Once upon a time, I was a Lazy Lady. In 2011, I decided to train for a half-marathon and since then, I've done 5ks, 10ks, 15ks, a few trail runs and over fifteen half-marathons! I haven't lost my focus though; I'm still lazy, and I'm still frugal, so please pull up a chair and join me in my continuing endeavor to be healthy, frugal, and happy!
If you missed Day 6 of our Total Eclipse Vacation, you can catch up HERE
Today was another day that I was looking forward to that ended up not being what I was expecting.
I set my watch for 6am to give us plenty of time to wake up and get on the road, but apparently Hubby's body had other plans... Every time I tried to wake him up, he'd roll over, or clutch his pillow tighter, or burrow deeper into the blankets. Every 10 minutes my watch went off, I'd try again with no luck. I gave up by 8am (a full 90 minutes after I started), and just read a book and waited for him to wake up. He got up to pee around 10am and as he shuffled back, he saw that it was so late and demanded to know why I let him sleep so late!? Bro... don't blame me on this, it's all on you. So we got a three-hour late start on a trip that takes four hours to get there... This place better be worth it.
We stopped in West Plains for lunch, but nothing looked appetizing... Ugh, the curse of good taste and fast food. We hit Casey's for soda and restrooms, and just ended up with some prepackaged ham sliders, and a slice of pizza. Hubby loved the sliders. The pizza was meh+ (though to be fair, I think my sinus issues are still affecting my ability to fully taste things, so for all I know, this could have been amazing pizza).
Two hours later, we arrived at Uranus Fudge Factory, and boy oh boy... this was what I was expecting. For some reason, I was expecting a huge tourist trap with lots of things to do and a gift shop. Instead, it was lots and lots of gift shop... with not much to do. The massive gift shop was full of every jokey thing you could think of, lots of Uranus things like hats and shirts of course, but also tin signs, shot glasses, mugs, hunting stuff, 'redneck' gag gifts, funny candy, etc. I picked up a tee-shirt and a sticker.
I'll give 'em this, there was a lot of stuff to buy... But not a lot of candy or fudge! If your name is Uranus FUDGE FACTORY, I truly expect you to have a massive variety of fudge. I think they had the same typical 10-15 flavors that every other fudge place makes, with no maple no-nut fudge to be found. They also had a typical Pick-a-Mix section with bushels of candy, but was all regular candy that can be purchased at Walmart or online (such as Taffy Town). We each picked up some taffy, but that was about it.
As we checked out, we asked where the mini-golf course was and how to pay for a few rounds, but we were told that the mini-golf was closed until May. Oh, that sucks. Well, let's just walk around and see what else they have? They had a sideshow museum, but it was $20 and neither of us were really that excited to check it out, so we skipped it. Online, they show that they have an Escape Room, but we never saw that anywhere. The hot dog stand was closed. The ice cream stand was closed. The double-decker bus was shut, so we couldn't even go inside of it at all. We took a silly photo with the World's Biggest Belt Buckle, then turned around to return back to the car.
We stopped to take a photo with one of those stick your head through the hole cutouts, and there was another family there. I asked the mom if she wanted me to take a photo of the two of them, and she balked at the idea. As she finished taking the photo of her son, her son immediately handed me his phone and asked if I'd take a photo of both of them, then kind of (nicely) pushed her over there... Good son! I hope he liked his photo of a fun time with his mother. In turn, he returned the favor, and took a photo of us.
Back in the car, my plan was to follow Route 66 all the way to Redmon's Candy Factory, but at one point, Garmin wanted to divert us a different way. Hubby swore that we should follow what Garmin said, and even though I knew he was wrong, I was just too tired to argue so we diverted onto some tiny local road called "N" and followed similar tiny roads all the way to Redmon's.
The course we should have taken
The course we actually took
There was an additional store in the back, claiming to be the World's Largest Gift Store, but alas, it was closed (although reading some of the reviews, it looked kind of like an indoor flea market and may have been a good thing that we skipped it...). We got gas then went inside Redmon's Candy Factory to see what candy they had.
Ugh, again, it was just buckets of "normal" stuff! Seriously, I could see bags of candy under the tables that looked like retail bags that I can buy (and have bought) from Walmart. They also carried bushels of Taffy Town taffy, so we picked up a few flavors that Uranus didn't have. Again, there was no nutless maple fudge, so I didn't buy any fudge at all.
Over at the Wall of Popcorn, I debated too long, but eventually picked up two bags of Ozark Mountain Popcorn, in Garlic Parmesan and Jalapeno Cheddar. We brought it home with us, and it was just okay. Tasted stale (debate having a month left on the shelf life), and didn't have a lot of oomph in terms of flavor. If you watched our video in the other post, you'll have seen our reaction to that popcorn. The bathrooms were gorgeous and over the top, with tile and chandeliers; seemed a little crazy for such a laid-back location.
All in all, today just felt like a bust. We drove hours and hours to be disappointed multiple times. We got on the interstate (screw Route 66), hit some roadwork, then exited back on to windy mountain roads... in the dark... with torn up roads, because of more road work. Talk about white knuckle driving! At one point, around dusk, we saw a bunch of Amish buggies out, full of family, on their way to who knows where. It feels silly to think of it this way, but it was kind of like spotting Bigfoot... I don't live in a place where Amish people live, and when we travel, we usually only see those roadside warning signs, but never actually see buggies. Well, now I've seen a bunch! They all looked so happy to be out for the evening, just enjoying their ride to wherever they were going. I hope they had fun, whatever they were doing!
