Time To Fall Back

Time again to turn the clocks back. Why do we do it? National Geographic has the answer.

Around Town~Weekend Events

It's all about Halloween this weekend. Flip Flips is having a Toga Party tonight complete with best and worst toga prizes. They are also having a Spooktacular Halloween Bash with prizes for best costume and runner up. Entertainment and drink specials both nights.

Tonight from 6-9pm is the History Mystery Tales & Tours, the cost is $5.00 per person or $15.00 for the whole family. You can pick up the tour at the Water Taxi.

There will also be a Halloween Scavenger Hunt on Canal Street at 2pm before the parade and costume judging.

There is a new restaurant in the Food Lion Plaza on S. Atlantic Ave. It is called Symbads, they have indoor and outdoor dining, entertainment, steaks and drinks.

Have a safe and happy Halloween and support your local business!

Southeast Volusia YMCA

The Southeast Volusia YMCA has started sign-ups for youth basketball. They are located at 148 West Turgot in Edgewater, right in front of Hawks Park, the Little League Baseball Park.

Also here is a free 7-day pass to use the facilities at the Y. This is a great way for the whole family to try out the facility before joining.

Halloween Parade On Canal Street

I promise I will be done with Halloween soon......the 35th annual Halloween parade will be held at 4pm this Saturday at Orange Avenue and Canal Street, New Smyrna Beach.

Costume judging will be held at the Chamber of Commerce parking lot. Trick or treating will be held all along Canal Street. If you are a non profit or a service group and you want to hand out candy please do so in any available space along the route!!

For more information, call (386) 424-2175

Broken.....

Bones that is....my 12 year old broke his foot yesterday playing football. He broke it yesterday morning, and then spent the day at the Daytona Speed Park, limping around. I off course did not know any of this til I picked him up in the evening. He hobbled to the car, told me it hurt a little. So I am thinking to my self, "self, how bad can it be he is not crying, whining and he is walking."

So we get home....it is swollen, black and blue and generally ugly. GREAT! Uncle Rick came over and said, yea he needs an x-ray. We iced it and I took him to the doctor this morning. Two hours, three X-rays later......it is broken. GREAT!

He is off his feet til Thursday when they will put a cast on it, if the swelling has gone down. This kid is tough, I asked him, does this not hurt? (Doc says it should be killing him). He says, "it hurts, but is not killing me." OK...GREAT!

So tonight at dinner, he tells me, "Hey Mom,(every sentence starts with Mom or Hey Mom) it looks like I have broken my first bone." Why does it seem I am the only one here who hopes it is the only bone and not just the first one......his sister who he has been ordering around since she got home from school, said...."Hey Mom, (refer back to every sentence starts with Mom or Hey Mom) if he had broken something bigger would he be in the hospital in traction?" followed by, "can't you give him a pain pill so he will shut up?"

Should be a fun 4-6 weeks here at the beach!

Decorating Today

Good news for New Smyrna Beach, Donna Miller is moving! Moving her business to New Smyrna Beach that is....Decorating Today offers you the opportunity to update your home with quality and beauty at an affordable price. They offer all types of home decor, custom window treatments including shutters, shades and blinds. All styles of furniture, lighting and recommendations to increase the value of your home. You can contact Donna at 386-847-0376 or send her an email.

Support your local business!

Sunday Stumble-Halloween

Halloween is fast approaching.....here are some interesting Halloween Sites for your Sunday Stumble.

101 Halloween Ideas - some great tips and ideas for everything from decorating to scaring the local demons as they trick or treat at your house.

Amazing Moms - some super ideas for homemade costumes, recipes, crafts and other fun stuff.

Homemade Costumes - love this one, it has ideas from readers and how to make a bunch of interesting costumes.

Where are you taking the little ghouls for trick or treating? We have a friend having a party and then the trick or treating will be in their North Beach neighborhood (our old neighborhood) so that will be our big outing for this year.......

Venezia, the very nice subdivision on the North Causeway next to the old NSB High School puts on a fabulous Halloween Celebration. Most every house is decorated, the residents hang out in their yards and driveways, some serve hot dogs, punch, it is a festival like atmosphere. The best thing to do is park at the old high school and just walk the whole neighborhood.

