I finally managed to find the time to upload the software for my new Nikon Coolpix S610. I even copied (on the second attempt) the pictures onto a disk for JC as well as uploading some of the pictures to Facebook. Progress.
Florida was a fabulous vacation. Of course a trip of mine wouldn't be a trip without some issues. The hotel in Chicago for the park and fly was merely a place to park the car and the pool...was outdoors. Needless to say that $119.00 fee covered the room, taxes AND 8 nights of parking, so anything more than a tent would have been sufficient! I was even pleased to find that my booking was accepted without any issue as well!
We headed to the airport two hours early, as that was the only shuttle option. JC was on an earlier flight so we hoped that T and I could fly standby, but was promptly told...SIX...times that it wasn't an option. Needless to say, the male agent appeased me and put us on standby regardless. Fabulously, we (along with two others) made the earlier plane with one seat to spare! We arrived in Orlando three hours early!
The rental car...If I've never mentioned before, I used to be a rental car agent for Budget rent-a-car. To think I could have been someone or somewhere today (digressing...) if I had only, anyway...of course that was some, well in 1993, years ago. Things have changed from the small airport where I was employed. So we were somewhat challenged by the whole experience, obtaining the paperwork and sent on a mission to find the car. Except it wasn't a specific car. Which I discovered only after talking to yet another agent in the premise of the rental cars. A two door full-size car, any of our choosing down row E. Mind you, luggage and back packs galore, there wasn't a single two door full size car in row E. Finding the closest employee of a different agency, we were informed to take any car. Easier said than done. Since making a decision proved a little challenging but not as much as actually trying to start the car. We chose a Dodge Charger, a fabulous car that averaged 24mpg which I would consider purchasing for my next Chrysler vehicle, anyway only determined AFTER we learned how to start the car. After about five minutes and me sweating like a dog in heat in the blistering car and frustrated beyond belief, I asked some nearby travelers for assistance. Fortunately the woman came to our aide and started it right up! So we learned that the key fab and panic button is actually the key and the smaller door key in the door is just that, a door key.
Susie navigated us around Orlando and Daytona very well; however, she did become hoarse somewhere along the trip and stopped talking to us. This proved to be somewhat challenging, but we prevailed. After taking JC to the airport (he departed two days before T and I) T figured out that somehow Susie GPS was in some foreign miming language that we clearly were unable to hear, recognize or decipher!
After arriving at my mom's we headed to check out a friend's Jeep that JC was interested in possibly purchasing. It proved to be more work than he was willing especially for the price. We then headed to my uncle's home where I had my first issue. We were entertaining ourselves amongst his various orange trees taste testing, pulling, peeling, spitting, etc. When, what have me, several stings to find that I was being bitten by red ants! Ah fabulous. Back when T was three, I had managed to set him down in a pile of red ants when we were in Florida. I don't recall his reaction from the bites being the same as mine. I welted and then each bite, approximately ten of them, had a white head like a pimple and itched something mad. Being myself, I had difficulty not picking at them and spent much of the trip trying to absolve myself of the itch and the pimple like whiteheads. I think I've managed to obtain scars from the picking, but I'm hoping that the marks that remain today will fade in time.
My next issue came when we decided to take advantage of the warm weather and go roller blading. Mind you, I've never been able to stop. There is a fabulous bike trail near my parents which travels 5 miles to Winter Garden and back. I've taken the path several times over the years, but this time, we decided to have T bike and venture on the roads from my mom's house (clearly NOT a good idea). Mom sent us on a wild goose chase to find a dock to search for gators. JC clearly an avid skater suggested I take the dock to the water slowly and hold on to the handrail. Clearly my blades had another idea and I ended up grabbing the side of the banister while flying down the dock! I managed to get a 2" splinter into my palm, and a bruise on my inner right arm as well as my left from trying to stop! Needless to say, I took my blades off after that and left them where they lay and walked the rest of the way down to the water. Humiliated and bruised, I acted like it was no big deal.
En route back to the house, coming down the same dead end street we had gone up, I once again found myself out of control. I attempted to slow down with no luck. JC was across the street attempting to come to my rescue. I was gaining speed and heading toward rocks, debris and a dead end guard rail. I did what I could do and went to the small patch of grass on my left, which launched me into a full frontal face plant into the ground! Ah fabulous! Feeling like a complete ass, I got up without JC's offering of assistance, dusted myself off, acknowledged my newly grass stained shorts and open road rash cuts and kept on blading home with my head down the whole way back (of course to prevent any further injury or insult!).
So within less than 24 hours of leaving Michigan, I managed to be attacked and swollen by red ants and had two roller blade falls. I had road rash and bruises up my left arm, on my right arm and on my legs as well as my feet swollen from the bites. And to top it all off, I managed to get sunburn as well.
Fortunately, the rest of the trip went superb. JC and I got along fantastic. We enjoyed the beach and our jaunt to Daytona Beach. We loved the tour of the Daytona 500 speedway, especially my new sunglasses (which coincidentally I did buy a real cheap pair since I left the other pair in California). We hit the flea market, the beach, my timeshare and all day golf as well. Back in the Orlando area we just enjoyed each other's company and the warmer weather. JC and I had two nights out, one in Daytona where we heard a live band and walked the boardwalk and then another in Orlando area without T. All in all, I couldn't ask for a more fabulous vacation.
Even after I took JC to the airport...I went back to pick up T and we headed to my dad's place about an hour away. The visit was what I expected and he looked better than I anticipated. We stayed for 24 hours and T and I both managed to get much sun despite our sun block. We fared better at Blizzard Beach the day of our departure as we lathed on 70spf! The flight home was much more turbulent and I was smashed between rude over sized travelers. I couldn't have imagined a better time to pay for the upgrade. Back in Chicago we had to wait on the shuttle and when we arrived at the hotel, my car was dead. Sigh.
The shuttle guy aided me with jumping my car, due to the trunk light remaining on again. We finally made it back home shortly after 3a.m. on Saturday morning without further incident or not.
JC had his big race on Saturday but excitedly was going to be at my house waiting for me when we arrived. I couldn't be happier. I was so excited to see him, even if he was going to be asleep when we got home. However, I had completely forgotten that I locked ALL the screen doors when leaving the house so that when JC arrived at my house at 12:30a.m. Saturday morning, he was locked out. Coincidentally I received his call inquiring about getting into the house (which I had the ONLY key) at the exact same time that I discovered my car was dead.
But life is good. We made it home safely and I survived waiting another 12 hours before seeing JC at his race. Another great vacation. While very different from San Francisco, it was a very relaxing, family oriented vacation that I enjoyed almost every minute!
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