'20/#27 "Tis The Season

 2020 has been a hell of a year, hasn't it? Pandemic, economy, election, and all that goes with it has made this a year to remember and maybe one we would like to forget. In spite of everything that has happened I believe we (and I mean the whole country) will survive. Things will no doubt be different but some things will always remain the same.

This is the season where people celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, and any number of other holidays that lead us into the New Year. Universally New Year is a time to look forward, a time for hope and a time to better ourselves and to better the lives of those around us. 

The time leading up to New Year, as varied as the different holidays are, have always been a time of giving and sharing no matter what holiday you celebrate. The television and internet is teeming with stories about organizations, companies, groups, and individuals thinking of others less fortunate. All the food drives and toy drives and help for those in need is heart warming and restores faith in the human spirit. This happens every year regardless of the circumstances or conditions that affect society.

The only down side to all this is that I wish this giving attitude was as alive and well throughout the year. I know good work is being done all year long, and that needs to be spot lighted, and not just at this time of year. The need is there all year long and people are there to help all year long. 

So to everyone who has given to those in need this time of year remember how good it felt and how good it will make you feel no matter the season. I will end this with a wish for a Merry Chrsitmas and a happy and healthy New Year to everyone form our home in Ocala Florida because.....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'20/#26 Choose Your Pandemic Pals Wisely

 No one needs to be told that we are living in a different world but some people do need to be told how to live during these trying times. We have been traveling this summer and fall but we are trying to do it responsibly. We wear our masks in public, we do not socialize any more than is necessary, and we DO NOT socialize with anyone who is or has been sick. We get together only with those that we trust to keep us informed of their Covid or near Covid status. These are not fool proof methods of avoiding the virus but we are comfortable with the level of effectiveness that they provide. 

That being said, it was only a matter of time before someone that we thought we could trust would not be forthcoming about their Covid status. One half of a couple we know got the virus and was admitted into the hospital. He is doing better now and for that we are greatful. We were planning on getting together with this couple and called to confirm our plans. The sad part is that if it had not come up in the conversation we would never have know about the virus being in their home and the possibility of transmitting it to us. To us this is totally irresponsible. 

We don't want to write these folks off as friends but we will reevalute our level of friendship with them. We have friends who have cancelled plans with us because they were sick and did not know for sure if it was or was not the virus. Others have cancelled because someone they knew had the virus or someone they were close with knew someone who had the Covid virus. This is how a responsible friend acts. Should we find ourselves in proximity to someone with the Covid virus or are not feeling well ourselves we will isolate, separate, and insulate to protect ourselves and others from transmission of the virus or any other illness.

For now we are well and there is no Covid in the park where we are staying. Everyone here is doing there best to social isolate without becoming total hermits. Also our family and friends are reporting little or no Covid illness or exposure and for that we are very greatful. So all I can say is stay safe and remember that taking precautions against this very serious illness is not just for your own health. You are showing that you care about your loved ones and strangers alike by wearing a mask, washing hands often, using sanitizer, and staying six feet apart.

Stay healthy like we are doing in our home in Ocala Florida because...

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'20/#25 Thankful Wherever We Are

 It is the day after Thanksgiving and December is just around the corner. Where has 2020 gone and how soon can it be in our rear view mirror? This year like others has flown by but for many reasons we especialy wish it a fond farewell, or is it good riddance? Either way 2021 is coming and it is a good time to evaluate the past and look forward to the futurre.

We all know about the pandemic and the toll it has taken on the country and the people.  We are still dealing with it the best way we can and are looking forward to the promising vaccines that will allow us to get back to a "normal" way of life. I am sad for the people and the families that the virus hurt. I am greatful for the front line workers that helped us get this far. I include all the people who went to their regular jobs like grocery clerks, truck drivers, delivery persons, and everyone we deal with on a day to day basis as well as the first responders in the fire and police departments and last but not least the health care workers that put themselves in harms way to take care of our health at the risk of their own.

If you follow us you know that we have a new home on wheels. Some of you have seen it through photos or in person. It is a step up from our old trailer that served us well for 15 years and will stay in our memories as the start of this RV adventure. The new rig is really feeling like home and we are looking forward to decorating for the holidays. We had to get rid of some of the decorations we have used for years in the old trailer but have added some new things that will suit our new home and make this Christmas as memorable as many in the past.

Thanksgiving in the RV park was held for a limited number of people adhering to the social distancing guidelines. We opted for a Thanksgiving dinner for two at home with all the usual trappings of a Thanksgiving dinner. We spent most of the day just relaxing and being thankful for all the good things that came out of 2020. We also gave thanks that we and most of our friends and family came through the pandemic relatively unscathed. We also are greatful for the opportunity to go into 2021 with all of you that are close to us and hope to enjoy a brighter future.

