Monday - 30 Nov/15

Still plagued by park WiFi problems. Don't be surprised if the blog doesn't get out on some days. At times it may take a few hours to get back on. Diagnosis keeps saying the computer appears to be configured correctly - no access to internet gateway - unplug and restart the router. This means I have to wait until it is reset by the park or internet provider.

I have been checking all Windows 10 driver updates for the computer. What is so frustrating is that at times the WiFi is great and at other times non-existent. It might also be the fault of the Windows 10 upgrade on a computer that is 4 generations old.(Wiindows 7).

Most of the day was lovely with light cloud cover. Not overcast and humid as yesterday until late afternoon. Cool spell coming to bring us below 80 F.

Charlotte walked to the Craft Class for 1 p.m. It will take a week or two just to reorganize the RV. I will work on these tasks when Charlotte goes to crafts.

I set about the first of my planned tasks. I cut the new pebble styled floor mat to fit at the RV entrance. The old carpet was curling at then ends despite double sided tape to hold it down. This was a bigger job than I thought it would be with the hardest part being the removal of the tape from the floor. An hour later I was finally done.

Bonus: While looking for the adjustable blade knife to cut the carpet I found the Remote Control for the park entrance gate. As usual I put it in a safe place then forgot the location.. Long term residents can purchase a remote for the entrance gate making for an easier and quicker entrance to the park.

Next up was moving the patio chairs from the bedroom to under the coat rack.

After that it was outside to make room for the laundry baskets in the first outside compartment. This would make it easy to bring them in and load on laundry day.

An hour and a half  later, even though it may not look much different,  these shelves were set with paper products and laundry baskets, etc.

While doing this Mobile RV Glass phoned to make an appointment for installing the Motorhome Windshield for Friday morning. I called the park office to let them know a tech would be arriving. I also informed that a large package would be arriving next week from Home Depot. It is always best to clear arrivals with the office. That way they can guide them to my lot. The OMS staff are excellent that way.

Clearing out the compartment unearthed the outside Welcome Mat "HOME IS WHERE WE PARK IT!".

Charlotte returned from crafts around 3 p.m.

Her treasures today were glass Christmas Ornaments. The process is cut shavings from the coloured Crayola crayon of your choice and place the shavings inside. The glass (not plastic) is heated with a hair dryer while holding carefully using an oven mitt. Rotating coats all the sides. Charlotte worked on the remainder of the dozen balls that she didn't have time to finish during the class.

I'd have taken a picture of our pecan pie snack; but we ate it too quickly. (grin)

My last task for today was to add Stab-Bil to the fuel tank. It keeps gasoline fresh for up to 12 months. That is more important now that ethanol is in the fuel.

RANT: ETHANOL IS A FILLER - NOT FUEL! In the Del Sol my fuel mileage has been down by 10% which is the amount of ethanol per gallon in the fuel. A month or so ago (in Canada), when the fuel prices were extremely low I suddenly noticed a 10% rise in fuel economy for about a half a dozen fill-ups. My driving habits are remarkably consistent. My theory is that at $40 a barrel for oil it was more expensive to add ethanol. When the oil prices increased enough to warrant adding ethanol again my fuel mileage decreased. I rest my case.

The "Corn Lobby" in the USA tried to get the ethanol increased to 15%. Ethanol is harmful to the internal combustion motors - especially the small motors like lawn mowers, trimmers, blowers, chain saws and ATV's, A coalition of these manufacturers quietly informed the US Government that if this was put into force they would no longer warranty their products. Needless to say it didn't happen.

Another fact that was well hidden is that the environmental damage caused by the production of ethanol required for the 10% mandate is much more harmful than that caused by the 10% gasoline that it replaces.

The cost to the public is much higher. When ethanol first came on the scene their pumps had huge filters on the lines that were several times the size used for regular gasoline. Today the filters are now hidden. I wonder why - duh! According to a technician I met the amount of carburetors they have to replace has increased by a staggering amount since ethanol. He also noted that it is better and cheaper to replace these expensive items than try to clean them. I rest my case again.

