Tybee Island Georgia

 

Walked on the beach this morning, and then climbed 178 steps up the Tybee Lighthouse for a magnificant view of Tybee Island. We then drove thru North and South Carolina and ended up in Fayetteville, North Carolina staying at Ft. Bragg. It rained and poured most the day!

Oh, and we found Krispie Cream. It was cheaper to buy a dozen donuts instead of 1/2 dozen. No wonder there are so many big people around here! I'm getting there myself.

Oh, and we ate at Golden Coral for lunch. $7....way cheaper than Alaska!

Savannah

 

We headed into Savannah today. We took a river boat cruise on the Savannah River and a trolley tour of historic old Savannah. We saw so many wonderful old buildings and learned a lot of history. We saw the spot where Forest Gump sat. We ate some yummy seafood at an outdoor cafe. We tasted pralines. I wanted to buy some, but they were soooooo expensive! We also went to visit Old Fort Jackson. It was used during the Revolutionary War. I really enjoyed the interesting privy. The "waste" would go into the moat, and when the tide would come up it would be washed out into the river. Hmmm. Bet they didn't use toilet paper either! it was a good time to visit especially at this time of the year and remembering all those who fought for our freedom. Happy Memorial Day!

Trip to North and Middle Caicos Islands

We took a ferry over to the North Caicos Island, rented and car, and spent the day touring. We saw beautiful beaches, Indian caves, and the Wade's Green Plantation that used to be run in the 1800's. The day started out with torrential rains. At the plantation we were trying to get out of the rain by standing in the ruins under the door frames and in the windows. We also spent the day running and swatting mosquitoes! They were horrible. We had lunch at a beach in the car because it was raining so hard, but it let up, and we headed to the beach. It turned out to be beautiful. There were a couple of caves, and the rock formations were awesome. We were the only ones there. The sand was a beautiful color, one was white, and a few feet away it turned pink. Awesome. The sand felt like cornmeal. Lots of sea glass was found.
http://www.tcmuseum.org/slavery/02d2_wades_green_plantation/ Here is some info on the plantation

We also saw a lot of buildings that had been started and never finished. The economy...or the hurricanes!

LDS church in Turks and Caicos

This is where Mike and Bonnie spend a lot of time! It used to be a house for several families.

The poor

These houses are something else. Many of them start to build and then quit until they get more money. There are built of bricks and some of them cover them in more cement. There is garbage everywhere. They just throw all the trash on the ground. Bonnie saw a man leaning once against a garbage can. He opened a wrapper and thru it on the ground. She asked him about it and he said he just forgot. Brave Bonnie!
They eat a ton of rice and chicken here because they are so poor. I don't see anything growing here. The ground is covered with coral. I wish they could grow something, or make something for jobs.

The Rich and Famous

This is how the rich live. A moving moat to get into their house. Beachfront. Their own dock. A huge house. $40 million

Lunch

I feel terrible about eating here because it is so expensive. You can't believe the prices at the grocery stores! Today we drove by this fast food place, the chicken stop. Every time we drove by it was crowded. You go to the window and say $2, $3. $4, or $5 dollar chicken and fries. They pour catsup and hot sauce all over it, if you want it. Evelyn got a bunch of it for $5. It was so yummy! Or maybe I just thought it was because I was so hungry. But Mike and Bonnie wouldn't eat it, but Evelyn and I ate it all up!

Prices at grocery store:
Aluminum Foil $13
Loaf of bread $3
can of soup $4.75
one steak $15
can opener $22
batteries $27 for a 4 pack
small can of mixed nuts $8
box of cereal $8

We brought Mike and Bonnie a bunch of stuff. It was like Christmas for them! We brought lots of chocolate, razors for Mike, mangos, jerky, nuts,

Wednesday May 26 Turks

 

Today Bonnie and Mike played tour guides. They ran us all over the island for all the highlights. We went from the richest areas to the poorest ones. And there is a huge difference. It is heartbreaking to see and hear about all the poor people here, and the suffering that goes on. There are people that live in the bushes. We were in the middle of nowhere coming back from a beach when we passed a mother and son on the road walking. Mike stopped and Bonnie hopped out and offered them a ride. We put the woman in the back seat with Evelyn and I and the 14 year old son in the back trunk area. The woman started crying and was so greatful for the ride. She was on her way to work and had to walk probably about 4-5 miles to find a jettney (a illegal taxi run by anyone that wants to drive around). Of course I was crying too. She said that they lived in a house, but the government had given it too them and it is too far away from work.

One of the fun places we went was to the pirate caves. It was also out in the middle of nowwhere. We climbed down the ladder into the caves. I took my shoes off and walked in the ocean to cool off. I'm telling you, it is hot, hot, hot! It feels like China.

Mother's Day 2010

We had a great visit with Kevin today, Mother's Day! We were able to meet with him from 2:30-5:00. We had to sign in and then they would call the cadet out. Big hugs! I miss that kid.

He gave us a schedule of his activities.
4:50 AM out of bed. Shave, teeth, and waiting for PT to start at 6:00.
PT starts, They run 6 miles.
7:00 Breakfast- eggs, hash browns, oatmeal, sasauge, fruit
Shower in the Tree Of Life. Meaning 6 to a shower. And anywhere from 45 seconds to 2 minutes.
Dress in BDU's. Sweatshirt, blue pants, and boots.
9:30-11:30 Leave for Jobs. Kevin is working in a warehouse for Napa Auto. He says it is boring. But they do get credit for working. No pay, but credit.

12:00 lunch

After lunch is school. He is taking 4 classes. Science, Social Studies, Math, Language Arts, work experience, PT counts as PE.

6:30 Dinner

After dinner is homework, reading, letter writing.

On weekends they get to do community service. And they have gotten to go on the repelling tower. They also went out and saw a bunch of military airplanes. Bryce Weight was there guarding the planes. Kevin says he would like a job like that.

His platoon got a new leader who is really hard core. The boys were talking and he took them out and made them do pushups, sit ups, and leg lifts in the mud. Kevin said they were totally dirty and their clothes have never been the same again.

Thanks to everyone that has been writing him. He really appreciates the letters. They are getting him through.

I am so proud of Kevin.

Heard from my other boys today too! And my daughter-in-laws have been wonderful on this Mother's Day!