New Year Eve

I went through the wonderful Christmas gifts and put away things.  Like Christmas all over again!  We stayed home for New Year Eve.  Had some treats and champagne at midnight and watched the New Year Celebration on TV.

Dark and dank in Florida

Back to Bushnell today and to CVS and Walmart.  We spent almost $100 for groceries - we NEVER even come close to that amount.  We had used up a lot of stuff before our trip and I got food for a few meals.

It has been a cold and rainy day with heavy clouds, you would think we were back in MN except it is warmer by a bit.  We are both so tired yet even though we have had enough sleep, hope we aren't coming down with the respiratory  flu that is going around the RV park.


Convince me of this:

Washer woman

Unpacked and washed and washed.  Used my little MH washer all I could.  The campground laundry had no hot water so we went into Bushnell and did 5 loads, otherwise I would still be washing.  The MH is still a mess, lots to put away and haven't even touched our wonderful gifts yet.

Home in Florida

We left Clarksville at 6:30 AM.  Was a hard day of driving again but at least the roads were OK.  We got into a little rain from time to time.  There were a lot of RV's on the road heading south.  We took a different road than usual south of Nashville.  Turned out OK, but then we took some back roads in Florida, it was dark and nearly got lost.  We finally go to the interstate which was bumper to bumper.  We got home about 8:30 PM.  All was well with the MH.  We didn't take long to get to bed again.  Everything can wait to unpack.

Snow on the roads

We left our hotel at 3 AM ---- yes 3 AM.  Heavy snow was coming down.  The hotel didn't have coffee in their 24 hour coffee pot so we went on to a McDonald's and got a breakfast sandwich as well.  It was nearly 4 AM by the time we were out of the cities.  Roads were bad, just ruts in the snow.  Some places a plow had come through but some time ago.  When we got to Iowa roads
improved, they weren't getting so much snow.  We exited to take the diagonal and slowly the snow got to be less and less so by the time we got to Cedar Rapids the roads were just wet.  We were in and out of the rain all day.  We stayed in Clarksville again, first we stopped for dinner and then went to our motel, got there about 8 PM.  We were in bed by 9 PM.  I didn't think I could sleep that early but next thing I knew my alarm was going off at 5 AM.

Not this bad-----

Telling family goodbye

We are ready to head south tomorrow.  Had dinner with the family and also pre-celebrated Josh's 18th birthday.  Sad to leave, time to go (snow is coming)!

Christmas 2014

Christmas Day started with brunch and gifts at our Daughter's home.  Then to her in-laws family for a super dinner - turkey, ham, all the extras!  

We got many, many fine gifts that we will enjoy all year.  Our family is way too generous!  

In the evening I talked to our family in South Dakota and niece Laurie whose son died a week ago.  How hard the day must has been for her.

Christmas Eve

What is Christmas Eve without church.  We went with our daughter and family.  The church was beautifully decorated and lots of music.  Afterward we had a crape/fondue dinner at their house.  A memorable Christmas Eve!

Elves and salad

We went to downtown Minneapolis for Macy's animated Christmas display with Sheila and Brenda and families.  Then it was the top floor for the great salad bar.  Fun day.  We just got ahead of the crowds for both the display and the salad bar.

Shopping in the rain

Did some shopping today, even for a Monday a lot of people were in the stores.  In the evening we went to the Dennis' for dinner and visiting!

It rained all day - yes, in Minnesota it rained.  Heard we got about half an inch.

The Dennis' tree ----

Sunday in MN

Don got to go to his Sunday Services "Menards".  Also went to CVS when we were out, will save other shopping for tomorrow.  Had dinner at Panda Express.  A good day to take a nap and catch up on your sleep from the trip and the bad night in Williamsburg.

MN for Christmas

After our unpleasent motel stay we had a great breakfast at Seven Corners.  We had their family meal, so much good food.  Then it was on the road to MN, about a 5 hour trip.  We stopped for lunch - an ice cream cone.

The weather held up, got a little rain/ice but nothing on the highway.

