Monday I guess

Monday we joined Kim and Joe at the rec center for a sort of free breakfast.  It was a no additional cost breakfast.  We got to listen to a guy from Homestead Bank tell us why we should bank with them.  Homestead Bank paid for our apple fritters.  I always like apple fritters!  Joe and Kim introduced us to several people...some of whom I might remember later.   Kim offered their laundry, so we took advantage of that.  Surprise! We played music (and visited a whole lot) with them.  I tried to use there air card to get online but no go.  I can see that we need some way to be connected to the ether the next time we do this sort of thing.  The wi-fi here would not connect this morning.  That surprised me somewhat...I would have had to pay had I made connection.  It is good that it didn't because that would have been $15 wasted.   Kim fed us again...and Strawberry Shortcake Again!  I could get used to this! Laundry took some time to cycle through...and welshed music all of that time.  We were about ready to be done when another musician arrived.  Of course we played another hour or so. We came home and put laundry away, well Lori did.  We had made plans to be back at Kim and Joe's at 6.  We watched the sky in the South turn a dark and rainy looking.  We sat out and watched the clouds over head heading East while the clouds to the South moved North.  We saw a few flashes of lightning as well. We didn't think it would rain much.  We intended to walk to Joe's.  We walked to the comfort station in preparation of that.   Guess what?!  It rains in Southern Florida as well as in Southern California.  We had to hurry to get into the restroom before the storm hit full force.  It was raining really hard by the time we got out.  We watched the rain for 10 minutes or so.  It seemed to be raining harder each minute. I called Kim to see if they had any idea how long the rain would last.  She drove up and rescued us.  It was raining so hard that we about got drowned joust taking the two steps from the truck to the breeze way.  We turned lemons into lemonade by jamming some more.  Kim drove us home around ten,  we went to bed really tired but boy, did we have a Great Day!   I almost forgot...we managed about a 2 mile nature walk this morning after our apple fritters...pretty good huh? 

Sunday...on the road again

Sunday we started out about 8 AM heading toward  Sebring, about 30 miles away.   We found a MickeyD's and had our usual healthy breakfast...a sausage mcmuffin for Lori and the same for me, but with egg.  We got online and each had our own computer to catch back up with happenings back home...and to post our happenings here.  Today is still cloudy and cool.  Not sure where the warm Fl temps are...but they must be farther South!  Michigan weather is much cooler and wetter so we are not really complaining about the weather...honestly we are not!   We got to the Buttonwood Bay resort about a half hour before the office opened at 11.  I called Kim Bell and she came up with their golf cart.  We had a nice visit while waiting. Our Reservation was all in order.  We proceeded to our campsite.  Whoa, her is a big truck and a boat there!  So back to the office, new site!  Drove around until we found that site.  There is a pickup and camper there!  The site two units down was open however.  We went back to the office once again...the assistant manager was deeply embarrassed...this had never happened before. She did find us a new site, a choice of two actually.  We chose the one easiest to back into.   Finally we got set up.  Joe Bennett biked by and we talked awhile.  As soon as we could we headed for the showers...it has been a long week of dry camping!   Joe and Kim invited us for supper...pork roast boiled dinner...have I used Delicious lately?  It was definitely!  They are sure happy to see us.  We visited until we could hardly keep our eyes open, then headed home.  A very good day all around.

Well....this is the real Last Day!

