Treasured Memories #16

Even With Death in this World, Pops Home: Filled With Treasured Memories #16
May 13 '10

The Bottom Line Even with death in this world our home still provides fun-filled and loving memories.

How could the death of a father's 22 year old daughter be a treasured memory? It's simple, in spite of an awful tragedy, love continues to fill our home.

After receiving the middle-of-the-night door-bell ring that every parent fears my wife and I hunkered down with our other four children until daylight started to fill the air on the morning of May 6th. At seven or eight O'clock we started making the appropriate phone calls letting those near and dear to us that our daughter Jennifer was killed in an auto/truck accident early after mid-night. Making those calls was hard to do. I was also set to go to the county morgue to ID my daughter. My children and my wife suggested I don't go. It was probably because of health reasons and also that it was clear to all that my last memories of my daughter were glorious and God given. Let me explain starting the previous day.

...Our Jennifer unexpectedly came home on Wednesday evening, grabbed a quick bite and changed. She and two friend/coworkers had a plan for the evening. Knowing Jennifer, she was leading this expedition.

She came down wearing a colourful dress. She had our souvenier sombrero in her hand. We kept it hanging on a wall with other travel souvenirs on our stairwell. I asked her for it so I could clean it a bit having picked up some dust. She then placed it on her head and gave her usual big smile. She looked amazing! Jennifer started walking out of our house via the front door. I stopped her directing Jenn to go out the back "so mom can see you"...and she did. Jennifer's older sister was there too. I watched through the window as Jennifer bounded down the three steps in glee with shouts of "CincoDeMayo!" as she passed mom and sis and walked out to her car...a car she called her "Space Ship." We often laughed about that car. It was an old wagon that had a dash board with"Star Trek" like gadgets. She was always running from here to there visiting one group of friends or another, to her brother's home to talk of life, to a dear friends, to our home with specific instructions for a particular dinner, to another brother's home to stay overnight and babysit their children, to her other place of work where she did laser shows (to help pay off college loans), to visit old school friends in the northeast, on a play date with her neices to other people's homes, to the city to see a show, to some relative for dinner or to just talk...she was always, always on the move.

That night however she and her cohorts had a plan. They work for an on-line promotional company. You know, the ones that make pens, t-shirt and more withthe name of your company or slogan on them. They decided they wanted to make a film. The plan...Go to a party atmosphere, blow up beach balls withtheircompany'slogo on them and let the revelers have fun with the items as my daughter and cohorts video taped them...and they did!!

Later that evening at about 11:35 or so I heard from Jennifer. "We did it dad!" She started giving hurried and excited details. I don't hear all that well but it was something about "couldn't get back in"..."didn't know she was still in there"..."beach balls over the fence"..." we got great video."

Jennifer was off the phone in a flash. My wife started asking me questions. I had basics but no details. I told her we would hear the whole story from Jennifer later. We never did...some thirty five/forty minutes later she was gone from this world.

Two brothers and one daughter went to do the ID. That was OK for me. I already had my last image of my beautiful Jennifer running out the door earlier. When they came back they told me she had a smile on her face. What else could I or should I have expected? She was always on a journey to fun and adventure. This time she was on her final journey in her "Space Ship" to see our God.

Upon family discussion it was decided we would celebrate Jennifer's life the next few days. There would NOT be a dark funeral home with all tears and little communication. We planned to open our home to all who cared to visit, cry, laugh, share stories and more...and visit they did.

First, and unexpectedly to me, coming to our home that morning were friends from our church. (Shouldn't have been unexpected) We are blessed with one particular group. We call ourselves fourteen faithful friends. The number may be slightly different now (larger). We have been friends and more for some thirty years or more.

Our friends took over bringing breakfast and preparing our home for visitors. For the next four/five days they shopped, set-up, prepared, presented, cleaned and accepted deliveries and such leaving my wife and I along with our family free to spend time with the hundreds of people that passed through our front doors and into our back yard. Chairs and tables magically filled our large back yard providing some comfort to our friends and family. Many other church friends, neighbors and family continued to provide for everything my family may have needed.

The flowers, cookies, fruit baskets, food trays and all kept our tables and stomachs full and the catering that our friends and family set up and paid for over the next five days was accomplished with heartfelt compassion. Trees, plants, bushes, statuary and more were sent to us. We will be setting up a small memorial garden for my daughter Jennifer in our back yard that is now bordered by perennials prepared to bloom this season.

Along with the deliveries were the personal visits from some we never expected. One gal, Mary, who was in the first youth group my wife and I lead some twenty-something years ago, traveled from Pennsylvania to pay her respects. She also brought along her 16 year old daughter. With the beauty of a rainbow appearing after a dark rain storm our kitchen was suddenly filled with the voice of a young lady singing "Memories." It was an amazing moment as Mary brought her child to sing for us. A kind and inspirational gift for our family, it was.

Minutes later they were on their way back to Pennsylvania but the memories were just starting to be told. That is, the memories of Jennifer and how she effected lives and the way she guided so many. I always knew my Jenny was special but the stories, one after another brought out her love of life and service to others to another dimension. We were particularly blessed with Jen's schoolmates from St Joseph's of Maine a college she graduated from last year on the same Mother's Day weekend. Three who graduated on Saturday this year, immediately after the ceremony, drove down five and a half hours staying in NY for two days to visit us. They were joined by many others, perhaps ten, who also came in throughout the weekend.

One good school friend flew in from San Francisco and stayed four days. A very dear friend of my daughter's who she sponsored when he became a Catholic drove down from Maine with his parents. They are good people we did have the pleasure of meeting and spending time with in Maine. They came down, spent a few hours and made the full drive all the way back again. They said, "They wanted to be here." Their sacrifice was greatly appreciated.

Young people from my daughter's job also spent time at our home. No, not just a few moments and leaving for their local homes. There were some that came to our home EVERY SINGLE DAY and spent hours talking with us and telling us stories about our Jennifer. We also learned more details as to my daughter's final hours. All I can say is that, as I already knew from seeing her off that evening and hearing from her later that night that, she was in complete joy and in her element having fun and on some kind of mission of doing something special.

My wife and I believe she was inspired to help others years earlier after making two trips down to Jamaica working with Father Ho Lung and the Missionaries of the Poor. Jennifer at age 14 was working with serverly physically handicapped children and others that were dying of AIDS. She showed compassion for others and continued to do so throughout the rest of her life.

Compassion was showed to us by our dear friends, family and church community. Each night was punctuated by something special. One priest and two deacons prepared services for us Friday, Saturday and Sunday night. Their words, prayers and kind gestures continued to nourish the soul and share the love that Jennifer's life brought to so many she touched.

Jennifer went to Toronto in 2002 to see Pope John Paul at the World Youth Day. A particular youth group member who now co-teaches the current church YouthMinistry group with my wife lead the group in Canada on many a day playing his trumpet blasting "When the Saint's Go Marching In." One of those evening at our home we heard the trumpet once again, this time outside our home as the young man played that song leading a column of young people and adults into our home and living room whith everyone started singing along and clapping their hands... "Praise God!" is all I can say. It's a moment I will never forget.

On another evening a guitar player/singer from our churches prayer group lead us in songs to charismatic proportion. Our home was filled with raised voices offering prayers for our daughter.

