Hot in Cleveland

I am not referring to the temperature, or menopausal state, but the name of the match play team I was invited (and happily accepted) to join for a weekend match play golf outing at Nemacolin Resort in the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania.  I had traveled to golf events with four of the members in the past.  The three new friends were delightful additions to my golf buddy list.  These are great women, all connected through EWGA (Executive Women's Golf Association).  All smart, competent, successful women who love the game of golf.  Add fun loving to the description and you have one hell of a weekend.

We didn't win the match play event to advance to the finals in California.  The first day's round was called after nine holes due to pouring rain which was a disappointment and altered the possible outcomes.  But, the weekend was a classy event and if you are looking to play golf, learn the rules, learn the game, have the chance to enter and travel to competitive events and make fantastic friends, this league is the best! 

Family Time

I love this photo.  Happy smiles.  Tanned faces.  Damn, we look good!

My sons, Matt and Sam and Matt's wife Megan and their kids, Jack and Ruby all out to eat at Doc Ford's on Sanibel Island.  Order Yucatan shrimp - you will want to lick the bowl.

We had a week crammed full of activity.  Swimming in pools and ocean(s) - Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico.  Snorkeling.  Fishing offshore and flats.  Collecting shells, sea life, snails, lizards and more.  I just released a pet crab this morning.  That was while I was picking up and putting away and sniffling because I miss them already...

Word Puzzle

My father, and a group of his buddies, owned a hunting camp in the Pennsylvania mountains named Camp YoHo (for Youngstown, Ohio where they lived).  My siblings and I have wonderful memories of the camp.  It had one large "great room" with a dining table that must have seated 20+, a huge fireplace, requisite worn out and musty smelling furniture, a kitchen and an upstairs "bunk room" lined with bunk beds and single beds.  I believe it sleep 12.  Try sleeping with 11 other people in various states of snoring, grunting and, according to my children, farting.  Anyway, as a kid, we didn't care one bit.  Actually there were two camps because when the Kinzua dam was built, the government paid the landowners who would be flooded out and a new camp was built on the edge of the Alleghany forest.  So, our memories sort of blend together between the two camps and many weekends and longer were spent hiking, exploring, fishing, water skiing, jumping off "big rock" and generally, just messing around.  There was no TV, and we did not miss it one bit.  There was an old radio and occasionally you could get reception for a baseball game.  The nearby town, within walking distance, was Westline.  I think there may have been a population of 30.  There was a strange odor emanating from the town and we believe it was built on a toxic chemical dump.  I think we imagined that because everyone in town seemed a bit inbred and odd.  Perhaps the odor was a smokehouse, because it always smelled like bacon to me.  The Westline in is still there and I remember going there to drink beer (okay, so we weren't kids - or were we?) and playing Pacman and the walk home to the cabin in that pitch black with the amazing stars overhead - priceless!

We took friends and family with us to the camp.  How can we forget Uncle Homer and Dad jumping from bed to bed trying to kill a bat with a broom while my baby sister, Mary Beth, sleep peacefully in her crib.  Why didn't anyone move her out of there first??  And Uncle Charles bringing home a snapping turtle hanging with jaws clenched around a thick twig for us nieces and nephews to admire.  And to tease and torture us all evening about the wonderful turtle soup he was going to make the next day out of our new pet.  And how the next morning the turtle was missing from its jail and for probably twenty years, no one confessed to the release until cousin Mary finally admitted that she had snuck down during the night to "free" it.  There was the infamous potato soup that was simmering on the stove and when each adult went by the pot, added more seasoning until we sat down to dinner and the soup was practically inedible.  Speaking of the stove - you had to light the pilot.  That adventure took off my former sister-in-laws eyebrows during one mini-explosion.  And, the most exciting addition to the first cabin was a bathroom because prior to that, there was only an outhouse.  My brother Tom and I were recently reminiscing about the bathrooms, which  always seemed to have a thin layer of moisture on every surface and a sign on the door for Bucks and Does.  But the best sign was hanging over the door for you to ponder if you happened to be sitting for any time, and Tom just sent it to me and jogged my mountains memories...

SEVILLE DER DAGO A TOUSIN BUSIS INAROW.
NOMO DEMAIN BUSIS DEMIS TROUX
SUMMIT COUSIN SUMMIT DOUX.


