It's been a LONG, EVENTFUL few days...

AIS was supposed to be 0630 on Saturday, December 28th.  We didn't

quite make it until 0715; I kept forgetting this or that.  I was out of sorts

as Cap'n graciously did the refrigerator clean-out while Ellie and I went

to visit my 100 yo grandmother for the last time on Friday.  The man

worked his fool self, inside and out, all day and all evening long.  I have

to admit though, it took me out of my game having him in our one butt

kitchen most of the evening.  It's easier for me to simultaneously clean

and pack all at the same time.  I try to have the basics to get the galley up

and running on Marquesa when we get there, but that didn't happen this

year.  The good news is he bleached, cleaned, defrosted the entire fridge

and freezer by his own big self.  For his lunch that day, he made a loose

egg and put it on top of some leftover lasagna we found.  He learned that
trick from Kenny a long time ago- that a loose egg tastes great on just about

anything.  (yuck!)  Donnie said fending for himself that last day at home

reminded him of his bachelor days....scrounging around in the fridge and

freezer and eating about everything in sight! We locked up the house and

pulled out of the driveway at about 0715 Saturday morning.

Willis T is a pretty good car rider, though it takes him
about to Indianapolis to get over himself and settle in
for a long two days in the car.  He would come to say
"hi" and get pets on occasion, then he retreated to
behind the driver seat or on top of the cooler.

The traffic was unbelievable all the way down.  It took an hour and a half to get about 15 miles on either side of Atlanta.  It wasn't rush hour time, and it was a Saturday to boot.  It seemed everybody and his brother was on the road- going both north and south.  We figured it was everyone getting to and from their families for the holidays.  As it turns out though, it was good we left a little later, and it was good that we were waylaid in Atlanta.  There was a terrible wreck on I-75S near Valdosta, GA.  Somebody stole a tanker truck, then crashed it into a bridge in Valdosta.  The traffic was completely stopped and backed up for over thirty miles.  Had we been stuck in that all afternoon, Cap'n would have lost his mind, for sure.  We were slowed a bit as we entered the Valdosta area, but by then it was after 8pm, and we were ready to stop for the night anyhow.  We were fortunate enough to find a room- it's the same place we always stay at.  They are Willis-friendly, and serve breakfast in the morning.  My brother had given us an Olive Garden gift card for Christmas, so Donnie dropped me off there just a few blocks from our motel.  He went ahead and checked in, getting one of the last rooms available while I waited for a table.  It worked out perfectly.  I was no sooner seated and had ordered for us, and he came through the door.  We had a delicious meal- thank you Kent and Kathy!

We got going the following morning soon after 7am, and our ETA into Marathon was about 4:00pm.  As always, once we hit Highway 1 in the Keys, it's bumper to bumper at about 40 miles an hour for nearly two hours to Marathon.



We were worn out from the two day's drive, so we
didn't unpack and move aboard when we arrived.  I couldn't
 wait to get out of the car to see Marquesa!  Isn't she beautiful?!
She was shining so well, I COULD see my reflection in the
hull!  Cap'n did a fine job polishing :)  There is no bimini on
the rails as Cap'n has a new one being sewn.  It should be
ready in a day or two- though now we're on island time.

I swear to you, Willis went straight to the patio door, peeked
his head around the curtain, and looked longingly at Marquesa
tied up on the dock. Dern cat.  We must have went back to
the door and peeked out at the boat at least five times our
first night at Mamaw and Pap's condo.

