Go Camping - Check.

Before beginning this post, I would like to make preemptive responses to two questions you might have...as I have already been getting them.

1. Yes, I have been real camping. In tents. In the dead of summer. In Florida, among other places. I have even been camping in a pup tent in the mountains of Georgia, at one of the camping sites along the Appalachian Trail (though we did drive to it). I have had a dog pee on my tent, a raccoon eat its way into my tent for gum I forgot I had, and moved my tent to avoid an impromptu river in the rain. So yes, I am a legit camper.

2. Yes, cabin camping is still a form of camping. Especially in Florida, especially when it is hot. There are still all manner of bugs, furry woodland creatures, uncomfortable sleeping (we slept on a pullout), campfires, s'mores, canoeing, etc., out in the middle of nowhere, so it counts.

So, without further ado...

Two weekends ago we went camping with two other couples at Lake Louisa in Clermont and had an amazing time. The lakes there are great for splashing, the hills good for hiking or biking, and the scenery nice for taking in, but what I enjoyed the most was bonding.

I have known Carmen since I was in middle school and I lived with Christy for 3 and a half years; they are the best friends anyone could have and, as time moves forward, it seems like we never get enough time to spend with each other and all our spouses. Unbeknownst to me until we got there, this was the first time Carmen had done anything close to camping (and this WAS camping, though we look forward to breaking out the tents with her in the fall!) and I was honored to share it with her.

The cabins there are two bedroom, two bath with a pull-out couch, and worked out just fine. They overlook a lake where you can rent canoes...more on that next time. For me, memories of camping always end up being snapshots of thoughts, feelings, and mental pictures.
Trees. Butterflies. Happiness. Grilled savory steak.


Trails. Birds. Boardwalks. Reflections. Lost in thought.


Maps. History. Carvings.


Caterpillars. Reeds. Godzilla.

Gators. Giant, super-pizza-sized lillypads. Bobbers.


Sunsets. Campfire. Gooey s'mores. Star-gazing. Fleeting weekend.

Go back to Yalaha for bread - Check!

There is a fantastic German bakery in Lake County that is my new happy place. While every day the Yalaha Bakery has delicious breads, desserts, and a deli, on Saturdays it becomes extra special, with live music outside from 11am-2pm and a person serving brats, drinks, sauerkraut, and other goodies patio-side. We discovered it almost a year ago, as we went blueberry picking at the u-pick farm and farmers' market next door, but we were too hot and tired to stay for the festivities. We swore to come back, but time got away from us until this past weekend. Hopefully it won't take a year until next time!

In honor of Poetry Month, I've written haiku honoring a few of my favorite things about it.

Voice and string mingle,
Songs I knew...know. Heart music
Dances in the wind.

Wall fresco, scenic
Idyllic German meadow.
Memories flow free.


Bread and cake I love;
Here it just melts on the tongue.
My stomach says thanks.

Rest, relaxation,
Responsibility gone.
Breathe. Mind wanders. Peace.

Go to the Pub on Robinson - Check!

There is something about pubs that just screams "Welcome!" - no matter where you are in the world, you can walk into a pub and instantly feel like part of the gang. At least that has been my experience. I don't know if it is the Old World feel, the legacy of being a place where people come together to share great ideas (C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and their group* used to meet in one), or that because there are pubs all over the world** - and they are all so similar - that they just make you feel connected to your fellow man. Or maybe it is just the sense of fun that have always been associated with them, like with the German beer halls.*** I'm not sure it is possible to not have fun in a pub.

Whatever it is, since we moved into our house almost five years ago I have been wanting to visit the British one just around the corner from us on Robinson and yet have not. And then when we made friends with the Robinsons, who have spent time in and love England, I knew I couldn't turn 30 without going.

The full text of this list item is "Go to the British Pub on Robinson (I wanted to add WITH the Robinsons, but that might prove difficult)". The Robinsons, however, have moved on to amazing things in another state and I knew wouldn't be returning until long after my birthday. So when our friends Abby and Chris were in town, whom the Robinsons had introduced us to, it seemed like the logical place to get together and eat.

And it did not disappoint. Although the menu was small, It contained all the delicious food one normally finds at a pub - cottage pie, fish and chips, Scottish eggs, etc. - so we ordered most of it and shared. I had actually never eaten a Scottish egg before, as I thought them gross, but they are actually pretty good. Hard boiled egg in a sausage, with A-1 sauce.



The decorations were exactly what one would expect in a pub - small tables and stools, seating enclaves, a wooden bar, advertising decorations, etc. I don't think darts are normally found in a pub, but they didn't take away from the ambience.

It was weird to be inside a restaurant where people could smoke - Florida outlawed smoking in restaurants some time ago, unless drinks made up a certain portion of the proceeds - but I think only one person smoked the whole time we were there and they weren't near us.

To add to the festive mood, there was a surprise birthday party for a Grant (not out friend Grant), and we ended up getting some yummy cake. Happy Birthday Grant!

It all ended up being an awesome, fun (of course) time full of laughter with our very talented friends whom we hope to visit in New York in the not too distant future.


*The Inklings, which is part of the triple entendre of my blog name.

**I (an American) once went to an Irish pub in Berlin that was next to an Egyptian theater and had a Spanish waitress. Awesome.

***Please don't think that by this I am a heavy drinker. I am not. In fact, once when I was in Germany (Cologne to be exact) I ordered milk in a beer hall...and got chewed out for about 5 minutes by the waiter. He just kept saying "unbelievable!". And he did not mean that in a good way. Good times.



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Out of Africa (the movie)

If I were to tell you only one thing about this 1985 motion picture winner, it would be this: It. is. so. long. So long.

