Living Your Granpa’s Dream

LIVING YOUR GRANPA’S DREAM-------

MOM TOLD ME THAT PAW ALWAYS WANTED TO GO SOUTH BECAUSE IT WAS SO "CHEAP". WHAT A DEAL. THE THINGS I REMEMBER THAT HE GAVE ME ARE LOOKING AT THE LITTLE CIRCLE AND KNOWING THAT HOWEVER BIG WE MADE IT THERE WERE STILL 360 DEGREES IN IT. THAT HAS LASTED ME A LIFETIME. THE CIRCLE GOES AROUND AND WE ARE ALL WITHIN ITS PARAMETERS. THE OTHER THING HE HAD WAS A HAM RADIO—INTERNET OF THE 60’S—I’D SIT THERE WITH HIM AND MY SISTERS AND LISTEN TO THE WORLD, MOSTLY I REMEMBER THAT HE WOULD TUNE IT IN TO THE SOUTH SO HE COULD HEAR HIS BELOVED SPANISH SPEAKING COMPADRES. HE ALSO GAVE ME THE CHANCE TO FEEL THE GULF COAST FOR THE FIRST TIME AT A VERY EARLY AGE. CRAB’S AT THE DOCK AND SOME RABBITS ARE MY MEMORIES OF THAT TIME, BUT THE WATER STILL CALLS ME. PAW COULDN’T GO SOUTH AS THE STORY GOES BECAUSE HE LOVED HIS BRIDE SO MUCH THAT HE GOT STUCK. THE DIFERENCE FOR ME IS FIVE LESS KIDS, AND NOT HAVING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO PAY FOR THOSE FIVE EXTRA MOUTHS. I MUST OWE MANY DEBTS TO THIS MAN THAT I WASN’T AWARE OF UNTIL I WAS READY TO LEAVE FOR BELIZE.

"A PIRATE LOOKS AT FIFTY" (I WAS 40)

THIS WHOLE THING STARTED OUT BY ME READING THE ABOVE CAPTIONED BOOK. JIMMY BUFFET HAS BEEN A PART OF MINE AND BARB’S LIVES SINCE A WILD TRIP WE TOOK TO NEVADA IN 1981- OUR FRIEND RON BECKER TOLD US ABOUT THIS 8 TRACK CALLED "YOU HAD TO BE THERE" AND WE NEVER LOOKED BACK!! I MUST HAVE SUNG COME MONDAY 70 TIMES BETWEEN OHIO AND NEVADA, NOT TO MENTION THOSE EXTRA HOURS IN SALT LAKE CITY WONDERING IF I WOULD EVER FIND TOM AGAIN. BARB AND I THEN HAD TO SEE JIMMY B. IN FLA. SO THE NEXT VACATION SAW US IN WEST PALM AT SOME CAMPGROUND IN SOUTH FLA. HOPING FOR TICKETS TO A SHOW THAT TICKETMASTER TOLD ME WOULD BE THERE. I HAD TO GET TOUR DATES VIA PHONE BEFORE POINT AND CLICK!! WE SAT IN ABOUT ROW 10 ALONG THE LEFT SIDE OF THE BAND AND THOUGHT WE HAD GONE TO HEAVEN.

ON TO KEY WEST

THE NEXT TIME BARB AND I TOOK VACATION AGAIN WE HAD OUR HEARTS SET ON SEEING KEY WEST. I HAD TO DRIVE ALONG A1A. WE GOT IT IN JACKSONVILE AND TOOK EVERY MILE WE COULD-WHAT A GREAT RIDE!! WE ARRIVED IN KEY WEST THE FIRST TIME AT ABOUT 10:00 AM AND HEADED FOR THE BEACH. WE BOTH FELL ASLEEP BARB GOT SUN POISOINING AND I GOT TO TELL HER SHE’D BE FINE JUST ENJOY!!!!! EVENTUALLY WE GOT TO TAKE OUR CHILDREN TO THE KEYS-BEST THING WE EVER DID FOR ALL OF THEM- THEY HAD A BALL AND WILL ALL GO BACK ONE DAY I AM SURE.

