The Spendlove family gathered in Orlando this week for their biennial reunion. Dave and I flew into town a day early to travel to St. Augustine and search for a little history and culture before the onslaught of theme parks. The Old City offered living history from the Spanish colonial 1770s, since St. Augustine didn't join the United States until the 1820s. We watched one "Spaniard" make cord, which was used to tie on pants, as well as tie up boats. We watched another scribe for the Catholic Church print "La Familia Spendlove" in the medieval calligraphy which was used on Church baptismal records. "Save it for your children," the scribe said, as he handed us the calligraphy--the luckiest of you will get it for Christmas.
We walked down the alleys of the Old City, trying to get into the Spanish mood. We got diverted, though, by signs like the one above (When did Matisse paint anyway--wasn't it in France in the 1910s and 20s?).
We were fascinated by the shells mixed into the pavement in the Old City, and by the tabby walls, made of crushed oyster shells.
St. Augustine also has treasures from the late 1800s. Henry Flagler, pioneer of modern Florida, got rich as a partner of John D. Rockefeller in Standard Oil. He built resorts down the east coast of Florida in St. Augustine, Palm Beach, and Miami. Dave and I toured a museum (above) filled with his collections, from huge carved wooden bears to crystal and porcelain from all over Europe.
We wandered past other landmarks from the Gilded Age, such as the Flagler Presbyterian Church, with its exotic Moorish entrance.
Back in Orlando, the clan gathered Sunday night, on Father's Day, to reminisce about Grandpa Spendlove. Vincent and Janice told about the "to-to-toilets" that Grandpa recommended as the cure for all the overflows in their Houston home. When Grandpa was done with the installation, the suction was so strong that it nearly pulled the users down the drain with their excretions.
Grandpa's war stories, the time he punched a peeping tom through the window and dashed outside after him in his underwear, the time he caught a Russian spy...we told them all. We imagined Grandpa was right there, saying, "Wait a minute! You left out the best parts!"
The Spendlove family gathered in Orlando this week for their biennial reunion. Dave and I flew into town a day early to travel to St. Augustine and search for a little history and culture before the onslaught of theme parks. The Old City offered living history from the Spanish colonial 1770s, since St. Augustine didn't join the United States until the 1820s. We watched one "Spaniard" make cord, which was used to tie on pants, as well as tie up boats. We watched another scribe for the Catholic Church print "La Familia Spendlove" in the medieval calligraphy which was used on Church baptismal records. "Save it for your children," the scribe said, as he handed us the calligraphy--the luckiest of you will get it for Christmas.
We walked down the alleys of the Old City, trying to get into the Spanish mood. We got diverted, though, by signs like the one above (When did Matisse paint anyway--wasn't it in France in the 1910s and 20s?).
We were fascinated by the shells mixed into the pavement in the Old City, and by the tabby walls, made of crushed oyster shells.
We wandered past other landmarks from the Gilded Age, such as the Flagler Presbyterian Church, with its exotic Moorish entrance.
Back in Orlando, the clan gathered Sunday night, on Father's Day, to reminisce about Grandpa Spendlove. Vincent and Janice told about the "to-to-toilets" that Grandpa recommended as the cure for all the overflows in their Houston home. When Grandpa was done with the installation, the suction was so strong that it nearly pulled the users down the drain with their excretions.
Grandpa's war stories, the time he punched a peeping tom through the window and dashed outside after him in his underwear, the time he caught a Russian spy...we told them all. We imagined Grandpa was right there, saying, "Wait a minute! You left out the best parts!"
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