MONDAY 12/31/12 HAPPY NEW YEARS EVE

Yo my friends,

This morning we meet with the management and our broker at the condo.  As I mentioned it is a gated community so we need to be finger printed, & photographed.  We also need to get our entry card so the gate will go up when we approach with our car.  We will setup for access to the community for the folks delivering our furniture on 1/2 as the association pads the elevator so no damage occurs.

We landed in Punta Gorda on 11/1/12 for a 2 month stay with an eye towards seeing if we liked the area enough to investigate the possibility of staying here.  Well, after a very short time we knew we liked the area and WOW did things take off quickly.  We started looking at houses and condos to buy and then decided that renting would be a better option.  We also slowed our search down a bit with the thought that we might continue on with our next planned phase of our RV journey - the West Coast and wait until this time next year to go full force with settling down here.  Well that thought did not last long and we started looking again at rentals and found exactly what we were looking for.  Soooooooo 1/2/13 is move in day!!!!
RV journey over - CONDO journey starts.

We've got to get our skates on and get ready for our meeting.

Later my friends.

JR     :>)

Sunday 12/30/12

Yo my friends,

Well, we went to the movies yesterday afternoon and saw Parental Guidance.  We wanted a light hearted funny movie and that is just what it is!  After the happenings in CT and the condition of the country in general with AH's in Washington - it felt good to have a laugh and not worry about the decline in the quality of life in the USA.

It is chilly out there this morning 43 degrees - we had the heat on a low temperature and it is 60 degrees in the RV!!!!  Brrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!

Not much planned for today - so I guess it will be a lounge around and relax type of day as next week we get real busy with the move out of the RV into our condo.  With our friends Nancy & Wayne helping, it should only take about 2 hours I'm guessing.  Not much "STUFF" in our RV as one needs to travel lightly in a motorhome.  We still have some "STUFF" to buy - odds and ends for the condo but we are pretty much set for a while and will pick up more over time.

We had ordered 2 outdoor wicker chairs for the Laina and they came into Lowe's so we picked them up yesterday on our way to the movies.

I looks like come Jan. 2nd we will be in the condo and no longer staying in the RV.  The RV will stay at the campground and we'll over the next couple of weeks clean it and get it ready for delivery to Tampa on 1/20/13.  And that's all they wrote folks----------------------------------------------------------

Take care - enjoy your Sunday and we'll talk later.

JR      :>)

SLOW DAY

Well - not much doing today - they have forecast showers off and on and the looks of the sky certainly bears that forecast out.

We figure later this afternoon we'll take in a movie - until then - Melissa has yoga this morning and we'll just hang out til movie time.

Later,

JR     :>) 

Friday 12/28/12

Yo my friends,

Well, 43 degrees out there this morning - but the sun is up and bright so it won't be long and it will start warming up - it does not take long with this Florida sun!!!!

We are heading out to Naples this morning to go to Trader Joe's again for some finger foods for New Years Eve!!!!  They have some great Mexican finger foods that we just love and shall stock our freezer up with many of them.

Counting down, 5 more days before we move into the condo.  We got permission to drive our RV into the the condo area - it is a gated community so permission was needed.  We figured it would be easier for us to unload the RV right there!!!!!   Nancy and Wayne are going to help us so we'll have an assembly line - one person in the RV boxing up stuff - one person bringing the stuff up to the 2nd floor via elevator, one person at the 2nd floor to take the stuff and carry it to the last person standing in the condo who will put it into the room the stuff belongs in.  Melissa will be the person taking charge of the stuff at the 2nd floor elevator and bring it to the person in the condo.  Melissa will determine where the stuff gets put and relay that info to the person in the condo.  Pretty slick EH!!!!!

Well, time for coffee and yogurt and then we best be getting our skates on and head out for the 1 hour drive to Trader Joe's.

Later my friends,

JR     :>)     

TIS 5 DAYS BEFORE NEW YEARS EVE

Hello my blog buddies,

Well yesterday we tried to move to another site again - again - again.  We were told the electrical problems had been corrected.  So we tried and we failed.  The voltage coming in from the pedestal was only 108A.  This is hardly enough to support a coffee pot let alone A/C - and a coffee pot!!!!  So we went to the manager's office and told her the sad news.  She could not believe it!!!!  Well, as luck would have it she had just gotten a cancellation on a real nice site sort of reserved for the bigger Class A folks and we are now settled into that site as snug as bugs and enjoying our last 5 - 6 day of RV-ing!!!

Yes, 1/1/13 we start to empty the RV and move into the condo.  We will be living in an area of Punta Gorda called PGI - Punta Gorda Iles.  A very, very nice area consisting of sort of upscale homes on canals which lead out to the open ocean - each with a boat of some sort, as well as a lot of upscale condo complexes - some have docks for boats as well!!!!  Most of the "docks" are equipped with LIFTS that lift the boats out of the water about a foot or two when not in use and then when getting ready to use the boat the lift brings the boat back down into the water and OFF YOU GO!!!   This keeps the maintenance to the bottom of the boat to a minimum as well as safer during possible strong winds from tropical storms and hurricanes.  Brilliant EH!!!1

We overslept this morning so Melissa had to rush out the door to get to her Yoga class on time.  I'm just enjoying my morning coffee and some yogurt and a Trader Joe's fig breakfast bar - Hmmmmmmmm GOOD!

Well my friends - enjoy the day and soon it will be another long weekend for most of you I assume and then the start of a New Year.  On that note Melissa and I wish you all a Happy - Healthy & Prosperous New Year!!

On my last birthday - May - we were in Charleston SC - a place that we really-really liked and actually considered settling down there.  So perhaps in May of 2013 we will return to Charleston for a few days and I will have another birthday lunch at a restaurant called Magnolias which had the very most delicious food and atmosphere and of course that unmistakable Southern politeness and charm!  It is only 553 miles from Punta Gorda.  This time we would be in our car and stay a few nights at a nice Charleston hotel within the city confines.  It is a beautiful city!!!

