Myakka Memories: January, February and March

From Myakka River Motorcoach Resort, Port Charlotte, Florida        The new year rolled around without much notice inside our coach since we didn't attend the New Years party.  The next three months brought much the same fun as the previous two, except now there were more new people to meet. It was great.  Covering 90 days here, I'll mostly let the pictures cover the highlights.

A day trip to walk Stump Pass beach in Englewood with friends.
Pam and Joyce take a rest after our beach stroll. 

Nearby Englewood beaches are easy to reach.
Here, Charlie, removes sandy shoes after our walk.

Ernie's shoes filled with sand during our walk.
This day the six of us ate lunch at Lock and Key Restaurant before strolling the beach at Stump Pass.

In mid January, Pam, Ernie, Wayne and I took our coaches to the 2017 RV Show in Tampa Wednesday through Saturday. We ran into several of our friends during the show. Joyce and Charlie came up for a day with us. The weather was perfect this year.

On our way to the show, we girls discovered we had formed an unofficial "tan and black" group.
Cindy, me, Pam and ?? (forgot) 

Golf. Lots of golf was played over the winter months. We even played in the resort tournament. A first for me. Just down the road from our resort, we played our favorite course, Riverwood and took a series of lessons from Bob Ridge, the head pro. Our lessons package included use of the superb practice facilities.

Wayne getting a golf a "tweak" from Bob Ridge. 

A day in Naples with Joyce and Charlie included lunch at Snook Inn on Marco Island. 

My new neighbor and friend, Mary and her 15 year old Maltese, Tessa.
Sadly, sweet little Tessa would pass away in late April. I cried for days.

The Myakka gators always provide sightseeing and photo opportunities. This big guy sunned himself here often. 

Our Valentines Day picture. Thank you, Bruce.

Those who have known me for a long time know that I don't dance. No real reason... just never learned. But this season, Theresa Smart, a guest at Myakka, convinced me to participate in her line dance class. I had a blast... and after much effort, Theresa managed to teach four line dances. Our group showed off our skill at a pool party in February.

There were always gatherings at Myakka that would include food, drink, music and dance. Pictures below are of the Oldies themed night, I believe.

Lou Ann in the foreground. Amber in the background

Yes, we can line dance. This particular party night, we invited Pam, Ernie, Joyce and Charlie to join us at Myakka.
Left to right, Cindy, Cathy, me, Pam, Sara, Jean and I don't know the last one's name. 

Participation is the key to insanity.
Here, Cindy and I try our hand at bongo drums while Pam sharpens her skill on the cow bell. 

Pam and Ernie burning up the dance floor. Cathy looks on. 

Our "old friends" day started with lunch on the Sunset Patio and swimming in the pool below.
L-R, Joyce, Scott, Wayne, Charlie and Ernie.
Dinner at Farley's on the Water and then the dance party in the clubhouse. 

A walk along Myakka dock with Joyce and Pam.
 

This one was taken at Farley's On The Water. That's Joyce and me. 

Here's to friendship!  At Farlows On The Water. 

 I did manage to remember to take a few pictures during one of our final Neighborhood Walk Around evenings. By this time, we knew almost everyone in the park.

Pickleball pals, Shirley (who taught me so much) and Mary.

Hard to see because of the sun overhead, but Wayne (yellow shirt) is riding "The Beer Wagon" which is his bike, pulling Lexie and Ozzie's wagon, filled with cold beer.
Others, (L-R) are Laurie and Bruce on the cart, Shirley, Cathy, Scott and Mary.

Dave, Cindy and Jean

The pool. Ahhh, it was simply fabulous at Myakka. A constant perfect temperature. We enjoyed it several times. A loosely formed Sunday water volleyball game was played on Sunday afternoons. 

Golf. Mary is in great form.
She got new clubs for next year too. 

We made a change in our sleeping arrangement over these few months. After Lexie had three falls from the bed (two in her sleep), we began building the nightly fence to keep her safe. Wayne is a good man. He never complained.

