Letter from Key West, May 23 2020

1,635,836 covid cases in USA
96,370 covid deaths in USA

Key West continues to open up - restaurants are now at 50% capacity, the check point will be lifted on June 1 and tourists can come and stay in accomodations at 50% capacity.

We had neighbours over last night, and amongst lots of other things the virus in Key West was a topic.  The general consensus was to enjoy the next week and a half and be prepared to bunker back in again when the visitors come.

It is hard to see how the spread of the virus can be controlled in a tourist/partying area like Duval Street.  People come to Key West to socialize in the bars, enjoy great alcoholic drinks, listen to music, make new friends, talk into ears, congregate in groups etc etc etc....how do you get drunk people to practice proper social distancing?? Although, the bars are not open yet, only those that serve food.  Maybe that is the answer - no standing-only type of establishments, table service only.  Maybe that sets the tone and the parameters??

On a nicer note, it was a really lovely evening.  Our neighbours are the best and have been beyond helpful to us recently with flat tyres on the jeep!!! Yes flat tyres - two!! B and his young sons are car crazy and always tinkering on their own, but still, what they did for us was above and beyond.  So this little get together was a thank you for that.

Not pictured is the hummus, guac, salsa and chips. And key lime pie! And beer.

We started with rum and coconuts (from the garden, cut down by Patrick).  How cute do they look with a bamboo straw?!

And then Ciproskas by moi.  Which co-incidentally was one of my very first blog posts back in March 2012! A recipe of how to make a "caiproska" - spelling seems to have changed in my mind over the last 8 years lol!

Letter from Key West, May 19 2020 - June 1 reopening

Well it is official.  The checkpoints are being removed, and The Keys will be open on June 1.  Which means that come June 1, Key West is open for non residents i.e. tourists to come visit.

Restaurants are allowed serve diners inhouse at 50% capacity.  Bars - if you are also a fully functioning kitchen/restaurant then you are allowed open as per the restaurant rule.  If no food, bars are not mandated to open (yet?).  Hotel rooms/accommodations/lodgings are allowed open and have guests stay, at 50% capacity.

What can I say?  Like my previous post, I'm nervous. I'm anxious that just one asymptomatic carrier will kickstart the spread of the virus through our little community.  We have been incredibly lucky and our numbers are so, so low currently.  I am worried that is about to change.

But what is the alternative?  We cannot stay holed up forever. Would it be any better in another month?  I cannot say.  What I can say is that in one month the tourist season is practically over for Key West and unemployed service industry workers would then be looking at a lean few months until October for Fantasy Fest.  IF Fantasy Fest goes ahead?  Who knows at this point what is going to happen.

What I do know is what I can control.
Practice excellent social distancing, wear my mask at all times in public, wash my hands, wash my hands, wash my hands.

Stay well friends.

Letter from Key West, May 17 2020

89,498 Deaths from Covid19 in the USA

On Friday evening we went out for a quick dinner before going out on the boat.  It was not a great experience.  The social distancing arrangements in the restaurant were good - thumbs up there.  However service was slow (drinks and food) and the menu was limited (ok I am fine with this).

But my major concern was some of the other patrons.  Key West is supposed to be residents only at the moment, but there are definitely tourists in town.  Hey guess what, four of them strolled into the restaurant, not a mask to be seen, straight up to the bar, not giving a care in the world about keeping 6ft away from the bartender.

Frankly, I don't think they should have been served.  And finally, about ten minutes later they were politely (too politely imo) invited to step outside - the prompt for this being when one of them dropped their drink and the glass smashed everywhere.  Not cool man, not cool.

Contrast that with Dante's on Saturday.  Am happy to report: great social distancing of tables, great service, great food.  We had the seafood sampler and it was awesome!

Oysters, peel'n'eat shrimp and crab claws

Oysters to die for, the size of a a plump baby's fist!

Simple. But jazzed up dinner

Yesterday we ate Indian food.  We made it from a jar of Sharwoods, which really doesn't feel like cooking at all (spoiler, it's not).  Because of this we hit on the brainwave idea of jazzing it up with some onions and cherry tomatoes.  Chicken, done on the barbeque, and job DONE!

Well! That was it done until I went all faaaaancy with the rice!  Ha! Check it out.Lol

Have a great Easter weekend!
Stay well and healthy wherever you are, friends.

Letter from Key West, April 8 2020

Since I last blogged it appears that masks, and the wearing of them, is coming to the fore.  As per yesterday's City of Key West directive all employees must wear masks.  Some stores are insisting on shoppers wearing them too. Home Depot is not letting anyone in without a mask, late last afternoon Fausto's posted on their facebook the same. 

Me, I stayed at home and cleaned my shed.  How the heck did it get packed full of all that junk?? When we moved in (mid January) I did a big clean out of the old owner's stuff but heck seems we managed to fill it with our own stuff since then.

It took me almost the whole day, with breaks, but I think you will agree from the photos; job well done.  Now just need to keep it this way!

Where ever you right now, stay well and positive friends.

We are living through a Pandemic

I said it out loud to myself this morning "we are living through a pandemic".  My feeling is still a little disbelief.  I think back to Christmas day as an example.  If any one at the dinner table, had predicted something like this happening in the first quarter of the year, I think we would have all fell around laughing at them.

Yet it did happen. And here we are.

It is hard to capture the feelings of life right now, and I think this is because things, and information are changing constantly.  So you hear some news or an update, and you adapt to it - and you identify the feeling and you begin to understand and accept the feeling - and then, things change again.  I also find things constantly changing because I am trying to keep up with what is happening at home in Ireland, what is happening in the wider US (watching those White House press conferences every evening - the less said there the better) and then of course adapting to the local situation here in Key West.

So what is it like here in Key West? I am sure similar to wherever you are right now while reading this - complete and utter lockdown, everyone staying at home, bars and restaurants (the mainstay of Key West) all closed except for some restaurants take out only.  And of those restaurants that are doing take out - each day one of them closes for business, I guess just not enough business to sustain them staying open.

Ghost town.
The one big notable difference about Key West is the amount of people on the island.  Can you imagine if you told half the people in your town to leave?  Well that is what Key West did.  Normally at this time of the year the island is teeming with tourists, bars are packed, restaurants need reservations. We are now closed to tourists.  The streets are empty of cars, empty of cyclists on rental bikes, empty of revelers.  The shops are boarded up.  Quiet does not begin to describe it.

At home I have been trying to keep busy and "get things done".  I painted the bathroom and painted our bedroom (pics below).  Doing some cleaning chores around the house etc.  I have been reading lots which I am pleased about. I have not been blogging.  Hopefully this post is a sign that will change! I would like to have a record of these strange times in years to come.

Oh yes for the record, I guess this is part of the "adapting" I mentioned that I almost forgot to post about it, of course we are practicing social distancing and lockdown. We are staying at home as much as possible, only going out for essentials and when I do go out I wear a mask when I am in a shop or picking up food etc.  If we meet a neighbor on the street we have a very quick check in with them - at 2 metres away from each other.

Ok I think that is all I've got for you right now. Stay safe, well and healthy dear reader.  Enjoy photos of my handiwork below - I'd love some feedback on it :)

Before - a lurid lime greeny yellow. 

And now - POP- the crisp clean white allows the tiles be the star of the show!

Before - this photo does not fully capture the yocky lurid purple colour enthusiastically slathered from ceiling to floor (yep the trim had been painted purple too).  

After - cool and calm, dare I say sophisticated? Ironically the name of the paint is "calm" :)