See Ya Lunch and Happy Birthday Kippy

We gathered at Applebee's today for our traditional lunch-before-we all head out tradition today, and had a nice lunch of soups and salads, and also got to wish Kippy a happy birthday.  The Colagiovannis are leaving for a wedding I think, and we head out Saturday. 

Bette seems to like her new therapy, and she got a stimulus machine also- so that should help. 

Start the load out on Friday!!! 

Bette's good supervision!

A while back, Bette felt that we ought to transplant and break up a batch of bulb flowers, and directed our gardner to do so.  We were a bit concerned that they might not make it, but as this shot shows as of today, they are clearly thriving-  We broke up this clump and split it alongside the garage also, and they are also in bloom.   Good job...

Confirming that we will now start the trip a day early, on Saturday the 19th.  Going to head up to Cordele, Ga., so I can revisit Jimmy Carter and Andersonville Parks to pick up some stamps that I missed on my last visit.  It's pretty much on the way, and will serve to further break up the trip to Atlanta. 

We have a birthday lunch tomorrow with the local gang for Kippy-  that ought to be good fun. 

Everything all spiffy, and back home.

Have to say we had an overall pretty good experience at Alliance-  they certainly are a big time operation-

We had the shore power plug replaced, and now, it's back to perfect.  They installed one with a pull handle on it, so we can now start using our power surge device, which will serve to prevent any reoccurences of blowing our inverter, as we did in Arizona.   We are most happiest about this repair.

We also had the tire pressure monitor recalculated, and got the missing two monitors to complete the set for the 6 tires on the coach-  I'll install that tomorrow- and that will be another check off on the to do list- 

We had all of the dust seals replaced, which this time it was done correctly, in that they took the old seals all the way off, and reseated the new ones, so now that should be a permanent repair-  we had has this worked on three times previously..... 

Also had the faucet for the kitchen sink repaired, turns out an allen screw was loose- no big deal there.  

They pulled the coach into the bays at 1230 and we left the dealership at 5- and were very happy with our tech, Billy.  He seemed very competent. 

So we now know that we will be visiting Alliance twice a year in the future for all of our routine and special fixes for the coach. 

We got back home to Coquina at about 730-  So it was a good and productive trip. 

While we were there, a couple from Key West that were having their unit repaired- and they had a first for us, a rather large pet parrot-  it was 21 years old, and they had had it since it was an infant.  It had a lot of personality, and was quite active, spoke a few words, and had a little routine that she did-  very entertaining!  Pretty sure we wouldn't like having a bird on board though- 

Now, we'll do some running around town the next couple of days, Bette will have her shoulder rehab each day, and I'm trying to talk Bette into leaving on Saturday instead of Sunday, and adding a stop at Jimmy Carter National Monument and Andersonville also, then running up to Macon on Sunday. 

Still waiting...

Typical Monday morning stuff -  they thought they might have the coach in the bays by 9 or so, but not yet.  They have a very nice lounge though, good free wi fi signal, and coffee. 

In at Alliance Coach @ Wildwood

We drove down Sunday afternoon and got ourselves situated at the campground for service at Alliance Coach in Wildwood Florida, about 110 miles from Coquina.  This is a major factory designated/authorized repair dealer, and they are pretty much all about Monacos and Holiday Ramblers. 

It's a pretty big time operation, they have about 40 bays, and they are all full.  We have a short list of little stuff to do, mostly repairing the electric cord, and a reoccuring problem with the dust seals on the slide out.  We allocated one overnight anyway. 

Then, we'll head back to Coquina and rest up and load in on Saturday, and we head for Macon on Sunday! 

9 Days from Blast off!

Been working on final trip details for the last several days, firming up some reservations, adding a ball game or two, and fine tuning the routing.    I printed out our "Big League Tickets"  we're set for the Washington Nationals, the Baltimore Orioles, and the New York Yankees. 

 

Still haven't figured out how to load photos in order yet! 

We're leaving Sunday about noon for Wildwood Florida down near Ocala to have the coach worked on for a few minor issues at the Factory authorized Monaco dealer, and make sure we are ready for the big trip.  Then, the following Sunday, we're off! 

