It's not such a "Small World" anymore. . .

Just got back from three days at Disney World and I can tell you that 25 years later, nothing looks the same!  For one thing, that cute little Magic Kingdom with the ultra modern, super convenient  monorail that took you where ever you wanted to go????  Forgeddabout it.  You need a road map and an app on your iPhone to find your way around Mickey's much expanded world these days.

One afternoon we had a Back Stage Safari tour booked in the Animal Kingdom, a park that didn't exist the last time I visited. To my surprise, it took a 20 minute bus ride from the Comtemporary Hotel where we were staying, just to get to that park's front entrance.  The tour was fabulous, taking Benard and me "back of the house" to the food storage areas and the veterinary offices, including the operating room with a table large enough to handle surgery on a full grown lion or hippo.We also got up close and personal with a white rhino as she was munching on some dried up twigs which the keeper told us is her version of Lays Potato Chips.

Disney World is totally digitalized these days. . .all our plans and reservations, especially dinner reservations,  were made well ahead of time on line, and were available to us by clicking on the Mickey app on my cell phone.  Without reservations, you could starve to death, the wait lines are so horrendous for walk-ins.

In the mail, prior to our leaving home, came our personalized "bracelets", (see photo of mine), that must be worn at all times while at DisneyWorld. There are no keys to the hotel room, you simply hold the Mickey side of the bracelet to the door handle, a green light goes on, and welcome home!  You also need the bracelet to authenicate your FastPass reservations for everything but the kitchen sink.  That included the fingerprint of your digital finger.  My fingerprint refused to recognize me several times which I found upsetting but the very nice Disney "cast member" at those various ride entrances, (we were told they are not called employees, perish forbid), all reassured me that I was who I thought I was, and they had other ways to prove it. That was definitely comforting.

The only thing missing during our three day visit was a couple of kids.  Couldn't help but remember my first visit to DisneyWorld in October of 1971 for the opening of the park.  Daughter Andrea was a senior at the University of Florida and she drove over from Gainsville with Steve Litwin, the son of our dear friends, Elmer and Janice Litwin, to meet the four of us plus Steve's little sister Sharon, at the park.  Both Andrea and Steve are grandparents these days and Sharon has grown children of her own.  Wow!  Time passes, but Mickey and Minnie looked exactly the same.  Wish I knew their secret.

If you get a chance to go, I highly recommend it. . .just be sure to wear comfortable shoes!  And don't forget your "bracelet".
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Photo caption:  Resting up on a handy dragon after an exhausting day in the Animal Kingdom.

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You can't win 'em all. . .

I was invited to spend yesterday afternoon at Gulfstream Race Track.  It was a gorgeous day and those in the know told me that "the track was fast."  I believe that's a good thing.  My method of betting, however, apparently leaves much to be desired.  At least when it comes to picking a winner.

My choices tend to go thusly: In the second race there was a horse named Big Gus.  My friend Faith's son is named Gus so, of course, I bet on him.  Big Gus actually pulled it off, so I was literally off to the races.  Races 3 through 5 were not so beneficial. Don't ask why I chose my picks. . once I thought the jockey was cute, another time I swear the horse looked at me.  Race 6 was an obvious choice.  There was a horse named "Run Anna Run".  My grand-niece Ana Muniz Leen is a great runner these days.  And guess what!  Anna, the horse, ran like the wind and crossed the finish line first.  (She/he was also the favorite in the race, but that's beside the point.

The 8th race was the last race of the day for us.  I insisted on staying because a horse named "Joanie's Image" was running in that race.  So what if he/she (I think the horses are all male, even if they have female names) was posted at 40 to 1, then 50 to 1, and finally at 70 to 1.  Not very good odds, I was told, accompanied by a pitying look.  I didn't care.  I bet $2 on my namesake to Show.  Even I didn't expect this horse to win.  If you were expecting an upset, forgeddaboutit.  But he did come in 4th so I almost won.  Almost, apparently, doesn't quite make it at the track.

