Asheville!

March 31st, 2016

This is a really cool city.  A breath of fresh air.  I need it.  

As much as I love Savannah and Tybee, this place is something totally off the charts for me.  There is a raw appeal, a freshness of imagination.  The Dogwoods are in full bloom, Wisteria grows wild along the roadsides, Azaleas are everywhere.  

There are street musicians (buskers) on street corners (there's even a drum circle performance downtown on Friday nights, 

everyone welcome, play or dance).  

There are superb art shops and galleries, creative store fronts, fabulous restaurants and pubs.  I don't even drink beer (I've had less than ten beers in ten years) but this area is the birthplace of multiple micro breweries so I had to sample one at WEDGE in 

The River Arts District.  

There, we met some fun young people with dogs. The seating is casual, and "meet your neighbor" is the name of the game.  Lots of picnic table units lined up so you have to get sociable.  Asheville is very dog-friendly and, if you obey the rules, dogs are welcome on patios (but not inside, health regulations).  

After our first trip to WEDGE, a brewery located in an old brick warehouse, we decided to tour around the area and were lured to check out the other aged buildings beside the railway tracks. Long abandoned, these funky old structures have become a living palette for graffiti artists. Focus on artists.  The art work is outstanding, even if the subject matter isn't my preference, it's still very good.

My photos do it no justice.  I'm not a fan of destructive graffiti but this stuff is amazing, creative and clever. These are true artists exhibiting their talents on the expansive canvases of dilapidated long-ignored buildings.  

It's the other side of the tracks.  And they've made it a colorful inventive part of the outer city.

Doug was catching up on business on his cell while Zuma and I were perusing the somewhat eerie site; she and I met a young 20-something guy who was hoisting a battered skateboard into his creaky old car. Feeling secure with big ole ferocious  Zuma The Man Killer at my side, I had to comment to him how cool this place is. The young guy was touched, clearly pleased that I was impressed.  He informed me that the community and a group of skateboard dudes had put it together. Doug I agreed we'd never seen anything like it in our lives.  

There are rules.  No profanity, no explicit sexual illustrations, etc. There's a big sign that lays it all out.  The young guy invited us to the skateboard park at the dead end of the site.  On the other side of the tracks (seriously, the still-operational freight train is in the background).
  

No way would I have ventured back there without Doug but these were cool guys.  I hailed Doug who was still on the 'phone doing business; we jumped at the opportunity.  This was a once in a lifetime invitation.  Cool young guy invites old lady with mammoth black dog to check out his skateboard park.  Oh ok!  I'm in!  
Come on, Doug! 

Beside the train tracks, these guys have created their own skateboard Shangri La.  Doug said to them, "This is just great" and he really meant it because it is great.  One of the guys said,"Yeh.  
This is PARADISE".  And he meant it too.  

While a subtle waft of pot smoke sifted through the air, l couldn't help but feel, here we are, touring America.  No b.s.  No pretense. Not covering up.  Not apologizing. Just BEING.

Asheville.  Gorgeous shops, incredible friendly and open hearted people, outstanding music both in the clubs and on street corners, dreadlocks, gorgeous views of the mountains which surround the entire city, single men and women trekking solo with a banjo and a backpack, clearly stopping by whilst en route to healthily hiking The Appalachian Trail, just doing their thing, not requesting any claim to fame, gay couples holding hands openly strolling along the sidewalks, in love, inviting mouth-watering creative menus at every corner, hot dog stands, coin laundries, sunrises and sunsets that are so vivid in color they simply defy description, chilly mountain nights, hotter than hot days, warm mountain breezes, fancy gelato stands, high-end boutiques, farmer's markets with emphasis on organic produce. This is America.  I love it.

You couldn't pull this off in Camden, Maine.  The Good Ole Boys and Women would halt all of this freedom.  Remember Peyton Place?  Yeh. it was filmed in Camden.  For good reason.  Well done, casting people.  

