Day 21, Gautier (pronounced Go-shaaay in Mississippi)

FATHER’S DAY!!

We got to spend Father’s Day with my dad! He was so lucky, he got to take us all to the beach. What a good sport. Dad did all the driving and setting up the umbrella and feeding the tribe. I hope he had as much fun as we all did. I wonder what he is going to do for me for Father’s Day next year!! I can’t wait! ;o)

We spent all afternoon on Dauphin Island swimming in the Gulf of Mexico. The water temperature was about 85 degrees – just perfect for swimming if you ask me. This is my absolute favorite place to swim on the whole planet. The beach is soft and sandy, and the slope is so gradual we could walk out in the water all the way to Cancun. Or almost. Once in a while we got bumped in the leg by some sort of fish or another, and we found that the hard things we stepped on once in a while were hermit crabs, one the size of a golf ball.

Last year when we were swimming here the jellyfish were out and some of us got stung, mainly Cassie. Apparently it hurts just about like a bee sting. Thankfully it isn’t fatal!! ;o) They aren’t Box jellies or Irakanji jellies – just regular little jellies.

Mississippi is hot. It’s a new kind of hot. You swim through the hot to get anywhere outside. The ‘swim’ sensation comes from two very distinct and separate Mississippi phenomenons (phenomena? phenomeni? flock of phenombus?? Who cares anyway). The first is called humidity. Mississippi humidity is when the air is so full of water that there is a very high likelihood you could drown even though not one inch of your flesh is in contact with a body of water. The second phenomenulidity is sweat – lots and lots and lots of sweat. Everywhere. Your back sweats, your forehead sweats, your pits sweat and your eyes sweat. And if you’re brave enough to wear knit shorts, like some folks are, everyone in town can tell that your butt sweats, too.

Swimming in the gulf or any other body of water is a very pleasant way to enjoy the outdoors while keeping the perspiration down to a slow trickle. We lived in our bathing suits. You might wonder how we got them dry before sitting in the car since it was so humid. Well, in all truth, we didn’t. But it didn’t matter one iota. After all, no matter what you are wearing, it’s either soaked in water or drenched in sweat. I found I much preferred the aroma of the gulf rather than the stench of pit.

Back at the house we had a major feast made by Ma Hayseed of taters and BBQ ribs and fruit soup and about seven other side dishes. An absolutely wonderful meal after so much road food. There is nothing like home cookin, and we ate til we couldn't breathe.

Happy Father’s Day to meeee!!