Day
6: Saturday 3/4
We
launched the boat and took a quick ride about a mile up the river. The wind was out of the south at about ten
and with the shallow water it was real choppy.
But the boat still floats. It was
the first time the boat was in the water for nearly two years.
My
cousin Rodney follows our blog and noticed that we spent some time in
Sanford. Rodney and his wife Linda,
along with their daughter Jeanie and her husband Mike, visited us on our houseboat
back in 2012 in Ft. Myers, FL. He
contacted Jeanie, who now lives in Sanford, and gave her a list of possible
phone numbers for us. In the evening we got a call from Jeanie. (Apparently not all of the numbers were still
good; Jeanie talked to some folks who had no idea who she wanted to talk
to.) She invited Linda and me to join
them for lunch at their apartment tomorrow.
We’re looking forward to it.
Day
7: Sunday 3/5
This
morning we headed south to Sanford. We
arrived at Jeanie and Mike’s a few minutes after noon. Linda told Jeanie to keep lunch simple; like samitches …Jeanie fixed Ceaser
salad, pasta shells marinara with meatballs, homemade corn bread, plus homemade brownies that Becca
and Michael made. We ate like
kings! It was sooo good. (Have you noticed I like to eat?)
We
really enjoyed spending the afternoon with them. They gave us some pointers on things to see
and do in the area. It was nice getting
to know them better. Now they don’t seem
like distant relatives but like a real part of our family.
 |
| Jeanie holding Gracie, Michael, Becca and Mike. |
On the way back to Georgetown we decided to take a side trip to Casadaga (House of Daggers). This small community sits about six miles southeast of Deland. I first heard about it in the late 70’s when a man I worked with, who graduated from the same school I attended in Daytona, told me about his motorcycle trip with friends from Daytona. Somehow they turned down a side road and ended up in the town of Casadaga. Everyone stared at them as they stopped at the small store for some refreshments. They asked the man behind the counter why they were being watched. He told them everyone who lives here is some kind of spiritualist or medium. They were not used to strangers snooping around.
Well
apparently things have not changed much in fifty years. There may be a few new houses and now there
are some signs in front yards advertising their craft. But it seems very much like what was
described to me so many years ago. We
were so amazed at what we were seeing we didn’t take any pictures…But then if
ghosts are invisible and vampires don’t have a reflection, the pics wouldn’t
have come out anyway!
Day
8: Monday 3/6
Today
it is too windy to go out on the water.
So today will be land based activities.
We explored some of the small towns in the area. Fruitland, Welaka, Pomona Park, Lake Como, Crescent
City…All have the usual verity of palms and scrubs with huge Live Oaks with
drapes of Spanish Moss and Air Plants.
It’s a laid-back lifestyle with unassuming people who accept you for who
you are. It feels like home.
Every
little town has a Dollar General. Even
if there is no post office there is a Dollar General. I think it must be a state law. But they are convenient; especially since the
nearest town of any size is fifteen miles away. Walmart is thirty miles!
Day
9: Tuesday 3/7 Temps in the high 70’s.
Breezy at times.
This
morning the wind is very light and not a cloud in the sky. We took a quick trip to Dollar General in
Fruitland about five miles up the road.
I mean what’s a day without a
trip to Dollar General?
 |
| Keeping and eye on us. Were is Momma?? |
About
1:00 PM the clouds started to gather and the wind picked up. As we turned the one bend in the river we
could see rain about ten miles away on the south end of the lake. No fish, but
a great time.
 |
| Typical shoreline on the St. Johns River |
 |
| Linda was impressed with this large Cyrpess |
This afternoon is time to chill.
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