Well I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving. Ours was terrific not just for the food but because of the family & friends around the table. Now I am not knocking the food, our daughter Jessie has taken over Thanksgiving Dinner for the last few years & has made it her own & has done it in style. For family, friends, & food we all are thankful.
On to the Holiday Season part II. With Thanksgiving out of the way we are now focusing on Christmas. We actually are in good shape as far as gifts go. We know our kids & grand kids pretty well & have been shopping for a while. Most of the gifts are bought & paid for so we can concentrate on other matters. There are decorations to get out & put up, plans to get together with family & friends need to be made, & something we like to do is find ways to help others who are less fortunate. This goes back to giving thanks for all we have & trying to give back where we can.
We have several charities we like to give to & they are just personal choices. We like to help those who are least able to help themselves like kids, older people, & animals. Today we joined in the Marine Toys-For-Tots motorcycle run in Tampa. Toys-For-Tots has been going on for more than 60 years & is dedicated to bringing the joy of Christmas to needy children. With well over 200 motorcyclists each bringing a toy & a donation today there will be a Christmas for many children. The ride was coordinated by several groups & was escorted for the first time by off-duty Hillsborough County Sheriffs. A thanks to all who participated & a special salute to the officers who gave their time for all to have a safe & enjoyable ride.
There are 27 shopping days 'til Christmas but more important there are 27 days to think of ways to give back to the community. We have several more functions we will try to participate in while getting ready for our own holiday celebration. We are also starting to volunteer at the grand kids school this week. The past weeks have been filled with scheduling, background checks, & planning. We are finally going to get into the volunteer/mentoring program & looking forward to it.
Well it is time to put the old sleigh into gear & get the season going. Mary has put pictures from today's ride on FB so you can check them out. So good night from our holiday home in Largo FL because ......
Home is where we park it,
Frank & Mary
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
#136 Procrastinate No More
We have been back in Pinellas County for 3 weeks now & I have put off figuring our driving costs for the past 7 months. Well the numbers have been added, divided, & analyzed so without further ado, the envelope please....
During the 7 months from April 1st - Nov 1st we traveled over a 7000 mile loop. Once all the side trips to the store, laundromat, & commuting to our job were added in it came to a grand total of 13333 miles. This doesn't include the approximately 3000 miles we put on our motorcycles. I'm tired just thinking about driving all that way! Now we don't just drive, we have to stop periodically to put fuel in the truck. This is the part I was trying to ignore. Again this does not include the motorcycle so it is diesel fuel only. In 7 months we stopped for fuel 34 times for a total of 1372 gallons of diesel. Prices for diesel varied from state to state from a low of $2.75 in Goshen IN to a high of $3.23 in Cooperstown NY which averaged out to $3.01 for the trip. For those without a calculator handy that adds up to $4,132 to feed the truck that pulls our home from place to place. On an up note we did average just shy of 10mpg for the 7 months. Now I know that sounds like a lot to most of you but for RVers that's pretty decent. You have to remember that we are not driving one of these econo-boxes or a hybrid down the road. We are driving what amounts to a semi-tractor trailer weighing over 25000 lbs.
I also broke this all down by month. We averaged 1900 miles & $590 per month. These figures are a bit higher than we would like but we knew this year was going to be the exception. This being our first year on the road we knew that we would be traveling more & not staying in one place very long. Starting next year we will be staying longer & at fewer destinations. This will be so that we can explore areas more thoroughly while we work in parts of the country we want to visit. This will be more of our RV lifestyle. The past 7 months was a cross between vacation & a celebration of our retirement.
We are getting ready for Thanksgiving as are most of you out there so Happy Thanksgiving to your homes from ours in Largo FL because....
