Busch Gardens January 2013

Beth, Betty and Greg at Parksdale Farms with our strawberry shortcake or sundae.  While sitting there a man came up and commented on Ernie's Hoosier Cruiser jacket.,  Where in Indiana do you live?  He was from Rochester. a long time friend of Pat and George. Pat was my room mate in nursing school.  He also knew another Hoosier Cruiser that we know.  Small world.  A good day, and Betty loaned Beth her sewing machine, as Beth had had a problem with hers.  She was sewing some chair covers for the church.   And now they are done and the machine returned to Betty.    

                                                                                                                          

 

The band is playing Tommy Dorsey style music.  It is interesting to see that a few of the band members are fairly young.  Nice to see that some like the good old band music. 

And below are the singers and dancers from the Marrakesh Theater.  A Miami dance party that heats up the stage with Latin spiced pop tunes.  It was fast and loud.  We go to Busch Gardens

each week and see a different band or singer.  Next week will be Chubby Checkers. 

JJ pins and fleas

We bought the 8th JJ pin this season today.  A mouse. holding his tail up and he has google eyes.  We have been going to the Big Top flea market near us.  It is in a building   like a big top or wheel.  the spokes being where different shops are located.  At one time it was really quite the place to go.  Now there are only two wings with stalls for "garage sale or flea market items.  A few produce stalls and then there is Gene.  A fixture for many years.  In his 80's, nothing else to do and so he stays on.  He really does not have much new stuff to add to his shop.  A grandson, helped him clean it and put out things that had been in boxes below his tables.  He just does not have the business he once had years ago.
Then we go to the Plant City flea market.  It is out on the grounds.  People have tables or put a tarp or blanket down for their stuff.  And Stuff it is.  A lot of Latinos trying to sell all kinds of stuff.  I use the word stuff-----because that is what it is----stuff.  They have gotten a few more vendors that are more like garage sales.  We have only found 5 pieces of silver.  Small pieces and not really highly collectible. 
In two weeks we hope to get to the Webster flea market,  this is a big one, and there is another market just north of it.  Maybe we will find some of the silver plate we like to collect.

How about those pictures of the Hoosier Cruisers at the Tampa Super RV show!  It was a good show.  Many, many rv's of all types.  NO we did not buy one.  Looked--- and came home to one that is paid for and comfortable.
There are several members of the Club that are in Florida and we try to go to the RV show the same day, just to say "Hello"  and visit.  Next month we will go to Sarasota for a 4 hour gathering of Hoosiers.  While at the Rv show, the picture of Connie and Randy are good friends from New Jersey, now Florida.  Randy started walking beside me and I was about to give this guy a dirty look, instead I gave him a big hug.  They are only about 20 miles from us, so we will see them again. 

Busch Gardens have started their music series.  This week was the Terry Myers band with the Swing Sisters.  the music is Benny Goodman music and the Swing Sisters sing Andrew Sisters songs.  Next week it will be Glen Miller music.  this week I saw a man with a Purdue Boilermaker Jacket on.
Yeah!   The ice show was the same as last year.  The costumes are pretty and colorful, music good and a nice story line to go with the program.  We will probably see it again this year.

I planted some leaf lettuce and green onions in a big planter when we got here.  The onions are finally getting big enough to eat, even if I have been pulling them early.  The lettuce is tender and delicious.

It is a little cooler the past few days.  In the 60's and low 70's.  Better than too hot.  I am not complaining, just telling you what the weather has been.

And now it is time to ????  Take care
jkc

Two Fun days 17th and 18 of Jan.

Tampa RV Super Show   friends from New Jersey and Florida, Connie and Randy.

 

Hoosier Cruisers at Tampa RV Show  John, Jane, Rick, Tony and Greg.      Marta, and Sandra.     Jill, Betty and Beth.  We had lunch together.

                                              

 

 

 

 

Terry Myers Band and the Swing Sisters.  Playing Bennie Goodman and singing The Andrew Sisters music.

The Busch Garden Hard Hat Band.  Playing on coolers, tool boxes, trash cans and upside down traffic cones.  Not bad, and they got someone from the audiance to try out the drums.

