2/29/16       Monday     LEAP YEAR in Boot Key/Marathon, FL

David and I were up and moving swiftly this morning, off the boat by 9:30, missed Cruisers' Net in order to get the bus to Key West. Sweet ride. The land- and seascapes through the Keys are simply stunning. The water colors. The low to high mangroves. The palm trees. We're definitely in the land of palm trees of so many varieties. The mangrove "swamps", shallows...whatever they are called with the salt on all the mangrove roots as the tide goes out, giving them a frosted look....the white trails (underwater) in the shallows where boats have run aground and backed out...like slashes on flesh...what looks to be the solidifying of the "swamp" with water evaporating so that the sand/coral mud is growing red or yellow lichen...roots of Black Mangrove growing UP....such science fiction/ fantasy variety of color and form. Delicious and totally intriguing. What animal creatures are growing/living in these places?

Didn't take this today but...Key West
where the beginning and the end of the road
may be the same

Our visit with Sheila was equally wonderful. I've known her for 30+ years but we've never been particularly close, very respectful of each other and our places in the dance world of Maine but not close buddies. How lovely to enjoy each other's company and know each other better in our retirement years. She lives mostly full time in Key West but comes back to Maine for some summer fun.  Can't wait to see her in Maine now.

Back on the bus after a short but vigorous walk on a beach near Sheila's and back in Marathon at the marina by 5:15. Checked our mail and I got the Dry bag back pack I ordered. It is bright yellow but I think too big. We'll see if David wants it otherwise I'll return it and look for a 20 liter one rather than this honking 30 liter one.

Beer on the aft deck with handsome David and lovely Amelia. Amelia did not join us in drink but did get some kibbles. It was, I believe, the most luscious evening we've had in Marathon. Wind was gentle and warm, blue sky, and a little sailboat zipping and zigging among the rows of boats. About as good as life gets I believe.

2/28/16        Sunday         Boot Key/Marathon, FL

Gentle, slow beginning to the day this morning. Listened in on the Cruisers' Net and decided to buy the Rosette Stone Spanish Language CDs. Here I go again, learning Spanish. I've decided to just "learn Spanish" rather than "try to learn Spanish", hoping that trying has been holding me back all these many years. In reality I probably just need to immerse myself...you know, go to Costa Rica and live with a family who doesn't speak English, live there for at least one month.

Showered, danced/improvised for 1/2 hour in the park pavilion, back to marina to compute....and my phone broke. David and I are having a tough time w/phones. Don't know what happened. I was texting a friend and the keyboard quit working. I pressed send and the keyboard disappeared, not to be seen again....so far. I see/hear that I'm getting messages (text and email), I was able to answer a phone call but I cannot open the keyboard in order to get to my home page. All contact information, photos, etc are locked inside. I may just decide to never again "lock" my phone and need a password. The AT&T service person, Eddie, was great today but "the phone is broken". And I still owe abt $90 so they won't take it back and there is no guarantee (?). Not sure how long I've had this phone, pretty sure it is no longer under warranty. Might be time to check out those AARP phone plans. Meanwhile I'M WITHOUT A PHONE! I feel naked and invisible - odd combination - and really NOT independent. Damn and double damn. This will be good training.....for something...nursing home training.

We spent several hours in the AT&T store. The good news is that David did get all his contacts and photos and messages transferred from his broken LG phone to his unbroken Samsung phone. Larger than small mercies. I noticed that I wasn't pissy about just sitting and waiting for our turn. Grateful that my attitude of impatience has adjusted itself a bit. Grateful. I'm no fun for myself or anyone else when I'm impatient, pissy or snarky.

Back on the boat it is warm and comfortable. Kitty is happy. David is making a cob stew of some sort for his dinner. I had a really late lunch and may not indulge. I've a little computer battery left so might listen to a Rosette Stone CD.

We're going to visit Sheila in Key West again tomorrow. We'll take the bus, about 1 hour each way, $1.50 each way. Supposed to be beautiful tomorrow.

2/27/16       Saturday        Boot Key/Marathon, FL


Early morning dream about dancing, and my meed to do so. I was walking across a yard and heard loud music (Love Is a Many Splendid Thing) and couldn't resist the urge to dance, even though I questioned the appropriateness of it in this place I was...some big yard with clipped grass. I danced and danced, changing levels, a lot of low movements and I wondered if getting on the ground was a good idea (both because of mussing my clothes and wondering how difficult to get back up). As I danced I was no longer in control of my body, rather some power outside my ego was dancing me and I was enjoying the ride...sort of watching but still fully embodied. The dance ended and I went to great some friends. As I walked across the yard/lawn I was slightly appalled at the condition of my dress, a 1960s-style shift of large floral print. It was wet with grass dew, splotchy with grass stains and flecks of cut grass. I kept brushing myself off in an effort to be more presentable. But it was what it was and I'd enjoyed the dance. I saw Cathy Fitzgerald, a college friend, who was chatting with her girlfriends and getting ready to try out a new, low-slung motorbike. It was brushed silver and just her size but maybe longer than usual. I didn't really want to distract her from her friends or the bike.
Woke up.

Okay my armchair psychology friends - analyze and let me know what you figure out. Clearly, I'm missing dancing....but in addition to that???? I did remember this afternoon that I'd considered using that music for a Limon fall phrase I made for David Parker's class this summer. Something to recapture, maybe.

Well, now that we are in suburbia and securely, for the most part, settled onto a mooring...I'm ready to start moving toward home....sort of. Today was just a weird and not exactly pleasant day. We'd thought to go for a motor but the wind was stronger than comfortable and we wanted to go to the flea market. So, no. Flea market produced a couple books for me and a larger anchor for the boat. Expensive and a fine purchase for our safety. There was a trip to the food store, mostly to get cash for the anchor, and the Office Depot to get our absentee caucus ballots printed, then to the P.O. to mail them and back to the boat to test to see if the anchor fit. Score. David went back ashore for some reason and I had some alone time on the boat...very welcomed alone time. I did a few boat projects...coiling line, preparing solar panels for removal (we're getting new ones), read a magazine, battled the strong wind (while coiling line and preparing solar panels.)..so tonight I have a stiff neck.

