Hilton Head Day Trip

I’m a history nerd.  I always have been and always will be.  

Tabitha was telling me a story about her ancestors who were living in the Hilton Head/Beaufort area in the 1700’s.  I find it fascinating when I know someone with ancestral roots in the area because I have none which is odd since I’m so fascinated by the history here.  A couple days after telling me this story I did a Google search on her last name in the area and discovered some really interesting stuff.  I found a photo of a massive oak tree in Hilton Head called the “Talbird Oak” which was located on what is now Hilton Head Plantation which is a private, gated community.  I asked Tabitha if she knew about it and she said no.  At that point I was determined to go see it because of my love of history and also the fact that I absolutely love the massive, majestic oaks that are found in South Carolina.  

This past Wednesday Tabitha had the day off and I decided to work half a day so we could spend some time together.  Neither of us had any solid idea of what we were going to do.  That morning I thought about the tree and wondered how we could access the grounds of the private community.  I did another Google search and found the website for the plantation and decided to email the general manager, Mr. Peter Kristian.  I told him of my love for history and that Tabitha had been researching her ancestors and we found the connection to Hilton Head Plantation and that we’d love to see the oak tree named after her family.  He replied soon after and stated that they normally do not let people on the property but since she is a Talbird descendent they would make an exception.  Yay!

When Tabitha arrived at my house I told her that we were going on an adventure.  She asked where we were going and I told her that it was a surprise but I would tell her when we were well out of town in case she didn’t want to go - that way it would be too far to turn back!  Well, we didn’t even make it out of Charleston and I told her that we were heading to Hilton Head for the day.  I told her about getting permission to go to the plantation and that we were going to see the tree and also Talbird Cemetery, which is on the grounds as well.  She didn’t really say anything and I was a little worried.   I asked her what was wrong and she said that no one has ever done anything like that for her before.  That made me sad since she’s such an amazing person but I guess I was happy at the same time because I got to be the one that could make her feel special. 

The drive took about two hours and we arrived at 2:30pm.  I drove up to the gate and told the guard my name and she handed us a pass.  We headed to the property office and were brought into a conference room.  A couple of minutes later Mr. Kristian came in and after introductions he spread out a massive map and started pointing out the highlights of the plantation that were Talbird related.  We chatted for a while about Tabitha’s ancestors and some of the stories about the plantation and the family in general.  He said that Tabitha was the first Talbird that has ever visited to his knowledge which I thought was pretty cool.

After our crash course of directions we headed out to find the tree which we apparently drove right past on the way in.  When we finally saw it I was surprised we missed it.  Of course I was driving so I’ll blame that one on Tabitha!  This tree was massive.  It reminded me of a mushroom with a very large swooping dome.  When you walk under the oak you are swallowed by the canopy and are in this incredible shaded area.  It was beautiful.  We spent some time walking around the tree and read the historical marker that was there.

The Talbird Oak

The Revolutionary War continued for weeks

on Hilton Head and Daufuskie Islands after

Conwallis’ surrender at Yorktown on

October 19, 1781.  On the day of the surrender,

Mary Ann Talbird looked out toward Skull Creek

to see a landing party of British soldiers led

by Isaac Martinangele of Daufuskie.  Isaac’s wife

was Mary Ann Talbird’s sister and for this

reason Martinagele ordered the soldiers to

remove all of the house furnishings and hide them

beneath the overhanging canopy of this tree

before burning the Talbird residence to the

ground and departing for more undefended

sites.  More than a century later, in 1888,

Henry Talbird wrote “This tree used to be my

playground in my boyhood”.

We were sitting on the bench under the tree and even though traffic was steady on the main road I found it to be so incredibly serene there.  After a while I got up and sat on Tabitha’s lap, put my arms around her neck and laid my head on her shoulder.  We sat there holding each other and all I could think is that I didn’t want that moment to end.  I have not felt that much happiness and peace in such a long time.  I have no words to describe it because it’s such a foreign feeling to me.  I never want to forget that moment.

After spending some time at the tree we ventured off to find the cemetery.  It’s an African American cemetery, which we knew, but I was still surprised that there were no Talbird’s there – that we saw, anyway.  There was several hand carved stones which are my favorite to find in cemeteries.  My friend Brandon told me recently that he likes them because the carvings make it so personal.  He’s absolutely right.   I think about that every time I see a hand carved stone now.

