Monday, June 12, 2006
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Again....a TWO day post!!
Hmmmmmm…..an apology is in order since I didn’t get around to writing and publishing anything last night. A couple of reasons: 1. The 1st Lady has taken on the part time job of doing the statements and billing the companies that our Dr. Jeni’s husband, our son-in-law, works with in his business on the road. The 1st Lady needs something to occupy her time, give her “structure”, and so this is a good release for her still hanging on “energies” from teaching for 29 years. Soooo, last night she had many statements, from his invoices which he emails to us, to get typed and emailed to him. #2: I discovered a recurring problem under the entertainment slide of the RV…..the flexible plastic piece which holds all of the electrical cords and bends, along the with the cords, when the slide retracts…..well, for the second time in less than a year, it has split…..on BOTH ends!!!! Soooo, to say the least, I was VERY PISSED and VERY UPSET!!!!!! Plus…..as I rolled the awning in last night, I discovered for the SECOND TIME that the screws have pulled loose from the side of the RV!!!!!! Just had them fixed last fall and here we go again!!!!
Ok…..enough of this problem crap. A good friend of mine told me that if we put our stick/brick houses on wheels and drove them down these horrific, bumpy roads……just imagine what would happen to our homes!!!!! Soooo…..these items can be repaired….so just let it go, John!!
Yesterday……a leisurely morning again…..and then at noon, the 1st Lady and I went over to the beach….for the last time……tears are streaming down my cheeks!!! I love the beach, the relaxation it gives, and the incredible “eye candy” that is also available there!!!!! HEHEHEEE!!!!! We remained for four hours and then packed it in and returned to the RV Park.
After de-salting ourselves with hot showers, we were off to Destin to have a final seafood dinner. EAT AT “A.J.’s”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Such a great seafood restaurant with great choices and wonderful food. I had the “Run of the Kitchen “…..a LARGE platter of fried oysters, fried shrimp, fried scallops, fried clams, deviled crab, and wonderful fried Mai-Mai, along with hush puppies, slaw, and a very cold Corona!! (With Lime slice, of course). A great dinner for only $23.95!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The 1st Lady had Garlic-butter scallops which were good, but just not quite enough garlic on them to enhance the flavor. Oh…..we also had crab stuffed mushrooms with melted cheese on top of the them……YUM!!!
Back to the RV….and I got busy getting the final items stored in the basement for the journey home. Of course, I was pissed at the problems, but managed to get sleep during the night.
TODAY
We were up, things were packed and put away inside, and we pulled out of the Navarre Beach RV Park at 9:20 this morning. A good drive…..a good ride….and hot, muggy weather outside the truck as we rolled west on I-10, and then into Mobile, AL, and then northwest on US Hwy 98 to Hattiesburg…..and changed to US 49 north to Jackson where we picked up I-55. We went 20 miles north of Jackson to Canton and pulled over and registered at a campground here. Nice……big lots….and level, too. AND…….
We pulled in beside another Cedar Creek 5th wheel from Florida!!! It is 2006 Custom RDQS…..the floor plan of our Cedar Creek RV. We rested some, stayed inside out of the searing heat and humidity, and a bit later the owners of the other CC arrived back.
I went out to meet them…..and an interesting conversation developed about our rigs. I pointed out my problem with the flexible plastic piece…..and we looked under his slide…..and OMG, but his was just about to rip apart!!!!!!! AND…..he had only purchased his in March AT THE FACTORY!!!!!! Sooooo, our discussions continued about the problems we have had with many little minor issues…….
We plan to get together in the morning before we both depart. I told him about the Cedar Creek RV Owners Club….and he is interested in learning more. Don’t think he uses the computer much for keeping in touch with things…….I told him I had some good tape that can fix his problem….temporarily and will assist him in the morning.
Tonight, the 1st Lady and I drove back down I-55 into Madison to see the movie “RV”……and laughed ourselves silly!!!!!!! A great movie that hits home with any rver!!!!!! If you haven’t seen it….camper or not…..go see it!!!!
Sooo, now the 1st Lady is yelling at me…..more invoices/statements to be done. NEXT trip she brings her own lappie!!!!!!!
Soooo, tomorrow it is on to Tunica and to the Casinos!!!!
Until then…..
Life is GREAT……and I hope it is for all of you, also!!
