April First Fun

This little "adventure" came to mind this April Fool's Day.

In the early 1970's I was teaching first grade on Ft. Buchanan, an army base in San Juan, Puerto Rico.  My principal was trying an experimental program where the boys and girls were in different classes for first grade.  This was based on the fact that many girls are more mature and make the boys lose confidence.  By having all boys, the teachers could gear bulletin boards, games, etc. on football and other boyish interests.  (Some mother protested it using some amendment so classes had to be combined.)  Anyway..... on with my adventure.

I had a boy who had major temper tantrums.  It was set up that when a tantrum started, I called on the speaker and my principal, Mr. Corbin, came and took the child out immediately.

One year on April first, I told my boys about the day.  The boy who was known for the tantrums started yelling so it came through on the speaker.  Mr. Corbin came immediately and when he entered the room, we all yelled , "April Fool."  Mr. Corbin was a unique person and I never found out his reaction.  But I can tell you that my students and I got quite a kick out of our April First Fun!


Here I am with one of the classes during the experiment. (I was a traveling music teacher that year....I played a record player really well!)



Sweet Sweetheart Dinner Dance

Every year the Social Committee, which is under the Homeowner's Association,  and other volunteers put on an elegant dinner dance on Valentine's Day  to honor all the couples in Savanna Club who are celebrating their 50th Anniversary during that year.  Every year it gets more and more elegant.  I would never have believed how many hours we worked and how many people it took to perfect all the well-planned details.

This year we had 13 couples and it was like planning 13 weddings!  The couples could invite friends and relatives, some of whom flew in from all over the country.  This year there were about 280 people there and it was held in the theater of our community.

My first job was setting up the centerpieces.  We washed each mirror, each slim glass vase, filled them almost full of glass rocks, put in the tea lights (getting them level was challenging!) fluffed the bows, and put them on the 35 tables.

Every table had a number and the honorees' tables also had a gold bow so the caterer could serve them first.

Next, I helped set up the appetizer tables.  (Wish I'd taken a photo of the appetizers.....they were lovely.)  We put a white tablecloth and I thought that looked fine.  But, these busy bees decided we needed skirts and flowers.  That took several of us quite a while to set them up.

The gals who set up the bar spent most of the morning making the bar tables elegant with the gold trim and bows.  Some of the husbands of our committee were wine waiters in their tux pants, crisp white shirts, and ties.  Once the caterers started serving the food, people came to this back table for their wine. 

There were tables along the side where couples brought in their wedding photos and albums.  The gals who set up those tables worked a long time to get them "just so."

This was my favorite --- the cake table.  Besides the cake served to everyone, each couple was given a small cake to take home, as well as a basket with a small bottle of champagne, glasses, etc .

Upon their arrival, each couple was ushered backstage where they were served appetizers and wine.  Then each couple was introduced one at a time and the MC told a cute story about their dating days.  While "their song" was played, there was a short slide show on the big wall above them of highlights from their life together.   A photographer also took a picture of each couple under the arch.

Here is a sample below. This is my friend, Wendy and her hubby, not one of the honorees, but you can see what a nice photo setting it was.  Many hours were spent setting up and decorating the arch and getting the black curtains behind it to look right.

I wore a black outfit.  The pants had an overlay in the front that made it look like a long skirt.  The jacket was long, styled sort of like a tux jacket.  Then I added the sparkly blue shell and the blue earrings.

The back of my long jacket had criss-cross lacing.

They had the 13 honoree couples dance the first dance.  Then they invited all the couples in the room who had been married over 50 years to join them.  It was inspiring (made me choke up) to see that the institute of marriage is still alive in this country!

Someone's grandchildren caught our eye during the electric slide - such energy.  Later everyone gathered around and they agreed to dance one dance for us.  Wow!

The DJ lives here in Savanna Club and spent hours choosing music that drew people to the dance floor. I did join in the line dances such as the Electric Slide and the Cupid Shuffle. 

After all honorees were gone, everyone pitched in and we got a lot of the un-decorating finished.  The next day everyone worked again.  Various ladies took some tablecloths and wine glasses to wash. 

This Sweetheart Dinner Dance was a special tribute to sweethearts who are still sweethearts after 50 years.  In this day and age, that is commendable!  Congratulations!

Bungling Birdhouse Builders

Can you imagine 15 women in a small craft room with hammers?  The noise level was so high they could hear us in the lobby of the clubhouse but we were so busy concentrating that we hardly noticed.

The birdhouses were cut out.....all we had to nail them together, paint, and decorate them.  Ha, ha, ha, ha!  I haven't laughed that hard in ages and that was mostly at my own in-aptitude! 

This is my new next door neighbor, Jane Pinson.  When she took it home, her husband, Gene, told her it was pitiful!

Our leader's husband came to help us and I told him that he would probably need to go home for a LONG nap after such an experience!  He was very patient and kept saying,  "You have to use your mind where the nail should go in and mark it with a pencil.  I sort of stalled till he got to me and he kindly marked the spots.  One of my nails went in so crooked that he had me pull it out and start over!

This was a sample of how we could decorate it.

