“The Part I’ve Always Wanted”

One of the best things about being retired is that we can visit family more often especially when something important is going on.  Amelia told us the last time we were there that the children’s theater workshop that she attends was going to do a play and she was going to be the Little Red Hen, which according to her is “the part I’ve always wanted!”  Wow!! Can you imagine an actress getting her dream role at the age of seven?  Well, of course, we wanted to be there for this momentous occasion.

In preparation for the visit, I baked her (us) a Texas Sheet Cake which is a very moist chocolate cake with a very rich chocolate frosting.  I could tell when I tasted the frosting that this was going to be a cake that Darryl and Bubba would not like so I jumped in and made a sour cream pound for them.  I had bought a can of decorator’s icing so that I could write on the chocolate cake for Amelia.  Just let me say that I now have great admiration for cake decorators everywhere.  You can see that I was too shaky while trying to write with the icing.  It looks like I had the palsy or something. When we arrived, I handed Amelia the cake and told her it was hers.  She said, “Awwww, thank you.  That is so sweet!”  It has only been a month since our last visit and she already seems older somehow.

I promise.  It was better tasting than it looks!

We gave her the clothes rack and doll clothes we had made for her and she seemed quite pleased.  She dressed her dolls up in their Halloween costumes for a picture.

Amelia seems pleased.

Dolls are ready for Halloween.

Her Aunt Judy had made French berets for her dolls.  (She says it only took 45 minutes for each one.)  We also had to get a picture of those.  Thanks, Aunt Judy!  They were a hit.

It's hard to believe that she can make these so quickly.

Darryl grilled some delicious hamburgers for dinner and of course we had dessert.  Amy had made one of my favorites, Blueberry Yum-Yum.  She and I enjoyed a sampling of the chocolate cake and the yum-yum.

Amelia’s costume for the play was complete other than something for her head.  Amy ad I went to Joann’s Fabric Store and bought a tiara type headband and a red feather boa.  I tacked the boa to the headband with thread and needle in several places so that it would stay together.  It made the little red hen costume just perfect.

Monday, I had lunch with my cousin, Vicky, while Bubba stayed at home and took it easy.  I also did a little shopping on my own and was able to find a cute pair of shoes to wear Easter.  It should be noted that after Bubba counted my shoes in 2009 and called me at work to tell me how many pairs I had, that I got rid of every pair that was too worn or hurt too much to wear which left me with very few shoes.  Now that I’ve got some new navy shoes to wear with my new navy blouse and pants, I need another top to wear with my navy pants so that I can wear my new navy shoes more.  It’s like a never ending cycle.  It’s like painting a room and then having to buy new furniture.

Tuesday we met Amy at the high school where we left our car and picked up Amelia. Then we went to the Aurora Theater and met Darryl for the play.  I am totally not prejudiced in any way.  Amelia had the longest speaking part and she spoke clearly, loudly, and slowly enough that I could actually understand what she was saying.  She did great!  I’m glad she is getting this opportunity.  She is a very confident little girl and speaking in front of an audience doesn’t seem to phase her.

Amelia stomps her foot and is angry as she tells the lazy farm animals why they will not get to help eat her fresh baked bread. 

 The Cast and Their Teachers

I think our Little Red Hen is adorable!

Flowers from dad for the actress! 

 Amy, Amelia, and Darryl

Paw-Paw, Amelia and Nana

After the play we went to Longhorn Steakhouse for dinner.  I guess acting made Amelia ravenous.  She ate almost all of her mac and cheese and her fruit cup.  Of course, when we got home we enjoyed more chocolate cake and yum-yum, called out spelling words, and went to bed.  It was a fun day and well worth the seven hour drive up there.

The next day we headed home.  Usually we wait until 9:00 EST to leave, but we thought we would try leaving earlier.  That did not work.  We were in the worst traffic ever.  It added an extra hour to our drive that we could have spent relaxing and drinking coffee at their house.

We are so proud of our Little Red Hen.  In addition to being a great actress, she recently won a writing contest for first graders at her school.  There are about 15 first grade classes and her story was selected for first place.  Her mom, the English teacher and a writing contests winner herself, has apparently passed her writing gene to her daughter.  I’m hoping Darryl has passed down his math gene!

Two Weeks at Home (What Have We Been Doing?)

We had two pretty busy weeks at home.  In a way I wished we had been camping because we got the first hint of springtime and that makes me want to go somewhere.