Rant over; but it made me hungry. (grin)

Charlotte made one of my favourites for supper. Marie Callender's Turkey Pot Pie. This is so easy to cook in the microwave - easier than pizza.

Jeopardy, Family Feud and Scorpion are on the TV agenda for tonight - then bed.

Sunday - 29 Nov/15

This morning we re-started our Sunday Morning RV Tradition - watching CBS Sunday Morning from 9-10:30 a.m.

It is nice to have news that is informative not tragic. Occasionally they have a feature on a place that we have visited. One of my favourites is the "Pie Town, NM" episode.

Charlotte makes an excellent was egg muffin which was today's brunch item along with pecan pie for dessert. The egg muffin is truly an international meal made with local eggs and cheese, English Muffins and Canadian Bacon. (grin)

During the mid 1800's, the United Kingdom was forced to import meat from Canada due to a pork shortage. Once imported, the English would cure the backmeat in a special brine and smoke it. Americans in the U.K. liked the meat, so they brought it back to the United States and gave it the name Canadian bacon due to its origins. Only Americans refer to this bacon as Canadian bacon.

Canadians refer to this product as peameal bacon because in the 1800's, they would preserve the meat by rolling it in the ground with yellow split peas. If a person asks for Canadian bacon while in Canada, they would likely receive peameal bacon, which comes from the loin of a pig. The bacon that Americans typically eat is also common in Canada, and it comes from a pig's belly. In the United States, the loin of the pig is usually used for pork chops. In Canada, the loin of the big is not smoked or pre-cooked in any way, making it lean and boneless pork.

More clouds today as we go out on another shopping mission. The list of craft materials needed for tomorrow's classes was finally posted in the Rec Hall. Since Hobby Lobby is closed on Sundays we will have to go elsewhere.

Once again we were at JoAnn Fabrics. Not as hectic today as it was on our previous visit. Charlotte had an extensive list of craft items needed so I went in to help her located what was required. Aisles later we had all but a few elusive items.

Charlotte stopped at the Dollar General next door and found a few more of the items that were needed.

Now there were only a few more to check off of the list. I went in to the ACE Hardware near OMS to search for the last items. After a few aisles I finally found the needed twist ties, white string and crazy glue. These items seem commonplace; yet they were difficult to locate. I had to settle for white nylon string as the once common white cotton string could not be found. The twist ties were equally illusive. Finally I located a single remaining pack of garbage bags with 20 twist ties. Everywhere else we looked the bags here had either drawstrings or extensions that could be used for closure. The crazy glue was the easy part. I got the gel - no drip - 5 second drying type. This would be easier to use. Hopefully no stuck fingers for Charlotte.

Last; but not least, we finally remembered to refill our kitchen counter top water container. We have 2 sizes - 1 gallon and 2 + gallons. Charlotte uses distilled water for her coffee. There is a purified water dispenser ($0.30 a gallon) outside a store in the strip mall across from OMS.

Charlotte made the traditional Tuna Fish Chip Dip for the Grey Cup Game. It was streaming on the ESPN2 App. Unfortunately, I could not get it to download on my iPhone. Technically, it is a Canadian unit and cannot download a USA only App.

Catherine, Charlotte's sister in Ottawa phoned to say Hi! After catching up on events she sent text updates of the score to keep us informed. Naturally, we were cheering for the Ottawa Redblacks. Edmonton Eskimos scored with 20 seconds left in the half to take a 17-16 lead. The Redblacks retook the lead 19-17 after Chris Milo connected on a 33-yard field goal early in the third quarter. An Edmonton punt for a single point. Ottawa leads 19-18 at the start of the 4th quarter. Another single point - this time for Ottawa - giving them a 20-18 lead.

Edmonton Eskimos backup quarterback Jordan Lynch scored a touchdown on a QB sneak to give Edmonton a lead with just over three minutes remaining. They would win the 103rd Grey Cup 26-20 over the Ottawa Redblacks. To Bad - So Sad - Maybe next year Ottawa.

