Sleuths Mystery Dinner Theatre

While Dawn was in Orlando, Jim and I wanted to take her out to dinner. There are several "Dinner Theatres" in Orlando but we chose the Sleuths Mystery Dinner Show. We heard that, not only was the show good, but the food was very good also. It was one of those audience participation plays in which someone gets killed and the audience is suppose to figure out 'who done it'. The play we saw was called "Kim & Scott Tie the Knot". Long story short; the groom gets killed and the best man 'done it'. But the funny part was when the 'bride' got up and declared that she needed, "Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue". Her dress was new, she borrowed a napkin from an audience member, her garter was blue, but she still needed 'something old'. Then she came down off the stage, stood in front of Jimmy and ask, "Would you be my old thing?" Of course he said he would. Then she proceeded to take him back stage. In a few minutes he stumbled out onto the stage with red lip prints all over his face and said, "Boy, this is the best wedding I have ever been to". To this the father of the bride said, "This may be the last wedding you ever go to". It was so funny seeing Jimmy as part of the play.

The pictures below are of Jimmy and the actress that played the "bride". The earmuffs were from her costume but she just put them on Jimmy's head. We really did have a great time!!

Orlando with Dawn

Dawn "had" to go to Orlando for some training at work and that was a great excuse for Jim and I to meet her in Orlando. We drove from Ocala, only a little over an hour, to pick her up at the Orlando Airport. We actually arrived in Orlando before Dawn boarded the plane in Atlanta, just to be sure we could find the Airport and to look around a bit. When we called her to say we were almost to Orlando she was concerned that we would get tired just waiting for her in the Airport. Well, we didn't. You should see this Airport!! The picture below is the Orlando Airport/Lobby of the Hyatt Hotel. I have never seen a hotel and an airport put together like this. It was really neat!!

.....and we were busy the whole time. We went to Starbucks....then to Sea World....then to Starbucks....then to Disney World....then Starbucks.....then Universal Studios....then Starbucks....OK, you get the idea, plenty of caffine before we left the airport.

....and we met old friends

.....and we made new friends

Jimmy's new friend could not speak English and Jimmy does not speak Spanish but all three of them had fun being "Goofy".

....ALL IN THE ORLANDO AIRPORT. Then Dawn arrived and we took her to her hotel. The hotel was fabulous!! It was like a big Las Vegas hotel!! Pictures below. That is what you get when you work for a large company (not the government). We stayed at the Holiday Inn (not pictured because is could not compare).

After we got settled in our hotels we all went to dinner together. The dinner was go much fun it deserves it's own entry. See "Sleuth Mystery Dinner"

Dinner with Anne and Richard!!

This evening I had dinner with some old friends who are currently living in the Poconos. That is a very nice place where Yankees live, but Anne has not forgotten how to talk yet. I could still hear a "y'all" coming from her every once in a while. They were joined by Doreen and John Houpt and Ann Rodgers. We all had a great meal at Sconyers Bar-B-Q and got caught up on what is happening with each other. It was a very nice evening and it was a joy to see friends. The pictures below are of Anne and Richard, Anne and John Houpt, Doreen Houpt and Ann Rodgers.
PS I just wanted to add that Anne had a present for each of us. She gave us a really cute change purse from the Pocono Mountains and inside the change purse was a refrigerator magnet from Philadelphia and three quarters. The three quarters are to pay the toll across the river when we come to visit her. We also got directions to her house and a standing invitation to visit. It was very thoughtful.