Stuck behind multiple semis, we had plenty of time for pointless conversation, and we had some fun discussions about where we wanted to travel to, now that we know that flying doesn't bother us. He asked where I wanted to go, and I immediately said Iceland, the Scandinavian Peninsula (Sweden, Norway, Finland), the Bavarian area of Switzerland, Austria, and Germany. He said that he would love to visit Japan, especially Tokyo. We talked about where we'd like to travel domestically, such as Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, or going northeast to Maine or Vermont... Basically any place that isn't Florida.
My body, feeling a little better after a shitty week, decided that it wanted Hardee's - and only Hardee's - for dinner, so we found ourselves in a real sketchy part of West Plains so I could get chicken tenders. Hubby got a Hot Ham & Cheese (drool, so good), and we ate while we continued to drive home.
Sadly, this was our last night of vacation, and this seemed like a very anticlimactic way to end it. Back at the house, we really should have packed up a bit, but I was exhausted from so much driving that we just conked out for the night!
So, if you read the entire multi-post thread about our recent trip to Wisconsin and back, you'll notice that there were a lot of snacks that got purchased, but never eaten. After I picked up either the second or third bag, we thought it would be fun to save them all and try them once we got home. After that decision, it became a quest to find snacks we'd never heard of down here in Florida, or at least to get snacks we've never tried. Hindsight being what it is, I love that we did this, but I sure wish we made a note of where we bought these things!
It's a lot of snacks! The drinks will be in a separate post. (Bonus Ziti recipe if you can read it!)
This was the purchase that really started the whole thing. We found them at the Florida/Alabama state line when I used the bathroom and wanted to pay the Tinkle Tax™. Unfortunately, neither of us liked these chips. We felt they were too sweet, and Hubby called them "Crap Snacks." They were bad enough that neither one of us wanted to finish the bag.
This brand of chips started in Cincinnati, Ohio, so chances are we bought them somewhere in that area, either when we were nearer to Metropolis, or up by Lake Erie.
My first thought is that they are very brown. But it didn't seem like it was the seasoning that made them brown. The texture felt natural, like a less-processed chip. And there was a weird flavor at the end I couldn't ascribe to BBQ; possibly the type of oil it was fried in? I liked them enough to finish them with lunch a few days later.
I'm about 95% sure we picked these up at a Kwik Trip while still in Wisconsin. They sounded good, because it was similar, but different, from Sour Cream & Onion type potato chips. Unfortunately, it's very garlic forward and light on the onion. Ironically, it needs sour cream or something similar to lend a "creamy" flavor. Neither one of us wanted to finish the bag.
These are Kwik Trip's store brand of chips, so obviously we picked them up at a KT in Wisconsin (maybe on the way back to snow tubing?) They were okay, but had an odd aftertaste we couldn't get over. Texture was also good.
Hubby 3 Stars
Me 3 Stars
Average 3 Stars
If meh could be summed up in a photo
Casey’s Cheddar & Sour Cream Ridged Potato Chips
Another store brand, from Casey's convenience stores. Of the states they're located in, these could have been picked up in Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, or Wisconsin... As for the snack itself, it's hard to describe. There was too much chip and not enough flavor. The chip itself is bright orange, but it's extremely under-seasoned, and very potato-ey. Neither one of us finished the bag.
Hubby - 2 Stars
Me - 2.5 Stars
Average - 2.25 Stars
Looks can be deceiving
Utz Kettle Classics Smokin' Sweet Potato Chips
Surprisingly, these kettle chips were not teeth-breakingly crunchy, and I am so happy about that! I love a crunchy chip, but I've put $10,000 worth of dental work in my face over the years, and I don't want to jeopardize any of that! It was too sweet, and neither smokin' nor spicy. The label promises "Spicy Heat with a Kiss of Sweet," but all we got was the sweet. I'd pass on these and stick with Utz Red Hot chips if I'm craving something hot.
These were amazing. So yummy and different from other spicy or BBQ chips. The Jack cheese gives it a creamy quality that I've never gotten in another chip. There is no spiciness to the chip, despite the chipotle (Hubby could eat it, and he's a notorious Spicy Wuss). I devoured these with lunch the next day.
Hubby - 3 Stars
Me - 3.5 Stars
Average - 3.25 Stars
Can I have more of these, please?
Slim Jim Fire Fries Inferno
Per the Slim Jim website: On the prowl for a spicy snack full of sass? Then you'll love the bold flavor of these... Toss one back and yell 'Fire in the hole!'
How about we just toss them all out? They were TERRIBLE!!! Hubby literally spit his out in the trash can. I finished mine... somehow. I get that they're trying to enter the Hot Fries market, but all I could think of was what the actual fuck IS this??? while I ate it. The flavor was horrendous - we wondered if there was supposed to be meat in it (there's not), the texture was indescribable. For being described as "Inferno" and supposedly the hotter of the two options, it was only mildly spicy. I was so offended by how disgusting they actually were that I threw the entire bag and plate directly into the trash can.
