Excelsior: If it's Monday, this must be Cocoa (or vice versa)

Monday, January 07, 2019

If it's Monday, this must be Cocoa (or vice versa)

We've been on the road (and on the beach, on and off) for a week with another two and a half days to go, and my car shows it: sand on the floormats, random flotsam bouncing around the backseat, miles piling up. Likewise my brain: lots of impressions just don't seem to fit into any coherent narrative. Such as:

A rainy-day visit to a botanical garden revealed the existence of Road Kill Cactus, Jelly Bean Plant, Mouse Trap Tree, and Dragon Bones. Also moorhens! And a lovely purple blossom called Princess Plant.
That was the same day we took a drive up to Tarpon Springs, where we looked at sponge-fishing boats and watched a video showing historical methods by which Greek immigrants gathered and sheared sponges. Today the sponge docks exist to sponge and shear tourists. It was a fun and colorful way to spend a windy, gray day, and the Greek food made my taste buds sing.
Later we sat on the observation deck at our hotel and ate rich desserts while watching a very impressive storm sweep in across the Gulf of Mexico. The first raindrops fell just as we ate the final bites. Perfect timing!
At today's lunch we sat on a different rooftop and watched an osprey fly by carrying a freshly caught fish. Here's an idea for a new restaurant chain: fresh seafood delivered by ospreys straight to your table. (Ignore the claw-marks.)
It is a tremendous luxury to have easy access to so much fresh seafood, one we will miss when we return to Appalachia. You'd better believe I'm taking advantage of every opportunity. Is it excessive to eat seafood four days in a row?
I think I laughed for three solid hours yesterday while visiting with some old high school friends. We may be getting older, but we're definitely getting funnier. (Not funnier looking. Present company excepted.)
I've never spend much time on the Gulf coast, so last week in Clearwater I struggled to adjust to the fact that turning right on the beach took us north; now we're on the Atlantic coast and everything is back where it ought to be--right is south, left is north, and if we get up early enough we can see the sunrise over the water.

And then we'll have to pack up our sandals and start heading up the highway toward the cold north, where fresh seafood is mythical and road kill is not a cactus. First, though, I've got to get some more sand in my shoes.