Hey There!
I am home! I may be houseless but I am not homeless. Home is where I feel loved. I feel loved in Wisconsin and Inverness, Florida.
Before I talk about that, though, I want to share with you the upcoming book sale.
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Book Sale!
AlzAuthors is running a sale on the books they share on their site. Read about me and my books on AlzAuthors.com. If you already read my books and are looking for something else entertaining and educational to read about dementia, they have quite the extensive list.
Starting the week of November 9th my first book, Alzheimer's Trippin' With George, goes on sale!
Normally $25 it will be on sale for $19.95 and the Kindle version for only $2.99!
Expect a reminder from me. A sale in time for Christmas!
Home Again Home Again
My house is my Weeroll for now. And checking the prices of houses here, I am sure it will be my house for a while.
I arrived in the early evening and texted a few folks to let them know I arrived ok. I should have just rushed to set up because the threatening clouds opened up and a few things got soaked. But it was nice to be welcomed by my neighbors and friends and to meet the new neighbors too.
Once I got to Florida I looked around at the flat countryside and remembered all the beautiful mountains, lakes, and beaches I had visited this summer. This place looked dull in comparison. But then I remembered what is the big attractions. Friends, biking and kayaking with friends, and no winter snows, and lovely crystal clear streams and big old oak trees covered in swaying Spanish Moss.
Oh, and the Withlacoochee Trail!
Here is what my home looks like near Inverness, FL.
I am parking my truck in another spot as there isn't really room for it unless I give up my front yard. A friend in the park offered a space near his trailer. Thanks Allen!
When I Left You
Last I wrote to you I was near Augusta, GA. And though I was alone there I had a fabulous time. Besides getting some stuff done like taking junk I had accumulated to the Goodwill, I was able to bike a few places.
There is a trail that crosses Georgia and part of it was by the Petersburg Campground. I had never "mountain" biked before but I took my two wheel and tried the trail. Man that was hard work! After 4.5 miles I cut over to the road and rode up to the visitors center.
While crossing the dam that makes the Strom Thurmond Reservour I saw a poor what I thought was a crow hanging by its feet from probably a fishing wire.
A closer look and I realized it was a commerant. And my first suspicion of some evil-doers doing witch craft or something awful was replaced by the realization that the bird had probaby got tangled in a fishing wire and the fishing wire got snagged on some rack on the roof of the dam building.
Hey fisher-people! Clean up after yourselves!
I tried having a fire one night, but the roaring fire you see below is just the fire-starter burning. I didn't succeed and that was ok too.
I sent pictures of the patterns in the sand to Steve and we puzzled over what it could be. They lower the water in the lake a couple times a year, giving me sand to walk on and causing snails (I guess) to dig down to find moisture.
One day I drove my trike toward Augusta and got on a Greenway Trail. It only gave me about a 14 mile ride, but it was scenic and fun. Sometimes in the woods, sometimes by the river.
Pretty close to the end of the trail there is a round-about. I explored all branches.
Pledge the Pink
#PTP #PledgethePink was based on Fripp Island which was right next to Hunting Island where I was camping with Sisters on the Fly.
After several wonderful days at Petersburg Campground I drove over to the Atlantic Coast to Hunting Island where the Sisters on the Fly were volunteering to help with a Breast Cancer fundraising event.
Participants would walk 10 miles a day for three days all on some lovely trails. To participate, walkers would have to raise about $2300 each!
I am glad I arrived a few days early so I could explore. I rode the Spanish Moss Trail in Beaumont, GA. It is 10 miles long.
It went right by a drive in movie theater with three screens! Oh what fun we had in the day, eating popcorn and listening to the scratchy sound track from the box that hung on the drivers window.
I stopped at a gas station to use the restroom as there are zero facilities on the trail. This gas station was fancy. The hand dryer over the sink put out a blue light to kill germs.
When I got back to my truck I saw I had my first dent in Big Blue. Someone didn't like that I was parked so close, I guess.
After the ride, I went to the visitors center. I was going to walk a trail when I saw a black cat come trotting toward me, its tail up.
I stopped to pet him for a while, but then realized the mosquitoes were getting me. That ended my hike, I ran back to the car.