Bubba was busy outside.  He bought some black spray paint and painted our outside furniture after blasting off all the loose paint with the pressure washer.  It is now a nice shiny black and looks great.

No leaves in this picture.  It didn't last long.

He replaced our hibiscus plants that just never seem to survive cold weather with two new ones.  One of them has two different color blooms on it, one is a peach ruffle and the other is a deep pink ruffle.  How cool is that?  It’s a good thing because until I realized that they were both on the same bush; I couldn’t make up my mind which color I wanted.  Bubba chose a big single bloom for the other one.  I love hibiscus.  They bloom like crazy until cold weather and I just love looking at them.  As I’ve said before, the hibiscus has a good life lesson for us in that the bloom only lasts one day.  To me that says make the most out of the time you are allotted.  I think $20 for two plants that bring so much beauty to our summer days is well worth it.

This is the plant with the two different color blooms.  The peach bloom is not there today.

We also bought a beautiful green fern for our newly painted cart.  I’ve been roasting a lot of vegetables lately and they usually call for the addition of parsley or dill after they have finished cooking so we thought we would try our hand at growing herbs.  I now have parsley that is ready to clip and the dill is also growing nicely. 

While Bubba was working so hard outside, I was sewing doll clothes.  I really enjoy this although I’ve not seen Amelia playing dolls enough to think that she needs very many doll clothes.  It is a fun thing for me and not nearly as stressful as sewing real clothes.  I’ve now got three Halloween costumes complete with trick or treat bags for our next trip to Atlanta.  I think Amelia will like these since she requested a witch dress and a ghost costume (“But not a sheet, Nana”).

The ghost headpiece is made from an old laundry bag.

Bubba was called upon to assist with the witch’s hat.  (It involved precise measurements.)  I also found a clothes rack on Pinterest made out of pvc pipe and Bubba built it in about five minutes.  He also cut down some baby clothes’ hangers for her doll clothes.

American Girl Clothes Rack

I put up my Easter decorations even though I know that no one will see them but Bubba and me.  Amy and family are going to Baton Rouge for Easter.  But I always tell Bubba that we are worth it.  I’m pretty sure I believe that.

As I was decorating I came across some wreath making items in my craft box that I never finished , who knows how many years ago.  I finished two new ones.  Then I was inspired and after consulting Pinterest, decided to make Amy one for her front door.   I love the hydrangeas used on wreaths, but I discovered rather quickly that they need a 24 inch wreath and not an 18 inch.

My wreath

Amy's Wreath

I also went to Marianna and had a pedicure done by my old friend Tori.  She used to work with me at the prison and I’ve missed her.  She is just getting started in cosmetology and she did a wonderful pedicure.  It was nice to visit with someone who speaks English while getting my toes done.  She did a great job and I will be going back to see her.

My piggies are ready for spring.

What’s ahead?  We’re going to Atlanta soon to see Amelia in a play and we have some camping planned.  After that we have some time at home again.  Our yard needs raking AGAIN.  The beauty of the spring flowers is totally messed up by the brown of all the leaves.  What is so bad is that Bubba has already raked front and back clean once this year.  Another chore that I’ve been putting off since I retired is washing the windows.  I can’t even remember the last time that we cleaned windows other than the ones in the living room.  Fishing should be getting good soon and we’re looking forward to some good fresh fried bream. 

 It's beginning to look a lot like spring! 

Except for the leaves!

I know that I haven’t mentioned diet in a long time.  I seem to be maintaining within three or four pounds.  We continue to eat healthier – a lot of fresh vegetables, whole wheat products instead of white wheat, and as much fresh fruit as we find in season.  It’s almost time for pineapple to be good again!  We also have salad for our lunch a couple of times a week.   My foot problem has finally healed.  I’m almost afraid to say it because I don’t want to jinx it.  I’m starting to walk more and I’m enjoying it.  What more can I say?  Life is good.

Oysters = Success

Have you ever had a craving for something and nothing else can satisfy that hunger?  Bubba is like that about raw oysters.  He loves them, but he refuses to pay $1.00 apiece for them because he can remember when they were a nickel apiece.  We planned our last camping trip to St. George Island with the sole objective of obtaining oysters to satisfy Bubba's craving.

