JAX airport

There are some areas of the Jacksonville airport that are really beautiful. The ladies' room has elegant beige and brown tile around the walls, but the entrance has different colors of bule and white tile to make the wall look like clouds. Really striking. the sinks arent sinks. It is a flat slab of rock/ marble/granite or something similar with spouts well spaced across the span. There are no faucets, just wave a hand under the spout and gently warm water is forthcoming. The towel dispensers are automatic--pull off the available towel and another appears--as if my magic. A restful lovely area.





At one end of the long concourse can be seen outside the building a HUGE figure of a man holding a bright jewel blue briefcase. I said HUGE-- the cellings here are 30-40 ft. high and we cannot see all of him. His head is higher than the building. He is a real work of art, but an illusion, since he is not 3-D but two dimensional. Wish I could get you a closer look.
How's this?

Is it Thursday, yet?

Today was Inner Healing Day, the last day of the conference. The majority of our fellow attendees, when given the opportunity, "rested in the spirit". Quite an emotional day for many.

Tomorrow morning we will be awarded certificates and will listen to testimonies then will head to the airport. Our flight leaves Jacksonville at 3:30 EST, we change planes in Atlanta and then will return to Texas by 8:30ish. We'll stay overnight in Arlington with B and N and head home Valentine's Day after a modicum of shopping.

I'm beginning to be addicted to Panera for breakfast. Just walking in, the smell of bread is entrancing. We decided not to repeat any other eatery tho' and today was no different. Lunch was good, but a bit unusual. We went to Paul's Family Cooking. Our first clue should have been that even tho' it was 12 o'clock, there was no one in the parking lot. Don't get me wrong, the food was okay. We had BLT's and they were good. The fries that came w/ mine were very good and V ordered and received collard greens in place of the fries. She took one bite and declared them way, way too salty. Then she tasted her tea and declared it to be tea syrup. But the food was the ordinary element of the place. We were greeted on entering, by an "older" black gentleman who looked startled that we were there to eat. He was constantly on the phone telling folks to "come in the back door". Not sure what his "enterprise" was but waiting tables was a "sideline". He came back more than once to ask if he had gotten our drinks and they were sitting right there. When we first sat down we noticed the syrup pitcher in the middle of the table and thought that this is a neighborhood breakfast place. When our food came, I reached over to move the pitcher and IT WAS STUCK TO THE TABLE. Wonder when the tables were last wiped clean? A lady who came in after we did, on sitting down, said in a loud voice--"Oh, I'm sticking to the seat". We heard her, but he didn't. He even seemed a little relieved when we left.

We drove a bit after lunch and drove by a Budweiser plant, a Bacardi plant, and a place called Gander Mountain, which seems to be a Southern sort of Bass Pro Shop. No, we didn't go in.

Before leaving for supper, we went up to the top floor of the Holiday Inn and tried to get the "lay of the land". Don't seem to be many hills or mountains here for prospective. Anyway, the sun was just going down and I got a nice picture of Jacksonville at sunset. This vindicates my earlier tries to take a picture of the full moon, which just didn't work.



Supper was more ordinary than lunch, but interesting, nonetheless. Have you been to STICKY FINGERS? (Not sticky syrup pitchers, or sticky seats, but sticky fingers) It is a Memphis style barbecue place. We decided on pulled pork and waited just a little while to receive our plates. We told the waitress who brought the meals that we needed utensils. She said she'd bring them right away. And we waited, and we waited, and then we waited some more. Then our waiter came by and we asked for utensils and we waited, and we waited and we watied some more. Yes, we finally got to eat and it was delicious. We had a choice of about 5 or 6 different sauces on the table. Some sweet, some hot and one with copious amounts of whiskey and one w/ mayo in it.

We're back in the room, with V snuggled up to a sock filled w/ hot rice that we nuked at a shop in the lobby. She has back/leg pain and hopefully, that will help her sleep better.

This and that

Just to catch up a little. The class I am attending is close to the Trout River. Has anyone out there ever heard of it, it seems really big.

I've collected a wad of Spanish Moss from a tree and it is strange feeling. Kinda spongy and gray and weird looking. I plan to bring some back to Bwd.

Received a message from Nikki today that all her sonogram tests are good and they even set her due date up 2 weeks earlier, so we're looking at late July rather than early Aug. So glad and relieved that everything is fine. We are expecting a granddaughter.

