Travels with Snowbirds 2016; January 1-2; Wilmington NC to Brunswick GA

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Travels with Snowbirds January 1-2, 2016, Wilmington, NC to Brunswick, GA

Dedicated to my friend, Barb. (She’s in the hospital) I hope this gives you a laugh or two, Barb.

I don’t know whether to title this one, “My Son Thinks I Am Losing It” or It’s All About Being Old.” Perhaps they mean the same thing; you decide.

I am back on the road. It has not been without it’s issues, just getting to the point when I am truly ‘on the road,’ so I will back up, because I think it’s a good story.

I don’t know how often I will blog this year. I will be staying at my favorite campground with my RVing girlies for 6 weeks. Life there can get pretty boring to write about, but, as you know, I can always find something funny to write about.

Most of the family was in NC for Christmas, Kristine and family, John, plus many of our extended family members. Christmas Eve for 19 at my house was chaotic, but all had a good time. We played games over dessert; I didn’t know Christmas Bingo could be so competitive. Thanks, Martha, for loaning it to me. It was a big hit.

Kristine and family sadly left on Saturday, taking my son Tim’s daughter, Lilly, 12, back to NJ with them for a week.

John came over early Sunday morning and helped me put all the Christmas decorations back into the attic, and go get the RV Moya out of storage. We brought it to my house so we could load up some stuff. We only had a short time, as we were taking Ben and his friend, Matt, to Myrtle Beach to see “Pirate’s Voyage,” (similar to Medieval Times, only on water with pirates) and we had to leave by noon. Winston was missing. Me on my bike, Ben on foot, John on my bike, up and down the community, asking everyone we saw for help. I posted on our community chat room, and was frantic. And mad. I was going to leave the garage door partially open, and the house door open, figuring he would eventually go home. I was standing in my cul de sac, and elderly neighbor, Marty, yells from his house, are you looking for your dog? Well, you should be, he is in my backyard! He was scratching on my patio door. Houdini Winston had to jump a four foot fence to get into Marty’s backyard. When he saw me, he was so humble. If he could have put his head under his leg to hide it from me he would have. No eye contact, very docile. I couldn’t get mad. We hustled him into the house and all got ready for our roadtrip. The plan was to drop Moya off at Howard RV on our way to Myrtle Beach. I left my purse in my car and John was following behind so he could pick me up. I realized I had left my phone home; I stopped, asked John to go back and get it and meet us at Howard. As I am getting ready to drop the keys into the night box I see John and my car drive past the RV dealer. Remember, I am without my phone. It’s Sunday. Nothing is open. The good news is John has had his cell phone number for so long I remember it. I didn’t know Tim’s or Gretchen’s…..no one but John’s. I looked at the small strip mall next to Howard RV and saw there were 2 cars outside one store, despite there being no lights on. I opened the door and was greeted with, “We’re closed!!”. I quickly explained my dilemma and they let me use their phone. Fortunately John answered the strange number. It seems he relied on Ben to direct him, and Ben directed him properly to the Ford Dealer (where I have had work done in the past) about 3 miles down the road. They were on their way back to Howard. Finally on the road, only about 45 minutes late. We had tickets to Ripley’s Aquarium, which was pretty good, lots of good displays and many unusual sea creatures. Even one of those tanks that you can walk under and see sharks overhead.

On to Pirates Voyage, which really was a very good show. The food was better than ok, but not gourmet; our waiter sucked, but all four of us had a great time. It might have gotten a little too hokey with the Mary and Joseph and donkeys and camels and baby raised to heaven ala Lion King, and the angel singing from on high, but it was ok. It’s Christmas, and a Dolly Parton presentation……There were divers and jugglers, and a tamed seal and beautiful birds, and action all over the theatre. It really was a good show.

Monday was just catch up day, but did include breakfast with my girlies at Margaret’s house. We generally meet every other Monday at a restaurant, but Margaret made us a wonderful yummy breakfast. Grocery shopping pay bills, straighten up house, and start to pack.

Tuesday is a blur, but we did go out to dinner with my daughter in law’s dad and stepmother. Kind of our annual date.

John left Wednesday, and it was my day to grocery shop and check every room to make sure I have everything I need for two months on the road. (As I write this the only thing I forgot is Winston’s deer antler chew. That wouldn’t be so bad, easy to replace from PetSmart, they are just expensive. The one he had was sawed in half exposing the ‘marrow’ and he seemed to really like that, despite being unable to make a dent by chewing it.)

