The bricks are being sold as a fundraiser. I walked half the way on the path and looked down. The first name I saw was “Jimmy Buffet”. [Author's note: I now have it on some authority that his surname is spelled with two t's.] These kind of things happen to me a lot. The guide said he’d heard it was there but in years on the job had been unable to find it. The guide is compulsory as the lighthouse is on a military base. There is also a museum and gift shop, so plan on a couple of hours all told not to rush things.We left the dog in the air-conditioned house and just piled in the Malibu for the day, I’d say from 10:40 A.M. until 5:30 P.M. Mostly taking the scenic route, we drove past Burt Reynolds place, the Flagler mansion and who knows what else without a glimpse of anything. That’s why I admit, there is nothing to see in Florida. But there is a lot more of nothing to see.
Along with coffee and burgers at Wendy’s we drove through some awfully swank neighbourhoods. For unexplained reasons, we traveled without a road map and probably missed a lot. So what? For the first time out of the house since Okeechobee last month and it was a perfect day for touring. I’m always knocked out by the number of young blonde women the further north you travel, probably because I happen to be a big fan of such women. I’m fully aware of the pitfalls but at least I like to see them when I look around.
This also gave us time to talk over the details of the situation here. Consulting various local experts, meaning people who have done the deeds as opposed to those who merely quote the rulebook, it seems it is true that Canadians can only stay in the US for 6 months during each 12 month period, determined by the first time they cross the border after any six months absence. I know this rule to be un-enforced, because I know Canadian tax dodgers who have been here years on end. Nonetheless, they get deported if found out.
We stopped for a brew at Jimbo’s on the return leg and Wallace is right now out walking Millie-Belle. I’ll return with news later if there is any. Later, I did get back to Jimbo’s to a nearly empty house. The place is always dead near first of the month rent time. I usually skip that week but my horoscope said I’d get a $20 tip. (I did, exactly and no more.) And I still have bass-player’s elbow to remind me. Arnel came by but left just five minutes before I arrived. He dropped off a music-editing disk.
From there he went to G’s, a club on Polk and Dixie where a live band was playing. I went in just after midnight hoping to see him, but it seems he only jammed a bit. That place was also dead. Plus, it has a strange atmosphere, as though the staff gets antsy if people don’t drink fast enough or something. You’d have to see it. Jackie reports that is because the clientele there was from some other crusher joint that burned down. He himself is barred from there for life for calling one of the barmaids a douche bag. No doubt she was.
What? Everybody wants a picture of the lighthouse, you say? Sure, I got a really good one. Come back tomorrow and I may post it, but no promises. The new camera takes some getting used to and the viewfinder can cause parallax problems. For example, I took the Jimmy Buffet brick photo dead center yet it is skewed to the left. What’s with China? They steal the whole world’s technology and still can’t produce a $20 camera that works right?
For those who have not yet quit smoking, this date is an anniversary for me. I quit [smoking] so long ago you don't know, but I still miss it.
