Finding Christmas on Treasure Island, Florida OLA

the colors of the Holidays...on the beach! 

This Christmas felt different from the others Bill and I have spent together. 2007 was white and freezing at -31 degrees C (-24 F) in Calgary, Alberta with Claudine and family!  In 2008 we were with Trisha and family, wet and cool in Seattle, Washington. Then it turned sunny and warm at the Suwannee River Music Park in Florida on our first Christmas in the RV. Back in Seattle in 2010, it was unfortunately white and cold! This year, it was particularly hard to find the spirit, especially after Bill’s close call (please see http://rvcruisinglifestyle.blogspot.com/2011/12/wow-getting-scared.html .

Bill and his glass of wine at the condo

So we went to find it in another new place but, this time, away from our everyday home, a vacation from the RV! We booked a unit at the Sand Pebble Resort of Vacation Internationale (Bill’s time share) in Treasure Island, Florida, one of thirteen beaches around the Tampa Bay area, the region of west central Florida adjacent to Tampa Bay, almost 2 hours from Orlando. It is also known as the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater Metropolitan Statistical Area with an estimated population of 4 M.

the quiet beach at the back

                                                                                                                                                                                                     We had almost forgotten how comfortable condo living is! Our 1-BR unit was spacious enough for 2 couples and had a view of the Gulf of Mexico from the balcony. At the ground floor of the resort is a hot tub, heated pool, pool table, and bar. Every afternoon there was an activity: bingo, ice cream socials, count the shells, etc. But it is the quiet beach at the back that was the best of all!

Like the other years, we got busy looking for stocking stuffers for our Christmas Eve opening of gifts. Bill and I happily lost each other at the Mustang Florida Flea Market for an hour to hunt for the little treasures. Not satisfied with our haul, we went to the Tyrone Square Mall to complete our finds. Each stash was carefully guarded and closed tight so no intruder can take a peek until the proper time! I spent a total of $25; I hoped that Bill did not spend too much more!

another kind of White Christmas...at the beach!

 The following day we went for a long drive…all along the Gulf Blvd that connects all the 10 barrier islands and 13 beaches, collectively known as the Tampa Bay Beaches.  It was never-ending miles of beach homes, condo-resorts, and palm trees. The best of them all is to the north in Clearwater, Florida, just before reaching the Honeymoon Island State Park…Clearwater Beach, famous for white powdery sand (Boracay in the Philippines is pink powdery). We discovered a beach haven much bigger than the Keys, adjacent to a good metropolitan area, and a place where we could conceivably settle (we whispered to each other).

cigars being hand-rolled at Ybor City

Then the next day we discovered legendary Ybor City in Greater Tampa, Florida which became the ‘Cigar Capital of the World’ after Don Vincente Martinez-Ybor moved his cigar factory from Key West to Tampa in the early 1900s.  Other cigar-makers followed, building their own factories. Immigrants from Spain, Cuba and Sicily came to work in them, Romanian merchants opened stores while German lithographers brought the latest in technology to print the cigar labels. Today it is a lively entertainment and arts district, complete with demonstrations of hand-rolling cigars.

at the condo's living room ready for Noche Buena

On Christmas Eve, Bill and I attended a joyous mass at St. John Vianney in St. Pete's Beach, Florida with a little pageant of kids as angels, shepherds, and the Three Kings around the Nativity Scene at the altar.  Then we came home to our Noche Buena of maple/honey glazed ham, Dubliner cheese, fancy crackers, and Christmas stollen. At almost the stroke of 12, Bill got his new polar bear jammies, pristine white hankies, and a heart warmer for cold hands!  He definitely spent more! I got new diamond earrings (to replace the ones I had lost), new fit-over dark glasses (to replace the one I lost) plus a little purse! Talks with my kids on the phone capped our Christmas Eve.

Sunshine Skyway Bridge

After a light left-over breakfast, off we went to complete our drive to the south end of Gulf Blvd for a couple more beaches and the feat of engineering, the Sunshine Skyway Bridge!  Back at the condo, a light lunch preceded our one last time at the hot tub and Skype sessions with Bill's kids.  And to cap a relaxing vacation, we went to see Mission Impossible on the big screen and dined at Joey's Famous Pizza Kitchen in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida to spare me from more cooking!

