In the "deep South" of Southwest Florida

Well folks, The Man and I survived a drive of over 2400 km from Ontario to Port Charlotte, Florida.
Wow what a crazy drive that was.
Interstate 75 is just as busy as the 401 in places and it was interesting with the transport trucks on the route too. Not to mention the motor homes and land cruisers towing vehicles and boats and bikes and ...you name it.

The weather was quite snowy through Ohio and then, once we reached Kentucky, it cleared and the drive was nice and sunny. I really applaud the people that tag team drive all the way to Florida for March Break. It is really a long way.
For us it was uneventful. Thankfully.

We spent time looking at the licence plates going by, reading the Route 75 book I had bought for the trip and it was very handy in finding the odd place to stop and for neat restaurants.
I had to get some fresh pecans (said as pee-CAWN, don'tcha know) and we spent a bunch in the store. I love pecans. There was a cotton patch there too and we took some pictures of it. Okay, it was a touristy thing to do.

I'd like to take a little bit of time to explain how lousy the hotels were that we were staying in.
On my other trips I had booked through CAA on line. Located the place I wanted to stop and then picked the place that looked the most appropriate. Having that experience I did the same thing again! I wasn't as fortunate with my picks this time.
I did pick "known places" that weren't in the back of beyond.
But they certainly didn't add up to what we'd expect.

Let's see, the last place we stayed, in Gainesville Florida, a Days Inn actually, had the vanities nearly completely detached from the wall. The rust at the bottom of the bathtub where it meets the floor was quite interesting and the old metal doors needed some serious attention. The linens were clean though and that's all that mattered.
The first place we stayed on the trip, in Florence Kentucky was equally as "tired" and in need of some real TLC. The lobby area and the breakfast area was lovely but the rooms and hallways needed some help.
I was dismayed at the state they were in. I will follow up with CAA and find out how they do their ratings and let them know what we found. They always want to know because if it is really bad then they won't rate them.

Regardless we did arrive in one piece and the beloved Equinox was stellar in it's work for us. It is in need of bath right now but we'll get to that another day.

The home I have rented for our Florida adventure will have me a "temporary resident" of Port Charlotte for 3 months; The Man, 2.
Port Charlotte has so much to offer and today we only scratched the surface finding the grocery story and the ABC liquor store (right ON!) We stocked up on just about everything we need for the next few days at least as we don't want to go anywhere! It's new years! Yippee!

So, arriving with 77 F temperature and the pool at 86 F we knew we had found the best spot. The Hibiscus plants are in bloom and the palm trees really make the whole place. I post pictures on my next post once I figure out how this computer works (the home owner left his for us to use!) at taking my memory card from my camera.

I am officially a snowbird! Okay, a very tired one at the moment but I am escaping the snow and cold for the first time in my life. Wow! Now there's a concept.

I'll fill you all in on more tidbits as I think of them. I'm a little brain drained at the moment.

Cheers all!

I think I have everything I need...

12 hours from now I will be heading west from TO to begin my southern odyssey.
 I've been east, west and south west but now it's just plain south.
I begin my research on snowbirds and what is entailed to be one of those "retired but not ready to sit and do nothing"  people that I've heard about.

So far I'm wondering if the folks pulling a trailer have the right idea. Now, I know that if I had my own place  in the south I wouldn't bring as much as I have,but I just don't know what I might need. Much of it is books and "amusement" things like that. Some of it is clothes, yes, and I know I've probably over packed with that type of thing. I just don't know what I'll need.
Ho hum.

Christmas is done for 2011 and for me that means seeing some cousins I don't see except at this time of year and we spend some time catching up and figuring out what each other has been doing. There aren't any "little ones" in our group and the teens come and go and hang with their friends as well as us. It's an open, swinging door where ever we all are and it's neat to see everyone having fun. Next year there will be a baby as my cousin A is very pregnant right now and is looking forward to losing the basketball she has infront of her. I give her credit, since the age of 12 she has wanted to get married, have a nice home and children. She's stuck to her dream and a couple of years married her love J, after many years of dating, has a little home and now they are having their first child. I have another cousin, T, who is a miget race car driver and I love hearing how animated he gets when he explains how his car works and what could make it better.