As you can see we do have a lot to be thankful for and hope you do too. Yes 2020 was a tough year and 2021 will also be challenging but life is a challenge. It wouldn't be worth so much to all of us it was easy. This is a wonderful life and I look forward to living it and sharing it with you as we travel down the road on our adventure.

Thank you for being there and following us in our home on wheels in Ocala, Florida because....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'20/#24 Welcome Back To Hurricane Country

 If you follow us you know that we have not been back "home" to Florida in almost four years. You also know that we are now back in the Sunshine State for the winter and maybe for a few more winters. Well we have been officially welcomed back by tropical storm Eta and have survived! Fortunately it was only a tropical storm and it did not strike Ocala directly. Thank you to everyone who contacted us and checked on our well being. I am also glad to report that everyone that we know also are doing well after the storm. Hurricane season can't end too soon.

Our non-storm activities are going well. We are getting into the swing of things as far as our job here in the park and we are trying to get to know the residents. Getting to know people is the hard part. Social distancing hinders us from meeting everyone and masks prevent us from recognizing anyone from one meeting to the next. Masks change and clothes change so we have to concentrate on voices, eyes, and mannerisms. It is definitely a different world.

We still need to shop so we are finding the stores we need and the local businesses we like to support. Getting things organized in our new home is also progressing. Weeding out more things we don't need and finding homes for the things we want to keep. There are also a few modifications we are doing to make it our home. 

Well it is time to sign off from our home in Ocala Florida because....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'20/#23 Settling In, Once Again

 Well here we are in our home for the winter, Ocala Florida. We have been through Ocala many times but have never really stayed here so we will get to know this part of Florida a little bit better. This park is very nice and well maintained. It is sure to be a good place to winter. The Snowbirds are not here yet but starting the first of November they will be flocking into the park as well as the rest of Florida. With Covid19 we are not sure about the migration of the Canadian Snowbird population. Only time and the Canadian government will tell.

The RV is just about all set up and we have spent the past two days getting our bearings. Grocery stores, drug stores, Walmart, and the ever popular "dollar" stores are always on our list to find. Even though the park has it's own laundry we will find a local laundromat because the park facility is not that large and can easily become overwhelmed. There are many restaurants we want to try in the area and some of our favorites are not far away.

We start our workcamping this weekend and will be working for our site and electric. I am sure we will get involved in whatever activities they can safely provide while maintaining safe practices during this Corona pandemic. We will see how things unfold as time goes on.

Onto another topic. Tuesday is election day, November 3rd. It is always important to vote but this year there are too many things going on for apathy to be any part of the election process.If you haven't already voted make sure you do by Tuesday. This government is of the people, by the people, and for the people but only if the people do their part and VOTE! Only if the people vote will the country be run as the majority of the people want. No matter how you vote remember that voting is the American way to be heard.

I am signing off now and will be watching the election results from our home in Ocala, Florida of the USA because....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'20/#22 Home Is Where?

 What is home? Some say it is where you live. Some say It is where you are from. Some say it is a house and some say it is more about where your heart is. As RVers we always say home is where we park it. But when people want an answer that is a more permanent location we say home is where our heart is and that is where our children, grandchildren, and friends from our past are. That would make home Pinellas County Florida. Why all the "home" talk? Well here we are back in Florida. We are still in the panhandle but will be back in the Bay Area soon.

This winter we will be staying in Florida, not in the Bay Area, but within a short drive. We are looking forward to seeing family and friends that we haven't seen in several years. Our time out west was enjoyable but we are planning to stay on the east coast for a few years. That means winters in Florida for those years. 

Well, we have one more day of driving before we are "home". We have a few appointments and some business to take care of and then we we will head to our winter location in Ocala FL. That will make Ocala our home for the winter. 

So I will be heading to bed soon so that we can get an early start tomorrow from our home in Cottondale FL because....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'20/#21 Got Those Wheels Rolling

 South Dakota is finally in our rear view mirror. We are on our way to our winter destination in Florida with a few stops along the way. This winter will be the first time we have been in Florida for an extended stay in four years. It will give us time with friends and family whom we have missed during that time.

The day we left Hermosa was sunny and in the mid 70's with little wind. In other words a perfect day to travel. Our first day was a straight shot accross I-90. Once the cruise control was set all I had to do is make sure we didn't run out of fuel. It was an uneventful first day on the road which is a good thing in the RVing community. Our first stop was Sioux Falls just 360 miles down the road. It doesn't sound like much but that is a good day when towing a big RV. The fatigue factor when towing will shorten your day substantially from just driving a car. Also we lost an hour going from MST to CST.

Day two we planned on 400 miles which is about what we call our maximum travel day. On the road by 6:30am and a comfortable drive put us at our destination with time to set up before dinner time.  This is the stretch of road that takes us through Iowa. In our travels we have driven through Iowa a number of times and have never been disappointed in the poor quality of the roads as well as the nothingness we have seen. I am sure there is some redeeming quality to Iowa, but for us the only reason to drive through Iowa is to avoid the miles it takes to drive around Iowa. 

