OK.....same morning rituals, same Fr. Roast coffee, same routine to prepare TheHowserHouse for being towed down the highways.......all taking more time than they should take! However, this morning the 1st Lady and I had to "pack" to leave TheHowserHouse in storage in an rv park just 30 miles east of Mobile. "Pack" means..........getting our clothes together to move into a hotel in downtown Mobile and remain there for the wedding on Saturday evening......in other words....TONS of clothes!!!! Our closets were overflowing.........the kind of clothes that we normally do not take on our travels. Formal clothes, long dresses, cocktails dresses, evening dinner dresses, brunch dresses, suits for me, dress shirts and ties, dress shoes, slacks, etc., etc. You get the idea....don't you???
Soooo, that took an extra hour to put them into the travel mode in our truck.......making sure that all of the clothes and jewelry and shoes were safely stowed away into the truck without getting any more wrinkles than need be. And soooo, we left the rv park about 9:15...and by 20 minutes later we were on I-10 going east to Alabama. AND....the sun was out the entire day, even though the temps were waaaaayyyyyy tooooo cool for this time of the year!!!!
We arrived at Azalea Acres, 30 miles east of Mobile around 11:30.......got the RV hooked up to the power post, leveled, and then a few more transfers to our truck, paid the bill through Sunday night($10 for the hookup for the week, and $13 for Sunday night.....quite the bargain!!!) Then we had been in contact with Jay off and on all morning as he drove south through Alabama. We arrived at the correct interstate exit at exactly the same time......parked the truck....and after lots of hugs and kisses, we jumped into his car and headed to Fairhope on the east side of Mobile Bay and to Anne-marie's mother's home.
She was there and more hugs and kisses were in order. Giving us the tour of her mother's home and guest house in the back of the very, very lush yard, we absolutely loved both of the homes!!!!!! A bit later, all four of us then went to her grandmother's huge old home right on the bay....with a summer kitchen. BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!! GORGEOUS!!!!! INCREDIBLE!!!!!!! Just an amazing place which has been in the family for decades and decades.......a southern tradition!!!
After exploring the beautiful home, we then hopped back into the car and headed up to get our truck.....and then we parted as we headed for the Holiday Inn Downtown where we have reservations until Sunday. Checking in, we soon were on the 10th floor overlooking the city of Mobile.....a beautiful sight out of our window!!!
The 1st Lady and I walked a couple of blocks for a small, late lunch.....as we were to joing Anne-marie's family for dinner at 7pm in a downtown restaurant. Back to the hotel, we waited for Jay and A-m to pick us up......and by 7:15, we were being introduced to her father and step-mother, and her mother!! Such incredible people........and as their guests......the dinner was just wonderful!!!!!!! The wine flowed generously, the individual meals were wonderfully prepared and the presentations were outstanding!!!!! Service.......amazing!!!
It was a fabulous evening as we talked, laughed, and thoroughly enjoyed each other's company!!!!! We melded beautifully........and after three hours at the table, we begin to learn about each other, our histories, and our family's history!! Such a wonderfu evening.....!!! And......this is to be continued tomorrow..........
And tomorrow?????? We go to A-m's grandmother's to watch them unwrap many of the gifts that have arrived; then I have to go the airport to pick up the 1st Lady's sister and nephew as well as pick up our rental car for the weekend. A busy afternoon!!!!! At 6pm, we will be picked up at the hotel(s) by a chartered bus with her grandmother as the hostess and tour guide. We will then be on tour of Mobile....eventually ending at her grandmother's home for a rather large cocktail party in the early evening. Such fun........can't wait!!!!!!
A friend of A-m's and Jay's arrived with his wife and children and are housed in our hotel.......and after talking with him late this evening......we learned that he was the producer in Hollywood of "Silence of the Lambs"!!!! Such a fun guy to talk with......WOW! Another bit of news for the wedding........the grandson of the ORIGINAL Forrest Gump......the person the movie was made about.......anyway, his grandson will be the ring bearer!!!! And, as more and more and more people arrive from around the country and the world, I wonder.....who else will be here????
And sooooo, the evening is over.......the festivities have begun and will continue daily until Sunday morning when Jay and Anne-marie fly to Nicaragua for their honeymoon at a villa on the beach. And.....as always.........
LIFE IS JUST REALLY, INCREDIBLY GREAT!!!!!!!!......And, I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!!
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