Copeland's-November 30, 2012

We had lunch at Copeland's today. FABULOUS!!! The last time we ate at Copeland's was in Pensacola before Hurricane Ivan. It never reopened after that. We did not know this one was in Lafayette. We thought that only the original one in New Orleans was left. So glad we were wrong. They make red beans and rice like no one else. If I could cook like that, I'd eat rb&r 7/365. We ended with a wonderful piece of their own cheesecake with praline sauce. It had a texture like no other cheesecake we have ever eaten. If we had more refrigerator space, we'd take a whole one with us. It's probably best we have a little fridge. It goes without saying we had to take a good long walk this afternoon. We might have to eat there one more time before we go. So sorry you could not join us!

Prejean's-November 28, 2012

We had late lunch at Prejean's in Lafayette. It is a well known restaurant. I will tell you that the interior is unique as are all restaurants in this area. Any eating establishment here has it's own distinct personality. Prejean's (pronounced Pre-John's) actually had Spanish moss hanging everywhere inside. I'm not sure how it survives but it seems to be thriving. There's no smoking allowed so that helps keep the air clean and I am sure that helps the moss to grow. But what does it eat? I don't know. Maybe it does not eat, only breathes. Whatever, it is a rather interesting decoration. The food was typical Cajun. The roux used in the gumbo and red beans and rice was a tad too spicy for both of us. We ate it anyway. We had white chocolate chip bread pudding for dessert. No one person could eat the whole thing so we shared one. It was divine. We came home and walked around one of the lakes in this park. We did not realize how big the lakes are until we started walking around one of them! We walked the bread pudding off, hopefully. Two pictures to share today.

It's sugar cane harvest time. Interesting looking crop, isn't it?

 

 

Now you know why we like it here. The sunsets are incredible.

We just sat and watched it. Extraordinary.

 

 

 

 

Breaux Bridge, LA-November 28, 2012

We had a great drive here to Breaux Bridge today. Lots of traffic but it does not bother us. It does, however, take both sets of eyes to watch for what people do while they are changing lanes. We got all settled in and scooted out to get a Powerball ticket. You know we will win so I can get a Newell coach!! Just kidding of course. Driving here gives us the opportunity to drive 18 miles across the Atchafalaya Swamp which is now called Basin instead of Swamp. No matter what you call it, it's still a gigantic swamp.

See, it's a swamp.

 

Sometimes I look at the woods and suspect there are critters living in there that we have yet to see. And there are people living in there that have never seen a television set. It is an interesting thing to see and never gets boring.

 

 

A Louisiana levee in the middle of the swamp.

 

 

I did see an alligator roadkill today. That was a first for me. It was not a huge one but not a baby either. Now we are settled in at Breaux Bridge. We came here to eat the incredibly delicious food in this area. So, most of my blogs for the next week will be about food. We will start eating healthy again when we leave here.

 

 

Sunset at Breaux Bridge.

We have a lake in front of us and a lake behind us. Very restful.

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 





Thoughts-November 28, 2012

What do you see?

 

 

You see two white concrete dogs, probably German Shepherds. I see much more. They now pose behind a fairly new wrought iron fence and in front of an empty lot. Based on the size of the lot, the house that once stood here must have been quite elegant, perhaps a grand antebellum home. On a day in August, 2005 the bay these dogs face rose up and obliterated the road at their feet, washed over them and erased the house they silently guarded, forever changing the lives of the owners. No attempt to rebuild the home has been made. We can only guess why. Will this home be rebuilt or will this lot pass to heirs as unimproved? We have seen a couple of houses now being gutted in preparation of a rebuild. We have also seen a restaurant and a marina being built. So, after all these years, some attempts are being made to return to a normal life. I remember what was used to be here and I clearly see what is no longer here. And it has touched me in a way I cannot put into words. I am deeply sorry for the pain and horrors these people have known. I wish I could change it. I admire their spirit and determination. We had heard at the time of the hurricane that Waveland was the hardest hit. Indeed it was. It was directly east of the eye of the storm which I believe they finally decided was at Slidell, only 20 miles from here. You never want to be located east of the eye. These brave people had no choice. I will never forget what I have seen and I hope on a return trip that things are looking better.

Now we pack up and head to Breaux Bridge. We stayed put yesterday due to rain and wind. The sun is shining today.

Dreary day on the coast-November 26, 2012

A dreary day did not bother us at all. It did affect the pictures we took. But we will share them anyway.

This somewhat cloudy view of the coast shows two things:

One, the sand here is not white like in Alabama. And secondly,

there are no real waves at all. That means shell hunting is nil.