Ok...that was Friday...this is Saturday the real last day of the tractor show.  We started today with a Country Breakfast at the Flywheelers Country Kitchen.  I splurged and bought Lori a huge cinnamon roll!  That should keep me in her good graces for a month or so!  Well, at least until the end of the day anyway.  (insert Smiley Face here...) Lori wanted to tour the village again...and there was a lot I had not seen, so we did just that.  We stopped in and watched Bobby Noell again.  He was doing his act for a whole new audience.  Today his music playing machine did another song as well as 'Tequila!'. It runs by vacuum we discovered.  That and a computer.   Lori went back to the camper, and I went to watch more tractor pulling.  Today one of the garden tractors tipped over backward.  The driver didn't seem to be injured, except for his pride, but he was disqualified, adding insult to injury I'll bet. I got a little tired in the wind, so I went back to the camper. Jerry and Kay invited us over for grilled brats, delicious!    He wanted to take a tour through the flea market one more time as he had 20 dollars eating a hole in his pocket.  Lori and I went back to the village to watch the final Model T Put together.  It took them about 4 minutes this time.  The 'technicians' were getting tired!  It has been a lot of fun to watch every time. We split a final fresh OJ and a final apple cobbler and home made ice cream.  Campers and vendors began leaving right at 4.  The tractor pulls were still happening so I went one last time.  The weather has been cloudy and cool all day.  I soon had enough of the wind and dust and went back home.   A fellow named John stopped by wondering if there was a fiddle player around.  Lori raised her hand and we were invited to play some music with John and Max.  We played an hour or so in Max and Ann's bus.  They were really sad that we didn't hook up until the show was all over.  Like us they were looking to play music every night.  They were in the jam we missed Tuesday.  We had gone over but it had just gotten over, and everyone was chatting with each other.  There did not seem to be any place to offer our talents to another jam so I didn't...  Missed chances...but the week has been Fun anyway. It is sort of sad that it is over, but boy would a shower feel really good!  

Last day of Florida Flywheelers Tractor Show

Friday was more walking around looking at things.  Of course, I wanted to look at the machinery and tractors.  Lori had discovered a quaint little village there in the park.  We had been there the last two days to look at the 'Model T put together'.  But I had not thought it particularly interesting.  Lori found the village itself pretty cool.  We did some looking around there.  Bobby Noell is the 'magician'.  He has a building himself and spends a lot of time there entertaining folks.  He has been doing that his whole life, and is pretty good at it.  He showed us several card tricks.  His folks were with a circus and had gorillas and orangutans.  There were videos of those days running constantly. Lori noticed that he was always smiling but his eyes were very sad.  His wife of sixty years is in an Alzheimer's home.  I took a video of the Model T assembly. I have not figured out how to post it here. I did, of course spend a lot of time walking back and fort between the camper and the tractor pulls.  Saw a couple of JD 'R's pull.  They just won't quit!  The engine was barely turning over, and still they pulled!  I had noticed that about them before.  They have an amazing amount of power and torque! We played music at Jerry and Kay's (Cooper) again this evening.  He once again gathered a very appreciative audience.  We went to bed the latest we have since we arrived here at the Flywheelers.  Still, it was before 10! We also discovered that the home made ice cream place sells apple cobbler and ice cream.  Delicious, but not as good as Jan'soo Apple pies!  We will have those again I am sure...BTW we split those desserts, 50-50, or close! The only thing wrong with going to bed so early is that Lori is awake and ready to go about 2:30 AM!  For sure, I am not!   We did a quick trip into Frostproof for a salad and the all important Internet!  Had to make a grocery stop also...

Another day...lost track of which one

Thursday morning dawned bright and warm...but I saw most people wearing sweaters and such.  I thought it was plenty warm in my T shirt.  We decided that it was time to do the laundry.  We had heard that we were close to Frostproof.  Avon Park is quite citified, perhaps Frostproof would be less so?   So we turned north instead of South and eventually came to Frostproof.  Yep less citified for sure, but McDonalds has wi-fi and there was a grocery and a bank nearby, as well as the laundromat.  Lori did that while I did the shopping.  She had had enough TV by the time I got back and the clothes were nearly dry so we returned to camp. We new the rules were no one was to leave between 9-4. That also means that no one can return during those hours.  We had expected that.  We had to park in the day parking lot and walk in.  I decided to carry in the laundry to the campsite.  We caught a ride on a shuttle but it still was a long walk home!  We got a bag of ice as well.  I was about tuckered out by the time we got back, not so tired that I wanted to skip the tractor pulls though.   We walked the village again and I took photos of the Model-T reassembly for the coffee folks back home.  We discovered the Home Made Ice Cream people...butter pecan bowl shared fairly equally I would say. Last night we put on a 'concert' here at the camp for our next door neighbors.  Tonight we were invited to another neighbor's because they heard us playing.  He invited a lot more folks.  We played music for a couple of hours.  It was fun and they Loved us!   I did manage to pick up the pickup and get it home as we'll.  I am having no trouble with the humidifier on the sleep machine turned off.  Florida air is plenty humid.  The truck battery has no trouble lasting the night and then some. So far I would say we are having Fun...and I enjoy the warm weather a lot!

