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Parrothead_Mike's avatar
Parrothead_Mike
Explorer
May 22, 2015

Snowbirders/Winter Texans - What happening?

This thread gets a little slow at this time of the year so I thought I'd check what others are up to during this "off time". I know that it's not really time off, but what keeps you busy now that you're back home (besides daily chores)? Heck, some of you may still be on the road.

We stay pretty busy around the house, but I've been trying to golf more this summer after finally playing more golf while in snowbirding in Florida during the winter.

We also traded our '01 Cardinal for a '15 Cedar Creek Silverback while down in Florida, and now back home, I've been making it more livable (new bed, installing towel bars (can you believe that after spending a lot on a new RV that they'd include towel bars for the bathroom?), installed a paper towel dispenser, and organized the garage storage areas.

We're heading out in our camper this weekend and have several trips planned over the summer and fall. We have some regular camping type trips, but also have at least 3 music festivals lined up. Festivals of all kinds can be a lot of fun and RVing while attending is especially fun and comfortable!

Just like me, I'd guess that to many of you our lives seem pretty "normal" while living at home as compared to staying in an RV park where you have scheduled activities, organized events, and just enjoying your neighbors in the park. Being away during the winter adds a different element into our lives that isn't the usual back at home. The variety adds spice to our lives.
Snowbirds

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  • John_Joey's avatar
    John_Joey
    Explorer
    Jun 02, 2015
    Cloud 9 wrote:
    Just wondering, what has been your experience upon returning to S&B? Any damage, leaks, etc. not forseen, and not caused by vandals?


    A good way to think about it is that there are 100's of thousands if not million snowbirds out there that leave their S&B behind for the winter with no ill effects. So don't let that concern hold you back from enjoying a southern winter with the rest of us. The first year leaving the S&B is always the hardest and most worrisome and something will be forgotten.

    This last winter was the first in a new place to us to be leaving. I forgot to winterize the ice maker in the fridge.:S Took about three weeks to notice the ever so slow drip from the back of the fridge. That is now on my list of things to do.
  • Cloud_9's avatar
    Cloud_9
    Explorer
    Jun 02, 2015
    Just wondering, what has been your experience upon returning to S&B? Any damage, leaks, etc. not forseen, and not caused by vandals? I am wondering what have been the negative effects of leaving a house unoccupied for 4to 6 months, no natural disasters , just the normal seasonal changes in temp. Etc.

    Carl
  • 8ntw8tn's avatar
    8ntw8tn
    Explorer
    May 27, 2015
    We spent a couple weeks getting doctor and dentist appointments out of the way and are still trying to get ahead of the lawn. We mow over 3 acres and it's usually pretty tall when we get back. With the recent frequent rains we've not been able to get completely through it before we need to start again. I purchased some new Grizzly tools for my wood workshop and have gotten them set up and am about to start my summer projects. Add in the few summer outings we have planned and I'm realizing it's a good thing I don't have to deal with any type of employment, as well.
  • BarneyS's avatar
    BarneyS
    Explorer III
    May 23, 2015
    We have been wrestling with doctor and dentist appointments, purchasing flowers and plants to get in the ground, and keeping the lawn looking good.

    Most of my time lately has been spent getting my old RV air conditioner out and the new one ready to put in. Seems the old one needed me to get up on the roof to turn the fan every time it started up after sitting unused for a while. Decided I'm too old to be doing that anymore so purchased a new one which is sitting in the back of my truck ready to be installed. Should be done sometime next week.

    Once the air conditioner is in, the trailer will go up to my son's family campground in the northern part of Michigan where it will probably stay for the rest of the summer until we take it back to Florida in October. Don't do a lot of traveling around anymore other than the trip South in Fall and back North in the Spring.

    Chores around the house keep me busy for most of the summer and we like to spend time with our family at the campground. :) (Those are my two sons trailers plus ours in the picture.)
    Barney

  • John_Joey's avatar
    John_Joey
    Explorer
    May 23, 2015
    Enjoying 1,800 square feet of living space, an acre of land, a large garage for hobbies, and putting in flowers now that frost is just a memory.

    Memorial day will be spent going to service, then the cemetery to pay our respect, with others that have been doing it even longer then we have. Being retired you never know what will happen the next day, so who knows what next week will bring.

    As some say "living the dream." Not really, but I'm sure that's how it might look from the outside when you head south for the winter, and north for the summer. Yes there's chores to do with the S&B during the summer, but then it gives life meaning, and makes you enjoy winter snowbirding that much more.
  • LynnandCarol's avatar
    LynnandCarol
    Explorer
    May 23, 2015
    Well we never left :) We decided to stay and get a feel for the summer here. We have a great 15K AC, inside fans, pool, and patio fans. It hasn't really gotten that hot yet, but the rain has been something else!! In Rockport we have had over 12 inches in last 2 weeks. Dallas has over 20 inches. The fishing has been unbelievable as compared to the winter months. There is also allot of summer festivals here. We may go back to visit friends and families in August for a while. We love retirement :)
  • Naio's avatar
    Naio
    Explorer II
    May 23, 2015
    Dang, sorry about you folks' injuries!

    Me, I am overwhelmed with catching up on chores around the S&B and obsessively planning this fall's travels (as a mental escape).

    Next time I am going to put off less stuff 'until I get back' :).
  • pawatt's avatar
    pawatt
    Explorer
    May 23, 2015
    her&I wrote:
    pawatt wrote:
    They must all be sleeping, I have been busy with yard work and lake work and helping out my 87 year old mother who still lives out in the woods on the lake alone. My wife broke her ankle 3 days after we got home so I have been cooking & cleaning too. We plan on taking about a month to circle Lake Superior and upper Michigan in Aug/Sept. and a few mid week trips Before if my wife's ankle heals fast enough. I also have some secluded acreage I hang out on clearing brush, watch wildlife and sit by the campfire. Plan to head south again Mid Oct. Palmview Texas about 2 miles from Mexico.
    Must be something in the air that followed us home from Texas. My wife broke her arm 2 weeks after getting back and my cousin fractured a vertebrae the week he got home.


    Must be the bad air blowing in from Mexico. We dodged tornados heading north too.
  • her_I's avatar
    her_I
    Explorer
    May 22, 2015
    pawatt wrote:
    They must all be sleeping, I have been busy with yard work and lake work and helping out my 87 year old mother who still lives out in the woods on the lake alone. My wife broke her ankle 3 days after we got home so I have been cooking & cleaning too. We plan on taking about a month to circle Lake Superior and upper Michigan in Aug/Sept. and a few mid week trips Before if my wife's ankle heals fast enough. I also have some secluded acreage I hang out on clearing brush, watch wildlife and sit by the campfire. Plan to head south again Mid Oct. Palmview Texas about 2 miles from Mexico.
    Must be something in the air that followed us home from Texas. My wife broke her arm 2 weeks after getting back and my cousin fractured a vertebrae the week he got home.
  • pawatt's avatar
    pawatt
    Explorer
    May 22, 2015
    They must all be sleeping, I have been busy with yard work and lake work and helping out my 87 year old mother who still lives out in the woods on the lake alone. My wife broke her ankle 3 days after we got home so I have been cooking & cleaning too. We plan on taking about a month to circle Lake Superior and upper Michigan in Aug/Sept. and a few mid week trips Before if my wife's ankle heals fast enough. I also have some secluded acreage I hang out on clearing brush, watch wildlife and sit by the campfire. Plan to head south again Mid Oct. Palmview Texas about 2 miles from Mexico.

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