Fishing With Karl

I feel so fortunate to have a friend like Karl who invites me out from time to time to catch Grouper. This year was no exception as I leave for home in a week and the call came to go fishing. Karl is a golfing buddy but is captain of his fishing boat and knows where on the Gulf to catch these great eating fish called Grouper.

The morning was perfect and the four fisherman were ready to go at 6.30 am.As we left the dock the weather was perfect but a storm was expected late in the afternoon. We stopped about 15 miles out to catch bait fish. These were less than a foot long and we managed to catch about 50 in twenty minutes. After they were safely in the wet well Karl said we were heading out to one of his special places over fifty miles west. At that location the water was 125 feet deep and there was hard structure. Perfect for Grouper.

We travelled at close to 30 mph and since the water was calm the sail was quite comfortable. As we arrived Karl decided to drift with the current so we began our routine of baiting up and trying to be the first to catch a fish. John had a instant hit and attempted to pull in his fish. He was unable to get the fish up and eventually the fish snapped his 65 pound braided line. We all began to catch fish and personally was lucky to catch 8 Grouper, four keepers and four had to go back and grow a little.

Karl is very strict with the fishing rules and even half an inch short and back it goes. Our throw backs are handled in a manner to ensure their survival. We fished for hours and laughter and excitement filled the boat. Fish after fish was caught and returned to the Gulf with only legal fish kept. The largest fish caught was a Gag Grouper but it was out of season so had to be returned. I caught a small shark and happily it broke the line and escaped at the side of the boat.

We were joined bu porpoises who stayed with us for a while playing and ate fish we threw to them. As the day went on we discussed the merits of the political scene, the banking system and other topics that were of interest to the group.The day was wonderful and as the time came to return to shore we had 8 keepers and a day memories are made of.

Travelling at a slower rate due to the roughness we saw the approaching storm closer to shore. Karl's boat is very sea worthy and well handled through years of practise  so there was no need to worry. We passed the shore markers and docked at his house without further incident.

The fish were cleaned and cut to perfection and divided equally to all members of the group. It was now 7.30 pm and as a tired but happy group we left for home with thanks to Karl and his wife for sharing their joy of fishing  with we who expressed our thanks once more before leaving.

Shutter Time

It is time for us to start preparing for our journey home. This year I am not able to work as hard as usual so Theresa must fill in and help with the task. There are so many things that have to be done to make your home secure and give you confidence in your task

The shutters are the biggest job as they have to cover every opening and have to be put on securely to withstand a hurricane should one occur. With the heat we decided to stage the work over a period of time and perform the tasks early in the morning to escape the heat and humidity.

We do pretty well do everything together so our work really does not sound like that but just becomes part of our routine. We had Henry to help us take the shutters off but with the extra weeks of healing we thought we could do it OK. When the heat goes up to ninety we wish he was here to do the heavy lifting.

We still have a week before we head north so everything should be completed in a few days so we may enjoy our last days here without thoughts of work.

Brown's Grocery

That picture brings me back a few years. That picture was probably 1974. Gas was 37.9 cents a gallon. Hard to believe. We as a family worked long and hard to keep the store open and successful. All the kids got their business sense by working there. Lynda worked the most and longest but everyone chipped in. I remember I had the early morning shift at seven am and travelled by ski do in the winter.We sold everything you could think of and then some. I really believe it helped to bond our family. The summer with the fruit business was a high point for me and I know all of you had a trip down south at one time to purchase those great peaches from Mr. Fritz.

This store was more than a place where people purchased items . The folks from Quebec were some of our best and consistent customers as they called in when leaving Pembroke to cross the bridge. They would buy their gas there because it was the least expensive in the area and we had items that they forget to buy at the larger stores. Because we stayed open until 11pm every day people used to come at the last minute to purchase needed for school lunches and sometimes pop for mix at late night parties.

My wife was the manager but her mother, sister and all of our family put in time there.We socialized with the customers and got to know many people during our years at that location. It will always be fixed in my memory the first few weeks of ownership. None of us had any experience in the business except Roma and she held the fort until we learned enough to become useful.

It is only a memory now but a happy one, filled with hard work, long hours and a feeling of identy. Browns was the west end convenience store and a true family business.

Rain Makes a Difference

Since October of last year Florida has experienced a drought. About 2 inches of rain fell during that period of time. On the last weekend we experiences a succession of  rain and wind cells that gave us 5 inches of beautiful and needed rain.

