And When Did You Last See Your Father? - Days 23 & 24 (Sanibel Island, Seashells & BAD MANNERS)

[Guest]

We are a family of three - me (April), DH (R.C.) and DS (Poot - who turned 10 on this holiday!). We visited Orlando and Sanibel Island, travelling from Gatwick on BA.

DH has his own business and could only join us for part of the holiday (hence the title of this trippie!). He’s not really a theme park sort of chap, but he enjoys it down on the Gulf Coast.

For our week on Sanibel we were joined by my DM (Judybat) and her husband (Hans).

Trippie Index Here


Day 22 (Goodbye Disney, James Bond and Highway to (S)HELL!) Here




N.B.: This post will cover both Saturday and Sunday; I don’t think there is enough story here for a separate Sunday post.



First Full Day on Sanibel! The Best Day!



The STORY is in the right order today - but some of the photos are “out of order” (which is why it might look like the sun set at 11:00 AM ).



I woke this morning to the sound of our bedroom door opening - and I could see Poot silhouetted in the doorway…



Me (whispering, so as to not wake R.C.): What is it? Is something wrong?


Poot: It’s time to shell!


Me: It’s still dark, Poot...


Poot: Not for long! And I’ve already had my Pop Tart! (he was also already wearing his swim trunks and rashie)



What can I say? - I’m a soft touch. So I got up, got ready and ate a few spoonfuls of yogurt. Poot and I each drank a glass of water, then we grabbed our shell bags - and headed out the door.


For collecting shells we use the net bags that our mask/snorkels came in at Discovery Cove (when we visited for Poot’s 6th birthday back in 2012).

Good quality control, Discovery Cove! Five years on those bags are still looking good.


From the units, you just walk across the grass and then onto the beach - it doesn’t even take a minute for your toes to meet the sea.

Poot wants to offer some shelling advice:


REMEMBER TO LOOK IN THE OCEAN IF YOU WANT TO FIND THE BEST SHELLS, BECAUSE THE BEACH IS PICKED OVER - OR THE SHELLS ON IT HAVE BEEN BROKEN BY STORMS, HURRICANES AND SQUALLS!


At first, there were very few shells this morning - and I began to think that Sanibel was picked over. But then…we began to find multitudes of conchs!


Conchs:

Now my mother likes to collect olives and tulips (pretty banded shells). She saw many olives without tops until at last she saw a whole one.


Olives:

We kept finding whelks on the sand - but the really big ones all still had live whelks in them.

I found a magic spot where I found ten teensy conchs and olives and tulips and nutmegs and...a cone shell!


Nutmegs:

Cone Shell:

My best find today was a gaudy natica:

A bowl with some of our shells from this holiday:

April here again...looking over these photos I would have a hard time thinking of a place where I could feel happier...it was great to think that this was just our FIRST morning here on Sanibel.

And don’t we look excited?


Casa Ybel has handy shell-washing stations (so you don’t bring sand into the units):

After we washed up today’s finds, Poot and I had a little wander across the grass and looked at the pool. You can see Rosa Klebb’s pool bar on the right in this first shot:

The pool was lovely - but it closed at dusk (and so did the hot tub). I have no idea why - and no-one could tell me, either. Some of our fellow guests were NOT happy bunnies about this, but it didn’t matter to us - we planned to eat dinner together of an evening and then play games, etc...but be aware if you are going in the autumn/winter - when we were there it was dark by 7:00 PM.


Poot and I did use the pool a couple of times, and DM and Hans used the hot tub (per usual R.C. dipped not ONE TOE in either pool or hot tub). I was VERY glad I’d packed our own towels - as this is a place that does “towel cards” and I CANNOT be bothered with those.


I know you wanted another look at my classy Kellogg’s beach towels (£1 each with the purchase of Frosties):

When we got back from the beach and our tiny resort tour, the rest of the family was getting ready to head back over the causeway. I tend not to want to leave the island once we arrive (and not just because it’s a $6 toll every time, lol) - but Hans is one of those people who always has to be DOING SOMETHING. So he had organised a trip into Naples to visit the Farmers’ Market (and do other things - I don’t remember because I didn’t care ).


