Florida Mobile RV Repair

Auntie Violet has been suffering from incontinence. She's had a fresh water leak that has steadily gotten worse. We've been able to deal with it by not using water pressure from the outside hose. We would just turn on the water pump every time we needed water. It's been a REAL pain! (I told Forry he has no idea how many times a day I wash my hands, especially when I'm cooking!) And there's NO pump switch in the kitchen -- I have to walk back to the bathroom to the switch every time. I was always getting in trouble for not turning the switch back off...

Forry and Bill pretty well isolated the problem when Bill was still at Mouse Mountain, but neither one of them could get to it. There's a pipe behind the AquaHot -- and a couple of other pipes -- they could see where the leak was, but neither one of them was skinny enough to get back in there. At least it was fresh water, so we didn't worry about it contaminating anything.

I have to tell you that we have had wonderful referrals when we contact local authorized AquaHot/HydroHot service centers (that's how we got hoses fixed in Kansas). The shop in St. Augustine we talked to had no mobile service and they were booked solid in their shop until the end of May! But they gave us a referral to Florida Mobile Repair. Dave set us up to come into their shop when we left Mouse Mountain RV Park this morning.

Now this is not most likely a place we would have stopped in without a referral about how good they were:

It's certainly nothing fancy with big elaborate bays or anything like that. Kinda looks like an old service station --

They actually worked on the leak problem out on the tarmac in front of the shop. They had this really skinny little fellow who was able to get back in there behind all the plumbing.

It turns out that it was nothing more then a very loose fitting. They tightened it up three turns and even got part of another turn on it! They thought it probably hadn't been put on tight in the first place and just kept getting looser and looser --

This guy really had to get under there and then squeeze up into it to fix it. He actually went ahead and put a little access plate in there so that if we ever have problems again, someone can get at it. The other good news is there did not appear to be any damage to the flooring from the leaking!

So, if you're ever in the Orlando/Kissimmee area of Florida and need some work done on your rig, don't hesitate to call Dave at Florida Mobile RV and Auto Repair. They are at 2255 E. Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway, Kissimmee, Florida. (407) 518-6739.

We thought their prices were reasonable as well. We paid $180 for two hours of labor plus $20 in parts for the access door. We were out of there a little after one, hooked up the Toad and made it to our new home near St. Augustine by dinnertime tonight. (Tomorrow I'll tell you about our first experience using the new Pilot/Flying J Good Sam Club RV Plus Card to diesel up.)

Baseball and Bulls

It was cooler again today, there was a bit of an overcast, so the temp stayed in the low 90s. That's a good thing as we had to spend time outside packing up and putting away the chairs (two lounge chairs and two plain folding chairs), the table and my trike. We got them all loaded  into the back of Toad. As we were recuperating later in the motor home, we both proclaimed "I'm getting too old for this!"

The Mariners played their last game in Toronto and weren't able to come away with another win. They'll be moving to Tampa tomorrow and I'm hoping they go back to the winning streak they had...!

We watched the finals of the bull-riding in Cincinnati today. This is what we watch: The bull in the chute getting ready to go - you can see the rider's hand on the right --

Caught in mid-ride --

And finally, the winner! A young fellow from Australia won it all today --

Because of the partial overcast, there was a very bright sunset tonight --

 

Tonight is our last night at Mouse Mountain. Tomorrow we head to the repair shop in Kissimmee.

Saturday

It was another scorcher today -- the one time I checked late this afternoon it was 99.7 on the thermometer. But it cooled off nicely this evening so that we could go for a walk about seven. There were a scattered clouds this afternoon with a couple of thunderheads building way far out on the horizon, but by tonight they had pretty much dissipated. All except for this pink streak in the sky as the sun set.

It was too hot to do much of anything outside, but PBR ran a Top 15-15 this afternoon in Connecticut, so we watched that then watched the Mariners games. In contrast to last night when they came back and beat Toronto with a Grand Slam home run, tonight Toronto hit a Grand Slam to finish the Mariners off 7-0.

