Thu 26 Mar/15

Set the TV to come on at 7:30 a.m. so I could get to Wally's Garage on time.

The Honda Del Sol is 20 years old. The glue dried out on the driver's side signal light and it fell off .(somewhere?). It doesn't look half bad; however the reflector, which was protected by the cover, would eventually tarnish. I figured the other signal light might not be too far behing in loosing it cover. To have a match I ordered the pair.

Honda no longer has that part available. OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) parts suppliers did not have that part either (although they said they did). I ordered a non-OEM part that was certified by DOT and guaranteed to be perfect replacement fit. I think this part was probably made by the original supplier to Honda as it was a perfect replacement and impossible to tell that it was not an OEM.

Wally had the both lights installed in minutes. This was hardly enough time to enjoy looking over his "Drag Car". This 800+ horsepower, 200 + MPH car does the quarter mile in the 7 second bracket. Wally, an engine building whiz, plans on installing dual blowers giving it gobs more horsepower and an even faster 1/4 mile time.

The new "matched pair" look great; however, it will take then some time to "weather match" the original 20 year old headlights.

Instead of going to crafts Charlotte worked on her new patterned quilt in the RV. I helped make the final pattern setup last night. It was finished when I returned. Now it needs the borders and the backing to be cut and added.

With the day being "Dull" we opted to spend it resting and doing "RV things". Afternoon and evening chances of rain are fairly high meaning it is not an optimal day for travelling. We had thought about getting tickets for the Sha-Na-Na concert in The Villages for tomorrow evening; however, we decided to pass (We have seen them "In Concert" previously) due to the predicted weather.

Watching the "Local News" today we see that the weekly (or more frequent) track record for vehicles hitting buildings, driving into bodies of water, road rage shootings, homicides, robberies and highways becoming "parking lots", as well as other "stranger than fiction" events, is still intact.

Many events involve handguns. This week's tragedy: A dinnertime quarrel over food between three unsupervised brothers turned deadly when a 13-year-old boy shot his brothers killing a 6-year-old, injuring a 16-year-old brother and then killing himself.

Local news tracks storms by the minute. They are really accurate and a  "cell" with 50 mph winds, hail, thunder and lightning is approaching. Green is rain, dark green = heavier, severity increases as the radar image goes from yellow through darker shades of orange and red. They even count the lightning strikes which often number in the thousands. They are referring to this as a "Summer-like Pattern". Being Florida it can go from sunshine to downpour in minutes. We "battened down the hatches" and pulled in the RV awning just in case.

Hey, this is Florida! It got darker with black skies around us. I could see the nearby tree tops waving in the wind - then it was all gone and sunshine broke through for a bit with temps near 90 F (rain areas dropped to low 70's F.)

We dodged the bullet! This is still better than the fury of the first major "Tornado Outbreak" that brought death and destruction to Oklahoma and Arkansas yesterday. After what has been an incredibly slow start to the twister season in the U,S. "Storm Chasers" in the heart of "Tornado Alley" are now actively back in business.

We do keep an eye on the storm tracking websites. Last year, while planning our trip home, storms caused us to cancel our plans for taking the "Natchez Trace" on our trip home. We had planned on re-visiting the new "Elvis Museum" complex in Tupelo, MS. We were there previously just as it was approaching completion and wanted to see the finished product. It was a good thing we diverted as a tornado touched down within 5 miles of the site. We try to avoid driving our 60 feet of Motorhome/Car (aka SAIL) during major storms, especially those with high winds.

The chances of rain increase for Friday (80%) with well over 1" predicted for the more severe storms; however, the weekend looks great for sunshine!

The usual TV night started with Jeopardy.

Wed - 25 Mar/15

Again the humidity means the morning will be dull with overcast skies. It will eventually get sunny by late morning.and warm (85F) by the afternoon.

Charlotte headed off to crafts for 9 a.m.

Time for breakfast. I needed to do my duty. I could not let the last Krispy Kreme go stale (grin).

My first task of the morning was to double check the update on my GPS. The new map update "Froze" twice yesterday. I did an on-line check and 4 files were corrected. I will be able to see if it works next time out.

