Living Rural

With the cost of gas and the state of the economy - vacations are not a priority this year; however, vacations can be Enjoyable AND Affordable! Living in the country adds to the decision simply because we are a minimum of  twenty miles from everything. Here are some ways we have saved money yet still considered ourselves having a vacation.

STAY CLOSE: Research your state or region for attractions and accommodations that are CHEAP!

PICK THE RIGHT DAY: NO holidays or weekends. Hotels and flights are cheaper during the week.

MAKE THE DRIVE: To larger airports where flights might be flexible with times, carriers, and price. Don’t forget to figure in gas, time , and parking for your car.

PACK LIGHTLY: Check with airline for restrictions, rules, and regulations.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: Bus and rail systems are designed to get you where you want to go and cost much less.

LOAD UP AT LUNCH: Eat your largest meal at lunch. This time of day, also, lets you sample local fare at a reasonable price.

PACK A SNACK: Request a refrigerator in hotel room, shop at local grocery store, and save $$$.

LOCAL ATTRACTIONS: Take advantage of free museums, historical sites, go for a hike, swim, park, or beach for a “thrifty” way to spend the day.

GO HOME EMPTY HANDED!: DO NOT GO HOME WITH OVER PRICED SOUVENIRS - PICTURES AND MEMORIES ARE FREE!

PHONE WISELY: Use a calling card, limit cell phone use while roaming..

“SMART TRAVEL MAKES for SUCCESSFUL TRAVEL.”

Remember, “Y’all come back, ya’ hear!”

What a hoot! Yesterday I spent an hour watching people at the airport in the baggage claim area while waiting for my daughter’s flight to arrive. The hour was much better than prime time TV - the best Reality Show yet!

If the young pregnant woman in polka dots is reading this, did you make it home without having the baby? She is so ready to DROP that baby. I wanted to follow her just in case someone needed to catch it(baby)!

And of course, there were ten or more of the cutest babies ever … in strollers, in ‘Snuglis’, on shoulders, in bouncing arms, crying, laughing, smiling, and some sleeping! I so want a little tiny baby to hold! *hint-hint*

Cell phones … every single person had one and was talking on it … amazing! What did we do before cell phones? Duh, we conversed face to face and exercised self control, patience, manners, and paid attention to our surroundings and our human acquaintances. The ring tones - music, sounds, loudness, rudeness … someone make them stop! But, stop they will not … newer, faster, and smaller ones will come with even more irritating ring tones!

To read about other people and their travel check out the link. My daughter’s flight arrived, ON TIME, the hugs came next, then the bag (one, a really BIG one), and the walk to the car and the hunt for food at 10:30 in a NC city on a Sunday night … another blog.

Remember, “Y’all come back, ya’ hear!”

the PEE DEE and the GRAND STRAND.

The summer is definitely coming. The attractions and cool stuff is getting ready for Memorial Day, for sure.

The Bikers on Harley Davidson’s are enjoying the beach, and more, during the Myrtle Beach Spring Bikers Rally through May 18th. Traffic is traffic, traffic, traffic, in other words, it is everywhere. Drive safely, please. Bikers remember to wear your helmet, riders, too!

Two events in our area this weekend promise to be real crowd please-rs! The Annual Blue Crab Festival in Little River, SC. The Blue Crab Festival features quality “art and crafts” with lots of Coastal Carolina Country Cuisine. Many recipes feature the famous Low Country Blue Crab. The beautiful “walk about” setting in Little River, SC is a “scenic fishing dock” on the Inter-coastal Waterway.

The second event, May FLY, in Florence at Florence Regional Airport (I think) on Saturday. The weather is supposed to be wonderful for both events.

And in Marion, SC, on Saturday is the Foxtrot Festival with a parade at 10 AM and Street Dance between 7 PM and 10 PM.

