Tidbits of last week

While we are down here in Central Florida this winter, we can take advantage of visiting stores of our interests that don’t have branches in Canada. As an example, Benno discovered that a Rockler Woodworking Hardware store was located in the Palm Springs Center in Altamonte Fl., just north of Orlando. Last week we took a trip down from our RV Park along the US-441S, which turned out to be a more scenic and a direct route than the alternative route along I-95. Rockler has a branch in Detroit that we had visited several years ago, but it was a much smaller store than this one. I was totally amazed at the massive inventory of woodworking machinery, exotic wood and all kinds of gadgets on the market related to woodworking. Although I just accompanied Benno so that he could satisfy his curiosity and browse to his heart’s content, I did learn a few things and enjoyed looking at various displays. 

 

Also of notice for the guys reading this blog, Ocala is not only Horse Country and the home of John Travolta with his airplanes in our neighborhood, our Wandering Oaks RV Park here is known for dog lovers and Harley Davidson fans. We have a load of several interesting motorbikes here in our park. They are head turners and the guys take good care of them and are proud to display their custom made bikes. Here are two of them parked just opposite of our travel trailer and these are just two of a few.

 

And I have been wondering how they fit those 6 little pooches into their ATV (just kidding ;-)

 

There is a black dog behind the three on the right

Thanks for dropping by everyone!

January Update

Although this blog was meant to be a travel blog, we don’t always travel. That is we traveled from Canada to Florida this winter, but we are stationary here in the lovely RV Park of the Wandering Oaks close to the city of Ocala. Aside from the ever-reoccurring grocery runs and a few other purchases, we have stuck close to home. Weather-wise it has been lovely with a few pretty hot days and equally some cooler nights where we needed the furnace to keep us warm.

 

On weekends the Ocala Flea market is open. It is a large area with interlocking buildings. There are many openings to the outside between the rows of booths that line up along the buildings and some lead to outdoor exhibitions and green space. In addition there are huge ventilators hanging from the ceilings blowing air through the buildings. We thought it safe to visit and to browse through the merchant’s displays and we were wearing our masks. 

This is a screen shot from the Internet

I didn’t expect to be buying anything there but was surprised to find in one of the stalls clear plastic cutting mats I have been looking for a long time as the current ones I use in the trailer and the one at home needed to be replaced. I like them a lot and roll them to slide the chopped contents right into the pot or the cutoffs into the disposal. A splash lid for my frying pan I found useful also because I didn’t bring my glass lid from home. 

I took off my mask for the photo

Benno’s mind is revolving around the future woodwork on “Albatross” the pocket trawler, which is hibernating on our lawn back home in Canada and there were a few tables with power tools here at the Flea market, which Benno hotly circled. Lucky wise no deal materialized and money was saved. But I have to mention that a complete Kreg Adaptive Track Saw System is already stuffed under our bed and will be taken back to Canada. HaHa!

 

Our two rascal Wieners enjoyed another wiener dinner and the occasion was Elsa’s 6^thbirthday on January 6^th. Ask them and they would love a birthday dinner every day, but I do feed them cooked chicken in addition to their kibbles, so they do get good food and plenty walks to keep their weight in reason.

 

Speaking of food, I discovered the “Curry-Pineapple and Mango-Pepper” canned Herrings fillets at Aldi that we absolutely love. The tins say product of Germany, but I have never found them in the Aldi stores in Germany, or anywhere else. We eat these on warmed, buttered French Baguettes for lunch. There are other flavors available in Canada, but not those. Perhaps I should stock up.

 

And on other news, I saw this article on Facebook today from the New York Times about the gas explosion in Wheatley. Our hearts go out to the people of Wheatley. We live on the outskirts of Leamington, Ontario, but our mailing address is Wheatley since that Post Office is closer to our location than the one in Leamington. We do travel through Wheatley quite often and the closure of the roads and businesses have impacted us as well. Hopefully soon a solution can be found.

 

Wheatley from the "New York Times article"

I appreciate you checking in again and please stay safe and healthy everyone.

P.S.

Tonight’s dinner: German Goulash cooked stovetop in the pressure cooker.