Busy two weeks

 Well, Holy crap two weeks went by in a flash. I'm sure I'll miss a lot but here goes.  

   Shari, Matt and Mathew flew in from Colorado to warm up just a bit.  The day before their flight they had 50 inches of snow! ❅❅

The O'Donnell
main door.  

    Thursday the 21st was our day to visit with them.  Diane had a craft class at the rec hall, and I went with them for a hike around McKethan lake. That was nice almost a two-mile walk, and I had only one

mosquito bite.🦟 We had them over for dinner Thursday evening.  Deer loin wrapped in bacon they all loved it. So good to see them. As they were leaving, we noticed a huge ring around the moon. Kind of awesome.
   Friday the 22nd we finally got the Moho in for the first repair work from the blow out.  We dropped off the Moho at Allegiance RV repair shop at 9am.  They parked her in the shop, removed the wheel and loaded it in Len's truck, which we borrowed for the day. I took the wheel and new rim over to a tire shop to be swapped out.  Then we waited, waited and waited some more. Eventually Just after lunch tire shop called the wheel was ready.  Picked up the wheel and took it back to repair shop. Still had several hours to kill so we returned Len's truck and had just enough time to meet Shari and crew for ice cream🍨 before they headed to the airport.  Back to the repair shop and waited! 😑 At closing time they brought her out.  Entire jack assembly replaced and new wheel well lining.  Now we can drive in the rain.  As soon as I park the Moho and got out, I noticed a big gouge on the new $500 rim. I called the repair place they said I did it, I said they did it, nothing going to come of it. We just now have a brand-new scratched rim.

There might be a scratch on the rim, but now we are safe to travel to PA, and with the new jack we are pretty stable again. 

The new Jack.😃

   Saturday we recovered. Shari called; they had 10 more inches of snow!
   Sunday time to move.  We packed and drove to Bunnell Fl. We arrived at the Holiday Travel RV Park at 2:45 pm. We made the whole 100-mile drive without any stops. 😁 The campground is 90 percent mobile homes, and the transient spots were terrible. 
   Monday into the Classic Coach to get a new induction cook top and new faucet installed. We went to Denny's for breakfast, drove around Ormond beach for hours. It was very windy, but Diane jumped out to get a picture of the ocean before she blew away.  Found a little meat store and picked up jalapeno and cheddar cheese sausages for dinner. The coach was done by 3pm and we were back at the campground by 4. Poor Rudy is having a terrible week and half, he has already spent two days in the car and moved 4 times and still have a bunch to go yet.
   Tuesday packed up heading to Lotts Island campground just outside of Savannah. It was a 205-mile

Lotts Island CG might
not have anything,
but we loved our site.
  

drive mostly uneventful. Except for our fuel stop at Buc-ee's, we just love this place, diesel $3.55 a gallon. 😙😊 No time to relax we are heading out early in the morning.
   Wednesday 27 March   Back on the road, in the rain I might add but we have to get to Frieghtliner Service center in Gaffney SC before the office closes at 3:30.   On the road by 9am 290-mile drive today.  A long, boring, gray, with on and off showers, type of day.  And on some of the roughest roads we have traveled in a long time.  I 26 around Columbia was absolutely the worst, but we made it, and I didn't notice any parts missing from the Moho😏.  Two quick bathroom breaks, and we arrived at 3:10.  Pulled the brake on the Moho and into the office we went. Finally checked in and parked by 4:30. We are a walk in (no appointment) so you just wait to see if they get us in between 6:30 am and 4pm. Tomorrow, another early morning.

