Gypsies In The Palace

We're gypsies in the palace, he's left us here alone The Order of the Sleepless Knights Will now assume the throne We ain't got no money, we ain't got no right But we're gypsies in the palace, we got it all tonight! ~Jimmy Buffett

Remember your first time using a camera alone? Maybe it was a new 110-film beauty, or perhaps you just got to borrow your parents' camera for a special occasion...like a field trip, or a slumber party. Or, if you're a parent, have you handed your camera over to one of your young kids while you've been traveling lately? Resulting in a lot of 'what the...? why did you take a picture of this?" shots? Nothing says fun like giving the kids a disposable camera and letting them go...

I just read that over and realized how much I just dated myself...pretty much all of that has been solved by the digital camera, hasn't it? Even I am guilty of handing over my point and shoot camera when the kids are looking for something to do, knowing I can erase whatever I want.

The point I was trying to make was that at some time in their life (usually when they're young) almost everyone has traveled and taken photos of their lodgings...hotel room, condo, whatever. Right? That's not just me, is it? It is? Oh, hmmm...

Well, like the 9-year-old I remember being, I couldn't help myself when we got to our vacation rental. It was even more beautiful than the photos I'd seen online! There would be eight of us living there, and I figured time was of the essence if I wanted pictures before our belongings began to sprawl...even in some of these you can see our stuff, or some of the food we'd picked up at the grocery store...so I didn't even worry about 'the right light', I just started snapping away.

When I win the lottery, after I hire a personal chef, I might buy this. At the very least, I want to use the decor and the mood it evokes, as inspiration in my own home. Just be glad I spared you the photos of the bedrooms - I liked those too.

I boiled shrimp - fresh from the Gulf, legs still intact - for the first time on that stove...and they were good!

The desk in the background was computer central - or, where Rob set up his laptop and we all used it too.

This table comfortably seated eight, for the family dinners we had, and it was also a good spot to play Wiki Sticks .

Would you care to step outside on the patio, a nearly bug-free zone? Yes, so would I.

Read-aloud: The Tale of Despereaux