Air Fest - MacDill Air Force Base - Tampa Bay, FL

March 23rd - Sunday 82 degrees - Partly Cloudy

Yesterday was the first day of the Air Fest at the Base and Lou and I had made plans to attend.  It promised to be a warm and humid day, but teemed with excitement we were ready for the day.  We met the shuttle bus at the marina here at the RV park and arrived at Hanger 5 about 9:45 am.  The work that went into getting the base ready for the event was certainly evident at first sight.

There were events set up for the little folks, medics for anyone that might need them, water, food and drink available wherever there might be people.  Airplane of all kinds available for people to view, walk through, kids were encouraged to ask questions, get aboard, dress the part and just enjoy the day.

Those of you that know Lou know that he enjoyed every minute of it, we talked to many of the service men, and found one helicopter pilot from Patrick Air Force Base, that knew all about the C-124 (Ole Shakey's) that Lou flew, as his father had also flown them, so they had a nice chat, what a nice fellow he was, we talked many things, heard about his family and his plans for his life, his children and his faith in God.  One of the highlights of the day.

The Air Fest opened with jumpers jumping with the American flag and the National Anthem, always giving me goose bumps with the Military present.

Just before he landed on the tarmac.

I am going to post some of the pictures we took of the various planes and try to identify them for you.  I know Matthew will enjoy looking at the pictures.

KC-135

C-130 J

F-22

C5A and Lou

KC-10

L-38?

F4U

B25-J

C-17  Globemaster 3

B-1

Of course, as we toured the planes, the air show was also going on and we watched it as it appealed to us.

Planes flying in formation

Then there were the stunts pilots that captured your attention.

Sometimes you held your breath!

The event of the day was the Thunderbirds, which are the F-16 that the Air Force flies throughout the United States for the air shows.  One of the Majors that flies is from Downingtown, PA.  They travel at 1000 miles per hour and before they could fly the run way had to be swept and hand walked to make sure there were no small stone, screws or metal pieces that could be sucked up into their engines.

The Thunderbirds

The Thunderbirds

It was a long, hot day enjoyable day, we got back to the RV about 5:00 pm, both of us were ready for a shower and ready to sit and relax.  I fixed us a grilled chicken salad for dinner last evening and that tasted really good.  We had company last evening, one of the men Lou to fly with out of Pittsburgh, he and his wife have been spending some time here at the RV camp.

We have been having an electrical problem in the RV and want to call Winnebago tomorrow, we called a tech on Friday and he told us several things to do, and have done all he suggested with no help.  We have decided to stay here longer to try and get this problem taken care of and we may try to get our taxes  done here and delay going home, as the weather up north doesn't look very encouraging.

Catching up with Old Friends

March 21st - Friday - Sunny and Beautiful 75 degrees at 10:00 AM

On Tuesday, we packed up and drove nearly two hours to meet up with five other couples from our SMART group from Pennsylvania to have a picnic at Dick and Pat Tracy's home.  It was really great to be able to catch up with everyone and hear all the news that had transpired in the last few months.

We missed Bernie and Betty Brown, as Bernie had recently  had open heart surgery and was at home recuperating from that, but promises to be ready for the  upcoming Muster in May.  A couple of the  folks have given up their keys to their motor home and no longer travel, but do make a point of attending some of the Musters during the day and going out to eat with us for an evening meal.

Fred and Joyce Winner have purchased a home in Frostproof and will no longer be driving their  RV south in the winter, so many changes have occurred this winter in our group.

All in all it was a wonderful afternoon and before we knew it our time together came to a close and we needed to head home.  We came home a different way and was through a rural area and many many citrus groves.

Citrus Grove

With each nice day, it is getting harder and harder to think about leaving here, and with listening to the weather reports up north, I just don't know..... I told Lou we needed to make some plans this morning, I turned off Fox News and put the calendar in front of him and said it is time, we made some decision, we talked a little and then the airplanes started practicing for the airshow for tomorrow, and he said "I am closing up shop, I can't stand to be inside when all of this is going on outside".  So I still don't know what is happening.  I may do out income taxes on the 14th!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

March 17th - St. Patrick's Day - Rain

What a better way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.  We fixed corned beef, potatoes,  parsnips, carrots, and onions in our crock pot this morning and let it cook all day.

Lou wanted to bake a cabbage the way Scott does them when we visit them, so we tried it and it turned out delicious.  Scott takes a whole cabbage, makes slits in it, inserts, slices of bacon, a stick of butter and adds Everglade seasoning and then he bakes it for three hours in his smoker; however, he assured us that we could bake it in the oven, and we did that today, it turned out great, just like Scott said it would.

