Over and Over and Over again!!

This is Green Springs State Park and the Rails to Trail.  Beautiful place and we have been here everyday getting our exercise.  Mr. Turtle shows up from time to time. 

Our Camp site and the pretty flowers.  Every evening it drops its flowers and in the morning new ones appear.  They are all around the patio.


Thursday 26 March 2019

   What can I say.  It is warm and sunny here, a little to warm but we will take it.  A little like groundhog day(the movie) down here.  Each day we get up have breakfast(one day cereal next day cooked) after cleaning up we go to the rails to trail park for some exercise.  We come home shower have lunch walk around the campground careful not to touch any railings or anything.  After several hours of deliberations we decide on what is for dinner.  The big excitement is getting carry out from the restaurant here at the campground.  We bring the food in put it on plates, throw away all containers, wash our hands and then eat.  Food is really good we have had shrimp tacos, shrimp with red  beans and rice,  shrimp buffalo wrap, grilled grouper sandwich and we will probably try something new on Friday.

   We did go to the grocery store yesterday and got everything we needed even milk.  Like all the stores they were out of toilet paper, meat, sanitizer and most paper products but we didn't need any of that.  Lactaid milk and creamers was our worry and they had both.  Oh yea!!  We should we good for two weeks or more.

   Can't decide if we should leave here next week or stay longer.  We are warm and dry  here but we would like to be in familiar surrounding especially since you can't go anywhere.  Doctor and dentist appointments are coming up and we just hate to pick one out of the phone book.

   We have terrible phone service here so we try to call family and friends after our exercise time.  We do get text messages so keep them coming it is good to hear from you all.  

Sitting around, twittling our thumbs, sigh sigh sigh

Friday March 20, 2020

   Well here we are day whatever of the Virus shutdown.  All the activities in the campgrounds are cancelled, the antique stores are all closed, museums are closed and so on.  We do have a restaurant right beside the campground that is still serving carry out food.  We have been making the best of it.  Yesterday we found a really nice hiking/biking trail to trails about 7 miles from here so we are heading back tomorrow.  We did get take out from the restaurant I had Jambalaya and Diane had Cajun Pasta with shrimp both were great. Just not the same as eating at the restaurant. 

   The weather this week and most of last week has all been the same, High's right around 90 and the low around 65.  Nice weather although just a little to warm in the afternoon with lots of sunshine.  Didn't need socks and shoes except to exercise. 

   Let me back up for a few highlights.  On Tuesday the 10th we were to visit Kate and Tony but Kate has a bad cold so they had to canceled and we went to the Crazy Fish Grill for a late lunch, the food was great.  We had driven by it all week, it was always packed and now we know why.  Two sea food meals which were great for 35 bucks.

   Wednesday we packed up and drove all the way to Lake Panasoffkee some 65 miles and we did it without stopping.  I think that might we a record for us.

   Thursday we settled in at Country Side campground.  When we checked in they made it sound very pet Unfriendly to the point we almost left.  Turns out it wasn't all that bad.  The park is old, only 55 sites and we got one with a nice sized concrete patio which is always nice down here in the sandy south.  I took my bike to the shop and it had to stay for awhile, chain, cleaning and a the normal adjustments.  Around 5pm we took Rudy over to see Dr. Len for this check up and he (Rudy) was not all that thrilled. After none stop barking for 15 minutes I held him while Dr. Len did his thing.  We had nice little chat with Len before heading home.

   Friday we went to  O'shucks for lunch we had our usual shrimp for me and dry rub wings for Diane.   It was actually a little disappointing and the Village people are taking over the place, sigh. We headed to camping world to look around but with the virus it wasn't any fun. We did stop to stock up on wine and get some beer for when Jack and Sandy visit on Sunday.

   Saturday just stayed home did our walking and just sat around.  If we have to live like this for to long, we go stir crazy.  The camper is small and getting smaller by the day. Sandy called and we all decided it best not to get together at this time so we cancelled and invited Len over instead.

