Tuesday, April 30, 2013

A Nice Ride and Dinner At Mike And Gina's

Moncure, NC.

61 deg. mist / fog, no wind.
Forecast = Today: Partly cloudy with areas of fog. Highs around 73°F. Northeast wind to 8 MPH.
Tonight: Partly cloudy with chance of light drizzle. Lows around 57°F. Northeast wind to 8 MPH.

Not much happened Sunday, so that's why I didn't post. In fact, it rained a good part of the day, and no one was out and about. Yesterday morning, it finally quit raining, (after adding about 2" to the annual rainfall amount), and then, in late afternoon, the sun even started peeking out from behind the remaining clouds. ; )

After lunch, Jim asked Linda if she felt like going for a ride and to pick up a few things at a grocery store. She asked him where he wanted to go and he said he thought he like to take a ride over to Pittsboro, (a little NW of here), then head over to Jordan Lake, East of Pittsboro), and then take Pea Ridge Road back to Moncure, (making a kind of a triangle).

So, off they went. CLT says that the only place they stopped was at the Food Lion Grocery Store in Pittsboro for bread and some of Jim's adult beverage, but he said that the ride was really nice and relaxing. He also said that Jordan Lake really looked neat as they crossed the bridges over the lake.

Spring is is full swing here in North Carolina so everything is bright green with lots of flowers, trees and bushes blooming. Most of the roads that they traveled were small 2 lane roads where they could just take their time and take in the scenery.

I think it was about 2:30 when I saw CLT coming down the hill into the CG.

After they returned, Jim took a nap, and then, about 5:00 he and Linda took CLT and headed over to Mike and Gina's for dinner.

CLT says that the girls, (Brenna and Savanna), are really growing up. He thinks that both of them grew a few more inches since we were here last fall. : )

After hugs, Gina fixed a very nice dinner and then after eating, she, Mike, Jim and Linda sat out on the front porch and visited while the kids played outside.

By about 8:30, I saw CLT coming back down the hill into the CG again. ; )

Did you know that today is "National Honesty Day"?

Woof!!!


Sunday, April 28, 2013

No Nightmares, Goodwin's RV CG and Mike And Dillon Visit

Moncure, NC.

55 deg. light rain, no wind.
Forecast = Today: Cloudy with chance of light rain. Highs around 66°F. Southeast wind to 7 MPH. Chance of precipitation near 100%. Precipitation amounts up to one quarter inch possible.
Tonight: Cloudy with light rain likely. Lows around 57°F. East southeast wind to 7 MPH. Chance of precipitation near 100%. Precipitation amounts between one half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Mike and his family were going to be busy Saturday evening, so to get to the Apex area around noon, (and allow more time for visiting), we left Williamston a little earlier than we normally would have. In fact, it was right at 9:30 when we pulled out of the Pierce park.

Once on US 64 and heading West, it was smooth going all the way to Raleigh, where we took I-440/40 around to the South of the city and then turned SW on US 1.  1 then brought us right here to Moncure, NC and to Goodwin's RV Campground.

Oh, and the traffic moved very smoothly around Raleigh, so there were no "nightmares" this time. ; )  In fact, we made very good time and by 11:50 we had traveled 133 miles and were pulling into the park.

This is a very small park with only a few sites that are available for short term stays. However, it is  quite nice, and Marc, (the owner), can't do enough for you. The sites are fairly level but the CG is in a very hilly area so that when you enter the CG, you start wondering what you're getting yourself into!!

The photo below is of the road coming into the CG.
                                     

This is our site and as you can see, we're up on a hill. There's lots of shade and the sites are nicely graveled.
Marc, helped Jim get backed into the site, (no pull-throughs in this park), and showed Jim were all the utilities were and even offered to help him get them hooked up. Then, before he left, he told Jim that if he or Linda  needed anything, to give him a call on his cell phone.

As soon as Bobbie T was set up, Jim called Mike and told him that we were here. Mike said that Gina and Savanna were busy and Brenna had a bad headache, but that he and Dillon would come out to the park.

So, in about an hour, he and Dillon arrived. : )
The first thing they did, (after hugs), was to take a look at Bobbie T. Both of them seemed to really like her and agreed that she would suit their needs nicely.

After taking "the tour", everyone sat outside under Bobbie T's awning and enjoyed the beautiful weather.
Dillon and Grandma.

While Jim, Linda and Mike were visiting, Dillon was busy exploring the area. He found an "inchworm", and spent a good part of the afternoon watching it and putting it on different objects to see what it would do. ; )

Today, is Gina's aunt's birthday, so Mike and his family will be spending the day with her. Tomorrow is, of course, a school / work day, so plans have been made for Jim and Linda to head over their house tomorrow evening for dinner.

I know that Jim and Linda are anxious to see Gina and the girls!! 

Did you know that you breathe in and out about 23,000 times a day?

Saturday, April 27, 2013

Saying Goodbye and Back Into North Carolina

Williamston, NC.

48 deg. clear, no wind.
Forecast = Today: Partly cloudy. Highs around 72°F. East wind to 7 MPH.
Tonight: Partly cloudy. Lows around 48°F. East southeast wind 1 to 7 MPH.

Because most things got done the night before, we were ready to leave Virginia Beach a little earlier than normal. So, after saying their good-bye's to Joe, we were on the road by 9:35.

Again, it was hard to leave. I don't think it ever gets really easy to leave your son or daughter's house, knowing that it will be around 6 months, (or longer), before you'll be seeing them again. : (  But, Jim and Linda are also looking forward to seeing Mike and his family again, so it was time to move on and continue our adventure. : )

From Joe's, we followed I-264 West to I-64 where we turned South and took it back to US 17. Following 17 to the SW brought us back here to the Pierce Mobile Home and RV Park in Williamston, NC, where we had stayed at on the 16th of April, our way up to Virginia Beach.

Again, the owners were very friendly and helpful and soon we were parked in site # 19C. This is also a nice site for an overnight stay. It's level enough that Jim didn't have to do any additional leveling.

Of course the first thing to do after we arrived, was to get the electric hooked up and dump Bobbie T's very full tanks. Once that was done, Jim added some water to the fresh water tank and then put all the hoses back away, so he wouldn't have to do it this morning.

Today, we'll head West from Williamston on US 64, which will take us right over to Raleigh. It's 4 lane all the way and should be fairly easy going. Once we get to Raleigh, things may change though, sometimes we've gotten around the city in no time at all, and other times, it's been a nightmare.

Hopefully there'll be no nightmares today. ; )

Oh, I almost forgot!!!! It was 12:10 when we arrived here at Peirce's so we traveled  126 miles in 2 hours and 35 minutes.

Did you know that a rat can survive longer without water than a camel?

Woof!!!

Friday, April 26, 2013

Lunch with Randy and Pam and Getting Ready

Virginia Beach, VA.

42 deg. clear, no wind.
Forecast = Today: Sunny. Highs around 59°F. North wind to 9 MPH.
Tonight: Mostly clear. Lows around 54°F. East wind to 8 MPH.

Both Jim and Linda were looking forward to meeting Randy and Pam yesterday, so they both were ready in plenty of time meet them at Bubba's Seafood Restaurant & Crabhouse for an early lunch at 11:30. In fact, they were a little early, so they just sat, talked and admired the view of the bay until Randy and Pam arrived.