TV news to end the day.

Saturday - 27 Nov/15

Today we were off on a few late morning missions.

First up was a stop at JoAnn Fabrics on Hwy 441 in Tavares, FL just to see what might be on Charlotte's "things I didn't know I needed" list.

After Hobby Lobby yesterday and JoAnn today I have concluded that the biggest Christmas Season shopping rush crowds were at these types of stores which probably includes Michaels as well (haven't been there yet). People just kept going in and coming out in a steady flow. I am sure the "50% off" on all Christmas Decorations was the biggest draw. Even with 8 cashiers open there was a backup. Numbers had to be taken to get fabric cut. Most folks just went off and shopped until their number was called.

Since we already celebrated Christmas before leaving to come south; Charlotte found there was strange being near Christmas bargains that she didn't need. It was almost like being in a time warp.

Charlotte did find some neat things which include the smallest fabric cutting board ever - about 2" by 2" - neat.

Next stop was just a few miles down Hwy 441 at Home Depot in Leesburg. I tried to order the necessary items to make a Pull Out Pantry for the motorhome. What I needed was available as an on-line order only. The problem is that I cannot order as my billing address is Canadian and the software will not accept those details.

I went to the store service counter to have them place the order for what I wanted. When they couldn't enter my payment data I gave them what I thought was a way around the problem. I suggested they total the cost, let me purchase a gift card for that amount and then enter the purchase payment using the gift card which would not require a payment address. It worked. The items should be shipped to the OMS site #39 inside of 2 weeks.

We also made a few in-store purchase which include a plant, large pot and potting soil, wood stain and a new entry carpet for the RV.

Continuing on our Hwy 441 theme I again traveled a few miles down the road. I tried to distract Charlotte by saying we were going to the McD's that was on the other side of the road for lunch. She figured it out as soon as I turned right instead of left into the Ichiban Hibachi & Sushi Buffet parking lot.

What's the Japanese equivalent of "Stuffed like a Thanksgiving Turkey"!

We retraced our route back towards OMS with a final stop for the day at Publix in Eustis.

Tom and Chris, neighbours a few lots down on our street (Suwannee), told us that our favourite Fruit Cake was available at Publix for the Christmas Season. Last year we made a side trip to the Claxton, GA bakery to pick up a supply. Today I picked up a dozen (1lb. - regular recipe) packages to hold us over for a while (along with a few other items).

Back at the RV we unloaded. Charlotte helped me put on the car cover. We rested before getting ready for the OMS "Welcome Back Dance" in the Rec Hall at 7 pm.

The band this evening was "The Sugarbear Band". This band is popular in the area and often plays in "The Villages". They played a cross section of 50's and 60's songs. There were only a few we did not recognize. We danced the slow ones.

At these special events OMS provides free soft drinks and pitchers of draft beer. Improvements this year include a new "Draft Counter" opening next to the new rack style soft drink refrigerator. Good job OMS!

Like when attending "Potluck" meals in the park, it is always fun to meet new (to us) park residents with whom we share the table. Tonight at the dance we had the pleasure of meeting a neat couple who were also from Canada.

When we introduce ourselves we start with indicating we are from "Canada" and progress in  a series of steps that continually narrow towards our village. How far we get depends on how familiar the folks are with the places we name. Next is Ontario followed by "Where Ontario, Quebec and New York State touch on the St. Lawrence River". If they know this area next comes Cornwall (Ontario). Knowledge of Cornwall yields Long Sault, 7 km west of Cornwall, where we live. It is nice when, like tonight, we get all the way to the end.

We enjoyed the lovely evening walk back to the RV - all 3 minutes of it. We are on the second street from the clubhouse making it a really short walk. We left as the band started their final song for the evening getting us home by 10 p.m.

To round out the evening we watched "Deal of the Century" on a retro TV station. You can sure tell it was an "Oldie" when one of the prizes was a typewriter. It was still fun to answer the questions that were given to the contestants.

Our bedtime snack was a piece of the Claxton Fruitcake - so good!

