Adventure in Travel to Betty's

Women’s Christmas Fellowship and Bible Study

“As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15

December 18, 2009

Our church women’s group meets once a month for fellowship and Bible study. Today’s adventure has little to do with the Bible study, but how I got there. Normally, we meet at the Church, but since it was a special month, Betty invited to her gorgeous house. The Bible study/fellowship was in her completely finished basement. This is the way I entered the house and thought it was her living quarters. But, no her living quarters were even more beautiful. We are studying the book of Joshua.

But I have digressed…

We were supposed to meet at 10:00 am. I left my house at 9:15 am for the approximate fifteen mile trip. Florida has in my opinion, a very strange way of numbering highway. There are the Interstates, of course…I-4, I-10, I-75 and I-95. US highway and state roads are fairly early to follow. But County Roads, on the other hand, are a complete mystery to me. County A, County L and County M converge in a corner. Each of these counties has a road with the same route number and do not connect to each other. The ONLY difference is that each County road sign is labeled with the county name and the route number.

I plugged in Betty’s name in white pages on line. It gave me an address which I then plugged into Map Quest. Since I was starting my journey from County L, Map Quest gave me great directions…northwest. I was looking for XXXXX (house number) on L County 335. But when I got there, there was no house. I went up and down a couple of side roads, talked to several men who tried to be helpful, but obviously could not with my directions. I had left my cell at home. I had not brought Betty’s phone number with me. I finally stopped at a house where there were some vehicles. I asked the man if he would make a phone call for me. He invited me in. I grew up in a policeman’s home and would never let anyone in. But, I was blessed and he did not seem to be scared of me. He could not find a phone book, called his wife, who told him where it was.

This is a small town and the phone book is equally small. He gave the Gainesville phone book. Oops, no cigar. Finally, got the right book and called Betty who told me to go to 316 and then to 335. She mentioned she lived in County M, but it went right over my hairspray. I was near County L 335 and know where County L 316 is located. Unfortunately, I was lookin’ in the wrong County. The directions made absolutely no sense. So, I went back to the place from which I started and called again. One of the other ladies answered. She tried to give me directions, but she is very bad at it. Another, who gives directions well, got on the phone and told me I should be in County M 316. OHHHHHHHHH! That’s what is wrong. She actually met me at the end of 316 as Betty lives on a dead end street near by.

Sixty something miles after I started, I landed safely at Betty’s—due East from my house. One hour and five minutes late! Ouch!

Kay, our local artist, makes wonderful gifts for us from time to time. She uses a polymer base and does amazing work. She has given us leaves and flowers cast from live leaves and flowers. She gave us each a beautiful Easter cross with a dogwood implanted on it. The latest gift is for Christmas.  She used an antique sterling bracelet (over 100 years old) originally designed by Italian Artist F. Peruzzi and cast a portion of it which was a beautiful little cherub angel. She gave each of us women one signed by her with the date. Love gifts like this cannot be minimized. They are beautiful.

The Bible study went great and the fellowship was even better. The group has decided that we will meet each December at Betty’s house. I will be able to find my way there next year, because I will go to the correct county.

I, however, can never do anything simply!! So, we will see!