It seems we had just moved in and the Welcome Wagon showed up--I mean the second day maybe--this nice lady carrying a basket loaded with coupons and freebies-I mean a lot of stuff--it was 1958 nearly August and in Sept., I would start Jr. High--7th grade--Glenridge Jr.I had a month to learn the lay of the land--I hopped on my bike and started exploring right away-this town called Winter Park Florida.
It was a beautiful place--there were orange groves and flowers and plants like I had never seen before and lakes everywhere--oh yeah plenty of fishing spots--
Dad didn't waste time either--he not only started a new job but impressed his co-workers right off the bat with his ability and take charge attitude--I think he started climbing the ladder before he walked in the door--Something else dad did--he found us a boat somewhere-for 35.00.Dad was a fisherman and wasn't going to let any grass grow undwer his feet--We had brought the 10 h.p motor down with us as well---The boat was made of cypress wood--18 feet long by 33 inches wide--it tapered toward the bow--was about 14/15 inches high on the sides-the bow curved up slightly--a great boat for sliding down banks into the lakes---Dad called it a river Batou--he would know--having grown up on the Chattahooche river in Ga.in the town of Fort Gaines. more later Codgerman