Tue - 30 Dec/14

Yo-Yo weather - we are back to overcast and much cooler (70 F). Humidity is high (85%) and the odds are even on the POP (Probability of Precipitation = 50%). Today will be a "Park Day". This weather also makes today a good day to load the trunk and head to the laundry room. We usually go at noon hour in the hope that it will be less busy.

Doing laundry in an RV park is different than at home. At home laundry is usually done on a weekly basis or as needed. Here, many "Park Models" (trailers that are not designed to be mobile and are mounted in a permanent location) have their own washer and dryer, Some sites may have the washer and dryer located in an outside storage shed. "High End" motorhomes and 5th Wheels usually include a "Combo" unit located in a bathroom or bedroom closet. A combo unit is designed to save space and do both chores automatically.


The rest of us go to the RV Park Laundry. This is often done only when we are down to our last set of clean clothes. Unlike doing laundry at home, we cannot start the washer and check it later when we have a chance to do so. Here we must remain (park rules; but many don't) while using the washers so that the clothes are removed immediately when finished. We usually use 3 washers at once; one for whites, one for dark clothes and the last for coloured/permanent press. For identification I placed my "Ladybugs" on each washer.

I did the same when the washers finished and the clothes were placed in the dryers.

This is not as necessary in a small laundry room when it is not busy as it was when we stayed in Arizona where there were 60 or more machines in the laundry area.

Two hour later the task was done. The clean and folded clothes require less trunk space for the return trip.

Several RV's arrived throughout the day. Some for a long term stay and some for a "Rally". This park has a section where groups can gather together for short stays. Back at the RV we noticed new neighbours moving onto the corner lot. Tom, another of our neighbours, indicated a few of his relatives would be arriving soon. I think this latest influx will place Michigan ahead of Canada for the "most folks here are from ..." title.

Neighbours were also out raking. We are in the original part of the park where there are at one or two giant oak trees per lot. Deciduous trees in the north shed leaves seasonally in the fall,  The trees here drop their leaves continuously throughout the year. People are using leaf blowers or rakes on a daily basis to make piles of leaves.

The park staff patrols and picks up the leaf piles on a regular basis. The leaves from each lot will literally fill a cart. Today there were two carts on our street at the same time. They both left with full loads. Needless to say, our health prevents either of us from participating in this strenuous exercise. Our lot will have less green grass as it will remain leaf and acorn covered. Although the park, on request, will provide rakes and shovels, they do not rake the lots.

Supper would be a Taco Meal.

Charlotte took care of the slicing and dicing of the tomatoes, lettuce and onions; while I fried the fresh hamburg and added the spices.

Mmmm...a great meal!

My "Taco Technique" solves the age old question - "Soft or Hard". My solution has the best of both. I spread a thick layer of sour cream on the soft shell then place the hard taco shell in the center. After the hard shell is filled I fold the soft shell upward around the hard shell. The sour cream keeps both shells together. In this way I can enjoy "The Crunch" without having to juggle falling pieces when the hard shell breaks with each bite. Works for me!

Guess what! Time for Jeopardy.

Mon - 29 Dec/14

Sunshine first thing this morning - not as much humidity today to cause fog. Things should be more comfortable today. I used to think "Dry Heat" was a joke until we went to Arizona. Even when it was 100 F we still did not turn on the A/C as we are totally comfortable with the 4 % humidity (compared to 97% here yesterday). Today we hit a record high of 84 F (10 F above the norm).

First task today was to go to the office and get the remote control for the security entrance checked out. It did not work when I first tried the unit. I thought it may have been the battery so I replaced it. On the next try it still did not work. My thought was that it may still have last year's gate code. It only took a few seconds for Julie, one of the great office staff at the park, to check and correct the code switches. A quick test and it was good to go. We can't say enough about the service we have received from the over 2 dozen excellent (and friendly) park staff at Olde Mill Stream RV Resort. Wally and Linda (park manager team) have certainly picked the "cream of the crop". This is just one of the reasons we usually choose privately owned over corporate parks.

The office often has a few humourous items posted. Today the differences between Florida and the "North" were explained as well as a short poem.

