Second Summer - #118

We are having a second summer! It is hot during the day! We have never spent so much time in our bathing suits and the pool! As soon as the sun sets, the air cools and it has been a delightful low 60’s for sleeping with the windows open. Though we’ve has a few sporadic nights when it doesn’t drop below 75 and you really need the a/c. Luckily, ours seems to be working again! 

We’re getting our activities schedule together and there’s a lot to do. For example we go to the Silver Slipper Casino on Tuesdays and Fridays for casino free play and the 1/2 price ($8.00) buffet lunch ( which is our dinner too) Last week I received a total of $30 free play; Charlie received $20. It’s been enough to keep us happily playing at no additional cost to us; we roll our winnings over from week to week and it often pays for lunch too. It’s not for everyone but it’s something we both really enjoy!

We are definitely walking more and exercise regularly at our campground’s fitness room. We have been eating better and I’ve lost 8 lbs since we arrived. I’m really working at it now. 

We are currently signed up for a painting classes in both Diamondhead and now Waveland; we participated in our first class last week painting turtles! They came out pretty good! I’ve also been having fun working on some craft projects - the latest is my Day of the Dead skulls.

And I’ve been reading! Nothing serious but I’m on my second book already! 

We’ve been revisiting a lot of our favorite places - Ground Zero Hurricane Museum, antique and thrift stores and are looking forward to several arts and crafts shows we’ve visited in previous years. I’d also like to revisit the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum in Biloxi and there are some new places -  Maritime and Seafood Industry Museum also in Biloxi and a Frank Lloyd Wright house in Ocean Springs we plan to see this year. 

Charlie finally completed setting up his HAM radio but still needs to tweak a couple of things to get better reception. He tried a couple of different set ups and hopefully he will get it the way he wants. 

Facebook can be a really big help in finding out what events are going on in the area. There are many localized little theatre groups utilizing local talent as well as larger venues at the resort hotels. I just ordered tickets for us to see the show “A Christmas Story” which will be running for a couple of weeks at the Beau Rivage in Biloxi. We planned an overnight stay as well. I also have my eye on some smaller productions in our area.

This coming week I have a dermatologist appointment; I couldn’t get one at home for 6+ months; I had much better luck down here. 

We also finally have an appointment for a new RV tech to service our trailer. I gave up on our regular guy who could never commit to a day - despite the fact I contacted him a month before we left, and the day before we arrived to get on his schedule. Disappointing to say the least. 

I’m also been toying with the idea of redecorating the inside of our trailer - again. My main priority has always been maintaining but after 14 years, no matter how much you take care, the original design gets outdated and tired. Charlie replaced a piece of delaminated molding yesterday with the help of a friend; it looks so much better! It’s often hard to get parts for RVs in regular box stores. This “ molding” was actually threshold but worked perfectly and was just the right color!

Yesterday evening, I made a dinner inviting a few friends from the park. We had all met in previous years and they are such nice people! As luck would have it, after 3 weeks of not a cloud in the sky - it rained! So we decided to have our meal up at the pavilion, which worked out fine - just a lot more work schlepping everything over there and back! 

I’ve also been getting messages of concern from snowbirds who will arrive the end of December - about the park - specifically the new owners.  We had similar concerns before we arrived. While things are different and there will definitely be less “ hand holding”  - the park is still beautiful and many new upgrades are being made. I do agree with the disappointment - the new owners have not reached out to longtime campers- introducing themselves, talking about their vision for Bay Hide Away. But- this is all very new to them and I guess we have to give them some slack this first year. For us personally- although we do enjoy the park activities- we don’t need to be entertained and I have no issue organizing an activity myself. 

Today will be raining all day - in fact, pouring out! Typical Mississippi rain. We have a good campsite with no flooding. It’s been a long while since we’ve had rain, so we don’t mind a relaxing day. Next week looks wonderful!