   Sunday was more of the same until Len came over around 5pm on his new Harley, we sat and talked for about a hour before dinner. We made ham steaks on the grill with Diane's famous 'schmutz'  Then a beer or two before he got a call for a hurt dog and he had to leave.  It was a good visit.

  Monday  we went to Rural King for DEF, some diesel additives and other shop type items and even that store was crazy.  We headed back to the camper and talked about stopping at other places but didn't.

   Tuesday I went to pick up my bike after a $132 check up, stopped at the post office and then picked up some locally butchered pork from Len's freezer. and back home.

  Wednesday all packed up for another long day of travel.  We were on the road at 11am and once again we did not stop until we reached our destination some 82 miles away.  It was all on two lane roads and one under construction for 35 mile(very rough and narrow).

   Thursday we found the Green Springs state park which is part of the Florida coast to coast hiking/biking trail.  I went for a bike ride and Diane did her walk but on the way home another driver waved to tell us my bike helmet fell off 1 mile back.  We turned around, but by the time we found it it was flat and not much remained, it had been run over several times. Oh well, I guess I'll get a new one.

  And that bring us back to today!

Visiting Lake Land and Family

Saturday March 7 2020

   Today we did some site seeing today!  After breakfast we headed out to the Circle B Bar Reserve.  But first was lunch at Blackburn's BBQ at Eagle Lake.  The food was great we split the three meat platter which was a good thing because we barely finished it.   We each got an iced tea.....the lady handed us the cups we just started to laugh.  They had to be at least 64 oz we had to use both hand to carry them.  Now off to the Circle B.  The place was pretty busy and we had second thoughts after hunting

Yes they were huge,

they are not caged but in the swamp

and we are walking beside the swamp!!

for a parking spot. 

It was really nice a three mile hike around a wet land preserve. What a great place we saw wildlife of all kinds.  Gators, birds, racoons, armadillos and even a Bald Eagle.  Check out the link to the pictures, we took the good camera.  And yes the gators were that big.  It took over three hours and we only walked half of the trails.  Back to the Moho a long walk for Rudy he wasn't allowed at the Circle B, to many gators.

Circle B Bar Reserve Pictures

Sunday March 8 2020

   Cloudy, cool and very windy today.  After a quick breakfast we packed up and headed down to visit with Jen and Greg over lunch.  We stopped for ice cream to go with the fresh apple pie Greg made

Hanging out with 

Jen and Greg!!

us.  However,  first we all had a fresh salad with grilled chicken to help offset the pie and ice cream.  We had a nice time visiting most of the afternoon.  They are getting ready to head north first week of April and are not coming back to that site next year so they are selling and getting rid of stuff they can't take.  It was after 4pm until we finally headed back home.  Made it back home,  went for a nice walk with Rudy and then it was dinner time.  We struggled with what to eat, left over pie and ice cream or just left overs.  I checked my blood sugar and decided we better have the left over stuffed cabbage.  The pie would have to wait.

He cooks and he's

and artist!!

Monday March 9 2020

  Good news we don't have the virus yet.  So we made a good breakfast on grill and headed out to the crowded grocery store for Lysol wipes, face masks and of course toilet paper …. shelves are empty.

A sand crane rounding

up the kids!!

  Just kidding we did cook breakfast on the grill.  Then we waited for lunch,  yes it was pie and ice cream.  OH YUM.  After the sugar over load we packed up the bike headed over to Lake Wales park for some exercise.  The wind just won't quit it is blowing almost 20 mph again today and made the bike ride difficult.  Back to the Moho and had home made beef BBQ for dinner.

