Post by wdw1972 on Jan 18, 2023 19:39:37 GMT -5
This was posted on the old site, before I figured out I needed to access the new site on a different/better browser. If you read it over there, this is the same thing.
Who/When/Where:
Who: Sue (64), DVC Member
Holli (58), friend & co-worker
Vickie (58), Holli’s best friend & college roommate
Dates: January 11 – 16, 2023
Resort: Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort
Experience: Very Experienced – 27th stay at Hilton Head
INTRODUCTION:
I booked this same trip for last year, partly because I love Hilton Head, partly because I’d gotten disgusted with the increasing crowds at WDW, and partly as a trip to include Vickie. She lives in the mountains of NW Georgia, loves Hilton Head, and has stage 4 ovarian cancer. With the cancer news (2-3 years ago) I knew she & Holli no longer have a long time to get together and make memories, so I booked this trip for the 3 of us in 2022. I’d met Vickie once in 2021 and we hit it off immediately. Well, the 2022 trip was such a success, on the last day I threw out the suggestion of repeating it in 2023. They were both totally onboard! However, Vickie’s numbers were rising drastically at that time, so I wasn’t sure about her future. Thankfully, she is very assertive/aggressive when it comes to her healthcare, she’s fitter than most athletes decades younger than her, and she’s a strong advocate for herself. She got into a trial and that cocktail of chemo drugs seems to be keeping her cancer idle for now. She has a treatment the day of our arrival, so she’ll get in later than she would have hoped. However, all that matters is she can get there and enjoy herself!
We had hoped to do Comedy Magic Cabaret since they were closed due to covid during our last trip. However, they’re closed again this entire trip – Kerry (the husband of the team of owners, and the primary performer) will be performing in Los Angeles all week. That sucks, as I know Vickie would have enjoyed it. Holli & I attended in December 2020, and I attended as recently as May 2022 with SB.
Our other “must do” was Captain Mark’s Dolphin Cruise – last year canceled due to maintenance on the boat. This year nothing is on the calendar after January 1st. Captain Mark does a nice job, is local but originally from Ft Myers, and his boat is just across the marina at Shelter Cove Harbour so it’s my “go to” vendor. I called the phone number on his website and left a voice mail giving him the dates of our trip and asking if he’d be doing any dolphin cruises during that time. I never heard back from him (disappointing – that’s no way to run your business) but in the meantime (after a couple days of not hearing back) I searched for someone else and found Lowcountry Watersports would be doing dolphin cruises twice a day on Thursday and Saturday. We decided on Thursday since it’s going to be our warmest day of the trip.
I googled things to do in Hilton Head in January, and there’s not much since it’s the extreme off season. There’s the Coastal Discovery Museum, so maybe we’ll check that out. Last year we did the north Hilton Head tour with pool guy Mike and hoped he’d be doing the south tour during this trip. When the schedule came out last weekend I called right away and booked us for Friday’s south island tour. I also booked the Pinkney Island nature walk/hike for Saturday morning. Sunday, we can just play it by ear, but it’s nice to have something specific booked for each of the other days.
We enjoy dining and happy hour, and specifically the restaurants in the Serg group. Vickie’s favorite restaurant from her trips with her husband is Hudson’s, which is not Serg. Last year they were closed for our trip, but this year they’re reopening the day before we arrive. My son Chris and I ate there once many years (decades) ago and I never felt the need to return, but a lunch there can work for me since it’s important to Vickie. Poseidon is a “must do”, and it's where we start off the trip. Vickie will miss that night, but perhaps we’ll repeat it on the last night too. Wise Guys is definitely on the itinerary – most likely Friday night happy hour. That’s such a great place! Also, Frankie Bones is fabulous and we love the bar area. Since they do lunch all afternoon, we can do it early or late – doesn’t matter. Nectar is another restaurant from last year that we’ll likely repeat, but as a breakfast/brunch meal.
Even though we’re here 5 nights, there are far too many great restaurant choices – we have to skip so many. The tradition on getaway day is Hilton Head Diner. Last year Vickie had to get on the road really early to make it to a medical appointment in Atlanta but assuming she doesn’t have to do that this year all 3 of us will have breakfast together.
As for amusing ourselves when we’re not eating or on a tour, we’ll enjoy some of the sporting activities at the resort (bocce, horseshoes, mini golf, etc) and enjoy the fireplace in our villa. I’m bringing several puzzles and an LED lamp I bought specifically so we could see the puzzles better (on the dining room table) since the Disney lighting is not very bright. Vickie’s bringing some games, and we’re all bringing wine! Holli & I will pick up the cheeses, charcuterie stuff and any other groceries from Kroger the day we arrive.
The plans so far are:
Wednesday 1/11: Drive to HHI, Kroger, Poseidon
Thursday 1/12: Dolphin Tour, Hudson’s, Possibly Stroll w/Pluto
Friday 1/13: Nectar, Hilton Head Island South Tour, Wise Guys
Saturday 1/14: Pinkney Island, Frankie Bones, Cocoa/Smores
Sunday 1/15: Do Whatever, Eat When/Wherever, possibly Resort Cocktail Event
Monday 1/16: Hilton Head Diner, Drive to Gainesville
DAY 1 – Wednesday 1/11/23
Who: Sue (64), DVC Member
Holli (58), friend & co-worker
Vickie (58), Holli’s best friend & college roommate
Plan: Drive to HHI, Kroger, Poseidon
Actual: This morning Holli & I both worked until 10. I pulled out of my driveway at 10:02, stopped at her house and we were on the road by 10:06. This is definitely an advantage to living at work – getting on the road sooner! The drive was easy, with great weather and no traffic. We arrived at the resort just before 2.
The cast member checking us in was very nice and I was getting my hopes up that our grand villa was actually ready, but she soon dashed those hopes. Someone on the resort facebook page mentioned they were checking out of the grand villa in building 18 today. That’s the one we had last year, and the only one that faces the marsh, so I was optimistic that we’d get that one. There are only 5 grand villas, so what are the odds more than one would be turning over on a Wednesday?
We left the car parked at Live Oak Lodge and walked over to Shelter Cove. Holli really likes the specialty food store there so we browsed in there and talked briefly with the owner. He recognized me as having been in there before. We walked to the end of the marina then turned around to head back. Holli suggested stopping at Top Dawg Café for a glass of wine while we waited, so that’s what we did.
They had the vinyl flaps down and the heaters on so it was warm and toasty in there! It wasn’t happy hour yet but we each ordered a glass of their house wines and I caught up with work emails on my phone. Vickie had gotten on the road from her chemo appointment at 10:30 and tested to indicate her estimated arrival time was 4pm. Just before 3:30 I got the “room is ready” text, so we gave Vickie the room number and told her to meet us at the resort.
Holli & I walked back to the resort, got the car and drove over to park by building 16. I didn’t like the parking options there so I parked between 14 & 15. We loaded everything onto one of the wooden carts and headed to the building we’d had last year, thinking that’s where we were staying. First the key didn’t work on the first level room, but I remembered the grand villa entrance is on the second floor. We went up there and spotted the basket of firewood and “knew” we were in the right place. The key didn’t work here either. Then we noticed this was building 18 and our villa is in building 16.
We went back downstairs with our stuff and moved the cart over to 16, and this time the key unlocked the door. I think this might be the villa I had with SB, Chris & Amanda and SB’s daughter & husband back when the grandsons were 18 months old. I took pictures for facebook and we moved all of our stuff inside. We weren’t able to fully unpack before Vickie arrived. She got her stuff moved inside and we left to walk over to Poseidon, arriving about 4:30.
They had a pretty decent crowd at the Nauti Bar but we were able to get a nice table. Vickie caught us up on the latest cancer stuff, and we each ordered a glass of wine. She’s very realistic and appreciative that she’s here – she’s been looking forward to this trip all year but couldn’t be certain she’d be here. That’s not being morbid – it’s just reality. We’re glad she’s doing well!
Holli & I ordered from the happy hour menu, while Vickie ordered the sushi from the regular menu (repeating what she got last year). Holli got 3 Virginia oysters and 3 Northeast oysters and shared them with Vickie. Holli & I each got the pimento cheese spread w/naan bread. Vickie tried it and liked it as well. Overall everything was excellent! Holli & I both had pimento cheese and naan bread leftover, which we took “to go”. We walked over to Kroger and got the remaining groceries – mostly cheese & charcuterie, but a package of gooey chocolate chip cookies ended up in the cart somehow. I’ll admit, my dna is on the package.
After checking out we walked back to the resort. The paths in Hilton Head are not illuminated so Holli used the flashlight on her phone while Vickie & I each carried a bag of groceries. Everything was going fine until we got back to the resort. As we were walking down the stairs after the bridge and out to the walkway at the marina I evidently tripped rather than stepping up and went flying slow motion towards the railing. They fully expected me to recover and come out of it, but that didn't happen. I fell into the fence, which kept me from falling into the water. In the process, what was in the bag I was carrying got scattered on the ground. Holli & Vickie both came over and helped turn me over so I could sit upright and we sat there for a while until I felt I could move again.
Back at the villa I went to my room to assess the damage – bleeding bruise near left elbow, nonbleeding bruise nearby, both knees had multiple scrapes/bruises and most likely will feel pretty stiff tomorrow. Deep inhalations hurt a bit on the right side, and a finger was bleeding. Overall it’s all superficial stuff – nothing seems to be broken, and for that I’m thankful.
We regrouped in the living room and Vickie had brough Holli’s Christmas gift and brought me a gift to thank me for including her in the trip. Both were wordworking items she’d made – she’s so talented! Mine are wind chimes, which will be great when we retire back to Ft Myers. Holli had brought Vickie’s Christmas gift – a photo book capturing their time together since college. She loved it!
I started working on the report, but paused to give them gifts I’d brought for each of them. We enjoy puzzles, and Dowdle puzzles are the best. I’d gotten one of Savannah for Vickie and one of St Maarten for Holli. We’ll probably work on them both this trip.
One interesting/valuable thing I learned from Vickie is since she’s been on the cancer meds her hair has been thinning. I’m 4.75 years into a 5-year regimen of taking Tamoxifen to reduce the risk of recurrence of my cancer. I’ve had major issues with bruising at the slightest touch, leaving ugly bruises that last 2 weeks. My hair is also getting ridiculously thin. I recently found out both of these issues could be side effects of the tamoxifen. I see the oncologist later this month so I plan to bring this up and will probably just stop taking it. The marginal benefits are not worth these costs, if that’s what’s causing it.
We spent a lazy evening at home – didn’t even build a fire! I think we were all a bit tired after traveling, and we need to be up early tomorrow. Today was a great start to the trip, other than my silly attempt at crashing through the fence into the marina water. We’re all very happy to be here and have settled right back into where we left off last year. Poseidon was wonderful, as always.
