New Orleans etc...

The next night (Wednesday the 23 of April) we stayed at a real red neck campground. It was in Gulf Shores Alabama. Just by comparision we looked like high class. We finally fround someplace where we looked good, but we were only there for one night. Good thing ,I kept hearing dueling banjos. The next morning we headed out through Mississippi , to New Orleans La. The main highways are in terrible condition around New Orleans. We made reservations at a KOA campground in New Orleans.
The first day we toured Destrihan Plantation, an old sugar plantation.It was very interesting and stately. We talked to the girl that gave the tour. She told us things to do while in New Orleans.
For breakfast, the next day we went to the French Quarter. We had "Cafe au lait" and "Beignet"(pronounced" ben yea ") at the Cafe Dumond. Lunch was at the Gumbo Shop. I had to try something new, Jambalaya. It was pretty good.
We walked around the french quarter most of the day. We had to include Bourbon St. !!! It doesn't have much on Duval st in Key West. The Buildings were all adorned with rought iron railings.It was very interesting too.
We took a street car (not named desire) just so that we could say we took a street car in New Orleans. Guess what, no stella!! The street car was a rescue for our feet from all the walking we did.
Saturday was a perfect start of a day for the Jazz Fest. We did enjoy the Dixie land music in a tent. We had lunch from a variety of venders. Things were going good until it started to pour. If you were in a tent it wasn't bad. Billy Joel was to perform on an outside stage at 5:30. We were totaly drenched by 5:00 P.M. and just couldn't think about listening to Billy Joel in the pouring rain and mud. We headed back to the campground. Sunday evening we went out for pizza. We saw another couple eating Crawfish. I asked the waitress if we could try a few. She gave them to us for free. Monday morning we left New Orleans for Natchez Mississippi.

The New (Pimped) Ride

We left Lazy Days With our new motorhome. We headed for north Florida ( the pan handle ). It was about three hundred miles. What a comfortable ride in our new Damon Challenger, which is thirty seven feet long and has three slides. Pictures will follow as promised. We arrived in Mexico Beach which is located on the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico. Our stay at Mexico Beach was really a lot of fun. We met up with Toby and Chris, who are our great friends from Sunshine Key, at Rustic Sands camp ground. We enjoyed three days together. Florida Caverns ,Falling waters State park and Apalachicola were some of our excursions. We promised to return to Apalachicola because some of the more interesting shops had closed by the time we got there. We ate dinner at a great little restaurant named Tamara's. We moved on from Mexico Beach to Navarre, still in the Florida panhandle. We camped at Emerald Camp Ground. The camp ground was right on the beach. The sand was so soft and white!!! We sat and read on the beach and enjoyed every minute of it.
Today, Wednesday April 23rd., we left Navaree and ended up in Gulf Shores Alabama. On the way we stopped at The Naval Air Museum in Pensecola Fl. What an interesting guided tour of all the Naval aircraft. We looked for our nephew's name in the Cubi Cafe,but couldn't find it. There were so many names,of pilots. They covered every wall.
Tomorrow we'll drive to New Orleans. We plan to stay there for four days. There is just so much to see and experience. To be continued.......

what's been happening

Don and Phyllis were on a cruise. One of their stops was Key West. So we met them and had lunch and strolled around Key West for the afternoon. Of course pictures were taken. As usual!!
By the way, Don and Phyllis are two of our best friends from home.
We have a lot of company and friends here . Dick and Anne my
brother and sister in law ,were here (in their new motor home ) for three weeks We TRYED fishing, kayaking, and snorkeling. The best I can say is "We didn't drown."
Our friends, Wayne and Sharon, Were here three or four days .Key West again, Vera's favorite place. Wayne and Sharon treated us to Little Palm Island for lunch. Little Palm Island is a very expensive and exclusive resort. The only way to get there is by boat,( Our's or their's) . We took their ferry. It was an experience we probably will never be able to do again. We will judge all other restaurants against this one.
The big surprise was when our son Keith told us he was coming to the keys. We've only been invited him for 8 years. He and his girlfriend ,Nikki landed March 12th in Fort Lauderdale. We picked them up there on Wednesday. Thursday we went fishing on "Happy Feet" (our boat). Now up till now we were catching some fish ,sometimes none. This day we caught a lot of fish. We came in with 16 fish in the cooler.We said Keith and Nikki were our lucky charms. Friday... you guessed it back to Key West to see the sights. Nikki and Keith had never been there before. We covered a lot of ground that day. Our day ended like Cinderella...at midnight. We were tired, but at least no one turned into a pumpkin. Saturday Keith came down with a case of food poisoning. He sure does know how to have a good time.
We're now resting up and waiting for Tara and Matt, (Our daughter and her husband). The next time you hear from us we will be in our new motor home.....Pictures to follow...

Super Bowl Sunday

Lou and Florence from Tuckerton are in the Keys for one month.We spent a sunny, hot day at the pool where they are renting a condo. It was a very nice day. We had a grilled lunch and a homemade mudslide to die for.Lou topped it witha cherry and whipped cream.We end up wearing it! After a refreshing shower, we ended up at Sparkey's for the Super bowl. GIANTS WON!!!
The week of Feb. 4th was great! Good fishing days. Chris, Lou and Ken enjoyed the day . What made it even better was the fact that Lou caught a Red Grouper ,a keeper YEA!!!!! We had a fish dinner that Vera made and we all ate up.Key West on a very hot day turned out to be wonderfully nice .We pigged out at Finnegans Wake, also took in a movie-----Fools ' Gold Had a very pleasant day with Rob and Sue.
Craft shows here are more than crafts.Artists, painters,and jewelry crafts are all displayed.
We are currently having thunder storms.We don't have to shovel that! Wind and rain is what we have to suffer through.Florida really needs rain so we can't complain .(BUT WE DO)

Fishing by the bridge

We've been out fishing (but not as much as we would like) . We always let having fun get in the way of doing the things we want to do!!!

pictures

we just wanted to show us having dinner at "The Island"and us in the pool. I was also trying to post pictures. They didn't come out perfect yet.

This is the life "The Keys disease"

Now that we are having fun , time sure is flying by. This is February alrady. The saya real good comedy. Toby,Chris,Rob,Sue, Ken and I enjoyed how 3 women plotted to kill their jerk husbands. Chris, Rob and Ken felt safe because they think they aren't jerks. Coffee and desert ( coconut ice cream covered with Kaluha ) topped off a great evening.
The next day we enjoyed a BBQ chicken dinner at the pool. It was a warm sunny day, with live music to listen to. ( Of course I needed to dance ) while dinning and swimming. This isn't a bad way to live!!!