This Corp of Engineer Park is also very difficult to get
into but H managed to squeeze out several days – but with 2 “shuffles” within
the park itself. Our first 2 nights
were on site #48 – a very lovely site in the first loop. From there we moved to the other loop to
site
#9 – which was only available for one night. Our next move was to be to
site #7 – two sites down. Easy,
right?? On our only day on site #9 I
had an eye appointment in Ft Myers. Out on the highway, just out of the
campground, in the turning lane TO the campground was an old “Beverly
Hillbilly” kind of truck/camper that was broke down. We knew this truck from its one night next to us back in
WP!! H and I both just KNEW this guy was
going to end up on site #7 – where we were to move to the very next
morning. When we returned to camp that
evening, sure enough – “Baughb” (that’s how he spells his name: BOB!) was on
site #7. He and his “RV” had been
carried to his site on a flat bed trailer – but he promised to have it running
before 11am – check out/move over time!
When 11am arrived we were just about all packed down and ready but the
owner of the duck taped/baling wired truck was no where to be seen. Another
camper had taken him to town for parts!
Once he finally got the truck started and pulled out (just after 1pm) H
also pulled out and backed the “train” down to our new site! I asked the ranger if there was going to be
a new rule stating that you had to enter the campground under your own power to
be able to camp there!
Our days on site #7 went fast! Our new friends from WP, Bill & Sharon also moved to Ortona
but were at the farthest end of our loop so our feet and/or bikes were put to
good use! Lots of big beautiful boats kept
the waterways busy, coming and going thru the locks! One day a fellow camper and I watched 2 otters frolic in and out
of the grasses in the little creek that divided the 2 camp loops, as they swam
in the sunshine towards the river. I
was up early each morning and watched the marshmallow sun rise up over the
palms and scrub of the cattle fields behind us, making the mist and the fog
glow a soft pink in the warming sky.
With my eye problems, we hadn’t even gotten to visit with dear Carol and
Bud up in Lake Placid but we picked a day and headed north to see their new
little winter home and enjoy another great Mexican lunch with our friends!
Last October, H had an episode involving a blood clot in his
left leg. Another painful one has shown
up and so he spent Sunday afternoon in the EMERGENCY room in Ft Myers. I sat in the truck in the shade - - way too much flu going around in
hospital emergency rooms down here! On
Tuesday we both spent the majority of the afternoon in our respective doctors
offices - H seeing a vascular surgeon and me with the last of my visits with my
Ft Myers corneal specialist! Good news
on both counts! H’s new health
aggravation is under control and the meds are working! Awwwww- but the doctor told him to give up
the cigars. I’ve (we’ve) been to see
the corneal specialist twice since being at Ortona and he feels that healing
has finally begun! The eye still has a
long way to go but the ulcer is smaller.
The cause of the problem has never been discovered and he does not know
which of the drugs is bringing the healing so I am to take all 4 of them
still. He seemed pleased with the new
specialist that I have an appointment with in West Palm Beach!
