The wonderful world of Justice and Mommy aka Mary!

Support Justice Gerber In Scouting

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Gerber) — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 07:34:41 PDT

It's that time of year again! We are selling Trails End Popcorn to raise money for Scouting. This is our third year participating in this fundraiser and we are so happy to announce we were the highest seller in Pack 714 last year with $3,175.00 in sales! Justice even won a special prize from Council as he had the highest sales in the over $3,000 category! He also eaned the Trails End College scholarship which means 6% of last years sales have been put into a college scholarship for him and 6% of every sale he makes this year will also go into his college scholarship! Your purchase will not only go to support local Scouts, it will also help pay for Justice's cost of college! The sale runs from October 2nd- October 30th.

As many of you may know I have been a Scout Leader since Justice started Scouting. When we started I thought it would just be something fun to do with some cool camping trips thrown into the mix. I have to tell you, this program is so much more than I ever anticipated. I have watched Justice become an incredible little salesman spending over 80 hours of his own time doing fundraisers for Scouting in the last two years. He has learned many new skills such as Wall Climbing, BB Gun Shooting, Archery, Leave No Trace Principals, Cold Weather Camping, Public Speaking and more. He has also learned how to give back to his community by participating in Conservation Projects, Collecting Food For Families and various other Volunteer Projects. Personally I have recieved top-notch training which has helped me become an effective Scout Leader and have had the opportunity to expand my outdoor skills and learn invaluable life saving techniques.

Justice even got to see snow in Florida when camping with the Scouts!

Of course Scouting costs money and the program is designed for Scouts to earn their own way. To do this Scouts participate in well organized fundraisers. Will you help us pay our own way in Scouting? Your purchase of Trails End Popcorn will help us pay our own way. 70% of your purchase goes back to Justice, his pack and his Council. If you don't like popcorn you can always purchase a Militairy Donation and Trails End will send popcorn to men and women in the Militairy. 100% of your Militairy Donation is tax deductible. We have tried most of the products and can tell you first hand they are fantastic!

In order for Justice to get credit for his sales you must follow the procedure below.

Please go to....
www.trails-end.com

You will see a green bar on the right that says "You are supporting no one. Change."
Click on "Change"
enter Justice's Scout ID 3118672
The Green Bar should now say "You are supporting Scout Justice G."
* You can get FREE SHIPPING on all orders over $150 placed between now and October 15th. Just enter code 100YEARS at checkout!

BSA Family Award Journey Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Gerber) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 11:58:03 PDT

As I was gearing up for this Cub Scout year I began to plan out what achievements and awards we would work on and what would fit well with the Wolf Scout advancement requirements. Some things like belt loops can be earned quite easily while other things like pins and awards require more work and involvement, so I decided a mix between the easy and hard would work best for us. I have identified several things that Justice can earn this year both on his own and with his unit; but, the award I am most excited about is the BSA Family Fun Award.

This award is able to be earned by both the boys and their families which makes it quite unique from most other awards. The point of the program is to strengthen the family by spending more time together by doing things like playing games together, reading and doing community service. You also develop a deeper bond by learning about one another as you do things like explore your heritage, develop a family council and learn how to communicate with each other. Last but not least, you have the opportunity to strengthen your relationship with God by visiting a new church, having open family discussions and helping those who are less fortunate in your own community.

To make things easy, they have broken the program down into five categories that will strengthen your family- Shaping Your Family Identity, Developing Personal Skills, Building A Family Team, Connecting With Your Community and Facing Family Challenges. To earn the basic award each family must choose two activities from each category and complete them over the course of several weeks or several months. Once that award has been achieved, you can earn pins in each category by completing two more actives in each area.

After reading over the Fun For The Family book and pouring over the activities, I realized this was much more than just an award we could earn. This was an opportunity to take a good family and make it a great family. We could use this program as a way to make permanent changes in our family and continue to make use of the activities even after we have attained our goal.

With so many things to choose from, I decided we would develop a family motto and make a poster of it which could be displayed on our living room wall. We could use that motto to help us relate to each other better and help us to make better choices even when things are rocky. After talking with Justice we settled on "Have Love, Faith and Hope Like Christ" If we can model ourselves after those three principals, we can accomplish anything.

Justice seemed to enjoy making a family motto and seemed to be excited about the things we would be doing throughout the year as part of this project. We have decided to bring back the Sunday Dinners of long ago where the good china gets used and everyone gets dressed up. We have decided to play more games together and turn off the TV more often to read aloud. We have also decided to try and save our money for a big treat at the end of the year and will be exploring many other aspects of this project as the weeks and months progress.

I will be using a portion of our blog to track our journey and hope to use it as a tool in the future, so stay tuned for more instalments as time goes on. If you decide to try any of these things at home, please leave a comment and let me know how it worked out for you!

Our First Shuttle Launch

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Gerber) — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 08:41:06 PDT

I have always wanted to see a shuttle launch up close ever since I was a child. I can remember watching launches on television with awe and wonder and I can remember watching the Challenger blow up in real time. I remember the shock and horror we all felt in my fourth grade classroom and I can remember our Principal, Sister Elaine coming on the loudspeaker to lead us all in prayer directly following that tragedy.

A shuttle launch is something that almost everybody can appreciate and stand in awe of. For this reason, I wanted to share that first time experience with my son. I wanted to sit right next to him, waiting in anticipation and bursting with excitement, so when the Discovery launch had to be rescheduled due to a hydrogen gas leak, it provided the perfect opportunity for us to enjoy this experience.

We left West Palm Beach around 2:30 in the afternoon and drove up I-95 to Titusville for about two hours. As soon as we got off the highway, I made sure to stop at a gas station and fill up our tank, because I knew traffic was going to be a nightmare when the launch was over. I also made sure we both used the bathrooms, because after doing some research, I found that Spaceview Park does not have facilities and being that there were only two of us, we could not leave our spot to find a bathroom.

After we had taken care of our "business", we drove a few more miles to the park and when we arrived, we could see the entire area was already bustling with tons of people and cars. It took a few minutes to find a parking space, get out our chairs, coolers and entertainment bags, then we began walking to the park to find our perfect viewing spot.

The south side of the park was already overcrowded; but, we were very lucky to find some prime viewing area on the north side. We only had one row in front of us and they had camera's set up on tripods, so the space was not packed with people. We set up our chairs and arranged our bags and coolers strategically in front of us to prevent anybody from trying to encroach on our space and sat down to wait.....wait for 7:43pm to arrive.

It was amazing how many people had small children with them and how they were all able to sit and wait for such a long period of time! For us, I had carefully planned a few things to do. We had a deck of cards, books, small toys and friendly chit chat to keep us entertained. We also had a nice array of snacks, drinks and sandwich fixins to provide a nice picnic dinner while waiting for the big moment to arrive.

There were so many people all around us! Behind us, there was a large family from India and right next to us was a man from Michigan who had scheduled his vacation so that he could see the shuttle launch. Many of the other people around us had never seen a launch before and were just as excited as we were and some of them had seen launches before and were there to take pictures and video's they could sell for money. A few overzealous photographers even set their tripods up in the intercoastal and stood in knee high water for hours waiting for the launch to take place.

As the time got close, it seemed everybody was on their feet. The level of anticipation in the crowd was sky rocketing and everybody was on pins and needles. Soon, we all began to watch the time and we were lucky enough to have a woman nearby who was keeping track of the NASA countdown from her phone. With only four minutes to go, I took a quick video clip of Justice so I could share the excitement with you.

From this point on, Justice kept asking me "How much longer?" about every thirty seconds. We could hardly contain ourselves as the minutes ticked by. I turned to Justice and said "Can you imagine what it must feel like for the astronauts in the shuttle right now? Can you imagine what they are thinking and how they must have butterflies in their stomachs?" He looked at me and shook his head, while the man from Michigan answered "I can't even begin to understand what they must be feeling."

Then it happened....5,4,3,2,1, LIFTOFF!

In the video, you can hear the wonder and excitement of not only us, but those around us as well. It was awe inspiring and for many people, a once in a lifetime experience.

Its kind of hard to see; but, in the picture below if you look to the left of the brilliant smoke, you will see a tiny dot. That dot is the actual space shuttle. Separation had already occurred when I took this picture.

We watched the sky until the shuttle was completely out of view then sat down to soak up the experience while allowing the crowd to disperse behind us. After a few minutes a path had cleared, so we packed up our belongings and headed back to our car. Once there I fixed us a few more sandwiches, then we patiently stated our journey home in stop and go traffic.

Justice was "in bed" by the time we reached I-95 safely buckled in his booster seat leaning on a pillow and covered with a blanket while I attentively watched the road and drove back to West Palm Beach.

All in all, it was one of the best experiences I have ever had and even Justice agreed that all the waiting was totally worth it!

PS I found this video on youtube of the cockpit view of the Discovery launch on July 4, 2006!

Bike Safety

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Gerber) — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 13:18:38 PDT

Since Justice's father moved to another state, we had to find another way for him to make his child support payments. He decided the postal service's priority mail would be a good system to use and I had no objections as long as the money arrived on time.

Unfortunately the postal system is only as good as the idiots using it. Josh mailed out his payment in time; but, failed to write the correct zip code so the payment did not arrive when it was supposed to. That put me in a real bind. I depend on that money as my income plus the child support is just enough to make ends meet. If I miss one payment that means there may not be any grocery, gas or electric money.

After several days of no check in the mail and desperate phone calls from me, Josh finally realized his son was going to be sitting in the dark any day if he did not find another way to make the payment. This time, Western Union was used.

Justice wanted to ride his bike to pick up the money and since it was one a block away, I thought it would be a great way to teach him about bike safety on sidewalks. Of course he always wears his helmet; but, there is so much more to safety than that.

He learned how to get off his bike and walk it safely across the street.

And, he also learned how to look both ways extra carefully when walking a bike across the street.

It was so cute to watch him learn. He really took what I was teaching him very seriously.

Thankfully when we got to the store, the money was there waiting for us. We were now able to pay our electric bill, put some gas in the car and buy some groceries. Of course we kept checking the mailbox for the missing check; but, it did not arrive. This was in May.

Around the end of September, about four months later the check arrived at our house. I was completely dumbfounded. I have no idea what the post office did with it during those months; but, it somehow managed to get to us. If only it had been addressed properly it would not have taken so long to get to us!

Welcome Alethia

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Gerber) — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 13:02:50 PDT

Just in time for summer my cousin Michelle gave birth to her first baby, Alethia Helen Millington! We went to visit her in the hospital; but, they would not allow Justice in to see here, so he toured the hospital with a friend while I ran in to see our new little cousin.

Of course Justice was a bit disappointed; but, later that week when they had been released from the hospital, he got a real treat. He got to hold Alethia under our watchful eyes for just a minute.

Itchy 2008- An Epic Tale

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Gerber) — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 12:52:55 PDT

Last year Justice and I started to camp with the Outlanders and out of all the trips we went on, one in particular became an instant favorite- Tubing The Itchetuknee Springs. It was a long drive from home, almost five hours north of West Palm Beach and it required us to be up at 5:30 am on a Saturday in order to get our tubes and make it to the park in a timely manner then drive all the way back home the next day; yet, it was all worth it. We loved the lay of the land in northern Florida and loved the long, lazy float down the spring even more. The sheer beauty of the spring and it’s inhabitants was breathtaking and almost more than we could take in. It was like an instant classic for us.

When the opportunity to take this trip with the Outlanders presented itself this year we were ready to go. The only downside was, the last day of the trip was Father’s Day and it was the day Justice was to fly out of PBI to visit family in Delaware with his dad. This meant we would have to make the 5 hour drive to the park after I got out of work on Friday, be up at 5:30 the next morning to go tubing and drive back home that afternoon when we were done. I decided it would be worth it. Had I had a glass ball, I might have decided differently.

We left home on Friday the 13th filled with excitement and anticipation. In retrospect, while I am not a superstitious person, perhaps I would have done well to take note of the date and add an extra ounce of caution to everything we did. Unfortunately I did not; however, it does make one hell of a story if nothing else. The journey begins here.

It was almost 10:30 before we reached the park that night. As I got out of the car to unlock the gate I was faced with a long, dark, desolate road lined by immense trees which hung in the shadows of the night. It looked like a scene from a horror film where everybody is screaming “No! Don’t get out of the car! He’s in the woods with a knife!!!!” Of course there was no killer in the woods; but, it was pretty hard to convince my imagination of that.

I fiddled with the lock nervously to no avail. For some reason I couldn’t get it to pop; but, as luck would have it another camper pulled up behind me and came to my rescue. That’s the thing about campers. They are always willing to help. The normal selfishness and detachment from others most Americans live by seems to be checked at the gate of most campgrounds. While we all have our own tents and our own food, somehow we all realize that we are in this together and nobody gets left behind.

We drove forward into the forest wide eyed and full of awe. It was so different from what we normally see in Palm Beach County. It was towering and teeming with life. A symphony of crickets and other unknown insects were performing a piece that even Tchaikovsky would be jealous of and we were lucky enough to be there to enjoy it. It followed us all the way to the campground and even lulled us to sleep later that night.

Upon our arrival, the other Outlanders were happy to lend us a hand with flashlights and such and help us get settled into our tent. It didn’t take long and even though we had to get up super early the next day we had a little bit of time to hang out before turning in for the night. As usual we didn’t know everybody on the trip, so we made our introductions and enjoyed a bit of idle chit chat with our new friends before retreating to our tent for the remainder of the night.

Luckily the weather was nice and cool in stark contrast to the previous year in which just laying in our tents was nearly unbearable. I actually ended up in the bathroom talking to Lynette early into the morning that year in order to avoid being in the little inferno we called home that weekend. This year was a dream in comparison to last.

I like to camp in style, so I brought a nice fan and a very long extension cord with me, memory foam pillows, a soft velor blanket and a fluffy down comforter with a nice duvet in order to make our tent as homey as possible. As Justice and I snuggled up under the covers I was thankful that I brought those items. Neither of us were quite ready for bed so we stayed up for a bit whispering and giggling about nothing. I felt like a child again at sleep away camp trying not to get caught by the counselors. It was fun; but, short lived. I knew getting up at the crack of dawn was going to be difficult, so the more sleep we got, the better we would be. Justice did not agree; but, he’s not calling the shots, so we went to sleep before the night got away from us and enjoyed a trip to slumber land in the dense tropical forest surrounding us.

As the first rising of the sun began to peek through the canopy of leaves and branches I made the transition to lucid dreaming almost seamlessly. Somewhere between waking and sleeping it seemed as though an animal brushed up against the side of our tent shaking it vigorously. Was it real or was it a dream? I wasn’t sure.

