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!