91 New Smyrna Beach

 

Island Beach Resort, New Smyrna





The Plan

      Friday we packed up and moved down to New Smyrna Beach, the last of our time share rentals.  We are getting used to some short rides and with the wind we were happy about it.   We stopped at Publix grocery, a common sight down here and picked up a few items for the week  It was at the Island beach resort an old but well maintained resort hotel.  We had a great view of the ocean from our little studio apartment.  We were going to like it here. 





     The following is not my fault, there were circumstances outside my control. And no matter how I write this Ruthie will have a different version.  Here is the story as I see it.

     Since our bed was right next to the window I thought it would be a terrific idea to sleep with the curtains open, we had a great view of the pool and deck area below, the beach, the ocean, we could see the moon glisten on the water and see the morning sunrise.  A perfect plan, right? 

Good Morning!

Fabio on a rope, let me fix my hair!

   What a romantic I am!  Now a little back ground.  Many years ago we were on a river cruise, when we boarded we were on a large body of water, it was a beautiful night and I had the same great idea.  See I haven't changed.  I still don't see how things can go so wrong, why me?  Curtains wide open laying in bed watching the moon reflect off the water and in the morning we will see the Sun rise.  Ruthie reluctantly agreed.  In the morning when we awoke it looked like someone had cemented our window shut, it looked like a cement wall.  Finally we realized it was the side of a lock and dam.  We slammed the curtains shut and watched as we sailed out the other end of the canal.  We found out later that we had been thru a few lock and dams and because it was unique to have ships of this size going up the river the village people came out and stood on the side of the locks to watch.  Thank God it was before cell phones and YouTube.   One more revelation at breakfast, someone said "did you see the window washers this morning" ?   Evidently they use the walls to stand on and wash the cabin windows as the ship raises and lowered in the lock.   I was going to say it took years for me to live that down, but I really haven't yet!  Well this was going to be different, what could go wrong.  Try "Fabio" the wall repelling early Saturday morning window washer.  He probably does it for no charge just to look in all the rooms.   No sense even apologizing to Ruthie, who could have foreseen this. 

Some how I don't think John Wesley would approve of
shortening the word Methodist.   A whole new meaning to
 religious experience.





      January 25, 2014

In New Smyrna there is a loop that consists of Flagler Avenue on the beach side, crosses the intercostal waterway and comes back to the beach area on the main highway.  Flagler has some great tourist shops, cafés and bar/grills.  We were fortunate as this weekend was an Art and Wine tasting event on the loop.   We parked and walked, seen the Methodist thrift store sign, had a good laugh, lunch on the street at a cafe.   Stopped and listened to the "Song Peddler".  Unique idea, music, singing on a bicycle frame.  I tell you three wheels are the way to go, can you imagine him on two?  This area seems to have found out if they cater to peoples dogs, they will bring their master in to shop.   Water bowls out for our four legged friends, doggy treats they have it all.  We didn't spend long on the Flagler end, it was devoted to the wine tasting.  They advertised over 100 different wines and the price.  However we found out the $25.00 gave you ten tickets and that the premium wines may require more than one ticket.  A little pricey for us.  We headed over the intercostal water way to the Art fair, a bonus was the food vendors of all kinds.  Most were beautiful and amazing, some I didn't understand, some prompted us to think the artist may have made a stop at the "Meth" thrift store.  I know its art, different strokes for "different" folks. One of the booths featured handmade brooms with beautiful handles.  They represented and told the story of slaves who were not legally permitted to marry, how ever "jumping over the broom or broomstick" represented a union and leaving the past behind.  There was even a "flan" booth a wonderful custard treat that Lady Dale had introduced us to in North Carolina.  Judging by the price they were charging here I must have ate about forty dollars worth.  

I know I have stuff in the shop to build this one

 





I think she will have the same expression
when she see's this side of the wall.

 





This one I understood.



 

 

 

 

 

You never know what you are going to learn when you venture out.  I caught a glimpse of a gentleman in a electric wheel chair with only the rear wheels touching the ground, what a balancing act?  Curious, I followed him for a while, now I find out and maybe you knew it already, they use technology similar to a Segway to achieve its balancing act. 

     The next morning we headed out for a short ride to Silver springs Florida.  One of the first attractions (1878) that made Florida a popular tourist destination, visitors started coming here before the civil war.  They call it the Natural Florida.  It is sad that the high tech attractions have drawn so many away from the beauty that is Florida.  Originally a piece of glass was put in the bottom of a small boat so you could see the beauty below the surface, now glass bottom boats and Capt Bob was our guide, he pointed out the life jackets and said they hadn't needed

Capt' Bob gets paid for this!

them in over 100 years.  He mentioned some of the movies and stars that had been filmed here. Lloyd bridges sea hunt, Tarzan, Creature from the Black Lagoon, even Steve Irwin the crocodile hunter had been here.  The Indians used birds to fish, they put a ring around their neck so they couldn't swallow fish.  Capt Bob told us that Spanish
moss, was not Spanish and not moss, Henry ford used it to stuff car seats.  If you've heard the expression don't let the bed bugs bite, it was from insects in the moss used to stuff mattress's.   

