UP THE CREEK, December, 2024

                                 THE LATEST NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS

                 From Florida Park and Rattlesnake Creek

    Hooray, the holidays are here again. Florida Park and the rest of Gainesville are lighting up their front yards and making merry.

I attended last Saturday's Christmas parade presented by the City of Gainesville and Commissioner Cynthia Chestnut.  It was a big event, fun for everyone attending.

 

         Now make plans to attend the incredible Flying Pig Parade

Our poster artists, Heidi Stein and Jan Adkins

 on Saturday, Dec. 28th.  If you want to be in it, let me know.  Florida Park puts more people and energy into our porcine procession than any other neighborhood. 

        The parade begins at 2 p.m. followed by the Bo Diddley Birthday concert from 3 to 4. 

 

The gospel/R&B group, the "D.R. Band" will perform.  We will sing to Bo (now in Heaven) and share delicious cake from The Vine. 

      The Hippodrome Cinema is getting into the swing of things by showing a weird movie at 4:30, "Santa's Mars Adventure".

We've got three new giant puppets joining us. We thank neighbors Ward Shelley, Lee Malis, and Julie Thaler for being serving on our puppet committee. 

Emily Robbins and her daughter, Clara, have just volunteered to be our country's new Miss America, "Miss Information" and first runner up, the Princess of Prevarication.

Gregg Jones, now starring in the Hippodrome's production of "The Christmas Carol", will again serve as the parade's emcee.

We still need someone to play the man who will be in charge of our country's health system, RFK Jr.  We've already got the dead bear and brain worm.

No, I can't do it.  Someone has to fly the plane.

GREAT GIFT IDEAS

     

This year's t-shirts look great and make wonderful Christmas presents. Let me know if you need any.  They're 100% cotton and 15 bucks.  Profits help pay for our post-Christmas procession.

      

Do not buy Home Depot's "Star Box Light" for your grandchildren like we did.  When we looked carefully at the package after returning home, it read, "WARNING: looking directly at laser light can cause blindness". Real stars don't do that.

       Maybe a lost wallet finder should be on your list. When I misplaced mine last month I went absolutely nuts for two days.  I was a half-hour from leaving to have my picture taken for a new driver's license when I FOUND IT!  I was unbelievably happy, so thrilled my wife quipped, "I should hide it more often".

   Want to give art?  Our neighbor, retired UF ecologist Susan Jacobson, has some of her work displayed this month in the Simed Healthcare lobby. What a talent she is!

 

SIERRA CLUB GALA

   We attended the Sierra Club's holiday celebration at the Matheson Museum last week. City

Commissioner Bryan Eastman received the Gopher Tortoise Award for helping to lead our city's effort to return control of our city-owned GRU utility system. Afterwards there was a fund-raising auction. The items included a bow and arrow, a tractor seat, and a box of fertilizer.

 

NEW PIZZA JOINT

I spoke with the workmen re-modeling the former Sweet Dreams ice cream store at NW 13th and 16th Ave. They told me it will become "a pizza joint". "Satchel's West?" I asked.  They laughed and said, "No, it'll be part of a some chain". They didn't know which one.

 SIGNS OF THE TIMES

Visits to Saturday's farmers market on north 441 are always a delight.  You talk with real farmers and purchase fresh, healthy food.  There was nothing political about it until last week when a creepy guy showed up with big signs.

   I guess we should prepare for more of this. We've gotta do our very best to hold back the forces of darkness. As one friend wrote  "If we do not, our book stores, bohemian coffee shops and pride flags will vanish, replaced by boiled peanut stands, fireworks advertising, and more MAGA lawn signs.”

 

OUR SQUIRREL PIE TRADITION

     The men's group at the United Church of

Gainesville celebrated its 46th annual Squirrel Pie Luncheon last Friday.  22 fellas who enjoy a taste of "the wild" attended the somewhat solemn affair decorated with assorted

This guy didn't eat as he was already stuffed.

furry rat art.  

   It all began in '76 when a cat killed a squirrel in the church patio.  Someone who was familiar with eating rodents offered to turn it into meal. Thus began this grand Gainesville tradition. 

 

This year's pie was actually a casserole.

 

 

 

 

 

 CROONING IN HEAVEN

     I noticed that night club crooner Jack Jones died recently at 86. I had a brief moment with him once.  He came to the UF to sing in 1968. 

I was the guy who painted the big banners that hung over the stage with the name of Jack, the Hollies, or whoever else was performing that night.

    My ego got the best of me that week as the banner said, "the IFC presents JACK JONES!"  and under it I painted, "Artist: G. TERRY" much too big.

     My monthly job got me $25 and front row tickets. After Jack Jones came out and sang his first song he looked up at my sign and said, "What's with that? His name is almost as big as mine...and what does the "G" stand for...God?".

 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

     I love December with its holiday events and light-a-fire weather. Enjoy the rest of it, especially the festive parade with  giant puppets, Miss Information, and the guy with brain worms.

                   ________________________