2025 January: Happy New Year!

 1 January 2025

Last night we said farewell to 2024 and ushered in the new year of 2025. The marina held a special event late afternoon, and some boaters pulled together a follow-up event that took us past midnight before finally ending. 

At midnight, Clark had his phone out taking pictures during the display of fireworks coming from all around us with most of the better ones a tad south of our location. 

Clark took far too many pictures. Some of the better results of his picture-taking efforts are included here.

Prior to the fireworks we enjoyed the Marlin Bay hosted event complete with entertainment, food, and a champagne toast compliments of the marina. Last year, before we left Marlin Bay to return to New Jersey, we introduced our friend "Johnny Live" to April on MB staff. As a consequence, John was tonight's entertainment. He puts on a wonderful show to which I know all the songs and the words to most of them. Clark and I even got up to dance and received many accolades for our rusty efforts!

Johnny Live on the Mic

John has told us that he receives requests for "Sweet Caroline" at every performance, and many times multiple people request that song. He sang it for this event upon request. A little girl, a toddler - too young to appreciate his efforts named Caroline, was the recipient of tonight's rendition.

John singing "Sweet Caroline" 
out in the audience

In preparation for toasting in the new year, April, who explained that sunset is considered the end of the day in the Keys, poured glasses of champagne ready for consumption at the appropriate time.

At sunset Clark ran over to grab pictures as the crowd gathered to toast in 2025!

As an added bonus, we had a boater with experience blowing the conch! What a treat!

Cheers to 2025!

The marina-hosted event and "Johnny Live's" performance ended at 7:00. As that wrapped up, folks started wandering to the site on the docks where we held the boaters' party.  Shortly thereafter, Lou, on Califrenchies supplied music from speakers on the bow of his boat, and the smells of wings cooking on the grill spread throughout the marina.

Even though the marina provided a buffet dinner consisting of sandwiches, chips, fruit and cookies, people still seemed ready for more food as the table filled up with a variety of delectable treats contributed by the folks attending the boaters' party. Besides the wings, we enjoyed salads, an interesting selection of hors d'oeuvres, and someone thought to bring a variety of cupcakes for dessert. I had the red velvet cupcake while Clark partook of the carrot cake cupcake.

We enjoyed talking with boaters we knew and met boaters new to us. We even met another boater named Evelyn! In informal situations she goes by the name "Evy". What fun! We are still waiting to meet another boater named Clark.

Just before 10:00, I bowed out of the party and headed back to the boat. Clark was enjoying himself too much to come back with me. Given free rein with the television, I turned on the movie "Diehard" and sat back prepared to thoroughly enjoy the rest of the evening. I am a firm believer that "Diehard" is a Christmas movie.

At ten minutes to 12:00, Clark came back to the boat to inform me that I needed to come see the fireworks as midnight approached. Reluctantly, I left my movie at a critical point and walked up with him to see in the new year. I had to remind him at 12:10 that there was supposed to be a kiss at the stroke of 12:00. He was too busy taking pictures of the fireworks to remember on his own!  

I got a quick peck out of him (hardly worth the walk up to the docks)! After a while I said I wanted to return to the boat. "In a minute", he replied. After my third attempt with the same response, I left him and went back to my movie! He finally appeared on the boat in time for the exciting conclusion of the film.

At 1:00 a.m. we finally called it "a night" and climbed into bed. It had been a long day. When we heard about the boaters' party, we had nothing on hand and decided to make a trip to Publix this morning to find some goodies to bring to the table. On our way to Publix, we stopped by the church so Clark could get more information to help them solve a phone / Wi-Fi issue they are having.

He collected some data after band rehearsal on Monday, made a block diagram, and needed more details to understand the situation. He is trying to puzzle out the wiring to help with their concerns. He works on wiring puzzles! I work on word and jigsaw puzzles.

With it being a rather warm day, we later took advantage of the heated pool. I paddled around talking to friends while Clark swam laps. Around 3:45 we pulled ourselves out of the pool to get ready to listen to "Johnny Live" when he began singing at 4:00.  By 5:00 the party was in full swing with many happy celebrators sitting around the bar, listening to his music, and making requests. Clark requested John sing his own, original entitled "Islamorada" - a lovely song!

Clearly we had a great day and made many memories along the way! 

Happy New Year to our readers! We appreciate you!