ELMER TELLS OF TRIP TO FLORIDA

Because of the impending snow storm, Eli and I decided we should go to Rochester and get a hotel or motel room on Monday as our train was leaving on Tuesday, which we did.  We got there early, so we went to lunch and left our luggage at the desk.  When we returned our luggage was in our room.  We spent most of the afternoon reading, talking and praying that we would have a good safe trip.

At dinner time, we went to the restaurant for dinner and came back to our room.  We were just about to settle in for the evening when we got a telephone call from Amtrak asking if we could go on the train that night instead of tomorrow.  To make a long story short, they were putting on another car and everybody that they could get out of Rochester on Monday evening, they wanted them out before the storm started.  While Eli was speaking with Amtrak, Porter called me on my cell phone and told me about the same thing.  So we packed up, got a cab to Amtrak and got on the train to New York City. We paid for a hotel room we never slept in.

We were surprised at how many people were at Amtrak when we got there.  They were worried that the trains may be cancelled tomorrow due to the snow.  We got on the train and went to New York City.  Ususally, when we make the Rochester to New York City trip, we have to wait several hours for our next train, but not this time.  The train was there, we checked in, found our sleeping cars - we were right across from each other.  The train was there another hour, or hour and a half before it left.

When we got settled in, Eli and Emma came over to our car and we were about to start our prayers when there was a knock at the door.  We opened and there was a Porter with tea and snacks for us all.  We thanked him, but didn't order it.  This Porter got a smile and said a friend of yours sent it down.  We knew who it was - our friend Porter.  The gentleman that came to our door was in training for Porter.  Our friend Porter knowing we were on, sent the tea and snacks down.  We were told we would see him the next day.  The tea hit the spot on all of us.  With the train ride and all, we didn't get to bed until around 2:00 AM.

In the morning, we woke up later than we usually do, and went for breakfast.  When we got back our sleeping car was all fixed up for the day.  Mid-morning Porter came to welcome us and chat with us for a while.  He said he thought we were going to be stopped somewhere along the way as the snow was getting worse, but not to worry as we would stay on the train - all our meals would go on, we could walk around the train, etc. except we wouldn't be moving.  Porter's word came true as we pulled into the train station near Washington, D.C. and stopped.  They didn't know how long we were going to be there.  We could get off the train if we wanted to but we decided to stay where we were.  With all the snow coming down, we didn't want to go out in it.  All we could wonder was how things were going at home.

We stopped there on Tuesday and didn't move until Thursday almost at noon time.  Our train was not the only one there.  We did got off once to tour the train station, get some reading material at the store there along with a couple of items we forgot but that was it.  Of course, we had to call ahead and tell our driver that we wouldn't be there and to arrange  another day and time. Also, Eli called his parents to tell them what happened and we would be late.  We did have a good time talking and praying with Porter, when he got the chance to stop in.

Finally pulled into Florida on Friday.  Our driver was there to meet us and drive us to Pinecraft.  Amos, Fanny, Albert and Olive were there to greet us when we arrived.  Our cabin was already for us when we arrived.  Eli and Emma went to stay with his parents in their cabin.  We rested most of the day and had dinner at Albert and Olive's.

The first day, we kind of rested.  We did go for a walk and visited with Eli's parents and Albert and Olive.  Dinner that night was at Amos and Fanny's.  Now we are getting into more activities and walking more places.  Eli is again trying to talk us into buying the cabin we are in.  Like, we always do, Anna and I talk about it, but I don't know.  It's hard to think of retirement.

We heard how bad it was back home.  Eli and I had so much help from family, church members and friends.  We couldn't help saying, we did pick a good time to leave.

Trust God's Wisdom,
Elmer