 I took some pictures and we decided to head out to explore the rest of the plantation.  After making several 3-point turns I learned today to never let Tabitha navigate!  Ha!  I’m like “give me the map!”  We found a Civil War fort called Fort Mitchel and also a beautiful spot called Dolphin Head Recreation Area which sits on a bluff above Port Royal Sound.  I really wish we had more time to spend there exploring but I had to work in the morning and it was a two-hour drive home.

 Before heading back home I remembered a place that I have wanted to visit for a long time – The Stoney-Baynard Ruins on Hilton Head.  I’ve seen many photos of it but never had the chance to check it out.  It was starting to get dark so we rushed over to Sea Pines Plantation and paid the $6 admission fee and started searching for the ruins.  When we finally found them it was just before the sun went down so there was just enough light to take some decent photos.  I love places like this and was really happy that I could see it with Tabitha.  I live for seeing places of historical significance so I hope that she doesn’t get too bored with my strange road trip destinations.  That’s pretty much all we had time for at Sea Pines but I definitely want to go back to see what else the plantation has to offer.

 

 I think I was starving poor Tabitha since I never really get hungry anymore.  I keep a protein bar in my purse for emergencies but have never had to use it.  We hadn’t eaten all day and even I was needing a bite to eat.  We searched on Urbanspoon for a local restaurant and settled on one called A Lowcountry Backyard Restaurant.  Um, hello?  It was amazing!!  It’s so hard to find things that I can eat on any menu so I just go with what I want and try to eat a small amount of it and then save it for leftovers.  I always seem to take one too many bites and then get really sick and have to walk around for a minute to help the food settle in my stomach.  I wonder if I will ever get used to eating this way?  I ended up having the Potato Chip Meatloaf with collards and macaroni and cheese.  I would have taken a photo of it but it was way too dark where we were sitting which was a courtyard at the bar.  The courtyard was small with some tables and chairs and a stage for live music where some guy was playing guitar.  I do remember that he played a slower version of the Scooby Do theme that was interesting.  Tabitha had the Bischick which is a breaded chicken breast on top of a homemade biscuit topped with lowcountry gravY.  OMG.  I had a bite and it was delicious.  I’m so glad we stopped there instead of some chain restaurant!  I highly recommend this place to anyone in the area!!

We made one last stop on before heading home and that was Starbucks.  We pulled up and saw a guy outside who was on his laptop.  Tabitha said “I know him” and started laughing.  I didn’t believe her until she got out of the car and started chatting with him.  I mean, you are two hours from home.  What are the chances of seeing someone you know?  Well, turns out that she worked with him and he transferred to the Hilton Head store where she worked briefly when the store opened.  We hung out for a bit talking and then got our drinks and hit the road.  It was late and I was dreading having to wake up in the morning.

It was nice to be able to spend the day with her since we normally work opposite schedules.  Having two hours each way in the car to talk to one another with no distractions was really nice.  It was a perfect day where we just spent quality, happy time with each other.  I can’t wait to see what the future holds for us.

Synchronicity

Saying that everything happens for a reason sounds so cliché but I’m beginning to think there is some truth to that statement.

I’ve been through hell and back.  I’ve loved, I’ve lost, I’ve laughed and I’ve cried on this incredible journey to get to where I am now.  Through the chaos there have been many times where I’ve doubted my self-worth and thought that I just don’t deserve to be happy.  I just existed and for some reason I accepted that.

So much has happened in the last few years.  I went through this horrible break up with Robin in 2012.  She apparently thought she was better off with her ex-girlfriend – I hope she has found her happiness although I find it shameful that she didn’t have the balls to handle it in a more mature manner.  Soon after ending that relationship I met Robyn and we went through this incredible whirlwind relationship.  Robyn and I started off with amazing chemistry but we never managed to get on the same page..  We wanted different things.  We had drastically different life experiences that made us the people we are today and that can be detrimental when you are trying to build a foundation for spending the rest of your life together.  I’ve lived 100 lives compared to her one.  She needs to experience the world, grow, learn, break hearts, love and live.  After 2 years we finally decided that it wasn’t going to work so we amicably ended us.  It wasn’t easy but it was most definitely necessary if either of us was to ever experience joy and happiness again.

