Somehow it has all been a dream! or has it?
Anyway, enough navel gazing....We got the bikes off the boat pretty quick smart, as food was of paramount importance. We attached the red cart to the bike, (Waz's, of course) and took off down the road to the local Publix supermarket. Nice to know things haven't changed there!
We had to kind of rein ourselves in on the shopping list...to only those essentials...until we have wheels...of the motor'd kind. It was a heavy enough load, as it was. It is tough riding into the wind with a loaded cart on the back.
So, with all food put away...oh, this was Sunday, by the way....dinner got made and eaten, dishes washed, dried and we settled down to answer mail, and sort ourselves out. The boat looked a bit like a storm had gone through it...as it always does when we have been at anchor for a number of days...in this case for 6 nights.
We get so used to being at anchor....that we don't want to dock, anymore. Its a strange place to be, in your head, but it means giving up your independence, when you dock...anywhere. It means having neighbors....whether in a Marina or a residential canal.
Sorry...more navel gazing!
So, we couldn't rent a car until Wednesday. That meant we were busy.
We washed the boat on Saturday afternoon. Somehow knowing that would be our last opportunity, weather-wise, to do so...how right, THAT was! Good to be sitting in a clean boat, however! Well, on the outside! don't ask about the inside...yet! Manana!
We have made lots of lists with all the THINGS we have to do, before March. Not pretty, but we must do them...and prioritize.
First up was to buy a vehicle. This has not been an easy decision. It meant we had to do some longer term planning than we felt comfy with. What we didn't want to do was pay another $2,800 some, to rent a car for 5 months. We paid a pretty penny last year for a rental, and felt that it was money not well spent...however, we had no other option then. We do now!
We booked the rental car for 9am, from Enterprise. It was the only time we have been told, by Enterprise, that they couldn't pick us up (we are only 3 miles away!)...So, Stefie volunteered to drop us off at around 8.30am, bless her.
We drove up I75 to Bradenton, just south of Tampa, Fl. arriving at the car dealership mid morning. I had had an online conversation with the agent (salesman), Mike, after seeing this vehicle online, and reading all the details. It is a 2004 Honda Odyssey van with 51k miles on the clock. Apparently it has been used only in Florida, being owned by Snowbirds as their 'local' car. It has run less than 5k miles each winter for the past 10 yrs, being a one car owner. Lucky?? I guess!
Mike took us around to look at the Van, on the lot, and I also wanted to investigate the Honda Pilot and the CRV. Both turned out to have much less interior space (which is necessary for us) than the Odyssey. So, we negotiated on the Van. I hate this process... I like to give my best figure...cant be bothered with the too-ing and fro-ing! Anyway...we have to play the game!!!
The car price included all the taxes, fees et all which added another 2 grand to the price...Aieee!!!
We only have a certain amount of money, and that is all...short of winning the lottery. We negotiated down to what I was prepared to pay...and Waz volunteered a little more for the registration. Never having owned a vehicle (in the past 10 yrs) in the USA (previous vehicles had been leased) we had to buy new plates...this is VERY expensive! Crikey!
At least we have the plates, now.
Sorry...no opportunity to take photos...we were rather focused on the purchase of the vehicle!
So...the car needed to be detailed....and we volunteered to go for lunch while that took place.
IHOP was next door to the car dealership, so we went there...famished! Ordering took 5 mins (it was the deciding what to eat, that took the time) and once the food arrived at the table (oh, I did send the hash browns back...I had seen my meal sitting under the heat light for about 10 mins, and they were cold!), we tucked in. Problem arose when we smelled a nasty smokey smell. Looking up, we could see smoke billowing from an Aircon unit above the hostess station. It got worse...the smoke....and then we saw sparks coming out too! aieee!!! We dropped our cutlery and walked out with our hands over our mouths and noses...all that smoke!..choking and still belching from the aircon vent.
What blew us away, was that people in the dining room kept eating (one joined us outside) and the manager opened the previously locked emergency door to vent the smoke. At no time, while we were there, did anyone order the rest of the patrons outside, despite the fire in progress.
We went back to the dealership to collect the car...Now clean on the outside! They didn't bother with the inside, however.
On the way out the driveway, to come home, we noticed two fire engines with lights blazing, next door at IHOP...ha! What took management so long to summon them>? It had been at least 20 mins before we heard and then saw the engines coming down the main road.:)
So, Waz drove the new car home and I drove the rental...back to the rental agency. No further need for it, though we had it booked until the next day.
Oh, did I mention that it was FREEEEEEZING on Wednesday???? It barely got above 50F, it seemed. We had our warmest jackets on, not to mention the other layers.
The photo was taken on Thursday morning...a few degrees warmer, thankfully, and instead of 4 layers, I only had three!:) including but not limited to, my Kiwi Merino sweater.
The car dealer told me the car color is the same color as my eyes! Pale green/blue.
So, on the way home we went via the Bank for business. Couldn't do what we wanted, so would have to come back tomorrow with more info.
We had had enough, by then, so we just went home.
Thursday morning we had a few items on the list to complete, starting at the German Butchery. Remember those Kielbasa and Italian sausage we liked so much...put a bunch of them in the freezer, for out travels, back in April!!! The bank was next on the agenda, and we were able to achieve our goal there.
Next up was Home Depot....found some cleaner for the brown mustache on the boat...we hope.
Sam's Club, we found fruit, wine (celebratory!...we have a couple of visits to make) and a couple of other small items. I am always amazed at how much it costs to visit Sam's, lol.
We filled the van up with gas, at Sam's....the lovely dealer only put $20 worth in the car!
Staples for printer ink and paper...and then home...that was enough for one day.
Today we had to go to Venice (Florida) to visit my bank for more serious matters. We sorted all that out, got some lunch at the supermarket (sushi), visited BAM (Books A Million), which we love...always good to spend time in a book store!! and did some other Christmas shopping at Marshalls. We had forgotten that we needed to get all our NZ parcels in the mail before the end of the month.
I spent 1 1/2 hrs wrapping all the goodies up, when we got home...while Waz took a nap!:) ...it is all ready to go to the P.O tomorrow.
Amazing how it can wear one out, all this driving and shopping and urgent business.
Thank goodness I had made a large cole slaw yesterday...we ate fish and slaw for dinner, after I had finished the Chrissy prezzies wrapping. No energy to do anything else.
So, here we are again...
We have been watching Netflix reruns of a series called Reckless, set in Charleston, Sth Carolina. We love the series and are sorry it is finished...arghhhh! Now what do we watch?? Big Bang Theory?? lol.
Ok..that's it!
Im off to enjoy a cup of tea. Ciao:)
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