Pushing It Across The Finish Line !!

While we were gone on vacation to Daytona, Tammy did a fabulous job keeping the business going....and last week and this week, we have several closings that will happen because of her diligence in keeping the ball in play even while we were playing.

THANKS TAMMY !! You are the best !!

You aren't 90 -- unless you have a party !!

After our adventure in Gainesville, we rushed right home to make sure that we arrived back in Georgia just in time to make the trek (and I do mean trek) up to the North Georgia Mountains for our grandfather - LESTER'S 90th Birthday CELEBRATION !!

(Isn't he the CUTEST ever ??)

The weather was beautiful and we got to spend time with family.....if my Father-In-Law wouldn't have gotten us lost, the day would have been perfect.......I guess I'll forgive him, this time...

Check out some of the party people !!

Me and My Pop Pop..

Me, Lester & The Wicked Witch of the West...just kidding !!! This is my beautiful Mother-In-Law !!

The ENTIRE Gang

17 Days Old !!!

Our puppies are 17 days old !!!!!

I am sad to report that we had one little girl that didn't make it. She was the first puppy born and she was the "runt" and just never caught on how to suckle milk. My mother in law tried to feed her with a little bottle, but it just didn't work. She died when she was about 3 or 4 days old.

The other boys and girls are doing GREAT though !! We have 2 boys and 2 girls, although only 1 girls is still looking for a home....both of the boys are available.

The boys have lighter fur than the girls....but they are all precious !!!

Check them out !!

(BOY #1)

(BOY #2)

(GIRL #1)

Our Adventure to JUNGLE FRIENDS !!!!!

For years, Mr. Walker and I have been keeping close watch on a primate sanctuary in Gainesville, Florida that is home to over 80 monkeys at last count !!

The monkeys that call Jungle Friends home are all monkeys that have been rescued from all sorts of bad situations and will now live out the remainder of their days in a closely supervised, loving environment.

Some of the "residents" were used in research, some were housed in less than desireable conditions and the stories go on and on. Each individual monkey has its own story and you can visit Jungle Friend's virtual home by going to www.junglefriends.org.

Since Mr. Walker and I have previously made donations to the facility, we wanted to make a personal visit to the sanctuary and check it out first hand since we would be driving right through Gainesville on our way back home.
Let me tell you...IT WAS AWESOME !!!

If you are ever interested in making a contribution to a animal facility that is providing a MUCH NEEDED service..........let me urge you to go to the website, poke around and consider being a MONKEY DONOR !!!!

Here are just a few of the pictures from our visit. I took WAY too many to post all of them, but here are a few for you to enjoy !!

Introducing....Jimmy !! Jimmy is one of our favorite monkeys out of all the ones we met. Jimmy is over 50 years old...and yes, that is human years !! He lived part of his life as a monkey in a research laboratory and then was on display in a glass case in front of a pet store. Jungle friends really thought this little boy was a lost cause when he first came to their home, but in no time, he warmed up to a volunteer, and when we were there, he was "flirting" with Dwayne and he followed us around...at least as far as his enclosures allowed him to go.

This species of monkey is called a Tamarin and HE IS TINY !!! I would be shocked if these monkey weighed a full pound !! They were AMAZING to look at. His face is about the size of a quarter ..... and every detail is so pronounced !! Both Mr. Walker and I were amazed by these little creatures !!

The two pictures above show the size of their MONKEY MANSIONS. The monkeys all have outdoor enclosures with access to indoor shelter as well....although I don't think there was one single monkey hanging out indoors...they were all too busy checking out their new friends !! In the second picture, the little monkey is up in a tunnel-type runway that connects multiple enclosures together. The main enclosures have real live growing foliage that the monkeys play in, and I even saw a few eating out of their trees. They are able to restrict access to certain enclosures by putting blockades in the tunnels. Most of the monkey groups consist of 3 - 4 monkeys and they almost all have at least 2 big enclosures with tunnels to play in. What a good idea.....

The four pictures above are a classic example of SHOW AND TALE !!! These monkeys are so smart and funny !! Over and over all day long as we would go past various enclosures, the monkeys would all scramble not only to check us out, but to also share all of their neat tricks and toys with us. This little girl just had to show off her water spicket AND show us that she knew how to use it. Each of the enclosures had this little spicket and the monkey would have to go over and press the little valve to the side in order to get the water to actually flow. Well, this little princess put on quite a show. She would put her mouth right on the spicket and take a drink, then she would let the water flow down and she would catch it in her mouth, then she wet her hands and licked on them and finally, I am not sure if she is smacking her gums because it was so good.....or if she is saying...NANNY NANNY BOO BOO .... see what I can do !!!