Robyn and I were friendly with this couple and went to their house a few times for dinner.  I met Amy in 2009 when I was on an online dating site.  She sent me a message saying she was looking for friends since she was new to the area.  We became Facebook friends and would see each other out occasionally.  Amy later met Tabitha who Robyn and I really liked.  Amy is kind of high maintenance and obnoxiously boisterous at times and Robyn and would joke that we only went over to their house because Tabitha was cool.  I was intrigued by Tabitha.  During dinner conversations it seemed that she and I had so much in common.  Amy joked that Tabitha and I should have been a couple.  We all laughed it off but it really wasn’t far from the truth.  We respected our partners even though we both felt that weird energy and connection between us way back when. 

Without going into detail (since it’s their story to tell) Amy and Tabitha broke up.  I asked Tabitha to go out on occasion but she would turn me down or bail at the last minute.  For the past 6 months Robyn and I have been on the outs and we finally ended our relationship knowing that it just wasn’t in the stars for us.  I might sound blasé about it but the breakup was pretty brutal but we somehow (thankfully) ended up as friends when all was said and done.

I’m not sure who texted who first but Tabitha and I were chatting and I told her that Robyn and I broke up.  From what I remember she asked me a couple of times if we had really broken up, which I found to be funny.  I knew at that time something might happen between us because like I said, there was always that unspoken connection… that one time she turned to me at the dinner table and looked me in the eye.  I felt that look down to my toes and then did my best to pretend it never happened.

On August 10^th we decided to meet at DIG for a drink.  I was weirdly nervous when I arrived.  I soon found out that any notion that there was a previous connection between us was absolutely confirmed the minute I sat down at the bar.  We spent time catching up and talking about how crazy relationships are.  We never had the opportunity to spend time alone before this and it was a relief to be able to finally do that.  The way she looked at me was intense.  At times I just held her gaze, both in silence.  Toward the end of the night she asked if she could kiss me.  I had thought about this moment, our first kiss, a billion times and I almost said no.  I didn’t want it to be at a bar in a restaurant.  I didn’t want it to be awkward but there it was presenting itself so I went for it.  It was awkward but nice.  A bit later she walked me out to my Jeep and we stood and talked some more.  I don’t think either of us wanted the night to end.  We kissed again and during that kiss is when I knew I was in trouble.  It was on and there was no turning back.

Not that I wanted to.

Renewed

Has it really been almost a year since I last posted?  Wow.  When I read the last few posts it seems like a lifetime ago.  So much has changed in my life.  Robin and I broke up last June.  I met another Robyn who is absolutely wonderful.  I wasn't expecting her to come along, but she did and I am so happy... and engaged!  I moved out of my parent's house which my sister has since put into foreclosure. My Jeep died and we bought a new car.  Jake got really sick and it turns out he is diabetic.  I have to give him insulin injections every morning and night - poor kitty!  I was so scared I was going to lose him when he got sick.  He lost so much weight and could barely move!  As for my job, it is going well although I changed departments...  I miss my old boss who was super-cool and put up with all of my antics.  Overall life is great!  I've let go of so much drama and negativity that was holding me down and life is so much better because of it.

I think I'm finally getting a grip on my health as well.  I was having a really hard time dealing with post thyroid cancer symptoms.  I was feeling incredibly lethargic all of the time.  Getting ready for work was a task.  The hot flashes still happen, even when I'm just sitting there.  After several doctor visits and labs they finally adjusted my Synthroid to a level that is making me feel better.  I was incredibly hypothyroid for a while which is not fun.  It's amazing how many body functions the thryroid controls.  It's definitely not fun to live without one.

When I was feeling miserable and helpless about the thyroid situation I went online and started researching symptoms and found a couple of message boards.  I felt such relief when I found all of these people who were having the same side effects that I was having.  Family and friends mean well, but it's so hard to discuss how you are feeling with someone who has never been through it themselves.  It's nice to be able to share, ask questions, get opinions or just gab with people... all of whom have that telltale survivors scar on their neck.  They understand when I bitch about how hot I am all the time and it makes me feel better!

Robyn and I moved to a cute apartment in North Charleston.  Right now I want no part of home ownership!  It's so nice to be able to call maintenance whenever something needs fixed and they are there right away!  Robyn was living in the complex before me and we moved into a bigger place so all of my crap would fit.  I actually left a lot of my belongings at the house when the evil sister forced her way in.  Every once in a while I'll remember something I owned and realize I left it at the house.  I just didn't care when I left.  I wanted out ASAP!  I don't miss living there at all.  Too many bad memories of recent years.  I think it's horrible what the evil sister has done... she knew she couldn't afford the mortgage when she moved in.

