Amy's Rear View Mirror

Bushnell, FL and the trip to TX

January - February - March 2002

 
Here's my daily journal during my winter off ...

12/31 Monday New Years Eve Day I spent the afternoon volunteering with several others to help Doug, the cook, with preparing the food for our party tonight. The food was really great ... smothered chicken, rice, peas, rolls, salad, and bread pudding with lemon sauce. After everyone ate we cleaned up and then the music and dancing started. I came back to the motorhome around 10 PM and spent the next 2 hours making New Years phone calls. At midnight you could hear the locals shooting off their guns. When that was finished I took Lady out for a walk and then went to bed.

1/1 Tuesday At noon on New Years Day we all met at the club house for black-eyed peas and cornbread. Doug made the peas and everyone brought their favorite cornbread to share so I spent the morning making fried cornbread. After social hour I ended up over at Fred & Gail's rig and we visited most of the evening.

1/2 Wednesday afternoon I went to the doctor for my rash. He looked worried but couldn't determine much since it's hibernating due to the cold weather we're having. He drew some blood for a test and told me to call the office as soon as the rash re-appears so he can see me that day. I spent the evening at Lazy Days with Ed & Maria Jones checking out their new rig. Ed is still teasing me that this rash is a STD (sexually transmitted disease) and I need a fling to get rid if it. Maria just shakes her head and tells me to ignore him since he's a dirty old man.

1/3 Thursday I ran errands in the morning. I spent a few hours in the afternoon working on the latest puzzle in the club house. It's a 1000 piece glow-in-the dark picture of a haunted house. Then I came back to the motorhome to prepare a Squash Casserole for tonight's potluck supper. We had plenty of food as usual.

1/4 Friday I spent most of the day reading. I finished Trust Fund by Stephen Frey. It was a really good story if you like family money and power.

1/5 Saturday morning I woke up to discover I've got mice in the rig. After breakfast I ran up to Walmart to get something to take care of this little problem. Then I spent the afternoon and evening visiting with Gary & Nancy Brinck at their house in Silver Springs. We had a great visit ... it had been since Oct '99 when we met in Ellijay GA for the Apple Festival. They sent me home with a bag of oranges they had picked on their property. yum!

1/6 Sunday I hung around the campground with the ladies in the puzzle room. We completed the glow-in-the-dark puzzle of a picture of a haunted house with cobwebs but no ghosts. We left the light on in the room all day and waited until after the ice cream social to see what we could see ... when you turned the lights out the ghosts appeared! It's really cool.

1/7 Monday morning Wendy & I went to the Webster Fleamarket for a few hours before it started raining. That's one of the largest fleamarkets I've seen ... it probably takes all day to walk around the entire thing ... and that's not really looking into each booth. I spent the rest of the day hanging around the campground.

1/8 Tuesday I just hung around the campground and worked on the puzzle some. The campground had a 'Dine In' which is what they call it when they cook for us. I helped them serve to everyone else. We had meatloaf, noodles, gravy, green beans, dinner rolls, and the new Smores candy from Russell Stover. When I was finished working I sat with Terry & Bob Carpenter since it was their last night here. The people sitting on the other side of them had joined our conversation and after a few minutes I realized it was WandrinWoman and Papa John. After supper a bunch of us hung around the club house working on the puzzle and chatting. When I got back to the rig around 11 PM I discovered that I had no electricity ... the breaker on the electric box went (on the pole). I had left the inverter turned on so I had no battery juice either. I tried to wake up the managers, but they couldn't hear me knocking on their door. So I took out my extension cord and plugged into an empty site behind me until tomorrow morning.

1/9 Wednesday morning I had coffee with Terry & Bob so we could say our last good-byes and make sure we exchanged email addresses and phone numbers. About mid-day the manager fixed my electric problem so I could plug back into the electric box on my site. I spent the afternoon visiting with several of the ladies around the campground. Wendy & I worked on the puzzle this evening and then went to Mickey D's for a burger around 8 PM since we hadn't had supper yet.

1/10 Thursday Wendy & I spent the day at Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Park. Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Park rehabilitates native Florida wildlife while offering visitors a rare opportunity to observe these animals and birds in their natural setting. We had supper at the Park's restaurant since we decided nott to rush back to the campground for the Dine-Out.

Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Park

The Calusa and Seminole Indians first inhabited the Homosassa River and surrounding islands. Excavations made during the past few years have revealed not only burial grounds but canoes, cooking pots, axes and many other artifacts.

In 1846, David Yulee, a former US Senator, established a 5,000-acre plantation and sugarcane mill. This was the area's first known settlement made by the white man. With the beginning of the Civil War, sugar made by the mill and other products of the plantation were used to supply the Confederate Army. The Union Troops, after extensive spying and treachery by one of Yulee's slaves, burned the family mansion on Tiger Tail Island. Yulee surrendered and spent two years in prison.

The mill is the only antebellum sugar mill in the United States. The original structure, boiler and most of the machinery, is now part of the small State Park Historic Site located on State Road 490, southwest of U.S. 19.

At the end of the Civil War, families fleeing from the aftermath settled on many islands of the Chassahowitzka, Ozella and Homosassa Rivers. These island homes were self-supporting. Each had its own kitchen, garden, livestock and fruit trees. Usually the islands were known by the names of the families who occupied them ... such as Gordy Island, Shiver Bay, Loennecker Point and Petty Creek. Provisions were made for the establishment of a school. Early settlers were well educated, and expected the same education for their children. An island church was the next addition. Houses were built of native palm logs with thatched palm leaf roofs. These homes were inexpensive, yet practical and attractive. Commercial fishing was the mainstay of the economy with the catch being transported 60 miles North to Cedar Key by sailing sloop. Household supplies were brought back by these sloops as there was no railroad until the late 1800's. Mail came to Cedar Key and from there a fleet of boats carried it to the island settlements.

A group of New England financiers bought most of the riverfront property on the Homosassa River in 1886. Then much of the riverfront property was uninhabited because the land was too swampy. No property became available to the public until about 1921. Around that time, extensive land filling began.

The Homosassa area has been known for many generations to famous and wealthy sportsmen. Arriving in Ocala by train, they then had to journey by horse and buggy to Homosassa. The buggies were driven by former slaves who stayed on and were now loyal retainers at Osceola Inn, Meeker House, Dunn Cottage, the Rendezvous and the Atlanta Club.

The local cemetery is called Stage Stand. It was in this location that a station stood. This was not a train station, but one for changing horse teams and seeing to the needs of stage coach passengers. The station also received mail from all surrounding areas. A town called Mansfield was established in 1887 and served as the County Seat. A trip to the County Seat by wagon was a real event and looked forward to by the whole family. Not only was business taken care of, but it gave the family a chance to socialize with other county residents. In 1891, the County Seat was moved to Inverness. Mansfield is no longer on the map.

The following years brought about many changes. The Homosassa area including thousands of acres was purchased by the West Coast Development Company in the 1920's. They instigated extensive advertising, encouraged improvement of highways, transportation systems, and brought many interested investors and prospective property owners to investigate the area. The Florida Boom period ended in disaster, and for thirty years, the area remained dormant.

Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park has been a tourist attraction since the early 1900's when trains stopped to let passengers rest at the spring. The train track ran on what is now Fishbowl Drive, which runs through the park. While passengers rested, the train loaded fish, crabs, cedar and spring water. The spring and headwaters of the Homosassa River, is the only known place in the world where thousands of freshwater and saltwater fish congregate. These fish are free to come and go to the Gulf of Mexico, nine miles away.

The 50-acre site, and 100 surrounding acres, was purchased in the 1940's and operated as a small attraction. In 1964, the Norris Development Company bought the property and expanded and promoted Homosassa Springs as "Nature's Own Attraction". From 1978 until 1984, the land exchanged hands under several private ownerships. In December 1984, the Citrus County Commission purchased the attraction to protect it as an environmentally-sensitive area. Today, Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park is owned by the State of Florida and managed by the Department of Environmental Protection.

Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Park rehabilitates native Florida wildlife while offering visitors a rare opportunity to observe these animals and birds in their natural setting. The walkways are unspoiled nature trails. They offer educational programs on manatees, alligators, crocodiles, snakes and other Florida wildlife. Many of the animals are released back into the wild once they have healed. Many others are permanent residents of the park since they couldn't survive in the wild due to their permanent injuries and are used for educational purposes.

