Karmen and Tom in Marineland
I’ve mentioned it before, 2020 couldn’t have been off to a better start for us – at which point, it did cross my mind that it could only go downhill from there. But the first week of January comprised good times with our old boating friends Tom and Karmen, who finished renovating a new-to-them catamaran. We met many years ago sailing in the Bahamas and stayed in touch, crossing paths throughout the country. They swung by twice in their converted camper van while we house sat (in Santa Fe, NM and San Diego, CA) and we visited them in Monmouth, Oregon to learn first-hand – and with all our senses – how they created the successful and innovative pizza restaurant, Yeasty Beasty. Don’t you love that name?
We also met up with communal sailing friends Dan and Jaye.
Going out for drinks and tacos with sailing friends Dan and Jaye
Marian and Cliff in Jacksonville
Also in January, I finally met blogging and memoirist friend Marian Beaman. She and her husband Cliff graciously invited us into their home for a yummy chili lunch and hours of conversation. Marian, a Mennonite until age 24, blogs at Plain and Fancy and recently published her heartfelt, well-written memoir Mennonite Daughter – The Story of a Plain Girl, which offers a glimpse into 20th century Mennonite life and documents her experiences and life-altering decisions as Marian Longenecker.
Generous and supportive, online and in real life, she offered us a signed copy of her book and a wonderful tea towel AND she blogged about our encounter here.
Janet and Don in Central Florida
When we were camped in Campbellsville, Kentucky during the last two months of 2019, we met a wonderful couple, Janet and Don, and their two dogs, Max and Dixie. Janet worked the CamperForce job with Mark, gave him rides, and both were immediately on the same page. I worked from home during their night shifts and – once a week – Don and I would meet in their roomy motorhome for a chat and a glass of wine, or two.
An afternoon visit to our friends at Highlands Hammock State Park near Sebring
Our new friends took a Camp Host position in Highlands Hammock State Park over the winter. On their “weekend” off, they joined us at the free Hickory Hammock Equestrian Campground and another day, we returned the visit. Fun times!
Ellen and Scott in Indiantown
Ellen Jacobson and I have known each other, virtually, for many years, following each other’s blogs and beta reading each other’s manuscripts. She is a fellow sailor who created the popular The Cynical Sailor & His Salty Sidekick blog and who introduced me to other “recent” friends and frugal nomads Duwan and Greg from Make Like An Ape Man. When she decided to become a (cozy mystery) author, she was serious! In a short couple of years, she cranked out an entire series – The Molly McGhie Mystery series – with more titles (and a change in genre) to come. She now blogs at her author website.
Maya hanging out with our friends in Indiantown
Needless to say, I was looking forward to meeting this adventurous, smart, and witty woman. Our get togethers didn’t disappoint. The five of us hit it off (Maya the center of attention), gave each other tours of boats and campers, hiked in nature, splurged at Taco Tuesdays, and joined a marina pot luck. We hung out multiple days in a row and parted ways as good friends, hoping to cross paths again camping, since they sold their sailboat and moved into their tiny travel trailer, Scamper.
Lili and Steve in Jupiter
Mark and I met Lili and Steve on their good ship Liward in Panama and reunited a few times in French Polynesia. They’ve been generous and helpful friends ever since (and even made it into my memoir), spending half of the year in the South Pacific and the other half (cyclone season) in their condo in Jupiter.
Group photo after a delicious sandwich lunch
We met up in their Florida home once before, after Mark and I did a house sit in The Villages. This time (with the addition of a camper and a dog), they treated us to a picnic lunch at a beach front park, without hugs or touching each other’s food. The beaches were still open and social distancing wasn’t yet practiced in the southern states, but awareness had set in.
Me, Lili, Mark, Maya, and Steve posing near the beautiful beach of Jupiter
Virtual Meet-ups
After we said our goodbyes to the last two sets of friends and embarked on our long-awaited sightseeing adventure of Florida, the Coronavirus became a real issue. Campgrounds, parks, and beaches closed and our plans – like so many people’s – changed. Our biggest problem became finding a comfortable enough place to boondock (free camp).
