CRACKER CAPERS at SKP RESORT in WAUCHULA FL

Crackers being what original Floridian ranchers were called.  Why?  Because of the cracking of their whips to round up cattle!
The Capers is what our SKP Resort calls this week each year for festivities to acquire funding for maintenance of the park since the park is privately owned by the members.
Today, January 26th, I went to the indoor yard sale at the clubhouse and came home with a top for me and a pair of cargo shorts for Gary's down-sizing because of his diet. Today he has a cold so not sure what his diet will be!!  We attended a Spaghetti Dinner on Wednesday, and a dance after DJ'd by Bobby Kemp.  I guess he has been here to entertain in the park before and was liked.  He sure sang all evening!!

Line dancing, as always, is popular.

Lillian in the green shirt, attends the same
church that we do., as do several others
from the park.

Joe and Lee, on the right,
 who have been in the park for many years.
Joe stopped by our home to answer any questions
that we might have concerning our up-coming
membership and owner-ship of a lot.
He was most helpful and updated us again at the dinner.
Not sure when another lot will become available.

Joe dances with a member in her walker.
She sure seemed to enjoy!!

I think that this may have been her husband
helping her enjoy!!

We met this Canadian couple who travel in this trailer.  They do not look old enough to be retired, but they have been. And recently he is working on the road from this little home.  Their three daughters roomed together in the lower 48 states while attending college.  They have since returned to Canada and mom and dad have been traveling and wintering in Florida. It is interesting to learn about so many new people.

Note the solar power!
This trailer was first featured in National Geographic
years ago and has changed hands
several times since.

I have still been walking most everyday and see interesting things along the way.

Last evening I sure paid for the walk with much pain in my thighs.  Not sure why as that has not happened before.   Yesterday was a game day in the park so took some pictures as I walked.  

Esther, I thought of you as I watched
your favorite Pickle Ball that you
played in Mesa AZ

Shuffleboard is always busy.

I think that I will get a bite of lunch and walk back up to the Yard Sale.  I forgot to check out the patio to see what the furniture portion looked like.  Might be something we would want to keep in mind for next time around, when we get our lot and storage shed??

Hope that it is warming up a little for you in Ohio.  My sister in Indiana calls complaining about the cold and bad driving conditions and then drives to Muncie to shop as she is feeling house bound???  We also hear from Gary's cousin in Wisconsin who tells of  -20 there!!!  Now that IS COLD!!

This is why we are in the south and appreciating the 60's and 70's!!  We have had a few 80 degree days too!!

Take care and God Bless!!

A WALK IN THE PARK !!

Yes, we both try to walk our mile or more everyday in the park, Gary in the morning and I go just before dark. I could walk after dark, but my luck would be that I would trip and fall. I know better!! Anyway, I love to take pictures of what I see along the way.  Some driveway art and other arrangements in the yards.

Miss Vera lives here!
She was one of the original founders of the park,
which was built and maintained by the volunteers.

This lot is near the dump station
which Gary visits twice weekly since we are located
in an overflow space while waiting for our
lot to buy.  It should be soon.

This lot in on the full shady side of the park.
It sure reminds me of our friend Diane who has
passed away. She loved her gnomes!
We used to visit her and Bob when
they were in Bartow FL for the winters.

We have been to Port Charlotte twice since settling here in Zolfo Springs, and we go to Sebring and Arcadia to shop closer to home. And we watch the orange crops going to market. Orange orchards are all around us.

But there are things to do here in the park, so we are not bored!!
I scrapbook (to use the long tables) at the clubhouse while my laundry gets done and Gary teaches his colored pencil class.  He does do drawing while here at home too.  I will have to capture that on film one of these days.

We also eat breakfast at the Club House once a week, and will have spaghetti dinner this week along with an indoor yard sale.  We watch movies and have popcorn with the friends here, and I do crafts.  After I get some pictures of those, I will share them with you.
We are experiencing what we call cold weather some.  That means jacket weather, or walk fast weather!  But nothing like they are experiencing in the north!!  We don't miss that at all, except I miss the view of snow out the windows. We have had a couple pictures of that sent to us.  Ben, in Minneapolis, says it is not too bad, and Rich is having fun with his little tractor plowing snow!!
We also are attending a little Baptist church about an mile or two from our park, where we meet up with some of our park friends also.  Last Sunday evening we enjoyed a Southern Gospel Concert there, and another will be coming in a couple weeks.

