Warmer weather & sun shine

 Friday 27 February 

   Nice breakfast bacon cooked outside.  After showers headed to Crawfordsville, stopped at a few little shops in Sopchoppy.  While we were shopping, we learned all about the annual and Famous earthworm grunting contest held every April. Yes, that is right "worm grunting contest".  And we will miss it, Darn!
   Stopped along the way to do some geocaches.   We hit the ATM for cash.  Drove thru Panacea to check out the city park for gumbo cookoff tomorrow. Another geocache then noticed this seafood restaurant, Possey's, and picked up a lb. of shrimp for dinner. Back to camper, chicken fajitas for dinner, I saved the shrimp for snacks

Saturday 28 February

   Cooked breakfast, then spent an hour or so with Rudy before heading to the Panacea Gumbo cook off. Arrived at about 12:30 and the place was packed.  20 bucks each to get in, you got 10 tickets and they

had 10 gumbo stands. They gave us these little 3oz cups of gumbo per serving. I figured I would still be hungry. But, after 10 3 oz servings plus a few bites of Diane's, I was stuffed. That's 30 plus oz of Gumbo. They all were quite tasty. We voted for the guy giving out free mimosas. 😁 It was the usual festival with other kinds of food including oysters and hot dogs and yes, I saw at least one person eating a hot dog at a seafood festival.😐 It ended around 3pm (ran out of food) so we went to Crawfordsville picked up Diane's prescription and grabbed some groceries.  

 Beautiful sunset tonight!

Sunday 1 March

    Started with yogurt (can't live on just seafood😏) Diane went to town did laundry. She returned and we went to the Red Pirate Family Grill & oyster Bar.  Started with a dozen oysters to share. And ordered the Fisherman's plater to also share. The oyster came out. OMG they were huge

. Apparently, there has been a five-year moratorium on oystering in the bay, and it just opened back up this year.  Never seen oysters so big. We were only halfway through them when the platter came out. We ate the hushpuppies and 1/2 the coleslaw, the rest came home. Diane found a nice fishing pier (old bridge), we parked I walked the whole length just over 1/2 a mile each way.  Made it back home crackers and cheese for evening snack.  

Monday 2 March

  Sooner or later, it happens.  Stayed home to pay bills, balance check books and work on taxes. 😓. That was so depressing we went to the beach😄 spent about a hour or so, I walked up and down the beach while Diane sat in the sun and read her book. After the walk I was thirsty, so we hit Harry's Bar.  A little shady looking from the outside but we sucked it up and went in, not a bad place really. Both ordered Bloody Harry's as they call them.  Check out the picture it was like a drink and snack plate all in one. You can only handle one. Back home fired up the grill and made steak, baked potato, mushrooms and grilled garlic bread.  I know it's not seafood, but it was great. A good day after all.

After the meal on top of the Bloody Harry, I really didn't need anything for dinner!!

Windy week

Sunday 22 February

   Another at home day. Cleaned camper. Ugh! Rudy has been very busy shedding profusely. Very windy (gale force warning for the gulf) we could barely hold the door open. Played a couple games of farkle. Until I finally couldn't stay in anymore, to windy to ride bike, so I headed out for a long walk.  Walked hard for an hour. I came back and we were setting here minding our own business when Rudy ran in and tried to jump up on the bed. It is too high he fell backwards landed on his back.  He just laid there and whimpered.  We were so scared! 😟 Needless to say we spent the rest of the day worrying over him. He slowly regained his wits, started walking around. after about an hour he was almost normal. Burgers for us, I tried cooking on the grill but way to windy. Diane had to finish cooking them inside. And of course, a lot of lovin' for Rudy

Monday 23 February

   Yogurt for breakfast and then Diane headed into Carrabelle to do laundry. There was only one machine available (giant sized) $8.00 just to wash. Ouch.  The wind has let up bit but still quite breezy. Salad and sandwiches for lunch, couple games of farkle and it was time for another walk.  I did another hour-long hard walk, Diane made it around the block.  Made plans for the next few days. Dogs and beans for dinner because Rudy wanted a hot dog. 😏

Tuesday 24 February

   The wind was calm this morning. almost eerie after two days of hard wind. Now, I mentioned I walked hard for 2 days and that went well until this morning. My legs were so sore I could barley walk Rudy this morning. I didn't think I was that out of shape. 