David and I tried reading from our book together but it was growing toward dark and the book is too dark to read at dark. We'll continue it in the daylight. After dinner I spoke about some things I'd like to start and finish at the house before we settle back into it this spring. Refinish the living room floor is HIGH on the list and would be most easily done BEFORE we move in...given dust and fumes. New curtains. New sofa. And we talked about places we each want to stop on the return trip - me: St Augustine and the towns south of Cape River to explore by car; David: Mystic Seaport. We also talked about stopping to see Don & Dianne at the end of Long Island, maybe doing some boat work there. Also, how to avoid Chesapeake Bay and whether we were brave and/or experienced enough to do that open water crossing...and miss Lynda's dance concert. Clearly, thinking about returning home.

Time is an interesting aspect on our cruise. We've made some casual friends and some people could be long-term friends. But here we are in Marathon...in the creek for 3 weeks already and now in the mooring field for at least two more weeks. We don't know which boats are living here mostly full time, which folks are passing through, like us. Which people do we invest time in establishing or even researching possibility of friendships...beyond the casual acquaintances and how do we do that. And/but casual acquaintances offer limited satisfaction.

I was really glad to talk to a girlfriend of 30+ years today.

2/26/16   Friday  Boot Key/Marathon, FL

Today would have been the 81st birthday of our friend, Wayne Hollingworth. He died last April. I've been thinking about him a lot today, missing him, thinking how we might have been more helpful to him in his last weeks and days. Absolutely, we did the best we could with the information and experience we had. Only with the privilege of retrospect, we might have made different decisions with and for him. We might have let him die sooner. We might have brought him home to our house or even to his house. We might have stopped the teaching hospital's "another test" or "another procedure", knowing that his systems were shutting down and nothing was going to stop that process, at most a day or two delay in the progress. Deep sigh. And I know that we did the best we could and that everything we did was in love with/toward this dear friend. I look forward to seeing Wayne's family again and to scattering his ashes this summer.

Meanwhile, life in Boot Key Harbor is satisfying to me, today. David had a more difficult day...an alarm went off in our boat while we were at the marina so he had to come back to see what the problem was - smoke alarm had something sitting on it so it couldn't breath, FedX brought his new phone but no one was available to sign for it so David had to bicycle to the airport later to retrieve the package. It was a tiring and trying day for him.

I met a friend and we worked on sewing our pine needles into the bottom portion of our basket projects. And I stayed w/the boat - ALONE - well, with Amelia, while David went for his phone. Had a lovely conversation w/Mary Allen of Coffee By Design. What a lovely human she is. I didn't get as much computer research and work completed as I'd hoped but there is tomorrow...after the yard sale.

My life is rich and I am so very blessed.

Wayne

2/25/16          Thursday     Boot Key/Marathon, FL

Second evening in suburbia. I'm okay with this - close quarters and the security of a mooring. And it IS supposed to blow tonight. Already we're swinging around a bit.

Over dinner, on board, David and I had a moment of panic when we realized the date, the face that a friend is performing on 2/27 in Key West, that that is 2 days away (!), which means we have  only two weeks and two days if we are really planning to leave by mid-March. Holy cow patties!!!!!!!!

Meanwhile, I don't hate boating today. We were on the boat doing various projects until around 11:30 this morning. I was bored. Finished my book which was not as engaging as other John Grisham murder mysteries I'd read. David was working to fix, re-engage the electronics that have been scrambled by the EMFs we were exposed to out in Sister Creek. Hope it was only the boat electronics and not our own nervous systems.

Anyway, left the boat around 11:30 A.M. got to the marina (only 6 minutes away now!!!) in ample time for my Basket Making Class. Terrific! Tedious. Needs attention and precision. Patience (yeah, my strong point). Concentration. Some physical dexterity.  And so satisfying. I've made a date with a boating friend to meet tomorrow to work on our projects.

The teacher, Patty, provides starter kits for $25 with all you need to make a small pine needle basket w/beads and wrappings. Cool. I worked with 4 other beginners and we all got to about the same place in our first basket. That would be about 2.5 wraps of our center piece. Slow progress these first three wraps of pine needles.    

Basket beginnings

Pine needles are a foot or more long

The sweet thing is that I have a "hot pad" and a small basket that my grandmother made of pine needles - same process - when she moved to FL back in early 1960s (?). It is such a sweet memory that Mama was making this same stuff and that I thought it was something only OLD people would do and how boring, and now here I am (old people) enjoying it. I'm amazed at how beautiful and original some of the baskets and trays are that women have made here, and how beautifully precise is the stitching, both functional and decorative. Reminds me of aunt Kathleen and her, by hand, quilt making.

David was bored w/Marathon today. He did some errand while I learned enjoyed baskets and the women who were engaged in that. We talked tonight about how to become more engaged with this community, the Boot Key harbor community. Invite people for drinks, shared dinners, music or movies together. Interestingly we don't invite people to dinner, etc very much in Maine. Our socializing tends to be "running into people, out" rather than inviting people "in", with a few exceptions, of course. Ah, the skills and techniques of making acquaintances who may become friends. And then there is the challenge/perception of only being here a short time so what's the point. Well, the point is...to not be lonely, to not be bored, to learn about other people and their values, trials, and successes.

Today I met Denise and Roy who were obviously wealthier than I...and not that I consider it were obviously lonely, at least she was. They sat at my basket table after all my colleagues had left (I was the last sitting because I was a slower learner) and asked questions about what I was doing, where from, etc. I worked to be engaged w/them and not let our apparent financial difference get in my way. I did okay. I hope to run into her, especially, another day.

Interesting. The boat is David's passion, his toy (not to dis the importance of the boat and his maintenance of it which is potentially life-saving for us). My passions and toys are not here. I'm working to entertain myself and stay engaged in a way he doesn't have to work/concentrate. I think this may be true of other boating wives, so we look for other engagement outlets. Perhaps Sunday or Saturday I'll take my music to the band shell and dance, improvise for fun w/my passion.

