The trip to Florida

We made it! With some adventure of course.

We pulled out of our site at Bay Meadows without any problems and took off for the States. It was very windy which kept moving our trailer from side to side making the truck feel like it was slipping on ice. I kept having to correct our path and was hanging on to the steering wheel tightly. Then we were in New York and were met by a snowy area while hail was coming down. The wind was still blowing which made matters worst. We stopped at one of the many texting stops to gather our thoughts. There was a truck parked there and a police car so I decided to ask either of them if they knew how long these weather conditions would last. The trucker turned out to be a wonderful young French Canadian who told me how that area was known for bad conditions and that it was only for about 10 miles and then would be ok. So we continued our route going slowly and being very careful while I gripped the steering wheel with much more force than needed.

We finally arrived at our first destination, Highlands Campground, in Pennsylvania. The host/owner was really nice and we had a choice of sites. We pulled into one of the few pull-throughs since we were only staying one night. The campground was practically empty of people so Cheeka was able to roam free and explore the forest. Very quiet and surrounded by trees, this place feels like real camping. We will definitely go back on our way back home as they open April 15th and the fact that it closes Nov. 4th makes it a good stop on our way down.

Then we made our way to Chesapeake Bay Campground in Virginia where we stayed for 4 days. With the Thousand Trails zone pass, we can stay up to 4 days in one of their campgrounds and go directly to the next T.T. campground. We always enjoy our stays at Chesapeake Bay. The staff is very pleasant and it is a nice place even when most of the activities are shut down. There are trails where we can walk Cheeka off leash (not supposed to but nobody is ever on those trails).

Weird spiral tree

Entertainment during the seafood festival

Different vendors came to sell their wares

From there normally we go to The Oaks in South Carolina but they didn't have room for us so we booked at Carolina Landings which is further west. Our friend Michelle met us there to continue the trip down with us.

The first impression driving into Carolina Landings is good. The office building is cute and well landscaped and the campground is gated. At this time of the year they were decorated for fall and it looked really cute.

BUT, that's where the magic ends. As soon as you cross the gate, you see rows of RVs packed like sardines on the right (where Michelle ended up) and we went left down a terrible road to an area where we slid down the gravel hill as I was trying to keep our speed down to then trying to figure out where one was supposed to park the rig as the sites were so uneven and rough. We continued on to a flatter area where we finally found a spot. Each site has a cement patio so to be beside that patio we ended really close to our absentee neighbour. If that old motorhome had been occupied it would have been really uncomfortable. And.... there was no sewer connection. On a brighter side, the water pressure was fabulous!

Glen who likes to take showers in the public ones provided (don't understand why) couldn't get any of the showers to work as the faucets were all broken and half coming off the wall. I didn't check the ladies' room as I didn't care.

We did find a nice trail to let Cheeka run on. Once there it wasn't so terrible but it certainly will never be our first choice for a stopover.

Eastern Blue Bird

There was also a lake but it was such a hike to get there with lots of hills to climb that we took the truck. The beach was badly eroded but it was kind of a sweet spot. If we had stayed longer we probably would have spent more time there.

We decided to leave one day early and drive halfway down to Florida and stay at a rest area for one night. It's not the quietest place to sleep (a lot of large trucks run all night long) but it's safe and it's free. We were glad we did this as it made the next day so much easier.

So here we are finally in Florida at Winter Quarters Pasco. I'll tell you all about it in the next blog!

Making Prince Edward County home and getting ready for Florida once more

Last blog mentioned the fact that we seem to be growing roots here. Well it's now official: we're definitely coming back!

We were lucky enough to inherit a huge deck from a neighbour who was leaving and had to dismantle his deck in order to move his trailer out. He offered us the deck free of charge if we were willing to take it apart. It was a no brainer! The deck measures 10' x 24'. It needs a good cleaning and re-staining but it is solid and will look great once done over. We were extremely lucky to get the help of two of my new friends, Jim & Jerry, who helped us figure out how to take the deck apart and then helped us move each 8' section to its new location. I rewarded their efforts with each a nice bottle of rye which is their preferred drink. Jim & Jerry (doesn't it sound like a comedy act?) are neighbours in the annual section of the park and have become best buddies. They often can be seen in their "Cozy Corner", a picnic table with umbrella, drinking and discussing the finer things in life (or more probably talking about sports and tools).

The new patio

Before the deck

Our "new" deck

We love our deck! We find that we spend more time sitting outside than before. It feels cozier than being on ground level. We'll miss it in Florida.

