In our last episode, Mr. Karen and I had arrived on Cudjoe Key to spend a weekend with our friends Bo and Gretchen. As many times as we’ve been to Florida, I’d never been to the Keys before, so was curious to see some new things and hang our with our friends. (Whose place in Steamboat Springs we’ve also stayed at; their having a ski condo was part of what made me think we could figure out how to have one, too. Now they have the place in Steamboat, a cabin back East, and this place in the Keys. I think we’ll stick to just one place.)

Friday, our first full day in the Keys, we headed to Key West, because I think that’s mandatory for tourists. We had a nice brunch and wandered about after, stopping for key lime pie at a couple of different places during the course of the day. We saw a lot of the freelance chickens, not so many of the freelance cats.

 

 

 

 
Saturday we wanted a beach day, so headed to a state park on Big Pine Key. There we found the sand and sun we wanted, along with the opportunity to do some snorkeling. The only downside was Gretchen getting stung by a jellyfish. (She was fine but uncomfortable for a while.) We’d brought the kayaks to the beach but decided to wait to use them until we got back to Cudjoe Key, where there are protected canals to paddle on, as the waves were a bit high offshore.

 

 
Sunday we enjoyed the morning with Bo and Gretchen, then packed up and headed out before overstaying our welcome. We took our time driving norht, stopping at little shops along the way and having a later lunch at a seafood place next to the water.

 

We made it to Fort Pierce on the mainland in time to see the Cubs playoff game that night, at yet another restaurant with TVs in the dining room—that was never a feature I looked for before this trip. The Cubs were usually done playing for the season long before our fall vacations came around.

Up next: Staying put in one place for a while.

*****
On this date in 2015: Well Here’s a Twist
2014: Instagram Gathering and Gimme Some Sugar
2013: No entry
2012: A Date Which Will Live in Infamy
2011: Hope Springs Eternal
2010: Pupil-riffic
2009: Introduction to Holidailies
2008: Mush!
2007: No entry.
2006: Red Scarf Two
2005: Winter Count—February
2004: Holiday Guilt—A Different Kind
2003: Scarred & Soccer Baby Quilt II
2002: No entry.