Wednesday 1/12/16

Today was our first full day in Key West. We woke up to 18 mile hour winds. The overall temperature is not cold, but I wouldn’t call it warm either.

The internet was out throughout Stock island due to a Comcast issue so we decided to scope out the public library.

This was the loudest library I have ever visited. The children’s section had loud music toys for little ones to play with, and they did. A two year old banged on one of those rainbow xylophones. The librarians had conversations at full volume. The girls tried to finish up their lessons as quickly as possible so we could get out of there and find some peace and quiet.

We drove around Key West, to get familiar with where things are located. We snacked on junk food and made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. After returning to camp, I took a little nap, but woke up to a new camper staking his tent right next to ours. We are in a primitive camping site, with no electricity or running water. But this guy proceeds to set up a refrigerator in his tent, along with other appliances. He then runs an extension cord from the electric site across the road into his tent. Sean and I looked at each other in complete disbelief.

The campground staff are super friendly and tonight they even provided a free dinner for all the campers as an appreciation night. We enjoyed roasted hotdogs with all the toppings, baked beans and ice cream sundaes.

I watched a movie on my computer, then Ava went for a swim in the heated pool. Despite the not perfect weather conditions, we are really trying to get into relax mode.

So now as I lay here with orange foam earplugs stuffed in my ears, I can still hear the drone of talk radio from only five feet from my head. Mr. Stealing Electricity better turn if off by eleven o’clock!  Anyone who knows me well, knows I can’t stand any noise, especially when I’m trying to sleep. My own personal hell is to be forced to listen to a television or radio against my will.
Hoping for quiet nights ahead. If this continues tonight, I think that his extension cord just might mysteriously come unplugged!

Ahhh…just after I typed that last threat, he turned off the talking heads!! Thank God. Now I just hear a light rain tapping my nylon tent, and water lapping upon the shore. There is a distant generator sound coming from a boat just offshore, but I can tune it out.

While we really do wish the weather was nicer, it still beats the below freezing forecast we are reading about up north. And the company we are sharing with each other can’t be beat.

Edited to say: After I woke up and talked with Sean over our morning coffee, he tells me this neighbor comes every year for a couple months, so I guess he is not stealing electricity after all, but has permission from the campground. But I stand by my words that I will still unplug him if his radio goes late into the night!!