Bruce's Travels

I arrived back in Janesville April 28 (Tuesday) about 3:30 p.m. local time. Figured I should close out this blog series for my "Winter in Fort Myers." Except for the last couple of weeks, the winter in Fort Myers was, in a word, FANTASTIC! I enjoyed myself very much. Lots of new experiences, and great fun enjoying old experiences over again. I felt much more "social" this time around, having connected with two different "meetup" groups, and having a met a very nice woman by the name of Nora through "ourtime" which resulted in several pleasant outings. Meeting new people certainly expanded my horizons and knowledge of local venues. I would be hard-pressed to name a favorite activity, but certainly the Royal Caribbean cruise, the week with Dawn, the little side trip to St. Pete, and the Everglades adventure were right up there. Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel Island, the Lakes Park farmer's market, Big M floating casino (all told, won $475 at the...

Hi everyone. Not your usual blog entry today. I am not aboard the Big M casino, nor is this about my past week's goings-on. The fact is, I haven't done shit this past week, due to catching a nasty cold, the likes of which I haven't seen since returning from my Germany trip a year ago (to the month, in fact). I'll spare you the unpleasant details, but basically I have been pretty miserable since last Wednesday. I've been confined mostly to the apartment, going out only to get some food in tummy or buy some OTC meds to try and alleviate symptoms. I did not go to an urgent care center, because when I've gone in the past, I am told there is nothing they can do. Antibiotics are useless, so basically it’s a waste of half a day sitting in a waiting room with other sick people, and the best you can hope for is to leave with a scrip for a 4-ounce bottle of Robitusen-C (which lasts about a day!) and the usual instructions to rest and drink plenty of fluids. Blah, blah, ...

Tuesday April 14. On the dock of the Big M floating casino, hoping for a “win” today. It’s already 76, climbing to a predicted high of 90. I’ve gone and caught myself a cold. I’ve been perfectly fine here since November, save for a week early on of some intestinal distress, so I guess it was bound to happen. I’ve certainly been around plenty of people with sneezes and sniffles. At least the cold is confined to my chest; I hope I don’t have one of those “traveling colds” that moves up to my sinuses. We’ll see. Yes! The winning streak is back! Won $97 at the craps table. Wanted to top $100, but I would have had to start a fresh round with a new shooter, and opted not to. Probably the right decision. Here are some highlights from the previous week. Thursday April 9. I joined the widows and widowers social group at “Komoon” restaurant in Bonita Springs. There were about 16 of us. The menu is Japanese (full sushi bar), Thai, and Peruvian. Go figure that one. I had a Mojito made with S...

Cape Coral is just one mile from the western edge of Fort Myers (FM) over the Calusahatchee River via a $2 toll bridge. But it might as well be 1,000 miles away, for the culture and vibe of Cape Coral is as different from FM as Oscar Madison is from Felix Unger. First, there are no beaches on Cape Coral because the entire peninsula is surrounded by mangrove. Cape Coralians must cross one of three bridges to FM and then drive to the beach or to Sanibel Island. Failing that, the nearest beach is 20 miles to the north, at Punta Gorda or Port Charlotte, and even then you’re on the Calusahatchee and not the ocean. And then there are the canals. Canals everywhere. More total miles of canals than in the city of Venice, Italy, I’m told. Many leading to the Calusahatchee and out into the Gulf of Mexico. Many more dead-ending into various lakes for the more faint of heart mariner who just wants a place to fish. All canals leading into the more tony of Cape Coral’s neighborhoods. And speaking of...

Tuesday March 31 onboard the Big M CasinoGreetings, and I hope this finds you all well and in good spirits. Spring is making its way up north, and I hope the return of warmer temps and longer days is bringing you more smiles and energy. I can’t believe how quickly the time is flying, and it seems impossible that I have just a month left here before returning to Wisconsin. News flash: I renewed the lease on the Fort Myers apartment for another year, so I am all set for next season and don’t have to worry about packing and moving and/or storing furniture. The landlord (Bob Biasotti) was quite reasonable on the terms, and is only charging me an additional $30 a month on the “base rent” during the 6 months I am not here, and this is to keep the thermostat at 82 degrees to prevent heat and humidity damage. I was completely agreeable to this, especially since now I have furniture and a bed in the apartment. Just to finish out today, I won $66 at the craps table. I had an ala carte lunch o...