In Florida, the humidity, heat, and all-encompassing bugs were weeks ahead of schedule, so we left the state and stopped in South Carolina. No more socializing – with strangers, friends, or acquaintances – anywhere on our way north to Massachusetts. It’s safe to say that these human encounters cherished earlier this year turned out to be the highlights of our winter in Florida.
Zoom meeting of blogging buddies: Donna, Erica, Kathy, Liesbet, Jude, Janis, Joanne, Deb, and Ann (photo credit Erica Henault)
Mark and I retreated into our “own world”. I Skyped my best friend in Grenada and my parents once every two weeks, like always, and was invited to join a meet-up with bloggers on Zoom, every Thursday. Life goes on and we manage to stay in touch… thanks to the internet!
Are you having regular Zoom meetings or Skype calls with friends and family these days? Is this a new development since the COVID-19 measures and regulations? Will you keep these interactions up after the pandemic?
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April 16, 2020 at 11:14
What fun! So many friends in Florida. I’m so glad that you got to meet Ellen and Scott. Would love it if we could all get together sometime but now it seems we will all be in three different corners of the country soon.
No Zooms or Skypes for us although I did have this idea for a virtual jam session but have done nothing to make that a reality.
April 16, 2020 at 13:35
I think we are already in three different corners of the country. Yet, I believe there is a chance we all get to catch up out west, this fall. If you guys hang around there long enough. 🙂
We actually met up with a couple more people, but I didn’t have photos. And we missed out on seeing another sailing couple, by leaving St. Augustine “too early”. There are a lot more people we know in Florida (or were there over the winter season), but we decided to not get in touch with all of them.
Your virtual jam session sounds like a good idea! We are thinking about doing a Zoom call with our friends in Grenada over happy hour…
April 17, 2020 at 09:13
It would be so much fun if all of us could meet up at some point. Hopefully, that will happen one of these days if we ever get out of Indiantown 🙂
April 17, 2020 at 16:37
You WILL get out of Indiantown. And, we should all meet up out west. Because, the west is the best! 🙂
April 16, 2020 at 11:28
Your life is rich for all your friends, Leisbet. It’s impressive you have such an extended network when your house is one wheels (says the uninformed girl!). I enjoyed this peek into it.
My book group had its first Zoom meeting this week. It was glorious, seeing people I’ve been missing. We’re an older group so I also was concerned about some of the people being isolated. I think we’ll continue but not sure if we will once things re-open. Time will tell.
April 16, 2020 at 13:40
Hi Jacqui! The longer we travel, the bigger our circle of friends becomes. I often realize that, as my inbox is never empty. I am very fortunate to be in touch still with most of the interesting people we met along the way. They are scattered throughout the world. Of course, social media helps with that.
I’m glad you managed to meet your book group via Zoom. It’s important to be in touch and create somewhat of a (new) routine to stay sane. I totally feel for single people (and older ones), who have been totally cut off from the outside world. Imagine what we would do without the internet during these trying times!?
April 16, 2020 at 11:29
Sounds like your year started off great. What a fantastic round of socializing. I haven’t zoomed but have had a Facetime happy hour. Thank goodness for the internet.
April 16, 2020 at 13:42
Hi Ingrid! I think Facetime is probably a bit like Zoom (which was new to me until a couple of weeks ago). Apparently, it works better than Skype and Messenger (the only two other forms of online calling I know and have used) when bigger groups are involved. Yep, hurrah for the internet!! I still remember the days when I was gallivanting around the world without it.
April 16, 2020 at 13:29
You and Mark have been embraced by so many friends around the world, and I’m happy to be among that group. What a difference between the beginning of the year and just a few weeks later. I’m so pleased that you had the chance to visit with old friends and meet new ones before the shut down… and happy to know that you are safe and sound where you are now. Hugs!
