Partying Between Set Up and the Start of Business at the Raid

Brooksville Now-- we started the kettle korn business

Bev's Mom and Dad

Once we started going there as a business, we needed to get there much earlier.  Instead of arriving on Friday, we now had to set up on Wednesday.  Thursday was a day in which not much happened. Then the get-togethers started to accumulate between setting up and actually starting selling at the event.  Steve and I are not party folks as mentioned before.  But we do like our special traditional and annual gatherings.

Parents of my long-time friend Bev are snow birds.  They are currently 89 and 91.  Several years ago, Mrs. S. invited us for lunch on Thursday.  At that time we still lived in South Florida.  So, when we left on Wednesday, we did not return to our home until after the event Sunday night.  The Thursday luncheon with old friends was perfect in so many ways.  That first year, we were served a variety of breads, rolls, chips, cold meats and salads…egg, crab, tuna, potato.  The next year Beverly asked what we would like to eat.  We requested the same meal.  And, thus, a traditional was born.   Even after we moved to North Central Florida and we could go home easier with fewer miles, the traditional continued.  Last year, Mrs. S. was battling illness.  So, we did not go.  But this year, Bev and her sister decided they could go back to this wonderful tradition.   We did go this year.  And the meal was as wonderful as ever.  Good food, good friends.

Bob's get together

Loafer’s Glory sutler—Debbie and Bob live near the Brooksville Raid.  He is the sutler co-ordinator.  Several years ago, because most of the sutlers came in on Wednesday to set up and, like us, did not have much to do on Thursday, they started inviting a handful of us to their house for a small get together.  It is held primarily out of doors.  Some of these evenings have been reaaaaaaaaaaaaaallly cold.  But this year, it was cool, but pleasant.  They have a fire pit where we roast our own hot dogs.  Every one brings something.  A list is compiled during the day of such goodies.  That first event I brought cheese cake—a variety of flavors which we bought at the local Winn-Dixie.  It became my traditional donation.  Since most of us do not have the convenience of “making” or “baking” our contributions on site, almost everything is store-boughten.  There is, however, homemade slaw and homemade chili.  Various beverages (no alcohol).  Sometimes children (Bob’s and Debbie’s granddaughter).  A pleasant evening.

Karaoke takes on its special doings.  Steve and I are not fond of this entertainment.  So, we often leave about the time the singing starts. 

CHRISTMAS AT DISNEY—Well, Sort of

Christmas at Disney--Well, Sort of

It was a cold and wintry day.  All the topiaries were wearing their winter coats and covered nicely with a good warm blanket of special material.  Even so, they may still have been shivering under them.  Lots of the more delicate greenery and outdoor flowers also were blanketed.  This was true all over WDW.  It was COLD!  And terribly windy.

A couple of years ago, Lynne, John, Steve and I spent a day checking out the Christmas trees and ornaments at the resorts—Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Lodge, Coronado Springs, and Grand Floridian.  We decided that we would repeat this adventure by going to some of the other resorts which we had not previously visited.  None of the four of us would EVER go to one of the parks during the days near Christmas.  Many of the Orlando attractions had to stop allowing people through their gates during the last week or so due to being “filled.”  Actually, that is a misnomer, as they were filled well beyond capacity.  Waiting lines were long and horrendous.  We heard by TV that some of the “rides”/ attractions had lines that lasted more than two hours.    

Both Lynne and I had called to find out how long the Christmas decorations would be up.  Lynne’s information was January 3; mine, January 7.  In either case, we thought we would be able to see some beautiful decorations.  As it were, neither was totally correct.    John had only Tuesday off from his job.  So, we made arrangements to meet at the Swan near EPCOT.  

Steve and I missed a turn and had to back-track.  When we finally got to the place we should have been to begin with, we discovered Lynne and John were in the car two ahead of us.  God had to have had a hand in that, because when we got to the gate house for the Swan, we discovered that one needs to swipe the room card in order to park there.  Since we were not registered, we needed to back up and go to Plan B (we did not know we had one, but apparently, we did).  If we had not arrived at the same time, one or both cars would have had a certain amount of confusion.  But, of course, I suppose, we could have used the cell phones (as much as I hate them, I HAVE to use one occasionally), 

They decided to follow us (wherever we were going to go). 

Steve and I decided to go to the Wilderness Lodge.  I love breakfast there.  Anyway, they followed us.  Their decorations were still up.  As with everything Disney, every detail is perfection.  The decorations at the Wilderness are themed to the Wild West.  Some of the lights are behind giant tepees.  Other ornaments (besides regular large round Christmas tree bulbs) include canoes, ornaments with printed deer, bison, etc. and lots of lights.  The tree is approximately six stories tall and is in the lobby/atrium.  A star tops the tree which is decorated  all the way up. 