Once again, (as it is so often with RVers), upon meeting, it was just like visiting with old friends.  The conversation flowed smoothly and soon everyone was enjoying a very nice lunch and the great view out of the window.

Randy and Pam have been full-timing for about 4 years now and have a daughter here in Virginia beach, so everyone had something in common. They also have been following this blog for a long time as well as writing their own blog, called "The Roadrunner Chronicles", that Jim has been following.  

As they were leaving the restaurant, the hostess was nice enough to take this photo of (from left to right), Jim, Linda, Pam and Randy.

Both Jim and Linda said that they really enjoyed visiting and having lunch with Randy and Pam and are hoping that someday they can get together with them again.

Oh, and Jim and Linda both thought the food and service at Bubba's was very good too, and will more than likely go back there again. : )

After they returned here to Joe's, Jim started getting Bobbie T ready to leave. He checked the tires, put some water in the fresh water tank and then put all the water hoses away. (He had to use 3 of those white hoses to reach the faucet inside of the garage).

After finishing those chores, he came inside and took a nap. ; )

Being that they had a very large lunch, for dinner, Jim and Linda just ate a sandwich out here and then went inside to visit with Joe, Nancy, Sami and Amber for awhile. Then, about 9:00 they came back out here to Bobbie T, watched a little TV and then went to bed.

Being that Nancy, Sami and Amber will be leaving early this morning for work/school, Jim and Linda said their good-bye's to them last night. Joe will be home until about 9:00 AM today, so they'll say good-bye to him this morning. Then, as soon as Bobbie T is ready, we'll be heading back down into North Carolina.

We won't be going too far today. Bobbie T's black and grey tanks are really full, so I think that Jim is planning on heading back to that park in Williamston, that we stayed at on our way here. It's only a couple hours away, so it should be another short travel day.

Did you know that Virginia's State flower is not really a flower, but the blossom of the dogwood tree, which is also the state tree?

Woof!!!

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Light Connector, Prescriptions and Sami's Pre-Graduation, Graduation Party

Virginia Beach, VA.

63 deg. overcast, SW wind @ 4 mph.
Forecast = Today: Mostly sunny with isolated showers. Highs around 55°F. Windy, with a north wind 10 to 20 MPH, gusting to 25 MPH. Chance of precipitation near 25%.
Tonight: Mostly clear. Lows around 48°F. East wind 2 to 9 MPH.

About 9:00 yesterday morning, Jim went out and proceeded to remove that damaged light connector on the back of Bobbie T. Once he had the old one off, he installed the new mounting bracket in a different location, where hopefully it won't get damaged as easily. Then, after re-attaching all of the wires, it was time for a test, so he pulled CLT up to the back of Bobbie T and hooked up the cable.

Guess what? CLT's brake lights wouldn't work properly!!!!

Jim checked the wiring that he had done at the connector, It was OK, then checked the cord's plug on the front if CLT. It was also OK. Then, he moved to the rear of CLT and finally found a bad connection way back there!!! Jim says that the wiring on the back of CLT is a mess and will have to be completely gone though. : (  That, is not a project that he is looking forward to, but he feels that there will be more problems if it's left as is. 

Right now, it's working and hopefully it'll be OK until we get up to Rantoul, where Jim will have more time to dig into it.

Right after lunch, Linda called Walgreen's and inquired about her prescriptions. They said that everything was in, so Jim and Linda took CLT and headed over there to pick them up. After returning, they both took naps. : )

I think it was about 5:30 when Jim and Linda went into the house. Once inside, a couple pizza's were ordered and soon the delivery guy was at the door delivering them.

Then after eating, it was time for Sami to open her pre-graduation, graduation gift.

I think she was really surprised. You see, way back when she was born, Jim and Linda bought U.S. Savings Bonds for her and have been saving them all these years. It is quite a sizable amount of money, (which she desperately needs for college this fall), so they were very much appreciated. : ) 

After visiting and watching some TV, it was time to say good-night.

Today, Jim and Linda are planning on meeting up with another full-timing couple, Randy and Pam Warner, at a restaurant in the North part of Virginia Beach, (near the Chesapeake Bay), for lunch. It should be fun and Jim and Linda are both looking forward to seeing them. : )

Then, after they return, they'll need to start getting Bobbie T ready to leave tomorrow.

A Point To Ponder :  Where do forest rangers go to "get away from it all"?

Woof!!!


Wednesday, April 24, 2013

More Very Cool Weather and A Great Meal

Virginia Beach, VA.

50 deg. overcast, S. wind @ 8 mph.
Forecast = Today: Mostly sunny. Highs around 70°F. South southwest wind 8 to 18 MPH, gusting to 22 MPH.
Tonight: Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. Lows around 54°F. Windy, with a south wind 17 to 23 MPH, gusting to 28 MPH. Chance of precipitation near 35%.

It was real cool here in Virginia Beach again yesterday, with temps only getting up to the lower 50's for most of the day and strong winds blowing the cold air around. Linda did 3 loads of laundry in Nancy's washer and dryer and Jim helped carry the basket and laundry back and forth.

For dinner, Nancy cooked an excellent meal of chicken breast, noodles, a sauce to go over the noodles and chicken, and green beans.

Today, Jim is going to tackle the electrical connector on the back of Bobbie T. He charged the batteries for his cordless drill yesterday so that he could drill some new holes to mount the connector in a different location. Hopefully the job will go smoothly and it won't take him too long to get CLT's lights working.

This evening, the plan is to order some pizza for dinner. Then, because Sami is graduating for High School this year and we won't be here for the ceremony, Jim and Linda will give her a graduation gift. I know what the gift is, but I'm not telling because sometimes Sami reads this blog.

I'm sure she'll like it though and will be able to use it when she heads off to Virginia Tech this fall. ; )

Did you know that, founded in 1872 as an agricultural and mechanical land-grant college, Virginia Tech is a research university with the largest full-time student population in Virginia?

Woof!!!

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Nasty Weather and A Trip To The Bank, Walgreen's And An RV Dealer

Virginia Beach, VA.

48 deg. overcast, light rain, NW wind @ 8 mph with 20 mph gusts.
Forecast = Today: Cloudy. A chance of rain or drizzle this morning...Then a slight chance of rain or drizzle early this afternoon. Breezy with highs in the upper 50s. North winds 15 to 20 mph with gusts up to 35 mph. Chance of rain 30 percent.
Tonight: Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 40s. Northwest winds 10 to 15 mph...Becoming west around 5 mph after midnight.

It's been windy and rainy, here the last few days, so outside activities have been limited. Yesterday, Jim and Linda took CLT (Cute Little Truck), and headed, first to the bank to take care of some business, then to Walgreen's to get prescriptions re-filled, (of course they didn't have everything in stock), and then to Snyder's RV to get some parts.

Parts???? What parts????  Well, I guess I forgot to mention that when Jim pulled Bobbie T into Joe's driveway, the back end of Bobbie T drug on the street. At first Jim just thought it was the hitch, but after further inspection, he determined that the light connector receptacle where the cord to CLT's lights plug in had drug and had been severely damaged. : O

Jim straightened out the bracket and was able to get the cord plugged into the outlet, but CLT's brake lights and turn signals won't work. : (  Now, Jim could have taken the receptacle apart and may have been able to repair it, but as beat up as it was, he decided that it was best to get a new one. Plus, that receptacle is mounted way too low and will just get damaged again if it's not moved to a different location.

