12/23/15    Mother's birthday. Dad's was 2 days ago. They were close...birthdays and mom and dad.

Well, David and I sure know how to have fun. Up early. But, this was NOT a beach day. Overcast and muggy, not really hot. No beach. We spent the first 2-3 hours of morning researching, talking to, and deciding upon...which marina to attach ourselves to while un-stuffing and re-stuffing the stuffing box in our transmission...well, the boat's trannie. We decided upon 7-Seas Marina at the very south end of Daytona. We made our way slowly (because we didn't take the engine off the dinghy) the 5+ miles from our anchorage. Under the International Speedway Bridge - Daytona, remember, home of the NASCAR Daytona 500 among other races. Bridge structure decorations. Beautiful.

GREAT little marina with terrific staff. Grace got hauled out around 12:15

David started washing to boat bottom so I took over that job. We're a pretty low key, independent duo/trio. I told someone that if I let David steer then he'd let me help wash the bottom.

No hair but a bit of slime, clean/dirty comparison

David turned himself upside down in the bilge again but since we've seen that end of David before I got the "Ta Da!" photo this time.

TaDa??? we hope

The yard men were wonderfully helpful. Michael (he might have been 20 actually probably older but he looked 20 to my aging eyes) came aboard to check David's work. The stuffing box still drips but maybe a little faster than makes us comfortable. We'll check it again tomorrow - Christmas Eve!!!
Linda checked us out - i.e. gave us our bill and took our money - on a manual typewriter...with carbon paper. She mentioned that it was becoming difficult to find typewriter ribbons.

Linda - watch those fingers

 Our friends, Dan and Wendy, rented a car and did their provisioning and  picked up some items from NAPA Auto store for us...and delivered them to our side of the canal. We all went out to dinner at a lovely, inexpensive Italian place. We'll probably part ways just after Christmas as we'll head further south and they'll stay until they return, briefly, to Nova Scotia. Hope to see them in the Keys in 2016.

Wendy and Dan

Our lives are full. We are blessed. Celebrating light/Light. Sending love.