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Published: August 6th 2007
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Eileen
This is how I think of my friend when I am missing her -- smiling in the sun. FRIDAY 6 APRIL
Why Changes in Latitude? My favourite recording artist of all time is Jimmy Buffet -- he of Key West fame (get it?). My favourite of his songs -- and arguably my favourite song of all time -- is called Changes in Latitude Changes in Attitude. If you don't know it, download it. If it doesn't make you think of me, you don't know me very well!
So -- here we go! After a month of planning and driving my travel agent, Bianca, crazy, I am off for two weeks and two days to the States. The timing this year was great. Easter with Eileen, celebrating Kate's big birthday with her and attending Laura's Spring Fling for the first time in a few years.
Let me just start by saying two things. First -- I will try to update this as often as I can while I am on the road. Second -- I will not be able to upload the photos until I get home, so the last entry will remind you to go back to see the photos.
So, I packed way too many things, got myself to Heathrow and took off for
Cruise Ships
One of the many -- and they're huge! the adventure. I love long distance flying. It is time out of time. One can eat, sleep, watch movies, do puzzles, read or just watch the little map on the TV and watch the progress of the plane. I know -- it's sad -- but I love that map. I watched two movies and slept, finally landing in Chicago more or less on schedule.
That is when the adventure began. Whatever made me think I could clear both immigration and customs at O'Hare on Good Friday in under two hours? It was a real mental lapse! Needless to say, it took half an hour to clear immigration (with the usual snarky comment about why I have chosen to live abroad) and then another hour for my bag to come out of the plane. One of the good things about travelling so much is that one learns to roll with the punches. I was completely convinced that I had missed my connection, so while I was waiting in line to go through customs, I was trying to decide whether or not there might be another flight to Fort Lauderdale or whether I was doomed to spend the night at the O'Hare Hilton -- something that has happened more than once in the days when I was travelling for AIG!
What joy! My connecting flight had been delayed by over an hour, so I had more than enough time to make the connection. Then, just to make things even better, just as I was about to board the plane, they bumped me to the front. See -- all those miles do count for something! We were further delayed, but eventually took off. Arrived safely in Fort Lauderdale, only to have to wait half an hour for the bags. Eventually, they all emerged and I went out to find Eileen waiting for me. Very long journey, but all's well that ends well. And, I was in Fort Lauderdale -- not the O'Hare Hilton!
We arrived back at her house only to find that Steve, her husband, and Dominic, Steve's best friend, were at their local. Failing to realise that this might not be the best plan, Eileen and I decided to join them. Steve and Dominic went home -- Eileen and I went home when the bartender threw us out. We then decided it was a great idea to stay up and talk on her porch until 3:00 in the morning. It was a great idea at the time!
SATURDAY 7 APRIL
Like I said, it was a great idea at the time. Not the best idea at 9:00 this morning! We both stumbled out of bed, sat down on the porch, looked at each other and began to laugh. We certainly don't have the staying power we once did! The original plan was to spend the day on a boat, but we decided that the plan had flaws under the circumstances, so we sat and drank coffee for most of the morning.
After lunch, we drove over the beach and then, when we got tired of the sand, we came back and sat by Eileen's pool. Absolutely perfect day -- bright sunshine, but not too hot. It felt wonderful to feel the salt water against my legs and the sand between my toes. It also felt wonderful to lie next to the pool and watch the palm trees blowing in the breeze.
For dinner, Eileen and I drove north up I-95 to Lantana where there is wonderful place called Riggins Crabhouse. Pretty much all they sell is blueclaw crabs prepared however you choose. As anyone who grew up on the Delaware Seashore knows, the only way to eat crabs is with tons of Old Bay Seasoning. Before we tucked in, we shared a softshell crab -- probably my favourite food, but I always forget when I'm in a restaurant that they will not be prepared by my mother. This one was very good, but not Mom's.
Eventually, a dozen crabs landed on our table. These babies were HUGE and full of meat. For the first time in all the years that Eileen and I have picked crabs together (the better part of 20), we coud not get through a dozen. There is something so zen about picking crabs -- it's a great way to have a meal and to feel as though one has worked for one's supper!
SUNDAY 8 APRIL -- EASTER SUNDAY
Feeling significantly better this morning than we did yesterday, Eileen and I decided to give the boat another shot. We drove down to the port of Fort Lauderdale to join the SeaEscape -- "the ship full of fun"! On the way, we saw a peacock run across the road -- certainly a first for both of us.
The port is amazing. There were six (!!) cruise ships currently in the port, each grander than the other. These things are incredible and it never ceases to amaze me that they can actually float. It's also impressive that there is enough of a market that they can all sail all the time.
The boat was a blast. We sat in the sun for a while, but once we hit international waters, we were in the casino. Up and down over the course of the day, but I hit a very luck streak at the end and managed to end the day up $153 -- not a bad result. It had been quite a while since I had spent any time in a casino, but sitting there with Eileen and just laughing with the dealers reminded me of how much fun it can be -- if one is clever about the money spent....
We came back to Easter dinner -- roast veal, potatos and asparagus -- all very good. At the end, Eileen and I decided that we needed a walk, so we went over to the beach and watched all the families winding down their Easter Sunday. We stopped for ice cream on the way home -- very good, but a bit expensive. $6 a scoop. I'm really glad I don't have much of a sweet tooth!
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