ROAD TRIPS and Vacations
Kissimme, FLA, 2000

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What  a nightmare!
Cathy and Joe arrived at Islip Airport at 5 am, Saturday, October 28th with a full day planned of arriving in Orlando, FlA by 9 am.  Once there we had to call Eva Smith to arrange a meeting at our new house (Eva is a real estate  and a family friend.)  We also needed to confirm our Holiday Inn room all the way over in Port Saint Lucie and it was a MUST to be there by 6 pm that night or the room would not wait.  But, hey, we figured that gave us all day and we would enjoy Orlando and even spend some hours at our new house. Right?  Wrong.
Right from the start the airline clerk told us that the flight was postponed till 10am. There was a 8:20 but they were not bumping them and in fact there were 4 flights to Orlando before our ordeal at Islip was done and none would be bumped for us.  So we waited.  Hour after hour no one informed us of what was going on. When we did ask, and we had to almost take people by the collar and demand an answer, we were told that the craft was being repaired - like who wants to fly in a repaired plane?  When 3 pm rolled around and too many jilted customers were now ready for a change of clothing, a refreshment and some sympathy - so we decided to cancel and go home - the front desk told us the plane was leaving and to "run" back to the gate to catch it.  It was a funny sight seeing a few dozen folk doing a O.J. Simpson dash for the Gate!  I suppose it was a real laugh for all those at the Southwest terminal and for those on the earlier flights to Orlando as well.  When we did get back to Gate One, we discovered that they lied to us and some of us were furious!  I am renowned for my hot temper and I have to report that I was calm, cool and collective - only because I didn't want to upset Cathy.  But a few people were very upset.  The more so when we all discovered that our luggage had already flown to Orlando on the 8:30 flight!!!  Well, were we volcanic or what?  (Just a note here: had the gate clerk sympathized a bit with these people, had he even responded in half human tones and phrases, I think a lot of this mess would have been bearable.) So everyone "flew" back to the front desk - mind you we all had to go through the radar check point every time we did this.  Cathy and I are radioactive by now!  At the front desk they tossed us all in cabs to an airport 60 miles away - La Guardia - to catch the 4:10 flight to Orlando, which left closer to 5 pm.  And I had to confirm the room by 6 pm.  Cool, huh?
Well, one thing I have learned since I've been 51 is that 52 is not a given. So Cathy and walked off the plane thankful to be in 80 degree weather.  Finding our luggage was not so easy but we did find it.  The rental was from our favorite rent-a-car, Dollar, and it was a clean, nice car in deed.  I phoned Holiday Inn and we were able to hold a room - even until Sunday if need be.  It was not close to 10pm.  We called Eva and left a message about our ordeal.  We decided to first drive directly to Pt. St. Lucie then get dinner and our bed.  So near 1:30 am we pulled up to a Denny's in Melborne (still almost and hour away from Holiday Inn) and got ourselves a meal that reminded us why we love FLA so much - it cost under $20!
The room was super except for all the noise from the AC and a small refrig which we shut off at night and for the fact which everyone who knows of my spooky reputation of being in fires in hotels - we were on the 4th floor! But since I've never been in a hotel fire under the 5th floor, I ignored fate.  
Early Sunday we were off to see Nancy and family and Pat, Mindy and lil PJ.  All went as planned.  We dined with Pat and Mindy at the Jolly Sailor in Stuart Sunday night and came back to Holiday Inn to find a notice that the water would be turned off all day Monday so some one could change a pressure gauge.  We had to up and out by 6 am, Monday.  OK, could be worse - we could have been delayed at the Airport and missed a entire day of our 4 day vacation and things like that......... a day without a room wasn't the end of the world.
We planned to drive back to Kissimme anyway on Monday to catch up with Eva - remember her? - and enjoy our new house.  Just as we passed a sign that perhaps out of sarcasm mentioned that the nearest exit was 81 miles away, the Dollar rent-a-car blew a rod.  Just wonderful! Right in the middle of the FLA Turnpike, close to 90 degree heat, nothing around for miles, and Cathy and Joe pushing their guts out  to get the car to Palm Bay.  Dollar was polite, unlike Delta, and had us a car within 2 hours.  That was the best they could have done, trust me.  We arrived in Kissimme at 5 pm and went right to our house and our pool.  The rest of the story is not unlike this, but not worth mentioning - ever!

Patrick welcomes us to his house in Port St. Lucie.

Patrick, Jr.  meets Poppa for first time since his birth.

Pj, Mindy and Pat. A busy but happy family.

Poppa looking to steal lil PJ away from Pat.

Gotcha!

PJ wanting to be picked up, but happy if he has to stay put.

  Daddy and calf.

  Some cow taking a picture of other cows.

   A rustle of cows.

Lil PJ got his way without the mask.

Over at Nancy's we found Mikie looking suspicious of us.

The new rental, Mindy on our way to Jolly Sailor.

Old Town Stuart and Old Dad Patrick.

jolly Sailor and some REALLY great food. 

  You got to laught at all the Christmas lights around FLA in October.

  Piston Blew, Huh? 

Our new house. Oak Hollow Road, Kissimmee. And the first rent-a-car.

Front right. Since Joe archives everything on the Net, you'll have to bear with a ton of images of the house - because he needs them for some remodeling he's planning.

  Front left. Faces north-west. Service panels, includes phone lines.

  Standing in living room looking out front door.

  Standing at front door looking into hall to kitchen and at some cute chick.  Click Image to view as it looks in 2005.

  Kitchen looking from Garage door. Click Image to view as it looks in 2005.

  Looking from garage door at patio entrance. Click Image to view as it looks in 2005.

  View from Master bedroom door. Click Image to view as it looks in 2005.

  Main bath

  Looking from Master bedroom closet at master bath.

   Closer look at master bath.

   Guest room from door.

   Guest closet.

  Oven range.

  Patio

  Looking at patio from South-east end of pool (30x16 is pool. Pool area is 50x25)

  North-west end of pool. Grapefruit tree behind Cathy.

From south-eastern end looking at back of garage and the cute chick.

  A whale in our pool!

  Our favorite hangout - OLD TOWN

  Bandstand where twice a week prized cars parade by. Oh, and that's our pal the beer guy.  His hot dogs ain't bad either, but his stand is attached to the front of an old fashioned soda jerk with great hamburgers!

  A view into the soda jerk... yeah, past that jerk sitting there. Giggle!

  Cathy's got a VW Bug... inside the soda jerk.

  One of the dozen bars inside Orlando Airport.  With Mickey.

Click here to visit Kissimme's official website.