We are at a very nice RV park just off the interstate in Peculiar, MO. Yes, the town is called Peculiar! Don't know why and at this moment it is not important because we are just staying for the one night. Today we will start our day a little bit later. We can sleep in and relax before our next drive of just 200 miles to our next destination. We will stay a couple of days and see some friends before continuing our trek south.

I will sign off now and enjoy my lazy morning and a couple of cups of coffee before we take our odd ball life down the road from our home in Peculiar, MO because....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'20/#20 Lets Make Blog '20/#20 Better Than The Year 2020

 20-20. The 20th blog of 2020. Well let's see what is going on. Our time here in South Dakota is coming to an end. It is the 4th quarter and the clock is ticking. If you follow this blog you know that the 4th quarter is the final segment of our commitment when hitch-itch (the urge to hook up and hit the road) gets the strongest. Our nomadic lifestyle dictates that we roam and sitting still too long makes us antsy. Also the "4th quarter" is the time that everything gets on your nerves. Some call it short-timer syndrome. Whatever it is called it is getting close to the time to leave.

As workcampers we feel that our jobs are to be flexible. This is a temporary job to fill a short term need. We are hired based on our work resumes and our accumulated life skills. Some feel that they are hired for one specific job and will do no more than that job. The options are either the employer accepts that or the employee moves on. We feel that if we can fill more than one position we become more valuable to the employer. That adds to and improves our resume. A good work ethic, the ability to work with others, and the ability to be flexible to get the job done are all assets that employers look for. The difficult worker... well not so much. Sorry about this little tirade, it is the hitch-itch coming out. 

If you have been following us on Facebook you know we have been seeing some of the sites in the area.  Some we have seen before and were worth another look and others we didn't get to see our last time in this neighborhood. We are also on the western edge of the middle of the country. This means wide open spaces making the area ideal for wind farms. No too long ago we saw the components for a new turbine being delivered. We took some pictures to show the size of these wind turbines. My estimate is the blades are over 200' long. That is our truck and the other is me pacing it off. Mind boggling!

Back to our hitch-itch. It looks like we will be returning to Florida for a full season for the first time in over four years. More about that when things get finalized. Today is our day off so we will do some laundry, make plans for our departure in about two weeks, and just rest a bit. So I will sign off so I can get busy not doing too much from our home in Hermosa because.....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'20/#19 Off The Beaten Path

 We are still in South Dakota and just chillin' and checking things out at our leisure. One day while driving down Highway 79 we saw a sign for Buffalo Gap and thought we would see what we might see. The whole town is just under 200 acres and populated by less than 150 souls according to the last census. We took about 10 minutes to drive around the whole town at a crawl. There were mostly older wood frame homes, the occasional block building, and a few of the requisite mobile homes.

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One thing we did not see were people. It was a Sunday afternoon on a nice, comfortable, and slightly overcast day and there were NO people. We saw cows but no people. There were a few horses but no people. We even saw some wild turkeys but NO people. There was a grill smoking in a side yard but there was no one attending the fire or the food that may have been cooking on the grill. Plenty of decade old cars with what appeared to be current tags but no one to drive them.

It started to feel a little spooky and there was nothing else to see so we left with a sense that this might just be a little ghost town here in southeast South Dakota. It was good o get back to our RV park with people and our home here in Hermosa because....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'20/#18 Staying Well And Staying Busy

 It has been another month since I last blogged so here is the update. Shipshewana is in our rear view mirror. All the work that need to be done to the new RV is finished and we are back on the road again. This year has been totally disrupted by the Covid19 virus as many of you are also dealing with. It is no different for those of us out on the road. Travel plans are changed, gatherings are cancelled, and visits a have been curtailed. We understand that everyone has their own risk threshold and we have accepted and respected those wishes.

Since our plans were thrown out the window we decided to see if we could find a workcamping job for the rest of the summer. Yes this was going to be the summer we didn't work but..... After putting a few resumes out there we were invited to Hemosa South Dakota. It is a little town just outside of Rapid City and in the middle of the Black Hills. If you have been following us for more than a couple of years you know we spent some time here in 2017. 

We will revisit some of the place we saw back then and try to fit in some more during our stay. The Black Hills are beautiful and there is always Mt Rushmore. The Badlands are mind boggling and always changing. The people we are working with are great and Corona virus spread is minimal around here. Mask are not required in S Dakota but we wear them when we are inside with other people. Some stores mandate them while others do not. We make the decision to wear them based on our own risk assessment while respecting others decisions.

