Coming to you from Ohio!!

I had to hide from my sister-in-law, Jo Anne, who was having a surprise birthday party, here in Ohio. My 'excuse' (last week) for being away from social media was in case she wondered where I went....

Her beautiful children, Sara & Michael, gave her a great party, and Joe and I were happy to be part of the surprise.  We also surprised my dear grandmother (95 years young) and were able to spend two nights with her at the start of our visit.

Grandma Thompson. Doesn't she look great?!

She wanted us to visit the local fairgrounds, where the Old Timers' Club was having their annual festival. They were serving cornbread and beans in the main dining hall, and she wanted to have some for her dinner. So, off we went to the Old Timers' Festival. We got cornbread and beans for all of us to have for dinner that night. They were so good, and brought back childhood memories for me.

There were lots of old tractors on display. Lots of them! Joe had to buy a cap for his collection.

Grandma's yard is maintained by her brother, Jim, and always looks so pretty! He and his wife, Jane, take such good care of her, and she is able to stay in her home because of his help. We were happy to "take over" for a day, to give him a break.

 Every morning, around 9:00 a.m., 29 ducks come marching into Grandma's backyard, to be fed. She looks forward to the parade, and after the ducks, she gets squirrels and birds. Jim keeps the feeders full of corn and seed, and the squirrels also get peanuts. The ducks "live" in a retention pond behind some apartments, the next block over, and they waddle in from there.  Lots of fun for her (and all!).

We left Grandma's house to travel to the big surprise birthday party, which was the reason I had to get silent on social media. It takes us two days to get to Ohio, and then there is no wifi at Grandma's house, for another two days.  

Sara and Mike did a fabulous job putting the surprise birthday party together. We arrived a little early to help with decorations or food, but it was all under control. They had a good crew of friends there helping, when we arrived. It was so fun, watching Jo Anne come in, blindfolded, and totally oblivious to what was happening. It was great.

This is my niece, Kelly, my sister (her mom), Patti, and me (at the party).

The next night, we took Jo Anne, niece Sara, her boyfriend, Matthew, and nephew Mike all out to dinner. It was just more good times. Time with family is never long enough.

Mike and Jo Anne, making faces, while Joe laughed at everyone.

Jo Anne teaches English (and history) at a Christian high school. Mike is a senior at The Ohio State University, and is in pre-med, applying to medical schools all over the USA.

Matthew and Sara. Matthew is going to be a doctor, and is almost ready for his residency. Sara is a pre-school teacher for the Head Start program.

See - I was there too.

We left Jo Anne's house Monday morning, and traveled up to Van Wert, Ohio, to meet blogging friend, Carol!!. It was a 2 1/2 hour drive from Pickerington, which was really delightful. The weather was great and I love traveling through farm land, with corn fields on both sides of the highway.  The leaves are beginning to change, but the colorful show is still a couple of weeks away.  We still enjoyed the scenery, and the drive. We met Carol and her husband at Bob Evans, and enjoyed prayer, lunch, and some great conversation. Our guys liked each other so well, that they exchanged email addresses before we left.

Me and Carol. The sun was BRIGHT in front of the restaurant!!

We left the restaurant and drove almost four hours back to south eastern Ohio, to my sister's house.  We arrived to find a big pot of chili on the stove, which made a great dinner for us.

We got up this morning (Patti is also a teacher - 3rd grade - 35 years and counting) and Patti took the day off so we could "play" all day. Greg (her hubby) works from home, so was also able to enjoy a play day. We drove down the Muskingum River and across the mightly Ohio River, into Parkersburg, West Virginia, for some shopping. We then went back across the river, to Marietta, Ohio, which is where our niece, Kelly, goes to  college and has her apartment. We picked her and her boyfriend, Avery, up (between classes for both of them) and took them to lunch.

 Crossing the Ohio River.

Kelly and Avery. We were at a Mexican restaurant, in downtown Marietta, and the waiter brought out a hat for Joe, so they could sing happy birthday (only 4 weeks late! Ha!). Kelly had to try on the hat.

We dropped the kids back at the apartment, and headed back to McConnelsville, with a stop for some CORTLAND APPLES!!! and cider!  The Cortland is my absolute favorite, and I never see them in Florida. We got a bag to bring back with us.  Sorry to be heading home tomorrow morning (Wednesday). We'll stop over night. Too old to do 16-17 hours on the road without sleep now.

