Sunday November 7th 2016

It rained hard overnight. The day started cloudy with the threat of rain at any minute. As the day went by it got progressively brighter, but mother nature still managed to produce a couple of three minute showers when you least expected it.

Today started out earlier than usual curtisy of the end of daylight savings time. With this lifestyle I should be less aware of the time, but it seems like I have more clocks and other time devices to worry about in the motorhome than I had living in a house. Many of the devices that display time manage to change back to standard time on their own, but I still end up verifying that it did what it was supposed to.

The other thing that the time change accomplished was to reaffirm that fall is here. In Florida I haven’t been exposed to the things I expect as harbingers of fall. The trees don’t turn pretty colors, the leaves don’t fall off the trees in a big way and the weather change is much more subtle. It is a little cooler and less humid but high temperatures are still around 80 degrees. Tonight it was dark by 5:30.

The signs warn that alligators are present in the pond at the back of the campground. I haven’t even seen a bird.

The uncertain nature of the weather today made outside activities less than ideal. I dawdled around the campground this morning watching the Pirates pack up and leave. Many of the weekend residents were attending the St Augustine Pirate Gathering next door. Watching a guy in full pirate costume pack up a trailer is not something you see everyday.

Shortly after noon I went out for a drive and a provisioning run. I went south on I95 then back north on US1 into St Augustine. The tourist shops at the intersection of I95 and US1 are now advertising Navel Oranges and had lots of orange bags out front. November is the start of the season for Navel Oranges so I need to keep my eyes out for a true citrus stand to buy some. I’ll be closer to the citrus region of the state at my next stops so I shouldn’t have a problem.

For groceries and other incidentals, I stopped at Walmart. I continue to use Walmart for everything but meats and fresh pastries. I still have a hard time finding reasonable and quality produce. Walmart has a fair price for stuff that has traveled a long distance. The supermarkets have higher prices for stuff that might be from closer by, but you really need to look. Some of these fruits and vegetables aren’t my favorite foods so I want good stuff when I (force myself to) eat them.

I am now settled in for my long winter night. What will I do until the winter solstices arrives and the days get longer? It’s not that bad; tonight I’m acutely aware of the arrival of night fall.