5/19

Home again, home again! Yeah!! We were on the road for almost exactly 4 months and put 11,000 miles on the car. Great trip. Saw things we have never seen, and may never see again. Glad we did it, but damn, it is good to be home. If I never see another motel breakfast buffet, that may be too soon.
Last Monday (14th), we spent several hours at Churchill Downs. More interesting than I would have thought. They have a large, well done museum, nice gift shop (J needed a mint julep cup!), and a restaurant that serves very good lunches. J took the "behind the scenes" tour for 2 hours, and I went out and took my own unguided, unauthorized tour. Tuesday it rained all the way home. Didn't arrive until 7, which was later than we planned. Ran into 2 traffic jams around Dayton - and we were stuck in one of them for an hour.
Once home, we have begun the process of putting our lives back in order. While we were gone, we got a new master bath and closet, and fresh paint in the bedroom (after the wallpaper was removed). And, of course, 4 months of mail.
Next trip: Dayton 5/6 and 7 for a short ceremony at the 95th Bomb Group Memorial remembering the last B-17 shot down. We bought a brick last year in Orville's memory and we want to see it - in addition to getting together with some of the members of the Greatest Generation.

PPS

We lost 2 hours over the weekend. First was the switch to daylight savings time. Then we re-entered the eastern time zone. The clock reads 9:14, but it feels like 7:14

PS

I saw a man wearing a Tee Shirt that read: I am right 97% of the time: who cares about the other 4%.
Billboard in Alabama: Big Bob's Booby Bungalow.

3/13

We are in Louisville, about half a mile from Churchill Downs, which we want to visit tomorrow. Thursday, we stayed in Tuscaloosa and the only thing to report was that our motel breakfast was great: fresh fruit, including grapefruit halves. A real treat! Friday we made it to Nashville, and stayed Saturday. We stayed at a Ramada across the street from the Titans' stadium, which is very close to downtown. We drove around town Sat AM, before all the party animals took over Broadway. Spent time in the Frisk museum, which used to be a post office. Beautiful building! Then went to Belle Meade Plantation. We ate dinner at Union Station, which has been converted to a hotel. Magnificent building! We have visited great train stations in NY, DC, Phila, and Indy. This puts all of them to shame. If you go to Nashville and do not visit this site, you are missing a bet. You don't have to stay there or eat or drink there. Just walk through the public areas and marvel. Had a nice brunch at the plantation this AM before mushing on to Louisville, where we ate at Lynn's Paradise Cafe - purported to be one of the top 4 fun places in the US. Not sure what drugs Lynn and her designer were taking, but the place is indescribable. Apparently Bobby Flay did a Throw Down with Lynn at the restaurant, and she won. Crazy decorations, but very good food. We both had salads, and J really enjoyed her mint julep and bourbon ball milk shake.

3/9

This afternoon turned into a beautiful day, and J is out catching some rays. Drove up to Biloxi and then Ocean Springs (a quaint little town). Casinos seem to be flourishing - big surprise. Too many vacant lots for sale, where nice old homes used to sit. Sad. There were several parades on 90 (beach front road) last night, as evidenced by the strands of crushed beads in the road.
We found White Cap restaurant for lunch. It used to be out on a pier, but was destroyed by hurricanes. Mom and her sister liked to eat there, and I fondly remember the day we had lunch there and they wondered why I had only 1 dozen oysters. Finally I told them that I had 2 dozen at the casino, while they played the penny slots. Restaurant was rebuilt on land, and oysters are still very good, I am happy to report. And they serve a baker's dozen! J had a dozen of their grilled oysters. Probably going back for dinner.
Last night she stayed up till midnight watching the live telecast from New Orleans of the Rex Ball and meeting of Rex and Comus. A ton of money in those rooms, and old traditions. And I suspect there is too much in-breeding: the queens and their courts were not at all attractive. J agreed, so it is not just a male perspective.

