I LOVE ONLINE YARD SALES

 My newest love next to the CMU and road trips is online Fb Yard Sale sites...I can find gently used items and I have been downsizing our home since we are on the verge of retiring and possibly moving out of state...It has been fun and profitable . This is my latest find...New these gates sell for $89 and we got ours for $60 great condition...Talk about a happy camper

FLORIDA MORE ADVENTURES WITH MY FRIEND DAWNMARIE--CITRUS HILLS HERNANDO FL

 This trip to Fla was a R&R with an agenda...house hunting....looking to retire to this area at the VILLAGES OF CITRUS HILLS --
www.thevillagesofcitrushills.com   This place is awesome...high up on a ridge 260 ft above sea level...yes Florida does have hills ...who knew?  We ( or rather " I ",  my husband has yet to go down with me although he is the one who wanted Florida to retire to and I was the one that said cold day in hell pal).....  Boy did I have a change of heart once I was down there. This area is really nice....less then 30 minutes inland from the Gulf of Mexico in Central Florida, this area has lots to do and see.  Located South of Gainsville 1 hour and less then 90 mins to Tampa/ Clearwater and to the east DISNEY WORLD /ORLANDO disneyworld.disney.go.com.

  They call the Villages of Citrus Hills Resort style Living and it is....when you pull into Terra Vista
 ( which is a gated community) it is so beautifully landscaped it looks like you have arrived at your vacation resort destination . It's a development for snowbirds, residents and families ( if you want the 55+ no kids allowed experience this place is not for you). There are 3 restaurants on site with different menus and themed nights.  The TikiBar which we visited 3X this trip has awesome drinks, tons of TV's for your sports fans, fire pits, Tiki torches that are lit at dusk and all sits on the golf course for a lovely view. There is also a beautiful pool outside, lap pool and whirlpool inside, state of the art gym and the Bellavita Spa for massages for men and woman, facials, and much more to help you relax and enjoy your resort style living lifestyle  www.thevillagesofcitrushills.com/.../spa-fitness-center , along with a host of classes for mind and body and lets not forget the awesome tennis courts and golf.   Miles of hiking and biking trails through out as well as a park for both humans and canines, landscaped through out with beautiful gardens, ponds and lakes.

The trip was eventful...I got to see several styles of homes and developments ( I believe there are 18 developments that make up the collection of villages know as Citrus Hills) My friend DawnMarie lives in Brentwood   www.facebook.com/pages/Brentwood-of-Citrus-Hills/.. and her other family members live in Terra Vista  terravistarealtygroup.com   and I found a home I really liked in Canterbury Lake Estates canterburylakeshoa.com  sooooooo as soon as I can get hubby to take a few days off from work ( HEY...didn't you retire last June....what they missed you so much they asked you to come back to consult...LOL --grateful that he has the opportunity and the ability to do so )
www.getmoreoffers.com/FL/Citrus/Hernando/Canterbury-Lake.

I was much more relaxed this trip....I knew the area a bit from last time and I didn't have that overwhelmed feeling of I have to take it all in at once...Dawnmarie and I had a good time going out to the restaurants offered in the community ,trips to walmart and an organic produce stand to buy her a pineapple plant for her lanai and just chillin' ( Dawn just moved in Feb. so the area is new to her also so it was fun exploring and just hanging out as friends do.)

 I'm really looking forward to exploring this area with Mike to see if this is truly where we want to retire.  I'm also looking forward to the next time I can go and hang out with my friend Dawnmarie...we have fun together and laugh a lot. It's good to have friends and it's definitely good to laugh, oh and we played shuffle board with a club that meets 2x a week and it was FUN.... not lame as my husband thinks...again we laughed and got out in the warm Florida sunshine and it felt good www.thevillagesofcitrushills.com/lifestyle/clubhouses/  

I definitely could see myself retired here enjoying life and becoming more active especially during the winter months then I am here in New Jersey ...the suck the life out of your savings state...weren't we  once  called the GARDEN STATE?

ISN'T IT SILLY NOT TO LOVE LILY .....

   WONDERING WHAT I'VE BEEN UP TO LATELY........FOSTER MOM TO THE RESCUE--This is Lily ( or Lily Bean as I affectionately call her) she is a 5 year old Brittany Spaniel whose owner died and the family surrendered her to a high kill shelter....where she wore out her stay and was scheduled to be euthanized 2 weeks ago. In two weeks this dog who has never met me or me her has showed so much love and devotion to a person she has never met....like she is thanking me for rescuing her out of that horrible place....Lily is up for adoption the fee is $200 she is spayed, utd on all shots, semi house broken ( needs a slight refresher course since she has been peeing and pooping in a cage for 2 months, is crate trained, has an allergy to wheat so needs a grain free diet ( i have her on blue buffalo grain-- free and she is doing just fine) If I didn't already have 2 dogs and a very small travel trailer that just comfortably fits the 4 of us, I would take Lily in a heartbeat but sadly I can't....It will be bitter sweet when she finally leaves here to be with her forever family who will love her as much or more then I do in the short time I've had to know her. Please let me know if you or someone you know would be interested in at least another 10 years of love and devotion from this wonderful girl--if interested in putting in an application for this awesome companion dog ( who can be taught to hunt if she doesn't know it already rabbits in my yard make her crazy) please go to this address and fill out an application thanks on Lily's behalf --foster mom Diane---
www.pawstoheart.org

Getting ready to roll ....SPRING OF 2015 TRAVEL IN THE CMU

  The CMU has been waxed and polished and new new Lazy boy recliners have been installed and the VERY UNCOMFORTABLE....sofa bed couch has been stored in the basement.