All these things make the Christmas get together a lot of fun. It's a time for family and  that's exactly what it is.

So after checking all my "to do" lists I think I'm just about ready to head out.
I can't believe that this time has finally come, the planning, thinking, organizing is down to this.
Wheeee!

Gee, I hope the border folks are nice and we can really get on the road!
2,400 km from here to there.
Piece of cake really.
The Equinox is ready to go.

The pilgrimage continues.

Cheers all!

Back on the Blogging Trail

Greetings all
First of all Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone and I hope everyone has a safe and fun holiday time.

This year, for the first time in many, I've been able to get hand written Christmas cards out to just about everyone I can think of. I've had TIME to do this! Okay, I've had time in the past by my brain didn't have time. There was always something driving me away from that little task that is really quite fun to do. I've found myself taking time to do just about everything. There is no rush for anything. It's really a novel concept and I am so enjoying this new philosphy in my life.

Since arriving home from my Western Tour I've enjoyed the quiet and unrushed life of Southampton Ontario. There has been some snow but today it is green as it would be in April and just a slight drizzle falling. It's 2 degrees Celcius out. Not really Christmas weather but I'm not complaining. With the amount of driving to come in the next week and a half I'm fine with it!

I have been back and forth to Toronto a few times as The Mother required her cataracts to be removed and that required The Kid to be present for the shuttling back and forth to appointments. The Mother is recovering as expected and is finding things brighter and bluer than before though disappointed that reading glasses are still required. She has also decided that with "new eyes" high definition satellite TV is in order. She thinks she'll see the puck better when her beloved Leafs score. I told her not to hold her breath.

Packing is nearly complete for the next phase of my travels. To think I've been away from work for 6 months and I've accomplished so much! Now it's off to Florida. I'm going to do intensive research on what it's like to be a snowbird. What do folks do, that are retired, in a warm, sunny clime, for months on end?
Do they get bored?
Do they have fun?
I know they get great tans, I know they golf and watch grapefruit league baseball but what else do they do?
I will endeavour to report what it is exactly that a snowbird does. So, watch this space for more updates on the research as it becomes available.

Christmas is a time for travel and for family. The Mother announced that she has spent all but 2 Christmases with her beloved cousin AW. Whether in Guelph or the London area they have been together. This is a feat in itself when you think of how long The Mother has been on the planet. It is "old home week" when we all get together in the little hamlets of Lambeth and Shedden, Ontario. There is the requisite shrimp ring, beverages, goofy noisey toys my cousin likes to bring out at Christmas eve and the catching up of cousins (1st, 2nd and 3rd) comings and goings since the last time we all met. Then it's turkey and all the trimmings on Christmas day. It's fun, intense but reflective to see how the families have changed and grown over the years.

Once the craziness of that event is over it's "on the road again" time. It'll be a drive through 5 States to get to the 6th that will be my home for 3 months. In speaking to my "landlord" just recently he will leave the pool at 86 Farenheit for us along with instructions for the home theatre system and the power jets in the pool. New lights have been installed in the outdoor Tiki bar and all the flowers are in bloom. Wow! When he called it "Paradise" he wasn't kidding! I am grateful for T to let me lease his home for this time and for my friend B for linking us up so this could happen. This is an opportunity that I can't wait for. The Man has half a dozen books packed and is looking forward to just doing nothing. I will, of course, do my diligent research on what a snowbird does, or doesn't do while away from the fun of a Canadian winter.

So, the blogs will begin again and I hope everyone will enjoy the next set of reports.
I hope to have some pictures from Christmas on here too. I know pictures are a hit.

Finally, to my friend M's mom, Mrs. W. I know you have been missing my blogs and now I hope you'll have some fun as you hear of them. Your daughter told me of your specific request that I start blogging again. This one's for you!  :-)

Merry Christmas! (and Happy Hanukah!)