2013 Our Long Winding Trip from Florida to California: Dade City Workcamping

Kumquat

Vintage Airstream

During peak holiday season in Florida, we signed up as work campers at Traveler's Rest Resort in Dade City. It was about an hour and 15 minute drive North of Clearwater, where Kim's mom (Kaye-Mom) lives. Our duties were very light: Kim filled propane a few hours a day while Dede answered the phone and greeted guests in the front office. Between us both we worked only 22 hours in four days. The resort was originally for airstream travel-trailers only. Above is a handsome vintage model owned by our new friend Jeriel (a lovely Baritone player). Now the resort has park models, cabanas and they still have room for travelers like us. It's situated among horse farms and orange groves. We discovered a new fruit: kumquat. It makes a fabulous pie (like key lime pie)!

Our coach, the day our new keyboard foot pedals arrived.

People always ask Dede if she misses her old Steinway, now in East Rochester, NY with a fabulous, former piano student. But the fact is, we have a beautiful (2013) digital keyboard--Privia 330 by Casio. The onboard recording and playback (audio and MIDI) are excellent for helping write keyboard arrangements and working on jazz and pop standards.

Keyboard club plays for lunch crowd
at the snack shack.

The resort is big on volunteers and clubs. We couldn't believe how busy everyone was. It reminded us of summer camp! We got involved in tennis of course and clogging, too. Kim sang and Dede played piano for the on-site Sunday Interdenominational church service (the beautiful concert hall has a Yamaha concert grand and a Rogers organ), and "Dr. O." helped to explain things like keyboard memory and cycle of fifths with the keyboard club and harmonica club.

We played as a duo for a couple dinner parties and we played in the "Travellaires" orchestra/band. (It's a band with strings.) This resident dance band was a treasure! Kim took lead on vocals every Friday night, and played rhythm guitar. Dede played the bass part on keyboard--good ear training.

After awhile Dede picked up a real bass and kinda remembered how to work it. (In middle school, Dede played upright bass in the school orchestra after starting on violin and before settling down on viola.) Dede arranged "Wonderful World" for the band leader, Phil and his grand-daughter to sing together with the band.

At the resort there are concerts every Sunday night and many Wednesday nights. We were really surprised to learn that one of the best guest performers was Dede's college room-mate! Valerie Gillespie is a fabulous saxophone player and has her own trio, performing all over Florida. We got to hear her perform at three different events. Beautiful!

A friend of Kim's from Rochester, NY visited one day as a guest performer and really wowed everyone-- Cindy Miller!

We enjoyed a music-day with our Hilton Head Island friends, now living in Sun City Center, in the Strawberry Capital of the country! (world, maybe). We got to see Ruth & Paul Warman, Fran & Richard VanPelt, and Carol & Bill Pritcher. We played piano and organ duets at Ruth's house and shared an entire flat of strawberries!

One night there was a talent show and we both took solo spots. On a lark, Dede played Chopin's "Minute Waltz" in 57 seconds. Instead of 100 beats-per-minute, she took it at 100 measures-per-minute. If you really want to see it, here it is.

Meanwhile, Every Week in Clearwater

Foolin' around with Kaye-Mom at Steak n Shake!

We had lots of time to get into trouble with Kaye-Mom at Bay Aristocrat Village! We performed as a duo for the Bay Aristocrat 90th Birthday Celebration. It went really well and we made a demo video so we could send it ahead to the places we'll be traveling to later this year.

Kim n Dede perform at Bay Aristocrat Village 90th Birthday Party

Guy plays a MIDI wind instrument: EWI.
He can make it sound like a sax, bassoon, tuba,
electric piano--almost anything!

Our performance was well received and led to the making of new friends and eventually, we started our own band, "The Manatees." We played two concerts out on the deck for Bay Aristocrat Village!

The Manatees: Tony, Guy, Dede, Kim, Kaye-Mom, Cathy

Our beautiful rehearsal location at Tony's house!

Kaye-Mom had lots of projects for both of us. She had just put in a new screened porch in the back. It needed a few finishing touches (plant holders, another outlet, more this, more that...) Plus there was a dinner party going on at her house every time we came. We were exhausted!

Teaching Kaye the Internet.

Kaye is always taking classes.
Above: her online jewelry store. Below: her first Ikebana art exhibit.

Hey if you're looking for one-of-a-kind jewelry, check out Kaye-Mom's store on Etsy! Kim's daughter, Rachel Quintanilla (now in Los Angeles, CA) did the logo! Talent in the family!

LOTS OF DIVES
Looking for Bluegrass in Clearwater? Our friend Trina showed us the best bluegrass dive.

Trina just started fiddle lessons a couple years ago.

Dad and his bro hang out under the boat.

The boat shack is literally falling into the water.

We took Dad (Jim Britton) to this bluegrass spot as soon as he arrived. He and his brother Tom loved it. The place is practically falling into the water.

This inspired Dede to get the fiddle out from under the bed. Notice it has a human head for a scroll! Very unusual! It sounds great.

Dad stayed nearby, in Madeira Beach for the whole month of February! Go Dad!

Lookin' Good Papa Moose!

We love the show "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives" and so we looked up a couple places nearby. We got to two of them: California Tacos and Smoked Fish (our new favorite!) in Madeira Beach.

From the TV show! Fish TACO! Wow!
(We went back for more another day!)

Swimming with the Manatees!

This is my kind of dive!

Gotta Catch Up with Family!

Garrick Schindler (Dede's stepson now in Columbus, OH)
came to visit for Easter. We went to the Dali Museum in St. Petersburg.

When you grow up in a big family like Dede (five kids, three dogs, three cats, one raccoon and somebody had other things in cages but she didn't look too close...) you kind of get used to having lots of people around and lots of noise. So when we got together, we really whoop it up!

Julie (Dede's sister in Baltimore, MD)
came to visit Dad for a weekend.

Everybody picks on Kim!

Terri (Dede's sister in Baltimore, MD)
came to visit Dad for a weekend.

Chris Ondishko (Dede's brother, now in Orlando, FL).
He built this music instrument from car parts cast out of his auto shop.

Chris, Christina, Julie, Dede, Dad, Terri
(Nina and Kim in the mirror.)
Post-Charades at about 1:00 AM.

Kim's family is smaller: he's the big brother and Holly is the little sister (his puppet). Holly came out to visit while we were near and before her first day starting a new job in Gunnison, CO.

Taking Time With a Favorite Niece, Nina!

Nina and Dede had a surprise dinner in Gainesville,
where Nina has an apartment. (Dede came up for a concert
and as luck would have it, Nina was there, too!)