We got back to FDR last Tuesday (the 20th) and have been just taking it easy around the park this past week. One of the hosts (a single lady) has been gone all week so we have taken over the hosts duties including checking the bathrooms, raking some pine straw from the sites and cleaning out any fire pits as needed.

Today Sam went to the maintenance shop and split some wood to bundle and sell. The other host couple left this morning and the single lady is leaving tomorrow so we will be here by ourselves, as hosts, until the second host couple arrives on Friday. We are expecting a full campground every weekend in October and probably November also. Thanksgiving week is a sell out, too.

Tonight I drove about 45 minutes to Newnan, GA, to meet my BFF and have dinner at the Olive Garden. We met 40 years ago, in summer of 1971. Wowee.....time flies! Sam stayed behind this time in case anyone needed to buy firewood and we are the only ones in the campground for now. He said he sold 3 bundles!

Tomorrow or Thursday we will move into the host spot in the 500 circle. I'll get some pictures posted later this week.

Winston, Buford & Flowery Branch, GA

We left our little camper '"home" at FDR State Park on Thursday afternoon and headed north about 70 miles to visit with daughter's family for a few days. Friday morning we had lunch at the school with her middle son, Logan (K-5), for Grandparents week. We left her house on Saturday and headed 70 miles across town to my mother's house in Buford, Ga. We brought Tyler, Samantha's youngest (4 yr.) with us. Of course, no trip thru Atlanta would be complete without stopping at the Varsity Gwinnett for lunch!

I'm pretty sure it was Tyler's first visit and even though he didn't want a chili dog this time, he did get a slaw dog and onion rings!


Tyler loved the onion rings!


Saturday night was Mexican with my son's family then over to their house to visit for a while so the kids could play.


Scott, Angelia, Mackenzie and Ethan

Dr. appointment Monday with mother then on Tuesday it's back to Samantha's for lunch at the school with Kyle (2nd grade). Later that afternoon we'll return to FDR and the camper. Short, busy trip completed!

Change of plans.........we're at F.D. Roosevelt SP. Arrived Thursday evening. We didn't like the looks of the site at Sprewell Bluff.........and the DNR, not park rangers, are in charge of the facility. The site was just a pile of gravel spread on a red dirt road, in full sun, leading to the maintenance shop. Not what we expected. There was already a 'host' there who was supposed to have left but had not. She didn't really act like she wanted to leave and we sure didn't want to stay, so we said adios and came on over to FDR.

Our site at FDR State Park. It's the "Maintenance Host" site.

We knew there was a maintenance host position available and we opted to take it for 30 days until we move into the campground and take one of the campground hosts positions on 10/1.


We really like this site and don't mind being 'outside' the campground at all!

No one had used this maintenance host site since 2008, but with a little weeding and raking, it looks very nice. The full time maintenance guys, Steve and Barry, checked out the electric, water, and sewer and got it all going for us and we moved over from the campground to this site yesterday, and got all set up. We are just outside the back gate on a circular drive that turns off the highway. It's not numbered on my map but runs between Ga190 & US27. We are just 3 miles from Pine Mountain.


View looking toward the highway (our entrance).


View looking down our road toward the curve that goes to the highway from the other end (our exit).

Last night we had dinner at San Marcos Mexican Restaurant in Pine Mountain. It was excellent and the place was packed. We got there just in time (about 6:00) because they were waiting everywhere, including outside, by the time we left. Today for lunch, Sam picked us up barbeque sandwiches at Whistling Pig Cafe. The barbeque was also excellent along with the slaw and fries!

The area where we are located is very level so we can ride bikes all around and over to the campground section across the street. The lower part of the campground is very hilly and not suited for our bikes (or bodies!) ;-)

We're packing up and cleaning out, getting ready to move to Georgia to Sprewell Bluff State Park for the month of September. Sprewell Bluff is a day use park and does not have overnight camping facilities. There is a ranger who lives on the premises and takes care of most issues. We will be caring for the day use facilities around the picnic area down by the Flint River which runs through the park and just general upkeep where needed.




We will be moving to F.D.Roosevelt State Park on 10/1 through 12/31.

