'21/#54 What Is Christmas?

    It is that time if year when everything is all about Christmas, but what is Christmas? It is a religous holiday that is most dear to those of the Christian faiths and to some that is enough. Others look at it as a time of good cheer and good will, while some see family gatherings as the high point of the season. Some see the Christmas tree, or Santa Claus, and some will focus on the gifts while others are not sure what it is at all. 

   In this day of internet socialization we have come across a number of people who aren't sure if it is still Christmas. When the kids are grown and the wonder about what Santa has brought is replaced by knowing that someone, whether a relative or friend, has given you a gift is it still Chistmas? When the kids are out of the house and Christmas day comes to two people in an empty nest, is it still Christmas? When seniors gather in community centers or nursing homes is it still Christmas? Yes it is!

   I won't try to tell anyone what Christmas should be. I am not smart enough to tell someone else what Christmas is to them. But I would like to quote someone much smarter than me. Dr. Seuss spoke to people of all ages and I think summed it up best when he had the Grinch say, "It came without ribbons, it came without tags. It came without packages, boxes, or bags. Maybe Christmas (he thought) doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas means a little bit more."

   To me "more" is the operative word. More can be anything to anyone and can only be found by looking into your own heart. Thanksgiving is past and we gave thanks for what we have in our life but Christmas can be so much more. There is that word again. Take the time to reflect on your life. Not just the present but the past and the future also. To me Christmas is a time to give thanks for what we had, for what we have, and also for what we may have in the future. It is a time when we can give not just gifts but ouselves to others. Time is such a precious gift and becomes more so when it is shared.

   So this Christmas don't fret about how things have changed because things will always change. Remember how things were and how they have changed and look forward to how things will most certainly change in the tomorrows that come.

   So please have a Merry Christmas however you celebrate it as we celebrate it in our home on wheels in Zephyrhills because.....

     Home is where we park it,

   Frank and Mary

'21/#53 The Heart Of Snowbird Season

   It is after Thanksgiving and December first has come and gone.  That means the third wave of snowbirds have arrived and with that all the snowbird season brings. Crowded roads, crowded stores, crowded retaurants, and everything else is ... well crowded. I am not knocking snowbirds, for two reasons. 

   First and foremost we are now snowbirds. Unlike other snowbirds who live up north and travel south for the winter we started in Florida and travel north for the summer and return in the winter. I refer to us as reverse snowbirds. 

   The second reason is the good things that snowbirds bring.  They stimulate the economy during the winter months and help pay for all the infrastructure and business with their spending and the taxes they pay with that spending. 

   When we lived in Florida year round we learned to adapt to the influx of snowbirds. We shopped late in the evening, ate out after the dinner hour,  and tried to stay off the roads during peak traffic hours.

   Speaking of traffic, people who visit the Sunshine State always complain about Florida drivers. My theory is that when tourists are here during the winter months a large percentage of the drivers are NOT Floridians. These drivers are from New York, Massachusetts, Canada, and other northern areas. Each area has it's own peculiarities when it come to driving and they are used to it at home. When each area brings their habits (good or bad) and stir it into the pot called Florida traffic we get a stew of unmixable ingredients which becomes labeled "Florida drivers".

   My point is that the roads will be crowded and filled with drivers not used to the habits of others and accidents will occur. If everyone will slow down for a bit and try to be courteous on the road maybe some of those accidents will be prevented and we can all enjoy the beautiful winter weather we came to Florida to enjoy.

   So I am heading outside to enjoy this beautiful Floridian winter weather here at our home in Zephyrhills because.....

   Home is where we park it,,

Frank and mary

'21/#52 Post Thanksgiving Musings

We hope this finds everyone well. We also wish everyone a belated Thanksgiving and hope your holiday was everything you wished for. Our Thanksgiving was a quiet celebration for two. We had all the trimings and relaxed in front of the TV watching traditional holiday shows, from the Thanksgiving parade in New York to the cartoons leading up to Christmas. We may get older but we don't have to grow up! It was also a time for giving thanks for all that we have. We have our health and a wonderful life. Our family is doing well and our friend group is growing larger as time goes by and we continue to travel. So to everyone out there, know that we are greatful for having you in our lives. Now for a few thoughts not holiday related. If you follow us you know we travel A LOT! We also gather t-shirts from everywhere we go. We have so many we had a good friend Jacque make us a quilt with a bunch that would not fit in our dresser any more. We are almost at the point that a second quilt might be in our future. Let me get back to my point. We wear our shirts all the time and it never fails that when someone sees a shirt from their home area or a place that they know the question is always "Are your from (fill in the place)?". I don't know about all of you but who buys souenir t-shirts from their home town? Aren't souvenirs by default a remembrance of places visited? I know that on occasion we all will buy something locally but how many Floridians have "Florida" t-shirts. Are all the New Yorkers running around New York City with "I Love NY" t-shirts? The same goes for other places around the country. These t-shirts do three things. First they remind you of an experience worth remembering. Second, it identifies you as a tourist in the town you bought it. And third, it fulfills you obligatory gift for those at home. I might be wrong, but please stop asking if I am from the destination on my shirt, but please ask me if I visited that place and would I tell you about it. That is my pet peeve today amongst all that I am thankful for. So thank you for letting me vent and a happy and healthy holiday season to everyone from our home in Zephyrhills because.... Home is where we park it, Frank and Mary

'21/#51 Happy Birthday To Us!!

