All Aboard - Aye Aye Mate!

The boat trip that we are about to take....beginning tomorrow, promises to be a fun filled adventure. I always have a sense of ‘giddy anticipation’ on our boating trips but in the past some have been......very distressing.

I wrote a little book of inspiration in February called....”Cheer Up! Things Can Get Worse!” The book was about a week long trip in the ‘Big‘ boat when simply everything went wrong.
At one point I was sitting on the fly bridge talking to my ‘famous’ brother, Dockie, on the Ship to Shore, GPS in the other hand and my Bible open in my lap reading the Psalms for reassurance. The depth finder was falling between 2 to 3 feet of water on draught striken Okeechobee and we required about 2 1/2 feet of water for our 32 foot boat, The Milagro.
It had been chaotic like that during the entire week of boating. Time and again we faced one obstacle after another....either mechanically or environmentally.
At the end of the little book about that week my summary was simple.
The abnormal had become.....normal.
We survived.

Now you may ask, why would any sane person subject themselves to such risk?
I can’t answer that sensibly.
All I know is when a trip is planned....Big or Little Boat.....and the call of....”All Aboard” is heard....
....I always answer with a Smile, “Aye. Aye Mate.”

See ya in a week, mates:)

P.S. You could pray for us!

Welcome to my new Web Site called...a blog.

Blogs are simply web logs....in this case a kind of personal journal that is made public.
Since many of you have read my little books of inspiration in the past, you will find yourself mentioned from time to time
as we experience life together. I will include daily happenings of interest to my family, our nautical friends, my prayer partners, and
any and all who are like minded souls.
You will see that our Southern/Spanish flavored family is quite 'crazy' and the abnormal becomes normal to us.
Adventure, Fun, Faith required Challenges, local home grown 'heroes' will become the norm as I present to you
some of the most fascinating people on this earth....my family and friends....
Look carefully....for you will surely find....YOURSELF!!!

Readers,
For comments and feedback to
"It Is A Good Life" Blog Site
Type in the following on the address line...(or copy and paste)

http://celebratelife.blogspot.com

Follow instructions from there.

The “Little” Boat

Charlie and I, also, have a 1988 19’5” “run and burn” cutty cabin that we refer to as our “little” boat.
It is a ‘Funliner’ made in South Carolina.
We named it the “Go Gator”.
My husband, Charlie, and I met at the University of Florida many moons ago. The mascot/theme for the UofF is an alligator and it seemed appropriate to carry that crazy love to our boating sport as well.
Charlie is a ’fanatical’ football fan AS EVERYONE KNOWS!
Hence, the Direct TV on our “Big” boat for his sport games.

The ‘little’ boat is mobile. We can trailer it anywhere!
Two weeks ago we took it to the Florida Keys on our lobster junket!
The “Gator” does have a small sleeping cabin/berth and we can travel quickly, approximately 25 to 30 mph versus 8 to 10 mph on the ‘Big’ boat. We stay in nice Marina’s at night which have full facilities for our enjoyment.

On Oct. 26th, Sat., we have a week long trip planned with seven other similar ‘run and burn’ boats. All of these nautical friends have “Big” boats as well. We plan to leave from the North part of Lake Okeechobee at our dockage on Taylor Creek and go the first day to Ft. Meyers Municipal Marina which is about 100 miles away.
From there we will go up the Intra Coastal exploring along the way, stopping at night for facilities, restaurants, pools and a lot of ‘big talk’ about our day.
Adventure will be in abundance for sure.
Did I mention that it is a known fact that ,
....”you don’t know what is wrong with a boat until you get it in the water...”
....My philosophy is.....”Why Worry? When you can Pray!”
This is the God’s truth - big or little boat!
That’s another story....in “The Good Life” on the water!