The yellow grass  and withered plants and trees made our landscape unattractive. The golf courses turned from luscious green to brown and fires were a daily occurrence. Water restrictions we put into force  and even Lake O had to close its locks to boat traffic.

Then came the rain and within a few days everything became green and healthy again. We poor golfers liked the hard dry fairways as we could boast about our 250 yard drives because of the roll. Today we were back at 180 if we were lucky.

Florida from the air looks like half water but believe it or not there is a shortage of potable water. Here in Cape Coral much of our water comes from desalination plants. Water is our most prised  and valuable natural resource.Countries like Canada, Russia and Brazil have an abundance of this resource but much of the world has little or no fresh clean water.

I was surprised to see a report here in our city which stated that 75% of our fresh water is used to grow grass and water golf courses and flush toilets. They are working on this problem and now use recycled sewage water for watering our lawns and the newer low need for water in toilets is making a huge plus in our water usage.

We who are older would laugh at the idea of buying water for drinking other than that piped to our homes. If you look at the shelves in any store today you would see just how big a deal is for drinking water Bottled water is almost the same cost as gasoline and someday it may be much more valuable. Since a few countries have the lions share of fresh water there will come a time when water will become as much an international issue as oil.

In the meantime consider the value of water when you see the magnificent changes to mother earth when it rains.

Anniversary

Today was our special day and it started off with a very windy welcome. Theresa and I planned a cruise to celebrate our wedding day and it was great. However the exact day has to bring special meaning and as the day started we talked of the past and the adventures we experienced along the way.

It is good to look to the past but always see the future as the focus in a marriage. We have had a wonderful life with our children and friends and look foreword to many more. Today we received calls from our children and relaxed with Theresa and I  receiving calls and just sharing this day together.

The pool was filled to the top after the rain storm as we received about 5 inches of much needed moisture. When we had our swim the water was much deeper and we had fun with the change. To celebrate this day we decided to go to the Outback and have a special meal. As usual the food was great and we over indulged but it was really a time to have a slow meal with no dishes to wash

Our day was wonderful and we had the server take our picture to document the event. The only thing that could make this day better would be to share it back in Oakville with family and friends. .

Detroit Red Wings

It is time to once again suffer that 48 hour dreaded depression. The Wings had a wonderful year but slipped a little towards the end of the season. The team is older and tired and with such a emphasis on goal tending we could expect a problem. The winning team had full value for their play and will do well in the future. All we wing fans can do is wait for next year and hope that with a few trades we will find our winning ways. My friend Doug has not been in touch since the loss so he is probably sharing in the 48 hour depression as well.

AMEN.

Cuba, Land Of Promise

Our neighbors are former residents of Cuba. Since we have known them I have been so enlightened about conditions on that island that I was embarrassed.  I always thought that the island was a beautiful place with a healthy agricultural presence and a growing tourist trade.

On our recent cruise were sailed all along the north western coast of Cuba and I was amazed at the size of this Island. With a population around 7,000,000 people and an excellent educational and medical system the people are well served. The great natural resource for the future is the existence of huge , sandy beaches. The tourist trade is strong now but when Cuba becomes free there will be a great boom all over Cuba.

Because Cuba is a dictatorship it has been cut off from most countries for trade. The USA embargo had hurt Cuba but is not effective. The people suffer from lack of bare essentials and the government has control over all aspects of life. The people who visit for a week or more get a picture of a beautiful tropical island but in reality when you do not have freedom you are missing a essential fact of life.

Florida is home to over a million Cuban exiles who have settled in the Miami area. Their contributions are considerable and they have become a power in the political arena.I wonder if they would return to Cuba if it was opened up in the future.

I keep hoping the end would come to the dictatorship so Theresa and I could travel with our friends in Cuba.I feel that the embargo is not working and the exclusion of Cuba in the American federation is ridiculous. Cuba is no worse than other states within the federation and perhaps if they were included they could be convinced to change their ways. Canada has always been a friend of the Cuban people and I was surprised that Canada along with the USA once more used their veto to keep Cuba out of the federation.

I view Central America as a potential stable area but we have neglected this area so long that it has remained as a economic wilderness. It will become and has become a potential home to unrest and terrorism..Maybe , just maybe we in Canada and the USA will treat this area with more respect and a partner rather than a burden and It will become the land of promise rather than poverty.

