I just love making peoples' days:)

CRANE COUNT: 178

Well, we are nearing the end of our trip, which is sad, but also good in some ways. It will be nice to get home and see friends and get settled down before going back to college- get laundry done and all of that exciting stuff. I will, however, miss sailing every morning, the smell of saltwater in the air, being permanently sandy, wearing flip flops...actually I will miss pretty much everything about the ocean...

Yesterday, my dad and I went for a morning sail in Pensacola Bay, then we headed in to the historic district in town. Most the buildings were closed for the holidays, but we toured the outsides, enjoyed the weather, and had lunch at a little cafe called Dharma Blue. It turned out to be one of the best restaurants I've been to on this trip, with literally the crunchiest homemade fries I've ever had....mmmm.

All day I had been meeting people and forgetting to "crane" them, but finally I remembered at lunch. When I handed our waitress, Amber, the tiny slightly wrinkled crane made out of a travel brochure, her face lit up, she gave me a giant hug, and told me I had made her day. The fact that I had made her day actually made my day! Thank you, Amber. Here she is, smiling with her crane under the Dharma Blue sign.

177- Amber, Dharma Blue Cafe, Pensacola FL

Ok, I really want to do justice to explaining the new project I want to support, the Falling Whistles Campaign, an organization working towards peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I don't have time right now, so I'm going to have to ask for a rain check!

Right after this, going to the Pensacola Pelican Drop and seeing Andy Grammer! (famous for his song "Keep Your Head Up," of course!) I made quite a few cranes in advance, so I'm definitely going to give some away tonight!

Happy New Year!! Here's to a year of less natural disasters + more peace (and peace cranes) all around the world.