The “Big” Boat

My husband, Charlie, and I have what we call,
....The ‘Big’ Boat.
It is a 1978 Carver Mariner that is 32’8”.
We purchased it, unexpectedly, in June of 1999 because “it is one of my dreams” says my Charlie.
The man who sold it to us was experiencing great distress in his financial life and needed to sell it quickly. Suddenly, out of the “serendipity blue”, we became the new owners.
It had been lived in by a ’blue water’ fisherman and was his ‘workhorse’ boat and home.
We immediately named her appropriately...’Milagro’!
Milagro is Spanish for ‘Miracle’.
That she was......and is!

Our immediate task was to restore the lady to her former legacy of teak laden excellence. Charlie stripped her of her fishing boat days and began to recycle her to our lifestyle that being a ‘Tropical Condo’ on the water!
New became the word of the day, inside and out!
Carpet, curtains, refrigerator, microwave, hot water heater, TV/VCR combination with satellite direct TV service and even a wonderful marine commercial U Line ice maker, which was a miracle in itself.
Then new pumps galore, new/used generator, reconditioned out drive, ship to shore radio, antennas, marine CD system, GPS , custom made canvas, lines, bumpers, etc. all new from bow to stern.
Also, of course, we had to have a dinghy with 8.5-hp motor.

We soon learned that the word B.O.A.T. means,
........bring out another thousand!
We , also, found by experience that what we call the “Big” boat became a REAL big boat investment.
Our investment has been fun, work and a challenge which has certainly fulfilled Charlie’s dream.

Once the Milagro was ready, we took her by water from our Tampa Bay Marina to River Ranch Resort on the Kissimmee River, approximately 250 miles away. She performed wonderfully enroute.
The ’workhorse’ aspect of her mechanics proved trustworthy of her legacy.

Now, 2002, we have her docked at the entrance to the great big Lake Okeechobee.
Lake Okeechobee is the second largest lake in the U.S.
It is a 700 square mile fresh water lake filled with all kinds of fish.

Our nautical family is the reason we are boaters today.
There is a group of several couples that have boats our size and they all live by the “Golden Rule” of life and boating;
...............“Do unto others, as you would have others do unto you.”
This golden rule buddy system on the water, with a big boat, is certainly a MUST for the ’good life’.

An Island on the Patio...

In Florida, as I walk out of my sliding glass doors, my view is inspiring.
The birds are singing this fall morn....
....the banana plant fronds are blowing in the breeze.
....my Tiki Hut with signs that says,
...”Island Boat Landing”...”No Boat Today - Maybe Manana” stands ready for enjoyment.
Fruit trees of orange, tangerine and grapefruit are loaded with fruit waiting to ripen. Guava, key lime, avocado and mango have given their share of fruit for our family and friends.
But where is the water?
Shattering as it may seem, it is in a 16 x 32 man made....swimming pool.
Living in a beautiful golf course community within a mile of the “Bay”, there is water in abundance all around.
As I drive from one place to another, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Largo, Madeira Beach, Treasure Island, Anna Marie Island, etc., I cross several bridges. I can view and use the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, Tampa Bay and the Intra Coastal Waterway.
Yet I do not live directly on the water!
That’s my next dream.
Meantime, I can and do enjoy the prolific abundance of West Coast Florida living at its best.
Seafood is plentiful in nearby restaurants and waters, Florida fruits and flowers, exotic plants like my Bird of Paradise which is now blooming beautifully....doesn’t take a botanist to grow and enjoy.
It is simple and easy in Florida, my personal La La Land, to have a touch of Island Paradise, daily, right where I live.
I read a book once called...”Bloom where you are planted!”
How could I not?

Psalm 129:5 LB...May the Lord continually bless you with Heaven’s blessings as well as with human joys....

Expect The Best

Over the week-end I had several cases of.....Serendipity!
I had pre-conceived a certain ‘happening’ and was pleasantly surprised to find that the days events......went unexpectedly in a different direction completely. Better than my pre-conception!