The heat from the resorts, buses and monorail would come to feel ever so nice and warming. Outside walking was just not too much fun. Yet, the parks were jammed with people. 

The weather seemed to keep the train empty

After breakfast, we hopped a bus to the Magic Kingdom.  No, not to go to the park, but to take the monorail to the three resorts around the “Seven Seas Lagoon”...Contemporary,  Polynesian and The Grand Floridian.  We wandered through the Contemporary, finding their tree in the new Towers building.  Turquoise and gold.  Not bad.  We crossed the walking bridge.  It was very cold and windy.  When we went back to catch the monorail, we walked on ground level…much easier to travel.  The buildings protected us from the wind.  The setting for the Contemporary is beautiful, right on one of the many Disney lakes.  The building itself really wowed me the first time I saw it many years ago (1973).  Can you imagine a monorail traveling and stopping right inside the building? I guess the novelty has sort of worn off, but it still gives me a thrill.  The building has very sleek lines (I’m more of a Wilderness Lodge or Grand Floridian type…old themes).  The colors are earth tones.

Hopping back on the monorail, our next stop was the Polynesian.  A few poinsettias here and there, but not much other Christmassy looks.  We did find a tree in one of the restaurants that was well-themed.  The Polynesian (along with the Contemporary and Fort Wilderness Campground) are the three original resorts at WDW.  The Polynesian is the smallest of all the resorts.  Surprisingly, this is the first time we actually walked through it.  Even though there was not much “Christmas,” it was really cool to see.

 

Back on the monorail, we then stopped at the Grand Floridian.  To our sad disappointment, not one fragment of Christmas availed.  Its gorgeous huge tree…gone.  Its full-sized ginger bread house gone.  Its gilded bird cages totally de-decorated.  We might as well have been there in the middle of summer, Talked to a young man named Javier and asked about the decorations.  He said, “Christmas has passed.”  I am a strong believer in the twelve days of Christmas which ends on January 6.  Many cultures celebrate the main part of this very special holiday on January 6—Epiphany, Three Kings’ Day, the Twelfth Day of Christmas, or any of the other names under which it may be.    He did agree with me, but apparently, Disney does not.  We wandered around, nonetheless, as even without the Christmas decorations, the Grand Floridian is a beautiful highly decorated themed resort.  As with any Grand Victorian, the resort offers "high" tea.  We did not get the details, but Lynne and I (who love tea rooms and high tea) would like to go without the guys some day.

Back to the monorail--one last time--to catch a Disney bus.  We decided that we would not traverse to any other resort this year as we had been disappointed with the de-decorating.  But, next year we will go earlier and enjoy the themed beauty in each resort that we have missed.

We further decided to go to Downtown Disney.  It turns out that there is not a direct bus connection from the Magic Kingdom to Downtown Disney.  One can only get to Downtown Disney from one of the zillion resorts.  But the wonderful Disney employee who helps people at the bus depot suggested that we take the bus to “Sarasota Springs,” which is the closest resort to Downtown.  We waited almost no time, when our bus showed.  As we pulled in Sarasota Springs, the Downtown bus pulled in right behind us.  So, with no wait time, we hopped the bus to “Downtown” Disney.

We poked in several of the shops.  Downtown Disney still understood that Christmas had not yet gone away.  Christmas decor abounded.  Everything from the cast (plastic, plaster or whatever?)characters--wearing their winter garb--to Christmas trees, wreaths and peppermint bark samples at Ghirardelli's.   

http://ghirardelli.com/

Then, we decided to go to lunch.   On another trip to Disney some time ago, we had dined at the Earl of Sandwich…which is a quick, large portions, good lunch time fare, good value (not cheap…nothing at Disney is cheap these days…unlike days of yore).  It is cafeteria style and the food is quite good with seasonal offerings (hot turkey with stuffing and cranberry was really good...it seems to be a special between Thanksgiving and shortly after Christmas).  All sandwiches are on hogie-style fresh baked bread.  Salads and soups add to the menu. Wraps.  Beverages. Potato or Pasta Salads.  Fruit Cups Chips, etc. Cookies. Cookie Sandwiches.  Bread or Chocolate Puddin'.  Breakfast sandwiches.  The portions are fairly true to the pictures on the web-site.  The Sandwich was named after the Fourth Earl of Sandwich; the current restaurant chain is run by the Eleventh Earl.  Not just a registered trademark, but probably the absolute truth! The World's Greatest Hot Sandwich®    

http://www.earlofsandwichusa.com/about-us/

Don'tcha love the bar stools?

