It's a Blizzard!

[janieD]

They will be more than ready for some nice weather!

[Jim Stewart]

OK, it's time to give you all the dream. We are in the Florida Keys, Marathon to be exact. It was 88 degrees and sunny with a hint of a breeze. The palm fronds slightly waving, but not enough so that you can tell which way the breeze is coming from. The water is somewhere between that emerald green of in-shore waters to the deep azure blue of the reef. The water is so clear and calm, you can't tell where the water stops and the sky starts.

The air conditioners were both running all day and the refer fans were kicking on in the sun trying to keep up. We stopped at the store for new sunglasses and went to the beach to look at the bronzed, bikini clad, young girls, while sitting on the sand drinking Pina Colades.

Tomorrow a cold front is expected to pass through and the high should only be 82 degrees with a northerly wind, the boating in the Gulf should have a light chop with calm in-shore waters on the ocean side. The nights have been a little nippy reaching lows in the 70s. The Snowbirds are starting to arrive in their shorts and tee shirts and the locals have gotten out their parkas and boots. It's a site to behold!

Hi, having fun, wish you were here!

Love, Jim & Kay

[KU9L]

Originally Posted by Jim Stewart

OK, it's time to give you all the dream. We are in the Florida Keys, Marathon to be exact. It was 88 degrees and sunny with a hint of a breeze. The palm fronds slightly waving, but not enough so that you can tell which way the breeze is coming from. The water is somewhere between that emerald green of in-shore waters to the deep azure blue of the reef. The water is so clear and calm, you can't tell where the water stops and the sky starts.

The air conditioners were both running all day and the refer fans were kicking on in the sun trying to keep up. We stopped at the store for new sunglasses and went to the beach to look at the bronzed, bikini clad, young girls, while sitting on the sand drinking Pina Colades.

Tomorrow a cold front is expected to pass through and the high should only be 82 degrees with a northerly wind, the boating in the Gulf should have a light chop with calm in-shore waters on the ocean side. The nights have been a little nippy reaching lows in the 70s. The Snowbirds are starting to arrive in their shorts and tee shirts and the locals have gotten out their parkas and boots. It's a site to behold!

Hi, having fun, wish you were here!

Love, Jim & Kay

Hey, we worked at Sunshine Key last winter and still keep our domain in Marathon ... wonderful place this time of year and are planning a 3 hour trip down there as soon as our son and his wife get here!

Dave

[Jim Stewart]

We spent several winters at Sunshine Key years ago and loved it. When we decided to retire again this year we came looking and with the price to rent at Sunshine and the horrible situation with the Real Estate Market, we decided to try to buy. We found and made a very low offer that was accepted on a lot in Keys RV.

We have the last lot next to the Ocean on the East side off the canal. We have a great open view and are about 30 feet from the Ocean. We love it and hope to spend many winters to come down here.

[KU9L]

Originally Posted by Jim Stewart

We spent several winters at Sunshine Key years ago and loved it. When we decided to retire again this year we came looking and with the price to rent at Sunshine and the horrible situation with the Real Estate Market, we decided to try to buy. We found and made a very low offer that was accepted on a lot in Keys RV.

We have the last lot next to the Ocean on the East side off the canal. We have a great open view and are about 30 feet from the Ocean. We love it and hope to spend many winters to come down here.

Sounds great Jim!!!

We filled out employment papers at Sunshine Key last March before we left, then was told "Come as soon as possible" last July as "We need you guys very much!"

So we gave our two week notice on August 1st where we were working in N. IL in anticipation of heading south August 30th for S. FL. ...

On August 7th we got an email saying the boss had an emergency corporate meeting in Miami about the lack of winter reservations and they were going to have to stick with just their summer staffing levels!!! So much for being pre-re-hired!!!

So we hung around the family farm in N. IL (had already been replaced at the N. IL resort) for a couple of months until our resume's snagged an 800 site sister park up in N. Ft Myers that included 2/3's manufactured housing with slightly better winter reservation levels. The big hurt though is the new corporate policy cut wages back to minimum and full-time is now considered 32+ hours per week ... and we still pay 1/2 rent + electric + plus water too!!!:

But at least we aren't still back on the family farm in NW IL that got 11" of snow this week and lost power for almost a whole day. Staying back on the farm a few extra weeks was a good thing in many ways. We had to swing up to MN quickly to repossess a 19' SOB TT sold to a niece (divorce) and had a slide-out maintenance issue on our 2001 28rgo that required immediate attention. We tried to trade in both to the E. IA dealer, no go.

Then we visited a N. IL Excel dealer who had a new 2009 L36TKE and a 2009 33RSE RT on his lot. We decided the RT could actually be pulled (and stopped) by our 1-ton dually and they liked our trade-ins.

So at least we finally made it to S. FL this winter and a new rig at the same time.

Next summer we are working at Ouray KOA in Colorado (@7200' a couple hours from where we used to live) after we attend our son's grad school graduation in Iowa City in May. If the farm sells before the end of summer we will head to AZ to check out a friends HDT he has for sale ... we might need it navigating those 12K' passes in Colorado!!!

