It'll be two months on Thurs

Where did that two months go?
We are nicely settled in now with new friends,new adventures and new experiences.
Liz is down for the week and we are so glad to see her.She is the first visitor from Canada.

Last Wed(the 24th) was our 42nd anniversary and we celebrated by sailing out of San Carlos Bay to the Gulf of Mexico on the Big M Casino boat. It was a 6 hr trip and a perfect sailing day. Flat seas and sunny skies.
I played Craps and Roulette and Aprille played the slots. I lost $90 and Aprille was up $30 so it was a net loss of $60. What a deal too.We had a coupon for free sail and all you can eat buffet (which was excellent). All we had to pay for were port taxes of $5 each. So all in all it was a $70 day.

Our server,Angelisa,(a Jennifier Garner look alike) was celebrating her 24th birthday on the 24th which was our anniv. date for our 42nd( just an anecdote that was coincidental and I found amusing and interesting because neither event can occur again)

I got to go golfing at Shell Point last Fri. What a deal( even though there were temporary greens and no par threes). I paid $10 and that included a cart. A beautiful track. I can hardly wait till Oct. when it will be fully open for play. It is not a typical resort course. Bring lots of balls. It's beautiful and tough. Here are just two of the holes. It was hard to pick out which was the best.

We had John and Sandra,their son Anthony and our neighbour Christa over on Fri. night for and impromptu Chicken Parm. dinner. We had arranged to meet at the pool at 2:30 in the afternoon and it just went on from there(till 200 am)!!

We had planned to go to Sneaky Pete's on Bonita Beach on Thurs evening to see" Rockinhorse "play again and that got diverted to Fri night which was subjected to change when the dinner party erupted. Oh well
maybe this week.

We plan to go sailing on the Big M on Fri with Liz(weather permitting) so that leaves Thurs evening open for Bonita Beach. We'll play it by ear.

I'm getting out on the motor cycle now on a more regular basis as a matter of fact I'm riding over to the gym this morning. Aprille and Liz are going shopping(go figure). Thurs is national girlfriends day(who made that up?) so Sandra Christa,Aprille and Liz are going out for lunch. So it's billiards day for Frank and John.
They have an interesting twist on the game we play. All shots have to be banked in!!! Fun wow.It adds a new element for sure and you get to know your  angles.

I was over at the range yesterday and I believe there is hope of a really fine game in the near future. Finally!!
It seems to be all coming together.

We found(actually very early on our visit here) a local fruit and veggie vendor just around the corner. We go here almost every day. It is run by two brothers Eddie and Roberto. Always good and they're a pleasure to deal with. It's fun trading stories. Why doesn't he have a passport????? We found this out after telling him wonderful things abut Canada and suggesting he should visit sometime( during the summer months).

Today (July 30)Liz and we, drove to Captiva Island and had a great picnic lunch on the dock at one of the local restaurants. Because...that was the only parking spot to be had on the island. Forget about beach parking. There were three areas that I saw to park a car and neither lot had more than 25 spots. This is likely my last trip there. It took about 30 minutes to get off Sanibel. We won't go north again. We had much better success in and out of Sannibel from the west side.
We missed a horrific rain storm here in FortMyers. Here are two different driveways at Plantation estates, just around the corner from us. We are high and dry.

Happy anniversary Adam and Annette

Well it's been a while since my last blog. So we'll catch up.
Last weekend we went to the Miami area (Sunny Isle Beach actually) and met Adam and Annette who were vacationing for a few weeks.They we're staying at the Newport Beachside Resort and we booked the Monaco Travel Lodge just down the street( we booked the Travel Lodge only because the first place we called wanted $289 a night plus taxes and parking. Really!!!) so.... we opted out for the Travel Lodge at $144.00 a night (including all taxes and $11.00 parking.. can you imagine paying separately for parking?)
Well that should have been my first clue. It looked alright from the outside.
We asked for a second floor room, non smoking with a pool view.
When we arrived we were given a first floor room. We exchanged that for a 2nd floor room..okay so far. Well what about the non smoking room. Not.
So down I go to Walgreen's to get Fabreeze and air freshener(and wine).
Back I come with all items in tow and all on sale. Nice.
Aprille is waiting on the porch. Old smoke air is too much to to handle. We're on the move again.
There's only 3 non smoking rooms left. All on the first floor.  2 don't have working A/C and the one we stayed in was just barely functional. As it turned out it was just fine.
I'm sure I saw the ghosts of Frank Sinatra,Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. in the room. Really. That's how old it was. This reminds me of my truck driving days.

We met Adam and Annette later, had a few beers and went for dinner at the Il Milano. What an incredible experience that was. First class all the way complete with waiters in tuxedos. The antipasto,Parmesan cheese ball, bruschetta ,garlic bread,fried zucchini was just a tease for a wonderful filet mignon. Just super!!!
A wonderful way to spend a 10th anniversary celebration

After dinner Adam and Annette went home and Aprille and I spent the next few hours on the beach and pool side.
Saturday we're of to the famous South Beach. Lots of money there!! Maseratis,Ferraris,Rolls Royce but no parking. We drove around for a long time and we could not..could not find a parking spot. Oh yes ..there was valet parking for $20. To see the beach for 40 minutes?(Adam and Annette had a time share meeting at 4pm)
After there time share Adam and Annette treated us to dinner at the 305 restaurant. thank you. That too was outstanding. Surf and turf for $35(special of the day)  for Annette.I just needed a burger, so..... how about Kobe beef burger? Aprille had a Portabello burger and Adam had chicken and broccoli Alfredo and.. truly excellent fries. A great weekend. Annette was off to the spa for a treatment and we headed back home.
Thankfully it rained only the first half hour or so and we took interstate 75 all the way home because 41 on the way down was brutal!! Stop lights every 1/2 mile!!! But we did get to see Bonita Springs and Naples.
Adam and Annette were of to Bahamas on Sunday. The hurricane warning was lifted early in the week and they should have excellent weather.
We had our first company Sandra and John,on Wed(17th) for dinner. Unbelievably they were the people that lived in this apt before us. It was like we are kindred spirits. We had virtually all interests and hobbies in common and Sandra makes her own jewellery too. What are the chances.
We're off to the beach this afternoon. It should be a great week end.

Well it's been a month now

First golf game last Sunday at River run. Beautiful and the price was right.Free!!!
Our property manager Nick had a coupon for four with a cart. Thank you. I met two new very nice people. Bob an his son Robert. Had a great time. God I wish I could get off the tee with more consistency. I shot a 104 but it was the first game since May(that's my story and I'm sticking to it)
We have been to the range twice and last time(because it had rained heavily and again the range was closed) we chipped and putted. Aprille actually beat me in a putting contest.
Still have to get out on the motor cycle. Can you believe that? It rains here just about every day for 30 min to an hour and it is hot every day. Around 90 degrees. That is about to change. We'll get Aprille a helmet ASAP. You don't have to wear one down here but that's just too wierd. You should see how these guys and girls too, ride. Flip flops,tee shirt and shorts. This is gonna hurt real bad.
On Tue. we went on a "low tide excursion" at Bunche Beach( just a few minutes away) That was very interesting. The nature walk was put on by the Lee County library and that too as free.

Hermit crab

Osprey

Sannibel sunset

Fiddler crabs

It was cookie baking week and we baked jumbo raison and bannana nut (thanks Tracey) and I've eated more cookies this week an in the last 6 months yeaaa!!!!

Jumbo raison

We joined a new gym(even though we have our, very own en site.
We were paying 75 dollars each for yoga(which we just love) and this gym offers Pilates,Yoga,Zumba cross fit, Yopile (or something like that)( a cross between yoga and pilates) and the very latest exercise equipment I've ever seen. It's been a great week. This suggestion came from Nick while we were golfing ie.(why pay 75 dollars for the same thing and more when you can get it for 1/2 price).
Oh yea and they provide towels,toiletries,sauna,and steam too

Check out the web site Omni fitness club. Fabulous, and it's only 80 for both of us. So we get the best of both worlds for half the price. Whopeeee!!!
Today we're off to Miami to see Adam and Annette to celebtrate their 10th anniv.

That's it for now

"'Baseball has been berry berry good to me"

Ok ......first an apology. Our farm team is the Minnesota twins. NOT the Padres.We were playing the Marauders (Pittsburg Pirates farm team)

Now for the beer /sports fan check out his picture.  

  

This is not a test This is reality You can choose from about 5 different draugts and the glass is a full!!! 10/12 oz. In the next picture you'll see us with a blue wrist band. This costs $10. This is an all inclusive vacation. I can go back the confection stand...unlimited times...... for hot dogs,hamburgs,peanuts,chips,fries(you get the picture) .....and $1 beeeeeers!!!

The park is beautiful and not a bad seat in the house.

We were right at first base and about 90 ft from home plate.Keep you're eye on the ball!!!!!!. There is no protection.

  

We escaped the rain and we won 7-3.It was a good game offensively and defensively. The Miracle had 13 hits

Oh yea.. we scored the first run so we get free burgers at Wendy's(within 4 hrs of the game) Yea!!!

A body in motion tends to stay in motion

If that's true then we're destined to become gyroscopes.
We're ready to go fishing now. Reels are loaded with new line(65 lb test on the salmon rods - we intend to catch big! fish, and 12 lb test on the lighter rods) with leaders, sinkers and hooks  etc.
Yesterday was the 4th July  and we had plans to go to Greater Fort Myers to catch he show but it rained heavily in the afternoon so we decided to catch the show from our porch( it did stop raining by about 8 pm)
Supper at Busters Yummy.Chicken Marsala for me and gulf shrimp for Aprille.

Tuesday we visited Sannibel Island and had lunch at the lazy Flamingo. Originally we were going to the 

Dunes Golf and tennis club to see fire works but that would have been an all night affair in traffic. 

There's only one way in and one way out. I wasn't that interested  in that experience.

Tonight it's baseball at Hammond stadium. $8.50 a ticket for AAA ball. Fort Myers Miracle is the farm team for the Padres.

Okay I'll get over it  but Geez what you can by down here for so little. Check out this Pannini. It's a Ruben with 4 cheeses and stacked high with meat(the beer was my touch for effect)

That's a dinner plate and the sandwich hangs over. It was delightful. I only ate half and Aprille ate 1/4.

It costs(are you ready Tim Hortons...?....$5.99.

Found our new favourite shopping adventure..Fresh Market at the Bell Tower Mall. Denningers on steroids.

Here are just a few more samples of our simple pleasures

Hey!!! no wine with breakfast?

Oh holy Tiramisu. I will never make my own again. This was unbelievable!!!! For $5 we had dessert for two days and the some.

I think I see a pattern here. Oh well!!!!!

There is plenty of bird activity here from Opreys to Herons. I'll insert a just a few

These pictures were taken outside our apt

A more picture and I'm done for today.

This is the view from our gym. It doesn't get any better.

Well we certainly have had our share of rain this week. Over 10 inches. I was going to go golfing Monday but we had had 4.4 inches of rain over night. Every thing was closed. Even the range. Oh yea.. the range.... unlimited range!!! for all of 2013...$200(that's only 20 buckets for crying out load)

Okay... time to go.

TTFN