You may not party like these ol’ boys, but if you do, be safe!
with us and the number of empties are getting fewer and fewer. However, we still love to be together on holidays and remember the good times. One thing will always ring in our heads and that’s the laughter we shared.
Here’s to another New Year’s Eve – and being thankful for the times we’ve had and the time we still have together.
In a fascinating park called Spring Park, in the beautiful little town of Tuscumbia, Alabama, sits “Sacred Tears” a monument to the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Seminole people that marched through this area on their way to Oklahoma on November 30, 1827. Some 90,000 Indian people were relocated during the 1830’s. The good people of 
Tuscumbia no doubt saved many lives through their generosity in giving food and clothing to Native Americans as they passed.
The cast bronze statue is eight feet tall and weighs a ton. The model was Kristin Harrison of Sheffield, Alabama and was created by Branko Medenica.
the Knights in another – is that always the case? Well, no not really, it has been more of a recent thing!
After stuffing ourselves and taking pictures of the Dragon Sisters, the Knights migrated to the music room, played “find the right remote,” and cranked up the volume. After being yelled at for not closing the door to the dayroom, we closed the door firmly, and resumed “rockin’ out!”
an electric train. I remember dad fussing with Sears over the train after Christmas because it did not work. I actually got a better train (how I would love to have that today) when they finally settled and satisfied dad's issues. All the rest is a blur of smaller colorful items mingled with candy and clothes. However, I do remember anticipating the big event and the excitement of seeing Santa for the first time during the Holidays. It was all real then, real to life, and it meant so much.
I have already posted more than I intended for Christmas, only really planned on one retro bit I wrote months ago, and here it is spring again. Kind of kills the mood!
West. [After two days, this post will be dated so that it will move down and take its place in order with the other Key West posts.]
magicians, and one-man bands all frantically vie for the crowd’s extra change, because they know as soon as the sun sets, the crowd disperses back toward Duval and Whitehead Streets (and side streets along the way) to begin the “Duval Crawl” toward the sunrise! 
become part of hundreds of tourist sunset photos! Usually there is wine, beer, and champagne included in the price of the 2-hour tours.
several years ago who loved Christmas, and the family continues to share their love for their daughter and Christmas with their community by spending long hours in preparing this display. 
chaperoned! It was Sammy Hagar, Ted Nugent, Bad Company, Old Scratch and George Dickel boilermakers, and rib eyes! These were true “depth charge” boilermakers, no sissy gulp, and chase! Plus Macanudo Gold Labels! 
Ms. Mushy and I took our special “soul searching” camera to a
Holiday gathering of old work friends at the Bailey’s Sports Grille last evening. While I do not miss working, I surely miss these guys and gals. They are wonderful people who enjoy laughing and talking over a few local drafts or concoctions like a Kryptonite Margarita.
to destroy you, yes, even in this season. Even the kryptonite will not protect you – you, as a group, must embrace him, and bring him over from the dark side! But do not turn your back on him because he seeks you individually.
Key West, from the day trip in the rented convertible, from which 
Ms. Mushy would occassionally let out an “East Tennessee War Hoot” and scare the wildlife (she flushed a Key Deer at least once), to the sunset cruise and free music, horsedovaries with suds, wine, and/or margirettas!
air conditioning in the famous bars, or restaurants for that matter, of Duval Street, or on any other street for that matter. As a matter of fact, you might find a rooster, hen with chicks, or a cat laying under your table.
wanted to complain! Oh yeah, No Credit Cards are allowed either.
notice we sat a different tables, so each table could flirt all they wanted and more than the waitresses wanted.
put it! It became evident as I prepared this that it was just too long, so, I will break this up 
into two parts, with this one concentrating mostly the polydactyls of the Hemingway house! I will do the sunsets on the next post, and then we will get back to BEER!
The homes are not only beautiful due to their age and architecture, but because of the varied fauna from around the tropical world made possible by the climate of the Keys. If it can grow in a jungle from South America, a tropical island, or Africa, it can grow in the Keys. Many non-indigenous plants have been brought to the keys by homeowners, and some have now been banned. For example, the Banion tree can no longer be planted there – the Banion tree grows where it wants!
One of the most intriguing homes is the Ernest Hemingway Museum and Home, which still
feels lived in, to some degree, because his cats still have free range there. The cats lay around the house and the grounds as if they owner will be 
right back to feed them, and in a way he will. Hemingway provided for the cats in his will and they rule the roost! There are approximately 60 cats living on the property today, half of them polydactyl. A few of these cats are descendents of Hemingway's first cat.
These cats are almost as famous as their ancestor’s owner because they have extra toes (technically known as polydactyl, Latin for "many digits").
The normal cat has 18 toes (five on each front foot and four on the rear) found on most cats, polydacts have six or more toes on the front feet, and sometimes an extra toe on the rear. The cats living here have been given the nickname "Hemingway Cats.”
The black cat pictured has at least 7, and is the same cat shown drinking 
out of the “unique trough.” It is easy to see why they are sometimes called “Mitten Cats!” And yes, polydactyls are the result of inbreeding, but they no longer reproduce in this kind of atmosphere, but at least some of the cats 
still carry the original gene. Most of the cats are spayed and/or neutered, but at least a couple are allowed to carry on the gene pool! These are the “real” lucky ones!
The “unique trough” is really a urinal from the original Sloppy Joe’s Bar, which Ernest picked up off the street when Sloppy Joe moved (see last post). Hemingway’s wife had it tastefully tiled, 
and put in the “jug fountain” in order to “save face” in the neighborhood. Some say he brought it home as joke in response to his wife spending a huge amount on a pool for the backyard!
The cats rarely drink directly from the trough, but rather stand on it and lick up the water as it runs down the side of the jug.
Aren’t you proud of me…I didn’t write about killing cats for once!
Our group of four sisters (The Dragons) and their husbands (Knights of the Beer Table) did not try to find them all, but having been there once before we went back to the most popular and had several in honor of all the rest!
because it is strictly local. However, locals tolerate Hawaiian, Croc, logo T-shirt wearing, and camera toting mainlanders who add money to the local economy. The nighttime blues music is a plus for this pub, but to us it is the bar’s clientele that keeps us going back. The man with his dog that lapped beer at the bar did not come by during the time we got to spend there this trip, but you rarely find that at Hooter’s!
entertainment this is the place and the food ain’t bad either! There is always some good solo or small band performing while you eat cholesterol prepared your favorite way. Finding a table may be difficult, but a table for eight is almost impossible after dark.
Key is home to the endangered Key Deer and we saw a couple as we drove through in our rented convertible. The pub is quaint and plastered bill-upon-bill with dollar bills!
The Smallest Bar In Key West (no website) – I mention this because it is quite small (two stools), just what you see shown, but a very friendly proprietor made us welcomed as we stopped to refresh our traveling supplies and dropped off a few Mushy’s Moochings Blogness Cards! I know, I am shameless! We also met Capt. Dave Grow (white cap on left) there, which only proves it is liked by the locals too.
the original location of Sloppy Joe’s where Ernest Hemingway hung out. However, Sloppy moved because the rent went up a whopping $1.50 per month back in 1937. He moved to the current location in one day by offering free drinks to everyone who moved a piece of furniture. He took everything including the doorknobs and urinals, which I will tell about in a future post.
I would have placed the Hog’s Breath Saloon here, but three nights in a row we could not find room at the inn! We did stand in the parking lot one evening listening to the entertainment, but as soon as our buzz faded, we moved on seeking refuge! The only thing I can tell you about the saloon is that they have a good bathroom.
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