This story is one that is again on the “lighter side” of impact and importance, but it still has a good message built into it! As my wife and I are both retired and still (somewhat) have the ability to do things, I try to find outings that not only are fun and memorable but do not wear us out so much that we feel it in our joints and muscles for days later!
I heard about the Kumquat Festival many years ago, and even though it was only a short drive to Dade City to attend this thing, something always got in the way or (in reality) took a higher priority in our scheduling. That weekend I just happened to have a blank spot on our calendars. Now, some retirees who take their retirement “vows” seriously may ask me, “Why are you still dealing with calendar schedules?” Well, the generic (but truthful) answer to that is, “IT IS WHAT IT IS!” So we checked to make sure that all of our “domestic responsibilities” were taken care of. We even gave the hens a few hours of free range time (for which they thanked us by throwing debris all across our front stepping stones leading to the front door)!
ANYHOW, we got within seven blocks of the cordoned-off section of town and we came up upon our first obstacle. There had been an accident and the fire trucks and other emergency vehicles blocked off the main east/west road through town. I have come to enjoy simple things these days, like doing detours through small towns, is a lot easier WITH OUR CAR as compared to the many times that it had to be done with a gas tanker rig or some other fun load!
Once we found a parking spot on a back road where we could fit in with all of the other people taking in the day, we set out on foot for the areas that smelled like fried foods being sold. As we got closer, we passed the property sites loaded with cars pulled up close to homes that had “Parking – $10.00” and thought those poor people had to pay a price to do this event.
Little did I realize that after we got done walking up and down all the side streets, WE TOO would be paying a price! I told my wife that I had a plan, and that was to start at the top of the hill and work our way on down so that we would not be winded when it came to walking back to her car, which was going to be mostly an uphill trek. There were so many event canopies set up going in all directions that the term “plans are made to be broken” soon came to light.
Now, if you have never been to this “Festival” in Dade City, I can say that even at the end of the day, as we were rubbing joint pain cream on our legs, it was still well worth it. As we made the halfway point in our “fluffy adventure,” we found the row that had all of the good-smelling foods STRATEGICALLY set up just for us! We got a plate (Styrofoam in nature) full of what we THINK was called Caribbean “Paella.” It looked very similar to what you may find while traveling the bayou backroads in Louisiana. The crawfish (which aren’t really even fish) tasted good, the mussels were still hot, and the crab cake was most excellent and helped make the trip that much more memorable.
Now, being as we had both been driving through and doing business in and around Dade City for well over 26 years and had never done this event, it brought me “home” to a saying that my old man used to lay on me. He’d say, “When you have the chance to take something in, you should do it because you never know what tomorrow will be like.” So, Pops, as I write this ending, I’ve got you on my mind again! I hope that Y’all have a blessed week!
Steve Goodwin is a recently retired Christian conservative veteran (of the U.S. Army 82nd Airborne Division), who still feels that “duty to country” did not end when the military uniform got hung up. He and his wife Cecelia live on the edge of a beautifully wooded tract of land just south of the bypass, and are involved in not only church activities, but also attend school board meetings and local community action events as well.
