When Are You Head’n North?

It’s that time of the year again when this question usually starts a conversation. It’s a time when snowbirds are of two emotions, sad to be leaving the Plantation but at the same time, glad to be moving on. The fulltimer generally is less sad because of the opportunities that lie ahead. Now that we are home owners again, we are excited to go back to the ‘new’ home to see how it wintered and to start planning any new projects to continue to get the place to where we want it.

Before we make plans for our northward trip, we have another visit from friends from Ontario. Randy & Norma decided to make a stop on their way home from Arizona – truth be known, they were probably asked to leave! Just kidding Norma, don’t take this personally. Anyway, they stopped off for a week so they could visit with us, check out the area and do some bike rides along the gulf coast.

They joined us for our brunch with Terri & Mark and then we met up with them again after Terri & Mark left. We had dinner with them, used the clubhouse in their campground for some Fast Track. It was an exhausting day for us, driving to Mobile airport, dinner with Randy & Norma, games, some beverages and a late evening but still a good time.

The next day, the weather was beautiful so we took Randy & Norma around to some of the highlights around our area – Pitcher Plant Bog but we were chased out of the Weeks Bay Preserve by mosiquitos! So, off to the pier in Fairhope for a beverage at Shux that is half way out on the pier. After, back to our place for dinner and an evening of Fast Track and lots of laughs.

Thursday the weather was rainy so the 4 of us took in a show then over to the El Paso for dinner - Thursday is 1/2 price Margarita’s. The rest of our group – Bill & Ann and Larry & Marti – joined us. Good friends, good food, and 1/2 price Margarita’s is a recipe for good fun.

Friday, Randy & Norma joined us for happy hour at Bill & Ann’s. It may seem strange, the same group of people getting together often and we continue to have fun and enjoy each others company. Lots of chatter keeps us all entertained well after dinner hour. We all say our farewells to Randy & Norma as they are riding down the Florida Panhandle on Saturday then they will be heading their rigs north on the Sunday.

 

This is a good place to stop for now and hope you come back again…..

 

Wonderful Surprise Visit

Mark & Terri flew down for a few days over Easter weekend. This was a wonderful and welcomed surprise for Barb & I. You know that our event coordinator moved into action when she learned of the visit! So much to plan and only a few days to fit it all in. They arrived late Friday night after they waited out a couple of flight cancellations in Houston, TX but finally touched down around 11PM.

Saturday, we lunched at Felix’s Fish Camp and then we wanted to tour the USS Alabama sitting in Mobile Bay. We didn’t know there was a car show in the park at the same time and the line up to get in was too long to sit through so we made a plan B and toured the downtown area of Mobile. We were surprised to find it relatively quiet in the downtown, no tourist shoppers or street performers etc. We had a pleasant tour around anyway and then headed back to the Plantation and hosted a happy hour so our friends could meet our kids. Another full day and lots of laughs and fun.

 

 

On Sunday we – about 10 of us – descended on the Tin Top, our favourite brunch spots. Again, more good service, good food, champagne and caesars and great company. After, we toured around the Bon Secour area, showed Terri and Mark the Bon Secour river and fish retailers. The weather did not cooperate for us and outdoor activities were all cancelled. The 4 of us decided on a show and headed off there. Tom & Cheryl hosted happy hour but the show got out late, we made it to their rig anyway and everyone waited for us. So, about 8PM we thought dinner would be nice. It was Sunday and many Sundays through the summer, Terri & Mark will stop into see us on their way home and we go out for pizza so why should this Sunday be any different. Our favourite pizza spot is Cousin Vinnie’s in Daphne so lets go! We got a surprise – they were closed, who knew Easter Sunday was not a time to go out for dinner? Ok, so the next stop was Mexican and another good spot was sort of on the way back to the Plantation – opps, it was closed too! Ok, so one last chance or it could be peanut butter sandwiches. What do you know, McSharry’s Irish pub was open and they had live entertainment jamming in one corner of the pub. It was all we could do to keep Terri from dancing on the table! What a day!

