Truman, Hemingway, 54 Felines and 3 Slices of Key Lime Pie

A beautiful slice of Key lime pie, one bite missing

Continuing our journey through Florida, we spent a day and a half in the Florida Keys, where I managed to sample three pieces of key lime pie! I split the first piece two ways and the last three ways, but still...

I decided that indulging in key lime pie in the Keys was a must.

We were invited to spend the night with a cousin on Marathon in their rented house. On the way we stopped in Islamorada for a delicious fish lunch and topped it off with the key lime pie below:

That evening we took our hosts out for dinner, an early bird special all-inclusive dinner which included a dessert choice of ice cream and of course, key lime pie, so...

The next day we asked Al and Judy if they wanted to accompany us to Key West. They agreed and we together enjoyed the long bridges and blue expanses of water all the way to the southernmost point of the country.

They also suggested we purchase a dual ticket to Hemingway's house and the Truman Little White House.

Between tours we dined outdoors where three cruise ships were docked. It was a perfectly warm day with a lovely breeze off the water keeping us perfectly comfortable. And then we shared that perfectly delicious slice of pie at the top of the page.

On the first tour we were not allowed to take photos. The Harry S. Truman house has been preserved with the decor of the day, and was not that photo-worthy, anyway. Although we remember him for the BOMB and for standing up to General Douglas MacArthur, Truman, I learned, has an impressive list of other achievements as POTUS.

Dress was casual, though, in this "tropical" white house back in the day. And Harry was pictured on a wall photograph, fishing with a bare hairy chest, which I cannot now un-see! Besides ... his name.

So I knew that Hemingway hung out in Key West and was a larger than life figure, but I didn't know the half of it, including 4 wives, a fancy chandelier in every room of the house, including a bath (didn't count how many), 5 concussions (more than likely alcohol-related), too many 6-toed cats, several war-related injuries ... and 1 self-inflicted (explosive) death!

Now 54 cats (32 are six-toed!)--some still from the same blood-line, dominate the house, sleeping on the master bed and dining room table like they own the place. 3 cat ladies and 1 vet keep them healthy and happy. Our guide knew all their names. I met Daisy Buchanan.

I think this was Daisy on the dining table.