Bruce's Travels

Today is Sunday, and I just gave the apartment a good cleaning because I have company coming over in about an hour and a half. It's Jim and Patty, my neighbors to my left (north). I'm having ham/havarti rollups, Triscuits, assorted soft beverages (they don't drink alcohol), and chocolate chip cookies from the Fresh Market bakery. The main purpose is to visit and to introduce them to Abby (they have a cat also). I will also ask if they will look in on her Jan. 12-16 while Julie and I are on our cruise. They have already offered, so I don't feel like I'm holding them over a barrel by bribing them with refreshments or anything like that. I see it's been a while since I updated the blog, on Dec. 18. Has anyone missed me? There's been a few things going on, so I'll bring you up to date. Friday was eventful, starting with the morning bike ride to the Lakes Park farmer's market. I had a bagel sandwich, cinnamon roll, fresh strawberries, and coffee for b...

I have to admit, I feel a little bit like a VIP, having been given the opportunity, via my participation in meetup.com, to see an advanced screening of the movie Unbroken. And for free, no less. It opens to the general public Christmas day. The ticket-holders started queueing up about 5:30. Our group, Southwest Florida Singles and Couples Over 40, was just one of many groups to receive free tickets. There must have been around 300 people there, and the auditorium in the movieplex was filled to capacity. They opened the auditorium doors around 6:30, and then we had an hour to wait before the movie started at 7:30. So the full wait time was nearly as long as the movie, but I had 3 or 4 people to talk with from our meetup group, so the time went quickly. It was completely worth it. Excellent movie, in my opinion. Plane crashes. 47 days in a life raft. Sharks. Unimaginable brutality in two separate POW camps. What Zamperelli went through can scarcely be comprehended. Angelina Jolie, w...

Tuesday 12/16. Another near achingly beautiful day. Sunshine, not a cloud in the sky, and headed toward a high of about 72. I’m currently on board the “Big M” floating casino, having biked here from the apartment. Took me a little longer this time because I tried to cross the San Carlos bridge on the opposite side, only to find there is no sidewalk on that side! So I had to double back in order to cross busy San Carlos Blvd at a traffic light. There was a large light pole laying across the sidewalk that I didn’t see until the last second (the sun was in my eyes) that almost threw me over the top of my bicycle, but I managed to stop in time and just thump it with the front tire. I was going to move it, but some lady came running out of one the stores in the strip mall yelling at me not to touch it because she thought it might still be “live.” Too late. I had already touched it, but put it back down. It was too damn heavy anyway. The bike is locked up in the maintenance garage at th...

My trip to Fleamasters on Friday resulted in several bargains, including: * a wine corkscrew for $1; * a new deck of cards for $1; * a new set of bicycle handlebar grips for $5; and * a pair of "Aqua Shoes" for beach walking, shelling, etc., for $10. Lunch in the food court consisted of a Gyro with Greek salad, fresh fruit, and diet Coke for $8.50. For dessert, a giant glazed donut still warm from the fryer and a cup of coffee. Naughty, but oh so delicious. This particular vendor usually sells out of her donuts every day because they have to raise overnight and she only brings so many to her food kiosk at the flea market for frying. You can get them plain glazed (her biggest seller) or kicked up with apple-cinnamon, praline, etc. Here's a picture of Abby on the lanai, enjoying the sunshine: "I'm ready for my closeup, Mr. DeMille." She is really enjoying herself here, and I'm happy she has adjusted so well to the Florida life. I have been...

To pick up where I left off on Wednesday, I left the Sanibel Cafe and biked over to the Casa Ybel resort, where I had lunch at "Coconuts," the tiki bar out by the pool/patio. They still offered their seared Ahi tuna crispy tacos, so I ordered those along with a Shock Top on draft. I brought a book along ("Florida Road Kill") and was watching the rich people, but the real show was going on behind the bar. The bartender there, a man by the name of Chris, appeared to be in his mid to late 30s. Fancying himself quite the ladies' man, he was hitting on anything there female under 40, including his co-bartender, named Liz, who was having none of it. It was quite comical watching him, and in the hour and a half or so that I spent there, I had heard every line he had, including his favorite, "What can I do to facilitate your endeavor?" every time a good looking woman came up to the bar. I told (former landlord) Heather about this, and she worked with both of...