Donnie and I took a late night scooter ride, that I've nicknamed "the blue hog".  It's a little 49cc that Donnie bought in Key West earlier this fall.  While he scoots, I plan to pedal, pedal, pedal my new clown bike that I got for Christmas.  We stopped in and saw Dan and Biddi over at Black Fin.  It's going to be strangely silent over at Banana Bay without Danny shining his spotlight into Marquesa and yelling, "Whatareyadoin?!"  We walked the docks at Banana Bay, and saw some new boats as well as some returnee's.  Mimi, Ragtime, Reflection, and Merlin are all back again.  There are a number of new sailboats here this year- so that will be nice.  Also, all the docks behind us used to belong to Ray and his Fish n' Fun boat rental business.  They have moved up to the Island, so we won't have all of that usual activity with fishermen renting the boats.  I have appointed Cap'n Donnie the new mayor of Paradise Pointe, and except for the occasional touron (moron tourists) that come down to fish off the rocks or see the sunset, we have our own little slice of paradise all to ourselves.  Larry did tell us that a big trawler is coming in for January and February, and will be docking in front of us where the Beast used to be.  That's just fine with us as we need a big wide body boat in front of us to help block the waves that come in on a north wind blow across the Gulf of Mexico!

All day on Monday we unpacked the car, sorted, and moved everything aboard Marquesa.  It was an all day affair as we had to keep checking our phones for baby watch updates!  Our daughter, Carissa (who lives in Germany) went in to labor within hours of our eldest daughter Jennessa arriving there.  (She was an LD nurse for several years in the USAF and now works as a nurse practitioner).  She arrived just in time.  Carissa labored over 24 hours, beginning on Sunday evening.  Between Jennessa and our son-in-law Austin, we knew she was in good hands. 

At 11:05pm, Germany time, 5:05pm local time, and 3:05pm in
Washington State where Austin's parents live, our grandson was born!

He was 7 lbs., 11 oz., and perfect in every way.



Is that not the look of love with father holding his son
for the first time?  I've looked at this picture dozens of times
the last few days, and I still get choked up when I see it.

This one cracks me up- they're already communicating!

That's one happy and proud momma,
right there.  We love you, Carissa!

It's amazing what technology can do for us.  Though we were not physically present, we were receiving the play by play through a "family only" page on Facebook.  It was incredible.  We were all chiming in, chattin' it up, holding our breath, and I know I was pushing right along with her toward the end.  It was so exciting.  Though this is Carissa's first child, it is our third grandchild. Jennessa is a wonderful mommy to our two other grandkids, Ava and Eli.  However, on Austin's side of the family, it was their first grandchild, so we were especially excited and happy for them.  We got the shock of our lives when several hours later, they called us with the news....

Say "Hello" to Donovan (Donnie) David Deeney- named after
both of his grandfather's.  We were dumbfounded, and we all
had tears of joy.  It was an incredible honor, especially in this
day and age of trendy names and all.  Isn't he beautiful?!  When
Jennessa first saw him and his little round head, she exclaimed,
"He looks just like Dad!" 
Donnie Deeney. Triple D Threat! It's perfect.

Later that night, Donnie took the Blue Hog in search of some Cuban cigars....



The proud Papaw had some celebratin' to do- with Thud, Danny & Bobby.
It's taken him the last two days of religiously brushing his teeth to finally get
the taste out of his mouth! lol

By 11am on New Year's Eve morning, we untied the dock lines to head to
Banana Bay.  The wind was continuing to build, and rain was forecasted for the
afternoon.  It felt good to be back on the water, and the new and improved
Bessie fired right up!  Holla!

Willis T has always had a love-hate relationship with Bessie.  He had something
to say about it, of course.

What is a less than five minute ride by car, is a three hour sail by Marquesa.
Not that I'm complaining!  Mamaw and Paps and Donnie's sister and her husband
live on a canal on the ocean side.  We traverse through the canals, past\Boot Key
Harbor (which is already full with cruisers for the season), out the channel into
the ocean side, under the Seven Mile Bridge to the Gulf side, and up the Gulf
coast to Banana Bay.  We got tied up at about 2:30pm in our slip, #33.

The wind was perfect for a speedy sail, over 7 knots several times with
a full main and only about half a jib.  We would have been overpowered
unless we decided to throw a reef in the mainsail. 

