beluga

beluga

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Shhhhhh......

Shhhh.....don't tell the Google Gremlins that I'm able to post this tonight.    They have been doing mysterious things to me all day and its taken me many tries to get to this stage in the blog, so....shhhh, don't tell.

Maybe they are after me because I didn't dress up for Halloween, or that I didn't buy any candy for the kiddies.    Maybe they didn't think we celebrated the day in a fitting manner.....




Its not a dramatic and deserted Oregon beach, but it will definitely do

Halloween here in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina was a pretty stunning day.   80 degrees and sunny, we spent it at the beach.   Hate me if you must.


No shells washed up on the beach, but we saw plenty of beautiful jellyfish dotting the wet sand.


We ate our lunch in the sun and watched Osprey fishing the shallows.   We watched shrimp boats work in deeper water and walked along the sand.   We tried to read, and then dozed.



mackerel sky overhead




There you have our lazy day at the beach, some might even call it a Boring Couple day.    I think its my favorite favorite way to spend a holiday - or any day, really.

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

BCA

We pulled out of our Walmart overnight spot around 10 this morning and took a fairly short drive south to the Briarcliffe RV Resort in North Myrtle Beach.

Along the way we stopped at a Flying J Service Center for fuel and as Dave was giving Beluga a big drink he noticed this billboard next to him.  He got a little tingle as he realized that he had made the molds for the fan blades pictured in the ad, way back in his Papago Plastics (our first company) days.   Retired, but still proud of his business accomplishments.

We have a very quiet site amongst some semi permanent "box cars" and RVs near the back of the resort.   This is an membership resort, and we're not members, but were welcomed, then presented with  a fistful of "rules" we must adhere to.   Evidently, if one is a member, one does not have the same rules.  We had to accept the site we were given, cannot put our ex pen outside unless it is shorter than 2 feet tall, can only wash our windshield with a permit (freely given,  but necessary to hang on our site post) WiFi an extra $2, dog walk in the designated areas, no hanging towels/clothes outside except on the rear of our motorhome, no feeding squirrels ($25 penalty), etc.   Most of those rules are common and non-issues really,  but because of the way they were carefully spelled out, I got the feeling that violators will be dealt with sternly.....The women in the office were carefully friendly and willing to help, but clearly have a higher authority to answer to.


At any rate, we are settled happily in our shady, paved site and will make sure to tow the line.  I was looking for a quiet spot, and this fits the bill perfectly.  We are near the beaches (dog friendly at this time of year)  and lots of restaurants and shopping but not in the thick of tourist things.  Just the way I like it.

Beluga can rest for the next week


Tuesday, October 29, 2013

On the road, south.....

Lordy, I'd forgotten how boring I-95 is!   Pine trees and cotton fields and trucks.   We've stopped at the Lumberton, NC Walmart for a quick overnight and grocery stop.   Tomorrow morning we'll continue on to Myrtle Beach.


Our Walmart campsite



I'd also forgotten that beauty is everywhere, even in a Walmart parking lot......






Monday, October 28, 2013

Monday - Second day at Colonial Williamsburg

Since we are over 50, we were able to take advantage of a "deal" offered on admission tickets to Colonial Williamsburg.   We paid for a one day ticket and,  as a result of being officially "old",  we can use that ticket daily until Dec. 31!    Age has its rewards.

After spending yesterday at home,  we decided to go back into the Revolutionary city today to check out some of the things we missed on our first visit Saturday.

Here are some last impressions....




British Coat of Arms on the Governor's Palace




Dave took this and wanted me to post it
He entitles it   "Camp Director consulting her maps"


brick kiln.
The bricks made here are used to do all the repair work in the restored city
Dave listens with interest in the Cabinetmaker's shop


Queen's carriage

this beautiful cobblestone lined stream flows beneath the Cabinetmaker's shop

squirrel patrol is much the same today as it was in the 18th century...