Ok…..enough of this problem crap. A good friend of mine told me that if we put our stick/brick houses on wheels and drove them down these horrific, bumpy roads……just imagine what would happen to our homes!!!!! Soooo…..these items can be repaired….so just let it go, John!!
Yesterday……a leisurely morning again…..and then at noon, the 1st Lady and I went over to the beach….for the last time……tears are streaming down my cheeks!!! I love the beach, the relaxation it gives, and the incredible “eye candy” that is also available there!!!!! HEHEHEEE!!!!! We remained for four hours and then packed it in and returned to the RV Park.
After de-salting ourselves with hot showers, we were off to Destin to have a final seafood dinner. EAT AT “A.J.’s”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Such a great seafood restaurant with great choices and wonderful food. I had the “Run of the Kitchen “…..a LARGE platter of fried oysters, fried shrimp, fried scallops, fried clams, deviled crab, and wonderful fried Mai-Mai, along with hush puppies, slaw, and a very cold Corona!! (With Lime slice, of course). A great dinner for only $23.95!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The 1st Lady had Garlic-butter scallops which were good, but just not quite enough garlic on them to enhance the flavor. Oh…..we also had crab stuffed mushrooms with melted cheese on top of the them……YUM!!!
Back to the RV….and I got busy getting the final items stored in the basement for the journey home. Of course, I was pissed at the problems, but managed to get sleep during the night.
TODAY
We were up, things were packed and put away inside, and we pulled out of the Navarre Beach RV Park at 9:20 this morning. A good drive…..a good ride….and hot, muggy weather outside the truck as we rolled west on I-10, and then into Mobile, AL, and then northwest on US Hwy 98 to Hattiesburg…..and changed to US 49 north to Jackson where we picked up I-55. We went 20 miles north of Jackson to Canton and pulled over and registered at a campground here. Nice……big lots….and level, too. AND…….
We pulled in beside another Cedar Creek 5th wheel from Florida!!! It is 2006 Custom RDQS…..the floor plan of our Cedar Creek RV. We rested some, stayed inside out of the searing heat and humidity, and a bit later the owners of the other CC arrived back.
I went out to meet them…..and an interesting conversation developed about our rigs. I pointed out my problem with the flexible plastic piece…..and we looked under his slide…..and OMG, but his was just about to rip apart!!!!!!! AND…..he had only purchased his in March AT THE FACTORY!!!!!! Sooooo, our discussions continued about the problems we have had with many little minor issues…….
We plan to get together in the morning before we both depart. I told him about the Cedar Creek RV Owners Club….and he is interested in learning more. Don’t think he uses the computer much for keeping in touch with things…….I told him I had some good tape that can fix his problem….temporarily and will assist him in the morning.
Tonight, the 1st Lady and I drove back down I-55 into Madison to see the movie “RV”……and laughed ourselves silly!!!!!!! A great movie that hits home with any rver!!!!!! If you haven’t seen it….camper or not…..go see it!!!!
Sooo, now the 1st Lady is yelling at me…..more invoices/statements to be done. NEXT trip she brings her own lappie!!!!!!!
Soooo, tomorrow it is on to Tunica and to the Casinos!!!!
Until then…..
Life is GREAT……and I hope it is for all of you, also!!
Friday, June 09, 2006
A GREAT Lifestyle!!!
WOW……it was really quiet this morning when I awoke……no little girls whispering in the living room, telling deep little girl secrets. Only the 1st Lady and I in TheHowserHouse……..and soon after awakening the aroma of French Roast coffee was floating throughout.
As usual, I took my coffee on the patio….and without any breeze anywhere!!! The morning was hot and sticky with a ferocious sun beating down on the awning. The 1st Lady emerged from the RV and suggested we have breakfast down the road at the Waffle House. This happens to be one of our favorite places for breakfast…..so off we went. And as always…..there was lots of food and small prices for our breakfast.
From there we went to Walgreens to make some CD’s of our pics on my digital camera which needed to be deleted…..only after the CD’s were made. This took a bit longer than I anticipated but sure glad to be able to delete all of those pics from my camera.
Then it was a quick trip about 5 miles east of here to the veggie and fruit market for some fresh sweet corn and ripe tomatoes. It is not cheap there, but they are soooo good and fresh!
