So much to do, so little time

     Seven states in nine days. Four new states visited. When we plan a trip, we try to visit a few states at a time. Most of the time we try to visit at least three states. Sometimes we take historical trips. Other times they are more treasure finding or maybe even a hiking trip. This trip was a combination, visit friends, find treasures and throw in some amazing history for good measure. Here is a rundown of the states.
     We started in Oklahoma
      Drove to Texas
      Flew to Charlotte, North Carolina
      Drove to Mouth of Wilson, Virginia
      From there drove down through North Carolina to South Carolina then Savannah Georgia on down to Amelia Island Florida and on Cocoa Beach
      Then we flew home from Orlando.
       Whew.......golly what a trip. Now, I could list everything we did but it would probably turn out to be the length of a novel so let me just hit the highlights and hopefully it will make you want to book a trip to one of these beautiful places.

     When I say beautiful, I have to admit, while we were driving we saw some of the most beautiful landscape I have ever seen. We missed the trees in their full color by probably a week but that still didn't take away from the scenery. The roads were windy up in the Virginia mountains but the scenery looked like something out of a painting.



One of my favorite stops was Mt. Airy, North Carolina. Now if you are a fan of old television shows, you may know that Mt. Airy is better known as MAYBERRY!




The TV show was based off the town where Andy Griffith grew up. Downtown Mt. Airy has been converted into Mayberry complete with old time police cars, Floyd's Barber Shop and Wally's gas station.

And of course, you can't have Mayberry without Andy and Opie.

As we made our way down to South Carolina, we decided to make a stop in Charleston. This city is rich with history and we got a taste of it while we were there. 

Just outside of Charleston Harbor is Ft. Sumter. 

Some history buffs will know that Ft. Sumter is the spot where it is said, that the civil war began. South Carolina had seceded from the union but the union still had possession of Ft. Sumter and wouldn't give it up so, a cannon was fired from a nearby Battery in the harbor and made a direct hit on the fort. 

 The fort is in ruins but still provides plenty to see.












After visiting the fort, a short ferry ride back to the mainland brought us to another war. Sitting at Patriots Point in Charleston harbor is the Aircraft carrier The USS Yorktown, the Destroyer USS Laffey and the submarine The USS Clamagore.







The Yorktown was home to over 3300 soldiers during WWII and played a vital roll in several battles but was lost in the battle at Midway. You could spend hours on this vessel and not see the whole thing. There are about forty planes and helicopters on display.

The USS Destroyer Laffey took on fifty Kamikaze fighters off Okinawa in WWII but they didn't sink her. Exploring this battleship was quite interesting. You could almost feel like you were pulled back in time.

The USS Clamagore was by far the strangest vessel to tour. I can't imagine being on the crew of a submarine. The doorways that you had to climb through were only large enough for one person at a time and that was the only way to get from one location to the next. There was no other hallway. It was one long tube. Bunks hung above torpedoes and along narrow walls. Although exploring it was fascinating, I think I would quickly get claustrophobic. 

Also part of the tour at Patriot's Point was a recreated medical unit from the Vietnam War. The walking tour took you through different areas of a camp. One of the interesting pieces on display was an amphibious helicopter. 

After Charleston we continued our historical trip along the coast to Amelia Island in Florida. There, we visited Fort Clinch. This fort was also part of the Civil War but was in much better shape.

Much of the fort has been preserved and each building is set up to show just how the soldiers would have lived.









Fort Clinch also was surrounded by beautiful beaches.

And what do you do when you are faced with miles and miles of sand? You hunt for seashells. 










But the beaches of Fort Clinch are also known for something else.

       SHARKS TEETH.

This was the part of our trip where we got to hunt for treasures and boy, was it a hunt. It's always fun to walk for miles along the beach but searching for these little black beauties was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. But, we were successful!

Random Acts

     Today is a very special day for me. It happens every year. As a kid, I waited with anticipation for this day, because I knew it meant presents. As the years went by, it seemed like they came more rapidly and all I wanted was for time to slow down.

