I had summer vacation plans. I didn’t get to go. As a lot of people know, I had hip replacement surgery–and then broke the other leg. Most of my summer was spent in physical therapy–or bed. I watched my meditation garden go to weeds, became frustrated being stuck in my bedroom every day, couldn’t find the inspiration to write, and became bored with reading and television.

I’m Free!

But I finally healed enough to venture forth, back out into the world. First stop was a brief visit to North Carolina to see the family (parents, sister/brother-in-law, and brother). Then, it was off to Jacksonville, Florida, to see our son who is a mechanical engineer working on fighter jets for the U.S. Navy, and take in the Jacksonville Naval Air Show. Wow!

The Blue Angels flying team (you can follow them on social media, it’s really cool!) performed such hair-raising maneuvers that I had to hold my breath, fearing a crash. (They were perfect.) One of the pilots was Lt. Com. Amanda Lee in Angel #4. This was something my father, a Navy man, said was impossible, that a woman would never be a Blue Angel. I lived to see the impossible.

There were a number of planes on display. This is an AWAC- Airborne Warning and Control plane. This one is used to catch drug smugglers. The pilot had some amusing stories to share, although I don’t think the people they caught thought them funny. Days before, a huge cache of drugs was confiscated by the pilot and his team. Doing a great job!

This is a Soviet era Mig 17, which gave our fighter jets a challenge for armed conflict for decades, until a new generation of US fighter jets were designed and built. (Who’d have thought to see a Russian plane at a U.S. air show…?)

I have many more photos, even a video of the Blue Angels roaring overhead (WordPress can’t host it), but I had to include this photo of a Blackhawk helicopter (since this is the Navy’s, they call them Seahawks), and its amazing woman pilot. I’m sorry I didn’t get her name, but she was badass!

On The Road Again…

The son went back to work and we left Jacksonville to spend part of the day in St. Augustine, Florida, America’s oldest city, which was claimed by Ponce de Leon for King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain.

It’s a quaint city filled with history and charm. (Avoid the “Fountain of Youth” attraction; you already know it’s just spring water and a sad looking fountain at best, but the restaurant there was pretty good.)

This guy was a more interesting sight than the ‘fountain’. You can buy peanuts to feed him and his hungry horde of friends.

This is the Castillo de San Marcos, complete with moat, but disappointingly, no alligators. I figured it was built to protect against the British, but no, the French. There is a robust history to the fort (the stone, which is made from crushed coral, is so dense, cannon balls couldn’t penetrate the walls). So much to see, but alas, not enough time. (Take the trolley that circles around the city, well worth it.)

Homeward Bound

But first, a quick stop at the Luray Cavern in Virginia (where my parents went on their honeymoon). It took Nature thousands of years to create this masterpiece. Breathtaking. Stunning. Stupendous.

Being a writer, I wondered what the three men who discovered the caverns first thought. Were they the first humans to see it? What was it like to use a torch and rope to explore? (The whole cavern has been explored and mapped.)

Some of the stalactites were so massive that if one fell, I worried if there would be enough time to jump out of the way. (Does everyone think weird thoughts like that, or is it just writers?) An earthquake 7,000 years ago knocked a huge stalactite off (it looked like one of those giant redwoods that grow in California).

There is a ‘cathedral’ (large open cavern) where weddings are performed, ‘singing’ rocks (hit with a rubber hammer that makes musical notes), and a small lake. Such sights should not be missed.

Home

After eight days, I was ready to sleep in my very soft bed. And get back to writing/revising/querying my novels. I had critiques to do and return. House plants needed to be watered. But first, I had a cat who was going to be happy to see me, then sulk because I’d been away so long. I’m back into the routine as soon as Mink gets his treats, loves, and brushing. Could you say “I’m too busy now” to this fuzzy face?