It will be good to get home. Our wonderful neighbors are watching the cats and the house for us. We have had two nights in three different beds, living out of a suitcase.  Wonderful, but tiring. When we get home, we will have one day to do laundry and get some sleep in our own bed, before heading further south to Naples, for Tristan's 18th birthday party. I think next week we will be exhausted, but happy with the great memories made along the way this past week and a half.

Thanks for stopping in!! I will try to catch up on blogs, but may not comment. There are over 100 sitting on my Feedly page. Please offer a prayer for continued safe travel!! I will appreciate it.  Peace & love!!

It's a Fall Y'All Hodgepodge!!

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 191

Here are the questions for this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge. Answer on your own blog, then hop back HERE tomorrow to share answers and add your link to the party...see you there!

1. It's fall. Y'all. My (Joyce's) favorite season of the year! What's something you love to do this time of year that makes you feel it's officially fall?  It isn't quite Fall, here in central Florida. It is still hot and sticky. When our Fall does arrive, my favorite thing is to open the doors to our screened in pool area. It makes the house feel twice as big, and the fresh air feels great!  And unrelated to that, do you ever say-'y'all'? I do say it occasionally, but not as often as two of my co-workers who are from Alabama and Georgia. They say it all the time!

2. When did you last have a falling out with someone?  I mentioned it in a blog several weeks ago. It was here at work. Has it been resolved?  Seems to have been resolved.

3. A song you love with the word 'fall' in it's title?  "I Fall To Pieces" by Patsy Cline

4. What's something you've recently let 'fall by the wayside?'  Cleaning!!

5. When did you last attend an event, read a book, watch a movie, try a new recipe, or visit a shop-town-tourist attraction that fell short of your expectations?  Gosh - probably a book, but I can't remember the title, because I just dismiss it and move on.  In what way?  If a book doesn't really grab me in the first two chapters, I will probably not continue to read it (unless it came recommended, and I know it will get better).

6. Describe a time you said or thought, 'The apple doesn't fall far from the tree."  I think it frequently about Joe, because the older he gets, the more he seems to be like his dad in so many ways. And he would take that as a compliment!!

7. Was today better than yesterday?  Yes and no.  Why or why not?   Because I am taking a few days off from Blogger and Facebook, in order to get some things accomplished. I really do find social media to be distracting and time consuming (in a good way, usually). A few of you have taken some time off, so I'll plan to be back before the end of next week.  Probably in time for next week's Hodgepodge.  It is so easy for me to sit down and find two or three hours have gone by, and nothing has gotten done. I'll give you a full report in my first post next week (sometime!).

8.  Insert your own random thought here.  I hope no one is taking bets on how long I can say away. I was addicted to Pinterest when I first created my page, and now I rarely go there. It won't be the same with FB and Blogger, though. I would miss y'all too much. I still miss my Multiply friends who chose not to continue blogging. A short break will be good, but I will sure be thinking about you.

Thanks for stopping by my Hodgepodge today! Thanks to Joyce for another fun Q&A!!  Peace & blessings!

Tuesday Tidbits....

Just a short post today. Busy at work and busy at home. Sometimes I don't know how I'll get everything done, but praise God, it all works out!

We took Helen, Cheryl and Sheila out to dinner last night. Applebee's has some new menu items, so we decided to go there. It was fun catching up and chatting a couple of hours away.  My dinner was so big, I will be enjoying it again for lunch today.

Tonight is my facial night. I usually go on Thursdays, but changed to Tuesday this week. It doesn't matter what day - it is the relaxation that counts, and catching up with my friend, Dawn.

Thanks for stopping by! I appreciate your comments and your friendships!  Peace!

Monday, Monday again....

We had such a nice time, last night, having dinner over Orlando way, at the Celebration Town Tavern, with blogging friend Kris, her husband, Walt, sister Terry, and brother-in-law John.  Kris and I have connected in person a few times now, but this was the first time we got our guys together, too!

I had a delicious cup of clam chowder, and my entree was fish & chips. We all enjoyed our meals and some fun conversation.

