To South Florida and "Back"

Got up a week ago last Saturday {12/9/17} to prepare to take my 90 something mom down to Naples in South Florida to winter with youngest sister and her husband Denmark Mike...so as luck would have it, I got out of my Man Cave shower in the basement, bent over wrong and POW! there goes the back...Damn!  First time in 10 years that I have had any issues....since the Epidural at Fort Wayne Ortho back in December 2007 the back has been in pretty good shape.  No rhyme or reason it seems...but out it went and here I am facing a 1200 mile one way trip to Florida.

We made it down, I stayed until Wednesday last {12/13} and spent some time in Denmark Mike's boat, and photo shooting in the north reaches of the Everglades and Big Cypress...the back didn't improve much and the return trip was painful to say the least.....2 days later Patricia and I headed for French Lick, Indiana, another 250 miles each way, to spend time with Hal and family at the Water Park and ride the Polar Express....once again, not helping the back...however since we returned Sunday, things appear to be getting better....100%?  Hardly, but at least 60-70% and hopefully by Christmas Eve and the family get together things will be close to "normal"...IF I don't screw it up...again!

The Everglades and Big Cypress

The back issues screwed with my plans on taking multiple photos from various locations, as I needed to stay close to the vehicle while shooting photos of Gators and Birds, you never know when you may have to make a run back to the car....and I wasn't running much at all, a slow limp at best, and just getting in and out of the Nitro was painful enough.  I did however get photos a plenty in the Glades, in the coastal waterway on Mike's boat, and again when stopping at my old home town of Venice, Florida, some 90 miles north of Naples....still amazing to see how much has changed in both Coastal towns since our family moved there some 65 years ago....both towns were under or around a thousand residents back then...now?  Naples is huge and Venice, is not far behind.  IMO they suck compared to when we moved there, but you can't go home....and it is what it is.

Enjoy the photos with descriptions....

back later>>>>

Photos- Top a medium size Gator off US 41 {Tamiami Trial} in the Big Cypress....in the posting, Loop Road...my favorite travel site in the Glades...was cool most of the  time I was in Florida...but 60s are a break for the folks that live down that way....the rest of the photos are from the Everglades, the Coastal Waterway and the Venice Jetties where I stopped on the way home...The dock and boat belongs to Kelly and Michael and where I spent much time as possible in the sun, the Meals were by Mike a world class chef from Denmark...they met when Kelly moved to DC and the Chef was Head Honcho at the Danish Embassy in the Capitol City....he now works as Head Chef at the Naples Yacht Club.