{"id":583,"date":"1998-03-01T16:48:43","date_gmt":"1998-03-01T21:48:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/plmcs.wordpress.com\/?p=583"},"modified":"1998-03-01T16:48:43","modified_gmt":"1998-03-01T21:48:43","slug":"march-1998","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mcsorley.org\/jottings\/1998\/03\/01\/march-1998\/","title":{"rendered":"March 1998"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\tIt is only the second week in the month, yet it feels like it should be much later. This results from having spent the last two weeks in a whirlwind of activities. Marge and Dan arrived on February 23rd<\/sup> and left on the March 2nd<\/sup>. We took off the following morning and were away until March 6th<\/sup>.<\/p>\n

We visited Silver Springs, Fort De Soto, Anna Marie Island, Everglade City, Naples and drove through Longboat Key to Sarasota, with Marge and Dan. Then we left to visit the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, MGM and SeaWorld.<\/p>\n

This was the trip we had planned for the first week of February, but postponed due to the rain. So it is of little wonder that we are just regaining our breath. We expect Bill on Thursday. He’ll be our guest until the 18th<\/sup>. He’s going to give us the opportunity to see some of the Sports Stadiums in the area \u2013 the Phillies in Clearwater, the Yankees in Tampa, and the new Tampa Bay Devil Rays in St. Petersburg.<\/p>\n

The weather, a popular topic in Florida, has been very good. We only had one rainstorm while Marge and Dan were here. It was driving up to Naples on the last day of the trip south. It prevented us from having the girls complete their shopping and a planned visit to Bonita Springs and a display of Everglade Wonders. The week in Orlando was perfect only one shower and that was during the night. Like in the song about Camelot, “\u2026it only rains after sundown”.<\/p>\n

All the activity clogs the memory channels. It is at times like these that I think of a humorist remark by Peter DeVires. “I love being a writer, what I hate is the paperwork!” Yes, the sorting, cataloguing, and recalling the events from that chamber in the head. Memory is like a rope attached to heaven on which we climb up to find our selves. (The idea is Proust’s who likened memory”\u2026to a rope let down from heaven to draw me up out of the abyss of not-being.” Just so you don’t think I’m that original). We sort through the now clogged alleys to select those items that pop-up first.<\/p>\n

In the everglades; there was one. It was on a motorboat ride. We were drifting to take in the sight of an Osprey nest. Marge, sitting behind me, had her hand resting the top edge of the side of the boat, when suddenly in the water, not ten inches away from her resting hand, an alligator’s snout appeared~ and then its head and body! It stopped some breaths of mine. We had seen other alligators on the way but they were off there in the distance, not here almost in the boat. They are not a pleasant animal to look out, since they seem to be all teeth and eyes sitting on rotten wet log.<\/p>\n

The same boat trip gave us the thrill of watching two playful dolphins, parent and child, swim in our motor’s wake as we flew across the water. They continued their jaunt for some while and then like children who had played enough, they just disappeared.<\/p>\n

Our visit to Disney’s Magic Kingdom, Epcot, MGM and SeaWorld provided us with the usual spectaculars and a great deal of education. One memory will be of the musical revue performed daily outdoors in the front of the Castle. The castle is a replica of one, I believe, from Heidleburg full of towers and arched windows. It is a logo of Disney’s now almost as well known as Mickey. The show is put on a stage-platform formed in the front of the castle. It is where the two stairs from either side meet some ten feet up. The music is all Disney and the performers matched the quality of those we saw just a few weeks ago at Busch Gardens. Young, energetic, full of good voices and dancers, all done in the manner of the professionals they are. The audience sits on the grass in front of the stage or further back stand on the concrete pathway going around the castle.<\/p>\n

As June and I stood there enjoying the music and the dancing my eye caught the essence of the Magic Kingdom in a capsule. The capsule was a tot no bigger than four feet tall, with tight red curls bouncing on the top of her head as she danced in perfect time with the music. She was Shirley Temple reborn with red hair. She swirled her full skirt, turned and smiled with dimples and bright eyes at her mom sitting there on the grass. She moved her arms up and down in rhythm with the dancers and gladden the eyes and hearts of all those who could see her. A child emanating joy, just as Disney dreamed.<\/p>\n

The revival of Winnie the Pooh, a.k.a. Winnie ille Pu, continues. We were overwhelmed with Winnie and her characters, in shirts, jackets, hats, stuffed, carved, whittled, etc. etc\u2026 as we wandered through the Magic Kingdom and Epcot. It shouldn’t have surprised me, but it did. Then I learned why\u2026Disney owns the rights to Winnie and her friends. June even brought me a peaked-cap with a figure of Winnie lying on her back embossed on the front. I suppose it is to warm my head to help me in my translations of the stories. It doesn’t work. I did solve that problem by purchasing one of the original pocketbooks. I noted on line some 15 to 20 spin-offs being offered. The version I got was the one published in 1926. So now I have my “pony” to consult when I’m stuck\u2026as piglet might say, “Oh my!”<\/p>\n

