Kissimmee, FL Vacation
Dec 27, 2006
Grandson Jacy Puckett, Peggy and I are with the Kekana’s - Isaac, Lillian, K.K. & Sam, and Lillian’s brother Bannet’s family of 6. We arrived here at High Point Resort last night about 10:00. Backing up a bit, Peggy and I picked up a load in Lufkin, TX on Friday morning, bound for Orlando, FL. However, we took it home first, adding 530 to what should’ve been a 980 mile trip. We loitered in Shreveport, LA on the way home, slept in the truck a few hours and finally got to Goreville at 7:00 a.m. Saturday. We went directly to Marion for haircuts, errands and shopping, which took all day. At the end of the day, we stopped at Delaney’s Restaurant and the antique shop in Goreville. We finally got home about 8:00 p.m., built a fire in the fireplace and spent the next several hours till 3:00 a.m. wrapping gifts and getting ready for our trip to Florida. We were late getting up on Sunday - 7:30. We had to pack for Urbana into the Volvo, and for Florida into our borrowed heavy-duty, diesel p/u truck. We dropped off Gary Glabe’s big p/u truck next to our semi and unloaded it into our truck, then drove the Volvo to church. We missed Sunday School, but made it in time for church. We took Eunice (from Korea) out to the Chinese Buffet after church to celebrate her graduation. Finally we were on our way to Urbana about 3:00 p.m. We met Racheal, Eric and David at Crane Alley Pub in downtown Urbana. All their kids were at other relatives’ homes for Christmas Eve. David chose this restaurant. It’s a very nice bar with 3 pool tables. David ordered a full order (12) of hot wings. Our excellent waiter, Evan, came 3 times to make sure about how hot David wanted them. He wanted as hot as possible; “Kill me,” he said. So the cook, who specializes in hot spices and has a supplier for Tai & Viet Namese peppers, used up his entire stock on David’s hot wings. It was entertaining for all of us to watch. The cook came out a couple times to check on David. The two of them bonded over this. I think David became an urban legend at that place that night. Afterwards, Racheal and Peggy looked for an open Wal-Mart or other store while I secured our lodging. They did not succeed at finding anything open on Christmas Eve for last minute shopping. I booked us at Eastland Suites, next to I-74 on Cunningham in Urbana - very nice hotel with a big indoor pool. That is where we had our Christmas morning with all the grandkids and their parents. The kids and Racheal swam. I fiddled. We all opened our gifts in a corner of the hot, humid room. We still had to get Jacy ready to go with us to Florida. Alicia didn’t get the message that today was the day he was to leave. So back at the house, he got his hair cut and his bag packed, and we left. Several miles down the road, we suddenly realized noone had put Jacy’s suitcase in the car. No biggy. We’ll hit a thrift store, and we already had picked up socks & underwear for him. We got to our truck about 6:00 and had to take Gary’s big diesel p/u truck over to Floyd’s house for safe-keeping. We stayed long enough to eat and chat with Floyd & Paula. I took the Volvo home and got a ride from our neighbor Leroy to the I-24 entrance ramp to meet Peggy & Jacy. Finally we were on our way to Florida with the semi. Peggy drove till about midnight, stopping at a rest area near Murfreesboro, TN. I woke up about 2:00 CST and drove us to Atlanta, arriving about 7:00 EST. We spent about 4 hours at Petro Truck Stop. We tried to take an excursion to downtown Atlanta - the Underground, but the bus took so long to get there, we finally gave up. Peggy drove us the rest of the way to Orlando, arriving about 8:00 p.m. We dropped our trailer, bought groceries and arrived at High Point Resort to meet the Kekanas about 10:00 p.m. - just one mile from Disney World. In fact on the way in last night, we passed Disney at closing time - traffic jam the last mile. K.K & Sam are so much taller and more mature than when we last saw them. K.K’s in college; Sam’s in high school. We met Lillian’s brother Bannet and his wife Margaret. Their kids are Evon (16,) Bannet, Jr. (14,) Evett (11) and Laura (9.) Bannet is a public health doctor in Washington, D.C. The unpacking and visiting took till about midnight. Today, Wednesday, everyone but Margaret, Peggy and I went to Universal Studios Theme Park. Jacy took my cell phone for emergency and is in good hands. We have errands, cooking, washing and cleaning to do. We are renting a car today and will take Margaret to Tampa for shopping later on. It is wonderful to be in Florida with these two African families - the Kekana’s and the Ndyanabangi’s.
