11-11-09 Wednesday (Dolls, Dress-up and Theater)

I have one word.  Awning.  Followed by more words.  Some are censored.  Yes, this time we’ve damaged an awning beyond repair.  It wasn’t the wind.  No, this time my friends, it was the rain.  It’s very important to have one end of the awning sit lower than the other end for water run off.  Unfortunately, for some reason, this rule was forgotten.  This morning Jim found the awning sagging in the middle with gallons of water.  He went to drop one end to allow the water to run off.  The weight was too much and he couldn’t hold the arm up.  One end came crashing down which bent the roller.  The awning is still up but the fabric is stretched and the roller is bent.  Insurance deductible - $500.00.  Awning number #3 will get replaced.

Above: The underside of the awning.

We decided to play tourists.  Even though we’ve lived here a long time, we’ve never been to the Fort Myers Imaginarium.  This is a city owned and operated venue.  They call it a museum and aquarium.  It’s more like a hands-on discovery center.  It’s the typical interactive displays that teach you about gravity, animals, etc.

Off the website (if you really wanna know):

“Touch live sea life, be blown away by a hurricane, run through a rainstorm! Your admission package to the Imaginarium provides hours of fun and entertainment for the entire family through hands-on science exhibits. You will enjoy the new 3-D film, SOS Planet, a hands-on experience at our marine touch tank with stingrays & more, exhibits displaying live fish, sharks, turtles, swans, and iguanas, daily Hands-On Fun Shows with LIVE animals, the opportunity to become a TV weather forecaster in our mini-studio, the Sporty Science Arena, a virtual sports simulator, and so much more!”

Anyway, we had fun.  Here’s some photos and videos:

Above/Below: This area was called Heroes in Action.  They’re giant dioramas/models of different scenarios.  A fire, a bank robbery.   The “dolls” are 12 inch action figures. Above: Jim wonders – and has me wondering, how and why would someone put a motorcycle on the roof?

Above: Jim plays dress-up.

Video of Jim “playing” football.

 

Above: This little girl was freaking out inside this wind machine.

Jim and I in the wind tunnel.

 

Above: Oh, such fun at the puppet theatre.

  Above/Below: Jim tackles, and successfully solves the “Letter L Puzzle”.

Above: Jim pets an alligator.

Above: I look dazzling in my 3D glasses, no?

Oh, since I skipped a couple of blogging days I wasn’t able to share these photos from a recent Walmart trip. 

Above/Below: Why yes, that is a handle made of Duct Tape.  Maybe they should have went to Kmart to get some silver colored stuff.