The new updated map also takes longer to display. It starts at about the same rate as the old map; however, it takes at least twice as long to initialize the map once a destination is entered. (Nearly 5 minutes which is really slow compared to the previous version. Perhaps this is related to the several new features that have been added to the update.

The screen now will automatically change from KM to MI, if needed, when entering another country. This is useful for us as we live in Canada a mile from the U.S. border. It was always a pain to change from KM to MI when visiting the USA (and back again when returning home). Another new feature shows the direction of the following (2nd) turn under the upcoming turn indicator. This is helpful as it helps in planning what side of a multi-lane road you need to be on after the initial turn. There are several new features as well as an increased database of POI. No - not the Hawaiian word for the primary Polynesian staple food made from the underground plant stem of the taro plant; but , "Points of Interest" (grin). All of these additions may contribute to the slow initial startup. Once going it works quickly.

Next duty was to install the container we purchased yesterday that holds plastic grocery store bags. The old container worked fine; but had a smaller capacity. We use these bags for the under-sink slide-out garbage bin.

The new one looks classier and has a larger capacity. Installation took longer than expected (1 hr.). I had to move the fire extinguisher bracket to allow for the larger size of the new bag storage unit.

On returning from crafts Charlotte finished preparing the salads for this afternoon's "Street Party" by adding chopped celery, green and red pepper and onion to the both the macaroni and potato salads. Naturally, I had to test the results (grin). Yummy!

While Charlotte was working on the salads I spent nearly an hour installing the old container in the bathroom. I had to move the under-counter garbage container to allow room for the unit. Most of the time was involved in fabricating a few parts. Now the garbage unit will have it's own supply.

The fog burnt off much quicker than yesterday. We took the top off the Del Sol and headed to Home Depot in Leesburg. Our mission was to purchase a Master Combination Lock Box. This will be used to hold RV access keys for emergency entry.

Charlotte, of course, won't go to The Home Depot without dressing appropriately in beige, orange and white. (grin)

Back at the RV we rested for a half hour before heading to the "Street Party". Doug spent a good deal of time last week inviting the neighbourhood to a "Potluck" at his site.

There was even a larger turnout than at last year's party - more than 50.

As usual there were enough "Potluck" dishes to feed an army and all were so tasty.

Doug's skill at the BBQ is beyond great!  He grilled our filets to perfection. Most amazing was that, even with a few dozen items on the grill, he remembered the owner of each and delivered it when ready,..and I have trouble just lighting a grill!

The weather co-operated with a perfect afternoon for the festivities. Folks had a good time chatting both before and after the meal. Thank You Doug for making this an annual event - hint!(grin).

The usual TV evening tonight starting with Jeopardy.

That sums it up for today!

Tue - 24 Mar/15

A dull and dreary start to the day. It remain overcast until late afternoon.

We lost another neighbour this morning. The park is starting to thin out as folks head home. (Picture was taken through the RV's Windshield Privacy Screen.)

A lot of folks are "Spring Cleaning" their park models before heading home soon. The sound of pressure washers cleaning the roof and leaf blowers piling up the leaves filled the morning air.

Our mission today, after the morning rush, was to head to "The Container Store" in Orlando (across from the Millenia Mall). This was the closest store (only 4 in Florida) for us to visit. It is HUGE. It took us a half hour to walk all the aisles. They have an unbelievably large and varied selection of household storage items.

I was trying to find a replacement for the 2.5 (U.S.) gallon water container that we use in the kitchen of the RV. It fits perfectly under the counter near the sink. Our old container somehow got dented in our travels and began to leak. I have searched at all the major retail stores without luck. It is available on-line at prices varying between $10 and $30. This is the only store I could find that carried this item. We bought two of the large size and a single 1 gal (U.S.) container.

Charlotte also found some other neat items which included a storage container with customizable divisions in which to place all her sewing machine accessories (feet, etc.).

Unfortunately, after the purchases where made we discovered a Krispy Kreme Doughnuts next door. (Sorry, Liz - I apologize!). Liz phoned last weekend for the location of the Krispy Kreme near Montreal. Liz, Nick and Marty were on their way to Mt. Tremblant in the Laurentians to Ski and Snowboard. They had a sudden craving for Krispy Kreme and phoned me for guidance. Unfortunately, I had to tell her most of the Krispy Kreme locations in Quebec had closed and the only one left near Montreal was in the other direction. Somehow, I know these things. (grin)

We avoided spoiling lunch by not indulging in our purchase. Instead we crossed the road to Pollo Tropical.

