It's official.  We are now Florida residents with drivers licenses and everything.  We can now vote here also.  I hope to sway the next election.  But sway it to where?  I am clueless.
Dick has spent time this week on the engines.  We now have fresh oil and coolant and also new belts on the engines.  He had someone else replace the melted exhaust pipe on the port engine.  They also found the loose wire to some electronics.  So the last vestiges of our grounding at Shark River are a vague lost memory.  Thank god we can put that behind us.  We are almost ready to leave.  I was just thinking the other day about all the things I will have to tighten up and batten down as we prepare for open sea and the gulf.  Have gotten texts from friends that have made it around Miami and up to Fort Lauderdale.  Looks like a lot of fun.  We will be sad to leave the keys behind but know that we will be back next winter.  Thinking about coming back in December if anyone is looking for a place to spend Christmas.  We will most likely be here.
Until then, we have places to see (sea) and people to meet.

The light.

We couldn't  believe the color of the water.

A suspicious looking character at the bus stop in Key West.

It has been a fun packed week.  Lots of looper and other friends moving on but lots of us still here.  I have been learning to play Mahjong.  It's really hard but I am slowly catching on.  I have a group here that gets together up at the pool and if it gets to hot we just jump in the water.  Great fun.
We worked the Marathon Seafood festival last weekend and had a lot of fun and had lots to eat.  After our over night to Key West, we were exhausted for a few days.
On Wed. I was invited to join friends Randy and Sherri on their boat.  We went out to the light that is 5 miles off the coast and marks a coral reef.  They have mooring balls already out there so you just go up and grab the line on the ball and tie up.  We took snorkeling gear and swam off the boat.  Other friends had brought their waterproof cases for their phones and were able to take pictures under water.  ( I just ordered two).  I went out again on Friday with other friends but we decided the waves were too big to make this a fun diving trip. Too difficult to get on and off the boat and too much chance of getting banged into the boat just swimming around.  Still was fun to be out on the water.
It has been hot and very humid down here.  We sleep with the a. c. on.  Suppose to cool down on Monday.  Still having fun.  Will be here another 3 weeks.
Stay warm up there everybody.

We just got back from Key West yesterday then out for dinner with friends last night.  I'm exhausted.  But had a good time.  Abby got boarded for the first time and that seems to have gone well.  She was very happy to see us.  I think she made new friends and of course they loved her because everyone loves our sweet girl.
We took the 2 hour bus ride to Key West which is only $1.50 for seniors.  Then there is always the interesting crowd on the bus.  We stopped at the local jail and a bunch of young guys got on.  They looked a little rough and one had a large bottle of vodka in a backpack he was passing around.  We got off before them thankfully.  Then there was the smattering of mentally ill folks.  My favorite.  They are always so entertaining.
Dick was able to get a room with his Marriott points but we still managed to spend money.  We saw the sunset from Mallory square.  Lots of entertainment and people selling stuff.  Very fun.  We had eaten a late lunch at the Hurricane Hole on Stock Island, just over the bridge from Key West so we walked around and watched the early spring breakers.  Had a little snack and drinks at Two Friends then more drinks at Sloppy Joes. The entertainment was interesting as the two guys singing tried their best to gross out the audience.  But the audience was drunk so it didn't happen.  Met some people at the next table who were from Minnesota.  Told them about our trip and think they may have been inspired to think about doing the loop.
By this time it was past "looper midnight" so we headed back to our room.  In the morning we literally flipped a coin about what to do and decided to go back down town to see some sights.  We did not have time to do the tour of Harry Truman's "little white house" but did walk the grounds and looked around some.  This was used by other presidents after Truman so has some recent history.  There was a lot more historical things we could have seen but we were on a schedule to get back in time to pick up our Abby dog.  We saw chickens and roosters running around the place but missed seeing any drag queens or other interesting night life.
There is a seafood festival here this weekend and we have signed up to work on Sunday.  We have heard it's a lot of fun and you get free food.  We are working the lobster tent.
More to come.

Rooster running wild in Key West.

Dick admiring some local art.

The little white house.

Our new Minnesota friends at Sloppy Joes.

Sunset off Mallory square.