George Dawson - Rebel and Role Model

George Dawson in 1955 on his BSA Motorcycle
(33 years before I met him)

I met him in 1988 - he was a science professor at Florida State and we were planning to live in Tallahassee for a year while Lulu earned her doctorate there. He had advertised nationally for a middle school earth and space science teacher to work on new curriculum using computers. I applied by sending a funny letter to him. He hired me. Since then - we have been great friends.

We have a lot in common. We love FSU sports - we love computers and technology. Both of us just love to travel the world. George has been to all 7 continents. We seem to have a contest on who has the most gadgets - the latest and the best.

When my family visits - one of the first places they go is over to see George.

Back in 1965 - my first car was a Honda scooter. With it I prowled along the east coast of the USA. George beat me again. Yesterday I found out that he had a motorcycle in 1955 and he drove it from his home in Kentucky to Florida. He eventually became a professor there - but we are both carpetbaggers from up north - unless you think Kentucky is in the South like this Good Ole Boy does.

When it came time to move to Florida and Tallahassee for us - it was not even a discussion where we would live. We ended up just 3 doors up the street from George. When we wanted a new home - rather than move to the suburbs - we bought a house even closer - and tore it down and build a new one.

He is a best friend. He is always covering my back.

My Dad died in 1982 - I was just 34 - so George helped fill that gap for me. George is a lot like my Dad in good ways. Both believed in hard work - treating everyone fairly - and taking care of his family. A fella is lucky to have people like this.

George - reading Two the Night Before Christmas
to the family this year

George was an FSU professor for 30 plus years. He lives across the street from us with his wife Dr Joel Dawson. She was a science teacher too. 

Florida State Beat Syracuse In 2 Overtimes - 100-91

I wore my new lucky Seminole shoes today. 

We love going to afternoon games in Tallahassee - particularly when we are playing a power for up north - Duke - North Carolina - Syracuse. Today was a happy day - with the Noles winning by 9 in double overtime. there was a good crowd there of roughly 10000 - in an arena that holds 12000.

The game was neck and neck the whole we. First the Noles shot up by 9 - but we knew it would not hold. Then in the second half Syracuse pushed it to 9 - and we appeared doomed. So it was a relief when the Noles took a 9 point lead in the second 5 minute overtime period. there was plenty of time to enjoy the relief that 9 points offers - so the crowd went all bravado.

The Seminole were coming off a two game losing streak - also last game their 28 game home winning streak fell. For 2 years straight they won every game at home.

It is a lot of fun living in "downtown" Tallahassee. It is a real nice perk living close enough that we can walk to the games - although we are doing less and less of that. We took the electric car today. We arrived about 20 minutes before tipoff. While Lulu parked in the faculty lot - I held up two fingers. A guy offered me 2 court side seats with a face value of $40 each - for $20. I offered him $10 each. Then a  guy walked over and handed me 2 free nice seats for free. They were nice lower levels but not as nice as the first pair. I said thank and took the free tickets - then I went back to the other guy with tickets and offered him $10 each plus 2 tickets for his PRIME tickets. He said sure.

When Lulu walked up - we went right in. She was surprised that we kept going down and down to row Q. In the Civic Center - top low is A - the front row is U. We were just behind the announcer a couple rows - Gene Deckerhoff.

With the 2 overtimes - the game took 3 hours - from 2 until 5.

The Seminoles won going away. Now tomorrow they must fly to Boston - to play the BC Eagle Monday night.

Cheerleaders after the game

The view from our seats

Sec 101 - Row Q - Seat 1-2. $40 face value.
We got them for $10. 

Louisville at FSU - section 124 Row G - $10 each - 9 PM Tip-off.

FSU lost this game to Louisville by 4 after leading by as much as 17. It broke a 28 game home winning streak. 

We bought 2 great tickets outside for $10. 

The game started at 9 PM and ended at 11:15 PM because of a basketball goal equipment failure. 

It was a larger crowd than last week's North Carolina game because the students were back from holiday. 

My Friend Dickie In Arizona Two Years Ago

Florida State Beats National Champion North Carolina 81-80

This picture was on national TV. Check out the guy
in the red shirt - the 70 year old without a bald spot. 

