Thanksgiving in Florida

This is us relaxing Sunday night just before mom flies home again. We are watching "Man of Steel"  3D. What a blast. If this is the future, bring it on.

Last week we went down to Naples to watch the best of the best on the LPGA tour play at the Tiburon Golf course which is on the Carlton Ritz property. La Te Da.!!!! We went down on a weekly pass(tues. to Sun.) for the two of us for $50(thanks to Subway's 2 for 1 coupon). We decided to stay away from Sunday(we were thinking about the potential for big crowds) so we went Thurs. and Sat. What a blast. Name a famous LPGA professional and she was there. Up close and very personable.
I got to talk to David Leadbetter who is currently engaged with Lydia Ko, Michelle Wie and Suzzane Pedersen. Michelle Wie's parents were also on hand and it was pretty obvious who father was as Michelle looks just like him. That's he behind Leadbetter.

Thur. we followed Wie, Ko(who has just turned pro at the age of 16) and Korda. On Sat. we followed Pederen, Inkster and Icher. We picked them up at the 13th. a beautiful par 4 pictured here with a long carry over water to the right. I didn't see one ball in the water. Go figure.

Just to give you an idea how close we could be to these stars,here is a picture of Aprille as Wie is exiting 13.

The course is surrounded by opulence. Here is a small sample. There is money down here.

Okay just a few more and we're done.
The first is the par 3 16 and the last one is the par 4 18th

Friday we had my buddy Dave over for dinner and guitar night. Fun wow. I wish he was right handed. It's hard to follow new pieces with a lefty and he has a lot to show me.

Sat. we had a tenant meet and greet at Baybreeze complete with turkey,ham and all the fixings and accompanied by Karaoke. Nice.
We met a few new couples that we are going to hang out with.
Bob and Janice were over for supper on Sunday, ostensibly to catch the Grey Cup, but that never happened. We were too busy gabbing and having a good time. They stayed till 2 am. Then we watched the Grey Cup on the PVR. Thank God we didn't waste time watching that  game. All those years of waiting for that spectacle?????
Yesterday we had Aprille back golfing again(on the range) after her shoulder injury and she hit some really nice shots. She's just a few tweaks away from having fun.
Aprille is pursuing her jewelry passion and now has set up a display in her salon. She has her own web site applesjewels.com and her own business cards which are being delivered on Wed. (Thanks Frank and Angie)
Well we are only a few days away from Turkey time. We're going over to John and Sandra's for all the trimmings.
Well it's off to the gym.
SYS

Mom's visit

Mom arrived on time and radiant as ever on the Mon. the 18th of Nov. at around 1:10 pm.
I don' know how we missed her getting into the concourse but we did. I found her on at the baggage claim downstairs a few minutes later. The first hug was just as wonderful as I anticipated.
Monday was just a hangout day for the rest of the afternoon with a tour of the Baybreeze villas.
Tuesday we went down to Fort Myers beach for a long walk on the sands of the Gulf of Mexico.
By then it was lunch time and we enjoyed a Publix ultimate submarine sandwich at Lovers key by the water. We found the picnic tables after we finished lunch.
Then it was south to Bonita Springs for a look around there
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Wed. the 6th was a relax day again( we didn't want to do everything in  the first week)

Thursday was a wonderful day again(in fact they all were. We had perfect weather for the entire two weeks) and we went up to Matlacha for lunch at Bert's and hoping to catch Skip and his steel drums to entertain us through lunch. As luck wold have it(or not) Thursday is the only day Skip is not at Bert's. Hello!!!!!
 Aprille was talking hamburger all day, till he lunch special of blackened snapper made her change her mind.
Mom and I did have the burgers. Yummy and BIG!!.

Then it was off to explore the pier and the curio shops along the main drag and a great cruise in the car through the side streets of the adjoining neighbourhoods.

Friday we were off to the Big M casino boat( yes, the one in Fort Myers)(to get our fix). A perfect day for sailing. Calm seas and beautiful sunshine. We even got mom to play bingo. Well what else is there till we get 9 miles out?
Slots for the girls and craps for me. I got onto a hot roll with a girl named Tina and rode the wave for that series. I was up around $40. The dice cooled off about 30 minutes later and I left down 30 dollars.
then it was over to the Let it ride table. That was good right off the hop. I recouped everything and left the table on a good note. Aprille hit me up for another 10 dollars. So the bottom line is, I lost 5 dollars  for the day.  A good outing.
Aprille got lucky on her last machine and won enough to get her to (only) a ls of 30 dollars. Oh well.
Mom didn't have any stories to tell. The buffet was excellent as usual.