During the preceding week, Bubba studied the weather like a professional meteorologist.  We were scheduled to begin our days at the park on Wednesday which only gave Bubba one day (Thursday) to oyster because the bays are closed to harvesting shellfish on the weekends now

Thursday morning arrived and Bubba headed out with his kayak and a bucket.  It didn't seem like he had been gone that long before he was back.  I thought something had gone wrong, but he had filled his bucket and had all the oysters he could eat over the next few days.  He was a happy man.

At today's prices, this is approximately $60 worth of oysters.

He may not be smiling, but this is a happy man.

The biggest criticism I have of the state park at St. George Island is that there is no tv reception.  That may seem like a strange complaint from a camper, but you would be surprised how much you miss watching the news and weather every evening.

We had some nice walks, but it sure was cold next to the water.

We rented several movies to watch in the evening from the Red Box at the local dollar store.  Bubba is not much on watching movies, but he surprised me and watched a movie with me on Thursday and Friday nights.  We watched Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day the first night and Mom's Night Out the second night.  I'm pleased to announce that he actually laughed out loud during both movies.  I think having an ice chest full of oysters put him in a really good mood.

How often do you see this when you go to the beach?  Their horse trailer tag

 said they were from British Columbia.

We had several good meals, did a lot of reading and relaxing, and of course a lot of oyster eating (just Bubba).  It was too cold to sit outside much but at night we could sleep with the window open a little bit and could sleep to the sound of the surf.  That was some good sleeping.  The next time we visit St. George Island Amelia will be with us and that should be fun.  She loves the beach.

The End

Mother/Daughter Day and Les Mis

With record-breaking cold temperatures forecast for both home and Atlanta, I packed two very big suitcases full of almost everything we own in the form of cold weather clothing, including my electric throw, and we commenced our trip to see Amy and Amelia.  (Darryl was in Brazil.)  On the way up, it was getting colder and colder but we didn't realize how cold it really was until Bubba decided to clean the windshield and the liquid froze before the wiper could get it.  That is cold!!

We arrived at their house a couple of hours before they were due in from school and I changed into warmer clothes and hooked up my electric throw and stayed cozy waiting for my girls.  I didn't want Amy to cook and we sure didn't want to go out in that kind of weather so I brought chicken and dumplings for our supper that night.

I gave Amelia the doll clothes I had made for her American Girl doll and she seemed very pleased.  Now she wants a witch dress and ghost costume, "not just a sheet" for them so I will work on that soon.  I intended to take a picture of everything I made, but I got the picture of the first dress and missed out on the others.  In addition to the dress pictured, I made a dress, a blouse with a ruffle, a skirt, and a jacket.  It was much easier than anything else I've tried so maybe I should stick to doll clothes.  I can work on them and stay in a good mood.

Following an appointment Amy had on Friday, we abandoned Bubba to his own devices and we did some fun shopping and had a girly lunch.  I bought two pairs of shoes and Amy contributed her $10 off coupon to my purchase.

We finished off the shopping by picking Amelia up at school.  We helped her get a bath and into pajamas and then we left Bubba to babysit while Amy and I went out to eat again and attended the musical, Les Mis, at the Aurora Theater in Lawrenceville.  I thought this was my fourth time to see this, but Amy thinks it was just my third (including the movie).  Whatever... I love it and would see it again.  This theater is small and there are no bad seats; however, we had very good seats and could almost touch the actors at different points in the play.

While we were waiting in the lobby for seating to begin, I saw two different people that I was sure were going to end up sitting next to me.  One was a goofy acting woman who was wearing a dog hat with the long pieces that come down to put your hands in.  I know that nothing is as proper as it used to be (thank goodness), but a grown woman in a dog hat at a musical has got to be a little "off".  The other was a woman who was so big that she could have used several seats to herself.  Now I've had plenty of tight squeezes myself so I am sympathetic to her plight, but I think I would have been claustrophobic if I had sat next to her.  (Now that I've been mean spirited and said that, I'll probably gain 50 pounds overnight.)

This is the dog hat.  I found it on Amazon.  

After worrying about that for a while, we were allowed to enter and I was pleasantly surprised that the person next to me was the father of one of the main actors in the musical.  He was pretty chatty and very interesting.  He knew the ins and outs of musical theater and was obviously a very proud dad.  The part of the printed program that introduced the actors mentioned that he had attended all of his daughter's performances.  How does he do that?   When the production started, he leaned forward with his chin resting on his hand and took in every aspect of what what happening on stage.