Aqueduct Park, Augusta, Georgia

As Florida residents visiting Georgia, Jim and I decided to try to see all the "interesting" things in Georgia, starting with Augusta. Well, we caught the tail end of Mary Morrison during a News Break talking about Aqueduct Park opening today. So we called around and found out that "Aqueduct Park" was on the Augusta Canel near Sibly Mill. Since we had nothing else to do....we went out to find it and were really pleasently surprized!! It was really cool!! There are two beautiful waterfalls flowing into a lagoon, that you can swim in, framed by the aqueducts, which were created by Italian stonemasons in 1850. The best thing is this park was cleaned up by Augusta citizens, who call themselves "The Saturday Crew". They have been coming out to this place every Saturday for the past year cleaning it up. The pictures below were taken this morning when it was opened up by Mayor Deke Copenhaver. It was also attended by Commissioner Betty Beard, who was helped down the steep path by Austin Rhodes. I also saw a couple old friends, i.e. CSM (Retired) Hussy and Charles Stewart. Charles retired from the Directorate of Training in 2005 and it was great to see him. I hope you enjoy the pictures and take the opportunity to visit Aqueduct Park. Be sure to click on the video of the guy diving.

The Blue Man Group

On 28 May 08 Jim and I went to see "The Blue Man Group" at Universal Studio in Orlando. It really was a great show!! We had seats on the second row and the first thing they told you was to "put on your poncho as soon as you get to your seat." Every seat in the first several rows was supplied with a poncho, just in case some "unknown material" came your way from the stage. At the end of the show they started hundreds of rolls of crepe paper from the back of the auditorium and it was pulled, hand over hand, from row to row, until it covered the entire audience. It was really funny. I won't tell you everything but if you get the chance to see the show you should do it. Here are a couple pictures. They probably aren't very good because I took them with my cell phone instead of my camera.

Memorial Day 2008

All give some; but some give all!!

Jim and I attended the Memorial Day celebration in Ocala, Florida. It was held in the Vetrans Park, which is just across the street from the Condo. I was very impressed. The people of Ocala are very patriotic. They held a band concert, then laid a wreath to honor all fallen Soldiers and even had a flyover of old World War II planes. It was very nice and I was glad we stopped when we saw all the flags. I have added some other pictures below.

After that moving ceremony, we just turned the car West and programed "State Parks" into the Garmin. We made it to two state parks, Ranbow Springs State Park and Crystal River State Archaeological Site, as well as three antique shops. Let me tell you a little about each park because they were so different.

Rainbow Springs State Park

Rainbow Springs really surprized us in the number of people that were using the park. There were hundreds of people!! The swimming area is a springs, which means that the water is at 72 degrees all year around. That makes the water very cold, even in the summer. All the same....a lot of people were swimming. They also rent canoes to take down the Rainbow River. We are going to do that some time this summer (maybe). The pictures are beautiful but I did see many people who reinforced why I should not wear a bathing suit.

Crystal River State Archaeological Site

Cyrstal River is also a beautiful river but the park is really an archaeological site. We saw pre-Columbian ceremonial sites. It was very interesting and we got to talk to a couple guys fishing. Both had caught fish. The pictures show a boat in the river but shortly after that picture the river "traffic" really picked up and there were at least 12 boats and 10 jet skis on the river at the same time.

Taking Sean to the Circus!!

On Sunday, 4 May, we drove to Alpharette to go with Dawn, David, and Sean to the Shrine Circus. We arrived very shortly before Dawn and Sean got home from Church. We all, with David driving, (because driving in Atlanta takes a special talent) left for the Circus about noon. Dawn had free tickets and this Circus included a carnival with it. It had a lot of rides and games of chance.


Sean really enjoyed watching the Circus (as long as he had his "sword" to play with) for about 20 minutes. Then just sitting in the bleachers got old for him. But he had a ball at the petting zoo. He got to feed goats and sheep. We kept asking Sean if he wanted to ride this or play with that and he always said "No, no!!". Then Grandpa said, "Come on Sean, lets ride the horse", and he shocked all of us when he said, "OK". After he rode the horse he wanted to ride the camel!! Boy, was he a brave boy!!


We all went out for dinner that night and enjoyed each others company. The pictures below are:
1) Sean feeding the goats

2) Sean cleaning up after feeding the goats

3) Sean riding the horse

4) Sean riding the camel

5) Sean at dinner

....as you see Sean was the main attraction.