WANDERING WITH THE WRIGHTS

March 26, 2017

We have moved further North into Georgia.  Our first stop was in Brunswick where I moved 50 years ago as a young bride with my late husband Dick.  Jerry was wonderful about walking down memory lane with me.

Our first apartment - a small upstairs one bedroom

The church we attended every Sunday for 3 years

And where our oldest son Keith was baptized.

The two bedroom furnished house we moved into after 6 months in the apartment and Keith's first home - it looked MUCH better then.

One thing I don't understand though is that the entire downtown area where we lived is now referred to as Historic Downtown Brunswick??  Jerry wondered if that meant I was pre-historic!!
When we lived in Brunswick we made many trips to nearby St. Simons and Jekyll Island.  Both beautiful Islands and of course we revisited them.

This store sign captured how I felt about our visit.

St. Simons lighthouse

This beautiful bridge wasn't there 50 years ago.

Vincent all decked out for St. Patrick's Day

Doesn't my son look happy?  Love that big smile

Our next stop was Savannah.  We had a good time although I came down with a bad cold and Jerry got sick one night after eating dinner at Paula Deans Restaurant!!  Jerry however found an Air Museum to visit the day I stayed home trying to rest and shake my cold.

Had to visit Harbor Freight to pick up a few items and they allowed Teddy to ride along

Tybee Island is right off the coast of Savannah

We decided to visit Tybee Island on St. Patrick's Day as we learned, after arriving, that Savannah has the 2nd largest St. Patrick's Day celebration (New York has the largest) anywhere in the US.  They had over a million people come in and the parade is over 4 hours long.  We decided to skip all the people and traffic and head for the Island.  The azaleas were blooming and all the moss hanging from the trees were truly beautiful

 Found the sign interesting and scary.  

There is an old Battery Garland there and we thought the admission price was a little pricey so Jerry tried climbing the buttress to sneak in!  Only kidding

They also had a beautiful lighthouse

Wish I could have gotten the phone out quicker but people really get into St. Patrick's Day in Savannah -  lots of Irish heritage in this southern town.

The homes in Savannah are beautiful.  Many had deteriorated but the past 15 years great progress has been made in restoring many of them.  Many of the old beautiful homes are built around a total of 24 squares.  The squares each have parks in the middle many of which have statues or fountains.  

The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist was beyond beautiful

Our parking spot in Skidaway State Park near Savannah

Lots of cool shops and restaurants at City Market in Savannah 

Riding the Hop On and Off Trolley

Jehoshaphat House

Stairs & railings all made out of metal

Paula Deans Restaurant

We were very disappointed in the food and would never consider going back.  They provided Jerry with a Gluten Free menu which he ordered from but somewhere he got gluten there and was very sick when we got home.  

Have seen lots of trucks loaded with trees

This boy knows me already.  What happens at Grandmas stays at Grandmas :-)

We left Savannah heading for Pawley's Island to spend a few days visiting with our dear friends Bill and Lynn Genda.  Just outside of town there was construction and we went over some VERY bumpy railroad tracks.  As we went over we heard someone honking - didn't know if it was at us or not but as soon as we turned the next corner Jerry thought something was up and found a place to pull over.

My bike had bounced out of the bike rack and the rear tire was dragging on the ground between the back of the motor home and the Jeep!!  As you see the tire and rim were shot.

The bike cracked the lens on the break light on the Jeep.  The replacement even with Jerry doing the labor was $350!!  Fortunately the scratches were superficial and easily rubbed off.

We took the bike in to get the tire repaired and the new rim, tire and some general maintenance was going to cost $95.  They had this used one with two brand new tires and ready to go for $59 - no brainer - left the 25 year old bike and now have a bright purple one!!

Went to Hog Heaven for lunch one day with Bill & Lynn

They took us to see Hampton Plantation (rice plantation)

From the plantation we visited a church built in 1789 - St James Santee Parish Church.  All of the pews are inside individual family boxes.

The original pulpit

A side pulpit added much later.  Jerry

and Pastor Bill had to give it a try

The view from Bill & Lynn's condo - a view one would never tire of.

We also visited Brookgreen Garden.  We have visited before and where Lynn has volunteered for over 10 years.
We specifically went to see a new exhibit called Life in the American West - it was truly fabulous.

This reminded me of Little House on the Prairie

The grounds are so pretty

Another fabulous display - all of the birds are carved out of wood.

Pictures do not do them justice - they were so life like looking

Pastor Bill's Church in Myrtle Beach

We went to the church Saturday morning to help them feed the homeless.  It was a wonderful experience.  Sun Coast Christian provided meals to the homeless every Saturday for years on their own.  With the great example the set other local churches have now started doing the same.  They rotate Saturday's and we feel very blessed to have been there on their Saturday.  The volunteers from the church were all very friendly and made us feel welcome and the homeless were also friendly, for the most part, and very appreciative for the food.  I would have loved to have heard some of their stories.  There was one teenage boy that particularly touched my heart.  I went over and talked to him for awhile.  He was with two older gentlemen, not family who seemed to be watching over him a little.  As we all stood up to say goodbye I asked the boy if he could use a hug and I really thought he would just walk away but he came around the table and gave me a huge hug and the other two men did the same.  It was a very humbling and special time.  We have so much to be grateful for and so much we just take for granted.  I believe God puts these experiences in our lives to remind me and others just how blessed we are and how grateful we should be.

Saturday night Sarah (Bill & Lynn's daughter) and her twins Colleen and Erin came over and we all enjoyed pizza together.  The girls are just precious.

Snuck a picture of Pastor Bill preaching Sunday morning.  I was to far away to get a picture of Lynn but she was playing the organ.

It was so wonderful to visit with Bill and Lynn.  We had a fabulous time.

As we slowly continue North and to our next NOMAD mission project we will be visiting more family and friends.