Cap'n fired up Bessie as we had the wind on the nose
coming through the Seven Mile Bridge- naturally.

Heading up the Gulf, we were nose on into the wind and waves.  We had
to motor most of the way.  Between the diesel fumes and the chop in the
water Willis T had the 'hot spit' thing going on.  He was in his sickly
position which is the bottom of the cockpit, eyes closed, wishing
that Bessie would shut up and the seasickness would pass.  I cannot
lie, I also had the puke burps happening, but thankfully neither of us got
sick.  I clearly do not have my sea legs yet, and it was MILD out there.

Cap'n no sooner had us docked, tied down, and the water and
shore power connected when the rain started rolling in.

It was just starting to sprinkle when the guy from Keys Canvas came with our
new bimini- hooray!  Sadly, it was the first B.O.A.T. of the season already,
and we hadn't even been in our slip an hour yet.  Boo....

Cap'n is a happy boy- the bimini fits beautifully.  No sagging, no bagging,
and no leaking- so it was definitely worth it :)

Willis was just happy to be "home" :)

Happy New Year, y'all!  Here's to some more amazing adventures in 2014!!!



just about time to head south....

Christmas has come and gone for another year, and it is time to be thinking about heading to Marquesa for the winter.  I, for one, am certainly ready to leave the cold!  It was good to have all the kids home (except for Carissa and Austin who are stationed in Germany).

Later on Christmas Eve, the kids come home to the cabin for cookies, hot chocolate
and presents.  We finish off the night with National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.
Pictured here is Emily, Michael's girlfriend Erica, Michael, and Elliebug :)

Michael was none too pleased getting trash talked by his niece in a rousing game
of chicken foot.  In the words of Kenny, he had a graveyard in front of him.

Also none too pleased was Willis T, aka Sassafras Sassybutt.  He tree'd himself up on the
beams all night long. He could not handle having the cabin full of people and children-
even if they were 'his people'....not even a little bit.  In fact, he hissed and growled on in
to Christmas morning- but only at me.  Yep, he clearly blamed me for all the chaos in the cabin.

Simon, the smarter brother, knew just what to do- escape to Mom and Dad's bed...it was
time to go to sleep anyhow, Santa Claus was coming, and he's all about that!

Simon literally loves his stocking....he knows he's been a very good boy.

I must have also been pretty good, as I was completely
surprised when Cap'n came in the house with a new fold up
clown bike. I was so excited!  Now I can pedal, pedal,
pedal to the Seven Mile Bridge again :) 

By Christmas night, the tree and all its trimmings came down,
and the cabin was put back together.  It's time to be thinking
about heading south for the winter.

When the last of the boxes were carried to the attic, Cap'n and Simon settled on
the couch for some last minute snuggles.  Today was moving day, to his foster
family for the winter. I know he will be more than loved and well cared for- in
fact, it's a pretty safe bet he will have to go on a diet when we get home in May!

Our little Simon buddy was delivered this morning to his new family.
I got this text later today.  I think it is also safe to say that our buddy
has a new buddy Tayte, and he has already made himself right at
home in Tayte's daddy's chair.  It did this momma's heart good :)

Cap'n Donnie and I got home from delivering Simon, and this is where I found the fur ball.
He's either getting tuned up in anticipation of returning to the Kit Kat Go Go Lounge,
or this is his idea of being all packed and ready to go!  Tomorrow we are getting the car
packed up and taking care of some last minute errands.  AIS is 6am Saturday- bound for FL!!!

Marquesa is on the move!

