Our Wander Years

Pure Country

Posted on July 3, 2023 by Sparky

If you have been following this blog, you know that I have been spending a LOT of time this year attending concerts. This is entirely due to my relationship with Marlene who continues to amaze me. She is not a musician but she knows music and appreciates good dancing music. One of her favorite groups is Pure Country, a 6-piece band that plays (as you might have guessed) pure country music. And they do it in a solid, high energy, no-break 3-hour show. The leader of the band and the lead vocalist is Ed Feehan. But the other members – two lead guitars, a bass guitar, a drummer and a fiddler – are all very skilled. The fiddler – Renee – impresses me the most. She is incredible. But the entire band is amazing. You have to experience them to understand.

Marlene has been following the band since its inception about 3 years ago. In the time since I met her we have attended at least a half dozen Pure Country concerts. She considers Ed and his wife Kim to be friends (she has Kim’s cell phone number) and I guess they feel the same about her as we were invited to sit with Kim, near the stage, a few days ago for the Pure Country concert at the Twisted Fork in Port Charlotte FL. It was nice, of course, to be “VIPs” but the best thing about the evening is that we had seats near the dance floor right in front of the stage at this very large venue. And we danced. A lot.

As always, it was a wonderful concert and Marlene and I had a lot of fun dancing. Many thanks to Ed and Kim for making us feel, for an evening, like we were part of the Pure Country family.

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“Witness to the Crucifixion” by David Benjamin

Posted on June 15, 2023 by Sparky

The usual disclaimer: David Benjamin is a lifelong friend.

I started reading Witness to the Crucifixion with the expectation that it would be written with the same whimsy that characterizes Benjamin’s other books. I expected a fun read. But a quarter of the way into it I realized that this book was devoid of whimsy. It was a serious book. A mystery, like his Jim Otis books (e.g., Woman Trouble), but heavier. I was disappointed. I occasionally read a serious book, but it is always non-fiction. When I read a mystery I want to be entertained.

I put the book aside and started another. But the question kept nagging me: where was Benjamin headed with this most unusual book? I picked it up again. And finished it today.

Now I have to characterize and evaluate the book. This is going to be very difficult.

Yes, it is a mystery. But the “detective” is the apostle Paul. He is, 10 years after the death of Jesus on the cross, tormented by his role in his death (he was a spy who fed information to the men in power) and tortured by a growing belief that Jesus was, indeed, the Son of God. He is driven to understand fully what happened at the crucifixion as he believes that a great secret was revealed to the few who witnessed his death.

I won’t reveal that secret but will say that it is a whopper. A mystery with a Big Reveal is always satisfying. But in this case I think the characters are even more interesting than the Big Reveal. As chronicled by Benjamin, the characters were:

Peter, a brute of a disciple who was more brawn than brain.
Mary, a weak woman with severe dementia at 60
Judas Iscariot, Jesus’ most trusted disciple and the only man Jesus would trust to carry out the necessary betrayal
Mary Magdalene, an unabashedly slutty woman who bedded all of Jesus’ disciples (but not Jesus)
James, Jesus’ half-brother and effectively his Chief of Staff

James is particularly interesting. He is credited with engineering all of Jesus’ so-called miracles.

This is a work of fiction, but a well-researched one. The historical detail is astounding. The plot, which is undoubtedly blasphemous to some, is nevertheless plausible. And thought-provoking.

As I read this book I found myself thinking more about Christ and the origins of Christianity than I have at any point in my life. That is quite an accomplishment.

It isn’t a fun read, but it is fascinating and thought-provoking.

7 out of 10.

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RIP Rusty

Posted on June 14, 2023 by Sparky

Rusty, my sweet companion for the past 11 years and my only RV companion since Jett’s passing, crossed that “rainbow bridge” on May 30. He had been slowly declining for years. He was unable to hop onto the bed and exhibited little interest in the stuffed toys that he would have ripped apart in 5 minutes in his youth. But he seemed relatively healthy. Until my return from the overnight trip to Mount Dora.

He seemed a bit lethargic when I got him into the car for the trip back from Marlene’s house (where her friend cared for him overnight). But I wasn’t alarmed until we got to the RV and, for the first time in his life, he was unable to climb the steps. I carried him into the RV then left to do some shopping. When I returned I couldn’t find him. I searched everywhere (which doesn’t take long in an RV) and found him curled up behind the recliner. He had NEVER slept there before. Dogs, when sick, find places to hide, so that was a big red flag.