Sunday was the day the historic home was moved from its location on Lake Hollingsworth to its new home on S. Florida Avenue. It all seemed to have gone well, though there was some controversy about having to cut down part of a 70-year old oak tree to make room for it in one spot on the street.

Maybe you have noticed the ticker on the right side of my blog page. I have been amazed at the number of people visiting my blog who I don't know, and who don't leave comments. It made me go look at ways to tighten up security. If you received an email from me, it was sent automatically when I was exploring security settings. I may still lock it down, which means I will need your email to allow access. I haven't done it yet, but am getting close.  I miss the security we had on Multiply. Sigh.

We have a crazy busy week ahead. Sometimes it seems there is no rest for the weary. But- praise God!  Hope you all had a good weekend! Peace & blessings.

A New Sunday Stealing....

Alphabetty 2

Welcome back to Sunday Stealing which originated on WTIT: The Blog authored by Bud Weiser. Here we will steal all types of memes from every corner of the blogosphere. Our promise to you is that we will work hard to find the most interesting and intelligent memes. You may have heard of the expression, “honor amongst thieves”. In that age-old tradition, we try to credit the blog that we stole it from. We also provide a link to the victim's meme in our "Previous Victims" widget. (It's our way of saying "Thanks!") Sometimes we edit the original meme, to make it more relevant to our global players, to challenge our players, to select the best questions, or simply to make it less repetitive from this new meme or recently asked questions from a previously featured meme. 
Let's go!!!

From Pepperstrings

Alphabetty 2 

A) What does the last text you sent say? And to whom?  It said "Bang bang." and was to our son, Jeff.  
B) What does the last text you received say? And from whom?  Jeff knew exactly what it meant (that we were at Bone Fish Grill, having dinner) and he said "Enjoy!".
C) What time do you wake up most mornings? 5:00 a.m. during the week.
D) Are you afraid of walking alone at night?  No, not usually.
E) What do you do to relax at the end of a stressful day?  Go out to dinner, and come home to watch some TV and check blogs.
F) Where did your last kiss take place and with whom?  This morning, and with my husband.
G) Do/did you get into trouble a lot at school?  No. I don't think I ever got in trouble at school.
H) Do you enjoy your job? If unemployed, are you content being so? I love my job and have been there almost 18 years. I am beginning to look forward to retirement, though.
I) Do you often pick up on double entendres and innuendos?  Yes, most of the time, and usually before anyone else 'gets it'.
J) Have you ever been offered drugs but declined? A couple of times. I was a teen during the 60s, but I have never smoked pot or taken an illegal drug (and I've never been drunk, either). I think I'm too much of a control freak to allow myself to be out of control.
K) Have you ever met someone who has completely altered your way of thinking? Yes.
L) Have you ever been offered drugs and accepted? See "J" above.
M) Tell us something weird that turns you on. Weird? I can't think of anything weird that turns me on.
N) When did someone last admit romantic or sexual feelings for you? Was the feeling mutual? I've been happily married for almost 30 years. I don't have a roving eye, nor do I entertain them from others. The answer is my husband, and yes, it was mutual.
O) What is something you have given a lot of thought to lately? Retirement.
P) When did you last swallow your beliefs to avoid an argument or confrontation? In yesterday's blog. I deleted a comment because it was inappropriate and I didn't want to get into an argument with someone I didn't know, and who didn't know me.
Q) Do you usually initiate hugs? I LOVE hugs. I'm definitely a hugger and do initiate them frequently.
R) Are you a very affectionate person? I like to think I am.
S) Can you roll your own cigarettes? Never tried, though my dad used to do it, and my sister has done it (though she has quit smoking!).
T) What are you looking forward to?  Retirement!
U) Do you have any tattoos. Do you want any/more? I do not have a tattoo. I've thought about getting a shamrock with my maiden name through it (Kelly), but I don't think I'll actually do it.
V) Are you mentally strong? Yes, except when it comes to dieting.
W) Are you physically strong?  Yes, but not like I used to be. I'm old and have arthritis and bad knees now. I don't work out anymore, or exercise.
X) Do you think you’re a good person? I believe I'm a good person. I could be a better person, I'm sure. Probably my greatest sin is that there are many things I have failed to do.
Y) Name one thing you wish you could change about your life right now. I wish I could retire.
Z) What do you usually eat for breakfast?  Protein. Usually two eggs and either ham or bacon, grapefruit and yogurt.

