Author Archives: Charlie Hudson

About Charlie Hudson

Off with my combat boots and onto writing best describes Charlie my two careers. Born in Pine Bluff, Ark., and raised in Louisiana, I count myself as a military veteran, wife, mother, freelance writer, and author. What was intended to be a quick two years in the Army became a 22-year career instead, and somehow in the process, I discovered that I was an inadvertent pioneer by serving in several positions that had previously been held only by men. By the time I was in Desert Storm and later Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti, women in leadership assignments was more widely accepted. My love of writing never left me though whether it is a short article that highlights an animal rescue group, penning the stories of a female police detective in the Florida Keys, or presenting issues about aging that Baby Boomers need to address, or working on a corporate proposal. When my husband, Hugh, also retired from the Army, we relocated to South Florida where we can both enjoy the underwater world in dive sites all around Key Largo. We do break away though to still travel, and especially visit the Washington, D.C. area where son Dustin is a professional dancer and lives with his wife, Samantha.

One Goal Finally Achieved…..

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Another gap in posting as the past month has been incredibly hectic on multiple fronts. A major aspect is it has taken four years, but we’ve finally obtained increased funding for the museum I’ve been involved with for longer than I can easily remember. This is one of those odd situations where good intentions were passed down without a practical plan for the way change will happen. In essence, the museum was set up with a low budget to be a repository of local history and downtown visitor center. The original director had literally lived half the life of the town since it incorporated in 1913. Although she moved her right after WWII, she quickly became an integral part of the community, to include being the first female vice-mayor. There was literally no one and nothing she didn’t know about the town and surrounding area when it remained a small community. There was no thought to it being run professionally because that wasn’t the original concept.

Times change and as more items came in, there was no way to really keep up with it and no one gave it much thought. With only enough money for the director in a part time capacity, there were some volunteers, but limited ability to make much progress in the growing backlog of items collected. What was actually available and where it was were sources of both struggle and surprise. Coupled with this was a lack of fundraising ability for reasons I won’t get into. Quite frankly, I was not aware of the depth of problems when I joined the Board of Directors as vice-president. The president was the real backbone from the point of influence with a major donor who helped keep the place going even at a low level. When they both were no longer with us (relocation of the president and passing of the donor); it was increasingly difficult to manage. We eeked out enough donations to survive with lots of volunteer hours amidst failed attempts to get the City to increase our budget.

We did manage to get enough of an increase last year to give us some breathing room and this year, we have acknowledgement and funding to hire a second part-time person. Although we did ask for more to bring in one full-time, a part-time is still is a great phase for us. We’re beginning our transition activities and this significant source of personal stress has definitely eased.

 

Guest Post About Shipping a Car

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I receive emails periodically offering guest posts and I am selective about which ones I take. Having this personal experience before, I know it isn’t something most people use, but it is good information.

Shipping a Car: Understand the Price Before You Pay
By Ziva, on behalf of Ship A Car, Inc. (https://www.shipacarinc.com/)

A car-shipping quote tells you little unless you know what it covers and who will carry the vehicle. Comparing both price and booking details can help you avoid surprises.

Explain the route and vehicle

Distance affects cost, but so do pickup and delivery locations. Routes with regular carrier activity may offer more options than locations requiring a long detour. Narrow streets or access restrictions may require a nearby meeting point.

Provide the correct make and model, disclose modifications and explain whether the vehicle starts, steers, brakes and rolls. A car that cannot be driven onto a trailer may need extra equipment and handling.

Compare equivalent services

Open transport is generally the lower-cost choice. Enclosed transport adds protection from weather and road debris, which may matter for a collectible or freshly restored car. It does not guarantee against damage.

Request quotes using the same vehicle, route, transport type and pickup window. Ship A Car’s open-versus-enclosed report provides company booking-data background, not a guaranteed price for an individual move:
https://www.shipacarinc.com/blog/useful/open-vs-enclosed-report/

Verify the company independently

Ask for the business’s legal name and whether it is the broker arranging the shipment or the carrier transporting the car. For interstate transport, check the relevant registration and operating authority through official Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration resources.

