April 15, 2020

April 6, 2020

 Joyce and I have been staying close to the house as much as possible, washing our hands often and just trying to stay safe.  We have had to go out a couple of times for a doctor appointments and to do some necessary shopping.  Yesterday we made the decision to start ordering more things we need online and only go to a store if it is absolutely necessary.

 After closing on our new home we started moving things in from our RV and the storage locker we rented.  We also had several delivery’s including our bedroom furniture, the new refrigerator and our living room furniture.

 The first thing that was delivered was our new Lazy-Boy chairs.  These guys are very comfortable and look great.

 Next Orange Park Furniture delivered the new couch and dining room set.  The couch is also comfortable and the table/chairs are beyond beautiful.

 Then the new LG refrigerator was delivered.  We ordered that from the Sears Outlet store in Jacksonville so there are a few dents but the price was right and it’s working great.

 The next delivery was our bedroom furniture from Costco.  The delivery guys put the boxes in the bedroom and living room, we signed for them and that was it.  So we spent about five hours unpacking and assembling the bed, dresser and the two night stands.  All were fairly easy to put together but the stuff was heavy and bulky.  But we got it done and we’re really happy.

  We bought the mattress at Costco a couple of weeks ago so we got that unpacked, rolled out so it would poof up and on the bed’s platform.  Since it was in a box we couldn’t try it out but it did come highly recommended by a couple we met in the store.  It is very comfortable so Joyce and I are very happy with the purchase.

 Then came the new washer and dryer from Best Buy which is a whole other story.  Best Buy has changed their deliveries due to this Covid-19 to your door.  We were able to talk them into the garage.  Dan, our Building Superintendent and his assistant Aaron came by to do the installation.  They thought that that would only take thirty minutes or so but it wound up taking them a couple of hours.  I can tell you that we rewarded them handsomely.

 Last week I had the followup with my cardiologist to go over the results of my stress test.  He said that although there is some blockage, he is satisfied that it is all good for now.

On Thursday Gov. DeSantis sent out a “stay-at-home” order in an effort to help stop the spread of the virus.  Everyone has to stay at home except for essential tasks.

 On Friday I had an ultrasound done on my legs at First Coast Heart and Vascular in Fleming Island.  I will be going back to see Dr. Kaveti on the 10th to get those results.

 In addition to all of that we had the AT&T cable and internet installed.  The internet does slow down some at times but for the most part it works good and the U-Verse cable is great.

April 12, 2020

 Joyce and I have been very busy the past days since I last wrote.  We’ve also been staying close to the house, only going out for essential shopping at the Winn Dixie and a couple of doctors appointments.  Wd did go down to Palatka for Joyce to get blood work done. While there we went and got some stuff out of our RV.  Hopefully we will be finished with that chore soon.

 We got some end tables delivered from Wayfair and got those assembled along with a new barbecue grill that we ordered from Home Depot.  On Thursday our TV/fireplace and a corner table for the dining room was delivered so we’ll get those put together in the next day or so.

 When we first moved in the house I called to setup our accounts with the utility and garbage companies.  The lady I talked to at the garbage company told me that they were running behind with delivering our containers but said that we could just put the bags on the ground for now.  After a few days Joyce called to ask about the status of our cans and was told that they don’t give us garbage cans, just recycling containers.  So Joyce had to go over to Home Depot and get a couple of them.

 Joyce had decided that she wanted to paint the kitchen and living rooms a different color so on that some trip she brought home a couple of color samples.  One was a light blue with the other being a beautiful light green.  After studying on both colors she decided to go with the green.

  When If we were at the design center we elected to not have the garage finished since the price was $2500.  We thought that we could beat that price having it done later.  So I asked Dan if he could have his painter contractor give us a quote for that job.

 So Eric stopped by and said he would do the garage paint for what we thought was a great price.  While he was here we also asked about doing the kitchen/living room and he again came back with a really great quote.  Eric said he would have his buddy who did texturing to give me a call.

 So, on Thursday afternoon Jose showed up and textured the garage walls and ceiling.  Then yesterday Eric and Freddie came and painted the garage and the living and kitchen.  We are very pleased with the way everything turned out.

 When we decided to buy this house we wanted to get a device that would help us turn it into a “smart home”.  We purchased an Echo Show 5 at the NEX Jacksonville and got that running after we moved but, we found out that model was limited on how many and the type devices it will connect with.  So we then ordered the larger and more powerful Echo Show 8.  The 5 model will work well in Joyce’s hobby room when we get that setup.

 After doing the initial setup of the Echo Show I installed the Alexa app on my iPhone.  Now we can control the thing from anywhere in the world as long as I have an internet connection.  In the coming months we plan to get devices where we can control our house lights, TVs, thermostat and more.  Shortly I am going to install a Ring doorbell so we can see who is at the front door without actually opening the door.

 Speaking of really cool technology, I ordered a module for our Rainbird sprinkler controller so that I can now talk to it with my phone.  The Rainbird app allows me to start watering, change the times we water and even adjust the programed watering times and duration of watering.

 I’m really not sure how much longer Joyce and I will continue to write this newsletter.  Since we aren’t traveling as much and not RVing any longer we really are not having “adventures” like we did before.  We’ll see.  I am considering putting all the newsletter’s in a book format.

