Car bar!

A while back, we took the hardtop off the Jeep. and subsequently decided that it was simply never going back on again
(a) we live in Key West
(b) it weighs a ton and it was heavy and difficult getting it off

It has been sitting at the side of the house and we have been considering where to put it/how to store it/what to do with it.

Well someone (not me!) came up with a good idea of maybe putting it in the garden as an "art piece" or art installation, or a yard furniture type of thing.

"Yes!" cried I, "car bar!"

What do you think?  Comments below please!

Letter from Key West, April 29 2020

I bought myself a new mask yesterday.  It is from Sister Season and they are $10 per mask which goes into the fund to help people who work in the hospitality industry and who need financial assistance.

It is a lovely vintagesque flowery material and it is nice (firm?) material (double lined) and cut in a good shape which covers my whole face.

I also bought Patrick one too.  It is a soft t-shirt material.  It is double lined too - in fact reversible - and is made from a donation of  old stock of (unworn) Conch Republic Celebration 2019 t-shirts.

This one works great for him because it doesn't matter if he squishes it into his pocket (which he does!) as compared to the medical mask he was previously using, which really did not respond well to the squishing.

Both masks are also much more comfortable/more breathable than the medical masks.

Letter from Key West, April 26 2020

CVS have reduced all their Easter stock so I snaffled some peanut butter cups, some lindt chocolate and some PEEPS! Why the capital letters??  Because they are an unknown in Ireland and intrigue me so much.  Like didn't we have enough goodness, and sweetness, at Easter with all that chocolate?  Well, it appears not, someone came along and said, heck no, have some lurid coloured, sugary marshmallow while you're at it. 



 

Right, well who am I, to argue with that?

 

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Things I am thankful for right now:

 

1. Fresh, clean bed linen. 

I did some chores yesterday, which included laundry of our bed sheets. Simply nothing like it.

 

 





Temperatures are going up here in Key West.  We have started using our AC and literally have two sheets as covers at night.

 

2. A healthy and happy relationship

I've grown a lot over the last couple of years, slash decade....ok, so, slash two decades. Yes it took time but I can confirm it was worth the wait. 

 

A couple of years ago, I remember meeting up with visiting friends to Dublin, an older (and clearly wiser) couple.  With drinks in hand, and sitting by a fire in the Library bar of the Exchequer Hotel I beseeched them for the answer to happiness in love.  Ok, truth be told. I whined to them. "How? how do you do it? how do I do it?? How, when you want to absolutely kill the other person, how do you avoid that turning in to a big massive argument? Howwww?"  

 

The advice they gave me was "we just laugh about things".  At the time I struggled.  How could one laugh about something, when you felt so passionate about it, when you just KNEW you were right and the other person was wrong? 



But slowly over the years, I realized it was great advice. I also realized it was ME who was in control of my happiness, not the other person.  I started thinking about me and what I could do differently, ok so I didn't laugh every time, but I certainly started breathing and thinking more. Thinking things like, is this really important to be "right" about?  Is this really the one thing that I want to hang my hat on today? Really....reeeeeeeally???  The answer invariably, tended to be no. 

I guess it's a variation of Don't Sweat the Small Stuff, or something like that??  All I can say is, it definitely feels a lot better to be the person that I am now.

And as for the laughter?  Well that came too.  And maybe that is to do with the other person, as well as me.  God damnit he is funny! God damnit he makes me laugh about something every single day!

And you know, I like to think that I make him laugh too.

For this, and a million other reasons, it just works.

And for that I am grateful.

Letter from Key West, April 24 2020

A little bit of a catch up since I last blogged...

Today in Key West news the county (Monroe) have said the Keys will not be opening to tourists in May - it will likely be June 1.  I appreciate this decision has a huge economic impact. 

I am still nervous about when we do eventually totally re-open, and for going forward.  With key West being a tourist destination it will be very hard to identify and control people movement.  I see myself just being ultra careful with hand washing, wearing my mask and social distancing until the vaccine arrives....