 

 

McElroy's restaurant, a Gulf coast institution. This one was blown

away by Katrina and has just re-opened. The point here is that in order

to rebuild on the coast now, you have to put everything, home or business,

way up in the air. We estimate this could be elevated about 20 feet.

 

 

This sand bar looks like an island in the Gulf. I don't think it serves

any purpose. It just looks cute in a picture.

 

We had a really good time today. We were gone all day long and enjoyed every moment. If it is raining in the morning we will delay our departure one day. Neither of us will object to that!

 

 

 

 

Chilly Saturday-November 24, 2012

We decided to stay in today, clean house and get ready for the Iron Bowl. The temperature has dropped steadily throughout the day. We are under a freeze warning for tonight. As beautiful as it was yesterday we are disappointed that a cold front decided to move through here today. It will be very cold tomorrow and should warm back up on Monday. While we are trying to stay warm, I want to wish you a warm and sunny Sunday. Relax and enjoy the day.

Old Town BSL-November 23, 2012

Old town Bay St Louis, MS

 

We spent the afternoon in old town Bay St Louis. We were among the few outsiders who saw Bay St Louis immediately after Katrina. What we saw that day and what we saw today are worlds apart and almost defy description. In 2005, we drove until there was no road, the immense storm surge had just eaten away at the south side of the city and completely wiped out all of the businesses and Beach Blvd. It was such a beautiful little town we just stared at the gaping hole with dropped jaws. Today we saw that the hole in the dirt bank had been turned it into a huge sea wall with a small park and tons of sidewalks. The shops that could be rebuilt have been and they are so cute. We walked and shopped and really enjoyed it. There are still many empty spaces but the general feel seems to be that somehow this place will come back to life in time.

 

 

One tree trunk that survived the storm has been anchored in concrete

and the trunk carved to show two Indian princesses with arms that look like eagles.

A pretty work of art with an uplifting feel to it.

 

 

This is the nice bridge which replaced the one completely destroyed by Katrina.

In 2005 we could drive to where it used to be and look at what little was left, only a few pilings.

 

 

 

We almost missed today's sunset because of the clouds. The shrimp

boats were quietly waiting for tomorrow's run at dawn.

 

It was a beautiful day to spend outdoors and we are glad we slowed down to enjoy it. As we drove a little farther we were heartbroken at the number of missing houses and the huge amount of empty lots for sale. We both think that about 75% of the original houses are still missing, some probably never to be rebuilt. People out of this area simply do not understand how devastating a big hurricane can be. I'm still thinking about those people in the Northeast and how they do not understand what lies ahead for them. 

 

 

 

Margaritaville-November 21, 2012

For a long time we have wanted to see Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville in Biloxi. Several years ago, after Katrina, a gigantic building was started on the beach and it was to be Margaritaville. Then suddenly there was a huge uproar and construction ceased. They left the concrete and steel in place. It is still there today. It looks absolutely awful. Then it was announced that the building would be built on the bay. So, today we went to Biloxi to see it. Oh my, what a huge disappointment. We just knew it would be spectacular. It is not and it actually makes no statement at all.

It is like a big old beach house.

 

There is one big boat inside used as decoration. And there's a fake volcano. It goes without saying that you do hear his music. But other than that and a lack of air conditioning it was not at all what we expected. Coming back we tried to get a picture of the sunset but it was way too bright for my little camera. We'll get one another day.



It is still very sad to see dozens and dozens of driveways that go nowhere because the house was completely demolished by Katrina. They are building some commercial buildings but we saw only a couple of houses under construction. Beach Blvd which had to be completely rebuilt is now starting to deteriorate. This is 7 years after Katrina and 8 years after Ivan and things are not even close to being back to normal. Those poor people in New York and New Jersey are going to be in for a real shock when they realize how long it actually takes to rebuild after that kind of destruction. Bless their hearts.

Bay St Louis, MS-November 20, 2012

In spite of very heavy traffic on the interstate we made a quick trip to this city today. We came in on a highway neither of us has ever been on. We were stunned that there are still buildings not replaced since Katrina hit in 2005. How sad. And the houses that have been rebuilt are so high in the air it looks weird. But those are the new rules. We had never realized how many big rivers we cross to get here. I tried to take some pictures but it was tough. I especially wanted a picture of the tunnel under Mobile Bay. Technically I think it is really the Mobile River, but most call it the bay. That picture was just a blur.

Mobile River/Bay

 

 

 

Pascagoula River

 

 

 

Tchoutacabouffa River (no, I cannot pronounce it)

 

 

My favorite southern sight--moss dripping from the trees.

All of the trees in this park are covered with it.

 

Seeing all of this scenery makes this entire trip worthwhile. We have a beautiful country to explore. We hope we are just beginning. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last day on the coast-November 19, 2012

We had a to-do list a mile long today but we got it all done. Yippee! We are ready to pack up and leave tomorrow, heading west. I made it a point to take some pictures of this area to share with those who have never been here.

