Back at "Camp Monaco"

We left Kissimmee, Florida around 10:00 this morning for a 70 mile trip to Wildwood, Florida where the Monaco Service Facility is located. We had an appointment to have the one of the rig's slides looked at. It took us about 2 hours to travel 70 miles as we were on US 441 most of the way and it winds through small towns with lots of traffic lights. :) But, it was an easy drive, so that's what's important.

When we arrived at Camp Monaco, I went into the office to let them know we were here. Luckily, there was a vacant site in the campground that we could have. Last spring we were hooked up to electric and water but were set up against the shop. This is much nicer.

Dale, our service writer came by about an hour or so after we got set up. He and Randy went over our concerns and Dale said that maybe they could even get to us today. Yeah, right! :) We know from experience now that they'll get to us when they get to us. And since I know that now, I'm okay with just hanging out. We have no plans for the next couple of weeks so we'll see what happens. Randy said that Dale seemed very nice so that's good. Matt, our service writer back in the spring, is now working in the shop. We'll miss him, he was so personable. But, I know that he really wanted to get back to the shop and away from service writing, so I'm happy for him.

Randy talking with Dale
Our site at Camp Monaco
Our view of the facility
That's all I got for now. Don't know that I'll have much to share over the next few days. It will depend on how long we're here. Maybe we'll take a day trip to Mount Dora. It's supposed to be a pretty town. Whatever we do, I'll be sure to share it with you!

Until the next time . . .

Another Day at Disney – Hollywood Studios

This was a long day! And I am feeling it, let me tell you. We left home about 8:30 this morning, stopping at the post office to mail our absentee ballots and then we went for breakfast. For those of you who are keeping track, we ate at our 60th Cracker Barrel this morning!

After breakfast we headed over to Disney's Hollywood Studios (formerly called MGM Studios). We wanted to get a whole day in today. Lins & family were coming to meet us sometime around 1pm. They had a princess luncheon to go to at Epcot first. You know, when you're a parent of a princess, you have to be sure to have lunch with other princesses at least once in a while! :)


We figured we'd do a few activities that the kids wouldn't want to do before they got there. Our first stop was the Indiana Jones Stunt Show. That stuff just never gets old. It's was as fascinating this time as it was the first time we saw it.




Next we went for the Back Lot Tour. There really are movies made here at Disney and this tour gives you a glimpse of how special effects are done in those movies. We saw a PT boat fired upon like in "Pearl Harbor" and then were part of a canyon action scene where a fire erupted in the canyon and then it was flooded - some of that water came in on us!




Once done with the Back Lot Tour, it was time for a coffee break. We found a little cafe where Randy could get a cup of coffee and I could get some water. It was a shady spot and we figured the kids would be calling soon to let us know they were on their way. We were right! It wasn't long before Lins called, so we meandered up toward the front to wait for them.

Once Reagan and her parents arrived, it was all about what would be fun for Reagan to do and see. And that was just fine with us. I love watching the joy with which Reagan runs at life and I will do whatever it takes to be part of that!



We saw shows at Disney Playhouse, The Little Mermaid, and Beauty and the Beast. Reagan was able to get autographs of JoJo & Goliath, characters from JoJo's Magic Circus. We also went to the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids area where kids can climb and jump on leaves, grasses, ants, just as in the movie. Of course, Reagan was not familiar with the movie and I think she figured it was just another playground.

Reagan with JoJo & Goliath

Beauty & the Beast


Playing at Honey, I Shrunk the Kids!

We ended our day with dinner at the Prime Time Cafe which was set up like a kitchen from the 1950s. From each table you could see a black and white TV which ran vignettes from shows such as The Donna Reed Show, I Married Joan, Dennis the Menace, and more. The tables were formica-topped just like we all grew up with. And the menu was filled with staples such as fried chicken, pot roast, and meat loaf.

It was a wonderful day with the kids. It was hard to say good-bye we wouldn't see each other again until Christmastime. I've said before, this is the hardest part of full-timing, in my opinion. But, we got lots of hugs and kisses from everyone and there'll be phone calls and webcam dates. I'm just very grateful to have such a close relationship with my kids. We really enjoy being with one another.

