Back to Normal Post Mardis Gras

Wow, Wednesday brought us one hell of a storm! We were on Tornado watch most of the day and one did touch down in Silverhill, a small town just north of the Plantation! We had some wind but lots of rain. Our site was actually under water most of the day. Pat & Carolyn stopped by to say farewell. They are heading off to ‘greener’ parades in New Orleans! We had Jim & Lydia in for dinner and games. They are leaving soon so we have to cram in as much as we can in the short time left!

Thursday, the girls went to a quilting/sewing project class in the club house while Jim & I took to the links with a couple of other guys. Jim & Lydia brought dinner over and we had more games and fun again.

 

On Friday, we took a tour day and headed to Bellingrath Gardens via the Fort Morgan/Dalphin Island ferry. The boat ride over was uneventful as we passed through many, many oil well rigs that are planted on the bottom of Mobile Bay. Once we landed on Dalphin Island, we took a quick tour of the beach area then head north to Bellingrath Estates.

 

What an estate! There is too much to mention here so you’ll have to go to the web site if you want more info. It was beautiful but we were too early for many of the plantings and flowers, a nice day none the less.

Saturday we went to the clubhouse for breakfast and on the way back, we took Jim & Lydia around to the ERPU row to show them one of the sites that we may be in line for. While standing and looking, Madonna and Ed came over to say hello and welcome us to the row – whenever we get a site which should be soon as we are #2 on the list and there are 2 or 3 members leaving! We had a great chat and started back to the rig. This walk which is normally a 5 minute walk took us 45 minutes – too many folks out and about to chat with!

Sunday was another beautiful day in paradise but a sad one. Jim & Lydia are heading on down the road to meet up with family for a camping holiday! We wave farewell to good friends and companions! The rest of the day was quiet while Barb & I worked on ongoing projects. Dianne and Jerry from the ERPU row came by to welcome us to their community! We are really getting excited now!

The week started out with beautiful sunshine so we decided to get the boat wet again! We launched at the same place as last time but went south. Somehow, we got the wrong seats – I had Barb’s and she had mine – so we were not set up the same in the kayak! Our legs were too close to our peddles and by the time we realized our situation, we could not change the seats over and it is tough to make adjustments when you’re on the river! We cut this trip a bit short but enjoyed the ride anyway. We didn’t see very much wildlife. Have I mentioned the absence of shorebirds here? Is it because of the BP oil spill or is it the housing that crowds the shoreline of the river?

The quilting ladies took a shopping trip over to Pensacola for the day and dragged Barb kicking and screaming along with them. Apparently they had a great time shopping at their favorite fabric stores, stopping for lunch and didn’t get back until late in the afternoon. I made myself busy learning how to make wind spinners out of beer cans. The difficult part was acquiring the raw materials – I needed 6 cans so…. Anyway, it’s just another way of recycling! The evening was capped off by an old fashioned weenie roast around the camp fire. Weenies and beans, what more could you ask for to keep us warm in the evening?

Our rig roof is really dirty so I tried a different product in an attempt to clean the black spots off the rubber. It didn’t work but I’ll try it again and leave it sit longer and see if there is an improvement so that task is back on the ‘to-do’ list!

I think enough for now, be well where ever you are….

Mardis Gras Time at the Plantation

This is a busy week ahead. Mardis Gras preparations are in full swing along with all the other activities and crafts going on. I have the chair finished and it looks great. We decided not to put it into the auction but will take it home and see if someone close to us wants it!

All around us, spring has sprung. The Red Bud trees and the Seedless Pear trees are all in bloom. They look gorgeous along the roadside as we travel. Monday was a stormy day because of the heat so we went north to the Eastern Shore mall to buy the TV for our bedroom – still replacing equipment from the power problems we had in December. Barb needed more fabric for a quilt project so lots of shopping done today!

Back in February, we dropped Jim & Lydia a note about the Mardis Gras celebrations here and being party revelers, they decided to “come on down” and arrived on Tuesday. I’m sure there won’t be a dull moment during their stay!

Wednesday sees me in the clubhouse kitchen taking Cajun Cooking lessons. We all had a good time learning and eating a savory Cajun lunch! Barb continued with her quilting and carving projects. With Jim & Lydia here, it’s like ‘ole home week! Dinners, games and lots of laughs prevail!

Friday was a windy cool day so 8 of us went to the show to see The King’s Speech’. It was a perfect way to spend a less than desirable weather-wise afternoon with friends – oh, it was a good movie too! Today was the start of Mardis Gras here at the Plantation. Dinner, entertainment and the selection of the King and Queen for the festivities! Cupcakes were served as dessert and a tiny doll was hidden on 2 of them so when you bit into the cupcake and ‘found’ the doll, you became Royalty! They were escorted off to another room to adorn the ‘Royal’ cloaks and paraphernalia, and then back into the hall with the ‘Royal Entourage” for the Coronation with all the necessary pomp and circumstance! After they received their ‘crowns’, they sashayed around the hall so the peasants could pay homage!

Saturday, we attended breakfast at the club with the King and Queen and wandered around the craft show and sale. It demonstrates how many talented people there are here at the Plantation. Soon after, we are heading off to our first Mardis Gras parade – Krewe of Mullet Mates in Point Clear. It was raining as we drove over but stopped as we arrived. We had to double park – maybe triple park and quickly find a spot at the street edge as the parade arrived with music playing and trinkets landing all around! A fun time for all! Lots of loot being tossed!

After the parade, we head off to Camping World then to dinner at the Fish River Grill for all you can eat cat fish! Yummmm! You have to appreciate the area here, we started at the Plantation – about the middle and then to the eastern shore of Mobile Bay! Then to Camping World way over on hwy 59 then almost all the way back to the Grill close to the eastern shore again! It’s a good thing fuel is cheap!

Sunday is quiet until the Ice Cream social at the club house. We decide to head on down to LuLu’s for an early dinner – we know there will not be any time after the social as skits and music are on the program! We lucked out and had a table overlooking the Intercoastal Waterway. It was a bit cool but we were in the sunshine and love’n it!

Back to the Plantation for the evening of Mardis Gras entertainment! Barb and Lydia are in different skits on stage. This is certainly outside the box for Barbie! Lydia, well you gotta know her to understand she couldn’t resist the opportunity! Barb has been in knots all week working on her lines and costume for this event! It’s been fun!

Monday brings the Plantation’s own Mardis Gras parade through the campground. It is just a crazy opportunity for a lot of adults to act like a bunch of kids in a bike parade! Everything was decorated from golf carts to lawn tractors, walkers, antique farm tractors, scooters and of course the local fire department was on hand with their units! It was a hoot! After, we were off to the clubhouse again for a parade lunch. After lunch, there were more skits and the grand finally was the auction of 11 caned chairs with the proceeds going to Escapees Care in Livingston, Tx.

Monday was a beautiful day so we decided to go down to the beach in Gulf Shores before the night Mardis Gras parade in Fairhope by the Krewe of Magnolias. The beach was a little cool but we were able to have a walk and watch the antics of the Pelicans. There was a construction crew there moving large plastic pipes onto the beach so they could ‘vacuum’ the bottom of a small lagoon and pump the sandy silt onto the beach for disposal.

Fat Tuesday is the culmination of our Mardis Gras festivities here at the Plantation! The day was a normal day with the various crafts going on in the clubhouse until about 2PM. Fat Tuesday dinner and ‘ball’ started at 5:15PM with the arrival of the King and Queen for their last official function. The meal was followed by skits and music, a great end to a busy 5 days of celebrations.

Until next entry, we hope all is well where you are.