See - I'm already planning some journeys for us!!!!!!!   :>)

Later Dudes,

JR       :>)

TWAS THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS

Good morning blog buddies,

Well--------- we had a very nice Christmas - we went to the beach and just relaxed - came home after several hours and had a nice Christmas nap!!!!!

Today we may attempt to move again.  We need to be out of our current space on 1/1/13 as someone else has rented it.  We tried moving last week but the 2 sites that are available had electrical issues.  We are told these issues have been fixed soooooooooooo - we shall see!!!

The propane guy is suppose to come today to fill our tank - so after he leaves we shall attempt our move.  They are predicting a shower or two this afternoon so if that happens - we won't move!!!!!!  :>) 

Melissa has gone to yoga for a 2 hour+ class so she should be home around noon time or so.  This morning I have a few RV related chores to do and then I will most likely sit outside and read for a while.

Well - I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and B4 we know it - it will be New Years Eve and New Years Day!!!!

Our plan is to move all of the "stuff" from the RV into our condo on New Years Day.  Wayne & Nancy have volunteered to help us.  It's not a big job, as we really do not have that much in the RV.  We are hoping we will be able to drive our RV into the condo area and empty it out.  This will be a lot easier and less time consuming than having to bring small car loads of stuff from the RV park to the condo.

Well, enjoy the day and later my friends.

JR       :>)

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Yo my good friends,

We had a wonderful time on Christmas Eve at our friends Nancy & Wayne's home - good food and good conversation with good friends - what more could a person ask for!!!!!!

Melissa and I wish you all a very happy & healthy Christmas season and we thank you for all your support over the past and especially during our 9 month RV Journey.

Our very best wishes to y'all.

JR and Melissa

:>)    :>)      

Monday 12/24/12

Yo my friends,

A very happy Christmas Eve to all my blog buddies.

This past year has been sort of a whirl wind for us and the time has gone by so very quickly.  In about a week we will be starting a new journey, that of moving back into a "stationary" sticks&bricks dwelling and our RV journey will be ended but not forgotten.  All sorts of new journeys ahead of us and many new adventures to be found.

When we started this RV journey 9 months ago I never dreamed it would end so soon.  It is ending because of reasons that we have no control over and that makes us think that there is something else we are suppose to be doing.  So with that thought as our marching orders we'll head out with the same gusto as we have taken on all challenges in life and we will have fun and enjoy our new journey.  Melissa has already found the first journey - that of becoming a yoga instructor once again.  This is something she loves to do and has missed it over the past 9 months.  I'm not sure what my first new journey will be - perhaps the refinement of a painting style --------------------

Take care my friends ---  enjoy the season --- embrace and savor your journey.

JR    :>)

DOUBLE Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Yo my friends,

Well at 7 am it is 38 degrees outside and 58 degrees inside!!!!  I'M FREEZING!!!!!!!!

I had to disconnect the water supply last night because there was a freeze warning so now I have to go out and re-connect it - I'm going to wait a bit as it is too cold to go out right now!!!!  I've got both the propane furnace and the electric heat on to get the inside warmed up to at least 65 before taking a shower!!!  The electric heat costs a lot to run but being short on our propane supply I'm trying to get warm by using both to warm up quicker and then conserve on the propane.

Today I will finish making some treats for our Christmas Eve at Nancy & Wayne's house - I used to cook a lot but not so much anymore so it felt good to get back into it yesterday - I may start doing more cooking and if it does not warm up it will be time for some of my famous Amigo Chili and Spanish meatloaf!!!!!

Not much doing today - I guess sort of a lazy day which will be nice.  We may move to a new location within the park today as they got the electrical issues fixed from our problems of a couple of days ago.  We need to be out of our current space on 1/1/13 so we may wait until then - we'll see what the day brings.

Well take care my friends and enjoy your day.

JR         :>)

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Good morning bog buddies,

Well at 7 am it is 43 degrees outside and 57 degrees inside.  We had the gas heat on very low during the night, as we are once again low on propane.  So this morning I've got the propane heat turned up high and the electric heater on just to get it warm enough for showers.  The propane refill truck does not come until Wednesday so we may have to try and find a propane refill station :>(  

Today we are going to Trader Joe's which is about 1 hour away from our location - well worth the drive as they have great Stuff in their stores!!!  We are going to get desert for Christmas Eve with Wayne & Nancy as well as some goodies for us!!!  If you like baby back ribs, Trader Joe's has the best ones I've ever had and I've had a lot of them!!!!!  They are pre cooked, in a wonderful BBQ sauce and they are $9.99 for a full rack - we but 2 or 3 of them and put them in the freezer - one rack per person because you will not be willing to SHARE!!!!!!!!   All you have to do is heat them up.  Their all natural uncured no additives or nitrate hot dogs are out of this world - the only ones I will eat.!!!!

Go find a Trader Joe's - go up and down the isles and you will find the most interesting items - bring a lot of money with you!!!!!

OK my buddies have a great beginning to the weekend B4 Christmas and take care.

JR        :>)

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

YO MY GOOD BUDDIES,

A WISH FROM JR AND HIS DARLIN' WIFE MELISSA FOR A VERY HAPPY AND HEALTHY HOLIDAY SEASON.

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT DURING THE PAST YEAR AND DURING OUR RV JOURNEY.

   http://www.selway.org/WhiteChristmas.swf

JR & MELISSA

JR     :>)

Friday 12/21/12

Howdie my blog buddies,

Well my followup visit with my new DR yesterday went quite well.  Three weeks ago they drew like 7 tubes of blood from me and sent it off to Framingham Massachusetts to be analyzed through a process called the Boston System.  This is a very expensive testing process and I'm just hoping Medicare will pay for it!!!!!

I passed with flying colors and most of my readings were in the "OPTIMAL" level!!!!!!  WOO-HOO.  The DR was very pleased and pretty much guaranteed me that I should live long enough to leave his office!! :>)
There are no guarantees in life - my father went to the DR for a compete check up and an EKG.  The Dr told him it was the best check up and EKG in many years.  The next morning sadly he dropped dead at the breakfast table. True story - now you can see why I don't like or trust DR's!!!!!!

The DR. did find a PRE-cancerous growth on the top of my head.  It's been there for several years so I decided to have him look at it.  All along I've been thinking it was part of my brain!!!!!   :>)  He is going to remove it through a freezing process - it will take about 4 treatments.  He assured me it would not hurt!!!!
YA!!!!!! RIGHT!!!!

When I was in the Air Force in Alaska I started getting warts on my hand.  They used liquid oxygen  to "burn" them off.  The last 5 I had burnt off the hospital had no Novocaine on hand so they strapped my hand down - in addition a medic held my arm/hand down and the DR (butcher) burnt them off.  This was back in 1960 and the military could do whatever they wanted to do - we had no rights!!!!!

See why I don't like or trust doctors!!!!!!1

I was pretty happy with the results of my tests.  My blood pressure was a tad high but that will easily be corrected once we get into the condo and a healthy diet as well as more exercise is in place - as I said VACATION IS OVER!!!!!

Well take care my friends and enjoy the day.

JR     :>)

.

Wednesday 12/20/12

Yo my friends,

Well, our move to the other spot in the RV park did not work out too well!!!!  The first place we went to had an electrical problem - the 2nd place we went to had an electrical problem.  So we are back in the same space we have been in since Nov.1

Some one is scheduled to take over our space on Jan. 1 so the RV park needs to get the electrical problem on those other 2 spaces fixed so we can move out of this space and into one of those spaces.  No problem the folks here are on top of things so we are not worried.

I have my follow up appointment with my new DR. today which I'm not looking forward to.  I don't like Dr's and I don't trust Dr's especially in a bad economy as they tend to dream up test they can give in order to build up their income due to a slow down in patients going to see them!

For the past 9 months we have been eating what we want and as much as we want and we both have lost weight!!!!  I'm sure my cholesterol is perhaps a tad higher than it should be but now that we'll be back in a "sticks & brick's" life style we won't be so BAD with our food intake - VACATION IS OVER!!!  :>(
I think after the Dr. we might go to Juan Ponce de Leon Park as today is suppose to be the last day at 80 degrees for a couple of days - a cold front comes in Friday and leaves Sunday night.

We my buddies - take care and have a great day.

JR       :>)

RELOCATING

Yo my friends,

Well------ today we relocated to a new site within this same RV Park.  We'll be able to stay in our RV until we move into the condo and then merely store the RV on this sight until 1/20 at which time we drive it to Tampa and then it will be driven to Elkhart IN  - we have hired a driver to do this - the cousin of the President of Nexus. We've met him several times and trust him completely.

Before moving into the new space, we will take the RV to the gas station near us and fill up the tank!!! Gas is down to $3.15/gallon for regular unleaded so e want to jump on it now as we are almost on empty!!!!  A 55 gallon tank even at $3.15 is quite expensive to fill.  The Winn-Dixie grocery store we shop at has a point system based on what you spend for groceries, which gives you a discount on Shell gas - the last time we used some of these points we only had to pay $2.70 per gallon!!!!!  Quite a nice program.

Melissa went to yoga class so I'm doing "getting ready to move" chores inside and outside the RV so when she comes home we can finish up and head to the gas station.

A beautiful day today although come Friday a cold front is headed this way and they predict the lows will be down into the mid 40's overnight and the day time into the mid 60's - this is suppose to take place during the next couple of days and over the weekend and then back up into the high 70's - low 80's for Christmas!!

  That's what I'm talking about!!

We are in a rather "tight space" here right now so to get out will require a lot of backing up - pulling forward - backing up - pulling forward to get out - I may even have to ask some people to move their cars.  Melissa acts as my eyes and lets me know if I'm too close to anything - like palm trees and building overhangs.  A 31 foot RV in a tight space is not the easiest thing to maneuver!!!!  There is a palm tree beside us and behind us as well as a building behind us and an overhang on the passenger side.  I have a bit of dyslexia and my hearing ain't what it use to be so we used walkie-talkies when we first started out.   However - Melissa was always yelling NO YOUR OTHER RIGHT or I SAID STOP!!!!!  So now we use the side mirrors and we keep eye contact at all times and she uses hand motions to direct me.  ( Sometimes the hand motion is with just one finger!!!!!! )  I've taken that to mean STOP!!!!!!!   :>) 

Well she should be home pretty soon so I best be getting me skates on and finish my chores and preparations to move it on out!!!!  :>)

JR       :>)

PAGE VIEWS

Yo buddies,

Well, I did a check on the page views on my blog and for the week of 12/10, there were 422 page views.  Not too bad - down somewhat from past history.  Although I'm not doing much " RV travel " related blogging, I'm not doing much painting blogging either.  Sooooo it is still too early to tell what the impact will be due to our stopping the RV journey.

One has to assume that people follow a bog because they are interested in the subject being written about.  For the past 9 months my blog has been about RV-ing and painting - mostly about RV-ing and now it will switch over to mostly about painting.  This certainly does narrow down the target audience not that it is important - however it is nice to know that people are interested in your blog for its content.  I read several blogs by other people and it's solely because I'm interested in the content presented and what I may  be able to learn from the presentation of interesting information.

I try to put a bit of ( my ) humor into my writing as well as information that perhaps some viewers can find of  benefit.  In the past I wrote several "painting" articles for an "Acrylic" web site so I may venture back into that avenue as well.

Some viewers have asked if I will now try to be represented in a gallery and sell my paintings.  That certainly remains an issue that is up in the air - and where it lands - I have no idea.  The economic disaster that certain politicians bestowed upon the majority of American citizens turned the sale of most art work into a non existent function of our society.  People ( other than collectors ) are not buying art work - lots of people are not buying food and medical needs and - and- and - and-  You get the picture!!!

There is a lot of work and EXPENSE to exhibiting ones work in a gallery - just the process of trying to get accepted in a gallery of notable presence can be a very difficult task as well as a disheartening experience.

At present I paint for MY enjoyment which means I do not spend money on frames - on advertising and other marketing tools.  On occasion I sell a painting or two off my blog but mostly they pile up and get stored and every 6 months or so I weed out the ones that really are not "KEEPERS" and they contribute to the local recycle program.  I can also paint what ever I want in what ever style I want as I do not have to worry about what s "IN" and what the public is looking for.  Truth be told it is much more pleasurable to paint for pleasure rather then to "paint on demand for sales."  Especially when John Q. Public is not buying art work and most likely will not until the economy does a turn around which I suspect will be many - many years if certain politicians have their ways.
Soooooo as far as gallery participation - who the hell knows is my best answer.   :>)    

Wellllllll I think this may be the most BORING blog entry I've written in a long time and that is not the object of a blog.  So before I lose any additional blog buddies I shall close quickly.

JR      :>)

LOGISTICS

YO DUDES,

Well, as I mentioned we will be moving to a new space on Jan 1. within the RV park.

We had planned on renting that space for 5 days and then putting the RV into storage until we drive it down on Jan 20. to Tampa and deliver it to the driver who will drive it to Elkhart IN, to the NEXUS showroom.

In talking to the Park Manager, she is going to let us stay in the new space that we move into on Jan 1 and stay there until Jan 20th.  We'll pay a daily rate for Jan. 1 - Jan. 5 and then since we will not be living in the RV, the manager is not going to charge us anything to just keep it there for the next 15 days!  They are such wonderful people here!!!

We will start living in our condo on or about Jan 3 - 4 and then up until Jan 20 we will be moving stuff out of the RV into the condo - that should take about 2 - 3 days because our car does not hold a lot.  We could rent a U-haul Van but we have about 15 days to do the moving so why bother!!!  Well, maybe we will re-think the U-haul van :>)

We found this really great Yoga studio that Melissa has been going to and yesterday she had an interview to be an instructor at the studio!!!!!  Melissa is a Certified Yoga Instructor and taught at a studio in Santa Fe New Mexico while we lived there for 5 years.  So she is very excited to be getting back into teaching and very happy that we found a studio right here in Punta Gorda.  Everything seems to be falling into place for us here.  I was thinking today that as each day passes, I really-really like it here.  Lots to do - lots to see and it has a very comfortable feeling to it!  It feels like home.

We had a similar feeling in Charleston SC but once we arrived here we could tell this was a place to stop.  The other deciding factor was the winters are much warmer here as compare to Charleston.  The older you get, the warmer the winter becomes very important - trust me this you will come to realize!!!!   :>)

Well - food shopping today and perhaps Juan Ponce de Leon Park afterwards!!!!

Later my friends.

JR      :>)

TOP OF THE MORNIN' TO YA

Hello Blog Buddies,

Well, at 8:22 am it is 68 degrees and a promise of 81 - 82 for a high!  Ya gotta love it - or at least I LOVE IT!!!!

Not sure what we are going to do today - Melissa is going to yoga this morning and will be back around 10:30 - so maybe Juan Ponce de Leon Park again for the day or ??????????

We need to go off on a day trip soon and check out some areas as we will be living here so it makes sense to know what's all around us - that way we can plan some day journeys!!!  :>)

Yesterday we were discussing what to do on Christmas Day.  Our friends Nancy & Wayne have invited us over for Christmas Eve - so that will be GREAT!!!!  Wayne caught some red fish the other day so into the freezer they went and the plan is to have fish and chips and fish tacos on Christmas Eve.  We are in charge of desert and we have a nice one all planned!!  :>)  

Well DW left for yoga and I've got a few RV chores to do outside so I best be getting my skates on!!!!!

Later Dudes-----------------------------------------------------------------------

JR    :>)

SUNDAY 12/16/12

Good Morning my Blog Buddies,

Well, a nice sunny day this morning with promises of a high temp of 82 - THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!!!!!

We most likely will end up at the beach in Juan Ponce de Leon Park again today!

Tonight we are going down to Charlotte Harbor for a BOAT PARADE!!!!   Lots of boats get all decorated in Christmas lights and ornaments etc etc and sail along the harbor - should be fun to see.
Perhaps afterwards we'll go out for a nice warm mocha topped with whipped cream!!!

Well - Melissa is off to her yoga class and I've got "things" to do around the RV so later my good friends!!1

JR    :>)

MY BLOG

Yo buddies,

I did some calculating from the statistics I get regarding my blog.  I average 60 - 70 page views per day - it will interesting to see how these views are impacted by my departure from RV-ing.
Most of the viewers are from the USA but I have several from Australia, Lebanon, India, Nova Scotia, Ireland, England, Spain, Germany.

The most I've had in one month was 2738 page views.

I have been toying with the idea of writing some articles on:

 "Full time RV-ing---A learning curve."

 Melissa and I have discussed being co-authors on this as she is the writer in the family but my thoughts could be translated by her - and coupled with her thoughts and perhaps after she re-writes my thoughts the articles would make sense and be of value to those starting out.
I did a lot of preparation for our RV journey - never having NEVER even been in an RV until about 1 year before we ordered ours.

Some folks thought we were CRAZY!!!!!  Selling our home and hitting the road in a 31' foot RV consisting of about 210 square feet.  Well lots of folks said they would like to do that but------------
Well, we did it and it was one Hell of a journey and we come out of it much better for the little bit of "wear" and we came out of it with a life time of memories - most of which most people will never get to experience.  Soooooo I think we might just have some valuable if not humorous information to pass on to RV VIRGINS.

Just a thought - time will tell.

In the meantime getting ready for our next adventure is under way and moving into a luxury condo with 2,400+ square feet will be very interesting!!!!!  I figure we'll be able to take our daily walks INSIDE the condo!!!!!   :>)      It is more than 10 TIMES the floor space of our RV home for the past 9 months WOW!!!!!!!!!

All sorts of new adventures on the horizon plus our location in FL is a good jumping off point for some "CAR" ADVENTURES back to places we really - really enjoyed in our RV.
South Carolina - Tennessee - Texas - Kentucky and others.

We of course plan a full examination of the Florida Keys!!!!!

Soooooo busy-busy-busy!!!!!!  I know this is what keeps me young - YA GOTTA get out there and enjoy your surroundings and YES - take some adventures to find and enjoy new destinations or previous ones that brought a lot of joy into your life.  Sitting around the "hometown" seeing the same people over and over again - going to the same places over and over again you can very easily end up with BUTT ROT!!!!!  TRUST ME ---- it can happen - it does happen!  Just saying----

We ended up going to Juan Ponce de Leon Park - the day turned out to be a real nice day - not too hot - some sun and some clouds all in all very enjoyable!

Some of the scenes from the Park:

There is a bird sanctuary within the park and all kinds of birds fly in and out - this one decided to walk right past my chair!

Some beautiful cloud/ocean photos which will be used for some paintings in the near future

Well, not sure what we will do on Sunday but I'm sure we will find something interesting to do.  Melissa is taking a yoga class in the morning and then we shall see what to do!!!

Later my friends

JR    :>)

Saturday 12/15/12

Yo my friends,

Well, yesterday at the Peace River Restaurant I had a most wonderful crab cake sandwich - loaded with nice fresh crab. and Melissa had a blackened catfish sandwich - our friends shared a plate for 2 with lots of stuff on it - shrimp, crab cakes, lobster tail - etc.  this is a place we will visit many times!!!!!

Today will be a lazy day - if the temps get up there and the sun is bright we'll go down to Juan Ponce de Leon Park and sit - read- snooze - watch the boats and the birds.  Sort of just lazy the day away!!!

Have a great weekend my friends - enjoy life - and enjoyed your loved ones.

JR    :>)

FRIDAY 12/14/12

Yo my buddies,

Well today the forecast is for clearing and 80 - 81 degrees!  That's what I talking about!!

Today we are going to lunch with our friends Nancy & Wayne.  We are going to the Peace River Seafood Restaurant & Fish Market.  It is a short distance from our RV park and fresh fish are the operative words!!!!  I'm looking at fish & chips or a nice blackened grilled fish sandwich!!!!

Melissa is gong to a Yoga class this morning and I will most likely do some "Pre-get the RV ready to bring to Tampa chores,"  while she is gone.

So my friends - once again I hope to leave my blog buddies "wanting more" so I will not bore you with jibber/jabber.

Later dudes,

JR      :>)

Small effort

Yo my friends,

Well,. the sun is out there is some blue up in the sky and all is good in Punta Gorda!!!

Played around with a 10 x 8 canvas panel this morning - just the beginning of a fun painting.  I have a larger one of pretty much the same still life but it is 30 x 14 and my DW Melissa has taken possession of it and it is hanging in our RV at the moment and will be transferred to our condo!

Soooooo I figured what the hell - let's do a small one!!!  So I threw a few pencil lines onto the canvas surface, a stem and then BAM-BAM-BAM on went some paint!

"A WELL BALANCED DIET"

8 X 10 on canvas panel

DETAIL

I may finish this up later today - we'll see if the spirit moves me.  For some reason I'm feeling very lazy today but now that the sun is out I may do a few outside projects that need to be done in preparation to bring the RV to Tampa.  The delivery date to Tampa has been changed from 1/15 to 1/20 which is good as it gives us more preparation time.

We will still start moving into the condo on 1/1/13 and should be fully moved in and staying there come NLT 1/5/13 and we'll put the RV into a storage space here at the RV Park until 1/20.

I'm starting to get excited as I mentioned and I'm starting to see some progress in accepting and moving through the disappointment of having to end our "DREAMCATCHERS" journey so prematurely.

Take care my buddies.

JR      :>)

Thursday 12/13/12

YO my blog buddies,

Well it looks like the weather is clearing up a bit with the showers moving out and sun and 80's back into our area until mid next week - can't ask for more that that - unless you ask for a trust fund!!!!   :>)
Not much doing today - I guess it will be sort of a sit around perhaps paint and/or read.

Yesterday we stopped by the 2 consignment shops looking for some bargains as we need lamps and end tables.  Found a couple of lamps and a couple of end tables but the end tables we felt were over priced.
After being in the shop for 30 days the price is reduced by 10% and then an additional 10% every 30 days until it reaches 50% off and the item does not go any lower than that.  So we will check back and see if they are still there once the 30 day point is reached which is in another week.  This would save us about $25 on the two end tables.

Starting to get excited abut the condo and the wonderful amenities offered - beautiful pool - nice workout center which will be good as we both have slowed down on our exercise - although we do a lot of walking.

Across the street is the entrance to Juan Ponce de Leon Park which we just love and that will present a nice walking area as well as sitting on the beach area and plein air painting area.  It is really beautiful there.
When we first got to Punta Gorda our friends Nancy & Wayne told us about this park so we went to it and fell in love with the location.. We saw Vivante which is the name of the condos - one of which we move into and said "WOW!!!!!  I'd like to live there!!!!!"  Little did we know we would be!!!!  Funny how things work out.

Well enough jibber/jabber - take care my friends and enjoy the world!!!!!

JR    :>)

Wednesday 12/12/12

Yo my friends,

What a cool date EH!!!!!!!  12/12/12   

Another rain storm last nite but not as violent as the other night.  This is the "dry" season in FL so I guess when it rains everybody is happy - me I just don't get excited at rain - I'm a desert person who loves the ocean!  If Arizona had an ocean, I would never leave the state!!!

Not much going on today - odds and end errands and we got wind of a coffee house that we will stop at and try out - still looking for a good mocha down here!  Believe it or not, the Mr. Coffee mocha maker for $49 gets great reviews and lots of them so we will order one from Amazon - it is only $39 on their site.

Well I won't bore you with senseless jibber/jabber - boring your audience is not a good thing to do!!

Have a great day y'all and enjoy life.

JR     :>)

CORRECTION

YO DUDES,

I STAND CORRECTED - IT IS A 46" SONY BRAVIA NOT A 42"

JR  :>)

Tuesday 12/11/12

Yo my friends,

Well on Monday morning we went to Sam's Club and got a 42" flat screen TV.  We were going to get a Vizio but found a Sony Bravia  42" for only $25 more than the 42" Vizio.  We had a Sony Bravia for 12 years and sold it when we left Santa Fe.  Not so much as a burp during 12 years so we got another one!!!

We also picked up a vacuum cleaner and this afternoon we ordered Direct TV and Internet for installation on 1/2/13.  We called the consignment places and set up for pickup and delivery on 1/2/13.  So I guess 1/2/13 will be a very busy day!!!

During the time frame of 1/1 through 1/5, we transfer all our belongings from the RV into our condo and on 1/6 we will put our RV into storage and start living in the condo.  On 1/15/13 we drive the RV to Tampa FL where there is a week long RV show.  Nexus will try to sell the RV during this show and if it does not sell, it will be driven back to Elkhart Indiana placed in the Nexus showroom on a consignment program.

Well------- there is no denying it - RV-ing is going to stop for us - I have to say I am very - very sad.  I'm working very hard to accept this as I know there are valid reasons as to why we need to stop RV-ing - however acceptance is not as easy as it may sound to some folks.  Will I miss RV-ing - YES - on a daily basis.  We are moving into a wonderful condo in a resort setting and which I'm sure in time will lessen the void of RV-ing as there will be other journeys and adventures that will be coming our way and these too will be the source of many wonderful memories.  We are very fortunate to have taken our RV journey and we are very fortunate to have what we'll have when that journey officially ends.

I plan on continuing my blog although when I sit down now to write a post I really have to think and think of something to say.  My blog has never been a blog that my followers comment on which has always amazed me as I get a tremendous number of page views every month. More so over the past 8 months since RV-ing and posting photos so I really have to wonder what the traffic will be when I revert back to only posting and talking about painting.  I tend to think that I will loose quite a few of my followers who enjoyed only the RV portion of my posts.  There just is not a lot of excitement in painting so time will tell I guess and I'll see what happens over the next few months.

Last night we had quite a heavy rain storm - torrential heavy rain fell for quite a long while.  I did not like it at all but I'm happy to say that I held my own against my "FEAR OF RAIN" and did not panic.  In the condo we are moving into, we have 2 very large walk-in closets so if need be I can retreat into one and read a book during these tropical storms,  I hope to overcome this fear - time will tell!!!!

Take care my friends - enjoy your day - and remember "He who hesitates is in doubt."
.

JR     :>)

Good Morning my good buddies

YO,

Well ----- yesterday Saturday 12/8 we went shopping for the basics we will need for the condo.  Some of the stuff we got was new and some of it came from two real nice consignments shop here in Punta Gorda.

We have the basics to setup our condo for living IE:  bed - mattress - lamps - 2 nice comfy living room chairs - coffee table - a dining set with 4 chairs ( it's called a PUB set) which size wise is in between a bistro set height and a normal table height.  really cool!!

We now need a TV - saw the one we want at Sam's club. a 42" Vizio and we need a vacuum cleaner and some furniture for the screened in lanai.  The set for the lanai can wait for a while.  For the time being the pub set can be moved out onto the lanai when needed.

What about our furniture in the storage bunker in New Mexico???????????     Well, when you figure the cost to go get it and bring it down here, it was cheaper to go buy some here!!!!!!  At some point maybe this summer we will return to Santa Fe and reduce the amount stored so we can get a smaller storage bunker and  we will most likely move the Santa Fe stuff down to here towards the end of our lease.

Well my friends my cousin and his wife who live in Prescott AZ are in Florida for a vacation and are coming to Punta Gorda today to visit us.  We;ll go out for a nice lunch and chat the day away.  My cousin Paul and his wife Deloris are really great people and we have a real good time when we get together,

Have a great Sunday and enjoy your day.

JR   :>)

Good morning

Yo my friends,

Well-----yesterday we signed a one year lease for the condo and we move in Jan 1.

Soooooo today we go back out onto the consignment furniture stores looking for the a couple of nice over sized comfy chairs with ottomans and a few other basic needs to get us started.  Off to the mattress store for a nice new thick comfy mattress and box spring and then go looking for a good buy on a 32' flat screen TV.

Things will be getting busy with getting the RV ready for consignment as well as getting into the condo.  Always an adventure it seems!!!!!

Take care - have a great weekend and enjoy life.

JR     :>)

Yo my friends

Well ---- it sure feels good to have my DW back home again!!!!

The thingie I load up my photos with no longer works so I figured out another way to do it.

Here are my last two pieces:

"3 IN A BUCKET"

9 x 12 on heavy Linen paper wet into wet with brush and palette knife - done very quickly with gusto and freedom of stroke in a painterly loose style.

DETAIL

SMALL FRUIT SALAD

8 X 10 ON CANVAS PANEL 

DETAIL

You ask why I'm painting so many oranges?????

WE ARE IN FLORIDA AND THERE ARE ORANGES AND LEMONS AND GRAPEFRUIT ALL OVER THE PLACE!!!!!!!

Hope you enjoyed these 2 pieces - as I had fun doing them.  One of the areas I'm going to spend some time with is that of palette knife painting - in the past I did a lot of this but not so much any more.  It is a good way to loosen up my painting style which I continually work on.

Have a great day my friends.

JR    :>)  

Good Morning

Yo my friends,

Well today 12/5 I drive back to Miami and pick up my DW Melissa - this makes me VERY - VERY happy!!!!   :>) 

It's been a LONG 10 DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!  :>(   

It's a 3 hour drive straight down Alligator Alley - a straight highway through the Everglades although all you can see is vegetation on the sides of the road - BORING!!!!!!!!

I've done a few more paintings but I'm unable to load them up - the WiFi here is spotty at best and I'm beginning to think they have blocked the downloading of pictures.  More folks have arrived here for the winter so I expected the WiFi to deteriorate with the increase in traffic.

Well, we will now start making plans on how we get our RV back to Nexus in Elkhart Indiana.  We met a real nice fellow - Rodney - the cousin of the President of Nexus and Rodney drives RVs to RV shows for Nexus.  Well, he is coming to Tampa delivering an RV for the Tampa show so we are going to talk to him over the next day or so and see what he would charge to drive our RV from Tampa to Elkhart Indiana.

We really do not feel like driving it back to Indiana ourselves as there is a lot of sadness in having to  making the decision to stop RV-ing altogether - I liken it to having to take your pet to the Vets to be put down.

We had a cat that I did not like one bit as he was not a very nice cat - sort of a mean thing and eventually he needed to be put down.  :>)  ----- I took him to the vet and I have to say that I cried like a school child!!!!  SEE I'm not all that GRUMPY!!!

Anyhow the decision to stop RV-ing is well thought out and necessary but the taking away of the RV is best done by someone else!!!!

Our days will now be busy getting the RV ready to transport as well as figuring out what we need for the condo we will be moving into on Jan. 1 - so many trips to the consignment shops are in order.  In this economy there is a lot of good used furniture that can be had at very reasonable prices!!!

We still have a bunch of "STUFF" back in a 10 x 10 storage bunker in NM but have decided for the time being to leave it there.  Our furnishings in the condo will be minimal but appointed with a few well chosen consignment pieces.  We need to get a good mattress and box spring and a flat screen 32"  TV - these items will be new.

So a new journey and new adventure will begin for us and we will hit the road running and approach this journey with the same in your face determination that we have faced all the journeys in our life together.

Over the next few weeks, I will be making some minor changes to the format of my Home Blog Page to take out the "RV" element and get back into the "painting" theme of posting.  I've been painting for 18 years now and over that period I have stopped painting for short periods and for one longer period of about 4 months.  I'm feeling a need or a desire to slow down my painting production and perhaps do some more "experimental artistic growing" - so if my paintings or posting dwindles a tad it will be done with a purpose in mind. 

Sooooo a few "around the RV" chores to do before I leave for Miami.  have a great day my friends.

JR    :>) 

MIND OVER THE HAND!!!!

Hello my friends,

Well,  I got all my chores done and decided I would do a "JUST THIS SIDE OF SLOPPY" painting!!!

THIS IS WHAT I'M TALK'IN ABOUT!!!!

After THE HAND took over on my last painting - I was determined to approach this painting with the attitude of "MIND OVER THE HAND!"  :>)

"FRUIT SALAD"
9 X 12 ON HEAVY LINEN PAPER
WET INTO WET - VERY QUICKLY

Done with gusto and throwing caution to the wind and a complete disregard for the archaic painting rules established when Jesus was a little baby!!!

DETAIL

( FOR THOSE INTERESTED AND I MUST SAY I CANNOT IMAGINE ANYONE NOT BEING INTERESTED!!!!)  :>)

I think I need to do some more of these to show THE HAND just who the boss is!!  This was soooooo much more fun and thought provoking compared to the anal detail the I produced the other day - I have to say it gave me a headache and my hands were all cramped up that night.  I compare detail to loose to the trimming of grass edges

You can do it with hand trimmers or you can use a weed-whacker and get it done 5 times as fast and have 10 times as much fun while doing it!!  :>)

REMEMBER AS YOU GO THROUGH LIFE

LESS IS MORE!!!!!!

JR    :>)

SUNDAY 12/2/12

YO MY BUDDIES!!!!!

Well - nothing on TV last night except for a Celtic Women concert on PBS - I JUST LOVE THOSE WOMEN - THEY SING LIKE I IMAGINE ANGLES WOULD SING!!!!!!!  They are coming to Florida on May 5th 2013 - to Fort Myers I believe!!!!!!!!  Now I've got to be saving up me pennies now don't I!!!!!!!!

Sooo after the concert, I played around with my latest painting and I think I've saved it from 'THE KNIFE!!"

I'll leave it out and glance at it off and on over the next week and see it I like it any better.  It is still WAY TOO NEAT for me!!!!!!!

RING TOP VASE & FRUIT

14 X 11 ON CANVAS PANEL

Well ----- today being Sunday - a day of rest,  I think I will:

- dump the holding tanks

 - add some water to the fresh water tank

- do some more washing of the RV

- clean the inside of the RV

- start the truck and let it run for 15 minutes on high idle

- go get some thinly sliced ham and swiss cheese and apples

( a man needs to eat!!!! )

When that is done, I'll either read or paint - I still have the nagging urge to do a really loose painting regardless of what THE HAND thinks  -------

For some reason 2 apples and an orange is floating in my sick little mind :>)

Soooo my friends - enjoy the day and go some place and have some fun - get out there and live a little - as a matter of fact - LIVE A LOT!!!!!!

JR    :>)

. 

Progression of Ring Top Vase & Fruit

HOWDIEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

Well, did some work on the painting - I do not like detail paintings they BORE ME!!!!!
I've got a few things to do on this one, blend in the shadows on the vase and some tweaks here and there.  I really feel like attacking this painting with my palette knife - and I may just do that SOON!!!

I should never let THE HAND take over - as soon as THE HAND wants to dominate the style of a painting - I should put the brush down and come back to the easel when THE HAND has disappeared!!!!!


So here is the progression thus far - BORING!!!!!!!! 

DETAIL

Not happy with this so adjustments WILL BE MADE!!!!!

JR     :>(

GOOD MORNING BUDDIES

YO DUDES,

Well, as you will see form the progression of the latest painting my hand has taken over my mind and THE HAND" is preventing me from producing a loose painting which I wanted to be just this side of sloppy!!!
It's funny how that happens - you start applying paint quickly and loosely and all of a sudden the hand slows down and starts smoothing our the paint and being very careful as to the application!!!

I guess 'THE HAND RULES" ----- scary is what I call it!!!!!!!

OK - this is where we stand at present.

"RING TOP VASE & FRUIT"

14 X 11 ON CANVAS PANEL

DETAIL 

Soooooo i have given into THE HAND and shall let it apply the paint in a fashion of comfort unto itself!!!  I will just stand by and let it happen.

Nice day today - not too hot - a nice breeze - at 11:05 am it is 74 degrees with a high of 79-80 in the forecast - PERFECTO!!!!!!!   I LUV IT!!!!!! 

My DW Melissa is still in Massachusetts on her book tour - she had a signing last night down on the Cape at a B&B and sold quite a few books.  She will be returning to Punta Gorda this coming Wednesday.

:>) 

Well, I'm going to go for a walk and get some exercise for the lazy body and then read for a while and return to the painting.

Have a great weekend my friends.