    Breakfast wraps, showers and we were off to Crawfordsville for supplies. First stop gas, then into Walmart (I know) to look for dog steps (no luck). Finally, lunch time arrived Diane found

Divey places have the 
best food!!

Hamaknockers BBQ, we shared a rack of ribs with sides, oh yum. We started Geo-cashing again, hit 5 spots, found 3, couldn't find 1 and 1 the road was gated. Took Diane back to the grocery store while I hit Tractor Supply again looking for dog steps again no luck. Picked Diane up and back home stopping for two more geo-cashes (found both). 😁 Leftovers for dinner. No walk or bike ride tonight.

Wednesday 25 February

    Yogurt for breakfast and right out the door for some sight-seeing. First was the Crooked River light house and museum. We had to do a geo-cache first because the museum didn't open until 11am. We couldn't find the cache, but I found 5 or 6 ticks!  Diane picked some off when I came out of the woods, found another in the museum and yet another while we were eating. Had lunch at Mi Ranchito food was very good. Back to camper took Rudy for a nice walk. Then back to town to the Camp Gordon Johnston WW II museum. It is a small building we figured we would be in and out in an hour. Boy, were we wrong. The camp was only open a few years but trained 10's of thousands of soldiers for the D-Day invasion using the Gulf coast beaches. Another very interesting place I had never heard of. We were there 3 hours.  Stopped to pick up some steamed shrimp but they were sold out. Back to camper had Hog Maw sausages for dinner. 

Thursday 26 February 

    Into town to Mornin' Bites for breakfast, both had big breakfast.  Then back to camp, rested and

Found where the
shrimp boats come in!

walked Rudy.  Headed into Apalachicola, toured the Orman House very interesting. Walked around town for several hours trying to work off breakfast hitting most of the shops and even bought a tee shirt. Around 3 o'clock we headed home stopping at Lynn's Oyster Bar.  We were only going to have a snack but ended up sharing a dozen oysters, they came with horseradish and hot sauce. Just after I stuck one in my mouth the waiter stopped to tell us the horseradish was really hot!  💥***To late*** my mouth was on fire. Never knew horseradish could be that hot.  Next Diane ordered seafood gumbo and I had steamed shrimp. Everything was very good. We were hoping to sit on the deck, but it was too windy.  Back home, we shared a half of sausage and called it done.  A great day.

Steamed Oysters,

6 with parmesan and garlic butter

6 with jalapeno, bacon, cheddar and a dash of hot sauce

both were delicious.

Yea, warmer weather

Wednesday 18 February

   After a quick breakfast we went to downtown Apalachicola for a bit of site seeing, by the third boutique store it was lunch time.  Stopped at a food truck and split a Cuban and it came with homemade chips, it was all very good.  Hit a few more stores then the Rainey Museum Home. It was very informative took about two hours; it was one of the first big houses built in Apalachicola. Another shop or two when I got the munchies, so we hit the 'Up the Creek Oyster Bar' for a snack. Split an order of steamed oysters 

Beautiful view from the deck!

and had our first afternoon drinks Margarita/bloody Mary.  Back to the camper walk Rudy and leftovers for dinner. 

Thursday 19 February

   Breakfast at home. Cleaned up a bit and down to Costal Family Restaurant for late lunch.  Much warmer today but still needed a jacket to sit on the deck for lunch.  I had gumbo (grouper, scallops, shrimp) Diane order grilled scallops but ended up with fried.😒  They were still very good. Stopped at antique store, and Boutique, bought a tee shirt for Diane then back to camper, Brad not feeling well. We watched Hacksaw Ridge (war movie) very good. If you get a chance you gotta watch it. Grilled cheese for dinner.