While we are here we will contine to make the new RV home. Some modifications and more organization and time will make that happen. The heat has been unseasonable with temps reaching 100 degrees. Cooler weather is forecast for the next week and it will be easier to work outside. We are also working on our plans for the winter and will keep you informed. So for now this is goodbye from our home in Hermosa because.....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'20/#17 ...And Life Goes On

It has been a month since the last blog and it is for my own reasons. During these  trying times everyone (I hope) has been trying to be socially responsible. Now I know that means different things to different people depending on their own circumstances. Some stay away from anyone with covid-19, while others stay away from everybody, and there are people everywhere in between. I am not judging but I will say don't force your opinions on anyone else. Respect their choice and ask them to respect yours. Now off the soap box.

We have been traveling in our mobile social isolation unit and seeing people as we travel. We use masks in public, wash hands regularly, and get together with people we trust to act responsibly. That being said we have had a great time seeing friends that we haven't seen in a long time. Mary even caught up with an elementary school pal after 44 years! As I opened with, life goes on.

We are now in Shipshewana IN to get some warranty work done on our trailer. Nothing major but a list of things that got overlooked during the quality control check. This should take us no more than 2 weeks with most of the time spent getting all the parts together. We are right next to the Shipshewana Flea Market so we took a stroll over to see all the stuff we didn't need. We did buy a few things and ate some of the Amish treats but the biggest treat was a surprise.

While browsing one of the booths we ran into an old friend from Florida. It has been many years since we saw her, and situations have changed, but it was still good to run into her. We also went to one of the local groceries that feature Amish made products. This is one of the places we used to frequent when this area was a regular stop on our travels. We have to take the truck in for some regular service and will check out more of the local flavors while we are here. I hear the flea market calling.

Well I will sign off now and plan to blog a little more often from our home here in Shipshewana because....

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

'20/#16 Home But Not Home

Well it has been two plus weeks since we arrived in Florida. We are settled in at what will be our home until the first week in July and then we start the wheels turning again. It has been good seeing friends and family, some of which we haven't seen in close to ten years. There are more friends we will see before we leave as well as getting our annual physicals.

Some of the people we know and keep in touch with on line have asked how we can visit with all these people during this pandemic. We say that we are careful who we meet and how we get together. The people we meet are close enough that we know that if there was any issue the visit would be cancelled. Some have chosen not to get together and we respect that also. There is a line between cautious and paranoid and everyone needs to decide where that line falls for them. Between unavoidable contact with people and underlying conditions that line differs from person to person and we understand and respect what ever decision they make that makes them confortable. All that we want is for everyone to stay safe and stay healthy. When the time is right we will share time together in a way that suits everyone.

Now about the title of this blog. We are back where this whole adventure of Mary and Frank started. We have more friends and family in the Tampa-St Pete area than anywhere else in the country so it is kind of home. For the past ten years we have been on the road and nowhere really feels like home anymore. We visit friends all over the country and we make new ones wherever we go and that makes us feel at home just about everywhere. To say that any one place is home would be saying that the nomadic adventure we are on is coming to an end. We are not ready for that to happen just yet. I am sure the time will come when the wanderlust starts to get old or just too difficult. This life keeps us young but the calander still says that I am getting older so at some point this lifestyle will not work with my achy bones. Just not yet.

I am finishing a project in the trailer so I will sign off now from our nomadic home here in Zephyrhills because....

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

'20/#15 Sunshine State? Um...NO!

Our first trip with the new rig is over and except for a few minor issues the RV performed great. The weather was another thing. It rained every day from south Texas to central Florida. Sometimes it was only a drizzle and other times I wondered if we should have bought a boat instead! In north Texas I was seriously concerned that the water was going to crest the shoulder and flood the highway but we made it through OK. On the positive side we know that there are no leaks in the roof, at the windows, or around the slides. There are a couple of things that need to be taken care of like sticky doors, loose drawers, and a few other minor things. We will make a list and get them all taken care of after the next shake down run.

Right now we are in Zephyrhills Florida, in the same park we worked at for three years. We know and like the area, and it is centrally located to see and do everything we want. After the first two days of torrential rain the sky is starting to clear and we were able to take care of some business. Mary's drivers license expires this year so we took care of that and we finished up all that is involved in registering a vehicle from out of state here in Florida. Even thogh we don't have a permanent home Florida is where we are domiciled. Basically we have an address that we call home for all our official business. Not to confuse you non-nomadic types who may correspond with us through the Post Office this is not the same as our mailing address so don't change the Texas address that you may be using.

With over fifty combined years of living in Florida we have a lot of friends and family here and we will see as many as we can while we are here. We will do this in a safe and socially responsible way that is comfortable with everyone during these times of covid-19 social distancing. We have already seen a few friends and are making plans to see more before we are on the road again.

With the sun finally shining it is time for us to get up and get going so I will say goodby for now from our home in Zephyrhills because.....

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

'20/#14 Transition Complete?