Poot decided he wanted to go, too - so I quickly found him some clothes, pressed a bottle of water and a bag of trail mix in his hands - and shoved him out the door.



I had the unit all to myself…

Did anybody else out there have to take the Myers-Briggs test for work? Do they still do that? I had to take it twice back in the nineties…



Well, on the off chance that one of you did...I’m an “I” - so to finally get to be ALONE for more than an hour - for the first time in three weeks - was UTTER BLISS.


For other MBTI nerds out there, I’m an...

My brother’s an INTJ, too - but I’ve never met another...



Sorry, this has been my most digress-y digression yet, hasn’t it?




I had a long, hot shower and made myself a cup of tea. I also ate one of the Disney Rice Krispie bars that I HAD intended to give to DM and Hans. Oops.


As I debated whether or not I should still give the bars to DM and Hans despite the fact that there now weren’t enough for all of their assorted grandchildren...Hans’ mobile rang.


Now Hans and DM left his phone behind with me in case of emergencies - my phone doesn’t work in America - so when I heard my mother’s voice I assumed she was calling from the hospital.


Um...no - her “emergency” was of a very different sort…



Her: Ja - we’re in Naples...


Me (worried): Uh-huh?


Her: Having lunch…


Me (less worried): Uh-huh?


Her: And Poot tells me that you let him lift his ENTIRE bread roll to his mouth and eat it that way, instead of buttering one bite at a time and eating it properly. I told him that you would never allow poor table manners - but he insisted you did. So I told him I’d call you and ask.


WHAT?


Now I really do appreciate that my mother taught me good table manners (she had less success with my brother, aka: “Og the Cave Boy”) - but seriously? She was calling me (and embarrassing Poot in public) about this?


Me: Mother, if this is really important to you, can we talk about it later? Why don’t you just enjoy your lunch now…


Her: Oh, no. That’s not the worst of it, April. When I corrected Poot - he accused me of having a “grandma-lanche”!



I decided that now was probably NOT the best time to admit that I was the one who coined the term grandma-lanche at our house...

Look out below!



Eventually things must have settled down over in Naples - DM sent me a happy snap from the restaurant:

Here’s what Poot has to say about his trip to Naples:


When we got back to the hotel Grandma said we were going to Naples - we drove off!


On the way there we saw some concrete blocks labelled “BOB’S BARRICADES”.

I thought that all blockades were owned by the government - but obviously not in Florida! We were trying to find the Farmers’ Market, but when we got to the lot it was meant to be in, it wasn’t there. So we went to the pier instead and watched DOLPHINS!

This was my first time seeing dolphins in the wild. It was AMAZING! I did not take that picture but what we saw looked just like it.


We also saw lots of people fishing - I love to fish, maybe we can do this at Naples one day.


ME on the pier:

After we watched the dolphins for a long time we were all feeling hungry - but not for dolphins haha. Hans took us to Ridgway’s Restaurant for lunch.

I got in trouble with Grandma there but the food was good. I had a Caprese salad ($16), because I love mozzarella and pesto.

It was pretty good, but the mozzarella in America never tastes as good as the mozzarella here in Europe. Americans just don’t appreciate cheese enough.


Grandma had a spinach salad ($18) which she said was good but far too big. I can’t remember what Dad had but I’m pretty sure Hans had a burger.




Back on Sanibel, I was happier than EVER that I had decided to stay behind. I got out my novel and sat down on the porch to read it. It was the heat of the day - and I can’t describe to you how lovely it was to be sat in the shade with my big, fat novel listening to the sound of the waves…


My view:

I had finished Holiday Book #1, and was now deep into HB2:

How did I not read these books when they were first released? They are so good!


Bibliophile Dibbers - was the movie as terrible as the reviews say? Because I did NOT want to put the book down…



Eventually though, my solitary interlude came to an end - the rest of the clan came back and Poot and I had to have this conversation:



Me: When you’re with Grandma, and you don’t use your best manners - who gets it in the neck?


Him: You do, Mother.


Me: Do you want me to get it in the neck?


