Sanibel Journal

November 1, 2015 -- The painters are here.  The house has been stripped of its pseudo shutters, plantings have been cut away from its walls, and it is about to washed with pressurized water.  The house is getting the attention it deserves.  Soon it will be light gray, with a little brown and black here and there.  Gray, with the red tile roof -- Buckeye colors! Bill finished the travertine floor in the foyer during the week before my birthday.  His work is impeccable.  We look forward to his return! Then last week I celebrated making it to 60 all week long.  Already we had three parties to attend that week, so I didn't feel the need to have a birthday bash.  Already I had purchased a new computer and a new phone, so I didn't want any more presents. Besides, every day is a gift.  We love to wake up before sunrise so we can watch the bayou coming to life.  The water is loaded with fish, manatees, dolphins, and crabs.  Circular, ...

May 23, 2015 -- Two days ago, six of us sat around the table in Michelle's conference room, laughing and joking. Michelle explained each piece of real estate paperwork.   J looked relieved and happy as she signed the last document necessary from her, the seller, and then she said her goodbyes.  Then Pam explained each piece of the bank's paperwork to us; she did it smoothly and clearly. The event was downright pleasant.  Afterwards, we went to the bank to wire money to the title agency.  Willy, the pretty bank manager, handled the wiring of the funds herself.  She, like everyone in that bank, was all smiles and very helpful.  We have never before experienced a bank quite like this one, Bank of the Islands, where everyone is always friendly and helpful -- where everyone knows our names. Front entrance to the Coconut Drive house.  It reminds us of Coconut Grove, in Miami-Dade. Michelle at Realty Title Services has been friendly and supremely comp...

October 31, 2014 – Many people in southwest Florida put cages over their swimming pools.  These metal frameworks support screen panels that keep bugs and other critters out of the pool area.  The screen also blocks some sunlight, enough to make it difficult to get a sunburn inside a pool cage.  Since the screen blocks light, it also obscures the view a bit; that is I something I do not like at all.  Fortunately, the two community pools in our neighborhood are not caged.  They weren’t even fenced until several years ago, when an insurance company insisted on fencing.  My husband Tom was president of the homeowners association when that happened. Our neighborhood, which has traditionally prized its natural landscape and setting, resisted fences for aesthetic reasons.  Scholar that he is, Tom studied other pool fences on the island and, together with the groundskeeper, Ray, came up with a plan for an almost invisible fence for each pool. Some of t...