If it would just stop raining we could have some outdoor fun. 

We were going to get together with friends at my house and play croquet; play tennis; net critters on the bay; go letterboxing.  Instead it rained and the boys got their wish: to stay home and play video games.  So this was “stay home and play video game week”, except that we did leave a couple of times.

We ate out: Gary wanted to check out some more Dixiedining type places.  We went to Los Tacos in Fairhope, New Orleans Sno Ball stand (again) in Daphne, and the Sugar Kettle Cafe in Daphne.  It was all good.  Check out his review: www.dixiedining.wordpress.com

I finally got a new cell phone.  The flip top was broken (for at least a year) and I couldn’t close it without risking it really breaking on me.  When we lived in FL there was no Cellular South in town so I had to wait to get up here to get a new phone.  Finally it’s taken care of.

Today, I got a call from my friend Robin who lives in Sarasota. She and her son Campbell would meet us on the beach sometimes after the boys were all finished their school work and hang out. The boys would chase each other with a football or dig in the sand. Robin and I would sit and relax with our feet in the sand.

They were in Mobile today so we hooked up with them after lunch. The kids had fun running around at 5 Rivers. We also saw a movie in their theatre about the white pelicans. You’ll have to check it out.

Then we headed to Alligator Walk. I’ve always wanted to walk under the interstate along the walk and today we did it. There were alligator’s along the way; two of them. One was big and in the water, while the smaller one hung out in the grass. Thankfully the walkway was fenced. I like eating alligator but I wouldn’t want to be eaten by one. The kids had a blast running under the overpass, up the steep concrete slab to underneath the bridges. Rain was coming so we headed back to the cars.

It was great fun seeing some friends from FL.

A friend of mine from here (AL) is moving with her family to Alaska.  Her husband got a killer promotion with the Coast Guard and they’ll now be stationed in Anchorage.  They just left and he has been blogging their trip so I’ve been reading about it all week.  Sounds like a fun trip but they have 2 cars (trucks), trailers with ATVs etc and other stuff they didn’t want the movers to take.  I’ve followed Gary many times down the highway, but not as far as Alaska.  They’ll have to get through the border twice.  Can’t wait to read about that.

FINALLY, the sun came out…Saturday we spent the early part of the day in Mobile.  Gary’s car needed work and the shop by his office had the part.  We puttered around town in my car, ate lunch at Newks, shopped then headed home in both cars.  Newks rocks.  They opened in Southaven MS when we lived there.  We’d go each Sunday after church.  Then when we moved to Houston, they had just opened one there so we hung out often.  No Newks until we moved here.  Do we like the restaurant?  You bet.

Sunday we woke up to a beautiful day, sunshine, low humidity, light breeze.  After walking the dog we decided to hit the beach.  Gulf Shore State Park, where the public beach building looks like you could skateboard off of it.  The water was calm, not too warm, not too cold.  We hung out for a couple of hours.  Great fun.  On the way home we stopped in Magnolia Springs and found the springs.  Apparently it was a source of water for pirates, and soldiers from several wars in the area.  It was peaceful back in the little park.  Unlike Barton Springs in Austin TX, you can’t swim in the spring.  But you could pull up a chair and a good book and just chill out on the patio overlook. 

Tune in next week…