Oops! You just missed McCain’s fund-raiser on May 9 in Columbia, SC at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center. It was price-y$. Patron tickets - $2300 and general reception a mere $1000! Thus far, McCain has raised $60,594 in South Carolina through March, 2008, if I understood the wording in the article.

Back to the Grand Strand …

As mentioned earlier, the Harley Davidson Bike Rally during Myrtle Beach Bike Week until May 18 is a huge event, not to be missed, if you are a “Biker” or a lover of fun and excitement!

Good Vibrations! is a kid friendly show running until October featuring a virtual tour of the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s at The Carolina Opry. Check it out at www.TheCarolinaOpry.com

LeGrande Cirque, at the Palace Theatre is for all ages and is Spellbinding! It runs until the end of December. Shows are Monday through Saturday at 8 PM; Wednesday at 10 AM; Thursday at 2 PM. Find out more at www.Palacetheatremyrtlebeach.com

One the Show is kid friendly at the Alabama Theatre through October 24, 2008 and the kids are free Monday, Wednesday, Saturday at 7:30 PM. Look here for all the details at www.alabama-theatre.com

Legends In Concert featuring “five legends” is here until October 31, 2008. Check for details at www.legendsinconcert.com/locations/myrtle-beach/

For ART Lovers …

Art Exhibit: “People Reading: Selections from the Oresman’s collection” is 60 works of art featuring “people reading” through October 5, 2008 at 3100 S. Ocean Boulevard, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577. Get the details here www.MyrtleBeachArtMuseum.org

The Artist of the Month exhibit features photography of Suzanne Goff’s “Flower Power” until May 30, 2008 at 532 Broadway Street, Myrtle Beach, SC from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM. A good family outing! We were not able to get any photography by Ms. Goff. Luckily my niece, Gwen, in Florida is allowing the debut of her latest art piece. Thanks, Gwen!
UP COMING:

Sun Fun Festival, June 5 - 9, 2008

Tickets to EVERYTHING at http://www.ticketsnow.com

WOW, lots of choices for some good old Southern FUN! Hope to see you at all of them!

Remember, “Y’all come back, ya’ hear!”

Our GOP Primary in South Carolina today, Saturday, January 19th.

In previous years, the candidate that wins SC wins the election in November … talk about pressure!

My personal choice is Mike Huckabee. Please check out his web site, http://www.mikehuckabee.com and see what you think. I had the honor of greeting Mr. Huckabee in Florence on Thursday at our airport for a short press junket stop. I must admit I was undecided. However, he represented all the characteristics of the man I want in the White House and his issues are my issues. My decision is now one of pride to be casting my vote for the next President of the United States in 2008, Mike Huckabee!

If you are a registered voter in the US, please exercise this special privilege and vote in your primary and then in the election in November, 2008! EVERY VOTE DOES COUNT.

Election 2008, GOP, Mike Huckabee President 2008, South Carolina GOP Primary, SC, vote

The primary is this Saturday, January 19, 2008 In South Carolina. Our primary is one of great importance to the Presidential election in November, 2008. Mike Huckabee and his staff flew in to Florence at 1:00 PM today for a press junket stop at the airport. The crowd was enthusiastic even with the rain and cold. Chuck Norris and his wife were there to offer their support and to invite the crowd to a “virtual BBQ” on Saturday by web cast, of course. Included will be a tour of the Norris ranch in Texas! Former Governor Beasley and his precious wife, Mary Wood were there, along with Mike Campbell. Mr. Huckabee traveled with a cool group for this junket!

I was undecided until today. I found myself shaking my head “yes” to his comments and clapping like a “mad woman” when he listed his priorities for his time in the White House. I am no longer UNDECIDED. My vote will be for Mike Huckabee, this Saturday, in the South Carolina Primary! If you are a registered voter in South Carolina, please take advantage of this opportunity to put the RIGHT person in the White House. The first step is voting in the Primary in South Carolina to insure Mike Huckabee is on the ballot as a Republican Candidate for President. See for yourself!

