YOU CAN GO HOME AGIN!!!

YOU CAN GO HOME AGAIN !!!

What an awesome Road trip! I am "RECOVERING", but needless to say- there will be more posts and pics!

A GREAT TIME was had by all, and the old saying 

You Can Never Go Home Again is LIE!!!!

It's just not the same! ar ar! It's better in some ways!

I passed under the Blimps as they were circling the Daytona 500 as it was being run! No traffic on the return trip Sunday Morn.., as I timed it so that everyone would already be there! That was pretty cool!

MILES TRAVELLED:  1011.8

GAS: for me- $ 0!  BBQ & Baked beans! 3 different meals!

GAS for CAR: UNREAL- $141.00  Thanks OPEC & BIG OIL- hope You Choke!!

other expenses for 3 days-   about  $25.00  (FRIENDS ARE AWESOME!)

I ALSO BROUGHT HOME 3 FLATS OF STRAWBERRIES--FRESH PICKED, GRADED AND PACKED: COURTESY OF BILLY. NOW THAT'S A GRACIOUS HOST!

TRIP OF A LIFE TIME:  PRICELESS OF COURSE!

BILLY'S HOUSE--"THE BIG CHILL"- I called Jim at 7:30 the first morning and he asked me why the Hell I woke him up-- (The joke was that we would get lost in Billy's House...). I told him I was lost in the house! Could he please call me and follow the RING of my phone. I was in some room with a Gym and had been working out for 3 hours and was about to die.....!!!

The only problem was--I dialed a wrong number first ,and woke up a Gentleman in ATLANTA!!! I thought it was Jim so I yelled--"Where the Hell are YOU? Which Bedroom?"

This sleepy voice answered, "Atlanta?".. Thinking it was Previously Sleeping Jim I tentatively asked, "What the Hell are you doing there"? (A little doubt had suddenly crept in.)

Politely, "Business trip", was the reply----"WHO IS THIS!", he stated..gradually awakening! I hastily apologized and explained, and the Gracious Gentleman actually laughed! Not sure he was all that thrilled, but he played along!

And so it STARTED............

JUST ONE OF THE HUNDRED YEAR OLD OR MORE OAKS AT BILLY'S!

COACH SYTSMA ( SITES-MA) THAT PUT ON THE BBQ--HE STILL LOOKS THE SAME AS IN HIGH SCHOOL!

THE ALL BLACK HIGH SCHOOL GROUP THAT MERGED WITH US. DON'T KNOW HOW SANTA CLAUS SNUCK IN THE PIC!

FRONT LEFT: DAVID FUTCH,  FRONT RIGHT: JIM FUTCH, (OUR FISHING HOST IN GA)-  we will be going back at the end of April. BACK LEFT, White Shirt, Fl Gator Hat: ARLIN FUTCH.

3 GREAT FRIENDS OF MINE AND......ALL COUSINS!! we called them- "THE FUTCH COUSINS!"

WHAT--YOU THOUGHT THEY HAD A SPECIAL NAME?

BILLY WILLIAMS (OUR HOST & FISHING PARTNER OF THE WILD BUNCH (on Rt),

and LaROYCE KEENE...LaRoyce's Wife and a Friend of Hers Had A FEAST--(YEP--BBQ)  for us at their House Friday night before the BBQ on Saturday. Several classmates I had not seen in 39.5 years were there to surprise me. 

These people are the real deal folks. It renews your Faith in Goodness and Love again!

Billy had these shirts made especially for 5 of us, CLASS, 1971-72! How cool was that. We had 10-12 people, the most of any class. There were a total of 70-75 former players from 1968- 1986 when he retired! Our colors were almost exactly like Auburn's Orange and Blue. The Logo says 

Plant City Planters. A lot of other Players now want the Shirt--so Billy is going to make a killing selling them! (OURS WERE FREE!)

WE WERE THE LAST CLASS OF THE

 PLANT CITY PLANTERS. 

THE SCHOOLS MERGED INTO A HUGE NEW HIGH SCHOOL THE NEXT YEAR, AND THEY CHANGED THE NAME TO RAIDERS.

Go ahead--laugh--all the other big TAMPA schools did--till we "hicks" as we were called, beat their butts!!!

YES--IT WAS CITRUS, TRUCK FARMING AND STRAWBERRIES!

Well--like I said--still recovering, so more of the FUNNY CRAP we PULLED later!!!

LOVE YOU ALL!

JMc