 







Chrome Sailfish, a ship's mast and Christmas trees are

the perfect decorations on the Gulf coast.

 

 

 

Gigantic Christmas ornaments and palm trees, the best combination.

This was taken at the Wharf, a shopping center of sorts in Orange Beach.

 

The ferris wheel is the largest in the Southeast. We are not sure it is still in business. Every time we have been by it was not working. We did ride it once and it is tall.

 

 

The waves were extremely calm today. But the water and sky

were as pretty as ever.

 

 

The expert driver of our coach. Blue sky, sugar white sand

and a cool breeze make this time of year unforgettable on the coast.

 

I was not really interested in the condos. I just wanted to be sure

you could see how sugar white the sand it. And it is very fine also.

 

So now you see why we like the beach here. It is truly beautiful. When we lived in Orange Beach and were working we seldom had time to enjoy it. Now we can. 

 

 



 

 



 

Sunset in Orange Beach-November 18, 2012

We had to go to Orange Beach late yesterday afternoon. As we approached the Beach Express bridge I noticed the sun was setting. I grabbed my camera and did my best but I could not stretch my arm high enough to get above the bridge railing. However, you can still see the sun setting over water. I have always loved that sight.

Sunset over the Intracoastal Waterway in Orange Beach, AL

 

 

Here's wishing you a wonderful Sunday and a great week. 

 

A day in the 'ham-November 15, 2012

We drove to Birmingham and back today so that we could celebrate my mother's birthday. My niece and her two precious children were there so we had a great time. We had some good barbecue with all the trimmings and a wonderful birthday cake. What a fun time. We made excellent time in both directions but I will tell you that Cute Red Vehicles do not get very good gas mileage above a certain speed. I will drive slower tomorrow! I took some cotton bolls leftover from harvest in the field next to this park to show Tristan and Kenna Rose. City kids miss things like that. That liked learning about cotton and the seeds inside and what it feels like. And we have enjoyed the unusually beautiful cotton fields this year. It was a bumper crop because toward the end of the growth season, this area received 45 inches of rain in 60 days. Can you imagine? So glad we missed that!! But we are happy the farmers got exactly the moisture they needed.

Things-November 12, 2012

I have just been too busy to post on this blog. Sorry. We have only a little over a week left here and our work is not done. A couple of things I forgot to tell you, in no particular order. First of all, only in the rural south do you get a discount at your attorney's office for being a member of a particular church! We were happy to accept that discount when she offered it. We were extremely pleased with the way our paperwork was handled at the county office. It's normally a place where you go to be frustrated beyond tolerance. But not this time. Way to go Baldwin County. We went to a benefit fish fry for a business man in this tiny town who has brain cancer. Did I tell you that already? We were absolutely stunned at the number of people there that day. The entire town plus the two of us had to be there that day. What a heartwarming occasion. We are so happy to be able to buy Bunny Bread again. It is our favorite and we have missed it terribly. Too bad we don't have a huge freezer. We'd fill it up before we left. That gives us a reason to come back. Not to mention visiting with dear friends whom we are happy to have as friends. Time is short today. At our next stop we'll have time to be tourists. We are not tourists here. Thanks to all of our veterans for their service to this country and bless them for their sacrifices. May God bless them richly.

Lambert's-November 8, 2012

If you have never eaten at a Lambert's restaurant, it will be hard to describe. It's country cooking served in huge portions by extremely friendly and courteous people. Besides your order, they have about half a dozen pass arounds. That means waitstaff comes around with huge bowls of food and they just dump it on your plate which is quite full to start with. We put fried okra on paper towels before we got our food. It's not called "the home of throwed rolls" for nothing. The rolls that are as big as softballs are brought from the kitchen steaming hot and then thrown at you. Most people are able to catch them. They have butter, sorghum syrup and apple butter for the rolls. All of this before you start eating and continuously throughout the meal. The rolls are homemade as is the food. It would be a great place to visit if the food was terrible, but the food is excellent and abundant. As if that's not enough, whatever you have left you may take it home. That's kind of like taking home food from a buffet. We had a wonderful time visiting with Jammie and Maureen. They have lived here ten years but had never been to Lambert's. We've been a number of times and were happy to go again today. If you are ever near Foley, Alabama or Sikeston, Missouri, be sure to eat at Lambert's. The mural on the outside is way too big to get in one picture, but I did what I could.

Home of Throwed Rolls for Four Generations

 

 

Love the flags!

Well, I suppose this is true. Not sure why it's on the side of the building.

 

 

It was a beautiful day and we thoroughly enjoyed it. 

