Let's Take a Little Drive!

DDFF'ers... see if you recognize anything, early in this video:

DDFFer's, Take Note:

From the local newspaper, "The Destin Log":

DESTIN
Divers aboard the Sea Cobra on Saturday got a close-up look at the breaching humpback whale that was sighted about a mile off of Crystal Beach. "We got word that it was out in the Gulf" said Steve Powell, manager of ScubaTech, which ran the dive excursion. They spent the next hour and a half just tracking along with it. "Everybody was thrilled," he added.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said the whale was about 35 to 40 feet long, traveling east between the East Pass and Henderson Beach. The whale did not appear to be in poor health, according to FWC officers.
"That's kind of like a once-in-a-lifetime type of experience" Powell said.

Reports on TV news indicate the Humpbacks seem to have made a miraculous recovery from near extinction recently. Maybe we'll get a chance to see a few from the balcony in the future?
Wouldn't that be wonderful?
UPDATE-
Destin Humpback photos here.

DDFF 2008- At "Grazi's"

There were ten of us, so we were seated at two tables, as close to one another as possible. This is the upper, V.I.P. table.

The riff-raff was seated just below, where we could gaze in envy at our bettors.

This rude person got tired of the seating arrangement and decided to cause mischief.
He should have brought puppets, he could have expressed his displeasure with the seating arrangement with them.

Of course that's stretching the truth about as far as it can be stretched...
Food at the DDFF is one of the problems... there's too much of it and it is all wonderful. (You can see the take-home bags on the table in the middle picture above.) Grazi's starts your meal with roasted garlic mixed with Olive oil and fresh parmesan cheese, and fresh Italian bread to dip into that mix. I could make a meal on it alone!

And while I have your attention, I hope you'll remember on this special day that many have died to protect us and keep us safe to travel and meet like the folks you see in these pictures.
Please keep them, and our troops presently at risk, in your thoughts and prayers.

Life is a Beach

Miramar Beach, that is. Better known to the DDFF Trojans as Destin, Florida. With the gulf’s emerald green waters and white sand beaches and the hospitality of Greybeard and Sara Jean – Life was grand! At least for the week. Saturday and Sunday, we all headed home to the real world.

The beaches in the area are actually made of quartz sand eroded and washed down rivers from the Appalachian Mountains. Makes a perfect beach. Trouble with a beach like that – you want to spend all of your time there. Not unlike that Perfect Margarita that GoldenGirl and TwoDogs talk about. Hang around the beach or the margarita too much and you will get into trouble…..Different troubles, but trouble just the same!

This year, there were 10 DDFFers. Same number as last year. Flygirl and her Hoosier Boy were not able to make it this year. We missed them (so did our favorite waitress at Kenny Ds). Carol and Tracy took up the slack. Carol was not feeling well and that put a little damper on their stay. Hope Carol is feeling better. We enjoyed having them. Harry and Carol stayed at the complex this year instead of driving home every night. Harry even brought his Bass Cat (great fishing boat) with him. TC and Harry fished the rivers and lakes for 4 days. I’ll let them tell you how they did….

Cinders and I arrived on Sunday evening and made a bee line to Kenny Ds. Great Mahi Mahi. That night, we sat on the balcony, enjoyed the company and the conversation. It had been windy for a few day and the swells were really rolling in. You could hear the surf from the balcony. Really nice evening. The skies stayed clear for the next couple of days. Took in some sun on the beach the next day – Us Yankees couldn’t stay out in it long, though. Dinner for the group at Callahan's Restaurant & Deli Monday evening. Seems as if everyone had a great dinner. Desserts were too delicious!

Next day, another nice one. Guys got up early to go fishing again. Some of us hung out by the pool and in the afternoon, went to Destin Commons. Nice area – didn’t see it last year, but, enjoyed it this year. That evening, we all went to Grazi’s. Italian – pasta dishes w/seafood. WOW…. Again, all 10 went. Not sure Carol was able to enjoy it like the rest of us, though.