We went to Joseph's Italian Restaurant today at lunch and had some really interesting conversations with two folks attending the class. One was Shelly Pike, who I thought originally told me that her family is from New York, what I didn't understand is that she is now from Florida. Anyway, no matter--interesting conversation. Food was okay- salad not wonderful.

Went to WalMart tonite to get cards for some Bwd Presbyterians who are ill and injured and also looked for some sugar free Dove Chocolate. We had finished the original bag we brought.

Supper was a really good Ruby Tuesday salad bar and a shared dessert.

Not much else to add tonite. Peace and Blessings.

The Ocean

Tonite we walked on the Jacksonville Beach. Because of the time of day we drove, it took an hour to get there. Coming back later took about 25 minutes. The beach was lovely and sandy and a little cold. The water into which I waded was really COLD. We walked for a bit, maybe half a mile and then walked back. A peaceful and relaxing interlude in an otherwise chaotic day. The classes we experienced today contained some highly emotional episodes.

Lunch was a disappointment, but life is like that. We chose it thinking it was something else and it wasn't bad--- just sort of ordinary "fast food". I think tomorrow we'll plan to go to the "famous" Italian food restaurant which was recommended to us, since it is only less than a mile away.

There was a stunning full moon tonite and in trying to get a really good picture, I failed. Just an orange blob on a black background. Guess my little Kodak is not "fancy" enough to get a shot like that.

We were unsure about Floridian Mexican food, but we tried it tonite in a place called Salsitas and it was really good. Their "hot" salsa was yummy and it was a sort of taco bar where the customer can choose the meat and all the additions to a taco. Meat was well seasoned, if a little greasy: but GOOD Mexican food (in my El Paso opinion) is best when it is a bit greasy. A good choice. And since food is the topic, Panera is a GREAT place for breakfast. Way too many choices to make and everything looks scrumptious. We may go back there tomorrow for another round of choices.

It's getting late, so I'll sign off and write more tomorrow. Blessings and peace to all.

Christian Healing Minisstries

A little about where we are and the facilities. This class meets in a small converted church facility.





We're in the "fellowship hall" area with about 65-70 chairs set up. It is cozy, --- not unusual to be elbowed by person sitting next to you. Room is comfortable, glad I have long sleeves and coat, altho' it is really nice and warm in the afternoons. Interestingly, I have noticed two "drop mikes" in the congregation part of the seating area, not sure why. They have a good technology set up, with wireless mikes and computer/ overhead type projections. This ministry has about 12-15 folks on staff one of which is a tech guy.

First class this morning about SIN--talked some about Cultural Bias, Other topics that I may or may not discuss here.

Lunch was interesting at the Sandwich Shop. Advertised in the window was the "Camel Rider Sandwich"--which by the way is NOT made with camel meat. It is a sub that has lots of meats on it- and when we mentioned it to a lady from New York, she knew just what it was. So I am guessing that this is an East Coast phrase. Also at the Sandwich Shop were "steak in a sack" and "turkey in a sack". Yes, they were served in a brown paper bag, but the "sack" referred to a pita bread.



Some interesting folks we have met are from Pittsburgh (there are 10 here from the same Anglican church), the lady from New York, whose last name is Pike- and she was trying to find connections where I am sure there are none. Have met a lady from Jamaica, a man from Uganda, folks from Colorado and of course Floridians.

Supper tonite was Applebee's and we are trying to follow V's rule that we don't eat anywhere we could eat in Bwd. Actually that leaves us quite a number of options. I do SO appreciate V's driving since I am directionally challenged. Our rental car is a Chevy called an HHR.


. Seems to be quite new and is easy to turn around, which we have had to do more than once. Tomorrow will be easier to navigate, I am sure.
An interesting/ tiring day.

Arrived

We're in Florida. Trip went well. Both legs of the trip DFW to Atlanta and Atlanta to Jacksonville were FULL. Did lots of people watching. We're tired although we haven't done much but sit and wait and ride. Ate supper at Cracker Barrel and came back to the Holiday Inn to get organized. More tomorrow--the adventure begins.

Florida tomorrow

My friend V and I are traveling to Jacksonville, Florida tomorrow (Sunday- Feb. 8) to attend a week long class in healing prayer. Not sure how the accommodations will be for blogging and if I will even want to, but..... if things are good and I feel the urge, I'll be sharing experiences. Stay tuned for more info. E