Lazy Lakes RV Park, Sugarloaf Key, FL:  A nice, warm sunny day today.  Big change from yesterday.  Guess it rained all night last night.  Needless to say, it was pretty humid today.  But it was great to get outside again.  I was sitting outside in my chaise lounge reading my book and Richard came by on his walk around the lake and said:  “There’s a couple of iguanas having carnal relations in your site.”  Sure enough.  First time we’ve seen that!  Went to Mangrove Mama’s for dinner.  This place used to be a railroad stop for Flagler’s overseas railroad back in the day.  Love the history down here!  

Dined al fresco under the trees at Mangrove Mama's.

I wanna go where bananas grow--Mangrove Mama's.

Lazy Lakes RV Park, Sugarloaf Key, FL:  A really nasty day today.  Started out nasty and didn’t get any better.  Windy, rainy and cool.  Poured down at times.  Basically stayed inside all day.  A peregrine falcon was hanging out across the lake for a while.  We’ve spotted these raptors a few times down here.  

Southard St.--Key West.

Lazy Lakes RV Park, Sugarloaf Key, FL:  After cavorting around Key West last night, we just kicked back today.  The play last night was hilarious.  Key West has a great contingent of people that put on these plays.  They are always first rate.  We had a great dinner before the show at the Hard Rock Café which is right next door.  The theater is very small—I think we counted 8 rows of seats. We will definitely go back.  After the theater we walked down to The Bull for a bit and then walked back to the Eco Center where we parked.  Tonight we go to the clubhouse for dinner.  

Flower from some exotic tree.

Stage at the Red Barn Theater.  Really creative set design.

 

Lazy Lakes RV Park, Sugarloaf Key, FL:  Headed to Key West to take care of the laundry this morning.  Went to the one on Flagler this time.  While the clothes were in the dryer I walked around the cute little residential area just off Flagler.  Came back, folded the clothes and headed home.  Put everything away, had some lunch and then relaxed outside reading for a while.  Then a commotion erupted next door when our 95-year-old neighbor’s cockatiel (Jo-Jo) flew off her shoulder and into the lake!  I went over and tried to help.  Then Mike came out and tried to help.  Even Richard, our other neighbor, came out to see what the commotion was all about.  Ted from across the lake came over and said Jo-Jo was in the mangroves. But on a branch too far for us to reach.  So, Ted went back and put his boat in the water and paddled over and finally plucked him out of the mangroves.  He bit the hell out of poor Ted who was screaming and at one point threw him back in the mangroves.  We got a towel out to him to stop the bleeding and Ted kept prodding him with the oar until he finally made it back to shore and onto Carmen’s shoulder.  Just another day in Crazy Lakes. We’re going to the Red Barn Theater tonight to see “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike”—about some crazy, dysfunctional family.  The Red Barn Theater is even smaller than the Waterfront Theater and is the former carriage house of the historic Captain Martin Hellings house (circa 1892).  This historic home is now the headquarters of the Key West Woman’s Club. We’ll have dinner at the Hard Rock Café, which is right next door to the theater.  It’s a touristy place, but they have good food and after dinner we can just stumble next door to the theater.  This will be our first time at the Red Barn.  We’re both looking forward to it.  Going down to Key West early because I want to get a Superman tee shirt for Ted, the rescuer of Jo-Jo.

Captain Martin Hellings home.
(Circa 1892)

Former carriage house of this historic home--now the Red Barn Theater.

Lazy Lakes RV Park, Sugarloaf Key, FL:  An absolutely gorgeous day today.  We enjoyed clear blue skies, gentle breezes, and temps in the 80s.  We had to go to Big Pine to run some errands, and while there we decided to hit the grocery store and get that over with.  Back home and Mike dropped me at the end of Johnson Road so I could walk the rest of the way.  Stopped at the lodge and played the piano for a while.  Sat around outside finishing my latest book while Mike played shoes.  Wasn’t sure he was going to be able to because of his back, but he was able to finish his games.  Happy hour tonight.  Looking forward to that.  And then dinner somewhere.  Mid-80s today.

Doors of Key West.

Former Navy Hospital--Truman Annex.

Lazy Lakes RV Park, Sugarloaf Key, FL:  A really nice day today.  Since we schlepped around Key West most of the day yesterday, we planned on just kicking back today.  Good thing, because Mike’s back is really bothering him.  Robin and Carmen stopped by for a while.  We sat outside most of the day reading.  At one point we spotted two eagles soaring around overhead.  By the time we got the binoculars out, they were up in the clouds already.  Left-over pot roast for dinner.  Upper 70s today.  

Love this home in Truman Annex.

Doors of Key West.

Lazy Lakes RV Park, Sugarloaf Key, FL:  Headed to Key West again today.  The art show is going on right now on Whitehead Street.  It took forever to get down there because of a biking event going on today.  Not sure where they bike from, but the destination is Key West and they were strung out all along Hwy. 1, along with support staff giving out water, food, etc. To make matters worse, the two-lane west-bound lane narrowed down to one lane and traffic was backed up for several miles. We finally made it through and worked our way through Old Town and parked at the Eco Center and headed over to Whitehead.  Browsed around the various booths for a while.  These people are so clever, talented and artistic.  Left the art show and walked up Duval, stopping at The Bull.  Yankee Jack was playing there, so we had a couple of drinks and listened to him for a while.  Had an early dinner at Charlie Mac’s.  We both had a big bowl of Brunswick Stew which is hard to find outside of Georgia.  And it was really good!  Walked back to our parking spot at the Eco Center and watched the racing crews getting all their racing yachts ready to be hauled away.  This is a big staging area during race week.  A pretty nice day today.  71 was the high. 

These paintings are all framed in  wood from lobster/crab traps.
Key West art show.

Beautiful inlaid wood items.
Key West art show.

This gal creates art out of scrap metal.
Key West art show.

Key West chicken looking for a handout.
Charlie Mac's, Key West.