Adios from the beaches of northwest Florida.
Bill Robertson, probably on cruise control and watching the long road ahead of us.
Beach Blog #22
This is my last blog post for our month in Florida. For this one, I decided pictures should tell the story.
Adios from the beaches of northwest Florida.
Bill Robertson, probably on cruise control and watching the long road ahead of us.
Adios from the beaches of northwest Florida.
Bill Robertson, probably on cruise control and watching the long road ahead of us.
Beach Blog #21
We're in the final, many hours of our Florida fun. Originally for this post, I'd written something about 'all good things come to an end." But once I got to thinking about it, waxing poetic really isn't my style. So instead, Beach Blog #21 is about the odd ball stuff you run out of when you take a month long vacation.
Number one has to be toilet paper! Geez, we use a lot of T-P. We use enough toilet paper and paper towels that I can tell you both on are aisle 10, with other cleaning supplies, at the Inlet Beach Publix grocery store. The T-P's in front. The P-T's in the back.
Next, toothpaste. I suppose this is a good thing to be using a lot. We brought with us a brand new tube of regulation sized Crest and had to buy more last week. This picture is from the Publix in Watersound Beach. The toothpaste is on aisle three. There were so many selections and bargains that I had to take a picture.
After that and in no particular order; Coffee, coffee cups, dishwashing liquid, munchies, Advil and I can't forget TIDE.
Teresa is and always has been a champion when it comes to laundry. In our time together, I've never been without clean clothes from my non-mentionables to T-shirts, shorts etc and here at High Pointe 15E in Seacrest Beach it's no different.
What strikes me is, here we are on this fantastic getaway and some things in regular life just don't budge. Of course there are the things you gotta do like eat, drink and be merry. But on vacation at the beach, those 'gotta do' things usually involve places like "The Backporch," "The Shrimp Shack," or "The Wild Olive." So while they're regular kind of things, the place where they happen is NOT a regular kind of place.
But for all the other stuff, the TIDE, Advil, T-P, P-T and toothpaste, there's nothing special about them even when you're at some place special. I'm pretty sure the TIDE we bought here is the same as the TIDE we brought with us from home. Although, the laundry detergent offered on aisle 10 here included a much smaller version of TIDE. I didn't get it knowing that Teresa likes to do laundry. If I bought the smaller bottle of TIDE, I'd just be back their tomorrow buying another bottle of TIDE.
Teresa and I call the everyday stuff 'the essentials.' Back home, I do most the shopping. I always ask before going into the store... "Any essentials, today?" "Yep, we need T-P and coffee." Turns out here, more than 1,000 miles from our grocery store at home, we have exactly the same conversation. In fact, we just ran out of Advil.
Bill Robertson, the Advil's on a shelf just to the right of the pharmacy window, but near aisle 10... just in case.
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| Inlet Beach, FL |
Next, toothpaste. I suppose this is a good thing to be using a lot. We brought with us a brand new tube of regulation sized Crest and had to buy more last week. This picture is from the Publix in Watersound Beach. The toothpaste is on aisle three. There were so many selections and bargains that I had to take a picture.
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| Watersound Beach, FL |
After that and in no particular order; Coffee, coffee cups, dishwashing liquid, munchies, Advil and I can't forget TIDE.
Teresa is and always has been a champion when it comes to laundry. In our time together, I've never been without clean clothes from my non-mentionables to T-shirts, shorts etc and here at High Pointe 15E in Seacrest Beach it's no different.
What strikes me is, here we are on this fantastic getaway and some things in regular life just don't budge. Of course there are the things you gotta do like eat, drink and be merry. But on vacation at the beach, those 'gotta do' things usually involve places like "The Backporch," "The Shrimp Shack," or "The Wild Olive." So while they're regular kind of things, the place where they happen is NOT a regular kind of place.
But for all the other stuff, the TIDE, Advil, T-P, P-T and toothpaste, there's nothing special about them even when you're at some place special. I'm pretty sure the TIDE we bought here is the same as the TIDE we brought with us from home. Although, the laundry detergent offered on aisle 10 here included a much smaller version of TIDE. I didn't get it knowing that Teresa likes to do laundry. If I bought the smaller bottle of TIDE, I'd just be back their tomorrow buying another bottle of TIDE.
Teresa and I call the everyday stuff 'the essentials.' Back home, I do most the shopping. I always ask before going into the store... "Any essentials, today?" "Yep, we need T-P and coffee." Turns out here, more than 1,000 miles from our grocery store at home, we have exactly the same conversation. In fact, we just ran out of Advil.
Bill Robertson, the Advil's on a shelf just to the right of the pharmacy window, but near aisle 10... just in case.
Beach Blog #20
I didn't post a blog yesterday I think because nothing 'hit me' during my usual writing window. In fact, nothing really 'hit me' all day long. It wasn't until a walk on the beach at sunset with so many others of all sizes on the sand that I had that 'moment.' That's when it dawned on me what a treat and experience our month along water's edge has been.
The beach was busier this evening than nights past, but busier in a different kind of way. Each evening, we've talked, waved or nodded to dozens of older folks. But this evening, the sand was full of families and all the laughting, squeeling and visiting that comes with vacation.
There were big family groups, mothers and daughters huddled on their beach chairs and children... lots of children.
There's no question the seniors we'd seen walking in the sand on previous evenings were making memories, but for all these families, this could be their very first vacation memory. For me, that first memory is the best memory... the one that lasts the longest.
As we walked and talked, Teresa and I wondered about the big family gathering. Where were they from? Did they come together or meet here? How long would they get to stay?
For the mother and daughter on their chairs, we wondered what they were talking about all the way staring at the horizon and setting sun. And for all the little ones, we applauded their moms for relaxing enough to bring a baby in diapers to this giant sand box and bear all the grit that's bound to end up their vacation home.
I hope for all of them their time here is long enough that they can shake off their routines to create those first memories that last and last.
For myself, that 'aha' moment for me came as I was thinking about all these families had to talk about for years to come. That's when I realized Teresa and I too were making first memories. Of course, we have years of past experiences, but none like this for the two of us together at the same place at the same time.
To say, our time at the beach has been wonderful is a tremendous understatement. We don't take our blessing lightly. But just like the many younger families, we too can rest assured our first memories of life at the beach will last a very long time.
Bill Robertson, just the Seaside Farmers Market with amazing shrimp dip, a fresh baguette and a giant slice of carrot cake.
