Christ the Lord has Risen today...

Happy Easter!  I hope everyone had the day of your dreams doing things that mean Easter to you.  My Keys neighbors generously hosted 17 of us for Easter dinner on a gorgeous 80 degree day.  There were new friends and old friends gathered around a New England boil and pasta and shrimp salad.  I love pot lucks where everyone brings their best or favorite dish.

That being said, I must tell you the story of my dessert contribution.  I thought I would try a bakery that I have never been to before and buy something festive, sparing everyone my horrible baking skills.  I asked at the counter for the pie selection and all that was left to purchase was Key Lime-a flavor that tends to be overdone in the Keys.  All of the cakes were sold out, but the baker encouraged me to try the brownies, a house specialty.  There were eight in the counter and they did look luscious.  I decided to buy the brownies and cut them in half because they were decent size and very rich looking.  The treats were packaged up and I went to the counter to pay.  44 dollars, please ma'am.  Huh?  For 8 brownies?  So, after learning the hard way to ask for prices first, I paid the tab and carefully hauled the package to the truck.  Quickly I rationalized that if we went out or I had hosted the dinner I would have easily spent that much.  There was a convenience factor involved.  I didn't spring for any eggs, colored grass or chocolate bunnies.  I sent no cards or flowers (sorry, Mom) so maybe that amortizes out the cost a little.  Well, a little...

Everyone enjoyed the brownies and after some wine, I ended up telling the story along with a warning of the prices at Bob's Buns.  Desert was delicious and one friend offered to hook me up with some real special brownies for less than 44 bucks.  Oh well, live and learn and enjoy the chocolate!

Have a blessed week and don't be a dumb bunny. (Sorry, I just had to get a bunny reference in there somewhere!)   xo

Half mine...

Wowsa!  Two weeks of posting later than usual on the Jspot.  All of this activity has me in a full blown case of the Keys Disease.  I do not know what day it is and the clock is a little mixed up, too.  With contractors running in and out all day, the whole climate of the condo is askew.  I am trying to stay out of their way, due to the fact that they will charge an extra thousand bucks if I 'help'.  I am relegated to going to Home Depot for supplies and making sandwiches and coffee.  Nicole Curtis would not be impressed. Hell, throw in the fact that I'm now Irish, Spanish and Italian-things are totally whack.  I even forgot about the premier of Dancing With the Stars-and things must be crazy for that to happen!

So, as an easily confused person as well as a creature of habit and routine, I am trying to get my mojo back. That event will probably coincide directly with the date we leave to come home.  No matter, it's all good.  We are enduring an unusual cold snap for this semi-tropical paradise.  The weather is in the high sixties and low seventies till Thursday.  And did I mention that there was actually a night where I stayed up past midnight?  More oddness.

But I can't complain, there has been lots of fun thrown in the mix, too.  And, wine and fresh fish and gorgeous sunrises and sunsets and shopping etc.etc.ect......

Have a great week and I'll see you all next week.  xo

Easy...

 Good morning friends from the deck where this gorgeous sunrise pic was taken.  Just a little Keys update today letting you know the 'what up' down here!  The weather has been phenomenal and the bathroom remodel is going strong-dusty, but strong.  Tile work starts tomorrow and I can't wait to see it installed.  I am doing my best to stay out of the way..

Neighbor and gal pal Laura and I have been shopping and lunching and wine-ing about town.  We are trying to ignore the little damage I did to the truck trying to park the damn thing.  Whoops! Brother, Steve arrived and I had his rum drink waiting for the official start of the '2016' tour.  He and Randy are readying the boat as we speak for a day on the high seas.  I will stay shore bound with the contractors.  The Cuban sandwiches for the boys lunch being my contribution to their day. With luck and skill we will have some delicious yellowtail snapper for dinner!

After experiencing 14 years here, I had a run in with my first scorpion.  Found this 4 inch long critter on my bedroom floor after almost stepping on him.  Like a Norwegian superhero (with a touch of Spanish, Irish and Italian), I grabbed the contractors broom and swept his little stinger-self out onto the deck.  I was shocked to find him alive and limping around out there the next morning where Randy took his portrait before beheading the poor thing.

