1965 Love Story

I walked down an old street the other day right by the house where I lived in 1965. I loved that house. I loved the boy next door. We built that house new after my father died. We chose it from a model home display - the first one I had ever seen. It cost $16,000 to build back then.

The house was red brick with double white doors. Everything in it was brand new since there was nothing from our previous life that we wanted to save. There was a curved brick wall and a little fountain at the entrance. There was an upstairs room with big windows, a peaked ceiling and a parquet floor. At 17 I did most of the decorating. We had sleek, dark Danish modern furniture, beige carpet and a muted color scheme downstairs. Upstairs was a modern sofa with a kind of orange burlap upholstery and a futuristic beige leather rocker and ottoman. The man from Sears came and took measurements for drapery. I showed up and managed to object to some detail from every room. My mother gently but firmly stepped in and the drapes were made to her specifications. They were beautiful. For my room I chose a dark Danish modern bedroom set and dramatic seagreen drapes and bedspread. I used a dark coffee table as a bench in front of a long window. I had a seat cushion on it and a little aqua princess phone that lit up at night. The room smelled like "Wind Song" my favorite perfume. It was a great room!

I was engaged at the time to my first boyfriend who was serving in Vietnam. Someone built a house next to ours with one empty lot in between. My mother became friends with the owner who was a pretty divorced women. Amazingly she was a medical record librarian like my own mother. My mom kept coming home and telling me about the cute guy next door. I would peek out the window and see a tall boy with glasses. I wasn't impressed. One day I answered a knock at the door with a towel on my wet hair and there stood a very cute guy with short dark hair and crinkley gray/blue eyes. I literally lost my breath. He was returning some lawn chairs that had blown out of our yard. It turned out he was staying with his mom on break from going to Oklahoma University. The boy I kept seeing was his brother who became friends with my brother.

Anyway, long story short. I fell in love with the guy next door but I kept wearing my engagement ring and writing to the guy in the army. The day came to pick him up at the airport. I was all emotional and dramatic but determined to marry my fiance. My friend Sheila went with me and took pictures of us embracing. But I tell you as soon as I saw him I realized I loved the other one. What to do??? I went with him to get a car that he had been saving for. He picked a new burgundy 1965 Mustang.

Inevitably we had a dramatic scene with me and my neighbor running to meet each other in the middle of the vacant lot next door. My army boyfriend was very upset but he met up with my friend, Sheila. They eventually ended up getting married. Unfortunately the neighbor went back to school a few months later and I ended up alone. I went heartbroken with my mom and brother to our new home in Florida near my aunt Nellie. That was 45 years ago!

So, the other day I typed what I thought was the old address into Googlemap. I turned on Street View and there it was. The big windows upstairs, the double white doors, my bedroom window in the front. And there was the vacant lot still vacant and my boyfriend's house next door with the windows covered over with boards. From the satelite map I could zoom into the back yard and pick out the octagon shaped patio we put under some trees to hold a covered swing. So I knew it was the right place. I don't have many pictures of that time. Army boyfriend burned the ones I sent him and I didn't have any copies.

Imagine this post with Sonny and Cher singing "I Got You, Babe". I was into the popular songs of the 60's along with folk music and Bob Dylan. That is my memory trip back to 1965.

Peggy's Birthday

I love this picture of Joyce and Peggy

Left to right: Joyce, Peggy (sitting), me and Karin

We all met up at Cody's Steakhouse and ate out on the patio. A fan was blowing mist around and a singer was playing Mellencamp and Sheryl Crow. Good friends, good food, beer and margueritas. It was truly a Happy Hour (or two). Happy Birthday, Peggy!

Beach

This picture shows one parking lot and some picnic tables but not the covered shelters, the old fort, the pier, the campground, the snack bars and gift shops, the miles of sidewalks for bikes and roller blades or the miles of white sandy beaches. This is truly a special place!

The water was warm and clear

The sand was white and clean

Ft. De Soto has a unique combination of grassy park, shady pines and wide white beach

We set up in the shade of some pine trees, near a little creek that Jonah loves

This is the most crowded I have ever seen Ft. De Soto and there was still plenty of elbow room

Jonah in his element

Bucket full of water critters

Perfect beach quilt

We had a beautiful day at Ft. De Soto park. Even the drive is fun. Straight on I-275 across the Howard Franklin bridge all the way to the Pinellas Bayway (last exit before the Sunshine Skyway bridge) and then turn left for Ft. De Soto or go straight for St. Pete Beach and the Don Cesar hotel. We listened to Jaime's custom music CD's and pointed out the landmarks while Jonah was the navigator with the map. As Mia said, "We're gonna have FUN!"

last day of school/Jonah turns 10!

Jill and Mia being crazy

Papa Jerry, Jonah and friends get ready for a birthday camping trip.

Jonah and teacher at the last day party

Jill and Cory with her teacher. Next stop, second grade!

A pretty picture of Nibbles in his favorite spot (except for Roger's lap)

School is out for the summer. Jonah is turning 10 years old and going on a camping trip to celebrate. I took Jonah and Jill to the bookstore for his and her upcoming birthdays. They both chose Wimpy Kid books and tee shirts. Jill is moving on to second grade and looking forward to her birthday in July. Oh, and one more milestone, Mia is potty trained!!! She has been doing great the last few days. Happy News!!!

A Three-Year Old's Pecking Order

Mia last Christmas time. The binkie is gone now. The little birdies took it.

Like every mom and grandma, I have family stories that I tell over and over until everyone is tired of hearing them. Except the grandkids. They still like to hear the stories about themselves. I want to preserve them here as I remember them, but this is a new story.

Mia decided to give everyone a number. I don't know why or exactly when, but she has decided that she is #1 and I tease Jonah because he is #2. Somehow Jill is #6. There are many more but I get them mixed up. She does not. She often asks me if we can go to the park and play with #2 and #6. I have to tell her again and again that Jonah and Jill are in school and we will go play when school is over. Jaime says some of her friends even argue over which number they are. But Mia has her own system.

Speaking of repeating things over and over, she has been saying lately, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" My usual response is, "I don't know. What are you thinking?" This only elicits the same question. After many times I tell her, "Yes, Mia, I AM thinking the same thing you are thinking!"

Anniversary #4

Roger and me at a friend's wedding

My anniversary gift. Created by Roger's daughter.

We went to Ivarone's last night for our anniversary instead of driving out to the Rusty Pelican where we got married 4 years ago. Wanted to go, but didn't want to do the drive. Ivarone's was awesome. We had a great steak with enough left over for another meal and we had coffee and cannoli's for desert. Roger is a new fan of cannoli's.

First Anniversary at the Rusty Pelican

Ha! I think Roger is wearing the same shirt he wore for 4th anniversary below. I guess we both like that shirt.

Rusty Pelican

Sugar free cake with our wedding topper

We celebrated with Mary and Bruce, Karin and Alan and Rick and Darlene.