I have made several friends in the park as I walk the dog at least once a day and take her to the lake. I have been invited to have a glass of wine several times at all times of the day. There doesn't seem to be a 5 o'clock rule here.

I got some perennials flowers from my friend Helene and they turned out beautiful! Some gorgeous lilies and obedient plants that were supposed to be low daisies. I might have to move those elsewhere next spring.

The Piping Plover pair on the beach did have a clutch of babies but all babies were eaten by foxes or other predators. So sad! Hoping they'll be back next year and have better luck.

The lone little cygnet that I photographed on the last blog also didn't make it. The pair was seen without baby in tow a few days after the pictures were taken. Nature can be cruel. 

We kept wanting to go to the beach to see the sunset but time kept zooming by and we still hadn't done it. Well, finally, we got our act together and saw the most beautiful sunset! It was an unusual warm evening for the end of September and people were still enjoying the water and the beach at 7:00 pm. We've been blessed with gorgeous warm fall days this year.

How can we not like this place when, right on the main road ahead of us, we have a nice horse-drawn carriage? This company is available for different occasions and were seen in the tourist town of Wellington. (Pictures taken from our vehicle).

The water finally receded in October and we got our beaches back! What a joy to be able to walk along the water further and see our old favorite spots. We always feel so blessed to have those beaches just minutes away from our home. I love seeing and hearing the water and breathing the pure air coming from the big lake. It's not salted air but it's very similar to being on the ocean. Our little Cheeka finally got brave enough to get into the water! What a good girl! She actually enjoyed it and romped in and out of the water with a smile on her face.

This is Cheeka guarding the deck at the beach.

On the Crown land side of the beach, there was a tree that was adorned with all kinds of shells that probably got lodged there in the big flood. It looked so cool, almost like a Christmas tree.

When the North Beach Provincial Park closes for the season, that is when all dog owners come to enjoy the beach and let their dogs run off-leash and enjoy the water. We love bringing our beach chairs over and just sit and enjoy the surroundings. On one of those visits I spotted a bird that looked like a Piping Plover but after a closer look, it wasn't quite the same. That bird was a Semi-Palmated Plover which we had never seen before. Another discovery!

Needless to say that we are very much enjoying this part of the country. I got to visit my beautiful grandchildren a few times and they came to visit a few times which still isn't enough but I'll take what I can. I love, love being with them and also the company of my son and my daughter-in-law. We're very much hoping that we can have William for an extended visit next summer. He's getting older and bolder and has been saying he would like to come and stay with us for a while. Keeping our fingers crossed that he won't back down when comes the time.

I had the surprise visit from my best friend Joanne with whom I have been friends for 60 years! Her sister Helene is also a good friend of mine. We enjoyed our time together and it was nice for me to be with people with whom I can really be myself and express my opinions without being judged.

Helene, Joanne and I

Joanne and I

The three amigos (I see here that I'm the shortest)

My brother and his wife also surprised us with a nice visit. Pierre is showing a lot of interest in life in a trailer but Rejeanne is not quite ready. Hurry up so we can travel together!

To get ready for our travels through Florida, we took the truck for an oil change and a multi-point inspection. It turned out that the wheel bearings in the back were worn out and had to be changed. It was a hefty cost but so much worth it to prevent a breakdown on the road! We're taking the trailer for wheel bearing and brake inspection tomorrow. Meanwhile, we've been doing what we can to prep the trailer for the trip. We emptied and flushed our hot water tank and replaced the anode rod. I don't think it had ever been done. Lots of sediment came out of that tank! The anode rod was eaten away and needed replacing.

The old rod compared to a new one.

We keep learning as we go which I find so interesting and satisfying. I love it when we can do maintenance ourselves. We also sanitized our fresh water tank and water lines. It's very easy to do with some bleach. I also finally cleaned the awning which gets streaked with black lines from rolling up when wet. I used Spray Nine which worked really well. What a difference! Should have done it way earlier! We've been busy but soon we'll be driving down to sunny Florida! We've booked campsites until December. The big question is: will we be able to back up the trailer close to the deck next spring?

Cheeka says "Bye for now"

Growing roots in Prince Edward County

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Who knew that when we booked a seasonal site at Bay Meadows in Consecon (Prince Edward County) that we would totally fall in love with the area? PEC, as it is known around here, is an amalgamation of several towns/cities, most of them located along Lake Ontario. Is it because living near water brings the best in people that everyone we meet is sooooo nice? I think it has a positive effect on most. So living here is very pleasant to say the least.

