My Day and A Half At The Beach (or the Shortest Beach Trip On Record!)

Last Wednesday I left to spend 4-5 days at the beach with my best friend Judy.    We met off the interstate and followed each other to her place on the beach (she was supposed to stay after I left so we had to take two cars).    We arrived shortly after lunch and it was so hot we didn’t even take time to unload our cars.     She got her dog out, gave her some water and put her up and we took off for lunch at Lulu’s in Gulf Shores.    

 

I used the new frame tool on Pic Monkey for the scalloped edge frame (I don’t know why I have such a death grip on my purse!)

 

I ordered my usual that I always get at Lulu’s…their famous Summer Shrimp Salad with a side of fried green tomatoes (I had already started eating when Judy reminded me to take a picture!)

 

We had not even ordered when her brother called and said that Judy’s mom was going to have a pacemaker put in Friday morning.     I thought we were going to have to leave immediately for the 3 1/2 hour trip back home but she said we’d spend the night and get up and come home Thursday afternoon.     She wanted me to stay at her place  after she left but I didn’t want to stay by myself.     I called hubby to see if he could come down Saturday and we’d come back Sunday but he was working at a softball tournament (part of his job) and couldn’t get away.     He really didn’t want to drive that far for just a day (and I don’t blame him) so I decided to follow Judy back home (her mom lives in my town).

After we ate we decided to get out and make the most of our time.    We went to a souvenir shop that sells some really nice high end home décor and I bought a beautiful old sailboat for the top of my bookcase in the den.    I’ll show a picture of it later when I finish styling it.    It was a great price and size and looks very Pottery Barn-ish!     I saw one just like it in Savannah last winter and it was over $300.00….mine was no where near that price.  

Then we went to the outlets and Target then back to her place for some tomato sandwiches which we ate about 10:30 that night.    Fresh bread, fresh tomatoes, salt & pepper, Hellman’s mayo, chips and Coke….I love a meal like that.     I loved it so much that I had a tomato sandwich for breakfast the next morning!

Thursday morning before we left we got out to check out a couple of consignment/thrift stores.    I didn’t find one single thing!      You have to know my friend Judy – she is a real cut up and when she saw this hat made out of a bazillion flowers she put it on and insisted I take her picture…which I immediately sent to her husband, daughter and my daughter.     My daughter’s response was “OMG”….she knows how nutty we are when we get together!

She got her yellow and gray sweater at this thrift store last week.     And here’s a tidbit about my friend, when her dad passed away several years ago, she came into quite a bit of money.    You wouldn’t think she’d shop at thrift stores but she doesn’t mind at all.    Her house and beach place are both furnished with many thrifty things but the way she puts them together they look like a million bucks.     The only thing she indulges in is her jewelry (see her rock!).    Also the gold coin ring on her index finger was from a gold piece that belonged to her daddy…her husband had it made into a ring for her a few years after her dad’s passing.     She was a daddy’s girl just like me!

 

We got a few looks while we were playing around but that’s just us….we have a good time every where we go!

Judy wanted to take me to some places around the area that I’d never been to before.    One of them was Magnolia Springs, Alabama, a beautiful, quaint little town that boasts the only river route mail delivery in the continental United States.

(via)

 

 

Our destination was Jesse’s Restaurant.   

 

 

 

 

We got there just as they were setting up for lunch and were lucky enough to be seated in the glassed in sunroom.

Loved the planked ceiling!

 

After lunch we drove a short distance to Bon Secour to see the Swift-Coles house.   Unfortunately it wasn’t open to the public on the day we were there but we were able to park the car and walk around the grounds.  

 

 

 

 

I may be wrong but I think it’s only in the South you see these beautiful old trees dripping with Spanish moss.

We headed back to her place and loaded up for the trip home.    Fortunately, I had not even taken my suitcase out of the car…I just got out what I needed the night before.

While I hate our trip was cut short, we still had a lot of fun.    And her mom is doing great!

We’ve been so lazy today for the 4th of July….just hanging out at home and doing nothing.    We took my mama to Jim ‘n Nick’s for an early supper (she calls it Jason and Nick’s).     Tomorrow I’m having lunch with a good friend who I haven’t seen in a while.    I remember when she was in law school and then passed the Bar…she now practices law in a near by town….I can’t wait to see her!

Isn’t this heat oppressive?     Too hot to go outside to work on any projects and my deck needs some serious attention.    I actually got out the other morning at 6:30 a.m. to spray paint my deck furniture…I have two more chairs and a table to paint but it’s just too hot.    I’ll get around to it one day and since we don’t plan to entertain this summer outside I’m not going to worry about it for now.

Hope you all had a safe and wonderful 4th of July!