4, I guess

We arrived in Fort Meade Fl, around noon Tuesday .  It took an hour to get set up.  The driving was not horrible, but it was almost all City Driving.  One thing for sure about Fl... There is lots of Traffic! We camped in the first row of the 'dry camp'.  In other words, no water, no electricity.  We keep getting new neighbors, but have not met anyone so far.  I am surprised that there are a few little rigs like ours.  We smaller campers are in the minority for sure!  Lots of Big Rigs.  We probably have not spent even as much as one of their payments.  They sure look neat though, Rush Limbaugh is ranting next door, but I won't hold that against them...it turns out they are pretty good folks.  They came over and listened while we played music.  Last night there was music a couple of rows over, but we didn't get around in time to join them.  It gets real dark real early and cools down after the sun goes down. Lots of tractors parked all over, only the Fords have a particular spot, the featured tractor this year.  There were vendors set up, but no one could sell anything...no drinks no food.  We drove into Avon Park to MickeyD's (where else?) for a salad supper.  We replaced our leaky cooler with a new one at Wallyworld for way less money!  I hope this one doesn't leak!  

Part 3

We drove out of Tennessee into Alabama in near blizzard conditions.  We came South just to have the same driving conditions we left in Michigan?  It certainly seemed that way!  The driving was not really bad, for a Michigan driver...just sort of discouraging. We stopped in Montgomery to visit nephew Stephen. We spent an hour with him, catching up with what is happening in his life.  His new bride Laura was out of town, so we didn't get to meet her.  Stephen gave us directions to get to Florala AL.  Lori started driving after we left Montgomery traffic behind. Alabama is a Long State!  We were already tired by the time we left Montgomery, and driving back roads made the trip seem endless.  I was navigating, and made the wrong choice on one corner.  We went about a mile the wrong direction.  Lori was all done in from driving, and had no Essential Nap!  Possibly there were snarling sounds in our truck!  Not real likely though. We turned around.  I got on the correct road and we drove on, enjoying  scenery not seen from the freeway.  We had some concern that we would be late getting into Florala.  Indeed,it was Dark by the time we arrived. But Good Luck!  I called the Lake House Bed and Breakfast, they had a room available!  Twenty minutes later we had arrived! What a beautiful place!  I had been willing to stop at any old motel at this point, but Lori really wanted to find that B&B.  I am glad we did.  We were met by the host, even though the hostess had left for the day.  He was a real pleasant fellow.  Our room was very comfortable,  with a King size bed...decorations all over, but not cluttered.  We had supper at the Huddle House.  Breakfast actually, but at supper time. We were treated to a French Toast Breakfast by our hostess Ann.  We got acquainted with the other couple who spent the night.  Vicky and Phil.  Phil plays guitar, BTW.  We walked down to the lake and looked around...very pleasant.  We drove to the campground there and it looked nice.  There were a few hardy souls camping. The temperature was about 50, cool but doable. We had hoped to camp there last night but it was late, dark, and Cold when we arrived.  Glad we found the B&B open!  Cold is relative, it would have been Warm in MI. On the road again, Lori at the wheel. She drove all the way to Tallahasee. She did great. I took a break. I drove from there to Micanopy. Stopped at the Micanopy Inn.  I believe we give that place a miss on the way home!  Not your Home away from Home!  We left early...looking for a MickeyD's and Breakfast!  Supper was at a gas station/convenience store.  But the food was super!  We split a pork dinner and still took some home for later.  We stored it in our brand new,very leaky cooler!  We will need to replace that soon..

