Paps is 79!

The morning started with making out a to-do list. Mr. Fix It accomplished lots and lots!
     changed the hose clamps in the head.
     located an ammeter for the wind generator at SALT.
     bought a white hose for direct hook up of water- no more using our water tanks unless we are on a passage or at anchor.  Such a luxury to turn on the galley faucet and out runs water :)
     replaced the cable stud fitting for the TV, and installed a new cable wire. Comcast paid the marina a visit today for all of the issues boaters were having with the new digital boxes.
     we went to the front office and secured reservations for Mom, and our friend Brian when they come down in February.
     fixed the port side speaker cover in the cockpit.
     glued the broken tab needed for the toggle that closes the starboard window above the settee.
     stopped by Keys Canvas, to get the zippers replaced on the mainsail cover and wheel cover, but they were closed...we'll catch them again tomorrow.
     got my fishing and lobster license, so now I'm legal...if only the water will warm up!
     repaired the wiring job he did on the refridgerator the other day, now it's done right :)
     consulted the charts and plugged the numbers in to the marina of 'our friends to the south.'  It looks to be about 142 nautical miles.  If we leave at 8am, we will arrive between 8am and noon the following day- depending on wind and weather.

What was I doing during all of his hard work?  I was handing tools, hoses, and such, making him a cold drink.  In the words of my Grandmother, "I make a good straw boss." I also furthered our plans to sail to our 'friends to the south'...things are really progressing on that issue.  I cannot wait to meet the 18-20 kids living at the Children's Home at Mantanzas that is church-run.  I should be receiving a 'wish list' for items needed for the children, then I am making a serious run to Daffy's to get school supplies, personal hygeine items, and such.  I'm so excited!

Tomorrow's list, so far, is to:
     locate and mount another crate for the back of my bike to haul groceries and such...so far we have lazily been using the Jeep.  Not part of the 'get fit' plan :(
     pull the wires on the wind generator, and hook up the ammeter to check how many amps Windy is generating.  Good to know when we do not have shore power available.
     sort out the dive gear, and get it all in ONE PLACE!
     put the numbers on the dinghy, so we're legal there, too.
     mount the pole holder on the dink so we can properly display our dive flag according to regulations; we don't need another ticket this year...
     do a glue repair on the bimini
     clean out the captain's berth and get things properly stowed for passage.
     find my cell phone- yep, it's come up missing- I've got no idea where it is, and now the battery is dead.  How am I supposed to find it when I can't call it???
     and if we (and I do mean WE) feel really motivated- Start waxing Marquesa!

Cap'n actually MADE money today...collected on the 2.5 hp motor he sold to
Max, and then Max decided he also wanted the DC flat screen TV we had
on Craigslist.  Max has one of those Porta-botes that fold up. It's
10 feet long and weighs only 40 lbs.  He folds it up and lashes it to the lifelines
when they are underway.  He was able to plane out with just him in the
dink!  I think we need to look into getting one of these- it seems to beat our
inflatable all to pieces.  Donnie hates messing with inflating it, deflating it, and
packing it up to store...not an easy, or pleasant, task.

In all the commotion of having the Comcast cable guy on and off
Marquesa, I caught Willis slinking off into the mangroves.

Dern cat wouldn't come when I called for him. He wouldn't even look
at me. Just like a teenager, I say. True story though, a brief rainshower
blew up just as we were getting ready to leave for dinner, and he came
hot footin' it back on the boat.  Never saw him move so fast- he hates the rain.

It was Mac's 79th birthday today, so we took him to the Sunset Grill for
his coconut shrimp birthday dinner. He got a pina colada (virgin, of course :)

You would have thought he was tuned up on his cocktail, AAAAARGH!

Pretty handsome couple for 79 & 80 years old!

I love the giant thatched roof at this place :) Very Keys-ey!

Cora baked Mac a coconut birthday cake, so we moved
the party there after dinner.  This is just some silliness
called, "You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours!"
I found the good spot- he was shaking his leg like a dog :)

Nice breeze from the south, good for sleeping tonight.  The Gulf has been like glass nearly all day- perfect for water skiing!  Sorry to hear its snowing back home. No really, I am..... :) G'nite!