Only have a few minutes allowed in library so will make this short. We're in Marathon, Fl, about half way down the Keys. Hauling boat this week to paint bottom. It's covered with barnacles. Since we had it done in July and cleaned Nov 1, we figure they didn't get enough coats on in July. We'll spend Xmas on the hard.

Then off to Key West for awhile. No definite plans after that, not sure if we're going to the west coast of Fl or staying in the Keys.

We spent 2 weeks in Ft Laud over Thanksgiving. Ken's brother, Jim, came for Thanksgiving and again this past week in Marathon for a few days. He brought his 7 passenger jet boat with him. We learned you don't go out in 20 knots with even small seas. Thankfully it wasn't flat calm because Jim travels at 70mph then.

We spent a week in Coconut Grove, Miami. Somewhat of a disappointment. We had read you could anchor and use marina facilities. The anchorage was fine, but couldn't use marina, even for money. So used the town dock. This is where many of the homeless live. They each seem to have their own beat-up tender where they keep their belongings and sleep. We never had anything stolen, but we worried and wouldn't think of going in at night.

Then off to The Keys via Hawk Channel which runs inside the reefs and provides protection from the Gulf Stream and the seas. We had some good sailing. One day I decided I wanted to fish, so I picked up the cell phone and called to order a license. I never flinched when she asked me for my ss#, DOB, weight and credit card #. But when she asked for my color hair that was too much. Ken said I had to say gray. I was going to cancel the whole thing, but I really wanted to fish, so I told her. (But I assured her, Chris, that you have more gray hair than I do!) And I haven't even caught a fish!! They never threw me off the computer, so I kept going.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL

JANE AND KEN