A Fun Day Off and On the Island!

Ken only got up at 6:30 and went to the LR to read and watch the news.  I woke at 7, did some reading and then we packed our lunches and prepped for breakfast.

Ken took a 45 minute walk while I got ready.  When he returned we enjoyed a breakfast of flax pancakes.  We have really learned to enjoy them.  Thank you Barry and Deb for the recipe!

Checked in with Chuck and Melissa and she is still not feeling well.  They decided to go to an Urgent Care in Cape Coral so she could get on the "healing trail" quickly.

We left the CG at 9:45, stopping to get gas and drinks, before meeting Ernie and Noela at 11:00 at Manatee Park in the Ft. Myers area. 

So much fun to make friends with a Manatee!

....and with the pirate manatee!  Wonder what is in the
treasure chest????

Amazing how many people come to view the manatees.  You can walk around on the walkways or you can even rent kayaks or canoes and paddle around the area! 

A great place to view the manatees....

......or to kayak or canoe!

So much fun to share the experience with Ernie and Noela!

The manatees come into that area to stay in the warmer water near the power plant until the Gulf waters lose their "chill".  We saw dozens of manatees and even some babies.  They are not the most beautiful creatures in the world (sort of a "blob"), but they are interesting to observe.  We found them fascinating.

There were lots of manatees to observe!

They came up for air about every 3 to 5 minutes.  I think their
snouts look like that of a seal or porpoise!

A mama and her baby!

It looks like this one might have gotten too close to the
rudder of a boat!

The manatee's closest living relative is the elephant!  So many
same features!

Can't believe how much they eat!!!!

They have a butterfly garden at the Park and we also saw a snake, not one of my favorites to observe.  Ken decided he found the right sized alligator to "wrestle".  Made me nervous, but he was my hero!

Good job, Ken!

Stand back.  I see a snake!

We had packed our lunches and even though the sun was shining, it was not quite 60 degrees, so we decided to eat our packed lunches for dinner and have another enjoyable time at Sweet Tomato.  After all, Noela had a coupon that expired today and you could get 2 adult trips with hot and cold drinks and unlimited trips to the salad, bakery, soup, and dessert bars for only $8.29!  Who could pass up that deal!!!  As per usual, we had a great meal and fantastic fellowship.

We parted ways around 3 and Ken and I went to Costco to return a bathing suit I had bought and for Ken to pick up his prescriptions.  Of course, there were a few other items we just couldn't help buying.  We also picked up a few things for Neil and Nancy!

We were back to the CG by 5:30, unloaded, and then met John and Cindy at the clubhouse to play cornhole.  We played outside and it was starting to get cool, especially when the sun went down.  We played men vs. women and the men won the 1st two rather easily, but we won #3.  It was a lot of fun.

These are intense games.....

....and the men were on "fire"!  So glad we at least won the
3rd game!

A gorgeous sunset!

Back to Waldo for a light dinner and then Neil and Nancy stopped by to pick up the items we had gotten for them at Costco.  We enjoyed a 45 minute visit of sharing and just having a good time.  We value their friendship!

We had talked to Chuck and Melissa earlier today when they had left Urgent Care.  They prescribed lots of medicine for her (they tend to do that here in FL), but determined she did not have the flu or much congestion on her lungs - probably a cold.  

Melissa was feeling better, so we went over at 7:30 and had a fun evening.  All of us are hoping that we don't "catch" whatever she has!!!!  We played Skip-Bo, Pinochle, and 5 Crowns and the women won every game - WOW! 

It is hard to believe that we have been together here for 8 days and they will be heading to Daytona tomorrow.  It has been a different type week here on Pine Island.  Between the wind, rain, cooler temperatures, and Melissa being sick, we did not get to do many of the activities we usually do together while on the Island.  The bike path that goes the length of the island still has many areas where it is underwater, which makes walking a problem.  You have to go along the edge of the road and it really isn't very safe.  (Polly, I might need my bike helmet for walking!!!)  We really are sad for them to leave, but it is easier to handle when we know we will be back together in 2 weeks and have 4 more weeks of being together here in Florida.  We certainly enjoy sharing our time with them and miss when we aren't together!