This past week we had some good friends from Ocracoke come visit us in Sanibel. Russ and Michelle Reynolds made a road trip. They needed to get away from the cold, rainy, windy weather up north. Although the first few days they were here were a little unusually cool and windy; we did get some nice weather for them. We showed them around the island and took a dinghy ride.
Russ and Keith in the dinghy
Michelle kept an eye out for manatees
We ate out quite a bit as Russ and Michelle do not have many options this time of year on Ocracoke. They were so excited to have so many places to go out to eat. It was nice as we could also sit outside often with the nice weather. Russ' sister-in-law and a friend were also on Sanibel for the week. All of us got together on two evenings for drinks and dinner. There were also mutual friends in Key West and so on Friday Russ, Michelle, Keith, and I took the fast ferry from Fort Myers to Key West for an over-night trip. Each couple had a cute bungalow to themselves. The place we stayed was very quaint.
Our bungalows in Key West
Once we got settled in, we walked over to the resort where our other friends Jim and Tracey Kelly were staying. They were right on the water at the Southernmost Resort.
There may have been a drink or two involved poolside.
After some lunch and drinks we went back to the bungalows to clean up and relax before meeting up again for a sunset wine and cheese cruise and dinner.
Wine and cheese cruise Key West. Yes, Keith actually was on a sailboat drinking wine.
Left to right Jim, Tracey, Michelle, Russ, and Keith.
Sunset
It was a very nice evening and everyone slept well after a busy day. Saturday we all met up at the tree top bar for some Bloody Mary's after breakfast. You can see just about anything in Key West and this little pooch was at the bar ready for St. Patrick's Day.
Keith and I peeled off to go see the Ernest Hemingway House in the afternoon. Hemingway was an American novelist, short-story writer, and journalist. He had quite a tumultuous life and lived on Key West for more than 8 years. He had 4 different wives over his life and many fallings-in and fallings-out with friends, business associates and family. He lived in numerous states as well as Paris and Cuba and traveled extensively. He was of course very influential in impacting 20th century fiction. He won the Pulitzer prize in 1952 and a Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954.
Unfortunately Hemingway became more and more troubled as he aged. He started suffering from depression and paranoia. He was admitted into the hospital at least twice for mental problems at the end of his life and was even given numerous electroshock treatments in an attempt to help improve his mental state. It was not to be successful, and on July 2nd 1961 he shot himself with his favorite shotgun.
It was ultimately determined that he had hereditary haemochromatosis which causes a pathologic increase in the body's stores of iron. This in turn leads to physical and mental deterioration. His father, his brother, and a sister also had committed suicide. Whether this was the cause of his suicide or not is in debate, however, there is no doubt that he had become quite troubled.
In addition to Hemingway, there are other famous residents at the Hemingway House. These are the Hemingway cats. They are polydactyl cats meaning they possess an extra toe. The story of Hemingway's cats began with a white, polydactyl kitten gifted to Hemingway in the 1930's by sea captain Stanley Dexter. Seamen preferred polydactyl cats believing them to be good luck, better mousers, and more steady on their feet in rough seas. Hemingway named the kitten "Snow White". He was fond of cats and Snow White went on to be the matriarch of a large family of multi-toed felines.
The ancestors of Snow White still reside on the property. Polydactyly is a genetic condition that results in the individual being born with extra toes. This condition can occur in the front or hind feet and occasionally in all four feet. The polydactyl gene is more common in felines on the United States east coast and southwest England and Whales. There were descendants of Snow White all around the Hemingway House.
Sleeping in Hemingway's bed
Even napping along the second floor gutter
Russ and Michelle met back up with us at the ferry terminal, and we left on the 6PM Saturday ferry back to Fort Myers. It got in around 9:45PM and 4 tired travelers drove back to Sanibel and raced each other to see who could get to bed first. I think it was quite a successful visit with our Ocracoke friends. Keith and I are getting VERY excited to get back to Ocracoke. The plan is to leave around April 12th to make our way north. The hope is to be in Ocracoke by the 1st of May. I will be flying to Pennsylvania this Friday. My mom is having knee surgery and I will be there to help her for about two weeks. We will leave within several days of my return to Sanibel. I probably will not have any posts while I am helping my mom; but hope to resume once we start heading back north.
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