If you cannot figure it out, the translation is:

See Willy, there they go a thousand busses in a row.
No Moe, them ain't busses them is trucks.
Some with cows in, some with ducks.

On "Big Rock" in 2004

Meet a "bug"

This is the Florida spiny lobster.  And right now it is mini-lobster season in the Keys.  That is two days where you can get a jump start on the regular season and  try to catch the critters.  Each licensed person can take six per day.  So, you spend a whole lot of money coming to the Keys from all over the country to hunt "bugs" as they are affectionately called, and it would be much cheaper to go to the fish market and buy them.  But, it must be lots of fun because right now there are dive flags bobbing out of the water everywhere you look with people searching for them. You "tickle" them out of a spot in the coral with a long stick and try to grab them and put them in a mesh bag. Or, do it the way we did by dragging people behind the boat on towlines and when they saw one, they let go and dove down.  Matt speared a bonus grouper that way and the poor fellow was left trying to stay afloat while holding up a large fish overhead while we boated back to get him.  It is not about the bounty, but the hunt.  It does get a bit crazy down here during mini season.  There are always arrests for people taking more than the legal limit.  And of course, boating accidents.  And dive accidents.  But generally the locals stay out of the way and let the tourists in.  Heck, I can go find a lobster on the wall of my canal if I want to.  But that would be like eating my pets!

The first time I was introduced to this delicacy was when my cousin pulled a tail of one out of his bathing suit when we arrived at the dock after a day of fishing and snorkeling.  He hid it there because apparently it wasn't season and he figured the Coast Guard doesn't check trunks.  Of the clothing category.  I could not figure out why he was digging around in his pants!

My grandson was a wee fellow when Harry bought some lobsters from a guy selling them on the roadside for dinner.  Jack watched as Grandpa Harry prepared them for grilling (which is a bit brutal since you pull the tail off and throw the rest in the canal.  We sat down to dinner with the lobster meat prepared and ready to dip into butter and Jack refused to eat.  He kept repeating "no like it bugs."  I was amazed, since he had never heard them called bugs. He had figured the whole thing out - from what was a creepy looking critter in a cooler to the pile of delicacy on his plate.  And he apparently didn't like its looks.  They are kind of creepy!

My Life in July

My Greats and Grands

Culture in a parking lot

My best Oncidium

I selected these photos to represent some of the past month's activities.  I took a trip to Kelley's Island in Lake Erie to hang out with family.  First stop was an Indians game in Cleveland - literally from the airport - to game - to Kelleys the next day.  No visiting with Cleveland friends, sorry!  Matt, Jack, Ruby and I sweated our way through the game and I swear, I spent a million dollars on peanuts, cotton candy, gatorade, icees, beer, hot dogs.  We were dripping, sticky messes in the heat wave that made the Keys look like Iceland.  The weather cooperated on the Island, however, and we had a great week.  Lots of people visiting, commotion, laughs and fun.  Perfect family time.  It is pretty cool how you can entertain yourself on an island with no movie theater, no bank, no drug store, no fast food restaurant, etc.  Lots of boating time.  Lots of kiddie time.  We even did some fossil collecting.

The second picture was taken at a party thrown by our favorite local Thai restaurant for its regulars.  Never, ever, have I seen a party in a parking lot for regular customers.  Great food, drinks, sushi and entertainment.  We love our Num Thai family!  I appreciate the small town life more and more.  On the 4th of July, I hopped on my bike, rode to the main street (there is ONE through 100 miles of Keys and it is a National Scenic Byway now) and watched the parade.  Immediately saw people I knew, laughed at the corny floats - usually with a marine life and patriotic theme - and totally enjoyed myself.

The last picture was taken of a plant I took to my Orchid club meeting last night.  I was bursting with pride when the speaker asked who brought it in for judging and said it was the best example of an Oncidium Sweet Sugar in bloom that he had ever seen.  Oh, boy.  The speaker is my orchid growing idol so I was so excited.  You should see his property.  Mine would fit in his driveway.  I have posted photos of his place before.

Lastly, I have been busy with volunteer work and an email fundraising campaign that was successful.  Now I have piles of items to mail to donors and hope to see our furniture again soon.

