Today was another driving day, but without the wind of yesterday. We crossed in to Texas east of Beaumont on I-10 at milepost 880.5.
Other than driving and buying fuel, the day was normal. Marilyn did make us a delicious soup from the prime rib bones left over from our Christmas dinner.
The last time I wrote was on the 19th, on our way to Columbus, GA for Christmas Marilyn had decorated a tree for the motorhome before we left Florida. After arrival on the 20th, we went to Doug’s for dinner, and a great visit. Then, on the 21st, we drove to the Atlanta airport to pick up our daughter, Beverly. On the 21st, we all went out for Japanese food, so Bev, Doug and Marilyn could have sushi while I had chicken tempura – delicious food. We all finished our shopping, and, then, Marilyn and Beverly baked cookies on Sunday, along with decorating Doug’s tree (Doug and Laila had done a great job of decorating Doug’s house before we arrived). 
We said goodbye to Doug the day after Christmas (Wednesday), and left Columbus on Thursday morning. We drove to Summerdale, AL to visit Joan and Richard Micelli at their home in Plantation, the Escapees RV Park.
After a wonderful visit with Joan and Richard, we left this morning (Saturday) to continue our trek West. We are parked for the night at Frog City RV Park just west of Lafayette, LA.
On Sunday, the 16th, I checked our house batteries, and the air in the tires. We went to the Ice Cream Social, and Marilyn made a delicious pot roast. On Monday, the 20th, we went to Paul and Peg Gifford’s home in Lakeland, FL. They took us to a delicious lunch at Tapatillo’s. Tuesday was our final shopping in the Leesburg area, plus we checked to see if my new glasses were in – not. Marilyn left her new glasses to be adjusted. Both will end up having to be mailed to us while we are on the road.
This morning, the 19th, we left Sumter Oaks RV Park. I left about 11:15AM with the motorhome. I stopped at the Wildwood Truck Wash to get the house washed. It was $60 plus $30 for the roof (I wrote a check before he changed the price). Marilyn joined be about noon, and, with the Jeep attached, we drove to the Ocala rest area for lunch.
We are now parked at the Tifton, GA Wal-Mart for the night.
Earlier this year, our towed’s US Gear auxiliary brake system died. Southeast Power diagnosed the problem as the power unit. Two hundred later we went on our way. Hitched once, the system seemed to work. This morning when we hitched, it did not work. It is almost 10 years old, just like our Blue Ox hitch. Blue Ox said they would not service this unit again. We will be looking for a new towed brake system at Quartsite along with a new tow bar.
Well, we woke up on the 13th of December, so those folks who said the world would end on the 12th were wrong, and now they say we have to worry all over again on the 21st. Oh well, today was a good day for a trip to Busch Gardens to see their Christmas shows.
The day was a little on the cool side with a high of 70, cloudy, and misty as we started the drive to Tampa. Here is the train decked out for Xmas.
The three stage shows we went to had too much action (blurry) for the camera, but here is one that was not too bad.
We did get to see some of the animals, including, as the song goes, some rhinoceroses and hippopotamuses.
We also saw some flamingos and topiaries.
Oh, and I recognize, or should I say I resemble, the ambition of this gorilla.
Type at you later.
Last month I received a Jury Summons to appear at the Okaloosa County Courthouse on the 26th of November. I was able to postpone it until the 10th of December, which required that we not be able to finish our $200 month at the Daytona Beach RV Resort by 4 days. Then yesterday, I received an email from the Clerk of the Okaloosa County Courts stating that anyone who was required to report for jury duty on the 10th of December was relieved. They did not have to report.
Larry & Carolyn Jarvis, and Marilyn and I decided to still leave today on the 8th, but instead of driving 420 miles to Crestview (near Pensacola, FL) for my cancelled jury duty, we all returned to Sumter Oaks, the Escapees RV Park in Bushnell, FL. We will leave again on the 19th of FL to head to Columbus, GA to spend Christmas with our two children. The next few days will give us a chance to spend more time with friends and relatives before heading West for the winter.
Type at you later.
Today was a wonderful day. Marilyn,I, and Larry & Carolyn Jarvis left Port Orange, FL at 9:00am, and drove to Clermont, FL to attend the Escapees lunch at the Golden Corral. We had 51 people at the lunch – a great group of friends. This is our last lunch of 2012, and for Marilyn and I, it is the last Florida lunch with Escapees until November 2013.
On the way back, Marilyn and I stopped in Eustis to pick up our new glasses, then a bag of oranges, fuel for the Jeep at WalMart. Then we stopped at Target for a 4’X5’6” chocolate colored rug to cover the rug in our motorhome. It looks very nice.
At home in Port Orange, we had a couple of Manhattans for happy hour. Dinner consisted of Nathan’s Chili Dogs at Ritter’s along with Hot Fudge Sundae’s.
All in all, it was a great day for eating.
Type at you later.
For lunch, I got to do another Chick-fil-A stop. Once again, it was delicious, and we were able to share it with Larry & Carolyn.
Marilyn and I went our own way after lunch. She has not had a lighthouse fix in quite a while, so we drove to see Ponce de Leon Lighthouse on Ponce Inlet. It is Florida’s tallest lighthouse, and one of the tallest in the USA. Before we went on to the lighthouse grounds, we took a picture, and watched as this boat was moved. They drove the boat across the road and in to the parking lot where we parked. Then they backed the boat down the road and in to a parking space next to the marina.
We then drove to the lighthouse parking lot. 
On the way back to the house, we made brief shopping stops at Lowe’s and Target.
Carolyn has made Pea Soup for dinner. Yum, Yum!!!
This morning we walked, and picked up a newspaper so Marilyn could get some actual coupons instead of printing them from the internet. There was not much information I can’t get from online headlines.
Then, after noon, we drove back to the Canaveral National Seashore to take their boat ride on Mosquito Lagoon, which used to be part of the Intra-Coastal Waterway. The boat was a pontoon boat, and the volunteers drove it slowly so we could see the Mangroves, birds, and bottlenose dolphins.
After the boat ride, we had dinner at Boston’s Fish House around 4pm.
Type at you later.