Yesterday, Pastor Bob and Marcia Pavey met us at the dock at 10:00am to join us for a sail.  We moved Marquesa from Banana Bay to her summer/fall home this year on the canal next door to Dave and Diane, Donnie's sister.  This was our last time to sail under the Seven Mile Bridge for this season.  We didn't get to sail nearly as much as we had hoped with all of our Bessie troubles this year.  We are praying that the major B.O.A.T. expenses are behind us, and next year we can get back to doing some major cruising- as in out of the country :)

The picture simply does not do the colors justice.  The water on the Straights of Florida side looked electric.  There was a beautiful southerly wind that had us up to 8 knots several times.  This boat looked to be headed to Key West, or the Dry Tortugas, or even further beyond.  Not gonna lie, I was jealous that there adventure was just beginning.

It was Ms. Marcia's first time sailing, and her first time out on the ocean since she and Pastor moved down to Islamorada this past July.  We'll see to it to get them on the water more often next year.  It was a red-letter day...was dolphins, two loggerhead turtles. a nurse shark and a spotted eagle ray.  God was putting on a show today!  We had a ball :)

As we turned in to the channel at Sister's Creek, Pastor Bob took the helm, and Cap'n took down the sails for the last time.  He had a sad face.

We had lunch at Burdine's, and the Pavey's enjoyed watching the boats going in and out of Boot Key Harbor.  This was one of several crab fisherman we saw bringing in all of their gear.  The snow crab season has been dismal, and many are simply giving it up early.  There was even a story about it on The Weather Channel a few weeks ago.  They filmed the story at Keys Fisheries right here in Marathon.

We had to order a deep fried key lime pie for us all to share.  Only the best. key. lime. pie. ever.  They agreed!

We took our time going through Boot Key Harbor, so they could enjoy all of the boats and beautiful homes.  We even made a quick pass by Sombrero Beach here in Marathon, before we headed Marquesa up the canals to her new home.  The sun was shining, and it was HOT, but there were threatening clouds over on the Gulf side.  Bob and Marcia and Ken offered to help us get the sails off Marquesa and folded up while they were good and dry.  You don't realize how big they are until you have them all laid out!  You don't dare step on them either, as they are SLIPPERY!

It took all of us to get them neatly folded and back into the sail bag.  (Ken really did help, lol)

At about 6pm, we were HOT and BEAT, so we headed to Banana Bay for our last time in the pool.  Sad faces.

And then we caught our last Florida sunset for the season.

We bid our good byes to Thud, and Dan & Biddi.  Gert and Bernie even stopped by to say good bye.  Donnie also sold a gas can and fuel line to another boater since we no longer needed it with our new dinghy.  Yay, gas money to get home ;)

After sunset, we visited with Kenny and Fran for a bit, and they fed us ice cream.  We called it an early night, as we had a big day in store for us today doing the final preparations, cleaning, and packing.  It is a huge job to get everything off the boat, cleaned, stored, 'summerized', etc. 

Donnie had to make a run to Home Depot for lag bolts and supplies...when he jumped off the boat this morning, the dock caved in.  Great!  Fortunately, the Cap'n hat is retired for another year, and the Mr. Fix It hat got put back on a few days early.  I did all I could do down below to clean Marquesa up good.  The fridge is cleaned and turned off, the A/C was flushed with fresh water and the sea cock was closed, the head was bleached down for the last time, and the holding tank was treated with the enzymes.  The dinghy, cushions, sail bags and such are all stowed below, and all of the linens have been laundered and are vacuum sealed until next year. I have an army supply of Damp Rid all over the cabin, and a fan was kept on to circulate the air.  I have two prayers....one, that it is an uneventful hurricane season this summer and fall in the Keys.  The other is that I have NO CRITTERS get into Marquesa while we are gone.  I have been hearing tales of palm rats that has me a bit freaked out.  I. hate. all. vermin. 

And that is that.  This evening we are meeting Diane and Dave, and Kenny and Fran, at Brutus' for our last burger here in the Keys.  We'll stay with Kenny and Fran tonight, gather up a Willis T. Cat, and start the two day drive back home to our log cabin in the woods.  It's always bittersweet leaving...I'm sad to go, but anxious to get home to the kids and grandkids.  For now we need to get home and get working, so we can replenish the cruising kitty for next year.