Christmas tree among the palm trees

Christmas this year was surely different, reliving life in a condo.  We found it in bits and pieces everywhere. But we found it most in us and in Him.  We are a couple who found each other late in life but early in dreams. The Christmas spirit, after all, is the special kinship He has made possible and why we are here, together.

OLA: Finally Feeling @ Home

from the hot tub to Mr. Snowman to greet you!

Honestly, it is quite difficult to call any of the campgrounds we stay in home, however nice. We simply do not stay long enough! But last week Bill had a heart attack (please see htttp://rvcruisinglifestyle.blogspot.com/2011/12/wow-getting-scared.html).  We were fortunate that there is a good hospital just 14 miles away from the Orlando Thousand Trails Resort! The Heart of Florida expertly handled the crisis, putting two stents to repair his damaged heart. Now Bill is doing very well. It is no wonder that this Resort has become our all-time favorite!

Disney World is just around the corner!

 In my post on Classifying Campgrounds, I named this resort as a prime example of our favorite type, a country club (please see http://rvcruisinglifestyle.blogspot.com/2011/11/four-types-of-campgrounds-rv-park.html ). A country club is a campground that is in or at the outskirts of a city and has lots of amenities and activities. The Orlando Resort is just 14 miles from Disney World, nestled among residential subdivisions, just a stone’s throw from US 192 that is dotted by hotels, restaurants, and shops leading to the famous Park. That is one of the reasons we have liked this campground a lot.

adult pool and hot tub in front of the clubhouse...

It is also near everything else we need, just like a home should be: supermarkets like Walmart (and Redbox) 1.5 miles, Publix (1 mile) and Sweet Bay (0.5 mile), Cagan Crossings Community Library (1.5 miles), Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church (15 miles), Ballys Fitness Center (20 miles), the Florida Center for Digestive Health (20 miles), and downtown Disney, 25 miles. We would settle down here if only it were near our children’s homes (they are all in the West)! But it is a great place for them to visit and that’s what just some of them are doing this holiday season!

cool, shaded mini-golf course

While waiting for my children’s arrival, we are enjoying the famous Florida winter weather (highs of low 80s and lows of mid 50s), its daily sun and lush tropical green! I have bought a brand new swimsuit and matching wrap because every day we are in the pool or hot tub or both! Orlando Thousand Trails RV Resort has 2 heated pools, one for adults, the other for kids, and a hot tub! They have just upgraded the fitness center so we no longer need to go to Ballys that often unless we want sauna and steam baths.

a game of pickleball going on

As if those were not enough, the Resort also has all the following: courts for mini-golf, tennis, pickle ball, shuffleboards, and volleyball, a big hall for Friday or Saturday dances, concerts and karaoke (I love to sing and dance!), a big kitchen/dining room for a la carte food, a general store for many emergency requirements, an efficient mail room providing free services (this is a must for a good campground), and a complete game room for crafts, billiards, table tennis, puzzles, and board games. There are also notices and sign-up sheets to manage all kinds of activities: aerobics, coffee with the manager, bridge, bingo, pot luck, etc. My favorite, Texas Hold’Em, is on every night! There are at least 2 activities per day!

having fun at the Christmas Party

Last December 11th, there was even a Christmas Parade of Lights that ushered in the Season. A week later there was an early Christmas Dinner and Show. Other holiday events scheduled are a Christmas Eve Barbeque and a New Year’s Eve Dinner and Show. We were at the 2009 New Year’s Eve Party and there were must have been about 200 people who greeted 2010 with us!

There are actually about 800 sites in this campground all filled at the height of the season in January.  And, since it is a popular Resort, some of our friends are here to enjoy the holidays with us: Jim and Pat and their jamming sessions and Chuck and Evelyn and their antique cars. And Dan, a former executive chef, and wife Bev are also just 20 miles away!

feeling @ home...