A huge spring, which produces millions of gallons of water every hour, is the centerpiece of the park and is the headwaters for the Homosassa River. This spring serves as a rehabilitation center and refuge for endangered West Indian manatees that have been orphaned or injured in the wild and also for manatees that have been born in captivity. The natural spring environment allows them an opportunity to re-acclimate themselves to a more natural environment before they are returned to the wild.

The most interesting part of the natural habitats is the floating observatory, where you can go below the water's surface to view the fresh and saltwater fish and manatees. Homosassa Springs is one of the only places in the world where manatees can be observed this close-up.

You may ask why is an African species found at a Florida park with all native wildlife. Well, Lucifer has lived at the park all his life. He was a big movie star when the park was an exotic animal park. Local residents took a special liking to Lu and often visited him between his many movies. When the park went to strictly native species Lucifer was bound for a transfer. You can imagine the demand for a 6,000 pound hippopotamus is not particularly high. When the locals caught wind of the intended transfer they put up a fight to keep Lu here. Needless to say their voices were heard and Lu was granted honorary state citizenship.

1/11 Friday evening Wendy & I went to Tampa to see the Lipizzaner Stallions perform. Usually the Ice Arena doesn't allow you take cameras into the their shows so we didn't take our cameras along. It turns out that this show is an exception and cameras WERE allowed. Boy were we bummed!!!! So I could have had pictures, but I don't. So all I can give you is an explanation of what we saw.

The Lipizzan is the aristocrat, the royalty ... the light, nimble dancer and aerialist of the equestrian world. His distant ancestors from the Orient were Ghengis Khan out of Asia who conquered much of the then-known world. The Arabic strain of the Lipizzaners patrolled, guarded and raided treasure-laden caravans in the Sahara. Their masters were Bedouins, Tuaregs and riders from a dozen long forgotten tribes.

It is believed that the forerunner of the Lipizzan was bred in Carthage, more than 2,000 years ago. The Carthaginian stock was bred to the Vilano, a sturdy Pyrenees horse, and with Arabian and Barbary strains. The result became the fabled Andalusian of ancient Spain.

This Spanish horse, the Andalusian, is responsible for founding nearly all the other recognized breeds known today. The Spanish, or Iberian horse was well known to the Romans as a superior war horse because of its strength and agility. This popular steed became the premiere war horse of Europe and was used in all of Spain's successful conquests. As a result, the Spanish horse enjoyed the admiration of the world for thousands of years. The Romans used them under saddle and to pull their chariots.

Julius Caesar wrote of the noble steeds of Hispania in Del Bello Gallico. Hannibal relied on Spanish horses as well as elephants to take him across the Alps during his invasion of Italy. Richard the Lionhearted and many of his knights were mounted on Spanish horses when they rode to victory over the Saracens of Cypress. Sir Walter Scott put Ivanhoe aboard an Andalusian.

Tragically, the plague followed by famine, nearly pushed the breed into extinction. Fortunately, the horses survived in a few mountainous areas of Spain, mostly at the Carthusian Monastery. The animals from this herd are known today as the Carthusians, the finest of the Spanish horses. In order to conserve these rare horses for breeding, the government of Spain placed an embargo on their exportation. For more than 100 years, the Andalusian was virtually unseen by the rest of the world.

During Spain's 700 years of Moorish domination, the Lipizzan breed remained essentially the same. Occasional crossing with fresh Arab and Oriental blood by the breeders of Cordoba and Granada assured that the quickness and agility so prized by the Arabs remained qualities inherent in the stock. The Spanish began to export the horses after Spain rid itself of Moorish rule. The most notable stud farms were established in Italy and Frederiksborg, Denmark. The Danes produced excellent stock from the Spanish strains; the Italian "Neapolitan" bloodline became famous in Europe. Archduke Maximilian, later Emperor of Austria, began breeding Spanish horses there about 1562. Eighteen years later, Archduke Karl, ruler of four Austrian provinces, established a royal stud farm in Lipizza, located in the hills of Karst, near Trieste. It was rugged, craggy country with little vegetation or water, but the Lipizzans thrived on it, lending to their endurance, strength and speed.

They became almost exclusively the property of the nobility and the military aristocracy. The stallions were trained for battle. Special moves such as the levade and courbette -- where the horse rests its body on its haunches -- would be quite intimidating to the attacking foot soldier. The flashy capriole -- where the horse jumps in the air and punches his legs out behind him -- could seriously injure anyone within close range. Their great leaps and caprioles struck fear in the hearts of foot soldiers who opposed their well-born riders. The gentle intelligent white mares became the coach horses of the elite.

The Spanish Riding School was born in 1572 to revive Roman traditions in training horses and their riders. Although the school was an Austrian creation, the title of "Spanish Riding School" was applied to reflect the origins of the horse that was the center of the school's attention. Fresh Spanish stock was systematically added to the blood line at intervals to maintain the strength of the breed. Oriental stallions were used occasionally for the same purpose. In the 17th and 18th centuries, horses from the northern Italian stud farm at Polesnia and the highly regarded Neapolitan strain were brought to Lipizza to mingle with the resident stock and the descendants of the original Spanish line out of Denmark and Germany.

In 1781, during the Napoleonic Wars, 300 horses were evacuated in a forty-day march to Stuhlweissenburg. They returned to Lipizza after peace was established. In 1805 they were moved again to Slavonia, and in 1806 to Karad, a Hungarian village with a population of less than 4,000. They returned to Lipizza, only to flee the advancing armies of France.

From 1809 to 1815 they lived in the lowlands of the Pisza River, a tributary of the Danube. The land was hard on them. It took several years and an infusion of fresh blood to recapture the vitality and high standard of the line. In May of 1915, the Lipizzans were split up. One group was taken to Laxenburg, near Vienna, and the other to Kladrub.

The fall of the Austrian House of Hapsburg in 1918 brought about the break up of the old Austrian Empire. Lipizza became a part of Italy. The Italian and Austrian governments divided the Lipizzaner herd equally. The Republic of Austria took their horses to Piber in Steiermark. Piber, a privately owned stud farm, was founded in 1798 to breed calvary mounts for the army. In 1858, it became a government breeding farm and produced Lipizzans of another and lighter strain for stud purposes in the provinces. Although "The World Famous" Lipizzaner Stallions are not affiliated with "The Spanish Riding School," a number of the Lipizzans appearing in the show were purchased from the School or born at the Piber Stud Farm.

The Lipizzan is a long-lived horse. Thirty to thirty-five years is their average life span. They are usually born black and change slowly through a period of six to ten years to their final, pure white color. Occasionally a Lipizzaner colt is born pure white, but they are rare. The ones that are born white, in the days of the Hapsburg rule, were chosen to draw royal carriages.

There are six significant bloodlines in today's Lipizzaner breed. They originated with and date back to the following stallions: The Dane, "Pluto," 1765; The Neapolitan, "Conversano," 1767; "Maestosa," 1773; "Favory," 1799; "Neapolitano," 1790; and the Arab, "Siglavy," from the stables of Prince Schwarzenberg, 1810.

In April 1945, the heroic efforts of the 42nd Squadron of the United States Army's 2nd Cavalry were responsible for the rescue and ultimate preservation of the Lipizzans. The rescue of the horses was conducted under the orders of General George S. Patton and was carried out under the direct command of Colonel Charles H. Reed.

The story of the rescue operation is very dramatic. In early 1945, Vienna was under attack by allied bombers. Colonel Alois Podjahsky, head of the famed Spanish Riding School in Vienna, feared the valuable Lipizzaner Stallions would be destroyed and arranged for the stallions to be transferred by train to St. Martin's in Upper Austria, 200 miles from Vienna. Food was scarce and starving refugees attempted to steal the horses to eat.

Coincidentally, the U.S. Third Army moved into St. Martin's at the time Podhajsky had quartered the horses there at the estate of a friend. An officer recognized Podhajsky and the stallions, and sent word to General Patton's headquarters. Patton and Podhajsky had been old friends; they competed together in equestrian events at the Olympic Games.