I'm so glad we live in Hope, a small the rural area outside of Camden.  I like saying "We live in Hope".  It's pretty, private and the people are amazing.  Often, we receive a basket of warm cookies, a casserole, a genuine friendly visit from our neighbors. People are sweet, children come over to play with Zuma and brush the horses at our farm and walk on the trails through the woods. Our neighbors like to be neighborly; they are kind-hearted and generous.  We are all enthusiastic about maintaining the watershed and the woods.  We share our land.  It's a wonderful place to live.  







.. 

Asheville, North Carolina

March 25 - 29, 2016

The drive to Asheville was easy and straightforward even though we were on the interstate and I was waaaay out of my comfort zone with tractor trailers whizzing beside me.  But I did it!  Zuma was with Doug so she would have room to move about more.  She was totally chilled out on the drive, happy to get out at Rest Areas and easy going about arriving at our new "home".  

A couple of times en route I lost Doug due to lights and traffic but we worked it out. Before entering the city, we stopped into the Visitor Center and gathered up a melange of glossy tourist literature.  Gorgeous stuff. Tons of information.  This gorgeous quilted wall hanging adorns a main wall in the NC Visitors Welcome Center. 

When we arrived at Bear Creek Campground (just outside of Asheville) we were given the choice of two campsites.  

Doug granted me the decision and I picked a site that has an extra green space on one side for Zuma to stretch out in, with views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and basically no neighbors. 
It's working out really well.

After unpacking, we could hardly wait to get out and explore the area so we walked Zuma and set up Hula Girl and then visited the local outdoor market.  It's a gigantic wholesale market for local restaurants where produce is available in bulk, combined with a retail section.  Next, we drove around an area known as West Side Asheville.  Perfect.  Bohemian.  Fun.  Funky shops, cafes, restaurants.  

Returning to the campsite, I dove into the glossy literature and went online to learn more about Asheville.  There's so much to the city and so much to learn.  I LOVE researching!  It turns out Asheville is a hot spot for music which is Doug and Emma's love.  We looked up Top Cities in the USA in various categories and Asheville makes every list.  It is a fantastic hub for artists of all mediums, potters (good red clay here) and photographers, theatre and of course, music.

Doug had to leave today (29th) for England and Holland.  He needed to meet up with his business partner in Holland and then go on to England. 

Last Summer Doug was asked to accompany his friend Peter on a trip to sail Peter's boat home to Maine from Bermuda.  What began as a smooth sailing trip turned into a hell ride.  Peter and Doug wrote an article for a Maine magazine Ocean Navigator.  Here is the link to the story:

http://www.oceannavigator.com/Web-Exclusives-2016/Delivery-leads-to-OCC-Rambler-Medal/

Almost immediately, the article attracted international attention and now both sailors have been invited to England to receive a coveted medal in a ceremony this weekend!  I'm so excited for them both! During their sailing trip, Peter's wife Peggy and I kept in touch; Doug's e.mails were short and I knew things were not good.  They had terrible weather, they had a knock down, a cabin fire and lost all communication.  Being too far out and without communication, they had no chance of being saved by the Coast Guard.  I am forever grateful to have had contact with Peggy as she assured me the boat is safe and reliable.  But oh, the sea is unforgiving.  Somehow we all survived that week.

So, now Doug is en route to the ceremony at Henley-on-Thames near London to receive their medals.  Peter was unable to make the trip so Doug will accept Peter's medal for him.  Way to go, Boys! Now stay close to the dock, please!

On to South Carolina

March 24th, 2016

We decided to take it easy and stick to smaller roads to get to our destination today (halfway or so between Tybee, GA and Asheville, NC).  Doug drove Hula Girl and I drove the car.  Did I mention I hate driving?  Yuh.  Shaking in my boots.  BUT I DID IT!  The GPS said it would take 3 hours but it took 5 hours with minimal stops.  We could have driven to Montreal from Maine (something I've done in years gone by but will never do again).