Hubby - 0 Stars
Me - 0 Stars
Average - Negative One Million Stars
No, nuh-uh, never, no thanks, no way
Martin’s Red Hot Potato Chips
This is another snack with roots in Pennsylvania, so we most likely purchased these after we left Niagara Falls on our way home. The bag reminded me of a Hot chip I used to eat as a kid (like in the early 80s) while I was at Dance Camp (yeah, dance camp, what of it). But I think those were Tom's... If it was Tom's, they don't make hot chips anymore, and I can't find anything about them online... Oh well. The nostalgia factor is what made me pick up this bag, plus the fact that I'm always on the lookout for good Hot Chips. Sadly, these weren't even a little bit spicy, when compared to other hot chips. They also tasted bitter, and had an odd aftertaste. I didn't finish the bag.
Hubby - 2 Stars
Me - 2 Stars
Average - 2 Stars
Hot, but not red hot
Route 11 Mama Zuma’s Revenge Hot Habanero
Route 11 is a relatively newcomer to the world of chips, only starting in 1992. I was stoked to find these because I could have sworn that Rhett & Link (from Good Mythical Morning) tried and loved these, but I can't find that video anywhere. I was looking forward to these because I could have sworn that Rhett & Link did a show of spicy stuff, and he was blown away with these, but I can’t find it anywhere… Anyway, when we did our snack testing, Hubby was most worried about these, but they weren't too bad for him. They were too kettle for me (way too crunchy) and disappointing in their spiciness level... I mean, if they aren't too bad for Hubby, then they definitely aren't spicy! Neither one of us planned on finishing the bag, but I think I ended up eating them later in the week with my lunch.
Hubby - 1 Star
Me - 2 Star
Average - 1.5 Star
+5 Points for awesome package artwork though!
Middleswarth Bar-B-Q Potato Chips
Another Pennsylvania snack chip, sold only in Pennsylvania, too, this chip had a very light texture and a good generic BBQ flavor. Like, remember back in the day when BBQ chips were just BBQ, not Hickory, or Sweet Heat, or Kentucky, or anything... just BBQ? The orange bag of Lay's BBQ is what I grew up on. This was reminiscent of generic BBQ chips. Hubby called them "LaCroix" spicy - if you close your eyes and think spicy, they might evoke the idea of being spicy, without actually being spicy. I thought that was the best description, because they certainly weren't heavy on actual flavor. However, I did eat them with lunch a few days later.
Hubby - 3 Star
Me - 3 Star
Average - 3 Star
Might as well have been plain
Martin’s Bar-B-Q Waffle Potato Chips
Oh, you lied to me, Martin's! I was looking forward to a cool looking, waffle-cut potato chip, lookin' like a Chick-fil-a Waffle Fry, and all I got were some basic ruffled chips! Unevenly coated, some darker than others, they were again the LaCroix of BBQ chips. I told hubby that if I was blindfolded, I would have no idea what flavor it was supposed to be! They were tasty, but I wouldn't call them BBQ. And I certainly wouldn't call them waffle, either.
Hubby 2.5 Stars
Me 2.5 Stars
Average 2.5 Stars
Waffle-Cut means there's HOLES, people
Buc-ee's Chees-ee Puffs Smokin' Nacho
We got a lot of stuff at Buc-ee's, because we didn't know what would be good and what would be not-so-good. These have a good texture, and we discovered they're baked, instead of fried. However, fried adds a level of flavor that these lack. The nacho seasoning gave them a lingering burn, and a good flavor. Hubby had to drink a little milk to abate the heat (remember, he's a Spice Wuss).
Hubby - 2 Stars
Me - 3.5 Stars
Average - 2.75 Stars
These were good with my ham sandwich
Buc-ee's Chees-ee Curls Double Cheese
These also had great texture and flavor, and we both liked these as much, if not more, than a typical crunchy Cheeto. One of the two cheeses was Blue Cheese, which gave a nice bit of tang to the curl. Hubby finished the bag with his lunch.
Hubby - 5 Stars
Me - 5 Stars
Average - 5 Stars
I prefer Cheetos Crunchy, but these are 99% as good
Tip Top Pop Popcorn White Cheddar It wasn't super-crunchy, and while not terribly stale, Hubby said it tasted stale. Lance's White Cheddar Popcorn is the popcorn against which I measure all WCP. This was not even in the same league as Lance. I would maybe say it's comparable to Smartfood (but then again, I'm not much of a fan of them either...). If I saw this on the shelf, I probably would never grab it at the store.
Hubby - 1 Star
Me - 2 Stars
Average - 1.5 Stars
If I was desperate for a popcorn...
Buc-ee's Bold n Sorta Spicy Nuggets
These are a savory, unglazed version of their famous Beaver Nuggets. After a bite, we nailed down the flavor to be the love child of a Chili Cheese Frito and a BBQ Frito (awww, remember those...). The texture was like a puffy Cheeto with a slightly sweet "underflavor" from the corn puff. I think that "Bold and Sorta Spicy" is dead on... they have a lot of flavor, but no heat. I look forward to eating these with lunch over the next few days (it's a big bag).
Hubby - 3 Stars
Me - 4 Stars
Average - 3.5 Stars
They're no BBQ Frito, but it'll be okay
Buc-ee’s Chees-ee Puffs Cheddar These are your basic puff, comparable to a Cheetos Puff. They are a great alternative to Cheetos because they are much less expensive and, dare I say it, more flavorful. Both of us would definitely eat again.
Hubby - 3 Stars
Me - 3 Stars
Average - 3 Stars
Yeah, I like these more than regular Cheetos!
Buc-ee’s Chees-ee Curls Barbecue We both really liked these, and even more than the Double Cheese flavor. They're also baked. The seasoning is very reminiscent of a generic BBQ Pork Patty, like the generic McRib patty you'd get in middle school. That's not a slam; I love those things!
