here, and there, and back again...

as stated in the last post, we are back in pensacola beach. and i gotta tell you, i am HAPPY. hallelujah (and it's about time, you say!!)! your prayers and well wishes have been MOST helpful, and we couldn't be in a better place (unless we were home, that is!). check it out...

first "home" in pensacola beach:
(the tiny...TINY, i now realize, balcony!)
didn't get any pics of the inside, but you're not missing too much. it was nice and roomy, but nothing fancy. everything was intended to be a light blue, but ended up feeling like you were living in greyscale? glad we moved on...the linens were awful! AND there was no washer/dryer. impossible.

second "home" in panama city beach:
the ginormous beach-facing tower...
the kitchen...small, but very useful...
eating/living area...furniture a little cumbersome, but nice colors, VERY good quality fabrics...
close-up of the couch...i include this because i came out from showering twice and found Warren fast asleep on these pillows. he liked it for sure!
warren's room...
our room...LOVED the linens from Pine Cone Hill. may even order the same coverlet for home!! (just not in that color)

third "home" in pensacola beach:...

well, tried to put a link in there, as i haven't taken any pictures...but couldn't get it to work, so go to http://www.beachclublife.com. seriously - it's a really amazing place. my only complaint is that i am currently suffering from some random cold/sinus bug so am not able to enjoy it to the fullest...but hey! nothing a few days and a few over-the-counter meds won't remedy.

i'm currently looking out at the storm that is forming in the gulf (from our unbelievably huge balcony, through the incredibly HUGE expanse of floor to ceiling windows that line the ENTIRE back wall of the condo; dining, living and bedroom!)...it's so amazing to watch. the day started out exquisitely clear...almost like a crisp fall day? where the colors are brighter, and there just seems to be that golden edge to things? it has gradually gotten darker and darker as the cloud cover is rolling in, but (odd person that i am) it is so mesmerizing and beautiful. the waves are crashing...yesterday the water was a very calm aqua/turquoise type color; today it is murky olive/dusty dark blue. neat stuff to watch from our 11th floor point of view!

let's see...its been a while since last post...there was the whole moving process (oh! the fun!...SOOOO tongue in cheek there. i mean, come on...packing up the entire condo, moving it from the 16th floor to your car with your almost 3 year old in tow...BY YOURSELF?...then driving 2 hours just to do it all over again in reverse? just to the 11th floor this time?), then a trip home (undeniably restorative - my friends, you are MOST dear, and MOST appreciated!), and my stepbrother's wedding weekend (relatively painless, and it was fun to dress up all fancy...though i neglected to get a picture. oops.), and now we're back. new PO Box is established, all billing/magazine subscriptions/mail re-forwarded and what-not, and we made our first trip to Publix today. first trip to the pool yesterday, after which i realized i was indeed not feeling well, but we had a blast. i really like it here...it's SO much less touristy, and very quiet. all families, very calm; none of the crowded, rowdy party atmosphere that was so rampant in PCB. seeing as i like it, we'll likely be sent home next week, but that's just fine too!

on that note, it is quite possible we may be home by Labor Day...of course, that's sheerly (sheer-ly? shear? how on earth do you spell that?? or is that just a made up-word?? insert "simply" if it's too annoying to figure out)speculation, but BP is downsizing operations every moment, and it is rumored (and please remember how lightly to take rumors) that they are looking to shut down all operations and transfer the clean-up process to the states. hmmm. don't have a clue what that means for the Eakes family...don't have a clue what it means for the clean up. the beaches have been beautiful until today, but the storm has churned up all kinds of nasty stuff, so just goes to show it's still out there. Ben could tell you much more useful and accurate information than me, but seeing as he's still doing the 4:30am-8pm thing, he's not too available for blogging! or much of anything else, either...ha!

but we're all good, and all happy. pray i fend this cold off quickly so warren and I can go play in the pool and in the ocean again...maybe look for another gym? maybe? urgh...hate the idea of shelling out all that cash just to be sent onward, but i'll have to do something soon! anyhoo, hello to all - we miss you, and look forward to seeing you all again soon.