The "WEEK" according to John

The "ULTIMATE" houseguest earns his stay

It's Monday and my very good friend John Collins is wrapping up a very eventful week here at the estate in Daytona Beach. John arrived at Orlando last Tues afternoon and I was waiting at the curb for him. We started the trip with customary stop at the Daytona Pig Stand for some killer BBQ, We caught up on news as John devoured a plate of ribs/brisket and greens. John and I have been organizing our high school senior classmates for the past year and last summer got over 60 of them together for a "clamboil in the woods" in Dartmouth, It was a grand time but through Facebook we have acquired a number of Spartans of 1971 that have settled in the sunshine state so John, along with an invitation to stay with me, organized a "Winter Meet-Up" here in central Florida.

Ready for ribs at the "Pig Stand"

The festivities began Thursday evening at the Hard Rock Casino in Tampa where a number of us met for drinks,dinner and mayhem. Some of the Orlando and St. Pete delagation were there and the fun and conversations ran rampant.

Some of the class of 1971 Spartans at the Hard Rock Tampa

Friday was an "off" day so at night I took John ( a basically reserved person ) to both a very hectic biker bar called the Boot Hill Saloon in Daytona Beach and then on to our local drinkery...The Rockin' Ranch. Suffice to say that after this night, John would never be the same.


At the Rockin'Ranc


Karen poses at the Boot Hill Saloon Daytona Beach

Saturday John, Karen and I piled in the Ford Edge and headed to Orlando for the final leg of the meet up. We met on International Drive at Cafe TuTu Tango for a drink then on to the Boston Lobster Feast ( all the Maine Lobster you can eat ... $34.95 )...then we ended the night totally off the hook at a duelling piano bar called "Bark at the Moon". It was a Cinderella night laced with drinking, dancing, air guitar solos from John, group singing to a girl at her bachelorette party and a cream filled jello shot for Karen. WE HAD A BLAST !!!!!!


Here we all are outside the Lobstah Feast !

Karen "takes one" for the team !!! ( Jello that is)



Dave Haley,Maureen Murray, Patty Lentz(Haley)

Roger Dumas, Mindy Dubois,Barbara Dubois

Janice Serano, John's back

Sunday ( late wake up call ) was spent int he lanai room drinking beers, eating hot wings and watching a 20 year old "kid" win the Daytona 500. Again a great day. Tonight ( John's last ) we're going to go eat at the "Last Turn Bar and Grille" ( John's treat ) then maybe over to Ponce Inlet FL to see the Ponce deLeon lighthouse. I found out that lighthouses are a longtime fave of John.

Tom'w the trek over to Orlando airport and I might take Karen back over to Tampa for a little "slot" action. Phewwwww... I'm getting to old for this pace !!!!!