Key West, baby!

This past summer, we visited our friends from the Muncie Sailing Club.  Though we no longer have a boat up at Prairie Creek Reservoir, we made some wonderful memories with many, many fine sailors through the years.  Fred and Kay have a 27' O'Day, and were two slips down from us on A dock.  They were planning their first cruise vacation, and asked about us meeting up with them when their ship ported in Key West.  Yesterday was the day; so Donnie and I were their "shore excursion".

We met at Mallory Square, to visit the Coast Guard War Memorial, then
walked up to Hemingway's home on Whitehead Street.  After a mishap of
me leaving my IPhone in a public restroom, we were back on our way.
(The good Lord DOES answer prayer!)

Across from Heminway's is the Key West Lighthouse.
We didn't pay to walk up as I had a better view in mind.

Instead, we crossed back to Duvall Street and took the free elevator to the top
of La Concha Hotel.  It is seven stories up, and the highest point on the
island.  You can walk around all four sides of the building, to get some
beautiful pictures of Key West, the harbors, and outlying keys.
You can see their cruise ship in the background.

 If you look in the background, you  can see one of the anchorages in Key West
 for cruisers.  In the foreground is the Episcopalian Church.  I think this is the
prettiest church in Key West, and it is open to the public. I normally go in and light
 a candle for my dad, but I didn't today.  The group was busy shopping :) 

In one of the jewelry stores the ladies went in, I saw this
momma and baby "hay-raff".  Our new grandson's
nursery is decorated in "hay-raffs".

Two weeks old now; Little Donnie is so sweet :)  Our new momma and baby
"hay-raff" are getting along swimmingly! We can't wait to see them in April.

After lunch at Fogarty's (our favorite place to get a fish sandwich and
people watch on Duvall), we walked along and stopped in at Cap'n
Tony's- the original Sloppy Joes, where Hemingway, Buffett, and others
have hung out tossing back a cold one.

There's lots of 'interesting' memorabilia in the place.  I may have been
tempted to leave something behind, but I was wearing my favorite
bra (and I had only been drinking iced tea!)

After more shopping, sight-seeing, and some key lime pie, we returned
to Mallory Square to bid our goodbyes at about 3:00pm.  Their
cruise ship was leaving port by four, heading to Grand Cayman next.
Fair winds, and following seas, Fred and Kay!
(This sculpture is known as "The Wreckers".)

While we were in Key West today, Kenny took Brian
and Pastor Bob out fishing.  They caught porgies,
strawberry grouper, a triggerfish, grunts, and
Brian hooked this beautiful yellow tail- it's
the biggest yellowtail I've ever seen!
Looks like dinner to me- on Weds., actually.

I had pork bbq's cooking in the crockpot since we were gone
most of the day.  We all met up back at Banana Bay
for a sunset picnic dinner on the point. 

So, Marcia and Wendy got to enjoy the pool in the sun, and lunch at the Islander.  Kenny and the boys got to go fishing, and we enjoyed our friends in Key West.

Just another day in paradise with my Cap'n.