Thursday Tim took me early to Howard to collect Moya from service. Oil Change, Tire pressure, new wiper blades, hook my AppleTV up (that actually was hard as the TV is permanently mounted to the front cabinet requiring about 30 screw removals and two people to hold it while the HDMI cord is inserted, then reassembled. Half hour work, $54 thank you very much. Tim helped me with a few heavy loads and my next door neighbor Marion came out to tell me that the front right tire was flat – she saw it from her house. Sure enough, flat. Check the pressure with my handy dandy tool (normal pressure is 82 – higher than car tire pressure gauges go, and I have the right tool.) 24PSI. WTF? I call Howard, drive carefully back and careful diagnosis showed a broken stem. I think what happened……there was no cover on that stem and dirt got in it, and when he added air, the dirt got pushed past the needle/pin, which got stuck open causing the air to leak out. Technician Charles didn’t want to fool with it because if he broke it, he couldn’t fix it. I called Black’s Tire to make sure they were open, and Mark was reluctant to touch it for the same reason, but told me to drive in and he would check it out, and sure enough, he didn’t want to fool with it. He directed me to see Dustin at their Truck Tire Dealer, near the airport. While the tire was filled up to 82 pounds, it was leaking quickly, I literally was driving on a flat……

Dustin was ready for me, and within 3 minutes of arrival, they diagnosed a broken pin and it was being replaced – take the air out, replace the stem, reinflate. This technician thought the tires were all low, so he filled 3 (it has 6) to 100 lbs. Glad I saw what he was doing, he deflated them to the proper pressure. NO CHARGE!!!! Wowie!!! No charge. I said they earned my future business, and I would pay the favor forward before the end of the day, and gave the tech a $10 tip…..all the money I had in my purse.

Back home, I had to complete loading all my clothes, food, etc., etc. That’s a lot of steps up and down into the RV. My new fitbit got it’s work out that day. I quit and took a shower and went to Heath and Adrienne’s (more extended family) for a New Years Eve Oyster Roast dinner. It was perfect. I had no food in the house, and between the excellent appetizers and steamed Oysters I was in heaven and very happy to be included in the ‘kids’ plans. I was exhausted and left early.

I think I saw the ball drop in NYC, and actually slept until 7:30. I didn’t care what time I got on the road, I was only going to drive 200 miles on New Year’s Day, so, even leaving at noon made it an easy day. Winston was already in the RV pacing and pacing and ready to go. Tim came over to replace the battery in my CO detector (don’t ask, it’s in an awkward spot for me to reach) and carry the last few piles of food. He left. All of a sudden, no Winston. Checked the house the backyard, looked in the RV. NO WINSTON. Freakin dog. Call Tim back, and he and I walk the neighborhood, first stop Marty’s back yard. Lots of neighbors were out walking, and all started calling Winston. My next door neighbor, Sheila, took her dog Jackson for a walk, and walked the big loop thru the two communities attached to mine. I am searching in my car, Tim is on foot. Tim calls me, he found him. I back track so I can tell all those folks who are out looking to call off their search. I drive into my cul de sac, and…..picture this…….Tim in the middle of the street, arms crossed, tapping his foot, and that look that only says, “Stupid Mom” on his face. You know the look, you have all seen it from your kids. I don’t see Winston. I ask where he is. Asleep in the RV. WTF? Up the stairs to check for myself. He had pulled his bed off the passenger seat and it kind of fell between and underneath the seats and he was asleep on top of it. I never saw him when I checked. He never woke up to all the calling of his name. Freakin dog. Tim really thinks I am old and losing it. I can just feel it. Mothers know these things.

Sheila is walking up the street, and I fill her in on the final details, and I think she thinks I am losing it too, not being able to find a lost item right under my nose. But, the story does not end there. While Sheila was out walking, she was checking down by the stream where she could get close to it. My friends and neighbors will know the house I am talking about, the new one on Covil Farm Road, the McMansion close to the road owned by Asians, with the weird landscaping. I have called the Fire Department on these folks. Their backyard is just across the easement and stream from my backyard, and they burn the most putrid smelling trash you could imagine. I saw them one time burning the grass down the easement slope towards the stream!! Sheila noticed buzzards flying overhead and went to investigate, and down this very same slope in their backyard were at least 3 pig carcasses. Speculation. They were BBQing pigs for their restaurant? Do they own a restaurant? Did they have a HUGE party? Whatever. There is no reason to dispose of multiple pig carcasses into a drainage easement that flows into the intracoastal. She will email the property management company and alert them. No wonder we have coyotes in the area!

