Awake: 6:42am Temp 66 sleep 6+34 sunny overnight @ Fort Lauderdale, FL.
Katrina calls before leaving for school; she wants to confirm: when having a dirty furnace air filter, will it keep the bed rooms from warming up fast in the morning. We talked about the air flow & how long it's been since the filter has been changed. In conclusion, we both agreed that the dirty filter should be changed ASAP &, without my knowing it, she was already downstairs & had the dirty filter out; after school, she will stop @ Home Depot & pick up a replacement.
Late morning, K & I motor to the town of Hollywood, FL, a (15) min drive. We do an auto grid pattern of the downtown, seeing the quaint areas of outdoor cafes, restaurants & business stores among the middle tree lined streets. In their heyday, this had to be the busiest & most popular area in town. Today, however, this downtown section had many store fronts empty with signs of rental available.
From here, we continue north on A1A to the restaurant "Le Tub" 1100 North Ocean Drive, Hollywood, FL. It used to be a Sunoco gas station in 1959 until the energy crunch of the early 70's then Russell purchased the barren property in 1974 & dedicated a concentrated year, personally hand building "Le Tub." The place is made from flotsam & jetsam the owner found on the beach, including the tables & benches so it is a rough keys type atmosphere. You can get there by boat & this is when cold beer tastes best, - there is NO draft beer.
They advertise: "if you're a clean freak, if you're in a hurry, if you don't like insects, lizards or birds, if you don't like to wait, if you want your behind kissed, if you want fine furniture, crystal, silver and gourmet food, DON'T come to LE TUB. They have a kitchen that is 4'x6' - maybe; with ONE cook & ONE bartender & a huge local customer base so everyone has to wait. Everyone! They do NOT take reservations, credit cards or large parties. They do NOT have HIGH CHAIRS. They are a beach bar."
"The servers are overworked and underpaid so they do not have time to do anything but take your order & bring your food. If you want water you have to get up & get it yourself from a huge orange cooler on a table in the garden. It is cold & it is free. Le Tub is a pleasant place to wait as it's on the water & you can watch the boats pass by while being caressed by soft Caribbean breezes. You can relax & watch spectacular sunsets while drinking yummy margueritas."
We found the place around 12:00 noon & there were only a half-dozen people ordering @ that time. Our waitress told us it would take (45) min for our meal to arrive, which it did. We helped ourselves to some of that free cold water from the orange cooler & enjoyed our wait, as we soaked in the breeze from the water, watched the birds & boats & thought the place was great & our (13) oz hamburger was the Best we have had in a long time. Next time, if there is one, I'll order the Seafood Gumbo; I've heard from other customers that it is GREAT.
Next, we headed west on Hollywood Blvd to find Norm & Beverly in Pembrook Pines, FL @ their Holly Brook Condominium. I had called Norm earlier this week & asked if they were interested in having a few young people visit. "We have Friday open so come on over" said Norm.
When we did our "work camp" in Watertown, WI (2007), we met Beverly & Norm & had some attention-grabbing conversations during our (3) week camping in Larry & Sally's circular driveway. @ that time, Norm let us know that we were welcome to visit them whenever we were in Florida. We chat for over an hr while Beverly makes a quick trip to the hair dresser & then, we (4) go in Norm's car to the eye doctor for an adjustment of his glasses. We & Beverly chat in the car while waiting for Norm to finish & then tour the C.B. Smith Park & Campground nearby. We didn't know about this campground; all the book, computer & phone calls we made to find a campsite, we just didn't know of this one; big rig friendly with (50) amps. Back @ Norm & Beverly's condo, we thank them for the tour & let them know we enjoyed seeing them again.
Back @ our home-on-wheels, Kathy heats up dinner: clam chowder with oyster crackers & salad with Triscuits. Neither of us are that hungry after our BIG hamburger.
I call Ray in Ocean Shores & get updated on Ray's activities.
Late movie: "First Lady" with Kay Francis, Anita Louise, Verree Teasdale, Preston Foster, Walter Connolly, etc. Witty adaptation of the acerbic George S. Kaufman-Katherine Dayton play, with Francis as the ambitious wife of the Secretary of State (Foster), whom she's pushing into presidential campaign against corrupt judge Connolly. Not very cinematic, but brightly acted by fine ensemble. 1937. Yes, I agree with their description; watch this movie only when you're desperate for political maneuvering.
Lights out: 12:32am
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