You already know that Tuesday was Mary's birthday and probably know that mine was Saturday. Well Mary wanted to do something wild and significant to mark the occasions. Her idea was skydiving and mine was to watch her from the ground. Since it was something we wanted to do a little more together we opted to go snorkling with the mantees in Crystal River. The grandkids were all excited for us so we decided to make it a family celebration. Joining us were our daughter, two of our grandkids, and one of their friends. Needless to say we had a great time. Mary was the only one of us who had ever snorkled so there was a learning curve for the rest of us, but once we got going it was a lot of fun. Our guide and boat captain were a blast and fit right in with the lunacy we call family, so we were not only seeing manatees but laughing and having fun at the same time.The grandkids said this waould be something they would always remember doing with grandmommy and granddad. That's what grandparents are for, to make memories.

After we got back on shore we said our goodbyes and parted ways. Mary and I found a great little cajun seafood restaurant a few blocks away and had an awesome dinner. Then we drove home talking about the day and what a great life we have. At home we watched TV for a little bit but couldn't keep our eyes open. The excitement of the day had worn us out, so it was off to bed with dreams about manatees. Well that was this years birthday celebration from our home in Zephyrhills because.... Home is where we park it, Frank and Mary

'21/#50 Mary's Turkey

I said that I will be blogging on topics other than our travels, so here goes. Tuesday was Mary's birthday and birthdays mean birthday cake if nothing else. I found this out the hard way our first year as empty nesters. Thinking that it was just the two of us there was no need for a birthday cake. When I told that to Mary she made it clear that there WILL BE BIRTHDAY CAKE! We happened to be driving past Publix so an insane turn on two wheels and a mad dash to the Publix bakery. Being so close to Thanksgiving and a last minute purchase my options were limited. I picked out a Thanksgiving cake complete with turkey decorations and had "Happy Birthday Mary" written on it. Yes, there were some strange looks but nothing like the glare from my darling wife on the possibility that there would be no cake. Since then there has ALWAYS been cake for her birthday. 

 This year Mary said she didn't need a cake. Being a good husband for over thirty years I knew the difference between need and want, so not to suffer the wrath of "no cake Mary" yet still listening to her current request I opted for a birthday cupcake. And in the spirit of that first potential birthday cake debacle I made it a turkey cupcake. She was happy, all was right with the world, and I would live to see another day. 

 So another happy Birthday to the love of my life and I look forward to many more....with cake, from our home here in Zephyrhills because... Home is where we park it, Frank and Mary

'21/#49 We Have Arrived!

Our trip has come to an end but not our journey. We will be sitting still for several months here in Florida before the adventure continues. At some point we will be on  another trip or new leg of our RV journey. I know that my blogging ebbs quite a bit when we are not on the road so I am going to try something a little different. I am going to write about things other than RV travel. It may be something in the news or a sign on the side of the road that gets me started. This will be my observations and opinions and nothing more than that. I will try not to touch on subjects that are sensitive or polarizing. They say never discuss religon and politics with friends you want to keep. Since RVing I have added the Chevy vs Dodge vs Ford debate to that list. I will still be talking about the RV life and our personal adventures but will try to blog on a more regular basis.

For now we are getting settled  here in Zephyrhills and making plans to catch up with all our family and friends. With the covid pandemic getting more under control this year we will be able to get together in a more normal fashion. I don't think that things will ever go back to the way they were. The only thing that will always stay the same is the fact that things will change. Hopefully the change is for the betterment of society and helps us all live better lives.

Being happy with my life I will sign off now from our happy home in Zephyrhills because......

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary

'21/#48 Soon

Our trek south is almost at an end. A lot of you have been asking when will we be back and when can we get together. The answers to those questions is soon and soon after. We are now officially in Florida. We had plans to get some work done on the rig in north Florida but the parts did not come in so we will be back a day earlier than planned. Lets just call it a jiggle of the jello.

The trip has been a lot of fun and we saw a lot of things along the way. We also got to catch up with some friends and even found some time to do nothing but relax. Traveling in an RV, we feel, is the best way to see the country but it is fatiguing. Rest periods need to be worked in to the itinerary. We also have been compiling a list of things we want to do to the rig this winter in the interest of home maintenance. As always we will be busy this winter with taking care of our home, working in the park, and of course getting together with family and friends. We are looking forward to the ensuing insanity.

The next blog should be from our winter home in Zephyrhillls so I will sign off now. It is time to get the day started so goodbye from our overnight home in Williston Florida because.....

Home is where we park it,

Frank and Mary