I'm just yesterday's news

I find it very hard to keep up with technology from an emotional point of view. No sooner do I learn something new when it's time to let go of that knowledge and embrace the newest thing. For the most part, technological change is good--like my flat screen and lightweight television that I can lift alone--but some is just trying. I don't go readily though. So comfortable with the tried and true, I'm usually the last kid on the block with the latest gadgets.

Take music for instance. I was perfectly happy with albums when 8 tracks came out. Soon though, the best way to buy music was on cassette. It wasn't long before CDs came out replacing tapes--which I despise because they get scratched--and I had to buy all new equipment and music. Nowadays, most of my music is digital, which did me no favors when the V key on my laptop took a hit with water and fried the entire shebang (no, I hadn't backed up my files). I've not updated my Ipod since this tragedy and I'm stuck listening to an endless loop of the same old music.

Pieces of the baby quilt. Two down, four to go.

One technology I adore is video recording on my television. I do appreciate the fact that I could record all the television shows I'd miss while I was away and did indeed spend the second week of my vacation staying in my jammies all day and playing catch up with my DVR. Even if I'm home and able to watch, I still record my favorite shows because it allows me the ability to fast forward through the advertising. Love. That.

I also got a bit of knitting done in the process of getting caught up. On further reflection, I may appreciate this ancient art form of knitting because frankly, there is no modern technology involved with making loops with sticks and string, but that's a post for another day.

Sadly I can't knit and read at the same time. While I wish I could get into books on tape CD mp3 player, I'm much better with the written word. My mind just goes places once inside a book--places I usually like. It's also nice to hold a book in my hands and flip the pages. In addition to my knitting and travels, I've read 3 books while on vacation, and the fourth, well I'm working on that, but it's just too big to carry around. This got me to thinking it's time to get an e-reader. But which one? An Ipad? I've already got a MacBook that travels fairly well and frankly, I think an Ipad is way overpriced right now. A Nook? It's pretty spiffy and displays in color. This may be helpful for knitting books I may want to purchase. A Kindle? Ohhhh, I can't decide.

So I did the next best thing and downloaded the free Kindle app for MacBook to take for a spin and bought a book last night. I'm hooked. Completely.

Here I go again...

Snips and snails and puppy dog tails

Otherwise known as a cure for late winter doldrums...

About six months ago, I had lunch with my friend and her 2 1/2 year old son, Ethan. Half way through lunch, he tipped the salt shaker over and for some reason he cried when the contents spilled out. In an effort to get him to stop crying, I taught him to toss the salt over his shoulder for good luck. This made him laugh and cured his moment of perplexing heartbreak.

Today we met for lunch again with the now 3 year old boy and his 5 month old brother. To impress me, Ethan grabbed the salt shaker, poured a huge amount of salt into his hand and threw it over his shoulder with great enthusiasm and laughter.

I was so charmed by this little guy's ultimate demonstration of flattery: he hadn't forgotten me since the last time we met. After all, doesn't every girl want to be remembered with affection? I know he won't forget me now because when we finished lunch, I took him on his first ever escalator ride and forever cemented myself in his mind. We rode the escalator up and down while his mom and baby brother watched. Three times. It would have been more but for the baby who wasn't enjoying the day as much as his big brother. He was so darned cute on that escalator--a little scared, a little excited and very, very quiet. When we got to the top, he ran to the other side with glee.

I'd forgotten what it was like be immersed in the world of an industrious little boy, and frankly, I think I should get in on that action a little more often.

Duplicate Days

Key West Lighthouse

I swear on Saturday, the weather people drew a line on the map and said north of the line, there would be a lot of snow and south of the line, not so much, maybe one to three inches, but more mixed precipitation. Though we're a long way south of their imaginary line, we got 9 more inches of snow. Nine. I'm so over it, I refuse to show you photos and you'll just have to take my word that once again, we've been inundated with fluff.

A stunning Hibiscus on the grounds of Ernest Hemingway's home in Key West.

I could focus on the negative here, but I won't. I'm still on vacation so I don't have to drive in this slop. This made my husband happy because he got to drive my SUV to work and I'm snowed in drinking tea and knitting. Such punishment.

While I'm still working on my vest, which would come in handy with this stubborn winter weather, I'm actually casting on today for a baby blankie for a certain someone who is due to make an appearance in about a month. My sister and I are sharing this project so it'll be a joint work of love. It's a good thing I put the yarn for this project up high without fondling it too much because a certain dog, who shall remain nameless, found my Nordique yarn and lost his ever loving mind.

Stories of how bereft he was when I left town are the only thing that saved him from certain demise. He paced the entire time I was gone and cried at my bedroom door until the men would open it to let him see it was indeed empty. Feeling sorry for him, they left him out of his crate which is when he found the bag of yarn that probably smelled like me. He was so pathetic, the only thing I could do was forgive him.

Snowed in? Dog who loves me? Plenty of yarn the dog hasn't found yet? Sounds like the makings for a continuation of the perfect vacation, minus the sun. What's not to love?

What a difference a day makes

Moon setting over the Gulf of Mexico at sunrise, Saturday, February 19, 2011

Lunch for the pelicans at the wharf, noonish, Saturday, February 19th.

The Miami Vice cocktail, noonish, Saturday, February 19th. What? It was 5:00 somewhere in the world, right? If you notice, the drink came with fruit, so I think that makes it a meal.

Noonish in Detroit. Sunday, February 20th.

For some reason, I prefer yesterday's agenda.

Good bye my friend

There is no truth to the rumor that I bribed this bird to come so close with Girl Scout cookies.

A picture perfect day

Why, of course the drinks are spiked. Did you expect any less?

Giving new meaning to the word watch dog--there were two of them on the roof watching the world in Key West walk past.

I've never seen the chickens in Key West...only roosters. I know you can't get a rooster without a chicken, so it begs the question, where are they?

Filling our shopping bags along the way, we did walk here to snap this photo.

More later from paradise--we're off to soak up more sun and sand.

I don't think we're bringing sexy back down here

I know I've talked about our all girl vacations, theme songs and nicknames before, but it's really sad to mention here that we've gone from awesome songs like, I Wear My Sunglasses at Night, to reciting, Pee-Pee On the Potty (from Look Who's Talking, Too). Yes, I've news for you youngsters, locating the closest bathroom becomes a strategy as you age.



Even though we've lost elasticity of our bladders, we've not lost our sense of adventure. Tomorrow, at the butt crack of dawn (literally), we're boarding a gimongous catamaran and setting sail for a three hour tour. That puts me in the mind of another theme song, but this time we're sailing to Key West in a manner that allows us to drink and ride. Yes, vodka will be involved. We'll spend the day on Duvall Street and at Mallory Square and then set sail home. Can't wait.

In the meantime, I'll share with you some photos of a most picture perfect day on the beach:

My best friend wanted to know what I was reading that was making me laugh out loud. I showed her Laurie's ( of Three Dog Blog) book, and we agreed that the perfect beach read was one that could make you laugh like that. Though parts are serious, many are humorous, and I've got to tell you, I'm glad I chose to bring this book with me. It's now dogeared and full of sand, which only proves that it's loved.


We've gone parasailing on vacation before, in Mexico no less, where I'm sure there is no Coast Guard, nor regulations. This activity is on the back burner for Friday.

I fill out a bathing suit quite differently these days. This is all I'm willing to show you of what I've dared to wear on the beach. Maybe come Friday I'll take my tank top off and wear it as the two piece it is--then again--maybe not.


FYI, I am not the only person espied knitting on the beach. So what if I get sand in my yarn? I care not.