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roswelldetails · 4 years

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RNM 2x06 - Sex and Candy

EPISODE SUMMARY:

Maria’s (Heather Hemmens) investigation into her mother’s disappearance leads her and Alex (Tyler Blackburn) to the home of a mysterious boot maker named Travis (guest star David Anders). Meanwhile, on her journey of self-discovery, Isobel’s (Lily Cowles) night out leads her into the arms of someone unexpected. Finally, after making some major scientific strides, Liz (Jeanine Mason) is dealt a devastating blow. Geoff Shotz directed the episode written by Rick Montano & Vincent Ingrao (#206). Original airdate 4/20/2020.

DETAILS:

Max and Isobel's fight:

Lights start flickering when Max starts getting aggressive and then get brighter as he gets more worked up.

The first attempt to expel it seemed like he was causing an earthquake. He blew out all the windows in the gym, knocked Isobel down, and there was shaking. But it didn't seem to go beyond that room - no damage is seen when Michael arrives or around town.

Note, after the earthquake thingie the lights go out

His hands are doing the electric power thingie and THEN he also grabs the lightning.

I think Isobel used her telekinesis to stop it and then push it away, which seemed to work...but if so then why couldn't Noah do that last season?

Was it the sheer volume of electricity? There was definitely MORE than with Noah.

Michael uses his telekinesis to manually reset Max's heart. This is very smart of him. Note that he's using his own heart/pulse to get it right.

They are using the antidote to Liz's serum to try to heal Max's mind.

Michael says that they've been giving him antidote injections for three days (time jump).

Three days of antidote and no new memories for Max.

Isobel remembered her blackouts within a few hours of getting injected with the antidote in 1x10.

Note: Liz hesitated using the antidote this way in 1x10 because Isobel could still be dangerous and they didn't know about the 4th Alien yet. There doesn't seem to be a similar hesitation with Max. Because Liz trusts him more? Because him forgetting her is more personal? It's not like there isn't a chance that Max is still dangerous…

Maria arranged a Mexican market in the Pony parking lot to subsidize her income.

Buffy the Beagle is Forrest's dog!

Maria comments that the meteor shower makes animals act strange. And humans too.

Forrest and Maria are organizing an open night mic at the Wild Pony. Free drinks for performers.

Maria clearly approves of Forrest and Alex getting to know each other. She smacks Alex for his awkward flirting.

The bootmaker's farm is about an hour outside of town.

The Science:

Kyle and Steph are watching a "surgical separation of craniopagus twins".

Craniopagus Twins = twins attached at the cranium/head. (Aka not a heart surgery).

"Did you know, ever since 1947, twin births in Roswell are higher than the national average? Maybe it's aliens."

Speaking of awkward flirting…. "You're just my favorite person I can't stand."

The Spanish:

Le cambio una bolsa de chiles para mi papá...for the free fries next time you come to the Crashdown.

Liz is bartering. She says basically, I'll trade you a bag of chiles for my papa for free fries next time you come to the Crashdown.

Note, the captions for this are wrong and use the Spanish word for grasshoppers instead, but you can clearly hear Liz say chiles. Thanks to @rosaortecho for pointing that out to me.

Max says:

I'm trying to eat clean. Uh, tiene carne seca sin como se dice, preservativos.

He's trying to say, basically, does the jerky have preservatives.

Quiere carne a sin preservativos?

Basically, you want meat without condoms?

Lo siento. Uh, no lo entiendo.

I'm sorry, I don't get it.

Él quiere decir conservantes.

He means preservatives.

Gracias. Estoy embarazado.

Thank you. I'm pregnant.

Michael asks Max who he's texting. Max says everyone has been messaging him but Cameron is the only one who hasn't responded, which isn't like her.

Wildly curious who he was texting though. It's not like he's a social butterfly. His mom? The sheriff? Who? As I pointed out to some friends the other day, he spent his 21st birthday getting trashed with his SISTER. This is not a trait of a guy with lots of close friends.

Just as another note, Michael says he ghosted her. When exactly was that? Yes, Max ran out on her in the middle of a handy in 1x03, but they addressed that the next day. She "broke up" with him in 1x07, but they were still good right up until she left town.

Isobel:

"Does he seem different to you?"

Alex and Maria playing "Never have I Ever" in the car. Good way to do background on characters.

Maria has never cheated on a boyfriend

Alex has never been in a real relationship. Not even "Kellie Sommer-something".

Alex says that whenever he was with a woman he was trying to disappear. Except for Sophomore year after Battle of the Bands. Seven Minutes in Heaven in Haley Moore's hall closet. Alex and Maria kissed and it was Maria's first kiss (and boob graze). She always thought she'd marry Alex. Had to come up with a new plan after he came out.

Alex says "I did too."

"Kissing you in that closet was the first time in my life that I enjoyed touching someone."

Max picks up Liz for their first date…

Just as a note, Save Tonight was the opening song in the pilot of OG Roswell. During the "oh, Max Evans is staring at you again." exchange between Liz and Maria. So, it might go well with new beginnings or something ;-)

The Science:

"Psychogenic amnesia limits retrieval of stored memories, but if we light up your limbic system and gustatory cortex with some familiar signals…"

"Your milkshake might bring all my memories to the yard?"

**Note, second reference to this song in the context of Liz bringing Max milkshakes. First was in 1x06 by Isobel. Hmm. 1x06 and 2x06… maybe they should crack this joke in 3x06 too.

"Sometimes when people wake up from comas they have different personalities, different tastes even…"

Everything you ever wanted to know about psychogenic amnesia:

But, my main takeaway is that it's a specific type of amnesia where there's abnormal memory function but no brain damage or other clear cause of it.

Limbic system:

Basically the part of your brain that stores emotion, behavior, and long term memory.

Gustatory cortex:

Basically the part of your brain that processes taste.

Maria compares Michael to Chad because he starts fights and lies. Alex disagrees and lists ways that he was doing good things:

He lied to protect his family from Alex's family.

He shouldered the burden of a murder he didn't commit for ten years so that Isobel didn't have to.

He pushed Maria away to protect her - which might be a good thing too because of all his baggage.

First Date:

Max went to Ranch camp one summer and dislocated his shoulder while trying to read Lord of the Rings on horseback. #nerd.

Liz references the gala as not their first date, but there was also the desert in high school. I guess she doesn't count that either.

Side note: Cam and Liz talked about him peacocking in 2x03, but that kinda felt out of character at the time to the Max we knew. This Max DOES seem like he's peacocking a bit. Got dressed up, taking Liz horseback riding. He admitted to trying to one up whatever they did together before. Just an interesting (to me) observation.

Liz looks panicky when Max suggests truth serum (because Science!Liz probably could make truth serum), but once she realizes he means whiskey she's like, "oh yes, that's fine." Oh Liz…

Diego details:

They were engaged just last year

Liz left without saying goodbye

Bioengineer

They were working together on the Denver study

They would come home and keep talking about work

He had ideas to help improve it

They both spoke The Science

He pushed her to get better at The Science

When the funding was cut she realized she loved the work more than him

Liz couldn't figure out how tell him that so she packed her things in the middle of the night, hit the road, changed her phone, and blocked him on Facebook.

**This is the first time LIZ has mentioned social media. Interesting given the crap Maria keeps giving her about it!

Travis and fresh warm milk. What is up with it??

"Nice ring. Does it keep you from burning up in the daylight?"

David Anders introduces himself as Travis.

Just as a point of interest, Maria researched enough to find the bootmaker, figure out where he lives, but she didn't get his name???

Vampire Diaries/Originals reference.

Travis says he can't help with car stuff.

The milk was from a cow named Jennifer. He milked her for the last time today. (Creepy).

Weird contradictory statements from Travis:

"You're the best thing I've seen in a long time."....

"Mm, I'm sorry. So many customers and all their ugly faces get all sewn up and stitched together in my mind."

"Yeah, that's the woman that bought them boots. While back. Nice lady. She paid cash."

Second reference to animals behaving strangely during a meteor shower:

"Meteor shower's got my girls singing a bit off key tonight. Jennifer, she likes a good lullaby."

"Okay this guy is going to turn us into skin suits." (OG reference? Or just general sci-fi?)

Meteorchella at Planet 7 (Coachella-style party during meteor shower?) with any excuse to add sparkles!

Kyle says he's at Planet 7 because he's trying not to hang out with people from high school.

Isobel says she's trying to have fun without feeling like prey.

Don't think the details of Kyle/Isobel dancing matters all that much, but as a point of amusement I'll share that in the panel on Tuesday night they shared that Lily whispered something different to Trevino on every take...And they got progressively dirtier to the point that she finally felt like she crossed a line and profusely apologized. Also the lick was a Lily addition.

Max's confession about killing the drifter:

Kind of an interesting thing, comparing the first version of the drifter story in 1x06 to the 2x06 version. 1x06 was more dramatic, but 2x06 was more personal, I think.

1x06

"There are moments that define our lives, and there are moments that divide our lives. Incidents that separate us into two different people: who we were before and who we will be after. Forever…One day we were children and the next we were something else. I was a killer. Michael an accomplice. And Isobel...Isobel was broken."

2x06

"I killed a man once, on a camping trip. This drifter came out of nowhere, attacked Isobel. I wasn't even thinking. I killed him. With this. I arrest people who kill people. Most of them usually regret what they did. You know, you can just tell that they're forever broken. It's like a piece of them dies with their victims. So when I could feel that darkness, like I had to kill, I wanted Isobel to let me die. Because I couldn't risk hurting even one innocent person. Cause life just wouldn't be worth living."

Kind of an interesting narrative choice to confess to murder on a first date and then have the girl just brush it aside.

"No, it just hit me why you're so happy and idealistic, and I feel like an idiot. You are that way because you don't remember me. It's a clean slate. It's like when you got out of the pods with whatever memories you had erased it's probably for your own good."

"Last I heard you were the love of my life."

"Your cohorts, they left out some details. Cause if you had your memories I'm positive the worst thing that's ever happened to you is connected to me. And I can't bear the weight of making you remember that again."

**Note, second time this has been implied. Last time was by Michael in 1x08 regarding the alien symbol.

"...it's gotta have some connection to us right? Maybe it was something we saw somewhere before the crash."

"Sorry, are you, Max Evans, acknowledging that we must have had lives before we hatched out of the pods? You never want to talk about home."

"Hey, Roswell is home. Look, I'm sorry man. You're right. I've spent a lot of time not talking about where we come from or why we're here. Keep thinking I can pretend the past away and just be normal. But if Isobel's blackouts are some alien thing, then I need to know more. Okay, and this symbol? That's all I have to go on. I mean don't you think it's strange that we don't have any memories? I mean, no parents, no language. We weren't infants, man. We were seven."

"I just figured our memory faded. Over 50 years in those pods. Maybe it was just time. Or maybe whoever put us in those pods doesn't want us to remember."

Travis and Trevor's house...with added bonus of his ring that Alex comments on.

Leather ribbons/strips on the wall are for (from?) Hayley and Gertrude. More cows, I presume.

There's also a framed Purple Heart on the wall next to a photo of Travis?

"War really messes with a man's mind. Gets it all twisted up.

Timeline issue!! Alex says Mimi was missing for 3 weeks, but according to the clearly established timelines in 201-203 it was 4 weeks (or a month ish). I wrote about this here:

Maria put her jacket on a scarecrow to trick Travis. And did she leave it there?

(Answer: yes. She doesn't wear it for the rest of the episode. Smart of her, actually).

Michael sees Trevor come out of the house and is about to shoot him. Maria immediate knew it wasn't Travis and threw herself in front of Michael's gun

Trevor shoots Travis.

A bullet from the Crashdown shooting falls out of Max's journal. Does it look like it has blood on it? Or maybe just ketchup? If it's THE bullet it would make a lot of sense that he kept it hidden - evidence that Liz was shot. See this comparison between one of Wyatt's bullets in 1x02 and the one Max finds in 2x06

"Sorry about my twin here. He's had a rough go."

"Combat does not make you an axe murderer."

"No, it wasn't the combat. It was the R&D. If a paramilitary group ever asks you to take part in a study, you run the other way. He showed up a few weeks ago. Locked me up out back. Lucky y'all showed up when you did. Gave me a chance to escape."

R&D is a military acronym for Research and Development. (Aka...The Science.)

Priscilla - the cow Mimi's boots were made from.

This is literally the only direct information gained about the boots from this little sleuthing excursion.

Well, and that Mimi paid cash, which isn't like her.

Side note - I didn't really know what Paramilitary meant, so just in case any of you are also not good with military stuff, Paramilitary groups are like private armies. Like, I dunno, the private security firm that Jesse and Cam discussed in episode 2x04. 👀

Male doctor operating on Steph clearly states:

"All right we're approaching an arterial junction."

A female doctor replies and its less clear. What I hear is...Blood gasses are back? Anyone else hear something that makes more sense than that?

He replied something like...the stint through here

She says something about pH levels.

Max admits that he didn't know what would happen when he decided to bring Rosa back. He just wanted to fix the worst thing that ever happened to all of them.

"I can't believe we were Shyamalan'd by an evil twin."

I think Alex is referring to the twist ending? Or maybe just the insane axe murderer stuff.

M. Night Shyamalan wrote and directed the Sixth Sense, Signs, Split, etc…

During this scene is the first time we see Michael's tattoo… it's on his arm. I struggled with getting a cap of it, but I know there are gifs going around.

I had every intention of detailing the dialogue in the trailer scene, but before I could get to it, Carina posted the script, so I didn't think it was a good use of my time. Here's the script:

The next morning, Alex calls the Sheriff from outside the trailer for an update.

The Sheriff tells him that Travis and Trevor burned their home and ran...weren't caught by the sheriff. Which means we may not have seen the last of them.

The Spanish:

"Oh my God. Dios mio, Max. I took off your pants before I even said I love you. I'm some kind of zorra."

Dios mio basically is Oh My God! So Liz really was spiraling. She went, "Oh my God, Oh my God..."

Zorra - female version of Zorro. Basically a vixen, bitch, prostitute… the internet has all sorts of fun words that it translates into.

"I call this one Visceral Werewolf Part 2, dedicated to my boy Chee Chee, may he rest in peace."

Can we have more Bert? Bert is the best. Also kudos to his goofy friend who is wayyy too excited about this.

Forrest's slam poem:

Locked up for days,

Time slipping away,

On my knees I would pray to break free from this cage.

But bargaining for keys, you forget hidden fees.

And wishing for what you’re missing ain’t the same as living the dream.

And now I’m fighting to stay on this side of the cage.

Even though I know a part of me wishes I’d stayed.

Ain’t no prophet or rebel or savior or devil

Could have predicted, fought, cheated or leveled.

A life with potential that’s squandered,

A comfortable cell is a question I ponder.

Am I a free man or a prisoner wanderer?

Max's memory flash:

Young Max, chained to the ground as described in 2x03.

Max looks scared.

He's dressed all in white like the 1947 aliens after the crash (As shown in 1x12 and 2x03).

He's in a cave or something like a cave.

Holes in the wall are glowing an orangey red color.

The ceiling is like the alien ship material with the alien symbol in it.

A figure approaches from behind him, bends down, and places a hand on his shoulder.

It mirrors the figure approaching Nora in 2x03 and touching her shoulder before burning the military men...probably the same person? Noah? The stowaway? Someone new?

After the figure touches Max, he looks at the hand, and then a red glow lights his face.

MUSIC:

1. Xocoyotzin Herrera "Esperanza"

2. Jose Luis Lepe "La Carreta"

3. Eagle Eye Cherry "Save Tonight"

4. Lousiana Red "I Done Woke Up"

5. Whissell "Magnetic"

6. Stop Dead "Alchemistress Dance"

7. Orville Peck "Turn To Hate"

8. Kim Petras "Close Your Eyes"

9. Orville Peck "Queen Of The Rodeo"

10. Moontricks "The Fall"

11. Years & Years "Hypnotised"

12. Jordan Critz Feat. Birdtalker "Through Your Eyes"

This time I couldn't find the Whissell and Stop Dead tracks on spotify - however the Stop Dead track is referenced at being by Chelsea Dawn in the closed captions. Which I did find. Trying to confirm this. Let me know if anyone else had better luck!

#roswell new mexico #rnm season 2 #rnm spoilers #rnm 206 #sex and candy #episode details #long post

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bear-cubs-art-things · 3 years

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James Roberto de Guzman, a MCSM oc of mine.

In Apocalypse AU...

He is the older brother to Jesse. He was only 17 when he died.

STORY:

James lived on a pig ranch with his family of four, including himself. They sold pigs to get their supply of food and other necessities for the next three to four months. Long with that, his father worked as a horse rancher in the town a few miles away (they lived in a forest, and at the edge of it was the town). His family got through day-to-day by using the money his father earned and the money earned by trading/selling pigs.

One day the town caught fire, and the townspeople had to evacuate. Michael, the father, rushed into the fire to rescue anyone who might've been trapped. After several minutes of anxiety, waiting for his father to come out of the fire, James went in. James did find his father - on the ground, dying due to the lack of oxygen - and tried to bring him out. Unfortunately, right at the entrance, the gates collapsed, therefore crushing AND burning Micheal and James to their deaths. Jesse was only 8 years old at the time.

DESCRIPTION:

James has dirty blonde curly hair, almost like a dark mustard color. He has hazel eyes and tan skin (he part Mexican after all). The last outfit he wore before he died was a plaid button-up shirt with a collar, worn-out jeans, and tall, brown leather boots.

PERSONALITY:

James was a humble soul. He never got jealous at what others have or bragged at what he owned that others didn't. He was always there for you, no matter what. James was also kind, doing whatever was right. He'd use reason over violence unless absolutely necessary, like fighting off monsters. He was also tough, but with a soft spot, making him easy to love. However, this is also one of his few flaws.