Needless to say, my being an eternal optimist, an idealist, a dreamer etc. events had to be ‘pretty good’ to exceed my expectations.
And they were.
Without going into detail, let me say that I was pleasantly surprised to see many family members trying to outdo each other.....in helping others.....as a challenge....to each other.
One success after another accomplished a great mission by the family and it was all FUN. In fact, as I look back....it was hilarious!
A group of our family members (Chuck & Lynn being 'in charge')....teenager, Vinnie....college student Matt and his 3 roommates, Barry, John and 'Crawdad', single Mom, Britt with Joshua, Tony, parents, grandparents and even great-grandparents......all accomplished together a wonderful day of work and family togetherness.

It taught me a lesson.....again.....
.....Always Expect The Best......Always!

LOVE is like the five loaves and two fishes.
It doesn’t start to multiply UNTIL you give it away....

Sweet Anticipation

I picked up the St. Pete Times and one of the columnists had written these words...

.....“Florida is supposedly named for the Spanish la florida, or flower.
How pretty. How quaint. This is La-la Land.”

That is exactly how the article started.
I’m not surprised that others see....as I see....How blessed we are, in Florida and the U.S. to live in “The Land of Plenty”.
Florida is a good representation of this bountiful plenty in seafood,fresh lobster and shrimp, fruit, vegetables, fresh meats, etc.
Beautiful flowers, oleanders, poinsettias, Florida orchids etc. grow in abundance along with palm trees and others of all types.
It is true we do have....mesquites, humidity, sunburn, ’no-see-ums’ etc. as our ’tropical afflictions’ but all areas have something to contend with according to their locale. Florida is no different.
I can imagine the early Florida settler’s sense of anticipation as they tried to achieve their dreams in this bountiful state.
As we visited the Indian Key State Park, which is three-fourths of a mile from the north shore of Lower Matecumbe Key, we saw the remains of early Floridians success and failure to conquer the environment.
In 1838, Dr. Henry Perrine, a physician with a consuming interest in tropical botany, moved to Indian Key. He cultivated tropical plants and also many others as well, tea, coffee, bananas and mangos.
The island, Indian Key, is about 10 acres in size and separated from the Overseas highway by open water, visited by boat only.
Yet Indian Key and many others like it has had a colorful past which is very much a part of early Florida history.
It is known that Indians lived in the Keys for several thousand years before the arrival of the Spanish explorers.
Human survival from the bounty of the surrounding waters and land provided a ‘good life of plenty’ for the inhabitants. This was long before Ponce de Leon discovered Florida in 1513.
This ‘sheer anticipation’ is still bringing ‘foreigners’ to our mosquito infested ......Tropical Paradise.
Yep, the Indians knew a good thing on Indian Key.
They were the first to know that it was to be.....La La Land!

Good Health IS The First Wealth


The Proverbs says...(15:10 LB).....
....Pleasant sights and good report give
.......Happiness and HEALTH.

Have you ever been around a truly ’negative’ person?
They are miserable and will make everyone around them miserable, too. In fact, they simply ‘make themselves’ sick with such an outlook and attitude of life. The physical body can not support such a continuous ‘shock treatment’ for the cells of the body are meant to be sustained in good health and balance...physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.
Life is a package deal....mind, body and soul.
Working in harmony....there is health.
This is not to say that sickness and disease are inflicted on a person by themselves. Things happen along life’s way.
But many factors of life contribute to our overall health.
The more our life is lived in goodness, purity and beauty of thought, making healthful choices and decisions, moderation instead of excessive indulgence... the better our health will be.
A time will come when our physical bodies begin to detoriate with age. You see, these bodies are temporary anyway.
But we begin to determine the health of our old age.....
........in our youth!
Our habits of life contribute good or bad to our lifetime health.
Having a positive, inspirational ‘good clean fun’ living ATTITUDE....all our life makes one....
......healthy, wealthy and wise! After all, It Is A GOOD Life!!!
Remember: Youth only comes once....we decide how long it stays...
Proverbs 17:22 LB......A cheerful heart does good like medicine,
but a broken spirit makes one sick.