Hubby - 4 Stars
Me - 4 Stars
Average - 4 Stars
Crunchy and porky
Buc-ee's Ranchin' Saltines and Sizzlin' Saltines
Both varieties of these are supposed to be like the "crack" crackers that Southern meemaws make for potlucks and fellowship dinners, and I've never had any, but always heard how yummy they are. Well... we weren't impressed. But on the upside, I don't have to lie to anyone's meemaw about how much we liked them!
First up, the Ranch version reminded me of crouton flavors. The cracker was very thick, and kind of hard. I bet it would be good with chicken noodle soup, though? It'd stand up to the hot broth, and still have lots of flavor.
Hubby - 2.5 Stars
Me - 2 Stars
Average - 2.25 Stars
The Sizzlin' version was worse. They were very spicy, but not in a flavorful way - Hubby wussed out and spit it in the trash. Again, the texture of the cracker is just so off-putting.
Hubby - 1 Star
Me - 2 Stars
Average 1.5 Stars
Ranchin' (for soup) and Sizzlin' (for trash)
Buc-ee’s Meat & Cheese Cup AND Cheese Cubes Cup
I am a hard devotee of Wawa's Pepperoni & Cheese Cups, but recently they've changed the set up (thicker pepperoni, less product for more money), so I was interested to see what Buc-ee's could offer. They have a few different options, and I picked up Peppered Turkey. Unfortunately, the meat was dry and kind of hard. The cubed cheese - Monterey Jack and Cheddar - was good and fresh. But for the price I paid, I wasn't impressed with the Meat Cup. Also, the pretzels were too hard for me. I think I'll be sticking with my Wawa cup if I want meat with my cheese.
Me - 2 Stars (Meat Cup)
Me - 3 Stars (Cheese Cup)
(Hubby didn't try)
Pretzels on top; Cheddar & Jack Cheese, Peppered Turkey
+5 Points for the OCD Preparation of this container
Sheetz Hot & Spicy Peanuts
This tube is huge, more than double the size of the Lance nuts I usually get from the gas station. Two Lance tubes equals the same cost as these, so this tube is a better value, too! The nuts are nice and firm in my hand, not squishy like some other nuts I've handled. They're spicy and salty and a good size (nobody likes small nuts). I would definitely pick up a few of these again if I were in a Sheetz in the future. Hubby - 3 Stars
Me - 5 Stars
Average - 4 Stars
Baby, let me hold these nuts in my hand
Clark Cups
This is my first time trying anything from Clark's, and I'm glad we only spent a buck on these. The chocolate was very viscous; I didn't like it. It tasted like a Butterfinger inside of a peanut butter cup (and looking at the label, well, that's pretty much what it is...) Not a huge fan, but if someone put one inside my trick-or-treat bag, I'd eat it. From the fridge, I liked them more, but they'd be too hard to eat if frozen.
Hubby - 3.5 Stars
Me - 3 Stars
Average - 3.25 Stars
Glad we only got 6
Butterscotch Smoothie Peanut Butter Cups Whoa, Nellie! These were verysweet, almost cloying! Hubby loved these. I wasn't a fan, but again, if they were in my trick-or-treat bag, I'd eat it.
Hubby - 5 Stars
Me - 3 Stars
Average - 4 Stars
You wouldn't think Butterscotch and Peanut Butter would go together... and you'd be right
Mallo Cup
These have a weird cult-like following, and I've never had them before. All I knew was that it was a chocolate cup (like a Reese's cup) but with marshmallow instead of peanut butter. So I was expecting it to be like those marshmallow Easter eggs that come in a styrofoam egg container (I love those from the fridge, yummy). But color me surprised when the mallo in the middle was slightly runny, more like a "marshmallow fluf" style filling). But then I chewed two more times and almost puked - WHO THE FUCK PUTS COCONUT IN A MARSHMALLOW TREAT?!?!?! Show yourself! Come and get your flogging! Ahem... Anyway, automatic fail. I despise coconut. I had to spit this out - I cannot handle the texture of coconut in my mouth. Suffice it to say, Hubby gets to eat the other 5 and a half cups.
Hubby - 5 Stars
Me - Zero Stars
Average - 2.5 Stars
NOWHERE in the description does it say coconut (only in the ingredient list)
Buc-ee’s Banana Pudding Cup and Chocolate Pie Cup The Banana Pudding Cup was tasty; it's definitely more of a "someone's meemaw's in the back makin' puddin'" type treat, than a "someone opened a can of pudding" type treat. It has Nilla Wafers, whipped topping, fresh sliced bananas layered parfait-like. For me, the pudding part was delicious; very smooth and tasted real. I am turned off by all of the 'extra' stuff, so I wouldn't enjoy eating more of it. Hubby loved it.
Hubby - 5 Stars
Me - 4 Stars
Average 4.5 Stars
The Chocolate Pudding Cup was my favorite of the two. It's delicious chocolate pudding layered with crushed Oreo and whipped topping. The pudding is nice and thick, but I hate having chunks in something smooth. If it were just a parfait of pudding/topping/pudding, I'd like it a lot more, but the chunks ruin it for me.
We forgot to rate it, but I'd say it's at least 3 Stars (Hubby liked this one over the Banana Pudding, so he'd probably give it 5 Stars).