Photos of my paddle boarding attempt...from yesterday...or the day before. The woman who let me borrow her paddle board took them on her phone and just sent them.

really bad form but at least I'm standing

Better...moments before I splashed

2/24/16      Wednesday        Bot Key/Marathon, FL


I told David, "This is not the truth but right now...I HATE sailing." "And this isn't even sailing," he said. "Then I hate BOATING," said I.

This was as we untethered ourselves from the mangroves, pulled the slimy lines on board, lifted the anchors which were muddy and slimy, while being chewed on my MILLIONS of no-see-ums. It took an hour and it sucked. David was similarly slimy and bug eaten, more than I was since he was in the mangroves. He's just afraid to vent, having to keep the good face on ALL the boating adventures, fearing I'll bail...which I won't. But these freaking little bugs are the worst.

But here we are, in the city...well, the suburbs, on a mooring along with about 250 other boats. We're quite a bit closer to the marina (a 6 minute dinghy ride - so close we went in for showers around 7:00 PM since coming back in the dark is not such a big deal in the mooring field). And now we're part of the anchor light star field that I've enjoyed so much in our evening dinghy travels.

Suburb neighbors

David had Alex (SeaTek) come out and make a proposal about our solar panels which don't seem to be providing much power these days. Alex looks about 17 but is probably 25 or more, cute as a button and apparently very smart about electricity and boats. He's been living on his boat off the grid for eight years and this is his business - SeaTek. He was great. And...chaching! The sound of dollars leaving our account and going into his. So next week we'll have a new solar panel and more juice going into our batteries and not have to run the smelly, loud engine every other day to charge batteries. Big bill but we're going for it. The refrigeration will have to wait.

In early today to do the laundry and shower before yoga. Then met David and we went on our bicycles, out for lunch. Back at the marina, a wonderful spotting of 3 iguanas in the bushes beside the dinghy docks.

This one was bright green - 18-20" long

This one more green/black

last 2 photos were in a sort of stand off on branches facing each other
these last two are a bit fatter and about 2+ feet long w/tails

Then back to address moving Grace.  We're delighted to be in the 'burbs, knowing it will make it easier to leave and come back - a short "release the mooring" event rather than an hour of disentangling ourselves from mangroves w/bugs. There are some bugs (no-see-ums) here but not as many. I'm confident we'll enjoy our 2-3 weeks here. And we're expecting our Nova Scotia buddies next week. Already it feels like we're in a neighborhood here, easier access to other people as well as the marine. We met Mary and Mark from the SV Marathon, one boat on the diagonal.

A front is coming through tonight. Some relief from the muggy weather of the past couple of days. To be clear, I'm not complaining about the 80+ degree weather or the humidity. But will enjoy a cool night or two and a little rain to wash off our decks.

2/23/16     Tuesday        Boot Key/Marathon, FL

A diving pelican (fishing no doubt), a white egret and a rainbow....all this before 8:00 A.M. Could be a good day in the making.  

yesterday but it was still beautiful and similar to today, maybe it was today
in paradise

We're now # 1 on the mooring ball wait list. Hoped that today would be our ball day but the wind was really blowing. Hard to imagine anyone took off for the Bahamas but maybe at least 2 could have decided to go up the west coast of FL. Sigh.

So.....to the beach!!! Took our beach chairs and our books, and our phones just in case we got that mooring. The wind was pushing waves into the mouth of the creek. Drama....and beauty. Love the sound of the surf. Windy but warm and sunny. After about an hour we moved to a slightly less windy portion. Two women and a man came down with paddle boards. "Its pretty windy and choppy," said one woman, "but we've always wanted to try this and our time here is running out," said the other. "I've always wanted to try it, too," said I. And so I did! I did let them go first since they'd paid the bill. The man got worried about the women after they'd disappeared for abt 1/2 hour. We three (nick, David and I) were about to get in the dinghy to go see if we needed to tow them back when they appeared. Then it was MY Turn. WhoooHoooo. It was a bit rough out at the mouth of Sisters Creek. Balancing on my knees was no problem and I learned quickly that shallow pulls w/the paddle were more effective than deep pulls. Getting back to the beach against the tide and wind was....exhilarating. Back in the beach cove I tried standing up....as the waves were crashing in. Challenging. I managed about 45 -60 seconds each time. The water was really shallow so falling off was no worries. I do have a nice bruise and laceration on my shin where the board ran into me. All in all, though, success. Don't need to own a paddle board but would definitely enjoy the activity again.

Thanked our new friends and headed back to the boat where we read, scraped the rails, talked to buddies who stopped by in their dinghy. On the way back we saw another iguana. They are so prehistoric looking.    

here's looking at ya

same lady

2/22/16         Monday        Boot Key/Marathon, FL

David writes:

Another good day anchored in Sister Creek, where we are surrounded by mangroves,  where the no see ems come out when the wind is calm and sailors pray for a breeze!  These no see ems are smaller than their Maine cousins and march right through the no see em screening on our boat. So, we light citranenna (sp?) candles, spray ourselves with bug spray, pull the sheets over our heads and pray for a breeze!

Mind you, it is usually not all that bad except at sunset and sunrise, and wayyyyyy better than shoveling (or fearing) snow.

We are finally down to two on the wait list for a mooring ball in the Boot Key Harbor controlled by Marathon City Marina.

So, if other sailors take this Easterly and South Easterly to try to get to the Bahamas, we will have a mooring ball tomorrow!
This means pulling up three anchors and five lines we have tied to the mangroves. All are slimy with growth from the past two weeks plus, as well as the muddy sand of the anchors. So cleaning up the lines, drying and stowing will be our next (gladly) project.  Any suggestions on how to get the Florida goo off the lines that have been in the water is greatly appreciated.

Here at Boot Key, there is a "net" that takes place at 9 am daily on Channel 68.
The topics are Intro by Net controller, often followed by weather outlook, followed by agenda for net: new arrivals check in, departing cruisers check out, announcements and info about the area, then buy sell or trade, followed by trivia where people try to stump the net listerner's with a nautical trivia questions.

