Deja View

When Cindy invited me to a family picnic Saturday I was sure I'd never been to this place. But once there, there was something hauntingly familiar about it - in another lifetime, I guess. This park is in downtown Tampa and I could actually see St Petersburg and the Trop across the bay. The park is also very close to the Gandy Bridge. I have become a lot more familiar with the waterways since joining the USCGA. I have done patrols that began in Harbour Island and included all three bridges - the Gandy, the Howard Frankland, and the Courtney Campbell Causeway.

The day started out like this. Cindy and I actually made it to the Howard Frankland on her wave runners until the weather forced us back.

And then from bright and sunny it all went black and next thing you know, we were all huddled under a shelter (pavillion) with things blowing at us and over us. We were sure we weren't in Kansas anymore. Luckily Cindy's nephew, Jake made in back just in time. :)

And I'm not sure what everybody else does after a tropical storm rips through but around here, we eat key lime pie!

Green, Green Grass of Home

I just returned from a week's visit home to Syracuse and truly appreciated the things we know we can never replace from home. One of the first things I wanted to do was walk barefoot in the yard. There is nothing like the grass where I am from - it's soft, as it probably is in most parts of the country except Florida! And if you didn't grow up where your mom hung her sheets on the line outside to dry, I feel sorry for you. There is nothing like inhaling that fresh air while you sleep.

And then there's the comfort food - food that can never be replicated anywhere else in the world especially when it's your mom preparing the food. I realize most people would be unable to classify my mom's pepper salad as comfort food but it's one of my all time faves and she made it special just for me since she is unable to eat it anymore - it's mostly jalapenos, onions, and celery and I eat it with everything. I put it on my sandwiches, in my mom's sauce, and anytime I feel like jazzing up whatever I'm eating...

Here's a picture of the front of the house and it's fun for me to look at and remember all the times I climbed out of or into my bedroom window! That would be the dormer on the left. I used the fence in the backyard and the garage roof to get in and out. Most of the time I was breaking in when no one was home! A rebel WITH a cause - 'cause I didn't like staying with relatives when my parents were away...

It was a great week seeing my family and old friends. Did a lot of crosswords with my mom and especially enjoyed a Saturday puzzle with my dear friend, Jim, from high school. There was shopping, the casino, dinners out, hair cut and highlighted (omg - first time ever!). We found a great little Italian restaurant called Joey's because I was dying for NY Italian food. Here is my brother, Bill, Joanne, Mom, Harley, and me at the restaurant. The rest of my pictures can be viewed at: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2030296&id=1188092517&l=2f6d33dbd6

Coming up...Austin, TX with Joe, Curt's family picnic in Harrisburg, PA, the Nationals (Curt qualified this year) in Tuscaloosa, AL, Oneonta, and Greece for their annual marathon. Stay tuned...