The Beau Rivage.

Alrighty then, this is our first day at the Beau. My loving husband (to whom I am married 15 years TODAY!!), brought me up a gourmet coffee and some sort of moussey breakfast. I LOVE that kind of sweet gesture. No wonder I am still married to him! And I have discovered that I like caramel vanilla latte iced coffee. Can you say, "SWEET TOOTH"!??

And I am one of those who truly love having pretty little boxes of extras in a hotel bathroom. In fact, I never pack shampoo, conditioner, or any kind of soap. Typically, and accidentally, I usually end up having to BUY a toothbrush as well!! In this case, the supplied it all. ANd what I didn't end up using, I brought home to Brian Russell, my new PT, and set it all up on his desk because,well, it totally cracked me up that these were his initials.

And to those of you at my retreat, you will not be surprised, that I also brought home the packaging of the boxes I DID use! I mean, that yellow and white stripe is awesome!!

When we got there, they didn't have our reservations. So, they were forced to put us in a suite!! Todd said, "you want the good news or the bad news?".

When he said the good news is that we got to spend the night in a suite, I immediately knew that meant the bad news would be we would have to move the next night. Sure enough!! ANd look waaaaaay down there. .. it's a Waffle House!!

There wasn't that much all that exciting in the suite other than this neat headboard/ curtain backdrop.

And the attached den, the multiple tvs, and separate bathrooms for both of us. Other than that, who really cares?!

This was day one, and I KNEW I had to catch an artsy place or two. I LOVE Ocean Springs, and had to see one or two things before I holed up.

I'll have you know that my visiting this artist co-op occured only after I had my rocking breakfast, soaked in a hot bath, had a massage, and theeeennnn...

I was watching the storm brew as I pondered whether or not I should head down the road to another spot or two. But then I walk right past this awesome mural made from tiles in an alley that most people will never even see! That decided it for me. YES, I would press on!

That's our hotel.

And that's the hotel next door!

Looking out over the Gulf of Mexico, one would think the weather was just balmy!

But as I adventured on over the bridge to Ocean Springs, wellll...

It was downright ominous!

But I think I've shared this before, my Poppa always said, "Make a decision, then make it right." And my decision was to go to Ocean Springs, so I pressed on!

I kind of got to where I thought the sky was really pretty! And yes, I was snapping while I was driving. Sorry. I wasn't looking in the eyehole or anything, just holding my camera up and snapping.

Oh, here's the proof!! BAGS from BAM!!

And here's the proof that Todd actually played golf... at Fallen Oaks on a couple of occasions.

This is my man as he is readying to go kick some golfer bootay.

15 years. WOW!

I mean, we were like, YOUNG, when we started dating. ANd now we are gray and fat and have two kids and have built a house together, and have seen lots of places around the country together. and we still kinda even like each other.

View from the window in the room.

And as promised, I made it to Ocean Springs.. ANd this is one of the cute little boutiques I found.

and a very retro 50's fountain shoppe. C.U. T. E.

I had to get a chocolate shake. I mean, I HAD to!

And I found art galleries.

and antiques....

Can you just even imagine my JOY as I strolled down these little streets?!

I already look forward to going back!!

And if you are on the gulf coast, definitely go to Ocean Springs.

Give me a day or two and I will try to figure out how to scan an old photo of me and Todd the Bod 15 years ago, on our wedding day!!

It's been a wild ride, TG. And I would never have it any other way. Fun, exciting, adventurous,.... HAPPY!! I couldn't ask for a better husband.

Mo