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| Sunset at Seacrest Beach Fl. |
There were big family groups, mothers and daughters huddled on their beach chairs and children... lots of children.
There's no question the seniors we'd seen walking in the sand on previous evenings were making memories, but for all these families, this could be their very first vacation memory. For me, that first memory is the best memory... the one that lasts the longest.
As we walked and talked, Teresa and I wondered about the big family gathering. Where were they from? Did they come together or meet here? How long would they get to stay?
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| Talking & Enjoying |
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| Sandy Fanny |
For myself, that 'aha' moment for me came as I was thinking about all these families had to talk about for years to come. That's when I realized Teresa and I too were making first memories. Of course, we have years of past experiences, but none like this for the two of us together at the same place at the same time.
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| Seacrest Beach, Fl. |
To say, our time at the beach has been wonderful is a tremendous understatement. We don't take our blessing lightly. But just like the many younger families, we too can rest assured our first memories of life at the beach will last a very long time.
Bill Robertson, just the Seaside Farmers Market with amazing shrimp dip, a fresh baguette and a giant slice of carrot cake.
Beach Blog #19
We finally got close enough to something that's pretty ugly at first blush, but can in an instant transform itself into an absolute wonder.
The Brown Pelican, Louisiana's state bird since 1966, is a frequent flyer along these white beaches of northwest Florida. On the ground, they are nothing to look at. They're big, wobbly and just a mottled brown.
We took the picture to the right late one morning. Every step we took to get closer, he took a waddle away from us. We both wanted to see him with his big bill and saggy neck, but he kept that tucked under like he was bashful about his big nose and triple chin. After a couple successful steps closer, he'd had enough of us and took off with two giant hops to open his wings and catch the oncoming wind.
Wikipedia shows the Brown Pelican is actually one of the smaller pelican species, but still considered one of the larger seabirds. My photo doesn't do it justice but that wingspan ranges from 6'8" to 7'6". That's a big bird. On the land, it's everything depicted by the clumsy pelicans in "Finding Nemo."
Watching this guy from so close, we could almost hear the goofy dialogue associated with the pelicans in "Nemo." We could easily visualize those cartoon characters. Everything about him on land screamed spastic and dim witted just by his appearances. But once they take to the air.... Well, it usually stops us in our tracks. Take a look.
This camera phone video captured this pods flight but not all of the pelicans' gracefulness. The way they coast and then accelerate with one flap of those big wings quickly makes up for their awkwardness on shore. But it's when they fly over the water that beach combers point and get their children's attention.
The big birds fly just above and parallel to the crashing waves. They coast on the thermals created by the wave that as it falls pushes air up and under the bird's wings. The pelicans fly so low that it looks like anyone of them could catch a wingtip in the water and cartwheel wingtip over wingtip into the ocean. And when they land on the water, they drop as softly as a napkin falls when dropped from your hand. No splash. No crash landing. No heckling from the smaller birds. They are a sight to see.
Bill Robertson, unexpected birder
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| The Brown Pelican |
We took the picture to the right late one morning. Every step we took to get closer, he took a waddle away from us. We both wanted to see him with his big bill and saggy neck, but he kept that tucked under like he was bashful about his big nose and triple chin. After a couple successful steps closer, he'd had enough of us and took off with two giant hops to open his wings and catch the oncoming wind.
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| Up, Up & Away! |
Watching this guy from so close, we could almost hear the goofy dialogue associated with the pelicans in "Nemo." We could easily visualize those cartoon characters. Everything about him on land screamed spastic and dim witted just by his appearances. But once they take to the air.... Well, it usually stops us in our tracks. Take a look.
The big birds fly just above and parallel to the crashing waves. They coast on the thermals created by the wave that as it falls pushes air up and under the bird's wings. The pelicans fly so low that it looks like anyone of them could catch a wingtip in the water and cartwheel wingtip over wingtip into the ocean. And when they land on the water, they drop as softly as a napkin falls when dropped from your hand. No splash. No crash landing. No heckling from the smaller birds. They are a sight to see.
Bill Robertson, unexpected birder
Beach Blog #18
Teresa and I took a road trip over to Destin today. We saw something that neither of us had seen before and maybe you haven't either. I'll show in a short video and some pictures in a moment.
But first, here's a follow-up to my question in Beach Blog #17. I asked how much do you think this ugly, little yellow beach house cost? It's on the beach, 1,440 sq ft and built in 1981.
The answer is $2,999,900.00 and that's down from the $5,000,000.00 starting price in 2016. By the way if you put down 20%, you're monthly note is approximately $16,000.00.
Now to our Destin road trip and a sight neither T nor I have ever seen. It's kind of mesmerizing.
Have you ever seen a boat picked up and put into the water? I've seen a boat trailered into the water many times, but never lowered on a forklift. I actually took this video from start to finish, from the time the forklift operator picked it up, backed up, slowly moved forward and then finally lowered it to the waiting water. I must admit, I hoped the operator would 'gun' his forklift backwards and the boat would splash into the water, kind of like pulling a tablecloth from under expensive crystal and china without a crash.
Today's experiences began completely at random. We wanted to see Destin. We needed lunch. We picked a YELP recommendation and viola! We really hit the jackpot.
Lunch was at LuLu's. Turns out LuLu's is Jimmy Buffet's sister and a fantastic, really cheap place to eat.
We saw big boat, bigger boats and a whole lot of each. Turns out the owner is Mark from Maine. He owns about a half dozen similar marina/boat yards from Alabama to Panama City.
That big boat on the right sold this morning. It has four, 375HP Yamaha engines on the back. Mark told us each engine cost $30,000.00. So, I didn't ask how much the boat cost.
If you closely at the picture on the right, you can see the mural on the building behind it.
That building is the largest of its kind in the world, filled floor to ceiling with boats. In fact, the world's largest painted U-S flag is on the rooftop, painted by marine artist Wyland. It covers 3.8 acres, just under the size of three football fields.
The mural is the partnership of Legendary Marine, Sherwin-Williams and the Wyland Foundation, a non-profit organization the artist organized to promote, protect and preserve oceans, waterways and marine life.
Apparently if you buy a boat from Mark, it comes with an app. You simply open the app, tell Legendary Marina when you want your boat and poof, your boat is in the water ready and waiting for you. I didn't ask how much that cost, either.
So what we thought was going to be a whirlwind visit to Destin turned into an unexpected adventure... Just the kind we like.
Bill Robertson, besides, I get sea sick.