However, it was all worth the drive as we cruised past many acres of cotton fields and the seemingly endless straight road and flat farmland of rural South Carolina.  It was like a movie, we stopped only for Zuma to relieve herself and to rest my eyeballs and for all of us to stretch.  Allergies to pollen really affected both Zuma and I while on Tybee and in Savannah.  My Dr. gave me allergy eye drops and they really work.

Never in my life have we experienced as many signs for Pawn Shops and Flea Markets.  Someone said to Doug:  "There must be a lot of fleas here, haha".  Seriously, in my other life, this would be so much fun to cruise around these places.

By the time we hit the four-hour mark, we were both all more than ready to take a break so we booked into The Barnyard RV Park in Columbus, NC.  The terrain had been changing all day:  the soil, the trees, the flora.  Dogwoods and Wisteria graced our path, humbly blooming everywhere along the sandy roadsides and in the dusty small towns. Amongst the frequent dilapidated and deserted houses and gas stations, the Spring leaves are urgently starting to bud in the flushing sunshine, turning lime green and chartreuse; the purple, white, buttery lemon and yellows are distracting but kept my eyes focused on the road.  Leaving Tybee, I knew I'd miss the palms and palmettos, the cacti and huge yucca plants, it's always Summer there in a way.  Seeing the deciduous trees and plants makes me feel like it really is SPRING!

We pulled into The Barnyard RV Park at about 4 p.m.; we scored a great pull-in drive-thru site and set up.  Doug is in charge of all the technical stuff because, as you know, Emma tells me I am "technologically impaired".  I set up our lawn chairs but forewarned Doug to check they were safe to sit in before he sat down.  It is spotlessly clean Park, we met many friendly people and dogs and gleaned information about the road ahead.  Asheville is clearly a GREAT PLACE.  

After a one-night layover, we pulled out early and headed to Asheville, NC.  

Goodbye .... for now ....

March 24th, 2016

Doug arrived back at Tybee on the 22nd and Zuma went crazy.
We went out for dinner to Coco's with Tom (one of the Park Hosts) and his lovely wife Nancy on the 23rd, our last night this year.

It has been really difficult saying goodbyes. In fact, today (the 24th), I was tearing up bidding farewell to our new friends who feel like old friends now.  


We had to check out before noon so we were in a bit of a hurry but managed to see many of the people we've become close to.  

I am sad I didn't have a chance to say goodbye to Dorinda but I did see Gary briefly.  And Peanut came scrambling over to Zuma for a farewell, all 4.5 lbs of him, turf a-flying as he raced over for a lick-fest.  

pic of peanut

Thankfully, Frankie pulled up to the Office as we were checking out as I really wanted to give him a hug and say goodbye.  He just got a sweet new puppy.  

We managed to grab a neighbor and have some group pix taken of Tom and Nancy and Doug and I. They are off to Wisconsin.  We are off to The Blue Ridge Mountains and The Great Smokey Mountains.    


Sadly, we missed Music Night last night.  I'm so happy Doug was able to experience one night there with Kay and Brad and Frankie playing.  It was especially touching when Kay sang Happy Birthday in German to Tom on the 16th.  These are special people.
This is a special place.  These are special times.    

I will always remember the scent of wood smoke, the strumming of guitars and soft vocal tones wafting through the warm campground air.  

As we drove on to the next leg of our journey, I wiped the tears away and tried to focus on what lies ahead.  But we will always treasure the times on Tybee and in Savannah.  They will forever be in our hearts.  And we're booked for next year so, God Willin' and The Creek Don't Rise, we'll be back.

Getting Ready to move on ....

March 22 - 24, 2016

We have visited Forsythe Park for the last time this trip. 
It is one of our favorite places here:  a superbly maintained, pet and people friendly green space with paved walking paths, a cafe with amenities, beautiful statues, the famous 1858 fountain.  It is a haven for dog-walkers, Moms with strollers, joggers and regular people eager to experience the beauty and peacefulness of a gentle walk within the city of Savannah's limits.  We love this special place.  We will be back.  We have booked our site at Tybee for January and February 2017.  