Tomorrow we have a dolphin tour called Dolphins & Donuts at 9am, lunch at Hudson’s, and will have a fellow DVC owner who’s here right now over for wine in the evening.
DAY 2 – Thursday 1/12/23
Who: Sue (64), DVC Member
Holli (58), friend & co-worker
Vickie (58), Holli’s best friend & college roommate
Plan: Dolphin Tour, Hudson’s, Possibly Stroll w/Pluto
Actual: Last night Holli & Vickie retired first, around 8:30. I got up and could barely walk – the knees were really sore. They’re not swollen and I am sure there’s no fracture or break, so it’s just bruising that needs time to heal. Vickie brought me some Tylenol so I took a couple of those, then went back to the living room to finish up online stuff.
The internet here quite frankly SUCKS – big time. It drops off frequently, and it’s difficult to reconnect. Is this 2023 or 1983? While I’m being a bit negative, I’ll also mention the fish carpet is missing from the villa, and the ottoman at the chair I always use is missing. The throw pillows that disappeared with covid have yet to be returned. The resort is undergoing a major renovation this year, but it’s disappointing to see stuff disappearing in the meantime. It certainly makes the villa feel less “grand”.
When the internet went down again for the 4th or more time just after 9pm and was still down at almost 9:30 I gave it up and went to my bedroom, thoroughly disgusted with Disney. This is ridiculous! I’ve never had it this bad, and it’s totally unacceptable. I slept comfortably and always enjoy that it’s so quiet here. Perhaps during the summer that wouldn’t be the case, but I have no desire to be here during summer.
I got up just before 5 and wasn’t as stiff as I thought I might be. I’m still sore, but it’s not to the degree that I need Tylenol or can’t do anything – although, the stairs might have me eating my words, lol! My bathroom sink has a drain problem – so I’ll contact maintenance later. They really need to do some work here!
I made my cappuccino and took it back to bed along with my laptop. I managed to get almost 30 minutes before the internet dropped again – this is extremely annoying and something else I’ll be mentioning today. Maybe there’s just a problem in this villa that can be fixed, as opposed to it being resort-wide.
Around 6 I got up and took my shower. Hopefully when they renovate the shower stall will get larger. I fit fine, but I can see where it could be tight for larger people. After dressing and drying my hair I went out to the kitchen, where soon Vickie joined me. She made coffee and cut some of the delicious banana bread (homemade) she’d brought. I had my egg, slice of bacon and half an English muffin – along with a small bite of the great banana bread. Holli came down already dressed and got her coffee then made an English muffin with avocado – and a small bit of banana bread. Vickie went up to take her shower while Holli & I hung out online in the living room. Before we left I called maintenance and asked them to send someone at some point today to clear the drain in my sink. I also mentioned the internet constantly disconnecting so she said she’d let the IT company know when they came in. The maintenance guy arrived as we were heading down the stairs.
We left around 8:20 and drove over to Black Marlin. The dolphin tour goes out of the marina in this area. As many times as I’ve gone to Black Marlin I’ve never noticed the marina at the other end of the building. We learned it’s actually the largest marina on the island, and I do remember when hurricane Mathew wiped it out several years ago. It’s been rebuilt since then.
We checked in for our tour and learned it would be only the 3 of us and Captain Sarah. We were given a box with ½ dozen donuts from Publix and 3 bottles of water. Once Sarah wiped down the boat she got us and led us down the dock to our pontoon boat. She did an excellent job and loves what she does. She’s going on her 3rd season of working here. Almost right off the bat we came upon some pairs of dolphins swimming around so we sat idle watching them. They’re not crazy about the boat’s motor so idling lets them stick around longer.
Eventually we moved along, stopping again as we’d come across more dolphins. One time we also had a pair of bald eagles nearby, and some of the dolphins were small babies hanging closely to mom. One of the adults has an unusual fin and Sarah refers to that one as “Curley” since the fin is somewhat curled. After watching dolphin in several areas Sarah asked if we wanted a picture of us with the Harbortown Lighthouse in the background and we said yes. She drove us over there and took several pictures for us.
The weather started out as a beautiful day, but as the day progressed more clouds approached. By lunch it was very cloudy, which made it feel cooler. We brought jackets for the dolphin cruise and needed them when traveling fast (into the wind). When we were moving slowly or not into the wind it felt much warmer. We were back at the dock a little after 10:30, and thanked/tipped Sarah for doing such a great job. Compared to my past experiences with Captain Mark’s Dolphin Cruise I much prefer this! His boat is large, so there are many people on board. This cruise could have held 6 guests, but we had it to ourselves. Being closer to the water meant a better viewing of the dolphins. They’re very hard to photograph, as you never know where (or when) they’re going to resurface! However, we all thoroughly enjoyed this!
We drove back to the resort and dropped off the heavier jackets. I did a couple quick work things, then we drove over to Hudson’s for lunch. It was cloudy and windy enough that we did not want to eat outside over the water. Instead, we were taken to a nice table by the window so we had a nice view without being cold. It’s been 20+ years since I ate here and I was surprised how reasonable the prices are (at least at lunch). Our server was a young man he was perfect – attentive but not hovering, paying attention to little details, and just delightful. He was tipped accordingly.
Holli & Vickie each ordered a bloody mary and I stuck with a glass of wine. We received a bowl full of hush puppies – way too many, but they were delicious. This seems to be a standard thing as every table had a bowl of them. Vickie ordered the half shrimp salad sandwich and cup of she crab soup. I got the single decker BLT and Holli got the gumbo/grits/eggs meal. Everyone’s food was delicious. I left most of mine – besides a bunch of hush puppies, my sandwich had a ton of bacon & came with fries and cole slaw – all for $8! With plans to be eating out I didn’t take any “to go” container – it’s hard enough to keep up with what we already have.
We walked back to the car and drove back to the resort, stopping briefly at Kroger for Holli to buy toothpaste. When I sit for any length of time my knees get stiff, but eventually if I walk long enough they loosen up. Stairs are not as bad as I thought, although I’m definitely slower. Hopefully each day will see improvement.
Back in the grand villa Vickie went upstairs to take her 2pm nap a little early. Before cancer I don’t think she ever napped, but with the treatment she tends to need one by 2pm each day. Holli got online (the internet was actually working) but then decided she needed a nap as well and went up to her room. I got the report caught up, then puttered around online for 30 minutes while waiting for General Hospital to start.
Holli came back down before General Hospital ended and started working on a puzzle. I joined her after the show ended, and Vickie got up after 3:30. She felt great after her nap! Holli & I walked over the recreation window to confirm our tours for tomorrow and Saturday and get them paid. There was a discount for dvc but I’m not sure how much. Each tour was $30/person before the discount.
When we came back to the villa Vickie was struggling with the internet. For whatever reason, it’s been working for me this afternoon. Hope I didn’t just jinx myself! Sure enough, it dropped again, but came back up within a few minutes. We worked on the puzzle for a while, then Holli & Vickie prepared the cheese board while I straightened up in the living room. Vickie also built a fire, since she’s the expert at that.
Duane arrived at 6 and we moved from the puzzle table into the living room to visit with him. The heat from the fireplace felt great! He’s had a grand villa at Old Key West so this layout is familiar to him. We enjoyed wine, food and conversation for 2-3 hours. He’s in the building next door, so not far to travel. It was nice getting to know a fellow MouseOwner. When he returned home we cleaned up the cheese board and started the dishwasher. Holli headed up to bed but Vickie & I continued working on the puzzle until after 9. So much for turning in early.
My left knee feels much better, but the right one still hurts and I think it’s swollen. My health insurance doesn’t work up here so I am not planning to seek any medical care. I see my oncologist when I get home, so if it’s still bothering me more than it should I can make an appointment with the ortho place. During the evening Vickie noticed blood on my left sleeve, and the wound on my arm had bled beyond what the bandaid could hold and was leaking out. It’s my HAL shirt, so I was NOT happy. I hope some hydrogen peroxide at home will get the blood stains out. I changed the bandage and will check it more frequently. The skin was torn off, despite wearing long sleeves and a jacket – so the bleeding is not unexpected.
By 9:30 I was in bed finishing up the report and hopefully will turn the lights out by 10. Today was a really great day – the dolphin cruise exceeded our expectations! Hudsons was also good, although it’s not a place I will return to unless it’s because Vickie is with us. Meeting Duane made for a fun evening, and everyone got along so well and so easily.
Tomorrow we’re planning a breakfast or brunch meal at Nectar, then the 11am south Hilton Head Island Tour with pool guy Mike. After an afternoon rest we’ll go to Wise Guys for happy hour. I’m having some concerns about the Saturday tour given my mobility challenges. It’s a 2-mile hike, and when we finalized it today it never entered my mind that I might struggle. We’ll see what happens!
DAY 3 – Friday 1/13/23
Who: Sue (64), DVC Member
Holli (58), friend & co-worker
Vickie (58), Holli’s best friend & college roommate
Plan: Nectar, Hilton Head Island South Tour, Wise Guys
Actual: I slept much better last night – was awake less than the night before. I didn’t get up until a little after 5. I made my cappuccino and took it back to bed to do my online stuff. I could tell it had rained last night, although none of us heard it at all. Eventually Vickie came down to make caffee and I told her I’m thinking it’s best if I don’t do the nature hike tomorrow. It wouldn’t be fair to everyone else in the group if I couldn’t keep up. She understood and agreed.
Pretty soon Holli came down and had her coffee while I worked on the puzzle, then she joined me at the puzzle table after she’d “woken up” a bit. Vickie took her shower and we headed out around 9 for breakfast at Nectar. Vickie insisted on dropping me off at the door so Holli & I got out of the car and waited at the entrance for Vickie to park and join us. We were seated right away, at the table next to the table we’d had last year.
They really did a nice job of theming and attention to detail here – it’s just a lovely space. Our server was great, and it wasn’t terribly busy. They started with coffee and I ordered a mimosa. Evidently on Friday mornings they’re only $5 (per the server) so that was a nice surprise. Holli ordered a breakfast biscuit sandwich with hash browns. The biscuit was huge so she abandoned that and ate the sandwich filling and the hash browns. She raved about the hash browns. Vickie got their oatmeal and said it was wonderful – more than she could finish, but she loved it. It comes w/seasonal fruit compote. I ordered the tomato hand pie, which is flaky pastry filled with gouda cheese and diced tomatoes. It was also very good – just as I remembered.
