Day 11

  Who ever said you can never go home again never lived in Poquoson, Va.

Home Sweet Home

But I am getting ahead of myself.

We arrived in Newport News,  Va, last evening just before 8PM. A long but relaxing day of travel. We are both constantly surprised at how much more pleasant train travel is than air travel. 

And unlike trying to get to Aiken SC. this stop put us a mere 15 minute drive away from this episode.

Bruce's best friend from childhood live in Hampton, Va. Not 2 miles from the very first house I every bought.  Those of you who know Bruce and I know that we met late in life, but had been within minutes of each other so many, many times. It really is a small world and we are proof positive.

When I suggested we take a side trip to visit my adopted family members he reminded me that Kenny and Patty were here too. So we contacted them and they invited us to stay with them as a base of operation while we are in Tidewater.  

And this morning they took me home. 

This is the first house I ever bought on my own.

 It is the house that taught Tom and I the true meaning of "potential".

This shot shows the house as it is today. Someone else with vision, and a whole lot more money than me has turned it into the house that I dreamed of. I bet they even replaced the ceiling that fell into the bath tub. 

After touring every corner of Poquoson, which has changed drastically since Hurricane Isabel in 2001.  The house above used to be on a 2 foot high crawl space. And this was on the high side of town.

Most of the homes in our neighborhood are now 2 stories high with the 1st story being a concrete block foundation.

Hopefully it will keep them all above the flood tide for the next storm of the century.

If you ever find yourself lost in the wilds of Poquoson, and ya feel a hunger coming  on, stop anybody wearing a pair of white bubba boots and ask them how to get to Owens Marina.

The least imposing seafood restaraunt you will ever love on the east coast.

One of the things on my Big Adventure bucket list was a soft crab sandwich,

Oh my goodness the angels in heaven are crying cuz they ain't got none.

Even Wanda was impressed and she has very discriminating taste.

The other most important thing on the list (here to for referred to as  MIT) was to track down my very best friends in life, Sid and Loretta.

At this age if you lose track of people for many years as I have, it get really scary when you try to track them down again.

Fortunately I had mentioned to a facebook friend that I have never met that I was headed home. She mentioned to a Poquoson friend that I was coming and that friend tracked down Sid and Loretta. Ya gotta love technology.

 It was good to know ahead of time that Ms Loretta wasn't doing well. But it was fabulous to also find that Mr Sid is as good as he ever was, and that's saying something.

I swear this is exactly where I left him 12 years ago. He is slowing down a little with age. Now he works part time rebuilding antique Chesapeake Deadrise boats in the morning, a couple of hours on the Lady Loretta, his boat, doing some clamming then home to clean up and off to the nursing home to be with Ms. Loretta for dinner and

and a tuck in. Not bad for an old fart. He's 75. These two people were for me, proof that there really is such a thing as true love, and a good marriage.  Tomorrow I will go and visit Ms Loretta. I will be sad if she doesn't remember me.

Did I mention that we bought a summer home?