2026 Year 7!

John and Sandy Hill Bonita Beach

Ft Myers February 6-12

Time is just flying by, can’t believe our stay with John and Sandy Hill is over.  This area has a lot to see – went to Lovers Key for a concert on the beach, then back again to kayak about 4 miles down a canal of some sorts; did see a manatee up close and personal.  Rode our bikes too many miles on Sanibel Island.  Took a wrong turn and added about 4 miles to what was supposed to be an 18 mile ride.  It was flat, plenty to look at and the final end was the beach.  So, all good till the next day when I could hardly get out of bed.  Went to some locks and watch boats get lifted and lowered, also did a little fishing.  Actually, did more untangling the line than fishing.  Nobody caught anything.  Oh, and then John takes us to this backcountry bar (only serves beer or wine) that had this terrific band.  Place was packed at 3pm in the afternoon – all whitehairs of course, most on motorcycles. Lastly, went to the Edison/Ford Museum, interesting as Edison and Ford where trying to find another source for rubber, hence they created a botanical garden of all sorts of different varieties of palm trees and other tropical plants.  Finally found it and what is its name?  Rubber plant!!  Then of all things ran into Shelia Sereshteh (hope I didn’t just massacre your last name) on Lover’s Key Beach – small world.

Ever hear of Silver Alerts?  Took me awhile to figure that one out.  It’s for WhiteHairs (Senior Citizens) who have gone missing.  I am holding onto Ty to make sure he doesn’t wander.  We had a hard-enough time trying to figure out how to get out of the parking garage at Tallahassee.  This is a good thing to have in this area.

As of this writing we are still on the hunt for a 5^th wheel, just can’t seem to find one just yet that fits our needs and likes.  Sure, one will come up.

FLORIDA RESIDENTS

Homeless no more as we declared Florida as a place to call home.  Yes, we also registered to vote and I even volunteered to work the election!  Thanks John and Sandy for letting us use your casa as our casa. AND it comes with a fishing license, free.

NEXT STOP

Will spend a day in Tampa shopping around for RV then off to Ormond Beach to spend some real time with John and Maureen Oswald for a while.  Then we plan to get Polly and head to Ft. Lauderdale.

Thanks again John and Sandy – great spending time with you!!

willpam plastice art

Ty chimes in….

Just some random thoughts on or first 31 days in Florida.

Miami, if you like beautiful beaches, palm trees etc. you will enjoy Miami. If you like orange construction barrels on most streets in the city you will like Miami, having said that I have to admit the roads and bike paths, at least the ones we have been on are in great shape especially compared to Michigan and Colorado. We all know Florida can mess with an election but they do a very nice job with roads. Hey, maybe the Florida Department of Transportation should run their election.  English appears to be the second language here.

The rumors that Florida is populated by old people driving slow obstructing traffic is just a rumor. People drive extremely fast here. I like to go 5+ or so miles over the speed limit staying in the middle lane I get tailgated passed on both sides like I am standing still. Drivers on the same road go between 50 and 80.  I told Jane I never thought I would say it but the drivers here go way too fast. Again, I really like to go fast.

With what is going on the Midwest I shouldn’t say anything about the weather but until the last couple of days the weather has not been as advertised. The beaches are empty and we’ve been wearing long sleeve and vests. 80 plus today and humid now it’s too hot… you just can’t please some people.

Speaking of Miami most of you following this blog know that my bike was stolen in South Beach. It took us forever to find a bike store that had more than a few bikes in their inventory. I finally bought a Specialized hybrid and I am really happy with it. I liked my old Cannondale but this one is faster, seems to accelerate quicker etc. Need to buy a much heavier chain.

Currently enjoying our stay with Jane’s brother and his wife Pam in Naples. Catching all the hot spots even did dinner and dancing at the local Moose Lodge. Hard to believe but the band was just outstanding. Had everybody out on the floor.

Next week on to my grade school buddy John and his wife Sandy in Ft. Myers.

