July 15-16,  2016, Hudson, FL-   I kind of flooped around, after a night’s rest at Patriot Inn, Register, GA, west of Statesboro.

Patriot Inn, Register, GA- a gracious Mom & Pop hotel

I found my way to the Florida state line, pulling in front of a vehicle which was 800 yards away and which sped up, flashing his lights and whipping around me, like a refugee from the DC area, or Metro Phoenix.  A short time later, Bubba was behind me, tailing the Elantra carefully, for about a mile.  Since I was doing the speed limit, the Sheriff kept going straight, when I turned left.

I left Georgia behind, and continued onto I-10, west, to Lake City.  By then, I was fairly hungry, and found the Sonny’s BBQ, for an 11 A.M. lunch. A sweet young lady named Damara made sure I was fed and watered.  Sonny’s is a reliable chain, across Florida.

I got a couple of gift items for my in-law family, and drove down I-75, making good progress and arriving in Hudson in about 2 hours, after leaving Lake City.  There was no phone call waving me away, this time, and MIL was actually thrilled that I was there.  We spent Friday evening just going over old times, and there were no tears shed.  I know Penny and her father are on the other side of the veil, tending to peace and harmony. Her mother is definitely making an effort to enjoy her tenth decade, and keeping a sense of who matters in her life.

Dinner time in Hudson.  She wasn’t alone for long.

The next day was largely spent at the house to which the family plans to move, in the near future.  It’s called The Beach House, but the Gulf is 15 minutes further west.  Well, it is closer to the beach than Prescott is.  The pool is a bit larger than the one at the Hudson house.

Some of my Florida fam, at “The Beach House”

The Beach House pool.

The above pool, and the one at the Hudson house, are good for Penny’s mom to do the aquatherapy she so enjoys.

The home, once it is finalized, will give the family more room- and is, yes, closer to the Gulf.  Travel around west Florida means crossing busy highways, without traffic lights, in many spots.  The key is patience, and I found most, in this area north of Tampa, just let those with right-of-way flow on by, even if there are 100 cars for which to wait.

I won’t get to the Panhandle this trip- north Georgia is a priority and schedules are tight.  Two years from now will likely mean another East Coast summer road trip, hopefully with no car woes.

NEXT UP:  A Grandnephew, A Pontoon Ride and Some Chauffeuring