2/25

The days, they are a dwindling!  We leave Alabama on Thurs, 2/28, and head to Houston.  Em's birthday is 3/3, so we have to be there for that.  Before we leave, I will mount one final assault on the oyster.  We will miss the ocean, the fresh seafood, the balmy temps, and perhaps most of all - something we see very little of during Michigan winters - SUN.

J is healing, slowly.  Patience has never been one of her virtues.  She thinks she can take 2 pills and return to normal.  It doesn't work that way - especially at our age.  But every day she has a bit more mobility in the arm, although I still have to help her get dressed.  I am not used to that.  She blames me for not playing with dolls as a kid.  Got that right, Pancho!

2/19

Saturday J tripped and fell in a parking lot and she banged up her shoulder and elbow.  We went straight to an urgent care facility where they took some x-rays.  Nothing broken, but she is very sore and will be sore for some time.

Spring break starts the first week in March, and the locals all have stories about the rich, spoiled kids, who trash the rental units and drive drunk. The waitresses at Wintzel's  say they get "cussed out" at least once a day.  We leave Feb 27 and will miss it all.

2/15

One of the local TV stations is based in Mobile, so we saw and heard lots about the cruise ship, Carnival Triumph, although I suspect that the passengers have less polite names for the company and ship.  Carnival had 100 buses to take passengers to New Orleans.  I heard this AM that one of the buses broke down on the way.  Some people can't catch a break.

2/12/13 aka Mardi Gras

Saw 2 parades.  The first at 10AM in Gulf Shores.  We parked at Meyer R/E, where they had a pre-parade   band and coffee.  Staff said that people started to arrive at 7.  There were a few sprinkles, but nothing serious.  The most interesting float was the "Jesus" float, with "Jesus" holding a cross while rap "music" blared.  I was disappointed that "Jesus" was not tossing beads or moon pies.

As soon as the parade ended, we beat feet to Wintzel's, where we had lunch.  Then we went out onto the deck.  Because the weatherman was predicting storms, the parade started at 1:30 rather than the scheduled 2  I watched from the deck (maybe 15 yards from the road), and J got up close and personal.  A lot of the same floats (including "Jesus"), but we did not care.  Just as the last floats passed us, the heavens opened up and it poured.  J was soaking wet, but smiling and carrying lots of beads.  She also got a package of rolls from the Lamberts Restaurant float _ "home of the THROWED rolls."  Our kitchen counter is covered with beads, which she will take home and donate to a nursing home.  (People in Mom's nursing home loved beads.)  J learned not to stand next to kids or pretty young women, because they get all the beads from the floats.

2/9 Part 2

The parade Fri night was 30-40 minutes long.  Cheering spectators lined the route.  There were a dozen floats, 2 marching bands with twirling flag girls, beauty queens and politicians, and of course - police and fire vehicles.  Small town America:  it don't get no better!

Another parade along the same route tonight.  Can hardly wait.

2/9 Part 1

We have been enjoying our main meal of the day in early to mid afternoon, and Friday was no exception.  At Cobalt, I had a crawfish pot pie, with a salad topped with pickled okra and bourbon pecans.  I will miss the food here.

Friday night there was a MG parade that passed right out front.  I watched from the walk in front of our unit on the 6th floor, and J went down to try and get some beads.  She kept missing them, and the man next to her said "You'really not very good at this!"  She finally got beads when they hit her in the face.

2/7

Met a the other day who could be Norm Farhner's twin.  Same hair.  Same beard.  Same build.  And his wife says that he is every bit as feisty as Storm'n Ninorman.  Scary!!

Mardi Gras is a really big deal in this area.  And instead of those terrible jelly doughnuts we get in Mich, they have Moon Pies, which really are not much better.  One of the locals told us that if someone on a float throws a Moon Pie in your direction, duck and let it hit the person behind you.

The vast majority of businesses will be closed on Tues, as well as the schools.  There are over a dozen parades in the area, and I love some of the names of the Krewes.  Order of Mystic Magnolias, Knights of Revelry, Comic Cowboys, Maids of Mirth, Order of Butterfly Maidens, and my favorite:  The Mystic Strippers.

2/1

A local merchant told J that the largest contingent of snowbirds is from Michigan.  Don't know if that is true, but we see many Mich plates, and have met folks from Alma and from Elk Rapids.  World gets smaller.