Wed., 5/14/2008. What happened 42 years ago? Happy Anniversary, Harry and Carol!
Day started like the others. Guys were gone fishing before the sun rose. Sara Jean made delicious breakfast sandwiches and then we all decided to head southeast to Seaside, a 45 minute drive from Greybeard’s Condo. The little village had something going on and there were tons of people milling around. Interesting layout of homes. Most of them hidden by lush foliage. Got out/milled around/got in and headed back. Stopped at the outlet mall for a quickie (remember, we are old – so it is either quick or not at all!) I’m talking about the shopping….. That evening, H & C, TC and Sharon and Carol & Tracy went to Baytown Wharf to help celebrate the anniversary. Greybeard, Sara Jean, Cinders and TwoDogs went back to Kenny Ds for some red beans and rice and that great Mahi Caesar.

Next day, Carol and Tracy headed to Ocala and Greybeard’s Mother and Sister arrived from Pensacola. For me, it was very nice to see both of them after such a long time. Both were Valley Girls. Nellie even worked at the Bee Hive for awhile. It rained on and off that day, so we spent the day visiting…

Friday, with time winding down, the groups split up. Some went to a movie and others went to Destin Commons. Consensus was that we would meet back at the condo and go to the Back Porch for dinner. Had a good dinner that evening and returned back to the condo to play Hand and Foot. The guys snookered me into playing (I had never played before). Played partners and Cinders and I held our own to the very end. Very enjoyable game. Lots of rules to remember, but, with 5 women helping???? me out – I made it to the end. 0030hours – time to hit the sack…

Saturday morning came quickly. We rose early and were on the road by 0645. Home 12 hours later. Reflecting back, the DDFF hosted by Greybeard and Sara Jean has been a great getaway for us. Fish or no fish, I’ll be back for more….

2008 DDFF

The 2008 DDFF is a memory. I think attendees would all agree, it's a great memory.
Once again, yours truly has proven to have the highest-mileage, least used camera in the nation. I took a few pictures, but not nearly as many as I should have.
Here are a few:

Again this year, Kenny D's was a magnet at mealtime. Ms. Gracie's Blackened Mahi-mahi, Shrimp, and Red Beans and rice with Andouille sausage make the two block walk to Kenny D's worthwhile. The ultra-casual atmosphere makes visiting easy. (But unfortunately Carrie-Anne, FlyGirl's scourge, was notably absent during our stopovers there.) This is the scene from the back corner of the cafe.


Lots of smiles to be had while catching up with one-another.


TC looks confused...
Just what is Sharon talking about?


Tracy... just bein' cool.



Sara Jean and Cinders at the Gazebo after dinner.
The sun was just setting and I was hopeful you could see the surf breaking behind them, but the flash wiped out the background. Too bad.

We had almost perfect weather again this year. Mother Nature complied one day with a little rain and cloudy skies, making shopping without beach-regret possible. Most mornings found Harry and TC scouting for good fishing spots for next year's DDFF. Isn't that a nice way of putting it guys? (Mostly they found places we shouldn't waste our time visiting... no fish!)

The absence of FlyGirl and Hoosier Boy was palpable. We missed you guys! But still, we increased our numbers from 8 last year to 10 this year. Plans for Trojans in Alaska and it's proximity to May and the DDFF 2009 are making us consider our options for next year, so we'd like to hear your thoughts along those lines. But as Carol indicated,
I think all would agree...
this gathering was relaxing and fun. If you can make it next year, let us know so we can start making plans.

