Key West Gratitude

A dear friend of mine suggested I spend the day in gratitude instead of in sadness. It's a lovely thought if not entirely my style, but I'm willing to give it a try. (There is a slight chance he didn't want to hear me whine about my last day in Key West, because there was some whining to be done! How could one not be a little sad over leaving such a beautiful place?)

I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to take a month off of work and travel to Key West. I never imagined it would happen. I have learned a valuable lesson though; if you tell people your dreams, sometimes they help you make them come true. My friends at work are some of the best people in the world. I hold them very dear to my heart.

I am lucky that my mother was able to come with me. (Although I must say I am a bit sad that my other family members were not able to make it, for various reasons, of course.) I only hope that I wasn't too much of a loner for her. I don't fancy myself a good travel companion since I tend to be on the quiet side, but I did offer up a nice room and an easy way to live for a month — even if I did hog all the trike time.

I am elated that I lost over 5 pounds on this trip. Simple, salt-free eating and daily biking helped with that. I will try not to mention that I will probably gain it back when I get home to my lazy ways.

And while some people thought I was nuts for renting such a big house, it was amazing. I never do anything in style; it's always on the cheap and this was fantastic. The yard and pool were great for relaxing and taking pictures. We ate out on the dining porch every night, never mind the hungry mosquitos. And while two rooms sat empty for most of the trip, it was nice to have them. It was even nicer when a guest came to fill the house with laughter and joy, giving the gift of companionship and charm, which he has in abundance.

I am so happy to have my camera and the ability to capture everything. Since I do tend to be a loner, most of my pictures represent a solitude of sorts; there are no people on the beach or on the streets in my pictures. I'm lucky that this town sleeps in and I could spend a couple of hours exploring the island by myself with only the occasional stranger asking me to watch cartoons.

I also fell in love with frangipani, which most people probably know as plumeria, the flowers from which Hawaiian leis are made. I love the smell of those flowers. I have yet to throw the final blooms that I collected away. Whenever I smell those flowers, it will always take me right back here to Key West in May 2010.

And bless the roosters, lizards, and cats. They make this place so special. I hope that they always have a place to live in this town.

I am most grateful to my faithful readers, mostly family mixed in with a few dear friends and some strangers who searched for Key West and happened to find my blog. I'm sure I bored you with beach pictures and talk of Larry, but hey, it's my blog. Thanks for coming on my trip with me. It was the most amazing month ever.