Around this part of Florida, there is a certain tree called a jacaranda, and it shares a name with a street nearby. I cannot identify this tree, but yesterday I did see one nearly leafless tree that was covered with purple flowers, and it turned out to be a jacaranda. That name is but one of the interesting ones for streets here; another is “Alamander.” We say good-bye to both of those sometime early tomorrow morning.
I had to arise early (8 am!) to get a little work done today before we had to leave for Punta Gorda. I’m rarely clear on what any of our plans have been since we’ve arrived here, so on the way to Punta Gorda today I asked where we were going. And we were headed for a place called Fisherman’s Village. What it turned out to be was a covered but open-air mall with a bunch of little tourist shops. We wandered through a couple of shops before having a good lunch at the restaurant at the end of the pier.
Part of Punta Gorda, tho, reminded us of Key West. Quaint old Sears houses lining the streets, fenced yards, and cats everywhere: walking the mall, sleeping in the bushes. Well, it may have been a particularly catful day.
Once back home, Nancy Tim and I returned to Manasota Beach to search for glyphshells. The beach was deep with shells when we arrived and we collected pounds of them before returning home. We also collected a number of shark’s teeth and things that Nancy called “pretty shells,” but I wasn’t sure of the purpose of them.
Again, we returned home, only to shower and leave again for dinner. (It seems that meals make up most of any vacation, which always seems a waste to me. I don’t mind eating, but meals took up much of our time here.) We ate dinner at a nearishby restaurant called Johnny Leverocks, getting there in time for the early bird specials. Good food, and I finally had some key lime pie.
Then we had to rush home so we could make it to the evening festivities at Polynesian Village. First, we had to say good-bye to the Grants, who are also leaving early tomorrow morning. And all three Grant girls had to chase Tim around a little bit. Here, Tim is the life of the party.
Our entertainment tonight was Bruce Nye, The Elvis Guy, whose banner proclaims, “I Swear It’s Elvis.” (I thought it interesting that being an impersonator was not enough appropriation of another persona for him; he also had to steal the name of Bill Nye, the Science Guy.) As expected he was a Vegas Elvis (also known as a Fat Elvis), because that’s such an easy persona to fit into: slip into a costume and the parody is ready. I don’t care for Elvis impersonators, but he did tell a number of jokes (tho only I laughed at the one below), and he got the women of PV to wiggle in front of everyone. We couldn’t stay for the whole two-hour show, since we had to pack.
So we packed and stowed our belonging, and we’re set to hit the road at 5 am tomorrow for a 15-hour ride to Virginia. Tomorrow is the kind of day I dread.
So, Betsy, expect us around 8 pm on Sunday.
Good night.
Quote of the Day (Bruce Nye, the Elvis Guy): I don’t see many old people here tonight.
Sign of the Day:
Grease Money
Biziness is Good
You Can Make it Gooder
