Early Bird (?)

Contrary to common belief, I do usually get up early in the morning.  Though not often dressed much before noon, this morning was an exception.  With the thought (ready for this?) of actually taking a walk and getting some much needed exercise, I dressed, grabbed my camera and headed out as the sun was rising.

Our eyes, even old eyes, have a unique capability of noticing movement.  We might not always find what caught our eye but something moving against a still background usually gets our attention.  This morning was no exception.  As I left the coach I glanced over a tree lined berm to my east and noticed a slowly galloping critter loping across an adjacent empty field (coyotes can gallop and lope at the same time , I think).  Though my trusty Canon had only a short telephoto, I grabbed several images as the critter headed for nearby woods.  After my sojourn around the park, I popped the memory chip into the computer, fired up LightRoom and took a look at images a little closer.  Yup ... old wylie coyote was heading in for a morning nap after a night of hunting.  About 300 ft away, he didn't noticed me so maybe I'll get a little closer (and a longer lens) and try another day.

There's quite a population of these four footed wanna-be wolves in the area.  We hear them at night occasionally and pet owners in the park make sure they know where their little 'FiFi' is at all times.

Still 'livin the dream' and keeping my eyes peeled.

Phil

Plug

Okay ... here's an unabashed endorsement for a hamburger joint we've grown to love.  Some of the things you can't buy at Five Guys www.fiveguys.com are ... salad ... eggs ... steak ... fish ... chicken ...beer ... milk shakes ... quiche ... pancakes.

They only offer hamburgers and hot dogs with the emphasis on hamburgers.  Oh and did I mention french fries.  Handfuls of freshly made fries.  Nothing fancy here.  Just great hamburgs, fries and hot dogs in a clean, airy atmosphere.

If you find one ... give it a try.  A neat place where we can be found 'livin' the dream.

Phil

ps ... if any Five Guys executives read this and want to give us free hamburgs for life, don't be bashful.

Out and about

And the good news is ... Sharon and I are almost over our two week battle with colds.  Runny, sniffley, hacking, achey ... you'd think were were wintering in Michigan.  But no.  We're still here in Alabama and, after a great Super Bowl party, each came down with this ugly malady.  It's been over three years since we either had one so I guess we were due.

So we've been coach ridden but the weather wasn't so good anyway but now, all is good.  Sun is shining and in the 70's.  What a better time than get outside and do a little sight-seeing.

With friends Jim and Carol in tow, we headed for the Orange Beach Seafood festival and car show.  Figuring the combination of good food, neat cars and a carnival atmosphere would be good therapy, we ventured out for a day of fun.

We finally stumbled across the place only because of the traffic jam in the area.  We got in line and eventually found a pretty good parking spot.   Surprise! Free admission. Go figure ... but they probably reasoned that with all the seniors in the area they wouldn't get anyone to show up if it wasn't.  Anyone we wormed our way for the food concessions only to find another line.  Maybe 50 ahead of us, we wondered what we were getting in to.  Like lemmings we stood there for a few minutes then finally figured out that that line was to buy the $10 food ticket; not to get the food.  That was yet another line.  Looking around towards the front of the food line, we could see plastic boxes of fried shrimp and some other unrecognizable stuffs we being passed out.  Some festival.  Pay your money and we'll give you what we want you to have.

With the search for food in the tank, we headed for the car show.  Maybe 50 cars at best.  About what a normal Tuesday 'cruise night' at a Flint hot dog stand is.  Anyway we walked through the lot and here's some of the beauties.

A sweet tri-power Chevy

Chevy II hop-up kit

This one will fool you. 54' Vette treatment on front and rear of 2010 Z06

Not to rub it in but after the car show we headed over to a beach resturant for lunch.  Mid 70's and lots of sun brought out the sun worshipers.  Sure beats snow.

Hard to beleive ... but we're still Livin' the Dream

Phil

Deja vu ... again

I know none of you folks in the north country want to here this, but the weather here is not so hot either.
As you were getting your pretty white snow flakes we were getting deluged with buckets of water, high winds, tornado alerts, and lightening.  And the next few days will see the temps drop to the low 30's again.  Some of our neighbors are asking if maybe we'd pick some other place to stay next winter. Inferring that the bad weather is something we brought with us.

As nightfall fell (can I say that?), mother nature was at her zenith with winds nearing 50mph, we heard a loud crash.  At first I thought it was my satellite dish again but knowing that I had put a couple of guy lines on it earlier today it could only we my nice Coleman Road Tracker grill.  The neat little red number with the collapsible wheels and the nice full length cover.  Cooked many a meal on this and I thought it was pretty tough.  In about an hour the rain let up for a minute and I ventured out with a flashlight.  As I approached the crime scene it was apparent the victim was flat on its back.  It slightly rusty, greasy underbelly was exposed and its supporting limbs at awkward angles.  It wasn't pretty.  The cover was covering (I probably shouldn't say that either) most of the carnage but as I slowly raised the rain soaked cover, the situation only got worse.  The neat red enamel lid had been snapped off the grill like the greasy spear on a Bloomin' Onion at the Outback.  I could quickly see that other parts were broken and thankfully the rain started up again so I didn't have to stay too long and mourn the loss. I'll have to give it a decent burial in the morning.

The depth of my grief ran deep ... but it was short lived.  I jumped on Amazon within minutes and ordered a new Weber Q220.  So much for my period of mourning.  When it arrives maybe I should bolt it down.  These storms down here are real dillies.

So there you have another snippet of life in the slow lane.

We do have a big supper bowl party coming up this weekend which will be a primer to the annual Mardi Gras festivities.  Plans are being made to go to Mobile AL (true home of Mardi Gras, not New Orleans) to see the parades and throw a few beads.  Should be interesting.

So bundle up everyone ... Spring is but forever away.

Still livin' the dream,

Phil