Beachy Keen

Thursday, we hit the beach again.  Another beautiful day.  When we got back to the RV park, we talked to a man who had been waxing and polishing RV's there all week with his mobile service.  After talking to him, we decided to have him do ours.  We made plans for him to start at 8:00 Friday morning.  He said he would do part of it in the morning and then come back later Friday afternoon to finish.  We decided that was a good plan, because we would still be able to hit the beach that day.

We also headed to a different spot for sunset.

It was a beautiful sunset.

On Friday morning, the mobile waxing service showed up.  11:00 passed, noon passed and finally I asked them, "Hey, Mark said you would work till around 11:00 and then come back around 4:00 to finish after the sun got off the other side of the MH."  They told us that Mark had just called, he said keep working and he would be there in about 20 minutes.  He showed up at 2:00 (and now it's too late to go to the beach) and decides that they will have to come back on Saturday morning to finish.  He promises to be there by 7:30 a.m.  He calls at 8:00 and says he can't be there until around noon.  We tell him we are heading to the beach, come by and finish and then stop in around 4:30 and we'll pay him.   When we get back from the beach, he's been there and finished part of it, but skipped the front.  When he gets there for payment, Doug points it out and he decides to come back Sunday morning to finish and collect payment.  This time he does what he says and he is done by 9:30 Sunday morning.  The MH looks great, but it was disappointing to have all that time tied up in it.

I finished books 6 and 7 (one on my Kindle and one in print).  Monday was our last day at the beach.  The winds had been calm for several consecutive days and the water was the clearest it had been since we got there.

Every single day that we had been to the beach, we saw the dolphins and Monday was no exception.  I decided that they came to say see ya later, until the next time.

I did a last walk around the park right about sunset and saw a heron again.  I guess he also came out to say see ya later.

We really enjoyed our stay at this RV park and would highly recommend it - Destin West RV Resort.

We left Ft. Walton Beach this morning and got just north of Nashville.  It was a bit farther than we had planned on driving, but now we only have about 5 hours left until we hit Indy.  Can't wait to see my family.  Doug is already asleep, as are the dogs.  Guess there's only one thing for me to do and that's enjoy the peace and quiet with another cup of coffee.

Sunset at the Beach

This evening we finally hit the beach for sunset.

Enough said.

Lunch in Panama City Beach

Late Sunday night, it started raining and raining and raining.  It rained all night and all day on Monday.  We watched TV, Doug and the dogs napped and I finished book number 5.

Around noon on Monday, a man pulled into the RV park.  He was staying two sites down from us.  He had a tow dolly attached to his motor home, but apparently had left the car up by the office.  I watched him as he removed the tow dolly and pushed it in to his site.  He then proceeded to back in and much to my horror, he was inches away from a sign.  He stopped in time, pulled forward and tried it again.  After making like a 6 point turn (which really was unnecessary if he had only pulled ahead far enough before starting to back in), he got into his site and promptly caught the picnic table on his right rear side and drug the table along while he was backing up.

He got out of his rig, pulled the table off of his motor home and out of the way and then backed up and over his tow dolly catching it on his rear bumper.  At this point I'm thinking, "why doesn't his partner get out and help him?"  Turns out the man was by himself.  He pulled forward and the tow dolly came loose.  He pushed the dolly farther back out of his way and finally got settled.  I wonder how much damage he did getting into his site.  At first I was stunned thinking about how poorly he parked that rig and then later felt bad for him for having to do it all alone.  I wonder how well I could do it by myself.  I hope I never have to find out.

The rain stopped over night but it was supposed to be mostly cloudy today so we decided to drive east to Panama City Beach for lunch.  We took SR 30A which goes along the gulf.  So many little towns including Grayton Beach, Watercolor, Seaside, Sea Grove Beach, Alys Beach and Rosemary Beach.  I love the names of these small communities.  Seaside was especially interesting to see.  It was developed in the 1980's as a modern Victorian town with narrow streets, picket fences, beautiful colored buildings and lots of pergolas.  There were multiple food trucks made out of old Airstream campers along the main street.  However, there was no place to park so we weren't able to get out and take any photos.  Guess that's one of those memories that will live on only in my head.

We got to Laguna Beach (which is part of Panama City Beach) and found an indoor/outdoor cafe.  Burgers, hot dogs, fish sandwiches and homemade donuts, too.  From the old photos inside, it appeared that it had been there since the 1940's but as it turns out, it was founded in 1971.  Thomas Donut and Snack Shop.  Great burgers!

After we ate, we cruised the beach.  Red flags were up today.  Strong rip currents and high surf.  Do not enter the water.

Several areas have California names like Laguna Beach, Hollywood and Santa Monica.

Our chairs have finally dried out, the wind has died down and the humidity is gone.  We'll make our way back to the beach tomorrow.  It's supposed to be sunny and 83 degrees with low humidity.  I'll start on my next book and soak up some sun.