The Finalae of the Ice Capades Ice Show at Busch Gardens.  Fun show, going to different regions of the world.

A busy day

Or a busy week would be more like it.    Last Thursday we took the RV to  the shop and got 6 new Michelin tires put it.  How do you spell Michelin?
anyway, we have 6 new tires of that brand.   Today, Tues. we went to Lakeland,Fl. to talk to someone at Creative Coach about our windshields.
Creative Coach is a business that puts in new windshields, after aligning the front end of the coach., paints, does interiors, and what ever else that needs repaired.  I guess.  We decided to have them check out our problem.  Interesting.  The man, Lester, needed to see the coach.  We drove back to Thonotosassa, prepared the RV for a trip and took off for Lakeland.
Lester was not happy with the way our windshield had been put in last summer.
They will take out the windshields, align the front end, replace the cracked passenger side, and also the driver side if it has any problems.  We will get an estimate in a day or so.   Two chunks of money for our beloved 1998 motor home.   We think it is well worth it, safety wise, for sure.

Tomorrow starts the Tampa Super RV show.  We will go and look.  We are not planning on a new coach.  And how many people have said that and the next thing you know they are driving a new RV?  Keep you posted on that one.  The problem with these shows are all the "goodies" that are for sale just for the RVing family.  And we usually find something to buy.  or put our name in to win.  Ha, ha.

Ernie is starting to feel better, so he told his sister.  And she thinks that is a good sign, when he says it.  And part of it is getting the new tires and windshields fixed.  Just in time for a busy time here in Fl.  The music series starts at Busch Gardens this week., RV show, Flea markets, and in 3 weeks the South Eastern Area FMCA rally at Brooksville, Fl.  We have our credentials for that rally.  Coming up,also, in February is a Hoosier Cruiser Luncheon and a National Great Lakers date at Parksdale.  We get our strawberry sundaes and then go to a local park for visiting time.

This past Friday I was fixing supper and who walked in, but our friends from Alabama.  So good to see them.  And then we saw them the next day at the local flea market.   Part of the enjoyment of RVing.  

In spite of the aches and pains and Dr, visits, retirement for us has been great.  A life style change with the motor home.  One that we have embraced and enjoyed.  Talking with the secretary today at the Creative Coach business, she stated that she had met only one couple that the wife just hated the RV.  Would be glad when her husband got it out of his system and she could go back to a brick and mortar home on land. 

And with that I will close for today.  If you are in the snow==our thermometer said 88 today.  Supposed to get into the 60's next week and maybe low enough to frost.  Have to bring in my plants.

Have a good day.  jkc

A day in January, 2013

AAAUGH   I forgot to pull out the handle that lets out the grey water and I did a full load of laundry.  I was saved by the fact that our shower is with in a tub.  The tub was full and the mesh laundry bag with a few things in it was almost floating.  I only wanted to do one load this pm.  But I did two and sanatized the tub, clothes pins, ( I do have a place to hang things out here in Fl. )&  whatever else was floating in the tub full of water.

And if there is another blog message that starts out with aaugh   it is because I hit the wrong button and it disappeared into computer neverland.
I do that every now and then and cannot find where the computer hides it. Sometimes Ernie can find it.  and once in a blue moon I find it.  but do not know how I did it.   

Beth's daugter left yesterday, we miss her, going by with Beth to someplace or other.  Often on their bikes.  We saw Beth today off on her bike.  We had a very foggy morning yesterday.   But we decided to go to the Patriot Flea Market anyway.  Near Zepherhills.  And it was busy.  did not really have any good buys.  We have not found any silver plate yet.  I guess we will have to go to Webster Flea Market.  Only problem with that place, we spend more money there.  It is a very big market.  Some covered areas, but a field full of vendors.  Some are regulars and some not.  An interesting place.  And two good restaurants near by.  

Ernie is imrpoving.  Beginning to feel more like the usual Ernie.  I have been knitting, dishcloths.    And reading.  Santa brought me a Kindle paperwhite, and I have been getting free books thru Bookbub.com.

