Places We Have Called Home In 2020

134

November 18, 2020

Temperature 74 Degrees

Back On Site – For Now

A Chilly Morning

Those Pesky Steps

New Batteries Waiting To Go In

So we’re back on site for the forseeable future.  The privacy screens are up.  Mirror covers are on.  Tire covers are in place.  And of course our DISH atenna is up and the HallMark Channels are coming in crystal clear.  Our next trip out will probably not be until the end of December or beginning of January.

Oh boy this morning was a rather chilly one when we woke up.  It was only 59 degrees in the living room.  When your feet hit that tile floor, you come awake real quick.  I know, a temperature in that range is probably a heat wave for some of you.  But for us it was a heat pump morning.  When you get used to waking up to the mid 70’s in the morning anything less is a real eye opener.

It was another early morning for us since Ms Barbara had an early morning doctor’s appointment in Ocala.  That’s an easy 45 minute ride.  Her appointment was at 8:30 am meaning we had to be on the road by 7:30 am.  Thankfully, no traffic this morning so it was an easy and quick ride.

On the way home we stopped and picked up our new chassis batteries.  Each has a cold cranking rating of 920 amps giving me a total cold cranking amp rating of 1840 amps.  More than enough to get Elvira up and running when I turn the key.  Unfortunately, the first chance I’ll have to put them in will be Friday.

This was today’s project.  I now have a better understanding of how they work but I’m still not sure why they’re not locking in place when retracted or extended.

For the time being I have them out with a brace behind them and under them to keep them in the extended position.  Sure beats trying to climb in and out of the bedroom window.  As if I would fit!

I’ll do a bit more research regarding the issue first then have another go at them probably this weekend.  Isn’t life interesting?

While I was outside Ms Barbara was inside dealing with doctors and making more appointments.  She was also cleaning counters and putting things right in the kitchen now that we are back.  Later she went out to pick up our supper, and a few odds and ends we needed.

That was our day on The Road of Retirement.  We both were busy but in a relaxed sort of way.  I still have shades to put up in addition to installing the batteries and doing something about the steps.  In so many words we have enough to keep us busy for a bit.  I like it like that.

Thanks for stopping by today.  We always appreciate your company as well as your comments and suggestions. Keep safe, keep healthy, live to the fullest the days that God gives you.

These are the voyages of  Elvira and her two intrepid travelers.  Our continuing mission: to explore as many new states as possible, to seek out new acquaintances and make new friends, to boldly go where we have never been before.

See you on down the road!

 

 

Places We Have Called Home In 2020

135

November 17, 2020

Temperature 81 Degrees

Two More Items Checked Off The List

After we arrived yesterday at Josam, Barry the service manager informed us We’ll be by in the morning by 7 am.  They did better, they were at our door by 6:45 am.

Of course I didn’t get a wink of sleep the night before.  All I kept thinking Would it start again tomorrow morning?  If it doesn’t start where do I go to get new batteries?  Will they help me put them in?  And so the night went.

Guess what?  Yup, you’re guessed it, it started right up!  And it has been fine every since.  No matter, new batteries going in sometime this week.

This is where we spent the night. . .

and in the morning they just opened up the door and we backed right in.

First order of business was

replacing the four, fifteen year old air bags with

new ones at each corner.  When I first looked at the old air bags I couldn’t see anything wrong with them.  Then I looked a bit closer.  The bottom of each of the four old air bags was cracked and dry rotted.  No doubt within short order they would have developed pin hole leaks.  Now we’re good for at least another fifteen years.

Next on the list. . .

was replacing the old springs on the leveling jacks.  Over the past several months it was always one or another of the jacks that just took its sweet time going up.

Now there are new springs on each jack.  Of course after I purchased them I discovered a little secret for making them come up real easy – just spray some WD40 on each one right before you bring them up.  Now why couldn’t I have discovered that before and saved myself some money.  Ah well, they’re done and that is that.

That my friends is our tech there in the wheel well doing his thing!  How he got in there I have no idea but I know that this old man would have never fit.  That’s why he did it and I didn’t.

The work was finished by 10 am and we were on our way back to our winter digs.  We made a stop for fuel and – what now?  Our steps would not come out.  Then they would come out but would not go back in.  Oh come on now.  Well we got them in as far as we could and headed home.  Guess I have another project to tackle in the coming days.  I did some research on line and someone commented that you have to lube everything on the steps – motor, pivot point, articulating arms – well you get the idea.  So that is what I’ll try first.

Once back home I discovered my new water filter had arrived.  I’ve already installed it.

The two new shades were also waiting for me.  Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy more projects to complete.  However, they’ll have to wait since we have a couple of doctor visits the next couple of days.

