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I'm Back!
Miss me? Most likely not - it's not like there isn't a ton of content on the internet to weed through.
While I enjoyed my visit and being with my mother, I'm happy to be home.
For the most part, the trip went without a hitch. I got onto the island without any issues. It was pouring. But not until after we landed. And by Tuesday, the sun was out, blue sky, and temperatures reaching the lower 80s. Sunday and Monday had bits of sunshine. Actually it rained more in New York this past week than it did on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
The trip back was delayed by about an hour - we sat on the tarmac waiting for inclement weather ahead of us to clear. Or so we were told by the pilot over a horrible intercom system. I could barely hear him, and spent the hour wondering if I'd heard him correctly. (I had.) When I got into Laguardia Airport, it was clearing for the most part, and I even saw spots of blue sky. However, the airport was packed - just about every flight was delayed. Apparently they were having tornado warnings in Chicago and Milwaukee, and inclement weather throughout the Northeast and Midwest.
I didn't fly out until 4 pm. So had a nice lunch with one of mother's friends, an 86 year old, tiny woman, who came up to my thigh, and had traveled extensively in her lifetime, and at one time had worked as an EMT in volunteer rescue. She regaled us with stories from that time in the car on the way to the restaurant, and she insisted on paying for our meal (since mother had paid for hers the last go time). The restaurant, Dockside at Skull Creek - had a gluten free menu, and I was able to get fried shrimp, french fries, and cole slaw, with shrimp cocktail sauce - all gluten-free. (This is a rarity.) They actually have quite a few places on the island that have gluten free menus now. (But our go-to spot, Ruan Thai, is no longer an option. They no longer have gluten free available. Sad to say.) It was a lovely day - so I got to look at the boats, and watch the egrets and pelicans.
***
Backing up a bit to Monday. Saturday - Mother's street and front yard briefly flooded, but it also quickly cleared. We drove through it on the way to lunch (which we had to wait a bit to drive to - since it was coming down in buckets).
Mother: We can go now -
ME: Uh, no. We can't see across the golf course out back, the rain is so thick. I think not.
Mother: Oh, okay.
Sunday was uneventful. Mostly rainy, with a few thunderstorms. We celebrated Mother's Day by going to a Mother's Day Brunch, and I got Mamma a card, which she greatly appreciated. It was covered with miniature suns. I wrote inside: "Thank you for always bringing in the sunshine..." Mother found it clever.
After nothing but rain on Monday, or so it seemed (we watched television most of the day, chatted, read, and relaxed), however,Tuesday was a lovely day. So after lunch, we went to a private residential beach - at Dolphin Head, which is also a bit of a wildlife refuge and recreational area.
There's no development permitted, and they've increased the sand to build up the beach and protect the marsh land behind it.
People don't tend to swim in the water, and for the most part just enjoy the beach. It's never crowded and you don't see many folks lying on the beach or playing on it.
Mother and I aren't huge beach goers - I don't particularly like sand or lying on beaches. Walking yes, lying no. And while I did go down to the water, I didn't dip my toes in it. I decided it had wild life in there, and I didn't want to get my feet caked with sand or the sandals. It did - there was a lot of seaweed washed up on a section of the beach. I did watch a flock of sand-pipers fly in and out of the waves, jumping about on the beach hunting sand crabs (these are crabs that burrow under the sand, with a little air hole, some find shells - they are kind of like hermit crabs).
They are tiny little birds, and I do not have the right camera to effectively capture them.
While Mother sat on a bench and talked to her younger sister (who lives in Michigan), I wandered about on the beach.
***
The next day, Wednesday was equally lovely. Blue skies, and in the low 80s.
So after going on a brief, but productive (if somewhat pricey) shopping spree (I bought six items, three shirts, three pants, and at least two of the shirts were heavily marked down - so not too bad), we went to Jarvis Park. We did lunch first at the Sante Fe Grill. Where I had a corn Enchilda, refried beans, and salad (I couldn't have the rice - since it was coated in a wheat flour sauce - and I'm ceiliac - yes, I know, it's rice, but I didn't mind - I have issues with rice.) Also a huge chocolate mousse for desert. Chocolate Mousse is basically my favorite desert next to flourless chocolate cake.
