2010 Jan. 29, Friday.
For our morning break, we went to the bookstore at Gulf Point mall for coffee, treat, computer work, and to read the newspaper. We had lunch at the Firepit, a nice restaurant close to the bookstore. It was such a nice day we decided to eat at an outside table. We both had a bacon-turkey wrap, and I had lemon-chicken-rice soup, while Linda had a salad. It was very good. After lunch, we went to see the movie “Extraordinary Measures”. It was very good, but very emotional. It’s about a father who works diligently to find a treatment for his two children who are dying from a rare MS-type of disease. Harrison Ford plays a cranky doctor, and did it well, but we noticed how old and wrinkled he looks. After the movie, we stopped at the Baskins-Robbins on the way home for some ice cream. Then I went for a long bike ride and Linda for a long walk (to get rid of the ice cream calories!). Supper here.

WEATHER: High 80, low 55, no wind. It’s supposed to stay around 80 for a few days, with several days next week with a chance of rain.

FL NEWS: “Sanibel’s croc is found dead” An American crocodile that lived on Sanibel for most of the past 30 years - and believed to be the northernmost of its kind - has died. The 11.8 foot long 300 - 350 pound female reptile was found dead a week ago on a trail along the Sanibel River. But the croc will live on to greet visitors at J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge. A biologist at the refuge said, “We are planning on getting her to a taxidermist and having her skeleton displayed eventually in the visitor’s center with a small memorial display.” It is believed that the recent cold snap played a role in the croc’s death, but the animal could have died of old age. The biologist said, “As with any older animal, very small changes in what they’re used to make them more susceptible sometimes to either disease or death.” The croc had no apparent injuries. Crocodiles can live up to 60 years, and this one was older than 30 and likely 50 to 60. The only place in the U.S. where crocodiles are found is at Florida’s southern tip, and Florida is the only place where crocodiles and alligators are found together. The breeding population of crocodiles in the U.S. is clustered around Crocodile Lake NWR on Key Largo and part of Florida Bay about 25 miles south of Miami.
[A few years ago, we were visiting the Darling NWR and saw this crocodile right next to the road, lying on the bank of a lake in the sun. They had put a 6 inch high little white fence around it to keep people back. There was a crowd around it, and I thought to myself how dangerous this could be! I guess it had plenty of easy-to-catch food, so it was not hungry.]