Well that was certainly interesting. I didn't read the questions ahead of time. 

We are heading over to Celebration (near Disney) tonight, to have dinner with blogging friend, Kris, and her husband, Walt!! I'm counting on a good time!!  We have connected in person a couple of times, but this is the first time the husbands will be with us! I'll be sure to take photos to share.

Wishing you all a blessed Sunday! Thanks for stopping by! Peace!

A Margaritaville Saturday 9:....

Margaritaville

Welcome to Saturday: 9. What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so-to-speak. We encourage you to visit other participants posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love memes, however, and here is today's meme!

Saturday 9: Margaritaville (1977)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In this song Jimmy sings of "booze in the blender." What do you prepare in your blender?  Smothies and slushy mixed alcoholic beverages.

2) As the song opens, Jimmy is sitting on his front porch swing. Describe the front porch of the building you're in right now.  Our house has no front porch. I miss having a front porch with a swing.

3) Jimmy sings of being able to smell boiling shrimp. Do you prefer your shrimp boiled, glazed or breaded?  Oh, if it is shrimp, I like it. I LOVE shrimp.

4) During the song, he mentions his flip flops. Have you put your flip flops and sandals away till spring? Or is it still warm enough to wear them?  I can't wear flip-flops anymore because of some foot surgery I had in 1989. I wear sandals, though, and it is still in the low 90s during the day, here in central Florida, so I have not put them away yet.

5) Jimmy Buffett had hoped this song would be recorded by Elvis Presley, but The King died before he could perform it. What's the first Elvis song that comes to mind? The first one I thought of was Blue Christmas, which I absolutely hate. I don't mind Elvis songs, except for that one.

6) Buffett fans are known as Parrotheads. Concert attire for a well-dressed Parrothead often includes a Hawaiian shirt and a foam fin hat. What will you be wearing tonight?  I am wearing my pajamas! Ha ha ha!  I would not wear a fin hat to any concert, but Hawaiian shirts also say Florida....

7) Loyal Parrotheads paid between $500 and $5000 to see Mr. Buffet at a fundraiser for Barack Obama's 2012 Presidential campaign. What's the most you would pay for a concert ticket?  I don't go to concerts. I don't like crowds. If someone gave me free tickets, I would give them away. Sorry. And just for the record, I wouldn't go anywhere near obama.

8) Jimmy is an outspoken environmentalist and supports causes like ocean conservation, saving the manatees and expanding the Dallas Zoo. What steps do you take to help save the planet?  We recycle, which I believe in. I think we should do away with the EPA, though, and several other government agencies. Give that responsibility back to the individual states. 

9) Uh-oh. When Jimmy and the Coral Reefers played in Wisconsin this past August, more than two dozen concertgoers got tickets for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Do you believe pot should be legalized?  No, I do not.

--------------------------------------------

We had a great time at the Museum's members' opening, last night. We heard a great talk by our Curator, and then nibbled some yummy food and socialized with several friends before heading home. The marble floors are brutal on bad knees, but we hung out for an hour or so. There was a great crowd. Our auditorium holds 152, and there were people standing in the back (though a few empty seats could be found toward the front).

Thanks for stopping in! Wishing you a good weekend! Peace & blessings!

Stealing a Meme - My Life In Numbers...

Happy Friday!! I am so happy the week is wrapping up and there is no reason to set the alarm in the morning!  I copied this meme from (Hodgepodge) Joyce, and she got from HERE. Kind of fun!

4 Number of states I've lived in 

5 Number of cities I've lived in

143 Number of miles from my closest family member

3 Number of siblings I have (but only 2 living)

9 Number of years older I am than my youngest sibling

5 Cars I've owned

20 Months Years I dated my husband before we tied the knot 

12  Miles I drive to work each day, round trip 

0 Number of wedding dresses I tried on before I found the one (my 1st gown was home made, my second was a suit I could wear to work)

1,047 Population of the town I grew up in (that is today's population, but it was about the same in the 60s)

11 Number of different jobs I've had in my life 

?? Blog posts published as of now (I posted in Yahoo360, then Multiply, before Blogger - almost daily since 2007)

5,171 Number of days I am younger than my husband (Joe is 14 years + older than me)

10:00 p.m. My ideal bedtime

11:00 p.m. My actual bedtime 

1 Number of naps I would like to take each day 

11 Number of states I've visited

22,975  Days I've been alive

That took a lot of calculations, and I would not want to be graded on my math!!