On Saturdays at Forsythe Park there is a Farmer's Market, on the weekends there is a tent set up with volunteers offering free coffee and donuts to people in need.  In a city of such such visible wealth and underlying poverty there is much kindness and generosity.  

This is one of Zuma's favorite places on earth.  Within a block she begins to bounce in the back of the car, grabs her leash and tugs it until we launch onto the path.  Then she prances like a cartoon character from 101 Dalmations, smiling and wiggling and exhuberantly oozing glee.

The whole experience melts my heart.

On March 20th, Zuma and I were on a long goodbye walk around the island and discovered an Art Show at the lighthouse.  Yeh, so, we had to stop in.  The artists and vendors were fun and interesting and I found this fun necklace created by a lady named Myrna:

There was a sweet, energetic rescue puppy with a kissing spot on his head, just like Zuma's.  We were told this is an unusual marking; some call it "God's Thumbprint": 

     

  

No See-Ums, and Laptop No Help Ums.

March 18 - 24, 2016

As impossible as it feels to leave Tybee Island, there are some inhabitants here we will not miss.  No See-Ums.  Tiny flying nearly invisible stalking insects that bite with the ferocity of a parasitic pirahna.  I looked up No See Ums on Wikipedia and the symptoms caused by their bites are what I'm experiencing and I have the ankles to prove it. For some reason these little bast buggers really like my blood.  They are virtually invisible and once they've bitten you they leave a welt 114 times their size that itches like hell. Apparently they arrive in little No See Um herds and picnic on the unsuspecting.  They creep up under clothing (including bras) and nosh on people (that would be me).  AFTER BITE is the only relief but it stinks of ammonia. Keep scratching without it and you'll have scars.  By the time you feel the aftermath of their surprise attack, it's too late.  So I'm oily with bug spray and trying hard to keep my shoes from sliding off.

A couple of days ago I turned on the computer to write and there were no icons.  WTF?  Talk about Bad Computer Karma.  

Doug knows a ton about computers and he tried to repair the situation; even with him spending an hour on the 'phone with technical support from LENOVO (IBM), there was no fixing it. The most constructive thing the guy at the other end of the line could offer was,  "Do you have a paper clip?" .... to stick into the reset hole.  Holy Cow.  

Back to the store we purchased it from.  There, (long story short and after another hour with Doug on the 'phone at the counter) we were told to return it and LENOVO (remember that name) would either repair it or replace it.

We bought a Toshiba.  

No more Lenovo products.  Even the sales guy at the store informed us that, in his experience, one in twelve is a dud.  We got a lemon.  This was not a cheap laptop lemon.  But it cost us a lot of money and a lot of headaches and trips into the city and now we're still waiting for news on what is happening with the computer.

I love this Toshiba.  

The best bbq (reputedly) in the area is WILEY'S so we rewarded our patience and stopped by for a pound of takeout plain pulled pork.  This is Wiley and his main chef sitting at the bar in the restaurant:







       

Gators and Irish Madness

March 13 - 18, 2016

There is a Wildlife Refuge on the way onto Tybee that I had to investigate because they have, yeh, alligators.  Alligators totally creep me out but I wanted to see their chilly, smirking faces up close.  Not too close.  But just close enough that I could watch them from behind a very tall very electrified fence at a very safe distance. And not smell their very rancid breath.  For a small fee, Doug and I were able to stroll through a beautiful building and park with snakes, wolves, salamanders, birds, a cougar, fox and 'gators. They are like slithering conniving convicts, these prehistoric creatures, crawling with shortened front limbs, empowered by monstrous muscular hind legs and a tail that steers the body with so much power and speed it is mind-boggling.  

