Oh Brother where art thou?

Jan 26, 2014  Warmer 70's and 50's at night, much better

Here we are in Florida and guess who texts and says "lets have breakfast?"   My brother from Ontario.  He is an independent trucker with runs once in a while to Miami and back.  This week he had a run and we happen to be 30 minutes from I75 so we planned to meet at the Waffle House in Wildwood.  He has been driving his whole life and can thread a needle with his truck and trailer.   We are sitting in the parking lot at Waffle House wondering where in the world  is he going to park his rig.......  Then all of a sudden we see him coming through the McDonald's parking lot next door - which is packed with cars.  Never in a million years would Billy drive our motorhome through that maze and here is Rudy a lot bigger and longer slowly inching by everyone.  Once he made it successfully through he parked on the side road (which was his destination).   He was laughing - said he has done it many times before but its not usually that busy!!! OMG.

Just down the street is a different type of shop - I75 Chrome shop -  but quite interesting - who knew there was such a place?  Everything chrome for trucks.  Take a look at these pics.... 

Billy at the front door

Rosey peeking thru the cab in the store

Outside and inside the store.  The guys love all this chrome!

Every thing for the dashboard

SANTA !!!!!

Jan 23, 2014  Cold here in Florida, frost warning 3 nights in a row and only day high of 60
One thing you never know is who you might meet on the camping road.
Yes, we met Santa.   We have not seen him for a long, long time - not since our kids were little:)
This is Jimmy and his wife, the camp hosts at Alliance when we registered.  I asked if I could take their picture in the lobby the next day.   Now who do you think Jimmy resembles?

That's what we thought too.   And as it turns out they are actually Santa and Mrs. Claus. SANTA!!!!    It turns out that they have been at Disney World for the last 10 years for the months of November and December.  No kidding...  here is a image of them on set at Disney.  They have their very own set, dressing room, makeup artists and costume designers at Epcot Center.  

Santa did get a chance to tell Billy that I really was a good girl :)

The Villages - Brownwood

Jan 20,21/2014
Weather - sunny and cool, low 40's and mid 60's.

What is Rosey doing?

Now where is she?

Another Rosey photo bomb....

 

Time to take Rosey home :)

We are going to be in our Motorhome Service Center all week so today we walked across the road to The Villages.  It's like walking into the Land of Oz for Seniors!!!  Someone else described it as the Disneyworld for Seniors.  Both are great descriptors.   The Villages is a preplanned community for over 55 and it encompasses approximately 100,000 people now and 80,000 golf carts.  The properties are beautiful and there are 33 golf courses available, as well as 1600 activities per week.  You do not need to be lonely or bored here:)
The community continues to expand in size and there is a new themed area open now called Brownwood.  It has an Old West - Cowboy theme.   On the entrance into the area some beautiful sculptures of Cattle and a Lone Cowboy.

Alliance Coach Inc.

Wildwood, Florida is in a cool spell so it's just as well we are at Alliance Coach for the week getting our list of maintenance items completed for the year.  We came here last year and knew this would become a yearly visit.  This place is so technically qualified you want to save things that need repair for them.  Yesterday we had a new vent put in , a new wiper seal on the one slide, a new toilet seal and one tail light repaired. Today they started on new topper awnings for two slides.  As well; we are in the body shop having our front and back caps repainted.  Always a list of things just like a house.  Yes, your right it is in fact our house on wheels!  Look way in the back right bay - that's our coach. 

Service Bays - Center in the Back is our Coach

Equestrian RV Resort

Jan 16 - 19  Sunny but very cool for Florida - 60's, low 50's during the day - 3 nights frost warning
Well we were very glad to miss the Polar Vortex the first week in January but seem to have caught a short cold front in Florida; which we feel coming in from our vacation in Aruba.  30 degrees difference!  

We wanted to stay close to our friends to visit with them and also get our coach over to Alliance Service Center for some maintenance work.  Looking around the area in central Florida we happen to spot a new RV park that opened just in November 2013 on an Equestrian Ranch in Lady Lake.  The Grand Oaks RV Resort and Carriage Museum.   It's absolutely beautiful and tranquil.   