After settling the check we returned to the resort and discovered none of us had brought our room key. Vickie is the most mobile and fastest, so she ran over to Live Oak Lodge and had her key replaced. Once inside I found my key card in the pocket of the jeans I wore yesterday. I quickly updated the report and spent a few minutes at the puzzle table until it was time to walk over for our 11am island tour.
At the recreation window we checked in and signed the waiver, then asked about canceling my participation on tomorrow’s Pinkney Island excursion. They processed a credit to the card that was used (Holli’s) without any hesitation. Soon Mike the pool guy showed up and rounded up everyone on the tour. We recognized one of the couples from last year – they were on the north tour with us. They come every year at this time and always do both of Mike’s tours.
We set out in the van, and I’d left the meeting spot a little early and ended up leading the way for the whole group, going at my pace. That gave us the best choice of seats and chose the row behind Mike (seats 3) that would be easiest to get in and out. We made a number of detours to things not on the tour that Mike just wanted to show us – all interesting and useful stuff. He brought us to many scenic points and gave lots of history on the island.
We continued into Sea Pines and spent quite a bit of time driving around in there. Besides multi-million dollar homes, golf courses, the lighthouse and shops we saw the stables, chickens, lots of alligators in the wild, and lots of people playing pickleball (the new craze)! Mike gave us the history of Sea Pines and how it came to be – very interesting stuff.
We were back at the resort at 1pm and he dropped us off at our building. Once inside Vickie announced she was hungry, so she & Holli decided to split a pimento cheese sandwich from Tide Me Over. I wasn’t hungry at all, so declined their offer to bring me something. We’re eating again at 4:30, so if I need something there’s plenty to pick from in the fridge (including my leftover pimento cheese spread from Poseidon).
They came back with a cuban sandwich and a salad, which they shared. They also brought me a big Mickey soft pretzel with cheese sauce. I love the pretzels but not the cheese – Vickie & I each nibbled on pieces of the pretzel but between us didn’t quite eat half of it.
I updated the report, then went out to work on the puzzle until General Hospital would come on at 2pm. Vickie went up for her nap around 2, leaving Holli & I to work on the puzzle. I kept an eye on General Hospital and move into the living room during the scene I was most interested in.
Around 3:30 I got the laptop and sat on the couch in the living with my leg up on the coffee table. It was looking very overcast and cloudy outside, which surprised us both. The internet dropped again and despite trying over and over again it wasn’t reconnecting. I’d reconnect to their wifi but it would say “no internet’. It figures – I had internet while I was doing stuff that didn’t need it, and now that I wanted to get online the damn thing doesn’t work. Duane mentioned it hasn’t dropped at all in his building, which is right next door.
Holli & I finished the puzzle. By now it was 4pm so she went upstairs to wake up Vickie. Last January when we went to Wise Guys at 4:30 and waited outside for 5 minutes or so to finish a conference call we went inside to find the bar full and finding a table difficult. We didn’t want a repeat of that, and I’m not sure if a Friday night will be busier (it was Sunday night last year). Just before we left and of course the internet was back up.
We arrived at Wise Guys at 4:26 and were able to walk right in. A few people were already seated at the bar and we decided to take one of the high-top 4-seat tables. We received a pile of menus (cocktails/wine, food, early dining, specials) but knew we’d be picking from the “small plates” section. During happy hour these are $2 off. There’s also a discount on cocktails and bottles of wine.
Vickie ordered red wine, I had a sauvignon blanc and Holli wanted something fizzy so she got prosecco with ginger ale and a skewer of fresh berries. For food Vickie got the French onion soup and Holli & I ordered the short rib sliders with house-made chips. The food here is excellent, and what we saw going to other tables also looked wonderful. The sliders are messy but delicious and Vickie loved the onion soup.
While Vickie was napping I’d asked Holli if she though Vickie would want to do this again next year and Holli’s immediate response that it would give her something to look forward to. I brought it up to Vickie in the car and she said she’d love to do it again, as long as she’s able, and it will give her something to look forward to, lol! It’s not like she doesn’t travel – she does! But she clearly enjoys these trips (we all do).
Back at the resort the internet was still up but by the time I got changed and settled down with the laptop I got through a single email before it went down again. This is really getting old, and will definitely be reflected in my satisfaction survey! Holli & Vickie changed into swimsuits, poured some wine into the “to go” coffee cups and went to enjoy the hot tub. They’re going to freeze when they get out! I poured my own glass of wine and settled down on the couch, updating the report before continuing to fight with the internet here.
They were back before 7 and said other people were there as well. They also said it wasn’t that cold walking back – I guess the hot tub warmed their bodies up. The internet went down again, and then it was a constant battle – it would be down longer than it would be up. Thoroughly disgusted, I decided to focus on getting today’s report posted and then put the laptop away.
Overall today was another great day – it’s wonderful being here! Mike’s tour was great, as were both of our meals. Tomorrow I’ll relax in the villa while the others do the Pinkney Island excursion. After that we’ll do lunch at Frankie Bones, and later the Cocoa and S’mores activity at the resort. Should be a nice day, although the weather will be colder.
DAY 4 – Saturday 1/14/23
Who: Sue (64), DVC Member
Holli (58), friend & co-worker
Vickie (58), Holli’s best friend & college roommate
Plan: Pinkney Island, Frankie Bones, Cocoa/Smores
Actual: I slept pretty well and didn’t get up until almost 5:30. After brushing my teeth and making my cappuccino I spent time online in bed with the local news on. I checked the webcam and was just in time to see the 2 HAL ships sail into port this morning. My right knee actually feels better, but I’m still better off having canceled myself from the excursion today. Hopefully the improvement will continue.
Around 7 I heard Holli making coffee in the kitchen so I went out to wash my mug and say good morning. SB called – he’s at work today. Evidently around 4am a drunk driver (with a big bottle of tequila) had crashed into our gated entrance. It’s a solid metal fence with tall metal gates operated by an electronic opener. We sublease a building to the local county fire rescue and they’re the only ones who use this entrance – we all use the manned entrance without an actual gate. According to SB the jerk crashed through the closed gate, knocking it down, crossed the interior street and hit our big sign. They haven’t found the other side of the gate yet, the car is destroyed and there’s debris everywhere. He said the driver survived – go figure.
I went in to take my shower & get dressed, and made my breakfast (egg, slice of bacon and leftover Mickey pretzel). I went to put in a small load of laundry and found instructions inside the lid – including how to clean blood. I decided to give it a try, which included letting my shirt soak in cold water for 30 minutes (kitchen sink) before washing. That gave time for the others to finish showering/dressing so I could see if they wanted anything washed.
My son Chris face timed me – they decided to go up to Asheville, NC so Ari could see and play in snow for the first time. When Holli came downstairs she selected St Maarten as the next puzzle we’ll do. While they’re gone I’ll get it started, pulling out the edge pieces, etc. When Vickie came down she did have some stuff for the laundry so she ran up to get it and then I started the washing machine.
We hung out in the villa until it was time for them to leave to meet the excursion. Today should be our trash & towel service, since it’s the 4th day here. Disney internet was still up and down – very frustrating. Just after 9 Sarah (not Captain Sarah) came to do the trash & towel and was just delightful. She told us we’re “easy” – clearly having only 3 neat guests in a grand villa is better than what they experience during the summer with up to 12 people in here! The phone rang, and it was recreation asking if we still wanted to do the excursion. It's cold outside and if anyone wanted to skip it Disney would give a full refund. That was very nice – but Holli & Vickie are still going. Vickie brought the rest of the firewood inside (stacked on the hearth) and I called to order more (the big basket outside the front door).
We walked over to the Mercantile and recreation window together, me on the phone with Michael again regarding the crash at work and an update on my knee. Once we turned the corner we caught the wind blowing in very briskly from the marsh – it was very cold! They went downstairs to sign in for the tour and I huddled in an alcove by the restrooms to finish the conversation. After that I browsed through the Mercantile but didn’t see anything I needed to buy. They have the spirit jersey I’m wearing today – the sparkly one I got at Old Key West last October.
I walked back through the resort and ran into housekeeper Sarah. She apologized, saying she saw we ordered firewood and she should have done that for us. I told her she’d done great, and we brought the firewood in after she left and then called for more. She was happy to hear she hadn’t let us down. I took a few photos around the resort and stopped in Live Oak Lodge to get next week’s schedule of activities. The front desk person apologized and said it wouldn’t be out until closer to noon. Ok – no big deal.
They do coffee in the mornings now, and lemonade & cookies at 3pm. That’s set up inside Big Murgie’s Den where the photo machine used to be. A fire was going in the fireplace and a party of 3 adults were in there – spread out so that they pretty much took up the entire space. I wasn’t planning on sitting there, but I guess if I had been I would have just plopped down and joined the conversation, lol.
After taking a few more photos outside I returned to the villa. Laundry was done so I folded the stuff in the dryer and left Vickie’s pile at the stairs so she could grab it on her way up to her room. I set up my pillows in the living room – one behind my back since Disney still seems to believe throw pillows are covid-infested health risks, and one on top of the coffee table. I got the frozen washcloth from the freezer and propped my legs up on the coffee table and laid the washcloth over my right knee. I don’t know if that’s what made the difference, or I had suddenly hit the healing point, but I felt so much better after doing this last night and still felt good this morning.
At 11:30 I decided it was time to get up and start sorting the puzzle. I was nearly done with the initial sort when Holli & Vickie returned at noon. They’d had a nice time but said it was very cold in the wind. Only 4 guests took the tour. The naturalist provided binoculars for everyone and they saw some birds. I’m glad I skipped it, lol! Vickie was hungry so we left to drive over to Frankie Bones for lunch.
The bar area was very busy, but we got the only empty booth. The bar area is just prettier in our opinion – the menu, food and service is the same throughout. We ordered wine and lunch. Vickie got the turkey reuben, which came with a pile of shoestring French fries. Holli got the Saturday special – chopped steak w/mushroom gravy and mashed potatoes. I had the warm goat cheese salad. Everything was very good – Holli & Vickie especially loved theirs. Mine is an item I’ve had before, and next time I’ll go back to the meatball sliders or cheeseburger sliders (or the schnitzel). We settled the check and headed out.
We made a brief stop at Kroger to restock some nibbles for later (I saw fresh veggies in the cart – clearly that’s for them, not me <g> and some more chorizo. I got a few small pieces of cheese to take home, and on the way out Vickie grabbed several copies of the weekly add to replenish our fire newspaper supply.
Back at the villa Vickie went up for her nap and Holli & I worked on the puzzle – with a brief break for me to update the report. This 500-piece puzzle goes a LOT faster than a 1000-piece puzzle. It won’t take long at all.
