Hurricane Wilma

Whoa, another bad Hurricane came through Miami. This one left 98% of Miami-Dade and Broward Counties without any electricity. Unlike Katrina that crushed my car (thanks to falling branches from trees), this one just took the electricity (normal for a Hurricane). The night Wilma came by I drove my car around the complex and found a nice spot away from the trees and between two vans. I wish I had done that when Katrina was coming. Of course, the two vans got hit by a row of wooden fences that got blown away. Their windshields were smashed, but my small Chevy Aveo was safely protected!

After three days without electricity, the power is back on. But more than 90% of the population is still without any electricity, and many will be without any for a month. The FEMA folks forgot to gas up their trucks, so even though they brought trucks with water (and charge billions to the taxpayers for that), the trucks were in the parking lots ungassed. After a few days they got around to distributing some water (but why? The water here is not contaminated) but they did not bring ICE or any fresh food, which is what people who don't have electricity really need. I feel sorry for those that are relying on FEMA for any help. What a bunch of incompetents; but then FEMA is being run by a guy who failed as a horse show organizer.

Turtles in the Everglades

Nearly every time that I have ever been to the Everglades, I have seen turtles basking in the sun. Sometimes they are not very big, such as these two Peninsula Cooters (I guess they could be Painted Turtles?) that are pictured above. Those turtles were about a foot long.
The softshell turtle (July 13) on the other hand was about three feet long and the largest that I have ever seen.

baby Ball Python

That's good eatin'


My baby Ball Python snacking on a pinkie

Flamingo Gardens & Reptile Show

My family and I had a chance to visit Flamingo Gardens in Davie, Florida and ended up buying a Ball Python at a very reasonable price ($15.). These Ball Pythons are usually sold at local pet stores for $49. each, so the savings more than covered the Admission fee of $6. per person which included the entry fee to visit the Flamingo Gardens. Flamingo Gardens itself had some interesting Nature exhibits and a short Reptile seminar. It was a very nice park to visit. It has tons of tropical plants, flowers, trees, and also birds and reptiles and some rides. The Reptile Show was in convention hall in Flamingo Gardens, and it had lots of tables and some great bargains on all kinds of reptiles and turtles. There were lots of interesting critters, bugs, skunks, ferrets, rats, mice, various monkeys, flying squirrels, weird rabbits, guinea pigs, Iguanas, all kinds of snakes, turtles, spiders, scorpions, and more!

Lauren is the promoter of Florida's Reptile and Alternative Pet Shows. Lauren is a very nice and friendly person and she sold us a very colorful silk-screened reptile T-shirt for only $12. Just about everything at this reptile show had great deals compared to any pet stores.