Yeh, I am so fascinated by them and so afraid of them at the same time.  In Florida, I saw them offered on the menu.  Ugh.  For the rest of my life I will eat a plant-based diet before I will eat anything remotely associated with a smelly-mouthed alligator.





So.  I looked out the door of the RV on St. Paddy's Day and there was a guy dressed up like a leprechaun in STRETCHY SPANDEX GREEN SHORTS, suspenders and hat, waiting at the trolley stop. OMG.  And a 20-ish woman in a regrettable outfit of tutu and lime leotards.  Double OMG.  I had to shut the door and go back inside, then re-emerge to ask Doug, sitting at the picnic table, "What the Heck is going on?" or something like that, (I am editing for the younger viewers).  Nothing much phases Doug, he was just taking it all in, eyes glazed over his first morning coffee.   

The trolley service ran back and forth all day and it became evident that the idea of attending the HUGE St. Patrick's Day Parade in Savannah is A) Dress up and party and B) Party.  Everybody was in a jovial mood and when we watched the hours long parade on tv, the crowd was uber enthusiastic and engaging in paying homage to St. Patrick.  Or kegs.  Not a fan of crowds and drunk people, I was happy to view it from the couch.  Savannah puts on a great parade and there were no major incidents, according to the news.  We are so thankful we were able to attend the Tybee Parade as many of the floats and bands in it were also participants in the Savannah Parade. Without the humongous crowds.  

For the past few days Doug and I have  been hanging around the island, walking and enjoying the people we meet. We are also getting geared up for the next leg of the journey.  We'll miss the social atmosphere here, the continual revolving cast of characters. 

Late one afternoon we were out walking Zuma and a little boy (about 7 or 8 years old) ran out to greet the dog.  He had motor mouth and was verbally tripping up with excitement that he could hug Zuma and she appreciated his advances.  His young Mom was sitting by her campfire and rolling her eyes as he suddenly spurted: "I threw up once.  It was awful.  My Aunt threw up a few times.  She had too many shots" (!)  Doug and I could hardly hold back the giggles.  His poor Mom called him back to their campsite, the little guy draped himself around Zuma in a genuine farewell departure and we carried on.

The weather has been HOT, 84 degrees most days, good for the bones, good for the soul.  Only early morning walks or evening strolls are possible as Zuma cannot handle excessive heat.

One day we went out for a fun lunch in Tybee with David and Margaret; they are parked "next door" and they showed me their lovely Airstream Camper.  It is very nice.

Martina and Kay (pronounced Ki) are preparing to leave and venture on with their travels.  They will be stopping in Asheville, North Carolina, as will we when we depart Tybee next week.  They stopped by on the morning of the 17th, with a lovely book of memories for us to sign. I unearthed a journal in my suitcase and told Martina I want to copy her idea, so I began having people sign my book too, as we prepare to leave here. 

Sadly, several River's End staff members are also moving on to other positions.  In most Parks, people are able to work for their site rental; they're "Park Hosts" and the people who work in that position here at River's End are FANTASTIC.  They are the heart and soul of the place.  When Doug is away, I know I'm safe as they come by daily and either wave or visit, stop with their little dogs, add a special moment to my day.  They bend over backwards to be helpful, courteous and caring.  Their wives also stop by with little dogs; Zuma adores their visits, as do I.  

It is almost impossible to leave, but it's time.  

March 18, 2016.

Doug headed back to Maine today.  He can work from here most of the time but he has to go to the office for a few days and attend The Maine Boat Builder's Show in Portland over the weekend.  Then, on Monday he will go to Toronto to attend a Memorial Service for his cousin who passed away unexpectedly last month.  David was in his early 60s.  It's been a rough year for Doug, he has lost three friends suddenly in the past few months and now his cousin David. These losses really make us think about not delaying joy.  I'm so glad Doug is going to be with Zuma and I more on this trip, he really enjoys this journey.