Jarvis Park is another environmentally sustainable recreational area designed to protect the marshland and environment, and provide an area for people to walk and exercise.
Originally it was just a small pond. Then it became a small park, with some plantings, and a small pound. Now it is a huge lake, with streams, and creeks, and a water reclamation center. Also a home to alligators, egrets, birds of all kinds, fish, etc. Although I only saw a few egrets this time. Mainly because people were out, the water was high, and it was warm.
The lake is just over about a mile or two around, and it took me about twenty - thirty minutes to walk it. I didn't do a brisk pace, mainly because my leg had been bothering me a bit. Mother sat on a swing chatting with her younger sister, while I walked the circumference of the park. Mother calls her sister each day. Mother is doing rather well health wise, her sister, not so much.
Anyhow, it's late, and while for the most part I slept rather well during my trip, I did not sleep well last night. I never sleep well prior to a trip. And I'd eaten things the night before that undoubtedly kept me awake.
So, I must beg you all adieu and go off to bed.
I'll leave you with another photo...this one of Mother's backyard, or rather the golf course that comprises her backyard. (I'm NOT a fan of golf, but this is pretty for the most part.) This is actually about five houses down from Mother. You have to walk about five minutes to see it.
While I enjoyed my visit and being with my mother, I'm happy to be home.
For the most part, the trip went without a hitch. I got onto the island without any issues. It was pouring. But not until after we landed. And by Tuesday, the sun was out, blue sky, and temperatures reaching the lower 80s. Sunday and Monday had bits of sunshine. Actually it rained more in New York this past week than it did on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
The trip back was delayed by about an hour - we sat on the tarmac waiting for inclement weather ahead of us to clear. Or so we were told by the pilot over a horrible intercom system. I could barely hear him, and spent the hour wondering if I'd heard him correctly. (I had.) When I got into Laguardia Airport, it was clearing for the most part, and I even saw spots of blue sky. However, the airport was packed - just about every flight was delayed. Apparently they were having tornado warnings in Chicago and Milwaukee, and inclement weather throughout the Northeast and Midwest.
I didn't fly out until 4 pm. So had a nice lunch with one of mother's friends, an 86 year old, tiny woman, who came up to my thigh, and had traveled extensively in her lifetime, and at one time had worked as an EMT in volunteer rescue. She regaled us with stories from that time in the car on the way to the restaurant, and she insisted on paying for our meal (since mother had paid for hers the last go time). The restaurant, Dockside at Skull Creek - had a gluten free menu, and I was able to get fried shrimp, french fries, and cole slaw, with shrimp cocktail sauce - all gluten-free. (This is a rarity.) They actually have quite a few places on the island that have gluten free menus now. (But our go-to spot, Ruan Thai, is no longer an option. They no longer have gluten free available. Sad to say.) It was a lovely day - so I got to look at the boats, and watch the egrets and pelicans.
***
Backing up a bit to Monday. Saturday - Mother's street and front yard briefly flooded, but it also quickly cleared. We drove through it on the way to lunch (which we had to wait a bit to drive to - since it was coming down in buckets).
Mother: We can go now -
ME: Uh, no. We can't see across the golf course out back, the rain is so thick. I think not.
Mother: Oh, okay.
Sunday was uneventful. Mostly rainy, with a few thunderstorms. We celebrated Mother's Day by going to a Mother's Day Brunch, and I got Mamma a card, which she greatly appreciated. It was covered with miniature suns. I wrote inside: "Thank you for always bringing in the sunshine..." Mother found it clever.
After nothing but rain on Monday, or so it seemed (we watched television most of the day, chatted, read, and relaxed), however,Tuesday was a lovely day. So after lunch, we went to a private residential beach - at Dolphin Head, which is also a bit of a wildlife refuge and recreational area.
