March 19, 2020
A month or two ago, we were making reservations at RV parks for our trip back north. Now we are hearing that many parks are closing; we’ve already received a refund from one park where we had a reservation. In our lives many of us have experienced sudden changes, often through sickness or death. It’s that sudden numbing confusion and turmoil that rocks what was our normal life. Looking beyond ourselves, we saw that other people’s lives continued as normal. As we look outside ourselves now, we see no one’s life seems normal. We are living in a new normal that seems to be changing daily.
Yesterday we learned that we are able to stay in Volunteer Village with the COE even though we are no longer volunteers. We are doing what we can in unofficial capacities to help our rangers whose normal responsibilities have changed greatly. Like so many people, our future plans are dependent on so many factors beyond our control.
A month or two ago, we were making reservations at RV parks for our trip back north. Now we are hearing that many parks are closing; we’ve already received a refund from one park where we had a reservation. In our lives many of us have experienced sudden changes, often through sickness or death. It’s that sudden numbing confusion and turmoil that rocks what was our normal life. Looking beyond ourselves, we saw that other people’s lives continued as normal. As we look outside ourselves now, we see no one’s life seems normal. We are living in a new normal that seems to be changing daily.
Yesterday we learned that we are able to stay in Volunteer Village with the COE even though we are no longer volunteers. We are doing what we can in unofficial capacities to help our rangers whose normal responsibilities have changed greatly. Like so many people, our future plans are dependent on so many factors beyond our control.
Social distancing was a negative term for what a person might do if they were mad at someone. Now it is the best practice for all of society. If our new normal is social distancing then living in Franklin South Recreation Area is the place to be practicing it. We are surrounded by fields, trees and cows. We can walk in the park and not feel cabin fever. We can still see a few boats go through the locks; reminders of what were normal.
April 13, 2020
“Stay at home,” was the theme of the morning news. Commentators and reporters were broadcasting from their homes. We heard about states turning people away who had New York license plates. What did that mean for traveling in our home? RV forums were telling people to find a place and settle in while they could still find a place. In some states private campgrounds were not allowing RV’ers to stop unless they were going to be there for two weeks. Decisions had to be made with little real information.
On Wednesday April 8th after saying goodbye to the rangers and our friends, we left Volunteer Village for Palm Harbor, an RV park where we originally planned to spend a week. We will be here a month watching the trends and waiting to drive north. At this point we hope to take 3 days and drive straight to Michigan City, Indiana.
The nine campgrounds and stops we had planned to visit on our trip north will hopefully be rescheduled for the trip south in the fall. The little inconveniences we have experienced are nothing in comparison to the trauma so many are facing. We even have a few rolls of TP left from a shopping trip before the virus.
The following is our Journal written in January.
March seemed so far into the future when we arrived at Franklin Locks in November. We have never stayed anywhere for 5 months since moving out of our house almost 10 years ago. We whined to each other, “We are going to get bored! Time will drag! We are going to regret signing up for 5 whole months!” I am happy to report that none of those things happened. It was fun to get to know the rangers and the other volunteers.
Our water safety program was successful and best of all we enjoyed doing it. We piled 30+ life jackets, a couple life rings, some line, a flip chart and a DVD of cartoons about water safety into the car. We taught 5,105 kids in the 16 days that we went out to the schools. The students were from kindergarten to 5th grade and the group size ranged from 35- 120. We did our best to be entertaining and engaging and at the end of each day we were EXHAUSTED!
Our water safety program was successful and best of all we enjoyed doing it. We piled 30+ life jackets, a couple life rings, some line, a flip chart and a DVD of cartoons about water safety into the car. We taught 5,105 kids in the 16 days that we went out to the schools. The students were from kindergarten to 5th grade and the group size ranged from 35- 120. We did our best to be entertaining and engaging and at the end of each day we were EXHAUSTED!
Mike started working in the woodshop assisting our resident woodworker creating benches and birdhouses for the park. He even found a carving club to attend once a week. Since we are close to an airport, Francie made several trips to be with friends and family, and Mike made a trip north to see his dad. Now it is March and time to get ready to leave. We laugh because every time we learn to get to places without the GPS, we know it is time to leave.
Our park is in the country with big wide open fields and a recreation area. It is nice to be in open spaces, but it reminds us of Chicago; everything we want to do is at least 40 minutes away and the Fort Myers traffic!!!!! We often walk down to the locks just to watch them open and close – we have been in the country too long – and reminisce about our boating days. One day we saw a huge manatee along the outer wall of the lock. Its back had multiple scars from where it had been struck by speeding boats. It was heart breaking. On another day we saw a little 3 foot alligator in the same area as the manatee. In the park we have seen eagles and lots of vultures. Earlier on a morning walk, three Sandhill Cranes walked right in front of us as if we were not there.
Mike's morning walk!
When we stay in a single location, Francie is always finding lots for us to do and see. One day in January we began to realize we were not participating in all of the activities the Fort Meyers area had to offer. Our conversation went like this:
“We never do anything anymore.”
“It’s because we are working.”
“Combined hours are only 24 per week. We have lots of time. How about we take a trip to the Everglades?”
We planned to go to Big Cypress National Preserve, to hike, explore the area and even take an air boat ride. Our first stop was the Everglades Visitor Center for information and to look at all of the alligators along the boardwalk.
Our second stop was going to be a trail where we could walk. We slowed down to turn left (we were driving on the two lane road that crosses the Everglades) and with no oncoming traffic Mike started his turn. We were struck on the driver’s side of our car by a speeding car coming up from behind and trying to pass us. Best we can figure, the other driver was distracted and when he looked up and saw us he tried to pass us (going 50+ miles per hour and in a no passing zone).
“We never do anything anymore.”
“It’s because we are working.”
“Combined hours are only 24 per week. We have lots of time. How about we take a trip to the Everglades?”
We planned to go to Big Cypress National Preserve, to hike, explore the area and even take an air boat ride. Our first stop was the Everglades Visitor Center for information and to look at all of the alligators along the boardwalk.
Our second stop was going to be a trail where we could walk. We slowed down to turn left (we were driving on the two lane road that crosses the Everglades) and with no oncoming traffic Mike started his turn. We were struck on the driver’s side of our car by a speeding car coming up from behind and trying to pass us. Best we can figure, the other driver was distracted and when he looked up and saw us he tried to pass us (going 50+ miles per hour and in a no passing zone).
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Thankfully no one was hurt, but the car that hit us was damaged on 3 sides as it spun and bounced off a guard rail after striking our car. As you can see the front end of our car was ripped off.
Francie often says, “All’s well that ends.” The entire process was stressful and problematic but we have our car back and all is good.
April 16, 2020
During a family “Zoom” on Easter, Francie commented that we have practicing living within 45 feet of each other for almost 10 years! The caveat is that we used to able to go do things while being within 45 feet of each other, now we are homebound.
We think of our parents “the greatest generation” and their parents who endured the great depression and hope and pray that all will act with compassion, kindness and courage. As we look forward, it is hard to imagine what “after the virus” will look like. Our wish for all of you is to stay safe and stay healthy.