The four days in our home were filled with prayer and song, tears and laughter, serious matters that Jennifer helped lead her peers through and silly stories of Jenny's antics. What I never heard were regrets.

Having young people in our home usually means a party is about to happen. On Sunday night, the last night before her funeral, when most people had left we did have a dance party for Jennifer. Some of the young people, schoolmates, friends and co-workers along with her sisters found her strobe lights. Glow necklaces, silly hats and such were distributed and a dance track played. We enjoyed each other in her honour. The dancing followed the pouring out of goodies that Jennifer liked from a piñata that her friends purchased and filled with "Jenny things" earlier in the evening.

On one earlier evening my wife caught the eye of a young man wearing a white collar of a priest. My wife ran to him and was introducing him by first name to many around. Someone reminded her, "It's Father!" To my wife this was Brian from our youth group years before. He said addressing him as "Father" didn't matter. The fact is his being with us was all that mattered to me and my wife. It was powerul witness that this young man came and spent time with us for our loss that night and con-celebrated mass a couple of days later.

We buried Jennifer on Monday morning, a glorious day. Even the mass attended by so many and rites at the cemetary gave us special memories. I'll never forget the packed church and also the image of some twenty or so young people walking through the whole cemetery to get to my daughter's place of rest. Afterward we all left as we were singing. "When the Saint's Go Marching In."

We all returned to our home. As I walk around I still see perhaps 100 photos of my daughter on walls, shelves and tables throughout our home. Most of them will be placed back in albums soon.

I hope to continue to hear stories and share memories as Jennifer's close friends continue to visit us and help us through this most difficult of times.

I have started to read entries in a special book where many penned their last messages to Jennifer. That will continue to be hard to do but, even so, they will contribute to Pop's Home Filled With Treasured Memories.

Pops Home: Filled with treasured memories

and so I add the second in the series of Pops Home: Filled With Treasured Memories

Part #2 of Treasured Memories in our home.

The memories are in no specific order by date or importance. Each is but another nugget stored in our treasure chest of memories, called home.

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This Is Our House!

It was back in 1974 that my wife and I were able to purchase our home in Freeport on the south shore of Long Island. We lived in the town for two years renting an apartment when we first married. Freeport had the diversity we looked for and proximity to all we desired. We decided to call it our home.

Because I was working as a commission salesman in a big ticket department in Sears at 18, while my wife continued her studies in art education, I was able to save some money. With a little help from my parents, we purchased our home that had a kitchen, formal dining room, large living room, four bedrooms, two baths, a basement and an attic on a quarter acre plot of land.

After the closing my wife and I went to our new house. I was extremely excited. I recall being in the empty structure with our voices echoing as I was shouting, "This is OUR house!! This is OUR house!! I'll never forget my doing somersaults across the huge living room floor. I was like a little kid who couldn't express himself and acted out in silly ways. It was an a wonderful feeling to have a place we could call our own.

This totally empty house would soon start to collect the memories that make it our home.

Making It Into Our Home

We moved in and started to decorate the house to our liking. I was awed by the way my wife could visualize an empty room as finished in colour, furnishings and arrangement. This was a part of her that has continues to amaze me through the past 34 years in our home. When younger we would travel locally and across the states. She would find something and purchase it saying she would use it in our home. More often than not it would be stored away until the next project of a room began. I would prep and paint the room and she would later bring out the stored items that were practical and filled the room perfectly in colour and good taste. She had a picture of the room in her mind well before the process of making it happen even started. Did I tell you this amazes me?

There have been a multitude of times over the years when friends have stated her design, colours and arrangements should be in home magazines. I have always been very proud of marrying a gal who could work that kind of magic.

Not everything came easily to me though. Sometimes she had me doing what I thought were the weirdest thing in decorating. All I could do was let my faith in her talent and skills lead me to another finished project that would once again astound me.

I recall one year stapling yards and yards of yellow/orange and red gingham on the wall and ceiling of our dining room to give the effect she wanted. She sewed them all together and I hung it using 12,642 staples. OK, so I really don't know how many but it was a lot. The finished room was beautiful and quite romantic. Ha, I'll never forget the abstract nude that she painted and placed over my head as I sat at the head of our dining room table. Fortunately a lighted candle never fell over and ignited the walls and ceiling of that room, although even that scene would not match how spectacular her work has always been.

Paint Colour on Walls May Change But Memories Never Fade

Being an artist my wife has a yearning to change things fairly often. I recall one wall in our living room, 9' X 20' where she painted a landscape that had a Monet' feel to it. It was subdued yet stunning! Just a couple-a-few years later she stated she was ready for a change and I couldn't help but feeling I was being disrespectful and insolent as I painted over that artistic work of hers. To my wife, it was just a start to another project.

I won't let her change the looks of our bedroom though. She painted it up like a scene in the Caribbean. It's in pastel colours and I have palm trees in front of me and over my head. The bed is painted like we are on a calm turquoise sea and the light beige carpeting is the sand I place my bare feet on.

Each morning I get up I continue to be in awe of her work surrounding me. It's hard to believe that I am living in New York State yet I awake in a tropical paradise.

Our home is perhaps a bit more staid now that we have gotten older. That said she has her "signature" in most every room whether it be colour, design or her own hand painted piece of work. A few of our walls are about to get another coat of paint. The colours and designs of rooms-past may be hidden by new coats of paint but the memories of good times had in them are bright as day and will remain forever.

END
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Pops Home: Filled With Treasured Memories #10

Sports Beans!! Ya gotta be kiddin!

I had my first and last taste of Jelly Belly brand Sport Jelly Beans. Yuk! is the word, is the word, is the word.

Last night my daughter asked me if I was available to babysit my grand daughter. I told her, Yes, and jokingly stated it would cost her ten jelly beans. A bit later my daughter came into the family room and tossed me a small orange package. The familiar Jelly Belly logo was in the corner and in big broad letters were the words, SPORTS BEANS Energizing Jelly Beans. Another tab stated Quick Energy for sports endurance. I had to laugh and say, "They gotta be kiddin!"

Unfortunately they weren't. I ran my fingers over the 1 ounce bag. My daughter was overpaying me. I felt thirteen jelly beans.

These sports jelly beans offer carbs, electrolytes and Vitamins B & C.  The print told me that i could  Energize with one pack 30 minutes before activity. Use additional beans as needed during activity to sustain energy level. Replenish with one pack after activity. Always consume with water.

The top ingredients include evaporated cane juice, tapioca syrup, orange juice from orange puree and a host of things like thiamine, riboflavin, vitamins and wax. Yup, Beeswax and Carnauba wax.

Pops and Sports Beans

Yeah sure, I'm about to gulp down a buncha jelly beans for energy. I'm gonna chew on these dozen or so beans as part of my training. Nope! It ain't gonna happen especially after tasting these things. They taste like medicine and are too chewy. The supposed orange flavour gives way to a musty, yucky sourish taste that lingers. I see why they state that you must have water with the product. That's to try and wash out the awful flavour from your mouth.

I do have to say that I did have much more energy as I sat on my couch watching TV. I was able to use the remote much more efficiently. Zip Zap I could move from station to station in nothing flat. I never did replenish for more energy afterward. I wasn't about to taste the stuff again.

Pops Last Word

The Jelly Belly Sports Bean comes in varied fruit flavours.

