Well…it’s getting pretty empty around here at Seminole…folks leaving right and left for other climes as it’s the first of the month. There’s been a whole bunch of rumor and innuendo the past month or so about sites around for for not next winter but the winter after (2017-2018). The worst case scenario rumor is that all of the nice sites over where we are are going to be premium sites starting then at a fixed rate of $1600 a month with no discount for multi month stays and that site guarantee will only be available for stays of 6 months vice the 5 from previous years. Countering that is the rumor that a few sites will be saved for monthly rates but that most of them will still be available for multi month stays again and there will be discounts for those.

In any event…next winter we’re locked in to our site 101 for a 5 month stay which will again turn into 5 1/2 months as Easter  isn’t until April 16…so we’ll be leaving Monday April 17 for our travels next spring. In the fall we’ll find out what the real rules/rates are for 2017-2018 and then decide what to do at that point. We like Seminole…and would prefer to stay here but we need one of the sites over on the eastern fence where we have always been since those are the only ones with satellite visibility. On the other hand…if the price goes up considerably then we’ll consider other options…but as I said we aren’t going to worry about it until December or so when we know what the following winter rules/rates will be.

Neil’s been busy at work checking items off of his To Do list before we leave…mostly it’s a lot of lubricating stuff, checking tire pressure and lug nut torques, washing the house and vehicles and assorted other getting ready to leave stuff. He’s going to hit it hard starting Monday morning so that we don’t have anything to really finish up the last week. Our departure date is Friday April 15 with an overnight stop in Valdosta GA then onto Chattanooga TN and Louisville KY for a week each some sight seeing and bourbon tasting opportunities.

Neil has been on a couple of bike rides since my last post…3/31, 15.12 miles, 15.66 mph, 57:57 and 4/1, 12.22 miles, 16.48 mph, 44:29. Both were pretty windy…but he headed east the first day since it would be downwind at the end and clockwise around the Pritchett loop the other day…that one was upwind on the way back but since the wind was from the south and all of his routes pretty much go north from where we are and either east or west depending on which way he goes…the river is south of us so he rarely goes across there and even if he did there aren’t really any decent places to ride heading south.

We had dinner last evening with our friends Tom and Barb from Michigan and Dennis and Janet from Indiana…Tom and Barb will not be here next winter but it’s nothing to do with the park rumors. Barb want to go to the Pacific Northwest over the summer and they are leaving Jun 1 for that…and then going to the Southwest the following summer so they are going to stay home for the winter…they might come down for a month or so but will probably stay a little farther north where they can get a monthly rate at relatively the last minute…something that is mostly not possible if you are as far south as we are. Barb told us at dinner they were not leaving until Sunday morning…but they were gone when we got up Saturday so they must have changed their mind. Dennis and Janet are staying a bit longer but will be headed back to Indianapolis soon…their family is there and they’ll spend the summer at Lake Haven where we stayed for a week on the way east last fall.

Check this video out…Florida Panther. It was shot earlier this week at the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary about 40 miles south of here…we’ve been there many times although we passed on it this season as the water has just been too high for any of the wading birds to be near the boardwalk and hence visible. We recognized the section of boardwalk right away…quite a sight for the visitor early in the morning I’m guessing!!

Connie’s getting installed as the LoE (Ladies of the Elks) Secretary this afternoon…don’t know why she needs an installation when she’s had the job ever since November but whatever. We’re going to back down on volunteering the last 2 weeks  we are here…just doing the Wednesday night Fun Nite cashier for burgers and going for Bingo on Tuesday. What with all his chores still left to do we don’t want to start the travel season worn out.

Ok, a couple of funnies for ya before I go…

Anybody who has ever cooked pasta will appreciate this one.

And the Japanese don’t beat around the bush on clothing sizes.

Everybody has probably heard of the Maslow Hierarchy of Needs pyramid…but it needed a little updating for the computer age.

Seen at a grocery store…say what?

And finally…a historical marker.

That’s it for now…at least in another 2 weeks we’ll be on the road and there will be something to post about besides the daily grind of the tough life in Florida during the winter…I’m looking forward to mountains, waterfalls, pubs, hikes, and other Fun Stuff©.

Cyas.