Springtime At The Vinoy

It's no secret that Vinoy Park is one of my favorite places down here. Lots of space for everyone, lots to see, and lot's of people living their lives. I won't intrude on the quiet solemnity of the park. You can see just about anything here; bustling civilization on 12 acres. A place to reflect, energize, and watch.

There is a local character, a nut job actually, who walks the park with peanuts, tossing out at the squirrels. He wanders the wide walkways calling out to his ~~family~~ uh, furry friends by name. He has named all of them and yells out things like "Oscar! You better come out, last chance for supper!" Frankly I think he does it for the attention and the looks he gets from tourists, but I suppose he is harmless enough. Just obnoxious.

This guy was having trouble getting on his board after a few months of chilly weather. He finally got on it but seemed to be awfully rusty.

I rather enjoy the ships that cruise into Tampa. No such docking area in St. Pete so this is about as close as we can get. And I don't do Tampa.

They were having a Boccie ball Tournament at the Vinoy on this day. Registration, lots of alcohol it looked like, and people milling around waiting for the start. Played Boccie Ball back in G-Burg for a while with the Tiki neighbors and Bonnie and Luther. It's a fun game, even more fun with a few beers.

All in all a typical outing at the Vinoy. It still ranks in the top 3 places to spend time here. Relaxing and finding a bench to sit on will reap much in the way of local sights.

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Flashback Friday

Class, Or Lack Thereof The Dwight Vice gravestone in Oquawka, Illinois. I bring this old chestnut out every so often just to remind me that class is classless. Dwight Vice was killed in his home near Oquawka in 2001. It was one of those things that can generate crime: two guys thought Dwight had a lot of money stashed at home because of his pot-selling sideline to supplement his fishing job. Not really one of those big drug deals gone-bad things. Marijuana was, according to the trial, about the only stuff Dwight sold. But these two guys barge into the house and killed Dwight and attempted to kill his 11 year old kid, Darryl, before they took off with what money they could find. His son, now 23, was stabbed in the back and left for dead. He survived and is wheelchair bound and has undergone several surgeries to repair his wounds. He will be paralyzed for life. None of this is pleasant. Reading the facts of the murder and attempted murder are most unpleasant

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Florida Air Museum - Part 3

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