This past week

 has been an on-going struggle with banking issues, well, really with hotel OVER-CHARGING issues. Craig has probably spent over 10 hours on the phone with the hotel management, the bank, and the hotel cooperate office, and after the hotel manager debiting over and over [while trying to give credit for the first TWO $400 overcharges] we finally just cancelled my card – and when I went by to get some cash this was what I was met with – lol.

Just one more obstacle in my [now] decision to go cash-only for a while. Ha. Craig finally met with our personal banker who took the ropes and had it all cleared up by Saturday morning – whew. We were both incredibly frustrated with the young hotel manager who thought he knew it all, but kept making mistake after mistake [i.e. debit after debit.] I’ll admit, incompetence can drive me batty…and while I'll not air it all out here, if you ask for hotel recommendations from me personally, I'll surely tell you were I WON'T be staying.

I came home to a garden growing lush and full – blooms on the squash plants and tiny tomatoes growing nicely. Planted some basil [YUM.] and banana pepper plants. I want to plant some eggplant [LOVE to see it grow – and the oldest’s gal eats it] and okra, and maybe a tiny bit of corn…

So, last week when I was out / town Craig sent me a text asking if I’d like to go see Victoria Shaw while she was here with her ‘Under the Covers’ show at Merrimack Hall. She is always soooo fun to see, has a beautiful voice, and brings along some of her song-writing buddies [and performers] with her. So I said, OF COURSE. And it wasn’t until the day of the show that I asked who was going to be with her – what a treat to have Jim Brickman join her on stage!

Merrimack is a small venue that holds about 300 people max so it’s always an intimate little gathering where they chat on stage, and with the audience, in between playing songs they’ve written that have became greatest hits [and some that may not have -] Always a great evening of entertainment.

As posted below, the youngest is doing fine on the other side of the world – we can text almost daily, and he’s sent a couple of emails that have obviously been ‘translated’ in some way – a different way of life, that’s for sure. And a very real way to see some of the freedoms that we so casually take for granted in living in the good ole USA .

At the end of the week  we took a quick trip south with a detour to The Gulf, where we enjoyed the sand and surf during golden hour, before heading to Tacky Jacks [Orange Beach] for our favorite seafood plate. Delicious all ‘round.

then we drove over to Mobile to join in the celebration of Josh and Anne’s wedding. We’ve known Josh since before he was born so we really enjoyed being a part of this stage in his life. [Josh is the first out of our little camping family* to get married – it’s hard to realize our kid-does are growing up – right before our eyes!] And of course we have fond memories of Mobile since it was our first home together – it’s always nice to visit and reminisce. * We have a group of friends that have been camping together for over 20 years now  - and even though these last few years may have involved trips to the beach or to Disney without a camper, or maybe even regular trips to Pizza Hut… – it’s always a joy to be together.

I’m working in town all week – YAY!!! Hope y’all have a wonderful week -