I was unable to get him to eat. He even turned up his nose at his favorite treat. And he seemed to be unable to see much (and had been mostly deaf for years). I decided to let him rest overnight and see how he was doing in the morning.

Morning came and he was the same. Disoriented, trying to find corners to hide in. I called his local vet who was unable to take him. But he referred me to another animal hospital. The vet examined him, found nothing seriously wrong (but did find a contusion on his spine, probably the result of a fall, but who knows when?). He said he could administer some palliative care but no promise that it would help. He looked at me knowingly and said “he is 15.” So I made the decision – always difficult – that it was time to say goodbye.

Sleep well, gentle boy. I will miss you. I hope you are with Jett.

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A birthday weekend

Posted on June 2, 2023 by Sparky

No, not my birthday – Marlene’s brother, Mike, turned 69. He drove over from Fort Lauderdale to spend 4 days with his sister and me. Marlene’s friend Dottie joined in on most of the activities, too.

On Thursday we dined out at Skip One 41 in South Fort Myers. Marlene called it a “hole in the wall” restaurant and I think that is pretty accurate. The decor is basic. Even the presentation of the food – served on what appears to be aluminum trays from a toaster oven – was downscale. But the food itself was terrific.

We got a nice rainbow while there.

After dinner we danced a bit at Sneaky Pete’s.

Our Friday entertainment was Deb and the Dynamics at Dolphin Key Resort in Cape Coral. This is one of our favorite dance bands and we did some dancing, for sure. But we also liked the half-price drinks before the music started. Good food, good music and cheap drinks – a great combination.

After we left the Dolphin Key, on a whim, we stopped at the World Famous Cigar Bar. I don’t smoke cigars – too many bad memories of smoke from the cheap cigars my grandfather smoked – but am tolerant of smokers. Mike had a cigar and the rest of us had a couple of very good drinks. Plus we met some great folks and generally had a wonderful time.

For Saturday dinner we dined and danced at Harpoon Harry’s in Punta Gorda. The band there was good, but we left when Pure Country started playing on the beach. We LOVE Pure Country – a great country band that plays for hours without a break. The lead singer, Ed, often roams through the crowd while singing. Again, we danced, but learned quickly that dancing on the beach is not easy. Once we learned that lesson we confined most of our dancing to the paved walkway. We were treated to a wonderful sunset.

Saturday morning we decided to drive to Mt Dora – over 3 hours away, north of Orlando – for an overnight, the hotel courtesy of Marlene and Dottie. We stopped at the Log Cabin on our way out of town for a great breakfast. The cook prepared a special pancake for the birthday boy.

Mt Dora is a very pretty little town. We spent some time admiring the beauty of Lake Dora, but I think the highlight of the trip was the Magical Meat Boutique, which, despite the cute name, is actually a very fine and very authentic British pub. We went in to get a drink and after seeing some of the dishes being consumed by other nearby patrons decided to dine there. I had the cod fish and chips while Marlene and Dottie split the HUGE haddock fish and chips. Mike, being adventurous, chose the bangers and mashed, nicely presented in a round Yorkshire pudding bowl. We all share a huge slice of cake for dessert. Everything was delicious and the draft English and Irish ales were superb. Excellent!

We had a free Monday (Memorial Day) breakfast at the Comfort Inn in Tavares and stopped in Arcadia for lunch at Beef O’Brady’s. The pub fare there was perfectly fine, but suffered by comparison to the Magical Meat Boutique.

Mike went home soon after we got back to Ft Myers. Hopefully he enjoyed his long birthday weekend. I know I did.

Categories: Adventures, FL, Food, Music, Places | Leave a comment

Redbones

Posted on May 31, 2023 by Sparky

One of the music venues that I have become more familiar with, post-banishment from the Buckingham Blues Bar, is Redbones. A variety of music is played there, but Marlene likes going when Zydegatorz is playing. This band, which contains several musicians that also play at the BBB, is a zydeco band. I had never heard of zydeco before listening to this band. It is lively and danceable. And probably the only music featuring an accordion that I can tolerate.

Anyway, I dropped in there recently to join Marlene and her friend Dottie and had a lovely evening with a few drinks, some appetizers and, of course, some dancing.

