Island Time

Captain's Log...

It's beginning to look a lot like...............home.  We are enjoying the lifestyle of Key West and doing a few things to make living aboard even more like home. 

I have been trying to teach class via the internet from here but Island Time is making it difficult.  I sought out a direct high speed internet connection so I can facilitate the class properly but everyone down here takes things pretty slooooowwwwwwwwww.  Missy and I are coming back to Minnesota next week for Christmas so at least I will be able to teach a couple of classes then.  Hopefully by the time we get back ten days later I will have everything in place to get things done properly.

Every day I have a different boat project.  So far I have

1. rewired and repositioned the depth finder
2. installed a hailer
3. dove under the boat to remove some rope that entangled the props
4. solved a water leak from the water tanks that was leaking into our cabin
5. helped Missy install new blinds
6. repaired some woodwork

The next projects include:

1. replacing the faucet in the forward head
2. replacing the 1st Mate's helm chair
3. installing slides on both the Captain's and 1st Mate's helm chairs
4. fixing the anchor light
5. fixing the genset

And I am sure there will be more.

Every day we are entertained by the U. S. Navy fighter jets.  They fly out of the base right next to Stock Island on Boca Chica.  For training the run down to Marquesas Keys about  23 miles west of Key West.  There is apparently an sunken freighter there they bombing runs on.  Then they return and put on a show for us as they fly by in pairs with wings swept back, reposition their wings forward, break off after they pass the runway and then do a 360 degree approach to land.  Very cool.



This is the view we get as they make their final turn to land.

 I really miss my dad when I watch those planes.  I know he would have loved to sit here with me and gaze out over the water and watch those fighter jockeys.  He has been gone a long time but I still miss him. 

This journey has been good for both of us.  We are living a very healthy lifestyle with plenty of exercise.  Missy rides into Key West to attend a yoga class a couple times a week.  We both ride our bikes everyday and I really enjoy riding along side the ocean even though the wind has been blowing like crazy this week.  And I am sure I am getting lots of Vitamin D per doctor's orders.  Best of all, we are getting 110 more minutes of sunlight each day compared to Minnesota.  The extra daylight is wonderful.

I also really appreciate all the support we are getting.  My staff has been doing a great job of running the business.  Pat and Josh have really stepped up to the plate. Now with Darrell heading down this way they have even more to deal with but I am confident they are up to it.

We needed to ask our neighbor Joe to come to Rachael's rescue the other day.  She has finals this week and her car started running so poorly it was freaking her out.  With her schedule she did not have time to get the car to anyone during the day to look at it so I imposed on Joe to help out.  As he always does, Joe was more than willing to help out.  Rachael went over there at 9:20 PM and Joe diagnosed the problem to be a clogged throttle body.  So he took it off and cleaned all up and got Rachael back on the road relieved of all worries about the car.  What a Guy!  We're really gonna miss him as he is moving out to the west coast right after Christmas.  But it will give us an excuse to get out west to visit him as he is one of those one-in-a-million people that are worth the travel.

We will be back in Minnesota on Tuesday and can't wait to see the kids and everybody else.  Then we get to come right back for New Years.  It's a good life..........

1st Mate's Log.....................

Yo-ho-ho mateys! Key West is looking pretty good...all that sunshine sure helps. I have been enjoying the temps and biking into downtown to attend yoga class....meeting some very nice folks...many of them from MN and WI....hmmm....lots of snow escapees here. 

We did some beautification of the floating homestead.....under the watchful eyes of the local housing authorities....




Inspector Kitty




Assistant Inspector Kitty




Beautification Project 1