Carrabelle

Posted December 29, 2016 – Narrated by Carmen

To listen to the podcast, click the play button

We love the idea of a White Christmas … for other people.

In Coronado, when our neighbors strapped a load of snow boarding gear to the roof of their Tesla, crammed the trunk tick-tight with gore tex and hauled off to the mountains, we knew the time had come to break through the white foam of a nitro stout at the Coronado Brew Pub.

So, after Thanksgiving adventures in Tennessee, we invited Dad to go south for the holidays – follow the weather; avoid the polar vortex; hi-jack this good health we’re having and drive it full-throttle into the Florida sunshine.

Daddy was intriqued. He certainly didn’t demure. He urged us to proceed with our plans – said he’d give it some thought and let us know.

Since golf weather was lousy at his favorite course in Mississippi, I figured he’d join us.

The Tree

Now, Daddy loves all things Christmas so, on the way to Pensacola, we stopped at Costco, picked up a cute and fragrant rosemary tree, decorated it with lights from the “Trailer Christmas” box, and texted him a tempting campsite photo …

Rosemary Christmas Tree — Our rosemary Christmas tree and, yep, we sprung for laser twinkle lights. We’ve been snipping off of it for cooking and before we leave Carrabell it will provide aromatic smoke for one of the local catch.

in the spectacular Gulf Islands National Seashore at Fort Pickins, Florida.

Pensacola

Daddy texted back that he’d be driving into Pensacola within a few days to join us … Great! But for how long would he stay? Through Christmas? Longer?

Next morning, I woke to a Blue Angels fly over.

Jim was outside walking Pico, admiring the weather with a neighbor. I poured coffee and strategized how to capture the trailer shot of my dreams. Hmmmm….

Presently, Jim walked in saying (uncharacteristically), “Well, there goes the neighborhood” and directed my attention to the space next door where the cutest little red camper van you ever did see, had backed into the empty asphalt space – “We have a neighbor.”