Just something 'bout lore I wanted to share

#art #mcsm #au lore #alternate universe #apocalypse au #bluja3 #original character #oc tag

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fantomcomics · 4 years

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What’s Out This Week? 3/18

We love you. Wash your hands.

Artemis & Assassin #1 - Stephanie Phillips, Meghan Hetrick, & Francesca Fantini

What happens when a time-traveling assassin and a spy from 1944 try to kill each other? For a price, a top-secret assassination organization will travel through time and interfere with watershed moments. Trained as the agency's top assassin, Maya is sent to kill Virginia Hall, the deadliest spy of WWII. Charged with carrying important plans about the invasion of Normandy to the Allied troops, Virginia's death would have a cataclysmic effect on WWII as we know it.

X-Ray Robot #1 (of 4) - Mike Allred, Laura Allred and Nate Piekos

Max is a family man seeking a more interesting life. While conducting a new experiment at work, the fabric of his reality is torn before his eyes, and a robotic figure appears, claiming to be his 277-year-old self. The robot is able to "X-Ray" multiple dimensions and battles a nihilistic entity from another dimension who wants to take all life to its "Pre-Big Bang" status. Max and the robot embark on an interdimensional roadtrip through past and future to take down the "Nihilist" and save the universe!

Hexagon #1 (of 5) - Michael Moreci & Jheremy Raapack

It's the 1980s and all twelve-year-old Don wants to do is play video games at the local arcade. Don's father, however, refuses to let him play. Egged on by his friends and trying to impress a girl, Don sneaks out to join an all-night game-a-thon. Defying the odds (and on his first quarter ever!), Don beats Crucible, a game long considered unbeatable. In an instant, his world is turned upside down when his victory triggers an alien invasion and sucks him into an intergalactic battle that has been raging for years, a battle his father was desperately trying to protect him from!

Wicked Things #1 - John Allison & Max Sarin

Nineteen year old Charlotte Grote has her whole life ahead of her; headed straight to Oxford and a future as a real detective-until she's framed for murder! Given the choice between going to jail basically forever or joining the police, Lottie decides to hit the beat, all while trying to find the real murderer. Lottie may have been running rings about the police since her 9th birthday, but she's never been on this side of the security tape. Could the future of law enforcement be 5'2" with an extremely strong bangs game? Yes. Very yes.

Hotell #1 (of 4) - John Lees & Dalibor Talajic

You won't find it on any map, but if you happen to be driving down Route 66 late at night and you're truly desperate for shelter, sanctuary or secrecy, you might see a battered sign on the side of the road: The Pierrot Courts Hotel. - where many check in but few check out.

Starship Down #1 (of 4) - Justin Giampaoli & Andrea Mutti

A cultural anthropologist consults with US Naval Intelligence to investigate the discovery of an extraterrestrial ship buried under the ice for thousands of years in Siberia. The meddling Russians, Vatican officials, the international media spotlight, and her own insecurities all threaten her efforts to keep the fabric of society from crumbling.

Outlawed #1 - Eve Ewing & Kim Jacinto

In the wake of a devastating tragedy, the United States passes a law that will shake the Marvel Universe to its core. The world has had enough of teen heroes. The crackdown has begun. And the lives of Marvel's next generation will never be the same again.

Spider-Woman #1 - Karla Pacheco & Pere Perez

Jessica Drew hasn't been feeling like herself lately (she's not a Skrull, we promise). When the angry, irritable, and unwell Spider-Woman takes a simple security gig to help get back on her feet, she finds herself besieged by unknown forces out to destroy everything around her. What's wrong with Jessica? Just how DID she get this job? And who are these violent lunatics who keep trying to blow her up? WHO CARES? Does Spider-Woman have someone to punch? THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS.

Red Border #1 (of 4) - Jason Starr, Will Conrad, and Ivan Nunes

A young Mexican couple narrowly escapes the Juarez Cartel by fleeing across the border into Texas, only to be run down in the desert by the Cartel's most brutal thugs. Rescued by a mysterious local who takes them to the safety of his family's ranch, the couple soon realize their hosts have more than just skeletons in their closet. Trapped in a house of horrors beyond their wildest imagination, the army of assassins on their trail might be the least of their problems.

Robin 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular - Marv Wolfman, Tom Grummett & Various

DC Comics celebrates Robin the Boy Wonder's 80th anniversary in style with an all-star creative team representing each iteration of the iconic character across eight decades of history! From the high-flying adventures of Dick Grayson to the tragedy of Jason Todd, the enthusiasm of Tim Drake and the arrogance of Damian Wayne, the persistence of Stephanie Brown and the rebelliousness of Carrie Kelley-the mantle of Robin has been worn by many, but always represents one thing: a hero.

Resistance #1 (of 6) - J. Michael Straczynski & Mike Deodato

J. Michael Straczynski, creator of Babylon 5 and writer of beloved runs on The Amazing Spider-Man, Thor, and Superman: Earth One, returns to comics teaming with Mike Deodato Jr., the blockbuster artist of The Amazing Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, and Infinity Wars. Together they plant the flag for a new universe of heroes and villains. A global disaster leaves hundreds of millions dead in its wake. Shortly after, a few thousand suddenly manifest superhuman powers. Are they harbingers of more perils to come...or Earth's last hope?

Whatcha grabbing this week, Fantomites?

#What's Out This Week?#WOTW #Resistance #Robin 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular #Red Border #Spider-Woman #Outlawed #Starship Down #Hotell #Wicked Things #Hexagon #X-Ray Bot #Artemis & Assassin #comic #comics #comic book #comic books

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completeandrandomshit · 5 years

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Linda Ronstadt Has Found Another Voice

The singer on living with Parkinson’s, the perils of stardom, and mourning what the border has become.

It’s been ten years since Linda Ronstadt, once the most highly paid woman in rock and roll, sang her last concert. In 2013, the world found out why: Parkinson’s disease had rendered her unable to sing, ending a musical career that had left an indelible mark on the classic-rock era and earned her ten Grammy Awards. Ronstadt’s earth-shaking voice and spunky stage presence jolted her to fame in the late sixties, and her renditions of “Different Drum” (with her early group, the Stone Poneys), “You’re No Good” (from her breakthrough album, “Heart Like a Wheel”), “Blue Bayou,” and “Desperado” helped define the California folk-rock sound. Along the way, two of her backup musicians left to form the Eagles.

But Ronstadt, now seventy-three, didn’t rest on her greatest hits, experimenting instead with a dizzying range of genres. In the eighties, she starred in Gilbert and Sullivan’s “The Pirates of Penzance” on Broadway, recorded a standards album with the veteran arranger Nelson Riddle, and released “Canciones de Mi Padre,” a collection of traditional Mexican songs, which became the best-selling non-English-language album in American history. The record also returned Ronstadt to her roots. Her grandfather was a Mexican bandleader, and her father had serenaded her mother with Mexican folk songs in a beautiful baritone. She grew up in Tucson, Arizona, close to the border—a place that has since become a political flashpoint.

A new documentary, “Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice,” directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman and opening September 6th, looks back on Ronstadt’s adventurous career. She spoke with The New Yorker twice by phone from her home in San Francisco. Our conversations have been edited and condensed.

What is your day-to-day life like these days?

Well, I lie down a lot, because I’m disabled. I do a lot of reading, but I’m starting to have trouble with my eyes, so that’s kind of a problem. It’s called getting old.

What are you reading right now?

I’m reading Thomas Mann, “The Magic Mountain.” I somehow got to be this age without having read Thomas Mann, and I’m trying to make up for it. I read “Buddenbrooks,” and I fell in love with his writing. His books are nice and long, so it takes a couple of days to get through them.

Who do you spend most of your time with?

My son lives here. My daughter comes over. I have really nice friends; they come over and hang out with me. It’s hard for me to get out. It’s hard for me to sit in a restaurant or sit up in a chair. It’s hard for me to stand around, so if there’s a situation where I’m liable to be caught in a doorway talking to somebody for five minutes, I tend to avoid that.

What kind of music do you listen to?

I love opera. It’s so terrible—I listen to it on YouTube. I’m an audiophile, but I’ve just gotten used to the convenience of being able to hear twenty-nine different performances of one role. I listen to other music, too. I found this Korean band that I thought was sort of interesting on Tiny Desk concerts, the NPR series. They get musicians to come in and play live in a really tiny little space behind a desk. It’s no show biz, just music. They have great stuff. They had Randy Newman. Natalia Lafourcade, who’s a Mexican artist that I love particularly. Whatever’s new. The Korean band I saw was called SsingSsing.

Is it like K-pop?

No, it’s based on Korean traditional singing. It was kind of like David Bowie bass and drums, and then this really wild South Korean traditional singing. It’s polytonal. It’s a different skill than we use, with more notes in it. And a lot of gender-crossing. It looked like I was seeing the future.

When you sing in your mind, what do you hear?

I can hear the song. I can hear what I would be doing with it. I can hear the accompaniment. Sometimes I don’t remember the words, so I have to look them up. It’s not usually my songs I’m singing. I don’t listen to my own stuff very much.

I listen to Mexican radio—the local Banda station out of San Jose. I mostly listen to NPR. I don’t listen to mainstream radio anymore. I don’t know the acts and I don’t know the music. It doesn’t interest me, particularly. There are some good modern people. I like Sia. She’s a very original singer.

How do you cope with the frustration of not being able to do everything you want to do?

I’ve just accepted it. There’s absolutely nothing I can do. I have a form of Parkinsonism that doesn’t respond to standard Parkinson’s meds, so there’s no treatment for what I have. It’s called P.S.P.—Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. I just have to stay home a lot. The main attraction in San Francisco is the opera and the symphony, and I make an effort and go out, but I can only do it a few times a year. It makes me sick that I’m ever not in my seat when Michael Tilson Thomas raises his baton, because he’s such a good conductor, and I miss hearing orchestral music. My friends come over and play music, and that’s where I like it best, anyway: in the living room.

As you tell it, the first symptoms you noticed before you knew you had Parkinson’s were in your singing voice.

Yeah. I’d start to do something and it would start to take the note and then it would stop. What you can’t do with Parkinsonism is repetitive motions, and singing is a repetitive motion.

You broke onto the scene with such a powerhouse voice. What did it feel like, singing with that voice?

Well, I was trying to figure out how to sing! And trying to be heard over the electric instruments. I had no idea that I sang as loud as I did. I always thought I wasn’t singing loud enough, because in the early days there were no monitors. You couldn’t hear yourself.

In the documentary, you talk about growing up in Tucson, Arizona, and how culturally rich that was. How do the current politics around the border resonate with you?

They’re devastating. I feel filled with impotent rage. I grew up in the Sonoran Desert, and the Sonoran Desert is on both sides of the border. There’s a fence that runs through it now, but it’s still the same culture. The same food, the same clothes, the same traditional life of ranching and farming. I go down there a lot, and it’s so hard to get back across the border. It’s ridiculous. It used to be that you could go across the border and have lunch and visit friends and shop in the little shops there. There was a beautiful department store in the fifties and sixties. My parents had friends on both sides of the border. They were friends with the ranchers, and we went to all their parties and their baptisms and their weddings and their balls.

And now that’s gone. The stores are wiped out because they don’t get any trade from the United States anymore. There’s concertina wire on the Mexican side that the Americans put up. Animals are getting trapped in there. Children are getting cut on it. It’s completely unnecessary. In the meantime, you see people serenely skateboarding and girls with their rollerskates, kids playing in the park. And you think, We’re afraid of this? They’re just regular kids!

I spent time out in the desert when I was still healthy, working with a group of Samaritans who go to find people that are lost. You run into the Minute Men or the Border Patrol every five seconds. The border is fully militarized. You meet some guy stumbling through the desert trying to cross, and he’s dehydrated, his feet are full of thorns, cactus, then you see this Minute Man sitting with his cooler, with all of his water and food and beer, and his automatic weapon sitting on his lap, wearing full camouflage. It’s so cruel. People are coming to work. They’re coming to have a better life. You have to be pretty desperate to want to cross that desert.

You were talking about this back in 2013, when your memoir came out, before it became such a national wedge issue. Were people not paying enough attention before?

Well, they didn’t live close to the border. They’d just go back to chewing their cud about it. It wasn’t their problem. I lived at the border then. I lived in Tucson for ten years. I saw what was going on. Putting children in jail—that’s not new. That was going on in the Bush Administration. Barack Obama tried to get immigration reform and Congress wouldn’t allow it. So people have been caught in this web of suffering, dying in the desert. They’re incredibly brave and resourceful, the people who make it. A C.E.O. of a big company once told me—when I said, “What do you look for in hiring practices?”—she said, “I look for someone who’s dealt with a lot of adversity, because they usually make a good business person.” And I thought, You should hire every immigrant who comes across the border.

Why did you decide to move to San Francisco from Tucson?

My children were coming home repeating homophobic remarks they heard at school. And they’d also heard other things, like, “If you don’t go to church, you’re going to go to Hell.” I thought, You know, I don’t need that. So I moved back to San Francisco. I wanted them to have a sense of what a community was like where you could walk to school, walk to the market. More of an urban-village experience. In Tucson, I was driving in the car for forty-five minutes to get them to school and then forty-five minutes to get them back, in a hot car. I didn’t want that life for them.

I can tell that you have a real sense of mourning over what the border used to be.

People don’t realize that there’s Mexican, there’s American, and then there’s Mexican-American. They’re three different cultures, and they all influence eachother. And they all influence our culture profoundly. The cowboy suit that Roy Rogers would wear, with the yoke shirt and the pearl buttons and the bell-bottom frontier pants and the cowboy hat—those are all Mexican. We imported it. We eat burritos and tacos, and our music is influenced a lot by Mexican music. It goes back and forth across the border all the time.

How did growing up in that hybrid Mexican-American culture shape you as a musician?

I listened to a lot of Mexican music on the radio, and my dad had a really great collection of traditional Mexican music. It made it hard for me when I went to sing American pop music, because rock and roll is based on black church rhythms, and I wasn’t exposed to that as a kid. I could only sing what I’d heard. What I’d heard was Mexican music, Billie Holiday, and my brother singing boy soprano.

So what drew you to folk rock in the sixties?

I loved popular folk music like Peter, Paul and Mary. I loved the real traditional stuff, like the Carter family. I loved Bob Dylan. And I tried to copy what I could. When I heard the Byrds doing folk rock, I thought that was what I wanted to do.

How did your recording of “Different Drum” with the Stone Poneys in 1967 come about?

It was a song I found on a Greenbriar Boys record, and I thought it was a strong piece of material. I just liked the song. We worked it up as a kind of shuffle—it wasn’t very good with the guys playing guitar and mandolin. But the record company recognized that the song was strong, too, so they had me come back and record it with their musicians and their arrangement. And I was pretty shocked. I didn’t know how to sing it with that arrangement. But it turned out to be a hit.

Do you remember hearing it on the radio for the first time?

Yeah. We were on our way to a meeting at Capitol Records, in an old Dodge or something, and I was jammed in the back with our guitars. Then the engine froze, and the car made this horrible metal-on-metal shriek. We had to push it to the nearest gas station, half a block away. The man was looking at the car saying it’ll never run again, and we were saying, “What will we ever do in Los Angeles with no car?” And from the radio playing in the back of the garage we could hear the opening of “Different Drum.” We heard which radio station it was on, KRLA, so I knew it was a hit, if they played it on the L.A. stations.

What are your memories of the Troubadour, in West Hollywood?

That’s where you went to hang out. We would go to hear the local act that was playing, or there’d be someone like Hoyt Axton or Oscar Brown, Jr., or Odetta. Nobody was anything particular at the time. We were all aspiring musicians. The Dillards were there. The Byrds hung out there. And then it started to be people like Joni Mitchell, James Taylor. Carole King would play there. When Joni Mitchell played, she played two weeks. I think I saw every single night.

In your book, you talk about being with Janis Joplin there and trying to figure out what to wear onstage.

Oh, I never could figure out what to wear. I grew up wearing Levi’s and a T-shirt or a sweater and cowboy boots or sneakers. And that’s what I left home with, and that’s what I wound up with. In the summer we’d cut the legs off the Levi’s and they were Levi’s shorts. When I got my Cub Scout outfit, that was a real change for me.

You say that you and Janis Joplin couldn’t figure out how to fit in—you didn’t know whether to be earth mothers or whatever.

We didn’t know whether we were supposed to cook and sew and embroider. Roles were being redefined. There were a lot of earth-mama hippie girls who knew how to do that stuff.

There’s a clip in the documentary of you being interviewed in 1977, and you talk about how rock-and-roll stars become alienated and are surrounded by managers who are willing to indulge them, and that’s how people wind up with drug problems.

They got involved with drugs because they felt isolated. Stardom is isolating. There are a whole bunch of people that you’re hanging out with who are trying to become musicians. And some were chosen and some were not, and it becomes a difficult relationship with the people who weren’t chosen. Sometimes they’re resentful, sometimes you feel uncomfortable. It’s like Emmylou Harris has in a song: “Pieces of the sky were falling in your neighbor’s yard but not on you.” The adulation made people feel disconnected. I also think that some people’s brain chemistry is more vulnerable to addiction. I was lucky. Mine was not.

David Geffen says that you had an issue with diet pills.

I had no issue with that. I just took them when I needed them. I didn’t like it. If I ate, I’d have to take a diet pill. It wasn’t something I did for pleasure.

There’s been a lot of looking back this year at the summer of 1969, with these big anniversaries of the moon landing and Woodstock and the Manson murders. What do you remember about that summer?

When Woodstock happened, I was in New York. I remember getting all the reports from people like Henry Diltz and Crosby, Stills & Nash. They’d come back with stories of everybody being in the mud. It sounded like a good thing to have survived, but I’m glad I didn’t go up there. Overflowing toilets and no food is not my idea of a fun time. I was playing some club—probably the Bitter End.

