QC11-11 Ortona Lock revisited

February 22, 2011 (Tue) Monument Lake CG to Ortona Lock CG (92/2541 miles) 60/87° - We got off at 8:30 after on-board showers and breakfast. The drive west on the Tamiami Trail and north on US 29 to Labelle was unremarkable. We stopped at a Winn-Dixie for groceries, then went in search of a laundromat. We found one but could not park our rig in the parking lot - too small - so had to hunt up a lot where we could drop Q. As we drove Lamont back to the laundromat we discussed how we couldn't do this if we weren't towing a car. Then we thought, if we weren't towing a car, we wouldn't have to do this. But it was convenient running errands in the smaller vehicle. Mark made a run to the post office and then to pick up something to eat while Joy stood guard over our laundry. We ate lunch while the clothes tumbled in the drier. There is a washer and drier here at Ortona Lock CG but they are some distance from our campsite. It seemed easier to do the job in town where several loads can be done at one time.

February 23, 2011 (Wed) Ortona Lock CG (2) 61/87° - This campsite is not as ideal as the one we had the last month. We can still see the waterway but have to look past a row of RVs in sites across the road. Also our orientation makes it harder to find relief from the burning rays of the sun. Actually there are no bad sites here just some that are better than others. We can be happy in any of them.

February 24, 2011 (Thu) Ortona Lock CG (3) 63/81° - Moving day. We moved 5 sites east today - same view of the canal past different RVs. We'd been told, via TV, that we should be able to see the final launch of Discovery (the space shuttle) from here - with clear skies. The skies weren't clear. We didn't see the launch. Mark had his camera to prove that we had but . . .

Late in the afternoon we saw a couple (fellow Chinook owners) that we'd met in Hillsborough State Park several years ago walking past with their dogs. They come here every year so have developed friendships with other people who do the same. As we talked two other couples stopped by and we all had a good time talking about travel and RVs. One couple was particularly interesting. She is a deaf mute - and does all the driving. He is a paraplegic (legs) with limited use of his hands and arms. They too come to FL every winter in their motor home leaving the care of their good sized peanut and cotton crops to others. They left their Georgia home this year in November.

Q073678 Ortona Lock CG #16 & 11 dry $12 A+ (x3)
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February 25, 2011 (Fri) Ortona Lock CG to Englewood, FL (85/2626 miles) 61/79° - Joy has had a cold shower two days in a row now. The faucet is strange and getting hot water is not easy. Mark explained how he finally did it in the men's shower yesterday but apparently the women's shower works differently. We'll be using Q's on-board shower for the next few days where we know how to control the temperature.

We got off at just before 9:00 (61° high fog) and found our way to US 29 and turned North. Other than encountering the normal traffic congestion between Port Charlotte and Englewood the drive was an easy one. We got here at about 11:00 and found that Gail had taken Bom out for a ride along the beach. We hung out and waited for their return.

When we went through our mail, which we had had sent to us here, late this afternoon, we found a summons to appear in court two weeks ago to pay a fine for not shoveling our sidewalk on Jan 31. The "ticket" said that if we fail to appear as ordered (which we did fail to do, of course) a warrant for our arrest would be issued and we might lose our driving privileges in NJ. Let's see - if we go home now we are not only facing charges of failing to keep our sidewalk clear but of failing to appear in court as directed, avoiding arrest by being out the state, driving without a license and maybe others. We'd never thought seriously about full-timing in our motor home. Maybe we should now.

February 26, 2011 (Sat) Englewood, FL (2) 59/84° - It's been a quiet day of just hanging out. Joy and Gail spent time, off and on, with their mother while Mark paid pills, read and napped in Q. For lunch the three of us took wraps over to Lemon Bay Park and sat on a bench in the shade. Panera Bread provided our evening meal.

February 27, 2011 (Sun) Englewood, FL (3) 59/81° - The first order of business today was to go over to the Publix and pick up a New York Times so that Joy could catch up on the real news. Then it was another day of hanging out. Gail's flight back to Seattle from Tampa was at 9:00am this morning so it was just Joy with her mother. Mark continued to hold down the (motor home) fort. In the evening we took the computer in so that we could show Bom the DVD of Shane's first six plus years.

Q073768 Jeanne's driveway.
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February 28, 2011 (Mon) Englewood, FL to Lakeland, FL (83/2709 miles) 61/82° - Off at 7:45 (62° clear). We had said good-bye to Bom last night so that we could get an early start - and so as not to disrupt the ladies' morning routine. Joy took Lamont and headed for the laundromat on the Tamiami Trail north of Venice while Mark went in search of relatively inexpensive gas with Q. He found a station selling it for $3.38/gal and got a few gallons. We planned to stop at Costco in Brandon where it was selling for $3.24/gal so we needed only enough to get us there. After the laundry was done we hooked Lamont to Q and jumped on I-75 North toward Brandon and the Costco store.

As we were putting things away after shopping, a car pulled in too close in front of us. We always park in the outskirts of parking lots when we can because Q takes up so much room - especially with a car in tow. There are usually all kinds of empty parking spaces out there and that was the case this morning at Costco. But this woman had to park where we could not pull out - we can't back up. She was quite put out when Mark asked her to move her car down a couple of spaces. While stopped there, Mark called the Red Bank Municipal Court offices and made arrangements to pay our fine for not keeping our sidewalk clear. So we guess we won't be going to jail!!!

We got to Lakeland and Ed and Kathy's house at about 1:30.

Q073851 Ed & Kathy's yard