December 1-7, 2014

Little Manatee River State Park

Monday-We set the alarm for 7AM because we wanted to get an early start on the 3 ½ hour drive down to Little Manatee River State Park where we will be work camping for the winter.

 

 

 

 

As usual I took care of most of the inside prep while Monte handled the outside chores. 

When Monte brought the awning in he noticed it wouldn’t retract all the way.  What?   

 

 

 

 

 

The frame had shifted and was not lining up with the track-Monte had to tap on the frame a few times to line it up and that did the trick.  IT IS ALWAYS SOMETHING!

We pulled out of our site right on time, stopping at the ranger station on the way out to thank the volunteer coordinator, Steve and the park manager, Kevin for the opportunity to work camp the past month.

The drive down was uneventful

except for a short delay when passing an accident that had occurred just minutes prior to our passing.

 

Just shortly after 2PM we arrived at Little Manatee River State Park-

Our home for the next few months.

Tuesday-Our arrival at the park coincided with the arrival of the new park manager, Joe.

We were recruited to assist him in unloading his moving truck.

 

 

 

I’m no fool-I let the guys handle the heavy stuff.

 

 

Wednesday-Monte and I volunteered to help Joe, the park manager for another day.  While Monte and Joe moved boxes and furniture around, I tackled the kitchen. 

Joe told me to use my judgment for placement of items.

 

  When I was finished I used post-its to label the cabinets so he would be able to see with a glance where to find things.

As a thank you, Joe treated us to lunch at Bob Evans.

Thursday-Monte worked a couple of hours in the morning while I worked on a project. 

 

On Friday we will be attending a party to celebrate a friend of the family’s 60^th year anniversary to coming to America.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Mom asked me to create a card.  When I researched the ship he arrived on (Nea Hellas) I discovered several sites containing passenger stories. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I thought Angelo might get a kick out of reading the experience of other emigrants so I printed out a few pages to put together a compilation that she can give him in lieu of a card.

I added a picture of his first home in America as well as his first Thanksgiving.

My gift to Angelo-

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday-At 7AM Monte took our camera outside hoping to get glimpse and take a picture of the Orion spacecraft.

  But there were too many clouds.

We took the hour long drive down to where my parents live in North Port.  Mom had lunch ready for us and then I went through all the mail that had accumulated since we left the area at the beginning of August.  My Mom graciously acts as our secretary, opening the mail and calling if there is something requiring immediate attention.  The rest of the mail (mostly junk) is put aside for me.

 

In the early evening we attended the dinner celebrating the 60 year anniversary of Angelo’s arrival in America. 

The weather was perfect for sitting out on the lanai, the food was delicious and the wine flowed freely.  (A little too freely for me). 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thankfully, Monte does not drink alcohol so I was able to sleep almost the entire drive home. 

Saturday-I was pleasantly surprised when I woke up that I didn’t have a hangover but I didn’t feel like exerting any energy.   So while I pretty much sat outside reading the entire day Monte did chores including washing my Jeep.  Thanks Sweetie.

Sunday-It was another lazy day split between sitting outside and being a couch potato.

Today marks the 73^rd anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.  I can remember as a child learning in school about the attacks but it was so far removed in years and geography that I didn’t really appreciate the significance of the event leading to our participation in a world war.

President Roosevelt called December 7 “a date which will live in infamy” but with so few survivors remaining it has become just a footnote in history and I fear, with time, so will 9-11. 

It is so important to remember because as the philosopher George Santayana so aptly put it, “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

To all the survivors of that horrific day 73 years ago, my thoughts and prayers are with you.