Friday - June 7

Hot and sunny here in Pensacola...got our exercising out of the way.   Never did get the rain here that rest of the state got from Andrea.    Still keeping an eye on this storm as she heads up the coast towards Catrina.

 

Mark and Ryan ran several errands and installed a new water heater!  I did some laundry.  

 

Our little bruiser, Luke is up to 15# already - gosh, we won't recognize him!   

 

Such a happy BIG boy

 

Some of you have asked what Ryan is doing these days with no air shows, no practices, ......well, as we talked last night with he and John, "Not much of anything"!!!    Lots of free time....they fly 3x a week (1 plane only in the sky) for about 1/2 hour, so that's 1.5 hours a week for proficiency.    They report in each day for a few hours, but not much of anything to be done!    I was talking to the wife of another Blue Angel (one of 4 videographers) last night at the parade and it's the same for her husband!   Certainly not the plan for what should've been a busy, hectic, memorable year as a

 Blue Angel.    What a shame!!

 

Very thankful the pilots were given one extended year on their tour.  Although the 2014 schedule has been posted, that's all "up in the air"!    Ryan is able to work on several projects around the house!

 

After the water heater installation and a dip in the pool

 

Ryan, John, Mark and I went to The Grand Marlin on Pensacola Beach for dinner to celebrate Ryan's birthday (June 2nd).    It was a wonderful meal and so pleasant sitting outdoors overlooking the Bay.

 

Our Blue Angels

After a great meal at The Grand Marlin

Pensacola Beach

 

Tomorrow we are off to Santa Rosa Beach for a destination wedding Sunday night.   Rehearsal luncheon is Saturday at 1:00 and then meeting my Tiger Cruise roommate, Jackie!   Can't wait!!!  Be back in touch after the weekend!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thursday - June 6

We're here!    Left Clanton at 7:17 and arrived in Pensacola at 10:30 and settling in at Ryan's home.     He's working today, but we're here holding down the fort and watching the weather!    Looks like FL is getting hammered, but so far, nothing here.

Ryan came home around 2 - great to see him and enjoying all the nice changes he's made to his home and on the patio.

Today Ryan was getting new bedroom furniture delivered from North Carolina between 10:30-2:30.    We waited all day and finally at 5:00, the truck came!  
Ryan had been in touch with them off and on, but they were running late cause other deliveries ran longer, etc.   AARRGGHHH...   Took a while to set it all up.   The thing is.... the Fiesta parade was set to kick off at 6:30 with the Blue Angels as Grand Marshals.   I kept thinking all day that it could "rain on this parade" with all the rain and strong winds around the state  from "Andrea",     Plenty of traffic and people, but it all worked out and we enjoyed this very different type parade where they passed out oodles of beads just like at Mardi Gras.

The Fiesta of Five Flags is an annual celebration of the founding of Pensacola. In 1559, Spanish Conquistador, Don Tristan de Luna, established Pensacola as the first European settlement in the United States. Since that time five different flags have flown over the City: Spanish, French, British, Confederate, and American. This 10-day festival is one of the oldest and largest heritage festivals in the State of Florida.

Here are some highlights....

Blue Angel pilots

Blue Angels

 

And then a few of the many floats...

 

The Bagpipers from McGuire's Irish Pub

It was quite a gala celebration!

After the parade, we came home and John and Ryan grilled out burgers and brats.
  Great to be back here in Pensacola and hang out with Ryan!





  

 

 

Wednesday - June 5

Up early to exercise, load up the truck and out the door at 8:50.    Just trucking along this sunny, warm day heading south!

Good day of travel but around 5, the heavens opened up and had lots of rain thru Alabama.    Stopped in Hartselle at a Cracker Barrel for some good ole comfort food.    It's a stormy night in the south!

Gas prices were all over the place - anywhere from $3.11 in AL to $4.09 in IL

Now we're keeping an eye on Andrea, a tropical storm developing in the Gulf of Mexico and heading for the eastern US...yikes - right where Catrina is!!!

We are settled in Clanton, AL for the night and glad to be out of all the rain.   Only 200 miles to Ryan....yeah!

Tuesday - June 4

We were up and going fairly early.....I had a mammogram this morning and then home to finish up laundry and packing.    I had lunch at Olive Garden with the Mid Illini (boating) friends.    Mark, Patrick, Liam and Connor went on their maiden sailing adventure to Evergreen Lake.   The boys (big and small) enjoyed it very much.

Boy toy

 

Getting the truck packed up and then we Nomads are off to Florida tomorrow......can't wait to see Ryan, celebrate with Kassie and Kyle at their wedding this weekend, then so anxious to get my hands on Baby Luke.   Also very excited that my roommate on the Tiger Cruise, Jackie, will be coming to visit in the Destin area this weekend!   What fun that will be!

 

Met Paul and Margaret at Baxter's for delicious dinner - we had a great visit and hope to get together in FL this winter.

 

 

Monday - June 3

Nice to see the sunshine after some rainy, cooler days!     We exercised and then met the neighbors for breakfast.    Off to Peoria to shop for a few things at Costco and had lunch with friends, Allie, Owen, Jane and Joe at Granite City.   So fun as always to be together and laugh and chat thru a yummy lunch

Allie, Owen, Joe, Jane, Pat and Mark

 

Home to do more packing....stuff, stuff, so much stuff....and we left most of our clothes on Catrina?

 

Eight of the Monday Night Friends met at Jody's for one of her absolutely wonderful gourmet meals.    Tonight she treated us to an Italian feast topped off with an apple tart and homemade caramel pecan ice cream!    Sure did pig out today!!!