Sanibel Island 2012

May 31 

Thursday evening Larry and I attended Alhambra Dinner Theater’s production of the Buddy Holly Story and enjoyed a delicious dinner of prime rib, roasted potatoes and green beans.  It was wonderful and so much fun.  Afterward, we stopped by Mama’s house to pick up a delicious banana pudding she had made for me.  This was the beginning of my Birthday Vacation.

June 1

I was awakened on Friday morning by a call from my sweet Mama [at 7:52am] to wish me a happy birthday and tell me to go back to sleep.  I wanted to so bad, but I needed to get up because Larry and I had planned to leave the house at 9am.  When I finished my shower, I was greeted in the bathroom with a slow dance to “Happy Happy Birthday Baby” by Ronnie Milsap. 

When I went to the kitchen for my morning coffee I found my sweet LB had left me a birthday bag on the counter.  In it was a jar of feta-cheese-stuffed-Greek olives and a jewelry travel case that I had admired in a sky mall magazine on a recent trip to DC.

We got dress, packed, and left the house at 11:00am.

About 2 hours into the trip, Larry looked at his Google maps to get an idea of where to go.  Google maps indicated that we were in Tallahassee.  Considering that we were attempting to reach Sanibel Island, seeing Tallahassee on the map was a bad thing.  When I looked at my Google maps, I saw the same results… Tallahassee.  It turned out that Google maps was hosed and we were actually headed in the right direction.

Since it has a sentimental meaning to us, we stopped at Waffle House in San Antonio, FL for pecan waffles.  Delicious.

It was a long drive and very rainy, but we finally arrived at the Residence Inn in Fort Myers and checked into our room.  After we were settled, Larry announced that we would be going to a store to pick up my birthday gift.  As it turned out, Larry had planned to buy a Coach bag for my birthday surprise.  So we went to Dillard’s to look at their selection.  It seemed that the bag that Larry had in mind was no longer in production, and after discussion with the sales lady, we headed for the Coach store.  We decided on the most beautiful $300, leather, coral colored handbag that I have ever seen.  

Don’t be jealous.

After the extremely-fun-shopping-at-Coach experience, we drove all over creation trying to find a suitable place to have dinner.  3 hours later we settled on Iguana Mia where we were catered to for having a June 1^st birthday in our “group”.  Two fajita dinners, weird margaritas, fried ice-cream with a candle on top, and one sombrero pic later… we were full and ready for bed.   

BOY was I ready for bed!

From a lovely book in the hotel: 

 

 “Accessible by bridge or boat, Sanibel Island sits off Fort Myers, catching fresh ocean breezes before they blow inland.  But the barrier island’s best catch may be the seashells that wash up on its pristine beaches, drawing thousands of visitors who enjoy shelling.”

June 2

 While shelling at Sanibel Island I was approached by a man who asked if he could use my chair.  Larry pointed out to me that this was a good “line” and one that I had never heard before.  It turned out that the man, Felipe, who was out fishing, had walked into an anchored hook which had penetrated his water boot and was embedded into his leg.  He was limping and probably only asking to use my chair (which was several yards away from me at the time) because he was in desperate need of help and nauseatingly delirious.  I motioned to Larry to come “help” because, at that point, I wasn’t sure what the man was asking of me.  Larry and I watched in disbelief as Felipe sat in our chair and showed us the 3 inch hook that was lodged in his boot.  Larry assisted by cutting the boot away from the hook and helping to remove Felipe’s boot.  Larry tried to get him to allow us to call for help, but Felipe insisted that it needed to be removed at once… while his “adrenaline was flowing”.  Felipe then proceeded to cut some fishing line from a spool in his tackle box and thread the hook.  He then counted… one… two… three… and ripped the hook from his leg, flinging it backward.  After the hook was removed, Larry and I gave Felipe one of our bottles of water while we cut a bandanna for Felipe to wrap around his bleeding wound.  It is amazing how a less than ½ hour event can add so much of a story to your day. 

Because we had to pay for parking, we were supposed to leave at 7:08pm.  We got into the car to leave at 7:07.  We wanted to see the sun set over the ocean, but were not in a position to do so, so we drove on to Captiva Island to find another beach sit on and watch the sun set.  We found the perfect spot.  

The sunset over the ocean was beautiful.  

                                           My life is wonderful… 

                                           I couldn’t ask for more.

