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Published: April 27th 2024
FROM THERE TO HERE, FROM HERE TO THERE, FUNNY THINGS HAPPEN EVERYWHERE!…(Dr.Seuss). And it's been such a fun season here at our winter residence, Tropical Palms. We hope you have enjoyed these good times with us. As I always say “The More the Merrier.” Another quote: “Time Flies when You are having Fun!” Boy, that's right on! We arrived here in mid-September and now it's time to start planning our journey “home”. Where did the time go? It seems like just the other day when we were settling in and enjoying the arrival and company of all our friends. Now, many of our friends have left and we are dealing with the preparation for our soon departure. This year is going to be so different from our past years. I'm still trying to comprehend it all…. it's going to be such a change. Oh, my! A major metamorphosis! Hmmmmm….shall I update you now or later in this blog? Guess, it will be later so I have time to get all my thoughts in order. Remember, Patience is a Virtue. Sadly, it is not my best virtue.
This season at TP, most of our festive and fun activities were organized and
implemented by the wonderful residents who stay here. Early on, we lost our activity director which ended any planned activities by the park. Fortunately, all the great folks here gathered together to ensure that there were many good times for everyone to enjoy. All the sporting activities continued on with great participation. Many potluck dinners were held which brought together close camaraderie as well as delicious sustenance imbibement. Joe Rossi provided his fun evening with his “Horse Race” event for all of us. The card and game-playing people met on a regular basis. Various outings were appreciated by groups of friends. Recently, our park did provide all of us with a very enjoyable Block Party. It was a big success as you can see by the many folks who attended. Music was provided by a terrific singing duo called The Dukes. They sang songs from “Our Era” which were terrific. Folks had their dancing shoes on. A couple food trucks were available. Games were set up for those who wanted to play. Tropical Palms has provided us all a winter respite but most of all, it has given us a family of friends. We are so grateful for all the
friends we have made over the years!
Cory and I are hitting some milestones this year. Cory had his 80th birthday in March. I have my 80th in May. We have grown old together. We both shared our 60th anniversary in April…..hopefully, you read all about our “wedding” in my prior blog. It was and is definitely “blog-worthy.” Of course, as always, on this, our 60th anniversary, Cory asked me what I wanted to do. He has always done whatever makes me happy…..how blessed am I? He is the best! ❤️ Well, I thought and thought. Living so close to a big city full of entertainment plus having so many exciting spots surrounding us….OMG…..decisions, decisions. What will it be?? The Gaylord Palms? Disneyworld? Universal Studios? Sea World?Fancy restaurant at Icon Park? Nope!! What is it that I always tell you I love the best?…….not counting Walmart or Dollar Tree. Think, now. Yup!! We went to Disney Springs so I could indulge in my most favorite meal: a tuna melt at The Earl of Sandwich! It was as wonderful as Cory is. I may sound like a cheap date but our celebration didn't end there! We split a Ghirardelli hot
fudge sundae! To die for! I was happy….Cory was happy….. We were both happy…..just like we were 60 years ago. Happy and in love…..and we still are!!
Every morning our day begins with friends. What a perfect and wonderful way to start a day! Under our tent, friends have gathered for a morning coffee klatch to discuss the world's problems and the day's events. We haven't solved any of them….yet. Laughter and friendship monopolize the conversations. Sometimes some friendly banter is thrown in for good measure. We have truly enjoyed every moment together and each friend who has “sat a spell” under the tent. As Paulie said one day…..”Each one brings something different to the table.” So true. That's what makes it so fun and enjoyable. Happy people make Happy times.
Remember the pictures and story about the fabulous Gideon’s cookies from Disney Springs? Remember how we said there was always a huge line you had to stand in just to get inside this unique bakery? ‘member?? Well…..we have found an alternative! What!? ……you say. Yup. One day, Sandy, Cory, and I went to the Dixie Belle Café….. recommended by Jill and Bob. It ended up being located
close to the city of Orlando. After enjoying a tasty meal, we checked our GPS. Whoa….Big Fella! We were not too far from a place called the East End Market. Big deal, you say! Well, just guess what is located inside this yuppie-style market! …….a Gideon’s bakery with the same fabulous cookies. That's right! It even looked like the Disney Springs bakery but on a much smaller scale……and with NO LINE! There is a God! We checked out all the specialty shops in this market, ending up at the Gideons bakery buying a new supply of their “to die for” cookies! We left with our treasured morsels cradled in our arms. Oh, happy day!
