Sunday, 12/19/10

Southern Most Place in USA

USN, Boca Chica Marina, Key West.  We have had an interesting week.  Transportation is still an issue but we are getting more creative in our attempts to find post office, get provisions and to check out sites and restaurants we can take our kids or friends (hint, hint, hint) when they come down for a visit.  This week, we saw the Southernmost place in the whole USA.  It was a beautiful site with many other visitors taking pictures of each other at the famous landmark.  We also found a neat little Russian cafe where we had a sandwich called a Shwarma (this made us laugh out loud just to say it) and a bowl of spinach dumpling soup.  Another day we found a cafe called, The Six Toed Cat which was very colorful with cat paw shaped tables in all pastel colors with outdoor seating and we enjoyed a nice sandwich on freshly baked chappatta bread with homemade coleslaw.  We usually have a sliver of Key Lime Pie for dessert.  There are many variations of this here and we are seeking the best one. 

Sunset Pier

We also rode our bikes to the Sunset Pier overlooking the exact place we anchored the first night here from which we could watch all the colorful birds, dolphins and sail boats, skin diving boats, parasails, glass bottom boats, etc.  Then losing track of time that day, we had exactly 22 minutes to get to our bus stop at Publix to catch the bus to the base.  We did it!  just in the nick of time.  We are meeting some very interesting people on the bus.  One day this week, Luke was asked by a retired Lieutenant Commander at the marina to give him a ride to the airport and return his car back to the marina (which just happened to be a Mazda Miata, black convertable, stick shift, with satellite radio) (Luke has had two Mazda Miata’s and they are his favorite car).  Needless to say, Luke is the man who had a very nice ride home from the airport BUT, he’s holding a set of keys for this Miata from the owner with a blessing to feel free to use the car when needed to get provisions (what a temptation) and to please look after his sail boat for him.  God is AMAZING!  Amen!    Wednesday nite we went to a Christmas Pageant at the First Baptist Church of Big Coppitt Key which was just wonderful. 

Dick the dog

We also had a ride on an open air trolley which came to the marina to pick up 44 people and one dog to take into town to view Christmas lighted homes and sing Christmas carols, such as “Grandma got run over by a reindeer”.  Tomorrow we will enjoy another trolley ride leaving the church to sing traditional Christmas Carols around Key West.  Michelle enjoyed her new Bible study with Jane (a marina friend).  We met a new couple yesterday (Roger and Ann) who came in from Maine with their two year-old yellow lab, Spice on their 36′ Grand Banks.  They’ve done the Great Loop and Nova Scotia to name just a few places and shared many interesting stories and cruising wisdom with us when they invited us over for a slice of Key Lime Pie (voted the best from Publix!) and they also gave Luke their New York Times Sunday edition.  Today, Jane and Peter were kind enough to give us a ride to Sunday School and Worship Service where the message was “God Moves In”.  When we ask God into our heart, He moves in to help us to become deeper in our relationship with Him and with others; “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ ; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Luke 10:26-28.  Luke was asked to join the Worship Team to replace someone who was sick.  Michelle was asked to greet to relieve another who had a very bad cold.   After service, we had a pot luck Christmas Dinner with many delicious homemade meals.