I did most of my vacation blog entries as emails sent from my Blackberry. I'm pretty sure that this was not what the company had in mind when they issued it to me but it worked perfectly. I also answered a phone call or two and responded to a couple of work related emails, but I'm pleased to say that for the most part I was truly on vacation. Sid on the other hand worked constantly while we were on the move (which was often) but did a remarkable job of turning off the job when we were otherwise engaged. We managed to complete two business deals while we were gone (that should have happened before we left). The first was a closing conducted by Sid at a local Title company. The second even more complicated deal involved receiving an email with the documents, forwarding them back to the UPS store for printing, we signed, they notarized and then retuned back by overnight UPS delivery. There are times when I love technology.
The time is 8:08 PM and we're heading home. If we manage to drive five hours or so we can make one long day tomorrow ending up in our own beds. That let's us sleep late, make the t-ball game and the Sweethearts of the Rodeo Mother/Son dance without being exhausted.... A good deal all the way around.
This shot was from the boat trip from Shark Valley in to the 10,000 Islands.
Well we found something to do in Flamingo. We took a backcountry boat trip. This time the canal was lined with crocs. We even saw a bonus snake. At best guess it was a nonvenomous mangrove watersnake. I don't know who spotted it first but it was mighty hard to see. It was the same color and texture as the mangrove branch upon which it was resting.
We are treating ourselves to dinner at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co in Miami. We have reservations on the deck. Then we will drive back to Sun City Center. We should be at Dad's around midnight.
The winds were too high today for the glass bottom boats to go out so we aren't going the see the reefs. The kids did finish their Jr Ranger programs from all three National Parks (plus Florida State Parks).
Oma and Opa have headed back to the house. We decided to drive down to the Flamingo entrance to the Everglades. There may be something to do there today, there may not. We'll figure it out.
We just survived the Wet and Wild Swamp Walk! It was awesome. You start off imediately in water up to your ankles and on super slippery mud. You progress through mud up to your knees before getting in to the cypress swamp. The taller the trees the deeper the water. By the time we got back in to the gator hole the trees were huge and the water was up to mid-thigh. Sunil was up to his neck on many occaissions and Sheela up to her waist. We did not see the gator, they know at least one male lives there. The hole was large enough to support 20 females during the dry season so there were probably a few around. We also walked around a few of the hammocks where the Panthers stay during the day. They are so thick you would never be able to see the panther even if he was there.
As last night may have been our last camping night we decided that it might be our last night to spot a racoon (one of only two animals left on our list). But it was late when we made camp and we decided we needed to focus on using up our firewood and getting to bed early. Lucky for us the racoons came to us instead of us going out to search. In fact we almost couldn't sleep because they were so close to the tent door and getting in to occaisional disagreements with each other.
When we were in the 10,000 Islands they mentioned that the racoons here are only 4-5 pounds. That is pretty small compared to the 20-25 pound mainland coons. These were definitely mainland. We had at least three: two jumbo and one monster.
For JT's and the Gumbo Limbo Art Gallery in Chokolokosi, FL. This was one of the nicest dinners that we've had. The food was great and the gallery cute. It didn't hurt that they saved a piece of homemade French Silk pie just for me.
About the only thing that we've not yet done here in the Everglades is ride the swampbuggy. We bought tickets to ride this Easter afternoon but the drivers had other ideas. They cut out early for the day so we were left hanging. To make up for the inconvienience we are going to get a bonus airboat ride tomorrow (after our buggy trip). Today we went back to the boardwalk to show Oma and Opa the Bald Eagle's nest. Too cool, the volunteer with the telescope was back today showing the eagle.
We chose the right day to do nothing. We awoke to a cool morning sun and plenty of interesting birds. We'd slept under the screens on the lanai. As the morning wore on the sky clouded over and by the time we hit the zoo it was sprinkling. We mostly read books and did laundry today. Tomorrow is soon enough to get back in to the camping and hiking.
The Shark Valley is no where near any sharks but it is along the Shark River. The Shark is the widest river (and possibly the slowest) in the world at the southern end it is a birthing ground for many sharks.
We took a two-hour tram ride through the valley on a paved road set slightly higher than the surrounding wetlands (at the end of the dry season). We literally saw hundreds of alligators of all ages and sizes. The very best was the last one, a large male eating a large turtle with his head right next to the trail. The shell cracking sounded like a gun shot.
We also saw: a black crested night heron, a roseated spoonbill, wood storks, a bald eagle (with a baby) on their nest, herons (great blue, great, and tricolor) , ibis, egrets, kites, anahingas, vultures (turkey and black), a purple galineau, and so many more I can't even keep track.
The kids earned their Florida State Junior Ranger badges at Collier-Seminole State Park and their NPS Junior Ranger badges for the Everglades National Park.
Tonight we are heading back to Naples to sleep in real beds and do some laundry. Tomorrow will be a rest day before we join up with Oma and Opa to tackle Big Cypress and Biscayne Bay.
We nearly caved this morning and skipped the trip up the Turner River through the mangrove trees. The winds were still high and you have to cross the open bay. Another couple had just swamped , 15ft offshore, they were very vocal about the dangerous winds, that combined with the mud and blood smeared on their legs almost pushed us back. Sid shored up our courage and out we went.
This was a fabulous trip. We went three to a canoe and headed up the bay, under the bridge and up the river. Two hours in we grabbed on to some mangrove branches and had lunch. Then we continued up until the mangroves closed us in. We could hardly pass through the channel. Eventually we turned around (no one was around to witness our graceless turn) and headed back to the dock.
This was the closest I've ever felt to real wilderness. There was no sign of people anywhere. The river was perfectly smooth, the world was all green and brown with no dividing line. It would have made a fantastic photograph but we'd left the cameras in the car.