Wild Weather In The South

After hot, dry weather for almost six months we were treated to one of natures wonders. A storm moved in from the Gulf with high winds, booming thunder and a light show of major proportions. The weather people were all revved up because they had something to report  other than hot and humid. They warned us that we were in for a three day event and when it will be over we will have five or six inches of wonderful rain.

After the drought we were prepared to welcome this weather. They predicted the first wave of the storm would come ashore at fifteen after one in the morning. They were correct and the rain pored down and my pool began to fill up. Theresa and I decided to try to get some sleep but with continuous lightning and thunder we only dozed.

Suddenly one thunder and lightning strike right above us shook our house. Dishes rattled,lights came on, the garage door rattled and the light came on. Our TVs came to life and for a brief moment we thought we were hit. We tumbled out of bed and made a check of our home expecting the worst. Fortunately it missed us but hit the ground close by. Torrential rain followed and for another hour it was continuous thunder and lightning.

It stopped almost as quickly as it started but we only experiences the first wave. Today and tomorrow will be a repeat of our experience. The rain was welcome and there were few reports of damage so far. Today and tomorrow will probably cause local flooding. Our pool will be filled and our grass and trees happy for Mother Natures taking care of our needs.

We do not get many storms in Florida in the fall and winter months but spring and summer often bring violent storms to remind us of the huge power of natural events.

Meeting Old Friends AT Punta Gorda

Every year since we have been coming to Florida we exchange visits with friends from Oakville. This year we were very late in coming south so we decided to just meet half way and have dinner together and continue the tradition next year. We had to travel north for less than an hour and we arrived at the very same time as our friends.

The place we planned on meeting is Fisherman's Village, a great tourist attraction in Punta Gorda. This city was hit very hard by hurricane Charlie in 2004 but since that time it has just made a wonderful recovery. The hurricane demolished the old structures and everything has been rebuilt to new standards.

Fisherman's Village is a huge structure built out over the water and has a marina, many restaurants, numerous shops and accommodation. It seems to be busy every time we go there  and the food is excellent.During our visit we were able to share news  about what was happening in our lives.

The girls shopped a little after dinner and my friend and I walked about and managed to be lured into a fudge shop where we purchased some fudge for our wives. I picked Snickers fudge as Theresa loves those chocolate bars. After a few hours we parted with the idea of getting together back in Oakville to play golf. It was a great way to connect with friends from back home.

Snow Birds Returning To Warm Weather

At golf yesterday we lost nearly half of our players as they decided to return home. Many were worried about the weather conditions with drought being on their mind. A few had talked to family and they reported temperatures  nearly as warm as we have in Florida. In any case the weather was the topic of conversation. In Canada where we should be entering spring but there has already been a floury of activity and trees are sprouting and the spring flowers are in full bloom.

This early climate change could have a tremendous effect on the tender fruit crop in Canada and the drought like conditions would have a impact on the planting of crops. We here in Florida are experiencing the effects of a severe drought with less that three inches of rain since October.Fire season is here and the ponds and lakes are at a all time low. Lake O is at 12 feet and the locks have been closed to boat travel.

The warning for owners who have a well and septic system are on careful ration and extra men have been hired to enforce the water rules.We are just seeing the tip of the iceberg as scientists have told us years ago that global worming and climate change is a reality.

Tornadoes have torn towns apart and over 180 were hatched in an eight hour period and the season has hardly begun. We hope that the people that say this is only a natural thing had better wake up and expect  extremes in wind, rain and drought during the future years. There is a feeling of uncertainty among older people who have lived through radical weather in years but they seem to say that the worst is yet to come.

Personally I look foreword to going north in a few weeks to experience this early summer like weather: I will not count on it however as the weather has a mind of it's own and can change at a moments notice.

Connecting

The last few days I have been connecting with the people in my life who are important to me. My friends, family and people who enrich my life play a big role in my life. I make every attempt to keep in contact with these people and the reward is a warm feeling and a definite connection with the past and the present. Distance is no longer an excuse for not relating to the important people in your life. I realized this fact when I was living in the arctic and the telephone would ring and there I was talking to one of the inner circle.

This year I had a life threatening surgery and I  was contacted by so many people that I had proof of what I always thought that real friends are for life. For some reason this has been on my mind and I realize that is because I have this strong notion that I must do better at keeping the connection strong.