Vultures Like BBQ Too?

We took a road trip this afternoon over to Kissimmee to check out the RV repair shop where Auntie Violet has her appointment Monday morning. Dave, the tech, had given us some advice about which way to approach the shop which is just off of Highway 192. It's on the other side of the road from where we will be heading and he said the corner at the intersection is too tight to make the U-turn. And he was right on! We checked out access using a service station on the right side that has a truck area. It looks like it had better work, as if you're not able to get turned around, you're on the Florida Turnpike and there's nowhere to get off for forty miles!

We still wanted to check out Fat Boy's Barbecue since we had finally located it after we had already eaten the other day. It's a nice place with friendly wait staff. It wasn't the best bbq we've ever eaten, but not the worst either.

When we came outside after eating, we saw lots of birds flying around and in. As we came around the back of the parking lot we saw all of these vultures perched on the fence around the dumpster.

 

There must have been twenty or more in the area. They were even perched on the light poles!

These are Black Headed Vultures, one of two varieties we've seen in Florida. (The others, with red heads, are Turkey Vultures)

Thursday

The heat is back with a vengeance. It was in the high nineties today and it got a bit miserable. I should have turned on the AC, but I was busy and by the time I realized how hot Auntie Violet had gotten inside, it was already starting to cool down outside. You can bet I'll pay more attention tomorrow.

You can tell I've been on a cleaning spree. I had a whole washing machine load of cleaning cloths and towels. I should take time to wash rugs tomorrow as well. Then I'll have pretty much caught up.

It's looking like we will be staying here through Sunday. We have an appointment on Monday at the RV Repair shop in Kissimmee to deal with Auntie Violet's incontinence problem. We'll spend the weekend here, then head in that direction for a night or two -- or however long it takes them to figure out what's going on. The only good thing about it is that her leakage is fresh water...

Wednesday

Well, I think the cold snap had passed. It was chilly enough last night that I seriously thought about digging out long-sleeved pajamas. Today it's been warm with no wind and the temperature made it up into the high eighties. Leslie had told me that when they were here this winter, you could always tell when there had been a cold snap by all the little propane tanks lined up by the big tank waiting to be re-filled. When I went for my walk tonight, sure enough, a whole line of them were awaiting attention.

We finished up the Toad today, vacuuming out the floor in front of the back seats before laying them back down. Toad is now a bit more organized. I found a bag that the blankets fit into and another to put all of the bungee cords in. I'm sure glad we got the biggest share of the work done earlier when it was a lot cooler.

There was another nice Mariner's game tonight with Seattle beating Detroit 9-1. They've had a rough start this season, so it was nice to see them win two games in a row and sweep Detroit.

Laundry and More Toad Cleaning

It's been another chilly day in Florida. It actually got cool enough this evening for me to put on a sweatshirt when we went for our walk. It's 61 degrees at 9 PM! That's probably as cold as it's been the whole time we've been here.

I realized this morning that I'd best get busy doing laundry or we would soon be out of undies. I washed four loads of laundry which are now hanging all over Auntie Violet getting dry. There were still a couple of trousers in the bottom of the hamper that were left yet from my trip to Indiana a couple of weeks ago.

We tackled the rest of Toad this afternoon. Just emptying everything out of the back took a while. In addition to chairs, he carries the auxiliary brake, a couple of baseball bats (from our trip to Louisville), cartons of diet Pepsi, shopping bags, suitcases, a five gallon bucket, rubber ladder bumpers, my old computer, a tow rope, jumper cables, first aid kit, and assorted jackets.

I vacuumed out the back compartment, cleaned the sides with Armor All and washed the inside of all the vehicle windows. Forry used some upholstery cleaner on the seats. Tomorrow we still need to put up the back seats and clean out and vacuum the floor in front of them. Right now there is a tangle of bungee cords, hook-ups for the hitch and tools all tangled together along with lots of leaves and other assorted debris. We'll fold up all of the chairs and put them in their carrying bags ready to load up with the trike.

