Springtime in SoWal

**Donna** · 05-01-2006, 01:16 PM

How will October, my favorite SoWal month, ever stack up to this past week at Grayton and environs? The weather was spectacular, the water gorgeous, and the company unsurpassed. Some of my favorite SoWal moments:

Breakfast with mourning dove babies, cardinals, dolphins, and a sweet scruffy dog one morning out on the decks of Conch Out.

The pick-up truck ride to the beach with Kurt & Co. and enjoying the thunderstorm and light show back at the house after. Meeting Lee John and being reminded that "Thunderstorms can be dangerous!"

Having my family all together for a weekend; having my mother healthy at the tender age of 86 and my brother finally recovering from the loss of our Melissa more than two years ago.

A sunset supper on the deck with an old high school friend, who I've seen rarely in many moons, and his wife. We went through our entire senior yearbook trying to update on everyone...some real surprises.

Attending my first ever Grayton Neighborhood Association meeting, meeting all the other owners and learning what the County is doing on everything from speeding on DeFuniak Street to beach restoration. Finding out that a former DeFuniak neighbor is now our neighbor in Grayton Beach.

Storming Great Southern Restaurant with the SoWallers and meeting so many SoWal celebrity posters. My nephew and date for the evening (Mr. Conch Out had to stay home and build things and keep Butter company.) said Saturday night was like a class reunion and he could hardly believe that all of us had scarcely met. Go see him at Sun Dog Book or DJ-ing at Bud & Alleys, by the way.

Sunday morning on the beach with the pelican flight team, with the wind blowing a fine mist off the big waves and the weather moving in, a double-red flag, all reminders of who's really in charge. Driving across the Mid-bay Bridge to the airport, watching a fine chop brew on the Bay and experiencing my own mist at the prospect of saying "goodbye."

Sitting here this morning, happy and refreshed, dreaming about October.

Thanks, everyone for making this one of the best visits!