A fellow on his way into Pollo Tropical noticed the attachment on the front of the Del Sol and jokingly asked if I played "Bumper Cars". I told him I was from Canada and it was were I attached my snow plow (grin). Folks who think we live in Igloos are easily convinced by this ploy. (It's really to attach the tow bar to the Motorhome when we travel. I could remove it; however, I leave it on "for protection".)

Pollo Tropical is a fast food restaurant that began in Miami selling food with a "Taste of the Islands". The chain is concentrated mostly in Florida. There are also a few locations in TX, GA, TN and Central America. Charlotte had the Lite Grilled Chicken Breast paired with fluffy Yellow Rice with Vegetables and Balsamic Tomatoes. I had the Lite Chicken Caesar Wrap and Caribbean Chicken Soup. Both were quite good.

We passed on visiting the Millenia Mall so we could "Get Out of Town" before the rush hour. Normal traffic here is like rush hour in most other places.

We enjoyed the same "slow route" back to the RV that I planned out for our trip to the Arts Festival on the weekend. I stopped for a gas fill-up at the Shell in the Winn-Dixie Plaza at the intersection of
SR-19 and CR-44 in Eustis, We then went in the Winn-Dixie for a few items (Steak Filets, Potato Salad and Macaroni Salad) that we will bring to the "Street Party" at OMS tomorrow.

Next, we pulled into the small plaza across from OMS to get distilled water from the "Glacier" dispenser. It's has gotten "pricey" since last year. It is now 30 cents a gallon (not 25).

We soon had all three of the new water containers filled and in the trunk.

Back at the RV Charlotte organized her sewing machine accessories into her new container while I turned on the computer and checked the e-mails.

Our best friend (Helene) had sent an e-mail from Canada, One of her hobbies is creating unbelievably beautiful and unique greeting cards. Charlotte and I always eagerly anticipate receiving a card for our special occasions. Helene was in need of a "Danice Rubber Stamping Surface Mat" that was available at JO-ANN (which is not a Canadian Company). She sent a picture.

I went on-line and checked for the item. JO-ANN had none available; however, indications were that the store in Tavares still had a few in stock. Although it did not rain today the sky was overcast until late afternoon; however, the sun was now shining. We have a nice quiet route along Lake Eustis that we take to get to this store. That was the only excuse we needed and soon we were on our way - after all, it's only "Bill Miles" (grin).

(Explanation: "Bill Miles" is a decal on our Motorhome. It was given to us as a gift from "The Kids" when we purchased the RV. Appropriately, it was Helene that originated the saying in reference to our many "long distance" travels by saying; "After all, it's only Bill Miles!")

At Jo-Ann I sent Charlotte in with instructions to buy two mats. (Bill's Rule #4: Buy extra - it's cheaper than gas!).

Bonus: Not only did Charlotte find two mats; she also found some nice material, as well. (Bill's Rule #17: You can never have enough material!)

Perhaps Charlotte will make another "Travel Jewellery Holder" like the one she recently completed. Each of the inner pockets holds an individual piece of jewellery which keeps it from getting tangled.

Pulling the string and closes it up into a small, neat pouch. Charlotte is always making great things like this!

We arrived back at the RV in time for our usual Tuesday TV Evening: Jeopardy followed by Family Feud, NCIS, NCIS New Orleans and Person of Interest. Naturally, all programs were accompanied by a few more Krispy Kreme Doughnuts.

Dull weather didn't make it a dull day!

Mon - 23  Mar/15

Today we planned on going to the Webster Flea/Farmers Market. The weather put a quick stop to that plan. Hearing the continuous patter of rain on the RV required that we roll over and go back to sleep.
We did so and slept in until 10 a.m.

Today will be rain - all day. The rain and will continue coming down steadily until tomorrow morning. It continuously varies from light to heavy. The exceptional downpours will mostly be north of us. This is the "Dry Season" so any rain is welcome.

It still may get to almost 80 F today; however, it will be in the mid 70's most of next week. The weather pattern, since we arrived in December, has been a warmer than average. I don't hear anyone complaining (except those who live in the NW USA.(grin).

