I’m Just A Kid

In response to my mention in yesterday’s blog that I have been called for jury duty in August, several people asked if I was to try to get out of it because of COVID-19. I don’t know that I can get out because of that, but since they are holding trials, apparently not.

I tried calling the Clerk of Court’s office in Deland yesterday to find out what precautions are being taken due to the virus, but all I got was a recording saying someone would call me back. So far, no response.

Another person asked if there was an age limit at which one does not have to appear for jury duty in Florida. Yes, there is. Age 70. But apparently, I’m just a kid, since I won’t turn 68 until October, so that’s not going to do me any good,

I really don’t mind being on a jury, Who knows? It might even give me an idea for one of my books. It’s just the issue of exposure to Coronavirus that concerns me. Of course, even though they’re called in, sometimes people don’t get picked to serve on a jury anyway. I guess all I can do is wait and see what happens.

Terry is finishing the first round of editing and proofreading Tinder Street, the first book in my new family saga, and sometime today I will send it to my second proofreader. Meanwhile, I started the second book in the series and have a couple of chapters done so far. I would like to bring the first two books out fairly close together to get the series off and running before I jump back into my John Lee Quarrels and Big Lake mysteries.

I got an e-mail from someone yesterday asking me if there is a possibility of me coming to any RV rallies in the future and presenting some of my seminars on RVing and the RV lifestyle as I did for so many years. I don’t know of any rallies that are taking place now with so much shut down, but I think that part of our life is in the past. If someone was holding an event close enough, I might go and do a seminar, but without an RV, I don’t want to do a lot of traveling and staying in hotels for a rally. But, as always, I’m open to suggestions and will take them on a case-by-case basis.

On the subject of e-mails about RVing, someone else asked me if we have maintained memberships in any RV clubs now that we are off the road and have hung up the keys. We are lifetime members of the Escapees RV Club and Passport America, but that’s all. We do enjoy getting the Escapees magazine every month and reading about what’s happening in the RV world, occasionally seeing a comment or an article referencing some of the many friends we made in our years on the road. We dropped our FMCA membership years ago because of the shoddy way they treat vendors at their rallies.

Life is always about change, and time marches on whether we march with it or stand by the side of the road and watch it pass.

And finally, here’s a chuckle to start your day from the collection of funny signs we see in our travels and that our readers share with us.

It’s Thursday, so it’s time for a new Free Drawing. This week’s prize is an audiobook of undone, the first book in my buddy Jason Deas’ Burt Bigsley mystery series. To enter, all you have to do is click on this Free Drawing link or the tab at the top of this page and enter your name (first and last) in the comments section at the bottom of that page (not this one). Only one entry per person per drawing please, and you must enter with your real name. To prevent spam or multiple entries, the names of cartoon or movie characters are not allowed. The winner will be drawn Sunday evening.

Thought For The Day – The fastest way to a man’s heart is not through his stomach. It’s through his chest, maybe with a rib spreader or a chainsaw. Geez. Learn some anatomy.