Friday - 27 Nov/15

High today in the Upper 70's F. POP 40%.

The POP in Florida is different than in Canada. Back home if the chance of rain is 40% it means that there is a 40% chance that you will be rained on. In Florida it usually means you will be rained on 40% of the time. Today there will be lots of little cloud showers coming off the Atlantic otherwise it will be mostly sunny. That means today there is a good chance of another sun shower.

Leaving the Thanksgiving Dinner yesterday the sky was bright and clear with a few clouds yet it was raining. A heavy shower was coming from one lone darker cloud at a distance and the strong wind was bringing it to us. Wind gusts yesterday were over 40 mph at times. It lasted about a minute.

This morning, despite the 40% chance of rain, the skies are clear blue even though the humidity level is above 80%. This means there is always a heavy dew on the car in the morning. This is typical Florida weather.

Today is Black Friday. I referred to the origin of the name in yesterday's blog. That was the explanation for the current meaning.

The true story behind Black Friday, however, is not as sunny as retailers might have you believe. Back in the 1950's, police in the city of Philadelphia used the term to describe the chaos that ensued on the day after Thanksgiving, when hordes of suburban shoppers and tourists flooded into the city in advance of the big Army-Navy football game held on that Saturday every year. By 1961, “Black Friday” had caught on in Philadelphia, to the extent that the city’s merchants and boosters tried unsuccessfully to change it to “Big Friday” in order to remove the negative connotations.

The term "Black Friday" didn’t spread to the rest of the country until sometime in the late 1980s, however, retailers found a way to reinvent Black Friday and turn it into something that reflected positively, rather than negatively, on them and their customers. The result was the “red to black” concept of the holiday mentioned earlier, and the notion that the day after Thanksgiving marked the occasion when America’s stores finally turned a profit. (In fact, stores traditionally see bigger sales on the Saturday before Christmas.)

Since then, the one-day sales bonanza has morphed into a four-day event, and spawned other “retail holidays” such as Small Business Saturday/Sunday and Cyber Monday. Stores started opening earlier and earlier on that Friday, and now the most dedicated shoppers can head out right after their Thanksgiving meal.

The mission for today is to look for a car cover. The Live Oak trees (yes, they are called Live Oak which seems redundant) shed leaves continuously and drop acorns. Falling from 50-60 feet the acorns sound like a gunshot when they hit the RV roof. The leaves are similar in shape and size to Maple tree seeds (you know, the helicopters). Last year the car fan was totally packed with leaves that got sucked in. A car cover should help.

I found a cover at the Advantage Auto Parts Store just a few miles down the road. I was on empty so I filled up next door at the 7-11 for less than $20 U.S.

Then we were off to Hobby Lobby in Mt. Dora for some craft items.I parked in our usual spot which has been beautified since last year. Charlotte had an hour of shopping fun while I enjoyed music in the car (with the top off). As predicted I had a light shower visit for about 30 seconds while waiting.

Our next stop was just down the road at Target. We found the Scrubbing Bubbles Shower Cleaner that we have been looking for on our last few outings. Ours stopped working.

We really like this unit for the motorhome shower. It has 2 button settings. The smaller rotates the sprayer and covers the total shower quickly. The larger button makes a few more rounds. It has a delay ( a beeping countdown) that allows you to press the button then close the door before the spraying starts. We use it after every shower use. It only took a few moments to insert the batteries, pop on the cleaning fluid bottle and then hang on the shower wall.

Talking about showers - we had another 30 second sprinkle on the way to get event tickets at the Chamber of Commerce; however they were closed for Thanksgiving and will not re-open until Monday.