Thank you ALL for following along on Sailboats and Kitty Litter.  Thank you for your prayers and encouragement, too.  For now, I am signing off, but we'll be back for more on 12/26/2013.  G'bye, y'all!

progress :)

Look closely....there's a Willis T Cat in those mangroves...next to an empty bottle of Corona Light.  Dern cat.  When the thunderstorm blew up late this morning, he made a beeline back to the boat.  He's now sequestered there until Uncle Kenny comes for him tomorrow morning.  Uncle Kenny is going to have his hands full these last two days.  The boy didn't get one last trip to the Kit Kat Go Go Lounge in before we head home to Indiana on Thursday.

 

 

Donnie no sooner got the dinghy taken down and the rain began.  Boy did it ever pour...lightening., thunder, the whole shebang.  The good news about that is it kept us stuck on the boat, so we got major cleaning and packing done down below.  I feel like we are a bit ahead of the game, actually.   

 

 

Later this afternoon, we went to Kenny and Fran's to play one last game of chickenfoot- the bird is going home with ME to Indiana!  We took a walk around their property before we left, as the sun was shining, and I saw these little puffer fish.

Danny grilled the black fin tuna Donnie caught the other day.  Along with some baked potatoes and the glazed carrots I made, we feasted like kings- again.  I'm going to miss the fresh seafood... Though there were clouds in the sky, it looked like we might have a sunset afterall- so we all gathered 'round.

 

At just the last moment, the sun dropped from the clouds, and the colors were gorgeous.

 

I'm sure going to miss this view, too.

 

After Kenny comes for Willis, we are expecting Pastor Bob and Marcia at about 10:00am.  They are joining us for a cruise under the Seven Mile Bridge, to Burdines's for lunch.  After my last deep fried key lime pie for the season, we will motor through the canals where Marquesa will be docked next door to Donnie's sister's house.  We are praying it is not an active hurricane season!  I also am hoping above all hopes that the weather holds out tomorrow and Wednesday until we can get the sails and canvas off the boat and safely stored down below.  I don't want a repeat of last season where we had to leave everything soaking wet.  Pray for sunshine, people!  Gotta go color my hairs, and check on the last load of laundry :)  G'nite, y'all!



All good things...

must come to an end. 

And that's where we're at these days.  Cap'n got a coat of wax on the boat, I cleaned and oiled the teaks topside, and we both worked on polishing all of the stainless.  I am whittling down the pantry and fridge, and have started the process of cleaning and storing stuff until next season.  It's bittersweet, actually.  I am anxious to get home, to all the kids and grandkids, our home and property, and such.  But then I think of the reality of how much work there is to do on this end to pack up and leave, the two hard day's drive home, and then the unpacking and cleaning on the home front, too.  It's all a bit overwhelming.

So what did I do after church today?!  Took a two hour nap!  What do we have planned for tomorrow afternoon?  A game of chickenfoot and poolside fun in the afternoon with Kenny and Fran! 

Which means tomorrow morning we got to get with it...Cap'n is going to help me clean out the sea berth where all of our dive gear, life raft, life vests and such is stored.  When I'm done there, I plan to get all of our stuff out of Danny's car that we've had in storage (the world's most expensive dock box- his car no longer runs :) I also need to empty out the Jeep. While I begin sorting and packing some things, Cap'n is going to deflate and store the dinghy.  If he has time before lunch, he'll go over to Ray's dock on Angler Drive do a bit of maintenance on his dock before we sail over on Tuesday.

The plan for now is to have Pastor Bob and Marcia join us on Tuesday morning for the sail over to the ocean side.  We'll be taking Marquesa under the Seven Mile Bridge for the last time this year, through to Boot Key Harbor.  There we will stop and have lunch at Burdine's with them, (our last time, their first), and then we will go through the canals to Angler Drive.  I hope it is a pleasant sail for them. The wind has really been blowing out of the E/NE, ever since we made our passage last Tuesday.  I have no desire to get seasick again any time soon. 

