Spending the holidays in Marathon - December 2015

Some of the dolphins

Giant iguana!

One of the sea lions

Big daddy of the sea lions

Waiting for the go ahead at Thanksgiving!

NautiNell all lit up for Christmas

See the tree on top?

This was taken one day by a boater on

a mooring ball.  Isn't it gorgeous!

Mr Manatee visiting the harbor

Waiting for the Wounded Warriors

God Bless Them!

New Year's Eve in the Keys!

Getting ready to show them
our appreciation! 

Very cool!

They were thanking us as we were thanking them

One of the many gorgeous skies

Never gets old

So calm and peaceful

This has to be the best one ever

Gathering at the dock!

Another night of fun

Christmas Day at Karen's

Perfect evening

What can I say?

All sizes of boats

Fun time!

More dolphin fun

Christmas Eve in the Keys

Sombrero Beach on Christmas Eve

Nice day for a dinghy ride

Santa's elves?

Ray in one of the reindeer games

trying to open a present with gloves

is impossible

Come on Linda you can do it!

We arrived in Marathon on Saturday afternoon, November 21.  It’s nice to be back! We’ve spent several days since reuniting with friends.  The first item on the agenda was Thanksgiving Dinner.  Our friend, Karen who has a condo here, invited us all over for a Thanksgiving feast.  There was a lot of great food and many great friends.  Several boaters are here but there are still several that haven’t yet arrived.  It will be busy the next few weeks with boaters coming and going. 

After Thanksgiving, it was time to decorate NautiNell for Christmas.  There are lots of boats here that are  decorated.  We’ve had several people who walk down or drive by the dock and remark on how festive it all looks

It’s been rather rainy so far this month.  However, we’ve managed to spend several evenings enjoying docktails and sunsets.  The sky seems to be extra pretty this year.  Mike has gone fishing a few times with Stan and Shirley on Joint Venture. They brought in a huge Mahi the other day.  So it was time for another cookout.  We had a great fish dinner on the dock. 

Patty and Bill (Conched Out Too) made it here finally!  They’re in the slip next to us.  Now it’s starting to be more like old times!  Soon Finally and Sassy II will be here.  They’re on the west coast now heading our way.  And Second Noelle will be here in a few days.

Ricky fired up his smoker the other day just in time for the Christmas Boat Parade.  We enjoyed a great potluck on the dock with smoked pork butt.  And then it was time for the parade.  There were more boats this time, I think.  A beautiful evening with friends. 

Some of us girls have done a little Christmas shopping together.  We’ve also managed to have lunch at the No Name Pub and Brutus’ Fish Market.  We do like to eat!  Also some of us went out to dinner at the Cracked Conch the other night and took in a play at the Marathon Theatre.  It’s surprising that there is such good talent here in this little town.  The play was great!

Mike and I have taken out the dinghy a few times.  We haven’t got to do a lot of “dinkin” because of the rain and wind.  But when we get the chance – we go!  Hopefully the weather will clear up and we’ll get to enjoy the Florida Keys sunshine every day!

We’re still on the “selling NautiNell rollercoaster”! We’ve shown the boat three times already since we’ve been here in Marathon!  I thought it would be slower once we got down here with the holidays, etc.  Guess I was wrong.  We start to panic somewhat whenever someone looks at it.  We do want to sell it but just not yet!  Oh well, best laid plans……………………..  Whatever happens, happens!

Yesterday, Finally and Sassy II made it in.  It’s so good to see them!  A few of the boaters have gone home for the holidays so it’s getting rather scarce around here.  Now with them here and Second Noelle planning to arrive here tomorrow, it’s beginning to fill up again! By the first of January or so, most everyone will be here again

Now the plans for Christmas dinner are taking hold.  We’ve all been invited over to Karen’s again.  It’s really kind of her to open her home to all of us.  I hope she realizes how we appreciate it.  I’m sure it will be another great time! 

Ta’Ta’ for now.  I’ll catch you up on more later!  :-)

I’m back!  Christmas has come and gone! What a fun time!

First we had visitors from back home!  Bill Gipson and his wife along with Sara (their daughter) stopped in to say “hi”.  They were down here on vacation for a week.  It’s always good to get to visit with friends from back home. 

We spent Christmas Eve on the dock socializing.  It was a nice evening – not so windy.  Santa made his annual visit with the Carolers from the Marathon Fire Department.  That’s always fun to see.  On Christmas Day, we all went to Karen’s condo.  Again – great food and great people!  After eating way too much it was time to join in the “reindeer games”!  First we did a “Dirty Santa” white elephant gift exchange.  That was a hoot!  Then after that we learned just how hard it is to unwrap a gift wearing gloves.   It’s hard to explain…..  Last but definitely not least, we got to stuff panty hose with balloons.  Oh yeah, and then the team captains got to wear them or at least try!  Maybe that’s too much information – what happens in Marathon should maybe stay in Marathon!  LOL!  Thanks Karen for opening your home to all of us crazies!

BTW – While this was all going on, we get a call from our broker!  Someone wants to see the boat the day after Christmas!  Oh well!  We did a bit of fast cleaning and she was ready for viewing that afternoon.  They liked it but they’re just gathering info at this point.  We understand.  We did that for about a year before we made our deal!  That makes four different showings since we’ve been here in Marathon.  Who thought we’d be showing it so much down here.

Yesterday I finally went to the Dolphin Research Center.  I’ve been wanting to go for the last few seasons but have never made it.  Jill, Becky, Heather and I spent the day there.  We started off with lunch at Hawks Cay.  Woohoo!  Got a little fancy!  Well, only because The Wreck was closed for remodeling.  Oh well, it does us good sometime to see how the other half lives.  I really enjoyed the Dolphin Center.  They are so cute and you can tell they really enjoy interaction with people.  There are also four sea lions there.  I’m so glad I finally went.  Now I can check another thing off my list! 

New Year’s Eve was a warm sunny day in the Keys. Most of the day was spent hanging out on the dock.   Later that evening it was appetizers on the dock and a great time welcoming in the New Year.  Yes, I actually made it to midnight!   Several of us took a dinghy ride to “Gilligan’s Island” on New Year’s Day.  Another day of hanging out in warm sunny Florida.  Later it was time for black-eyed peas, collard greens and cornbread.  What a great way to start the New Year! 

We even managed to show the boat again!  That’s five times since we’ve been here in Marathon!  At least there is a lot of interest.  Just no one with a check in their hand yet.   

Hope you all have a Happy New Year!  May 2016 bring us all peace and happiness.

Till next time!

Admiral “C”