I got my hair cut yesterday. It grows fast and thick in paradise. Humidity may be the cause. In Illinois it grew slowly in the winter. Here I can feel it growing, at least after happy hour.
The Captain’s hair line has ceded in Florida. If the temperature caused this phenomenon then by the time we get to Upstate NY his hair will rejoin the nation in recession.
Tut waiting anxiously for Linda to arrive.
A vulture waited too.
This Green Heron met Linda at Crane's Point. He was receiving care for an injury.Our visit to the Dolphin Research Center
Dolphins playing
New Mom with 11 hour old baby. We think she gave birth early so Linda could see her baby.
Dolphins doing the wave
Dolphins posing for photos
Dolphins laughing at us
Look closely- Mom and 9 week old dolphin (underwater)
Side stroke
More flips
It took 133 shots to get the pictures posted. So, it you don't like them you can
kiss dolphin butt
Andrew took a break from shooting pictures of dolphins to catch these iguanas in the act.
The oldest dolphin at the center is 50. Her name is Teresa. This is not her. She was resting.
We had a good visit with our niece Linda last week. She made me promise not to blab in the blog about her. “What happens in Marathon stays in Marathon”. However, I did not promise not to post unflattering photos of her.
We have a wireless temperature station on our boat. It’s the type promoted by The Weather Channel. You may have one in your home.
The instrument displays weather conditions using icons. For instance, ‘Rain Man’, a weather man dressed in a t-shirt and jeans with an umbrellas and clouds pictured overhead . I saw this icon a couple of times since we arrived in m Florida. Those of you in the North may see the ‘Below 32 Degrees Man’ dressed in an overcoat boots, knit cap and scarf with snowflakes falling around him. I’m hoping not to see him again.
Most days in paradise I awake to ‘Above 78 Degrees Man’ clad in a swim suit standing next to a beach chair with a bright sun shining overhead. Sunday 01.31.2010 was an exception. Something strange happened. It was 0600 and the station’s LCD flickered for a minute. ‘Unbelievably Hot and Humid Man’ was displayed. The man icon lost his bathing suit and an oxygen mask dropped from the sun. The weather and the icon have not changed.
According to the owner’s manual our station should get 15 different icons. ‘Unbelievably Hot and Humid man’ figure is not one of them. I debating whether to return the weather station or write a stern note to the manufacture.
The hat pictured is not a fashion statement but it is functional. I have one for kayaking. It protects your face, ears and neck from the sun.The main purpose of our trip to Key West was to buy wet suits. Neither of us owned wet suits so after 15 minutes of self-serve, we sought the help of sales clerk. The young man available sniffled continuously as we asked him questions. He was not taught the fine art of blowing his nose but was educated in sucking it in. But I digress.
The selection was limited. We both chose two full length suits to try on in side by side 5’ X 5’ dressing rooms. Getting into a wet suit is extremely difficult for people who lack experience with girdles and pantyhose. I came to this conclusion from listening to the sounds coming out of the dressing room occupied by the Captain.
Each room had a folding chair with arms that took up half the space which added to the hilarity. I managed to knock my chair on its side while wiggling and laughing. So, I admit my dressing room wasn’t soundless but even without the assistance of a bed I managed to put on both suits before the Captain got the first one on, in the right direction.
Key West - The Bus Ride
On Thursday January 14 2010 we traveled by bus (actually two buses) to Key West. Andrew is not a mass transit person so he took control of the bus schedule. He carefully considered our options and presented them to me.
Option1: get up really early and depart at 0530
Option2: get up really early and depart at 0611
Option 3 get up somewhat early and depart at 0812
Options 1 &2 were too ridiculous for me to consider. I retired so I wouldn’t have to get up before the sun.
Option 3 wasn’t the departure times I would have suggested, (0 933 or 1124), but what the heck you got to compromise sometime. After all we are in Paradise.
1700 islands make up the area known as the Florida Keys. Some islands are connected by bridges others are only accessible by boat. Marathon to Key West is considered the Lower Keys. We traveled from mile marker 50 to 0. The scenery was beautiful. The island names end with the word Key, for example, Little Torch, Ramrod, Summerland, Sugarloaf, Stock and Cudjoe.
We successfully transferred to bus two, the Key West downtown line at 0945. Both buses had signs which directed exiting the bus from the rear. Neither bus had a rear door but they both had one center side door. Seats facing the right and left of the bus are designated for the elderly. If you sit there you must give the seat to an elderly person who boards after you. In the Florida Keys this could mean getting up often so we sat in seats facing the front of the bus.
Andrew had studied the bus schedule and confidentially pulled the cord to request a stop on Caroline Ave. He looked at me and said “This is our stop get off”, so I did and when I turned around I saw Andrew signally me to meet him at the correct stop three blocks away.
Andrew got a few comments from other passengers who were also boaters. “You’re in trouble now“and “I won’t want to be in your boat shoes” were two of them..
I could see Andrew was genuinely upset even though the words coming out of his mouth sounded like "Why did you get off the bus".
I bet you are wondering how I reacted. I quietly explained that taking control of the bus schedule made him the captain of this adventure. And less quietly "because you told me to get off the bus"!
I did not get mad because I’m in Paradise where it’s easy to forgive!. Forgetting is another story. I’ll save this ‘get off the bus’ memory for future use..
January 10, 2010-Day two of the wind
The boat rocked bow to stern for three hours then starboard to port until dawn. It’s like being on a ride controlled by a sinister attendant. We are at Mother Nature’s mercy. She is powerful and sometimes a cruel reminder that paradise like a beautiful rose has it’s thorns.
We had a few hours of relief when the wind’s direction turned to the North by Northwest which allowed us to eat breakfast before the rocking and rolling resumed.
Andrew found a green dragon fly on our deck. It must have frozen to death last night. The water temperature is getting too cold for the some of the fish and mammals. Andrew saw puffer fishes struggling near the surface this afternoon. The news channel reported manatees leaving South Florida in search of warmer water. Iguanas are dying and dropping from the trees. This is bizarre and it won’t end for two more days. I can’t wait to bitch about the heat!