Once the boat is to the canal, Willis will go to Uncle Kenny's to be baby-sat for a few days, while we take down the sails, the bimini and dodger rails, and do the final prepping to store her for eight months.  I bought about all the Damp Rid they had in the store today to keep the moisture down in the boat through the summer.  We'll also keep a fan running inside, and there's a solar fan up in the Vberth, so the air circulation should help, too.  My biggest concern is I've just heard about PALM RATS in the last few days....really????  I. hate. all. vermin. I need to google what else I can possible do to keep critters off the boat.  I would be beyond ticked (and disgusted) if palm rats throw a party on Marquesa while we are gone.

As for now, I'm too pooped to party, so I'm calling it a night.  G'nite, y'all!

Firsts and Lasts

As y'all know, we got back to Banana Bay at noon on Wednesday.  After five loads of laundry, the best hot shower in over a week, and a burger from Brutus' for dinner, by Weds. night, we were done in.  In fact, we all (Willis included) did the sleep of the dead- 11 hours!  The boys look so peaceful...nothing like the previous night on passage.  Love. Them. Both.

Thursday seemed to be a bit of a lost day as well.  We got off to a late start, and in the words of our good buddy Danny, we "started slow and tapered off!"  I managed to clean up the boat inside some more, put all of the laundry away, went through a pile of mail, and paid some bills.  Donnie gave Marquesa a thorough scrubbing on the exterior getting the layers of salt off of her.  Even the canvas tops needed scrubbed, from the waves that crashed over us.  She looks happily docked now :) 

Our first "last" was meeting Kenny and Fran at Salty's on Thursday night to hear Gary Bush and his band, "Just Practicing". They are really incredible, and Donnie and I had fun dancing our flippie flops off.  After the second set though, we were beat, and called it a relatively early night, again.  One night without sleep is a killer for us any more!  It takes us at least two days to recover. We must be showing our age.  Boo to that.

This morning, we got up early as we had things to accomplish before 10am...Donnie was going fishing, and I was heading to Key West for the day with Fran.  A trip to the bank and grocery was the first order of business.  I then stopped by Yanmar Diesel to see Luis about Bessie.  She's working beautifully, no problems there, but he had told us to call him once we had 50 hours on the new engine as she would require a valve adjustment.  We actually have 74 hours now, after our Gulf coast cruise, so I made arrangements to get a technician out here on Tuesday or Wednesday of this next week.  A quick stop at our favorite Cuban restaurant, and I got us both a Cuban coffee and some guava pastelos to fuel us through the morning.  I can assure you, that was not my "last" Cuban coffee- not yet!

The first "first" of the day was buying a new dinghy motor!  One Gallon Don and Kevin had a little 3.5 hp Mercury that has barely been used.  Yes, it may be a bit slower overall, than the one Cap'n fed to King Neptune a few nights ago.  However, it is very light (about 35lbs) so even I can lift it up to the cockpit where it is stored on the stern rail.  After Kevin cleaned the carburetor, it starts with just one pull and runs like a top, so we are pleased.  We really didn't need the dink to plane out.  Honestly, when we go gunkholing around in the dink, we are sightseeing anyhow, or simply using the dink to get to shore from an anchorage.  I think the new little Mercury is going to suit our needs just fine.  He just seems like a "he", so I shall name him Maynard.  And we got one major item checked off the to-do list with another trip to the bank!

At 10am, Donnie left to go fishing with Kenny and Rupert, and Frannie and I headed to Key West for a girl's day out.  Though I have been to Key West many times before, it has always been with a purpose- like going to the Kino's sandal factory.  Today was another "first"... Key West with no agenda whatsoever... just a day to stroll.  It was heavenly to have a day of total leisure.  Another "first" for me was a trip to the top floor of La Concha Hotel.  I've always wanted to do it, and just never have. Though only seven stories tall, it is the tallest building in Key West, and the view from the top is spectacular.