Perhaps it's the adolescent in me but, I gotta laugh every time I say the words, "Sports Beans." I suppose it's my thinking of " Beans, Beans, the musical fruit the more you eat the more you toot."

Jelly Belly brand Sports Beans...

I'll pass. 

Barbados Museum. Learnin' the history and much more of this island.

My wife and I enjoyed a few hours last month at the Barbados Museum and Historical Society thta was a short walk from our hotel. Here's more...

Along with the surf, sun and snorkeling on and around Caribbean Islands I also enjoy learning about the history of the islands I visit. Barbados was no exception especially when able to visit the Barbados Museum and Historical Society.

The museum is housed in what was once a British prison in the Garrison section of Barbados just outside their largest city, Bridgetown.

Our Visit

We stayed at a small resort the Coconut Court Beach Hotel that is quite close to the Garrison. In fact a three minute walk brought us to what was once the parade grounds and is now a popular race track where early morning runs of thoroughbred horses is a delight to see.

My wife and I walked the fifteen minute distance to the Barbados Museum and Historical Society. The structure that was once a prison is well maintained and the people who run the place friendly and professional. We paid the small amount and were given guides. We were also given very specific direction as to each room and section of the complex we should go to. Some rooms were air conditioned and some were not. The a/c, I believe was more for the preservation of particular artifacts rather than giving the vistors comfort. I was comfortable throughout the your.

The museums layout was easy to explore and learn from. Displays were well marked. The museum gave much natural history and talked of the islands make-up. Because my wife and I particularly enjoy snorkeling the sea life exhibit was a big draw to us.

I was quite impressed with the artifacts of the Caribbeans first inhabitants, the Amerindians. The displays offered more than I expected giving great detail to the history of the island.

The rooms dedicated to slavery and the heroes of the anti-slavery movement quite touching. It was also NOT white-washed.

Some of the rooms were open to move about in. Once in a courtyard we were able to peer through open windows into rooms filled with
antiques from long gone plantation houses. I thought that method of display unique and effective.

Last Thoughts

I believe this a MUST SEE stop if in Barbados. The setting is laid back yet quite informative. Each room is well displayed and has information to read at your own pace.

For people taking excursions of cruise ships in Bridgetown its but a three minute cab ride out of Bridgetown. I walked the distance from Bridgetown and it took perhaps fifteen twenty minutes.  Doing the museum needent take more than an hour and a half so other excursions fill in the rest of the day. For those into forts, cannon and USA president George Washington there's much more in the Garrison district to explore without further travel. 

A suggestion is to do the Garrison district and then make arrangement to stay at Coconut Court Beach hotel to use their facilities, have lunch and enjoy their beach. It's just a couple of miles from Bridgetown. For those looking to walk Carlisle Bay Beach is quite beautiful, has some eateries around and for snorkelers ask where the  ship wrecks are. They are an easy swim from shore.

The Barbados Museum and Historical Society makes for an excellent introduction to the island. I strongly recommend it!

Barbados, Loving It One day at a Time

St Nicholas Abbey, Barbados

We Stayed at and recommend Coconut Court Beach Hotel, Barbados

Bridgetown, Barbados, The Cruise Ship Port in Barbados

Oistins, A Place to Go and DO when staying in Barbados

Grantley International Airport

Sharing thoughts. Jonestown Massacre and a gal I once knew.

I have been writing on the consumer web site Epinions.com for some eight years. It seems that there will be changes there and much of the content I posted there whether in the Travel section or what they titles the Writers Corner may be lost.

I've decided to move some of those pieces here. The following pertained to the Jonestown Massacre of 1978 when 0ver 900 people drank acenic laced Kool-Aid to their deaths. It was quite a shock and huge news story. As weeks went on a list of the dead was published. A gal I knew in high school was one of the victims...or so I thought. As I learned more of the massacre and those involved in the hierarchy of hte Reverand Jim Jones cult I found out some incredibly disturbing information. Read on.


This is a disturbing story so...

I left high school with a very large graduating class, well over 400. I do reminisce from time to time and go through my copy of the 1967 year book. I do still wonder where some of my class mates are and what they are doing as I look at the black and white photographs and read some of the personal notes scribbled on the pages during those last days of school 4 decades ago.

A Girl I Remember

Aside from one or two people who I am still in contact with there is one name in the book that I have thought of more often than any other. The name in the book is Harriet Tropp. In her picture she is looking out blankly to the left of the camera. There is no smile. Her look is pensive. Above her name it states she was the Editor and Chief of the Yearbook. She was the secretary of the G.A.L.S. and a member of the National Honor Society. Further on in the book she is listed with all those in the Most Popular and Likely to Succeed section. She is listed as Most Creative.

I didn't really know Harriet. She was in high honors classes that I can't even say I wish I was part of at the time. My interest then was sports and a gal who would become my wife of 35 years and still counting. I did see Harriet in the halls and cafeteria. I believe we may have been in a business law class together, but even if so, I never talked with her.

Seeing Her After Eleven Years

Eleven years after graduation I saw her name again. It was in a newspaper. I was caught by surprise, shocked. She was a victim in Guyana, in what became known as the Jonestown Massacre. I don't have the exact figures but I believe more than 500 Americans were part of the over 900 people who died as they followed their leader Jim Jones in a mass suicide. Many went along with his order to drink cyanide laced Kool-Aid. Many gave it to their children first and then drank it themselves. Others died, being shot in the back, trying to get away from the scene of carnage. Some did survive.

I don't remember reading any details about Harriet's death then or over the years. I often did think though of how so many people could be lured by an evil man who promised them a good life only to take all life from them. It always reminded me in some way of the story of satan and Adam and Eve. These followers of Jim Jones weren't truly happy with what they had. They wanted more. More may have been a simpler life but apparently they didn't have their eyes open to what the "People's Temple" really was. They blindly followed a charismatic leader, Jim Jones. Was he a fake and a phony? Years later his own son called him a fraud.

Years have passed. There have been many books printed about Jonestown, the killings and the suicides, I never read any of them. I did however continue to think about Harriet every time I would hear anyone refer to blind followers as Kool-Aid drinkers. Though it may seem strange I also wondered what the scene was like during the havoc of those moments and perhaps hours. Were they happy to be leaving this world, was there fear, were they in pain? I always thought of Harriet's face grimacing as the poison went into and through her body.

Reading of Jonestown in Epinions

Just a few days ago I read a piece that was contributed to the Travel section of Epinions. Jonestown was mentioned. I left a comment suggesting I knew someone who died there. The writer then emailed me a link to the names of the people who died at Jonestown. A day later I went to the link. I scrolled down through the names. There are so, so many of them.

Seeing Harriet Again

I then came to Harriet Tropp. I clicked on the name and suddenly a photograph of her, eleven years older than her yearbook picture, filled the screen. I can't tell you the strange and eerie feeling it gave me to see Harriet again. She wasn't grimacing as I had pictured in my mind or even having a straight faced look as in her yearbook picture. She was smiling. There was another picture too. I clicked on that one and once again she was smiling. It kind of made me feel good to see her smile. That changed a bit later.

I followed the link further down and there was an area titled Remembrances.

