Happy New Year! (Long)

Happy 2015 everyone! I hope the new year brings you all health, happiness, new adventures, and even a few surprises (of the pleasant variety, of course!). God knows there's a lot of shit going on in the world, from cop killings, to journalist beheadings, to a North Korean lunatic just itching to drop an A-bomb (anywhere, doesn't matter). The media would have us believe the world is being Fed Ex'ed to hell in a handcart. But don't believe it. I'm not saying to bury your head in the sand; just keep it all in its proper perspective. Eighty-seven percent of people are good, decent, law-abiding folks. Another 12 percent are assholes who we wouldn't want to befriend, but with whom we must interact due to job or other circumstance beyond our control. Still, they wouldn't kill anyone, at least not on purpose. That leaves only one percent of truly whacked-out mo-fo's who, unfortunately, are thrust into our faces on a daily basis. All I'm saying is life is a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you go around looking for the bad, you'll find plenty of it, for sure. But you'll find plenty of good out there, too, if you just keep your heart and eyes open for it. May 2015 be a good year for all, and here endeth my two cent's worth.

Holy cow, it's been 10 days since my last blog update, so there's much to catch up. As most of you know, sister Dawn was with me from Dec. 24-31, and we were so busy with activities that we would arrive back at the apartment most days physically spent. And what little energy we had left would be used playing Scrabble or gin rummy or cribbage out on the lanai, or just watching a little TV, including a Packers/Lions game that I'll have everyone know I watched from start to finish because I know Dawn is a big Packers fan.

The short version is that we had a fantastic time. Except for one bad meal (which we made known to the restaurant's establishment and for which we were compensated), everything went off without a hitch. We got to all the attractions that I wanted Dawn to see and experience, and the weather cooperated wonderfully. I feel like we finished 2014 on a high note. Here's a day-by-day look at what we did:

Wednesday Dec. 24. I picked Dawn up at the airport, collected her checked bag, and drove back to the apartment, to which Dawn gave her instant seal of approval which made me happy. She got her stuff set up in the bedroom, and I made us lunch, including a slice of key lime pie to welcome her to Florida. We talked for a while in the living room about her trip, and then she took a sofa nap from being on the road since 2 a.m. (her United flight from Madison to Chicago was cancelled, and she ended up taking the Van Galder bus to O'Hare airport). At about 6 p.m., we made a beeline to Mel's Diner because they were closing at 7 p.m. on Xmas eve. Mel's was one of the restaurants I wanted to take Dawn, and they didn't disappoint. She had fried grouper, and I had a rack of their baby back ribs. For dessert, she had one of their mini ice cream sundaes and I had their mini creme brulee. Bedtime would begin my first of seven nights on the sofa bed, and I am happy to report that it was quite comfortable.

Thursday Dec. 25, Xmas day. I wanted to do something completely different from Christmases up north, so we made it into a day at the (Fort Myers) beach! We did a little walking tour of Estero and Old San Carlos Boulevards. And then walked along the surf line for a good quarter mile, feeling the sand and cool ocean water on our bare feet.  We spent the afternoon visiting some of the fun establishments along the ocean front, sampling their appetizer fare and adult beverages. We started out at the Gulfshore Grill, famous for their bacon-wrapped shrimp, which Dawn tried, while I ordered the grouper fingers. Both were delicious. Next we checked out the iconic Lani Kai -- pronounced LONNIE kye (like sky) resort. It has been in business for 40 years, and is one of the last "old style" resorts left on Fort Myers beach, and is completely charming in that kitchy sort of way. Deep turquoise in color, it is instantly recognizable along the beachline, and is a favorite rendezvous spot for locals and tourists alike ("Let's all meet at the Lani Kai.") The high spot at the Lani Kai was that we visited the rooftop restaurant/bar and each had a rum and coke while seated in one of their signature "glider booths" while enjoying the ocean view. We were treated to a virtual cornucopia of people to watch, from biker dudes and sun-crisped cougars trolling for their next victims, to families attempting to squeeze through the aisles with their double-wide strollers. The best was a group of German tourists who apparently saw nothing wrong with bringing their own bottle of Tanqueray to their table and topping off their gin and tonics with an extra helping of booze. They teetered off, no doubt to their next drinking destination, leaving the empty bottle behind for the stunned waitress. Dinner was the Xmas buffet at the Pinchers Crab Shack up the beach a ways, and to my great surprise it was awful. We arrived about 5 p.m., so there were still two hours to go on the buffet, and they were out of several key items on the buffet, and what was left was luke warm, way past fresh, overcooked, or a combination thereof. We picked around and found enough to eat and get ourselves full, but it was all under duress and with the knowledge that if we simply packed up and left, we would likely find few options being Xmas day without dinner reservations anywhere else. Pinchers has long been a favorite of mine, so I was really surprised that they attempted to pass this off and ask $24.95 for it with a straight face. So we had what I consider a very civil conversation with our waiter, and he gave us half off our bill. No great harm done, and like I said at the beginning this was our only let down in an otherwise flawless time spent together. I just wasn't expecting it to come from here, and to be fair we gave Pincher's another try at a later date and ordered off their regular menu, and the seafood was its usual excellent.

