Boots

I know boots have nothing to do with sailing, but I saw a pair at Trade Days in Fredericksburg. A lady was wearing them and I just fell in like for them and just had to have a pair. I swore that if I ever found them for sale I would buy them...well, of all places to find them, Key West. So here they are. Have had no opportunity to wear them yet, maybe at Fantasy Fest if we are still here.

Several years ago, my favorite daughter gave me some very cool old postcards of women in swimsuits. I gave them back to her to do a craft project and I am sad to say she lost them. Oh well. I found this one on e-bay. I did not buy it but copied it to my files. Thought I would share it.

Challenage

I saw over at Valerie's blog she is going to try to post something everyday for a month. Okay girlie your on!!! I will give it a try also.

VISITORS FROM PORT ARANSAS




We had some company last Monday, Donna and Mike Adkins who have a catamaran at Island Moorings. They were visiting the Keys to scout out a marina to bring their boat for a couple of months this summer. We visited one with them here in Key West located on Stock Island and it looks like that is where they have decided to bring it to. Should be fun to have some more friends in the area.

Sounds of Freedom

Oh my gosh, it has been so long since I have made a blog entry that I could not remember my password. Had to go digging around for my notebook that I have it in to refresh my memory. Thank goodness I found the notebook, because it was not even close to what I thought it was. I guess we are having just to much fun here in Key West. You see...there are these long tentacles that extend out from Key West that wrap themselves around your keel, in our case both keels, and just sorta suck you in. We are not sure what it will take to break them off, perhaps a hurricane?

After spending about a month anchoring out we decided to smarten up and check out the Key West Naval Air Station marina. It has been years and years since we were on a military base and NAS Key West is a small friendly place and the marina is beautiful. We are steps from the parking lot/laundry room/restaurant and bar. The best part is the cost! Truly we have found paradise!

Every morning I am waken by the sounds of freedom flying over. Having been stationed at MCAS Yuma, AZ I had forgotten how thrilling it really is to hear our jets soaring overhead reminding us that our brave men and women in uniform are still on the job!

I have spent a lot of time with Tami, shopping at thrift/junk store (it is so nice to have a friend who gets junk) and eating at different places each time for lunch. Tami has to work two days a week, bummer, so it kinda interferes with our fun time. There are kayaks here at the marina and that is on our agenda for one of our girl's day.

The capt and I took a little road trip through the Everglades a few weeks back. People stopping to look at alligators, I for one did not find them cute and cuddly. I would not want to drive through the Everglades after dark and run out of gas. These amphibians are just laying along the road. We ended up in Coco, FL which was a nice town, reminded me of Fredericksburg. Cute shops and restaurants.

I have downloaded pictures in no paticular order to enjoy. Sorry for the loooooong delay in blog entries. I will try to do better, but don't bet the farm on it.



View of Liberty Call by marina office


Part of marina by the beach/cabanas


Liberty Call in her slip


View of the marian from the mooring ball we were on for a couple of weeks at the NAS marina


Another view from mooring ball. It was a foggy day when I took theses two pictures. According to the locals fog is not common here in Key West. For a few days it felt like California...fog in AM leaves for lunch and back in the PM.



Navigator Bar and Grill at Boca Chica Marina NAS Key West


View of the office from the back or Liberty Call


Driving down the Keys


More driving down the Keys


Bahama Mama's for two! Hmmmm do they make you thirsty?


Captain and First Mate on Duval Street.


Tami and the sunset at Mallory Square


Thane


Tami, Thane and the Captain at Mallory Square

Key West Chickens

Key West is famous for the free-range descendants of Cuban fighting cocks that roam the entire town. Here are some pictures I have taken of some of these happy chickens in action.







They can even be found roaming and pecking around the old town cemetary.




Key West even has clouds that look like chickens!

Picture Post

Trees on our sea shell island

Sea Shell Palooza

The Captain looking at an old car we spotted during a bike ride in Punta Gorda

Banyon tree in Punta Gorda

Al and Melinda...met them in Tarpon Springs and Bradenton

How not to anchor out at Marco Island

Entering Key West

I HATE CRAB POTS....IT WAS LIKE A MINE FIELD!

Christmas in Key West

We made it to Key West the evening of December 19th. We anchored out that night and called a few marinas the next morning to find a slip. We got one at Conch Harbor Marina, next to the fuel dock, but it was a great slip on the end so every afternoon we watched all the tourist boats go out for the night cruise.

We spent that day cleaning the boat, doing laundry and resting up. Sunday we met up with Thane and Tami and they took us to a local place they like for dinner. The food was delicious and the margaritas were best I had had in a long time. But most of all I was so happy to see these two. They are some of the best people ever and Tami and I picked up yammering like it had only been yesterday since I had seen her.


Miss America!!!

Monday morning we rented a car and drove up the Keys to Ft. Lauderdale to pick up Ronda and Derry. I was really excited to make this drive. I had seen so many pictures and movies showing Hwy 1 going up the Keys, and it lived up to my expectations! I forgot my camera for this drive so no pics, bummer....you will find that I do that a lot!


Together Again!

It was great to have Ronda and Derry with us for Christmas. Christmas Dinner was on Liberty Call with Tami and Thane, and Thane's Mother, Jean, and her boyfriend, Collin, who is a Brit and had one of those great British sense of humors. He kept us laughing! But our special guest was Mango! Thane and Tami's parrot. Mango was like having a kid with us, in fact he ate at the kid's table.


Ronda with Mango.

Dinner was a shrimp boil topped off with homemade Key Lime Pie. We all decided that this should become a new tradition! Save turkey for Thanksgiving!!! It was yuummeeee!!! But, the company was the best! How tough can life be having Christmas with great friends in Key West??? Although, we did miss family (Mom and all) and our personal crew (Valerie, Curtis, Travis Jr. and Jessie.)


Christmas Shrimp Boil!