We've been busy

OK – what do strawberries, golf, ribs, March Madness, a water ski show and John Denver have in common?  Nothing!

 

But they are the things we did since the last update.  Also a dance, St. Pat’s day potluck, more line dancing classes, swimming and I discovered where they keep the basketball and have been shooting hoops every night before our walk.

 

St. Patrick's Day Lunch

Jane went with our neighbor from Maine to pick strawberries, she has now been twice and I’m getting concerned that she’s going to become an itinerant farm worker and start following the harvest season.

She came back with a huge bowl of strawberries for which the lady charged her the outrageous sum of $1.  When you pick your own right out of the field, you don’t have to take ones that aren’t ripe. 

Ed and I played golf Sat morning at a very nice course while the girls went to a botanical garden. 

 

Jimmie and Ed took us to Cody’s for ribs that afternoon and boy did we pig out.  A bottomless bowl of salad, rolls with cinnamon butter and ribs so tender you could pull the bones right out.  Not only that, we had enough left over to have lunch the next day.

That’s what lead us to March Madness.  We were so full, we couldn’t move, so we laid on the couch watching basketball that afternoon.  And evening.  I watched  my Razorbacks go down in flames Sat night.  When does football season start?

Sunday morning we were still walking off the ribs from the day before.  We went to the Benderson Rowing Complex, where they will hold the 2017 World Rowing Championships.  When I look at a 1 mile long stretch of water that’s as smooth as glass, I can’t help think LET’S WAKEBOARD!

 

Sunday afternoon we went to see Ski-A-Rees.  The local competition water ski team practices every Sunday afternoon in preparation for the competition season.  We watched many talented young skiers perform for an hour.   (If Jane does become an itinerant farm worker, I’m going to be a ski boat driver).  They get 16 people skiing behind 1 boat making a 4-level pyramid.  (If I put out 2 ski ropes at the same time, they get tangled up.)

In the afternoon, we went to the beach and I joined Jeff's one-man-band as the bongo player.  The partnership didn't last long though, the name just didn't have the same ring to it.  Jane did some line dancing.

Sunday night we heard John Denver, even though he’s no longer alive!  The guy we heard, Tom Becker, was amazing, same exact voice. Several times I just closed my eyes and could picture that nerdy, but talented little guy with the granny glasses. 

This Thursday is our “block party” here at the park and Saturday night, we have a 50’s dance. 

Next week we pack up ride off into the sunset for a month in Orlando (Kissimmee actually).  I have a trade show to attend the 8th-12^th.

Next time

Jim & Jane

 

 

Pickin' & Grinnin'

On Saturday, we decided to explore our surroundings.  Jane has wanted to pick her own Florida oranges and so . . .  We went to the Dooley Grove

Saturday night we went to a dance here in the RV park.  It was too dark for pics.

Sunday, we met some neighbors who are from Kennebunk, ME.  The wife, Bessie, asked if we had been to eat at Woody's River Roo on the Manatee River and of course we hadn't.  So, she invited us to go with them to lunch.  Out in the parking lot, a guy was collecting money to help save owls.  He had a horned owl and a screeh owl . . .

And we shared a table with a couple who were not married, but good friends and both teachers.
We sat and talked and laughed with them sharing our stories and just having a good time.   Jane had her first Cuban sandwich, a popular item in this area.  Pulled pork, ham, swiss cheese, pickles and lots of mustard.  It was yummy!

First Campsite

This is our first campsite on the banks of Lake Lewisville

 

 

Here we are at the beach in Gulf Shores with my sister Kathy.

Not exactly dressed for swimming.

 

When we arrived in Ruskin, things didn't exactly look like the web site.

These were a couple of our neighbors

On the next episode of Hoarders/RV style

 

The South will rise again!

 

The next campground was more to our liking.

This is my outdoor office.

 

 

 

Sunday we went to Siesta Key

 

Never thought I'd see a Polar Bear this far south.

( I'm proud of myself if I can pack sand in a bucket and turn it over)

 

J&J plus Jimmie & Ed

(Jane's sister & hubby)

 

I read somewhere that this is the #1 beach in the USA.

 

 

Jim has something to say..........

The day we "bugged out" and left Gulf Shores, it was beautiful.  We covered 530 miles and made it to Ruskin, FL about 8:30 PM.  It was dark and without the 3 friendly neighbors to guide me into our spot, we wouldn't have made it.

The park didn't exactly meet expectations as portrayed on their web site.  In fact it was so bad, we immediately looked for and found a different park and moved there the next day.  We haven't been doing this long enough to become RV park "snobs", we couldn't afford that anyway, but when we got up the next morning and found cats under our home and a guy "dumpster diving" at the end of the street, we had made up our minds to move.

In fact, we were in such a hurry to leave, I forgot to crank down our TV antenna and broke it when we got out on the highway and the wind bent it over and broke the gears.  Oops - lesson "Even if you're in a hurry to leave, go through the bug- out checklist."

We're now at a great park where they have a heated pool, mini golf, scheduled activities and a friendly, helpful staff.  We're at the Manatee RV park and just down the road is the Manatee Correctional facility for delinquent manatees, at least that's what we assume. 

Last Sunday we spent the morning with Jimmie and Ed at Siesta Key, one of the top beaches in the U.S. and in the afternoon a free jazz concert at a local park in Sarasota. 
Wednesday of this week, we went to the Florida Strawberry Festival in Plant City. 

We're now starting to experience what we have been hoping for since we started this journey, a warm climate, friendly neighbors, things to do if we want to get involved and I'm keeping super busy with my job.  We are truly blessed.