Will we be back to S. FL or stay in AZ next winter??? That depends on where our son & his wife settle down once he processes all of those big job offers spawned by all of that stimulus money!!!

I went from full-time traveling aerospace electronics test engineer to practicing Goober "Workamper" on Mayberry RFD after my work was outsourced to India, so I don't quite have the same positive outlook on life we used to ... especially when I had to put Cookie Momma to work in the reservations office!

With the clutch burned out yesterday on the '93 1/4-ton truck borrowed from a sister park ... this morning we get to pick up trash with our run-down rusty golf carts & dilapidated trailersl!!! But at least it will still be 77 deg today!!!!

Dave

[BookIIRoadtrash]

Well I made it through -8 below with wind chill of -20 and nothing froze up in my Excel. I am staying in her one more night and tomorrow I am going to be real nice and put In Between in heated storage for the rest of the cold part of the winter.
Cummin' will keep In Between company for this venture, so that will keep me Goin'....

[Jim Stewart]

Dave,

Many seem to think the economy is getting better. Here in Florida it appears otherwise. When we go to restaurants on Friday nights, we may be the only one in the place. Normally this time of the year the Snowbirds are here and the traffic is pretty heavy, not so this year.

In the Keys, the Real Estate Market is non existent, I was told that for the 3rd quarter, in the Middle Keys, there was one real estate sale, mine. The lot I purchased was originally listed for $200,000.00 in 2005 and I bought it for $75,000.00.

I think that there may be signs of recovery in certain parts of the country, but the pain was so severe and has lasted so long, I think it has changed peoples spending habits and lifestyles. Glad you found a place to land.

But not to steal the thread, the cold front did hit here and it's on 72 degrees this morning.

[P3 guy]

I was the operations manager at the I-35 Truck Stop in Williams for 6 years. 36 hour days plowing snow is why I'm now living in Texas!!!

[ChiefJohn]

Originally Posted by Jim Stewart

OK, it's time to give you all the dream. We are in the Florida Keys, Marathon to be exact. It was 88 degrees and sunny with a hint of a breeze. The palm fronds slightly waving, but not enough so that you can tell which way the breeze is coming from. The water is somewhere between that emerald green of in-shore waters to the deep azure blue of the reef. The water is so clear and calm, you can't tell where the water stops and the sky starts.

The air conditioners were both running all day and the refer fans were kicking on in the sun trying to keep up. We stopped at the store for new sunglasses and went to the beach to look at the bronzed, bikini clad, young girls, while sitting on the sand drinking Pina Colades.

Tomorrow a cold front is expected to pass through and the high should only be 82 degrees with a northerly wind, the boating in the Gulf should have a light chop with calm in-shore waters on the ocean side. The nights have been a little nippy reaching lows in the 70s. The Snowbirds are starting to arrive in their shorts and tee shirts and the locals have gotten out their parkas and boots. It's a site to behold!

Hi, having fun, wish you were here!

Love, Jim & Kay

Jim & Kay,
Our rig is at King's Bay NSB, Georgia -- we're in the St. Louis area due to a family emergency. Our plans are to be down in the Keys in the Jan-Feb time frame and had given consideration to staying in the military RV park at the Marathon Coast Guard Station -- unfortunately, they only have 4 spaces and we are heading to the Sigsbee (Key West Naval Air Station). Looking forward to getting back to the warmer temps.

[KU9L]

Originally Posted by ChiefJohn

Jim & Kay,
Our rig is at King's Bay NSB, Georgia -- we're in the St. Louis area due to a family emergency. Our plans are to be down in the Keys in the Jan-Feb time frame and had given consideration to staying in the military RV park at the Marathon Coast Guard Station -- unfortunately, they only have 4 spaces and we are heading to the Sigsbee (Key West Naval Air Station). Looking forward to getting back to the warmer temps.

77 here today N. Ft Myers, looks like rain the next day or two coming.

Sheila and I had a motorcycle mishap 27 years ago that left me with a birdcage and crutches for a year, Sheila worse yet. The navy told me I was not a worthy candidate even though I returned to normal (eventually). I always envied folks like my retired friend Frank who stays at all of the bases!

Dave

[janieD]

OK, now you've done it Jim. It's hard to concentrate when all I do is dream of being in the Keys. That's me whistling a reggae tune instead of getting anything done!

[Jim Stewart]

A little music to warm your bones and get you in the mood!

[BookIIRoadtrash]

I am surprised this did not get bumped. They are saying that where ever you are you will be there until Saturday. I hope everyone is not in shock yet about this storm with Christmas right here. It kind of reminds me of the snows in the sixties when we missed 40 some days of school., but it is El Nino this year.

Let it Snow

[Dick & Pat]

We were due to arrive our Florida destination the day after Christmas....Well, we're still here in Iowa waiting for the worst of this long storm to arrive....10"-15" expected over the next 3 days on top of the ice already in place

We'll be lucky to get there by New year's Day