We finally arrived at Little Charlie Creek RV Park, Wauchula, FL at 5:45pm. The orange trees are loaded with oranges. Will get pictures tomorrow.
As I said yesterday, the staff at Camping World and Lazy Days couldn't have been nicer or more concerned about getting us out of there, but today seemed like a LOOOONG day. After installing the new satellite antenna, we were unable to get a signal on the bedroom TV on Thursday, but we were able to watch the front TV which worked great. So, the guys checked the cable, before it was passed through the roof to the bedroom, tested both receivers, and finally decided to change out the new antenna. SUCCESS!!! We have the latest Slimline DirecTV multi satellite antenna which sees all three DirecTV satellites. We no longer have the pretty black dome on top of the motorhome, but when this antenna is stored, it is much lower than the old dome.
So we left Camping World with 4 new house batteries; a revamped, cleaned and painted battery compartment; new battery isolater controller; new satellite antenna, 2 new DVR HD receivers; and testing of several systems which we had questions about, all of which checked out OK. Just can't say enough about the guys who worked on our home. They were great. Should have gotten a picture of them. Especially, Will and Gene, who worked on the TV issues, and Eric, who solved all our battery issues. Seems that the original wiring was not REALLY done incorrectly, but was not done to maximize certain usages.
Some things about the fulltiming lifestyle are just like living in a "sticks & brick", but we've learned to go with the flow. We still don't have to scoop snow, mow grass, maintain a 2800 sq ft house, or go to W**K. :)
Anyway, we are quite happy with Camping World in Seffner, FL and the staff at Lazy Days for the 2 days we stayed with them and then finding Kasey.
We are really looking forward to meeting up with friends we met here last January. But tomorrow is devoted to cleaning, as the motorhome hasn't had a good cleaning for several weeks.
More later.....
Saturday, January 02, 2010
Friday, January 01, 2010
Happy New Year - A detour, but almost to Wauchula, FL
Happy New Year to everyone. We are parked in the shop at Camping World/Lazy Days RV at Seffner, FL, just east of Tampa; having some much needed electrical upgrades to the motorhome, AND we changed out the old TV antenna for the lastest DirecTv HD antenna. Also have 2 new DVR HD receivers. NOOOO, there are not any HD TV's in our future, but we'll be prepared when we do decide to upgrade the TV's.
We did have a bit of a scare last night when Kasey ran away when firecrackers went off in the neighborhood. He was actually at the door, and I was about 10 feet behind him. He just raced away. This complex is about 20-25 acres, completely fenced with only 2 or 3 gates to enter. Most of the space is taken up with several hundred RV's for sale and an RV park. They have 24 hr security here and after looking for him for 2 hours, we finally went to bed hoping that the fireworks would end after midnight. The security people cover the whole area in golf carts. I gave Charlie some treats for Kasey and he said he woud call as soon as he found him. And he did; at 4:10 am. He was at the far north side under some bushes in a fence corner. One of the girls got down on the ground with a treat and he came to her. He wouldn't come out when they called his name. She picked him up and he licked her face. Typical Kasey. He has slept all day today. I'm sure his adrenalin level was really high last night since the fireworks continued for so long.
So thankful we didn't start the new year wihout him. He will always be on a leash now when we go out. Just can't trust him.
The techs still have some things to finish up tomorrow. We should be in Wauchula tomorrow evening or Sunday.
The staff at Camping World and Lazy Days have just been wonderful to us. Not just with dealing with a lost dog, but they have been great with our motorhome issues. We've had electrical problems for about the past year, and haven't been able to get things squared away. Our lead tech, Rich, actually listened and took notes as we explained the battery problems we've been having. These guys are all so competent and very willing to share what they are doing and being sure that we understand all they are doing.
Several of Lazy Days security people have stopped by today to see how Kasey is doing after his "ordeal last night." He has slept ALL day. I baked Steph's monster cookies as a "thank you" for everyone's help.
Otherwise, we've watched some TV and just hung out.
Next post should be from Little Charlie Creek RV Park in Wauchula, FL where we'll be for the next two months.
More later.....
