My time in Destin was very enjoyable again this year. Mostly due to the opportunity to spend time with my friends Cherrie and Gary, who once again took good care of me. They graciously fed me and gave me a couple of nights in a regular bed. And I got to watch the Super Bowl. The second night I stayed with them was fortuitous because that night we had a driving rainstorm blow through. I discovered the next morning that my camper keeps the gentle to normal rain out, but if it’s coming down in buckets with 30 mph wind gusts, not so much.

I also had an opportunity to meet some new friends from Plymouth, MN who drove over for a visit from a place they were staying elsewhere in Florida. We all went over to the Naval Air Museum in Pensacola one day, which I didn’t mind visiting for a second time one bit. I blogged about the Museum last year.

Same faces, different church.

On one of the days, Cherrie and Gary and I went to morning mass, and for the second time in two years I ran into my friends Donna and Tom Mahowald. After Tom retired, they moved to northern MN, so I see them only rarely. Last year, I ran into them over in Gulf Shores, AL after a Sunday Mass. It’s such a treat to see friends from home while out on the road.

So I left Destin with heartfelt thanks to Cherrie and Gary. You guys are the best. And my favorite Republicans. 🙂