Marstons, 2017, Recap!

Charlie Brown brought his tree.

December 2017 is here and we are in Florida. We are starting our fourteenth year at Holiday Travel Resort in Leesburg, FL.  

Our normal route from FL each spring is to Gaffney, SC for regular Freightliner service for the motor home.  We made a brief stop in Dandridge, TN at Douglas Lake in view of the Smoky Mountains. We lived here 53  years ago! We arrived home in Franklin, TN on April 14, 2017.  

Charles has completed two years playing trombone with the Lake Concert Band of Leesburg.  This 75+ piece group is a delight.  It has an impressive performance schedule.  We arrived in Leesburg on November 30 and Charles attended the rehearsal that night and a concert on Dec. 3. 
Lake Concert Band click to listen on You Tube.

Saturday, December 2, 2017 was the annual Tuba Christmas in The Villages, FL….close to our town of Leesburg.   Charles is approaching 30 Tuba Christmas performances.

Our involvement with FMCA’s Frustrated Maestros continues.  Charles directed the area rallies for Midwest which met in Amana, IA and Music Camp and the Greater Eastern Area held in Lewisburg, WV.  He directed the FMCA International Rally in Indianapolis, IN last July.  Roxie was Rally Captain for the Maestros working out details and arrangements with the Events Coordinator many months prior.

After a grand 6 weeks at home and a change of seasons we left for Lewisburg, WV for Music Camp and GEAR.  Music Camp, the first week in October, is unique in that no other area has one.  This week was followed by the Greater Eastern Area Rally…GEAR in Lewisburg, WV at the family owned state fairgrounds.

On the way to WV in October we had a first in all the years of motorhoming…a right front blowout!  We were near Bristol, VA and found help and a new tire.  With changed tire we entered a long tunnel in WV and as you have guessed…we had another blow out….inside left dual.  We traveled on about 100 miles unaware.  Once in WV we had installed 5 more new tires….all during Music Camp!  

We have continued the Thanksgiving tradition of stopping with our son Kevin and family. This Methodist minister moved in June to Lawrenceburg, TN to Coleman United Methodist Church. You can be certain how we love seeing him “at work.”

We continue our work with the Frustrated Maestros.  Charles will direct the International FMCA in Perry, GA in March 2018. Roxie is Maestro Rally Captain which involves the many details for Maestros.  She really enjoys this “work.” 

In July 2018 we will be in Gillette, WY for another FMCA International.  Charles will direct and Roxie has been named Rally Captain to coordinate Maestro events with FMCA.

Our Greyhounds, Heidi and Daisy, are therapy dogs with Advanced Therapy Dogs based in Cheyenne, WY.  We do visits in our home town of Franklin when we are in town and do visits at our winter home in Leesburg, FL.  Christmas day, 2017, we have schedule a visit to an assisted living facility.  We are happy to share our greys with these folks.

Our 12 year old Canadian born Cat PeeDee has ridden with us all of his life….all over the country.

At home we share responsibility for a neighbor’s cat, Lulu.  She lives with us all of the time and her original owner cares for her when we are away.  She has heat/AC, light, radio, potties, kitty window and Charles when we are home.  She is his secretary…a real blond bombshell.

We will arrive in Franklin, TN… to our brick and mortar home at the end of April.    In July we will be in Gillette, WY for Charles to direct this International FMCA event.  Roxie will be rally captain for Maestros.

                                                                                                                                  

         We wish for you a fulfilling holiday season.
Charles, Roxie Heidi, Daisy, PeeDee....Marstons