"Everything Breaks" Part ??? - Outdoor Shower

I posted yesterday how our outdoor shower had stopped working (insides just totally seized up). That's Key West for you!  It is the salt in the air, everything breaks much faster than you would expect.

I ordered a fancy new one on Amazon but during installation realised that the problem was much bigger than I thought.  The connection to the waterline seems to have become disconnected/broken.  At this point I came to the conclusion that it was time to call the plumber.

Okay so he had to tear through some of the wall - which I was prepared for.  But didn't he do as neat a job as possible?

I could never have managed to work out how to fix and then buy all the parts and put it together - correctly with a PROPER seal so as they don't leak!!  Not only does the plumber have the knowledge, he also has all the equipment; there was a strong smell of the glue/sealant he used.

So happy with this new and improved shower!  I need to patch up the hole left behind - am figuring out how best to manage, maybe some tiles would work??

Ps. Side note: Have I ever mentioned that having a shower outdoors is definitely one of my joys of life?

For Part 2 (the patching) please click HERE

Girl time at The Venetian

 Yesterday I hung out with Emily, Isabelle and Katrina in Emily's house. Her house is on Venetian Drive so her and her husband like to call their place The Venetian.  It fits!

Emily had a terrific spread of cheese and charcuterie and her famous air fried wings, mmmm.  I brought Key Lime Pie (which got very MELTY btw! It is HOT here these days), and Katrina made her famous stromboli, which let me tell you is amazing. 

After a big load of eating and some drinks we made it to the pool.

We hung out there for hours!!! I didn't get home until 9pm last night!

Blurred as this photo may be, it captures perfectly the good time with this fun little gang

Bahahahahahahaha! 

How cute is Bandit on the raft! Who wouldn't let this little dote join in girl time?!

Yellow tail snapper

 Fun times in the little baby boat continue, with plenty of fishing and crabbing ahoy!

We had a great day at the weekend where, amongst plenty of others, Patrick landed this sweet 14 inch yellowtail snapper.

Seasoned with olive oil, garlic, lemon and rosemary and fried up on the barbecue made for a lovely dinner.

Porgy on the left (known as seabream in Ireland) and that wonderful yellowtail on the right!

Just a perfect day....

Yesterday (Saturday) was a day, that will make my heart sing for many days and weeks to come

- We were on the boat at 9.15am and I ate a breakfast of English muffin and coffee on the water.  Is there anything better
- Patrick had an amazing morning of fishing.  Including the fish monster pictured below!
- We enjoyed a really lovely early afternoon in the back yard and the house.  We had a fab cold lunch of Norwegian smoked salmon, Italian prosciutto, Spanish sausage and Irish cheese.
- I may or may not have had a vodka screwdriver with my lunch (of course I did). And we had some squares of key lime pie chocolate for dessert.
- Patrick went grocery shopping and came back with 4 bottles of our favourite Cabernet Sauvignon that were on special
- We faffed around and had fun in the house and yard for the afternoon
- I had an outdoor shower.  Yes, I know, an every day occurrence.  And one, that will never not be, an awesome novelty experience
- Back we headed to the boat at around 4pm.  We went for a massive spin all around the island and I had my famous "goofy [aka really happy]" smile on my face the whole way
- We went for dinner in Dante's and it was fabulous - had the seafood sampler of oysters, shrimp and crab claws
- Went back out on the boat and did some evening fishing.  Patrick caught another fish monster.  Saw a beautiful sunset
- Home and chilled for the evening.
- Ate some key lime pie for a late night treat
- Went to bed absolutely exhausted but so happy.  Slept amazing!

Letter from Key West, May 10 2020

4,097,158 Worldwide Cases
282,495 World Deaths
1,328,201 USA Cases
79,508 USA Deaths

Key West continues to be in the early stages of opening up/planning an opening.  A small amount of restaurants are open at 25% capacity.

We went to Alonzos for Happy Hour appetizers yesterday and we pretty much had the restaurant to ourselves.  A good thing for us, not so good for the business.  It felt good to be out and having a drink, even with facemasks etc.

There have been reports of some businesses not managing the crowds adequately, and the patrons not practicing good social distancing.  Yes, Smokin' Tuna I'm looking at you.

Us...we've been practicing social distancing by heading out on the boat. A LOT.  So happy with it.

Yesterday morning we took home 4 fat grunts.  

Stuffed and seasoned, with garlic, lemon, rosemary and thyme, we enjoyed them for lunch yesterday and today.

Key Largo 2019

So!  It was my birthday yesterday!  (Yes I'm old, moving swiftly on).  

For maybe the best birthday present I've ever been given, we snuck away for a little weekend break "up North". 

Ha!  By "up North" I mean Key Largo, 2 hours away.

I do love a road trip as I think you know. Heck who doesn't?  (Seriously though, is there someone out there who doesn't like a road trip?? Please leave a comment if this is you!).  Funny though, the weather was not what I expected of a drive through the Florida Keys.  Overcast, cold and WINDY, it got cooler and cooler as we drove towards our destination of the Key Largo Bay Marriott Resort and Hotel.

A little stop off, along the way, at Tonio's for a spot of lunch. It was positively blustery but a perfect little dive place, just like I like 'em!

We arrived and checked in and we were delighted with our room. It was big!  

But cold.  The weather was cold.... 

As demonstrated by me wearing of long trousers in this photo (taken on the way home from dinner)

We had an early enough night (yes, I/we're old. Moving swiftly on).

Happy to report that we woke up to sunshine the next morning!

After a light breakfast I headed to the beach.  Seriously cute little beach with the sunbeds lined right up to  literally the shoreline which was very nice - nothing like hearing the waves lapping as you sunbathe.  

I started my Meg Cabot (author signed!) book which was an entertaining little read. The gist of my weekend, it has to be said, was either beach or pool and fantastic it was too.

Lunch was sushi!

On the way back from lunch I stopped off at a yard sale/consignment sale/storage unit sale....where a woman admired my dress ("Is it a Lilly? [Pulitzer]") and gave me a pair of sunglasses for free ("They go with your dress").  How nice was that?!

And then dinner!  Wow.  We ate early so that we would catch the sun setting while eating.  What a view!!!  Great food too.  Would it be weird if I described it as an (all encompassing) experience?  Ooh not forgetting the wine also!  Malbec ;)

After dinner we decided to do something we never do and have some cocktails.  They weren't the fanciest (e.g. craft) cocktails, I guess they were just "resort" type cocktails, but they were pretty good. And as I said, it's something we never do, so just getting them in themselves was fun.

After another light breakfast (coffee and bagel & cream cheese mmm) I headed down to the beach and pool for a last few hours of relaxing before getting on the road home.

For something fun and NEW we stopped off for some bridge fishing on the way home!  I can't lie, it was not the best fishing. We have a lot to learn about what bait, hook, lures etc to use...but sure it was a start! You have to start somewhere eh!

And home!  Where I realized that I had left my bike at work and it was needed for the next day.  So I headed downtown - where I caught the Veteran's Parade and bumped into friends Dawn and Gwen.  It's a small island lol, you can't go anywhere without bumping into someone.

Finally we finished a lovely (perfect even??) weekend with dinner in our favourite place ever Half Shell Raw Bar.  

Already we are talking that a weekend away in the Key Largo Bay resort may turn into a yearly event.  Get's a big thumbs up from me!