Saturday, August 5, 2017

Summer 2017 Part 3 Hometown!

Our oldest son is a Broadcast major.  He is currently the Producer of his college football team and the co-producer of a weekly Christian talk show.  He works for Media Services at his university and does free-lance work for two other companies in the central Florida area.  He loves what he does!

This summer he and his production team Power Trio Productions (you can like them on FB) did a documentary for my hometown!  I was able to go on the shoot with them and I even learned more about my hometown of Perry Florida.

On the way up we stopped at my family grave yard south of Perry





my great great grandfather was in the Civil War
John Wesley Hines






This is my "Mama" She was my great aunt and took me to raise when i was a baby




After wee visited the folks we headed on into Perry and met with our guide for the week.  The town of Perry did an amazing job for us!  Since the production company was doing this job for the Taylor County Historical Society for free, the fine folks of Perry/Taylor county out did themselves by taking care of us in style!

Hampton Inn donated two rooms to us to stay in while they worked.  Every meal was provided for!  The hotel had a great breakfast every morning.






Bell that was in the old courthouse

No automatic alt text available.


Inside the Historical Society with one of the interviewees






Their stories of WWII and the Korean War were amazing!




This is the old Pepsi Cola plant now the Police Dept.
I love all the changes taking place in my home town.
Image may contain: sky, cloud and outdoor





The old drug store that is now a Pizza place




Johnson's Bakery!






Image may contain: food


my FAV!




We went down to Adams Beach ( I called it Make Out beach LOL)
During the Confederate War there was a Salt Works mine that my great great grandfather probably worked on.  A friend helped them out by getting amazing drone footage of the area.



My bestest childhood friend was able to join us for awhile.  We drove all over the beach area talking about memories and good times.





Fiddler Crabs every where!




I love the sky!








Image may contain: bird, outdoor, nature and water

North Florida doesn't have the white beaches but that's ok with us!



You can't go to Perry without eating at Deal's FAMOUS Oyster House.
"some of the best people on earth come through those doors"
Image may contain: one or more people and outdoor





They interviewed this man Ed Sheffield he had been a Korean War POW for almost the whole war.  His story just shattered me.  He didn't go into gory details or embellish his story and maybe that is why it had the effect on me that it did.   the crew had already warned me about making noise as they were filming.... so I literally had to stuff my hand in my mouth as I listened to him because I was sobbing!  The things this man had to endure....nothing made him cry until the very end when he talked about his wife and his love for her.  (he has a gorgeous wife- she told me her age and I could not believe her!)  All I could think is that I'm glad God gave that man a long and happy life after his service in the war!!!!





They also filmed a 96 year old cattle rancher who has been ranching all his life.  Yes we were out in the fields...iin the poop...in the heat LOL









Image may contain: 3 people, people smiling, cloud, sky and outdoor





The Cracker House at Florida Forest Museum




I"d never got to go to the old Hampton Springs but now it's open









I love Pine Trees and storms!







We saw the new hospital, Baseball field, school and new Rosehead Park.

I can not wait till they have the film ready!  They are in the process of editing it now- 68 hours of filming!!!

During the time we were there I was able to see a few old friends, one friend gave me a bunch of plants that came home with me.  Ms Dora has a beautiful garden.  We got to eat with my friends the Bell's and I rode around looking at old places.

When I'm in my hometown the memories are so near.  I guess because I don't go home much and all my folks have passed away the ghosts are there for me big time.  Every road, every building has a story for me.   I am ready to move back!  LOL my husband not so much.....it's not his hometown or his memories!  I'm still working on him, thinking once he retires....????   We will see!

I'll post the trailer up as soon as they finish it hopefully by the end of the month. What a fun trip for me!  Thanks to the Taylor Historical Society for their graciousness and all the folks who housed and fed us!   Thank you to all who allowed us to hear your stories- all of them were interesting and amazing!!!

Friday, August 4, 2017

Summer 2017 part 2 NYC

In June we headed up to Rochester for Sam's TEN year anniversary visit!  YES it's been 10 years since he had his corneal implant!  Sam was the 46th patient to have the implant at that time.  It's called the Boston Kpro.  He had it done because the corneal transplants had failed and usually if transplants fail once on a child they will just continue failing.  Our doctors in Miami could offer us nothing else but our favorite doctor said he'd heard of a "maverick" in NY....well we needed that maverick Dr Aquevella!  He has been a wonderful answer to prayer for our family.  In the Perter's Anomaly world there is so much silly confusion about Kpros and some eye doctors are against them and poison parent's minds-so sad.....  I don't know if it is professional envy or what that causes the prejudice against the Kpros.  I've never figured it out.  We have a FB group and I've just about given up even sharing about the Kpro anymore.  It's been mostly without problems for Sam, except for his left eye and we never had much hope for that eye to begin with. There is work to do and eye drops and a few rules we follow but that is nothing compared to Sam having some vision! We only wish we could have done that for Sarah!