WHAT A GET AWAY

What a Get Away –We had another super reunion with some of our classmates in Destin, Florida. Thank you David & Alona. This was the first time Tracy & I had been to Destin and words or pictures do not even begin to describe the beauty and serenity. Their condo is absolutely gorgeous; Alona has done a great job on decorating and making it feel like home away from home.Our trip started out leaving Indy and headed for Portland, Tennessee. Stayed with my cousin and her babies, bichon puppies. She talked us into stopping back by on our way home and taking back one of her babies with us, a new little boy. We visited with family and left Saturday morning for Destin. Arrived to find David & Alona setting on the balcony waiting for us (this is after we called when we were lost and they directed us to the condo). Alona fixed stir fry, we visited for a while with David, Alona and David’s mother Nellie. It was interesting to talk with Nellie and to go back to the 50’s where she knew some of my family. I had printed out a genealogy report that I have been working on for about 13 years. Sure enough, David, Patsy and I are all related.
Sunday morning started out as we did every morning there, coffee on the balcony watching the waves. It was windy so there were some good waves coming ashore. Afternoon went to Kenny D’s for lunch. I had the best shrimp I’d ever tasted. Everyone started arriving and after all was to Destin safe we all went back to KennyD’s for supper. They really do have a great Strawberry Daiquiri. Nice walk on the beach and back to the condo where we continued visiting till bed time.
Monday morning, coffee and balcony. Started off good but before long my right side of my face started going numb. Consciences was I was having an allergic reaction to the shell fish I had eaten on Sunday. Tracy went to Wal Mart and got some bennedryl. After a few hours all numbness was gone. Went to Callahan’s for dinner and food was excellent. Stayed away from the fish dishes.
Tuesday morning, coffee and balcony. Everyone went shopping at the consignment shops. WOW – they should have some of these in Indiana. David & Alona found a beautiful dining room set for the condo and the price, well lets just say you wouldn’t find anything like that in Indiana. Tuesday evening we went to another great restaurant, this time Italian. Sure glad David and Alona know all the good places to eat.
Wednesday morning, coffee and balcony. Wasn’t feeling the greatest that morning (hadn’t been to the bathroom since we left Indy). Tracy headed back to Wal Mart to get something to help with my problem. Didn’t work. David suggested he knew exactly what I needed. He and Tracy took off and came back with 30 Kastles. (they are like white castles, he called them sliders). After that Sharon came to the rescue with exactly what I needed. Thanks Sharon. Some of us went to Baytown Wharf to celebrate Harry & Carol’s 42nd wedding anniversary. Neat area with lots of shops and restaurants. Harry picked the place, setting outside to eat and listening to a terrific band. Ended by going by the ice cream shop for dessert.
Thursday morning, coffee and balcony. Alona had made peanut butter cookies on Wednesday so that’s what I had for breakfast with my coffee. What else would you have on vacation? The electrical company decided they would change out all the meters in all the condos. So about 8 AM we are without electricity. Tracy & I took our showers in the dark and had already planned to go to Ocala, Florida to see another cousin. We took off and headed Southeast. Got to my cousins and she had supper on the table. We ate, played a few hands of Euchre, set on their back patio visited awhile and then off to bed.
Friday morning, coffee and back patio. We hit a couple of flea markets and then met up with Kaye & Bill. They had bought a new camper and was trading their old one in. Helped transfer everything from one camper to the other. Had BarBQ Ribs and all the fixings for supper. Played some Euchre and then off to bed. Was up and down all night going to the bathroom. Didn’t turn the light on cause I didn’t want to wake up.
Saturday morning I finally, at 4 AM, turned the light on this time when I got up and there was blood. I told Tracy maybe we had better call the doctor. They told me to go to the nearest emergency room. I ended up in Munroe Regional Medical Hospital. They hooked me up to an IV, ran all sorts of test and a CT. I had a server Kidney infection. They filled me full of antibiotics, pain medicine and I’m not sure what else. Enough I thought that would get me home. Left Ocala about 1:30 PM. About 3 hours into the drive, I started getting sick. Tracy pulled over to get some gas and I barely made it out of the car when I lost it. Everything I had eaten for the day came back up. Got back on the road & Tracy drove till we got to Dalton, Georgia. By the time we got into our room I was in tears. The pain was so bad I was ready to dye. I tried to eat but was so tired just went to sleep. Slept for 11 hours.
Sunday morning, I had thought if I wasn’t feeling any better when I woke up I was going straight back to a hospital. Thankfully, Sunday morning was a much better day. Headed home. Stopped by Portland and picked up the baby, we have named him Sergio, arrived home around 9 PM. What’s the old saying “Back home again in Indiana” . Hopefully everyone else made their trip home safely. All in all, I was glad I went and able to enjoy the company with classmates, friends and family. I would post some pictures but I forgot my camera so I’ll have to rely on David for the pictures of Destin.

