Category Archives: Of This and That

Not the Same Town……

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When I travel back to Louisiana to visit family and friends, the three (now will only be two) towns have different degrees of change. Minden, where Daddy lived, is a bit larger, yet not by much. Natchitoches, the historic town had changed more although not that it has lost it’s core nor has it become so populated as to strain the infrastructure. Many, the very small town where my mother was from, has few new things. It is in great contrast to Florida and especially South Florida where population is exploding.

When we moved here in late 2004, even though I was disappointed to learn this area is one of the only places on the East Coast that doesn’t have actual beaches, there were other aspects to enjoy. A fair amount of building was going on and as I have posted before, I wasn’t thrilled about living in a gated community. That, however, was the only viable choice for the type of house we wanted. It was enough of a small town to be reminiscent of where we both respectively grew up. As a quick reminder, the building boom went bust in 2008-2009, and was grim for people who were caught in bad timing. That cycle did pass and the book has come back multi-fold.

As always, it’s much faster to build houses than infrastructure and you can only do so much to improve traffic flow if you increase the density of traffic beyond a certain point. We may not be quite there yet, although crawling, stop-and-go patterns are common now in a number of places. There are those who have left, seeking somewhere else in Florida or neighboring states where growth is limited. Others are adapting, while those who recently arrive from even more crowded places find it “normal”. There are new services coming in as well which are generally more positive than negative. We shall see what the next few years bring.

Another Week Zipping Past…..

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For some people, summer is actually a bit of a break. That is most assuredly not the case for others. The areas that may not be as busy are overlaid by new ones or by either the ones on the “yes, I’ll get to it” list. These are the tasks that simmer along until such time as they really can no longer be avoided.This week has been a combination of the two. Ah well, we are at no risk of being bored in the near future.

After queries from a few fans I have begun work on Shades of Remorse, the fifth in the series featuring Police Detective Bev Henderson. As I explained to one of these individuals, I did not set out to write a series. My plan was for all stand-alone novels, but one idea led to another. As a reader, if I find a book I think is interesting and see it is a series, I try to go back to the first one instead to see if I like the writing and characters. As an author, it’s tricky to decide how much information to include about the characters and other background if a reader chooses to jump into a series beginning with a later book. Oh, I did plan the “Small Town” quilting cozies as a series so was able to set that up accordingly.

In this case, the long lapse between novels has to do with the structure of “Remorse” in order to tell the story in the way I should. I generally write in first person or dual Point of View depending on the book. This particular story requires writing with a triple Point of View and I’ve never done that. While I have the story pretty well outlined, there are a couple of gaps yet and rather than continue to wrestle with it, I’ve decided I have enough to start. The rest should develop as I work through the main and subplots. We’ll see.

 

About Stories in Bars…..

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A conversation last evening set me to thinking about this. If you happen to be new to the blog, a quick bit of history of my writing journey. I was around ten years old when I knew I wanted to be a writer (Yes, influenced by Little Women). As a middle class, one-income, three children family, financial support for me to do that wasn’t going to happen and I didn’t want to do the “starving writer” bit. I had written short stories and some poetry of course although sadly, in the time before computers I lost the file in my subsequent moves. Anyway, I did tinker with short stories later, did some professional writing, and kept the dream of the novel for “some day”. Fast forward to my decision to primarily self-publish and thus the body of work I have.

I enjoy short stories though and am inspired periodically to write a new one. I did even have one published (“Ferris Wheel Love”) a number of years ago. A great many of my stories do take place or at least start in bars and that does come from the phrase of, “Write what you know”. Indeed for fans of my first novel, Orchids in the Snow, that combines my military background with the social aspects of the Officers Club. The list of stories and essays are in the Archives on my website, https://www.charliehudson.net/stories/story_archive.html

Those that take place all or in part in bars written from early to later are: Come Here Often?, Draft With a Sprig of Mistletoe, Painted Cabanas, Twelve Pack Trip (not exactly in a bar), Closing Time, Closing Day, Running Yellow Lights, Forty-two Beers on Draft, Herding Seahorses, and Flight Delay.

Hmmm, just thinking about short stories might bring on another idea. We’ll see. Oh, there are also a couple that are really long, but generally 3,000 or so words in length.

 

Burgers on the Menu….

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This is one of the rare Fourth of July times Hubby doesn’t have to teach/guide scuba. On the other hand, he does have to go to the big Race to the Fourth the city puts on at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. Not a car race; music, vendors, fireworks later. In years past, they had a special event where people could go into the Champions Club and we would attend that usually with a few friends. I would stay there as Hubby ate quickly, then went out to get “cute kid pictures”, and re-set for the fireworks. The population has increased so much, they can’t have that event any longer and quite frankly, I’m past the stage where I want to spend three hours in the heat basically by myself. It is a fun time though for those that go.