April 16, 2020 at 13:46
Hello Janis! Yes, we are fortunate having been able to meet a bunch of people over the winter. Too bad that has come to a halt, as we looked forward to a few more on our way north. And, so glad to have you among those wonderful friends scattered around the country and the world!!! With the added benefit of you living in an attractive city that will never gets old visiting. 🙂
April 16, 2020 at 13:57
What a great post, Liesbet! I loved seeing all of the smiling faces in your photos. The park in Jupiter looks so familiar. No doubt it’s one I visited while living there. I love that area. Being the paranoid person that I am, I haven’t tried Skype or Zoom. I heard recently people were hacking into Zoom. Not that I have any “top-secret” info, I just don’t like the thought of people listening or watching me without knowing. I keep a post-it note taped to my camera on the computer…LOL! I have been sending daily video from my phone to my mother, so she doesn’t forget me. I’ve also sent a few to other family members and friends. Stay safe!
April 16, 2020 at 14:31
Good idea about the post-it note, Jill! It would make any Zoom session useless, because the idea is that you see each other and decipher who wants to talk next. To be honest, I’d rather have a conversation between two people, instead of more, since that makes it hard to have any conversation at all. So nice of you to send videos to your loved ones. But, I’m sure they won’t forget you either way!! 🙂
April 16, 2020 at 15:40
LOL! I wouldn’t keep the camera covered if I was using Zoom! 🙂 Since my mother has Alzheimer’s I feel as though I’m losing precious time with her. She keeps asking me when we are going shopping again. 🙁
April 16, 2020 at 15:54
So sorry about your mom, Jill! I totally get how this pandemic feels like you’re losing precious time. Hopefully, she’s doing alright. <3
April 16, 2020 at 17:24
Thanks, Liesbet. It’s been rough on my dad, since I can’t come and give him breaks. Thankfully they are both otherwise healthy. <3
April 17, 2020 at 15:42
Happy to hear your parents are healthy, Jill! Same here with the in-laws – but everyone has to be VERY careful!!
April 16, 2020 at 14:25
You got to meet up with a lot of friends! Look at Zesty and Scamper together. Awesome!
April 16, 2020 at 14:38
Hi Alex! Who thought Zesty was small, right? Compared to Scamper, he’s massive. Ellen was deeply impressed by our home on wheels. 🙂 I almost forgot that you know Ellen and are her friend too!!
April 16, 2020 at 14:33
How wonderful to connect with your large network of friends all over the US, Liesbet! I loved seeing some of our mutual friends in your Zoom call! We haven’t zoomed or skyped with family…we just group text, share photos, etc or talk on the phone. Our entire family lives in other cities but this works for now. Glad you are still venturing and enjoying your days. Nice warm, sunny days here in NorCal!
April 16, 2020 at 14:43
Hi Terri! Yes, you know of these fellow blogging buddies as well. 🙂 You make me jealous with your warm and sunny days in California. Enjoy! We are now back in Massachusetts, so it’s freezing at night and in the 40s today and the “venturing” and “enjoying” have been paused. I’ll write a post about that next Wednesday. I’m so behind with all the stories…
April 16, 2020 at 14:54
It’s not long ago, but it seems centuries since we could have such meet-ups with friends. You’re blessed that you had so many great encounters pre Corona. I have no idea what Zoom or Facetime is, but am keeping up with my friends through good old e-mail!
April 16, 2020 at 15:53
I still prefer email above all else – I guess you and I are writers at heart. 🙂 Funny how our sense of time gets so warped. It does, indeed, feel like ages since we could hug friends and laugh and drink together. 🙁
April 16, 2020 at 15:22
Nice post!
April 16, 2020 at 15:53
Thanks!
April 16, 2020 at 15:49
Hi, Liesbet – What a wonderful post! Your many close friends from around the world are a true testiment to the warmth, generosity and inspiration of both you and Mark.
See you in 15!
April 16, 2020 at 15:55
You are just too kind, Donna! See you in five. 🙂
April 16, 2020 at 16:57
Such happy photos of your meetings with friends, Liesbet. Yes, we do FaceTime with family in three countries. Isn’t it wonderful that we have such technology at our fingertips? ????
April 17, 2020 at 15:41
Agreed about technology, despite often having a love/hate relationship with my computer, devices, and the internet. In times like these (and actually all the time, as it’s the only way for us to stay in touch with friends and family), the internet is a blessing! I still remember my nomad years before it – calling my parents long-distance or collect and sending letters and postcards by mail. I sometimes miss those days.