As you can tell, Bill and I are enjoying this campground (even with the brief interruption) like crazy! In fact, we do not feel we are on vacation here…we are, for all intents and purposes, home! So now that we are considering  settling down, Orlando Thousand Trails RV Resort is at the top of the list!

WOW: Getting Scared!

undergoing EKG at the ER

This was supposed to be entitled ‘Focusing on Health’ talking about my ongoing health issues.  But events have overtaken that idea. Last Thursday after breakfast, Bill felt severe sharp pains in his chest. Then both arms started to get numb and heavy. Soon after, he felt lightheaded and dizzy. He still had the sense to get and use my blood pressure monitor. It read 166/98 (vs his usual 110/70). That was when we got scared.

his souvennir of the ordeal...

We quickly got into the car and proceeded to the nearest Urgent Care facility only 1 mile from the campground. We were turned away by the doctor who said we had better hurry to the nearest hospital, the Heart of Florida, 12 miles away! (Was I glad we were in Orlando and not some far away nature preserve!) Knowing that I was nervous, with little driving skills, and not really familiar with the roads, Bill drove us to the hospital (he said it was less stressful than watching me try and suffer). 

Bill was supposed to be the healthier of us two! I was the one who was having all sorts of issues.  He kept on reminding me about the promise to give each other at least 30 years even if we had found each other at this late age! We had just celebrated four years of being together.  We had just started this cruising lifestyle 2 ½ years ago. And we have such a looooong bucket list to complete! In fact, we’ve only just begun! 

echocardiogram at the ER

                                                                                                                                                     The ER staff jumped on his case right away. By about 1 pm, Dr. Siddiqui, the cardiologist on call, told me that Bill had had a heart attack, quickly transferred him to the ICU, and ordered a heart catheterization the following morning. My heart sank. That was an invasive procedure! Even if death was rare, there are complications in 1/1000 cases. All sorts of images raced through my mind. But Bill wanted to have it done, because not doing anything may be as deadly, if not more. Besides they do about 200 such procedures in the hospital every month! It is in fact routine. I told him that I was just simply scared.

I could not stay overnight with him in the ICU.That first night alone at the RV was tough. As soon as I got in, the tears fell unabashedly. After a small bowl of hot soup, I reached out to family and friends. I called each of my children, Bill’s sister Rosemary, Dan and Bev, our new camping friends, and Joe and Dottie, camping friends we met in 2009. Their voices calmed my very frayed nerves. I managed to get 4 hours of sleep.  Unfortunately and understandably, Bill had tossed and turned more in his hospital bed.

before the procedure, a whole artery blocked!

The waiting room outside the catheterization lab was not a good place to be that morning. The courtesy TV was at a program that was discussing the stresses of a funeral with some grieving folks. But the procedure was over at noon and the doctor called me in. Bill had 2 blockages, one 100%, the other 75%. The cardiologist had inserted two stents to open the more damaged artery. He said it would have been too much for him to bear the procedure on the other one at the same time. So it has been scheduled for mid-January, to give his heart some time to rest.

The pictures of the before and after the catheterization showed the amazing opening of new blood pathways that are now feeding his weakened heart muscles. I was glad he had it done! We are now home at the RV and I am now an ‘experienced driver’ (I had to go back and forth between the campground and the hospital for three days!).  Bill is a lucky guy...and not only because he is married to me!

the same area, after the procedure...with a full artery now serving the heart muscles...

Bill back to his computer...albeit at the ICU!

                                                                                     We both thank the Lord for giving us this manageable wake-up call and making it a quick recovery. Looking back at possible risk factors, it could not have been about eating bad foods or not exercising regularly. For Bill, they are genetics (his mother and grandmother both had cardiovascular diseases) and yes (now he has to finally admit it) age both of which he can not do anything about!  Plus the few extra pounds (about 15) which he is now determined to lose.

There will definitely be some changes to our lifestyle. Prescription drugs will certainly help steer the course. We hope to continue cruising in our RV, maybe trim our expectations a bit, go a bit more slowly, and settle longer at a place more often. In other words, we may accelerate our progress towards Stage 4 of the cruising lifestyle (please visit http://rvcruisinglifestyle.blogspot.com/2010/04/going-through-five-stages-of-cruising.html). It is, after all, a very good life that we want to continue living for as long as we can!

