Fall Beaching

Spousal unit had a conference on the coast this past week.  A friend also invited us to finish the week with her at her condo in Gulf Shores. Definite winner!

In my haste to get all packed, loaded and roaring, I committed a fatal error.  A thing called sometimers disease kicked in.  Ole Otis Dog wanted to play, as always, and I didn't quite get everything packed, as in parts to the CPAP machine.  Boy did I pay for that oversight!

The conference was for the Mississippi Nurses Association, held at the Gulf Coast Convention Center.  As expected, most stayed at the Beau Rivage, using the special room discount.  Sucked those gals right in, into the casino and those all you can eat buffets!

The spousal unit usually stays at the beach Hampton, for its location and most importantly, for the hotel points.  As we were checking in, the hotel lobby was buzzing with activity from a large group of seniors.  Apparently they were in town for a reunion.  They were talking about this and that.  One couple said they couldn't find a certain restaurant from a visit in years past, even after trying that dang GPS that their kids had given them.  Kept saying "you have arrived at your destination", a strip club parking lot!

One thing about a crowd of seniors in a hotel lobby, it ain't like being in the library.  With all of them making conversation at the same time, you could barely hear your self think.  If they had their hearing aids in you couldn't tell it.  No conversation in this crowd was private.  Everybody talking at the top of their vocal range.  It was so loud you would thought they were a bunch of drunk college kids on spring break!  My future was unfolding before my eyes, of my!!!

While the spousal unit was busy doing that nursing thang of hers, I made a roadie trip back home for the rest of the parts to my air machine.  Yep, that sometimers disease is a bitch!  Next day, all rested up, I did my usual exploring routine.  Picked up some supplies for yet another ice chest cooler box build, then made my way to the SHED, for some Q.  Seafood is a wonderful thang, but you can only do the Bubba Gump thing for just so many meals.  BBQ is the next best thing!  Cracks me up to be there and watch and listen to first time visitors.  My recommendation, split the combo plate on your first visit, as this gives you a taste of everythang coming off their smoker!

That night we went to our favorite chain burger joint, Steak & Shake.  Yep! We got one on the coast!  Its in Harrah's.  The only down side, its a shrunk down version, and you have to go through the casino to get to it.  Then, your conversations are drowned out a bit from all the bells and chimes going off around you from the slot machines.  And then there is the smell and tastes of all that cigarette smoke.  Yeah, its a Steak & Shake, but it just ain't the same :-(.

Convention over, and we're off to Gulf Shores!  Mobile tunnel no problem this time of year.  Saw peanuts being harvested, and cabbage and other cold weather crops being planted.  And it seems like the antique stores and junk shops are multiplying!

We stopped for a late lunch at the Shrimp Basket, since that urge for shrimps had hit us again.  Got a kick out of watching our waitress come and go.  She was a little thang, but she was about in her seventh or eighth month.  Her apron wasn't in the usual spot, since that youngin in the oven was occupying most of the available space.  The apron was tied in the back, barely hanging off her butt, and the front was well protected from the elements, all tucked in up under!  She couldn't see a thang in the apron, having most of her stuff to one side or the other.  I'm still chuckling about it as I type!

Stopped for some cooking supplies before heading to the Condo.  The last grocery store, on the right, has been taken over and remodeled on the inside by a grocery store out of Louisiana called Rouses.  Highly recommend it!

Condo is 20 stories high, with the first three floors being parking garage.  I knew it was high rent district when I noticed the glassed in room surrounding the elevator doors had its own a/c unit.  The eighteenth floor has some awesome views, til you look down!

Next day we made our way to the surf and sand.  This being a short trip, I didn't bring all of my beaching toys, just two chairs, one umbrella, one umbrella anchor, two cup holders, and of course my handy dandy smartass phone, for bird watching and such.

The weather was just right for those that can't take the summer heat.  The surf was inviting, until you stuck your toes in it,  good God it was cold!  Not a whole lot of folks on the beach this time of year.  In fact, I only saw two birds and they both had feathers on them!  I recorded a video of the waves crashing on the beach and posted it on FB and captioned it as my version of "roll tide", since this was football Saturday.  It wasn't five minutes later, a gust of wind came up, and blew over somebody's umbrella (not anchored), with its Alabama Crimson Tide letter A on it.  That umbrella went tumbling down the beach, with a tramp stamped mother of four giving it chase.  Could not help it, had to let out a big belly laugh, and forgot all about taking a pic!

Made  it back to the room in time to groom up for the Dawgs and Rebs games of the day.  I had cooked a pot of red beans and rice with sausage simmering in the mix, and what a fine meal it was on this cool day.  Keeping up with my tradition from the MSU vs Texas A&M game, the drawers went on backwards.  The tradition will continue as long as the win streak continues.  Dawgs won!

The Rebellion game came on as the Dawgs were wrapping up.  They were playing their bitter rival, those corn dog smelling LSU tigers!  It seems the ladies of the condo crowd had been saving up their energies through the Dawg contest.  In no time flat they were yelling and screaming at their Quarterback, Bo Wallace.  Hate for that boy to be dating one of their daughters.....

As the game was coming to a close, I was fearful for my own life.  The spousal unit had already hit me with couch pillows in her excitement over the game.  Those tigers had gone ahead 10-7, with less than two minutes to go.  Words cannot describe the moment in the room when Bo's last pass was intercepted at the one yard line!  So much for the rest of the night......

Next day, rise and shine.  One of our companions had gone to the beach for a walk.  I noticed the light switch wasn't working in the bathroom, hummm, must a thrown a breaker.  Nope, electricity was out all along the beach.  We are on the eighteenth floor.  Guess what, no water pressured either!  In about 30 minutes the generator had the essentials working, especially the elevator and water pumps.  Interesting note, the maintenance men are not allowed on the elevators during a power outage, just in case they have to respond to an emergency, then its 20 floors of stairs for them!

Power back on, all cleaned up, it was time to pack up and head home.  Late October is a wonderful time for a beach trip.  Just don't be the lone wolf in a room watching SEC football with a bunch of women not totally familar with the rules of college football.  Painfull!