Welcome

I am a native of "Real Florida". When life was new I took for granted our now vanishing rich culture of folklore and mythology. Gone are "Six Gun Territory", "Goofy Golf", "Ross Allen's Wild Life Institute" and roadside attractions replete with boiled peanuts, pecan rolls and alligator rasslin'. "Weeki-Watchi Springs", "Silver Springs" and "Cypress Gardens" are limping along thanks to federal and state transfusions. Before our "Fountain of Loot" spawned a mouse pad and early-bird specials there were glass bottom boats, mermaid ballets, Itchitucknee Springs and Tarzan. Thank God North Florida still has Henry the pole-vaulting fish and a host of his relatives. Don't believe what Google tells you about his location.

Give me back yesterday. I want to change something. Not a big change but a little something. Give me a little time with the baby bed in my bedroom, joy rides around the courthouse square and trips to Burmah Heights park.Some time in Dr. Pat's office, airport waiting rooms and bedtime stories between twin beds pushed together. Leave a little for cold, blanket-wrapped nights in the back yard and frequent "phantom" headaches launching temple massages.Give me back red hair bows and sox, 30-minute Barney tapes, "Lady with the big hair" TV and hide 'n seek behind a twig. Throw in naptime on the floor at department stores and Maw Maw & Papa's anniversary celebration.Squeeze in time for the three of us to drive Mom's SUV out of the Mall parking lot and make it safely home. Oh, and don't forget de-knotting pony tails and kitchen sink shampoos, please.A lot more time than first requested for chocolate cake, a pink Barbie Jeep, that wonderful player piano and MawMaw; bunk beds, smoked turkey, huge pods of okra, a fig tree, Papa and his garden.Leave enough time for potato salad, fried chicken, pumpkin pie and glazed donut breakfasts: lawnmower rides, hiding Easter eggs in plain sight, front yard kickball and re-living the nightmare of Raisen's upset stomach.I need to see Poppy's chair flip backwards and his "da** sweet gum balls on the lawn. Please, please bring back the dirty diapers disposal because I need to hear "That's not my problem" and "That's alright, Mallory….I'll take care of him" again.Give me back precious time before cell phones, the internet, sports and friends. When you give it back please throw in enough energy to offset my birthdays, too.