A Week with Gary & Audrey in FLORIDA

I thought that I would take you through a week with us! How is that for entertainment? Gary often begins his day with a long walk around in the park where we live. However, since I like to sleep in after many years of working, he takes another walk with me about 4:00 in the afternoon when it is warmer. As we return to our motorhome which is on the left side of this street just past the pick-up truck (see our Jeep?) , you can see another Ohioan in the first toned green motorhome on the left, just past the tree. They are from Columbiana and we have been fortunate to get acquainted with them. They also share their Morning Journal with us! He was the one who noticed our Ohio plates on the Jeep when we first arrived here, and pulled in behind us to say "Hello". While out for our walk on Wednesday evening, we felt we were racing the clouds (over Boots Music Hall in the park) to get our walk in before the rain began. It was a close call and it rained all the next day. It was a good day for cleaning inside and scrapbooking ! I am sure that it looks like a mess to you all, but I am thankful to have the space to do this. Some day I will have all of the boy's books done! I am showing you our neighbors homes as you come out of our door and turn left going clear around our motorhome . We really do feel that it is a nice neighborhood. Most of them are permanents. However, there are many in the park that are just snowbirds and will leave here shortly after we do in March. Our Ohio neighbor says that it will be dead around here then until fall brings them back again. We have a few lot numbers picked out that we would like to come back to. But I imagine that we will have to take what they give us as we will not be back here for a year and a half probably. There are several park models and fifth wheels and trailers for sale here in the park. They are not bad prices for a year round home or seasonal one either. When we are ready to settle down in a few years, we may consider one. Usually on Monday of each week we have gone to Webster FL to the largest Flea Market that we have ever seen! We have not walked clear through it in the two Mondays that we have been here. So I guess we will need to go again! The Flea Market and the parking fields are just about all there is to Webster, but it is a good experience. I almost bought a cut glass bowl. I say "almost" because when I saw his $110 price tag on a cut glass vase, I decided that I did not need it that bad (and then to make room for it???)! I also lost out on a nice sound bird cage on stand, as another woman came along and got in there first while I waited for Gary to get back from the car. I wanted it to paint white and put green plants in. It would have been beautiful! But then again, where to store it while traveling down the road?? It is best that Gary does carry all the money! Truly it is nice not to have to carry a purse. I have carried one very little and have not worn a watch since we left Ohio eight months ago. It is great!! I do carry the phone, even though it doesn't ring very often. It is my contact with the former world. Everyone must think that we are busy! We do try to do a little something new every day. Last Friday we went to Palm Harbor to meet up with Canadian friends, Ted and Connie , who we first met at 1000 Islands NY last July. We then all went to Tarpon Springs to have lunch at the Greek Restaurant again . They do have good food and an exceptional bakery! But it was a cool day and we sure had to dress with more layers. After our visit with Ted and Connie, we returned to our RV Park for the Friday evening entertainment at Boots Musici Hall. It was Joe and Jan Edwards from Nashville. Joe plays every instrument that you could think of, but many of them he records. Then he accompanied the recorded music, live with a guitar and also with his fiddle . He does a very good job, but he also has his wife accompany him with her singing. She has a very good voice and we enjoyed all of their music and jokes. It is so nice to have live entertainment here in the Parks and usually only $5. You can't beat that! On Saturday I had to get up earlier then usual for the gentleman who was going up on our roof to clean it good, since Gary does not do heights well. We kept getting black streaks from rain and he said that it was dirt from the air conditioners. He did a good job cleaning and we hope the streaks will no longer show up after a rain. After he left, Gary got out the ladder and cleaned the windows for now . He will begin doing all of the side walls this next week. But then that is good for him and keeps him busy, right? Then our week ends, or the next one begins by going to the First Baptist Church of Bushnell. There are so many transplanted people there from up north, that we feel right at home! There were 783 in attendance for the service this morning and 175 attended Sunday School. They did the same as we saw at Blythe Island Baptist in Georgia, by building a new structure for the sanctuary and using the former church for youth and Sunday School. Then connected it with a covered breezeway. Must be a thing of the south! This public building not far from the church, is about the only building of any size in this little town of Bushnell, except for CVS Pharmacy, Winn-Dixie, Walmart, a school, and the Post Office. There really is not much to the town. So if we want to do any true shopping, we would need to go on down the Interstate! I did find a Joanns, Kmart, Home Depot and Lowes that way. I have not found a Mall yet, but will keep on the look out. So keep in touch and see what we find to do next week! Enjoy your winter, we are!

