01/02/2024

 

Left Chicago Midway bright and early on a 5:30 AM flight to Miami. Arrived safely into Miami at 9:30 AM ahead of schedule. We were able to finish the movie we were watching while on the plane while we waited for our friend John to pick us up. Stopped at the dive shop on the way back to the boat. Picked up a flotation jacket to float while snorkeling.  I  went to the boat while Matt drove John back to Big Pine Key so we could use his car. We went to Boondocks for dinner and caught my first sunset in awhile.



 01/03/2024 - 01/05/2024

Not really doing much these days, since we are docked in Marathon until January 27th. We play pickle-ball in the morning. Go to the grocery store - where the roosters are hanging out in the parking lots. Rooster are a staple of the keys.
Catching some sunsets. The fire department hung a huge American flag for the Celtic festival this weekend. The kids gave us these cups for Christmas with the boat under the St. Louis arch !! We also went to the American Legion hall with John and his brother and sister-in-law for $12 Philly Steak Sandwich & fries.




01/06/2024

Spent the day at the Celtic Festival. It was predicted that it would rain all weekend. Turned out it was a beautiful day in the low 80's. 

 



This was a girl tossing a 28lbs kettle bell over an 12 foot bar !!


01/07/2024

Started out as a beautiful sunny day in the mid 80's. Little did we know that this would be the last sunshine we would see for the rest of the week !! Around 1 PM the weather took a turn  The temperature dropped and it poured until around 3PM. Our friends from New Zealand arrived at 4PM with their daughter who had just arrived. We all decided to do a potluck dinner. I made my crockpot Italian sausage, Dan made his famous Captain Dan's Homemade Shrimp and Grits, Nancy made her salad, Lisa made coleslaw and potato salad. Nancy also provided her first try at making a Key Lime pie which was delicious.



It was great to catch up with everyone and have our group back together.

01/08/2024 to 01/10/2024

The weather has been unseasonably cool here. Haven't been to the pool (just to chilly). I'm sure everyone up north would like just a little of this warmth. Still trying to catch sunsets even through the clouds. I also learned to play Mahjong at the library. What a fun and challenging game. 



01/11/2024

Still overcast so we went to The Aquarium Encounters. 

Sting Rays being fed


This is a skeleton of  a stingray showing its  cartilage structure which is the same material that human ears are made from. This gives stingrays their bendy and flexible appearance and allows them to glide through the ocean effortlessly.

A Lion fish are an invasive fish - the spikes along their spines are venomous. I have heard they are a tasty fish.

Several sharks which we were told to keep our hands out of the tank.





 Tortoises enjoying the heat lamp on this cooler day

These were approx 3 year old alligators
This was a one year old female gator 


 These were refugee boats which washed up on the beaches here. No one was aboard, so the government does not know if they survive or drowned !!




When we returned we decided to do Happy Hour at The Lazy Days Restaurant in the Marina where we are at

 

01/12/2024 -01/13/2024

Spent two days going over to see John. Matt & John worked on his boat for two days and then put it back in the water. I went to the Blue Hole to see the infamous alligator that suns on the rocks.

Also, happened to catch the Magnificent Frigatebird diving for some water


I also went to the library in Big Pine Key where I was able to play a few games of Mahjong. On Friday we played Pickleball after a very stormy night. There are 5 courts at the outdoor Community Park and usually around 30 people. This was one of the hottest days for us on the court - due to the humidity from the court pavement and the heat.

01/14/2024

 Finally - another warm sunny day. Went to the American Legion for their $10 steak, egg, hash brown & toast breakfast or the $8 with eggs, hash browns, bacon, toast and pancakes (we were told the best breakfast in Marathon).  We were able to spend some time at the pool !!!






Comments

  1. Joanne NugentJanuary 15, 2024 at 6:10 AM

    Enjoy the sunshine when you have it
    It is 0 degrees in Chicago you are not missing anything at home

    ReplyDelete

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