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| Magnolia Walnut Ln, Inlet Beach, Fl |
The answer is $2,999,900.00 and that's down from the $5,000,000.00 starting price in 2016. By the way if you put down 20%, you're monthly note is approximately $16,000.00.
Now to our Destin road trip and a sight neither T nor I have ever seen. It's kind of mesmerizing.
Today's experiences began completely at random. We wanted to see Destin. We needed lunch. We picked a YELP recommendation and viola! We really hit the jackpot.
Lunch was at LuLu's. Turns out LuLu's is Jimmy Buffet's sister and a fantastic, really cheap place to eat.
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| LuLu's, Destin FL |
Of all the places we've eaten this wonderful trip, LuLu's topped 'em all in quality, atmosphere and VALUE! Wow, they must do a ton of business to keep their prices so low.
We can't say enough good things about LuLu's. We started with the onion rings, the likes of which I haven't had since I waited tables at Tavern on the Park in NOLA. We shared a bowl of great gumbo and ended with their Summer Shrimp Salad.
The salad was like egg salad on steroids, lots of shrimp with a creole seasoning that gave it a creamy, crunchy and zesty twang. Oh yeah, it included a couple slices of fried green tomatoes in the same flakey crust as the onion rings. And the sauce..... WOW!
So to walk it off, we took a walk through the marina with it's piers leading straight out to the boats. "Just stay on the path," said the placards and we did.
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| Legendary Marina, Destin FL |
After pier walking, we ambled through the boats in 'dry-dock.' First, we went south. Then, we went north. It was then, we saw a grey haired gentleman walking our way.
"Uh-oh. I think this is a boat lot."
"What," T asked.
"A boat lot. This guy thinks we're looking to buy a boat."
"Just keep walking," she whispered.
"If I keep walking, we'll collide."
"Then, don't make eye contact."
Too late! "Hi, how are you guys? What are looking for," he asked. "Oh, we're just walking off lunch."
"They're all for sale," he said. "We're from west Texas, we don't have any water," I countered.
A lot more was said, but to make a long story short this older fella turned out to be the owner of the place and gave us a tour.
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| Legendary Marina, Destin FL |
We saw big boat, bigger boats and a whole lot of each. Turns out the owner is Mark from Maine. He owns about a half dozen similar marina/boat yards from Alabama to Panama City.
That big boat on the right sold this morning. It has four, 375HP Yamaha engines on the back. Mark told us each engine cost $30,000.00. So, I didn't ask how much the boat cost.
If you closely at the picture on the right, you can see the mural on the building behind it.
That building is the largest of its kind in the world, filled floor to ceiling with boats. In fact, the world's largest painted U-S flag is on the rooftop, painted by marine artist Wyland. It covers 3.8 acres, just under the size of three football fields.
 |
Apparently if you buy a boat from Mark, it comes with an app. You simply open the app, tell Legendary Marina when you want your boat and poof, your boat is in the water ready and waiting for you. I didn't ask how much that cost, either.
So what we thought was going to be a whirlwind visit to Destin turned into an unexpected adventure... Just the kind we like.
Bill Robertson, besides, I get sea sick.
Beach Blog #17
Long gone are the days of the old beach house. Remember those days when the rickety house on stilts stood steadfast against the ocean winds? I do. The old beach house was usually brown and made of wood. It stood alone between the dunes. Everything inside was vinyl or linoleum. That's what I remember a beach house looked like. Not anymore.
Here's the new beach house along the Florida coast.
Back in my day, there'd be a distressed old wooden house about every half mile or so. Now, mansion's like this are the norm. The price tags range from seven to eight digits. They all go up instead of out. They're all built to withstand GOD's most severe fury. They're beautiful. They're eye-catchers. They're HUGE.
They're all a 'pipe dream' for the regular Joe. Where did the old beach house go? Where's the old beach house that came with pull top beer cans, Hawaiian Tropic and TAB? Where's the old beach house that'd likely blow over on a plain old stormy night much less a tropical storm or hurricane? I think it's a goner in more ways than one.
Teresa and I set out on our bikes with waters bottles in the basket to find the ole Beach Comber, The Sand Dollar or The Dune House as they were called in our day. And, we found it! We found the perfect, old, distressed, falling down, stilt-tilting, ugly beach house.
It was like the 1970s all over again. Here was this old school beach house in the midst of all these mansions on the surf. It had to be reasonably priced.
"I bet it's around $400,000," I said riding forward but turning my head back to tell T on her two wheel taxi behind me.
"No, they're probably asking $650,000 but would take $500,000."
"We'll take a picture and check when we get back to our place, okay?" "Okay!"
We've since looked up this yellow cottage on realtor.com. Now, it's your chance to give us your best guess. What do you think this rickety, distressed and practically falling down old school beach house goes for?
Here are some stats and more pictures for you to make an informed decision.
-Ocean Front
-Built 1981
-Listed 10/2016
-1440 sq ft
-3 BR/2BA
-Florida Cottage Style
Keep in mind before you make your guess, the interior's stuck in 1975.
Take a look at the walls, the kitchen's barely beyond the avocado appliance stage.
Don't forget, the wall A/C unit that screams NO central heating and air conditioning. But, there is the view and the beach access.
The house to the east is for sale for $3.6m. The house to the right and a few hundred yards down the road is $2.5m. But both are significantly newer, probably built less than 10-years ago.
So, what do you think is the asking price for this almost 40-year old, ugly little beach house? How much would you be willing to spend a month?
Let me know you're thoughts via the 'comment' section at the bottom of this blog or simply reply via Facebook and I'll tell you if you are hot or cold.
But here's a clue. Teresa and I are probably going to look for some waterfront property in upper Mississippi. We'll get a tent and one of those porta -potties. You know, the kind with the bag under the seat. The fancy stuff. All the kids are welcome. They just need to bring a tent and some extra toilet paper.
Bill Robertson, feeling a tad overwhelmed.
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| $4,500,000.00 |
Back in my day, there'd be a distressed old wooden house about every half mile or so. Now, mansion's like this are the norm. The price tags range from seven to eight digits. They all go up instead of out. They're all built to withstand GOD's most severe fury. They're beautiful. They're eye-catchers. They're HUGE.
They're all a 'pipe dream' for the regular Joe. Where did the old beach house go? Where's the old beach house that came with pull top beer cans, Hawaiian Tropic and TAB? Where's the old beach house that'd likely blow over on a plain old stormy night much less a tropical storm or hurricane? I think it's a goner in more ways than one.