We did go to lunch with Linda and Austin.  With school being out we had not been to lunch with them for the last two weeks.  Good to catch up with what they have been doing with their family.

before I lose this much I will close.  Hope you all have a Happy New Year.
jkc

 

Friends

 

Tony and Jill, Jane, Karen and Alan, Beth and daughter, Brenda, and            Ernie, out on the town, at Sweet Tomatoes Restaurant, in Brandon, Fl.
That many Hoosier Cruisers in one spot and we had to do what we do best.  Go out to eat and enjoy the company.  A good time had by all.
December 30, 2012.

Monday, Dec. 10. 2012

It is raining!!!  and 9 pm       The rain will make my lettuce and onions that I  planted in the big pot, grow.  The lettuce has come up and the onion sets are starting to show green tops.       We shall see how my garden grows.
 
Met some Hoosier Cruisers at Lazy Days Sunday.  Went to Sweet Tomatoes for our evening meal.  They had Turkey dressing and some creamy turkey soup to go on top.  I just got the soup but Tony put the soup on the dressing and said it was very good.  Ernie and I held the line on getting all the desserts we have gotten before.  so good and do not help keep off weight lost.

Ernie is doing better, I think.  He does not feel that way.  He still coughs a lot and that makes his side hurt and then he doesn't feel good.  And if he talks to much, that will make him cough, and that is not good for Ernie.  but he did talk to his brother the other night for some time and did not have a coughing spell.  So he is improving.

I am hanging in there, do have some sinus drainage that is makeing me cough and so I do not feel that peppy either.  This morning Millie and Sharon were walking so I joined them for a half mile trip around the park.
That was good.   Friends can perk you up and help you get started on whatever you need to do.  I did clean off 4 of the 12 stepping stones on our lot.  The grass grows around and over the edges.  It is not grass like at home but has a root that gets thick and hard to pull out.  I bought a butcher knife at the flea market last year and I use that to cut along the edge of the stepping stones to clean away the grass and roots. I have a better tool in Indiana, but you just cannot take everything with you when you go away for the winter. 

Off to Subway with Linda and Austin today.  My card had two points on it.
And then the cashier told me that Subway did away with the point card, Nation wide.  Well, dog gone!  You have until Dec. 31 to redeem any points you may have on the card.  2 points is not enough for even a cookie.  But if you look at the back of your ticket and take their survey you can earn a free cookie.  And Linda had 4 tickets she gave me two, and I had one, so WOW
I can get 3 cookies if I wanted to do that.  Next time we go there.

Doesn't take much to entertain us, does it.

How is every body out there?  and what are you up to.
jeec49@hotmail.com  is our address.

Take care, the rain has stopped,

JKC

Pearl Harbor Day, Dec. 7, 2012

The Post Office was open but we did not see the mail lady at our box.  No deliveries today or we just did not get any mail?  It is slow getting our mail changed, but it is nice once it gets started to have our magazines and regular mail sent to Florida.

Busy week relaxing.  We did make it to the Plant City Flea Market.  I think I made the fastest trip ever thru that flea market.  I was going ahead of Ernie, calling him on the cell phone, popcorn friends are on row 3, tool man in East section, Mexican couple with vegetable stand are here.  There little daughter can now help?  About 3 years old now. 
I found a JJ pin and Ernie found two more as we were standing and going thru a pile of "jewels" the vendor had just dumped on her table.  I paid $2 for mine and Ernie paid 50 cents for his two.  But we helped the lady by straightening the mess of  "jewels" and separating them into flags here and stick pin backs there, etc.  We did make a stop at Parksdale for a strawberry parfait.  Only they had pineapple parfaits too, and Ernie got one of those.
Instead of stopping at Micky D's for a 99 cent burger we came on home.  There was one tired Ernie----we had a good time seeing our friends.
The popcorn couple are from Canada.  They have a beautiful red trailer that they have all there equipment in to make and sell their popcorn.  Only they did not bring it this year.  He has a new truck and they put the basics in it and came on down to Florida.  Did not want to take the hassle of the border patrol possible deciding they needed to check out the trailer.  They go to another flea market that is a 3 day market.  and this one one is only one.
The tool man and wife are from Indiana.  They have a park model in a park near us, leave there stuff here and travel in the summer in a class B RV.