When the Manson family came through, they managed to murder my next-door neighbor, Gary Hinman. I was lucky I wasn’t home that night—they may have come for me. We knew those girls, Linda Kasabian and maybe Leslie Van Houten, too. I lived in Topanga Canyon at the time, and they would hitchhike, and they would talk about this guy Charlie at the Spahn Ranch. But I didn’t know him personally. We knew it was kind of a bad scene. But, when we found out how bad of a scene it was, we were horrified.

People must have been really scared before they were captured.

Oh, everybody was freaked out. We weren’t sure at the time whether the Gary Hinman murder was connected to the other murders, but we found out soon enough.

The music of that era was so intertwined with politics. How do you feel that compares with popular music these days? Is music addressing political upheaval?

Oh, I think so. Especially hip-hop. But I wish there was a little bit more political activism. I’m waiting for the Reichstag to burn down, you know? Because I was interested in the Weimar Republic, I’ve always been aware that culture can be overwhelmed and subverted in a very short time. All of German intellectual history—Goethe and Beethoven—was subverted by the Nazis. It happened in a thirty-year span and brought German culture to its knees. And it’s happening here. There’s a real conspiracy of international fascism that wants to defeat democracy. They want all the power for themselves, and I think that suits Donald Trump right now. He’d like to be a dictator.

In going through your history, I’ve noticed you’ve been selectively outspoken. There’s an interview from 1983 where a talk-show host in Australia asks you about deciding to perform in South Africa under apartheid, and you give this speech about how if you didn’t play anywhere with racism you wouldn’t be able to play in the American South or Boston. You also take shots at Ronald Reagan and Rupert Murdoch. As a popular performer, was there a cost to speaking out?

I never talked onstage for about fifteen years. But there were certain causes that we as a musical community united against, and one of them was nuclear power. We did a lot of No Nukes concerts—James Taylor, me, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt—and if it was a particular cause that I was in favor of. I did what I could to help, but I don’t think my focus was particularly political. If somebody asked, I was perfectly happy to give my opinion.

I also found a clip from 1995 where you confronted Robin Quivers, Howard Stern’s co-host, on the “Tonight Show” about her association with Stern. Do you remember what upset you so much?

Well, first of all, I never heard Howard Stern on the radio. I had no idea who he was. I didn’t have a television. I didn’t know who Robin Quivers was. But it had just been on the news that day, what he had said about—oh, the girl singer.

Selena? He said “Spanish people have the worst taste in music” and played her music with gunshots in the background.

Selena, yeah. And it just offended me. As a Mexican-American, it just offended me that he would say such a horrible thing about someone’s dead daughter. I didn’t realize that Howard Stern made a career out of making unfortunate remarks about other people. And I didn’t know what Robin Quivers was like. I didn’t know anything about it. I just went, “Hey, that really offended me.” It made me angry. I didn’t realize what kind of a hornets’ nest I’d stepped into.

Did you get any reaction from him after that?

Oh, yeah. He said horrible things about me.

Going back to your performing career, in the documentary, your former manager Peter Asher says that you would see people whispering at your concerts and imagine that they were saying, “She’s the worst singer I’ve ever heard.” Were you really that insecure?

I just didn’t feel like I could quite sing well enough. It was best when I forgot about everything and just thought about the music, but it took me a long time to get there. I didn’t want to see people that I knew in the audience. I didn’t like to see the audience, actually. I couldn’t understand why they’d come. It’s a different relationship than singers like Taylor Swift have. I think it’s a little bit healthier that they embrace their audience and sort of feel like everybody’s on the same team. We were encouraged in the sixties to think of us and them. The hippies started that whole tribal thing, and it was the straights against the hippies. It was unhealthy.

How did you overcome your self-doubt?

I’d just say, “Breathe and sing.” As long as I pulled my focus back to the music, I was fine.

Your relationship with Jerry Brown is covered in the documentary and in your book, but not your relationships with some other prominent people, like Jim Carrey and George Lucas. Is there a reason for that?

I was writing about the music. They didn’t have anything to do with my musical process.

What did Jerry Brown contribute to your musical process?

Well, he was there when Joe Papp [the founder of the Public Theatre and Shakespeare in the Park] called saying that they wanted me for “H.M.S. Pinafore.”. But Jerry [gave me the message] wrong—it was actually “The Pirates of Penzance,” which I didn’t know.

Do you keep in touch with him?

Yeah. We’re friends. We’ve always been friends. He came over last Christmas.

What do you talk about?

Water in California. He said when he retires he wants to study trees and California Indians. I gave him my tree book, “The Hidden Life of Trees.” There’s a new history of water use in California that’s fantastic. It’s called “The Dreamt Land.” It’s like John McPhee-level writing. It’s really worth it for the writing alone.

The press always made such a big deal about the fact that you never got married.

I didn’t need to get married. I’m not sure that anybody needs to get married. If they do, I’m on their side. But I never needed to get married. I had my own life.

I have to admit, I was born in the eighties and I discovered you through “The Muppet Show.” What can you tell me about working with Kermit?

I had a crush on Kermit, so it was a problem because of Miss Piggy. He was her property. But we had a really good time on that show. There’s something extraordinarily creative about puppeteers. They’re fascinating, because when they do all their acting, they can’t let it go through their own body. I think they’re just loaded with talent. I loved watching them. It was a very coöperative experience. They let me help them with the story and the songs.

What was your contribution to the story?

This crush that I had on Kermit, they developed into a little storyline where Miss Piggy and I have a confrontation.

She seems like a very formidable rival.

She was. She was nasty! She locked Kermit in a trunk.

Because you’re a singer but not a songwriter, so much of your artistic expression comes through your choice of material. How did you choose songs for “Heart Like a Wheel,” including the title song by Anna and Kate McGarrigle?

I was just ambushed by that song. I was riding with Jerry Jeff Walker in a cab, and he said, “I was at the Philadelphia Folk Festival and I heard these two girls singing—they were sisters. They sang a really good song. You should hear it.” He sang me the first verse—“Some say the heart is just like a wheel / When you bend it, you can’t mend it / But my love for you is like a sinking ship / And my heart is on that ship out in mid-ocean”—and I just thought they were the most beautiful lyrics I’d ever heard. I said, “You have to send me that song.” And I get this tape in the mail, reel to reel, with just piano and a cello and the two girls singing their beautiful harmonies. The manager I had at the time said it was too corny. Somebody said it would never be a hit. And I don’t think it was ever a radio single, but it was a huge song for me. I sang it all the way through my career.

Were you surprised by the songs from that album that became hits?

I was surprised anything of mine was successful, because it always seemed so hodge-podge. I just tried different songs that didn’t necessarily have anything to do with each other, but which expressed a real urgent feeling that I just had to express. “You’re No Good” was an afterthought. We needed to have an uptempo song to close the show with, and that was a song I knew from the radio.

What were the biggest challenges in becoming a public figure?

Not having the ability to observe other people, because people are observing you. I had to keep my head down all the time. It was kind of excruciating. I still feel that way. I don’t like to be on the spot. Also, relationships were hard, because I was always on the bus.

In an interview from 1977, you said, “I think men have generally treated me badly, and the idea of a war between the sexes is very real in our culture. In the media, women are built up with sex as a weapon and men are threatened by it as much as they are drawn to it, and they retaliate as hard as they can.” Do you remember what you were talking about?

No, I don’t! I have to say that when I look at my whole career, over all, what counted the most was whether you showed up and played the music. I saw it happen with Emmylou, and I saw it happen with Joni Mitchell. Joni Mitchell was threatening to everybody. She could play better. She could sing better. She looked better. She could just do it all. But it’s true, there was a certain amount of chauvinism.There weren’t a lot of girls in the business who were doing what I was doing, so my friendship with Emmylou Harris became so important.

Did you find that there were things that were harder for you as a woman than for your male contemporaries?

Well, I had to do makeup and hair. That’s a lot, because that’s two hours of the day that you could spend reading a book or learning a language or practicing guitar. Guys just shower and put on any old clothes. And then there were high heels. I have extra ankle bones in each foot, and high heels were agonizing. I used to wear them onstage, kick them off, hide my feet behind the monitors, and find my shoes again before I had to leave the stage.

At the height of your rock-and-roll fame, you decided to do Gilbert and Sullivan. What drew you to that?

My sister, when she was eleven and I was six, I guess, sang “H.M.S. Pinafore” in her junior high school. My mother had a book of Gilbert and Sullivan operettas on piano, and somehow I learned the songs. I heard my sister practicing them. So, when I heard of “The Pirates of Penzance,” I knew what Gilbert and Sullivan was.

Was part of you tired of being a rock star?

Part of me was very tired of it. I was singing loud in halls that didn’t sound like they were built for music. I liked the idea of a proscenium stage. I think a proscenium has a lot to do with focussing your attention. A theatre is a machine built to focus your attention and allow you to dream. You’re hypnotized, in a way, and the person onstage is your champion, is telling your story. You find emotions you didn’t realize you had.

Throughout the eighties, you experimented wildly with genre, everything from Puccini to the Great American Songbook to Mexican canciones. I’m sure your record label was surprised when you said, “I want to make an album of Mexican folk music.”

Well, before that, I wanted to do American standard songs, and they said, “No, it won’t work.” In fact, Joe Smith [the chairman of Elektra/Asylum Records] even came to my house to beg me not to do it. He said, “You’re throwing your career away.” I’d been away so long working on Broadway.

Were you worried that your fans wouldn’t go along with the standards, either?

I didn’t worry about it until after we made the record [“What’s New”] and we were opening at Radio City Music Hall. And I realized, all of a sudden, people might not show up. They really might hate it. I was ordering matzo-ball soup from the Carnegie Deli next door, and it gave me the shakes so bad that I could barely stand when I got onstage. I was holding hands with Nelson Riddle in the wings—he was nervous, too. He said, “Don’t let me down, baby.” I said, “I’ll do my best.” He was the best of those arrangers—worked with Rosemary Clooney and Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald. He wrote beautiful charts for me. I was really lucky to have him. I went back to my apartment that night and just smiled, because we had gotten away with an evening of American standard songs.

When I see something now like Lady Gaga recording a standards album with Tony Bennett, it seems like she owes you a debt.

Well, she owes me nothing. She’s got enough talent to make it on her own. But, up until then, attempts by female pop artists to go back and do standards had not been successful. And Joan Baez had tried to record in Spanish, and that didn’t work. It depends on what the audience is expecting of you. When I did Mexican songs, I brought in a whole new audience. I played the same venues, but it was grandmothers and grandchildren. People brought their kids. And the standards audience was older—they were in their fifties and sixties, which seemed impossibly old to me at the time.

Is it true that you recorded “Canciones de Mi Padre” at George Lucas’s recording studio, Skywalker Sound?

The second album, “Mas Canciones.” I chose it because they have a big scoring stage. It has good acoustics that you can tune with the wooden panels on the side. There was a lot of room ambience. Mariachi’s a folk orchestra, and it was a good orchestra sound. It’s hard to find.

You also collaborated with Emmylou Harris and Dolly Parton. Do you keep in touch with them?

Emmy comes out to Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, which is a bluegrass festival here in San Francisco, so I see her about once a year. She comes over to my house. We used to sing together. Now she brings her laundry and we talk. When you’re on the road, you always have extra laundry.

Have you kept up with Dolly?

Emmy and I presented her an award recently, and I hadn’t seen her in a while. I don’t think she realized I’m as disabled as I am. She threw her arms around me, and I kept saying, “Dolly, watch out! You’re going to knock me down!” She thought I was kidding. I nearly fell down. I grabbed onto the podium that her award was on and knocked it to the ground. It was made out of glass and it broke. “Congratulations, here’s your award—smash! You get to take the pieces home.”

If you could wave a magic wand and record one more album, what would be on it?

It would be an eclectic mix. There’s a song called “I Still Have That Other Girl,” written by Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach, that I always wanted to record. And there’s a Mexican song called “Paloma Negra” I always wanted to record. I’d record all those songs that I didn’t get around to.

THANKS TO MIHCAEL SCHULMAN AND NEWYORKER.COM FOR THE ARTICLE.

#linda ronstadt #michael schulman #the new yorker #the new yorker magazine #real music #classic rock #newyorker.com

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rosalinewink44-blog · 5 years

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Top 10 Movie Genres That Died Out

For the reason that introduction of digital instruments and artificial sound gadgets within the early 1900s, electronic music has developed into a novel style. In historical occasions, equivalent to with the Historical Greeks , www.audio-transcoder.com the aesthetics of music explored the mathematical and cosmological dimensions of rhythmic and harmonic organization. Within the 18th century, focus shifted to the expertise of listening to music, and music 2018 top thus to questions about its magnificence and human enjoyment ( plaisir and jouissance ) of music. The origin of this philosophic shift is sometimes attributed to Baumgarten within the 18th century, followed by Kant Through their writing, the ancient term 'aesthetics', meaning sensory notion, acquired its current-day connotation. In the 2000s, philosophers have tended to emphasise issues in addition to beauty and enjoyment. For instance, music's capacity to specific emotion has been a central issue. Gottsching's minimalist guitar work, improvisational keyboards, and metallic percussion on E2-E4, an hour-long piece he produced before a flight in December of 1981, is groundbreaking. Manuel Gottsching continues to work at the moment, but he does not take his status in electro without any consideration and is humbled by the interest in his work. The primary German critique known as it complete ‘muzak' and stated that I'd missed each growth in electronic music and I did not know anything," he is quoted as saying.

Qawwali is a hugely common form of music in South Asia, however it hasn't really made its approach to western shores. Trova and Son are types of traditional Cuban music originating in the province of Oriente that features influences from Spanish music and dance comparable to Bolero and contradanza in addition to Afro-Cuban rhythm and percussion parts. The absolute worst excuse for music ever created. The primary time I ever heard BOTDF and Brokencyde I simply wished to punch a number of infants in the face. I want to add that I might much rather dig my eardrums out with a wood spoon than ever listen to this crap once more. The band dresses within the veteran 'charro' (Mexican time period for cowboy) costume, and usually performs the everyday music from the state of Jalisco, briefly, the music of the 'Huichol' folks. Another traditional Son that is popular in Mexico is 'Son Jarocho'. It's indigenous to the state of Veracruz. This Son has been tremendously influenced by the Creole, Cuban and African music. A particular harp from Veracruz, better generally known as 'arpa jarocha', is the essence of the arocho. Earlier than the Mexican revolution, one other son named 'Son Jalescenses' was sung on the ranches of Mexico. That's the reason jalescenses is popularly often called 'ranchera'. Ranchera symbolize the easy nation music themed on the feelings of love and patriotism. It's deeply influenced by the European waltz and the romantic Latin bolero.

There are many different types of jazz dance, every with its own traits and influences. Normally although, jazz dance has at all times been related to fashionable tradition and it has modified over time in parallel with the music and kinds of widespread entertainment. Presently, many various types coexist, in addition to various degrees of fusion with different genres. Some necessary figures in the historical past of jazz dance are Katherine Dunham, who strengthened the connection between jazz dance and its African origins; Bob Fosse extremely influential determine in the growth of dance in movies, and Matt Mattox , who developed his personal technique based on ballet coaching. Germany isn't known abroad for its music, however take a better look and you will find numerous international hit songs which originate in the nation. A number of songs even manage to grow to be hits in spite of being track in the German language which must be considered quite an accomplishment. The 1980s proved a moribund decade for pop. Styles got here and went, but it was an period short on memorable music. Solely Wham! (and later George Michael) emerged as true pop stars. This Song Dynasty (960-1279) painting, entitled the "Evening Revels of Han Xizai," exhibits Chinese musicians entertaining company at a party in a tenth-century family. The chillout music sometimes called chill-out is an digital music subgenre and umbrella time period for digital music characterised by mid-tempo and mellow fashion beats. The music started within the mid-Nineties at dance membership chill rooms the place a soothing music could possibly be played to allow a dancer to sit back out from a fast tempo music that played on the dance flooring. A few of this music's notable artists embody Moonbotica, Moby, Paul Kalbrener, and air. The genres associated with this music are ambient, down tempo and nujazz. Dub step is rising increasingly extra popular of late and has pushed EDM into the spotlight, introducing digital music genres to many people who won't have been conscious of them previously. After all, just because it has change into standard recently doesn't mean that dubstep as a genre hasn't been around for a superb lengthy whereas. This is a bit more easy than the examples above. Feeling relaxed is very subjective, which signifies that songs for rest and de-stressing relies on your musical tastes. Music and dance play an enormous function in Swazi culture. Tune was traditionally used as a way of storytelling and has since evolved with the tradition. Fast forward to 2016 and the Swazi musical landscape is extra colourful than ever, with one thing for everybody. Well-liked genres from hip-hop to gospel have all taken on a Swazi identification. The fact that Swaziland has a small inhabitants (approximately 1.2 million individuals) means that the market within the nation is limited. Most shoppers entry music by the radio as that is essentially the most handy and has higher attain than tv or the internet.

4. Okay. I agree with you that rock music can have some inappropriate phrases or themes, but not on a regular basis. Probably about 20% of the time, it's not appropriate for youthful individuals. My favorite type of music is nation as a result of it soothes the soul and speaks to whoever listens to it. It's a type of music that comes from the center. The boundaries of genres are due to this fact defined by the density or sparseness of common traits: dense clusters of comparable creations type the heart of a music type whereas relative gaps in artistic approaches form the demarcation lines.

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howrv · 5 years

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Chapter 6: Fargo the Cattle Thief

For centuries cowboys have moved livestock through the plains, up and down the Continental Devide, from the mighty Mississippi to California and from the Brazos to the Rio Grand. Library shelves are lined with novels and historical fiction depicting cowboys and gun slingers, train robbers and horse thieves, bordellos, Comanches, Apaches and Crow.

A few days with Fargo was akin to speed reading volumes of Zane Gray, Larry McMurtry, Louis L'Amour with a smattering of Laura Ingles Wilder thrown in. When I was growing up cowboys were legends and here I was with my boyhood hero.

