Back to Greenville County – Mon. Nov. 13

We will be going back to Greenville NC and Pitt/Greenville County (30 miles away) today to look at other neighborhoods where we might want to live.   More details on Greenville.

While searching the MLS listings, I had to register at a real estate site.  We got connected with ReMax and Holly who called me on Sunday night and emailed me that night some areas for us to look at.  We spent most of our time on State Park Road and Paris Mountain and saw some beautiful areas.   I can’t believe how reasonable the housing market is.  Houses that would be close to $500,000 here are about $350,000 and on large lots.

We had lunch at a wonderful restaurant in the historic part of downtown, which is also beautiful.  

Tybee Island and Savannah – Sat./Sun. Nov. 11-12

We had been told we should make sure we see Savannah and while searching there web site I found out about an art fair nearby on Tybee Island.  There were also festivals going on in Savannah.

The drive into Savannah was not what I expected.  A very high bridge and since it is a port, many huge cranes and ships.  Not the quaint entrance I expected.  When we got to the town a parade was just starting and the town was packed with cars and people.  We just drove through.  I would be surprised if we make another visit back there.  Tybee Island was more my style.

Tybee Island is about 20 miles from Savannah and is  barrier island. A charming town of about 4000 and it’s main purpose today seems to be as a laid back resort with many 2 story resorts and charming little condos and homes.  The art fair was about 40 little tents with a few people wandering through.  The weather was absolutely perfect.  We sat by the beach for awhile and then asked the locals where a good place for lunch was.  The photos are on a disposable camera so it will be awhile before they get posted.  The restauant was packed and let’s say “it had character”.  It was probably about 60 years old, by the beach (which you can’t see because of the sand dunes) and I think I am really happy I could not see the kitchen but the crab cakes were delicious and we really had fun watching the people come and go.

Near the restaurant is a light house and a fort so quite an interesting history to the island.  Check out the link above.

We had a bit of a surprise when we saw our hotel bill.  We were charged for about $50 of mini bar items which we did not consume.  I called the desk and they immediately removed the charge but kind of makes me wonder why we were charged in the first place.  Like many beach hotels there are a bunch of extra taxes and fees so that added another $25 a night to the bill.  If we had used the in room internet connection that would have been another $11 a day, but wireless in the lobby was free.  Really irritating.  At a cheap hotel you get no extra fees, free internet access and breakfast is included.  Go figure. 

I forgot to mention that this Westin does take pets up to 40 pounds and we saw a few really cute little dogs.  Tanya stayed at home but we missed her. 

Hilton Head Island – Nov. 9-10

We had an uneventful 4.5 hour drive to Hilton Head Island.  It is hard to imagine in the morning you are in the mountains and in the afternoon you are at the ocean.  Our Westin Hotel looks very nice and not at all crowded.  We woke up to SUMMER – 75 degrees.  We spent Friday relaxing in the hotel, sitting in the big hot spa and walking the beach. Our hot tub is the thing I miss the most.  Very relaxing. 

Food is good but expensive. At a very nice restaurant I had an appetizer of fried green tomatoes with crab and brie cheese.  Yum.  I have crab in some form where ever I can find it. 

We have a nice balcony and can read the morning paper while having coffee to start out the day at our slow pace.  Did I mention no crowds!!! Even so, the traffic on the one main road seems heavy.  I can’t imagine what it must be like during the peak tourist/golf season with most of the people visitors like us who don’t know where we are going.  They have these road things called turnarounds that are really wicked in the pitch black of night driving.  The island is only 5 by 12 miles and I think I read it has 60 golf courses!   The other main attraction seems to be shopping.  Pretty as it is, since I don’t golf and hate to shop this is probably not going to be a place I revist. 

Bob and I have a tradition of taking a bottle of wine, cheese, crackers, fruit or other snacks to eat down by the beach as the sun sets and that was fun.  The sky looked like it was on fire!

The only downside is there is a big dredging platform off shore and it makes a horrible racket all the time.  Really takes away from th calm sound of the waves rolling in.  It sounds like a helicopter flying high overhead.   

Bob cracked a rib – Wed. Nov. 8

Bob woke up Saturday morning with a sharp pain in his side.  Since then it hasn’t gotten better or wors so today he went to the doctor.  Xrays show that he has a crack on the 10th rib.  Not much they can do about it except pain pills.  Dr.  said it would hurt for at least another week.  We don’t know how he did it.  It could have been when he fell and broke his finger but the dr. thinks it would have hurt before this. 

Poor guy!  I’m usually the one with the aches and pains.  He is not used to this.  I think he is feeling a little old. 

A book on Yurts

I got a comment from Becky Kemery who told me about http://www.yurtinfo.org./

I had no idea there was such a big interest in yurts.  Becky has written a book YURT:  Living in the Round and it is available at Amazon.  I think I might order it when I get home.

 That canvas style Yurt we stayed in varies from about $5000 to $10,000 depending on the size.  If I was a cabin type person, I might consider it on a lot some where.  Who knows, maybe a yurt on the ocean? 

Blog Archives

For those of you who might not have seen the beginning of the blog, I added an archive  section so you can look at some of the older postings.

Hendersonville Library Presentation Tues. – Nov. 7

This election day was a day of pouring rain.  Bob and I didn’t really expect anyone to come out in the bad weather to here me speak but we were wrong.

10 brave souls showed up and they were a wonderful audience.  I worried that I would not have enough to say in 1 hour and 45 minutes but I did.  Bob said I did a great job and I think I did also.  I had a 35 slide power point presenation and a short video of Helen and read parts of the book and I added information about the orphan trains and NC orphanages.  The audience seemed interested.  The library had a nice set up for doing the program.  You can see a web version of the presentation at http://www.usucceed.com/helen/power_point.htm

One woman was from a local woman’s shelter and she commented that like the children in Helen’s orphanage who carried all their belongings in a little bag stored on their chair, many of the children that come to the shelter have all their belongings in a Wal Mart bag and they really need suitcases so the kids have something to call their own.  Heartbreaking.

There was a couple from International Falls, MN who came because of the Minnesota connection.

A woman who works at a local children’s group home came with a young girl who she thought would benefit from hearing what happened to Helen.  I talked with them afterward.  The girl has had a tough time of it.  I asked her if I could give her a hug.  She looked down shyly and said “I guess so.”  We gave each other a big long hug.  I hope it made her feel a little better.  I know it made me feel better.  I can’t get her out of my mind.  I gave them a book for their home.   They thought some of the girls might read it.

I went to bed feeling good about what I did.

Looking for Houses in the Carolina’s

Bob says – Very exited about finding a home here, one with lots of room and really cheap

Hilton Head, here we come – Nov. 9-12

We are getting very excited about our trip out to Hilton Head, Savannah and Beaufort SC on the ocean.  Our Westin Hotel  looks wonderful and since this is off season was pretty reasonably priced.  We are looking forward to getting our toes in the sand and our bodies into a swimming pool and hot tub and most important, weather forcast says 72!  We could not leave the south without a little warm sun before returning to Minnesota where it is forecasted to be a high of 54 and a low of 42. 

Speech Writing – Mon. Nov. 6

I have a presentation to give tomorrow night at the Hendersonville Library.  It is from 7-8:45 so I spent most of the day finishing a 35 slide Power Point presentation.  I’m really happy with the way it is coming together.  I don’t have any idea how many people will be there.  Bob is coming and Dot, the person we are renting from is coming, but beyond that who knows.  It is election night.  Click here if you want to take a peak at the presentation in web page format.