Flea Fest

I was walking from my kitchen to my bedroom when I noticed Elvis (my cat) scratching himself... more than he usually does.
After walking by him, I realized it was contagious... I was also feeling an urge to scratch. I looked down and to my surprise (surprise because this has never been a problem in my home) there were fleas on my legs... maybe 5 or 6 fleas.
I attempted to rid myself of them by slapping my legs, but they seemed to multiply instead.
I started to run to the bathroom to jump in the shower when I realized I was at my girls' house... in their living room.
Stephanie was sitting on the floor, wrapped in a red blanket , watching television.
There were fleas ALL OVER the blanket.
I quickly yanked the blanket off of her and flipped it over to see the under side completely covered with fleas... in such amass that the color of the blanket was unidentifiable.
I crammed the red, flea-infested blanket into the washing machine, quickly closed the lid/door, and scolded Stephanie for not using the blue blanket instead.

The Snake & The Tsunami

One of my more bizarre dreams occurred last night.

The setting is my home, although it isn't a home with which I'm familiar.
I am living in an waterfront apartment - a duplex, facing a bay, and with a clear view of the ocean.

The apartments are set on a bulkhead, with docks, and the rolling waves of the ocean can be seen from the front door of each apartment.

My parents are living next door.

When I walk over to visit, I notice something strange about their decor.
They have a large, gold plaque - probably 5'x5' - of a snake.

I can't understand why they would put what I think is such a hideous creature on the wall in their home - until they introduce me to their pet.

Yes - they are the proud owners of a snake.

Their pet is not ordinary. It is a python/rattler.
An unheard of species, it is probably 10' long and poisionous.

They take the creature everywhere. It seems that I can't escape it's presence.
We visit several places, including my apartment, the dock, and even a short ride in a boat, and the snake is always there.

Finally, I excuse myself and go home.

When I walk into my apartment, someone is there. I don't know who he is, although I know him in my dream and he obviously lives with me.

As I turn to close the door, I notice that the ocean waves are bigger than they have previously been. In fact, they are growing so large and powerful that they are capsizing many of the boats. I turn to tell my roommate that I think something devastating is about to happen.

I tell him that we will need to close and lock the front door, but open the windows because the water will be coming under the door and will need to go out through the window.

He quickly helps me prepare for the impending disaster just in time for the water to hit our home.

And just as I suspect, the water rushes in, flows through the apartment, and out the window.

Boston 2009

Saturday, April 18
We left for the airport at around 10:30 this morning. First stop - Panera. I didn't have anything because I feasted on mixed nuts before I left.The plane was supposed to take off at 12:50, but the attendant announced that we would leave early (12:20). Everyone was thrilled. So we
boarded. Then they discovered that a passenger (Shane Dykes - and I know this because they walked up and down the aisle looking for him) was
missing. So we sat on the plane and waited. We didn't leave early.I was worried about the flight because there was a baby across the aisle and she was not happy. It didn't take long for her to fall asleep and BOY
was I glad. JetBlue is the only way to go. They let you check one bag at no charge and they have little televisions on the backs of the seats. I watched Spiderman 2. I saw the funniest Snickers commercial during the movie. I almost fell out of my seat laughing.We arrived in Boston a few minutes before 3:00pm, got my bag, and caught the Hilton After checking in, and putting things in the room, we hit the streets to figure out the MBTA system. I figured it out. Tim said he would still be walking around downtown if I hadn't. Hmmmm.... We went to the Hynes Convention Center to pick up our race packets, walked all around the Prudential Center (a Mall), took pictures of the finish
line (just in case that would be the only time we would lay eyes on it), and then went to this LOUD Irish pub for dinner. I ate a salad. Tim ate lasagna and half of my salad. I didn't really like it there.Now (9:00pm), here I sit with my cup of cozy chamomile and my laptop, unable to connect to the hotel's wireless service unless I pay $15 per 24
hour period.I refuse to do so. Now I have an excuse to plant myself in a Starbucks.
***
Sunday, April 19
I woke up at 5:15 having dreamed that I left my running clothes in the dryer at home! It was probably wishful thinking because I did Not want to
get up, take the shuttle to airport station, catch the blue line to govt. center, catch the green line to Copley, and run 3.1 freakin' miles in 42 degree,
windy weather conditions. But I did it anyway.I couldn't believe the organization of that race. For example, after crossing the finish, the officials herd the runners into a huge white tent. The
first thing they do is give each finisher a medal. Next there are 4 rows of tables filled with goodies. Runners pick up a plastic bag, hold it open,
and walk. The nice people behind the tables begin filling each bag with goodies. It was the best assembly line I've ever seen.Then out the other side of the tent you go.I was shivering cold standing in Copley Square. Tim wanted to stay and watch the mile races, so we stayed until about 10.I saw the funniest thing standing on the sidewalk. A large man in a motorized wheelchair came zooming by me. The funny part was when the
head of a cat popped up out of his jacket! Another character I observed was an old man who appeared to be homeless. He boarded the train with us as we were leaving to go back to the
hotel. He sat across the aisle from me and stared straight ahead. Then he began talking... No, he began to have a conversation with someone that
I couldn't see. He said things like, "I hope we don't know anyone on this train", "I don't give a s*** who you're looking for", "You'd better not lie
to me", "Woe to the hypocrite, woe to the hypocrite".  I was glad when he (and his "friend") got off of the train.Now its about 12:30 and I'm dressed and ready to go find a Starbucks.
***
It is now 1:45 and we just found a Panera. Chicken Noodle Soup!!!!

