Olympics for Old Folks in Florida

Saturday, February 7, 2015

The third annual Oldlympics for the ancient folks that reside in Ancient Oaks started this morning. The 100 International athletes from USA, Canada, Holland, and other foreign places like Ohio and Okeechobee, were busy making their final preparations for today's ten grueling events. Their countless hours of training and unending sacrifices had these chiseled athletes ready to compete for the most important games of their lives today. You could feel the tension in the air as the teams readied themselves for the opening ceremonies, just moments away.  The air was filled with the scent of analgesic balm and sweaty socks, as each athlete bore a serious look of determination as they put on their knee braces, elbow pads, pampers, jock straps, and checked the batteries in their pace makers!

Marlene and Ginette hosted the opening ceremony!

Let me introduce just a few of the 25 four person teams competing today.

This is the Farmers team.  That's Pappy in the overalls and his three sons Darrell, Darrell, and Larry.  Pappy says he could only remember two names, so when he yells for Darrell, two boys come a runnin!  Larry don't get yelled at too much since Pappy can't remember his name, so he just yells Darrell. The shirts these farmers are proudly wearing say "Farmers, someone's got to feed you people!"

Ken, Ted, Tom & Craig

This team is the Flamingo Girls.  I don't know what country they're from, but it ain't from around here!

Carol,  Norma, Carolyn & Barb

 This team is the Wonder Women team.  As you can see, they are a restin!  I guess that opening ceremony took a lot out of em!

Pat, Barb, Bea & Joan

This is Elma representing the Motley Crew team.  Wonder where they got that team name?

This team is Dawgs Rule.  They are sniffing out their next event.  The lady in the red shirt has to pick up any messes them Dawgs leave.  It's a park rule ya know!

AND NOW...LET THE GAMES BEGIN!

This is me shooting a basket for the Farmers Team.  What style!  What Grace!  What a miss!!

Here's Ted getting ready to shoot.  Our team had zero baskets in four attempts.  Isn't exactly perfection is it?

Here's the Flamingo Girls getting ready for shuffle board.

This is Ken getting ready to hit the Boca Ball while I'm behind him try to figure out what the hell a boca ball is!

This is Carol playing ladder golf. Just throw that thing with two balls on it so it rings around a ladder rung.  It's not easy wearing a ten pound flamingo on your head all day!

Wonder Woman Joan is looking for a marshmallow so she can play marshmallow golf.

"Has anyone seen my Marshmallow?"

This is them there Flamingo Girls again.  Not sure what they're doing here, but somebody may need to pick up after them.  It's a park rule, ya know!

That's me in the casting contest.  I think I just hooked me a palm bass!

Tom playing shuffle board.  You'd never know by the stunned expression on our faces, but he just got us a point!

Ken tossing a washer, and Tom is behind him watching his every move.  He aint never thrown a washer before.

After the ten events were over and the scores for each team were tallied, the winners for each event were awarded medals.  Needless to say, The farmers team didn't win the basketball shoot, but we did win a gold medal for the casting contest and marshmallow golf, and a silver medal for the washer toss.  That was just enough for our team to take first place over all!

Here's the happy Farmers Team with their medals and trophy!

Pappy said it was the first time ever that he was proud of Darrell and Larry...and Darrell.  Then Pappy said if he hadn't wore his overalls, we couldn't have won over all! Our pappy is one wise man!

Country Music Dance at Ancient Oaks

Saturday, January 31, 2015


The sell out crowd at Ancient Oaks RV Park had an enjoyable evening at the Country Music Dance held at the Ancient Oaks club house.  The ancient folks from Ancient Oaks were encouraged to dress Western style with cash prizes awarded for the best costumes.  The offer of cash was all it took for most of these seniors to don their best Western outfits, and a variety of great music was provided by the ever popular Three Bob Band.

Here's Pat and Ted showing off their...matching handkerchiefs!

"The Wedding Couple" Barb in her wedding dress and Henry with his boots on.

AC and Carol getting ready to boogie

Dan's trying to arrest Pat

Kathleen and James took a stage coach to get here.

 Kitty and me sitting on our...saddles!

This is either a slow dance or a hug fest!

We couldn't have a dance without some line dancers!

Miss Kitty is dancing with Marlene

Norma and Ken actually stood still just long enough for this picture!

Check out these boots on Pat!

 Susan enjoying the music

Fresh off the ranch Debbie

Ted's ready for some good old country fun!

 Here's Tom asking Joan if it's time to leave!

Dan won the best costume for single guy!

Debbie and Randy won the best costume for couples!

Ancient Oaks' very own Three Bob Band!

L to R: Ted, Randy, Barry

Let's toast Wendy and Ginette (not shown) for helping to make this dance happen!

The Country Music Dance night was a lot of fun and we are all looking forward to attending again next year.  We only have 364 days left to find the perfect costume!

Lake Placid, Florida

Monday, January 26, 2015

Today we are headed to Lake Placid along with Kitty's cousin from Kentucky, Freda, and her husband Dewey.  Lake Placid is home to more than 40 murals that depict some of the history of this region and community.  For more details about these beautiful murals, please see my blog titled "the Murals of Lake Placid" dated December 4, 2012 and, "The Murals of Lake Placid Part 2" dated March 17, 2013.

