Dallas & Haleigh, Union Grove, and Opas Schnitzel Hut

We spent four nights at the Union Grove Corp of Engineers campground on Stillhouse Hollow Lake in Texas.  While here with Ron & Roberta we went to Opas Schnitzel Hut the second day.  This is the best German food we have found in our RV travels and this is our third year stopping here.

 

We met Dallas & Haleigh on afternoon for dinner at Opas also.  It was good to see them again as last year they were both sick so we missed visiting with them.  They are now married and are very happy and this visit were quite relaxed and happy.  I think they liked the schnitzel and bratwurst and spaetzle.  Judy and I sure did!  

Boomtown Casino campground

Plan C.......we pulled out Friday afternoon after lunch at Mikees because there are storms forecast in Gulf Shores, and much of the south on Saturday.  It was only a 100 mile tow and a storm did hit Biloxi late at night so we were glad we missed the bad weather by leaving early.  We spent 2 nights here in Biloxi to be sure the storms had gone by.  Judy didn't complain......she got to hit the casino more than once.  This is our first time at this campground, it's new.  Here's Boomtown's campground.

We left Biloxi Sunday morning and traveled to Kinder, LA to another casino, Coushatta where we have been before.  Judy said oh boy......more casino time.  Unfortunately no one won any money, gee, what a surprise. 

Preping to depart Gulf Shores!

Our winter in Gulf Shores is rapidly coming to an end.  The last five months has gone fast, as usual.  Our HitchHiker friends from Kansas, Mel & Dee, are here to warm up, eat shrimp, and travel with us west to Texas.  Here they are about to attack some shrimp.

Patches has developed a hankering and taste for some flavors of the yogurt that Judy enjoys.  Sometimes she gets REAL pushy and Judy has to fight for the yogurt.

 

Today was our last Friday lunch at Mikees.  We had our HitchHiker friends there, Kay & Charlie, Craig & Jenny, Ron & Roberta, Mel & Dee, and Mike & Debra.  Mike & Debra were here earlier this winter then returned to Maine but just came back for a month.  Ron & Roberta came over from wintering in Florida to also travel to Texas with us.

 

 

Tomorrow we will pull out for the HitchHiker rally in the Texas hill country.

Trip to Flowery Branch and Lisa

We made a weekend trip to see Jody, Renato, Brianna and Dustin this past weekend before we leave Gulf Shores.  We did take the kids to McDonalds so they can play in their play land and have a burger and McNuggets.  Renato also cooked and it was good as always.  We had fun with them but they can ware these two olds farts out easily.  What was much worst was all the traffic Friday late afternoon going through Atlanta.

  

 

I guess Jody and Renato were there too but we didn't get their pictures.....wonder why?  Renato was busy working on their home.  They have had a contractor replace the front porch, replace and vastly extend the back sun room and deck.  The house has a new roof and they are now working on siding the exterior with stone and stucco.  Although a contractor is doing most of the work there's still a lot left for Renato to do.

Randy's lady-friend, Lisa, was in Gulf Shores for a winter break so we got together with her for lunch at Sea and Suds.  We had a nice visit and tried to resolve some of the worlds problems.

Navy band at Battleship Memorial Park & Mardi Gras float

Today Judy and I went to Mobile and the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park to see and listen to a Navy band in town for Navy Week and the Mardi Gras activities.  It was a 5 piece band from Jacksonville, FL here participating in several parades and this free concert.  It was interesting they had 5 more sailors with them, a sound man, photographer, 2 master chiefs, and 1 lieutenant.  They did good but I like orchestras, larger bands or marching bands.

As long as we were here and it was a beautiful mid 70s day we walked around the park and took a few more pictures.  Here's the USS Alabama and a lady I saw there.

 

And a B52 bomber.

And the same lady with a B25 Mitchell bomber.

 She was even by a tank!

But she disappeared by the time I got a shot of the Mobile skyline.

 And a picture of the USS Drum.

 She even rang my bell.  And a loud bell it was!

 

The snowbirds made the campground rounds with the Mardi Gras float which they do every year.  This is a practice for the Tuesday parade in Gulf Shores.

Bill & Kay are this years king & queen.

 

So, how do you spend time doing not much?

It's been about a month since I've blogged, we haven't been doing anything too exciting or out of the ordinary this winter here in Gulf Shores.  The winter has been very very mild, in fact the warmest winter since we have been coming here for 10 years.  Here's Judy taking advantage of the warm sunshine a couple days ago. 

We continue to meet several of our friends every Friday at 11am at Mikee's for lunch.  Fridays they have half off their dinners and we pay with 50% off meal cards we purchase in November.  That makes it very hard to pass up a nice shrimp (or something else) meal for $10 including a nice tip.

Judy has organized 3 monthly (the next and last one is coming up in March) casino bus trips from the campground to various casinos in Biloxi, Wednesday evening euche games at the American Legion, Monday afternoon and Tuesday evening euche at the senior center, and morning water aerobics.

I really enjoy playing poker 4 afternoons here with my friends at the campground.  Four of us returned to the Scarlet Pearl in Biloxi a couple weeks ago for a Texas Holdem tournament but none of us were in the money.  Today we had an Omaha tournament here at the campground and I made $115 coming in first so I'll have bragging rights.  I'm winning a little more than I lose during our regular afternoon games.  

It's been a good winter here in Gulf Shores.

Randy to Daytona & Judy to Onsted and home improvements

Everybody has been busy but I got to relax!  How sweet it is! 

First, Jody and Renato have been having some home improvements made.  They have had the old back porch rebuilt with windows so it can be better used year around, a new deck has been added across the back of the house, a second garage door has been installed and they are in the process of REALLY cleaning out their basement, the front porch entrance has been rebuilt and plans are underway to replace the siding with stucco.  They are keeping the economy rolling.  Renato's daughter has returned to Brazil after several weeks with them making Renato and Maria happy. 

Randy's company had a suite at the Rolex 24 hours in Daytona and he went along with other employees and customers for the weekend and enjoyed the race and all the activities.

 

 

While he was in Daytona Judy decided to make a trip to Michigan to spend the weekend with Devyn.  It was a spur of the moment decision which she really enjoyed. 

They got to have lunch at Barry's Bagels and spent Saturday shopping.  Judy was so excited that she got to see and play in the snow.....................

 

It was cold up there so she complimented her limited winter clothing with some of Randy's.

Here's Devyn, Dan and Molly staying warm.  Looks like Molly should be the warmest.