Naples Florida  January 29-February 6, 2019

After acquiring Ty’s Candy Apple Red bike and traveling across state with a bike ride in Shark Valley we arrived at my brother Willy and Pam place in Naples.  They rent down here for most of the winter in a cute little 2 bedroom place that has a community pool right across the street.  Will and Pam took us all around Naples and we hit all of the hot spots.  Moose Lodge for dinner and dancing Pork Chop night was outstanding.  The band that night was a singer and significant other who played her mix music and she sang for 3 hours straight.  She was fun, energetic and got the place hopping.  Naples have some wonderful pedestrian/bike paths (roads have no bike lanes) that we used almost every other day for 15+ rides.  I will add to Ty’s comment about the drivers around here – WATCH OUT if you are walking or biking.  You DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY.  My observation that the old farts and fartress’ will run you over in a heartbeat, yet the younger folk (there is only 2 kinds here: 55 and over, and 30 and under) will stop and actually let you cross the street.  Their moms raised them right.

Naples has a small but wonderful zoo.  If you are in the area, this is a must stop.  Angela Haseltine Pozzi, who is an artist out of Oregon, has created sculptures out of waste found in the Pacific Ocean.  She is on a mission to educate the world that pollution is everywhere and the ocean should not be a dumping ground.  If you ever have a chance to see her art work, stop by and study them.  They are made from flip flops, bic lighters, coolers, gas can, hair brushes, cell phones, the list of trash goes on and on.  The rest of the zoo’s exhibits were not the usual animals and all the zoo talks were so informative.

We also went back to the Everglades for an airboat ride (fun) and a little hiking to view, what else?, more alligators.

Naples is for the rich and richer…we definitely don’t fit in but pretend well! Also hit the sunsets.

OOOPPSY  BROKE THE BED

Ty and I have been married for 49 years yet when you break the bed, it is still embarrassing to tell your OLDER brother.

Jane “Hey Will, there is a slight problem with the bed”

Will “Yeah? What?”

Jane “Well, the leg broke off”

Will “What were you doing?”

Jane “Whadda think?”

Mooching On

We leave today for Ft. Myers to stay with John and Sandy Hill.  Time for us to get down to business, pick up our mail and think about becoming Floridian residents using John’s address – don’t worry not buying property down yet.  Although when we were in the Everglades, we spotted a For Sale Sign selling 16,000 acres swamp land.  Kid you not!!

Shining Candy Apple Red Gator bird

BIKE Purchased

January 26, 2019

I know that all of you are on pins and needles wondering if Ty was going to find a bike.  We drove back to Miami and went on recommendation from John, to Macks Bike Shop and Ty found the bike of his dreams!  Well at least one in a reasonable price range.  I was all for going to the “Dead Man Stores” but Ty would have nothing to do with that.  Anyway, the bike store had a nice selection to choose from – Ty bought a Candy Apple Red Specialized Hybrid with disc brakes. Thanks to all for your notes of concern for Ty.

Then we headed to Naples with a short stop at Shark Valley Nature Preserve for a 15-mile bike ride (what else) in gator alley.  Saw at least 10 alligators and numerous birds.  Bike worked well for Ty even in the rain.

History lesson:  Shark Valley gets its name because the land area lies in a valley with east and west coast being higher.  Ponce De Leon was sailing up the Gulf Coast looking for fresh water.  He happened upon a river and entering encountered sharks (more near the mouth where it is salt/fresh water combo) so he named the river Rio Tiburon or Shark River.  When the rest of the area was explored it was named the Shark Valley after the river running through it.

Will be in Naples for at least a week with brother Will and sis-in-law Pam. Will be on the hunt for a new rig.

Hernandez Casa sunrise KeyWestStreets Chickens Everywhere John Sylvia Hernandez

Keys of Florida, New Friends and Monsters

Tuesday – Saturday, January 22-26,2019

Ty and I have had a pretty typical life for those who grew up in the 50’s – grew up in middle America with a middle American way of life.  We basically had it pretty easy, never really wanting for much, had loving parents and grew up in big Catholic families.  Our biggest claim to fame is we grew up in Detroit.  So, when we meet new people, we love to hear other people stories – that is why we liked the Anthem Gourmet Club, not so much for the meals but for the stories that people brought to the table of their lives, their adventures.  And our stay with John and Sylvia Hernandez has been 3 wonderful days of listening to their story, which is a story of love, hard work, starting new roots, and loving America.