Friday 20 February

   First shorts all day weather day. Diane made breakfast.  She is not liking not having a gas grill for quick cooking. Only cooked breakfast outside once since we have been here. I got another bike ride in, up to almost a hour. Boy am I every out shape surprised I made it that far.

   Diane bought us some charcoal so I could grill the stuffed deer loin for dinner. I had to use campground charcoal grill (see picture). 

Our old school grill.

No heat adjustment except for manual adjustment.  How old school. It took much longer (3 glasses of wine) instead of the normal two. 😏  In the long run it was one of the best I ever cooked. Walked around the block and enjoyed the warm weather.

Saturday 21 February

    Up and moving by 7 AM.  We are going to meet Shari and crew for lunch at The Back Porch Restaurant in Destin, a 3 1/2-hour drive.  We hustled right out of here at 9 AM, we should arrive around 12:30 and have a half hour to spare.... or so we thought. Terribly foggy for the first hour of driving, considerably under speed limit. I'm keeping an eye on our arrival time 12:30 then 12:35, slowly the fog starts to lift, arrival time 12:45 still time to spare. We had to stop for a bathroom break, 5 more minutes, get back on the road glance at the arrival time and surprise it is 11:50.  Yep, we crossed the time zone. Now we have an hour to kill. Stopped at Public's for wine, probably the only Public's in Florida that doesn't sell wine and we found it. 😑 We did find an ABC store and our wine was on sale.... sold out.  After all that we still arrived at 12:30. Diane went in to make sure they could seat the 11 of us in the pet friendly area. No pets allowed the guy tells her; it was a mistake on the google map site. We drove around the parking lot to find some shade to park in. Finally, all settled in, Rudy parked in the shade and Matt, Shari and crew roll in.

    After hugs and hello's, we head in.  Nice place right on the beach. Big waves rolling in just like East coast ocean beach. The food was very good😃 but very pricey! 😕 I had crab stuffed shrimp and Diane had shrimp tacos. Oh YUM. 

    So good to see the kids. We talked for some time got hold Eamon Kent (third named after the now famous Bradley Kent) 😁 Then we headed out to the beach, kids played in the sand and got ankle deep in the water (Gulf of America). 

   All good days come to an end!  Walked to the ice cream/candy store right beside the parking lot. Then it was hugs and goodbyes. 😔 

   Now a 3 1/2 hours drive home.  Arrived 8 pm. 

Go to FL to meet family from CO

It looks ugly but was a nice day!

Getting to know E. Kent

BACK ON THE ROAD (for a bit)

 Vacation February/March 2026

Well, it has been a year since we said goodbye to the Moho and took up residence in Wellsville. Then came 2026 after 25 days of below freezing temperatures, we headed south.  To Carrabelle Fl. for a month. We are at an Airbnb which is actually a travel trailer beside a house. It only took a day or two for us to realize how much we miss having a camper. But here we are.

We arrived Thursday February 12 around 3:30. We unloaded the car, getting the frozen food into the freezer as quickly as possible after the 3-day drive down. Rudy quickly went room to room sniffing the place out. The unit is only four years old, but it is made by Thor (cheapest possible). We hid our winter coats and put on shorts. 😉 And just like we did while full timing first night we had burgers on the grill.

Friday 13 February 

    First day here we headed 'downtown' to look 'around'. Justa little rhyme there. We found the grocery store, hardware store (looking for food dishes for Rudy we forgot) had lunch at The Fisherman's Wife, it was verry good. Then over the bridge to Apalachicola to look around, and found the Piggly Wiggly grocery store

Saturday 14 February   (Happy Valentines Day)

  We stayed at the camper today just to decompress from the trip and to enjoy Valentines Days. We enjoyed breakfast on the grill then exchanged cards this morning......I gave my card to Diane (it was a nice card) ...... I waited for mine OH NO she forgot it!!😔 But I'm very understanding and it will be waiting for me when we get home (she paid for that all day) 😀.  Brad scores a BIG ata boy card to be played later.  We had a wonderful day, warm (a bit breezy) and sunny. Did I tell you there is no snow down here! 😏 Steak, baked potato (on the grill) with mushrooms and garlic bread. YUM.