I laid there slipping in and out of sleep a bit longer trying to enjoy my last few minutes of rest when I felt the shaking again. This time I knew I wasn’t dreaming. Something shook our tent. Should I scream? Should I play dead and hope the animal went away? I was paralyzed with uncertainty. Luckily the feeling didn’t last for long. I soon realized the “animal” was Scott, waking us up without disturbing the other campers in the park. I was relived and Justice was still sleeping.

When I began to wake him I met some resistance. We get up early each day, but never this early. It is almost unnatural to rise side by side with the sun as far as I am concerned and I think Justice agrees with me. He looked up at me then out the window into the not quite lit woods and said “Mommy, it is not time to get up.”
“Yes, it is baby” I said
“No, maybe we should just go home.” he said
I laughed at him and told him I did not drive five hours to sleep in the woods, then drive right back home. I assured him of the fun we were about to have and he forced himself out from under the covers with just a bit of reluctance. The rest of the Outlanders were up and the activity seemed to help us make that last step to the final stage of waking. We were ready for the day to begin.

We all got into our cars, started our engines and followed each other down a single file line to the parks entrance then off to Lowe’s tube rental. This is one of my favorite parts of the trip. Most people have no idea how interesting tube renal can be off the beaten path. Often times the country folk running the place can be some of the most pleasant and colorful people you will ever meet and their methods for tying tubes and rafts to vehicles can be thoroughly entertaining in and of itself. Lowes is no exception.

When we got to Lowes we wasted no time picking out our tubes. We had our choice of a single or double tube or a raft. Justice wanted his own single tube; but, upon careful inspection of the tube I realized the adult sized hole in the middle would be a bit too large for him to handle himself on a 3 ½ hour tubing trip. Some of the other Outlanders suggested we use a double tube, which Justice wanted no parts of. I almost conceded; however, I took the time to look ahead and envision our trip. The vision of two single tubes was not good; therefore, I gently coaxed him into picking out a brightly colored double tube. This would give me more control over him down the river and ensure his safety.

The most amusing part of the tube rental is picking watching the workers tie the tubes to the vehicles. They tied a small tower of tubes to the roof of one of our cars and a gravity defying row of tubes to the back of another. It was unlike anything you would ever see in the city.

After our tubes were secured to our cars we drove down another series of country roads until we reached the entrance to the Itchetuknee Springs State Park. Once we were there we got in line behind the other cars which were all waiting for the same thing- the parks opening. They only let a certain number of people down the river each day, so the early bird gets the worm. If you want to tube down the river you must get there early or you will be met with a “Closed” sign. That’s no way to begin your day.

As soon as we got there Scott quickly popped the trunk of his car and set up our breakfast table. Due to time and cooking constraints we had a spread of breakfast pastry’s, granola bars, fruit, milk and juice. It was a nice light start to the day. Of course as quickly as breakfast started it ended. We didn’t have much time before the park rangers directed us to enter the parks long road to the front gate. Apparently they have been trying to reduce the amount of traffic on the side of the road; therefore, they now have two entrances and try to get as many people off the main roads before the day begins. This didn’t affect our plans too much and we followed suit when the cars in front of us crept along to the gate then stopped.

It didn’t take long for the park to open and us to make our way in. The drivers needed to take their cars to the midway point and take a shuttle back to the launch site where we entered and since I was a driver I was included in that group. I was planning on taking Justice with me; but, Sandy graciously offered to keep Justice with her. That was a real blessing as it was much more enjoyable for him to play in the park and playground while I took care of the logistics.

After we had dropped our cars off and returned to the park we wasted no time getting on the river. I was a little disappointed by this because last year we walked down to a couple of the springs to swim and take pictures. I was awe struck when I saw the icy blue springs and astounded when I realized that the deeper the water got the lighter it appeared. It went against everything I knew. I was hoping we could walk down to the springs at the end of the run; but, fate it turns out had other plans for us.

Instead we all made our way down to the launching pad and within minutes we were off. Immediately we were transported into a summer wonderland that would rival even that of Narnia. The crystal clear water was only amplified by the vibrant sea grass rippling softly in the current and the banks were flanked with all sorts of subtropical plants and trees. Spanish moss hung from many of the more impressive trees like warm icicles in our tropical paradise and the local inhabitants of the spring made regular appearances throughout the run.

As we continued to glide across the water in our brightly colored inner tubes we kept our eyes peeled for wildlife. At one point to my sheer horror we passed under a low lying branch, our bodies mimicked the backwards lunge of those doing the limbo and we were met with a large spider crawling inches away from our faces threatening to drop onto us at any given moment. After that I became overly aware of all low lying branches.

The rest of our wildlife sightings were much more enjoyable. We saw several trio's of turtles resting on logs and countless birds of various types; but, it was the family of raccoons that were the highlight of our trip. One after the other three masked bandits swam across the river in broad daylight. These normally nocturnal animals are rarely spotted on river excursions, so we felt very blessed to watch them on their little excursion. Unfortunately we did not spot any river otters trotting along next to us. That is a first for us; but, I'm sure our next trip will end with a sighting.

After about an hour Justice started to get a bit tired of "just floating" he wanted to go swimming. I know how funny he can get when he is a little too far away from me for comfort in the wild water, so I had to put my foot down and say no. My answer was not popular with him; but, it is not my job to be popular. My job is to be a mom and I take that very seriously.

Soon we came upon the midway point. It was lunch time which was exactly what we needed to ready ourselves for the last leg of the trip. We had to walk up a fairly long pathway with our tubes to reach the cars and picnic area; but, it was not an unreasonable trek.

Once we arrived, I dropped my watertight camera box and car key on the table while Scott started to get lunch ready by emptying the trunk of his car of its contents. Onto the picnic tables went the bread, chips and fixings as another portable table was set up to hold the drinks. Crunch, crunch, crunch went the chips in Justice's mouth as he snacked on some ranch flavored potato chips in anticipation of lunch. Lunch was set and ready to go.

The remainder of our group had arrived and we all enjoyed a much needed lunch as the day continued to wear on. It was nice to sit there and connect with each other in idle conversation. There's something special about sharing a meal with others and I think that's why the Lord so often connected with others via a meal. Feeding the five thousand with fish, the wedding feast at Cana, the last supper, the infamous meal with Mary and Martha,. Jesus liked to eat and fellowship. We are called to emulate him and so we did that day. We ate and fellowshipped.

All too soon lunch came to and end and it was time to finish the last leg of our trip. We carried our tubes back down to the river and jumped back onto the river. This time I allowed Justice to ride in the raft with Marla, a new friend and I manned our double tube by myself. We tied ourselves together to ensure we did not separate and I felt pretty secure as we continued on our way. If only I knew.

It did not take long for me to realize I was facing the wrong direction. The way we had tied off placed me facing the rear while Justice and Marla faced the front. I trusted Marla; but, I wanted to keep a close eye on him and ensure he was not becoming a nuisance so I decided to turn around. When I changed positions on the tube, I realized the place I clipped my watertight box onto the handles was not optimal. I decided to move it to another spot. I can not be sure; but, I think this may have been my fatal error....."to be continued later in the story"

For a little bit Justice was happy to be the navigator. On the first half of our trip he had begged for a paddle which only came with the rafts relentlessly. This was his chance to say which way we would go and he was ready for it....for a little bit. It did not take long for him to decide the grass was greener on the other side and he wanted to transfer from the boat to the raft. I knew this was not going to go well.

Justice gets nervous when he feels as though he is not in control. I knew he would get nervous the second he was out of the raft and not in the tube and I was right. As soon as his little legs slipped over the edge of the raft and all he had to do was go under and swim into the large opening in the tube he freaked out.
"I want to get back in" he said frantically to Marla.
She looked at me knowingly and said "No, you have to go to your tube"
I agreed and he knew he was stuck. He wasn't happy about it; but, within minutes he was safely harbored in the double tube. and all was well again.

The exit point came up almost too fast. It was time to exit the river. I was surprised at my energy level and felt I was ready for the long drive back to West Palm Beach. I was even contemplating a pit stop in Orlando to Universal Studios to ride the new Simpson's Ride. I was up for almost anything. Almost is the key work here.

We exited the river and walked our tubes up to the return area. After we dropped our tubes in the appropriate spot, we entered the line for the tram which would take us back to our cars and soon we were off to our final destination. The ride was bumpy, yet enjoyable and I couldn't help but notice the beaming smile on Justice's face. He was happy and so was I.

The tram stopped, we all exited and made our way to the cars. As I grabbed for my car key, a horrible realization washed over me. It was gone. It was not where I left it latched to the rock climbing clip which was attached to the watertight camera box which was attached to the inner tube. This was not good.

Justice needed to be back in Palm Beach County by 6am the next morning for an outbound flight to Delaware with his father. A missing car key would not fit well into this puzzle. Frantically I began to check my watertight box and the surrounding area hoping to catch the glimmer of a car key in the sunlight; but, I came up empty. Justice was thirsty and had been bugging me to get him a drink from the snack bar; but, this had to take precedence.

After checking with the park ranger we decided to ride the empty tram back to the pick up point. Perhaps I had lost the key when I unhooked the box and turned our tube in. Yes, that's it I told myself. It had to be where I lost the key. It made sense. As soon as the tram stopped we jumped off and hurried down to the tube return area searching again in vain.

We walked down to the river bank looking all the while scouring the pathway for the key....nothing. We talked to the park ranger who was overseeing the tubers exiting the water. She hadn't seen a key either and gave us the same ominous look every other ranger had. Apparently this happens quite often, several times a day in fact.

While is was somewhat comforting to know I was not the only idiot out there it did not make my key appear out of thin air and as we walked back to the tram yet again I had a sinking feeling in my stomach. This was not good. We had looked everywhere and found nothing. My last hope was to find the key in the car and as we rode back to the midway point that's all I could focus on.

Once we were there I decided to call AAA and get a locksmith out to open the car. It took me a little bit to find that one patch of grass where I could get enough reception to make a call and held onto it for dear life. After punching a few buttons and communication with an automated service I reached a liver person. Being the unlucky weekend it was my AAA had expired ten days before and I had to renew it in order to receive service.

I knew I didn't have enough money in my account to cover the membership, so I called my "benefactor" who was not home. I waited a bit and called again only to get an answering machine. I walked over to the car and tried to jiggle the windows and pushed and pulled to no avail. My car was locked and I had to face the facts. I have to call AAA and pay for the service and accept the overdraft fee.

Once I made the call, I knew we had an hour to kill and it was then that I remembered that Justice was thirsty. He had been so good and such an angel in the midst of all this stress, so I decided it was time for a treat. We walked over to the snack bar and got some nice cold sodas, a soft prezels and a cup of cheese. Comfort food.

Justice was happy and I was, well I was as whatever I could be at that point. We sat down at a wooden picnic table close to the parking lot and enjoyed our snacks. It did not take Justice very long to finish his and he wandered off to the fire safety table that had been set up nearby. Although he had met the firefighters after lunch and gotten a bag of goodies from them, he wanted more.

It no time at all Justice had won the hearts of the firefighters and made his way behind the table. He was so thrilled to be able to pass out balloons and Frisbee's to the other children who passed by. For just one day he was a fire safety specialist and he took his job seriously. They entertained him almost the entire time we were waiting for AAA. It was a huge blessing.

Just before the locksmith came one of the firefighters came over to show me a couple of pictures he took on his camera with Justice. They were so cute and he was nice enough to offer to send one of them to me right from his phone! Below is the picture he sent.

As I was giving him my e-mail address, I caught a glimpse of a maroon locksmith van entering the parking lot. The moment of truth had arrived. I flagged the driver down, took Justice by the hand and walked him over to the car. He introduced himself as Al and in the very same breath he told me he couldn't make a key for this car until 9am Monday morning. He needed the Honda dealership to open so he could get the codes to cut the key. I looked at him in disbelief and started to cry and I'm not talking about a few random tears slipping down my cheeks.

Al popped the lock on the drivers side door then waited patiently while I scoured the car for the non existent key. One by one I flung items aside hoping to find my key; but, instead I found a mess that needed to be cleaned up. The key was not there. I looked back at Al hoping he had something else to offer; but, he did not. Within minutes he was back in his car and I knew I had a phone call to make.

I was dreading this moment. It was the moment I had to call Josh, Justices father and tell him I was stranded until Monday nearly five hours away. WHOOSH, I took a deep breath in, looked up his number and pressed the call button on my phone. RING, RING "Hello" he said
"Hi. Um what kind of mood are you in right now?" I asked with some trepidation.
"Uuuuh I don't know"
"Well, um, I lost my car key in the river and the locksmith said they can't make another key till Monday morning."
Silence
"We're stuck here. I can't leave until Monday when I can get another key made." I reiterated.
More silence
"So, what are we going to do about Justice? You both have to be on that plane tomorrow morning. Can you maybe rent a car or borrow one?"
"Um, uuuuuuh, I don't know. I guess I'll have to let you go and see what I can figure out on my end." he said
"Ok, just call me back and let me know. I'm going to try to get to Allie's in Ocala so we have somewhere to stay."
We hung up the phone.

I was shocked. I expected to have him scream and holler at me. I expected him to treat me even more horrible than he normally does; but, he did not. He was calm and accepting. It made no sense. Normally I do nothing wrong and often he commits some terrible act against me and yet I am the one who gets yelled at and verbally abused. This time it was I who had done wrong and I got none of that. It is a puzzlement that I will never solve.

The day was wearing on and I knew it was time to call the Outlanders for a ride back to the campsite and figure out how to get to Ocala so we had somewhere to stay until a new key could be made. Scott arranged for Liz to come get us and I tackled the obstacle of getting a waitress on the phone while at work. It seems logical that if you call somebody's place of work and say "It's an emergency." the person on the other end should say "Oh, I'll get them right away." The restaurant business does not work that way.

I was put on hold twice and actually had to tell Allies manager that I had a serious emergency and would wait however long I had to for her to get to the phone. I could tell she was annoyed with me; but, she got Allie nonetheless. As soon as Allie got on the phone, I wasted no time giving he a quick recap and the bottom line. She promised to come get us as soon as she was done work and told me she would call before she left.

After that I started to breathe a bit easier until my mind wandered onto a subject I had not thought of. The monsters- the cats. I had not arranged for anybody to watch the cats because we were only supposed to be gone for 30 hours. I started to panic and had terrifying visions of four dead cats, wasted away from starvation and dehydration , then I remembered I had given my cousin Michelle a key to the house months before. A huge wave of relief washed over me and I decided to call her later when I got to Allies and could relax.