HOW DO YOU MEASURE STRENGTH?

Being strong under pressure brings courage and sometimes...bravery.
Being strong for others sake sometimes is hard to detect.
Allowing someone else to ‘be strong’ requires sacrifice at times.
Strength in an individual is often times.....known only to God....
Therefore, when we try to measure another by ‘how strong’ or ‘how weak’ they are ....we certainly fall short on accuracy.

Being strong when your precious son leaves home to go to Marine Boot Camp, as Terry and Chuck have to be in “Pipo’s”
(Carlos III)case....certainly takes great strength and ......faith.
They have lived this kind of faith for 19 years.
They have, also, provided the necessary foundation of growth in their family home in order to meet the challenges of turning a child into a responsible adult who can survive outside the family home.
Teaching, daily, maturity that is needed in “Pipo” for his success in a new, competitive world...... started many years ago.
He will be GREAT and successful.....the investment of Love from his home roots.....will pay dividends that are .....endless!

Strength is transferred to others......invisibly at times....and can NOT be measured by the ‘naked’ eye.
For you see....that which is ’unseen’....Love, trust, faith, hope, caring, sharing and preparing....
...... has to be genuine enough to sustain .......
............LIFE.
Which makes it....A Good Life!!!

Proverbs 15:20 LB...A sensible son or daughter gladdens the parents heart;
a rebellious one....saddens the Mother and Father.

GET BELOW THE SURFACE...

From my perspective, we had a major ‘happening’ on our Florida Keys vacation.

Melissa and Kurt, our host and hostess, knew many of the other time share/condo owners because of their 20 years of family vacations. The Collins Family always go the 40th week of the year and so do many of the same owners.
On Monday, Melissa was speaking to one of the regulars she knew,
a man named Bert, originally from Connecticut..
She asked about his wife, Barbara.
Very sadly, he informed her that Barbara had died the last year and that he had brought her cremated ashes back to the place she loved so much. Melissa, knowing that he did not have a boat, offered to take him out in the Gulf in order to do his tribute. She told him to just set the day and time.
We talked about the situation among us and as we saw him from day to day his sadness was evident to all.
We felt for him in his pain.
Thursday became the chosen date. Thursday, also, provided the calmest seas of the entire week.
Charlie, Melissa and Kurt chose to take the boat trip along with Bert, his son and daughter-in-law.
We watched from the docks and our condo balcony as the boat slowly and carefully pulled out into the Gulf. Praying was my job.
It seemed as if we on the land......were holding our breaths.

With mission accomplished, Capt. Charlie reverently returned the boat to the dock.
Helpful crew, Kurt and Melissa unloaded their passengers.
Tears were evident in the family and with the participants as well.
Something sacred and holy had transpired and we all were a vital part of a great ...... Tribute of Love.
By helping another.....we were blessed!

PURSUE THE DREAM!

“You Gotta Have A Dream.....To Have A Dream Come True”!!!

I’ve seen this inspirational slogan from time to time and it always seems to ‘pop up’ at significant times in my life.
But what happens when we live on the ‘other side of our dream’?
Past major points of life which were at one time ......only a dream.

Years ago, living in all parts of the world as a military family, a ‘long-distance’ dream was.....Retirement at a ‘young’ age in native Florida, living by the water and enjoying ‘The Good Life’ with family and friends. This has become my “Happily Ever After” living reality.
Last weeks vacation ‘In The Keys’ proves that...
.....Yes, Dream DO Come True!

But I can see.....clearly.....that it takes PEOPLE.....
......unique, stimulating, zany, challenging and inspiring PEOPLE with many different backgrounds and cultures, in order to bring my dreams of “Happily Ever After” into REALITY.
I can not close myself off from ‘others’ and.......Be Happy...
Therefore, I owe many people for being ‘contributing partners’, with God, for bringing my dreams into......the realm of....
..............Dreams Realized.
Thank you.....to YOU.....YOU know who YOU are!
.....and so does God....May HE repay each and every one of YOU by making......YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE!!!