Podhajsky arranged to show the Lipizzans to Undersecretary of War Robert Patterson and General Patton the following day. Patterson and Patton were so impressed by the performance of these aristocratic white horses that the General, at the request of Podhajsky, promised to make the stallions wards of the U.S. Army until they could be safely returned to their home at the Spanish Riding School in Vienna.

While the stallions were sheltered at St. Martin's, the mares and foals had been separated from the stallions and were being held at the German Remount Depot in Hostau, Czechoslovakia. American forces became aware of their location through Colonel Reed.

On April 26, 42nd Squadron captured a German general and his staff near Hostau. Reed and the General dined together and developed a friendship. The General showed Reed photographs of the Lipizzaner horses. When questioned further, the General confessed that the horses were being held at the German Remount Depot along with allied prisoners of war who cared for the horses.

Later that day Reed contacted Patton to ask permission to attack Hostau to liberate the prisoners and horses. Permission was granted. Later, an agreement was made with the Germans to allow American forces to go into Hostau and rescue the horses from the oncoming Russian troops. German officers, great admirers of the Lipizzans, willingly cooperated with the Americans fearing that approaching Russian troops would destroy the breed.

On April 28, members of Troops A, C and F of the 42nd Squadron attacked the German lines and accepted the surrender of the Germans at Hostau. The surrender, according to Reed, was "more a fiesta than a military operation, as the German troops drew up an honor guard and saluted the American troops as they came in."

The Americans found 150 Lipizzans at Hostau, including a few stallions, mares and their colts of two and three years of age. The first day was spent inspecting the horses. Two days later, German SS troops organized a counter attack on the 42nd Squadron as it moved eastward along the Czechoslovakian border. The Germans were driven off and a week later, the war had ended. Plans were then made for the horses.

Colonel Podhajsky was flown in to inspect his horses. It was at this time that the Russian and Czech governments argued over possession of the horses. To prevent the horses from falling into their hands, the Lipizzans were quickly moved across the border to safety in Germany. Shortly thereafter, the Lipizzans were returned to the control of Colonel Podhajsky at Linz.

In the 1960's the Spanish export ban of the Andalusians was lifted. Now the popularity of the Andalusian horse is once again on the rise. Horsemen are rediscovering the traits that made the Andalusian the most sought-after horse in the world; the strength, agility, beauty, pride and docility bred for centuries into the Spanish horse. The Spanish stallions are unique because they are fiery and obedient.

The temperament, agility and strength of the Andalusian are again being sought after for dressage purposes. Dressage and the Spanish horse were almost synonymous in the beginning. The Spanish horse was so strong and agile that he could be trained to do amazing things, and the techniques that are now recognized as modern dressage were actually methods used to train the superior war-horses.

The Andalusian was so adept at this training that nearly all of the oldest and most famous riding schools started with Spanish horses. The best example of this is the Spanish Riding School in Austria, thus named for the Spanish horses that it used. The Lipizzan breed is an ancestor to the Andalusian, being almost totally of Spanish blood. As recently as 1968, a four-year-old stallion of the Carthusian line of the Andalusian was imported to rejuvenate the present line of Lipizzans in Austria.

Although less popular today among dressage horse breeders, the Spanish Andalusian is still a superior dressage mount. Occasionally overlooked by modern dressage riders, who consider him a "circus horse," the Andalusian significantly contributed to the Thoroughbred and most of the other popular European dressage breeds. Nonetheless, the Andalusian is proving that he is not only suitable, but perhaps the best choice for the dressage arena. The list of the breed's winnings and the spread of its fame is limited only by how rare it is. Today, their numbers are only about 700, making them precious as gold to their owners. Today the Spanish Riding School is said to teach the purest form of classical dressage in the world, all exclusively done with Lipizzaner stallions. Teaching methods are not documented but passed down orally from generation to generation. The result is a flawless communication between horse and rider.

Fancy moves aside, the rigorous training created an understanding between horse and rider - a sort of silent communication - that had proved crucial in the middle of a noisy, clamorous battle. Although horses are no longer used in battle, classical dressage is still practiced among horse-enthusiasts who are trying to achieve the ultimate understanding with their horse. Students at the Spanish Riding School usually spend ten years in training, learning all aspects of horse care. The program is very demanding and usually two out of every four students either leaves or is dismissed for failing to reach the high standards of the School. Spanish School riders take a special interest in training their horses and the utmost care is given to ensure the horses are not taxed beyond their means. The Spanish Riding School is also at the center of maintaining the robust lines of these famous stallions.

In 1970, Producer Gary Lashinsky created a new family arena attraction, starring The "World Famous" Lipizzaner Stallions. Many horses and riders were brought from Europe to perform in this unique attraction. Over the years, twenty-three million people throughout North and South America, Great Britain, Europe, Australia and Hawaii have seen one of these shows.

2002 represents the 32nd Anniversary season of The Lipizzaner Stallions. All new music, choreography and routines have been incorporated in this anniversary edition with a major emphasis on the historical background and foundation of the Lipizzaner breed, from its original breeding and use as a horse of war to a horse of nobility and aristocracy to a living form of equestrian art. The show emulates the Spanish Riding School of Vienna, Austria, in its presentation of Lipizzans, and maintains a traditional as well as entertaining performance similar in many ways to what you would see at the Spanish Riding School of Vienna.

The Lipizzaner Stallion is renowned as the world's greatest horse of dressage. Although described in many ways, perhaps the easiest way to explain dressage is its purpose: that man and horse--a two fold bond--are two hearts with one mind.

Dressage is the art of perfecting the natural gait. It is the perfect walk, the precise trot, and the even canter. Long, patient training culminates in a work of art. Mutual appreciation leads to obedience, where delicate interchanges of subtle signals render obvious yet invisible communication. In modern terms, dressage may be thought of as an equestrian ballet or aerobics. The horse and rider work together as one unit, creating an enjoyable and graceful exercise to watch.

The law of dressage is a law of nature, perfecting the natural. It is centuries old. From the Greek historian, Xenophon, in 400 B.C. to the more recent French equestrian, Francis Robichon de Le Gueriniere there is a well-known theory: "Suppleness and lack of constraint are the prerequisites for voluntarily offered obedience, not for agonized subjection of the horse." A spirited animal will die under harsh treatment and subjection. The late Colonel Alois Podhajsky, the past longtime director of the renowned Spanish Riding School in Vienna, stated, "One can never, through violence, cause the horse to perfect the manner in which it expresses its skill, but only by delicate coaxing and subtle demanding, between much praise and little punishment." While the Lipizzaner Stallion is courageous, spirited and strong, he is a sensitive being and responds to praise and appreciation and rebels immediately to force. The "World Famous" Lipizzaner Stallions presentation is a demonstration of a unique and admired relationship.

Also included in the performance is a segment called the "Airs Above the Ground." These are the spectacular leaps and maneuvers, once used by riders in saddle to protect and defend themselves on the battlefield, which are now preserved as an equestrian work of art. Only stallions with the greatest strength, talent and athletic ability are chosen for training in these ancient maneuvers. When you see the Lipizzans perform, it is like stepping back four hundred years and viewing one of the greatest equine ballets in history.

The Lipizzan is a rare and unique breed; its history and culture is known worldwide. The Walt Disney movie The Miracle of the White Stallions, depicting General George S. Patton saving them at the end of World War II from certain extinction, created an even greater world-wide interest in the Lipizzaner breed.

Although the Lipizzans are the stars in this presentation, other show breeds are included in this 32nd Anniversary Edition including the ancestral forefathers of the Lipizzan, the Spanish Andalusian and the Arabian. Not only is the Andalusian shown in saddle, but also in a unique presentation where the rider performs all the maneuvers of the Grand Prix Olympic level dressage on the longline, while walking behind the horse and guiding him through his paces. The current tour features 12 to 14 stallions performing selected maneuvers.

The conclusion of the performance of The Lipizzaner Stallions is the traditional Grand Quadrille, featuring six to eight Lipizzaner Stallions with their riders performing an intricate, equine ballet, exhibiting maneuvers through the highest level of dressage. The Lipizzans prance, march and intricately weave their way across the floor to Classical music in a spectacular ballet of four-footed white dancers.