Dr. Jill came by last night and gave Onyx a 10-day antibiotic shot.  He gained almost another pound! Tonight we have a members' opening reception at the Museum. It is a fun exhibit of classic cars and car design. It will be up during Lakeland's huge Lake Mirror Classic Car Show, next month. I blogged about it last year.

Sunday, Joe and I will be meeting blogging friend, Kris, her husband and (probably) her sister and brother-in-law, for dinner, over in Celebration!!  I'm excited to see her again. Yes, I'll have pictures!

Happy weekend!! Thanks for stopping by. Peace & blessings.

Throw Back Thursday...

My longer-time blogging friends have seen this photo, so my apologies for not coming up with something you've not seen before. I do have quite a few new friends here, so thought I could get away with posting this again, for new eyes.

This is my high school, senior picture. I would love to see yours!! I promise not to laugh, if you don't, and please go easy on the Mary Tyler Moore hair jokes!!

Yes, I tamed the natural curls with big pink plastic rollers, Dippity-Do, and lots of hairspray. I also taped my bangs.  Good golly, I was skinny back then. It was 1970, by the way.

Happy Friday Eve!!  Wishing you a blessed day.

A Happy Birthday To Joyce Hodgepodge!

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 190

190? Is that right? Apparently so. Whoohoo! Go us! Answer the questions on your own blog then scoot back HERE tomorrow to add you link to the party.  Who thinks we should have some sort of giveaway when we hit 200?

1. I'm celebrating a birthday this week so a question relating to aging feels appropriate. Douglas MacArthur is quoted as saying, 'You are as young as your faith, as old as your doubt; as young as your self-confidence, as old as your fear; as young as your hope, as old as your despair." Would you agree? If not why not?   I think you are as young (or old) as you feel, and that is basically what he is saying. I agree.

2. What remarkable feat, interesting piece of trivia, or historical event occurred on your birth day and month? Not necessarily in your birthyear, just the same date/same month.  On December 11th, 1913 - "Mona Lisa," stolen from the Louvre Museum in 1911, was recovered

3. Describe a time or circumstance where you wanted to 'have your cake and eat it too.'  I really can't think of anything specific. Don't we all aspire to that now and then, though?

4. What's something you do that makes you feel young? Something that makes you feel old?  Walking makes me feel old, because my knees hurt. Texting with our grandchildren makes me feel young and "with it"!!  :)

5. When did you last do something that was 'a piece of cake'?  Doing payroll is a piece of cake for me. Driving is easy for me. Praising God is easy for me....

6.  Beef, wine, and cheese all improve with age. What's something else you'd add to that list? (not necessarily food or beverage)   Good relationships.

7. If I were to have a giveaway when we hit Volume 200, what should I give away? By my calculations we'll hit Volume 200 on November 26th, the day before Thanksgiving, which means whoever wins would have whatever it is in time for Christmas.  If you decide to do a giveaway, and I happened to win, I would be pleased just to have won something and would treasure whatever you decide to gift!

8.  Insert your own random thought here.  That last question brought back a memory. My mom was not a good gift receiver. She never wanted anyone to spend money on her. It drove my dad nuts. He would get her a Christmas gift, and she would always return it. He felt so bad, he had "his girls" get her something. I remember telling her one year that she needed to love her gift and keep it and use it and be happy about it. Later in life, she did become a better receiver.  Maybe that is why I am always happy with anything anyone wants to give to me. What a blessing to have someone pick something out just for me. How could you not love it? It really is the thought that counts the most!

Thanks to Joyce for another good Hodgepodge, and happy birthday!! 

Thanks for stopping by!  Be blessed!

Tuesday Tidbits....

• My RCCW meeting last night was very nice. We began with Mass, with our Pastor, Fr. Charles, presiding. Intimate and very special. We have 16 new members, which is phenomenal! It was good reconnecting with friends.

• I get my hair cut tonight, after work (well, I have to leave a little early). My hair just gets bigger. Natural curls have a way of just getting bigger, rather than looking longer.