I was glad to have a few days to explore. I walked the beach, watched the sunrise from the beach most mornings, and at night after dark I would return and get a wonderful view of the sky. I put on a jacket with a hood and lay on the beach watching and letting my eyes adjust and see more and more. This is a new activity for me. I was amazed, laying alone in the very dark on the beach. I have come a long way baby!
There are a couple signs that I am getting closer to home. Palm trees is my first sign. Then sand fleas and bug bites all over my legs. I watch the streams for gator, I see warning signs but no gator.
As a volunteer I was on the Bike Patrol. My job was to cheer people on and call for help if someone needed help. I wanted to take my trike because I thought people would enjoy seeing that more. But I didn't know what surfaces I would be riding on. I decorated my bike to cheer on the walkers.
I took a yellow reflective safety vest I had and put a sign on the back that read, "Save the Tatas!" And I stuck two pink ribbons on the front strategically placed.
Volunteering for the event was a blast!
The participants really got into the costumes and the hats. Sometimes they would carry a picture on a sitck of someone they know or knew that has/had breast cancer.
On the first day the walk went all over Hunting Island. I stopped at the first mile marker to cheer people on and I ended up using their cell phones to take pictures. I did it again for them at the five mile marker. I wish I could have had copies of them all. So many fun costumes and people!
When the walkers moved from the crowded trail to the beach, there was an audible change to their chatter. They began to write in the sand.
I thought of all the people I know/knew that had breast cancer. Susan, Sandy, Ruth, Ann, Kathi, Amy, Cynthia, Kay's sisters... on and on the list went in my mind.
I looked for those who were struggling with their miles and I chatted with them briefly.
The sisters leading this volunteer effort had goody bags. I was in a quandary. Every time someone gives me something I can't eat, I feel like they handed me a big rock to carry around with me. It weighs me down. I took some of the items and the rest I returned to the leaders.
I kept the flamingos. They are special. Last year the sisters won the guiness world record for the number of flamingos displayed. My two flamingos are from those award winners. They are special. I took an extra one to give to Steve.
The second day of the walk was in Habersham. When I arrived there I got excited. It is a planned neighborhood with small front yards, big front porches, walkable streets, green spaces. It had been featured in Southern Living Magazine. We were grateful to the residents for letting us invade their neighborhood for the day.
The woman below walked all three days with a recently injured back, hip, hampstring and more. She did it!
The walkers were appreciative of my efforts. One gave me a shell and several asked to take a selfie with me in it. That felt very good.
A man dressed as a fireman was popular with the walkers. He was carrying a lot. When I posted his picture up on Facebook a bike friend from Milwaukee, Ad Carson, told me he was a friend of his from Wisconsin! I didn't even chat with him. Next time I will!
My last day I had volunteered to take down dollar bills from the walls and ceiling of Johnson Creek Tavern. That was fun too! Thanks to my friends that donated via my fundraising effort as a volunteer. I think you can still donate if you want. So far this years event raised $625,000. #PledgethePink
The info on next year's event is already on their website. I think I will do it again on my way back from up north next year.
The next stop was to be Jekyll Island! I had heard good things about it. Steve was going to camp there too and ride the island with me. And I heard from Amy S. that she was coming from Ohio to ride with us! YAY! I was excited.
As I was getting ready to hitch I had to overcome a challenge. Just before the hitch was in line with the ball... I hit a root. If I gunned it to go over the root I might ram right into the trailer.
I figured it out by changing the angle of my approach slightly I was able to line up without gunning over the root. Yay!
Time's Up!
But sadly I have run out of time to write more today. I will have to save the camping time with Steve and the riding time with Amy for my next post. Debra invited me over for supper and I am super excited to get and give hugs! It will be great to see her again!
And tomorrow Steve wants to kayak and I gotta stop in and see Jean. Then there is my Windermere friends...
Next Sunday we leave for Fort Myers to help cut trees and clean up brush at a friends home. I have so much to do before then. I sure hope I get to write you again before we leave for that!
Be well and enjoy your moments regardless.
Sue, you are so very giving in so many ways We are honored by knowing you! So glad you are having such interesting and rewarding adventures.
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