The horse is once again a symbol of grace and majesty, the Lipizzaner Stallions are truly a great experience to be enjoyed. You don't need to be a horse lover to enjoy this show!

1/12 Saturday I spent the day running errands in/around Brooksville ... Publix, Natural Foods Store, Walmart and Fashion Bug. I started the curing for Gravlox when I got back. I spent the evening in the club house working on the latest puzzle with several other ladies.

1/13 Sunday we had a buffet all-you-can-eat brunch at the campground. Lots of food ... muffins, bagels, danish, fruit, bread, two types of macaroni salad, roast beef, turkey, ham, eggs, bacon, sausage, fried ham, pancakes, french toast, waffles, biscuits, gravy, grits, orange juice, coffee, iced tea. It was a lot of work and Doug & Karen didn't get much help. I had signed up to help during the serving, but stayed all the way through clean-up which meant I was there from 10:30 AM to 3 PM. I relaxed for the rest of the afternoon and then went to the ice cream social to help Katy & Gary. Afterwards several of us worked on the puzzle.

1/14 Monday I did errands around town ... grocery shopping, picked up my mail, and got the tire leak fixed on the car. That took most of the day. I spent the rest of the day hanging around the campground.

1/15 Tuesday morning I hung around the campsite with Lady. I spent the afternoon helping Doug & Karen get ready for the 'Dine-In' tonight. We had BBQ Sandwiches, Baked Beans, Cole Slaw and Banana Pudding. After supper I worked on the puzzle with the other ladies.

1/16 Wednesday I spent the day re-doing the caulk in the bathroom. What fun ... NOT! I thought I was never gonna get all the old caulk off. I'm not happy with the new caulk. They didn't have white when I bought it so I bought clear ... what a mistake!! You can see the gap between the wall and floor right through the caulk. It will do the job, but I think it looks horrible. I'm not doing it over again until it wears out so  ... oh well. This evening I made a Turtle Cake to take to the potluck tomorrow night.

1/17 Thursday Wendy & I spent the day shopping at the outlet malls in Orlando. We both found a few things we were looking for. My big bargain of the day was wine glasses for $5 each at Mikasa and Birkenstocks for $30 off. We got back in time for the potluck. Everyone just loved the Turtle Cake which is almost all gone. That's the way I like it.

1/18 Friday I spent the day with Mr Mike (the owner of the campground in AL) and his brother Jim walking around the Tampa RV Show and then Lazy Days. We had a great day comparing several different motorhomes. We looked at the ones I like and I showed them why. We looked at the ones they liked and they showed me why. And in the end we both proved that the rig we're interested in is still THE one we want. Then we discussed all of this over supper at Outback Steakhouse.

I was able to buy a new Sweepa Broom at the RV show. We got two several years ago at Quartzsite and Jim threw them out a few months later. He said they were in his way ... it didn't matter that I liked using them. I've been looking to buy another one ever since. It's a rubber broom which is great for sweeping Lady's hair from the carpet. And it's got a squeegee on one side so I could also use it on the MH windows when washing the rig.

1/19 Saturday I spent the day hanging around the campground ... letting my feet recuperate from all the walking yesterday. I drove up to Ocala to get some Krystal burgers for supper. I spent a few hours this evening working on the puzzle.

1/20 Sunday I spent the day doing errands around the campground ... Lady got a bath and I did laundry. Mid afternoon Wendy & I were sitting outside my rig talking. I didn't sign up to work the ice cream social since there were enough people willing to help. After ice cream a bunch of us worked on the puzzle.

1/21 Monday morning I went to the fleamarket to buy socks and some bread. I'm going to use the socks to wrap the liquor bottles ... actually slip a bottle into a sock ... they won't take up as much room as the towels I've got stuffed around them now. Then I spent the afternoon hanging around the campground. We saw the Barred Owls that nest in the campground near the bath house. Bounder Bob & I went to Dade City to get supper ... we stopped at Subway. Around 9:30 PM Wendy & I went for a walk around the campground to see/hear the night animals ... we heard the alligators talking to each other and saw White Tail Deer in the back of the campground. It's mating season so they're more active than usual.

1/22 Tuesday Bob & I went down to Lazy Days. He needed to get a few things at Camping World. Then we walked around looking at motorhomes for the day. Of course we got our free lunch while we were there. We got back to the campground in time for the Dine-In. Doug & Karen had cooked Chicken Pot Pie, Salad and Chocolate Pudding. Yum!! Last night I had gotten bitten so badly by mosquitoes while doing email outside that I took some Benadryl allergy pills before going to bed.

1/23 Wednesday morning I slept until 10:30 AM!! Those Benadryl pills really knocked me out. Wendy & I spent the afternoon running errands around Brooksville. While we were at the Natural Foods store I asked the owner if they had anything for insect bites that would stop the itching. She showed me a cream for the itching and a repellent spray. I bought both of them to try. Wendy & I both immediately put on the itch stop stuff since we feel like one big itch. It's got citronella and eucalyptus in it. It works pretty well. Then somehow I got volunteered as the guinea pig to try the repellent spray which is made from the Neem Tree in India. After supper I put it on my legs and arms and then went to the activity center and completed the latest large puzzle with several other ladies ... 1500 pieces ... which is a collage picture of all the nursery rhyme characters. As we were working on the puzzle I kept smelling these two insect products on me and kept mentioning to Wendy that I really must stink. I just felt like I really stink with the combination of these two products, but had no idea if anyone could tell. At one point I bent over the table near her and she started sniffing at me ... over-exaggerated sniffing. Luckily none of the other ladies noticed what she was doing, but I did and we both started laughing really hard. The other ladies looked at us like we were crazy. Around 9:15 PM we went and got Bob to take a walk around the campground looking for the deer and listening for the alligators.

1/24 Thursday morning I went to the library to use their computer to access the internet. I had some stuff I needed to do online without downloading and could do it there for free. Bob went with me so I could show him how to access the internet. He's ordered a laptop but has never had one before and needs to learn about it. Wendy & I went to Cracker Barrell for supper and then finished the current puzzle.

1/25 Friday I spent several hours visiting with Doris Fletcher. I took the Sausage Bread over there for lunch. We hadn't seen each other in 2 years so there was lots to catch up on. Wendy & I met Bob at the Moose Lodge for their Fish Fry supper. It was really good. The Singles International chapter of FMCA was having a rally there.

1/26 Saturday Wendy, Bob & I went to the Kumquat Festival and walked around most of the day. We had lunch at Kafe Kokopelli where I had Conch Fritters and She-Crab Soup. After supper I watched the movie 'What Women Want'.

1/27 Sunday I spent the day watching movies ... Shrek, Vertical Limit, and Miss Congeniality. I spent the evening working on the puzzle.

1/28 Monday I spent the day hanging around the campground. Bob got his laptop so I started showing him how to use it. We went over all the ports and drives on the laptop, how to care for the battery, and a little about MS-Windows. After supper we watched 'Pay It Forward'.

1/29 Tuesday I went to Walmart to get a few things, but they were out of most of what I wanted. I went to the Dine-In. Doug & Karen cooked meatballs, gravy, rice, green beans, and pound cake. Yum!! I spent the evening watching TV.

1/30 Wednesday Bob & I ran around doing errands ... Walmart, Circuit City and the AT&T store. We stopped at Taco Bell on the way back to the campground for supper. We spent the evening watching TV.

1/31 Thursday I spent the day hanging around the campground waiting for UPS to deliver my business mail. Bob got his printer delivered. So I read through the printer book to determine which cable would be best to get (parallel or USB) to connect it to his laptop. I explained how to use Microsoft Streets & Trips to him. We went out for Chinese Food for supper.

2/1 Friday I showed Bob how to load Juno, get registered and started explaining how to use the internet. He made a pot pie for us for supper. We watched a little TV to get our minds off the laptop. Then I went to the club house and worked on the puzzle with Wendy for a few hours.

2/2 Saturday morning I worked on the puzzle with Wendy and a few other ladies. This afternoon Bob & I went to Circuit City to get the printer cable he needs. Now we can hook up the printer to make sure it works. After supper I worked on the puzzle for a little while.

