Off to see Clayton & Pat

On Thursday we had a rental car for our trip to visit Clayton & pat outside St Augustine. FL. It's 420 miles so we didn't want to take the truck. We arrived about 6:30 and we had a nice steak supper. On Friday Clayton got to mix up half a recipe of Grandma Bahnmiller's Lebkuchens for Christmas. He wanted to do this so we certainly wanted to help! Later in the day we ran some errands & played some euchre & had a few drinks. We also got to see the wild turkeys that roam around the edge of the woods behind their home. That night Pat took us out to dinner (along with Tom & Kim) at a nice restaurant....it was Clayton's birthday. Saturday morning was baking day and we finished about 175 cookies. Clayton & Judy untangled and hung his birthday present from Scott, the green bamboo bird pictures. That evening we went to Tom & Kims for supper them we all had a hot game of dealers choice poker. I think pat & Clayton were the big winners. Sunday we drove back home and that evening we played euchre at the RV park, I was the low scorer so got my one buck back. We took Patches with us to Clayton & Pats and she was very well behaved, I think Clayton kinds likes her & she had a good time.

LuLu's Christmas boat parade

This evening we went to our third Christmas boat parade, it was as good as the first time we went. We took Dennis & Kathy with us after a nice shrimp supper at the Oyster House.

RV park Christmas program

Tonight the RV park held it's annual Christmas program. I went the first year we were here and not since. There was a lot of just singing by individuals or groups which does not excite me. I do remember one lady who was excellent.....she was a ventriloquist with her dummy. Unfortunately she wasn't here this time. I went to see a couple of our friends & neighbors who played Santa's elfs. Cute huh? Their hats vibrated and jingled which you can't see in the picture. There was a cute poem but otherwise just a bunch of singing.

Santa arrives in Gulf Shores, AL

We went to the first annual Gulf Shores Christmas parade Saturday afternoon with Tom & Ann. The Budweiser Clydesdale's led the parade on a nice 65 degree sunny day. We saw the lobster man, doesn't every Christmas parade have one? Boats too. There was lots of candy and beads being thrown for the kids to collect. Gotta have beads at Christmas. How about the Mardi Gras looking shrimp on the front on one float? It was a nice day for the parade.

Back at our winter home, Gulf Shores, AL

We returned to Gulf Shores Sunday for the winter. It was a short 2 hour drive from Jody & Renato in Biloxi. We are 3 or 4 weeks later getting here so the sites we usually take were not available but we are still pretty close to our friends and have a good site for the winter. We are back into euchre twice a week (I've won $9) , cribbage, poker (Judy started a ladies poker game today, 12 played while I lost my shirt with the guys), bingo, indoor water aerobics and Curves has relocated even closer. We ate Sunday evening at the Shrimp Basket, all you can eat for $10, the shrimp are local. Monday we went to the pecan farm in Summerdale to get 10 pounds of cracked pecans, Tom & Ann went with us to get some also. We made our annual trip to Lamberts (throwed rolls restaurant) with some friends Wednesday afternoon. We are disappointed that the Galley on the Bon Secor River has closed due to the BP oil spill this summer.

Today we finished the inside Christmas decorations after doing the outside yesterday and stopping by our street's happy hour at 4pm.

The weather has been sunny but chilly, high 30s/low 40s at night and 60s daytime. As long as the sun is out 60s is fine. All is well.

Happy Thanksgiving & Happy Birthday to me

We are winding down the time remaing here in Biloxi. On Thanksgiving day we went to Jody's and celebrated with Jody & Renato and his brother, girlfriend & their daughter. Renato got to carve his first turkey. Jody & Judy did a good job making a really good dinner. It was the first Thanksgiving meal that Renato & his family has had.

It was also my birthday so we had pumpkin pie with a candle to blow out, took a couple tries but I did succeed.

On Saturday night Judy & I plus Jody & Renato went to the IP Casino to see Kenny Rogers, one of Judy's favorites. The first half of the show was Kenny's hits and the second was his Christmas show. We all enjoyed it and got to sing along to a couple songs.....Lucille.....four hungry kids and crops in the field.

Renato & Jody (+mom in law)

The first picture is of Judy in one of her hot poker games here at the campground. She often plays with the locals, they play daily at 1pm. I played once but they play some wild games with wild cards. Sometimes she win & sometimes not. The framed feather is the one we purchased last month in OK at the Cherokee Nation. It's hanging above our door, do yor see the 3 pictures?

The other pics are of Jody & Renato (and Renato's mother). They were taken in Jody's home and on the Biloxi beach. We had supper with them Saturday night and everyone (but me) cooked. Since being here Renato has been making some Brazilian dishes and it's pretty good! Renoto's mom made a dish that was kind of like a deep dish pizza crust with cheese, vegetables & chicken. She also made a desert that was like a custard cake. Sunday night was another pay back dinner, Jody took us out a fancy place called Vibe at the Hard Rock Casino. It's 2:45 Monday, 76 and light clouds. Great weather!