Report on Ernie---- he is slowly improving.  And I feel he does not think so at times.  It is discouraging not to feel good for so long a time.  Mainly getting tired easily as at times it is hard to breathe after walking or exercising a little.  And then there is that cough that makes his side hurt, the side where they took out that half lung.  I am glad we are here in Florida and the weather has been warm.  He sits outside and does not have to worry about anything.  Well, almost.  Did we pay that bill?  What is for supper?

While doing the spell check I was thinking that an English teacher would have red pencil marks all over my paper.  Sorry, my grammar and correct speech are not what they used to be long ago.   poor excuse!   And with that it is one more game of spider and to bed.   Good night!    jkc

Hot Water

YES!  We have hot water again.  A new water heater for this old house (coach)
Ernie and Austin spent the better part of the day checking wires, pipes and fittings, but they got er done.  
With a few comments from passer by persons and short time out for lunch.  And I got some onion sets, lettuce and spinach planted in my planter. 
Also put in some daffodil bulbs, see if they come up, will we have a frost or freeze as some bulbs need.  Have to try----  decided not to try the tomato plant this year.
Only a few small tomatoes last year and we can buy Ruskin tomatoes just around the corner at a stand.  Ruskin are the ones to buy in this area.  Almost as good as Indiana tomatoes.
Charlie stopped by to say hello.  He needs a new knee. It makes us hurt to see him get around.  But he will not go to the Doctor. 
I am playing a spider solitaire game that has two decks of cards, different suits.
You can play either color on each other, but if you have a different suit on a line you cannot move the cards, only the bottom cards of the same suit.  I am not doing well
on this game.  but like trying.
So, on to Spider.

Have a good day.
jkc

We have arrived

We arrived Wednesday, November 28th, at 2:10 pm, or there about.
Austin came down and guided Ernie right into our spot, perfect the first move back.

Ernie got the water and electric connected and the slide out.   And that was it for the day.   Good hot showers and early bed time.   We did push and kept going, decided once we got there we could rest.   So what is that saying  "no rest for the wicked?"
I do not think we are wicked, but the water heater has sprung a leak.  One wet bin.
So no hot water, a new one on the living room floor, while we get all the parts and ideas put together to install a nice new water heater.   This one has electric, gas and bypass type heating.  Due to some problems we may just get the gas system going and do the electric when we get back to Indiana where all the necessary tools and gadgets are housed. And get Alan to help hook up the bypass system. 

Austin and Linda came down Thursday and we went out to lunch.  She told me the latest about the Plant City Flea Market.  Ready to go next week and stop by Parksdale for some strawberries.

Good to see the regular people here.  Have a couple of new persons.  Jack was here today to clean his rig, hope He and Nikki will be over soon.  It is always pleasant to greet and see friends we have made here in the park.  Will get busy with Christmas cards and decorations next week, after the water heater is in and things are properly put away. 

Tired   Ernie is in bed, won't be long before I am also.  Have a good day.

jkc

Dothan, Alabama

Tuesday evening and we are at the Flying J in Dothan. Alabama.   Interesting meals
Last night I ordered a skewer of shrimp over a bed of rice pilaf. I got two skewers of shrimp.   Good deal.  This was in KY.
Tonight I ordered the same thing and Ernie ordered the same also.  We only got one skewer of shrimp.  OK  that is what the menu said.   But we did not get any rice.

Go figure.   It was good and we had a good salad and corn to go with the meal so it was ok.   We did tell the waitress and she was going to tell the cook.   So which one was wrong which night?

A long day today.  Ernie started driving (we got up Indiana time) and we were on the road by 7:30.  that is 6:30 CST which is what we are on now.  Except for our watches.
We were in the beginning of the Nashville rush hour traffic.  While bad, it looked worse coming North when we got thru Nashville.  Then I took over and drove to half way between Birmingham and Montgomery.  Nice, easy driving.  Felt pretty good
Then Ernie took over after lunch and drove to Dothan    mostly in the rain.  He had the not so great driving today.  And was worn out.  Just too long of a day.  for us   and after his surgery. 
Had a 10 minute stop in Troy, Al.  They were working on the stop light.  I thought the man was going to crawl into the yellow caution light.  He opened it up and really stuck his face into it.  Could not get it right and so they made him put down the "cherry picker" and let the long line of cars through.  2/3 miles of backed up traffic. 