Friday Dec. 26. We started the day at the Lakes Park farmer's market, where we had a breakfast of bagel sandwich (egg, sausage, cheese), shared a pint of fresh strawberries, and coffee. I introduced Dawn to the bicycle retirees group (the Peckerwoods) and were thoroughly entertained by their antics, mostly by "Norton" (formerly from Kenosha, Wis.) who regaled us with stories and one-liners. From there, we went to the Fleamasters flea market, where we purchased, mingled, and nibbled. Dawn bought a pair of swim shoes, and a couple of used books. From there, back to the apartment where I made BLT sandwiches from the fresh bread and vine ripened tomatoes we had purchased at the Farmer's Market. Lively games of Scrabble and cribbage followed.

Saturday Dec. 27. Breakfast today was at a place called "Crave," just around the corner from the apartment at a small strip mall. The place has been getting excellent reviews since their opening in September. Dawn had a veggie omelet, and I had a traditional Benedict with soft poached egg, Canadian bacon, and a velvety smooth hollandaise sauce. I also ordered a bowl of fresh seasonal berries, half of which I put on a single pancake that I ordered as a chaser. We spent the greater share of the day at the Edison-Ford winter estates and Edison laboratory. We had a very entertaining docent by the name of "Andrew" who gave us the full tour, punctuated by trivia and facts little known and quickly forgotten. (E.g., Edison tested 17,000 plant species for a source of natural rubber that could be cultivated in America, finally stumbling upon Goldenrod. All rendered useless of course by the discovery of synthetic rubber in the early 1930s.) We then went to old downtown Fort Myers (just down the street from Edison), where we walked around Plaza de Leon, and partook in sample-size portions of foods from two eateries ... "Deli Downtown," (hot pastrami sandwich on pumpernickel) and "Downtown Pizza" (cheese slice like Ray's Pizza in New York). We then went to the Indigo Hotel where we were going to have a drink at their rooftop bar, but came away empty-bellied because they didn't start serving until 5 p.m. Back to the apartment where for dinner I prepared pork chops with stuffing, and a packaged vegetable medley (Green Giant) with cheese sauce, and fresh pineapple for dessert.

Sunday Dec. 28. A quick breakfast at the apartment, and then at 8:30 we high-tailed it back to Fort Myers beach to catch the "Big M" gambling cruise. Traffic was light, so we arrived in plenty of time to purchase our tickets ($5 with coupon, normally $10) so we walked around Fort Myers Beach for a while, and boarded the ship at 9:45 and played a game of Scrabble on the top deck before leaving port at 10:30 with the ship about half filled with fellow gamblers. We played a game of ship's Bingo, but with no success winning the $90 single jackpot for the "coverall" game. The casino opened at about 11:45 upon reaching international waters. Dawn won $21 at one of the slot machines, I won $30 at blackjack. After that, we enjoyed a snack of tuna salad and crackers that we brought along because the buffet aboard ship is, for the most part, just edible. I went back to the casino and played craps for the first time. In the last couple of weeks, I have been watching a few videos on youtube and played some simulated games on a free app because I have long been fascinated with the game but too intimidated to actually try it. But there appeared to be a friendly game going on in the casino with other beginners, so I gave it a try, and came out another $13 ahead before cashing out. So Dawn and I both ended up on the plus side, which was very nice. The sail out to international waters and back was extremely pleasant, with sunny skies and smooth waters. By the time we docked at 3:30, we were both hungry as balls, so crossed the bridge back over to Fort Myers, and went to "DG Chinese Restaurant" where we ordered up a veritable feast consisting of three dishes from their dim sum menu (pork dumplings, terriyaki beef, shrimp spring rolls), and an order of chicken moo goo gai pan with pork fried rice from their regular menu. The entire bill with tip came to a bargain $38, and we used some of the money that (brother) Curt and (sister-in-law) Karen had given us as a Christmas gift.