For now, I'm going to finish my cup of coffee.

A Trip to the Farmer's Market and Pensacola Beach

On Saturday morning, I decided to check out the local farmer's market.  I had a taste for some peaches and some home grown tomatoes.  I looked it up online, found the location and set out for it.  It was out at the fairgrounds and we had been by there a few days ago, so I knew where I was going.

I got there and noticed a lot of cars.  I thought, "Fantastic!  This will be better than the Saline Farmer's Market!.  If there's a lot of cars, then it's a big market."  I parked and then noticed that a line was forming.  "What the heck, a line for the market?  And it's in a building, so it must really be a huge market!"  The next thing I notice is that it's only men.  Now I'm getting confused.  The market is 3 days a week, so maybe Saturday is men's day and they get a discount.  Then I finally notice that at least 50% of the men in line have gun cases in their hands.  It's a gun show!  No wonder all the men with their gun cases.

As I head back to the car, I ask a man walking towards me if he knows where the farmer's market is.  He says "Sure, it's over there towards the front of the property."  So I get back in the car and head that way.  When I get there, I am the only customer and there are only 4 vendors.  I decided to purchase something from each of them.  From the first I bought salsa, from the second I bought a loaf of bread, from the third I bought bread and butter pickles and from the fourth I bought tomatoes.  The bread is great but the tomatoes taste store bought.  I haven't tried the salsa or pickles yet.

In the afternoon, we headed to the beach for a few hours of sunshine.  Came back and finally got a photo of our site in the RV park.

And another sunset photo.

This morning we decided to take a drive over to the Taste of Pensacola Beach Festival.  Chefs from about 20 of the restaurants showcase their signature dishes and you can try small portions for about $5.00 each.  We had Honey Jerk Shrimp with Island Rice from the Grand Marlin, then Sliders from the Surf Burger and then Blackened Fish Tacos from Laguna's.  The food was excellent!   They also had live entertainment.

The beach is very nice there and with it being Sunday, we thought that a lot of people would be there, but it wasn't crowded at all.

We took a drive out Highway 399 to look at the dunes.

The sand is so white, it almost looks like snow.  The underneath side of the sail on this paraglider said "Pensacola Beach Shark Watch", but he was not over the water.  Maybe it's a joke.

We then headed back into town to ride the 360 Pensacola Beach Observation Wheel.  200 feet up in the air!  It was an awesome view!

Another great day in the Sunshine State!  Hell on Wheels is on TV and there's a cup of coffee with my name on it.

"Coffee is real good when you drink it it gives you time to think. It's a lot more than just a drink; it's something happening. Not as in hip, but like an event, a place to be, but not like a location, but like somewhere within yourself. It gives you time, but not actual hours or minutes, but a chance to be, like be yourself, and have a second cup." ~Gertrude Stein

The Beach, Birds and Butterflies

On Thursday, we went back to John Beasley Park to the beach.  Another beautiful day.  However, the winds have been blowing hard out of the east and the red flag and warning signs were up.

I got my feet wet and Doug went in about waist deep, but most folks were staying out of the water.

We saw a seagull that was missing his left foot.  His leg was there, but his webbed foot was gone.

Today, we decided to try an area of beach that Doug and I had been to the last time we were in Ft. Walton Beach.  It's a stretch of beach on the narrow strip of land just east of here.  It's marked as military, but the public is permitted to use it.  We saw lots of birds, including a heron.  Not sure if it was a Great Blue Heron or not.

It was hot today so we sat for awhile with our feet in the water.

We saw helicopters again today, but they were definitely military.

I have seen more butterflies here than I have ever seen anywhere.  We have even seen numerous ones at the beach.  I finally Googled it and discovered that this is part of the migratory path for Monarchs that are making their way to Mexico and Central America and that the Gulf Frittilary is moving to its winter home in south Florida.  I finally got a photo of the Gulf Frittilary.

We got back and got Miss Jackie to ham it up for the camera.

The dogs and I took a walk down to the bay to look at the sunset and to see the fish.

Jesse loves to walk down these steps every time we walk by them.  He's always looking for fish.

It's been a great couple of days.  I've finished my fourth book and the beach has been fantastic.  Doug has made me a fresh pot of coffee and I am ready for a cup.

"Almost all my middle-aged and elderly acquaintances, including me, feel about 25, unless we haven't had our coffee, in which case we feel 107." - Martha Beck

Perfect Weather

On Sunday, we drove from Biloxi, MS to Ft. Walton Beach, FL.  It was an easy 3 hour drive.  We are staying at the Destin West RV Resort.  It only opened in April of this year.  It's a beautiful park right on the Choctawhatchee Bay and across the street from the beach.  Nice, wide sites that are paved, 10 x 20 patio, free cable and WI-FI (super fast), nice landscaping and a pool.