3/9

What did I say about plans? We were awaken this AM by flashes of lightening and claps of thunder, accompanied by heavy rain and strong winds. Local weather stations reported that there was a tornado warning in our county and people should take cover. Hotel employees said that tornadoes were spotted around Biloxi and that one touched down in Pasgagoula (sp?) and turned over cars, so workers were sent home. In addition, there were warnings of flash flooding. All of this basically following the route we are planning for the drive home. We decided to stay another night.
Forgot to mention that yesterday at lunch, J thought she was in heaven. On vacation she likes a bloody mary at lunch, and ordered one. When she finished, the waiter informed her that it was 2 for the price of 1, and did she want the second one? Silly question! The designated driver had diet Coke.

3/8

Best made plans of mice and men... She Who Must Be Obeyed wanted to explore downtown Lafayette, so we stopped at the visitor center on the way. Found out there was a parade, and a restaurant that serves beignets. Caught the tail end of the parade and drove past many folks camped by the route, cooking and eating - and perhaps enjoying a cold beverage. We passed several floats/party wagons returning and/or going to the next parade. It rained most of the day, and we drove several miles through torrential rains west of Baton Rouge. Visibility very limited. Slowed to 45, made sure the lights were on, and hit the flashers. Haven't driven in that kind of rain in many years. Stopped for lunch at 1:30 at Don's in Hammond. Many places close for Mardi Gras, but the parking lot was packed. Another dozen oysters, and a cup of crawfish bisque. Made it to Gulfport around 3:30, and checked into a Holiday Inn Express with gulf view. Put only 200 miles on the car today. Local weather is full of tornado watches in Miss. If weather does no cooperate, we will stay another day.

3/8

Emily got another good report from the Dr, but it will be a while before she knows gender. She and J are hoping for a girl. I picked up J at 11 yesterday, and we spent last night just west of Lafayette. Had a great meal at Fezzo's: 2 dozen oysters on the half shell (best I have had since my last visit to the Big Easy), with a cup of seafood gumbo. J had a dozen lightly cooked oysters (she can't eat raw seafood) with shrimp and okra gumbo. Unfortunately, service left much to be desired. SE Mich can have all of those terrible jelly donoughts: I like the LA way of celebrating much better! Plan is to head north in Miss, but you know about plans.

3/6

Clothes are packed. Car is half loaded. Randy is cooking dinner tonight. Tomorrow, Em has a Dr appointment at 9 or 9:30, so J will spend the night and the girls will go together. Afterward, I'll pick up J, hit I-10 and head east. Good lord willing and the creek don't rise: we will be home in a week. Been a good trip, but we are ready for our home and routine - and tired of motel breakfast buffets.

3/2

On M0n (2/28), I took J to a very large shopping mall with a movie theater so she could watch King's Speech. She thoroughly enjoyed it. Meanwhile, I explored the mall and found a Specs, which is a chain of liquor stores in the area. This one was huge, and could adopt the motto: If we don't have it, you don't need it. Beer, wine, hard liquor, snacks, glasses, etc. A very large male employee asked how I was doing, so I asked how he was doing. His answer: I'm sober, but I have the remedy. I don't recall ever hearing that line before, and it is probably not too popular in PC areas.
The weather was perfect on Tues (mid to high 60s, sunny, no wind), so we drove to Galveston. I had a dozen very good oysters at lunch and then we went sight-seeing. Only other time I was here was shortly after Ike. Lots of rebuilding, building, repairs, etc. The Strand is open for business. Apparently everyone thinks it will be another 100 years before they get another devastating hurricane. Hope they are right. J of course had to tour the Moody museum. Before we left town, we stopped at the Hotel Galvez on Seawall Blvd. Over 100 years old, but in pristine shape - at least the public areas. Got another dozen oysters (for $12) with a glass of wine. The locals are getting ready for their second weekend of Mardi Gras. I'll skip it, thank you very much.