But given all that hype, we decided to go for sit-down and be waited upon. John had a recent birthday and Steve and I had not been “out” to eat for some time.  So, we bypassed the sandwich for a trip to the Rainforest Café.  Steve and I had poked our heads into one a couple of times.  It looked like fun.  But the prices were higher than we like to pay.  This, however, was kind of a special day.  So, the four of us decided to go for broke and dine there.  It was a bit pricey, but a whole lot of fun.  The food was very good, the service was super and fun (except when paying…it took a long time to get our change and Lynne’s credit card).  The portion sizes good-sized (except John's steak...although he was happy).  Steve had pot roast.  He did not like the veggies (he likes very few veggies and those need to be over cooked—not al dente).  John had a “Primal” steak dinner, which he enjoyed.  Lynne, who had a gastric bypass a zillion years ago, still does not have much of an appetite.  She chose a "side" salad, which turned out to be bigger than she expected and could not finish it.  And, I had Rasta Pasta…penne with a basil Alfredo cream sauce with all kinds of goodies…red bell pepper, spinach, broccoli.  It was yummy.  The café is a really fun place.  From time to time, the lights flash on and off and simulates a thunder storm.  There are all kinds of animals…animated monkeys swinging from overhead trees, apes of various sizes making appropriate noises along with chest pounding.  There are large parrots of plaster or plastic flying overhead.  An elephant blaring its trunk trumpet.  Rain.  Tropical fish (these are real).  It was soooooo much fun.  Due to the prices, I probably will not repeat this experience, but it is a memory which I certainly will relish and remember forever.  Much too full to dine on dessert… they looked out of this world yummy.

http://www.rainforestcafe.com/

After moseying a bit more, we boarded a bus for the Wilderness Lodge and left for home.  A good day with special friends.  For the cost of gas, tolls, lunch (and one always has to eat) and parking, we had a wonderful day.

The Annual Madiera Beach Boat Parade Or Not

The Annual Madiera Beach Boat Parade--That I Don’t Think Happened This Year—PAAAAARTY

I have written about Rick’s [in]famous Boat Parade Party before.  But, it is always fun to attend and then write about it.  Actually, I’m going to copy much of the posting from last year with some updates, including a few pictures and a post script on the non-boat parade.

Florida’s Christmas celebrations are soooo different than those in northern climes. Many towns have street parades, oft at night. But many of the coastal or bay front towns have an additional parade…a parade of boats from tiny dinghies to mammoth yachts highly decorated with lights, dancing Santas (some in red shorts, Hawaiian shirt and surf board--hohoho), trees--some dancing, more lights and an assortment of “red-nosed” animals. Yes, of course, we have Rudolph the Red-nosed reindeer. But then, there are the red-nosed turtles, flamingoes, dolphins and various and sundry other lesser known red-nosed creatures. I am sure they all must have names, but I will leave it to the reader’s imagination to name these critters. I personally like the alliteration found in Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Can’t get that alliterative sound with these other animals.

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Rick's neighbor

One of our favorite annual traditions at this time of the year is the party at Rick’s. Rick is a really great guy with a big heart and lots of hospitality. His home is on the beautiful Boca Ciega Bay (a smaller bay just north of Tampa Bay). Originally, the waterfront was surrounded by small cottage-type houses, many framed or block. Because it is on the water’s edge, much of the area has been bought by folks who tore down the old charming bungalows and built huge multi-story houses. There are several surrounding Rick’s place. His place, however, is still a block bungalow built over the course of a couple or three decades…remnants of earlier architecture.

Rick has a philosophy about the color of his house. Go to the paint store, buy whatever has been returned by someone else. And paint the wall that color. If one gallon is not enough, buy as many gallons as one might need to complete a wall. If the colors are not the same…no problem…just mix them all together...and paint the wall that color. Thus, the exterior of his home has one wall facing the bay (the east wall) that is sort of pinkish. One wall is greenish (I think that is the north wall). Since there are a couple of ells, the walls switch color. The west wall which faces the road is various shades of blue. This wall is painted in a wavy shore motif.

The interior walls have the same criteria. Buy whatever, mix it, paint with it.  In the past, one bathroom was kind of an apple red on the walls, plum ceiling and a turquoise shag rug. One of his many friends actually found a curtain with those exact colors and tied the room together.  But this year, it had acquired a new coat of paint.  The new colors were like that of a desert.  Someone had actually painted cactus and desert flowers around the base

Rick is the bass player in the 97th String Band--we like to believe world famous--a group that plays music from the ‘60’s—that is the 1860’s. Their music is music that would have been heard during the Civil War. Great music!

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Rick--Seven swans a-swimming

Anyway, back to the annual tradition. Rick opens his house and heart on the waterfront on the day of the boat parade scheduled for the town of Madiera Beach.

