Rambunctiousness

Thank you for the wonderful comments on the blog and the emails.YOU make me  feel TERRIFIC! And I owe it all to you, my readers and angels and supporters and cheer leaders.

Mind over matter, I meditate the pain away and try to keep my big mouth shut and not be grumpy. It ain't easy... but super glue helps!

The spirit is willing the body is failing or flailing. Life is goof.

I had to bust up camp in Melbourne, Florida and move my wheel estate to Okeechobee. I found a place with HALF price rent since they aren't busy once the snowbirds left. Most places do not discount their rates, so this was a lucky find indeed. Then I had an invitation to go celebrate my close friend's BIG ONE, his 70th birthday.

He used to live in the Florida Keys and wanted to return there for a revisit to celebrate. For some fool reason, I said YES!

For the first time ever since moving into my wittle old wheel estate, I left her all alone for a few days. Actually 11 days! Oh my gosh was that ever HARD on me. She is my only home, my security blanket. I've slept in her every night for over 7 years. The Florida Keys were booked up solid and there wasn't room to take my rig and the prices were crazy high. Well, some of the pricier places, I found out later, had space available but at (you better SIT DOWN) $100-$200 per night for camping. I kid you not.

I've lived in far flung islands so I understand the ridiculous pricing. If you want to visit the Keys, pack double the cash and half the junk.

From my old sailing days when boats were "female" I still think of my rolling rig, the RV, as a "she".

I packed up the dog, my bicycle and a small backpack to go celebrate rather than take my rig, we took their rig, which is even smaller than mine! They already had state park reservations which generally take a year to get. Sheesh. Florida Keys is super popular.

I've sailed through the Florida Keys a few times when I was professional crew on yachts, but it's been awhile. I also bareboated there back in the mid 80's with some friends on a vacation trip. When I was about 3-4-5 years old, I have a vague recollection of my family driving to the Keys and me throwing up all over the old 50-something Chevy and making them mad at me. But I remember the long bridges the near crystal clear waters. They aren't as clear now, but clear enough I actually got in the ocean.

Since living in the Virgin islands where the water with clear, it's been hard on me to return to "dark" waters. I visited rivers and lakes in America I used to swim in and now I won't. Too funny! In the 90's I went tubing down a river near the SC and NC border on a vacation from my work in the Caribbean. The waters were not clear. I saw a snake, I think it was a water moccasin. I don't do snakes. I screamed and got out of the river so fast, my friend's swear I walked on water. They had to go chase my inner tube down and bring it back to me.

So funny.

Packing for the Keys...

The dog took MORE than anybody cause he wanted dry food, wet food, his feed bowls, his water bowl, his bicycle basket, his cheap treats, his special treats, his blankie, his toys, his bath towel, his poop bags, his regular dog leash, his flexi-leash, his vet papers to prove he had state law required shots,  his tether, his pillow, a spare harness in case he went swimming  or broke his (and he did!) Well be didn't break his harness (he has done this before due to his chronic rambunctiousness) but he did go ocean swimming and got his harness soaking wet then he ran ashore where he was shivering like a drowned rat. I had to drop what I was doing, giving him a fresh water bath at the people outdoor showers, wrap him up in his towel until he stopped shaking, then put on his spare harness with his dog tags. Oh my gosh. He was one happy pup.

Harley dog wanted to know if his allowance was big enough to get him a new bicycle so he could ride in back in style. 

Most beaches would not allow dogs, and that was super sad. But we found a few out of the way ones where canines were welcome. Even went to the dog park in Key West on a day trip. Oh the crazy things we do for our canine companions. The day we drove to Key West parking was $20 and up. At the dog park, we could park for free. Go figure.

How can one 6 pound dog require so much STUFF for a trip? He took more than I did. But he did get to go sightseeing by bicycle most days and he stuck his little dog nose in the air when we passed doggies walking. Such a brat!

At an outdoor eatery with a bar, I asked if the doggy could sit under the table outdoors and turns out many restaurants do allow this. The dog ordered a "Salty Dog" which is grapefruit and vodka, but I told the waitress NO. Oh my gosh,next she  brought him a water bowl big enough to be his bathtub. We told him it was a Salty Dog so he would shut up. Now the little fellow brags he went bar hopping. Sheesh.

Speaking of nasty snakes I don't care for... Did you know a 2 foot deadly cobra escaped in a suburban neighborhood in mid March in Orlando? That snake has not been found yet. YUCK! I feel so sorry for the neighbors that had no idea that Fish and Wildlife had issued an exotic permit to a homeowner in their neighborhood. Me personally, I would sure like to know if my neighbors are legally being granted permission to keep deadly exotic reptiles in their home. More yuck!

Enough of this, I have to unpack the dog's stuff and clean up my rig. I left in such a hurry, I think ghosties made a mess in my absense.