We returned to the RV Park…..and spent a rather leisurely morning. The 1st Lady went to the Rec Room and spent almost an hour on the exercise machines, while I enjoyed another cup of coffee…….can never get enough….hahaha!!!!
We skipped lunch after the huge breakfast we consumed…..and around 1pm, we headed to the beach. WHAT a beautiful day it was out there……..the winds picked up and cooled the air down, as the white caps on the Gulf begin to be seen…..and the waves became a bit stronger! It was a great, relaxing afternoon…..perhaps with a tad tooo much sun hitting my wrinkling skin…….and I’m certain it will be more wrinkled now with the extra sun playing havoc with it!!!
WOW……have you ever noticed how your body is evolving as you age (quickly)?????? I really do believe I am returning to my roots……..to my primitive ancestors. The older I become the shorter I become…..the more stooped I become…..and as the hair on my head falls out, the rest of my body catches that hair and I become very hairy like my ancestors. Will I soon be walking so bent over that I will find my hands on the ground as I move about????? Some real thinking to do about this……………….!!!!!
This evening I fixed some BLTs, the 1st Lady fixed the freshly picked sweet corn, I had a couple of glasses of the dark red medicine…..and the dining room was the great outdoors with a beautiful ceiling overhead!!! Following the sumptuous meal, we strolled down to the shore and walked out onto the pier to watch some of the young kids try their luck at fishing. We then set on the beach in a yard swing and enjoyed a young man playing his guitar while on the beach.
And so……..I ask again: Is this almost Paradise??? Can this type of lifestyle get any better???? It is sooooooooooooo relaxing AND enjoyable!!!!!!
Life IS Great……and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!!
As usual, I took my coffee on the patio….and without any breeze anywhere!!! The morning was hot and sticky with a ferocious sun beating down on the awning. The 1st Lady emerged from the RV and suggested we have breakfast down the road at the Waffle House. This happens to be one of our favorite places for breakfast…..so off we went. And as always…..there was lots of food and small prices for our breakfast.
From there we went to Walgreens to make some CD’s of our pics on my digital camera which needed to be deleted…..only after the CD’s were made. This took a bit longer than I anticipated but sure glad to be able to delete all of those pics from my camera.
Then it was a quick trip about 5 miles east of here to the veggie and fruit market for some fresh sweet corn and ripe tomatoes. It is not cheap there, but they are soooo good and fresh!
We returned to the RV Park…..and spent a rather leisurely morning. The 1st Lady went to the Rec Room and spent almost an hour on the exercise machines, while I enjoyed another cup of coffee…….can never get enough….hahaha!!!!
We skipped lunch after the huge breakfast we consumed…..and around 1pm, we headed to the beach. WHAT a beautiful day it was out there……..the winds picked up and cooled the air down, as the white caps on the Gulf begin to be seen…..and the waves became a bit stronger! It was a great, relaxing afternoon…..perhaps with a tad tooo much sun hitting my wrinkling skin…….and I’m certain it will be more wrinkled now with the extra sun playing havoc with it!!!
WOW……have you ever noticed how your body is evolving as you age (quickly)?????? I really do believe I am returning to my roots……..to my primitive ancestors. The older I become the shorter I become…..the more stooped I become…..and as the hair on my head falls out, the rest of my body catches that hair and I become very hairy like my ancestors. Will I soon be walking so bent over that I will find my hands on the ground as I move about????? Some real thinking to do about this……………….!!!!!
This evening I fixed some BLTs, the 1st Lady fixed the freshly picked sweet corn, I had a couple of glasses of the dark red medicine…..and the dining room was the great outdoors with a beautiful ceiling overhead!!! Following the sumptuous meal, we strolled down to the shore and walked out onto the pier to watch some of the young kids try their luck at fishing. We then set on the beach in a yard swing and enjoyed a young man playing his guitar while on the beach.
And so……..I ask again: Is this almost Paradise??? Can this type of lifestyle get any better???? It is sooooooooooooo relaxing AND enjoyable!!!!!!
Life IS Great……and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!!
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Another day in almost "Paradise"
AHHH…..another day in almost Paradise!!!!! Coffee……French Roast, of course……was enjoyed by this aging, red-faced old man under the awning, sitting in a wonderful warm breeze on the patio that sits at the bottom of the steps as you descend from TheHowserHouse. I am beginning to recognize and know several of the others that are camped here in the Navarre Beach Campground…….and oftentimes they will stop by and chat during the mornings.