Tomorrow we leave for the Monaco service facility in Wildwood, FL. It's gonna be such a tough trip - a whole 70 miles! :) Don't know how long we'll be there so we don't have any other travel plans. We're thinking once we get out of there, we'll just go on to Alabama and get settled.

Until the next time . . .

Not Much to Report

VERY slow day here . . . I did get out to Curves this morning and then came back to RV to get ready in case we were going to meet Lins and family at Disney. Turns out they went back to the Magic Kingdom for the day, so we'll meet up at Hollywood Studios tomorrow.

The only other thing we did, or tried to do, was go to the post office to mail our absentee ballots for the upcoming election. Well, this is one of the drawbacks - really, are there any drawbacks???? - to retirement; we totally forgot today was a holiday! It's Columbus Day, but that never dawned on either of us until I walked into the post office and it was closed! Duh! Oh, well. The ballots will get mailed tomorrow.

I am making good progress on my cross stitch project, so that's a good thing. I need to get this one done so I can get started on some Christmas projects.

That's it for us. Take care of each other.

Until the next time . . .

The Magic Kingdom!

We began the day at First Baptist Church of Kissimmee. I was so ready for good worship and a message from God. Randy & I hadn't been to church since before we left PA. And I have missed it; I didn't realize how much until the first song began and I could feel the Holy Spirit move within me. And the pastor's message was very good - a reminder of how we believers are to be ambassadors for Christ in this world. How I need reminding of that on a daily basis!

After church we checked out another campground in the area so that when we need a Disney fix again we'll have options. The other park also has mostly park models in it, but it's much better maintained than the one we're in now. Then, we got breakfast at IHOP!

We got a phone call from Lins about 12:30 to let us know they were on their way to their resort from the airport. They weren't sure just what their plans were for the day so I told her to give us a call when a decision had been made.

A couple of hours later Lins called to say they were going on over to the Magic Kingdom, so we got ourselves together and headed out to meet up with them. I was so excited!! I couldn't wait to see Reagan immersed in Disney. It's all she's talked about this past week and Lindsay couldn't keep the Disney videos going fast enough for her. :)

By the time we got there, Jason, Lins & Reagan had already seen a parade in which Reagan was able to see Ariel, Belle and several other characters. Lindsay said Reagan went nuts, waving and yelling at Ariel and Belle. Belle even blew Reagan a kiss and Reagan was thrilled. I'm sorry I missed that, but I'm sure Jason got it on video. Once we caught up with them, we headed on down Main Street, stopping every few feet to look at something else.

We were in time for a show at Cinderella's Castle. Reagan was ready - she told me, "I like the shows." :) And she sure does! Oh, my gosh. As Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy & friends came out singing, Reagan was up on her feet dancing and singing along. She didn't sit the entire show. We got to see Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty dance and sing with their Prince Charmings. It was so wonderful watching all of this through Reagan's eyes.

After the show, it was time to check out the rides. Randy & I took "bag watch" so Jason & Lins could go on the rides with Reagan. The first one was Snow White's Scary Adventures and Lins was a little concerned about Reagan's reaction to it, but we all said go for it. I told Reagan it said it might be scary and she said that was okay. :) She did great. The next one was It's a Small World and Reagan came out of it grinning from ear to ear and telling me how there were lots of little people and they were all singing! It was great. Then, Reagan & I hit the carousel!

We got some dinner and by the time we were done, the kids were really done. It had been a long day for them as they caught a flight around 9am and hadn't stopped yet. So, Randy & I said good-bye and kept going.

Randy really want to go through The Haunted Mansion, which I thought was kinda funny.
It seemed very odd to be at Disney without kids. We also took a ride on the paddleboat, Liberty Belle, which took us through Tom Sawyer & Huck Finn's world. Next up, Pirates of the Caribbean. It has been updated to include Captain Jack Sparrow, looking just like Johnny Depp!

After a stroll down Main Street, weaving in and out of the people watching the night parade, and catching the end of the parade, it was time for us to go. Our feet were beginning to remind us that we're a little older than the last time we were here. :) It was a great day and we are looking forward to going to Disney's Hollywood Studios either tomorrow or Tuesday.

Until the next time . . .