Recently, someone has been "stomping" on the net  by clicking on their VHF radio while others are passing traffic, thus  making their voice message un-readable. It has been pretty distressing to realize one person can mess up this community based network. The community is reaching out to the town, county and FCC to see what can be done to stop this illegal disruption. More to follow.        

Lastly: Observation from friend in Kennebunkport: The Sombrero Beach Public Park is open to one and all with many free parking places and lots of open access to beach and pavilions as well as exercise equipment, vollyball courts, etc.

This creates an inviting environment for visitors and locals as well, understanding that if the locals and visitors are happy they will stay and spend money to support the economy.  What is wrong with Maine, one wonders, that beaches are being cut off from public access and local land owners throw visitors off?

Interesting question that Florida appears to embrace tourism and Maine, in that area, appears to simply see visitors as a group to pull money off of. Hmmmmm?

To be fair: In Florida: several well to do land owners have apparently bought the attention of their legislators on the East Coat and have submitted legislation to the Fla Legislature prohibiting anchoring in the federally protected areas where cruisers anchor to prepare to cross to the Bahamas. Rememeber, that we are waiting for a mooring ball because others who wish to cross are stalled? Imagine someone with the power to say: NIMBY to a legitimate  cruiser who wants to safely wait for a good weather window to pass. Is this NIMBY person responsible if that cruiser makes a bad decision   because they were tired and wanted to rest/sleep  but a new law said they could not stop?

I hope someone is held responsible!

Anyway, for now we are good, waiting for a mooring  ball and the wind is blowing so the no see ems are
 at bay!
 A beautiful day in Marathon Bay!

2/21/16        Sunday           Boot Key/Marathon, FL


How did that happen?!? Third week in February?!! So we've been here in The Keys for 3 weeks. Dear friends, Nora & Dick, left today. They arrived a week after we did. We've had wonderful adventures together and now we're back to discovering another new "normal."

Today was a vacation day for the most part. We did not leave the boat all day. Well, we each got in the dinghy to do some beautifying efforts on Grace, so we were really off the boat but we didn't leave the boat....really. David skinned (scraped) some more railing and I oiled some more, different railing. David also washed the deck getting the mud off from the anchoring he and Dick did earlier last week.

New neighborhood David and Dick moved us to early last week
out of direct line of Voice of America broadcast to Cuba

The move down (up?) Sisters Creek puts us about 5 minutes closer to the marina and 5 minutes farther from the beach...which I don't seem to be getting to very often....YET.

clutter of line but a very clean fore deck
that little oriental carpet is from Wayne's house,
his birthday is coming up late this month, missing him

David, with my help, did a yeoman's work on an electrical improvement that did not improve. We have a new switch, though, and may be able to use it at some point after David does more reading and research. I was hard pressed to tear myself away from my book by Margaret Atwood, The Blind Assassin. Such a fine piece of literature. She is such an exquisite writer/storyteller! I finished it just a few minutes ago. It is just so touching...narrated by an aging woman who recalls her youth and marriage. and there is another novel within her narration and it is confusing...until the end...who are the participants in that interior novel. Wonderful. Definitely recommending this one.

David and I dined on board which we'd not done since Nora & Dick arrived, eating out or at their campsite. Nora is allergic to cats so couldn't stay inside on the boat. It was nice to sit at our table in the pilot house and enjoy food together, alone, with Amelia.

And tomorrow we'll see what it is like to be in the marina again, perhaps to move to a mooring tomorrow or Tuesday. The wind is shifting, giving those wanting to make it to the Bahamas a good 2-day weather window...if predictions hold true.

We spoke with our friends Dan and Wendy - David and Dan spoke. They are on the west coast of FL thinking of coming further south in another week or so. We expect to hang out w/them, do some island hopping then probably buddy-boat to head north by the middle of March. Aah, yikes. Middle of March is only 3+ weeks away. How did THAT happen?!!? And David and I will have to learn, all over again, all our sailing skills since we have barely been off anchor in 3 weeks. Thus, the island hopping will be good practice for us.

David and I started thinking about big (that is, expensive) boat improvements (like home improvements) today, thinking about how to balance the importance of money spent on boat home relative to money spent on earth home (7 Lavers Pond Rd) and thinking about future different or additional earth home in a warmer climate...for when snow birding on the boat is less possible due to our knees and other frailties or responsibilities or interests. Big subjects with no concrete decisions but the conversations are important if for no other reason than to alert each other that we are thinking about eventualities.We hope for those eventualities and long lives in good health.

And tonight, the full-ish moon.

 
Full ish, not fool ish

2/20/16     Saturday        Boot Key/Marathon, FL

OMGoodness. I slept for nearly10 hours last night, not all restful sleep but horizontal in any case. The day has been delicious and the evening wonderful. Coming back to Sisters Creek tonight was beautiful. Warm. Light wind. Our own anchor light star field. I've noticed that palm trees have become my norm and I look forward to being home on the boat. Now that both David and I have more confidence in the dinghy I can take it into the dock myself again.

Yoga this morning then sitting around the marina lounge - the large warehouse room - and working a jigsaw puzzle with some other adults. A fun diversion and I may purchase a puzzle to gift the marina so we'll have another to work. This one was an EASY 300 pieces. Fun to see how strangers work together, with our very own ways of doing things, to complete a project. I joined the trio and Beth handed me a stack of green stripped pieces saying "here are the green stripped meadow pieces, a project for you." I took them then ignored them, not out of resistance, its just that the horse cart with the words printed on it was more interesting to me. I got around to the green stripped meadow but it took awhile, and it was fun.

Dick and Nora joined us and we divided up - Dick and David taking the dinghy to Sombrero Beach and Nora & me getting lunch for all of us traveling by their van, and meeting at the beach picnic tables.

our picnic table is just to the right, water is beautiful

Mission accomplished and lunch eaten we all piled into the dinghy for a waterway tour. We went into the canals off Sisters Creek to look at houses. Beautiful! AND we saw an iguana, a yellow and brown one, that was 3' long. Dick got a couple of photos that he said he'd share..maybe by the time I finish this post.                  