That’s it for our day on The Road of Retirement.  It is going to be an early, real early night for me since we have to be up and out early again tomorrow morning.  Elvira is slowly coming around to what I pictured she would and could be.  What’s the old saying, project by project anything is a cinch.  OK, maybe that’s not quite the way it goes but you get the idea.

Thanks for checking in with us today.  We always appreciate your company as well as your comments and suggestions. Keep safe, keep healthy, live to the fullest the days that God gives you.

These are the voyages of  Elvira and her two intrepid travelers.  Our continuing mission: to explore as many new states as possible, to seek out new acquaintances and make new friends, to boldly go where we have never been before.

See you on down the road!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Places We Have Called Home In 2020

136

November 16, 2020

Temperature 79 Degrees

One Last Time

Back one last time.  Tomorrow we’ll have new air bags installed and the springs replaced on the leveling jacks.

And now I know why the battery monitor gauge was going wonky the other day.  We had everything done and we were ready to leave but. . .

the engine would not turn over

the starting batteries were just about dead.

That’s why they make a battery boost switch.

So,

I know what we’ll be doing tomorrow after we’re done here.

Sourcing and purchasing two new chassis batteries.

We’re also going to have the alternator tested to make sure its putting out the correct voltage.

Ah yes insn’t life interesting.  But no complaints from us.  At least we discovered the issue at a time and in a place where it would be easy enough to fix.

At least the trip here was uneventful.  No traffic.  Good roads.  And a 50 amp hookup when we got here.

That about sums up our day on The Road of Retirement.  We’re settled in for the evening and heating up some leftovers for supper.  I love this life and am so thankful to the good Lord for looking after us one more time.

Thanks for checking in with us today.  We always appreciate your company as well as your comments and suggestions. Keep safe, keep healthy, live to the fullest the days that God gives you.

These are the voyages of  Elvira and her two intrepid travelers.  Our continuing mission: to explore as many new states as possible, to seek out new acquaintances and make new friends, to boldly go where we have never been before.

See you on down the road!

Places We Have Called Home In 2020

137

November 15, 2020

Temperature 90 Degrees, Humidity 75%

Funky Weather

Morning Worship

Fort King Archaeological Center

What a funny day in terms of the weather.  It started out cool enough but the temperature quickly climbed into the low 90’s.  Then about mid afternoon it began to get real dark and soon enough the rain was coming down as hard as ever.  That’s when the temperature in the space of thirty minutes went from the 90’s down to the mid 70’s which is where it stayed for the rest of the day.  The rain was intense for those same thirty minutes and then it was gone.  Right now, it is cool and comfortable with no hint of rain in the forecast.  Welcome to Florida.

We began our Sunday as we usually do, with morning worship at our home church in Colts Neck, New Jersey.

Pastor Debi was in charge of the service today.

This was our opening song.

Special music was offered by the adult bell choir.

Her text for the morning was from Philippians 4

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 

⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things

She spoke about the Apostle Paul and how even though his life was difficult and he was currently imprisioned for his faith still he maintained a sense of inner peace and joy.

She then spoke about how for us today life is in many ways difficult and hard with no apparent light at the end of the tunnel.

But she stressed that like Paul we can also know inner peace and joy.  The secret is like Paul to be in constant conversation with God (which is what prayer really is); and, to think not on the things around us that distrub us but instead to focus on the many blessings we enjoy,  that is to focus on whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

A great message for the start of a new week where so much is still so unsettled and disturbing.

OK, one more trip back to Fort King and then we are done.

At Fort King there is no diggin for the sake of diggin.  With each project the artifacts uncovered adds to the knowledge and understanding of what happened at Fort King.

A time line of the projects already completed at Fort King.

As a result of the various projects Fort King became a National Historic Landmark in 2004.

Other exhibits from the center.

So ends our trip to Fort King.  I’m so glad we took the time to go.  I learned so much about the history of Florida.  Lessons learned that I will never forget.

Another day on The Road of Retirement has come to an end.  I confess I really didn’t do a whole lot of anything today other than kick back and enjoy a few football games.  That’s OK with me, though, I’ve got plenty of time ahead of me for whatever I can find to do.  Enjoy the week ahead and make the most of each day that God gives you.

Thanks for traveling the history trail with me again.  We always appreciate your company as well as your comments and suggestions. Keep safe, keep healthy, live to the fullest the days that God gives you.

These are the voyages of  Elvira and her two intrepid travelers.  Our continuing mission: to explore as many new states as possible, to seek out new acquaintances and make new friends, to boldly go where we have never been before.

See you on down the road!