Teresa and I set out on our bikes with waters bottles in the basket to find the ole Beach Comber, The Sand Dollar or The Dune House as they were called in our day. And, we found it! We found the perfect, old, distressed, falling down, stilt-tilting, ugly beach house.
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| Magnolia Walnut Lane |
"I bet it's around $400,000," I said riding forward but turning my head back to tell T on her two wheel taxi behind me.
"No, they're probably asking $650,000 but would take $500,000."
"We'll take a picture and check when we get back to our place, okay?" "Okay!"
We've since looked up this yellow cottage on realtor.com. Now, it's your chance to give us your best guess. What do you think this rickety, distressed and practically falling down old school beach house goes for?
Here are some stats and more pictures for you to make an informed decision.
-Ocean Front
-Listed 10/2016
-1440 sq ft
-3 BR/2BA
-Florida Cottage Style
Keep in mind before you make your guess, the interior's stuck in 1975.
Don't forget, the wall A/C unit that screams NO central heating and air conditioning. But, there is the view and the beach access.
The house to the east is for sale for $3.6m. The house to the right and a few hundred yards down the road is $2.5m. But both are significantly newer, probably built less than 10-years ago.
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| Magnolia Walnut Ln., Inlet Beach Fl. |
Let me know you're thoughts via the 'comment' section at the bottom of this blog or simply reply via Facebook and I'll tell you if you are hot or cold.
But here's a clue. Teresa and I are probably going to look for some waterfront property in upper Mississippi. We'll get a tent and one of those porta -potties. You know, the kind with the bag under the seat. The fancy stuff. All the kids are welcome. They just need to bring a tent and some extra toilet paper.
Bill Robertson, feeling a tad overwhelmed.
Beach Blog #16
We went to a wedding and then later, I met a bunch of bikers. We also went to a Farmers Market and even heard the story of a woman relieving herself in the middle of the street. It's been a busy last 24 hours.
The truth is, Teresa and I along with just about every other person along Rosemary Beach Saturday night got to enjoy the wedding reception. They didn't invite us in the big tents. But still, we were there within earshot, as you can see in the video.
The lawn's between The Pearl Hotel and the beach. We took this picture before 6:00pm. So, T & I figured the wedding was around 5:00ish. It's February in Florida, but was a hot, humid evening. All the bridesmaids were in full length velvet dresses. Ugh, we were hot and we were in shorts and flip flops.
See the kids on bikes in the picture at left? Their mom had a really hard time convincing the littlest one that he was not invited so they would not be going to the birthday party.
The Rosemary Beach Farmers Market is one of a few held along Florida's 30A each weekend. We went early and thank goodness. By 9:30, it was wall to wall people and most of them with strollers.
We snacked on a Spinach Florentine croissant and later a vegetable pastry from a Sri Lankan eatery. I got to admit, it took me awhile to figure out what the vegetable pastry guy was saying through his very thick out of town accent.
We rode our bikes back to our unit with bags full of fresh, local treats including some local-wildflower honey and great mustard from Matt's Mom's Mustard Store.
By lunch, I visited with a bunch of bikers, on real bikes not a Schwin like myself, out for a Saturday ride. Duke, Dan, Brie, Gidget and Po-Boy are my new best friends.
And then there's the lady who relieved herself in the middle of the street. We didn't see it. We heard the tale. A woman driving a fancy BMW tried to parallel park yesterday outside Cowgirl Kitchen, a fun place near the beach. Some passerby actually had to stand outside her window and tell her to pull forward, back up and turn left or right.
After she finally parked and walked away, the crew at CK said they had to share the story. Apparently the last time the lady in the fancy BMW parked in the same spot and went across the street for drinks at The Pearl, she later came out and relieved herself over a city drain.... in the middle of the street. Goes to show, drunk and stupid looks the same no matter how you dress it up.
Bill Robertson, off to the beach!
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| Wedding Reception @ Rosemary Beach FL |
See the kids on bikes in the picture at left? Their mom had a really hard time convincing the littlest one that he was not invited so they would not be going to the birthday party.
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| Rosemary Beach Farmers Market |
The Rosemary Beach Farmers Market is one of a few held along Florida's 30A each weekend. We went early and thank goodness. By 9:30, it was wall to wall people and most of them with strollers.
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| Rosemary Beach Farmers Market |
We rode our bikes back to our unit with bags full of fresh, local treats including some local-wildflower honey and great mustard from Matt's Mom's Mustard Store.
By lunch, I visited with a bunch of bikers, on real bikes not a Schwin like myself, out for a Saturday ride. Duke, Dan, Brie, Gidget and Po-Boy are my new best friends.
And then there's the lady who relieved herself in the middle of the street. We didn't see it. We heard the tale. A woman driving a fancy BMW tried to parallel park yesterday outside Cowgirl Kitchen, a fun place near the beach. Some passerby actually had to stand outside her window and tell her to pull forward, back up and turn left or right.
After she finally parked and walked away, the crew at CK said they had to share the story. Apparently the last time the lady in the fancy BMW parked in the same spot and went across the street for drinks at The Pearl, she later came out and relieved herself over a city drain.... in the middle of the street. Goes to show, drunk and stupid looks the same no matter how you dress it up.
Bill Robertson, off to the beach!
Beach Blog #16
I suppose it doesn't matter whether you're a 1,000 away from it or in the same state, whether you're up to your ears in work or up to your ankles in sand or whether you're affected or not. The cold hard fact is, the most recent school shooting in Parkland, Florida is prompting the expected responses.
The Panama City News Herald reports the local school board is considering everything from endorsing a ban on certain guns to arming its teachers. A news cartoon on Facebook showed a female teacher standing in front of her students with a pistol, presumably pointed at an intruder. The caption read: An Armed Teacher Protecting her Class.
Seems like the 'Arm our Teachers' argument is getting a lot of play. And why not? It sounds logical. Or is it?
My first and honest reaction is, what's to stop the teacher with the gun from going "postal"? Think about it. The teacher, who's getting paid far less than they're worth and who's likely dealing with smart-alecky, disrespectful, entitled and probably many seriously emotionally disjointed kids, now has a gun? I think it's a safe bet that sooner or later, the teacher becomes the shooter.
Also, is the teacher expected to buy their own gun? Does the teacher pay for their own training? Does every teacher at a school have a gun? Are they required to be armed on campus?
On top of that, a lot of teachers are little old ladies and gentlemen. I don't see an elderly kindergarten teacher packing heat or wanting to pack heat.
