Work, Work, Work

Hey! We couldn't ask to be paid if we didn't work sometime huh? So, Jim's been doing some troubleshooting and upgrading. We've both been visiting users and working on support calls and emails. The park we are in, Paradise Island, is a Coach Connect park. Actually, it's how we got started with Coach Connect. You can read the whole story here. We gave our WiFi seminar here the other night and it felt so weird! In the room where we gave the seminar there are bookshelves filled with books. Those are *OUR* bookshelves and our books that we donated when we sold our house. And, some of the people who attended - we already knew! As always, when we help people with their computers, we get to meet fascinating folks. One is living in the park here because it is close to Executive Airport where she is training to get her pilot's license. She has her computer equipped with the fanciest flight simulator equipment I've ever seen. Sitting down at her computer involved climbing into the 'cockpit'! If you know us very well, you know that we never work very hard ... if only because we have such a passion for computers, Internet, and helping people use them, that it's not really work for us. BUT, also because we love to play, and, why else would you be in South Florida in July except to play in the water?! Here I am coming in from a fabulous dive right off Fort Lauderdale beach. Learn more about this great sport of kayak diving at www.kayuba.org I posted more photos, and a couple videos about kayak diving in a weblog post from last year if you want to see more.

Travel Stats

This past month has been the most intense traveling of our full-timing life so far. On May 20 we were in N. Platte Nebraska. We decided to take a northern route back to Florida because there were lots of Coach Connect parks we wanted to visit along that route. There were some upgrades to do and general visits. We wanted to be in Florida for the best diving weather which is July/August. And, as long as we were going to be there by July ... I set the deadline for June 28 because of my Women's Executive Club retreat. WEC is a club I've belonged to since 1983. Other women in business, and a wonderful group of friends. I'm so glad we made it in time. So, in just over a month, we traveled over 3500 miles (450 gallons of gas, $935). We covered 17 states and visited 12 Coach Connect parks. Whew! So, when I say we're glad to be home - keep that last month in mind. Oh! And, the number one way you know you're really home?!?! You can go to a hairdresser you've been to before! And, just say "you know what to do". I just love the way Marysia cuts and colors my hair. NO! We are not hanging up our keys! We are still full-time RVers. We hope to be in New England for the Fall colors. But - home is good for a while. Gotta visit all those doctors that our insurance will only cover here. (Don't even get me started talking about health insurance!) And, as wonderful as it is to visit farflung friends around the country, it's SO important to stay connected with those folks you knew for years and years. I'm reminded of the nursery rhyme: "Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver, the other gold." Here we are in our 'home' RV park, Paradise Island.

Home is Where You Park It?

The founder of the Escapees (a RVers club we've been meaning to join), Kay Peterson, wrote a book called Home is Where you Park it. It is generally recognized as the first 'bible' of full-time RVing. We have been living by those words for the past 14 months. We've been at 'home' parked in a friend's driveway by the bay, in a National Forest campground at 9,000 feet, in a luxury RV resort on the cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean, and in a cow pasture! But, once we got to Florida a few days ago - we realized that there are different degrees of being 'home'. You know you're really home when: 1. Your toll pass device works: we were so envious, in Pennsylvania, of the people who just whizzed thru the toll plazas because they had the 'EZPass' device which lets them 'beep' on thru. We had a SunPass for Florida toll roads when we lived here. When we were about to get on the Turnpike, Jim told me to find it and put it up in the window. Yeah - right - like I can find it ... and, like it will really work. I did. And, it did. Cool. 2. You don't need the GPS and mapping software to find your way! 3. All the license plates look like yours. 4. Your cell phone is in it's home area code. People who call us, using the 954 area code, might believe that we're in S Florida. But, we had the same number even when we were on the Oregon coast! Something to get used to in this age of cell phones. 5. When you want to practice your favorite sport (scuba diving from our kayaks - more about that later), you know exactly where to go and what to do. AND ... your friends will be there to join you! 6. You can visit your stuff in the storage closet. 7. You can visit 'the boy' (Jim's son Devon) and see him at work. 8. Jim can spend some very precious time with his family. His Mom is quite sick and it feels like a very important time for the family to be together. 9. We can stay in a park where I've spent time since I was a teenager. Easterlin park is where I would go, look at the RVs parked there, and dream about doing that myself 'someday'. 10. And, the most obvious way to know that I am really 'home' .... my mother can come over to MY house and visit! Omigod ... gotta clean up ... oh - who am I kidding? It's my Mom. She knows I don't keep a clean house! Hi Mom!

Greetings from Florida

Right back where we started from! We are SOO looking forward to scuba diving and seeing all our family and friends. One might almost think we're homesick? Never thought it would happen! The first order of business was to stop and see my Dad since he lives in North Florida. For people who think Florida is just Disney World and Miami ... here's the *real* Florida. River areas.

And gators:

This is Tom and Candy's place, but it's also known as the headquarters of Odie's Fan Club! He is treated like a king here. His special toy (a 'puffin') is waiting for him. Of course, it's hidden, but he finds it right away. Hmmmm - blogger has made some major changes in how photos are handled. Maybe it's a good thing - but, dontcha just hate it when a computer procedure, that you're really comfortable with, doesn't work the same anymore?!?! I gotta figure this out. Back at ya later.

Greetings from Georgia

Whew! Another record day - 410 miles. You know what that means? I actually had to drive! Jim does almost all of the driving. I am the relief driver. But, since we usually don't travel more than 200 miles in a day - no relief is needed. I actually kind of like driving - our rig rides so smooth - maybe all that $ spent on shocks, tires, and sway bars pays off huh? And, the roads are MUCH better here than in the north. The Savannah river marks the stateline between S. Carolina and Georgia. Beautiful. I still prefer being a passenger though. On-the-road time is my relaxation. No computer. No work. Just watching the scenery go by. Browsing the map. Cuddling with Odie in my lap. Listening to music on our Sirius satellite radio. Sometimes we turn off the radio and ... *gasp* ... talk. Odie's getting pretty pushy about the passenger seat. He has a pillow on the floor between the driver's and the passenger seat. But, when I'm not sitting in the seat - he's there. And, when I am, he likes to be on my lap.