We worked on it a while, then Holli decided to take a break. I continued for a bit then asked her what time it was – it was approximately 3:15. With 2 HAL ships in port, it was time for them to sail. Holli pulled it up on her tablet and I used my laptop so we could both watch Rotterdam sail away. After that we had to wait for the ugly Celebrity ship (pretty inside, but butt-ugly on the outside) and then a Princess ship who sailed away playing the Love Boat theme on the ship’s horn. Finally it was Nieuw Statendam’s turn – which is the ship Fran & I will be on in 55 days.
Vickie was up somewhere after 4 and by then we were back at the puzzle table. We finished that up and just after 5 headed over to the campfire pit for Cocoa & S’mores. We were surprised to find the pool closed/locked and were told it was closed all day. Guess it’s because of the weather. We took the ramp up and were told the event was in Community Hall because the wind kept blowing the campfire out – they couldn’t keep it lit.
At Community Hall pretty much every table was taken and there was a line of people back up to the door. There were no s’mores without a campfire, and people were coming out with cups of hot cocoa and Disney cookies. That’s not what we had in mind, so we left. Back in the villa Vickie lit the fire (she’d set it before we went over) and we changed into comfy clothes.
We set up this evening’s nibbles – cheeses, crackers, chorizo, almonds, grapes, and raw veggies w/dip. Once everything was set and wine was poured we played Phase 10 (card game). I started out winning the first 2 rounds instantly, but in the end Vickie was the winner. It was fun, and we finished up around 7:30. After cleaning up we retired to the fire in the living room.
Since internet has been so hit or miss here I decided to end the report now and if anything significant happens later I can include it in tomorrow’s report. Today was another great day – it’s so nice being here and both Holli & Vickie are so appreciative of being invited. As a dvc member one of the big plusses of membership is sharing it with friends, and I’m thrilled to have them along since we travel so well together. Yes, I could come solo but I enjoy their company. I wish the weather had been warmer, but it’s not the end of the world. Frankie Bones was good for lunch, and as always the time spent in the villa is the best!
Tomorrow we didn’t make any set plans. We’ll head over to Coligny to visit a few shops, and will probably eat lunch somewhere, but it sounds like they’re looking forward to dinner being in the villa like tonight. We have a 1000-piece puzzle that hopefully we can do in a single day!
DAY 5 – Sunday 1/15/23
Who: Sue (64), DVC Member
Holli (58), friend & co-worker
Vickie (58), Holli’s best friend & college roommate
Plan: Do Whatever, Eat When/Wherever, possibly Resort Cocktail Event
Actual: I slept well again and got up just after 5. Following the usual routine, I made my cappuccino and took it back to bed to enjoy while online. I also watched the Eurodam sail into port. By 7 I went out to the dining room to work on the puzzle.
The others were up before long. Holli made coffee and sat in the living room. Vickie spent time upstairs doing some exercises to reduce back pain (side effect of the cancer or the treatment). We rotated through the puzzle, getting it almost finished! Around 11:30 we decided to head out for something to eat. I suggested Top Dawg Tavern, so we walked over there.
I was shocked to find nobody outside – they have plenty of heaters and it would have been fine. A lady from inside came out to tell us they’re only seating indoors today, so we went inside. With it being Sunday we could order from the brunch menu or the regular menu. We looked at both and everyone stuck with the regular menu – except for the mimosas. They have a carafe of mimosas for $10 so Holli & I shared that. It comes with a basket of cheesy muffins which we all shared.
Holli ordered mushroom swiss burger with onion rings, Vickie got the cheesesteak, and I ordered the filet bites from the appetizer menu. Everything was excellent! Holli especially raved about these being the perfect onion rings, lol! I tried half of one, and it was outstanding. Vickie ate her whole sandwich, which she rarely does. My choice was the hit of the table however – bed of mashed potatoes topped with small bites of very tender & delicious filet mignon with horseradish sauce on the side. Holli tried it and couldn’t believe how great it was – I really enjoyed it too. We’ll definitely keep Top Dawg on the list!
We walked back to the resort, got the car and drove over to Coligny. We figured Piggly Wiggly would be our last stop so we parked in their lot. Not all of the shops were open, but I’d say more than half were. We started in the big shop on a corner – every year we seem to find something in there. This year for me it was a box of Christmas cards with a beach theme. We went into the oils & spices store were we all bought something – I think they each got numerous items. In the candy store we all passed. It smelled great in there but nothing made us buy it.
At Piggly Wiggly they each found stuff to buy – I think I just walked around, or maybe this is where I got the seafood spice (not the oils & spices store). We made one last stop in the jerky store, which also sells expensive flavored popcorn, but didn’t buy anything. Besides jerky & popcorn they also sell edible bugs – yuck!
We decided to browse around Shelter Cove so drove there and parked outside Kilwin’s. We found more to buy in the Coastal shop next to Poseidon and another shop nearby. We detoured over to Belk and bought some stuff there, then returned to Kilwin’s where I bought a couple dark chocolate covered graham crackers (been craving these and couldn’t find them around Gainesville). The staff in Kilwin’s was very nice and gave me a handful of Valentine’s foil-wrapped chocolate hearts. I thanked her and shared them with the others. At this point it was nearly 2:30 so we headed back to the resort.
Vickie went upstairs for her nap, I put some clothes in the suitcase and then joined Holli to finish the puzzle. We then moved to the living room and prepared to watch the ships sail. Regal Princess led the way, playing her Love Boat theme horn. Next was the ugly Celebrity ship, then Eurodam (the one we cared about).
Vickie was up around 4 and played Jenga for a while – first time for me. I liked it well enough, but it’s not something I’d seek out. It was a good way to pass the time, and it’s always good to try something new. Once that was done we got to work cutting up cheeses and arranging the other food to go along with it.
We poured wine and enjoyed the food on the coffee table in front of the fireplace. The fire was great – almost too warm, and once again Vickie did a masterful job starting it and keeping it going. We sat around talking and sharing stories – just a great evening. At 8 we turned on the tv to have the trashy 90 Day Fiance show on. It’s another of the “tell all” episodes, so drama & craziness are expected.
Today was a great relaxing day. We all thought it went by too fast, though. Lunch at Top Dawg Tavern was a surprise hit, and we’ll definitely go back there. I think SB will like it if we get over there in May.
Tomorrow is our departure day. Holli & I will be going home to Gainesville but Vickie is heading up to visit another friend in Myrtle Beach. In the morning we’ll need to pack up all our stuff, load the cars and have one last meal together at Hilton Head Diner.
DAY 6 – Monday 1/16/23
Who: Sue (64), DVC Member
Holli (58), friend & co-worker
Vickie (58), Holli’s best friend & college roommate
Plan: Hilton Head Diner, Drive to Gainesville
Actual: Last night Holli bailed out first, with Vickie following around 9pm, leaving me to finish watching 90-day Fiance. I moved over to the loveseat near the tv and turned the volume way down since Vickie’s bedroom was right upstairs. I turned in at 10 and this morning got up with the alarm at 5. On all the previous days I was awake before then and had shut it off.
I made my cappuccino and did some online stuff from bed. Eventually I got up to shower, dress, and finish packing up. By 7:30 I took the laptop out to the dining room table and was sitting there when Vickie came down to make coffee. My right knee is sore and gets more sore when sitting without my leg being propped up. With the 4-hour drive ahead of us I got a couple more Tylenol from Vickie to keep me comfortable. Holli came downstairs with all her stuff, so she got a cart and we loaded our stuff into my car. Vickie finished getting ready and was downstairs with her stuff between 8 & 8:30. Holli helped her load her car, then we headed out to Hilton Head Diner.
It was pretty busy here this morning, but we had no wait for a table. Our server was masked, which is unusual but it’s her decision. However, she was also wearing latex gloves – evidently she didn’t get the memo a couple years ago that wearing gloves is NOT recommended and in fact is more risky to you in terms of infections/viruses. She also brought coffee (for Holli & Vickie) but there wasn’t any cream on the table. They thought she’d said she’d bring some, but never returned. Finally Holli went up to the counter to ask for some – by then I assume their coffee had to be lukewarm at best.
Breakfast was very good, however. Vickie got oatmeal with fruit – she’s a healthy eater, and I guess always has been. Holli decided she wasn’t in the mood for “sweet” so she got the eggs benedict. She said the potatoes were barely warm – like they threw them on the griddle for too short a period of time. I noticed the English muffin had been buttered and cooked on the griddle – we both agreed for eggs benedict the English muffin needs to be toasted. Holli said HAL’s eggs benedict are better. I stuck with my French toast, made with challah bread and that was wonderful! I ate as much as I could – about 3 quarters of the portion.
After breakfast we said our goodbyes outside and headed off. Holli & I stopped at Kroger so I could fill up the gas tank, then we headed for the highway. Somewhere just after we got into Georgia there was a big wreck ahead, so Holli pulled out her phone app and it told us to get off at the next exit for a detour. We followed the directions, and hooked back in to I-95 further south. Turns out the accident must have been on the northbound side and caused them to completely shut down the highway in that direction. It was backed up for nearly 10 miles that we could see – the delay on our side would have been due to rubber-necking. We had another brief delay in Florida where an accident on the cross street had cops closing the intersection for a while – that was only a 5-10 minute delay. Finally we got home – around 1:30.
SB helped me bring everything in from the car before going back to work. Unpacking came next, along with a stop at the office to pick up mail from the last 5 days. Since a handful of friends are not on facebook I went there to copy the photos I’d shared during the trip & put them in the folder with the pictures taken with the real camera (during the dolphin cruise, including pelicans and the bald eagle). I uploaded them to Snapfish, where they can be viewed at www.snapfish.com/share?via=link&lc=en_US&token=ucjdG1Px2x6Yk2qTFz5WcQ/SFO/27953078733060/SNAPFISH
This was another wonderful trip – everyone had a really great time, and other than my stupid fall and a cold spell everything went perfectly. We’ll keep our fingers crossed that Vickie will be well enough to do it again next year. She’s got her next pet scan at the end of the month, so hopefully this chemo is still working. We all basically like to do the same stuff, and share a no-drama mentality, so we travel together really well. You can’t beat doing it in a grand villa – everyone has their own bedroom & bathroom, plus there’s a 4th full bath in case one of them needs to use the bathroom but doesn’t want to go upstairs <g>. The big surprise winner this trip was Top Dawg Tavern – I don’t think anybody expected that. Poseidon and Wiseguys were great too, but that’s the norm & expected. While I like the look of Nectar I think I can pass on that in favor of something else next trip, and Holli agreed with me when I said Hudson’s did nothing for me – that was her least favorite and she wasn’t impressed.
My next trip isn’t until March 9th (no February trip, other than going down to SW Florida for a dental appointment) for 2 nights at BCV before leaving on a HAL cruise with Fran. I am looking forward to Flower and Garden Festival, and will book Epcot for both days. Thanks for reading along!
