Wintery Tuesday

[Colliemom]

Good Morning ladies,

I'm up, but not necessarily at em. Molly woke me up a few times last night, so sleep got broke up. Guess she didn't want to sleep last night so figured I shouldn't either Actually she wanted in bed with me to curl up and sleep a couple of times although not long. Me thinks it's the teething process with her new teeth coming in that's making her restless.

Good ol' Alberta Clipper coming in today again, wind, snow, blowing and drifting etc. on forecast for today. We are under a Winter Weather Advisory for the day but this county, but with SW winds, I question how much of that stuff will affect us. We are more prone to the West winds here although they will shift later on today to the NW.

Martha, hope the freeing precip misses your area. Yes, those of us up north with all the snow do feel for you. Snow is one thing, but freezing rain and sleet are another. We don't like them here either. Not much can be done with that stuff although we do have better equipment to deal with it, there comes a point where even that is ineffective if it hits hard enough. Mom Nature still rules when it comes to weather. Won't be much longer and you ladies to the south will be getting into your warmer spring weather.

Tina, going "solar" now are we. Got plans for summer? Ava, nice to hear the needy neighbor is off and gone. I see a GTG between Carolb and Beth coming up and more as Carolb starts to trek Eastward. Also going to be a busy day for those getting ready to head to Hardee Lakes GTG in FL tomorrow. Last minute preps etc. I can feel the excitement.

Nothing much on my agenda here today. Need to fold and put yesterdays' laundry away, and plan to install a side wall air vent into a wall in my breezeway to let some trapped heat escape. Probably starting working on tax info befor my appt. sneaks up on me, etc.

So wishing you all a nice day. Keep warm and safe where it's wintery, dry if it's raining and safe travels to those on the road as well.

[Carolinagal]

Good Morning, Sue and Everyone !!!! Today I move on slowly towards the GTG, stopping at my DD's for overnight. She asked me last night where I was, had expected me, well I expected to be there too, but ate something that I shouldn't have and had to pay for it I would have missed meeting another member who stopped by here and will move on to the GTG too. Also would have missed new friends, from Mi, that I have met here that just got back from a skiing trip to Co. They left their rig here and it worked out I had a chance to welcome them back and also say good bye and exchange addresses, ph # etc. always good in bad situations !!! New friends to contact when I visit Michigan again and they live in an area that my travels up there I haven't been too yet, down the west side of the state. Really nice people.

The weather doesn't look the best for getting on the road, rained during the night and gloomy this morning, waiting for work traffic and any fog to clear the roads, besides I need my coffee and not planning to rush into just getting on the road. Not to much rushing left in me Like to enjoy my mornings. I only have to pull in the slide (hate to with wet awning over it, ) and unplug electric and cable. After I felt a wee better yesterday did most I need to in here. Liz, was cleaning out storage, inside cabinets and just busy, busy, and I think I caught some of it Which was really good !!!

Better get off of here and start moving towards getting on the road. Anxious to see my family and then get on to the GTG. Always love GTG's and I always really enjoy myself at them.

Hoping you all have a good day, sounds like you will be busy inside Sue, even though your weather stinks the rest of you, hope you can enjoy your day somehow, in spite of weather, Please stay safe,

CArol

[grammynmaggie]

good morning everyone...I am thinking maybe our winter along the coast might be over it is getting way too warm for us....I think I might melt if I have to stay here all summerI will be miserable ...Maggie will be miserable..anyway I'm getting ready for the GTG..I think I will be ready in the morning just to unplug start the engine and go have fun filled day and be safe

[Irmi]

Good morning Sue, CArol, Donna & everyone!

Sue, it amazes me with the winters you and so many others here put up with and act like it's an everyday occurrence. When I saw the 5 degrees it was in MD at our house this morning, it just makes me cringe. CArol, I love your avatar! Have a good time with your family and at the GTG. Donna, I know you're anxious to get on the road and meet the others at the GTG, as well.

The last couple days here in central FL have been absolutely gorgeous, to say the least, with temperatures in the 80's and lots of sunshine. Although today and the next couple days will be cloudy, it's still nice and mild out. It's so nice being able to sleep with the windows open.