Life is good.  Summer in the Keys is turning out to be more comfortable than up north.  Golf game tomorrow.  Work days in there also.  Next up will be a fishing trip when Mr. H-bomb finishes his work on the motel's ADA compliance updating. Hope to post some big mahi next blog!

It's a Small World

I hope my title doesn't start your brain "flashbacking" the lyrics to Disney's Small World theme song.  After visiting that venue about a million times during my children's growing up years, the song would swirl in my head (and make my head swirl like those little puppets) for days after.

My "small world" event happened this past weekend at an EWGA semi-finals golf tournament in Bonita Springs, Fl.  After getting my butt kicked in our practice round by a course that ate up golf balls like they were buttered popcorn, I went to dinner with the two women I had driven over with from my Miami Chapter.

During dinner we were sharing histories and getting to know each other and one of the women, who had grown up in California, said that she used to go to Ohio (where I am from)  to visit relatives in Youngstown, where her father grew up.  Wow, we marveled over the fact that I grew up in Youngstown for a while and the fact that I knew where her grandparents lived and that she knew many places I knew.  Then she commented that they also would visit Bessemer, Pa. all the time.  What??  That is where my father was from!  A little tiny community with a lot of Swedish immigrants.  She asked my father's name and I told her Nord.  She said that was odd, her mother's best friend was a Dorothy Nord who had even been to her house in Miami when her mother was very ill from cancer years ago.  Bingo.  This is my aunt!  She was married to my father's brother.  Well, we were just amazed and discussed all our common memories.  She went to the same Presbyterian Church that my father's family belonged to when she visited (she even recalled Rev. Picklesheimer - who's widow married two of my uncles in sequence making her name Pauline Picklesheimer Nord Nord, much to the niece and nephews merriment), she swam in the same quarry, etc.  She even recalled the house and street her grandmother lived in.   The next day, she said that she had had trouble falling asleep thinking of the coincidences, and I did too!

Jan, my friend, is going to recollect names and I am going to call my remaining living Aunt Betty who, despite being in her 90's, has absolutely phenomenal recall, to see what she remembers of the Benson's from Bessemer. 

We had such a fun weekend.  I have plugged EWGA (which stands for Executive Women's Golf Assn.) before because it is a wonderful organization and a great way to meet bright and interesting women.  And the golf events, leagues and opportunities to play are outstanding.  You want to learn to play golf by the rules? Join this organization.  They are not all perfect, by any means, because competition can bring out an ugly side in people.  But, most are wonderful, and they love to have fun.  At the awards luncheon, after the tournament, the bar at the resort golf course actually ran out of white wine. Because these women love to PARTY!  There was loud whooping, and cheering and friendly inter Chapter teasing,.  The Naples Chapter chanted "drum roll" and a winner from their Chapter had to roll on the floor back to their table with her trophy.  It was a hoot.  And now, I have a new friend who shares a bit of history with me.  Cool!

Miami Contingent

Old Seven Mile Bridge

 

I had a nice surprise today at work when a guest coming in to the office to check out was wearing one of our Friends of Old Seven hats.  He picked it up at the bridge itself where we have a people set up to answer questions, get signatures on our petitions, take donations and sell items for the cause. 

If you haven't seen our new website, please visit www.friendsofoldseven.org.  I worked hard with a design group to create it,  and am proud of the outcome.  We sell a few items there and all the proceeds are going back into the organization.  But, we are desperate for money.  It costs a lot to get the word out.  And, with the economy in the toilet, people are not doling out the monies to charities like they might have in the past.  We are working on different types of fundraisers but need to come up with a substantial amount in order to hire an engineering firm to give us actual repair numbers to present to the County Commissioners in September.

I am talking like $100,000 by Fall!

Think about donating for me.  I have been responsive over the years to so many requests I cannot count.  Now it is my time to ask.  I know it isn't going to cure cancer, or give a sick child a dying request or help someone who is the victim of a natural disaster or political unrest.  But, it will help to save and restore a part of history for hundreds of thousands of people to continue to enjoy each year.  And maybe it will remind them of what people can accomplish.   Just go to the website, and click on the donate button.  Hey, will spending $10, or $20 (or more?) really impact your lifestyle?