It's been too long...........

Yes, I am homesick and YES, and YES, I miss my REAL toilets and wonderful kitchen at our home but that's not why this is titled, "It's been too long". Simply, it has been too long since I've taken the time to write.

Since my last "post", we have been at slip 64 in Marathon Key, learning, visiting, eating, walking, bike riding, spending money, drinking (of course) but mostly absorbing this new life as a "live-a-board" boater.

What's happened? Nothing specatcular. But what's happened,.....everythink specatcular.

We've had friends from our campground in Bloomington IN come to hang out with us for a whole week. One might think that 3 couples on a boat would get "crowded". But not with this crew. Mark, Melodie, Gregg and Chris were all just great boatmates. Everybody pitched in, kept the boat clean, picked up after themselves but most importantly, enjoyed. The ladies would trade off cooking and the guys would fix things and then we cruised to Key West. The trip down caused 3 of us to toss up our cookies. While we planned to stay one night "on the hook" we ended up staying four nights at Conch Harbour Marina as the storms were coming in on Saturday evening and we just decided to play it safe. Well, it was better anyway because that way we could go where we wanted, when we wanted. And we did so. Saturday night was deemed "Pirate Night" so we all doned our Pirate wear and walked to Duval Street.

It will be repeated.."what happens in Key West, stays in Key West.

On the way back to Marathon on Monday we stopped in Sombrero Key and the guys tried on some snorkeling while the gals sunned and visited on the top deck. So fun. The, Ed decided he would take the dinghy back to Marathon to pave the way for Great Mates as well as help her to get back into her slip at the marina. Well, that wasn't a great choice for Lisa but it's all racked up to experience. Lest it be that Melodie and Chris are great crewmates.

All the while, my greatest blessing has been the people. Old friends and new friends alike. So to my new friends, Craig, Chris, Uula, Larry, Judy, Dennis, Rick and Christine, Andrew and Carol and John, I am especially grateful for your friendships. To my old friends, you know who you are....it's been too long.

To my children, I hope you are blessed and guided my our Almighty.

Learning to be a Captain; Lisa