COSTA RICA-NOTTTT!!!!

AFTER READING A PIRATE LOOKS AT FIFTY I WAS SURE I WANTED TO GO TO COSTA RICA. SO, IT WAS FIRE UP THE INTERNET AND SEE WHAT THEY HAD TO OFFER. WHAT I SAW WAS INCREDIBLE AND I WAS SURE WE HAD TO GO THERE. THATCHED ROOFS AND THE PACIFIC WERE CALLING ME. THE ONLY DRAWBACK WAS THE LANGUAGE-WE BOTH TOOK SPANISH ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO BUT ASK OURSEVLES WILL WE BE ABLE TO DO IT- I HAD CONFIDENCE BUT THEN AS ALWAYS I GOT A FRIENDS INTERVENTION.

THANKS RON

RON TOLD ME THAT HE KNEW COSTA RICA WOULD BE COOL BUT I SHOULD CHECK OUT BELIZE. WHAT A TIP!!! WE FIRED UP THE INTERNET AGAIN AND FOUND A BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY WAITING FOR US TO EXPLORE-- ONLINE. WE FOUND MORE THATCHED HUTS AND A POPULATION THAT SPEAKS ENGLISH-WHAT A DEAL. BARB FINALLY E-MAILED A PLACE CALLED KITTY’S PLACE AT COCONUT GROVE AND WE WERE OFF TO THE RACES. THEY GAVE US THE RATES, WHICH WE THOUGHT WE COULD AFFORD IF WE SAVED. THEY ALSO TOLD US THAT THE AIRLINES SERVICE BELIZE. WE LOOKED AT THE DESTINATIONS CONTINUALLY AND JUST KEPT WONDERING WHEN???

COACHING BARB

MY WIFE IS FAIRLY FRUGAL. I REMEMBER SITTING ON THE PORCH WITH HER THIS SUMMER AND TELLING HER THAT WE NEEDED TO GO TO BELIZE – I MIGHT WANT TO RETIRE THERE!! OF COURSE BARB DIDN’T KNOW THAT I WAS ALREADY PLOTTING TO COMBAT HER STANDARD RESPONSE OF WE CAN’T AFFORD IT THIS YEAR. I TOOK A BONUS CHECK AND STUCK IN MY WALLET KNOWING THAT IT WAS CLOSE TO THE AIRLINE TICKETS. BARB ASKED ME ABOUT TWO WEEKS BEFORE I GOT READY TO TELL HER I HAD THE MONEY SAVED "WHY HAVEN’T YOU GOTTEN BONUSES THIS YEAR?" I TOLD HER PROFITS WERE MARGINAL AND SHE ACCEPTED THAT. SURE ENOUGH ABOUT TWO WEEKS LATER I GOT ANOTHER EMPLOYMENT APPRECIATION CHECK AND BECAME POSITIVE WE COULD SWING IT. I DAM SURE KNEW THERE WERE OTHER THINGS I COULD DO WITH THE MONEY BUT ON ONE OF THOSE TRIPS TO FLORIDA I WAS INTRODUCED TO A SAYING THAT HAS GOTTEN ME THROUGH MANY A MARGINAL TIME.

"YOU CAN’T PUT A PRICE ON A GOOD TIME"

THIS YEAR HAS BEEN A GREAT CHANCE FOR ME TO BE A GOOD BROWNS FAN AND BARB TO BECOME THE FOOTBALL WIDOW!! MEANING SHE LET ME HEAD TO THE GAMES AND SHE STAYS HOME AND LOOKS FOR ME ON TV. WHEN I RETURNED FROM THE PITTSBURG GAME (AT PITTSBURG) IT WAS TIME TO SPRING MY SURPRISE ON HER. AFTER SOME BREIF POST GAME DISCUSSION I PULLED THE TWO CHECKS OUT OF MY WALLET AND SAID----"HERE’S OUR TRIP TO BELIZE, I’VE BEEN SAVING." SHE WAS FLOORED AND I MUST SAY IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST SURPRISES I HAVE PULLED ON HER TO DATE. AFTER A COUPLE OF HOW AND WHYS SHE WAS TOTALLY INTO THE FACT THAT THE MEANS WERE IN OUR HANDS.