Match those records to the business you contacted. A copied registration number or professional-looking website does not establish that the person using it represents the company.

Get the terms in writing

Ask whether the price is an estimate or confirmed amount, what could change it, when a carrier will be assigned and what happens if the arrangements cannot be fulfilled. Check deposits, remaining payments, cancellation charges, refunds and possible loading or storage fees.

A low quote or deposit alone does not prove fraud. Pressure to pay immediately, unclear terms or unexpected changes to payment instructions deserve further checking. Verify unusual requests through independently obtained contact details.

Document the handoff

Before releasing the car, confirm that the arriving carrier matches the booking information. Ask about cargo coverage, exclusions and the claims process. Photograph the vehicle and record its condition at pickup and delivery. Retain the booking documents and correspondence.

No checklist removes every risk, but clear terms and independent checks are more useful than choosing on price alone.

End of post and have a good rest of your weekend. Charlie

What a Week….

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So much for anything slowing down and those moments in life when one must simply sigh.

My husband and I are in good health other than for the occasional unpleasant although not life-threatening situations. Back last year I went for my annual eye exam and even though I didn’t know it, a retina issue was lurking in my right eye. For all intents, there was a “bubble” that could develop into something very bad. I went through two months of waiting to see if it might resolve, then agreeing to a series of treatments that yes, included injections. No more needs to be said about that, but it did work. I was finally able to go back to my regular doc and my new glasses with an updated prescription will be in within a couple of weeks.

Apparently, this is the time for body parts to wear out. Friday evening of Labor Day weekend, my lower bridge came out. There was no pain, but a fair amount of inconvenience and I had to find a new dentist. Mine had retired and in procrastinating, I no doubt would have had the problem detected before this happened. Anyway, I did get an appointment and it was not the best news, but better than it might have been. I started the procedure Tuesday and it will be a multi-phase plan that will conclude with a partial removable denture. Not my preference, but the best of three options. Also not without some degree of pain and a great deal of inconvenience. Ah well, it could indeed be much worse.

Some Let-up……

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It was a mixed week with a final resolution to the on-going issue of increasing funding for the museum we have been trying for since 2022. This will allow us to have one more part-time individual and perhaps a full-time instead depending on the end budget that will be decided within two weeks. There will be some transition tasks for a few months, then I should be able to cut back on at least certain things that have consumed a lot of my time.

And now on to the less pleasant which is having to start a multi-stage dental procedure due to one of my teeth breaking which caused my lower bridge to come out. I have terrible teeth thanks to my mother and I went through some really bad problems a number of years ago. It has been a while, but something like this was likely to happen at some point. My dentist retired and I procrastinated finding one. The new one was recommended by a friend and I like his approach. We discussed options and even though I’m not thrilled, a partial denture (the removable kind) is the most practical solution. Sigh! And of course insurance covers barely one-third the cost. We begin on Tuesday and if there are no complications, I hope we’re done by the end of October although it might go into November because there has to be a “healing gap” on one stage. Guess I’ll have to read up on how to take care of dentures once those are fitted in. Allegedly, if I follow proper care, this should last me 20 years or so.

 

What a Week…..

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It’s not that I was expecting things to be any slower when we came back from the short trip. I simply wasn’t expecting extra things to be added onto what was already a busy schedule. I suppose I should acknowledge though I had been pushing certain tasks down in the priority list which logically means they do become priority. Anyway, this week is going to be jammed and no let-up. On the other hand, at least one lingering issue that has consumed a huge amount of time and energy may finally be coming to resolution. If so, that will help a great deal.

