Winter is over

Time that I wake up from that long winters nap. Perfecting the art of laziness at our southern get-away, the buds of Spring draw us north. Our Alabama Gulf Coast get-away was more of a soggy bog with more rain than California has seen in a decade. Weather aside, a steady stream of visitors kept us busy and entertained. Just in case anyone wants to know who these folks were ... Bill, June, Tom, Mary, John, Marsha, Paul, Marlene, John, Linda, Jim, Carol, Denny, Marilynn, Roger, Rita, Ken, Jerry, Kathy, Bob, Judy, Ben, Vanessa, Leigh, Scott, Austin, Gay, Jake, Dave, Cande, John, Linda, Ron, Jan, Tom and Sue. I'll let you fill in the last names but be it a day or a month, we were very pleased that they all took some of their winter vacation time to spend with us. Though we didn't make it to all the local resturants, we did show em' how 'snow birds' can spend money on food and drink.

In between friends visits, I did have some left-over medical issues that needed so attention so I made my foray into the Florida-Alabama medical community. First was to schedule a visit with a Florida pulmonologist. However the first one I called demanded a whole flotilla of tests even before seeing him. I told him I just had completed those same tests and had all the results but that didn't matter. He wanted his labs results. I quickly see how us snow birds occasionally get screwed. I checked this guy off the list first. The next one I worked with was in Alabama. Made an appointment and on the day of the appointment was called and asked if I could come in immediately, about 3 hrs early. I said I could but it would take me about 45 minutes to get there. When I arrived, I filled out all the paperwork, had blood pressure taken and was told to wait in the lounge. About 10 minutes later was asked to take a one hour lunch break as they were running late. I returned one hour later and was told to wait a few minutes more. Finally I was led to an exam room and seated. Better than an hour passed and I sent a text to Sharon (whose waiting in the car) that I'd give them 15 more minutes before leaving. The time passed and I got up a prepared to walk out. The receptionist stopped me and wanted to know what I was doing. "Leaving", I said. "I've been waiting 3 hours and I've got other things to do". "But wait!" She said. "You can't do that!" "The doctor will see you next. He usually spends a lot of time with his patients, but you are next". I explained to her that yes I can leave and that I had other commitments and, by-the-way, I didn't appreciate waiting three hours to see him. Before her jaw dropped to the floor or she attempted to tackle me I headed for the parking lot ... Moderately pissed off, but gone.
I expected some sort of an apologetic phone call later, asking me to re-schedule or a just bill for sitting in their offices for three hours, but didn't get either. Instead, about 10 days later I received a scathing letter from the doctor explaining that he would not jeopardize his local patients to treat demanding "snow birds" who think they can demand treatment whenever they show up. And don't worry about coming back to the office as I wasn't welcome plus if I replied to the letter it would not be read and would immediately be thrown out.  Southern hospitality at its finest I guess. And finally the next pulmonologist I visited, shortly after entering the examining room got out his prescription pad and wrote me a script for a drug I had never taken and before he even reading my medical history. He said most people my age should be taking this cholesterol medicine and all his patients are on it. I cancelled all future visits.
I'm beginning to see a pattern here. Maybe I should stay the hell away from doctors in the south as I'm apparently tainted in some way. Thankfully I'm recovering on my own with help from my local nurse Sharon and my remote nurse Susie.
Okay, enough! Us oldsters need to just stop talking about our medical issues. I know it's the one thing we all have in common, but this is it for me.
In the next installment I'll have some comments on our recent trip to a maintenance RV rally in Goshen Indiana. Pictures too! If you have the right brand of coach, it's THE place to be.
Till then, we're still livin' the dream. Now in Spring has sprung ... Michigan.

Phil

Friends and Family

Okay so I can't remember everything and this picture was supposed to be in the previous article so let me introduce you to our friends Tom and Mary.  We spent Thanksgiving dinner with them at the Tin Top restaurant in Bon Secour near Gulf Shores (tintoprestaurant.com) check out their menu!

Tom and Mary at the lighthouse at Pensacola Naval Air Station

It was great of them to stop by on their way to Titusville and share Thanksgiving with us.

Sharon's cousin Marcia and her husband John rolled into town after a fitful start to their new RV life. Breakdown after breakdown with their Class C punctuated by a 'to hell with it' and traded it in half way on their trip here with a newer model on their very first RV adventure. Their story gets funnier as time passes but at the time not so much. Anyway if you ever get the chance, ask them about it. It's a grin. Based on those experiences I think they'll fit right in to the full timers life. Overcoming adversity is part of the RV life.
We joined them for dinner their first night here at one of the areas more famous eateries. Lamberts (throwedrolls.com) is best known for the antics the waiters pull and the throwing of hot dinner rolls from across the room than their food but its still a 'must stop' when in the area.

Survived the 'throwed roll attack'

As Christmas nears what yearly event does Gulf Shores share with the great metropolis of New York you might ask. Well it's the annual Christmas parades.  As Paul Revere almost once said... "One of by land and one of by Sea". Yes, two parades. One through the downtown area and the other a boat parade along the intercoastal waterway. As luck would have it the weather was tolerable, though a little chilly, so we joined Sharon's GISD (not so secret government agency) friends Marlene and her husband Paul and Linda and her hubby John curbside to take in the first parade. The high school band, floats, kids throwing candy like they were fastballs at Tiger stadium and of course, Santa riding atop a bright red fire truck. A good time was had by all.

Linda, John,Paul Sharon, Marlene and two mysterious fingers

Can you spot the snowbirds?

Pretty snazzy float I'd say.

Marlene unsuccessfully trying to tell Santa she's been good this year.