Marlene and Dottie showing their dance moves at Redbones

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Travel plans

Posted on May 19, 2023 by Sparky

The year is not yet half over but it is shaping up to be a year of travel. But travel by ship and by car; no RV travel. Beside the TC2 cruise already completed and the TP1 cruise being planned I am also planning on a summer auto trip to MA. I will designate that at TN9 and TS9 (the 9th trip north and south). The auto trip will probably start at the end of July and will finish in early September, just a few days before the start of the TP1. I will take Rusty with me to MA and will use that opportunity to get him to the vet for a thorough checkup. I will travel north alone but Marlene will fly in to join me and we will travel back together. If the travel days from all of these trips are added up it is about 100 days. A third of the year spent traveling. And none of it by RV.

Categories: Preparation/Planning, TN9, TS9 | Leave a comment

My next cruise adventure – TP1

Posted on May 16, 2023 by Sparky

The TC2 wasn’t without its problems, but overall it was one of the best trips I have ever taken. Now Marlene has been offered another cruise – a 30-night cruise across the Pacific – at a price so low that I couldn’t say no. So I will be off, again on September 10, returning on or about October 20. The itinerary includes stops in Alaska, Japan, the Philippines and Indonesia before ending in Brisbane Australia. We will spend a few days in Brisbane before flying home. The trip to Seattle (where the cruise begins) will include a flight into Portland OR and a few days in Tillamook with my sister and her husband, then a leisurely drive up the coast to Seattle. Marlene has never been to the west coast.

I will designate this trip as TP1 – the First Transpacific Cruise. This is optimistic as it leaves open the possibility of a second transpacific cruise. And why not? If she keeps getting these incredible cruise offers I will keep going.

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Cease and desist

Posted on May 16, 2023 by Sparky

Two days before returning to the US from Spain, I received the following email (names redacted to maintain anonymity):

RE: Cease and Desist from Contact/Communication/Harrassment

Dear [Sparky]:

Please be advised that I represent [Ooma]. [Ooma] has informed me that you continue to harass her even though she has ended her dating relationship with you. [Ooma] has informed me that since that time, and since she has blocked your telephone number and blocked you on her social media accounts, you have made a number of harassing and abusive e-mails and letters and continue to harass her through social media (including but not limited to posting defamatory statements about [Ooma] on Facebook and your personal blog, and Facebook messaging [Ooma]’s known associates).

Please be advised that you are to immediately cease and desist from making any further attempts to contact [Ooma] directly or indirectly. Indirect contact now includes communicating or sending messages to [Ooma]. Direct and/or indirect contact also includes, but is not limited to, phone calls, voicemails, letters, packages, emails, text messages, social media invitations, blog posts and/or social media posts to or about [Ooma]. [Ooma] also does not want your family members, friends, co-workers, or acquaintances to try to contact her, or to contact her relatives, friends, co-workers or acquaintances to inquire about her, convey messages to her or make derogatory/defamatory comments about her.

[Ooma] does not want you to follow her or show up at her home or places that you know she frequents. You are also not to approach her vehicle. Any subsequent attempts will be considered voluntary, malicious, harassing, stalking and/or cyberstalking as they serve no legitimate purpose and cause her considerable emotional distress.

I am aware that you and [Ooma] are not married, have no children born of or adopted in your relationship and have had no business dealings. If you feel you have any legal claims, any future communication regarding these claims need to go through formal legal channels [e.g. attorneys, court pleadings, court proceedings such as case management, mediation, hearings and/or trial (again, not any third parties or certified mail from you)], and does not excuse your compliance with this formal cease and desist demand.

Nothing in this letter constitutes legal advice and you are free to consult with a lawyer. In the event that you fail to comply with this demand, [Ooma] has been advised of her legal right to zealously pursue any and all remedies available under the law, including but not limited to a petition for injunction for protection against stalking and harassment. Your respect for and cooperation with this demand is mandatory.

This cease and desist demand is not an open invitation for you to communicate with me as I am NOT representing [Ooma] in any other matter other than her legal interest and right to be free of any further stalking and harassment. Any subsequent communications with me or my office will go unanswered. I have nothing further to discuss with you other than to reiterate [Ooma]’s clear demand that you stop all further communication with her or about her.

PLEASE GOVERN YOURSELF ACCORDINGLY

Sincerely,

[Ooma’s lawyer]

So the woman who betrayed my trust, stole my photographs, blackmailed me, sent me a long series of abusive and harassing text messages, physically assaulted me twice, got me banned from the Buckingham Blues Bar, lied to me every day we were together and tried to get a restraining order for stalking that was so muddled and poorly written that I had to ask the clerk what the complaint was for is accusing ME of harassing HER. Seems like a case of “blaming the victim.”