Anyway...

I've been doing my photography thing here and there.  I did a shoot for a friend of her son last month.  That was interesting.  Try getting a 12-year old to pay attention and not do gangster poses!!  I'd really like to practice on other people.  I have no desire to do it as a career or side job but it would be nice to become really good at it so I can do it for friends and not have the pics turn out to be crap and a waste of time for everyone. 

Robyn was the first person who ever really posed for me.  She was great at being patient since I had no idea what I was doing!  They turned out pretty well, but I think it was due to the subject, really :)

Sunrise Therapy

I had such a horrible day on Friday that I came home and went straight to bed.  I ended waking up around 4am and sat here thinking "Now what?"  I was wide awake and feeling kind of restless so I decided that I needed some peace in my life so I drove out to Folly Beach to watch the sun rise. 

This is something I have not done in years!  Back in my clubbing days I would go out dancing until the wee hours of the morning, go to Fannie's on Market Street for breakfast and then head out to the beach to watch the sun come up.  After that I'd go home and sleep all day until my 4 o'clock shift and then I'd do it all over again.  Back in my younger days it was no big deal but now I'd fall on my face if I were to try that!

The drive out to Folly at 5am was very serene.  There was no traffic and it was a nice 79 degrees out.  Once I passed James Island I put my windows down and opened my sun roof and breathed in the salty air which is one of my favorite smells on Earth. 

Since there was no traffic I got to Folly fairly quick and found a spot right in front of the entrance to the Folly Beach pier.  It was pretty deserted except for a couple of people unpacking fishing gear near me.  I grabbed my camera and tripod and walked down to the beach to the right of the pier.  It was still dark out so I took a couple of shots of the pier and its lights.

At this point there was one other photographer and a couple of other people on the beach.  I took several shots of the pier and then decided to move to the other side since I saw the sun starting to rise on the horizon.

I have shot the sun rise once before but never when the sun was as big and bold as it was Saturday morning.  I'm still getting used to shooting in manual and because the light changes with every inch of the sun rising I constantly have to change the setting.  It's literally a race against the sun!

When the sun finally started coming up I found it hard to shoot.  I kept wanting to put the camera down and gaze at the scene before me.  It was so beautiful, quiet and peaceful.  Exactly what I needed at that moment.

A couple more people were on the beach enjoying the view and I took advantage of the strangers being a part of my photos.

There was this family on the beach who were sitting in the sand before the sun was rising but then stood to watch.  As soon as they stepped into my frame I kept shooting.  I could see how the dark silhouettes stood in contrast to the orange sky.  I knew I was going to fall in love with these pictures!

After the spectacular part of the sun rise was over I walked over to the family and asked if they were from South Carolina.  They said no.  I asked where they were from and they said Ohio.  I laughed on the inside because EVERYONE here is from Ohio these days!  I told them that I used to live in Dayton and found out they were from Xenia, which isn't too far away. 

I told them that I wasn't a weirdo, or anything, but I had taken some really cool shots of them while the sun was rising.  I told them I'd be happy to send them to them if they'd like me to.  I gave them my email address and went along my way.  They looked very skeptical at me.  I'm sure they aren't used to complete strangers approaching them and offering photos that they took of them.  We aren't called the friendliest city for nothing!

I hung out for a bit more taking photos until I broke my $2 flip flops.  I've had those dang things for two years!  I suppose I did get my money's worth.

It started getting hot so I decided to head home.  My jeans were wet and sandy from the warm surf.  I grabbed my broken flip-flops and headed to the car.  The streets that were so quiet an hour and a half ago were now busy with beach-goers.

I wanted to stop a million times on the way home because the sun was so golden on the green grass in the marsh along Folly Road.  I decided to save that for another day because at this point my wet pants were becoming a bit uncomfortable.

When I got home I did a quick edit of my photos and posted them on Flickr.  It was time for a nap.

This morning I received an email from Ciera, the girl on the beach from Ohio that I gave my email address to.  I sent her all the photos I took of her family and hoped they liked them as much as I did.  

How could I stay in a bad mood when I had a morning like that?

Staying Busy

I love theater and I can't believe that with the great venues we have here in Charleston I don't go more often.  I've seen a few productions here and there, but when looking for something to do it never dawns on me to go see a play or some improv.  I need to keep up with what's happening in Charleston theater more often.