     Then, a few years ago, I noticed a post from a friend who celebrated their birthday just a few days before me. They decided to celebrate their birthday in a unique way. For each year of their age, they performed a random act of kindness. I thought it was an amazing idea so I tried it. I hate to say it but being that I am past middle age, it was actually kind of difficult to squeeze in that many different random acts in one day. So, the next year, I spread it out over a week.

     The past couple of years I have asked my friends to join in and that is what I am doing today. Below is a list of ideas. In the comments at the end of the blog, let me know what you did.

     These acts of kindness are the best birthday present because I know others have been blessed.

     Here's the list of ideas.
1. buy someone coffee or breakfast
2. take some toiletry items to the homeless shelter
3. take some food items to the food bank
4. put quarters on the machines at the grocery store for kids to find
5. buy someones groceries
6. pay for someones lunch in the drive through
7. bake cookies and give them to the police department, fire department, EMS, Urgent Care, hospital
or any of the places that deliver a service to you. (hair salon, dentist, eye doctor etc.)
8. take supplies to a teacher
9. This is one of my favorites-take old towels to the animal shelter
10. Leave a generous tip at a restaurant
11. Send someone flowers
12. Take socks and blankets to a nursing home
13. Leave a treat in the mailbox for your mail carrier
14. call a friend or relative you haven't talked to in a while
15. compliment a stranger
16. Invite a neighbor for dinner
17. donate blood
18. take some toys to the pediatric hospital
19. read to kids at the library
20. send a care package to some soldiers

One thing that doesn't cost and is always appreciated is Time. Take time today to listen to someone, encourage someone love on someone.

Kindness knows no color or social status and always returns the blessing.

When the unexpected happens

     I have had many instances when I have been thrown into unexpected circumstances. I am not much of a planner but I have found there are times when you definitely want to be prepared.

     When my son was about three we went to a hotel. I don't remember what it was for actually, probably visiting family. My son was in the shallow end of the pool hanging onto the side. There were several adults watching but yet, in an instant, he was under the water. We pulled him out sputtering and spitting pool water. I was thankful things had turned out okay, but it got me thinking. I needed to know what to do in an emergency.

     I checked into some classes and signed up to take a Standard First Aid and Safety class through the Red Cross. https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class
   
     Many businesses request you take the class now. I think it's a smart idea. You really never know when you might need it.

     After taking the class, I chose to take it one step further and became a trainer. I did it both to instill the skills in me and guide others in learning the emergency procedures.

     One of the main skills they teach you in the class is what to do if someone's heart stops. Honestly, I never thought I would use it. I was wrong. A man collapsed in our grocery store and no one knew what to do. Do you? Once you learn the steps, it helps keep you on track when you are faced with an emergency.

     Here are a few simple steps when someone collapses or is found unconscious.

1. Check the scene. Make sure the scene is safe for you.
2. Tap the person and ask if they are okay loudly.
3. Call 911 or ask someone with you to call. If you are in a business check to see if they have an AED(If so follow the directions on the box.)
4. Lift the chin and tilt the head back to open the airway
5. Check for breathing. Listen for 10 seconds.(short gasps is not considered breathing) If you do not hear breathing or see the rise and fall of the chest you begin CPR
6. Find the bottom of the sternum or where the ribs divide, move up two finger spaces and place the heel of your hand. Interlace your fingers

Keep the bottom hand tilted where the heel of the hand touches but not the fingers.

7. Push hard and fast in the middle of the chest. Use your body weight to administer compression. This helps get the compressions deep and keeps your arms from wearing out so fast. The compressions need to be 2 inches deep and at a rate of 100 compressions per minute. Some say singing the song "Stayin Alive" helps give you a good rate.

8. Give at least 15 chest compressions before delivering 2 rescue breaths. Some studies now say give 30 compressions between breaths.

9. To give a rescue breath, tilt the persons head back and chin up, pinch the nose and seal your mouth over theirs exhaling into their mouth. If the chest doesn't rise and fall with your breath, reposition the head and try again. Give two breaths then resume CPR.

10. Only end the cycle if help arrives, if the scene becomes unsafe or you are too exhausted to continue.

The class also teaches techniques for infant and child CPR as well as other emergency situations. 

You never know when an unexpected emergency may occur. It's better to have the knowledge and not use it then to have an emergency and not know what to do.