BABYSITTING IN KEY WEST

I babysat all day yesterday.

I had a morning dentist appointment. Took Robert and Ally with me. Had them sit in the waiting room while I was being worked on. They have their own dentist. They visited their dentist two weeks ago for a yearly checkup. So the surroundings were comfortable for them.

Happiness abounds! Yesterday was my last dentist visit regarding the implants. Eighteen months after starting the process, I am done. Happily so. Pleased with the final result.

The past few days have been Paula Deen time. She was here in Key West this past week. At the dentist’s office, I picked up a July 9, 2012 copy of People Magazine. Who was on the cover? You guessed it. Paula Deen!

After the dentist, the grandkids and I walked over to the Butterfly place on Duval. We had been there several times before. An exciting experience each time. The butterfllies favored Robert and Ally. Several perched on each of them at different times. I apparently was not so likable. None perched on me.

Lunch time! 5 Guys. Robert and Ally had never been there. They loved it! We all had bacon cheeseburgers and fries. I bought the small burgers. Had to buy a second one for Robert. He was still hungry.

Surprise of surprises! As I was driving on the boulevard yesterday and passing the Winn Dixie plaza, I saw some renovation work going on. At the large building to the left as you drive into the plaza. The building years ago housed some sort of buffet restaurant. It has been empty for years.

Some of the large windows were totally removed. That is what initially caught my eye.

The new tenant…..5 Guys. A WOW! The Duval 5 Guys is small. I understand this one will be larger with more seating room. A perfect location. It will be a gold mine!

The grandkids were my responsibility till 4. I still had a couple of hours to go. We went swimming at my house. Robert can now do a flip as he dives. He taught Ally how to do it.

I took them home at 4. I was dead! Babysitting requires constant attention and interaction. There is no down time for the babysitter. At least not this one.

I needed a manicure badly. Stopped at Lee Nails on the way home. Tammy did me.

Tammy and her husband work hard. They are at their business seven days a week. All day till 7:30 in the evening. They are not afraid of hard work. As a result, they are achieving the American dream. The business is successful. They are looking for a home to purchase. A large one. Typical of the Vietnamese, many family members will live with them.

Another group of hard wrokers I recently observed were the Greeks. Tourism in the warm months is their primary source of income. Whether Athens or one of the Greek isles visited, they all work seven days a week, twelve hours a day for a six month period. The Italians do not. They work much fewer hours. Many commercial enterprises like stores and restaurants are closed on weekends. Especially on Sunday.

The impression that Greeks are lazy and do not work is not true. Such is an erroneous impression developed during the euro crisis.

Again, I was shot by dinner time. I had no desire to go out. Made myself a sandwich and went to bed early.

Enjoy your day!