Jekyll Island, Day 1

I'll make this short, but it's been a LONG day, so it'll be tough.

Up shortly before 4, breakfast at the hotel, quietly got ready and left so as not to wake Kevin and Natalie.

Out of KCI with no problems. Beautiful morning. Boarded on time.

Sat beside a delightful 9 year old, McKayla (sp), and her granny, who were on their way to Disney. She was a chatterbox, smart and funny, and it was a quicker flight for her being there.

Stop in Atlanta, say goodbye to McKayla and granny, find out my gate has changed...for the BETTER! Same terminal I came in to!

Get crappy slice of pizza and board plane to Jacksonville. Horrible rain storm keeps us on the ground, in the tight plane, for an hour.

Take off finally, land in Jacksonville. HOT, but sunny. My bags are SOAKED from the switch in Atlanta, but at least they arrived. Get rental car and start driving.

Get to Jekyll Island to find that they're in the middle of the Shrimp and Grits festival. Roads blocked off all over town. Took 20 minutes to find hotel (5 minutes away) and checked in. Walked 47 miles from car to room, checked paperwork.

Although I'm already late, the convention is NOT HERE! It's down the road at the convention center. Booth set-up hours are over at 4, and I arrived at 3:30. *sigh* They let me work until 4:30. And then my dear friends, I mean, just some "customers" showed up to say "hi."

I showered, felt 2000 times better, and we went to dinner at a restaurant on the dock. Beautiful view, and I had the shrimp and grits. AbsoFREAKINGlutely fabulous. Came back to check out the festival. Good music and time with friends, I mean, just some customers.

Came to room to call family for the goodnight bidding, no cell service. Find a spot by a window that will work, and call. Decide to buy a 12-pack of Diet Coke, so get in the car and GPS leads me OFF THE ISLAND! OK, fine. I find a store, who only sells PEPSI in 12-packs.

Great, drove 15 minutes each way for 3 - 20oz bottles. Whatever. Got back to hotel, got ice for the Diet Cokes to hang out with and kicked off shoes. Where's my phone? ARRGGGG! It's in the CAR! Walk 423 miles back to car for phone, and laugh so I don't cry.

Now, I'm in for the night. I have to be back at the convention center at 7 in the morning to finish setting up the booth. Should be done by 9, leaving me 3 hours to eat, get ready, and relax before show time. That'll be good.

It's not been a bad day, just long, with tons of walking and worrying. Tim and Michelle really saved the day, with dinner and conversation. It helped me forget the crappy parts. Thanks to the Browns! (Tim and Michelle...not the ones from Cleveland, although I like them, too.)

This was NOT a short post, but it was NOT a short day. If you made it through, you are a very bored individual, and I love you.