July

7-1
Up early – Harold is still sleeping since he couldn’t sleep last night. After coffee we both got busy, Harold organized dinghy accessories and I vacuumed and dusted indoors. Then I went to the sundeck and attacked the screens with the vacuum. Bugs go in between the screens and the plastic and die. After that I attacked the two plastic windows on the west (shady) side of the boat with cleaner and polish. They look much better, but are probably on their way out. The fly bridge has been replaced, but these are original and the plastic gets where you can’t see through it any longer. When the sun goes over the yardarm perhaps I will do the other two. Harold is working on hard wiring his alarm system and has a brilliant idea for mounting a part of it so we walk across the street to Home Depot. It is huge and the first place we have encountered really friendly, helpful people. However, neither of us found what we were looking for, so maybe a trip to West Marine later. Back on the boat, we had some nachos for lunch and Harold is napping. The weather is still cloudy, but the sun is out today and it is just too hot to work outside midday. Around 3, we got back on task, I finished the other two windows and was soaked with sweat. Dan had come by to suggest dinking down to Keys Fisheries for dinner about 4:30. I showered and we motored on down. Ken and Diane were delayed because the water was too high and Bob couldn’t get off the boat, so we cocktailed until they got there. In the meantime, the restaurant ran out of mac and cheese with lobster, which was my objective! However, they did have whole fried snapper which is another one of my faves. Dan invited us all to go on his boat tomorrow to Sombrero Reef and then for supper at Lazy Days.

7-2
Up early to pack gear for our boat trip. By the time I got out of the boat, plans had changed to include Ken taking his boat also. So I made our sandwiches and gathered our gear and we all met on Dan and Biddi’s boat for Bloody Marys at 9:30. Diana came by and agreed that a boat ride trumped washing her boat, so she went to get her gear. We all finally got going and by the time we were about half way out to the reef, it was obviously just too windy and rough to enjoy ourselves snorkeling, so we just headed in to Lazy Days and had a really good lunch. Diana went back with Ken and Diane and Dan gave us a complete tour of Boot Key Harbor. We took a swim, showered and collected with friends on the dock for a while. This place is packed for the holiday weekend so we plan to just stay put until things slow down on Tuesday. Great news when we got back to our boat – sister Sue is going to fly in Thursday and come down with Hal and Kim for the weekend, and Holly and Pete are going to come down also and get reacquainted with her cousins. It should be a great weekend!

7-3
This place is packed with 4th of July vacationers! Probably won’t want to go in the pool for a couple of days after all the kids that have been in it today! Since most of them are only here for the holiday, we are just going to chill and let them all have their fun.

7-4
One big burst of rain this morning, and by the time we got the bridge closed it was over. But the sky is gray and overcast and promises more rain later. The die-hards go out anyway and by mid-afternoon they were all back cleaning scuba gear and fishing equipment. We went to Publix and Winn Dixie in Ken’s car with Dan and Biddi and picked up some very nice steaks for dinner. Those stores were a zoo also! Had cocktails with Diana on the sundeck and then cooked up our steaks and some corn on the cob. Took a walk over to the point about dark and some people over there had lots of big, loud fireworks, and we could see the ones from Sombrero Beach over the tree tops, so we got twice our money’s worth!

7-5
Harold washed down the boat and decided he needed a couple of things from Home Depot. We stopped in the office to book another room for the upcoming weekend gang. That turned out to be such an incredible deal that finally Harold went to HD by himself! We finally accomplished getting a double room in the same building as Hal and Kim and getting Hal and Kim the “family” rate. Morning chores were dishes, vacuuming, defrosting the ice maker, and doing mirrors and bathrooms. It’s Taco Tuesday again. Harold and Dan made plans to get Harold under his boat tomorrow morning with his hookah and check out what might have gotten wrapped around his prop on Saturday.

7-6
It’s been raining overnight and the forecast is for more, so we are doing indoor stuff today. Harold has repaired all the TV tables so that they are not as wobbly. He bailed the dinghy mid-afternoon and we took a short spin.

7-7
REALLY raining today! Radar doesn’t look good and apparently in Satellite Beach they are having drenching rain also. Lots of authoring and reading today because just about the time you think you can go out it is pouring again. We were about to have grilled cheese sandwiches on board when the sky started to lighten up and we braved a walk to the Hurricane for 25 cent wing night. Excellent as always! The family will be here tomorrow – can’t wait!

7-8
Up early to get everything shipshape for the arriving family. A little after noon Harold had assembled all the gear he needed to go down and check and clean the boat bottom. About that time the contingent from California and West Palm pulled up – sister, brother and sister-in-law. So we took time out for some refreshments before Big Hal (my brother, that distinguishes him from Little Hal, my son) went out to spot Harold cleaning the boat. Hal and Heather took the hydrofoil from Ft. Myers to Key West, then were to taxi to the airport and rent a car. We were anxious for them to get here – they texted that they were “on their way” but that apparently didn’t mean that they had actually taxied to the airport or rented a car yet…. They got here eventually and everyone finally got checked into their rooms and we took the boat and went to Island Fish Company for a lively evening meal! The party continued in the pool where someone had the good sense to make my sister stop drinking.

7-9
By the time everyone was organized, Holly, (my niece) and her boyfriend, Pete, had arrived from West Palm. We had coffee and bagels and divvied up into two cars and headed for Key West. Had lunch and drinks at Sloppy Joes, visited the Kino factory for sandals, had drinks at Hog’s Breath, visited the Rum Barrel (more drinks), shopped a myriad of t-shirt and souvenir shops, had drinks (are you sensing a theme here?) at the Flying Monkey and headed back.
The Hillcher car made a detour to visit our old house – hasn’t changed much in the last 45 years! Back at the ranch we all went to the pool, perhaps we had some more drinks, then we all went to the Hurricane for dinner (and drinks). By the time that was over, everyone pretty much collapsed in the nearest bed.

7-10
The Hutchins clan went to the Stuffed Pig for breakfast while the Hillcher’s had bagels on the boat. (You can’t find a decent bagel in Marathon.) Holly and Pete headed out and pretty soon, after helping (?) some new boat owners get their way too big for a trailer boat out on the pathetic little boat ramp here, the men loaded our old dinghy into the back of Big Hal’s truck and he, Sue and Kim headed back to West Palm. We took our kids to Lazy Days for lunch, Hal and Heather took the dinghy out for a ride, came back and swam, then Harold and Heather and I took advantage of their car and took a ride around town and stocked up at Publix. Remember that first day we were here and our promise to walk to Publix every day? Fooled you!! Back on the boat we had a picnic dinner of hot dogs, macaroni salad and chips. Watched some TV and crashed.