The Grandstay hotel where we have stayed before has been redecorated and is nice and fresh!

Brenda, Rebecca and Sheila came to our hotel this evening to visit us.  Great to see them again!!!

Amana Iowa

Another long day on the road - we left Clarksville about 8 AM and arrived in Williamsburg, Iowa at 5 PM.

We ate at Ronnenburgs in Amana this evening.  We had corned beef wrapped around a dill pickle and baked in gravy, can't remember the German name.  Ate too much as usual!

Best Inn Cozy House Williamsburg Iowa

What a disappointment.  We thought we were getting a special motel and it turned out to be no better than a Super 8 with a high price.  The bed was awful, dipped in the middle.  Old furniture, a table to put the computer on but no chair - we had to move the coffee table over for a chair.  No hair blow dryer, it has been probably 15 years sense I have been to a motel with no dryer.

Then the breakfast, it you can call it that.  Juice was sour, coffee was not fresh brewed but the kind that is made from concentrate.  Toaster waffles, cereal and that was about it.

We will never stay there again = NEVER.

Very sad news

We got the news that our nephew age 28 died of an overdoes of drugs mixed with alcohol yesterday.  It is such sad news as he was a great guy.  Our hearts go out to his mom and dad.

Today we started our trip to MN, spending the night in Clarksville, TN.  It was a long hard day driving through both Atlanta and Nashville.  No major cities tomorrow just more hours on the road to Iowa.  We are super tired so early to bed tonight at the Roadway Inn.  We left at 7AM eastern time and arrived at 5:30 central time.

Oakwood Smokehouse

After a day of packing for our trip to Minnesota, we went out to eat at the Oakwood Smokehouse with several couples from the park to say goodbye to friends who are moving further south.  Was a fun time a good BQ ribs.

Sunday Sun

I have warm sunshine thankfully to warm us up inside.  Record breaking cold air in Florida.  The lows have been in the 30's for days.

It was out to breakfast, read the papers and go to ice cream in the clubhouse.

Nutcrackers

Don helped prepare breakfast at the clubhouse again today.  They had hash-browns with onions, mushrooms and cheese - very good.  Also scrambled eggs and sausage.  

In the afternoon we went with some friends to Spring Hill to a play at the Community Playhouse called Nutcrackers.  One of the Nunsence series.  It was good and fun.  Afterward we all ate at the Buffet City (Chinese).  A fun afternoon!!!

Florida winter wonderland

Finally I got gifts wrapped today and ready to take to MN.  Most years when I wrap gifts it is way too hot.  This year it is cold so the work warmed me.  We went to the clubhouse for dinner of turkey and noodles, good bread pudding dessert.

Tampa today and yet another motorhome joke

We took advantage of the nice weather for a trip to Tampa.  Had lunch at my favorite Sweet Tomatoes.  Then it was Lazy Days RV and Camping World.  Those two were for Don!

New Motorhome joke

We went to Brooksville for hair cuts and also ONE MORE TRIP TO KOHL's.  Ate lunch and brought home Subways for dinner.  The weather has finally gotten nice again - cool, not much humidity and sun!

Been there ----

Fog rain

The fog was so heavy this morning it was more like light rain.  It stayed cloudy all day.  We went for breakfast at Denny's and ice cream at the clubhouse later in the afternoon.  Read our two Sunday papers and grilled some pork chops.  Usual Sunday---

The main street of Belle Fourche, SD as I remember it from my childhood.  It always seemed magical to small town me.

Crazy weather!

The day started out with fog which became thick by noon.  Then it lifted and the sun shown and then we suddenly were getting rain.

We went to Brooksville for dinner, tired of fast or nearly fast food.  We ate at Ruby Tuesdays and had some good ribs.  On the way home the sky was clear and we could see the full moon rising.  Beautiful!

Then it rained again.

Dinner in Dade City

It rained on and off today, very humid as only Florida can be (well maybe Minnesota in the summer).

We mostly stayed home until we went to dinner at Captain D's in Dade City a little way south of here.  It is getting busy with the returning snow birds, probably won't be able to get a seat in January.  That is until after 6 PM when the old folks leave.

