DAY 3 – Friday 1/13/23
Who: Sue (64), DVC Member
Holli (58), friend & co-worker
Vickie (58), Holli’s best friend & college roommate

Plan: Nectar, Hilton Head Island South Tour, Wise Guys

Actual: I slept much better last night – was awake less than the night before. I didn’t get up until a little after 5. I made my cappuccino and took it back to bed to do my online stuff. I could tell it had rained last night, although none of us heard it at all. Eventually Vickie came down to make caffee and I told her I’m thinking it’s best if I don’t do the nature hike tomorrow. It wouldn’t be fair to everyone else in the group if I couldn’t keep up. She understood and agreed.

Pretty soon Holli came down and had her coffee while I worked on the puzzle, then she joined me at the puzzle table after she’d “woken up” a bit. Vickie took her shower and we headed out around 9 for breakfast at Nectar. Vickie insisted on dropping me off at the door so Holli & I got out of the car and waited at the entrance for Vickie to park and join us. We were seated right away, at the table next to the table we’d had last year.

They really did a nice job of theming and attention to detail here – it’s just a lovely space. Our server was great, and it wasn’t terribly busy. They started with coffee and I ordered a mimosa. Evidently on Friday mornings they’re only $5 (per the server) so that was a nice surprise. Holli ordered a breakfast biscuit sandwich with hash browns. The biscuit was huge so she abandoned that and ate the sandwich filling and the hash browns. She raved about the hash browns. Vickie got their oatmeal and said it was wonderful – more than she could finish, but she loved it. It comes w/seasonal fruit compote. I ordered the tomato hand pie, which is flaky pastry filled with gouda cheese and diced tomatoes. It was also very good – just as I remembered.

After settling the check we returned to the resort and discovered none of us had brought our room key. Vickie is the most mobile and fastest, so she ran over to Live Oak Lodge and had her key replaced. Once inside I found my key card in the pocket of the jeans I wore yesterday. I quickly updated the report and spent a few minutes at the puzzle table until it was time to walk over for our 11am island tour.

At the recreation window we checked in and signed the waiver, then asked about canceling my participation on tomorrow’s Pinkney Island excursion. They processed a credit to the card that was used (Holli’s) without any hesitation. Soon Mike the pool guy showed up and rounded up everyone on the tour. We recognized one of the couples from last year – they were on the north tour with us. They come every year at this time and always do both of Mike’s tours.

We set out in the van, and I’d left the meeting spot a little early and ended up leading the way for the whole group, going at my pace. That gave us the best choice of seats and chose the row behind Mike (seats 3) that would be easiest to get in and out. We made a number of detours to things not on the tour that Mike just wanted to show us – all interesting and useful stuff. He brought us to many scenic points and gave lots of history on the island.

We continued into Sea Pines and spent quite a bit of time driving around in there. Besides multi-million dollar homes, golf courses, the lighthouse and shops we saw the stables, chickens, lots of alligators in the wild, and lots of people playing pickleball (the new craze)! Mike gave us the history of Sea Pines and how it came to be – very interesting stuff.

We were back at the resort at 1pm and he dropped us off at our building. Once inside Vickie announced she was hungry, so she & Holli decided to split a pimento cheese sandwich from Tide Me Over. I wasn’t hungry at all, so declined their offer to bring me something. We’re eating again at 4:30, so if I need something there’s plenty to pick from in the fridge (including my leftover pimento cheese spread from Poseidon).

They came back with a cuban sandwich and a salad, which they shared. They also brought me a big Mickey soft pretzel with cheese sauce. I love the pretzels but not the cheese – Vickie & I each nibbled on pieces of the pretzel but between us didn’t quite eat half of it.

I updated the report, then went out to work on the puzzle until General Hospital would come on at 2pm. Vickie went up for her nap around 2, leaving Holli & I to work on the puzzle. I kept an eye on General Hospital and move into the living room during the scene I was most interested in.

Around 3:30 I got the laptop and sat on the couch in the living with my leg up on the coffee table. It was looking very overcast and cloudy outside, which surprised us both. The internet dropped again and despite trying over and over again it wasn’t reconnecting. I’d reconnect to their wifi but it would say “no internet’. It figures – I had internet while I was doing stuff that didn’t need it, and now that I wanted to get online the damn thing doesn’t work. Duane mentioned it hasn’t dropped at all in his building, which is right next door.

Holli & I finished the puzzle. By now it was 4pm so she went upstairs to wake up Vickie. Last January when we went to Wise Guys at 4:30 and waited outside for 5 minutes or so to finish a conference call we went inside to find the bar full and finding a table difficult. We didn’t want a repeat of that, and I’m not sure if a Friday night will be busier (it was Sunday night last year). Just before we left and of course the internet was back up.

We arrived at Wise Guys at 4:26 and were able to walk right in. A few people were already seated at the bar and we decided to take one of the high-top 4-seat tables. We received a pile of menus (cocktails/wine, food, early dining, specials) but knew we’d be picking from the “small plates” section. During happy hour these are $2 off. There’s also a discount on cocktails and bottles of wine.

Vickie ordered red wine, I had a sauvignon blanc and Holli wanted something fizzy so she got prosecco with ginger ale and a skewer of fresh berries. For food Vickie got the French onion soup and Holli & I ordered the short rib sliders with house-made chips. The food here is excellent, and what we saw going to other tables also looked wonderful. The sliders are messy but delicious and Vickie loved the onion soup.

While Vickie was napping I’d asked Holli if she though Vickie would want to do this again next year and Holli’s immediate response that it would give her something to look forward to. I brought it up to Vickie in the car and she said she’d love to do it again, as long as she’s able, and it will give her something to look forward to, lol! It’s not like she doesn’t travel – she does! But she clearly enjoys these trips (we all do).

Back at the resort the internet was still up but by the time I got changed and settled down with the laptop I got through a single email before it went down again. This is really getting old, and will definitely be reflected in my satisfaction survey! Holli & Vickie changed into swimsuits, poured some wine into the “to go” coffee cups and went to enjoy the hot tub. They’re going to freeze when they get out! I poured my own glass of wine and settled down on the couch, updating the report before continuing to fight with the internet here.

They were back before 7 and said other people were there as well. They also said it wasn’t that cold walking back – I guess the hot tub warmed their bodies up. The internet went down again, and then it was a constant battle – it would be down longer than it would be up. Thoroughly disgusted, I decided to focus on getting today’s report posted and then put the laptop away.

Overall today was another great day – it’s wonderful being here! Mike’s tour was great, as were both of our meals. Tomorrow I’ll relax in the villa while the others do the Pinkney Island excursion. After that we’ll do lunch at Frankie Bones, and later the Cocoa and S’mores activity at the resort. Should be a nice day, although the weather will be colder.
Sue/WDW1972