I suppose there are ways to make guns work on campus, but to simply blurt out 'Arm our Teachers' seems akin to asking the impossible.
The argument that it's all about parenting seems even more daunting. There's no doubt, there are many, many wonderful young people in our world. There are young people who will cure cancer, give us world peace, help a little old lady cross the street. But for every 100 of them, how many more are jaded, tainted or in turmoil from their home environment? I suspect I can't count that high.
So to again blurt out, "the problem solving starts at home" is ideally accurate but completely unrealistic. I think it's safe to say, due to the volume of people on this planet, we've passed the point of no return.
Again, I suppose there are ways to create love and caring in every home, but that's above my pay grade.
So what is the path of least resistance? To blurt out 'Ban the guns' or 'Buy back the guns' certainly appears unlikely considering the sheer volume of privately owned firearms in the United States.
Let me confess, I have guns. I have a lot of guns, in fact. But each one has a wooden handle and a wooden stock. Each one shoots limited rounds. I even have an Ithaca shotgun, given to me by my dearly departed Father-in-Law, that I have trouble loading. My point is, I like the 'old school guns.' I don't harbor any resentment for the many I know who have one to several of the plastic guns. I just don't see the beauty in that firearm. For myself, most seem ugly and intended for a different purpose.
And at least from what I've seen, read or heard, none of the shooters who obliterated a perfectly good day for mothers, fathers and their children, used a plain, old fashioned hunting type of gun.
Please note that throughout this blog, I have not used strong language nor profanity or condemnation to make my points. I certainly encourage replies, but respectfully request that your reply is relayed in a well thought out, non-combative, helpful manner.
Thank you,
Bill Robertson
The Panama City News Herald reports the local school board is considering everything from endorsing a ban on certain guns to arming its teachers. A news cartoon on Facebook showed a female teacher standing in front of her students with a pistol, presumably pointed at an intruder. The caption read: An Armed Teacher Protecting her Class.
Seems like the 'Arm our Teachers' argument is getting a lot of play. And why not? It sounds logical. Or is it?
My first and honest reaction is, what's to stop the teacher with the gun from going "postal"? Think about it. The teacher, who's getting paid far less than they're worth and who's likely dealing with smart-alecky, disrespectful, entitled and probably many seriously emotionally disjointed kids, now has a gun? I think it's a safe bet that sooner or later, the teacher becomes the shooter.
Also, is the teacher expected to buy their own gun? Does the teacher pay for their own training? Does every teacher at a school have a gun? Are they required to be armed on campus?
On top of that, a lot of teachers are little old ladies and gentlemen. I don't see an elderly kindergarten teacher packing heat or wanting to pack heat.
I suppose there are ways to make guns work on campus, but to simply blurt out 'Arm our Teachers' seems akin to asking the impossible.
The argument that it's all about parenting seems even more daunting. There's no doubt, there are many, many wonderful young people in our world. There are young people who will cure cancer, give us world peace, help a little old lady cross the street. But for every 100 of them, how many more are jaded, tainted or in turmoil from their home environment? I suspect I can't count that high.
So to again blurt out, "the problem solving starts at home" is ideally accurate but completely unrealistic. I think it's safe to say, due to the volume of people on this planet, we've passed the point of no return.
Again, I suppose there are ways to create love and caring in every home, but that's above my pay grade.
So what is the path of least resistance? To blurt out 'Ban the guns' or 'Buy back the guns' certainly appears unlikely considering the sheer volume of privately owned firearms in the United States.
Let me confess, I have guns. I have a lot of guns, in fact. But each one has a wooden handle and a wooden stock. Each one shoots limited rounds. I even have an Ithaca shotgun, given to me by my dearly departed Father-in-Law, that I have trouble loading. My point is, I like the 'old school guns.' I don't harbor any resentment for the many I know who have one to several of the plastic guns. I just don't see the beauty in that firearm. For myself, most seem ugly and intended for a different purpose.
And at least from what I've seen, read or heard, none of the shooters who obliterated a perfectly good day for mothers, fathers and their children, used a plain, old fashioned hunting type of gun.
Please note that throughout this blog, I have not used strong language nor profanity or condemnation to make my points. I certainly encourage replies, but respectfully request that your reply is relayed in a well thought out, non-combative, helpful manner.
Thank you,
Bill Robertson
Beach Blog #15
Don't feed the wild monkeys and a big sailboat washed up on the beach. That's a sentence a I never expected to read or write. But there it is and I didn't make it up. Those are two of the headlines in The Panama City News Herald this week.
Who knew Florida had wild monkeys? We didn't, but they do and apparently they have enough of these wild monkeys that the primates pose a serious health risk to Jane and John Q. Public.
The monkeys made news when the Florida Wildlife Commission this week made it illegal to feed the three established species: Squirrel Monkeys, Vervet Monkeys and Rhesus Macaques Monkeys. The commissioners included the ban as an amendment to the ordinance that already outlaws feeding coyotes, foxes, raccoons, bears, pelicans and sandhill cranes.
Imagine how conflicted our upcoming elections in Scurry County would be if we had to get all the candidates for judge to take a stance on feeding all the varmits in our part of Texas. That's what I'd call real 'Monkey Business.'
The big sailboat stuck on the beach is "The Phantom of the Aqua." Newspaper reports list the double-mast boat as 45-feet long and 22,000 pounds and apparently that size of a ship is tough to move.
The Phantom's story actually began a few months ago. The skipper needed medical help while sailing to the Virgin Islands. The U.S. Coast Guard rescued him, but left the boat to sink in approaching foul weather.
There's no news on the skipper but 'Phantom' didn't sink. In fact, she floated and bobbed her way north to Miramar Beach and became stuck in the sand. Now, recovery crews are using everything from tow boats off shore to pull and excavators on land to push her out to sea and to a salvage yard. The heaving and ho-ing has attracted dozens, even hundreds to the site each day. And it's at this point in the their report that the newspaper, to me at least, reveals what seems a pervasive attitude from the locals for it's out of town visitors.
The paper repeatedly refers to the onlookers from more northern latitudes as 'Snow Birds" instead of visitors, guests from, or simply their name and hometown. The reference appears more of a label than a fact or more of an attitude about the tourists. I wonder if they had interviewed Teresa and Bill Robertson of Snyder, would the reference have been "Rednecks" from Texas. Just an observation.
