Thursday, January 19, 2023

A Day in My Life - Day 18 @RRBC_Org 2023 #RRBC 30-Day #Blogging Challenge @YvetteMCalleiro #ADayInMyLife #RWISA @RRBC_RWISA @Tweets4RWISA #FloridaPanthers #poetry #travel #RoadTrip #Mississippi #NewOrleans #Texas #Missouri #Tennessee


Hello, beautiful readers! Today is Day 18 of the #RRBC 30-Day Blogging Challenge! Today was a regular work day with a little bit of fun. The Jason Taylor Foundation and the Bluapple Poetry Network came to my school to host a pep rally to get the students pumped up about writing a poem for the Florida Panthers' Panther Poetry Project contest. Six school winners get tickets to a Florida Panthers hockey game with the grand prize winner getting to ride the Zamboni and participate in a commercial (among other prizes). Last year, one of my poet's poem won the grand prize, and he was featured in this commercial.


The rest of my day was more of the mundane. I stayed at school until my son finished coaching flag football. Then, I went home and made dinner because I need to start eating earlier. I'll fit in some stretching later tonight. With football back in our lives, finding time to work out is becoming more difficult. 

In yesterday's post, I told you about my first trip with my son. While I was going through my albums to pull the next trip to share with you, I realized yesterday's post was NOT the first trip we took. Our first trip took place in 2012. This trip was only two weeks long, and we visited Mississippi, Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, and Louisiana. 

We drove through Alabama on our way to Louisiana. It was just a resting spot; we planned to visit that state at a later time. So, our first real stop was New Orleans, LA. We ate at the famous Bubba Gump and walked Bourbon Street. We were only there for a day. I know there is so much more to see, but as it was our first road trip, we were still learning.

 

Our next stop was Cypress, TX, where my aunt and uncle lived. We spent a couple of days hanging out with them and my cousin and her children at a local pool. We also checked out some planes at the military base. 



We stayed in Little Rock, Arkansas, for the night, before heading to St. Louis, MO. We travelled on part of the old Route 66, which was fun. We went to Six Flags St. Louis. We visited the Gateway Arch in St. Louis and travelled to the top as well. 


 

Then, we headed to Ft. Leonard Wood, MO, or what we liked to call Fort Lost-in-the-Woods, Misery. My dad was stationed there when I was 2-5 years old. I remember very little, but according to him, everything has changed, including the entrance into the base. We actually got lost trying to find our way in. We stopped to enjoy some of the tanks on base. 



Our next stop was Lake of the Ozarks, MO. There, I saw the biggest hornets I have ever seen. Luckily, they stayed away from us. We relaxed and enjoyed the lake at the state park. My son found a clam while he swam and dove underwater. We also visited the Bagnell Dam and Thunder Mountain Mining Company. My son got to "mine" his own gems for the first (but not final) time. He loved discovering the different stones he found. And we visited Bridal Cave, where my son saw caverns for the first time. 

 

 

 

Our next stop was Memphis, TN , where I was able to enjoy my obsession with willow trees! We also visited Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley.


 

On our way back home, we stopped in Vicksburg, MS. We lived there for three years while I attended first through third grade. We went back to our old neighborhood, but our house no longer existed. We had a creek behind our house, and when it rained hard, it would rise. Many times it flooded, and when it did, it damaged the houses. The government eventually told the home owners they would no longer protect their homes. They gave them the option to stay at their own risk and expense or have the government buy them out. Most residents left, but there were still a few there. We also visited Top 'O The River, a great catfish restaurant overlooking the river. 

My dad also visited his old base. So much had changed. The metal slide where I burned my legs every time I slid down no longer existed. We found out they dismantled the park after cars kept losing control and driving into it. And then, we headed home to Florida.




Have you ever visited an old home of yours? What was your experience like? I'd love to hear from you.

18 comments:

  1. Yvette--It's Wanda. My husband was stationed at Fort Leonard Wood when he was in the Army for a short time. He's from Missouri. He didn't like it much there. He was in the Army from 1970-1972, then the Reserves for a while later. I remember going to Vicksburg during the Civil War Centennial. The battle of Vicksburg was one of the bloodiest of the Civil War. My dad was a Civil War history buff. Your photos are wonderful. Your son has had the opportunity to learn about history through actually experiencing it rather than just learning from a book.

