Monday, March 27, 2017

A Treasure from a TREASURE....Jean Marie


Today is my mom's 92nd birthday...she's celebrating in heaven!
My sister, Donna, came across this gem yesterday while she was
searching for pictures.
What a treasure, and it certainly gives you more of a glimpse
of what a "corker" my mom was.
(Corker - Irish meaning a remarkable or excellent thing or person)
She kept a diary of a two week vacation in Florida with Donna's Family
on Captiva Island  then visiting us in NE Florida.
After reading this, I wish she kept a daily dairy of her life...
so entertaining and funny she was!

And who the heck is "Dear Abby"! ...lol
The columnist?!?

Mom/Nana, you are missed always...thank you for leaving this treasure behind.

^^Her writing corner^^
...notice the bucket at her feet. it will be mentioned in her diary :)


Saturday, 10th July left alone on a deserted island Captiva with three children no lights no gas no nothing no phone.
mother and father out looking at the scenery and enjoying all kinds of food and drinks while children go hungry it's a case for child abuse division if my cell phone worked I'd report the parents to Florida authorities?
author writer -unknown

"Things to Do on Island" continued from Saturday to Sunday-
Donna and Danny went out for breakfast..Ron and Ryan went out for lunch..Nana and Jamie stayed home..Nana finally made it to the beach and back I couldn't wait to get back to my porch.
Ron, Donna and boys just left for a boat ride to see the dolphins.
Nana stayed here to mind Jamie's "frog".
The family is treating children good today. They're afraid I was going to report them.
Called Grace for happy birthday called Jim and CJ to say Hi.




Monday
Family just left to go bike riding around the island,
Nana stayed here admiring the ocean from my screened in porch it's beautiful here.
Ron told me to wake him at
8 AM so he could take an hour ride to Publix food store as they have none on the island so he got up at 1 o'clock never made Publix.
I think they're really into this island scene Ron thinks he's Tom Hanks in "Castaway" fighting off the sharks.
I'm still minding Jamie's frog $5 an hour.



Happy Birthday to Debbie July 13th Tuesday Danny (the early bird) was up at 7am -I came out of bedroom and went on my porch all of a sudden a helicopter was flying overhead I thought it was going to crash it knocked off a load of treetops. Danny and I watched from porch -rest of family sound asleep. Sometimes I think I'm on "Gillian's Island" Ron had a nurse shark following him in the water I'm glad it wasn't a doctor shark.
Today is Debbie's birthday wish she was here we will celebrate
next Friday.
Donna and Danny going to beach to collect "seashells by the seashore". Tom Hanks still in bed (I wish)

Tuesday, July 13th
continued special edition for Deb's birthday
Donna and Danny are now on the beach collecting seashells. Danny just brought me a big bucket full of salt water so I can sit on porch and splash myself "what a life"
10:30 am Ron, Ryan and Jamie still sleeping ha ha what else is new? this island is Captiva which means they capture you and hold you hostage. hope I get out (escape)to catch my plane back home.
Ron just got up 1130 he must be hungry no breakfast in bed. Ron and Donna rented bikes and we're gone riding for one hour stopped back here had lunch and rested for their next trip around the island they think this cottage is the "dew drop inn"they all just went to pool which is right in the yard
next to our place the boys just came upstairs I am still getting my tan on my porch oops there goes Donna and Ron down to the beach to see the sunset they look like honeymooners sitting on the sand together and digging for seashells. we called Debbie earlier and sang happy birthday. watching the sunset every day never seen the sunrise. Ron Donna and Danny just left for supper out Nana Ryan and Jamie eating in and watching All-Star baseball good night I'm having July 13 published never knew I could write a book


Captiva Island Wednesday, July 14
Donna just took a bike ride to get today's paper. We have to see how the rest of the world is living. Ron Ryan and Jamie still sleeping it's
11:30 AM they missed the sunrise again. Ron had an accident last night when his inflated bed collapsed (not funny haha) I'm going to pool for a while it's 1 o'clock..no I am not going as Donna and Danny just came back.
The family was up half the night packing as they said they were leaving this morning but I think most of family didn't wake up in time (like you know who).
Donna and Danny are getting to be real Islanders always on the go.
5 o'clock we're all going out to eat all the crabs you can eat nite. ( over)



Left for Morgan's Forest to have our supper -crab nite.
The place was beautiful (if you could see what you were eating) you see it once and that's enough. I did bring most of my supper home for my lunch today no crabs, they wouldn't fit in my takeout container ha ha. I really enjoyed my night out with family- next stop "Dairy Queen"for ice cream (brought back memories from Irvington center) "Big Beautiful place on island was Jerry's food market which we stopped for Cold cuts for the families boat trip tomorrow. I had a very nice time. good night
PS I think we all have cuts on us from our crab fight nite out. The crabs were like swords.



Thursday
the gangs got up early this morning (I'm so proud of Ron he made it.
Right now, they should be out looking for a spot on the island to have their brown bag lunch they wanted me to go but I'll stay on land I think they can't pick seashells where they're going. Ron is driving the boat maybe that's why I'll stay on land another ha ha. every time I see a boat go by I think it's them I'm sure they will ride by to tease me or pick me up no way will I go out on boat with Ron as he draws the sharks and dolphins around him. I'll be happy when I know they are back on land. I guess I'll call their cell phone and check on them. I think they found Gilligans Island.


