Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Today was another great day at the Escapees Chapter 27 Spring Rally.  We started off with eggs-in-a-bag cooked by none other than Pete Petersen.    The ladies then started setting up for our Silent Auction for CARE to be held later in the week.  For lunch, a dozen of us went to the Umatilla Inn where most of us had delicious prime rib sandwiches.  During our business meeting we discussed merging our two chapters, and agreed to do it.  At 4:00 we had another happy social hour with donated wine and cheese and a crazy hat contest.  Then diner was deli sandwich rings and salads.  Dave Irons serenaded us after dinner with such great songs as “I don’t look good naked anymore”.

Here are pictures of  eggs-in-a-bag (prepping, cooking and eating: 

Our lunch was at the Umatilla Inn:

 

Business meeting discussions:

 

Crazy hat contest: 

The winners of the hat contest were most original, best, and funniest:

 

Then the entertainment was provided after dinner for a rapt audience:

Monday, March 28, 2011

Today was a great day.  We are on the road.  Nobody called to have a tax return done.  Of course arriving at Olde Mill Stream RV Park, 11 miles away, we had to set up in the rain.

Still, it is a great place to hold the Escapees Chapter 27 Spring Rally.  A rally begins with Registration:

 

Then, during the rally, we have to adopt and take pictures of those who are attending a Chapter 27 rally for the first time.

 

What is a rally without a social hour at 4:00PM. 

After Social.Hour we have to eat, and Pete Petersen made another delicious Hobo Stew.  He starts with meat and onions and spices, then he adds the cans of veggies furnished at one can per attendee at the rally. 

After dinner  it is time to chew the fat before retiring to our rigs for the night. 

Have a good evening.  It has been a great day.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Drove to the Orlando airport  this morning to pick up Lee Squires who was returning from Michigan.  Lee took us to lunch at Wendy’s.  Marsha is in Michigan taking care of her Dad.  Marilyn and I put up a new inside windshield screen (black this time) this afternoon.  Then I scanned a few more pictures, and then Lee came over for dinner.  This evening it is time to read and relax.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Another great day here in Central Florida – high in the 80s.  Two more tax returns this morning.  Maybe they will be the last since we leave next Monday for the ch 27 rally.  This afternoon we drove to Center Hill to get some screen for the front windshield.

Monday, March 21, 2011

The past week was a busy one.  On Sunday, the 13th we drove down to Sumter Oaks, for a late lunch and visit with Larry & Carolyn Jarvis, and Frank & Maureen Halliday.  Monday, I had to go back to the dentist because of a cavity.  Tuesday, we took the motorhome to Barnett’s for new Toyo tires, and we went out to breakfast a Perkins, we picked up the motorhome at noon, brought it back to Haines Creek, went up to the Villages to visit Pete & Mitzi Hull, and went out with them to see the Wisconsin Singers – great show.  On Thursday, we went to Lakeland, FL for Paul Gifford and Peg Baldwin’s wedding – beautiful, and they are so happy.  Yesterday, the 20th, we went out to lunch with Bob & Gwen Lombard.  They are friends we met in the Army, after Vietnam, and have kept in touch with since.  Today, I washed the motorhome and Jeep (getting ready to depart Florida next week.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

We drove down to Sumter Oaks RV Park so I could help Larry Jarvis make audio CDs from music that was loaded on his computer.  Downloaded iTunes because I like it better and Larry was able to make some CDs.  Late lunch at the Riverside Grill with Larry & Carolyn Jarvis and Frank & Maureen Halliday.  We had Nobleton burgers.  Returned to the RV park, and walked around to visit with Ralph & Bev Hosford, and also talked with Marge & Gordon.  Nice day.

Saturday, March 12, 2011

This morning, I put together another email requesting additional information for a tax return.  After lunch, I mounted our little 20 inch bikes on the Blue Ox bike rack on the back of the Jeep.  Had to mount them upside down, but they fit on the rack.  Then we drove over to Emeralda Marsh, where we rode the trail both ways for a total of 9 miles.  We are both saddle sore, and stiff.

The marsh is turning beautiful with spring.  We saw lots of birds (coots, gallinule, glossy ibis).

Friday, March 11, 2011

Today, I spent working on tax returns.  Tonight we are going to a Mexican Potluck here at Haines Creek RV Village.

Thursday, March 10, 2011,  I put our new house batteries in the motorhome.  Then we had to go to the dentist for cleanings.  After another great lunch at Chick-fil-A,  we went to the storage unit to see if we could downsize from a 10 by 10.  We were told that a 5 by 10 would now be about $5 more than our 10 by 10, and a 5 by 5 was definitely still too small.  Next fall we plan to move our storage unit to Bushnell, FL. 

Wednesday, March 09, 2011.  In the morning I removed the house batteries after Jack suggested how we could keep the refrigerator working.  I screwed the house positive and negative wires into a piece of 2x4.  It worked, but kept going off when we put a load on the inverter/charger.  In the afternoon, we mad a Sam’s Club run to get the new 6 volt house batteries followed by a WalMart stop.  Then on the way home I decided to stop at Barnett’s to see if my new tires hac come in.  They are, so we made an appointment for Tuesday, the 15th at 8AM to have them mounted on the motorhome.

Tuesday, March 08, 2011.  We went out to lunch with Maryanne and Joe Mellon on their boat through the Dora Canal to Al’s in Tavares.  The town now bills itself as the Sea Plane City.  We had a good lunch with wonderful company, and we were able to see planes take off down the boat ramp, into the lake, and then the air.

On the way back into Lake Eustis, I was able to get a good picture of an Osprey.

Monday, March 07, 2011.  I put the last of the MCD screens up in the motorhome.  This one was not easy, because I had to lie on the kitchen counter below the cabinets. Marilyn had to take pictures.                

We then went to Lee and Marsha Squires’ for social hour and dinner.

Sunday, March 06, 2011.  We spent the afternoon visiting Charles and Nancy Elkins in Lutz, FL.  Always a pleasant visit.