Not on the road too long, and the smoke detector located above the passenger seat starts to chirp. Why oh why didn’t we replace both batteries; isn’t that what normal people do on time change day?? Stop to take the battery out and ‘throw’ it away. Another quick stop to smash the stink bug crawling up the windshield. Those ugly things love my RV. I was only able to drive 150 miles. I was too tired. I spent my first night on the road at the Wal-Mart in Manning SC. It was a boondocker’s paradise. Wal-Mart, with Bojangles, McDonald’s, and Sonic within easy walking distance, and free wifi from Bojangles that I was able to stream from. There were a few other RVs in the lot, and a few tractor trailers came and went, but I slept like a rock until one of these trucks pulled in next to me at 6:30 am. It was 52 degrees in and out, so I turned on the heat on and snuggled back in until Moya warmed up. Winston was anxious to go out. McD’s bacon egg cheese for breakfast, and 4000 steps said the new fitbit (damn thing) and I hit the road.

Just north of Savannah is a Camping World, I bought my Class C there many years ago, and I always stop there; it’s close to the I95 exit. I needed 3 things. Tire covers, a new chair, and a light bulb. Tire covers were easy, despite the fact the size I needed was on the top shelf. No, I didn’t climb, I asked a sales associate for help. I didn’t like any of the chairs they had, and picked up toilet chemical which I always seem to need. I helped myself to a large free serving of popcorn. I forgot to bring in the burnt out light bulb, so paid for the items with my Discoveer card, went back to Moya, got the bulb out of the fixture, went back (yes, fitbit humming, lots of steps) and found the proper bulb and went to pay……$2.00. No cash, use the debit card. Frak. No debit card. Used it at McD’s, where was it. Paid with Discover card….yes, $2, and tore Moya apart looking for my debit card. Under all the chairs, in the garbage, every nook and cranny of my purse, no card. I try to cancel it on my Bank of America iphone app, and I didn’t like it, because they were automatically going to send me the replacement at home, and that clearly won’t work, so I called. I am crazy woman at this point….where do I send the replacement……..can it be sent to the BofA near my campground in Clermont, FL? My nose is running. I open up the bathroom door to grab a tissue, and what is on the floor? My debit card. It obviously fell out of my pocket while doing my business and I just didn’t notice it. The bank rep laughed with me, and both of us are sure glad she hadn’t hit the ‘cancel’ button yet.

Back on the road, the traffic going north towards Savannah was intense. Glad I wasn’t going that way. I called one of my regular campgrounds and made a reservation for tonight, Saturday, and made it there easily, no further incidents. I stopped at the local Winn Dixie for ground coffee and fresh fruit cup, and made it to the campground by 2:30. It’s an older park, with a lot of permanent residents in less than beautiful ‘units’ but it’s close to I95 and cheap, and has level sites, albeit a little muddy but not too bad, good electric, water, sewer, and free excellent wifi. I am a happy camper.

On to Blue Spring State Park, Orange City, FL, tomorrow for 3 nights. Originally, I had a two-night reservation, but since I left earlier than I thought, I looked online and the campsite I am registered for has Sunday night available, so I just added it on. I love this State Park, home to a large population of manatees in the winter. I adopted 3 of these manatees for some of the men in my life, and I need to go take a picture of Doc and Lilly and Phillip and pass them along. to their adoptive parents.

So, am I crazy or just old? Or as I prefer to think, my mind is just so full of knowledge, things keep falling out…..laugh

If only you could have seen that look on Tim’s face. Wonder if any of my kids read this.



Kat out

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Comments

[Barb]

Lol
Although you told me much if the pre trip stuff before you left, I got to laugh all over again. It seems like Moyà gave you more trouble! I am so glad it happened before you left, and not on your trip? Losing a debit or credit card is truly frightening. I am so glad you found it. Another disaster averted. Take care, drive safe.y, and I hope you see your manatees. Miss you and I am doing better but not quite there yet.