We celebrated Joyce's birthday in early March by starting the day with a tour of Alligator Bay Rum Distillery.
The scent burned in my memory for days.....  

Once Joyce was properly adorned in her tiara, we took the boat ride from Leverocks across the channel to have lunch at Rum Bay.  The celebration included her bucket cocktail drink from a nearby table.  

Then there was the St. Patrick's Day dinner of cornbeef, cabbage and potatoes. First I've ever eaten and it was delicious. Naturally, when the music started, our line dance group raced to the floor at every opportunity to use our new dance skill.

Janice, Laurie (behind me), Jan and Bob. We're the die hards. 

Another great group afternoon outing is the ride from Boca Grande on Gasparilla Island. Scott, Mary, Larry, Cathy, Tony, Wayne and I made a Sunday afternoon visit there for drinks at this beach bar and dinner at another great restaurant named, simply... Sisters.

Sitting around the table, clockwise, me, Wayne, Cathy, Tony, Larry, Mary and Scott.

No pictures at Sisters Restaurant, but here we go directly from dinner to the ice cream store across the street. That's where I discovered my newest favorite ice cream flavor: Trash Can. That's Tony and Cathy.

Wildlife is abundant around Myakka. Along with alligators, our lakes held plenty of fish and a few otters. Lots of raptors, a couple bald eagles and a huge variety of shore birds.

A killdeer made her ground nest near our coach. Wayne protected her four large speckled eggs with a "Bird Nest - Don't Mow" sign taped to one of our patio chairs. The lawn guy laughed and took a picture. 

More golf. This afternoon, I rode while Wayne and Scott paired up with two others for 9 holes at Riverwood. 

St. Patty's dinner photo with our pickleball pro, Bob Oakley. 

The killdeer and her nest... 4 eggs... to the far left... hard to see.

One of our final March Friday evening Meet N Greet gatherings. I remembered to take a few pictures...

Mary and Ron Lee. They bought a lot here. They are from Wyoming. 

Shirley and Ken are from Canada 

Virginia and Cleve bought a lot at Myakka this year. They're from Vermont.

Jan and Bob Oakley bought a lot too. They are full-timers. 

Sweet Margaret.  

Ruthie and Ron joined us late. From Michigan.
They both learned to play pickleball this year too. 

Nan. Another fun pickleball partner. Her husband is Ron. They play golf too. 

Dave and Lou Ann are from Knoxville. He is my verbal sparring partner.
They have a lovely lot and casita at Myakka. 

Shrimp boil. Afterward, a group of us went out for trash can ice cream.
L - R Bob, Jan, Phil, me, Wayne, Scott and Mary. Phil's wife, Theresa is the photographer. 

There's Theresa, our dance instructor.
Not a birthday or anniversary. Just a piece of leftover lemon pie for Phil.

Wayne and Mary at the shrimp boil 

One of our last outings with neighbors was at Beach Road Wine Bar and Bistro in Englewood.

Tony and Larry 

Pickleball Addiction

From Myakka River Motorcoach Resort, Port Charlotte, Florida

Myakka Activities Director, Carol Black. 

In early November I was one of about four people attending one of the resort's first "Pickleball Basics" courses of the winter 2016 season. Pickleball was taught by Carol Black, activities director at Mykka.

The winter crowd isn't here yet so the crowd is small. A group plays every morning around 8 a.m. and I decided to get in on this sport early enough to play all season. Everyone was helpful in teaching and coach me toward improvement.

My first pickleball paddle

I played pickleball with a borrowed paddle the first few weeks. I also attended the next couple of "basics" courses to glean everything possible from Carol about the game. I loved it!

Within a week, I knew I was hooked and after the second week, I ordered my very own paddle, carrying bag and a sleeve of balls.

Ironically, I developed a tenderness my right knee and couldn't use my new paddle for about two weeks. I still went to pickleball every morning and watched the others play.

