We bought a home...

Congrats and many good times ahead for you all!

Ocala is beautiful! Big Daddy Don Garlits will be your neighbor.

Whitesands! I am so happy for you - Congratulations! Many of us have been waiting to hear new sweet stories about Henry and Jeffrey but we will patiently await until they visit you in Ocala.

Ocala is very beautiful. You're gonna love it!

Congrats! I love the Ocala area, and I am sure you will have plenty of company being so close to so much to see and do.

WhiteSands, your post reads like a good bye letter. You don't have to leave SoWal.com/bb just because you bought a place in Ocala. (Congratulations on your purchase.)

WhiteSands, SmilingJoe is right, just because you are moving to Ocala doesn't mean you can't hang with us. Congratulations and best of luck in your new "chapter of life."

Sorry to hear you are leaving, but like SJ and dbuck said keep on posting and enjoying sowal!

Why thank you all for your very kind, very sweet words. SJ, I guess I did think of my post as "final". I really don't know why now. Thank you for reminding me how wonderful the folks here on Sowal are...not that I really needed reminding, but still...

We had a lovely Christmas with our son, daughter-in-law and Henry and Jeffrey at their new home...one funny story to relate...when we were leaving to come back home, Terra whispered to the boys, as she is wont to do at times like that. Henry said words to the effect of thank you both for coming to our home for Christmas and thank you for the presents. Jeffrey (2...almost 3 now) said "You should thank me for letting you come to my house!" Terra quickly pointed out Jeffrey's faux paux to him and he ran up wordlessly with hugs all around. I could just eat him/them up!

We are looking forward to spending three months in Ocala and exploring the many things offered there. It all sounds wonderful to us...Don Garlits included, Kurt! My husband, Mike, is a motor head from way back!

It won't compare to the SOWAL area...we are not on water, can't see any from our place, but fairly near some...Silver Springs.

Again, thanks to all for your wonderful words.

I will drop in, once we are settled, and let you know how it goes in Slocala...lol Slocala...sounds so good to me!

Lynne

Congratulations Lynn! My Mom lived south of Ocala in The Villages for several years. My kids LOVED going to Grammys. Many great memories were made at Disney World, Daytona, Crystal River and Homasassa Springs. We never made it to Silver Springs in Ocala so when you visit be sure to give us a trip report! Are you there permanently now or just for the winters? Where do the boys live?

OL, we will be there, probably from Dec. 31 to around Apr 2, this year...something like that...the boys live in Oakville, Ontario, Canada. We're already sewing the seeds for their first visit. I think their Dad will be first though, on his way through to do some business further down in Florida. Nothing written in cement just yet.

Thanks for your encouraging post and I will post about Silver Springs when we get a chance to visit.

Whitesands! I am so happy for you - Congratulations! Many of us have been waiting to hear new sweet stories about Henry and Jeffrey but we will patiently await until they visit you in Ocala.

Ocala is very beautiful. You're gonna love it!

JR, you are always so kind. Thank you for sweet words of encouragement. As soon as I can, I will post about our experiences with H and J!

Oh, Silver Springs, glass bottom boats, I wasn't sure that was even still there. One of my earliest memories as a very young child.

Please do stay in touch!

If I'm not mistaken, John Travolta has a home (or should I say "estate") just north of Ocala in the Jumbolair neighborhood.

If I'm not mistaken, John Travolta has a home (or should I say "estate") just north of Ocala in the Jumbolair neighborhood.

You are not mistaken...and the Jumbolair complex offers a Sunday Brunch, I believe, in their Inn, that apparently is amazing...as is the price. We don't have a plane, but we hope to drive over and experience that, when we get some time this winter. We'll see!

We haven't met, and may not, but we are actually just south of Ocala, and do love the area.
Ocala is a bit more built up then our area. Definate down home feeling with Horse farms and sprawling estates.

We are actually in the reverse.....we are bitting at the bit to head up to SoWal for the long haul, we just returned and are ready to head back already and it's only been 24 hrs since we arrived home!

I'll make you a promise!?

You take care of our lovely evenings, to the animals in the night, viewing the beautiful foxes running the property, along with other wild life, wild turkey, bobcat etc. Don't forget to go outside at night and look up and see the awesome light display in the skies here. The people, we are a different breed down here! We could never get the Camoflouge look down, although, I will not say we didn't try, the people here are also very hospitable and caring.

We will do the same for you, in the red brick road communities of SoWal we'll take care of those beautiful sounding crashing waves, the awesome sunsets, white sand, and the super people for you!

You will have to stay on the forum and keep us posted and we'll do the same for you.

We have loved our life in the Slower paced world, now we are looking for a new adventure, after raising 6 kids.......

Good Luck, your gonna love it in Ocala! ;-)

We haven't met, and may not, but we are actually just south of Ocala, and do love the area.
Ocala is a bit more built up then our area. Definate down home feeling with Horse farms and sprawling estates.

We are actually in the reverse.....we are bitting at the bit to head up to SoWal for the long haul, we just returned and are ready to head back already and it's only been 24 hrs since we arrived home!

I'll make you a promise!?

You take care of our lovely evenings, to the animals in the night, viewing the beautiful foxes running the property, along with other wild life, wild turkey, bobcat etc. Don't forget to go outside at night and look up and see the awesome light display in the skies here. The people, we are a different breed down here! We could never get the Camoflouge look down, although, I will not say we didn't try, the people here are also very hospitable and caring.