Needless to say, we are both tired tonight. But there's a really good Mariners game on TV (they're ahead of Detroit 6-4) as well as the results of last night's Dancing With the Stars and The Biggest Loser. It's a good thing we're FT RVers -- no one says we have to get up early tomorrow!

Gettin' Ready

Since we are leaving on Friday (at least that's the current jello set-up...), we've started thinking about getting things organized. We've been here for two months. You can sure tell it by all of the stuff that we've gotten out and used - and haven't put away!

Today we got started on Toad. He's been pretty neglected and his untidy, dusty interior was beginning to really get to me. It was another cool breezy day - though sunny - which made for nice working outside. I decided the easiest way to go about this was to do one portion at time. Today we tackled the front seat. Vacuuming, dusting, wiping out and using Armor-all.

Tomorrow we will clean the seats and the inside of the windows. Then start on the rear which has the seats folded down so that all the chairs and my three-wheeler fit. We want to do some re-organizing and re-arranging.

As I said, it was cool today. When I went for a walk this evening I actually got chilly. I think we have gotten the edge of the nor'easter that dumped 18 inches of snow in northern New York during the weekend. I saw another interesting tomato container garden today --

2nd Time This Week

One thing about hanging around RV parks where there are a lot of retired people -- you know there will be ambulance calls. There was one about midnight last week. You could hear the sirens coming down the highway and the sound changing as they drove into the park. The flashing red lights really lit up the night.

This afternoon we heard the sirens again and pretty soon the fire truck came driving in. Three blue clad men piled out across and down the road from us where there was a group of people near one of the RVs.

A little later, just like the other night, the ambulance came. I think like most fire crews, the first responders come with the truck and the ambulance comes along behind.

We didn't see them load anyone on their stretcher, so hopefully the call hadn't been terribly serious. It does make us think a bit about what we would do if one of us had a heart attack or stroke. And very thankful that the First Responders seemed to find their way around the park without any problem.

Looking at the streets in the pictures, would you have guessed that we had a violent thunderstorm with pouring rain about 2 AM? And another fairly heavy shower this morning? It amazes me how quickly the sandy ground drains. The only place I saw a puddle this evening when I was walking was over in a low spot by the dumpster.

Cloudy, Overcast Saturday

It was cool and damp feeling when we got up this morning and it has been overcast all day. Since it was cool, I slept in and we didn't go for a walk until early afternoon. Forry walked with me for a while and then went back to Auntie Violet. I had been complaining a bit about having seen all there was to see at the RV park, but I have to take it back.

A couple of days ago I took the dirt road - more like a trail - behind the garbage dumpster. It leads along the outside edge of the park where there are half a dozen RVs that are stored there. But on the other side is the "back yard" of the more permanent RVs across the street from where we are parked. What I was surprised to see were all of the vegetable gardens. I've seen peas, corn, squash, broccoli, beans and lots of tomatoes - some in containers, some in those upside-down hanging pots and some planted in the ground.

But today I was looking up and happened to spot these --

They look like they are the kind of little tomatoes that grow in clusters like grapes. Some of them even look like they're almost ripe.

What I thought was interesting was the shallow hanging troughs they are planted in. I've always thought tomato plants were heavy feeders that needed lots of room for their roots. These plants look like they are happy and thriving. Guess I'll stop by off and on during the next week that we're here and see how they are doing.

Honeymoon Island State Park

Today we took a day trip over to one of the Gulf barrier islands, Honeymoon Island, which is one of Florida's state parks. Located near the tip of Florida's barrier island chain, the island received its name in 1939 when a New York developer purchased the island and, together with LIFE magazine, held a contest for newly married couples. The winners of the contest stayed in thatched bungalows in sunny Florida for a two week "honeymoon."