2/3 Sunday I spent the morning cleaning up my laptop ... scan disk & defrag ... what fun. I spent the afternoon showing Bob how to burn CD's and then we reloaded Streets & Trips onto his laptop so he doesn't need to use the Run CD. He took me to Outback for supper to repay me for my time. I spent the evening working on the puzzle with Wendy.

2/4 Monday I hung around the campground working on the puzzle. Bob called needing some help loading TurboTax so I went over for a few hours. I spent the evening at home watching TV.

2/5 Tuesday I spent the day doing chores around the motorhome. In between I helped Wendy finish the puzzle that was started. I made a yummy supper ... baked salmon with a white wine butter sauce and fresh dill, french style green beans with almonds (using some of the butter sauce left in the pan). Yum!! Yum!! I'll have to remember this one. I spent several hours late tonight helping Bob with his laptop. I got Juno setup and registered, TurboTax registered and updated, but couldn't get Norton registered. We had to do this so late because there's a 10 minute rule using the internet phone line in the club house ... after 9 PM it's easier to stay on longer since no one else in their right mind would be there that late.

2/6 Wednesday morning I followed the instructions that Roxio gave me to correct the CD burning software. As far as I can tell it's all fixed. They called me this afternoon to see how it went. I spent the evening in the club house working on the puzzle. This one is a picture of Cathedral Rock in Sedona AZ.

2/7 Thursday I spent the day on the phone with recruiters about several potential contracts. I skipped the potluck to meet Uncle Barry for supper at Shells Seafood Restaurant in Brandon. Then I spent a little time working on the puzzle with Wendy & Carmel.

2/8 Friday I spent the day hanging around the campground. We finished the puzzle of a picture of Sedona AZ. Then we started a puzzle if a Thomas Kinkade painting. I stayed home after supper to watch the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics.

2/9 Saturday I spent the day in the kitchen helping Doug & Karen prep for the brunch tomorrow. I didn't realize how tired it had made me until I slowed down. I spent a few hours working on the puzzle before heading to bed early.

2/10 Sunday I was back in the kitchen at 9 AM and worked until 2 PM. We had danish, 2 kinds of fruit muffins, bagels, english muffins, biscuits & gravy, pineapple, cantaloupe, honeydew, grapes, oranges, tangerines, cubed cheeses, roast beef, turkey, ham, sandwich making stuff, 2 pasta salads, eggs, hash browns, sausage, bacon, breakfast ham, pancakes, waffles, french toast, grits, coffee, iced tea and orange juice. The brunch went well as expected but sure was exhausting. I got to rest for several hours in the afternoon, then attended the ice cream social. I spent a little time working on the puzzle while eating my ice cream.

2/11 Monday I spent the morning prepping the motorhome to go to Lazy Days. I got there around 2:30 PM. They're going to correct the electrical wiring in the breaker box from when they repaired my inverter. I spent the night in the service bay.

2/12 Tuesday They finally started working on my coach around 3 PM. I ran into Ed & Maria in the lobby. We spent the afternoon hangin' out together. I couldn't believe it ... After taking Lady out for her last walk of the night, I immediately went into the bathroom. I heard her spinning on the bed ... all 80 lbs of luv'n fun. I even yelled at her through the door to stop cuz she was shaking the entire rig. When I got into the bedroom it looked like someone threw the comforter around. Then when I straightened it out again ... oh no ... she had dirty feet and I didn't know it. What a mess! I bet it won't wash out either ... it looks like oil and grease, not mud. But that's ok, that's why I've got this comforter on the bed instead of the one that came with the motorhome. Actually this is the second comforter ... we go through about one a year. This one is already torn from the commercial washers and I've got comforter #3 in the closet. I don't know where this burst of energy came from. She seemed so pleased with herself. It was pretty entertaining except for the fact that I'm sleeping in a dirty bed tonight.

2/13 Wednesday morning they completed the work on the coach and I was outta there by 11 AM. I brought the motorhome back to the campground and got setup again. I met Ed & Maria at Lazy Days at 3 PM to go out to supper. They brought friends, Ed & Mary, with them. Rob Boston (Ed & Maria's salesman at Lazy Days) and his girlfriend, Lisa, came along also. We went to Ybor City and ate at Columbia Restaurant. I had Red Snapper "Alicante" with Cuban Rice and Natilla for dessert. We walked the streets and hung out in a few clubs ... Green Iguana and Big City Tavern. Big City Tavern is in the refurbished ballroom of the Centro Espanol. It was a fun evening!

Ybor City History

Life in Ybor City in the early years wasn't easy. When the settlers first immigrated, they found themselves in a most inhospitable environment. The land was covered in deep, almost impenetrable sand. There were no paved roads, no sidewalk, just drifts and drifts of sand.

When it rained, the sand turned to mud. The climate was hot, humid and muggy. There were also lots of critters. Alligators and snakes roamed the streets and the air was thick with flies, mosquitoes and gnats. Diseases frequently ravaged the population—malaria, yellow fever and dysentery. There was no electricity and no indoor plumbing.

Downtown Tampa originated with the founding of Fort Brooke in 1824 as a military outpost at the mouth of the Hillsborough River and Tampa was platted as a town in 1847. The area declined after the Civil War and began to revive in the 1880's.

Vincente Martinez Ybor was born in Valencia, Spain, in 1818. At the age of fourteen he went to Havana and in 1853 founded a cigar factory of his own. In 1869, he moved his plant to Key West. Although Ybor found certain conditions in Key West to be favorable to his industry, he also discovered some problems. Just as there had been labor unrest in Cuba, there were also such concerns in Key West. A more serious drawback, however, was the lack of a transportation system.

In 1885 Ybor entered into negotiations with the Tampa Board of Trade. He was particularly interested in Tampa because the year before, in 1884, Henry Bradley Plant had completed construction of a railroad line into Tampa. The citizens of Tampa extended favorable financial terms and Ybor, with several of his fellow factory owners such as Serafin Sanchez and Ignacio Haya, built factories in Tampa.

In 1886 Vincente Martinez Ybor, acting upon the advice of his friend Gavino Gutierrez, and accompanied by another factory owner, Ignacio Haya, Ybor came to Tampa and bought forty acres of land from local Tampa citizens. He began building Ybor City by moving his operations to Tampa from Key West to escape the labor conflicts and by doing so added tremendously to the prosperity of Tampa. It was a community of factories and small workers' houses. Eventually it became a thriving cosmopolitan center rich in culture and ethnic diversity. For many years the cigar industry was the only major manufacturing being done in Tampa.

Although there were a number of owners in Tampa, Ybor himself was the one who was responsible for developing Ybor City. He constructed the mass of worker's cottages known as shotgun houses. Ybor was not unique in providing housing for his workers. What set his project apart from other "company towns" was that he enabled the workers to purchase their houses instead of just renting them. These employees were more likely to stay in Tampa because they owned their homes and therefore would be a more stable work force. Their ability to own their homes gave these people a special sense of independence and self-respect that was invaluable to them. Martinez Ybor died in 1896 and was buried in Oaklawn Cemetery.

The shotgun houses were built in 1895. They were originally located on 5th Avenue and were moved to their present location in 1976 as part of the preservation movement. Until 1910 these houses had no electricity, water or indoor plumbing. Lighting was provided by kerosene lanterns, water was carried in from a pump behind the house and chamber pots and an outhouse in back served bathroom needs. They were called "canones" (cannons) or "shotgun" houses because they were long, narrow-framed structures. A person could shoot a shotgun from front to back without hitting anything. A house rented for $1.50 to $2.50 a week or could be bought for between $400 to $900, depending on the size. Mr. Ybor devised a plan to encourage workers to buy their homes, allowing them to deduct a small amount from their paychecks each week. This system provided him with a stable work force and gave the workers pride of ownership.

Although seemingly modest from the outside, upon entry the visitor finds the interior of these homes surprisingly spacious and elegant. With twelve-foot wooden ceilings, wooden floors and paneled walls, the casita has a gracious feel about it. Each room contains furniture from the early part of the century and recreates the lifestyle of this era. Of particular interest are the wood burning stoves and the old fashioned ice box in the kitchen.

