BACK TO FT.MYERS - MARCH 12

We were glad to pull in back to our home in Ft.Myers, with Ted's cousin Margaret and husband Brent. They are just the most graciouos hosts and we love their home here. The plaque in the dining room overlooking their lovely garden patio (lovingly planted with flowers and trees that the birds and littel critters love) says "Another day in Paradise" and we smile as we pass it a million times a day...

  One thing we miss here is news. You can switch on CNN which is supposed to be world news. Despite a revolution in the ex-Russian states, revolts in Turkey, a new premier in Alberta, it is non-stop talking heads surmising what might have happened to the missing Malaysian Air jet with almost 300 people on board. Lost without trace.  WE do get the weekend newspaper wherever we are and it's a tad better, but we basically  have to go to the Toronto Globe & Mail site to get anything worthwhile. We can get BBC newshouse on PBS here too.

  Naples is also a super city south of here, beautiful homes, multi-million mansions with their multi-million boats parked right outside on your personal canal. No sign of recession in this part of the US. 

Margaret and I on their boat! Hahaha

   We went down there one day to take a boat trip out to the Gulf, vaguely spotted two dolphins, lots of seabirds. then stroll the ritzy shopping area, 5th Avenue South, to check out the high-end restaurants and one-of-a-kind shops, where Margaret and I did a wee bit of retail therapy while the boys sat watching the passing scene.

Photo: Homes on Port Royal, seen from our boat trip

  There are several very high end shopping malls - did I mention the shopping down here? Bealls is a dept store (also with an outlet store) where if you wait long enough, they practically give stuff to you. Ted has invested in several nice cotton shirts, shorts, belts, sun glasses, so it's not just me. Meanwhile I've found all sorts of bargains, nice Columbia gear (wish I'd had the rain jacket before we headed north!) Banana Republic seems to be overstocked so we've helped them out a bit there too. A big outlet mall south of here is jammed with ther kids on school break right now, but you can still shop easily in adult stores, like Merrill (2 pairs of sandals) and Rockport (two pairs of flats.) So much choice compared with Canada, and of course, running into all sorts of Canadians (mainly from Ontario and Quebec) who are busy cramming before going home after their winter breaks.

  There are good Mexican restaurants down here as many of the housekeeping and labour down here are Hispanic.

  But we are finding food fairly expensive, same as in Calgary, which is considered higher than Ontario. But it could be where we have been shopping, haven't gone to Walmart much!

  One thing that is lovely is eating outside, especially when it's full moon. But Ted has been bitten by something in the evenings. It must be pretty bad in sumer when the rains come as it's mosquito time then. The love bugs are merely a nuisance here.

  M&B invited friends and the two aunts who also have a place in this complex for dinner and we really enjoyed the camaraderie then.