Just a note to let everyone know that I am keeping a winter blog. This blog is called Life in a Fish Bowl...you know, we live in small community and everyone knows what everyone is doing! Anyway for the six months we are home in sunny Southwest Florida, I thought I would do something different. So take the detour to our other blog and see what we are up to!
While staying here at Topsail Hill in Destin, we ran into some acquaintances we met two years ago while in Asheville, NC. Howie and Barbara from Stuart, FL were here! Howie just happened to be walking their dog, Baxter, when Frank recognized the man and the dog! We got together the next two nights to eat, drink, and catch up on the last two years. Also joining our little group were new friends, John and Becky, from Tellico Village in East Tennessee. You just never know who you will run into while traveling!
We have spent the morning (a cloudy morning or else we would be sitting on the beach) packing up the coach so that we can get an early morning start tomorrow. It’s always a sad time when we know we only have a few more nights to spend with Pearl. We have spent six months on the road traveling from Florida to Wisconsin, the UP, and spending two months in Traverse City, Michigan. We have visited with old friends, made new friends, and also spent time with family along the way. Now, it’s time to get back to our home and friends in Sabal Springs.
We spent the evening laughing, sipping our wine, and painting our masterpieces “Funky Wine Bottles”! We had the best time, and I really liked painting this one more than the flower canvas we painted last May. Even though mine came out more like condiment bottles or soda pop bottles, I like the colors in this one, and the painting just might go on the wall in my kitchen!!
After my evening of painting, Frank and I met up with Sis and Sara Grace in Tuscaloosa the next morning. Not only did we get to see SG’s dorm room (I had forgotten how small they were), but we were also given a tour of the campus and her sorority house…she pledged Alpha Delta Pi. We all had lunch together before Sara Grace had to go off to class; we said our goodbyes until Thanksgiving.
CAMPUS LANDMARKS AND LEGENDS
Before saying bye, Suzanne surprised me with huge jars of the Sours that I use to make Christmas pickles! She got me into making these years ago. I didn’t make them last year because I had no Sours! Guess what! Pickles this year, Everyone!!!
Now, the main reason we came here was because we wanted to camp with our friends, Gregg and Carol. They once were Rvers, but gave it up years ago to become world travelers. Now, the itch to camp has returned and they decided to purchase something small to get started once again. In July they brought home a little "tag-along" unit…a Casita. I don’t think Carol’s ability to speak Spanish (she does teach it) and drink Margaritas had anything to do with the choice, but at least they can once again hit the open road and go for weekends in their little taco!!
Our weekend couldn’t have been more perfect for camping and boating…did I mention Lisa and Brian brought along their new ski boat? We also rented a pontoon boat on Saturday to tool around the lake. Even "the boys", Marvin and Dawn’s two Cocker Spaniels, Bronson and Brady, could join us on board!
The weekend became an orgy…No Not That Kind!…of boating, eating, drinking, and eating...again and again!! Oh, and we can’t forget the campfires…mornings and nights! Captain Gregg would fuel the morning campfires…6:30 a.m. on the dot! So it was always morning coffee around the ole campfire. Sgt. Major Frank would see to building the night “cocktail” fire…then we could all get “blistered“!
Food was not a problem. We had the most "humongous" delicious breakfasts! Eating out in the morning air with the smell of the campfire…nothing could ever be better. Marvin and Dawn did the first morning at their site…sausage pinwheels, bacon, eggs, toast. You name it…we had it! Oh, and the tomatoes…can’t forget those. Gregg and Carol brought a huge box of tomatoes from their garden…homegrown;I had been looking for them all summer! The next mornings, we dined on country ham and biscuits, scrambled eggs, pancakes and sausage…all prepared by lovelies Lisa and Carol! Those were just the morning courses!
Ring the Bell! Breakfast is Ready!!
Evening meals of steaks, baked potatoes, salad, hamburgers, baked beans, potato salad…and I’m not even telling you about all the appetizers! Then there were the desserts!! Lemon Meringue pie (a surprise for Frank since he had been whining about wanting one), to-die-for chocolate brownies, and cheesecake…this was not camping!! This was over indulging!! 
On Sunday after the Country Ham and biscuits, we went on a 70 mile boat trip. We had an objective…to lock through the Cordell Hull Dam. Brian, who was our boat Admiral that day, along with Gregg, had made the 1:30 appointment to go through the lock. 
We put the boat in below the dam on the Cumberland River. Having a few hours to kill before the appointment, we took a ride down the Cumberland. The water was smooth as glass that morning and not another soul out. We had it all to ourselves…a beautiful warm sunny day.
We were the only boat going through. Surprising they would open the lock for just one, but this is a service provided by the Corp of Engineers at no charge. The only catch…you can only go one way on the same day…that’s their policy and no changing it! Later, the men would have to drive Brian back to the boat ramp to pick up the truck and boat trailer.
The ride to the top and back out onto the lake went off without a hitch. Some in the boat were expecting roiling waters and a possibility of slamming into the side of the lock while the waters rose. I think they were a bit disappointed of such a smooth ride up! Anyway, we were back up and ready for more boating. This time a trip up to Granville Marina where we planned to have dinner.
Arriving at Granville, we found the nicest marina complete with restaurant and cabins. Usually marinas can be rather unkempt, but this one had plenty of lakeside charm. We ordered baskets of fried catfish with all the “fixin’s” and dined on their outside patio overlooking the marina. We were even allowed to bring our own wine…during the weekend there was never a shortage of wine...or tomatoes!! 
