Still alive in Key West !

We are still alive in Key West, Florida.  The weather has been great except these past few days. Currently, the temps are in the 60's with wind about 20-30 MPH. It's suppose to back to the high 70's low 80's in a few days, so until then, we are stuck in the RV.

We are now in dry camp and can expect to remain here, without hook ups, for about 2 weeks.  We don't mind, the sites are bigger plus we are right on the water.  We normally run the generator for about an hour in the morning, for coffee and to charge our computers/phones, then again in the evening, about 4 hours, to watch TV and to recharge our stuff for the night..

We can go about 10 days or more without having to get water or dump our tanks. Andy is obsessed with water conservation. Thank goodness, she is amazing ! It isn't really that bad to go to the dump station. It's quite easy really, I am just lazy !  (All my years of camping paid off-Andy)

Hello from Key West !

Chair in front of the RV

We had an uneventfully Christmas.  This was Andy's first year away from all family members.  She held up pretty good.  The weather was grey and rainy, reminded us of Portland Oregon.

If you look real close to the right of the penguin you can see where Santa had his milk and cookie.

Our Christmas area in the RV

We did have a melt down a few days before Christmas thou.  She broke her Rudolph wine glass that her daughter Briana gave her a few years ago. She had been guarding that glass for years. I was not allowed to touch it, nor would I want to.  The tears were a flowing !    I am so "very" "very" "very" glad I didn't break it !  I would be dead for sure !  I had to make an emergency call to Ryan and Briana ! Thanks guys..wow... that was a close one.

I super glued it !  Not the same.  I am not her dad. I can't fix everything. !

We have been doing a little fishing since we've been here.  I wouldn't say we are "pros" yet !  It's a big learning curve since we haven't fished in these types of waters before.  Andy is really catching more fish than I.  Maybe it's because she likes to eat fish more than I do..lol  We try and go to the US Coast Guard Station, where we fish, a few times a week.  It is like our own private fishing dock, only military people can get on base.

Fishing off the pier at Key West Coast Guard Station

Holy Mackerel

Andy's Grouper...too small...back it went !

We took a charter fishing trip out for a few hours.  With a military discount it was fairly inexpensive.  Maybe it was so cheap because we really didn't catch any fish to keep.  We caught a lot of undersized Yellowtail Snapper.

My combat fishing spot

There were about 40 people fishing...never again !

The boat ride was gorgeous and worth the money and time alone !

The fishing queen who is known here in the Keys as the "Fish Slayer" !

I guess, I will have to take the Coast Guard Boating Test to rent a boat here on base.  The military will not except my Oregon Boating Certification.  Wish me luck on the test.  It can't be as hard as the RRT Test huh guys.


On New Years Eve we decided to go out for a nice dinner.  Afterwards, we met up with our friends we met here in Key West.  We sat on the steps and watched and messed with the people passing by.

What a rowdy old bunch. Judy was hugging everyone she could.   I was feeling a little hyper, which is so unlike me, and was having a great time.  Andy was having a good time too but you can't tell from the picture below...lol  She even stayed up until 2 am...oh yes she did !

Can you tell who is not smiling ?  Judy was assaulting me !

That's better honey...love the smile.   Hey where is Ray !

They dared me to get into the Key West spirit...nope...just teasing...I didn't !  Too shy !!

Happy New Year !  

Ray and Marilyn

Judy and Richard

Sharon and Nick

Marge and John

As the sunsets here in Key West in 2013...Happy New Year !

On Monday we went to the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory.  I really didn't think it was going to be all that.  Wrong !  It was beautiful and amazing !  Andy could have stayed for hours upon hours.  I shot some video of it and loaded it up on Facebook but still it didn't show the beauty of the place.  I tried to post the video here but don't know how.

Maybe just a little excited

Very pretty

Moth is larger than my entire hand.

Nope !   Not a leaf but a Butterfly

Karen is a fellow blogger !  She has been following our blog for some time now and I hers.  She has been about 3 weeks behind us . They have been going to the same places we have.  We finally met up with them here in Key West.  They were only here for a short few days, too bad it wasn't longer.  She was very nice and Andy liked her a lot !!

You can follow their family blog at  www.coach-and-six.blogspot.com.  I have also attached their blog to my blog.  They have been traveling in fifth wheel for months with 6 kids....all boys!!! She home schools them also. What a brave woman!

Karen and Andy

We also ran into Lyn and Ray here.  They to have been following our blog, on Escapees, for quite some time.  It is so cool to finally meet them as well.