Proverbs 13:12....”Hope deferred makes the heart sick;
.....But WHEN DREAMS COME TRUE AT LAST.....
....There is Life and J O Y!!!”

SOME VACATIONS WILL MAKE YOU FORGET WHICH DAY IT IS...

What a glorious, PERFECT, vacation we had last week.
Going to the Keys with our boating friends was a wonderful time of activity, stimulation, inspiration and FUN.
Melissa and Kurt have a condo/time share in Islamorada, which they have had for 20 years. Since they are a family of scuba diver/lobster ‘lovers’, they use their condo for this family sport. The Collins Family is so generous in all they do and I call them my “Walton Family Missionaries” even though they look like “Barbie and Ken”. This is the second year that we have gone to their ‘tropical paradise’ in the Keys.
Dockie, Ann, Sam, Sally, Cindy, Charlie and I were all together in the land of enchantment. Some stayed in other hotels along the way but we brought three small boats for our exploration of the emerald seas.
On Sat. the 5th, Pammy, Melissa and Kurt’s 14 yr. old and Marina, Todd and Nancy’s daughter, swam with the dolphins at the Dolphin Research Center in Marathon. With Nancy, Cindy and Melissa looking on they had an unbelievable aquatic experience which they will remember all their life.
Day after day we traveled the waters around our island paradise cove.
There are 42 bridges connecting 126 miles of Florida Keys.
Nautical experiences are infinite.
Each day was filled with boating, eating, laughing, loving and even some .....crying.
To be sure.....it was simply a touch of heaven.....on earth.

PRICELESS MOMENTS SHOULD NOT COST A FORTUNE!

Dear Family and Friends;

Thank you for reading and responding to ‘my blogs’.

I have written 3 for today because Charlie and I are going with Dockie and Ann and Kurt and Melissa to Key West for a few days.
We are taking our small boats and doing the ‘lobster’ junket with our ole pro, Kurt. He is the expert with years of experience....
Since I am new at this particular ‘sport’, after having tried it two years ago and found it ‘very demanding’, I do believe that I will find that....
.....’it is ‘smart’ to be ‘dumb’.....
In any event, we will have a wonderful time because we enjoy each others company and all are active and adventuresome, nautical family and friends.
Will let you know about our encounters....down south....
After all....It IS A Good Life!

The “Lone” Ranger...

If you want to accomplish you’re full potential...
.......You have to be daring.
You have to have the AUDACITY to become
........................... WHO YOU REALLY ARE....
Nobody can do this for you....
....And if you don’t do it.........no matter how many material possessions you accumulate, no matter how ‘outwardly’ successful you are,......
A feeling of having failed will always bother you.
......For you would have failed . . . . . .Y O U R S E L F!
Know that God resides in each and every one of us and that every time we forget, every time we see our lives or compare our lives to others,
......We become instruments of our own unhappiness...
In order to be Whole - Happy and 100% Free
......All I have to do or be is.....
..................M E...
The best ‘me’ I can be - sets me free from being......YOU.
.......Simply just being...God created....ME

From the Living Bible in Galations 5:25&26 it says this.....
.......”We will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have FAR MORE INTERESTING THINGS TO DO WITH OUR LIVES.
Each of US IS AN ORIGINAL....
(6:4)...Take responsibility for doing the “Creative Best’ you can
...WITH YOUR OWN LIFE.”

Only Time Will Tell

Sometimes I make decisions in my life......that will ‘outlive’ me.
For instance, I have given family members certain rights to objects and things that I possess......this is represented in “My Will”.

Recently, I heard a couple of cliches that are true and amusing....
...“Do your giving while you are living....
...then you knowing where its going!”
or another.....“If you can afford to go first-class and don’t....
......then your heirs will!!!”

