THE MUNCHKINS CAME LOOKING LAST NIGHT

Diane arrived after driving more than 600 miles friday through wind, rain and fog. As you can imagine, she was really happy to be here. She was met with the warm Bay Breeze welcome with Jerry and Mike helping her get set up fast and level so she was sitting in Saffire having a glass of wine in no time.

We had a really great evening talking about so many things, laughing about past escapades and wondering what this trip would bring.

I had a new experience when she arrived, a very touching one. Teddy and I were watching for her to arrive and when he saw her van he jumped up, knocking over a glass of wine in his hurry to get out to see his friends from Virginia.

Diane had a lab named Reileigh. Teddy and Reileigh were great friends, rubbing noses and greeting each other every morning on our trip out west. Sadly, Reiliegh had a fatal heart condition and left us a few weeks ago.

Teddy greeted Diane and then went searching for Reileigh. His cries and pleas for her were heartwrenching. I know Teddy is a smart boy, but watching him search for and mourn for his friend humanized him and once again make me question just how much Teddy really knows.

Storms and predictions of the Wizard of Oz demanding a part in the Mobile Mardi Gras Parades messed up the weekend of celebration. The storm had the potential for such severity that events were cancelled yesterday in Mobile and moved to a cramped Sunday schedule.

The winds are still up and it's 60 this morning and we've decided to stay at the beach for local parades rather than make the trek to Mobile. We'll head down to Orange Beach for the afternoon parade there, then plan on the Shrove Tuesday parade of the boats and some fun at Lulu's.

Teddy and I are off to the beach for our morning walk after my coffee. I heard predictions of 11 foot seas so there may be some interesting things on the beach this morning!

Pictures from Mardi Gras Orange Beach style will be up tonight.

ps...forgot to mentions aour little problem with Diane. We went to the outlet mall, taking Teddy with us as I didn't want him far away if the storm did get us. He slept in the back of the car while we shopped. We had been in a shop at least half and hour, came out, walked past the car and realized the passenger door was gaping open!!!! I ran over sure that he was wandering the mall somewhere but good boy that he was, he was sleeping on the back seat. When Diane closed her door the seat belt must have gotten caught in the door and it just didn't close.

We were really lucky Teddy is so good in the car!