How we met:  John and Sylvia are the parents of John Paul Hernandez (wife Jess)  and Scotty Nichols (Amy’s husband) are best of friends.  John Paul has been telling us for years that we would love his parents and when he heard of our great adventure, he arranged that we should meet up at Christmas which we did.  Leaving Melbourne and starting our way to the Keys I called Sylvia and she invited us to stay with them while we explored this area.  And that is where this story begins…

John and Sylvia are both Cuban immigrants during the Cuban Exodus when Castro willingly let those who wanted to leave Cuba go uninhibited and the US under Jimmy Carter took them in.  Thousands of Cubans took advantage and fled with the clothes on their backs and not much else.  While John and Sylvia did not know each other at the time, both of their parents were able to flee and eventually land in Miami.  For both of the parents, the remaking of their lives with their children was difficult but they are true survivors and it is this event that has made John and Sylvia the wonderful people with a true grit story.  Both of them have their own story of growing up in a new land.  And both of them readily admit to their love for the US is unimaginable.  I could go on about all the stories they told – think I will do that another time.  We had a great talk about “accents”.

Thank you, John and Sylvia, for opening your beautiful most comfortable home to us while we toured the Keys and for the great meals and stories.

Key West is much more than a party town as it is rich with history of the “Wreckers” who preyed on ship wrecks rescuing those on the ships but took the cargo.  There is also plenty of pirate stories,  arrrr mates.  Key West is home to “The Little White House” where Harry S Truman came for 175 days (not consecutively) while he was President.  Side Note: Truman middle name is just a S.   Other Presidents have visited, but it was Truman who was the most frequent visitor.  Then went to the Mel Fisher museum, the most famous of treasure hunters, whose 15 years of searching for the Atocha, a Spanish ship that went down in the Key area in 1622 with thousands and thousands of dollars in gold, jewelry, gems, etc. paid off. Quaint colorful town with chickens and roosters everywhere.  We didn’t make it to the Hemingway house, I understand there are still a lot of cats also roaming around.

While the weather hasn’t been all that great (least it is not snowing!) John and Sylvia live on Duck Key and they took us around the key in their boat.  Duck Key is the only key that had canals dredged in the 50’s so people could have boats docked by their homes and be accessible to the ocean.  The making of canals on any of the keys is now prohibited.  For lunch we went to Marathon Key at a Jamaican Food Truck – fish tacos to die for and Ty had the pork ribs.  This food truck was located in the back of a very colorful fresh fruit market which even had papaya laded trees all around.  Off to the local fish market to buy some fresh fish for dinner – I had better go take a run.

BEAST IN PARADISE

Anthem has bunnies that are a nuisance and Duck Key has these monster lizards that eat everything in sight.  They are BIG, can get up to 2-3 feet long and weigh in at 15lbs, are fast on their short squat limbs and they can climb up on things.  We saw 2 sitting on a fence while we were boating.  Last night I woke up in the middle of the night with one in our bedroom scurrying around dragging his belly on the floor.  I woke up Ty and said “Did you hear that?”  Response: “Huh, no, its the bed”  I said “No Ty that, did you hear it?  It’s one of those lizards!!” I push Ty out of bed as a sacrifice to the beast and what does  Ty do? He closes the door leading out to the porch.  Turns out it was only wind rocking a chair on the porch – hence the scrapping noise.  Ty’s my hero – it was all a dream.

Off Bike Shopping Again

Time for us to depart on Saturday, have to go back to Miami to find a bike for Ty so we can ride in the Everglades then onto Naples for fun with brother Will and sis-n-law Pam for the next week or so.

art deco tenting in the dark

South Beach Miami

Monday January 21, 2018

Said our good byes to Tom and Leslie and headed to the much talked about beautiful South Beach.  They say it is where the beautiful people come to play and we certainly fit in!!   Barbara Baer Capitman is credited as a hero for saving Miami’s South Beach Art Deco buildings.  Many have been restored to 1930’s era.  Very beautiful.  The beautiful people cruise down the main drag, sit in the abundant sidewalk cafes, or play volleyball on the sand courts across the street.