If I were to tell you two things, I would add that the people who made this film - and the woman who wrote the book - loved Africa.

The story is based on a book, written by a Danish woman about her time spent in Africa around WWI. It revolves around her almost symbolic marriage that brings her to Kenya and then her love affair with a man there, after her husband is unfaithful. Really, though, it is about the growth of her love for Africa, and the movie does a good job of showing that through lingering scenic shots, a slower pacing, and a sympathetic view of the plight of the natives.

Having just returned from South Africa, watching the movie helped assuage my longing to go back a little bit. It also broke my heart again for the African content - Out of Africa hits on the impact that World War I and colonialism had on that part of the world, reminding me of all the wars and fighting that Africa continues to endure from within and without. Africa will continue to be in my prayers.

Go on Safari - Check!

This month I got to go on safari at the Pilanesberg National Park in South Africa, and while going on safari was not on my original list of 30 Things, it is on my all-time bucket list. Therefore, it counts for this list the same way that Federal law still counts for the states.

My trip down to South Africa was about SO much more than the safari, but for the purposes of this blog I will focus on that. We went down with our church, First Baptist Orlando, to help with a conference for missionaries in that part of the world. It was a time of rejuvenation and information for those that attended, and I am so glad I got to be a part of it. Some of our group also went down to an inner city church and ran a Holiday Bible Club, and went into Soweto. The stories we heard about what God is doing were amazing and I enjoyed getting to know the missionaries and making so many new friends. I would love to tell you more one-on-one; I am still trying to process it all. I hope to go back again and do more, and encourage you to go on a mission trip should you have the chance.

The last two days we went to a rhino/lion park and on safari. The day of the safari it was overcast, which made it perfect for animal spotting. We saw African elephants, wildebeest, spring bok, zebras, hippos, giraffes, warthogs, monkeys, various birds, and more. If you count the animals we saw at the rhino/lion park, we saw all five big game - lions, leopards, elephants, cape buffalo, and rhinos. Some picture highlights are below; none of them do justice to what we saw.
On our way, we came across huge mountains stretching as far as the eye could see. Africa is so big and simply stunning.

The vehicles we took. The roads started out as brick, turned into regular pavement, and then became dirt as we went.

A herd of elephants blocked our path at one point. Most of them are right behind that tree.


You can't tell, but that termite mound is well over 6 feet tall.





Hippos in the water.
The landscape was just breathtaking.

Lions are very hard to spot in the wild. We saw this in the lion park, and almost missed him.
The ugliest birds in Africa.
The happiest cubs in all of Africa.
An adult cheetah. He purred so loudly!
Baby serval.
Brown lion cubs. I should mention we got to pet them, the serval, the cheetah, the baby tiger, and the baby white lions. It was amazing, and the closest we will ever get to the Garden of Eden on Earth.

Baby hippos.


The whole trip was overwhelming, and the outings the last two days helped to further display how big and powerful God is. The safari allowed us to experience His creation in a whole new way, and was indeed a spiritual experience in and of itself. Our trip still weighs heavily on my mind.

Test Drive a Ridiculous Car - Check!

When Lauren suggested that I add test driving a ridiculous car to the list, I am pretty sure she meant a Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, or the like. I immediately thought of this:


While they make perfect sense in Europe, in the southeast U.S. they have always seemed to me to be a little...well...ridiculous. I have to be honest, I had already started writing the blogpost in my mind, and it did not look good for the SmartCar. But then I walked on the lot and fell in love. I know, I know, but hear me out. The sales rep Kevin was amazing, and I learned a few things about the car that changed my mind.


For one, it's a Mercedes. Who knew?? That just screams German engineering and good quality (to me, anyway). And for $14k to $18k, it's the most affordable new Mercedes you can buy and the only Mercedes A-class sold in America.


Another thing: they are quite safe. The 2011 models have 8 airbags, and all years are almost impossible to roll. They have a unibody design, similar to stock cars, complete with a roll bar (just in case you are part of that 1%). Imagine a giant walnut. The front and back are designed to crumple without impacting the cabin space, and if you get t-boned by an Expedition, it will just push you along.


The paint is customizable, with a great number of different "wraps" available. I would be tempted to get a new one every few months, I am certain, to match the seasons or something.


They are pretty roomy; even Matt didn't feel cramped. The only complaint he had about the space was that the passenger side didn't really go back enough to be comfortable for him, but the driver's side was just fine. It's actually pretty neat - the seat goes down as it goes back, and goes up as it moves forward.


People that own them are automatically part of a club of sorts. They are kind of...well, not an obsession, but more than a hobby. I like that. I think of the drivers as Euro-cool, if that makes sense, and that makes it even more appealing.

One thing we were a little iffy on was when it shifted gears. The car has three modes - automatic, paddle shifting, and stick shifting. It wasn't the smoothest of shifting when it was automatic, but maybe it's better once you get the feel of it or are shifting yourself.

The mileage is also not great, averaging 31 to 40 mpg. The European ones are diesel and have been purported to get up to 80 mpg, but those models are not in the U.S. yet. Something about E.P.A. standards, but I don't think anybody buys that as the real reason.

I asked a lot of questions about the car, especially about features, and I can tell you - every square inch of the vehicle was carefully designed. It's like the car version of Ikea.

This car wouldn't make sense for us to buy now, if we decide to start a family in the next few years, unless we got it as a third vehicle (along with a motorcycle, Matt would like to add). But if this were five years ago - and if five years ago they had been sold here and I wasn't in love with trucks - I totally would have gotten one. But for singles, couples without kids (there is room for dogs), retirees, etc. I think it makes perfect sense. Test drive one for yourself and let me know what you think!