If you know of a safe, fun area to trick or treat please pass it on to me to share! \

Have a great week!

Weekend Events

If you cannot find something to do in New Smyrna Beach this weekend you need to move!

The Art Walk on Flagler is Saturday and features a Halloween Theme. Come on out Saturday from 10am-5pm.

Farmer's Market on Canal Street from 730am-1230pm.

Coronado Beach Elementary Fall Festival is Saturday from 9am-12pm.

The New Smyrna Beach Lions Club will have its annual autumn indoor-outdoor rummage sale on Friday, Oct. 23 and Saturday Oct. 24, beginning at 8 a.m., at the Lions clubhouse at 2340 Sunset Drive.

Samsula Woman’s Club Festival and Craft Fair will be held Oct. 24, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the SNPJ Lodge, 421 Samsula Drive, in Samsula, and will include a flea market and farmer’s market in addition to a variety of local crafters. Proceeds will benefit the Samsula Woman’s Club scholarship program. Please call Grace Daniels at (386) 426-2841 for registration information.

Volusia County Parks, Recreation, and Culture program proudly presents its annual Halloween Festival on Saturday, Oct. 24 from noon to 4 p.m at Mary Dewees Park in Oak Hill. The event is free and will include inflatables, games, a clown, snowcones, prizes and candy. There will be a free Halloween prize hunt at 4 p.m. for children ages two to ten.

The American Legion Riders Post 285 in Edgewater will be hosting a barbecue on Saturday, Oct. 24 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. The public is welcome, and for $6 diners can enjoy a pulled pork dinner including sides and dessert. Proceeds will benefit the “Gifts of Love” toys for Christmas program. The Post is located at 2105 S. Ridgewood Drive, adjacent to Peggy’s Restaurant.

There will be a rib dinner at the United Church of Christ, 203 Washington Street on Saturday, Oct. 24 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The menu includes succulent ribs, hash brown casserole, cole slaw, beverage and dessert. The cost is $8 per person and everyone is welcome.

The New Smyrna Beach Public Library has the folloing things to offer in the coming days:

Free Computer Classes at the New Smyrna Beach Regional Library.
E-mail and attachments will be offered at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28.
Class will be in the library auditorium. For more information or to register, please call (386) 424-2910, ext. 104, or stop by the library’s information desk.

I’m not afraid of . . . BATS! will celebrate the fact, fiction and fantasy surrounding bats. It will be from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 28, for ages 4 - 10. Games and a craft will be offered. Pre-registration is required. New Smyrna Beach Regional Library is located at 1001 S. Dixie Freeway, or go online to www.volusialibrary.org

The Witches’ Halloween Party will feature a puppet show by Bonnie’s Puppet Palace. Children ages 4 - 10 are invited to attend the party from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 29 at the NSB Regional Library.

New Smyrna Beach Regional Library is located at 1001 S. Dixie Freeway.

Have a great weekend and remember to support your local business!

Your Tax Dollars At Work

There are two super annoying road projects going on right now. One on each causeway, I cross the South Causeway each day at 7am to take my son to his bus. The last two mornings there are these three brilliant looking flagman standing in the right lane waving flags and slow signs. Not one, but three. So if the giant neon flashing arrow that is mounted on this supersize truck that is directing you to the left lane is not enough to get you over, these three geniuses will do the trick.....keep in mind, all of the work is on the shoulder, the right lane is not even involved. WOW.....

So on my return trip I take the North Causeway...this is now known as CONE World. The entire road from Riverside Drive to the actual drawbridge is divided by cones. The center lane and both driving lanes. They are tearing up the pavement and replacing it....now since it is really not clear which lane they want you to drive in this would be where the aforementioned geniuses that are waving like idiots on the South Causeway would come in really handy...

Welcome To Fall

Black Cat Ball

3RD ANNUAL BLACK CAT BALL

The OM Bar is once again having the biggest Halloween Party on Flagler. This charity event is part of the sponsorship of the wonderful people at No Pet Left Behind. The gala starts at 8PM and the party continues until 2AM!

