Tampa Mail Run!!

It's been awhile since we've had real mail. I mean we get the updates over the phone and we get the scans but to put our hands on our own mail; well, it's been awhile! Since one of MiRVs brothers live across the way to the west and he had been in MO last month he brought the mail accumulation with him for delivery to us. A whole box (and to be honest not much of it was really needed at all!) A couple items did need attention (you know county taxes) but the rest with the exception of MiRVs magazines was dumpster material as my dad often says! So we stripped our name off of it and sent it on it's way to the dumpster. That was only after we burned a little of it in the fire pit! Now, that was fun, too bad there are no pictures!!!

If only the junk would stop, but at least there was no charge in this delivery. Thanks MM!

  And MiRV really has enjoyed looking at these since we returned...

Yep, C broke out the wine to go with dinner!


We also enjoyed visiting while we were there and there was a great steak dinner too, thanks for grilling out MM we really had a great time!

Tangelo tree in their front yard...can you say SOUR and seeds :(

As we trekked back we stopped at the B I G  R V place! Kinds neat to look around but not gonna be seeing us in anything they had on their lot anytime soon. But we did have fun just ogling it all and thought nope, nope, maybe, someday, definitely NOT and okay maybe on the different options and setups. For the most part they were rigs equipped way too fancy to us, I mean TWO bathrooms, really in an RV, I think not...but it's probably on somebodies must have list, just not mine! And like MiRV said, "I think we did pretty good on what we got and what we paid; in fact, I'm really happy with what we have." I totally agree with him. :)

Have a great day all!

Wednesday Words - Tzu

"A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving"

~Lao Tzu

Quite a thought to think. yes? Though I'll admit I do like to have a few plans in place cause I am a planner like that! 

However, I do also enjoy the ability to change those said plans...on a whim, if I choose...but let's be honest I am not the spontaneous type. I know, say it ain't so, but it IS. 

Though I do enjoy moments of "planned spontaneity" !!! I mean if there is such a thing...and obviously there is! At least in my world!!! 

I know a little bit crazy but that's how it works for me!

Sea Turtles

I love, love, love sea turtles...one of the COOLEST things I have gotten to do in life is hold a leather back sea turtle, it happened while we were stationed here at Patrick a few years ago, it was just totally the most awesomest thing to get to do!!!

Several days ago while on the beach we came across a dead sea turtle on the beach. So sad! We immediately called the Sea Turtle Preservation Society to report it and within minutes the volunteer was there to take the stats and make a formal report. MiRV even helped him out. We have talked about volunteering with this organization in the past but when we were living here we just had too many commitments. I think this was just the nudge to get out there and DO IT.

 Recording the stats.

 Such a sad sight to see...

We have now joined the cause!!! We are official members of the STPS and will soon be full fledged volunteers!!! I'm so excited! 

I hope you have or will find causes to share your time and talents. There are so many worthy organizations out there and one could run ragged trying to help them all but it never hurts to join in and help out no matter where you are or what your status in life. Volunteering is a good thing and I think we should all be doing it. Usually we put our main focus within the church we associate with but since we have a little more time right now we are expanding our horizons!!

#SeaTurtlePreservationSociety

November Money Matters

Time for our monthly update...surprise, we moved again...just wanted to make sure you knew that in case you missed that posting!! 

Other major items of financial interest was a battery for the CRV ($110.21), lifetime membership dues for GoodSam ($149.00) and RV insurance was due this month ($901.00). That (RV ins) is one of our yearly expense that we set aside a little each month to cover. MiRV did look at changing companies but after comparison shopping we are staying with what we have.

The big picture breakdown for November looks like this...food budget did pretty good even for having the Thanksgiving meal. We were UNDER budget!!! Did you catch that, UNDER budget!!! I tell you having an Aldi around is most awesome!!! I even stocked up on my coffee since BB&B offered 20% off entire purchase on Veteran's Day. Just the kind of sale I was hoping for! The CRV battery puts us over on that line item for the month but not overall.

Surprise! OVER AGAIN on food out...our wallets are taking a beating here! I will be making an adjustment for this line item for 2014, just gotta bite the bullet and do it since we are so consistently over! Ughhhh!

Christmas is coming; glad we save all year long for this and won't take a huge hit there. However, I was a little dismayed to see how are personal property taxes increased; nearly DOUBLED...we did add the RV, traded SMARTie for Deuce and upgraded to the newer Accord for MrsBud. So I knew we had changes just never expected the changes to cause that much of an increase. So glad that we put a little away each month for this expense and that we have the excess to take care of the increase! That will definitely be a line item that gets adjusted for 2014!!

November's stats -

Charitable Gifts $430.00 (O)


RV Slots $500.00 (U)
RV Fuel $126.55 (U)
CRV Fuel $89.50 (U)
CRV Upkeep $110.21 (O)
RV Exp/Upkeep/Maint $191.15(U)

Groceries $217.77 (U)
Cell Phone $110.00
Eating Out $155.53 (O)

Gifts $29.11 (U)
Entertainment $8.00 (U)
Laundry $3.00 (U)

(U) = UNDER
(O) = OVER 

Again, seeing the numbers in print helps me! So bear with me if you are bored by these updates! And I'm a happy girl since dollars made it into savings again this month...and we are certainly living within our means and meeting our goals financially for this stage and that is such awesomeness for us! 

#SaveMoney 
#ALDI

Wednesday Words - Riselli

Old friends are the best friends. Especially when you pick up like no time has passed. 

~Katye Riselli *

This is E.X.A.C.T.L.Y. how I feel about CLP!  We were in Italy together, and each time we've been able to reunite we pick up like no time has passed, it's wonderful! Recently, we were able to spend a couple days together while we were in Destin. We went Goodwill shopping for a theater performance she is costuming, did lunch and made a couple bookstore stops! We had such a good time! In addition we had dinner with our guys several evenings, I am thankful our paths were able to cross again!

 GREAT Friends!!!

Make sure your life is enriched with friendships like this! 

#FriendsForever

* I actually have the honor and privilege to really KNOW Katye Riselli in person and she just has a worth with words you might say! And I think she's pretty darn awesome!

Falcon 9 Launch (and more)

Today we were blessed to be able to view the launch up close and personal due to the fact that Three Doors Down is in the area for the launch!  Way cool!!! Course this was the "third time's a charm" launch and we actually ended up on the Cape side a little closer on the ITL causeway then the two times before when we were on the Kennedy side; it was all good! 

However, before we even knew for sure that the launch was on we were up early to catch the sunrise over the Atlantic this morning. Little cloudy but beautiful nonetheless!!! First time since we've been here we've gotten up to do this! We sort of enjoy sleeping in!

Sunrise 3 DEC 2013

After the sunrise and breakfast at the club (FREE) and seeing how nice a day it was going to be we decided to head to the beach. I enjoyed some quality suntime as well as book reading time and MiRV got great waves. He probably had his best surfing day to date, catching over 20 waves! It was a fantastic beach day!!!

  One of the M A N Y waves caught today!!

Once we had the good word that the launch was on we headed to the pick up point for the ride out to the Cape. The ride out brought back many fond memories of our time here and we even ran into a former mate while at the launch!
 

 Kennedy Space Center! (from out first trip attempt)

  We got swag (again, on the first attempt)

This was a launch to allow satellite communications for TV broadcasting. It was also a very big deal to get this rocket off the ground. TO SUCCESS for the hard working SpaceX team it was amazing!

Since we are so familiar with launching of rockets and shuttles we were not surprised that this thing did not go on the first attempt, it didn't even go the second time (on Thanksgiving day no less) so as I mentioned "third time IS a charm" and off she went! It was incredible to be so close we saw and felt it! It was such a clear sky we saw the separation too, which was awesome. It's neat to be able to see things like this, THANKS Three Doors Down!! Glad we were able to continue to chase the launch and be there! You and your team rock!
 
Oh and as a bonus there was a rockin' sunset! 

What a great FULL day for us!!!


#SpaceX

Local FUN Find

While out doing a few errands and shopping a few days back we happened by a new place in town Volcano Island Eatery. 

 Oh my, how exciting to find this little place!

Well, let's be honest what really caught our eye was the "Bakery" signage on the building, along with the word Portuguese. Wow, we have to go back. So we did, they have just recently opened! We were so excited to find they are actually from the Azores, which is where we were stationed back in the day on the island of Terceira. They hail from San Miguel. When we rode by the first time I did not notice the actual name of the establishment I just saw the word signs "Portuguese" and "Bakery". After we made it back by and inside I noticed the "islands" and knew they were Azorean. They have green soup and will soon have papo secos (pronounced pup sec) a wonderful Portuguese roll. They also have Portuguese sweet bread along with malasadas (on weekends). We haven't had malasada's since we were in Hawaii. Can't wait to have them again.

 

 Me with the owner!

We had a treat and got some bread to go and promised we would be back for soup soon! Can't hardly wait~

#VolcanoIslandEatery