Well it has been three weeks since we took possession of our new RV. First let me thank everyone for their well wishes on our new home. We look forward to many years and many miles and many adventures with the new rig. The last three weeks have been exhausting. Moving is never fun, whether it is between house, apartment, or RV. Every space is different and will accomodate "stuff" differently. Nowhere is that more evident than in an RV.

 Space is always at a premium in an RV so there must be a place for everything and everything in it's place. Not only does it have to fit in it's place, it has to stay there while traveling. After fifteen years we had this aspect of RV life down pat, or so we thought. Everything worked well in the Sunnybrook but the Solitude is another story. I describe it as having a home with square spaces and all your square stuff fits pefectly. Now buy a new home with round spaces and make it fit. Yeah, I'm saying we are trying to cram square pegs into round holes, and we all know how well that works! Well let me tell you that my wife is a genius at this. While I would probably make trips to the trash she is finding a home for most everything we have. Granted I may never find out where she put the stuff, but it is in the trailer somewhere.

That being said, there were a number of trips to the trash, a big pile of items donated to charity, and enough stuff sold on line to put a few dollars in our pocket. Fifteen years of living accumulates A LOT of stuff. We found things we didn't know we had, things we knew we had and couldn't find, and things that just made us go "what were we thinking?". The transition is almost complete. When we hit the road a week from now and see how everything travels, and make adjustments along the way, we will be ready for the next stage of this adventure we call full time RVing.

There are things to do over the next few days so I am signing off from our new home here in Pharr, Texas because.....

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

'20/#13 Out With The Old And In With The New

It has been three weeks since the last blog and that is all on me. It is not for lack of information to share but more of an overload of activity in our life. If you know us and have been following us you know that our plans for the summer have been upended by the pandemic sweeping the country. Like everyone else we have been responsible citizens and have stayed at home and minimized our contact with others to help stop the spread of the virus. This isolation has had some good and bad consequences.

Our original plans were to go to Indiana and have some work done on our RV before continuing on this adventure we call life. With that cancelled and Mary having me in confined quarters she had the time, means, and place to wear me down and convince me it was better to buy a new RV instead of putting money into our fifteen year old trailer. Then we had to decide which RV we wanted... but wait. Mary had already been shopping on line and had picked out two or three RVs that would suit our needs. I knew she was looking, so that was no surprise. She also decided which of the three was our best option! With her intellegence and logic, I had no arguments with her reasoning, and agreed. We are now the proud owners of a new Grand Design Solitude. It is not a toy hauler like our old trailer and is sooo much more luxurious it almost feels like real house instead of an RV.

We have been living in the new rig for two nights here at the RV dealer and will be here for a few more days. There are a few things that need to be taken care of by the dealer and we have some things to do also before we hitch up and hit the road. Our truck will have no problem with the new rig and it should be easy to tow. Oh, did I mention that this new RV is a foot and a half longer than our old trailer! With the trailer over forty feet long when we are hooked up to the truck we have an overall length of about SIXTY FEET! That is a lot of trailer and even closer to the big rig semis that travel the highways. Again it won't be any problem it just sounds so, um, big?!?

Well we are still finding homes for all our stuff in the new trailer and getting things ready for the road. So I will sign off now from our new home, temporarily at the Rv dealer in Sanger Texas, because.....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'20/#12 Traipse Around Tuesday

Ok, it wasn't actually traipsing. We had a purpose or actually several purposes. This is our day to break quarantine to complete our essential tasks out of our home. As usual we went to the trash, did our laundry, and did enough shopping to hold us over for another week.

It seems like forever but we have been isolating for just under a month. Even though the president and several governors are talking about easing social distancing orders we have decided to stay the course until we feel better about the pandemic. When we are convinced that things are going in the right direction we will decide what precautions are necessary and which we can start to ween ourselves off. I am not telling anyone else what to do. This is our plan! Everyone has to figure out what is best for themselves and their family.

We are fighting boredom just like everyone else and looking forward to whatever the new normal will be. There is still work to be done on our rig and we would love to find the time to safely see friends and family, but we know that may not be possible. Some RV repair shops are starting to open so that is a possibility. It would be nice to get on the road for a little while. Our "hitch-itch" is getting worse the longer we do not move.

Well I will sign off hoping that you and your loved ones are staying safe like we are in our home in Pharr Texas because....

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

'20/#11 Cabin Fever Respite

It is Tuesday and this is our day to break quarantine. Not permanently, but just to do some essential duties that can't be done inside our home. We still generate dirty laundry, trash, and need to restock our pantry. The restocking is primarily perishables that can't be stock piled. Even though we are confined to our home we still try to eat reasonably healthy. That means fresh produce, meats, and dairy. There is also some junk food just because . While we are out we get rid of our trash and go to the laundromat. This one day keeps us prepared for the week and gives us a break from our confinement.