We enjoyed BLT's for lunch made with the fresh produce we picked up at the flea market and Publix yesterday.

After lunch I drove Charlotte to the craft building. Barb, our next door neighbour, does a fine job co-ordinating theses activities. It is located just a few blocks away. Charlotte wanted to walk; however, I was going to check the mail at the park Post Office right next door to the craft room, so she came along for the ride. She will get her wish (to walk) when the craft session is over.

At the P.O. Pickup Station there are banks of P.O. Boxes on each side. They fly a flag to let all know the mail has arrived and has been sorted. When I opened our mail box a gust of wind blew one of the items back inside the building. Luckily, today's mail was just being sorted and I was able to have the item retrieved. The mail today contained a monthly schedule, a list of upcoming activities and a nice Christmas Card signed by all the park staff.

Back at the RV I downloaded several App updates for my iPhone. I also put my Lucinda Lewis "Roadside America" sign collection photos on the iPhone so I would remember which ones a had and which ones I needed. There are a number of shots of Vintage Autos (60's) in front of the same Diner (Rosie's). It is good to have access to jog my memory so I can avoid buying a duplicate.

Charlotte returned about 2 hours later. She had almost completed her project. She was crocheting a holder for a small (500 ml) water bottle. She just has to decide how long to make the strap section. Nice Job!

It is now time to settle in for Jeopardy.

Sun - 28 Dec/14

Extremely foggy this morning. The more the temp drops at night the more the night time humidity increases. It is almost a 1 to 1 relationship (unscientific, of course). The drop in temp last night was about 20 F. Humidity went up from 76% to 97%. We are glad we left the A/C on just to keep the humidity low in the RV. The fog should burn off by mid-morning.

We watched CBS Sunday Morning, as usual, until 10:30 a.m. It was especially poignant in it's remembrance of the world's important people who passed on this year.

It's Sunday. It's Florida. There's a Flea Market open somewhere. Time to get our daily exercise - walking past the hundreds of booths. Our choice today is one of the premier area choices: Renningers Farmers and Flea Market in Mt. Dora.

We exercise more than just our legs at the flea market. We also do gripping and bicep flexing routines. Our usual first stop is Knockout Mini Donuts.

This involves a 5 step exercise routine:

     1. Grip the mini donut between fingers and thumb.
     2. Stress the biceps as you raise the donut to the mouth.
     2. Open the mouth.
     4. Insert.the donut.
     5. Chew.

Repeat for a dozen reps.More if you buy the bucket.

Finally, I found the leather change purses I had been seeking. The type I like flex open when squeezed and snap shut when released. I like this style more than the zipper or snap type. Our current change purses are full of Canadian coins, so I purchased a beige for Charlotte (matches her purse) and a black for myself. These are good for finger exercises as you flex them open and closed when paying for purchases.

Next up are finger flips. The best venue for this at Renningers is Ruckerts due to their large selection collectable metal signs. This form of exercise is utilized when searching through individual signs. It is often performed in combination with bends (over table height storage boxes) or squats (boxes at floor level). It can be performed using all the 4 fingers of one hand; however the preferred method is to flip each individual sign rapidly with the index finger. When a sign of interest is spotted the exercise changes to one of clenching and raising the piece for more intensive viewing. This may be performed using a one or two handed lift.

Bonus: I found a Lucinda Lewis sign to add to my Roadside America collection.

Additional exercise is performed by carrying purchases for the duration of the shopping excursion. Generally, the purchase of fruits and vegetables, often by the pound, intensifies this exercise.

Looking up and down at various levels provides plenty of neck and head turning exercises.

One booth in particular brought back memories and a realization that exercises may be done with many variations. This booth sold "corn on the cob". Although the basic exercise is the same; there are a variety of techniques employed.

Up north (Canada) the most common exercise technique requires a back and forth motion with one hand (applying butter) while holding the cob with the other. Next, an up and down (shaking) motion is used while holding the cob in one hand, in combination with a back and forth motion (applying salt which adheres to the buttered on the cob). Finally, both ends of the cob are held by the fingers which are used to rotate the cob while a chewing motion separates the corn and added condiments from the cob.

At this stage either of two techniques may be employed with the same result. One is to move the cob (while chewing) from end to end in the mouth. The other (equally acceptable) method is to move the head along the length of the cob while chewing. Reaching the end, by either method, then requires the cob to be rotated and the technique is repeated until all corn has been removed.

Up north, folks usually perform this exercise at seasonal events. Corn Fests usually coincide with the yearly harvest in August. Down south this is a year round activity because of the multiple growing seasons. Exercising of the taste buds associated with this technique can be done in a variety of ways. While travelling in Mexico with our good friends, Diane and Alberto, we learned to go beyond just salt and butter to mayo, salsa and mild to hot sauces. Who Knew!

Our final fitness venue was in many ways similar. We stopped at Publix to stock up on a few needed items. Here there were also aisles to walk and items to lift and lower and lift. In addition we had to push (a cart). Again and again the items were lifted (in and out of the basket), onto the conveyor, back into the cart, out of the cart, into the trunk, out of the trunk, into the RV and finally into the refrigerator or the cupboards. Whew! We were exhausted!

Charlotte popped 2 Marie Callender Turkey Pot Pies (Mmm) into the microwave for supper after which we settled in to watch TV for the evening.

Sat - 27 Dec/14

First job today - Phone and wish our daughter Kat a Happy Birthday. Being a manager of a store, unfortunately meant she had to work on her birthday.

This is an odd job day. The RV automatically levels when being set up, however it has now had time to settle on the levelling legs. The sandy soil means it will compact to some degree over time. It was now due to be re-leveled.

RV Combo Propane/Electric refrigerators are very sensitive to being "out-of-level". A few degrees can make it much less efficient. Having been leveled (in both directions) it now maintains the same temperature setting at 4 as it did previously on the max (9).

Job 2: Repair a small corner section of arborite trim on the bedroom "End Table" that had come loose. Contact Cement is the glue of choice. Glue is applied to both surfaces that are being joined and left to "Dry". This usually takes about 15 minutes. Surfaces must be joined within an hour. Alignment is critical as contact cement bonds....you guess it - on contact. Applied pressure combines the glue on both surfaces which strengthens the adhesion. This is often done using a hammer and block of wood. A "good whack" usually does the job. A special surface roller may also be used to apply sufficient pressure. No room to swing a hammer here.

I applied as much pressure as I could when joining the surfaces then used duct tape to keep the surfaces tight. I will remove the tape tomorrow.

Next up was a quick reorganization of the "Reading Room" (bathroom) cupboard. No matter how well we pack things still move around when travelling. Good thing I did this task today. I noticed the TP (Toilet Paper) needed re-stocking from our outside storage compartment supply.

Charlotte had previously done a great job of straightening out the medicine cabinet on the sink side of the bathroom. The smaller items stored there really get jostled around as the RV "goes down the road". I noticed a screw had worked loose in the shelf support rail. Most items had to come off the shelf to make the repair. After securing the rail I had to set everything back.

Today was also time to fill our daily medical containers. We use three 7 day containers so we only have to do this chore once every 3 weeks. It does take an hour each to count out the meds.

Another chore that I do about once a year is replace all the batteries in the devices around the RV. I use remote thermometers to keep track of the temperature of the refrigerator; the freezer, the interior temperature and the exterior temperature, I have 2 ckocks that not only display the time, day and date; they cycle through 3 temp sensors each. I can tell at a glance from the kitchen or bedroom the temperature reading from each of the sensors. Two hours and a few dozen batteries later (replacement included several flashlights) all were set for another year.

It is hard to believe we turned on the "Fireplace" yesterday evening as it cooled to the 50's F. Today it is in the low 80's - that's a 30 degree change. Sunshine on  the RV's surface increases the interior heat above the outside temp. At home they are talking "Wind Chill" - here the "Humidex" reading due to high humidity making almost like 90 F.

We decided not to turn on the A/C until after our shower so we would not be cold on exit. By the time we realized the dance this evening was an informal affair starting at 6 p.m. we were already late for the start.

We decided to turn on the A/C and "Chill Out" (grin) for the rest of the evening.

Fri - 26 Dec/14

In past years, today, Boxing Day, is when we would traditionally head south in the motorhome.

