Key West

I know, I know, Key West is not part of the Great Midwest… not even close!  But, I just got back from a wonderful weekend and have a couple of photos to share.  Oh, yeah, and a little tip… if you don’t like the heat, don’t go to Key West in September!!!!

 

 The palm trees were everywhere, well, duh, right?  Tropical vegetation is so cool.  There were street vendors selling the coconuts.  They would drill a hole and stick a straw in it for you for $3.  I tasted the coconut water and hated it.  My daughter thought it was good though, so if you’ve never tried it, might as well, you may love it. 

 

There were tons of outfitters offering sunset cruises and I think it was well worth the money!  They offer free beer and wine, put out an array of snacks, have live music on the deck, and sail you off into the sunset.  Too cool.  We also took part in a morning snorkeling trip.  I thought it was good, saw a few fish and some coral, but if you’re prone to sea sickness (the water was a little rough) and afraid of jelly fish (there were a lot), snorkeling off the Keys in mid-September may not be advisable.

Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park, Key West

 

We rented bicycles ($18/day – I must have in Key West) and rode out to the Park.  It was $2.50 per bike to enter.  They have a fort you can explore and a beach area with lots of picnic table, restrooms, and a concession stand.  It was about 100 degrees the day that we visited, so exploring the fort lasted maybe five minutes at best.  The breeze by the water felt fantastic after sweating to death at the fort; I could have spent the day out there.  What a great place to picnic and nap.  No sea shells though, something about the shallow waters surrounding the Keys makes for poor shell hunting.  The shells don’t get washed up like they do at other beaches farther north.

That all for now.  I’m back in Northern KY; it’s pretty here… but it ain’t the Keys!

Can autumn be here?

Beautiful blue skies, crisp cool air, and color changing leaves.  This has to be nature telling us to look-out, winter is coming! One of the features I love about my new surroundings is the changing of the seasons. Weatherman says to expect 80’s again by the end of the week, but that’s ok, winter will be here soon.

 

Noisy neighbor had his stereo up again last night. Soundproof dry wall and window cover may have dampened the noise, muffled it a bit would be a good description, but it hasn’t stopped it.  So, I’ve moved into the guest room.  Ridiculous that I cannot enjoy the master suit in my own condo. This place is going on the market after the first of the year.  I may get laughed at for the price I will need to ask to break even, but we’ll see.  I’ll stay long enough to not lose money.  Fingers crossed that the market picks up and I can be out of here within a year.

 

Flower Leftovers

Another week has come and gone and not too much to report… do I live a boring life or am I just not into reporting my happenings?

The flowers are one of the perks of being a server for a banquet facility.  If the guests do not want to take the flower arrangements home from their event, the staff can divvy them up. These were from a rehearsal dinner last Friday night. It just amazes me how much money is spent on floral arrangements just to be forgotten at the end of the night. Well, these flowers were able to spend a glorious week on my fireplace mantel after their stunning début at the dinner.

Tiny tidbit about the Midwest, the weather can change quickly… when a cold front comes through, it’s no joke. Yesterday we had a high temperature in the 90’s, today is forecasted to reach 69, lows in the 40’s! Is fall here or will we bounce back into the 90’s before we can call it quits on the heat? I’m certainly ready for some fall colors. I’ll try to get the camera out on a few hikes to share the beautiful leaves changing.

A very Green Bathroom

I hope everyone had an enjoyable Labor Day weekend.  I’m sure many spent it with family and friends, having cookouts and watching fireworks.  I spent my long weekend painting my bathroom.  And my, is it green!  I love it, but then again, I love green.