And the Birthday Keeps on Givin’

Since we were at the Pumpkin Festival for the weekend of the big day, we decided to celebrate a few days later. We gave up giving gifts for birthdays and anniversaries several years ago. We decided to go someplace special or do something that we normally would not.

The year Steve turned sixty-five, we took a western trip to Colorado and Wyoming, flying out of Connecticut to Denver. We spent two weeks. Had a great time. Toured Denver...the capitol and mint.  Taken to lunch by our friend Tim.  Rafted.  Starred in a Melodrama. Pikes Peak (twice--by car and cog rail). Revisited Fort Carson (where Steve served most of service time). Cheyenne capitol.  Casper and vicinity. But neither our calendar nor budget allowed me the same flexibility for my big year.

I love the tourist trap shows and things in Orlando. We decided to go to spend the day. We used to have season passes for Disney, but again for the last couple of years, this has not had a place in our calendar. For my fiftieth birthday we had gone to Cape Canaveral and Medieval Times. Steve said that I was the loudest person there. That may be why MY jouster won the tournament. For sixty, we went to Disney’s HoopDeDoo! Loved it.

I really wanted to try the Dixie Stampede this time, but despite the other three venues (Branson, Myrtle Beach and Pigeon Forge), it had closed its doors in the Orlando area.

We looked at several of the “dinner shows” and decided that we would like to try Arabian Nights. Florida residents get fairly good discounts on most of the attractions. One does have to prove it by showing a license or some sort of ID. So, in making the reservations, we so identified ourselves. When we reached the box office, we were already plugged in for the discount. We showed our ID’s and voile! We got front row seats in section H1. Excellent seating.

But, before all this happened, we kenneled Frisky as we figured that we would be home late. Then we left. Had breakfast at Denny’s. I had a Belgian waffle. The waitress was kind enough to get me some warmed strawberries to top it.

Arriving at Arabian Nights, we purchased our tickets.

 It was still very early in the day. What would we do to kill some time? We did not want to spend much money. So, we decided to walk through Downtown Disney which I always find fun. We spent some time at the LEGO store. It truly is amazing what they do with those things. The prices charged for LEGOs bought at Disney, however, are very pricey.

We walked through the toy store too. Mr. Potato Head is the star of a large portion of the store. My original potato head was stryofoam. When it got beat up, I used a real potato. Threw it out when it got black and used another one. We had limited pieces that could be used. Today’s potato head is a large plastic potato –shaped blob. One can buy a gazillion accessories today. In my day, the set was basic without many added chances to change his look. The potato head can now look like many of the characters from Disney films (a pirate looked like fun). Lots of noses, hats, shoes, ears, eyes.

 



Then, we went to play a game of miniature golf. I thought that I wanted to find the Congo, but did not bring the address with me. We found three “Pirate Cove” courses. We settled on the one closest to Old Town. It is behind the huge yellow teed golf ball. Again, mentioning our being Florida residents, we received a discount. We decided to play at Blackbeard’s portion of the course. The other choice was Captain Kidd.

Pirate's Cove Adventure Miniature Golf                                                          

2845 Florida Plaza Blvd.

Kissimmee, FL 34746

407-396-7484

http://www.piratesislandgolf.com

“Pirate's Cove, ‘the Original Adventure Golf,’ offers an unequaled miniature golf experience! The adventures and legends of infamous pirates come to life in our award-winning theme park settings. Putt your way through caves, over footbridges, and under cascading waterfalls, all amidst a fun-filled atmosphere of natural wonders, extraordinary landscaping and enchanting pirate lore. “ (from web site)

Steve and I apparently are fairly well matched. We have not played miniature golf in at least fifteen years (maybe twenty). We were both wayyyyyyyyyy over par. I did get a hole in one. Startled the lady at the “pro” shop with my loud wild hooting holler. I won by four ; but as I said, we really were well matched. We actually thoroughly enjoyed it.

Next we walked around Old Town. It is kind of dead during the day, but there were some fun windows in which to window shop. We noticed a large number of vacant stores…another sign of a drooping economy, I guess. Stopped at Checkers for soda and a quick snack.




Our ticket taker, setting the mood of the evening!

Arabian  Nights                                                                  

3081 Arabian Nights Blvd

Kissimmee, FL 34747

1-800-553-6116

407-239-9223

Check the calendar as some shows are as early as 6:00 and others at 8:30.

www.arabian-nights.com/

By this time, it was getting close to 4:15 when Arabian Nights opens with an appetizer “buffet”…a very good pasta salad and nachos and salsa. A very pretty belly dancer gives three five to ten minute performances while we wait for the main doors to open. Very nice.