So, we’ll do our burgers at lunch – potato salad and coleslaw as the sides and Hubby will go later for the photo shoot. I can see the fireworks from the house and I will put the apple pie in the oven to where it is still warm when he gets in probably around 10:00. I will try to still be awake although there is not guarantee of that.

We generally swap around three standard menus for the Fourth – burgers, BBQ, or fried chicken. They all work as traditional and whether just the two of us or if we have others over. There will of course be neighbors out on the street for the fireworks and the folks on the gate will be really busy as this is one of the holidays with lots of visitors. Fireworks will be going late as well and some of the internal displays are pretty extensive. Hmmm, that means I probably will still be awake when Hubby gets in.

Happy Fourth of July!

Got Behind Again……

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So much for a calmer week. I’m not going to get into how the week became so jammed, but it’s not the first time and probably won’t be the last. Hopefully, the extra things thrown in will have positive results and we’ll leave it at that.

Skipping forward to the Food and Drink part, that’s not the usual sharing of a recipe. The oldest (or second depending on how you count a couple of factors) continuously serving family restaurant in Miami Dade County will change hands next week. We’ve know this if coming for a while as a couple of different offers have been working. The Capri in Florida City was opened in 1959 and carried on by the second generation. As I have posted before when it comes to family businesses, it is common for the third generation to be the one that walks away, or in some cases, fails. This time it’s that the third generation did work in the business for a while and have chosen not to continue with it.

COVID was so difficult for businesses and the Capri was determined to try and provide some normalcy during the months of closures and ever-changing restrictions. They complied with each new edict and we patronized them even more than usual in support of their efforts. The government financial support was no where near what has often been lauded although it was of some help. The follow-on inability to get staff is what was an added difficulty. And so, there comes a time when you make a logical choice even if it is not the one you would have preferred.

For all of its years, this was the special occasion restaurant and hundreds – probably thousands – of special memories were made. It was also the “nice” restaurant where celebrities and VIPs were taken when they were in town. While we will very much miss it as a place, we hope the family taking it over will be successful in their own way.

 

Aaargh – Not the Pirate Talk One…..

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Hubby was a big “Bloom County” comic strip fan although it was not one I was familiar with when we started dating. One of the characters – Bill the Cat – often used the Aargh! for exclamations of different reactions – and I don’t know, maybe it was adapted from “pirate talk”. Anyway, I seem to be having somewhat of an Aargh! stretch here when it comes to finding files. Like most people, I have drawers and boxes full and that doesn’t count the thousands I now have on the computer. I have posted about this before and a recent conversation with a friend, plus my annoyance at not being able to locate a couple of fairly important files, is what triggered the thought.

I cannot imagine what I did with the two missing files – well, the two I’m frustrated with at the moment – because I have a specific place where each of them should be. That means I filed them in a temporary place even though I have checked the usual “temporary place” to no avail. Or I inadvertently filed them in a wrong folder/box. The primary issue with files is of course the sheer volume as you accumulate things and what on earth to do with them. I’m not referring to “hoarding”; rather to the normal things we all experience in life. For example, I still have a large number of files from my second career dealing with projects that have long since been over and there is virtually no likelihood anyone will ever ask me for them again. And yet, what if someone does? That collides right into the primary issue when I (and most people) decide to clear some out. There are few things more mind-numbing than starting to go through old files. Some are easy; expired insurance documents I meant to toss is a good example. Beyond that, you often have to think about what to do with each one and about fifty (or fewer) into it, the temptation to toss increases. While that may be okay, sure as the world, that may be the item you do later realize you needed to keep.

When Not Winning Isn’t Losing…..

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Musing content alert. I was watching an episode of “Brokenwood Mysteries” the other day – I watch DVD while I’m on the exercise bike – and it was centered around the murder of the local rugby team coach. As always, there was more than one story line. A somewhat catalyst (although not the true motive) for the murder was the fact the team had lost fifty straight games. In teasing one of the players, his comment was, “Hey, us not winning doesn’t mean we’re losers.”

That sets up the duality of, “It’s isn’t whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game that counts,” as opposed to, “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.”

Competitiveness runs the gamut from individuals who feel no reason to compete/are afraid to, to the far end of those who will do anything to win. The saying (more or less) of, “The first automobile race occurred ten minutes after the second automobile was produced,” speaks to the human nature to compete. It motivates and allows/encourages people to reach for a higher level in whatever. As with most things in life, balance and moderation are key. Team sports teach much to an individual; such as how to do your best and how you can often do more than you think. Training and practice can improve your performance (again in whatever). In many situations though there can only be one winner. That’s the valuable lesson of understanding that not winning is not the same as being a loser.