Sunday 15 February 

   Headed back into to Carrabelle had breakfast at Morn' Bites. Interesting place, go in one door it is Morn' Bites, in another door it's Eve'n Bites. Same restaurant two names and two different reviews! 😐 
  Back to the camper to wait out a storm with hail and possible tornado. We had some rain and thunder but nothing bad. The sun came out; it warmed up nicely. Grilled sausages and enjoyed the sunset.

Monday 16 February

     A real vacation type day. Diane cooked us a nice breakfast then off to Panacea. We were late leaving so first was lunch😋.  First pick was closed Monday and Tuesday, go figure.  Diane quickly found

another restaurant The "Angelo & Sons Tropical Trader Shrimp Co.". What a mouth full!  We sat outside, a bit of a breeze but comfortable. We shared a queso and blackened shrimp appetizer and shrimp salad. both very good. Up the road to Woolley Park (a city park), walked around they had a nice fishing pier to walk on. Next was the Gulf Specimen Aquarium. We spent at least two hours in the place (avg 30 according to the internet).  Just as we were leaving it was feeding time for an injured sea turtle.  We were invited to watch it was amazing. what docile creatures they are. 
  Back to the camper, wings from a local food truck, Diane says the best we ever had. End of a great day.         

Tuesday 17 

   Our first "work" day today.  Headed up to Crawfordsville this morning we were looking for an antique store couldn't find it. So we stopped at a Goodwill walked through the store didn't find a thing but killed enough time to make it to lunch.  We ate at B W's Grill, rough looking but the food was really good. We both had grilled shrimp with a side. When the waitress brough out the food she looked right at us and said " One thing I ask is you roll up the shrimp tails and put them in the center of the plate". I guess she saw the surprise on our face. Turns out she was very allergic to shellfish. That made sense so we carefully wrapped up the tails and put them in the center of the plate.
   Next was the work, laundry, groceries, credit union and gas before heading home. Leftover for dinner and a nice walk for Rudy.
   

The ride home

Tuesday afternoon 11 March 2025

   Driving this piece of crap truck was excruciating to say the least! 😒 Rudy couldn't find a comfortable spot. He kept trying to get under my legs, Diane moved around trying to make him comfortable. Eventually she was on the tiny middle seat and Rudy was on the passenger seat. We made it to the hotel in Brunswick Ga about 5:30pm.

   We fueled up and are all ready for a long hard day of driving tomorrow. Only problem is we have all the refrigerator/freezer stuff with us and just a small frig in the room. Diane talked to the hotel staff, and they had a big freezer we put the whole freezer bag in it. We ate what we could from the frig food put the rest in the mini room frig and threw a few items out.

Wednesday 12 March 2025

    We didn't wake up until Diane's alarm went off a 7am. A bit late but we got moving. Until we had breakfast, packed coolers, retrieved our freezer food and loaded the truck it was almost 9am. We pulled back on I-95 north heading to Roanoke Rapids.

    Now you all know we have had a motorhome for last 15 years😀and now we don't😢.  As we travel up the highway, we talked about all the places we haven't stopped, all just along the highway.  Then we talked about the first thing we need to do as soon as we get home. Then we pass a campground we stayed at and remember the times we stay there.  Very mixed emotions.

   As the morning turned to afternoon we stopped for lunch at a nice rest area ate sandwiches, cleaning more food from are coolers.  By 4/4:30 we realized we would not make our travel goal😕.  A traffic snarl and just heavy traffic exhausted us mentally and physically. Diane found us a hotel 75 miles short of our goal.