    

Bad scene, good scene

March 12, 2016

After the fantastic parade on Tybee, Doug and I decided to go for a walk to Huck-a-Poos for a pizza and a cocktail. We were delighted to walk in on this very busy night and find a table for two right by the door!  The service is great there and we were quickly greeted and served.  



AND THEN .... there was a burly man seated close to our table with a group; he was clearly intoxicated, as in, he was swaying when he stood.  Bad energy.  Without warning, he suddenly began methodically pounding his fist SERIOUSLY on the table.  This is not what it's like at Huck-A-Poos.  He kept pounding and pounding, attracting more and more attention.  I'd never seen anything like it. Doug couldn't hear all that was going on because he was close to the outside door and there was the usual fun stuff going on outside. But I heard it.  I kept Doug updated with a play-by-play.  I saw the fists this guy was making, his face was getting more and more red. He was MAD. He was having a 50-something-year-old tantrum! The burly man was upset because his pizza wasn't being served fast enough. Yikes.  

The pizza arrived at his table and he dug in, (all but eating with his feet) and then some of his female friends entered and joined him and they were LOUD. I mean LOUD.  Across from us a nice quiet family had just departed and a quiet group of casual college kids settled politely into the seats.  The drunk guy at the table beside them got louder and louder and more obnoxious as his group ordered a round of shots.  Then they became even louder.  Wait, I thought, this isn't how it goes here.  This a FUN place.

THEN it got so loud it was really annoying.  The women who came in were obnoxiously vocal and the table of 4 sets of college couples were clearly being infringed upon.  Plus, Doug and I couldn't hear ourselves speak. 

Slowly, one of the young men stood up and serenely approached the noisy table and asked them to quiet down.  I expected a scene but the drunk guy wasn't up to much on a physical level.  The young guy was very calm and polite.  One of the women snarled at him, "This is MY bar" and the rest of the table of six or eight just watched. Doug couldn't hear any of it but I could as I was closer.  And I wanted to leave.  The waiter came over and, even though he was a guy about my size (the burly guy being twice our size), he attempted to diffuse the situation with soothing and rational talk. The burly guy and the mouthy woman began acting up and mouthing back at the waiter.  The college guy stepped up to the plate and requested "cut them off" and the waiter complied.  The waiter was excellent.  Nobody should be exposed to this unruly behavior.  The waiter told the burly guy he was going to call the police as there was some sort of dispute over the bill; he called the manager into the action and they were all ousted.  

I filled Doug in after it all went down and we packed up our pizza and thanked the college guy and the waiter for their actions.  They were both excellent.  The college guy said:  "I saw you two sitting there having a nice quiet evening and felt so badly for you, plus, that guy and those women were yelling so loud I lost hearing in one ear!"  Doug couldn't hear or see all that was happening or I'm sure he would have said something.

Then we scooted off down the dark sandy path to the RV Park.  Zuma needed a night walk and, as we were strolling, we saw the drunk burly guy stumbling through the campground with his wife in tow.  OMG.  I was so glad Doug was here.  Obviously, the burly guy was NOT from Tybee.  He's gone now.  People like him are the reason why I don't go to bars BUT I love the fun ambience at Huck-A-Poos so much I won't hold it against them and we'll go back.  The staff there is well trained and they don't put up with such bad behavior.  Like all places on Tybee, it's a community and people look out for each other.  I feel safe here.  



  

St. Patrick's Day on Tybee Island.

March 14, 2016.

All week the island and Savannah have been buzzing with energy as they prepare for St. Patrick's Day.  Savannah has a huge celebration with 300,000 people generally flooding the city.  30,000 of them are expected to attend the parade.  It's crazy.  Police security in the city and here on Tybee has been upped with "all hands on deck" in the city and law enforcement coming in from area forces. Personally, we'll watch it on tv.  Waaay too many people and waaay too much green beer for us!  

In Forsythe Park the fountain's water is turned green.