Of course after four and a half hours of constant paddling we can hardly feed ourselves. Dinner is going to be fabulous if we can get it into our mouths and we will sleep well tonight.
What a fabulous ride. We saw a ton of birds and a half a dozen aligators. I've always loved being on the water with the wind in my face and the sun on my arms. It's even better with Sunil snuggled up to my side. I found that I love to watch the BIG white birds startle up from the flats. The quick flash of white against the browns and greens... too beautiful!
We slept in (after a late night at the Comedy Club) then packed up and headed to the beach. The water was cold but refreshing. We've seen pelicans and dolphins and are on our way to try to find the burrowing owls. Tomorrow we'll head into the Everglades to view the aligators and to ride the airboats.
We spent a wonderful day with Oma and Opa swimming at the clubhouse, watching the sandhill cranes and such but now we are on the road again. We are two hours out from Mom and John and struggling to find something on the radio that isn't "preachy".
We did drive straight through so we should be at Dad's in another hour or so. We just stopped for a double fill-up -- lunch and gas. Lunch was Sonic's popcorn chicken and the gas was $3.34 per gallon. That is the most I've ever had to pay for gas. At home is was still less than $3.20 a gallon without the loyalty discount.
We are in the car and on the road. Driving straight through Garmen says we will be at Dad's by noon tomorrow. In the real world we will stop for the night when we get too tired to continue. We should still be at Dad's by early evening. It feels good to off (and for two weeks too!)
The flash photographs were not allowed so my pics are pretty lame. Here are a few token attempts. The astronauts wore karate pants and turtlenecks stuffed with batting and foil covered bike helmets. .
After collecting the moon rocks they brought tem to earth and turned them over to the scientists to study. The scientists figure out that they are magical (well, the shiney, silver, spherical ones anyway) and they cure all human diseases and establish world peace.
With less than a week to go I'm watching Sunil's DI team run through their play. This is the first time I've seen it. It is very cute. They are astrounts that discover that some of the moon rocks cure disease (and hiccups).
Welcome to Spring. Today is the first T-ball practice (and the first Fencing class). It is a beautiful day to be out at the ballpark (or in the neighborhood park), kicking back watching the boys throw the ball at each other. Over the previous year almost all of the boys have learned to throw and I've heard that one of them learned to catch but I haven't seen him do it yet.
Yesterday Sheela finished the last book of the Harry Potter series. She's been reading these since second grade. She was toying with the idea of rereading the last three books but I've convinced her to take a break and try something else (anything else) for a change first. Today I offered her: Rascal, Watership Down, Every Living Thing, Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates and a collection of American Folktales. I'm not sure which she chose to take to school.
We are voluntarily being brought up on truancy charges for pulling our children out of school during the school year. We have two choices: we can either withdraw the children from school and then re-enroll when we return (but they will be at a different school because we'd loose our spot) or we can go and defend ourselves before the judge. This is the same rule that we violated last year by going on the cruise but the ISD has stepped up their enforcement efforts. I'm opting for the judge.
I saw my first wild lynx yesterday. He was standing in a field between the local teen skate park and the library by a secluded bend in the river. He stood still long enough for me to have a great look at him: ear tufts, blunt tail, beautiful markings, long enough for me to get the camera out of my purse, turn it on, focus out the window, but not quite long enough to take the picture (and have him still be it).
This was the week that we read The Bicycle Mystery, Boxcar Children #15 (not to be confused with The Great Bicycle Race Mystery, Boxcar Children #76) as our bedtime story. In keeping with the theme Sheela convinced Sunil to dust off his bicycle and actually ride it. While denying that he was afraid to ride he has made no secret of the fact that he would rather do anything else since proving that he could ride without the training wheels nearly a year ago. He is now quite a little show off and he is pushing us to arrange the family bike ride through
I'm getting on a plane with a businessman with a spider tatooed on his forehead. Oddly enough he isn't the only one, there is another spider-bedecked brow in the restaurant behind me. It is not attractive.
I'm entering hour number 4 hanging out at the airport. Storms in Chicago have disrupted air travel. We are fortunate to have seats leaving tonight. I 'm really ready to be home. The trip was a sucess and I've enjoyed my co-workers company but enough is enough.
There is so much going on right now that I've hardly had a minute to catch up though when I look back on it nothing seems very noteworthy anyway. Here are the highlights such as they are…. I've worked both Saturday and Sunday two out of the last three weekends. I will probably work this weekend except for the part where we try to sneak off to visit Sushama et al. The Sharmas returned form
Here five of the six are warming up before their first game. They won 12-10 in an extremely even match.
It is kind of nice to return to work after a nice long break to find that the place has fallen apart in your absence. It makes you feel valuable and needed. Actually, the place didn't fall apart, it never really does, but we have our share of standard manufacturing challenges each year and this year we lead off with a doozie. Luckily, I wasn't here, even better it was handled the same way I would have handled it if I had been here. We may have a few more tense days before we get clear but we know where we are going and how to get there.
I say all that just to say, that I'm really behind on my intended posts but I worked all weekend and haven't had a chance to catch up. So imagine us in front of the Statue of Liberty, imagine the kids playing in Battery Park, imagine Sunil making friends with Ravi's dog Lacey, imagine Sheela on her new bike (way cool) and Sunil fencing in the backyard with Sid (way cool), imagine Sheela's miniature golf course (velvety green greens, sugar cube walls and a craft store theme), imagine Sunil's first pinewood derby car (sanded by hand and painted a deep forest green (reminiscent of the velvety green greens of a miniature golf course)), imagine Sheela's new soccer team wearing tie dyed t-shirts whooping up on Andromeda. Whew, it feels good to be finally all caught up.