• We will be watching the neighbors' cats next week. They are going on a cruise. Our neighbors love to cruise, and they get some very good deals. We went once and just didn't enjoy it, but we have been talking about giving it another try. We were on a smaller ship and the weather was awful.  Do any of you 'cruise'?  Any advice?

• We have the Eagles game on TV as I am typing this (to schedule for tomorrow). Joe is not happy. They don't look good and are behind. Hoping the Eagles begin to fly and make this one a win! I'm going to bed before it is over! 

• One of the women I sat with at the meeting last night is fighting her third round of breast cancer This time it has metastasized to her lymph glands. She had some of them removed and the doctors will determine what kind of chemo she gets, from the results. If you have a prayer list, please add Cindy J. to your list. She asked for prayer.

• I mentioned Fr. Charles above. If any of you follow the Cake Boss, on TV, and saw Buddy and his wife renew their vows for their 10th anniversary (on a cruise ship), Fr. Charles was the Priest who performed the ceremony for them! I thought that was pretty cool!!

Hope you have a good Tuesday! We need to go grocery shopping when I get home from work. The cupboard is not bare, but getting there! We didn't do anything Sunday, and I was at work all day Saturday, which is my usual shopping day. Does anyone else hate grocery shopping? It is just such a chore to me. Praise God that I can go grocery shopping though. I count my blessings.

Peace, love & hugs.

Sunday Stealing on Monday....

Celebrity Obsession

Welcome back to Sunday Stealing which originated on WTIT: The Blog authored by Bud Weiser. Here we will steal all types of memes from every corner of the blogosphere. Our promise to you is that we will work hard to find the most interesting and intelligent memes. You may have heard of the expression, “honor amongst thieves”. In that age-old tradition, we try to credit the blog that we stole it from. We also provide a link to the victim's meme in our "Previous Victims" widget. (It's our way of saying "Thanks!") Sometimes we edit the original meme, to make it more relevant to our global players, to challenge our players, to select the best questions, or simply to make it less repetitive from this new meme or recently asked questions from a previously featured meme.  
Let's go!!!

Celebrity Obsession 

Celebrity: a famous person From Wednesday's Alice 

01. First Celebrity Obsession or Crush:  Probably Paul Peterson, on the Donna Reed Show

02. Favorite Celebrity Encounter: My cousin is Justin Chambers, so I have to say Justin. I've known him since he was a baby!! 

03. Most Cherished Celebrity Obsession:  
Andy Garcia

04. A celebrity you’d love to hang out with:  
Andy Garcia (or my cousin - love him!)

05. A celebrity you’d love to sit down and have a conversation with
:  Andy Garcia

06. An artist you’d like to see live: Andy Garcia or Harry Connick Jr.

07. A celebrity you respect purely for talent:  David Spader, Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep

08. A celebrity you feel you’d be good friends with: Sandra Bullock and Harry Connick, Jr.

09. A celebrity you dislike that others seem to love: Will Farrell

10. A celebrity you respect for what they’ve been through in life: Michael J. Fox

11. A celebrity you share a birthday with: Rita Moreno (December 11th)

12. A celebrity you find annoying: Will Farrell, Oprah WInfrey, Nicki Manaj (my list is longer than that!)

I stopped at #12 because that's enough of celebrity-dom. It's the start of a new week. My church women's group (RCCW) meets tonight, for the first time since May. It will start with Mass, then a short business meeting, but it will mostly be a social event. It's another busy week ahead. 

Thanks for stopping by!! Tell me about your favorite celebrity crush!!  :)

Sleepy Sunday....

What a loooong day it was, yesterday.  The retreat went well, and whether we accomplished anything will be determined as our year progresses.  Happy to have it behind us.

I am scheduling this to post this morning, but I will be sleeping until this old body decides to wake up. I need to clean today. The house hasn't had a good scrubbing in a few weeks and it is starting to scream at me! LOL

There is something happening in Lakeland that I have found interesting, and I decided to share it with you. Our "ritzy" area of town is what we call the Lake Hollingsworth district.  It is the "walking lake" which is three miles around, and there are multi-million dollar homes around the lake.  One of them sold a couple of months ago, for just under $600,000, and the new owners are tearing it down to build a new house. It needs to be torn down. The inside was beyond dated, and it had been poorly expanded over the years. The 'original' house has some historic value and that portion of the house was purchased from the new owners, to be gently removed and then moved for restoration. Joe and I drove past it Friday night and took these photos....