  Thursday 28 March 2024

   We were up at 5:30 and ready by 6:30am.  We sat patiently watching the technicians come out and one by one they walked by us on over to other coaches. We waited and waited. Diane went to the store while Rudy and waited and waited.  Around lunch several coaches came out, but still no luck.  There were just too many ahead of us.  Around 1pm we figured we wouldn't make it in today.  And just like that the phone rings they are ready for us, good thing we had two slides in and half packed up.  Threw the dog in the car bring in last slides and were ready. All we were doing was getting the chassis inspected for manage from blow out. Shouldn't take long at all the tech says. Into the waiting room to wait.😏 Tech comes out inspection went well. He put on the hub cap and greased a couple spots. The second time he came out was different. The expansion tank for the coolant needs replaced. Can't to that today so we have to come back on Monday.
    We were waiting for the last time today when low and behold Don & Bonnie Gillman walk into the waiting area. A thousand miles from home and we run into our old neighbors from Little Marsh. Wow couldn't believe it. Now Diane and I are done waiting (Moho is finished) but we sat in the waiting area for an hour talking to them. They started closing up shop, so we headed out, with the promise to get together this summer.
   Back to the Moho got Rudy out of the car and into his kennel and we were off to BroadRiver Campground just 10 miles up the road. We wanted full hook ups for Easter weekend.  The place is nice, fairly new, large, wonderful sites but pricey at $70 a night.
   Absolutely exhausted, we grilled burger, had an early happy hour and early to bed. 

The view out back from
our site.

Slow week!

 Sunday 10 March 2024    thru     Sunday 17 March 2024

   Not a lot happening this week.  I'll give the highlights, still spending a lot of time with the insurance company and RV repair shop.  Nothing is fixed! 😒 
   Sunday Diane spent most of the day making her home made Lasagna (keto) including a extra pan for Len. I always eat more than I should, no exception this time! YUM😏
   Monday the only cool day this whole week.  We meet our friends Paul and Marlene at the Freezer Tiki Bar in Homosassa.  We were first in line at 11:30. We all had the 1 1/4 lb. shrimp meal....no leftovers for anyone.  We ate and talked for two hours. They are from Canada, and this may be the last year come down. Some kind of rule with the government health insurance. Kind of sad when we said goodbye.  But maybe Diane and I will make it Canada next year.
   Tuesday kind of a stay at the campground day.  Breakfast at the club house this morning, biscuits and gravy this morning.  Good stuff.  We spent hour upon hour planning our trip home.  Hours of mapping, then calling umpteen campgrounds trying to make a reservation.  Frustrated and eyes blurring we quit with just one reservation at Lotts Island. Diane went to Bingo first time this year and won $49. 😁  Regulars were not happy.
   Wednesday the temperatures returned to the mid 80's.  Shorts and flip flops dress code for the week. Diane went to the verizon store to have them separate our phones.  No can do... says the verizon guy.  There has got to be some way, we will try another store.
   Thursday a beautiful sunny and warm day. We had a yogurt breakfast. Saving our appetite for and nice seafood lunch. We went to The Fisherman's Cove, one of our favorites. They had the fresh clams today sign out, so we started with that.  Diane had the grouper dinner, and I had the shrimp and scallops. And Oh was that a good meal. Left the restaurant, picked up some flowers and went to the cemetery. 

 I can't believe Shawna has been gone almost 7 years now. Back to the Moho.
   Friday was just as warm.  We worked around the Moho. The latch broke on the silverware drawer, so I'm pretty smart I ran down and picked one up at Optimum RV just down the road. $17 for a drawer latch. I fixed the drawer; mean time Diane looked them up on amazon $6 for 4 of them.  Now I have backups. I also fixed the fantastic fan in the bathroom.  Had to order the entire crank assembly for $52, it arrived yesterday. I couldn't get it to work right so I called the Company. Yep, wrong part, they don't make the one I need anymore. 😞 I really only needed the plastic housing so, I removed motor etc. swapped out housing and we were back in business.
   Saturday we started packing (mostly reorganizing) the basement storage area.  The campground put on some entertainment in the afternoon. Not too bad, a woman singer. She sang mostly Patsy Kline with a nice mix of other songs. We were planning to go a Japanese steak house. It was such a sunny warm day we opted for white wine and burgers on the grill. 😏  
   Sunday 17 March 2024.  Happy St. Patricks' Day.  The weather continues to be warm. We washed the car and spot washed the Moho.  The campground had a St. Patricks' day dinner. Diane made cooked cabbage with onion and bacon; I had my doubts, but it was really good. Dinner started at 4pm and was over and cleaned up by 5:30. (partying old people😂). I went over picked up the last of our packages from Len's and had to get a picture of his shirt.