Fall is just beginning to touch the trees here


We had another really interesting day.   We visited the Governor's Palace and Gardens, the Riflesmith's,
the Cooper Shop, the Cabinetmaker's Shop and the Brickmaker's compound.and of course, the Bakery (Dave whines if he doesn't have a little something to eat with his second cup).

 We're all historyed out, we're on history overload,  if you know what I mean.  (Sorry John).   Its been really fun and we're so glad we took this route, but our brains are frazzled with dates and names and battles and
what we need now is a beach fix.     So, tomorrow we leave this fine campground and head to Myrtle Beach.    We've never been there before, we don't know what to expect but we're up for some mindless beach walking.

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Together but separate

I love Sundays on the road.  The weekend folks have gone home and we have the campground to ourselves again.  I have to say we enjoyed watching the people across from us closing up and getting ready to leave.   Their trailer was brandy spanking new and they were clearly virgins in the entire camping experience.    First, he backed the truck up to the trailer, no good.    Then she got in and tried her hand while he lent some rather limp wristed direction.   I felt that his directions were designed to make her do a worse job than he did!   Dave says I should do a blog post on the variety of hand signals people use to direct their "significant other" into a campsite.  A favorite second cup pastime.    After a long while and a lot of spurting water, they drove away and we had to content ourselves with sitting in the brilliant sunshine.
.    

Today is a race day for Dave and  Domestic Diva day for me.  

Dave watched the entire NASCAR race telecast from  Martinsville, VA (a rare and coveted occurrence for him) and I roasted some potatoes with onions and parmesan cheese in anticipation of pairing them with some juicy Omaha Steaks burgers (Thanks Cindy P and Walter) then spent a pleasant few hours reading  "And the Mountain's Echoed"  (borrowed from Barb S in Webster) in the campground's sunny laundry room waiting for our clothes to wash and dry..

After dinner we'll enjoy our evening together, in separate rooms....The NHRA Drag Races from Las Vegas, the second last race of the season, will be on in the living room and the PBS series "The Paradise" will be showing in the bedroom.    I wonder which program  dogs will choose to watch?    My guess is that they will snuggle with me on the bed.....

Its so nice to do exactly as we please and still will be just steps away from each other.


Saturday, October 26, 2013

Saturday - exhausted...

Who knew going back to the late 1600's would be so exhausting!     Today we bought our tickets, boarded the shuttle buss and went back in time.   The British colonial capital is closed to vehicular traffic, so a bus drops you off and in you go.   We walked down a shady path toward the Governor's Palace.  Everyone else took the more direct street, but this path beckoned us somehow.

this young man watched us walk by.  he didn't say a word or move a muscle

We came out out of the shadows in front of the Palace and made our way down to Duke of Glouster Street.


Since it was lunchtime, the first stop of the day was Chowning's Tavern.   I had been there with my parents once when I was a child (right, Judi?) and I had pleasant memories of our meal there.   It didn't disappoint me.






The place hadn't changed one bit since I was a young girl.   I felt like we were eating lunch with the ghosts of my mom and dad.   Williamsburg was a place my mother loved.  The salt and pepper shakers on the table in front of me were just like we had on our table at home, as were the hurricane globes and brass candlesticks.
We drank a home brewed fall ale out of the same blue and white salt ware mugs my mother used for her morning coffee.     I ate Welch Rarebit, one of my dad's all time favorites.    Our conversation revolved around memories of them and we laughed and smiled and enjoyed a really good lunch and a really pleasant walk down memory lane.






fife and drum band marched by on the street
After lunch we walked and walked, looking up and down, at the cobblestones at our feet, at details on the roofs, in the small door yards and the beautiful formal gardens.   We went into many buildings and listened to fascinating stories of every day people of the time.   Oh, and the sleek horses and carriages moving slowly along the street always caused me to stop and watch.
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its clear what this sign is advertising for sale, but....

I wonder what this shop sold?



Dave enters the Secretary's house

busy at work sewing tents for the troops


moss growing on the wood roof shingles

keeping an eye on the passers by....

cobblestone streets



What a great day