Let me state here, categorically, that I have NEVER stalked her. I also don’t believe the few times I communicated with her were harassing. I wasn’t pleasant, but I wasn’t abusive. So I am being asked to cease doing something I have never done. How do I do that?

I think it is ironic that by publishing this email I am probably violating the demand as I think it will be pretty clear to anyone reading it that Ooma is not a nice person. She certainly is not the “good woman” she claims to be.

As for communicating with her friends and family… I will do so when I need to communicate with them. It won’t be to harass or denigrate Ooma, but there might well be other valid reasons for me to communicate with them.

As for my friends and family communicating with her… I will neither encourage nor discourage them from communicating with Ooma. If she has a problem with them, she should deal with them.

I also have no intention of changing my behavior to avoid places that I know she frequents. That would include all of downtown Fort Myers. It is my city too.

If I were to say anything to Ooma – which I won’t, of course, since I have been asked so nicely to refrain from communicating with her – I would say that the best way to keep me from saying bad things about her is for her to stop doing bad things to me.

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Recovering from a wallet loss

Posted on May 14, 2023 by Sparky

It has now been two weeks since my wallet was lost/stolen in Madrid. I now have a new wallet (which I needed anyway) and it has two credit cards and a new laundry card (which is used to control the washers and dryers in our resort laundromat). I had forgotten that I had lost that card (which I foolishly took with me on the cruise). The replacement cost $5. I also lost whatever value had remained on the lost card, which I think was probably less than $10. Still, my estimated cash loss is now $180. All due to my foolish lack of precaution. Dumb.

I have ordered replacements for 2 more credit cards, my debit card, my driver’s license and my health care card. None of those have arrived. I have not yet begun seeking replacements for my Social Security card, my Costco membership card or any of the other minor cards that I lost.

I still kick myself for being so foolish. I will be more cautious on my next trip.

UPDATE 5/15/23: I have received replacements for all my credit cards, my debit card, my driver’s license, my health insurance card and my Costco card. That is all of the really important stuff.

Categories: Commentary, TC2 | Leave a comment

TC2 wrapup

Posted on May 6, 2023 by Sparky

This was a trip of 21 days and 20 nights. It was the first trip Marlene and I have taken together and the first time we were together for more than a couple of days consecutively, so it was a test of our relationship. Here are the highlights and lowlights.

Highlights:

Barcelona. This is a beautiful, laid-back and very civilized city. The roads and the Metro are incredibly well designed and operated. We did not see any traffic jams. Bicycles, scooters and mopeds are EVERYWHERE. The people are friendly and fit – it was very rare to see anyone who was overweight. The has replaced Dublin as my second-favorite city in the world (Paris remains #1).
Marlene and I. We had some rough spots, but survived them all and generally enjoyed each other’s company very much. I think the relationship passed the test with flying colors.
The Carnival Pride. I think this was the best cruise I have ever taken. It wasn’t perfect. The internet, in particular, was spotty and pathetically slow compared to the speed I experienced on Princess a year ago. But the cruise director, Joey, was terrific, the entertainment was superb and the people on board were friendly and fun. Kudos to Carnival for running a fine ship.
Madrid and the Hotel Nuevo Madrid. We enjoyed Madrid, mostly, though not so much as Barcelona. The hotel accommodations in Madrid, at the Hotel Nuevo Madrid, were top-notch.
The flight home. The TAP flight from Lisbon to Miami was first-rate. Good food, attentive service, a fine selection of on-demand movies. And very smooth.

Lowlights:

Getting on the plane home in Madrid. We thought that having only a facsimile of Marlene’s naturalization certificate would be a problem and we were right. But it was even worse than we anticipated. We were forced to obtain a visa and buy a ticket back to Europe. And no one could give us a definitive answer to any of our questions. It was five hours of hell just to get on the plane to Lisbon. The requirement that we buy a return ticket, in particular, was idiotic. We bought the ticket, showed it to TAP then cancelled it. Stupid.
Losing my wallet. This was a problem I didn’t need and could have avoided. We were warned. But I didn’t take proper precautions (like zipping my pocket). I was also stupid for carrying things of no use in Europe that would be difficult to replace. Dumb, dumb, dumb.
Travelodge in Barcelona. This hotel took “bare bones” to a new level. No facecloth? Charging 1 euro for a cup of ice? For very little cost they could have kept us much happier. This was a model of stupid hotel management.

Bottom line: a fine, fun and very economical trip.

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