Boxing Day, the day after Christmas, in Canada (and areas with a British heritage) is so named because of the tradition of employers giving their servants and tradespeople gifts, known as a "Christmas Boxes".

My definition of Boxing Day: The day kids have more fun playing with the boxes their expensive gifts came in than with the gifts themselves.

Having no desire to be in the crush of folks returning gifts or looking for "deals" at the local stores we have decided to become "VegandDs"

No - not "Vegans" (vegetarians). VegandDs: Vegitate and Do nothing!

....and that's all he wrote!

Thu - 25 Dec/14

MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!

Charlotte and I wish one  and all the Best in the New Year.

Needless to say there is no snow here. The temperature did drop to the low 60's F with the cold front that came in after yesterday's stormy weather. No chance of rain today although it is overcast at this time (morning).

First task today was to phone and wish both our girls (and their families) back home a Merry Christmas. No White Christmas back home either. It is raining there today and way colder. This is our first Christmas away; however we did have a Christmas celebration before we left to come south. Charlotte called her sister next with Christmas Wishes. The weather (rain) was similar at her home in Ottawa.

It smells so good in the RV this morning. Charlotte is preparing our part of the "Pot Luck" Christmas Dinner that will held be in the Main Clubhouse at 1 p.m. Olde Mill Stream RV Resort provides the ham, gravy, buns and mashed potatoes with the remainder of the meal being "Pot Luck" dishes from the participants. Charlotte thought the dinner would be turkey so our contribution is a huge turkey pan full of stuffing.

I had to light the pilot light for the gas oven which would be used to keep the stuffing warm until it was time to go to the dinner. We left at 12:30 p.m.

Rule # 23: At an RV Park Event; being there a half hour early means you are already 15 minutes late.

Charlotte added her "Stuffing" to the already full "Pot Luck" table. (See what I mean about being a half hour early!)

Another requirement of a"Pot Luck" style meal is that you bring your own plates, cutlery and beverages, Grace was said to bless the meal and other announcements were made. Each table is numbered and luck had our group up after just a few draws. Needless to say there were a large variety of delicious food items and desserts from which to choose.

We had the pleasure of sitting with two couples we had not met before. Tim and Phyllis (from Kentucky) have been in the park for the past 4 years. Harry and Becky (Ontario) are here for there first stay at the park. The wonderful thing about any RV Park festivity is the great folks that you meet at the event. This was no exception.

We returned to the RV... "Happily Stuffed". The remainder of the afternoon, although a little on the cool side, was filled with sunshine.

No other plans for today.

"Merry Christmas"

Wed - 24 Dec/14

Today we expect near record highs in the mid-80's F - about 10 degrees above normal. There is a tornado alert until midday; however the most severe weather appears to be headed north of our location. Nice sunshine here this afternoon. The bulk of the rain will come in the late evening with it clearing out by morning. No White Christmas here.

To be comfortable we left the small A/C on throughout the day. Our "cold weather blood" is still thinning out.

A live aerial shot on the noon news showed the parking lot at the Mall at Millenia in Orlando, FL. It was totally packed with perhaps only a dozen of the thousands of slots available. The traffic for the I-4 exit to the mall was backed up for a miles. I guess there are still a lot of last minute shoppers out there today.

I made Tuna Fish Salad for dinner. We always try to remember to bring a good supply of both Tuna (Albacore) and Salmon (Sockeye) with us when we come south. It is hard to find the best quality tuna and salmon down here. Even in the 60's, I remember my aunt, who lived in Florida; but visited Canada every summer to escape the heat and humidity, always took a supply of these items home with her when she returned.

I am still organizing odds and ends around the RV - mostly during TV commercials; otherwise we are both just relaxing. Charlotte continues to add to her knitted "Baby Hat" collection that she donates to charity each year. I keep refining the computer program I have been designing: FileDrawer.

Rain did arrive around 3 p.m. with heavier downpours and high winds a half hour later. That did it! Officially, today is a day of rest!

Tue - 23 Dec/14

It was so warm and humid we turned the A/C back on in the middle of the night so we could sleep comfortably. It worked so well we actually slept in until 9 a.m. Today would largely be a day to relax and re-charge.

