Wednesday, February 12th
Oh, it’s still raining… We pack up the room, Jim gets the car, and we load up… in the parking garage.
We set off down the road, not really taking the highway. Blue Boy (the name of the van), not really sure where we are going, but I have paper maps and the triptik I created so there we are. So much fun to take little back roads, miss turns, and see places you would have not even known they existed had you just stayed on the beaten track.
In Aberdeen, we turned left before our stop, something with the google maps on the car and Jim had added a destination so we could go the way we wanted… We wandered through downtown Aberdeen. Although I didn’t get a picture, we drove past the oldest home in the historical district and saw many wonderful old houses. I did get this awesome street art!
Cruising down 15/501, we travel through Society Hill. All I can think about is Jimmy Buffett’s song, Bob Robert’s Society Band. It has nothing to do with this little town. It is just how my mind works. Society Hill is a great little town. We were moving a little faster than I could process and get pictures out the window. I did find out that Society Hill was on the Cheraw to Florence Railroad line, when we saw the Historical Marker next to the depot and I googled HMDB to read the sign. Then I found out that due to the “havoc” during 1865, the depot burned down. It was rebuilt the next year. Read all about the efforts of Mayor Bradshaw and his Depot committee here.
So on and on we drive, finally allowing Blue Boy to get on the interstate. I mean we do need to get the Gammy by 1:30 or so, that is when her plane is landing. We arrive at the exit to the airport with 45 minutes to spare and lo and behold, there is a vistor’s center (bathroom) going the opposite way of the airport, which again frustrates Blue Boy, but makes the occupants in the car very happy! Not only is there a visitor’s center with maps, but there is a Fire Museum as well. We don’t go into the Fire museum, but there are old firetrucks outside of the museum! When I come out of the restroom, Jim is looking at maps at the visitor center. We are looking for that one, you know, that every little town that is a touristy place has, made by Discovery tours or something. Being my mother’s daughter I proceed up to the young lady manning the desk and although she doesn’t want to give me that one (it is not sponsored by the visitor center), she begrudgingly goes over and gets me one. I listen patiently to her spiel and watch her as she circles places to visit in downtown Charleston and where the visitor’s center is there…. smile and nod, say thank you. And then she proceeds to tell me that there is a festival in Downtown Charleston Friday and Saturday and we need to park once and leave it. She also gives me the free trolley map with timetables. Life is good.
Off to the airport to wait in the cell phone parking lot. I text Gammy to let her know where we are and BAM! the message says delivered. Sure enough she has just landed. Lovely Jada, has Gammy off the plane, waits with her for her luggage, grabs her luggage (3 suitcases), and wheels her outside to wait for us to pull up. Gammy has gleaned all the restaurants where Jada thinks we should go. We pile Gammy and her bags into the car and head straight for the little condo/townhome where we are staying. I received an email saying our place was ready even though it wasn’t 4 pm! WootWoot.
After settling in, taking a nap, we once again face the dilemma of figuring out what is for dinner. So many restaurants. We know we don’t necessarily want to go out, there are several places nearby where we can order and then pick up, or we could Ubereats or Grubhub. I chance upon a little hole in the wall place called Dave’s Seafood. Jim walks down and takes a picture of the menu, comes back, we decide and order food. It will be ready in 20 minutes. OMG!!! this is a hole in the wall, that Dave started back in ’87. Dave is no longer with us, but his son, Derrick or Little Dave, was there cooking. Gammy had him eating out of her hand and he gave us extra tartar and hot sauce. We think he uses something like Frank’s and then doctors it up. Dave’s Seafood (or carryout) was voted best hole in the wall in 2024. The wings were fried chicken 3 piece wings. The cup of limas were the big limas with huge hunks of ham. The fish was whiting and we were offered yellow rice with our seafood plate instead of french fries. Lots of locals in the little shop picking up their food. The phone started ringing and Derrick kept talking to us, telling his story. I am sure we will go back to get the Pork chop sandwich 😃
After a few riveting rounds of Rummikub, I head to bed. Tomorrow is another day!
#HowFortunateWeAre #MakingOurOwnSunshine #RetiredAndLovingIt