 

Marti & Larry wanted to host a Frogmore Stew event and when she heard Terri & Mark were coming down, she decided to have it while they were here. So on Monday morning we went down to their coach to husk corn, help set up tables and anything else she needed doing. Then we were off to Barber Marina, an upscale marina that provides other attractions en route.

We first stopped at Bamahenge for some photo ops before we stopped to see the dinosaur sculptures also in the woods along the route to the marina. Our last stop was the marina with hopes of viewing the Lady in the Lake at the marina. Unfortunately, she was out of the water for repairs. We spent some time walking out on the floating concrete docks and enjoying the beautiful day. Back to the Plantation early so we could help out at the Frogmore Stew.

Marti invited all the residents on our street (total of 33 friends and neighbors including us 4). It was a beautiful day – Marti fretted for days as the weather forecast showed everything but snow. As people arrived, they sought out the shade to set up their lawn chairs. After lots of chatting and with Larry, Marti & Mark slaving over the hot kettles, the meal was ready to present. Yes, I do mean present. The traditional Frogmore Stew is drained and poured out onto the paper covered tables and everyone at the feast is to stand up to the tables and virtually dig in and enjoy. Larry & Mark drained each kettle basket and poured the contents onto the tables – oppss, some items endured the 5 second rule as we picked up some of the potatoes off the grass – and once both baskets were aligned on the tables, everyone was invited to the smorgasbord of shrimp, sausage, corn on the cob, onions, cauliflower, potatoes and did I mention shrimp?

 

Too soon, their visit is over and we are taking them back to the airport but not before another feast at Big Daddy’s for lunch. Again, all our friends joined us to say farewell to Terri & Mark. It was a whirlwind visit and we had lots of fun and enjoyed their short stay.

  

Here’s hoping this finds all well where you are and come by again…….

Another Month In Paradise…

This is becoming a terrible habit – late to post! March has been a fun month, social get togethers, sewing, lunches, gardening and shed repairs. Not sure where to start so I’ll begin with the socials. Dallas had his 83rd birthday and we had a small gathering ‘under the magnolia’ to celebrate. This time, we didn’t ask him to play his fiddle for his beverages like we did last year! As the sun got lower in the sky, we kept moving our chairs to stay in the sunshine.

Every year, the Gulf Posse (our local Escapee Chapter) has a Corned Beef luncheon fund raiser and as usual, lots of folks were there, great food – some of the guys cook the beef in the yard behind our rig and by noon, we were getting hungry as we smell the sumptious aromas. To help out the local volunteer fire department, they auction off the remaining beef and lots of homemade desserts. Our auctioneer does a fun job of prying the money loose and we rasied lots of cash again this year.

 

The waite staff at the Sunset Grill actually comes out, rings a bell and offers a toast to the sunset. This seems like a fun thing and we just had to experience it. We picked a beautiful day, had a excellent meal, good friends and we were rewarded with a perfect sunset, a ringing bell and glasses held high in a toast. A spectacular event.

 

Of course, a week doesn’t go by without a lunch at Big Daddy’s on the Fish River. Some days are too cool to be out on the deck but it doesn’t matter when the beer is cold and with good friends, just being there is a good time.

But all this play is not without the work! Barb slaves tirelessly over her sewing machine – ok, maybe that’s play too but she enjoys it and produces beautiful projects. Here, she is free motion quilting our new duvet cover for the bed at home. I get to do fun stuff too, like extricating the Wisteria root and rebuilding the shed after storm damage last spring. Bill & Larry came by to help out and we replaced the damaged panels in short order.

 

 

Barb & I played a little more golf, still getting the rust out of our swings. I think Barb is ready for a ‘big boy’ course instead of the par 3 we have been playing – she played the back nine at 1 over par! Yeah Barb….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, we are having guests this coming weekend so I’ll stop here and get ready for the next post. We hope all is good where you are and stay tuned….