Day 3 Captiva

We have had a somewhat lazy day here on the Island....guess we are officially on "Island Time".  We had coffee and pastry on the porch....beautiful sunny day.  Enjoyed brunch of egg/pasta omelet with bagels, bacon and OJ.  After that we strolled on the beach and then set up chairs and enjoyed the sun and surf with Al occasionally dozing.

Had drinks on the veranda and then dinner at the Timbers, one of our faves for seafood. Aland I shared oysters on the half shell. Al dined on triple shrimp platter with sweet potato and veggies and I had shrimp scampies with rice pilaf.

Early night....fell asleep on couch watching TV.

Day 2 Continued

After lunch of ham sandwiches and chips, we drove through Ding Darling Wildlife Reserve to check out the birds. We saw most of the usual ones-white and brown pelicans, egrets, herons, roseate spoonbills, woodstork, ospreys, willets, grebes, blue winged teals, cormorantss, anhinga, etc. 

Drove into Sanibel and picked up some more provisions at Bailey's.

Dinner in tonight. Made veal francese, angel hair pasta with garlic sauce and salad. Enjoyed with some great wine.

Day 2 on Captiva Island 2011

 Hello.  Al and I are back on Captiva Island for a six weeks stay. Last year I was not very good doing my daily post but will try to do so this year as I can type with both hands. I use this blog as a diary to remember details of our trip so bear with me if some of this is not very interesting.

We left on our journey on Thursday at 8:00 AM with plans to divide the trip over 3 days driving about 8 hours the first 2 days. We left just in time as it snowed at homethe day of our departure adding another 2" of "white stuff" but roads were all clear and traffic was light.

 It was like driving through a Winter Wonderland as the trees and landscape were covered in ice and snow along the way on 77S for the first day. Our first stop was Rock Hill, SC at a Quality Inn at exit 82 off 77S, a very convenient stop just off the interststate. Al is a creature of habit and loves to stay with the same plan every year but I mixed it up this year by changing the routine and route for part of the trip.  Enjoyed dinner at Ruby Tuesday .... had spring rolls appetizer, Al had the barbecued baby ribs and blue cheese coleslaw and I had crabcake dinner.  I always include our meals in these posts to make you hungry!

The second day we traveled to Ocala, FL where we have stayed several years at the Best Western. The day warmed up to the hi-60's by the afternoon. For this part of the trip, I stayed with our routine as a compromise with DH......same motel,  same room, same place to eat. Ate at Olive Garden and Al ordered same meal - Chianti Braised Short Ribs with Rissotto and I had shrimp, clams and mussels served over capellini- new menu item.

On Saturday morning, we finished the last leg of our trip....a 4 hour drive to Captiva, making a stop in Ft.Meyers for a carwash and shopped for groceries at Publix. Sunny and in the 70's!!! Arrived at our "final destination" about 3:00PM.  After unpacking the car...always bring too much...we went to eat at one of our fave local spots....Lazy Flamingo...Al had  fried oysters with fries (Yes, not the healthiest meal but he's allowed  just once) and I had grouper cake and slaw.

We are settled in to our rental house here on the Island.  Enjoying coffee and pastry on the screen porch in this island paradise as I write this entry.
 
Time to check out the beach!

Beginning of Captiva Trip 2011

Posts for our February-March 2011 Diary at Captiva Island, Florida.