Visiting The Villages

The current Mrs. Blythe roped me into escorting her to see her sister and brother-in-law two weekends ago. I like an adventure as much as the next guy, even if it means a stop to see people. As you all know, I'm a people person. Ask anyone. Whenever I've ever been around them: past, way-way past and present, there's always been a kind of gender segregation. The guys are with the guys and the women are with the women. I've never liked that set-up because then it means that instead of being a 4th, and can sit back and muse, I'm thrust into a couple deal and forced to actually engage in conversation. It can be draining.

But I like Bill, and really, always have. He has always been decent to me and tends to be a talker, thus relieving me of the responsibility. Besides, Bill and I share a passion. He has around 10 old cars and I have one, too. They live in The Villages, about 3 hours away from where I am incarcerated.

For those not aware of The Villages, it is a sprawling mega retirement city a family started in the 60's. They are building at a phenomenal rate: 185 new homes per month. The population is 125,000 and Forbes has listed it as one of the best 25 Places To Retire two years running. They have 48 golf courses and three community hubs. It is a golf cart community. I couldn't afford their front door. But I digress.

Golf carts here even have their own roads, separate from cars.

In the Community Center is a military museum, of sorts. It's pretty neat. The painting above is the work of Dwight Eisenhower. He finished it and didn't like the unbalanced look of it so gave it to his White House valet.

This is the leather case that Eisenhower used all through the War. It is likely it contained some of the most important war documents, secrets and plans.

On the way back we stopped at the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell. Field after field of the single white marble stones. There are a couple of Medal of Honor winners here and each one sacrificed something to provide us with our freedoms. Let's not blow it.

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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

Summer Swim

It's Monday and the start of another work week. Except for me. I have the week off because the parents of my daycare charges are taking the week off, too. This is one of those wordless posts I love on Mondays so I can put my laziness in full view of loyal readers. These pics need no words. Why muddy the waters? They were taken at the pool at Sinkhole Estates aka Death Valley. The nice thing about this pool is it is heated in winter. If one must find positives in one's situation, I suppose that is one. But, please, no more.

Florida Air Museum - Part 3

Welcome back to a pretty neat tour of the Florida Air Museum in Lakeland Florida. There's a lot to see and a couple of the old Geezer Gold Wing guys are already sitting down instead of walking around looking at the exhibits. That's John who is wore out and making a call to his wife. In all honesty, John was pretty well bushed before the ride. He told me his daughter's family was down from one of the Carolina's with the grand kids and he must have played with them too much. He's about to take off on his own and head for home, but he's going to miss a couple of neat things out on Hangar A. But, before we walk over there, we have lots yet to see here. If you saw The Aviator with Leonardo DiCaprio playing Howard Hughes, you'll remember that he went up in a plane during the filming of one of his movies to prove a point about flying. He crashed trying to execute a roll and this is a picture of the plane he crashed. Note the propeller

Existing In BFE

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