First Boondockers Welcome

First Boondockers Welcome 

Tuesday April 4, 2023

This morning we got up and ready for our travel day. We left around 10:00 a.m. pretty uneventful travel day, which we like. The traffic was very minimal. We went a total of 160 Miles today. We had a small protein bar on our one and only stop. It was a very weird rest area that was off the highway, but was huge very nice. 

The first host we had for boondockers welcome was Jeff and Lenora. They greeted us out at their driveway, on a lawn mower and we pulled in. We chatted for a few minutes they welcomed us to the area and we got parked and set up. 

They have a both with shower here and a washer and dryer, gas grill to use, and full hookups. Three sites total, or you  can just truly Boondock.

Then I texted Dee that she could leave her apartment and head over to us. She's our dear friend that we were going to visit with and she's staying overnight, we're so excited to have her visit. Just just moved back to Florida.

We got the slides out and set up and the electric hooked up, she arrived before Jim could even take a shower. She made great time as she was about a good half hour away. We had a little issue with the electric once both AC's came on and I tried to use the microwave, it was kicking off with high voltage. 

Once we got that situated she got to see our camper for the first time. We sat inside for a while and then

 Jim set up the new Ninja and we came out to grill. The weather was beautiful, lovely Breeze very sunny out. We can hear the chickens and cows in the distance. We had the whole place to ourself on 10 acres. After we ate we went inside and got all set up she takes an online Zoom class for grief counseling since the loss of her husband, Jim 18 months ago. After her class was over about 7:15 we sat outside some more. Trying to get used to the new time change. Then as it got dark we came inside watched a little YouTube together and chatted. Dee and Jim had a drink and I made them some popcorn.

 We made up our terrible trifold sofa bed, can't wait to get the new one we found at the Tampa RV show. And then we said good night. 

Wednesday April 5, 2023

This morning I think Dee and I both heard each other around 7:00. I got up and came downstairs. She was already up and dressed laying on the bed with her phone. 

I hated to ask how she slept, I know the bed is terrible she said she laid diagonally, it wasn't that bad at least there was no bar, like a sofa bed, but the ice maker kept her awake dropping ice every hour. I felt bad we should have turned it off. 

Then we had our coffee and checked the weather together. I  made them both breakfast. 

Dee taught me something this morning about my blog. She is the one that set me up many years ago with it, and I started doing a travel blog. I do it on my phone and she does it on her laptop. I like the fact that I can do the talk texting, so you don't have to type everything. And she told me how to do the picture collages. So it's only five pictures added, I have a total of 54 pictures for these two days we were together. As you will see later it is still a learning process. The one picture still says yesterday, and other one I missed editing out part of my phone text. But it will be a game changer and Time Saver for me thank you Dee.

Jim took a quick shower and we got ready and left before 10:00 a.m.

 She followed us in her car and we quickly arrived at Bob Hope Village in Shalimar, Florida. She gave us the tour of her cute little apartment.

Then we took a tour around the facility she showed us an exercise room where I got on the leg machine. Later there was a hoola class in there I joined for a few minutes. We spent a lot of time sitting out by the beautiful pool and hot tub. Then we walked over to the newest building six. Then she treated us, and we had lunch in the common room. Jim and I had a burgers, mine was beyond burger, she had a pesto chicken Patty melt sandwich. There was a lady selling baked goods and homemade jelly. We both bought something. They had a really cute General Store we stopped and talked with Betty that was a volunteer and lived there, she took our picture. I took some pictures of the Bob Hope display.

We walked around a little more, Jim's back was hurting so Dee and I walked over to the food trucks to bring us back dinner to her apartment. Jim and I had pork strips and chicken fingers with macaroni and cheese and baked beans. Dee  ordered chicken wings fries and beans. It was quite good and we both had leftovers for later. I took a picture of the big generator they used that we really should have. I also got gelato from the other food truck which was the first for us all. Dee and I got dairy free she had salted caramel and I had mango and I got Jim a regular Cookie Monster blue.

 Then after we ate we walked over and looked at the garden plot the residents can utilize, they had some beautiful kale and parsley and garlic and strawberries planted. And I took a picture of the pole light that was Dee's fathers army gun. Dee and Jim had a dinner drink and it was getting late and she had her Zoom class, so we said our goodbyes sadly and Jim and I headed out. 

We had a nice drive back to the RV everything was all set and we got a beautiful view of the Moon. And then our host texted me and asked us if we seen the moon. He sent me a great picture of it which I used for the blog. What a great day we had together with Dee. Thanks for spending this time with us, your very special to us.