Summer

We are told that the great beauty of living Up North is the joy of traversing seasons during the course of a year. I have been told this innumerable times as though there are no seasons in the Keys. But there are seasons, there are and as subtle as they may be changes are coming to our environment at this time of year.I was out on Sugarloaf Key walking Cheyenne when it occurred to me she is starting to slow down as the heat builds up. It's not hot yet and the southeast breeze brings cooling air but it is no longer winter. Spring is typically sunny with a few cloudy cold fronts that pass through as though migrating south, but temperatures don't drop that much anymore. Highs are in the 80's and lows at night are in the 70's (20-28c) which makes for perfect weather as humidity hasn't kicked in yet. The sun is increasing in intensity and the waters around the islands are starting to get close to comfortable swimming temperatures. It's not yet rainy season so there should be a few weeks to take advantage of dry trails if the temperatures in the woods are bearable.My own life changes with the variations in the season. It's now I start thinking about getting the boat off the trailer and into the water. This is also the time when winter residents hike off north to be with their families in the sweltering land bound summers Up North, so traffic is lighter, the Tropic Cinema is no longer packed and lines shrivel at restaurants. Key West becomes accessible once more. Cheyenne will doubtless get longer walks in the morning when I get back from work, as sleepy as I may be, and the middle of the day will be reserved for hanging out at home in the air conditioning. We'll start taking more walks in Key West where she can pack more exploration into shorter distances. It's also easier to plan a circular walk in Key West planning to be back at the car by the time she is worn out by the heat. When we are out on a trail we have to retrace our steps to get back to the car. It also means I get to take more pictures in town and fewer in the mangroves- another sign of a changing season.
I like summer, as do most year round residents, and after this particularly brutal and cold (by local standards) winter I hope there will be fewer people this summer moaning about the heat. I like the heat and humidity and bright white light, as I much more energized by warmth than cold. Of course the heat is made bearable by a the presence of a dark, cool air conditioned cave to duck into.Some people say it gets too hot to ride a motorcycle in the summer down here but that's not my problem, usually. With less traffic it's easier to get a decent airflow so it all works out. I don't feel deprived because I have no stories of tremendous winter hardship to tell, as a way of welcoming Spring and rebirth and fresh growth and greenery. I like the idea of a fireplace and snowdrifts up to the window lintel as the backdrop for a story but after a couple of days I would miss the ease of stepping out at will in shorts and a t shirt. The need for covered limbs and hats and scarves and all that other stuff just seems like an obstruction to me.

Even though the change of seasons are subtle they are real, as we live in sub tropical islands where the sun moves up and down in the sky during the course of the year. Pretty soon the winds will ease and the waters will go flat like mirrors reflecting the sky such that the horizon will be hard to discern. Clouds will build up and sudden downpours will force me to stop by the side of the road and pull on my waterproofs. Even riding in the rain is a pleasure where hypothermia is a word not a state of anxiety.

I can't get enough of summer, until early September when I secretly start to look forward to the first cold front, which will still be at least six weeks away. Ask me then if summer has dragged on long enough.

Southernmost Rambling

There is an abbreviation in use in Miami to designate South Beach and the letters SOBE are also used by the South Beach Beverage Company in New England which uses a pair of geckos for a logo. Charming I'm sure. Imitation is supposed to be a form of flattery and an ongoing effort to attract more tourists to Upper Duval an artist-owned gallery has adopted a similar abbreviation. They call it SODU- South Duval- which if you view it with another eye has unfortunate connotations. Sod You is not a polite greeting in Merrie Olde Englande. Not at all.I like Upper Duval where frenzy is a foreign concept, but I don't suppose calling it UpDu would ring with quite the same tinkle as Sod-U. Oh well. This, you may be surprised to learn, is a Crime Watch Area.I was thinking perhaps a Rescue Watch Area might be more useful if people are going to stress themselves out getting somewhere in the heat. He knew his limits and disappeared in a flurry of slapping sneakers down Eisenhower Drive:Want waterfront? $1,850,000 for three bedrooms. Great Depression anyone? Keys unemployment is reported at 8% which would make anyone in Flint Michigan wince, I'm sure. I got artistic for a second when I saw these ficus creepers drooping. Walking into them in the dark might be interesting. This angelic little kid had a streak of the devil in him. Every time I opened the shutter he looked away. I was feeling that perhaps being carried to a neighbor's house might not be a bad way to go. It was getting warm out there.On an unrelated note I saw this playground cleverly wedged into a tiny strip of yard, Key West style. It is possible to live a fulfilling life in a small space. More stuff for sale, not cheap no doubt but you do get a nice porch.

