taking the Chunnel to London and then up to Scotland. As we were visiting three countries, we thought we’d divide and conquer in our research. Paris pour moi, Susan covered London, and Pam willingly took Scotland. Susan and I labored over a variety of travel books and guides to plan our itineraries.

Pam? Well, she simply photocopied pages from Frommer’s with all of the best “Time Outs.” As in, best places to catch a pint, like the Theatre Royal Bar in Edinburgh or the Keys Bar in St. Andrews.

Ever since, I’ve learned that one can plan all you want for a trip, but sometimes the best times come from taking Time Out.

Here are a few of my favorites as we wrapped our travels in Hilton Head and made our way to Amelia Island and Jacksonville.

Taking Time Out with new and old friends

We had such great adventures with our newfound Hilton Head friends, Chuck and Dyan. This fun full-timing duo (as in their motorhome is their home!) introduced us to some great margaritas, a family-owned awesome movie theater, and biking on Coligny Beach with lunch to follow. If they had it their way, we’d buy the lot across from them in the Hilton Head Island Motorcoach Resort. We were tempted!

  

Once we shifted to Jax, we got together on several occasions with Toledo area friends Steve and Marcia Boice and Bill and Ann Searles. Sadly I didn’t get any pics of us golfing, lunching or enjoying dinner at Palms Fish Camp, but trust me, time with this fun group was a blessing indeed. After playing Long Pointe on Amelia Island, I was tempted to winter there permanently too.

We were treated to dinner at TPC Sawgrass by our friends Mark Cohen and Janis Saunier. It was a beautiful evening and enjoyed meeting their newest addition, little puppy Pepper. Again, no pictures, just memories in our hearts.

Time Out in nature

There is nothing like the simple sound of paddle hitting water. Since we made the commitment of hauling our kayaks with us, we are determined to use them on as many waterways as possible. One this segment of the trip, we’ve hit Broad Creek and the grasslands around Hilton Head Island, the marshland off the Kayak Amelia Island access point, and the St. John’s River in Jacksonville.

Luna loves roaming the beach off leash, and we took her a number of times in Hilton Head. Bonus is a sunset beach walk.

Time in nature resets my soul.

Time Out with Family

I couldn’t wait to hit Jacksonville and spend time with my brother Jeff, sister-in-law Cindy, niece Corrie, niece Shellie and her husband, Michael, and their adorable four-month old McKenzie Claire.

Our daughter Kyle was even able to drive down from Atlanta to spend a weekend with us.

We all enjoyed snuggles with McKenzie and gang!

We had dinners out, dinners in, played Rummikub, watched the Jags win their Wild Card playoff game, and just enjoyed the many memorable moments together.

One of my favorite activities was to help remove the Christmas wreaths that were placed on the 23,000 graves in the Jacksonville National Cemetery. It was a chilly Saturday morning, but our hearts were warmed as we honored those who served our country.

Time Out hanging out with a favorite author

I’ve been blessed to connect with many great children’s book authors and illustrators through Claire’s Day and the Toledo Lucas County Public Library. New York Times Best-Selling author and poet Kwame Alexander is a giant, both literally and figuratively in the world of children’s literature. We met a number of years ago while I was writing my critically acclaimed biography of Virginia Hamilton. I’ve kept in touch with Kwame, and when I learned he was making an appearance at the Jacksonville Public Library, along with illustrator Dare Coulter, Brad and I signed up.

I always feel inspired by Kwame whenever I hear him present, and if by throwing things out to the universe helps manifest it, it would be a dream to collaborate on a project with him. Meanwhile, as you can see, I’m standing on my tippy toes to try and reach his height.

His newest work, An American Story, shares the story of slavery. It is beautiful, both in text and illustrations. Here’s my niece Corrie, brother Jeff and his wife Cindy reading Kwame’s work together. Luna napped during storytime.

I hope that your days are filled with Time Outs! Cheers!