Life in the Middle Age Lane

Another year and another trip to Key West.  The things I love about KW are the following...... 1)  Beautiful bungalows throughout the island 2)  Amazing museums (I toured Truman's Little White House & Hemingway's Home) 3)  Crazy, insane, uninhabited, kind people. All these things make up Fantasy Fest in a nutshell.  Well, perhaps not the museum portion but those can be substituted with Fogarty's Monkey Bar on Duval Street and their delicious Mudslides plus The White Tarpons signature cocktail Key Lime Martini, located on Front St near the pier. Here is a rated R version of the parade of people you will see during Fantasy Fest. Have you heard of the six toed cats in Key West?  Here is a picture of one from the Ernest Hemingway home. I thought they were pretty cool....cats.  Another thing you will find interesting is that throughout the island you will come across chickens, chicks and roosters.  I did may daily mornin...

I always wanted to be a little devil.  Okay that's not true. Here is the real story behind my costume this year. Originally, this dress was to be worn for Fogerty's Red Night in Key West but had to wear a costume that night instead.  So I thought  that I would accessorize it and wear it as a costume to a Halloween party a friend had this past Saturday.   The second part of the story is the fact my weight is slowly creeping back and the original costume I ordered online did not fit me.  (always read the fine print a Medium = size 2 thru 8) in what world is a size 2 the same as an 8?!?!?!? I  think the whip/pitch fork accessory really made the outfit.  Actually it made it difficult to balance my drink, the camera and the whip.  I kept taking pictures with my drink, sipping my camera and dropping the whip. It was a very confusing night. I was going as a shot girl, and I realized two things... 1) my boobs will not look like the pic...

When we first starting going to Fantasy Fest ,we had no idea that this would turn into a yearly event for us.  And every year it just gets stranger and stranger.  It's definitely an adult Halloween party that last about 10 days and after a few days you wonder if anyone there is  from Earth. These folks just got in from the farm along with their own "Mad" cow. Friday nights costume was a toga.  I probably could have used a slip but did not pack one and this costume was a last minute one, bought at Fairvilla.  A huge store that probably makes all their money this month right down the street from the pier. You probably are asking why I'm the only one in costume while John gets to wear his normal clothes.  It's part of the fun in attending Fantasy Fest, our group of women love the costumes and make up. Gotye   Can't have a parade without beads being thrown. This is just a glimpse on the craziness that go...

Key West , Florida I have no idea who those folks are in that picture.  But it sums up what Fantasy Fest is all about in a PG13 sort of way.  First time we went to Key West was in 2008.  John's employers keep their boat docked in Key West and they invite us down for this festival every year in October.   Do you know that insurance commercial with Mayhem causing mishaps and accidents.  Well, it's like a whole week of those for most of the attendees at FF.  It's a great place to people watch and see the most amazing costumes.  And also to see no costumes, or clothing, or inhibitions.  Not a place I would take my kids to but I would take my mother.  She would have a blast looking at everyone! So many different costumes.  I guess the best way to describe it is Halloween for adults on Pixy sticks. Lots and lots of Pixy sticks. One of my favorite stories was told to me on the day we were leaving Key West and we are sit...