Him: No, Mother. But I didn’t want to get it in the neck either!


Me: So you threw me under the bus to save yourself?


Him: Yes, Mother. You weren’t there! And I was!




Hmm…hard to argue with that…



I was not done hearing about “Bread roll-gate” - my mother made a point of seeking me out and telling me that my brother’s FOUR YEAR OLD has PERFECT manners.


“Poot is NINE, April. There’s really no excuse.”



I am a still, cool pond. I am a still, cool pond. I will not allow this nonsense to trouble my waters. I am a still, cool pond.



Seriously, though - we LOVE Grandma, even if she is a bit of a stickler. If you read my Boston/Washington trippie you may remember that her family nickname is “The Queen”.

And no one argues with The Queen.



Anyway...



Before we left England I had talked with The Queen about going to an Everblades (hockey) game over on the mainland while we were down on the Gulf Coast.

But their only home game during our time on Sanibel was tonight - so Hans had detoured on the way back from Naples to pick up tickets for the five of us. Yay! It’s Hockey Night Tonight!

R.I.P., Stompin’ Tom...



The Everblades play at Germain Arena in Estero - it was about an hour’s drive in the car.

For those of you who’ve seen the Solar Bears in Orlando - the Everblades play in the same league. Tonight’s opponent: the Missouri Mavericks.

Tonight was obviously a special night at Germain Arena - several local business/sports mascots were stationed around the concourse meeting and greeting fans before the game.


I got a snap of Poot with “Sway” (the mascot of the Fort Myers Miracle):

I’m not sure what palm trees have to do with miracles, but he’s still better than those things they used for the London Olympics - which looked to me like nothing more than giant, um…“marital aids”.

You know it’s true!

And Londoners - do you remember how they built all the statues of them? Poot and I spent a hot summer day wandering around “discovering” them. It was a shame he was only five - I couldn’t tell him ANYTHING that was running through my head that day…



The Paddington ones were so much nicer!

The game was heaps of fun. I love minor league sports - we always try and get to a game (baseball, hockey - whatever) in America. And tonight was a special night for the Everblades...it was Swampee’s birthday! We all got stickers on entry:

Swampee (no, I don’t get the spelling either) - mascot of the Florida Everblades:

Whenever their was a break in the action the big screen would show individual players wishing Swampee a happy birthday - welcome to life in the minor leagues, chaps.



We were also treated to a special birthday performance from the team’s cheerleaders. Just when I think we’ve come a long way as women - let’s look at their name, kids:

Yep. The “EverBabes”. Sigh.



They were very enthusiastic, though - and I’m sure their enthusiasm was appreciated by the XY-types in the crowd.



All was clearly forgiven between Poot and The Queen:

There was a between periods hockey game that featured all the mascots from the meet and greets - I was hoping this would feature lots of falling over and inflatable hilarity - but sadly, no. The legal department must have gotten to them - everybody just stood in place. Boo!

We also had dinner (such as it was) between periods.

It was hockey rink food - DM, Hans and R.C. had hot dogs, and Poot and I shared some sort of chicken strip basket-y thing.


And it all tasted exactly like you’d expect hockey rink food to taste.

This was just the second hot dog of R.C.’s life (not counting the corn dog nuggets I ordered for him back at Disney).


The first hot dog story goes like this:


We were at a baseball game and the only food choices were hot dogs or peanuts. R.C. likes to do the ordering - but he had no idea what to say to the girl at the concessions stand…


Him: What do I ask for?


Me: Just say, “Two dogs, please.”


Him, to the girl: I’d like two dogs, please.


Girl: How ya want ‘em?


Him, to the girl: I’ve absolutely no idea.


Him, turning to me: How do I want my dogs?





We let Hans do the ordering tonight.



No free tap water here - they don’t have soda fountains. R.C., Hans and I had bottles of pop and Poot & DM had Dasanis - I think for all the food/drinks it was around $45.



The game was a close one...

...but sadly for the Everblades, they lost - in a shoot-out. Ah, well - at least we saw an exciting finish!



Hans drove us back home - Poot and R.C. both fell asleep in the car.



And so to bed.