April 16, 2020 at 18:49
Wow – I had no idea you’d seen so many people before life made a u-ey! That was a nice chance to put some friend-time in the bank for these oh-so-lonely days. Likewise, I was wondering which direction you’d headed when the camping situation changed. So you headed north, I see, and by now perhaps you are already in MA? (I decided not to be so lazy and looked back over the comments and see that you are indeed back in … the cold. Ouch!) We have hunkered down very aggressively and are only seeing our friends and loved ones virtually these days. Hope spring comes soon for you!
April 17, 2020 at 15:51
Hi Lexie!
We often meet friends along the way, but I don’t always feel like/want to blog about it, thinking nobody is interested in it or me not wanting to take photos, share everything, etc. But, yes, we are very happy to have gotten some socializing “on credit” as it’s mostly just us out there. 🙂
Yes, we did decide to head north (before moving west again), the reasons being: helping out with the in-laws (as always when we are here) and going to the eye doctor, dentist, doctor, car shop… if all that works out. We need to do all those things here, as MA is our residence and a deteriorating fix (yes, that darn windshield area again) on Zesty is under warranty here. We NEED all these appointments checked off before we can move on…
It’s cold, indeed. Why oh why do we always hit these extremes? 🙂 But, there are flowers and blossoms popping up. Hopefully, they’ll survive the freeze tonight. Life would be a bit more pleasant once the temperature increases.
So, I’ve been wanting to mention this before. Every time I think about heading west – for which there was a 50% change before we left Northwestern Florida – I’m trying to figure out how to meet you!!! We would have driven through Houston from Tallahassee. But, again, it is not meant to be. Heading west from MA, Texas, obviously, is not on the way. We will need to meet “halfway” somewhere. Is your daughter still in Boston???
April 17, 2020 at 17:19
It’s almost a joke how many times we have had these near-misses! Our daughter was in Boston last summer for 3 months, now in Chicago, and moving back to Boston later this summer … assuming everything works out with the current COVID situation. They can’t even go there and look for an apartment! I’ll keep an eye on your routes and let you know if by chance I am anywhere you are heading!
April 20, 2020 at 11:56
Sounds good, Lexie. No routes known at the moment (are they ever?). If you end up heading to Boston at some point, please shoot me an email. Have a great week ahead!
April 16, 2020 at 22:17
Lovely to see you, Mark and friends smiling Liesbet, enjoy the next stage whatever that may bring. Zoom tends to let those who dominate conversation take centre stage. I think Skype/zoom is great for the elderly and those with young children who need to see “a real person”. We prefer one on one conversation, gives it a more personal feel. That is the joy of having a motorhome is that you do get the chance to visit folk all over the place on a regular basis.
April 17, 2020 at 15:55
Hi Suz!
Thanks for the good and positive wishes, but not sure there will be much enjoyment the coming months – because of the virus and the fact that being here is not our first (or second or…) choice. We will deal, like everyone else. Like you, I prefer one on one conversations. Luckily, when we do these Zoom “blogging” meetings, there is structure to it and hands are raised when someone would like to speak.
It sure has been a nice perk to visit people all over North America (and hopefully, the entire world one day) in our camper. Let’s hope that freedom returns in a few months. 🙂
April 16, 2020 at 22:24
Sailors and land-lubbers, including US. I am so glad we met before the Crisis. I would have been heart-broken if you came this far south, and we were in lockdown mode.
Zoom has been my friend this month: my Pilates classes and writers’ club meetings have gone online. I even met my grandson playing tuba via Zoom. After the ban has been lifted we’ll pick up our face-to-face meetings. So, no, I won’t continue with Zoom when regular meet-ups are possible.
I see you made it to Massachusetts now where I hope you, Mark, and Maya can enjoy a second spring!
April 16, 2020 at 22:25
Oh, and thanks for the shout-out for Mennonite Daughter, Liesbet!
April 17, 2020 at 16:03
You are VERY welcome. It’s the least I can do. I showed your book to my friend Ellen when we met. She was very interested and commented here that she would check out your blog. 🙂 And, another (very accomplished) author friend and avid reader hopped over as well.