Of course, no one should stop in Lake Placid without having a Bodacious Banana Split at the Main Street America Restaurant. This banana split is something dreams are made of and I must caution you not to attempt to eat this decadent treat if you're wearing tight fitting clothes! You will surely pop a button or two!  Also, don't stop here on a Monday like we did because the restaurant is closed all day on Monday!  Darn!  It also closes at 1 pm on Sunday too.  There should be a law against this place ever closing, and  I suspect another trip to Lake Placid is going to happen sometime in the near future!

Our tour of the murals began at the chamber of commerce building where helpful information about the murals and the artists that painted them is available. There's also a short ten minutes video about the murals that is interesting and informative, and maps to help you find your way around.  A booklet describing each mural and it's location is a must.  Many of the murals have hidden objects painted in them and it's tons of fun trying to find all of the objects.

Here we are standing in front of Caladium Fields, a 60 foot wide mural. 

L to R: Dewey, Freda, Kitty, and Craig.  Maggie is the one with four legs!

 No, this is not a mural.  It's Freda and Kitty looking at a mural.

Now this is a mural!

This is the first mural to be painted in Lake Placid and it's titled "Tea at Southwinds."

Lake Placid has more than 40 murals.  There's well over twenty lakes around here and they all have plenty of monster bass in them-like this man eater!  Look out Dewey, this bass is looking for its next meal!"  Around here the bass are so big, if you don't catch them they will catch you!

Please check out my previous blogs for more of the murals at Lake Placid.  The murals and the fishing offers will keep you busy for quite some time.  But, if you like to clown around, you can do that here too at Toby's Clown School!  Lake Placid has something for everyone, and it's interesting, amazing, and fun for all!

Caloosahatchee River Walk in LaBelle, Florida

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Kitty and I, along with Kitty's cousin Freda and her husband Dewey, visiting from Kentucky, decided to head to LaBelle, Florida so we could show them the Ortono South Campground, have some lunch at one of our favorite BBQ places, and enjoy the Caloosahatchee River Walk.

We arrived in LaBelle and headed directly to Honest John's Log Cabin BBQ located on State Route 80 in LaBelle.  Every time we have have been to this place, Honest John is always there to greet us with a smile and today was no different.  Honest John always makes an effort to talk to each and every customer and thanks everyone for their business.  If you want extra hot BBQ sauce, you have to ask for it.  I can't tell you what happens when they bring it out.  But, it's worth asking for it even if you don't intend to use it. Their BBQ is scrumptious, and they offer a free cup of soup and a free dip of ice cream for desert.   It's a combination that's really hard to beat and makes the 75 minute drive to LaBelle well worth while.

After thoroughly enjoying the BBQ, free creamy potato soup, and free hand dipped cookies and cream ice cream, we headed to the Caloosahatchee River Walk.

Here's Freda, Dewey, and their dog Maggie

Kitty, Freda, and Dewey enjoying this sunny January day on the River.

Be careful, Kitty!  Don't step back or you might become gator bait! 

"Look Kitty, the bridge is up," I said.  Not hearing exactly what I said, she responded, "what bitch is up?"  We are still laughing about that!

The LaBelle Marina offers boaters traveling between Florida's east and west coast a place to dock and rest with a max stay of four days.  There were people on each of these boats enjoying life on the river and sharing tales about their travels. 

Maggie, you are such a good girl!

Here's a couple of pictures of the Corp of Army Engineers campground at Ortono South along the Caloosahatchee River. 

It was an enjoyable day seeing the sights in South Central Florida and spending quality time with Freda and Dewey!  Let's do this some more!

Christmas on 65th Avenue, Okeechobee, Fl.

Thursday, December 25, 2014

A few weeks ago we all agreed to have a Christmas pot luck meal for the folks on our street plus a few folks from our extended street family.  Since we always eat too much around the holidays, it was decided the menu would be a lighter affair with soups, sandwiches, salads, and, of course, desserts without calories!  We drew straws to decide who would host the pot luck, and...well...Kitty and I won, or lost, the draw depending upon your respective view point.

Now, you might think that getting ready for a pot luck feeding 30 people is a lot of work.  Well, it really wasn't much trouble thanks to all of our helpful neighbors.  Organizing the menu, setting up tables, chairs, and table decorations went smoothly with several folks lending a hand.  And, the clean up afterwards was a snap.  Heck, we just might make this an annual tradition at this Simmons house.  Oh...excuse me while I pick Kitty up off the floor!

Here's the hungry folks in Ancient Oaks enjoying some friendly conversations before the feast!

Carol & Jenny

Carol 

The "incomparable" Henry

Jenny

Joan & Kathleen

Joan, John, and Pat 

This is Pat showing Reba her tonsils!  That's Joan on the right in disbelief!

Penny & Debbie.  Debbie is either laughing or sleeping, not sure which!

Ron & James.

  Every picture I have of James looks like he has no hair.  Must be something wrong with my camera!

Ted and Karen

This is "Two Step Ted".  AKA "Eagle Eye"

Jerry, Pat, Randy

The waiting line for food

The Feast!

Here's the group after eating.  Everyone looks a few pounds heavier.  Must be something wrong with my camera again!

These ancient folks in Ancient Oaks are all great people.  It's such a treat to enjoy our friends on Christmas since many of us are not able to be with our families today.  With great friends like these folks, it's really like being with family.  We're the 65th Avenue family!  

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!