HOMEWORK PAYS OFF

MY RESEARCH EFFORTS TO MAKE THIS TRIP COME TOGETHER HAD BEEN RELENTLESS. MONTHS OF STUDYING PLANE FARES AND ACCOMODATIONS WITH BARB, AND MY FAMILY SAYING WHY DO YOU KEEP LOOKING AT THAT NOW? IT WILL BE A COUPLE YEARS BEFORE WE CAN GO- I HAD OTHER PLANS!! I KNEW THE FLIGHTS WOULD BE THE KEY AND REALLY CONCENTRATED ON THEM. I CAN ASSURE ANYONE THAT WANTS MY ADVISE I KNOW THE INS AND OUT OF MANY FLIGHT OPTIONS. I GOT TWO TIPS FROM A BELIZE NEWS GROUP, THE FIRST I TRIED WAS A FLIGHT AUCTION-I WAS A LOW BIDDER AT ONE POINT BUT COULDN’T PULL THE PURCHASE TRIGGER AS I DIDN’T HAVE ALL THE CASH IN MY HAND’S…JUST THE HOPE. THE NEXT WAS A FLIGHT CONSOLIDATOR-WHAT EVER THAT IS AND I WAS GETTING CLOSE ON THE MONEY AND THEY WERE SHOWING SOME VERY ATTRACTIVE RATES. I KNEW ALL THE FLIGHTS OUT OF ANYWHERE WHITHIN 200 MILES OF HOPKINS AND THEY HAD A DEAL TO SAVE ME HUNDREDS. TWO WEEKS LATER I WAS CALLING. FIVE DAYS LATER THE TICKETS WERE IN OUR HANDS.

WHERE TO STAY

BARB AND I WOULDN’T EVEN CONSIDER BOOKING ROOMS UNTILWE HAD THE TICKETS IN OUR HANDS BUT BOY WAS THE RESEARCH GOING AT A FASTER PACE!! WE HAD ALREADY READ "THE ROUGH GUIDE TO BELIZE" FROM COVER TO COVER AND SEEN MANY WEBSITES OF PLACES TWO STAY IN THIS NEW PARADISE --------SO HOW CAN WE DECIDE? LUCK INTERVENED AGAIN WHEN I DECIDED TO LOOK FOR A TOUR OPERATOR.

HOW CAN YOU GO WRONG WITH A GIRL NAMED BARB?

WITHIN THE ZILLION HITS I MADE ON VARIOUS BELIZE SITES I STUMBLED ACROSS A PLACE CALLED "BARB’S BELIZE" AND EMAILED HER. I TOLD HER WE HAD OUR FLIGHTS AND DIDN’T KNOW WHERE WE WANTED TO GO BUT HERE’S WHAT WE THINK…PLACENCIA LOOKS REALLY GREAT-BELIZE CITY IS APPEALING, WHAT CAN YOU RECOMMEND? SHE MAILED BACK SOME OPTIONS; THE ONE I HATED THE MOST WAS "WHY THE HELL WOULD ANYONE WANT TO STAY IN BELIZE CITY WHEN THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER PLACES TO GO?" MORE RESEARCH AND BOTH OF THE BARB’S PREVAILED=TOO MUCH THIRD WORLD FOR THEM. I WILL CONCEDE ON THIS TRIP BUT I WILL GO TO BELIZE CITY ONE DAY. SHE GAVE US SOME OPTIONS IN PLACENCIA AND A BUNCH AT AMBERGRIS, WHICH WE HAD PRETTY MUCH DECIDED AGAINST. WE HAVE NEW FRIENDS THAT TOLD US TO STAY AT CAUKER CAYE SO WE ASKED HER TO LOOK INTO OUR OPTIONS THERE. HER RESPONSE WAS NOT MUCH HELP ON CAUKER BUT SHE’D GET US THE FLIGHT IF WE WANTED AND KNEW WE COULD FIND A PLACE TO STAY. PLACENCIA WAS BECOMING MORE APEALLING EVERY DAY SO WE TOLD HER TO GIVE US A QUOTE ON GREEN PARROT (WHICH I HAD STUDIED SINCE NOV. ’99) AND NAUTICAL INN ONE OF HER RECO’S. THE QUOTES CAME IN AT SIMILAR PRICES WITH NAUTICAL HAVING A MEAL PLAN AND GREEN PARROT MORE A LA CART. PROBLEM AT GREEN PARROT WAS WE COULDN’T STAY THE WHOLE WEEK. TIME FOR PLANS B-C-AND-D.WE CONSDERED STAYING AT NAUTICAL FOR THE WEEK BUT BOTH LIKED THE ROOMS AT THE PARROT BETTER. WHY NOT DO FOUR DAYS IN PLACENCIA AND THREE DAYS UP NORTH? MY RESEARCH COMES INTO PLAY AGAIN AND I KNOW THE ONLY PLACE TO THINK OF UP NORTH IS CAPTAIN MORGAN’S WHICH WAS ALREADY VOTED BEST "MOST EXPENSIVE PLACE" FOR US BY OUR CHILDREN. I KEPT HEARING OUR FRIENDS SAY GO TO CAUKER BUT TRANSPORTATION IS MARGINAL FROM OUR FAVORED PLACENCIA AND WE ONLY HAVE A WEEK. WE FINALY DECIDE ON THE FOUR DAYS AT PLACENCIA WITH ONE EXTRA CROP DUSTER FLIGHT TO AMBERGRIS AND ASK BARB II TO GIVE US A QUOTE. IT ARRIVES ABOUT TWO DAYS PRIOR TO A LONG TIME OUT.

