Growing Roots

Nice place to stop and just enjoy the view.

As most of you know, I have taken up residence in Key West, Florida. Meet my two house mates, Duval and Havana. Havana is shy, but finally warming up to me. Duval likes all the attention she can get. I am renting a room from their momma. The condo is in New Town, which is tucked back from the busy streets, but only one minute from the water. I can look out the balcony and see the Atlantic.

My kayaking friend, Dorothy.

I have made a few friends since I've been here. I told Dorothy I wanted to buy a kayak. She had just bought two, and said her husband was not real wild about going out with her, so she invited me to go kayaking with her. I had fun.

Today, I met someone else that told me I could use his kayak anytime I wanted to. Maybe I'll just 'borrow' for now, instead of buying.

I have also started working. I was getting bored and needed something to do. The money is a plus too. I am working in a frozen yogurt shop. On my third day, I was shown the outline for making a smoothie, and then the owner left me in charge of the store... alone. My first thought was, nobody ever asks for a smoothie, don't worry about it. In the next three hours, I was asked for three smoothies. I pretended I knew exactly what I was doing, and I was told they tasted good. It's been over 10 years since I've run a register, and I've only screwed up once.

Well, I must get ready for work. I have a bike and it's 4.5 miles to work. The ride doesn't usually take long, unless there are a lot of people on the bike path... it is SPRING BREAK right now, and can get pretty crazy. Yesterday, I had a very excited drunk spring breaker run along beside me yelling, "YAY, SPRING BREAK, YAY, SPRING BREAK...." I wanted to run over her, but thought it might tear up my bike, so I didn't.

St. Patrick's Celebration

I will start off by saying, I have never celebrated St. Patrick's Day. This was my first. I have met a group of people, most of which are from somewhere in Texas, so you know they are fun. Anyway, I celebrated with them this year. As I was getting dressed, I realized I have NOTHING green in my wardrobe. If I was going to hang with this group, I needed some St. Paddy bling, and they fixed me up.

We started at the street party and then worked our way to Duval Street. Our second stop was a new place called World of Beers. When you become a member, you get a T-shirt and a Loyalty Card. I thought it was appropriate, that my first beer was their Mile Marker 0.

In Key West, everything is celebrated, and with that come costumes. I have a great idea for making extra pocket money... custom costumes! Costumes are fun, and I did that for 2 1/2 years at Midland Community Theatre, I can do that here too.

JOB HUNTING

I have to get serious about this job hunting. I've played long enough. In order to rent an apartment or room, I need proof of employment. Filling out applications is tough on my brain. I was applying for a position online, and I was asked to list everywhere I lived for the past 10 years. Seriously! When I move, or change my phone number, my brain deletes those old numbers. I had to get google maps to help me out. My daughter and I were trying to remember a house number from 8 years ago:

Amy: It had four digits.

Me: I know it was Boyd and a block from that church... but what was the name of that church?

Amy: It had an 0 in it...



I gotta' write this stuff down!
Most of my employment history, I was my own boss. There is no former employer to call and verify, and my wage varied.  I hate filling out applications!

It is SPRING BREAK in Key West, and the people have come in droves. The other day, I was waiting on a bus, when a couple college age guys drug their butts up the sidewalk. They had partied all night, then climbed into the back of a truck parked on the street, to get a little sleep. This particular truck was chosen because it proudly displayed a Florida Gators window sticker, and one of the guys was wearing a Gators shirt. He felt a bond, and if they got caught by the owner of the truck, maybe there would be leniency because of their common devotion.

This past weekend was very sunny, and I worked on my swimsuit collection, and my tan. I was told I had a 'farmer's tan': tank top and shorts. The Florida sun is intense, even in March. It shouldn't take long  for my blinding white belly to catch up with my tanned arms and legs.

Also, I've been here in Key West for over a month now, and haven't been swimming. I took care of that this weekend too. Throw pretzels in the water, and the seagulls come out of nowhere! Someone surrounded me in the 'bird food', and I felt like I was in a scene from "The Birds".

There have been a lot of shark sightings lately, but I did not see one. Guess that's a good thing, since I was IN the water.

Okay, I've put it off as long as I can. I'm off to fill out more applications...

NEVER MIND :-)

She looks so tiny in the boatyard!

At the boatyard, there are these two guys that are helping their friend work on his boat, while looking for their own. They needed something small and cheap for their first boat, and have talked to me several times about buying Capsicum. Yesterday, I decided to sell her... today, Capsicum has a new owner.

I listened to that little inner voice, and it told me to "SELL, SELL, SELL". I don't know why, but I'm sure there is something just around the corner for me.  Whether it's another boat, or an opportunity to go cruising again. I have just learned to follow that inner voice, and it usually gets me where I need to be. The journey is not always easy, but it's usually an adventure!

I have had several invitations to go sailing. Some for just a day or two, some have been for a month or two. I would rather do the cruising thing, rather than the 'get-a-job' thing. My daughter is probably ready for me to leave... however, it is convenient when she needs a sitter.

The job hunting will resume today... argggh!

BOAT SEARCH BEGINS

Follower #1:   When is Lezlie going to get another boat, and do something worth reading about?

Follower #2:   It will be any day now.  You know she must be having withdrawals.

Follower #1:   Yeah, it's been what... nearly a month since she got off the boat.  LOL

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I ride my bike by the water everyday, see all those boats and lust after them. I want a boat! I was told that there are tons of boats for FREE. Oh, that's my favorite word, followed closely by CHEAP.

The other day, I was perusing Craigslist, and I found a 1980 Grampian 26 for sale here in Key West. I did like the layout of the Grampian I owned, and this one has a stove! The price was right, so I sent an email to inquire about it, and gave my phone number. The owner, Marty, called me, and we talked for a long time. She was excited that I knew what 'haul-out' meant, and that I was a former Grampian owner. The boat is on-the-hard in a boatyard, located in Stock Island, just north of Key West.

Yesterday, I went to look at the boat. I fell in love with it... did I say it has a stove! It does need some work, but, I think I can do most of it myself. I will be able to live on it in the boatyard while I work on her.

The ad said she was built in 1980, but the numbers on the transom, say differently (GRM266551273).

I am very excited. She will get a good sanding and bottom paint first thing. Her name is Capsicum. Not sure if I'll change it or not, but I'm sure some of you think it is a more appropriate name than The Flatulence. Right Stan?  :-)

I don't remember what I was saying, but I'm sure it was interesting!

I'm so freakin' excited about the stove.

Feels like home.

A new adventure begins... is everybody ready?