We will do the same for you, in the red brick road communities of SoWal we'll take care of those beautiful sounding crashing waves, the awesome sunsets, white sand, and the super people for you!

You will have to stay on the forum and keep us posted and we'll do the same for you.

We have loved our life in the Slower paced world, now we are looking for a new adventure, after raising 6 kids.......

Good Luck, your gonna love it in Ocala! ;-)

Outta the box! You have a deal for sure! We are leaving tomorrow morning at about 8:00 am and can't wait! We will be travelling with our two greyhounds, so will stop for the night just off 75A at the Homesuites in/near Knoxville. We then hope to arrive at our place in Ocala in time for the sunset the next day. We are towing a small car, so we may not be able to get there in time...but still, I can't wait! Did I say that already?!...lolol We are so looking forward to taking in everything Ocala and the surrounding area has to offer. Your positive reinforcement is the icing on the cake!

I hear you about SoWal! We love everything about it! When we first discovered this piece of heaven, we stayed at a lovely place in Santa Rosa Beach...it was there that we first were introduced to and immediately fell in love with Grouper Sandwiches. We went on a search for the Best Grouper Sandwich...it was a toss-up between two beloved establishments! Wonderful memories of walking on the sugary white sand beaches and of drives up and down 30A...and tasting the wonderful tastes the area has to offer, the unbeatable sunsets, and on and on...you'll love it! But you already know that!

Perhaps we will meet sometime...we're heading out to Bargains and Treasures as soon as we (and our hounds) get settled in, to find some Southern Living furniture at bargain prices, I'm told. We'll see.

Thanks so much for posting. I feel as if we have neighbours (pardon my Canadian spelling...lol) already!

Lynne

Outta the box! You have a deal for sure! We are leaving tomorrow morning at about 8:00 am and can't wait! We will be travelling with our two greyhounds, so will stop for the night just off 75A at the Homesuites in/near Knoxville. We then hope to arrive at our place in Ocala in time for the sunset the next day. We are towing a small car, so we may not be able to get there in time...but still, I can't wait! Did I say that already?!...lolol We are so looking forward to taking in everything Ocala and the surrounding area has to offer. Your positive reinforcement is the icing on the cake!

I hear you about SoWal! We love everything about it! When we first discovered this piece of heaven, we stayed at a lovely place in Santa Rosa Beach...it was there that we first were introduced to and immediately fell in love with Grouper Sandwiches. We went on a search for the Best Grouper Sandwich...it was a toss-up between two beloved establishments! Wonderful memories of walking on the sugary white sand beaches and of drives up and down 30A...and tasting the wonderful tastes the area has to offer, the unbeatable sunsets, and on and on...you'll love it! But you already know that!

Perhaps we will meet sometime...we're heading out to Bargains and Treasures as soon as we (and our hounds) get settled in, to find some Southern Living furniture at bargain prices, I'm told. We'll see.

Thanks so much for posting. I feel as if we have neighbours (pardon my Canadian spelling...lol) already!

Lynne

Well you have a lovely Trip Lynne!

We are hoping to be in SoWal for good in March sometime, have a place here to sell/rent or just .....hmmmm heck I don't know, just know we must do it soon!

I Just know after 6 kids, 4 grandkids....It's time for this 30 SOMETHING Grandma.....hehehehe (CORK you HUSH, I can dream I'm still 30 something)! Is ready for time with Granddad while we are still young enough to have the fun, and SoWal seems the place to do it in!

Enjoy the Grandkids, and all the "Country" fun you will have in Ocala and surrounding areas, your just gettin ready to hit the "County Fair" time in Feb. Great fun, they actually shut the local schools down! The large majority of the kids in this area raise animals for the fair and show them and sell them. It's an amazing sight to see small children so excited about their Steer or Pig or Rabbit. This is a GREAT Family area......"Waltons Mountain" Without the Mountains!

Enjoy!

Outta the box...thank you for your good wishes. We are here! We had a good trip down. We arrived in daylight on a warm, sunny Jan 1st.

Oh yes, we love the country...our "up north" home is in the country. We have sweet corn in front of us and a peach orchard in the rear, and, I believe, the oldest Sept. Fair in our Province. Lots of cows and sheep, but not many horses! We are looking forward to that. I75 (...I think I said "75A" in my previous post...30A on the brain, I guess...) took us through some beautiful ranches. What a beautiful picture! We're looking forward to exploring that region once we "land".

Well, you 30 SOMETHING mother of 6 and grandma of 4 (this coming from a 30 X 2 mother of 1 and grandma of 2) lol, I think you deserve to have lots of fun with Granddad in Sowal. No better place I can think of...fun in the sun all day and a tall, cool one on the lanai in the evening watching some of the most beautiful, breathtaking sunsets we've seen. What more could one ask?!

I'll think of you in March! Enjoy! Let us know how it is going from time to time please.

Sounds beautiful, white sands. Happy New year in your new home.

Congrats, Whitesands. Ocala is my favorite place to stop for the night, or at least eat, when driving to/from anywhere south of there. I enjoy bailing off the interstate and taking Hwy 27 to see the horse farms - something we never seem to have time to do anymore. Hope you enjoy it!