Lulu and I follow all the sports at Florida State University. We used to walk the 2 miles to the games -  but last night was really cold. At game time it was 40 and with some wind it felt worse.

We never buy tickets ahead of time - basketball never sells outs. In our 15 years here - I think they sold out 2 Duke games. We always find something.

We left home in our electric car at 6:15. Lulu drove - she dropped me off at the door and went to park in the faculty garage. By the time she got to the door - I had purchased 2 very nice seats for $25 each that had a face value of $55 each. The whole row behind us and the rest of the row next to us was empty. Our arena holds 12000 - they claim 9000 paid to go to it - but I would say maybe 7000 attended. The students are still home for semester break - but it is embarrassing to play national champions UNC to a half full arena.

FSU shot out to a 13 point lead and were leading at the half by 11. The second half was a different story with UNC taking a 3 point lead - but with 7 minutes to go - FSU was back on top by 9. With 2 seconds to go - UNC had the ball and got a shot off - it missed - and Florida State won their 28 straight game at home.

FSU's record is 13-2 heading to Miami on Sunday. The Seminoles are ranked Number 24 in the nation.

Lulu was there too

At half court for the big game versus North Carolina

Tallahassee Coal Cracker Dreaming Of A White New Year

Our roof is normally black .



Our lemons look like they survived.



At 8 AM - Lulu and I woke up to 30 degrees and dry ground. The predicted overnight snowfall of 2 inches that had closed all the schools today was a bluff.

As we prepared breakfast - Lulu looked out the window to see a relatively heavy snow fall - I ran for the camera - but not fast enough. In a couple minutes it slowed to flurries and then nothing. Up north - we would not even call this a dusting. But in Florida - even if it is only Tallahassee - it is a big deal. We have been here almost 15 years now - and we have only seen snow maybe 3 or 4 times. Nothing has ever stuck because the ground is about 50 degrees.

Last night as a precaution I drained the water tanks on the camper. I put a little electric heater inside the camper on a very low setting. I remember  using a light bulb in Pennsylvania when it got down to minus 20 degrees - to keep an oil line from freezing going to the oil furnace.

We have experienced 20 degrees here quite a few times in the winter since we lived her - but in the day time the temperature would shoot up to the 50s or 60s.

This cold snap has Lulu looking for cheap travel deals to go south - Costa Rico - Cuba - etc. She has a bunch of "Delta Bucks" to spend from our bumps going to London last summer.

My Realtor friend Lena Seiler has officially reported that Florida will rebuild. Plenty of bargains are available for abandoned homes.




The camper sits behind the normally black garage roof.




If you look hard against the pine tree you can see snowflakes.




Is that white stuff accumulation? My Northern buddies would slap me if I called this snow.





Our Camilla tree still has flowers



The sidewalk is about 50 degrees - so snow melted right away.




The camper has a small electric heater inside. The water tanks are drained.




The kitchen lights at 8 AM - under a snow covered roof. The roof has a foot of foam insulation.

Enjoying Disneyworld and All the Decorations

We just love the Grand Floridian Hotel in all its Victorian splendor. Note the band playing on the balcony. Mickey and Minnie were dancing on the other side of the tree and posing with guests. In the far left corner was a giant gingerbread house - you can see the windows brightly lit up.

The rooms in this hotel rent for around $400 a night - but anyone is allowed in to enjoy the ambiance - eat - shop - etc. We stayed at Fort Wilderness for $96 a night - and had as much fun as anyone. You can watch the Disneyworld fireworks from this hotel at 9 PM.

The Famous Tampa Bay Hotel - Now The University of Tampa

Henry Plant owned the railroad that went down the west coast of Florida. Even in the 1800s - his trains could get tourists from New York City to Tampa in 24 hours. The travelers could leave in a winter snow storm and wake up to orange juice in Florida.

The Tampa Bay Hotel was a complex in downtown Tampa where the trains would pull right into the hotel. People could sit out the winter in tropical luxury. The hotel did not have a long run of success and it fell into disrepair. then th eUniversity of Tampa acquired it and restored it to its original spendor. Today - students stay in the old hotel room.