Home is where we park it,
Frank & Mary
During the 7 months from April 1st - Nov 1st we traveled over a 7000 mile loop. Once all the side trips to the store, laundromat, & commuting to our job were added in it came to a grand total of 13333 miles. This doesn't include the approximately 3000 miles we put on our motorcycles. I'm tired just thinking about driving all that way! Now we don't just drive, we have to stop periodically to put fuel in the truck. This is the part I was trying to ignore. Again this does not include the motorcycle so it is diesel fuel only. In 7 months we stopped for fuel 34 times for a total of 1372 gallons of diesel. Prices for diesel varied from state to state from a low of $2.75 in Goshen IN to a high of $3.23 in Cooperstown NY which averaged out to $3.01 for the trip. For those without a calculator handy that adds up to $4,132 to feed the truck that pulls our home from place to place. On an up note we did average just shy of 10mpg for the 7 months. Now I know that sounds like a lot to most of you but for RVers that's pretty decent. You have to remember that we are not driving one of these econo-boxes or a hybrid down the road. We are driving what amounts to a semi-tractor trailer weighing over 25000 lbs.
I also broke this all down by month. We averaged 1900 miles & $590 per month. These figures are a bit higher than we would like but we knew this year was going to be the exception. This being our first year on the road we knew that we would be traveling more & not staying in one place very long. Starting next year we will be staying longer & at fewer destinations. This will be so that we can explore areas more thoroughly while we work in parts of the country we want to visit. This will be more of our RV lifestyle. The past 7 months was a cross between vacation & a celebration of our retirement.
We are getting ready for Thanksgiving as are most of you out there so Happy Thanksgiving to your homes from ours in Largo FL because....
Home is where we park it,
Frank & Mary
Saturday, November 13, 2010
#135 Routine, Routine, Routine
Well, like I surmised it has not been a week full of bogging material. We finally have gotten everything set up & are starting to get into our winter routine. That means cooking, cleaning, shopping, & seeing our friends & family in the area. Even though home is where ever we park it this is our "home base".
The trailer park is starting to fill up with the winter regulars & it is nice to see everyone again. Unfortunately with any group of retirees there is attrition due to age related issues. Some will not make it due to illness, some can't travel anymore, & sadly some aren't with us at all. It is all part of life but we all do the best we can. Mary is excited because Bingo has started. I am just looking forward to getting together with our good friends. Mary is also looking forward to line dancing, water exercises, & the Red Hat Ladies. She is fitting in with the little old ladies a little too well. I think they like having her around because she keeps things lively & makes them feel young. I know she does that for me.
Our friends from Indiana just arrived & we have a list of things we want to do together this winter. This with our volunteer work, spending time with friends & family, & the upcoming holidays will keep our calendar full. I just don't understand. With all this on the calendar & being retired when did I find time to work before I was retired? Oh well, the big difference is I get to do more things that I enjoy & I get to do it on my schedule.
We will try to do more interesting things so that I have more to blog about, but for now we are just enjoying being back amongst family & friends in our home in Largo FL because.....
Home is where we park it,
Frank & Mary
The trailer park is starting to fill up with the winter regulars & it is nice to see everyone again. Unfortunately with any group of retirees there is attrition due to age related issues. Some will not make it due to illness, some can't travel anymore, & sadly some aren't with us at all. It is all part of life but we all do the best we can. Mary is excited because Bingo has started. I am just looking forward to getting together with our good friends. Mary is also looking forward to line dancing, water exercises, & the Red Hat Ladies. She is fitting in with the little old ladies a little too well. I think they like having her around because she keeps things lively & makes them feel young. I know she does that for me.
Our friends from Indiana just arrived & we have a list of things we want to do together this winter. This with our volunteer work, spending time with friends & family, & the upcoming holidays will keep our calendar full. I just don't understand. With all this on the calendar & being retired when did I find time to work before I was retired? Oh well, the big difference is I get to do more things that I enjoy & I get to do it on my schedule.
We will try to do more interesting things so that I have more to blog about, but for now we are just enjoying being back amongst family & friends in our home in Largo FL because.....
Home is where we park it,
Frank & Mary
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
#134 There's No Place Like Home
Well we've been home for a few days & we have been going non-stop. Getting settled in took a couple of days & we had to get our grandkiddie hugs. There was lunch with the daughter & her husband & all the friends calling. OK, so it is going to take more than a few days to get settled in with all the distractions but we wouldn't have it any other way.
Add the fact that I haven't been feeling great. Nothing serious, just enough to slow me down a bit. I have been taking my naps again(naps are good) & that takes away from productive time. We are getting all our doctor appointments taken care of & hopefully will be done before the holidays. Again nothing serious. Anything from annual physicals to surgical follow-ups to assorted aches & pains we have accumulated during our travels. Serious stuff is taken care of but if we can wait it is always nice to see our regular doctor.
