First Snowbird Winter - 1/28 to 3/17

It has been a while since posting but we’ll try to not bore you with all the details of our first winter in Florida as “snowbirds.” Speaking of snow; from what we understand this was the winter to avoid in Louisville. While Byron doesn’t mind snow so much, Martha was glad to avoid seeing snow and sub-zero temperatures and wind chill factors. However, our thoughts were with our friends north of the Tennessee border.

Here we all are at a photo opportunity with Mickey himself. We are with

Ashley and Michael and the grandchildren on one of our visits

to Walt Disney World. This photo was taken at Epcot.

For us, here in Kissimmee, the temperature has gotten close to freezing a few nights. For a few days the highs were in the mid-50s. For us, that has mean wearing jackets. For others, the natives of Florida, it has meant wearing gloves and wearing wool coats. While they complain about the “cold” weather, those of us who have lived near or north of the Ohio River know it to be a little cool but nothing to complain about.

We are well settled into life at Great Oak RV Resort. We have made several friends by playing cards, attending the bi-monthly Karaoke nights, participating in the bowling league, and sports weeks. Almost twice weekly Martha can be found playing Hand and Foot with a group of a dozen. Byron has played Bid Euchre when possible. As a result of his singing, he has picked up a voice student who has improved greatly over the course of about three months. Our bowling, while we consider ourselves to not be great, has resulted in us winning a few ribbons at the sports recognition banquet. Though we didn’t get in the Shuffleboard tournament, Martha did participate in Bean Bag Toss and Byron in Horse Shoes. Wow, that does put us in a certain age-related bracket. Still, it’s having fun with other peers in the park.

We’ve had a few visitors in the last six weeks. The first were some friends with whom we spent time at Epcot. We first met Sue Ann and Rose at a Newmar Kountry Klub rally in Escanaba, MI last year. Both are retired from the Navy and now spend time traveling together and time apart when they are visiting relatives.

Since Rose had never been to Epcot and Sue Ann only once several years ago, we took most of the day going around the World Showcase seeing the programs at Canada, China, and American Adventure. We also took in a part of the performances in Mexico and Japan as well as the logging competition at Canada.

Not only did we do a day at Epcot but we also went to the RV Super Show in Tampa another day in January. We all decided we can now check that show off our list of things to not do again as neither of us is interested in purchasing space for our motorhomes in Florida or purchasing a park model. After all, we have motorhomes so we can be mobile.

The others to visit us were Michael and Margery Simpson from Fairfield, IL where Byron grew up.  Mike is one of Byron’s cousins while Marge and Byron attended the same high school and college (Oakland City University) though a year apart in age. They had taken a cruise from Port Canaveral and took a couple of days to be in the Orlando area before returning. Since they were here later in the winter, we made a day of it during the Flower and Garden show in Epcot which included lunch at the British restaurant, Rose and Crown, in England in addition to taking in Illuminations, the nightly light and fireworks show. By the way, the high temperature that day was 66.

One of the perks of working for Disney is taking advantage of time-limited discounts at WDW (Walt Disney World). One of those was 40% off at the Whoop-Dee-Doo Review at Fort Wilderness Campground and Resort. Carl and Jeanine, friends from Great Oak, attended with us. Not only was the program of music and audience participation great but the food service and all-you-can-eat BBQ ribs and fried chicken (with fixings) certainly made for a delightful evening for healthy eater.

With our new friends, Carl and Jeanine, at Woop-Dee-Doo Review

at Fort Wilderness Campground and Resort in Walt Disney World.

Fortunately, we were able (spoken in jest) to take time to get to Plant City (toward Tampa) for a few minutes at the Strawberry Festival. The season in Florida is about three months ahead of the Louisville area so it was quite a treat to have a great dessert one day in February. This is a snapshot of Martha’s “serving” which included the cake, fresh and delicious strawberries, vanilla ice cream, and whipped topping. Wow!

During the less busy time at Walt Disney World Byron worked a few nights at Hollywood Studios at the Fantasmic show and served as a greeter/host at the full-service restaurant in the Polynesian Resort. He thoroughly enjoyed that time getting to greet guests from a variety of states and countries while seating them. Incidentally, the view of the Wishes nightly fireworks show at Magic Kingdom is awesome from the ’Ohana.

On several occasions Byron has worked the Fireworks Dessert Party at Tomorrowland Terrace. As he is given to saying, the staff prepares twice as many desserts as taken and guests take twice as many as they can eat. If you have a sweet tooth, you’ll go away without being disappointed. The dessert event is popular with reservations filled more than four months in advance. Those who serve at the party always hate to throw away all that is left over because it is a lavish waste of food though it is something we, in American, are quite used to doing.

Byron was asked to fill in as teacher for the adult Sunday School class we have engaged in at the United Methodist church. After doing the three weeks, as agreed, he was asked to do four more weeks so the regular teacher could enjoy a bit of a sabbatical.

Before long it will be time to unhook and head north. Our plan is to leave Kissimmee on April 15 and gradually work our way through Johnson City, TN to Scottsville, KY and, finally, to the campground in Clarksville, IN which is just across the river from Louisville. We’re looking forward to being back in the area in time for the Kentucky Derby.