Journal Entry 3, Day 6, January 11th

Yesterday was another wonderful day in dreamland. We went snorkeling with Fun2dive at Three Sister Springs, then headed to Homosassa Wildlife Preserve, and finished the day eating dinner with an old friend.

The internet is better here than the last RV park, but still a reminder we’re spoiled with high-speed at home. By the time I’m able to get to our blog, I’ve lost the inspiration to write, and ready to move to something else. Mike is better at documenting our trip on his phone, while I prefer to use the laptop. He’s also better at getting straight to the point, which takes me 3 times as long. We bring balance to each other with our different approaches; I like that about us.

We have yet to make a decision on the best way to use the information we’re gathering. Mike could make a great app for helping pick the perfect campsite at each location. We’re giving reviews for places we visit, documenting details not given on websites. I want to stay up to date with the blog; especially since deactivating social media. I also desire to live in the moment, but document for the future. The week has gone by so fast, I’ve had to make notes on when we did each event. How is it already Saturday?

Monday: Arrived at our first destination, O’leno State Park in High Springs Florida, and dinner at Pepperoni’s. Tuesday: Walked the trails, explored the park, and had dinner with Laura at Leonardo’s Pizza in Gainesville. (Mike’s favorite pizza place, with one of my favorite people!) Wednesday: Kayaking at Ichetucknee Springs, trail walk, and cheeseburgers at the camper. Thursday morning we shivered through a bike ride around the park, seeing a handful of deer. By early afternoon, we arrived at our second destination, Suwannee River Bend RV Park. This place is beautiful! I’d dare to say it’s the most posh place we’ve camped at together. I was super excited to discover the RV park had a social planned for dinner. We ate at the lodge with about 20 snowbirds from all over the US that have been meeting here for years. We played LRC (Left, Right, Center dice game), then Mike and I headed back to the trailer for a few games of Rummicube to complete the wonderful day. I’m not sure how many of our readers are familiar with the television series “Friends”, but I’m starting to feel like Feebie’s one-episode date played by Alec Baldwin. His constant energy and over-the-top optimism for life quickly becomes exhausting to be around. Who can stay that happy all the time? Sometimes you need a little irritation to add some spice into the mix. I have to remind myself it’s okay to be happy.

Yesterday we snorkeled with manatees. Mike has already documented this experience for our readers, but for the sake of my journal, I have to say my favorite part was a curious baby manatee. The picture our tour guide Jessica took looked like we were hovering over the little guy. But he came up to us! (Photos on Mike’s last post.) He swam to Mike’s face and then came up to mine. He was no more than 6 inches from my mask, with his mouth open in wonder and discovery, just like ours! He went back to the bottom of the ocean floor and turned to leave. Mike and I kept squeezing each other’s hands, unable to holler, jump up and down, or even smile underwater. (I learned fast that smiling makes the mask unseal from my face, and water comes in.) This was an experience I would recommend 100 times over.

Mike was so excited for the rest of the morning, especially after finding out Jessica got most of it on camera. He planned this trip for over a year, taking so much detail into consideration. He made sure we weren’t driving too long at a time in between locations because I don’t want to ride in a vehicle for too long. He planned some events he’s done in the past, but I have never experienced. He researched the best places, attractions, distance, timing, and even average temperature for the dates scheduled. As he planned throughout the year, I didn’t give it a lot of attention because I was always reminding myself it wasn’t my trip. Now I’m allowing myself to enjoy the events he has labored over. I wish my vocabulary wasn’t so limited, as I find it difficult to express all the joy I’m finding. I’m elated to experience Michael’s labor of love come to life. Maybe I need to add learning a new language to my to-do list. Because, WOW, words escape me, and the ones I find just aren’t cutting it. I’ll forever be devoted and in debt to this man for what he has done for us.

After we left the snorkeling adventure we went to the Homosassa Wildlife Preserve. It was really cool to take a pontoon ride through Pepper Creek in the middle of the city. A turn to the right, then to the left took us out of the city and into what looked like the jungle. The boat operator said they only take in animals native to Florida, with the exception of the oldest living Hippopotamus! He also told of an interesting fact regarding Henry Ford and his model T car. Ford was excited to find the Spanish moss when he visited Florida. He could buy unprocessed moss for one cent, and processed for 2 cents. He stuffed the seats of his new model T Fords with the cheaper moss. People were buying brand new cars and then being chewed up by chiggers coming out of the seats. Ford took all the cars back, and had to replace the moss with hay. The sanctuary has dozens of species of birds, including a pelican sitting on a nest of babies born only yesterday. This was better than any zoo. I appreciate the wildlife preserve releases the animals physically able back into the wild, and only homes the animals that won’t survive without help. We saw a 3-legged red fox, gorgeous owls, an alligator, cougar, bear, and more. Oh, and they have 2 bald eagles! Mike couldn’t believe I had never seen one in person. They’re truly majestic. He also couldn’t believe it was my first time seeing oranges still on the tree. Homosassa Wildlife Preserve is good at what they do, and I’m looking forward to coming back. Just before exiting the park, I kissed a rock for Daddy, one for Sheila, and tossed them down a hill into the fenced in woods.

We had dinner with my friend Joy, and her husband Ray at Suwannee Belle Landing Restaurant overlooking the river. Joy and I met when we were 3 and 6 years old. We have come in and out of each other’s lives over the years. Our daughters became friends at an after-school daycare, without us even aware they knew each other. The last few years we’ve only seen each other at funerals but have stayed in touch through Facebook. At some point, I hope to find a balance with social media so I can continue to stay in touch with the people I love. For now, it needs to stay off as I remind myself to live each moment like it’s my last. Yesterday is gone and tomorrow exists only as a hope. Today… this second in time is what I possess; and I’m swimming in this moment like Memaw’s feather bed, piled high with handmade quilts, pleasantly drowning in a sea of love.