All posts by Tim Lenton

7 March 2007

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In the evening yesterday we paid our second visit to Redfish Blu(e)fish. Good food, wine even better. We were almost home when Barb realised she’d left her glasses on the table, so we returned to fetch them. Total additional time probably 40 minutes! Back home we watched Inside Man, which seemed really good, though I dozed off a couple of times, out of tiredness rather than boredom.

Today we were out of the house by 9.30 and in the Sanibel shopping area by 10. I bought a new bag to carry all the extra stuff we’ve bought, plus present for Phil, whose birthday is on Monday. Then back to Captiva for lunch at the Green Flash – outdoors, to the accompaniment of water sprays that kept drifting over us. Archetypal American waitress.

After lunch we went kayaking for a couple of hours over to Buck Key and into its beautiful little lagoon. In Pine Island Sound the wind got up a little but it was still no problem. This evening we are having an unusually late meal at Traders, so watching part of a film first.

Weather warmer again. Blue skies.

Picture by Dot is of birds in the Ding Darling wildlife refuge.

6 March 2007

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Just returned from two hours sailing in Pine Island Sound on board the Adventure, captained by Jorge, from Chile. Beautiful day: some breeze, but not too much. No sign of fish, surprisingly in view of what you can often see from the shore, but plenty of entertainment from Jorge, who had views on a wide variety of things, from Canadian government to the amount of food you get in certain restaurants here. When he discovered I was a writer he came up with a couple of ideas for my next column. Hmmm…

The Sound is only about five feet deep at its maximum, and is over two miles wide. Jorge suggested that if we sank, we could walk ashore. The more vertically challenged among us were not sure about this, but some found it comforting.

The picture was taken at the end of the voyage by Jorge, using Dot’s camera.

Earlier, while I took a while to get up (hadn’t been feeling too well – maybe very mild sunstroke from tennis, or a touch of dodgy food), Dot and Barb went over to Sanibel for a little shopping. When I eventually stirred, I finished writing my page for next week.

Last night after bridge we watched The Luzhin Defence, a film about a chess grandmaster who is one pawn short of a set. No, that’s a metaphor. The chess references, of which there were many, were very accurate, though there is no way a world championship would be settled by a single game, of course. Superbly acted by all.

5 March 2007

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In the end we skipped the kayaking for the time being, and played tennis instead. I was awful. I continue to be awful. I played again today with Roger and lost again despite his trying to help me. On Saturday evening we watched Being Julia – great performance by Annette Bening.

Yesterday it continued cooler, but it was still quite pleasant. We had brunch at the Lighthouse Cafe, then bought a couple of books and called in at the video store. On to a leisurely drive through the Nature Reserve, hunting for alligators. We saw a huge variety of birds and a few raccoons, but we had just about given up on the alligators when I saw a baby one in a creek near the exit. No sign of the mother.

Back at home played tennis (still awful) then home for food and two excellent films: The Merchant of Venice (superb performances from Al Pacino and Lynn Collins) and Keeping Mum (a surprisingly good comedy with Kirstin Scott Thomas and Rowan Atkinson, among others).

Today has been much cooler, which is to say the equivalent of a very acceptable English summer’s day. Barb and Dot are just back from Naples, where they bought a bundle of clothes. I walked up to the post office, back along the beach and over to the dock. Wind has shifted to the north, and there were crows on the dock. Haven’t seen them before. Very clear – Pine Island was very sharp. No sign of manatees, which had been mating yesterday, we think. Lots of action – very unusual. Only happens once every two years.

Now the other three have gone out to buy desserts from the Bubble Room. I didn’t feel much like going to a proper restaurant, and they wouldn’t go without me.

It’s much noisier now in Sunset Captiva – more families have come down for the March break, whatever that is.

The picture is Dot’s view of the Lady Chadwick, a boat that leaves the quay almost opposite us and promises dolphin sightings. The other evening it overshot its berth to view a dolphin opposite our dock. Could it have been the only one they’d seen?

3 March 2007

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This is Dot on the deck leading off our bedroom. I think hornets may be building a nest there.

