Our next-door neighbor is a very nice and classy guy.  This past weekend he was parking his car at the Armature Works in Tampa. He notices an elderly couple have a hard time trying to figure out how to pay for parking.  Jokingly he said to himself, they looked like someone’s favorite grandparents. After a couple of minutes, he told them “Welcome to Tampa and paid for their parking!”  The couple said that was one of the nicest things to happen in along time. Then went on to say they had 2 extra box seat tickets to “Frozen at the Straz” that night. Would he and his friend like the tickets. OMG YES!!! He now has new adopted Grandparents. Viva la Ybor!!!

This week our doorbell rang. There was a guy in his 70’s and I Hello he said Hello back. Then I asked him if he was here to see Carrie? He said “Mark don’t you recognize me?” I said of course… CARRIE YOUR FRIEND IS HERE???  I had no idea who he was. Turns out Carrie had received a call from him earlier in the day. He said “Mark, I’m surprised you do not remember me. You were at my home for a BBQ.”  I asked when was the BBQ? He thought for a bit then said 40 years ago in 1982. WTF??? He had worked with Carrie back then when we were going to USF. We have not seen him since. We had coffee with him and he told us abought his 2 wives and kids and Grandkids.  He had looked us up on Google and tried a phone number that still worked. Then said that walking down the street he would have recognized Carrie right away. Then turned to me and said But Mark you have gotten so old and fat I would have never recognized you. (What do you say to that???) I just smile and said that I was 22 when you last saw me. People do age. We just can not help but wounder why he remembered us & our names & ages, after all those years?

You Just Can Not make this Up

May of you know that we purchased and restored the Judge Leo Stalnaker Plantation, in Ybor City.  The home was built with and filled full of love over 100 years ago. In 1922, for Christmas, Judge Leo Stalnaker purchased a grand piano for the family and placed it in music room. Mrs. Stalnaker taught the neighborhood kids how to pay piano in this room. This piano is still here and plays beautifully today. We were very lucky as the 4^th owners of the home to make contact with Gianna, the Granddaughter of the Stalnaker’s. Her Mom grew up and was married in this home. One day Gianna brought us an unbelievable, fantastic gift….. She gave us 2 of her Mom’s homemade record collections of 78rpms.  They looked like a photo album but there were sleaves to insert 78 records. Her Mom had typed out the names of the songs and even a table of contents. Just imagine these actual records were played in this same room over 70+ years ago!!!! It gives us happy chills just to think about it. Some of the records were missing or broken and a couple had been exchanged but almost all of them were here!!!! There was a Mercury 78 rpm record #5901, titled “Life is a Beautiful Thing” recorded by Sophie Tucker in 1952!!!! Listen to the song and you will see why Sophie was such a Huge Gay Icon. In the words she chooses, you can see, she was actually giving a pep talk to not only her straight fans but the LGBT too.!!! The words are as true today as in 1952.   Below is a photo of this record on our Brunswick Phonograph in our music room. Here is the link to the song “Life is a Beautiful Thing” by Sophie Tucker.

Carrie and myself were together for 2 years in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Then in 1980 Carrie said that we were moving to some place called Tampa??? On one of our very 1^st outings, our professors at USF told us to go to The Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City. Here is a photo of us on that 1^st visit in 1980.  Over the years we have been back 100’s of times. As for many families, the must do restaurant, when visiting Tampa is the Columbia. All our family; parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers and sisters, then nieces and nephews, now great & great-greats have been here. Not only great food, interesting atmosphere and deep in history, the Columbia are generous community supporters. Last year they made a nice donation to Tampa PRIDE. Thank you, Richard Gonzmart.   Who would have ever thought that 42 years later we would be living in Ybor City, within walking distance of The Columbia Restaurant? Now every time we drive by and see people taking photos it makes us SMILE!!!!

This week Facebook popped up this photo from 6 years ago. Take a close look. This is Miss Amber Jillie going for a ride in our van. We were so lucky to be able to take her to work and everywhere with us. Towards the end she was having a hard time jumping up. We bought a special ramp for the van and kept her favorite bed in the van too.  About 9 months later she had a heart attack. Miss Amber was in this same spot in the van & on the way to the doctors.  She passed away right here in the van with Judy B. Goode holding her paw.  The loss of her was very hard. About 2 weeks later we decided to look on Craigs list for an Austrian Shepard puppy.  The 1^st thing that popped up was a lady in Lakeland, who was next to where our niece had her wedding. We went and fell in love at first site. The breeder had 2 little girls.  She said that the girls had named her Delta after Delta Burke in Designing Women.  We liked the name and it was the month of May. We named her Miss Delta Mae.  Now go back and take a look at the photo. In the exact spot where Miss Amber passed away was a box. On the box it says Delta.  We just realized this 6 years later. That is why Dog spelled backwards is GOD. https://www.mcfilm.co/category/you-just-cant-make-this-sht-up/

UPDATE: Right after I posted this story about Miss Amber Jillie this photo popped up on Facebook. WOW Love you to Miss Amber