A few more little organizing chores throughout the day. The morning was cloudy; however the sun broke through now and then later in the day raising the temp to the low 80's F with humidity above 90%.

Rain is in the forecast for tomorrow so we decided to head out just before supper for our first visit of the season to The Villages. Tonight was Market Night at Lake Sumter Landing Square where vendors set up around the square from 5 until 9 p.m.

The Christmas Tree, by my guestimate, is around 70-80 feet tall. On the left is the "Manger Scene" - "NOT !"...  it's Uncle Bob's Rock Shop who were providing music from the bandshell.

There is live music in each of the 3 town squares in "The Villages" every day of the year, The Villages are comprised of numerous gated communities; however each of the 3 "Town Squares" are open to the public. The daily entertainment is free in each of these squares, Those not dancing are sitting in the hundreds of chairs that are set up each evening by The Villages staff. Although The Villages is an Adult (55+) Community; family can visit for an allotted number of days per year. There were a higher than usual number of kids and grandkids visiting for Christmas.

There are a number of restaurants around or close to the square. We decided on eating on the outside patio at City Fire across from the square.

We were able to get our usual corner table (for 2) and listened to the band as we shared a large order of Nachos.

Dessert was Pineapple Lime Yogurt purchased just a few doors away. It tastes like Key Lime Pie - mmmm Good! Other folks were sitting here just enjoying the music. We sat for a while enjoy the band who played many of our rock n Roll favourites from the 6o's and 70's.

The stroll along the boardwalk back to the car was enjoyable. We could hear music from The Villages radio station playing on the way as each street light within a few blocks of the square is equipped with outdoor speakers.

A short pit stop at the public washroom - just in case - since we decided to detour on our way home through Mt. Dora to see the Christmas Lights. Tomorrow might not be so good for this as lots of rain and the possibility of tornados are in the forecast. They have already had a few tornados in the south already this year.

Downtown Mt. Dora is decorated with over 2 million lights. Unusual to us from Canada, it seems that few folks decorate for Christmas (at least outside) in this area. When they do most of the lights are white. My theory is that white is there subconscious way of representing snow - who knew! We have enough snow up north so we use coloured lights, eh!

They do not circle the trees in lights like we do with the Christmas Trees. They loop the lights from the top down.

Even at 10 pm the weather was still perfect for driving with the top off. It won't be this nice back home for another 7 months - Wow!

Another Wow! Filled up when the low fuel light came on. It has been a long time since a full load of fuel was under $25.00.

Today was full of Wows! I only had to press the remote (that I just bought) to open the gate. Not as sensitive as my garage door opener at home which works from a few hundred feet away. I had to be right at the gate for this unit work.

We took a ride around the park to see the Christmas decorations. Outside of downtown Mt. Dora there were only a few dozen decorated houses. There were at least that many in the park - with coloured lights to boot! (Northern folks - Yankees, no doubt).

Gee! I just realized I missed all of my favourite Tuesday TV programs. Oh Well, there are always re-runs.

Mon - 22 Dec/14

The light rain turned into almost 2 inches as it poured steadily through the night. This was a mixed blessing. I grew up with a tin roof on the back porch beneath my bedroom window. When the rain came in like little kitten feet dancing on the RV roof I was asleep in no time.

It usually does the same for Charlotte; however, last night it was the opposite. She even put in ear plugs that we had in the RV. We purchased blindfolds and earplugs after our first night on the month long train trip around the USA and Canada to help us sleep. The continuous "Clickety-Clack" kept us awake most of the first night. Despite the earplugs there was no immediate success for Charlotte; however she did eventually nod off after a few hours.

Despite yesterday being the first day of Winter today was another "Spring Cleaning" day. Today's project was cleaning and organizing the cupboard under the kitchen sink.

An hour later it was all cleaned and packed back in place. Thankfully, the 2 slideouts (garbage container and storage tray) I installed makes access much easier.

Next project up was attaching the Steering Wheel Table. Once the tablecloth was in place the RV looked a little more like a home and less like a vehicle. The Fireplace Heater that doubles as a printer stand also adds to the ambience. We do not need the heat yet (low 80's F yesterday); however we find the "Flames" relaxing in the evening.

