Loopin Birthdays

Looper Birthdays seem to be popping up quickly and close together here at Turner Marine. Nobody is complaining though. It creates a perfect chance for us to meet, relax, laugh and share! It also is a link to home. We left part of our lives behind when we began this journey. This is one part that we carry and share along the way.

Celebrations

Susan invited a few of us over to Veritas, a 41 foot Island Packet, to celebrate David's birthday. She made gluten free brownies and Irish Coffee. There was plenty of beer to go around as well. We had a wonderful time chatting about boats, catching up on projects and reminiscing. David got a stunning Mardi Gras Fluer-de-lis necklace and a box of Moon Pies in honor of his special day.

Rhonda & Scott Joiner and David Taylor "Birthday Boy"

Henry

Gluten Free, Cast Iron Brownies

Scott Joiner's birthday was next. We invited Scott and Rhonda over to Mystic for a age progression toast. We also invited Henry, Susan and David. We gave Scott a Sara Lee chocolate chip brownie, compliments of a Mardi Gras catch (I caught an entire BOX of them). Although we didn't have birthday candles, we lit a starfish candle for him to blow out while we sang Happy Birthday. Henry brought Scott a bottle of white wine and Susan and David brought him a can of Dale's beer. Dave Rogers made sure everyone knew what the little circle on the side of the can was for. Apparently it's to make the can into a pipe once the beverage is gone. I have no idea how he knows this information!

Scott checking out the "Dot" on Dale's beer can

Dave explaining the "Dot"

The Dale's beer can "Dot"

Dave sharing wine with Henry

A birthday toast

The Birthday Squad
Susan, David, Henry, Dave, Rhonda & Scott

Photos by Henry Krzemien Using a Fish Eye Lens

Celebrating birthdays on the loop is a special experience. It fosters a sense of community which really does exist in the cruising world. I once read a story about a young girl who was cruising with her family. On her birthday she wanted to make a cake but they didn't have any eggs on board. She put out a request for two eggs and got something like 30 eggs within an hour. In addition, the entire boating community came together with trinkets for this young lady; making her birthday one she'll never forget.

I'm not sure who's birthday is next but I know there will be a celebration. It's a great way to build on our community spirit.

Mobile Mardi Gras

We've been in Mobile, Alabama since December. We've had a blast getting to know the city and surrounding areas. Throwing a couple of detours in over the last three months has made things interesting. We could have left Turner Marine and headed across Mobile Bay toward bluer waters and white beaches but we decided to stay, in part to spend time with my Uncle Fred and Uncle Ron; but also, to experience Mardi Gras, Mobile style.

The 2017 Mardi Gras schedule has 43 parades on it. They began on February 10th and run through Fat  Tuesday, February 28th. The first parade that we attended was Conde Cavaliers. We took Henry with us and had a heck of a good time, laughing all night long and getting all kinds of good "throws" on the corner of Government and Washington. Henry said he had so much fun that he felt like he was 18 again! That's got to count for something!

Photo Bomb at Mardi Gras Mobile
Dave, some guy, Beth, Henry

We arrived early to find parking then had to wait a good hour for the parade to start. As we were standing there, I began chatting with a young couple who mentioned that they were students at University of South Alabama. I said I knew a gal who came down from Connecticut to attend school at USA. The girl looked at me with a funny look on her face and asked what my friend's name was. When I told her Bridget Thomson, she said, "That's my best friend!" The young lady, Kaylee, is best friends with Bridget in Alabama but my niece Alexa was Bridgie's friend back home in Connecticut. Bridget also happens to be the daughter of one of my very dear friends, Squeaky Thomson! I've known her since she was a little girl. In fact, she calls me Auntie Beth!  This journey along the Great Loop has taught us over and  over that it is, in fact, a small, small world!

Beth and Kaylee at Mardi Gras

Bridget and Beth in Mobile, Alabama

Bridget & Alexa when they were young

Alexa & Bridget all grown up

We had so much fun at Mardi Gras. We caught stuffed animals and moon pies and beads galore. Dave even caught a moon pie wrapped in a thong! We got really caught up in the festivities and yelled as loud as the locals, "Hey Mister, will ya throw me something!" 

You just never know what you'll find at these parades. We definitely found a great memory to add to our cruising adventure!

Dave with the thong wrapped treat

Porch Decorations

Conde Cavaliers

Vendor's Cart

Elvis is in the House

Bright Light Tubas

Tuba Light Reflections

Just a taste of the talented dance lines in the Mardi Gras Parades

We returned to Mardi Gras for a series of parades including Pharaohs, Order of Hebe and Conde Explorers. This time we brought Henry and Susan and David off of sailboat Veritas. It was Susan's and David's first Mardi Gras. Everyone had a GREAT time!

Dave, Beth, Susan, Henry, David
Photo by Susan Beabes

Bucky Love Jr. working the parade.
He found this sign stashed on the side
of the road.

Pharoah Float

Roll Tide

We ended up going to Mardi Gras every opportunity we could find. We watched Maids of Mirth, Order of the Butterfly Maidens, and Krewe of Merry Mates with Scott and Rhonda and Scott's sister and brother-in-law, Dawn and Paul.

Photos by Scott Joiner

Throw me some beads Dave & Beth

Paul & Dawn at their first Mardi Gras

Scott, Rhonda, Dawn & Paul

Rhonda Catching Beads

We attended the Neptune and 001 parades with our friends Dave and Karen Langendonk. We met them in Frankfort, Michigan during the big storm that put us in the bathroom overnight, early in our Great Loop adventure. We blogged about our experience there; Cruising-teamrogers.blogspot.com Frankfort, MI. 

Dave and Karen are on an adventure of their own, RVing the United States. They have a fabulous website and blog documenting their journey:  http://www.roadtripimages.com/

Dave, Beth, Karen and David

I don't know what it is about Mardi Gras; the beads, moon pies, stuffed animals and toys that you catch seem like a silly attraction. There is so much going on and so much to see; the festive atmosphere is contagious. Thousands of people come to the parades every night! It's tradition here; they've been doing this since 1703. We are delighted to be able to experience it!