hot and humid

This morning Donnie serviced and greased the winch he bought at the nautical flea market last Saturday.  He mounted it to the mast, and it replaced the broken one.  We now have a working main halyard winch- yay!  That means tomorrow, I'm the lucky girl who gets to go up to the top of the mast to do some maintenance...only about 60' from the waterline.

I got a call from our tax man, and our taxes were all done.  After owing state and paying for his service, we netted one B.O.A.T.  We might still need to do a bake sale and a couple of car washes to help cover the cost of  our new Bessie.  When we went up to the office to pick up our fax and mail, this was parked in the drive...typical transport for the Keys!  Once I had copies of our returns, I came back to the boat and got Ellie's FAFSA filed for this next school year.  She has just one semester left at Purdue next fall.  Like her sister, Emily, she will graduate a semester early- smart girls!

After I made some chef salads for lunch, we all headed to the pool for some fun.  Donnie and the boys played with a scuba tank, while Mamaw, Paps, Mom and I finished our game of chickenfoot from last night.  Mamaw killed us.  Geesh.

The boys decided to try out my new underwater camera :)

I can't wait to start using this camera scuba diving on the reef!

Well, hello, Kenny!

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I have been exercising at the park.  It's a circuit of twelve stations, and you work out for just two minutes before moving to the next station.  I've worked myself up to nearly completing the circuit twice.  Dave and Diane (my sister-in-law and her husband) turned me on to the exercise class.  They are in a weight losing contest at Fisherman's Hospital where they work.  It started after the first of the year.  I really must give a shout out to Diane; she has lost an incredible amount of weight and looks fabulous!

Fran, Martina, and I have also been faithfully attending.  I can't say that I've lost any weight because I love eating too much, but I do feel more toned and in better shape.  It was so freaking hot and humid though, at about 5:30pm today- I was dying.

The best part of exercising, was playing with the new rescue puppy when I was all done :) I love puppy breath!

I picked up Mom on the way home and brought her back to the boat for dinner. I made spaghetti vegetable marinara with garlic Cuban bread. We polished off her birthday cake for dessert. Mom's time here is quickly winding down.  Tomorrow is her last full day here, and she will start packing.  I am hoping the weather holds out for her, as we have a cold front coming in Thursday through the weekend.  I thought we already had our two days of winter, but it looks as if we are in for a few more days of 60's during the day, coupled with wind and rain- oh joy.  Biddi is riding with me on Thursday morning to take Mom back to the Miami airport...pray with me that all goes well for her on the return flight home.  She's anxious about doing it alone.

Donnie is out on Paradise Pointe with Mayor Dan and the gang, but I am ready to call it a night with my book....and round up Willis to get back on Marquesa.  Dern cat.  G'nite, y'all!