"I have them", I said..."They are always in the inside zippered pocket of my bag". We stopped at a Burger King for a frozen drink (it was hot out there) and for me to confirm that the keys were where I claimed they were. Checking ALL the pockets of the bag resulted in a fruitless search. We had left them behind in the boat, where we put ALL the keys. My memory of having them secured was on a previous trip and they had never been replaced in the bag! AIEEEEEEEEEEEE! What to do????
We both had momentary delusions of returning to Georgia to get them, and then common sense prevailed....well, we think that's what it was, lol.
The purpose of our trip to Florida was two-fold. One: To attend a biometrics interview with Immigration, in Fort Meyers, and two: to Pick up our car which is in Port Charlotte, waiting for us to take her back to Georgia where the boat is docked.
Having picked up the rental vehicle, upgraded to a Kia Sedona Van because they didn't have a Ford Fusion on the lot, on Tuesday night, 5pm, we were up around 7am to make our way south. Waz had forgotten to set the alarm for 6.30am, so we were late to begin with. All I could think of was a cup of Latte and a Croissantwich at our new favorite coffee shop down the road, before hitting the Highway. We had everything else...just forgot the car keys!
All is not lost...I don't think! It will just be another expensive exercise. shite!
Being fortified, we set forth.
We came under this lovely looking bridge on our way to the Marina, but it is now around a corner in the river and we cant see it from the boat.
Looking back up-river...our river is on the far right above the house there.
He was supposed to drive our car back, while I would drive the rental van back. I don't like the idea of driving for 5 hrs on various highways, on my own...especially when we get towards Jacksonville....we changed highways at places I do not know, and I cant drive and deal wih a GPS at the same time. I guess I would just follow Waz. We will have to do this trip again in the near future to pick up the van.
As I am driving, and telling waz which photos to take, there were not many photos:) He would rather be driving and ME taking the photos, of course. So...there are not many photos, sorry!
We hit I95 south, then who knows what highway going west until we found I75, and went south all the way to Port Charlotte. We stopped for food at 3pm (lunch) at Northport...after snacking on some salami we had bought in Brunswick, and an apple, in the car, earlier.
We had anticipated going through Ocala, Fl, but had only been on the western side of the city, before...driving through the eastern side of the city was great...that seems to be where all the lovely horse farms are. Lots of babies out with their mothers, in beautiful white or black fenced farms.
We picked up the mail at our old Port Charlotte address, and made our way down to Fort Meyers, an hour south. Happy to reach our Hampton Inn, in Ft Meyers, we plonked down for a nap and veg out. My legs didn't like being inactive in the vehicle for 5-6 hrs, so I had to get some exercise.
We decided, around 8pm, to go down to the Edison Mall for some dinner at the Food Court. Not the most inspired choice, and the cold Chinese food confirmed that. As the mall closed at 9pm, we had just half an hour to do some walking and shopping...which inevitably happens, doesn't it? Silly us for going into Macy's.
Of course we found some baby clothes reduced by 46% and knowing we have a rapidly growing 3 month old in the family (young Daniel on Maui), we bought some cute outfits and got an additional 20% off at the register...I LIKE that kind of shopping:)
Our walk over, we came back to the hotel to find just two chocolate/mac nut cookies left...they knew we were coming, right! We sat downstairs in the lounge and drank a nice cup of coffee and ate our cookies:)
Well, it is time to take Waz to his interview. So Im out of here.
More later.
Later....much later....like 10.15pm!
This morning Waz got the opportunity to make his favorite breakfast, at the Hampton Inns....Waffles. They are self-make, and he loves that!:) With fresh fruit and butter and syrup.
I opted for the scrambled (hard kind) eggs, sausage and country fried potatoes...(small serving) and some fresh fruit with coffee...both of us. We like Hampton Inns for several reasons: Consistency! Price and value for money, the free breakfast, wifi and cookies after 6pm....I think I have told you all this before.
Anyway, we needed to be out of the room to get some exercise and to go forth and find some special bits and pieces. JoAnns is just down the road, and there we bought some fabrics for baby shorts for me to make. I need a project!
Then, Walmart to buy some plastic (1, actually) boxes to put the plants inside, as they old boxes with the soil and plants in, has now broken. Bah!
...and of course, some more Carter brand baby clothes. Wish we had waited until we got to JC Penny, where there was much greater choice and better prices! Yes! better than Walmart!
Finishing up there around noon, we were opposite a Chick fil'a (chick feel Aye)...where we bought some lunch...and very nice it was too, for fast food. Asian chicken salad for me, and spicy chicken sandwich for Waz. Our first time there.
Fortified, we returned to our room and filled in an hour and half until his appointment at the Immigration office 5 mins away. We had cased the joint prior to going to JoAnns.
We were early, but Waz entered the building alone, and on the dot of 2pm, returned to the car with a smile of success on his face. He will get his 10 yr Green Card...wooohooo!!
We found a Starbucks to celebrate! Hmm....Did you know that Starbucks in the USA now does a Flat WHite? Well, they have for a while, now, but we hadn't thought much about it before today, and while I ordered two, and we asked for single shots of espresso in our Tall coffees, she charged me the same price as for two. Waz, as always, was quick to spot the discrepancy and noted it to me. I questioned the cashier who told us that a Flat white is made with whole milk (doesn't froth) and double espresso, and there is no ability for her to charge us for one shot! We cancelled the order and ordered a Latte for each....the difference in $ terms was 60cents....less than the FW~! Curious!
We made our way back to the Edison Mall, and walked the entire mall. it is huge, so this gave us good exercise. In the process we looked for a new Man Bag for Waz...this is an ongoing thang...his old one is disintegrating, and we cant seem to find a new one for love or money! Anyhoo...we didn't find one, and the search continues.
Dinner tonight was at the Golden Corral, next to Walmart, just up the road. It was a bit misleading, the advertisement...not our kind of thing at all, but the ribs were good, and we ate enough to keep us going.
Back to the hotel for coffee and cookies (me) and time to chat with the child unit in NZ. He is being made redundant! His first job out of Uni (college) , and it has been a good one for the most part, but time to move on. He has lots of qualifications but needs more experience in some quarters, but I am confident he will find a job that he will enjoy.
Waz has been snoring on the sofa in our suite, while I do the child stuff. Time to hit the sack, we have a long trip ahead of us in the morning. We are sorting out our car key mistake, to mitigate the huge expenses involved...not totally impossible! Will let you know more another day, when all this is sorted.
Ciao for now. Good night!
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