It has not rained since the early morning. The is sun peeking occasionally through the clouds. The sandy soil has soaked up the few inches of rain that fell overnight; however the humidity level is quite high. Thunderstorms are predicted for today and tomorrow.

We had a light lunch in the RV during the noon hour then Charlotte headed off to crafts. It was a good thing she stopped to talk to Jean on the way. Workers had just arrived at the usual craft room to announce they would be painting. The crafters all had to leave. Today the session would be held in the main clubhouse.

I walked with Charlotte as I was going to the office. Charlotte continued on to the clubhouse with Jean and I entered the office. The staff are so friendly and helpful at Olde Mill Stream. It only took a few moments to pickup and pay for what I needed from Sherri at the front desk.

This year I decided to be lazy! My mission to the office was to purchase a remote control to use for access at the security gate. The Del Sol is so low that I can barely reach the keypad to enter the code from the driver's seat even after I unfasten my seatbelt. This will make life easier.

While Charlotte was at crafts I did other odd jobs around the RV. I installed a triangular "Propane" sign on the compartment door were the large tank is located. By law (Ontario) a similar sign is on the right rear of the RV. Bill's Rule (#72) says that it would make more sense to have one where the tank is actually located.

I then replace the plastic handles on the Black (Toilet) and Grey (Sinks and Shower) Holding Tank Valves with the metal ones I purchased yesterday at Camping World. One of the original plastic handles had snapped with only a half remaining. I now felt more secure with the metal handles in place.

When at a park and hooked up to a sewer line the common (and best) practice is to level the Black Water valve closed and the Grey (Gray is the spelling if you're American) Water valve open. The Grey will always flow out easily as it is mostly liquid. The Black Water tank holds toilet waste which has a large amount of solid material. This tank empties much easier and more completely when the dump valve is not opened until it is almost full. This delay allows the waste to dissolve ensuring the sewer line does not get clogged. The extra weight provided by the large volume along with gravity aids in flushing the lines.

I have never used the more common accordion style dump hose since I started RVing 10 years ago. I use a SewerSolutions unit to dump. The clear plastic end connects onto the Dump pipe. The black rubber end plugs into the sewer line. The hose connector attaches to the park water line. A water pressure jet breaks up any solids and adds liquid to the waste flushing it through the hose line into the sewer. When the waste has emptied the water also cleans the smooth interior of the hose line out completely. The traditional accordion style hoses do not rinse as clean as the folds tend to accumulate waste. This accumulation adds "odour" to the RV - especially in hot weather.

To facilitate the flushing activity I use a 4 valve Gilmour (metal) water distribution unit to connect the SewerSolution (Flush line); City (RV water line); Wash line (hose for RV/Car washing) and the Black Water Rinser line. The Black Water Rinser is a water pressure rotating rinser inside the Black Water tank that flushes waste from the tank sides and bottom when activated. The Gilmour unit allows for all of these lines to remain connected permanently. All I have to do when I arrive at a park is connect a hose to the water supply and I am in business. No fuss - no muss! This makes setting up quick and easy.

There are still a few more "Spring Cleaning" chores to do; however that is enough for today. After all, we are retired!

Charlotte returned after a few hours with the craft group. Mostly the same folks as last year. The project for today was a crocheted water bottle holder. Charlotte made one in baby blue.

We decided to close up the RV and turn on the A/C because of the high temp (80 + F) and humidity. A few of our neighbours had already done the same in their units.

Charlotte fried sliced mushrooms and made Cream of Mushroom Soup for supper. MMMM Good!

The Evening News reminded us that we are in Florida not back home. Virtually every day there is a story of someone being murdered. Thankfully, out of our area, there is also usually an accident that has traffic backed up for miles. Not a fun drive for those visiting the Orlando area attractions or trying to just get home. An auto hitting a house usually happens somewhere nearby on a weekly basis. The only good news is that AAA predicts gas prices may go below $2 a gallon by the day after Christmas.

Jeopardy, as usual, at 7 p.m. signals that it is time for me to do the blog as we watch our usual programs.