Hello everyone, after a fairly tough time and many personal dificulties, I
am returning to the list and life in general. In reference to the on-going
discussions about dealers and such I have found that personally I would
never buy a shell unless I can touch it, feel it, look at it checking for
alterations and such. Having met and dealt with the Lipes I can persoanlly
attest that they are the most helpful, straightforward shellers I have ever
met. Not only will they provide a customer with a quality product be it a
specimem or gear to collect specimens, they will give tips and help one find
the most appropriate equipment for their task, not necessarily the most
expensive. Spend a few minutes with them and you'll realize their love of
mollusks and the hunt. Last but not least I am looking for others in the
South Florida area to plan expeditions in the fall and winter to collect
mollusk fossils and otherwise scour the beaches from Goodland North to the
Panhandle for live specimens.  I do not have reliable transportation at this
time so I am looking to team up with others. Yes, I know there are very good
shell clubs in Dade and Broward but I work nights and can't make regular
meetings. I can plan trips in advance and I'm looking for others who want to
have some fun this winter and possibly plan and create some interesting
exhibits for the 2001 - 2002 shell shows. I have an idea for a live exhibit.
Interested parties e-mail me at <[log in to unmask]> rather than the
list. Any future visitors to the So. Fla. area please contact me for
suggestions or other assistance.  It's good to be back.....good tidings (pun
intended) Michael Huggins, Sunrise FL
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