"TRYIN’ TO REASON WITH HURRICANE SEASON"

HELLO KEITH---WHAT A BITCH, I WANT TO LIE IN THE SUN IN FEBRUARY AND THESE PEOPLE ARE GETTING HAMMERED BY ONE OF THE MOST UNIQUE TROPICAL STORMS OF OUR TIME. I WANT TO HELP THEM BUT KNOW THERE ISN’T MUCH I’LL DO FROM OHIO BUT WATCH THE RADAR AND HOPE THEY CAN SURVIVE. I WISH I COULD HAVE BEEN IN ONE OF THE GROUPS RUSHING THEM AID AS I KNOW I MUST HAVE SOME SKILLS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN USEFUL IN THE RECONSTRUCTION –HOPEFULY THERE’S NOT A NEXT TIME…

CONFIRMATION

AFTER ABOUT TWO WEEKS WE DECIDED THE COUNTRY WAS STILL RIGHT FOR US EVEN IF AMBERGRIS AND CAUKER WERE LEVELED WE COULD MAKE THE BEST OF WHAT WAS LEFT. WE ALSO KNEW FROM THE WEB THAT PLACENCIA WAS STILL INTACT. WE GAVE BARB K OUR FINAL CHOICES AND SHE GAVE US THE BEST WE COULD HAVE HOPED FOR. GREEN PARROT COULDN’T ACCEPT US FOR SEVEN DAYS BUT WOULD LOVE US FOR 4 DAYS. CAPTAIN MORGAN’S HAD EVERTHING WE WANTED IN AMBERGRIS SO BARB K GOT US BOOKED THERE WITH MY REQUEST OF "BEAM ME UP" CUZ I DON’T WANT TO WASTE A DAY TRAVELLING. I ACTUALLY TOLD HER I WOULD GET UP AT FIVE IN THE MORNING SO AS NOT TO MISS A DAY ON THE COAST-THUS THE TERM BEAM ME UP-SO SHE GOT ME A FLIGHT WITH A 15 MINUTE CONNECTION!!

PASSPORTS

I ASK MY PARENTS FOR MY BIRTH CERTIFICATE AND THE QUESTIONS THAT WE HOPED NOT TO ANSWER STARTED COMING FAST. I CAVED IN AND TOLD MOM AND DAD THAT I MIGHT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO BELIZE. I THINK THEY WERE OK WITH IT BECAUSE IT WAS STILL A MIGHT IN THEIR MINDS. BARB’S BIRTH CERTIFIATE WAS ANOTHER STORY COMPLETELY- SHE NEEDED ALL OF THE RESOURES WE KNOW OF AND THEN SOME. SHE’LL TELL THAT STORY SOMEDAY. AT ANY RATE WE BOTH HAD BIRTH CERTIFICATES IN OUR HANDS GOT OUR PIX AT AAA AND WENT TO THE COURTS FOR OUR PASSPORTS-THEY ARIVED IN THREE WEEKS AND WE WERE GOING WILD ABOUT THE TRIP.

