The one where we run out of daylight because my husband won’t stop talking.

February 9, 2024 Rivergirl 17 Comments

Next to the cypress wetlands was the Port Royal museum. We love small local museums run by resident volunteers and always try to support them when we can.

This local didn’t share any history with us, but he was all about a good neck scratch.

Not St. Augustine, Florida.

Nope. That’s a common misconception. The Spanish actually settled Port Royal first, but it was abandoned a few years later due to lack of funds.

This museum was tiny but filled with interesting things.

Megalodon teeth… that you can apparently scavenge for on local beaches. Sign me up!

15 million year old clam? That too.

The docent had absolutely no idea what this was, but I’m there for it as well.

We’d had a busy day, and since I had one more waterfront walk on the schedule for the late afternoon I tried to hurry the husband along.

I think you can guess how that went.

Just when I almost had him out the door, the lovely lady who runs the museum suggested he might want to look at some military photo albums donated by a resident.

Yes, they were interesting.

Filled with heart warming pics…

As well as the horrors of war.

Most were taken during WWII and Korea. And while I appreciated her sharing them with us, I wasn’t as thrilled with the hour long conversation that followed.

Vacation time is limited!

Schedules must be kept.

As the sun was going down, I finally dragged him out of the building and we headed for the boardwalk.

Tiptoeing through the seagulls we made our way forward.

It’s a popular fishing spot next to the marshes and offers a long stretch of easy walking with a viewing tower.

Of course it was getting dark and the wind had ratcheted up to a howl which made it less than comfortable.

We only climbed to the first level of the three level tower…

The higher you went… the stronger and colder the winds. One quick picture and I called it good.

The sun was setting and we needed to get back on the road.

As you can see, our giant rental beast dwarfed all the other vehicles in the parking area.

🥴

Good bye Port Royal…. it was swell.

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More furniture shopping, more frustration.

February 8, 2024 Rivergirl 26 Comments

Since I’m not on board with any of the hideous fabrics associated with the living room set my husband chose, shopping continues.

I stepped it up a notch last week and took him to an Ethan Allen showroom. And aside from the fact it was the smallest store we’d been to, they only had one hard backed sofa.

Which was too low, too square and too soft for my Goldilocks spouse.

Factor in most of their couches were over $5,000 a piece, even the simple ones like this, and it was a hard pass.

Next up was the store where I started my search with my girlfriend a few months ago. They had two sets I thought might work.

But Mr, Picky vetoed this one because of the T shaped couch cushions.

Really?

At this point I thought he was just being obstinate on purpose and didn’t want new furniture. But when I brought him to set #2….

Hard backed, rolled full arms, not too deep, available with firm cushions.

Could it be?

A long discussion was had with the (very patient) salesman about features and quality…

These arms were an eighth of an inch different in size… noticeable to no one on earth except my husband who worked quality control in the Marine Corps.

But despite the glaring anomaly, the husband agreed that this set might work. They even had the pattern he’d picked out at a previous store, seen on the back of the chair above.

I vetoed that as it was probably too light for our white walls and rather liked this one.

When I asked if I could bring a few swatches home, I was told yes… for a price. For a deposit of $50 each I came home with 5. The $263 to be refunded to my card when I returned them.

Geesh.

Lord Dudley seemed partial to this one.

But as I suspected…. it’s too light and bright for our all white walls not to mention my husband’s feet on an ottoman.

I need more contrast of color and though I really didn’t want blue….

This one might work.

😊

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The cypress wetlands.

February 8, 2024 Rivergirl 26 Comments

After that lovely meal we were ready to walk off some poundage and in the Port Royal area there’s nowhere better than the cypress wetlands.

The entrance is literally right in the middle of town and the boardwalks put you right in the thick of it.

I was excited to see a gator.

And as we started our stroll, a local woman passed by assuring us wide eyed Yankees we would see some.

Off we went through marsh and swamp and cypress… eyes peeled for alligators.

Not quite.

A third of the way through? A viewing platform.

Which the husband took full advantage of, but left reptile bereft.

Egrets and herons were abundant.

Yeah, yeah… so you keep saying.

As we hit the halfway mark the trees were draped with that lovely moss so evocative of the Deep South.

I tried for a mossy selfie but my arms aren’t long enough to capture much background.

