Last Blog from This Vacation

I will not fight this Internet any longer.  Uploaded pictures the other day and then they wouldn't attach and all was lost.  We are enjoying the good weather and beach at the park and haven't gone into the "city" to try and find better Internet.

Had a great time with Ryan, Becky, Olivia, and Owen.  Enjoyed having fun on the beach with the kids. Miss having Livie here to play in the gulf.  Carl isn't as much fun when it comes to the water.

Went on a dolphin cruise late one afternoon. Mom went along too.  Had a great time and saw a lot of them. 

The other day we toured another fort--Ft. Morgan.  I was surprised at how many oil riggers are out in the gulf and bay there.  While we were there, a tour bus was also.  They were being led on a private tour, so we got to see them shoot a cannon.  This is the fort led by General Farragut where the famous saying:  "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead" was said.

Carl and I have ridden every bike trail in the "Backcountry Trail of Orange Beach." They range from 1 mile to 2.75 miles.  However, we would get them from the campground so more miles were added on plus coming back to the campsite.  We did this all on our 20" folding bikes.

It is Sunday morning, and we are getting a thunderstorm.  It is suppose to clear later in the day. Good day to relax and read.  Had enough sun yesterday and a real long bike ride.  Leaving here tomorrow and going up to Foley--only about 10-15 miles--to stay a couple of days.  Hadn't had a chance to go up there yet--didn't want to leave the beautiful weather and the beach.  They have a great outlet mall, a big pottery store, and Lambert's "Throw the rolls" restaurant.  Also, want to take a side trip up to Fairhope.  Then we should be headed home by the end of next week.

P.S. Mom is doing fine.  Just a little swelling in her feet at times now, but she back to doing her jigsaw puzzles.

Rain Day with Strong Wind

Today we had rain since we got up.  Late afternoon the rain stopped and the wind began and gusted at times. You can see just a bit of a trailer in the top left corner of the pic out the motor home window.  That trailer has lost his awning due to the wind gusts.  This is the first day since we left that we had a day like this.

 

Yesterday we spend the day on the beach with Ryan and family at his condo.  Below is lovely Livie.

 

 Ryan and Owen digging a hole in the sand.

A pic of the view of the gulf from our chairs under the umbrella.



 

The following 3 photos are in sepia because Olivia was playing with my camera and changed the setting, I didn't notice when I was taking pictures.  I couldn't tell with the glare of the sun.

 

Carl, Ryan, and the kids

 

 

 Does anyone know who this guy is?  I know it is hard to recognize in this photo.  I didn't want to go right up to him and take his picture.

That is Gary Hoogeboom.  He played NFL football as a quarterback. He also was on the TV show the "Survivor."  Carl recognized him.  He was in the condo where Ryan is with his family from Grand Haven.  Later Ryan was in the hot tub with him, but no one went up to him and talked with him. Those guys are real chickens.

 

For Cameron, a guy was kayaking out in the gulf.

Our microwave went out last week.  We went into Home Depot and Carl installed a new one.

 

Tonight we are going to babysit Olivia and Owen.  They are going to stay overnight with us so their folks and meet up with all the other couples they know down for an adult evening at the FloraBama Bar.

Some big news down here today. The Carnival Triumph ship that is down here in Mobil Bay for repairs broke loose with the high winds and made its way across the river and hit another ship for more damage.  A guard shack that had 2 men in it blew into the river and only one has been found so far. 

Pictures of Ft. Pickens, Fl

This Armadillo hung around our campsite.
 

Santa Rosa Island is just beach as far as you can see with the Gulf on one side and the Bay on the other.

  

Carl climbing the steps of Ft. Pickens.

 

 

 We watched this Osprey build his nest and eat fish he caught.

 Geronima was jailed at Ft. Pickens for about 3 years.

 This is our campsite at the National Park.

We took a hike on one of the trails.  Most of the trees are just sticks since the hurricane went through.

 

This is for Linda DeJong.  Sandy Sansing is still selling cars after all these years. I took this off the TV.   I think he is now wearing a blonde toupee.

Finally Wi-Fi

The following are some pics of our campsite in Destin, Fl.  Big, clean, all gravel sites.  Had quite nice weather while we were there.  Mom got out of the hospital last Friday and stayed one day at a rehabilitation place.  She is doing just fine now.  I have had a cough for over a week and now I am sick with a cold and a bad stuffed up nose.

 

 

 The beaches along this area are just beautiful with the whitest, softest sand.  The beach here in Destin did not have any shells.

 

 

 This "motor home" came in across from us pulling a Chevy Suburban on a flat bed.  Out came 7 kids and 2 adults.  They took the truck off the flat bed, loaded the top of it with luggage and took off and never came back.  On the side of it it read:  Hogs Creek Speed Shop, Oklahoma.

