Tuesday… Taxes , everyones fav subject..

 

For now:

Here in Florida we go to the tax office to renew your car tags. We can renew our tags online with a credit card. To show I AM OLD: I THOUGHT I HAD RENEWED MY TAGS. I kept looking for them in the mail. Since they did not show up in 3 weeks I started checking back. The money never came out of my CC account.

Come to find out, I never hit ‘SEND’, or Go or what ever, so my tags were NEVER ordered. So, to the tag office. I renewed two tags, car and a utility trailer.  When I went out to the Utility trailer to put the little sticker on the old tag, IT WAS NOT THERE, NO TAG!!  It had been lost or stolen, most likely it was just lost. So back to the tax office. The replacement tag cost twice what I had already paid. OUCH!!!

BUT with all my fussing, I have dealt with at least 4 state DMVs, NC is one of the worst and Florida is the best I have ever encountered. They seem to bend over backwards to get you in and out. NC seems to try to find something wrong to send you back and the procedure is longer making  service much more involved and slow.

All that said, referring to taxes. I just saw a complaint article about property taxes in Florida.  The highest taxes are in the Miami area, an average of $253 a month. I looked again, realizing we are paying more than that in NC in Gaston county. About $3000 a year. WE pay $3800 a year in Gaston County, NC  OUCH, our taxes are higher than Miami, FL!!!

Our governor says we will never own our homes; we will always RENT from the state, I guess that is about correct.

It is tax time. ARE YOU READY?  At least one thing going for us in Florida,  we have no state income tax, that counts.

Nite Shipslog

PS:  Taxes are a pain but they are necessary to pay for roads, police, etc.

Monday.. Been to the Grocery store lately?

Pic of the day:

 

(I just cannot help it, this is one of my favorite views thru our picture windows! Clear road ahead. This might be Maine)

For now:

Over the years we have gotten sorta lazy. Now we buy our popcorn in bags. Stick it in the Microwave and ‘voila’, in a couple minutes you have your snack.  No pot, no oil etc.

I like nuts, now you can buy any nut in at least 3-5 different ways.  I am hooked on honey roasted almonds. I like honey roasted p-nuts too.  The other day I grabbed some coconut coated almonds; I wasn’t crazy about them.

WE definitely pay for the tasty treats and quick snacks. It has been a while since I have bought a t-bone, or higher cut of Beef. I just read that Beef (At Publix here) has climbed to actually about $50 a pound for the TOP of the line, that was about $18 per when I did buy it. I used to cook stew beef weekly, now it has been awhile, the last I bought was about $9.50 per, it is soaring up towards $15 a pound.

We can afford the prices, but I feel sorta ‘cheated’. I may be living in my mind, 10 yrs ago, possibly.

WE have now found our nitch, mostly ideas from our Batchelor sons. WE love chicken sandwiches. WE pick up a Rotisserie chicken. I slice it and clean the bones. It actually gives us 3 days of great sandwiches and 2 days of super chicken soup. LOL That is up to 5 days for less than $12, total.

WE do not do that every week, I could, but Sherry gives us some variety.  Still our weekly or bi-weekly trip to the Grocery store is $150 a trip for 2 and it was around $100.

That includes normal cleaning stuff, some vitamins, supplements, and red wine. Dr. suggested more oatmeal & small glass red wine nightly for cholesterol. I got very upset when I lost a muscle to deterioration in my right arm while on statins! (Junk is my opinion, not his)

Enough..  I just laughed big.  A car or truck near by just started the engine, it is LOUD. I told Sherry, I loved that when I was 16-17 years old, it was COOL.  NOW?  It is just noise.  LOL

Another view I like:

Stopping for a while, this was our diesel pusher, we drive a gasser now, I sorta miss that diesel, LOL

Nite Shipslog

PS.   Burger King up the road, We decided to splurge and stop by the drive thru and get a whopper. WE do love that big hamburger, BUT it is now right at $8 each.

Sunday .. I hope you are more observant than I

 Today’s picture:

 

This is Kennedy our winking great grand (She belongs to Stephen and Jennifer)

BUT for today:

Thank goodness my CC has an expiration date.  I have mentioned that I am being told to renew my MS265 or something to do with Word which I have used for years and I like it.  But originally it cost about 20$ on a disc.

Now with this new laptop they are billing me $99.99 for a year. I don’t need it that much.  If my card had not expired it would have automatically renewed.  So I am glad the card expired. Victor suggested a substitute I am going to use, I think.

I do not remember allowing them to continue to take it out, but being as dumb as I am on the stuff here on the NET, I very well may have.

WE are starting to have a paperless and cashless society.  I couldn’t believe it a year or so back when I went to buy a lawn mower the seller would not accept a check, it was in an upscale neighborhood.  He asked if I used Zelle or something like that, of course I do not.

I wanted the mower, so I had to get cash and come back, at least he did accept cash. LOL

I am getting more confused by the day with things that do not fit my mindset.

