I rented the upstairs of this house. It also was all Dade pine with exposed beams, and ceiling fans. The sloped ceilings in the apartment were covered by a tin roof. I lived for tropical rain storms! There was nothing more soothing to the soul than to spend a day listening to the rain beating upon the tin panels above, and watching it cascade down over the side windows.
I had a very large living area that doubled as a studio, a single bedroom, full kitchen and bath. What I loved most about the place was the wooden deck on the side at the top of the stairs. When I lived there, there was much more tropical vegetation, mainly a huge cork tree, that offered seclusion and privacy. I spent many a night outside laying back on the sloped tin roof of the downstairs kitchen, gazing up at the stars, while white, fluffy clouds passed low and slow overhead.
I would walk outside buck naked in the morning to get a look at the new day. Why buck naked? Because I could! When it rained, I would strip down, head out on the deck, kick back in a chase lounge, and bathe in the summer rain. There was something spiritually edifying and healing about those moments. During my stay, I was able on occasion to talk a dinner guest, or three, into "dressing down" with me for dinner on the deck. Those were the days... and nights!
I've more to add, but need to rush off now for a job interview as a "Ghost Host" story teller. I'm not sure if I really want the job, but it struck me as interesting and possibly a lot of fun. So, I felt I owed it to myself to follow through with the interviewing process. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Check back later, or in a day or so.
Back. Passed two of three interviews. Expect the third tomorrow sometime. Sounds like a very interedting and fun position, because it's getting paid to do what I do best ~ tell stories!
Please note that the coconut palm growing in the bucket in front of the house was mine. I started it from a coconut when I lived here back in 2004. I was so pleased to see that it still had a home, and that it was doing well. Now I have some idea what a six year old palm tree looks like. Everyone should know this. Right?
It was at the Thompson Street place that I began dabbling in acrylics. In addition to writing hundres of poems and dozens of short stories from personal experiences steming from living there, I also did a whole series of paintings that resulted in my first and only public showing at a pool bar on Duval Street.
The greatest experience from this home was having gotten to know my downstairs neighblor, Vicki. Vicki is quite an accomplished writer, and an all round wonderful person to call friend. Leaving 1430 Thompson Street wasn't an easy task at all. Seeing it once again has brought back many memorable times.
No comments:
Post a Comment