We had a good time riding up and down canals. Also went into the waterway beside our new anchoring place, pretty shallow water (4'-6') that opens out into a really shallow (1') open "pond". Quiet and lovely but probably filled w/biting bugs around sunset.

Red Mangrove

Waterway tourists minus Dick, photographer

We ended our tour back at Grace for drinks on the aft deck admiring the day, the small grey heron, and appreciating our good fortune and our friendship. David took Dick and Nora back to their car at Sombrero Beach. I stayed on Grace to straighten and change clothes. David returned.

Dinner tonight w/Nora & Dick at the Sunset Grill next to their campsite. Food and atmosphere is family-friendly but hose families are generally quiet and contained enough to not intrude on anyone else's fun. A good 3-piece band was playing in the open air beside the pool, around which people were enjoying dinner. Guitarist was great! We've eaten her a couple times before and really enjoy it.

my camera/phone does NOT get sunset distinct colors but still...

Nora & Dick leave tomorrow so dinner was their last supper w/us in the Keys. They'll visit Nora's sis in Sarasota make another stop in D.C. to visit a friend then book it for Maine home. Loved spending time w/them here. Would do it a bit differently next time...like we did today...making plans in advance rather than getting together then trying to decide what to do/where to go. That was frustrating for me as it was hard to get us to decide, all wanting to not be bossy or feel guilty for always getting way or just wanting to know ALL the options. Triple Capricorn me is driven to distraction by some of this behavior. Opinions were not easily offered so as not to influence decisions. Duh! What's the point. So, make choices before we meet then just carry out the decision/
agenda. Hoooooooooooooooo hummmmmmmmmmmm!
Loving that they were here with us. Looking forward to "back to normal" boating here not that I know what "normal" is, particularly. But I look forward to cultivating some friendships here in the harbor. For example, I still haven't met the gardener but savored the gardens anyway.

tomatoes in the background

beds are about 2' high and 3' x 6'

    Friends, Dan and Wendy will probably arrive tomorrow and we are now # 6 on the mooring wait list. Wind is supposed to move to the east and southeast Monday and Tuesday, making it easy for folks to leave for the Bahamas and folks in the creek to move to balls. Could be us. Hoping to get a mooring as that would make it easier to leave, to come and go.                    

2/19/16         Friday                Boot Key/Marathon, FL

The north wind persists. For a few hours today it turned to the east with slightly warmer temps. Now back to the north.

I skipped yoga today, not my favorite teacher. Took off on my bike to the library...an easy 3 blocks mostly through parking lot and on sidewalk. Route #1 is too fast and too busy to be comfortable biking on the road. Watched a movie as part of my preparation for grant writing next week. Biked back for what felt like 7 blocks because the wind was so strong in my face.

Wonderful lunch by the water w/Dick & Nora then back to the boat by 4:30, thinking to join them again after a nap. We'd wanted to take them exploring by dinghy but the harbor is too choppy with the wind. Sigh. I feel as if we've not been able to share much of OUR experience on the boat because of the wind.

Took our naps from 5 - 8 PM, got up for a little reading and an Emergen-C and back to sleep.

A weird day.

2/18/16        Thursday           Boot Key/Marathon, FL


YIPPEE! A day on the boat. Same as a day at home. No commitments. No visitors. No schedule. Well, not exactly. But close enough for excellence. Felt great to hang out with David and Amelia. Amelia followed us from one of our few rooms to the other, where ever her humans congregated, she was there, too...sometimes sleeping but if she woke up and we were missing. Meow! Meow! Where are you??? Meow! It may be time for her to write another post soon. Her bout with throwing up seems to have subsided. I'm going with the too much food too fast and excitement and stress. Will try to ameliorate all. Just now she's walked across my computer AND the galley table and has settled at my thigh, her favorite resting place.

So, a day at home on the boat. Did some clean up tasks to prepare for Coast Guard inspection that didn't happen....today, at least. So we have a Boat Beautiful. We read aloud from the book we're reading together, Playing With Fire, which is pretty good....not the Dragon Girl series. I read the first one but there was way too much gratuitous violence in that for my tolerance. In this book the playing is a violin and the fire is an unpublished piece of music that is too filled with passion.

So, clean-up, reading aloud, David cut my hair (a little too short on top but my fault for instructing him. I didn't get to the library as I'd planned. We did get off the boat around 3:30, heading for the marina for shower (David) and computer juice(me). I'd also thought to go to the basket making class today but hair cut and reading aloud interfered. But I did see some of the beautiful baskets and trays that women have make from long pine needles and beads. I'm in next week! Thursday at 1:00 PM 1300 hrs). Had a great conversation w/Capt. Jack, the 94 year old resident, lives on his boat. He paints on sea shells and gave me one. That will be the "base" of my first pine needle basket! Capt Jack is a delight, can't hear well, loves to flirt, only a few bottom teeth. Sometime I'll find out about his family and past work.

We met Dick & Nora for a trip to Islamorada to go to an Art Walk. It turned out to be as much a craft fair as art walk and many of the vendors from the Pigeon Key Art Fair I attended a couple of weeks ago. Cool. AND I found the clothing designer whose clothes I LOVED and I bought a dress that David thought was a shirt. It could be either and I'll wear it as both...not at the same time. It is turquoise and looks great w/my eyes and hair. I've never spent so much money on one piece of clothing! And I found a pair of earrings that I bought in Beaufort, SC so I don't feel the need to buy more earrings. Phew.

Had a lovely time and got back to the boat around 9:00 PM to content Amelia. We had dragged our anchor, one of our anchors, so we set another. The newest neighbors are close and we don't want to become intimate w/then. There are strong northerly winds tonight which are broadside to us. Sooo, more anchors!  Three anchors. Five lines into the mangroves. We ought to be alright. Maybe a couple times awake for each of us tonight for anchor watch. Or maybe the wind will subside. That would be lovely.

2/17/16       Wednesday       Boot Key/Marathon, FL        Mary Griffin's birthday!!!