The houses were built from Florida pine with cypress- or cedar-shingle roofs. This architectural style was popular throughout rural America. It particularly lent itself to conditions in Florida because of its steeply-pitched roof and high ceilings, which allowed heat to rise, and its opposing, double-hung windows that provided cross-ventilation. The houses were also built on brick pilings, allowing air to circulate beneath. In 1908 a devastating fire destroyed many homes and thereafter builders used tin roofs instead of shingles.

The cigar workers were a unique society in working America at the turn of the century. Although they worked in the factories and received wages, they were not what we would consider "blue collar workers". They were skilled labor and prided themselves on their professional abilities. They came to work dressed in white shirts and ties.

An important institution in Ybor City was the "lector." The workers chose this reader and the literature that he read. The mornings were devoted to various newspapers. In the afternoons their attention turned to fiction. Frequently the choice was a great novel such as those by Cervantes, Emile Zola or Victor Hugo; or, upon request, the lector might read the libretto or script from an opera scheduled to be performed in Ybor City the following week.

The result of this lector system was that the workers of Ybor City became educated even if they couldn't read. They knew the latest current events taking place in the nation and the world. They also became acquainted with world literature of importance. The success of the lectors eventually led to their demise in the factories. As labor unrest and political strife increased in the 1920's and 1930's, the factory owners became fearful the ideas spread by the lectors would lead to labor unrest and even revolution; so they did away with the lectors and radios became the entertainment of the workers in the cigar industry.

Henry Bradley Plant further developed his Florida interests by expanding his transportation system to include steamships and hotels. He bought a number of ships which carried freight and passengers to places such as Mobile, Fort Meyers, Key West, Cuba and Jamaica. Realizing that he needed accommodations for his travelers, Plant built and/or bought eight hotels, including the magnificent Tampa Bay Hotel with its silver domes and minarets.

As Ybor City developed, it attracted a rich population from many ethnic backgrounds. Spaniards came from Galicia and Asturias to run the factories and Cubans, both white and African were the cigar workers. Germans designed the elaborate lithographic labels that adorned the cigar boxes. Italians from Sicily developed vegetable farms and dairies and opened grocery stores, and Jews from Romania established banks and stores up and down Seventh Avenue. What was wonderful about this "cultural soup" was that people of all backgrounds worked side-by-side in the factories and mingled on the streets of Ybor City.

These various groups created a unique society. They attended plays and musical concerts and dined in local restaurants. The most interesting Institutions in Ybor City, however, were the social clubs, community organizations for each group. The Spanish had El Centro Español and El Centro Asturiano and the Cubans gathered at El Círculo Cubano. The Italians built L'Unione Italiana, the Germans the German-American Club and the Afro Cubans the Martí Maceo Club. Although the Jews did not have a social club as such, they gathered at their temple.

The clubs provided many benefits for their members. They featured libraries, educational programs and athletic and dining facilities and were centers for weekly Saturday night balls and Sunday matinee dances. Most notable, however, were the medical services which the clubs provided. Each club member paid twenty-five cents to belong to the organization. When he or a member of his family needed health care, he was ensured care at the club's clinic and at the organization's private hospital if that was warranted.

Thus these immigrant peoples created a community which combined characteristics of the old world with innovations in the new world. As Ybor City developed conditions improved considerably. By the early part of the new century the community was a bustling center of activities. Visiting artists and opera companies from Spain, Havana and New York brought theater, dance and music from their ancestral countries. Because of the superior acoustics of the Centro Austriano theater, Ybor City was included in the New York - Atlanta - Havana theater circuit.

Sensory experiences competed for the attention of the residents and visitors. The air was full of the calls of vendors on foot, crying their wares of fish, fruit, vegetables and deviled crabs. In addition to the sights and sounds of the town, there were wonderful smells. The aromas of roasted coffee, freshly-baked bread, cigars and a rich assortment of ethnic foods wafted through the air. Fortunately, these pleasures are still available today on the streets of Ybor.

The next chapter of the story occurred just to the west between Ybor City and the Hillsborough River. Tampa residents began to move to higher ground in hopes of escaping the frequent yellow fever epidemics. They arrived a mile north of downtown in Tampa Heights, Tampa's first suburb. The area was subdivided in 1886 and became the location of choice for the businessmen and professionals of Tampa, representing from the beginning an ethnic mix of Latins and Anglos. In the 1880's the more adventuresome of Tampa's residents, led by William A. Morrison and James M. Watrous, began building homes in what is now Hyde Park. This movement was augmented by the building of streetcar lines in the 1890's and the paving of Bayshore Boulevard in 1907.

Another development was the opening of West Tampa on the west side of the river, north of Hyde Park. Hugh Macfarlane, a developer, saw the success of Ybor City and in 1892 spearheaded a second cigar factory area. As Ybor had done, he planned this "company town" to include both factories and worker's cottages and ensured its prosperity by running a streetcar line from downtown.

All of this steady development culminated in the 1920's with the creation of Davis Islands. Conceived by its founder as a "little Venice", Davis Islands featured an assortment of Mediterranean architectural styles, including Venetian Gothic, Early Renaissance and Spanish vernacular. The project had a short but splendid life. Davis began selling lots in 1924 and was extremely successful until the Florida "bust" destroyed his bubble and the bottom fell out of the real estate market in 1926.

Because of the large number of Cubans living in Ybor City, the area was involved in the struggle for Cuba's independence from Spanish rule. In fact, the reason that Vicente Martinez Ybor left Cuba was because of his sympathies for the cause of Cuban liberty. Cuban patriots, most famously Jose Martí, came to Tampa frequently to inspire enthusiasm and funds for the movement in Ybor City. As revolutionary fervor grew in 1895, Martí gave the order to invade Cuba by smuggling a message into Tampa in a cigar.

Some of the most active revolutionary supporters were to be found in Ybor City. Paulina Pedrosa and her husband hosted Martí when he came to Tampa. Unfortunately, Martí was killed in a battle in Cuba in 1895 and the success of the cause was postponed until 1898.

The precipitating event in 1898, which culminated in war, was the destruction of the USS Battleship Maine in Havana harbor in February. The explosion caught the attention of the American press, most particularly that of William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer, rivals vying with each other as to who could sell the most newspapers. Known as "yellow journalism," these newspapers wrote lurid and often untrue descriptions of Spanish atrocities and aroused the American public to demand the entry of the U.S. into the war to support Cuban independence. Congress declared war in April, 1898.

One of the immediate threats to Ybor City was the potential loss of the supply of Cuban tobacco, essential for continuing production in the cigar factories. Forward thinking citizens solved the problem, however, by sending a flotilla of ships to Havana, loading the vessels to the gunwales and bringing the cargo back to Tampa, thus ensuring the economic well-being of Ybor City and Tampa.

As plans for the war progressed, Tampa was chosen as the major port of embarkation for the Army. Tampa was the closest city in possession of both rail and port facilities. Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders arrived, creating havoc and mayhem. This situation continued for six weeks until the order came from Washington, D.C. for the troops to sail. They finally departed on June 13th.

One of the many immigrants who came to Ybor City in 1896 was a Sicilian, Francisco Ferlita. He purchased a plot of land on the corner of 9th Avenue and 19th Street and constructed a wooden building housing a bakery. The oven was heated with wood fires. He named the bakery "La Joven Francesca".

After the bakery became established, Ferlita returned to Sicily, married Maria Cameratta and brought her back to Ybor City. In 1922 a fire destroyed the bakery, leaving only the brick over standing.

By 1923 Ferlita had built a new and larger bakery of yellow brick to house the original oven plus a second one next to it. The floor tiles were brought from Spain. The ovens were fitted with oil burners, the hot air being distributed throughout the ovens through tubes. Each morning delivery boys distributed fresh bread throughout the community. After the death of Francisco Ferlita in 1931, his sons managed the business until 1973 when the bakery closed as Ybor City declined in population and prosperity. It reopened as the Ybor City State Museum in 1976 and forms part of the museum complex owned and maintained by the Florida State Park Service.

Eventually hard times fell on this colorful community. The introduction of machine-made cigars, the popularity of cigarettes and the Great Depression all conspired to undermine the economy of the area, and urban renewal resulted in the destruction of much of its residential center. In the face of these threats, the citizens of Ybor City fought back. In the 1990's commercial property began to return to the area. New retail and residential developments are revitalizing the community and promise to preserve Tampa's unique and colorful Latin Quarter.