There's no development permitted, and they've increased the sand to build up the beach and protect the marsh land behind it.
People don't tend to swim in the water, and for the most part just enjoy the beach. It's never crowded and you don't see many folks lying on the beach or playing on it.
Mother and I aren't huge beach goers - I don't particularly like sand or lying on beaches. Walking yes, lying no. And while I did go down to the water, I didn't dip my toes in it. I decided it had wild life in there, and I didn't want to get my feet caked with sand or the sandals. It did - there was a lot of seaweed washed up on a section of the beach. I did watch a flock of sand-pipers fly in and out of the waves, jumping about on the beach hunting sand crabs (these are crabs that burrow under the sand, with a little air hole, some find shells - they are kind of like hermit crabs).
They are tiny little birds, and I do not have the right camera to effectively capture them.
While Mother sat on a bench and talked to her younger sister (who lives in Michigan), I wandered about on the beach.
***
The next day, Wednesday was equally lovely. Blue skies, and in the low 80s.
So after going on a brief, but productive (if somewhat pricey) shopping spree (I bought six items, three shirts, three pants, and at least two of the shirts were heavily marked down - so not too bad), we went to Jarvis Park. We did lunch first at the Sante Fe Grill. Where I had a corn Enchilda, refried beans, and salad (I couldn't have the rice - since it was coated in a wheat flour sauce - and I'm ceiliac - yes, I know, it's rice, but I didn't mind - I have issues with rice.) Also a huge chocolate mousse for desert. Chocolate Mousse is basically my favorite desert next to flourless chocolate cake.
Jarvis Park is another environmentally sustainable recreational area designed to protect the marshland and environment, and provide an area for people to walk and exercise.
Originally it was just a small pond. Then it became a small park, with some plantings, and a small pound. Now it is a huge lake, with streams, and creeks, and a water reclamation center. Also a home to alligators, egrets, birds of all kinds, fish, etc. Although I only saw a few egrets this time. Mainly because people were out, the water was high, and it was warm.
The lake is just over about a mile or two around, and it took me about twenty - thirty minutes to walk it. I didn't do a brisk pace, mainly because my leg had been bothering me a bit. Mother sat on a swing chatting with her younger sister, while I walked the circumference of the park. Mother calls her sister each day. Mother is doing rather well health wise, her sister, not so much.
Anyhow, it's late, and while for the most part I slept rather well during my trip, I did not sleep well last night. I never sleep well prior to a trip. And I'd eaten things the night before that undoubtedly kept me awake.
So, I must beg you all adieu and go off to bed.
I'll leave you with another photo...this one of Mother's backyard, or rather the golf course that comprises her backyard. (I'm NOT a fan of golf, but this is pretty for the most part.) This is actually about five houses down from Mother. You have to walk about five minutes to see it.
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The first picture with the white sand is amazing.
Your trip looks peaceful and rich in impressions — that’s wonderful!
Enjoy your rest.
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I saw the one of the golf course, and before I'd scrolled down far enough to see the sign I was thinking, 'Yes, it looks idyllic, but are there alligators around?' Everyplace has a few problems, and you just have to live with them. It's been so dry here in AZ this year that it's a treat to see the South Carolina greenery.
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I actually like the alligators being around. LOL! But, it is hot and muggy, and has lots of mosquitos which bit me. I ended up with six mosquito bites. Three on my leg, one on my ankle and two next to my eye. (I took benedryl, worked like a charm.)
I only saw one alligator, a small one on the bank of the lagoon, but on another day, and half
hidden. They've been known to grab small dogs that people walk to closely to the lagoons or allow in them. And I'm guessing a few golf balls. Not any golfers...although there's only one that I know of - that I wish would be grabbed, but he'd probably be too big to gobble up. ;-)
It's been very wet in the east. The water was high in South Carolina. We've also had a lot of rain here, very rainy April and May. Also kind of balmy.
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