Shifting to fun aspects, Hubby decided to go a different way than our usual lamb ossubucco Saturday and did a southwestern take, still using the Instapot. This included charring some peppers and chilies as well as changing the spices. It was excellent. Oh, speaking of seasoning, he also finally decided to use the window sill over the sink for herbs. The basil, oregano, and cilantro are doing well. We do have room to maybe put one more and will see what he decides. Ah yes, and my adjustment to the new coffeemaker is pretty well complete. I’ve modified the sequence in how I do it because I have to pull the machine forward in order to clear the upper cabinet to open the top to add water and the coffee. I had to do the same with the other one, but this is wider so when I do, the space between the coffeemaker and toaster oven is tighter. We keep the coffee beans in a ceramic canister and have the grinder, both of which I have to also pull forward. In one of those, “Gee, dummy,,,” moments, if I measure the beans into the grinder, then push the canister back into its spot, I have room to make this work better. There are times when a simple change to a routine really does make a difference.

 

Park and Lobster…..

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Hubby and I both had some work for Monday the last day of our trip. I had to finish a lengthy document on a tight deadline and he was scheduled to be on a Zoom call with three of the NASCAR drivers in the afternoon. He headed out in the morning to go to the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge and I worked on my document for a while, then went for a walk. There is a lovely park close to the resort that leads to what I think is a municipal beach and jetty. That’s one of the popular places to watch the launches, but it was a full 20 minute walk. The timing of the launch on Sunday is why we didn’t go there. Anyway, for geographic reasons I don’t recall, this is one of the few places in Florida for surfing. I did have to get back to w.ork more on my document and I didn’t want a lot of sand on my shoes, so I didn’t go onto the actual beach, but was close enough to see the water before I went back. Hubby did take some photos of surfers although I haven’t seen them yet. That was a first for him.

We did go back to the Cove to Rusty’s Seafood for dinner and while we would have been okay sitting outside, the weather was still looking tricky and we opted for inside. The only drawback was it was a place where the AC was cranked up to an uncomfortable amount. I had worn long sleeves and I still had to give in when Hubby offered to go get a rain jacket. That made it tolerable. The other part of the solution was to have a cup of gumbo for appetizer. It was good; not great. I finally had my grilled lobster as my post-birthday dinner and Hubby did the grilled grouper with a mango salsa. It was dessert night, too, and the white chocolate cheesecake was delicious.

We did make it home without rain and traffic was moderate. The trip is right at four hours the way Hubby drives.

Exciting Launch….

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This was our early morning as the telescope launch was set for 7:30. The weather was potentially a problem again and when Hubby checked the status at 6:00, the chances had improved. He’d scouted a spot for us close to the hotel. As it turned out, there was an even better spot with a two level parking garage close by. The app he had on his phone was providing step-by-step updates. There were several other people around as the countdown from “10” started, the sky mostly blue with scattered clouds. Since we were sixteen miles away, you don’t see the actual rocket – that was showing on the telephone screen. The very bright, big light was in the sky with a large white trail as it arced up and out of sight, the announcers explaining the trajectory. It was pure excitement. The other thing to see was the boosters coming back. That was a slight delay with the announcers again tracking. The big white clouds of the two could be seen first, then the two loudest sonic booms I ever heard. It was all over in about 20 minutes and we came back for the hotel breakfast.

We did have some business to attend to that took longer than expected and I had put some packs of nuts and a Kind bar in my purse just in case. We were scheduled for the 1:00 bus tour at the Space Center. It looked like maybe rain and then we decided not to bring the umbrellas. We didn’t get very wet as the hardest part of the rain came while we were in the bus. The two-hour tour was some behind-the-scenes places and Hubby got a lot of great photos.

The packet of nuts did come in handy and we went to dinner a bit early. This time is was to Grills, another in the row of restaurants. A good band was playing on the deck and having been in and out of rain all day we opted for inside. It would have been okay as it turned out. We shared a terrific bacon wrapped shrimp and shared a salad. Hubby went with cobia in some kind of sauce and I had a second appetizer of a fried shrimp in a Thai chili sauce. Good stuff.

