Once again, I can’t seem to sleep past 6AM……DAMN!!!!! Not a soul around and I wake up to the squirrels and birds on top of TheHowserHouse……..after all of these years of rving and camping, I think I should be able to sleep through a few little rompings on the roof! But….I didn’t.
So, I just laid there and thinking about my plans for the day……the drive down to Navarre Beach from Hattiesburg, finding the RV Park, stopping for “fresh” (?) orange juice at the Welcome Center as I cross into Florida, seeing the Gulf for the first time in about 3-4 years, crossing the many long bridges over the bays from Mobile through Pensacola and on to Navarre Beach, putting this dinosaur into the assigned camping space, pulling out of the rv park that I was in and getting across the four lanes of rushing traffic……etc, etc. Hmmmmm,……do I worry??????
I made plans to not attempt to get onto the highway until 9AM……to allow time for the hundreds, or more, vehicles driving into Hattiesburg to get to work. Then somewhere…..from the outside….I could smell fresh coffee!!!!!!! So, I jumped out of bed and put the freshly ground Starbucks Fr. Roast beans into the filter and pushed the “start” button. Then I jumped into the shower, and soon I was feeling much better with that large cup off steaming hot coffee in my hand!!
I took my time unhooking the umbilical cords and getting them properly stored in the basement of TheHowserHouse……no need to hurry and then just sit at the entrance to the highway. Had another cup of coffee, and then hooked up, and SLOWLY weaved my way out of the rv park through many, many pine trees along the circular route to the exit. A couple of close passes with some LARGE pine trees as I rounded corners, but it was a success!!! Not one branch brushed my highly shined walls of TheHowserHouse. This speaks mainly to the excellent ability of the Cedar Creek RV to follow my truck……of course, allowing for wide turns which are a necessity. Moving slowly, watching BOTH mirrors, and tilting the mirrors upward so the top of TheHowserHouse can be viewed while passing by the close trees and limbs……..that is the real trick…especially when traveling alone as I have been now since I left F’town.
The 1st Lady, Dr. Jeni and three girls spent the night in Southhaven, Mississippi…..just on the south side of Memphis. They didn’t get away from the Moser Estate until around 7:30pm, so they are several hours behind me.
I only had to wait for about 5 minutes at the highway crossing before the time came when there were no cars/trucks heading my direction from either the south or the north, soooooo, with great deliberation (TheHowserHouse, that is) we slowly made our way across to the southbound lanes with not a problem. SURE glad I didn’t have to hurry as TheHowserHouse does NOT hurry when it begins to move from a complete stop……takes a while to get rolling, especially when there is even the slightest of inclines. AND…..I was on my way to the beach!!!!
Some more beautiful country in S.E. Mississippi was on display, even though there was no blue sky…..just humid haze hanging everywhere. But the farms/”plantations” were still soooo pretty in their immaculate greenness with nice white fences. HOWEVER……as I got closer to the Gulf, I noticed that sooooo many houses/buildings/shacks STILL have the infamous blue tarps covering their damaged roofs!!!!! Hmmmm, where is all of the help that they were supposed to receive??????? “Brownie” you were supposed to have been doing “a heck of a job”!!!!
Lots of traffic once I got I-10!!!!!! But, there is ALWAYS tons and tons of traffic going across the southern states on this interstate. Mobile was no problem……hahaha!!!! For the first time TheHowserHouse was COMPLETELY under water……………………….. as we went under the Mobile River in a tunnel! Then before long, after crossing the Mobile Bay, it was on to the Florida Welcome Center and that “fresh” orange juice which they give you when you enter the Center. Gathered up some of the brochures on Florida and what it has to offer……HA!!! I could have filled my truck with all of the literature that they have there!!!!!
AND THEN!!!!! Going thru Pensacola ….no problem, UNTIL…..until all of sudden the traffic came to a complete standstill on I-10, and it took me an hour going from a stop to perhaps…..PERHAPS five miles an hour over and over again. All traffic was narrowed down to one lane as the eastbound bridge had been destroyed during one of the hurricanes last year. FINALLY got across the bridge and not tooo long after that, I was driving along US98 running parallel with the beach. And then……Navarre Beach RV Park.
A few minutes to get checked in (and pay the 9 night bill) and then I was escorted to my site and assisted with parking the RV. The gentleman assisting me was GREAT with his instructions in helping me to squeeze into the site, aligning my door with the concrete patio and still being able to open all four slides and yet, miss the hookup posts and the pine tree along the side!!!! The 1st Lady should have been here……perhaps she could learn just HOW to give the instructions!! (Don’t tell her I said this…..she never reads these posts).
Then I hooked up the umbilical cords, got the a/c on inside, and began to set up house for the next 10 days. Took longer than I thought it would as we seemed to have brought along one hell of a lot of stuff…….mainly things/toys for the granddaughters. But, I had not really done anything the previous two nights except just open the slides and use them to live in.
Of course……it wasn’t long until the storm clouds moved over the bay and over the park, and I began to move the lawn chairs under the bedroom overhang. Then, the winds began to blow, so I rolled up the awning that had only been unrolled for less than an hour. AND then the storm hit…..horrific lightning, heavy rains, and for awhile I thought I was back in Missouri!!!!
The 1st Lady called and they decided that from Hattiesburg they would go on down to Gulfport, Biloxi, and along the Gulf where Katrina hit as they head east to Navarre Beach. It will be late before they arrive here as they keep calling and telling me of the utter devastation that they are seeing there. Would LOVE to see it myself…..perhaps on the way back to Missouri. Dr. Jeni used to live in Biloxi when she was a dentist in the USAF and was stationed at Keesler AFB there. Of course….they are talking about the Casinos being gone…..our favorite restaurants no longer there except for a few bricks and crap, etc., etc., etc.
So…..guess I will grab a bite from the fridge….and watch a bit of tellie as I await the Moser Hurricane when the three little ones arrive!!!!
After a long drive through the devastation, the Moser SUV arrived after 10pm tonight…….and all the occupants were exhausted. Now to get things arranged in TheHowserHouse with ALL of the bags, bottles, and beachwares.
And as always…..
Life is Great……and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!
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