On the way back to OMS we stopped to pick up some boiled peanuts. This batch was one of the best we have had to date. Below is a reprint giving some insight into this southern treat that I copied from one of my past blogs:

Before there was edamame (preparation of immature soybeans in the pod, found in the cuisine of China, Japan and Hawaii.) in this country, there were hot boiled peanuts, which are a staple in much of the South. Boiled peanuts (originally called Goober Peas) are just raw peanuts that have been boiled in salted water for hours. Fully mature peanuts do not make good quality boiled peanuts; rather raw or "green" ones are used. "Raw" denotes peanuts in a semi-mature state, having achieved full size, but not being fully dried, as would be needed for roasting or peanut butter. The most flavourful peanuts for boiling are the Valencia type (not Virginia type). They resemble soft mushy peas or beans in texture once cooked. Great with beer or a cold soda, these salty soft peanuts are totally addictive. They have an almost sweet aftertaste.A little messy too, given that the shells absorb some of the water which can squirt out at you when you bite into them to get the nut out. People usually eat them outside where you can toss the shells and not worry about the salt water dribbles. Uneaten peanuts should be stored in a refrigerator, as they can become slimy or moldy quite quickly without refrigeration. Boiled peanuts can be frozen, and later reheated in a microwave or boiling water for out of season consumption. Properly frozen, the flavor is well maintained for even several years.

After our snack I installed a pair of new windshield wipers on the Del Sol. Charlotte helped me place the new cover over the car. It has an elastic band all around the bottom. Hopefully it will remain in place and keep the oak leaves from infiltrating the car's blower and the trunk water drain channels.

Cream of Mushroom soup with saltine crackers was on the agenda for supper. We will skip this evening's Bingo - perhaps we will make Monday's session.. Charlotte is relaxing tonight while colouring (adult colouring book) with an ear tuned to Jeopardy. Pecan pie will be the evening snack after the show. Not sure what we will watch on TV for the rest of the evening.

Thursday - 26 Nov/15

HAPPY THANKSGIVING - AGAIN !!!

We celebrated Thanksgiving in Canada before departing for the south.

Refugees fleeing the civil war in the United States brought the custom of an annual thanksgiving festival to Canada. From 1879, Thanksgiving Day was held every year but the date varied and there was a special theme each year.

From the end of the First World War until 1930, both Armistice Day and Thanksgiving Day were celebrated on the Monday closest to November 11, the anniversary of the official end of hostilities in World War I. In 1931, Armistice Day was renamed Remembrance Day and Thanksgiving Day was moved to a Monday in October. Since 1957, Thanksgiving Day has always been held on the second Monday in October.

Thanksgiving Day in Canada is linked to the European tradition of harvest festivals. A common image seen at this time of year is a cornucopia, or horn, filled with seasonal fruit and vegetables. The cornucopia, which means "Horn of Plenty" in Latin, was a symbol of bounty and plenty in ancient Greece.

Thanksgiving is celebrated in the USA on the fourth Thursday in November. It has been celebrated as a federal holiday every year since 1863, when, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of "Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens", to be celebrated on the last Thursday in November. (Thanksgiving was also celebrated nationally in 1789, after a proclamation by George Washington.)

Squanto, a Patuxet (a Native American) who resided with the Wampanoag tribe, taught the Pilgrims how to catch eel and grow corn and served as an interpreter for them. Squanto had learned English during his enslavement in England. The Wampanoag leader Massasoit had given food to the colonists during the first winter when supplies brought from England were insufficient.

The "First Thanksgiving" was celebrated by the Pilgrims after their first harvest in the New World  at Plimoth Plantation in 1621. This feast lasted three days, and it was attended by 90 Native Americans and 53 Pilgrims. The New England colonists were accustomed to regularly celebrating "Thanksgivings" or "Days of Prayer" thanking God for blessings such as military victory or the end of a drought.

Today turkeys, pumpkins, ears of corn and large displays of food are also used to symbolize Thanksgiving. For the first celebration the Wampanoag guests brought five deer with them, so venison was on the menu. The English brought fowl, probably migrating waterfowl like ducks and geese, which were plentiful in autumn, No mention of turkey, cranberries or pies at this event. Women may have done the cooking; however the feasting was an all-male event.