Soon Liz pulled up and we hopped into her car with all of our luggage which was to sustain us until Monday. For once, I was thankful for being a heavy packer. Those extra outfits, shoes, makeup and shower items I packed were really going to come in handy. We were not exactly going to be rolling in full style; but, we would have what we really needed to get through the next few days.

Once we had arrived at the campground all I wanted to do was sit down. I needed time to breathe, time to think. Then, the phone rang. It was Allie. She had arranged for her husband to come and pick us up earlier. That was good news. While I LOVE camping, I can only handle so much stress and at that moment I needed floors that were not made of dirt and a climate controlled atmosphere. I needed to be in a place where I felt at home. Allie's country home was just that place.

After I spoke with David her husband, I realized we had a couple of hours to kill before he arrived. We sat down and enjoyed the company of the other Outlanders and played a board game to kill some time. Soon dinner was ready and we had a nice meal before it was time to pack up what was left of our bedding and get ready to go. Liz had offered to drive us to the highway and we were happy to accept.

It did not take long for us to reach the Kentucky Fried Chicken where we were to meet Allie's husband and when we arrived he was already there. Within minutes we had transferred our luggage from one car to the next and said our good bye's. We were headed off to Ocala.

I was a bit apprehensive about the drive at first due to the fact that David and I have not met eye to eye over the years; but, it turned out to be ok. He wasn't quite the monster I thought him to be and my attitude towards him and Allie as a couple softened just a bit. The best friend always has her girlfriends best interests at heart and sometimes it is hard to see past the fights and issues you hear about. Sometimes it is hard to see the better half you hear so little about.

When we got back to the house I was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. Nothing was fixed; yet, somehow everything seemed to be better. Justice took a warm bath and I took a hot shower, we put clean clothes on and sat down on a comfy couch until Allie came home....with McDonald's! My bff sure does know what I need when things are rough. Nothing heals like fried chicken and French fries.

Later that night we laid down to sleep on the same air mattress we slept on the night before, only this time we had a new carpet beneath us instead of a thin layer of nylon lying on a dirt floor. My mind was racing with thoughts of a now missed flight, a day of missed work on Monday and the snowballing loss related to the infamous key. Somewhere between sheer mental exhaustion and rocketing stress levels I fell into a deep sleep. It was just the medicine I needed.

The next day was better. I got to hang out with Allie and take a ride into town. Yes, I meant that- you actually have to ride to town in a place like Ocala. We went shopping and had a secret McDonald's lunch which we told nobody at the house about. We had a couple of hours to just be two girls hanging out with one child in tow, Justice.

After she went to work I decided I needed to call Lee and apologize. Lee is Justices Mom-Mom and it was her who purchased the airline tickets that went unused. The conversation was short, but necessary. I gave her a re-cap of what had happened, apologized for being the biggest idiot in the world then put Justice on the phone with her. It was what it was. Not good, not bad, just something that had to be done.

The next day we all got up bright and early. Getting a key for the car and making our way home was our main priority. Of course, nothing went quite as planned. Allies husband was not sure if he was going to have to work and if he did, I would have to ride up to the car in his semi. We waited around for what seemed like an eternity until he was finally told he did not have to work. That meant we would have to ride up on his motorcycle in order to save money on gas.

I do not make it a habit of getting on the back of anyone’s bike; but, I knew her husband was a very good driver so I said a quick prayer, borrowed a long sleeved jacket to protect my skin, then got on the back of the bike. As we began to drive down the dirt road, I waved back at Allie and Justice. To be honest, I could tell Justice was quite jealous and was wishing it was he who was going for a motorcycle ride!

As luck would have it, soon after we got on the highway a rain storm decided to follow us hot on our heals. Now, if you have never ridden on a motorcycle before on the highway, you may not realize how badly the rain complicates the ride. First of all, it hurts. Those sweet droplets of rain which so lovingly nourish the land we live on become stinging, silver bullets when flying along at highway speeds. To make matters worse, the wet roads seriously increase the risk of hydroplaning and loss of control, so it is not something to be taken lightly.

To compensate David decided to drive faster and outrun the rain. Under normal circumstances, I would have a heart attack if somebody had me going 117mph on the back of a motorcycle; but, under these circumstances, I decided the threat of the rain was worse than the threat of high speeds. I began praying fervently at this point.

About an hour later we arrived safely at our destination and I called AAA to place my service call. I was told we would have about an hour to wait, hung up the phone and waited. I had never really hung out with Allie’s husband before and did not have the highest opinion of him, so I was a bit apprehensive about spending a whole hour with him; however, it turned out to be a good thing.

We took a short hike down to the river and back and talked about a-lot of different things over that hour. I got a chance to see a side of him that is more amicable than the one I normally hear about. My heart softened towards their relationship a bit that day and I realized he wasn’t all bad. Sometimes we have a habit of telling our friends all of the bad stuff about our significant others and not enough of the good stuff; but, that day I got a better picture of who he really was. Not great, not horrible, but sometimes an ok person.

An hour later the AAA driver showed up and it was Al again! He was chuckling to himself in a friendly way as he got out of his car. When we called earlier we had gotten his number and given him the vin number to the car in order to speed things up; therefore, he already had the key for the car. He opened the door and started the car with ease as I sat there somewhat dumbfounded. Something so simple was so impossible just a few days ago!

With a great sigh of relief I got back into my car and began to follow David back to Ocala. Our crisis was nearly over. It felt so good to be back in the car and in the drivers seat. I knew things were not fixed at this point; but, I also knew things were better than they were before.

As soon as we got back to the house in Ocala, I wasted no time packing the car up with our belongings and getting ready for the trip home. Allie had to go to work, so we said our goodbye's and decided to indulge Justice in one last treat before leaving.

David happened to have his work truck parked in front of the house and it provided the perfect opportunity to give Justice a quick tour of the inside of a truckers cabin. He was so excited to see what it looked like, he ran all the way out to the truck. I have to admit, even I was a bit curious as to what it looked like in there.

After our tour, we gave Josh a quick call to see what was going on and he said there was no way they were leaving that night, so I asked him if it would be ok if we stopped off at Universal Studios so Justice could ride the brand new Simpsons ride. He agreed and we made our way to the park for a quick ride.

Due to the time and the longer than expected weekend, I explained to Justice that we would only be going on the Simpsons ride, then we would be leaving. Of course the line was long and you could not take pictures on the ride; but, I did snap one photo while in line.

Justice absolutely loved the ride and I thought it was good, but not great and that brought an end to our epic tale of 2008.

FOOTNOTE

Out of sheer astonishment, I had to add a footnote to this blog. While Justice was up in Delaware Allie and I attempted to have a girls weekend only. We realized that we had not spent a single day together without any children in over six and a half years and felt our time was way overdue; however, we ended up having two children with us during our “girls only time.” *Sigh* I suppose we will just have to keep looking forward to one day…

Anyway, as we checked into our hotel in Orlando and got ourselves ready for the next day, I realized I needed something from the glove box in my car. I had had some work done recently and the mechanic had rummaged through the glove box, leaving it somewhat disheveled. I paid little attention to it at the time; but, this time when I looked in there I saw something that made my jaw drop to the floor. I saw three Honda Civic car keys sitting very unassumingly in the bottom of the box.

Now I know I had checked the box over several times looking for spare keys while in Itchetuknee; but, I came up empty every time. Then….I had a vague memory of my Uncle placing those keys in there when I got the car. My mother sent it down on a transporter and he had been kind enough to receive it for me.

I felt like Dorothy in The Wizard Of Oz. I had had the power to get home the whole time and did not know it. While she only had to click her heals together three times and say “There’s no place like home, there’s no place like home, there’s no place like home.” All I had to do was think to check inside the envelopes and use one of the three shinny keys to start my car and go home.

When I got back into the room and told Allie what I had found she was as speechless as I was. We both agreed not to tell David and exchanged an “I don’t even frigging believe it!” look before settling down for the night. It was one of the most surreal moments of my life.

Bridging The Gap With Boys Town

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Gerber) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 13:24:06 PDT

As I sent Justice off on his first day of school, snapping pictures all the way, I had the same dream and vision every mother does. My boy would go to school and outshine all the other students in academics and behavior. He would be the star student, well on his way to Harvard. The apple of everyone’s eye.

Let’s just say things did not go as planned. It did not take long for the notes to start coming home. “Justice is not following directions.", "Justice is talking out of turn.", "Justice needs to complete his work in class.", BLAH BLA BLAH….

It was not what I had envisioned. By December, Justices teacher realized he was falling behind academically due to his behavior and we felt it was time to have our first parent teacher conference. I was careful to schedule it around a time when both Josh and I could be there. He never showed that day. I sat there with Justice’s teachers going over his progress. They presented me with cold hard facts. He was bright and engaging; but, he was also defiant, distracted and causing excessive problems in the classroom. His seat had even been moved away from the rest of the class. He was THAT kid.

It was a hard pill to swallow; but, thankfully I’m good at swallowing pills. I absorbed the truth then moved to the next step. It was time to take action. The school recommended an early intervention program with Boys Town. It was very intensive and would involve a one-two hour in home commitment from me. A case manager would be assigned to us, meet with us in our home every week and monitor Justice in school as well as meet with his teachers. The goal was to get everybody on the same page and stop the small problems before they became big problems. I was game.

In a few weeks a got a call from Jeremy Makefield. He was a case manager from Boys Town and he had been assigned to us. We spoke for a few minutes and agreed that Thursdays at 5:30 would be the best time for a weekly meeting. I was not sure of what to expect from the program; but, I knew I needed help. I couldn’t be there at school with Justice, so I had to do whatever was asked of me to support him during those precious hours where he was out of my control. I needed somebody who could bridge that gap for me. Mr. Makefield and Boys Town were just the bridge I needed.

Our first meeting went well and was filled with background and history. Mr. Makefield listened intently as I described the issues we were facing. He took note of the key issues and began to develop a plan of action in his head. Our situation was not so unique as I had originally thought. He had seen it all and even though Justice was an individual he did fit a certain sort of pattern.

Mr. Makefield prescribed consistency, practice and understanding. All were within my reach. The prognosis was good and we all felt as if success was on the precipice. He warned me things may get worse before they get better, but promised things would get better. I was ok with that.

Justice responded well to Mr. Makefield. He was thrilled to have a consistent and positive male influence in his life. As the weeks wore on I became more and more surprised at the results. Justice had flipped from bad to good like a light switch. He went from earning mostly sad faces and negative notes to mostly happy faces and well deserved praise. It was the miracle I had been looking for.

As quickly as everything came together it fell apart. Justices father had been living with a married woman who he impregnated. As her stomach swelled with bastard life no explanation was made to Justice. When she moved out of the apartment taking most of her things he was not spoken to about the new living arrangement. He was left to fend for himself and figure things out on his own.

Luckily I became enlightened to the situation. Justice got the explanation he was looking for; but, the damage had already been done. To make matters worse, his father moved to Delaware somewhat unexpectedly right after Mothers Day. It was all a bit too much for Justice. He started to slide back down the hill he fought so hard to climb up. He was angry and scatterbrained. He was sleeping more than 12 hours a day. I almost want to say he was exhibiting signs of clinical depression. It was hard to watch.

I felt bad for Justice and wished I had a magic wand to make all his troubles go away. This is where it becomes very difficult to be a single parent with a father who behaves recklessly. Honestly I couldn't care less what he does, except for the fact that his actions directly affect my son. Why doesn't he see that? Why do some parents think they can behave any way they want and then lie to their children to save face? We expect our sports hero's to lead lives worthy of adoration by our children and when they do atrocious things off the field like Michael Vick and the dog fighting scandal, we call them out on it. So, why don't we hold fathers to the same standard?

It is a puzzle to me which may never be solved; but, I am very pleased to say, with Justices father out of the picture I was able to provide an ultra-stable home life and helped him get back on track by the last two weeks of school. Unfortunately Justice lost his trip on the hot air balloon which was promised for a huge, consistent change in his behavior.

It was so hard for me to keep my word and cancel the balloon trip. It just wasn't fair. Justice had no control over the craziness his fathers life and it was no surprise that it affected him in such a way. I really feel like he should have been cut some more slack; but, if I did not keep my word I knew I would be setting myself up for disaster in the next year. My word would mean nothing.

I promised Justice he could have the trip next year if his behavior was good and consistent and assured him of my love. It was one of the most difficult decisions I have had to stick to as a mother. I know I did the right thing, but it hurt so bad to do it. The light at the end of the tunnel is shinning bright and I believe I will emerge into it at the end of next school year.

With the influence from his father greatly diminished, I have the ability to provide an ultra consistent day to day life for Justice and I look forward to it quite eagerly. In my heart I know the upcoming year is going to be much better and I have great hopes for my son. With the proper love and guidance I believe he can reach for the starts and meet any goal he sets for himself.

A Right Of Passage

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Gerber) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 13:14:40 PDT

As a single mother I like to be as self sufficient as possible. I hate to ask for help. Most of the time I find I am able to accomplish many tasks around the house most women would ask their men to do. I hang curtain rods like a pro and can unclog a sink with ease; but, every now and then I just can’t do it alone. Luckily I belong to an amazing church, Vintage Worship Gathering. It is one of very few places I feel comfortable asking for help.

This week I had a war with Justices bike and I lost. It was time for the training wheels to come off, so I got out the pliers and gave it my best. I applied a death grip to the bolts holding the superfluous wheels in place and proceeded to twist and turn the pliers to no avail. I threw all my might into it and gave it my best; but, those darned bolts wouldn’t budge. Not even an inch. After yelling a few very un-Christian obscenities at the Batman bike, I decided to concede.

The next day I sent Albert, the unsung pastor of my church an e-mail requesting a small favor from Vintage. The removal of two training wheels. Of course he was happy to arrange for the small favor and told me to swing by band practice on Thursday, either he or Albert D. would remove the wheels. It was a load off my shoulders. I was anxious to teach Justice how to ride a two wheeler, just like my dad taught me and was hoping to spend the weekend doing so.

Thursday came and we loaded Justice’s Batman bike quite awkwardly into the Honda Civic. We drove the one and a half blocks to Vintage and entered the building to the crashing sound of drums. Albert D. was practicing on stage. It didn’t take long for him to realize we were there. He stopped playing and picked up his toolbox, which he had placed smartly on the stage. Within moments those pesky wheels were off and Al was handing them to me as if they were nothing.