In sad news, R.I.P. to our friend Yankee Jack who passed away in Key West yesterday.  The Bull will never be the same without his humor and talent.  The band up in heaven just gained some talent and heart as Jack joined in the jam.  xo

So dolls, that all the news that's fit to print!  Hope your week will be as fabulous as mine. xo

Never Been to Spain...

This morning I received some long awaited news, and my head is spinning like I've had 3 cocktails on the beach!  My DNA results are in!

Let me back up a bit.  Years ago I hopped on the Ancestry.com train and rode it hard till I read that maybe I wasn't doing it exactly right.  I had about a zillion hours into the venture but gave up until I could better understand the process.  The only thing I was positive of was the document showing my great grandparents on the boat coming from Norway.  My Scandinavian heritage was never in question.

For Christmas, my sister got the kit that allows you to spit into a vial for a proper DNA breakdown.  It was something I had meant to do for awhile but now I could just swing off of her results.  I have hounded her for weeks checking to see if she had heard any news.  This morning the results came in.  And we are shocked.

The pie chart shows that we are 14% Irish, which is a total shocker.  I have never felt even 1% Irish!  I do not like green, corn beef and cabbage, beer, or leprechauns!  I love any party and have always partaken as a faux Irishman, but this year will be different.  I will chug an Irish Car Bomb at Irish Kevin's and my even do a jig-I said MAYBE!  Gotta break into this slowly...

I also learned that we hold 14% DNA from the Iberian Peninsula.  Huh?  Yep, 14% Spanish!  Maybe that explains the uncanny attraction I feel for Antonio Banderas and Javier Bardem!  And today at Home Depot, where a large population speak Spanish, I could swear that I understood them a little.  How exciting!

And lastly we are Italian-not much but some.  My sister owns a fabulous Italian restaurant and is asked often if she is Italian.  And now she can say that she is.  So cool.

But I still mostly identify with the 50+ part of me that is Scandinavian.  I am of hearty Nordic stock and I'm okay with that. 

I am a warrior-and this I already knew!     xoxo

Ready, Steady, Go...

 

Well, we are packed and stacked and ready to rock.  Our annual Sloth, Debauchery, and Indulgence Tour gets under way today as we begin our travel to the keys.  The trip this year promises to be a doozy as in addition to driving Randy's big truck with a bike rack on the back, we are also hauling a 16 foot trailer packed with materials for the two bathroom demo and redo project that will be underway starting Thursday.  Throw in a dog and a cat and you've got yourself an adventure.  Normally we have this ride down to a science with our stops planned at pet friendly hotels and decent restaurants.  Parking with that trailer will prove to be a new challenge, I 'm sure.  But fear not, I won't be driving.  I can't park or back up to save my life.

 

My brother will be down to join us on his annual vacation and is a very willing participant in all of our tomfoolery and shenanigans. Wish us luck with the weather, the trip is long enough without snotty road conditions.  And I hope March finds you all feeling well with the feeling that spring will be here soon.  xo

Hard Sun...

Apparently there is a national day for EVERYTHING..  Sissy in law Cheryl was only too happy to remind me that today is National Margarita Day.  Yes, with her own birthday falling on Cinco de Mayo she is the margarita queen.  Yes, she has the official machine and yes, she uses premium tequila.     (Yes, life IS to short to drink cheap tequila!)  We don't even have to discuss the potency and effects of her special frosty treats.  Remind me to tell you about the ill fated "Blue Margarita Booze Cruise" sometime.  I remember some of the details....

 But with a whopping calorie count, I usually limit myself to a couple.  Not to mention that mouth- happy feeling of fresh tortilla chips and salsa that usually accompanies the drinks.  And melted cheese.  And queso, and guacamole....

Tonight, after a busy day, I'm totally "one and done".

Anyone else attached to margaritas and or good Mexican cuisine?  Do you have a margarita or even a good tequila story for me?  Do tell, 'ole!!!  xo

Pillowtalk...

Happy Valentine's Day, one day late.  Also Happy Birthday to Mickey who turned 13 yesterday.  He is still as spry as ever but begging for treats has moved up his ladder of importance.  Snacks and a soft place to lay on his pillows are his main activity.  But we love the crazy coot; Frito smellin' toes and all.

With the cold days upon us, I feel much the same.   Maybe I'll take a page from Mickey's book and eat a bowl of chili and camp out near the fireplace to catch the Grammy's.   Push over Mick, there's room for both of us!

Hope your week is off to a good start.  xo