Category: Trella Diaries

Saturday January 26th
[ no entry]

Friday January 25th
Up at daylight and after breakfast in room headed for the Ding Darling Wildlife Preserve about 2 miles away but had to go to the exit 3 miles further on as the road was being fixed. But I immediately came upon a big lake peppered with ducks, Coots and Grebes. In a cove were the egrets, terns and Ibis. Near the tower gulls and terns blocked the road and shore birds were thick. Had the place to ourselves until we started back out and met several cars. Back at the motel we went to the beach for a last walk- and several perfect shells washed right in at our feet. Checked out at 11 a.m. and headed for Venice. Stopped outside Fort Myers for strawberries, lettuce and corn and tomatoes. Stopped at Thomas Edison’s home and toured the grounds, laboratory and Museum. Walked along the verandahs of the 1885 home and guest house and saw the docks into the Caloosahatchee river.
Got to Rieger’s at 4:45 and they were still at the circus. But found key and went in and started supper before they arrived. Carl had to take me to see the papayas, oranges and grapefruit before we ate. The house was so hot I went to bed at 8:30. (furnace heat)

Thursday January 24th
[ no entry]

Wednesday January 23rd
Check out of Bahi Mar $75 a day for a view of the beach where Bob Cameron and I walked in 1926 with nothing but sea & sky. Headed west on Alligator Alley. By the time we got to Corkscrew Swamp it was raining. Waited half hour and no let-up so left and turned wrong way. Had to pull over for heavy rain. Learned it rained 5” on Pine Island just north of Sanibel. Stopped for groceries in Fort Myers Beach and on to Sanibel Island and Jolly Roger Motel. Should have stayed at The Reef next door. Down to the beach and the waves were 6ft High rolling in nearly to vegetation line. Walked about a mile new experience.

Tuesday January 22nd
Session on advertising. President of advertising agency who handles American Marketing Advertising Council account would like to see every florist spend 10% of their budget for advertising. Have to remember we aren’t selling flowers with sentiment and aim advertising that way.
Afternoon session on plant rental not to pertinent. Lou Costellino and Adamans from Detroit with visual aids. Jim Phillips of Chicago told of decorating Grant Park for Pope’s visit. 15,000 mum plants.
Walked up the pool and found the Philadelphia florist who has computerized his billing- gave me info. Then walked over to beach with fond memories of 1926 – 27 and Bob Cameron who kissed me (my first, I was 11) about here.
Found Kent E. Haycook in the phone book and called and he said he would be right over. But call back an hour later- something came up and he couldn’t make it. He’s worked at Carousel Florist in Pompano for 2 years. Met Marjorie and the girls at Marie’s on 17th Avenue. Nice dinner.

Monday January 21st
Rolls, juice and coffee before session started at 9 with Dr William Mindak, professor of marketing at Tulane University. My first real training in marketing. Feel as if we absorbed a whole college quarter’s learning. Lunch was a fabulous buffet served next to the meeting room. It was tantalizing to see the gorgeous sunshine outside.
Met Marjorie at the Stranahan House at 6 and met Cathy and ?? the two young architects from Jacksonville who are wanting the house evaluating the house. Cathy had spent the day in the 12-inch crawl space under the house and went over the foundation structure for the local architecture student. Fascinating to me. When we were ready to eat found two places closed and finally ate at the Ranch House where the grill was closed so the menu was limited. All six of us ate so didn’t get much talk with Marjorie.

Sunday January 20th
Met Mary Emily in lobby and went to Ranch House on 17th Street for breakfast. She went to her mother’s and I came back to Marjorie’s. Read real estate sections about 40 pages of News Sentinel- condos being built all up the coast. About noon decided to go to Boca Raton and look up Biehlman’s but no answer when I got there so drove to Delray Beach and back down the beach among the sun seekers & expensive real estate. Used I-95 to get to area and back. Back at Marjorie’s- loaded up leaving her a “French Garden” and two copies of Marion County 1979 history. Checked into Bahia Mar room 910 about 5 and shortly Lillian, Mark and Peggy King came. Lovely view of Atlantic and the beach in the marina and a little balcony. Down to register and go to reception cocktail party. First person we saw was Louie the Florist from Cincinnati. Also met Bill Phillips who decorated Grant Park in Chicago for the Pope’s visit. Back to room and ate Marjorie’s zucchini bread and drank orange juice. Watched second half of Super Bowl game Pittsburgh won 31 to 19.

Saturday January 19th
Slept until 8:30. Breakfast in apartment. Worked on pay raise schedule in sun on balcony. Typed three pages about trip for mother and Howard. Mary Emily called to see if I was okay. Walked over to beach about 2 and walked up as far is Bahia Mar about a mile. Found a few rocks marking the inlet of 1926. Watched sailboat and waded in waves. Guess I got a little tanned. Back to apartment by 4 and 5 went for a drive to Las Olas Boulevard. Past Southside School and our Brickell Avenue house. Only house left in a commercial area. No sign of old jail where we went during hurricane. It’s a parking lot for [illegible] downtown area still vacant and Andrews Avenue closed at river for new bridge. But the new Historical Society is impressive. Back at 6:15 and Mary Emily called at 6:30 and we went out for dinner at The Sizzler. If that was a medium steak a rare one would still be walking. Watched Queen Mary 2* and two other cruise ships in and out of port at various times today.

*Probably QE2 since QM2 not launched until March 21, 2003

Friday January 18th
Roger came to motel and we took walk on beach with him. He dislikes where he lives so much it was hard to leave them. Went to Coca Beach instead of Coca to find the Hinklins but saw the Kennedy Space Center and a lot of water that way. Betty recovering from broken kneecap and so thankful to walk. Buss insisted on lunch at Piccadilly Cafeteria in Melbourne so we were too late to stop at Fort Pierce to look up Keith Brashear. Got Lillian to Mark’s about 4:30 and buzzed through all the high-rise apartments in Pompano Beach to Marjorie. The doorman told me Marjorie had been called away and would be back Sunday evening! I knew that her cousin in Georgia must have died. No note in apartment so I called Mary E. She came down from her apartment and we went out to dinner. Marjorie left Thursday p.m.

Thursday January 17th
Left Dalton at 7:30 in the rain. Breakfast at Cartersville and later I realized the gas showed empty and we had driven 320 miles since the fillup. So off at Kennesee and got $1.16 gas 21.3 gallons in a 22-gallon tank! Stopped at Florida Line about 1:30 for lunch out of the baskets. Freeway all the way. Pine trees on both sides. A few bald cypress swamps. Rained until we got near Jacksonville. Clouds so low in Atlanta that the tops of skyscrapers were in them. Into Daytona about 6 and stopped at 624 South Atlantic Boulevard. Ocean View Inn Lobby full of dejected people smoking. Ask for Roger at the desk and his roommate came up and said he would get him. Made plans with Roger to come pick him and Richard up about 6:30 and go to dinner. Went back up Atlantic Avenue to Travelodge and got Ocean View room on 3rd floor for $24. Ocean almost to Hotel. Just room for one car to drive along. Picked up Roger and Richard and went to Jackies but she had to go to Bible study so didn’t go with us to Winter House Cafeteria for dinner. Picked her up after Bible study and brought them to our room. Took some pictures and took them home. Back to our room thankful for our faculties. Called Betty Hinklin and plan to see them tomorrow.