Emma's Solo Vaca

I love the porch.

It’s March in the Keys.  As most of you know, we spend February and March in the Lower Keys whenever we can.  Wayne and I and Emma are still healing from our loss of Kiowa in January to nasal cancer.  We have often remembered his funny ways while here, and it has helped us cope with his loss.  

Choosing a toy

Emma has gone through changes as have we.  We’ve always been a two (sometimes three) greyhound household, so we feel the empty space left by our sweet boy.  Emma has had to mourn the loss of her friend, travel with us to Florida, and inhabit a new house upon arrival.  She was a bit skittish the first day or so but started to mellow out when she realized we’d be here for a while.

Pup Crawl fun

We’re in a different place this year in Cudjoe Key.  It’s a two bedroom, two bath stilt house on a canal.  It has a wonderful and large screened-in porch upstairs.  Although there is no fence around the property, Emma loves the upstairs porch and often is found out there soaking up the warmth.  She likes the fact that we are forced to take her out for walks.  She gets lonely when we can’t take her places, so I made a big effort this year to research dog friendly spots.

Emma has been privy to all that Key West has to offer.  Since it’s only about a half hour away, we go there often.  When we walk about town, we always stop in Fat Tuesdays, a frozen daiquiri bar, to get liquid refreshments.  She, of course, garners a following of humans who miss their own dogs and want to love on Emma.  She approves.  

One of our first doggie jaunts this year was a Pup Crawl (not a pub crawl for you people who think I misspelled the word).  It was a PUP CRAWL put on by the Key West SPCA, and it encompassed visiting six drinking establishments that were all doggie friendly.  At each pub, a different event for dogs and humans was held such as pick a dog toy, a dog-human look-alike contest, or a splash in the puppy pool, etc.   During our crawl, we met a couple with an Italian Greyhound in their arms.  She and Emma got along famously.  After a full day of pup crawling and meeting new doggie friends, we decided to go to dinner at Blue Heaven, a tropic, eclectic outside bar and restaurant.  We were led up to an open, airy porch where Emma promptly collapsed into her sleep pose and closed her eyes.  She remained that way even when a fellow diner stepped over her to his chair.  I think we wore her out.

Watching the conch blowing

A weekly happening for us here is the Thursday Bocce party.  It’s a free wheeling fun time where everyone brings something to share and, of course, we play bocce.  Dogs were in attendance so I asked our hostess if Emma could come.  Emma loved bocce.  She even tried to follow me on the court (maybe to play), but dogs can’t grip the bocce ball.  She again became the belle of the ball and tried not to make a fuss about her popularity like some celebrities do.

Conch blowers

Last Saturday, we journeyed to Key West to go to a Conch Blowing Contest.  (A

What??)  Yes, you read right.  Emma enjoyed the conch blowing people in all their craziness.  It presented a different and fun side of KW.  After which, we moseyed to an Art and Music Festival at the Wharf.  Again, Emma was a star.  Dinner at a pet friendly restaurant was next where she collapsed into sleep, unfortunately using the area where people had to walk.  (You know these greys think they can sprawl anywhere.)  She felt disturbed when we moved her to a better location.

It is possible that we are making our Emma a little monster.  She is quite used to us taking her with us and when we cannot, she has a little tantrum.  Nothing destructive, but for example, when we leave, I always tell her to guard the house - (FAT CHANCE OF THAT HAPPENING), and I give her a treat.  Lately, when I do that, she refuses to take it, even when it’s a favorite.  (“You eat it, Mom. I’ll show you I don’t like you leaving me.”) Unfortunately, we must leave her home occasionally, and she needs to understand that.

Relaxing at No Name

One of our last adventures took us to the No Name Pub.  It resides on the approach to the bridge of No Name Key, of course.  And where is that, you ask.  Well, you travel to Big Pine Key and at the light, you make a turn toward the gulf.  After following a crazy road, you’re there.  Not the easiest place to find.  The three of us stopped there to have a snack and sat outside at a colorful picnic table under a huge tiki hut structure.  No Name is very keysie.  Emma gave it her stamp of approval.

We found it!

We have about two and a half weeks left in paradise.  Plenty of time to experience some more adventures.  Then we pack up and head north to Virginia where I hope spring will have sprung.  (I can always hope.)  We feel lucky each year to vacation with our pets, and by the way, miss the horrible weather at home.  I hope your winter has been mild and filled with its own blessings.  Hug your pups.  They think every day is a vacation with you.   

            
        Keys Good-Bye

                      By Alice Brown

Fiery sunsets, frenetic activity, 

key lime martinis

Jazz, cross dressing, cruise ships

Sunglassed dogs and cats

peddled by long haired locals

Happy Hours everywhere

Boat trips to nowhere,

Toes in the sand

Hooks in the water

Lost in Fantasy…Fest.

Keys

Scorched marl yearning

for cool celadon water

Multicolored coral undulating 

through translucent waves

Opalescent fish 

swimming above and below the

twisted mangroves confused roots

hide geckos, iguanas, snakes, 

going about their business

Pelicans soaring, manatee moving

with lumbering grace below.

Beauty

Cleaned out, Packed up, Brain cleared

And Reset 

Back to reality

But...return imminent.