AND - just in case you ever have to have lunch with my mother...



How to eat a bread roll:


Set your roll on your bread plate. Tear off a bite-sized piece of bread. Hold the piece with your fingers (not in the palm of your hand and not on the plate), use your knife to butter it - and eat it.

The next day was Sunday, and it was also...




Chicken and Waffles Day! The Best Day!




Poot and I had a quick early morning trip to the beach before we all got ready and headed to St. Isabel’s for Mass.

Like many modern American churches - this one looks like a verruca. So ugly!

Hans is a Lutheran, I enjoyed watching him try and keep up with the…

We went straight back to Casa Ybel; Poot was champing at the bit to get back to the beach.


So we made up some sandwiches, gobbled them down and headed back out. R.C. came with us this afternoon, but Hans and The Queen made for the hot tub.


There are far fewer shells to find in the afternoon, but we had a good time splashing about in the sea and watching all the birds…

Pelicans:

Pipers of some sort?:

And a white egret-y sort of bird:

We wandered back into the unit just in time to watch the fourth quarter of the Vikings game. A win! SKOL!

Poot and Hans went out to play catch while DM, R.C. and I made dinner. One of the things I like about Casa Ybel? They have all sorts of kitchen-y bits that you can borrow. Crock-pots, roasting pans, waffle irons…


And today we had borrowed a waffle iron - because tonight was chicken and waffles night - yum!


“Artistic” chicken and waffles shot:

I know, I won’t give up my day job.


You can get chicken and waffles at the ESPN Club (on the Boardwalk at Disney) - but we somehow never found the time to go over there. These turned out pretty good, though.


After dinner we hauled some (more) chairs out onto the porch and played Scrabble and Cluedo while listening to the waves.



It was:

In the:

With the:

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot? When I Googled “Colonel Mustard” to get the image above...up popped a bunch of photos of Muammar Gaddafi!



Poot was soon crashed out on the rollaway in the living room, but R.C. and I went upstairs and watched the end of The Dirty Dozen before zzzzzzzzzzzzz.



I LOVE The Dirty Dozen.



And where is Donald Duck?


Donald Duck’s down at the crossroads with a machine gun.

And so to bed.




I think next week’s post will be the final Sanibel one - so stay tuned for two Thanksgivings, more seashells, a shark, an iguana - and Father Christmas.



And heaps of thanks to those of you who, having enjoyed this trippie, have hopped over to the General Trip Reports section and commented on my Boston/Washington one. It has been enormous fun to revisit that holiday.


I hope you all have a wonderful Easter. If you’ve read earlier posts in this trippie - you won’t be surprised to hear that I have already laid in a supply of these little beauties:

Days 25+ (MORE Sanibel Island, The Wildlife Refuge & The Day We Killed Grandma!) HERE

[Lucyjane45xxx]

Glad to see the diet coke is finally making a return bet you can't wait. I can't give it up for more than about 3 days! My sister gave up chocolate for lent and is counting down the hours until she can eat some!

What a lovely photo of you and Poot on the beach! The shells that you found were beautiful too! We went to NZ back in 1998 and I came back with boxes full, they were so lovely! I used them to decorate the outside of a dolls house!

We were made to do Myers-Briggs every 6 months at university to see how it changed throughout our studies (they didn't). I know I was an I--J but I cannot for the life of me remember the middle ones! (ISTJ rings a bell? however I could easily be making that up!)

My favourite Poot quote so far is now "Americans just don't appreciate cheese enough" hahaha - not every day you hear that from a 9 year old! Love him!

Oh dear, I wouldn't even shock your mother with my bread roll eating. I break mine in half, butter both halves and then eat the halves separately.

I love Ice Hockey! For university I lived for 2 years in Nottingham and used to always go and watch their matches. When I was young, my dad used to take me to matches up in Manchester before their team went bust!
I really want to see one in America, but I never seem to be there when it is hockey season!

[Guest]

Originally Posted by Lucyjane45xxx

Glad to see the diet coke is finally making a return bet you can't wait. I can't give it up for more than about 3 days! My sister gave up chocolate for lent and is counting down the hours until she can eat some!

