'25/#44 Home Is Where We Park It!

 It's time to catch up. Last week we were in Texas at what was our winter home for three years. That was where we went to Mexico for business and pleasure. That was also when hurricane or tropical storm Rafael reared it's ugly head. It was forecast to head to the Texas/Louisiana coast the same time we would be passing through that area. The decision was made to leave Texas a day early and get in front of the storm. The storm petered out so it was an unnecessary early departue but would get us back to Florida a day early.

Well here we are in Zephyrhills, our winter home for the next several months. Even though everyone in our extended family survived Helene and Milton with minimal damage it was still upsetting to see the damage that both storms did leave behind. We are getting settled in and getting together with everyone we missed this summer. We were gone almost eight months this year. That is the longest we have been away from family and friends except for our winters in Texas. 

Our little group of seniors here have a mess of birthdays all in a few days time so there will be cake, food, drink, and just good times with good friends. The friends we work with are also on the list to get together with as well as friends from our pre-retirement and especially our family. 

Today is Mary's birthday so we will do whatever she wants and just get back into the Florida Snowbird lifestyle. Signing off from our home in Zephyrhills because....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'25/#43 A Short Rest

 We are in Texas for a short time. It is nice to take a break from the grind that is daily travel. Even though this is a rest from travel we will be busy. There are friends to see and I also see a trip into Mexico.

We found an excellent dentist when we wintered here in the valley. We have made it a point to pass through every so often. Not necessarily once a year, but often enough to take care of our dental needs and not pay the rediculous prices in the states. I know a lot of people will say that we are crazy but we did our research. He and his staff are educated in the US and the facilities are modern and spotless and the recommendations are neck deep from people we have met all around the country during our travels. When somebody in South Dakota, from Oregon, during conversation just pulls a dentists cardout of his wallet with rave reviews....it makes you think.

We also got some of the medications that we take while we were in Mexico. Again, the meds are in Mexico but they are the same drugs that are sold in the USA for as much as ten times the price. See one of Mary's posts of CVS branded pharmaceuticles right there on the shelf in the Mexican pharmacy. We also did a little souvenir shopping.

Last year we had some suspension issues on the trailer that tore up a couple of our tires. I decided to change all four tires but could not get the brand I wanted so agreed to another brand that were recommended and I heard were good. One year and 13,000 miles later I was very unhappy with the way they wore commpared to the brand I wanted or the brand that came on the trailer. It was time to get the tires I wanted and have peace of mind traveling down the road.

Well it is time to get busy again so I will sign off from our home in Texas because.....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'25/#42 Changes In Latitude....

 As predicted the last day in Michigan was cold and busy but everything got done and we were ready to roll southward. Monday morning we left St Ignace and over the next six days we made stops in Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas before arriving at our destination in the Rio Grande Valley. 

Our latitude change from traveling 2000 miles south changed everything. Now the temperatures are hovering around 90 degrees. A big change from the highs in the 50's that we left in Michigan. First thing, after turning on the A/C,was to pack away our cold weather coats and dig out shorts that were forgotten about since I can't remember when. We are at the same park we worked at several years ago so we alerted friends that we were in town. The RV is set up for sitting still for a week before we hit the road again.

We are in the Valley to take care of some things that are better done here and across the border. I have also decided to put new tires on the RV. The tires currently on the RV are not wearing as well as other brands I have used in the past and I prefer to err on the side of caution. That's a lot of vehicle going down the road and and it is everything we own, not to mention our personal safety. 

Once all the errands are done and we have decompressed from all the travel we will continue on our adventure. The next destination is Florida. We have family and friends that we have missed all summer and it sounds like we were missed also. 

We were glad to hear that everyone made out well during the hurricane. It was on our minds and we were worried until we heard that everyone was OK. I think we need to see it with our own eyes and give and get hugs to confirm the good news. 

It is time for dinner so we can get to bed early. The to-do list won't do itself so I will sign off now from our home in Pharr Texas because....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary