Best Shopping Day

11/11/2023

Chuck and I decided to watch a movie in honor of Veterans Day. We chose the movie “Sands of Iwo Jima” because of my hometown’s most famous veteran Boots Thomas. I’ve seen this movie before, but did not notice what was written in its beginning credits. It is below. Sgt. Thomas led a group of men up there to raise a flag. He would die three days later on Iwo Jima.

11/10/2023

Mark your calendars for this Monday, November 13, at the Jefferson County Courthouse at 6:30 pm. Monticello and Jefferson County continues to celebrate our sesquicentennial—the 200th birthday of our founding.

John Finlayson, whose family has been here since the 1830s, will talk about who they were, where they came from, who they brought with them, when they came, and who their offspring are today who still live in the county. Unlike my people who were cattlemen and yoemen farmers (Florida’s middle class), John’s people were plantation society.

Several local author books will be for sale, including my first book in the “Palmetto Pioneers” series and books by Rebekah Sheats. Plan to attend! There is no better way to learn about the history and culture of this area.

11/06/2023

Jefferson county, you’re going to love this! John Finlayson is one of the most interesting people I have ever known. If not the best speaker!

10/19/2023

Rest in peace, Senor Tomas!

You are one of our special teachers. We knew you had been suffering from dementia, when you weren’t able to attend our 50th reunion.

Anytime I ran into you on the streets, you would stop and say, “buenos dias or Buenos tardes, Cinda. Como estas?”

So now we must say, “Adios mi amigo, hasta que nos volvamos a encontrar.”

10/02/2023

For classmates in or near Tallahassee! Come see me!

Join me this Sunday at 1-3 pm at Goodwood Museum and Gardens in their Rough Cottage at Argonaut Coffee. I will be reading from my book “Palmetto Pioneers: The Emigrants.”

The book’s setting is the same era as when the big house at Goodwood was built, during an important time in Florida’s history, the state’s quest for statehood! Goodwood was known as a place where Florida’s elected leaders frequently met in Tallahassee.

09/22/2023

In 9th grade, a group of students from Aucilla and Wacissa joined us. Their schools graduated them at the end of their 8th grade year. One of those students was Carol Williams. We’ve been friends ever since.

Last weekend we got together to visit for a couple of days. The first photo below was made in 1969. Carol is on the end and I am between my dad and mom. Mom is holding my baby sister Linda.

The second photo, 50+ years later than the first photo, was from earlier this week. We had a great visit.

09/14/2023

You guys will appreciated this! Or not!

36.2K likes, 2650 comments. “ill never take gps for granted again”

08/09/2023

It seems like my only posts lately are with sad news. This one is no different. Our high school librarian Lynda Weand Makin passed away on August 4th. She was 80 years old. Please join me in sympathy for her family Wayne and Melissa.

My family was particularly close to her and Wayne. My father was best man in their wedding. My sisters and I called them Wayne and Lynda outside of school, but we were told we had to call her Ms. Weand or later Mrs. Makin at school.

06/17/2023

The watermelon festival might have been canceled, but it didn’t stop the crowds from coming downtown. These photos were taken at the new bar called The Social which had outside music in their parking lot on the courthouse Square. 

05/21/2023

Also, I heard today that our classmate Diane Branch passed away a couple days ago. I’ll pass on more info when received.