Because we are in the Gulf area, we get a nice sunrise and sunset.

Sunrise this morning.

Sunset on Sunday.

On Monday, we just relaxed around here waiting on Enterprise to call us with a pick up time for the car.  Finally at 5:00, they had a car for us.  We don't always rent a car when we travel, but there are so many beautiful beaches within a 10 mile drive, both east and west, that we wanted a car to check them all out.

Yesterday, we went to the beach at John Beasley Park.  We saw a lot of low flying helicopters yesterday.  The yellow flag was out (moderate surf and/or rip currents) so maybe that's why all the helicopters.  It also could have been activity from Eglin Air Force Base which is nearby.

The weather here is just beautiful.  The high temperatures and humidity that we experienced in Mississippi are gone and it will be in the low to mid 80's with a nice easterly breeze the rest of the week.  There are some rain showers out in the Gulf that look like they are headed our way but a bit of rain will be welcome.  I think we have only seen rain one time since we have been on the road and that was the night it poured buckets on us up in Tunica, MS.

Doug and the dogs are still sleeping.  I'm ready for more coffee and back to reading my book.

"I don't have a problem with caffeine.  I have a problem without caffeine!"  ~ Author Unknown

Happy Anniversary

Yesterday, September 8, was our 14th wedding anniversary.  When Doug was diagnosed with cancer in May, 2009, we weren't sure we would see our anniversary that year.  Unless you have been diagnosed with cancer or are very close to someone who has, you can't know the uncertainty, anxiety and fear that a cancer patient and his/her family first go through.  You just don't know anything about it or your treatment, you don't know what to expect and it's a constant roller coaster.  It gets easier as you learn about your disease, the treatment and the expected outcome, but it's never really far from your mind.  You live your life in segments.  When's my next chemo?  When will these weeks of radiation be over?  When's my next checkup?  What's the new ache or pain about?  Is the cancer spreading?

We take trips now that we were going to take in retirement.  We're not letting life pass us by.  Yesterday, for our anniversary, we went to the beach for a couple of hours.  Even though the beaches are not totally cleaned up yet from Hurricane Isaac, it was nice to have our toes in the sand.

The license plate on the rental car we had while in Biloxi was an odd coincidence.  We were married on September 8, 1998 outside of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, county of Sevier.

I am grateful for the time we've had together.  Doug, you are my partner in crime, my companion through this journey of life.  In all the ups and downs that life has thrown at us, we have weathered the storms.  I love you with all my heart and look forward to many more days together.

The Big Easy

We drove from Vicksburg to Biloxi on Thursday using U.S. highways and state roads.  A nice drive through lots of small towns and the Mississippi countryside.  We are staying at the Majestic Oaks RV Park and highly recommend this place.  Concrete paved roads, sites and patios, free cable and WI-FI (super fast), dog walk stations throughout the park, a nice pool and magnificent landscaping.  It's about a mile to the beach and about 3 miles to the Beau Rivage.  A very convenient location.

We rented a car and yesterday morning, we drove in to New Orleans.  Our first stop was, of course, at Cafe Du Monde for beignets and coffee.

The French Market and the French Quarter are filled with happenings on the streets and it's an easy walking tour.

I love the architecture in this part of the city.  The iron grill work, the hanging flowers and the colorful buildings.

We also stopped at Jackson Square.  It was originally called Place d' Armes.  It's a National Historic Landmark designed after the famous 17th century Place des Vosges in Paris, France.   After the Battle of New Orleans, in 1815, the Place d' Armes was renamed Jackson Square after the victorious United States general Andrew Jackson.

We also walked up the levee that protects the French Quarter from the Mississippi River.

It was a great time in the Big Easy and I want to thank my  friend, Evvie, for showing me to the way to do this.  I have shared this side trip to New Orleans with my best friend, Jean, and now my husband, Doug.  I will also share this trip some day with my sisters, Karen and Gloria.

Between Biloxi and New Orleans is the Stennis Space Center, a NASA rocket testing facility.  In April, they opened Infinity, a science center for visitors.  Marlin Miller, a Gulf Coast artist, created an eagle from driftwood and metal that came from testing at Stennis as well as turbine blades from a Space Shuttle main engine that flew in space.

 Marlin Miller is the same artist that created the sculptures out of dead tree trunks after Katrina in 2005.  These sculptures dot Highway 90 along the Gulf of Mexico including several in Biloxi.  These were all donated by Mr. Miller to bring hope to the people of the Gulf Coast.

There are lots of interesting displays at Infinity.

You can even pose as an astronaut.

It was a good day with lots of sightseeing.  This morning the sun is shining and the dogs have already had their walk.  It's time for that second cup of coffee and to warm up my slot arm.  I think I hear the casinos calling.

"The powers of a man's mind are directly proportioned to the quantity of coffee he drinks."

~Sir James Mackintosh