Louvered windows at the Unitarian Church.

I have absolutely no idea what these things are:When that tree blossoms (it's across the street from Jose's Cantina on White Street) it produces these astonishing loo brushes in addition to the rather odd nuts shown above.On a less ethereal plane I wondered what the view might be like from up there, across the roofs and through the trees:Down here stimulus money is rebuilding our infrastructure. Naturally curmudgeons take the time to bitch as though their turds and drinking water go and come by magic, not by hard work and investment. Better hope this work lasts a while because public funds might be spent paying off debt for a long time to come. Apparently all these holes are intended to improve storm water drainage, and I hope they do their jobs in the coming summer rains.I love these ventilators spinning silently doing their job as though without effort. Sea grapes changing color. I am looking forward to fighting the birds for a bumper crop this summer. If you see large waxy leaves surrounded by bunches of ripe purple berries try them. They have a large pit in the middle unlike normal grapes but they taste like mild concord grapes. Fat chance! Now that would be socialism. This bicycle parked in front of house is an example of sensible capitalism. A strong lock makes for good neighbors.I collected a lot of random pictures while my Internet box was broken. I think I'm almost done with the backlog.

Good News, Bad News

I was not looking forward to my evaluation yesterday. My wife, who had plans for the evening asked me to bring to dog into town as I had to meet the Lieutenant at three for my review. It was as well I was driving the car as it was a hot sticky afternoon and had I been on the Bonneville I'd have been a sticky mess when I walked into the briefing room. I know I have been doing a decent job at work but evaluations are a time when they tell you, yes you're doing fine but you need to improve, here, here and here especially. And, let's face it, sometime you end up sounding like a pissed off pratt at four in the morning dealing with your thousandth drunk of the night and the tape recording of the conversation is merciless when reviewed by your supervisors in the cold light of day.

Imagine my surprise when I walked in to find the Chief, both Captains a slew of Lieutenants and Sergeants, Internal Affairs, and all the office managers and assorted brass that I never get to see on night shift. My allergies were in full self defense mode.

"So, Michael, what are you here for?" the Chief asked. The Chief of Police in the US is the most dictatorial job I've ever seen, If he told us to come to work in one white and one black shoe that's what we would do. He can promote, demote and make life hell without explanation or even motive. There are some seriously shitty jobs in police departments and everyone knows which job you hate and which job you crave. A Chief of Police is an August Presence.

"Er," I stammered, "my Evaluation?"

"Well, here it is" he said, presenting me with a certificate in front of God and Everybody.

Everybody happened to include my wife who had been in the know for a week and never got around to breaking the secret to me. "Oh, by the way," she said. "Carol wanted me to tell you congratulations." Everybody knew except me. Besides which the very decent folks at Cypress House presented me with a check for $125 which my wife snagged saying it was reserved for brunch at Little Palm Island. I guess this whole thing was well thought out.