Hey Ed,bob and Sheri. Remember the passenger rear door? It wouldn't open right?
So, I took it to a major Chev. dealership and the Cape to have a tire rotation and while I was there, I figured why not have the rear door looked at too?
So.... they get me to pre-authorize $125 to cover the diagnostic on the door($100) and the tire rotation($25).
No problem if they can fix my problem.
Anyway, after 44 minutes, the service rep comes back with an estimate for $948.29(REALLY!!!!!).
He advises me there may be some damage to the door panel during the process, and I need a new door lock actuator.Okay. Stop the presses. I can get a whole new door for that price, I'm thinking.
When I pay the bill, I figured they had actually taken off the door panel, at least looked at the problem and determined there actually was a problem with the actuator( it was possible right?)
No. They had not even taken off the door panel!!!
I called the service advisor to tel him, I'M NOT HAPPY. They want to give me a service credit ( in fairness) Really, do I ever want to go back there? Oh by the way, on the estimate, they even go the date wrong They had the date as Oct 25th not Nov. I just noticed that.

After two days of stalling I call the service manager directly, and to make a very long story shorter, he agrees to cut me a cheque for the $100. Thank you. I go he cheque in the mail in two days.
Anyway, I take the vehicle to a local mechanic just around the corner on McGregor.
I had already removed the door panel (in 5 minutes)and tried to open he door(as described on you tube), but without success in opening the door they had the door opened, the panel back on and me on my way in 40 minutes at a cost of $47. The door lock assembly was rusted, they oiled it. That's it. That's all.

Sunday the 10 we decide to go to the coconut festival up in Cape Coral. Our mouths are watering. Mom is going to buy a coconut cream pie for desert.We finally arrive at the Kiwana's park, and, at first blush it looks like a mid way. It was and it was $7 each to get in. Do we go? Okay. What he heck. It was(a midway)
Why is it called the Coconut Festival. Did they run out of names? The only thing with coconut in it is the pena cola mix(of which we partake). We did have a good time watching the different attractions on the main stage. I won Aprille the orange pig toy seen here(throwing bean bags and Aprille entertained us with the "flip a chick" game). You had to flip a rubber chicken into a stew pot by smashing the lever wit a rubber mallet.
We think I won the water cannon game too, but he barker gave the prize to a good looking female instead. Go figure.

Okay, we are now official Moose lodge members so let's go check out the "big moose" just down the street from the festival. Good move here.
This is a brand new lodge. We had 2 10 oz. draughts and a wine for $6 Check out the Wed. wing special.
I'm going to enjoy being a moose.

Mon 11th. Mom does the cooking and makes us a danish meatball(frigadilla dinner with a creamy white sauce with fresh parsley for our lania garden.

Tue. 12th. Time to find a new beach. We want to find hem all. Off we go to Sannibel to find lighthouse beach(well I don't need to find it I already know where it is). A left turn on Perriwinkle instead of right. Bonus. Everyone goes right. What a treat. Our new favorite I think. There is character here. A wonderful walking beach, a fishing pier and it seems to be a good fishing spot.
Check out the guy who caught he hammer head shark

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Wed 13th Mom treats us to dinner at Lamotta's. Fantastic as usual. Bruschetta (of course). A huge(as usual antipasto).I had the chicken parm. Mom had the shrimp fettaccini. We can't remember now what Aprille had. But antipasto for dinner the next night too.

Fri. 15th Fri. trek off to Sannibel to visit Ding Darling sanctuary. We had hoped to see a lot of wildlife. Especially new bird species as this is migration season.
I had gone on their website to check out the trails. There were three that I had picked out 4 trails, and the longest was a one mile trail. No problem. We went over and walked the Bailey tract. Nothing there. Well maybe two new duck species which I've yet to positively identify. I think american Scotes and Bufffle heads.
We couldn't find the other trails. I'm thinking there has to be more.
So we went to Tarpon bay beach and had a picnic lunch and found some more sea shells.
Okay, so let's go to Captiva while were over here says my darling wife. It really is nice up there.
On the way north, we pass Ding Darling, the main sanctuary entrance where the other three trails we were supposed to hike and the interpretive centre were located. Too late. Next time.
We have a pleasant drive and gawk at the "mansions" along the way around the island. Well you can't really go around because there is only one way in and one way out. The same road.
Time for a coffee. We stopped at the The sunset grill on Captiva. $2.95 each. I don't think I have ever paid $10 for three coffees. Lesson learned. Now it's time to go home and get ready for dinner.
We left home around 5pm.We drove down to Naples( I left early because we had to stop at the PGA Super store to get 2 week passes for the LPGA tour event at Tibiron here next week. The main event was to enjoy a fabulous dinner at Campiello's. Mission one accomplished. We're all set for the LPGA.
Now it's on  to dinner.
We were about a 1/2 hr. early, so we decided to take in the sights and enjoy a quiet glass of wine.
We tried handsome Harry's but it was crowded, there was no room at the bar and it was noisy.
Mom had seen a small portico leading to a cafe just down the st and it led to a very quiet, intimate outside cafe.Ruth's cafe. Perfect . So we have 3 glasses of wine. 2 merlots,one chardonnay.I get the bill. $28.00.
Whoa. I put on mom's cheaters(just to make sure). As I'm reading the bill, the gentleman from the next table gets up and asks me"did you get the right bill"? I did not the one I received and had already paid for was for 2 chardonnays and one merlot. OOPs!
So we trade bills. I now have the right one. Whoa!!! now it $36. $12 each for the merlots and $10 for the chardonnay. I'm used to buying three lite and 1/2 bottles for that price. Bring your credit card.
Anyway back to Campiello's. Fabulous. Our server, Courtney, had been there for 10 yrs. and she was a treat. The meal were all spectacular. We started with a bruschetta bread that was to die for. Apparently the secret was let all the ingredients marinate in a a red wine balsamic vinegar. The entrees consisted of Diver scallops(mine) with a cauliflower and bacon in a white sauce, chicken caccattori with a a sweet delicate sauce so good Aprille took a lunch size serving home. Mom had a blackened salmon on a bed of risotto and delicate greens.
Dessert was a home made tiramisu(mom and I shared, thank goodness) and Aprille had the black cherry gelato. It was over too soon. I wish I was rich!!!
We went for  a short walk along 3rd St. It's just beautiful. It has a very European feel to it. Love it.