   

Wrapping up winter soon

 Monday 4 March 2024

   Diane whipped us up a nice breakfast of pancakes and sausage.  Not a lot to do today, I need to go up to Freightliner in Ocala they have a "slightly" scratched rim available for half price. So, I drive the 30 plus miles through stop and go traffic on I75 walk in take one look and like the whole surface is scratched like it was drug across a concrete floor. The guys looked at me and says, 'what do you think.' No way! Back out to the counter, order and pay for new rim 3-5 days for delivery. Back on I 75, 30 miles back. That trip took over three hours. 🙁 It was lunch time until I returned.

   Diane had been busy with laundry, cleaning and packing for our trip to Sun Coast Designers in Hudson FL tomorrow.  With showers in the forecast, I tried to get some duct tape up in the wheel well to keep the plywood floor dry.  I crawled under the Moho and behind the tire to a "good" spot to work.  My head was against the wheel well, my back against the frame and "my butt is in the sand" not the way I would like.  Anyway, I kept Diane busy getting me stuff, glasses, screw drivers, pliers and a flashlight to start. Then she tore off pieces of duct tape and handed them to me, slowly I got the hole taped over. Hope it stands up to the trip. I wiggled my way out, one little scrap on my head and a couple bruises on my arm. I found one ant on my foot, and I was in the shower.

   We are setting outside having a wine when Diane's phone rings. It's the credit card company questioning several large purchases made this afternoon. NO not us.😞 I either left my card on the counter or dropped it on the way to car.😐 But someone was using it. She was on the phone at least 20 minutes before getting it all ironed out.
   Turned out to be quite a busy day after all.

Tuesday 5 March 2024

   We were up early, Diane made us an egg sandwich before we pulled out at 9:30. It is only a 2-hour drive but they're still calling for shower this afternoon.  We had time, so my navigator took us across the back way😗.  Some sections were narrow, some very narrow but the sharp turns were the worst. I mean 90 degrees turns at 10 mph or less. But we made it parked at 11:30 and it never did rain. The parking lot leans a bit and with only three jacks we couldn't level the Moho. The bathroom door swung open all the time but, the refrigerator swung shut. We will survive for a few days. Diane found a grocery store nearby and picked up some supplies.  Walked around the place there must be 20 or so units here, all getting foggy windows fixed. Tacos for dinner and early to bed, workers will be out at 06:30!!😕

Parked between two much larger RV's, makes us feel small!!

Wednesday 6 March 2024

   We were almost ready when the crew got here at 06:15. 😑 First was paperwork then returned at 7:30 to remove windows.   Those of you who know Rudy, knows he does not entertain strangers well in his Moho! We had two workers inside and one outside removing, then taping up the window holes.  Diane had to drag poor Rudy away from the Moho, he didn't go willingly, barking and snarling till he couldn't see the workers anymore. They were done and gone in a half hour and Rudy got his Moho back. Now we wait.
   We headed into Hudson for lunch.  Diane got a recommendation from the office, and we were headed to the 'Inn on the Gulf' right on the gulf coast. We sat outside had a nice lunch even had an appetizer (stuffed mushrooms).  We ate way too much so we walked along the coast and around town for a bit.

A walk along the Gulf, it was a beautiful day.

We then drove around town, checked out some real estate before heading back. The office called to say the one window was stained to bad and would have to be replaced, 3-4 week to order. We can't wait that long, so another trip next year. Lots of walks, talked to the other RVers even played a game or two of Farkle. 
    Can't quit without mentioning the owners Star Wars collection.  The workers refer to it as the Star Wars "museum" and I tell you there is not a inch of wall space left. Check out the pictures.

