I finally got a vacation. Brother Joe came down from Maryland to do "Mom Watch" for a week to be followed by sister Sally for another few days. I had big plans. We drove to the beautiful Florida Keys. Shadow was a very good traveler. He stood right next to me in the van so he could be petted. Should I take my attention away from him for a moment to check the map, traffic or any other of a driver's duty; he would poke his nose under my elbow to let me know he needed some love.
Our plans were not to be. The winds were howling in the Keys as a result of a cold front. We camped out in a KOA campground next to a mangrove thicket. We slept in the van and listened to the wind howl. We were adjacent to a swamp and there were all sorts of night smells and sounds for Shadow to relate to.
I had intended to shoot underwater video at John Pennycamp Park in Key Largo but the wind never let up and I figured the Keys will still be there for next time. After a few frigid days, we decided to go north. Our destination was Zephyrhills parachute center, Skydive City.
