Road Trip Home, Part Two: From Here to Eternity

                                                                     

After, Jimmy’s graduation from Parris Island, my daughter and her family with me riding shotgun began our long ride, 700 miles, home to New Jersey.  Although the van was a nice size, after we packed it up with our suitcases, Jimmy’s marine bags, three adults and three teens, the van seemed to mysteriously shrink in size. We were tired from all the activities of Family Day and Graduation Day at Parris Island and I was anxious to get home to my husband, who was too sick to make the trip.

                                                                          

My daughter and I were squeezed into a little section of the van as the boys either fell asleep or played a board game. To play the board game one of the seats had to be folded down and used as a table. I told my daughter that I felt like one of those poor cows that were warehoused at industrial farms. MOO!

                                                                     

We stopped for lunch after being on the road for several hours. After a quick bite, we loaded back into the car only to learn after driving for an hour that we had to turn back. One of the boys forgot their cell phone behind.
                                                                                   

I'm not mentioning any names, and none of us were happy about the extra time on the road, but shit happens. My son-in-law was anxious to get me home to hubby and figured that we would make it home by 10 p.m. on Friday night if he kept the pedal to the metal. Wrong!

Young Jimmy has a childhood friend (also a new marine) who is being transferred overseas and he wanted to visit him at the Fort Lee base. We made the detour and after entering the base, got lost a few times before finding his friend. Happy reunion between friends accomplished, we headed to a restaurant before continuing the trip.

                                                                 

The newest estimated arrival time to New Jersey was now closer to 1:30 Saturday morning, which I wouldn’t have minded except my daughter and I were exhausted and still squished in-between three growing or grown teens. Help!

                                                                    

Someone got the bright idea to put on a movie called Dragon Ball Z. I had no freaking idea who or what Dragon Ball Z was about. Why were all the characters in that movie screaming at each other? What was the background story on Dragon Ball Z? Nathan, the youngest, took his time explaining to me and my daughter who each character was. I wasn’t impressed.

                                                                   

Maybe it was because my daughter and I were so exhausted or maybe it was because we were giddy from the lack of oxygen due to being squished in the van, all I know is that we began to laugh hysterically while Nathan explained who and what Goku, Chi-Chi, Gohan, Broly and Oolong the pig were doing in this movie.  I don’t know about you, but Oolong is a very strange pig.

                                                                          

Like I said, it was a long ride home and my poor son-in-law drove it all by himself. When we did arrive back home, we all tumbled out of the car and began unpacking. I arrived home a little past two in the morning. That night, I had a nightmare that I was a character on Dragon Ball Z.

                                                                           

 

Fighting the Bug & Cruising the Carolinas

                                                                            

                                      Jean               Marie                 Rita

My two fellow ghost hunters and I have been dying to head down to North and South Carolina to enjoy the history, the ambiance and the ghosts. We got all three!

                                                                                  

After driving for nine hours (we got lost a few times; they left me in charge of the map) we finally reached Wilmington, North Carolina.
                                                                                 
 We visited the battleship USS North Carolina and learned about its part in World War two, and encountered a two ghosts; young sailors who had died during one of the ship's battles. Later, we   hit the local restaurants. The people of the south are so very friendly.
                                                                                   

 I had been on antibiotics for three days already to fight my infected sinuses and ear infection, and I really thought that I was getting well; I was wrong!

                                                                               

Next day, we headed towards Charleston, South Carolina and after getting misplaced a few times (yeah, I had the map, again) we reached our destination.
                                                                                   

Sunday, we set out to see the sights with me ignoring the fact that I was feeling worse instead of better. We visited the Boone plantation and slave houses. The mansion was closed because of a festival, but we intend to hit the mansion on another day, soon.
                                                                                       

 But visiting the slave house had a sobering effect on me. Being an advocate against human trafficking, I was extremely touched by the suffering endured by the slaves. When will we ever evolve mentally and spiritually enough to realize that no one is free unless all people are free? There is no equality unless all are equal. With all the hate out there, I’m beginning to have my doubts that we’ll make it to the end of the year.

                                                                             

Oops, sorry, it’s my fever speaking out. After visiting the planation, we headed to the dungeon and provost where the pirates were held before their trial. Like I said, love the history of a region and want to learn as much as I can. But the dungeon was a bit moldy, not enough to bother healthy people, but someone like me; very bad!
                                                                                     

I felt horrible; fever, sneezing, you name it; I felt it. We had a ghost hunt scheduled in one of the oldest cemeteries and didn’t have time to go back to the hotel, so I grabbed some rest on a park bench.

At the cemetery, sick as I was, I felt the spirits there; took a few pictures and used our equipment. I have an extremely good shot of a spirit globe and will post this when I get home. Someone touched my friends and me on our arms and neck, plus, there were other signs. I’ll post about this when I’m feeling better.

                                                                               

friends went to a battlefield today, but I stayed home to rest, and hopefully, give the antibiotics a chance to work. So I watched T.V. There are really strange shows on television during the day.

I will touch base with all my zombie snacks as I travel. Oh, I forgot to tell you that I’ve been fired as navigator. I don’t know why?