What we were not told was all the traffic and skinny streets that even for our truck it was a squeeze.  So we find a parking lot for an advertised $10!  Not so fast – that is the 1^st half hour, then another $5 for every ½ hour.  Ok we gave her a $20, unhooked our bikes and off we go.  Went to Art Deco Visitor Center – closed as it is MLK day.  Lock up our bikes and go for a stroll.  When we returned 40 minutes later, my bike is leaning against a tree about a football field length away from where we left it and Ty’s bike was gone.  Wire cutters do quick work. One for the blog Ty says….

Going thru Miami at a snails pace we finally got to the area called Little Havana which got it’s beginnings in the 1960 with the immigration of the Cubans during the Cuba crisis.  Small homes, brightly colored and a very lively downtown area.  We ate dinner at a Cuban place – all very delicious.

CAMPING – that’s right folks we decided to go on the cheap and get a TENT (yes you read correctly) site at a KOA in Hollywood.  Some Fouchey history about camping: IT ALWAYS RAINS AND IT IS ALWAYS AT NIGHT.  Without fail, we pull up to the site and it starts to sprinkle.  We set up the tent in the dark.  Ty is in heaven – I am just letting him have his moment. First for everything and this was our first experience at Urban Camping as our site was on the corner of busy street and busy street.  I think is was perfectly quite about 4:48am for 5 minutes.  But we were comfortable on the blow up bed and all snuggly as the weather is warm.  I hope Ty now has the tenting bug out of his system.

Tuesday January 22, 2018

Miami is a nightmare to drive in.  Very congested, so much construction wish I had the orange barrel business and lots of horns.  We were going to go to Biscayne Bay but spent most of the morning going to bike shops (6 of them!) but to no avail.  We gave it up and went to Duck Key.

Weather is finally warm but it is WINDY – 15-20 knots.  But it is a warm wind so it is ok.

At the beach with the Welbourn’s Manatees Scar Melbourne Beach Lou’s Blues

Ty Weighs In (not weight in)

Day 17 of our great adventure.

Our trip is beginning to remind me of a trip we took to the Amazon River the Galapagos and Machu Pichu a few years ago.  Each of those locations had their own guide.  On our current trip each pf our friends act a guide for their current location.  John and Cindy shared their golf courses and the beautiful Destin white sand beaches.  Glen and Midge took us to the Sebastian Inlet where we watched a surfing tournament, which BTW was being won by a 13 year old girl, we walked a pier where a couple of dozen men were fishing saw a couple of them pull in 40-45 pound fish.    Yesterday we went kayaking with Tom and Leslie in a brackish water river of sorts.  It was only 2 feet deep yet we saw a bunch of dolphins chasing down their lunch.   The water was so shallow their dorsal fin was above the water when they spotted a fish you could observe a burst of speed that was pretty exciting.  Finally, along with a bike ride along the inter-coastal we observed 10-12 Manatees basically huddling in a drainage ditch trying to find the warmest water.  It was interesting to see all the scars on their backs caused by boat propellers

Any way thanks to all our “guides” for giving us the locals view of Florida more to come in the next few weeks.  Ty

Simple Equation:  Ty & Jane + Tom & Leslie = drink and party and stay up late

January 16-21 – Melbourne FL

The one thing about Tom and Leslie Welbourn – it doesn’t matter how long it has been since we’ve last seen each other we always seem to pick up where we left off as if there has been no time off.  This means we talk and talk, play and play, and drink and drink!!!!  Nothing better.

Fortunately, Ty has been on the straight and narrow and hasn’t done anything noteworthy of the blog.  Except maybe the 1 hour driving trip to the grocery store that is only 15 minutes away.  Wrong turn.

