February 18 - 22, 2025 - Golf Cart Repair - A Visit by Annie, Violet, and Wren

My Blog Reflection 

The memories we make with our family is everything.

Candace Cameron Bure

Monday, February 17, 2025

The night before we left for the cruise something broke on the golf cart brake pedal. It would go in on an angle and would not return after being pushed. I had no time to investigate before we left. I suspected a broken spring. After supper I investigated and found an entirely different issue. The rubber block that holds the pivot rod for the brake pedal had broken on one side due to old age. (This is a 1985 cart). Here is a picture.

Tuesday February 18, 2025 - Chasing Down the Part

I took a picture of the broken part and looked it up on the golf cart schematic drawing I had. The part was shown but there was no name was given to it. Since I had no name I couldn’t Google it to find the part online.

The girls LOVE to ride around in the golf cart so the first thing in the morning the three of us headed to “Cruisin Carts”, which had excellent reviews for helping people with their carts. The parts man there was outstanding. He told me the name of the part - a brake block. He didn’t have the part in stock and said ordering one would take several days. He then hunted a shop guy up to see if they had a used one on a cart somewhere. They guy said the cart they had was in pretty bad shape and he wouldn’t want to try and take it off. They sent me down the road to a “Capital Carts” because they carried more parts. The guy at ""Capital Carts" was great. He thought he had one in stock and looked and looked. Not finding one he looked online and said I could get a new set of blocks for both sides of the rod, with new hardware, for $10.99 on Amazon. Knowing I wanted it right away to ride the girls around, he called “Discovery Carts”. They had one in stock so we headed there. It was about five miles away. When I got there the guy had the block - $38.60 for one side with no hardware. I told him “thanks, but no thanks. I expected double the online price but not quadruple. I got online and ordered the set from Amazon. It will be here tomorrow.

The girls and I then went to the park’s annual shareholders meeting so I could vote on several issues. There was a huge turn out due to a vote on whether or not to install speed bumps. (It got defeated 10 to 1.) They provided donuts so after the girls each got one we found a seat up front. The meeting dragged on and on due to people, who didn’t read ahead of time what was being voted on, were wanting to argue issues, over and over. I had voted so after an hour we left. I was really proud of how well the girls behaved. They just sat there and ate their donuts and never complained about the extremely boring meeting. Back at the house the girls played while Annie worked online.

After lunch we loaded up the car for a trip to "Honeymoon Island Beach" near Dunedin. Annie heard about it from a friend and we had never been there. It was rocky and not nearly as nice as "Fort DeSoto Beach", where we usually go. It was great for shelling and the girls loved doing that and collected many shells up and down the beach. On the way home we stopped at “Frenchy’s” for a great meal. 

Wednesday February 19, 2025

In the morning we went up to enjoy the pool before the predicted afternoon rain arrived. The girls had a great time. I got in with them, Annie and Kelly did not.

The brake blocks arrived for the cart so I installed the one on the broken side. Here is a picture. The new one is some type of plastic, not rubber like the old one. I don't know if that is good or bad but I'm sure it will outlast me even if it is plastic.

While Annie was working online we took the girls to “Catapult”, a huge  indoor bouncy house. They  jumped and jumped for an hour and were pooped. We stopped for an ice cream on the way home. It started to rain so we had to finish our ice cream in the car.

Due to the the predicted rain, I had earlier moved the grill from the backyard onto the carport. As the rain poured down we all sat around on the carport while I grilled chicken thighs for supper.

Thursday February 20, 2025

Some weeks back we had purchased tickets to a lunch hour dinner theater that was today.  We went to it while Annie and girls went shopping. The play was entertaining but the meal was pretty mediocre. I doubt we will go back next year.

Annie and the girls, fresh from shopping, headed once again to the pool. It was cool and windy. Kelly went along and sat on the pool deck and shivered. While the heated pool kept the girls warm, the air was almost cold.

We then headed to "Whimzeyland" in Safety Harbor, Florida. The owners have taken all types of items, like bowling balls, bottles, etc. and displayed them in several yards and houses. The houses are B & Bs.

The girls loved climbing on this concrete moon crescent covered with tile in the front yard of one house.

For supper I made smash burgers with potatoes and onions on the Blackstone griddle. I had trouble keeping the griddle hot enough because of the wind. I need to buy some wind guards. I also have one burner that is hard to light so I need to check into that at some point.

Friday February 21, 2025

In the morning Annie took the girls to the pool one last time. They don’t care if it’s cool, they love to be in the pool. Once back at the house the four of them tied dyed T-shirts using t-shirts and a kit Kelly had purchased for them. The shirts turned out nice. A souvenir to take home. Being Friday evening we had "Friday Night Pizza Night". When they are in California on Friday nights they Facetime us while they are eating pizza for supper.

Saturday February 22, 2025

Before they left for the airport I took the girls for a long golf cart ride through our park and through the park that adjoins us. They love to "drive" while taking turns sitting in my lap.

It was then off to the airport in Tampa. Their flight home was long but uneventful, which is always nice.

Sunday, February 22, 2025

We did very little, just hung out around the house all day doing laundry, etc. I bought the ingredients to make a crock pot Lasagna dish which I found on the internet. It cooked all day. It was “ok” but I wouldn’t make it again. It made enough for four meals so I froze half to have some other days..

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