Zip–Time Flies

I know, I say it all too often but where does the time go? I’ve also said in the past that there must a law against geezers having this much fun! The last time I posted, saw us arriving here at the Plantation and setting up decorations for Christmas in early December. I’ll try to describe our doin’s and bring you closer to today.

One of the issues we found when we arrived was our microwave had given in and would not work. I placed a call to the repair folks and explained our problems. Wow, the repair folks said that it was a known problem and that the 1 year warranty will be extended and we will get a free service call and a repairman will be sent out to fix it. True to their word, they did and in short order, it was working again – yeah! Now if I had known our luck, I should have driven to Florida and bought a Powerball ticket and we would be smiling bigger today!

Sunday, Tom & Cheryl & Barb & I went to the Tin Top Oyster Bar for a Champagne brunch. It was fun, good food, cold Champagne and good company. How can you start a week off any better than this? After, we prowled around the Bon Secour River for a good launch spot to put the boats in. The river mouth is not far down river and opens into Mobile bay near the Gulf so sighting Dolphins is a regular event. And we did – so we’re more excited to put in here in anticipation of the Dolphins swiming with us as we paddle!

Barb & I with 20 or so other Escapees from the Plantation took a bus trip to the Beau Rivage in Biloxi to do a little gambling, pig out on the buffet and take in the Christmas ice show. We had to hit the buffet first due to timing and then the slots. I lost my budgeted amount real quick but Barbie managed to hang onto and increase hers so she went home with some of their money! I’ll have to go back again to visit mine. The show was basically the same as last year but still good entertainment and more so listening to the jingle in Barb’s purse!

 

 

With happy hours and sundowners (a bigger happy hour gathering with lots of finger foods) we have been busy social butterflys. So, time to get down to work. With Christmas dinner soon, Barb is busy making something for each one at our table to take home. I had to give the Sago Palms a trim and we decided we needed more secure steps to enter or exit the rig. Barb has decided to channel her talents in another creative manner – painting with acrylics. She has been working with Cheryl – who is an excellent artist – and is creating a sunset picture we took last year. They are also taking classes locally and Barb is doing great. We also finlly got Barb’s wall hanging that she completed this summer hung in the bedroom to replace a picture that we moved into the house last year. Each time I walk into the bedroom and see it, I mentally thank her for her hard work and talent, it is beautiful.

Went to the local Christmas boat parade on the Fish River which is only a few minutes down the road. The parade was late going by us of course – there is a story about last year when I said we didn’t need to be there too early and when we did arrive, it had gone by! Ouch, took awhile for anyone to listen to my ideas again. So of course this years had to be late – but anyway, there was fewer boats this year but the good company, we had fun anyway. After, we went back to Tom & Cheryl’s to play Fast Track – the boys are having difficlties beating the girls but we’re patient.

Our next big event is Christmas. We could not decide on gifts or no gifts until almost the last minute. At our age we decided that we should go out and buy our gifts together and after a few days, we probably won’t remember what we bought so we’ll be equally surprised Christmas morning when we open the gifts from Santa! And it worked, we had wonderful surprised looks on our faces after the gift wrap went flying.

Our Christmas dinner was in the clubhouse with about 200 other Escapees. The club provided the meats (turkey or ham) while each table did pot luck. It was the same as the Thanksgiving feast but there was way too much food prepared so this time the ladies decided to cut back on the number of side dishes. Christmas dinner was delicious, we took our 7 layer salad and a large bowl of home made apple sauce, a bottle of wine and a growler of beer.

 

 

 

This brings us closer to today so come back again for 2016.

So Much to Do…

It is great to be back and we have had beautiful weather. Each time we talk about getting the boats wet again, the weather turns and we go to plan B. Now that we have the rig washed, our activities turned to helping out at the anual baby blanket blitz held in the clubhouse. A bunch of folks – men and women alike, work togther to cut, press, sew, press again baby blanketts. This year, the beehive made 475 blankets in just 6 hours of co-ordinated efforts. Bill & Ann and Barb & I were so tired, we had to go to Vinny’s for pizza & beers! We got back in time for happy hour at Chuck & Kelly’s here on ERPU row. Again, good fun with good people.

 

One of the problems we had with the rig over the summer was some mold growth. We didn’t set the A/C low enough and we didn’t put out any trays of charcol or cat litter. Our caretaker put out some charcol but if we had done it when we left, we may have avoided the cleanup. Barb spent a few days washing everything down with a bleach mixture – not good for her lungs either. While Barb was working hard inside, I had the easy job outside removing the Wisteria bush. I enlisted the help of a friend with a loader and before long, we had it out but not all of it. Removing the many root tentacles will be an ongoing task.

 

We found a new pub to us, an Irish pub in Fairhope so we don’t need to drive all the way to Pensacola to go to McGuires so often. But, we have to test it out first so it’s off to McSharry’s – the only draw back is it doesn’t open until 3PM but if it’s good enough, we’ll do ‘lupper’ instead of lunch! It was a hit for us, good food and cold beer (unless your drinking Guiness of course).

You know we’re at the Plantation when the quilters take a day to get out and buy some more fabric and today (Friday) was the day. While the ladies were out, Bill & I moved Dick & Marcia’s trailer and to repay us, Dick treated us to lunch at Big Daddy’s. All around, it was a fun day, helping a friend and sitting on the deck at one of our favorite haunts sipping a cool one.

 

The weekend is here and Barb continues to wash down the remaining interior of the rig. Once that was done, we put up our Christmas decorations both inside and out. We lunch out with Tom & Cheryl on ‘the deck’ and find out that they also enjoy board games – they have Sequence and we have Fast Track so we’re set for some fun evenings of the boys vs the girls.

I`m sure you have had enough of my ramblings, so until next time, Happy New Year and may you have a happy and healthy 2016….