As a young cowboy Fargo went where there was work. He was in Montana when he and his buddy were offered fifty cents a head to drive cattle over to the Canada side. Fargo said no. The ante was upped to three dollars, but Fargo smelled a skunk. Something about these guys he didn't like. When the offer reached a lucrative five dollars a head, Fargo's partner weakened and made the deal.

Crossing over the border they were run down by the border patrol and charged with taking stolen cattle into Canada. After a night in jail and pleading mea culpa, the judge gave Fargo the choice of doing time or joining the Cavalry in Korea as a civil servant. He made the choice and took his first air flight to the other side of the world.

Fargo performed well in Korea shoeing mules and horses for the U.S. Cavalry. At night he would shoe the villager's mules for a little extra cash which he attributes to saving his life. He was particular about his farrier work making sure hoves were cleaned, trimmed and polished with brown shoe polish that he always carried in his supplies.

One time, he recalls, he and 2 soldiers were riding along a waterfront. They were ambushed and his two friends were shot off their mules and were killed. "The damn Gooks didn't kill me because they recognized me as the 'good shoer' from the village."

Later, he remembers, he was being transported with other troops and three crated mules in a C57 when the plane caught fire. He, being a civilian, had no parachute traning but was quickly harnessed and pushed out of the burning plane along with three crated mules. He found himself behind enemy lines with only two mules that survived the jump. The surviving mules began braying for the third mule who had met it's fate in the jump. Afraid the "Gooks" would hear the mules, Fargo rubbed shoe polish on their noses to quiet them. I assumed they were busied trying to lick it off. But it shut them up.

Crouching by a roadside, he finally heard English being spoken and saw a Jeep with US military personnel approaching. Boy were they supprised when an American kid with two mules came out of the bushes.

When he got back from the war he worked for the circus awhile. He respected the animal trainers and learned alot from them, but he had no use for the people who performed high wire acts.

At one point in his life, Fargo joined the Texas Rangers and while he did not know Pancho Villa, he had respect for how Ole Poncho and General Pershing handled the Comanches and the "wet backs." Fargo showed us his Texas Ranger badge which was struck from a Mexican peso. He had several pictures of Poncho and his friend Edgar May, from his horse breaking days.

Becky and I sat and listened to Fargo as he told stories. If he couldn't recall he would look puzzled and tell you, "I don't remember," or "I can't recall." But if you asked a question that he had already covered, he would snap, " I already told you that dummy!" He did not hesitate to give you his opinion. He liked Paul Newman but thought Robert Redford was a brat. He liked John Ford, but told the story about when his Raven bit John's ear. He did not like Michael Landon of "Little House" but liked Hoss (Ben Cartwright) of "Bonanza.

He was not impressed with or did he care for Mike Wolf or Frank Fritz who visited The Ranch early in their career as American Pickers. He said that the two and their crew were not respectful.

Fargo is a man of strong prejudice and kind passions. There were questions we wanted to ask but felt there were times in his life he would rather not talk about.

Never have I felt like I struck a chord with anyone like I did with Fargo. He was the childhood hero that took me 60 years to meet.

#howrv #homeonwheels #jonandbecky #homeiswhereyouparkit #retireontheroad #fargo

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michael-massa-micon · 6 years

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Gachado Line Camp - April 2018 Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Why, Arizona The Gachado Line Camp and the Dos Lomitas Ranch are technically a part of the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument but lie several miles south of the park right along the US-Mexican border. You have to drive right alongside the border wall on a dirt road for several miles to get back to the line camp and then another mile or so to the ranch. All of that driving is under the watchful eye of the ever-present Border Patrol agents in their white cars and trucks with the blue slash across the doors. The ruins of the Gachado Line Camp are amazingly intact. Adobe is extremely durable in very dry climates. This was a place for the cowboys to stay, eat, etc. while they worked “the line.” Their work was primarily mending fences, tending strays, and watching for predators– human or natural, but the few miles to the main ranch was a significant distance in those days. The ruins are also photographically interesting. This is not some artificial pattern of aged adobe painted on the walls of a restaurant. This is what one hundred fifty year old adobe buildings look like when they have not been regularly maintained. The high, brown, fence in the background is the border. MWM http://michael-massa-micon.tumblr.com

#organ pipe cactus #organ pipe cactus national monument #why az #line camp

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anthonycalascione · 3 years

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Howard’s quarter-century on the Copperstate

(Editor’s note: During the month of April, the Journal presents a series of stories about vintage rallies and vintage racing. Today, Howard Koby looks back at his years covering the Copperstate 1000 vintage sports car rally for this publication and others. If you have a story about your participation in a vintage rally or race that you’d like to share, please email us at [email protected].)

About 25 years ago, I happened to be in Phoenix and was heading to the Phoenix Art Museum when I stumbled upon a closed-off downtown street with an array of beautiful vintage and classic cars. They were lined up for what looked like the start of a road rally.

Being a full-blown “car geek” and automotive photojournalist, I had my trusty battery of Nikon (film!) cameras in my car. I hurried back to get the tools of my trade, then rushed back to the action.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

Copperstate cars rally through the tall pines near Flagstaff in northern Arizona

The answer was the Copperstate 1000 Road Rally. Instinctively, I started taking photographs.

The Copperstate 1000 takes place in April and puts a group of passionate car enthusiasts and their pre-1973 vintage sports and grand touring cars on a thousand-mile adventure through the Arizona desert and, at higher elevations, pine forests.

After making contact with the organizers, the Men’s Art Council of the Phoenix Art Museum, I hit the road on my first Mercedes-Benz (the title sponsor at the time) Copperstate 1000 in 1997, on assignment for the late Mike Cook, editor of the Jaguar Journal (club magazine).

I was pleased to learn that the rally served as a fundraiser for the Phoenix Art Museum and the 10-90 Copperstate Foundation, which provides emergency benefits to families and dependents of officers injured or killed in the line of duty.

Every year as a safety measure, a handpicked group of Arizona DPS motorcycle officers provides an escort, riding ahead of and behind the rally cars.

‘Field of Dreams’ at Tempe Diablo Stadium

Usually, there are about 80 to 90 rolling automotive works of art on the Copperstate that engage with the beautiful scenery after blasting off from the Phoenix area. In recent years, at least until the pandemic, the starting point has been Temple Diablo Stadium, spring training for the Los Angeles Angels baseball team, which is turned into a “Field of Dreams” car show.

Rallies need routes and as the Copperstate route book once noted, “Trust in Motherhood, Apple Pie and your Route Book.” The book not only guides the Copperstaters but each year introduces them to a different and challenging route.

One year it might lead them to the northern part of the state, starting up the Beeline Highway toward Payson and beyond, or it might take them through Prescott, or to historic Route 66 in Kingman and on to Oatman, where Clark Gable and Carole Lombard spent their “honeymoon” at the Oatman Hotel in 1939.

Sedona, The Grand Canyon and Monument Valley, even visits into Utah and Nevada, have provided spectacular scenic runs that left me breathless.

Southern routes take the cars through the grassy ranch lands of Patagonia, Nogales (at the Mexican border), into the unmatched beauty and serenity of the Saguaro National Park, and Tucson, known as the Old Pueblo.

Barry Meguiar fills the 1932 Duesenberg from the Imperial Palace collection

The late Leon Mandel, who was publisher of AutoWeek magazine, participated in many Copperstate rallies and referred to this “Orgy of automobility as the ‘Great American Car Revival,’ where participants share a belief that no time could be better spent than in an interesting car on a mean road in the company of like-minded people.”

For many years, the event honored a Grand Marshal, including the likes of Bobby Rahal, Brian Redman, Phil Hill, who drove his 1930 Pierce-Arrow Cab in 1996. Also, Lyn St. James, Stirling Moss, Bob Bondurant and Barry Meguiar, who arrived with Richie Clyne in a 1932 Judkins-bodied Duesenberg coupe from the Imperial Palace Auto Collection in Las Vegas.

Meguiar and Clyne had their hands full piloting the 6,000-pound machine, working its vintage brakes while descending from 9,000-foot elevations.

“We used everything… brakes, gears, parking brake to keep from losing it.” Meguiar said. “But we had a great time and a good workout!”

In 2003, I covered the Copperstate (Bondurant was Grand Marshal) for the old Car Collector Magazine and landed the cover with Randy Reiss’ fabulous fly-yellow 1962 Ferrari 250GT Berlinetta SWB. This late-series steel-bodied Prancing Horse with a booming V12 engine, Borrani wire wheels and outside Monza filler cap was one of my all-time favorites, although not for riding shotgun with Reiss, who drove it at unmentionable speeds.

The Leventhals’ 1953 Ferrari 340 MM

As I reminisce about wonderful memories of the Copperstate, I am reminded that it is not a competitive rally but a lifestyle event and celebratory exploration of the Arizona outback with the exquisite scenery of the American Southwest. It’s like a field trip for grownups, with catered lunches delivered in the middle of the desert.

Another favorite vintage machine that has been on many Copperstates is Rick and Nancy Rome’s exciting 1955 Kurtis 500 Swallow Coupe that was originally prepared for racing by Mickey Thompson to run the La Carrera Panamericana in 1955 (only to have that event canceled). The car still maintains its original Lincoln 317cid “Y” block engine with front disc/rear drum brakes and torsion-bar suspension.

And of course, there’s Michael and Katharina Leventhal’s stupendous 1953 Ferrari 340MM Le Mans Spyder that has run the Copperstate several times.

“It’s a beast with amazing torque and brute power,” Leventhal notes. “Visually, I just love to look at the car… it’s like moving art.”

Stephan Norman and his 1928 Bugatti in Las Vegas

In 2005, the tour stepped into Las Vegas, and I immediately thought of getting the provocative 1928 Bugatti Type 44 Roadster owned by Stephen Norman to downtown on Fremont Street for a photoshoot with all the glittering casino lights as a backdrop. Norman agreed and we roared off.

When we arrived downtown, the “one-off” Bugatti caused quite a stir with 100s of tourists that had never seen such a car. “What kind of car is that?” bellowed out from the crowd.

My favorite route was the 2007 journey that included two scenic wonders — the Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona and Zion National Park in Utah. I’ll never forget, as our wagon train traveled through six climate zones from the Sonoran Desert up past the San Francisco Peaks and through the solitude of Navajo reservations and reaching the geologic beauty of Zion National Park, the sight of Jess and Eddie Marker as they came whizzing by in their ultra-light 1969 Lotus Type 14 Elite.

After 25 years attending the Copperstate, there are too many favorites to mention, so hopefully the selection of photos will speak for themselves.

Jess and Eddie Marker and their 1960 Lotus Type 14 Elite at Zion National Park

Rick and Nancy Rome and their 1972 Ferrari 356 GTB-4 Daytona

Harley and Colette Cluxton in their 1967 Ferrari 330 GTC

1971 Ferrai 365 GTS4 Spyder

Brent and Debbie Berge in their 1960 Aston Martin

1941 Packard at the Wigwam Motel on old Route 66

Bud and Lauri Florkiewica and their 1949 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500

1968 Ford Escort

1956 Chrysler 300B

AZ DPS officers make sure Copperstate contingent is safe along the route

1955 Kurtis 500 Panamericana

1965 Shelby Cobra 289

The post Howard’s quarter-century on the Copperstate appeared first on ClassicCars.com Journal.

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alivshaque09 · 4 years

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[Premiere] The Last Narc Season 1 "Ep.01" Episode 1 HD Online Free

Watch link here https://t.co/Bc8BUh4qVa?amp=1

In 1985, American DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena was kidnapped, tortured, and murdered by Mexico’s most notorious drug lords. Thirty-five years later, three former cartel insiders share unprecedented details. This is the story of Camarena, the drug cartel he infiltrated, and the narc who risked everything to discover the truth.

The Last Narc centers on the most notorious murder in the history of the DEA - the 1985 kidnapping and murder of DEA Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena. The series tells the story of a fallen hero, the men who killed him, and the man who risked everything to find out what really happened and why. Highly decorated special agent Hector Berellez, who was assigned to lead the DEA's investigation of Camarena's murder, peels back the layers of myth and propaganda to reveal the bone-chilling truth about a conspiracy that stretches from the killing fields of Mexico to the halls of power in Washington, D.C.

Title : The Last Narc Title Episode : Episode 1 First Air Date : May 15, 2020 Last Air Date : Jan 01, 1970 Number of Episodes : 1 Number of Seasons : 1 Genres : Crime, Documentary Networks : Amazon Casts : Watch link here https://t.co/Bc8BUh4qVa?amp=1 When is The Last Narc out? Fans of Narcos will be pleased to hear the documentary series will air on May 15, 2020, so they only have a couple more weeks to wait.

Unfortunately, the series will not be available to watch on Netflix, so fans will have to use their Amazon Prime accounts to watch it.

The series will be made up of four episodes, which are likely to drop weekly, but more details should be made available nearer the release.

The exclusive series will be available in more than 200 countries, and it was executive produced by Eli Holzmann and Aaron Saidman, with Tiller Russel as director.

Fans have already said they cannot wait for the new series to air, as it reveals never before seen content.

Who is in the cast of The Last Narc? This new docuseries centres around special agent Hector Berrellez and his testimony, as he was given the task of finding out what happened to Kiki Camarena.

The series also features interviews with the DEA agent's widow, Geneva, known as 'Mika', and three insiders for the Guadalajara Cartel - the Mexican drug cartel formed by Rafael Caro Quintero, Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo and Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo.

The insiders were corrupt policemen who were protecting the drug lords before they had a change of heart in order to understand what really happened to Camarena.

In the Narcos: Mexico series, Michael Peña takes on the role of the iconic DEA agent, but director Russell stressed the two interpretations were very different.

He told IndieWire: "This is a different undertaking. This is a very well-known, well-publicized case and what we're contributing to it is astonishing true revelations that people have been wondering about for a very long time."

Is there a trailer for The Last Narc? Yes, Amazon Prime has treated viewers to a sneak peek of what is to come in the new docuseries, and the trailer is available to watch on the streaming platform's website, and on YouTube.

At the start of the trailer Hector Berrellez is heard saying: "I remember being at a gym when all of a sudden news comes on the screen, I stop and say, 'Oh my god, they've got Kiki'."

Camarena's widow, Mika, says in an emotional interview: "Kiki always wanted to do the right thing, at 18 he wanted to be an FBI agent. I remember the children coming home and I had to tell them he had been tortured."

In never before seen interviews, acquaintances of the respected DEA agent say he was "one of the guys you would want on your team", and he was "good at what he did".

Viewers have the chance to see unprecedented material such as wedding photos, and pictures of Camarena as a young man.

Over some tense music, another interviewee is heard saying: "He inflicted tremendous pain on the cartel."

Camarena was captured and tortured as he was about to uncover how US officials were protecting drug lords in Mexico.

The official synopsis for the trailer says: "In 1985, American DEA agent Enrique 'Kiki' Camarena was kidnapped, tortured and murdered by Mexico's most notorious drug lords.

"Thirty-five years later, three former cartel insiders share unprecedented details. This is the story of Camarena, the drug cartel he infiltrated, and the narc who risked everything to discover the truth."

Camarena had been transferred from California to Mexico to work on an assignment, and in Mexico, he discovered a huge marijuana plantation.

He was accused of tipping off agents about the plantation and he was abducted by corrupt Mexican policemen. He was tortured over a 30-hour period and his body was found near a ranch a month after he disappeared.

n the Narcos: Mexico series, Rafa (Tenoch Huerta) orders the kidnapping of Kiki, who is tortured by the cartel.

The DEA manages to hunt down Rafa, who had gone into hiding, and they are able to get more information about where their colleague is being hidden.

But the agents are too late and they find his body in a rural area. He had been kept awake with adrenaline so he could feel the pain.

In the second series of Narcos: Mexico Delgado, a physician who helped torture Kiki, is interrogated by the DEA who ask for more information about Camarena's death.

Peña, who plays Camarena in the series, told Collider: "It was crazy, I had the job where I had to go to all these different places trying to chase the cartel.

"You see me with a bag over my head. It's kind of eerie, it's not a good feeling."

The Last Narc airs on Amazon Prime on May 15.

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travelingtheusa · 4 years

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FLORIDA

5 Mar 2020 (Thu) – We drove into Panama City for lunch at Los Antojitos Mexican Restaurant. It was excellent! The chips were light and crispy, the margaritas were delicious, and the food was very flavorful and filling. We took leftovers home.

After lunch, we drove to Panama Beach City and enjoyed a flight at the Panama City Beach Winery. It is the only certified fruit winery in the U.S. We bought 3 bottles of wine and some items as gifts. Afterward, we drove around looking at the historic district. Panama City Beach was on the edge of the hurricane and only suffered light damage. On the way back to the campground, we stopped for fuel and then shopped for groceries at WalMart.

4 Mar 2020 (Wed) – We packed up and left Perry at 9:15 a.m. It was a 3 hour drive to Panama City on route 98 along the coastline. When we got to Port St. Joe and Mexico Beach, we saw devastation from Hurricane Michael, a category 4 storm that hit the area in October 2018. There are still many houses with severe damage, tarps covering buildings, and scores of broken and downed trees. It brought back memories of Super Storm Sandy. That was awful. I imagine this storm was, too.

We arrived at Tyndall AFB FamCamp Raptor Ranch Campground at 2 p.m. (actually, 1 p.m. with the time change). We saw that the base had also suffered hurricane damage. The base housing had been destroyed and many of the soldiers are camping here in the campground. We got a space in overflow. Even though it has full hookups, the sites are very tight. We will only be here 2 nights.

After set up, we drove to Wewahitchka for lunch at the Reel Time Fishers. Paul got breaded crab claws that turned out to be mostly corn meal. It was terrible. I had a bang bang shrimp basket with only six shrimp in it. Good but not enough.

