When you live in a 100+ year old home, the unusual becomes the normal. This past Tuesday afternoon our doorbell rang. There were 2 gay guys in their upper 50’s who we didn’t know. They told us that they lived here 29 years ago and now live in Atlanta.  Over the next 2 hours they told us many paranormal stories about our home. The guys moved after 6 months and this was their 1^st time back. At the end of our visit they said that the spirits must like us because the heavy feeling was gone.  The final story was. There was an old guy that lived across the street. All day and night he would sit on the porch rocking, drinking coffee and watching our home. They would wave and he would wave back.  The guys started to move out. For the first time the old guy got up and walked over to the guys. He asked in a heavy Southern accent, “Are you young-ns moving out? “They said yes. Then he said “That is a good thing. This will be the last time you will see me.”  The guys smiled and said they were coming back tomorrow to finish move. The old guy again said “THIS WILL BE THE LAST TIME YOU SEE ME.” The next day there were 4 cars parked in front of his home.  A lady walked over. She said I know you are the neighbors and I though you should know….. My Dad pasted away last night.

A very good friend of ours gave us an Unbelievable & FANTASTIC home warming gift.  A very special doorknob, with a very interesting story. Our friend and his next-door neighbor were good friends for many years. One day the neighbor decided it was time for him to move on and sell the house. Our friend asked him about this doorknob. He was going to leave it with the home. Our friend asked him if he could have it and give it to us. The neighbor said yes. Here is where it gets interesting. Many years before the doorknob was a gift from a US Senator to him. When the senator left Washington DC, he took the doorknobs from his US Senate office. Take a close look at the photo and you can see the US seal on it. WOW OMG!!! It is now on the door of our Senate Chambers, the guest bathroom. LOL This just makes us think…. What will the Trump Administration take with them when they leave the White House?

In the early 1980’s we took our 1^st trip to the Parliament House Orlando https://www.facebook.com/ParliamentHouseOrlando/   . We went with 2 older Gay friends. It was CRAZY FUN!!! Part Hotel, Part Bathhouse, Part Gay Bar Complex.  Our friends pointed out that in the curtains there were cigarette holes burned in. These holds were used to peek out into the courtyard and not be seen. Let your imagination fill in the rest of the story. LOL P-House was where we also learned about “Balcony BINGO”.  In 1998 The Suncoast Resort https://www.facebook.com/suncoast.resortmemories  opened in St. Petersburg. Hum….. Many of the P-House traditions were also here. We owned the MC Film Fest Store at the Suncoast Resort.  For all 9+ years.  The Suncoast Resort closed in 2007 and The Parliament House in 2020. Years from now you will hear many stories about both resort hotels. The wilder and crazier the stores, the more likely truer they are! You Just Can Not Make This UP

Politics 2020

Growing up my Mom was a Democrat and Dad was a Republican. Both were very old school. You don’t talk politics or religion outside the home. Every election day Mom would announce that she did her part and voted against my Dad. That way she canceled out his vote!!! He might be the head of the house but she had a voice too. This became a running joke in our family for years. GO MOM!!! After Mom passed away, I was talking to Dad. He had just been voting. Proudly Dad said that for the very 1^st time his vote counted because Mom didn’t vote to cancel him out!!! LOL LOL I told him to be careful Mom was still watching him LOL. The next time he voted Dad told me that he voted for Barack Obama. I asked him why did he voted for a Democrat? Dad said because your Mom would have wanted me to do the right thing. Dad passed before the next election.

We live in the Ybor City area. Just like in any other neighborhood we put or recycling containers out to the curb for pick up. In our neighborhood sometimes people come and dig thru the cans to get aluminum cans and take them to the recycling places for cash. One day I had taken the can out to the curb when our doorbell rang. I opened the door and there was a guy who had just gone thru our trash. He politely said “Did you know that you’re supposed to break down your boxes? You have missed a couple.” I thanked him. WOW and you thought your neighbors were TOUGH!!!

