Lucky us, we didn't even BRING Pringles.

Tracey and Lucy (doing jazz hands?? A-cha cha!)

Tonight, we wing our way back northward to the much-snowed-upon land of Minnesota, so I'm doing a mid-day pre-departure bloggity entry.

Papa, Tracey and Mark, in a fit of extreme graciousness, stuck home today to watch our girls while Jen and I had some alone time. We spent our time prowling the mean streets of Sanibel, eager for a cup of coffee (we found one), then went to the "Ding" Darling Wildlife Preserve, which is the best name for a preserve EVER. It was a nice if not markedly uneventful stroll through the island estuary. We had a good time, and talked like adults for a bit. We saw a very lovely blue heron. And a big spider. Nothing larger than that, save some other tourists.

Then lunch, and now I feel like a nap. I might need my energy later, so a nap might be something I acquiesce to. Tonight we'll be back home to find out if we've been ticketed for not shovelling our walk, for not shovelling out our trash can, or for our car sticking out into the alley. Or the cat might be dead. Despite all this, I'm excited to be back in the cold and the snow. How silly is that?

Day three hundred and sixteen.

ps. to Lori's comment from a couple days ago: whatever! You guys are going to be down here in a few weeks, so I hardly feel bad for you. Jen and I scoped out Captiva, including where you guys are staying, and I am definitely the one who's bitter. It's a very cool spot.

A red mangrove (I think it's red) sprouting out of the estuary.

Jen reading the Great Ding Darling Map of Useless Information

First rule of Florida nature: Never feed Pringles to an alligator while trapped in the belly of an even larger alligator. This will cost you $502 ($500 fine, plus they confiscate your Pringles)