What a lovely photo of you and Poot on the beach! The shells that you found were beautiful too! We went to NZ back in 1998 and I came back with boxes full, they were so lovely! I used them to decorate the outside of a dolls house!

We were made to do Myers-Briggs every 6 months at university to see how it changed throughout our studies (they didn't). I know I was an I--J but I cannot for the life of me remember the middle ones! (ISTJ rings a bell? however I could easily be making that up!)

My favourite Poot quote so far is now "Americans just don't appreciate cheese enough" hahaha - not every day you hear that from a 9 year old! Love him!

Oh dear, I wouldn't even shock your mother with my bread roll eating. I break mine in half, butter both halves and then eat the halves separately.

I love Ice Hockey! For university I lived for 2 years in Nottingham and used to always go and watch their matches. When I was young, my dad used to take me to matches up in Manchester before their team went bust!
I really want to see one in America, but I never seem to be there when it is hockey season!

See more...

Is this you, then, lucyjane?:

I would bet serious money that the vast majority of Dibbers are "J"s. One of my favourite-ever "J" descriptions is "I find few things as satisfying as crossing completed tasks off my list". Too true!

Poot's given up sweets - my DH has bought him a chocolate bunny the size of Tokyo (OK, well...) for his Easter basket. DH never had an Easter basket growing up - so DM sends him a special Easter gift every year. She's very sweet really - just don't let her see how you eat bread rolls!

I can remember being in France for the first time with DH (many, MANY years ago) - I wanted some butter for my bread, but he refused to ask for it! "One doesn't have butter with one's bread in France." Believe me when I tell you that when I learned French that was one of my first sentences...

Ah, "ice hockey" - where I grew up that's HOCKEY. The one with jolly girls and bruised shins - that's FIELD hockey!


Thanks for hanging in there with us -

[Lucyjane45xxx]

Hm seems like a pretty good description I reckon (although if you ask DF, he might not agree with "logical" or "calm"

Easter chocolate is by far the best kind of chocolate!

Oh no! I can't imagine anything worse than a bread roll without butter. Mmmm warm bread rolls and butter are my favourite!

[i love jack]

Thank you for the bread roll clarification, I was seriously wondering how one should eat one proper
I didn't reply to you when you asked where we stayed on our honeymoon - I couldn't remember but it was west wind inn and I've just googled it and it's on the same road as Casa Ybel, we still have our little bowl of shells but didn't find any nearly as good as your haul. I really wanted to find a sand dollar but no luck I love the shell wash at the resort!
Another great day

[mick]

Had to laugh at your Mum and the bread roll saga

Some fantastic shells collected by you both.

Joan

[Scotty]

Love bread roll-gate, what does Grandma say when she sees some of the "alternative" ways of using silverware in the states?
I love the Earth's Children books, must dig them out again.

[Neep]

Had to do this for leadership as a teacher: INTP
INTPs are marked by a quiet, stoic, modest, and aloof exterior that masks strong creativity and enthusiasm for novel possibilities. Their weaknesses include poor organization, insensitivity to social niceties, and a tendency to get lost in abstractions. Keirsey referred to INTPs as Architects, one of the four types belonging to the temperament he called the Rationals. INTPs are relatively rare, accounting for 2–5% of the U.S. population.
. During interactions with others, if INTPs are focused on gathering information, they may seem oblivious, aloof, or even rebellious—when in fact they are concentrating on listening and understanding. However, INTPs' intuition often gives them a quick wit, especially with language. They may defuse tension through comical observations and references. They can be charming, even in their quiet reserve, and are sometimes surprised by the high esteem in which their friends and colleagues hold them. INTPs are quiet, thoughtful, analytical individuals who tend to spend long periods of time on their own, working through problems and forming solutions. They are curious about systems and how things work.

[Mamie Baldwin]

Oh how I love your posts, The Queen is hiliarious too! I've just done the Myers Briggs test (which I'd never heard of) and I'm ISFJ-Defender.

Can't wait for your next day.

[Dissie]

Loving your posts I am an ISTJ and exactly like the descriptions you posted. Like you I love alone time with a good book.