There were some fabulously gnarly trees above and beside us …

And at times it felt like the forest primeval.

How cypress grows and roots in standing water always amazes me.

There were signs everywhere saying “Don’t Touch The Trees!”

So of course…

There’s my husband, touching a tree.

On the home stretch, there was a boardwalk right through the wetlands.

With a sign about alligators.

Which was actually spot on….

Because we finally saw one lounging on the opposite bank with a bevy of turtle friends.

Score!

As we were leaving I spotted an unusual stationary alligator.

He was wire framed and filled with trash.

An excellent visual on why you shouldn’t litter.

Cypress wetlands, a great place to stroll.

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And we’re back to the window nightmare.

February 7, 2024 Rivergirl 31 Comments

Work moved on to the three remaining windows that needed replacing in our bedroom and as with every single other project we attempt in this house, it was a monumental f*ck up.

These are the old windows, stripped of trim and ready to be removed.

Yes, that’s snow you see outside.

Ideal conditions for exterior work.

Not.

The trouble began when the first small window was removed and its replacement was fitted.

The problem? It didn’t fit.

Because it was too big.

Incorrect measurements by our contractor? He says no and has the paperwork to prove it.

Incorrect measurements by the retailer? They say no and have the paperwork to prove it.

Incorrect measurements by the manufacturer? They say they built what they were told and refuse to refund and replace.

Solution… (other than pulling my hair out, stripping naked, dousing myself in tequila and running down the road cursing the home renovation Gods?) … cut bigger holes in the wall.

It wasn’t that much bigger. Maybe and inch and a quarter on each side but it meant (what has now become my mantra) more time, more work, more money. Not to mention a tighter fit when it comes to trim.

And after that first window rough opening was enlarged and the slightly larger window fitted and secured?

An ice storm.

Which coated everything that stood still.

Good times.

😩

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Hushpuppie-ing my way through the south.

February 7, 2024 Rivergirl 21 Comments

After our trip to Parris Island we were hungry and headed for a delightful little town called Port Royal.

It’s quintessentially southern with brightly colored cottages…

And marvelous moss draped live oaks.

It also has a seriously good waterfront restaurant called Fishshack on 11th Street.

The views were lovely…

And though we had planned to eat inside,

When we saw there was an outdoor bar we changed our minds.

A freshly muddled pineapple mojito served in a pineapple shaped glass?

Don’t mind if I do.

Jalapeño hushpuppies? Yes please.

Husband opted for tomato basil bisque. At this point the live music started and damn it, they were playing my song.

Since we were in the south…

Chicken and waffles for the husband,

And an absolutely scrumptious shrimp burger for moi.

In Maine a shrimp burger is just fried shrimp on a roll, this was more like a crab cake and I swear I could eat one every day.

Any place that allows cuties like this to join you for lunch is alright with me.

After our meal we took a walk on the pier.

Hoping our travels would bring us back this way for another nice meal.

😊

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A whole lotta nothing in particular.

February 6, 2024 Rivergirl 31 Comments

Let’s take a look at what’s been clogging up my photo files.

My pickle algorithm has been on vacation lately, but this showed up the other day. I was hoping it was a joke… but sadly it does exist.

I totally need this. And actually already have a little makeup case like the one in her left hand. Unfortunately mine is a lovely shade of mustard instead of green.

This poem always gets me.

😰

From my local FB page.

Never a dull moment here.

One thousand and two uses.

These aren’t my pictures but they were taken in Maine and are too fabulous not to share.

I’ve never seen a sunrise or sunset like this.

There’s probably a meteorological term for it, but all I can say is… wow.

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Back to boot camp… part two.

February 6, 2024 Rivergirl 18 Comments

The only place on Parris Island that really sparked my husband’s memory was the parade deck.

It was a cold and windy day but he wanted to walk the entire thing.

The fancy grandstand wasn’t there in his day.

But he remembers being drilled and marched until he couldn’t see straight. D.I.’s screaming, recruits passing out from the heat, being overwhelmed and overtired, getting slapped when he said yes sir.

He swore he’d forget his mother’s name before his drill instructor’s.

The required selfie, wind blowing so hard I had hair in my mouth.

I walked around the Iwo Jima Statue and left the husband alone with his memories.