This sweet little lady (she is in her 20s) lives with her mother (who is thirty-something). At first glance, this little jewel will break your heart because both of her back legs are paralyzed. But, after just a few seconds, you realize, she doesn't let it stop her. She gets around just as much, maybe better than her mom....who we understand from our tour guide...is MEAN !!! Needless to say, we didn't get too close to that enclosure !!

This little fella is a cinnamon capped capuchin. Look at the expressions on his face.....I only wish we knew what they were thinking !!!

This is a Squirrel Monkey. He was gorgeous. Such bright colors and really does resemble a squirrel. He lives with his "girlfriend" in an enclosure, and they put on quite a show for us in their hammock......I didn't get any pictures though, didn't want to get in trouble for indecent exposure !! Although, have no fear, Jungle Friends takes measures to make sure their monkey's antics are "unproductive", if you will. They have only had 1 monkey born at Jungle Friends, and that was due to a failed vasectomy.....

Is this not too precious ?? She is sucking her big thumb on her back leg !! I hesitate to call it a toe, because it really looks like she has hands on her back legs as well. Over and over all day long, we saw probably 75% of the monkeys sucking their thumbs. Our guide told us that it was VERY COMMON that monkeys do that......it was funny to us, because we have never seen that behavior !!

This is a BIG monkey SMILE !!!!!! She is saying.....don't you all want to come visit us ????? Even if you can't visit, just send MONKEY BISCUIT MONEY !!!

All in all, our visit to Jungle Friends was the highlight of our entire week !! This place is amazing and I am serious, if you are ever interested in donating any money to a GOOD CAUSE, please think of JUNGLE FRIENDS !!!

In addition to making a donation, you can also order MONKEY ART, GREETING CARDS, CALENDARS, PENS, SHIRTS, etc., etc. on their website.

GO CHECK IT OUT !!!

www.junglefriends.org

It is Almost Over...

Well, all good things must come to an end....at least that is what they say, although I am inclined not to buy into it......I prefer to just move from one good thing to another !!

But, anyway, our trip to Daytona is drawing to a close...

So, today we just went down to one of our favorite places, Ponce Inlet and Inlet Harbor Restaurant. This is one of those places that no matter how many times you go, and no matter how hot or cold it is when you are there, you just really enjoy yourself !! This is a little open air restaurant right on the inlet with a marina and fishing pier.....my kind of relaxation place.....I can imagine Jimmy Buffet must have been sitting somewhere similar when he wrote "Cheeseburgers In Paradise" or "Margaritaville".

So long Daytona....until next year !!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY !!!!!!! This Really is a BIG One !!!

HAPPY 90TH BIRTHDAY !!!!

Lester !!! We love you !!!

It is the SKIPPER and AMY too !!!

Today, our friends Skip and Amy from South Carolina (by way of Boston, he he) rode into Daytona and New Smyrna Beach for Bike Week !!

We met Skip and Amy 3 or 4 years ago (I can't keep count) during a torrential downpour at the condo in Daytona. Mr. Walker went missing during the storm and it was raining too hard, I wasn't going out there to find him.....anyway, when he resurfaced, he had two new friends in tow....Skip and Amy. Since then, we have visited them in SC, they have come to visit us in GA, we have been to the North GA Mountains together and on a CRUISE to the Caribbean....they are good traveling friends !!

So -- we had dinner tonight at TOP OF DAYTONA....This is a restaurant at the very top of one of the round condominium buildings on the beach strip. All 4 of us remember quite vividly that the restaurant rotates around and you get to see the entire panoramic view of Daytona Beach during your meal.......So, you can imagine our disappointment when the waitress announced that the restaurant in fact does not move....and it NEVER HAS........exactly what was in our tea glasses the last time we were here ????????

As I Was Saying...It is Bike Week

As I mentioned in a previous post, it is BIKETOBERFEST here in Daytona....and let me tell you, there are THOUSANDS of bikes.....and even more SIGHTS !!!

There is a WHOLE bunch to see and do with the bikes, but mainly me and Mr. Walker have just been people watching !!! We think we might even be responsible for sending TWO young HOODLUMS to jail !! That's RIGHT !! While out scooting around seeing the "sights" (see below), we noticed two suspect young gentlemen trying to pry their way into the window of a Jeep Cherokee....Well, Mr. Walker immediately heard the song BAD BOYS BAD BOYS...WHATCHA GONNA DO, etc. in his head, and was ready to pull out both his MACE and GLOCK (gun), but I was able to convince him it would be more HEROIC if he opted for his cell phone and 911 instead....after all, how relaxing would fighting two robbers be ?? So, we flagged down an officer and gave him the exact location of the incident and then we fled the scene.....afterall, we didn't want to have to get involved with witnessing at the trial and all that. We enjoy our lives too much to have to go into the Witness Protection Program....