Yesterday, Steve & I took another couple from Wandering Oaks to a small privately owned restaurant in the small village of Reddick. They have a small but delicious buffet in addition to meals which can be ordered off the menu, but always opt for the buffet. After we left, we decided to show them the village of McIntosh, where Liz, CArol and Tina are staying. We didn't stay but it was nice seeing them again. This morning, Steve went with the guys for the weekly breakfast out and I went to yoga.

I'm looking forward to updates on the FL GTG and what the rest of you are doing. Have a great day everyone!

[dayspring39]

Good Morning everyone... coffee is gone and oatmeal with blueberries is almost finished... so good...
CArol I also like your new avatar...
Take care and have a great day!

[IrishIroamed]

Just popping in for a quick howdy do & CArol - - - nice pic!

[Bethers]

Carol, yes, love that avatar.

I have been chilly this morning, and grumbling a bit to myself about it, then think about you up north and slap myself! So feel for what some of you are still living with each winter.

Today's a fun day, in a way. Only had 3 possible open sites this morning. I knew that one couple wanted to keep their site for another day and theirs was one of them. One was the overflow site, and they asked to stay, so there went that one. Yesterday, late afternoon, after the VC was closed, a couple in a small C - probably 22' like my last, came in and said they realized we were full but wondered what their chances would be for today. I told them I couldn't promise anything, but to come early - by 8:30 - and if I knew of anything and they'd fit, I'd get them in. The 3rd possible, was the only site who had left before 8:30. Here came that couple ... came to my site like I told them to - and I told them to go see if they could fit (it's a tight site). I know I could have done it, but had a similar rig last week where the other camphost said the woman hit a tree and did damage, etc - so I always tell people it's up to them. While they were driving around to the site, a car pulled into it! Well, in actuality, that site was not yet available to the public (as the people checking out have till 11 am and only the camphost can decide if they've actually left. Anyway, the young man came over to me to ask if it was available and I gently told him this couple in the rig beat him to it, but drove to me. He agreed, they were ahead of him (whew, hate confrontations) and I wish I had something for him ... turns out I had also sent him out last night to a boondocking area and he said, he was going to go hiking and would check with me after in case anything else happened ... but knew he could drive back out to where he was last night, washboard road and all.

Then, not 15 minutes later, a couple came to tell me they'd be leaving early. Of course, that young man was already gone. But, I had just talked to the site next to this couple and learned they were pulling out and coming back tomorrow because they couldn't get another site. Ha .. but they'd have to move each day. Then I realized it was another couple moving to the site next to them, and both sites are the same length. So I went and asked the other couple if they'd be ok moving to the other site - and voila, the one couple could stay (after paying one more night) all 3 nights in one site. The other camphost said that was nice of me, but way too much work. In other words, he would have probably made them move all the days. I figure it's my job to keep everyone happy. AND I told the one couple if they preferred the site they had reserved, they should NOT agree to change.

Tomorrow I'll be taking the rig to Tucson. I'll overnight there and take it in to the dealer first thing in the morning. Finally, my replacement screen door is in and they'll do all the other little things left - plus they'll check the water pump. I bet we can't make it fail. Depending on how much of the day that takes, I'll either drive back or spend Thur again in Tucson and come back to Chiricahua Friday. I'm not taking the car - thought long and hard on it - would be nice while they have the rig, but someone I've met through another group is coming to pick me up at the dealers - and we'll do some running around.

Long rambling for me Have a great day everyone.

[longdog2]

Beth, thank goodness for camphosts like you that take the extra step to try to work things out for everyone. It's a lot more customer oriented and benefits the campground as well. We used to go to Ladybird Johnson park in Fredericksburg TX a lot. I would call for a reservation and be told that I could only get one night....not good because we were coming from Wichita Falls TX about 200 miles. Well, I learned quickly. If the same guy was on the desk just pay for the night and say nothing more. Wait until he went off duty and someone else came on....then go ask about more nights. Never got turned down. They used a board on the wall with little disks showing reservations. Now you never got a site number when you reserved so the other hosts would look at the board and juggle sites by reserved dates so everyone could stay. The one guy was either too dumb or too lazy to figure out how to do that. As a result, he had empty sites all over and was turning people away one after another.

It is quite chilly here in San Antonio right now. High yesterday was 35.....about 30-35 degrees below normal. This week had better be the last of it. We won't even talk about how cold it is in the Texas panhandle or Dallas. Hey, I know it is much worse up north but we aren't equipped or dressed for it here.

