The old saying, “You get what you pay for,” is a tried and true axiom. Scenic 98 Coastal strives to offer its readers sage advice on where to go for good food, great entertainment, and fun places to shop. It's what we do. This week we bring you the go-to place for rock-solid advice on any subject, but it’s not free.

As I write about my retirement and the pursuit of happiness, I know that each adventure I share brings me a great deal of fulfillment. The journey is not always easy and joyful because of the insecurity and judgments that I hold about it. I think this is mostly about breaking out from old patterns of thought.

My Dad was born in 1927 in Mobile, Alabama. He was a big man with a big voice who liked to tell stories. And, I think because of his size and his booming voice, sometimes it sounded like he was exaggerating; maybe he was, I wasn’t sure. However, like most little kids, I enjoyed these big stories, but as I grew older, I began to wonder whether these stories were real, heavily embellished, or maybe not true at all.

The Eastern Shore Art Center in Fairhope has served as the cornerstone of the art community for as many years as I can remember. Since 2017, Bryant Whelan has been its Executive Director. Bryant has announced her retirement at the end of May, and a search for her replacement has recently been completed. Hers are indeed big shoes to fill!

Not Senior in high school or college. Senior means, we get discounts at stores, Medicare, and our own parking spaces. Makes us sound so feeble and needy, but we absolutely are not. I mean senior as in after 65, wiser, and better.

Winter is a season of extremes. Technically, one more month to go. My mind looks at seasons as activities. There is an order to it. The build-up to Winter comes after Thanksgiving. Mid-December gives us an extreme number of social activities culminating with Christmas Day, then a mindless lull as we close a year and begin anew with New Year's Eve celebrations. Lots of football. Get it while you can. And hunting, a Southern tradition is in full swing.

Summer in south Alabama often seems like it is never going to end and then one day, fall shows up for one morning and you experience the turning of the season. I love that first feeling of fall, and while the boys are out preparing their deer fields, I have found myself thinking about…now don’t judge me….but I am thinking of Mardi Gras!! It is the best cure for me to survive those last lingering days of hot and humid weather!

Someone once said, “Once you have had a wonderful dog, life without them is a life diminished.”