I was shocked, yet not surprised at how quickly he was able to remove them. It never ceases to amaze me what the right tool and the correct measure of strength will accomplish. Of course Al was happy to be of help and even suggested we practice next to a patch of grass in order to provide a somewhat soft place to fall in the event Justice lost his balance. I was thankful for the help and suggestion.

Almost immediately we were out the door and before I could say no or wait, Justice hopped on his bike with no fear in sight. Strange I thought…..I was petrified when my dad took my training wheels off. I was terrified of falling, convinced I could not do what so many other children could do. My father reassured me, telling me I could do anything I put my mind to and with a good measure of apprehension I got on my pink Huffy bike with the assurance of my father. He promised to hold my balance on the back of the seat. He promised not to let go. I believed him. In an instant I was riding my bike up the uneven sidewalk of Byberry Road. I was doing it! I was really doing it! Then, all in an instant, I glanced back at my father who was holding me up only to find he was several feet behind me beaming from ear to ear. SHOCK, HORROR! CRASH, I hit the pavement. The tears flew from my eyes even faster than the screams could escape my gaping lips. He had let go. He didn’t keep me safe like he had promised.

I wanted things to be different for Justice. I wanted to warn him gently that he would fall. I wanted him to know that skinning his knees or earning a bruise on his arm were all part of the process; but, it would be ok. I would hold him up; but, I would let go. I would be loving, yet honest.

He had other plans. In the instant he jumped on the bike, my own childhood experience passed before my eyes. I watched him weeble and wobble, then I watched him get the hang of it in let than sixty seconds. I stood in awe. I had never seen anything like it. Was it possible for a child to learn to ride a two wheeler without the guidance of a mother or father? Could a little boy, my little boy, learn to keep his balance without me holding the back of his seat? Apparently the answer was yes.

For a moment my heart swelled with sadness and the same type of sorrow that covers the space left in an empty nest. My boy did not need me. My plans to do things differently had been shattered by something I had not anticipated. Unadulterated confidence. Justice wanted me there to smile at him and he wanted me there to tell him how proud I was of him; but, I was not necessary. I had become one with the superfluous wheels.

Fortunately, I recover quickly. I packed Justice in the car and made our way back to the house. We had our last appointment with Mr. Makefield from Boys Town, so the bike riding would have to be put on hold for a bit. Luckily for Justice we had a few minutes before his arrival when we reached home and he made the best of it.

He rode his bike up and down the cement sidewalk, shaky at times and steady at others. All the time he wore a huge smile. It was so big I thought it might escape his face and travel through the air like a balloon floating in the breeze. He kept posing in front of his bike beaming with pride every time I pointed the camera at him. He wanted this day memorialized in every way. He had earned a right of passage in American life, a defining moment- the moment that would separate him from the little kids and the big kids. He could ride a two wheeler.

Waiting For Fay

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Gerber) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 11:49:43 PDT

Justice and Mommy have been a bit silent due to some computer issues that have yet to be resolved; however, I wanted to give you all a quick update. We are currently awaiting the arrival of Tropical Storm Fay. She has started to greet us with feeder bands, wind and rain; but, there is the promise of more to come. At this point they have not decided to close the Palm Beach County schools; but, I believe the announcement will be made around 6pm tonight.

We will spend tonight preparing for the storm. First we hit blockbuster and get a slew of new movies. Next we come home, turn on the Weather Channel and make sure all laundry is done. After that we cook anything we may want to eat the next day, gather up all the candles and flashlights, bring in any outside furniture, charge all laptop and portable dvd player batteries, then hunker down for the night.

Stay tuned for more updates.

The Perfect Day

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Gerber) — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 21:26:06 PDT

Aunt Allie came into town this weekend and for two very different reasons we both found ourselves broke and looking for something to do. We decided on the beach. It fit our budget, was fun and was something her children had not seen for quite some time.

The lifeguards were flying a green flag which let us know the swimming conditions could not be any better. There was very little surf, no dangerous marine life and no undertow to worry about. It was the perfect day to spend at the beach with your children.

We spent most of the day splashing about the diamond speckled water reflected by the sweet summer sun. We floated and jumped with the small swells and dug our heels into the soft sand as we collected shells and enjoyed each others company. We spent a day without television or cable and enjoyed the privilege to just be. Be with one another, be with friends and family. That’s something so many people in this world would give their right arm for and it was ours for the taking. That day WE were the lucky ones.

After we had tired of the beach, we made our way over to the playground across the street. Allie and I sat at an empty pavilion, enjoying the shade while the children played in the mangroves and became pirates on the little tykes playground. It really was the perfect day.

Canoeing With Perspective

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Gerber) — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 21:03:19 PDT

Because we are trying to save money, we have been forced to find cheaper and cheaper forms of entertainment. As luck would have it, Grassey Waters Preserve offers guided mini canoe trips for a mere $6.00. Now mind you, that $6.00 was the total cost for both me and Justice. What more could I ask for? I was thrilled with the price and was lucky enough to place a reservation for Mothers Day. I knew it would be a perfect way to celebrate my day with my little man.

That day the sky was clear and the sun was hot. It was a typical May day in South Florida. We are used to the heat, so it does not bother us too much; therefore, we were not worried about becoming overheated in the mid-day sun. We hopped in the car and drove the short distance to the preserve.

When we got there, we stopped under a pavilion and checked in with a volunteer who instructed us to fill out the necessary paperwork. With a few signatures and dates and a little bit of standing around we were ready to go.

Justice had me take this picture of his paddle, because he wanted to have a shot of the Indian on there. Who can resist a request like that?

The volunteers had us split into groups and matched Justice and I up with another volunteer named Dave to fill the canoes. One by one they loaded us into the vessels and pushed us into the body of water which fills our tubs and washing machines each day. Because we had a volunteer in our canoe we needed to be the last canoe in the line making its way through the marsh. This way, we would ensure nobody was left behind and we could offer assistance to anybody in need.

Dave was very knowledgeable and was an expert at steering the canoe. Justice had to sit in the middle, just like when we paddled down the Peace River; but, this time he got his own paddle. He was quite proud of himself as he splish, splashed his way down the marsh along with us. He felt like he was part of the crowd. He was helping.

As we paddled along we saw all sorts of wild life and added a new experience to our repertoire. Every so often we stopped as a group to listen to a short lecture about this plant or that, how islands came to be and how this body of water was tied to the water that poured out of our kitchen sinks. It really put things into perspective. The water that comes from our faucets was not just some form of magic or something to be taken for granted. We were floating in it. It was something that could be used up, ruined or endangered by us. It was real.

As the hour came to an end, we were getting a bit warm and were quite ready for a cold drink and a hearty lunch. It was just long enough to enjoy the trip; yet, not so long that it became a chore. Those are my favorite kind of outdoor excursions.

We disembarked with ease and headed off for a quick lunch and a relaxing day with one another. I could not imagine a better way to spend Mother's Day.

Beaches and Red Flags

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Gerber) — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 20:29:11 PDT

We are desperately trying to cut back on expenses because of Justices father withdrawing his support in the form of childcare, the rising price of gas and our soaring grocery bill, so this weekend we went to the beach, It was a very relaxing day and while the mommy paparazzi was not out that day, I did manage to get a couple of shots to share with you.

Note the red flag flying from the lifeguard station. It’s the most dangerous warning they have before they close the beach. Due to that I only allowed us to go in as far as our shins and when the lifeguards shut down for the day I made a hard and fast rule. No more water. Justice wasn’t thrilled with it; but, after I explained the risks and consequences to him, he somewhat reluctantly agreed to play with the sand toys and a new little friend.

Tambourine Man

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Gerber) — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 20:17:44 PDT

On Sunday morning I got a call from Timbra before church. She was having an impromptu get together with her very musical family and wanted the recipe for my Texas Caviar. Of course I was happy to give it to her and she invited us over to hang out while they all jammed together. I promised to come after our church picnic and kept my promise later that day.

Justice and Hannah played doctor.

The family jammed.

(Video coming soon!)

Luke, our little tambourine man, peered at me through the tambourine.

He looked at me and held out the tambourine with it’s shinny cylindrical spheres and said “toy”
I looked at him and said “Does Mommy know that?”
He looked back at me with secretive eyes and after throwing a quick glance in Timbra’s direction, he leaned in ever so slightly and said “Shhhhhhhh!”
I couldn’t believe it! He was so funny, I couldn’t help but laugh and when I told Timbra, she laughed even harder that I did.

Timbra sand Stevie Nicks Rihannon while reading the lyrics online from her phone.

And we all shared in a great meal of grilled wings, sausages, oven baked beans and a killer salad.

All in all we had a great time. It was a day filled with fun and family. Who could ask for anything more?

Guilt, Love And Two Little Green Eyes

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Gerber) — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 20:01:26 PDT

Today we did a good thing. We put our hearts into recycling; but, let me digress and give you the full story. A few months ago Justice came home from school all a-buzz about recycling, blue bins and yellow bins. Now I have not recycled since I lived in Philadelphia where it was mandatory so I was like “Yea, whatever” as he kept on and on about these bins we had to have.

Every day he came home clamoring about recycling. I became convinced that there was a subservient group of government officials infiltrating his school passing out this labor intensive propaganda. I was a little put off at first, perhaps because deep down there was a growing twinge of embarrassment and guilt snapping at my heart strings. Of course I should be recycling and of course I should want to do it; but, I really didn’t. My life was already so full and so busy as a single mom and part time college student. Did I really have the time to separate the garbage from the recyclables, spend extra time washing said recyclables and drop them into specific bins, only to spend even more time making extra trips to the dumpster area to dispose of everything appropriately? The answer was yes. Yes due to guilt, the love in my heart and two little green eyes staring back at me pleadingly. Yes.

I told Justice to get me the phone number for the recycling people and promised him I would call them and request a blue and yellow bin. The very next day he came home with his agenda and a note from the teacher which included the necessary phone number. That was it. I had to honor my promise. He did his part, now I had to do mine.

I called the number and gave them my address and asked for the bins. Of course it couldn’t be that simple. Lake Park handles it’s own recycling separate from the county. I needed to talk to the more local officials to complete my request. Luckily they called me back the very same day and promised to send a field rep out to asses our location. They needed to see if we had large yellow and blue dumpsters first.

Some time passed and one day a yellow dumpster showed up. It was left in the middle of the property, quite far away from the trash area. I stared at the large yellow eyesore for a few days before another resident or the property manager moved it to the appropriate area. My curiosity had been spiked and one night I decided to check out these recycling containers. As I lifted the lids to each container, I was a bit shocked by what I found. A hodgepodge of garbage nearly congealing with precious recyclables. It was a sad sight to behold.

I did not quite know what to do about what I had seen. The large cans were too big and cumbersome for me to empty into the great metal roll off dumpster and I was pretty sure the town would not pick up mixed containers like this. I decided to keep a watchful eye on the situation for a couple weeks and see what happened. Nothing happened.

Two weeks later, both cans were still filled to the brim with everything they were meant for and everything they were not. It was time to take action. I still didn’t have my small bins to collect the daily plastics, metals and papers and I did not have the room to store them elsewhere, so I was at a standstill.

This week I called the town again. I explained the situation to them and how I thought the neighbors just didn’t know what was supposed to go into the bins. I asked for literature to educate the neighbors and myself, since I was not entirely sure of what could and could not go into each colored bin. They promised to look into the situation and that afternoon I got a call from the driver of the recycling truck. He told me they had not emptied the bins because they had all sorts of unacceptable materials in them. I agreed and asked if they could be emptied so we could start fresh. He agreed to have them emptied, promised to leave small bins for my apartment and literature for the neighbors. It was the perfect solution.

When I came home from work today, there were my bins and literature just as he had promised. The large recycling containers were at the curb waiting to be emptied by the garbage truck the next day. Now it was time for me to do my part. I organized the literature and had a short debriefing session with Justice. I explained how we needed to let our neighbors know what went in each bin so the recycling people would pick them up. I also explained how we would knock on each door and pass the literature out as well as how we would utilize the door hangers for those who were not home. He was excited.

One by one we knocked on our neighbors doors. Some were home and some were not. Many seemed interested in recycling and some looked at us curiously. One woman flat out said she wanted nothing to do with our recycling. It was interesting at the least.

Justice loved knocking on the doors and begged to be THE ONE who handed the literature to outstretched hands. He felt good about himself and his mother because he knew we were doing a good thing. He knew it was good because of those green propaganda pushing officials at school. It was a good thing.

Yes, it was hot and yes it stole an hour from our day; but, we felt good about what we had done. We were promoting change in our neighborhood. We were trying to make a difference no matter how small or how big. We were trying to recycle.

Our last mission of the day was to set up a home for our new colored bins. They seemed to occupy an absorbent amount of space in our small galley style kitchen. I looked at the large bins now occupying one quarter of the floor space which were blocking the oven door and for a brief moment I was a bit put off by them. Then, I thought about some of my favorite blogs depicting life in Bundibugyo, Uganda- a place where this is limited electricity, no glass on windows and virtually no running water; then, I smiled. We were lucky to have a kitchen floor, not made of dirt to put our bins on. We were lucky to have a place to live in which our local government not only picks up our garbage, but our recyclable materials as well. We were fortunate. What’s a little lost floor space in relation to fortune?

Looking For The Light At The End Of The Tunnel

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Gerber) — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 08:39:47 PST

I've had a couple of crazy weeks which have prevented me from posting my normal number of blogs; but, I don't want to keep everybody hanging until I have my laptop back again. Here is a quick re-cap of our wild adventures in the last two weeks (full detail will be following in the next several weeks).

We went camping with the Outlanders in Northern Florida. I somehow managed to loose my car key in the Itchetucknee Spring on a Saturday and couldn't have a new key made until Monday. The big problem was, Justice was scheduled to fly out of PBI the next morning with his father. They missed their flights and the missing key snowballed into a huge mess for his father. Again, I'd like to say I'm an idiot and I'm so sorry!

Justice and his father were not able to leave town until Thursday of that week and as luck would have it I had to put my car in the shop on Friday. Several hundred dollars later I had a working car once again and drove to Panera Bread to use the Internet, only to find my wireless capability has stopped working. GRRRRRR is all I have to say at this point.

To make a long story short I had to take my laptop back to Circuit City and leave it there for evaluation. Hopefully they can fix it, as it's still under warranty. If not, it will have to be sent to Toshiba and I will be unable to post for a couple of weeks.

To make matters worse I am a mommy without Justice right now! He is up visiting his father in Delaware and will be gone until July 20th. I'm stressed out and missing him terribly. When I get stressed, I become very scatterbrained. I even forgot my carefully packed lunch today, which I placed so carefully by the front door!