By the way I'm still making money by staying here and minding the pet again today (frog) just tried to call them but they were not available at this time. oops I think they just rode by here Up and down down, close to shore.
I waved a big beach towel with stars and stripes from the porch.
the boat was rocking I think the water is rough today couldn't find kids binoculars to check out boat, I'm pretty sure it was them the driver was really showing off  heehee.
Can't get them on my cell phone and there's a storm blowing up.
water is really rough right now.
maybe they found a better island and they forgot me and the frog.


Continued Thursday
They are definitely leaving me on this island. I know because they won't answer their cell phone. I called three times I am all right here because I have the food and drinks. I just had steak baked potato and salad for lunch and a beer. When I run out of food I can make frog soup. Sorry Jamie it's either me or your pet. There's a boat coming in closer to shore it looks like it's drifting hope they're not out of gas. this might be my last song! "Twas on the Isle of Captiva that they left me"
sorry I'm running out of ink.  love to all, mom and Nana (over)

my cell phone just rang I thought it was them family it was Jimmy he had to leave his car in hillside last night as it was flooded from rainstorm he walked home and got his car later he called from work today reception was bad so he'll call later tonight. the gangs all back from boat ride they shared their lunch with "Captain" who wants Ron to move down here and work for him giving boat rides to the tourists. He said Rons a great navigator.
we're waiting for our last sunset on Captiva Island we leave in the morning maybe we'll see the first sunrise (don't take any bets)
"good night all"



Friday
our last day here we have to get the show on the road Danny took his last walk on the beach looking for lizards Freddy the frog disappears every night but arrives back every morning the suitcases are lined up at front door it's 830 and guess what? Rons up with the roosters.
our plans are to check out from the island and head to Jacksonville and visit Jessica and Rachel. Debbie will meet us there pick me up and I'll spend the rest of time in interlachen
until I leave on a plane on Tuesday.
I better get off my butt and finish packing I'm on the porch watching the beautiful scenery.
we never did see the sunrise I was awake all night with leg cramps (bad night)


Friday night continued
we left the island of Captiva headed for Jacksonville for a barbecue at Jessica and Rachel's new house.
we didn't get to their house until 730 or
8 o'clock (six hour ride) Debbie and Christa met us there. Ron, Donna and boys left for home about 12 am.
I headed back to Debbie's -it rained
Saturday so we couldn't go to beach it rained Sunday but we decided to take a ride to beach for lunch with Debbie's gang everyone left after lunch and Debbie and me went back on the beach looking for dolphins we sat so long it was time for supper so we had foot-long hotdogs we're having mine today for lunch when Debbie gets home. we almost got arrested on beach for indecent exposure but we told the sheriff we were related to Lt Ron Reale so he let us off with a warning. he told Debbie never come to the beach again or he will give her a ticket. I was a good girl Debbie was a bad girl. when I get back home I expect to see bongo drums at Ron's house Danny and all of us had a real island concert I have to tell



^^My all time favorite..she did NOT want to leave the beach that night^^
which is why the police had to chase us off since I had my car on the beach

uncle Leo about Danny being a natural on the drums he took the house down that's why we couldn't leave our barbecue party.
we had a great time I slept half the next day oh I forgot when we were having all the giant hot dog supper Debbie saw a dolphin pass by I missed it as I had to make a "pitstop"
when I leave tomorrow the sun will be back thank goodness for the plane ride home.
Deb just came in and had half of a hotdog and left for palaka on business.
I'm looking forward to getting home to see the picture that Donna took of me and my new boyfriend Hunter better yet maybe I'll pack him up and take him home with me. I hope Debbie gets me to the plane on time I think Rachel and Jessica are going to be at the airport to see me off I'll tell them to bring my boyfriend along. had a great vacation continued- next year .2005


 Mom,
we adore you as much as Hunter did!
Thanks for this wonderful memory...
You constantly bring a smile to our faces!

Happy 90th Birthday!


































Sunday, March 19, 2017

Love What You Find



^^a bumper sticker on the car of a kindred spirit also exploring Bulow Creek^^
ok, we will! Thanks for the advice!


Back in 1831, John Audubon, painted this picture

Greater Yellowlegs

directly across the creek from where
this picture


 was taken!
Florida has quite a number of amusements "parks", and I'm sure
I've been to most of them and have truly enjoyed them,
but
when it comes to parks,
this is the type of place where my heart belongs...


The other day,
Mish and I took the opportunity to do some exploring.
Bulow Creek is a great nearby destination, and
our whole time there we saw only two other people.
No lines, $4 total admission and with
my new Timberlands on my feet
we were ready to roll.

(Side note:  Quote of the day...
Mish: "Hiking through here, you need to simultaneously
look down for snakes while looking up for spider webs!" True!)









Lol...most of the pictures that I took on this day were of Michelle
taking pictures...(still the mom capturing moments of her daughter), and since technically
she is not the subject of this post, the pictures posted here are limited.
Now if I get my hands on her photos, well. then I'll have some displaying to do!

Bulow Creek,


Disney may have Cinderella's castle,
but you have
Fairchild Oak,
the largest live oak in the south
and over 2000 years old!

Now,
I've heard the term "tree-hugger",
but if you ask me,


this grandfather of an oak is reaching out to hug.

 And
I'll certainly be back for one!

"and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."
~Robert Frost