“The entire Arabian Nights performance and dinner show is hosted inside the Palace of Horses, the world’s largest indoor equestrian arena for a permanent show, where 11 different breeds of horses are trained and cared for by the dedicated staff of this amazing dinner theater production.” (from web site). The stars of the show are the Arabians. The other breeds:

• American Quarter Horse         

• American Paint Horse

• American Cream

• Appaloosa

• Belgian

• Canadian Warmblood

• Irish Draught

• Percheron

• Saddlebred

• Shetland Pony

Our seats were first row, ringside. Great seats. Food…ok, but cold. I had ordered the chef’s selection which was pot roast on puffed pastry. It wasn’t very puffy. The meat was decent, but the mashed potatoes were (as Steve would say) “not real.” Very disappointing. Steve had sirloin which was a better selection. The ladies sitting to my right were from England and “on holiday.” The show started before we had time to finish our meal. So, we finished it in the dark. Dessert was white cake with raspberry, chocolate cake or vanilla or chocolate Dixie cups. Dessert portions were really small.

Swing your pardn'rs, Do, Si, Do!

The show, however, was great. It started with a lone woman on horseback and a story was built around her. She was an American. Her ancestry, however, proved that she was a princess. The story came complete with a genie in a lamp. She needed to find her a prince within a short given time period or the black prince would take over her realm. She traveled with the genie all over the world, including America. A black stallion was involved. And, of course, a prince.

Great Equestrian show! Dressage. Gypsies. Bare Back riders. A great western square dance on horseback. Lots of Americana complete with our stars and stripes. A beautiful black stallion performed just by hand signals. Native American tribute. Unicorn. Dark evil henchman. A goat ran through in the middle of the show (when I asked Steve to tell his highlight, he immediately mentioned the goat). Lighting and special effects were amazing. A bit of magic (or illusion). Smoke. Fog. The best of the best for those who love horses and seeing them a beautiful equestrian setting. Riders came close to the “wall” so that one could almost touch the horses. (An upgrade allows one to go to the stables before the show). Show was magnificent .

The finale was a beautiful American tribute with Lee Greenwood’s I’m Proud to Be an American!

The horses came back into the arena for frolic time and to "play."  Some of them galloped about.  Some rolled.  Some just stood and looked like the stars that they are.

Valentine and A Birthday Greeting Brings Fame and Fortune (???) --Sort of

Valentine’s Day. Have a happy Day. Hope you are enjoying the one you love.

My father loved Valentine Day’s. He loved to give his four ladies a special Valentine heart filled with our favorite chocolates. Gram got one, my sister and I got one each, and, of course, the biggest one went to my mother.  We would nurse that box of candy for weeks.  This day is always a good memory of him.

My special valentine gave me a potted miniature carnation basket. It is so cold here in Florida that I will have to keep it in the house for several days, but it will soon go out on my back porch, where I can enjoy it from both inside and outside the house. It is kind of a red with a hot pink tinge—a very unusual color—very beautiful.

A Birthday Greeting Brings Fame and Fortune (???)--Sort of

Well, not really. Yesterday, I went with a friend to visit her father at the VA in Lake City. Tomorrow is his 80th birthday. Lake City is just this side of a hundred miles from my house. She lives another 200 miles further away. So, she often crashes at my house for a day or three. I some times go with her to visit. I like her Dad; he is very charming. He and my Dad share the same first name. Their name is a bit unusual, so it was really ironic that after several years of friendship, we discovered our Dads had the same first name. Not only that they were one of two boys in their individual families, both have/had February birthdays, both raised two girls and both were twice married in a day in which this was much less common. They also belong to the same Lodge, albeit two different New England states. My Dad passed in 1986; six weeks after Steve’s Dad (that was not a good year).

The friend’s Dad is somewhat bed confined due to a long time fight with muscular dystrophy. But he stills laughs and smiles a lot and thinks that I am “kooky.” I am not sure that I would like that adjective from just anyone, but I kind of like it from him. We spent about three hours with him. She has gone back today. They need time together, so I begged off and went to church.

People in long term care facilities are lonely. It is kind of sad to look at a visitors’ book at a VA hospital and see so few names. These men and women gave up so much for us and they sit lonely in some hospital room. Many of us work (including my friend), so it is difficult to visit. Our schedules are so busy. One should, however, try to find time to visit some one from time to time in a long term care facility.