Sat 17th we hung out by the pool, played shuffle board at the club house and enjoyed a super steak dinner. I grilled (on our brand new stainless steel grills) complete with my new recipe for bruschetta and mushroom bread. Yummy.
Sunday was a relax day too. Mom has to travel tomorrow and we again spent the day poolside. I made a chicken Marsala for dinner with bruschetta bread again. You can never get too much of a good thing.

Monday 18th It's time to say good bye. Moms off to the snow. We'll miss her. See you in April.

Haloween in Florida

We'll I have to say, 84 F. and sunny beats any Halloween I've ever seen before.
Usually it's cold,miserable,snowing, raining or all the above. I can get used to this. Oh did I say I went golfing? Not one... trick or treater at our condo. So.... thinking ahead,we only bought what we liked anticipating just that.
Since my last post we have had guests down for a visit.
Ed Hall,Bob Richardson and Sheri Gauld came down (Ed and Ritchie) on Tue 14th and Sheri came down on Thurs. 17th. What a blast. The boys had 4 games of golf at Shell Pointe and we went of to some of our favorite haunts to eat. Junkanoos on the beach,the Grill on MacGregor.

It got a little cool on Monday the 21st(all the way down to 84 F.) so Ed had to put on ear warmers LOL

Ed and Ritchie had their own private accommodations at the guest suite( a fully furnished two bedroom condo)for the grand total of $50 a night(that's all in) That comes complete with free specialty coffees by the pool. or you could hve stayed at the RV park on the beach for $8 a night. LOL again.

Costco has terrific steaks and we had a fabulous steak dinner on Fri. the 17th.Complete with potatoes, onions, mushrooms and ceasar  salad. Thank you Ed and Bob. Great job on the BBQ Ed.
So I ask you, is playing scrabble with a computer legal?

On Mon. the 22nd we all took a trip up to Sannibel and spent the afternoon at Tarpon Bay Beach replete with Chardonnay, beers and a lovely lunch prepared by the Publix deli. Smoked turkey, the ultimate and the mixed sandwich subs were terrific. Thanks again Ed and Ritchie. Football in the gulf anyone? A great day.
Angie came down on Tuesday to spend a week in Florida with Ed. Bob flew home from Sarasota( after he finally booked a seat. Nice try for first class but too stressful)Thanks Ed and Angie for the two bottles of wine you left behind. They were delicious.

We took Sheri to Matlacha Thurs. the 24 th. A great little place to shop and hang out. Lunch was at Bert's with a background of steel drums,Calypso Magic by Skip Bowman. Fabulous.

Lamatta's for supper on Wed. Thanks Sheri!(does Raging Bull strike a familiar note?) Jake Lamatta is the owners brother. What a treat.Again.

Good thing Bob was messing with Delta trying to get a free upgrade or Sheri probably would have missed her plane. She had asked to be booked to fly out Sat. Guess what? It turned out to be Friday. Whew.
What a blast! Thanks for coming down everyone!
Oh boys, I just played Shell Pointe on Sat from tee position 5!! Fun wow. But I did shoot an 87. The course plays 6,100 yrs from these tees. It's really better(on most holes) to play from here because some of the hazards are not in play(*as much*)
The seasons are changing now.  We had a front blow in yesterday and any humidity left in the air is now completely gone. The birds are beginning to migrate and we had a flock of 15-20 storks(wood ibis take up residence at our lake. What a beautiful site. More species to come I hear. I can hardly wait.

My mother is arriving tomorrow at around noon and she is staying for two weeks. I can't wait for the first hug.