hello from the warm, sunny Keys!

Hello from the sunny, warm Keys! I'm shopping for internet access, but it's expensive down here. DSL isn't available, which leaves cable, satellite, or dialup. We shall see.

I've been doing some cleanup yard work; the property looks a little less abandoned now. I can't send photos to my blog with this thing, so you'll have to take my word for it.

We're heading out to a steak dinner at the Moose in a little while. It's an interesting place. I wonder if they have internet access there? They're close to the library....

Next Wed. I fly to Orlando to spend a few days with the kids. A had her third Suppralin implant on Monday and is doing well. She's growing at a normal rate now.

Did I mention that it's sunny and warm here? *ducks and covers*

Jet set

That's me. I'm part of the jet set. Is that phrase even used anymore?

Saturday was.....interesting. It had occurred to me that maybe I shouldn't travel on the 13th, but since it wasn't Friday, I ignored the thought. I shouldn't have. Or maybe I just should have been a little more observant.

I needed a Pepsi or iced tea, so on my way out of town I swung past McDonalds, but there was a long line of cars in the takeout lane, so I went on to Kentucky Fried Chicken. I didn't want to get out of the car. That came back to haunt me (and taunt me) a few minutes later when I discovered that KFC didn't open for another 15 minutes and turned right into the parking lot of the business next door, because driving all the way through the drive-through lane and making an immediate right turn was too much trouble. So I turned. I discovered, to my horror, that there was no opening in the curb to allow me to turn, so one front wheel went over the curb and the car got hung up.

It wouldn't budge.

No one would answer my frantic knocks at KFC, so I walked--in the rain--over to the convenience store I had attempted to drive to. No men there, only two short women. I think that one of them could have single-handedly picked up the car and moved it back a few feet, but she declined. I walked--in the rain--forgetting to buy my Pepsi while I was in the store--to KFC and banged on the window, catching the manager's attention. Two women there. Betty called a tow truck, which arrived really quickly, and within a few minutes I was on my way to the bank. I hadn't planned a bank stop, but I couldn't find my AAA card and the woman on the phone couldn't find our file online because, of course, our membership is in the WestByGodVirginia division and she couldn't access that. I guess the internet doesn't cross state lines or something.

The kind tow-truck man wouldn't take a check, and I only had $20 in cash, so he followed me to the stupid convenience store to the ATM, where I once again forgot to buy a bottle of Pepsi. I forgot to ask him for a receipt. When I called Tom, he sweetly reminded me that our car insurance has tow insurance. Whoops.

So, anyway, I wrote a check from Tom's account to cover what I'd taken out of mine, dropped it at the bank, then stopped at Taco Bell for my damn Pepsi.

I got to Mom and Dad's house in plenty of time for them to get me to the airport. My suitcase was so heavy that I decided, at the last minute, to check it at the gate so I wouldn't have to injure myself trying to get it in the overhead bin. Had to change planes in Atlanta, which airport I hate with a passion, but got there in time to go to the bathroom and board the plane.

The plane got to FLL and we had to wait an hour before the baggage came off the plane. I kept waiting because mine didn't appear. Of course not. A very nice lady from AirTran, Jean, spent an hour with me trying first to find the bag then trying to figure out where it went. She was so sweet that I didn't get all bent out of shape about the fact that the clothes I would wear to the interview were in that damned bag.

We went on home, which isn't as fun a drive as it is in the daytime. At night, without the scenery, it's just a long-ass drive.

At midnight, Jean called to tell me that my bag had come in and she would send it to me right away. At 7:30 the phone rang again and my bag was on our front porch.

All's well that ends well.

We went to the Marathon Seafood Festival on Sunday afternoon. Beautiful day, 73 degrees, light breeze. Sunny. That night we went out to eat with Donna and James and spent the night at the condo. Which, I might add, has a wonderful high-end mattress in the master suite.

Monday morning we went back home and spent some time in the yard. Later I took a shower and we headed back to Marathon for my interview. Which I totally blew.

How many times have I worked with kids on those stupid interview questions? You know, the standard "what is your best quality" kind. I'd even come up with answers for them. I should have written them on my arm. I could not remember one thing and wasn't even able to come up with something that sounded semi-intelligent.

I suspect that I won't get that job.

But no big deal. It was experience, I'll know better next time, and I had three lovely days in the Keys.

PocketEdward™ had some adventures around the yard. Tom wasn't thrilled to see him. I just don't understand why not.

First he checked out the demolition Tom's done in the kitchen. The subfloor is in terrible shape.

He looked at the pool and wished he could swim well enough to catch the frog living in there.




He turned up his nose at some of our leftovers.




He enjoyed some sparkle time




And explored the jungle.

Okay, he can't explore the damn jungle. I can't get that damn photo to upload.

He snacked on a black panther in the jungle.




He didn't have good luck with the tiger, though.



Ahhhhh.

Here he runs through the jungle.

He took time to smell the bouganville. Evidentally thorns don't bother vampires.




He indulged in a quick snack, then



PocketEdward™ finally found his nuts.





With that, I leave you for now. 'Cause I'm heading back to Richmond tonight so I can catch my nonstop flight to FLL tomorrow morning. Back home to the Keys. For 16 days.

Life is good.

Guess who's going to Florida twice in one week?

That's right. I am.

Friday afternoon I found a voice message (gee, was that hard to do?) from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. I'd applied for an administrative assistant job there at the end of January. I called and was asked to come to an interview on Monday, March 15. Shoot, I'm going to be there March 19-April 4. We talked for 10 or 15 minutes, laughing; I really enjoyed myself. They'd chosen 7 applicants to interview, and all have to be interviewed by the same people (who are from offices elsewhere in the state).

I called Tom and explored the possibility for flying down for a few days so I could go to the interview. We decided that I'd check into airfare. I found some that wasn't as horrible as others, so I called the office and left a message that I will be there for the interview. I'll fly down Saturday evening and back home Tuesday night. Then, and this is the fun part, I'll work for two days and fly back to Florida on Friday the 19th. For two weeks.

I've been trying to find out more about the Florida F&WCC but haven't succeeded. I mean, I know that they deal with endangered animals, fishing and hunting licenses, etc., but this is a research facility. I should try to know a little more before I actually interview there.

Wish me luck!

Let's ALL sign up!

Aunt Becky needs our help.

She's the driving force behind Mommy Wants Vodka, one of my favorite blogs. This woman can write. She makes me laugh and cry and snork Pepsi through my nose, all at the same time. And she has written some stuff that she really wants to get published, but she needs all of us to help her.

Click on the title and check out her website. She explains what's going on and what she wants us to do. I've already emailed her potential publisher/agent/whoever the hell it is twice, with real email addresses. I think I'll go back and add a few made-up ones, just to help her get her numbers up higher.

If you leave a real email address, she'll send you a copy of one chapter. Free.

I'd say it's worth it!

sNOOOOOOOOw!!!!!!

It's snowing. Again. I hope that this is the very last time that I see snow falling.