SUPPLIES AND STUDY

THE STUDIES TELL US THAT WE MUST TAKE THE BELIZE BASICS, SWIMSUITS/SANDALS AND DEET. IT’S ALL EASY EXCEPT THE DEET. WE WORKED ON A SMALL FIRST AID KIT THAT HAS ALL THE BASICS- BANDAIDS ASPIRIN AND OINTMENTS. NOW A CAMERA AND BIRD GLASSES MIGHT BE ALL THAT WE NEED. WHAT ABOUT A FLASHLIGHT AND MY COMPASS? BARB WOUDLN’T LET ME BUY A GPS------- NO TECH!!

WAITING AND A TAN

THE HOLIDAYS ARE UPON US –CHRISTMAS HAS JUST PASSED AND OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE NEW YEAR CELEBRATION. BARB AND I AGREED NOT TO EXCHANGE GIFTS AND LET OUR TRIP BE OUR EXCITEMENT!! WE WERE BOTH HAPPY TO LEARN THAT GREAT GRANDMA AND "AUNT JEAN" HAD LEFT US GIFT CERTIFICATES FOR THE TANNING BOOTH IN OUR STOCKINGS. I STILL HAVEN’T BEEN TO A TANNING BOOTH AND DIDN’T EVER THINK I WOULD BUT …….

I KNOW THAT NEITHER OF US WANTS TO SPEND OUR FIRST THREE DAYS IN THE SUN ACCLIMATING OUR BODIES. SO OFF TO TANNING WE GO!! THE WAITING WILL BE DRIVING ME UP THE WALL FOR THE NEXT MONTH. HAVE I DONE ALL THE PREPARATION? WILL I REMEMBER WHAT TO PACK? IS IT TRUE THAT I SHOULD TAKE MORE MONEY AND LESS CLOTHES? WILL I REMEMBER TO BOOK THAT HOTEL ROOM BY THE AIRPORT FOR THE EVE OF DEPARTURE? HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TAN? WILL MAL GIVE ME BACK MY ANDY PALACIO CD TO GET ME THROUGH WINTER IN OHIO? OOPS IT’S HERE I THINK I’LL POP IT IN FOR SOME RELAXATION!!!

THANKS TO MANY

BARB AND I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE THIS TRIP IF IT WASN’T FOR MANY PEOPLE PUTTING AND KEEPING US ON THE RIGHT TRACK. I’LL START WITH THANKING MY PARENTS WHO TAUGHT ME THAT HARD WORK WILL BRING its OWN REWARDS. PAPER ROUTES AND TATER FIELDS CAN BUILD A LOT OF CHARACTER! BARBS PARENTS MADE ME KEEP GOING ON MY OWN WHEN I WANTED TO BE TAKEN UNDER THEIR WING SO MANY YEARS AGO-GREAT DECISION ON THEIR PART AND I CAN’T IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED TO ME IF THEY HAD LET ME TAKE THE EASY ROAD. NEXT THANKS GO TO MY COACHES- HART, CORRIGAN, AND WOODRUFF- IF THEY HADN’T TAUGHT ME TO EXPECT TO WIN I’M SURE MEDIOCRITY WOULD HAVE FOUND IT’S WAY INTO MY LIFE AS IT DOES WITH SO MANY PEOPLE THAT WISH TO SUCCEED.WHAT’S WRONG WITH WINNING???? THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE DONE SO MUCH FOR ME ARE BILL AND MONA DAUCH, BARB AND I WERE JUST TALKING TONIGHT ABOUT HOW WE REALLY DOUBT THAT MY LAST EMPLOYER WOULD HAVE GIVEN US THIS CHANCE. THEY ARE SOME OF THE BEST PEOPLE I COULD EVER IMAGINE WORKING WITH.

