Faded memories

Tomorrow we're going to Jacksonville to visit my brother and his wife. I'm really looking forward to it. This will be the second time I've been to Florida. Jacksonville, to be exact. I don't remember much about the first time. It was my honeymoon.

Yeah, I see you cocking your eyebrow with that knowing look in your eye. You are sooo wrong! Here's the story:

We didn't have a honeymoon planned. He had just started a new job and wasn't able to take off longer than the weekend. And truthfully, we didn't have the money to go much of anywhere. So we decided to go to Savannah overnight, just so we could say we did something. I think it was my mom who said, " As long as you do something to make it special." (Not much about the wedding was, but that's another blog post.) Inspired, he just kept driving once we hit I-95, heading toward Florida because I'd never been there before.

Oh my gosh, you should have seen the car we drove, too! It was a Monza. I don't remember the year. I think we paid $100 for it. It was blue and red, because he was awfully fond of the spray paint. That poor car sported a number of color schemes. When it breathed its last, it was a tribute to Dale Earnhart, the black Number 3.  You didn't even have to mash the clutch to shift gears. It didn't have heat, and was so drafty he drove to work with a blanket on his lap to stay warm. Later I learned how to pop a clutch when the starter went out on it, and we drove it that way for months. And the door was held closed with a bungee cord. This was our only car for over a year!

Anyway, that night driving to Jacksonville in this bucket of bolts I remember us laughing about how it was 11 p.m., one hour before my curfew and getting farther from home by the minute. (I was 20 and still living at home until that night.) I think we stayed in a hotel by the airport. When we woke up, we called my parents just to say, "You'll never guess where we are!"

I'm pretty sure they were horrified we drove the car that far.

I also remember going to the flea market. It was December, and I packed for cold Augusta weather. It was like 85 in Jacksonville. I had only brought sweatshirts and sweaters and was utterly miserable. Did I mention I was five months pregnant? There is nothing more miserable than a hot pregnant lady, let me tell you. I don't recall seeing much at the flea market, because I kept having to sit down and rest. I wanted him to buy me a T-shirt, but he said we didn't have enough money. I think he did buy me something cool to drink. And that's all I remember. I don't even remember the ride home.

Ah, but that was another life. This time, I'm really looking forward to the ride. (I'll be driving a Camry, and it is one color, factory painted, and in very good shape!) My brother and his wife bought an adorable house, judging from the pictures they've sent. I'm really looking forward to spending some time with them and seeing more of their new town. I hear it's really pretty. This time I will remember it all.