Our first week here in Marathon was spent rushing around (including walking miles and miles up and down US 1), trying to complete projects and make life easier on ourselves. The past week has been considerably easier, for the most part. We still had projects to tackle, small ones Trevor came up with. He can't live an idle lifestyle; he has to stay busy or he gets antsy. Like how some sharks have to keep swimming their entire lives in order to keep water flowing over their gills, or they drown (fun science fact thrown in there, yeah!). So we sanded and painted polyurethane on the outside teak. Now our grab rails and door frame look so pretty! Like we're real boaters or something. Maybe when I get my camera out again, I'll post pictures. Sorry about the lack of pictures lately, by the way. I've gotten really lazy about photo-taking. Ho-hum, just another gorgeous sunset. We're spoiled by the daily sunset in paradise; they're all beautiful, and we're getting used to it.
So what is our life like here in Boot Key Harbor? Excellent. We get up in the morning, have coffee and breakfast while we listen to the daily Cruisers Net on the VHF (9am on channel 68). Sometimes we come to shore for showers and internet, sometimes we relax a little, sometimes we actually do some work. Like the wood outside. Or the plumbing. We thought we were finished working on the plumbing, but our deck fill project didn't work. Apparently, water can't go uphill without a pump. So we had to re-run the hose and work some magic, but now it works great! (Tested it this morning, in fact.) We've been reading (I'm working my way through The Thin Red Line right now, and it's quite good), watching tv on Trevor's computer. Sometimes we eat out, usually we don't. Every few days we have to walk the mile up the road to Publix or WinnDixie for groceries (sometimes we only go down to Daffy Doug's Discount Dollar Store for bargain foodstuffs). We also have to get a new bag of ice every few days (no refrigerator; we only have a cooler for our refrigerated goods). My blue hair is a conversation-starter, and we've met some really awesome people here.
This last week has been very windy. The wind calmed Tuesday (and it was hot!). Dad and I played softball (they play every Tuesday and Thursday morning, and Sunday afternoon) with the old guys. I was the only girl and the youngest person by far. It was really fun! I hadn't played softball since I was 16, and I was really happy I could still hit the ball. I played too hard, though, and I was so sore the next day (and the day after, and the day after that, and still a little sore today). The wind picked back up Wednesday, and it got colder. We had to wear jackets. I know temperatures in the 60s sound downright tropical to our friends everywhere else, but we're spoiled living down here, and 65-and-breezy almost kept us from going to Key West.
We did go to Key West on Wednesday, to see Trevor off on his flight back to Chattanooga. My brother Mike's friend Anika was nice enough to drive us around and show us some of the sights. It was really awesome to hang out with her, and I'm looking forward to going back down there again. Key West is pretty neat. The food is good everywhere, as are the drinks (mojito!). And there are even cheap clothes to be found. There are quite a few five-dollar shops, and I stocked up on tank tops. I'm afraid half my wardrobe will say Key West across the front before we're done here. (I can't resist cheap clothes.) Trevor's flight ended up being canceled, due to crazy weather here, there, and in between. But he's trying again tomorrow to head back up to TN.
Mom's in Miami, visiting family, so Dad and I will be on our own for the week! I'm sure we'll play lots of softball. And maybe some tennis (they're starting tennis 3 nights a week here at the park). The community feel here at Boot Key is really great. There are activities going on all the time: Meet & Greets, sports, yoga, crafts, music. With so much to do, it'll be hard to leave.
We're paid up through the beginning of February. After that, we don't have a plan. We kinda need to start working on one. We might go up to Miami. We might go to the Bahamas. Heck, we could stay here another month. Just not sure yet. And hey, did you hear they're starting to open up Cuba? Oh boy! The possibilities are endless (maybe not endless, but there are at least half a dozen options). We'll keep you posted.
Today the Gallians are coming to visit! The wind has calmed, and the temps are back in the 70s. So life is pretty sweet. If it's calm this week, I have a feeling Dad and I might go snorkeling out at Sombrero Reef. Yay! Oh yeah, and there's bingo at the American Legion on Wednesdays. That is so happening!
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