This is the daughter, Kelly, who played the part of Cosette.

Meanwhile, back at the house Paw-Paw and Amelia were entertaining each other.  He said that she got situated under my electric throw and told him that she was ready for her popcorn and hot chocolate.  Paw-Paw lives to serve.  Later she chose a very long version of Cinderella for her bedtime story.  They took turns reading, but finally Bubba told her I would finish it the next night and she was okay with that.  He heard her say her prayers and tucked her in for the night.

Does she have it made or what?

When we got home around midnight, Bubba was sitting up in the living room.  He said he wanted her to be able to find him if she got up during the night so he wouldn't go on to bed himself.  If you know Bubba, you know that is a very late night for him.

We ate lunch Saturday with my cousin, Vicky and her husband.  This is the first time that Robert has been available to eat with us in a long time and it was good to see him.  Saturday night we watched Amelia so that Amy could attend a church function.  She decided that we needed to make a movie and we did.  She assigned parts and told us what to do.  It was hilarious.

Sunday morning we headed home.  Thank you, Amy, for Friday.  The whole day was fun.  She "treated" me to the musical and dinner.  I thoroughly enjoyed it all.  Thank you, Bubba, for entertaining yourself Friday and for staying with Amelia Friday night so we could go out.  It was a warm weekend with family in spite of the cold weather.

Seeking Warm Sunny Days

A new record was set this past week when Bubba and I travelled farther from home by ourselves than on any previous trip since we started camping.  And guess what....we made it there and back without incident!  Due to the cold and dreary weather we have been experiencing lately, we decided to go south in search of warmer temperatures and new adventures.  Silver Springs State Park was our ultimate destination via Rainbow Springs State Park for two nights.

Rainbow Springs State Park was very similar to Topsail State Park in Destin in that it was more like a private campground than a state park.  The sites were nice and big and they all had sewer.  Many sites were lacking the shrubbery that usually provides privacy between the camp sites in the state parks.  Fortunately our site was more private than most.  This park would be really hot in the summer because there was very little shade available.

The campground is several miles from the actual springs.

Saturday afternoon after getting set up we walked down to the river for a look around.  The actual spring head was several miles away so we waited until Sunday to go there.

Bubba is taking a break down by the river.

See, I'm wearing short sleeves!

On our walk back from the river we saw this hawk who actually 

sat so still he looked like part of the post.

Rainbow Springs is so clear and the colors are beautiful.  There were actually a few people swimming on Sunday.  It was a warm sunny day, but that water is really cold.  I don't know how they were doing it.  I noticed that they never stopped swimming while they were in the water.  I guess the exercise was helping them stay warm.

We had a delicious meal at a restaurant I discovered while surfing the web.
The Front Porch Restaurant and Pie Shop served the best fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans and corn bread that I've had in a long time.

Most of Sunday afternoon was spent soaking up the warmth and sunshine.  It's a good thing we did because the rest of the week was dreary and a little too cold to enjoy being outside.

Bubba and I honeymooned at Silver Springs in 1966. Ocala was booming at that time with Six Gun Territory, a Ross Allen Reptile attraction, and Silver Springs which had exhibits and animals in addition to the famous glass bottom boats.  Sadly, Disney World came along in the early 70's and Silver Springs began a steady decline.  Once a privately owned attraction, it finally went under financially about two years ago and was acquired by Florida State Parks.  Like many state owned facilities it is in desperate need of a facelift that will probably be delayed until the economy improves.

The Silver Springs campground was nice.  The sites were large and we were lucky enough to have a pull through.  We saw some deer there.  We hiked a trail down to the Silver River to get some exercise.

I had hoped to find some fresh citrus and strawberries in this part of the state.  On Tuesday we drove 40 minutes to get to a produce stand that I had seen advertised on the internet.  It was a huge disappointment.  Oranges were 75 cents each!  The strawberries were beautiful but also expensive.  I finally selected a half flat for $16 which was too high but it seemed like the thing to do since we had driven so far and we are enjoying them so I guess it was worth it.

We have learned a new way to find good places to eat.  We just watch for a restaurant with a lot of cars in the parking lot.  So far that is working well for us.  We stopped at Red's Restaurant while we were out searching for produce and were not disappointed.

