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​Ticket To Ride

'Tis the Season

12/12/2018

5 Comments

 
Oh, the weather outside is frightful.....nope.  Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.....not quite.  Walking in a winter wonderland....no, that's not the case either, at least not here in Florida.  That would really push them over the edge!  For the two of us it's been a totally different holiday season without the snow and cold of Minnesota.  We miss it.  We actually remind each other daily that it's December and Christmas is around the corner.  Don't get me wrong, it's a little chilly (49 degrees) in the morning and in the evening but nothing like what we are use to. 
The folks down here think we are a couple of hearty  Minnesotans and I guess we are.  A guy on our dock yesterday said he was in the office early Monday morning when the marina manager pointed to the pool surveillance camera and said, "who in the world is in the pool, it's 49 degrees outside!" The guy said he replied, "oh, that's just Tom and Sue from Minnesota, it's a heatwave for them!" (It was actually me and a gal from Michigan doing water aerobics and in my defense, the water was 85 degrees and steam was coming off the top)  I told the guy about the Polar Plunge back in Minnesota---he really thought I was nuts then!
To get into the spirit of the season, we headed to the Edison Ford Winter Estate Holiday Light Tour.  It was spectacular and we, no I sang Christmas carols all the way back to the marina.  Below are some shots of our tour~
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The E-F living room decorated for the holidays
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The latticed walk way between the main house and the servant quarters
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Christmas trees abound....
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The study/music room at E-F Estates
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I loved this wreath in the dining room with the red peppers and cabbage
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Tom loved this building the best. It's the back of Edison's private study
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The veranda of the main house on the E-F Estate
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A plethora of royal palms all wrapped up in lights for the season
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My favorite...a lighted banyon tree
We've gotten off the dock everyday and checked out the Fort Myers - Cape Coral area.  Thursdays in the park near the marina, they have a Farmers Market with fresh produce.  They've had holiday tree lightings, art walks and they even do a Drumming Night in the park.  I convinced Tom that we should go to the Fleamasters Fleamarket.  We went about twenty years ago with his mom on a trip to Santibel.  If you can't find it at Fleamasters, you can't find it anywhere!  We lasted about twenty minutes there.  Twenty minutes longer than we should have!
We had a taste of home last Friday.  Our friend from Hooterville, Tory Keefe called and said he was at his home in Cape Coral and invited us to spend some time with him, John Keefe, Tim Elton, Jim & Steve Sinn and some other Stewartville folks.  We had a grand time catching up with all of them.  Thank you Tory for your generous hospitality!
We've enjoyed sunsets, holiday docktails and meeting new folks on the docks here in Fort Myers.  We are always thankful but feel especially blessed this season to be experiencing the loop this year.
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A turtle pond at the local outlet mall
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A festive beauty on our dock
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We are heading back to Hooterville this Friday to spend Christmas with family and friends.   More later~
5 Comments
Susan Gray
12/12/2018 02:24:52 pm

You are near our stomping grounds.
I've been to the Edison/Ford home x3. It is lovely decorated!

Merry Christmas!

Reply
Sue
12/14/2018 09:26:04 am

Great to hear from you Sue! Hopefully we’ll see you and Kevin while we are home. Happy Holidays!

Reply
Linda Whalen link
12/14/2018 08:42:44 pm

I finally found your blog and LOVE reading about the great journey & seeing the sights! Wishing you and your family a very merry Christmas!
The Whalens

Reply
Jeff King
12/16/2018 07:51:52 pm

"How ya doin" Tom? Read the blog and enjoyed it. When you get near the North Carolina coast we'd love to come and buy you dinner somewhere (maybe the Outer Banks). Be safe and have fun...we're jealous!

Reply
Tom
12/20/2018 06:36:29 am

"Hey, how ya doin" Jeff? Great to hear from you and Merry Christmas to you and your family!
I'm back in MN. for Christmas and was bummed to learn I missed your Dad as he stopped at Jimmy's yesterday and I was out on maneuvers at the time.
It would be fun to see you when we make our way to NC... I'll give you a shout out when we do!
All the best!

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    Tom & Sue Slightam

    Read along  as we circumnavigate the eastern half of the United States and southern Canada on the Great Loop on our boat BELLA, a Cruiser 460 Express.  

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