I have no idea, just saw this on Facebook:

Clermont Escapees lunch

We went to Clermont to the Escapees lunch at Golden Corral today.  Then it was off to Kohl's and Target for more Christmas shopping.  Couldn't find one thing so will be ordering it from Target.  Someday I will be done, hopefully before Christmas.


 

Problems solved

Don got on the roof today, cleaned and oiled the air conditioner and now it works well!  I kept investigating on the internet how to fix the inverter.  We tried several suggestions and we still had the loud hum.  Finally we tried "reset" - the hum went away!!!  Now we hope both problems stay in the past.

Problems around the MH

We have been trying to diagnose and fix problems around the RV.  Our inverter has suddenly started making a loud humming sound and our front air conditioner doesn't work.  Never ask what next!

I have been wearing contact lens for 50 years and never lost one until yesterday.  My eye had been red and itching so that might have been the problem.  I had to call my eye doctor and order a new one.

We went to Walmart for groceries and a little Christmas shopping otherwise stayed home.

Nothing ever happens at Sumter Oaks until yesterday!

Nothing ever happens at our campground - until yesterday.

We were sitting in the MH reading when a helicopter went overhead at a low altitude, not unusual.  Then it kept circling overhead.  We could see it said "Sheriff" on the side.  So this is the rest of the story:



SUMTER COUNTY -- 

Sumter County deputies say the man who shot and injured two women Saturday is dead, leaving questions for investigators.

At 1:35 p.m. deputies say they received a call in reference to trespassing. The caller told dispatchers 39-year-old Michael Brown, Texas, was trespassing on her property. Deputies say before they arrived, the caller screamed and the call was disconnected.

Moments later, another call came in from the same location stating that two women had been shot and that the suspect ran into the woods.

Deputies arrived at 1:43 p.m., and say while tending to the victims they heard gunshots in the woods behind the house.

Deputies called for medical transport, along with activating SWAT and K-9 teams. The Lake County Sheriff's Office helicopter, Eagle 1, also helped with the search.

Deputies say the first victim, a 35-year-old woman, was airlifted to Ocala Regional Medical Center believed to be in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the chest. The second victim, a 21-year-old female, was driven by ambulance to St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa after being shot in the shoulder and is believed to be in stable condition.

While deputies were setting up the perimeter and beginning to search for the suspect, it was reported that Brown was seen in his vehicle on County Road 683.

During their search of the area, deputies located Brown's vehicle with an open trunk, just south of Sumter Oaks RV park on County Road 673 at approximately 4:41 p.m.

As deputies set a perimeter, they say Eagle 1 reported a person about 100 feet from the vehicle in the woods that wasn't moving.

Deputies approached and discovered Michael Brown's body. They say it appeared Brown had tied jumper cables to a tree, then around his neck in order to hang himself. However, investigators say there was a handgun under the man's feet and said it's possible Brown shot himself, but they won't know until after the autopsy is performed on Sunday.

 “This thing started off as an attempted homicide and we are looking at it as such, but there is also the suicide investigation,” said Lt. Bobby Caruthers, Sumter County Sheriff's Office. 

Black Friday

Black Friday!!!  After searching tons of advertisements in yesterdays newspaper we went in the hunt of gifts and deals.  First Kohl s, then Target and CVS Pharmacy.  After Kohl s it was a rest break at McDonald's for coffee and a breakfast sandwich.  After CVS we went to Panera  for flat-bread sandwiches and salad.  The crowds weren't too bad.  I didn't get near everything but got a good start on Christmas shopping.  Now my cyber shopping begins.

Thanksgiving Day

We had dinner at our campground clubhouse.  While there were a lot of people there, we sat with 4 other couples at a double table and brought our own sides - the park furnished turkey and gravy.  We had lots of food and ate far too much but that is Thanksgiving.

Afterward a nap, dishes to wash and then relax.  A nice day.