In the end the journey to Naples wasn’t too bad, though we were stuck on Periwinkle Way for a long time. Happily, I took a book! We arrived at the theatre nearly an hour and a half early: great consternation because there was no food on sale, and Dot and Barb in particular were hungry. They had to make do with coffee, drunk outside in a courtyard. Lovely setting.

Riverdance was superb – quite stunning in several different ways. The dancing itself was amazing, of course, but I was particularly impressed by the small group of musicians, including a violinist and drummer who were out of this world.

Back in the car by 10.20, we stopped for succour at a filling station: cake and chocolates. Home before midnight.

On the way to Naples, on Highway 41, we were overtaken by a motor cycle. A mile or so further on we found the bike wrecked and the young rider lying on the ground: he had clearly hit a car. He didn’t look at all good, though he wasn’t dead. The difference a few minutes can make…

Yesterday was fairly quiet. Did a bit of grocery shopping with Barb (Roger was painting) and then called at Bowman’s beach on Sanibel. Lovely approach paths through trees and bushes, and a lagoon just behind the sand. The beach itself was quite crowded, though the sea was very perky, and there was intermittent low cloud. Certainly picturesque.

Later went to the dock again. Several manatee about. We booked a trip on a sailing boat for Tuesday.

Evening meal at Dolce Vita, where the ambience was sophisticated, more like a city restaurant, with live music. The food was first class, as was the service. Really good meal. Home by about 8.30 and watched Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, which I found irritating and pretentious. No likeable characters and not much coherence either.

Now Dot and Barbara are up at the pool. Roger has just finished his portrait of Dot – wonderful – and there is the prospect of kayaking this afternoon, though I’m a bit worried about my stomach.

1 March 2007

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Just a quickie. A relatively quiet day yesterday for Roger and me, while Dot and Barbara went on to Sanibel to do some shopping and have their nails polished. I did some reading and writing, including postcards, and Roger worked on his portrait of Dot. In the evening (well, 5pm) we walked up to the Mucky Duck for dinner. I had shrimps in beer batter and chips. Watched the Leonard Cohen film, I’m Your Man, which is much better than I thought it would be. Some excellent versions of lesser known songs, as well as better known ones. Martha Wainwright great on Traitor.

Today we had lunch at Traders, which was excellent, and in a moment we will be leaving for Naples and a performance of Riverdance. We’re expecting bad traffic and so starting out at 4pm for an 8pm performance. Normal travel time, one and a half hours. Before lunch I bought some shoes – a combination of sandals and trainers – and I have just walked up to the post office to buy stamps, stopping off at the dock on the way back. One dolphin, one manatee, countless pelicans. Strongish breeze from the south-west, but temperature 86F.

Picture is of the house we’re staying in, with our hosts. By Dot.

27 February 2007

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Picture by our waitress at Tommy Bahama’s yesterday in Naples, where I outraged Barb by ordering a cheeseburger instead of something cultured. However, I did have a Cosmo martini, and Dot had a Coconut Cloud (speciality of the house, with their own rum); so that was all right. Using the phrase “all right” rather loosely.

Afterwards Barb and Dot went shopping, and Roger and I visited about six galleries. Some really excellent pictures, especially in the Galerie du Soleil, where they were showing pictures from Naples, Italy, in some kind of exchange deal. Stunning portraits.

Journey to and from Naples was afflicted by heavy traffic. On the way there, through Fort Myers Beach – a kind of sub-tropical Great Yarmouth – it was foggy, depriving us of what we were assured were splendid views. Naples itself was very refined, or upscale, as they say over here.

Today we had breakfast at the Lighthouse cafe again, then went to see the actual lighthouse, which is not much aesthetically, but nicely placed opposite an osprey’s nest. And round the corner is the pier where quite a large number of people were fishing. Surprisingly peaceful, despite the usual suspects – pelicans – putting in an appearance. Saw dolphins again.

On the way back we called at the video shop, and while we were inside, there was a thunderstorm. Back on Captiva it was dry. Dot and I went to the post office, then Starbuck’s, then bought one or two cards and other items at the Bubble Room emporium. Barb and Roger saw manatees at the dock, but by the time Dot and I arrived, they had mysteriously disappeared. The manatees, that is.

Meanwhile a new fridge was installed. We had a delicatessen supper on the deck, then played bridge, followed by a film – Calendar Girls.