3 Mar 2020 (Tue) – We packed up, dumped, and left Homosassa at 9:15 a.m. The drive was uneventful and we arrived in Perry at 1:00 p.m. We are camped on the grass next door to the Elks Lodge. The lodge didn’t open until 4 p.m. When we went in to pay, there was only the bartender – an old woman who couldn’t hear very well. There are two more RVs parked out here with us. They have electric and water hookups and a dump station.

We spent the afternoon calling campgrounds, trying to line up our next set of places to stay. Several were full and we discovered that next week is spring break. We finally got the next two stops secured. We have to find a third and then we’ll be in Atlanta, GA.

2 Mar 2020 (Mon) – We did the laundry today. While the clothes were washing, we walked next door and wandered up and down the aisles of Harbor Freight. Picked up a few things.

We went over to visit with my cousin, Larry, and his sister, Lori. I got information for the family tree. It’s sad when families fall apart. Larry hasn’t talked with his two daughters for years. He couldn’t tell me their husbands’ names or the names and dates of their children. Lori was in the same situation. In addition, they haven’t been in touch with their brother and sister either.

1 Mar 2020 (Sun) – We went to lunch at Fat Daddy’s Road House. It seemed to be the local hangout. There were two sheriff’s cars parked outside. The place was pretty full inside although there were seats out on the patio that we couldn’t see. There was only one waitress handling about 17 tables. While she was very busy, she did not appear to be rushed or frazzled. She handled everything with great attentiveness and got everything right. The food was good and reasonably priced.

After lunch, we picked up groceries at Winn Dixie. Paul made a quick stop at Home Depot to pick up some parts to fix his lounge chair. The cable that pulls the foot rest out broke and he is going to rig up a replacement cable. Mr. Fixit at work. lol.

29 Feb 2020 (Sat) – We went to WalMart to pick up some groceries then to the Biscuit Barn for lunch. I had a vegetable omelet with hash browns and rye toast. Paul enjoyed a gravy on biscuit and a sausage biscuit. The portions were very big. We enjoyed the meal very much.

I have been trying to get hold of a cousin in Crystal River. The first attempts did not go through. Since it was the day after heavy thunderstorms, I assumed the lines were out. On the next day, the call went through and I left a message on the answering machine. Today, I tried again and my cousin, Larry, finally answered. He is going to see if he can get hold of his sister, Laurie, and we will get together tomorrow.

28 Feb 2020 (Fri) – I returned the remote control to the office this morning. When we checked in, I got a clicker (with a $40 refundable deposit) for the gate. They lock it at 10 p.m. each night. They gave the deposit back.

We packed up and left KARS Park at 9:40 am. The traffic (as usual) was heavy. It was almost four hours to Homosassa. We are camped at Moose Lodge 2013. They have four sites on the side of the building with 50-amp and water hookups. They say they have a dump site. That would be very convenient.

We went into the lodge to get lunch and pay for camping. The kitchen doesn’t open until 5 pm. We got a pretzel and drinks. Camping is just $20 a night. Good deal. (KARS was only $10 a night)

27 Feb 2020 (Thu) – It was a busy day today. We went into Cocoa for lunch and ate at Pub Americana. It was an interesting building with a somewhat attentive waiter. I did not care for my salad or the onion soup. Paul seemed to enjoy his meal. Then we ran errands. Got propane, fueled the truck, picked up dog food at PetCo, and shopped for cat food and groceries at WalMart.

At 5:30 pm, we went over George & Linda’s. We all drove to Brooklyn Pizza for dinner. The food was good and the compay, as always, as very enjoyable. They gave us a gift of margarita mix, Jose Cuervo, and Cointreu. We will enjoy our drinks around the campfire! After dinner, we returned to their home and enjoyed some time around the fire pit.

I am very annoyed with KARS Park. The water went out on Tuesday afternoon. They’ve been doing construction around the park and we thought they either cut a line or turned the water off to make a connection. We went to the John Tesh concert that night. When we came home, the water was back on. The next morning, we went about our business – washed dishes, brushed our teeth, etc. using the park’s water. Then we went out to run errands. When we came back that afternoon, we found a note on the door advising that they had broken a water line and NOT to use the water for fear of a bacteriological contamination. WTF??? Why did they wait so long? We used the water to cook, do dishes, brush, and so on. We could have been terribly infected if there was something in the water. I called the office and was told they won’t know anything until tests come back on Friday.

26 Feb 2020 (Wed) – My medicine arrived at George’s business today so we drove over there to pick it up. We all drove to Jabbers Bar & Grill for lunch. Paul and I enjoyed a salad and pizza. When we got back to the shop, we found another package that I ordered had arrived. It was goat’s milk for Bonnie. Her diarrhea has stopped but the goat’s milk will help in the future.

At dinnertime, we met George & Linda at Preachers Bar where they were offering a wine bar for $10 from 6 to 8 p.m. We ordered meals and drank wine till we were full.

The medication I am on has changed my hair. Instead of the thin, wispy old lady hair I had, I now had thicker hair and curls. When I pointed it out to the oncologist, he said Imbruvica doesn’t do that. How can he say that? Just look at me!

25 Feb 2020 (Tue) – We went to the Maxwell C. King Performing Arts Center with George & Linda tonight to see John Tesh. I was not that familiar with him as a performer and was surprised to learn that he was not only a song writer and singer but a news anchor and news caster. The show was very entertaining.

24 Feb 2020 (Mon) – We went to the movies today and saw “The Call of the Wild.” The movie loosely followed the book (they left out the dog fighting). We felt they gave the dogs too much human emotion but otherwise it was entertaining.

After the movie, we went to the port and had lunch at Grills right on the water and sitting under the shadow of a huge cruise ship. Two ships left while we were in the restaurant, blowing their horns and easily moving out of their dock space.

We went in the Exploration Tower, a 7-story museum right at Port Canaveral. A 20-minute video told the story of all the activity and organizations involved in keeping the port going and the cruise ships serviced. There are certainly a lot of actors that make the port work well.

23 Feb 2020 (Sun) – We went food shopping today. Stopped at a local coop to pick up a few things, then at WalMart to pick up everything else. Had lunch at a pizza place.

22 Feb 2020 (Sat) – We drove to my cousin, Denise’s, house who lives about 3 minutes down the road. She drove us over to my cousins, George and Linda. They were watching their grandson, Ryan. The six of us went to lunch at Cheddar’s. They served margaritas the size of small bathtubs. I had a salad and a vegetable platter of four vegetables. Life was so much easier when I ate anything. This vegetarian “thing” can be problematic. I hope I can get comfortable and happy with it soon.

After lunch we went to George & Linda’s daughter’s house. Diane and Chris were away this weekend (that’s why George & Linda are watching their grandson). We took a look around their home then drove to Home Depot where George picked up some weather stripping and a door knob. He and Paul replaced the knob on Denise’s screen door off her back porch and put weather stripping around her door.

When the project was done, we drove back to KARS Park with George, Linda, and Ryan (Denise stayed home). We showed them around the RV and visited for a while before they left. It was a pleasant day.

When we got back, Bonnie had crapped on the rug. She has been suffering from diarrhea the last three days. Apparently, we stayed out too long and she couldn’t hold it. I tried to clean the rug but it was ruined and I wound up just throwing it away. We will have to shop for a new one. Sheba has also been having diarrhea but at least she’s got the cat box.

21 Feb 2020 (Fri) – We packed up and left the Moose Lodge at 10 a.m. The day was drizzly, dreary, and cold with gusty winds. We drove 35 miles to KARS Park on Merritt Island. We camped here December 2013, the first year we hit the road. They have improved the campsites along the Banana River – put down stone on the river bank and installed new electric and water stanchions. We parked in a spot back along the woodline. Our campsite has a 30-amp and water hookup. When we arrived, Paul dumped and I sat on the campsite to save the space. Sure enough, someone came along and wanted the spot. Good thing I held it for us.

We had to buy a membership to the KARS Park. The Park is owned by NASA and was, at one time, quite the place. They had parties and activities for hundreds of employees. Then, when NASA closed, the park degraded so they opened it to retired military and DOD civilians. Now, NASA is back in business and they are improving the campground and expecting a resumption of the parties and barbecues. Ipaid $20 for a membership card and also got an additional card for a guest which I gave to my cousin, George. He likes to fish and he says the fishing is good in this part of the Banana River.

The day was unpleasant. We turned on the fireplace, made soup, and stayed in for the day.

20 Feb 2020 (Thu) – We went to lunch at Wendy’s then to the laundromat to wash the clothes. While they were drying, we drove to WalMart to pick up water. While there, we picked out a clothes hamper. The one we have is very inconvenient to use. Hopefully, this one will work better.

At 5:50 p.m., we met Pat & Fred, friends from church back home. They are vacationing in Orlando and we were able to catch up with each other for a very pleasant visit, made nicer by having dinner together at Sweet Tomatoes. That place is great!

We spent the last two days trying to find a campground further south and on the east coast. There are no spaces available at any place! It is so frustrating. We wanted to explore the Keys this winter but we just can’t find a campground in that area. Bummer. We will move to a campground in Cocoa where we have stayed before. It is restricted to NASA employees, DOD civilians and retired military. They have a first-come, first-served policy so we couldn’t make a reservation. The clerk said they are only about 90% full. Campers can only stay 14 days so rotation is faster than in other campgrounds.

19 Feb 2020 (Wed) – I’m baaaaaack! It was a great visit to New York and I got to do and see everybody and everything I wanted to. The oncologist said my bloodwork is normal (I go back in 3 months for a CT scan). I got a colonoscopy and had my teeth cleaned. I visited with my children and grandchildren; my brother, Dennis; my cousin, Claude; and a new cousin, Guy, and his wife, Mary. Our grandson, Hudson, celebrated his fifth birthday and I attended the party. My sister, Susan, was kind enough to let me stay at her house and use her car. Susan is a vegan while I am a new vegetarian. She made good meals and I learned a lot about healthy food choices.

Paul and I went to Universal Studios today. There were a lot of people there but it wasn’t too crowded. We went on two rides. The Hogwarts train from one park to the other is a great ride. We really enjoyed that. Daigon Alley was very interesting to wander through. The sun was hot and the sky was cloudy. We left at 3:30 pm and stopped at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. for a margarita and snack on the way out.

7 Feb 2020 (Fri) – A vicious storm rolled through last night. I was wakened about 12:30 pm with winds and pouring rain. There were warnings about possible tornadoes. Thank God, we never had that. But the storm continued for several hours.

We packed up and left Winter Haven at 10 a.m. The dump site was a little tricky but Paul managed to back into it and get the tanks emptied. It took us two hours to drive the sixty miles to the Orlando Moose Lodge. The traffic was awful. This lodge has eight campsites; two don’t have working electric. There are currently two campers here (I think it’s the same two that were here when we camped here about a month ago).

We got set up and then ran several errands. Went to WalMart for various items, got fuel in the truck, did the laundry, went shopping at The Florida Mall, and had some lunch. We got back and I tried to finish up things in preparation for my trip to New York tomorrow. I will be gone for ten days.

6 Feb 2020 (Thu) – It was a light day today. We hung around the campground until noon. Went in and paid for two nights lodging then drove to a nearby American Legion Post for lunch. My member card was expired. Somehow I did not have the new card. I called Roby Johnson back home and left a message but the clerk at the post looked my membership up on line and verified I am a current member of the American Legion. We had lunch and drinks, then returned to the lodge.

5 Feb 2020 (Wed) – We packed up and left Moore Haven at 10:30 a.m. The drive was over two hours to Winter Park. We are staying at a Moose Lodge. There are ten spaces on the grass in back of the lodge with 30-amp and water hookups. There is a questionable dump station that looks like it would be difficult to get to and on an incline. Eight campsites were full and another RV came in after us. The other campers were welcoming the couple like family. As we looked at the license plates, most of the folks here are from Michigan. We don’t know if they are family or friends but they all seem to know each other.

After set up, we drove to Publix and picked up some groceries. After we got back and were watching TV, a terrible odor floated in through the windows. Paul was looking out the window and saw a group of the other campers passing a joint around. That happened three times tonight. Paul was planning on staying here while I go back to New York but he’s changed his mind. We will look for a new campground tomorrow.

4 Feb 2020 (Tue) – We had a pleasant day today. While walking the dog at the campground, three boats came through the lock. Paul went over to watch while I had a delightful conversation with an engineer who worked with the Corps of Engineers.

We left the campground at 11:30 a.m. and drove to Fort Meyers. It is a very nice town with palm trees lining the main street (Fort Meyers is called the City of Palms). We found out later that Thomas Edison planted palm trees along a mile of roadway in an effort to beautify the area. Edison’s wife, Mina, was a great horticulturist and there are over 700 different species of plants on their property. They’ve counted over 1,900 plantings!

Thomas Edison and Henry Ford lived side by side in their winter homes in Fort Meyers. The two of them, along with Harvey Firestone, formed a company to research rubber sources. They were worried about not have access to rubber for their tires and other equipment as the military went to war. They found that goldenrod was the best source. However, synthetic rubber was invented and their research never really discovered an easy, inexpensive way to produce rubber in the U.S.

The largest banyon tree in the Continental United States is on the property. A banyon tree starts with a single trunk. As the limbs branch out, they grow vines that reach back down to the ground and form new roots. The vines transform into branches. It’s an amazing thing to see. Hawaii has the second largest banyon tree covering one and a half acres (Edison’s tree is one acre big). The largest banyon tree in the world is in Calcutta, India and covers three and a half acres. That’s a damn forest!

this is a single tree!!

At 4:30 p.m., we drove to Rib City and had dinner with SMART friends. We met Alan and Judy on the Canadian Maritimes caravan. Judy’s sister and husband were visiting from Pittsburg. The meal was very good. Afterwards, we all drove to Alan and Judy’s house on the Caloosahatchee River. It was a pleasant end to a pleasant day.

3 Feb 2020 (Mon) – We packed up and waited for the clerk to fill our propane tank (we ran out during the night) before we could leave. It was an hour and a half to Moore Haven to an Army Corps of Engineers campground. It is a delightful site. Our campsite is on a concrete pad. We have 50-amp and water hookup. There is a dump station. The campground is on a canal with a lock right next to the campground. The skies are wide open and beautiful. We are pretty far from the nearest city so we are expecting the night sky to be wonderful.

2 Feb 2020 (Sun) – We drove to Punta Gorda to tour the Muscle Car City Museum. It was basically a Chevrolet Corvette museum. There were many, many vets and other Chevy cars on display. All the vehicles had been restored to beautiful condition. We enjoyed lunch at La Fiorentina (an Italian restaurant). The place was packed and we had to sit out on the patio. It was a little chilly with the wind and we were glad to have a heater going. I had a bowl of minestrone soup and a panini. Paul enjoyed lasagna. Then we settled in and watched the Super Bowl.

1 Feb 2020 (Sat) – It rained most of last night and today. When it wasn’t raining, it was overcast, cool, and generally nasty. We packed up and left the Fun-N-Sun Resort at 11 a.m. and arrived at the Big Tree RV Resort in Arcadia at noon. This campground has 400 campsites. The sites are tight but we got in fine. We have full hookups and will be here for two nights.

After we were set up, we drove to Ona to tour Solomon’s Castle. It was way off the beaten track out in the middle of nowhere. It was a destination in itself, not a place you would pass by casually. Basically, the place was built by a talented kook. The artist used parts of old discarded items to make all kinds of things, including his castle and other outbuildings around the 93-acre property. Solomon worked with metal, wood, glass, and all kinds of materials to make some of the most interesting sculptures, pictures, and decorations. We had lunch in the Boat in the Moat; a galleon built in a depressed area with water surrounding it. Solomon built it because he was bored. He sure had a lot of time on his hands.

31 Jan 2020 (Fri) – We visited with my cousin, Patricia, today (she is Fred’s sister and daughter of my father’s sister). It was an hour drive to her home in Valrico, a pleasant retirement community. She lives alone and uses a walker to get around because of a hump back condition. Pat was a delight to talk to. She had a box of photos her mother left her that she did not know who the people in the pictures were. I was able to identify some. Others were marked (Pat has macular degeneration in one eye and no retina in the other so she has difficulty seeing things) and I was able to point them out. I took many pictures with me. I will have to go back to Fred and see if he can recognize some of the folks. All in all, it was a very pleasant visit.

On the way back to the campground, we stopped at Cracker Barrel for dinner. It was a little odd to order four different vegetables and vegetable soup but I am working hard at staying on a plant-based diet. The food was good but I sure missed the roast beef Paul was eating.

I got a call from the doctor’s office this afternoon. My bloodwork came out fine and I was instructed to resume the chemotherapy. I was a little disappointed. I had hoped that the week or two I have been on a vegetarian diet would have cleaned up my cancer and made it possible to stop the medication. What a fantasy world we try to live in. Oh, well.

30 Jan 2020 (Thu) – We spent almost an hour this morning calling campground after campground looking for a campsite for 3 nights when we leave here tomorrow. Finally, one campground had two nights available, not the 3 we wanted. So, we took the 2 days and extended for one more night here at Sun-N-Fun. We are coming to dislike Florida very much. The traffic is horrible and all the campgrounds are packed during the winter. My cousin said the traffic used to be bad only during snowbird season but that’s changed. The traffic is bad all the time now. That verifies Paul’s story that he heard a news story that said 130,000 people a month are moving to Florida.

Lunch was at the Bonefish Grill. We have driven past that restaurant many times and each time, we tell each other we need to stop there. We finally did today. The Bang Bang Shrimp was as good as we remembered it was. The rest of the meal was ok. Before returning to the campground, we stopped at Staples to pick up paper and printer ink.

