Another Day of Caching in Ocean Springs 3/21/2008

We went to Ocean Springs today to do some more caching as there still was some great caches there to do. Our first cache was at a community center, the next cache was at the Wellness Center Walking Trail in a tree, next we were off to one of the local boat launches and a multi-cache, then another car wash cache, then on to another boat launch cache.
Then we were off to the Ocean Springs Civic Center and 2 caches there, one a multi-cache and the other a virtual cache. The multi-cache had to do with a very lovely inlaid mosaic tile mural on the front of the center. The virtual cache was at the Vietnam Memorial where we had to get some information at the various parts of it. Both locations are very lovely and moving. One of the monuments we saw there was for The Submariner's Wife and the inscription on it was very moving as it was dedicated to our wives and the hardships they went through as they served with us. The inscription reads: "The good Lord was creating a model for submariners wives and was into his sixth day of overtime, when an angel appeared, she said "Lord you seem to be having a lot of trouble with this one, what is wrong with the standard model"? The Lord replied, "she is special, she has to be completely independent, possess both the qualities of father and mother, be a perfect hostess to four or forty with an hours notice, run on black coffee, handle every emergency imaginable without a manual, be able to carry on cheerfully even if she is pregnant and has the flu. She must be willing to move to a new location at any time and oh yes she must have six pairs of hands". The angel shook her head. The Lord continued "don't worry I will make other submariners wives to help her. I will give her an unusually strong heart so it can swell with pride in her husband's achievements, sustain the pain of separations, beat soundly when it is overworked and tired, be large enough to say "I understand" when she doesn't and say "I love you" regardless. Lord said the angel, touching his arm gently, go to bed and get some rest you can finish tomorrow. I can't stop now said the Lord I am so close to creating something unique, already this model heals herself when she is sick, can put up six unexpected guests for the weekend, wave goodbye to her husband from a pier and understand why it is important that he leave. The angel circled the model of the submariners wife, looked at it closely and sighed "it looks fine but it is too soft".She might look soft replied the Lord but she has the strength of a lion, you would not believe what she can endure. Finally the angel bent over and ran her fingers across the cheek of the Lord's creation "there's a leak" she announced "something is wrong with the construction. I am not surprised that it has cracked you are trying to put to much into this model". The Lord appeared offended "what you see is not a leak" he said "it is a tear". "A tear" replied the angel, "what is it there for" asked the angel? The Lord replied "it's for joy, sadness, pain, disappointment, loneliness, pride, and a dedication to all the values that she and her husband hold dear. "You are a genius" replied the angel. The Lord looked puzzled and replied "I didn't put it there".
The next cache was at another park behind the baseball diamond in the woods, then we drove to the Wilson House Inn a bed and breakfast in Orange Grove. The log home was built in 1923 and the original owner was remembered for the acres of orange orchards they planted. The house was altered slightly in 1994 to offer modern conveniences and is currently a peaceful get-away bed and breakfast. They serve a hot southern style breakfast that features good old homemade biscuits. Then it was across the street to Shed's BBQ and a cache there behind the restaurant. This place reminded us of Dinosaur BBQ back in Syracuse. Strictly a "REDNECK" place and like the painted chair says "the first little pig built his house out of wood, the second little pig built his out of brick and the third little pig built his house out of junk and called it The Shed". There was junk all over the restaurant but it was very quaint and cute with everything all over the walls, ceilings, tables, counters and all over. We had lunch there and the BBQ was amazing. Then we were off to Shiloh Cemetery, a small cemetery located out in the middle of nowhere where we had a multi-cache do to with a confederate grave site. Then it was back off to the RV after a quick stop in Biloxi. Mom did the logs and I showered, we had dinner and I am trying to catch up on the blogs, boy you miss one day and it's tough to catch up. Well time to say until tomorrow and we love you all and miss you very much.


Picture List:1-Mosaic Mural at the Civic Center,2,3-The Submariner's Wife Monument, 4,5,6,7,8,9,-The Submariner's Monument (front & back), 10-MK14 Torpedo, 11-Colonial Pioneers Statue, 12-2nd Lt. Ira C. Welborn heroes plaque, he was with the 9th US Infantry in Cuba when he voluntarily left shelter and went, under fire, to the aid of a private of his company who was wounded (plaques like these are throughtout the park), 13,14-USS Mississippi Main Mast, 15-UH-1H "Huey" Helicopter, 16,17-Shiloh Cemetery and the gravesite of a Confederate States of America soldier in the 3rd Mississippi Infantry, 18,19,20,21,22-Vietnam Memorial, 23,24,25,26,27,28-The Shed BBQ.