A few days later it was the local mariners who had their big parade on the intercoastal waterway between Lulu's and the Wharf, two very well attended watering holes for locals and tourists alike. We attended this event in past years but weather kept the boats and the crowds to barely a hand full of participants. It was a whole different story this year as the weather was good and upwards of 40 some boats took up the challenge. So Sharon and I, her cousin Marcia and husband John, and Paul and Marlene headed early to Tacky Jacks (tackyjacks.com) to get waterside seats, something to eat, and some much needed libation. Good thing we got there early as the crowd soon filled the place. Beers and bushwackers soon warmed us up and the boat parade soon began.

The newest Tacky Jacks on the Intercoastal

Paul and Marlene

John and Marcia

Tradition has it that you leave a message while here

Note our date 12-13-14 ... pretty neat eh?

Getting ready to parade

Nice sportfishman

Size matters. Nicely decorated 60 foot houseboat

And so it goes. Another night of frivolity and soaking up the local culture and beer. The parade goes along the waterway for several miles and ends with a big party at Flippers Seafood Oyster Bar and Grill (flippersrestaurant.com) in Orange Beach. We missed the party this year as us oldsters were already past our curfew.

Still 'Livin' the Dream' on the Gulf Coast ... and enjoying family and friends.

Phil

A thankful time

Another Thanksgiving is under (literally) my belt and I should take a little time to ponder all the things I should be thankful for.

I want to thank that unknown turkey who involuntarily sacrificed itself to find a place on my dinner plate. I could have been a little more kind but prime rib wasn't on the menu that day.

I want to thank my RV for going a couple of days with nothing breaking or not working.

I want to thank my old TrailBlazer for only breaking a little bit the past few days. Seems that right side headlight just can't remain lit. Works mostly in the daytime but not so much at night. Sort of like me I guess.

I want to thank our friends Tom and Mary for taking the time to pay us a visit. We so enjoyed seeing them and sharing the holiday with us.

I want to thank our kids for allowing us the time to spend our retirement years just doing our ‘thing’. We've little worry about either of them succeeding in life or understanding what it takes to be a parent themselves. They make us feel like we may have done something right.

I’m thankful for having the sense to get up and walk out of a doctors office after waiting 3 ¼ hours for him to see me. And I really liked the stunned expression on the nurse's face as I explained my displeasure.

So with one holiday behind us and another soon here we’re certainly thankful that, before long, both friends and family will be here visiting us.

Thankful for lots of things and still livin’ the dream.

Phil

Winter Wonderland visitors

It took Mother Nature to get them going, and none too soon. Our old friends Bill and June just barely escaped the cold grip of winter and left their home as the snow flakes were licking at their heels. Though headed for Texas, they took a bit of a detour and stopped down our way to spend a few days in the Gulf Shores area with us.

They barely had their power cord plugged in and we showed up at their park unexpectedly. I guess we were anxious. They probably had plans to relax a little before socializing but no ... we had to drag them out to one of the areas better shrimp dinner places Fish River Grill #2 (http://fishrivergrill.com/Home.aspx). Starting off with some 'swamp soup',  fried pickles, and a round of drinks, we worked to cram in as much 'catching up' as possible. Since we do go back a long ways, old memories surfaced as fast as we gobbled down the fried shrimp. It was good to see them.

So the next few days were spent sightseeing, jabbering and trying out new places to eat. Bill and June had been through this area a number of years ago and remembered a place near the causeway to Mobile. The Oyster House (http://www.originaloysterhouse.com/) has been around a while, and by the looks of the crowd there, still very popular. We all enjoyed the food and the great view.

Bill and June at the Oyster House

As their visit came to an end we still had to make two more stops. First was lunch at the Tin Top Restaurant in Bon Secour near Gulf Shores (http://tintoprestaurant.com/ourmenus/bonsecour-menu/). A repeat visit for them and a multiple repeat stop for us, we were once again not disappointed.

Following a leisurely lunch, our final stop was a short ride out to Billy's Seafood shop (http://www.billys-seafood.com/). Located on the Bon Secour River, this local fresh seafood legend is the place to go for fresh shrimp and fish. Billy's is not your normal brick and mortar shop but a dockside jumble of flimsy walls covered with aged plastic film, extremely friendly and knowledgeable help, and mounds and mounds of fresh seafood on ice. They'll answer all your questions ... tell you about all the different variates, explain how to cook it, or even cook it for you. And if you want some sent to you great aunt in Seattle, they can do that too.

We'll be eating this red snapper in a few days

June had her eye on this little beauty. Looks like a hybrid bluegill to me.

Maybe something a little different for Thanksgiving?

With Royal Reds (that tastes like lobster) deep water shrimp in the foreground, Bill is trying to figure out how many he can carry in his cooler. Everyone nearby must get to his Texas camp soon before they are all consumed.

Let me get this straight ... you want 5 pounds of each type?

And so it goes. Their time here was too short but it's always good to see them. They have several short stops along their way to Texas and they were off once again this morning. Safe travels friends.

Bill and June

The weather here is like most of the country east of the Mississippi. Cold ... cold .... cold. This morning it was a crisp 23 degrees. Fortunately headed for the 70's in a few days but devastating on the tender plants in the area. I wonder what happens to all the butterflies as well.

We're still upset with Gulf State Park in that their formally excellent WiFi system is not working in this end of the park. I hear "they're working on it" everyday as I pass the entrance gate attendant. Three weeks has passed and it's pretty sad that a state facility can't get it fixed. I've talked with others and it's really a sore spot with most of them. I'm sure we're not the only ones considering leaving and not returning. On site Internet availability is no longer a luxury but a necessity for most of us.

But considering that I have no snow to shovel, like back home, this still is a pretty nice place to be. We're very fortunate and still livin' the dream.

Phil