We did have a bit of a scare last night when Kasey ran away when firecrackers went off in the neighborhood. He was actually at the door, and I was about 10 feet behind him. He just raced away. This complex is about 20-25 acres, completely fenced with only 2 or 3 gates to enter. Most of the space is taken up with several hundred RV's for sale and an RV park. They have 24 hr security here and after looking for him for 2 hours, we finally went to bed hoping that the fireworks would end after midnight. The security people cover the whole area in golf carts. I gave Charlie some treats for Kasey and he said he woud call as soon as he found him. And he did; at 4:10 am. He was at the far north side under some bushes in a fence corner. One of the girls got down on the ground with a treat and he came to her. He wouldn't come out when they called his name. She picked him up and he licked her face. Typical Kasey. He has slept all day today. I'm sure his adrenalin level was really high last night since the fireworks continued for so long.
So thankful we didn't start the new year wihout him. He will always be on a leash now when we go out. Just can't trust him.
The techs still have some things to finish up tomorrow. We should be in Wauchula tomorrow evening or Sunday.
The staff at Camping World and Lazy Days have just been wonderful to us. Not just with dealing with a lost dog, but they have been great with our motorhome issues. We've had electrical problems for about the past year, and haven't been able to get things squared away. Our lead tech, Rich, actually listened and took notes as we explained the battery problems we've been having. These guys are all so competent and very willing to share what they are doing and being sure that we understand all they are doing.
Several of Lazy Days security people have stopped by today to see how Kasey is doing after his "ordeal last night." He has slept ALL day. I baked Steph's monster cookies as a "thank you" for everyone's help.
Otherwise, we've watched some TV and just hung out.
Next post should be from Little Charlie Creek RV Park in Wauchula, FL where we'll be for the next two months.
More later.....
Saturday, December 26, 2009
We've Left COLD Illinois - Clarksville, TN
We are finally headed to warmer weather. Woo Hoo!!! Hopefully, this will be the LAST winter that we spend in Illinois. Last year we left in January after a sleet and ice storm. Today the roads were clean, but it was windy and cold and it snowed last night. Loading the motorcycle in the truck, cleaning ice off one of the slide toppers and hitching up the truck to the motorhome in cold weather is just not any fun.
We will be in Wauchula, Florida on January 1st. Plan to stay at Little Charlie Creek RV Park for 2 months. Then travel a little further south before heading up the east coast to eventually spend some time with Jennifer and Gene just outside of Boston.
We spent part of October, November and December at our daughter's in Monticello, IL. Dan was helping get the cattle barn finished. I spent a lot of time with Erin and her horse, Mercedes; and cheering Erin on at two horse shows. Will post some pictures in the next few days of Mercedes and Erin's show pictures. Mercedes is a grey quarter horse, but Erin rides saddlebreds to show.
It's been a long day and we plan to be on the road early tomorrow, so I better hit the sack. Now that we are traveling again, I'll keep up with this blog. I'm thinking of posting about 3 times a week. I think that should be more manageable.
More later......
We will be in Wauchula, Florida on January 1st. Plan to stay at Little Charlie Creek RV Park for 2 months. Then travel a little further south before heading up the east coast to eventually spend some time with Jennifer and Gene just outside of Boston.
We spent part of October, November and December at our daughter's in Monticello, IL. Dan was helping get the cattle barn finished. I spent a lot of time with Erin and her horse, Mercedes; and cheering Erin on at two horse shows. Will post some pictures in the next few days of Mercedes and Erin's show pictures. Mercedes is a grey quarter horse, but Erin rides saddlebreds to show.
It's been a long day and we plan to be on the road early tomorrow, so I better hit the sack. Now that we are traveling again, I'll keep up with this blog. I'm thinking of posting about 3 times a week. I think that should be more manageable.
More later......
Monday, October 26, 2009
A Day in the Life of a Fulltimer - Hanging Out at Panera
Yes, I'm killing time at Panera this afternoon. Freightliner issued a recall for the steering box on motorhomes built between 2004 and 2008. So I called Truck Center in Springfield last week to set up an appointment to see if the part needed to be replaced on our motorhome. I told them that we lived fulltime in the motorhome. The appointment was set for 8:00am this morning, and I had a dentist appointment at 8:00am. Not a problem. It doesn't take two of us to drive the motorhome to Truck Center, and I didn't need Dan to hold my hand at the dentist. And we knew it shouldn't take too long to see if our steering box was actually on the recall list. If it was, the part would have to be ordered and we'd have to take the motorhome back another day for a 4 hour appointment. And Dan wanted to take it to another truck place where he gets the oil and filters changed and thought he would have plenty of time to get that done this morning. He wasn't happy with the first oil change done at Truck Center and the price was higher. We had to take it to Truck Center for the recall because they are a Freightliner service center.