Some nights I wake up scared. Maybe a shard of a dream has sent me into gloom and doom. I start to enumerate all the things that could go dangerously wrong - the dinghy motor quits running and we're not where friends will help us/rescue us...going not so safely out to sea; there is a storm at sea; pirates really do try to board the boat; I make a misstep and miss a step and break something; David falls overboard. YIKES! What am I thinking is pretty clear. WHY am I thinking these thoughts...going down those waterways, is the question. I don't even need to answer the question. Just stop doing it. None of this has happened. None of it needs to happen. We've been very resourceful in dealing with any mishaps or engine troubles. Even my swimming lesson in the river was handled safely and w/humor.

I think, maybe, that as we get accustomed  to our place here and to Grace I might fear that we'll become lax, take our safety for granted and relax our attention. So my subconscious kicks into "pay attention/be careful" gear.The fear mongering reminds me to pay attention, remember that  anything can go wrong at any minute. Stay alert!  Okay, I hear the message and thank the messenger.  In the daylight I'm no longer fearful. Hmmmm.

Yoga today. I was so delighted to have cooked breakfast AND cleaned up after that I didn't remember to bring my yoga mat and strap. Remembered it halfway to the marina. No time to return. So yoga on the concrete sans mat..."au natural" as a friendly yogi said. All was okay except my hands felt gritty.

Our Yamaha dinghy has been colicky lately. One night it just quite while we were at the dock. David took the cover off and burped it. Nothing. Got the tools out and tightened something. Nothing. That's the night that Mike, with whom we'd rafted up in Vero Beach came to our rescue. Then last night it wasn't drawing gasoline appropriately so David took it apart and dropped a screw down into the engine. At least it wasn't dropped into the water. Troy and Lisa, and Dick and Nora, helped with that reassembly. Troy and Lisa followed us part way home just to make sure motor was running. And today David started the motor (you start it by pulling a cord, like old lawn mowers) and the cord didn't rewind. What is going on? Mercury in retrograde? That problem was solved with help of someone I don't know. We're thinking it may be time to go over this motor and tighten every last screw, similar to what we've been doing with the Grace engine over the months of travel and before we left. Tonight, no problem with dinghy motor.

Dick and Nora and we went to the Crane Museum and Nature Park this afternoon. It was so perfect. We took the trolley tour - a small electric bus - and a lovely, knowledgeable guide told us about the history and the vegetation and wildlife. The only wildlife we saw in the wild were spiders.

Gold Globe spider - color is wonderful but I don't really like spiders

The Marathon Wild Bird Rescue organization is in this park though. We re-met Becky (or Betsy) the blind elderly pelican we'd first met at the Arts Fair. There were about 20 pelicans, bunches of cormorants and some other injured birds there. We spoke with one of the rehab people who was feeding them. She'd begun volunteering there when she was 12 years old, now 25 and employed full time, having decided that child psychology was not the field she wanted to pursue after her first clinical experience. What a delight she was. Totally into her work with the birds.

Very late lunch of sandwiches in the Sombrero beach park, a little drive around to look at houses. Found a boat dock, with small land attached, for sell - $358K. We could rent the 2nd slip space to help pay the mortgage. Ironically, we pass this dock/land every time we go to or from the marina and have commented on what a good location it is. Is this another one of those pieces of real estate that we should have bought it when we saw it??? There have been several such pieces of real estate in our lives together.

Back on Grace and have discovered we have all the flares we need to be perfect legal with the boat inspections expected tomorrow. HA! Kitty snoozes beside me. I'm going to read my book and sleep early and soundly.

Continuing to feel blessed.

2/16/16         Tuesday      Boot Key/Marathon, FL

Sunrise was lovely this morning...and FILLED with no-see-ums. Fierce little bugs! And, truly nearly invisible they are so small. You feel something biting and there's a freckle....with hugh teeth, apparently. Only the sunrise shows up in the photo.

neighbors to our east

Talked w/my wonderful friend, Judy, to start my day today. So great to have a 30 year friend whose voice to hear.  Breakfast. Then we left the boat early to get in before the thunderstorm. We stopped to consider some other anchoring places as we dinghy-ed into the marina.

We've MOVED....not to the marina but about 1/4 mile closer...but 1/4 mile further from the beach. Sigh. We moved to get out of line with the most virulent electro-magnetic field...Voice of America broadcasting to Cuba for the past 30+ years. Broadcasting at 100,000 watts far exceeding the legal limits of the FCC. But, hey, it is our government trying to import democracy so...the rules don't apply. Dick and David moved the boat this afternoon and we're re-anchored but at an angle with the four broadcast towers. And now our GPS and radio receivers/transmitters work again. Phew! If they'd been fried we'd be poorer....or have to stay in FL and not travel too far.....or back to paper charts, exclusively. Photos of the "new" neighborhood tomorrow when there is daylight.

Dick and David moved the boat. Nora and I went to the library to compute; she working on Union of Maine Visual Artist publication, me working on Freeport Players job descriptions and grant applications. All around productive day for all of us.  Appreciating Dick's helping David w/the boat. Been there/done that and happy to share the experience with others.

Meanwhile, in our Community Library, Gov LePage conducted a Town Hall-type meeting. Word is that he "spared w/our legislator", full house and some people had to be removed for heckling. La di da!

Pizza in our oven for dinner and I'm ready to read myself to sleep.

2/15/16  Presidents' Day  Boot Key/Marathon, FL


We stayed on the boat all day today...until dinner w/the Tryons around 5:00 PM (1700, I need to practice). So boat/home improvement projects on this beautiful, warm, breezy day. Apologies to all friends who weren't having a beautiful, warm, breezy day.

Posting/uploading is really slow tonight so I'll be brief...maybe so many people on vacation and using the internet, maybe electro-magnetic field from the radio towers we're under (!).

Home improvements - another rail scraped and sanded (David); a different rail oiled (me); we read aloud from the book Sharyl gave us for Christmas, we can only read it during the day because of the potential for violence in it but a really interesting read; I read from my "own" book, too; we did a project together but for the life of me I don't remember what it was. Vacation mind.
Met our new next door boat neighbors, Fred and Ruth Ann from somewhere in MD are waiting for a Bahamas weather window. So are we but we're waiting so that people will leave and we'll get a mooring.

