Day 224 - 230 January 30 - February 5, 2023

mDay 224 Monday, January 30, 2023

Stock Island continued

 Pretty uneventful day.  Tom and Michelle flew home and we hung around the boat and beach.  We enjoyed our first night of Roostica leftovers.  Sunday sauce is very yummy; the meatballs so tender.

 Manatee visitor in our marina!

Day 225 Tuesday January 31, 2023

Our friends, Sharon and Grant, on Call Me Curly, arrived.  We were last together in Clearwater.  They took their time coming down the west coast of Florida.  The marina here was fairly empty when we arrived but is slowly filling in.  

The marina had been planning major construction demolishing a storage building and creating condos.  Plans have changed/been postponed so they are now taking boat slip renovations and attending to some damages caused by Hurricane Ian, including a new laundry!  I am sure to take advantage of that.  It takes a long time to do it on the boat -- and clothes don't dry very well.

Day 226 Wednesday February 1, 2023

Bad day.  Our salon air conditioner died!  Thankfully the one in our stateroom is still working so that we can sleep at night.  Jerry talked with the marina office and they recommended an AC tech.  The tech couldn't get to the boat before Monday (if at all) but suggested that our problem could be the capacitors.  Matt told Jerry how to take them out and that we could actually get them tested to see if that could be the problem. One of the capacitors was bad.  Lucky us, there is an AC parts in Key West with the capacitor in stock.  Jerry took the bus to Key West hoping this would be the solution.  Unable to get a bus back, Jerry took advantage of the Ocean Edge Hotel shuttle to get back. Thank goodness for the shuttle. Capacitor installed, we just might have AC again.

AC ran for 3 hours until it got the boat to a comfortable temp and then shut off.... It wouldn't come back on.  Ughhhh.  Luckily, the outside temps have only been in high 70's and low 80's for the past few days but the humidity makes it uncomfortable.  I'm not complaining, I know how cold it has been at home.  At least we have air conditioning to sleep.

 Chickens roosting on the garbage can at Ocean's Edge

 Chickens everywhere on Stock Island and Key West

Day 227 Thursday, February 2, 2023

Still no AC and no word from Matt, the AC tech.  Jerry has been updating him and researching the internet for compatible air conditioners.  Nothing local, we would need to order one.  Temps today are in the upper 80's.  We did a load of laundry on the boat and hung it outside on the boat rails to dry.  Beach time with Phil-N-Wild, It's About Time and Arion.  Roostica leftovers for the 4th time!  Still delicious.

 Never get tired of this view.

The water color is beautiful  Sunset from the porch at the Marina pool area

Day 228 Friday, February 3, 2023

Rode trip today to Marathon to visit Looper friends Janet and Russ (Tug Bussle) and Ellen and Joe (La Vida).  Bus ride was 1.5 hours and only cost us $2 each!   We met them at Castaways restaurant for a great lunch.  (We followed a young lady from the bus who was headed there for work!) 

 

 Arleen, Danny and Susan

Lots of beer to choose from

  A manatee entertained us at the dock, drinking fresh water from the air conditioner condensate draining from the dock.  

Janet and Russ hosted us back at their marina with homemade sangria, beer and snacks.  The guys enjoyed a friendly ring toss competition.  Such fun with Arion, Tug Bussle, It's About Time, Call Me Curly, Phil-N-Wild, La Vida and Eric's Inheritance.

 Janet, hostess extraordinaire

Ring toss with Jerry, Russ, Joe and Grant

Warm back at the boat, Susan and Danny invited us to their boat to enjoy some air conditioning and cards.

Day 229 Saturday February 4, 2023

Today is much cooler with temps in the 70's.  More laundry.  Still no AC.  Time at the pool, we get to meet baby Izzie, Susan and Danny's granddaughter, visiting from Seattle Washington.  Izzie brought her parents too.

Day 230 Sunday, February 5, 2023

Sunday routine.   We leave the boat at 9:30 and bike to Key West for the 10:30 Mass at The Basilica of Saint Mary, Star of the Sea.   You need to arrive early to claim a seat.  The church is always standing room only, with ushers directing people to empty seats. We normally make the 5.5mile ride in about 45 minutes.  There is always a lot of traffic but Florida has lots of bike lanes and wide sidewalks.  Bikers are often encouraged to use the sidewalks.

We went to an outside café for breakfast - The Garden Café and were joined by a family of chickens.

We stopped at Walgreen's (for Benadryl cream and bug spray), Home Depot and Publix on our way back.  We spent the afternoon at the pool.