NM - AL

Writing today from Mobile AL where it is hot and HUMID. I had forgotten what real humidity is like!

Gene and I left home at 6:00 a.m. Tuesday morning and drove Hwy 84- I-40 over to Amarillo and then 287 down to meet I-35 into Fort Worth/Dallas. Luckily we arrived there after the main rush hour and the drive around the city was no big deal. Got as far as Kilgore TX that night and stopped around 9:00.....our goal was to escape Texas that day but we just couldn't drive anymore. Hotel room was clean and had good air-conditioning and great beds. Got up at 5:30 Wed morning and were on the road again, arriving via I-10-12-10 in Mobile around 3:30. It actually was an easy drive in spite of the 1254 mile distance. Car worked fine..as did the a/c.

Yesterday was the memorial service for Carol at a lovely Episcopalian church in Point Clear AL. David gave a very touching 'eulogy' about his and Carol's life together...I said a few words (don't ask me what) and one of her cycling buddies also spoke. The service was the traditional 1928 Book of Common Prayer service and was lovely. Afterwards we joined their son, Chris and his son and some of his friends for barbecue at a joint down the road. Yummy....Carol didn't want tears or any fuss...so we are trying our best to be cheerful!!  Came home and took a nap to the sound of an afternoon downpour that helped make sure the humidity stayed high!!  Today Gene and I went to Bellingrath Gardens about 20 miles away. Even though it was hot and humid, the clouds were covering most of the time so it was a actually bearable. This is an old estate that started out life as a fish camp on the Fowl River. The folks who bought it had the first, I think, Coke distributorship/bottling plant and made a fortune. He fished and she shopped so the house is furnished with incredible antiques and the gardens are magnificent. At this time of the summer, a lot of the bloom is gone but it was still great. We had lunch there and are now back at David's relaxing.

This part of the country is very lush and green...great old oaks and big magnolias...lots of swamps and such. We have seen oil booms in the bay near Mobile but no oil. Lots of interesting stories of how the fishermen are making lots of money off BP "helping" with the oil spill...but not doing much.

So we head home on Sunday. We were going to leave Saturday but decided to stay and spend another day with David. I think we're going to Pensacola tomorrow but not sure. No real plans...just "hanging out".  It's nice to be near water and green grass again...but always nice to get home too. I'm blessed with some great folks from church in LV who are covering the office for me so I could come down here and we have great neighbors who are taking care of the gardens and greenhouse. And especially blessed by Pat and Karyl who are taking care of Levi the Magnificent.  He's getting spoiled (more spoiled?) I'm sure.

Pictures from Bellingrath Gardens(click on link for addtional photos)