Saturday, April 4, 2015

The Island Cow

     This will be forever marked in history as the day that Kellen ate alligator.  There were lots of things to  remember about our wonderful last day, but seeing my grandson whose diet is pretty much defined by peanut butter sandwiches, apples, and cereal, eat not just one piece but a half a dozen pieces of alligator was amazing.
   Our day began as usual here on beautiful Sanibel.  Bennett snuck into bed with me just as the sun was beginning to rise and the sky turned pink.  He whispered that he loves me and doesn't want to go home.  He wants to stay one more week.  If only!  Grandma Marlene is up and made some cherry streussel flavored coffee for the two of us.  Kellen hears the whispering and he decided to get up too so we quietly creep downstairs so Papa and Arik can sleep a little longer.
    Amanda is training for several marathons and has a long run scheduled for this morning so she is up right away too, with Stella soon after.  The bike paths are nice for runners so Amanda has some safe and interesting places to run.  It has been humid and in the 80's all week so she needs to get going early.  Even so, she returns sopping wet and ready for a quick shower and a long swim.
    Stella is always hungry and we are very happy that we brought her portable high chair along so that she has a secure spot to sit in as she gobbles down pancakes, sausage, melon, grapes, and some banana.  We convince the boys to put down their Ipads and eat as well.  Then it is time for the boys to head out for a bike ride.  As I was taking pictures and planning to take Stella on a walk, she decided she would rather have a bike ride with Daddy, and so off they went.
    Everyone came back in time for a swim, lunch, and naps.  Since it was our last day on Sanibel we decided to go out for dinner.  The Island Cow seemed to have a very kid friendly menu and took reservations for groups larger than 8.  Since it is Easter week and the crowds are considerable, it was nice to know that we would be seated without waiting for hours.  We ordered a variety of appetisers including deep fried pickles and deep fried alligator.  The alligator looks a lot like chicken fingers and Arik offered some to Kellen.  He took a bite, thought it was chicken, ate it all and asked for more.  He just didn't believe us when we told him that it was alligator.   We should have taken a picture.   We all had really good food.  I vote for the fish taco combo with one blackened mahi mango taco and one fried grouper taco.  Just yummy!
    We went back to our nice condo and then walked a couple blocks to the other side of the island and did some shelling on the bay side.  Arik found a nice big conch shell that was a little worn but really interesting.  We watched a beautiful sunset and then walked over for one last icecream cone at Pinocchio's.   Finally, it was time to pack up.  What a perfect week!

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