CAUTION: Giraffes In Trees

My friend Michelle called this a "stress-out" dream:





I'm driving to work on the usual route - headed toward I-10. As I turn off of Crystal Springs and onto Chaffee, I notice that the landscape topography has changed. There are trees along Chaffee Road, much like a tree-lined road leading the way to a Southern Plantation.


The canopy of the trees shades the road. This is nothing like the Chaffee Road I remember.

The trees extend on along the East entrance ramp, and on both sides, and in the median of I-10.


But as I drive enter the highway, I notice something moving in the trees.



Giraffes.


I see one, then I drive on and see two, and on further there are more - scattered about one or two hundred feet.


But the further I drive, the more there are, and they seem to be in larger groups.


And they are struggling in the trees. They have their legs wrapped around the tree limbs, holding on for dear life!



As I drive on I see them start to fall. One by one, falling out of the trees and onto the highway.

People are trying to avoid hitting the giraffes, but some are being hit, and although many of them are able to get up and walk away, they are all being injured.

New York 2009

Wednesday, February 4, 2009
We arrived today at about 1:30. The flight was great. I was pleased that I had row 13 all to myself and the rest of my group was in the row behind me. There are cute little TV's on the back of every seat. I watched the HGTV, History channel and VH1.The weather was clear, sunny, and COLD. It snowed last night and looks just beautiful.It took about 45 minutes to get from the JFK airport to our hotel in midtown Manhattan. After we checked in, we came up to our rooms and the first thing I did was get my mixed nuts out of my bag. I hadn't eaten anything since my muffins at 6:00 this morning and I was soooo hungry I couldn't think straight.Then we set out to find something to do. The first thing we did was eat pizza. I wasn't hungry anymore, so Amanda and I shared a slice. It was pretty good.Then we found the subway that would take us to Central Park. I had no idea we would be going to Central Park and I didn't put on my thick socks nor did I wear my big jacket. It didn't take long for me to go numb. So I went into the first cozy place that caught my eye - Starbucks. I took my boots off and breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that my toes were still intact. While I sat there listening to my mama and mother-in-law chat with an old man, the girls went to Strawberry Fields and the Dakota Bldg. When they finished frolicking we caught cabs and went to Serendipity3 for dinner. I had black bean soup because they were out of corn chowder. Amanda wanted to try their famous frozen hot chocolate. I wasn't impressed. It was too sweet. We sat in that restaurant and had the best time talking and laughing. After Serendipity3 we walked to Bloomingdales and then to H & M. I didn't buy anything. I did see a dress in Bloomingdale's that I liked, but it had an unbelievable pricetag on it - $345Now here I sit in this bed trying to remember the events of the day and listening to Mama complain about the bed, the heater, the cold water, and our new President. She's pretty funny.Still, it has been a fun day and I'm looking forward to tomorrow.
***
Thursday, February 5, 2009
I woke up this morning at 5:11, but I knew if I did I would just be sitting in the dark for a few hours, so I went back to sleep - until 6:30. It was TWELVE DEGREES this morning I got up, got dressed (3 pair of socks, longs johns, 2 jackets, etc.) and waited until 8:30 at which time we went down to enjoy our complimentary breakfast. Total Raisin Bran and WHOLE milk =P.Then we set out in the "bitter cold" (the weatherman's words) and made our way to the subway. We visited the Federal Building, Trinity Church, Wall Street, Ground Zero, the World Financial Center, the Statue of Liberty (from a distance), Starbucks (again), Century 21 Dept. Store (sucks),Greenwich Village, the (famous) Magnolia Bakery - I think that's about it.At around 3:00 we came back to our hotel and I thought we were going to stay here and thaw until Dinner, but the girls decided we (Steph, Amanda, April, and me) should go shopping. So I bundled up again and went back out into the cold. We went to Gap where I found the cutest jacket at marked down from $128 to $29. Yes, I bought it.And then to Macy's - and I bought something frivilous there, too.At 5:00 we had to hurry back to the hotel to get ready for dinner. Our reservation was with Justin Timberlake's restaurant, Southern Hospitality (a barbeque joint). I ate a salad. Everyone else ate lard.Afterward we went to see the Broadway play "Jersey Boys". The story was kinda sad, but the music was GREAT. I'm going to have to find out if there is a soundtrackWhen the play ended we walked down to Times Square, caught a cab, and came back to the hotel. It was about 11:15.And now I'm tired, I can barely think straight, and after nearly an hour, my toes are still numb.I'm going to bed now because the girls are going to make me go to the Today Show in the morning. Watch for us.