WOW: Preparing for the Holidays in Florida

our Christmas Star, made of Philippine capiz shells, hanging from our RV dashboard

a fifth wheel spreads Christmas joy at the Resort...

In the Philippines preparations for the Christmas season starts as soon as the months turn into …ber (September through December). But America waits for the completion of another important holiday, Thanksgiving. So now that we are settled in Florida where we will be for another 4 months, I can no longer contain my excitement. My children, sons-in-law, and grandkids are coming on New Year’s Eve! So I have been maximizing what’s left of my brain power (if ever there was any to start with!) and Bill’s wallet to come up with décor fit for an RV, special holiday meals, and longed-for gifts!!! It was Thanksgiving 2009 when we last had a holiday reunion in Mazatlan, Mexico!

a motor home lights up the campground!

another brightly lit motor home at the resort

Décor fit for an RV

There is not a lot of space so my tree is a little one and it now houses our Christmas ornaments from our initial travels, before we shifted to refrigerator magnets. Those Christmas stockings for the surprise stuffers from Mr. and Mrs. Santa are also up!  Little poinsettia plants are adding lots of reds and greens. Then a bit of the Philippines hangs as a bright Christmas star (it is made from Philippine capiz shells). A holly wreath filled with Christmas lights completes our dashboard counter top.

Unlike many of the RVs in this Orlando Thousand Trails Resort, this year all of our decor is inside because we spend Christmas at a Vacation Internationale condo in Tampa from Dec. 20-26. There will be no need to take down big décor outside the RV when we move it for storage and reinstall them for the family when they come for New Year..

another fifth wheel gives it all out for the campground...

Special Holiday Meals

From Seattle will come Trisha and Deejay and their children, Yeye and Kenji (Krishna is not able to join us because of work and school). Claudine and Arnold and their children Ashton, Andre, and Enzo will be flying in from Calgary, Alberta. They will all be staying at the Maingate Lakeside Resort Hotel some 6 miles from the campground. Sadly, April will not be able to fly from Manila this year because she is spending her first Christmas with a new beau.

That makes 11 mouths to feed and the RV kitchen is quite small (please see http://rvcruisinglifestyle.blogspot.com/2011/10/wow-cooking-and-eating-in-rv.html )!!! So for New Year’s Day brunch I will serve a combo of homemade American breakfast of biscuits and sausage gravy and an authentic Filipino breakfast of longganisa, garlic rice and fried eggs plus the left-overs from the New Year’s Eve Party of Christmas ham, queso de bola, and ambrosia. As per Filipino tradition, I should also have 9 different kinds of round fruits for lots of good luck in the coming year (I will cheat a little and just have 9 different kinds of oranges-this is after all, orange country)! Then a standing rib roast and lots of roasted vegetables will grace our table for New Year’s Day dinner!

Christmas Gifts

Since Christmas gifts are placed under the tree, our gifts should all be pretty small (great for the budget, too!)! Kidding aside, we have asked Trisha and Claudine what each child wants. So, as requested, Bill and I will treat all of the kids to the newest theme park in Orlando, Legoland, while their parents do some R&R on their own! Anyway they already have welcome gifts of beige boots, hot wheels set, dinosaur T shirt, and remote control cars that we have collected from our various trips.

Unfortunately, Bill’s children and grandkids will not be able to join us (Suzanne and family in Denver, Colorado, Jim and family in Boise, Idaho, and Cristine and husband in Anchorage, Alaska).  We have been searching on line for items on their wish lists for direct shipment. We are also sending the little items we’ve purchased over the past months as we remembered things they like while we were touring. We hope to watch them open their gifts via SKYPE so that we can share a bit of electric Christmas joy!

our complete Christmas dashboard from the inside...

we now come home to this at night!

But now that the plans are all set, we gleefully transition into the execution phase and spend some real dollars...then come home to a brightly lit M'A!!! Costco and Florida’s awesome flea markets and outlet malls…here we come!!!