Amelia has been throwing up undigested food. I'm thinking, no food as soon as we get back from being gone for hours and many small portions. Perhaps the nervousness or excitement causes her to gobble. Disconcerting, though, to have a sick kitty. She behaves fine, doesn't appear to be low energy or ill. Just throws up.

Lovely dinner tonight at a fish place across from marina.

two photos from our most recent trip to Key West that I'd forgot I took. These at the Art and History Museum that we didn't go in (yet) as we were there after hours.

2/14/16    Sunday  VALENTINES' DAY    Boot Key/Marathon, FL   WARM at last


Feeling grateful for love, breathe, warmth, family, friends, water, opportunities, David (for sure!), life, stars, beaches and oceans, comfort,.....etc.

Key West today w/Dick & Nora; Hemingway House tour w/Cody as leader and he was willing to consider pronouns other than "guys"; visit w/Sheila Bellefleur at her home in Key West; great dinner at Hog Fish and easy dinghy ride back to Grace where Amelia welcomed us. Reading, thinking, enjoying, loving.

2/13/16    Saturday     Boot Key/Marathon, FL

A totally delicious day! Warmer sun, windy still but so much warmer even than yesterday (which was also quite a delicious day. I started the day w/15+ minutes of meditation on the aft deck. It was that warm. Coffee w/ David and we decided to take a few hours on the boat for home improvement projects. I went in for sanding and washing some railing, hoping to get to oiling in this beautiful sun and heat. Accomplished the sanding/washing but didn't get to the oiling yet. David took on creating a holder on the dinghy for the required 4' pole for the "all-around white light" for night safety. Accomplished and used tonight coming home from a potluck w/music dinner at the marina.

We met Dick and Nora at the beach (they drove, we dinghy-ed) for a sand sit and swim. Then they came back to Grace via dinghy for wine and snacks. David took them back to the beach and their car and we headed in to the aforementioned potluck.

During our wine/snack on the aft deck we spoke of being retired, travel, obligations, desires. There was a moment of tension when David talked about perhaps not getting back to Maine until June and I insisted on May. David wondered if I would leave him on the boat if we weren't back in May...due to weather or other unforeseen events. I stated, maybe, since "I signed on for 8 months" at sea. Of course I would not leave David stranded. And I expect/trust that he would not purposefully and without negotiation take more time returning to Maine that we'd initially agreed. I'm totally appreciating all these sailing/journeying opportunities and truly loving most (operative word, most) all this adventure w/David. However, that doesn't mean I want to continue this particular sailing adventure into summer. AST, we spoke of the possibility of our renters willingness to continue in our house beyond May. All that is to be carefully considered and negotiated...not assumed.

Meanwhile, we missed the Meridian Flare that was seen last night and tonight, missed by moments tonight, as we were busy tying and unloading the dinghy. Another opportunity will happen in about 10 days we think.  David got a better photo of the anchor light star field. Beauty.

And a tragedy - a dear friend's brother committed suicide this past week. Such a sad thing when dear people, apparently healthy and not very old, feel that death is their best option. So sorry for this loss.

Sending love out all around, to all.

2/12/16     Friday     Boot Key/Marathon, FL

Quick! Before my computer runs out of battery.

Photos from yesterday at the Dolphin Research Center:

walking on its tail

lizard or iguana? whatever, impressive basking in the sun

New to me yoga teacher this morning did more stretching than strengthening. Since strength is what I'm likely to lose I'll probably not attend many of her classes. Met Dick and Nora to have lunch w/one of Dick's fraternity brothers who lives a couple of Keys farther toward Key West. Interesting man, way more conservative than anyone I think I know. He will vote for Trump even though he thinks he (Trump) is crazy. I thing he (Dick's frat bro) is crazy but kept that comment to myself during lunch. And he (frat bro) thinks cutting off immigration would be fine until.... Oh woe! And he (frat bro) is such a delight to spend time with.

After lunch Nora and I were dropped off at their camp site where Nora painted and I read...our first down time since we usually are doing something. David and Dick went shopping. Nora and I went to the camp site beach which was delightful. We also watched the pelicans beg from the folks who were cleaning fish at the dock.

David and Dick returned just as Nora and I returned and opened a bottle of wine. Perfect timing. A light dinner with them and we returned to the boat around 7:30. Calm breeze. Warm temperatures.
Gentle day.

I've described before the star field of anchor lights in the Marathon City Harbor. The photo doesn't come close to doing this view justice. It is soooooooo beautiful. But here is what my phone can record. Put the intensity of that ban of spots in the entire photo field and you might come close to the view in your imagination.

Kitty has forgiven me being gone since 9:30 this morning. She snoozes at my side.

2/11/16     Thursday       Boot Key/Marathon, FL

On my! Such a full day!  The sunrise was delicious.

Sunrise on Sisters Creek

Said bon voyage to our neighbor friends and I immediately felt "left" and my heart hurt from watching them leave.

neighbors gone

But then morning on the boat...on the boat...on the boat. A welcome and necessary change to all the early morning jump in the dinghy and go syndrome. Early, mind you, is around 9:00 AM, not to be confused with the olden days when I taught at USM and early was jump in the car and go at 6:45 AM. Apologies to all who are still doing EARLY.

A new blanket for our bed, one that doesn't hold as much of kitty hair as the fuzzy sleeping bags we've been enjoying.  

Of course that meant changing the sheets and why not get another load of laundry together? I did some cooking (brownies) that turned out better than last baking adventure (corn bread muffins - toss!). David did a boat project. And kitty got lots of attention assuaging my guilt of too many long days away from her.

We met Dick & Nora for an adventure and decided to go to the Dolphin Research Center about 12 miles north of our marina. Dick drove. We rode at that amazing speed of 45 mph. Yikes! Still. An amazing visit. All the dolphins are in lagoons/pens where they are separated for various reasons: no sex so males and females are separate, there may be some age separation as a couple of dolphins are old (30 - 55, Molly being the elder stateswoman at 55), some are learning new skills/tricks/signals, there is the maternity ward. Excellent narrated "performances" during which 2 or 3 trainers showed us the skills the dolphin had learned w/trainers using hand signals and sign language to cue them.