Anyway, where was I ?? Oh yeah, BIKETOBERFEST....

Take a look at these pictures...........Trust me.......You see all sorts of things...

This picture is looking down Main Street. This is BIKE CENTRAL !!

Daytona Harley Davidson -- Daytona Beach (downtown)

ATTENTION: JOAN, SHERRI, SANDI and all other BIKER GIRLS -- We MUST find out where she got this outfit for our next ride !!!

Now....I must admit, I wouldn't mind looking like this when I grow up ..... although, I probably wouldn't show off to everyone...

He may NEVER come home...

Mr. Walker has found a NEW FAVORITE THING ..... We are thinking of writing to OPRAH and seeing if Mr. Walker can turn her on to a new treat for her FAVORITE THINGS program....

iSCREAM CREAMERY !!!!!!

Ever since we discovered this place, I have to do my best to distract him everytime we drive by the store....otherwise, I have to give in and stop for a treat !!! If I don't give in and stop....yes, you guessed it....he is right back in the corner again when we get back to the condo....crying and pouting for hours. It really is just easier to stop..........and, I am just weak.......I can't stand to see him when he cries....

(HAPPY BOY !!)

A Visitor Today...

This afternoon while relaxing out by the pool, we had a visitor join us. Take a look .....

Why Do I Keep Agreeing to This ???

Well -- it has been a couple of days since I posted....mainly because I have once again agreed to go on a vacation with Mr. Walker......this time, we loaded up CARLI and headed down to Daytona Beach, Florida. Now, I did so good.......I got all of our personal effects into one large suit case and one small toiletries bag.....BUT, after Mr. Walker added 982 CDs for our listening pleasure, the laptop (to keep you kind folks informed), his games to keep boredom at bay, 7 more pair of sandals, his AXE body spray, 31 bottles of water, and countless other jewels that we have used exactly ZERO times since we have been here......we were on our way.....the only thing that comes to mind is....THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES !!!

The MOST IMPORTANT thing we brought was the COOLER full of ..... you guessed it .... REESE'S CUPS !!!

ANYWAY....We left on Saturday morning and headed down to meet JASON and ALLISON and CARIS in Ocala for dinner before heading on into Daytona Beach !! What fun. We had never met Allison or Caris and it was a PLEASURE !! Most of you will remember from previous posts, Jason (aka FAUST) is one of our friends that joins us each year at SOEFEST. So, it was a whole lot of fun meeting his wife and sweet baby girl !! And, it wasn't that far down to Ocala, so we plan to come down more often !!!

After Ocala, we finally made it into Daytona Beach....let me just say CARLI's navigation ROCKS !!! She took us everywhere we wanted to go -- no problem. All we needed was an ADDRESS !!!

Now, to catch you up on our activities since we have been here.....

We have been doing a lot of NOTHING !!!!! I have slept more in the last few days than I have slept in YEARS ......... and I am totally ENJOYING myself !!!

The condo is nice. Since the hurricanes hit a few years back, they have made lots of repairs to the units and the pool areas. The weather hasn't been typical Florida SUMMER weather, but what did we expect...it is the middle of October !! BUT, the overcast conditions have not stopped us. We have been relaxing out by the pool. Afterall, Mr. Walker had to have a chance to show off his TOOTSIES that we failed to get a PEDICURE on before we left home.....women and small children fled the pool area when he pulled those things out.....

Let me share our view from the pool area ..... a girl could get use to this !!

Today, we went over to Destination Daytona......the new Harley Davidson Dealership in Daytona. Let me tell you something, it is ENORMOUS. You could probably get Granite Mountain or Atlanta Harley into this building at least 4 times, maybe more.....It is set up kind of like a shopping mall outside with the dealership as the main attraction. There is a food court and other small stores right outside the front door. It is definitely something to see !!

This week is BIKE WEEK down here.....and I have found Mr. Walker over in the corner crying several times because I talked him into bringing CARLI rather than the Hummer to pull the motorcycle. Believe me, I won't do that again....I don't think his little heart can ever take another BIKE WEEK without his bike.....I secretly wish we had the bike too.....shhhh !!

Well, I best be going for now, I can hear Mr. Walker in the kitchen rummaging around in the freezer....I suspect his is looking for more REESE'S, I best go police the situation .....