If you look close, you can see a guy in a sweatshirt ... most people down there don't go out if they need something more than a bathing suit !!! ...

Probably gone to Canada for some skiing.


Ian

Ian, about 30 percent of the folks here come from Canada, and some never go home other than to sell their homes in Canada.

Tony, when the temperature dips below 70 down here, the locals put on heavy, winter clothing. Everything is relative.

Gary

Glad you guys are having a wonderful time ......is Carol giving it second thoughts toward permanent residency in the keys....?

Ah well, Gary, to each his own...I really like the varied climate where I live (yes, even the snow and cold temperatures)...I turned down several chances to move south years ago...I don't regret it.

Ian of the North

Donny, the cost of living here in Paradise is beyond our means, so it looks like Carol and I will be stuck in the frozen north for the foreseeable future.

Ian, glad you like those drastic changes in climate. For me, 75 to 85 is just fine.

Gary

Hey, I was always aware of the high cost, which was only one of the reasons I never moved south.

I like spending my resources on things I love to do (of course, so do you), and not needing to work ( but being able to choose to get some perks over and above what my pension provides) is important to me...you simply don't get "free" time for free.

So I'm very comfortable by choosing to live where the cost of living is very low, as is the crime rate and pollution, and, I get lots of quality time to spend on my Tyros without the pressure of deadlines and/or schedules.

Being single has also worked in my favor, as I only have to look after me and I make all the decisions...and, there are no complaints.

Since retirement, even working in the studio has become more relaxed, and, due to less need of juggling schedules (due to gigging conflicts) we actually make a higher profit because work flow is more efficient...my work partner started his pension last month.

The variations in weather actually work in my favor, as they make me appreciate (and go out and enjoy) the more clement weather, and teach me to take advantage of the inclement stuff by finding interesting indoor projects.

I'm glad you are enjoying your respite from the icky weather...in a few months you'll be basking in the sunshine on your home turf.

Ian

I'm an official snowbird. Vero Beach Florida is now a winter routine. Gary's a little too far for a visit.

80 degrees tomorrow

Larry, Vero Beach is a really nice place. I stopped there two years ago when I sailed down and back from the keys. The locals call it velcro beach because once you go there, you seem to be stuck there forever.

Gary

Had a great night last night at Hyatt Place, Marathon , somewhere around 80 to 100 ppl in the bar and restaurant, and I kept the place rocking for three hours plus. The crowd didn't want me to stop, but I was running out of gas by 9:30 and was only supposed to play till 9:00 p.m..

The only mishap was when a very shapely young lady was shaking a lot of body parts close to the keyboard and holding her drink, which was sloshing around. Some splashed on the keys, and I quickly asked her to please move a bit farther away, which she did. I have a sign on the keyboard stand that clearly states "No food or drinks in this area - please" but as you would expect, no one ever seems to notice or respect the sign. Kinda like stop signs and red lights here - they're only a suggestion.

While this young lady appeared to be quite young, she was actually 28 years old and the town's veterinarian. She looked like she wasn't older than 16 at best. She asked if she could sing a song, and I told her only if she sat in my lap to sing it. She smiled and said "no, but thanks for the offer." Her boyfriend came in just five minutes later - could have been a bad scene. I, obviously, was just kidding around with her and would not have allowed her to sing or sit in my lap. Besides, Carol was just 10 feet away and would have shot me.

When I packed up to leave, the wait staff asked why I was leaving so soon. They wanted to know if I could play till closing time, which was 11 p.m.. Not a prayer - that would have been a 5 hour gig.

The tips were mediocre at best, and I guess that's typical in a place like this where everything is very expensive. I guess they all believe I make big bucks for the performance. And, while I among the highest paid entertainers on the island, the pay is no different than downtown Baltimore. Well, a little better than Baltimore, but not much.

Another fun evening in Paradise,

Gary