Doin' a Whole Lot of Nothin'

Yesterday was another day of sitting and relaxing. Yes, I know, just how long can we take this horribly tough lifestyle??? I don't know, but we'll continue to research it and keep you up-to-date on the results. :)

We spent the day catching up on shows we had recorded and I made some progress on a cross stitch project I'm doing. The most strenuous activity of the day was putting dinner together. Randy grilled pork chops and I made a pasta salad and green beans to go with them. That was it.

Jason, Lins & Reagan fly in to Orlando this morning. Not sure when we'll see them as they will be calling us once they get settled and know their plans. We're going to have such fun these next couple of days!

Gotta get ready for church. Take care of each other. Until the next time . . .

Florida – It's HOT Here!!

I know, I know! No post yesterday. Sorry! Yesterday was a travel day and it seems I tend to forget to post on travel days. I guess I figure I don't have much to share on those days. So, I'll catch you up.

We left Brunswick, GA about 9:30 for a four hour trip to Kissimmee, FL.

As usual (thank You, God!) we had an uneventful trip, with a couple of stops for potty breaks and lunch. We got to our campground (and I use the word loosely) around 2:30 or so. I use the term "campground" loosely because it's really a park model/mobile home park with a bunch of RV sites. And most of those RV sites are occupied with long-term folks. Oh, and it has the word "resort" in its name. Why do so many campgrounds feel the need to use that word? Like we're not going to realize it ISN'T a resort once we see it? Again, not a pretty park at ALL, but the price is right at $16/night. And being very close to Disney World at the price is a DEAL. So, I'll live with the unprettiness (good word, huh?). After all, my RV is gorgeous inside and that's where I live, so what do I care!?!?!!

Have I mentioned just how hot and humid it is here? Oh, yeah. It's Florida! But, really, it is October. It was 88 degrees yesterday at 3pm. Ugh! Guess I shouldn't complain, though, huh? I have A/C and I don't have to work. So, I'm going to shut up now.

This morning I got up and went to Curves. It's so close - less than a mile up the road! Once I got home and got a couple of cups of coffee in me, I updated our finances. It's always good to know how much we have to play with. :)

We decided to go get some breakfast and then for a ride to see just how far we are from Disney. We needed to go to WalMart anyway. Breakfast was at Ponderosa 'cause they have a buffet for just $3.99/person. It was okay, but I can see why it's just $3.99 - it sure wasn't Cracker Barrel! What do "they" say? You get what you pay for!

After breakfast, we headed up the road to Disney. In addition to finding out how far up the road it was, we wanted to find out how much they charge for parking. I couldn't find that anywhere on their website. It's $12, in case anyone's wondering. Guess that's not so bad. It's still cheaper to pay for parking and stay outside of Disney. Not as much fun, maybe, but cheaper.

It's funny, as we approached the entrance, I could feel my stomach getting jittery just as it did the first time we went. There's just something about Disney World that never gets old. I even took a picture of the entrance! Then I emailed it to Reagan to show her what was waiting for her.

We finally hit WalMart, did our shopping and headed home. We did stop by another campground near WalMart to see if we'd like that one better. Although it does seem better kept-up, it's mostly park models and long term folks, too. There's one other campground I want to check out before we leave this area so we'll know for the next time we come here.

That's it for the last couple of days. We're probably not going to do much until we hit Disney. We talked about doing some sightseeing, but decided we wanted to save our money for Disney. So, we'll just chill here at the park until we hear from Lindsay that they have arrived. I can't wait!!

Until the next time . . .

Jekyll Island

I made it to Curves this morning! While I still do NOT like exercising, I find that I miss it. Sick, aren't I??? :) But, I am proud of myself for continuing to search out local Curves and getting there while on the road.

Our goal today was to explore Jekyll Island and we accomplished that. Our weather turned very muggy, humid, and overcast. Not the best day for sightseeing, but that's the way it goes. Or, as our good friends, Darrell & Judy, say "it is what it is." :)

You can read about Jekyll Island and its colorful history here. But I'll give you a synopsis from that site. The island is 7 miles long and 1.5 miles wide. It is surrounded by water (obviously!) and has quite a bit of marshland, which is quite lovely.

Of course the first inhabitants of the island were Native Americans. The first significant European settler was Major William Horton who received a land grant in 1735. The remnants of his second home which was built in 1743 is still on the island; the first having been destroyed in a battle with the Spaniards in 1742.