It was a "first" for Fran, too.  We really enjoyed it.

Around every corner was another vista of the city, and it was gorgeous.  The harbor was filled with sailboats :)

Some of my favorite things....the lighthouse, one of the many churches, and a cruise ship LEAVING, taking all the drunken, sunburnt passengers with them!  I know I breathe easier when Duvall Street isn't shoulder to shoulder with stupid drunk people. It just made the sightseeing and window shopping so much more enjoyable for me.

While I have eaten at Fogerty's many times before, I always get the Mahi Mahi fish sandwich that is as big as your head.  As a "first", I tried the Chinese Chicken salad, and Fran had some type of salad with sirloin tips. These salads were also as big as your head, and fabulous!  We should have split one.  I highly recommend this place if ever you're in Key West.

And, the biggest "first" of all....I bought ("invested") in my first piece of artwork!  Donnie and I have strolled through the many galleries in Key West, but have never purchased anything.  It is by Steve Harlan- look him up- he does beautiful work.  The painting is called Midnight, and it is a solitary sailboat, at anchor, by the light of the moon.  It is a scene that Donnie and I have lived aboard Marquesa hundreds of times.  There is something so incredibly peaceful and serene being the only boat in an anchorage, by the light of the moon, with the water lapping gently against the hull, and a breeze blowing down the hatches.  It is captured perfectly in this painting.  It is being commissioned, so I will likely wait 6-8 weeks before it is shipped to us.  I'm anxious to see which number I get out of 250!  I plan to redo the master bedroom around this painting....I'm getting rid of the excess furniture and clutter, changing the bedding, and placing this painting where we can look at it before we go to sleep each night.  It will sustain us for those eight months that we work like crazy people to have the money to come and live aboard Marquesa for the other four months out of the year.  I cannot wait to receive it in the mail :)



Now you want to hear the really craaaaaazy part to this story?  My husband was in Key West on a boy's trip last year with Kenny and his son, Ken Jr.  They went into this same gallery, and Donnie called Kenny over to see this very same painting as it is so simple, yet unusual.  The painting is done on aluminum, and it just seems to glow.  When I first saw it today on an easel, I even walked behind it, as I thought it was backlit.  No, it just seems to glow.  This very same painting that caught Donnie's eye a year ago, and now will be in our home this summer!  Life is serendipitous like that sometimes.  Donnie and I call those "Celestine Prophecy" moments.  I love it.

As for a few more "lasts"....

I had my last gelato, from my favorite gelato place on Duvall Street.  Emily and Ellen know the place- we never miss an opportunity for some gelato from there when we visit Key West.

And this evening, my honey and I took a walk on the Seven Mile Bridge to see the sunset.  I hope this isn't our last one, but things are about to get crazy busy getting Marquesa ready and moved to her summer/fall home on the canal on Angler Drive.  I have only five sunsets left to savor before we head for home this coming Thursday.  Boo to that, too.

After our sunset stroll on the Seven Mile Bridge, we went to Sparky's for the "last" time to share a plate of hot wings, have a cold drink, and dance to the band in our flippie flops again.  Dancing with my honey always make me happy.  We need to do more of that back home in Indiana.

So, Donnie and Ken caught two black fin tuna today, out in the Gulfstream.  He was hoping for a dolphin fish (mahi mahi), that would have been a "first" for him, but beggars can't be choosers.  He had a great time with the boys, which may be the "last" fishing trip he gets to take this season.

Tomorrow it's back to the grind...not that I'm complaining!  The bad news is I plan to clean and oil the teaks topside, and if I feel really industrious, polish the stainless steel all around up top, too.  The good news is I get to do it in my bikini to catch some more Florida sun :)  Not a bad way to work....

Willis is already in bed; I need to go reclaim my spot.  G'nite, y'all!