Columbia Restaurant History

The Columbia Restaurant was founded in 1905 by Cuban immigrant Casimiro Hernandez, Sr. It began in Tampa's Ybor City as a small corner café frequented by Spanish and Italian immigrants who were cigar workers. Within a year, Hernandez took over the restaurant next door and converted it into an extra dining room.

In 1927, Casimiro Hernandez, Jr. took the reins. During the height of the Depression, he took a chance by building the first air-conditioned dining room in Tampa, complete with an elevated dance floor. The Don Quixote room was born.

In the 1950's Hernandez, Jr. hired his new son-in-law, Cesar Gonzmart, a former concert violinist. Gonzmart had a flair for the artistic, and upon taking over direction of the restaurant, built a large showroom, the Siboney Room. The showroom attracted the top Latin talent of the time. The tradition continues today at the original restaurant in Ybor City, where Spanish flamenco dancers perform six nights a week.

More than 90 years later, the tradition of the Columbia Restaurant continues. The original restaurant in Ybor City seats more than 1,600 in 11 dining rooms. To this day, the Columbia Restaurant has few rivals. Now in its fourth and fifth generation of family ownership and operation, it is the oldest restaurant in Florida and the largest Spanish restaurant in the world.

All six Columbia Restaurants are still owned and operated by fourth and fifth generation members of our family. The Columbia Restaurants are located in Tampa's historic district of Ybor City, St. Armands Circle in Sarasota, the Historic District in St. Augustine, The Pier in St. Petersburg, Sand Key on Clearwater Beach, and Central Florida's town of Celebration.

2/14 Thursday I spent the day relaxing, running a few errands, and doing an interview for work. Doug & Karen's Valentine Dinner was great. We had Beef Stew served in Bread Bowls with Chocolate Fudge cake for dessert. Then I spent a few hours helping Carmel with the puzzle.

2/15 Friday I met with Joe, Doug & Karen to complete the planning for our Mexican Dine-In. Then I went to Leesburg to meet the RV Club folks for lunch. Don & Rita Robertson, Doris Fletcher, and Gary & Nancy Brinck attended. Ms Mo and Jerry were in South Beach at the Miami Boat Show. I spent the evening working on the puzzle with Wendy and Carmel.

2/16 Saturday I spent the day shopping in Ocala. I got some really good food items. After supper I worked on the puzzle until 8 PM with April & Melody. They are handicapped twins from Wisconsin who work for 4 months and then get to travel 2 months. They're here with their foster parents. They're really sweet girls. I watched the Olympics.

2/17 Sunday morning I did laundry and cleaned house. I worked on the puzzle a few hours and attended the ice cream social.

2/18 Monday I hung around the campground mostly working on the puzzle. I got a few more calls from recruiters. I spent the evening visiting with Doug & Karen and then watched the Olympics.

2/19 Tuesday I took care of several errands. I worked on the puzzle with Wendy & Carmel. I attended the Dine-In tonight. We had cube steak with gravy, mashed potatoes, peas, dinner rolls and strawberry shortcake. I spent the evening watching the Olympics.

2/20 Wednesday I spent the afternoon at Lazy Days more seriously looking at motorhomes. I'm still sold on the Rexhall floorplan. The only thing I saw that even came close is the Winnebago Chieftain 39C on the Workhorse chassis. Then I made one of Emeril's wonderful pasta dishes with pepperoni, spinach, basil, mushrooms ... Yum! I spent the evening watching the Olympics. Doug & Karen left today for Atlanta ... Karen's mom has cancer and she turned for the worse unexpectedly.

2/21 Thursday I spent the afternoon working on the puzzle with April. Then I went to the potluck. I took Dill Pea Salad (recipe from Marilynn Cole) which everyone loved. There was a huge turnout ... almost not enough tables.

2/22 Friday I spent the day running errands up in Ocala ... Publix, Home Depot, Barnes & Noble, BofA ... then a few hours working on the puzzle. I spent the evening watching the Olympics while I prepared my taxes.

2/23 Saturday I stayed in the motorhome most of the day since it rained all day. I did go to the club house in the late afternoon to get email and ended up working on the puzzle for a few hours until I got hungry for supper. After supper I stayed in the motorhome to watch the Olympics.

2/24 Sunday I spent the morning working on the puzzle and the afternoon reading/replying to email. After supper and the ice cream social I watched the closing ceremony of the Olympics. They were pretty good but not as good as the Opening Ceremony.

2/25 Monday morning I completed my taxes ... printing my copies and electronically sending. I'm really going to have to do something about this printer ... we had a fight and after getting ink all over my hands, I won!! I know which part is bad (one of the little tabs that holds the paper down under the guide) and should look into getting it repaired. It should be an easy and inexpensive job. I worked on the puzzle for a few hours and watched TV after supper.

2/26 Tuesday I spent the day helping in the kitchen for the Dine-In. We had Yankee Pot Roast with Potatoes, Carrots and Onions; gravy; salad; rolls; and vanilla pudding for dessert. We worked on the puzzle for a few hours after supper. The meat was very tender, but I like more flavor than it had.

2/27 Wednesday I spent the day on the phone with recruiters. There's a potential contract in Houston that sounds really good. I spent the evening watching TV.

2/28 Thursday I spent the day at Angola Coach really looking over the Rexhall. I measured all of the inside cabinets so I can attempt to determine if I think my stuff will fit in it. I spent the evening watching TV.

3/1 Friday I talked to several recruiters on the phone. There's a great contract in Ft Worth for Pier 1 that I'm being submitted for. In the afternoon I had decided to go to the library to use the internet for free, but found out when I got there that the library closes at noon on Friday. Oh well. So I spent the afternoon working on the puzzle and then watched TV in the evening.

3/2 Saturday morning I worked on the puzzle for a few hours. I spent the afternoon walking through the campground stopping to talk to friends. I got back to the motorhome just in time for the torrential downpour. So I spent the evening watching TV. It rained all evening and night but the temps never dropped below 70.

3/3 Sunday morning I did laundry. What fun! I spent a few hours working on the puzzle. It was still raining off and on all day and the temps dropped to the mid 60's. This afternoon I made baby back ribs ... I've been experimenting with this recipe (braised in the oven) for the past year. The recipe I started with about burned my mouth off!! It's a dry rub for marinating and then a braising liquid while cooking. It's been lots of work getting the sweet/hot levels right. I didn't want to take all the flavor away, but needed to cool the heat down so I could eat it. I think I've finally got it how I want it. Now I'm willing to make it for someone else. I spent the evening watching TV. I'm getting back into the primetime shows ... Alien and The Practice on Sundays. I stayed up late to finish reading The Hobbitt. Next I'll start reading Lord of The Rings. I read these books years ago, but have decided to read them again.

3/4 Monday I ran to the grocery store to get a few ingredients I needed to make my Chocolate Cream pie for potluck tomorrow. Then I spent the afternoon working on the puzzle and watching TV in the evening.

3/5 Tuesday morning I made the Chocolate Cream pie for potluck. Then I spent the afternoon chatting with the ladies in the craft room as they painted. After the potluck I worked on the puzzle for an hour and then watched TV for the evening ... NYPD Blue and Philly.

3/6 Wednesday I spent the afternoon working on the puzzle. Doug & Karen came back today so I visited with them for several hours. I spent the evening watching TV ... Law & Order.

3/7 Thursday I spent the day helping Doug & Karen cook for the Dine-In. We had grilled chicken, rice, green beans, dinner rolls and cinnamon streusel cake. I spent the evening watching TV ... Who's Line Is It Anyway?, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire (I like to see how many questions I can answer), The Agency.

3/8 Friday I spent the day visiting with Karen. We watched the birds at her birdfeeder. Then I spent a few hours working on the puzzle before supper. I spent the evening watching TV.

3/9 Saturday morning I went to Walmart to get new lightbulbs for the porch light. Then I spent several hours this afternoon working on the puzzle with John. John & Marilee invited me to attend the Throw-On supper here in the campground with them. A Throw-On is where the campground provides a hot grill, you bring your own meat to cook and a side dish or dessert to share. John & Marilee brought steaks including mine. They brought a cold pasta salad and I brought my special potatoes (there's no name for them - I made them up one night). We held this down at the horseshoe pits and had a horseshoe contest. It was lots of fun eating outside and visiting for several hours. John and Marilee are leaving in the morning so I'm glad I spent the time with them. I spent the evening watching TV.