Monday Dec. 29. We devoted the entire day to Sanibel and Captiva Islands. The cross-over on the causeway was its usual breathtaking experience. Our day began at the "Over Easy Cafe," a top recommend on Yelp, and we were not disappointed. We started out by sharing one of their homemade cinnamon rolls, then each had a specialty omelet (Western for me, Mediterranean for Dawn) with grits (Dawn) and home fries (Bruce). We used the $22 remainder of our Curt/Karen dollars, kicking in an extra $12 for the rest of the bill, including the tip, so Curt/Karen just to let you know we got almost two meals out of the money you gave us, so thank you. From there we went to the J.N. "Ding" Darling nature preserve. We spent some time at the visitors center, and then did the 4.5 mile car ride along the accessway, stopping frequently to look at the waterfowl and beautiful inlets where the birds and other animals congregate. We saw egrets, heron, pelicans, tree crabs, and an alligator among other wildlife. But the highlight was we got to see a bald eagle swoop in from one of the inlets and make a pinpoint landing atop a utility pole where it perched for a while scoping things out. It was a beautiful sight. From Ding Darling, we drove to Bowman Beach to walk the surfline and look for shells. We both slathered up with sunscreen because it was a brilliantly sunny day. The beach was quite crowded, as this is arguably the best beach on the island. But as we walked along the beach, the crowds thinned the farther away we got from the main walkway that leads to the parking lot. We both got a good dose of sun, spending about an hour at the beach. We rinsed off the sand at the bathhouse (newly built since my last visit two year ago) then headed over to Captiva Island. We were both pretty parched, so stopped at one of local watering holes (Key Lime Bistro) for frozen Dacquiris and an order of chips with salsa. From there, we crossed the street over to R.C. Otters, where we had a gift certificate from Dawn's friend, Jaci, and we each had crabcakes for dinner, which were delicious. From there, we crossed the street over to another eatery called the Bubble Room, where I got a slice to go of their signature Orange Crunch Cake for us to share. From there, we drove another quarter mile or so to the tip of Captiva because Dawn wanted to visit an art gallery there called  "2 Islands Gallery Fine Art." It's an artists' cooperative and, as you might expect, stuff was very expensive there, but Dawn found a small print with kitties on it. The shopping center that houses the art gallery is actually part of the South Seas Island Resort, which is one of the more exclusive resorts on Sanibel/Captiva, where a room with an ocean view starts at $419/night (taxes and resort fees put you up around $500/night). This little shopping center also had a provisions store, so we got a cup of coffee and enjoyed our orange crunch cake out of the patio. Our strategy was to try and avoid some of the exit traffic leaving the islands. Unfortunately, we did not totally escape it, and it took us nearly an hour to travel the 12 miles from Captiva to the causeway. We got back to the apartment and both of us showered to remove the combination of sand, sunscreen, and sweat. I think that evening found us the most exhausted from all the fresh air and sunshine, and we both fell quickly asleep.