So there you have it. Things are crazy right now and I need to go look for the light at the end of the tunnel. I know it's there somewhere.

Memorial Day Weekend With The Outlanders

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Gerber) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 13:27:32 PDT

We usually go out of town for Memorial day and spend the holiday in the theme parks of Orlando; but, this year we were stuck in town due to Justices father. With only a few weeks warning he decided to take off for Delaware for an unspecified amount of time and stick me with the full cost of Justices child care. That puts a HUGE financial strain on me and sadly I had to take back certain things I had promised to Justice due to his fathers selfishness and lack of stability. Going to Orlando for Memorial day was one of those things.

Luckily, we had the Outlanders to rely on. They held an almost free ($4 entrance to the park) picnic and beach day with free kayaking and snorkeling. The weather did not look promising; but, we went anyway and hoped for the best. The best is what we got. Great weather, good company and lots of natural entertainment.

Justice and I arrived earlier than anyone else because we wanted to go on the guided nature walk at 10:00 am. Our group consisted of us, another couple and a seasoned guide. It was small, which is nice because you get more one on one time and the opportunity to ask more questions. We hung in there for about 40 minutes before Justice got a bit too antsy and I was a bit too overheated. The sun was sweltering and I had worn a pair of Capri sweat pants which I was rapidly coming to regret, so we politely broke away from the tour and made our way back to the picnic area.

By this time a few Outlanders had arrived and we were ready for a cold drink of water. As we sat down we said our hello’s and Scott, the leader of the group drove off to see if a better spot was available. Within a few minutes, he came back and announced there was another area available closer to the kayak launch, so we gathered up our things and made our way over to the new spot.

Once we got there Justice began digging in the dirt for worms and the rest of us helped Scott unload the supplies from the truck. As the outdoor kitchen was set up, Justice kept showing us all the slimy creatures he was finding. Sandy suggested he take a cup and put them in there with some dirt and leaves and he thought that was a great idea.

More people began to arrive and Justice seemed to enjoy regaling each newcomer with his worm story.
“I ate a worm in daycare before and it didn’t even taste like ANYTHING!”, he told everybody. It seemed to amuse everyone he told to his pure delight. Honestly, I can’t quite relate to this. Maybe it’s because I’m a girl, or maybe it’s because I have no desire to be like Andrew Zimmerman; but, whatever the reason, lets just say it’s not my cup of tea to eat the creepy crawly creatures of this earth.

Eventually we had cooked all of our food and filled our belly’s and were ready to get onto the kayaking and beach. In true Outlanders fashion, everybody helped clean up and put away the kitchen, then we split up to head off to our activities. Scott and another guy choose to kayak, while the rest of the group choose to swim at the beach; however, a few of us decided to take a quick detour and check out the snakes at the nature center. The air conditioning was a welcome respite from the heat and the marine life and snakes were just an added benefit.

The center was small, so it didn’t take us long to see everything and we made our way to the beach in the beating sun. We had to walk down the long wooden pier with no shade, then up and down a few flights of stairs before reaching our oasis in the lush desert. It didn’t take us very long to set up our umbrella, kick our shoes off and jump into the cool water. There were hardly any waves and no drop offs or rip currents, which made swimming very enjoyable.

For a while Justice played on a boogie board and the rest of us floated about talking from time to time. It was as nice and relaxing as anything I could have imagined. Soon, Lynette and another Outlander arrived and we got a good game of Nerf football going in the ocean. We had a good time tossing the purple and orange foam ball about while splashing in the salty waves of the Atlantic Ocean. For a slice of time it didn’t matter what any of us were dealing with in our personal lives. Our worries and trials were far off in the horizon and we were living in the moment. This is what I like the most about the Outlanders.

When we had tired of our game, we migrated onto the beach where Justice had set up his buckets and pails. It didn’t take long for the rest of us to wind the clock back a few years to a time where we enjoyed building cities of sand and shells and we all joined in. Lynette made a curious volcano while I worked on decorating castle shaped buildings and a city pool. At one point we had a real city going; however, King Kong, aka Justice had other plans. STOMP, STOMP, STOMP went his feet as he crashed down on the cities buildings. We all laughed lightheartedly as our city met it’s demise as it would have in the impending tide.

By this time we had been at the park for most of the day and the storms predicted for that day seemed to be converging on the beach. The walk back to our cars was quite lengthy, so we all decided to pack up and head off to the safety of our vehicles. As luck would have it we saw a starfish on the way back. It was the crowning jewel of a perfect day, but as they say “All good things must come to an end.”

A Trip To Solomon's Castle

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Gerber) — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 07:27:11 PDT

The drive from Zolfo Springs to Solomons Castle was quite enjoyable even if there wasn’t much to see. The roads were long and lined with orange groves, cattle ranches and an occasional house. I didn’t think we were going to see anything surprising or eye catching until we came upon a one way bridge. Signs warned us to slow down and we approached cautiously.

As we came upon the bridge, my jaw dropped when I saw it was wooden and had two raised tracks, meant for our tires.. In all my life I had never seen anything like this. It was like something out of a movie. Regretfully, we had a friend following us, so I didn’t stop to take a picture; but, I wont make that mistake next year. In fact I’m looking forward to it.

We made the turn onto our final road and according to mapquest we had .9 miles to go. After a few miles, I realized mapquest was a bit off. I drove on for a bit, hoping for a country house where we could ask for directions; however, I didn’t see anything after another mile and decided to pull over and let Art, one of the Outlanders know what was going on.

He checked his atlas, which didn’t provide much help, then suggested we go back to the last turn and clock the .9 miles. We would try whatever driveway we reached at that point. It seemed like as good an idea as any, so we turned around and headed back. Suddenly I saw a man standing outside his truck at the gates to his ranch. I decided to stop and ask for directions.

The rancher could have jumped right out of a picture. His skin was weather beaten and he wore a cowboy hat. His jeans were blue and his button down shirt was typical. I pulled up behind him and he waited for me to get out of the car. “Excuse me, but we’re from out of town and we’re looking for Solomon’s Castle. Do you know where it is?”
He chuckled to himself and said, “You know where you was pulled over at….if you went another 400 yards you would have been there.” He was right and when we came up on the sign, I could see why he was laughing at us.

When we reached the parking lot, we quickly got out and walked towards the castle. Immediately I noticed the road had been painted yellow in the shape of bricks, no doubt a tongue in cheek reference to the yellow brick road. It felt somewhat magical to walk down that road with a shining castle in sight. I felt like Dorothy walking down that road. Just like her, I knew that castle held something special, just for us.

Our first glimpse of the shinning masterpiece was resplendent in the Florida sun. The whole thing had been covered in shinny tin plates, discarded by the Wachula newspaper. They used the tin’s to print pages and after that, had no use for them. Howard Solomon took the phrase “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure” to a whole new meaning when he recycled those tins and covered his castle with them.

We walked through the front door and found ourselves in a small gift shop where we purchased a magnet, pet block and tickets to the castle tour. The next tour didn’t start for a few minutes so we looked around in amusement at the trinkets and artwork of Howard Solomon. It was just a taste of what was to come.

Soon the tour guide gathered us together and walked us into the first gallery. He told us the story of Howard Solomon and all about how he bought the land in Ona. When he purchased it, he didn’t realize it was a swamp. Being a resourceful man, he decided he needed to build up, not out, thus the castle was born. In addition to that he built a levy to pump the water out during the rainy season.

The galleries were filled with all sorts of art, mostly by Howard himself. Like the castle, his art is created out of discarded items, of no particular use to their previous owners. He often copies famous artists and pieced of work; but, always adds his own, unique flair to the finished product. His artwork is interesting and thought provoking to say the least. It also shows how much can be done with what most people would consider mere trash in this day and age of “Going Green” Howard Solomon should be a role model to us all.

During our tour I managed to take a few pictures of some of my favorite pieces. This one was entitled Where’s Waldo.

I was also quite taken with “Do You Want A Hawaiian Punch”

And my personal favorite, Howard’s Redneck Neighbors

My favorite part of the tour took us into part of Howard’s personal living quarters. I found it wildly interesting to see where this artistic genius sat down after a hard days work or fixed a sandwich when he was hungry. The only modern thing I saw was a modest flat screen television. Everything else was somewhat older and there were signs of artistic inductions everywhere.

Our favorite was the green lady under the stairs. The tour guide told us about Howard’s’ children and how they were told that they would have to go to the dungeon with the green lady if they misbehaved. He asked us all to step back and pulled up a section of the carpet. Below we could see the famed dungeon keeper and Justice’s eyes grew wide. I offered to buy her if Solomon was selling. Justice wasn’t too keen on that idea.

The tour continued onto the grounds where we learned a bit more about the multitude of stained glass windows and the Boat In The Moat. We were taken through the boat and listened to the tail end of the tour while our nostrils filled with the sweet smell of warm apple and cinnamon mingled with home cooked pot roast and mashed potatoes‘. It was the perfect marriage of the sweet and savory.

Art and I looked at each other and decided we were all hungry. The aroma of home cooked food and southern Florida kitsch was too much to resist. We decided to dine in the Spanish boat in lieu of the outdoor patio. As we sat down I was distinctly reminded of the many German club’s I used to eat at in Philadelphia while growing up.

Both Art and I had chocolate Coke’s to drink and picked home cooked favorite’s. He choose the pot roast and I had the meatloaf. Justice was happy with the kids hot dog and chips. To my delight our food was served on green plates accented with scalloped edges and small flowers. I noticed the dishes on neighboring tables and realized that not everything matched. This only added to the feeling of a real “home cooked meal”.

We were all thrilled with the quality of the food. It was a nice change of pace from the typical Sysco branded chicken strips and fries served at most restaurants. It was country cooking at it’s best. The portions proved to be more than we could eat and I ended up packing up Justice’s food and mine for dinner later that night. We paid the bill, then decided to take a short walk to explore the rest of the grounds before heading home.

As we headed down the short path, we came upon Howard’s large workshop. I was hoping for a glimpse of the famed artist; but, didn’t get what I was looking for. Next we came upon The Chocolate House, a soon to be open bed and breakfast run by Howard’s family. It was obvious that they were getting close to opening day and we could see random pieces of furniture inside the windows.

Finally we reached “The Alishemoe”, which is Howard’s newest creation in the making. Apparently he took a trip to Texas and was quite taken with The Alamo and decided to make his own version of the famed historic site. It was in the construction stage when we visited; however, we are looking forward to visiting next year to see the finished product.

The castle itself had a one bedroom suite, The Blue Moon Room which can be had for about $120 a night which seems to be quite charming according to the internet research I’ve done. I would love to spend one night there and one night in The Chocolate House before the next year comes and goes. It’s something we would really have to save for; but, I think it would be the opportunity of a lifetime- something to be treasured for years to come.

Here's Justice with Howard Solomon!

As we headed back down the yellow brick road, which this time led to our dusty cars we were all happy with what we had seen. The side trip to Solomon’s Castle was well worth the time and money. I only wish we had more time to spend there and can’t wait to plan an overnight trip there in the next year!

An Adventure On The Peace River

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Gerber) — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 07:27:41 PDT

Although we’ve spent a-lot of time out of town recently, when I heard about the Outlanders Peace River Camping trip in April, I just couldn’t resist. My cousin Michelle had told me about a trip she went on a few years ago and it sounded like so much fun, I was anxious to go myself. It’s in an area of central Florida I had not previously explored and had a very unique attraction on the Peace River- fossil hunting. Unfortunately, due to our 4 hour canoe trip, we didn’t have the time to hunt for fossils; although, a few members of our group did manage to find some sharks teeth. I am going to make it a point to do some fossil hunting there sometime in the next year. How cool would it be to come home with a fossilized piece of a woolly mammoth? Pretty cool.

Our trip started around 6:30 on Friday evening. We had packed the car, got some cash from the bank and gassed up our little Honda Civic. We were ready to go. Mapquest had given us a route I was unfamiliar with. The back road highways of central Florida. I soon found that much of the way there we would be on two lane, high speed, country roads. Every so often a car would pass us by swerving into the oncoming lane and pushing the pedal to the floor. We were already going 5-10 mph over the speed limit, so I didn’t feel too bad about that. I think the cars who were passing us were asking for a ticket, or an unfortunate accident.

Around 8:30 we rolled into town, otherwise known as Zolfo Springs. Although we had a light snack before we left, we were both pretty hungry and I have to tell you, once we had driven 20 minutes west of our house and 95, we hadn’t seen a single Mc Donald’s, Burger King, Taco Bell, Hardees’s, Sonic or any other fast food joint you can thing of. Central Florida is a very strange place. It’s almost like being in another world; so, we had to settle for the next best thing. Gas station food.

Now in these type of areas, gas stations are much more than a place to fill up your tank and grab a soda. They actually have small hot food take out. I think it’s to make up for the lack of the usual fast food restaurants. Luckily the Stop-N-Shop had a small Hungry Howie’s in the back. Hungry Howies is a very cheaply priced pizza joint typically found in low income areas. We ordered a pepperoni pizza and filled up a jumbo, anti green, Styrofoam cup with Mountain Dew before heading across the street to Pioneer Park.

When we first pulled up to the gates, we found them closed and padlocked. I wasn’t sure if I needed to be let in, or if there was another unlocked gate somewhere else, so I decided to call Scott, the leader of the Outlanders. Sandy, a member of the board answered his phone and after a few minutes was able to give me some directions. We had to enter from another street.

In no time at all we found ourselves inside the park and after a short drive, I spotted the Outlanders truck. We parked the car, grabbed our pizza and soda, then headed towards the campfire for dinner. We didn’t really know anybody there; but, Sandy was very friendly and made us feel welcome right away. Scott was Kayaking on the river and as it turned out, he was the only one we knew on this particular trip; however, that didn’t matter much to us. The Outlanders are a very friendly bunch and we always seem to make new friends every time we camp with them.

After pizza, friendly chatting and roasting marshmallows, we all decided to work our sleeping arrangements. Sandy asked us if we minded sharing a tent with another single mom and of course I said that would be fine. One of the things I like most about the Outlanders is making new friends and this trip met all of my expectations. Sharon was great and Justice really liked her son Dustin. It was a perfect match.

I don’t normally sleep well at night and camping makes things even harder. I never expect to get a great nights sleep in the woods; however, Friday night was worse than usual. The smoke from the fire really aggravated my asthma and I was just getting over a cold. As we laid down to rest, Justice was tossing and turning due to the excitement and I was tossing and turning because I couldn’t breathe. Fortunately somewhere around the middle of the night or early morning, I mercifully drifted off to sleep.

