John Maureen Oswald
Bridge we road over
Ormond Beach
Bourbon Wild Woman
Maple Bacon Glazed
Wandering Wanda
Circling Back Around
February 13-19, 2019
We are back at John and Maureen Oswald’s again for the second time. This time we are not flying in and out again – rather staying a week which has been just a fun filled, full of exercise week. John and Maureen are rather were neighbors of ours in Anthem on Torreys. We really didn’t get together too much, other than a few camping excursions and an occasional sunset viewing and when they offered to come and visit we gladly accepted. It is too bad that we didn’t get together more often as this is one fun couple!!! We really hope that our paths will cross again one day.
First off while we were in Ormond Beach we went up to St. Augustine with a stop over at Fort Matanzas (in Spanish means “slaughter”) which the Spaniards did to the French in 1540’s. Something that I have learned is placement for forts is that it is crucial for defense and this is a great example of the obvious. Ft. Matanzas is located on the southern end of the river which is now the inter-coastal waterway from St. Augustine which is also inhabited by the Spaniards. Now the enemy cannot slip in up the river and attack St. A because the fort is there to fend off. Pretty smart.
Then we went onto to St. Augustine established by the Spaniards. Lots of history here with another fort named Castillo St. Augustine. The Castillo is a masonry star fort made of a stone called coquina (Spanish for “small shells“), which consists of ancient shells that have bonded together to form a sedimentary rock similar to limestone. It also has a moat around the fort that is filled with water when there is an impending enemy attack – which there were very few. Enough of the fort, then walk the streets with a walk by Flagler College which originally was a hotel with Tiffany glass. Then walk on to get pizza at St. Auggie’s and a DONUT – maple glaze, bacon topped donut. Yummy. Valentine treats. Next a tour at a bourbon distillery. The bourbon is just OK, but the tour guide was one wild lady. Her antics, loud voice and crazy demeanor made this one of the best tours we’ve ever been at.
John led us on a 18 miles tour on bikes around Daytona Beach – the big hill was up a bridge and I can tell my red blood cells are getting thinner as it was a climb. Walked the beach several times, had dinner with Maureen’s sister Barbara, hubby John and Peggy her MOM!!! What a great lady she is. Oh and we meet Polly’s landlord Mikey and Donna! Had dinner with these gracious couple who are doing a bit of traveling themselves. And of course, a couple of relaxing beach days while John smoked his cigars – wish I was drinking scotch. All in all, it was such a great relaxing beach fun with the Oswald’s. THANKS
We Have A Home
February 19-22, 2018
After at least 6 RV dealerships and one RV show we have finally made a purchase, Yahoo.
Wandering Wanda is a 30 foot 5th wheel with 2 slides made by Grand Design
If you’d like to take a 360 degree tour of Wanda – click on the link (hopefully you will get to the Grand Design site)
295RL
https://www.granddesignrv.com/showroom/2019/fifth-wheel/ref . . .
LazyDays RV in Tampa has a wonderful set-up, 23 acres of new RV’s used RV’s, Service Area, 2 places to eat, an inventory pick-up/staging area, and a campground! We bought our RV on our way to John and Maureen’s so when we left, we then retrieved Polly and took her on her final voyage to Tampa to make the trade. What LazyDays does is set you up side-by-side with the new rig and the old rig. That way you can transfer all your stuff from old to new. Plus, you stay in this spot, dry camping, so you can test everything out. We stayed 3 days – that’s how long it took us to transfer all our stuff over and learn all the tricks of the new one. Let me just acknowledge right now that I have packed a lot of stuff into Polly, so once again had to downsize and another trip to Goodwill with a car full of stuff and we still have too much. I see another Goodwill in our future. Plus, I don’t know how many trips down Polly’s steps, up Wanda’s, down Wanda’s, up Polly’s. Certainly, got a glut and calf workout.
What Hose You Talkin’ About Fellar?
February 22
Maiden Voyage
LazyDays has told us ever so politely that time for LazyDays to show us how to hook up and unhook the Wanda. This was a nice way for them to let us know that it is time to go. Lessons commence, we tried it a few times with the instructor – then he goes away and tells us to practice. BUT we get interrupted because there is a last-minute fix to the inside of the rig that we must look at. Then we go back out and have promptly forgotten how to do anything. Thank goodness for the internet and that I don’t mind reading instructions as oppose to Ty who as a typical male just wings it. Does the plate go up or down? How do we get it to pull off the plate, don’t forget to lower the truck back hatch, attach the cords, raise it up, on and on and on…There was a lot to remember!! OK, so we finally pull out of the lot at 1:30 pm (we have been at this since 8:30 am!!!) for the Maiden Voyage to Breezy RV Resort in Pompano Beach, which is about a 4-hour drive. And not without some adventure – driving down the road, Ty looks out the back window and what does his tiny eye spy? My yoga mat creeping up and ready to jump out the back. Pull over quickly to tuck the mat into the cab of truck. Ok merrily going along with all of these crazy drivers scooting all around us and what’s that? Is someone honking at us?
Roll down window, truck driver yells “Darlin’ you lost your hose”
“What?” I say
Trucker “Yourin hose”
Me “My Hose?”
Trucker “Darlin’ your pooper hose”
Another pull over, Ty unhitches his bike and rides back about a block and sure enough, there it is in the road, flat as a pancake. I see Camping World in the immediate future (we buy new hose, and a barbeque)
The French To The Rescue
Breezy RV Resort – Pompano Beach FL
Now this is STILL the same day and I am exhausted and stressed (we made 3 U-turns, 4 stops (2 for gas, 2 to pick up stuff, and 1 shopping experience)). Finally, at 6:15 pm (4-hour drive, HA) we roll into Breezy and yikes! These sites are close and this is our first time trying to back into a site. But no worries and I wish I had my video going– 6 guys having cocktails see our dilemma and rush over to give directions. All six talking and waving their arms, giving directions and what is that language as I can’t understand any of it. It is French! These guys were so funny running around the truck and Wanda with drinks (I really wanted to snatch one and just gulp it down) waving and pointing and talking so fast I had to stand back and just chuckle. Ty finally says hey one at a time and English. These guys have ridden this rodeo before and in a heartbeat, they get us into this very teensy tiny spot. “Longue vie le FRENCH”
Ty’s brother, Paul, stops in for an overnight visit. His stay is too short as he is anxious to get back to Chicago and the freezing weather. Tried to talk him into staying for a while, but home calls. Actually, in all fairness, he has been in FL for awhile and stayed an extra day to visit with us. It was short but sweet.