The ranger at the Nature Center told us to keep an eye out for Gopher Tortoises, and sure enough we saw one an hour or so later crossing a parking lot.

Among the many birds who call these islands home is the Laughing Gull --

In addition to all of the shorebirds we saw, this Mourning Dove posed on a post for us. Can you see the iridescent feathers on his neck?

The lavender hue doesn't show up near as much in this close-up,,,

These Sea Grapes are all over the coastal areas of Florida, both in bush and tree form --

Today we found one in bloom. I understand that "grape-like" seeds form in a cluster all down the flower stalk like clusters of grapes.

I don't know if it is because of the name or because beach weddings are popular --

By late afternoon there were TWO weddings taking place on the beach where we were sitting in the sand watching the birds!

There is even a cafe on the island which, since it was Friday, was having an "all you can eat" fish fry tonight. It was getting late and we had been wondering where we would stop to eat...

Thunderstorm!

It was cool this morning when I woke up so I decided that I would get up and go take my walk early. It's been so hot in the afternoons that I don't even want to go outside. I've been walking after supper when it's cooled off a bit, but even then it's been hot. By the time I got back to the motor home this morning it had warmed up and I had worked up a pretty good "glow." By noon it was back in the high eighties.

But then, the clouds gathered and the wind gusts came. The next thing we knew, there were loud claps of thunder right overhead and it began to rain hard. The temperature dropped to 73 degrees in a manner of minutes! It rained hard for twenty minutes or so, then the clouds started to move off. by four-thirty it was back up to 87 degrees and the skies were clear.

It did make for a pretty sunset tonight though --

Wednesday

We paid for a full month at Mouse Mountain RV Park in order to be here to fly out of Orlando International Airport to go to my board meetings last week. (The cost of flying from one of the small regional airports on the east coast was more than double that of flying from here...) The monthly rate at the RV park is quite a bit less then paying by the week.

Now we are just sort of marking time before we start north. I must admit that I am getting a pretty bad case of "hitch itch." I have walked around the park so many times I think I can just about describe every unit in here. This is one of the many "other" residents of the park. There are lots of these squirrels running around. They are quite a bit smaller than the ones we had in Spokane.

This was the beginning of one night's sunset. I thought it would get more colorful, but this was about the extent of it --

We needed to pick up a few things at the grocery store, so late this afternoon we decided to go out to dinner, then go to the store. We've been hungry for barbecue, so looked up a nearby place on Facebook. We found Fat Boys BBQ in Kissimmee that had some good reviews. When we got to the address, it wasn't there. About that time Bill called and he recommended Smokey Bones, a place they had gone to and liked.

We shared a brisket dinner that was really good!

Son Sean is FIFTY!

How do you know when you're getting old? Part of it maybe when one of your children celebrates his fiftieth birthday! I remember well the day he was born, even though it was a long time ago. There were two labor rooms right next door to the delivery room in the hospital in Moses Lake (nothing like the lovely set-up they have now!)

There was a lot of activity going on in the delivery room. The doctor had delivered a very small baby that was so jaundiced that it looked orange (remember that this was in the days before Rhogam) from an Rh incompatibility. They gave that tiny baby a transfusion right there in the delivery room! It seemed like everyone who worked in the hospital was in and out of that room and there was lots of noise and confusion. Then shift changed and another nurse came in and took charge. She checked on me and told us to be sure and holler when things got closer. Then she went into the delivery room and everything calmed down immediately. She sent everyone who had no business there on their way and restored order -- and never raised her voice in the process!

Later when I went to nursing school, I worked for that nurse who by then was the Director of Nursing. Mabel was an old Army nurse and she was my role model for many years. I wonder sometimes if her spirit still isn't present in that hospital!