Friday night Mark and I went to dinner at the Early Bird Diner.  I had their meatloaf again but this time I tried the cheesy mashed potatoes with it.  They were okay... not great, just okay.  I added a bit of salt which livened them up a bit.  I also had the collards, which are always good!  I've never had anything bad there.  I only wish it were closer to my house!

After dinner we went downtown to PURE Theater to see their new production 'Love Song' by John Kolvenbach.  We grabbed a beer for Mark and a glass of wine for me and made our way into the theater.  It reminded me so much of the theater productions I used to go see in the East Village.  You were so close to the actors that you could practically reach out and touch them.  Of course in the East Village most of the time you really didn't want to touch them!

The play was quite good and the first half of it was pretty funny.  The last half was a bit dark, thought provoking and intense being that it dealt with mental illness.  I really like the whole experience and can't wait to go back to see another show.  I definitely need to see more theater in the near future!

Saturday night I had plans to have dinner with James.  We met at Northwoods Mall because he just dropped off his kids.  I never know what I want to eat or where I want to go and I'm glad my friends don't bitch at me for that.  We spoke earlier about pizza so we headed over to West Ashley to Andolini's.  We were just about there when James asked if I'd rather go to the Mellow Mushroom in Avondale.  I had never eaten there so I was totally game.

You wouldn't know it from the outside but the place is huge inside.  Even though it was a Saturday and quite busy we were seated within minutes.  I was surprised at how big the menu was!  I really thought it would be smaller with just a few pizza's.  We started with some cheese bread and I decided on the 10" Funky Q Chicken which is made of BBQ chicken, BBQ sauce, caramelized onions, mozzarella, cheddar and applewood smoked bacon.  I ordered it without the bacon.  James got the Mighty Meaty.

The pizza's were the perfect size for individuals and really tasty.  I was glad the crust wasn't thin.  The only thin crust pizza I like is New York style.  We ate and chatted for a while and I spotted a really cute girl that was working there.  She was serving the upstairs tables and would walk by occasionally.  I tried to catch her eye but she was in the zone.  I immediately sent Mark a text that we need to frequent Mellow Mushroom for our dinner dates in the future!

I came home after having dinner with James to check on Jake.  He's been pretty sick since being diagnosed with diabetes.  I've been giving him one unit of insulin twice a day and it's just not enough.  Last week I had to have Traci bring him to the vet because he looked like he was on his deathbed.  He was weak, could barely meow and his body was lifeless.  They ran some tests and gave him fluids and also gave him more insulin.  The vet told us to monitor his blood sugar and he would give us a call back to get the results... which he never did.

Jake was okay for a while but we had a really hard time getting any blood out of him.  On Friday he took a turn for the worse and wouldn't come out of the bathroom.  I think he was comfortable on the cold floor.  Normally when he's okay he sleeps with me but all he could do was lay there.  I put some extra glasses of water (yes, he likes to drink out of glasses!) in the bathroom and also some food.  The doctor made us switch to this cat food that is $40 for a 10 lb. bag!  I spent as much time as I could with him.  It was so obvious he felt horrible.

On Saturday I was talking to Traci about how pissed I was that the vet hadn't called back.  He ran the tests and we know what is wrong.  We really needed him to call to let us know what to do!  I finally took it upon myself and increased his insulin to 2 units.  Finally, today he was feeling better.  My sister called the vet and he wasn't in but she spoke with the other vet in the office who was mad that I increased the dose on my own.  Well, whatever!  What was I supposed to do!  They dropped the ball by not calling and advising us and also, the increase worked!  I really hope he's on his way to a full recovery because if I lose Jake it will not be a pretty sight! 

My boss told me that I should put him down since we were spending so much money to make him better.  I could have kicked him!  He said "If it was a dog it would be a different story!"  He was half joking.  What an ass!

Earth Wind & Fire

Every once in while my good friend Devin, who covers concerts & does CD reviews for a couple of Charleston newspapers, treats me to a show.  He asked me the other night if I would like to go see Earth Wind & Fire at the North Charleston Coliseum.  Um, YEAH!  I was super excited to see them.  I think they are one of those legendary acts that you should really see before you (or them!) die!  Devin told me that he saw them last year at the Dock Street Theater.  Wow.  I can't even imagine seeing such a dynamic, bigger than life band in such a tiny venue!