JANUARY 4^TH 2001

I CAN’T BELIEVE its 2001- I’M NOW ON VACATION FOR THE NEXT THREE OR FOUR DAY’S AND GOING CRAZY ABOUT OUR TRIP TO CENTRAL AMERICA. I SHOULD BE WORKING ON MY JOB BUT MY TIME HAS BEEN CONSUMED BY TRYING TO GET MYSELF AND BARB READY TO DO THE TRIP WITH ONLY CARRY ON LUGGAGE. ALL OF YOU GIRL RECIPIENTS CAN IMAGINE HOW HARD THIS MUST BE! SHE DOESN’T EVEN KNOW THAT IT’S IN MY PLANS BUT… I LOOKED AT WEBSITES TODAY ABOUT EFFICIENT PACKING BUT AM NOT SURE IF BARB CAN DO IT. I AM BASICALLY PACKED EXCEPT FOR SOME T-SHIRTS AND TOILETRY ITEMS-MY FAMILY IS MAKING FUN OF ME FOR BEING PREPARED BUT I’LL GUARANTEE YOU THAT ONE READER OF THIS BELIEVES IN PRIOR PROPER PLANNING. MY CHALLENGE FOR THE NEXT MONTH WILL BE TO MAKE BARB BELIEVES THAT SHE CAN DO WITH LESS. I’VE TOLD HER THAT I READ TAKE ½ AS MANY CLOTHES AS YOU THINK AND TWICE AS MUCH MONEY AS YOU THINK- DRIVES HER CRAZY-AGAIN SHE IS THE FRUGAL ONE WHICH OBVIOUSLY KEEPS ME SANE!! I’M LISTENING TO "BOAT DRINKS" AND GOING ABSOLUTELY WILD! THE FACT THAT 20 YEARS AGO WHEN THIS WAS RECORDED ALL I COULD THINK ABOUT WAS CABIN FEVER AND NOW I CAN’T WAIT FOR MR.SCOTT TO "BEAM ME UP TO SOMEWHERE IT’S WARM"-I GOTTA GO WHERE THE PACE OF LIFE’S SLOW!!! BACK TO BARB AND THE PACKING I’LL GET HER TO APPRECIATE THE FACT SHE WON’T HAVE TO CHECK LUGGAGE. SHE’LL BE SO HAPPY AND SO WILL I KNOWING THAT WE CAN GET AROUND ANOTHER COUNTRY CARRYING WHAT WE NEED WITHOUT BAG CHECKS. HOPE MY DAUGHTER AND SOME OF MY FRIENDGIRLS TAKE NOTE OF THIS!!! VACATION HAS JUST TAKEN OVER ----- SEE YA SOON!!!!

CARRY-ON FREAKING!!!

I CALLED CONTINENTAL JUST TO MAKE SURE MY PLAN FOR CARRY-ON WOULD WORK AND THEY BLEW IT UP IN MY FACE. MY PLAN WAS A SMALL PACK AND A BACK PACK. THEY TOLD ME ONLY ONE CARRY - ON AND THE BACKPACK WOULD BE CONSIDERED CARRY-ON… NOW I’M DYIN’ AND KNOWING I GOTTA CHANGE MY LUGGAGE TO DO THE CARRY-ON IS BECOMING A PROBLEM. AFTER A SHORT DEBATE WITH MY FRIEND CINDY SHE CONVINCED ME THAT IF I GOT NEW LUGGAGE TO MEET THE CARRY-ON REQUIREMENTS I MAY BE THE FIRST OFF THE PLANE TO ENJOY THE FRUITS OF THE NEW COUNTRY. I DECIDED TO START LOOKING. I FOUND NEW LUGGAGE AT THE COUNTRY STORE IN AVERY!! YOU KNOW –MASON ROAD AND RT. 250-THEY HAVE GAS, SANDWHICES, GUNS, KNIVES, AND THE BAG I WAS LOOKING FOR---- THANK GOD I GOT THRISTY WHEN I DID, THING IS I DIDN’T BUY THE BAG UNTIL AFTER I WENT TO THE MALL TO SEE WHAT THEY HAD TO MEET MY CARRY-ON REQUIREMENTS---AGAIN GREAT LUCK. ALL THIS GOT BARB THINKING ABOUT HER BAGS-I TOLD HER TO GO LOOK AT A BAG THAT I SAW AT THE MALL, WHICH WILL MEET THE RESTRICTIONS. SHE WAS HOME TWO DAYS LATER TELLING ME HOW SHE SAVED $30 ON THE SAME LUGGAGE I HAD CONSIDERED THREE DAYS PRIOR-SALE OR NOT I HAD RUN INTO FATE AND A COLD DRINK AT AVERY. LIFE IS GOOD!!!!