Top: Banana Pudding Cup Bottom: Chocolate Pie Cup
Buc-ee’sOriginal Beaver Nuggets The treat known 'round the world (or something), I was stoked to finally get to try these. First impressions? It's like someone dipped Cap'n Crunch into crunchy caramel coating. The first two or three bites were meh, but as I kept trying them, they got better and better, and I saw quickly how easy it is to just eat and eat and eat... Aesthetically, they're ugly, and reminded me like glazed popcorn shrimp. It's also a big bag, so there's a lot to eat. I might get tired of it before I finish the bag (spoiler alert: I did.)
Hubby - 5 Stars
Me - 5 Stars
Average - 5 Stars
Yes, they are crack. They live up to their reputation.
Buc-ee’s Cinnamon Sweet Beaver Nuggets
These are like the more refined, high-falutin' cousin of Beaver Nuggets. They come in a much smaller bag, which is actually a win, because these were very sweet, and there's no way I could finish an entire bag in one sitting (it took me about 3 days to finish the small bag). Hubby loved these, as did I; the taste was like the crunchy edge of a Cinnabon roll (not the inside, but the little bits that bubbled at the bottom of the pan).
Hubby - 5 Stars
Me - 5 Stars
Average - 5 Stars
Milk Chocolate, Dark Chocolate Cinnamon Sweet Nuggets
Buc-ee’s Milk Chocolate Caramel with Sea Salt
There is an off flavor here, but I don't know if it was the caramel or the chocolate, but it wasn't good. The texture of the caramel was good - chewy like a Rolo, not runny like a Caramello. Unfortunately the sea salt completely overpowered this treat. 50% less salt and this would be much better.
Hubby 2.5 Stars
Me - 2 Stars
Average - 2.25 Stars
Buc-ee’s Dark Chocolate Caramel with Sea Salt
OMG!! This one is even saltier than the Milk Chocolate one - it was so salty I had to spit it out because the flavor was so terrible. The chocolate and the caramel were both completely overpowered.
Hubby - 1 Star
Me - 1 Star
Average - 1 Star
Bucee's Cheesecake Slice w/Strawberry Glaze
Hello, my name is Lazy, and I am a cheesecake Purist. I don't want anything on my cheesecake - no chocolate, no fruit, no whipped topping, no nothing. I don't even want a graham cracker crust! I am in love with Publix's NY Cheesecake, a beautiful round concoction of all cheesecake filling, and no crust. This cheesecake has a crust, and something I greatly appreciated - a tiny cup of strawberry glaze on the side, contained so that it won't in any way violate my cheesecake goodness. The texture of the cheesecake is on point, thick and creamy (not fluffy like a French-style cheesecake). Unfortunately, the cinnamon graham cracker flavor seeped into the cheesecake itself and gave the custard a weird flavor. I kind of picked at it, but eventually gave up; the weird flavor was too much for me to deal with. It's not bad; if you're a person who likes a graham cracker crust, you'll be fine with this.
Me - 2 Stars
Cheesecake (with crust) with side of glaze
So there you have it! These are all the treats that we brought home*. I think I gained another five pounds just by writing all of these reviews!
Stick around; my next post is a review of the bottled sodas we picked up at Mars Cheese Castle in Kenosha!
*We also brought home Cheese Spread, Cheese Curds, and a Kringle, but we forgot to rate them. They were good, though!
So, a few weeks ago, Disney reopened after being closed since March. I had really wanted to be there on Re-Opening Day, but no luck, due to their new Park Pass reservation system. I wasn't able to score an Annual Passholder reservation, nor could I find anything for July 11th (the day Magic Kingdom reopened). I decided on July 28th, which was the first day off after Hubby's birthday. I thought it would be a nice escape/birthday present. I was also looking forward to being back in my happy place and being able to take lots of photos of a mostly empty park!
I sat on this for a week or so, then asked him at dinner one night if he was ready to go back to Disney. He immediately said NO! He said that it didn't feel like Disney to him, and he refused to go. I told him that it was a bummer he felt that way, but I'd just go alone.
After that discussion, I thought about it, and decided to go ahead and cancel the trip... If I went, he'd be resentful and grumpy the next time we went to Disney. If I didn't go, I'd be resentful that he spoiled it for me... either way was a lose-lose situation, but he can be a bigger butthead about things (I love him, though!), so I sacrificed the idea of awesome photos. But I never said anything to him about cancelling.
Last week (on the 19th) when I picked him up from work, he was really grumpy and he told me that he was mad that I was going to go ahead and go to Disney, even though I knew he was against the idea. He felt it wasn't the right time to go to Disney, that it didn't feel magical. He could never give me a solid reason as to why I shouldn't go. He also said that "a good photographer would be able to take photos without crowds on any random day" which hurt to hear him say to me. So we agreed to disagree and spent an evening in silence. Yes, even though I'd already decided not to go. I was not going to let him think he "won." After a few days, we stopped tiptoeing around each other and got over it.
I officially cancelled the reservation the weekend before the trip, but I still wanted to GO somewhere... so where should I go?
One of the BEST movies in the world!
Obviously, anywhere I go is going to have restrictions in place (masks, occupancy, etc). I debated going to Ocala for some junk food seafood at Long John's, but there was also this place called Busy Bee up in Live Oak that I discovered when doing some research for our Road Trip Adventure next year... It's a Buc-Ee's knock-off, basically. I could visit my old high school town and the place I lived for a few years, then hit up Live Oak and drive home.
Map of my Trip
I decided to do that, and skip Long John's.