Besides the cookie treats, Cory and I had another great treat in store for us. Our dear friends, whom we met a couple years ago at Red Bay, Alabama (the mothership of all Tiffin RV’s), came to see us and spend a few days at Tropical Palms. Millie and John Bille are a terrific couple. We had such a good time with them. We ate out at various restaurants. We rode the various transportation means all around Disneyworld. We laughed and made new memories to
add to our cherished ones of times shared from when we first met.
Our special times continued. Our family (the daughter part) arrived for their visit. Our daughter and son-in-law, Lory & Jay, flew here from NY. After spending a couple days in a Hilton Vacation Hotel, they eventually moved into our timeshare, Cypress Harbor, located close to the Sea World area. A few days later, our other daughter and son-in-law, Kim & Jim, joined them in the timeshare condo. They had spent the winter on Marco Island and were headed home to Rochester, NY. Our granddaughter, Haley, living in Tampa, was able to join them for a couple of days. It was so marvelous to be with all of them again. We have a wonderful family and love them all dearly. Of course, we often spent time eating out together…..I am now wearing our coffee café TENT as my summer outfit! I outgrew my burka.
Now…these next photos may be distasteful for you. Close your eyes if you must. However, they need to be included as part of our many experiences here in Florida. While taking a ride outside our area, Cory, Sandy and I observed this
road kill slaughter along the highway. Years before, we had seen a similar scenario while driving to the Cherry Pocket restaurant. There was a dead wild boar in an orange grove. Cory never stopped. I had wished for a picture but my wish was not granted. I have mentioned this disappointment over the years in conversation. Not dwelling on it but occasionally bringing it up. So…..this time…..Cory actually turned the car around and returned to the slaughter scene so I could snap a few pictures. Bless his heart…..always trying to make me happy…….or maybe shut me up?? Anyway, I was able to take these pictures.….not just of one dead, wild hog but two! ….and now I can share them with all of you. My real dream was to have had Lulu posing with them. But, alas, she has chosen to become a hermit, a shut-in, a recluse, a homebody……what can I say except we still love Lulu, no matter her lifestyle choices.
Okay…. let's talk about our new lifestyle changes. As I said early on in this blog, this year our departure from Tropical Palms will be so different from years past. Settle in for this dissertation. First, we
are leaving our RV on our site here at TP. Yes, our full-time home since 2019, is being left behind. I feel sad about this. I love living in our RV….love it! Second, we are not driving the entire way North. We are taking the Auto-Train. This will be a first for us! A maiden voyage you might say. We are leaving TP on May 14th, and driving to Sanford, Florida. Here, we and our car will be loaded onto a train. We depart @ 5:00 pm. The nonstop trip takes just over 17 hours, slightly longer than the time it would take to drive the 850 miles without stopping. We arrive in Lorton, Virginia @ 9:00 AM on May 15th. From here, we will drive our car to our next destination. And where might that be, you ask. HINT: The name of the place sounds like a scene out of the movie, The Godfather. Really? Yes! Do we have your attention now? We are going to be living in HORSEHEADS, NY. We kid you not. We have rented an apartment in Horseheads, NY. It is located in the Southern Tier of NY between Corning and Elmira, NY. Not too
far from Watkins Glen….if you know any of these cities. The apartment complex is not far from a Walmart….. one of my main priorities. Restaurants and shopping places are close by. Actually, the Elmira Corning Reginal Airport is in this area, too. Our apartment has two bedrooms and two bathrooms and a garage. Therefore, to any of you who are willing to visit us….you will have your own bedroom and bathroom. So come ahead…..we will leave the light on and the door open. We hope you take us up on our offer…..we would love to have any and all of you! In the beginning, upon our arrival, we do have a major problem…..a big one! The apartment is unfurnished except for the appliances. The only furniture we have is a lift-top coffee table, our daughter’s small couch and slipper chair, the small tavern table that Mary Kay and I would have our morning coffee at, and two large pecan wooden chairs that we traded a glass bowl for at Brimfield. No bed! No TV! The bed is the major problem. I hope you recall my blog regarding our Princess Cruise Ship mattress. It was and is the best and most
