Well here I am, still in one piece on the right side of the move. To say it was a hectic few days would be an understatement, with the NJ family arriving to stay a few days before we had to be out of the house. As you can imagine trying to divide our time between packing and attending to five guests, was like juggling with elliptical balls. Hubby met them at the airport at some time after midnight last Saturday. We did manage to have two lunches with them them at the restaurant by the pool, and also dinner on the Sunday evening to celebrate Max’s 5th birthday. On the Monday they drove to Naples for a night at the Ritz-Carlton resort, arriving back the next evening with laundry to do, before spending the morning at our club pool and departing for Disney World only the day before the removals van arrived. I was in a ‘flat spin’ as my Gran used to say, but I managed to get everything done.
Last Monday evening, when I was cooking dinner, I saw three people with fishing rods sitting by the lake outside our house. On investigation, we found out that they were trappers called in by our next door neighbour. I felt really sick for Mr. A, and hoped he wouldn’t be caught.
They did catch one that evening, but it was a smaller one nicknamed ‘Sarah Palin’ by a new neighbour a couple of houses away. When I went outside to check that it wasn’t Mr. A, the poor thing was lying on the grass with its mouth all duct taped up.
It was bundled into the truck, to be taken to meet its fate.
Not a happy chappy at all.
The young lady trapper assured me that ‘Sarah’ wouldn’t be killed, but would go to an alligator breeding farm. I have a feeling that her long term prospects aren’t good though. Today I had an e-mail from the neighbour saying that ‘Donald Trump’ has also been captured and his mouth taped up, plus another smaller alligator. Three down two to go. Mr. A, who is the biggest by far, is still at large and I hope he will keep his wits about him and manage to evade the duct tape wielding trappers. On Thursday, my last day at the house, after all the furniture and boxes had gone, I stayed behind to clean up, with my camera handy for a few last photos. Mr. A was cruising around the lake, probably looking for his buddies. I think his long, lazy days of basking in the sun could be over. Hubby saw him quite close to the house on our side of the lake when he went over yesterday to meet the agent for the walk through. As soon as Mr. A spotted him, he scooted back into the water. He’s probably very nervous of humans now, knowing that his friends have been taken away by them.
On a happier note, I did get one last profile of Mr. GBH as I bid him a fond farewell. He said that he’s going to miss being a celebrity on WP and thanks you all for your kind comments.
Woody wood stork just nodded a curt ‘Goodbye’ as he did one last stalk past.
When the sun came out, Miss Anhinga put on a beautiful final display especially for you all. “Wow…..look at me now!”
Even the shy Miss Rosie spoonbill came along for a last photo.
The Small Blue Heron looked slightly ruffled when I told him I was leaving, as we’d only met a couple of weeks ago and were just becoming acquainted.
Great Egret still hasn’t apologised for eating my poor little Lizzie in December, but I’m over it now and we’ll let bygones be bygones.
Last but not least, are the noisy Egyptian geese who although they didn’t want to be left out of this post, wouldn’t come any closer. They said that they really don’t like goodbyes.
So this is the end of an era for my stories of Mr. A and his many ‘friends’. Wish him luck as you wave him goodbye.
Hope you’re all having a great weekend. I’ll be back to visit you all over the next couple of days, and I’ll tell you how I’m enjoying living in our half-finished house.
Lennie Limpkin is happy to snag a few apple snails at the ‘Waterfront Diner’.
anotherdayinparadise 
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