02/01/26 to 03/31/26 Elite Resort Clermont, FL Part Two & Three

  Elite Resort at Citrus Valley

 Part Two & Three

February 01 to March 31, 2026 

I think this nicely sums up what it's been like here in Florida. January and most of February saw my heat pump working more often than not. And when the temps dipped below 38º, rendering the heat pump ineffective, the propane furnace was called into service. 

Yes, two blogs for the price of one...such a deal! These past two months saw no pause in my experiencing meaningful moments—I simply lost the spark to document them. The days were still filled with familiar rhythms: 8:30 a.m. coffee, 3:30 cocktail hour, 7:30 p.m. and the conversations around the campfire heard again unless it was too cold to enjoy; all still memorable encounters. Yet when it came time to sit down and write, the motivation just wasn’t there. Instead of capturing those moments as they happened, I chose to stay present and enjoy them; I was in Florida; a different location, a different life style, different weather; all such things should be absorbed, savored and appreciated. And that's just what I did. The events accumulated quietly. Now, looking back, those unwritten stretches have become noticeable gaps in my travel chronicles—periods rich with experiences that will need to be reconstructed from memory, reflection, and the lingering impressions they left behind. 

So, in an effort to condense three months into a reading moment, I'll simply present the bare essentials beginnings with our dining venues. Photos later. Following any of the links will allow you to savor what could have been.

Amore Italian Ristorante

Bayridge Sushi

Best of British Pubs

Carrabba's 

Crooked Spoon

First Watch

Friar Tuck

Giovani's Italian Ristorante

I Love NY Pizza

KeKe's Breakfast Cafe

Longhorn Steakhouse

Millers Ale House 

Mission BBQ

Oakwood Grill 

Ocean House

Salt Shack on the Lake

Amore's Ristorante: Mel, Doreen, Pat, Kathy, Ray, Johnny, Jim, Tony, Dan. Not in photo: Sharon, Bob, Ray, Charlie

Carrabba's: Doreen, Roberta, Mel, Dan, Jack, Tony

Longhorn: Jack, Mel, Dan, Roberta, Johnny, Tony, Doreen

Boys Night Out - Longhorn. Walter, Jim, Johnny, Ray, Dan, Tony, Charlie

The Friar Tuck: Dan, Mel, Doreen, Fran, Walter, Tony, Jack, Charlie

Robata's Hibachi & Sushi: Roberta, Doreen, Tony, Ray, Kathy, Mel, Dan, Jack, Charlie

Mark, Mya, Zane, Amanda, Matt, Zahni, Jack at Cariera's Fresh Italian Restaurant

Salt Shack on the Lake: Charlie, Doreen, Mel, Kathy, Fran, Walter, Ray, Dan, Tony, Johnny

Husbands waiting for wives

Super Bowl Sunday at Johnny's site

Plenty of table space for food...

...plenty of chairs...

Many Palm trees did not make it through the recent freeze.

With the ladies outside, some of the men preferred the warmth inside Johnny's coach. Same game, different temperature. Roberta, Liz and Jim/Pat all winners .

After living with a leaky awning in spots, especially over the door, I decided to invest in a new one. RB Mobile RV Service was recommended to me by Walter and I'm quite happy and satisfied with the results.

My order was waiting for them.

The father-son team were experienced and went about...

...the job with very little discussion. It was not their first job.

Because of a mismatch in size, the LED lighting strip I purchased years before would not fit in the groove at the end of the awning. It found a better home attached to the RV and now would provide light without extending the awning. 

Also needing replacement was the LED night light at the door.. Having both items, they installed and caulked to weather proof both at no extra charge.

Rainy days sitting beneath at cocktail hour was now a pleasurable experience.

After noticing a leak coming in from behind the newly installed awning, TALL Dan rectified the situation with another bead of caulk.

 

One evening around the campfire we spotted a ferocious armadillo wandering past. Fortunately, all were safe and uninjured as it continued unfazed by our presence and wandered through the hedges and disappeared.

Dan came upon a pair of perfectly good bar chairs/stools at the dumpster. One had a defective lever that prevented up and down adjustments. Our smokers used them away from our nightly campfires.

Carlo and MB visited the east coast of Florida and were met with unexpected weather.

An unexpected adventure was the new bridge I needed after enjoying a bite of Italian nougat candy in West Palm Beach and realizing it wasn't a nut I was about to chew.

Captured this tray of instruments while the dental assistant was out of the room. Yippee, let the fun begin. The good thing? I now have dentists, eye doctors and foot doctors in three cities.

Kizuna Sushi Hibachi was another sushi place Walter and I enjoyed not mentioned above. Even with the expensive and beautiful decor, the acoustics magnified the noise and screaming babies and tots. Or? Am I getting old? It continues to amaze me the number of little people that take to and enjoy sushi. 

A Cattle Egret perched on a bush in front of my RV

A full moonrise to the east of us. The next one will be the Pink Moon on the evening of April 1, 2026. Not usually pink but associated with the spring blossoms usually occurring this time of the year.

The "Chair in the Tree" landmark outside the Salt Shack on the Lake (Lake Minneola). AI tells me: The chair is a decorative piece that was placed in the crook of one of the many large oak trees on the property. Over several years, the tree has naturally grown its bark around the miniature's legs and base, "consuming" the object in a process known as edaphic integration or inosculation.

While at the Salt Shack on a Boys Night Out, I decided to hide the ketchup bottle out of Johnny's sight. It's been medically demonstrated that blood samples of Johnny shows a high concentration of ketchup.

Johnny's on the left

Then there was St. Paddy's Day with our own leprechaun. And with him, a terrific St. Patrick's Day tradition continued.

A group effort with burners for keeping foods warm...

...to the huge undertaking of Ray and Kathy cooking up her usual delicious and famous corned beef and cabbage, complete with potatoes and carrots. Thanks again, Ray and Kathy. Tony prepared McGuinnys (layered Peroni and Guinness beers).

and tables set up for the group.

To conclude, these are among my favorite things;

These are my favorite activities:

Morning coffee with Johnny, Dan, Walter, Jack and Ray. "Some friendships are measured in years — ours are measured in cups."

Happy Hour: The "Dead Soldiers Graveyard." Sip happens. It's proof that God wanted us to have friends and discounted booze. Explanation available upon request after doing the math.

Evening Campfires: I came for the fire, stayed for the reruns. The stories retold have more miles than my RV. But, hey, at our age, the stories repeat and so do we. Thank you Johnny for the use of your Solo Stove.  

Next up for my next blog, yet another unforgettable adventure the week of February 15th to the 21st; my 6-day Royal Caribbean Western Caribbean cruise aboard the Rhapsody of the Seas. Come back and visit.

Here's to three months of Florida RV life: May our waistlines forgive us for the many runs to our favorite dining venues, our livers thank us for the happy hours, and our hearts never forget the people and the camaraderie around the evening fires that made every single day better.