Who/When/Where:
Who: Sue (64), DVC Member
Holli (58), friend & co-worker
Vickie (58), Holli’s best friend & college roommate
Dates: January 11 – 16, 2023
Resort: Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort
Experience: Very Experienced – 27th stay at Hilton Head
INTRODUCTION:
I booked this same trip for last year, partly because I love Hilton Head, partly because I’d gotten disgusted with the increasing crowds at WDW, and partly as a trip to include Vickie. She lives in the mountains of NW Georgia, loves Hilton Head, and has stage 4 ovarian cancer. With the cancer news (2-3 years ago) I knew she & Holli no longer have a long time to get together and make memories, so I booked this trip for the 3 of us in 2022. I’d met Vickie once in 2021 and we hit it off immediately. Well, the 2022 trip was such a success, on the last day I threw out the suggestion of repeating it in 2023. They were both totally onboard! However, Vickie’s numbers were rising drastically at that time, so I wasn’t sure about her future. Thankfully, she is very assertive/aggressive when it comes to her healthcare, she’s fitter than most athletes decades younger than her, and she’s a strong advocate for herself. She got into a trial and that cocktail of chemo drugs seems to be keeping her cancer idle for now. She has a treatment the day of our arrival, so she’ll get in later than she would have hoped. However, all that matters is she can get there and enjoy herself!
We had hoped to do Comedy Magic Cabaret since they were closed due to covid during our last trip. However, they’re closed again this entire trip – Kerry (the husband of the team of owners, and the primary performer) will be performing in Los Angeles all week. That sucks, as I know Vickie would have enjoyed it. Holli & I attended in December 2020, and I attended as recently as May 2022 with SB.
Our other “must do” was Captain Mark’s Dolphin Cruise – last year canceled due to maintenance on the boat. This year nothing is on the calendar after January 1st. Captain Mark does a nice job, is local but originally from Ft Myers, and his boat is just across the marina at Shelter Cove Harbour so it’s my “go to” vendor. I called the phone number on his website and left a voice mail giving him the dates of our trip and asking if he’d be doing any dolphin cruises during that time. I never heard back from him (disappointing – that’s no way to run your business) but in the meantime (after a couple days of not hearing back) I searched for someone else and found Lowcountry Watersports would be doing dolphin cruises twice a day on Thursday and Saturday. We decided on Thursday since it’s going to be our warmest day of the trip.
I googled things to do in Hilton Head in January, and there’s not much since it’s the extreme off season. There’s the Coastal Discovery Museum, so maybe we’ll check that out. Last year we did the north Hilton Head tour with pool guy Mike and hoped he’d be doing the south tour during this trip. When the schedule came out last weekend I called right away and booked us for Friday’s south island tour. I also booked the Pinkney Island nature walk/hike for Saturday morning. Sunday, we can just play it by ear, but it’s nice to have something specific booked for each of the other days.
We enjoy dining and happy hour, and specifically the restaurants in the Serg group. Vickie’s favorite restaurant from her trips with her husband is Hudson’s, which is not Serg. Last year they were closed for our trip, but this year they’re reopening the day before we arrive. My son Chris and I ate there once many years (decades) ago and I never felt the need to return, but a lunch there can work for me since it’s important to Vickie. Poseidon is a “must do”, and it's where we start off the trip. Vickie will miss that night, but perhaps we’ll repeat it on the last night too. Wise Guys is definitely on the itinerary – most likely Friday night happy hour. That’s such a great place! Also, Frankie Bones is fabulous and we love the bar area. Since they do lunch all afternoon, we can do it early or late – doesn’t matter. Nectar is another restaurant from last year that we’ll likely repeat, but as a breakfast/brunch meal.
Even though we’re here 5 nights, there are far too many great restaurant choices – we have to skip so many. The tradition on getaway day is Hilton Head Diner. Last year Vickie had to get on the road really early to make it to a medical appointment in Atlanta but assuming she doesn’t have to do that this year all 3 of us will have breakfast together.
As for amusing ourselves when we’re not eating or on a tour, we’ll enjoy some of the sporting activities at the resort (bocce, horseshoes, mini golf, etc) and enjoy the fireplace in our villa. I’m bringing several puzzles and an LED lamp I bought specifically so we could see the puzzles better (on the dining room table) since the Disney lighting is not very bright. Vickie’s bringing some games, and we’re all bringing wine! Holli & I will pick up the cheeses, charcuterie stuff and any other groceries from Kroger the day we arrive.
The plans so far are:
Wednesday 1/11: Drive to HHI, Kroger, Poseidon
Thursday 1/12: Dolphin Tour, Hudson’s, Possibly Stroll w/Pluto
Friday 1/13: Nectar, Hilton Head Island South Tour, Wise Guys
Saturday 1/14: Pinkney Island, Frankie Bones, Cocoa/Smores
Sunday 1/15: Do Whatever, Eat When/Wherever, possibly Resort Cocktail Event
Monday 1/16: Hilton Head Diner, Drive to Gainesville
DAY 1 – Wednesday 1/11/23
Who: Sue (64), DVC Member
Holli (58), friend & co-worker
Vickie (58), Holli’s best friend & college roommate
Plan: Drive to HHI, Kroger, Poseidon
Actual: This morning Holli & I both worked until 10. I pulled out of my driveway at 10:02, stopped at her house and we were on the road by 10:06. This is definitely an advantage to living at work – getting on the road sooner! The drive was easy, with great weather and no traffic. We arrived at the resort just before 2.
The cast member checking us in was very nice and I was getting my hopes up that our grand villa was actually ready, but she soon dashed those hopes. Someone on the resort facebook page mentioned they were checking out of the grand villa in building 18 today. That’s the one we had last year, and the only one that faces the marsh, so I was optimistic that we’d get that one. There are only 5 grand villas, so what are the odds more than one would be turning over on a Wednesday?
We left the car parked at Live Oak Lodge and walked over to Shelter Cove. Holli really likes the specialty food store there so we browsed in there and talked briefly with the owner. He recognized me as having been in there before. We walked to the end of the marina then turned around to head back. Holli suggested stopping at Top Dawg Café for a glass of wine while we waited, so that’s what we did.
They had the vinyl flaps down and the heaters on so it was warm and toasty in there! It wasn’t happy hour yet but we each ordered a glass of their house wines and I caught up with work emails on my phone. Vickie had gotten on the road from her chemo appointment at 10:30 and tested to indicate her estimated arrival time was 4pm. Just before 3:30 I got the “room is ready” text, so we gave Vickie the room number and told her to meet us at the resort.
Holli & I walked back to the resort, got the car and drove over to park by building 16. I didn’t like the parking options there so I parked between 14 & 15. We loaded everything onto one of the wooden carts and headed to the building we’d had last year, thinking that’s where we were staying. First the key didn’t work on the first level room, but I remembered the grand villa entrance is on the second floor. We went up there and spotted the basket of firewood and “knew” we were in the right place. The key didn’t work here either. Then we noticed this was building 18 and our villa is in building 16.
We went back downstairs with our stuff and moved the cart over to 16, and this time the key unlocked the door. I think this might be the villa I had with SB, Chris & Amanda and SB’s daughter & husband back when the grandsons were 18 months old. I took pictures for facebook and we moved all of our stuff inside. We weren’t able to fully unpack before Vickie arrived. She got her stuff moved inside and we left to walk over to Poseidon, arriving about 4:30.
They had a pretty decent crowd at the Nauti Bar but we were able to get a nice table. Vickie caught us up on the latest cancer stuff, and we each ordered a glass of wine. She’s very realistic and appreciative that she’s here – she’s been looking forward to this trip all year but couldn’t be certain she’d be here. That’s not being morbid – it’s just reality. We’re glad she’s doing well!
Holli & I ordered from the happy hour menu, while Vickie ordered the sushi from the regular menu (repeating what she got last year). Holli got 3 Virginia oysters and 3 Northeast oysters and shared them with Vickie. Holli & I each got the pimento cheese spread w/naan bread. Vickie tried it and liked it as well. Overall everything was excellent! Holli & I both had pimento cheese and naan bread leftover, which we took “to go”. We walked over to Kroger and got the remaining groceries – mostly cheese & charcuterie, but a package of gooey chocolate chip cookies ended up in the cart somehow. I’ll admit, my dna is on the package.
After checking out we walked back to the resort. The paths in Hilton Head are not illuminated so Holli used the flashlight on her phone while Vickie & I each carried a bag of groceries. Everything was going fine until we got back to the resort. As we were walking down the stairs after the bridge and out to the walkway at the marina I evidently tripped rather than stepping up and went flying slow motion towards the railing. They fully expected me to recover and come out of it, but that didn't happen. I fell into the fence, which kept me from falling into the water. In the process, what was in the bag I was carrying got scattered on the ground. Holli & Vickie both came over and helped turn me over so I could sit upright and we sat there for a while until I felt I could move again.
Back at the villa I went to my room to assess the damage – bleeding bruise near left elbow, nonbleeding bruise nearby, both knees had multiple scrapes/bruises and most likely will feel pretty stiff tomorrow. Deep inhalations hurt a bit on the right side, and a finger was bleeding. Overall it’s all superficial stuff – nothing seems to be broken, and for that I’m thankful.
We regrouped in the living room and Vickie had brough Holli’s Christmas gift and brought me a gift to thank me for including her in the trip. Both were wordworking items she’d made – she’s so talented! Mine are wind chimes, which will be great when we retire back to Ft Myers. Holli had brought Vickie’s Christmas gift – a photo book capturing their time together since college. She loved it!
I started working on the report, but paused to give them gifts I’d brought for each of them. We enjoy puzzles, and Dowdle puzzles are the best. I’d gotten one of Savannah for Vickie and one of St Maarten for Holli. We’ll probably work on them both this trip.
One interesting/valuable thing I learned from Vickie is since she’s been on the cancer meds her hair has been thinning. I’m 4.75 years into a 5-year regimen of taking Tamoxifen to reduce the risk of recurrence of my cancer. I’ve had major issues with bruising at the slightest touch, leaving ugly bruises that last 2 weeks. My hair is also getting ridiculously thin. I recently found out both of these issues could be side effects of the tamoxifen. I see the oncologist later this month so I plan to bring this up and will probably just stop taking it. The marginal benefits are not worth these costs, if that’s what’s causing it.
We spent a lazy evening at home – didn’t even build a fire! I think we were all a bit tired after traveling, and we need to be up early tomorrow. Today was a great start to the trip, other than my silly attempt at crashing through the fence into the marina water. We’re all very happy to be here and have settled right back into where we left off last year. Poseidon was wonderful, as always.