Anyway, Tom and Leslie took us around to all the sights: the beach twice, and a great fun bar Lou’s Blues where the music is LOUD (ears are still ringing), drinks are flowing, dancing till dawn (actually we had to get out of there before 11pm as the place turns into a 50 and over pick up place.  Ty calls it a meat market).  In return, technical support was provided by me to help them “cut the cable cord” and install an antenna. Tense moments when we couldn’t get the Patriots/Kansas City game.  But I persevered and we finally got it up in running in the 3^rd quarter.

Thanks Tom and Leslie for a great time!!  And now it is time to leave the Melbourne area on Monday Jan 21 and head for South Beach and then onto the Keys.

Also had a quick lunch with Lois Leslie – yea!  And our credit card has been replaced so all is looking good!

Editor Correction:  last post I misspelled the Welbourn name, there is no “e” at the end.  Duly noted.

Monday January 14, 2018

We bid our goodbyes to Cindy and John McCue and to Cathy Rush and Keven McKintrick who showed up at the McCues’ the night before.  At least for 1 night it felt like old times sitting around the dinner table poking jabs and telling stories.  Then we picked up Polly from storage and headed to Crescent City FL which is a 7-hour drive from Destin.  A friend of John Oswald has graciously agreed to let us store Polly at his fish camp; a beautiful secluded location where Polly is sitting next to another trailer.  Will leave the trailer there while we tour Florida.  Then we headed to John and Maureen Oswald for a quick overnight stop.  It was so nice that they fed us as we were tired puppies and it was a nice evening.  Next morning was a 4 hour walk down the beach then off we go.  Thanks J&M we will be back!

SIDENOTE:  Listened to Rachael Maddow’s BAGMAN podcast.  It is about the demise of Spiro Agnew.  If you thought you knew all about his resignation think again and beware: history is repeating itself!!!

Tuesday January 15, 2018

First overnight stop in Melbourne was with Glen and Midge Kane in their beautiful home right on the ocean.  The views were sock knockin’ off!!!  Now it is a shame that we really didn’t know Midge and Glen before we left Anthem because the 4 of us quickly clicked and we were off.  they took us sightseeing tour of Sebastian Inlet and a turtle refuge and then it was a long laughing night of story telling and getting to know one another.  What a fun evening and fun people – we will definitely have to return.  Thank You Midge and Glenn it is so nice to finally know ya!

Wednesday January 16, 2018

Left the Kanes’ and drove 16 miles down 1A1 ((shortest drive so far) to meet up with Leslie and Tom Welbourne – long time friends from Clarkston MI days.  Already we know this visit will be too short.

After we leave Melbourne will head down to Miami, then Naples, then TBD but FT Myer, back to Daytona Beach and Melbourne is also on calendar.

So far Ty hasn’t walked into any strange houses and he is keeping track of his glasses.

WesleyMansion FL Virginia Live Red Oak GraftonBeachDuneLake

The First Mooch

January 7-13

First Mooch stop is hosted by Cindy and John McCue in Miramar FL.  Michigan friends and John and Ty were co-workers at GM.  It has been a lovely stay as they put on great tourist tours of the Panhandle of Florida plus just really nice.  John and Cindy spend at least one day a week working Habitat for Humanity building houses.  They have been doing this for 3 or 4 years (since they moved from MI) and have been involved in building 20+ houses.  Cindy, who is a go-getter, is also involved in many other organizations but most notably Impact100, which I had not heard of.  It is a group of women who each donate $1000 yearly then Impact100 selects non-profits for “grant” money, which is sizable.  A really wonderful organization, if someone ask you to join please consider this.

Enough of the advertisement, now onto the fun times in Florida if you are ever considering the pan-handle area.  Was unaware that high season is actually the summer because it is traditional 10dgrees cooler than Florida peninsula and has cooling Gulf breezes.  This is a “hot” spot (no pun) for Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi.  Who would know.  The beaches on the Gulf are white quartz sand that is so smooth, and supposedly doesn’t get hot.  There are fresh water lakes, Dune Lakes, that are separated from the ocean by what else, beautiful white sand dunes!  Had to stop at Joe Patti’s for fresh fish to take home and cook – yum.  Went to Eden State Park and toured the Wesley Mansion. The massive low trees with live fern growing on them are Virginia Live Oak and they are hundreds of years old.  These trees are just so majestic.