This is the original part of the house that will be moved.

 

This is the side that was added on, years ago.

I pulled this photo off the internet so you can see what it looked like before they started demolition,

This is Lake Hollingsworth. I drive around it every morning on my way to work. The red marker is not this house, but notes Florida Southern College. This house is on the corner of Lake Hollingsworth and Hibriten Way.

And here is the story that started all the controversy. I'm happy to report that the two people (the new owners and Mr. Fancelli) have settled it, and all is well. 

---------------------------------------------------

Historic Lakeland home set for demolition causes controversy

Posted: Jul 11, 2014 1:37 PM EDTUpdated: Aug 08, 2014 1:37 PM EDT

By Holly Bounds - email

 

Recently, former state representative Tom Mims purchased the home that sits at 1068 Lake Hollingsworth Drive. He has plans to demolish the Lakeland home.

 

Recently, former state representative Tom Mims purchased the home that sits at 1068 Lake Hollingsworth Drive. He has plans to demolish the Lakeland home.

 

According to developer Gregory Fancelli, grandson of Publix founder George Jenkins, the home should be historically preserved.

 

According to developer Gregory Fancelli, grandson of Publix founder George Jenkins, the home should be historically preserved.

 

According to developer Gregory Fancelli, grandson of Publix founder George Jenkins, the home should be historically preserved.

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LAKELAND, FL (WFLA) -

An old Tudor-style home is suddenly gaining a lot of interest in Lakeland. The man who bought it plans to tear it down, but a local preservation board and a prominent community member are trying to stop him.

“It’s essentially an endangered species of arts in our minds,” Historic Lakeland’s Ekho Powell said.

Inside the walls of the Lake Hollingsworth Drive home are stories that are pretty hard to believe.

Many date back decades ago....but there's one happening right now and the owner himself just doesn't get it.

“He’s asking for a portion of that house for free and it's just not gonna happen,” home owner Tom Mims said of the controversy brewing.

Developer Tom Mims purchased the Tudor style home after it sat on the market more than three years.

When word spread of his plan to tear it down and start anew, Historic Lakeland board member Ekho Powell took to social media.

“This post really took off and I didn’t realize I was the only one who loved this house and how much it meant to the community,” she said.

One of those taking strong interest is Gregory Fancelli, who happens to be a grandson of Publix Super Market founder George Jenkins.

Fencelli wants to foot the bill to have the 1920's-era part of the structure removed before it goes to pieces but Tom Mims isn’t interested.

Gregory Fencelli told News Channel 8 by phone Friday there are a few reasons he wants to get involved. For one, he remembers driving by as a child and adoring the home but also he believes it has more life as a bar or office space on South Florida Avenue.

“He had the opportunity to buy it and he told me he chose not to buy it. It was available to him long before I looked at it. It's been on the market for three years. Now it's about money. It's not about historic preservation… it's about getting something for free,” Mims said.

Mims is hosting a fundraiser here over the weekend to benefit a local charity and to give the community a final chance to see it for themselves.

It’s not only a chance to marvel at the beauty--but understand it may not be quite what they think.

“If most people saw the historic elements and saw that most of it had been changed they would have a total different outlook on the historic elements of this house,” Mims said.

Mims plans to save much of the inside paneling and older appliances for the new home. He said moving the older portion would also delay his construction plan and he's just not interested.

Meanwhile, Historic Lakeland is working to get that area of the city labeled "historic" but they realize it won't happen in time to save this particular home.

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Gregory Fancelli is on the Board at the Museum. I spoke with him, at the retreat, about the progress on moving the house. He told me the next step is to put steel beams under the foundation, to ready it for the move. It won't be made into a residence, but will be an office, in a commercial area.  It will be interesting to watch it all unfold, going forward!

Hope you are having a good Sunday!  Thanks so much for peeking in! Peace & blessings!

Saturday 9:

Hey, Soul Sister

Welcome to Saturday: 9. What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so-to-speak. We encourage you to visit other participants posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love memes, however, and here is today's meme! 

