More Key West.....

A few more layouts from my Key West album...

Key West Layouts...

I'm determined to get my Key West album completed before I let myself start on the cruise. It's been a fun album to work on - small, 8 x 8 album - the pages go together quickly. It was a short trip, only three days - but we packed so much into those days and I want to document everything. The layouts are very simple and I'm really trying to put an emphasis on my journaling for this book. So, here are some that I have completed over the past few weeks....

Key West Layout

Here's another new layout I completed for the Design Team - a U-Pick assignment using the Bo-Bunny Organic/Travel line. Still haven't got around to doing my small album from Key West last summer, but these pictures worked great with the product.

Always a Place for a Drink.....

One thing that Key West didn't lack were bars - the streets were lined with them. Everything happens on or around Duval Street - 14 block of shops and bars. Some of the more famous were Sloppy Joe's (Hemingway's favorite), the Hogsbreath Saloon, the Green Parrot, Captain Tony's and Irish Kevin's.

All of the bars have live entertainment - most of it local performers. Variety abounds - if you don't like the music at one bar, just walk across the street or next door for something a little different. Entertainment routinely starts around 2:00 in the afternoon and goes on until 4:00 in the morning. (Not that we would know anything about that).

We were usually walking back to our hotel by midnight. The first night - blame it on the map, the alcohol, etc. - we circled within a block of our hotel for 45 minutes, not quite able to find it. Thanks to a "local" walking his dog at midnight, or we might still be circling.

Hemingway's Six-Toed Cats

One of the tours we took in Key West was of Ernest Hemingway's Home. We were lucky enough to get an excellent guide and not only did we get to tour the home and the grounds, but we learned many interesting and fun stories regarding the Pulitzer Prize winning author. And of course, one of the highlights was getting up close and personal with the six-toed cats. According to the story, the original cat (Snowball) was a gift to Hemingway from an English Sea Captain during a stop in Key West in 1935. All of the cats on the grounds are direct descendents of Snowball. The females are allowed to have two litters before they are "fixed". All of the cats have the gene. Each litter is 50/50 - half with the extra toe and half are normal. These cats live in a virtual paradise - well cared for - fat and sassy. Our guide did tell us that right now the Hemingway House is in a "catfight" with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Key West city officials are siding with the Hemingway House and the six-toed cats. The Key West City Commission exempted the home from a city law prohibiting more than four domestic animals per household. About 50 cats live there. The Hemingway House has been locked in a dispute with the USDA, which claims the museum is an "exhibitor" of cats and needs a special license -- a claim the home disputes. The USDA wants the cats to be caged as if in a zoo and our guide told us that they are prepared to fight this with everything they have to continue allowing the cats to roam the gated grounds. After spending just an hour there, I tend to side with the cats. They are well treated and as happy as can be.

This little guy's name is Charlie Chaplin and he has the "correct" number of toes.

And as you can see below, these two beauties have the extra toe.

Vacation Photos to Share....

I'm home - but definately not back into the groove. Traveling really takes it out of you!!!!!

Wanted to share some photos of my great vacation in the Florida Keys with my brother, my sister-in-law and a bunch of their friends. The only thing missing was my husband!

Driving over the 7-mile bridge - the Atlantic Ocean on our left, the Gulf of Mexico on our right and a little Jimmy Buffet on the CD player.

Sunset at Mallory Square.

Some of us getting ready to tour Hemingway's House.

Only 90 miles to Cuba....

Brothers and Sisters...

I Survived.....

Just checking my email - not back from vacation, but finally have access to a computer. I've just spent the past four days in Key West and will now enjoy a couple of days in Florida with my mom before flying home.

Key West was beautiful - but unbelievably hot and humid. I also never comprehended that so many bars could be contained on a 2 mile x 4 mile stretch of land. Believe me when I say that I think my brother and his friends knew where each and every one was located. I was the oldest one in our group of 12 - but I'm proud to say that I "hung" with the best of them and was never accused of being the party pooper. Other than than that, we were able to visit Hemingway's home, (which was actually my favorite tour), climbed to the top of the Key West Lighthouse, saw Harry Truman's "Little White House" and visited the Key West Butterfly Conservatory. I also stood at the Southern Most Marker - 90 miles from Cuba and at U.S. 1 Mile Marker 0 - which ends 2,200 miles north in Maine. One thing I couldn't get over was how "retro" the entire area is. Aside from the obvious tropicaI/Caribbean atmosphere, the buildings are very '60's and have no intention of changing. It's definately like stepping back in time.

I'll be flying home on Tuesday and will have photos to share on my blog soon.

One Day and Counting...

All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go...... (yeah, I know it's corny).

One last busy day here at work - 7 contracts to prepare and then I'm outta here!

Kelli's 1st All-Star game is tonight, so I'm going to relax in my lawn chair and enjoy it - knowing that tomorrow evening, I'll be somewhere in South Florida with Frank and Arlette. My "list" for the next six days include - the Southernmost Point Marker, Hemmingway's Home, watching the sunsets at Mallory Square, the Pirate Museum, and a long list of bars - including Sloppy Joe's, Margaritaville, and Irish Kevin's. See ya' all next week with lots of stories and photos!!!

Two Days and Counting....

It's going to be another HOT one here today in northern Indiana. Guess the weather gods are trying to prepare me for the heat and humidity of south Florida. I don't mind the heat because I'll be enjoying that breeze coming off the ocean. I can smell that ocean air right now. (Can you tell I'm excited??)

Key West

Anxiously looking forward to my Florida trip in a few weeks - thanks to those free Delta vouchers I received in December. You know... the vouchers I received when I was forced to "suffer" through a night in Cincinnati with Brady Quinn.

http://twinmom7.blogspot.com/2006/12/before-i-get-into-cruise-postings.html

Anyway, I'm flying down to Orlando and then joining up with family and friends for a 4 - day trek to Key West. We'll be celebrating some summer birthdays, seeing the sites (and trying to stick to a diet). Hopefully all the walking and bicycle riding will help us to keep from gaining too much.