Sarasota and Back to California

     We are currently in Santee, CA celebrating the arrival of Nora Kathleen!  Making preparations for a cross-country adventure to New York.


     We've been having a pretty good time here at Sun-N-Fun, Sarasota.  The weather has been quite comfortable, and if we can keep Debbie out of the doctor's office, everything would be perfect.  The vertigo episodes that started in CA are persisting,  and have really knocked her for a loop.  People report that their attacks last only a few minutes, but she's been down for a few days now.  The latest doctor says there's no underlying issue and this will probably have to run its course.  Hopefully it resolves soon.
     

   

     St Pat's Day 2018 started early as we made preparations to get all the trimmings into the Davey Crockett Grill for 5-6 hours of easy smoking.  No mess-No fuss-  everything into an aluminum pan and it turned out as tender and delicious as we knew it would.  Dean and Joanne joined us after their daily pickle ball routine, and I had a rough time getting Dean filled up!
      Dean and Joanne also mentioned a visit to the Ringling Museum in downtown Sarasota.  The admission price was a little steep, but then I found out it was valid for 3 days, which gives visitors an opportunity to visit the entire compound.  The museum includes massive displays of circus paraphernalia and exhibits.  If you can imagine the excitement generated in the cities and towns around the country in the early 1900's when the circus train would arrive and the show would begin. 

     From the railroad depot, the parade would begin, as all the equipment and animals needed to be moved to a field large enough to handle the show.  Lions, tigers, elephants, and brass bands would make their way through town, and I would imagine that everyone from miles around would plan on attending! 

     Everyone was in costume, including the animals, as the day finally arrives for the Greatest Show on Earth!  Why wouldn't every kid in America want to run away to the circus!

These are actually miniature carvings recreating the scenes that entertained thousands of people across the country.  The display was massive and the details are incredible. 
      We also had the opportunity to tour Ca'D'Zan, the home of John and Mable Ringling, completed in 1920 on the shores of Sarasota Bay.  Unfortunately Mable died within a few years of completion, but the guests invited to the mansion included who's who of the political and entertainment machine. 

Unfortunately I was not permitted to take photos of the interior of the house, but you can imagine the opulence on display inside.  Priceless portraits adorned in gold plated frames, porcelain vases and statues from around the world are on display throughout. 

     One of the most impressive aspects of the mansion is the multiple colored panes of glass in each of the windows.  With the sun shining into the windows, the interior rooms were bathed in multiple colors adding a unique display to each room.  You can see the multiple colors displayed on the interior draperies in the photo above.  The tour also included admission into a massive art gallery of portraits and sculptures collected from all over the world.  A truly unique feature of the art museum is found in the walls and floors of several of the displays.  John and Mable Ringling were able to purchase entire rooms of mansions which were destined for destruction in NYC, and actually reconstructed them in the gallery.  Many of the floors, walls and doors originated in these mansions and are preserved forever in the Ringling Museum.
     On April 3, 2018 we departed Sarasota enroute 2400 miles back to Santee, hopefully before the arrival of our first grand-daughter, Nora Kathleen.  We actually do not know the name, but we do know a girl is on the way.  Debbie's guess is Nora Derek Jeter Doody.  I wonder how close she is this time.  Remember her guess for our grand-son was Liam Derek Jeter Doody!