As most of you know, we are having the worst summer EVER! Thank God for the unending bird songs that keep us entertained every day although it is sometimes frustrating to hear the birds but not see them. I have spotted some interesting birds right out of my window. For example, a Northern Flicker which I had never seen before, just happened to be on the lawn. I shot the picture through the window screen.

                                   


I also saw a beautiful young cardinal in the large tree in front of our trailer. Cardinals have a very special meaning for me. They are said to appear when a departed loved one wants to manifest their presence. When my dear cousin passed away (she was the older sister I never had), Glen and I were walking along Lake Ontario in Burlington when a cardinal landed on a bench. It then flew to the ground where it lingered for a while (making sure we could see him). It was weird since cardinals are normally but a fleeting blur of red that can't be easily photographed or seen. I turned to Glen and said very confidently: "my cousin passed away, the cardinal is a sign." About 10 minutes later her brother called me to tell me the sad news. Since then, when I see a cardinal that seems to want my attention, I say hi to my cousin and thank her for visiting. Am I crazy? Maybe. But it gives me joy to think that she is still around and travels along with me.

We have also witnessed young Canada Goose families strutting by the water in the bay and have watched the babies grow from cute little fluff balls to miniature replicas of their parents. There is also a pair of swans that had 6 babies but are down to only one. A woman whose house is right by the water told me she saw a snapping turtle bite and eat a small cygnet. So sad...

The water has been very high this year and it doesn't seem to subside very fast. Our lovely long beach is practically non-existent and to top it all off, a pair of Piping Plovers decided to nest on the best piece of beach we have and the authorities have completely barred off that area from the public as these birds are on the endangered list and are quite rare. We got to see one of them the day before they put up fences and barricades and were lucky enough to get a few pictures. I really hope to get to see and photograph babies but it will be pure chance as we can't get near the nest at all.

We have explored the area a little more than last fall when we spent 1 1/2 month here and have discovered some treasures. First and foremost, a very small general store in Consecon sells wine and beer! Yeah! Seriously, we went to our local library which is housed in a 200-year-old church building. A large stain-glass window still presides over the building behind where the altar would be. It is now a nice sitting area with comfortable chairs. Of course, the librarians are super nice and we can even borrow an internet hub for 7 days and get super good internet! Wow! Also, our friend told us about Point Petre and the Bird Observation station where they band migratory birds in the spring and Sawhett owls in the fall. It's a beautiful area where many different bird species can be seen.

Yellow Warbler

Rufus-sided Towhee

Common Merganser pair

I have also started painting on wood that we find on the beach. It's turned out to be quite original and my paintings are now in three stores in the area. All three store owners liked my work and thought it should sell well. One of them asked for more when I brought the three pieces I had left. I am painting mostly birds (I have no idea why) and am painting in a very different style than I did before. It's like someone else takes over when I paint. I never quite know how it's going to turn out until it's finished and I step back and think: "it's not bad at all".

I have also gathered my courage and joined aqua fitness on weekday mornings. It's a one-hour workout that leaves me feeling refreshed and ready to attack the day. I'm also playing darts on Friday nights. I remember playing darts with my brother in the basement of our home in Hull and that is the only time I played. Well, the darts don't go where I'm actually aiming but they seem to land in good enough sections of the board that I achieve good scores. It's a lot of fun and everyone is very encouraging.

We have a friend who lives 25 minutes from here. It's really nice to spend some time with her and do other things than hiking with the dog. We have changed our mailing address to be at her place as it's more convenient for us to pick it up there. Send me an email if you want our new address.

We're still farther away from my family than I wished we would be but we would never find a better place closer at this price level.

As we're gearing to go back to Florida again this winter, Glen found work to beef up our finances a little bit and pay some bills that popped up (like new brakes on the truck). He's working night shifts which are a bit of a disturbance of my schedule but he likes it as we can still do things together in the afternoon and he can enjoy the nice weather when it's here. The rain has been pretty consistent so we had to get loads of gravel to fill in the hole we had at the door that kept our carpet wet and smelly. It's much better now. We also acquired for a very good price, some patio stones from neighbours who have sold their house and are leaving at the end of the month. So we built a nice patio where we will put the table, chairs, and umbrella we're also getting from them. It's starting to look like we live here!

It is nice to not be traveling so much but I'm sure once fall comes upon us we'll be ready to move south again.