The Waiting

I recently sent this as an email to our kids.

I have talked to most of you, including Janie, but thought I should give you an update as to where we are and what our plan is. Barb put it best a few days ago. "Norm, this is not like you. You always want to know what the schedule of events is, where we are going and when." I have changed. It is not necessary to be concerned about next week when this week is so glorious. We are sitting on Daytona Beach and we still have enough condo points to perhaps schedule a few additional weeks. As I wrote in the blog, "Right now the blue Atlantic looks better than our back yard." When the launch was first delayed and we cancelled the condo at Cocoa Beach (near Kennedy) we began to play the "last minute reservation game". This is something that we have learned from this trip and we are trying to milk it to the nth degree. We also know (and we thank you Ben and Penny) if we cannot land a condo, we can always drive the 400 miles north to Oconee.

We are sitting in a fifth floor condo overlooking the beach and the Atlantic. Last week we were in the same situation except the condo was about the same floor space as the RV and each night we lowered a Murphy bed. But it was a clean comfortable place, with a fine pool and the beach. This week we are in a 2 bedroom unit, about the same size as Ben and Penny's Oconee main floor. It is beautiful, just south of the Daytona strip, and there is an IHOP, Italian restaurant and a 7 Eleven across the street. This afternoon I approached a vendor down the beach renting bikes. The two young female teachers who each weekend this time of year and every day during the summer, drive their pickup and trailer out onto the beach and rent bicycles (cruisers they call them, one speed 1950's style). I approached them and asked to rent one for the week. We struck a bargain and now I sit astride a John Deere (yes, it is a bike) one speed down the beach and into the local neighborhood. I certainly appear klutzy and ditsy (although my body style gives no resemblance of Pee Wee Herman and I won't yell, "Ha Ha") but I have my mobility.

On Wednesday, after the next NASA update, we start the third cycle of our present situation. I will call George (psuedonym) at Raintree, somewhere in Indiana. He, who grew up in Titusville, FL, and watched so many launches, is bent on Barb and Norm, whoever they are, to see the launch. He will again work to place us in a "we must try to fill it" condo somewhere in this area. We will use few points. It may be a studio. It may be the luxury of the present situation. But we know one thing, if George lands us in Florida, we will be fine, and we will be comfortable, because it is Florida.