April 17, 2020 at 16:01
Hi Marian!
Yes, that sure was lucky that you and I got our meeting and socializing in before COVID-19. Who would have guessed back then, huh? I don’t even think the virus in China was known to us in mid-January…
Glad to read that Zoom has been able to allow some normalcy in your life, by being the liaison for physical and mental pleasures. 🙂 I won’t use Zoom anymore after all this is over either. Skype, Messenger, and all the other means of of communication are enough!
Mark and Maya have had bad allergies for weeks and that will be prolonged now that we are in MA. Although, it is still like winter here. We went from upper eighties to lower forties in a few days. Great… But, spring will arrive soon. Or, be skipped again like in Florida.
April 16, 2020 at 22:59
Hi Liesbet, I remember reading about that pizza restaurant. Marian’s book sounds very intriguing, especially with her first hand experiences. I ‘get it’ on the special tea towel now. You say it very well, Liesbet “….human encounters cherished….”
I have been Zooming with friends and family and I am thankful we have this technology to stay connected.
It is a real treat to “see” you Liesbet. I learn a great deal from your experiences. I also learn a great deal from everyone sharing their thoughts. Today I came away feeling “we were holding space for each other” during these challenging and uncertain times. Also great to have a few laughs. Stay safe and well hunkering down for awhile. xx
April 17, 2020 at 16:28
Hello Erica!
Good memory about the pizza restaurant! We have such incredible memories about that – the company, the food, and the comfort of staying at our friends’ house in Oregon that fall… all first class. 🙂
I’m so glad you are enjoying these Zoom meetings so much – it is our main means of staying in touch and seeing people we care about these days! Likewise, these “blogging” gatherings make me smile. Especially detecting your happiness when talking about your highlight this past week. 🙂
April 18, 2020 at 19:02
Awwwe, thank you, Liesbet! Happy tears. ???? I hope you and your loved ones are well. I look forward to “seeing” you soon. ????
April 20, 2020 at 12:09
Wishing you and your family all the best as well, Erica. We all have to remain strong and positive. 🙂
April 17, 2020 at 09:14
What a lovely post, Liesbet! We loved meeting the three of you and we’ll definitely have to make it happen again. It was a blast 🙂
I’m off to check out Marian’s blog – it sounds fascinating and I enjoyed getting a peek at her book when we were visiting you guys.
April 17, 2020 at 16:39
I’m glad you loved this post, Ellen and that you loved meeting us as well. I’m definitely looking forward to a camping nomads reunion! And, I hope to read Marian’s book again, since I never laid eyes upon the final version and all the extras in her memoir. Hopefully, during these “unprecedented times” I will FINALLY have time to read. A lot. 🙂
April 17, 2020 at 13:20
What a lovely, sociable time you had! I like being able to recognise some of the people here – blogging is a small world – and, although I don’t know those friends I do remember the stories of awesome pizza. Which reminds me, it’s nearly dinner time here …
April 17, 2020 at 16:50
Hi Anabel! I’m so glad you recognized some bloggers on that roster photo at the bottom of the post! And that you remember Yeasty Beasty – the pizzas they create are honestly the best ones we ever ate, even better than our own. 🙂 It’s making me hungry right now as well.
Speaking of which – since we finally have a little oven again (we bought it for the room we are currently hunkered down in), guess what we are having for dinner tonight? I finally made a batch of pizza dough again. That must have been almost a year, since that’s when we last had an oven (during a house sit). Cheers!
April 17, 2020 at 13:45
There have certainly been a lot of big changes in our world. I’ve been thinking of you lately as things get worse in the States – glad to hear you’re still doing okay.
What cool friends you have! I just rushed off to Ellen’s and Marian’s sites and grabbed some new books. Now I can hardly wait to find time to sit down and read. Thanks for sharing their talents! 🙂
April 17, 2020 at 16:54
Diane, many weeks ago, based on our observations in real life and seeing how this government was dealing with the virus situation, I KNEW the US would become the worst country in the entire world, by leaps and bounds… And, we are certainly on our way there! Also, coming up to MA has risks in and of itself:-(
Oh, you have no idea how many cool friends I have. Some, like you, I still have to meet in person. That keeps the future exciting! I am so happy that you checked out Ellen and Marian’s books. Talk about exciting… I predict you will like Ellen’s humor!
April 17, 2020 at 14:38
Liesbet, I liked reading about your meetups with so many friends on your journey down to Florida. Between travelling a lot and keeping in touch via the Internet, you have friends wherever you go. That must feel very satisfying. It was great having a chance to chat with you via Zoom yesterday. It is interesting hearing from members of the blogging group to find out what people are experiencing with the virus in their different corners of North America.
Jude
April 17, 2020 at 17:08
Jude, I LOVE the fact that we have friends all over the States, Canada, and the world. It was such a pleasure meeting you and Rob on Vancouver Island as part of our adventures. And, yes, it is satisfying and I am extremely grateful for that. We rarely see them in person, but the connection remains strong via other means. When I was younger, I used to think that I didn’t have any friends. Now, I can’t keep up with the emails in my inbox or the blog posts online. 🙂
If you’re interested in finding out more about how people all over the world deal with the virus, Sue and Dave from Travel Tales of Life (https://traveltalesoflife.com/) currently have a series (a new post every Friday) on their blog, sharing all those experiences. You might like to check it out, if you haven’t already. My contribution is due on May 1st.
April 18, 2020 at 09:34
Isn’t it wonderful that we’re all still able to keep in touch during the pandemic? I think many of us are dong more so now, than before the lockdown and social-distancing in many countries started. We meet up with family on ‘HouseParty’ over drinks every Sunday afternoon, but we’re keeping in touch with them all by phone too. And this pandemic has also put me in touch with friends I’d not been in contact with for years. I’ll certainly be keeping in contact with them all after this is all over.
Before the pandemic, I was one that said that social media and technology was ruining the art of conversation. I take back my words on that because for many of us it’s now a life-saver.
Good to see all the smiling faces in this post, Liesbet. Keep smiling and stay safe.
April 20, 2020 at 12:02
Hi Hugh!
While we are used to staying in touch with everyone via the internet, you are right, during this Pandemic it happens even more than usually, especially via Skype, FaceTime, and Zoom. It’s nice to catch up with “long-lost” friends and doing the extra effort to stay in touch with family.
I’ve never heard of “HouseParty” before. It boggles my mind how many means of communication are available online these days. Who can keep track of them all? Your drinks get together on Sunday afternoon sounds wonderful! It does make such a difference when we can all “see” each other, doesn’t it? On Wednesday, Mark and I will have a virtual happy hour with our boating friends in Grenada. We’ve never done that before.
If I’m honest, I have a love/hate relationship with social media and technology, but I have to admit that much has been made possible because of it! I guess all we need is self-restraint. 🙂
April 18, 2020 at 12:17
So glad you are keeping up with all your friends, Liesbet. I’m doing the same, but with phone calls, email, and text messages. Unfortunately, we are not as tech savvy as you. Zoom is beyond some of us. Our children are trying to tell me and my girlfriends how to do it, though. My sister-in-law lives in the Villages in Florida. Always interested to see how you and Mark and Maya are doing. All best to you, Liesbet!
April 20, 2020 at 12:05
I had to laugh at your comment about me being tech savvy. I’m not! But, I have a husband who is. 🙂 I’m all about keeping things simple and straightforward. Staying in touch with friends is time-consuming, but so worth it!
The Villages is an interesting place, Victoria. If you haven’t already, I recommend a visit – a ride in the golf cart, a happy hour and live music in one of the village centers, and a swim in the pool. Whenever all that is allowed again, of course. Take care!!
April 18, 2020 at 16:40
It does feel a bit like there was a price to pay for all those good times, doesn’t it, Liesbet? Because my son and daughter are in the UK, Skype/WhatsApp are the regular means of communication. I so look forward to seeing them. I ‘chat’ to many others. It keeps spirits up, especially for people on their own. 🙂 🙂
April 20, 2020 at 12:08
Hi Jo! I agree that people on their own have a much harder time, these months. On Saturday, I called one of my aunts in Belgium, who is single. I’d never done that before. She was so happy and surprised! Totally worth it. 🙂
The “seeing” part makes a huge difference, especially among family. When I Skype my best friend (in Grenada), we never turn the video on, but when I talk to my parents, they insist on seeing me!
April 18, 2020 at 20:16
Liesbet I think it is fantastic that you were able to have all of these in person visits prior to COVID 19. We have been doing a lot of video chats with friends and family. Each day I am grateful for the technology that allows all of us to stay connected. It’s not the same, but at least we have that.
Hoping this finds you and Mark safe and well.
April 20, 2020 at 12:12
Hi Sue!
I’m so glad we fit those visits in, but of course, we missed out on a bunch elsewhere, once the virus made social contact impossible.
I have often thought back at the time “before the internet” recently and remember it vividly, as I was already a world traveler back then. My poor parents… Yes, the internet makes so much possible and is a life saver, these months. Yet, there are still things I don’t like about it, but it is up to me to do something about that. 🙂
April 21, 2020 at 14:45
I’ve been worried about you two as I read that campers have had such difficulty finding a place they’re accepted now. Glad you’ve made it to your MA “home” and hoping all is well there. And glad to hear (via Instagram) that you didn’t get the snow we did last Saturday. The good thing is that it was all melted by Sunday. The MA weather will be nothing like Florida – it’s sooo weird here right now – but no bugs or excessive humidity. Yet. I loved reading about all of your friends. Friends make our world go round, even if we can’t leave our home base.
Zoom is difficult for me (as well as too much time on any screen) as a result (still) from my concussion. But we have had a 22-person family Zoom once in a while, and it’s glorious.
April 22, 2020 at 11:12
Hi Pam!
It’s been a challenging time (more so than usual) for the nomads among us. It appears to be even worse for our sailing friends in the Caribbean, where no island allows new entries. Luckily, we have this home base in Massachusetts. If only the weather would improve – as everyone in the world knows: we hate being cold. But, it’s not that we have been lucky with the weather elsewhere either as we roam from one extreme to the next. Mark and I have had discussions about what’s worse, being too hot or being too cold… Any insights in that? 🙂
Wow, that family Zoom session sounds extensive! I’m sure it’s nice to see all those faces at once.
April 22, 2020 at 11:22
When I’m in a hot and humid place, I think that’s worse. But when I’m in NE in the winter, I think being cold is the worse. 🙂 Final answer? Cold is the worse.
April 22, 2020 at 11:24
I think we’re pretty much on the same page. Can you believe it was 32 degrees when we took Maya out this morning? It’s the end of April! Anyway, I’ll ask you again this summer, on a hot and humid 90-degree day. 🙂
April 22, 2020 at 11:45
Deal. And I already know what my answer will be (trying to go for a walk this morning with a wind chill of 20 something as tree blossoms fell all around me….)
April 22, 2020 at 12:06
OK! We will see… 🙂
April 21, 2020 at 20:16
You sure had your share of socializing all winter, glad you’re both safe after all those travels, lol. Zoom is getting a lot of action since the virus changed our lives. I haven’t used it yet but use Whatsapp with our old girlfriend club once a week. There are 4 of us and that is the max allowed on Whatsapp. 🙂 Glad you’re home safe! x
April 22, 2020 at 11:15
Hi Debby!
When we travel, we barely see anyone, let alone touch anything. And, that’s the way we like it – we adore our privacy and being in nature without anyone else around. Shopping is always quick and efficient – with a list and both of us rushing off to grab what’s needed. For two reasons: we don’t like shopping and we can’t leave Maya alone too long.
A maximum of four people in a group sounds just right! When I joined the Zoom meetings with some blogging friends, it was nine of us and I think that is too much for conversations or discussions.
Yes, we are “home” safe and now, we are in the same situation as everyone else: stuck and hoping this will be over soon… 🙂
April 22, 2020 at 11:25
You know the drills well! And like the old saying goes – There’s no place like home. So enjoy and stay safe! 🙂 x
April 22, 2020 at 11:26
We will try! 🙂 And, you too!!!!!!