29 Jan 2020 (Wed) – We drove to the Florida Maritime Museum at 10 a.m. It was a small former school house turned museum on the first floor, contained in just two rooms. There were pictures around the rooms showing fisherman in the 1800s. The museum was mostly dedicated to recounting the days of the fishing village of Cortez. I don’t think it took 20 minutes to go through everything. There was a cultural center next to the museum but it is only open on Saturday. We walked through the nearby woods and came out upon a boatyard with a seafood restaurant. There were many American white pelicans floating in the bay. We have seen them in the northern states so they must have flown down south for the winter. So, they are really snowbirds. 😊

We had lunch out on the deck looking out over the Sarasota Bay and watching the white and brown pelicans. I had shrimp tacos and Paul had lobster mad & cheese. The food was good and expensive! On the way home, we stopped at Publix for groceries and PetCo for pet food.

28 Jan 2020 (Tue) – We potsed around the RV this morning. At noon, we left to go to the Florida Maritime Museum. Unfortunately, when I pulled up the GPS, we found it would be 45 minutes to museum. That would mean 45 minutes back, leaving us only a half hour to explore the place. We decided to put it off until tomorrow.

We stopped at the Mellow Mushroom for a pizza. The service was soooo slow. The pizza was ok but not New York style. We returned to the campground, fed the animals, then drove to Bradenton to visit with my cousin, Fred. His mother, Aunt Tuddie, was one of my father’s sisters. Fred and I had never met so it was a pleasure to spend time with him, his wife, Marge, and their son, Fred. After talking about family and what we spent our lives doing, we enjoyed a delicious dinner together. It was a good visit. While we were there, Fred called his sister, Pat. She is the oldest of the siblings and might know more about Grandma’s family than either of us. Her mother gave her lots of pictures which Pat said she does not know who the people are. I promised to stop by to get the pictures and try to identify some of the people in them. She lives about 80 miles north in Valrico. Ironically, we were in Valrico for a few days before going into the Tampa RV show. We’ll have to go back that way.

27 Jan 2020 (Mon) – We drove to the Gamble Plantation Historic State Park. It was an antebellum house built in 1843 by Robert Gamble. He lived there 13 years trying to manage a sugar plantation but went bankrupt and finally left in 1856. Different folks lived in the house over the years and it stood abandoned to the elements for years as well. The Daughters of the United Confederacy tried to restore it but a hurricane ruined the place and they turned it over to the state. Florida restored the mansion and now run tours through the house. There were 22 people on the tour – way too many for the size of the house. It was interesting construction with a hallway down one side of the house rather than down the middle of the home. The house was built over a 3-year period with 3 separate additions. The tour was about an hour long. Afterward, we wandered through the small museum to read the story of the property and ownership. It was interesting.

26 Jan 2020 (Sun) – Well, we had a bit of an adventure today. I called the Elks Lodge in Bradenton yesterday to see if they had a campsite available. They have two sites and the manager told us they were both open. Unfortunately, when we got there, both sites had RVs in them. We then drove to the Elks Lodge we stayed in Sarasota but found 3 of the 4 sites full. It wouldn��t have mattered so much except that our tanks were full (the last place did not have a dump site) and one of the RVs was parked on top of the dump station. I called around to a couple of places in the area. There was an RV Resort just a mile away so we drove there. No one was answering the phones but it was a large campground and we expected we would at least find a dump station (if not a campsite). We got there to find the campground to be more of a mobile home park. It was also gated. When we pulled up to the keypad, we found there was no call button for the office. You entered the code or you didn’t get in. Now we were stuck in front of gates that didn’t open and a short driveway off a main road.

I got out and walked in back to redirect traffic turning into the driveway where there was also a busy gas station. Paul backed up a little but wasn’t sure he could fit in the gas station (stations have overhead covers, many of which are too low for RVs and trucks). Next to the gas station was a one-way road that led to the back of a Jack in the Box and a Taco Bell. I walked down the narrow road and saw a sign at the end that said it was the express exit to I-75. It was a pretty busy roadway, too. I stopped the traffic, turned people away (they were NOT happy about that), and held them off until Paul drove the wrong way down the one-way narrow road and passed in the back of the restaurants to get back on the main roadway.

I finally got through to an RV Resort nearby and found they had one spot available for our size trailer. It is a huge place. The Sun-N-Fun RV Resort and Mobile Home Park has over 1,400 sites. It is a typical Floridian trailer park with hundreds of park models and some RVs. And it cost almost $100 a night! Ouch. That’s the problem with snowbirds in Florida. The cost of staying here during the winter is very high and it is getting more and more difficult to find spots.

25 Jan 2020 (Sat) – We went to the movies today and saw “1917.” It had some great camera shots of the landscape. Long, single pans of the countryside. We enjoyed the show very much. We had lunch at Sweet Tomatoes (I really like that place).

We took Bonnie for a walk at twilight. I love that time of the day. The sun has gone down and a purple haze is on the horizon as the light slowly fades away. There is a stillness in the air. The daytime animals are returning to their dens and settling in for the night and the nighttime animals are waking, stretching, and getting ready to go out foraging for the evening. There is a peaceful quietness that enters the soul.

24 Jan 2020 (Fri) – We ran errands today. Shopped at Pet Smart for Bonnie’s food, picked up vegetables at Sprouts Supermarket, then went to Publix to pick up “regular” food (because Sprouts is a health food place, it doesn’t carry a lot of non-health food items). We had lunch at J.F. Kicks Bar & Grill. I found a lab and had bloodwork drawn for Memorial Sloan Kettering.

23 Jan 2020 (Thu) – We drove over to meet our friends, Brenda and Rick, in St. Petersburg (near Tampa). We drove into town, stopping at the Green Bench Brewing Co. for drinks before going to lunch at the Oak and Stone. It was a fun visit.

22 Jan 2020 (Wed) – The day started out a little uncertain. I had the UPS tracking number and the webpage said my medication would be delivered at 10:30a.m. At 9:35 a.m., Paul looked out the window just in time to see the UPS truck pulling out of the driveway. We missed him! I guessed I would have to wait for a note from UPS on the non-delivery. Then, at 10:30 a.m., the UPS truck returned. He had seen Paul running after him but he had to get other signatures. The driver also said he was scheduled to make his delivery at 10:30 so he was coming back at that time. So, I got my medication (not without a little bit of angst). Now I have to call the doctor and arrange for a blood test before I resume the chemotherapy.

We went out to a laundromat today and did the laundry. While the wash was going, we went to lunch at Sabor A Mexico, a Mexican restaurant. The food was pretty good. I was a little concerned about being able to order something without meat but they actually had a section on the menu listed as Vegetarian Options. The food was good.

At dinner, I cooked mashed cauliflower and roasted Brussel sprouts with a green salad. I’m still working on a menu plan that’s a little more appealing. I’ll get it sooner or later.

21 Jan 2020 (Tue) – We drove two hours to Ocala to get two tires for the trailer. It seemed like that was the only place in the entire state that carried K9 tires. I sure hope they hold up. While waiting for them to put the tires on the rims, we went to Big Rascal BBQ for lunch. Everything was good. On the way home, we stopped at Winn Dixie and picked up a few things.

I called Memorial Sloan Kettering to see about having my medication shipped to me. I’ve been off the Imbruvica since January 10th. A nurse told me that the doctor wanted to make sure I was not taking Vitamin E with the medicine. Apparently, it thins the blood. The refill was authorized and I called the MSK Pharmacy to arrange to have the meds shipped by UPS. Now, I have to make sure I am here when UPS delivers it tomorrow so I can sign for it.

20 Jan 2020 (Mon) – Paul put a light strip up on the side of the rig. The RV was designed with a light on the awning. The only time it works is when the awning is fully extended. You often want to put the awning out just a little or high winds make it impossible to put the awning out at all. That makes that light unusable. The light strip now gives us light under any condition.

I called around to tire companies today. We have been trying to find the same brand tires that we bought in Ocala just before going into Disney World. K9 seems to be some kind of mystery brand. I have talked to several tire dealers and no one knows the name. I finally called the place we bought the first two tires from in Ocala and ordered two more. It will be over an hour drive there but I don’t see how we can do anything different.

At 2:30 p.m. we went to Sweet Tomatoes for a late lunch. I sure wish they would go to New York. We love that place. After lunch, we went to the movies and saw “Ford vs. Ferrari.” It was good.

19 Jan 2020 (Sun) – We went to the service this morning. Rather than a minister, they had a young woman with a sweet voice singing hymns. They were nice but we didn’t recognize most of them. Also, her voice was just a little too high. We prefer a bass or alto to a soprano. But it was pleasant anyway.

All the Vilano owners bid one another good bye and we left at noon. It was a 13-mile drive to the Moose Lodge in Valrico after a quick stop at the Elks campground to dump. After set up, we went in to the lodge and paid for a week. It was only $10 a night. THAT’S a great price! We have 50-amp and water hookup. We will have to go hunting for a sewer when we leave. The bartender gave us a free drink as new visitors and another customer bought everyone a round at the bar. We each ordered a small pizza for lunch/dinner.

18 Jan 2020 (Sat) – At 9 a.m., we met at the Tiffin display and took pictures with Leigh Tiffin. Leigh is the grandson of Bob Tiffin. His father, Van, and he started the Vanleigh line of fifth wheels in 2015. They grew the line from Vilano and added the Beacon and the Pinecrest models. Last year in 2019, Bob Tiffin brought the Vanleigh line back under as a division of Tiffin. The fourteen of us took pictures this morning with Leigh Tiffin and Freddie Swinney, Regional Sales Manager. How many people can say they know the person who manufactures their RV? We never even got an answer from Montana when we tried to communicate with them.

The show ends tomorrow and we will be moving out. We drove over to the Elks Lodge to check out space there. Sorry. There is no room at the inn. All 28 campsites were full. The camp host said he would call tomorrow morning if something opened up. A good many of the campers looked they are there for the entire winter season.

We then drove over to the Moose Lodge, also in Brandon. There are five spaces and no campers. We walked around the lodge, talked with a guy sitting out on the patio, and checked out the hookups. It looks like that’s where we will go tomorrow.

On the way back to the fairgrounds, we stopped at Publix and picked up a few things. Poor little Sheba is going stir crazy! She couldn’t go out in Disney for 7 days. Now she can’t go out here for 5 days. Things will be better tomorrow. We’ll have to give her some extra outdoor time to make up for her involuntary incarceration.

At 6 p.m. we went over to the pavilion with our contribution of canned food (we gave 25 cans yesterday and 22 today). For each can you give, you get one raffle ticket. With all the tickets we had, we only won one bottle of cleaner. Each time they pulled a ticket, we were conflicted. You wanted to win but at the same time, we didn’t want any more “stuff” in the RV. What a spot to be in! The entertainment for the evening was a group called Malt Shop Memories. They sang mostly doo wop songs. They weren’t that good. But, hey, they could sing and we can’t so that puts them up there. Some couples got up and danced in the aisles. Young souls in aged bodies moving to the memory of songs long passed.

17 Jan 2020 (Fri) – I am slowly getting better. I have a big sore on the knuckle of my left index finger. It really got to looking awful and the doctor said I had a bacterial infection in it. My throat still hurts a little to swallow but it is at least tolerable. The juicing is a big job every morning. I sure hope we can find a way to make this process easier and more convenient or it just won’t last.

At noon, we went into the show and picked up a light strip for the outside of the rig. We wandered in and out of a few rigs. Looked in on a $2.4 million motor home. We weren’t really impressed.

At 6 p.m., we went to the pavilion and saw a show by Matt and Dave. It was a kind of oldies show where the two brothers sang songs from the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s. They were funny and entertaining. After the show, they had raffles again. I won a bottle of cleaner.

My stupid watch! My fitbit bit the dust on its 13th month (the warranty was good for 12 months). After some kibitzing, I decided to get another watch but not the same make (who wants a product that barely lasts). I bought a Garmin Vivosport. I noticed last night that I picked up an extra thousand steps. Turns out the watch was recording the movement of my clapping as steps. Dumb thing!

16 Jan 2020 (Thu) – We went into the show this morning. I bought a clever holder. It has a magnet on a tab as well as in the pocket. You put the tab over the waistband of your pants so it sits inside and the pocket hangs on the outside. The magnets stick together and you have an extra pocket. Pretty neat.

At noon, we Vilano owners caught up with one another and had lunch at one of the outdoor eateries. The sun was beating down hot on us and I sure was glad to finish eating and get back indoors. We wandered through a few Montana fifth wheels. Our first fifth wheel was a Montana so it holds a special place dear to our hearts.

We returned to the camper and drove into town to get groceries. Because of the severe reaction I had, I am determined to get off the chemo. In order to do that, (I believe) I have to move to a vegetarian diet (plant-based is the new buzz word). So we had to pick up loads of veggies and fruits.

After dinner, we walked over to the pavilion and saw Kenny Evans put on a show. He is an entertainer who performs annually at Pigeonforge (near Dollywood) in Tennessee. He was a phenomenal performer with an incredible range of vocal notes. The songs were mostly golden oldies with a few country songs thrown in for good measure. After the show, they had a raffle and gave away some goodies (like we do at the SMART rallies). When we returned to the camp area, someone brought out their propane fireplace and we sat around the fire until 11 p.m. It was very nice.

15 Jan 2020 (Wed) – We went into the RV show today. FRVTA claims to have the biggest RV show in the country. Hershey, PA, makes the same claim in October. Needless to say, they are BOTH very large with thousands of RVs on display.

Our SMART friends, Rick & Brenda (who live in St. Petersburg), drove over and joined us. Together we toodled around the rigs and supplier tables. There is so much out there for camping. At 4 pm, we went back to the camper where I prepared a big salad, then we joined the other Vilano owners for a pot luck meal. Everything was quite good.

14 Jan 2020 (Tue) – We packed up and drove 3 hours to the Tampa Fairgrounds. We will be here for 5 days attending the Florida RV Trade Association (FRVTA) Show. We met up with 6 other Vilano owners and were parked together as a group. There are starting to be enough Vilano owners that we starting to show up in groups. Very exciting.

13 Jan 2020 (Mon) – I went to the doctor today. I am apparently having a significant melt down. I stopped taking the chemo on Friday. Called Sloan Kettering this morning and was advised to get myself clinically evaluated. My tonsils were so swollen and my throat so raw that I could barely swallow. There is a canker sore on the side and front of my tongue that keeps rubbing on my teeth, making it very painful to just talk. My teeth have been bleeding and just plain hurt, in general.

We stopped in at an emergency room. The doctor (who was younger than my son), followed by an even younger assistant who looked like he just woke up, said my lymph nodes were enlarged, not my tonsils. He prescribed a mouth swish and augmentin (an antibiotic). Sloan Kettering advised me to stay off the chemo and finish the antibiotic, then call back to arrange for bloodwork before I resume the Imbruvica.

12 Jan 2020 (Sun) – We went into the lodge this morning for breakfast. It wasn’t bad and only $10. After breakfast, we gathered up the laundry and went in search of a laundromat. What a job that was! The Garmin GPS listed two that were no longer there when we arrived. We finally found one and threw the laundry in. We sat in the truck until the wash was done. When the clothes were secure in the dryer, we went out to find a supermarket. Again, Garmin sent us to a Stop and Shop that was no longer there. Ironically, after all our driving around in circles following false directions, it turned out a Publix was across the street from the laundromat. We picked up groceries, stopped at a GNC for a few things, and found a Pet Supermarket to pick up Bonnie’s food. Then it was back to the campground where we collapsed. Being sick makes everything seem like such a big deal.

11 Jan 2020 (Sat) – We packed up and left Walt Disney World at 10 a.m. dragging ass all the way. We drove 40 miles to a Moose Lodge in Orlando. They have a small area for RVs. There are 8 sites but 2 have no working electric. There are only 30-amp and water hookups. No sewer and no dump station. We set up then slept for a couple of hours. We forced ourselves to go into the lodge and pay for our camping. The rate is really good. Only $10 a night. We will be here for 3 nights until we move to the Tampa RV Show. We ran out to CVS to pick up medications, and searched around for a tire center that had the kind of tires we want. Paul is trying to match the two K9 ST trailer tires we bought in Ocala but nobody had them. In fact, nobody ever heard of K9 tires. It’s making me a little nervous. We’ll have to call the tire place we bought them from and ask for two more. We returned to the camper and zonked out.

10 Jan 2020 (Fri) – Ugh. We have both been so sick. We spent Friday sleeping and didn’t get to interact with Caiden, Miranda or Kenny all day. At 8:00 p.m. we met at the Polynesian Resort for the Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show. Poor Caiden was so pooped that he basically passed out. They didn’t really have any food he would have eaten anyway. My throat was so sore, I couldn’t swallow so ate very little. Paul has a dry cough that’s making him miserable.

9 Jan 2020 (Thu) – Wow! It has been a very busy week. We went to Universal Studios on Monday, WDW Hollywood Studios on Tuesday, WDW Magic Kingdom yesterday, and WDW Animal Kingdom today. The lines have been insane (there are thousands of people here for a marathon). We waited one and a half hours this morning to get on the new Avatar ride. I guess Virtual Reality rides are now the thing. I found the ride to be very intense and had to close my eyes when my stomach started reacting to all the swooping and diving.

You really need a minimum of two weeks, and preferably three weeks, to enjoy everything Walt Disney World has to offer. With just a week, lots of crowds, and four different parks, we have focused on the big stuff and had to pass on the small stuff. It’s still been lots of fun. How can it not be? This is Disney! Tomorrow is a laid back, sleep-in, take it easy day. We will give Caiden time to really enjoy the pool and playground. That’s probably most of what he will remember about this trip anyway.

5 Jan 2020 (Sun) – It was something of a frustrating day. Paul and I went to Hollywood Studios intending to meet Miranda, Ken & Caiden at 8 a.m. We got there at 7:45 a.m. and all the spaces on the Millennium Falcon were already gone. That ride is not open to Fast Pass access so we couldn’t figure out how everyone got a spot on the ride when the park only opened at 7 a.m. We signed Caiden up for Jedi training (after some confusing directions to get to the sign-up desk).