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I cooked a dish for dinner the other night which was an absolute disaster.  Chicken, garlic, rice  and broccoli bake.  I used chicken soup in it and I simply did not add enough water/milk/liquid so the rice used it all up during the cooking and it was dry and awful.  I also used Panko breadcrumbs on the top.  I am only familiar with Panko from books and American recipes.  We do not have it at home in Ireland.  I can report it is awwwwwwful.  Weird processed, sweet (almost coconut flavor and texture???), NOT breadcrumbs, processed something or other made out of flour yock.

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I successfully cut a dress to a shorter length and hemmed.  It is a stretch jersey type of material so it was a pain to hem but I did it!

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Enid texted me yesterday evening and said quick go on InstaLive on Reece's Witherspoon's page.  I clicked in and joined a lovely conversation between Reece and Jenna Bush Hager talking about books.  It was a really enjoyable thing to watch and I liked the thought that my twin was watching it too at home in Ireland. 

That's it I think!  It's Friday evening and we are heading into the weekend woohoo!!!!

Stay well and healthy friends! Stay at home!

Letter from Key West, April 17 2020

One Human Family.
There are a number of charities and outreach programs here on the island who support people in need - rough sleepers/people who are homeless/unemployed/people who are laid off - now, and before, the Covid19 pandemic.

In addition to this there are restaurants around town who are giving out free food to people in need.Yesterday it was Margaritaville who stepped forward and I saw this in action as I out went to CVS for some essential items.

As I pulled up on my bike I noticed little pockets of people standing around eating.  Then a man across the street sitting on a step eating from a take out box, shouted across to me "hey, they are giving out free food at Margaritaville, make sure you go get some".  I thanked him for telling me and shouted back to enjoy his lunch "oh I am, I am".

His unbridled joy brought me happiness.  I am not too proud to admit that I was a little nervous when I pulled up initially.  But you know,  his happiness and his willingness to engage with me gave me perspective, we are all just humans, and all just trying to get by in this old world of ours as best we can.

Fair play to the following for what they are doing to help:
- Better than Sex Restaurant
- Off the Hook Grill
- Margaritaville
- The Florida Keys Outreach Coalition
- Sister Season
And many others no doubt, as I hear of any more I will add them here.

Hey, if any of you out there wants some of these stickers just let me know and I will post to you

Letter from Key West, April 14 2020

Yesterday I had to go to the bank for some essential business.  Town was deserted, and while wearing my mask, I took the opportunity to take some photos of some of the Closed signs on shop doors. Apologies for the quality - it was difficult to capture with the shine from the windows - but I think you can see most of them ok.



It sure is sad seeing the optimism of the unknown, and some of the proposed re-opening dates which we have gone well passed now at this stage.

I re-read my last blog and realized how whiney and first-world problemy I sounded "it's so boring" For the record, just in case it is not apparent, boring aside, I totally understand the importance of flattening the curve and why this quarantine is so vital and needed.  I totally support it. 

Letter from Key West April 12, 2020

I am sure the situation is the same in Key West as where you are right now.  It's life, but not as we know it, and boy is it BORING!
Masks are de rigeuer.  Even Marilyn Monroe is wearing hers.

Hard to say when things will start opening up here in Key West.  Most people accept that April is totally over now.  And it is my belief that May is a bust too.  Maybe all the bars, restaurants and hotels open up again on June 1st?  Hey guess what, that is our off peak season (it gets HOT on the island) and then we are in to August/September which is hurricane season.  I reckon it will be October i.e. Fantasy Fest before the island sees any real action...

Hmmm... Moving swiftly on. On a nicer note; it's Easter Sunday today!

Woke up and the Easter bunny had come and made a delivery which was nice. 

And this evening we are having lamb for dinner.  We wanted to have salmon but none of the supermarkets had any that looked decent.  Lamb and wine will be MORE than fine!

Edit.
Here is a picture of our lovely Easter dinner!