6 New Tires – Ready to Roll

We have almost 8,000 miles planned for this summer and Jim wanted to ride those miles on Michelin tires rather than the assortment we had, so he drove our home to the tire store this week while I went over to my Mom’s house.  We hit the road today, just going a couple hundred miles to the Orlando Thousand Trails.  I’m anxious to know if I feel the difference.
Mom likes traveling with us in the RV so much that she’s coming with us for the first leg of our trip … to Bowling Green, Kentucky.  We’ll be presenting seminars at the RV Lifestyle, Education and Safety Conference from June 3-6.  Then, I”ll fly back with her and stay at her place for a couple weeks while Jim stays alone with the RV in Kentucky,  I think our belief is that, after a period with 3 people together, an adjustment time alone will bring us back to normal? 
On Friday, we finally got the weather needed for a kayak dive.  Jim’s been out a couple of times recently, but I haven’t been since last October.  I’m SOO grateful for that day.  If you’ve never been diving, it’s probably hard to imagine the pure joy and contentment that is brought on by being weightless in warm ocean water – no talking – no listening except to your bubbles and your own thoughts.  It is my meditation.  See this past post for more description on why we like kayak diving so much.

It’s about Time

Life just hasn’t been very bloggable lately.  But I figured it’s about time I posted something.  And, since we’re leaving in a week, it was also about time that we got the grandkids over here to the pool.  Luckily this time they were available.  In fact, the whole family was available.  So Jim cooked chicken wings and mini hamburgers and hot dogs for Devon and the kids, Lacie, Jo Ellen, John, me and mom.  It was a nice time.

Here's Devon (Jim's son) with his 'mini-me' AJ, Jim's grandson. So cute.

And Jim’s daughter-in-law Lacie

This is what it’s all about … Gramps time.

Two Web-based Conferences in One Day

Yesterday was truly Geeky!  A web-based meeting with Google in California, and a Webinar we presented with the folks at Mobile RV Academy in Texas. All from the comfort(?) of our RV in Florida.

In the afternoon I was part of a Web ‘Meetup’ with the folks at Google’s Picasa group.  The founders of Picnik.com were also there and they answered questions about this latest acquisition of Google’s.  How exciting that must be to have your company purchased by Google!  And, it’s pretty exciting news for Picasa users too.  Picnik.com allows you to do even more editing to your pictures than in Picasa – and it’s completely web based. 

But the cool thing for me was to be part of this meeting in California without leaving my RV in Florida.  I just browsed to the specified web address and logged in – I could see Jaysie from Google, who we met last November on our visit.  I was a little scared at first that they were going to ask everyone to turn on their webcams and be visible … I was not presentable!  I was able to ask questions, and I got to ‘meet’ some of the ‘Top Contributors’ from the Picasa Help Forum – like Don Lind who is not only a wealth of information but really takes the time to fully answer the questions.

Then, last night, both Jim and I were connected via Go To Webinar to the folks from Mobile RV Academy and an audience of mostly Workamper News members.  We (mostly Jim) presented our entire Connecting to the Internet on the Road seminar.  One and a half hours!  It went great.  It was recorded – we’ll probably be able to make it available for our Geeks on Tour members soon.

Happy Star Wars Day!

May the Fourth be with You!

Just heard that on the radio … thought it was so cute.

Hot and sunny is the weather word here in South Florida.  The only thing that keeps it from being perfect in our eyes is the wind.  Actually, its a delightful ocean breeze, but it makes the ocean too choppy to go kayak diving.  It’s been either cold or windy all season  - so I haven’t been diving since last October :-(  Sure hope I get at least one chance before we leave. 

We will be leaving on May 21 … giving us enough time to leisurely work our way to Bowling Green, Kentucky for the

RV Lifestyle, Education and Safety Conference in Bowling Green, KY 6/3 – 6/6

We will be presenting our regular seminars: Internet on the Road, Managing Digital Photos with Picasa, and How to make a Blog PLUS two new seminars, GPS and Navigation, and Email on the Road.

Hope to see some of you there.  If you’ve ever heard of Life on Wheels – the RV Education program – then you’ll have some idea of what to expect in Bowling Green.  You can see a complete schedule of all the education being offered at:
http://www.rvsafety.com/LESSchedule.html  I hope we have time to attend a few of these too!

 

Webinar this Thursday

If you can’t make any of our live seminars – we’ll be doing a complete ‘Connecting to the Internet on the Road’ seminar online this Thursday evening.  It’s a 75 minute Webinar presented by Mobile RV Academy. 

More info and Register for:

75 Minute Informational Webinar - Terry Cooper w/Expert Guest Jim & Chris Guld of Geeks on Tour

Polynesian Festival

Mom happened to see a notice for a Polynesian Festival and she cut it out of the paper.  What a treat! Right here in our city of Oakland Park (in the Greater Fort Lauderdale area.)  And, it was at Jaco Pastorius park, named after a jazz musician that Jim was familiar with – apparently a local boy.  Jim had just been reading about this park named after Jaco because of his tragic story.  Successful musician, killed in a bar fight.

Anyway, the festival and the entertainment were provided by the Polynesian Cultural Association.  Jim and I, Lynne and John, and Mom took a few hours yesterday afternoon and enjoyed the festival.  Mom even dressed in her Polynesian best.

Come to find out there is a dance studio where you can learn to do this dancing … Ooooh that would be so much fun.

Samoan Bouncer?  Actually – this guy was very friendly … he danced and made baskets too.

Face painting was also a popular activity for the day.

Here's a short video: