When out on the road, traveling around the country for 6 months at a time, you develop a different perspective and occasionally find yourself having interesting thoughts like ‘Hey, we’re so close to my parents’ place, let’s swing by to say hello – it’s only a 2-day drive…’
So, yes, we visited my parents – Bob and Terry – in Melbourne, FL. In their mid to late 80’s, we’re always glad to see they’re healthy and well and enjoying their life in Florida. We also get to connect with dear friends we’ve made through the years on our prior visits. When my parents moved to Melbourne nearly 20 years ago, Phil and Val, their first neighbors, more or less ‘adopted’ them, including them in parties, holidays and other family gatherings. Being our ages, Phil and Val have become our honorary siblings and have introduced us to other awesome friends, including Ed and Amber and Jeannie.
Our primary source of fun on a visit is to shake up my parents’ routine, taking them out to different places that nomadic adventurers like us will find in their back yard. And that we did! They enjoy eating out. Ha! No senior-cafeteria-style-early-bird-specials for us! The Strawberry Mansion, one of our favorites, serves up 73 different beers on tap in the outdoor garden. Squid Lips (yup, that’s right), beautifully situated at the landing of the Eau Gallie Causeway over the Banana River, is another of our faves. In addition to outdoor, porch and screen porch seating with a view, it features live music 7 nights a week starting at that oh-so-civilized-bordering-on-senior-time of 6pm.
My cousins Gerry and Lucille live at The Villages, the famed master planned active retirement community in central FL. My parents had not yet done the 2-hour trip to visit and we’d never been. Road trip! Having lived in a small town in northern NH their entire lives, Gerry and Lu are loving life where a variety of restaurants, golf courses, music and entertainment venues and all other services are a short (golf cart) drive away. They showed us a great time and provided a deluxe tour – all by golf cart.
Despite a short visit, we also found a bit of time to meet a new friend. We belong to an online RV community called RVillage. One of the features of the community is to enable meet-ups on the road. As members, if we sign in where we stay for a night or more, we can see other members who are staying nearby, and they can see us. JE dropped us a note when she noticed we were 3 sites over in the same RV park. We connected over morning coffee and had a fabulous conversation. Considering she and we are continuously moving around, chances are good we’ll connect again in the future, and continue the conversation.
Fun visit.
More Melbourne pix…
thank You so much for the pics… so nice to see u all having fun… I wrote to u at ur email and it came back so now I have it again and can write to u again soon… wondered where u had gotten to…..u surely have had quite a vacation……I am planning to go to Aunt Ediths next summer to visit for a few days. Sure will be nice to see her and Family again……u tc and enjoy ur time in Flo. and have a very safe trip back to VT.. Let me know when u make it back safe…. ty…Love from us, Jean and David
Thanks Jean! Hard to believe we’ll be back in VT in about a week. Safe travels to you when you get back to visit family.
Sue: Damn, girl, you are so photogenic! Sounds — and looks — like you had lots of fun. Soak up that warmth; we’re starting to get snow up here!
Thanks Jeannie! Yes, we heard about the snow while we were walking on the beach… On our way!
Sorry for my late reply. Always better late than never. Although we have only been able to meet and see each other a few times over the past few years. I always feel like I’m meeting an old dear friend that I’ve had since my childhood. ( I don’t mean old literally ha ha) you and Doug are good peeps got to keep you around!! Hope to see you someday in Vermont!! If not, maybe we can catch up on the road somewhere … Ever been to Winslow Arizona ha ha (get that song out of your headya’ll) ❤️
Thanks Amber! We must be sisters – Winslow’s on the list!