I've mentioned that we have a few irons in the fire to keep us busy over the winter. That means we have signed up to volunteer as helpers & mentors at our grandkid's school. I don't know who is more excited?us, the kids, or the school! I'm sure it will be fun & will give us some quality time with the grandkids. Speaking of grandkids we are also getting into Christmas shopping mode & this is not something one does half-hearted. As grandparents the shopping is not done until December 24th or the bank accounts are empty, whichever comes first!
I can't believe it's taken me 2 days to write this blog. I guess we have really been busy & keeping busy this winter will give me more to write about. I don't know if will be as exciting as the past 7 months but hope everyone will continue to follow us. Heck I may not find it so interesting. I will try to blog at least once a week this "Snowbird" season. Hey!!! We are Snowbirds! I guess I can't complain about the snowbirds clogging the roads or filling the restaurants anymore. Oh well, I've just got to be me & hope everyone can deal with that. So until the next blog, this is goodbye from our home for the next 5 month in Largo FL because......
Home is where we park it,
Frank & Mary
Add the fact that I haven't been feeling great. Nothing serious, just enough to slow me down a bit. I have been taking my naps again(naps are good) & that takes away from productive time. We are getting all our doctor appointments taken care of & hopefully will be done before the holidays. Again nothing serious. Anything from annual physicals to surgical follow-ups to assorted aches & pains we have accumulated during our travels. Serious stuff is taken care of but if we can wait it is always nice to see our regular doctor.
I've mentioned that we have a few irons in the fire to keep us busy over the winter. That means we have signed up to volunteer as helpers & mentors at our grandkid's school. I don't know who is more excited?us, the kids, or the school! I'm sure it will be fun & will give us some quality time with the grandkids. Speaking of grandkids we are also getting into Christmas shopping mode & this is not something one does half-hearted. As grandparents the shopping is not done until December 24th or the bank accounts are empty, whichever comes first!
I can't believe it's taken me 2 days to write this blog. I guess we have really been busy & keeping busy this winter will give me more to write about. I don't know if will be as exciting as the past 7 months but hope everyone will continue to follow us. Heck I may not find it so interesting. I will try to blog at least once a week this "Snowbird" season. Hey!!! We are Snowbirds! I guess I can't complain about the snowbirds clogging the roads or filling the restaurants anymore. Oh well, I've just got to be me & hope everyone can deal with that. So until the next blog, this is goodbye from our home for the next 5 month in Largo FL because......
Home is where we park it,
Frank & Mary
Thursday, October 28, 2010
#133 Heading Home?
We say home is where we park it but our hearts are home when we are near those we love. It has been 7 months since we got hugs from the grand kids so we are on our way back to FL. We also planned to make all our doctor appointments once we got back to FL & are finding it easier to get appointments earlier in November due to the up coming holidays. That gives us another reason to head back a little earlier than originally planned.
The last couple of nights we spent reminiscing about the past 7 months. Without even looking at the hundreds(thousands?) of photos we have taken, this has been the most amazing trip we have ever been on. We hope that everyone who has followed us on Facebook & the blog has enjoyed it along with us. This winter we have made some tentative plans to keep busy but as with all our plans these are also written in jello.
The last blog talked about our checking out campgrounds for 2011. Some have expressed interest in where we decided to stay. I am sorry to say that we will not share that information. In this age of Internet security breeches & identity theft we DO NOT give out information on where we are or where we are headed. We will share info about where we have been so those who follow us can benefit from our experiences.
Today was a long day on the road & we are excited to be getting back to FL. So I will sign off so we can have dinner & call it an early night. This is a one night stay, so goodnight from our home in Ashburn GA because .....
Home is where we park it,
Frank & Mary
The last couple of nights we spent reminiscing about the past 7 months. Without even looking at the hundreds(thousands?) of photos we have taken, this has been the most amazing trip we have ever been on. We hope that everyone who has followed us on Facebook & the blog has enjoyed it along with us. This winter we have made some tentative plans to keep busy but as with all our plans these are also written in jello.