As I stood outside the Police Station in the sunshine having my picture taken with Chief Lee, along with Kevin O'Connell, Officer of the Quarter, I thought how pleasant this all was, and how lucky I am to have a job which I like and where my Evaluation went so swimmingly. The bonhomie did not last long.On the drive home from work the Nissan crapped out around Mile Marker 22 and I managed to nurse the car a few more miles at 20 mph until we reached the foot of the 40-foot Niles Channel Bridge and there, at 6:15 this morning, in the dark, I realized the hill was just too much for the feeble state of my formerly six cylinder missile. I parked the car and started to walk the last three miles home. My wife woke up just in time to pick me up 200 yards from the house and I fell into a coma after greeting Cheyenne and taking her out on a very abbreviated stroll.
John from Alex's Towing, the AAA company around here met me at the car and swiftly loaded the Maxima onto his flatbed. Funnily enough John and I have been talking over the years every time he picks up a tow and he has to call it in. Six years is a long time to hold down jobs in the Keys...John has three kids at home and he is as grateful for his job as I am for mine. It was nice to meet a cheerful friendly voice in the abomination of desolation of a roadside breakdown.
And off she went over the cursed hill that is the Niles Channel Bridge to Big Pine Key and Monroe Tire and Auto...

...where we met up a few minutes later as I parked the Bonneville and John steered the stuttering Maxima into the shop. Triple A extended tow is a beautiful thing. Donnie and Dave have been my trusted mechanics for years in their funky digs behind the Big Line Flea Market. Dave, seen here on the phone, and I have long political chats and on days when I just feel the need to vent he can sometimes be persuaded to listen and put his own sage perspective into the mix. Donnie lost his Sportster to Wilma's flooding in 2005 a set back that has never dimmed his cheerful enthusiasm.

I wait to hear the verdict early next week. Cheyenne doesn't know it but the radius of her walks may be a good deal closer to home than usual. Luckily for her it's getting quite toasty outside and she isn't as keen to walk huge distances and we'll be lucky if the bill isn't too enormous. Fingers crossed for a star crossed week.

Gonzalez Lane

Angela Street in the Meadows dead ends into a row of stand-alone storage lockers (what the English call lock ups).These garages are in fact the west side of Gonzalez Lane, one of those blocks that is frequently used and rarely named.

I have never felt the need to rent one of these storage units if indeed they are even available to rent. I have never seen one open or in use. I just like the way they look and I wonder who had the great good sense to put them there. My favorite reference The Streets of Key West has no mention of Gonzalez and I suppose there is no reason to: there's not much there! And not much room for anything either.
Cheyenne found something to check out, so interesting she stopped short and slipped her collar. In the background you can see the fencing around Peary Court which the Navy has opened to the public http://conchscooter.blogspot.com/2009/11/peary-court.html Gonzalez always struck me as an excellent lane to call home, with few neighbors and easy access to New Town, all while living in what is undoubtedly my favorite Key West neighborhood.Tall trees throw shadows on the tallest buildings. And even though this isn't technically Old Town (a good thing in my opinion) the housing stock has, much of it been around for a while.

It's a picturesque neighborhood.

And there are no commercial establishments here, though you can find gas and convenience stores a step away on White Street.

Palm fronds and louvered windows, Florida as I like it.

Gonzalez Lane is all greenery and storage lockers and easy not to notice.
Summer is creeping up on us and shade is something Cheyenne is starting to notice.
Newton Street is at the other end of Gonzalez and is a one way heading east from White Street.