Also found near Horton's homesite is the burial ground of the DuBignon family, a French family, who acquired Jekyll Island in 1800. This family would continue to influence life on the island for the next century. Two of Christophe DuBignon's grandsons were indicted in 1858 for allegedly being involved in illegal slave trading. They were later acquitted of this charge.

It was in 1886 that Jekyll Island began its reign as a vacation spot for the wealthy. This elite club was known as the Jekyll Island club and boasted members such as William Rockefeller, William Vanderbilt, J.P. Morgan, and Joseph Pulitzer. There is a building on the island in which these men, and others, had offices and apartments.

Jekyll Island Club Hotel
Offices/Apartment building
The island continued to be a private playground for the rich & famous until 1947 when the state of Georgia purchased it in order to turn it into a state park. The historic district encompasses 240 acres and includes many of the original buildings.

One area that was pretty cool was Driftwood Beach. A short walk from the road, we came upon a beach filled with very old, very dead trees that had been uprooted and left to decay on the beach. Some of these trees were quite large as you can see from the picture below. That's a person in there! You can also see St. Simons Island from this beach.

We enjoyed our visit to Jekyll Island. We found it beautiful and very peaceful. Of course, I can't imagine that the peacefulness we experienced would be found in the heart of the summer. :) There are many, many hotels, motels, vacation homes, and a campground which I'm sure fill to the brim with families wanting to play at the beach. There are miles and miles of walking/bike paths that help you explore the island. These paths are shaded by various trees that are adorned with Spanish moss. Even though I know that Spanish moss is filled with tiny critters, I just love the look of it.
You can find more pictures of various "cottages" of the wealthy as well as of historical info on our picture website which is listed under "Favorite Websites."

We're off tomorrow for Florida. We'll be staying in Kissimmee for the next week and will also visit Mickey & Minnie a couple of times while we're there. Jason, Lindsay & Reagan are coming down Sunday - I can't wait to see them!

Until the next time . . .

Why Does Every Small Town Claim a “Historical” District?

This day did not start out as planned. My plan yesterday was to get up and go work out at the local Curves and then we'd explore the area. Unfortunately, I was sick all night long and most of the morning with a headache like I haven't had in years. Don't know where it came from, but I'm glad it's gone now. Ugh - I hate those headaches.

Anyway, a little after lunch I needed to get out of the rig. So, we decided to take a drive into Brunswick and the historic district, hence the title of this entry. Because a town may have had some hand in a war or had people die in a war or someone famous drove through the town, does that constitute an historic district? I guess it must because it seems that every town we drive through or walk through has one. Oh, well. I figure every place needs bragging rights on something.

Brunswick's downtown district is not particularly pretty, except for Newcastle Street. This seems to be the one street where the town has tried to renovate and make the facades attractive.


Randy & I walked down to the East River to look around. We did find some history in that there was a World War II Memorial and an historical marker explaining how "Liberty Ships" used in World War II were built in this town. But that was the extent of the history, at least as far as we saw.


Lined up along the dock at East River were several fishing boats. Man, that is a tough life. I sure do appreciate the hard work these folks do to bring us consumers that great seafood. We also saw lots of pelicans enjoying the beautiful weather, swimming the water and soaring along the breeze.

After walking around for about a half hour, I was done. After one of those bad headaches, my energy doesn't last too long. So, we headed back to the truck and came back to the campground. This is a picture of the Brunswick River. I thought the sky looked beautiful.


This evening has been spent in front of the TV as usual. We are TV junkies, I'll admit. And we can't get any broadcast channels at this campground and it's driving me crazy. I'm missing all of the series premieres this week! I have such a tough life. :) However, as I type this entry, I am watching the presidential debate. I still don't know what the heck they're going to do, no matter who gets in office!!

Tomorrow we plan to visit Jekyll Island. Many folks have told us how beautiful this area is and that we are going to enjoy our time there. I hope to get some good pictures!

Until the next time . . .

Georgia's on Our Mind :)

We left Murrell's Inlet this morning about 8:40 after, of course, thanking Cracker Barrel for it hospitality by having breakfast! And that was Number 59. :)

We had a five hour drive ahead of us as we headed south on US 17. We really like traveling the US routes versus the interstates. There's so much more to see and, yes, you hit more stop lights and such, but that also means you travel through small towns which are often interesting. Unfortunately, we do end up on interstates more often than not because they're easier to travel on. Oh, the decisions we have to make in this life! ;)

It was a quiet day which is always nice. One thing you don't want when you're traveling is chaos or excitement! We found ourselves crossing the Savannah River into Georgia after about 3.5 hours of being on the road.