I asked a friend how his Christmas was. He laughed and with a big smile said that it was one he will never forget.  He had gone home to his 86-year-old Grandmothers farm for Christmas.  All the family had gathered there.  His Grandmother asked him if they could take her Cadillac for a drive. She said to sneak the keys because his parents didn’t want her to use the car. Of course, he said YES. They were about a mile away and turning back when she asked to drive the car home. Pulling into the farm yard Grandma drove right into a tree. She started laughing and said “That’s what they get for fighting over who gets my car when I’m gone!!!” They both laughed and laughed. His parents were so mad. LMAO

NO

Everybody loves nicknames. For years JCPenney was called Josh Claud Penna, Target was called Tar”J” . In Tampa the LGBT Community for many years called Ybor, GaYbor. In 2007 when we founded the GaYbor District Coalition, we registered the name GaYbor. You can just imagine how upset this made some people.  How dare you change the name to GaYbor!!!! We would always reply… We did not change the name to GaYbor. On all our signs & print it says “The GaYbor District Coalition in Historic Ybor City.” We always gave credit to, Historic Ybor City, the great community we live in. Several years ago, when talk of bring a stadium to Ybor City new signs popped up “RAYBOR CITY”. UNFORTUNATLY THESE SIGNS DO NOT INCLUDE “in Historic Ybor City.” What these business people do not understand is that Ybor City has change a lot in the past years.  15 years ago Ybor City was made up of business owners and slum home landlords.  Then the landlords started to sell off these home properties for huge profits. Today these homes have been Historically Renovated and are the Pride & Joy of Tampa & our active Community. With social media our community has grown and become much closer than ever before.

Now there are these RAYBOR CITY signs popping up again everywhere. If the signs said “The RaYbor Stadium in Historic Ybor City” we would be OK with this. Unfortunately, they do not say this. The signs look like Business/Government Bullies coming in to take away our Name & Community Spirit.  Let the Rays move out to the Florida State Fair Grounds instead. Anywhere but our beloved Ybor City.

What Would You Do???

We went to Jesse’s Steak and Seafood in Brandon. They have the best prime rib in Tampa. The staff are great and the place feels like a friendly Old Supper Club from the Midwest.  We were halfway thru our meal. The server was great giving it 120%. In walked a very large person with an oversized adult walker who sat herself. She parked the walker in front of the table and side back the chair touching mine. When she plopped down in the chair, it shoved me into our table. Carrie looked surprised too and pulled the table closer to him. The server apologized to us. Then politely asked if she could move the walker.  The person then rudely told the server off and said NO!!!  OMG!!! I said to Carrie are we on the show “What Would You Do?” We both just laughed it off.  BUT did look for hidden cameras LOL The server when up to the lady and her friend and apologies several times. She did not accept the apology and demanded all of her time with stupid menu questions.  What Would You Do??? We didn’t say anything just left a big tip and a personal thank you note…. Will be back again soon.

You Just Can Not Make This Up

One Wednesday, 6ish, we went to Bradley’s 0n 7^th, our favorite Happy Hour in Ybor City.  The bar was quiet with the regulars and a strange small group of people.  We asked the bartender who were these people. He said they were with a large company in Ybor City. Since they were standing next to us, we said “HI” and made some small talk. Then Carrie, who is the President of Tampa Pride, said to them…. He was happy to meet them and said the he would like to talk with them about participating in Tampa Pride.  One of the people got very offended and said loudly…that if we want to talk with them about Tampa Pride then do so at a Tampa Chamber of Commerce Meeting or request a meeting on line. This is a very inappropriate time and place to talk!!! Our good friend Nancy leaned over and said “You do know your in a GAY BAR!!!”  It is very sad; the employees might not be homophobic but the managers are.

Here is a very cool “Did You Know?” story. Back on the 1990’s Ybor City was thinking about decorating for Christmas. Diane & Dean James were very active property & business owners in Ybor City. Dean is a very creative artist. At one time owned and operated a stain glass studio and glass blowing studio in Ybor. Dean is also very talented with metal. At one of the many Ybor meeting, Diane & Dean came up with the idea……. To build light bridges across 7th.  Then they wrapped lights on the metal art works. Everybody so loved them that the light bridges were never taken down! Today they are maintained by TECO. Some Holiday decorations are just so FABULOUS that we should enjoy them year round!

This Thanksgiving our family of 68 people had a family reunion over the holiday. It was filled with love and great times.  The reunion was held in our home town in central Wisconsin. All 6 of the brothers and sisters were here. In advance we all decided to schedule some time to sit down and pick out our cemetery headstones together. Some people will think this is strange. We thought it was great. All meeting together with a monument guy to pick out our headstones together. Being with family and not stressed out, made this so much easier.  What unusual thing did you do with your family over Thanksgiving?  

It was the Friday after Thanksgiving, known as Black Friday. Our niece’s husband was up early and out the door shopping. Then he called home all excite that he was at Home Depot and had bought her a ring!!!! Our niece said the she didn’t know Home Depot has a jewelry section.   He replied no silly a Ring Door Bell! I told her welcome to the world of old married people. LMAO