There were a few words that said,

"Harriet was my first cousin. Though I am much younger than her I remember her as being brilliant and fun loving. I have never understood how she ended up where she was, but I was not surprised to know she had a leadership role of some sort." - Anonymous

I didn't really know Harriet but I also wondered over and over how "she ended up where she was". My interest was further piqued by the words at the end stating, but I was not surprised to know she had a leadership role of some sort.

A Jonestown Leader?

I then proceeded to gather some information on the internet. I found The Jonestown Institute, http://jonestown.sdsu.edu. that is dedicated to collecting facts and stories without judgement about what happened in Jonestown. This is also where Harriet's smiling picture was featured. I continued on, I wasn't sure where it would take me. I did find out she was truly in a leadership role. Under a listing of Occupation at Jonestown was

Planning Commission; Radio room; public relations (FBI document 89-4286-1207); Teacher (FBI document 89-4286-1552); Administrative Triumvarite, Legal committee

I began to feel disturbed when I read some of the transcripts that are available through the The Jonestown Institute

I read this part of a transcript

The Peoples Temple leadership in Jonestown – including Jim Jones – holds a press conference via a ham radio transmission to San Francisco, where reporters are gathered. Responding to charges made by Concerned Relatives, Harriet Tropp reads a prepared statement that condemns the actions of the Concerned Relatives organization, as well as the media attacks on the church. The statement also extols the Jonestown settlement as a beautiful place, a socialist collective, a place with a solid medical department for seniors, and an opportunity for society's malcontents to start again. Her description of Jonestown concludes that it is "a community for a significant number of people, now over 1000, who have been hurt, angered, alienated and victimized by adverse conditions that prevail in the decaying inner cities of advanced Western societies."

This continued with Tropp rejecting statements saying relatives aren't allowed to visit.

A Commitment To Die

The prepared statement concludes with the criticism of "some statement, supposedly issued officially by Peoples Temple, but whose authorship we here are unaware of, to the effect that we prefer to resist harassment and persecution, even if it means death." Instead of disavowing the anonymous statement, though, she denounces the people who would use it against the community. "Since it is clear that the persons who are actively plotting to destroy our organization have neither integrity nor courage, we are not at all surprised that they would find it offensive." She quotes Patrick Henry and Martin Luther King, who "reaffirmed the validity of ultimate commitment," and concludes: "It is not our purpose to die. We believe deeply in the celebration of life... But under these outrageous attacks, we have decided to defend the integrity of our community and our pledge to do this."

Now this was a prepared text so it may not have been Harriet's true thoughts but I read more later.

This was really the beginning of the end. For those who remember and more for those who don't know, a US Congressman Leo Ryan did go down to Guyana with family members and press. He made a visit and when leaving at a small airport he, along with some of the press people including two NBC reporters and a newspaper photographer, were killed by Jim Jones operatives. With Jim Jones knowing his "People's Temple" days were over the mass suicide followed.

I read more of the transcripts with Harriet Tropp's words. I was truly frightened when I read this

Frightening Words

Harriet Tropp: This is uh— This is Harriet Tropp, and (sighs) I've done a lot of thinking in the past few weeks, and I just thought I should make a few things clear. Number one, I have been a member of Peoples Temple for seven years, and I have seen Jim Jones co— give his life to the ideals of peaceful change within the system to bring about a more just society. I fully have supported everything he has ever done. I believe in him. I believe (stumbles over words) in his sincerity, and I stand committed to what he believes in, his ideals, and his actions. I— I have no um, disagreement with him whatsoever. However, I know that my commitment has always been a more militant one, in the sense that he's always had to convince me not to participate in violent activities or to uh, commit really anti-social acts. And I've been reluctantly convinced, because I could see the pragmaticism of his point of view. However, what was uh— what is sincere for him, what is a sincere belief in pacifism for mir— for him, has always been play-acting for me because I am basically a very violent person, and a person who believes in the disruption of this society, in the overthrow of this government by violent means, and the reinstitution of a completely different economic system, and I believe in bl— I— I believe in killing representatives of this government and of the establishment, the law enforcement. I will do so. And at— The point of time has come into my life where I can no longer maintain myself in a pacifistic organization such as Peoples Temple under the guidance of— of a person like J— Jim Jones who believes in non-violent change. And I have decided that I will in the future uh— work out my political beliefs which are for me, Communist, although Reverend Jones is not a Communist, and (pause) I will do so. I will take my Communist ideology into the streets with violent activity and destroy, kill, maim, or blow up anything and everything that I feel will be a valid way of protesting the system, which includes law enforcement, uh, elec— PG&E (unintelligible word) power stations, things like that, which I have long planned on doing and have plans to do, and have only been thwarted in doing this and prevented from doing this but by Jim Jones' teachings.

Where and when did this girl from my graduating class pick up these ideas and was she telling us that Jim Jones was a good leader because he was controlling those thoughts of hers? I don't know.

A Failed Promise

Most of the people in his camp did follow along with Jim Jones in hopes of joining a society of people who could live together in peace. It didn't turn out to be that promise to all those who went. To some who were disenchanted, wanted to leave, were beaten and stripped of their passports, Jonestown was hell. To those who lived with bare necessities believing in sacrifice and in living in a sort of union with the third world citizens of the world, it was heaven. Whatever the thoughts of those limited to the confines of a jungle with armed guards keeping them in, there wasn't true peace.

So Much More To Know

I have decided I have read and discovered enough for now. I do know I will be going on to do more research in the future. It may seem bizarre but I need to know, "Who was that girl that edited my year book and stood with me when we graduated together?" Was she standing with guns forcing others drink the lethal liquid, was she a true believer in her cause seeing death as the only alternative to the break up of the "temple", or was she simply duped into believing Jim Jones had all the right answers and picked up a glass filled with the poison and started drinking on her own?

I went through my 1967 high school yearbook again the other night. On one full page there is list of names of people who dedicated the page to one simple thought. Harriet Tropp must have contributed and has her name on the page. Above the names listed in two formal rows, there is but one word on the top of the page in large print. It says PEACE. When did that word become an enigma to Harriet Tropp? I also wonder how much peace the families of those who died in Johnstown have now? It's all so sad, so, so sad.

Bye Bye Barbados, Sante Fe, here we come!

Because we just came back from Barbados a few weeks ago Carolyn and I are traveling to inland Sante Fe, New Mexico at the end of June. This is our second time to New Mexico but first to Sate Fe and south. Last time was just a day in the north passing through. This time we are spending a little over a week. Anyone have any thoughts, ideas, or helpful hints they could send our way?

Just a heads up about Barbados. JetBlue started flying there last year and has great rates. We took advantage of the offers and had an exciting trip last month.

Here's my review titled, Learning to Love Barbados, One Sunny Day At A Time

http://www1.epinions.com/review/trvl-Dest-Caribbean-Barbados/content_505168825988

Pops Home: Filled With Treasured Memories #1

Ol' pops has decided to start writing a series of pieces cataloging the memories that have been created in the home he and his wife purchased in 1974.

A bit of background from ol' pops.

We were married at age 21. Two years later we moved into our home. That was 34 years ago. (Now 36 years ago) We purchased what we thought was a large home with a kitchen, formal dining room, large living room, four bedrooms, two baths, a basement and an attic on a quarter acre plot of land on Long Island's south shore. After having five children we added another two bedrooms and a large family room with a fire place.

Our home, even with all the additions, has every corner and closet stuffed and overloaded with fond memories.