We started painting in the class and I brought home paint and brushes to finish.  It's a rainy day today so I decided I must finish it.  It's pretty pitiful (Gene's term applied to mine, too!) but at least I can say I made it with my own two hands.  Plus, it does pick up the colors of the parrot painting.

So much for women bungling with hammers to build birdhouses!  I remind myself that it's the camaraderie that counts!

Costume Closet

Someone told me that when you move to Savanna Club, my 55+ retirement community in Florida, you almost need a costume closet!  I have found that to be so..... It's fun playing "dress up!"
 
Going to a hoedown is a good chance to wear the denim jacket that my Aunt Mary gave me.  I admired it every year when I went to visit her and I think of her when I wear it! 

 

The name of my Circle in the United Methodist Women is Lydia.  I portrayed her in a Mother's Day service in church.

 

The Red Hat Society is a fun place to play Dress Up.  My red and purple clothes warrant a special section in my guest room closet.  Thrift shopping is a great place to find red and purple "stuff."  

Speaking of red and purple stuff.....last year I went on a Red Hat cruise.  That was a great reason to shop all year in preparation!  As usual, I plan out my outfits before I pack.

 

 Can you find MM?
(You can click on the pic to enlarge it.)

 

 This skirt and blouse came from one of my many trips to Mexico.

My brother and sister-in-law sent this beautifully made Oriental dress to Mother when they were living in the Philippines.

  

The Women's Club luncheon at our Women's Club was an excuse for glitter galore! 

I've always wanted to wear a "glitter" outfit.

My neighbor and I had fun wearing our matching Mrs. Santa tee shirts to attend a show at our theater.

 A Florida version of a Christmas shirt!

Between the teacher gene and the little girl's dressing-up tendency a Costume Closet is a natural for this retired gal.  

Mother had read that it's good to keep a "childlike enthusiasm" for life.  A costume closet surely adds a way to express enthusiasm and a glittering sparkle in one's Senior years!

Great Prize - Great Dinner

At the December Women's Club Luncheon I won a gift certificate for Mandie's Catering for $100!!  It came with 4 sheets of choices.  I saw platters of appetizers for 15-20 people...I don't think 20 people would fit into my Florida house.  My friend, Norma, studied the papers and approached it from a different angle.

The caterer, Tim Tate, obviously takes pride in his work.  He came to my house and we planned the menu together.  He made beef burgundy, chicken with wine and mushrooms, blackened dolphin, wild rice, Au-gratin potatoes, zucchini and yellow squash with onions, glazed carrots, salad, rolls, coffee, and cheesecake!  (Normally, $19.95 per person and well worth it!!!)

Last evening I had a lovely dinner party for 3 of my new neighbors and of course, Norma.   Tim Tate ran a bit late because the driver he had set up didn't work out.  So Tim cooked AND delivered the food to us and 3 parties before us.  We passed the short wait in the Florida room with my invented piña colada punch.

 Vickie Peterson, MaryMay Angelil,
Jane Pinson, Norma Pennie, Denise Calise

I have been wanting to entertain but could never get myself in gear so this is my answer!  We ate quite well and had a wonderful time together.  Everything he made was delicious and we had tons of leftovers. 

This turned out to be a fantastic prize for me!  New friends, good food, with almost no work.   What a painless way to entertain!! 

Seafood Fantabulous Feast for Christmas

It was an honor to be invited to share Christmas Day with Norma Pennie's family in Ft. Lauderdale.

Our hosts, Angela and Jeff Lyman.  Angela is the sister of Nick, Norma's son-in-law.

 Angela and her bro, Nick (Norma's son-in-law).

 Caprese Tree

 The "girls" ready for the feast!

Jeff preparing the lobster tails for grilling.

Norma with her daughters, Noreen and Lisa

Now, the highlights of the menu!  

Tuna sushi (Much to my surprise, it was good!) I especially liked the mushrooms stuffed with crab and lobster, along with several other appetizers.

Mac and cheese with crab. 

Seafood gumbo with steamers, fish, and shrimp.

We ate out by the water - a lovely setting for a Florida Christmas!

 MaryMay and Norma, ready to partake of those luscious lobster tails! 

Good friends and a seafood fest -  a great way to celebrate Christmas.

Golf Cart Caroling

The article in our weekly newsletter talked about caroling and I thought it sounded like a novel idea.  My neighbors agreed to come with me.  We meant to take more photos but were busy enjoying all the lights in our community.  Plus, it was rather dark ........AND rather chilly - 55 degrees is a tad chilly  (for me) when in a "one-horse open sleigh" -- er, open golf cart!

Yes, we will go again next year!

Light in My Hallway

Every time I walked through my house in Florida, I was bothered by the dark area I passed through near my front door.  I decided to do something about it and, on a friend's recommendation, called All Sunshine Skylights to install a Solatube.

It's a strange feeling to see a man punching a hole into your roof!

 Then he started pulling out insulation (which he later put back).

  A clever way to catch debris while  he works from the top.

Up he goes with top piece of tube in hand.

Solatube all finished.

You can see by the picture on the truck what was done.  Much to my amazement, this was finished in less than an hour and a half!

  Plus, it meets all the hurricane codes and is guaranteed not to leak.

Ta Da, my favorite part is the before and after!!!

It took me a while not to feel like I should turn a light off.   Yay for Solatube!