Our son was born later that day. I am not sure how we so quickly went from that day fifty years ago to today. I am feeling a bit guilty about being so far away from Washington State today (even though we had a cake delivered...). I'm hoping that all of us can get together some time this summer to celebrate some more with Sean.

Another Monday

Well, I'll tell you one thing -- I am still tired! I did get ambitious enough this morning to empty my suitcase and to wash a couple of loads of laundry. It's been breezy enough that with the windows and door open, the clothes dried very quickly. Makes it much easier than those very humid airless days we had a couple of months ago when nothing dried.

We watched our usual morning TV, enjoying The View, Millionaire, and The Chew. Then we got our act together and headed into Kissimmee. Toad is a 2005 Jeep Liberty with 109 thousand miles under his belt. Last week before we checked out the route to the airport, he just didn't want to start. After adding some water to the battery and giving it a jump, we got him going, but it was pretty obvious that the battery was going to need to be replaced. He's had it since he was brand-new (he joined us a year later when the lady who owned him traded him in for a diesel model.).

We -- and some of our friends -- have had such good experiences with Interstate Batteries that I went on-line and searched for a store near us. The closest one turned out to be Tires Plus in Kissimmee. I called them to make sure they had what we needed in stock and to find out if we needed an appointment. I was assured they had the right battery and we were told to "just drop in."

They have at least five bays that were all full when we pulled in. The young woman at the counter was friendly, very efficient and got all of the paperwork done very quickly. We only waited about ten minutes for them to get to the Toad and it was all done within a half hour! They even made sure to check out the battery charge once it was installed as well as the starter and the alternator. They checked the air in the tires and made sure all of the fluids (coolant, washer, transmission, power steering etc.) were at their proper levels -- and then checked to make sure all of the lights were working properly. All of that without any additional charge!

If you're looking for great customer service and products while in the Orlando area, you couldn't find a better place. It's busy -- all the bays were again full when we left -- but they do good work. I think we'll probably drive back that way and get Toad's oil changed before we leave Florida at the end of the month.

Disclaimer - We have no relationship with either Interstate Batteries nor Tires Plus other than as customers.

Resting Up

I sure was tired today! One thing I'm beginning to realize more and more. I don't snap back the way I used to. It just seems to take a little longer every trip. I haven't even emptied my carry-on suitcase...

We watched the Mariners game and enjoyed seeing them beat Oakland 5-3. We actually watched Bull Riding twice. They had a 15-15 this afternoon (top 15 riders matched against the top 15 bulls), then broadcast the regular show from the Indianapolis Arena this evening. Made for a nice afternoon of TV watching.

These are pictures of another plant with flowers that I have not identified:

It's by itself outside the door of one of the more permanent RV Park residents. I've not seen any others like it, but it sure is pretty.

One of the things I really enjoyed while I was in Indiana was getting to see all of the tulips and daffodils in bloom as we drove back and forth from the motel to the church where we were meeting. The church ladies had bouquets of spring flowers all around the meeting areas that included lilacs and bleeding hearts as well. All of the flowers that don't grow in the south! I've missed them.

Home Again, Home Again

My, Auntie Violet looked so good when we drove into Mouse Mountain RV Park tonight after Forry had picked me up at Orlando International Airport. My flight arrived 20 minutes early. As I only had my carry-on bag (I was only gone two nights), I was out and waiting at the curb fifteen minutes or so before he got there. Actually my flight from South Bend to Atlanta had been 25 minutes ahead of schedule as well.

I made a comment on Facebook this morning that I didn't know whether I was enjoying the singing or the speakers more this morning. Willard Metzger, Executive Director of Mennonite Church Canada, gave a very inspiring sermon with a lot of good food for thought. It was a good set of meetings with opportunities to re-connect with many of the people I've worked with over the years -- many, many good hugs.

It's good to be back home ( 'cause home is wherever we're parked!) and know that I get to sleep in my own bed tonight.