I don't think I have a big future as a gambler, or for that matter, as a picker of winners.  But it was a lovely way to spend a Saturday afternoon.  I recommend it.  Especially if someone else is doing the betting for you.
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Bad way to start the day. . . .

I'm feeling slightly passe this morning.  The Today Show was on the TV and there was lots of excitement about an upcoming musical guest that in all truth I've never paid much attention to.  Rap is not my thing, as I've mentioned in the past.

My head jerked up when I heard "Mr. 305" and they introduced Pitbull to lots of screaming and excited yelling.  OMG!  He looks familiar, and I don't mean from TV.  305 is my area code and I remembered vaguely that Pitbull comes from Miami and was brought up in the Hialeah area.

What I didn't realize is that the very well dressed, bald young man I've seen several times in the bar at the Club here in Grove Isle where I live, is very, very famous.  My friend Sheila always says hello to him and he always responds in a most friendly manner. Who knew he's got the #1 song on the charts, I think it's called "Timber", pronounced "Timbah", and he sang it this morning while lots of very sexy girls wearing tank tops that I swear read "I'm Going Down" shimmied around him.  Even the Today Show female anchors were going crazy! 

No, I am not stuck in the Sinatra era, musicwise, but I have to admit Pitbull and his rapper like have passed me by.  I did stop and watch him perform and he is good.  What amazed me was that every young woman in the audience, and there were crowds of them on the outdoor plaza, knew every word of the song.  I guess we used to know every word that our favorite singers sang, but this was the first time I ever heard these lyrics, that's for sure.

I think I'll pay more attention the next time I see Mr. 305 in the bar.  Or maybe I'll just watch CNN in the morning from now on, so I don't have to start my day on such an age-revealing note.
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Oh what a beautiful morning. . . .

Like the lyric from the long ago song from the show "Oklahoma" : "Oh what a  beautiful morning, oh what a beautiful day".  I found myself humming that as I walked around our island this morning.  The waters of Biscayne Bay were like glass and the sun was just starting to break through the clouds.

To make it even more perfect, my favorite bird, the blue-black anhinga, was drying his wings on one of the poles that mark the deep water passageway out of Grove Isle.  I had to whip out my iphone and take his picture with the Key Biscayne bridge and the towers of downtown Miami shimmering in the background.

Usually I do my morning walk with two friends and we are so busy talking that we don't take time to really drink in the natural beauty of our surroundings.  This morning I was walking alone, with even my earphones left home.   Sometimes it's not a bad idea to take time out and simply enjoy the beauty of the morning.   This special place called Miami where we live.

It was so calm and peaceful that I decided I wanted to share it with all of you.  What a lovely way to start the day.
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Early morning in Miami. . .

At 7:30 this morning, my friend Sandy and I were standing on a street corner in Downtown Miami holding up signs. Hers read "Go, Alli, Go" and mine read "Go, Ana, Go".  You have to have been a once-upon-a-time long distance runner to understand the importance of what we were doing.

Sandy was watching for her daughter Allison, and I was watching for both Allison and my grand-niece Ana, who has become the premier runner in our family. They were both running in the Michelob Ultra 13.1 Mile Half Marathon on an absolutely glorious day in Miami.   On hand also was Ana's husband Craig and their two youngsters.  Years ago, Craig's dad, my nephew Bobby, used to run in 10k races with me and my ex, so I get a real kick out of seeing this generation carrying the torch.

Once both women passed within minutes of each other, along with guys in tutus, couples running hand in hand, and one funny young man with Dr. Dribble written on his tank shirt, who was actually bouncing two basketballs in front of him as he ran, we raced back to our car and headed over to Miami Beach and the finish line..  Long distance runners are not normal people, folks, you have to have a very special competitive spirit to run 13.1 miles and still be smiling as you cross the finish line.  Both Alli and Ana were grinning from ear to ear.