Can the locals spot all of us coming from miles away? Do they say, "thank goodness all these out of towners are pumping millions into our economy" or are they mumbling, "hurry up, order up and leave as soon as you can"?
Bill Robertson, trying to blend in
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| Wild Florida Monkeys |
The monkeys made news when the Florida Wildlife Commission this week made it illegal to feed the three established species: Squirrel Monkeys, Vervet Monkeys and Rhesus Macaques Monkeys. The commissioners included the ban as an amendment to the ordinance that already outlaws feeding coyotes, foxes, raccoons, bears, pelicans and sandhill cranes.
Imagine how conflicted our upcoming elections in Scurry County would be if we had to get all the candidates for judge to take a stance on feeding all the varmits in our part of Texas. That's what I'd call real 'Monkey Business.'
The big sailboat stuck on the beach is "The Phantom of the Aqua." Newspaper reports list the double-mast boat as 45-feet long and 22,000 pounds and apparently that size of a ship is tough to move.
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| Phantom of the Aqua |
There's no news on the skipper but 'Phantom' didn't sink. In fact, she floated and bobbed her way north to Miramar Beach and became stuck in the sand. Now, recovery crews are using everything from tow boats off shore to pull and excavators on land to push her out to sea and to a salvage yard. The heaving and ho-ing has attracted dozens, even hundreds to the site each day. And it's at this point in the their report that the newspaper, to me at least, reveals what seems a pervasive attitude from the locals for it's out of town visitors.
The paper repeatedly refers to the onlookers from more northern latitudes as 'Snow Birds" instead of visitors, guests from, or simply their name and hometown. The reference appears more of a label than a fact or more of an attitude about the tourists. I wonder if they had interviewed Teresa and Bill Robertson of Snyder, would the reference have been "Rednecks" from Texas. Just an observation.
Can the locals spot all of us coming from miles away? Do they say, "thank goodness all these out of towners are pumping millions into our economy" or are they mumbling, "hurry up, order up and leave as soon as you can"?
Bill Robertson, trying to blend in
Beach Blog #14
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| Sunset @ Seacrest Beach, FL |
Teresa, no worse for wear in this picture at sunset, took a nasty tumble on her bike. We were returning from breakfast. We decided to take that walking trial we like through the homes of Rosemary Beach. Well, it's definitely meant for walking and not biking, at least not biking by two folks in their 50s.
One of the 90 degree turns led straight into a steep upward boardwalk. Teresa didn't have the speed to complete the hill and toppled over backwards.
I heard something unusual behind me. By the time I turned, T was going down and straight into the path of a electrical box. In what appeared slow motion, the back right of her head, just behind and above her ear landed a glancing blow on the box.
It was definitely one of those "could have been much worse" scenarios. Teresa recovered after a only a few minutes and we were back on the bikes in search of Advil.
We weren't down and out long. By mid-afternoon, we mounted up again on our big tired bikes determined to get some exercise, a little sun and investigate the area shops. We accomplished all three goals. Our last stop turned out to be the tiny bookstore called The Hidden Lantern tucked away behind a few other more heavily visited restaurants and coffee houses.
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| The Hidden Lantern, Rosemary Beach FL |
But once inside, it was relaxation paradise. I am NOT a big reader. I never have been. But in this case, I/we couldn't resists the shelves of books of every category. The icing on the cake was the reading/relaxing area tucked in the back.
Teresa got "The Daniel Prayer" by Anne Graham Lotz. I chose "The Plover" by Brian Doyle. I'm pretty sure T will read her book. I suspect mine will go back on a shelf but this time far away from the relaxation room only yards from the gulf of Mexico.
Our day wrapped up with a sunset walk on the beach. That's where met the successful surfcaster from Syracuse. We didn't talk long. We didn't even get his name. But, you don't get to see this everyday.
Bill Robertson, thinking about another bike ride.
Beach Blog #13
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| Origins GC, Watersound Beach FL |
The course is either a 10-hole Par Three course called the DL-III course or The Heritage course which is a six hole, normal length course. Davis Love's motto is: "Create a course his mother would like to play." The concept is something I've never seen nor heard about.
Apparently the idea stems from the PGA's mission to shorten the time it takes to play golf as so many people these days just can't give up two to four hours any day for fun.
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| Boardwalk over Wetlands @ Origins GC |
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| Mid-Green Pot Bunker |
Gotta say, I agree despite three lost balls, the nasty bunker lie and a very high score. FORE!
Teresa and I wrapped our day/evening like we have most everyday here along 30A, meeting and greeting. We haven't met a stranger yet. The latest duo is from Kansas City, but his brother in law's mother lives in Snyder. He couldn't remember her name except that her last name is Crouse.
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| Big Toe Caper-Solved! |
Bill Robertson, going for a bike ride.
Beach Blog #12
Today was all about eatin' and exercise. Truth be told, the exercise kind of wore us out, but we're determined to embrace it and continue it when we return to Snyder, America.
As for the eatin', Teresa's about 65% I-tey. So, anything with Alfredo, Marinara or pasta(ish) is her go to. Me, not so much. But I enjoy a good pizza.
Teresa wanted Angelina's Pizzeria and Pasta in Seaside. I wouldn't say this place set me on fire, but I'd definitely go back.
See that pizza? We'll be eatin' it for days. T had a shrimp pasta dish to stay with her 'seafood at every meal' commitment.
Anyway, it was pretty good and came with GIANT portions. I'll tell you more about that later.
By the way, great service.
One more thing you might need to know about us is, we eat and talk about what we're gonna eat later. The conversation usually goes like:
"Okay, we're having I-tey for lunch. I don't want I-tey again. What should we get for supper?"
"Let me think on it. Let's eat first."
Then about half way through the meal we continue with, "Okay, what's the plan?"
Back in Snyder, the conversation usually includes, the store, laundry and the garbage. But here, we're saying "Let's go here, get that and then go there and get that and then..." It's a wonderful culinary treat to have specialty shops at nearly every corner.
This time, we returned to that Bodega style market called Modica Market in Seaside. Every nook and cranny, every shelf and counter-top and every cooler is filled with something to eat or drink.
The icing on the cake, literally the icing on the cake was the carrot cake. We had other choices like the orange cake, the strawberry cake, even a carmel cake, but chose carrot.
As for the eatin', Teresa's about 65% I-tey. So, anything with Alfredo, Marinara or pasta(ish) is her go to. Me, not so much. But I enjoy a good pizza.