The privacy screen on the RV is soaked making the view outside quite dreary.

I am sure everyone (except for our 2 day neighbours who just left the park for their next destination) will be remaining inside. It took quite a while to get on the internet, so I will make this a wrap for the day as we will only be doing computer or craft stuff while we watch TV.

Sun - 22 Mar/15

The usual CBS Sunday Morning on TV. Today is going to be mostly overcast due to the extra humidity and high temps.

Charlotte finished "My Quilt" It Looks Great!

Today was an "Ultimate Restorations" marathon on Create TV. Really interesting projects in which rare and unique historic items are restored.  This was our TV for the day.

All the episodes were interesting; however, two items were of particular interest (small personal connections). "Cangarda: The Last American Steam Yacht" is the last surviving US-built steam yacht and one of only three left in the world. The vessel was built in 1901 at the Pusey and Jones Shipyard in Wilmington, DE. She is 136 feet long, and weighs 125 tons, and is the size of a small airliner. The original machinery was restored, including seven steam engines. After years of service in roles from opulence to indignity. The yacht sank in the Boston Harbour in 1999. It took over 100,000 man hours to bring this classic yacht her back to life.

Our connection to this episode is that it is a frequent visitor to the Maritime Museum in Mystic, CT which we have visited. It was certainly a unique experience; hearing the hissing and whistling noises accompanied by a cacophony of mechanical clicks and clunks made by the marine steam engine as we travelled across the water at the museum. It was whimsically musical.

In 1904, George Taylor Fulford, who made millions of dollars from "Pink Pills for Pale People" – a patent medicine he manufactured in Brockville and sold around the world bought the boat which was docked at Fulford Place (his 20,000-square-foot mansion) nestled on the banks of the St Lawrence River in Brockville, Ontario, Canada.

He renamed her "Magedoma" which was a combination of syllables from the names of his wife and children (MAry, GEorge, DOrothy, MArtha.)

Fulford was also a prominent member of the Canadian Parliament, In 1927 his wife hosted the Prince of Wales, Prince George (future Duke of Kent), and the Prime Ministers of both England (Stanley Baldwin) and Canada (William Lyon Mackenzie King). Cangarda ( remained in the Fulford family until after the WWII.

In 1987, George T. Fulford, the son of Senator Fulford, donated Fulford Place to the Ontario Heritage Trust. The contents of the mansion were later donated by his widow Jutta Fulford and his son George Fulford III. The Trust undertook an extensive restoration of the site with funds from the provincial government and opened it to the public as a house museum in June 1993. Seasonal exhibits in the gallery feature exotic works collected by the Fulfords on their world travels.

Fulford Place is owned and operated year-round by the Ontario Heritage Trust. Friends of Fulford Place Association, an incorporated volunteer body, lead tours of the house and grounds, conduct research, create interpretive displays and raise funds for restoration and interpretive projects. Tours

They are open for seasonal events (Christmas, etc.) Admission is quite reasonable. We enjoyed the tour. Summer Tea is fun (check for days and times). China from the Magedoma (Cangarda) may also be on display.

The second program in this series that was of particular interest was The Lysander: Canada's Unsung Hero". At Vintage Wings Air Museum in Ottawa, Canada, they are dedicated to finding and preserving the last of the airplanes from WWII. This organization is powered by volunteers and supported by donations. Their facility is located at the Gatineau-Ottawa Executive Airport, Gatineau, QC, Canada. The "Wings Over Gatineau-Ottawa" air show in September is a must see event as is the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa, ON, Canada.

Of all the War Birds, one of the most effective, yet mysterious, was the Lysander. British Army Air Co-operation Aircraft were named after mythical or historical military leaders; in this case the Spartan General Lysander was chosen for what is essentially the forerunner of STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) aircraft. Although it could fly at over 300 mph (almost fighter aircraft speed) due to it's high power-to-weight ratio (870 hp/6,330 lb); it's unique design made it possible to fly (stall Speed of 65 mph) and land almost anywhere. The Lysander became the first plane in the war to shoot down a bomber.


