Onward | Simple Times in an Alternate Universe

Thoughts from the editor

Members of the "Rocky Horror Picture How" perform on Thursday, October, 24 2024 at the Richey Suncoast Theatre in downtown NPR. PHOTO | MICHELE MILLER

BY MICHELE MILLER
What’s What New Port Richey

It’s been an unreal kind of existence these past few weeks as the-day-to-day rolls on amid the devastation that will not be over and done with for many in our community for a very long time.

Life is a series of contrasts that often play out because of simple dumb luck. Where you were born. Where you live. Where Mother Nature veers.

A couple of storms that leave a fair share of locals still reeling weeks later while others are barely scathed brings it home.

We’re living in an alternate universe.

That’s how I’ve heard it described – how it felt in a magnified way on Thursday, September 24th when I spent the morning touring the new Pasco Hope temporary shelter in Holiday the county is opening for displaced members of the community, and the evening enjoying and joining in a bit, on the spectacle at The Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Richey Suncoast Theatre.

It was pretty amazing they pulled it off at all and sold out some of their shows.

( Great job by the way from a now former V)

It felt good to be out and to laugh. I needed it. We needed it.

A couple of days later I spent a lovely day in Sims Park where the City of New Port Richey miraculously pulled off a Centennial Celebration over two days.

Missed out on the Saturday events and what I am hearing from others, was a very cool drone show.

I did get to lay out a blanket on a pleasant Sunday and spend some down time listening to the sounds of Santana, taking in the paddling witches and warlocks paddle on the Pitlachasotee River, and munching on a not-on-my-diet hot dog smothered in relish and mustard and cooked up by the Local Rotary Club who are donating the proceeds to storm victims.

It felt good to be out and about. To connect with others. To take a breather.

Today it’s the morning after Halloween. I have pretty much finished off the left-over fun-size Twix bars. That’s not a bad way to celebrate your 44th wedding anniversary I figure, thinking that with just a dozen or so trick-or-treaters that visited last night, I’ll spring out full-size candy bars next year.

I used to love “that house.”

Happy to see the kids dressed up as Beetlejuice, cats, Buzz Lightyear, a basketball hoop (clever), and Anxiety from the movie Inside Out 2 because life is moving some to the way things used to be, even if the sidewalks are still with piles of brown and wilted storm debris waiting to be picked up.

It felt like simple times in an alternate universe.

Like taking a step back was taking a step forward.

Now Onward.

Peace. M





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