Turn up there

As you may know Mom, Cindy, Aunt Janet and I went to Florida, Naples actually, this winter to visit Grandpa and Claudia. Great excuse to get a few riding miles in outside with no weather issues, catch an early tan, and visit with family.

Especially cool was spending time with Aunt Janet who I've never really spent awhole lot of time with since I grew up. As a kid I spent alot of time over there -- hanging out when Mom and Dad played bridge, babysitting the kids, etc. I really liked Michael -- got a kick out him and had a blast whenever we were together. Plus he was uber-talented. I miss him - wish I'd seen him more when I went to college.

I had been to Florida a few years in a row to visit Mom and Dad -- but of course that was a couple of years ago. And I hadn't spent that much time with Cindy since Paris -- again a couple of years ago. So it was fun hanging out, spending big hunks of time with them. Kind of a good time ro reconnect, share, find out Cindy snores just a little bit (!), and just relax.

Also of course got to spend time with Grandpa and Claudia. Had a blast looking at old pictures with Grandpa and hearing all his stories. He always tells great stories and loads of them. Dad used to joke that he could recite all the stories -- because Grandpa told the same ones each time they went down there! He's amazing for his age -- still sharp as a tack and really gets around better than you think. OK lets not discuss the driving aspect!



Speaking of driving -- lets not discuss the driving aspect with Claudia either! Whew her directions are hard to take -- especially from the back seat where she points at which direction she wants you to go. That's exceedingly helpful if you don't mind turning fully around and figuring out what she's trying to gesture -- while you are speeding down the crowded streets with hundreds of other folks Grandpa's age who probably shouldn't be dirving any more than he should! Turn up there was a good one -- never could figure out which way. Right or Left Claudia -- right or left?!

But I figured out why -- she really doesn't know R from L. In a game Cindy brought, you roll dice for R(ight), L(eft), or C(enter) so you know which direction to send your chips (well hopefully you get the dot so you can keep them but really that doesn't seem to happen too often!). Since she never knew which way to push her chips you invariably got robbed as she'd send them the wrong way. So to subtly help I took to WOOHOOing whenever they were supposed to come to me, or conversely a picture of disgust if they went to Grandpa (they ALWAYS went to Grandpa). Great fun that game was, Aunt Janet obviously a ringer, but you can imagine how fun it is to get driving directions from someone that doesn't know right from left!

We had some fun outings too. We spent an ENTIRE day at the Zoo -- I think noone but myself ever imagined themselves spending 8 hours at a zoo. For me of course it was way to short! It was remarkable and great great fun. We even met a former contestant on Survivor and got to spend tons of time with the wild cat she was working with (you know me and cats!) and Cindy got to flirt with the alligator guy! He was quite amused with us I think!

Cindy, Aunt Janet, and I spent another day at the Audobon center looking for wild birds. For awhile we would have been happy seeing even tame birds. All we really got were some dots high up in the air folks convinced us were birds, some bird calls (that could have been from the hikers), and some common birds Aunt Janet made point of saying she sees every night in her back yard!

Oooh -- but then we hit some great stuff. An owl right behind us, some water birds, and then a watering hole that was chock full of all different kinds of birds. I don't recall what most of them were but it was really cool! We hiked a couple of miles along this boardwalk and ended up having a great great time. And to see all of those great birds so close -- it was worth the first part of the boardwalk (again of course I was completely content even starting off! Could have stayed there even longer just sitting and checking out the birds, leaves, air, water -- just about anything!).

One day I rode my bike up to Fort Meyers. I hear this terrible screeching noise. There - -perched on a pole -- is a BALD EAGLE! My first every sighting! Of course - NO CAMERA. Tried with my cell phone but it was just another dot in the landscape. Oh well -- at least I got to see one in "the wild"!

We even hit the lodge and there was food I could eat -- it was quite good. Grandpa is still a bit hit there and you can see he hasn't lost any of that Claude charm!


I hope that we go back.