Jacksonville at last

I am not sure where the last few days went. Last post we were in Richmond, Virginia and that seems like weeks ago. After an actually relaxing drive on the 4th of July spent on the road to Charleston, we watched from our hotel room as fireworks lit up the sky all around us. We were on the eighth floor and from harbor to harbor it seemed like the entire city was lit up. We got up the next morning and headed for the Battery area downtown. We drove up and down the narrow streets, some made of beautiful cobblestone, and gazed at the antebellum homes that lined the river, the gardens - oh my the gardens - that filled every square inch of the properties. We only had a few hours to spend, so after a quick visit to show Sara where I used to work at the library, we headed out of town towards the Magnolia Plantation property. It seemed like it would fit exactly what all of us were looking for. What could be better than gardens, history, nature trails and animals all rolled into one breathtakingly beautiful piece of property. After the Nature Trail train ride that took us through the back woods of the plantation , and yes! we did see an alligator, we wandered through the gardens and visited with the peacocks. (http://www.magnoliaplantations.com/)

We left Charleston and headed for Jacksonville arriving a little after four in the afternoon. Travis and his brother Chris who was visiting from Colorado met us at their new house and I was given the grand tour. Any thoughts of Cash being upset with having new surroundings were quickly dashed when he ran from closet to closet exclaiming that this was "Cash's New House......Cash's New House...." We settled into a very nice nearby hotel, thanks again Hotwire!, and then waited the next day for the movers to arrive. As the huge Mayflower truck pulled in the driveway I took advantage of some private Cash time and we headed to the Jacksonville Zoo. Seemed the perfect way to stay out of the way, and have some Nana time. What a special time to stand with your grandson as he sees a giraffe, up close - and personal, for the first time.

Fast forward a couple days, the movers have come and gone, everything is unpacked and put into its place, and the kids are settling into their new home. We have found the best grocery store, the hardware store, and of course - the library, just a few blocks away. With everything pretty much unpacked except for all of the boxes and boxes of Sara's books, it feels great to sit and watch as the kids figure out their new home. The thunderstorms have been amazing every day we have been here, something that this transplanted Florida girl is really enjoying. More later, Susan.