The two oldest girls were up and quietly playing when the rest of us woke up…..and not tooooo early. Soooo, after my coffee…….we decided to remain here and enjoy the wonderful pool which sits under several Floridian palm trees only about 75 steps from TheHowserHouse. Yesterday while at the beach we were all “attacked” by small stinging “bites”……..could see nothing on us, however, Dr. Jeni did see something very tiny on her arms with a small red dot inside it. Then later as I took the girls on a sea shell hunt along the edge of the surf, I saw many small little jelly like dots………very much like the type of body a jelly fish has. Sooooo, we surmised that it was something related to jelly fish…???? Anyway…..the girls wanted to just enjoy the pool today and not be subject to the bitings which we received yesterday, but which didn’t last more than a few minutes each time.
Soooo, that is what we did today. Just a relaxing day………which seemed to pass very quickly!!!!!! I had hoped to get to visit with my Lufkin, Texas blog reader but he did get away from here early this morning. Soooo, when you read this…….leave me a comment and how to reach you……ok????
After an afternoon of sun at the pool, I quickly rushed out to the Publix Super Market and grabbed some thick pork chops to grill. Came home…….got the grill going….and enjoyed some dark red medicine which I haven’t taken for some time lately!!!! My heart surely must be suffering for this lack of attention!!!!!
Then after dinner on the patio, we all hurried and scurried around helping Dr. Jeni to get ALL of her and their many things together to leave for Missouri this evening. It is always easier for her to drive during the evening hours so the girls will sleep most of the time. I made reservations for her at a hotel in Jackson, MS for tonight so she wouldn’t have to search out a room by herself around midnight with three little sleeping girls in the car.
After their departure, the 1st Lady and straightened up TheHowserHouse……storing the toys, the beach equipment, and doing a bit of cleaning. Then we took a stroll just after sunset down to the bay at the edge of the park……and walked out onto the pier to enjoy the early evening breezes and the almost full moon. AHHHH……how quiet it was out there……and even quieter here at TheHowserHouse when we returned. The constant activity and hyped up young granddaughters has evolved into peace and quiet.
Sooooo, now it is time for an hour or so or tellie…..or reading a good book for a change. We have two more days before we leave…….and many things we want to do before we start north on Sunday morning.
And as always………
Life is GREAT…….and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!
The two oldest girls were up and quietly playing when the rest of us woke up…..and not tooooo early. Soooo, after my coffee…….we decided to remain here and enjoy the wonderful pool which sits under several Floridian palm trees only about 75 steps from TheHowserHouse. Yesterday while at the beach we were all “attacked” by small stinging “bites”……..could see nothing on us, however, Dr. Jeni did see something very tiny on her arms with a small red dot inside it. Then later as I took the girls on a sea shell hunt along the edge of the surf, I saw many small little jelly like dots………very much like the type of body a jelly fish has. Sooooo, we surmised that it was something related to jelly fish…???? Anyway…..the girls wanted to just enjoy the pool today and not be subject to the bitings which we received yesterday, but which didn’t last more than a few minutes each time.
Soooo, that is what we did today. Just a relaxing day………which seemed to pass very quickly!!!!!! I had hoped to get to visit with my Lufkin, Texas blog reader but he did get away from here early this morning. Soooo, when you read this…….leave me a comment and how to reach you……ok????
After an afternoon of sun at the pool, I quickly rushed out to the Publix Super Market and grabbed some thick pork chops to grill. Came home…….got the grill going….and enjoyed some dark red medicine which I haven’t taken for some time lately!!!! My heart surely must be suffering for this lack of attention!!!!!
Then after dinner on the patio, we all hurried and scurried around helping Dr. Jeni to get ALL of her and their many things together to leave for Missouri this evening. It is always easier for her to drive during the evening hours so the girls will sleep most of the time. I made reservations for her at a hotel in Jackson, MS for tonight so she wouldn’t have to search out a room by herself around midnight with three little sleeping girls in the car.
After their departure, the 1st Lady and straightened up TheHowserHouse……storing the toys, the beach equipment, and doing a bit of cleaning. Then we took a stroll just after sunset down to the bay at the edge of the park……and walked out onto the pier to enjoy the early evening breezes and the almost full moon. AHHHH……how quiet it was out there……and even quieter here at TheHowserHouse when we returned. The constant activity and hyped up young granddaughters has evolved into peace and quiet.
