SNOW DAY! Or more like WIND DAY!

Yesterday and the day before I worked from home because I wasn't feeling well but I convinced myself this morning that I needed to go into the office today, if only for appearance sake. Well, it took alot of stern talking but I motivated myself to drive the half hour out to my office and as I approached the area of town my place of employment is located I noticed traffic signals were out and store fronts that were usually lit were dark. It was particularly windy yesterday evening and night and evidently many power lines were downed by fallen trees. I secretly hoped that the outage reached my office park because I'’m like that, meaning of course lazy. Well, the stars were in alignment today because my office building was dark as well and my security pass didn'’t work either. Yea! Working from home again today, there is a baby Jesus! You can'’t see it but I'’m doing a happy dance at the moment.

Speaking of working from home, our friend, Jen, from San Francisco is in town, in fact she baby sat Rufus while the Roommate and I were in Key West. Earlier in the week I was telling her I that I had hoped to work from home a few days and she commented that she loved that concept but that her supervisor frowned upon that practice, which got a good laugh out of everyone. You see, she'’s a flight attendant. She said she offered to bring home the demonstrationtional oxygen cup and seat belt but still no go; anyway, she'’s a hoot and we'’re glad she was able to come up for a visit.

I am unusually optimistic at the moment, this after being in the dumps for a few days, which I'’m sure had something to do with my shitty job situation, lack of money and end of vacation. Maybe the cheery outlook has something to do with updating and rewriting my resume yesterday. Let'’s hope this feeling sticks around until I land another job, at least.

Ok, now time for Paradise Vacation Photo Essay, part two (or whatever I called it yesterday).

First thing we did upon landing at Key West and checking into our hotel was walk around the island to get our bearings and check out places to visit while there. As you can see from this photo we must have been pretty giddy; we'd had to be if we thought a butterfly on a cactus was photo worthy.

As you can see by this smile we were successful in finding the bar by the nude beach. Well, actually it was a beach front bar near the clothing optional beach but who's counting. It's a bar/beach combo, who cares if they're wearing bathingsuits.

Every evening in Key West the entire island celebrates the sunset. A little simpleton-ish you may say but what the hell, it's fun! I suspect if you live there it may be a little on the monotonous side but for visitors it's a fun little treat, so bear with us.

There are several ways to enjoy the sunset in Key West, Mallory Square, with street performers, from atop the tallest bulding on the island, the historic La Concha Hotel or from a boat. Our hotel package at the lovely Eden House included a sunset cruise, so we took advantage of that treat the first day since we learned from the hotel front desk clerk that the weather was supposed to be a bit "iffy" the following two days.

So this is us on the deck of the sunset sailboat we were on that first day; I wish someone had told me to pull my top down over my Buddah belly.

Obviously we aren't the on the only ones enjoying the view via the deck of a sailboat.

Again, please someone tell me to pull my shirt over my pot belly! Luckily all the walking and biking on the island helped get rid of it by the end of the visit.

So, that was our first day on the island of the Conch Republic. Stay tuned for more fun and have a great weekend! Look out for falling trees!