Edison/Ford Winter Estates tour 2/12/11

Outer portion of the Edison Estate

Rubber tree overlooking the Caloosahatchee river

Getting ready for a wedding on the Edison Estate

Tom and Mina Edison's Winter Estate home

Ft Myers is home to the Thomas Edison and Henry Ford Winter estates. Ford spent only about 2 weeks out of the year at his estate which is next to the Edison estate. Edison spent about 6 months out of the year here. The estates look out over the Caloosahatchee River. Edison had a working lab where he worked everyday until he died. The estate is pretty self sufficient. There are banana, coconut, mango, orange, lemon, and lime trees, and many other fruit trees. There's a beautiful rubber tree that Edison planted looking for ways to extract the rubber. One can even get married and have their reception on the estate. The trees are beautiful. We are so glad we toured this place.

Sanibel/Captiva trip 1/29/2011

Sunset at Barefoot Beach

Doc's Beach House, great pizza

Lighthouse on Sanibel Island

Kirk eating a Florida orange on Bowman's Beach on Sanibel Island

The bridge going over to Sanibel Island

My first weekend off work Kirk and I drove over to Sanibel and Captiva Islands. It was a nice day. I don't think the temperature got above the lower 70's though and after the sun went down it was pretty chilly. The Islands are a must see. We stopped along several area's of the beach just to walk and/or sit and watch everyone else. The Islands are also known for their many bike trails, and there were many bikers taking advantage of this. We also visited the old Lighthouse on Sanibel. We ended that day in Bonita Springs on Barefoot Beach at Doc's Beach House. Kirk swears that their pizza is as close to Zeno's (in his hometown of Marshalltown) as it gets. The Gulf coast is also know for it's sunset's.....and now we know why!! Perfect ending to a perfect day.

1/22/11...On our way to Ft Myers, FL

Dick and MaryLou

Our site at Seminole Campground and RV Park in Ft Myers

I completed my 13 week assignment in Bunnell, FL on 1/21/11 and Kirk and I departed for Ft Myers the next morning for the next 13 weeks. I accepted a position at Winkler Court Rehabilitation Center, a 120 bed skilled nursing facility. This time I actually get to work with another SLP. We were excited about being on the Gulf side of FL this time. On our way Kirk had arranged to meet Dick and MaryLou (who are also full time RV'ers) who are in FL for the winter and also are good friends of his from Iowa. We had a great visit with them over lunch. They are an awesome couple. We arrived in Ft Myers and are staying at Seminole Campground and RV Park. Everyone here is great....especially the staff, which is a welcomed relief from the previous RV park we stayed in. Kirk celebrated his birthday on the 23rd very quietly as we were setting up for the next 3 months. We did eat at Hogbody's (recommended by the locals) on Saturday evening and decided it would be a place where we would definitely go back. I started my job that Monday, the 24th. I will never work back to back again. I was exhausted. I found that I need an extra day to relax.