Some people do not seem to need to keep in close contact and that is alright but in our family the need is very strong to be there for each other and I get upset if I do not hear from my children often. I think it is because we are separated by miles and are used to just walking down the road  to be with family. Theresa and I have been talking about the future as we are aging and we wish to be close to family and our next generation of grand children. We are making decisions  now for the future and realize that when it comes right down to it, family and friends are the greatest gift of all.

This blog is sort of mixed up because I have so much on my mind these days as Theresa and I are trying to make sense of the next ten years. We really try to plan our future but one realizes that the planning time gets shorter as you age. We wish to make the next ten years the best ever and that means connecting to the people we need and love. Our plans are an emerging design but after all our talking we will have a plan that includes our friends and family.

Home In Three Weeks

I woke up this am at 6am worried about the fact that we will be home in three weeks. Shutters, water system, garden and a million other things that have to be done before we leave this place. Our pot garden worked out well with 8 large pots we have enough lettuce for an army and beans a plenty with tomatoes to be used here and some to go home if all goes well.

Time creeps up on you when you are having fun and this am I realized that I have to get all the tasks completed  with the help of  Theresa. When I came down Henry did most of the work and now we have to get ourselves in gear and get what has to be done, done.

Today we put a new ceiling in our bathroom and painted the whole room. This was something I should have done last year but I put it off. I can no longer put off any task that has to be done so I am making a schedule  for the closing of our home this spring. We are pretty good at getting all the little things done on time but this year I do not have the same energy and we have to plan well in advance.

Today I shared many hours on the phone and Skype to talk to family and friends. It was a good time and the connection only magnified the need to get all the work done. Tomorrow when I wake up I shall be motivated to work and clear my to do list. I really want to have the last week clear to just relax and enjoy the Florida weather.

Doing Nothing

I know you and I are incapable of doing nothing. However I am taking a few days to just rest and recover from a little overactive few  days where my desire to work was greater than my ability to preform. After one such day I was so happy with the result that I planned to do the same today. To get caught up in your reading, blogging and just forget about all the little tasks is something we are not used to.

Theresa and I sat for almost two hours just having breakfast and talking out beside the pool this am. I usually arrive at my reading spot in the rocking chair beside the pool at daybreak and with hot green tea I begin my day. Theresa joins me later with her coffee and we plan our day. With this new way of life we do not need to plan, just live. I could get used to this.

By mid day I will realize that flowers need watering and the bird bath has to be filled and so on. We really don't know how to relax completely. When alone in the morning I meditate in a kind of way and it causes one to think deeply and makes you wonder.Wondering is sometimes called day dreaming and that is all right as well. Most inventions and good thoughts come from wondering. As a teacher I used to see kids day dreaming and brought their minds back to reality. Maybe we should give students time to wonder and meditate for a few minutes every day.I had one wonderful teacher who at the end of the school day used to get us to close our eyes and put our heads on the desk and dream or wonder  for two minutes. It was a great  way to end the school day.

As we age we share more time in activities which bring us happiness. Frequently I have a short nap and awake refreshed and ready to get going again. Most young people today are so busy they do not have time to do nothing and if they do they fill that great space by exercising their thumbs texting. For me I plan to do nothing in a meaningful way for a few days. I might even accomplish something.

Seeds From Our Palms

Palm trees have some beautiful flowers which come out during the spring time. Although not as bright in colour as some of the other seeds, on close examination they are quite beautiful. We have more than a dozen palms and they surprise you with the swiftness of growth and the speed at which they produce seeds. Almost overnight they appear and are gone nearly as fast.

One of the most interesting of the flowers appear on the giant Bismarker. The seed growths come at the nodes and will grow to a length of thirteen to fifteen feet. Not too showy but on close examination they  have exquisite red and brown colours. They stay in this stage for several months.

For people with allergic reactions this is not the place to be for a few weeks. When the weather is calm there is little to worry about but when it is windy the air is full of pollen. The cactus just finished but has bright red flowers.

Sad Day For Some Of Our Fruit Trees

Looking after citrus trees is a twelve month operation. Our orange and grapefruit trees suffered stress this last summer and fall and I have to remove them. They were great bearers of fruit but once they get to this stage they are no longer capable of recovery. Even this year we collected great amounts of fruit but after blossoming they just gave up the ghost and withered away. I hate cutting any tree but these seven year old ones were special.

We still have a flourishing orange tree and our newer star fruit and papaya tree is fine. Even the bananas which gave their best ever crop this year is doing well. We will possibly replace the grapefruit next year but we will see. The tomatoes we planted some fifty days ago are producing a great crop to cheer us up.