Now, if this weather ever clears up, Jim can get busy out there and get the new one installed.

On the way back from Snyder's RV, Jim and Linda stopped by a Chili's Restaurant for sandwich  before coming back here.

The last few evenings have been spent visiting with Joe, Nancy and the girls. Our time here is getting short, (we leave Friday morning), so they're trying to spend as much time together as possible.

If the weather clears up today, I'm sure Jim will be working on that light connector. If not, it'll have to wait until tomorrow.

Did you know that a camel can drink up to 30 gallons of water at one time?

Woof!!!

Sunday, April 21, 2013

A Nice Meal, and A Good Visit

Virginia Beach, VA.

48 deg. Partly cloudy, N. wind @ 9 mph with 27 mph gusts.
Forecast = Today: Mostly sunny. Highs around 55°F. Windy, with a northeast wind to 23 MPH.
Tonight: Partly cloudy with isolated showers. Lows around 48°F. Windy, with a east northeast wind to 21 MPH. Chance of precipitation near 20%.

Both Joe and Nancy worked Friday, so during the day, Jim and Linda just hung out here in Bobbie T. After a nice meal, they did get a chance to visit for awhile before starting to get drowsy.

I guess it was about 8:00 by the time Jim and Linda came back out here, and then, soon after, it started raining. There were some pretty severe storms West of Virginia Beach, but here we just had some fairly strong winds and lots of rain that lasted throughout the night and into the morning.

Yesterday morning, as Jim was getting ready to have his first cup of coffee, (about 6:00 AM), the phone rang and it was Joe. He was wondering if Jim would like to join him for coffee out on his covered patio, where incidentally, he has a Franklin type wood burning stove, in which he had started a fire.

So, Jim poured himself a cup and went around to the back of the house to join Joe. They must have had a good visit because Jim was back there for somewhere between an hour and an hour and a half. ; )

I think they probably solved most of the problems of the world. ; )

By the time Jim came back here to the MH, the rain had stopped and the sun was trying to burn it's way through the clouds.

The sun never did make much progress with the clouds though, so for most of the day, it wasn't very pleasant being outside. I don't think the temperature ever got higher than 60 degrees and there seemed to always be a pretty stiff breeze blowing.

After lunch, Joe and Nancy went to some kind of gathering, so they were gone most of the afternoon and evening. Meanwhile, Jim and Linda watched TV, took naps and caught up on some of the paperwork that has been accumulating. : (

Jim did get out and take a few photos yesterday. This first one is, of course, Joe and Nancy's house. There used to be another nice big tree in their front yard, (you can still see the stump), but a strong wind took it down earlier this year. That's really too bad, as the tree provided some great shade for the house and ysrd in the summer. : (

This next one is of  Bobbie T and CLT parked in the driveway. You long time readers will remember that when we used to come here with Myrddin, he pretty much filled the driveway up all by himself.

Again, I don't have any idea of what's happening today. I guess we'll just have to wait and see. ; )

Oh, one last thing. The other day, Randy and Pam made a comment that they were in the area and would like to get together with Jim and Linda. Jim has tried to contact them, but it may not be working, so, if they're reading this, and still want to get together, they can e-mail Jim at jesandlss at yahoo.com.

Did you know that today is "National Chocolate-Covered Cashew Day"?

Woof!!!



 

Friday, April 19, 2013

Busy Busy Busy, Groceries and Reply To A Comment

Virginia Beach, VA.

65 deg. mostly cloudy, SSE wind @ 2 mph.
Forecast = Today: Partly cloudy with isolated showers. Highs around 70°F. Windy, with a south wind to 23 MPH. Chance of precipitation near 30%.
Tonight: Mostly cloudy with scattered storms. Lows around 55°F. Windy, with a south wind 18 to 24 MPH, gusting to 29 MPH. Chance of precipitation near 95%.

Joe, Nancy and the girls were busy most of the day yesterday, so Jim and Linda didn't see much of them. Joe came out here to the MH for a short while to talk and Sami waved as she left for her soccer game, but that was about the extent of it.

Jim and Linda took CLT and headed to the Farm Fresh grocery store near here. They brought back what I thought were too many groceries, but they did manage to find a place for all of them. ; )  Then, since Joe and  Nancy were busy at dinner time, they headed to a Hardee's Restaurant for a sandwich.

I have no idea of what's happening today. Hopefully there will be some time to visit for awhile.

One of the comments on yesterday's post was from Retired Rod. One of the things he was curious about was the fuel mileage that Bobbie T is getting. Well, the news is not as good as Jim had hoped. Emrys with his 450 hp Cummins diesel engine was averaging right at 7.8 mpg. So far, Bobbie T. with her Ford V-10 gasoline engine is averaging 8.5.  Currently,  diesel is running about 40 cents a gallon more than 87 octane gas, so Jim is spending less on fuel, but he was really hoping that Bobbie T would be getting something closer to 10 mpg.

We have been traveling almost completely on non-expressway roads, so we have had a lot of stop and go driving, but I'm sure that if we would have been on Interstate roads instead, we would have been traveling at a higher speed, which probably would have offset the stop and go driving. Also, Jim says that he thinks the wind has more effect on Bobbie T's mileage than it did on Emrys, so that may change the mpg too.

The 7.8 mpg figure that I gave for Emrys was the average mpg for almost the whole time that Jim and Linda owned him. (Many thousands of miles). The 8.5 mph figure for Bobbie T. is only for 840 miles, so time will tell if it gets better or stays near that figure.

Did you know that the Great Dismal Swamp is in Virginia near the North Carolina border?

Woof!!!



Thursday, April 18, 2013

North Carolina to Virginia

Virginia Beach, VA.

61 deg. clear, no wind.
Forecast = Today: Partly cloudy. Highs around 66°F. Southeast wind to 16 MPH.
Tonight: Partly cloudy. Lows around 59°F. South southeast wind to 16 MPH.

We left Williamston NC right at 10:00, eager to get on the road. This day would mark the end to the first leg of our journey with Bobbie T, and put us in Virginia Beach at Joe and Nancy's house.

Again, Bobbie T performed very well as we headed, first NE towards Elizabeth City and then North into Virginia on US 17. On this whole leg of our journey, "from Florida all the way up into Virginia", US 17 has been a very good road. Oh, there were a few small construction areas and a few rough spots, but I know for a fact, that the Interstate roads from FL to NC are nothing to write home about. ; o

As we neared Virginia Beach on 17 we had to go through a construction area, (about 2 miles long), where they are widening 17 into a 4 lane road. That slowed us down some, but not too bad. When we got onto I-64, the traffic really got heavy and it was bumper to bumper, at 65 MPH, all the way to I-264, where the traffic thinned out just a little. 264 took us into Virginia Beach where we finally turned off of the Interstate, onto local road and to Joe and Nancy's house.

Just after we turned off of the Interstate, Jim pulled Bobbie T into a gas station and filled her up with 87 octane. It had been about 350 miles since her last fill-up and she was getting pretty thirsty.

It was 12:45 when we pulled up in front of Joe and Nancy's, so it took us 2 hours and 45 minutes to drive 111 miles and get Bobbie T her drink.