Will be leaving the McCue’s and heading to Crescent City to store Polly while we are in Florida.  Then will be in Melbourne to visit Midge/Glen Kane for a day then finish out the week with Tom and Leslie Welbourn.

CREDIT CARD FRAUD – not

So I am cruising thru our credit card bill and noticed a charge to Amazon on January 6.  That is a travel day and we didn’t order anything plus when I looked at our Amazon orders there were no orders on our account.  So I called the credit card company and reported it.  Of course, now the card is discontinued and they are happy to send us a new card in 6 days.  Send us a card – to where?  So, thank you John and Maureen for giving us an address to use.  So now I have to call Amazon to alert them that the card they have on file has been discontinued.  Long conversation and it turns out the charge for our yearly prime membership.  What??? Yes and Ty was alerted in email that we were going to be charged.  Ty overlooked it….  Ok Amazon, here is a new card all set charge that one.  Back to credit card, not fraud my mistake.  No problem will drop the investigation and charge the card again then discontinue it.  NO NO now I will be charged twice for Amazon prime.  Sorry lady – on Tuesday call Amazon and explain and see if they will reimburse – if not it’s back to the credit card to dispute.  OMG!!!!!

Ty Meets the Neighbors – well not really

When we first arrived at the McCue’s and got settled in, John asked Ty to move his car over to a neighbor’s drive.  No problem.  Ty does that then goes back into the house, heads for the bedroom and puts down his keys, looks around where is our stuff….HE IS IN THE WRONG HOUSE!!!!!  He quickly retreats but forgets his keys, back into the house, now he can hear the owners in another room, grabs the keys and beelines it out of the house.  He comes into the MccCue’ house and blurts out “All these houses look the same!!!  I just walked into your next-door neighbor’s house” I am doubled over in laughter, Cindy and John are calling the neighbors to explain – they heard someone but didn’t know what was going on. Now that’s an Adventure

Just a summary of my impressions and experiences for the first 10 days of our great adventure.

First of all, in the unlikely event that you would like to visit Mississippi or Louisiana I suggest you do it in January.  The nights are cool, Jane would say cold, but the days are sunny in the low 70’s very pleasant plus there is no one here.  The hotels and parks and restaurants are empty apparently not the tourist season.  Of course, there is sea food everywhere even the gas stations advertise fresh shrimp, we didn’t try it.

We did spend a day in Biloxi MS and sat through a visitor center video that focused primarily on hurricane Katrina.  There were photos of the old visitor center which was 150 years old and had with stood many hurricanes the after Katrina photo was a vacant lot.  We all heard how bad it was and most of the news coverage was in New Orleans but until you hear first person accounts of how they survived and personal accounts for those who didn’t we can’t realize how truly bad it was.  Wind wasn’t what caused the most damage it was the tidal surge of 37 feet in places they described it like a tsunami.  Years latter you still see where a building once stood now all that remains is the cement slab.

Jane and I also drove through Mexico Beach in Florida which was just hit by hurricane Michael in Oct 10, 2018.  Again, the devastation there is beyond description.  Homes and businesses completely destroyed.  1,000’s of mature trees broken in half, half-way up the trunk.  We drove to Tallahassee and even along Hwy. 10 which is 50-60 miles from the shore trees were broken in half.

We are now staying with friends, John and Cindy McCue in Miramar FL (east of Destine, FL).  They live I a wonderful golf community.  It is a large complex with 3 golf courses and many individual neighborhoods each controlled by the homeowners with an HOA.