I note that the rush of time and the flood of visitors has caused me to omit noting one of our very important visitors\u2026Win and Beth Allen three days in February (PM 15th<\/sup> till AM 18th<\/sup>). The highlight, other than the joy of having my surrogate Mother, Win, in our new home, was Beth and I performing at Shore Acres. Rain prevented them from doing much else. We were billed as \u201cMaria Callas and Liberace!\u201d (I have a good press agent, ask Bill King). I would say the billing was overdone as far as the pianist was concerned, but Beth could easily handle opera. She also plays the piano (with both<\/em> hands reading and playing the music!). We sang (?) a duet from The Phantom<\/em>, \u201cThis Is All I Ask\u201d. My role occasionally sounded closer to Christine\u2026 but oh, what fun we had! The captured audience seemed happy to have something more than the old man plunking the keys\u2026 and actually that didn\u2019t surprise me.<\/p>\n

Win told me about a retirement party the girls (?) had for Eleanore McSorley. It was noted that the girls (?) had all proceeded, after raising a family, to have careers. Anne, with the Day School, Marge with her church or school. I may not have the facts correct but I do know they did all pursue out of the home occupations\u2026 a thing meriting any congratulations one could muster. I think Win said that it was Eleanore herself who made this observation. One other note re her retirement, her children, all 11 with the in-laws, and out-laws had a surprise party at her daughter\u2019s celebrating the same\u2026 they came from literally all over the world. I can\u2019t think of anyone who deserves it more!<\/p>\n

The last seven days we became baseball fans. Bill came and we went. We saw more baseball games the last six days than we have seen in the last ten years\u2026 more like 1983 for me. June did go with her gang to one at Clearwater a few years ago. He was like an encyclopedia. When a batter came up we learned where he played last year, if not for this team (Tampa Bay\u2019s new team, the Devil Rays), and how talented or not he was \u2013 Bill had a tough time with the Yankees. He knows that they have the best talent that \u201cmoney can buy\u201d yet he still doesn\u2019t like them\u2026 something like football fans and the Dallas Cowboys. We saw the Phillies Jack Russell Stadium in Clearwater, the Legends (Yankees) Field in Tampa, and our own Al Lang Field in St. Petersburg. He was a joy to watch. He was a little kid again at the games. He has June convinced now we should go more often since we have so many to choose from during the Spring Training Season. At the game in St. Pete\u2019s, where the new Devil Rays clobbered the Phillies 13-3, we had the company in a few rows back, of what we thought were regular Phillies fans. Their rowdy and loud one-liners had others and us laughing and joining in\u2026 they were never really out of order. One line they tossed at Wade Boggs playing third base, \u201cHey! Boggs, ya got the range of a cinderblock!\u201d We said we thought they were regulars from the Veteran Stadium, but it turned out they were from the Washington D.C. area and were avid Redskins fans. They sang the Redskin\u2019s Fight Song (there were about 7 of them) during the 7th<\/sup> Inning Stretch. We learned this when they turned up behind us at the Phillies vs. Atlanta<\/em> game in Clearwater! Bill felt they added just the right flavor to the show and we agreed.<\/p>\n

Let me say goodbye from the saturated state of Florida for a while, we\u2019ll try to add a note to each of you.<\/p>\n

March 28, 1998<\/p>\n

Ron and Mary,<\/p>\n

In typing the date it occurs to me that this was the \u201cmonth\u201d when the deadline (?) was for you and your condo problems. Did it get resolved somehow? I certainly hope so.<\/p>\n

The twins\u2019 pictures, taken at the party, were supposed to be forwarded to us by out photographer, Tommy. To date, we still don\u2019t have them\u2026 but before you know it, we\u2019ll be holding them, since this date next month we head north. We will babysit for Mike and Cindy for the first 10 days in May. He won a trip to San Diego at his job. Then it\u2019s off to June\u2019s nephew\u2019s wedding on May 16th<\/sup> up in North Jersey.<\/p>\n

Hope Ron\u2019s job continues to excite him and that yours is still available\u2026 since it seems at one point there was talk of the outfit splitting up or the like. If you get a chance to drop me an email I am anxious to know how things turned out or are turning out re the condo.<\/p>\n

Love,\u00a0Dad\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It is only the second week in the month, yet it feels like it should be much later. This results from having spent the last two weeks in a whirlwind of activities. Marge and Dan arrived on February 23rd and left on the March 2nd. We took off the following morning and were away until … <\/p>\n

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