November 1, 2001, Thursday- a few packages of mail were waiting for us. Got those sorted out. Dumb Sprint. When we called for service on September we were told that the phone directory would be delivered to the Florida address. Naturally we got one $10 express mail envelope with a huge Naples phone book in it from Texas. Fortunately Sprint agreed to reimburse us. More the principal then the money.
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Stopped at the local Porsche dealer. The power antenna that we replaced in April failed on our trip. The local folks will order a new one and replace it under warrantee. Then off to Gateway and pickup our repaired computer. Next, we got Hobbes out of jail. He looked marvelous with his fresh wash. Even got a report card…..A+, a real sweetie. Boy did he have those girls fooled!!!
Home at last and tried the computer. Lots of program items seemed to have been lost (at least based on the trouble screens that pop up). Maybe tomorrow Gateway can figure out what they screwed up.
66 coaches lined up for the rally next week, by the SE chapter of the American Coach Association. Should be a good time at the end next week.
Spoke to one concrete man on options for our lot. At the minimum we need a chemical type wash to get rid of the concrete mildew. The other options include painting the concrete with single or multiple colors and accents, or add a stamped paint level that looks like brick or flagstones in shape, and can have various colors or shadings. All it takes is money….from nothing to $5000.
November 2, 2001, Friday- early forecasts show the approaching hurricane may reach western Cuba and then head eastward, avoiding Florida. Let's hope that route is the one the storm decides to follow.
Stopped back at Gateway and they want to reload the operating system, which, will erase the hard drive. Since I don't have the software for our 1994 or so "Quickbooks" accounting program. Stopped at a small computer store and they wanted me to spend for an updates Quickbooks program, and then get a cd-rom read/write peripheral for backups. Neither they or Gateway seems to know how an external hard drive can work in the background and keep things updated on a laptop. Both Phil and Jerry seem to be doing it. I need more research and some help….
From 5:30 to 7 we had the owners BYOB party in the clubhouse. More and more folks arriving daily. At 8 we arrived for services on Marco Island. A strong sermon covered the strength and resolve of the American people to conquer evil and adversity.
November 3, 2001, Saturday- ran around this morning and got some good deals on the larger George Forman Grill and stand. While in Sears a woman told us that a store in the mall, Lechters, was closing, and had a stand for the grill at a great price. Well, it retails for $49 and we paid $12. My style! The grill, which was 150 plus in Denver, we got for $118.
Fran and Allan got to Lois and Jerry's and by 2 PM we all were doing a two hour walk along the beach. Gorgeous water temps.
The forecast hurricane, which is now a category 4 storm…..like big time, is supposed to turn to the east sooner than yesterday's guess. Hope it continues. We may just get some isolated showers and some wind from the cold front that's coming down from the north. Time will tell, but it doesn't look like we will have to head north!
November 4, 2001, Sunday- the hurricane so far, is still on track to head eastward from Cuba and miss the Florida mainland. Spent 10 minutes assembling the stand for the George Foreman Grill. Easy as pie. Just In case the hurricane, or forecast winds come to Pelican Lake, I took in the trash can and extra hoses, rolled up the awnings, filled the fresh water tank, and got ready for any emergency.
Fran, Allan, Jerry and Lois came over at 2:30 and we headed to Marco Island and walked in between raindrops on Tiger Tail Beach. Afterwards back to the coach and since it was raining, we used the new grill in the "coach house" (AKA shed). The steaks were incredibly delicious and Susan outdid herself in putting together a great dinner for six.
November 5, 2001- Monday- by morning the hurricane was well east of Florida, and traces of blue were appearing in the sky.
Joined Fran and Allan at the movies….saw "The Closet", a cute French film with subtitles. Driving home we passed one of these monster boats painted all bright colors. It had a sign on it…fastest V-hulled boat in the world….147+ miles per hour. Now that's fast!
While we were out the patio store delivered a loaner table and chairs (they look as good as the set we ordered), and our new free standing patio umbrella. It looks great and as functional as we had hoped for.
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Dinner with Allan, Fran and Lois at the coach…some grill chicken on the grill, and lots of laughs.
November 6, 2001, Tuesday- worked the web page this morning and got it all up and running. Took Fran and Allan around to a few of the high end malls, just cruising, fortunately. Next, we joined with Lois and Jerry to watch the sunset at the beach….just gorgeous.