Around 2:30ish we pulled into Golden Isles Vacation Park. We stayed here overnight last spring on our way home from Alabama. It's not a pretty park by any stretch of the imagination, but the price is right at $15/night with our Passport America discount. I'll take price over beauty any day of the week.

We're here until Thursday. Looking forward to going to Jekyll Island as we've heard it's beautiful and worth exploring. There are other things to do as well. Hopefully, we'll get some good stories to share with you.

Until the next time . . .

Catching Up with Old Friends

Yesterday being a travel day, I didn't have much to share so I thought I'd wait until this morning to post so I could tell you about our evening last night.

We left Dan & Deb's about 9:40 yesterday morning and had a very pleasant, uneventful drive to our next stop at Murrell's Inlet, SC. Murrell's Inlet is the next town south of Myrtle Beach. We were going to stay overnight in another Cracker Barrel parking lot. (Is this going to become a habit???) Our goal here, though, was to catch up with some old friends from our days at Covenant Baptist Church in Columbia, MD.

Alek & Lorrie had invited us to spend the night with them, but Randy was a little concerned about getting the rig in and out of their neighborhood. So, Alek picked us up at the CB and took us to their house for the evening. Wasn't that nice of them? :)

We've known Lorrie for almost 25 years and Alek for more than 15. We had not seen them for years except for a short visit a couple of years ago when they stopped at the campground we lived in. But, being bonded by our relationship with Christ allows us to pick up our friendship without a hitch. Isn't that one of the wonderful things about being a Christ follower? Family is family no matter how long it's been.

Anyway, Alek & Lorrie have just retired to SC this past June. They have a beautiful home overlooking the community pond. It is very welcoming and comfortable. Of course, I'm sure that's because of who lives there! :) We spent the evening catching up with each other's lives, you know how that goes - work, decision to retire, kids, grandkids, friends, etc. Alek grilled burgers and we had an informal dinner. All of a sudden, it was 9:30!! We needed to get back to the rig and take care of Blackie so it was time to say good-bye. After much hugging and promises to get together the next time we are in the area, Alek took us back to the rig. What a great night.

Here's a picture of Alek & Lorrie. I had wanted to get a picture of their lovely home, but waited too long and it got dark out. Oh, well. Trust me; the house was gorgeous.


God has been so good to us in giving us friends across this country. People that we know we can call up and get together with on the spur of the moment. This is a fantastic life we lead and there isn't a day that goes by that I don't thank God for it.

Until the next time . . .

Lots of Food; Not Much Exercise

NOT a good combination! :) But, the food sure was good.

We had a very lazy start the day. The weather was once again absolutely gorgeous; I know I'm repeating myself, but it's true. We have been blessed with phenomenal weather this week. And we're very grateful.

Anyway, the morning was spent on the computer, reading a book, watching TV, sitting out on the patio, well, you get the idea. I had promised to make a big breakfast this morning - pancakes, eggs, bacon. But, it ended up being a late morning brunch because Debbie slept in this morning. I was glad for her to do so 'cause she'd started the week with a nasty sinus infection and had to work all week while we played. So, I was glad she was able to sleep late.

After brunch, Dan & Debbie went off the the local farmers' market while Randy and I stayed at the house continuing the activities we'd been doing before brunch. :) Those activities lasted well into the late afternoon. Dan & Debbie did some gardening when they got home from their errands.

Dinner was a concoction called Hunter's Breakfast. Debbie had made this for us the first time we all camped together. It is an artery-clogging meal, but again so very good. Since we had had brunch so late, we didn't sit down to dinner until after 6:30. This worked out well, though, 'cause Dan had to go to church this evening to direct a drama sketch.

Randy & I are now sitting back in front of the TV watching the series premiere of "Sanctuary." It's a new show on SciFi and its lead character is played by an actress from one of our favorite scifi shows, "Stargate SG-1." I've got the laundry going so we start our next trip off with clean clothes. Dan & Deb went out to meet their son and his family at the county fair.

