Christmas IN Flowery Branch, GA

On December 21 we went to Jody & Renato's home in Georgia for Christmas.   Randy and Devyn also arrived on the 21st.  We returned to Gulf Shores January 1.  We were concerned that that might be too much time but we had an excellent time the kids and Devyn.  The only thing we missed was our HitchHiker home with all it's comforts.  Patches agreed after spend all her time in a bedroom.

Devyn loved and really enjoyed playing with Xena, Gabby and the new mutt....Bertha the bulldog.

                       Randy & Renato enjoy cooking and they were put to the task and did very well.

                                       Neither rain nor sleet nor snow would stop them from BBQ!

                                                                  Tree trimming time.

Of course we had to have Christmas cookies!  Judy was excited because this is the first Christmas she can remember that she didn't have to roll cookies.  The task has been turned over to a new expert cookie maker!

                                        Brazilian pizza anyone?  Check out the hard boiled eggs.

                                                         Randy making his special pizza.

                                                       Time to frost and test the cookies.

                                              This is either Santa Claus or Dapper Dan.

                                                                  The Bahnmiller clan.

          Judy made our Christmas tree at a craft course, Jody supplied the Amaryllis for my birthday.

                                   How's this for a unique Christmas tree in the Gulf Shores library?

                                                        Here's an outdoor  Christmas tree.

Thanksgiving

                                            The guest of honor, kind of looks like Buddha.

                                 Nathan and Kimberly, Jody & Renato's nephew and niece.

We had Thanksgiving at Jody & Renato's rental home.  Clayton and Pat were up from Jacksonville visiting Mark & Paula so they all came over.  Renato's mother and two brothers and their families were here from Biloxi too. 

Jody & Renato's Lake Lanier home

This is Jody & Renato's home on Lake Lanier.  No lake shots yet.  They are living in a rental home a few mikes away while Renato does some very serious remodeling.  All new windows, new kitchen, walls disappearing, lots of ceiling can lights, remodeled bathroom, and lots more.  A new house room by room.

No, this isn't their home.  It's the building in which Dr. Bahnmiller works.  There are two doctors working from an medical suite on the second floor.

                                                            The doctor in her office.

Water aerobics ladies

Judy leads water aerobics three mornings a week and wanted a picture to send to one of the regulars that can't make it down here this winter.

Fort Morgan with Trap & Jan

Trap (Al) & Jan

 

On the beach.

 

 

We went to Fort Morgan & along the beach sightseeing so they could get a good idea of what all the beach houses looked like and all the sand.  They are from Alberta so viewing the Gulf and beach was a treat for them.

 

Oil or gas well just off the shore.

 

Trap & Jan stop for 2 days

Two HitchHiker friends, Trap & Jan, stopped by to see what Gulf Shores is like.  They are from Alberta and this is their first winter in warm weather.  They are on their way to southern CA for the winter but are making some stops to visit friends and see some on the southern USA.  We haven't seen them since Yellowstone in 2009.

 

We went out to eat at Sea & Suds on the Gulf and watched these fishermen.  They were only 150 yards off shore and made a large spiral with their net ending up in the center.  Without waiting they reversed and pulled in their net.  We were all amazed and how many fish they caught.  That's a porpoise in the second photo.

                                     Sunset on the beach with a kite flying in a strong wind.


 

Helping Charlie & praying for Kay

This past week one of our HitchHiker friends had a very serious medical problem and was rushed to a hospital in Mobile for emergency surgery.  She remains in a coma so on Sunday Mike & Debra helped us take Kay & Charlie's HH to Mobile so he will be close to Kay in the hospital.  Our prayers are with Kay.

 

 

On the way back to Gulf Shores we stopped for a few minutes to show Mike & Debra downtown Mobile and then a small park on the river across from Austel.  We saw these two new Nay ships outside under construction.

 

 

 

Peanuts & the Russians are here!

 

One week we rode out to a peanut farm with Mike & Debra.  We haven't been to this peanut farm before and Mike and Debra like boiled peanuts (yuck!) so they went after some cajun boiled peanuts.  We went to see the old farm down a dirt road and get some roasted peanuts.  $5 for about 5 pounds.
The two large stainless steel tubs in the above picture is where they are boiled in water.  

 

 

OK, here's something you don't see every day.  On the way back from the peanut farm we stopped at a Civil War historical site where the Union Army crossed the Fish River on their way to Mobile.  We were chewing on some peanuts when this old bike with a sidecar pulled up.  I talked with the driver and his passenger, see the red star?  It's a WWII Russian bike.  It was assembled from WWII surplus parts just after the war.

Here's what our site looks like today.  It's been a little chilly the last day and the forecast continues with 50 at night and 60 daytime but sunny.  It should warm up next week into the 70s.  As you can see some of the trees have lost lots of their leaves.  Some will be green all winter and the pine trees will be too, of course.

One of our better Halloweens!

The weather has been pretty good this week, as you can see above.  Another HitchHiker couple, Jenny & Craig, showed up this week.  They spent the summer hiking over 500 miles in the Rockies, they are serious hikers.

 

 

                       I do not know what this bush is but I saw it yesterday in the Publix parking lot.

OK, here's why this is a great Halloween.  After 15 days without a toilet and a zillion trips day and night to the RV park's bathhouses we can now once again, go at home.  After parts problems for a week with our old toilet we ordered a new one over a week ago.  The first one that arrived had a broken china bowl.  The replacement was shipped to Grand Bay, AL.  Today we received TWO toilets.  After installing just one we are happy again.  Judy got new glasses but that just does not compare to a working toilet in our home.
The real reason for getting it installed today is that Judy is afraid to go out to the bathhouse after dark today.....the goblins and ghosts are out tonight!

Into every life some poop builds up

We went out to the Oyster House the other night with Mike & Debra for supper.  We tried a few days ago at 5 PM and they were lined up outside so we went at 4 pm.  Judy posed with a fine fellow outside the restaurant.

                                               Notice anything missing in our bathroom?

Wednesday night 10/16 the pedal broke on our toilet.  Being that we are not affluent we only have one bathroom in our cozy home.  Thursday after checking out toilets at Camping World we decided to use the spare parts we carry and order a new pedal to have our toilet rebuilt.  Thetford said they would ship the part Friday and we'd have it Monday.  I called Friday for a shipping info to track it and was told it would not ship until Monday.  Rats.  It arrived late on Tuesday (toiletless for a week) and the RV tech called Wednesday morning to say more parts are needed and Thetford no longer stocks them.  We ordered a new Dometic toilet Wednesday and it arrived Friday, today, afternoon.  Unfortunately it was in too many pieces.  I suspect we'll see if we can find a local one that fits our  requirements.  As a backup a replacement will be shipped Monday for the broken toilet.

                                                               Like my new sticker?  I do.