Rain rain

We got over 7 inches of rain today.  Sometimes it came down so hard we couldn't see across the street.  3 to 4 inches was forecast.  Thankfully we have sandy soil here in Florida so all the water disappears quickly.  Some places have flooding problems.

Now it will be cool for a few days with cold nights but hopefully we will have lower humidity.

We went grocery shopping to day for Thanksgiving food I am taking to the dinner.  We went early so there were not too many people at the store.

Humid Saturday

Met with people (women half) we are eating Thanksgiving Dinner with to decide what each one is bringing.  Turkey and gravy are furnished at the clubhouse.  I am making green bean casserole and cranberry sauce as well as taking jelled cranberry sauce and pickles/olives.

We went to Wildwood for dinner at Steak and Shake and rented a movie The Doubles.  After starting the movie we realized we had seen it before but couldn't remember the outcome.  Must have been an old movie, hard to find a good new movie.

It rained on and off all day so the humidity was very high, had the air conditioner on just to take the moisture out of the motorhome.

Looks like a painting but I have been here and can attest that it is real.  Smoky Mt. National Park

Week in review

Wednesday we went to Texas Road House in Brooksville for dinner.  Also did a walk-threw of Sam's Club and stopped at Publix Foods for one of their good pumpkin pies.  Thursday we went to dinner at the clubhouse, was good but very rich!

Other than eating we have been trying to keep warm.  It got down to 32 degrees two nights in a row with cool days.  Now it is warm and will be too warm soon.

Daughter Brenda on right and bonus granddaughter Kazia on left.

Good advise!

Sunday Sunday

Breakfast at Cracker Barrow, we had their new Berry French Toast and it was wonderful.  Later we went to the clubhouse for the weekly Sunday Ice Cream Social.

We grilled ham for dinner but forgot we had corn-on-the-cob in the refrigerator that we were going to have for dinner.

Talked to our daughters in the evening - I always look forward to that.


Moon over Bear Butte (in western South Dakota)

Saturday in the park

Once again Don helped prepare breakfast for the park at the clubhouse.  Later in the day we rented a movie and picked up Chinese for dinner...

Outback Steakhouse

We went for dinner at Outback Steakhouse tonight, had steak and lobster - their nightly special.  Many people from the park went to a Greek place but we chose not to go.  Heard service was very slow----

And I am from a small town, remember this for of entertainment well!

Spaghetti Salad

I fixed spaghetti salad for dinner tonight.  Haven't had that in years and it was as good as I remember.  spaghetti with marinated artichoke hearts, cucumber, pepperoni, mozzarella cheese, etc.

We went for groceries in the morning with breakfast first at McDonald's.

Cute and might be easy to put together (but time consuming) ---

11-11

Veteran's Day 2014.

We went to Tampa - lunch at Sweet Tomatoes and then a stop at Lazy Day's RV Center.  Don looked around and I drank coffee and read my book on my cell phone.  After that we went to Camping World, I looked around some and found nothing I desperately needed so again read my book while Don took his time.

From there we went to Parksdale Farms and loaded up on fresh vegetables.  Don wanted on of their good strawberry malts and got me one as well.

Rainy Sunday

We have been getting some much needed rain.  The sun came out about time for sunset.  We went out for breakfast as usual and in the afternoon to the park ice cream social.  Grilled some steak for dinner.  Talked to our daughters in Minnesota - they are expecting an early snow of up to 12 inches.

Saturday

We went to Wildwood for dinner, it started to rain while we were eating so a surprise when we went back to our car.  We have a few cool days ahead with some rain, it hasn't rained for some time for we need the moisture.

Later we watched the DVD movie "A Million ways to Die in the West".  Was a bit X rated but funny.

 My are still hurts from the Thursday Flu Shot and from time to time I feel like I have a fever and coming down with some illness.  Then I feel better in awhile.

Clermont trip

We went to Clermont (Orlando area) today for the Escapees luncheon.  A lot of new people were there which is good otherwise it is just a lunch with people we see every day.

