A Shining New Era is Tiptoeing Nearer for the TCD Gang

[AC in A2......Aaron 693]

Super Geek, Super Geek, He's Super Geeky!

[LONE-STAR 370]

Did your daughter tell you hello? We ran into her around 12:45 a.m. at the Emporium in MK Tuesday night.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Did your daughter tell you hello? We ran into her around 12:45 a.m. at the Emporium in MK Tuesday night.

What? No, she didn't. Good job finding her. That is where she has been working this week. Oh, the stories she had shared.

TCD

[Memphis 105]

Wow a Saturday and a Sunday post by TCD.  We are truly honored.  :pope:

[LONE-STAR 370]

What? No, she didn't. Good job finding her. That is where she has been working this week. Oh, the stories she had shared.

TCD

She has really grown up since the last time we saw y'all in person. I wasn't sure it was her at first. But she was very sweet and even remembered my daughters name but I think she was surprised how much my girl had grown.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

She has really grown up since the last time we saw y'all in person. I wasn't sure it was her at first. But she was very sweet and even remembered my daughters name but I think she was surprised how much my girl had grown.

I actually visited her yesterday, and she didn't mention it. But, it was a quick visit and she had to work. She had today off, and called us with some exciting news about her next assignment. I asked her about meeting y'all. She told me that she enjoyed the visit. It's pretty amazing that y'all found her.

TCD

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

My network is still blocking ff.net, but since Lonestar mentioned running in to Twin #2 at the Emporium, here's a photo I snuck of her this past Saturday night.

It's hard to believe, but she's been at it for two months now. She is assigned to Merchandise, and has risen through the ranks to where she is being deployed to the high traffic locations. She will be at another location this next week, and then in another park the week after. She then will have a longer assignment at a location she asked for. They are working her hard- a lot of closing shifts- but she absolutely loves it.

TCD

[jjbescher 17]

It sounds like she will still be working through August 8-17.

[AC in A2......Aaron 693]

That's great! I am glad she is having a good time with this experience!

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

It sounds like she will still be working through August 8-17.

  

Yes. She's there until January 5th.

That's great! I am glad she is having a good time with this experience!

I'm amazed by how much she likes it. The schedule is grueling. Doesn't seem like so much fun to me, but she really is enjoying herself.

TCD

[jjbescher 17]

  

Yes. She's there until January 5th.

I'm amazed by how much she likes it. The schedule is grueling. Doesn't seem like so much fun to me, but she really is enjoying herself.

TCD

 

Cool,

 

I will have to look for her when I am there then.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

She enjoys it because she is young, personable and motivated.  A winning combination. 

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

She enjoys it because she is young, personable and motivated.  A winning combination.

Thanks. That is kind of you. I'm biased, of course, but I agree.

She has colleagues who HATE it. But those are the kids who signed up to have a fun trip to Florida.

Twin#2 is there because she's majoring in hospitality and wants to learn all she can about it. She is taking it all very seriously, and is working her butt off. But, she's also having the time of her life.

TCD

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

I LOVE the crown! Glad she is doing well and rising up the ranks. I had a friend's daughter who had a similar experience at DL. Lots of kids didn't want to work and learn. She did, so she excelled. Twin #2 will be ready with experience in the industry and great references... that will land he a job quickly. 

[jmaul 65]

2 months!  Wow, time flies.

 

Glad Levi is having the time of her life.

[caveat lector 181]

Wow, this is an epic TR report and I'm just getting caught up. As I will most likely never tour Hemmingway's house I hope you have a pic of his last penny. Your pic says it's embedded in the patio by the pool.

Side note: we were OKW dvcers for many years until The Fort caught us. We loved it there and never had a bad experience. The theming and landscaping was so relaxing.

Good luck with your IT fun.

[Helmsey......Todd 134]

 She is taking it all very seriously, and is working her butt off. But, she's also having the time of her life.

TCD

 

The world could use more people with her attitude! Kudos to her!

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Please keep your hands and feet inside the vehicle, this TR will resume immediately!

 

Big props to the Super Geek for getting my connection issue resolved.

 

We still have a bit to go, and I was hoping to have this report officially end before now, but we will just have to deal with the little delay.

 

I need to go back and respond to some of the comments I missed before we move on.

 

 

I'm pretty sure it's always been pretty far down on the west end from what I remember.

 

Hey I meant to tell you in my first post have you heard of Silver Airways?  I found them this past spring, I've never used them but looks like they fly to Key West and all over Florida.  http://www.silverairways.com/

 

 

WBI

 

All of the cousins flew Spirit airlines from Tampa.  Every one of them had problems. I am not impressed with how Spirit handled things.