Making the slits into the head of cabbage

Adding the bacon and butter along with the Everglade seasoning

After all of this is done, we wrapped it in several layers of aluminum foil ready to insert into the oven.

Ready for the oven

We baked it in the oven at 350 degrees for three hours.

For dessert, I fixed strawberry shortcake and after the dishes were done we watched The Quiet Man, the perfect movie for St. Patrick's Day.  I can thank Sue and Tim for the movie.  I told Susie that one St. Patrick's Day we wanted to watch the movie and couldn't find it on television and our DVD was at home, so that year she got me a new one for my birthday, so we keep this copy in the RV and each year after that we have enjoyed it at this time of the year.

Tomorrow we are going to drive to Frostproof, FL to meet up with four other couples that we know to have a picnic with them.  I made a strawberry pie to take with us and we are all looking forward to this time of fellowship.

A Visit to Brandy's Bridal Shop in Winter Haven, FL

March 15th - Saturday 78 degrees - Beautiful Sunny Day.

My niece, Cheryl Schoonover, had asked us if we would like to drive to Winter Haven and meet my up with my two nieces and have lunch, so Lou and I made the hour and half journey and drove to the designated place which was my great-niece's bridal shop.  Brandy is the daughter of my niece, Rexa.  Unfortunately, Rexa was sick and couldn't come, but the rest of us had a wonderful lunch and visit.

This is an interesting story, as my sister, Daisy has the gift of sewing and sew she does and has done all of her life by machine and by hand.  She had her family had a costume shop in Winter Haven for years, went into Bridal wear, crafts and anything that could be done in the way with a needle and thread, or by way of crafts.  This talent was passed along to her daughters, Rexa and Cheryl and both of the girls still use their talents daily to create beautiful gowns, quilts, dresses, aprons, pot holders and as I said before, any thing a needle and thread can do.  I have many gifts that they have made for me that are beautiful and one of a kind, the ideas that come to their heads are just not seen other places.

Cheryl has painted murals on church walls, any blank wall that needs a lift just beacons to her and she is on it.  Her quilts along with my sisters have won many ribbons and cash rewards.  Rexa's wedding gowns are a sight to behold, along with her prom dresses.  My granddaughter has enjoyed wearing them over the years, along with a couple of her girl friends.

When my kids were growing up, my sister often sent Halloween costumes to them and later when I came back to Pennsylvania and we dressed up at the office, she sent me costumes that we so much fun to wear.

Lou and I have a quilt in the RV that my sister made for us that is all hand stitched and it is just beautiful and since our electric blanket bit the dust, we have been using it every night.  She has an eye for color and the colors are beautiful and go so well with the RV.

Cheryl, Kathy, Lou and Brandy

We are all standing outside the old post office that dates back to 1926.  It is a beautiful building where all of these little shops are located.  We ate lunch in a restaurant across from the post office.

The Ballroom

I snapped this picture of the Ballroom, they were getting ready for a wedding in their, but I thought it was a beautiful room, this was also located in this old building, where these shops were.

Cheryl

I took this of Cheryl at the rear entrance of the building.  It was a really interesting building and we certainly enjoyed our afternoon with all of the Cheryl and Brandy.  We will get to see Cheryl at my sister's house in the middle of next week in Live Oak on our way home.

When we left Winter Haven we drove home a different way so we could stop in Plant City to get a strawberry milkshake for me and for Lou strawberry shortcake and strawberry jam to take home to our kids.  We stood in line for 35 minutes to do so.

The line at Parkesdale

But, it was worth it and we know at least Matthew and Krista will enjoy their strawberry jam.

I had forgotten to mention that on Friday we drove to Riverview to visit friends from Wellsboro, Larry and Marie Packard for the afternoon.  I was amazed that I remembered their address from talking to them last winter.  They live above Shawn and Maegan and we square dance with them, so they were surprised when we showed up, as we didn't have their phone number.

Sunday we went to church here at Fam Camp and had a wonderful sermon by a retired Methodist pastor on the topic of the cross.  Scripture from  Mark.  It was very good and I made a lot of notes, after church we went to Mamma's for breakfast with George and Joyce, a retired Army Col. from Virginia.  We had a nice visit once again and enjoyed our breakfast.  Joyce has recently broken her right arm for the second time so we have a lot of sympathy for each other.

Today it is raining and we have extended our time here at MacDill, we will now be leaving next Monday; therefore, we will be able to see the Air-Show, which delights my husband to no end and I will also enjoy it.