JR    :>)

Ring Top Vase & Fruit

Yo my blog buddies,

Well, after washing some more of the RV yesterday, I looked in the back of our car.  We use this for extra storage for stuff that won't fit into or under the RV.  We have our Q-100 grill back there, our laundry basket, our 2 beach chairs, assorted warm clothing and blankets in case we need them - jackets, sweaters.  I also carry my Plein air painting stuff.  Under the beach chairs there is a plastic tub with a cover and inside that I found some 11 x 14 canvas panels!!!!!!!!!!  WOO-HOO!!!!

Soooooo I roughed in a sketch/drawing of a vase and some fruit - applied some grey to the vase as the white of the canvas was blinding me - and I threw on the initial color for the fruit.  Tomorrow either before or after i wash some more of the RV I will see what I might do with what I've started.  My brain tells me I want to do it loose - VERY LOOSE!!!!!  We'll see if my hand wants to follow my brain - sometimes they do not work in harmony and the hand takes over!!!!!!

Beginning of Ring Top Vase & Fruit
14 x 11 on canvas panel

DETAIL

This will also be an exercise in complimentary color as I'm pretty sure I want a blue vase.  So my friends - Time will tell----------------------------

JR     :>)

YO DUDES

Good Morning,

OK-OK-OK so I don't always tell the truth!!!!!  Yesterday I said I was going to take a rest from landscapes and do a few still life pieces but needed to find a bigger painting surface so I could get

 "DOWN & SLOPPY!!!!!"

Well that did not happen - as the sky got kind of stormy off in the distance and my sick little mind conjured up a STORM SCENE!!!!!   :>)  

Living on the ocean for as long as we did in Maine, we've seen a lot of storms roll in so I have my ideas as to what they looked like - additionally as a friend of mine says "I'm the artist - it's my painting so I can do anything I want!" :>)  

My paintings of late have been what I call HIGH CHROMA - deep dark intense colors which is all part of the "Quebec Painter" style that I so love.  The sun being so intense down here to my eyes brings out the intensity of color - so I even beef that up a bit in my work.

Soooo enough of the Blah-Blah-Blah Jibber/Jabber!!

"STORM ON THE HORIZON"

9 X 12

Painted quickly wet into wet on heavy linen paper with lots of gusto - flair in stroke, color and style.

DETAIL

Well, today I have a few errands to do - get gas for the car - pick up my Rx's at Walgreen's and then depending on the level of humidity and the temperature I most likely will continue with my washing of the RV.

Or as my good friend Dale (artist extraordinaire) calls it "THE BEAST" 

LATER DUDES

JR         :>)

GOOD EVENING BUDS

YO,

Well - did some painting this morning while marking time for my Dr. appointment.

"Gasprilla Island To The South"

Gasprilla is a barrier island off the coast Punta Gorda and the town of Boca Grande is out there.  Very, very beautiful area.

9 X 12 on heavy linen paper done wet into wet with gusto and freedom of strokes.

DETAIL

I think I'll take a break from landscapes for a couple of days and switch to still life - I need to see if I have some bigger canvas or linen paper as it is hard to be real loose when painting on a small surface - small being anything less than 16 x 20.  I love to paint on large 36 x 48 gallery wrapped canvas but alas no room in the RV for something that size!!!!

Most everything I paint these days is for fun and in many ways an adventure in loosening up and just plain having fun.  Perhaps when we settle into the condo I will look for outlets to try and sell my paintings - however that said and I just said it ----- trying to sell art in a bad economy almost borders on stupidity - or wishful thinking.  It only tends to wear you down and get you more discouraged than before you started trying to sell.

I now paint-paint-paint and then I purge and throw away - throw away - throw away - as I say it is mostly for fun now and painting and my DW Melissa keeps me out of bar rooms.   :>)

Well, went to the new Dr. today and he seems nice enough - we talked for a while and I gave him a copy of some medical records my Dr. in Santa Fe had given me to pass onto my next Dr.
They drew 6 vials of blood - ( I felt like a donor!!!)  He renewed my Rx's for me and I have a followup visit in three weeks so he can go over the results of the blood test with me

My BP was a tad higher than normal -I attribute that to our "FREE DIET" over the past 8 months and I'm sure now that we are some what settled down I can bring that back into a good range.  So i hope our "FREE DIET" has not done any damage to my frail little body!!!!!  I weighed in at 156 so that was good!!!!    :>)

Have a nice evening and day tomorrow - I'm going to try and do some more washing of the RV so it will be about 1/2 done and then finish it this weekend.

Later my buddies.


JR    :>)
.

Yo my friends

Hello blog buddies,

Well, yesterday I did another painting:

"Florida West Coast Sand Dunes"

9 x 12 on canvas sheet

DETAIL

Not much going on today - I have a Dr. appt. this afternoon - I don't like Dr's!!!!!!  All I really want is someone to give me new annual Rx's for my stupid maintenance drugs - an annual exam and "See ya In a Year!!!!!!"

New Dr's are especially pain full as you need to fill out your history from exiting the womb forward to present day - my memory goes back about 5 years!!!!  I just check off all the good stuff and leave out the bad!!!  As soon as you are honest with a DR. they see a cash cow and start with all kinds of tests and poking and touching.  I'm on medicare and they never pay a Dr the amount that is submitted - sooooooo this makes the Dr. feel the need to do more tests and more things to you so he can make back some of the money that he feels medicare screwed them out of!!!  When the Dr. asks how I'm feeling my standard answer is "I feel wonderful - I should not even be here today!"  The longer you stay in their presence, the more they think they can find wrong.  :>)  

The same thing with dentists!!!  Did you ever notice that dentists love to critique the work of other dentists.  I've heard things like "I don't know who your last dentist was but some of this work is pretty shoddy!!!"  Or "I wonder why this type of material was used in a front filling!"

EGO runs wild in the medical community has been my experience.

So my philosophy is say the very least you have to and if something is bothering you - look it up on line and self-diagnose!!!!  If that fails put some anti-biotic ointment on it - I call that "Magic Cream!!!"

I think I will do another painting this morning and some small chores around the RV while I'm marking time to go see the new DR.

Take care my friends - brush your teeth 3 times a day, floss twice a day and take lots of vitamins - it will make life so much simpler!

Enjoy the day!

JR   :>)