
I'm back!!! And not too happy about it if the truth be known...Why would I want to come back to someplace as crime-ridden and corrupt as Memphis when I can be at tropical points south??? The answer: I don't. But I had a wonderful time as some of the pictures suggest. I gained more than a couple of pounds down there. Food was excellent and besides, fat looks better tan. I was able to catch up with some friends and made some new ones (wink, wink). One of my friends suggested that I go to Lido Key to go to the beach rather than my regular haunt of Siesta Key. I never was much for Lido as I found it not as pretty as Siesta. My friend told me this was the gay beach. It also used to be a nude beach in days past. I'm told some people that frequent there didn't get the memo and still visit sans clothing. Well, slap my ass and call me Judy. A dear friend of mine (one might not think he is by the way he treats me) said I ought to go nude. Bitch, please. I know when to keep things covered. He said everyone at nude beaches would look as bad as I do and that if I kept gaining weight, no one could even tell I was nude. Such a stitch he is... Then next day I hauled my apparently fat ass up to Lido Beach, met a nice guy and got asked out. Can you believe it? AND the best part is, he is a neurosurgeon!!! Lives in the Hamptons, practices in New York, 6 condos in Sarasota, big-ass house on Longboat Key and another presumably big-ass house in Big Sky, Montana. And he wanted to go out with me. I did and we had a lovely time. (Get your minds out of the gutter, people). He was very nice and wants to see me again. Actually, he wants to fly me down in August when he is coming back. I'll have to see.

I frequented the local gay bar in Sarasota when I could. They only have one, which is pathetic considering the huge gay population there. Hell, Memphis has at least six... Anyway, I met a couple of guys there last Saturday night that were fun and I was hit on by a Cuban man that was most proud to tell me that he came to the United States from Cuba 2 years before Batista was overthrown. Now if we are all up on our Cuban history, we would realize that he came here in 1957. That would put him in his early 70s. A piece of living history. I resisted the urge to ask what Havana was like in the fifties as I thought it might encourage him to further conversation with me. I'm considerate that way.

Other than that, the trip was most relaxing considering the amount of alcohol that was consumed. I rented a Kia Sportage when I got there because of the criminally insane gas prices and the fact that my aunt has a monster of a van that slurps gas like an anteater eats...well, ants. Great little car...I highly recommend it if you have to rent.

While I was gone, the great Tim Russert passed on as did the beautiful and talented Cyd Charise. Two great losses.

But alas, all good things must come to an end... Now I can start daydreaming about my next two weeks down ... which should be in October.

Oh, yeah -- how could I forget this...