 

Coincidentally, our boat captain on a charter we took out later in the trip was a former pilot, and we discussed this very subject.  He said that the problem may have more to do with the Key West airport than Spirit.  He said Southwest pulled out of Key West because of constant problems that were caused by the airport, which led to so many scheduling problems, that they decided it wasn't worth the damage that their reputation was taking.

 

 

Kudos to you for climbing the KW lighthouse. I am a founding member of the FL Lighthouse Association and have climbed every public lighthouse and many that aren't in the state of FL. They are ALL hot and tight feeling but I never miss a chance to do it.

Also been to the Ernest Hemingway house, never again, I hate cats and they smell bad so that will be the only time I go there.

That looks like a nice house you all rented. Maybe I'll look into it for our next time since we don't have an RV anymore.

Snorkeling at Fort Zachary Taylor was pretty decent and the beach was nice there with a bar.

 

Pictures of Fort Zachary Taylor

https://www.flickr.com/photos/curbcrusher/sets/72157622391546697/

Pictures of Key West Lighthouse

https://www.flickr.com/photos/curbcrusher/sets/72157622392483271/

 

Man, I'm sorry it has taken me so long to respond to this comment.  That is very cool that you have climbed all of Florida's lighthouses.

 

I assume you know of the artist Roger Bansemer?  He is a good friend of Mrs. TCD's aunt and uncle. http://www.bansemer.com/lighthouse_prints.htm

 

Long story short, my family fished and we went to the Keys every year from 1946 until the older ones could not go. Probable around 1990, always stayed in same house last 40 years, always right after school was out. I went a few times after, but finally had to give it up due to gas cost. til ave my boat and fishing gear would love to get one more trip, but age is starting to be against me. 

 

Wow. I'd love to hear what the Keys were like in 1946.  I'm not even sure that the Overseas Highway was complete by then.  Was it?

 

That Island in the sunset picture is a man made one, actually it is the bottom of the harbor that was dredged so large ships could get in. I understand property on it is very expensive.

 

I figured that had to be man-made.  I'll bet those folks pay a bit for insurance.

 

 

Just a quick hijack while this TR is on hiatus. I was on my favourite "best of" site today (parents' TV died recently) and saw they of course have a recommendation for what they consider to be the best waterproof camera.

 

Hope the computer gremlins get sorted out for you soon!

 

Thanks for the link.  I don't recall ever visiting that site before.  That is a very well written review.

 

I had a FP+ for this ride and it broke down.....i really hate MyTragic+.

Bring back the paper FPs and MSB cinnamon rolls.

If they can bring back the Orange Bird, they can bring back paper FPs and MSB cinnamon rolls.

What is going on?

Free TCD's pics! Free TCD's pics! Free TCD's pics!

Attica! Attica!

 

Thanks for patiently waiting.

 

The Super Geek has delivered.

 

I knew he would.

 

TCD report on his Trip to the Keys has started me thinking I should write down some of the things we did in the 40 years or so going fishing to the Keys. There are only 2 of us left who went and both of us are in our 70s. Don't know if anyone in my family would be interested, but would hate for all the memories to be completely forgotten. If there is anyone on this board interested in how a Florida farm family went fishing cheap every summer, I could post some of them on here.

 

I am very interested in hearing about it.

 

I think you should make it its own thread. 

 

You and I need to catch up sometime.  I am a former Yankee, but Mrs. TCD's family was involved in Florida agriculture quite a ways back.  I wish her dad was still alive, he would have sat and talked to you for hours.  It was his favorite topic.

 

Great pics as always! I still haven't got past 50% off. Nice.

 

Thanks.

 

Yes, 50% off!  I am already plotting another trip.  This new era is pretty awesome so far.

 

 

I saw and had pictures of the cat going thru the ring of fire back in 1990, but tragically they perished in my own fire....the pictures, that is.

 

That's the last time I was there.  The place looks the same.

 

Hope Super Geek come thru soon so you can get back to posting.

 

What?  You had a fire?  And you lost your cat photos?  That stinks.

 

The Super Geek did come through, and we will be moving on with this report in just a bit!

 

TCD

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

Yay!!!!

[dvccamper 32]

Hooray, he's back!

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Well, here we go.

 

Page 37!

 

Wow!

 

We're still in Key West.

 

But not for too much longer.

 

On Saturday, the cousins decided to rent scooters to tour the island.  I didn't look forward to a head injury, broken bones, or even road rash, so I volunteered to rent the electric car to drive grandma around.