MY HEROES ARE THERE!!!

EVER HEARD THE SONG "RED NECK MOTHERS"? EVER CIRCLE DANCED TO LEAVING TEXAS, EVER MOVED YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY AND JUST WAITED TO GET THE STEREO HOOKED UP SO YOU COULD HEAR L.A. FREEWAY??? WE HAVE DONE IT. IN THE PAST WEEK I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT JERRY JEFF HAS A HOUSE ON BONITA ISLE AND JIMMY BUFFET HAS ONE OF HIS FAVORITE BARS JUST UP THE STREET FROM WHERE I’LL BE STAYING. SO ONCE AGAIN I AM 10 YEARS BEHIND MY HEROS BUT I’LL BET I CATCH UP TO THEM SOMEDAY!!! I ALREADY KNOW SOME FOLKS THAT HUNG OUT WITH THEM AT FLORIBAMA NOT TO LONG AGO-I’M ALMOST IN!!!!!THANKS ARTY (RON).

NO COMPANY

MY TRIP TO BELIZE WILL PRODUCE A NEW FEELING ABOUT BEING SEPERATED FROM MY COMPANY. I KNOW I CAN’T GET BACK FAST AND THAT BOTHERS ME. I HOPE TO STAY IN TOUCH VIA E-MAIL BUT I KNOW THAT I AM GOING INTO A COUNTRY THAT HAS MARGINAL PHONE LINES ON A GOOD DAY. BEST AT THIS POINT NOT TO WORRY ABOUT HOW I’LL STAY IN TOUCH BUT RATHER TO KNOW THAT I WANT TO, EVEN IF IT DRIVES MY WIFE CRAZY ABOUT WHY AND MY ACCOUNTANT CRAZY ABOUT THE COST!!

72 HOURS AND A WAKE-UP!!!

WE ARE THAT CLOSE TO LEAVING. BARB IS GETTING BUTTERFLIES IN HER TUMMY AND I NEED A BREAK SO BAD I CAN TASTE IT. I THINK WE’RE GETTING IT ALL TOGETHER…I FINISHED PACKING THIS AFTERNOON AND BARB IS GETTING CLOSE BUT I’M SURE SHE WON’T CLOSE THE BAG UNTIL MOM AND DAD ARE IN THE DRIVE READY TO TAKE US TO CLEVELAND. THE CARRY-ON STUFF STILL HAS US BOTH NERVOUS BUT WE PLAN TO GO TO THE AIRPORT PRIOR TO LEAVING SO IF THEY TELL US TO CHECK THE BAGS WE CAN REDUCE THEIR SIZE!!

BY FOR NOW

WHEN YOU GET THIS WE WILL BE IN CLEVELAND WAITNG TO HEAD SOUTH-I MAY UPDATE THE STORY WITH INFO ON OUR TRAVELS BUT EVEN IF I DON’T I’M GLAD I TOOK SOME TIME TO KEEP THE STORY OF OUR PRE-TRIP DOCUMENTED. WE WILL TALK WITH ALL OF YOU ON OUR RETURN BUT FOR NOW I’M OUTTA HERE-SOON TO BE "LIVING MY GRANDPA’S DREAM" I LOVE YOU ALL- DUANE

Click here to return to the main articles page.

Commons Island Community History Visitor Center Goods & Services Search Messages

Copyright by Casado Internet Group, Belize