All to fast, the sun rose and our day began. We walked over to the bathrooms, brushed our teeth, then made our way over to the “kitchen”. The kitchen was a blue and white Coleman canopy, a couple of folding tables and a few hard plastic containers which held various pots, pans, cooking utensils and more. Sandy was helping Scott get things going and after asking what there was to do, I decided to help prep the lettuce, tomato’s and onions for the subs. Of course we didn’t have subs for breakfast. We had fluffy, scrambles eggs, grilled bacon and toasted bagels and English muffins. The subs had to be made and packed into coolers for our 4 hour canoe trip.

Everybody did their part to help make breakfast and lunch as well as clean up, then we were on our way. We had a 30 minute drive to the Canoe Outpost and decided to carpool. Justice and I rode with Art and another fellow. It was an uneventful trip and everybody got their in one piece.

Once we were there it seemed to take forever for us to get started. All of us with small children had to check in up front and fit them with special life vests, then make our way back to the group. After that we stood around for a bit longer while the children shot each other with a few over sized water guns. Of course they were not paying close attention to where they were shooting and had to be chastised from time to time. Soon the bus arrived and the guns had to be put down- at least for a little while.

We all loaded onto a blue and white bus which strangely resembled the prison buses of central Florida. If you’ve never been to Florida, that’s where we keep the prisoners. In the middle of the state. We keep the ocean front property for the law abiding citizens. It works out better that way.

Once we were all sitting the bus got underway. BUMP, BUMP, BUMP we went as the bus lumbered down the country road, past the orange groves and cattle ranches. It was packed to full capacity and everyone was eager for their adventure to begin. After about 30 minutes we reached our destination and the bus came to a stop. Everyone jumped out and almost instantly the trailer holding our canoe’s was unloaded.

The boys who worked for the Outfitters slung the heavy aluminum canoes over their heads and schlepped them down to the river bank with more grace than I could muster on my best day. We all grabbed paddles and cushions for our bottom’s, then a few members of our group brought our lunch filled coolers down to the canoes and placed them carefully in the middle.

Justice and I ended up sharing a canoe with another Outlander and with a little protest, Justice sat in the middle while I took the front and our friend manned the rear. He gave the canoe a little push we were on our way. Our adventure had begun. The river was shallow in most spots which was encouraging because I could see the bottom, which made me feel much more secure. I don’t like not knowing what’s beneath me.

As we paddled along, we had to be very careful not to run into any logs or extremely shallow areas for fear of being tipped over. The river was beautiful and the houses that lined it ranged from large to small. A few of them were real eye catchers like the one below. It was shaped like an octagon and it was built on stilts.

After what seemed like a long time, we all pulled over to have some much needed lunch. We had undoubtedly burned off all the energy provided by our eggs and bacon that morning and were in need of a refill, if we were going to make it through two more hours of strenuous paddling.

We had missed our designated lunch spot, so we decide to crash another Canoe Outpost spot. Apparently they also offer overnight trips where you can canoe to your camp sight, sleep, then finish your trip the next day. That’s a little more outdoorsy than I like to engage in. What can I say, I’m a sucker for hot showers and toilets.

After lunch, we piled back into our canoes and began the second half of our trip. This half was much more eventful; but, not in a positive way. We were paddling along minding our own business when we heard the hum of an engine growing closer and closer. Soon we saw a large redneck in an airboat.

At first I was excited to see something so different; but, my excitement quickly gave way to fear and trepidation when he geared up and sped past us. Almost instantly I saw large waves coming towards us. We all braced ourselves and hoped for the best. The first wave came and went and we almost tipped over. The second wave came and we went with it. Well, not all of us went, just the grownups.

Justice was sitting in the bottom of the canoe and the Outlander who was paddling in back said he was holding on for dear life. He was convinced that if the canoe had gone completely over, Justice would have been stuck to the inside just like Spiderman. We were not so lucky.

My first thoughts went to my digital camera. I had brought it on our trip to try and get a few shots along the way and was sure it had been destroyed. It took me a few seconds to realize that the canoe was still upright and the camera might not have been ruined. Our paddler in the rear, who was now standing in four feet of water, called out to me and said to bring the canoe to the riverbank. We needed to get the water out and regroup.

We were all pretty ticked off at this point and a couple other members of our group had stopped to check on us. The offered to call the police; but, we didn’t see much point. We hadn’t caught the numbers on the boat and did not think the police could do much without more information. It was a bad situation; but, we had to keep going.

As we continued to paddle, I kept looking over my shoulder nervously. I was on edge and it showed. At this point Justice really wanted to paddle; but, he just wasn’t old enough yet. He made his little voice heard; but, I kept telling him no. I don’t think he was thrilled with that answer; but, he didn’t have much choice in the matter.

The 4 hour trip proved to be very taxing and by the last half hour, we kept looking anxiously around each bend hoping for the end. After passing under the railroad track’s we found what we were looking for. The end. It gave us a small burst of energy and we paddled faster to reach the dock. It felt good to crawl out of the canoe and walk on dry land.

Justice and I headed up to the outpost and mingled with the group while we waited for the rest of our group to reach the endpoint and disembark. We were sharing our tale of horror with the group when I heard Scott calling for me down by the river. I heard the familiar hum of the airboat and came running. This time we got the numbers off his boat.

The woman who ran the Outpost had made sure to get the numbers as well. As she wrote them down on a sheet of paper, she told me about this boater. Apparently he has been running up and down the river recklessly for a while and the authorities in Tallahassee have been wanting his registration number, so they could do something about it. I vowed to write letters and call anybody and everybody who would listen to me after my final on Wednesday

With a little bit of satisfaction, we headed back to the campgrounds to shower and get dinner underway. At this point I was exhausted; but, Justice was anything but. I decided to relax and let him play while I watched him. Of course, things didn’t stay calm. The boys spotted an alligator in the river and in no time at all a small crowd had gathered.

It was a thing of beauty on the river. It’s eyes and snout were just above the surface and it was watching us intently. The boys and men were making noises, trying to coax it a bit closer to us. Slowly, it inched forward. I think it may have been fed by campers in the past which is a big no no. It teaches them to associate humans with food. Nothing good comes from that.

The oldest teenager began throwing sticks into the water and at that point, I decided to get Justice out of the area. I didn’t agree with what was going on. After doing some volunteer research work with chimpanzee’s at Lion Country Safari, I gained an awesome respect for wild animals and want to keep them that way. Wild.

Luckily nothing bad happened and dinner was served. We had a real feast with fettuccine Alfredo, Italian grilled chicken, steamed vegetables, garlic bread and salad. As Scott would say it was the “usual camp food”. Because I had not helped prepare dinner, I decided to chip in and help wash and put away the dishes.

Not long after that, we all gathered around the campfire by the river and got ready for service. Kelly handed out song sheets and we were treated to a guitar and saxophone duo. We sang 5 or 6 songs then Brian gave the message. It was really nice even though Justice and I were so tired we were fighting to stay awake.

As soon as things ended, I gave Justice a ten minute warning. He could eat all the marshmallows he wanted; but, when time was up, we were going to bed. I think we were the first one’s in the tent that night. I didn’t mind.

This night was much better than the previous night. My airways were clear, the night air was cool and crisp and we were snuggled up on an air mattress beneath a velor blanket and a down comforter. Our heads were laid down on memory foam pillows and the lull of trucks from a nearby road provided all the white noise I needed to sleep soundly.

The next morning we woke up happily, well rested and ready for another adventure. Everybody gathered for pancakes, bacon and ham then pulled together to get the campsites packed up. It didn’t take long to get the tents packed up and the kitchen put away, then most of us headed over to the wildlife preserve within the park.

There was a nominal charge of $2 per person to enter and it proved to be a very nice little attraction. There was a nice boardwalk with a few covered platforms for us to walk on and some well placed plaques informing us about the animals we were viewing. The ostriches were tall and proud and the raccoons were quite active. Further along the boardwalk we saw a panther sleeping in a tunnel and a few bears playing in a pond. The whole park was covered with vultures, who were no doubt squatters hoping for a free meal.

We saw a bobcat hiding behind a log, enjoying a morning siesta and across from there were a few peacocks up in a tree. None of us knew they could climb trees; but, I’m guessing they flew up there. After that the tour ended with a real Florida bang. Alligators. There was a large algae covered pond with a plethora of gators and turtles. The were motionless on the water edge. They were like majestic statues in the warm sun. It was easy for me to see why Steve Erwin found cold blooded creatures like gators and crock’s to be so beautiful.

With that, our camping adventure came to a close and we were headed off on another small trip. We were going to Solomon’s Castle. Although a few members of the group had expressed interest, only one decided to join us; but, you’ll have to read the next post to find out what happened.

A Collection Of Disney Stories

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Gerber) — Sun, 25 May 2008 13:27:33 PDT

Animal Kingdom

We were fortunate enough to hit 4 Disney parks during our spring break extravaganza, two of which were new to us. The first park we went to was Animal Kingdom. Now, this is not the park for everyone; but, we happen to love it. It’s kind of like the nicest zoo you’ve ever been to with a few really great rides and attractions.

As soon as we got into the park we noticed cast members holding clear boxes that held curious life forms. Some people might consider this a lame attraction in such a huge park; however, Justice and I have been blessed with the very unique ability to enjoy both the large and the small things in life. He was particularly taken with the hairy tarantula’s. I on the other hand can live without them.

One of the bigger things Justice got to enjoy was holding Simba! It was very cool.

We made sure to hit our favorite shows and character meet and greets that day; however, we were also sure to make time for two attractions we had never done before- Kali River Rapids and Dinosaur and a new show- Finding Nemo The Musical. Justice rode dinosaur with Uncle Bobby on a previous trip; but, I had never been on it, so I wanted to be sure to fit it into our schedule. According to Uncle Bobby, Justice’s face was somewhat panic stricken during the ride; but, he seemed to enjoy it in the end.

Before hitting the noted attractions, we sat down for a fantastic show at Finding Nemo The Musical. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect; but, Disney never fails to deliver. As soon as we reached our seats, we started to look around at the stage and set. There were large white bubbles protruding from the walls flanking the stage and they had the appearance of rippling water, no doubt created by projection cameras. It was quite relaxing to watch until a flash of orange and white energy jolted us into reality. It was Nemo! He was swimming around from bubble to bubble. The children and adults alike, kept their eyes peeled for him. Justice really liked this and it kept him entertained until the show began.

I’ve been fortunate enough to see several shows on Broadway; therefore, I have somewhat high expectations of theatrical performances. I was a little unsure as to how they would portray these sea creatures effectively on the stage; but, with a little imagination and a bit of pixie dust Disney managed to do the job. The main characters were oversized, handheld puppets carried by actors who sang and spoke for them. Their facial features and expressions mimicked that of their puppets and the whole thing was quite convincing.

We sat on the edge of our seats for the whole show. It was quite long for a theme park show; but, it was well worth the time. If you ever go to Animal Kingdom I highly recommend making the time for the show., besides it’s inside an air conditioned theater. Even if you’re not into musicals, you can’t beat the cool air.

I glanced at the time as we were leaving and decided we would ride a few more rides before leaving. We were really tired; but, there was so much to do and see. Dinosaur was next on our list. As we neared the entrance to the line, I felt butterflies dancing in my stomach and my nerves were on edge. Dinosaur was a dark ride, which meant I couldn’t see it before I went on it. I don’t like that.

An attendant manning the line was able to describe the ride accurately enough to set most of my fears at ease and entered the line. Soon we were entering our vehicles and we were off. The ride was amazing. There were no sharp drops or high speeds; yet, Disney had created a very effective, high thrill ride through the world of dinosaurs.

Cloaked in darkness we plundered ahead. To our right we could hear the snarling of a prehistoric creature breathing down our necks. To our left we could hear the roaring of other dinosaurs of in the darkness. It was so real it was scary. BURST, a dinosaur appeared to our left and descended upon our car. AUGHHHHH we screamed as he lunged towards us, no doubt looking for his next meal. OOOOOHHH we hollered as another large beast flung down out of the night to our right. It was the thrill of a lifetime and the experience of the day.

After that, I doubted anything could match such an incredible experience; but, the Kali River Rapids had a few tricks up it’s sleeve for us. Because we had waited until late in the day, there was almost no line. That worked out well, since there was less than an hour till the parks official closing time. We even got to stay on and ride again without getting out! Most of the ride was pretty leisurely; however, there was one big, but not too big drop and a few drenching moments.

By the end of the day we were totally exhausted and totally soaked. It was so nice to go back to our room at the Candlewood Suites in Altamonte Springs and take advantage of our kitchen. After a day like that, the last thing we wanted to do was go out to eat, so it was a real treat to open the frige and have dinner waiting for us. All in all it was a great day.

The Magic Kingdom

We have taken so many trips to the Magic Kingdom so , I won’t go into a full day’s detail of our trip this time. Please enjoy the pictures below and their short explanations.

As soon as we entered the park we saw Snow White and two of the Seven Dwarfs. Justice leaned into me and said "Mommy it's Snow White and some of the dirty little men!"

He got to hold Tinkerbell on Main Street.

Of course he took a picture in front of Cinderella's Castle, because no trip to the Magic Kingdom is complete without that! (this photo was taken in the back of the castle)

When we reached Mickey's Toontown Fair, Justice had his choice of two character meet and greets. He could meet Donald, Goofy and Pluto or Cinderella, Belle and Aurora. Which do you think he choose? If you picked the Princesses you were right!

He told Cinderella that he liked to play hide and seek and she told him to ask Belle where she likes to hide.

Belle told Justice all about her secret hiding places in the castle!

Next, we were off the meet the big man himself. Mickey Mouse! Justice INSISTED on taking out all of his Mickey paraphernalia before meeting him. I think he wanted to be sure Mickey knew he was a die hard fan. I think he was quite flattered.

I think the sweetest moment came at the end of the day. We were sooooo tired, we decided to take the train to the front of the park and watch the Spectro Magic parade before leaving. We settled onto the curb and waited patiently for it to begin and when it did, Justice turned to me and said "Mommy! It's my dreams coming true! My dreams are coming true!" I swear I almost cried right then and there. The first glimpse of the colorfully lit floats with Mickey in the lead was straight out of the dreams of a six year old boy in south Florida. My boy.

Typhoon Lagoon

We had a blast at Typhoon Lagoon and it was the maiden voyage for both of us. Below are a few of my favorite pictures.

Our day began with a great photo opp.

Justice LOVED slipping and sliding down the kiddie slides. It made for some really great pictures.

