House For Sale - 1607 Seminole Drive - Tallahassee

Interested - call me - 850-776-1105.
$299,000.

We Have A New Neighbor - Cascades Park

This week Tallahassee opened a new park between our home and the Capitol - it is called Cascades Park. What was once the site of beautiful waterfalls and one of the reason Tallahassee was selected our state capital - had slowly been turned to wasteland by the city's old coal fired power plant. Waste from the plant turned the area into an off limits polluted Superfund Site. 

It took almost 10 years and $30 million to reclaim the area. Now it has become a beauty mark between our home and the state Capitol building. 

Already we had a neighborhood group complaining about the possible noise of the park.

The new park includes an amphitheater which reminds one of the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. In the background is the old electric power plant - soon to be turned into a restaurant.

A re-creation of the old cascades waterfall and a small water park will draw visitors on the hot summer days.

The green dot is the Capitol - the blue dot is Cascades Park - and the red dot is our new home. Last night we rode our golf cart to the park for the first time. 

The fountain has dancing jets and synchronized lights that put on a little show.

Even on this cool day - kids were enjoying the action.

The whole park is really a disguised flood control zone.

During a flood -  these areas will fill and absorb the deluge.

To the right of the fountain is the Department of Education building. They took thousands of tons of coal tar out of this area - creating a 200 foot deep sinkhole. 

The park seems a little high maintenance with its flowers and trees. they say they having money in the budget to maintain it. 

This old coal fired plant powered the city for decades. I imagine the smoke stack were very attractive just a couple blocks from downtown and the Capitol. The plant is supposed to be turned into a restaurant - many other businesses are not happy with a private business being funded by tax money. 

Two bridges intersect to form the amphitheater. One bridge is north-south - the other east-west. The bridges intersect at the prime meridian marker. This is the spot where all the land surveys start in the state of Florida. 

Tamaqua Teacher In-Service Day at Atlas Powder Plant

I found this picture on the "Tamaqua Reynolds" Facebook Page. In the picture I can identify - Bruce Geiger - Ed Kemzura - and Paul Jewells. Can you identify others?

We are 69! NIT At FSU

It was an exciting game as the Seminoles passed the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles at the 7 minute mark -  and held on at the end for a 5 point victory. 

We left our hour at 6:45 in the Prius. We found a free parking spot around 6:50 - walked to the arena -  and got tickets. Tickets were general admission with a face value of $15. I bought one outside for $10 - Lulu got one at the box office for $15. 

We sat 5 rows up from center court - the view above was from our seats at tip off. Since there were very few empty seats near the court - the fans seemed to be more into the game. FGCU brought a good following. They also brought cheerleaders and a pep band - it was the first time the visitors brought that support this year.

FSU was ahead by 5 at the half - they quickly lost that lead and fell behind by as many as 6. Fouls hurt the Eagles and with 5 minutes to go - FSU pulled ahead. they hung on to win by 5.

On March 24th - Keith's Georgetown Hoyas will be here for the second round. It will be interesting to see if many Hoya fans make the trip. If FSU stays lucky - the final games of the NIT are held in NYC in the Garden.

Florida Gulf Coast University is in Fort Myers FL. It is a member of the state educational system. The Eagles were the regular season champions of the Atlantic Sun Conference.

Is This for Real?

Former Navy SEAL and Panther Valley Superintedent

Cascades Park Opened Today

Lulu caught me in the Florida state map at Cascades Park

After about 7 years of labor and $20 million - Cascades Park opened today in downtown Tallahassee. It is in line directly between the Capitol and our house. 

It was 68 degrees as we left our home - walked to the park - then circled the park - then walked home.  There is one hill to climb on the way home. 

The park has an amphitheatre - several ponds - a playground - bridges - a water park - and an old power plant that will be turned into a restaurant. 

The park takes up 40 acres and was mainly designed to be a flood prevention area. 

House For Sale - Price Reduced $299,900

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1607 Seminole Drive - Downtown Tallahassee

Completely Renovated

Syracuse Won - $25 a pair. Place is empty 15 minutes to tip. Section C1

Note later - FSU was down 6 at the half. In the second half they got to within 1 - then ran out of gas. They lost by 16. This ends any chance of being in the NCAA tournament.

Before our trip to Germany - we had sold out 4 season tickets for $200 total. We were able to buy 2 nice tickets for $25 total - after our trip was cancelled. 

Syracuse - section c1 - 2 for $25 total

12 Years A Slave Shows A Side Of Slavery I Never Heard About

Last night Lulu and I considered going out to the movies. We wanted to see a few Academy Award winning pictures. "12 Years A Slave" captured my fantasy. Since I now live in the Deep South  - the land of plantations - cotton - live oak trees - and lastly slavery. 

I was really surprise when I tuned to DirecTV to find out that "12 Years A Slave " was available as a pay per view movie for $6.00. Instead of driving to the Tallahassee Square Mall - paying $9.00 a person - and sitting elbow to elbow with the unwashed masses - I could enjoy the movie in my living room with a refrigerator full of snacks. I could even turn the volume as loud as I wished. 

