Can this Really be Happening

I'm afraid that the effects of being isolated with 5 females is beginning to have a serious detrimental impact on me - I find that I'm starting to enjoy shopping.  I can't actually believe that this is happening to me, but I've just realised that we've only been here a week, yet we've visited two outlet malls and I've bought something at each!  And not just the odd item - total to date is 8 tee shirts (yes eight!!), 5 pairs of sports socks, a pair of cargo pants, an outdoor jacket and a pair of winter gloves.

Maybe the price had something to do with it (less than a £100 altogether) and also the fact that I've actually managed to find something that fits, but I wouldn't have been to an outlet place at all if it hadn't been for the women, so it's definitely their fault.  I must resist further temptation, I must resist further temptation, I must resist further temptation....

I feel  much better now, so on with story...

Yesterday was shopping (Aghhh I must resist, I must resist) at the Tanger Mall and Publix for provisions as we were to host a BBQ for all Lucy's guests.


This went really well.  The temperature outside at about 7:00pm was 78degF and pool temp even higher, so we made full use of both.  Steven (Iain's brother) did a fantastic job with the cooking, while I had a man to man talk with John (Iain's dad) about the merits of flip flops for everyday use ( I should point out that I'm a recent convert and you know what they can be like).

Today, we woke to heavy overcast skies and predictions of thunderstorms just after lunch, so we (well they) decided to pop down to the harbour beach and then call in at the Rum Runners complex for lunch where there just happens to be a few shops so that we could take shelter if necessary.

The beach is man made (so I read in the local paper), only about a 100 metres long and was originally intended to provide a stopping off point for migrating birds.  Whether this is true or not, it's now being used by the locals for sunbathing and building sand castles, but it is very pretty.  Ok so there are a few birds about, but these seemed more interested in picking up scraps from the local fishermen and women than migrating to warmer climes.  Just as an aside, the Americans seem just a keen on personalised plates as the Brits, this one was on a pickup parked in the harbour car park.

We took
lunch at The Joint on the Rum Runners complex (I can't remember the actual name) which was very pleasant, overlooking the marina.

The forecast thunderstorm never materialised although we did get a slight drop in temperature back into the 70s (79degF actually) for the first time in many days, so we set off in search of a Pacific beach to watch the sunset .  Eventually (because we had to stop off at the Periwinkle shopping arcade on the way) we fond ourselves on Tarpon beach (one of the public beaches on Sanibel).

Loads of shells to collect and a couple of dolphins to spot, sometimes very close to the shore (within 5 metres), but still very difficult to photograph.  It was still a bit cloudy and this spoilt the sunset, but not our day.  Oh and we came across a very small snake, about 6 inches long, mostly black but with an orange collar and underside.  Tone, any ideas as to what it might be?

Jessica reckoned it was poisonous and forbade me to pick it up - but I'm not so sure.

Ok it's late (23:20) and I can't get these last few photos to go where I want and although it's very pleasant out here next to the pool (the temperature is still in the mid 70s and the fish in the canal are jumping) I think it's time for bed.

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