Florida trip part 2...I think

Well, I am way behind on my Florida Trip narrative.  To day is Thursday I believe, and my last epistle was about last Friday!  To say the least, things have happened since then! Saturday morning Lori and I were on our own, still in College Grove/Arrington TN.  Don had to work and Diane needed to pick her car up from the shop.  We had heard of a Guitar Show (4 Amigo's) in Franklin at the Old Gas Stove Factory.  I thought that might be fun, so we went. Oh my, the place was packed!  We had to park at the Farmer's Market, several blocks away.  Then, it had a $15 admission fee!  Did I think that I needed to look at guitars that much!?  We went up a flight of stairs overlooking the show.  There were several thousand guitars...yes,I guess we can stand the tariff.  We browsed the two rooms for a couple of hours.  I saw several guitars needing to go home with me! Among them a 1950something Martin 35 HD.  Lori did not see anything at all that needed a new home.  We came away with money in our  Pockets. The weather was cloudy and cool, with a misty foggy moist sky.  We decided to checkout the Farmer' Market.  It was a happening place!  All kinds of stuff for sale.  Milk was $10 Gallon, steaks were awfully high priced...coffee and a donut were $3.00!  That was all we bought...both the donut and the coffee were delicious but small. We had left our drink cooler in the back of Blue Babe...evidently people who can afford $10/gallon milk are not adverse to helping themselves to someone else's stuff.  The cooler was gone...hopefully the really needed it to keep that milk cold til they got it home! Don and Diane had heard of music happening at Leiper's Fork, about 30 miles away.  Puckett Bros Grocery was the venue.  It is indeed a grocery store!  There were two acts, the musicians in both acts seemed to be related.  The headliner was Janna Hattabaugh.  She is a pretty young thing with bushels of talent...but probably will never be Famous.  Don treated us to dinner at Jason's Deli, very good, Thank you Don!  Also at Puckett's Grocery was the Dukes of Hazzard Car and Jed Clampetts Model A.  Maybe those were actually replicas, but they were the actual models of automobiles.  We wouldw like to go back there again for Open Mike night.  We returnedto the Woerner's and visited until bedtime.

the real Trip 2012

We  began our trip with a stop at Glenn's and Mary's.  We drove just two hours today.  Glenn treated us to a 'dinner out' at a mexiczn restaurant .  Mary arrived home later.  We enjoyed the visit .

Tuesday we drove the length of IN...Lori drove over 100 miles pulling the camper.  Made a couple of detours along the way, but got to the Leavenworth Inn about when we figured we would.  The Inn is a very pleasant place...comfortable bed and very nice to look at.  It was very chilly however, perhaps they were conserving energy?  Supper was at the Stephenson's Hardware...breakfast as well. We did get coffee and cookies Wednesday morning there...  I liked Stephenson's place a lot.  I think that the Stephenson people should run the Bed and Breakfast!  I was not impressed by the way Leavenworth was run at all.  Lori was pretty well satisfied however...she gave them a 5 star rating.  I would have given them a 3 at the most.

We drove to Diane's on Wednesday.  Once again Garmin let us down.  We followed the Garmin GPS directions right through downtown Nashville TN.  What a lot of Fun that was!  Then I decided another detour would would be good after we shut Garmin off (I missed the off ramp). We arrived about the time we thought we would anyway.  It did take $50 worth of fuel to drive the distance, though.Lori opted not to drive, she had her hands full interpreting Garmin.  We shut the voice off, it was just too distracting!

Thursday we spent mostly recouping from the day before.  We visited with Don and Diane, which was great.  Lori and I were on our own for lunch. We ate at 'Las Fiestas' a Mexican restaraunt we really enjoy! Of course that followed a trip to TSC in Triune.  I needed to buy a grease gun!

Friday we helped Diane get her brakes repaired.  While waiting for time to pass until Lunch  ( at Chicago Pizza in Murfreesboro ), we toured the national park at Stones River Battleground.  The highlight for me was watching a guy brush hog around the perimeter of the battlefield!  Lori is sure that should not be the main thing to see...and the cannons were kinda neat, as long as they were just sitting there.  I was disappointed that only the Union soldiers were buried in the cemetery .  The Confederate troops were buried somewhere else.  They are/were considered not to be Americans!  Politics again rears it's ugly head!

Lunch was terrific thanks Don! Chicago Pizza! We tried to not eat too much...but it was really difficult! Lori and Diane picked some Daffodils and discovered what may be an Eagle's nest!  The proper people have been informed...I am sure that we will know for sure sometime down the line.

More later...probably.