Star Wars Display  (click to view)

Thursday 7 March 2024

   Since they only had two windows to tear apart and fix, we wondered if they would get us done today.  Diane went out talked to a worker, they were on the way, we were first on the list. She was still trying to make breakfast when they rolled in.  I grabbed Rudy and headed out. She had to turn scrambled eggs into an egg sandwich. She put mine in the back of car (I had the hatch open) and Rudy and I ate out there.  It didn't take long by 9:30 they were done and cleaned up. Diane went up to the office to pay the bill, and yes, we had to pay for the window they couldn't fix. 
   She came back, we packed and hit the road back to the Countryside RV Park.  Got back, settled into our spot, Diane went to the drug store and when she returned, I went to Len's to pick up 5 or 6 amazon packages.  Burgers for dinner. 

Window is removed and the hole is covered.  Makes it a little dark inside.  

Friday 8 March 2024

   Things are slowly coming together for the wheel/rim and jack fix. I went up to Freightliner and picked up the new rim this morning.  Again, traffic on I75 was stop and go.  The hub cap and lug nut covers showed up yesterday.  The credit card snafu seems to be fixed.  I found an RV body shop in Delaware to do the body work went we get back to PA.  All we need is for the jack parts to show up at repair shop.       Diane did dishes and grocery shopping again. So, you are wandering why she shops so much.  We have Winn-Dixie, Publix and BJ's. None have all of our brands/items. And only one is close by. So, to keep our pantry stocked she shops all three stores. Today was Publix and do an amazon return. Tomorrow will be BJ's up in the villages, always an adventure, heavy traffic, long lines of really old people. 😏

Beautiful evening back at the Campground.

Saturday 9 March 2024

   Hotter yet today. 😅 Cleaning out the leftovers, mushroom, ham, onion and cheese omelet for breakfast. Diane made her run to BJ's.  I did dishes and cleaned up the Moho. She wanted to get back for entertainment this afternoon along with pulled pork sandwiches.  I had a chance to visit with the neighbors before they pulled out.  With the warm weather this year people are already heading home. I think we had six campers pull out in the past few days. 
   We are making are plans to head back also.  The 25th of March we have an appointment at Classic Coach in Ormond Beach to get a new cook top (induction) and a new faucet installed. It is a one-day job so if all goes well, we should be heading north on the 26th. 

She Returns!

 Monday 26 February 2024

    Oh happy day, I left at 9:30 to pick Diane up at 11:15 added an extra hour for traffic.  First 15 minutes went well, as I approached turnpike ramp I saw flashing lights, the ramp was closed.  So the next couple of hours I crawled up and down side roads with all traffic that couldn't get on the turnpike. At 10:45 my phone rings, Diane had landed and is waiting for me (yes that is right, she was 1 hour early).  I'm still over an hour away stuck in traffic. It was almost noon until I picked her up. I was a frustrated wreck, she was starved.  She found a cafe in Windermere on the outskirts of Orland.  Houses/mansions were beautiful. We stared in awe as we drove to the restaurant.  We arrived at the 'Yellow Dog Eats', words wouldn't do the place justices (check the pictures). Diane had the plain pulled pork sandwich, and I had the 'Elvis' sandwich (see picture).  Both were great.

  Bellies full we headed back to the Moho. Stayed off the turnpike and all went well. It was a long day for Rudy, but he was so happy to see Diane, I thought he was going to pee his pants.😁

   Wine and burgers for dinner. Oh happy Day!

The entrance to 
Yellow dog eats

Brads Elvis BBQ

And the interior of the place
very interesting

Tuesday 27 February 2024

   The celebration is over! 😐 Chorizo breakfast wrap.  Then Diane was off to the grocery store, did a couple loads of laundry and dishes of course.  In her spare time she stared researching flights for me to fly out for Maddie's wedding.

    I went over to Len's for a brief visit and pick up several items we had shipped there. It sure is great to have her back.

    We did splurge with a good bottle of wine and steak and shrimp for dinner.   

