Places
Volunteer fail?
I started a volunteer gig when I returned from Thanksgiving in Tillamook. One day a week, for four hours in the afternoon, I drive a golf cart at the Lee Health Regional Cancer Center in Ft Myers, shuttling people from their cars to their cancer or rehab treatments and back to their cars when they … Continue reading
New Year’s Eve at the American Legion
The original plan was to attend the New Year’s Eve party here at my RV resort. But the tickets were $50 each, the band was the “house band” – a bunch of residents who jam together and are decent but not great (especially on vocals) and the food last year was just awful. Marlene found … Continue reading
A not-very-Florida Christmas
The high temperature on Christmas Day in Ft Myers was 51. The low was 39. The resort groundskeeper covered the flowering plants to prevent damage. People walked dogs in winter parkas and mittens. Rusty didn’t want to go out. Definitely not your typical Florida Christmas. I didn’t have a lot of Christmas spirit, but, fortunately, … Continue reading
Tuesdays at Gilchrist Park
Gilchrist Park is a large public space on the south side of Charlotte Harbor in Punta Gorda FL. On a nice day it is a great place to walk, bicycle or skateboard. But at sunset on Tuesdays it is home to a jam session by local musicians who serenade, gratis, anyone who cares to take … Continue reading
Tillamook Thanksgiving 2022 – Day 4
This was a “getaway” day. Everyone who stayed with my sister and her husband – and she had 7 houseguests that last night – packed up and left. I visited a casino on my way out of Tillamook (Spirit Mountain where I dropped $100), had a farewell lunch with my sister, Lois, and her husband, … Continue reading
Tillamook Thanksgiving 2022 – Day 3
Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, was, as is often the case, a day of rest and recovery, with turkey leftovers. It was a raw, rainy day in Tillamook, so it was spent indoors, at my sister’s house until dinnertime, then we moved the party to the beach house of her son and daughter-in-law, Michael and … Continue reading
Tillamook Thanksgiving 2022 – Day 2
Thanksgiving Day. One like none other – 16 adults, 7 children (all under 8), 8 dogs and 1 cat. Pandemonium. But it started quietly. Brother-in-law Chris and I did a round of disc golf at the local middle school. The course is not particularly difficult in terms of terrain – very flat, few trees, no … Continue reading
Tillamook Thanksgiving 2022 – Day 1
I was not going to go anywhere for Thanksgiving this year, much less across the continent to Oregon. But my sister convinced me that I needed to meet her grandchildren. So on Tuesday I flew to Charlotte (1.5 hours), then to Portland (5.0 hours) and drove 90 minutes to Tillamook OR, arriving at 10pm local … Continue reading
Nauti Parrot Oasis
I went to a benefit concert Sunday at the Nauti Parrot Oasis in Fort Myers. It was a fundraiser for homeless vets. Five bands donating their services from 1pm until 8pm and a special menu where 100% of the proceeds went to the cause. Lots of good music and a few beers warmed a cool … Continue reading
Four months and still a mess
I visited Fort Myers Beach for the first time since Hurricane Ian, on the 4-month anniversary of the storm. I didn’t expect to see a fully-recovered city, but what I saw was pretty shocking. I guess the good news is that the main drag – Estero Boulevard – is passable. But many structures are completely … Continue reading »