Brand new super long pull thru sites with all the amenities necessary, beautiful clubhouse and the rest of the 450 acres have all the Horse amenities.  The property is set amid majestic oaks and gently rolling fenced pastures.  There are well-appointed houses or cottages for rent, a Carriage Museum,  special equestrian events, activities and training.  Horses are boarded here from all over the country.  Carriage rides and horseback trails are available.  There is also a restaurant bistro style and a Spa!  Sundays they have an outdoor Cowboy Church too.    We happened to stay here for 3 days but definitely want to come back to enjoy the Spa and Carriage ride. 

A Vacation from Vacation - Aruba

January 1 - 15, 2014  The weather is hot, hot, hot!  84 to 88 everyday and windy (thank goodness for the breeze).

Eagle Beach in Aruba

I know it's crazy that we take a vacation from our vacation.  A few years ago we were in Aruba and fell in love with the beaches - white sand that goes for miles and very safe to walk on.  Yes we went for the free t-shirt at the timeshare meeting and ended up buying a week at the Divi Phoenix Beach Resort.  We have used it every year or banked the time and doubled weeks up the following years.  We do belong to the RCI as well which gives us access to trade and buy last minute deals.  So far it has been a good experience for us.  We bought a used unit for 40 years and we can pull weeks ahead from the back end.  Our advice is do some research, never buy a new unit and definitely do the math on going away every year and what you can comfortably afford to pay with a 'reputable company'.   Sun, surf, sand.  Doing nothing for 14 days in Paradise. 
 

Which way to Aruba, Bonaire, Cayman Brac, St. Croix, Barbados, St. Maarten ?

Rudy and Laurie took us to Windsor to catch the Robert Q bus across on Dec 31/14.  Clearing customs via the airport transportation is a smooth process.  We had a room at the Westin airport hotel and a next morning flight at 6:30 am on New Years Day.  Then a flight from Aruba to Orlando on Jan 15.  Our motorhome and trailer have been warehoused at the best place we have found - indoors, super clean, climate controlled, with power hookup and 24 hours secured.  Arthur runs a great place in Orlando right near the airport, Auto Boat Storage.  We also had it detailed and waxed before we picked it up, thanks to Mom's Christmas present.  With indoor storage we don't have to winterize it - we do clean out our fridge and shut it off, we shut off the house electrical, also we put out these moisture control pails to collect humidity called Damp Rid.   It keeps your motorhome dry and fresh while you close it up tight. 
It's so good to see our home!!!  She looks wonderful all shiny and clean.

Auto Boat Storage Warehouse in Orlando

Our Rig ready to hit the road

So back on the road in Florida we go for the rest of the winter. 

Okeechobee, Florida

November 1 and 2   
I am going back in time to record this short trip to Okeechobee.   When we went to the Good Sam Rally there were many, many, many booths for RV parks.  Every one was promoting special rates to entice you to come and stay with them.   

One such place was Silver Palms RV Resort in Okeechobee.  If you are familiar with Florida there is not much down in that area except the Lake and perhaps some warm weather, but we thought we really don't have anywhere else to be - so why not?  On the ride south from Orlando area you turn at a cross road called Yee Haw Junction.  Nothing there but a gas station so don't blink!

Our friend Don kept asking us why are we going to Okeechobee????  I know, I know but we just have to find out these things for ourselves.  "IT'S ABOUT THE JOURNEY"   I will only say the rate was super low and with the viewing on the internet we thought it looked like an exceptionally nice park for some R&R.  Once we got there we were glad it truly is a beautiful park with beautiful amenities.  The site we had was backed onto the lake, with a grass drive and cement pad.

One thing that was not so good was the no-see-ums and the mosquitos!!!  My husband never gets bothered with any insects but that is because they are munching and feasting on me.   The  park is very new and has a beautiful clubhouse and pool area.  People were extremely friendly.    Unfortunately my Dad took ill and we could only stay 2 nights instead of the month.  We have a credit sitting there to use for future camping so maybe we will get back down there again.  With the cell and the internet in about 3 hours we had flights arranged back in Orlando airport , a warehouse to put our Rig in and friends arranged to pick us up in Detroit.