Along with the Black Cat Ball, there will be six other big bashes along Flagler Ave. There will be costume contests, drink specials and well over $5,000 in cash and prizes. The OM Bar's Black Cat Ball offers the LARGEST PRIZE!

There will be a charity raffle to raise money for the No Pet Left Behind NSB Feral Cat Spay and Neuter Fund. Last year the raffle raised over $2,000 and the grand prize winner rode off in a brand new scooter. This years prizes are even better. Dust off your costumes and get out there and party!

Please support your local business!

Happy Birthday...

....to me that is. Another year has passed, I usually use the birthday as the start of a new year as opposed to the actual new year. Less competition on those resolutions. I was chatting with my kids last night, looking back on the past year and we decided we came through ok. It has not been an easy year and if not for good friends and better relatives we would have been in trouble.

Accomplishments, my kids both have straight A's and are thriving in school and sports. My son loves to volunteer at the local community meal and my daughter wants to save every animal she sees...and I was short of cash the other day and my daughter brought me her wallet and handed me $200.00, she said pay me back when you can. She is ten years old. Good kid.

Not so great, my recruiting business has never been more dismal, I have made less than one fourth what I made at this time last year. On the upside a good friend offered me a position doing a similar type of work that still allows me to spend as much time with the kids as I want to. I am not sure how single parents who work a regular full time job do it, homework, sports, tennis, riding, laundry, cleaning, dinner, blah, blah, blah. (more on that topic later)

What is happening for the big birthday today, well, my daughter got up at 5am to make me breakfast. I talked her into going back to bed and making it at a more civilized time, say 8am! We are all going to a local nursing home to visit with the residents as part of a Faith In Action day at our church. Later dinner with friends, then I had hoped it would be over and we could forget I am a year older. That is not to be, a proper birthday celebration will be taking place later in the week, I am looking forward to finding out what that entails and will let you know....well I might let you know...

Stay tuned over the next year for more info, events and stuff about New Smyrna Beach....

Venetian Bay Art Show

The second annual Venetian Bay Art Show will be held at the town square in Venetian Bay this weekend. Saturday from 9am-5pm and Sunday from 10am-4pm. Come check out lots of great local artists and vendors including one of our local favorites, Kraut Art. The weather will be gorgeous this weekend for a stroll through Venetian Bay.

Benefit for Chris Miller

This Sunday starting at 9am there will be a benefit golf tournament for Chris Miller at Hidden Lakes Golf Club. Chris is a local 41 year old, mother of 3 who was recently diagnosed with Leber's disease, this is a rare genetic disorder of the eye. Two months ago she woke up one morning to changed eyesight. Since that day eight short weeks ago she has lost her central vision completely. Chris has several other family members with the condition who are now totally blind. There is an alternative treatment available in China that has shown promise in others when completed while some vision remains. A local group is trying to raise $30,000 in order for Chris to get this treatment.

Along with the golf tournament there will be a silent auction in the clubhouse with an assortment of Vera Bradley bags, Brighton bags, jewelry, hotel and restaurant certificates, even a week stay in a NC Mountain Cabin.

Some more information on Chris is available on her Fight For Sight website. You an also follow along on Facebook by becoming a member of the Fight For Sight Group here.

Wounded Warrier Project Benefit

Music Industry Legend Charlie Daniels will perform in an outdoor music festival on Saturday, Oct. 17th, during Daytona Biketoberfest. Also performing will be RCA Recording Artist Chuck Wicks, as well as National Recording artist, The Lost Trailers.

This event is being presented by WKRO Kro Country, Dustin’s BBQ, Rue & Ziffra and Waverly Property Group. The Edgewater Ranch at the intersection/exit of I-95 and SR-442 will open at 4pm.


The concert will benefit the Wounded Warrior Project

There will be food and drinks at this outdoor music festival, along with plenty of free parking.

“Jam for America” tickets are $10 in advance and $15 on day of show, and are available at any Brevard or Volusia County Dustin’s Bar-B-Q Restaurant. Kids 12 and under are FREE.

For more information and tickets visit Jam For America or contact Horizon Events at 386-322-3600 for information regarding sponsorship opportunities, vendor space or concert details.

