Doing my best to ignore the heat

I could've very easily stayed home today, enjoying the AC. But, I forced myself to get out and about, and was actually able to forget about the beastly heat we've been having down here.

As soon as we pulled out of the driveway, we saw a sign for an estate sale being held around the corner. It was being run by a really nice lady named Cece, who has now added me to her email list and is going to keep me updated on upcoming events in Longwood and College Park. So, stay tuned on that account . . .

I walked away from the sale with two vintage books (1920s) for a whopping $2. (And, when I got home this evening, I found copies offered online for between $58.50 and $100!)

I don't know how exactly it happened, but I ended up in St. Cloud after driving away from the estate sale. And, you know me. If there's an Irish bar to be found, I will stumble across it. Today was no exception.

O'Doherty's on New York Avenue by the St. Cloud City Hall is simply the most awesome place since they shut down Scruffy Murphy's in downtown Orlando. Huge dining room in an historic building with tons of character. Pool room in the back. But, it was the menu that made it for me (as usual).

The soda bread was so good, we asked if we could buy it by the loaf. Unfortunately, it is baked by the owner herself (Teresa O'Doherty), and she had only made enough to cover that night's anticipated crowd. But, she was kind enough to offer to bake loaves on demand with 24 hour notice.

I don't know how best to describe this bread, except to tell you to picture your own granny's home made recipe. Then add what I detected was oatmeal. Teresa mentioned one secret ingredient is wheat germ. But, beyond that, she wouldn't say much. You know how we Irish like to keep family secrets!

Anyway, we concluded the day with a tour of the Hollants-Parker estate, which deserves an entire blog entry of its own.

All this, and I didn't even think about the heat. Well, not a whole lot about it, anyway. But, glad to be back home, in the AC, with a nice cold drink in hand.

Slainte! (That's Irish for cheers!)