In Dallas this week working at ETS

I am truly blessed to be invited to stay in the Yakel home with Dianne and Ken and the delicious home cooking while working at ETS office for the week.

skip, Dianne, Ken and Craig Yakel

Dianne made a Coconut Creme Pie

Ken with his note to remember...

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The ETS full time staff had their "school photos" made today.

Key West 6:38am boarding

NEWS UPDATE: Whiskey 3

I finally got the call... I have a mooring ball.

  I'll be moving over to the mooring field. 

W3 is my new location.

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Today i re-installed my Bimini top.  It had gotten a tear and had to be fixed.  Keys Quality Canvas sewed it for me.

TODAY i re-installed the Bimini.  it had a small tear.  I pulled it down Friday and got it repaired Saturday for $80 at Keys Quality Canvas.  he put a patch on the inside and a second one on the outside.  It took me about an hour to drop it all.  (remember the clear lens screen stuff) I piled the Clear surround on the deck.  Today it took about 4 hours to put it all back up.  Damn thing is tight as a banjo string.  Plus the stupid stainless poles are so tight and there's no give in them, i had to loosen one end to get the fabric on and then re-mount the brackets to stretch it back out.  'One step forward, two steps back, unscrew, cuss, re-screw.'

It's a big load off to have it patched.  I did not want the tear to spread or damage it.  damn thing cost me $10k originally....

I also went to NAPA and bought 5 gallons of 15W-40 heavy duty diesel oil to do oil changes on both the generator and the Perkins.  All is well.

tired and having happy hour.        -skip

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AFTER MY DENTAL CLEANING

Another week behind me...

Oh Yippee a trip to the Dentist...

 No cavities and scheduled for a cleaning Tuesday.

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Riding home on my bike i decided to go through a 'senior living retirement park' to see how the other half live.

 The trailer park is divided by a canal.

 This tiny slice of Paradise asking $88,000

 This Castle asking $159,000

I just realized I need to put Taxes on my to do list.  

Yum. Dentist and Taxes.  Life is Good!

Pickleball anyone?

Pickleball on Tue & Thur.

Here is an example of a 'good volley.' No, a GREAT volley!

 Abby the wonder dog chillaxin

Some local color

Happy Valentines Day!

i moved to Sombrero Marina

Today i moved from point A to point B.  

I 'want' to be in C, the mooring field.  (where i was scheduled to go, was around the island, about 14ml away at D.)  A mooring ball is $350.  The marina is $1,300 per month. *the other marina was $1,500 per month.

It's quiet and I'm tied up to the dock - safe.

I said, "I moved" but the truth is, the entire village moved.  (it takes a village to raise a child.) On board Prodigal were Jeff and Kris from s/v Papy Jovial, and my old neighbor Stephen off his boat down the dock.  My other neighbors from the other side, John and Sandra helped by untying lines and helping cast off.  (John told me, "he was glad to see me go, that it improved the property values.")  Plus Warren and Joan came over and helped the departure by untying lines.  Upon arrival at the new marina I was surprised to see; Terry, Peter, and Jaymo standing by to catch lines and help us secure Prodigal.  My new neighbor Pierre and his wife Reneh were up on deck to fend off in case I tried to crash into them.  (no touching) and last but not least my new neighbors on the other side Dave and Janelle came out to assist.  *Plus there were five other people who stopped to help and offer advice, but I never knew their names, as they left when i didnt crash...  So, thanks to the entire village!    **Another note: when leaving the Skipjack Marina, Jeff got his dinghy and used it like a tug boat to pull Prodigal sideways out from the very tight dock and against the blowing wind to help us depart.  

THANKS TO EVERYONE!  

So, i moved her, but had 20ppl helping...

The mooring field where I'm waiting to move

Sunset view from my Prodigal at my new marina

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There are three Manatee at my new marina.

They love the sweet water...

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Some random neighborhood shots.

I hope you are safe, warm, dry and tied to your new dock!        -Capn Skip

The 'new' move and a new Plan B.

The Plan has changed.  Again.  My friends Kris and Jeff of s/v Papy Jovial found out about a spot opening up at their marina and I got it.  I got the open spot. So instead of moving about 14 miles around the island, I'm moving just 200 hundred yards to Sombrero Marina.

Plan A.

Plan B.  (moving from A, to location C.)