Mystery Trip solved

I have never been on a bus so huge. You could see forever out of those windows. Our first stop was at Boutique & Quilters, Inc. outside Melbourne. They were so friendly and helpful with dolls everywhere. I was able to find a better hair for my dolls. I am taking a Patti Culea doll workshop this spring '08. They tried to get her but she was booked up in West Palm Beach – whoops!

Back on the road, we were always buzzing about where we were going next. . .looking at signs and the direction of the sun, trying to figure out where we were and where we were going :-) Such fun we had. I didn't have a chance to eat breakfast, so I was glad for the sliced apples, cheese and crackers on the bus. The movie (The King and I) I didn't watch, but did listen to intently, because I worked on my dolls. I got fingers & Toes sewed - the faces had been sculpted and made up prior to the trip. A sign said New Smyrna Beach. . . . .but we kept on driving the back roads, . .the back road was the only way to Deland. We had lunch downtown in an Old historic building. Lunch was OK. Their quilt shop. . .wasn't easy to shop. There were no prices anywhere. . . .they were friendly and had a lot of things.

Back on the road. . .I thought St. Augustine. . . . .everyone else thought west coast. Neither. . . .it was Mount Dora. What a quaint, old, family, friendly place. Amazing. They have a 'belt line' where all the fast food, Target, K-mart, etc. are located and our motel. We stayed in a Comfort Inn. How those have changed. . . .we had a refrigerator, microwave, hair dryer, coffee maker and iron!!!!! The beds were very comfortable. I'm use to sleeping in a water bed.

After dinner we looked at decorations through the town. The bus was big the town streets were small, but he didn't hit or break anything. Great driver. . .even the trees with their overhang drug the top of the bus, I wouldn't want to be him when his boss finds that out. . . .finally because the streets were blocked off, he let us out to walk downtown. Oh My Gosh. . .the decorations were so beautiful and awesome – like a wonderland of lights and sounds. . . . .the choir was singing and the big (real) trees were looped from top to bottom with lights. After the singing, we then walked on downtown where a band was playing. They were wrapping up, but gave their CD to everyone.

The next morning we had breakfast at the motel. . . .cereal with fruit, or eggs (boiled) or bagels, but I had a huge waffle in an amazing waffle cooker. . . After breakfast, we walked the dock on the lake to the gazebo. So peaceful and beautiful.

We went to My Quilting Friends quilt shop. That was a great shop. We had a lot of fun. The shop was in an old house and every room was filled with materials, patterns for projects and books. Then we went downtown for the rest of the day. We saw quaint shops and storekeepers were so friendly.

We ate at The Windsor Rose Old English Tea Room. The food was great, the atmosphere was magnificent and we were treated like royalty. After lunch, we walked down to Lake Dora. A very large Lake with it's own lighthouse at one end. We walked back uptown to the parade (the place is very hilly and I know it would be quite healthy living there). The parade went on forever. We shopped at antique stores, a yarn store, and a doggie food/accessory store before having homemade ice cream (there are 3 ice cream shops downtown).

Finally it was time to head back to the bus. . .there was an art show in the central building we voted for our favorite work of art – we don't know how it turned out though. It was such a fun time. We waited on a bench in the shade of the trees. The big old Victorian house across the street was the masonic lodge. Back on the bus. We got home around 7 p.m. POOPED!

Have a Great New Year