Alli proudly wore her medal around her neck when we went for late breakfast with friends on Lincoln Road.  We both laughed out loud when she gave me a  close-up of the big round metal medallion with Michelob Ultra 13.1 prominently displayed on the front.   Michelob, the company that sponsors the run, need I remind you, is a very upscale beer company.  A second look at the medal and you suddenly realize it also doubles as a beer bottle opener!  Way to go, Michelob.  Congratulations, Alli and Ana!
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A walk on the wild side. . . .

You've heard of ZooMiami's uber-elegant fundraiser, "Feast With The Beasts", haven't you?  That's a little out of my price range these days, but yesterday I had "Lunch With The Bunch", and it was wonderful!

To be accurate, I didn't actually share my hot dog and fries with any four legged friends, although I would have been more than glad to.  But I did spend more than three hours roaming our fabulous   740-acre zoo on foot with my good friend Diane.  Diane serves as a volunteer docent at ZooMiami, and she knows every animal's back story. She can give you the lowdown on the giant gorilla's love life and explain in detail the difference between the African and Indian elephants. Having my own personal guide made the afternoon even more remarkable.

In addition to the living and breathing animals, birds and reptiles that inhabit this fabulous place, ZooMiami currently has an exhibition called "Creatures of The Habitat - A Gazillion-Piece Animal Adventure".  I don't know the sculptor's name who created them, but the exhibit consists of life size renditions of a whole variety of animals, all created out of literally hundreds of thousands of LEGOS!  Take a look at my photo of the Polar Bear to see what I mean.  The likenesses are incredible.  And by the way, that's Diane in the backgrouund.  (There's also a photo of me playing with Legos inside the exhibition hall. Who said I was totally grown up??)

I am a confirmed animal lover, preferably the live kind, but even if they are made out of Legos. I couldn't stop photographing these gorgeous creatures throughout the afternoon, so what I've posted is only a sampling.

As we walked through the various areas of this lushly landscaped paradise where all the animals roam freely and are separated from gaping people like me only by a watery moat, I thought about my childhood in New York when my Father used to take my sister and me to the Bronx Zoo for a special treat. All the animals were in cages, literally behind bars in those days. It makes me sad just to think about it. Fortunately, the animals at this Zoo live in areas that closely resemble their natural habitats and are lovingly cared for.

If you haven't been to ZooMiami lately, I strongly recommend a visit.  Even without Diane to clue you in on the mating habits of the Galapagos tortoise, I promise you an unforgettable experience.
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Thoughts on vision. . .

As many of you know, among my favorite walking partners is a hard working, four-legged sweetie named Kieran, and the amazing lady holding on to his harness. Her name is Virginia Jacko and she is the CEO of the Miami Lighthouse for the Blind as well as my neighbor and friend.

I've learned from talking to Virginia, and volunteering at the Lighthouse, that many of the men, women and children who benefit so greatly from this non-profit institution's services are not totally blind.  Rather, they suffer from low vision.  Low vision is a visual impairment, not correctable by standard eyeglasses, contact lenses, medicine or even surgery.  It can result from a variety of diseases and eye injuries, including macular degeneration, glaucoma or diabetic retinopathy, and it can interfere greatly from daily life.

The Lighthouse's answer to low vision is their remarkable Solutions Center where a whole world of special magnifying and auditory devices exist to assist with special tasks.  There are talking watches, talking thermometers, glucometers, electronic magnifiers, and much, much more.  There are also computer classes, cooking classes and talking book services, as well as an on-site low vision optometrist and a certified low vision occupational therapist. Virginia is adamant that no one needs to be homebound because of vision loss.  

I'm blessed with good eyesight but I've learned to appreciate how important the Miami Lighthouse is to those with vision problems.  If someone you know would benefit from their unique services tell them to make an appointment or arrange for an in-home consultation by calling 786-362-7479 or visit the website at www.miamilighthouse.org.

I promise you.  It can be life changing.
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