ON THE ROAD AGAIN 15

[CWO3ROBBIE]

Driving across the Banana River, Headed to Patrick AFB, Florida.

We are still at Patrick AFB, Florida. It has stopped raining. For the last couple days at least. It was in the 80s most of the weekend. Was really nice today until about 4:00 pm. Then the "Sea Fog" moved in. I was driving down A1A, the road along the Atlantic Coast of Florida that runs all the way from Jacksonville to Key West, when I noticed that something ahead of me seemed to be producing great gobs of smoke. Then I drove into it and realized that it was fog. Fog in the middle of the day. This is normal in cooler climes like Maine or the West Coast, but pretty rare along this part of the Florida coast. It was really heavy by 5:00 pm. Salt water hanging on everything. When we lived here in 73, I opened the back door one day and it fell onto the back poorch. The hinges were rusted completely through. I'll have to wash the car and the RV tomorrow.

Yesterday the weather was nice, so I visited with old friends that I had not seen since last year. There are about 20 couples, and a few singles,who spend their winters at Patrick every year. When the weather is nice we spend every evening from about 4 to 5 oclock having a "Happy Hour" meeting at one of the outdoor activities areas.This is a group of people from all over the country. The one thing that we all have in common is; retired military or spouse, or retired from some other part of the DOD or Medical Service Corps. It is a much more eclectic group than most civilians would imagine. Most of us were in the military before it became an all volunteer force. We also have some active duty personnel here at times but they usually are here for only a week or so and don't become as intimate as the snowbirds. We have great discussions and participate in activities such as golf, fishing, going out to eat, going to shows, working with Habitat for Humanity, and other activities.

I only have three more days before I park the RV at a storage area and Happy and I head North for Christmas.
I've included a picture of one of my favorite signs in Cocoa Beach and one of me and the new shaved, skinny Happy.

You have to provide your own Straight Jacket.

The newly groomed skinny "Happy" and the old, fat, ungroomed, Robbie.

[CWO3ROBBIE]

Happy's Tail.
I think he looks like a big black rat when they cut all the hair on his face and tail. So they leave some on the tail and face.

[Quinn]

Sounds like you have a great little community of people that surround you in your travels. That's nice.
And, why is only part of Happy's tail cut?

[Kittycat]

Thanks for the update and drive carefully North. Merry Christmas, Robbie.

[CWO3ROBBIE]

Am I the only one who wonders why anyone would put a name like that on a motel.
Maybe we should start a group with that name. "Come down and check in. We've been reading your posts and know that you belong here".

[CWO3ROBBIE]

Larry, I'm driving. I have the dog to haul along.

[lynn]

Florida in winter is delightful, you've got the right idea, Robbie, and Happy will need a coat for Christmas in the cold north. be safe on the road, and Merry Christmas to you!

it's starting out to be a brutal winter in mid-Atlantic, worse further north/west.... black ice this morning, from freezing fog, yikes!

[larry kremis]

I forgot what blue skys looked like Robbie and it's only mid-December. Will you be flying north or driving your new car? When will you be back in the rv. I enjoy following you, it allows me to dream.