We left New Orleans last week, to head back to Florida so we could complete a change of domicile. We’ve been using our daughter’s in IL, along with a mailing address in FL. But while we were in NOLA, we met some fellow full timers, who were using the same mailing address as a domicile.
Hmmm…
That meant they were paying FL income state taxes on their earnings, while we were paying IL state taxes on ours. BIG difference! Florida has no income state taxes. In Bruce’s financial economy, this was a ‘no brainer’. His greatest financial joy is not paying Illinois any taxes. So an overnight trip to Crestview FL to handle all the logistics.
Unfortunately, a bit of paperwork had to be done before we could fully transfer everything. Driver’s licenses, license plates, taxes, voter registration and maybe a library card. When Bruce learned it would take a 2nd trip we regrouped. Our plan was to head north after NOLA but instead we headed east, and are using up a credit we had, at a campground we cancelled on, too late for a full refund.
And wow, did we miss a great place!
Twin Lakes Camping Restort in DuFuniak Springs FL is stunning. Small and lovely, it’s situated on a stretch of land bordered by 2 lakes. One is for sunrises and the other for sunsets. And we’re seeing both! We moved to a 2nd spot in order to extend our stay a couple of days. The title transfer on the RV was lingering.
The campers are lovely people, mostly from the north, escaping the harsh winters. Right now, it is greening up and all the azaleas are in bloom. Birds are migrating and nesting, and fish actually jump out of the water. Our view is spectacular. It’s a lovely cross between camping and glamping.
I’m having fun again!
Bit of info about domiciles. A domicile is different than a residence, it’s attached to property. So renting, or owning property, gives you a domicile in a state. That’s how taxes, voting and civic participation are determined. Since full time RV folks often don’t own land, we’re stuck. BUT, 3 states, (FL, SD, TX) offer domicile status to us via a couple of organizations. Our mailing address, in Florida, is handled through one of these. We do not have to stay in state for any length of time, but it’s more likely we will be here, than in the other 2 states.
Back to New Orleans. This was my 2nd visit and once again, fun was had. We stayed about an hour away, in Fountainbleu State Park, in the lovely town of Mandeville. It was across Lake Ponchatrain from the city, with the longest land bridge, or causeway, in the world. 28 miles of road going across the lake. Bruce was eager to drive it but that was exhausted after 3 or 6 trips!
We have a friend who came from Tucson AZ to explore with us. A fellow Bay Area native, she’d never been to any place in the Deep South. We met she and her husband in 1990, when we all attended the same church. They’d only been married a year, and were starry eyed newlyweds with no children. We were seasoned marrieds with a young family and we clicked. Eventually we all moved to different places, but kept in touch through the years. We even encouraged them to accept a job in Tucson as we were leaving Phoenix in 1999, and they’ve been there ever since.
Last year, Jeff passed away after several year’s decline in health. March 1 was the anniversary of his passing. Caroleen has been redefining her life this past year and learning things about herself she didn’t know. One of those things was wardrobe related. She asked me to help her buy a new one.
Twist my arm please?!
As a former women’s retailer, it wasn’t a hard ask. We hit a couple of my favorite stores, racked up an impressive amount of clothing, and she came away with some beautiful new outfits. I donated a suitcase to the cause, and even packed it all so it would fit.
We also took her to the city, did a carriage ride through the French Quarter, a swamp tour through the bayou, and ate beignets, stressing the phonetic way of pronouncing it, ‘Ben-yays’. We also hit a Garden District quilt store, that had a lovely assortment of Mardi Gras fabrics. We both bought enough for quilts and I even helped her cut hers out.
It was a true ‘sister’ visit.
I come from a family of 5 girls, but am only close to one of them. Caroleen is the age of my nearest sister, and we’ve always claimed that status with each other. One of those amazing kinds of gifts that comes with belonging to The Kingdom.
Believers = Automatic Family
Next stop is Laurel Mississippi. We’re gradually making our way back to Indiana for several months, to manage some medical needs. Carolyn will join us for a week in Oklahoma/Missouri. We’ll see a friend in Hot Springs AR and more in Lee Summit MO before landing back in Terre Haute IN.
Let the Hometown shopping begin!
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