25 February 2007

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Enjoying a fairly quiet Sunday, if a day that starts with a seven and a half mile walk can be described as quiet. We processed along the strip of beach from Sunset Captiva, where we’re staying, to the bridge on to Sanibel, the neighbouring island. In fact, since the hurricane a couple of years ago, the islands are joined, and the short bridge between them has nothing but sand underneath. Apparently there are plans to dredge it again.

The beach is nothing special – just a strip of off-sand-coloured sand about fifty yards wide: sea on one side, expensive homes on the other. Lots of shells. Lots of birds – western sandpipers darting in and out of the sea, pelicans diving for fish offshore, the occasional osprey and many, many others. You can occasionally see dolphins leaping out of the sea. It’s not crowded, but there are quite a few shell-seekers. In the easy-access spots (not many), there is a sudden blooming of chairs and umbrellas.

On the way back – the tempertaure is around 80F, but there is a cooling breeze – we called in at the Chapel by the Sea, which has a little graveyard in the shade of palms and other trees.

Yesterday was also reasonably quiet. We went to the video store and then to Andrea’s again, because it had a wine-tasting. And butter and ice-cream tasting. We bought over 100 dollars’ worth of exotic food, which we’ve been eating ever since.

Afterwards the girls read on the beach. Roger did some painting, and I walked over to the dock and took some pictures, mainly of pelicans and a heron. Idyllic spot. I’ve read one book already – John Grishom’s The Broker. Pretty good, but not great. Much of it was taken up with the main character learning Italian, and it tailed off a bit.

The picture is by Dot, taken at the north of the island.

23 February 2007

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This is Dot and Barb sitting on the dock of the bay during our orientation walk. Otis Redding, eat your heart out. (A Roger Murray picture)

Last night we stayed in and watched a couple of movies in the company of some gigantic desserts from the Bubble Room. The desserts didn’t stay around long – well, mine did, but then I was never much for dessert. We saw Woody Allen’s Scoop, and The Devil Wears Prada, both of which were good value.

Today we went to the Lighthouse for breakfast again and called in at a delcatessen called Andrea’s. Just looking, apparently. Back to the house for a webchat with Caddington and then a kayak ride out in the bay. Beautiful calm day, stunning views and manageable exertion. Dot and Barb have now gone down to the beach, but Roger and I decided to take advantage of the house. Cool.

I didn’t get the commission for the Norfolk poem, but they liked my stuff and might use some of it.

22 February 2007

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Excellent example of time distortion. Here is a Roger Murray picture of something that didn’t happen till tomorrow. Dot and me in a kayak in Pine Island Sound east of Captiva. Now, back to today…

We are now on Captiva Island, Florida, which turned out to be bigger and much more built up than I anticipated. Lovely weather. We arrived at about 10pm on Tuesday (3am Norwich time) after fairly straightforward journey.

We were fortunate enough to have three seats between the two of us on the BA flight, which arrived at Tampa on time. The Murrays had been held up in traffic but we met successfully and drove back to Captiva through a beautiful sunset.

Yesterday we went for “breakfast” at the Lighthouse cafe on Sanibel, then enjoyed an orientation walk round our immediate area, ending up sitting on the dock opposite for an hour or so. Evening meal was at the RedfishBluefish restaurant – smallish portions but high quality. Really enjoyable.

Today we went for a six-mile walk to the northern point of the island, which is privately owned. Saw dolphins in the bay and attempted to photograph them. Temperature around 80F. Crawled into a Starbucks for iced tea and a cookie. Now Roger and I are in the house, which is on a private development called Sunset Captiva, and very quiet. Dot and Barb have gone shopping.

18 February 2007

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Last blog before leaving home en route to Florida. The Murrays are already there. This is a picture they took in Cincinnati, in the aftermath of an ice storm, but apparently the roads were good all through the States. We had pictured them being snowed in, but happily reports of 12ft drifts were exaggerated – at least where they were.

Dot is now cleaning the house, and we’re pretty much packed. I have a few odd things to do; then we shall be off to Caddington. At present the weather is dull but dry, and well above freezing. Happily my tax disc, which I had been worrying about, arrived in the post yesterday.