Thursday we had errands to run and we headed out around 1000. Our first stop was the Exchange to see if I could get a haircut...done! I got a real nice short haircut and we're both pleased with it. You see, when we travel it can be difficult to find a good hairdresser. You just take a chance and hope for the best.
By this time we were both hungry so we headed to Santa Rosa Beach and Stinky's Fish Camp. Sonsearae told us we should check it out and boy was she right! We want to move to that neighborhood so we could eat there everyday! Let's just say it's as fattening and as delicious as the food in New Orleans....we may go back before we leave the area.
Next stop wasn't planned but I've been wanting a new pair of walking shoes and Destin Commons has a New Balance outlet store. Done! found a pair for less than $50...Oh, we also made a stop at PetSmart for puppy pads, since I can't do laundry here, the pads are needed.
We were going to make another stop at the commissary but since we over ate, all we wanted at this point was to go home, so we did.
Not sure when the rain started but it was raining when we went to bed.
It rained all night! Sometimes it was torrential and the wind really didn't let up much. When I got up Friday I checked the Weather Channel on my phone and the shape of this storm looked like a tropical storm, typical comma shape. It came up our of the gulf and pelted us all night and almost all day.
After breakfast, doing the dishes and making the bed we decided to go to Barnes and Nobles...it's what we do when it rains. Besides perusing all the magazines and books, you can have a cup of coffee and log onto their website. We took advantage of this and updated our phones and I updated a couple apps on my iPad. I used a rebate and got another cookbook, Happy Herbivore light and lean by Lindsay S. Nixon. If you haven't seen her cookbooks they're simple recipes and usually just for two people. Perfect for us!
And the rain continued....when we left the book store we headed out looking for a place to have lunch and didn't know what to have until we spotted an Olive Garden. Perfect for this chilly, rainy day....soup and salad.
And the rain continued.....by this time we'd had enough of dashing in and out of buildings so we just headed home. Jim took a nap and when he got up the rain had stopped. The even tried to come out! Still had a lot of wind but at least the road started to dry. Of course the puddles are huge!
When we went to bed Friday evening one corner of our duvet was wet. Apparently with the rain and wind, water was forced in the small window. Rats! So I pulled it off the bed and remade it with quilts.
Friday night was a noisy one! The rain had passed but the wind stay with us all night. Even when I got up it was still blowing 10-15 miles and hour.
But it wasn't raining and that's a good thing!
We had a lazy morning and before long Sonsearae let us know they were on the way to visit. We made arrangements to meet them at Acme Oyster house at Baytowne Wharf. We really didn't think about the fact that it's Saturday, on an island. Traffic was really heavy and we were a wee bit late, but no worries as they had secured a table and had some appetisers before we got there. Chris' daughter Robin joined us (she lives up the road in Crestview). This restaurant is a New Orleans tradition. I think I read they have five of them and four are in Louisiana. Jim had a roast beef po-boy, fries and an order of broiled oysters. I had a bowl of seafood gumbo. Just like being back in N'Awlins! Of course we both had Abita beers...
After all this good food we walked down the dock and around the shops at the Wharf. Then we split up and met them after they checked into their hotel. There are shops there and we wandered in and out of a few. The guys usually found some place to sit.
Soon it was time to say goodbye. We drove a short distance to Starbucks and had some coffee and then headed home. It's been wonderful seeing so much of Sonsearae and Chris this past year or so as we've stayed put. But it's time to move on....
Easter Sunday started cold and cloudy but at least the wind has died down. I slept a little later, getting up at 0740....Jim didn't get up until 0930. Sure hope the sun comes out today to warm us up. The temperature is in the upper 50's. Despite this chilly start I've seen half a dozen boats zipping around in the bay
Made a pasta dish for our midday meal and while it was tasty I won't be making it again. It was one of those cook everything in the same pot and I'm sure I did something wrong because the spaghetti was clumped and stuck together. Ended up tossing most of it.
After I cleaned up the kitchen we headed to the grocery store. I know today is Easter but I was truly surprised to find Publix closed. So we went to Winn-Dixie and for some reason we bought three loaves of bread, two packages of English muffins and some rolls for Jim's brats. When they have bogo's how can you pass up buying two for the price of one?
This day has been cloudy and overcast. The forecaster lied! It never did warm up ....