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Returned from the beach and checked out the condo boat storage building near Jerry's condo. For only $100,000 plus you can store your boat (up to 42 feet), and have it protected from some of the elements. However, the three story storage building reaches, routinely, 120 degrees at the top level in the summer. I'd imagine lots of items deteriorating at that tempature.
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Followed with another group dinner at Lois and Jerry's. Fran and Allan then killed Susan and I in Euchre and then did the same to Jerry and Lois.
November 7, 2001, Wednesday- lots of errands today, and then a great dinner with Fran, Allan, Jerry and Lois at Pazzo's, a great yuppie Italian restaurant in downtown Naples.
But, a few funny incidents. Earlier in the week we tried for reservations in another restaurant for Tuesday night. The hostess said that 7:15 wouldn't work. 7:00 was the latest because of a large group coming in at 7:30. Lois and Fran were tied up at a meeting until 7. After trying to negotiate, she offered the manager. I mentioned to him that a friend of Jerry's told us he would take care of us. Joe is of Italian decent and strong connections. All of a sudden the manager says that so and so is a great client and any time we want would be perfect, 7 or 7:15 or 7:30. My how the tables turned. But, a day later we had to cancel due to meeting changes.
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Jerry borrowed a friends boat, a 16' runabout. How he got Allan to go is beyond me, but he and Fran went out. In the river area they noticed the boat was filling with water, so Jerry drove it onto a sandbar. A few phone calls and they discover that the owner removed the hull plugs to prevent rainwater from filling the boat. Low and behold, they are sinking, but with instructions as to finding the plug, Jerry fills the void, runs the bilge pump, and saves the day. Poor Allan.
November 8, 2001, Thursday- parking crew day. With 4 other Pelican Lake volunteers we parked some 42 coaches today. First we had them disconnect their tow car, and then guide them into their lot. Then show them the utility hookups, and finally, return to the starting point for the next coach. I think I peddle my bike 14 miles in the park today.
While I worked on the parking committee, and Susan attended the board meeting, she, volunteered me for the finance committee. Great….now I will be emailed by everyone and be stopped by passerby's who have a better way of doing everything.
Rob and Deb got to Hawaii today and it's supposed to rain there for the next two days and then sunshine returns for their red Camaro convertible.
November 9, 2001, Friday- after a continental breakfast at the ACA Rally, we headed across Alligator Alley (I-75) and picked up Mom. Next stop, to see Brad, Rach and the Jake Man. They came in from KC for the weekend and we were given the pleasure of 5 hours with that gorgeous, wonderfully tempered, smart as a whip 14 month old. And we aren't colored in our thinking at all.
After awaking from his nap and playing in the house, he was perfect for our hour plus lunch along the Inter Coastal Waterway at Charlies Crab. Food, boat traffic, company and weather….a perfect 10 on every count.
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After a quick dinner at Mom's we were pointed west and got home at 8:30. A lot of driving, but well worth it.
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November 10, 2001, Saturday- our last full rally day. Starts with a full breakfast at the clubhouse, followed by a club business meeting. Afterwards, a Q & A seminar on our coaches and then computers. Everyone I attend, I learn useful information.
Five o'clock happy hour and then a steak dinner. Dancing afterwards by Tommy O, an excellent local singer.
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Finished writting my B'Nai Vail history recollections. A fun project….did 8 typed pages. Hope others find it as interesting as I did.
November 11, 2001- Sunday- a few hours on the beach with Jerry, Lois and Jerry's Mom Ruth…quiet and peaceful. Then back to the coach to start our punch list odds and ends that we've not been able to work on since our arrival.
November 12, 2001, Monday- couldn't believe that another American Airlines plane has crashed in New York. It's strange to be "relieved" that it's only a mechanical crash and not a terrorist cause.
Had to have the Porsche tweaked again…the return to low idle part of the emissions system isn't doing it's thing so we just had it bypassed and it's running as smooth as silk. Too many stores were visited looking for new sheets and some accent pillows. Struck out in each any every one. What a drag.
Susan picked up another sweater pattern and yarn for a neat Jake Man sweater..size 18 to 24 months.
