RV Adventure Days 48-49

We woke up to rain on Sunday, I loved it! Since then it has cooled off and there is very little humidity. My masters went with a relative to St. Andrews Catholic Church and  it was all about Mary, Jesus' mother. My masters said the church was really decorated beautifully!

On Monday, my masters went to the Edison-Ford Houses and Museum in Ft. Myers, Florida. They took a bunch of pictures that they want me to put on the blog. I selected a few of my favorites:

Banyan Trees

One of Edison's houses

My masters spent most of the day at the grounds and they really enjoyed a day of relaxation and learning about Edison, Ford, Firestone, and Burroughs. These men called themselves the Vagabonds and were responsible for a ton of inventions. 

Edison drew all the plans for the property and invented many things to make life comfortable.

The lab is exactly how it was left in 1936

This was the first RV. The Vagabonds went camping every year and this is how they fixed meals.

Even though I had to kitty sit my little sister, it was ok because we were both snoozing away the day.

This is when I can actually LIKE Alabama.

This is soooo Florida! Beautiful!

RV Adventure Days 44-47

We parked at my Mr. Master's family house in Boca Raton.

On Thursday, we went to Boca Raton beach, but they would not allow me on the beach. What nerve! It seems that dogs are only allowed certain days and hours, you have to have a permit, and it costs $10. I never heard of such a thing! So my wonderful master took me for a walk past amazing homes. I think people in Boca Raton must be pretty rich!

My master's brother-n-law was sooo nice to work on the RV!

On Friday, we finally left ritzy Boca to make the trip west  to Cape Coral. On the way, we stopped at Ortona Lock Campground. My masters took a relaxing break before they reached more relatives on the west coast of Florida.

A beautiful sunrise in the Ortona Lock Campground

Now we are parked for a few days in my master's other family driveway in Cape Coral, near Ft. Myers. They have beautiful decorations and we are very happy and grateful to stay here. I even get to play with two other really friendly dogs. The very best news, though, is that I got a Christmas present just for me...Newman's Own Organic Premium Peanut Butter Dog Treats! Wow! I feel special!

RV Adventure Days 42-43
My masters did a bunch of errands on Monday and I got lucky. I was able to stay in the air conditioned house instead of the RV with Alabama who is becoming a 2 pound terror (in fact, my Mrs. Master did surgery on Alabama's toy mice to remove the catnip. She was like a kitten on speed!)

On Tuesday, my masters went off to have lunch with part of my Mrs. Master's family living in Ft. Lauderdale, but returning to California the first week of January.  It is her nephew's son and his girlfriend. My masters said they had a really fun time and a great visit! I haven't seen Steven in a long time, but I remembered how nice he is!

The rest of the time here has been spent at my Mr. Master's family gatherings at four different houses for all the Christmas events. They have been coming and going, checking on us and being sure we have food and water before they rush off again. Boy! Would I have some stories for them about the innocent looking little Alabama! I feel like she is going to pounce on me at any minute!

I'm getting too old for this.

Christmas Eve at Joe and Henia's beautifully decorated house.

RV Adventure Days 40-41

We left Long Point County Park and it was hot and humid! I was sooo hot. Really, think about it. I am black and little chubby, so naturally I would feel the heat. We arrived at Boynton Beach where my Mr. Master's sister lives, then we went on to Boca Raton where his other sister lives and here we are going to stay for the holidays. 

Today, since it was Sunday, my masters went to the Pentecostals of West Palms. They said it was a true Pentecostal experience with a lot of power and passion. This area has such a diverse population that if you closed your eyes, you might think you were in Africa. My masters said it was a very worship-filled experience! Then they got treated to lunch at the Macaroni Grill. And do you know what I was doing while they were having all these wonderful experiences with family and friends? Yup! I was kitty sitting! I better get extra dog bones for this!

RV Adventure- Days 37-39

Can you believe we had to interrupt our trip for the little twerp, Alabama? Our masters took her to a vet and found out she is only 6 weeks old and weighs a pound and a half. She also has a cold that she is on antibiotics for. Good grief!  And did I tell you she eats like a pig?

Well, enough about her! On with the trip; we did a lot of driving on Wednesday and Thursday through Tallahassee to St. Augustine, Florida, the oldest city in the United States that is continually occupied. We stayed right outside of St. Augustine at the Anastasia State Park and it was beautiful!

The next morning, my masters left me in charge of the RV and little Alabama, and took off walking the streets of St. Augustine. They were pretty hot and tired when they returned, but happy that they got to see as much as they did.

 

St. Augustine Colonial Quarter

Flagler built many hotels and buildings throughout Florida

A Greek Orthodox Shrine

Memorial Presbyterian Church

Kitchen in the 1800's

In the gardens of the Dow Museum of Historic Houses

Tonight we are staying at another awesome place. It is Long Point County Park and we are backed up right to the river. It is the first night we will not turn on the heat. I just had to cool off when we got here! I will have to get used to this heat…80 something degrees today. Our really nice Innsitters on Orcas sent us a picture of the snow that fell last night. I got homesick for those awesome freezing days when I could roll in the snow!