 

Whips and more-November 7, 2102

I met a lady in the laundry room here and we struck up a great conversation. We had a good talk, probably 20 minutes or so. When she took her clothes out of the dryer, she turned to leave and said, "Oh by the way, my name is Cheryl". Now you know good and well I freaked out! Spelled the same way. That has never happened to me nor to her. So, we are friends!!! We had lunch with her and her husband yesterday at Wolf Bay Lodge. They are from Seattle which happens to be our destination next summer. How neat. We got our annual blood tests done today, so that's one more thing off of our to-do list. Slowly but surely we are getting the list to a smaller amount. Tonight we had dinner with very good friends, Nancy and Larry. As we were about to leave the restaurant Nancy downloaded a Pocket Whips app onto my iPhone. Let me tell you I am going to use it when I am in a slow line at a grocery store. It is wild. One whip plays Indiana Jones theme music. The second one is just a whip but it snaps in two directions and it is loud. I love it. Who would have thought an iPhone could be that much fun? Tomorrow we will meet with an attorney and then have lunch with good friends, Jammie and Maureen from Ono. I'll tell you about that tomorrow.

Lunch with Addie-November 5, 2012

Today was a beautiful day and I went to Perdido Key to have lunch with my childhood friend, Carol.
She has an adorable little dachsund named Addie. After the initial greeting Addie became a typical dachsund. She burrowed under her blanket. The first time her nose was sticking out, so she had to start all over again. Here is what she looked like when she got herself positioned properly.

See that adorable little Addie? No, well, this is what she wanted.

Funny dog!

 

Carol and I sat in her living room overlooking the Intracoastal waterway on a sunny day and had a fun lunch. We were able to catch up on family news and lots of other fun topics.



Yesterday afternoon we went to the Great Gulf Coast Arts Festival in downtown Pensacola. It seems to us that it has grown a little over the years. We have been when it was raining. We have been when it was so hot it was unbearable. Yesterday was just right. We bought a couple of unique items and wished we had more room for a couple more. We were lucky once again to be here on festival weekend. This is a great time of year on the coast for special weekend activities.

W. T. Rooster-November 3, 2012

There is a rooster who lives across the road but has never crossed over to this side. He is out of his mind. He crows, most nights, at 4:00 AM. That's why I call him W. T. Rooster. That stands for Wrong Time. One night he crowed every hour on the hour starting at midnight. We are concerned what tonight's time change will do to him. Perhaps, he might become AFC. That's Alabama Fried Chicken. If you are against killing innocent chickens then you better pray for W.T. before he becomes AFC. He also has the ability to wake up the bovine inhabitants of the same property. When they get to harmonizing it is.......well, I'm not sure how to describe it. I guess that's part of being in the country. Perhaps the owners of said property are deaf?? We are not, thankfully, so it is disturbing to say the least.
**Be sure you change your clocks tonight.**  Be sure you vote on Tuesday. Failure to vote is a vote for the incumbent.**     And have a very blessed Sunday.

Peanuts!!-November 2, 2012

After completing an appointment in Daphne, we stopped at Fidler's Peanut Farm for a few fresh green peanuts. This is peanut harvest time! We came home and could hardly wait to throw them in a huge pot with a tiny bit of salt. We just snarfed them down without hesitation. They are WONDERFUL! I only boiled half of what we bought. The rest is under refrigeration until our next pig-out session. We both think there is nothing better than warm fresh boiled peanuts. We are truly happy campers!! So sorry you are not here to enjoy this wonderful treat for the tastebuds.
Please remember the time change this weekend. Before you go to bed tomorrow night, move your clocks back one hour.

Work is fun?-November 1, 2012

It is November and the mosquitoes are still alive and pesky in Alabama. We have pulled everything out of the basement, as it is called, and gone through tubs and boxes, deleting and donating. I've had clothes down there since we began this journey and have never worn them. No need letting them take up space. I realized today that I had taken pictures and not shared them with you. It's just more of where we are staying.

The lake at Lake Osprey RV Country Club

 



We are not sure why it is called a country club. It's just an exceptionally nice park, but we see nothing that makes it a country club. There is a golf course under the same ownership. Maybe that's where the name comes from. We don't golf so it means nothing to us.

 

 

 

Swimming pool. Looks inviting, doesn't it?

 

 

They call this the clubhouse/office. It is only a small part of a huge

multi purpose building. It really is nice.

 

 

The staff is nice, too. So, we are enjoying this location as much as any, maybe more. It's much more fun to share these pictures than talk about sorting and donating! But it all has to be done. Hopefully next week we will be able to become tourists. I was so lucky today to be able to have lunch with my dear friend, Nancy. We had such a good time. It's like I've never been away.