Sort of New Experience

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Note: I was going to post this early, but timing didn’t work out, I will post again the the morning about today (the 30),

We are in Cape Canaveral for a few days. This is one of those pitches for the Holiday Inn Vacation Club which we probably won’t sign up for. Our experience with these type arrangements in the past haven’t worked well for us. My sister, however, has been with Marriott for decades and loves it. Anyway, we’re here because there is supposed to be a telescope launch in the morning and this spot is one of the places to see the launch.Hubby is out now scouting the best spot. We will also go to the Space Center tomorrow for the afternoon bus tour. It’s been a long time since we were here and I imagine lots of things have been added. Since the only other time we came for a launch Mother Nature did not cooperate. Keeping fingers crossed for this time.

Not sure where we’re going for dinner tonight. I looked up different places and was going to make reservations. Then I realized it looks like there is kind of a “restaurant grouping” which is not unusual. I think we’ll go to the area and make a decision after we look around. Of course, being a Saturday, all the really good places might be crowded, but I think we can take a chance.

They were crowded. The Cove must have 8 restaurants; most seafood with upstairs views of the water. We missed the parking lot for the first one we were going to and it was easy for the second one – Fishlips believe it or not. Multiple good things on the menu. I did lobster bisque and then crab cakes. Not really Lump, but basically no filler and pan fried, not deep fried so all was good. Hubby had jerk mahi with mango salsa. Friendly staff and we’ll going back to the “row”. It’s only a six-minute drive and all those choices.

Coffee Pods, Part 2……

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I wasn’t planning a Part 2 when it came to discussing the new coffeemaker, but there are a few things to get used to. I will say now that I have a revised routine in place, it does work well and Hubby was correct about this type being useful.

The way it works is the button for Pod is to the left and Carafe to the right. They can both operate simultaneously as long as everything else is properly set up. So, if the water level in the reservoir for the Pod side is too low, or the old pod is still in, it won’t engage. Okay, got that. Also, even though you can adjust the brew amount for a smaller serving, I like my mugs for coffee. Ah, most of them aren’t quite big enough and thus some spillover. Solution? I have this absurdly-sized mug I never used (and was going to give away). It however, if perfect to brew the pod and pour the right amount into my mugs. Next, the carafe side. Once the pod side is working, it takes right at the same amount of time as I need to rinse the carafe, fill that side with water, grind the beans and get those into the basket. The pod side finishes dripping my first mug and I press “On” for the carafe side. I’d rather not admit how many days it took me to work this all out and I certainly did not express my frustration to Hubby. After all, end results are what counts.

Dual Mod Coffeepot…..

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Okay, our coffeepot was having issues and when Hubby was reading off the $1,000+ we could get, I was quick to say we don’t need something like that. In the way even couples married this long can do, I didn’t understand what he was really saying and he misinterpreted what I meant. No, I meant what I said, but more about that in a moment.

So he orders a basic Kenmore pot and when it comes in, there is a delay getting it out of the box due to our extra busy schedule. In the process of taking it out, I realize our previous miscommunication. It is not that he wanted the $1,000 maker; he did want the dual mode for brewing a pot or a pod. We had in fact once discussed it and I had forgotten. I told him to stop, go ahead and order what he wanted. If our cleaning lady didn’t have someone she could give the pot to, I would put it in the next Pickup Please, an organization that takes household items and clothes. When our cleaning lady came the following week I explained and as it turns out, her coffeepot had died and she hadn’t replaced it yet. A win-win.

Okay, Sunday Hubby finally had time to unbox and set up the new Cuisinart dual-mode coffeemaker and I had cleverly picked up a box of pods. Yesterday, I brewed my mug using the pod side while I put water in the carafe side and ground the beans. The timing works out perfectly and I had my first mug of fresh coffee as the other began to brew. For anyone new to the blog, I am usually up around 5:00 and put the coffee on. We usually have one mug left in the carafe at the end of the morning so I have been re-heating that for my first of the day. Nothing against, but now having truly fresh as the first is extra nice.