Christmas In SW Florida Begins

We've had very hot weather for the month we have been here - 90s, 80+ humidity, and 75 dew point.  That means only an hour or so of pickleball in the morning before we all get overheated.

We made a trip to Nokomis Beach with Pam and Dennis.  A trip usually includes lunch - we ate at a great seafood place, but I don't remember the name.

No waves in the Gulf

Not sure why no one was in the water - it was great.

We signed up for the first couples bi-weekly golf outing last Sunday.  For the first time ever, I won "Closest to the Pin"

My prize for winning closest to the pin.  Now I had a treat to take to Bingo on Wednesday.

A group of us went bike riding to Boca Grande on Gasparilla Island last week. The ride was only 5 miles, but lots to see along the way.  It was sprinkling when we started out, so we stopped at a museum to get under cover for about 10 minutes.  

        

      

Strange signage along the way.

I love these huge trees.

 A group photo on the porch at the Gasparilla Inn.  This place was definitely for the rich and famous.

This sculpture in the Inn is called "Boca Grade Embrace"

Mark and Bill were two of the "scoopers" at the first ice cream social.  Patti and I were hot fudge servers.  

We've had lots of trouble with the big 46" TV in the RV.  It turns off on its own while watching it, and then turns on sometimes a minute or two later, or sometimes 20 minutes later.  Very aggravating! We contacted the dealer and they said we should just go buy a new one and they would reimburse us instead of them sending us a new one.  Now we know why - they don't make this size any longer. After two trips to Best Buy, two trips to Bob Smith Appliances, two TVs later, we finally got a new LG that fits, and would work with the mount.

The mess of removing one TV and trying to get another one installed.

After making extensive modifications to the mount, Mark and Dennis got the new one installed and set up.

Yesterday we made a trip to Ft. Myers to the flea market.  Not very crowded, but I did buy a couple pairs of reader sunglasses.

A small sample of the very large flea market.

Last night we went to Fisherman's Wharf in Punta Gorda for the lighting of the Christmas lights.  We had biked through the parking lot before, but never walked through the shops.  Lots of cool shops, but it was very crowded for the celebration.  After the very tiny parade through the shops, all the stores had drinks and snacks to sample.

 Her sister would not do it.

Lots of "Florida" Christmas trees.

 We ran into Gail and Al and Gary and Peggy so we got a group photo.

The weather today was great - cool, only in the 70s, so Mark took advantage to wax the front and end caps of the RV.

On The Move in Florida

It's been an exciting couple of weeks.  The manager of the park came to see Pam and Dennis two weeks ago to say a new spot opened up in the area we all want to be in, so they got to move.  She told us she would probably find a spot for us also.  As luck would have it - a week later she did.  Now we will be with all of our friends, for at least a year.  We are all on loaner spots for the year - if the people who had them last year return next year, they get them back.

The girl in charge of the summer activities was cleaning out the freezer so she had a Wings and Bingo party.   I had my new good luck pigs that we bought in the Amana Colonies this summer.  They did not bring me luck, but Mark won three games ($31).  He hates bingo and will probably never go back

Butch somehow hurt himself in the new RV and we had to take him to the vet.  He couldn't walk and just laid on the floor shivering.  A massage from the vet, and some Pet ibuprofen and he was good as new in two days.

Butch waiting patiently.

We took Pam and Dennis to the airport in Ft. Myers so they could fly home to get Penny who just had her puppies.  We got to keep Darla overnight.  Butch and Darla usually do not get along, but they were perfect together.  They just ignored each other.

Butch was ok on the walks as long as he was in the lead.

We have been playing pickleball almost daily, but only for a little over an hour.  The weather has been very hot - setting records daily for heat.  Hey - that's why we are here!  

We had the first of many mini-potlucks at Pam's new spot with Cathy and Fraser.  Great food.  It was too hot for a fire.

Soup, salad, and wings at Pam and Dennis'.

We headed to a new restaurant, Marlow's on the River, and then the beach with Pam and Dennis last week.  The food was fabulous - we will definitely return.

 On the deck by the Peace River.

