WOW!  Last night was pretty darned cold for us!  We moved all the plants (begonias, impatiens (what's LEFT after the second ravenous rabbit attack!!), jasmine & tomatoes) into the truck, because we were due for an Arctic Blast.  I think it's just that all you people are JEALOUS of our 80* sunshine, so you wanted us to share YOUR experiences.  OK, OK, we get the message.  PUH-LEEEEZ do not send us any of that frozen-type precipitation.  I just dunno what we'd do....actually, yes I do.  One day we were chatting with the Park manager, and he said if we got snow, he'd take us down to Key West.  So, mebbe it wouldn't be so bad!!  I'm not sure he'd honor his promise, though, I think he only made it knowing that it was empty.

Anyway, we just got out of Alltel, after only one & a half hours.  Not bad, considering we were waited on immediately.  Which has also never happened before.  The deal is that at home, we only ever get one silly bar on our air card, and pages are SOOOOOOOOOOOOO slow to load.  And after having had T1 & cable service for so long, my patience just wears thin.  It took about 7 hours to update our page with one blog & 3 pictures.  I just don't have the temperament anymore to stick with it so long for so little.  And THAT is why there's not much activity anymore.  Well, long story short, we ended up with no changes to any hardware, just elliminating the cable & plugging directly into the USB port.  We'll see.  I think we're just in a hole, and until we get out, we will have to grin & bear it. 

So, while we were in the store, hodling for tech support, I got to a lot of email —- THANK YOU Debbra for filling my Inbox with funny, funny stuff and news from the coast.  Thank you Phil, for thinking of us and brightening our day with your e-card, and Staples, I got your pic loaded the other night - send me some more, if you can!

So, what are we doing today?  Well, actually, we pretty much know we'll be invited back to Lake Manatee for next winter season - how, you ask?  Yesterday, when I was working in the office, Ranger Ed told me he was revising our job description, and he warned me that it was gonna be a whole lot longer with way more tasks than it was this year.  I keep telling him "I'm RETIRED, and I don't WANT a full-time job with overtime" and he just smiles and nods.  Tells me, "ok, but I really need you to..." whatever.  Dick has an easier time saying no than do I, I guess.

BUT....back to subject...driving down I-75.....we are gonna go out on a job search - did I not just say I didn't WANT a job??  Geeez, make up my mind.  Actually, I wouldn't mind a less intense job, somewhere closer to a store, maybe, with an onsite laundry, and maybe even a heated pool.  Yes, people, those places DO exist.  So, Venice, here we come.  With any luck, we can take our skills and our charming personalities and leverage them into a warm spot with amenities for next year.  

I see by my Google page that Clemmons is 30 and Branson is 36.  Bradenton is currently 57, so I know I'm in the right place.  I sure hope Clemmons warms up some, so that I don't freeze my little behind off when I come up next month!!!  Wish I'd have more time up there, but I only allotted one day for arrival & tooth extraction, and one day for crown cement & return flight, so that doesn't really leave a lot of free time.  With any luck, though, I'll be up for A1 dancing on Monday night.  We had another lesson last night, and now we've learned enough steps that I'm really getting antsy feet, and want to start putting it to use.  We got an invite to Hawaiin Isles first Saturday dance by our Canadian friends again, but last time, we decided that being the 5th wheel just wasn't worth paying $10 + fuel.  These people sure aren't like the ones out west, as far as friendly!!

Uh-oh, here comes our exit....I'd better wrap up for now....figuratively speaking!  Y'ALL wrap up and stay warm!!!

Till next time, love ya...miss ya!!

k