Like many places, Ybor City is full of closet Gays. We were at a VIP Merchant Social in Ybor City.  Mayor Bob and all the VIPs were there and more. We were talking with one of our favorite VIP Ybor closet cases, who we will call Mike. All of a sudden up walk one of the crazy people. We will call him Crazy Jim. In a very loud voice Crazy Jim says “I KNOW YOUR SECRET!!!” The room went quiet. Everyone thought knew what he was going to say…. Gay LOL . Mike looked flush. Crazy Jim then actually said “I know you’re a Jew just like me!” With a big smile of relief Mike said “That’s no secret, everyone knows it.”  We don’t think Crazy Jim knew he was standing in a Jewish operated business. All the managers and top staff were Jewish.   LMAO

We had been staying at home for over 2 months. One day I thought Carrie should get out. We decided to take a trip to Home Depot. We wiped down the inside of the van like an ER operating room. At Home Depot I had Carrie in a mask and wearing gloves. We were social distancing and Carrie was like a kid in a candy store. Look at this! WOW Check this Out!! On and on.  Up to the check out, to a cute guy in a mask. Carrie starts to talk and can’t stop. How are you today? It’s a beautiful day. The store looks great etc. etc. etc…. Then Carrie actually says “So..What did you make for dinner last night?” I said to Carrie “REALLY!!! Stop talking and let this guy do his job”. The check out guy started to laugh and said “Don’t worry my boyfriend is the same way. They just want to talk & talk to anybody but us. Especially when they get out of the house.” On the way to the van we both started to laugh, remembering why we all love HOMO Depot so much!

Patricia Eva “Bonnie” Pointer July 11, 1950 – June 8, 2020

Bonnie was a founding member of” The Pointer Sisters.” After leaving the group, Bonnie went on to make several solo hits including “Heaven Must Have Sent You”. One day we were at our store MC Film at The SunCoast Resort in St. Petersburg. There was a big concert that night by Bonnie Pointer. That afternoon in walked a lady wearing a Fabulous Hat and Sunglasses. She said “It smells so good in here. What are you guys cooking?”  She then lifted her sunglass and it was Bonnie Pointer.  Carrie was making his crock pot chile in the backroom. The next thing we know she is in our back room eating Carrie’s chile and laughing. Almost a year went by. Then one day Bonnie walks back into our store and says “Carrie what are you cooking now???” He was making a Hungary Beef goulash in the crock pot. Before you know it Bonnie & Carrie are in the backroom again eating and laughing. This time Bonnie brought us an autographed photo. “To Mark and Carrie we have to stop meeting like this!    Kisses from Bonnie Pointer.”  Bonnie will be missed by many including us.

My Carrie is always losing his lens cap for the camera. On time we were on a fancy cruise. Sitting at a dinner table with some interesting strangers. Carrie mentioned he has lost his camera cap again. One of the ladies there said. Just go to the front desk and ask to see the lost and found. Every time I lose my sunglasses I go there. Then pick out the most expensive pair and say that’s them! LOL After dinner Carrie said let’s stop by and see. I said really all this for a $3 cap??? When we asked the cute gay guy at the front desk smiled and came back with a big  box. Inside were at least 40+ lens caps.  Carrie said I think that one is mine. Yes, it fits too. The guy then picked out another one and said You better take this one too just in case your wrong. LMAO

The Ybor City Lamp Posts

There are many stories about the Ybor City Lamp Posts. Very little is actually recorded and written down. Here is our version of the story. This was told to us by many different people.  In the 1900’s there were 100s of Ybor City lamp style post across the City of Tampa. During World War II all the lamp posts were collected and melted down to make steel. This steel was used to make the 2nd ship called The USCGC Tampa. The first one was sunk by a German submarine in 1918 during World War 1. Then the 2^nd ship was in use until 1947.  The lamp post were all gone.

Then came urban renewal in the 1960’s.  To the horror of many in Tampa – Ybor City the Urban Renewal became known as “Burn Baby Burn”.  100’s of structures were being burned down to make way for the new urban. The Tampa Historical Society went up in arms to the mayor’s office.  It was agreed that the Former Ybor City Fire Hall was to become the Historical Museum.  The big day came and everyone went down to City Hall where the mayor signed the building over. When the group went back to Ybor City to celebrate, the build was gone! It had been knocked down the same day!   WOW WHAT A MESS!!! You can just imagine how upset the public was! This is the site of Centennial Park today in Ybor City. Later the Ferlita Bakery across the street became Ybor City Museum State Park.

The Mayor had many people very upset. About this time a federal grant came thru. It basically said that cities need to maintain a stockpile iron reserves. Hum Tampa used to have lamp posts at one time. The problem was that they were all gone. Then someone said “There is one still left in the Columbia Restaurant Court Yard dining room.” That lamp pole was used as the model.  The Mayor had Historical Reproductions of the original lamp post made and placed thru out Ybor City.  He was now back in the good graces with the Historical Society.  Today the lamp posts are valued at $60,000+ each. Tampa still has a reserve of iron too.  This is the version we remember.