During the holidays - the first floor is decorated in a Victorian motif. We spent yesterday enjoy the place with our friends Carl and Marylou. They live just north of town in Zephyrhills. They have spent their winters here for the last 13 years. Their daughter Christa has her family nearby.

We will drive our camper home to Tallahassee today or make another tourist stop somewhere before we get home.

Fascism - it could never happen again - and never in America.

Everhart 9 In Tallahassee For Holidays

Here comes Santa Claus

Lulus favorite time of the year is the Christmas Holidays. She loves to decorate - bake - and cook for the family.

This year the train yard will be a little bigger. The Christmas tree will seem a little bright - and hopefully we will have nice weather for travel and playing outside.

We wish all of our friends the very best times for Christmas.

England - Almost Like Being "Bumped" On A Train

Virgin Trains refunded our train fare for being late

In November we spent 3 weeks in England. We stayed Dwight our buddy Joan in London - but Lulu had a presentation in Glasgow -for a few days. We decided to take a ride with Virgin Trains. Our circle trip was London - Glasgow - Blackpool - London.

The trains are great in Europe. They are clean - modern - and almost always on time. On the last leg - from Prescott to London Paddington Station - our train was almost an hour late. It was no big deal to us - because we were not on a tight time schedule.

All trains in Europe have dining cars. You can have some dinner and drinks. Also - a service cart comes through the aisles to sell food and beverage.

With about a half hour to go - someone came on the sound system and said - that since our train was one hour late - we would all be getting our money refund for that day's leg. It was like getting bumped - but better.

Today - back home in the USA - a check arrive for 90 pounds from The Royal Bank of Scotland. That is about $120. It is a nice surprise right before Christmas.

Enjoying A Week in Washington and Virginia With the Kids

(All pictures are taken with an iPhone 7. They are untouched - what you see is what you get.)

The African American Museum is covered with lattice.
We toured 2 of the 6 floors.

The Memorial Flame at the Holocaust Museum -
ashes from the ovens of the concentration camps
in the box of granite.

We are enjoying a week with the kids up north. First - we flew to Richmond to see our grand daughter in a play. Then we drove to Washington to spend time with our son and grandson. He asked us to help while his wife was on a trip. 

Tomorrow - we will fly home from Washington to Tallahassee - where we will prepare for the visit of all of the Everhart 9 from December 26 to 31. 

No matter how many times we have been in Washington - there are so many things to see and do. Most of the museums are free. On weekends in the winter - there are no groups of tourists. You get to see a lot more displays. 

Sunday - we went to the Washington Zoo. It is a nice one mile walk from Keith's home. Monday - we visited the African American Museum. It is new and usually crowded but on a Monday morning - we had it to ourselves. Tuesday - we walked the two miles to the Holocaust Museum. It is now 25 years old - we have visited it before - but usually it is crowded. This time it reminded me of an empty mausoleum. There are four floors but again - we had to get home to make supper for the little one - so we only skimmed 2 floors. 

We have one more day left - before we return home to Tallahassee - early Thursday morning. Starting in January there will be a non-stop flight from Washington to Tallahassee. But we will have to be content with Washington to Atlanta to Tallahassee. We have been upgraded to bigger seats. 

When the Nazis came.....the Holocaust Museum

Lions and Tigers at the Zoo

Watching the Animals in 53 degree weather

Lots of indoor displays

Daniel Webster - Massachusetts Ave 

Daniel Websters Statue as we passed by several times. He is considered one of the great 5 Senators. He was elected from New Hampshire to the House - and from Massachusetts as a Senator. He was also Secretary of State for 3 presidents. He was a strong advocated of liberty and union. 

Chuck Berry's Cadillac - African American Museum

Robert Johnson - father of rock and roll.

Jesse Owens - 4 time Olympic Champion
in Hitler's 1936 games

FaceTime with Mommy. 

Train yards around the
National Christmas Tree

More trains.

Keith has two private off street parking spots on his property. They are 20 feet long. Our camper is 19 feet long. This summer - we plan to drive our camper on a grand tour of - Richmond - Washington - Tamaqua - Knoebel's Grove. We are looking forward to having our own "little cozy condo" in Washington DC.