The kids had some difficulty figuring out the bus schedule. Kenny and Caiden arrived at almost 9 a.m. The park was packed and we couldn’t find any rides open. We walked around the new Star Wars theme area until our Fast Pass for the Tower of Terror opened at 10:40 a.m. After that, we again wandered around until our lunch at Hollywood & Vine at 11:30 a.m. Miranda still hadn’t joined us. She got stuck on the slow bus to nowhere and took almost an hour to get to the park. At any rate, she missed the character buffet lunch. Kenny took a couple of pretzels for her.

After lunch, I went to meet Miranda at the ticket booth and the guys went to get Caiden’s Jedi training. Because I had gotten the admission tickets through the Army, I had to be there with everyone who had tickets. The agent verified my military status, entered the tickets into the system, and matched our magic bands to the tickets. The magic bands are a kind of digital key. It opens the hotel door, grants admission to the parks, and lets you charge anything you buy in the park.

At 1 p.m., the group of young Jedis (about 30 of them) marched through the park to the arena. Both Darth Vadar and Kylo Ren fought their opponents as each child was given a chance to personally battle the dark side. It was cute.

We again wandered around until we caught the Indiana Jones Adventure Show at 3:15 p.m. Our final event was at 3:40 p.m. on the Star Wars ride. It was time to get back to the campground to feed the animals and walk Bonnie. We parted ways and caught the bus back to Fort Wilderness. After dinner, we searched high and low for Caiden’s ticket to Universal Studios. We will be going there tomorrow and I was checking everything over. We have one voucher for two one-day tickets and another voucher for two four-day tickets. We will turn them in at the customer service desk for tickets. We also had a ticket for Caiden which the agent at MWR had warned me to keep safe because it was unplaceable. Guess what we couldn’t find? We tore the place apart searching for that ticket but couldn’t find it anywhere. Looks like we’ll have to buy another ticket for Caiden tomorrow. Ugh.

4 Jan 2020 (Sat) – We bid Margaret & Rich good-bye and left Hernando at 10:40 a.m. It rained almost the entire drive to Lake Buena Vista where we arrived at Disney World Fort Wilderness around 1 p.m. We were checked in quickly by a perky young woman but then had to sit for about 20 minutes because the RV in front of us just sat there. I guess they were having a problem checking in. Finally, they opened another lane and let us drive around them.

At 4:30 p.m. we drove over to the Port Orleans – French Quarter Resort to meet Miranda, Kenny & Caiden. Unfortunately, their flight left Islip 20 minutes late because of the weather. Then the plane was held up on the tarmac when they arrived in Orlando. After waiting about a half hour for the Disney Magical Express, they had to ride for an hour and were the last stop of the drop-offs. In the meantime, Paul and I wandered around the resort; had an appetizer and cocktail at the Scat Cat Lounge; poked around the gift shop; picked up a 2020 ornament; explored the area around the lobby; looked over the pool. They finally got in around 6:30 p.m. They got checked in. We took Kenny and Caiden to the restaurant to get something to eat. Miranda was not feeling well and had to lay down. We took Caiden to the pool for a half hour swim. Although the water was heated, the air was chilly and he was shivering by the time we called him out of the pool. He had a great time and is looking forward to more swimming. We promised to go in with him next time.

Unfortunately, Disney only brought two of their three bags to the room. At last word, they were trying to find her bag. It has her medication and other important items in it. Bad way to start off the vacation. Bah, humbug.

3 Jan 2020 (Fri) – I did laundry today. We certainly don’t want to have to do it in Disney World so we washed the few pieces that needed washing.

We went out and did some errands today. We put fuel in the truck, picked up pet food, shopped for groceries, and bought a Sun Pass (a prepaid toll card).

While working around the RV this afternoon, Rich spotted a flat tire. Oh, No! That makes two and now we have no spare. So we called around and found a place in Ocala (about a half hour away) that had similar tires to what we have on the trailer now. So Paul got two. We’ll have the two on one side and the two tires we have now on the other side. Not the best of situations but we didn’t have much choice. When we finish at Disney we’ll get two more of the type we bought today.

Margaret cooked salmon tonight. Everything was good. After dinner, we watched Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. We’ve been watching those shows just about every night. That music sure gets in your head. Paul and I saw a special on TV last night where they were interviewing Alex Trebek. We heard how he got started on Jeopardy and where the music came from. The show was started by Merv Griffin, who (I think) is now deceased.

2 Jan 2020 (Thu) – We went into town this morning to mail off some items and get cash at the ATM. When we returned, we rode with Margaret & Rich to Chiefland where she shopped for gourds. She makes the nicest animal sculptures out of the gourds. Margaret goes to 5 or 6 shows a year. After she bought about 20 gourds, we drove to Cedar Key. It was a very beachy town and was quite crowded. We couldn’t find a parking spot so we left and drove back to Crystal River for lunch. Later, Margaret cooked hamburgers for dinner.

1 Jan 2020 (Wed) – We kept it easy today. At 3:30 a.m. we went to the movies and saw the new Star Wars movie. It was OK but I sure hope it’s the last of the Star Wars movies. They are starting to become boring. Margaret cooked chicken in wine with mashed potatoes and broccoli. Um um good!

31 Dec 2019 (Tue-New Year’s Eve) – The cat threw up on the bed last night. The vomit went through the comforter, blanket, and both sheets. I pulled everything off and washed them in Margaret’s machine today. It was nice of her to offer.

We took Bonnie and Sheba to the vet this afternoon. Bonnie has been having trouble getting up lately and we were looking for something to make her comfortable. And Sheba has been unusually hungry. I thought she might be experiencing a thyroid problem. Bonnie has a urine infection and a slight decrease in the space in her hips. The vet gave us an antibiotic and something for pain when needed. Sheba’s bloodwork was fine and showed nothing. We’ll keep an eye on her.

30 Dec 2019 (Mon) – Paul was up and out at 6:30 a.m. He was headed to WalMart to get an oil change on the truck. Unfortunately, he went to the wrong WalMart where they had no auto center. He then had to drive to the other one we were at the other day. Four people were already on line in front of him and he had to wait a couple of hours. He didn’t get back home till after 9:00 a.m.

We took a ride with Margaret & Rich around the neighborhood stopping at Matt’s house. Matt was also a coworker of Paul’s at DOT. He and his wife are having a house built nearby. They bought ten acres and Matt plans to build a drone racing track. We watched him run a drone through a small track. That thing sure moved fast! It sounded like a sick bird.

After toodling around, we stopped at Oysters for lunch. It was Rich’s birthday on Christmas Day (bummer) so we treated them for lunch. The service was very slow but the food was good. Margaret & Rich went out to dinner with Rich’s sister and husband to celebrate both of their birthdays.

29 Dec 2019 (Sun) – During the party last night, we got to talking with another couple about New Year’s Eve plans. He suggested we go to Crackers Bar & Grill on the water. So we went there for lunch today to check it out. They were busy and we ate at the bar so we wouldn’t have to wait. Service at the bar was slow so it probably wouldn’t have made any difference to get on the waiting list. The food was good. Afterward, we strolled on the boardwalk in back. We could see about four boats out in the marina with tour groups. They were all doing scuba with the manatees.

We went in the house at 7:00 p.m. and watched “The Irishman” on Netflix. It was about crooks and how Jimmy Hoffa disappeared. Interesting.

28 Dec 2019 (Sat) – We went to Sabina’s Diner for breakfast. It was a very interesting place with a large selection of unusual items. I had chipped beef and Paul had sausage gravy and biscuits. Everything was good. Then we did our laundry at the laundromat. Margaret yelled at us for that. She offered her machines for our use. I felt it would be a burden given that she was having a holiday party tonight.

We did some shopping at WalMart and Paul checked out the auto center to see about getting an oil change for the truck. We went into Margaret’s at 6:00 p.m. for her holiday party. About 20 people came. It was fun.

27 Dec 2019 (Fri) – We packed up and headed out to Hernando to stay with our friends, Margaret & Rich. Paul used to work with Margaret at DOT. They have two covered RV spots in the back of their house. Their RV is in one and we are staying under the other one. We have full hookups with 50-amp service. Just like the best campground!

Margaret made manicotti for dinner. It was delicious!

26 Dec 2019 (Thu) – We went to The Ringling today. It is a collection of buildings once owned by John and Mable Ringling of the Ringling Circus. There is an art museum (we did not go in it), a visitor’s center with rotating art displays (they had glass art on exhibit), a restaurant and café, a circus museum, and a beautiful mansion. The Ringlings had called their home Ca’D’Zan, which is Italian for John’s house. It served as their winter home. We took two tours of the mansion – they offer three: one unguided tour of the ground floor, a paid docent led tour of the second floor, and a paid docent led tour of the third and fourth floor. Talk about soaking the tourists for all they can!

The museum was fascinating. I thought I had been to the circus but I have never seen anything like what was on display in the museum. There was a 3,800 square foot model depicting the American tented circus in its Golden Age from 1919 to 1938. The logistics of the size and movement of the circus is mind boggling. As a former logistics officer, I can appreciate the work involved in moving 1,300 workers and performers and 800 animals (they were a traveling zoo), with all the equipment needed to put on a performance. Every aspect of the circus was displayed in the model. There was the Big Top where the shows were performed in three rings. Many other tents housed the workers and performers, served as a large dining hall, was used a changing rooms, and allowed the staff to live and sleep. There was also a large tent where the animals were on display. The circus could travel up to 15,000 miles and perform in 150 cities in just one season! Imagine pulling into town on the train (that set up is another story!), parading through the streets, putting on the show, then moving on in just one day. Incredible.

After the museum, we drove around looking for a place to eat. We wound up driving through Keys – Casey Key, Longboat Key, etc. The traffic was heavy and we got stuck going over the bridge. Luckily, we found a restaurant and after a little struggle to find parking, we went in for dinner. The weather was lovely and we sat out on the patio. The food was good and I tried their featured drink – a Fizzy Cocktail. It really wasn’t that good. The check was a whopper $101! Ouch. Well, we were in an exclusive area.

25 Dec 2019 (Wed – Christmas Day) – We went over Greg & Potsy’s house at 11:00 a.m. Their daughter, son-in-law, and grandson were there as well (Kathy, John & Little Johnny). We exchanged gifts and visited for a while then went over their son’s house. Tim & Brittany have two boys – Sage and Phoenix. Phoenix was born in May this year as was Little Johnny. Sage is four and a half. Greg’s other son and wife, Gregory and Kat, joined us as well. It was full day of visiting, eating, and playing with the little ones. It was a wonderful day.

We left at 4 p.m. and returned home to feed the animals. At 6 p.m., we drove out to the Sarasota Mall to see the Christmas lights. The mall is huge and all the palm trees had been trimmed with white lights on the trunks and green lights in the palms. There is also a large lake next to the mall where they have skull racing. There was a light show along the walkway around the lake. It was all very festive and beautiful to look at.

We drove around looking for a place to eat. Everything was closed. It was maddening! Then we stumbled on Miller’s Ale House. It was packed. Probably because it was the only place open for miles around. We were seated immediately in a bar area with the windows open. Although we had to wait 25 minutes for our food, everything was good. It was a pleasant ending to a pleasant day.

24 Dec 2019 (Tue) – We tried to find a tire place today to replace the tire we took off the trailer yesterday. No luck. Goodyear said they would have to send to Orlando for it and it wouldn’t come in until Friday. We are leaving then. Guess we’ll wait until we get to Orlando.

We met Greg & Potsy and Kathy & John with little Johnny at Gecko’s for lunch. Their margaritas were terrible! Their homemade potato chips were delicious! After lunch, we went over Greg’s to see his new house and visit for a while.

There is a flock of 3 sandhill cranes wandering the large field we are parked in. When Paul went out with Bonnie this morning, they clacked their bills, screeched, and flapped their wings. This evening, they just stood and watched her every movement but didn’t act as threatened. Guess they figured out she is not a danger to them.

23 Dec 2019 (Mon) – While packing up this morning. We discovered one of the tires on the rig had a bubble in the sidewall. We pulled out of our campsite and into the parking lot where Paul changed the tire. I looked up the record and saw that we have about 18,000 miles on the tires. We bought them in February 2018. Looks like it’s time to buy new tires. Ugh.

We were finally on the road at 9:45 a.m. There was traffic at some of the chokepoints along the way and it rained on and off. We arrived at the Elks Lodge in Sarasota a little after 2 p.m. There is a large grassy field in the back of the lodge. There are water and electric hookups along the side of a Tiki bar. A small pond sits off to the side. Just as we finished setting up, the skies opened up and it poured.

We put up the Christmas tree tonight. As always, it was a trip down memory lane. As we travel, we get Christmas ornaments from each town and attraction. We have a couple of boxes full of ornaments from all over the country. Each one we put on the tree prompted a comment about the place we were at when we bought the ornament. It’s always an enjoyable experience to share those special memories.

At 5:30 p.m. we went into the lodge for dinner. Every Monday, they have a “Depression Dinner.” It started out a few years ago when officers of the lodge volunteered to cook dinner. It evolved into a tradition that now has the officers cooking dinner every Monday. The meal consisted of chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, succotash, and gravy. There was also pie for $2 extra. Everything was very good. The lodge is very nice – large, bright, and airy. They have something going on every day.

22 Dec 2019 (Sun) – We went out for breakfast at the Causeway Diner. The corned beef hash was cooked perfectly! The place was crowded but we were able to get a seat right away. The food came fairly quickly and was very good. The waitresses all smiled and were friendly despite the crush of customers in the diner.

After breakfast, we drove to Titusville to pick up food for Bonnie. Then we drove to the American Police Hall of Fame & Museum. It was quite interesting. They had descriptions of famous criminals, and lots of displays of police equipment – handcuffs, pistols, rifles, the electric chair, a straight jacket, a jail cell, fingerprint apparatus, vehicles (cars, motorcycles, ski doo, bicycle, snow mobile, and segway), and hundreds of PD patches. In the center of museum was a chapel and next to it was a large circular room with all the names of police officers who have died in the line of duty etched on the wall. There were tens of thousands of names on the wall along with pictures, flowers, and mementos at the base of the wall. It was very moving.

As we were heading home, we stopped at a development that advertised model homes to see. But the office was closed and we couldn’t get into the homes. That was a bummer. Next stop was at PetCo for dog food, Publix for cat food and groceries, and a gas station to fuel up for tomorrow’s move.

21 Dec 2019 (Sat) – We went to the Brevard County Military Museum this morning. The brochure we had said the museum opened at 8:30 a.m. but when we got there at 9;00 a.m., we found it didn’t open until 10:00 a.m. So we walked around the grounds looking at the monuments and then over to an open field where they are planning to develop the area. By the time we were done, it was quarter to ten and the door was open.

It was a small museum but jam packed with great information and displays. They had uniforms, artifacts, equipment, and weapons from every conflict since the Revolutionary War. Placards described various wars and personalities. We enjoyed the museum very much and spent almost two hours there.

After the museum, we returned to the campground, walked Bonnie then went to George & Linda’s for their open house. We stayed until almost 5:00 p.m. It was a long day.

20 Dec 2019 (Fri) – We got up at 6 a.m. this morning so we could watch a launch. The Boeing Starliner blasted off at 6:36 a.m. The Atlas V Centaur was an unmanned mission to bring supplies to the International Space Station. It was a test. This launch and the next are to test the rocket. If they are both successful, then we will be able to transport our own astronauts back and forth to the space station rather than having to rely on Russia. Unfortunately, the rocket failed to reach the proper orbit and the mission was considered a failure. At any rate, it was really cool to watch. We stood in the parking lot watching the horizon where the trees stood. A glow appeared on the horizon behind the trees and quickly grew brighter and brighter. Then a bright light rose into the sky. It looked like somebody shot off a bottle rocket. We watched it rise into the air until we couldn’t see anything any more.

At lunchtime, we drove to Port Canaveral and had lunch at Grills Tiki Bar. We tried shark kabobs, which weren’t bad, along with coconut shrimp and rice. It was good but the drinks were watery. The restaurant was right at the port. Right behind us was a Royal Caribbean cruise ship in the dock. A Carnival and a Disney ship were docked as well. There were pelicans everywhere!

After lunch, we drove over to the other side of the port. We could see what looked like the Space-X booster rocket on a barge and we wanted to get a closer look. When we got over there, we found an Air Force base. The guard turned us away when we tried to enter. He said entry was limited to authorized personnel only. Next to the gate was an Air Force Air & Space Museum. Inside was a large room with pictures all around the wall. Each one had a display about a particular launch site. There are 47 launch sites around the peninsula where NASA fires off its rockets. Each launch site has a story about what type of equipment was launched there, who was in the rocket if it was manned, and statistics about the event. It was pretty interesting. They even had a small gift shop where we bought items for the grandsons.

We returned to the campground and took naps. Afterward, we went over my cousin Denise’s house. She had a small Christmas party with three of her neighbors and us. The food was very good.

19 Dec 2019 (Thu) – We hung around the campground for the most part today. We ran out to Publix to pick up a few groceries and the liquor store to get some wine but returned to the lodge right away. We went in to the lodge for lunch and had their sandwich special. At 6 pm, George, Linda, and Denise met us at the lodge and we had wings and a bucket of beer for dinner. It was fun.

18 Dec 2019 (Wed) – We left Mayport at 9:30 and drove to Merritt Island where we are staying at the Moose Lodge. They do not accept reservations; it’s first-come, first-served. When we pulled in, we found there was only one spot left of the 15 or so that are here. The lodge is undergoing a lot of renovations. They were hit with the last hurricane and are taking advantage to do upgrades. We stayed here almost three years ago.

After set up, we called my cousin, George, to let him know we were here. My medicine had arrived and he had signed for it. So we drove over there to pick it up. Later, we had dinner with George and Linda at El Leoncita. The margaritas were very good.

17 Dec 2019 (Tue) – Kevin & Joy left early this morning. Ships came and went all day. We even saw a submarine come in and leave within the hour. We figured they were probably stocking up supplies.