 Eric--They still have Gulfarium down here.  There were quite a few cars in the parking lot too.

 

We are here in Pensacola Beach at Ft. Pickens National Park now.  Heading over to  Gulf Shores State Park next Monday.  Will be able to keep you more informed then because that park has internet service.

 

Good News

Mom is doing quite well.  She walked down the hall today with no breathing problems.  She will be discharged tomorrow.  She is going to go to the rehabilitation place for a couple of days.  She wasn't sure she wanted to go because they said she could come to the motor home.  However, I have this bad cold that I don't want her to get and it will give us time to wipe down everything with disinfecting wipes.

We took a ride today down 30A.  Beautiful drive along gorgeous, expensive homes and condos.  We were planning on stopping and browse around Seaside.  Just below that little "town" is another one called Water Color.  It was bumper to bumper cars and bikes everywhere. So, we just continued on.

There is always something that breaks when you are gone and you need to go in buy it.  Well, it was our toaster.  There is our brand new, cheap toaster.  The guy next to us has a broken door handle on his door of his motor home like us. He bought a new one but can't get the old one out, so the family has to keep going in and out the cab door.

 

 We took a long bike ride this afternoon on one of the backtop trails in this park to a lake. On the other side of the lake is the gulf. Can canoe in it but there are alligators.

 



 

Leaving here tomorrow for Henderson State Park in Destin, Florida.

 

Sunny Day

Carl got the bikes out today, aired up the tires, and we rode out to the beach.  They have a tram that will take you also.  It is a 7/10th of a mile and then a boardwalk over the dunes.  It was a real nice ride.

 

Below is a view of the gulf as we were walking down to the beach.





 

Some sheriffs have harder duties, like making sure the girls in bikinis are behaving themselves.



 

This is a pic of the area in front of our spot.  We are near the entrance but the park is large and very well kept.

 

We are heading over to see mom now. When I get back, I will update this post if there is any more news.  The internet service isn't the best here and it keeps going on and off and not many bars--but it is free.

 

 Got back from the hospital a bit a go.  Mom is much better. They still won't let her walk, but said maybe tomorrow.  She did sit up in a chair for 2 hours though today.  Looks like she may not be discharged until Friday which is the day we move to our next campground.  We kind of hope she will have to go to the rehabilitation place because I have a bad cold and am all congested and Carl has a cough.  We don't need her to get sick again.  We will have to disinfect they entire motorhome.

 

Hospital and Rain

Well, I misspoke on the previous blog. Mom was not better. Early evening she was really wheezing. We happened upon a hospital when we went out to the store, so we took her to the emergency. She was admitted and she is still there. The hospital and staff is very nice. It is small, only 244 beds, and quite new. Yesterday, we had a scare when the doctor called to come immediately. She had a bad attack of not being able to breathe, but they were able to help her. They wanted her directive. She does not want to be resuscitated if it comes to that again. Now praying that everything will work out okay. She does not have pneumonia. Xray showed the lungs clear; its that they are not working good. It is noon on Tuesday and have not head anything yet. Because she has a breathing machine on her, we can't call her.

UPDATE: It is about 5 o'clock now and just got back from the hospital. She just has the oxygen in her nose.  However, she has trouble breathing when standing.  Could be discharged on Thursday, but needs to go to a nursing home to gain the strength back. They have one in Destin, our next location.

All hooked up but still smiling and joking.

This is a view of the afternoon rain outside the hospital window.  The traffic was terrible yesterday because all the spring breakers down here were out shopping and eating at restaurants. However, it did stop by early evening.  Today there is sunshine but a cold wind.

This is our site #8.  Nice spot with no one behind us. Will check out some more of this place later.  Ranger Rex is again travelling with us.  He is sitting on the handle by the door.

 

We arrived this afternoon at our campsite that will be our home for the next 5 days.  The name is Topsail Hill Preserve State Park on Santa Rosa Island, FL.  As soon as the Indiana/Michigan game is off, we are heading in to get a newspaper and a car wash.

Took our time coming down. Had nothing to rush for.  Each day we drove less miles: 340, 298, 227, and 160.  I am coming to think that Michigan roads aren't all that bad . Indiana I-65 was the worst for pot holes.  However, the best was no construction messes to get drive through.  Today was a challenge with very strong winds coming from the east, but we were not on the freeway.

Special thanks to Cameron--Cracker Barrels seem to be the only place to eat where you can park a motor home with a car behind it.  Even getting gas is hard the way they have the pumps now days.

Mom started out with a cough and it progressed more into her lungs.  She has been wheezing a bit, but the cough has let up.  Of course, everything like that happens on a weekend.  Tomorrow we may see about getting that checked.  Now Carl has been coughing a bit.  We thank Owen for that.

Will sign in again this week with some pics of the place.  Weather is beautiful, warm, and sunny today; but it's not suppose to last.