Barry & Joyce

April 5, 2020

March 21, 2020

 Wow!  Life has changed dramatically in the last few weeks as I am sure all of yours has as well.  I’m not going to dwell on it here but to say that Joyce and I are doing a lot more praying for all of our friends, our men and women in uniform, first responders and all the medical care folks on the front lines.

 We are very surprised at all of the folks here in the Palatka area that seem to not be taking this pandemic seriously.  Joyce and I have both experienced folks sliding right up next to us and of course we’ve seen the spring-breaker’s on the news.

 We’re trying to limit our travels as much as we can.  However, we both have had medical appointments that we couldn’t cancel and of course grocery shopping.  Since we living in a motorhome for now we have to shop more that other people.

 So far the closing of our house is still on track for March 30th and we’re keeping our fingers crossed.  We are also optimistic that all the furniture and appliances that we have on order will be delivered on time.

 We got up very early this morning so that I could be at the pharmacy at NAS Jacksonville to pick up some medications.  They open the drive-thru windows at 0800 and I knew that it was going to busy.  I dropped Joyce off at Costco first so she could pick up a few things and then back-tracked to the NAS.  I’m very glad I got there when I did because there were long lines at all three windows.  I did get through in forty minutes which made me happy.  BTW, when I drove past the Commissary there are limits for the amount of folks allowed in at one time.

 When Joyce went through the door at Costco the folks at the front were handing everyone  a case of Clorox Wipes (one per cart).  She was also able to get a package of chicken thighs and some TP bur no hamburger was available.

 We don’t have to go out again until the 24th for my angiogram. Gov. DeSantis has not issued a “stay at home” order but both Joyce and I think that will come very soon.  That order will be very problematic for us closing on the house and getting our new furniture and appliances delivered.  We’re praying for the best but planning for the worst, following the news here in Florida closely.  The good news is we have a place to live until all of this go’s away and life gets back to normal.

March 22, 2020

 During this time Joyce and I have been calling friends that we haven’t talked to in a long time.  I’ve reached out to CMSgt’s Troy Fore, Jack Pledger and Carl Parker.  I also talked to SMsgt Percy Raleigh and come to find out he and Nancy live just thirty minutes from us.  Joyce has talked to several folks as well.  We are also keeping in touch with family more that we have in the past.

March 25, 2020

 Yesterday we to Green Cove Springs for the initial walk-thru of our new home.  We spent about two hours going through the house looking for things that need correcting, using all of the appliances, running the sprinkler system and learning some of the features.  We did find a few minor things that will be fixed before the final walk-thru and closing of the house on Tuesday.  We’ve got our fingers crossed that the governor doesn’t shut the state down before then.

The warranty representative from Richmond also stopped by to go over the procedures for getting warranty work done and how to get work scheduled.  It’s all very simple, especially the appliances.  We will have a General Electric app on our phones and all we have to do is scan the barcode, enter the problem and when we want the repair done.

March 28, 2020

 Joyce and I have been staying close to the house the past couple of days.  Joyce did get out yesterday to make a run to the grocery store for some necessary supplies.

 I have been contemplating for a couple of years about compiling all of our Barry & Joyce’s Adventures newsletters and putting them in a book.  Since I am confined to the house now I thought I would get started on that project.

 I’m finding that it’s really interesting going back and reading the newsletters and reliving all of our travels. Joyce and I are truly blessed in more ways than one.

March 30, 2020

 We got up early this morning and after stopping at Micky D’s for a biscuit, we drove up to our new house to do our final walk-thru.  Dan, our Superintendent went over our all of the things that they have fixed from our initial walk-thru.  Then he told us some of the items they didn’t get to that would have to be done later.  As we expected he is having trouble getting tradesmen in to do the work right now because of the Chinese Virus.  

 Next we drove up to Jacksonville for our appointment with Fidelity National Title for our closing appointment of the house.  Murna, our Title Officer told us that they had not yet received the closing cost funds from our credit union.  We were a little surprised to hear that since Joyce did the wire transfer request last Thursday morning.  She told us that we’ll go ahead with the document signing and check on the transfer after we finished.

 So, we pressed on with the very boring document signing.  When that was completed Murna again checked on the wire transfer and told us it had not be recieved.  Then we tried to call First Tech Credit Union and had to wait on hold for forty-five minutes.  The gal that answered said that she would forward the information to someone and that they would get back to us within twenty-four hours.

 Next, I called Travis Credit Union to see if they could help.  They said sure but told me that a wire transfer would take seventy-two hours.  That was not what I wanted to hear.

 We finally left and headed back to Palatka with hopes that the wire transfer would get there sometime in the evening.  On the way Joyce decided to call WyHy Credit Union in Wyoming.  The lady that she talked to said that they could get the transfer done in about two hours.  So with that news we turned around and drove back to Fidelity’s office.  Keep in mind we now had two wire transfers for the closing in the works.

 We waited for about three hours and at the last minute before the office closed they told us that the had received the wire transfer from First Tech.  We now are the owner’s of our fifth home.

 I’ll write more about the moving process later.

Barry & Joyce