Tomorrow we have a dolphin tour called Dolphins & Donuts at 9am, lunch at Hudson’s, and will have a fellow DVC owner who’s here right now over for wine in the evening.
DAY 2 – Thursday 1/12/23
Who: Sue (64), DVC Member
Holli (58), friend & co-worker
Vickie (58), Holli’s best friend & college roommate
Plan: Dolphin Tour, Hudson’s, Possibly Stroll w/Pluto
Actual: Last night Holli & Vickie retired first, around 8:30. I got up and could barely walk – the knees were really sore. They’re not swollen and I am sure there’s no fracture or break, so it’s just bruising that needs time to heal. Vickie brought me some Tylenol so I took a couple of those, then went back to the living room to finish up online stuff.
The internet here quite frankly SUCKS – big time. It drops off frequently, and it’s difficult to reconnect. Is this 2023 or 1983? While I’m being a bit negative, I’ll also mention the fish carpet is missing from the villa, and the ottoman at the chair I always use is missing. The throw pillows that disappeared with covid have yet to be returned. The resort is undergoing a major renovation this year, but it’s disappointing to see stuff disappearing in the meantime. It certainly makes the villa feel less “grand”.
When the internet went down again for the 4th or more time just after 9pm and was still down at almost 9:30 I gave it up and went to my bedroom, thoroughly disgusted with Disney. This is ridiculous! I’ve never had it this bad, and it’s totally unacceptable. I slept comfortably and always enjoy that it’s so quiet here. Perhaps during the summer that wouldn’t be the case, but I have no desire to be here during summer.
I got up just before 5 and wasn’t as stiff as I thought I might be. I’m still sore, but it’s not to the degree that I need Tylenol or can’t do anything – although, the stairs might have me eating my words, lol! My bathroom sink has a drain problem – so I’ll contact maintenance later. They really need to do some work here!
I made my cappuccino and took it back to bed along with my laptop. I managed to get almost 30 minutes before the internet dropped again – this is extremely annoying and something else I’ll be mentioning today. Maybe there’s just a problem in this villa that can be fixed, as opposed to it being resort-wide.
Around 6 I got up and took my shower. Hopefully when they renovate the shower stall will get larger. I fit fine, but I can see where it could be tight for larger people. After dressing and drying my hair I went out to the kitchen, where soon Vickie joined me. She made coffee and cut some of the delicious banana bread (homemade) she’d brought. I had my egg, slice of bacon and half an English muffin – along with a small bite of the great banana bread. Holli came down already dressed and got her coffee then made an English muffin with avocado – and a small bit of banana bread. Vickie went up to take her shower while Holli & I hung out online in the living room. Before we left I called maintenance and asked them to send someone at some point today to clear the drain in my sink. I also mentioned the internet constantly disconnecting so she said she’d let the IT company know when they came in. The maintenance guy arrived as we were heading down the stairs.
We left around 8:20 and drove over to Black Marlin. The dolphin tour goes out of the marina in this area. As many times as I’ve gone to Black Marlin I’ve never noticed the marina at the other end of the building. We learned it’s actually the largest marina on the island, and I do remember when hurricane Mathew wiped it out several years ago. It’s been rebuilt since then.
We checked in for our tour and learned it would be only the 3 of us and Captain Sarah. We were given a box with ½ dozen donuts from Publix and 3 bottles of water. Once Sarah wiped down the boat she got us and led us down the dock to our pontoon boat. She did an excellent job and loves what she does. She’s going on her 3rd season of working here. Almost right off the bat we came upon some pairs of dolphins swimming around so we sat idle watching them. They’re not crazy about the boat’s motor so idling lets them stick around longer.
Eventually we moved along, stopping again as we’d come across more dolphins. One time we also had a pair of bald eagles nearby, and some of the dolphins were small babies hanging closely to mom. One of the adults has an unusual fin and Sarah refers to that one as “Curley” since the fin is somewhat curled. After watching dolphin in several areas Sarah asked if we wanted a picture of us with the Harbortown Lighthouse in the background and we said yes. She drove us over there and took several pictures for us.
The weather started out as a beautiful day, but as the day progressed more clouds approached. By lunch it was very cloudy, which made it feel cooler. We brought jackets for the dolphin cruise and needed them when traveling fast (into the wind). When we were moving slowly or not into the wind it felt much warmer. We were back at the dock a little after 10:30, and thanked/tipped Sarah for doing such a great job. Compared to my past experiences with Captain Mark’s Dolphin Cruise I much prefer this! His boat is large, so there are many people on board. This cruise could have held 6 guests, but we had it to ourselves. Being closer to the water meant a better viewing of the dolphins. They’re very hard to photograph, as you never know where (or when) they’re going to resurface! However, we all thoroughly enjoyed this!
We drove back to the resort and dropped off the heavier jackets. I did a couple quick work things, then we drove over to Hudson’s for lunch. It was cloudy and windy enough that we did not want to eat outside over the water. Instead, we were taken to a nice table by the window so we had a nice view without being cold. It’s been 20+ years since I ate here and I was surprised how reasonable the prices are (at least at lunch). Our server was a young man he was perfect – attentive but not hovering, paying attention to little details, and just delightful. He was tipped accordingly.
Holli & Vickie each ordered a bloody mary and I stuck with a glass of wine. We received a bowl full of hush puppies – way too many, but they were delicious. This seems to be a standard thing as every table had a bowl of them. Vickie ordered the half shrimp salad sandwich and cup of she crab soup. I got the single decker BLT and Holli got the gumbo/grits/eggs meal. Everyone’s food was delicious. I left most of mine – besides a bunch of hush puppies, my sandwich had a ton of bacon & came with fries and cole slaw – all for $8! With plans to be eating out I didn’t take any “to go” container – it’s hard enough to keep up with what we already have.
We walked back to the car and drove back to the resort, stopping briefly at Kroger for Holli to buy toothpaste. When I sit for any length of time my knees get stiff, but eventually if I walk long enough they loosen up. Stairs are not as bad as I thought, although I’m definitely slower. Hopefully each day will see improvement.
Back in the grand villa Vickie went upstairs to take her 2pm nap a little early. Before cancer I don’t think she ever napped, but with the treatment she tends to need one by 2pm each day. Holli got online (the internet was actually working) but then decided she needed a nap as well and went up to her room. I got the report caught up, then puttered around online for 30 minutes while waiting for General Hospital to start.
Holli came back down before General Hospital ended and started working on a puzzle. I joined her after the show ended, and Vickie got up after 3:30. She felt great after her nap! Holli & I walked over the recreation window to confirm our tours for tomorrow and Saturday and get them paid. There was a discount for dvc but I’m not sure how much. Each tour was $30/person before the discount.
When we came back to the villa Vickie was struggling with the internet. For whatever reason, it’s been working for me this afternoon. Hope I didn’t just jinx myself! Sure enough, it dropped again, but came back up within a few minutes. We worked on the puzzle for a while, then Holli & Vickie prepared the cheese board while I straightened up in the living room. Vickie also built a fire, since she’s the expert at that.
Duane arrived at 6 and we moved from the puzzle table into the living room to visit with him. The heat from the fireplace felt great! He’s had a grand villa at Old Key West so this layout is familiar to him. We enjoyed wine, food and conversation for 2-3 hours. He’s in the building next door, so not far to travel. It was nice getting to know a fellow MouseOwner. When he returned home we cleaned up the cheese board and started the dishwasher. Holli headed up to bed but Vickie & I continued working on the puzzle until after 9. So much for turning in early.
My left knee feels much better, but the right one still hurts and I think it’s swollen. My health insurance doesn’t work up here so I am not planning to seek any medical care. I see my oncologist when I get home, so if it’s still bothering me more than it should I can make an appointment with the ortho place. During the evening Vickie noticed blood on my left sleeve, and the wound on my arm had bled beyond what the bandaid could hold and was leaking out. It’s my HAL shirt, so I was NOT happy. I hope some hydrogen peroxide at home will get the blood stains out. I changed the bandage and will check it more frequently. The skin was torn off, despite wearing long sleeves and a jacket – so the bleeding is not unexpected.
By 9:30 I was in bed finishing up the report and hopefully will turn the lights out by 10. Today was a really great day – the dolphin cruise exceeded our expectations! Hudsons was also good, although it’s not a place I will return to unless it’s because Vickie is with us. Meeting Duane made for a fun evening, and everyone got along so well and so easily.
Tomorrow we’re planning a breakfast or brunch meal at Nectar, then the 11am south Hilton Head Island Tour with pool guy Mike. After an afternoon rest we’ll go to Wise Guys for happy hour. I’m having some concerns about the Saturday tour given my mobility challenges. It’s a 2-mile hike, and when we finalized it today it never entered my mind that I might struggle. We’ll see what happens!
DAY 3 – Friday 1/13/23
Who: Sue (64), DVC Member
Holli (58), friend & co-worker
Vickie (58), Holli’s best friend & college roommate
Plan: Nectar, Hilton Head Island South Tour, Wise Guys
Actual: I slept much better last night – was awake less than the night before. I didn’t get up until a little after 5. I made my cappuccino and took it back to bed to do my online stuff. I could tell it had rained last night, although none of us heard it at all. Eventually Vickie came down to make caffee and I told her I’m thinking it’s best if I don’t do the nature hike tomorrow. It wouldn’t be fair to everyone else in the group if I couldn’t keep up. She understood and agreed.
Pretty soon Holli came down and had her coffee while I worked on the puzzle, then she joined me at the puzzle table after she’d “woken up” a bit. Vickie took her shower and we headed out around 9 for breakfast at Nectar. Vickie insisted on dropping me off at the door so Holli & I got out of the car and waited at the entrance for Vickie to park and join us. We were seated right away, at the table next to the table we’d had last year.
They really did a nice job of theming and attention to detail here – it’s just a lovely space. Our server was great, and it wasn’t terribly busy. They started with coffee and I ordered a mimosa. Evidently on Friday mornings they’re only $5 (per the server) so that was a nice surprise. Holli ordered a breakfast biscuit sandwich with hash browns. The biscuit was huge so she abandoned that and ate the sandwich filling and the hash browns. She raved about the hash browns. Vickie got their oatmeal and said it was wonderful – more than she could finish, but she loved it. It comes w/seasonal fruit compote. I ordered the tomato hand pie, which is flaky pastry filled with gouda cheese and diced tomatoes. It was also very good – just as I remembered.
After settling the check we returned to the resort and discovered none of us had brought our room key. Vickie is the most mobile and fastest, so she ran over to Live Oak Lodge and had her key replaced. Once inside I found my key card in the pocket of the jeans I wore yesterday. I quickly updated the report and spent a few minutes at the puzzle table until it was time to walk over for our 11am island tour.
