I know I haven’t been blogging much lately. Since we are stationary here in Central Florida for such a long time (5 months), we have been taking the opportunity for travel that is a bit different than our normal “mode”.

First, in November, we made a quick weekend trip down to our old South Florida haunts. Part of it was for a work meeting, but the rest was to see friends and run / bike in familiar places. Staying at a hotel directly on Hollywood Beach wasn’t so bad either! It was a lovely visit.

Over the holidays, we flew to Indiana to visit friends and family. It was simply wonderful, just enjoying great food, nice wine, and time together. That’s what the holidays are all about!

Then, a few days after returning from Indiana, we packed up the truck (and Pumpkin) and drove to Gatlinburg. I had mentioned earlier that we had a small dryer fire in June at our rental cabin. Fire damage was minimal, but smoke damage was extensive. We had expected repairs to be completed much earlier, but contractor, insurance and permit delays all conspired to drag out the process. We arrived in early January to find, to our delight, that our contractor had done a fantastic job. We spent two weeks purchasing replacement items, hanging TVs and décor, scrubbing and cleaning, and generally getting the cabin ready to place back on rental. Jeff’s brother joined us, bringing tools and expertise, which was an enormous help. I have to say that the place looks better than new! I love our cabin, and am so very happy that she is beautiful and fully functional again. All’s well that ends well!

That was last week. This Friday we are flying to Puerto Rico for a seven day Southern Caribbean cruise!! It’s a first for us, but we are traveling with my sister who is an experienced cruiser. She helped select the itinerary and has provided lots of handy tips. I’m really stoked about the whole trip – life on the ship, shore excursions, the entertainment, great food, and of course, adult beverages! I think it’s going to be just fantastic!

And then ….. just a few more weeks and we’ll be moving along in our lovely motorhome again, beginning our East Coast tour!