I did not get initiated into Elks, due to some sort of internal problem, but they said I was as good as a member, so we'll plan to stay at a couple of those facilities on the trip. 

Should be posting much more regularly starting soon, folks, I promise. 

Caching up Not much to report

Spent most of the week focused on our friends diagnosis and treatment plans for a life threatening illness-  We'll be taking his son back to the airport in Jacksonville this afternoon- 

Had the repair appointment for the motor home moved up a week to May 14th so I can be inducted into the Elks Club on the 7th-

Had very successful visits to the Family Practice and Cardio Docs-  numbers are at historic lows, and I got blue ribbons for those... Bette is trying a new medicine to assist her with her ongoing shoulder hurts. 

Fiddled with and fine tuned the summer trip to add in some additional Cooper and me things, more baseball games, a couple of boat cruises, so we can see some lighthouses, and added a National Park or two. 

Finished up my Lander commitment for this semester, so that's all done, will work on my next semester classes over the summer and have a visit scheduled when we get to Greenwood last week in May-

That's about it-  Blog will get more exciting when we hit the road, I promise!

The travails of a retirement community...

One of the byproducts of living in a "senior" community is the constant reminder of life moving along apace-  we are reminded of this in our little burgh when we get different colored paper announcements in our "tubes" of such and such's passing and memorial service, (5 in the last 2 weeks), just this minute the County Ambulance (and three strapping firemen/paramedics) came to take our next door neighbor to the hospital after she fell, and we got the news Friday that our dearest and closest friend has a preliminary diagnosis of potential cancer. 

Makes me glad both Bette and I seem to be in decent health just now-  to confirm that we will be visiting our various caregivers and practicioners next week as we get ready to head out of town for 5 months or so- me to the cardiologist, both of us to the family practice MD, Bette to the shoulder Doctor, then we have a visit to the Dentist scheduled in Greenwood.  Thank goodness for Medicare. 

Talk around the coffee table the other day was about a couple of us moving "on to the next level," which means assisted living-  if that ever happens, pretty sure we would go back to Greenwood, and finish out where Bette's Mom did.  Want to be close to the grands when those days roll in.  Hopefully, that is 20 years away.

We figure we have 10 more years to motor home, if fuel doesn't go to 10 dollars a gallon, and then we fly or take the train.  I've seen some 80 somethings on the road, and it isn't too pretty.  But that's for another day.

Worked on the trip several times this week, added more ball games, changed some routing around metro New York, and made the appointment for the motor home repairs/pre trip maintainence stuff, then forgot that conflicted with my initiation into the Elks lodge- crap.  Have to see about that- or delay it I guess, since the repair appt was like gold to get. 

Weather is really getting warmish these days, a good sign to start hitting the road.  Mid 80's today, and toasty.

Bette's gang taking over the house...

Bette has a group of her gal friends who come over once or twice a week and do paper folding-  cheap group therapy-  but they have a great time, and enjoy it-  talk about old folks stuff!  She'll have group withdrawal when we leave in three weeks or so...

I made an appointment with Alliance Coach down in Wildwood Florida to get some minor coach repairs done and some "spa" services completed before the trip, our annual services for the air conditioner, water heaters, etc etc. Going to drive down Sunday evening the 6th of May, then we're in the shop on the 7th-  Should only take the one day if we don't need parts..  allowing for a couple of days just to be safe. 

The trip starts now on May 20th, we added a stopover in Macon Ga on the way up to Atlanta to break up the trip and keep it under 450 miles the first day. 

Really coolish weather last couple of days, lows in the lower 50's in the morning!

End of liquid free period

The weather service folks had been predicting heavy rains for the weekend, and we've been flirting with thunder storms all day, but so far, no downpours...

Hearing some thunderboomers around, we're at the edge of the red in the picture, south of Jacksonville. 

Working on the Summer trip, new stuff!

Been working on the summer trip for the last few days, nailing down some more minute details in New Hamshire, Vermont and Maine this week.