Vignettes XXXV

There are times when I think that taking pictures and organizing them in an on-line diary is an indulgence that should perhaps be put on the back burner. Then, the back burner suddenly imposes itself on me and I get vexed and frustrated that I have nowhere to put silly looking pictures like this one. Two chairs, on a roof, ready to enjoy an unconventional Key West sunset.My home Internet connection is restored and my camera has not been completely idle as I fretted, waiting for American Telephone and Telegraph to send me my replacement wireless router. The weekend intervened but they did indeed get it to me overnight, so even though our economy is going resolutely Third World, we aren't there yet. I am still a valued customer. And the best I can do with my restored connection is this:A view looking south from the upstairs at Louie's Backyard. I was at a fundraiser and managed (with my wife's unwitting help) to break a wineglass, that had no wine in it. The manager said I could have a replacement only if I promised to take proper care of it, hold it thus, and be a good boy. Fuck you, I wanted to say, but I was a good boy and hung my head in shame, silently promising I will never spend a dime in this shit hole, now or in the future. By me a drink on the back deck if you want but don't expect me to reciprocate. I am nothing if not good mannered and I did flush the toilet after I used it on my hurried way out. They never yell at me like that at El Siboney where my bill doesn't amount to the cost of a goat cheese sarnie at Louie's.On the never ending subject of tachometers Chuck Pefley told me recently that the Honda Ruckus scooter is cool, and even though they imported very few 250s, the 50cc model is frequently seen on the streets of Key West. Here is conclusive proof that this cool scooter does not come equipped with a tachometer, just like my plain jane Bonneville. I will have more to say on the subject of the imminent arrival of unofficial summer but this house in New Town made me feel cheerful the day before yesterday. I have had reason lately to feel not very cheerful at all.
This gumbo limbo is still growing in the Meadows and it still fills me with awe. Robin Hood could hide in it's huge leafy branches and ambush a dog walker passing below.I guess I have needed cheering up because this mailbox caught my eye:And this one is uncharacteristic in that it invites one inside. "Welcome" it said and I think Cheyenne was ready to take them at their word.I saw this Mel Brooks gate standing unattended by any fencing. I wanted to open it and walk through like I was in Blazing Saddles, except I didn't have a dime and couldn't pay the toll. My dimes currently are going to pay for all the crap in my life that has failed and needs to be replaced so I will be spending a lot more time with Nelly in the weeks to come:
Spring break is over for the most part and night dispatching has quieted down a fair bit, but things still do go bump in the night and police work never stops. Keith has been hitting the overtime pretty hard in a drive to pay off some extra bills of his own.We are still hiring in dispatch and as lucky as we are to have great jobs we are even luckier to still have access to overtime. It hits me every time I ready about the unemployment numbers as our fake economic recovery powers ahead.Key West, the small town, makes me laugh out loud from time to time as I walk Cheyenne around town. This personal note, parked for all to see in a New Town driveway, was one such moment:This I thought, was every bit as cool as a Honda Ruckus, and might be the way of the future. Note the orange cord supplying the energy re-charge on the right side.A cyclist exemplifies good eco-etiquette and this young woman did an amazing job of safely negotiating a series of intersections along Thomas Street in Bahama Village, talking madly on her phone, cycling one handed and barely ever having to put even one well turned ankle on the ground as she flowed smoothly along. I felt compelled to stop at the stop signs which allowed her to keep up with my cumbersome 28 mile-per-gallon eco-wrecker.I saw these people on the little pier at Simonton Beach and they put me in mind of youth, living on a boat, existing outside the mainstream. That kind of thing.Similarly with this dude photographed outside Harpoon Harry's. I discarded this picture for that essay but I just couldn't get his jaunty stride out of my mind.I made a U-turn to photograph this hack on the upper (south) end of Duval Street. This is why a sidecar will never work for me. Metered parking? Huh? Never say never. I would rather be seen in a hack than in something like this. Can you imagine parking this thing in a street barely wider than one of these tires? Oh and gas has popped over the three dollar-a-gallon mark this week even at my ultra cheap Shell Station on Ramrod Key.I saw this tag at Boondocks, speaking of Ramrod Key and it started me on this essay, thinking about the madness of driving a quarter million dollar car in the middle of an economic Depression and then putting a populist NASCAR tag on the back? Oh sure, just one of the guys! Florida is cutting the four million dollar Healthy Start program to balance the state budget this year. Let the little tykes and their improvident mothers get help somewhere else will be our attitude."There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land." Deuteronomy 15:11