Sooooo, now it is time for an hour or so or tellie…..or reading a good book for a change. We have two more days before we leave…….and many things we want to do before we start north on Sunday morning.
And as always………
Life is GREAT…….and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
ANOTHER day at the beach......what a Life!!!!
Hmmmm……let me see…….just what did we do today that we haven’t done each day this week????? Coffee on the patio, a 30 minute exercise walk around the Park, and then a bit of lounging as I drank a bit more of my Fr. Roast. Then……oh yeah….I hopped in the truck and went up the road, east, to a veggie and fuit market on the side of the highway. Well……..a bit disappointed I was after looking over the offerings!!!! I bought three tomatoes and a small box of freshly picked blue berries……ok!!! BUT……the rest of what they had to sell was a little bit “no so fresh” looking. I asked when they received their shipments from south Florida and the girl told me to come back on Friday. Well……..perhaps!
I then filled up the truck with diesel…….2.89.9 per gallon. However, I am still averaging 11.7 miles per gallon…even while driving around the area here since last Friday. I filled up last in Hattiesburg last Thursday evening.
Then the 1st Lady said she would remain at TheHowserHouse with Ava…..who is, thankfully, feeling somewhat better today. So….Dr. Jeni, Meghan, Rachel, and myself went out to the beach for about four hours. The water was GREAT………EXCEPT that there was some little stinging creatures that attached everyone. NOT jelly fish, but something sooooo small you barely see anything at all.
I decided I wasn’t getting any Florida tan with my SPF 30(or whatever the hell letters for sunscreen), so I changed today to 15. Welll…….now my face is a bit on the reddish side, to say the least. Oh well……..can’t win them all!!!
I took the two girls walking down the edge of the beach, and we collected a bucket of sea shells each on the hour’s walk down and back to “our area”. Nothing spectacular, but it was great fun for them!!!!!!
This evening we all went over to Ft. Walton Beach and had dinner at another seafood tradition in the area: “Staff’s”. Sounds rather like something you do NOT want to catch……in a hospital. But the food was good, the shrimp were wonderful and plentiful, and it was a one price meal which included dessert and was all served “family style”. Soooo, we got out of there for $3.00 less than a hundred dollar bill. Good food, LOTS of food, and good prices, too. Now…..the service left a bit to be desired, but the food made up for the lack of quality in the service dept.
After a quick stop for some morning milk, it was back to Navarre Beach RV Park and by the time we returned Ava was fast asleep in her car seat, so now TheHowserHouse is quiet and winding down…..even at this early hour.
Not certain if I have any pics I haven’ posted yet…..perhaps one or two from dinner tonight. Soooo, check them out….if you want!
As always……
Life is GREAT……and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!
I then filled up the truck with diesel…….2.89.9 per gallon. However, I am still averaging 11.7 miles per gallon…even while driving around the area here since last Friday. I filled up last in Hattiesburg last Thursday evening.
Then the 1st Lady said she would remain at TheHowserHouse with Ava…..who is, thankfully, feeling somewhat better today. So….Dr. Jeni, Meghan, Rachel, and myself went out to the beach for about four hours. The water was GREAT………EXCEPT that there was some little stinging creatures that attached everyone. NOT jelly fish, but something sooooo small you barely see anything at all.
I decided I wasn’t getting any Florida tan with my SPF 30(or whatever the hell letters for sunscreen), so I changed today to 15. Welll…….now my face is a bit on the reddish side, to say the least. Oh well……..can’t win them all!!!
I took the two girls walking down the edge of the beach, and we collected a bucket of sea shells each on the hour’s walk down and back to “our area”. Nothing spectacular, but it was great fun for them!!!!!!
This evening we all went over to Ft. Walton Beach and had dinner at another seafood tradition in the area: “Staff’s”. Sounds rather like something you do NOT want to catch……in a hospital. But the food was good, the shrimp were wonderful and plentiful, and it was a one price meal which included dessert and was all served “family style”. Soooo, we got out of there for $3.00 less than a hundred dollar bill. Good food, LOTS of food, and good prices, too. Now…..the service left a bit to be desired, but the food made up for the lack of quality in the service dept.