 

Sat January 5 Gautier Miss Parking in the Dark and Gators

Pulled into Gautier (pronounced GAU chey) very late at night into Shepard State Park which is dark dark.  We have to back in the rig and this turned out to be our first trial in trying to communicate with each other.  Now working together as a married couple backing in a rig in daylight is a challenge – “little more left, no right, left…” and Ty is really good at backing in, but 1.) little rusty since we haven’t backed in for 4 months and 2.) it is so dark we can’t see anything and flashlights just aren’t cutting it.  We are old – we need floodlights!!!!  Well 20 minutes of back and forth, left and right, back and forth, I can’t see you – we finally call it good.  And all the while I think it is misty rain, turns out it is the dew from the humidity – and it is wet.  Plop into bed, exhausted.

Next morning up we go for a 3 mile hike and we neglect to ask if there are gators in the area.  We merrily tramp around the woods and swamps never giving gators a thought.  When we talked to the Ranger later and asked about the gators his reply was “Oh yeah, y’all in the south of course we have gators.  One was spotted just the other day on the boat ramp.”  Oh

Mon January 7 What did you do with my glasses?

Leaving Gautier and heading to Destin Fl to be with John and Cindy McCue for the next week.

Getting the rig ready for travel is a lot of work and Ty decides to take a shower just before we leave.  Nothing wrong with that but now he can’t find his glasses after his shower.  So he says “Did you take my glasses?  I put them right here on the sink.”  I cleaned up the inside of rig and picked up all the trash so Ty is inches from saying that I threw out his glasses.  Anyone else been there?  So I go thru the garbage not once but twice just to assure Ty that I didn’t touch his glasses.  The garbage is full of last nights steak scraps and breakfast banana peels.  Ah what we won’t do for love and peace.  Of course, I don’t find any glasses, Ty is still insisting that he put them on the counter and they must have fallen off into the garbage.  Well, long story short, we decide to leave and I open a drawer (no where near the bathroom) to get the keys and viola! There is his glasses!  He put them there in a safe spot so he would remember where he left them.  I repeat – we are old and anyone been there?

 

Friday Jan 4 finds us trying to finish up finding places to store all our stuff into Polly – she is starting to bulge.  What we can’t fit in now goes to the local “dead man’s store” (to quote my brother Willy) – I am sure we should be able to locate one.  So that took us about 4 hours to almost finish the job, so we decided enough and to explore.  But before I go any farther, let me just say that the Hidden Treasure RV park is a hidden gem.  Just west of Alexandria, in Boyce actually, LA on Lake Cotile.  Sites are far apart, it is grassy, beautiful view of the lake and the camp owners are just sweet people.

So, onto the exploring.  Went into the town of Natchitoches (pronounced “nak-A-tish” which I fell in love with!  So quaint, old houses with big pillars up on stilts sitting right on the Cane River Lake.  Lake? Wait my brain does not compute river-lake.  Seems back in 1860 they decided to dam up both ends of the river and made it a lake, but it still looks like a river to me.  Anywho this is just a darn cute very active town.  First, we went to Fort St Jean Baptiste, the oldest fort in the Louisiana Purchase and it was moved 3 times.  Seemed they couldn’t figure out that rivers rise and water damages.  Fort was manned by 6 infantry and 4 officers which is about the same ratio of women to men also at the fort during its time.

Then back into town to take the walking house tour which included the cemetery.  Natchitoches is the oldest town in the LApurchase and by the looks of the cemetery (final resting spot, no pun. of the fort (actually it was reconstructed back to original site for the tourist) and the graves sites this place is old.

Ate dinner of crayfish etouffee at Mayeaux’s (we are feeling at home with all the French around here) that was excellent.

Tomorrow we pack up camp and head for Gautier MI on the Gulf – hopefully the weather will warm up a bit.  Woke up to degrees cloudy and not suppose to get much warmer around here so we are outta here.  BRRRRR

June 2017 we toyed with the idea to become “Full Timers” which is RV speak for living in a Recreation Vehicle full time.

So we pondered awhile, looked at different options, then we pounced!  Sold the house, sold our belongings, packed up what was left, said our good-byes and made a commitment to stick it out for 365 days.

And so it begins January 2, 2019 (weather dependent as we don’t want to travel in a snowstorm (reality is we are going to a New Year’s Eve party and may need a day to recover))