From the travel journal - Pompano Beach - Day 1

Texting Conversation:

Me:  "OMG, guess what I found!"

Kelly:  "A piece of the game?"

Kelly:  "Inner peace"

Me:  "No, no"

Kelly:  "The fountain of youth?"

Kelly:  "The lost city of Atlantis?"

Kelly:  "Journal"

Her excitement did not quite match mine, but then again she didn't really remember it when I told her I had lost it.  She also wasn't right there to delve into the inner workings of the journal.  Madison and I did and we laughed and laughed, especially at the pictures and Darcy's entries.

Let me share.

Community Journal - Trip - 11/19/06

Entry #1 - Kelly:  I am sitting shotgun in the Caravan.  We just made a stop somewhere south of Bradenton; food at McDonald's.  "I'm having a great time, kind of..." says Krista timidly when I ask her if she has any thoughts to add to the journal.  "I am a little nervous with this traffic."

(EDITOR:  We were in two cars traveling to Pompano Beach for the week of Thanksgiving.  Krista and her kids were going back before Thanksgiving, thus the two cars)

She recently learned how to pump gas for herself.  I am getting a little sick to my stomach writing and riding and talking to Krista on the cell phone.  She decides to put on REO Speedwagon and the Carpenters and sing to herself.  Now I wish I was in her car instead of the Caravan.  Cara shouts out, "The Steelers are down by 7!"  Then she whispers to me, "What's Natalie doing?"  I try to sneak a glance at her.  Her mouth is moving, but no sounds of talking.  I whisper back to Cara, "I think she's chewing?"

Drawing by an unknown child

Entry #2 - Kelly:  Just entered Alligator Alley.  Cara's headache still persisting.  We went thru the toll plaza.  Had to give Krista $1.50 for tolls, and at last minute said maybe we should give Krista a little more in case tolls went up.  Last time I went thru Alligator Alley the tolls were $1.50.  Good thing we gave Krista the extra money.  The toll was $2.50!  We went thru the toll plaza and were looking for Krista behind us.  She was nowhere to be seen.  We drove very slowly and kept looking at the rearview mirror.  No Krista!  We pulled over on the shoulder to wait.  No Krista!  My goodness, what could have happened to her?  Did she take an exit?  Did she lose the money and park her car before the toll plaza to look for it?  Did she get a flat tire and have to pull off the road a few iles back without Cara or me noticing?  The phone rings.  Its' Krista!  Where are you?  She tells us that she went thru the toll plaza in a different lane than we did; a faster lane apparently.  She was ahead of us, not behind us.  I asked what mile marker she had just passed.  "96," she replied, as we passed the 99 mile marker.  "Okay," Krista says, "I'm going to drive slow so you can catch up with me."  We finally did at mile marker 88.  Whew!

4:04 pm - Rest stop in Alligator Alley.  Someone has to poop.

Entry # 3 & 4 - Unknown:

Drawing by Darcy perhaps?

Drawing by several people including Kelly, Darcy, and Madison