December 2014 Rally in St. Augustine, FL

Florida Cracker News

Dec. 8-12, 2014 Rally - St. Augustine, FL

Message from the President

    The December Rally in St. Augustine, was really a wonderful time for all.  This is truly a beautiful and very historic city.  We all got caught up in the Christmas spirit.  I would like to thank all the members that participated in the coordination and preparation of the wonderful meals we had.

    The day and night tours were a beautiful Christmas experience and a great time was had by all.

    We are all looking forward to a wonderful 2015 spring rally season to come.

    I extend a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all of our Florida Cracker Family.

                                                                                                                                       Gene

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Most of us came in early for our December rally so our fun (and eating) started Sunday night with a delicious dinner at Catch 27 Restaurant for 12 of our members.  Some liked the shrimp and grits so much they went back for lunch the next day and ordered it again!

This trip was our first attempt at an unhosted rally so we heavily depended on volunteers.  Coordinators Mary & Sonny Hall did a great job keeping us informed about activities and we had many members sign up for meal duties.  Our rally officially started with an excellent welcome dinner of beef stew prepared by Leo & Bev Davignon.  Vi Wieser prepared a delicious spaghetti dinner and Al & Lynn Selke teased they had made their very tender pulled pork dinner from a roadkill pig that Jan had pointed out to them while leaving the last rally.

Breakfasts included Jan & Norm DeMeza and Don Clepper's burritos on Tuesday and also biscuits and gravy and Don's delicious egg casserole breakfast prepared in a crockpot on Thursday.  This trio was rounded out by our surprise guest Priscilla Clepper Berge.  Thank you, Priscilla, for all the help you provided with meals and cleanup throughout the week.  You were an especially excellent helper in the burrito assembly line.

On Wednesday, we were treated to an excellent pancake, sausage and bacon breakfast by first-timer chefs Steve & Debbie Crane and Ray & Bev Hamel.  Great job!  Please sign up anytime.  Everyone raved about the pancakes and practically licked their plates.

In between eating, we actually did manage to do a lot of walking and touring of St. Augustine.  Our Tram Tour of the city was lots of fun although it paled to the laughter we had on the Holly Jolly Trolley tour many of us took on Thursday night.  Seeing lights through 3-D glasses made this Christmas light tour so exciting.  Our tour guide was so enthusiastic he had us laughing and yelling Merry Christmas to strangers the entire trip.  We even got to see Santa Claus and enjoy hot cider (very appreciated since it was really cold) and sugar cookies.  Many of us also enjoyed the winery and distillery tours. 

For all the joy of this trip, we had great sadness as well upon hearing that our beloved member, Sigi Barrett, had passed away unexpectedly on Dec. 9th.  This joyful photo was taken this year at our April rally.  Every one of us loved this very special lady from the very first day she had joined our club.  The pork dinner she and husband Earl had volunteered to make last season during a rally hosted by others was the inspiration for even attempting to have an unhosted rally this year.  Our club is particularly going to miss her wonderful sense of humor.

I don't have a photo to share of them, but we did sign up another new couple during this rally.  Ron and Grace Giacobbe are a very friendly couple from Jacksonville, FL who came over and introduced themselves to Bev & Leo.  After visiting with all our members several times during the week, they submitted a membership form.  They told us they hope to attend as many rallies as their schedule will accommodate this season.

Our next rally will be at Little Willies in Arcadia from Jan 19-23, 2015.  Hosts will be Janie & John Young and Leo & Bev Davignon.  Details will be provided as soon as they are available so watch for an e-mail or posting on the blog site.