Saturday 9: Hey, Soul Sister
(because John suggested Train)

If you're not familiar with today's song, you can hear it here.

1) The video was shot on a street corner in Echo Park in central Los Angeles. If you saw a film crew making a video in your neighborhood, would you stop to watch? Or would you just keep walking?

You bet I would stop to watch!! How exciting would that be? I'd probably try to get in it!! LOL

2) The singer says he remembers his girl in every dream he dreams. Do you remember if you dreamed last night?  I know I dream, but I rarely remember one.

3) The band Train is from San Francisco. Have you ever visited The City by the Bay? I've never been that far west, so no. It's not a place I've ever had the urge to see, either.

4) Lead singer Pat Monahan got his start in a Led Zeppelin cover band. Can you name a Led Zeppelin song?  Of course I can!

5) In doing research for this week's Saturday 9, Crazy Sam discovered a publication called Trains, The Magazine of Railroading.What's the last magazine you flipped through?  The latest issue of Garden & Gun.

6) Do you consider yourself a leader or a follower?  I have to be a leader, but it is not a comfortable role. I much prefer being a follower. 

7) Scholars tell us that "To be or not to be" is Shakespeare's most quoted line. Give us another one. Yes, had to memorize this one, in school..... 

"Is this a dagger which I see before me,The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee.I have thee not, and yet I see thee still."

8) How do you listen to music on the go? Car radio? CD changer? iPod/mp3 player? Your phone? Car radio and/or the car CD changer. I have an old mp2 player that I loaded and then never listened to. Found it to be a pain to mess with and keep charged.

9) Are you a convincing liar?  Absolutely not. I learned a long time ago that my face gives me away so I don't even try telling little white lies anymore. Really, though...liars always trip up anyway. 

So, there are my Saturday 9. I am back at work today, at the Board retreat - all day. Not the most fun way to spend a Saturday, but we have high hopes for a good out-come.  We get breakfast and lunch, and there is a champagne reception at the conclusion. I don't like champagne, so that doesn't excite me. The exciting part will be that it's over!!  Do you like champagne? I would love your answer to a couple of the Saturday 9, if you are so inclined!

Thanks for stopping by! Have a good Saturday! Peace, love & hugs.

Friday Five....

Happy Friday!!

• I had a Mid-Florida, Society of Human Resources Managers meeting last night. It was only my second meeting, so I don't know too many of the people yet, but it seems like a good group. I think I'm going to enjoy participating.

• Tomorrow (Saturday) I will be working all day. It is a Board Retreat and there are four of us who have to participate with them, plus the boss. We have an outside facilitator, which usually makes things go more smoothly.  There are several big decisions that need to be made.

• We spoke with son#1 last night. Their 40 foot "camper" has been established in St. Augustine. They moved it down from a spot in the Pocono Mountains.  We're excited to see both their new house, in Brunswick, and the trailer in St. Augustine. We love St. Augustine!

• My volunteer is catching on fairly quickly. It is new software, so there is a learning curve. I also don't think she has worked in detail like we have to, in a small organization. Today we will be working on a deposit. Hoping it goes well.

• Onyx kitty seems to be doing better, which makes me happy! Dr. Jill is coming to check on him next week. We need to keep him healthy!

So, my weekend will be a short one. At least I don't have to be at the retreat site until 9:00. I'll be able to sleep a little longer on Saturday. Thanks for stopping by!! Blessings & peace!

Thursday Thoughts....

I know we are all remembering the horrific events of this day, 13 years ago. The families of those lost are in my prayers this morning.

The DAR meeting last night was all about Constitution Week, since September 17 is the 227th birthday of our Constitution. There were proclamations from Governor Scott, read by our Regent, and Lakeland's Mayor, Howard Wiggs, was there with a proclamation. Our program speaker was our Sheriff, Grady Judd. His talk was interesting, enlightening and patriotic. We were reminded, through the Preamble of our Constitution, what we should expect from our government. He spoke about how amazing it is that this document has led our country for over 200 years..

We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

 Dessert.  Dinner was delicious.

 Sheriff Grady Judd

Our Mayor, Howard Wiggs

It was a really good crowd. Husbands were invited. Joe enjoyed it.

Thanks for stopping by! Happy Thursday! Peace, love & hugs.