1/30

The bulldozers and workers are gone, so I can once again enjoy the ocean with my coffee.

Monday we visited the Naval Air Museum, on the base at Pensacola.  It is huge and very impressive.  Planes of all sizes and ages.  Could easily spend 2 days there.

1/26 part 2

They are moving tons of sand on our beach.  A ship brings sand from the gulf, and about 100 yards from the beach, hooks up to flexible tubing that is mostly submerged.  Then the ship pumps and sand gushes out of the other end of the tubing on the beach.  Birds go into a feeding frenzy.  When the ship detaches and goes back into the gulf, the bulldozers go to work.  The operation goes on around the clock.  Hope they finish soon, so that we can listen to the ocean rather than the dozers.

1/26 part 1

Wed we visited Fairhope, about 35 miles west of here.  Nice town with lots of shop that J visited.  Then we went to the Grand Hotel in Point Clear, right on the eastern shore of Mobile Bay.  Had a nice lunch, walked around, and learned some history.  Hotel dates back to 1847.  At 4, they staged a short parade out to the cannon, said some nice things about Vets, and fired the cannon.  Then back to the lobby for a cup of tea and a cookie.

1/23

Mardi Gras is a big deal down here.  Mobile claims to have staged the first MG parade, and now there are dozens  in the area.  At least 2 have already taken place - and MG is Feb 12.  On the 12th there will be parades in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.  We will try to view them both.

Yesterday we attended the 3rd weekly cooking demo at Cobalt.  For $20, you get a small meal and a glass of wine.  My only complaint is that yesterday I looked around and saw a room full of old people.  We on the other hand are young.

1/22

Nothing much new here in Paradise.  Sat there was an "Art Walk" at the Wharf (a local shopping center), and of course J wanted to stimulate the local economy.  I went to the Cigar Bar, bought a good cigar and took it and some Gentleman Jack to the bench out front, where I engaged in one of my favorite passtimes:  people watching.  It was easy to differentiate the snow birds from the locals.  Snow birds were wearing tee shirts.  Locals were wearing jackets or sweatshirts.

1/15

I did a little research last night and found that Feb 11 was the first day of the strike by Memphis sanitation workers.  Who knew?

1/14

Yesterday we tried the Sunday brunch at Cobalt.  Good food at a reasonable price.  And the dolphins staged a parade.

Today we drove to Joe Patti's Fish Market in Pensacola, which was recommended by a couple from Illinois that we met at a cooking class.  Very large, with nice selection.

Last Friday we went to Mobile.  I dropped J off at the museum while I took the car to the dealership for normal service.  Their news letter states that Feb 11 is Martin Luther King day.  Really??

Sunday was another cigar day.

1/8

Yesterday was a perfect day in paradise.  Sunny and warm enough to sit on the balcony in tee shirt and shorts and smoke a cigar.  Recently we have had several days of damp, chilly, overcast weather.  When I start to complain, I think about Mich weather.

Ever since J watched the Moon Pie drop in Mobile on NewYear's eve, she has been on a quest to buy one. Apparently they are seasonal, but Publix got a supply yesterday.  They are OK, but don't need to buy more. Must be an acquired taste.

1/7

The other night, we returned to Cobalt for dinner:  a 4 oz steak for J and pan-roasted speckled trout for me. Both meals were great, but the best part was the entertainment.  J counted 25-30 sightings of dolphins in the bay.  I doubt that each sighting was a different dolphin, but several times we saw 4 at once.  Very cool.  Thanks for the show, Flipper.

Yesterday we followed 180 to its end in Fort Morgan, where there is a dock for a ferry to Dauphin Island.  We did not take it, but will do some research about the Island before we spend $30 for a round trip.  And there really is the remains of an old fort (Civil War?) nearby.  More research.

1/5

According to the TV news, workers were "rebuilding" the beach after the damage done by hurricanes.  To the tune of $12 Mil.

Yesterday, we stopped for a mid-afternoon snack (oysters, of course - $9 for a dozen) at Cobalt restaurant.  J spotted a small dolphin playing in the harbor.  Jumping out of the water.  Locals told us this was not the first time they had seen dolphins in the harbor.  Very nice.

1/2

Blue Angels did a fly-by this AM, in tight formation.  I have heard them before, and J has seen them, but this was a first for me.

J saw some "black stuff" on the beach yesterday, and today we saw several commercial ships trolling or skimming close to shore.  And a large front-end loader was removing something from the beach.

1/1/13

J had a bug, rather than a big.

She stayed up last night and watched the Pelican drop and the Moon Pie drop.  She loved the Moon Pie.  It descended from a 33 story building.

The other day we discovered Cafe Beignet across the street.  She made a run this AM and brought back some chickory coffee and beignets.  Every bit as good as New Orleans.