Clown shoes and carousels

Adventures can take you anywhere. They are enticing occasions that can take you from the sultry cabin of a coal-guzzling locomotive, to a hard, jutting peak in the Himalayas slicing the sky, to the gut of an aircraft, plucking conveniently salty peanuts out of their crinkly gold packaging while scribbling furiously in a deliciously old and rumpled notebook. Which is where you find me, yet again. On my way back home sweet home. 

Ah, Florida. It was grand to see it again. Although, I’ll admit, I thought flying was a bit strange. You see, I’m used to driving the whole long fourteen hour journey south in our good ol’ blue club wagon with the rest of the clan, where changes along the road come gradually. But flying, oh no, you land and, whoa, there’s palm trees, like, EVERYWHERE. But that’s just culture shocked little ol’ me.  ^_^
                Anyway. I decided I’m not going to record my adventure play-by-play, but I’ll just give a description, in case you’re interested 

Twice, we went to the beach, where the clear emerald surf crashed its white foamy mass over the sandy coast. The shells shone like time-worn pebbles on the grainy bottom. Pelicans soared overhead. It was gorgeous. The sunburn? Not so much.

                At the Brunswick harbor lanes we pulled on those funny clown shoes, tugging at the greasy laces. Then we bowled a good five games or so. Phil creamed me in like every game. But it’s all good. 

Don't they look like clown shoes?

                Driving down US 1, we visited some relatives and swam in their pool (FAIL of the day…stepped on my sunglasses and cracked them…oh well), and then strolled down to the fish and gator-infested river.  (Well, I’m not so sure about the gators, but you never know …) 

River :)

Grandma :)

                Ah. And we went to the chocolaty cocoa beach, where the crowds surf, swim, play volleyball, or just stroll along the shore. Oh, and we went to Ron Jon Surf Shop. That place is incredible! It’s like a beach version of Dick’s Sporting Goods. No joke. It’s an extraordinary place with a medley of souvies and hard-core surfing equipment, from key chains to wetsuits.

Need i say more?

Ron Jon Surf Shop ♥

Welcome to Cocoa

But most of all, we had opportunities to visit family, which is most important in my book.

One day we had dinner with my uncle, or, my dad’s “older brother’s little brother.” As they like to put it.  And then Tuesday we drove two hours across to Lakeland and had lunch at steak and shake (I think it was my first time) with cousins, whom, I might add, we hadn’t seen in AGES.

"He makes this really funny face when he bites into a lemon.."

Me and Sierra :)

___________

So even though Florida was marvelous I can’t wait to touch back down, hug the fam, stand in line at the carousel and wait for my overstuffed suitcase to come around the corner. Question. Why do they call it a carousel? 

That’s a carousel.

That’s a baggage-goes-around-in-a-circle-so-people-can-watch-it-and-find-their-bags-after-they-go-around-a-million-times-thingamajig. 
 Why do they call it a carousel just because it goes around in a circle?

anyway.

I know I was only gone a week and a half, but it felt great to step into the terminal in our tiny little airport (the one in Orlando is like a mall) and power walk down the familiar mermaid-adorned carpet and see family at the end of the long corridor. Thanks for reading.

-yours etc.