After a quick stop for some morning milk, it was back to Navarre Beach RV Park and by the time we returned Ava was fast asleep in her car seat, so now TheHowserHouse is quiet and winding down…..even at this early hour.
Not certain if I have any pics I haven’ posted yet…..perhaps one or two from dinner tonight. Soooo, check them out….if you want!
As always……
Life is GREAT……and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
AT LAST: Monday and Tuesday's ramblin's!!!!!!!
WOW…..the time goes sooooooo fast that I didn’t even have time to write publish my rambling’s last night!!!! THIS is scary!!! WHAT is happening to my ever-shortening Life???? WHEN will it end…..at this rate it will be ever so quickly.
Yesterday…..hmmmm, with my aging mind I’m not certain I can even reconstruct the events of yesterday. As usual, my morning began with several cups of Fr. Roast coffee on the patio under the awning of TheHowserHouse……..situated here in Navarre Beach, Florida. There was a wonderful breeze yesterday from the north……and it was deliciously cool under the tall pine trees here at Navarre Beach Campground. LOVE IT!!!!
The granddaughters played around the rv…..and then they went to the pool with Dr. Jeni for some great pool time yesterday morning. They said they were almost the only ones there………since it was Monday, many of the RVers staying here for the weekend departed before the mandatory noon check-out. I always enjoy Mondays in a campground for that very reason……..a quiet morning with lots of open sites. There are many tall pines here in the park, and the park is surrounded by densely wooded land on both sides. Lots of birds, LOTS of bird calls during the evenings and mornings, and more than enough squirrels to satisfy any squirrel lover.
During the afternoon Dr. Jeni, Meghan and Rachel,and myself went over to Santa Rosa Island to the beach……..just a great place yesterday as there were sooooooo few there. We all had a fun time and stayed about three hours. The 1st Lady stayed at TheHowserHouse with Ava, who is suffering with very sore gums…..she is trying to cut some more teeth and it is really bothering her. Seems she has also developed a cold and cough…….probably related to the teeth problems.
Grilled some more burgers and hot dogs last night. Tastes soooooooo good over realy charcoal, instead of propane. It is well worth the trouble to pack the BBQ grill and charcoal in the basement!!
TODAY….TUESDAY:
Another gorgeous day,…..last night was in the middle 60’s with a gentle breeze all night long. Today…….well….NO humidity to feel, and the temp only reached 81 with that same wonderful breeze blowing through the trees.
Of course, the Fr Roast coffee was even better in this atmosphere this morning!!!! Walked around the Park with the 1st Lady, chatting with a few people where are camped here. Have met many “full timers”…..more than I had imagined might be here. Then we all went to the beach around noon……..WOW, what a great weather day at the beach!!!!! This day was the best one yet!!! We were there about three hours before we packed up and came back to the RV Park.
Dr. Jeni and the girls went to the pool for another couple of hours, while the 1st Lady sat with Ava in the RV. Later on I went over to tell Dr. Jeni something and this gentleman came up to me in the pool and asked if I was “John Howser”? And.,…being as I had taken a cup of coffee with me to the pool, he then asked “is that Fr. Roast coffee”? WELL….sure my mouth dropped open completely, and then I quickly realized that he was one of the readers of this little bit of ramblin’ that I do each evening!!!!!! AND, he was and is a daily reader!!!!!!
We chatted for about 15 minutes……..as he recalled discussions that I had written about on this little blog. Seems he has been reading this since last summer when the 1st Lady and I spent the summer in Wyoming!!!! This was a cool experience to have the opportunity to meet and talk with one of the many, many readers of TheHowserHouse!!!!!
Tonight we drove over to Ft. Walton Beach and had dinner overlooking the Gulf of Mexico in an open restaurant which allowed the sea breeze to blow through the area where we seated……a beautiful evening with some of the largest shrimp…from the Gulf…that I have eaten in YEARS!!!!! Incredibly delicious…….without a lot of old thick batter coated on them………fixed just perfectly!!!!
We then drove on over to Destin to make a “quick” trip to WalMart for some baby supplies. This was undoubtedly the largest WM that I have ever shopped in!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It took forever to locate the items I needed, and then, OF COURSE, they did NOT have enough checkers at the exit, so I stood in line for 15 minutes awaiting my turn to shell out my hard earned retirement income!!!
