Friday Donuts: Key Largo
There’s something about getting out of your comfort zone that makes you get out of your comfort zone.
We took a trip to Key Largo last weekend. It was the wife’s birthday, and so we got a room for a couple of nights at our go-to hotel. So, technically, not totally out of our comfort zone. But it was the first time we had been there with Baby Blue. Oh, and we brought the dog. What could go wrong?
Right away, the dog shit all over the carpeted hotel room. I understand marking your territory, but could we at least do it on tile?
We had also paid for a suite so that Baby Blue Eyes could have her own room (and Mom and Dad could have theirs), but the second room was on the second floor. Yeah, turns out this suite had the only spiral staircase in all of Key Largo. Cool for some people. Bad for others attempting to carry a child up and down steps after a few poolside margaritas. So Baby Blue Eyes bunked with us.
Did I mention that what is usually a 50-minute drive took two hours because of traffic?
Needless to say, my wife’s birthday was off to a perfect start.
Sarcasm aside, that was the worst of it. It’s like I always say, “Andy crawled to freedom through five hundred yards of shit-smelling foulness.” On the other side of the shit-stained carpet was a great weekend, complete with a great group of friends who made the trip and flashbulb moments of firsts that I’ll never forget.
We had stayed at a (different) hotel a couple of months ago for my mom’s birthday and took Baby Blue into the pool. She didn’t love it. Mostly confused, then anxious, and wanted to get back to dry land.
Flash forward a couple of months, which in baby years is like 10 or something, and now she LOVES the pool. She splish-splashed to her heart’s content, and I gotta say, the only thing that makes a poolside marg in one hand better is a happy baby in the other arm.
Pool: Check.
Saturday night was birthday dinner. We got a couple of tables next to each other at one of the better restaurants in town (one point for early bedtimes) and Baby Blue sat in a highchair for the first time (one point for Mom and Dad not having to play hot potato for an entire meal). Not to sound like the cliche proud papa, but my girl sits good.
Highchair: Check.
She’s getting older and wants real food. She had some yogurt and fruit from our breakfast plates. It wasn’t the first time she had real food, but we’re getting more comfortable giving her things that haven’t been vetted by a team of AI clients and Tik-Tokers.
Whole foods: Check.
Baby Blue was more than well-behaved – she was downright happy. She made a great addition to our go-to vacation spot.
Next time, I think we’ll bring her again.
Friday Donuts
🍩 ICYMI: Good Take on the best coach in the playoffs and why the NBA should openly rig the draft lottery.
🍩 Workout hack I’m using to torch my shoulders: Shoulder press machine at 80-90% max for 6-8 reps, then immediately picking up light dumbbells and doing 5-6 reps of front raises.
🍩 Recipe I’m cooking weekly: Air-fryer “kabobs.” Grab a sirloin, bell pepper and red onion. Rough-chop everything and marinate it together for at least an hour (mustard, soy sauce, minced garlic, red wine vinegar, black pepper, lemon juice), then throw it all into the air fryer. I crank it to 400 degrees for 15 minutes, then give it a shake and check on it every few minutes after that until it’s ready. Served with a cup of white rice.