Tybee's parade was far more calm, a family affair, with people lining the streets and sitting on the edges of the sidewalk to take it all in.  Doug and I walked into the town to see how Tybee honors St. Patrick.  They do a great job!

Doug and I admitted we were apparently seriously unprepared for the event. Clearly, we missed "Parade 101:  How to Get Down and Get it Right to watch a Parade".  These people appeared to be professional parade-goers. They had lawn chairs, rugs to sit on, coolers, even small tables set up with gorgeous piles and plates of picnic food and drinks.  It was so much fun watch.  We loved it even though we ended up picking grass spurs (like small burrs) out of our butts all the way home from sitting on the grass and curb.

This is the River's End float, representing the campground we are staying at:

It was a great parade, with some excellent floats and marching bands, other bands and even a lively group of "Junkaroo" musicians from Nassau.  And there was a nice, easy, home-town pride.  Video clips coming next week, apologies ya'll for the delay.  

clip of Junkaroos

keystone Kops clip

Everyone Invites A Party Pooper .... and a Party Animal.

March 11, 2016.

It's been an interesting week!  With Doug in Maine and really sunny days I've been a bit slow about blogging.  I work at the picnic table but unless it's evening as I cant seen the screen very well, plus I've discovered "the night life".  One evening Zuma and I were out for walk and heard music; every Wednesday evening their is a music night and people bring their guitars and sing around an open fire.  I was invited last week but missed it so I stopped by.  My plan was to stay for a song or two (since Zuma had not yet planted her evening deposit), but the three guys were so good I wanted to stay longer.  After the first ten minutes I noticed, to my horror, Zuma was beginning her "cowboy walk" right on the edge of the group who had given us such a warm welcome.  I grabbed a poop bag and everybody said, "no problem" and helped me dispose of the evidence in a nearby garbage can.  Every party has a Party Pooper, Zuma, and that is why we invited YOU!  

Zuma loved the music and all the attention from the friendly group and we stayed for 3 1/2 hours (with no further contributions from Zuma, thankfully).  It was fabulous.  One of the guys Kay) is visiting from Germany with his wife Martina; he is a professional musician.  

The other two guys (Frankie and Brad) are 23 and very talented as well.  There was a retired NYC police officer and people from all walks of life, it was a hilarious evening with lots of funny stories after the music ended.

The next day I met Jim, his wife Debbie and her sister Patti; all originally from New Jersey with the best accents ever. 

 They invited Zuma and I go to a local roadhouse a short walk from here; we had a great time.  Apparently Zuma likes parties.  Kids , women, waitresses and grown men were hugging her, she thoroughly enjoyed herself.  The music was a bit loud but Zuma didn't care.  For the next few days, her new friends would call out when walking around the island or zipping by on their golf carts:  "Hi Zuma!"  She rolls her head back and wiggles and I swear she smiles at me.  Nobody recognizes me if I'm not with her.

The bar/restaurant/roadhouse is called Huck-A-Poos and it's a friendly place frequented by the locals.  Good karma.  A really fun night out. 

When Doug arrived on Friday afternoon, he met Jim, Debbie and Patti and they all hit it off so, we all went to Huck-A-Poos in the evening!  Zuma, The Party Animal came along.  Again, she loved every minute of it with Doug, whom she velcroed herself to after his week-long absence.  

Great pizza and nachos and the decor is great, old posters, old memorabilia and funky antique signs and license plates cover the walls, with empty spaces filled in with crinkled dollar bills stapled haphazardly to the wooden walls; the ceiling is covered with old album covers from the 60s through 90s.  

We learned that in November, 2006, fire and smoke nearly totally destroyed the building.  The much-loved owner was devastated at the loss which was accidental. The entire Island was devastated to lose such a cool watering hole.  Patti heard that the town got together, donated construction materials and time and helped rebuild and redecorate it, similar to how it was. 
Like I said, good karma. 