For the first part of the show I sat by myself while Devin was up front taking photos of the bands.  I always enjoy people watching at large events and this one did not disappoint.  It was such a bizarre mix of people!  I wasn't really enjoying the opening band and I was starving since I went home and changed clothes and went directly to the coliseum - no time to eat!  I decided to get a hot dog and a soda.  Our whole row was practically empty so it wasn't a problem getting in and out.  Loved that!  In between acts I spent my time playing Words With Friends and surfing Facebook.  I get so aggravated at the short battery life of my phone.  grrr! 

A couple songs into the main show I was joined by Devin.  I was so amazed by the energy of Earth Wind & Fire!  The original three members are in their 60's and they didn't stop moving from the beginning of the show to the end!  They had a large screen in back of the stage and they would occasionally play old 70's videos of the band singing the same song they were playing.  I thought that was really cool.  They played all their hits and the crowd was going crazy.  There were these people directly in front of us that were completely entertaining to me.  I can't remember what song it was but this one woman practically fell out when they started playing it.  She threw herself back, collapsed in her chair and flailed her arms about in total pleasure.  Devin leaned over to me and said "This is her jam!"  Oh my god!  I almost peed it was so funny!

I took a couple of pics with my phone.  I would have brought my Canon but Robin spitefully kept it.  Not sure why since she has her own camera and isn't interested in photography.  She claims I "gave" it to her but why would I give my partner my camera that I had before I even met her??  When you are in a relationship don't you "use" your partner's stuff and if you break up you give it back?  Yeah, that's what I thought too.

 

Yeah, it was taken with my EVO.  Crappy quality, I know!

Earth Wind & Fire bokeh.  I found this amusing.

You can find Devin's review here!

Overheated

My doctor put me on a higher dose of Synthroid last week.  This is not going to work well with the extreme heat in Charleston!  I was hoping that my levels would be normal this time around but she said they are still elevated.  After I had my thyroidectomy my level was 11.  When she gave me a higher dose it brought it down to 3.5.  Apparently I'm supposed to be at level 1.  This medicine is of the devil!  It makes me so hot.  Some of the side effects are hot flashes and excessive sweating... they weren't lying! 

The hot flashes and sweating started the Summer after my surgery.  It's not like a normal sweat.  I can feel it coming on.  I get flushed and my body temperature rises and then it's totally out of control.  It's not like a sweaty "I just worked out" sweat.  I always say "my elbows are sweating!" when it happens because sweat will be literally dripping from may elbows like a leaky faucet.  Beads of sweat cover my entire body.  It can be 60 degrees outside and I can have a sweat attack.  It's so unpleasant.

Saturday I went out with my friend Ashley to take some photos.  We went to Pon Pon Chapel, Donnelly Wildlife Management Area, to the Avondale murals, the Sheepman murals and then for a long walk downtown.  It was so hot outside and I looked like a hot mess when we were ready to go home!  I decided that there is no way I can date in the Summer because people will think I'm some crazy excessive sweater!!  Not attractive!!

We also went to The Early Bird Diner in West Ashley which was once featured on Diner's Drive In's and Dives on Food TV.  I have been there several times and always get the chicken and waffles, which are delicious.  This time I decided to try something different and opted for the meatloaf with spicy chipotle glaze.  The meatloaf comes with two sides so I got macaroni and cheese and collards.  I'm always so hesitant with meatloaf - you never know what you are going to get.  I was so intrigued by "spicy chipotle glaze" that I decided to go for it.  omg!!  I was not disappointed in the least.  It was delicious!  There were two pieces of meatloaf that were topped by some of the best onion rings I have ever had.  I think they were made with sweet vidalia onions.  Sooo good!  The mac n' cheese was fantastic.  I sprinkled the collards with pepper vinegar and they were out of this world!  It's definitely my new favorite!  I wish I had the recipe!!

 

 

 

Time

For the past couple of weeks the weather has been so rainy and cloudy.  I'm the first to admit that I love a nap while the rain beats on the roof, but I am over it.  Today the sky was blue, full of huge white clouds and so beautiful!

Finally!

I left work early for an appointment in West Ashley and on the way home I remembered that I still had to take my photo for the June Photo-A-Day challenge.  Today's theme was "Time" and I thought throughout the day of what I could do to represent the theme.  As I drove home I remembered there was this big clock in the old section of North Charleston - perfect!

It was just about 5pm and as always traffic on the I-526 was horrible!  BUT, the day was gorgeous and for the first time in a long time I felt good!  It was nice to be able to enjoy some sunshine on a weekday! 