comfortable mattress in the world. We bought one and we have been sleeping on it since 2018. First in our house and then, after we sold the house, in our RV. I can't live without it. Cory and I had a long discussion regarding how to get it to Horseheads! Of course, he would strap it to the roof of our car……of course, he would! Remember how I said he would do anything to make me happy? Well, guess what? He broke his record! No way in Hell is he taking my mattress with us! Nooooooo! God save me! What will I do? Stay here alone all summer in our RV? Not a good option. Plan B: call Princess Cruise Lines and order another one and have it delivered to Horseheads. Yes….Goody…that will work. YIKES! What are you saying to me, Cory?? Whaaaaaaat? They don't sell the mattresses anymore? This can't be! Don't they know I have to have my mattress? I think I'm beginning to sound like the “Princess and the Pea!” Cory was able to get the name of the manufacturer of this mattress so now the search would have to begin. But wait……our daughter, Kim, who just
visited us, said they have a wonderful, comfy mattress that she feels I could accept. I could come to Rochester, NY and lie on their bed. Okay. I would consider this. BUT……..Hey: be still my heart. While visiting, Lory and Kim, went to Winter Park. They found a Saatva store! Wow! Saatva is the name of the mattress that Kim has. So, now one of our journies before we leave will be to go to Winter Park so I can check out this mattress. Pray that I will be happy with it. If so, we can order it through Amazon and have it delivered to our new apartment. Pleeeease……let it be what I can accept. Fingers crossed! Hopefully, one of our children will let us stay with them until we can get a bed.….and a TV. We want a BIG TV! That sounds pretty good to me. The rest sounds somewhat taxing and arduous but in the end, it all will work out fine and we will be happy with our decision. That's what Cory keeps telling me. You have to come and see us to find out if what Cory actually says comes true. We had to sign an
annual contract so it will be more vacant than occupied. We will be returning in the Fall to Tropical Palms and our RV and our Princess mattress! Hallelujah!
We are still keeping our Polebarn in Shongo….the only property we own. We have too much stuff in it to not. Our new apartment is @ 70 miles from it (@ 1 hr. & 20 minutes drive). For the time being, we are keeping our doctors and dentist…..they will be a 2 hour drive away. We’ll just make the appointments into a day trip and if need be…our daughter, Lory, said we could stay over at her house which puts us back in our old neck of the woods. Whatever we do, we’ll make it work. As I often suggest to others: “One day at a time”. I'll have to use my own advice. Yeah, sure!
Our park is looking quite barren now. Most all the snowbirds have left. We still have a few buddies that are here. A couple of them stay all summer…..they are the strong ones. We don't think we could cope with the heat. The times when we would lounge all day out in the hot
sun are long gone. Routine visits to a dermatologist have kept me inside our RV or under our tent. I don't care for air conditioning but appreciate it during the sweltering times. I don't like being “hot stuff” anymore. Our dear friend, Sandy, pulled out a few days ago. We miss her. She has a couple stops she is making along the way as she heads North. She is driving her RV all by herself. She is amazing. There no way I would have the gumption or fearlessness to attempt that. Stay safe, friend. ❤️
You have reached the end of this blog……stop the applause, please! Probably the next one I publish will be from Horseheads, NY. That should be a doozie. Settling into a new abode……and hopefully sleeping on a perfect mattress. So stay tuned. We will need all the support we can get. The older you get, the more difficult change becomes. Now that we are definitely classified as old……I don't want to change my mattress!! And that's all I have to say about it! Be sure to look at the 33 photos in this blog…..well, maybe 32 if you don't want to look at the dead
pigs. Remember to scroll WAY, WAY down to see them all plus go to another page.
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Karen Cooper McKean
non-member comment
Exciting news
Starting a new chapter of life. Can’t wait to hear all about it. Safe travels! Karen