Atlanta drive-by view. Yes, those are 6 lanes moving in each direction
Observations? Truck on fire? Grass on fire? Conclusions? Truck on fire. Grass on fire.
Actually there wasn’t even time to draw out tangible thoughts, let alone solid conclusions as the heat fermented our shared brain. So now we are chillin’ amidst the palm trees and the golf courses in Belleair, Florida.
Tampa? Atlanta? Where are we????
We did manage to submerge Badger’s furry body in the Gulf of Mexico. Considering his last dip was in a place called Energy Lake in Kentucky, we can only assume it gave him enough energy to make it to the Gulf. The Gulf is hot — if you want to experience water that looks like it should be cold but just refuses to be, I suggest coming here. You can look way out into the horizon, see water for miles, feel the heat of the sun, and promptly be knocked flat on your butt by a huge, pleasantly warm wave. Or 4 in a row. Take a deep breath!
Badger on Honeymoon Island
Leah and I spent an hour regressing into our childhoods as we were pumelled by waves at Sand Key beach, in Clearwater. Our senses were further assaulted by rude t-shirts in the souvenir shops of Clearwater. Unless you desire a t-shirt that makes reference to your genitals, your ability to ingest alcohol, or your ability to attract the opposite sex, don’t bother shopping here.
The beach on Honeymoon Island, westcoast Florida
We’ve been spending a lot of time at home (amazing how easily one comes to call a place ‘home’ when one is a gypsy
) We’ve been eating, reading, swimming in the pool… it’s been a tough couple days.
Leah’s dad even did the dishes one night. He came home with pizza, paper plates, plastic knives and forks. Need I say more? If you’re ever wondering where he is at any given moment, he’s probably waiting for you in the car. That is, unless he’s looking for his wallet, his keys, his driver’s license, his keys, his wallet… actually, I like it when people lose things. If you let someone else find things for you, you’re allowing other people to feel helpful and smart. In the end, everyone wins and only time is lost. And since time is merely a figment of my imagination, all is well
A further incident:
I was assaulted by a cockroach. In the dark. It crawled all the way up my arm. If you’ve never seen a cockroach before, it’s frightening enough just glimpsing one on the floor. But crawling up your arm ?! I feel a deserve a special reward for remaining as calm as I did. Apparently, I made quite strange noises as I danced around, flailed my arms, kicked my legs, and wiggled my entire body. It was a shimmy worthy of an Egyptian princess, I daresay. I continued to perform the involuntary body-wiggle at intervals of 2 minutes long after the cockroach was located on the floor, scurrying towards the closet.
Imagine this baby crawling up your arm!
So besides the odd insect attack, the story, in short, is this: we’ve been eating, sleeping, playing guitar, watching documentaries on America’s National Parks, swimming and reading. It’s vacation time! We hit the road tomorrow, Thursday, general direction: New Orleans! Bayou, here we come!
Sand Key Beach, Florida
Well here we are home listening to Blues (surprise) and we came across a third of a case of wine. We thought “Could this be the missing 1/3?” We carefully opened it after first ensuring it was indeed a third. At first sip we thought No, this isn’t right. Then the dog needed to be let out and by the time we let him out and back in Lo, the third had opened and indeed it was the lost third. We toasted the two of you on the road, and as we finish the last of the third, I’m giving Marie that Come Hither look. Trooper that she is, she returns the look but it’s hard to tell what exatly she’s thinking…..lying on the floor like that. Just wanted to let you know we’re thinking of you.