August 19.....

Friday, two weeks ago, we took the short drive west down Hwy.98 to visit friends Ron & Barb Gurta in Navarre, Fl. They have a beautiful home on the water with gorgeous views of the bay from almost every room.
We had a wonderful visit and Barb fixed a great lunch we enjoyed out by the pool. Buddy and Katie greeted each other like old friends and shared Katie's lunch and toys!

The lovely Katie


Buddy loved the tile floors


Refreshing dip in the pool before lunch

Yummy lunch by the pool. The ceiling fans kept us cool!

Barb's new kitchen

View from family room

We are looking forward to seeing them again in Georgia, when we are hosting at F.D.R. State Park!

August 21.....

Last Sunday, the hosts couples got together and rented one of the pontoon boats available in the park (exceptional deal for all of us!) ;-)

We rode over to the other side of Grand Lagoon to one of the waterfront restaurants, Bayou Joe's. It was excellent and we will definitely return.

There was a threat of rain, with a small storm in the distance, but we only got a few drops as we went under the closed draw bridge....and we just did fit under that low bridge.

After dinner, it wasn't quite dark so we rode over to another area and stopped at a bar and grill for after dinner drinks and a little local music.

Bayou Joe's.....waterfront dining

Our pontoon parked at the restaurant

Good Food

Good Friends

Nice Views

Low Bridge!

2nd stop, Gracie Mae's Bar & Grill

August 8.......

I returned to Florida, to the camper at St. Andrews S.P. Hated to leave all the family but happy to be back to the camper & Sam & Buddy. Here's some thoughts about Georgia, copied from my Facebook page:

I was raised in Georgia, where you can use the ‘hootch or the Big Chicken for directions. We visit the Atlantic Ocean, Jekyll Island, and Paula Deen in Savannah. We cherish azaleas and dogwoods in the spring and magnolias all summer. We take pilgrimages to the mountains in the fall to see the leaves and keep our babies home from school if it snows. We love the Dawgs, Jackets, Braves & Falcons, Krispy Kreme, Vidalia onions, peaches, boiled peanuts, and a large Frosted Orange. We celebrate the ’96 Olympics in Atlanta and the country’s first gold rush in Dahlonega. We play football, fish in mountain streams, kayak in the Okefenokee, camp, hunt and surf. All soft drinks are called COKE!

Two stadiums: Atlanta Fulton County Stadium and Turner Field
(1997, before the old one was imploded!)
The Georgia Dome in upper left background where the Falcons play.

Georgia Visit

I came up to Georgia on Saturday, 8/23, to bring a truck load of bikes, etc., to Samantha's house and to bring Kyle home because he had stayed with us for a week after Samantha and Logan and Tyler returned home. Nathan came back with us also for the weekend and returned to Panama City with a co-worker on Sunday night or Monday morning. Then I found out my mother wasn't feeling well and my brother and sister-in-law were here from Asheville. I went to Mother's on Wednesday to stay for a while and my brother went home on Sunday. This is Tuesday 8/2, and I'm still at mother's for a few more days. She is much better now so I will probably leave this week to return to Sam & Buddy at the camper at St. Andrews S.P.

We'll be at St. Andrews until 9/1, then we are heading to Georgia to Sprewell Bluff State Park for one month, then on 10/1, go to F. D. Roosevelt State Park until 12/31. On Jan.1, we'll leave Georgia and go back to Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores, Ala. Then back to St. Andrews on 3/1 for four months. Whew............that's the plans for now...........but, of course, they could change at any time! ;-)

Special plans for January or February......but more on that later. Here's a hint:

Last fun days at the beach before returning to Georgia & school!

Pontoon Sunday 7/10/11

Nana floats!

One giant leap for Daddy! (and Logan).

Go Karts one last time!

Go Karts for all!


J.Micheal's Seafood Restaurant

Kayaking...

Some kayaking fun...........Kyle and Papa! These were taken from the camper's dining room window.

Conch Fritters......before & after

BEFORE.....

(from the Gulf...but we returned him)

AFTER.....

(from Margaritaville...but we ate them)