After h and h, (Joe and Sami were home), Jim unhooked CLT and pulled Bobbie T into the driveway. She's now hooked up to water and very limited electric, so Jim and Linda will have to be careful of how many electrical things they use at one time and also very careful with waste water, as there's no sewer connection.

Did you know that Virginia Beach is the most populous city in Virginia?

Woof!!!

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

North Topsail Beach to Williamston, NC. and Reviews

Williamston, NC

54 deg. partly cloudy, no wind.
Forecast = Today: Partly cloudy with isolated storms. Highs around 81°F. Southwest wind to 6 MPH. Chance of precipitation near 25%.
Tonight: Partly cloudy with isolated storms. Lows around 61°F. Southeast wind 3 to 8 MPH. Chance of precipitation near 25%.

After an enjoyable stay at the Surf City Family CG, we left yesterday morning just 5 minutes after 10:00. NC 210 took us NE along the coast and then inland, where we again turned NE on US 17. 17 took us around Jacksonville, NC and continued up to New Bern, where we missed an off ramp and ended up going the wrong way.

It turned out not to be a big problem though as the road we were on was an Interstate type road and we just went to the next exit, went across the road and came back the way we went.

After going around New Bern, 17 took a more Northerly direction and brought us up here to Williamston and the Pierce Mobile Home and RV Park.

As we were entering the park, the owner drove out to the entrance road on his golf cart and waved for us to follow him. Then he led us right to a very nice site, #17 C, and showed Jim where all the utilities were. I think that this was the first time that we have ever been met as we were coming into a CG and led to our site without ever stopping.

It was 12:50 when we pulled into our site, so it took us just 2 hours and 45 minutes to travel 134 miles.

Now, a little about this park. While we were at the Surf City Park, Jim looked on the Internet to find where our next stop would be. He found this park, but on RV Park Reviews the last review of this park was not good at all. But, being that there aren't very many parks in the area, Jim decided that even if it wasn't the greatest, it would be OK for just one night.

Now, I don't know what the last reviewer was talking about, but we didn't encounter any of the problems that he had. The CG is not run down, the roads are not narrow, and even if we still had Emrys (at 45'), I'm sure we could have made it through the park without hitting anything!!!

The above photo is looking to the right from our site. The photo below is looking to the left.

This is from the road, looking back at our site. (Not a weed to be seen). ; )

So, this may be something you want to keep in mind as you're reading park reviews. The owner was very friendly and the cost was only $22 for a full hookup site with Jim's Good Sam discount.

Don't believe everything you read.

Today, we're looking forward to getting to Virginia Beach to see Joe, Nancy Sami and Amber. And, being that Bobbie T is small enough, we'll be able to park in their driveway again!  : )

Did you know that in the USA, deaf people have safer driving records than people who can hear?

Woof!!!

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

South Carolina to North Carolina and A Great Beach

North Topsail Beach, NC

59 deg clear, NE wind @ 6 mph.
Forecast = Today: Partly cloudy. Highs around 70°F. East wind to 10 MPH.
Tonight: Partly cloudy. Lows around 61°F. East wind to 7 MPH.

Had a lot of rain yesterday morning. Wind too. In fact the wind was blowing so hard that Jim brought in Bobbie T's front slide so the awning over it would quit flapping and shaking the whole RV!!!

But, I'm getting ahead of myself.

Sunday morning, by around 10:00 everything was packed up and we were pulling out of the beachfront site at the Apache Family CG. On the way out of the park, we stopped at the "Trading Post" in the CG and got Bobbie T's propane tank topped off so we'd have plenty of propane when we got to Joe and Nancy's in Virginia Beach. (We'll be parked in their driveway for 8 to 10 days).

Then, just down the street from the CG, we pulled into a gas station where Jim filled Bobbie T's tank with 87 octane gas, @ $3.31 per gallon. ; )   By the time we pulled out of the station it was already 10:40, so we were really getting a late start.

In just another few blocks we came to US 17 again, where we turned NE and continued our journey North. The traffic was fairly heavy through North Myrtle Beach and around Wilmington, NC. but we made good time and soon we were turning off on NC 210, which brought us over here to the coast and to the Surf City Family CG.

It was 12:50 when we pulled up in front of the office and we had traveled just 99 miles. Yeah, it did take us 2 hours and 50 minutes, but around 40 minutes was spent stopping for propane and gas, so it actually wasn't too bad.

Yesterday, I mentioned that we had been to this CG 3 years ago when we came through here. I'd like to try to explain to you what the draw to the CG is.

First of all, I'll tell you what it isn't!!! It isn't fancy, most of the sites are quite narrow and crowded together, some of the sites aren't level, (but are not too far off), some do not have sewer connections, and you can't see the ocean from the sites.

But, as you drive into the CG, you see the large dunes that protect the CG from storms, and you see this walkway heading over them.

After  registering at the office and talking to the very nice lady, (the owner), you park your RV in it's assigned site. Then, after getting set up, (or not),

it's time to take a look at what's on the other side of the dunes, so you head up the stairs/ramp.

Once to the top, this is your reward!!!

View from bottom of the steps, looking off to the right.

View to the left.

As you can see, it's a beautiful, wide beach. This is not the "tourist season" yet , but from talking to the owner in the office, and others here in the park, they all say that this beach never gets very crowded.  The CG does however, fill up during the summer months, so if you decide to come here then, be sure to call ahead.

After getting Bobbie T set up in our site, Jim and Linda walked to the top of the dune and sat on the bench, just watching the ocean, for at least 1/2 hour.

Linda's a "happy camper" ; )

While Jim was registering us Sunday, he asked the owner if she could recommend a good place to go to eat, She told Jim that if he and Linda would wait to Monday, there was a Restaurant not too far from here, called Madison's that had a great buffet, and on Monday, the price for senior's was only $5.95!! She also recommended that they not go right at lunch or dinner time as the place was very popular and they would probably have to wait quite a long time.

So, about 1:30, Jim and Linda took CLG and headed over there.

Both Jim and Linda said that for a buffet, the food was very good and they really enjoyed their meals. Not long after Jim and Linda returned there was news of the tragedy up in Boston.

What a shame that people have to injure innocent people to make a point.

The rest of the day was spent getting Bobbie T ready to travel and watching TV.

While Jim and Linda were watching TV, I published a short post about my views of the Tragedy. I hope you'll take the time to read it.

Did you know that on this date in 1922 - Annie Oakley shot 100 clay targets in a row, to set a women's record?

Woof!!!



Monday, April 15, 2013

Tragedy!!

North Topsail Beach, NC.

68 deg. mostly cloudy, E. wind @ 6 mph.
Forecast = Tonight, Mostly cloudy. Lows around 57°F. East northeast wind to 10 MPH.

Tragedy struck in Boston today. Is anyone really surprised? I'm not. I've been expecting more attacks ever since 9-11, and am amazed that something like this hasn't happened sooner.

I can remember sitting in Jim and Linda's MH back in 2001 and watching the planes fly into the Trade Center buildings. At that time, I thought, "This is just the beginning"!!!

These bombs in Boston were not very powerful. They weren't designed to kill, but rather to injure and install terror in the minds of the American public. And, if you talk to many Americans right now, the terrorist have succeeded!!!