November 13, 2001, Tuesday- today was the big day on the computer. Time to restore the operating system. After backing up everything that we could, I tried to install the "restoration" disk as instructed by the Gateway service personnel in Naples. That disk was useless as to doing the operating system. Instead I tried the Microsoft Windows 98 disk and after punching a few buttons, we were reloading the operating system. After 45 minutes we were reinstalled. Turned it all on and lo and behold, all of the operating errors that had appeared when booting up the system, were gone. Good start. Bonus….everything we had on the hard drive was still there. Yeah! No backup installations, software loading or switch settings. Thank goodness.
Good news on the warfront with the Taliban leaving Kabul. It's amazing how the complexion of the war can change in 24 hours.
Over the last few days we got proposals from concrete painters and concrete finishers that work with free formed shapes and overlays. Significant differences in appearances, but little difference in price. Both options are expensive, but we've elected to go with the free formed shapes with the overlay process. Five days of work on the site then a week to 10 days of staying off the driveway.
November 14, 2001, Wednesday- some days don't go as planned. Susan was attending an entertainment committee meeting at the clubhouse and I was getting ready to start some outside work. I looked at Hobbes, hooked up in the shade outside, and he had thrown up in two spots, yesterday's dinner. Well, that happens. I cleaned it up and was starting on my projects when I noticed that this time he had thrown up two fairly large amounts of blood. Not good. I called the vet, hosed the driveway, put Hobbes in the car, picked up Susan, and off we went.
The vet did an examination, took an x-ray and a urine sample, and basically, found nothing. Take him home, keep him off food for a day, and just give him small amounts water. Maybe he had burst some small blood vessels and they would heal on their own. Let's hope. The x-ray and the urine tests were negative.
A surprise for lunch. Dick and Judy came down from Sarasota for the day and they, we, and Hank and Linda did lunch at the Snook Inn. It's a neat little place on the water. Very peaceful.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, while Hobbes rested I was working on the backup software that we ordered. A glitch. They sent the wrong stuff, but in chatting with the PC Connection salesperson, I found out that our computer only had Windows 98. It needs Windows 98 SE (second addition). Another $100. Reaching the point of not wanting to put another few hundred into our 3 year old computer. So, looking at two options….send back the $400 worth of backup equipment and wait, or keep that part of the software and hardware that works with a new computer. Questions have to be resolved (aside from the money). We are operating with Windows 98. Should we get a new box with 98SE or Windows 2000? The sales person said not to get ME or XP operating systems because our existing software may not work on these platforms. Do we need ME or XP…and should we bite another bullet and get new software? As Sue's Aunt Esther used to say…."all it takes is money".
November 15, 2001, Thursday- Hobbes seems okay today. Spoke to Jerry and Phil as to new computers. Jerry seems to think that Microsoft keeps doing these non-compatible upgrades to keep you buying and buying new programs. Phil just says…step up and pay the piper. XT, from what he hears, is bullet proof and doesn't crash like previous versions.
With the remainder of the Mom's $26 Wal-Mart landscape coupon we picked up a few dozen impatience flowers. Now the landscaping is finished for this season.
Dinner with Hank and Linda at our coach. Got to use the George Foreman grill again.
November 16, 2001, Friday- Susan was busy planting and cleaning. I started working on getting the cars clean. Got about half-way through.
Hear from Debi that the company layoffs didn't affect her department. Good news. Mostly the cuts with be in Europe.
After the owners' happy hour we joined Sue, Joe, Sandra, Paul and Bonnie for a dinner at Erin's Isle. Local fish fry and lots of laughs.
November 17, 2001, Saturday- Susan got out at 7 to do a fund raising 3.1 mile walk with Lois for the American Heart Fund. Hundreds of participants. I worked on coach projects. We had terrible water pressure in the coach, even through the outside gauge was up high. It took over an hour to add less then a half a tank of H2O. Culprit turns out to be our fresh water filter needing replacement. Easy fix.
I joined Susan and Lois at the beach just before lunch, and for their sake, it was a good thing that I showed my face. The new starter that we put on the Porsche two weeks ago went south. A push start and drop off at the dealership. Monday's repairs.
We three joined Bob and Elaine to see "My Life as a House", a film about dysfunctional families and a cancer death in California. Some sadness and some funny lines.
November 18, 2001, Sunday- today's paper said that the walk that Susan did yesterday raised $150,000 with 2500 people participating. Good job.
Susan did some gardening, I did more car cleanup and Hobbes got a partial bath. Now he is socially acceptable.
Heard from Rob and Deb…they've been having a great time in Hawaii. Redeye flight home tonight.
November 19, 2001, Monday- a full day of activity. Started with the delivery of our outdoor furniture….looks great. With zero % interest we decided to look at the new Jeeps, so over to the dealer we went, but, first we checked out the internet. Two sights listed the wholesale value of our car, with $100,000 miles, at $9500. Per the dealer….it's only $7500. Why…last month new car sales were up 25%. All of the dealers are loaded with used cars. Why would someone buy a late model used car without a warrantee and having to pay interest, when a new car was so cheap (relatively speaking)? So, we are still negotiating. The ball's in their court.
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Then stops at Costco, Lowes, Patio Furniture Store, yarn store, WalMart, food store….you get the idea….it took forever to make it home.
Deb and Rob made it back from their vacation…tired but happy….
Got an updated list of phone numbers from our ISP…Naples wasn't on the list. Called the ISP and low and behold….they found us a local number. Isn't that nice?
November 20, 2001, Tuesday- the major project of this morning was to organize the shed (AKA Carriage House). We purchased a set of metal shelving at Lowe's yesterday and after 80 sets of screws and nuts, shelves, rails and braces, it was up and running. Now instead of moving boxes and more boxes we are semi organized. What's amazing is that all of this came out of the coach bays, and the bays are still half full.
A big box present was unpacked today. When we were in Denver three weeks ago, and in Costco I cut my thumb on the George Foreman Grill that we got for Debi. Just to play safe, I filled out an accident report at the courtesy desk. Well, last week we got a call from Salton Company, the makers of the Foreman product and for the inconvenience, they sent us a $100 Rotisserie. We, now we have more "stuff".
You wonder how some companies stay in business. The Jeep dealer that was going to call yesterday didn't call back. So at 4 this afternoon I left a voice mail. If it was my company I would have called back and said this is the best I can do. Do we go ahead or if not, let's try again in the future. But no news….bad business.
Heard back from the Porsche dealer today and we need a new ignition switch. This one is worn out. The question that will remain unanswered is whether it was the starter or the ignition switch that really failed in Texas. Same symptoms…. No crank.
November 21, 2001, Wednesday- drove across the state to get Mom for the holidays. Did my good deeds with a few household repairs. Fortunately they all went well.
Returning to the west coast we picked up Sue's Porsche. First I spoke to the Texas dealer that put in the starter motor. First they claim that they tested the starter by placing 12 volt power directly to the motor. No action…need a new motor. After the technician removed the old motor and installed the new one, everything worked. He also said that he bench tested the old motor and that it failed again to start. So, they claim their work was good.
The dealer here in Naples said that they also placed 12 volt power to the starter and it worked fine, so back up the electrical chain and now the ignition was the weakest link. So, a new ignition was in order and, for now, everything starts okay.
Back to the Jeep dealer….got mea culpa from the sales manager and the salesman. The salesman claims he tried our local number but just got busy signals….could be with only one computer/phone line. I think he lost the cell phone number. Even got the general manager involved. He test drove the car. Bottom line, still at $7500 on the old car, but got them down to invoice price on the new car. Now they are doing a computer search for the model and color that we want.
It seems that other tradesmen are just as poor businessmen. The furniture guy from Decatur that was going to send us quotes in October is still "working on it". Same for the concrete man that was going to add some 400 square foot of additional patio space….last week must not be here yet!
November 22, 2001, Thursday- Happy Turkey Day…..special day today- so many things to be thankful for. Lucky for us to have Mom to spend the day with us. Joined Jerry and Lois a their house for a dinner with all the trimmings . Twelve hungry souls to start….but not to finish. Everyone was in an overstuffed condition.
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Snow, according to Debi, has finally reached Vail. Looks like a good dump to start the season. Maybe a week later then most folks wanted, but it was welcomed with open arms.
