January Events 2009

Jory and Ana came to visit us on January 13 and stayed for a week! We had a lot of fun with them and we were sad when they left! This is outside our apartment. You can tell that we are in the dry season and very cold season. While they were here it got down into the 30's and 40's at night, but was in the 60's and 70's in the day!



One of the first things we did was go to the Ft. Lauderdale Beach. We had never been to the beach in our area before - just a beach at the Keys.

We wore our P-Day clothes for a change.

This Iguana was along side the road by a canal and we stop to take a picture. As we approached it dove into the water and it looked orange and swam like a fish. I didn't know they could swim and so fast!

We went to the Everglades ! It was called the Everglade Alligator Farm. These alligators hardly move. You wonder if they are alive. Once in awhile you see an eye blink! These are babies. We saw them in all sizes. They start with the eggs and then are grouped in sizes as they grow. They are eventually released or sold . The move more when they are little!

This picture was taken as we road on an air boat in the Everglades!

Jory and Ana on the air boat!

Another picture on the air boat!


Just passing by as we go out to the Everglades!

Crocodile Dundee and the Alligator Show!


Ana and Jory having fun with a baby alligator! Well, maybe not Jory!

Now the next picture below was because Ana raised her hand in the Snake Show and said she was afraid of snakes. He had this little snake and asked her to come down and hold it. He turned her around and then brought out the one he really wanted her to hold. Does she look surprised, scared, or startled?


Oh my! She only screamed a little!

Watch her hands!


It was obvious to everyone that the snake was getting a little tight around her neck!

Then the snakes head started to go up her shirt sleeve and I just knew she was going to say, "Take this thing off me now! But she didn't!

Now her hands are clenched!

Still looking beautiful with a snake around her neck!

"Any time now! I've had enough!" All in all, Ana was amazing and a great sport! - better than I would have been!
We stopped at a fruit stand that is called "Robert is Here." They had great fresh fruit and entertainment (a singer), old cars and best of all - all kinds of fresh - and I do mean fresh - fruit milk shakes. I had a strawberry key lime and it was fantastic!

Just finishing up our milk shakes!

We sure had fun Jory and Ana!!!!!

On Saturday we went to the International Chocolate Festival at Fairchild Gardens with Pd and Julio - our investigators!


A plant growing out of a rock with no soil at all!

The next picture is of a famous sculpture in the Botanical Gardens. It is crystal. I saw it on the PBS Station! Very beautiful!

Dad and I in front of another great art piece. I wish I could remember the name of the artist, but several are on loan from a museum. The artist only paints fat people.

Pd thought I should pose for this one by another statue!

Beautiful flowers all around and Elder Dalling and me in the middle of them!

A very unusual tree in the garden. Some of them are very old!

Elder Dalling taking a phone call from an Elder with some more crystal sculptures behind us and a beautiful water pond!


This is one of many of the gorgeous flowers and plants that we saw!


So pretty and the end of our Chocolate Tour. They did have samples of the Chocolate, but they were microscopic in size. In fact, we were so hungry after, we went and got a Hershey Candy Bar. Then we went to a place called Little Havana in Miami. It is suppose to look just like Cuba. It is mostly made up of Cubans that have come over the ocean into the Keys and then to Maimi. No one spoke English, but the couple with us from Columbia interpreted for us. We had a marvelous lunch of fish and rice. Cuba has not had any cars imported since 1950 but Julio said they all look great, however, because they take such good care of them and of course they have more bikes than cars. Julio and Pd told us they would not venture out in the night on the streets - kind of scary. It was a cultural event and a fun experience for all!