If you don't believe me, ask your neighbor if they'd be willing to go to Boston this coming weekend. My guess is that they'd say, "Not on your life"!!!!

So, what do we do? Well, as far a security, we'll pretty much have to leave that up to the police and other government officials. But, we can go about our business with vigilance and not let these sick people get away with terrorizing us.

If we allow this to scare us into staying at home and not doing the things we want to do, the terrorist have won!!!

We can not let them win!!!!!!

Please send your thoughts and prayers to all that were injured or killed in Boston.

As Americans, "United we stand, divided we fall.

Bark!!! Bark!!!

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Not A Spectacular Sunrise

Myrtle Beach, SC.

53 deg. clear, no wind.
Forecast = Today: Partly cloudy with patchy fog. Highs around 72°F. East wind 2 to 14 MPH, gusting to 18 MPH.
Tonight: Cloudy with slight chance of light showers. Lows around 61°F. East southeast wind 9 to 14 MPH. Chance of precipitation near 85%.

Right after I finished yesterday's post, I got Jim to go out and take some photos of the sunrise. It wasn't a spectacular sunrise, but with the sun coming up over the pier, I think it made a nice photo.

This is the first shot he got. The sun was just coming out from behind the bank of clouds.

This was taken just a short while later.

I like this one because of the neat cloud formations.

As Jim came in, he caught me looking out of the window at the sunrise. ; )

The day turned out to be one of the best we've had since we've been here. The temperatures were in the mid to upper 70's  and there was a nice ocean breeze blowing.

Not much happened worth reporting though. Jim went and filled CLT up with $3.31,  87 octane at a station just a few blocks from here.  He also picked up some of his favorite adult beverage before coming back here.

The rest of the day was spent taking naps, enjoying the sights and sounds of the ocean and the beautiful weather. ; )

Oh, for dinner, Jim did fire up his grill and cooked a nice big steak for himself and Linda to share, while Linda made some green beans on the stove.

That steak sure smelled good but of course I didn't get to eat any of it. : (

Today, we'll continue heading in a Northerly direction. Yesterday, Jim called a campground up by North Topsail Beach that we stayed at 3 years ago, to find out if they had plenty of sites available. The very nice lady said that there would not be a problem and to come on in, and she'd be waiting for us. : )

Did you know that there are more than 7,000 camping sites in the Myrtle Beach area?



Saturday, April 13, 2013

I Was Wondering, A Trip To Camping World and Just Hanging Around

Myrtle Beach, SC.

55 deg. clear, NW wind @ 9 mph.
Forecast = Today: Mostly sunny. Highs around 73°F. North northeast wind 2 to 9 MPH, gusting to 14 MPH.
Tonight: Clear. Lows around 52°F. Light wind.

I was wondering how long it would last.

What are you talking about, you ask??  Well, since Jim and Linda purchased Bobbie T, Jim has been sitting at the dinette. In the previous RVs that they've had, there's always been a sofa for him to sit on, but Bobbie T only has the dinette, and now since they've changed the original chair, Linda's recliner chair.

Now, for the record, Jim has never complained about sitting at the dinette, but Linda has been concerned for some time now, as it seems that Jim has been having more problems with his back.

If it wasn't for the much needed storage space under the seats of the dinette, I think Jim would have already ripped the dinette out and installed at least one and maybe 2 comfortable chairs in it's space. So, what to do??

Well Thursday, they headed over to one of the two Camping World stores here in Myrtle beach and looked for some kind of a folding chair that could be used inside and would be more comfortable for Jim. What they found was a folding recliner chair that has a slide-out footrest. It's called a "Pepper Leaf Recliner".

It was kind of hard for Jim to take these photos because of the limited room inside of Bobbie T. but I think you'll be able to see how it's possible to use this chair inside. In these first photos the chair is set up along side of the dinette. This is how it will be when Jim is watching TV or just relaxing. (Of course the chair can be used outside too).





In this photo you can see how the chair is folded up and can be positioned against the wall when Jim is not using it or the dinette is needed for eating or working on the computer.

This is not an ideal situation and Jim doesn't much like the upholstery on the chair, but for now it'll work. In the future, that dinette just may come out of there and replaced with a nice comfy chair, but Jim and Linda don't have to make that decision today. ; )

While they were at CW, they also bought some other things that they needed. One of them was what they call a "knife Safe". It mounts on the inside of  a cabinet door and you can store your cutlery in it, thus getting those sharp knives out of a drawer. They also bought a new water pressure regulator for the city water hook-up, and a padded topper cover to go on their mattress. And, Jim picked up 3 of those small American Flags, that he likes because the ones he has now are starting to show their age.

Yesterday morning, we had some real heavy rain here in Myrtle Beach. In fact, on the TV they were saying that we got more than an inch and a half!! The rest of the day, went from cloudy with sprinkles to sun to back to cloudy again, with yet another fairly heavy shower in the evening.

During one of the breaks in the weather, Jim and Linda went to a nearby Kroger's store and picked up a few groceries, but other than that, just hung around inside.

Today, the weather is supposed to be much better. In fact, I was just looking outside and it looks like we may have a neat sunrise. There are some clouds out over the ocean and that usually makes the sunrise even better.

I'd better go and see if I can get Jim to go out there with his camera and get a few pictures. ; )

Did you know that an estimated 14 million people visit the Myrtle Beach area every year during the Spring/Summer/Fall seasons? 


Thursday, April 11, 2013

Yemassee, SC to Myrtle Beach, With A Little Glitch

Myrtle Beach, SC.

59 deg. fog, no wind.
Forecast = Today: Partly cloudy with isolated showers. Highs around 73°F. Windy, with a south wind 9 to 22 MPH, gusting to 28 MPH. Chance of precipitation near 20%.
Tonight: Mostly cloudy with isolated showers. Lows around 66°F. Windy, with a south wind to 20 MPH, gusting to 26 MPH. Chance of precipitation near 70%.

Don't really know what happened yesterday. I wrote the blog in the morning, just like usual, and thought I posted it, but when Jim went to read it to Linda last night, It wasn't there!!!! : O

After going back to the main Blogger page, and checking, it was determined that it was there and ready to be posted, but for some reason when I hit the "publish" button, it didn't post!! Now, maybe I hit the wrong button, but I don't think so.

Anyway, the morning bog got posted yesterday evening. : )

So,  ,  ,  ,  ,  now for today's post.

We left "The Oaks" campground about 5 minutes after 10:00 and headed East towards Charleston on US 17. As we neared the city, the traffic really started picking up, and by the time we got within 10 miles or so, it was really heavy. In fact, even when we went around the Charleston area on I-526, it was busy almost all the way. Once we joined back up with 17 again, on the North side of the city, it started thinning out though.

Oh, there was a little glitch when we went to get back on US 17. The signs weren't very clear and as we come off of the belt route, we ended up on a wrong road. It really wasn't a big deal as Rosie, (the lady that lives inside of the GPS), re-routed us and got us back on the correct road.

Now, I say it wasn't a big deal, but I can't help wondering what we would have done if we still had Emrys? With Bobbie T, it was easy to make the turns in the residential area, but I'm not so sure we could have made them with a 45' MH.