***
Friday, February 6, 2009
It's 7:00 and I'm sitting in the bed listening to Mama snore (poor thing is so tired) and wondering why we haven't left for the Today show yet.
We (Amanda, April, Stephanie, and I) finally left the hotel at about 8:00 and took the subway to Rockefeller Center. We got our Starbucks fix and then joined the crowd of excited visitors at the Today Show. Meredith Viera came out and spoke with us and shook our hands. She impressed me with her sweet personality. And her shoes. She was wearing a pair of Christian Louboutin pumps. Gina was watching for us to be on TV and recorded it when the camera finally caught us.When we decided we were too cold to stand outside anymore, we walked over to the NBC Experience (and bought some souvenirs) and then to Radio City Music Hall (which we couldn't go into).Then we took the subway back to Central Park because I missed it the first time (due to possible hypothermia) and the girls wanted to see the Bethesda Fountain (from the movie "Enchanted").They showed me the Dakota Bldg. and Strawberry Fields. They told me about how moved they were when they first saw it. I was happy for them.At around 12:00 Mama and Anna Marie were ready to meet us for lunch. We got back on the subway and headed for Times Square. We met the ladies at the M&M store. We took turns standing in the M&M scanner to have our M&M moods analyzed. It told me I am the peanut butter M&M because I "dare to be different". Whatever.No, I did not buy any candy.Afterward we went to lunch at Planet Hollywood. Amanda and I shared a turkey sandwich.Then we walked next door to the Virgin Records store, GAP (again), ALDO ( I bought some CUTE new sunglasses), to Grand Central Station, and to the United Nations Bldg. So we are covering sightseeing (for Amanda) and shopping (for Stephanie).At about 5:30 we came back to the hotel to get ready for dinner at Bar Americain (Bobby Flay's restaurant). It was quite fancy and I didn't know how to act. So I just kept my mouth shut and politely answered "yes, please" or "no, thank you".Now I am very sleepy and Mama is arguing on the phone with Eddie about King Kong and calling him a "stupid idiot". I'm going to go brush my teeth.
***
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Today is our final day in New York. We have been running all over this city for 3 days so we decided to sleep late (7:00am). After we dressed and packed we headed for 5th Avenue. We started our with Saks. This was my first Sak's experience, but as I always do, I began by looking for the sale racks. The first item I looked at was marked 50% off. From TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS! And it was a dang sweater! That was it for me. I was ready to go. But Anna Marie had been conned into having a moisturizing treatment, so we had to wait for the lady to do her sales pitch.When we left Sak's we went to St. Patrick's Cathedral and looked around inside. I don't really know what to say about it other than it is absolutely beautiful and you have to see it to believe it. Then we headed back to Times Square to find B.B. King's Blues Club to have Brunch with the fake Beatles. The group had been part of the Broadway production Beatlemania and now call themselves "Strawberry Fields". They were very talented and sound just like the Beatles, however all of them, with the exception of "Ringo" looked like they had let themselves go. They were fat and their wigs were awful. I think Stephanie and Amanda were traumatized by the experience. But the Buffet was good.When the show was over we took a cab to Chinatown. I did not like Chinatown and that's all I'm going to say about it.We walked through to Soho and Stephanie paused for a moment of silence to remember Heath Ledger.Afterward we stopped at PinkBerry for yogurt. It seems like we've done a lot of eating. I can't wait to get on the scale when I get home. =PWe took another cab back to Macy's since we only covered the first floor on our previous visit. At around 6:15 we started walking back to our hotel to get our bags and wait for Wayne to come pick us up.Now I'm sitting at JFK waiting to board.They're calling now... Gotta go!