We've been home now for one week already...

Quite frankly, I'm having a really hard time adjusting. I'm simply overwhelmed with everything that needs to be done, unpacking and moving things from the house in Brentwood, etc., etc. To top things off, I picked up some sort of bacterial thing in the last days of the trip and I still have it. Means lots of hoofing it to the bathroom, if you get my drift. Ed is doing fine, by the way.
I will be back again with a pic or two for the grand finale. Please stay tuned.

Shenandoah National Park and Staunton, VA

In that first shot Ed is giving a speech to an empty house in the park's ampitheater. Next is a view of the mountains. This was the clearest weather we've ever had when visiting Shenandoah, yet it was still hazy. The next is a really crappy shot (note the lovely oranges cones!) of spotted white-tailed deer. I really shouldn't have posted this one but it was the only photo of wildlife that I was able to get (other than a rabbit, which was actually a better shot, come to think of it). The next photo is of downtown Staunton, which was a very nice little town. We were staying in Waynesboro, which was nearby, but not nearly so nice. The downtown there was relatively abandoned, like a lot of downtowns we've come across. Crushed by the strip malls and the Wal-Marts. And finally a shot of some toy ducks in a shop window that speaks for itself. I love it!

We're getting closer and closer to New York...

Right now we're in Winchester, VA. Leaving here tomorrow and heading for Annapolis, MD to see Ed's son. After that, it's a direct path to Long Island. Probably be there by Monday or Tuesday. Sigh. I have such mixed feelings. I'm truly exhausted with all this hotel-hopping (we both are), but it's going to be weird to be settled in one place. Oh well. Whatever.
For those of you still watching, please say tuned. Will be back with more pix and a final farewell from that hammy someone you all know and love (he hopes). And I don't mean Ed!

We're in Bristol, Virginia/Tennessee

When we left Charleston SC, we decided to head inland toward the mountians in order to get out of the awful heat and humidity. We visited Hendersonville NC to see Ed's friend and his wife, then headed north and found ourselves in Bristol. It's interesting because State Street, the town's main thoroughfare, is bisected by the Virginia/Tennessee border. Brass markers down the street's center denote the dividing line, so you can hop back and forth across the street and do a little shopping in VA, then a little eating in TN or vice versa. The taxes are much lower in VA, about 4.5% versus something like 9% in TN. Best to spend money on the VA side. Lots of antique shops here and it's kind of pretty. We are headed out tomorrow and will continue heading north. We are in our final days of the trip, got to get back and get ourselves organized. It will probably take a week just to clean out the truck. Stay tuned.

I need to clarify something.....

When I wrote in the previous post that the 'butterfly' was the first free thing that we had ever received on the trip, I meant from strangers. I didn't include all of our relatives and friends, who showed such kindness and generosity when we were passing through (buying us dinner, cooking us dinner, taking us out touring, even lending us a house!). So thank you, Nancy and Mike, Tammy and Sarah, Enid and Mousa, and Tom and Frances. We really appreciate everything.

Charleston, South Carolina

These pix were all taken in downtown Charleston. The first was taken outside of City Market, a very large flea market, if you will. The people out front were basket weavers, making baskets out of sweetgrass. We met an older couple there who had a booth (he from South Carolina, she from Newfoundland) and talked to them for a bit. They sold glass-framed butterflies and, lo and behold, he came over to me with two of them in his hand, asked me which one I liked better, and then gave it to me! Gave it to me! For free! And they weren't exactly cheap either. That's the first time on this whole trip that that has ever happened. Moving on, the next shot is of some of the estates lining the Battery Park waterfront. After that is a pic of a very tidy residential back street. And last but not least, what Ed dubbed the "Forrest Gum Pole." Yuck, yuck.

Savannah, Georgia

I took so many photos in Savannah that I had a hard time picking out ones that were fairly good and conveyed a feeling for the place at the same time. I didn't want to post too many and bore everyone to death. Okay, here goes: the first shot was taken in the square right in front of our hotel, I think it was Calhoun Square, not sure. Next up is a very nice cat who ran a very, very, antique antique shop. Kind of spooky and smelled that way too. In the third picture we are braving the crowds along River Street on a soggy day. Fourth is one of the many carriages that toured the historic district and after that a pic taken from our hotel room. The next two shots were taken along Factory Walk: Ed poses in front of the library and a very strange patron hangs out at the wine shop. Next to last is a photo of Mercer House, centerpiece of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, referred to down here simply as "The Book." Speaking of "The Book," there are replicas of The Bird Girl (which was pictured on the cover) everywhere. The last shot is an example. The original statue was a family grave marker in Bonaventure Cemetery, which is nearby. After "The Book" was published there were so many tourists coming to the grave that the family had the statue removed. It's now in the local museum. We visited it on our last visit here a couple of years ago. We also visited Bonaventure at that time and wound up getting locked in! Creepy. We found a caretaker and he let us out. Whew. Otherwise we might never have been able to take this trip.