Mary was just commenting on how long this month of self quarantine seemed and was terribly upset to find out that we had only been in confinement for fifteen days. I don't know how long she will last or if I will survive! Thank goodness for books, satellite TV, social media, board games, and our evening walks. We try to keep in touch with friends and family as well as the other Winter Texans who are stranded down here along with the full time residents. For the most part everyone is being responsible as far as social distancing is concerned. There will always be the one or two who just don't get it, but everyone else pretty much stays clear of those who won't take this crisis seriously.

As a couple of old farts we took advantage of some of the stores "senior hours". We were at Walmart before 6am and joined the Costco line at 7:45am. Yes, this was all early in the morning. If you know Mary you know she doesn't do mornings, but will if it is necessary. I thought we looked like an organized bank robbery!

The lines moved pretty quickly once the doors were open and we were able to find just about everything we needed. Not necessarily every brand, size, or style but enough to make do with.

Well, we are back home with a full freezer, fridge, and clean laundry. What else do we need to hunker down for another week of combating boredom? So I will sign off with a wish for your health and safety from our home in Pharr because.....

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

'20/#10 Life During Social Distancing

Well I hope everyone is taking the Covid-19 pandemic seriously and being responsible. We have decided to stay in south Texas for the forseeable future and social distance in our RV in our mostly empty RV park. Our rig is well stocked from our travel preparations so we won't have to go out for a while until the perishables need replenishing. We do take our walk each evening just to stretch our legs and get some fresh air. We also get to see some of our fellow residents at the recomended six foot distance to check on them and see how everyone is doing.

During the heat of the day, and it is getting hot in the valley, we find ways to amuse ourselves. We read, play games, cook, clean, read e-mails, and sometimes blog. We also recorded a number of TV shows and movies that we wanted to see or see again.  Scrolling through the TV menu we were able to compile quite a list to keep us busy. After all we can only watch so much news about the virus before we go stir crazy. Today we actually sat and watched the classic Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. Ok maybe it's not actually a classic but we had a good laugh at Keanu Reeves career starter and one of George Carlin's few acting roles.

I'm sure our cinema list will get better but when you are cooped up and getting a touch of cabin fever....well anything goes. Everyone stay safe, stay healthy, and act responsibly during this crisis as we are, in our home in Pharr because.....

Home is where park it,
Frank and Mary

'20/#9 Staying For A Party For Two

We have been planning our departure from the Rio Grande Valley in case the pandemic did not affect our travel plans. Well today we got the call from the repair shop in Indiana that the governor there is shutting down businesses and imposing a travel curfew in the state. Our appointment has been cancelled and will be rescheduled at a later date. With all this going on we have decided to stay right where we are until such time that we can resume our travels.

The park we are at is working with us while we extend our stay even though our work camping jobs are over. Our RV is stocked for travel so we have everything we need and are able to get any essentials that we may need in the coming days or weeks. We are healthy as are the other Winter Texans who will be staying in Texas Trails RV Park a little longer than planned. We are a community and we keep an eye out for each other like neighbors do.

One of Mary's doctors cancelled her appointment and was going to do it over the phone. How a doctor can examine a patient over the phone and justify a regular office visit charge is beyond me. I know it takes time for the doctor and time is money but for what? A half-assed examination? This is a rheumatologist who needs to see and feel and move joints to diagnose or evaluate progress. I shudder to think how proctologists and gynecologist would do that exam. Who is going to hold the phone while the patient assumes the already awkward position? I need to stop. This blog is going off the rails and someplace it probably shouldn't.

Anyway, while we are sitting here enjoying each others company we hope that everyone out there is staying safe and healthy and taking this pandemic serious. Until next blog, so long from our party for two in our home in Pharr because.....



Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

"20/#8 Sitting Still and Almost Ready

Well here it is the middle of March with our departure date getting closer and closer. We are just about ready to leave south Texas and start on our next adventure. As I reported recently we volunteered to cook St Patrick's Day lunch for the park's final hurrah of the season. It was a lot of work and we had plenty of help from the volunteers to make it a resounding success. At least 300 people were fed and we were beaming from all the compliments. Again it could not have happened without all the people who stepped up to help.

As it turned out, on St Patricks Day we were told that all future events in the park would be cancelled due to restrictions layed out by the local, state, and federal governments. The recommended 14 day social isolation will coincide with our expected departure date give or take a day. With that in mind we will limit our time away from home and finalize preparations for our trip. We have enough food and supplies to easily last us through that time frame and will only need one or two perishable items before we leave.


With that said we are not in any sort of panic. There are no reprted cases of Corona in the valley except for the beer imported from Mexico (HAHA). People are going crazy and hoarding here as we have seen on TV  in other parts of the country. It makes no sense to us. We always have toilet paper, hand soap, and antibacterial wipes in the house. We are not stockpiling. We just shop! Who buys one one roll of toilet paper at a time? We shop sales and use coupons, so we may buy a 24 pack on sale because it is the best price. A 24 pack in our two person household will last us much more than a month! So why are people buying trunk loads? If they need that much toilet paper for a 14 day self quarantine period then there are too many people in your home or you already have a problem you should see your doctor about.