From another context, the idea of “participation trophies” and not keeping scores comes with the risk of not learning that valuable lesson. I firmly believe in participation acknowledgement and instilling in the “winners” the need to do so graciously.

Memorial Day Tomorrow…..

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It will be an early showing tomorrow at the local cemetery for the annual ceremony to have speeches, talk about traditions of the flag, solemnly raise and lower it to half-mast, fire the gun salute, and play taps in memory of all who have died and been killed while in service to the country. Volunteers will then place small flags on the graves of veterans. Three and four generations will share in the experience; some with loved ones in this cemetery; others there to honor veterans they have never known. Hubby is sometimes available for this as the much better photographer than me, and that’s the case tomorrow. He will capture the photos in a beautiful way and I’ll write the story that changes little year to year. The continuity is part of the story with some of the individuals having done this for decades. A friend commented Friday she will not go to this, but rather be out later to privately acknowledge her brother who did not return from Vietnam. Similar events will take place all over the country and at military cemeteries overseas. One of the final tasks of settling our father’s estate was to arrange for the marker from the Veteran’s Administration acknowledging his service in the Navy during WW II. He didn’t see combat in the Pacific as he entered toward the end of the war after the famous major battles. He served on a ship however transporting hundreds of thousands of munitions which were thankfully no longer needed. Some were sent to bases to restock; others returned to supply depots; some were carried out to be demolished. I assume the small town where he lived will have a ceremony; there wasn’t time last year after his passing to get the paperwork through to have the marker sent for installation.

After the solemn events, there will of course be cookouts and gatherings; the holiday also traditionally marking the beginning of summer despite the official calendar day being next month. Even our cold neighbors to the north will have trees leafing and blossoms opening and hopefully pleasant weather.

 

Busy Weekends……

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The next two weekends will be especially busy. Today is Military Appreciation Day with a four-hour event downtown. Hubby always covers it for the paper if he isn’t working because it’s another of the photo-heavy kind of things. I am at the museum since we often get extra visitors and we might have to be open a little later. There are military vehicles and other equipment on display; speeches to be done of course, music and I’m not sure what all activities for families. The potential rain seems to be holding off although it is over 90 degrees. Needless to say, we will not be cooking tonight. Our friends aren’t available to join us for dinner so the plan is carryout from Sonny’s BBQ.

The International Orchid Festival is going on in another place; an amazing event that brings growers from as far away as Thailand (if they are coming this year). The array is incredible and brings plenty of people in. Next weekend is no better as we have the Art in the Park that will be an evening/nighttime event for the first time. That is directly related to the heat and that also means I’ll have to cover the museum at least a few extra hours. There will be lots of activities and some new things they have planned so we’ll see what the reaction is to those. There are some recurring favorites and individual artists or groups can be quite creative when coming up with ideas. If I wasn’t going to be in the museum, I would be partly involved in an activity. If Hubby is available next week, he’ll get some “cute kids” photos as I already wrote an article a few weeks ago to encourage people to volunteers or participate in some other way. If we cover the story beforehand, a photo spread with enhanced captions as the follow-up.

About Keeping the Yard in Control…..

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This is “travel” related only in the sense of understanding the environment of South Florida where, as I have mentioned before, plants can quickly grow out of control. We of course do not have seasons in the same way that mostly only evergreens and specific bushes and so forth thrive in winter. We do have seasonal blooming cycles for certain things, but our day-to-day profusion of blossoms and more variety of palms than you can keep track of, means constant attention must be paid to keep things under control. A couple of years ago, we had the woman who previously re-landscaped the back yard come out because several items we originally planted didn’t turn as we planned and we wanted to increase the butterfly/hummingbird attracting ones. I thought we might be able to keep up with everything this time, but once again, despite Hubby having to continuously remove palm fronds and cut back some of the blooming bushes, the back yard is tangled looking. We don’t need anything else planted per se; it’s more we have a few things in nice containers that seem to be root bound. One of them may simply be a matter of not watering enough. In another case, one I thought had given up seems to be recovered. There is also an out of control aloe vera in the front yard that Hubby and I disagree about. I think it looks like the “Little Shop of Horrors” situation and he likes it. I’m not even sure it can be safely removed if I get Hubby to agree we swap back to having it in a container instead of the soil. (I hadn’t realized that when you plant in the ground, they can get really big)

The woman we use has been in the landscape business for a long time and doesn’t hesitate to explain when she thinks we have made errors.