Gulf State Park, AL

Gavin, Kathy, Bosco, Bob, Linda and Bill

May 30, 2014 We have had a wee bit of difficulty with our reservations. We found a park in Panama City, our next stop, and we were delighted. We were to arrive Thursday and stay until Sunday. Wednesday we got a phone call asking us to wait a day; really waiting was no problem as this is a large park and the people rather accommodating. It also gave us another night to visit with the Bender clan. Knowing we were staying; they planned another dinner. The result was good food and good friendship! All those stories Bosco has told me about the river are true! I have confirmation from reliable? sources. I have to tell you the rumors about Southern hospitality are true.
As we were ready to head out to dinner Bosco received a phone call from Nautical Point RV park, saying that the people who were to leave decided not to leave and "Sorry we have no place for you".
Which left us without a home and Bosco has diving reservation in Panama City for Saturday which he has been working to set We called a park, Deerhavenpark, with little hope of getting anything, and left a message on their answering machine. During dinner Bosco received a call saying they'd be glad to have us! Another step forward with a little help from perfect strangers.
That little scrape I had with the bike, in Galveston State Park, has come back to haunt me. My right hand has been sore and we bought a wrist brace for it but that hurts too. So the logical thing to do was see a doctor; luckily we went to an urgent care/ walk in clinic here in Gulf Shores; great facility, knowledgeable staff and great doctor. So a small metacarpal bone beneath my little finger is broken. It's all in place; it just hurts. So wear the brace, avoid lifting and let it heal. Take drugs!
NOW A NOTE FROM THE OTHER SIDE: It was good to have the doc confirm my beliefs about Kathy's hand--she did not want to believe me! Glad nothing more was wrong. The chiggers have managed to find Kathy--she is NOT HAPPY! She also got a little poison ivy, which hasn't improved her attitude much!
Seeing the Benders was one of the highlights of the trip for me so far! Bill and Linda were great to take us to dinner and visit--telling us about family and Gulf Shores area. Gavin and Bob came down from Mobile, and we renewed old friendships! We also ate good food!! Thanks for all the memories!