He dodged massive waves in the lagoon with Stitch. (Note the impending wall of water behind him. It was quite impressive.)

He even crashed into a few of those waves.

He played the part of a swashbuckling pirate.

He loved floating and swimming down the lazy river; but, I must say it didn't feel so lazy with him. We really got a good work out in there!

He played in the waves some more....

And he even caught one last wave before calling it a day!

Blizzard Beach

Like our trip to Typhoon Lagoon, Blizzard Beach was a first for us as well. Check out all the neat things we did there!

The gentle wave pool and it's pastel inner tubes was a real hit with us.

Walking on the polar ice caps was hard work!

I had to talk him into this attraction; but, he absolutely loved it. Zip lines are FUN!

He did it again and again...

He rode the slides.

We checked out the wave pool again....

"Now do something crazy." said the photographer

Of course we did more; but, due to the fact that all of the attractions involve water, we couldn't take our camera with us to capture every moment. We were so thankful for the Disney Photopass photographers. They did an incredible job capturing our experiences. I highly recommend using their service and purchasing all of the pictures on CD. They allow you to add frames, signatures and more for free and give you a copyright release as well!

Video's Of Our Disney Vacation

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Gerber) — Sun, 11 May 2008 14:58:24 PDT

The Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom

Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach

Migrant Farming In Cleremont And Tubing At Kelly Park

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Gerber) — Wed, 07 May 2008 16:40:54 PDT

After we had taken all the pictures we could at The House Of Presidents, we jumped back in the car and headed down the road to the Showcase Of Citrus. We were going to pick oranges and tangerines in the fields. As I drove down the long road, I couldn’t help but think. It’s funny how long roads have a way of doing that. I thought back to ten years ago. A decade. It’s funny how a decade tends to change people.

When I was born I was totally dependent on my mother for food,shelter and love. I had no means to care for myself. I was an infant. Ten years later, I was just hitting puberty. I was in love with the New Kids On The Block and old enough to take the public bus to our local Swim Club- Somerton Springs, yet still young enough to play with my Barbie’s in secret. Ten years after that I was living in Florida. I was waiting tables, abusing drugs and running from everything that was truly important in life. Almost ten years later, I had been clean for over seven years and was driving down a country road with the most amazing 6 year old in the backseat. I was a single mother, full time receptionist and part time college student.

That’s when it hit me. The big revelation. Each decade was so completely different than anything I had imagined. Some were better than others; but, I had the power to shape the next decade any way I wanted. The next ten years could be anything and everything. They would also be defining in Justice’s life and it was my job to ensure they would be a decade of a lifetime. I’m up for the challenge.

Eventually we began to see the orange groves and came upon the Showcase Of Citrus. We had arrived at our next stop. As we pulled into the rural driveway the country farm we were bursting with anticipation. As strange as it may sound there was nowhere to pick oranges down south where we lived. The citrus canker epidemic caused most of the farms to close their U-Pick fields, which left us out in the dark.

Thanks to the owners of this delightful farm, we still had a place in Florida where we could enjoy the sweet satisfaction of filling a ¼ bushel bag with fruits from God given trees. We were able to experience the thick, sweet, sugary smell of a citrus grove hanging in the air like the intoxicating scent of night jasmine in the southern summer nights. We were able to reach up into the thick green trees and pry the cylindrical oranges from their unrelenting branches. It was everything you could expect from a Faulkner novel. It was the south.

We picked some oranges from smartly labeled rows, then made our way across the footbridge to the tangerines. Again we pulled the sweet fruits from their branches and filled our satchel with nourishing food. How lucky are we that we can literally pick our own food?! It is a true blessing from God, for which we are truly thankful.

Of course our picking came to an end and we made our way to the country store that framed the entrance to the groves. Justice had his eye on a half orange/ half clear bouncy ball which I allowed him to add to our order and we checked out with the store keeper. He actually told us we could add a few more juicy oranges to our sack; but, after I explained my fruit allergy to him he understood that we didn’t want to waste good food. We had all the citrus that could be consumed in our house. We were happy.

Again, we piled into the car, grabbed a few turkey and cheese sandwiches from the cooler and made our way out to Kelly Park, in Apopka, for some good old Florida tubing. As we neared our destination it became clear to me that our mapquest directions were a bit off. That’s one of the hazards of using a free online service to direct you from point A to B to C.

I knew there were a couple of places nearby to rent tubes at; but, I didn’t know exactly where they were. When I realized my directions were off, I began to panic, because I thought I would never find the tube rentals. Of course I was wrong and even discovered a rare treat along the way. A very curious Asian type structure. I was eager to get to the park, so I made a vow to explore this oddity on the way back.

Soon we came upon Ron’s Tube rental and pulled in to get our flotation devices. The “store” consisted of a small area enclosed by a chain link fence and an even smaller white wooden structure that served as their office. There was one attendant who was happy to help us pick out our tubes and even directed us to the smaller one’s which were perfect for Justice. I paid him the $4 per tube rental and left an additional $4 per tube as a security deposit.

Next, the attendant grabbed a piece of white twine and walked out to the car. He suggested tying the tubes to the trunk and since this is not something I do every day, I figured it would be best to listen to the expert. He asked me to open the trunk, then proceeded to tie the tubes to the hinges and we were ready to go!

As we neared the park I began to get more excited. We had had such a great time tubing the Itchetucknee last summer, so I knew this was going to be a great experience. The entrance to the park was well marked and lined with huge trees. I paid the entrance fee and rolled on down to the drop off point for the tubes. Actually I wasn’t quite sure where to go and had to ask another first timer where the tubing began. As luck would have it we were in the right spot, so I put the flashers on and proceeded to unload our tubes and lather on the sunscreen.

The parking lot was a short distance away and well within eye shot, so I had Justice stay with the tubes as I parked and walked back. We started to walk towards the water; but, again I had to ask some locals for directions. They pointed us to the nice boardwalk that would take us to the top of the run. It was listed as a mile walk; but, it didn’t feel that long and the forest provided a nice cooling shade.

When we reached the start point, Justice was eager to jump in; but, I insisted on exercising caution as the large, moss covered rocks in the shallow entrance were quite slippery and I didn’t want any unnecessary injuries. From my experience most accidents that occur in the natural setting are a direct result from either being unprepared or not exercising the proper caution.

I helped him into his tube, then settled into my own for a relaxing float down Rock Springs. In no time at all we were gently gliding down the riverbanks peering down into the crystal clear water. No matter how deep or shallow it was we could always see the bottom unless we hit a patch of lush eelgrass. Personally I am not a huge fan of this grass because it’s often home to fish and snakes, besides I like to see what’s beneath me.

Justice was sure to keep a good hold on my tube most of the time and was a bit skittish himself regarding the eelgrass as well. At one point we happened to see a long black snake swimming in a quickly shifting S like pattern at the waters surface. He appeared to be headed towards the embankment and Justice said “He was SLITHERING!” Again, I don’t really like swimming with snakes; but, I’ll forgive this little guy as he was slithering away from me and not towards me!

Not long after that we had the distinct pleasure of seeing a river otter swimming upstream just a few feet away from us. If you have ever seen them swimming in a zoo, then you already know how graceful they are and how calming it is to watch them. Actually swimming with them, in the wild, is so much more incredible. It is a much appreciated gift from Mother Nature.

At one point we came across a couple of almost teenage boys who were swimming down the river sans tubes with snorkels. They kind of reminded me of The Hardy Boy’s. It just so happened that they had been watching a deer in the woods and were able to point it out to us. Again, it was just another remarkable sighting we had the privilege of viewing that day.

Soon the river forked and I think we choose the less desirable path. We ended up in another long and shallow bed of the dreaded eelgrass, passed under a very small bridge then emerged in the widest section of the run. For a while we floated around aimlessly and saw a ton of fish swimming around us. It was pretty cool and also pretty deep here.

Of course Justice tired of this “relaxation” much quicker than I and wanted to tube further down to the shallow area next to the sandbox. In order to appease him, I agreed to wallow in the more shallow water, while he made some new friends and was allowed to share their sand toys. There were two little girls who he clicked with right away and I seemed to click with their grandma, so it was a good fit for everyone.

The kids found a couple of water guns and decided it would be great fun to squirt me repeatedly and for a while I allowed them their fun. Every time I turned my head a spray of cool water was flying at me from this direction and that. The peals of laughter and giggles from the children met my ears with hastening glee. We were all having a great time, connecting with one another on a very simple plane. Fun. That’s it, just pure, good, wholesome fun.

At one point a few more girls joined in the fun and they had a sand “ice cream factory” in full operation. Justice was having the time of his life while I was happy to enjoy the cool spring water. It was so cute to watch the little line of children making their icy dairy creations out of sand and plastic. I was served chocolate, mint and vanilla ice cream by several children. It was quite amusing….I didn’t actually eat anything.

Eventually I was able to pull Justice away from his factory to complete the river run. This section was much shorter; but, provided more tranquil scenes nonetheless. Justice was afraid to go further than the last stop because a friendly park worker assured him there were no alligators until after that point. He didn’t want to go beyond that point and get eaten. I can’t say that I blame him.

As soon as we exited, we began to roll our tubes down the boardwalk much like children playing hoop and stick around the turn of the century. At one point Justice stopped abruptly and started flailing his arms about wildly. I could see snippets of a large winged bug flying about and knew why he was scared. He had been stung in the eyelid by a bee last summer; therefore, he had learned a healthy fear of insects with pointy stingers. Smart kid.

First he tried to play dead, by standing completely still. Of course the menacing bug thought this made him the perfect perch to sit upon. Next he tried to swat it away. It seemed to welcome the challenge by flying right back at him. Finally I came to his rescue. The bug had attached itself to his board shorts and I swiftly flung the tube at it. Then, we ran with the wind up the boardwalk, as our large rubber tubes jostled about in our arms. We had pulled a fast one on the bug. He was gone.

When we reached the end, Justice wanted to swim again; but, I just wanted to go. This WAS supposed to be our relaxing day. With a bit of whining and the promise of lunch at the car, he agreed it was time to leave. After all, we had that curious Asian structure to explore.

I wanted to go to the picnic tables in the clearing; but, Justice wanted to sit on the curb by the car as we had our lunch. Where do you think we ate? If you guessed the curb- you are correct. We had peanut butter and jelly, animal crackers and a can of cherry coke. It was simple, yet satisfying.

You wouldn’t think returning tubes could be a small adventure; but, that’s where reality ends and imagination begins. After we turned our tubes in and retrieved our deposit, we decided to visit the Plush Pony Ice Cream Parlor right next door. Justice was immediately attracted to the brightly painted cartoon signs and to be honest, I was thinking a nice cold treat was just what the doctor ordered after our action packed day.

As soon as we entered, I was immediately enchanted by the country ice cream parlor. They had done a-lot with their small space and it paid off. Immediately if felt as though you were in a 1950’s soda shop. The floors were checkered with red and white squares which were nicely contrasted by shinny, backless barstools and rows of red leather covered booths. The entire parlor was decorated with Betty Boop artifacts and very tastefully put together.

I don’t think we were in there for two minutes before Justice looked around and saw Betty in all her glory. He looked at the workers and said “Hey! My Mom mom collects those!” They all seemed to get a kick out of that and so did I. He hates it when says something cute and everybody laughs. He always seems to think we are laughing at him, when we are really laughing with him.

Justice ordered a cotton candy ice cream in a cup and I was unbelievably delighted to be able to order a chocolate cherry gelati. They actually had WATER ICE here! This is a rare treat in Florida, and I didn’t want to miss my opportunity for a taste of Philly. By the way a gelati made with chocolate soft serve and cherry ice tastes an awful lot like a chocolate covered cherry….but BETTER!

With our treats in hand, we got back into the car in search of the Orient. We only had to drive a very short distance before we found it smack in the middle of Florida. After parking the car in a dirt swale, we grabbed our treats and started to check out this strange building. According to the grandmother I had become acquainted with at the park, this was a Buddhist Temple, something I have never seen before.

As soon as we entered the grounds, we both had a feeling of uneasiness. The place seemed to be deserted and we were not sure if our presence would be considered unwelcome or rude. I think Justice was a little more apprehensive than me and I had a hard time getting him to pose for the first few pictures; but, after he realized that nobody was coming out to yell at us, he warmed up a bit.

The building wasn’t terribly large; however, it was quite ornate with it’s intricately caved pillars and golden Buddha’s. Small candles and sticks of incense were conspicuously placed throughout the grounds, obviously meant for prayer and meditation softly contrasted by trickling fountains and statues from small to large. The grounds really evoked a sense of peacefulness while providing a simple, yet ornate backdrop.

We only stayed there for about fifteen minutes before we headed back to the car. We had done so much and had such a great time; but, it was definitely time to get back to the hotel for a little R&R. We still had a-lot of vacation left in us and we wanted to be ready for anything that came our way.

We Went To Graceland Baby!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Gerber) — Tue, 06 May 2008 16:48:21 PDT

Justice and I woke with great anticipation on one particular day of our spring vacation. It was the day we were to take our first trip to Graceland, visit the Citrus Tower in Clermont, pick oranges in the groves and go tubing down one of Florida’s pristine rivers. It was going to be a day full of firsts for us and we couldn’t wait for the excitement to begin.

Of course Graceland was first on our list. Ok, ok, I know it’s a tourist trap; but, what good American doesn’t want to see where The King laid his head to rest and at those famed peanut butter and banana sandwiches. We hopped in the car and drove twenty minutes southeast and WHALAA, we were there. Ok, so I know it wasn’t the really real Graceland; however, it was a pretty good replica in Orlando.

Justice wasn’t quite sure of what we were about to look at; but, he was game nonetheless. He hopped out of the car with excitement and glee, then ran to the front of the house for pictures. As I began to snap a few shots, I happened to notice a lady exiting the side of the house. I waved at her and she waved right back! I didn’t want to be overly intruding and knock on the door, pick their brains and gather all the facts I could, so I was quite pleased with the opportunity to wave at one of Orlando’s Graceland residents. It was my way of showing my appreciation for the privilege of snapping a few photo’s while still respecting their privacy. If any members of the paparazzi are reading this- please try and learn from this.

After we grabbed our shots, we piled back into the little Honda Civic and made our way out to Clermont. The drive was pleasant and enjoyable and the first view of the famed Citrus Tower was also quite enjoyable. I couldn’t help but snap this picture from the car as we continued onto the main entrance. It was our first glimpse of what we were about to experience.

