Beer Thirty

Tomorrow Randy, my brother and Warren leave for Michigan, officially ending the annual "Sloth, Indulgence and Debauchery Tour" for another year.  I will be staying on.  I've had a blast the past ten days, but some down time will be fine with me.  Every year, I swear it gets harder to keep up the pace required to 'relax' on vacation.  I simply cannot hang like I once could. 

 

 I have completely embraced the Florida custom of 'Early Bird' happy hours and dinner.  This time frame I used to find amusing as the 'old people' hurriedly made their way in for half off drinks and appetizers.  I don't understand that schedule in Michigan, but it is beginning to make sense here in the Keys.  The fresh air and sunshine find me yawning around 10:00, necessitating in a very early start to most nights out. This schedule perfectly coincides with the nightly sunset celebrations-an event that requires a waterside seat and numerous cocktails to be properly viewed.  The beauty of the sunset over the water is breathtaking and certainly deserves to be appreciated. 

 

Clap, clap. Whoo hoo.  That's gorgeous, now can I please have another rum runner? 

 

Early Bird also is a  financial boon.  My rum runner goes from $5.50 to $11.00 after 7:00 and the same percentage applies to food.  $12.00 for conch fritters? Sheesh!  It's crazy but genius, really.  The way I see it is that the old people and cheapskates can fill the restaurants and bars and get their food and drunk on and then make way for the people that didn't get off the boats or beaches till six o'clock.  Less waiting for seating and a bargain to boot.

 

Tonight we found a spot that served my wine for $2.50 and a great little salad for $5.00.  Dinner and two drinks for ten bucks is a bargain anywhere and with the money I saved maybe I can buy a kicky little sarong or some other necessity  Happy and thrifty to boot-that's me!