Another Busy Day

The Courtyard Marriott that I am staying at has a breakfast buffet included in the price. It's a real nice buffet setup -- they even cook your eggs to order if you decide that you would rather have something other then the scrambled eggs that they have out on the buffet. By 8:30 my ride was here and we were off to another day of meetings.

This morning we met with the CLC (Constituency Leaders Council) and then this afternoon met as just the Executive Board. Some of the meetings were pretty intense, but we did get a lot done. After dinner I got a ride back to the hotel. I'm going to take a bath and get to bed early tonight!

The Long, Long Day

It is a little after 10:30 CDT in Goshen, Indiana where I have FINALLY made it to my hotel room at the Courtyard Marriott. Forry and I got up at 2:30 this morning to leave the house at 3 AM to get me to the Orlando International Airport a little after four.

I was surprised how busy the airport was at that hour! (Several little kids with big Mickey balloons, souvenirs of their visits to Disney World.) They didn't have a backscatter machine in Terminal B where Delta flies, so I got to have one of their lovely pat-downs due to my knees setting off the metal detector. The pat-downs seem to get more intrusive and thorough every time I fly...

The flight to Atlanta was absolutely packed -- they were offering all kinds of vouchers for people to give up their seats. I don't recall being in the Atlanta airport before. It sure was a long hike from Concourse A where I arrived to the train to Concourse C where of course, my gate was way down at the end! The plane to South Bend was a small one and only about half full, which was really nice. I tried to sleep on both legs, but for some reason didn't have much luck. I did NOT recognise the South Bend airport -- I thought for a moment I had gotten on the wrong flight. The last time I landed there I remember it really being a dump. Not any longer! They now have a gorgeous, but not very busy, nice new airport.

Fellow Board Member Nancy arrived about a half hour after me and had rented a car. She was going to take four of us to the hotel, but we decided we were already running late for the 1:30 Executive Board meeting, so we decided to go directly to the church. We were about fifteen minutes late, but didn't miss much more than some of the introductions.

We met until past time for supper (served at the church), quickly ate, had a committee meeting, then had a very long executive session that lasted almost until 9:30. It was a little after ten when I finally got checked in at the hotel. I am definitely on my way to bed!

Printing..?!

It was supposed to be a quiet day today. I was going to pack for my trip to Elkhart, Indiana tomorrow (I did the necessary laundry yesterday.) and print off the packet of materials that had been sent the meeting.

First Hurdle: The files were all sent .ftp! I haven't seen anything in that format for more than twenty years! We used to use it way back when before email to access the Internet. Of course, the directions that came with the files did not work! I finally went on line and downloaded FileZilla File and was able to figure out how to open the files so that I could print them.

Second Hurdle: Three pages printed and the black ink portions tapered off to grey! No problem, I had a spare cartridge in the cupboard. Oops, two color cartridges, but NO BLACK! I knew I had seen an office supply store in the shopping center just up the road by Publix. Oops, guess I saw one somewhere else?

OK, don't panic. Plug office supply store into the GPS. It found an Office Depot about nine miles away (it was actually more like twelve as the GPS seems to calculate "as the crow flies"!). Uh, oh, looks like the address that the GPS says is an Office Depot is now only an empty store! Try again. The GPS finds a Staples. It didn't look to be too far away. Turns out to be way over in Winter Haven! When we get there, we find another empty store and I FREAK! Fortunately, Forry remains calm and spots the Staples store on the other side of the highway!

We park. I go in; see the sign for ink; grab the correct cartridge; pay for it; and go back out to the car. NO Forry! (I thought he was staying in the car to plot the closest way back home on the GPS.) Evidently, he followed me into the store and was looking around... I go back in and find him, the clerk laughs at us as we leave...

Home again (by now it's after 6 PM) and I put the new cartridge in the printer and print off all the pages. Looks like I should have bought another ream of paper while I was at Staples -- the stack is an inch high! Oh well, print off the Boarding Passes, write my blog and go pack. Tomorrow is another day!