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| Angelina's Pizzeria & Pasta, Seaside FL |
See that pizza? We'll be eatin' it for days. T had a shrimp pasta dish to stay with her 'seafood at every meal' commitment.
Anyway, it was pretty good and came with GIANT portions. I'll tell you more about that later.
By the way, great service.
One more thing you might need to know about us is, we eat and talk about what we're gonna eat later. The conversation usually goes like:
"Okay, we're having I-tey for lunch. I don't want I-tey again. What should we get for supper?"
"Let me think on it. Let's eat first."
Then about half way through the meal we continue with, "Okay, what's the plan?"
Back in Snyder, the conversation usually includes, the store, laundry and the garbage. But here, we're saying "Let's go here, get that and then go there and get that and then..." It's a wonderful culinary treat to have specialty shops at nearly every corner.
This time, we returned to that Bodega style market called Modica Market in Seaside. Every nook and cranny, every shelf and counter-top and every cooler is filled with something to eat or drink.
The icing on the cake, literally the icing on the cake was the carrot cake. We had other choices like the orange cake, the strawberry cake, even a carmel cake, but chose carrot.
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| Sweets at Modica Market |
We tried a piece of their Key Lime Pie earlier and it ate like lotion feels... with none of that after taste pucker that comes with the Key Lime Pies in the freezer section.
This time, the clerk suggested the Carrot Cake. That's it, middle shelf, far right. That's once slice. We got three items at Modica and the box for the cake slice was the biggest.
The prices on 30A may look a little steep at first, but everywhere gives you giant bang for the buck. The portions are all huge.
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| Carrot Cake |
As for the exercising part, I may have exaggerated. We took a long walk, but it was on a "fitness trail" in the Rosemary Beach Village.
With a map in hand, we followed a pathway of sidewalks and boardwalks that wound it's way through the canopy of trees in this incredibly tight little place.
The homes go up around here instead of out. There are some that look like they belong along the water. Others look more like the shotgun houses of NOLA or ski chalets on the slopes.
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| Fitness Trail, Rosemary Beach, FL |
Whatever their appearances, the 'fitness trail' meanders so close to front doors and patios that walkers can wave to the people inside or get a pretty good idea about the furnishings. In one case, we could easily over hear a woman having a pretty animated conversation on the phone.
Exercising or walking, it felt good to shake off the cabin fever after 36 hours of rain. We both love a rainy day, but up to nine inches in less that two days was sufficient to satisfy.
Next, there's a Farmers' Market to check out and we got those bikes for a little more exercise.
Bill Robertson, 2:30 Tee Time
Beach Blog #11
For as long as I can remember, Teresa's said, "I sure would like a rainy Sunday." Rain's hard to come by while living in west Texas and to get it on a specific day is akin to other sayings like finding a needle in a haystack or fur on a rattlesnake. But not here! We have rain in spades this weekend, even on Sunday.
Before long, T said, "They have Uber & Lyft here."
"What," I asked.
"They have Uber & Lyft. We could get a ride. Lyft's 13 minutes away."
"Honey, our place is across the street. We're not made of sugar."
"I am," T mumbled.
We raced for our bikes, pedaled like we were 20 years younger and didn't melt and breakfast for supper is always a treat.
So, how would you spend a very rainy day at the beach? We decided to hunker down and enjoy a site we don't get to see too often on the Llano Estacado.
First, homemade biscuits and jam to go from Big Bad Breakfast. It's so close, I didn't even get wet getting in and out of Big Red.
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| Big Bad Breakfast Biscuits |
I don't know what it is about these biscuits. They're the size of flat softballs and fluffy is not good enough to describe them. Heated with a dollop of butter and a smattering of jam equals some pretty good stuff.
For icing on the cake or butter on the biscuits in the case, it's a "Fixer Upper Marathon"! That's livin'.
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| Fixer Upper Marathon! |
I can't drive a nail. Seriously. But after a Fixer Upper or two, I am Chip Gaines! Then in usually a matter of minutes, it's time to change a light bulb and I can't even find a ladder. Still on a rainy day at the beach, I'll watch and call maintenance if something goes amuck.
For me, the best part of a rainy Sunday whether here or anywhere else that gets a TV signal is golf. I'm a huge golf watcher. Sure I'll nap, but I watch too.
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| Golf & Rainy Sunday = Ahhhh |
I remember they were watching golf. So, I watched. I've been hooked ever since. There's no question that I'm a golf nut. I even replay rounds in my head to go to sleep at night.
In this case, the tourney's the AT&T Pro-Am at Pebble Beach. It's pretty easy to kick back on a rainy day and watch golf at a duffer's paradise. So all in all, I too like a rainy Sunday.
Bill Robertson, PCB's received 7.25" of rain in 24 hours
Beach Blog #10
It took us awhile, but we finally found a crowd along this section of Florida called 30A. Everyone's at Seaside Beach. We had to drive through Alys Beach, Watercolor Beach, and Seagrove Beach, but we found a crowd, albeit a small crowd.
It may sound like quite a drive, but the truth is, this area's lined up with quaint beach communities. So in truth, it was about a 10-minute drive. And the only reason it took that long is because the speed limit's 25-35 mph and I don't speed. The drivers behind me hate me.
If you've been following our blogs and I hope you have, I've noted more than once how deserted this area is. Of course, it is February. But still, I guess I/we expected more people. We're definitely not complaining.
Maybe it was because it's the weekend or maybe because this area's a little older than the others, but Seaside's jam packed with visual and gastro stimuli.
We headed this way because we passed through yesterday and thought we'd return. Just 24 hours ago, it was kind of deserted like the rest of the area. But not today. We had to be on high alert. Cross walks are everywhere and every thing moving, except a real vehicle, has the right of way.
We lunched at a place called Meltdown on 30A. Every item's a variation of the classic grilled cheese. But in this case, only the Mini Meltdown for children came with American cheese. There was bleu cheese infused brie, goat cheese, gouda, gruyere.
Mine was the Cuban McDonnell. I'm pretty sure it wasn't a genuine Cuban Sandwich, but I ate the whole thing. Teresa's was the Smokin' Turkey. I think her's was better than mine.
The cool part was, there were multiple food trucks: Bbq, healthy stuff, hot dogs and more. Meantime, there were at least a dozen more eateries within 100 yards. As former restaurant operators, we both agreed volume can solve a whole lot of woes in the customer service business.
I wanted to ask the food truck folk what they had to pay or what ordinances they had to follow as Snyder's having some food truck issues. But that'd be like comparing apples to oranges. There were probably more people on this one block in Seaside than people who visit Snyder in an entire month.