What I write of those memories now and hopefully in the future may not be in any particular order nor am I saving the best or most important for last. In fact, I hope and pray that fond memories continue to grow in every nook and cranny of our home.

As an old memory rekindles itself or a special moment sees first light soon becoming tomorrow's memory, I hope to add to my catalog.

Today I start with neighbors Linda and Gil who always had a better view of our home than we did...

They lived across the street.


Sharing Windows

I can't say that I go out of my way to build relationships but over the years we were friendly enough with a few people, who lived next door, to say hello and chat a bit over the fence. Those people came and went like the seasons but most were never to be seen again.

There was one couple, however, that lived across the street from us. In today's world, living next to or across the street from someone doesn't really make people neighbors, positive contact does...

...and so it was with Linda and Gil who were a couple-a- few years older than us, yet our contemporaries. Over a period of 30 years or so my wife and I never went to a ball-game with them , nor did we do any of the arts in the city together. We never even went out to dinner as couples. What we did instead was open and share a window into each other's lives.

New Life From God

The first thing I remember sharing was the love of gardening. I recall many conversations on our front lawns talking about plantings, flowers and vegetable gardens. They invited us over to see their gardens. My wife and I learned a bit from them and in years to come, invited them over to see ours too.

This continued every season and, in fact, we all saw to it that each other's gardens were cared for when either family went on vacation. I enjoyed watering their plants, seeing them grow, and I was pleased all would be in good shape upon our neighbor's return.

All four of us were proud of what God allowed us to do in our gardens with the tools and gifts He gave us. It was also good to have neighbors who like us believed in God and were not afraid or reluctant to share that belief.

We are Roman Catholic, they Lutheran. Over the years we, at times, talked of the differences in our religions but much more important than that, we shared our common beliefs and values.

"The Apple Doesn't Fall Far From Tree"

Linda and Gil also love music and the arts. Gil, a musician, played with a US Navy Band in ports all over the world. He later moved on to be a music educator for some 30 years as he provided for his family. Linda was a mom first and also a librarian. This couple's love for music and the written word, that opens the world to all, flowed from them and into the lives of their offspring.

Their two children, a girl and a boy were young when we moved in. We watched them as they went through school and were growing up. I could see and hear the young girl in her early years practicing for hours on the piano through the large plate-glass window in the front of their home. Though Linda and Gill never made a big deal of it I could see the pride they had for their daughter's talents who went on to NYC's prestigious Juilliard School of Music. She has grown up to marry a fine young man and raise a family. Besides their children, their lives are centered around music. They both play piano and organ professionally.

Their son was always a good kid who I would see playing basketball at the hoop attached to their garage. He, I believe, took a bit of both of his parents into his life. When on vacation their family would go to a private and quiet peninsula on Maine's rugged coast. They would read all kinds of books for weeks on end. This young man now travels the world like his dad once did, but not in a band or the service. This lad seems to be on his own private quest to seek adventure, learn about the world and its people and experience all else it offers. Perhaps he picked up this yearning from all the books he read with his family during those Maine coast summers.

Maine: What's Not To Like?

That was something else we shared, the love of Maine. My wife and I fell in love with Acadia National Park/Bar Harbor, Maine area on the coast and enjoyed spending time there in August with our family. Gil and Linda summered fifty miles or so further up the Maine coast arriving soon after school let out, staying most of July. Those are the times when each of us cared for the other's home and gardens. One year however, we did overlap our vacation a bit and we were fortunate to share one day at their little piece of heaven on the incredibly-beautiful, Maine coast. I recall them returning another year and presenting us with a book of Acadia National Park. I still treasure it.

Safe and Sound

One early morning, when I was already off to work, I received a phone call from my wife. Our home was on fire. My first question was answered immediately. Everyone was safe and out of the house. She then told me she was across the street at Linda and Gil's and could see the flames as the fire department chopped holes in our roof and eventually doused the flames. I was ready to start driving home in a panic when I realised my family was with Gil and Linda and they were all safe. There was nothing I could do by racing home and all my families immediate needs would be taken care of by our good neighbors. Even though our home was on fire, I was at peace.

Our time as neighbors continued on. We would share meals with each other in our homes on occasion, perhaps once or twice a year. We spent hours eating, drinking wine or beer and enjoying good conversation. They were special times.

Our five children were a bit younger than theirs and spread out over many years. A yearly custom was for our kids to knock on Linda and Gil's door on Halloween and ask "Trick or treat?" I believe they enjoyed seeing our children as much as our children did them, in their eagerness to gather more treats for the day.

I fondly recall the year my oldest son was married. He and his wife decided on a wedding reception in our back yard. We had a huge tent set up, had flowers all arranged and we were blessed with a gorgeous summer day. Two things I distinctly remember that day. The first was my son and his new wife, while in tux and gown, just getting home from the church, stopping an ice cream truck in front of our home. The truck always stopped on Linda and Gil's side of the street. I'll never forget the joy and glee in my heart as I once again saw my son being a kid with an ice cream in his hand, only now he was a man.

I also recall Linda and Gil simply walking out the front door of their home, take a few short steps across the street, step into our back yard that they helped keep whole many-a-summer and share in one of the best days of my life. That was a blessed day indeed!

An Era Ends...

Unfortunately time moves on and so did Linda and Gil. He retired and after some years they found another home to live, actually two, a place near their children in the city and a small home out east on Long Island.

...and a New One Begins

Just yesterday we saw each other again. We were invited out to their home for lunch. Afterward we took a very short ride to their nearby beach, sunned and talked, and returned back to their home for dinner.

It was a perfect day as we shared photographs, talked of our children and travel and discussed some of the "old days" in our neighborhood.

Finally, hours after the sun drifted below the bluffs of Long Island's north shore, it was time to say goodbye.

Somehow as we were ready to depart it was said that it was always good to be neighbors. My wife, in a split second, of what I perceived as a childlike reaction of honesty and innocents, stated with profound pointedness, "You were the only neighbors we ever had."

How true!

As I listened to and absorbed those words that exuded both affection for our neighbors and perhaps a touch of melancholy, I felt tears well up in my eyes. I turned and walked toward the door and continued on, saying, "I would like to get together again, but sooner."

If it was God's plan for us to have only one set of neighbors in our lifetime, He blessed us well with Linda and Gil.


End
Pops Home: Filled With Treasured Memories #1


http://www.epinions.com/content_5080064132">Pops Home: Filled With Treasured Memories #1



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The Jones Beach Tower Is Missing Its Top. What About the Secret Inside?

My wife Carolyn and I took our eight minute drive down to Jones Beach today. One of the major landmarks was different. The Jones Beach Tower was missing its top!

The iconic water tower was part of the Jones Beach construction in the 1920s. It holds almost half a million gallons of water used in Jones Beach State Park for its facilities including pools in the two art deco bath houses. It was inspired by the Campanile di San Marco, the bell tower that offers an incredible view of Venice. My wife and I were privy to stand atop that 323' tower some ten years ago as part of our incredible trip to Italy.

The Jones Beach Tower has its own history. A cousin of mine used the tower as the setting to propose to his one-day-to-be wife. They continue to be happily married.

