I was up relatively early and left PJ and Cali to snooze while I drove into Marathon to visit the hardware store to see if they would crimp my little wire cable loop on the new board. They sold cable and they sold ferrules but they didn’t have the tool to put the two together. The disgruntled guy told me they probably never would since the owner was such a skinflint and he sent me down the road to West Marine. The folks there handed me the proper tool and I went out to the lot to crimp the ferrule. I was wrestling with keeping the ends of the wire even with ferrule and wielding the crimper when a local guy pulled up in a shiny Ford pickup and helped me out. All set to help keep the boards secure.

I grabbed some grapes on the way back since they’ve become our go to snack and dessert lately then headed back to camp. It was a mellow day hanging in the shade reading, relaxing and chatting with people passing by. Every 45 minutes or do, I’d get too hot and jump on a board and paddle around for a bit and jump off out in the sparkling green and blue gulf. I used a ‘magic eraser’ sponge to clean all of the oak pollen stains off of the bottom of the Riviera board from being parked at Hanna for so long. Looks a lot better. With boat ramp being 10 feet from our door, it was easy to launch any time we felt like it and I must have paddled at least seven sessions today.

PJ joined me on a few excursions and we did an especially long run down towards the bridge at Tom’s Cut for a sunset cruise. The wind was helping us on the way back but it also kept moving us out as well so we had to keep an eye on shore. We got back in front of camp as the sun was setting and swam and floated around until it sank behind the horizon. A fantastic day at Jolly Roger. The temperature couldn’t be any better for a sun lover like me. Mid-eighties air and high seventies water with warm nights for walking around. The bugs got to PJ just after eight, so went inside and had a light dinner and of hummus and cheese. Cali is feeling healthy again and PJ and I are getting along better than we ever have. Easy living on Grassy Key.

I wanted to give a big shout out to my amazing father who at 90 years of age is on a road trip to Bozeman, Montana attending his 60th year college reunion with his wife Sandy. His last few years have been full of big milestones, new knees, new wife, turning 90, tons of travel and now the reunion. I don’t know how many of his classmates are left judging from the rows of empty seats behind him but he’s still going strong and steady, forever the anchor of our family. He never ceases to inspire me. Congratulations and much love from us both.