On our way up we went off the beaten path.  We had a turkey cross the road in front of us in South Carolina and it was fussing at us the whole time!  If we'd been headed homeward, he might have wound up a Florida turkey LOL







Then we stopped for the night in Gettysburg.  We had enough time to walk through the cematary, something we didn't get to do the last time we were there.  We got a fabulous hotel outside of town with three beds!  It's always fun to get a really comfy big room.  The greatest thing was the woods behind the hotel.  There was a firefly presentation like none of us have ever seen.  It was just unbelieveable, hundred of thousands of fireflies all in the trees, there was just a hint of coolness in the air, and for a Florida family we felt like it was Christmas time!



Image may contain: 5 people, people smiling, people sitting, tree, plant, grass, sky, outdoor and nature



Sam had to have an EUA so this was him following the perfect exam!  I still get choked up when he is being taken back to be placed under anesthesia.   He does great and as usual there were no problems.

Image may contain: 3 people, people smiling, closeup and indoor


Our beloved Dr Aquevella and his new assisting doctor that I think we will love also:)











God bless that place!






this picture hangs on the boardroom of the Ronald McDonald House. Not only is it meaningful to us that they have pictures of our family up, this picture was taken just about an hour before the accident at the canal.  But for the grace of God, this might have been the last picture we would have had of Sam. I'll be honest, it is very hard for me to go back to Rochester.  I'm not one to cry but I was very stressed about going this year.  I despise the Erie Canal and hate to see it.  It's very hard emotionally.










After Rochester we headed for NYC!  We left the city in 1997 so 20 years later it was our first time back!   We found a Country Inn & Suites in Queens (Long Island City) that was wonderful.  One block from Queen's Plaza (subway and bus stop) Blocks from the 59th street bridge!






Image may contain: 3 people, people smiling, people sitting and outdoor



It was bizarre to see the police & anti terrorists force out!  NYCis a far different city than it was 20 years ago when we lived there.






So there is quite a joke in our family about the McDonald's on Times Square.....
in early 1995 I ate there and got sick on the subway before I could get home to Brooklyn.  In fact I was sick for several days so I called them to complain.....when I never could get better I went for an exam and found out I was pregnant with Steve LOL   I never did call them back and apologize.  We always laugh when we see that particular McDonalds on TV or a movie!!!


Image may contain: 3 people, people smiling, people standing


















Olive Garden on Times Square




Sarah and me in Central Park




Of course we had to go to the hospital where Steve was born, St Luke's Roosevelt (although it's another name now) Lots of memories for me- Steve was born here, we lost the twins here and I almost died.....

Image may contain: 3 people, people smiling, people standing and outdoor




I swear this was the same bassinet Steve was in LOL
There was a family leaving with their baby and I wanted to grabbed them and tell them how fast time passes by.....but they would have probably thought I was nuts.
Image may contain: 1 person, smiling, standing and outdoor



Of course you know I had to go to Trump Towers!





Image may contain: one or more people








Sarah loved the ice cream at Trump Towers!






Image may contain: 1 person, smiling, sitting, hat, drink and indoor













St Patrick's (now you have to go through a metal detector!)




Image may contain: one or more people and indoor



Image may contain: one or more people, people sitting and indoor

this was my fitbit for our first day in NYC!  I was so tired and it was soooooo HOT!




Yes Shad is asleep on a NYC bus!!

Image may contain: one or more people, people sitting and indoor











Sarah got really upset with the traffic and sounds so Jon and I started taking turns taking the boys around....


Image may contain: 1 person, smiling, standing, sky, cloud, outdoor and water






WHILE WE WERE AT THE STATUE OF LIBERTY
our nurse called and said she had the hand delivered paperwork of Shad's citizenship!!!!!
You just can't make that up!  It was amazing!!!!!!!!!   11 years it took!  His paperwork was all kinds of ways messed up but he is now a citizen!!!









Little Italy
Image may contain: 2 people, people smiling, people standing, people walking and outdoor




We had to keep up our strength!





Empire State Building
















Brooklyn in the back ground

Image may contain: sky, cloud and outdoor



You know I love libraries!



Steve and Sam walking towards our hotel from the parking lot






We also spent a day going to our old haunts!

Brooklyn Teen Challenge

Image may contain: 2 people, people smiling, people standing, plant, tree and outdoor



The Chapel



Image may contain: indoor



the building with the blue door we lived in
first we lived in the top right apartment.
Later we moved to the bottom left
Image may contain: tree, house, sky, plant, car and outdoor



The stairs to our old apartment right side




 front door
Image may contain: 3 people, people smiling



our neighborhood





The Men's home where my husband worked






In 1986 I did an internship at Metro Church in the Bed-Sty section of Brooklyn





the store I got my 7-Up from every morning



Image may contain: text



the apartment I lived in 3 rd floor walk up
Image may contain: plant, tree, table, car and outdoor



Brooklyn Bridge





What a LONG trip we were so very glad to get home.  On the way home, in North Carolina a truck lost its' ladder in front of us, it was a miracle we were not killed!   Our oldest son was driving and he handled it well but it was very scary!!!!



Tomorrow I'll blog the 3rd part of our summer:)