Tarpon Springs, FLORIDA

Our RV Resort took a bus load of us from the grounds to Tarpon Springs for a day of enjoyment. When we got there we had an option of going on a narrated boat tour to see the sights of the gulf area, or a Trolley ride through the town and learn it's history, or shop the tourist strip and stop for dinner. We chose the latter. After going through the shops and only buying a tee shirt for our grandson and a bargain Florida sweatshirt for $6.99 for me, we decided to look for a restaurant . In the process of doing this, we ran into another couple with the same idea. So we ended up in Hellas Greek Restaurant with Ann and Bill who hail from Niagara Falls USA and previously from Germany. They were an interesting couple and fun to be with. We got the waiter to take a picture of us and then we left for the bakery side of Hellas and got baklava to take with us! I'd like to go back just to get more baklava! In the waters along this shopping strip, there were also boats that you could go out in to watch men dive for sponges that are found in abundance in these waters. The Gulf waters in this area north of Tampa Bay is one of the few areas of the world where the species of natural sponges are found. The natural sponge industry in Tarpon Springs dates from about 1890 when the first sponge fishing boats were launched. Sponges were retrieved by hooking until the technique of diving for them was introduced in 1905 by John Cocoris, an immagrant from Greece, where the practice of sponge diving was common. Within a few years many Greeks had arrived in the area to work the sponging industry, thus creating a Greek community. We also was a boat sunk on a sand bar and another steel hull sail boat being painted . We wonder what it will be used for. After getting back in our bus our driver took us to see the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church . He felt it was well worth the stop. And it was! It is beautiful and I will just show the pictures that we took and you can see for yourselves. This is the view from the rear of the sanctuary with views from left to right and a couple close-ups . The stained glass winddows were along both side walls and were outstanding with them beyond archways setting them off beautifully. The domed ceiling was absolutely beautiful and there was a mural painted on one wall. As the driver said, it was well worth the stop! See you again after our next excursion! Take care.

Central FLORIDA and our RV Resort

The Red Barn Resort where we are staying is direct neighbors of The Oaks Resort and is now owned by the same company. We love the atmosphere and country like setting. They have many, many activities daily from crafts, painting, card games, bingo, shuffleboard, heated outdoor swimming, dancing, karaoke jams, live entertainment, a church service and Bible studies to name some. There would be absolutely no reason for one to be bored! It is a wonderful way to meet new people also. We spent our first Saturday night at The Oaks Boots Music Hall to see Rich Anderson and his band . It was great! We enjoyed their music and even more, their humor! They entertained a full house for over two hours. On the left is Leon Mercer on the steel guitar with Joe Jackson second from left who seemed to be the butt of many of the band members jokes, and Rich Anderson in the middle with his drums and John Haddix on the far right. Rich had Lloyd Wood here as a guest who entertained for at least a third of the program on his guitar, but brought in much more humor with his impersonations and jokes. He was hilarious and we could have listened to him all evening! He did exceptional impersonations from Mel Tillis/Walter Brennan/Jerry Lee Lewis/Ray Charles/ Elvis Presley to Mr. Magoo and Mrs. Beasley. I really can't begin to tell you all of the names he impersonated, but one song had ten different entertainers and he named each one as he changed during the song. However, he would not have had to name them as they were recognizable! All five of these fellows have out CD's of their own. I must remember to go on the Internet to see if Lloyd entertains on his own and where. Several or all of the band members have been on the Grand Ole Opry at some time in their career. On Wednesday of this week we went to Bartow FL to see our friends from Salem OH, Diane and Bob. They showed us their new park model home with the orange tree started in front and the wandering Jew . I meant to take pictures of Bob's workshop in back and Diane's gnomes and flowers. Bob had built a beautiful patio and I would love to have one of my own, when we settle down one day. But I failed to take the pics and will do it the next time we go down there. It has been so cold until now that I feel we should stay longer than the planned two months to make up for time lost. While in Bartow we went to one of their favorite restaurants, ABC and ate buffet , and you all know what that means! Too much! And Bob shared some of his sour dough bread for us to take home. And Yes Bob, I did share it! Dog-gone! We do walk about forty-five minutes most days in the park and enjoy it so much! We have been able to sit out in the sun a few days and have a full week of 70's coming up. Just hope the rains are typical for Florida, rain hard and then dry off right away. Of course, as temps go higher in the summer, that is what causes the humidity. Last evening we went over into The Oaks and looked up a couple from New York (along Lake Ontario). He is a cousin of our RVing friend, Donna from Salem and she wanted us to stop over. He called us again today so we will probably have another opportunity to get better acquainted. As I said, this is all about seeing new things and places, and meeting new people! When we finally get our Florida plates for the Jeep, we will have to get a sign to indicate that we are really from Ohio as all visible traces of Ohio will be gone! I have even been called for jury duty in Pensacola since we have been on the road! They did excuse me since we were not in their area at the time. Stay safe and see you down the road! And you northerners, enjoy your snow! Hope it is gone by time we get there!

Festival at Travares, FLORIDA

Saturday we went to Travares, Florida for a festival which included train rides , vintage cars , and small water aircraft brought in off the lake . This area is land of the lakes in Florida, it seems. We were so glad that we went! We met a lovely couple named Ron and Audrey Colgrove who live mostly in Florida, but also travel to New York where most of their children and twelve grandchildren are. He is another outstanding artist who does pen and ink drawings and oil paintings. He had several oil paintings that he did of scenes in France from his trip there, as well as the two scenes we took pictures of. This one is of their twelve grandchildren. She told me that he does not show all of their faces, thus making it "timeless". I hope that I am using the correct terminology. I knew what she meant and will correct it if I am in error. Be sure to click on this picture to enlarge it and see the detail much better. We are hoping to see them again as they told us of another art festival coming up the first part of February at Mt. Dora in this same area. We will be in contact with them through e-mail.

While there we also saw people enjoying music , horse drawn wagon and train rides , crafts including quilting , weaving and caning . It was sunny and got into the low sixties so was a very enjoyable day even though it was breezy.

We did shop on the way back home this time. But I find that things are more expensive here than in Ohio. So no bargains for me!

Talk with you again soon and take care!