Weekend could have been worse - agatized coral
Feb 22, 2016 10:35:39 GMT -5
Pat, rockjunquie, and 1 more like this
Post by captbob on Feb 22, 2016 10:35:39 GMT -5
So, I went up to Jacksonville for the weekend to visit and check on my dad. Long story short, he is doing better than I was led to believe and his demise is not imminent. Kinda doubt he will be with us this time next year, but such is life and bottom line is I'm counting on being able to see him again.
Stayed with sister and brother in law, got to see nephew and his wife, over all a very nice visit; compared to what I was anticipating.
On to the reason that this thread exists...
I usually take the interstate there and back. St. Pete through Orlando, past Daytona and up I-95 to Jacksonville area.
Well, the Daytona 500 was this weekend, and I envisioned I-4 being more like a parking lot with the race fans traffic than normal conditions.
So, I took an alternate route, heading up the west coast of Florida on I-75 and cutting through the Ocala National Forest.
I don't know why I don't take this route more often as it is really a much more pleasant drive and the trip time is within minutes of being equal either way. Just habit I guess.
Anyway, (when do I ever post a short story!) years ago; over 5 but I don't recall exactly when, I had responded to a Craigslist ad for some lapidary equipment. I was after a 27" vibrating lap in the ad (which I bought for around $200!). Well, these folks had a massive collection of Withlacoochee River type coral. *smile*
I only had x amount of cash on me, but I was able to pick up some really impressive display specimens. I posted a few of them here awhile back:
forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/thread/67877/florida-agatized-stuff-picture-heavy
Rambling saga continues -
I had always wanted to return to the scene and pick through their yard full of coral piles again, but I could never find their address or contact information. No doubt I put it somewhere very safe so I wouldn't lose it. *sigh*
Well... on my trip up to Jax through the Nat. Forest, things started looking familiar, then more and more so. I was getting close!
So, I found their house. Needle in a haystack kinda thing. Crazy what one can remember when that same someone probably couldn't tell ya what he had for dinner the previous night. another *sigh* ...
Stopped in and chatted with the husband of the couple. It's the wife's coral, from her granddaddy.
She was not home nor expected for some time. So, I got a phone number and called that night from Jacksonville to see if she would care to part with any more of her coral. Answer was affirmative. The weekend was looking up. - Although, I hadn't planned on this stop and cash supply was not what I would have preferred for a rock acquisition foray.
Having been given a green light on getting some more of her coral, I went back the same way and stopped in for a two hour dig through the piles. (tons and tons!) I will be going back in the future.
Cutting to the chase as some of you may have fallen asleep by this point...
Guess the pressure washer is coming out today. More pictures to follow as I unload the truck.
Some of these pieces are pretty darn big and I will probably be boring you all with the pictures later.
Then, I get home last night to a couple rottweilers that acted as though I had been gone for a month. Always nice to have such a welcome. A wife that had made snickerdoodles (in February!) - still can't figure out what I did to deserve that treat, but I don't want to look a gift horse in the mouth.
And, to top it off, there were 3 flat rate boxes sitting in my office from Glenn glennz01 which I have yet to open. Will do so sometime today and add some pictures from that as well.
For what I would have predicted as being a pretty crappy weekend, it turned out rather nicely.
I'll be back ...
Stayed with sister and brother in law, got to see nephew and his wife, over all a very nice visit; compared to what I was anticipating.
On to the reason that this thread exists...
I usually take the interstate there and back. St. Pete through Orlando, past Daytona and up I-95 to Jacksonville area.
Well, the Daytona 500 was this weekend, and I envisioned I-4 being more like a parking lot with the race fans traffic than normal conditions.
So, I took an alternate route, heading up the west coast of Florida on I-75 and cutting through the Ocala National Forest.
I don't know why I don't take this route more often as it is really a much more pleasant drive and the trip time is within minutes of being equal either way. Just habit I guess.
Anyway, (when do I ever post a short story!) years ago; over 5 but I don't recall exactly when, I had responded to a Craigslist ad for some lapidary equipment. I was after a 27" vibrating lap in the ad (which I bought for around $200!). Well, these folks had a massive collection of Withlacoochee River type coral. *smile*
I only had x amount of cash on me, but I was able to pick up some really impressive display specimens. I posted a few of them here awhile back:
forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/thread/67877/florida-agatized-stuff-picture-heavy
Rambling saga continues -
I had always wanted to return to the scene and pick through their yard full of coral piles again, but I could never find their address or contact information. No doubt I put it somewhere very safe so I wouldn't lose it. *sigh*
Well... on my trip up to Jax through the Nat. Forest, things started looking familiar, then more and more so. I was getting close!
So, I found their house. Needle in a haystack kinda thing. Crazy what one can remember when that same someone probably couldn't tell ya what he had for dinner the previous night. another *sigh* ...
Stopped in and chatted with the husband of the couple. It's the wife's coral, from her granddaddy.
She was not home nor expected for some time. So, I got a phone number and called that night from Jacksonville to see if she would care to part with any more of her coral. Answer was affirmative. The weekend was looking up. - Although, I hadn't planned on this stop and cash supply was not what I would have preferred for a rock acquisition foray.
Having been given a green light on getting some more of her coral, I went back the same way and stopped in for a two hour dig through the piles. (tons and tons!) I will be going back in the future.
Cutting to the chase as some of you may have fallen asleep by this point...
Guess the pressure washer is coming out today. More pictures to follow as I unload the truck.
Some of these pieces are pretty darn big and I will probably be boring you all with the pictures later.
Then, I get home last night to a couple rottweilers that acted as though I had been gone for a month. Always nice to have such a welcome. A wife that had made snickerdoodles (in February!) - still can't figure out what I did to deserve that treat, but I don't want to look a gift horse in the mouth.
And, to top it off, there were 3 flat rate boxes sitting in my office from Glenn glennz01 which I have yet to open. Will do so sometime today and add some pictures from that as well.
For what I would have predicted as being a pretty crappy weekend, it turned out rather nicely.
I'll be back ...