After a quick 24 miles trip back the girls are now ready for bed in TheHowserHouse…..and Ava, thank goodness for her, is resting comfortably!!!!! Tomorrow appears to be another great weather day from the forecast……sooo, sure we will be off to the beach again for a few hours.
I will post some beach pics following this two day report,……of course, most of them are of the Meghan, Rachel, and Ava……..after all, it is their first trip to the beach that they are able to remember.
As so……..as always,
Life is GREAT……..and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yesterday…..hmmmm, with my aging mind I’m not certain I can even reconstruct the events of yesterday. As usual, my morning began with several cups of Fr. Roast coffee on the patio under the awning of TheHowserHouse……..situated here in Navarre Beach, Florida. There was a wonderful breeze yesterday from the north……and it was deliciously cool under the tall pine trees here at Navarre Beach Campground. LOVE IT!!!!
The granddaughters played around the rv…..and then they went to the pool with Dr. Jeni for some great pool time yesterday morning. They said they were almost the only ones there………since it was Monday, many of the RVers staying here for the weekend departed before the mandatory noon check-out. I always enjoy Mondays in a campground for that very reason……..a quiet morning with lots of open sites. There are many tall pines here in the park, and the park is surrounded by densely wooded land on both sides. Lots of birds, LOTS of bird calls during the evenings and mornings, and more than enough squirrels to satisfy any squirrel lover.
During the afternoon Dr. Jeni, Meghan and Rachel,and myself went over to Santa Rosa Island to the beach……..just a great place yesterday as there were sooooooo few there. We all had a fun time and stayed about three hours. The 1st Lady stayed at TheHowserHouse with Ava, who is suffering with very sore gums…..she is trying to cut some more teeth and it is really bothering her. Seems she has also developed a cold and cough…….probably related to the teeth problems.
Grilled some more burgers and hot dogs last night. Tastes soooooooo good over realy charcoal, instead of propane. It is well worth the trouble to pack the BBQ grill and charcoal in the basement!!
TODAY….TUESDAY:
Another gorgeous day,…..last night was in the middle 60’s with a gentle breeze all night long. Today…….well….NO humidity to feel, and the temp only reached 81 with that same wonderful breeze blowing through the trees.
Of course, the Fr Roast coffee was even better in this atmosphere this morning!!!! Walked around the Park with the 1st Lady, chatting with a few people where are camped here. Have met many “full timers”…..more than I had imagined might be here. Then we all went to the beach around noon……..WOW, what a great weather day at the beach!!!!! This day was the best one yet!!! We were there about three hours before we packed up and came back to the RV Park.
Dr. Jeni and the girls went to the pool for another couple of hours, while the 1st Lady sat with Ava in the RV. Later on I went over to tell Dr. Jeni something and this gentleman came up to me in the pool and asked if I was “John Howser”? And.,…being as I had taken a cup of coffee with me to the pool, he then asked “is that Fr. Roast coffee”? WELL….sure my mouth dropped open completely, and then I quickly realized that he was one of the readers of this little bit of ramblin’ that I do each evening!!!!!! AND, he was and is a daily reader!!!!!!
We chatted for about 15 minutes……..as he recalled discussions that I had written about on this little blog. Seems he has been reading this since last summer when the 1st Lady and I spent the summer in Wyoming!!!! This was a cool experience to have the opportunity to meet and talk with one of the many, many readers of TheHowserHouse!!!!!
Tonight we drove over to Ft. Walton Beach and had dinner overlooking the Gulf of Mexico in an open restaurant which allowed the sea breeze to blow through the area where we seated……a beautiful evening with some of the largest shrimp…from the Gulf…that I have eaten in YEARS!!!!! Incredibly delicious…….without a lot of old thick batter coated on them………fixed just perfectly!!!!
We then drove on over to Destin to make a “quick” trip to WalMart for some baby supplies. This was undoubtedly the largest WM that I have ever shopped in!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It took forever to locate the items I needed, and then, OF COURSE, they did NOT have enough checkers at the exit, so I stood in line for 15 minutes awaiting my turn to shell out my hard earned retirement income!!!
After a quick 24 miles trip back the girls are now ready for bed in TheHowserHouse…..and Ava, thank goodness for her, is resting comfortably!!!!! Tomorrow appears to be another great weather day from the forecast……sooo, sure we will be off to the beach again for a few hours.