Anyway, once back on 17, we continued Northeast all the way up here to Myrtle Beach. Again, the traffic got real heavy in the Myrtle Beach area and stayed that way all the way up to the Northeast side of the city on Bypass 17. On the Northeast side of Myrtle beach, we turned off of 17 onto Lake Arrowhead Road and followed SE to the Apache Family Campground.

It was 1:50 when we pulled up to the office, so even with the very heavy traffic and the little glitch, it only took us 3 hours and 45 minutes to travel 125 miles.

When Jim called the CG to make a reservation, he asked for a site with a view of the ocean if possible. The lady told him that there were small sand dunes between the sites and the ocean, but she would see what she could do. Well, she did pretty well!! : ) This is the view out of my dinette window. You definitely can see the water and of course you can easily hear the waves. Our site's not right on the water, but I don't think any of them in Myrtle Beach are!!

Linda's a Happy Camper!!!!! ; )

When you walk up on the little walkway shown in the above photo, this is the view you have.

Pretty nice, I'd say!!!!

Jim took some more photos, but I'll post them in a day or so. We'll be here for a total of 4 nights so I should have plenty time.

Did you know that there are over 250 golf courses in and around Myrtle Beach?


Wednesday, April 10, 2013

A Kick-Back Day and Florida To South Carolina

Yemassee, SC.

61 deg. clear, no wind.
Forecast = Today: Mostly sunny with areas of fog. Highs around 81°F. South wind 5 to 13 MPH, gusting to 19 MPH.
Tonight: Mostly clear with patchy fog. Lows around 64°F. South southeast wind 3 to 12 MPH, gusting to 17 MPH.

Being that everything went smoothly on the segment from DeBary to Callahan, there really wasn't much to do Monday except to just kick back. ; ) And, except for going to lunch at the Cedar River Seafood Restaurant in Callahan, that's exactly what Jim and Linda did.

After returning from the restaurant, Jim snapped a few pictures of Bobbie T. and Kelly's Family CG.



Yesterday morning, we left Kelly's about 5 minutes before 10:00 and continued North from the RV Park on US 301. Following 301 took us into Georgia up to Jesup where 301 joined up with US.84. 84 took us over to Hinesville/Flemington, where we turned off on GA 196 and followed it over to US 17. 17 then took us up to Richmond Hill, where we turned North on I-95.

I-95 took us up past Savannah, up into South Carolina, and to The Oaks At Point South RV Park at the junction of 95 and US-17. (Exit #33).

note: The traffic on I-95 was very heavy and in the future, we may try to find a route around this section of road.

This park is part of the Encore / Thousand Trails system, but the rent sites to the general public and they honor the Passport America discount.

It's an OK park for an overnight stop, but it's surely not worth the full price of around $38.  For about $24, including tax and other add on charges, it's not too bad though.

I'ts an older park and most of the sites are really close together, but they're fairly long and fairly level.

The last time we were in this area, Linda noticed a shop where they were selling all different flavors of cider so after they had Bobbie T all set up, they took CLT and headed for the shop.

At the shop, Linda bought 2 gallons of cider. : )

For dinner, Jim cooked some brats on the grill while Linda got out some slaw, buns and some Pecan Pie that she had bought at the cider shop.

Mmmmmmm!!!! Good!!! ; )

Oh, I almost forgot, when we pulled off of I-95 we pulled into a gas station and bought Bobbie T a drink of 87 octane before coming here to the park. It was 1:25 when we pulled up to the office, so we stopped for gas and traveled 149 miles in 3 hours and 30 minutes.

Today, we'll head up to Myrtle Beach where Jim has made reservations at a park that's supposed to have sites right on the ocean. From past experience there's usually a sand dune in between the sites and the ocean though and you may or may not be able to see the water from your site.

Did you know that Dr. Seuss invented the word "nerd"?

Monday, April 8, 2013

First Segment Of First Trip and DeBary, FL. To Callahan, FL.

Callahan, FL.

54 deg. Mostly clear, no wind.

Forecast = Today: Partly cloudy. Highs around 82°F. Southeast wind 3 to 9 MPH, gusting to 14 MPH.
Tonight: Partly cloudy with areas of fog. Lows around 59°F. East southeast wind 3 to 9 MPH, gusting to 13 MPH.

It was almost exactly 9:45 when we pulled out of Highbanks yesterday morning. It was no surprise to me when we turned left on US 17/92 instead of right because I knew that we weren't going to be taking the Interstate roads up here to Callahan. We only went a short way when Jim pulled Bobbie T into a gas station to fill her up with 87 octane gas. 

From the station, we continued North on US 17 to Deland where we took Rt 15A around the city. Then, it was 17 again all the way up to I-295, which goes around Jacksonville. Once on the North side of Jacksonville, we turned North on US 1 and brought it up here to just North of Callahan and to Kelly's Countryside RV Park.

It was 1:25 when we pulled into the CG, so in about 3 hours and 40 minutes, we had stopped for gas and  traveled 171 miles.

On this, our 1st segment of our 1st trip with Bobbie T, there were absolutely no problems. No cabinet doors came open, there was nothing falling or shifting out of place, and Bobbie T preformed very well.

We'll be staying here at Kelly's for one more night. We like this park and have been coming here for years. The owners, (especially Mr. Kelly), are very friendly and keep this park in very nice condition. Tomorrow, we'll head up into South Carolina. Again, I don't expect to be taking many Interstate Roads but rather will be taking U.S. and State routes most of the way.

Did you know that on average, there are 8 peas in each pod?

Woof!!! 



Sunday, April 7, 2013

Continuing With Yard Work and Getting The House And Bobbie T Ready,

DeBary, FL.

55 Deg. Mostly cloudy, no wind.
Forecast = Today: Partly cloudy. Highs around 79°F. East southeast wind 7 to 14 MPH, gusting to 19 MPH.
Tonight: Mostly clear. Lows around 63°F. East wind 2 to 12 MPH, gusting to 16 MPH.


Jim and Linda took CLT (Cute Little Truck), and headed over to the house yesterday morning. When they arrived, Bob was there and was working on pulling the bushes out on the East side of the house. Jim snapped this photo of Bob as he was getting something out of his trailer.

He's been very busy and has been making great progress. The photo below, shows how it looked before Bob started on this side. These bushes were trimmed just a month and a half ago and as you can see, they definitely need trimming again. (Way too much care needed).

Buy the time Bob left, this is what it looked like. All these edging blocks were hidden under the bushes, but were tipped over, misaligned and even buried under the ground. This area will now be filled with mulch and then when we come back in the fall there will possibly be some small low maintenance plants planted.

Being that we'll be away from the house for at least 6 months at a time, the whole yard needs to be low maintenance. No bushes that need constant trimming or pruning, no areas that need constant weeding and only plants that will survive occasional frost.

While Linda was doing the last load of laundry, Jim was continuing to ready the house for hibernation. By the time the laundry was done, everything was pretty much ready except for turning off most of the power.

The only power that will be left on will be the A/C, (with the thermostat set at 85 degrees to keep it from getting too hot inside and to keep the humidity down), a circuit that feeds the shed, (so that the lawn sprinkler system can be operated if it gets too dry), and one circuit that feeds the front of the house and the yard light.

It was about 2:30 by the time CLT brought Jim and Linda back here to Highbanks, (after a quick stop at Winn Dixie to pick up a few groceries). Then, Jim and Linda started to concentrate on getting Bobbie T ready to travel.

