Tom's sister, Pat Warner, and her husband, Frank Ruggieri, live in a large Ft Myers community called Gulf Harbour. They have a beautiful condominium home along the Caloosahatchee River.
Tom and I stayed with Pat and Frank --- in one of their three bedrooms. I had met Pat briefly in 2006, when she and her mother and her daughter visited Tom at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.
Gulf Harbour is an exclusive community with a Country Club and a Marina. Pat is one of the premier realtors in the area. We had dinner one night at a local favorite restaurant, one night at the Country Club, and one night at an Italian restaurant called Caffe Toscana.
Tom's 91 year old mother, Mary, lives in a nearby retirement community called Shell Point. She has a nice studio apartment on the 4th floor. Mary is as sharp as a tack and has a wonderful sense of humor.
We had the chance to visit her each day of our visit.
Tom and I did some walking and exploring. One day, we took a walk on a wooden trail to the Caloosahatchee River. There were orchids growing wild.
Another day, we went to Lakes Regional Park. We walked around one of the lakes and saw an alligator!
We were also able to take in a beautiful sunset there.
Tom was given a Teddy Bear on Christmas of his first year of birth. His mother still has that bear and Tom was kind enough to pose for me with Teddy. Both Tom and the bear are 70 years old!
Gulf Harbor has a little island and a lighthouse in the marina. I took a walk before dinner and caught a beautiful sunset.
The final full day in Ft Myers, we drove over to Sanibel Island. We stopped at the Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge and I saw some manatee. Well, maybe not real ones!
Before leaving the island, we went to a park on the west side and walked along the beach. There were wonderful sea shells --- something you don't see along the Pacific Ocean.
There were also a number of birds feasting on small fish as the tide was receding.
The next morning was our departure day. But, our flight was not until 2:45pm. So, we picked up Tom's mother and drove to meet sister Pat at her son's home. Matt and his wife Alexa bought a beautiful home near the river. It was the first visit for Grandma Mary!
Our flight out of West Florida International Airport was uneventful. We flew to Charlotte, North Carolina, and then took a flight to Phoenix Sky Harbor. Fortunately, we only had a one hour layover. American Airlines has Sky Harbor as a hub, so I am learning American Airlines!
We spent the night in Phoenix before driving up to Cinder Hills Kennel, where the three dogs resided for four weeks. Twenty-eight days is a long time to board Ramsey, Libby, and Kelsey, but Cinder Hills does a great job! Can you say Dalmatian hikes???
Everyone was glad to be home. The dogs each had a hot spot on one paw --- licking due to stress. I think I will try to limit future trips to less than three weeks. The dogs are more adjusted that way.
Back to some routines --- hair appointment in Flagstaff, Safeway grocery runs, hot tub soaks. Tom and I are also playing some Rummikub. His mother and sister play often. It used to be a favorite on vacations with Richard. Tom beat me three games in a row. But, he is still only one game ahead.
This is Thanksgiving week. Tom said he would be glad to cook. I checked around with some of my Williams friends --- to see if there were any gatherings. Not! With just two of us, it seemed best to enjoy the day of blessings and thanksgiving at the restaurant located at the Best Western Plus Inn. Richard and I went to there Thanksgiving dinner two years ago and they did a nice job. So, we dined there and then came back a little later to enjoy the music of Omar.
My Southern California family was having Thanksgiving dinner at Peter and Terry's home in San Gabriel. My sister Wendy was kind enough to forward several photos. One picture I like was of my brother, John, carrying the turkey. His birthday is November 25. Happy Birthday, John!
On Saturday afternoon, Bearizona Wildlife Park held a special event for all of the Season Pass holders. It was a kick-off for the Christmas holidays. At set times, various animals were given edible presents to open. Tom and I got to Bearizona around 4:15pm and enjoyed a quick time in the drive-thru area. Of course, there were bears enjoying the afternoon!
In the walk-thru part of the park, and before sundown, we watched the javalinas --- a family of four --- opened their two packages.
There is a wonder holiday music light show that plays throughout the evening. It was initiated two years ago. Orchestrated by an intricate computer program, the lights "dance" to festive instrumental music. We watched some of the show while enjoying an adult beverage at the bar of Canyonlands Restaurant.
At about 6:00pm, we left Bearizona and headed to downtown Williams. A holiday parade down Route 66 was scheduled to begin at 6:30pm. We stayed for the parade, but left before the huge Christmas tree on 2nd Street was officially lit.
Next year, perhaps this firetruck needs three Dalmatians???
I have been a dedicated Fitbit person for several years. This summer, I noticed that my summer leather band --- a blush pink --- was getting worn in several places. It was like the pink color was rubbing off the leather!
I decided to call Fitbit and see if this is a normal occurrence. The representative looked up my account. The leather band was only under a one year warranty, which expired in June. But, she asked if she could put me on hold to speak a supervisor about some options. Behold! I was offered a new leather band if I would email them a photo of the damaged band and fill out a form. That was an easy assignment! So glad I made that call. I was ready to buy a replacement band through Amazon.
