Tropical Storm Hannah and beyond

Friday came and all eyes were on TS Hannah, we watched the news incessantly to see if we were going to be evacuated. We know from living in FL. you take precautions. Schools close, business close and board up. As we watched the Virgina Beach natives it didn't seem to be the same drama. No one was scurry around boarding up their houses or shops. The hotels were not warning us we may have to move inland, nothing. So we just watched and tried to plan the rest of our stay.

Friday was a lazy day, A TRY AND RECUPERATED DAY for my husband. By this time all the early moring travel and the all day excursion to Richmond had intensified his cold. He spent most of the day on the couch resting. Brock and I went to the beach later that afternoon. When we returned Shawn was a little better. We decided to grab the tourist magazine and find a great place to eat. We decided on a stk and seafood buffet. Long story short not the best meal and very expensive. We had coupons but they forgot to take the discount of the chk. On the up side, the view was fantastic(second floor on the beach) and the server was very nice.

It just so happened the Shrines of the world were having a convention in VA Beach that weekend. Classic! Everywhere you turn a flag with their insignia on it hanging from a hotel room. Everywhere you walked you were bound to see some one walking with a shirt indicating, Name: Bill, Ohio Chapter, Grand PooBah over mini motorcycle division.

On the plane trip in to VA Beach a man became slightly agitated when a late comer to the plane. She tried to place something in the over head bin. She started moving the contents already in place. As she squished a small black bag against another carry on bag the gentleman in the seat below it said, " EXCUSE ME, THAT IS A VERY IMPORTANT MUSICAL INSTRUMENT"! She, with discussed went on to another overhead compartment. As the man departed from the plane I read his shirt which indicated he was with the Shriner's small instrument division.

Wow them Shriner's protect their instruments!

For the next few days we saw Shrines from everywhere. Some with the teeny tiny car division, some with the teeny tiny motorcycle division, lots of truck pulling grandstand like looking things which would hold Shriners with their precious teeny tiny instruments. Come to find out they were supposed to have a grand parade on Saturday the same day the TS was to pass over VA Beach. Sad to say this event was cancelled and all the Shriners had to take all the teeny tiny stuff to the convention center for a modified event.

But don't be sad you can't keep a good Shriner down and for the rest of the weekend we were privileged to be witness to impromptu street performances by Shriners and their teeny tiny interments, and they were quite good!