I think that the most important decisions that will outlive me....are
.....I choose to live a life of Christian faith in Jesus Christ.
.....I choose to invest in family love!
.....I choose to ....Enjoy Life....along the way!
.....I choose to ‘expect the best’ out of life....
.....I choose to....’BE HAPPY’!

Abraham Lincoln once said, “Most folks are as ‘happy’ as they make up their minds to be...”

So you see.....only time will tell if this ‘investment’ will be passed on by the others that are so like-minded...
During the meantime, I am enjoying.....”The Good Life and I KNOW that
......there is More To Come!

Who Will Tell?

Let me ask you a question...
Who will tell......your life’s story?
You may say...”I don’t want it told!”
It matters not.....it will be told! It may be in just the remembrance of family and friends as they say....”Remember Chuck saying.....or Chad doing....or Blake making.....or Granny cooking.....”
You will be referred to after you are long gone......
Memories and experiences, good and bad live on.....
We add to them daily. Some pleasant and some.....awful!.
In fact, my Blog Title “It Is A Good Life” is a famous saying in our family by Victor M. Fernandez....retired Army Officer.

Victor graduated to the “Good Life” everlasting on July 4, 2001.

He used to proclaim.....”I’ve got money in my pocket, all my bills are paid and I am an American. It’s a Good Life and....More To Come!”
Victor’s life story is told over and over by this philosophy that he lived so eloquently. He was a beautiful and happy man....that’s his life’s story!

Now what will be the frame of reference that others use when they remember you and me?
It is completely and uniquely.......... up to us!

Count.....Your Blessings!

Today at my ‘prayer group’ we went around the table and each named specific things that we call ’blessings’.
Abby, Tiena, Nancy and I each started with....
......”I thank God for my Family.”
We are a group of like minded women who have been meeting once a week for 7 years and praying for our families and giving God our requests, petitions and thanks. We constantly....... see Miracles.
....... In and for others and ourselves as well.
When we began to name our blessings.....we included serious things and frivolous things as well.
For instance, more shoes than our closet space allows, more watches and jewelry than we can wear at one time, imperfect family members who choose to love us, and then......each other.
Our weekly prayer/therapy is a must for our busy, active life.

Our motto is........
Why worry when you can pray???

I pray that “YOU” are blessed.....today!

UNIQUE in ALL The World!

Do you know that there is only......one Y O U?
You may laugh and say, “It’s a good thing!” but God knew what He was doing when He made us.....uniquely different.
Would we not be bored to death if everyone around us was exactly like we are with the same dress, thinking, habits and opinions?
Boring!!!
It takes the ‘different’ to interest us...to make us get ‘outside’ of our own selves, to challenge us, to entertain us, to educate us and to even....
“please us!”

My life and your life is unique to our own experiences and history.
We each supply meaning to people and things that varies according to our likes, dislikes, needs, wants and desires.
No two people are the same!
That is what makes life INTERESTING......
Like Forest Gump said in his movie....
“Life is like a box of chocolates.....
You never know what you’re gonna get!”

Use the talents that only you possess; the woods would be very silent IF no birds sang EXCEPT those who sang BEST!

The “Art” of Writing

Writing is an “Art” as is painting, sketching, dance, drama and music,
Colors and musical notes are used as tools of expressions by one who is creative in these forms.
For a writer, words have to paint a picture for the mind.
Creativity is the response from within as personal expressions are released
in any of these art forms.
The art of personal writing for me......is the sheer inspiration that I ’feel’ as I try to clothe these same feelings in words. I can never be indifferent to an experience and then expect to write about it.
I must personally feel....the beach, the sunset, the pain, the joy, the fun, the love, the victory....in order to describe it knowledgably to my own satisfaction.
This involves having a great ’passion’ for life.... feeling deeply within....and translating that ’emotion’ into an acceptable form of creativity.
There is an ’art’ to it.
The ’art’ is......Enjoying Life!