Tuesday, February 17, 2015

MARDI GRAS WITH ZATARAIN'S!!

Tue,  Feb. 17 - I can't believe we do not have any plans for Mardi Gras again this year!!  Third year in a row we have not generated a party!!!  I keep remembering the great party we had in 2012 at TT Palm Springs when a group of friends got together to celebrate.  Would love to do that again but guess we will just stay in for Mardi Gras 2015.  Really getting OLD!!

But, Zatarain's to the rescue!!!  After happy hour with Ken's wonderful Bloody Marys with all the garnishes and snacks of shrimp and cheese crackers, we enjoyed a quite dinner of Zatarain's Red Beans and Rice!!


Not bad for Mardi Gras in a box!!!

NEW AIR CONDITIONER/HEAT PUMP FOR HIGHWAY RUNNER!

Fri, Feb. 13 - About two months ago our rear Dometic Air Conditioner/Heat Pump stopped cooling or heating.  The weather was mild enough that we chose not to have it replaced right away.  Besides, we had just spent a bundle replacing the tires on Highway Runner.

But now the weather in Florida is much colder so we decided to bite the bullet have have the unit replaced.  We stopped by Camping Connection on 192 and ordered a new one and set up an appointment to have the unit installed at our site at TT Orlando.

This is not the new AC!!  The techs are removing the old, worn out unit!!


The new Air Condition/Heat Pump is much more fancy than our old one.  This one has a digital thermostat with blank-de-blank settings and programming options.  Dan from Camping Connection told us, "Do not touch the programming button!!"  Hope we can conquer the new equipment!


Tue, Fri 17 - WHAT NEXT!!  BATTERIES, OF COURSE!!

A couple of weeks ago when we were moving from TT Peace River to TT Orlando, the motor home would not start and Ken had to jump it with the Suzuki to get it going.  While we were at TT Orlando for two weeks, Ken had a "Trickle Charger" attached to the coach batteries to keep them charged.

This morning, he decided to start the coach to check the batteries.  No luck!!  And we are scheduled to depart tomorrow morning!!  Again Camping Connection came to the rescue!!  It just so happened that Dan and his partner were in the campground and could fit us into their schedule to install new batteries!!  Of course the job was not as simple as it should have been, but a couple of hours later we have two new InterState batteries!!!
Interstate 31-MHD Truck & Van Battery 950 CCA
Just waiting to see WHAT NEXT!! 

SPACE SHUTTLE WATCH FROM TT ORLANDO!

Sun, Feb 08 - Wed, Feb 10 - Late on Sunday afternoon I saw our neighbors, Amy and Bob, sitting in lawn chairs on the vacant site that is between us, facing East.  They looked as if they were expecting something to happen.  I asked them what was going on and they told us they were waiting to see the shuttle that was to be launched at 6:05 ET.  So Ken and I grabbed our lawn chairs and joined them in their watch.  We had sat there chatting and getting to know one another for about 10 minutes when Pickleball friend Big Al came up behind us - "I hate to tell you guys but the shuttle launch has been scrubbed.  They will try again tomorrow."  DARN!!

Well it poured rain all day on Monday.  Launch rescheduled for Tuesday, same time.  Scrubbed again and rescheduled for Wednesday at 6:03 pm.

So again, a little before 6 o'clock on Wednesday, a small group of us gathered to watch the shuttle pass over.

Shuttle Watchers:  Our neighbors, Bob and Amy; Pickleball friends, Eddie and Al; Ken and Faye; and Pickleball friends, Travis and Baxter.


"Just before sunset at 6:03pm ET on Wednesday, Feb. 11th, 
Falcon 9 lifted off from SpaceX’s Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. 
carrying the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) satellite 
on SpaceX’s first deep space mission." (www.spacex.com)

This is our amazing sight of the shuttle, launched from Cape Canaveral more than 70 miles away!



Thank you neighbors and friends for this experience.  This is the first time we have actually seen a space shuttle from our camp site at TT Orlando.  Hope it is not the last.

Monday, February 9, 2015

KEN WAS IN THE HOSPITAL BUT HE'S OUT NOW!!

Sat, Feb 05 - Yes.  That's right.  Ken spent a few days in South Lake Hospital, Clermont, FL!  We took him to the Emergency Room on Thursday afternoon because he was easily exhausted with the least bit of exertion .  He had been feeling like he could not catch his breath with a lot of coughing to get the phlegm out of his chest.  We decided it was time for him to get checked out.

Almost as soon as he checked into the Emergency Room they had him on oxygen.  They gave him a couple of breathing treatments and ran a number of tests.  After further treatment in the ER, they decided to admit him to the hospital for observation and further tests.


After a couple of days of tests, the doctors' diagnosis was COPD -- chronic bronchitis and emphysema, etc.  And his blood pressure was unusually high!

After treatment of steroids and antibiotics, etc. Ken felt (and looked) a lot better.  He was released on Saturday afternoon with some new prescriptions and told to follow up with a local Primary Care Physician.

Now back home and feeling a lot better!!

SUMMER BEER!

Tue, Feb 03 - Sally and Cis have been telling me about a new cocktail they have enjoyed at some of the Torrey Oaks happy hours -- Summer Beer!!  Have you had it??!!

I decided to serve Summer Beer at our Venison cookout on Tuesday afternoon.  First time I have ever tasted it.  Let me tell you, Summer Beer is sooooo refreshing!!


Here is the recipe for your next party!!

SUMMER BEER

1 12-Ounce Can Lemonade Concentrate
1 Lemonade Can of Vodka
2 12-Ounce Cans Beer

Pour ingredients into a jug or pitcher.  Serve over ice.

Enjoy!!

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

VENISON BURGERS WITH FRIENDS!!

Tue, Feb 03 - We are leaving TT Peace River tomorrow to go to TT Orlando for a couple of weeks.  Before leaving, we wanted to invite friends to join us for a cookout with the Venison Burgers that Joe and Cis had brought to us from Pennsylvania.  Mitch and Barb had come into Peace River on Monday, so we had already made arrangements for them come and asked Mitch, the chef, if he would cook the burgers.  He was most happy to do that.  We invited long-time friends Sally and Stan; and, of course, we invited Joe and Cis, after all, they were the ones who provided the burgers!!

Mitch and I enjoying Venison Burgers and a beer!!


Mitch's brother, Dan and his wife are also at TT Peace River, so of course they were invited to join our crazy bunch!!  Here is Stan enjoying a Hamburger and Dan having Venison Burger.


 Other happy dinners, Barb, Joe and Ken!


In the middle of my picture taking, two little dolls walked down the road.  Stan called them over to chat.  This is Melissa and Ariana.  They said they are not in a special program or anything like that; they just enjoy dressing up sometime.  Cute!!


And here are Sally, Dan's wife Cari, and Cis!


That was fun!!  A great time was had by all!!