A Couple More Pics

Those of you that have not been back to Center Grove High School since the mid-60's would be in for the shock of your life seeing our old school today. The new school occupies the parking lot shown on the flyleaves of our '65 school annual.
Old football field... gone. Some of what we knew as fairly new structure was destroyed to make way for new, more usable construction... what we thought was a nice, new auditorium for instance, was destroyed and replaced with classrooms.

Hatchet knows his way around and volunteered to escort DJ, TwoDogs, and me around.

Hatchet, DJ or TD, correct me if I'm wrong on this... The main entrance to the school now faces Morgantown road as I recall, kind of across from where Fulmer's orchard was.
When you walk in the door you are greeted by this sign:


I'm told it was rescued from the entrance to our old middle building... A nice touch.

We walked around the hallways, old and new. At one point in the new part of the building I knew we were in trouble when I saw where we were... in the "Twilight Zone"!



Hatchet led us through the bowels of the building, and when we were thoroughly lost, he pointed out a stairway that used to lead out of the old tunnel on the East side of the High School. It was the spot where the old stairway was that we used to come in after football practice or Phys. Ed.. You'd pass the football team locker room on the right, then you'd reach a point where you had to turn right and the boys locker room was on the right there. I think Mr. L's first all boy class was located right in that area. A left turn then took you past the girls lockers where you had to make another right turn. Walking further led us out into the old gymnasium, now referred to as the "West Gymnasium".
What memories! There have been slight changes... the old overlook viewing area from the band room has been bricked over. My father volunteered to hang the first florescent lights from the beams in the gym... The long tubes he hung have been replaced by new, more efficient lights. The banners telling everyone how many Sectional and County championships we won are gone, and the walls look sadly bare. But the heart of the gym hasn't changed. The four of us were stirred to relate many memories of the place. We could have spent hours there reminiscing.

Hatchet, that tour is something I literally have dreamed about doing for years, and you made it possible!
I cannot adequately express my thanks.

Still Trojans!

Forty-one years of working in one of the noisiest environments known to man has taken its toll on my hearing. I'm nearly deaf in my right ear and I can't hear too good outta the left one. "Pardon me?" is something I find myself saying 963 times a day, (I counted)... and that gesture is accompanied with cupping my hand behind my left (better) ear while I look at your lips, hoping you'll be kind enough to repeat what you said.
It's frustrating.

I come to reunions to see and visit with people I haven't seen in years. That was the case at this year's alumni banquet too...
I haven't talked with Mr. L., one of my favorite teachers, since we moved from that radiator-hissing middle building. What I wanted most was to chat comfortably with him, NOT shout over the ambient sounds of some DJ playing "The Hustle" at warp factor 9.
So I'm here to tell ya, I've finally learned my lesson...
Next reunion/alumni banquet, while others shake their booties on the dance floor, I'll invite the object of my attention to join me, pick up my chair and move to quieter environs so maybe I only have to say "Pardon me?" 949 times.

He's looking well and happy, wouldn't you agree? And why shouldn't he? Have you seen his bride?


A cheeseburger, order of fries, and a Pepsi, please.
Those of you that came to visit me at the BeeHive while I worked there may remember the face of the owner, Ron D.:

He looks serious, Echo!
Did you do something that deserved detention?

The ever-smiling TwoDogs and his better, (and I can't stress that enough), half:

DJ and Shifty hold down the fort while the rest of us scramble for the last of the apple crisp:

You've seen several comments re. the performance the "CG Sound System" put on for us.
Wow.
It's just hard to put into words how wonderful these kids are. Memory fails me, but I think they've finished first in 7 or 8 National competitions.
Wanta see why?
The quality is not the best but you can get an idea here:



Do I need to say again?... if you missed this banquet, you missed a great time.
Make a mental note now for next year. And maybe you can join me in the "hearing disabled" area!

UPDATE:
This is one of the numbers these talented kids performed for us at the banquet.