Adventures in the Near Frozen South — From January 2010

What were the chances that we would wind up in Key West on one of the coldest days on record? None the less, that’s exactly what happened.

Mom and I were each curled up in a bed piled with blankets, and giggling at all the noises coming from the neighbors in the B&B as they tried to figure out how to keep warm in this drafty historic home.

Now that’s my idea of adventure! I was sitting mere yards from the marker of the southernmost point of the continental USA, and we had a wind chill of 43 degrees.

After trying to sleep in a frigid room all night, we found a Key Wester to brighten up our day.
Niki was our waitress for breakfast. As she seated us she smiled and asked, Would you like HOT coffee…. Or maybe cold orange juice?” We couldn’t help but giggle. Mom finally decided to have water. Niki smiled and teased, “with ice in it?”

Have to admit, when faced with the coldest day on record, might as well smile and have fun with it.
Niki says if you know of a nice man, she’s available.

Air Castles and Big Dreams

Anybody that knows me well, knows that I’m a wide-eyed dreamer, starry-eyed romantic, and the biggest Pollyanna of an optimist ever. I set out for adventure any time I leave the house. (Try taking three kids in a minivan anywhere and you’ll know what I mean.)

Anyway, I’ve got such grand plots and plans in my head. I envision all the brilliant ideas that I will hatch while I’m away, all the fabulous photographs I’m going to capture.

Whether anything actually works out the way I’ve planned is part of the fun. For example, I planned on being home sharing dinner with my mom by now, chatting and carrying on the way we do. But the plane she was supposed to be on wasn’t ready to fly. She’s nearly two hours later than expected and probably very tired and hungry.

So I sit in the cell phone waiting lot of the airport and scribble. There will be time for grand castles in the clouds tomorrow too.

Travel and Research Key West Style

Since I plan on going to Key West for a couple of days do to some research and have some time with my mom, I thought I’d also share a little glimpse into my world and into my personal writing process.

We leave from West Palm Beach Sunday morning.

Let the adventure begin.