Wednesday 28 February 2024

   We got up a bit early to meet Dave and Winne for lunch in Frostproof.  It was sunny and warm, but still a long 2 1/2 hour drive for lunch. We had a great visit, said our goodbyes and back on the road.  

   Another long day for Rudy alone in the Moho.  It was almost 4pm until we returned.  Lunch was huge so we just snacked in the evening.  We would walk Rudy, have a snack, walk Rudy snack, repeat. 😃

Thursday 29 February 2024

    A full day of retirement. Egg sandwich for breakfast, out the door by 10:45. Just in time to enjoy lunch at O'Shucks.  Shrimp for me dry rub wings for Diane, I just couldn't talk her into oysters. Lunch out of way we were off to the Ocala RV show. I know what you are thinking.... but it is good exercise too. A quick stop at the Hitching Post and no day is complete without a stop at the wine store.  Just say they were happy we stopped in.

   Back to the Moho unloaded wine purchases and a long walk for Rudy. Hog maw sausages and leftovers for dinner. I went to bed and Diane had Rudy out for his last walk, she hears this loud high pitch noise, then flashing light as she hustles to door.  Turns out they were spraying for mosquitoes. 😌

Friday 1 March 2024

   After a nice egg and mushroom omelet, it was time to go deal with the RV repair facility. I took the Moho up last Wednesday and they were to email the estimate. This Wednesday I called them to see what was happening.  It must have errored out service manager says! 😟   Now with a 10-to-15-day lead time for parts there isn't enough time to fit into their schedule. 😡 It took two hours, but we finally decided they would replace the jack assembly, replace tire rim and fix up/waterproof wheel well.At some point I just needed a walk around the park and found Pineapples. 

    That wasn't enough pain for one day after lunch we sorted mail and paid bills.  That task gets a little lengthy and tedious when you have three months of mail at one time.

   Wine time finally arrived and we had grilled ham steak for dinner.

Saturday 2 March 2024 

   Ever since Diane returned we have been researching air fare. The schedule and prices are continually changing.  We were getting google burnout.  Also trying to find part numbers and order parts for the Moho wheel. You know you reach a point where you just pick something and hit enter.  And so we did, Parts ordered.

   After lunch it was time for Bradley's haircut. 😏 On the second pass Diane blurts out her famous hair cut line. Oops, oops, and oh crap.  The guard fell off the clippers... and I now have a buzz cut. 😁   It'll grow back, some will anyway.

   The campground had a two-person singing group at the outdoor stage.  We went over and joined in for a couple of hours. They were pretty good. The weather cooperated nicely the band was done and packed up when the rain moved in. We are to have on and off showers the next several days. 

Great day for 
Music in the Park!

  Back in the Moho Diane reluctantly logs back into the airline reservations. After reviewing several more choices and comparing price we quit and picked the one most convenient for us (no early bird or red eye flights) and hit book it. All done! 😏

   Burgers for dinner.

Sunday 3 March 2024

   Last night about 1:30am a severe thunderstorm hit. We woke up, including Rudy, checked awning, windows etc. Back to bed and wait...in the Moho you can feel the rumble of thunder shaking the Moho. I don't know how close, but some lighting was CLOSE.  Poor Rudy weaseled his way up the bed, getting as close as he could.  The storm lasted for several hours. I got up about 5:30 started coffee. Diane and Rudy tried to go back to sleep.

   By the time the storm cleared we were still tired and hungry.  So off to the restaurant for breakfast. Diane worked on rearranging clothes putting away cold weather stuff and getting out warm weather clothes. Nothing is as easy as it seems living in the Moho.  I get containers out of the basement storage, she had clothes from her trip, swap and sort then repack and back to basement storage. In between I finished washing the last section of the Moho and scrubbed the wheels.

   More thunderstorms rumbled through at 4pm. Not anything like early this morning. Diane worked on preparing chicken parm for dinner tonight and I did the blog.

   Tomorrow we start cleaning and packing up for the trip to Hudson for window defogging.