WWFM IX

 

Little by little the Charleston geocaching community is growing!  Finally!

Yesterday was the 9th annual World Wide Flash Mob which was the brainchild of Sonny and Sandy of the Podcacher Podcast.  My friend Mike (gundark2000) bravely organized and hosted the event.  We went back and forth on the Charleston Geocachers Facebook page about what kind of flash mob we wanted to have and we finally settled on the theme of "Bubbles in the Park."

I really wanted the WWFM to be my 600th geocaching milestone.  I only needed 3 more caches to reach my goal and Mike only needed 3 more to reach 300.  We met at White Point Garden on the tip of the Charleston peninsula at 11am so we had a bit of time to cache before setting up for the event.

I really didn't think out my wardrobe very well.  If you think that each cache has to be at least 500 feet apart and the fact that might not even find one and have to move on to another... well, flip-flops aren't really suited for that much walking.  There was no way we could drive to the caches either.  The Spoleto Festival was happening and traffic downtown was crazy!

We started off in the park and I got a cache that Mike already had then we took off to the other side of the park to find one I've searched for before.  We looked for a while with no luck.  When we checked the last couple of logs there were several DNF's (did not find) l logged.  We decided to move on.

As we were walking I started feeling one of those weird sweating episodes building up.  Ever since my thyroidectomy I get these bouts of becoming totally overheated.  It can be 60 degrees out and all of the sudden I will just start pouring sweat (but it's more like water!) from my glands.  My skin gets cold and clammy and it's absolutely uncontrollable.  I never know when it's going to happen and this was one of those times where I wanted to avoid it because it can totally ruin the day!  That on top of wearing flip-flops I bailed out. I told Mike that I was about to fall out.  He was walking so fast and I knew how much more we would be walking!  I told him to go ahead and I would meet him back at the park.

I had a prime parking spot right on the Battery at the site for the WWFM IX and went to cool off in the air conditioning of my Jeep.  Once I cooled down I moved to the wall of the Confederate Defenders of Charleston monument and sat there for an hour or so.  There was a really nice breeze coming off of the harbor and the temperature was perfect.  I sat and watched and listened to the tourists come and go.  That's always a fun thing to do.  I like hearing them talk about Charleston and the beauty and history of the city.  There are a lot of misinformed tourists running around the city.  It takes every ounce of effort to not jump in their conversation and take them on a tour!  I was really wishing I had my Nook and a blanket with me.  It was the perfect day to relax in the park and read.  Instead I did some Facebook surfing on my phone and played Words With Friends and Solitaire to pass the time.

Around 12:40 Mike came back after running around South of Broad and said there were so many muggles in the area that he had no luck finding any caches.  I was so thankful I didn't go with him!!

Mike grabbed the WWFM IX supplies out of his car and came to my Jeep where we finished creating the swag bags for the event - the rules, logs and the official WWFM IX "meal" which was a bite size Laffy Taffy!  I think the normal "meal" is chocolate but Charleston is way too hot to be toting chocolate around!

As 1pm drew closer we could see more and more people hanging out around the area.  At 1pm Mike put the buckets down at ground zero and chaos ensued!  Everyone grabbed their bags, filled out the logs and started blowing bubbles.  I was the photographer for the event so I was running around trying to take photos.  We had such a great turnout!  Mike would call out the cues for everyone... first was to eat the "meal" and next was the raffle.  I won a Pathtag!

 

 

  

 
The final part of the event was the official photo.  I soooo wasn't prepared when Mike called out for the group photo!!  I hurried and put the camera on the tripod and moved the setting to wireless remote but I didn't have time to set the lighting or anything.  I had 50 people staring at me and waving to the camera - ack!  I tried to run up to take the photo with the remote and it didn't work.  Then, I tried to use the timer and that didn't work.  I finally just took the photo of everyone else!  Mike ran down to take a picture of me with the group but for some reason the photo didn't take.  Oh well, the story of my life!

 

After the event a couple of us hung out and chatted for a bit.  I love meeting new cachers and I love how the community is finally coming together!  Hopefully the word will spread in the area about caching because the more new members we have the more new caches will be placed! We even had several people come from out of town for the event!  So cool!


I told Mike that the next Summer WWFM we have should be at Waterfront Park.  We can all bring beach wear, our floats, beach balls and we can all wear floaties and play in the fountain.  He looked at me like I was crazy!  We shall see!