I will post some beach pics following this two day report,……of course, most of them are of the Meghan, Rachel, and Ava……..after all, it is their first trip to the beach that they are able to remember.
As so……..as always,
Life is GREAT……..and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sunday, June 04, 2006
A busy Sunday on the Gulf!!
Last night, after posting several pictures that here on the blog, I decided to write my ramblings for Saturday……and after doing so for 20 minutes, I attempted to publish and I lost my connection to the internet through my cell phone…….and my entire report went sailing out into cyberspace and for all I know, it is out therefor someone to read……..somewhere out there!!!!! I was soooo pissed that I just gave up and went to bed.
Now tonight….my phone is about to lose its charge, so this may go out there and never get published, so to be brief:
The day was another beautiful day……warmer than yesterday but we had a great breeze all day long. I had several cups of coffee on the patio under the awning, visiting with several other “residents” here that walked by and stopped to chat. Perfect!!!
Then, don’t know if I mentioned it or not, but my bathroom faucet has been leaking just a bit during this journey. Well, I checked underneath the vanity today, and it seemed to be a growing leak. The washcloth I had placed to catch the drip was WET….so I looked in the RV Park’s brochure and saw the name of RV specialists in repair who make “house calls” to the campgrounds. I gave him a call……and he was here in about 20 minutes!!
After much squirming around to get his head under the sink on the vanity, he told me a new faucet was needed!!!! After much discussion about another “plastic one” versus a home model…….and this being Sunday afternoon…..I told him to replace it with another plastic model…..different than the one I had. I didn’t want to have to drive 30 miles in either direction to get a home type model from Home Depot or Walmart
.
Installed…..and it stopped the leaking and works beautifully!!! THEN, the TV cable reception went haywire last night and hasn’t worked since. SOOOOO, I contacted the Park office manager, a repairman was sent to my site…..and he worked and worked and worked on the cable posts and the underground cable problem. The guy parked next to me has the same problem. A long story short: nothing is fixed yet!!!!! Perhaps tomorrow when the “park cable guy” comes back to work?????????
Soooo, off to the Gulf and a better beach than here on the bay. Everyone loved it…..and it was such a fun late afteroon!!!! The girls loved the water!!!!! Seems salt water doesn’t bother them at all!!!! Check out the pictures……………
Tomorrow…..well, the plans are to hopefully get the cable reception problem fixed. Then off to the beach on the Gulf…….for the afternoon.!!!
And so……
Life is Great……and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!
Now tonight….my phone is about to lose its charge, so this may go out there and never get published, so to be brief:
The day was another beautiful day……warmer than yesterday but we had a great breeze all day long. I had several cups of coffee on the patio under the awning, visiting with several other “residents” here that walked by and stopped to chat. Perfect!!!
Then, don’t know if I mentioned it or not, but my bathroom faucet has been leaking just a bit during this journey. Well, I checked underneath the vanity today, and it seemed to be a growing leak. The washcloth I had placed to catch the drip was WET….so I looked in the RV Park’s brochure and saw the name of RV specialists in repair who make “house calls” to the campgrounds. I gave him a call……and he was here in about 20 minutes!!
After much squirming around to get his head under the sink on the vanity, he told me a new faucet was needed!!!! After much discussion about another “plastic one” versus a home model…….and this being Sunday afternoon…..I told him to replace it with another plastic model…..different than the one I had. I didn’t want to have to drive 30 miles in either direction to get a home type model from Home Depot or Walmart
.
Installed…..and it stopped the leaking and works beautifully!!! THEN, the TV cable reception went haywire last night and hasn’t worked since. SOOOOO, I contacted the Park office manager, a repairman was sent to my site…..and he worked and worked and worked on the cable posts and the underground cable problem. The guy parked next to me has the same problem. A long story short: nothing is fixed yet!!!!! Perhaps tomorrow when the “park cable guy” comes back to work?????????
Soooo, off to the Gulf and a better beach than here on the bay. Everyone loved it…..and it was such a fun late afteroon!!!! The girls loved the water!!!!! Seems salt water doesn’t bother them at all!!!! Check out the pictures……………
Tomorrow…..well, the plans are to hopefully get the cable reception problem fixed. Then off to the beach on the Gulf…….for the afternoon.!!!
And so……
Life is Great……and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!
Saturday, June 03, 2006
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