Wednesday, January 25, 2006

returned from Florida

We arrived back from sunny, warm Florida to rainy, cold Virginia. Ugghhh! Ugly is to kind of a word for what we experienced weatherwise when we returned. There were branches all over the ground. The neighbors said that the wind gusted to seventy miles an hour. Our grill was turned sideways on the deck. The weather has been much better the last two days, but the wind has blown all day today. I like watching the white caps on the creek in front of the house as the sun plays on them. I went for a walk today. I parked the car at the Bethel Beach wild life preserve and walked the shore of the Chesapeake. It was windy, cold and very exhilerating at the same time.
The Florida trip was great. It was the first time that we had traveled with Glenn and Mary Lou. We got along wonderfully. The house that had been loaned to us in Mount Dora was really nice and well kept. We travelled from there to one of the theme parks each day. They were only an hour away. We all decided that we liked Sea World the most
Mount Dora is billed as the best spot in Florida for antiques, and we did see a bunch of shops. Antiques just don't interest me like they used to. I spotted a book store in the town that was having an open mike session and decided to read some poetry. It went well. There was a guy that came to the mike after me that must have though he was Mr. entertainer. He hogged the mike and sang awful songs in an awful voice and then read some pretty bad poetry. He drolled on and on and on!! We left.
We found a road side fruit stand with no one in attendance. They used the honor system. A fourteen lb bag of Oranges was five dollars. We simply placed the money in a can and left. The oranges, tangerines and grape fruit have been delicious.
My brother-in-law and I will be leaving for Florida in about five weeks for our annual two week fishing trip. Can't wait!
The Ol' Curmudgeon

Thursday, January 05, 2006

Made it home from Michigan

We arrived home last night about 7:00 pm and worked frantically to unload the van so that I wouldn't miss any of the Rose Bowl. What a game! Glenn, my brother-in-law, came to the house to watch it with me.
I spent the day taking down the outside Christmas decorations while Pat worked. The warm sunshine felt wonderful after fourteen days in the dregs of a piss poor Michigan winter. My sister Jan said that a Detroit weatherman stated that there had been only nine minutes of sunshine from the middle of December until Jannuary 5th. I couldn't wait to get back to the sunshine of Virginia.
My poem titled ,Sounding Board For Bad Taste was published in the Gloucester paper last week which made me feel pretty good.

The Ol' Curmudgeon

Monday, January 02, 2006

new book of poetry

I purchased a new book of poetry the other day and have had trouble laying it down. I have read it through once and have started through it again. I have not had much experience reading poetry that doesn't rhyme. This book is a compilation of many poets and most of the work doesn't rhyme. I have enjoyed it thoroughly. It is titled Good Poems For Hard Times, and is introduced by Garrison Keilor who expresses his views on poetry.
We leave for Virginia tomorrow. I can't wait to get out of here. The weather has been unbearable with constant clouds, rain, temps. averaging about 34, occasional wet sloppy, dirty snow that melts and is turned black beside the roads. UGGGGHHHH! The sun exposed itself for one hour yesterday. That is the only time that I haev seen it since the 20th of December.
We go to Florida for a week in January. Can't wait!!
The Ol' Curmudgeon