Wayne isn't interested.

The November group of pickleball players totaled about six people, sometimes more and usually included Carol and a few seasoned players who graciously took turns teaming up with me.



It didn't take long for me to become addicted to pickleball.  I played every morning and stayed as long as there were players with whom I could practice. The group was great, not too serious and eager to share whatever they could to improve my game.

Bill and Ken are playing against Carol and Bruce

Myakka has three nice pickleball courts. One is dedicated to pickleball and the other two other use the adjacent tennis court where two temporary nets are placed. It would be a long time before we used all three pickleball nets but by January, the pickleball group had grown to more than 15, sometimes 20 players.

By January, I began hearing about Myakka's Annual Pickleball Tournament. I was all in. By this time, I was working on strategies and ball placement. Wayne still didn't have an interest.

The day of the 2017 tournament finally came and the weather was perfect. I played well and enjoyed every game. Wayne didn't attend a single game in which I played. I was furious for weeks.

That's me... Serving in one of the final matches in the tournament. 

Intense concentration --  keep  your eye on the ball. That's the secret.
By now, I had a second paddle in hopes Wayne would play.  I used it in the tournament.

Tournament participants.
Ron, Big Bill, Phil, Carol, Shirley, Ken, Mary, me, Bob, Doug, Scott, Doug, Oscar, Cleve, Dick, Allen and Bruce.
To the far left, Jan keeps score.

A potluck lunch after the tournament. Certificates were presented.

Carol, Bob and me. I'm one of four "most improved" pickleball players.
Wayne didn't attend the awards luncheon.  I steamed but did eventually recover. 

My friend, Phil was one of two mens "most improved" at Pickleball. 

Scott was a "Most Improved" player too. 

And my friend Mary won the coveted "Most Improved for next year" trophy.
It's a pickleball stuck to the lid of a jar of pickles. 

It was no surprise Shirley and Bob were the 2017 Champions.
All three of these folks taught me to play better and to love pickleball! 

Myakka: November and December 2016

From Maykka Motorcoach Resort, Port Charlotte, Florida 

In nearly seven years of full-time RV'ing Wayne and I had never committed to a five months stay in one location. We did this winter though -- November through March.  Ray and Cindy Fleishel recommend Myakka River Motorcoach Resort to us a few years ago. This would be our first visit. Wayne thinks we're staying too long but I feel pretty good about the decision as I am eager to relax for a good long while.

Pam and Ernie already had reserved their winter site for six months at Cypress Woods RV Resort in Fort Myers. Joyce and Charlie would make a last minute decision to stay at Seminole Campground in North Fort Myers. Wayne and I are about 40 minutes north.

Cathy walking Scooter who's just outside the picture.

Neighbors to our road side checked in just ahead of us, Tony and Cathy and their friend Larry.
They are from Louisville, Kentucky and travel together. We met them the first afternoon.

Cathy and Tony have a Maltese named Scooter. He bites. Larry is a widower and travels alone.


Our site is across the bridge in the photo below. We are between two of the three lakes.

That's our site just down the street. The sidewalk is perfect for walking Lexie and Ozzie. 

I liked MRMR immediately. It's restricted to motorhomes and has just 99 sites. The developer/owners live on site. I had read nice comments about the park, its owners and the community. Far enough from the crime and crowds of Fort Myers, Port Charlotte has everything we want for a winter visit, including plenty of shopping, a good assortment of restaurants, a nearby Publix and lots of golf.

Ralf and Amber (center) are the developers and owners of Myakka River Motorcoach Resort
 (This photo is from Myakka's Christmas party)

A casual "Meet N Greet" is held on the Sunset Balcony every Friday afternoon, during season, at Myakka. The balcony overlooks the large beautiful pool and deck and offers a fine view of the river and sunsets. During Meet N Greet, wine and German beer are served compliments of the German owner, Ralf and his wife Amber. There's always a little something to snack on too, but the best part is that almost everyone in the park attends, wears a name tag and has a good time. We rarely missed a Friday evening Meet N Greet. Here are some of my early pictures.