I find it curious and wonderful that the dolphin have learned so much of "our" language/hand signals and we've not yet learned their language. Causes me to wonder what they're saying about how stupid humans are and how they have to humor us. Wondering if they've allowed themselves to participate in the research projects/facilities so they can do their own research on humans, dolphin being of the superior intelligence and wanting to know more about lowly homo sapiens. Possible sci fi essay.

Anyway, I learned so much and saw awed by the animals, and by the obvious love  and respect they and the trainers appeared to have for each other. We talked to two of the narrators (different from the trainers) about their work and their schooling (there is an intense 1 year training program there). I got Tiffany to consider changing her addressing the audience as "guys" when much of her audience was female. We had a long chat with the medical director about birth control, health, disease that humans can transmit (Mercer). So much information gathered. Truly worth so much more than the admission price. I might want to go to school there.

back flip, note the flippers in the air

duet aerial

dolphin twirled the hope on her nose

dolphins are allowing the humans to have the title of "trainer"

dolphin wanna bes

Home before dark and a delicious evening on the boat. Light wind. Bugs. but who cares.

note the white bottoms of the mangroves

Blessings

2/10/16    Wednesday      Boot Key/Marathon, FL

Stumbled out of bed and off the boat this morning without a clear pathway into the day. Yoga was the first but what then...shower? back to boat for lunch w/Nora? wait for Lori to shower and dinghy her back? opps, forgot my computer? Ended up having great chats with yoga buddies, one from Asheville, NC another from Brunswick, ME. As friend, Lori, says, it just takes time to meet people and then it's time to leave. Bummer! And Lori and Clint are leaving tomorrow. Sigh.

Dick and David did errands and laundry (well, David forgot to put it in but...it got done) and worked on the electricity in the van/bus/camper. Nora and I set ourselves with our computers in the cruisers lounge...that large warehouse room...and did some homework - Nora worked on the UMA Journal and I cleaned up my email and desktop (organizing, the triple capricorn's delight) and looked at some info about grant applications and language for Freeport Players.

Our men re-joined us and we took off to their campsite to...put the laundry in and have dinner at this lovely Sunset Grill just at the end of Vaca Key. Reasonable prices. Great view though the sunsetting was hidden by clouds, great company, good music. The Grill has a warmed swimming pool for customers to drink/eat and swim. If only it would get warm enough to swim!

Home to the boat without incident of needing to be towed tonight. Stars brilliant. And did I mention the star field made by all the anchor lights on boats in the harbor? It is stunningly beautiful. So sorry a photo isn't available. Doubt I could get one that would do the view justice.

2/9/16    Tuesday    FAT TUESDAY   Boot Key and Key West, FL

An adventure day w/Dick and Nora Tryon. Our planned trip to Crane Point was cancelled. The Trolley driver called in sick. It looked to be a not too pleasant day for the beach so we decided to take a trip to Key West. Off like a herd of turtles around noon, pre-lunch but who cares. A road trip.

WhoooooWhoa! David haven't been in too many cars lately...traveling at the extreme rate of 55 mph...with LOTS of traffic.....quite different from our slow 8 mph pace with maybe four other vehicles in sight. Yikes!! We stopped in Bahai Honda Key which is mostly, maybe totally, a state park/campground. Some beauty here. A gorgeous deserted beach on the Atlantic side and these Ibis on the Gulf side. I watched them drink by turning their heads to the side so their long beaks lay in the water. Very odd and adaptive!

Continuing on our way to Key West and into the CROWDS of people and traffic. Intense! Again, David and I have been mostly alone (on the boat) or with a few people at a time. Crowded sidewalks and loud people and music competing for air time and attention. Phew! People as obstacles to get around. Reminding me of why I left NYC all those years ago. We walked and walked but were too late in the day to do much museum-type activities so we'll have to go back. Also didn't get to see my friend Shelia who lives on a quieter end...not Duval St. We had to have lunch in Margaretaville, of course. And then just walked and walked, looked and looked.

Reportedly a Hemingway haunt

decorated pick up truck

Not the Rockland Strand    

Roosters and chickens everywhere and the guys announced themselves frequently

just pretty

We stayed to see the sunset along the wharf, a beautiful park, at Mallory Square. Lots of street performers, one duo (the Red Trousers) we watched their entire 20-30 minute act. They were wonderful, young neo-vaudevilians ..... from NH - David and Tobin. Great audience interaction and really skilled balancing and acrobatics as well as jugglers.

Key West (and life) travel buddies, Nora and Dick Tryon

I called our next door boat neighbor and asked her to check in on Amelia since we were going to be back late. She agreed and petted and fed Amelia. David and I arrived back at the marina around 8:30, got ourselves in the dinghy, left one dock to arrive at another dock to fill our water jugs. Yep got water and the dinghy engine would not start...wouldn't even turn over. Oh merde!

David took engine somewhat apart to check spark plugs. Tried again and again to start. Nada. I was surprised at how calm and relaxed I was...assuming David would be able to fix the engine...or someone would come to help us...or we'd curl up in the dinghy and be cold but safe overnight.

Someone was leaving the dock and asked if we were okay. "No. We need a tow." So he towed us all the way out to our boat in the creek, quite a distance from the harbor on a dark and windy night with the current running against us. Turning out of the harbor and into the creek we slowed way down. Our rescuer's engine was not very powerful. So....David and I paddled to help us all along. Rescuer would turn his cyclopes headlamp around to ask, "Straight ahead?" Yep, straight ahead. "Left up here?" Yep left around the bend.

As we came to our boat rescuer said, "Hey, we know each other. You rafted up with me in Vero Beach." "Mike, is that you?  We wondered what had happened to you. How's your shoulder? Wow, you are really our hero tonight." etc.

So many sweet coincidences, and wonderful re-joinings. Makes me smile and my heart expand. He is here for he doesn't know how long. He'd taken a fall the day we met and really wrenched his shoulder which is not healing quickly because he can't quit using it. He lives on a boat. We'll see him again in the daylight, I hope.

Aside from the guilt of ignoring Amelia and leaving her alone all day, the day was delicious.