 The same goes for everything else these idiots are hoarding. People say the media is to blame and they do share in causing this panic, but ultimately the people who panic and act irritionally are the ones responsible. These people didn't become stupid because of the media. The media just shows who amongst us doesn't understand what is going on and how to deal with it. Shame on those with garages full of supplies that many people can't find because of their stupidity and greed.

That is enough on that subject. For now we are staying health and still preparing to leave the Rio Grande Valley soon to contine the adventure that is our life. Stay healthy and keep following us in our home on wheels in Pharr because......
Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

'20/#7 The Final Countdown Begins

Before I get started let me thank the people who have started adding comments to the blog. It is nice to know when you are reading and enjoying our adventures. Now on to the meat of the blog.

We are in March and the clock is ticking away. Where has the time gone? There is still a decent size list of things we need to do before we hit the road and just a little more than three weeks to get it done. Most of it is simple easy stuff but still takes time to get done. If we don't dawdle we will be ready with time to spare.

During this time our life doesn't stop. We still have our jobs here, the volunteering we do, and a couple of excursions planned. The big volunteer job is St Patrick's Day.  As I have mentioned in a previous blog we are cooking for this final event of the season. Lists have been made and volunteers to help have been lined up so now all that is left is the shopping, cooking, serving, and clean up. Ok, maybe we don't have as much behind us as we have yet to do but it is all falling into place.

We have been saying goodby to the people who are leaving early and processing them out from the park. We will be saying goodbye soon enough ourselves. For now we are still here in South Texas so I will sign off from our home in the Rio Grande Valley because.....


Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

'20/#6 Maybe #5 1/2 ?

Just a quick blog for those of you who follow us on the internet. I don't Facebook that much but Mary does keep me up to date on our friends, family, and other important things on Facebook. I don't use "important and Facebook" in a sentence very often. Let me get to the point I am making. I would love it if any of you would post what you think or are feeling when you read my blog. I have a couple of regular posters and I can see that I have a number of people following us on the blog. It would be really nice to see a few more comments. The web site has made it easier to comment and if you would put something in the name box for me to know who you are.It doesn't have to be your whole name or anything you wouldn't like out on the internet. Just something that lets me know who you are.

Thanks for listening, following, and hopefully commenting. Blog at you soon from our home in the Rio Grande Valley because.....

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

'20/#5 Why We Do What We Do

Today was the annual Volunteer Appreciation Lunch in Texas Trails. Like many RV parks the activities are run, attended, and supported by volunteers. Whether it is a holiday dinner, the weekly dance, or in our case the weekly Chuck Wagon the volunteers make it all possible. Many of the events would never happen without our volunteers. The best part is that anyone can volunteer! There is always something to be done and something for every level of ability.

This New Years Eve party Mary and I volunteered to take charge of the decorating. There was plenty of decorations from past years and we added some new to brighten things up. When we asked for volunteers to help we got about ten people step up. We also had several more who wanted to help but were commited to a previously planned bus trip. In less than two hours the hall was decorated and ready to usher in the New Year.

Every one had a skillset to bring to the table. Some of the older ladies unpacked and fluffed up the hanging items while others taped art work to the walls. Some of the gentlemen set up the components for our photo back drop including ballons and a giant champagne bottle. I ran up and down the ladder hanging things from the ceiling while Mary kept things organized and jumped in where ever she was needed.

We don't expect our older residents to climb ladders or move tables but they can set tables, roll silverware, and assemble table decorations. There is a job for everyone and every little bit helps. If the activities in your community need volunteers try and help. Even the tiniest help is something that needed to be done. It is also a way to get to know your neighbors in this RV transient life style.

Even though the lunch was for the volunteers, almost 200 of them, we still volunteered to help serve and clean up after. That is what volunteers do! Well I will sign off from our home in Texas Trails because......

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

'20/#4 Hanging On For Now

Here we are in South Texas and the weather is a bit colder than we would like. With temperatures getting down in the 30's we are hanging on down here as long as we can. We will be heading north soon enough and there will be colder weather where we are going. We and the rig will be all prepared for the road as well as the weather.

Our list to get ready is getting shorter and longer at the same time. While getting the water connection fixed we found a leak in the water heater. This was a job better suited to a professional so that was something added to the list. That was taken care of and then a rock hit the truck windshield. Another thing added to the list. When we got that taken care of we found someone who could take care of our slide topper. One thing off the list and another added. If we keep going like this the list will never end!

With only seven weeks left the list has to get done. We also have a few other commitments on the calender that have been planned all winter. Once again I ask "how did I find time for a full time job?". Even without all the volunteering we aren't doing anymore I'm sure it will come down to the wire.