So, Tuesday morning, I was up at 9 and left by 10am. I picked up soda at Circle K, and cleaned out the trash from the trunk and backseat. As I was shoving stuff in the trash can, I realized that my ring finger wasn't catching on the lid of the trashcan (as it normally does, because of my rings), and I started freaking out! Oh, where are my rings!? I texted hubby, and he said he didn't see them "in the usual spots," so I headed home (I'd already looked around the Circle K area). I found them in the kitchen, hanging on the hook I always hang them on when I'm cooking... he forgot to check there.
Also, at this point, it's probably 11am, and I'd not even had breakfast! I'd planned on going to McDonald's in the next town north, but never did. I drove to my hometown via county and state roads (you can't get there via the interstate), and it all looked so much the same, yet so different. It's hard to explain. The first part, along Highway 441 was familar to me, as many times we drove this way to go to my mother's house, but we'd not been this way in probably 5 years. But once I left 441 for 27, it was almost foreign territory. It looked "almost right" but not quite right. Many times I thought to myself did that used to be a gas station? or oh, they closed down Sally's Sundries.
Coming into town was a surprise, because the town had grown over the past 15 years since I'd been there last. Oh, don't get me wrong, there was still no actual red light (just a 4-way blinker in the middle of town), but they had a McDonald's now! And a Subway! And a Dollar General! Very fancy.
My first stop was Ivey Park, a natural springs in which I spent many summers swimming. Natural springs are 72º all year round, so in the hot summers in Florida, it's a shock to the system, but it feels great when you finally get all the way in!
Full view of the springs at Ivey Park in Branford, FL
The water is crystal clear!
Looking toward the exit (on the left) toward the Suwanee River
The swimming hole was 99% the way I remembered, with a rebuilt boardwalk, and stairs where my favorite hangout spot used to be.
Those stairs used to end at my favorite place to put my towel
I couldn't NOT put my feet in the water!
I took some photos then headed further inside the park to the boat ramps. I avoided the first one (near the picnic tables) because there was a large group of people there. The second ramp was peaceful, and I took advantage of the quiet to kick off my shoes and dip my feet in the Suwanee River. I sat and listened to the sounds of the area, the lapping of the waves from a passing boat, the wind through the trees.
One of two boatramps at Ivey Park
Looking up the Suwanee River
How could I not stick my feet in the water here too?
So artsy...
Unfortunately, a truck wanted to launch his boat, so I moved away and headed back to the car. Once I got to the car, I realized that the old Dive Shop was gone (I spent many dollars here, buying chips and Pepsi in glass bottles... yeah, I'm that old.)
They had metal screw-off caps and the labels were thin sheets of styrofoam-ish stuff
My next stop was my first real job - the Scaff's Grocery Store in town. Apparently now, though, it's an IGA! It looked exactly the same on the outside. Almost from muscle memory, I ended up parking in the same spot I would always park in when I was working there. I walked in the same door I'd always walk in on the way to work (it was the side that used to have a soda machine outside, but not anymore).
On the inside, it was, again, same but different. In 1994, there were 3 registers and a customer service desk/manager's office. The registers were manual (I had to type in .99 then hit the "grocery" or "meat" button to tally the groceries) and had round turn-tables to move the groceries toward me (no conveyor belts for this joint!)
These were notorious for smushing tomatoes
Now, they have 2 registers (with small belts), and the customer service/manager's office is against the front wall. I wasn't' expecting to see anyone I knew, but I was kind of bummed that I didn't recognize anyone. (I mean, come on, Lazy... it's been 25 years! They're probably all dead... they were old when you worked there!)
Other than that, the layout didn't change much. I peeked into the back room to see if that was the same, but it had been remodeled.
Throwback Photo to 1994: Manager Paul (L) and Bagboy David (R)
After walking around like an idiot, I picked up a few bags of Uncle Ray's Hot Chips (the BEST hot chips on the planet) and made my way to the register. I chatted up the cashier, Marsha, and she told me that the store had been an IGA for longer than 3 years, though she'd lived in town for over 13 years, and when she first moved to town, it wasn't an IGA. She said it was "dark, dirty, and stinky" and she refused to shop there.
Once I left town, I headed for "home".
It's funny to call it "home..." because I only officially lived there from 1993 to 1996, but my grandmother lived there practically since I was born (I think she moved there in 1980), and I would spend every long vacation with her - summers, spring breaks, Christmas breaks, they were all with her. She had a home across from the Suwanee River, and I loved it there. Summer couldn't come fast enough for me.
I don't want to completely hijack my own blog post, so I'll just say... stay tuned for a new page on my blog called Stories of my Grandmother. I have lots of memories that I want to share and document, so now I'll have a page to just jot them down on when I have a wild hair.
Back to the trip!
I drove down Highway 349 and was sad to see that the small convenience store was closed and destroyed. It was the only gas station for miles between home and work, and I would often stop in for another one of those fancy glass Pepsis, or some Tom's Hot Fries (back when they were good).
Past the gas station, was the road to my old house. I'd forgotten that the road had been paved about 10 years ago, with street signs and everything! (Yes, yes, we were the living embodiment of You Might Be a Redneck jokes).
I saw that our neighbor Ed (yes, we called him Mr. Ed) was still there, or at least his trailer was, though the land had been cleared and looked to be planted with some random crop.
