Our trip from Gulf Breeze (where Ashley and Michael live) to Kissimmee (our new base for the winter) by way of Jacksonville was about 525 miles. We chose to break the trip across two days because 525 miles is more than our new rule allows. Besides, 525 miles by car makes for a long day, anyway.
We left Gulf Breeze near 10:30, stopped for a lunch and refueling break and then arrived at our overnight destination, which was a campground near Lake City. Since we got in late, we decided to eat an an Italian restaurant. We wouldn’t recommend it unless you like your sauce from a Sysco can.
The morning light – looking across some open sites to our
motorhome in line with others who also spent the night.
The Spanish moss hanging from the live oak trees
says “welcome to the South.”
We decided to drive by way of Jacksonville in order to avoid the toll road and the frequent stops that would be required. Besides, it was only about 25 miles further and would allow us to go by a Camping World to look for a few things.
We arrived at Great Oak RV Resort about 4:30, just before the sun was setting. We were shown to our site by the owner who had arrived from his summer home in Germany two days earlier. At our site, two other residents assisted us with getting parked. They made us feel welcome.
A couple of days later, while walking around the park, we met a lady from Quebec. She and her husband had been coming to the resort for five years. When we mentioned where we were parked she said: “Why don’t you move in next to us? You’ll have more room and good neighbors.” We asked at the office and were allowed to make the change. We’re glad we did because our original spot felt a bit tight. Besides, if we get out to go to some rallies in Florida we don’t want to have to maneuver in and out of a tight space.
As it turns out, there are several couples here from Canada with most of them being from Quebec. Most of them are comfortable with English but when they get together they break into French. (Note to selves; learn some French).
The RV resort has over 200 spaces. Several are permanently filled by what are called “park model homes” (generally 9 x 40). Most of them have enclosed attachments built on as well as underpinning. There are also a good number of fifth-wheel travel trailers. Of those, about half are permanently parked with storage buildings and patio covers attached. We, in our motorhome, are in the minority. We do have a concrete pad and patio with enough room to park the Honda in our drive. We’re close to the trash and recycling dumpsters and a laundry/bath house. Since we have a Splendide combo washer/dryer and use our own shower and toilet, being near the park’s facility is of no consequence to us except that there is a clothesline at the building. (Yes, people do still hang clothes out to dry.)
Martha, Redford and Julie pose after a walk around the RV park.
Two times around the loop equals about one mile.
Until the end of March our address will be: 4628 Daisy Drive #112, Kissimmee, FL 34746-6376. Google Maps doesn’t show the location correctly but it is close. Since we’re in a gated community with one way in and one way out, finding us isn’t a problem. We’re known as the people from Kentucky in the big motorhome by the dumpsters though it sounds nicer to say at the intersection of Daisy Drive and Mimosa Court.
Our location in the resort is easy to find. Continue past
the main entrance on Mimosa Court and turn right
at Daisy Drive. Our motorhome is at the intersection.
On our second night here we attended a potluck dinner at the recreation hall. From our estimate, about 35% of of the residents are engaged in the activities. On Monday night Martha played Hand and Foot along with about 17 other people. On Thursday Byron joined a group of 20 card players for Double Deck Bid Euchre. Saturday night was karaoke night. There were seventeen that participated in singing with several others present for listening. Byron joined in and did versions of Nat King Cole’s “Mona Lisa” and the Sinatra standard, ”New York, New York.” (Some of the participants take karaoke very seriously since they go to other locations around Kissimmee to sing. We’re told that by December the social room will be filled with singers and spectators.)
By the end of our first week Martha was told of a water aerobics group that meets each morning at 10 AM in the heated pool. She attended on the Monday before the leftovers of the arctic blast made it’s way to Central Florida. It seems the ladies only get in the pool if the overnight low is above 60° F.
There are a few reasons for being in Kissimmee. 1) It shouldn’t get below freezing more than a couple of nights. 2) It is close to Walt Disney World where Byron was hired for a seasonal job. 3) We had to be somewhere.
We have made the observation many others have: The variety of languages and accents heard is rather broad. Not only do we have French-speaking neighbors from Quebec but the owners of the resort (25 years) are from Germany. Of course, when we go to the Walmart about a mile away we encounter Spanish. Another observation is that the two churches we have visited are multi-ethnic, which is a good sign.
At the beginning of our third week at Great Oak we were feeling quite comfortable. Though there were many new names to learn and other cultural things to adjust to, we’re adapting to the warmer climate without issue.
For Thanksgiving, about 50 of the residents gathered for a meal prepared by a committee. Of course it included turkey and ham and all that goes with it. For the second night of karaoke Byron did “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” and “Hello Dolly.” Other singers, however, repeated their favorite songs and, so we’re told, will continue to do so. Byron has picked up a voice student. It seems that four nights a week there is some kind of card game going on at the social hall as well as a poker game where a the ante is a nickel. Thus far, no one has been shot and no fight has broken out (apparently Florida is more civil than the Old West). Ambulance runs? Thus far there have been two for some of the more elderly residents.
For the first Sunday of Advent we made our third visit to the Methodist church. This included going to an adult Bible study class. We quickly took up with some of the members since three of them are graduates of Western Kentucky University. Two of them attended Eastern High School (we lived two blocks away when in Middletown) and another is from Danville, Kentucky. Another couple is from the Cincinnati area. We were all quite comfortable talking about the football season and our favorite teams. They’ve also invited us to their Christmas gathering.
Now that Christmas is approaching, several residents (inmates) in the park are decorating for the season. A gentleman from Canada, whose wife is from Germany, was used to decorating his house and yard for Christmas. He reported that he had hundreds of strands as well as animated figures standing up to seven feet tall. Since wintering in Florida at Great Oak is now their habit he saw no reason to stop decorating for the season. He has several collapsable trees with lights, a large star, and an image of The Grinch he displays on the front of their lot. Since we don’t have the storage space we can’t match what he does.
By the end of our first week Martha was told of a water aerobics group that meets each morning at 10 AM in the heated pool. She attended on the Monday before the leftovers of the arctic blast made it’s way to Central Florida. It seems the ladies only get in the pool if the overnight low is above 60° F.
There are a few reasons for being in Kissimmee. 1) It shouldn’t get below freezing more than a couple of nights. 2) It is close to Walt Disney World where Byron was hired for a seasonal job. 3) We had to be somewhere.
We have made the observation many others have: The variety of languages and accents heard is rather broad. Not only do we have French-speaking neighbors from Quebec but the owners of the resort (25 years) are from Germany. Of course, when we go to the Walmart about a mile away we encounter Spanish. Another observation is that the two churches we have visited are multi-ethnic, which is a good sign.
We had found First United Methodist Church of Kissimmee to be
a congregation that offers a variety of ministries and activities
where we can feel involved.
At the beginning of our third week at Great Oak we were feeling quite comfortable. Though there were many new names to learn and other cultural things to adjust to, we’re adapting to the warmer climate without issue.
For Thanksgiving, about 50 of the residents gathered for a meal prepared by a committee. Of course it included turkey and ham and all that goes with it. For the second night of karaoke Byron did “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” and “Hello Dolly.” Other singers, however, repeated their favorite songs and, so we’re told, will continue to do so. Byron has picked up a voice student. It seems that four nights a week there is some kind of card game going on at the social hall as well as a poker game where a the ante is a nickel. Thus far, no one has been shot and no fight has broken out (apparently Florida is more civil than the Old West). Ambulance runs? Thus far there have been two for some of the more elderly residents.
For the first Sunday of Advent we made our third visit to the Methodist church. This included going to an adult Bible study class. We quickly took up with some of the members since three of them are graduates of Western Kentucky University. Two of them attended Eastern High School (we lived two blocks away when in Middletown) and another is from Danville, Kentucky. Another couple is from the Cincinnati area. We were all quite comfortable talking about the football season and our favorite teams. They’ve also invited us to their Christmas gathering.
Now that Christmas is approaching, several residents (inmates) in the park are decorating for the season. A gentleman from Canada, whose wife is from Germany, was used to decorating his house and yard for Christmas. He reported that he had hundreds of strands as well as animated figures standing up to seven feet tall. Since wintering in Florida at Great Oak is now their habit he saw no reason to stop decorating for the season. He has several collapsable trees with lights, a large star, and an image of The Grinch he displays on the front of their lot. Since we don’t have the storage space we can’t match what he does.
Our Canadian neighbors who live in a permanently parked fifth-wheel
trailer fully decorate their space for Christmas. The spotlight
is focused on The Grinch.
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