     Tuesday  we headed towards Orange City Florida.  Some how the Satellite radio was on Neil Diamond radio didn't even know he had a station, 24/7 Neil  Diamond brings a couple of things to mind.  Many years ago before MP3 players a friend went to see the Minnesota Twins play at the Metronome.  Unfortunately there car was broken into and they were robbed.  However there are some things even a crook won't do.  He sorted thru there music selection and left behind the Neil Diamond and Barry Manilow CD's.   Also with people getting shot now for playing their music to loud it brings to mind the rage that could come over an unstable person with Neil, Barry or Smooth Jazz blaring on the radio, have to remember to hit mute when we pull in for fuel.   We arrived at Blue Springs park just after noon.  The count today was 131 Manatees.  We were surprised that on a weekday that we had to wait to enter the park and find a parking spot.  Part of the reason soon became evident.   There was a rescue mission underway.  Georgia, one of the Manatee's was distressed,   She had quite a history, originally orphaned she had been raised at Sea World in Florida.  Then released to blue springs.  Now her friends from Sea World were going to capture and transport her back home to help with her recovery.  They had a radio collar with a floating marker so they could keep track of

her.   Soon everything was in place and the crew waded into the water.  We had been told that she weighed about 8-900 pounds, with over twenty workers struggling to move her we knew they had underestimated her weight by several hundred pounds.  The Manatee is a gentle mammal that appears as a shadow floating beneath the surface of the water from time to time sticking its snout up for air.  The biggest threat to them is man, interactions with power boat propellers leaving many scars along their back.   

      They told us about Steller's sea cow the largest relative of the Manatee.  Once abundant, the slow moving and gentle creature was hunted to extinction within 30 years of discovery by Europeans.  (interesting to me at least when I made my notes I spelled it Stellar, you will see why in a couple of weeks) 

     Wednesday we had nasty weather, I find it hard to complain when the national weather has been so bad this year, the weather man is making up new words and ways to display the cold and how far south it has traveled. Polar express, winter vortex, polar plunge, Texas northerners,  Florida closing schools , Atlanta shut down because of ice and snow.  Officials getting blamed for children stuck at school over night, The Atlanta Mayor even blamed the weather man, kind of funny. We Minnesotans didn't know we were allowed to hold someone responsible for the weather. They are trying to find out who is the blame for the storm that crippled the south. Lots of fires while people trying to heat their homes.  Thursday, 90 % chance of rain today, don't know what to expect, it rained all day yesterday when there was a 40 % chance.   The air was chilly and the wind strong enough that we were glad we were safe and warm inside.

     The next morning I was walking past the window and something in the ocean caught my eye.  I was sure it was either a Dolphin or shark, try as I might I couldn't point it out so Ruthie could see it.  I even took a dry erase marker and drew a grid target on the window, no help.  We bundled up and headed out to the beach.  A kind couple let her use their binoculars and she was able to see them.  Our new friends educated us saying that Dolphins were mammals and that's why they kept surfacing to come up for air, where Sharks swim in a straight line.  Good to know!  They stayed in the area for sometime and it was a joy to watch them. 

     Here is some information that I was not aware of.  On the kitchen counter was a warning to comply with the sea turtle lighting codes.   From March 1st thru Nov 15th you must use black out draperies, shade screens or window tint so that lights will not be directly visible from the sea.  Why?  Normally the turtles return to the ocean after laying their eggs, using the moon reflecting off the ocean as their guide.  Land lights can confuse them and guide them inland instead.  Now you know!

     The stand for our little camper had taken a hard hit back in North Carolina, over time the occasional movement had made it worse and repair was desperately needed.  A couple of times I had used the internet to find welding repair. Many disconnected phones and messages never returned.  The day before we were to leave I hooked up the camper and went looking for a welder.  A few dead ends and then a RV dealer said they knew a guy, (sounds like our friends from New Jersey, doesn't it?)   One phone call and I was on my way to Freddie's home, an acreage within the city limits.   One look and he went to work.  He is the kind you

Here's a puzzle for you.  This was on the wall of the
Bathtub enclosure.  It is about the size of your palm.
Within a week I seen it used in a mystery
as the homicide weapon!

would like for a neighbor.  Tools and skills,  he can repair anything.  Originally from Tennessee he worked in an underground coal mine for over 20 years before moving above ground.  As he was working I found out more about him.  Lots of information here, I asked if it was okay to put his picture in the blog, "sure I'm just a hillbilly".  He remanufactured the stand in minutes, better than when it was new.  I gave him a card so he could look up the blog and have our information.  He looked at the picture of Ruthie and I by the trike.   "Damn that's a fine looking woman, you and me did alright buddy"  he has been married for over 30 years, she must think he's alright too!  Completing the repair he said "How does that look?"  Fine I said,  "What color do you want it, is grey Okay?"  I said "Grey would be just great!"  Well I don't have grey!.  He's messing with me, we decided black would be good.   You meet the nicest people!





Not pointing any fingers but just observing the speedometer! 
And I don't have an earring in my left ear. Just saying!