Someone was living on our property, I could see a dark grey mobile home, but I was respectful and didn't go up the driveway to check it out. It looked like a different trailer from the one my parents purchased. I slowly drove past the house and headed towards what I thought would be the road to my old church, but I turned too early and actually passed my old BFF's house... I wondered if his mom still lived there (last I knew, he's living up north in the snow and cold). I came back and turned the correct way and drove to church.
Hatchbend Baptist Church (Church on L, Fellowship Hall on R)
As a kid, I wasn't all that religious, but I was a good, churchgoing kiddo when I spent time with Grandma. Every Sunday I was at Sunday School, I sang with the choir, and got church giggles with the boys in the back pews. My (step) grandfather is buried in the graveyard here. Every year, I attended Vacation Bible School with my friends and fought over who would carry the flags during the evening processional, and who would carry the bible. I was even baptized again at this church in 1991.
Unfortunately, the days of churches keeping their doors unlocked are over, and the church and fellowship hall were both locked up tight. I was able to park and walk around for a few minutes but it began to rain, so I ran back to the car, said a little prayer, and headed toward my next destination.
It stopped raining by the time I got to J.T. Earl Park (I think that's the name... I remember Earl anyway!). This park was directly across from my grandmother's house that I grew up in. We would walk over here daily to climb down a steep bank to get to the river. We didn't need stairs. We didn't need a ramp. We had tree roots and rocks. Of course, those are long gone or buried now, and I wasn't able to climb down this time.
The view from the river, looking towards Grandma's House
The view from the park, overlooking the river
Here, I simply listened to the lapping of the water, the wind in the trees, and talked to Grandma. It was an emotional 10 minutes or so, nothing I'm going to go into specifics about. I miss her. I've missed her for the past 15 years. It doesn't get easier, dealing with her being gone... It gets... less frequent. I think that's a good way of thinking about it. I can go for weeks or months without thinking about her, but then something reminds me of her and BAM! I can't breathe and my heart hurts. That part isn't easier, not at all.
Looking down at where we scattered her ashes in 2006
Once I had some peace with the river, I made my way across the street to her house. When she passed, she willed the house to my older brother. For me, she'd set up a savings account of a certain amount (which I decimated at a very young age, us being poor newlyweds and parents). I'm not angry about either of those things. It's her choice to decide who gets what.
My brother, however, was not the most responsible person in his 20s and 30s (Neither was I, honestly, but more so than he). The property laid vacant and unattended to for many, many years after she passed. I knew that. Growing up here, I was very familiar with the idea that unsecured properties would be looted. That happened within a few years, I would guess. Made me angry, but I wasn't shocked.
Logically, I should have expected what I got.
Emotionally, I was not prepared.
Both driveways were completely overgrown. I couldn't get my car much further than off the side of the road. I picked up a stick and began to make my way deeper into the property (there were a lot of banana spiders and webs to deal with, hence the stick).
I could see the 2nd story of the house from the street, but the bottom floor - what it was - was harder to see until I got further in.
So far, so good...
Growing up here, she had a single-level home that had a living room, dining room, kitchen, pantry, and bedroom. The bathroom was a separate structure set apart from the house (never new why...). In 1989, the year it snowed in North Florida, she was in the process of adding on an attached bathroom. After the river flooded her home multiple times over the years, she was able to afford to build a second story addition onto the house, ostensibly to be a new house. The new house would also have a kitchen, pantry, dining, living, and bedroom. The bathroom was still downstairs. Once she was done with the upstairs build, the downstairs became storage, and an extra kitchen for canning during the warm Florida summers.
When I came into the clearing of the yard, I died a little inside. The entire 1st floor was gone. Just... gone.
That pile of rubble used to be the living room
If you didn't know there had been a home there, you wouldn't know now. There was a large pile of construction materials to one side, like someone took everything apart and stacked it up, but it was all warped and rotten, and none of it made sense. There was a rotting velvet couch sitting where the dining room would have been.
Her ancient velvet sleeper sofa
Her cast iron fireplace was gone, which wasn't surprising. It was a massive piece, and probably the most "Grandma" thing I could have ever wanted to keep from her house, but I bet that thing walked away real quick after she left the property.
From the outside, the upstairs actually looked a little better than expected. I couldn't climb the stairs because they were all rotten, of course. But the door and most of the windows were still in place. Once I moved further into the yard, I could see that the roof had caved in (most likely due to a tree falling on the house), which either allowed the floor to rot and fall, or the tree came through the floor as well... I could see my grandmother's bed through the floor, and I could see the blue sky behind it. After seeing all of the damage, my assumption is that the roof had become compromised, which allowed rain to enter the home, and as we all know, Florida weather is not kind to wood structures. It probably began rotting within a season or two. I would love to be able to pull myself up to the second story with a ladder, just to see what's left in the kitchen/dining room area (the floor wasn't caved in there), but that will probably never happen.
You can see the edge of her bed to the left of the bright light
The entire original "Outhouse" was gone, of course. It was already falling apart at the turn of the century. Oh, and, no... it wasn't an actual Outhouse, it was simply a second tiny building that had a bathtub and toilet, as well as a laundry area. I don't know why it was all by itself, but it was kind of fun to be a small kid and be All Alone while I took a bath or brushed my teeth. It was miserable to go to and from the outhouse in the winter time, though!
Obviously, anything that was in any way important or useful had long since walked away, but I poked around anyway, to see if there was anything buried among the leaves and dirt.
I found two glass jars, most likely ones that either once had food in them, or were set aside to be used for canning. One was an old Sanka jar, and the other was most likely a mayonnaise jar. I also found a small porcelain bowl that I didn't recognize, but it was in good enough shape that I knew I had to keep it.