On our way to the restaurant, the park manager called me to say that a spot had opened up near Pam and Dennis - did we want it?  Of course we did.  We skipped the beach and returned to the park to pack up our stuff and move to the much bigger site.  It was a good thing all this happened - the wires in the 50amp cord had started melting together - we could have all gone up in flames had we not moved.  Mark made a mad dash to Ft. Myers at 4 in the afternoon to buy a new outlet and cord.

The melted cord.

Our new site, complete with its own palm tree.

We played golf with Bill and Peg last week.  It was a perfect day for golf, and lots of wildlife out.

First of three gators we found on the course.

 Mark with Bill and Peg. 

 Another gator.

 A very anorexic raccoon.

 A crazy looking turtle crossing the fairway.

These guys were really squawking when we arrived.

This week we went to Gilchrist Park in Punta Gorda to ride bikes with three other couples.  We didn't bike long (5 miles), but the lunch was great.

We worked out along the trail.

Leroy, Bill, Mark, and Dennis

Mark is getting into the Christmas spirit.  Sirius XM is playing Christmas music on two different stations.  

It's strange being 91 degrees out, listening to Christmas music on November 4.

Last night we had burgers and bingo in the park.  Mark opted to leave after dinner.  I was lucky enough to win two bingos.  I had to split one of them five ways, but I still came home with $36!

Summer 2015 and the Start of Our Winter Season

After we left Florida with the repaired truck in April, we spent the summer at home, but were busy.  We had intended to put our house on the market and buy a condo, but that didn't work out so we remodeled the kitchen.

 New countertops, tile, dishwasher and microwave.

We found a truck to buy so we could continue to travel with the trailer.

                  

Mark with his new big **S truck!

A few weeks later we had a terrible storm come through which caused lots of hail damage to my car, Mark's new truck, and lots of water pouring into the basement.

We found a place to play pickleball in Webster Groves and had a great time playing all summer.

In June we drove back to Riverside RV Park in Florida to get our trailer out of storage and brought it back home since we had a new truck to pull it.  The park was empty in June, but we spent a couple days in Navarre Beach on the way back home.

 Enjoying the beach.

 The longest fishing pier in the Florida

Chillin' in the RV Park.

In July my Mom passed away.  We were not prepared, but we know she is in a much better place with Dad.

Mom's 83rd Birthday

We took the RV up to Iowa this summer.  We spent a couple nights in the Amana Colonies, then drove over to State Center to visit our friends, Rick and Ann.  The four of us drove up to see the Buddy Holly crash site and the Surf Ballroom.

The Surf Ballroom stage.

We drove out to the soybean field where the actual crash took place.

The marker for the site.

We went camping with John and Donna to Rend Lake in August.  The campground was loaded with chickens.

We drove down to Nashville a few weeks ago to see Frankie Vallie.  Even at 81 years old, he put on a fabulous show.

After enjoying the grandsons a lot this summer, we left home last Saturday and headed to Florida once again, for the winter.  

The first couple days were spent setting up, shopping, and playing pickleball again, once Pam and Dennis arrived.

 We were all alone for a couple of days.

 The DISH guy showed up to get us hooked up so we could watch post-season baseball.  Sadly we only got to watch one Cardinal's game - better luck next season.

 The park already had its big Halloween weekend before we arrived, but I had to put out my lone decoration.

 The pool is fabulous, but now needs the heater on.  The office isn't listening to us when we are requesting heat.  Maybe soon.

This is how we now park with the big trucks.  

 Dennis and Mark removed the hitches from the truck.

 Pam and Dennis bought a fire pit so we could enjoy.  It was hot out so we didn't get too close.

Yesterday we all drove own to Fort Myers to go to Camping World and to check out the area before the crowds show up in the next couple weeks.  I'm glad we visited, so we will never have to go back.

 The beach was not nice at all, and it was covered in seaweed.  I guess we are spoiled by Gulf Shores.

Today Mark and I golfed.  It was a course we didn't try last year.  It was a very windy day.  

 No gators, but whitecaps on the pond.

 Orange grove in the middle of the course.

Crappy greens, and way too much wind!