New Hope Baptist

The Brown family from Lemars, Iowa.

During one song they were all three using
their bows on one violin.
They are quite the cut-ups, especially the younger brother.

Then the girl's friend joined them.
What a Tenor!!  We didn't expect that as
he looked to be a local farmer!!
Actually, the Brown's are farmers from Iowa.

I could mouth most of the songs as I knew them, and would have loved singing along!! But everyone around me would have had to cover their ears.
The church is like many others that we visit across the country. They are on a Pastor search and also a Youth Pastor search.  I am not sure how they handle it as they loose so much of their adult attendance (The Snowbirds) over the summer.  I don't think that there is really any true Floridians in our SS Class. However, they do have a decent youth attendance.
As I said, we are still waiting for the application process for our lot.  Getting anxious though.
We missed out on the one across the street from us as it went to another member in the park.

The older member had first dibs on the lot across from us. 

The members have first choice on locations and can trade. Then you have to wait for the committee to offer their old lot to members before it comes to a newbie, like us. So we are waiting patiently.
Take care and stay warm. Time is moving right along!!

MOVE FROM HOLT TO ZOLFO SPRINGS, FLORIDA

January 2, 2019 Begins our new year in Florida as we move with the motorhome from Holt in the panhandle to Zolfo Springs, inland from Bradenton on the Gulf Coast.
All we saw of damage from Hurricane Michael was twisted and broken trees along I-10.  Some wooded areas completely destroyed with twisted off and totally uprooted trees.

Without leaving the Interstate we did not see much damage to buildings except for a Road Side Rest that was pretty well destroyed. I think that the major damage was in the cities along the coast.
We were fortunate that we did not encounter anything like the vehicle accident that was on I-75 southbound the following week.  We praise the Lord for our hedge of protection!!
We arrived at the SKP Co-op Park on January 3rd and weather was much better!!

We were reserved a site in their overflow area for our first stay here in the park, and we were glad to get things unpacked, sorted out and rearranged. This is normal from any move in the motorhome when it has been in storage for a period of time.  We also had a lot that was in the car for our trip from Ohio and the condo to Florida and the motorhome.  We were so glad when this was all finished.  And Gary took the next couple days to wash down the motorhome from the roof down and cleaning windows and the car. 
Now we feel like we are Home!!  Then today we got a call from the office about a move that we will have to make in mid February because a lot owner changing their plans for arrival to the park for the Association Board Meeting. These owners can let the office rent out their site when they do not plan to be here.  Ah-h, maybe a policy about change needs to be implemented??
We are now number 2 on the waiting list to buy into the Park.  We had waited from #138 in May of 2015 to now.  They have had three wanting to sell at this time, so all we are waiting for is the process they go through before it becomes available.
It is a lovely small park and should be a very friendly location and only about 45 miles from the Gulf Coast.  Gary will be teaching a colored pencil class beginning on the 14th. So that will help us get acquainted.
Tomorrow we will attend a small Baptist Church close by.  It will be nothing like the huge church in Pensacola that we go to, so it should be easy to meet people at church also.
Gary walked around the park this morning though he did not duplicate some of the streets that would have made it a full mile for him.  So nice of the Co-op to have that info available for newcomers.
He took pictures of one empty lot and another one that we know is for sale as posted on the bulletin board.  We sure like the looks of the one that has a fifth wheel parked on it now.  It is across the street from our over-flow location.

Site across from us, G-26

I talked on the phone this morning with my brother, Paul, in Indiana.  He sounded so good compared to November and December when he was so ill.  We just keep our fingers crossed that he will continue the control over the issues that made his health decline so much.  It has been many years progressing to that point.  I pray for his continued progress.

We are not sure what we will be doing in the days ahead as we do have friends and relatives from up north living along the Coast. Maybe some visits will be enjoyable. 

I also need to get started attending a TOPS Club as soon as possible.  

Take care and enjoy your new year.  We are having awesome weather here and sure are enjoying it!!

