Jensen Beach

Last year after our week in New Smyrna Beach, Clyde and I drove on south to Jensen Beach.  We wanted to check out the mobile park, Holiday Out, where our friends have a lot.  We looked at open lots, where you can pull an RV/camper, we looked at park models, singles with a Florida room, and bigger homes.  Some are double wides, some are even two story.  We didn't want to put a lot of money in a place that possibly a hurricane could come and we lose our investment.  You can't get hurricane insurance on older models.   We liked this area, this park, the activities, the people and hoped we could find a place.  

So, January 1st, we headed south to Holiday Out.  We rented a place that was not real nice inside.  We rented it for a month but would not rent it again.  During the first couple of weeks there, we were at an event "Bash By the Beach".  We sat at a table with our friends, Valerie & Dennis (that showed us the ropes) and met a couple, Maureen & Pier.  Through our conversation about buying, Pier mentioned a place to Clyde.  He knew of an elderly man, Bill Shearman, age 93, that was recently moved into a nursing home.  He had one of the smaller places, a single with a finished Florida room.  It had brown wood paneling, one bedroom, one bath with a wooden deck on the back.  We called his family to see if they wanted to sell and they did.  Actually, they wanted to to sell it quickly and took our offer without a counter offer.

On Feb. 4th, we closed on this place.  Immediately, Clyde had a few small leaks to fix, an air conditioning duct under the mobile to connect, light fixture in kitchen to replace, three ceiling fans to change, the paneling to paint and more to do when we return.  It is in a great location, Jensen Beach, across A1A from the clubhouse, pool, and private beach.  We hope to spend many years to come there and continue to enjoy the people (friends) at HO. 

Here are a few of the "before" and "after" pictures, although we are just getting started.  More changes to come!

This is before he raised the shutters out 4 ft.

He removed this table/desk and painted the paneling white.

We threw away this sofa/loveseat (offered to give it away first)

We don't have an "after" yet of the deck.  Plan to replace it with pavers.

Air conditioner new last July, 2014.

All the floor registers had to be replaced.

This is an example of the new registers (bottom).

This was a quick (should have been easy) change that made a vast improvement.

New range hood/fan/light

Replaced fan with light in the kitchen (above).  One without light, lower ceiling, Florida room (TV room).

Before paint

Started with primer, not easy to paint twice.  All the cutting in wore him out.

Added framed canvas above left.  Took out sofa to Florida room.  Still need window valances.

We hosted a small dinner party to say thank you to those that helped us and "goodbye for now".

This is looking out the dining/kitchen area, with the shutters pushed out.   So much better!

Before bookshelves and walls were painted off white.
Door to the left leads to back unfinished work/storage room.

After paint, moved sofa here from kitchen area.

This is a queen sofa sleeper that we covered with an off white cover.  And moved it to the Florida room (from the kitchen area).  We may purchase a new sofa at some point.

If you look around us, you can see the bookshelves, painted white (with the walls).

New towels (brown) and picture for the wall.

Changed out the shower curtain, shells not flowers.

This is the old shower curtain & rug.

Old room.  No mattress, but cool model airplanes he built.  They were not left behind.

This is the new quilt, but still need new lights.  We did replace the valance, but don't have a pic.

Well, the best part of this place are the amenities.  The clubhouse, pool and beach.  But mostly, the people.  We feel very blessed to have met so many nice, nice people.  

Third Post from Jensen

Today was our second Sunday at Jensen and we began by attending the Chapel By the Sea church.  They honored those that have died this past year from Holiday Out.  There were 35 I believe and they placed a long stem rose in a vase in honor of each one.  It makes me so happy that there were more in attendance for church here than anything we have been part of so far.  

I am trying to think of any new things to blog about since last post! We have joined several activities and gone to a couple of "whole park" type of things.  We always saw bocce ball but never played.  A couple of men were playing and took mercy, asked us to play, and taught us how.  It was easy to pick up, not so easy to control rolling the balls.  For me that is.  Clyde did well....beat me quickly.  

This was a cool day and we went to eat at Seaside Cafe (at the clubhouse) then came out and learned bocce ball.

We met friends from Canada last spring and through our friend's, Valerie and Dennis, we quickly hooked up again with Diane, Sharon and their sweethearts.  Diane keeps Rummikube  active at the pool.  She and Don also taught us Sequence (Clyde and I have only played once:) but we liked it and bought us a mat at the local flea market.

After walking around for a short time the enormous flea market, we stopped and watched the Cats play Texas A & M in a game too close for comfort!  Double overtime, but we managed a Win!

We have spent some time riding bikes, but just slowly around the mobile park (Holiday Out).  Mostly checking out anything and everything that is for sale.  We have looked inside several places trying to find one suitable for our needs (and priced right).

The three pics above are from our "meet and greet" last night called "Bash by the beach" which is in the clubhouse.  We each took a canned good to donate, an appetizer (I took a chutney cheese ball) and our own drinks (we just had lunch at Flanigans, so we took our refill cup of iced tea...yummy).  The theme was hawaiian and looked great.  After we chatted and ate, they took up the food tables, and several danced (we only did that one dance!)  We did meet two nice couples that sat at the table with us and the Traynors.  

Taking our lunch out or just a snack at the beach was something I enjoyed.  We can't take food in the pool area, so this is nice.

Last pic today, this is from lunch at Shuckers (spelling?) a fun restaurant on the ocean.  It is right across the road from our place (and down a short way), with a great view of the sea.  We ate there today (Sunday).  Ended the day watching football, walking down to a mobile we are checking out (a little too high for our small budget), and blogging (me)....Clyde is reading.  So, tomorrow begins another week.  May be rainy and coolish, but we will enjoy it!  Thankful.

For 18 years mom & dad came down to Okeechobee, Florida.  When I see this sign, I am reminded they were some of the best years of their lives.  They loved to fish and that's what they did!  They brought back coolers full of fileted fish and had many fish fry's.  Fort Pierce is where they drove over to church on Sundays.

 Clyde and I are now snow birds, spending January in Jensen Beach.  We are at a mobile/RV park, Holiday Out.  We are renting an "old" mobile that isn't as nice as we hoped, but the park is nice.  We came for the clubhouse, activities, friends and warm weather!  

 Our first night out with our friends from home.  We drove down to Fort Pierce and ate at Bluewater Beach Grill.  Super good fish baskets.  

 This is a mansion across the road from our park.  It is on the beach and we have walked the beach behind it.  Only two people live there, we've been told.  They do this spectacular Christmas display of lights that is amazing!!!  I was SO happy the lights were still on when we arrived!  

 This is the choir and director, Brandon, at the church called Chapel by the Sea, here at Holiday Out.  They have a new pastor and they welcomed he and his wife the first Sunday in January.  We plan to worship here during the month.

 They gave us coffee and desserts after service to meet and greet.

 My first afternoon out on the beach was perfect weather.  I went alone but loved every minute.  Clyde and Dennis worked on Dennis' golf cart, installing a backseat bench.

This little frog was my gift from our ABF class Christmas social.  It was just a fun little frog that is "chillin" and we brought it with us to chill in Florida.