   
On Tuesday the weather forecasts were predicting heavy rain beginning Wednesday night late through Thursday so since we had done everything we wanted to do, we decided to go home Wednesday and beat the bad weather.  As usual the weather forecasts were wrong.  We travelled all day Wednesday in rain but at least it wasn't a downpour.  When we came in Wednesday evening in the rain we just brought in the house what we absolutely had to have and waited until Thursday to unload it.

This was an enjoyable trip.  We did have one really nice day of warmth and sunshine.  It is very hard to get a reservation in central or south Florida due to the influx of snowbirds from the north. It would be nice if the parks would hold on to some of their sites for Florida residents.     

Even though we only had one warm sunny day, I'm counting this trip a success.  We went farther by ourselves, saw some beautiful scenery, ate at some good restaurants and arrived home safe and sound.  What's ahead?  We're looking forward to a visit soon with Amy, Darryl and Amelia.  This week I'm going to get to work on those AMAZING doll clothes I promised Amelia!  Bubba is working in the yard and it's beginning to look a little bit like spring.  Good days are ahead.

My Tribute

Fletcher Patterson will be 90 years old on Saturday, February 7!  I surely don’t profess to be a writer but I would certainly be remiss if I didn’t try to express my feelings about a man who has had such an impact on my heart and my family.

In spring of 1974, we began construction of our new home in this little neighborhood.  We had heard that the Patterson’s who had recently moved into their new home across the way from us had used the same builder we were going to use and we wanted to see if they were pleased with his work.  Amy was around eight months old at the time.  We timidly marched up the sidewalk and rang the bell.  The door was answered by Fletcher’s mother who was staying with them at the time.  We were cordially invited in even though unexpected.  We met Jo and Fletcher and they treated us to a tour of their home.  I can still remember Fletcher holding Amy in his arms as we walked around.  (She had on a little blue gingham sun suit.  Isn’t it funny the things we remember sometimes?)

Later as construction began in earnest on our house, a man with a head full of hair came up on a bicycle and chatted with us a while admiring the work that was being done.  Fletcher, for a while we thought that you and the bicycle man were two different people.  The men who were laying the bricks on our house were from out of town and had pitched a tent in the back yard to sleep in while they were there working.  One day Fletcher stopped by and noticed the tent and said, “Bubba, I’ve got extra bedrooms at my house.  There is no need for you to sleep in a tent.”  Bubba responded, “Thank you very much but that is not my tent, but I’ll be glad to let those men know that you have beds for them.”  Boy, did Fletcher get flustered.  That is one of Bubba’s favorite stories about Fletcher to this day.

As we began to attend church with Fletcher, Jo and Mike, they became our dearest friends in addition to the best neighbors ever.  Mike was a teenager way back then and was a member of our church youth group.  He was always so good, so respectful and so well mannered.  With all the “escapades” that some time took place with our youth, we could always count on Mike to be rock solid.  Through the years as we helped with young people at the church, Fletcher and Jo always supported our endeavors.  Many times they allowed us to use their home for fellowships.  In addition, Bubba and Fletcher served as deacons together.   They went through many trials and tribulations together trusting that they could share their feelings with each other.  For some reason they were always selected for the Pastor Search Committees.  Until you’ve served in this position, you have no idea the stress that this places on an individual as they try to do the Lord’s will and present someone to lead a church full of people they care about.

During the 40 years that we have known the Pattersons, we have enjoyed many meals together.  I was introduced to so many new delicious dishes at their home.  I think that they have always worked together in the kitchen.  Through the years we enjoyed Mexican Lasagna, Shrimp Casserole, Spaghetti and Meat Sauce, Fresh Apple Cake, Fresh Coconut Cake, Pecan Pie, and Coconut Pound Cake just to name a few.    During the year that Bubba had so much back trouble/surgery, he was confined to bed.  Fletcher would crawl through the azaleas at the bedroom window and visit with him every day. 

Fletcher has always loved his family, both immediate and extended.  He has always made the effort to be in touch with all his and Jo’s families.  Until the last few years, they seemed to constantly be attending a niece or nephew’s wedding or a family reunion of some kind.  To this day he knows where they are and what they are doing.

We all have fond memories of Fletcher Patterson, Church Organist and Musician Extraordinaire.  Has there ever been an equal to Fletcher on the organ?  He would take his place on that organ bench and hold himself so erect and dignified.  His hands would poise over the keys and his first notes would be “forte” (that’s loud) and the worship service would commence through his music.  “Great is Thy Faithfulness”, “Because He Lives”, “Amazing Grace”, “My Tribute” and many other favorites were played with such feeling that your very soul was touched.  Fletcher could also play the piano like no other and although he never sang a solo, if you ever sat in front of him, you know that he could sing as well.