So we were up at 6:00am, walked the dog (he was a little confused at having to go outside in the rain and the dark so early in the morning); had breakfast, and finished packing up the items that I didn't put away last night. Even just driving 5 miles, we still need to stow things as though we are moving down the road. We do leave some things out on the non-skid mats and several things are anchored down with museum putty, but we still have to go through the whole pre-travel process. We both left our driveway at 7:30. I put a load of clothes in the washer at the local laundromat and went to the dentist. (Small town, don't need to worry about the clothes). Finished with the dentist about 8:30, dried the clothes at the laundromat, visited with another lady there for about 1/2 hour and finally went back to the house about 10:30. NO MOTORHOME, NO DAN AND NO TRUCK. Now, I had been told it would only take about 1/2 hour to check for the recall. And it's still raining; not hard, but a steady drizzle.
Called Dan and he said they hadn't pulled the motorhome into the shop yet!!! He told them that we lived in it fulltime as he watched another Mandalay motorhome being pulled into the shop (a 2008 model there for another recall). The shop guy, whose name was also Dan, said, "Oh, I didn't know that." So it finally got into the shop at 11:00. I, in the meantime, was sitting in our driveway with the dog in the car, reading a book. There is no furniture in the house, and there is a problem with the furnace so we haven't been able to heat the downstairs. Pete is coming Tuesday or Wednesday to fix it.
We decided to meet at Denny's for lunch, since all the food is in the Mandalay which is now in the shop. As I was driving to Denny's, Truck Center Dan called to say that our gear box was NOT on the recall list and we could pick up the motorhome. Dan had checked about getting the oil changed at the other shop, but they can't do it until 1:00pm.
Soooooo, that's why I'm hanging out at Panera. Denny's doesn't have WiFi, or I would have just stayed there. Kasey is really confused. He can't understand why he has to stay in the car all day.
Oh, I almost forgot. Dan also has to get propane today while he's running around in the motorhome. We haven't been running the motorhome furnace, but also don't have much propane. We do have 2 small electric heaters which work real well to warm things up in the early morning.
Just another day in the life of two RV fulltimers. The day didn't go as planned, but nothing bad happened; we don't have to schedule another appointment for the recall; and we got the scheduled maintenance done and checked off the list.
Back to working on the house tomorrow.
So we were up at 6:00am, walked the dog (he was a little confused at having to go outside in the rain and the dark so early in the morning); had breakfast, and finished packing up the items that I didn't put away last night. Even just driving 5 miles, we still need to stow things as though we are moving down the road. We do leave some things out on the non-skid mats and several things are anchored down with museum putty, but we still have to go through the whole pre-travel process. We both left our driveway at 7:30. I put a load of clothes in the washer at the local laundromat and went to the dentist. (Small town, don't need to worry about the clothes). Finished with the dentist about 8:30, dried the clothes at the laundromat, visited with another lady there for about 1/2 hour and finally went back to the house about 10:30. NO MOTORHOME, NO DAN AND NO TRUCK. Now, I had been told it would only take about 1/2 hour to check for the recall. And it's still raining; not hard, but a steady drizzle.
Called Dan and he said they hadn't pulled the motorhome into the shop yet!!! He told them that we lived in it fulltime as he watched another Mandalay motorhome being pulled into the shop (a 2008 model there for another recall). The shop guy, whose name was also Dan, said, "Oh, I didn't know that." So it finally got into the shop at 11:00. I, in the meantime, was sitting in our driveway with the dog in the car, reading a book. There is no furniture in the house, and there is a problem with the furnace so we haven't been able to heat the downstairs. Pete is coming Tuesday or Wednesday to fix it.
We decided to meet at Denny's for lunch, since all the food is in the Mandalay which is now in the shop. As I was driving to Denny's, Truck Center Dan called to say that our gear box was NOT on the recall list and we could pick up the motorhome. Dan had checked about getting the oil changed at the other shop, but they can't do it until 1:00pm.
Soooooo, that's why I'm hanging out at Panera. Denny's doesn't have WiFi, or I would have just stayed there. Kasey is really confused. He can't understand why he has to stay in the car all day.
Oh, I almost forgot. Dan also has to get propane today while he's running around in the motorhome. We haven't been running the motorhome furnace, but also don't have much propane. We do have 2 small electric heaters which work real well to warm things up in the early morning.
Just another day in the life of two RV fulltimers. The day didn't go as planned, but nothing bad happened; we don't have to schedule another appointment for the recall; and we got the scheduled maintenance done and checked off the list.
Back to working on the house tomorrow.
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