Gratitude, vacation

1. Thank you to God and all who help me get through a day
2. Grateful that Barb completed her undergrad work, gets published, likes studying tetrahymena - NOW I AM GETTING EMOTIONAL!
3. Grateful Sacha is in China and arrived ok
4. Grateful that 4 July holiday was good

I feel compelled to write about the trip to Florida over the July 4 weekend.

What I Did on My Summer Vacation

Friday, July 4 is when we flew out of Cleveland and arrived at Shell Point Village (near Sanibel) in the early evening. Weather was good. USA3000 was good also and not an empty seat was there on our flight.

Shell Point Village people are very friendly. Dinner was at a seafood place near Shell Point Village, with fireworks heard in the distance (it was after all the 4th of July). Seafood place was on the water and what some could call romantic. Dinner included lobster bisque and grouper with a salad and rice. This was the first meal since Taza. We survived and enjoyed even tho' Taza did cross my mind a couple of times.

Saturday, after a nice (al fresco) brunch of fruit, hash browns, salad, etc. at one of the Shell Point Village restaurants, we drove to Cape Coral Health Care Center and visited with Don Wagner until dinner around 5. He is in his usual good spirits. We talked a lot about Barbara and Sacha. He said the Poconos is a place where people get married and honeymoon.

Saturday night, it was Sanibel and Captiva, with their lush vegetation and really, well, quite impressive everything. It is hard to know where to begin. The causeway itself is a wonderful drive. The vegetation on both sides of the single road leading down the island is very thick and beautiful. I am happy we drove all the way down to Captiva. This is probably the prettiest part of Florida that I have seen. It had a subtropic/tropic feel to it.

Sunday, it was Warm Mineral Springs. Many people there that day spoke Russian. We were told at the front desk that the restaurant served American and Polish food but I thought many of the dishes could pass for Russian (blini, cabbage rolls, borscht). The vegeterian entree selections were very good. The springs itself is not as warm as I expected. These springs are different from others I have been to in Arkansas and Utah. These springs are not HOT springs. They are WARM springs. I am very happy that I went. It was a most interesting experience.

Sunday night it was dinner with Wags again. We brought him Chinese. He ordered the General Tao chicken combination plate. Rick ordered the chicken chow mein combination plate. I ordered vegetable lo mein. We spent most of the evening talking but also watched a little of 60 Minutes when the story about the penny was on. The huge flat-panel TV in Wags' room (a gift from a friend) speaks of how much people like him. We brought him a Charlie Wilson's War DVD and hope to send him I'm Not There, Sweeney Todd, and The Office (first and second season). Mama Mia once it comes out would be a good choice also. So far he has not seen any of these. Don explained a lot more about his experiences as an English teacher and his education in general, getting his undergrad and grad degrees at Notre Dame.

There is a lot more to tell. More details are to come unless I fall asleep.