Talked with a lady from near Fargo, North Dakota. at a rest stop.   I ask why they did not just go south.  She like flowers, Arizona is too brown and together we said, Texas is windy.
They had a looonng 5th wheel.  We like our motor home.  The people in the rest stop were having lunch.  Smelled of old cabbage.  So I ask what they were eating.  The door was open and the man was sitting there eating.  red beans in ice.  Doesn't that sound good.   No, it did not too me.  The aroma was strong.  Oh, he also had collard greens and carrots.   No thanks.  Friendly.

Tonight in the restaurant there was a gentleman with a shirt on that was more like a short kimono.  Figures on the back may have been Oriental.  And on one sleeve a black cuff with writing,  something and then America.  He sat very proper (not hunched over, etc,) and ate properly.  ok  ok   His manners were very good.  Almost out of place at Denny's.  Although good manners are proper anywhere.

And I am rattling on---- time to stop.   Have a good day.

JKc

Heading South

Monday, November 26, 2012

Doctor gave us the ok Nov. 15th.  And when Ernie told him of his "complaints, all 5"
he sad "I expect that and your are where I expected you to be.  The bypass surgery you had 20 years ago was serious, and you were able to bounce back.  Lung surgery is even more serious, YOU ARE 20 YEARS OLDER, so expect a longer recovery period.  Like 6 to 89 months."  Coughing, is better since seeing Dr., but the other 5, like tiredness and no desire to do the things he really wants to do are not there.  It will be a long haul for an active man such as Ernie.  The Dr. said "If Jane helps to drive, by all means head for Florida, relax, enjoy the warm weather, what ever you two do while there."
   So, Today, after feeding the RV some diesel at Meijer, at 8:08 am I started driving and we headed south.   It has been awhile since I have driven this rig, last spring, so I was slow on the go.  And then IND 9 is 55 mph and we took that to Seymour.  And at the rest area just south of Scottsburg, Ernie took over and drove to the rest area site in Munfordville,KY.  And I drove the rest of the way to Franklin, KY, Flying J./ Pilot truck stop.  This time on I 65 and the GPS said I was driving 70,  Just keeping up with all the truckers!  Traffic was not bad.  Not until we got to 65, and then wasn't as bad as other trips.  so Ernie is resting, the store is out of today's newspaper and I have resorted to the computer. 
We fed the RV again.  And it was easier this time, in a way.  We saved 11 cents off the regular RV diesel fuel price, with our Pilot /Flying J/ Good Sam card.  That was great.
Stying here we will not have to unhook the car, which is a plus right now.  Alan came over Sunday, got the air compressor and blew out the water lines in the house, checked the tires on the RV and car.  Then helped get the car hooked up to the RV.  So, all we had to do this am is put last minute things in the RV and take off.  So nice to have Alan help us get ready. 
    The Colts won Sunday.   Good for them.  I watched the last 5 minutes. 
We had an enjoyable Thanksgiving.  Nancy, David, Alan and Danielle were there.  My mashed potatoes just are not done like I used to and the white meat of the turkey was dry.  I enjoyed the dark meat.  A good visit, Alan and David started a line,  now if we had a truck, some hot coffee and sandwiches do you suppose we could make money selling to those people in line on Black Friday.  It kept getting bigger and more elaborate as the day progressed.  Good time.
   We are glad are neighbors are home from the service.  Brian has been stationed in Kansas the last year and gone 4 years.  We have missed them.  And he is happy today, he got a deer, a doe, on Saturday. 
We made a trip to Syracuse for our annual birthday dinner at Essenhouse.  We celebrate 2 birthdays.  My 2 sisters and 2 brothers and spouses  A good time  And that coconut cream pie was delicious.
   Have a good day, time for e to play some spider before Ernie is ready for supper.
JKC