Most of the changes this week were in the Maine portion of the trip-  We finalized some reservations for Moosehead to visit the Coles, stretched out our visits to Lubec to a week, also a week at Acadia/Bar Harbor, added a stop at Westport and Bath for a couple of days each, so we can take some boat cruises to some of the outlying islands, which is always fun-  Also added some tourism stops,, and many more lighthouse stops. 

Been fairly busy this week with runaround stuff, Bette got to the eye dr and had her glasses slightly adjusted, we also had haircuts, she's done Mah Jong twice this week, and lots of miscellaneous shopping-  Weather has been very nice, slight showers today, temps in lower 80's  Supposed to be in for a couple inches of rain this weekend. 

Only about a month left before we lift anchor and head for Atlanta!!

Rare Eagle sighting!!!

About 3 yesterday afternoon, I was walking back into the river room, and saw this rare and beautiful visitor-  The second we've seen in our three years here.  No special reason for the visit near as I could tell, no evidence that he had been fishing, just kind of chilling out cooling his talons. Stayed for about 5 minutes...  Beautiful bird. 

The Heron and the Anhinga- a photo essay

Yesterday, out the back window in the river room, I noticed our steady visitor, the anhinga bird, on the right here, was basking in the sun...  unaware at first that his territory was being scammed on by a fair sized Heron......

The Heron, guessing that this was his rightful spot, puffed up to let the Anhinga know that was the fact-  pretty scary I suppose to most birds. 

Not so much to the Anhinga, as she turned tail and spread out and hissed a little, saying "I was here first." 

Then, we had a stare-down...  Who won? 

Big Bird!!!  He didn't stay too long, start to finish the whole scene was about a minute and a half...  The Anhinga will be back for sure to claim her place... 

Boys head home, quiet around here...

Brandon, Tina, and Sam Moore arrived late Tuesday night, and Wednesday, we did the town, St George Street, and they went out to the beach.  Thursday, we all headed back downtown and toured the Flagler College campus.  It was impressive, but they don't offer the major that Brandon is thinking about- 

The College is basically located in the footprint of the old Flagler Hotel downtown, is small, and compact for sure.

Friday, we headed up early to Jacksonville and toured University of North Florida- now that was impressive!  17,200 students, a basically new campus, and wow everywhere- lots of construction, and the offer the major Brandon wants. 

As much as he showed it, think Brandon was pretty impressed, plus they let Freshmen have cars here!  Be nice if he could come down- 

Later on Thursday, I went back to the eye Doctor, and no issues there, still monitoring my early onset glaucoma- but he thinks I'm ok. 

Wednesday afternoon, we all ran down to Marine World and watched the dolphins perform, as much as they do it there, and toured the facilities- then we all went to the Golden Lion for dinner- yummy!

The gang all left at 0500 Saturday morning, and its been really quiet here!

We'll see them all next month when we start the big summer trip on May 20th.  Cooper's last day is May 30th. 

Third Lighhouse in 3 days!

Tina, Brandon and Sam arrived safely last night at about 1230-  sigh of relief- this morning, after breakfast, we headed to Walgreens to fill a prescription, then I drove out to St Augustine Beach to show them where to go swimming this afternoon, and then we saw the Lighthouse, well of course, Cooper wanted to hit his 3rd lighthouse in 3 days, so we got it!

The guys went swimming this afternoon, Bette went to her shoulder Doctor appt, and I'm catching up on Lander stuff, tonight, they are talking about going downtown to St George Street-  Tomorrow is Marine Land and Flagler college visit. 

Back home with a detour or two....

Stayed at the Fairfield Inn again at Fort Pierce again last night, and got up at 0800, not in any hurry to get home originally.  We mosied up to Space Coast Stadium, the home of the Brevard County Manatees, and got them to open up the team store and got a ball and pin. 

Then, we headed back to the Canaveral National Seashore to pick up the missing stamps from our visit of two days ago, and got them, after visiting the Park Headquarters, and also the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge Visitors Center, and the Playalinda Entrance Station.  Wound up with a total of 9 stamps from the park.

