7/12/20 - 7/14/20 Ft Myers, FL to Dade City, FL, 160 miles, stayed at Traveller’s a Rest RV Resort, 2 nights for $21.50
The Fourth of July came and went with very little fanfare. Public firework displays were cancelled. Ft Myers had a vintage plane flyover instead. Cities on the east coast of Florida closed their beaches, so we were concerned about the crowds on the west coast. Cities were very creative in how they dealt with it. The beaches were only open from 7am to 11 am and then from 5 pm to dusk. And the parking lots were closed, so you could only bike or walk to them.
Governor Desantis still refuses to put a mask mandate in place, so each city is deciding on their own, making it very confusing. And many cities are leaving it up to individual shops as to whether they require them. Cowards! They’re too afraid to lose favor with the public by making a unpopular decision to protect all their citizens. It’s a HUGE issue here. Just today, I saw a man walk into the store, which clearly had “Masks Required” signs posted everywhere. The sweet young employee just inside the door that was counting the shoppers as they came in asked him to put one on. He yelled at her, “It’s not a law! I have the right not to wear one,” and stormed out.
How rude! You can tell which side of the debate I come down on. I have the right not to be infected by someone who refuses to wear a mask!
Since it’s Independence Day, I’d like to talk about my freedoms in this time of pandemic and where I’m finding my joy.
Bill and I have the right to take an educated risk and go out for lunch or day trip. In the middle of the day, restaurants are empty. We try to eat outside, but will go inside when we’re the only ones in the dining room. We go to the beach, fish and drive around - all while keeping a distance, wiping down surfaces, and smearing our hands with germex when we get back in the car.
I have the right to go outside and walk in God’s beautiful creation. Even though I come home melting with sweat, I love seeing butterflies flitting around gorgeous tropical flowers. They inspire me to make art (see below). Walking keeps me healthy and feeds my soul. When it’s too hot, I stay in and do yoga or Pilates.
So far, we’re free to travel about the country. We waited a long time to leave Alabama, and were being very careful about where we’re going, especially since we’re traveling in Florida. One RV park was accepting guests on a case-by-case basis. Since we mostly keep to ourselves, they allowed us to stay.
But just because we’re by ourselves, doesn’t mean we’re alone. I finding great joy in technology. I love seeing photos of my new twin grandniece and nephew. They are growing SO fast. We won’t be able to meet them until the holidays, so I’m thriving on Facetimes with Grandma. Our son makes time to FaceTime with us every week and then some. He knows I like to see his smiling, sometimes unshaven face, and the latest art project he’s working on. And, the pandemic has finally brought my whole family together. My brothers, sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews and Mom and Dad Zoom every Sunday. Sometimes we don’t have much to share. It’s just good to see their faces and hear their voices and feel connected.
Finally, I get great joy from staying in touch with my home church, Bulverde United Methodist Church in San Antonio, TX. Even if it’s from a distance, I get to sing with the praise band and worship with my church family. I even keep up with the pastors who’ve moved on from BUMC and listen to one of their messages mid-week.