The Jones Beach tower and the Campanile di San Marco do share iconic stature and an intimacy of romantisism however the American obelisk is different than its Italian inpiration. It has held a secret that only a few knew of. I was out of the loop myself but was fortunate to have met my wife at age 16 at Jones Beach under the shadow of the Jones Beach tower. She knew the secret that she learned as a young child and in turn shared the secret with me.

The Jones Beach Tower is filled with M&Ms!

Be sure to read more of my thoughts and secrets about Jones Beach here...

http://popsrockstravels.blogspot.com/2010/04/jones-beach-state-park-incredible-gift.html

METS at their new home CITI FIELD

I finally got to see the METS play in their new stadium Citi Field that replaced the old and now gone Shea Stadium.

My mom won four free tickets. She and Frank and my wife and I were seated out in left field in what I would call the bleacher seats. The crowd there was enthusiastic and though we lost in extra innings it was an exciting game.

The new stadium's structure was inspired by Ebbets Field, the home of the national League Brooklyn Dodges of whom many fans followed the METS years after they moved to California. See the comparison in the above photos. I do happen to recall my first and last visit ever to Ebbets field with my dad.

The Jackie Robinson rotunda was impressive in duplicating the feel of Ebbets Field yet putting the Citi Field Stamp on in.

We walked the stadium to get a better feel of it all. I liked the layout. There aren't dark tunnels and such that take one away from the play. In fact I felt like I was part of the action wherever I was including the men's room with excellent audio.

I checked out the Hall of Fame and thought it pretty cool to step up to the World Series Trophies on display along with rings, photos and much more. In the interest of profits the exit went through a huge shop selling METS gear and wear.

The inside of the park is open to the outside. It's much more open to the elements than Shea was. It happened to be true baseball weather last night with the unusually warm April temperatures in the eighties. The breezes going through the field level areas were perfect.

I thought the site lines to the field action excellent and loved that the wave could make its way around the full stadium. Ha, one wave rolled around three or four times including all levels before the action of the game took in our interests again.

I'm filling out a form to try and win more tickets to the park to see the Dodgers. Believe me, we more than payed our way with the last free tickets purchasing great food like pulled pork sandwiches, sausage and peppers, ice cream, and more...oh yes, I did have some beer too.

Just came back from the Queens Wildlife Center...a small zoo that's perfect for kids

My wife and I just came back from a trip to the Queens Zoo. "Queens Wildlife Center. " We had two of our grand daughters with us ages 5 and 7. We had a wonderful time spending about three hours starting with the Carousel and then moving to the zoo. The highlights were the sea lions being fed and coyotes running in a pack. The learning center was open and both girls were presented canvas bags that were training the little ones about the advantages of being "Green." The girls used cutout of animals to trace images on the bags to be coloured in. Granma did much of the additional artwork and labeled each bag with their names. The kids also did puzzles, worked with puppets and played in a "shopping"area. There were some excellent children's books available to read to them.

I visite the Queens Zoo a few years back and except for the price going up to $7 adult and $2 children most everything else is the same. Here are some thoughts from that time.

Having some business in Queens and a few hours to kill I thought I would check out the Queens Wildlife Center and the Hall of Science Pavilion right next door. I've been to the Hall of Science a number of times over the years, actually many years. It was first built as an attraction at the 1963-64 New York World's Fair. The grounds used hundreds of acres, some of which have structures from that time.

One area that was cleared from the fairgrounds site is a section that is now home of the Queens Zoo or Queens Wildlife Center as it is also known as.

This is a relatively small zoo, just 11 acres, as compared to the Bronx Zoo and it may even be smaller in area as the Central Park Zoo also known as a Nature Center. I'm not sure I would suggest this zoo to out-of-towners unless they have particular love of animals. It's a bit off the beaten path. It is an excellent choice if visiting the Hall of Science next door. It's perhaps a 1/4 mile walk away. Park at either one for both. There is an in season parking charge. No fee was taken when I was there.

They open everyday at 10am and close depending on season either 4:30pm or 5:30pm. other info can be gotten from their site at
www.queenszoo.com or calling 1 (718) 271-1500

Entry

Though it's small I was VERY pleasantly surprised. First I just loved the price $5.00 Adults, $1.00 Children. In less than ten years I will be able to get the senior rate of $1.50. There are perks to gettin' older.

This zoo, that is set in natural looking habitats, directs most of its attention to North American animals. Before giving up my 5 bucks I asked the silly question as to whether the animals and the zoo are active at this time of year or are the animals possibly brought to warmer environments, there are no enclosures in this zoo except for the aviary. I suppose I wasn't thinking because the fact was, I was more uncomfortable with the weather than these animals were.

After paying my ticket price I was given a map and I also saw a plastic, sort of cellophane, red thing. I asked what it was and was told it's for kids to find the answer to mystery questions. After seeing a few of these question and answer boards throughout the zoo, I thought it was a wonderful idea!

One example was in front of the puma exhibit. The question was something like, "What happened here?". In the puma's habitat were rib bones and a skull close to the viewing area. The kids could try and figure out what they were on their own and then go to the "secret answer" using their red wand. The answer in this case referred to the bones being all that was left of a white tailed deer that the puma fed on. There were questions and answers like this throughout the zoo. I could see the kids running from site to site to do these. I thought they were all exceptional in making kids think and the way they were presented. Each question and answer were set at "kids" heights.

The zoo also did a fine job in the presentation of a sort of story board explaining how the animals lived, showed dominance, mated and gave birth. Yes, there are drawings of animals in mating positions. It was all well done and quite informative in simple text.

Layout

The zoo is set up in one fairly level loop with some small inner loops, just a few feet in distance, that brought the viewers closer to the animals habitats. There were first some areas with water birds. They had the best examples of drawings so as to identify birds as I have seen anywhere. These placards were at a number of viewing stations. Once again I was impressed.

The loop continued to points where I could see a lynx pacing just a few feet in front of me, very cool. When I moved onto the Puma habitat I couldn't see him at first, then I noticed his head just under an outcrop of rock. He looked bigger than I imagined. I moved on and was again pleasantly surprised to find another viewing station just feet from that outcrop of rocks. The puma looked even bigger.

The owls display was cool and the Roosevelt elk, though a bit in the distance were magnificent looking animals. The four or five coyote were pacing around in there large habitat. It must have been near feeding time for them.

A geodesic dome, that was once part of a science exhibit during the 1963-64 New York World's Fair now houses an aviary. Unfortunately that and the alligator section were closed for the season.

Another area of note was the sea lion pools. These natural looking surroundings has three of for of these animals that were quite active waiting for their 1:45 feeding. It was 1:45 but the attendants weren't there yet. Just across from the sea lions is an area with vending machines and tables and chairs. I was hungry myself and it was my feeding time too so I went and got a Nathan's hot dog out of the freezer vending machine and popped it into the microwave oven. Restrooms are also nearby. By the time I could say "mustard" the attendants showed up at the sea lion pool and worked with the animals, giving them some food for their efforts. Hey I was so hungry I would have rolled over for a hunk of that fish. Three guys worked with the animals separately. It was interesting to watch.

I continued around the loop to the closed Prairie Dog area. It's under renovation. I'm sure they will have Fresh Meadows Phil back for Ground Hog Day. He has become a local favorite in NYC for his spring predictions.

The bison were close by, just ten feet or so, feeding on what looked like hay. The Bald Eagles were the only animals that seemed forlorn at this zoo. They must be clipped because the area above them is open. One I know was there after being injured by an airplane. They named the birds Claire and Mel.