The last blog talked about our checking out campgrounds for 2011. Some have expressed interest in where we decided to stay. I am sorry to say that we will not share that information. In this age of Internet security breeches & identity theft we DO NOT give out information on where we are or where we are headed. We will share info about where we have been so those who follow us can benefit from our experiences.
Today was a long day on the road & we are excited to be getting back to FL. So I will sign off so we can have dinner & call it an early night. This is a one night stay, so goodnight from our home in Ashburn GA because .....
Home is where we park it,
Frank & Mary
Saturday, October 23, 2010
#132 Tourist Trap #?????
Well we finally made it into Pigeon Forge but getting through it was another story. In Florida we have Orlando, in NC there is Cherokee, & Tennessee has Gatlinburg & Pigeon Forge. From the visitors center in Pigeon Forge to the entrance to the Great Smokey Mt National Park which is only a few miles took us at least 45 minutes. Like all the above mentioned tourist traps traffic is bumper to bumper.
The reason we are in Pigeon Forge is to make plans for 2011. If you follow the blog you know that we plan to work at Dollywood in the summer of 2011. We are here to find a place to stay next year. Since we will be there for an extended period of time we want a place that will suit our needs the best. We felt that a look around in person was better than just making reservations based on ads, directories, or even word of mouth. Well we found a place & made reservations for next year.
The next week or so we will be relaxing before we head to Fl. We found out a couple of RV friends have checked into the park so we will track them down tomorrow & catch up. So tonight I will call it a night from our home in Tennessee because .....
Home is where w park it,
Frank & Mary
The reason we are in Pigeon Forge is to make plans for 2011. If you follow the blog you know that we plan to work at Dollywood in the summer of 2011. We are here to find a place to stay next year. Since we will be there for an extended period of time we want a place that will suit our needs the best. We felt that a look around in person was better than just making reservations based on ads, directories, or even word of mouth. Well we found a place & made reservations for next year.
The next week or so we will be relaxing before we head to Fl. We found out a couple of RV friends have checked into the park so we will track them down tomorrow & catch up. So tonight I will call it a night from our home in Tennessee because .....
Home is where w park it,
Frank & Mary
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
#131 Miracles Do Happen!
Well we arrived at our RV park at 4pm Tuesday after 410 miles & 1 hour lost crossing time zones. Yes that means that we actually got on the road before 9am. The time was unbelievably 7:08am. It was early & it was still dark but the wheels were rolling. The trip was uneventful & long. We arrived at an Escapees campground which was an experience. As usual there were the usual hugs but we were surprised that there was no charge at check-in. We only had to settle up when we checked out.
Wednesday we were supposed to go into Pigeon Forge but as we have been known to say...our plans are written in jello. Instead we slept in, after all we did have a long day the day before. We decided to defrost the fridge & freezer. How exciting, but like I said this is not a vacation this is our life. We think it is an amazing life, warts & all. Tomorrow we will be getting up early to get the truck's oil changed. Hopefully after that we will get into Pigeon Forge.
We are looking around the Pigeon Forge area for a campground for next summer. If you will remember we signed up to work at Dollywood next year. We will need a place to stay for an extended time so we would like to find a nice place. This trip is more of a fact finding expedition to make next summer more enjoyable. Success is all in the prep work.
Well I am now calling it a night from our home in Knoxville TN because....
Home is where we park it,
Frank & Mary
Wednesday we were supposed to go into Pigeon Forge but as we have been known to say...our plans are written in jello. Instead we slept in, after all we did have a long day the day before. We decided to defrost the fridge & freezer. How exciting, but like I said this is not a vacation this is our life. We think it is an amazing life, warts & all. Tomorrow we will be getting up early to get the truck's oil changed. Hopefully after that we will get into Pigeon Forge.
We are looking around the Pigeon Forge area for a campground for next summer. If you will remember we signed up to work at Dollywood next year. We will need a place to stay for an extended time so we would like to find a nice place. This trip is more of a fact finding expedition to make next summer more enjoyable. Success is all in the prep work.
Well I am now calling it a night from our home in Knoxville TN because....
Home is where we park it,
Frank & Mary
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