Grace's Christmas Programs 2008

My granddaughter Grace had two Christmas Programs. One was at her Pre-Kindergarten and at First Baptist Melbourne. Here are some pictures and videos from the programs.

Grace at PK Program

Rachael after the Program

Grace at FBM Program

Grace with her friend

Grace with her friends

Slide Show of Programs

Gold Club campout at Southern Palms Resort Eustis, FL

Our December Gold Club campout was held at the Southern Palms Resort in Eustis, FL December 5-7th. Of course being in December it had a Christmas theme a "Holiday Party".

Our schedule for the weekend was:
Friday, December 5

5:30 PM - Meet & Greet - Clubhouse
5:30 PM - Sign-up for Games & Making Gingerbread Houses - Clubhouse
6:00 PM - Ornament Exchange & Toys for Tots - Clubhouse
6:30 PM - Pot Luck - Clubhouse
7:00 PM - Fifty Fifty Raffle - Clubhouse
7:30 PM - Bingo - Clubhouse

Saturday, December 6

8:00 AM - Coffee & Donuts ( Sponsored by Re-Carpet Your RV) - Clubhouse
8:30 AM - CPR/AED Class - Pines Hall
9:00 AM - Horseshoe Tournament - North Side of Clubhouse
9:30 AM - RV Tips & Tricks - Pines Hall
9:30 AM - Frosting Gingerbread Houses - Clubhouse
12:30 PM - Decorating Gingerbread Houses
1:00 PM - Bocce Ball Tournament - North Side of Clubhouse
1:00 PM - Golf Scramble - Lakes of Mount Dora Country Club
6:00 PM - Turkey Dinner - Clubhouse
7:00 PM - Entertainment
9:00 PM - Trophies awarded to the winners of the tournaments
9:00 PM - Announcement of the winner for the"Best Decorated Rig"

Sunday, December 7

9:00 AM - Complimentary Coffee & Donuts - Clubhouse

Slide Show of the Weekend

It was a nice weekend. We had a good time with great food and entertainment.

Left to Right - Aunt Irene, Gayle, Jonathon, Me, Janet and Glenda

My Aunt Irene and cousins Gayle, Glenda, Janet and her son Jonathon came to visit on Saturday. We all went out for lunch. We had a nice visit. It was good to see them.

Slide Show of their visit

Katrina & Jerry's Visit at Thanksgiving 2008

Katrina and Jerry came down for Thanksgiving. It was the first time I got to see my newest granddaughter Veronica. The first part of their trip they went to Orlando and stayed at a resort and went to Disney. I met them in Orlando and we went to the Car Show at the Convention Center. We had breakfast at a Denny's and then went to the Convention Center for the show.

Savannah at Denny's

Veronica at Denny's

Me and Veronica

Me with Savannah and Grace

Me sitting in a new Corvette at the Car Show

Slide Show of Cars at the Car Show

Later we met at the Mall and the girls played at the play area. Katrina, Jerry and the girl's met me and Marilyn over at Deana and Tom's for a get together. We played with the kids and did some Karaoke.

Slide Show of Katrina & Jerry's Visit

Trip to Virginia for Communications International, Inc.

Last November I went to Virginia for two weeks to work. Communications International, Inc. had installed a new 800MHZ trunked radio system for Rockingham County Virginia. We were programming the radios for the system. We worked at the Emergency Operations Center in Harrisonburg and traveled to Fire Departments and Rescue Units to program the radios.
Me and Jerry at the Airport

At Singers Glen Volunteer Fire Company

Me programming a radio in a fire engine

Jerry working at the computer

Ready to leave for work

At Elkton Volunteer Fire Company

The crew on top of the mountain

Dick showing us the equipment

Slide show of the trip

Okeechobee Gold Club Rally 2008

Dave Mitchell, General Manager Giant Recreation World Melbourne
The 2008 Gold Club Rally was once again held at the Okeechobee KOA RV Resort in Okeechobee, FL October 24 -26th. It was an exciting and fun weekend "Spooktacular Halloween Weekend". The following activities were scheduled: Prizes For Best Pumpkin Carving, Site Decorating Contest, Costume Contest, Adult Halloween Craft Making, Kids Halloween Craft Making, Hayride, Texas Hold-em, Live Entertainment, Golf Scramble, Teen Meet & Greet, Little Diva Party, Horseshoe Tournament, RV 101, RV Tips & Tricks, Adult CPR/AED Class, Open Bar, Friday Night Dinner, Saturday Breakfast, Saturday Lunch, Saturday Night Dinner, Sunday Morning Continental Breakfast!!

At the end of the post there is a slideshow of pictures from the weekend.

Motorhome Decorated for the "Spooktacular Halloween"

Another View of the Motorhome

We arrived Friday afternoon and registered and proceeded to our site and parked and set up the Motorhome for the weekend. Here is the schedule for Friday:
Friday, October 24
9:00 - 11:30 AM Registration - Convention Center Lobby
1:30 -6:00 PM Registration - Convention Center Lobby
9:00:AM - 5:00PM Parts, Maintenance & Supplies - Hospitality Tent
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM RV Display - Convention Center Parking Lot
1:30PM Adult CPR/AED/ Red Cross Certification Class - Recreation Room
4:00PM - 10:00PM - Open Bar Hospitality Tent
5:45PM Dinner - (Handicap) Convention Center
6:00PM Dinner - Convention Center
7:30PM Bob Diverde - Master Comic & Impressionist - Convention Center
8:00 - 10:00 PM Teen Meet & Greet - DJ, Karaoke & Body Art -Family Pool Area
8:30PM Texas Hold-um (must arrive on time) - Convention Center
8:30PM Hayride - Outside Convention Center
8:30PM Movie - Addams Family - Convention Center

Spooks on the Motorhome

We checked out the hospitality tent which we were very close to. Then we went to the Convention Center for Dinner. After Dinner we enjoyed the entertainment Comedian Bob Diverde. It was a nice dinner and good entertainment. We returned to the Motorhome for TV and sleep.

Saturday's Schedule:

Saturday, October 25
8:00AM Breakfast - Convention Center
8:00-10:00 AM Late Registration - Convention Center Lobby
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM RV Display - Convention Center Parking Lot
9:00-5:00 PM Parts, Maintenance & Supplies - Hospitality Tent
9:00AM RV 101 Driving Tips (sign-up at registration) - Recreation Room
9:00AM Horseshoe Tournament (trophies will be awarded) - Family Pool Area
9:00AM Bocce Ball Tournament (bring your own Bocce Balls) - Family Pool Area
10:00:AM Little Diva Party - Convention Center
10:00AM Kids Halloween Craft Making - Convention Center
10:30AM RV Tips & Tricks (sign-up at registration) - Recreation Room
11:45AM Lunch (Handicap)- Convention Center
12:00PM Lunch - Convention Center
1:00 PM Golf Scramble (sign-up at registration) - Meet at the Pro Shop
1:30PM Adult Halloween Craft Making - Convention Center
2:30-3:30PM Hayride Campground
3:00PM Pumpkin Carving Contest Picnic Tables by Children's Pool
4:00 - 10:00 PM Open Bar - Hospitality Tent
5:30PM Photographs (Handicap)- Outside Convention Center
5:45PM Photographs - Outside Convention Center
5:45PM Dinner (Handicap)- Convention Center
6:00PM Dinner- Convention Center
7:30PM Euphoria Band - Convention Center
9:00PM 50 - 50 Tickets - Convention Center
9:30PM Halloween Parade - Convention Center

Spooks everywhere
Saturday morning we went over for breakfast and came back and decorated the Motorhome with our halloween theme for the weekend. Chilled out afterward and then went over for lunch. Spent some time over at the hospitality tent chatting with other Gold Club members. Took a bike ride around the park taking pictures of the other Motorhome decorations.

Then we dressed up in our halloween costumes for the evening festivities at the Convention Center. Marilyn went as Princess Leia from Star Wars. I used my long standing costume of a Ghoul. I have gotten my money's worth out of this outfit. Using it at many halloween events and haunted houses. I usually wear a plastic mask with it. When I volunteered for the haunted house at the Henegar Center in old downtown Melbourne they didn't want me to wear the mask. So I had to make up my face to look like a Ghoul. One of the organizers of the haunted house made up my face and taught me how to do it. I was still able to use my plastic eyes that really made the masks and now my made up face scary. So for this event I made up my face. I also use a voice changing box that requires a microphone near my mouth. With my hood it is pretty much not visible unless you are close.

We had a nice dinner with the band for dancing afterwards. Then they had the costume contest. We didn't win but it was fun. Then we retired to the Motorhome for the evening.

Marilyn as Princess Leia

Princess Leia and The Ghoul

Sunday nothing was scheduled except for Donuts and Coffee. I went over for that. Came back and prepared the Motorhome for the trip home.

Here is a slideshow with pictures from the weekend. Enjoy!!!

Another great Rally. Thank you Giant Recreation World, Audrey and Chris. A great weekend. Keep up the good work.

Silver River State Park Gold Club Campout

We went to Silver River State Park September 5-7 2008 for the months Gold Club campout. Silver River State Park is located on the Silver River near Ocala, Florida.


Motorhome ready for the weekend
Arriving Friday afternoon we checked in and went to our spot and set up for the weekend. We went to the pavilion at 5:30PM for the Meet and Greet. At 6:30PM we had our Pot Luck Dinner. As always the Pot Luck was great. After the Pot Luck the Pie Baking contest took place. All pies had to be made from scratch. I went to the store to buy some scratch and couldn't find any so didn't make a pie for the contest. The judges tasted all the pies and chose the winners. After the contest we got to eat the pies.

After dinner and the pie contest we went back to the motorhome to chill for the evening with TV.

Saturday morning started with a continental breakfast at the pavilion. I went over for coffee and donuts and Marilyn slept in. They had crafts at the pavilion later in the morning.

Marilyn chilling with Ryder and Brinker

Ryder and Brinker chilling
Saturday afternoon we loaded up to go canoeing on the Silver River. We had to go to the ranger station to get paddles, life vests and the keys to unlock the canoes at the launch point. Marilyn didn't want to go because of the mosquitoes which were plentiful. We had bought a thermal mosquito repellent machine but forgot to bring it. Of course it would have not have worked on the canoe trip. At the ranger station we paired up for the canoes. I was put with Joe since his wife wasn't going because she was afraid of the gators. Once we had our gear we headed for the launch point. We parked and hiked down the River Trail to the launch point. Found our canoe unlocked it and carried it to the launch area. All aboard and headed upriver from the launch area. The headwaters of the Silver River come from Silver Springs which is a Florida Attraction that has been there a long time. They are famous for their Glass Bottomed boats so you can peer at the springs and fish. A tarzan movie starring Johnny Weissmuller was filmed there. Joe and I paddled all the way to Silver Springs. Only about three canoes made it all the way there and back. After getting back to the launch area we hiked back to the parking lot. Joe called his wife to pick us up and take us to the ranger station to return the gear and pay for the canoe rental. Then back to the motorhome and chill until time for dinner.

Getting our gear for the canoe trip

Hiking to the canoe launch area

A view down the Silver River from the canoe
We had a catered dinner that evening at 6:30PM at the pavilion. The dinner was Pork and Beef kabobs, rice, corn on the cob, rolls, iced tea and sheet cake for desert. A nice dinner and fellowship with the other club members. I was wearing my Miami Hurricanes cap and this happened to be the night they were playing the Florida Gators. One of the fellows asked me if I was watching the game that night. I told him I was and he asked how and I told him we had satellite tv. He said he was located close to me and had a 100ft. cable. He asked if he could tap off of my signal and watch the game over in his area. I said sure. So when I got back I connected the satellite output so it would go to my external connector that is usually used to hook to cable tv at rv resorts. He came over with his cable and we hooked it up so his group of "Gator" fans could watch it. So everyone enjoyed the game but of course I was disappointed since the Gators won!!!


Gator fans watching the Hurricanes vs Gators game

Another view of the "Gator" fans

A view of the cable running to my motorhome

Sunday morning we slept in and around 11:00AM packed everything up and headed home. Another fun weekend with the Giant Recreation World Gold Club.

Below is a slideshow from the weekend at Silver River State Park.