Sunday 4-2-06 Long boat key anchorage

Here is a picture of Hunter. The boat at the dock is a Ken creation.
The pics I have are fuzzy. Camera needs to be replaced , I guess.
I'm waiting on other pics that friends at the marina are supposed to send. We'll see.
Kat and Jim? Jim & Kat were wonderful neighbors and Kats a great cook. mmmm stuffed shrooms........

Woke up to a gorgeous morning. While Gary was bringing Eddie to the beach for a potty stop I decided to go for a swim. The water is shallow, maybe 8 feet and a little cool, but wonderful. It's clear , very clear and the first time I've swam , swum, been swimming since we left RI. Not including the unscheduled dip when I fell at the dock. By the way, I finally had my finger exrayed and they said it was not broken. "then how come its still swollen?" All previous water has not been inviting. With dolphins and manatees making an appearance from time to time all day how could I not! ! While doing the dishes this A.M. I dropped a favorite knife overboard. A perfect reason to get in the water and go snorkeling. I haven't found it yet but I have till Tuesday to look for it , which is when we head out again.

Brittany has a friend Zack who is down visiting his Grandmother in the area. They are utilizing his visit to hang out together for a couple of days. In the mean time she sleeps at Grandma Shirley's and spends her days with Zack and his family. Mack and Beth are nice people and I feel confident she's in good hands.

Our friends Brian and Wendy are enjoying the anchorage as well with their dog Hunter. Gary took Hunter in the dinghy for the first time yesterday and he was quite unsure of himself. Hunter is about 80 pounds of quiet confidence when it comes to everything else, except water. He's fallen off the dock at the marina a few times and once he tried climbing back up onto the dock, with great difficulty. He got himself up onto the boards underneath, which were covered with sharp, jagged barnicles. Hunter was pretty bloodied up, and so was the boat once he was back onboard. But he since has put the two together, that when Gary is coming to the boat in the dinghy, its time for a potty break. When Hunter has to "go" he actually shivers. Poor baby.

Eddie and Eileen came by (Gary picked them up on shore)and brought Alexa(3) along. She is very entertaining. At first we spent some time on "HARA" and then poor Wendy had to go lie down. Her back is messed up and she needed to rest. She did go for a swim though and we enjoyed watching the dolphins, in fact she has some excellent pics to share as soon as she can get them onto her comp. Anyway then we left her to rest and dinghied over to the VICTORIA. Alexa and I played all kinds of little games. At first she is reserved, but soon comes out of her shell. Alexa discovered that when you talk into the end of a noodle (floaty device) and someone is on the other end, its kind of a game of telephone. She loves it when I smell her head and tell her that she's "one of the pack". We also played touch the eyelash, feed Eddie and Hunter crackers till they drop, and fetch the tennis ball... with Eddie, in a 3 foot area. Today I taught her something new !! When Daddy and "Mr Thompso" (Gary) get together and start talking about (what else) elevators, you put your hand over your mouth (fingers tips up) and yawwwwwwn. So Alexa............"elevator talk " ...........riiiiiiiiight.

Misty is up to her old tricks. As we speak she is walking around on the flybridge, doing what ... who knows. Gary is snoring. Let the sleep deprivation begin. Not to mention that our anchorage is somewhat behind the Moore's Stone Crab Restaurant and they recycle all the empty bottles in a big container every hour or so. Clang#@)$( bang ##*&^ clink!(!(!)&)!.

Back home at the ranch, or George and Alice's ranch that is ...looks like Barbara and Roy are doing and excellent job getting the house back in order for their arrival. As I write this I'm pretty sure they have no idea........that it looks beautiful. Hats off to you guys for a job well done.