Alligators and Rockets

This morning we woke up to the sunrise once again, which is easy to spot because it's right there over the ocean, due east, right out the window there.  It's a quiet way to rise, reading, waiting for others to stir and get up.  Madison has been quietly obsessed with a Powerpuff game all week long, so the two of us were in the living room area overlooking the ocean, reading and playing games.

But there was a lot planned for today - including another trip to the pool!

This picture shows you the proper use of a pool noodle, which many mistake for a floatation device.  It's supposed to be a water cannon, as demonstrated in the photo above - at least that's what Madison insists on using it for time and again.  She's getting a taste of her own medicine in the picture above, as Ba-Ba is nailing her with a big splash of water.  But there was more fun to be had by the two:

Madison is seen above racing Ba-Ba across the pool.  But 'cheating' is allowed, so nearly anything goes, including grabbing on to Ba-Ba and pulling him backwards as you shoot forward through the water.  It's a nice pool, and it's at a pretty scenic location too - take a look:

This is the view from our balcony, and you can see below Madison and her grandparents enjoying a nice swim this morning.  Daddy joined them next, taking the next 'shift' with Madison.  She outlasts us all!

Later in the morning, we had bigger plans:  we were off to feed alligators!

Madison is seen here with a fishing pole - the second time in a week - only this time fishing for alligators, rather than fish.  Of course, it's not a hook, but a small pin inserted into a turkey hot dog, because everyone knows that beef hot dogs aren't good for you.  Only the healthiest choices for these gators.

You may be wondering where this is.  Glad you asked!  We went to Golf N Gator, a decent mini-golf course that featured golf, and yes, gators.  The novelty of the course were spinners that added an extra dimension of fun to some of the holes.  Based on the spinner you spun, you could find yourself putting blind, or with your opponent as an obstacle, or using the wrong end of the golf club as a handle.  At the end of it all, there was a pond where for a small fee, you could feed the gators.

Why not?  We could pose for a picture with Madison holding an alligator for another small fee, but by that point, we figured we had pretty much got our photo opportunities, fed gators, played golf... we were done, right?

Right.  Madison was ready to go back to get something to eat anyway.  Plus, there was an event this afternoon that was not to be missed!  At 4:43, there was the launch of a rocket from Kennedy Space Center, which you can see (sort of) from the beach in front of our resort.  Folks were out there on Satellite Beach to see a satellite launch upwards - okay, it wasn't really a satellite.  It was a supply rocket with food and other material heading to the International Space Station above.  But none of us had ever seen a rocket launch, with all our time here in Florida or Satellite Beach.  So we got the lawn chairs out late this afternoon, and set up an umbrella as well, looking at our watches and waiting for the countdown.

The launch went off pretty much on time, and we all definitely saw it.  What was amazing was the amount of time it took for the sound of the launch to reach us.  It was loud, and it took a few minutes to get to us - the noise had to be spectacular up close.

We snapped some photos of the rocket going off into the heavens, all seated there in the nice weather on Satellite Beach.  Really, it was a perfect week, weather-wise.  It was so nice, we just sort of hung out there for a while - after the rocket launched, the cruise ships left Port Canaveral and we saw the big three trail each other out on the horizon, slowly making way towards Nassau in the Bahamas.  All of us were a bit envious of those passengers on the Disney Cruise Line, but perhaps next time around we'll make that trip.  Madison said she'd rather do that next time than even the parks, so we'll see how that goes.

We walked along the shoreline once more, collecting shells and letting the waves sneak up on us with a big, salty splash.  Tonight we had spaghetti for dinner, and after that another round of dominoes, which Nana seems to really like.  Madison does too - this might be the new 'go-to' game for all of us.

We went to bed tonight, our last night of the Spring Break here.  We read more from Mary Poppins and the latest devotional, and even Daddy was falling asleep a bit early.  It was a busy, full day.  And it was a good one.