Thursday - January 2

We are HOME!!!    After a leisurely, stress-free day of travel yesterday on the rural roads of NC, SC and GA, today was all about I-75.    Fortunately for us, traffic was very heavy in the northbound lanes - maybe folks were returning home from vacation?    Bowl games?    At any rate, we didn't have any major back-up going south.    Around Ocala, there was an accident which had a backup going north of at least 20-30 miles - unreal!    And then on the Peace River near Punta Gorda, a helicopter landed in the northbound lane and as we passed, they were loading a passenger.    Yikes - and our SB lanes were all the gawkers!      So happy to arrive safe 'n sound at 2:25.

We unpacked and got somewhat organized - there''s always tomorrow.     Late afternoon we ran some errands and had supper at Chili's - nothing like a chain our first night back in FL.  Ha!   But it was close, we were tired and what the heck?    Hadn't been to a Chili's in a long time and it was really good.

It sure was a wonderful Christmas both in IL and NC.    Liam and Connor are having a ball with Brady and all their NC kin and so thankful they could be with us for this week.     Hoping the nasty coughs will be gone very soon.

This morning as we were getting ready to leave the hotel in Douglas, Jim Cantore from the weather channel reported that today......the hottest spot in the nation would be Fort Myers at 86.     The coldest would be Alamosa, CO at -10  where we were this summer and ER for Mark's back injury.

So till tomorrow....nighty night from Cypress Trail!