Those bricks he’s looking at are memorials. Engraved with the names of fallen Marines. A lot of the boys he went through boot camp with never came back from Vietnam. I think my husband sometimes wonders why he was the lucky one…

A while later we finished our tour of the base.

And decided to stop at the PX for a bite to eat.

Naturally, the food court was closed. But I was cold and wanted to buy a sweatshirt so we shopped.

The husband really wanted this funky bottle of vodka for the man cave bar.

We even tried to find a small box and some bubble wrap to smuggle it in his suitcase on the flight home… but no luck. The saleswoman said we could order it online but in Maine it’s illegal to mail liquor.

Boo to that.

Moving on, the husband checked out the price of Dress Blues.

And when we passed the challenge coins? I had to laugh.

Two full rows of Trump still for sale, while Obama and Biden were almost sold out.

It was a good morning.

My husband always wanted to go back and I’ve always wanted to see the place he talks about with such reverence.

❤️

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Giving him a little taste of the frustration.

February 5, 2024 Rivergirl 22 Comments

My husband rolled his eyes and scoffed at the idea of me not being able to choose a fabric for the sofa he liked among a hundred and fifty choices so I decided to let him experience the joy of fabric selection first hand.

Since we needed to find a different brand of furniture, shopping began anew.

Can you tell how thrilled he was?

He didn’t mind that couch, but vetoed the square arms.

The salesperson said it could be ordered in a rolled arm style….

And we were off.

Standing in front of that brand’s wall of fabric, I started pulling patterns.

The following comments are his.

Too swirly.

Too wavy.

Too blotchy.

Too hippie dippie.

45 minutes later, he started wandering around and picked these.

Too bad they belonged to a brand that didn’t sell a couch he liked.

The designer in residence took up our cause at that point and pulled this.

The husband?

He said it looked like television static.

Almost an hour and a half in, he was done…. and pointed at this.

“That one.

Get that one.”

I thought it an odd choice, but the salesman plugged it into the creation app and the husband was so sick of the process he approved.

I argued that it would be too light a pattern for an ottoman not to mention our white walls and opted to take the swatch home.

The husband? He opted for a bar because the whole thing had driven him to drink.

Cranberry gin fizz for me.

Two beers and a disappointing French onion soup for him.

My crab cakes with spicy remoulade were wonderful.

Fortified with lunch and alcohol… we kept shopping.

😉

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News you can’t use.

February 5, 2024 Rivergirl 26 Comments

Because the world is full of useless news.

Thinking about this, I’m not sure I can get past the short term injuries.

🤢

Post Traumatic Sh*t Disorder, no doubt.

This handsome fellow ate $4,000 off the kitchen counter.

Bad dog. Bad.

That’s a little extreme. Even for the journal…

I’m sure they meant to say incorrectly, but never mind.

Risk management aside, who in their right mind belongs to a Bladder and Bowel Community… and what would you bring to that potluck supper?

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In which I take an old Marine back to boot camp…. part one.

February 4, 2024 Rivergirl 35 Comments

Day two of our anniversary trip started with a glorious sunrise.

And the required selfie with palm tree background.

We headed out early and pointed the beast south.

Through low country marsh…

And those wonderful live oaks. (You’re going to see a lot of them in the days to come because they were everywhere and I love them.)

More marsh.

More moss draped trees. (I did warn you)

An hour and a half later, we reached our destination.

Parris Island, South Carolina. The base that serves as east coast boot camp for the Marine Corps. The last time my Marine had been here was in 1966.

Almost 58 years had passed and he was interested to see how much he remembered.

Those palm trees lining the entrance road?

Nope.

The rifle range?

Yes. Though the brick jersey barriers were new.

I could tell this was an emotional trip down memory lane for him. The last time he walked these grounds he was fresh out of high school and training to go to war.

We drove slowly, touring and taking in the sights. Base housing has definitely improved over the years.

And as we rounded a large bend?

A beautiful golf course…

Complete with live oaks…

Ponds…

And shore birds.

Egrets and herons were everywhere.

As were the moss covered trees.

I asked if the golf course had been there in his day and he honestly didn’t know. During the Vietnam era, boot camp was condensed from 3 months into 2 and every single minute was spent training, drilling or sleeping. No days off. One hour a week to write a letter home and mandatory church service Sunday morning. There was no time for golf.

My husband really wanted to see his old barracks, but they were made of wood and torn down long ago. Modern brick was in their place.