5 Days in Berlin Turns to 30 Hours in Miami

This picture was taken from our bedroom - thru a glass wall into the shower. 

Lulu was scheduled to present at a conference in Berlin. I was scheduled to loaf around the city for 5 days. We left Tallahassee early in the morning - little did we realize we would be back in the same spot 30 hours later waiting for George Dawson to pick us up in the van. 

The first leg of our American Airline flight was simple enough - a one hour trip south to the tropical city of Miami. This Gold Coast city is special to Lulu and I - we honeymooned there for a month in 1971. We considered making it our home - we even returned the next summer to take real jobs there. 

We took the express bus to South Beach because we only had 6 hours to kill before our 10 hour flight to Berlin. On South Beach - we walked along Ocean Drive - had lunch at one of the cute sidewalk cafes - then walked back north on the sand. 

Before we knew it - time was up. To be safe - we caught a cab back to the airport for our 4 PM flight. I figured that I was not about to ruin our glorious trip for a $30 cab fare. We got back in plenty of time - got our 5 bags out of storage - and went to the gate of our AirBerlin jet. About 300 Germans were waiting to take the long trip home. Many had just finished cruises that sailed to and from Miami. The crowd had lots of fair skinned - blue eyed - blondes - with sun burned faces.

At 4 PM they announced the first delay. Then another - then another. I was amazed how orderly this crowd was - not a bunch of grumblers - no loud complainers. All of a sudden at 7 PM they announced the flight was canceled. Later on we learned that the plane had a bad wing flap. 

Immediately after the announcement - there was a mad dash of 300 people to get to the ticket counter - maybe ½ mile away - to get vouchers for hotel rooms and meals. We were not very fast - this crowd must have been on some of those East German Olympic steroids - because we were almost last. 

That line of 300 people did not move for 2 hours. Air Berlin was trying to get enough rooms for everyone. Lulu and I got frustrated - we decided that we would not wait - but get a hotel on our own. We still had to wait for our bags. I got tipped off early that the bags were at carousel 13 - so I went there while Lulu was in line. They announced we would fly the next day at the same time to Berlin. They would send two planes in tandem to Berlin. Lulu and I kept texting each other like a couple teenagers. Then I got a text I did not expect. Lulu talked to Expedia and they let her cancel her room for free. Expedia never does that. Then she somehow did an end run around the crowd of 300 explaining she wanted to catch the 8 PM flight back to Tallahassee. I found out by text we were going home. 

There was no way that Lulu could meet her obligations on a flight 24 hours later. She decided it was a waste of time and money. She sent an apology text to me. I replied that I really was not looking forward to Berlin in winter. I was going along only to be her companion. I would be happy to get home to work on our new house and ready the old house for sale. 

We were going to get our own hotel on our own dime - when the line started to move. While Lulu was going from American Airline desk to Air Berlin desk. I sat on the floor. They ran out of rooms and were telling people to find their own and they would reimburse them. I just said No - and politely waited. Finally the lady that was so helpful for us before when she found us to better seats together on the flight to Berlin - recognized me. She handed me vouchers for the EB Hotel - vouchers for supper - and vouchers for room service breakfast. When Lulu came back to explain she got full refunds on flights and hotels - I showed her our vouchers. A silver Mercedes limo van awaited. They took the two of us along with the whole flight crew to the EB Hotel. I never heard of it - but it could not be too bad if this whole crew was staying there. More pictures on the next page.

Ich Bin Eine Berliner Nicht

Lulu loves Miami South Beach like no other place on earth. She just glows there. Here we are at the Loews Hotel. Did you know we honeymooned here in 1971?

Our 6 day trip to Berlin only lasted 30 hours. The full story is coming later. Our plane from Miami to Berlin had problems with a flap. It was cancelled after we waited 4 hours. We did have a nice day in Miami South Beach before the flight and a wonderful free night at the EB Hotel in Miami. All of our money for the trip was refunded. So we flew to Miami - stayed in a 4-star hotel - and flew home - all for free. 

A big story is coming with pictures. Stay tuned. We are back at 1816 Seminole Drive in Tallahassee.

Flight Cancelled. We are coming home :-(

After spending the day in Miami Beach our Air Berlin flight to Berlin was cancelled. After so much hassle we cancelled the whole trip. We will spend one night here and fly in the morning at 10 am. It was just too much hassle for 4 days in Berlin. Lulu worked the tickets agent and got full refunds. She also called the expedia reserved hotel and got them to do a full refund. It was a zoo when they cancelled. Every one ran for the ticket desk.

Doak Campbell Stadium - we took of north and circled Tallahassee

Miami - we are taking the express bus to South Beach - $2.65

We changed our clothes - dropped our bags - now we are taking an express bus to Miami South Beach. Plane leaves for Berlin at 4 pm. Temperature is in 70s with a mild breeze.


Sent from my iPhone
Nancy Everhart

Leaving busy Tallahassee for Miami and Berlin. Traveling with iPad only

Garage And Driveway Done

Some grading and sodding left to do. The garage doors seem invisible - they are brown with tiny windows in each.