Mobile

Spring Break...time for rest and relaxation. Husband arranges mini Vacay and we are on our way. H has a fever. I am sure this will pass in 24 hours like M's did last weekend. Thursday night, H has a fever of 103.8 and still has it Friday morning...Husband finds a walk in clinic for us to go spend a few hours in...after all what's a vacation without seeing the local doctor? After donating a little blood, a nasal swab to the local lab technicians, we find out our little darlin' has A+flu and a sinus infection. After H gets a shot in the butt, it is time to visit the nearest CVS. This CVS doesn't have enough cough medicine so another CVS must be found but not before we get a deck of cards, drawing paper, crayons, more kleenex, more ibuprofen, 7UP and a few other sundry items...CVS no. 2 can't fill it since insurance won't pay again but we can come back tomorrow and pick it up as a refill. Saturday morning, new plan for the day, a driving tour of the USS Alabama, the local garden with the Azalea festival (it has a name but I have already forgotten it) but first a stop at CVS no. 2 for H's drugs. We hit the drive thru, pick up the prescription and begin to drive away...oh dear...they only gave us enough for one day and not ten days...back to CVS. Fearless Dad conquers prescription glitch and we are off on our way.

Now let me tell you my impressions of Mobile. It's a delightful little place and I highly recommend it but it does confuse my blonde brain cells...parts of it make you feel like you are in New Orleans (like the wrought iron and dripping Spanish moss) and then you see the antebellum architecture and remember you are in Alabama.

We found the BEST barbecue place on our way to drive past the azaleas...ah geez, blonde cells have taken over and I can't remember the name. I am going to have to go google it and insert later...same with the name of the Gardens we drove by for a peek at the azaleas...Our GPS pulled another screwy and took us miles out of our way only to bring us back to where we started (I need to write a blog on that alone) and I had a great laugh at turning onto "Half Mile Road" and being told to go four miles. Doesn't statement alone just make you scratch your head? While driving the four miles on Half Mile Road, we stumbled on a little aviation place built on a closed landfill. I do believe the people there have taken expensive hobby to a new level. (Husband was very envious) I will add a picture or two of these remote controlled airplanes. Oh, and I had to use my iPhone for pics since again the blonde, mom or old brain cells took over and I left my camera at home.

After finding the Garden, I hop out to take a picture of the wrought iron, azaleas, and dripping Spanish moss and I discover the Harley riders we were following are speaking German. I found this hysterical. Yep, I don't get out much. My day is getting better and better.

On we drive to the USS Alabama. It is just beautiful and it was surrounded by fog...I had to take a picture...I am not sure how it will come out but as soon as I took it, the fog cleared. We didn't go on the ship due to our little sick one. So we decided to take a Ferry from Dauphin Island to the Gulf Coast. We had the best luck, we didn't have to wait in line, we pulled right on the ferry, we got the next to last spot and we were in the row that got to pull out first. The kids had a blast since the seagulls fly right up to the ferry...I'm thinking they have been food by many a ferry rider so have no fear of flying in our faces. I just feared the stuff that comes after they digest the food landing on my head.

I love the rentals they have here. The colors of the rentals reminded me of ice cream colors. It was like driving through Baskin Robins and seeing all the 31 flavors of color. The trip reminds me of Baskin Robins and the 31 flavors of Mobile...Old South, New South, Louisiana, Florida...the people are a hoot. We had lunch across from a group of senior citizens yesterday and they were all dressed in their St. Patrick's Day accessories...earrings, necklaces, corsages, socks...I should have got the hint right there and then that Mobile takes St. Patrick's Day seriously. Sadly, I think my family was the only people in the area not wearing green today. I'll have to google pictures of the floats we saw on the side of the road waiting for the Parade. They had a Mardi Gras feel to them but they were definitely St.Patrick's Day floats. The last float had a port-a-potty wrapped in green...not sure if it was usable or not...another head scratcher...okay, gonna end this blog for now...and I will tweak it when I get home and add some photos for clarification.

PS It was Dick Russell's Barbecue and not only did it have wood carved bear statues, airplane propeller fans but it had a pull that made train whistle sounds. It Bellingrath Gardens and I forgot we drove by Mobile International Speedway (that International word/aspect cracked me up and next to it was a Drag Raceway with racing taking place)