Animals are pairing up...

Not that we mind a little sprinkle now and again but the last few days at Miramar Beach and Destin has got us looking for a place to take scuba lessons. More like the typhoon I was in back in 66', this was some serious, and dangerous weather. I bet if Noah had it this bad we wouldn't have near as many species as we do now. Visibility was near zero, high winds, and Sharon's favorite, lightening was ongoing for three days. Just short of 7 inches of rain fell within 48 hours. Locals said this was really unusual but probably say that to all the tourist so as not to scare them away. But driving rain and Charlton Heston sized lightening bolts aside, we had a great time with our friends J and K and Denny and Marilyn. Miramar Beach, our first stop, with J and K, is about 70 miles east of us and the drive over was scenic as it follows the gulf coastline. Through Gulf Breeze, Pensacola, Mary Ester, and Destin we arrive in mid-afternoon. The closer we got to Destin the bigger the condo complexes became and the density of shopping malls increased. Foolish me had never given a thought that this stretch of the country has so catered to the vacationing public. We're not talking about a row of double-wides here folks but real estate that can easily be in the seven figures. We located their complex and wheeled in like we owned the place; hoping that security would look the other way. They did but we'd forgot one small detail. Which of the four buildings were their's and ...what floor did they live on? A quick cell call to Kathy got us pointed in the right direction and before long two people were waving at us from the second floor balcony. They came down to help us with our luggage (two Hamady sacks and an Avon duffel bag) and took us up to their condo. Pretty nice place I'd say. Someone must have been a lottery winner somewhere along the line. Didn't even have to share the bedroom or bathroom and the pool was the size of Uncle Otis's pond next to the hog pen. They wanted to show us around town so we headed off to see the sights and later catch dinner at Callahan's Island restaurant. At the time the weather was nice with sunny skies and little on the cool side but better than snow (if you know what I mean).

We soon got caught up on all the friends and family news then continued our little sightseeing trip. It was a treat for me as I didn't have to drive. Gawking around is one of my passions and I can never (seldom) succumb to that urge while driving the motor home (not safe with a 19 ton rig); therefore getting someone else to chauffeur me around is 'a-okay'.

On this particular day I had a special agenda. Maybe not since stone henge, was the notion of watching a full eclipse of the moon deemed exciting. I however, get charged up as I wanted to get some photographs of the event. Everyone acquiesced and we returned to the condo before 7:30pm when the event was supposed to start. J agreed to go along with me and we headed out. We didn't venture far as the eastern end of the parking lot seemed to be a good dark spot so I got set up and began the wait. The evening was a little cool with the wind blowing but the sky was mostly clear except when I wanted to take a photo. The leading edge of the monsoon storm was starting to work its way into view so I had work around that obstacle when wispy cloud fragments passed by. The wonders of the universe seldom disappoint as the eclipse began. The earth's shadow slowly crept across the face of our lunar neighbor until it was fully covered. Coincidentally it was also the same time as the lawn sprinklers were timed to go on. Call it Divine intervention or bad luck but I got the message, and we headed in. The hour and a half adventure had served it purpose. I got the images I wanted and had the chance to visit with J. It had been a few years since we had had that opportunity, it was a perfect time to get caught up.

We slept in a little the next morning and when we finally did get up, J and K had prepared a super breakfast for all of us. During breakfast we were entertained by mother nature's orchestra playing a medley of thunder claps, lightening bolts, howling wind and pounding rain. We needed to move on to our next stop so we said our farewells and planned on getting together again when we all got home in the spring.

As Sharon and I continue on with our trip, we often remark that what has made this trip really special is the wonderful people we've seen along the way. K and J are no exception. We thank them for their hospitality and friendship.


Feeling like soggy Bedouins, we headed back to Destin to see Denny and Marilyn. As it turned out, only a 7-mile trip and that was welcomed as the weather had not gotten any better. Denny and I both retired from the same company and had known each other for over 20 years so we were looking forward to getting caught up. Sharon and Marilyn were both in education in the Flint area and also had much to talk about as well.


Denny and Marilyn have not been in the south all that long but certainly have learned the finer points of 'southern hospitality'. We settled in at their 4th floor condo and enjoyed watching the fearsome weather continue to ferment out the patio window. Marilyn served up a plate of goodies to ward off any afternoon fainting spells prior to all of us wading out in our Coast Guard Humvee to find a place to have dinner. When we finally stopped gabbing, we finally headed out into the driving wind and rain. They suggested Fisherman's Wharf http://www.fishermanswharfdestin.com/. A picturesque eatery located at the fishing docks in Destin. This 5 star restaurant had the character you'd expect with seaside dining. Big exotic fish tanks, great views of the marina and great seafood. After a plate of amber jack and grouper we waddled home only to be served some illegal ice cream called 'carmel coyote'. I say illegal because Sharon and I should be jailed for eating it but when teamed with some cinnamon cake (of lesser caloric count) it all balanced out. (didn't it?)

We had a good night's sleep and were greeted by a scrumptious breakfast Marilyn whipped up. We decided to finished off the morning with a little shopping in the rain. We visited a nice little wine shop that allowed lots of sampling and continued on to the Bad Ass Coffee Company (next door) http://www.badasscoffeedestin.com/ to see what they had to offer. Sharon and I had been to their main store in Hawaii some years ago and we were surprised to find another one on the mainland. The rain continued but we pressed on to the Stein Mart store at one of the big malls nearby. I luckily got out without spending any money but it wasn't easy. Meeting up with old friends is one of life's more comfortable and rewarding times. No matter where we meet them, Denny and Marilyn are a first class couple who have always treated us so well and we're thankful for their friendship.