November 23, 2001, Friday- after some landscape trimming, we headed to Isle of Capri for a sea side lunch with Mom. Locals place just off the dock. Great grouper sandwiches. Next stop, clothing shopping on Marco. Fortunately Susan found a great outfit. A walk along Tiger Tail Beach and Mom tried her hand, or should we say bottom, at kayaking.
Finally heard from the Jeep dealer. Test drove the same model. With some luck our new car should be picked up from a nearby dealer tomorrow, and be ready for pickup sometime between Saturday and Monday.
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Topping off the evening --- services at Marco Island. About 150 attendees.
November 24, 2001, Saturday- after some minor yard work we took Mom on a tour of the Port Royal area of Naples. The nonwater lots start at $5,000,000. One 48,000 square foot home is still under construction. Reportedly it will cost $50,000,000. Now that's not entry level housing!
Joined Jerry and Lois and crew for a pizza dinner and a movie. Food was just okay, movie, K-Pak…a good one to miss if you have the chance. Started slowly and then died.
November 25, 2001, Sunday- drove Mom back to Plantation and helped her with a few household projects. She felt good and I felt good about getting these loose ends in place.
Our park, Pelican Lake, is very quiet and miles from the airports, highways and railroads. Some people must feel a longing for the noise of the tracks as one lot owner has his model railroad tracks set up under the big patio awning of his coach. Every day the layout changes. Fortunately it doesn't keep anyone awake at night.
November 26, 2001, Monday- frustrating day. Car dealer didn't call back until 5. so I guess that we didn't get the one delivered today from Miami. This one will come, maybe tomorrow, from Orlando. The Express Mail letter that Steve sent us on Saturday with the old Jeep's title didn't arrive. Lost in space. Even the tracking number didn't make it into the system. So much for guaranteed delivery by 3 PM. Susan worked on decorating the clubhouse with holiday "stuff" while I plodded through paperwork all day waiting for the mail to come.
November 27, 2001, Tuesday- is it groundhogs day? Express mail was located in the system as being in Littleton. CO at 10 AM on Saturday. On Monday, at 5:15 PM it was in Denver. Wow. That's fast. Obviously it didn't get any further since it was flagged to get a phone call when it arrives in Fort Myers or Naples.
As for the car, did you hear from the dealer? Neither did I.
To work off the frustrations with the system, and having to be at the coach for the mail, I worked on cleaning and waxing it. Got ¾ of it done today.
November 28, 2001, Wednesday- so much for Express Mail flagging the envelop. It turns out that it was placed in our mail box yesterday afternoon. But no phone calls from anybody. Good news is that it arrived. Today the car dealer sent someone to Orlando to pick up the Jeep. Maybe tomorrow.
Made a good dent on the holiday shopping at the Coastland Mall. Shipped out each purchase. Only four more to go. Yeh!
November 29, 2001, Thursday- got a call from the car salesman…needed our Naples address. I gave it to him but warned him not to use it. We don't want any "official" papers coming here. Texas is our address. You got it. Arrived to sign the papers and the closer has everything showing our Naples address. He says that they must title the car in Florida since it's being financed. I told him that if they title it in Florida I can't license it in Texas. He calls "the girls upstairs" and they say it must be Florida. I tell them no way. Our home is Texas, our insurance is Texas, and it must be registered in Texas. He explains how they must control the title to make sure that Chrysler Finance is on the title. They only get money from Chrysler upon presentation of the proper title.
I asked him if this was Chrysler or Bob's Used Cars? Don't they do business around the world? Car them and see what they say. So he calls and they say we don't care where the form is filed, just that our name is on it. Next call goes to the General Manager…would he file the title out of state. Finally…after four hours at the closing (it's less time for a house), we get it done our way.
So long to the '98 with 100,000 driven miles and 55,000 towed miles. Hello new sophisticated car where the computer chip keys cost $45 each to cut and then have to be "coded".
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November 30, 2001, Friday- Happy Birthday to Hobbes. 7 years and counting. Here in Pelican Lake he has more friends dropping off treats then he ever had in his life. Did a little shopping today, working on the holiday list. Happy hour at the club house and then off to services at the Marco Jewish Center. Still perfect weather since we returned from Colorado. No clouds, no rain, no wind. Just low 80's for the high and low 60's for the lows. Just perfect.
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