Bill and Cathy McArthur on the Road 2008: 5    

  Saturday, January 26, started out with clear blue sky and slightly chilly air. We walked to the produce market to buy some items, as the day warmed. After lunch, Bill went out for a lengthy fishing paddle and caught a keeper Redfish. He had intended to bring a fish back, so he had a plastic bag aboard. Bill caught the fish in a mangrove creek that he and Cathy had explored a couple of days before. He was slowly trolling an artificial "Gulp" shrimp on a white jig head when the Redfish hit hard. Bill filleted the fish when he got back. This was the first fish that Bill had filleted in several years. We pan-fried the fish and served it with grilled eggplant and roasted red potatoes. We had a great meal.

  Sunday morning brought a little rain followed by bright sunshine. We lifted weights after breakfast. Then, Cathy walked while Bill ran for 3.2 miles. He felt good and his legs weren't sore during the run. After lunch, we drove to 33rd Avenue South in Naples and walked the beach to Gordon Pass and back. The north wind was blowing hard, but the temperature was in the mid 70s, so it was comfortable. Afterward, we drove over to the Starbucks/Publix shopping center for a cappuccino for Bill and shopping. On the way back to the RV, we stopped at the produce place and West Marine so Bill could buy a couple of fishing items. We grilled burgers for dinner and watched the SAG Awards Show.

  Monday started out chilly at 47 degrees. It was a beautiful day, however, with pretty, cloudless, blue sky. Cathy did a wash during the morning. We walked 3 miles before lunch. After lunch, we walked for another 3 miles. We went to dinner at a nearby Italian Restaurant, Frascati's, and had a hearty meal.

  Tuesday was another beautiful day that started out in the high 40s. Bill went to play softball. Cathy went for a late morning walk and Bill joined her a bit later. We went to Starbucks and Publix before lunch. After lunch, Bill went for a fishing paddle on the kayak, but caught no fish. Later in the afternoon we walked for another 3 miles. We viewed "Lock, Stock, and Two Barrels" during dinner. We didn't like it.

  Wednesday was a very warm and active day. Bill jogged for 3.2 miles and then finished Cathy's walk with her. Bill had read in the paper that the B17 we had seen land on Monday was going to take off around noon, so he positioned himself on the path at the end of the runway, after using the wind direction to figure out which runway it would use. Bill had to wait until almost 1:00 PM, but it was worth the wait to see the dramatic takeoff. After lunch, we went out for a 2 hour kayak paddle around the harbor and up the Gordon River. We viewed "Second Hand Lions" during dinner and loved it. This movie had been recommended to Bill by a reader of his blog.

  Thursday was another fabulous day. Bill's softball improved considerably during the morning outing. He also enjoyed the "team meeting" at Beef O'Grady's afterward. We chilled out for most of the afternoon before a trip to Starbucks and Publix and then Happy Hour in the Gazebo. We watched the beginning of the new season of "Lost", and realized how much we've missed the show. Bill kept busy on the computer during the many long commercial breaks.

  Friday began warm and clear again. We took our time getting going and talked to Katie before taking on the activities for the day. We walked in the morning. After lunch, we walked up to the Humane Center to register Bill for Saturday's 6K Run for the Paws race. Bob and Marianne arrived around 4:30 PM. We drove over to La Quinta and picked them up and drove back to the campground. We sat around our campsite for a while. Then, we drove into Naples and ate an excellent meal at Tommy Bahamas Restaurant in Olde Towne Naples. We played 'Smart Ass" back at the hotel; Cathy won.

        Bill and Cathy