It's Wednesday, and I'm on Sanibel Island, surely the jewel in the crown of Fort Myers. It is a bit chilly by local standards (currently about 65 degrees) but one of those sunny days with just the wispiest of clouds and clear air, so beautiful it damn near brings a tear to your eye. I have a nice bright yellow beach cruiser from Billy's Rentals, and I'm at the Sanibel Cafe using their free Internet. Backing up to Tuesday (yesterday), I awoke and made a pot of coffee using that Starbucks "Estima" blend I got from Dixie Liquidators, and it is delicious, and had that with a strawberry/banana smoothie. I was in need of a haircut, and so consulted the Internet to find out if there were any old-fashioned barber shops left around here (they are an endangered species everywhere). I am so tired of those franchised barber chains, ala Supercuts, Great Clips, etc. It's not that I have anything against the concept of a barber (excuse me, styling salon ) franchise....

Finishing where I left off Sunday, I took a short bike ride over to Starbucks just to get out of the apartment and hang out with the other "barnacles" there. Used my Starbucks smartphone app to pay for my coffee and brownie ... pretty cool, you just bring up this barcode on your phone, they scan it at the register with their gun, and you're done quicker than cash or even a debit/credit card. I stopped at the Walmart Market on my way back for a little sharp cheddar because tonight I am making quesadillas, what with my salsa surplus and all. They turned out so nice, I took a picture of them -- along with my margarita -- out on the lanai: Today is Monday, and I decided to check out the bargains at Dixie Liquidation Groceries in Bonita Springs, just a short 15 miles south of here on the way to Naples. This is no doubt southwest Florida's largest "dent and bent" grocers, and probably one of the largest of its kind in the whole state. I shopped there a few...

Saturday turned into a fairly busy day in a good way. I awoke and made a pot of coffee and a strawberry/banana smoothie (love that I brought along my Vitamix blender!). Then, some housework: I stripped the bed and washed/dried the sheets. I swept and then wet mopped the kitchen floor (really like that Swifter product!). I then packed the gym bag and headed over to Planet Fitness. I was in good need a shower/shave anyway, so this way I figured I could get in a nice workout and cleaned up at the same time. Back at the apartment, I made myself a BLT on the excellent homemade bread I got at the farmers market on Friday, and had that with a little potato salad. Threw another load of laundry into the washer, including the workout stuff. Took a little chair nap, and then awoke feeling like I could use a little treat, so drove out to the Love Boat Ice Cream shop mentioned earlier to check out their flavors. Oh my gosh. So much ice cream goodness packed into a business establishmen...

After topping off the tires on the bicycle, I rode over to the Lakes Park Friday farmer's market, about four miles each way, a nice little ride to get the blood flowing and the appetite stoked. I left about 8:30 and got their at 9. For breakfast I had a cheese Danish, a pint of fresh strawberries, and coffee. I met up with the bicycle group, whose members hail from Wisconsin (Kenosha, no less), Iowa, and Canada among other places. We shared a few stories and laughs. At the market, I picked up: 1/2 pound fresh cod, for making fish tacos this evening; a loaf of homemade honey wheat bread; and a pound of fresh tomatoes. Unfortunately, the tomatoes didn't do so well on the trip back to the apartment because they kept bouncing up and down in the bike basket and got a little bruised. I'll have to rethink the tomatoes, perhaps bring a box with some bubble wrap in it. Fresh vine ripened tomatoes are so fragile compared to the ones you get in the store. I put away the peri...

Spent part of this morning packing eBay boxes and took them over to the post office on the bike. I then visited downtown (aka Old Downtown or Historic Downtown) for the first time. I have wanted to do this for a while, but now with the upcoming "meetup" get together there on the 19th, I had a new incentive to go there and check things out, including the parking situation. Downtown is about 6 miles from the apartment. I currently don't know a good bike route there. The main way to get there is McGregor Blvd., and there are stretches where there is no sidewalk on either side, so for the time being the Prius is going to be the vehicle of choice. It took about 15 minutes to get there, and I found a nice parking spot on the street for free, but I also found out how to access one of the parking ramps for the night of the 19th. ($5 for all day parking). The big gathering place here is called "Plaza de Leon" and it's a big square surrounded on all sides by clubs...