Enough, take care and have a great Sunday.

 

Nite Shipslog

PS:   Thanks for coming our way…

Saturday, Sunday is coming up!

 Picture of the day:

For now:

Florida has been our home: Key West, Tavares, Deltona and Leesburg. (Sherry cannot settle down) WE use a mail service in Eustis to keep from changing addresses too much LOL.

We arrived back in Florida a week or so ago. Many Snowbirds wait until now to move in, and the influx is obvious. We have lived in Florida full time and part time; we still appreciate Florida’s weather.  Although Florida has a lot of out of state folks, we have met many ‘from birth’ folks here.

One, our former friend and Pastor, the Rev. Wayne Carter.  Wayne was an admirable man. In his youth he was a little wild; even a stock car driver for a while.  He married the sweet Juanita and I think she settled him down. ;-0

Since Wayne had held secular jobs before becoming a minister, he knew what it was like to work and the pit falls of job insecurity.  From that perspective he (like my dad) viewed his congregation.  Knowing their normal everyday situations and problems.  Many Floridians depended on the Citrus industry. As it has folded many folks are out of work.

We talked about that from time to time; seeing churches fold because of poor planning and leadership of pastors. Many pastors walk their churches into debt that cannot be sustained with even a small set-back. That allows a church to be placed in debt so far, as income drops BIG debts cannot be paid.

One of his statements I have seen too true is: Pastors are the worst MONEY managers in the world and need a council with backbone (not yes men) to guide a church.

Very few churches have complete transparency. I feel it is common-sense to KNOW where your hard-earned money goes. I feel it is very important for church go-ers (members) to know how their donations are spent.

I have a big problem with TV ministries in general. I cannot send money anywhere, not knowing how it is used. That would bother me.

In the past 10 years we have witnessed churches in our denomination fail, and buildings sold, because of poor foresight. Churches moved into millions of $ in debt that cannot be sustained.  That is sad.

WOW, reading over this, I hadn’t meant for it to be so DOWN!  Yes, of course I need prayer, and advice. Thanks in advance….

Nite Shipslog

PS.   

I do appreciate you stopping by the Shipslog, we are transit for a while.  Hopefully SHERRY will learn and settle down.          ;-)

Friday .... Names that are initials only

 Today's pic:

 
One of my Feral kittens sleeping on my lawnmower. I miss the cats.  Maybe some will show up at our new home.

Now for today:

Sheila who moves around a lot but now in Florida mentioned my ref to R.E. and Mary. She said she had kin with the same names and the RE was just initials. This R.E. Was Robert Everett methinks, but RE to us. HOWEVER, she sure kicked in a couple memories. 

In the military I knew at least 2 men with ‘initials only.’ My nephew Ted joined the USMC with RC Jones.  When that happens the yeoman records it as R (only) C (only). At the first muster Ted recalled as names were called the DI called out "Ronly Conly Jones," no one responded and everything got quiet. RC spoke up, “I’m RC Jones, that might be me.”

Also, we have a good friend, YZ Isaacs.  He says he has brothers and sisters; all names are letters only. The funny part of that is My company built YZ’s house. I had the habit of taking a grand kid with me at times.  During that time it was Sherece.  Grandma asked where she was going and she said proudly, “To YZ IZZ’s house.”

Taken from our pier when we lived on Lake Dora here in FL our frequent visitor. Alligator.

IF l had been named letters only I would have liked DD, then my initials would be DDD, or 3D. LOL

What letters would you have liked or preferred?

Nite Shipslog

PS:

YEP,  Sherry and I are still Gypsies…  same tent!!!!

 I guess we are stuck in this lifestyle…. ;-)  

Thursday… Remembering…

 Today’s picture:

 

Sherry and I are happy whether we live in a mansion or a tent. (Of course we have never had a mansion!)

BUT for today:

When we started traveling full time we had no aim.  We wanted to see high profile places such as Yellowstone, Mt Ranier and Mt Vernon.   But we got a kick out of the small towns and communities. I have said before we had a plan to drive 300-400 miles and stop for a week.  During that week travel the area to see what was there.

WE saw many of our former president’s homes and some of the leaders of our country during revolutionary & civil war time. Funny about Presidents, one of the low profile presidents, President Buchanan history and quotes sticks out above Truman, Reagan and Washington. (I mentioned this in a blog in 2017.)

Buchanan never married, but the thing I remembered most was the quote as he and Lincoln rode in a coach, pulled by horses of course, to Lincoln’s inauguration. President Buchanan said to Abe, “If you are as happy taking this office as I am leaving it, YOU SIR, ARE ONE HAPPY MAN!”

What struck me at Mt Vernon was how they stored the ice cut in the winter that lasted way into the summer. Also George was a Bible reader and his Bible was there on a podium. It was the original 1611 King James version. Just scanning some words were spelled different than I am used to.  Examples:

“sawes”®“saws”

“harrowes”®“harrows”

“yron”®“iron”

“yron”®“iron”

“passe”®“pass”

“brick=kilne”®“brickkiln”

“And thus”®“and thus”

 

It is not a big thing and I am sure the words mean the same, it just read different to me.

I liked Monticello also.  Jefferson had some fantastic clocks. I was fascinated by one weight driven pendulum clock that the weights went thru the floor down to the basement, allowing it to run longer without pulling the weights back up!

Trail name Cricket, she was starting the 100 mile wilderness, at this point she had walked 2100 miles.

Above is a family from Denmark hiking  The AT

This is "In Tents", his trail name.  He gave me permission to take his picture if he didn't have to get up!!!  (Our trail name was The Overland Hermits".

Anyway today I am just doing my normal, 'old man thang', remembering. LOL

As I close this I want to wish you all a VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR…  This is 2026, now get used to using it. LOL I am so old I typed “This is 1926” and had to correct it.

Nite Shipslog

PS:   Thank you for coming his way.  Blogging is headed down the road as Journaling did a few years ago.  I miss so many of the bloggers who have dropped out, slowed down or passed to the other side..…

Wednesday… Disappointed but still hopeful

 Pic of the day:

A small obstacle on the Appalachian Trail created by Beavers.  I still want a Diesel Pusher to drive, but I also want to do this again before I am 90. BEFORE an OLD MAN tries to take over my body.  I was a kid when this was taken, about 66 yrs old.

 

SO for now:

So, we DID NOT get the coach we were looking at.  The deal fell through when the dealer, PPL, found too much wrong with the coach that was listed on consignment.

BUT, as I said in a previous entry, it is good to learn.  I learned a lot by working with a salesman named Brandon. WE enjoyed our interaction with him.  I sorta liked him because of his name, Brandon.  That was the name of our great granddaughter’s dad. Brandon was a good worker and worked for me as a subcontractor for a good while. I could depend on his work as an A/C man.  BUT like many in this country Brandon died by accidental overdose.  Sad that Stella will not get to know her dad as she grows up.

So naturally the name Brandon stuck with us and to make the relationship closer, he was the proud father of a little girl, still a baby.

All that aside, Brandon will continue to look for coaches that fit our guidelines.

In the last 30 years, this couple of gypsies have interacted with many folks in the RV world, some of them dealers and sellers.  As I said, we learned something in this case, and learning is always important. I feel that Brandon (and Conner) plus PPL gave us the truth about the coach and were going to hide nothing. I know salesman have a bad reputation, but I will not put them all in the same category.

Yes, I want to do it again! This is Sherry ahead of me. A shot from what Hikers call ROCKSYLVANIA.  Hikers say boots go to Pennsylvania to die!

All that said, we (I) would like to end our RV life driving a Diesel coach.  That ‘life’ is steadily trying to reach the 90s.

I just read what a hundred year old man said.  His advice is: Don’t let the ‘OLD MAN’ take over your life, ignore him.  Now methinks that is good advice, and I will try to follow it.

Take care my friends and I hope to be telling you soon we have found the ‘ONE’ we want!

Meanwhile, if you are looking for an RV, and in Florida, give Brandon and PPL a shot.

Nite Shipslog

PS.   

I do appreciate you stopping by the Shipslog.

Monday...Sorta in Limbo

 

Before I start; About RV blow outs.  Yes we have had a few blowouts. The funniest one or oddest one was when it blew out, golf-balls flew. The previous owner had used 6 golf balls inside to balance the tire. Yes, I looked it up, and it is NOT unusual. But no, we did not put golf balls back inside the replacement tire. AND  Huh uh, the big coaches are not in danger of rolling with tire problems...

SO for now:

There is something disconcerting about plans being put on hold by something out of your control.

Our new to us coach continues to be brought up to standards, so we are still a little anxious.  Since we just completed a move from house to house and moving was a pretty big job. Now we will complete a move from coach to coach when all is done. Truthfully it will be a BIG job because we have a lot of stuff to move and this move will be done in a half day along with being told how to run the one we are getting.

You would be surprised how different one coach is to another.  The heat/AC is always different.  There will be different procedures for water/ and water pumps. Lights will operate differently and doors are always a trick to get used to; believe it or not. An example this coach we are in has 4 doors in a 5’ sq area, we call it the hall of doors!

Cabinets, Closets and storage will be much differently arranged.  The one that is tough for me and is ‘my job’ is Engine maintenance and procedures plus the leveling-jacks always take some learning and getting used to. The slides, learning the new procedures is always important.

So doing just the ‘walk-thru & instructions takes 3 hours. WE are guessing 4 hours just to move our stuff. Sometimes I forget all we have in the basement. LOL

Of course that is all contingent that the transfer goes normally.  But we chose this, and we are looking forward to the change.

Nite Shipslog

PS.   Remember, moving is always fun.  LOL