It is time to get to the list and try to stay warm so I will sign off now from our home in the Rio Grande Valley because....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'20/#3 Racing The Calendar

HOLY CRAP! I just looked at the calendar and realized that we will be on the road in just over two months. Where did the winter go? I know I talked about all the volunteering we have done and the work we do but it still sneaked up on us. There is so much to do and so little time. We have stopped volunteering to give us more time but that just allows us to enjoy a little "do-nothing" down time. Now that we have rested a little, it is time to get back into gear and start checking things off our to-do list.

That being said I thought that I would tell you about our next volunteer project. Yes we have one more volunteer job that we are committed to. We are cooking St Patrick's Day dinner. That means corned beef and cabbage for 350-400 people. This is the last social event of the season before all the Winter Texans head north and is also one of the most attended events of the year. Others will be organizing the parade, games, contests, and other activities and there should be no shortage of volunteers for all of it. No doubt we will have many hands helping in the kitchen.

This last party cuts our time down to 4-6 weeks to get everything we want to do and see before we leave. This summer we will be getting some work done on the RV and anything I can do myself is money we can save for some of the bigger projects we have planned. Such is the life the full time Rver.

Well we have to get started on our day or as they say in the old westerns,"we're burning daylight!!". So here's so long from our home in the Valley because......

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

'20/#2 Unsung Volunteers

2019 ended with the usual flurry of holiday activity and the activity is carrying over into 2020. The weekly activities that were suspended during the past few weeks are getting started again. As is common in most RV parks all the fun and games rely on the volunteers that organize, run, set up, and clean up to keep things running smoothly.  Now if you know Mary she is one to step up and take charge when needed. If you know both of us you also know when you get one of us for anything you usually get both of us. I have resigned myself to the fact that I am a volunteer whether I know it or not.

Here in Texas Trails there are sign up sheets for all the activities and I make it a point to check and see what I have volunteered for. Many times I have volunteered and signed my name in Mary's handwriting. During the activities I get the chance to talk to other volunteer husbands that don't remember signing up but nonetheless are here doing their part. The common factor is they seem to volunteer in their wives' handwriting. None of us mind as long as we get a heads up before we actually have to show up. We are the unsung and sometimes unknowing volunteers that keep the park a community.

The next few months will be plenty busy for us. We have a laundry list of things to do before we get back on the road in the spring. All of this is in addition to the activities in the park that we participate in and some of the excursions we have planned in the Rio Grande Valley. It still amazes me how full our calender gets even though we are retired. I'm not sure how I ever found time to hold a full time job before.

Well I have to go and check the volunteer sign up sheet so I will be saying goodbye from our home in the RGV because.....

Home is where we park it,
Frank and Mary

'20/#1 A New Year and Life Goes On

Happy New Year to everyone and welcome to 2020! After bringing in the New Year twice, once on TV on the east coast and again in person in Texas in central time, it is time to start the new decade. It is also time to remember the past year so we can appreciate what we have and also what we have lost. It is a time to plan for the future. So my rambling begins.

2019 was like any other year with it's ups and downs. As travelers we saw many wonderful places and got to meet a ton of great people. In our travels we had a few mishaps that in the grand scheme of things were truly only bumps in the road. At the time it may have seemed bigger, but bumps and bruises are signs of a life lived to the fullest. The past twelve months also had a number of people leave our lives. Some moved on to live where we probably won't see them again, but we never know. Others have moved on to a more permanent destination where we know we won't see them again. Those, especially the ones closest to us, really can be as close as the memories we have of them. I'm not trying to minimize the loss, I am just saying that life goes on and hopefully the memories of the good times will help numb the pain of loss that we all feel.

Now 2020 will be a year like no other simply because all of us have to do our part to make it what it will be remembered for. First I would like to say something and get it out of the way. 2020 is a presidential election year and everybody has an opinion. I am not taking sides here but I am saying that if you have an opinion the place it matters the most is the ballot box. 2016's 60% voter turnout is shameful. Government by the people means ALL the people! Just vote! And please let us be civil to each other.

Off the soap box and back to our plans for 2020. As I have posted before we will not be workcamping this year but will do more traveling in and around our old stomping grounds. We will be trying to reconnect with friends, old friends, and some really old friends and visiting with as much family as possible. Along the way we want to give our home some much needed TLC and possibly some up grades to take us into this new decade and all that it promises. Since our home is on wheels and our plans are written in jello we are just making tentative travel plans. We are also looking for new workcamping opportunities along the way. We might even find one near these old friends and family.

Right now I am looking out the window at a dreary rainy January 1st, but maybe it is 2020's way of washing off the old 2019 to give us a new clean slate to mark our own 2020 on. So, again, Happy New Year to everybody who follows us from our home on wheels in Pharr Texas because......

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary