A BRAND NEW YEAR - Issue 1

A BRAND NEW YEAR - Issue 1

Diary published weekly since 2001
Read a different version of this Diary here

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Hi All: Can you believe that we are already into 2008. Heck I remember planning rallies and RV events for the Millennium (2000) like it was yesterday. Although looking back it also seems like it was eons ago. Life does move forward at a rapid pace. Hope you each were able to celebrate New Years Eve in grand style. Unfortunately our plans to dress up in our ‘Sunday-Go-To-Meeting’ clothes and dance the night away were squashed because both of us are fighting our annual bout of a bad cold/cough. It even stopped John from competing in a pool tournament yesterday – that doesn’t happen often. But thankfully it is only a cold, not flu, so we have no reason to believe that our good health will not return in a day or two.

Our quiet celebrations this year ended way before midnight, but we had time to reflect on past New Years Eve’s – the scenario below proves our Guardian Angels always travel with us. During our early fulltiming adventures, my sister Shirley spent many months in our motorhome – in Mexico as well as in the southern USA destinations. Unfortunately this great lady died in Nov 95 after a battle with lung cancer. That New Years Eve John and I enjoyed a special Surf n’ Turf dinner – we followed with relaxation on the couch to listen to Big Band music. We toasted everyone we met over the years – just as we toasted sister Shirley; the light over our head went off and on again. Her spirit was with definitely with us in the motorhome that night, the entire winter and maybe beyond.

Repeat note: The complete selection of our 2007 pictures are finally posted HERE Best to view these as a Slideshow – just hit the ‘X’ at end of each show/gallery and click on the next one.

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OUR QUIET WEEK OF RECOVERY

NEW YEAR’S FESTIVITIES

We spent a quiet few days recovering this week. Since daytime temps dropped to the low 60’s earlier in the week, it made it easy for us to hibernate inside cozy warm with my fireplace. (I know that this is not cold for those in the north but when the wind blows it does become unpleasant here). On the 1st January, even if we were not feeling great we managed to take down ALL my Christmas Décor – it’s not packed away as yet, too cool – thank heavens it has finally turned warm and pleasant. We simply threw everything into our temporary shed – the back of our car. Putting it away will be Sunday’s chore – that is always my catch-up day. This week our house also needs a ‘major clean-up’ or ‘a Sunday Routine’ as we called it in the military. I love to string lights and add lots of decorations for Christmas, but by New Years Day I cannot wait to take it down. Now it is over for another year.

On Wednesday we visited a few places to research a PAINT facility. We need to add a new finish to the lower half of the LUXOR. The wind is pulling the paint off the driver’s side – John says it is because of the wind – I jokingly tell him he polishes it too much. Our 12 year-old classic diesel pusher still looks real great but her few flaws need periodic attention to keep her in pristine condition – this old gal still has a lot of life left in her for sure.

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NEXT EXPLORER RV CLUB LUNCHEON - JANUARY 31st

The Club Luncheon (Canada’s Answer to Good Sam) for the last Thursday in January is BOOKED!!!! We haven’t eaten at this super clean attractive place but it comes highly recommended by several Club Members – thanks guys. I will be mailing the flyers out early this week and hope to post them in some parks early next week.

January’s event is at the SUN PALACE BUFFET (Chinese, Japanese, Mongolian, Sushi, - I also saw tasty salad choices on their display – over 200 items) 8103 N. 10th ST, McALLEN, TX. Meet at 12 Noon (Alcohol Bar is available). Attendees pay their own meal/drinks on entry – (Replenish your plate at your leisure – No delay for meal service). Credit, Debit, Cash accepted – no cheques. Cost - regular drinks, buffet meal + tax is less than $8.00p/p. Everyone is Welcome – Come socialize with fellow Canadian Snowbirds and with Explorer RV Club members. “Non-members too are welcome”. Why not bring a friend? This is a FUN gathering – a time to socialize with other Cdn RVers! Very minimal intro ref Club facts, plus short comments. Club TV Shirt is the door prize!

IMPORTANT: It helps if we have some idea as to how many to expect. Jan and Feb we will reach over 100. PLEASE let John and I know by phone 850 384 4835 OR by email

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FINAL THOUGHTS

As we begin 2008, our life once again is shaping up to be exciting. I just got word I will be presenting my RV Travel to Canada seminar at ‘THE RALLY’ FOR GOOD SAM in Perry Georgia several times between 14th and 19th March. If any of you will be in that area this is a fantastic rally ‘One-Of-A-Kind-Gathering’ for sure. On their website and in some stores, Camping World Presidents Club members can join Good Sam for $12.00. The day we joined they also gave us a $10.00 coupon to spend in the store. Great deal.

We will leave Alamo Palms the 7 March to head over to Georgia. After ‘The Rally’ we hope to spend a week in Bushnell, Florida so we can touch base with my sister Nancy, hubby Bud and other RV friends. We will then slowly travel north to be home by 14th April. One thing about the RV lifestyle, there is always something exciting around the next bend. No matter where you winter, we wish everyone a good year. Take care P&J