We are currently looking for someone to volunteer either as a coordinator or to sign up for individual meals for our March rally.  If no one volunteers to host the April rally, we might be using this same method.  Forms will be available at the January rally or you can inform Jan DeMeza of your interest if you're not attending.  Tuesday and Thursday dinners as well as Thursday breakfast are still available as well as Rally Coordinator for March.  April is totally open.  We found at this rally that it's necessary to at least coordinate who will purchase staple supplies like OJ, milk, salad dressings, rolls, etc. to avoid duplication and waste.  Expense-wise, it was found to be a lot more economical to have one host doing the planning.  The compromise might be to have more grill nights, potlucks or eat-on-your-own meals if we don't get volunteers.  Please consider doing at least one meal at one rally per season, whether hosted or not.

A little birdie had a very special story to share with your newsletter editor.  Apologies ahead of time to anyone who might take offense but the imagery is just too funny not to share.  Here is the story as told to me.

I'm sure you have all heard the expression "stepped in sh*t" but here's a new one for the books.  May you all avoid the experience.

While visiting the Golf Hall of Fame with some of our Cracker friends, one of us experienced a truly unbelievable, unusual, and embarrassing experience.  Here is how it began.

We all decided to play a par 3 hole on the Golf Simulator, relaxing on the benches provided while waiting our turn.  After all had played, we exited the room and immediately became aware of a very strange and pungent odor.  Imagine the horror when it was determined the offending odor came from one of our own.  What was that circle of offensive residue plastered to the seat of this poor individual's pants?  How did it get there?  Where had it come from?  We all went back to the simulator area and found the original source of the problem.  There it was--a 3-inch circle of "sh*t on the seat."  Was it from an animal or manmade?  Did it matter?  Did we really want to know at this point?  What we were unanimous in agreeing upon was getting to a restroom to have it removed ASAP.  One of the women stood guard at the door of the ladies room while the dedicated and loving wife of our distraught friend removed the mess from the seat of her husband's pants.  (Editor's note:  I highly recommend purchasing an extremely special Christmas present for this dear lady.)

After 10-15 minutes cleanup and a whole lot of laughs, we were able to continue with the rest of the tour, gratefully minus the offensive odor.   The moral of the story?  Look BEFORE you sit or you could sit in sh*t!"

P.S.  The names have been omitted to protect the innocent but it definitely explains why one of our members teared up with laughter every single time someone inadvertently used a certain word in conversation.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  May the new year keep you safe and healthy and provide you with many wonderful travel adventures.

Here are a few of the photos Priscilla took to help us remember the fun we had on our St. Augustine rally. 

 

Yummy appetizers

Great meals

Priscilla & Don enjoying the burrito breakfast

Hope that thing isn't loaded, Don.

Many of our members got locked up.

Looking a little too convincing there, Sonny.

Nippy weather made cocoa an extra special treat

Catch 27 Restaurant was enjoyed by many on Sunday night.

I think I'll keep my RV.

We were thrilled to discover a namesake cafe.

Many couldn't resist buying this T-shirt.

Faith enjoyed pouring over our club's history.

Were you one of the few who got to keep your original gift, Donna?

Jim had us roaring when he proclaimed he got Fat Bastard wine.

We thought he was kidding..

Coordinators Mary & Sonny did a great job keeping us informed.

Yankee Swap had some great gifts awaiting us.

Unfortunately, we didn't all get to keep them!

The Grill Packs, John's CD and Don's wine made many trips around the room.

Nice try, Priscilla, but Don's wine went to Bob Winslow who had originally chosen them.  Certainly pays to be #1 player, huh, Bob?

Sign at the Full Service Gas Station Restaurant

There were many beautiful mosiacs located in the town square.

Always a beautiful way to see any city.

Leo & Bev relaxing with the sheriff

Did one of our couples drink from the Fountain of Youth?

Lots of laughs on the Holly Jolly Trolley ride

Just how many of us got arrested during this trip?

Well, now it's obvious why Sonny wound up in jail anyway.

Large Christmas ornaments adorned the tree at our hot cider stop.

This tree was beautiful both day and night.

Our group is always ready for an adventure.

Vi & Faith examining hurricane detectors.

Did anyone else besides Jan get tipsy at the wine tasting?