The Greek Revival-style mansion on a quiet residential street in the tiny town of Latta, S.C., was lovingly converted into Abingdon Manor, a country inn and restaurant, by owners Patty and Michael Griffey.
It was time for Annie and Bob (Smitty) Smith to return to Vero Beach after a visit to New Jersey in the fall of 2000. Smitty had recently undergone open-heart surgery and was on a restricted diet, but the drive back to Marbrisa was one they had made many times over the 20 years since they first came to Vero Beach. Smitty had searched the Internet to find a comfortable place to stay, as close to halfway as possible, where he and Annie could enjoy a health-conscious dinner.
Annie recalls, “I overheard Smitty talking to someone on the phone about preparing crab cakes and asked him what it was all about. Smitty said, ‘Annie, I think I’ve found the perfect place for us to stay.’”
The trip is long and tedious, a visual assault on the senses. Sitting in traffic outside the metropolitan areas, waiting for accidents to be cleared from the two-lane stretches of I-95, passing miles of orange construction barrels and coping with speeding trucks is unpleasant.
No matter how affable your companion, no matter how interesting the book on tape, the trip goes on forever.
Read the entire article in the November 2006 issue
True Tails is a series written by Amy Robinson for Vero Beach’s dog lovers. Ask Amy about your dog’s behavior by clicking below. Smith to return to Vero Beach after a visit to New Jersey in the fall of 2000.){kind=link}
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