FLORIDA VACATION!

Yours truly, the BAD CATHOLIC, and SHE WHO MUST BE OBEYED, traveled to sunny Miramar Beach near DESTIN, FLORIDA for a few days of much needed rest and relaxation.



Day 1: Wednesday, May 6, 2009

I got up and went to Mass while SHE finished packing and went to the office. The famous Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendall Holmes once said that "The law is a jealous mistress." And it's true, many times it feels like we are both married to a law practice. After leaving in the late afternoon, we arrived at our rented condo in Miramar Beach, Florida in the early evening and went for dinner at that famed establishment for fine dining BEEF O'BRADY'S where I drank Yuengling Beer for the first time. (It was love at first swallow).

Day 2: Thursday, May 7, 2009

I got up early, said Morning Prayer, and took a brisk walk down the beach. Before leaving, I had checked mass times.com for the closest Catholic Church and found that THE CHURCH OF THE RESURRECTION was right around the corner within walking distance from where we were staying. Believe it or not, my wife actually made an 8:30 A.M. mass on a weekday! God Be Praised! (It helped that it was 8:30 AM Central Time which would have normally been 9:30 AM to us.)



THE CHURCH OF THE RESURRECTION is a beautiful modern church. I was impressed by the Stations of the Cross and impressive crucifix located in a garden of palmetto and palm. The church was also very beautiful on the inside. However, THE BAD CATHOLIC is something of a traditionalist in these matters. Although the architecture of the church, round with glass walls from floor to ceiling, was very beautiful, this was one of those churches where the altar is in the middle of the church, there is no apparent front of the altar since it appears to be square, and no matter how hard you look you can't find the tabernacle. The choir is behind the lectern, like in a Protestant Church, and it appears to me that it would be difficult to conduct a Tridentine Mass in this Church since the pews are pretty much 360 degrees around the altar. I finally saw the tabernacle and it was kind of in a corner out the way. And that, my brothers and sisters, in a nutshell, is what is wrong with the "modern" church in architecture and in theology, it has a tendency to put us in the forefront and put Jesus away in a corner someplace. But enough about that.



The Pastor of Resurrection Parish, Father Tom, was celebrating his anniversary in the priesthood on Friday. When I spoke to him and he asked me where I was from and I told him, he said "Your priest is that guy who rides the motorcycle, if he's still there." And I said, yep, sure enough, the motorcycle riding priest is still there. I then laughingly told Father Tom that I had to get used to hearing him say mass since he doesn't have a Polish accent.



After leaving church on Thursday, we went out for breakfast. SHE wanted a WAFFLE HOUSE waffle. So we very carefully snuck the contraband into WAFFLE HOUSE in SHE'S massive purse. The contraband being 100% pure organic maple syrup. Then we hit one of SHE'S favorite places, THE GOODWILL STORE, and another thrift store run by a church mission group. SHE found a lot of bargains and I found a surprisingly large amount of good used books. We finished the day at LANDRY'S SEAFOOD HOUSE where SHE had grouper and I had the stuffed flounder.



Day 3: Friday, May 8, 2009

The day began with morning prayer and mass at RESURRECTION PARISH. We had lunch at POMPANO JOE'S on the beach in DESTIN. POMPANO JOE'S is right on the beach and has a Caribbean Bar theme to it. SHE had a fried grouper sandwich and I had a POMPANO JOE original, a GROUPER REUBEN. It was excellent.

Following this excellent repast, we saw the new STAR TREK movie. As an old Trekkie, I thought it was way cool, however, I still am a little bit worried about what they are going to do all of these beloved characters in sequels since they have ingeniously developed a plot line in which all the STAR TREK history that we know from all the TV shows and previous movies has been wiped out so they can do whatever they want with the characters, and in fact, they already have.

Following the movie, we hit THE OTHER GOODWILL STORE in downtown DESTIN.

We finished the day with a swim in the pool, a walk on the beach, and an excellent steak from WINN DIXIE plus our leftovers from LANDRY'S.

Day 4: Saturday, May 9, 2009

Began the day with Morning Prayer and a walk down the beach. Came back to the condo where my wife made me homemade pancakes with real 100% natural organic maple syrup. Watched Christopher Buckley talk about his new book about his parents on C-SPAN 2. (Uncle Sonny, A GREAT AMERICAN, once told me when he found me watching C-SPAN 2 "Book TV" on the weekend, "I didn't know that real people really watched this channel.")

Then we did SHE'S favorite pastime, we did more shopping. However, SHE made the mistake of keeping me occupied by putting me off at BOOKS-A-MILLION where I engaged in an occasion of sin and proceeded to buy things.

Lunch Saturday was at GILLIGAN'S on the porch overlooking the bay. SHE had another fried grouper sandwich and I had a combo platter of fried shrimp and oysters.

There were a lot of people around in DESTIN and it did not appear to me that THE RECESSION was keeping anybody away or causing anyone not to spend money. However, a closer look revealed that the place is way overbuilt and that many condos and beach houses are for sale at reduced prices or in foreclosure.

We ended the day with Mass at RESURRECTION PARISH and split the steak and potatoes we had leftover from Friday.

Day 5: Sunday, May 10, 2009

Unfortunately, we had to leave and come home. After a nice drive back to Tallahassee, we met our friend LAWYER LAURA for INDIAN FOOD. After hitting NEW LEAF MARKET another of the favorite haunts of SHE WHO MUST BE OBEYED, we headed back to SOUTH GEORGIA.

Of course, SHE wanted to go to the office after we got back. It took me about 2 seconds of reviewing my messages to be totally sick of the legal profession once again. And so, now, here we are: BACK TO THE RAT RACE!