Mike Huckabee for President, Republican Party, Conservative, Election 2008, Florence SC, South Carolina

I left my rural home on Tuesday to fly to Boston … missed my flight by 30 minutes! One of the drawbacks of country living (twenty miles of country roads and then 40 miles with tourist traffic!) and really hard to explain to the very sick child waiting on you to arrive to offer some TLC.

That was 15 days ago. It was a frustrating, tiring flight experience going up to Portland, ME and returning to Myrtle Beach, SC. So much so, I have not been able to finish this post. You see, I started writing it on Sept. 5 and it’s now Sept. 13 and still can not put the miserable flight experiences in writing. My first writing of this trip will be to the airline that caused the problems. I hope they will offer to mend their ways and offer compensation for the inconveniences I was put through. After thinking about this, I will give them a chance to reply before finishing this post … keep checking in to see how this ends …

Oh, child is fine! She made it to her first day as a senior at MECA! TLC works every time!

Spirit Airlines, Portland ME, Myrtle Beach SC, airlines, flying, travel, Maine College of Art, MECA

I thought you might enjoy visiting Italy and see how living rural is across the Atlantic …

Living in Italy is Easy
www.InternationalLiving.com/Italy

traveling, Italy, living rural, Atlantic Ocean

Today was a day of “waiting”

… for word that my daughters made their flight from Boston

… that the flight was on time

… driving to MYR airport to meet their flight … tourists and their crazy driving!

… to eat lunch

… to get home

… to hear from my youngest (21, as of 6/4), left behind in ME

… YAY, she did get the second job with Lane Bryant!

… to find out when a doctor appointment was scheduled for daughter #3

… did her hubby kill a hog while hog huntin’?

… is my ankle sprained or a slight hairline fracture … I’ll explain in another post

… to connect to online help with my Internet provider’s technical support, for 2 hours (I know, unreal, but my ankle was elevated and I really didn’t have anything else to do … RIGHT!)

… to eat the wonderful plate of country cookin’ my hubby was bringing from his monthly Wednesday night Men’s Supper Club … yum … WORTH the WAIT!

… to finish this post

… to put my tired self to bed.

And I thought I didn’t have anything to say today … except,

“Y’all come back, ya’ hear!”

flights, airports - MYR, grown children, driving, Lane Bryant, Internet, country cooking, hunting, Boston, Maine, sprains, tech support

The last post dealt with statistics about Pamplico, SC based on information from the US Census Bureau. I have traveled away from my rural living space in SC by plane from Myrtle Beach, SC (a fun place!) to Boston, MA. Then by car to Portland, ME.

First, everyone north of the Mason-Dixon Line, speaks “Northern”; twangy, fast and not at all like “Southern.” It’s very hard to understand and you’re constantly asking “them” to repeat. It’s much easier to converse with your own kind … just kidding! I love traveling and the North; no, angry posts or emails, please!

Second, gasoline costs MUCH more in the North; $3.10 approximately for regular; $2.79 at home for regular. Of course, being Americans EXPECTING freedom, price of gasoline does not keep us out of cars. Which brings me to number tres.

Third, drivers here in the North are fast and furious! They can whip in and out of traffic, make turns, stop and brake “on a dime” while “flipping you off” all at the same time. Southern drivers are slower by nature. It’s how we approach life … slow and leisurely. We will hold up a lane of traffic, while motioning someone “y’all come on through” and make your left turn in front of us and the lane of traffic next to us, into the on-coming lane of opposite traffic … because it’s the polite thing to do.

Three differences, two groups of people, several states; yet, deep down rural living and “city” living is a lot alike: caring, hard-working, family oriented men and women trying to make it in this world of ours. I like the differences and cherish the similarities. County Gal hears lobsters calling her … until next time … take care.

SC, MA, ME, airports, rental cars, dialects, North, South, drivers, traffic, leisure, gasoline, family, lobsters, rural, city