Our first trip out this year will be here before you know it.  We are headed out to Elk Neck State park in Northeast MD  dnr2.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/central/elkneck.aspx a favorite of ours especially Woodys crab house  woodyscrabhouse.com.  The town of northeast has a very quaint main street with some awesome restaurants and pubs as well as an ice cream shop and stores.  Next stop will be Delaware State park---www.destateparks.com to meet my BIL and SIL to check out their new travel trailer and enjoy a few days camping with them.  Still haven't figured out the bike situation which is frustrating to me since i started riding again and I love my boardwalk cruiser bike.  I'll have to get on hubby to remedy this situation.  Looking forward to getting away.  Been doing a lot of downsizing now that the kids have flown the nest.....It's a huge house and and huge job.  Feeling a bit overwhelmed so a get away will be nice camping in the woods can be so relaxing and peaceful.  Well hope to have some pics to upload soon.  5/23/15 UPDATE:   I CAN'T WAIT TO GET AWAY!!!!  Keep on camping!  Diane

CENTERAL FLORIDA --Citrus Co. near Lecanto, Beverly Hills, Ocala, Inverness--ROCK CRUSHER CANYON RV PARK

Went to visit a friend who just moved to Lecanto, Fl about 1 + 1/2 hr North of Tampa/ St. Pete and Orlando.  Decided to take a drive and check out some Local Rv parks in the immediate area to see if we could come down and stay close buy.  http://www.rockcrushercanyon.com/  Rock Crusher Canyon in Crystal River was booked solid with snow birds and no vacancies.  It is in a typical florida style setting with palms, foliage and lots of spooky moss .  The sites had foliage between so they were not on top of ea. other.  Looks like a very large Rv Resort.  Had a pool in a Lani which is good for seasons with lots of bugs but you want to swim.  Club house looked nice  but did not go in.  Security Guard at the gate needed a drive through pass to check it out.   I don't know that I would stay here for an entire season ( me personally) but I would stay here for a week to 2 for a visit with my friend. Included some photos of the Citrus Co. Area.

Where NOT TO STAY in Centeral Fla. --Sandy Oak Rv Resort Beverly Hills, FLA

http://www.sandyoaksrvresort.com/--Went to visit my friend who just moved to Citrus County Fla north of Tampa and Orlando ( both about 1 + 1/2 hrs. drive) . Decided to drive around and scout out places we could come down and stay with the CMU ( trailer) and visit my friend.  When I sent the photos to my hubby he said Def. NOT.  This RV park is based around a parcel of land that has 2 huge transformer towers smack in the center of the rv  park next to the permanent residents and mobile homes.  Thought OK that is ugly and odd but lets keep driving...back to the upper tier nice....spacious spots looking better then you wind around to the lower tier where they are literally on top of ea. other like sardines in a can, rows and rows and best part they are parked and packed in  next to a very large Electrical sub station.  Check out the photos I took to send my hubby.  Don't go by the photos in the brochures folks....ask around check out blogs and rv reviews before booking to avoid shock and disappointment.  Happy Trails

http://www.sandyoaksrvresort.com/

CIVIL WAR DESTINATION--Manassas VA

I wasn't crazy about the Campground we stayed at in Va.  It was OK but I give it a BEEN THERE DONE THAT rating and would probably not go back.  First off they charge you for a fire ring $6 a night plus the cost of fire wood.  Not cool.  The sites are jammed in close no privacy.  Does have a small playground for the kids, pool , and bath house. Very tiny campstore.  This area in Va is Very Very busy.  Located off of 95 there is traffic all the time. Washington DC was 35 miles away and Mananas Battlefield way about 30 mins. drive away. www.nps.gov/mana/
washington.org  .  We were only there for one day so we had to pick what we would see and do so we choose to do a self guided audio tour of the battlefield.  We started at the Visitors Center for Mananas Battlefield.  We purchased a Book and CD for $25 which included 10 stops on the drive.  Some of the places you were supposed to turn were making a left against tons of traffic so we missed 2 of the spots on the tour just due to difficulty making the turn.   I would give the area  a LOVE TO GO BACK rating more to do and see.  The campground however I give a BEEN THERE DONE THAT RATING  www.princewilliamforestrvcampground.com/   TRAVELLING WITH PETS NOTE**-- we left the girls back at the trailer but they could have come on the nice audio tour ride with us.  It was a cool enough day that when we went into the visitors center we could have safely left them in the car.  You can bring dogs on to the battle field and there are plenty of walking opportunities and trails to enjoy with your fur friend.