Linda worked on getting everything secured inside while Jim added some water to the fresh water tank, dumped the black and grey water tanks and put all the hoses away.

Because by this time they were tired, for dinner, they headed over to Burger King for a sandwich.

There's still some things to do this morning, but I think they have most everything taken care of. Many things will be double-checked because this will be the first actual trip with Bobbie T, and every RV has it's own little items that need to be attended to.

The plan today is to head up to Callahan, FL. and to Kelly's Countryside RV Park, which is NW of Jacksonville. We've been to that park many times before and know what to expect. If anything comes up that needs attention by the time we get there, it'll be a good place to address it. We'll stay there for 2 nights before continuing our journey towards Virginia Beach. Along the way, the plan is to stop in Myrtle Beach for 4 nights, (Jim has made reservations at a park there), with miscellaneous other stops along the way.

Each travel day will be 4 hours or less, so it should be a nice relaxing trip. : )

Oh, and except for using Interstates in the Jacksonville, FL/Savannah, GA area, it'll be all 2 lane roads!!!

Now, that's the kind of traveling I've been missing!!! ; )

Did you know that at the end of fiscal year 2012, Burger King reported it had almost 12,700 outlets in 73 countries?

Woof!!!


Saturday, April 6, 2013

Getting Ready To Leave, Dinner With Laura And Lindsey and Saying Good Bye

DeBary, FL.

53 deg. clear, WNW wind @ 9 mph.
Forecast = Today: Partly cloudy. Highs around 73°F. Northeast wind to 17 MPH.
Tonight: Mostly clear. Lows around 59°F. Northeast wind 5 to 14 MPH, gusting to 19 MPH.

Bob, (the yard man), called yesterday morning and told Jim that he was going to be over at the house to continue doing some of the yard work that he and Jim had talked about. He said that he also had some ideas about what to do with the areas where the bushes will be removed from and was wondering if Jim could come over and they'd talk about it.

So, about 10:30, Jim took CLT and headed over  there.

Bob had some very good ideas and those ideas along with some of Jim's input, resulted in a plan. : ) While Bob was working on the yard, Jim went inside and continued getting the house ready for it's summer hibernation.

Since Laura wanted to come to the house to see Linda's "4 poster Bed", she stopped by and picked Linda up from Highbanks and brought her over to the house right after lunch. From what Jim and Linda said, it sounds like she really liked the bed. Linda also put a load of laundry in the washing machine when she got to the house and then she, Laura and Jim sat and talked for awhile and made plans to go to Gram's Kitchen for dinner.

Once the laundry was done, Laura headed for home and Jim and Linda came back here to Highbanks.

About 5:30 Jim and Linda took CLT and headed over to Gram's where they met Laura and Lindsey. After a nice dinner and some visiting, it was time to say "Good Bye". : (   Laura and Lindsey have been great help during these last few months and like always, (when Jim and Linda are leaving one of the "kids" house), it was a very emotional time.  : (

We'll be back in the fall though and maybe next winter things won't be so busy and there'll be more time for visiting.

Today, Jim and Linda will be going back to the house for awhile. Linda has one more load of laundry to do and the final steps of closing up the house will be done. Then, they'll come back here and continue getting Bobbie T ready for travel.

Hopefully in times to come, this will all go more smoothly, but since this is the first time for getting the house ready for hibernation and getting Bobbie T ready for travel, it's been kind of nerve wracking. I'm sure things will be forgotten, but hopefully it won't be anything too important. Bob said that he'd keep an eye on the house and Laura will be stopping by from time to time, so both Jim and Linda feel the house is in good hands.

As far as Bobbie T is concerned, after full-timing for about 12 years and dealing with all the things that have happened, Jim and Linda feel that they can pretty much handle anything that could come up.

So,  ,  ,  ,  ,  unless something very unusual happens, we'll be leaving DeBary tomorrow and starting on yet another new adventure.

Wish us luck!!!

Did you know that it take 8 minutes and 17 seconds for light from the sun to reach Earth?

Woof!!!

Friday, April 5, 2013

A Spot For Bobbie T, Laura And Lindsey and A Reply To A Comment

DeBary, FL.

63 deg, clear, SW wind @ 7 mph.
Forecast = Today: Partly cloudy with scattered showers. Highs around 72°F. Northwest wind 10 to 15 MPH, gusting to 21 MPH. Chance of precipitation near 45%.
Tonight: Mostly clear. Lows around 57°F. North wind 6 to 14 MPH, gusting to 19 MPH.

I had a hard time deciding if I wanted to post an entry to this blog this morning or not. Not much happened yesterday so I was having trouble thinking of something to write about.

Jim and Linda did go over to Highland Estates about 10:30 though, and and made it official that they'd have a place to park Bobbie T in the storage lot when we come back in the fall. They now have an agreement saying that spot #2 is reserved for him and will be available as of November 1. : ) Jim also has a key to the storage area so that he can get in there anytime he wants. And, because they have someone who wants to store something on that spot this summer, Jim and Linda won't have to start paying storage until Bobbie T actually starts using the spot.

After that, they'll have to pay $25 per month, year round to reserve the site. That's still a whole lot cheaper than any storage lot in this area, and of course any other storage area wouldn't be near as convenient as a place right by the house.

Laura and Lindsey came over to visit for a couple hours after dinner last night. Linda and Laura sat inside and talked and Jim and Lindsey sat outside since the weather was nice.

Today, Jim and Linda will meet Laura, (and maybe Lindsey), over at the house so that she can see Linda's new "4 poster bed". Then, later, they may all go out to dinner together because after today, Laura has to work every day and we won't get a chance to see her again before we leave Sunday. : (

Tomorrow will be a busy day for Jim and Linda. There's still quite a lot of things that have to be done over at the house, and of course, there's still a lot to here. Hopefully Jim and Linda will be able to get some of it done today, so they won't have too much to do tomorrow.

Retired Rod left a comment on yesterday's post. He was inquiring about the legalities of Jim and Linda having the house down here in Florida and still keeping South Dakota as their residence.

Well, I don't know all about the laws, but as of now, we'll be in Florida less that 6 months out of the year, and the house will be treated like a winter home, just like thousands of other people do from all over the U.S. For the near future, we'll continue to head up North for the summers to spend time with family and friends and continue to go places that Jim and Linda still want to visit, such as New England and parts of the upper  Mid-West and North-West.

Their Drivers License's are good for 3 more years so at that time, they may decide to make Florida their residence because there really won't be a reason not to. And, (let's face it), in years to come, they'll probably be traveling less than they do now.

Did you know that Frogs are found everywhere in the world except in Antarctica?

Woof!!!


Thursday, April 4, 2013

Bob's Been Busy, The 4 Poster Bed and Getting Ready

DeBary, FL.

deg.
Forecast =


Tuesday, Jim and Linda took CLT and headed over to the house to do some laundry and to start getting all boxes of food out of the cabinets. It has been suggested by a few different people that any boxes with food in them be removed from the house for the summer because mice and bugs are attracted to them. : (  And, Jim and Linda definitely don't want  to come back this fall to find out that the house is infested.

I think I told you Tuesday that Bob, (the man that Jim and Linda hired to do yard work), has been working on the yard already. Well, this is some of what he's done so far.

