March 6, 2016. Pensacola, Florida.
Our friends Annie and Roger.
MY STORY CONTINUES WITH OUR FRIENDS ANNIE AND ROGER. Before our plans so drastically changed last November, we had arranged to spend this Winter at the beach in Gulf Shores, Alabama along with our friends Annie and Roger. We met them last winter at Buckhorn Lake Resort in the Texas Hill Country, enjoyed their company, and at the end of our stay we all decided to meet and hang out this year in Gulf Shores. We were so looking forward to it. As things turned out, however, Florence and I were unable to spend any time with them because of my illness and prolonged hospital stay.
THEIR SUPPORT. But they were right there for us during my ordeal and their counsel was of tremendous help to Florence, who was trying not to fall apart as she orchestrated everything about my care. They visited me in the hospital on lots of occasions including Christmas day, even though to do so required a two hour round trip drive for them. “Thanks,” you guys for all of your support during this difficult time. My memory of your visits is a little vague, but how very thoughtful of you to have come. (You really find out who your friends are when you experience a life-changing tragedy like the one I’ve experienced.) We’re going to miss you when you go back home to South Dakota.
Asian salad at the Scratch Kitchen.
LUNCH AT CHEDDARS SCRATCH KITCHEN. So today, taking into account all my limitations, we decided that we’d have lunch with them at a nearby restaurant called Cheddars Scratch Kitchen. And as you’d guess, everything is homemade at the restaurant. The owners believe that “when a meal is prepared and cooked fresh just for you, it not only tastes better, it makes you feel good. We’re constantly chopping, whisking, sauteing and stirring, so we’re ready whenever you’re ready to eat. This explains why we have twice as many cooks as other restaurants.”
MY ‘EATERIES’ BLOG. In my blog during the last few years I’ve listed lots of restaurants under the “Eateries” category. Looking back, quite a few of them don’t really stand up to my standards for being there. The Scratch Kitchen definitely does. If you are in the Pensacola area, you won’t want to miss this one. I guess these restaurants are all over the country, but until today we’d not been. The food and wait-staff were as good as if had been a one-of-a-kind family owned place.
Annie looks “put-out” with me. I was probably giving her a bad time.
MY HAIRCUT AT HOME. One of the things I haven’t been able to do is get a haircut since last November. Ever since I was discharged from the hospital a few weeks ago, Annie has been “threatening” to cut my hair. After all, she kept saying, “I’ve been cutting Roger’s hair for twenty some-odd years, and he looks just fine.” True. So, when she showed up today with all of her clippers I finally decided to give her a chance. After all, I have so little hair at this point that “worst case-scenario” couldn’t be that bad. And no matter how it turned out, it couldn’t be any worse than the way I looked before she started, right? So, with me in my wheelchair I let her have at it. It turned out great…just as well as if I’d gone to a barber! And, the price was right. I asked her if she took the Texaco credit card and since she didn’t, no charge. What a deal!
Naval Aviation Museum, Pensacola.
COMING UP: OUR GUIDED TOUR AT THE THE NAVAL AVIATION MUSEUM. Coming up soon our friend Jon will be our tour guide to Pensacola and particularly at the National Naval Aviation Museum, billed as one of the best museums in the entire country. I’m hoping to post a lot of good pictures. Right now my life is full of dialysis treatments, physical therapy and doctor appointments, but to the extent I can “get out” I think it’s therapeutic for me. It’s still a bit of a stretch but as I told you, I’m going to do the best I can, hold out hope for improvement and not let my problems get the best of me. This is turning out to be a pretty tall order, but I’m doing what I can.
SO, JOIN US AT THE NAVAL AVIATION MUSEUM SOMEDAY SOON. YOU’LL HAVE FUN LOOKING AROUND WITH US, AND…
I’LL CONTINUE MY STORY NEXT TIME.
