Scary Stuff

So Key West has survived another Fantasy Fest. The revelers have taken their body paint and tutus and gone home. It is noticeably quiet this week here on the island, which isn't surprising because the population grew by more than 50,000 during all the festivities. I am not an expert on Fantasy Fest, by any means, but for those of you reading this who may not know what it is, let me give you a brief overview. Originally, the week-long party was started to get tourists to Key West during the slow season and to raise funds for local organization AIDS Help. Over the years that week in October has become the busiest of the entire year and the various fundraising events have raised millions, so the plan certainly worked. There are some events, like the Headdress Ball, that are original and have a huge following. The photos I see each year, of fantastical costumes and huge, intricate, animated head wear, are beyond amazing! Unfortunately, there are some newer events, like hiring porn stars to 'host' parties at bars, that are popular with a certain crowd but not so popular with long-time Fantasy Fest supporters, or even local business owners. It's gross, and frankly, kind of skanky. I'm sure Ron Jeremy is a nice guy and all, but I cringe every year when I read where and when he is hosting some type of 'dungeon of desire' event. This past Monday, just a day after this year's Fantasy Fest ended, the front page of the local newspaper announced a new group forming to look at the event and rethink where it is headed. I think that is a great idea.

With two girls aged 8 and 10, Fantasy Fest week can be tricky. When you still have conversations about why we need to wear underwear at all times or bathing suits if it's just us, you certainly don't want them seeing a grown-up walking around in nothing but a g-string and body paint. 'But SHE isn't wearing clothes!' This is an argument that I don't want to have. We got lucky this year and missed running into any celebrants who strayed from the Fantasy Fest Zone. Yep, there's always some dude who needs to go to Publix in a tutu sans undies, or something like that, and local parents have stories that will crack you up, for sure.

Some quick thinking on my part prevented not only my kids from seeing some crazy stuff, but also Mari's third grade classmates whose parents may have been brave enough to bring them to Tropic Cinema this past Saturday. When I realized that her 10th birthday party was scheduled for the same day as Parade Day, I immediately called the cinema office. They agreed that changing the date would be best, since the festivities could affect attendance, and that they would prefer to be closed if I didn't mind moving the party date, so that those heading downtown for the biggest day of Fantasy Fest wouldn't be asking to use the bathroom. That could have gone wrong is so many ways. Like, just so many ways. Mari is excited for her party coming up this weekend. The kids get popcorn, a drink, and a candy bar plus one of the theaters to themselves to watch 'Mr. Peabody & Sherman.' And I will certainly enjoy it more without worrying about covering eyes or explaining what the heck that lady wasn't wearing.

Best Laid Plans

I love the following quote by John Lennon, so much so that I Googled it and read the Wikipedia entry before writing this to get the exact wording and original usage, since it's one of those often used expressions that people tend to mess up. 

'Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.'

It's from the song 'Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)' which was on Lennon's final album, Double Fantasy. His line is one of the guiding principles in my life. When I start projecting more than a short time in the future, or relying on several things to fall into place before something else can move forward, I always tell myself 'Whoa....this won't end the way I want it to.' I'd rather enjoy the process than try to direct it, and trying to realign the universe is both exhausting and futile. I'm more of a seat-of-your-pants kinda girl. Do the parts you have to turn in to others on time, and let the rest fall into place. Which is why I can live in Key West. Everybody down here is on some similar plane. The 'Type A' people of the real world would go nuts.

All of my zen and good intentions have certainly been put to the test with our kitchen renovation. I am proud of myself for getting through it without completely losing it, although I will admit there have been a few times I've been close. Because in my life of daughter raising/Brownie leading/school event planning/2nd grade homework photocopying/t-shirt selling/Box Tops counting, I can leave the details of each activity behind by walking into my sanctuary....my little island home. Until my sanctuary looks like it blew up. And is quite dusty. And we have to use paper plates and plastic cups for eating around the coffee table. Then, well, I may get A LITTLE TESTY about those plans that were made and those dates we were hoping for. My husband may have replacement words for 'a little testy' but those words might not be appropriate for this format. 

Yesterday the countertop people came down from Miami to make a template for my new quartz work spaces. They won't be back for 10 to 15 business days, but it was still a day for celebrating because we got through all the heavy construction to get to that point. The next two weeks will be focused on the fun stuff, the smaller, detail projects, the ones I've been waiting for. Painting, wall paper, putting stuff in its new home....that kind of thing. And after the quartz is installed, the tile back splash....ta da! For fans of HGTV's Fixer Upper, I am approaching the part of the project where Chip and the crew leave, and Joanna and the kids walk around the house putting lovely things in all the right spots. Finally. The week without water in the kitchen, the food pantry in the living room, the take out meals, the dusty foot prints all over are all part of the process.

I took a hard look at my calendar yesterday and had to laugh at some of the things I had planned/offered/promised to do in the upcoming weeks. I regrouped. Because even though I had hoped I would be ready to host a jewelry trunk show in two weeks, I won't be. Thank goodness I booked Mari's 10th birthday party at another site (even if I did have to move it ahead a week due to Fantasy Fest nudity.....more on that next blog post). We've got school off on Friday, two birthday parties this weekend, Brownies next week, multiple Halloween events, Mari's birthday party, Veteran's Day, and Brownies again, ending with the school's Fall Festival on the 14th....did I mention I was chairing that? But things will quiet down after that. I swear.

Food Exchanges

In the past few weeks, I've had strangers exchange food items for me in the grocery store. Unsolicited. Two local ladies just being nice.

The first time it happened at Fausto's on Fleming Street. I had gone there for some of the house made Italian sausage, and a quick stop across the street at UVA for some of their outstanding locally-made ricotta to make stuffed shells. While I was at Fausto's I picked up a few other things, including a random jar of spaghetti sauce in case I didn't have enough of the 'good stuff' at home. (My favorite jarred spaghetti sauce is made by a family near where I grew up. The Del Grosso's. I love that I can buy it at Publix all the way down here in Key West! The 'Sunday Marinara' is the best.) While I was in line to pay, I realized I had forgotten to get a baguette....and how can you have an Italian feast without a little bread? I asked the woman behind me if she minded if I ran to the bakery in the back of the store for bread. She said 'Oh, of course not! As long as you don't mind if I replace your spaghetti sauce for you. You've got to try this other one....meet ya back here!' I got my bread, and met my new friend back in line. She showed me the label of her favorite spaghetti sauce, called Brooklyn Made or something like that, prepared with no additives, no sugars, just tomatoes, basil, garlic, etc. She said, 'Now granted, it's like $10 a jar, but totally worth it!' Apparently I didn't look like someone who would balk at spending $10 on a jar of spaghetti sauce. She got me spot on. And when I got home and made dinner, she was right! It was a great meal.

The second time a stranger 'hooked me up' was at the 'new' Publix, in the produce section. I was looking at the red bell peppers for a shrimp stir fry. The peppers didn't look so great, but I found the best one and put it on the top of the other items in the front of my cart. After milling around, gathering the other items on my list, I looked down and noticed that my anemic pepper had been replaced by a huge, bright red pepper that looked like it fell out of a gardening magazine. What the??? I looked around, and I woman caught my eye. She walked over and said 'The produce guy just opened a brand new box of bell peppers.....you couldn't take that other one home!' I thanked her profusely. What a nice thing to do! Seriously. Maybe this happens other places, I don't know. I am going to haul out my oft-used line.....only in Key West. People looking out for each other in the smallest of ways. I love it.