It started with the weather, as it so often does in southwest Florida. Full sun, an occasional puffy cloud, 84 degrees. Call it the gift that keeps on giving.

The view from the 8th floor lanai deserves that same description . The subtle rolling whisper of the waves should somehow be a trademark of the gulf. It , too, never stops giving. Their hushed tone complement the morning coffee as sunlight reveals another splendid day.

Breakfast also has its flare, albeit leftovers from last night. Steak and eggs are justly defined by bits of beef tenderloin. Raise the bar by another notch. The day is shaping up !

We wile away morning moments immersed in whatever compels our interest. It could be the day’s schedule, if whatever we wind up doing can be called such. Indeed, there is the overriding compulsion to relax. That begets the prolonged silence of reading, Or in my case, indulgence of an entrancing habit, a game known as Words With Friends.

Our conversation leads to re-living last night’s Lights Out basketball romp : Rutgers Scarlet Knights 93 – Nebraska Cornhuskers 65. The win ranked Rutgers to 5th in the Big 10. Finally, gaining a foothold in a very tough conference.

This old farm boy tends not to enthuse about a downtown anywhere, but today’s visit to downtown Naples was pleasing, as usual. Automotive traffic is extraordinary. A passing Mercedes is about as common as a passing Ford or Toyota. A Maserati, Rolls or Bentley garners notice, commonly.

Real estate offices post listings in their street windows, the prices of which most definitely garner notice. One is given to musing…”Only in America.”

Adding to the amenities of downtown Naples is a veritable host of restaurants. Top quality is all but guaranteed simply by the function of the market and your appetite. Who says free enterprise doesn’t work ?

And so it is… just a taste of the perfect day in Naples. What’s that you say? It’s cloudy here today? REALLY ? Have you seen the forecast for the next half hour?