3/10 Sunday I spent the day visiting with Carole and Sandy. We had a great time having a ladies chat session. I went to the ice cream social and worked on the puzzle for a short while. Then I spent the evening watching TV.

3/11 Monday was the first day I really got bored. I didn't feel like reading or watching TV, so I worked on the puzzle for a few hours. Then I had a disaster of a supper. I had a box of Raviolini in the pantry so I defrosted my homemade spaghetti sauce. I warmed up the sauce and boiled the Raviolini. Talk about nasty!!! The cheese filling never got soft!! And it tasted like sh*t ... I threw it out. I'm so glad I tasted it before I put any sauce on it. It was soooo bad it didn't deserve my sauce!! So I ate sauce and bread. Then later I had a snack of popcorn. I watched the movie 'Harry Potter'. Then I watched TV ... The Amazing Race 2.

3/12 Tuesday I was woken up at 4:20 AM to the loudest noise and the motorhome shaking ... it was the sonic boom from the space shuttle re-entering the Earth's atmosphere for their landing. I've never heard or felt anything like it! After finally getting back to sleep and sleeping in a bit late, I spent the morning getting caught up on email, cleaning house and talking to a few recruiters. The afternoon was spent helping Doug & Karen prep for the Dine-In tonight. We had Turkey Tetrazzini, French Bread, Salad, and Peach Crisp. I spent the evening relaxing with Lady and watching TV.

3/13 Wednesday I spent the afternoon visiting with Carole. Then we went to Social Hour since it was the going away party for Bev & Bob Hunt and Joyce Johnson (staff workers whose time is up). They served cake and punch. Around supper time Ed & Maria Jones showed up at my door. They're staying here for a few days. After supper I visited with Karen for a few minutes and then watched TV.

3/14 Thursday I spent the morning running errands and this afternoon visiting with Ed & Maria. Tonight was the potluck which is always good. Then I spent the evening watching TV.

3/15 Friday morning I talked to a few more recruiters. I've got an interview on Monday for the contract in Austin TX. I spent the afternoon visiting with Ed & Maria. After supper I helped Carmel work on a puzzle for a few hours, then I watched TV until bedtime.

3/16 Saturday morning I washed the car. It looks pretty good now. Next I need to do the motorhome. I spent a few hours helping Doug & Karen prep for the brunch tomorrow. We cut all the fruit, made the sausage gravy, cooked the ham, and made the pasta salad. Then I visited with Ed & Maria for a while. After Supper I watched a stupid movie ... Road Trip ... then watched some TV.

3/17 Sunday I was back in the kitchen at 9 AM and worked until 2 PM. We had 2 kinds of fruit muffins, bagels, english muffins, biscuits & gravy, watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, grapes, oranges, tangerines, cubed cheeses, roast beef, turkey, ham, sandwich making stuff, pasta salad, eggs, hash browns, sausage, bacon, breakfast ham, pancakes, waffles, french toast, grits, coffee, iced tea and orange juice. The brunch went well as expected but there were only 50 people instead of our usual 100 people. The campground is really starting to thin out. The temps got up to 88 today which meant even with the a/c on in the club house it was really hot in the kitchen all day. I got to rest for several hours in the afternoon, turned the a/c on in the rig for the first time all winter and watched a movie ... Simpatico. I spent a few hours visiting with Ed & Maria since they are leaving in the morning. I didn't attended the ice cream social ... yes, I actually gave up a bowl of ice cream ... I guess there's a first for everything. Actually, I felt sick to my stomach (I don't know if it was all the food I ate earlier, the heat or something else) and the thought of ice cream was just too much. I spent the evening watching TV.

3/18 Monday morning I worked on the puzzle for a few hours. I had an interview at 2 PM for a contract through GE Information Services for their client Dell Computers. The interview went well this afternoon and I just got the phone call that it's mine!!! So I'm planning my trip to Austin TX for the month of April. They want me there ASAP, but my mail has already been mailed to me here. I'm leaving the day after I get my mail ... the mail should arrive on Thursday which means I'll be leaving this Friday. I spent a few hours this evening in the club house working on the puzzle and visiting with people. Then I watched TV.

3/19 Tuesday morning I talked to the recruiter to finalize several things about this contract. I spent the afternoon helping Doug & Karen with the Dine-In. We made Johnny Mazzaratti Casserole, Waldorf Salad, Peas, Garlic Bread and creamy Rice Pudding. I spent the evening watching TV.

3/20 Wednesday I spent the day doing paperwork for my new contract. Besides having to go through the contract for this particular client I also had to do all the paperwork for the recruiting firm since I haven't worked through them before. I made supper for Doug & Karen. We had Maple Glazed Salmon, green beans, and salad. We sat around talking for several hours after we ate. Then I watched TV until bedtime.

3/21 Thursday I spent the day and the evening visiting with everyone to say my good-byes.

3/22 Friday morning I checked out of Sumter Oaks; got my hugs from Bill, Mick & Barb; and was on the road at 8:45 AM. I stopped 3 times - 2 rest areas and 1 gas station. There's lots of road construction on I-10 ... MM197 for 8 miles, MM122 for 2 miles, MM99 for 8 miles, MM85 for 3 miles ... but it didn't really add too much time to my trip (maybe 15 minutes). FL has changed the exit numbers to the mile markers ... the Exit Source (formerly Exit Authority) and the billboards along the road still have the old exit numbers. I got to the campground around 3:30 PM. Gulf Pines RV Park (now a KOA) is really nice. They're still a Passport America member so I paid $10 + tax. The sites are grass with cement patios. I've got a pull through long enough I didn't have to unhook the car which is great for an overnight stay. They've got a modem connection in the club house. When I checked in they invited me to their potluck tonight, but I'm too tired from driving to worry about cooking anything good. When I did the grocery shopping I got myself a frozen pizza for tonight and I spent the evening watching TV.

3/23 Saturday morning I left Milton FL at 8 AM. There was more road construction in FL at MM16 for 3 miles and in MS at MM43 for 4 miles. While driving in Alabama I passed Lee Snow and L.A. on the highway ... we honked and waved! A lot of the road has already been resurfaced in LA. The 2 bad spots are from west of the swamp to the I-49 interchange and from MM80 to MM54. There's road construction from MM54 to MM?? (I don't remember where it stopped - somewhere between MM44 and MM36). But at least they're resurfacing I-10. It will really be nice when it's completed. I'm staying at Jean LaFitte RV Park for the night (2 miles north of I-10) and arrived around 3 PM. It's just OK here, but only $10/night for Passport America. I surely wouldn't pay their normal rate of $20/night! The sites are grass with gravel parking pads, no picnic table, no trees, very open. It's a lot next to the Citgo gas station/store. For a quiet overnight stop, it's OK. When I did the grocery shopping I got myself a Stouffers dinner for tonight. Everytime I eat one of these I wonder why I spent all that money for it. But after driving all day I don't feel like cooking supper. I spent the evening watching TV.

3/24 Sunday morning I left Lake Charles LA at 8:30 AM. The ride to MM3 was the worst part of I-10 ... very rough. It was much better once I got into TX. The winds were strong this morning ... not too strong to be driving, but strong enough that driving was difficult and tiring. I got into Round Rock at 3 PM. Austin RV Park North is not at all what I expected ... it's a single street in a neighborhood with 20 sites and no office (unless you count the porch of a mobile home where you drop your check into a box). The sites are about 80 feet long, grass with a gravel parking pad, no picnic table, no patio, full hookups including phone jack (I'm calling the phone company tomorrow to get a line installed). The people seem nice and friendly. It's down the street from all the shopping anyone could want ... Walmart, Sams, Bed Bath & Beyond, Old Navy, Barnes & Noble, Target and many more. It's only a mile or two from Dell's office, so it's very convenient. I spent the afternoon getting the motorhome setup and polished the dirt off the car. Dri Wash & Guard is great! Now I can't wait to have the time to put it on the motorhome ... maybe this weekend. I spent the evening watching TV.

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