Dan and Gena's life - on a boat, in a camper, and wherever else life takes us !!

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Last days in Florida, March, 2011

We had a nice visit at Dennie and Denise's home outside Orlando. Dennie and Dan have known each other for 40 years! On Saturday, we went on an airboat ride with them and some of their friends - what a hoot! Mostly, we just sat around, socialized, ate the bountiful food that Denise kept pumping out of the kitchen. They have about 5 acres, lovely, with an azalea-surrounded pool in the back.
Yesterday, we arrived at my daughter, Laura, and family's house in southern Georgia. Dan had to go to San Diego, on one of his periodic business trips, and left me here to enjoy these children for a few days. Today (Wednesday) is Rylan's 6th birthday, so I love that I am able to be here with him to make him feel special. I was here in January for Brody's 3rd birthday - those things are important!

On Sunday, we'll continue our trip back home - first to visit some folks in South Carolina, then to my dad's in Ohio before getting back to Michigan.
For some reason, I'm having a problem getting all my pictures to post at this time, but more will be forthcoming!


sunset in Ft. Pierce, Fl

Friday, March 4, 2011

Along highway A1A, Ft. Pierce to Cape Canaveral, then Orlando

Lovely windy day, driving along this highway with gorgeous homes, occasional views of the ocean. Stopped at one beach-side picnic pavilion. Met a young man, Ethan, who took a train from Chicago to Palm Beach, and is now biking home with his tent, et al, strapped to his bike. Charming, idealistic like other young folks I know. He's hoping to do this entire trip on $500 - expects to be home some time in April. He's applied to the Peace Corps and also for another grant that would take him out of the country for a year for a study he would like to do. I'll post some pictures this evening!

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Ft. Pierce, Florida - March 3, 2011

Left Key West this morning, said goodbye to our friends there. Tonight, we're parked at a county park next door to the Navy Seal Museum. We got here too late to get in today. We just want to check out the brick I bought for Dan for his birthday last November. So, we'll do that in the morning, then head out to Orlando to Denny and Denise's house (friends) for some good times. Our thermometer says it's 70 degrees outside, but it's really windy, and it feel really cool to us!! (Whine, whine - would you like some cheese with that??) Might even have to put on more clothes tomorrow. We've really been spoiled!

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Last couple of days in Key West - : (

We've had such a good time here. When we arrived, on Feb. 9, it felt as though the days would just flow on forever. We've done some things, we've chilled a LOT, we've eaten some wonderful meals, probably had more drinks than we should - just thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We'll likely come back next year. The pictures I have to post today are a few from our latest kayak trip, from No Name Pub (pretty famous), from the statues sculptures (by artist, Terry Jones) around the Customs House, and from scenes around the harbor where the cruise ships dock.

wall at Meson de Pepe, off Mallory Square

he sits there for a while....then....

off he goes!

getting ready to start the kayak journey

gathering, waiting for the guide

still waiting....

there he is, talking about mangroves and critters...

Inside No Name Pub - dollar bills stuck to everything in the bar!!

I did say everything!

stunning mural in the Bank of America! separate bricks painted, then added

closeup of the mural - all the Keys are included

I was really taken by this mural...

two of the scultures outside Customs House - man taking picture of the other sculture!

little girl, man fixing the flag...

HUGE sculpture of the couple - about 30 feet tall

another couple, life size

sculpture of the artist....look for another angle

boy throwing frisbee

this one is called 'Daydream' (look at man having the daydream, on the ground...)

man having an ice cream cone

another view of 'Daydream'

man looks real, doesn't he??

here's the other angle of the artist....

Customs House

TWO cruise ships docked

another view of the Customs House

look at the line of people waiting to get back on the ship!!

lovely flowers by the docks

parasailing

this thing is MASSIVE!!

beautiful schooners passing the docks

more flowers

one more sculpture as we left the Customs House

as a young man, Dan worked for this guy in his museum!

inside the Meson de Pepe

Friday, February 25, 2011

Friday, February 25, 2011 in Key West

Every Friday here in Trumbo NAS, we gather for donuts and coffee - nice time to talk to your fellow campers. Today at noon, Dan and I, plus Chris (with Kaley) and our new friend, Wayne, went kayaking. We had to deflate ours, put it in the truck, then re-inflate it at the put in place, Hurricane Hole. Chris (with Kaley on the front of his kayak) and Wayne were in single kayaks. Dan and I were in our new two-person kayak with foot pedals. We traveled out from Hurricane Hole (on Cow Key) about one hour, then back for an hour. Dan and I were pooped - not sure about Chris and Wayne. Fun, though - we pedaled, they paddled, through and around some mangrove islands. One chanel was very narrow, and went by a really old boat where some people actually live - that boat, guaranteed, never moves - I assume they have some kind of skif or something to go out and get supplies, water, etc.
Dan and I thought we would just sail by the regular kayaks with our new-fangled pedals - not so much. We had to work had and still could not keep up with the lighter-weight single kayaks. We found that our kayak's rudder works well in open water, and not so well in the narrow channels.

After our trip in the kayaks, we stopped at the restaurant at Hurricane Hole for lunch. Nice time!