[Bethers]

Ah, the fire ants got me at Lady Bird Johnson park! They even gave me my money back. Oh, it wasn't a pretty site lol ... But I like that park, too. And I might have met the man who didn't understand the board.

Thanks for the compliment, Colleen. I enjoy trying to make everything work as best as possible for everyone. It's fun and sometimes challenging like a puzzle.

[Acadianmom]

Beth, you made me dizzy with the coming and going. At least you could help everyone. Some camp hosts are so nice and others make you wonder why they are there. Hope you can get all your repairs finished with.

It warmed up a little today but not enough. They had decided to close the school in this parish too but we didn't get the ice or snow. It is going to be down to freezing Thursday and Friday night and back in the 70's by Monday. I could go camping this weekend but I'm not much on camping when it freezes. This campground doesn't have a meeting room. I am having my second eye surgery next Wednesday so I'm not going to take a chance on getting sick by sitting out in the cold and being around a bunch of people. I seem to be pretty germaphobic for someone that lives with 5 cats. lol

Still trying to get the sewer system placement figured out. Where the health dept. suggested putting it would be in the way of the hay bailers. I would have to fence a half acre to keep them from running over it. There is a water well on the property and the sewer and line have to be 50 feet away from the well. I think if we cut down one Tallow tree we can run the line closer to the property line and not out in the middle.

Martha

[Bethers]

Martha, it got me while I was doing it! Snowed here this afternoon and a couple people left early. Two told us - one was the overflow site and they didn't surprise me as I didn't think the lady sleeping in the tent would like the cold, damp that came in. Since that was the overflow site, I just closed it off. One didn't say anything, so had to pretend they'd come back. The 3rd we got someone in almost immediately.

I'm looking forward to this other camphost being gone. I don't always go around after 5 or 6 if everyone is in and I've talked to all about quiet hours, etc. He seems to think I'm not doing my job if I don't go around after quiet hours start to make sure no one is abusing it. Only had one almost - but I went around that night because some hadn't checked in yet on my previous run. I promise, if someone abuses that - everyone knows where to find me

Glad the snow/sleet/rain was today and the weather should be better for my drive to Tucson tomorrow. Haven't even started putting things in here away - morning is good for that. Probably will do a load of laundry in the am also - just so I know I'll have my work clothes ready for next week in case I don't get back until sometime Friday.

[BarbaraRose]

Good evening!
Was a beautiful sunny warm (28*) day today, but the winds were vicious so there was a nasty windchill that negated the warm temps. Stopped at my dad's this morning to organize his meds for the week and then did some shopping.

My car is acting up again, stalling out when I let off on the gas. They told me that if it kept doing that, that the problem is most likely the catalytic converter which is very expensive. I looked up symptoms of that but they don't seem to match my issues. May get a second opinion somewhere else first. This Jeep is starting to cost me money! Wish I could sell it or trade it in, but am still upside down on the loan by about $1500 or so.

Discovered I have gained about 10 pounds over the winter, so need to cut out the goodies for awhile. Also brought my bike inside. Have a thing to put on the back tire so I can ride it stationary for exercise.

Hope you all had a nice day!

(Just got a call from my friend Steve, and he is going to look at my car tomorrow and see if he can figure out what is wrong. He doesn't think it is the cat. converter either).

[bluepinecones]

Good job, Beth. In my limited experience I have been fortunate to meet some really outstanding camp host and only very few that should have never been allowed to interact with the public or that probably should have been fired the 2nd day on job.
Rained in Weeki Wachee most of the day. Carolyn and Diana decided to explore some of the nearby state parks and try to get a look a manatees. They went north so not as much rain and yes, they found some manatees.. Gloria, Dawn and I stayed here at her park. This evening we celebrated Dawn's birthday (a day early as we are leaving for Hardee Lake in the AM). If connection holds long enough, I'll try to post a photo or two later.
Dense fog this morning and it looks like the same tomorrow so no early start. Sea Fog so bad at Tampa/StPete that a number of cruise ships and others have been on hold in the Gulf for more than 24 hours. People waiting to board the ships were all sent home and told to stay there until notified by cruise lines of new boarding times. Going to be a lot of messed up vacations.
Internet has been down here much of the day/evening and no TV unless I go over to Dawn's (did watch noon news).
Got on line once earlier just long enough to see part of post from Margie that Roger's mother passed away this morning. Wasn't on long enough to read all of it so do not know if they made it before she passed or not.