Happiness is an RV Full of Clean Laundry

Even in the glamorous world of RVing, with its broken water heaters, cold showers and black tank dumping, you have to take a day now and then to regroup and get organized.  Today is such a day.  We took our friend Sandy back to the Pensacola airport this morning so she could return to Chicago and work.  A sad day for her.  On the way back from the airport, I whined until Robin agreed to stop for breakfast.  Waffle House seems to be a uniquely southern chain and I’d been jonesing to try it since we hit Kentucky.  Today was the day!  We passed three before one “felt” right and was on the correct side of the street and in we went.  I have to say, I liked it.  Anytime you eat breakfast out, it’s a good occasion, and the Waffle House had everything you’d want without any of that “rooty tooty fresh and fruity” nonsense. 

Yum!

 Tender, crispy waffles, good sausage patties and cheese grits.  I’m becoming a grits fan.  If you like polenta, and I do, why wouldn’t you like grits?  The place was clean, the people were nice, the food was good and the price was right.  Next chain to explore is WhatAburger, though Robin says I have to wait until Texas for that.

After breakfast we did the weekly grocery shopping at one of the ubiquitous Publix stores in the area.  We stocked up on wine since our next campground is in Alabama and we’re not sure we’re allowed to drink there.  Now we’re back at the campground and I’m sitting at a picnic table outside the laundry room doing the wash and smelling the pine forest around us.   

Doing Laundry

The campground has filled up in last couple of days, lots of families enjoying the school holidays here in the park.  Tomorrow we head west about 90 miles to Gulf Shores, AL for 7 days.  I love these long stays.  We really settle in and get comfortable.  The week at this park has been really nice and Sandy’s cabin was nearby and a good value too.  I wouldn’t be surprised if we end up back here one of these days.

Lake at Topsail Preserve State Park, FL

We enjoyed Christmas Eve dinner with fresh, local snapper cooked on our grill.  Christmas Day we loaded the bikes onto the car and drove to Seaside, FL; a planned community most famous for being the setting of The Truman Show (the Jim Carrey movie).  I wrote about it in last year’s blog and it hasn’t changed since. It was a pleasant place for a ride.   

Seaside church

Christmas dinner was leftover fish warmed up in a coconut curry sauce.  Pretty good for leftovers.  And the appropriate wines of course, pulled from our travelling wine cellar.  Yesterday (Boxing Day for you Commonwealth-philes) we again put the bikes on the car and headed for Grayton Beach State Park, our previous campground that had great areas for riding.  

One of Grayton Beach's attractions

It was warmer (high 60’s) and sunny and a perfect last day for Sandy. 

We have a lot to pack up and put away before we pull the rig out of here but we have an easy drive tomorrow and then we settle in for another full week.  Yippee!  Next stop, Alabama.  Now if only I can prevent Robin from playing “Sweet Home Alabama” on the drive.

Campsite decorations