To Grandmother's House We Go

June 7:
We left Texas and made our way to Alabama, where we stayed for the night.  Lee usually drives everywhere we go, but this time we split the driving since it was a 12-hour day.  We settled in and started listening to a book on tape - Michael Connelly's The Reversal.  As is our custom on road trips (and probably yours too?), we tried to get each "Welcome" sign as we passed into new states.  I took the first driving shift, so Lee was on state line look-out.  ...He needs a little practice.

 

After about 6 hours, we switched and Lee drove (hence, the beautiful shot of the Alabama sign).  We stopped for lunch in Mobile at a place called The Hungry Owl.  Lee was super excited because this place had been featured on Man Vs. Food  and he wanted to get the same burger Adam had gotten on the show.  The restaurant was pretty cool and totally decked out in owl decor, but we were there at an odd time, so it was mostly empty.  

Sadly, I was a little disappointed with my gator and crab cake sandwich, but I don't really like the Creole seasoning used in most Southern seafood cakes, so it's not surprising.  (Don't really know why I ordered it...I think I was enthralled by the gator.)  And I know my baked mac 'n' cheese looks good, but it was actually pretty weird-tasting.  It had a gross smoked flavor or something.  Even Lee didn't really like it, and he'll eat anything!  However, he did love his sandwich:  a burger stuffed with sauteed onions, peppers, celery, sausage, 3 cheeses, and jalapenos, then topped with sharp cheddar, bacon, candied jalapenos, smoked gouda, Creole bbq sauce, and a fried egg!!!  Try saying that all in one breath!  His loaded potato salad was to die for too.  I know, because I ate most of it.  :)

We stayed in Alabama that night, close to the Georgia border, in a Hampton Inn.  No pictures of that though because we've stayed there several times now, and I think you kind of get the idea.  This one was newly built and had modern decor, though, so there were no bathtubs (and no hot tub either), which was exactly what I was aching for after a long day on the road.  Add to that the fact that Lee completely schooled me in Skip-Bo 3+ times, and I was not the happiest camper.  (Darn my will to win!)

June 8:

We woke up, ate a yummy hot breakfast, and were on our way bright and early.  We soon passed into Georgia...then South Carolina, and finally North Carolina, finishing The Reversal somewhere in there.  We saw many odd and interesting things on our way... 

Lee was on camera duty again.  We can only guess that this is Georgia.  ;)

 Pretty water pictures...

   

This was a tricky one for me. It came up fast.

Hi, Caleb!

That poor man is toppled over.

Lee had always dreamed it was real...

Imitating me.  12 hours in a car can do that to a person.

L: "Do you think I can take the paper?"  B: "Yeah probably, there's only a few sheets."

Later...

B: "You stole the pen too?!"  L: "They go together!  They expect you to take both!"

Lee not wanting his picture taken after above conversation.

Missed the real sign, but we had to potty at the Welcome Center anyway.

We're finally here!  "Albemarle Plantation"

Once we got to Gramma and Joe's house, we unpacked a little, ate dinner, and went down to the waterfront to relax in the hot tub.  It was close to 9 o'clock by that point, so Lee and I were the only ones there.  It was so nice.  I love night swims.  :)  We alternated between the hot tub and pool for about 45 minutes, then headed back to my gramma's house to turn in for the night.  We were exhausted from two days of non-stop driving so we slept like babies.  (Although after spending time with my niece, Julia, I'm beginning to wonder how that phrase came about...)  But you know what I mean.

June 9-11:

Gramma and Joe drove us around the plantation and showed us all the new homes being built.  We stopped by the sound to walk on the pier.

What are you doing here, Aunt Karen?

There were 3 turtles chillin on a stump here, but I scared them away.  :(

The next day, we sorted through mounds of pictures and played Mah Jongg.  NO, not the online game.  The real version, with tiles and walls and all that.  I liked it so much that I bought my own set!  Lee and I also found a pair of binoculars.  Obviously things were going to get interesting...

Eyelashes?

Crossed eyes.

Weird eyes.

Cartoon eyes!

Then we got creative.

The next day, we went swimming.  There was a boy there who was so loud (and hilarious) that we had to capture him on video.  Thank goodness we brought our camera.  However, after two hours of his pubescent laughing, we got annoyed and went home.  We ate dinner, played some more Mah Jongg, and got a good night's rest in preparation for the next leg of our journey.

My George Washington impression.

Dead Man's Float!

What I might look like it I had hypertrichosis.

And we'll end on this note...

~Hooks