One benefit to VA facilities and those run by churches or lodges, such as the Masons, Elks, Moose or any of the many other lodges are usually a step or so above the “for profit” places. The VA, for instance, has an ongoing relationship with other service related organizations—American Legion, DAV, etc. These groups often have people who visit on a regular basis. This certainly breaks up the loneliness. One such group brought “Dad” a cake and a birthday balloon. He had a Polaroid picture on his wall of those in that group who brought the cake. Anyway, I will now get off my soapbox and get on with the “FAME” portion of this blog.

As mentioned, we went to Lake City which is near the Civil War battle of Olustee (or Great Pond). As was traditional during this War, the North named most of the battles after a physical attribute of the land (Bull Run, Antietam [Creek], Shiloh [Church], etc.). The South named the same battle after the closest town (Manassas, Sharpsburg, Pittsburg Landing, etc.). This battle, fought, in northern Florida was no different. Olustee for the South; Great Pond for the North. “Olustee” remains the dominant name used today.

Olustee, then:

The Battle of Olustee (or Great Pond)

Late in the War Between the States (February 20, 1864) a small Federal force of between 5000 and 5500 under General Truman Seymour moved away from their Jacksonville garrison westward toward Lake City—three brigades of infantry, one brigade of cavalry (mounted troops) and a handful of supporting artillery. Their march roughly followed the Florida Atlantic and Gulf-Central Railroad. Near the town Sanderson, skirmishing started. What stated as a skirmish became a full-blown battle by mid afternoon. The Confederates had heard that the Federal Army was on the move and moved to block their continued advance. Their commanding officer was General Joseph Finegan, who eventually also had committed approximately the same number of troops as his Union counterpart.

Seymour and his staff were warned by a defiant southern woman: "'You will come back faster than you go."' The Union officers were amused at her boldness. As it turned out, her “prophesy” was correct.

The Confederates had found a defensible location and dug in with strong earthworks near Olustee Station (ten miles east of Lake City). The railroad passed through a narrow corridor of dry ground bordered by impassable swamps and bays to the south; a large body of water known as Great Pond to the north.

The battle threatened to turn rapidly into a rout for the Federals. A wrong command was given, and the 7th New Hampshire fell into confusion. The regiment soon collapsed—men running to the rear or milling about in a disorganized mob. An untried raw recruit unit--the 8th US Colored—although able to hold ground for a time, soon retreated in some confusion. As with most battles, the maneuvers pushed one side or the other in better positions from time to time.

Eventually, both sides had heavy casualties. The Confederates, however, out positioned and out maneuvered the Federals, who soon fell back…a fine Confederate victory. The Confederate pursuit was poorly organized, however; and the Union troops were able to return to Jacksonville.

If one were to compare the numbers of those that fought in this battle to the number of casualties, they would find them staggering. Union casualties: (40%) 203 killed, 1,152 wounded, and 506 missing, a total of 1,861. Confederate losses: (20%) 93 killed, 847 wounded, and 6 missing, a total of 946. For the North, the casualty percentage was among the highest of the war--Olustee ranks as the third bloodiest for the Union—casualties/the number of men engaged.

Overall, this battle contributed next to nothing to the outcome of the War…too little, too late for the Confederacy.

Olustee Today: The weekend that includes Presidents’ Day presents a local festival in downtown Lake City and a weekend of re.enacting on the actual battle site today known as the Olustee Battlefield State Park. It is a beautiful locale, lots of piney woods. When we first started re.enacting we participated in the event for several years. It was a great event. We had a cook in our unit who loved to prepare meals over the fire for large crowds of people. We had the most wonderful meals…roast pork or roast beef, roasted potatoes for dinner. Eggs, bacon, sausage, etc. for breakfast. Unfortunately, we lost our cook to a divorce. Her husband did not re.enact. But when she left him, she left the state. Gone was the really great grub. Still miss you, Carol.

One of the most unusual events that happened there was with a cavalry horse. Olustee is a magnificent place for cavalry. Sometimes, however, the horses that are not used to hearing gun shots panic. Well, one cavalry gentleman, bought a horse from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. Feeling that this horse would definitely be used to gun fire, he brought him to the battlefield. Well, the horse performed perfectly as the battle was about to begin and charged across the field. The first gun fire did not frighten the horse. Instead, he dropped to ground and threw his rider. Looked really good to the crowd. What happened!!?? Well, it appears that his training including protecting his rider when accosted by gunfire. So, he dropped in front of his new master to protect him. Last time that horse was brought out to a re.enactment.