More Around the Park

We had another fairly quiet day at home today. I did some laundry and a bit of cleaning, but that's about it. Forry's had his nose in the new Sudoku book that Leslie gave him before they left. The following pictures are some I took around the park this evening when I was out walking.

This "Mickey" is one of several around the park. There is a fellow here who makes them for sale --

It's interesting how this shot turned out. The globes are actually blue, but the blue color is reflected on the building while the globes look white --

I'm not sure what these flowers are -- they're down in the bottoms of these grass clumps. Five petals with a red spot in the middle of each...

It was working on the start of a pretty sunset when I was out walking --

 When I got back to the RV, Forry had taken this picture --

It was in the nineties again today, but cooled off nicely this evening. At least it was comfortable to be out walking. We've noticed there is a lot more activity around the park when it is a bit cooler.

An Expensive Day!

It was a VERY expensive day today! I wrote a check to the Adams County Treasurer for the first 1/2 of the 2012 property taxes on the ranch. I wrote a check to the US Treasury for our 2011 income taxes. And then I wrote a check to Daughter Mary Mae for postage! MM hadn't added up her accounts for a while and we were definitely in the hole for postage. (I do try to make sure she's not having to pay up front to send our mail to us every couple of weeks, but...)

We drove over to the post office in Intercession City to send all three envelopes by Priority Mail with Delivery Confirmation (that way we'll have proof of delivery). We went to that post office instead of the closer one in Loughman because we had seen a sign pointing towards a "Wildlife Viewing Area" when we were checking out the route to the airport a couple of days ago.

We saw a sign that said it was seven miles and said that it was a school environmental park. We drove that way through several miles of very nice new housing areas and three large schools. When we got there, the gate going in was closed with a sign that said it was "open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays!" You think that maybe they might have put the hours and days on some of the earlier signs?!

We did make a quick stop to gas up the Toad and to pick up milk and blueberries. I stuck a pork loin in the oven for supper and now we are switching the television between Dancing With the Stars and the Mariners/Texas Rangers game.

Happy Easter

Wishing all our family and friends a VERY blessed Easter!

Out and About

We were out and about today checking on how long it will take us to go from Mouse Mountain RV Park to Orlando International Airport for my flight to the Executive Board meeting in Elkhart, Indiana next week. It's a good thing we did as it took about a half hour longer than we had thought. My flight leaves at 5:30 AM on Thursday, so we're going to have to have a very early start!

We stopped on our way back for dinner at Crisper's, then picked up the tea bags and spot remover that I had forgotten to get when I got groceries last week. As we were driving home, we noticed that the magnolia trees are in bud --

These fat white buds sticking up so tall will open into beautiful flowers in a couple of days. I can hardly wait to see them --

As  we walked tonight, I did see a cactus plant -- and it had buds on it!

It looks as if it is a pretty old plant that has been in a pot for some time. There are several buds beginning to show --

We saw this Class C motorhome spinning in the breeze --

It has cooled down a great deal today. The thermometer read 77 degrees when we went out walking.

A Spring Walk

We've had a bit of wet and dry today. This morning was fairly clear, then got gusty with big clouds. Then we had a few showers, then a downpour. Then the sun came out. Towards evening when we went for a walk, it was breezy, but sunny. You could look towards the north and see a bank of clouds, but there was nothing where we are.

The trees are really leafing out these days and we're seeing more and more things in bloom. We've seen lots of hibiscus --

This orange one has shades of yellow --

There's a bit of bougainvillaea blooming --

These yellow hibiscus have white and red throats --

How about this golfer?

Does this look like the rat from the movie?

This bottle bush plant is just beginning to bloom --

It looks like it will have lots of  "brushes"

The last one we saw was this double hibiscus --

The flowers are pretty, but I find myself missing all of the blooming cacti we've seen the last couple of years in Arizona...