Snowbirds Shorten Vacations

[Paula]

PS: I'll be very happy to be a snowbird someday. Though it's stunningly, magnificently gorgeous in Michigan these days (the ice storm left such magical crystal-like ice on every tree branch and for the past two days, the sun has been shining so all the trees in our neighborhood are glistening like tinsel on a Christmas tree - it's truly awesome), I'll be very happy to have a one-month winter in Michigan and spend the other winter months in SoWal. And I promise to behave (as most snowbirds do)!

 

[seacliffes]

My beach house is booked solid this winter....

 

[Rita]

Funny...I thought they just tried to drive the rest of us crazy. I was eating at the Outback in Destin last night (my doctor told me to I needed red meat, and I couldn't think of anywhere else to get steak alone). Anyway, I was sitting next to a table of Snowbird couples. Both women had ordered chicken, and the men had ordered steaks. Both steaks were sent back because they were overcooked. The steaks came back, and one was not the cut of meat the gentleman had ordered, one was cold. Third steaks were the charm, but the ladies had finished their chicken, so one of the men suggested the women get free dessert "to make up for them having had to sit there for so long."

Oh, and the guy's opening remark to the waiter had been, "Oh, we thought you'd forgotten about us." They'd been waiting about two minutes.

I don't know how people wait tables between 5 and 7 this time of year.

Rapunzel, Did you happen to notice if the snowbirds had been reading this just prior to being waited on??

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[Miss Kitty]

..MargaRita's back!!!

 

[dbuck]

What snow birds do for funn.

Mango, that is SO you.

 

[whitesands]

I can see how the "snowbird" thing can really get to people...I'm a "snowbird". My husband and I were at a local restaurant a few days ago. There were two couples at the table next to us. When the wait person was in the vicinity of their table, one of the gentlemen said "Butter". The waiter person asked "Would you like some butter?" The gentlemen repeated "Butter". The young gentleman who was looking after their table replied "Yes Sir". In a short few seconds he returned with some butter. Lord I felt for that waiter. He was a gentle person.

 

[SHELLY]

I think you could exchange that Canadian coin in for even more US cash.

A Canadian Dollar is worth about 85-US Cents...that's why they try to foist their change off here. I'm sure the waiters are less than pleased went these coins show up in their tips.


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[Smiling JOe]

A Canadian Dollar is worth about 85-US Cents...that's why they try to foist their change off here. I'm sure the waiters are less than pleased went these coins show up in their tips.


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I never was good with Canadian math. Thanks for the correction. I guess I can melt all of those Canadian pennies that I was saving. Hey, wait a minute, I may be on to something. If the copper in our US penny is worth more than one cent, we could buy a bunch of Canadian pennies at an even cheaper price and melt those down for even more money.

Whitesands, for the record, not all snowbirds are rude or bad people. I believe they are doing here what they are accustomed to elsewhere. I have some really good friends for neighbors who are converted snowbirds. We now have them for nine months out of the year instead of only three.

 

[beachmouse]

In Michigan, the custom with the Canadian coins was to just kind of shrug and pass them along assuming they're worth US face value. Most of the pop machines would take them just like US coins too.

There was an article in the Daily Fishwrapper a day or two back saying that reports were that winter bookings were slightly higher than last year across the Emerald Coast.

 

[Paula]

As for snowbird behavior, from what I see there are rude people and kind people in every age group and other category (class, profession, race, nationality, etc.). I'm sticking up for snowbirds everywhere and when I'm a snowbird I'm going to take VERY looooong vacations in SoWal in the winter and Tuscany in the summer. (And I'll hold my head high and proud when I order -- politely -- the dinner specials then go watch the sunset on the beach after dinner.)