Re.enactors for all over the country converge at the battlefield. Almost every Georgia and Florida re.enactor have attended this event sometime in their re.enacting career. It is the only real battle in Florida (about 160 documented events were raids and skirmishes) re.enacted on the original battlefield. It has the potential of being a great event, but “politics” and silly rules have turned many away over time.

Editorial: We cannot do our kettle korn here, so it is often a weekend “off.” The organizers have this really goofy rule…only local not for profit organizations can do any form of food at the re.enactment. A couple of years ago, an organization in Alachua County wanted to hire us to do kettle korn there. When we checked with the local organizers, they told us “no.” It seems their rule means local as in “Baker County” only. Baker County is the county in which the battle took place. It is not really like Alachua County is “foreign” as it is only two counties away separated by Columbia County (which is where Lake City and the festival take place). So, alas, alack we cannot pop at the re.enactment (although there is no kettle korn there). We do not want to pop at the festival as there already is someone doing that there. We seldom can find an event that is big enough for two to enjoy the benefits of a good day’s pay.

As mentioned earlier, my friend and I were in Lake City yesterday to visit her father. We left him after 7:00 pm. She had not eaten much during the day due to her travel. So, we stopped at the local Cracker Barrel. It is a favorite place for both of us. I seldom eat there as Steve does not seem to be fond of it. We walked up to the hostess who was really cranky. Gave our name. The wait would be about half hour. That was okay.

It dawned on me that some re.enactors might dine here. So, I peeked into the dining room. Miss Pleasant Hostess snapped at me, “We’re Full!” I answered in my sweet smile that I knew but I was just looking. At the very first table by the door were three young ladies in period attire. I spoke to the oldest and said that we were re.enactors too. She asked me if I had been at Mt. Dora. I said “yes, we do kettle korn!” At this point the youngest turned and looked at me and said “Hi, Miss Molly!” Chatted a bit.  She is one of my customers.

Started walking through the country store portion. Saw a lady with her fancy period clothes. She looked at me (remember I am not in 1864 attire, but 2010), “Hey, Miss Molly, I did not see you at camp.” “Nope, not there.” Told her about the screw ball rule. Walked a couple steps further. Ran smack into a Union soldier with his lady in jeans, but her head piece was period. Chatted with them. They were from Colorado. Told them “welcome to warm sunny Florida!” They laughed as we have had nasty cold and lots of rain (more like New England in November). Turned around again and ran into a Confederate sergeant. I knew his face, but could not put a name to him. We spoke briefly. He was with a female Yankee artillery person, who had a couple of primers on the red braid of her hat (I own a couple of primers myself…that means that one has pulled the lanyard of the cannon to make it go boom). She said she was fairly new to the hobby. I think that her heart was Confederate, but at many re.enactments in the South soldiers often have to “galvanize” in order to equalize the numbers a bit.

Galvanize simply means one has to “change sides” for the battle. This usually means just changing ones jacket. Many re.enactors (especially new folks on a budget) buy a pair of sky blue pants and two jackets… one dark blue for Federal and one gray or butternut for the Confederate side. Many times, during the War, Southern soldiers wore Union blue pants as they would take a Union soldier’s pants (who would no longer need them) after a battle. The Union soldier was clothed better than his Southern counterpart. A better pair of pants or shoes was always needed by the Confederate soldier. At the beginning of the War, the Confederate soldier would also take the jackets. But that caused too much confusion, so jackets were usually left behind.  One, seeing, a blue jacket, might shoot at it even though the soldier was a southerner.

Anyway, I guess Miss Molly has a bit of fame or maybe just a good following. Nonetheless, it was kind of fun to be recognized outside of my usual realm. The real irony is that I am seldom recognized when I am not in my period attire. I have lots of stories about this. Everyone always recognizes Steve, but not me. I joke about the fact that soon after a particular event, I will run into someone in—say—a grocery store. We will have a conversation in which they will tell me that they went to a certain event and had kettle korn.

I will say, “Oh, that was me!”

“No, no, it wasn’t you from whom I bought the corn.”

“Miss Molly’s was the only kettle corn there.”

“No, no, it wasn’t you!”

Then Steve walks up and, voile, “yeah, he’s the one!”

I know, therefore, that I look a lot different in my two lives. But, enough people know me either way. As I said, it was fun to be recognized in that persona.

For details of the battle, re.enactment and festival:

http://battleofolustee.org/