Two 'Astronauts' at the Kennedy Space Center

You might notice that Ed's smile looks a tad too forced in this astronaut photo. Well, you would be too if you had to stand in line with dozens of overstimulated kids while their stressed out parents attempted to take their photos. Me? Ear plugs and drugs. Only kidding about the drugs but I most definitely used the ear plugs. Life savers.

Cocoa Beach, Fl: a presidential airplane, the 'Party Pier,' and Mac does a little surfing

We had to drive through Patrick AFB to get to Cocoa Beach and we spotted this presidential aircraft parked there. It turns out that George "like a rock, only dumber" Bush had been in Naples, Fl on a fundraising mission just days before. The next two shots are of the party pier at Cocoa Beach: lots of bars and restaurants and tacky souvenier shops. Finally, Mac gets out on the beach and catches a few waves. (And makes a new feathered friend.)

LUGGAGE STOWAWAYS CAUGHT ON CAMERA!

Inky and Spot are their names, hiding in luggage is their game...heh, heh. Now most of you know that I haven't bought a Beanie in years. I have no idea how these buggers got into my luggage.

Well....maybe I do. I fell off the wagon. You see, we arrived in Charleston, SC and went to a junk shop, er, antique shop and they had a big box full of stuffed animals, including Inky and Spot and their Beanie brethren. I couldn't resist. Besides, they're old and they only cost a buck a piece. Sad, really. I hope this isn't the start of something dangerous.

Happy 4th!!

We're in Savannah, Georgia with a really weak wireless connection, so I won't be able to post any photos. We're staying at a Hilton in the historic district (it's a really old building and the walls are paper thin - was up at 6:30 this morning with the people next door) and hope to see the fireworks from our room. We're not up to braving the crowds on the riverfront where all the action will be. Will be back soon.

Key West, Party Central

Boy, what a place. Starting at the beginning we have a tourist choo-choo, one of many modes of transportation, including scooters and smart cars. Next up is Ed standing in a typical souvenier shop. Just a tad touristy, no? Third is Ed standing next to the topless beach sign. Turns out there was a small strip of beach devoted to those females who don't want tan lines. And guess what? Our room was right above it. What joy for Ed. Until he saw some of the women.... I will say no more. Next photo is of a wild iguana that walked right in front of us on the dock and then jumped into the water. I didn't think they liked the water, but I guess they do (or maybe this one just didn't like us). The next shot is my favorite of the whole trip. Here Ed does his best Ricky Ricardo impersonation on the conga. Babaloooooooo!!! Following that, a rooster joins in with his own babaloo. Actually, there are chickens all over Key West. They are the docile descendants of fighting chickens and are legally protected. Next photo is of a (quite amusing) band playing at Sloppy Joe's Saloon, which has been there forever and was supposedly a haunt of Hemingway's. An example of the band's wit: turning the Beatles "Yesterday" into "Leprosy" ... Leprosy, my arms and legs are falling off of me.... I'm just half the man I used to be....... Ha, ha, it fills me with mirth. But I digress. Moving on we have a shot of the buoy at the southernmost point in the continental U.S. And finally, a shot from our room of a storm brewing. All in all, a wonderful time! Except for the heat, and the humidty, and the crowds, and the pricey hotel....... Nah, just kidding. We had fun and got to see it while it's still above water!

Islamorada on the Keys

A beach shot and a sunset on Islamorada, which is at about mile 82 on the Keys. ( Key Largo is approximately mile 100 and Key West mile 0.) Unfortunately, the beach looked nice but the water was virtually unswimmable (lots of sharp coral and marine growth). We stayed there for a night and didn't realize how tranquil it was in comparison to the wackiness of Key West, which we would soon find out.

Naples, Fl & some pelicans on a pier on Marcos Island

The first shot is of a street in downtown Naples, which is very upscale. The second pic was taken from our hotel room at dusk. As I mentioned earlier, we were in the off season, so we got a good rate on the room. In any case, this trip is costing us (actually, Ed), a fortune, especially since we're "past due" on our schedule. The next four shots (sorry, I got carried away) are of pelicans that were hanging out at a fishing pier on nearby Marcos Island (again, very swank and upscale). They were waiting for an easy meal. Don't know if they were successful or not.

Oh, btw, we found out that King George (Bush) was in Naples while we were there. Apparently he visited a very wealthy individual to obtain funds for the Republican party. Interesting that he visited this rich guy, not the other way around.

We're leaving Cocoa Beach today

We spent 2 days at the Kennedy Space Center. Oh God! The heat, the crowds, the children! Strollers everywhere. The bus tour consisted of getting on and off different buses 3 times and waiting on line in the heat for up to a half hour to reboard. Never again. I can just imagine what Disney World is like (shudder).
We're leaving here this morning and heading to Jacksonville Fl, to visit with Ed's cousins for the evening. Then we are headed for Savannah, where we hope to spend some "quiet time" and I can get caught up with my emails and this blog (and the laundry). I will be back with pix asap.