We loved Gulf Shores enough to stay most of Friday. The extra stay paid off as our time at the beach turned into a “mini Sea World.” Walking on the beach we saw: tar balls, sting rays, jellies, hundreds of small fish, tiger sharks, dolphins playing off shore, and a baby loggerhead turtle. We also saw the Park Rangers counting eggs that did not hatch from a sea turtle the night before The clouds were out and it made for a cooler, nicer morning.
We managed lunch and packing up the RV before heading to the pool. The kids wanted to maximize their time at the pool before heading back up the road to Georgia. Disappointingly, the folks at Pine Mountain RV Camp would not accept a cancellation. Upon arrival it is obvious because they need the revenue, not because the opportunity cost of a sold out campground would cause the loss. There are at least a hundred vacant sites, but they strictly enforce their three-day cancellation policy.
As vacation winds down I see work picking up. Several phone calls today and many emails have given me plenty to do this weekemd, just to catch up. In addition I feel like a good part of the week is booked with calls already. I commented to a colleague that it’s not like we work in a factory and someone else does your job while you are gone, instead it is like a factory where work is piled aside until returning. Oh well, that delicate work/family balance remains precariously hinged.
The drive up I-65 was uneventful, other than I found myself dead tired to the world. Beach, pool, and unbearable heat zapped the life out of me. But, we made it down the road. We started looking for the Aurora’s from the geo-magnetic storm but did not see any. Finally we arrived at Pine Mountain at 10:30pm. I did punt tonight and take the kids out for dinner – Mexican, “Old Mexico” in Greenville, AL. We made cookies and watched the last of the movie, “The Right Stuff.” Poor Marcella has had to survive a “man’s week” but done very well. Since we had wi-fi for the first time all week we streamed Netflix and stayed up late watching “American Pickers.”
This morning I awoke to wireless and checked email. I cranked out my column for the week and am looking forward to getting home. The kids wanted to enjoy the pool here and I find myself blown away by the attractive Moms that all seem to litter their bodies with “tramp stamps.” Is it Georgia, RV’s, or just our society? It seems like America has become a society of circus freaks in dress and body decorations.
One last comment, the good and the bad from the week:
– Gasoline came in under budget
– The total vacation was just about at budget
– We drove 1100 miles
– We were short on gas bottles for the grill and outdoor stove as I cooked outside more than inside due to the unbearable heat
– No wi-fi at any state parks made managing work more difficult. My AT&T wireless card helped, but I have concluded AT&T sucks as a phone company. Marcella always had signal on T-Mobile.
– The kids did great and help me alot, I could not have done it without them.
– The RV ran perfectly and once again we proved it is easy to live in 200 square feet.
– We ate out only one time, otherwise every meal was in the motorhome
– I should have brought some rope as a clothesline to dry our swimsuits and towels
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