Tuesday Dec. 30. I made breakfast at the apartment, and then we headed over to Manatee Park in the hopes of spotting a few manatees. But the warm weather that blessed our visit together in so many other ways did not bode well for manatee activity. With warmer temperatures, there is little to lure to manatees to the power plant discharge water, and they head out into the open gulf. We did see a couple of manatee snouts poking out of the water, but little else. Still, it was a nice time, and we got a good dose of education via the 3 videos that were playing at the visitors center. Dawn was thinking of joining the "adopt a manatee" program, but after thinking it through, we decided it's a near hopeless cause for reasons I won't get into. So instead, she just supported the manatees by buying $25 worth of manatee stuff at the gift shop. After, we drove to Sun Harvest Citrus, which I wanted Dawn to see because it is southwest Florida's largest citrus outlet, where you can buy and ship all kinds of citrus of the best quality to be found. Plus, it's a giant souvenir store, and they have a lovely bakery/deli, where you can buy all sorts of treats including ice cream cones to eat on their front patio which have become world famous. Dawn bought a couple of gift boxes to be shipped, and we both got some free juice samples and each bought a vanilla/orange twist cone. Also, because she spent the required $20 minimum, we had a coupon for a free five pound "citrus sampler" bag of oranges and grapefruit, which I am enjoying now. We also bought a couple of "Honeybell" oranges (also called "Honeybell Tangelos"), an unusual hybrid involving Dancy Tangerine, Duncan Grapefruit, and naval orange. It's a favorite among Florida locals for its unique flavor, sweetness, and juiciness. Plus the skin practically falls off on its own when you peel it. They are only available in late December and January, and it's estimated that only one in 3,000 people have ever tasted a true "Honeybell" orange. When you bite down on a section of this orange, your mouth is virtually flooded with juice; there is almost no pulp to this orange. A five pound box will run you $24.95 plus shipping from Sun Harvest. A bargain when you consider a five-pound box of regular navals will run you $22.95. So if you've never tried a Honeybell, I encourage you to order some, or you folks in Wisconsin might check Brennans Fruit Market to see if they are available locally. They are quite something. After Sun Harvest, we drove to the Pincher's Crab Shack at the marina by the Edison-Ford Estate. After the Xmas buffet disaster at the beach location, we wanted to give them another chance, but this time at their downtown location. We ordered off the regular menu, and it was quite excellent. Dawn got a fried clam platter, while I got a fried shrimp platter, and we shared so that each of us got a taste of clams and a taste of shrimp. The clams in particular were especially good. They have recently converted to hand-battering the clams on premises versus getting them pre-breaded from their supplier, and this makes all the difference. For those readers old enough to remember the "Tendersweet Clams" that Howard Johnson's used to prepare 40 years ago before they went corporate and their food turned to crap, this is what the Pincher's clams reminded me of. Back at the apartment, Dawn sent a few emails, we both took short naps, and ended up playing gin rummy and 3-game cribbage tournament after a light dinner of grilled ham-n-cheese sandwiches, prepared on one of my new pans that arrived today from amazon dot com. This looks like a great set of cookware that will last me a long time. I promptly threw away my "old" set (purchased in November and already worn out) from Walmart.

Wed. Dec. 31. Time for Dawn to return to the frozen north. I prepared one my strawberry/banana smoothies, and gave Dawn a portion of it, and she pronounced it excellent. I followed that with a couple of scrambled eggs and 2 strips of bacon for Dawn so she would have a little protein in her belly. She finished packing, and we set out for the airport at 11 a.m., arriving about 11:45, with her flight departing at 1:45. I had my gym bag packed and in the car, and after dropping off Dawn at ticketing/departure, promptly headed over to Planet Fitness to try and undue some of the wanton excess of the prior week. I had a nice 2-hour workout, then headed back to the apartment for some lunch. Dawn called me from Chicago, and then from her condo in Madison, to let me know her flights went well and that she arrived home safe and sound. I also got a nice long call from my friend, Amy, in West Allis, Wis., and we had a nice long chat and were able to get caught up. Among other things, Amy passed along the good news that her mom, Lynn, (currently residing in Portage, Wis.) has caught the "Florida Fever" and will likely be putting in an offer on a home in Leesburg. Lynn, if you are reading this, congratulations on your decision. If your experience is anything like mine, you won't regret it. By the time all phone calls were received, it was near 10 p.m., and I headed off to my "regular" bed once again, which felt very nice. The sofa bed is once again in "standby" mode, ready for sister-in-law Julie's arrival 10 days from now, though we will be doing most of our sleeping during her visit aboard the Royal Caribbean "Brilliance of the Seas."

That brings us to today, Thursday, Jan. 1. I had a nice leisurely breakfast at the apartment of a grapefruit, bagel breakfast sandwich, and coffee. I cleaned up the apartment a little bit, including stripping the bed and washing/drying all the sheets/pillow cases. I started this blog entry at about 9:30 a.m., and now it's 4:30 p.m. as I complete the spell check. So if you have made it to the end, congratulations. I should return to the previous format of blogging approximately every other day, with another break Jan. 12-16 for the cruise.

Take care, everyone,

Bruce