"Flat Stanley!"

Over the next couple of weeks, our Blog may seem to be a bit "off topic" but I hope it will be fun for our "Blog Friends" to follow along with "Flat Stanley" as we tour Disney World and some of the local "haunts" we've come to enjoy here in central Florida. After all, many of our friends are or will be heading home in the days to come. It's hard to believe the "snowbird" season has come and gone. Soon enough I'll be taking the obligatory photos of empty campsites where so many friends gathered and so much activity took place.  Pat and I will be hanging in here a little longer this year taking in more hours at work and trying to deal with the routine heat of the summer. I suppose we'll learn to "heibernate" during the midday heat and make our way in and out of air-conditioned places. We plan to keep the "memories" alive in our Blog. Please, feel free to send a note from time to time and I'll be happy to include your thoughts/adventures in our Blog.

After reading about my brother's "adventure" with Flat Stanley and thinking this idea was quite original and full of fun for everyone, I just had to be part of Flat Stanley's "adventure." Then one day, Flat Stanley, showed up in our mail box.

First a little bit of history. Flat Stanley was introduced to "PaPa Bob" and "Nanaleen" by their Grand daughter Averi as part of the Kenneth C. Coombs Elementary School class project. I thought Flat Stanley was something new. Here's how Flat Stanley got started, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_Stanley

My brother Bob, and his awesome wife Eileen, had so much fun with Flat Stanley that I just had to do my part and show Flat Stanley the "World!"...Walt Disney World that is!

There's only one problem. I was so enamored showing Flat Stanley around ESPN Wide World of Sports I was taken back when introducing Flat Stanley to several Cast Members. I found out that many of them knew all about Flat Stanley and even acted as "Tour Guides" in and around Disney World for their Flat Stanley!

Geesh, that brought me down a peg. But, I'm pressing on after all, our favorite gnome, "Gnorm the Gnome" had quite a following as he made his way west with us a few years ago. http://gnormthegnome.blogspot.com/

So, off we went to ESPN Wide World of Sports! I arrived early for my shift and took Flat Stanley to a few notable venues in and  around the 220 acre complex.

First, he goes undercover to enter where "no person" dare go!

Flat Stanley at the 385' outfield wall of Champion Stadium a few hours before the first pitch of the Atlanta Braves game.

Then, a tour of the empty stadium. (Click on this "stitched" photo to enlarge it.)

He wanted to sit in one of the seats.

He had a celebrity "meet and greet!"

Like many guests, Flat Stanley had to have a photo at the "Globe!"

Cast Members working the turnstiles just had to have their picture taken with him.

I asked Flat Stanley if he wanted to walk out to all of the fields.

He thought it just fine to view them from the "T."

Flat Stanley couldn't believe there are 30 athletic fields in the complex.

He wanted to see what the HP Pavilion looked like inside.

Seeing as Flat Stanley is very popular with the younger generation, I introduced him to this very special young man, Scott Carter.

Scott's brief life is memorialized at ESPN Wide World of Sports by the incredible display of sports memorabilea provided by Scott's parents.

The writing below Scott's photo tells his story. (Click on the photo to enlarge it.)

The tour of the display cases left both of us humbled and honored to learn about this inspiring young man.

We headed out and Flat Stanley bid farewell to ESPN Wide World of Sports.

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In spite of all of Flat Stanley's visits to Walt Disney World by other friends...

we're still going to "Disney World!"