Florida Escapades

I have returned to the cave. The cavemen missed me and they jabbered all the way home in the van from the airport to home. They were fighting for talking time. They were talking over each other. They were so excited to tell me everything they did while I was gone.

The beach was great! I went to Cocoa Beach and spent time on the Cocoa Beach Pier. I ate fresh crab legs at a tiki bar called Oh Shucks. They had a beatnik band playing, and it was so nice to just listen to music and enjoy crab legs while overlooking the ocean and having the fresh sea air blow against me. So relaxing. After my fabulous meal, I sauntered along the coast. The sand was hot, so I walked along the shoreline and let the waves hit my legs. I searched for sea shells to bring home. I found lots. The boys were sure excited to look at them all.

I only spent about an hour and a half in the sunshine. I did put on some sunscreen, but I didn't put any on my back, as I can't reach back there. I didn't see anyone who I was willing to let rub lotion on my back either. Mostly families and old, leathered, Floridian sea fishermen. So I figured a little sun wouldn't hurt. WRONG!!! What happens when you take a pale northern girl and put her on a Florida beach? SUNBURN CITY!! OUCH! I wonder what shade Crayola Crayons would describe the shade of pink my back is and still is. It's at the itchy stage. I'm sure I'll be molting soon. I also burned my scalp where my hair parts. Dang, I always forget about my head. Won't that be lovely when it starts peeling. I'll look like I need to use Head & Shoulders in a big bad way.

After spending the entire afternoon at the beach, I took my sandy, ocean soaked self back to the airport. I turned in my car. It was pouring so badly that it was hard to see, and I didn't see any gas stations in which to put gas into the rental. I figured forget it, I'll just get tagged for gas usage at the rental place rather than deal with trying to save a few bucks. My rental car had 12 miles on it when I took it off the lot and I returned it with 197 and only used half a tank of gas. WOW! That's awesome mileage.

I arrived at the conference in time for the Sunday evening festivities. Sunday night was their meet and greet. It was great to see people with in the industry that I haven't seen since last year and even meet some new ones. It was at the meet and greet that my group from my work all got invited out to dinner with Peoplenet. Who am I to pass up a good steak dinner?

Monday I attended guest speakers, classes, and exhibits from 8 am - 5 pm. After lunch they served a great tiaramasu. It was LOADED with alcohol! Best desert I've ever had. I need to know how to make that. I wonder what their recipe is. I think the chef tripped when he put the alcohol in it. They had two political guru's speak and they were very entertaining. Even humorous. Who knew political analysts were funny?

Monday evening they provided diner and entertainment. They served steak over a seafood and veggie medley. I sent my steak back to get cooked as I think my steak was still mooing. I'm sure I heard it moo. Blech! The waitress looked at me annoyed and told me my steak was cooked medium well. I told her, to get me one that was over well done then. She promptly brought me another steak. Delicious! And this one was cooked just right. I'm shocked not many people complained or sent theirs back. When we were talking of dinner the next day, most people either said they didn't eat it or it was delicious. I said I sent mine back and they looked at me like I was crazy. Oh well...they either went hungry or ate cold meat, while I had perfection. What's so wrong with that??

The entertainment was The Three Grands. WOW! They were amazing and so fun! Three guys on grand piano's, a drummer, a guitarist, and a sax player. They were so fun to listen to. They took requests, but none of our table's requests got played. They played mostly all 70s and 80s music, so I knew the words to most of their songs.

Tuesday again, I attended guest speakers, classes, and exhibits all day. Then I got ready for another steak dinner. The steak house we went to was on site at the hotel. It was FABULOUS! Best crab cakes I've ever had, and also quite possibly one of the best steaks I have ever eaten. They had to butterfly my steak so they could cook it to my liking with out it being tough. They did a great job of that! Again, lots of red cold slabs of steak mooing at my table. Not me...No way!

Wednesday I attended another class and then got ready to make the trip home. I got a ride to the airport with some friends and had a long wait until my flight. So I took my time. I had lunch at The Macaroni Grill. Oh their bread was oh so yummy. I bought the book "Wicked" and started to read that. My sister highly recommended it. It is pretty good. Then I hopped on my laptop and found some free internet. Whoo Hoo!

Finally it was time to get on the plane. After a whole afternoon of wasting time at the Orlando Airport. Oh well, I was ready for the down time. I was exhausted. I slept the whole way home on the plane. Which is just the way I like it.

Now, I'm back to reality. I was pretty busy getting unburied at my cubicle. Now I'm ready for the weekend!