Another lovely day in Fort Myers. Currently 71 degrees and sunny at 10 a.m. I’m on board the “Big M” casino boat for the second of what I’m sure will be many $5 ocean cruises. I gave the tires on the bike a full pump of air, and rode over to Fort Myers Beach for the first time. It takes about an hour, including walking the last quarter mile over the San Carlos bridge because at present I’m not in good enough shape to bike the incline! McGregor and San Carlos Blvd. are still relatively uncrowded with vehicular traffic, so cars were whizzing by me at 45+ mph (I was up on the sidewalk). I locked my bike to one of the support poles inside the maintenance building, bought my $5 ticket, and boarded. I’m sitting at a table up on the open canopy deck as other gamblers and frugal travelers are boarding. I meant to mention, on Monday, I received sister-in-law Julie’s check in the mail for her portion of the Caribbean cruise expense and her airfare to Fort Myers. I decided to try my new Ch...

I went to Manatee Park today and took a kayak out onto the Orange River, where the discharge from the power plant flow into it, to get up close and personal with the manatees. I saw several, heard several more, and got within about 20 feet of one, but none would come up alongside the kayak, as they sometimes do if you are lucky. I asked at the kayak rental place if you are allowed to pet them if they come along side you, but they said it is not permitted ... damn! Back after an hour on the water! Anyway, it was great fun. I was out on the water for about an hour. Amy, those couple of times we went kayaking really helped, for I don't know if I would have had the nerve to try this otherwise. As it was, I still managed to ram into a cypress tree along the bank, which knocked my ball cap into the water (I was able to retrieve it). The manatees should be there in good numbers for another month, so Dawn I can take you there while you are here, and you should be able to see them...

Monday Dec. 1, awoke to breakfast of a grapefruit, oatmeal, and coffee. Scott, the maintenance man, arrived about 8:30 and worked on the toilet, although I still don't think it's completely fixed. At least the inlet valve comes on less often now. More importantly, he replaced the two torn screen panels on the lanai, so no more duct tape and I can relax about letting Abby out there to enjoy the outside, which she does ... very much! At about 9 a.m. Wallace and his dad arrived to deliver the furniture I bought Sunday, which included the coffee table, nightstand, and table/chairs for the lanai. Here is the "after" video of the apartment: Sorry if you are not able to play it. You need a fairly new version of both your browser software and Flashplayer. I'm not putting the link to "A-Drive" this time, because a couple people said they experienced unwanted software being downloaded to their computer when they clicked on the link. So if you can play the ...

I went to a bar/grill last night (Cadillac Jacks) to introduce myself to the leader of the "Singles and Couples 40 and over in Southwest Florida" group, and ended up had a very nice time. I arrived early and had dinner at the bar of something they call the "Italian burger" which is one of their most popular sandwiches. It's a half-pound hamburger on a bun, and they top it with about 1/4 pound of their sliced Italian beef, and then finished off with Mozzarella cheese. Downed with a rum and coke, and Diet Coke after that. Yum! I introduced myself to "Ed" the group leader, and showed the required ID to join the group. The group had 36 reserved seats for the band's performance, and all were full though Ed put me on standby in case there were no-shows, but everyone made it. So I ended up sitting at the bar, but found some company there to talk with, including a lovely gal about 10 years my senior, who I think was out trolling on her own. The place was...

Friday: I started the day with a bike ride to Lakes Park (my first major bike ride since arriving here) for the Friday farmer's market, and was greeted with the first strawberries of the season. I bought a pint for $2.50 and ate them along with a raspberry danish and a good strong cup of Joe from the coffee vendor there. All very delicious. Faced a helluva head wind on the ride back to the apartment, but made it, and now I have my workout done for the day! I sent out my "email blast" to my customers announcing 10 new watches on the website, wired in three prescriptions via computer to the CVS pharmacy, then headed over to the Fleamasters flea market to see what I could find. I talked with a couple of the watch vendors there, and bought a watchband from one of the guys for $12, and got him to loosen the back of one of my vintage watches at no extra charge. A nice fellow, but no vintage watches for sale. I had lunch at the one of the food vendors called "A Taste of M...

