Vacation 2011

We went to Orange Beach for vacation.  It was a nice time away.  It is always good to get back home.  The bed Abbie and I slept in was very comfortable so now we are thinking we need to look at mattresses.  We stayed in a condo right on the beach.  Great access, the beaches weren't crowded at all and we were close to everything.  The building was older, but very clean and nice.  We had fun on the beach - the boys played in the sand and surf.  None of us got cooked, but the sun screen I used ate through my toenail polish.  We actually met a family from our town, who has a daughter in the same grade as John Campbell.  We went to dinner with them one night and we hang out on the beach together for a day.  They got there shortly before we left.  It was a lot of fun, a lot of driving and a lot of sun and sand.

We ate at Lulu's in Gulf Shores and it was a hoot.  We will definitely go there again.  We also went to Lambert's, Home of the Throwed Rolls, and had fun.  The roll guy threw four in a row to John Campbell and he caught them all.  We had a mountain of bread by the end of our meal.  Besides going out for dinner, we stayed on the beach for the most part.  The views from the room were pretty.  The heat was really turned up.  I think going in early summer may be better from now on, but we will visit this condo again.

One of my favorite things was flying kites with the boys on the beach.  It is effortless and you can tie them off to your chair or tent and just watch them dance in the sky.  The boys were enchanted with them.

Before getting to Orange Beach, we stopped over a night in Fairhope to visit Aunt Jewell and Uncle Johnny.  She is doing great, looking as beautiful as ever.  Uncle Johnny is in the last stages of Alzheimer's and not doing well.  He is in bed and Hospice has been called in.  I'm glad I got to see him and talk to him.  It may be the last visit I have with him.  Aunt Jewell is devoting all her energy to taking care of him.  I don't see how she does it.  She is a true, graceful, Southern lady.

Now we are home, the clothes and things are all put away and the house is getting back in order.  I'll post photos once I have a chance to go through them all and pick my favorites.