At the recreation window we checked in and signed the waiver, then asked about canceling my participation on tomorrow’s Pinkney Island excursion. They processed a credit to the card that was used (Holli’s) without any hesitation. Soon Mike the pool guy showed up and rounded up everyone on the tour. We recognized one of the couples from last year – they were on the north tour with us. They come every year at this time and always do both of Mike’s tours.
We set out in the van, and I’d left the meeting spot a little early and ended up leading the way for the whole group, going at my pace. That gave us the best choice of seats and chose the row behind Mike (seats 3) that would be easiest to get in and out. We made a number of detours to things not on the tour that Mike just wanted to show us – all interesting and useful stuff. He brought us to many scenic points and gave lots of history on the island.
We continued into Sea Pines and spent quite a bit of time driving around in there. Besides multi-million dollar homes, golf courses, the lighthouse and shops we saw the stables, chickens, lots of alligators in the wild, and lots of people playing pickleball (the new craze)! Mike gave us the history of Sea Pines and how it came to be – very interesting stuff.
We were back at the resort at 1pm and he dropped us off at our building. Once inside Vickie announced she was hungry, so she & Holli decided to split a pimento cheese sandwich from Tide Me Over. I wasn’t hungry at all, so declined their offer to bring me something. We’re eating again at 4:30, so if I need something there’s plenty to pick from in the fridge (including my leftover pimento cheese spread from Poseidon).
They came back with a cuban sandwich and a salad, which they shared. They also brought me a big Mickey soft pretzel with cheese sauce. I love the pretzels but not the cheese – Vickie & I each nibbled on pieces of the pretzel but between us didn’t quite eat half of it.
I updated the report, then went out to work on the puzzle until General Hospital would come on at 2pm. Vickie went up for her nap around 2, leaving Holli & I to work on the puzzle. I kept an eye on General Hospital and move into the living room during the scene I was most interested in.
Around 3:30 I got the laptop and sat on the couch in the living with my leg up on the coffee table. It was looking very overcast and cloudy outside, which surprised us both. The internet dropped again and despite trying over and over again it wasn’t reconnecting. I’d reconnect to their wifi but it would say “no internet’. It figures – I had internet while I was doing stuff that didn’t need it, and now that I wanted to get online the damn thing doesn’t work. Duane mentioned it hasn’t dropped at all in his building, which is right next door.
Holli & I finished the puzzle. By now it was 4pm so she went upstairs to wake up Vickie. Last January when we went to Wise Guys at 4:30 and waited outside for 5 minutes or so to finish a conference call we went inside to find the bar full and finding a table difficult. We didn’t want a repeat of that, and I’m not sure if a Friday night will be busier (it was Sunday night last year). Just before we left and of course the internet was back up.
We arrived at Wise Guys at 4:26 and were able to walk right in. A few people were already seated at the bar and we decided to take one of the high-top 4-seat tables. We received a pile of menus (cocktails/wine, food, early dining, specials) but knew we’d be picking from the “small plates” section. During happy hour these are $2 off. There’s also a discount on cocktails and bottles of wine.
Vickie ordered red wine, I had a sauvignon blanc and Holli wanted something fizzy so she got prosecco with ginger ale and a skewer of fresh berries. For food Vickie got the French onion soup and Holli & I ordered the short rib sliders with house-made chips. The food here is excellent, and what we saw going to other tables also looked wonderful. The sliders are messy but delicious and Vickie loved the onion soup.
While Vickie was napping I’d asked Holli if she though Vickie would want to do this again next year and Holli’s immediate response that it would give her something to look forward to. I brought it up to Vickie in the car and she said she’d love to do it again, as long as she’s able, and it will give her something to look forward to, lol! It’s not like she doesn’t travel – she does! But she clearly enjoys these trips (we all do).
Back at the resort the internet was still up but by the time I got changed and settled down with the laptop I got through a single email before it went down again. This is really getting old, and will definitely be reflected in my satisfaction survey! Holli & Vickie changed into swimsuits, poured some wine into the “to go” coffee cups and went to enjoy the hot tub. They’re going to freeze when they get out! I poured my own glass of wine and settled down on the couch, updating the report before continuing to fight with the internet here.
They were back before 7 and said other people were there as well. They also said it wasn’t that cold walking back – I guess the hot tub warmed their bodies up. The internet went down again, and then it was a constant battle – it would be down longer than it would be up. Thoroughly disgusted, I decided to focus on getting today’s report posted and then put the laptop away.
Overall today was another great day – it’s wonderful being here! Mike’s tour was great, as were both of our meals. Tomorrow I’ll relax in the villa while the others do the Pinkney Island excursion. After that we’ll do lunch at Frankie Bones, and later the Cocoa and S’mores activity at the resort. Should be a nice day, although the weather will be colder.
DAY 4 – Saturday 1/14/23
Who: Sue (64), DVC Member
Holli (58), friend & co-worker
Vickie (58), Holli’s best friend & college roommate
Plan: Pinkney Island, Frankie Bones, Cocoa/Smores
Actual: I slept pretty well and didn’t get up until almost 5:30. After brushing my teeth and making my cappuccino I spent time online in bed with the local news on. I checked the webcam and was just in time to see the 2 HAL ships sail into port this morning. My right knee actually feels better, but I’m still better off having canceled myself from the excursion today. Hopefully the improvement will continue.
Around 7 I heard Holli making coffee in the kitchen so I went out to wash my mug and say good morning. SB called – he’s at work today. Evidently around 4am a drunk driver (with a big bottle of tequila) had crashed into our gated entrance. It’s a solid metal fence with tall metal gates operated by an electronic opener. We sublease a building to the local county fire rescue and they’re the only ones who use this entrance – we all use the manned entrance without an actual gate. According to SB the jerk crashed through the closed gate, knocking it down, crossed the interior street and hit our big sign. They haven’t found the other side of the gate yet, the car is destroyed and there’s debris everywhere. He said the driver survived – go figure.
I went in to take my shower & get dressed, and made my breakfast (egg, slice of bacon and leftover Mickey pretzel). I went to put in a small load of laundry and found instructions inside the lid – including how to clean blood. I decided to give it a try, which included letting my shirt soak in cold water for 30 minutes (kitchen sink) before washing. That gave time for the others to finish showering/dressing so I could see if they wanted anything washed.
My son Chris face timed me – they decided to go up to Asheville, NC so Ari could see and play in snow for the first time. When Holli came downstairs she selected St Maarten as the next puzzle we’ll do. While they’re gone I’ll get it started, pulling out the edge pieces, etc. When Vickie came down she did have some stuff for the laundry so she ran up to get it and then I started the washing machine.
We hung out in the villa until it was time for them to leave to meet the excursion. Today should be our trash & towel service, since it’s the 4th day here. Disney internet was still up and down – very frustrating. Just after 9 Sarah (not Captain Sarah) came to do the trash & towel and was just delightful. She told us we’re “easy” – clearly having only 3 neat guests in a grand villa is better than what they experience during the summer with up to 12 people in here! The phone rang, and it was recreation asking if we still wanted to do the excursion. It's cold outside and if anyone wanted to skip it Disney would give a full refund. That was very nice – but Holli & Vickie are still going. Vickie brought the rest of the firewood inside (stacked on the hearth) and I called to order more (the big basket outside the front door).
We walked over to the Mercantile and recreation window together, me on the phone with Michael again regarding the crash at work and an update on my knee. Once we turned the corner we caught the wind blowing in very briskly from the marsh – it was very cold! They went downstairs to sign in for the tour and I huddled in an alcove by the restrooms to finish the conversation. After that I browsed through the Mercantile but didn’t see anything I needed to buy. They have the spirit jersey I’m wearing today – the sparkly one I got at Old Key West last October.
I walked back through the resort and ran into housekeeper Sarah. She apologized, saying she saw we ordered firewood and she should have done that for us. I told her she’d done great, and we brought the firewood in after she left and then called for more. She was happy to hear she hadn’t let us down. I took a few photos around the resort and stopped in Live Oak Lodge to get next week’s schedule of activities. The front desk person apologized and said it wouldn’t be out until closer to noon. Ok – no big deal.
They do coffee in the mornings now, and lemonade & cookies at 3pm. That’s set up inside Big Murgie’s Den where the photo machine used to be. A fire was going in the fireplace and a party of 3 adults were in there – spread out so that they pretty much took up the entire space. I wasn’t planning on sitting there, but I guess if I had been I would have just plopped down and joined the conversation, lol.
After taking a few more photos outside I returned to the villa. Laundry was done so I folded the stuff in the dryer and left Vickie’s pile at the stairs so she could grab it on her way up to her room. I set up my pillows in the living room – one behind my back since Disney still seems to believe throw pillows are covid-infested health risks, and one on top of the coffee table. I got the frozen washcloth from the freezer and propped my legs up on the coffee table and laid the washcloth over my right knee. I don’t know if that’s what made the difference, or I had suddenly hit the healing point, but I felt so much better after doing this last night and still felt good this morning.
At 11:30 I decided it was time to get up and start sorting the puzzle. I was nearly done with the initial sort when Holli & Vickie returned at noon. They’d had a nice time but said it was very cold in the wind. Only 4 guests took the tour. The naturalist provided binoculars for everyone and they saw some birds. I’m glad I skipped it, lol! Vickie was hungry so we left to drive over to Frankie Bones for lunch.
The bar area was very busy, but we got the only empty booth. The bar area is just prettier in our opinion – the menu, food and service is the same throughout. We ordered wine and lunch. Vickie got the turkey reuben, which came with a pile of shoestring French fries. Holli got the Saturday special – chopped steak w/mushroom gravy and mashed potatoes. I had the warm goat cheese salad. Everything was very good – Holli & Vickie especially loved theirs. Mine is an item I’ve had before, and next time I’ll go back to the meatball sliders or cheeseburger sliders (or the schnitzel). We settled the check and headed out.
We made a brief stop at Kroger to restock some nibbles for later (I saw fresh veggies in the cart – clearly that’s for them, not me <g> and some more chorizo. I got a few small pieces of cheese to take home, and on the way out Vickie grabbed several copies of the weekly add to replenish our fire newspaper supply.
Back at the villa Vickie went up for her nap and Holli & I worked on the puzzle – with a brief break for me to update the report. This 500-piece puzzle goes a LOT faster than a 1000-piece puzzle. It won’t take long at all.