Cooling off in Florida waters

RV Adventure Days 34-36

Today we made it to FLORIDA and we are staying in a beautiful park on the Gulf Coast!

Let me back up to last Sunday, Day 34. My masters went to their 5th church on this trip and each have been different. Sunday they went to The Pentecostal Church of Layfayette. They said it was a Christmas program with funny skits, moving music, and then a song that rocked your soul (as only Pentecostals can do!)

Then we drove to New Orleans and stayed at the Pontchartrain Landing RV Park and Marina. My masters took a shuttle into the French Quarter and I got to guard the RV. This is actually not such a bad job as I get to snooze while they walk in freezing weather.

The French Quarter

Coffee and Beignets at the Cafe Del Monde in the French Quarter

After New Orleans, we headed for Mississippi. All the roads are elevated above these swamp lands. It was amazing to see how many miles they had to build these roads above water and see the houses on tall poles for when it floods.

The highway goes over miles of land like this

In Biloxi, Mississippi, my masters toured the Jefferson Davis house and said it was interesting history and they really enjoyed it. The sad thing was that it is the only antebellum house left out of 20 houses in this area due to Hurricane Katrina. Our guide said New Orleans got all the attention, but this area was just as devastated by the hurricane.

Believe it or not, by 5:00 pm, we were in Alabama! The whole state of Mississippi in one day!

Jefferson Davis House in his later years

His daughter's original doll

And now, I must tell you about how my life changed today, Tuesday, December 17th, I got a sister (not one I asked for, mind you!) This is how it happened. My Mrs. Master has been going on about getting this special cat, but every time she looked online for one, she found that they were expensive and you had to do a lot of paperwork and they were hard to get. So she says, "What happened to getting a kitten in a cardboard box." WELL...when we went to the Visitor's Center in Alabama, they had 2 kittens for free in a cardboard box. Go figure! The volunteers had found them that morning in a storm drain. We left only to return the next day and now I have sister named "Alabama" and this is what she looks like...

Sweet Alabama

This is our view at the Emerald Beach RV Park. So beautiful!! Makes up for this new annoying sister that hisses at me. "Sweet" Alabama, yeah, right!

RV Adventure Day 33

We made it to Louisiana! We are in Abbeville RV Park and my masters went out to a very popular restaurant called "Schuck's" and had shrimp and catfish. Folks here wear cowboy boots and say ya'll, pretty much like they did in Texas, except we are in Cajun Country, so they say it with a French accent. I kinda' like it. The lady at the park cautioned my master to keep me on a leash for my own safety. Instead of alligators like the last park we were in, they have owls with 4 foot wing spans that pick off small dogs. Obviously, she hasn't see me, but I'm keeping my eye out for these gigantic menacing owls!

Before we left Galveston, we explored the Historic Strand District. They had some cool sights and old buildings. We were there just in time for a Christmas parade. Everyone was throwing me necklaces, so I put them on. My masters are planning on stopping in New Orleans and if it was the Mardi Gras, I would be ready!

People were taking photos of me!

We left Galveston and took a free ferry to get back on our way east.
I was very happy to get to Louisiana! We are that much closer to our final destination of Boca Raton, Florida, where I hear the temperatures are in the 70's. Hot dog!!


 Our ferries on Orcas look a lot different

People build their houses high because of flood waters

Louisiana welcomed us! They have the most awesome tourist centers in these parts!

RV Adventure Days 30-32
We have been staying in Texas State Parks the last two nights and they don't have WiFi, so I am catching up tonight here in Galveston, Texas, at an RV Park right on the beach. Ahhh...back to the beach!

So, last Wednesday, we were still in San Antonio and my masters went to see the Alamo. In fact, it was a full day of seeing missions and churches. When we left the Alamo, we drove on country roads to find the oldest Polish settlements in the United States (I guess we did this since my Mr. Master is Polish). We found the coolest churches in three towns, except I wouldn't call them towns. The churches were practically the only buildings there. People live mostly on farms here and must come from miles for church. I heard my masters say that the stained glass windows and statues and portraits were really beautiful!

This is the outside of the Alamo

 

This was the church in the Polish settlement of Kosciuska

The inside of the church was breathtaking!

All the churches had stained glass everywhere

The second church was in Cestohowa



 
This is the oldest Polish church in Panna Maria

This is inside Panna Maria

 

On Thursday, we stayed at Brazos Bend State Park. It is 5000 acres of lakes, trees, birds, alligators, and poisonous snakes. I wasn't leaving the RV until I realized that it was too cold for any self-respecting alligator or snake to come out. We stayed in an awesome site all by ourselves and my masters went bike riding the next morning even though it was very, very cold!

 

Biking at Brazos Bend State Park

Amusement Park at Galveston

 

Friday (tonight) we are in Galveston and this is the view from our back window. I can't wait until morning to play in the waves and the sand again! I am a Texas BEACH DAWG!