– TAKEN FROM AN OLD EMAIL OF MINE/NOV 2007 –

Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving. We ended up going to Lake Manatee State Park in Bradenton with my mom, brother, his daughter, and sons girlfriend. It was nicer than I was expecting. The only thing I didn’t like is the sandy sites. We really need to get some sort of outdoor mat. Our site was quite large Almost like a T shape. We could have fit three tents plus the camper if needed. Many sites were oddly shaped which adds much more room. The restrooms were very clean. They have hiking trails, plenty of places to bike, playground, swimming (if you really dare) and boat ramp.

For the start of our trip (on the way), we stopped at Wendy’s for dinner. We needed to go into the camper to get my mom’s purse. I looked and am like, “What’s all over the floor and why’s the milk out of the fridge?” It turned out, my mom didn’t latch the fridge when she put her food in it before we left. The GRAVY spilled all over the kitchen, my heavy winter coat, the bottom of her luggage, the carpet, under the slide out, etc. She said that her penance had been paid after she picked my coat up from the dry cleaners (a two-day “special”) – $38! Before going to the campground we had to also stop at Publix (grocery store) and get more canned gravy, more stuff to wash the floors (I had ran out), to drop my coat off at the cleaners…

We had a fun game of softball with family and a few other campers. For a day excursion we went to DeSoto National Memorial (dogs are allowed on the grounds), stopped by Manatee Village Historical Park (it was closed on Fri. due to the city holiday), saw and old cemetery and stopped by some ruins. Had lunch at an old-fashioned hamburger stand that’s been open since 1959 I think. I can’t remember the name..Shake & …..?

Ah, Thanksgiving and family time: