Goodbye to Ho-Hum

     Leaving Ho-Hum Park was heart-wrenching in many ways. The park is beautiful, with breathtakingly beautiful views, birdwatching, and shelling. There is a stretch of beach for walking, on which Gracie could romp leash-free when (no pun intended) the coast was free. Television cable is free and laundry facilities are available. The spaces are large, and the park is well maintained. People in the park are friendly, and I made more friends in two months in the park than in 16 years at one address.
     I have become very attached to my neighbor Lee. We have many interests in common, which, at my age, is very rare. We shared books and DVDs and discussed them at length. We had great times exploring the local area, trying restaurants, running errands, and doing yoga in the rec room. One of my favorite memories will be the Gulf Specimen Marine Laboratory in Panacea that we stumbled upon, where we marveled at the amazing diversity of treasures in the sea. Lee fixed the light over the table in the Goose and planned to fix the leak in the roof. I fell in love with his little dog Murphy. I will miss his companionship.  
     And I must leave Baby, buried on the beach.
     But it is prime season and the rates have gone up. June and Gordon, neighbors and dear friends,  invited Lee and me to a lovely restaurant, Angelo’s in Panacea, looking over the water to celebrate Gordon’s birthday. It was a good way to end an incredible chapter in my adventure.    
     Lee turned left out of the park and is about four hours west. Doyle and Melia are already gone, headed north by degrees to Virginia. Gordon and June will leave in two weeks to head eventually back to Canada.
     I turned right out of the park and now am in Old Pavilion RV Park on Keaton Beach, 20 miles west of Perry, still on the Gulf Coast. The Goose ran beautifully. The park has about 30 spaces, and all are filled, but most of the rv owners do not appear to be in residence. The park is very, very quiet. My space is tight—I can’t put out the awning—but it’s level. There’s no cable, but I got the satellite set up, so I have limited television. The only laundry is a ten-minute walk down the road; two washers (one broken) and one dryer. There’s not much beach to walk on.
     There’s a large wooden platform over the water with seats and picnic tables and beautiful views of the water, perfect for reading. The marina and convenience store across the street has newspapers and basic supplies. There’s a seafood outlet just down the block, on the way to the little park at the end of the street. There’s a little hot dog stand and restaurant next to the park. There’s so little traffic Gracie and I can walk on the road, stepping aside for the occasional pick up truck or car, whose drivers always wave.   
     Keaton Beach is very quaint, carved through with tiny canals, so every residence backs up to the water. Huge pelicans, both white and brown, sit on low roofs and piers, ignoring the people walking or floating by.
     I believe that nothing happens by chance. This park was not my first choice; the one on Cedar Key was full. So the universe must have a reason for me being here. I am trying to be centered and open to learn the lessons.
 

         

R.I.P. Baby

     Baby simply stopped breathing about 1:30 this afternoon, in my arms. Gracie and I had a private burial service on the beach. Gracie has been carrying around one of her stuffed toys all afternoon. I don't think it will hit me until tonight when she isn't curled up next to me that she is gone.

Death Watch

       The last major maintenance I needed for the Goose was an alignment and two new front tires. So I called Camping World in Tallahassee. They don't do alignments; try Sermon's Alignments. Sermon's does alignments, but doesn't sell tires; try Discount Tires. Discount Tires doesn't have 19.5 tires; try GCR Tires. Finally, GCR Tires does both tires and alignments. So I trek to GCR Tires in Tallahassee, 60 miles each way. The tires were wearing because they were not level, vertical, and straight, which required major repair to the steering system to correct. Order parts and trek to Tallahassee the next day. Wrong parts. Order correct parts, wait three days for delivery. Back to Tallahassee. Seven hours while Gracie and I watched television in the waiting room, and the Goose is cured. I got back to the park late last night, and Camp Host Dennis came running out to help me back in and set up in the dark. Nice to know someone was watching for me to get home safely. 

     There is a billboard I pass each way that intrigues me. It’s a man fishing alone at a remote lake. It says “Every drop of moisture you lose, nature finds. TAPP—Think About Personal Pollution.” Really? Is taking a leak in Florida waterways a major issue?

       A new creature from the ocean is scattered along the shore. The Portugese Man of War looks like something manufactured at a plastics plant in China. It’s a strangely-shaped nodular mass of a translucent blue not usually found in nature. I was told they are terribly poisonous. Fortunately after some initial curiosity, Gracie is not at all interested in them.
       One of the workampers, Rodney, was operating a BobCat down on the beach at low tide. There was a dolphin, not more than 12 feet out in the bay, checking out the action. Apparently they are very curious and are attracted to any disturbance. What a magical creature!

     The Primary is over, finally. The negative campaign ads were really annoying.

     My neighbor Lee is visiting his son in California. He will be back tomorrow. I have missed him. Gordon and June, a lovely couple from Ontario, are leaving Saturday for a new spot on the Suwannee. I will certainly miss them. I am more involved with my neighbors here than I have ever been anywhere I have ever lived.
     Baby is declining rapidly. She was unsteady and unable to leap to the table and bed on Sunday, but was still sleeping on the back of the couch and eating and drinking. She even swiped a piece of lunchmeat I had set aside to divide between her and Gracie. Monday she started refusing food, although I eventually talked her into some stinky seafood and gravy catfood and a little half and half. Yesterday she ate catfood in the morning and drank a few sips of half and half, then settled on the couch for the day. By last night she sipped a little half and half, refused food, and curled up on the floor. I wrapped her in a towel and tucked her in beside me in bed and stroked her and told her it was okay to go. She now appears to be in a coma, breathing very shallowly. I hold her periodically, but I don't know if she knows I'm here or not. I hope she knows she is loved and will be missed. Bye to my old Baby.