One of the first Friday Meet N Greet socials. The crowd is small and manageable now. By full season, the group spills over onto the pool deck below. In this picture I see Charlie, Sandy, Bonnie, Carlo and Bruce. Can't make out the others.

I see Amber and Ralf on the far left and there's Mallory (the Mayor) in the brown baseball cap on the right. Mallory's wife, Maryann in the bis bight blue shirt standing at the bar and Bonnie is sitting to her right.
Laurie is seated on the far right of the photo.

Left to right, Debbie, Sara, Cindy and Ray. We're watching the sunset.

The friendliest of the whole gang are Bruce and Sandy Moore

View of the pool deck, Myakka River and the sinking sun. Taken from the Sunset Patio.
The resort sites are around to the right.

The huge crowd won't arrive until after Christmas so there are lots of vacant spaces in the resort during November and December. It was easy to remember names when there weren't so many at one time. We made a point of trying to meet everyone.

Thanksgiving Dinner at Myakka 

Several social gatherings were scheduled during November, including a neighborhood progressive eating social that called for everyone to walk around the resort, meeting others and eating.


Thanksgiving Dinner was the first formal gathering in Myakka's clubhouse. Bruce took pictures and sent this one to me.

I'm glad he did because I didn't take a single photo.

Dinner was good.

First of many beautiful sunrises at Myakka. This one was taken the morning after Thanksgiving.

That's our coach with the awning shade extended.
Tony and Cathy are to the right and Larry is in the third coach.

The neighbors in this Prevost Featherlight drive a Bentley.
They stayed only a few nights on the property though the coach was here all season.  

There were hundreds of beautiful sunrises and sunsets during our months at Myakka. The weather was extremely dry and hot though. Our patio faced the south and was almost always really warm.

 

During this Friday Meet N Greet, I shared my hat with Laurie when she faced the sunset. 

Another time, I shared my hat with Princess Diana when the sunset was in her eyes. 

Another good view of our lake. 

Ray

It was good to see Ray and Cindy again.

We rarely see them and it's usually for short periods of time. This winter though, they were already at Myakka when we arrived and they remained another month after we left at the end of March.

Looking back at MRMR from the end of the pier.

Despite the leash regulation, I did let Ozzie and Lexie off leash this afternoon on the boardwalk to the river. 

Our resident alligators could pose a problem. Better safe than sorry, Wayne carries pups when they are nearby.

This is the biggest of our gator neighbors. He began taking liberties with the guests and had to be evicted. 

By the time Christmas rolled around, we knew almost everyone in the park. Our Christmas dinner and dance party was well attended. The food was good and so was the entertainment.

Left to right, Steve, Darlene. Carlo and Bonnie. Janice is in bright blue. 

As an "ice breaker" at the Christmas party every year, each table of eight people is required to sing, at the microphone, the Christmas carol of their choice. Someone at our table suggested "Jingle Bell Rock"... and we did! It was the first time I'd ever sung kareoke and I had great fun though it's hard to tell from this picture.

Jingle Bell Rock! Left to right, the singers are.... Larry, me, Howard, Laurie, Charlie, Diana and Cindy!
"Rock The Night Away!" 

There was no turning back after the Christmas carol ice breaker. Everyone took several turns singing and dancing broke out almost immediately.  I think I've found my talent. Well.... maybe not.

Cindy and I do some of our best steps in kareoke.
A tiny solo cup filled with American Honey helped. 

Cindy and I continue to prove our lack of singing ability with "You're So Vain"....

Howard sings his part of "Hit The Road Jack" as directed by his wife, Diana (in red).

Myakka also hosted a nice New Years party, complete with fireworks at midnight but we didn't attend. Ozzie got scared of the early party neighborhood firecrackers and we couldn't leave him.