Fort Myers Beach

     Time flies! We've already been here for 5 days, and I haven't blogged yet! (Well, I tried yesterday....but I inadvertently erased the entire entry. I'm a little rusty at this.)
     Barry hit the ground running and has been busily working on the boat all week, with the installation of the davits (pulley system for the dinghy) being the biggest accomplishment. We have also started the process of provisioning and organizing the boat. Organizing the boat is painful, as it is not only our living space but also Barry's workshop and garage (so to speak). We negotiate for space--he for duplicate tools and materials ("you never know when we'll need this, Linda") and I for uncluttered living space. So far, we're still married, so I guess it's working out:)

     But we're in Ft Myers Beach....so you know we've also had FUN! Almost every evening, we meet with friends Kathy, John, Judy, and Dave at the "Liar's Club"--a tiki hut at one end of the marina's restaurant/bar. We watch the sunset while boats come and go. Our friends from St. Louis--Lou, Tina and Laura--visited us on Thursday. We sailed to Sanibel--passing a magnificent replica of an 1812 sailing vessel on the way. She is called the Lynx and she's docked across the inlet from our marina. The weather has been perfect....so when I'm not working on the boat, I've taken walks on the beach, done some bird watching,  and I've sat on the deck of the boat with a book in one hand and a glass of wine in the other. Ahhhh....
      There is always something to watch here! While eating lunch yesterday on deck, an osprey decided to do the same thing and landed with a nice-sized fish on the mast next to our boat. We watched as he tore into a fish, still wiggling. I've also witnessed a rescue operation--of a baby macaw! Evidently it got spooked and decided to take a swim (they can't swim) right next to our boat. A friend of the bird's owner jumped in the water and handed the shivering thing to the owner, who promptly placed the bird on his shoulder and walked away, leaving his friend struggling to climb up the ropes and onto the dock.  Everyone survived--and I found out that the bird has pulled this stunt 5 or 6 times. The owner thinks the bird will finally learn his lesson--but I wonder about his bird brain.
   Sorry this is so long.....I'll try to write more frequently in the future, instead of waiting so long! Also...I hope to have more pictures next time. I'm using my iPad now to do the blog, and I am struggling with uploading photos.