Friday's check list didn't get completed before guests arrived, which was ok... who cares about a little dust. Although the bike tire pump didn't get packed, which later proved to be detrimental. 
Mary, Patty and Nathan arrived by 4pm. Nathan was full of energy (as usual) and was good fun for Dan and us. Although the horses and turkey were not so sure about this energized, crazy, silly young man.
We had a little family cook out so Mike could visit with all the Iowans since he was getting left behind with insufficient vacation time to join us. 
Dan and Nathan continued to entertain each other and some of us.
Even though it was a late night Friday, we were up fairly early Saturday and preparing to depart. Abbey was going through the last of the items to go in the car.
After a long drive and checking into our hotel in Chattanooga, we went to a nearby park to walk off the car-lag and kinks from sitting 9 hours.
I thought this collection of gourd bird houses was interesting.
We had a nice walk, even though Britney was not cooperative for picture taking. During dinner we got a good laugh at Joe when the lid of the pepper shaker came off and the contents of the whole container spilled out on his cottage cheese. The poor guy.
Britney and I enjoyed a beautiful sunset while walking after dinner.
We were back in the car Saturday for eight more hours of sitting.
Finally reaching the island at 4pm, we were ready to vacation! Yahoo!
"A vacation is having nothing to do and all day to do it in". Robert Orben
The two car loads from Iowa had arrived earlier than us, and already had the groceries bought and unpacked.
This is our beach house rental, "Fish Called Wanda", which was more cost
efficient because it was not on the beach but across the street from it. 
It still had a great view of the beach from the deck on the west side and was within walking distance of the sand and surf. 
The beach is one of the few natural, uncommercialized, family-oriented and uncrowded beaches left along the South Carolina coast.
Lauren and Shelby, who had hit the beach as soon as they arrived, were back to show off their shell finds.Nathan and I wanted to explore the island on the bikes, but with very low tires, first rode them to the rental place to get air (since our tire pump was in Illinois). Nathan, on Dan's bike, later had a blow out, rupturing inner tube & rubber tire. So biking did not last long.
Monday was a great day to sit on the beach because it was overcast and
windy and not that hot laying in the sun... however, by day's end,
there were several sunburned bodies. People just didn't realize how
intense the sun was.
The water felt warm so people spent hours in the surf... swimming, boogie boarding, and body surfing.
Courtney was not so sure about joining the swimmers.
Joe got a new tire for the bike and two more were rented, so biking was again enjoyed. Joe made a trip to the airport in Charleston to get Dan and Valencia.
Tuesday we hit the beach early. It was sunny, not very windy and hot.
Patty
TracyThe water felt great.
Lauren and Shelby on the boogie boards.
Valencia coming out of the surf.
Nathan, who has been making short, six second silly videos, needed a sand castle, so we got right on that project.
Nice pedicure Teresa.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Courtney, who was badly sunburned, stayed in and knitted.
This is the beautiful hand bag she finished while "home bound".
Mary and Patty.
In the afternoon, there was time spent reading, relaxing and sitting in the shade or air conditioned house.
We went for a drive to see Botany Bay Plantation but it was closed. We still enjoyed the drive down the road through the live oaks.
During one bike outing, I spotted this turtle near the golf course, making its way to a different pond.
Evenings were spent playing games, watching TV and messing on our computers. Tuesday night's 9pm turtle walk group was back by 10pm because of the lightening but they had a successful go at it again on Wednesday night, not getting home until after midnight.
Wednesday's Heat index was 110. The Iowa clan and Dan and Valencia went to Charleston.
They ate lunch at Bubba Gumb's and then the young adults went for a crazy and wild banana boat ride.
We other four went two miles down the road to The State Park Interpretative Center and Nature Trail.
Above, in a fish tank, a flounder can barely be seen. They change colors to match their environment. To the right, the tame squirrels wait at the door for a possible handout. Below, goofy hikers, not cooperating but making fun of the photographer.
A look at Indian Shell Mound, an important archeological site at least 4,000 years old.
The trail was an ideal place to view Low country forest up close. Look at the vines on the tree behind Britney.
Seen growing on this oak branch is Reserection Fern. They were covering the trunks and branches of many trees. It is an air plant that attaches itself to other plants and gets its nutrients from the air and water that collects on the outer surface of bark.
Thursday was another very hot, humid day. It included biking, walking, swimming, and sunning... and hanging out at the beach house to cool off. 
We all got dressed up to go out to dinner.
Dan and Valencia right.
Tracy and Teresa left.
We went to the Waterfront Restaurant... that was actually inland and had no view of the water, but the food was great.
Illinoi's Villhauers and Valencia.
Below left, Joe and his three sisters, right- Volk's and Shelby
The whole gang.
Steve Hatfield, the husband of my teacher friend Sarah, who works at Glacier National Park during the summer, came to join us. He was nice enough to take our group photo.
Below, Joe and I are enjoying a drink at the bar with Steve.
We had a bit of a wait before getting seated.
Leaving with their doggie bags to go home, the girls treated these feral cats (5 total) to some left overs.
Friday we were up early and on the road before 7am. We dropped Dan and Valencia off at the airport in Savanna by 9am. Courtney, Joe and I proceeded to Tennessee. We left Britney behind due to lack of room in the vehicle. She wanted to stay at the beach anyway, since she didn't need to be home for work Monday morning.
We checked in to a motel in Lenoir at 3:30 and then went to explore
more of Tellico Village... looking at these stables 15 minutes away,
walking the only trail, and swimming at the fitness center. We had
dinner at Ruby Tuesday's and were back to the motel by 9pm.
Saturday we looked at houses, lots of houses. We started at Tellico
Village at 9:30, seeing 7 houses. Then, on our way to Mt. Juliet, we
stopped in at Fairfield Glade, a community we had earlier crossed off
our list. We saw 4 houses there, and decided this location was back in
the running. Courtney was a real trooper, going through each home with us and taking notes as we made observations and asked questions. Finally arriving at Lake Providence, we only had one house
and one model home to look at. This is a Del Webb retirement community
where the houses in our price range are selling like hot cakes, only on
the market a day, and getting asking price. This is my favorite
location, but at the high end of our price range. 
After checking into our hotel in Mt. Juliet, Joe and I drove back to the
Del Web and rode our bikes all around on the walking trails. It is a
beautiful, well groomed neighborhood, with nice paths, some through wooded
areas. These two photos (taken off the internet) are of some of the paths we rode on. 
As we compared houses, we feel we would get the most for our money
at Fairfield Glade, and that it is preferred over Tellico Village
because, being up on the Cumberland Plateau,
it isn't as hilly and the weather is a little more moderate. Also, it isn't quite as spread out. I am still
hoping, against all odds, for a house at Lake Providence, in a good
location and at an affordable price, to be on the market long enough for us to buy it. I know... dream on.
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