After last year’s pathetic effort, just two posts - must do better. I have decided to try and get my Blogger mo-jo back on track with more pictures and less massacring of the English language. It has enough problems without my assistance.
To start the New Year Mrs B and I went to sunny Florida. The trip got off to a fantastic start when we got upgraded to Business Class on our out-bound flight. We thought it had got even better when Avis offered us an upgrade on our pre-booked hire car. I had booked a Mustang convertible which failed to materialise. Would you like a Corvette Stingray instead? The sales girl showed Mrs B a picture –
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| Corvette Stingray |
Mrs B - "Oh that would be fantastic" - all thoughts forgotten about how we would get 3 large bags and a couple of oversized rucksacks into a small space without having to sacrifice one, or possibly even both of us…
Avis agent – “OK that will be another $200”
Me - Ouch, are you sure Mrs B?
Mrs B – “It looks really sporty”
Me – “But how are we going to get all the luggage in?”
Mrs B – “You are great at packing cars..”
Me - "$200 is a lot extra to pay when you can’t supply the car we booked"
Avis Agent - "That's $200 a day sir"
Me - "Noooooooo"
Avis Agent – “My manager says we can do a deal for just an extra "$1,000" for the week”
Mrs B - "You mean on top of what we have already paid…..Hmmm….. next"
We ended up with this gas guzzler, an impressive 18mpg
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Chevrolet Camaro
The back seats came in useful for most of our luggage |
Karma caught up with us on the return flight – no upgrade this time but we did get the delights of two (yes two) babies directly in front of us…. Despite not being related and having no apparent time to practice together they treated us to the delights of solos and duets for the entire flight….
"Aaaaarrrgghhh"
I would love to have felt sorry for the parents but I was too busy supressing murderess thoughts and trying not to offer my pillow as a solution. Fortunately for my freedom I had to keep the pillow clamped tightly over my ears.
C.A.C.T.U.S (Cheap As Chips TUeSday)
A new section cataloguing the films shown at Bishop’s Stortford cinema which has a half price policy on a Tuesday.
This week the delights of “The Theory of Everything” – I particularly enjoyed it as I met the real Professor Hawkins in person last year (you would have read about it if I had been blogging properly last year - try and keep up).
I even got to hear his iconic voice – He only managed
“Y E S” but it was an incredible moment, which would have been a lot better if I had not been so busy biting my lip trying not to inappropriately laugh….
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Stephens bid for my photographic services
2 and 1/2 oranges - ouch |
This week’s C.A.C.T.U.S attendees
Marb (saved from Blackwidow 2)
Natalie
Penny
Almost attendees
I'm guessing my new friend Stephen didn't get the text
Photo Finish
Sanibel Island
(is it just me - it sounds like a pretentious manufacturer of bathroom suites)
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| Fly me to the moon |
Click
here if you want to see more pretentious bathroom suite pictures
Miami
If you ever watch "Burn Notice"this has to be said in a fake Irish accent (just like Fi says it: Moi-Am-Me in the title sequence for the show)
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| The Pool at our hotel |
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| South Beach Moi-Am-Me |
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No messing with this lady
I think that was blood on her nails |
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I'm guessing our hotel had a name change as
it is no longer called Tiffany's but the slightly
pretentious sounding
The Hotel South Beach
Thanks to Big Sis for the recommendation |
Click
here If you want to see some more Moi-Am-Mee pictures
Florida wildlife
(Sadly I heard only 2% of visitors who come to Florida bother with the wildlife. Most people come for the stupid mouse with the big ears and annoying voice….. )
Great places to visit for wild life
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
J.N.Ding Darling National Wildlife Sanctuary (on Sanibel island)
Shark Valley
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The Gators like to get close to the boat
Mrs B refused to get in this shot.... |
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They are so cute when they are small but remember you will
need at least a 15ft Bath tub for when they grow older
(available through Sanibel Island bathroom
suppliers to the rich and deluded) |
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| Anhinga |
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Mrs B and I got very excited at seeing Raccoons
while the Americans around us thought we ere mad
make a fuss over just vermin
she looks like she is doing an impression
of Tommy cooper
"Not like that, like this" |
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| Male Brown Anole |
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Osprey with the remains of a fish
big prize for anyone who can work out
what type of fish it was..... |
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| Flipper in full play mode |
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Bald Eagle
surveying his kingdom |
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| Brown Pelican |
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| Roseate Spoon Bill |
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Little Blue Heron
Not sure if it is fishing or just playing with
his bath water
"Now where did I put my rubber duckie" |
Click
here if you want to see more wildlife pictures
I had always thought that the Everglades were a swamp but it is in fact a very slow moving river.
Catch you next time