Grandson Jacy Puckett, Peggy and I are with the Kekana’s - Isaac, Lillian, K.K. & Sam, and Lillian’s brother Bannet’s family of 6. We arrived here at High Point Resort last night about 10:00. Backing up a bit, Peggy and I picked up a load in Lufkin, TX on Friday morning, bound for Orlando, FL. However, we took it home first, adding 530 to what should’ve been a 980 mile trip. We loitered in Shreveport, LA on the way home, slept in the truck a few hours and finally got to Goreville at 7:00 a.m. Saturday. We went directly to Marion for haircuts, errands and shopping, which took all day. At the end of the day, we stopped at Delaney’s Restaurant and the antique shop in Goreville. We finally got home about 8:00 p.m., built a fire in the fireplace and spent the next several hours till 3:00 a.m. wrapping gifts and getting ready for our trip to Florida. We were late getting up on Sunday - 7:30. We had to pack for Urbana into the Volvo, and for Florida into our borrowed heavy-duty, diesel p/u truck. We dropped off Gary Glabe’s big p/u truck next to our semi and unloaded it into our truck, then drove the Volvo to church. We missed Sunday School, but made it in time for church. We took Eunice (from Korea) out to the Chinese Buffet after church to celebrate her graduation. Finally we were on our way to Urbana about 3:00 p.m. We met Racheal, Eric and David at Crane Alley Pub in downtown Urbana. All their kids were at other relatives’ homes for Christmas Eve. David chose this restaurant. It’s a very nice bar with 3 pool tables. David ordered a full order (12) of hot wings. Our excellent waiter, Evan, came 3 times to make sure about how hot David wanted them. He wanted as hot as possible; “Kill me,” he said. So the cook, who specializes in hot spices and has a supplier for Tai & Viet Namese peppers, used up his entire stock on David’s hot wings. It was entertaining for all of us to watch. The cook came out a couple times to check on David. The two of them bonded over this. I think David became an urban legend at that place that night. Afterwards, Racheal and Peggy looked for an open Wal-Mart or other store while I secured our lodging. They did not succeed at finding anything open on Christmas Eve for last minute shopping. I booked us at Eastland Suites, next to I-74 on Cunningham in Urbana - very nice hotel with a big indoor pool. That is where we had our Christmas morning with all the grandkids and their parents. The kids and Racheal swam. I fiddled. We all opened our gifts in a corner of the hot, humid room. We still had to get Jacy ready to go with us to Florida. Alicia didn’t get the message that today was the day he was to leave. So back at the house, he got his hair cut and his bag packed, and we left. Several miles down the road, we suddenly realized noone had put Jacy’s suitcase in the car. No biggy. We’ll hit a thrift store, and we already had picked up socks & underwear for him. We got to our truck about 6:00 and had to take Gary’s big diesel p/u truck over to Floyd’s house for safe-keeping. We stayed long enough to eat and chat with Floyd & Paula. I took the Volvo home and got a ride from our neighbor Leroy to the I-24 entrance ramp to meet Peggy & Jacy. Finally we were on our way to Florida with the semi. Peggy drove till about midnight, stopping at a rest area near Murfreesboro, TN. I woke up about 2:00 CST and drove us to Atlanta, arriving about 7:00 EST. We spent about 4 hours at Petro Truck Stop. We tried to take an excursion to downtown Atlanta - the Underground, but the bus took so long to get there, we finally gave up. Peggy drove us the rest of the way to Orlando, arriving about 8:00 p.m. We dropped our trailer, bought groceries and arrived at High Point Resort to meet the Kekanas about 10:00 p.m. - just one mile from Disney World. In fact on the way in last night, we passed Disney at closing time - traffic jam the last mile. K.K & Sam are so much taller and more mature than when we last saw them. K.K’s in college; Sam’s in high school. We met Lillian’s brother Bannet and his wife Margaret. Their kids are Evon (16,) Bannet, Jr. (14,) Evett (11) and Laura (9.) Bannet is a public health doctor in Washington, D.C. The unpacking and visiting took till about midnight. Today, Wednesday, everyone but Margaret, Peggy and I went to Universal Studios Theme Park. Jacy took my cell phone for emergency and is in good hands. We have errands, cooking, washing and cleaning to do. We are renting a car today and will take Margaret to Tampa for shopping later on. It is wonderful to be in Florida with these two African families - the Kekana’s and the Ndyanabangi’s.
posted by Trucking Fiddler at 10:58 AM
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