This is a pink grapefruit tree in the back yard. As you can see, he's done some major trimming on it. Before he started, there was branch right up against the roof of the house on the right, and the rest of the branches were almost touching the ground. You almost couldn't get under the tree, much less mow the grass under there.

Right next to the grapefruit tree, (on the left in this photo), was another citrus tree. It was a scrawny thing with fruit that was so sour that you couldn't eat it. So, Jim had Bob cut it down. You can see the stump in this photo just to the left of the telephone pole.

Oh, and Jim snapped this photo of Linda's "4 poster bed". The photo isn't very good and the colors are off because of the light coming in through the curtains, but you can get the idea of what it looks like. Jim says that if the posts would have been 3" taller, they would have had to cut holes into the ceiling!!! ; )

Yesterday, Jim got busy early, rearranging some stuff inside of Bobbie T. You see, sitting in one place is one thing, but when you're traveling, things have to be packed much more carefully so that they don't move around or worse yet, come crashing out of the cabinets while driving down the road!!!

After it got light outside and it warmed up a little, Jim went outside and did the same in a few of the outside compartments. After that, he got out his green garden hose, washed the awning, and then, after it dried, rolled it up.

There were 3 reasons that he rolled up the awning yesterday morning. First, they were forecasting possible t-storms with gusty winds, and second, we only have a few days left before we leave, (with 2 of them forecasted to be cloudy with rain), and third, it's one more thing to  check off of Jim's pre-departure checklist. : )

It was early afternoon, when it started raining, and it rained off and on for the rest of the day. So, after helping Linda with a few things inside, it was time for a nap!!! ; )

After dinner, Jim and Linda took CLT (Cute Little Truck), and headed over to the house. Jim had set the recycle bin out by the street Tuesday and wanted to get that off of the curb, Linda had some papers that needed to go to the house, and Jim wanted to get the printer and bring it back here to Bobbie T.

Originally, Jim and Linda didn't think that there would be room in Bobbie T for the printer, but after repacking items, there was room under one of the dinette seats that would work. It won't be handy, but if Jim and Linda need to print a document or something, it will be possible to get it out from under the seat and set it up somewhere.

Oh, one more thing that Jim did outside, just before it started raining yesterday afternoon, was to install the license plates that were removed from Emrys onto Bobbie T. You see, yesterday morning, he received an e-mail from Karen at Alternative Resources saying that all the paperwork for registration and title had been taken care of and it was now legal to transfer the plates.

He'll get the paperwork in the next mail they receive.

Throughout the years, Alternative Resources has been just great when it come to mail and helping to register vehicles. If there is a problem of any kind, they'll take care of it or contact you and inform you what needs to be done. If you deal directly with SD. and there's a problem, they'll kick the paperwork back to you and you'll have to start all over with the process, possibly taking a very long time. (Which is not convenient when your traveling and need tags on your new vehicle).

It costs a little to have Karen take care of it, but both Jim and Linda think it's worth it.

Don't know what's happening today. It's supposed to rain most of the day, so not much outside will be done.  Maybe Jim and Linda will go over to the house and work on getting it ready for summer hibernation.

Did you know that April is "National Kite Month"?

Woof!!!

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Up On The Roof and Shopping

DeBary, FL.

59 deg. light fog, W. wind @ 3 mph.
Forecast = Today: Mostly sunny. Highs around 81°F. Northeast wind 8 to 17 MPH, gusting to 24 MPH.
Tonight: Mostly clear. Lows around 61°F. East wind 3 to 14 MPH, gusting to 18 MPH.

By a little after 10:00 yesterday morning, Jim was up on Bobbie T's roof. With him, he had the 2 vent covers he had bought, his battery powered drill and some miscellaneous tools.

Those of you that know Jim well, know that being on a roof is not his favorite thing to do, but soon he was measuring, drilling and fastening the cover to the vents. It actually didn't take very long to install the covers and in a little over an hour, he was back down on the ground and putting everything away. : )

Now, if it's raining, Jim and Linda can still open the vents to get some air circulation through the motor home.

About 1:00 Laura stopped by and picked up Linda. They did end up going over to the mall where first they stopped at a restaurant for a light lunch and then went to a clothing store and bought Linda some jeans. Linda said that she looked for some tops too, but didn't find anything she liked.

While Linda and Laura were gone shopping, Jim took a nice long nap and did a little reorganizing inside of me. : )

When Linda returned she was quite tired so it was decided that Jim head over to Winn Dixie and pick up some much needed groceries while she took a little nap. In about an hour, Jim was back and Linda helped him put the groceries away.

Today, the plan is to head over to the house to do some laundry. Jim got an e-mail from Bob yesterday, and he's already started on the yard work, so it'll be interesting to see what he's done so far.

Did you know that today is "National Peanut Butter and Jelly Month"?

Hmmmm!!! Sounds good to me, but that peanut butter gets stuck to the roof of my mouth. : )

Woof!!!

Monday, April 1, 2013

A Great Easter Dinner

DeBary, FL.

63 deg. clear, S. wind @ 5 mph.
Forecast = Today: Partly cloudy with isolated showers. Highs around 81°F. Southwest wind 11 to 17 MPH, gusting to 24 MPH. Chance of precipitation near 45%.
Tonight: Partly cloudy with scattered showers. Lows around 63°F. West wind 6 to 16 MPH, gusting to 23 MPH. Chance of precipitation near 45%.

It was about 11:30 when CLT took Jim and Linda over to Marv and Inez's yesterday morning. He said that the traffic was particularly heavy and it seemed like everyone was in a hurry.

By about 1:00 everyone had arrived and they all sat down to enjoy a great meal of ham, green beans, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, gravy and some great strawberry shortcake and brownies for desert.

After eating, everyone gathered outside on the deck where they all enjoyed  the "Chamber of Commerce" weather, (temperatures in the high 70's and low 80's with a nice breeze), that we were having. ; )

After talking for awhile and catching up on what everyone has been doing, some of the people started getting ready to leave. Jim and Linda were getting tired, so they said their Goodbyes, with H and H, (Hugs and Handshakes), and headed back here.

Again it was really nice for Marv and Inez to include Jim and Linda in their family gathering. They always have a house full of  family but always make room for Jim and Linda.

Thanks so much, Marv and Inez!!!

On the way back here to Highbanks, Jim and Linda stopped by the house and dropped off the items that they had bought at the stores and yard sales the other day and to check the mailbox for mail. They didn't stay long and by about 3:45 CLT was pulling into his spot here at the park.

After relaxing for a little while, both Jim and Linda took naps.

This afternoon, Linda and Laura are planning on going shopping. Linda needs some new jeans so they'll probably go over to the mall in Sanford. Jim was planning on installing the vent covers, that he had bought about a week ago, on Bobbie T's vents, but the weather is looking kind of "iffy", so that project may have to wait until tomorrow.

Did you know that  In Mexico and Spain, April Fool's Day is on December 28 (called Day of the Holy Innocents)? According to their custom, it is very foolish to lend someone anything (especially money) on that because it doesn't have to be returned.  Instead, the borrower sends the lender a box of candies with a note that he's been fooled.  In Germany and Norway,  April Fool's day is celebrated twice:
 On April 1 and on April 30.