Friday January 17

Friday, January 17, 2014

Well, I thought we were getting into a routine, but things keep coming up and the weather is keeping us a bit confused.  We bought a couple of plants as we always do, then the wind came and the poor plants are a bit worse for the wear.  Maybe they’ll recover, but being the optimists we are we bought more.  The winds and cold (everything is relative) has returned so the inside of the camper is lush.   A strange word, LUSH.  It has wildly different meanings.  There are a few lushes at the pub also, but they’re potted on stools and are not bothered much by wind and cold.  The wind has kept the awning rolled up for most of the week and the screen house lowered near the ground.  I finally got the decorative lights finished today, but there’s more to decorate when the wind stops.  A few more days of temps in the 60’s and things should get better.  I know, you’re as sad about the cold as I am, but it’s keeping us in the camper rather than at the pub listening to the entertainment or downtown at BO’s.  Tomorrow is the Seafood festival in KW sponsored by the commercial fishermen’s association.  There are booths to get food, flea market tables, and music.  A nice day.

Since the last time I wrote we’ve kept busy on the nice days at the pool, on the rainy, cloudy, and cold days shopping, going to a movie, and frequenting places with doors.  A week ago we were offered tickets to a play at the Waterfront Theater in KW, so we saw “Leading Ladies”, a comedy.  Before the show we took Jim and Judy Morgan to dinner at Grunts, a very nice patio style restaurant with good food.  After the show Mom and I went to the Green Parrot for a while, then home.  One day we went to the local cinema downtown, it turned out to be a beautiful Art Deco building with 6 movies.  Very nice. We saw Saving Mr. Banks….really good. Also last week we went to see Barry Cuda at Sloppy Joe’s and had a pizza instead of nachos.  A pizza with sloppy sauce (beanless chili).  We like to vary our diet. We went to the Big Pine Flea Market on Saturday . It is a good place to purchase fresh produce along with a variety of other items . On Sunday we went to the Parrot with another couple from the campground for Sunday Jazz Jam and stopped at the Cuban Coffee Queen for sandwiches on the way home.  We’ll be going back this Sunday.   Monday was bingo – Mom won a game - $20!  Tuesday we went with Jean and Dave, the same couple, to Looe Key Tiki Bar for Jam Night and Taco Tuesday.  75 cent tacos!  You get what you pay for but the music was great. We missed the Tuesday night cornhole tournament, but got back in time to catch the end and sample the latest batch of moonshine…..the real deal from NC. Last night was cold and windy but we went to the Parrot for the Boogie Woogie Piano Throwdown with Barry Cuda and Mitch Woods.  We followed it with dinner at Fogarty’s (indoors).  Today was less windy and sunny, no water aerobics but walking, etc.  then a little time at the pool followed by Mom playing dominoes and me doing some maintenance and decorating.

January 6, 2014

Monday, January 06, 2014

It has taken a while to get settled this year so this is the first Keys missal.  We got here as planned New Year’s Eve and got parked in time for a little rest.  We were refreshed and ready to head into Key West for the celebrations by 4 PM or so.   First stop was Fat Tuesday’s for a frosty beverage, then to Fogarty’s on Duval for dinner.  We still had some time before we had to get to Bourbon Street Pub for the evenings’ entertainment so we stopped by an Irish bar called McConnell’s where Fiona Molloy was playing.  We listened to a few tunes then wanted to get our spot by 8PM or so.  We got in the first row for the show leading up to midnight.  CNN has broadcast from here for several years and this was the last year for the reporter, so they gave him a blazer decorated in gold metallic.  The back had CNN spelled out in red metallic.  I know the hosts in NYC saw it but it didn’t make air.  The go-go boys, dancing girls, drag queens, and other acts entertained ‘til midnight when once again they dropped a drag queen in the red high heeled shoe.
New Year’s Day we moved to our regular site and started setting up.  Thursday afternoon we picked up Patrick’s in-laws, the Bauers.  We stopped for nachos at Sloppy Joe’s, saw the sunset and entertainment at Mallory Square, and went to dinner at Blue Heaven.  We had a wonderful time.
Friday Donna the Buffalo was playing at the Green Parrot from 5:30 to 7, so we caught the early show then went to BO’s for a fish sandwich, to listen to Barry Cuda, and to meet some KW friends, Larry and Barbara.
Saturday was VERY rainy in the lower keys, 4” in Key West, 3” here at the campground.  We went to get vegetables at the flea market and continued to Marathon to do some shopping.  By the time we got across the seven mile bridge the rain had stopped.   Lunch at the Keys Fishery was a lobster cake sandwich and conch chowder, then to the liquor store and deli (yes, all one) for some provolone, K Mart, Home Depot for plants, and fuel.  Then back to the rain.  The KOA had a band in the pub called Haywire, playing classic hard rock, so we did some dancing and in general had a good time.  Everyone is happy to see people return, much of the staff is the same, some people that couldn’t come last year are here, everyone is more or less healthy, life is good.
Yesterday was Mass in the morning, game night in the evening, more setup and decoration during the day.   We’re slowly getting organized in the new camper.  Walking and water aerobics started today, we called it off for tomorrow because it’s going to be below  60 in the morning.  It was 84 and sunny this afternoon, then the clouds moved in and the wind picked up.  At 10:00PM  it’s 65 and the wind is rocking the camper.  Tomorrow we’ll probably organize more because it will be cold, then in the afternoon it’s to KW for Barry Cuda and the Sharks at Sloppy Joe’s, then Fiona Molloy again at McConnell’s.  No Corn Hole games because it’s too cold and windy.  We’re getting into the routine.