I Get Around

blogging, summer 43 comments

What do you do to be involved in the community?

When my niece was 16, she and her family lived on the barrier island in Boca Raton, FL. Their’s was a beach lifestyle; surfing, Jimmy Buffet, a profusion of tropical flowers, even a yellow-napped Amazon parrot, Diablo. Diab is still going strong at 55.

The one thing Annika didn’t have was a jeep.

Her dad… my brother Doug… wrapped up the maintenance manual for a Wrangler for her 17th birthday. She opened it with a mystified look.

“It’s so when you GET a jeep, we’ll know how to maintain it,” he explained.

“Oh,” she said.

No fuss, just a calm acceptance; that’s the kind of kid she was. He did, however, have a gently used jeep wrapped up with a big bow in front of the garage.

The jeep has changed names and hands several times. It moved out to Texas. Then back to Florida. Then up to Tennessee to her sister’s.

A month ago, her sister calls me. “Hey, Uncle D,” she says. “Brandon and I don’t really use the Jeep that much. Would you like it?”

I had to stop and think. Hmm. Free jeep? A cool minimalist retro classic with 5-speed stick and a pioneer CD player/radio?

Sigh… OK, I said. I can probably help you out…this time. 😉

So now it’s got a new home at our house. And as I drive it on the beach down at the coast, I’ll think about the little community within our branch of the family who’ve put a few…or many…of those sun-and-fun miles on her.

And hope that both she and Diab are still going strong in another 25 years 😎

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© My little corner of the world 2025 | Darryl B | All rights reserved

43 comments

    1. Thanks, Lisa! I gotta say, I am blessed with some very cool folks in our clan. We’ve had a ton of fun through the years 😉

      Thanks much for reading and the nice comment 😎

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  4. I was bitten by the heading “I get around” 😊 made me think of the beach boys, and just as I was cruising along in my mind, singing the tune, I was met by these wonderful humble people showing such humility and joy with gratitude and love. What a lovely unpretentious, caring, loving kind family showing what true loyalty and love is. Beautiful post Darryl. Nice to have met you whilst surfing the internet highways 😊

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    1. White dove, what an awesome comment! Made my day 😎 I really am blessed with a very cool fam and I’m so flattered to be the next caretaker of the Jeep. Very excited!

      It was nice to meet you as well! Thx much again for the kind words ❤️

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      1. Thank you for your kind words. You’re most welcome Darryl. I know and can feel how happy and grateful you are and yes, you truly are blessed with a lovely family. I appreciate your response. Wishing you miles and miles of happy journeys, and whilst out surfing, give the beautiful Dolphins a kiss from me. I love them. Have swam with them in Malta. What an experience. 🐬❤️

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    1. Mike, thanks for the nice comment and positive thoughts! There are a ton of dolphin near my surf break, and God is always watching out for me 😉 I’m so stoked, always wanted one! Can’t wait to show the locals 😎

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    1. Thanks, Tim! I am so stoked, always wanted one, finally got one. I’ll hoist a cold one in your direction when I have her on the beach with a full summer moon rising 😎

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    1. Thanks, Hazel! Yeah, my brother doesn’t need it much in the ‘burbs of Austin, TX… my niece apparently didn’t use it that much over in TN… but either fishing, surfing or lugging my telescope to dark-sky beaches, I hope to put the old lass to good use!

      Thx for reading and commenting! 😎

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      1. Yeah, it’s better to use than to keep in the garage. Mostly, the things that are abandoned even if it’s still functioning will damage forever. It feels like they have feelings, too.🤭🤩

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    1. Shamila, yes, I’m def stoked! Can’t wait to try it out at the beach. Who knows who else in the family will end up owning her one day?

      Thanks again for reading and commenting.😎

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    1. Thanks, James! Yeah, I’m pretty stoked…can’t wait to see how she does on the beach. Just in time for summer! 😎

      Thanks as always for reading and the nice comment! 😎

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    1. Mary, lol! Yes, you’re supposed to carry some little rubber ducks (like a kid’s bath tub toy) and leave one on the hood of another Jeep. 😎

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    1. (Barney Fife voice) “Welllll, it was a big job, but somebody hadda step up…” 😉😂 It’s so much fun, can’t wait to try it on the beach!

      Thanks for reading and commenting 😎

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  16. A great story.

    My dream was to own a Jeep Rubicon, but two things stopped me: I am very hard of hearing, and they create a lot of road noise; and at 81, a Rubicon could take me places where I really shouldn’t be driving. 😁

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    1. Yes, they’re the big ones in the Jeep family and like my brother’s daughter, my middle daughter used to look longingly at them, esp down at the beach.

      Two things stopped us as well: 1) my wife read they tip over rather easily (no idea if it’s true or not, but it “became” true once she read it 😂); and 2) the price. When we were looking a few years back, even a used one was $40-50K. But you can’t beat free and I’ll let her run it down to the beach with her friends 😎

      Thanks for reading and commenting… nice to have a few WP friend! 🙂

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