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving. I started out the morning with a fresh grapefruit (peeled and sectioned) and a strawberry banana smoothie. I then photographed some eBay lots, and then tuned into the Macy's parade on NBC. It got off to a bit of a slow start for me, with that song and dance number by Tony Danza from the Broadway musical Honeymoon in Vegas. My god, who told that guy he could sing? Or act, for that matter? But after that, it was most enjoyable, and I certainly thought the Madison Scouts hit it out of the park with their rendition of Happy just before Santa Claus' arrival. By the way, I have to say Abby enjoys the new recliner, so much so that I have to boot her out occasionally. Also, she made it outside the confines of the lanai today, wedging her considerable bulk through a tear in the screen. So the lanai is now off limits until I can find a way to mend the tear ... probably a combination of duct tape and a few bricks lined up along the outside edge o...

I returned to the Community Thrift Store today to pick up my dresser, and got it back to the apartment safely, but the bigger news is that I found and bought a La-Z-Boy recliner through an ad on Craigslist. The sellers were a retired couple in Cape Coral who are refurnishing their home, and they simply need to get rid of the existing furniture. The chair is a rocker/recliner combination and, get this, it has a back massage feature built in. The chair plugs in, and then you have this remote control to activate an inflatable air pillow that rolls up and down your lumbar area. I wasn't really looking for a recliner with any "extras," but it is a very comfortable recliner if you just sit it in unplugged, and besides the guy only asked $100 for it. So I didn't even haggle with the price. The chair is in such nice condition ... even has the original arm and head covers came with it, and it looks like they took really good care of it. So here are photos of my new dresser and...

My return trip to the Community Thrift Store (next to Planet Fitness) today paid off, as I found a cute little dresser for the bedroom. Actually, I think it's a nightstand to a really large dresser/nightstand pair, because the actual dresser was at the thrift store also, but they had each priced individually, so I think for $40, this "nightstand" will serve just fine as my dresser. I'm trying to keep things on the small side for easier moving/storage, or whatever. Anyway, the TV is now off the upside-down Rubbermaid tub, and the cable box and modem are off the floor. The Rubbermaid tub is now serving as a temporary nightstand, and I bought a lamp to go on top so I can now do some bedside reading. Also scored a TV/entertainment stand from a craigslist seller in Estero (just south of the Fort Myers) which I picked up for $20 and have all set up in the living room. The scale is just right for the space I have. I'll post photos of both pieces on the next blog entry,...

Sunday Nov. 23 Kind of a hot humid day today, so I pretty much stayed inside. I did manage to put the new seat on the bicycle, so here is a photo of that: Upland Beach Cruiser with comfort seat and removable basket Monday Nov. 24 Another hot and humid one today. I googled a list of thrift stores within a 10-mile radius of me, and figured out the most efficient route and drove to all five of them in the hopes of finding some furniture, but came up empty. One place, the Blessed Pope John XXIII Thrift Store, was like a boutique with prices to match, which I found ironic in that sort of "poor-people-can't-afford-to-shop-here" way. Another had a nice overstuffed chair with ottoman, but it was $125 which I thought was a bit pricey, and I really want a recliner. One store was closed, so I will return to that one tomorrow, which according to plan was right next door to Planet Fitness. So I got a nice workout for the day, and afterward I was hungry for Dim Sum. There i...

Thursday, I made good on my threat to buy a printer. I have four eBay lots ending tomorrow, and I just can't bear the thought of standing at the print desk at Office Depot any more. I bought a Samsung bare bones laser printer and hooked it up to tablet that night. I can only print with the cable connected between the printer and the computer; I cannot print wirelessly due to the operating system of this tablet computer. But that's OK. For the small (but vital) amount printing I need to do,, this will work fine. For $84, it has saved me a $1,000 worth of headaches for the time I will be here. Best of all, the dry toner powder will last indefinitely, so I can leave the printer here for next season. I contacted Cape Spirits in Cape Coral via email to tour their rum distillery at 1 p.m. This is the place Heather (my former landlord here) told me about and said that her boyfriend, Danny, is the head distiller. Their main products are "Wicked Dolphin Rum" and "Rumshi...