   We parked at 5:30 or so, carried all our coolers/clothes and Rudy to the third floor, took several trips and an hour until we were done.  Hotel was dirty but functional. $75 pet fee (crazy). The only thing that was good was the BBQ restaurant right beside us. Food was great.  We showered this evening, I took a bag or two of stuff back down to the truck and we set the alarm for 6am.

Thursday 13 March 2025

    Much better this morning we were up, packed, and or I-95 before 8am.  As we drove, we talked about stopping one more night or just drive until we get home.  As the day wore on the thought of carrying all our stuff into another hotel of unknown quality provided momentum to keep driving.  Much cooler today.  To cold and windy to have lunch outside at a rest area.  We stopped at a Buc-ee's😆 for fuel and lunch and right back in the truck.  At this point Rudy will NOT get in the truck, I have to pick him up and put him in.  He and Diane are still playing musical seats. 😏 Rudy gets his way most of the time.

  We were wearing out, driving a rented truck towing a trailer, driving 60 mph on I-95 (55mph on rental agreement) so to change up a bit we picked up route 17 to 15 for last leg of our journey.  We are coming home to a house with nothing in it and a ton work to do.  Probably a little delirious we talked about stopping at Beckley's RV to check out their inventory......No we did not!  We pulled in the driveway at 5:30PM!  Exhausted, we unloaded the refrigerator and freezer food.  Diane opened the refrigerator, what someone broke into the house and stocked our frig!!!  It was Beverly.  So, we had a wonderful bowl of hot homemade chili.   

Make it home!!

   Not much time to rest, rental equipment must be returned tomorrow.

We are home and no PET fee. 😁

Friday 14 March 2025

   We slept wonderful last night.  Diane made us breakfast (western omelet), more food Beverly provided, while I got the car off the trailer and unloaded the truck.  We returned the equipment, stopped at Marzoni's for lunch and went home.

   Boxes everywhere!  No idea where anything is.  The first couple of boxes were packed neatly and labeled.  By the end just stuffed stuff wherever it fit. By happy hour Diane found us enough belongs to shower and change clothes for a couple of days.

   The deer seem to have taken over the place. You look out front 5 of them. Go to the back of the house 9 more. We had some wine and watched them play

They moved in while
we were gone!

I would say they are both exhausted after the long and

stressful trip.  😏

No Mo Moho

 Saturday 8 March 2025

     Right after breakfast the dreaded RV buyer calls back.  They upped the price, not what we wanted but close enough. We made the deal!  Only problem is they want the coach by Tuesday! OMG!!  And we were off searching for a U-Haul, boxes and moving supplies.  After some time (20 phone calls and internet searches) the only U-Haul dealer with what we need is in Clearmont some 35 miles away😒 and can't pick it up until tomorrow. I buzzed to Lowe's grabbed some boxes and tape while Diane started clearing out drawers.  

    We packed and packed until you could hardly walk through the Moho. Heads are spinning and bodies are worn out!

 Sunday 9 March 2025

    Today was kind of a blur.  We headed out to get the U-Haul truck and trailer stopping for lunch at the Butcher Block Kitchen in Groveland, the food was good, and we could sit outside.  Next wine run at BJ's; we bought plenty.   We couldn't get the equipment till after 1:30.  I drove the truck back! What a POS (Piece Of Crap) the thing is. The driver's door leaks air terribly, window was very hard to wind up, shifter feels like it will fall off and just as noisy as can be. 

    Back to camp site, loaded boxes, pack boxes, repeat, repeat, repeat! I unhooked the car carrier and was carry boxes out of the Moho.  The truck was bigger than we needed but the smallest that will tow the car. We kept packing and carrying until dinner time. Wine for dinner!😏

Monday 10 March 2025

   Our last day to finish up EVERYTHING!  Quick breakfast and we got right at it.  I took the truck to get fuel and picked up wings for dinner tonight.  We worked and worked.  We have a couple hours in the morning to finish up, so we quit around 5pm.  Enjoyed our last dinner (wings) in the Moho.  We are already nervous about not having a Moho.  More or less, we have had a Moho for the last 17 years. But it is time to move on.