We had a really fun time with the Jim, Patti and Debbie on Friday night. Afterwards, they dropped off some of Debbie's famous spaghetti and meatballs (with sausage, yum).  Doug had brought lobster from Maine and he whipped up a lobster roll for Jim.  They had to leave the next day but we all agreed we will meet again.

And to top it all off, I was proudly christened a "Jersey Girl"!     

Catching Up

March 5th, 2016

I've been a  bit of a sloth about blogging because A} I've never done this before and B} this new computer has been a drag.  Not to mention I was sick with food poisoning which set off my IBS and knocked me flat for days.  BUT!  I'm Baaaack!  When Doug comes for a week every other week we like to get out and about and explore the area, walk, take in new sights and try new things. 
So .... they (whoever "they" are) say a picture is worth a thousand words so here is a blog of photos of just a few of the GREAT people we have met through Zuma.  

The lovely Nun is so special. Talk about Good Karma.  This sweet woman was besotted with the dog and Zuma instantly adored her. And their outfits match.

There are the sweet little girls who weigh a fraction of what Z weighs:

Lovely families:

Cool college guys:

An adorable, animal-loving young girl:

Oh, I hope this girl finds a Dane in her future.

Darien, Georgia

February 27, 2016

Doug has to leave in a couple of days to go back to Maine so we decided to go on a day trip today.  After thumbing through some touristy guides, I found Darien, GA, listed as an unspoiled shrimp fishing town with a nice seafood restaurant.  Kelly had told me about this place and highly recommended it so we started out for a seaside excursion.  

On the way we drove through Savannah so Doug suggested we walk Zuma at Forsythe Park and a then stop for coffee and tea at his new fave coffee shop.

The Azaleas are starting to peak now, the daffodils are in full bloom as are the Camellias.  It's Spring here.  But the locals still call it Winter.

To our great delight, there was a Farmer's Market at the Park!  

We cruised through it and bought local honey for Zuma (the vet suggested a TBSP of local honey a day to help with her skin allergies), a loaf of spinach bread, homemade Brie, candied pecans and ginger molasses cookies.  Everything was homemade and delicious.  Zuma wagged her tail non-stop.  

After we logged three miles on our pedometers walking Zuma around the Park we munched on these goodies and sipped our hot drinks as we headed south to Darien,.   While at Forsythe, we met some cool dogs and people, including "The Three Little Pugs":

All rescues, all happy little dogs who loved meeting Zuma.  

Savannah is so dog-friendly and people here really take care of their dogs.  We're starting to get to recognize the regular walkers. 

Off to Darien!  To call it a sleepy little shrimping town would be pretty  uh .... exact.  There's not much going on in Darien.  Curious me, I wanted to check out the shrimping fleet.  

 

We had the great good fortune to walk down to the dock for a closer look and we met up with a guy who was happy to tell us about shrimpin' and eager to hear about lobster fishing in Maine.  He works on the boats (but doesn't go fishing, he suffered seasickness once and that was enough for him) so I picked his brain.  He informed us that the shrimp season is year round but once the weather warms up the shrimpers "have to go chase 'em".   So we are here at the right time, there's lots of fresh shrimp available right now.  The row of boats at this privately owned dock where the guy works is all owned and operated by one large family. There are 17 boats in the fleet.  It's really impressive.

Throughout the village of Darien are a lot of very cool old buildings: 

Many are built with shells and mortar:

Kelly recommended Skippers' Fish Camp for lunch so we went there that day and again two days later for another day trip fresh whole grilled Flounder and crab dip.  

The residents clearly have a sense of humor:

We walked Zuma around town and enjoyed the lack of tourists and the slow pace of life there.  We stopped into a new shop, it was open for only a week, a small shop, Turnip Greens.  They sell fresh produce and dry goods,  A real find hosted by a couple who are truly invested in putting Darien on the map.

It's a very small, unspoiled fishing town.  We will go back.