Affectionately known as Lizzie, she was built by Victory Aircraft (Malton, Ontario) in 1942. This is the same Canadian aircraft factory that was to later build 430 Lancaster Bombers (Mk X's) for the war effort.

The British formed a "Special Duties" Squadron (#138). They flew Lysanders from secret airfields to maintain clandestine contact with the French Resistance in occupied France. Operations almost always took place within a week of a full moon, as moonlight was essential for navigation. For this reason Lysanders were painted matte black. Pilots flew without any navigation equipment other than a map and compass landing on short strips of land, such as fields, marked out by four or five torches.

The Lysander could insert and remove agents from the continent or retrieve Allied aircrew who had been shot down over occupied territory and had evaded capture. Special versions were fitted with a fixed ladder over the port side to hasten access to the rear cockpit which was modified to hold two (uncomfortably) in a jam (literally). A Drop Tank was added to increase the aircraft's range. This was a good task for this aircraft as it was quite vulnerable to high speed enemy fighters.

Revered by the French Resistance for its daring nighttime rescues behind enemy lines, the Lysander became the symbol of victory. The French bestowed every possible award on this aircraft in recognition of it's (and it's pilots) service and heroism during the war effort.

The Germans knew little about the British aircraft and wished to study one. Soldiers captured an intact Lysander in March 1942 when its pilot was unable to destroy it after a crash, but a train hit the truck carrying the Lysander, destroying the cargo.

This was one of the most important airplane restorations in the last 50 years. Without the high profile and public interest for preservation like that received by the WWII Supermarine Spitfire (Battle of Britain), coupled with it's lack of exposure due to the "Secrecy" of it's missions, the Lysanders often ended up disintegrating in farmer's fields after the war.

Lizzie, supported by private donations, was brought back to her original glory by the efforts of skilled volunteers who dedicated thousands of hours to the project. Lizzie is one of only four Lysanders that remain, still flying, anywhere in the world.

We interrupted our view in the afternoon for a few hours.

At 2 p.m. we departed for the Main Clubhouse for the Ice Cream Social. There was quite a good turnout.

They were serving was an "Old Fashioned Banana Split" with vanilla, strawberry and chocolate Ice cream, a split banana, chocolate and pineapple sauce, chopped peanuts and whipped cream with a cherry on top. It was a great Sundae Sunday treat (grin).

After the social we headed out of the park to Publix. I was on my last can of soda, we were low on bottled water and we only had one of Marie Callender's Turkey Pot Pies left in the freezer. It was also time to buy the latest installment of Charlotte's magazines. Soon the Del Sol was loaded with the our needed items.

We decided the high heat and humidity made it too uncomfortable for a convertible drive so returned to the RV to relax, watch TV and work on various projects.

That sums it up for today.

Sat - 21 Mar/15

The fog didn't burn off until mid-afternoon.

This will be a "Park Day".  The Volunteers for the Umatilla Fire Department are putting on a Spaghetti Supper in the Main Hall to raise funds to replace old and worn equipment.

Charlotte continued working on "My Quilt". It is almost finished. After cleaning up the loose threads Charlotte only needs to sew on the edge binding. I added "Sam's Club w/Gas" locations to my computer database program I am designing. I only add this info for 4 states. It does take time.

New neighbours moved in (for two days) on the corner lot next to us. Wow! They have been to all the US states - twice! They are only here for a few days before travelling on to a "Rally" west of here.

Actually, we met them when a knock came at our door. They noticed water was leaking from our RV and came over to tell us. They hot water tank has a Safety Pressure Relief Valve if the water gets too hot and builds up pressure. I turned off the heater and relieved some of the pressure. It was fine after doing this. The 90 F temps and high humidity probably made it a little more sensitive. This is the first time it has done this so we will keep our eye on it.

We headed over to the Main Hall for the Spaghetti Supper for the 5:30 p.m. which was the second "Sitting". Due to the good support from the RV residents two sittings were needed and the evening dance for this evening was cancelled to allow for more than one sitting.

All at the folks in the park consider themselves part of the Umatilla community when they are here in the winter. Their support was certainly evident today.

We had planned on staying for the dance after the supper; however, since it was cancelled we decided to return to the RV and watch TV. Charlotte continued working on "My Quilt" and I added more data on the computer.

That wraps it up for today.