Travelling With Friends

This was the second time Theresa and I took a cruise with long time friends. Although there are thousands of people travelling on the ship it can be lonely if you are without some contacts. With friends you are able to have meals together and share time at the special events.

We played mini golf and cards on several occasions and shared our experiences when we alone.It is good to meet for breakfast and plan the events of the day. On this voyage I was unable to take part in some of the really nice events like dancing as my body was not quite ready. I refer to dance lessons which were given by great instructors and we were looking foreword to improving our floor moves. Theresa however never missed and promises to teach me when I am ready.

There is little free time on a cruise as numerous events call you to take part. With friends you have people to share many of the special attractions. On this trip we took time to enjoy the shore visits with long walks and picture taking. It is amazing how far you can travel when you are seeing new things and forgetting the time.We had a good time and it was made better by sharing it with friends.

Eagle Count

After a week of counting eagles in the Southwest Florida it appears that the number of chicks will be down from last year. The count for Lee County is not complete but there seems from our vantage point that our county will be about the same. We observed  two large and old nests for eight years and every year they produce two chicks except one.

This morning Theresa and I went to see the nest where one chick was weeks late in hatching. The little one has taken wing and that is good. The second nest has two chicks which will be ready to go on their own by late April. This is the first year we saw such a difference in the time of hatching. We also read that this is not unusual and there can be quite a difference in hatching times even in the same nest.

We have one empty nest very close to us and we hope that the eagles will take up housekeeping there next year.

Two years ago Great Horned Owls took over an eagle nest and hatched two babies much to our delight. .The nest of doves which we watched for some twenty days was destroyed in a moment when the young we born. We never witnessed the event but Blue Jays were close by for several days. Nature took its cruel course and we were happy to be away when it happened.

Observing nature and loving the birds can be very rewarding and here in our area there is a wonderful opportunity to do just that.

Missed Opportunities

Being a resident of Florida for half the year is a wonderful opportunity to live in a summer climate year round. In my case it afforded me the special weather to complete my recovery. On the other hand we miss the every day interaction with the family. Phone calls and Skype are great but not being at the birthdays and family celebrations are events that will never occur again; hence missed opportunities.

We have less than a month before we return home and already we are in a preparation mode. It is not a full fledged effort but our minds are on that goal We have become the perfect planners and are always prepared well in advance of events that are going to take place.We find security in this as we do not have the luxury of second guessing when we leave one home for another.

On our recent holiday there were hundreds of things to do, all offered by the cruise line. We preferred to go on our own and hire a driver who was familiar with the island and take a tour shown by a local resident. In this way we with two friends were able to interact directly with the driver and have our many questions answered. The alternative is to be herded on a tour bus with 40 others and listen to a recorded message. Even a stop for pictures is a major operation but with the private tour you have excellent opportunities to do as you wish and dictate.

We have found that the small and personal tour gives the driver the opportunity to show you what they are proud of and wish to show off. We were not disappointed and after two hours we had a better understanding of the islands. I was very surprised to find out that Aruba is practically a desert. Little or no rain for years made growing any food crops impossible. There are no animals like cows or chickens and everything they eat comes from Florida. Half the island is absolutely barren and the only life is snakes and iguana. There are few birds as the snakes have ruined the nesting and they have the same problem as Florida with a growing number of huge snakes.

The city is beautiful and colorful because of a water plant which turns the salty water into  good water and the excess heat produces the electricity. Both water and electricity are extremely expensive. The lure for tourists is the perfect weather and white sandy beaches. We liked our time ashore and our shared time with our driver Eddie.

Crown Princess

Theresa and I returned home after a week on the Crown Princess. This is the second time we sailed on this ship and we had rooms on the same 12th floor. This is a huge ship which had 3480  passengers and a crew of over a thousand. We really like this ship as it has everything you could imagine and the activities are for all ages. We even had a small golf course on the 18th deck. With the slight movement of the ship you always had a excuse for a missed put.

Our main stop overs were Aruba and Curacao. These two small Islands are close to South America and were much different than I imagined. We did enjoy the time were shared on shore and you could see how these cruise ships shape the economy of these small islands.

Food is always a highlight on these ships but the crew was the most helpful and well trained I had experienced. As much as we enjoyed the week it was great to be back in Florida to again share our time here in our own home.