I then checked out the new Thick Billed Parrot habitat that had the largest of protective areas the zoo offers. There were a few other smaller wooden enclosures. Most everything is outside in this park and there really isn't any shelter in case of heavy rain.

The last animal on the loop are two "Spectacled Bears" I never saw them before. Distinct white circles around their eyes are the reason for the name. They were out in the open to see. That's what I really enjoyed about this zoo. I was able to see most of the animals, up close and ina natural looking environment.

Domestic Animals

Just across from the main zoo area is another farm-like exhibit that has an abundance of domestic animals. I caught the mixed odor of sheep, lama, horses, pigs, goats, and cow "stuff" as soon as I crossed the path. They were well attended in fine surroundings, the animals, not the "stuff'. I didn't spend much time here at all, not having too many quarters to buy animal feed from little vending machines.

Also, just outside these two animal centers, the wild and domestic is a carousel. It's called "The Carousel in the Park". It wasn't open and probably just seasonal, but it's good to see.

Last Thoughts

I never would have thought I was going to give this small zoo four stars but the intimacy of it with excellent information at the viewing stations, the set ups that were kid friendly, and the overall feel of the park made this an excellent value for the price.

The Third Gem of the US Virgin Islands and Most Visited St Thomas

Our first trip to St John US Virgin Island brought us through St Thomas, the most populated and happening destination of the three USVI. We also stayed on ST Thomas almost exclusively on another visit. There was a lot to like about the island.

Two major hurricanes in the last 18 years have dealt tremendous economic hardship for the tourism of the island of St Thomas in the Virgin Islands. In many other places investors would have just raised their hands and say "Enough already", and bail out of this islands economic future and possible fortunes.

Some did leave, most did not. You see, Saint Thomas has so much natural beauty and so much to offer in sun, fun and shopping that the smart money keeps coming back. This is also true for the tourists who have visited this glorious island.

From what I have read, St Thomas is also the most popular port of call on many cruises. There are people who want to capture a glimpse of its natural beauty, a taste of its many fine restaurants, and the feeling of great savings in the shops that offer many goods greatly discounted from regular U.S. prices and best of all NO TAX!!!

Having been to St Thomas twice in the past 2 years, I understand why this is true.

My wife and I have caught a "Bug" for snorkeling. We have done so in Florida Keys, Mexico, Bermuda, Dominican Republic, and Jamaica. We both agree that our best experiences have been in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Though the best overall snorkeling was in Virgin Islands National Park on the Island of St John, St Thomas has some great snorkeling right on the beach of the resort where we stayed.

We stayed at the Antilles@Sapphire Beach at a great price through Hotels.com. Be very careful booking through them. We had made an error. Fortunately for us all worked out well.

One of the beaches to visit is Sapphire Beach. It is in what is called the east end of the island. It's about a 20 minute ride from Cyril E King Airport in Charlotte Amalie where the cruise ships come in. There are other beaches closer to the airport and very close to the University in Charlotte Amalie. We didn't get there. Sapphire Beach I did experience and it was special.

OPEN TO ALL

One quick point I want to add here is that all beaches in St Thomas are open to the public. So even if a resort is beach front, anyone can use the beach. On our stay at the Antilles Sapphire, we encountered small groups from cruises coming over to "our beach." We also saw young children of the locals playing in the water. Though I am not for crowds while on vacation I thoroughly enjoyed watching the tourists, some on there first snorkeling experiences, and the local people sharing the beaches.

Sapphire beach is in a lovely setting. It's about a half a mile crescent shaped beached, with beautiful turquoise waters, and distant island and mountain views.

You can see St John and some of the smaller USVI Islands near by. In the distance you can see the British Virgin Islands of Tortola and Virgin Gorda. We did a one day visit to Virgin Gorda and its world famous Baths it was awesome!!

I love the fact that right from my room I could walk out and snorkel reefs just 30 feet away. In the waters of Sapphire beach we saw a sea turtle, rays, barracuda, some nice coral formations(not the best here), squid, and a fantastic assortment of many other multicolored, shaped, and sized fish.

We visited other beaches too. Megan's Bay is boasted as one of the worlds "Best 10 Beaches." It is so hard for me to compare that way. Megen's Bay from above, I must say is glorious, and compares with any views I have ever seen!

I liked Megan's Bay. Though all the beaches are open to the public, this is more of a public beach. There's a three dollar per person fee to get in, and one dollar for parking.

The beach offers showers, lockers, restrooms, and the best pizza in the Caribbean.

Though I love the private and secluded beaches of St John, I also fully enjoyed this beach for its fast food restaurant and open air bar. It's the simplicity and charm that I love. Let me tell you, if you put some of these places on the beach in Cape Cod, Long Island, or the Jersey Shore(places that I know well), you would say these establishments are dumps. But here in USVI it's paradise.

There are many other beaches in St Thomas, we got to a few of them.
Hull Bay, a public beach with a boat ramp and very interesting coral formations.
Coki Beach which is highly rated and advertised, I didn't like at all. The bottom was polluted with soda cans, corrugated roofing material, and plastic bags. This was a sad sight. Very near by is the aquarium. If you snorkel on the beach on the left and swim to the right to the aquarium, you will have many fish following you, they are used to being fed by divers giving shows near the aquarium.
Beach In Front of the Ritz is in a beautiful setting with snorkeling and reefs.

THE RITZ

We spent an afternoon at the Ritz, starting with lunch in the Iguana Restaurant that is out side by the pool. The prices for such an upscale resort, I felt were reasonable. The setting of the hotel grounds, pool, and restaurant are magnificent. The service however was tediously slow. I'm not talking about New Yorkers not used to Caribbean time. I'm talking about bad service. We saw two other couples complain and one couple walked out after having cocktails and waiting much to long for there appetizer. I wish I could recommend this place for lunch, as everything else at the Ritz was extremely inviting.

REDHOOK

Like Sapphire Beach the Ritz is on the east end of the Island. This is also where Redhook is. Redhook is really a ferry, boating, and fishing port with a very small town that has built up around it. It's also home of the American Yacht Club. They were in the middle of a Blue Marlin Tournament when we were there. The fishing boats were all lined up like soldiers at the dock after coming in from the 5:30 pm fishing deadline each day. Those boats who caught the sport fish of the tournament flew a white flag from their craft for each Blue Marlin they caught and released.

Redhook has about 10 restaurants. We tried a few of them. For some local flavor. Try the Warehouse, Poor Mans Bar. There you order a drink and the bartender puts all the mixings in front of you and you pour your own. Yes, that includes the Bottle Of Spirits.

Duffies is nearby. It's a very heavily visited bar/restaurant that is a roofed open air eatery right in the middle of a parking lot. Hey, stores are closed at night but the "Bar is open." This place was "really happening" on Friday night. People were at every table and hanging around their cars in the lot, with drinks in hand, listening to pumping music that mixed, rock and roll, reggae, and rap.

Don't get suckered into their mega multi ounce "Volcano" drink for 2 at $13.50. It's a rip off. Ha, look for Red Stripe night @ one dollar a bottle.