We worked on it a while, then Holli decided to take a break. I continued for a bit then asked her what time it was – it was approximately 3:15. With 2 HAL ships in port, it was time for them to sail. Holli pulled it up on her tablet and I used my laptop so we could both watch Rotterdam sail away. After that we had to wait for the ugly Celebrity ship (pretty inside, but butt-ugly on the outside) and then a Princess ship who sailed away playing the Love Boat theme on the ship’s horn. Finally it was Nieuw Statendam’s turn – which is the ship Fran & I will be on in 55 days.
Vickie was up somewhere after 4 and by then we were back at the puzzle table. We finished that up and just after 5 headed over to the campfire pit for Cocoa & S’mores. We were surprised to find the pool closed/locked and were told it was closed all day. Guess it’s because of the weather. We took the ramp up and were told the event was in Community Hall because the wind kept blowing the campfire out – they couldn’t keep it lit.
At Community Hall pretty much every table was taken and there was a line of people back up to the door. There were no s’mores without a campfire, and people were coming out with cups of hot cocoa and Disney cookies. That’s not what we had in mind, so we left. Back in the villa Vickie lit the fire (she’d set it before we went over) and we changed into comfy clothes.
We set up this evening’s nibbles – cheeses, crackers, chorizo, almonds, grapes, and raw veggies w/dip. Once everything was set and wine was poured we played Phase 10 (card game). I started out winning the first 2 rounds instantly, but in the end Vickie was the winner. It was fun, and we finished up around 7:30. After cleaning up we retired to the fire in the living room.
Since internet has been so hit or miss here I decided to end the report now and if anything significant happens later I can include it in tomorrow’s report. Today was another great day – it’s so nice being here and both Holli & Vickie are so appreciative of being invited. As a dvc member one of the big plusses of membership is sharing it with friends, and I’m thrilled to have them along since we travel so well together. Yes, I could come solo but I enjoy their company. I wish the weather had been warmer, but it’s not the end of the world. Frankie Bones was good for lunch, and as always the time spent in the villa is the best!
Tomorrow we didn’t make any set plans. We’ll head over to Coligny to visit a few shops, and will probably eat lunch somewhere, but it sounds like they’re looking forward to dinner being in the villa like tonight. We have a 1000-piece puzzle that hopefully we can do in a single day!
DAY 5 – Sunday 1/15/23
Who: Sue (64), DVC Member
Holli (58), friend & co-worker
Vickie (58), Holli’s best friend & college roommate
Plan: Do Whatever, Eat When/Wherever, possibly Resort Cocktail Event
Actual: I slept well again and got up just after 5. Following the usual routine, I made my cappuccino and took it back to bed to enjoy while online. I also watched the Eurodam sail into port. By 7 I went out to the dining room to work on the puzzle.
The others were up before long. Holli made coffee and sat in the living room. Vickie spent time upstairs doing some exercises to reduce back pain (side effect of the cancer or the treatment). We rotated through the puzzle, getting it almost finished! Around 11:30 we decided to head out for something to eat. I suggested Top Dawg Tavern, so we walked over there.
I was shocked to find nobody outside – they have plenty of heaters and it would have been fine. A lady from inside came out to tell us they’re only seating indoors today, so we went inside. With it being Sunday we could order from the brunch menu or the regular menu. We looked at both and everyone stuck with the regular menu – except for the mimosas. They have a carafe of mimosas for $10 so Holli & I shared that. It comes with a basket of cheesy muffins which we all shared.
Holli ordered mushroom swiss burger with onion rings, Vickie got the cheesesteak, and I ordered the filet bites from the appetizer menu. Everything was excellent! Holli especially raved about these being the perfect onion rings, lol! I tried half of one, and it was outstanding. Vickie ate her whole sandwich, which she rarely does. My choice was the hit of the table however – bed of mashed potatoes topped with small bites of very tender & delicious filet mignon with horseradish sauce on the side. Holli tried it and couldn’t believe how great it was – I really enjoyed it too. We’ll definitely keep Top Dawg on the list!
We walked back to the resort, got the car and drove over to Coligny. We figured Piggly Wiggly would be our last stop so we parked in their lot. Not all of the shops were open, but I’d say more than half were. We started in the big shop on a corner – every year we seem to find something in there. This year for me it was a box of Christmas cards with a beach theme. We went into the oils & spices store were we all bought something – I think they each got numerous items. In the candy store we all passed. It smelled great in there but nothing made us buy it.
At Piggly Wiggly they each found stuff to buy – I think I just walked around, or maybe this is where I got the seafood spice (not the oils & spices store). We made one last stop in the jerky store, which also sells expensive flavored popcorn, but didn’t buy anything. Besides jerky & popcorn they also sell edible bugs – yuck!
We decided to browse around Shelter Cove so drove there and parked outside Kilwin’s. We found more to buy in the Coastal shop next to Poseidon and another shop nearby. We detoured over to Belk and bought some stuff there, then returned to Kilwin’s where I bought a couple dark chocolate covered graham crackers (been craving these and couldn’t find them around Gainesville). The staff in Kilwin’s was very nice and gave me a handful of Valentine’s foil-wrapped chocolate hearts. I thanked her and shared them with the others. At this point it was nearly 2:30 so we headed back to the resort.
Vickie went upstairs for her nap, I put some clothes in the suitcase and then joined Holli to finish the puzzle. We then moved to the living room and prepared to watch the ships sail. Regal Princess led the way, playing her Love Boat theme horn. Next was the ugly Celebrity ship, then Eurodam (the one we cared about).
Vickie was up around 4 and played Jenga for a while – first time for me. I liked it well enough, but it’s not something I’d seek out. It was a good way to pass the time, and it’s always good to try something new. Once that was done we got to work cutting up cheeses and arranging the other food to go along with it.
We poured wine and enjoyed the food on the coffee table in front of the fireplace. The fire was great – almost too warm, and once again Vickie did a masterful job starting it and keeping it going. We sat around talking and sharing stories – just a great evening. At 8 we turned on the tv to have the trashy 90 Day Fiance show on. It’s another of the “tell all” episodes, so drama & craziness are expected.
Today was a great relaxing day. We all thought it went by too fast, though. Lunch at Top Dawg Tavern was a surprise hit, and we’ll definitely go back there. I think SB will like it if we get over there in May.
Tomorrow is our departure day. Holli & I will be going home to Gainesville but Vickie is heading up to visit another friend in Myrtle Beach. In the morning we’ll need to pack up all our stuff, load the cars and have one last meal together at Hilton Head Diner.
DAY 6 – Monday 1/16/23
Who: Sue (64), DVC Member
Holli (58), friend & co-worker
Vickie (58), Holli’s best friend & college roommate
Plan: Hilton Head Diner, Drive to Gainesville
Actual: Last night Holli bailed out first, with Vickie following around 9pm, leaving me to finish watching 90-day Fiance. I moved over to the loveseat near the tv and turned the volume way down since Vickie’s bedroom was right upstairs. I turned in at 10 and this morning got up with the alarm at 5. On all the previous days I was awake before then and had shut it off.
I made my cappuccino and did some online stuff from bed. Eventually I got up to shower, dress, and finish packing up. By 7:30 I took the laptop out to the dining room table and was sitting there when Vickie came down to make coffee. My right knee is sore and gets more sore when sitting without my leg being propped up. With the 4-hour drive ahead of us I got a couple more Tylenol from Vickie to keep me comfortable. Holli came downstairs with all her stuff, so she got a cart and we loaded our stuff into my car. Vickie finished getting ready and was downstairs with her stuff between 8 & 8:30. Holli helped her load her car, then we headed out to Hilton Head Diner.
It was pretty busy here this morning, but we had no wait for a table. Our server was masked, which is unusual but it’s her decision. However, she was also wearing latex gloves – evidently she didn’t get the memo a couple years ago that wearing gloves is NOT recommended and in fact is more risky to you in terms of infections/viruses. She also brought coffee (for Holli & Vickie) but there wasn’t any cream on the table. They thought she’d said she’d bring some, but never returned. Finally Holli went up to the counter to ask for some – by then I assume their coffee had to be lukewarm at best.
Breakfast was very good, however. Vickie got oatmeal with fruit – she’s a healthy eater, and I guess always has been. Holli decided she wasn’t in the mood for “sweet” so she got the eggs benedict. She said the potatoes were barely warm – like they threw them on the griddle for too short a period of time. I noticed the English muffin had been buttered and cooked on the griddle – we both agreed for eggs benedict the English muffin needs to be toasted. Holli said HAL’s eggs benedict are better. I stuck with my French toast, made with challah bread and that was wonderful! I ate as much as I could – about 3 quarters of the portion.
After breakfast we said our goodbyes outside and headed off. Holli & I stopped at Kroger so I could fill up the gas tank, then we headed for the highway. Somewhere just after we got into Georgia there was a big wreck ahead, so Holli pulled out her phone app and it told us to get off at the next exit for a detour. We followed the directions, and hooked back in to I-95 further south. Turns out the accident must have been on the northbound side and caused them to completely shut down the highway in that direction. It was backed up for nearly 10 miles that we could see – the delay on our side would have been due to rubber-necking. We had another brief delay in Florida where an accident on the cross street had cops closing the intersection for a while – that was only a 5-10 minute delay. Finally we got home – around 1:30.
SB helped me bring everything in from the car before going back to work. Unpacking came next, along with a stop at the office to pick up mail from the last 5 days. Since a handful of friends are not on facebook I went there to copy the photos I’d shared during the trip & put them in the folder with the pictures taken with the real camera (during the dolphin cruise, including pelicans and the bald eagle). I uploaded them to Snapfish, where they can be viewed at www.snapfish.com/share?via=link&lc=en_US&token=ucjdG1Px2x6Yk2qTFz5WcQ/SFO/27953078733060/SNAPFISH
This was another wonderful trip – everyone had a really great time, and other than my stupid fall and a cold spell everything went perfectly. We’ll keep our fingers crossed that Vickie will be well enough to do it again next year. She’s got her next pet scan at the end of the month, so hopefully this chemo is still working. We all basically like to do the same stuff, and share a no-drama mentality, so we travel together really well. You can’t beat doing it in a grand villa – everyone has their own bedroom & bathroom, plus there’s a 4th full bath in case one of them needs to use the bathroom but doesn’t want to go upstairs <g>. The big surprise winner this trip was Top Dawg Tavern – I don’t think anybody expected that. Poseidon and Wiseguys were great too, but that’s the norm & expected. While I like the look of Nectar I think I can pass on that in favor of something else next trip, and Holli agreed with me when I said Hudson’s did nothing for me – that was her least favorite and she wasn’t impressed.
My next trip isn’t until March 9th (no February trip, other than going down to SW Florida for a dental appointment) for 2 nights at BCV before leaving on a HAL cruise with Fran. I am looking forward to Flower and Garden Festival, and will book Epcot for both days. Thanks for reading along!