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    1. I'm not much of a history buff, but my dad is. So, he was the one sharing all the historical facts with my son. Each of our states is rich in history. If only every had the time and means to visit them. Thanks for sharing, Wanda! :-)

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  2. Hi, Yvette! You've got so much in here. First congratulations to your poets. I watched the vid. Which one was he? I loved your photos and your son is a sweetheart. I was raised in Tennessee, and stayed in Missouri quite a bit when my daughter worked there. However, I've only been to Florida once—Palm Desert—Is that in Florida!

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    1. I've never heard of Palm Desert, but that doesn't mean it isn't in Florida. A quick Google search says it's in California, though. We have a Palm Beach just an hour or so north of me. Could that be where you went?

      My student was the mail student who said "Boriqua." He's moved on to high school now, but I'm so happy he is getting those experiences. Thanks for watching the video and for sharing your thoughts today. :-)

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  3. Hi Yvette, it was lovely to read this post and learn more about you and your family. What a great trip you had. I also love willow trees.

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    1. For as long as I can remember, willow trees have been my favorite. Unfortunately, they don't grow well in South Florida. Otherwise, I'd have one in my backyard. I've been known to make my dad pull over on the side of the road during our trips so I can hug a willow and take a picture with it. I just feel such a peaceful energy coming from them. I even incorporated them into my fantasy series, giving them an important role in the story. Thanks for stopping by today! :-)

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  4. Hi, Yvette, it's Maura Beth in case my name doesn't show up. Loved seeing your pictures and reading about your experiences. You and your son are certainly well-travelled and he will always have such lovely memories. We had a gigantic willow in our back yard when I was a kid, the branches dipped all the way to the ground and my brother and I used to play under there.

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    1. Oh, how I wish I would have had a willow in my backyard growing up! Thanks for sharing that with me, Maura Beth! :-)

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  5. What a fantastic memory, Yvette! I absolutely love New Orleans! It's one of my favorite places to visit over and over again. Love these photos. Your son was so little. It's fun looking back. Yes, I've revisited the old home where I grew up and it pretty much remained the same, even the pickup in the driveway looked like Daddy's. :) Have a great weekend!

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    1. That's cool, Jan! Most of the former homes we have visited have been torn down or full of bullet holes (that's a story for another day). ;-) Thanks for sharing! :-)

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  6. Wow, Yvette! What a great post! I'm not a hockey fan, but that was one of my most favorite commercials, ever! Bill will tell you I have a ton of favorites, but I mean it. Loved the poetry, the kids, and the rhythm. As for your trip photos--they're wonderful. Your son has gotten the best education ever, and he was so cute! You're leaving him a rich legacy.

    Blessings!
    Patty

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    1. I'm so happy you enjoyed the poetry, Patty! I'm very proud of my student and his ability to be a part of that commercial. Thanks for letting me know that you enjoyed the pictures. :-)

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  7. Hi, Yvette,
    Here’s Pat Garcia.The comment section is not working for me tonight.
    I sincerely hope one of your students win the poetry prize this year!
    Your pictures are gorgeous and one can see that you and your family were having a great time.
    Have a lovely Friday.
    Shalom aleichem

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    1. Your comment came through, Pat! :-) Thanks for the well wishes. I hope one of them wins as well, but I'm just happy that they enjoy writing poetry. :-)

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  8. Yvette, a perfect report for Travelocity! I loved the commentary and photos. Too bad your time allotment did not allow you to spend more time at each stop to learn and see more of your surroundings. I do envy you as there are only several states that I've visited or passed through and nothing west of the Mississippi. Your son will treasure these trips and have a lifetime of memories.

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    1. When we started making these trips, we made the decision to sample as many states as we could within the time we had planned for the trip. We knew we could always revisit a place if we fell in love with it. When the goal is to see all 50 states, you can't spend too much time in any one place, especially if you are driving. I hope you keep exploring. There is so much more to see! Thanks for stopping by today, John! :-)

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  9. You covered a lot of ground on your trip. I'd love to see more of our country, and New Orleans is on the top of my list. Maybe one day.

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    1. I hope you do, Susanne! We have a beautiful country, and with the right planning, it's doable. Thanks for commenting today! :-)

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I love comments, so please share your thoughts with me! :-)