We're Back

We got back yesterday from a 1 week cruise to celebrate our 53rd anniversary. Here is our picture during Dress Up Night. Since this was an Norwegian Free Style Cruise, there were not many men who actually dressed up. Must be a sign of the casual times we are now living in.

I will be making a more posts about the cruise and some more pictures also.

Super Flag Light

While at the Tampa RV Show, I saw a light for our flag that I fly in the front of house. I have had the flagpole for many years and have it lighted from a spotlight at the ground level. But the light does not do a good job on a flag that is 20 feet above ground.

At the show the USA Flag company had a solar powered light that mounts on the top of the pole, charges batteries during daylight hours and then stays on all night long. The light is right over the flag so the light hits the flag quite well and makes it more visible than the light on the ground. When the flag is blown around the pole by the wind, the light rotates around with the flag. And sun power is free!!

To see the light more clearly, just click on the picture for a better look. Use your browser's back arrow to return to the Blog.

Tampa RV Show

Who said we couldn't serve dinner to ten in our Motor Home?? Not us, because we did at the Tampa RV show last week. I do think we reached a near maximum though!!

We met with 4 other couples at the show and we all parked together and had a meal together each evening. We have been meeting with 3 of the couples for the last several years at the show and we also get together during the summer when we can. It is a fun group and we do have a good time together. They guys solve maintenance problems and the gals talk about the guys!!

It was a good show but the weather was quite cold the first two days. The overall activity indicates that the economy is coming back. We saw a lot of RV's with sold stickers on them during the last 2 days. We helped the economy some, but did not buy a new coach.

While at the show we picked up a number of free camping coupons or those with a discount. Now we have to plan our trips to use these. Jim also got stuff to fix up some of the problems we keep having with the RV. After all it is now coming up on 11 years old and small things keep breaking down. At least they are not big things that cost a lot!!

Ten Days into 2011 and going strong!!

On January 1 I realized we had a problem with the microwave. It made a loud buzzing when we went to heat something so we did not even try. I was sure it was a bad magnetron (being involved with radar in the Navy) and I researched parts on-line and found the lowest cost one for about $160.00 (ouch). rather than trying to repair it myself I swallowed my engineer's pride and made an appointment for GE service to come out on Monday.

The serviceman confirmed it was the magnetron and at first said it would be about a $400.00 repair. I naturally told him of my research and also that I could by a similar new model for about the same price. He sharpened his pencil (actually a computer) and I agreed to have it repaired for about $280.00.

When I saw how he had to get at the part to replace it I was glad he did it and not I. I would have been hunting for hours and maybe days to find all those screws to get that rascal out of the microwave.

You never realize how much you use a microwave until you do not have one!!

The next evening was the election of Directors for our Co-op and Carol was not running for Treasurer again. She was really happy to get out of the job as it was making her lose sleep!! There is a great lack of talent on our board of directors (my personal opinion) and I had even turned in my candidacy at the start of one meeting but withdrew at the end. The Hazelwood reunion planning is in it's final 4 months and I just cannot bring myself to take time away from it. Too many from the WW-II era will be there and I want it to be a great reunion. So far we have 60 shipmates coming to the reunion.

If you have not seen the BLOG on it just look at my profile on the sidebar and you will find it.

Even though we partied on New Years Eve, we went out to the American Legion on Thursday, JAN 6 and danced the evening away to Jay Smith. Then on Saturday the Pancake Breakfast was held in Riverwalk and guess who chairs that?? Yep, Jim does!!

There was a good turnout as our crew (all men), served over 100 breakfasts of Pancakes, Scrambled Eggs, Sausage, toast, coffee and orange juice. And all of that for $3.00!!!

It is now Monday evening and we have just returned form the Monday night Riverwalk Bingo. Carol did win at one of the games, but Jim cannot because .. he is the bingo caller!!

We sure have a lot to do in our retired life and are enjoying every minute of it.

More will be coming later!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Here is the "crew" that went to Harbor Isles to celebrate New Years Eve and ring in the New Year. Just in case you are wondering who you are looking at; the back row is Jim Julian, Ernie Nolan, and Gus Lopes. The delightful damsels in the front are Sonya Nolan, Carol Julian and Marilyn Lopes.

We decided to go to Harbor Isles rather than our own Riverwalk was because Harbor Isles was having a "real" New Years Eve party that would last until midnight!! Harbor Isles had a live musician rather than a DJ and they were having hot and cold snacks. A light meal was preferred by all of us!! Also at Riverwalk, they turn the clock ahead at least one hour so they don't have wait until the real midnight!!!

This group is a bunch of party animals and we wanted to have a real midnight celebration and we did. The musician was not a Jay Smith, our preferred entertainer, but he was better than a DJ!!

We wish everone a prosperous, healthy and happy new year.