Then, as we were heading home, we noticed a sign for the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse, near Daytona Beach, and we jumped at the chance to do another lighthouse, and we totally enjoyed that visit-  209 steps on this one, my hamstrings are ruined!  Got lots of pins and a few hiking staff medallions on this visit.

I messed up and misplaced my Light House Passport Stamp book, so one day, we'll have to go back here!  Beautiful site and interesting place to visit. 

Just got a call from Tina that they are on the way down, with Brandon and visitor Sam Moore in tow.  Target for them is to arrive at about 0100 or so. 

Wound up with 5 new baseballs on this trip, and about 6 pins, and 3 hiking staff medallions.   Great trip! 

Tomorrow is a day off, then Thursday is a college visit, and a trip to MarineLand for all. 

St Lucie Mets 6, Charlotte Stone Crabs 5!

In front of only 571 fans, the Mets won tonight on a walk off homer in the bottom of the 9th inning!!!
Had a great visit- Cooper got 4 baseballs tonight. 

Tomorrow, we have a "short day", stopping in at Space Coast Stadium to get things for Broward County Manatees, then up to get our missing 5 stamps for Canaveral National Seashore, then on to home.  Been a great trip so far! 

As usual, another trip change

Cooper for some reason got really fidgity today, and bored, so we decided to change the trip to make it not so agressive for travel. 

We got up and went first to Digital Domain Stadium, home of the spring training for the New York Mets, and then for the Florida League St Lucie Mets-

We got a ball, and a pin for the park, but not a pin for the St Lucie Mets, as they didn't have one. 

Then, we headed down to Jupiter, to Roger Dean Stadium, home to the St Louis Cardinals and the Miami Marlins, but it wasn't open yet-  so we decided to go over to the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse, which was a terrific fun visit.

We climbed the 105 steps and went through the museum, which was done very well-  got a pin there. 

Then, we got back to Roger Dean Stadium, and talked them into letting us wait until we got the lady to agree to open up the team store for us, got three balls, one for the Marlins, and one each for the Jupiter Hammerheads, and one for the Palm Beach Cardinals. 

Then, we had already decided to curtail the trip, milage wise, so we headed back up to Fort Pierce to the Fairfield Inn where we stayed last night, and got bunked in.  We decided to go to a Port St Lucie Mets game tonight, and they are playing the Charlotte Stone Crabs.  We got really good seats, right on the first row of the dugout, seats 1 and 2., sectiion 108.   

So we're resting up now, and will head for the game at about 5:15 or so. 

Tomorrow, then, we'll revisit the Canaveral National Seashore to get the missing stamps there, then stop in at Daytona Cubs perhaps. 

Cooper and I had a great first day of our little sojurn today- and a busy one!

We were up at 7, out of the house by 830, and waited on line a bit at Fort Matanzas National Park, where we did a quick visit.  We watched the movie, then took the boat shuttle over to the fort-  had a great time visiting there.

The fort dates from the mid 1500's, and was built by the Spanish to keep the British from getting up the St John's river to St Augustine.  It was rebuilt by the Army in the late 1920's, then abandoned, or actually sold to the government for a penny.

We also walked the nature trail- which was about an hour total. 

Then, we headed down to Canaveral National Seashore, where I visited three locations at the park and got 4 stamps. 

We stopped at the temporary trailer that is the northern end Visitor Center, and also stopped in at the Eldora State House location, and got a stamp there. 

Then, we doubled back to the site known as Seminole Rest, and got another stamp there.

We opted not to get to the 2 Southern portions of the park today, so we could visit the Kennedy Space Center...  We'll get to them soon, we think. 

We'll get to the Merritt Island NWA next visit.

Then, we headed over to the Kennedy Space Center- which Cooper loved.  He did the Shuttle Launch Experience, and we did several other parts of the park.

 This is what the area looks like from up above: 

hillies.

We got to our hotel at about 7 pm- went in the hot tub for a bit, and will now sleep very well tonight, for sure.  Tomorrow, we are planning to visit several ball park venues, and wind up with a game at Clearwater Phillies