On the Boat Again...

Why is the temperature in Alabama the same as in Michigan?!  We filled the back seats and the cargo area of the rental Mazda 5 and, as happened with all the "necessities" we brought all spring and summer, Mary Frances IV had room to stow it all.  Dreary weather the whole trip, good thing the company (Nevada Barr on cd, as well as our 35 year-old best friendship) was inspiring.

Thursday we drove back to Huntsville to Redstone Arsenal to check out the exchange and commissary.  Mary's father worked on the Saturn 5 moon vehicle project back in the 60's and spent some time here before being transferred to New Orleans.  We always buy more than we plan at the commissary but, once again, Mary Frances IV has room for all of it.  We ate lunch at the Officer and Civilian Club (the army no longer practices the elitism of officers' clubs) and had Schnitzel with sauerkraut and sweet and sour red cabbage that tasted just like the cabbage Mary's Grandma Gracik used to make.  The rental car goes back to Florence today, so no more gallivanting.  We'll be here at least through Wednesday, October 26th for the looper rendesvous.  Other boats are arriving as it begins Sunday:

Our new mascot, Happy Hippo beanie baby.

Mary and John on Passport from Mackinaw City arrived Friday.  We hadn't seen them since Mackinaw City.  We made up for it by having dinner together and visiting until "last call".  Not last call as you're imagining-we're in a dry county.  We talked until the restaurant staff was clearing up to close. It's fun during introductions to be "John and Mary from Mackinaw City" and "John and Mary from Mackinaw City".

We no longer have the "furthest-traveled" Mackinaw City Yacht Club burgee, as John ad Mary have theirs with them, also.