I’m Skating for Awhile

Skates in Kingsway atticI took advantage of a relatively cool day to venture up into the attic. Brothers Mark and David are coming to town the week of September 20 to, as Mark euphemistically puts it, “declutter the house.”

I’m going to ease off a few days to give me more time to root through and set aside stuff that I think has sentimental or historical value. It’s hard to realize, but this’ll be the last chance I’ll have to do that.

We’re not putting the house on the market until the spring unless something changes, so, except for a couple of quick trips back to Florida, I’ll be in Cape for the duration. When the house sells, it’ll probably mark the end of my Cape chapter, and maybe my Cape book.

Bring your own skate key

I’ll be posting more photos of treasures like these as we come upon them. Niece Laurie Everett of Annie Laurie’s Antique Shop is going to work with us, so you will have lots of opportunities to own some Steinhoff Originals.

You will need to find your own skate key, unfortunately. I didn’t see one in the box.

Birthdays 2 and 4

Laurie Everett on toy tractor 09-09-2014In another of an infrequent series of posts about how living in Florida in the wintertime isn’t bad, I invite you to a birthday party for Son Adam and Wife Carly’s boys this weekend. Both of them have birthdays in February – Graham is 4 and Elliot is 2 – so they have a combined party for now.

Back up to September: Wife Lila’s niece, Laurie Everett of Annie Laurie’s Antique Shop fame, had a toy tractor that had come in from an estate sale. Lila said I should pick it up for the boys and haul it 1100 miles back to West Palm Beach.

Tractor made it to Florida

Graham (4) Elliot (2) Steinhoff Birthday Party 02-07-2015We decided that Christmas had so much going on that we’d hold the tractor until Birthday Season. It was well received.

Is this a good idea?

Graham (4) Elliot (2) Steinhoff Birthday Party 02-07-2015Graham was all about the bounce house, but he wasn’t convinced that going down the slide was a good idea. I remember that feeling the first time I climbed onto the high dive at the Capaha Park Pool.

Dad comes to the rescue

Graham (4) Elliot (2) Steinhoff Birthday Party 02-07-2015Dad Adam was a little more sympathetic than the pool lifeguard who growled, “Kid, those are one-way steps. There’s only one way back, and that’s off the end of the board.”

Graham remained unconvinced. He’s going to be the conservative kid in the family. I remember him complaining at last year’s party “That music is too loud.”

I’m alive to see 5

Graham (4) Elliot (2) Steinhoff Birthday Party 02-07-2015THERE’S a kid who is limp with relief that the experience is over and there’s a chance he’ll be alive to see his fifth birthday.

Here’s trouble

Graham (4) Elliot (2) Steinhoff Birthday Party 02-07-2015Elliot is going to be the one who, like his dad, will try anything at least once. As soon as he figured out how to climb up to the top of the slide, he was beating feet to do it again and again.

A gift of love

Graham (4) Elliot (2) Steinhoff Birthday Party 02-07-2015Lila is a quilter. Not one of those machine quilters, but an real old-time hand quilter. She made a snowman quilt for Matt and Sarah’s Malcolm, and a similar one for Graham.

She presented Elliot’s to him today. When you are two, it’s probably not as cool as a tractor, but he’ll appreciate it over the years.

Graham and Elliot are expecting a brother to come along in a couple of months, so Lila better get busy.

Graham with his quilt

Graham (4) Elliot (2) Steinhoff Birthday Party 02-07-2015Graham knew right where to find his quilt in his bedroom. (You can click on the photos to make them larger.)

 

 

Juden School Established 1854

Juden School 900 W Cape Rock 04-29-2014Niece Laurie Evertt of Annie Laurie’s Antiques fame, said someone came into the store asking for information about Juden School. I admitted that I had heard of it, but had never shot any photos there.

I pretty much forgot about it until Monday afternoon while I was on a ramble with Buddy Dick McClard. I’m not sure how the topic came up, but Dick volunteered that the school was just down the road from his house.

School closed in 1960

Juden School 900 W Cape Rock 04-29-2014News clippings say the school, which was established in 1854, was closed when the Nell Holcomb R-4 School District was created in 1960.

It has had a variety of uses since then. I saw references to art exhibits, an animal feed store and an antique store.

If you’re looking for it, it’s at 900 West Cape Rock Drive, on the corner of Cape Rock and County Road 635. [Editor’s note: I said it was at the intersection of 643 earlier. I was only half-way correct. Cape Rock Drive is 643. The intersection is 643 and 635.]

John Perry in Uniform

John F Perry headed to Scout campI literally kicked over a box of photos in the closet this afternoon. Spilling out of it were these two photos of Wife Lila’s brother, John F. Perry. In the first photo, he’s heading off to Boy Scout camp.

Headed for Vietnam

John Perry 09-04-70Only a few years later, in 1970, still looking young, he was in his Navy uniform getting ready to ship out for Vietnam.

A family tradition of service

Going-away party for Wyatt Perry 07-14-2012This photo was taken almost exactly 42 years later at a going-away party for his son, Wyatt, who was headed to Marine boot camp.

  • Laurie Perry Everett – Army
  • Drew Perry – Marines
  • Wyatt Perry – Marines
  • John F. Perry – Navy
  • Rocky Everett (Laurie’s husband) – Army