The church came to a point where they desperately needed a new organ.  Fletcher had attended a conference at the new Blue Springs Baptist Assembly and admired the organ they had there.  The church voted to purchase an organ like that and Fletcher made all the arrangements and oversaw the installation.  I can’t even begin to remember how much we had to raise to purchase that organ, but it was done in a short amount of time mainly because of the congregation’s love of Fletcher and his ministry on the organ.

And this takes me to Fletcher Patterson, the loving and proud mentor.  In 1982, Amy started taking piano lessons.  Fletcher and Jo were there for her first piano recital and I don’t believe that they ever missed a one after that and believe me, there were a lot of piano recitals.  He put her on the organ bench when her feet did not even touch the pedals and encouraged her to play.  He always wanted her to play something for him.  He was always so encouraging by his presence and his words.  Amy became the church pianist when she was 14 years old.  She and Fletcher played for worship services, revivals, and special programs together until she left to go to college.  They played some duets that were just beautiful.  I would give anything to hear them again.  Fletcher and Jo were in Birmingham with us for Amy’s college graduation and they sat with our family at her wedding because we have always considered them part of our family.

And now, Amy has her own little girl and the cycle starts over.  We have been visiting the Pattersons with Amelia ever since she was a baby.  She always gives them a big hug and wants to go down to the dock to feed the fish and, of course, Fletcher grabs a bag of bread and obliges her.

Another tribute to Fletcher and, of course, Jo, is that they have two fine sons who are devoted to them.  We have known Mike since he was a teenager when we moved here, but in the last few years we have come to know and appreciate Pat.  Both “boys” are willing to do anything they can to help their parents.  For a while it seemed like every time I went to Walmart, I would see Pat and Lewana shopping for groceries.  Pat would have his mom’s list.  One day I remarked that I thought it was so sweet how they were helping out and Pat responded that he would not have it any other way.  Mike feels the same and is always there for them.  Isn’t that an amazing testimony in itself?

Fletcher, you probably don’t know this, but you recently were a topic of discussion on Facebook.  A comment made about you by Michele Martin Bailey received a number of comments and over 80 “likes” which basically means that a lot of people agreed with the complimentary things being said about you.

(Facebook comments were provided to Fletcher privately.)

So, in conclusion, let me wish you a very Happy 90^th Birthday!  You’re an amazing man and you’ve had a tremendous impact on so many lives and continue to do so.

Psalm 91:16 (NAS) "With a long life I will satisfy him And let him see My salvation."

Rocky Bayou State Park

Anyone who knows Bubba and me knows that we are spontaneous, if anything.  (Right!)  On an impulse, we booked four nights at Rocky Bayou State Park located off Highway 20 in Niceville, FL.  We weren't expecting much since we had never heard of this park before.  We just saw it as an opportunity to get away from home for a few days.  We were really surprised.  This is a beautiful park with some of the most spacious camping sites we've had so far in our journeys. 

There are no sites on the water.  This was the view from our site.  

 The weather was cold and windy the whole time we were there so there was no sitting outside basking in the sun or grilling some of the food we carried.  We did hike a couple of their trails in the woods.  Someone told us that there were some Civil War artifacts off one of the trails and we tried our best to find them without success.  We walked and walked with some of it being uphill.  I was sure that we had gone at least a couple of miles.  Upon our return, I read a sign that said the trail was just one mile.  Oh well, maybe the uphill part made it feel like more.  It was fun anyway.

 Bubba is my fearless leader through the woods.  He is much better in the woods than in the city.

It was cold and windy, but it didn't take me long to get warmed up while we were walking.

And of course, we have to take a "selfie".

One day we went to the Eglin Air Force Armament Museum.  It, too, turned out to be a pleasant surprise.  It was free (always nice) and had all kinds of airplanes and helicopters set up outside.  As if that wasn't enough, there were two floors of displays inside including small weapons all the way up to big bombs and missiles.

We had some shopping time in nearby Destin and enjoyed some good meals out.  TV reception was pretty good so we had entertainment at night.  All in all, it was a good outing.  We will definitely return to this park soon.