WED MARCH 10TH - BOY DID WE HAVE FUN ON MARCO ISLAND

We did go to the "Grand Buffet" and enjoyed it very much. All you need is one meal a day if you go there. I had so much fun trying out every chicken dish they had. Jim didn't like it as much as the "Grand Buffet" in Rockport TX. Not as much variety and the desserts weren't as good and we all know how much Jim likes desserts.
The buffet was in a shopping mall as they often are. I wandered over to a "Tuesday Morning" store. Nothing in there I needed but I did fine a fun Margarita glass and bought it. When I got finished shopping Jim decided we would go to Marco Island, I was thrilled because they are purported to have 3 beaches.
They indeed did.
My favorite thing is the Panther Crossing or Panther Traffic signs they have the farther you get near The Everglades.
Marco Island is right next to The Everglades. Next to Everglades City anyway. We had a hard time finding the beaches. We passed up Tigertail Beach, looked private, then we saw signs for Residents Beach, looked private and then we saw signs for South Beach but couldn't find it. We finally went back to Residents Beach and found a sign for a parking lot, Left the dogs in the truck for an hour, someone leaving the parking lot gave us their pass, they were from Ontario, it is $8 to park, we took the trail through two Hugh high rises, may have been hotels, all beach front there is tall. We we walking along and the beach wasn't crowded because it was cool and cloudy and very breezy.It's funny how 74 on the Ocean can be cool.

Jim hit the honeypot, as Grandpa Wester would say, bring the coffeepot, something like that, when Jim wakes up he will have to tell me. I never get the old sayings right. anyway he found a bunch of shells, they were pretty and spiral like small conch shells, he gathered them up and put them in his jacket, we headed back and when we got back to the truck he put the shells in a gallon jug by cutting the top off and we stopped and got some rubbing alcohol and dumped on them to clean them out. Now we have to see if it works. He didn't want to bleach the color out of them.

There was a park ranger in the park when we got back and came over and talked to us about the dogs in the truck. In Collier County there is an ordinance about having animals in your vehicle. $30 fine so it was a good think we got back when we did. He just talked to us (scolded us) and told us stories about some tragedies that had happened in the past with dogs. I can understand his point of view but we would never leave the dogs there on a hot sunny day and never for more than an hour in any event.

As we left the beach the sun did start to peak out, it was a half hour ride or so to get back to our RV park. The dogs have traveled so well on the trip.

You can tell it's starting to warm up outside, we are able to sleep without the huge quilt, and I don't have to have the heat on in the morning, just the small electric heater in the kitchen to take off the chill and no jacket when I go outside.

We meet John Fryxell today for lunch at "Harry's Bar", they have wonderful hamburgers I hear. We love our burgers.

Everyday we say, "this is the day we just sit around and read". Then something comes up. I will designate March 11th as "SAD" Day. Sit Around Day! I kind of like that, and on SAD Day we have to walk around the lake twice. We need to get some exercise in.

Jim is reading WWII books and I am almost finish with "Summer on Blossom Street" by Debbie Macomber, the fourth book in a series, I started with "The Shop on Blossom Street", "A Good Yarn", "Return to Blossom Street" and now this one, I am doing this from memory so I hope I have it right. For all you fellow knitters, it's a fun read and for all you women the stories are all about friendship. Fun reads. I get to start a new book today, Yipee Skipee, I brought 8 to read and I still am finding time to knit, I want to finish my shawl.

I talked to Linda Johnson from our knitting club that I started, we have gained some new members, we call ourselves the KCiers. For knitters and crocheters. Or The Bethany Knitting Club. In any event it is still going on and I am pleased. It is so much fun to get together. I guess you can say both Jim and I miss our little community of Remer. We do have fun there. Jim can't wait to take Makons to the pond and throw sticks so she can fetch. This pond, (lake) we are on at the park, I hear has a 4 foot alligator I haven't seen yet.