Megan's Blog City Journal

My Trip To Florida

My husband Ray and I recently went to Florida to visit my sister Brenda. She lives in Jacksonville.At the airport when I went through security, the alarm went off. My belt set off the alarm. This is the first time I wore a belt around my jeans in years. My purse set off the alarm. I had a lot of change in my wallet and once that was discovered, Ray and I were free to go. Everytime I fly, it feels like the plane missed the runway when we land. I don't do well with flying. I hate flying. As soon as I get to my destination, I am fine.

Brenda took us to the Jacksonville Zoo.She had her grandson Gavin staying with her. Gavin got to feed a giraffe and that was so sweet. We went to a building where they had stingrays in a huge pool of water that you could pet. I was a little nervous. A stringway is what killed the Crocodile Hunter! The stingrays were still babies and their tails are trimmed off so they can'y hurt you. I petted three of them and they feel like velvet. I liked them. I fell in love with them. We got to see tigers, leopards, monkeys, elephants, zebras, lions, African frogs, alligators, wallabees, deer, giraffe, lemurs{they are so cute!},a black bear and a wolf. We rode the train around the Zoo. We had a good time, There was a baby monkey that would fit in my purse. He was so cute. He was black and white with a stripe. There was a small deer like creature running free and he ran in front of me at this one building. He was cute. He was all brown and remined me of a small centeur. I love going to the Zoo.

Brenda took us to St. Augustine. I would love to live there. She and Gavin went to the Fort. I saw the Fort last time we were in Florida. Forts don't do it for me. War is depressing. The Fort is gray and ugly. There are cannons on the top floor sticking out. I recently read that if you put your ear to the Fort walls, you can hear heard yelling and cannons going off. There is a ghost supposedly walking around at night that was supposedly a Spanish soldier shot by a cannon when he was outside the compound. Maybe I should have went there at night.

I really loved shopping at the old settlement across the road. The settlement was a village about 2 or 3 cenruries ago. Now, it is a shopping center. I loved going to the Cat Shop. I bought some neat cat items. There was a good looking guy dressed up like a fancy Captain Jack Sparrow. He said "Hi" and I almost thought he was Johnny Depp for a minute! I thought maybe he just got off a pirate ship. There were ships in the bay by the Fort but I didn't see a pirate ship. The lighthouse was acros the water and I loved seeing that. I could live in St. Augustine. There was a wooden boat in the Visitor Center. It looked like the bow of the boat. It remined me of the picture on my novel PASSAGE TO ROMANCE. Some of the houses remind me of houses in New Orleans and the southern states. You can feel history coming alive there. St. Augustine is the oldest town in the United States.

My sister is a good host. She took us out to eat. Her husband John went, too. He worked during the day so we only saw him at night. Gavin and I played card games. We watched "Alvin and the Chipmunks" and TV shows at night. The week ended too soon and we came home to Indiana. Maybe in a couple of years, we will be going again. I didn't find out I had a sister until 10 years ago but that is a long story. I hope to write about it here someday.

Oh! My son Jason got to meet Johnny Depp when he was in Crown Point, Indiana filming his newest movie "John Dillinger". Jason had a back stage Pas because he is considered part of the police force. I asked him if he got Johnny's autograph, had his picture taken with him and told him that his mother loves him and is his biggest fan? Jason said "No." He shook his hand Johnny said "Hi" and is a nice guy. Jason will love holding that over my head. I wanted to meet Johnny Depp! I am totally in love with him. Oh well! He is in my dreams! I did see a Captain Jack Sparrow look alook in Florida. I guess that will have to do. Maybe Johnny will cross my path someday.

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