1st Destination: Easter Holiday Columbia, SC

I did not enjoy an easy rest in the wee small hours before Lisa, C.J. and I were to leave Winter Haven. All through the night, visions of bandits in huge vans or pickup trucks attempted to break into the new JEEP and make off with all its contents. I knew that the living community we were staying at was a safe one, but being out of the States for a few weeks and especially staying at The Oaks with its 24 hour security, my mind was running with strange ideas. My fears were allayed by the light of day as C.J. and I scouted the local area in search of bottled water for some very much needed coffee. Lisa joined us in the kitchen area just a few moments later to aid in the repacking of the vehicle.

In no time, we were on the road, stopping only for breakfast at the Winter Haven International House of Pancakes. As you can see, the Aroma Muchacho was a BIG hit with the ladies as he enjoyed his first taste of a Rooty Tooty Fresh ‘N Fruity breakfast (and throwing all table manners to the wayside) got it all over his face! After telling the A.M.’s story a few times (see the last blog), the newly formed OAKS TRAVEL TEAM jumped into our respective vehicles and headed toward the Orlando Airport. Thirty minutes or so later, we dropped C.J.’s truck off for safe keeping and were on the road again (Willy Nelson, we love you) heading north toward 95 to reach my parent’s house in Columbia, South Carolina. Other than a quick “re-fueling stop” at a Mexican restaurant, the trip was a quick one.

Pulling into my parent’s Columbia, South Carolina home was a perfect sight for tired eyes, as Lisa, C.J. and I arrived from Winter Haven around 11pm. Sluggishly piling out of the car and grabbing our bags, “The OTT” quietly entered the warm Colonial-style home to find my parents, Beth and T.J., slumbering soundly before the fire and election news television with dog-eared books in their hands. It wasn’t long before the two were wide awake sharing friendly hugs, kisses, and the usual, “How was the trip?” Although the fire was as inviting as the election news and conversation, we weary travelers headed for our rooms and some greatly needed rest.

The next day, I rose early to a bright and clear Easter Morning. It was hardly a warm one in comparison to Tamarindo or even Winter Haven, but in light of our coming Canadian Turn-buckle Tour, it was as good as any. Soon met in the kitchen by Ms. C.J., we dropped some of Costa Rica’s BEST coffee into the maker and immediately the pungent brew’s smell did its magic on the rest of the house, bringing Lisa, my mom, Beth, and father, T.J., to the caffeinated sunshine shrine. As is traditional, my dad made his FAMOUS blueberry pancake breakfast with a side of real maple syrup bacon strips and Costa Rican bananas! Many coffee cups later, the whole house got to work- Dad to his laptop, Mom to prep the house for dinner, C.J. to unpack the car and aid in setting up “The Nerve Center”, Lisa put on her master techie hat, and I got down to the task of divvying up my worldly possessions into several categories: Keep, Throw, Retrieve Later, and Memory/Keepsake. These tasks occupied us all for several hours until we converged upon the kitchen once more to create Easter Dinner!

Dad delegated dinner duties to his new crew with the most important effort going to myself- to make my family’s “secret recipe” Sweet Bourbon Manhattans. Lisa and C.J. happily took some of the work load off my Mom this year and came up with a divine looking salad (bigger than your head), T.J perfectly prepared the Prime Rib, Beth heated up the Ham and steamed the veggies, and I whipped up my specialty, the mashed potatoes. Soon we were visited by my adopted sister, Laura, from next door who, always a whirlwind of fun and energy, added to the feast with a huge Macaroni and Cheese dish and Cake for desert. The kitchen looked like Hiroshima, but the dining room was immaculate (my Mother’s talent) as we sat down to enjoy each other’s company and this exquisitely created dinner. As is every occasion with my family, there was tons of laughing, story telling, political conversations, book reviews, discussions about the economy, and, of course, more LAUGHING! My Dad took the award that night for one of the funniest Taxi Tales the table had ever heard while C.J. astonished us with some amazing vocal acrobatics. Plates cleared, cocktails finished, coffee perked and cake presented, we all settled into our sugar induced comas and later said our good-byes. Another unforgettable holiday!

Early that morning, Mom took Dad to the airport for his usual weekly assignment in Cincinnati, leaving Lisa, C.J. and I to complete our travel item checklist (which I will blog about next time) and far too soon we were hugging my Mom goodbye and, with Aroma Muchacho in tow, hit the open road.