Key West Casts Its Spell

The laid back attitude that is the mystery of Key West can frustrate the casual visitor, not to mention the infiltration of the souls of all who stay here very long.

More than one tourist, used to living their lives while running in place with a cell phone attached to their ear, has gone mad waiting for service at any number of Key West locations. And don't even try to order a medium skim latte' with a touch of cinnamon, extra hot, double cupped, extra shot, with a few drops of butterscotch on the top.

You are likely to be greeted by a muffled "uh ha", and after he finishes his cell phone call, about 10 or 15 minutes later (you are the only person in the coffee shop), the drink maker/cash register operator/kitchen cleaner/t-shirt salesman will likely serve you a small, tepid, single-cupped whole milk latte, and walk into the back room before you can scream at him.

More than one New York City vacationer has been seen pounding their heads on the counters of various establishments in this lovely city.

Well, I must report that the spell has settled into my inner core. Dennis' daily question, "So, what do you have planned today," is now greeted by a blank stare from me. My mental acuity has plummeted to the level of sleeping through church. I wonder if this is dangerous.

Yet, I struggle to my computer to catch up on my blog before any number of friends starts leaving nasty emails on my Gmail account. You know, the old "Hello, is anyone there?" type emails. So I will catch you up.

We are in a wonderful, small RV resort. Grass, large lots, cement pads to park our rigs, with the owner living right on the property makes for a wonderful time. We moved our motor coach a couple spaces down and are right next to my sister Melodie and David. Our front window is about 10 feet from a bay on the Atlantic Ocean. We look out across the Atlantic. Except for the airmen and women from the nearby Boca Chica naval air base who take it as their personal responsibility to strafe us a couple times a day with low flying, sound barrier-breaking jets, everything else if fine.

We are right over the bridge from Key West. Melodie and David ride their bikes almost daily onto the island to exercise and picnic. Dennis and I did that once, but prefer a short trip up the keys to access Dennis' personal find--an abandoned flat road into the mangroves, ponds, and beauty of the Atlantic coast. I would tell you where it is, but I would have to kill you.

The local shrimp boats bring us fresh shrimp, the best in the world. David and Dennis may soon publish a book, "1000 ways to prepare fresh Key West Shrimp." We are eating very well.

In spite of our affinity for great food and drink in Key West, both Dennis and I are trying to lose weight. Although we could truthfully report success, I will refrain until it actually is visible to friend and foe alike.

Laura, Jens and Reese arrive soon. Hurray! We head to Ft. Lauderdale to see "Jersey Boys" (the musical) in a couple weeks. Laura, Sarah and Reese come back after that, followed shortly by our brother Bob and his wife Mary. April is going to be a wonderful feast of family. We are thrilled.

Oh no, I feel Key West whispering in my ear, "What the hell are you doing? You should be napping or just reading a book in the shade." See, it can creep up on you at any moment. Unfortunately, I feel myself succumbing again.

So for now I am going to have to s a y ................ g o o d b.........................

Florida, Florida, Florida

It was not prudent for me to start my Florida tales while our Minnesota loved ones were still fighting feet of snow and far below zero wind chills. I note it is above freezing today, and may soon hit the summer temperature of 45 degrees. Therefore, it is time to share the wonder of Florida.

For a couple of Northern boys it still seems unimaginable that for centuries people have actually lived through winter in temperatures that seldom dip below 60 degrees. I am convinced we were not made aware of this in our childhood for the simple reason that the north needed young people to populate it after they matured. By the time we caught on, it was too late to get the hell out. In my life we were not even encouraged (or could not afford) a spring break that involved senseless drunkenness on the tropical sand beaches of Florida. It all was a cruel conspiracy, but it worked.

Even as we sit here now in Key West, the front of our motor home about 10 feet from the shore of the Atlantic Ocean, I remember fondly years of icy slipping and sliding toward adulthood in Iowa and Minnesota. Perhaps it is true, you cannot truly appreciate the warmth until you have experienced the bone chilling cold of home-sweet-home.

After an amazing trip across the Southern U.S., our two motor coaches (ours and sister Melodie and David's) arrived in the Fort Wilderness Campground in Disney World. The campground was fine, but not the mecca for all true RVers that had been foreshadowed to us. Expensive of course (this is the land Walt Disney created you know), but fun none the less. We spent four nights and five days. We were joined by our newest converts to the RV world, our best friends from Key West, Jack and Gail Sibley. They were on their maiden voyage with their new coach. After the Oohs and Aahs over the Sibley's new home on wheels, we were off to the theme parks.

Epcot Center, The Animal Kingdom, and Disney Hollywood were all on our itinerary. Dennis and I hit it big in the face of the $75 per day ticket prices! I had saved the remainder of 5 day tickets I have bought with Laura and Sarah when they were young (about 15 dollars a day back then I think). Anyway, they honored the punches we had left on these cards I had kept in my "memory" box for over 15 years. Of our six days, we only had to pay for one day for Dennis. Disney had said they were good for a lifetime, and sure enough they were.

The six of us had a blast, even factoring in our extremely different tolerances for the more "aggressive" rides. Some of us are aging faster than the others. I will not use names here. Suffice it to say to those of you that know Dennis, there was not a roller coaster or thrill ride from which he shied away. The scarier the better for him.

Off we headed for Ft. Lauderdale and a visit with Laura, Jens, Reese and Jens' parents, Julie and Gale. We had a short but great time with them all, especially Reese, of course. I am sure it is NOT my imagination when I share with you that Reese clearly has developed an unconditional, uncanny, deep and abiding love for her Grandpa Tom and Grandpa Dennis.

After an uneventful (not windy) trip down the Keys single-laned highway (including our trip over the 7 mile bridge), we arrived at the El Mar RV park. Our park is right on the ocean on Stock Island (across a short bridge from Key West). Melodie and David were here, and we started our two month stay.

Now, I know that many of you have (more than once) been exhausted by spending a couple hours around my sister Melodie and I. However, contrary to all of your office pools and bets, I am loving every day I can spend with Melodie and David. It all came into perspective when Laura said, "Do you even realize what I would give to have the luxury of spending two months with my brother or my sister?" She is right, such time is truly a gift. Our blessings continue.

We found Key West much the same, but still changed. The developments continue, the T-shirt shops seem to multiply before your eyes, and the charm just keeps slipping away. Don't get me wrong, Key West is still breathtakingly beautiful. The azure blue ocean still astonishes you with its beauty on sunny days (which are almost all of them). The people can still slow down and have a good time, but the cruise ships and the spring breakers take some effort at toleration.

With Mexico's assassination rates in the thousands of people, the Key West beaches are packed full and look like a living Abercrombie & Fitch catalog (only with less clothing). Dennis refuses to stop the car for me to contemplate any particularly breathtaking specimens, so they too become just another fleeting glimpse of life for this old voyeur. I just need some serious therapy soon to help me deal with my constant lament that I was never that young, beautiful, and care free.

I may rebound in April since our time is full of visiting family and friends. We look forward to those times. Soon enough, after the Song Writers' Festival in the first few days of May, we head for home via the grandchildren, of course.

My brother Bob and his wife Mary and daughter Kelley join us at the end of April. Both Melodie and I are excited to show them Key West for their first time. Perhaps Mary and Kelley would love a good drag queen show. Bob? We shall see. . .