DECEMBER 2016

It's Christmas time. Just in case you missed it I wanted to remind you. I am going to use that as the excuse for being so late with this months posting. Yea, that's it. That darn Christmas!

This year our company is having a large party with all the employees from all of our South Florida marinas. Each marina has always had their own, so this should be fun. It will be at the Diplomat Hotel this year. 

This is the tree inside the store/office of Haulover Marine Center in North Miami Beach. Below is a driveby snap of a tree in the median in Bal Harbour, right in front of the Bal Harbour Shops on Collins Avenue. They always do something very nice every Christmas.

You know it's the winter season 'cos the Canadians are here! Eh?

Over the past year or so I posted about this strange tree I have that was passed down from Jack. It stayed the same for about 10 years then the roots broke the pot and it went crazy. It then had a really bizarre exploding flower. A few months later it had a pod similar to a mango but hard. I found out it is commonly called a Money Tree, also called a Malabar Chestnut. The pod ripens, splits and drops chestnut like nuts. They are edible if you roast them. What happened to mine was it dropped and they sprouted. I now have 5 transplanted babies and still several in the original container. Now I found that there are two more pods. I think I created a monster. The odd thing to me is that it took over 10 years for it to do its thing!

This month, our niece and nephew Bob and Dara Freeman will be leaving sunny South Florida for the northern regions of Tennessee. We wish them well and safe travels. We do expect them to make return visits often. 


I have been wanting to post this for some time. I wanted to prove how true beauty is passed down from generation to generation. I have always been amazed how Donna, Dara and Bri resemble each other. 

Have no fear, this beautiful young women will be featured in an upcoming issue of Sliders Place.

 Sabrina Freeman is about to conquer the world. Don't get in her way!

There are few people that I know who loved Christmas as much as my friend of 49 years, Marty Altstock. I have documented many of our adventures on these pages over the last couple of years. It is with a very heavy heart that I will be celebrating Christmas due to his passing away on November 13th.

He loved visiting Fuzzy and Neva at Christmas time and really enjoyed the decorations and the huge village that Neva worked so hard on. As they do with everyone, Fuzzy and Neva made Marty and Sunny part of the family.
 

THANKSGIVING FUZZY AND NEVAS 2009

New Years Day at my house 2015

Since 2008, I celebrated two Christmases every year. Christmas day with Family and again the following week with Marty and his partner of 15 years, Sunny. 

CHRISTMAS AT MY HOUSE 2009

His friends Ann and Tom Porter of Goodland, Florida, came over last week to help us with a ceremony to celebrate his life. We met with our friends from the South Florida Mustang Square Dance group. The ceremony included some Jewish traditions, including singing of the Kaddish, the prayer for the dead. There were some laughs as Ann (she was his friend as long as I was) and I shared some of the hi jinks we shared with Marty. 

Marty in Midsummer Nights Dream in New York 1971

They worked together in the theater in Naples, Florida and I worked with Marty in the theater in NYC.  Most of his friends did not realize that. 

Tom, Sunny and Ann at the ceremony

My favorite picture of Marty and I. Taken in 1968, Marty was Santa at Burdines downtown Ft. Lauderdale.

NOVEMBER 2016

Back in the spring I posted some pics of a 300 foot yacht which was brought across the basin to be worked on and converted to a research vessel. When it came it was just a frame. No engines. It has been there 8 months and has at least another two years to go to be completed. Here are a couple of pics of the progress or what we can see anyway.

 Being towed into the basin

Scaffolding being installed to frame the plastic wrapping

 The plastic wrapping being installed and soon encased the entire ship

This is what was left after Hurricane Matthew blew through.

You can see small remnants of white plastic left.

I handle a lot of money with my job. I see a lot of bills with stuff marked, written or stamped on them. The most popular is for a site called 'Where's George'. This is a bill tracking site that tracks where a dollar or some other denomination, travels. If you get one, you go to the site and put in where you got it, condition of the bill, etc. Another thing I see a lot is different stamps. These two bills came through last week. The thing that caught my attention was the clarity of the stamp and the use of multi colors. Most rubber stamps have only one color.

These actually have four colors. I'm thinking they may be printed instead of rubber stamped. Very unusual.

After selling everything and mortgaging my house, it finally paid off. I GRADUATED. I am now officially a:

MAINSTREAM SQUARE DANCER

I got a diploma and we had a graduation ceremony.

One of my fellow dancers had these made. He said they helped him a lot. Think I might need a pair.

We were at an exhibition dance one night and I was joking (well half way joking) about not knowing my right from my left. He bent down and turned over the tabs. I couldn't stop smiling for the rest of the night.

Ken, our president, won best costume for his cop outfit.

I won best food with my homemade chocolates and spiced pecans and walnuts.

I personally thought some of the other food was better, but these guys sure do love the candy. I won last year also. Next time I will bring candy but not enter it in the judging.

I liked Stuart and Pats costumes.

Holding on to good thoughts and wishing for a complete recovery for my friend and fellow South Florida Mustang, Marty.

OCTOBER 2016

October is here and along with it we are looking forward to a little change in weather. A bit cooler would be welcome. I have been able to enjoy my porch in the mornings but still a bit to humid to enjoy after the sun comes up.

The most important holiday is the celebration of the birthday of my sister Linda. This is the time that I have the opportunity to post embarrassing pictures with no backlash.

Nothing embarrassing here. Great pic

This is Jack, Mom, Linda, Buddy and Me celebrating the completion of our very own fallout shelter circa 1961

I have no idea the story behind this

My sister, the biker chic

The pics below were taken at the house on Indian River Drive between Ft. Pierce and Jensen Beach. One was around 1963 and the other within the last couple of years. They were taken within feet of each other facing the river with the house behind.

Dan Larkin, Sr., Donna Larkin, Ed Draisey, Neva Larkin, Fuzzy Larkin, Hilda Draisey, Steve Larkin and in the front is Ricky Mareira and Tara Larkin

I have posted information about the new boat storage marina we are building at Haulover Beach, North Miami. It is finally completed and only waiting for the permits to occupy.
Here are a couple of pics to show the progress.

The beginning of the framework

                                             

Doors and decorations are going on

Detail of decoration and wave design on the sides of the building

Finishing touches on light house on top of the two stores and office space. My office is on the second floor. It is a shared office since I am only there 2 days a week for a few hours.
There are more pictures and information on our facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/Haulover-Marine-Center-114161868616025/
There is a great video and more information on our web page
http://haulovermarinecenter.net/

Please feel free to leave comments or suggestions. It is easier to comment as anonymous. Be sure to leave your name in the comment.
Also, If you are new here, check out the archived posts from 2015 and 2016.