Lizard Hall

Christine sat on her living room couch just inside the front door of Lizard Hall at 9 am on a sunny March day. The Gulfport Pink Flamingo Home Tour was coming to Delette Ave. South, and she was up much earlier than usual so she could speak to her guests. "Welcome to Lizard Hall," she said, "Please enjoy your visit to my lovely home." And why do you call it Lizard Hall, someone inquired? "There is a wonderful children's story called "The Wind in the Willows," Christine said, "and in it, Toad Hall is known as a place of great hospitality. I hope guests will feel the same about my home."

The morning passed, the temperature rose, Christine drank many glasses of water, and continued to greet a stream of visitors. Lizard Hall was one of the homes at the beginning of the tour, so, after lunch, there were fewer folks to greet. One couple came in and sat down next to Christine on the couch and said: "This morning when we walked down the street we went into House #6 across the way, first, and during the tour were told that it and your house were mirror images, so we decided to skip Lizard Hall. At lunch, however, we sat with another couple that asked us what we thought about House #5 -- your house, Christine, and we said: Oh, we skipped it because we thought it would be pretty much like the mirror image one across the street. Well! they said, we suggest you go back!! Don't miss House #5!!!

After the tour was over, and as Christine relaxed with a glass of something stronger than water, she said: "When I write my autobiography, the chapter about Lizard Hall will be titled "Don't Miss House #5!"

From the 2006 Gulfport Pink Flamingo Home Tour.