Afterward we went to K Mart.  I like to check them out from time to time, sometimes they have some good stuff.  All we purchased were a pair of "prison shoes" for Don.  (These are slip on canvas shoes like you see prisoners wear on TV,)  We noticed they were giving flu shots and sure enough they had the high dose verity which is recommended for us old people.  No waiting line, so after a completing several sheets of paperwork and signing our name several times we got the shots.  Now my arm hurts to even do this typing.

Got gas and headed home, picked up a Subway for dinner.

Voting Day

This is the national voting day.  I sure hope that means an end to the political ads on TV.  It seems like they get more and more obnoxious.

We went to Brooksville/Spring Hill mainly for hair cuts but also went to Target, CVS Drug Store, Publix grocery store, ate lunch and got gas in the car for the new low rate of $2.79 a gallon.  It had been a long time sense I was in a Target.  They were very busy changing the displays over to Christmas items.

Unexciting weekend

We went out to dinner Saturday evening to Beef '0 Brady s.  Today it was breakfast at Cracker Barrow and this afternoon the ice cream social at the clubhouse.  We grilled salmon for dinner.

We set the clocks back before going to bed but still woke up early.  We decided to just get up and get going.  Probably take awhile to adjust to not having daylight savings time.

A man at the table beside us at breakfast with a booming voice (so we HAD to listen) knew everything but knew nothing.

Halloween!

Monday Tuesday

We are in a Florida heat wave.  We can leave the windows open until about noon then it's AC time.  We have done basically nothing.  10 AM coffee is the highlight of our days.

I have two ant bites on one ankle (highly allergic to ant bites) which are driving me crazy.  With oral meds, anti-itch cream on the bites and and ice pack now and again I am staying sane.

Heavy traffic in Yellowstone National Park

Sunday in Florida

We always get two Sunday papers when we are here at Sumter Oaks, the Leesburg paper delivered and we pick up the Tampa paper.  People ask WHY, just because we want - is that a good enough reason?

Our refrigerator/freezer has settled down to 1 degree freezer and 38 degrees refrigerator.  So I guess we don't have a problem thank goodness.

We have a hot day going but the humidity is down.  About ready to grill some steaks.

Refrigerator

When I opened the refrigerator this morning the freezer temperature read 24 degrees, yes - while that is still below freezing it usually reads from 0 to 2.  There seemed to be a lot of frost in the "frost free" freezer so I ran a defrost cycle (it always cycles during the night).  Then the freezer was 38 degrees and the refrigerator 44, usually 38 degrees.  We thought we my have a problem but during the day the temperatures slowly dropped to 14 freezer and stayed at 44 refrigerator and since we are expecting a cool night will probably drop more.  The only thing we can guess happened is the the ice dispenser door didn't close and let hot air into the freezer for several hours.  Always something with a motor home!

We went to Captain D's in Dade City for dinner.  Not all the snow birds are here yet so there was plenty of space.

Sun eclipse

The roto-rooter man came out and cleaned out the campground sewer, had tree roots clogging.  The window man came and repaired the rock ding in our front window, can hardly see it now AND it is guaranteed to not spread.

We did a Bushnell run to the post office, CVS Pharmacy and then ate dinner at Coyote Rogo, a good Mexican place.

The "sub tropical" storm that was heading towards Florida has now broken up and no longer any threat.  We have been having warm days in the mid 80's and cool nights in the mid 50's.  Was good to sit outside this afternoon and read.

Sun eclipse this evening

Getting set up

We cleaned the motorhome, somehow it gets so dirty when we are on the move.  We found the sewer was clogged in our area of the campground, happens every couple years - tree roots grow into the sewer pipe.  We let the management know so they could call someone.  We called our insurance about the chip we picked up in the window, they will send someone to seal it so it doesn't spread.

It was good to see old friends at 10 AM coffee.  More and more of the yearly people are coming in every day.

Got hot and humid today so had the air conditioner on all afternoon.  There is a "sub-tropical" storm brewing by Mexico which may be heading to southern Florida so we may have some effects from it depending on the course it takes and if it intensifies.