Sunday, September 30, 2018

30 September 2018 Jacksonville - Ocala

17 September
    Love the early morning view from atop the Roosevelt Boulevard Bridge of the anchored sail boat and Jacksonville’s skyline from my morning walk. On my way back home, Bill and I met for breakfast at Bagel Love.



So much for Keto. A bit of rug shopping at a fabulous shop whose owner knows more about wool rugs than I ever knew there was to know. Then, again, boating friends, Bill and Barb, came and fetched us for lunch. Now it’s happy hour and I am in my most happy place for the first time in quite a while. We're on the fly bridge relishing a nice breeze. It has been in the upper 90s here and just too hot to stick our heads outside. In an effort to keep our galley clean, I’m sure we will find a place where someone cooks but not me. Donna and Mary, you are acquainted with that concept, aren’t you?



19 September
     Feel as if we are abandoning a sinking ship. We are throwing things in boxes and suitcases to head to Ocala in the morning. Just hoping it will all fit in our rental car. Of course, our bikes will be the first to be loaded. Stressful but exciting time. Stand back! Two more Larkhillians on our way! The beginnings of a new adventure!

20 September
     This is our last sunrise from our beloved Kindred Spirit III. The beginning of a very emotional day.


                                      View from our fly bridge

22 September

     Man, oh, man—- do we feel and look like Tobacco Road!!!! Don’t want to unload our carnage brought from our trawler into our coach and then have a do-over of the whole rigmarole Monday when we close. It's only 40' so we'd need pogo sticks to get around with superfluous stuff inside. I’m eternally digging through the car for necessities and am sure our RV Park neighbors are weary of looking at my posterior as I’m upside down in the trunk trying to root out things we need.

     So excited to end this temporary “adventure” and get moved in and organized. This limbo is driving me crazy and for me, that’s a short trip.

23 September
     Tonight we had a grand reunion and long overdue happy hour with Ellen and Carl who are celebrating their 40th anniversary and George and Donna at everyone's fave Tex-Mex restaurant, Las Margaritas.








24 September
     We just finished our 2 hour walk-through and it was a hoot! Our superintendent, Steve, and warranty guy, Butch, were outstanding!!! A stupendous experience would be an understatement.

25 September
     Today Bill rented a car to get to Greenville, SC, where our meager worldly possessions are stored---a 10 hour trip in a car.

26 September
     This morning, Bill and his best friend, Dave, took the truck to Dave's shop to meet power lifting dudes to load important things like a drill press and other manly toys. Then off to our climate controlled storage unit for some essentials that we kept. THEN he picked up the love of his life, his little blue TR6, that he loaded on the car dolly.






27 September
     From Greenville to Ocala in the UHaul truck and dragging the dolly behind was a 12 hour trip. He was toast when he arrived home, thankfully safe and sound.

28 September
     Another day--we shopped till we dropped.  George and Donna kicked off the neighborhood festivities with a gathering in their gorgeous home. Wednesday, the moving truck delivered their things. 2 days later everything was in place, window treatments hung and even pictures on the walls. Their home looks like something from Better Homes and Gardens. Ours won't be that 'put together' next year this time. Maybe Donna's for hire.

30 September
     It was such a good feeling of "coming home" today when we sat on the 3rd row from the front at the church we plan to join. Then off again to enhance the local economy of Ocala. 
     Our closing is in the morning at 11:15! So excited I'm about to jump out of my skin! It will be like Christmas when we open boxes and bins whose contents that we haven't seen in over a decade.  Our ragged bodies will collapse on a brand new air mattress tomorrow night.

Stay tuned for a new book---not just a chapter--that book's closed---but a totally different adventure.

Bill and Laura
Ocala, FL


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