Tuesday 11 March 2025     The Moho Goes 

   Up fairly early, breakfast sandwiches (microwaved) and back packing.  The driver was almost an hour early. Arrived at 9:15 instead of 10.  That gold clearing stuff out.  Alot of it just sitting on the ground beside the truck.  We'll finish loading after he leaves.  And POOF just like that we are motorhome less.

   Feels really strange!  But no time to waste.  We finished loading the truck, I hooked up the trailer and Diane drove the car onto the trailer.  Diane went to get out of the car, but the door wouldn't clear the fender of the trailer. We tried to think of something, but the only way out was the back hatch. In retrospect I should have taken a video, back over the console, then up over back seat.  Once all the way back she turned around to repack overnight items since we can't open the doors. Turned around one more time over back seat and slide out.  All I can say it was good she didn't have a dress on. 😁  

    All packed up and ready to go.  Diane walked to the restroom, and I doubled checked tie down straps. Now just wait for this one.  As I walked past drivers side fender I noticed some instructions.  It shows

 how to fold it down.  We laughed so hard. 😀😁😂😆 Just loosen a strap and it folds down.

    Noon time we were on the road heading to Brunswick Ga to a hotel.  Nice afternoon and nice drive.

More work on the Moho

 Monday 3 March 2025

    We were up early waiting for the office to open at 7:30. And behold the guys knocked on the door just before 7AM. You got to be kidding me! Then he tells us we are not on his schedule! You just can't make this stuff up.  He comes back in a few minutes and say he found our paperwork. WHEW! Anyway, info/paperwork completed they will be back around 7:30 to remove the two windows for repair.  Price last year was $350 per window, this year $450. I walked Rudy the whole time they were in the coach. He just doesn't like strangers in the Moho.

    Diane and I went to town, had lunch by the water's edge at Ollies on the Beach, food was very good. You had to pay attention, or the birds would seal your food. 

Brad almost had his
lunch stolen, 
sneak attack!

  Hit a few antique stores before heading back to Rudy. I went to have propane tank filled and dogs on the grill for dinner.

Tuesday 4 March 2025

   Sunny very nice day 80 degrees. A motorhome buyer called us to see if we wanted to sell our coach!  Can't hurt to get a quote. We were planning another adventure today, but the windows were back in just after lunch, so we packed and headed back to Sumter Oaks. Fifty-mile trip didn't take long, we left at 3:30 and parked by 5pm. Burgers and a relaxing evening. We'll be busy getting the Moho ready for carpet this Friday.

Wednesday 5 March 2025

    Nice, cooked breakfast and I started right in trying to remove theater seating for the rug install. I had no idea where to start!!  Tried this, tried that no luck. Watched a few you-tube videos and they all start with a guy standing behind the unit and ours is bolted to the floor. Diane could sense my frustration, so we took a break and went for lunch.  The break worked back home with her help we removed the backs, and I could find and remove bolts.

    The Moho buyer called back with a low offer Told him we would let him know tomorrow. Left over for dinner.  Another busy day tomorrow.

Thursday 5 March 2025

    I headed to Len's to borrow an impact wrench to remove passenger seat or at least get the bolts loose.  No can do! Them babies are tight.  Out for lunch again, today we went to The Odd Cuples Cafe.  We always share a meal there, but for some reason we each ordered a meal. I ate all mine Diane took half of hers home.  I felt terrible full and bloated, tums for dessert. Chicken on the grill for dinner (I didn't eat much)

    Called the RV buyer back told him thanks, but he is just too low.

Friday 6 March 2025

    Up at 6:15 on our way to Bushnell for carpet by 8AM.  Dropped the coach off at 8:30 and now just need to kill 7 hours.  Bushnell is a small town, and I never thought anyone one could spend 7 hours there, but we did! Started with breakfast, went to both antique stores, ate lunch, visited Len and it was 3:30 before we knew it.  Picked up the coach, carpet looks great and back to our site by 4pm.