Healthcare

Are you sick of this debate yet? Yes, I am sure you are as sick of it as I am. I am sitting here looking at a letter from my insurance company telling me my rate is going up, not a surprise really, but a bit ridiculous. I work for myself, so I pay for my own healthcare, I have a primary care doctor for my self and my children, I do not go to the emergency room for routine care and I make sure to do all the recommended preventative care.

I pay $77.00 per month or $924.00 per year for my 12 year old son, he has been to the doctor twice in two years, once for a physical and once for a flu shot. My daughter is 10 and I pay $69.00 per month or $828.00 per year for her, she has been to the doctor once for a physical and flu shot. I think their policies are reasonable. My individual policy was 338.00 per month the first year, the second year it went to $438.00 and today I received notification that it will be going up to $538.00 per month beginning in December. WHAT?? That is almost 6500.00 per year. I am not sure who can afford that but it is not me.

So now I have to decide if I want to try and figure out how to pay that ridiculous amount a month for a so-so insurance policy or join the other 46 million people that do not have medical insurance. Not a great choice and I don't see any progress by our brilliant government to fix the healthcare mess anytime soon.

Depressing.

Around Town-Upcoming Events

There are a lot of things to do in the coming week around town.....

Biketoberfest of course......runs from October 15th thru the 18th, lots of events are taking place including Charlie Daniels at the Edgewater Ranch on October 17th.

Chili & Chaps will be held Saturday, October 17th on Flagler Ave, 20 Chili Vendors will serve up their best chili recipes, there will be bike parking from Pine St to Atlantic Avenue, prizes will be awarded. It starts at 12noon and all proceeds go to the NSB Athletic Department. If you want more info or to participate in the event contact Gary at The Seahorse Inn. 386-428-8081.

Stay tuned, more events to come!

Pumpkin Patch

The Edgewater United Methodist Church and the Coronado United Methodist Church, have both opened their Pumpkin Patches for business!!!

Billfish Invitational

The 11th Annual Billfish Invitational will be held this weekend in New Smyrna Beach. It runs October 8th-11th. You can find the schedule and more information on the website. Brannon Center will be the headquarters for this big fishing event!

Public Meeting

Don't forget the Public Meeting tonight at Brannon Center at 5:00pm to discuss the speed and crosswalks on South Atlantic! Bring a friend.....

Musicians On Call

This month the 12for12k Challenge is supporting Musicians on Call.

Musicians On Call, a nonprofit organization formed in 1999, brings live and recorded music to the bedsides of patients in healthcare facilities. Musicians On Call uses music to promote and complement the healing process for patients, families and caregivers.

Musicians On Call was originally founded by Michael Solomon and Vivek Tiwary in the course of their volunteer work with The Kristen Ann Carr Fund at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

After a concert sponsored by the Kristen Ann Carr Fund, a hospital staff member raised the issue that some of the patients had been unable to attend the performance either because they were in treatment or too sick to leave their rooms. In response, Michael, Vivek and the musician went from room to room to play for those patients who had been unable to attend the concert. The one-on-one interaction of patient and musician created a crucial intimacy; the expressions on the faces of friends and family members at the patients' bedsides revealed a deep sense of connection and release. Musicians On Call was born!

For more information on how you can help 12for12k reach their goal and support this wonderful charity hit the 12for12k website.

Police Athletic League Car Wash

The New Smyrna Beach Police Athletic League needs your support! They are holding three car washes in the area, any and all donations will be accepted and you will leave with a sparkling clean car!

The first one is this Saturday from 10am-1pm at Massey Services, this is next to Pub 44 on SR44. The cheerleaders will be washing the cars at this one. The weather will be perfect this weekend so get out there and get clean!

The second one will be run by the players and coaches from all sports as well as the Board of Directors. It will be Saturday, October 17th from 10am-2pm. It is also being held at Massey Services. WSBB Radio will be there broadcasting live.

The third and final chance you have this year to get that car washed and support NSB PAL is November 7th from 10am-2pm at the Chick-Fil-A in Edgewater.

The Police Athletic League supports the community in so many ways...get out and support them and get that dirty car washed!