As we pulled into the parking lot, I couldn’t help but notice how the entranceway to the tower looked somewhat deserted. Actually I couldn’t quite determine where the entrance was and decided to take a chance on a side door. It was open and we entered. The metal door frame was like a time portal which transported us back to the 1960’s. We walked down a short, plain hallway with speckled tile floors and nondescript walls before we entered upon the main lobby. There were a few small tables, a white plate filled with free orange and grapefruit samples, as well as an overhead television spouting the day’s news.

There was an elderly, dark-skinned man at one of the tables enjoying a conversation with one of the local lady’s which set the scene for that day’s events. It screamed “Good Old Country People”, and that’s just what we had the pleasure of experiencing that day.

We had to enter Lilly's giftshop, to gain entrance to the tower’s elevator. As it turned out, there was a small fee to ride to the top. Six dollars for adults and two dollars for children. I happily forked over the money and Mrs. Lilly happily showed us the way to the elevator. The doors had been hand painted with interesting facts and scenes of the tower. The actual elevator was quite small and somewhat rickety. Having been stuck in an elevator for over thirty minutes myself, I was not encouraged by this; however, it turned out to be perfectly safe.

When we reached the top and exited through the antiquated doors, a rare treat awaited us. Our eyes opened wide to take in the panoramic view of Florida’s farmlands from the height of 22 stories high. It was utterly breathtaking and yet calmly majestic all at the same time. It was the work of God and man in perfect unison. It was serenely beautiful as are we.

As we gazed across the majestic expanse, we were quite silent. There are no words to describe the birds eye view of rolling hills and groves that we have been blessed with. It was like sneaking a view of Florida from heaven above. It was a gift from God.

As we made our way around the observation deck, we were happy to find conspicuously placed signs telling us what we were looking at. This way was Disney and that way was the Apopka. That way was the Gulf of Mexico and this way was the Kennedy Space center and the Atlantic Ocean. It made me really wish I had a pair of binoculars to fully enjoy the experience.

After making our way around the deck we noticed a large white and blue sign on the inner wall. It was a uniquely placed wising well. You could drop a coin down a metal pipe, through a small slot and listen to it drop down, down, down through another open ended pipe. I like the idea of wishes come true, so I am usually happy to dig a penny or nickel out of my purse so that Justice can have his chance at a dream come true….and me too, so that’s just what we did. We dropped our pennies down the pipes and listened to them CLINK, CLANK, CLUNK, all the way down. It was cool.

Next we made our way around the rest of the smallish observation deck and took care to read each and every sign, telling us what we were viewing. It was truly breathtaking. As we neared the end of the circle I happened to notice Mt. Rushmore far below us. It was The House Of Presidents, another unique roadside attraction in Florida. I knew our budget wouldn’t allow for a trip there; however, I wanted to snap a few pictures before we headed to our next destination.

Soon Justice had all he could take of the scenic views of Florida and was begging to go. I let him press the button and we waited for the tiny elevator to shudder it’s way to the top. The doors opened and we entered. After the longish trip down we made our way out to the same table where the locals sat earlier. They were still there; however, this time the store owner was sitting there as well.

I took a moment to speak with her while Justice contemplated the tray of orange and tangerine treats to his right. “Do you get many visitors?” I asked.
“Oh, yes. Some day’s more than others- a-lot of school trips. We get quite a bit of business.”. I was pleased with that answer, as I happen to love “old Florida” and hate to see it’s original attractions fall by the wayside. I think they are the building blocks, or cornerstone of Florida’s tourism and what is a building without it’s cornerstone? Just a heap of rubble.

I mentioned that we had found the Citrus Tower on Roadside America then politely made our way down the same deserted hallway we entered through and walked to the car. I had Justice pose for a few pictures then got into the car and grabbed my keys….my keys….my - what! Where were my keys??!! Then it hit me, I had placed them on one of the support beams 22 stories above while I captured the beauty of Florida with my finicky camera.

As my keys sat unassumingly, encased by the concrete tower up in the sky, Justice and a made our way back into the building. I approached the owner and explained what happened.
“Oh, you just go on up there and get them, nobody’s been up there since, so they should be fine” she said with the slightest southern drawl. I was quite relieved. Loosing my keys would be a nightmare at this juncture in our vacation.

Quickly, we made our way to the top of the elevator and retrieved the all important keys. Soon we were in the car and ready for our next stop. The Hall Of Presidents.

I regret the fact that we were not able to go inside here; but, I will definetly work it into another visit. The outside was designed to look like The White House with it’s tall white pillars and Colonial windows. To the left was a replica of Mt Rusomore and to the right a Statue Of Liberty. The front of the building housed the Lincoln Monument and the actual 1973 parade limosine that held Nixon, Ford and Carter. If the outside held so many wonders, I could only imagine what was within it’s Presidential doors; but, we’ll have to save that visit for the next trip.

Paying It Forward At Sea World

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Gerber) — Tue, 06 May 2008 16:01:04 PDT

Justice and I decided to kick off our spring break vacation with a trip to Sea World with Allie and the kids. We had brought Dylan, her step son up from North Palm Beach to spend spring break with his family and we thought it would be nice to visit the park together that day. I had finally talked her into taking advantage of Sea World’s "pay for a day, come back all year" deal for Florida residents, which made trips to the park as a group a reality instead of a dream.

It was a nice day and we were able to take in a few shows and spend a considerable amount of time trying to pet the stingray’s before things went downhill. Justice screamed with glee each time he managed to get his fingers on one of their slippery wings and grumbled in jealousy each time Aunt Allie touched two stingrays for his one. Dylan was the funniest of all. He refused to put his hands in the large tank for fear of his fingers being bitten off; but, he whined and cried because his mommy kept touching stingray’s and he had not. Call me crazy; but, if you don’t put your fingers in the tank your chance of touching the elusive sea creatures goes from 70% to 0%. I guess they haven’t taught statistic’s at his kindergarten just yet.

After we left the stingray’s we tried to make our way to the dolphins to try see if we could brush our fingertips across their shinny, smooth surfaces; however, to our disappointment they had closed off the area for feeding time. Had we left the stingray’s a few minutes earlier we could have had our chance. Luckily the children found a squirrel to play with just beyond the dolphins. I looked at Allie and said “Gee we don’t have those in West Palm or Ocala”
She looked back at me with a smirk on her face and a glimmer in her eye and said “This must be a “hidden” attraction.” We both laughed

Next we made our way over to the larger attractions. Allie and I had agreed to split up for a bit so she could take the older children on the Journey To Atlantis, a very large log flume. We were both shocked and a bit apprehensive when Justice said “Hey, I want to go too.”
“Well, I’m willing to take him if he really wants to go.” said Allie
“Are you sure, you really want to go? You want to go on that ride, right there?” I asked while pointing directly to the large downward flume.”
“Yes, that’s what I want to go on.” he said decisively.
I checked with the line attendant to make sure he would have a safe spot to wait in just in case he chickened out, then sent him on with my blessings. I wheeled Matthew over to a prime viewing area then waited for my son to come sweeping down the flume.

Unfortunately it began to rain. At first it was just a light spattering; however, it worked itself into a full downpour, forcing us to take shelter in a close by store and loose our viewing area. I really wanted to see Justice come down the flume; but, I had to settle for the next best thing. A picture.

Andrew, Allies oldest son got off the ride first and as soon as I saw him, I ran over to see the pictures from the ride. Now, I don’t normally purchase those pictures; but, Justice’s face was just too good to pass up. Also they offered an e-mail option for an extra $5, which I thought was well worth the money. Take a look below and see what I mean. Justice is sitting next to Allie and her stepson Dylan is in the back with the funny face.

The real drama began that day just after the Shamu show. We decided to check out Shamu’s Happy Harbor and let the boys play in the nets while we sat down and rested for a bit. Unfortunately, the sky didn’t want to cooperate with us. It had rained off and on earlier and we were already soaked; but, what happened next was just plain ridiculous.

We had just settled into our table and were enjoying some tuna fish sandwiches made by our own Chef Allie when the heavens let loose. The area was only partially covered and the increasing wind turned our partially covered area into something that resembled a drive through car wash. We were the car and the sky and wind were the washing machine.

Following another stranded group we took what you might describe as shelter in another close by area with a lower, solid roof. It was completely unprotected on all sides; but, seemed a bit drier. As we ran from point A to point B we were pelted with balls of hail. The icy spheres from the sky seemed to say “Take that!” “Take that!” as they zeroed in on our unprotected bodies.

Justice and I had poncho’s which provided some help; but, poor Matthew in the stroller was completely unprotected. The day’s events had completely tuckered him out and he slept soundlessly as the rest of us endured the storm with shivers and goose bumps. A nearby family offered up their dry t-shirts to cover the baby with an huddled closer together to make more room for us. It was humankind at it’s best.

Eventually the storm let up a bit and we all decided to hightail it for the front of the park and our even drier cars. When we tried to return the shirts, the people refused to take them back. They wanted to be sure the baby was as comfortable as possible and we were so thankful for their kindness.

Just a few short weeks ago, Allie had offered up some, pricey straps to a woman in distress on the highway. She was transporting a mattress and had lost it and her rope while driving down the road. She felt so bad for her she gave her the items she needed to secure her property and left with a good feeling in her heart. She knew her family couldn’t afford to replace the straps at that time; but, she also knew the woman was completely stranded without them. She didn’t know that just a short time later another, unrelated family would pay it forward to her at Sea World. That’s the beauty of life in all it’s honesty and truth.

Post Vacation Update

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Gerber) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:06:07 PDT

We've returned from our Orlando vacation and I am happy to say we had a killer time! I know you are all probably waiting to hear all the fun details of our trip; however, due to the ending school year it and the time it will take for our pictures to arrive from Disney it will be about 2 1/2 weeks before I can start posting our short stories.

Justice is working very hard to make "Word Wizard", by memorizing a certain vocabulary list and I am in the homestretch of my Intermediate Algebra course. I have 1 week until my last test and the due date for all extra credit work and 2 weeks until the final, so you can see why blogging must be put on the back burner for now.

In the meantime we will be attending a hot air balloon festival this weekend, followed by study time, study time and more study time! If I get the chance, I will try and post at least 1 or 2 pictures to give you a small window into what we've been doing!

Migrant Farming At Cracker Boy’s U-Pick Farm

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Gerber) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 18:34:39 PDT

Today we did the most enjoyable thing. We checked out another somewhat local U-Pick farm in Hobe Sound. After doing some internet research I found that there was a new farm in the area which was not listed on pickyourown.org. I really wanted to check it out and after the previous day’s disappointments (let’s just say it was a bad day), I was itching to do something fun.

Cracker Boys Vegetables and U Pick is so new they don’t have a web site or even a regular business line. When I called the phone number I found listed for them it actually went right into the owners voice mail. I left a message on Friday and waited for a return call. I wasn’t even sure if they were opening or monitoring the line, so I didn’t expect a return call right away.

As luck would have it the owner of the farm happened to return my call on Sunday morning and let me know they were open that day. After jotting down the directions, I called Justice from the west wing of our one bedroom apartment and got ready to do some grocery shopping in a field.

We put on our shoes and hopped into the car hoping for a good experience and that’s just what we got. After a thirty minute drive on I-95 we exited onto Bridge Road and headed east for about three miles. It was a long, seemingly unending country road where everybody traveled at high speeds and seemed to know exactly where they were going.

We actually passed our destination two times before we were able to find them due to the high speeds and smallish sign set just a little too far off the road for out of towners like us. As we pulled into the white gravel driveway I took note of the small field of crops and even smaller country store. I must admit my expectations were not high; however, I am happy to say they were far exceeded.

After we got out of the car we checked out the country store lined with unfinished lattice and filled with good old country folk and fresh produce. Dad was sitting on a rocking chair with his toddling daughter while mom was behind the register, as her school aged son roamed about. Immediately I had a good feeling about Cracker Boys U-Pick Farm. I could see that this was a labor of love for the family and I knew we were about to be blessed by their hard work.

I checked in with mom at the register to find out what was available for picking. She told us we could pick green beans or tomato’s then gave us a bucket and walked us out to the field. Justice was very excited. Prior to this we have only tried out one u-pick farm and it was a hydroponic farm; therefore, this was a completely new experience.

In no time at all Justice was bent down on the ground picking feverishly, moving from side to side like a crab on the ocean floor. His eyes were locked onto the beans and he was hell bent on filling the large white bucket in his hand. Of course I realize we only have two people in our house, so I had to put a limit on what he could pick. He agreed to limit the amount of beans he picked; however, I think he was secretly wishing we had an army to feed so he could pick as much as he wanted.

After we had a sufficient amount of beans we decided to check out the produce stand; but, as soon as we got in there Justice wanted to know what else we could pick. We don’t normally eat a-lot of tomato’s so I was planning on skipping them; however, Justice had other plans. After he promised me he would eat them, I agreed to picking them.

The lady running the store actually walked us out to the field again and showed us where to pick. When we reached the proper row, we were met with another family member who was tending the fields. He offered to direct us to the best rows and pointed out the types of tomatoes they had. I was curious about the green tomato’s because I’ve never had them and didn’t know how to prepare them. He suggested frying them. I didn’t think that sounded too complicated, so we picked a few of them and agreed we would try a new recipe that night. Besides, after watching “Fried Green Tomato’s” so many times, I’ve always been a bit curious about this southern oddity which was quite lacking in Philadelphia, where I grew up.

After picking just the right amount of red and green tomatoes, we made our way back to the store and began perusing the plain wooden shelves. Everything was so fresh and the prices were amazing. We actually got a pound of pre-picked strawberry’s for $2.00! Again, Justice wanted to take two of everything and fill our basket; but, I knew we could only eat so much and didn’t want to waste food.

After we had gotten all the fruits and vegetables we could possibly eat in one week, we made our way to the register. I was shocked when the lady told me that we owed he a mere $7.90. We had so much in our bags! I looked around and noticed a large white sign with red lettering which said “Boiled Peanuts”. Nether of us had ever had them and our bill was so low, so I ordered a small cup for Justice.

I took a few moments to chat with the lady before leaving while Justice inspected the curious nuts in his foam cup. I asked her how long they had been open and how business was. She informed me that they had only been open since October and business was just ok. I also asked her where their other produce came from and she was happy to reveal their sources. It was nice to know where our food was coming from and to do business with friendly people.

As we drove off, I had a feeling of complete satisfaction. We had found a really great new farm to harvest and purchase our produce. I look forward to making day trips to Hobe Sound and exploring the area’s parks and beaches over the next year. It will provide me with yet another opportunity to experience another part of Florida with my little sidekick, who quite loudly exclaimed from the back seat “Hey I do like these boiled peanuts. They taste just like beans!”