We have had a great week here, visiting with Dan & Deb. They are always so welcoming and allow us to feel at home. They are family to us. Although it will be hard to say good-bye tomorrow morning, we know that when we see them again, we'll pick up right where we left off. That's what 's great about good friends.

Tomorrow we head further south. We'll stop for the night in Murrell's Inlet, SC and will spend the evening with Alek & Lorrie, friends we went to church with years ago in Columbia, MD. We're looking forward to seeing them again. We haven't seen them for over two years. Monday we'll travel to Brunswick, GA where we'll stay for three days. It's close to Jekyll Island and we've heard lots of good things about that area.

Take care. Hope your weekend went well. Until the next time . . .

Manicure/Pedicure Day!! YAY!

Today was the day I look forward to each month. Once a month I get a manicure/pedicure just because I love it!! And since we get paid on the first of each month, I usually go very soon after that. And today was the day.

This morning I spent the morning reading and I sat outside on Dan & Debbie's patio for a little while. The weather has been absolutely gorgeous these past couple of days and it was perfect for sitting outside and reading. I really love it when the weather cooperates with my desires! :)

Around 2:30 or so I left to meet Debbie at the nail salon. And it seemed that everyone else in Greenville had the same idea! Even those few women who had appointments had to wait at least 20 to 30 minutes to get their nails done. I had gotten there earlier than Deb because I wanted to get a manicure as well as a pedicure and Deb only wanted a pedicure, so I figured I'd get the manicure first and be ready to chat with Deb while we had our pedicures. Well, in theory that should have worked; however in reality, it was a bust. The salon was so busy I had been there an hour when Deb got there and then they finally took us. We did the pedicure first and had a great time chatting with one another. Then Deb left and I got my manicure. Oh, well. The best laid plans . . .

Dinner was chicken from Bojangles. Cheri had told Randy & I that they have the best fried chicken EVER. So, we figured the next time we were near one, we'd try it. Now, chicken of any kind is not Randy's favorite, but he's always up for trying new stuff. And there are several Bojangles in this area so we told Dan & Deb we wanted to get some while we were here. Well, the chicken was good, and the dirty rice even better, but I'm still thinking I like KFC better. Sorry Cheri!!

The rest of the evening was spent, as usual, in front of the TV. I'm looking forward to tomorrow because Debbie's home and we'll be able to spend some time together before we leave on Sunday. Not sure what else we'll be doing.

Until the next time . . .

Tryon Palace, New Bern, NC

We finally got our lazy selves out to explore another part of this area. We had gone to New Bern back in the spring when we were here, but had not toured Tryon Palace. So, that was our destination today.

Tryon Palace was built at the first permanent state capitol of North Carolina. It was constructed between 1767 and 1770 and was to also serve as the home of the Royal Governor. Unfortunately, the original main building of the palace was burned almost to the ground in 1798 because of a fire that began in the cellar where hay was stored. The kitchen and stable buildings were saved; however, the kitchen building was demolished in the 19th century. The stable building has remained.

Randy & me

View of the entire estate from the main road

The main building

The kitchen building

The stable buildingUltimately, in the 19th century, the land on which the Palace had sat was sold and divided into sections on which houses and businesses were built. The street in front of the palace was extended right over the site of the original main building's foundation.

Finally, in the 1930s, a group of folks decided the Palace and its buildings needed to be restored or rebuilt to reflect their original state. In 1951, reconstruction began and it took 8 years for completion, with the site opening to the public in 1959. In order to restore the area as it was in the 1700s, more than 50 buildings had to be removed and NC State Route 70 had to be rerouted which included a new bridge over the Trent River. Archaeological digs were done to determine the placement of original foundations. A very big undertaking indeed.

We took a guided tour of the main building. Our guide was very knowledgable and, for the most part, stayed in character as a maid of the house. Many of the library are first editions and were owned by Royal Governor Tryon. Furnishings are of the 1700s and arranged much as they would have been during the Tryon family's occupation of the palace.

The gardens look like they would be absolutely gorgeous in season. Of course, at this time of year, there was some color, but not much. However, one can still appreciate the care given to them and visualize what they would look like in mid-summer.

The town of New Bern is very quaint and full of history. There are a couple of other walking tours I'd like to take sometime in the future. All in all, it was a good day and the weather was gorgeous.

Until the next time . . .