A really nice touch was the subtle beach tunes wafting from the weekly farmers' market. Lunch, music, people watching and good company sure made for a good time.
Another great stop for us was Modica Market. I don't know how to describe except as a Bodega.
Every shelf filled with items I haven't seen since my days in New Orleans. There was a deli counter with giant, pre-made sandwiches, cheeses, sauces, wine, breads, produce and more.
The 'double take' for us was the dessert cooler.
"A slice of key lime pie," came a voice over our shoulders.
Turning to look at whoever it was who simply couldn't wait, he added, "It's really good."
"We'll take a slice too," we told the clerk as she sliced at least a quarter of the pie for each of us. Gotta say, the prices are always in the $$-$$$ range around here, but the portions qualify for the "Hungry Man" category.
By the time we pulled out of Seaside, stopped more times than I can count for walkers, bikers and golf carts and returned to our place in Seacrest Beach, the rain was literally at our walkway to the beach.
Rain's in the forecast for the next few days. But like I said, we're not here for the sun. Seems like the cloudier the better for T & I.
As for Seaside, I'm pretty sure we'll return. I'm gonna get that giant, roast beef sandwich at Modica's. It's so big, I bet we split it to save room for that Key Lime Pie.
Bill Robertson, about to eat that pie & enjoy a quiet, rainy night.
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| Seaside Beach, FL |
If you've been following our blogs and I hope you have, I've noted more than once how deserted this area is. Of course, it is February. But still, I guess I/we expected more people. We're definitely not complaining.
Maybe it was because it's the weekend or maybe because this area's a little older than the others, but Seaside's jam packed with visual and gastro stimuli.
 |
| Seaside Beach, FL |
We lunched at a place called Meltdown on 30A. Every item's a variation of the classic grilled cheese. But in this case, only the Mini Meltdown for children came with American cheese. There was bleu cheese infused brie, goat cheese, gouda, gruyere.
 |
| Cuban McConnell @ Meltdown 30A |
Mine was the Cuban McDonnell. I'm pretty sure it wasn't a genuine Cuban Sandwich, but I ate the whole thing. Teresa's was the Smokin' Turkey. I think her's was better than mine.
The cool part was, there were multiple food trucks: Bbq, healthy stuff, hot dogs and more. Meantime, there were at least a dozen more eateries within 100 yards. As former restaurant operators, we both agreed volume can solve a whole lot of woes in the customer service business.
I wanted to ask the food truck folk what they had to pay or what ordinances they had to follow as Snyder's having some food truck issues. But that'd be like comparing apples to oranges. There were probably more people on this one block in Seaside than people who visit Snyder in an entire month.
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| Modica Market, Seaside, FL |
Every shelf filled with items I haven't seen since my days in New Orleans. There was a deli counter with giant, pre-made sandwiches, cheeses, sauces, wine, breads, produce and more.
The 'double take' for us was the dessert cooler.
"A slice of key lime pie," came a voice over our shoulders.
Turning to look at whoever it was who simply couldn't wait, he added, "It's really good."
"We'll take a slice too," we told the clerk as she sliced at least a quarter of the pie for each of us. Gotta say, the prices are always in the $$-$$$ range around here, but the portions qualify for the "Hungry Man" category.
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| Rain in the Forecast |
Rain's in the forecast for the next few days. But like I said, we're not here for the sun. Seems like the cloudier the better for T & I.
As for Seaside, I'm pretty sure we'll return. I'm gonna get that giant, roast beef sandwich at Modica's. It's so big, I bet we split it to save room for that Key Lime Pie.
Bill Robertson, about to eat that pie & enjoy a quiet, rainy night.
Beach Blog #9
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| Cloudy/Rainy Days in the Forecast |
If you're like most of the people down here with license plates north of Nashville, it's a great time of year.
And if you're like us, a couple in their mid to late 50s, it's a good time too.
For the 'Snowbirds,' it's an absolute no-brainer to get down here where the cold temperatures are still above 50-degrees.
And for the middle-aged folks like us, it's a good time because absolutely none of the usual reasons for visiting the beach apply to us.
Sun? Teresa and I both spent years lacquered up in baby oil. We're probably a dermatologist's teaching aide. Surf? Nope. I saw "Jaws" while vacationing at the beach 40-years ago. To this day, I don't get in the water any deeper than my ankles. Sand? Gotta admit that a walk on the beach is still pretty high on the 'fun things to do' scale. We're more about getting away and as our upstairs neighbor Jim from Minnesota said, "doing nothing." Today, we worked on that.
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| Look at the Middle Toe |
For example, look at the footprint picture. Do you see that really long middle toe? Who has a toe that long? Our quest, for literally hundreds of yards, was who's print is that?
We narrowed it down to a couple who passed us while walking. She was a young woman. He was an incredibly hairy older man. I said, "It's the woman's because it's so small." T said, "No, it's the man's because it's closer to the water and by the way, I'd make you wax your back." She added, "Seems like there are a lot of older men with younger women down here."
To be clear, we're usually always wrong in our deductions. Like the time in Midland when we bought supper for a father and his young son because we were convinced mom had run off with the pool boy. Turns out later while talking to the dad, mom was at a Christian women's meeting and father and son were off to pick her up at church. Ooops.
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Mardi Gras, Panama City, FL
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Turns out, they were gearing up for their Mardi Gras in an area called Pier Pointe that is shop after shop and restaurant after restaurant.
The funny or best thing is/was, the area's practically deserted. We suspect in late spring through summer this area, the whole area, would be swarming with people. But not now and that's SO GREAT. Again, that's another great reason to visit Florida when you're middle-aged.
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| Kilwin's Sweets, Panama City, FL |
Never a pair to pass a treat, we spotted Kilwin's Sweets with their motto: "Sweet in every Sense since 1947" and it was Fabulous Fudge Friday, BOGO on fudge slices.
You don't have to tell us twice. We got a German Chocolate slice and a Chocolate Pecan slice. By the way, a slice is about a pound. So now, we have two pounds of fudge.
And here's some need to know news in the world of fudge, keep your uneaten treat in the freezer NOT the refrigerator. Apparently, the fridge sucks out the sugar. Hmm, who knew?
We also got a couple pretzels. We ate them. Fudge, pretzels and no crowd.... yes, winter's definitely a good time to visit Florida.
Bill Robertson, cooking Pascal Manale's BBQ shrimp tonight.
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