7.6.99, Tuesday

    Woke up this morning way too early. T. had plans to play golf with "the boys" and since we're staying in a separate condo, six miles from the big condo and with only one car, I had to get up with him. I'm not sure why I was so tired but I was. I think I'm having trouble breathing in our room. It has a musty smell to it and I think it originates in the air conditioner. Don't people sometimes die from inhaling mold?

    I went over and had coffee with the girls and the few non-golfers on our trip. Grammy, T's grandmother, came out of her room in a nightgown with her hair rumpled saying, "What time is it? I figured if I was hearing T. and Amanda that it must be late." Too bad it was only 8:30.

    On my third cup of coffee I woke Stephanie, T's little sister, and we went out shopping.

    The big shopping destination out here in the "Redneck Riviera" is The Riviera Centre with around 300 hundred outlet stores at your disposal. It had pretty much all the good ones. Steph and I went to J. Crew (where we found nothing worth trying on), Levi's (where I tried on but didn't buy), The Book Factory (I picked up the National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Night Sky), and The Gap (I used a gift certificate to buy a passably pair of shorts sufficiently on sale and a cute windbreaker for $20).

    The thing about Outlet Malls is that you really have to hunt for the bargains. I think that originally they really were about bargains but now they are more like regular stores. So, The Riviera is like a regular mall, on steroids, sprawled across a sun-baked parking lot full of seniors and deluded housewives and househusbands. The people were on the eerie side.

    The second destination out here in Gulf Shores is the giant Wal-Mart. It's huge and it has everything. We went there next to pick up a few supplies. It's weird how often I've heard our group say "Wal-Mart." I feel like someone's always drawling something about Wal-Mart. It's become a fixture in the south and I can't even say it without adding a southern twang to it.

    I'll talk more about southern accents later.

    The rest of the day was spent lazily awaiting the evenings festivities, the 75th birthday of Grammy Bert. I helped blow up balloons and Stephanie did most of the decorating. We all went out to dinner at The Outrigger on Perdido Beach. There were around 20 of us and we sat at a long table overlooking the water. T. and I both had the Perdido Shrimp which was pasta in a white wine sauce with over a dozen breaded shrimp lounging in melted butter. It was so unbelievably delicious. You just can't beat the shrimp on the Gulf Coast.

    Afterwards we went out on the balcony and had our pictures taken. Then headed back to the condo for the party. The best part was hanging around afterwards listening to the tale of this family and all the funny stories among the siblings. These were southern, country kids who got into tons of trouble.

    So far, I really like this family. Everyone has been so nice and good-natured and whip smart. I don't know what they think of me but it can't be all bad. I don't think I've committed any major faux pas.

    Okay. Time for bed.