CHRISTMAS WITH FRIENDS and FAMILY

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2018 and a BLESSED, HEALTHY NEW YEAR  to all of our friends and relatives!!! THIS IS THE DAY THAT THE LORD HATH MADE AND WE SHALL REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT!
We had a new experience in our church of choice in Pensacola this past Sunday!! First we walked in to our usual Adult Bible Fellowship class and surprised our friends that their Snowbirds (which they call us) had arrived.  Only one friend was aware that we might show up. The class and friends were enjoyed as usual and then we really woke up when the early morning service got under way!!  Gary had to turn his hearing aid off several times!!  But it was so enjoyable, that we adjusted. I could even sing to my heart's content as no one would hear my occasional off key note!!  And Pastor Traylor always has a message with an impact, and this introduction for the new year was no exception!!
You can check it out at www.olivebaptist.org
After church we joined six friends for dinner at Cheddars.  The time just flew by.

Our condo lobby tree.
I enjoyed it as we did not put a tree up
as Victor would have had to put it away.

Our condo door welcome!!

Our poinsettia took place of a tree.
And my favorite show, Blue bloods.

Let the fun continue:

I had a TOPS Christmas Dinner/Party at Mike's Penn Ave Grille in Salem and I sure enjoyed it all!! Great food and great friends!!

Nancy, who texts me to keep me up on news. with her
close friend, Shirley

Abby comes with her grandmother, Barb, on the right.
And Debbie in the center.
Thanks to Abby and Barb we had wonderful favors!!

Ellie and Janet
Janet joined the group a couple years ago when she
walked in thinking that she was going to attend an
Alzheimer's support group.  Surprise! It was TOPS
and she stayed!!

Gary then attended his SES Christmas Lunch at Mt. Union. He got to enjoy so many friends and our two sons and our grandson, all three who now work for SES.  They tease Gary that he should come back and could enjoy the three generation work environment!!

We went out one evening to dinner with Gary's friend, Ron, and his wife, Donna.  Ron and Gary have worked together in the past. We enjoyed catching up with them.

Our Condo had a Christmas gathering for a first time in recent years, and it was great to meet new people.  There have been many move in and out in the past year.

The lady in green is our neighbor across the hall.
She has hit a young ninety and does awesome!
She has been in this condo for 38 years.
She really loves using the pool down from our balcony.

The gentleman on the left, Bill, is our
new association president.

Gary loves to visit with the maintenance man,  Carlo.

Gary, as always, enjoys his art work!!!

And I kept reading, reading, reading since I did not do any baking of cookies.  I left that to the younger generation, Richie's girlfriend, Savannah. and his sister, Miranda.  They do new recipes to me and are so-o-o good!!

It was a first year when in Ohio that I did not cook meals.  Our middle son, Richard and his wife, Lynn are now in a much larger home and it is so nice to gather in!!

They with Lynn's mother, Angie, decorated their tree.  I did miss that though.

Savannah, Richard, Angie and Richie 

Christmas arrives!!

Savannah and Lynn

Doug and Miranda, the newly weds.

I have never seen so many toys among a group of adults???

Savannah

Richie

Lynn, Gary, Angie and Richard

And the Sunday before Christmas I had dinner at our house with birthday cake for Victor's Christmas Eve birthday celebration.  His friend, Dan joined us also.  Dan still calls me "Mom" from their high school days.  It was an enjoyable afternoon!!

Dan, Victor, Savannah , Richie and Gary's feet!!

The Bible Study group that I meet with went out to Ricky's English Pub for lunch and a gift exhange. I always love their lobster bisque!!

Lynn, Judy, Cheryl, Cathy and Mo

Looking to the opposite end of the table,
Mo, Anna, Marti, Ann, Renaye and Lynn.
We missed our friend, Carol, who was in the hospital.

Marti was our birthday person for November
and we were playing catch-up.

We did get to attend the Allegheny Wesleyan Christmas Concert at the Salem High School Auditorium.   We love to do that every year. But as usual I forgot the camera with the zoom. So not many pictures to enjoy.

Dan Quales is such a fine teacher and director!  And there were some fine strong voices!!

I do believe that this sums up our year of 2018.  
Take care and God Bless !!