 

The place we rented our conveyances from was right across from the Green Parrot bar, which claims to be the oldest bar in Key West.  This is disputed by Captain Tony's, but I don't think it matters to anyone but those two bars:

 

 

It's weird typing a trip report more than a month after the trip happened.  The whole World Cup thing hadn't happened, but at the time, here goes a family decked out in Brazil gear- complete with Vuvuzela:

 

 

With the scooters/electric car, we had a good time touring the island on our own.  We ended up at the Key West Butterfly Conservatory, which was right up Grandma's alley.

 

As you might expect, it was full of butterflies:

 

 

Even blue ones:

 

 

And this kind too:

 

 

If you want to see a whole lot of butterflies, I recommend this place.

 

Then it was time for lunch.  We went to a place on the far east side of Duval Street.  There was a beach that appears to be open to the public right there:

 

 

The sand looks nice, but the water was gross here- full of seaweed.

 

There's a pier here, and I think at one point, the end of the pier was considered to be the southernmost point.  But, you can see the Navy property by looking west, and it is definitely further south.  Plus, they have a giant golf ball there too:

 

 

It ended up that we liked having the electric car so much, that we decided to keep it overnight.  Which meant I had to charge it.  Which meant I had to move my car so I could park the electric car near the house and the extension cord could reach.  Here's the electric car:

 

 

That was all fine and good, but it meant that I had to find a legal place to park on a Saturday night.

 

Which wasn't easy.

 

I had to park several blocks away.

 

So, on Sunday morning, I went to get the car so I could put it back after I moved to electric car.

 

Which means we're going on a walk.

 

Here's a house with a beautiful flowering tree which was near ours:

 

 

This one was just down the street from us:

 

 

There's another Royal Poinciana tree:

 

 

I have to say that I really enjoyed staying in the historic area of Key West.  There are beautiful details here that go back to the good old days.  Like this brick sidewalk:

 

 

The way on-street parking works around here is that there are spaces that are marked as being available for residents only.  You have to have a special permit to park in those spaces.  Then there are unmarked spaces.  I had been able to find a space on our street up until this point, but not on a Saturday night.  I would hate to see how it is during the height of tourist time.  Here's what the residential spaces look like- you have to look carefully- and it's hard to see the writing at night:

 

 

It turns out that our house was just a few blocks down from the Key West cemetery, and that I had to park right across from it the night before.  In the dark of night.  This is how it looked in the morning.  Note the moon is still high above it:

 

 

There's my parking space down there:

 

 

The cemetery is kind of a tourist attraction, and they have ghost tours that they do around the island every night.  The Conch Train includes a route that goes past the cemetery, but we didn't do any of that.  The cemetery apparently is open to the public, so since I was right here, I decided to take a look around.

 

As you might expect, there are a lot of graves:

 

 

Everything looks really old. Haunted Mansion-ish:

 

 

There's yet another Royal Poinciana tree:

 

 

Graves and more graves:

 

 

A high-rise:

 

 

There are a lot of plots that seem to be family plots with available spaces:

 

 

Everything in this graveyard just seems really old and decaying.  These graves have plants growing on them- the tombstones in back are from 1881 and 1904:

 

 

Here's a Royal Poinciana tree growing right in the middle of some graves:

 

 

This family has secured their plot with a chainlink fence:

 

 

This one went condo- and apparently has inventory available:

 

 

Seems crowded:

 

 

Here's something a bit more modern- I wonder what this is about?:

 

 

Ah, it's the grave of Norm Taylor, who just died in 2007.  He apparently was better known as Captain Outrageous.  Cool name:

 

 

I never heard of Captain Outrageous.  But, it looks like he still has folks who remember him.

 

There goes a local riding through:

 

 

I heard that there's a big section of this cemetery where Cuban families bury their dead.  It may be over there in the distance where the Cuban flag is flying:

 

 

You want to know something?

 

There's nothing like a walk through an old cemetery to get you thinking deep thoughts about life.

 

And what it all means.

 

And what's important.

 

There is not a one of us who isn't going to end up just like all the folks here.

 

The sad thing is that from the looks of things, a lot of these graves are forgotten.

 

There has to be something more.

 

Right?

 

TCD

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

Did you read the inscriptions on those old tombstones?  Some of them are hilarious!

 

Glad you're back.

[lklasing 16]

You're back! Glad to see you and your pictures back in the game!

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Did you read the inscriptions on those old tombstones?  Some of them are hilarious!

 

Glad you're back.

 

I know that there are supposed to be some funny ones, but I didn't see any of them.

 

No big deal. If I want to read funny tombstones, I can go to the Haunted Mansion.

You're back! Glad to see you and your pictures back in the game!

It's good to be back. I'm glad that Super Geek got it all sorted out.

 

TCD

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Oops.

 

I let the ghost get me.

 

She must be reading because of the graveyard pics.

 

TCD