I found the top of her old Great American Popcorn Machine, which was a punch in the gut. I remember making popcorn in that many times over the years, putting a stick (yes a stick) of butter on top to melt and drip over the fresh popcorn. It had a few cracks in it, but it wasn't broken, so I tucked it safely in the car.
I want to go to eBay and buy a replica one day
On the way out, though, was the strangest find. Sitting there, on a stump (how did I miss it on the way in?) was a bright blue Bay Area Renaissance Festival stone mug from 1995. It was just... there... like a beacon. You know how, in video games, if there's something really important for you to find, it's sitting in a ray of sunshine, practically glowing? Yeah, it was like that. My father (Grandma's son) was heavily involved with that festival, and she loved it. I graduated high school in 1995, so while not oooooooooh, spooky!, it was still a kind of weird coincidence. Why was it here? Why was it not already stolen? It was practically clean, when compared to a lot of other things around the area. If she left it for me, I'm not sure what the message is... My dad my be an ass, but you're damn sure right I kept that mug. It has a place of honor in my home office now.
But even more interesting than the mug was the last experience I had before I turned around to leave... I was poking at things in the dirt, when from behind me I heard a loud thump. I whipped around and saw a large black cat running deeper into the woods... My grandmother was always known as the person who would take in stray animals. When people dumped their dogs in the woods, they ended up at her house. When cats showed up out of nowhere, they ended up at her house. I can't even begin to count how many cats and dogs and chickens and things she loved over the years. I can't remember names, but I remember many of them.
That my grandma's property is still giving shelter to animals... that's the best feeling. That cat made me remember how much I loved my grandmother's loving spirit. Even fifteen years after her passing, she's still taking care of cats!
As I walked back to the car, I turned around and looked again at the place I grew up, and I was angry. Girl, I was HOT. So I did what any rational thinking human being would do... I pulled out my camera and hit record. I tried to sound rational. I explained my feelings and why I was sad, and mad. But then I just had a bit of a meltdown. No, you don't get to see it. I probably won't even keep it. I'll probably watch it before I publish this blog and delete it because I sound like a crazy person... who knows!
Angry, and sad, and emotionally wrung out like a sheet, I got back in the car and left. I would probably never see this place again, I realized. I had no reason to come here any more. Nothing held me here...
I really wasn't planning on having such an emotional crisis during this road trip, but it is what it is, I guess!
On the road again, I headed back towards town, driving to Live Oak, picking up some things I needed at Lowe's, and then onward towards Busy Bee's.
So... lots of people say that Busy Bee is an equivalent to Buc-Ees. Now, I've never (yet) been to a Buc-Ees, but I do have eyeballs that watch YouTube, and I'll tell ya... this was no Buc-Ees.
I'll give it this... Yes, the bathrooms are very nice. The ladies' room is very large with plenty of stalls and sinks. The stalls had actual doors that, when locked, showed "Occupied", and they were huge, in fact, possibly too huge! I had to lean over to even reach the toilet paper!
I'd equate Busy Bee to this... a Cracker Barrel, a RaceTrac, and a Candy Store all got together and made a FrankenStore. It couldn't really figure out what it wanted to be.
First, it has a store like Cracker Barrel, full of things that 67-year old rich church women would buy - expensive lotions, ugly leather purses, charm bracelets, etc. Very overpriced and pretentious (really, a leather purse for $150 from a gas station? Uh, no). They did carry a lot of BlueQ merch, so that was awesome.
Then, there was a Candy Store, but most of the candy bins were empty, so getting a bag of assorted candy was pointless. The back wall was full of bulk bins of M&Ms and nuts and stuff.
Then, there was a Dunkin' and a BK. BK was dead (I picked up a burger on the way out), but Dunkin' was hoppin' (I picked up a maple frosted to go with my burger).
Then, there was a Jerky and Sweets Counter. I could get fudge, truffles, dipped pretzels, and venison jerky, all from the same place! I got an ounce of original jerky (when I ate it the next day it was terrible! So dry and icky...)
Then, there was the Specialty Food section with assloads of specialty jams, jellies, sauces, salad dressings, hot sauces, and rubs. The way the foods were merchandised was terrible too... They were on short display tables like the one shown below, and since the bottom is so close to the ground, you couldn't really read the product labels, and I'm not gonna bend over that far just to "window shop" random barbecue sauce at a gas station.
The bottom rack is way too close to the ground to read labels
Then, finally, there was a convenience store and Truck Stop. They had a great selection of stuff at least.
All in all, I ended up picking up some Bee Bits, Buttah Bees, Uncle Ray's Chips, Uncle Ray's Onion Rings, a small mix of candy, big Laffy Taffy sticks, and some Cowboy Jerky. Also, a cheeseburger, a fountain drink, and a donut. (We were more impressed with the Bee Bits than the Buttah Bees).
Now that my "Homeward Bound" road trip was over, I hit the interstate to head home. I got home around 5:15, cried on Hubby's shoulder for a while, then picked up some fast food and ate in bed. I slept off my "No Food" headache, and I feel better today. Empty, but better than yesterday.
I still want to go back to Long John's in Ocala, but I've satisfied my wanderlust for a while. Maybe I'll treat myself for my birthday in September.
*I apologize for how wonky this post looks... I was forced to start using the new Blogger interface template and it sucks donkey balls...
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