Spending time in Bartow

Friday March 6 2020

     Still having problems with our computer so I'll have to sum up the last week or so.  Friday the 28th Diane had a doctors appointment and she got her cast off.  Oh Yea!!  Her hand looked terrible

Nice Sunset!!

with dried skin all over and it smelled even worse.  She washed it three times to get rid of the odor but the dried peeling skin took a while.  On Monday the 2nd we went down to Frostproof to visit Jen and Greg, we had a nice time. Tuesday we spent ALL day calling scheduling and making reservations for the ride home.  It is getting harder and harder to find good campgrounds and one night fees are over $50 bucks.  We are now booked and confirmed at campgrounds through April 30th.  Wednesday the 4th we went to Lakeland to visit Kate and Tony and we took them to Goodson's Strawberry Farm for lunch. Yum!   The rest of the time we have been busy grocery shopping, wine selecting, bingo, bike riding and dog walking.  When I say it all together like that it makes me tired.  And I did get at least one nap in this week. This park is nice, clean, a lot PA folks and close to shopping, but we are in the front row along the very busy route 60.  Very noisy!   Diane has been trying to run some anti-virus programs to see if she get the computer working a little better.  It maybe just time to get a new one.

From the Everglades to Bartow

Tuesday February 25 2020

    Eggs and bacon cooked on the grill and we enjoyed our last morning in the Everglades with temps in the mid 80's and plenty of sun shine. Nothing to exciting today we sloooowly cleaned and started packing for our trip tomorrow.  Rudy is in full sheading mode so lots of vacuuming.  We did return to the restaurant across the street (Havana Café) for  lunch and you won't believe what I had...yep, a the grouper special and Diane had the blackened scallop dinner both were excellent.  We took a nice walk around the campground, talked to a few people.  This is one of those campground where you buy your site and the comments were interesting of who made out and then the guy beside us tells us his boat dock collapsed just months after he bought it.  Any way, back to the Moho finished up our cleaning poured a glass of wine and sat on the dock one last night.  A beautiful afternoon and evening.

Wednesday 26 February 2020

   Up and moving like normal until I went outside and it looked like the pelicans used the truck for target practice.  I mean 5 or 6 very large poop splatters on the hood and window.  It was so bad the splatter reached the front of the Moho.  So I had to get hose and washing stuff out that I put away yesterday so we could get a head start today.  Oh well!  We were packed and rolling by 10.  I pulled out to go get fuel while Diane return cable box etc to the office.  I hit the windshield washer on the Moho to get the rest of the stuff off and BANG the whole wiper arm fell off and got stuck in trim around the generator.  Everything was stationary so I keep going and the phone rings Diane is in the office and I have the cable remote so I pull over about 5 miles away and wait for her to come get it.  While I'm waiting I tried to put the wiper arm back on I think I got it.  She pulls in gets the remote and points out I missed a pile of bird poop on passenger side window and pretty much covering the mirror on that side.  We used a bottle of water to clean it enough to see to drive.  She returns to the office to return the remote while I get fuel (3.49 a gal).  She finally met up with us so we  hook up the truck, made some coffee and off we go.  We weren't 20 miles down the road and there is diesel for 2.69 and it varied 2.69 to 2.89 all the up to the campground.  Just our luck.  We made it and even got lucky missing most of the storms that passed by the area. Our campsite is nice and the whole campground is nice, clean and well maintained.

Thursday 27 February 2020

   Slow getting up this morning temps down in mid 50's.  The storms have passed but the wind has

not.  Rudy and I froze on our walk this morning and it was after 8 until he got out bed.  We had a lot of road noise here last night, something we haven't had for a long time.  Not only that I had to wear shoe and socks today for the first time in three weeks.  Lots of sun and it did warm up a bit by noon.  Diane made breakfast, did laundry and went to the grocery store. I finished getting the Moho set up, sewer connected, bike and bike rack off the truck, and the grill set up and ready to go when it warms up.  We took Rudy for a walk around the park found the dog park, a nice sized one. Big day coming up tomorrow as Diane returns for her 3 week check up and hopefully she can start rehab and SOON regain the normal use of her hand.