Today, Thanksgiving is one of the major holidays of the year. Thanksgiving is a part of the broader holiday season that includes Christmas and New Year, The "Kick-off" is the Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City originated by Macy's Department Store In 1924. The annual Thanksgiving parade, started by Bamberger's store in Newark, NJ was transferred to New York City by Macy's. In New York, the employees marched to Macy's flagship store on 34th Street dressed in vibrant costumes. There were floats, professional bands and live animals borrowed from the Central Park Zoo. At the end of that first parade, as has been the case with every parade since,Santa Claus was welcomed into Herald Square. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade along with the parade in Detroit, MI is the second oldest in the USA.

From the first balloon, Felix the Cat, in 1927 to this year's Angry Birds, Balloons, Falloons (Float & Balloon), and Balloonicles (Balloon and Vehicle) they have become as important as the floats. Character Balloons can require as many as 90 handlers yet there has been the occasional run-in with a lamppost or bystander.

At the finale of the 1928 parade, the balloons were released into the sky, where they unexpectedly burst. The following year, they were redesigned with safety valves to allow them to float for a few days. Address labels were sewn into them, so that whoever found and mailed back the discarded balloon received a gift from Macy's.

The parade became known nationwide after being prominently featured in the 1947 film, Miracle on 34th Street, which included footage of the 1946 festivities. The event was first broadcast on network television in 1948. By this point the event, and Macy's sponsorship of it, were sufficiently well-known to give rise to the colloquialism "Macy's Day Parade". Since 1984, the balloons have been made by Raven Aerostar.

The parade kicks off the Christmas gift buying season (tomorrow) which is known as "Black Friday". The name came about because traditionally it was said that this was the day their finances finally got "out of the red" and into the "Black".

After viewing the parade on TV we got ready for the OMS Thanksgiving Day Potluck. OMS provides the turkey, potatoes, stuffing, gravy and buns while the residents bring a variety of vegetables, salads and desserts to share. To make things orderly for filling our plates the tables are called by a number draw. We were lucky enough to go second. A similar procedure will be followed for Christmas and other main celebrations.

Needless to say the hall was packed. It is always nice to meet the folks that we share a table with at these events. One couple we met has been coming to OMS for 21 years. Others we met were from Michigan and Illinois and have been coming for years as well. This is our third year at Olde Mill Stream.

The rest of the day we will spend watching TV (Jeopardy, etc.) and relaxing. We don't plan on being out in the pre-"Black Friday" madness when many stores re-open at 6 pm this evening.

Wednesday - 25 Nov/15

The "Cold Spell" appears to be over. It was below 70 F when we arrived. It is now close to 80 F and partly cloudy.

Since our shopping trip yesterday Charlotte had the resources to make egg muffin sandwiches for brunch...mmmm good! Better than McD's.

We had Christmas in November on the Monday before our departure. This Hamilton Beach Breakfast Sandwich Maker was our gift from our daughter Kat. She always finds neat stuff.

Liz got the double version from Kat. They had used there unit before we departed for the south and loved it.

Since it was brunch we naturally had dessert. The apple pie at Winn-Dixie yesterday was only $4 so we bought one. Charlotte warmed it up and it was good as any we have ever eaten.

I have been trying to locate a RV windshield glass company for the last few days. On the way the passenger side windshield had a traumatic experience near Fredricksburg, VA. It needs to be replaced. Normally a small chip can be injected with a sealing liquid and repaired to look like new. Unfortunately, when cracks radiate from the "Bullseye" the window needs to be replaced.

Most windshield repair companies only do autos and small trucks. Several of the  RV windshield repair services I contacted required I go to their facility. Finally I located Mobile RV Glass on the internet. They service the whole USA and would come to the RV park.

I called and gave the the required information that I found located in the lower corner of the windshield. The last line of the manufacturing info is the part number. In less than a half hour they phoned back. They ship to this area on Thursday which is Thanksgiving. This will postpone the unit arriving until the following week. We will then set up an installation time for the mobile installation which will be dependent on the weather.

