TWO DAYS, REVERSE ORDER

2010 Jan. 10, Sunday.
We did our usual Sun. morning thing - coffee and scone at Starbucks at Miromar Mall at 10:00, church at 11:00 at Estero Methodist - but then we went for lunch at Islamorada Fish Company in the Gulf Coast Mall. Linda had Coconut Shrimp and I had broiled scallops, my favorite, and both were excellent. Stopped at the new Publix on the way back to the 5th wheel and got groceries, then went to get one of the LP gas tanks filled. We are using a lot of gas trying to stay warm! The furnace is getting a work out this year. I know, in a few weeks we will be too warm and running the AC all the time! Right now, that sounds good.

WEATHER: Sunny all day, high of 52, north winds of 20 m.p.h., but out of the wind, it felt warmer after yesterday. Low tonight of 29 will be a new record by 3 degrees, at least. Our only hope is that by next Friday, it should be close to 80 degrees!

FL NEWS: “It’s hard to grow tomatoes in a refrigerator”, says Sandy Biggar, a farmer who has a 53-acre tomato farm in the middle of south Ft. Myers (about 4 miles from our RV park). Although he hasn’t lost any tomatoes yet, the longest continuous cold snap in SW Florida’s history this past week has tested his nerves, his family, his workers, and his life’s investment. He said tomato farmers can lose their entire investment in a hard freeze or when temperatures dip below 26 for five consecutive hours. Biggar has been farming locally for over 40 years, and he says farming is like gambling - it’s the same thing as standing at a craps table. One of his workers says he tries not to show that he’s worrying, but he is. He hasn’t slept much lately, watching the internet weather updates until 3 a.m., even though there aren’t many precautions he can take to save his crop.

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2010 Jan. 9, Saturday.
Light rain all day today, and very chilly. For lunch, we went to Panera Bread at Coconut Point mall, and I worked on the computer until about 2:00. Then we went to the movie to see “Sherlock Holmes”. Linda thought it was okay, but I thought it was really good. I think Robert Downey, Jr., will be in contention for a best actor Oscar and Jude Law possible for best supporting actor. Visually, it was outstanding, with many scenes of London in the days of the horse and buggy. Scenes at the end of Big Ben, the House of Parliament, and the Tower Bridge being built were terrific, even though much was done by computer simulation.

WEATHER: Low last night was 42, high today was 51, but that was at midnight. During the day, it didn’t reach 40! A light rain fell all day long, and it was miserable! The next two nights are going to be more record-breaking cold, tonight 31. This can’t go on, can it? This is sunny FL!

FL NEWS: Lee County tourism is showing signs of recovery. (But not for long if the weather stays so cold!) Visitors who pay to stay are increasing - fewer are bunking with friends and relatives. That’s the results of an 11-month analysis by a tourism council. Through Nov. 2009, visitation totaled about 4.3 million, on par with 2008. Visitors in paid lodging increased by 7.8% over the 11 months, but the numbers for Nov. 2009, the last month reported, were not as good. Compared to Nov. 208, tourist tax collections were down 20%, average occupancy for all kinds of paid accommodations was down 2.7%, and daily rates for all kinds of lodging averaged $94.16, down about 10%.