For a more traditional place go across the street on the water, to Mollies. Another place upstairs on the deck overlooking the fishing boats is a bar and open air restaurant. Oops, I forgot the name. All the local fishermen were telling tales around the bar and the tourists, us included, sat at the surrounding tables. The drinks and food were good. I loved the atmosphere.

There is a public restroom up stairs in this strip known as the American Yacht Club. Inside this mall area are a couple of shops. There was one where my wife purchased some inexpensive jewelry and a creamery by the name of Stone Cold. That was my favorite, with the best in ice cream flavor and custom mixes put in. A Mr Jones, an ex Navy pilot, owns and runs the place. Be sure to read his list of 11 ways to live your life. It's good and to the point.

There's a hidden parking lot under this building. Park there if you find nothing on the streets. Usually you can but on Friday nights the place is very busy!

FERRY'S and CRUISES

As San Juan, Puerto Rico, is a jumping off place for many planes in the Caribbean, Redhook, is where you ferry to other islands. A bit more in a moment.

As I mentioned earlier, St Thomas is a very popular cruise ship stop. We visited in the summer. The most ships in port then on any given day was three. There weren't any at all three of the days we were there. In the winter, up to 11 cruise ships have been in port. This is great for the many,many, shops, malls and tent outlets of Charlotte Amalie, but can be taxing for those looking for peace and quiet.

Many local fliers, papers, and magazines post the cruise line schedules, on any day where there might be a few ships in, my wife and I could skip town. First we wouldn't go to Charlotte Amalie on these days and second, we found it was a good excuse to ferry out to another island and explore it.

It cost just 3 dollars per person to ferry the 20 min ride to St John. This is a wonderful island that almost 2/3s of is a national park. Its called US Virgin Island National Park You can find reviews of St Johns and USVI National Park in much more detail that I have done . Links are below.

St John is the best in secluded beaches, fun 4-wheel drive travel, and snorkeling reefs. St Croix the furthest of the USVI is also traveled to from Redhook. There is a fast ferry November to April that cuts the time in half. We were thinking of this trip but it didn't work out. We would not have had enough time for a day trip. We did find out that in off season, the summer, you can take a sea plane to St Croix for $85 per person, round trip. Ha, that didn't work out either, my wife dislikes small planes.

AIRPORT

Speaking of planes, St Thomas's Cyril E King, just outside Charlotte Amalie on the south side of the island, is the landing area for St Thomas and St John. No, St John has no airports, so if thats your destination you will have to ferry there.

TRANSPORTATION

Rented cars and taxis are the main form of transportation on the island. You can work out tours with local taxi drivers, find a tour company or rent a car and do it yourself. There are rentals at the airport. We rented from Budget right in our hotel for about the going rate of $50 per day. Books and magazines older than a year may state that you cannot take a rental car from St Johns to St Thomas and/or back. The fact is, you can do it now for a fee of about $30.

THE MOUNTAINS

If you tour be sure to go up into the mountains, there are some glorious sights from above. If you come in on a cruise ship you can get some wonderful pictures from the Vistas above looking down into the harbor with your ship. Those crafts look stunningly beautiful in the setting of turquoise waters and island mountains beyond.

Continue on your tour to St Peters great house and botanical garden. This is a must stop. The fee is $10 person, well worth it. Look for half price coupons in the local advertising magazines.

The views from here are absolutely stunning. The grounds and great house are fabulous. Make sure you have your camera.

RESTAURANTS

We spent most of our time on the east end of the island near our resort. We went to a couple of restaurants that were very close to each other. The Agave Terrace and Fungies.

The Agave Terrace is beautifully set on a mountain side with lush tropical gardens. It is elegant dining outside with a steel drum player on Thursday nights. The views in the day and early evening are as good as you can get anywhere. St John and the BVI are in the distance. This could be one of your best bets in dining if you can get past the prices and the snootiness of a particular waiter.

The Caribbean Seafood cuisine was excellently prepared. The atmosphere is wonderful and very romantic. It's worth a try.

Just down the road a piece , and I mean down is Fungies. Don't let anyone suggest you walk there from Agave Terrace. We went from Agave Terrace to Fungies for some dessert and an after dinner drink. Also be sure to bring your reverse driving skills. The parking lot is small and tight.

The place is very cool looking. It is set up with a Jamaican look and fare. It's open and funky. They have a drink that I went for. It's just two bucks. I forgot the name. It has 150 something % rum and insect and worm parts. It was most horrible tasting. I suppose I'll never learn.

The place is inexpensive and bare feet are fine.

A FEW QUICK FACTS

Some of the reasons people like to go to the US Virgin Islands is because IT IS part of the US. The people don't have a vote but do have a representative in congress. Whoops, they can't vote either. Anyways because it is part of the US the primary language is English and the US dollar is the currency used.

The cars on the island are mostly US made. One small change though. All driving is on the left. I didn't find it too hard to negotiate the roads. Some are a bit steep and have blind curves. Be careful and absolutely no drinking and driving!! Always "THINK LEFT" while driving. Don't forget to change that thinking when you return home, unless you live in the UK or such.

Yup St Thomas had a lot to offer. You can find via Google. Simply put in"popsrocks and the USVI you like. That should take you to one of my many Caribbean Island Reviews. You'll learn about Magen's Bay that's pictured above and voted, One of the ten best beaches in the world., as noted by National Geographic Coki Beach Why Go? Sapphire Beach and Marina A good value on St Thomas VI http://www0.epinions.com/content_108988763780

Another Easter at Our Home

My wife and I went to Easter Sunday mass with two of our daughters this year. Afterward we went back to our home.

Once again we had an open house to our family for Easter. There was plenty of food and we all had a great time. Early in the morning two of our grand daughters searched the living room for eggs, baskets and other surprises.

My wife then cooked up our traditional keilbasa, eggs and more for breakfast. Yum! My wife then prepared a spiral ham, pork and apples, and more for dinner. My mome helped out big time with shrimp and rice, egg plant parmegion and sauteed broccoli rabe. Others brought this and that and let me tell ya, we have more left overs than what we ate!

Once again, a good time was had by all.

A Birthday Surprise

Life's full of surprises. Saturday was my wife's 61st birthday. Our three daughters planned a breakfast for my wife at our home. It was delightful but my wife was disappointed that our two son's couldn't make the event. She likes to see all her children on special days.

Later my wife and I took a trip to the Vanderbilt Estate and Planetarium in Northport. I hope to post a review of it on my http://www0.epinions.com/user-popsrocks soon. One of my daughters helps operate the light shows they screen there daily. We enjoyed our hours on the grounds. At one point our oldest son made a phone call to us. He told us to stand at a particular point at the estate. He was on his boat and gave my wife a long distance wave as we saw a tiny image of him and his boat some couple a hundred feet down and several hundred away...Hey, at least she got to see him.

Later we walked more of the estate seeing dinosours, polar bears and much more. When we were finished, as the tour guides locked the doors behind us we walked to say goodbye to my daughter. As we turned a corner we saw a young child just under two years old walking by herself! It was our grand daughter! My other son was there with his family. All three children were with them. What a surprise for my wife. She got a hug and kiss and a card and gift from all of them.

We left all a bit later and then received another call from our "boat" son. Hey, why don't we meet up in Northport""...and we did. We had a wonderful evening dining at a fabulous Italian restaurant and my wife's wishes were complete. She "was very pleased to see all her children on her birthday.