Bill and Cathy McArthur on the Road 2008: 3  

  Saturday, January 12, was another warm, partly cloudy day. We started after breakfast with weightlifting and a 3 mile walk. Then, we changed and drove to Castaways Backwater Cafe for lunch. We had passed this place on our recent kayak paddle and had a good recommendation from our neighbors, Norm and Marianne. We enjoyed blackened Grouper sandwiches for $4.95 each. Wonderfully fresh fish in a nice laid back atmosphere. Next, we drove down Route 41 a bit and checked out the La Quinta Inn for possible guest lodging. It is a very clean and nice hotel with rooms around $120. Our neighbors at home, Tom and Joy, had called to ask us to check out a condo up in Bonita Springs for a possible rental for them. We drove up Route 41 and found the condo to be very well maintained and comfortable, but a little out of things being so far to the north. On the plus side is a water taxi to run people to the beach for $100 per week. On the way back we stopped at Barnes and Noble so Bill could buy a book on Florida Fishes, which confuse him. He found that the fish he caught the day before was a Silver Trout. Also, the fish was legal and considered very tasty. So we missed a good grilled fish meal. But there will be more chances. We spent the remainder of the late afternoon relaxing on the patio. During dinner, we viewed "Shattered", a good thriller with lots to think about as well as a good cast.

  Sunday started cloudy and humid, became breezy, ended up cloudy and humid. Bill did a 6.8 mile speed walk while Cathy did a 3.4 walk. Then we did some shopping at Publix. We had our usual lunch featuring fresh fruit on the patio. During late afternoon we did another 3.4 mile walk. We had grilled cod and broiled potatoes for a great dinner. We watched the press conference for the Golden Globe awards.

  Monday was a bit cooler and somewhat breezy. It was also dry and the blue sky was beautiful. Bill worked online while Cathy did a wash. Bill did a 3.2 mile run and then walked to meet with the walking Cathy. After lunch, we drove to Everglades City and the National Park Visitors Center. We picked up a lot of materials about kayaking and cycling in the Everglades. On the way back to Naples, we stopped at a wildlife preserve and walked its boardwalk. We saw a lot of wildlife there. Then we went to Carrabbas for dinner.

  We ran the furnace overnight. The Tuesday morning temperature was 50 degrees. It was clear, dry, and sunny. Bill went to the office's common room for a reliable Internet connection. Bill scheduled our flight to San Diego in May. Later in the morning, Bill did a 6.5 mile speed walk while Cathy did a 3 mile walk. Bill drove to Home Depot to pick up a few items. After lunch, we shopped at Publix and Bill stopped at Starbucks for a cappuccino. Then, Bill went out for a 2.5 hour fishing paddle up the Gordon River. It was a gorgeous ride, but no fish. Cathy walked to the produce store on Davis Blvd to pick up some vegetables. During dinner, we watched most of "Lord of War". Then, we watched "The Daily Show" and the Democratic debate from Nevada, won by Edwards, and then we finished "Lord of War" - good movie about a sleazebag.

  Wednesday was partly cloudy and windy. Bill strapped down our awning to keep it from moving in the wind. Bill also did the Times crossword, which was a bit difficult. Cathy walked 3.4 miles while Bill ran 3.1 miles and walked to meet Cathy. We lunched indoors due to the wind. After lunch, Bill worked on the computer while Cathy napped a bit. We went to a late afternoon showing of "Atonement" and had mixed reactions as expected. Bill decided to prepare a review of the movie in his blog. We stopped at Starbucks after the movie and headed home for a pasta dinner.

  Thursday was warm and humid. Bill did a 4 mile speed walk and joined Cathy for the rest of her walk. After lunch, we drove into Naples to Cathy's cousin Richard's condo 3.2 miles away and met with him and Cathy's cousin Ruthann and husband Harry from the Keys. Bill and Harry talked about fishing while the cousins talked about family. At 4:30 PM, we walked to the Boathouse restaurant for a great seafood dinner at the best table in the place. Afterward, we took a driving tour of Naples. When we returned to the RV, we finished viewing "Letters from Iwo Jima". We found the movie a good complement to "Flags of Our Fathers", but a very sad movie.

  We lifted weights on Friday morning and then went for a walk. After lunch we headed out to Publix for some shopping. Then, we hung out on the patio until our company, Jay and Marge Keeley and Jim and Chris Devine, showed up at around 2:30 PM. We had beverages on the patio and then drove in the Devine's minivan to Tin City. We bought tickets for the Sunset Cruise on the "Double Sunshine" and headed to the nearest bar to get ready for the cruise. It was a warm, humid afternoon and perfect for being on the water. After the cruise, we had a good meal at Dock's Restaurant.

        Bill and Cathy