Thankfully, this year I am on a new phone plan. ROAM Mobility. Their Snowbird Plan gives unlimited calling in the USA and back to Canada. It also provides unlimited texting, email and internet access. It starts with a 3 month subscription that is renewable by the month up to a total of 6 months. It required a special SIM card. This is available on-line and at various stores. I bought mine at STAPLES. As promised, service started up as I entered the USA. There was coverage all the way to Florida. Bonus: It costs less than my limited cell phone plan in Canada. I cancelled my Canada plan and will get a new Canada service when we return.

Our PM outing involved going to the Ocala Camping World which is actually in Summerfield which is closer to Lady Lake than Ocala. I picked up a plug for the hot water heater. The valve means I will no longer have to remove it when it needs to be drained for winterizing.

We also went to Wal-Mart in Lady Lake for to get 4 more pillows like the pair we picked up at the Walterboro Wal-Mart on the way south. We also picked up some other items we didn't know we needed.

Charlotte was thrilled to find a Fiskars Rotating Cutting Board.

• 14 x 14" mat rotates to help you cut squares of fabric at easier angles
• Self-healing mat provides a cutting surface that lasts longer than others
• Easy-to-read measuring grid makes accurate measurements a snap
• 30-45- and 60-degree bias lines make creating triangle and star shapes easy
• Lifetime warranty

This will make cutting material for crafts much easier and more accurate.

Our choice for this evenings meal was the Cracker Barrel in Lady Lake, FL. Great food as always. Charlotte found a nice sweater for when the weather gets cooler.

I found a Peanuts PEZ Limited Edition. I phoned Liz at work to see if she had this. Got the voice mail so I asked her to text me when she could. Text arrived. Purchase made.

Off and on light rain on the way back to OMS. The rain held off  while we unloaded the car. A little heavier later (after 6 p.m.).

No other plans except TV (Jeopardy, etc.) for the evening.

Note: Wi-Fi availability varies. Don't be alarmed if there is no blog on any given day.

Tuesday - 24 Nov/15

A busy day today doing necessary tasks.

Much of the morning was spent on-line or on the phone.

I contact Norcold regarding our new refrigerator. Charlotte opened the door on our second day out and found that one of the door shelves was cracked. My conclusion was that it was a manufacturing defect. The shelf only had 3 soda cans in it. The other shelves were full with much heavier items. The crack radiated from the injection molding location. After an on-line chat I e-mailed a picture of the shelf. I placed an orange piece of paper in the shelf to make the crack more visible. I included our mailing address in Florida. I am now waiting for a reply.

The next task was to phone Rand McNally to arrange for the repair of my GPS. The last update caused the unit to not be able to program a location. Their techs tried for the better part of a day to reset the unit without results. They requested the unit be sent in to their repair facility for a no-charge repair.

Since it would still show the road map and being it could not be returned before our departure for going south I asked to keep it until our arrival in Florida. They agreed. Now that we arrived I was setting things in motion.

They emailed an RMA # and a free shipping tag for UPS.

Going on-line I located the closest full service location, the US PAK-N-SHIP store in Eustis, FL. It only took a few minutes to have it wrapped, boxed and labelled for shipping.

By now it was almost noon - time for Lunch. Since the Golden Corral was just around the corner, we were naturally obliged to go there to eat (grin). Our OMS card got us a 10% discount. Food was good as always. We left like "Thanksgiving Turkeys" - stuffed (grin).

Our next stop was the Batteries + Bulbs store just a mile or so up Hwy 441. Here I bought a second 3.7V Lithium Ion rechargeable battery for a new flashlight. We can now keep one battery charged while the other is in use. This is important because it cannot take regular batteries and would not be able to be used while recharging. Now we can keep using it.

On the way back to the RV Park we stopped at the Winn-Dixie for some basic groceries. A word to the wise. Tell the cashier you are a travelling RVer and they will scan a discount card making you eligible for the current local discounts. We saved about 15% on our order by doing this.

Back at the RV we unpacked and stored our purchases which filled the refrigerator.

The turkeys, still being stuffed, only nibbled for supper.

Again, the usual TV evening. Jeopardy followed by a pair of NCIS shows before bed.