We ran errands today – did laundry, finished up the Christmas cards, went to the post office, picked up pet food at Pet Smart, got groceries at Publix, fueled the truck, and picked up tickets to Universal Studios at the ITT Office. We move on to Cocoa tomorrow.

16 Dec 2019 (Mon) – The laptop suffered a catastrophic failure last night. The battery reached the end of its useful life. It is a Dell where the battery is inaccessible. We can’t change it. Best Buy can’t change it out either. The laptop has to be mailed back to Dell and maybe – MAYBE – they can save the computer. It is ancient by tech standards. We bought the laptop 7 years ago, just before we hit the road. It is a high-end piece of equipment. We got that because we were going to be on the road and we wanted to protect it from bumps and jars during our travels. *sigh* Luckily, we have the new laptop we bought last year. Now I’ll have to move everything over.

The gremlins are in the machines. My fitbit watch also stopped working. I can feel it vibrating when the phone rings (it is linked to the cell phone) or when I hit my steps goal. It’s just that the screen face won’t light up. Ugh!!! I want to get another one but I don’t think I want to buy a piece of crap. We only bought that watch 13 months ago. The warranty, of course, was only for 12 months.

We went to the Jacksonville Zoo today. It is a very, very large zoo. Lots of animals were out and about. All the cages seemed to be roomy enough for their occupants and were clean and well kempt. The mama gorilla was not happy. I think she is depressed. There was the silverback male, the female, a juvenile, and a baby. Maybe she has post-partum depression? At any rate, we got lots of walking in and the weather was pleasant.

After we got back, we sat with Kevin & Joy to watch the Navy ships in the river. Three large ships, a small ship, and a Coast Guard ship all left port today. The tug boats went back and forth all day long.

After dinner, we sat down and wrote out our Christmas cards. I ordered cards from an organization a couple of months ago. When we started addressing them, it turned out we were shorted on envelopes. I HATE that. Christmas card envelopes are a special size. You can’t just run down to Staples to pick up more. Guess we’ll have to buy another box of cards. Ugh.

15 Dec 2019 (Sun) – It was a kind of laid back, relaxing day. The sky was clear and the temperature was a bit nippy (nothing that a long sleeve tee shirt couldn’t fix). We spent the day walking the dog, kicking back in our camp chairs, and watching the amphibious attack ship depart. After one long blast of its horn, three tug boats led the ship past the campground and out to sea. It was cool!

At 3:30 p.m. we left with Kevin and Joy for dinner at Maggianos. It was an Italian restaurant that offers a special. You buy two meals – one you eat at the restaurant and the other is to take home. The food was very good.

14 Dec 2019 (Sat) – We pulled up stakes and left Savannah, GA close to 10 a.m. The ride was easy and the weather was clear. We pulled into Mayport Naval Station around 1:30 p.m. Kevin & Joyce (friends from the Utah trip) were here. They took us to Freddy’s for dinner. The burgers were really good. I think we have found a new favorite place to eat at. After dinner, we took a nice long walk on the beach. There was a sailboat that apparently beached in the sand. Probably happened in the last storm. It still has its sails and roping and lots of stuff inside. Seems like such a waste to leave it there. I am sure that someone with a boat could use that stuff.

The campground is beautiful. There are 59 campsites all looking out at the water. Palm trees and exotic birds are everywhere. We spotted dolphins swimming right off the shore. Since this is a Naval station, there are several ships in the dock – an amphibious assault ship, a missile destroyer, and two battleships. When the ships come and go, they go right past the campground. We were here a couple of years ago. The ships will sound their horns to say goodbye or hello (depending on which direction they are headed in). The weather is marvelous!

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shortstruck83-blog · 5 years

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Beer Gardens in Philadelphia: The 2019 Lineup

It's outdoor drinking season in Philly. Here's everything you need to know to make the most of it.

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Spruce Street Harbor Park | Facebook

Philadelphia loves its pop-up beer gardens — and al fresco drinking season has finally arrived. Here’s a neighborhood rundown of everything you need to know about the city’s full lineup of beer gardens for 2019, from where you can go sip a cold one outside now to details on beer gardens opening in the coming weeks.

Beer Gardens in Center City, Midtown Village, and Spring Arts

PHS Pop-Up Garden South Street | Facebook

PHS Pop Up Garden at 15th and South Open now Back for a sixth year, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society has teamed up with the crew behind Royal Tavern, Khyber Pass Pub, Cantina Los Caballitos, and Triangle Tavern for bites and sips like Frito pie, Buffalo ranch popcorn, and strawberry-spiked frosé at their spot near 15th and South (check out the full menu here). Stay tuned for their schedule of botanical-themed events like plant swaps and flower crown workshops through summer. 1438 South Street

Brews and Views at Parkway Central Library Opening in May For the past few summers, the Free Library of Philadelphia has set up a pop-up beer garden for those looking to sip an adult beverage on the building’s fourth-floor outdoor patio. Dates for May and June are in the works but not set yet — follow the Free Library’s social media to find out when Brews and Views will return. 1901 Vine Street

Drury Beer Garden Open now The comfortable beer garden behind Opa is really year-round, but summer is obviously the best time to enjoy a sip and some spanakopita from the Greek restaurant’s kitchen. It’s open at 4 p.m. daily until seasonal hours kick in on Monday, April 29th; then, you can hit up Drury starting at 4 p.m. on weekdays and 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. New for this season: CBD cocktails, live music and DJs, and a monthly pop-up of sister restaurant Craftsman Row Saloon at the beer garden. 1311 Sansom Street

Dragon Beer Garden in Franklin Square Opens May 1st The Dragon Beer Garden pops up during the Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival in Franklin Square every evening from Wednesday, May 1st through Sunday, June 30th. The festival and the beer garden are ticketed — timed passes, which you can get here, are $18 to $20 for adults — but you get more than just beer: there are 28 lantern-inspired sculptures, Chinese folk artists and their wares, performances by acrobats, and kids’ activities. The festival and beer garden are open from 6 p.m. until 11 p.m. nightly. 200 North 6th Street

Uptown Beer Garden Opens the second weekend in May It’s the fifth year that Uptown Beer Garden has posted up in the courtyard of the BNY Mellon Building, and they’re celebrating with five new collaboration drafts and a new cider you can’t get anywhere else (plus their mainstay Uptown IPA). This season’s opening was delayed because they’ve been making some upgrades to the space, which you’ll get to see — along with an expanded menu and some other new features — at their big grand opening bash, which is tentatively scheduled for the second weekend in May. 1735 Market Street

The Oval Opens in July This “Park on the Parkway” returns to Eakins Oval in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art with events, live music, movie nights and activities for all ages. The official 2019 start date hasn’t been announced, but it’s generally open in deep summer — between July 4th and Labor Day. 2451 Benjamin Franklin Parkway

The Patio at Spring Arts Opens May 17th This outdoor lounge at 10th and Hamilton comes from the folks who run the nearby Trestle Inn returns for a second season next month with breezy, midcentury Palm Springs vibe and a menu of tiki cocktail classics. Hours are 6 p.m. until 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday through summer. 10th and Hamilton Streets

Beer Gardens in Fishtown, Kensington, Northern Liberties, and Northeast Philly

Frankford Hall | Facebook

Frankford Hall Open now Stephen Starr’s German-style beer garden is open all year round, but it really gets hopping when the heat lamps are put away. Bring one friend or 30 — it’s big enough to absorb all comers. To quench the thirst of a crowd, look for five-liter keg cans of Bell’s Hop Slam for your table. 1210 Frankford Avenue

Memphis Taproom Open now Once the outdoor space was designated only for canned brews and overloaded hot dogs served from its resident food truck. But these days, the gastropub’s full menu is available outdoors, too — there’s even glassware and real cutlery, real fancy-like. They open the outdoor patio space whenever it’s good weather, so check the forecast before you make your al fresco drinking plans. 2331 East Cumberland Street

Morgan’s Pier Open now Morgan’s Pier chef-in-residence Adam Lazarick is back for another season, with a new menu of bar snacks, salads, sandwiches, and sandwiches alongside pizza-esque “fatbreads” and soft pretzels from Lost Bread Co. In addition to drinks and food, Morgan’s pier is serving up events like succulent workshops, local craft beer tastings, and live music and DJs on weekends. 221 North Christopher Columbus Boulevard

Canstatter Volkfest-Verein Biergarten Open Fridays from May to October This German-American club dates back to 1873 and currently boasts the largest outdoor beer garden in Northeast Philly, with five acres of picnic grounds. It’s open every Friday through October from 5 p.m until 10 p.m., with live bands (both German-themed and not) and bar food, plus a beer list heavy on the pilsner and lagers. 9130 Academy Road

Hop Angel Brauhaus Open now The breezeway biergarten at Hop Angel in Fox Chase — which is owned by the same folks behind Northeast Philly’s Grey Lodge Pub and Bonk’s Bar in Port Richmond — opens to serve thirsty customers when the weather’s good (well-behaved canine guests are welcome, too). 7980 Oxford Avenue

Rendering courtesy of Post Brothers

Piazza Pod Park Opens in early May NoLibs’ big new open-air development will include giant art installations, a farmers’ market, and, of course, lots of food vendors and outdoor dining space. Even better, they’ve got that climate-controlled “dining pod” for when summer storms hit or the heat is too much to bear. Germantown Avenue at North Second Street

Tired Hands Biergarten Open now When Tired Hands first opened its beer garden at 2213 Frankford Avenue last fall, it was harvest-themed. Now that it’s back for the season (it opened on 4/20, of course) the theme is “Beautiful Spring Beauty.” Hit them up from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and noon until 10 p.m. on weekends for drafts and cans from their various locations along with their signature 333 kombucha and house blend Awake Minds cold brew coffee. 2213 Frankford Avenue

Evil Genius Beer Garden Open now The mad brewers at Evil Genius just debuted their adjoining beer garden for the season and rolled out their Sixers-inspired beer Trust the Process at the same time. New this year: more space, more seating — from barstools and high-top tables to benches and rocking chairs — and revamped decor. 1727 North Front Street

Philadelphia Brewing Company Beer Garden Open now Technically, you can drink outside at PBC any time the weather’s nice while the Peacock Room, their adjoining bar, is open (that’s 11 a.m. until midnight Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m until 9 p.m. Sunday, and 5 p.m. until 11 p.m. Monday). But they’re officially kicking off the season on May 3rd, showing off additional picnic tables and bountiful new planters they’ve added to the family- and dog-friendly outdoor space. 2440 Frankford Avenue

Beer Gardens in Old City and Washington Square West

Independence Beer Garden | Facebook

Independence Beer Garden Opens April 25th Now in its fifth year, Michael Schulson’s beer garden on Independence Square is open from lunch till late seven days a week through fall. New this season are tournament teams for outdoor games like cornhole, bocce, and shuffleboard. The new menu includes snacks like fried cheese curds, hearty sandwiches and burgers, salads, tacos, and boozy or booze-free popsicles for dessert. 100 South Independence Mall West

Spruce Street Harbor Park, Society Hill Opens May 10th Spruce Street Harbor Park returns with a handful of Philly’s favorite restaurants set up shop on the boardwalk and the Barge. In addition to faves like Chickie’s & Pete’s and Franklin Fountain, fast-casual spot Hip City Veg is back with vegan goodies by the river. 301 South Christopher Columbus Boulevard

Cherry Street Pier Open now The first summer season at Philly’s favorite new arts-focused riverfront hangout will, no doubt, be poppin’. The spot is open year round, but 2019’s official season opener will happen May 10th through 12th. Until then, check their Facebook for bar and food vendor hours and look forward to tons of events, like art markets featuring the Pier’s artists in residence, exhibitions, festivals, and movie screenings. 121 North Christopher Columbus Boulevard

Haas Biergarten at La Peg Opens May 5th The Haas Biergarten is kicking off their 2019 season with a Cinco de Mayo party on Sunday, May 5th, complete with a slate of Mexican food and drink specials like margaritas, Mexican Citywides, tacos, elotes, and churros. Stay for the beautiful views of the Ben Franklin Bridge lit up at night — plus live performances, dance parties, and movie nights all summer long. 140 North Christopher Columbus Boulevard

Admiral’s Tavern on Cruiser Olympia at Independence Seaport Museum Opens May 10th The Admiral’s Tavern is the only beer garden in the city located on the oldest steel warship in the world — and even better, a gorgeous view of the Delaware and the Ben Franklin Bridge. Hit them up every Friday and Saturday from 6:30 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. this summer starting on Friday, May 10th. The $8 cover charge includes a drink ticket, and they have snacks available, too. 211 South Christopher Columbus Boulevard

Blue Cross RiverRink Summerfest Opens May 10th The Penn’s Landing ice skating rink transforms once again into an outdoor roller skating rink and mini-golf course with a “boardwalk on the Delaware” vibe, complete with a Ferris wheel and views of the river. Official dates for 2019 haven’t been announced yet, but it’s typically s weekends-only until Memorial Day, then open seven days a week through the end of August. A 200-seat Chickie’s and Pete’s Waterfront Crabshack serves up boardwalk-style fare as well as craft beer and cocktails, and Franklin Fountain’s Confectionery Cabin offers frozen sweets. 101 South Christopher Columbus Boulevard

Beer Gardens in South Philly

Bok Bar Opens May 23rd Our favorite beer garden atop the Bok Building is back with stunning views of the city and a menu of Mediterranean-inflected bar food from chef Paul Garberson at Irwin’s, its year-round neighbor across the hall. 800 Mifflin Street

Pass and Stow at Citizens Bank Park Open now One of the many new additions at the Phillies ballpark this season is this family-friendly beer garden near the Third Base Gate, with 250 seats over 11,000 square feet, picnic tables, a pizza restaurant, giant TVs, and two bars. It’s open for your pre- and post-game hangouts, too. 1 Citizens Bank Way

Beer Gardens in University City and West Philly

PHS Pop-Up Garden at uCity Square | Facebook

PHS Pop Up Garden at uCity Square Opens April 26th PHS is back west of the Schuylkill for a third season, turning a vacant space at 36th and Filbert Streets into a plant-filled, open-air beer garden. 60 North 36th Street

Pub at the Porch at 30th Street Station Opens in June While the Porch already has a rotating set of food trucks onsite for lunch every day, we’re going to have to wait a little longer to liven up our SEPTA commutes with al fresco happy hour. Pub at the Porch will pop up with drinks on the western side of the Porch Wednesdays through Fridays from 4 p.m. till dark starting in June. 2901-2949 Market Street

Watering Hole and Urban Green at the Philadelphia Zoo Open now The zoo’s flagship beer and wine garden, the Watering Hole, is back again with craft beers, soft pretzels, brats, and flatbreads seven days a week from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. New this year is Urban Green, a boardwalk-style outdoor dining area featuring food trucks, boozy beverages, seating for 200 zoo-goers, and play spaces for kids. It’s open from 9 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. daily. 3400 West Girard Avenue

Pentridge Station Opens June 1st This once-vacant lot on a Cedar Park side street was transformed into a family-friendly hangout two years ago by the owners of nearby Dahlak. Now, you can hang out and sip a beer, play giant Jenga, enjoy food truck fare, and dance to DJs Friday and Saturday nights from 6 p.m. until 11 p.m. throughout the summer. They’ll also be popping up at Greensgrow West just a few blocks away for brunch on Sundays from noon until 5.pm. 5116 Pentridge Street

Parks on Tap Opens April 24th Parks on Tap is back and roving all over the city’s parks system, with first-time stops at parks in neighborhoods like Historic Rittenhouse Town, Olney, and East Falls. Avram Hornik’s FCM Hospitality is running food and drink at the pop-ups, which go from park to park Wednesdays through Sundays until September 29th. Check out the full schedule to find out when they’ll be in your neighborhood. Various locations

Beer Gardens in East Falls, Chestnut Hill, and the Main Line

Suburban Restaurant and Beer Garden | Facebook

Suburban Restaurant and Beer Garden Open now With chef Eric Yost’s bona fides as a former executive chef at White Dog Cafe and Wyebrook Farm, Suburban’s beer garden grub might be the most sustainable in the region: locally sourced cheese, bacon, and produce dot the menu. The spot’s big outdoor section also serves the most restaurant-style menu of the gardens on our list, eschewing boardwalk fare for handmade pastas and full entrees in addition to the usual fries and sandwiches. 570 Wellington Square, Exton

East Falls Beer Garden Opens May 16th Sip craft beers under the Twin Bridges every third Thursday of the month from 6 p.m. until 11 p.m. at this community-run pop-up that runs from May through October. The beer garden also features rotating food vendors, arts and crafts vendors, and live music. 4100 Ridge Avenue

Chestnut Hill Brewing Company Beer Garden Open now This brewery on Germantown Avenue boasts a large outdoor seating area festooned with live plants where guests can enjoy a pint and a wood-fired pizza and get comfortable on couches — a beer garden rarity — in addition to chairs. 8221 Germanown Avenue

Conshohocken Beer Garden Opens April 26th This Main Line beer garden overlooking the Schuylkill River features lots of games — ping pong, giant Jenga, cornhole, and more — in addition to beer, wine, food, and live music. So far, they’ve announced that they’ll be open from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m Fridays only through mid-June, but if 2019’s schedule is anything like last year’s, they’ll take a break for July and August and open back up in September. 2 Ash Street, Conshohocken

The Beer Garden at Longwood Gardens Opens May 9th This beer garden within an actual garden serves up Victory Brewing Co. beer, wood-fired pizzas, and sandwiches from 4 p.m. until 9 p.m. every Thursday through Saturday evening from May 9th through August 31st, then again from September 5th through October 26th from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. It’s the perfect way to end a day strolling through what’s possibly the region’s most renowned botanical garden. 1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square

Beer Gardens in Philadelphia, Mapped

Source: https://www.phillymag.com/foobooz/beer-gardens-philadelphia/

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