He provides soda, ice and some beer. A few years ago, all these items were put in his canoe which was near the house. The canoe has since been retired. He now uses real coolers.

Anyone/everyone is welcome…neighbors, students (he is a retired teachers), other teachers, railroad enthusiasts (he likes trains), friends, friends of friends, and friends of friends’ friends and probably their friends. Of course, any Civil War reenactor who is inclined to attend is welcome. This group forms the largest part of the population. Often there are people floating through his house and yard that he does not really know. It is a great family event. Children of all ages are welcomed (as long as their parents, uncles or grandparents watch over them).

He never worries about food, as he provides none of it. The criterion for this party is to bring something…anything from store-boughten chicken wings to homemade chili. Greek salad, pizza, ethnic specialties, sandwiches, pasta salad, store-bought sweets, homemade cookies and cake, appetizers—including dips, crackers, chips, hummus. Some years lots of pasta dishes show up (none, except the salad, this year),

Although the boat parade is supposed to arrive in front of his dock somewhere between 7:15 and 8:00 pm, people start arriving about five-ish. There is a constant revolving of goodies on the table. Those who arrive early eat early, then eat later, then eat later as new foods replace early taste treats.

Everyone who wants or needs a chair brings his/her own. There is some liquor, but no one ever seems to get drunk. This year Deb, once again, had a burner going heating hot cider. There was spiced rum for those who wanted it “leaded.” The bottle was not gone at the end of the evening, although the hot cider was.

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Tim's drums

Several guests are musicians. Flutes, penny whistles, guitars, (sometimes) Rick’s bass, borans, and various other small instruments abound. Singing of traditional Christmas songs for anyone who wants to join in.  Tim (snare drum), Jane (fife), John (fife) and others who make up the 95th fife and drum group come bearing their instruments and play continuously.

Those of us who are veterans of this celebration know that the more noise, the better. Whistles. Air Horns. Cow Bells (this is my contribution).  This year they abounded. Yelling and Hooting. Whatever can make noise—the louder, the better. And, of course, Ray and his half–scale Civil War cannon! BOOOOM! BANG! BOOOOOOOOOOOM! with many of his ROTC cadets ready to listen to his command to let it go bang.

Normally, as each boat goes by with their beautiful decorations, the crowd gets nosier. One year as Ray shot the cannon (black powder, but no ball or shell) one of the participants on the boat going by actually ducked (probably this has happened more than once). Ray shoots as many rounds as he can get out of his cannon. He even shoots at the Sheriff’s boats (try that one in Massachusetts!).   This year, however, not too many shots. 

Ray's cannon scared 'em away

There is a dinner paddle-wheeler that passes the dock each year.  Usually, they pass as the other boats are going by and drop anchor in front of Rick’s, as there is already a lot of noise. This is one of those huge paddle boats that one sees at places like the Mississippi River. Because of a forecast of bad weather, we think, last year, the party boat did not show. This year, since the parade was not passing at the time the dinner boat went, Ray let a cannon shot fire as the boat passed us.  Lynne (who cannot always attend because of work was able to make it this year) said those $9.00 cocktails were probably dumped and sitting in many-a-person’s lap. This year, instead of stopping, they started going faster.

Most years there are thirty or forty boats—some commercial, some privately owned. I think, that although there are many parties happening in the neighborhood, ours is the loudest; and, no doubt the most fun. 

Five Gold-en Rings

Usually, after the last boat re-passes us, the traditional aerobic “Twelve Days of Christmas” is rendered.  This year, since we did not see the boats, we started the song about 8:30. Got through the entire song and still no boats. All are invited into the “circle” to enjoy this bit of crazy fun. There are always some who do not want to look like fools and stand off in the corner, but it is their loss. Thirty or forty people singing (mostly off key) and jumping and flailing to the song is something to behold. The early part of the song is fairly easy, but when we get into the higher numbers, not everyone is doing the same thing. Some are doing the twelve drummers drumming while others have gotten down to lords a-leaping. A beautiful mish-mosh of great fun and laughter. Kids. Adults. Slim and trim folks. Some of us who are more portly. Usually, by the time we finish our sides hurt from the laughter generated.

The party tends to break up around nine o’clock or so. No one ever goes away unhappy. Rick is a most unlikely party host. But, in the long haul, his style is great!

We left around nine o’clock.  No boats.  Someone mentioned that she had heard they had problems with the bridges.  How one every heard that, I’ll never know.  We left around nine as we had a long ride home.  Many others had already left.  The party was great—with or without the boats.  Wonder if they ever did show up.  Thanks Rick, Deb and all who brought food.

The green end of the house

The pink side of the house



John, the other UCONN fan



http://the97th.com/