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| Christmas Tree at St. Columba Church at the alter |
24 December 2025
Today started out like every other Wednesday in December this year by dragging our laundry up to the washer and dryer for a morning spent at the Boaters' Lounge waiting for the washer and dryer to complete their work. Since we only have to tote the laundry within the marina now, I have no complaints! The lounge is a pleasant place to hang out while waiting to read or chat with folks that are coming and going for their morning cup of coffee compliments of the marina.
After that, a considerable portion of the day was spent catching up on our blog as it had been several days since it had been addressed. Afterwards, late afternoon, we made ourselves presentable for a trip to church for the 5:00 family candlelight service.
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| at entrance to the Parish Hall |
For once, Clark was not playing his guitar during the service, so we could sit together in the pew. We had been told that caroling would start at 4:30, and we arrived on time and found ourselves practically alone in the pews. Around 4:45 the choir started to sing, but neither Clark nor I were familiar with the songs performed, and the congregation was not invited to join in anyway. One member of the choir played the flute, and our friend, Nancy, played the violin during the service.
By 5:00, when the service began, the pews were packed with people. Normally, on Sundays, we attend the Contemporary service, and this service was not that. Clark and I noticed that many of the prayers and songs were sung with a different melody than we are used to.
Pastor Deb has made a tradition of giving out gifts at this service. Last year we received an angel.
This year, Pastor Deb gave us three choices for gifts - a Christmas ball ornament, a candy cane and, the one that caught my eye, a beautiful "stone" in my favorite color - small (good for a boat) and beautiful.
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| Blue stone of beauty |
Service lasted until 6:00, so when we got back to the boat, I threw something together for dinner (most likely leftovers as I have no idea what we ate). Afterwards we watched a not-so-great Lindsey Lohan Christmas movie on Netflix.
25 December 2025
To start the day, we walked up to the Club House (to use the toilets there and save space in our holding tank) and chatted with the very friendly staff. We found out from our Concierge Grace that Marley & Reef had flown off to the North Pole to be with Santa. They took off yesterday on pink flamingos. Sad to see them go!
They did not get the best report card for their time spent at Marlin Bay. They said they "tried". Maybe! I'm thinking a bit more on the naughty side of the chart.
This year instead of emailing us gift cards, Santa actually visited our boat, found my homemade, collapsible, cardstock Christmas tree taped to the door of our boat, and left actual presents for us to open!
Santa left me fun things to work / play with. I got sewing and craft-related gadgets and books plus a party game designed for multiple players. Although Clark was thrilled with his gifts, I found the books he received on navigation to be more yawn-worthy than exciting.
A tool he received has given him a boat project! Once Clark opened this gift, I thought he would never get to the other ones. He had to read the instruction manual and check this out in detail before moving on to the next present.
When he ran outside to test it on our power cord, he thought it was malfunctioning as it gave him a number circa 200ma and he was expecting a number less than 20ma. Uh oh! He quickly checked our neighboring boats power cables and found them to have reasonable numbers, so it appears the tool works, and we have leakage of A/C somewhere. Now he has a puzzle to solve, i.e. what is the source of the leak!? Merry Christmas!
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| "Not liking these numbers!" |
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| "Where to begin?" |
Today, we had brunch late morning and skipped lunch because we had a community dinner planned at the boaters' lounge for 3:00. Several folks colluded on planning the dinner, so it was more than a pot luck and less than a formal dinner. Folks signed up in advance with their "dish", and those in charge made sure that all bases were covered from meats to sides to appetizers and desserts.
The dinner went from 3:00 to 6:00. We had two tables - one for the main meal items and the other for hors d'oeuvres and desserts.
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| Ham and Turkey |
The planners made sure we had everything required for a holiday meal including green bean casserole!
Last year we did not have enough folks staying at the marina to make doing a joint dinner worthwhile. What a difference this year! Around 25 people of so signed up to attend, and we had more than enough food.
Our friendly dockmaster / elf, Kiya, facilitated our event by making the boaters' lounge available for us. The space is there for our general use, but tables had to be cleared and other tasks addressed for a big event like this.
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| Clark and Kiya |
Our boater friends are our away-from-home family, and it is great to spend time with them. However, the icing on a great Christmas day were the video chats with our sons and grandchildren talking about gifts received / given and how everyone is spending this joyful season.
26 December 2025
Today the weather was gorgeous with barely a cloud in the sky.
I saw two fat iguanas out enjoying the sunny day! They appear in the picture below, but they blend in well with the rocks / boulders.
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| Two huge iguanas hiding in the rocks |
I ended yesterday doing homework for this morning. On Fridays, a group of women I know, mostly from art at the library, gather together to do art. Today the plan was "art in the park" in Key Colony Beach. Since I deem KCB too far for a bike ride (Clark of course could / would do it), I can only go if I get a ride - friend, taxi, Uber, Lyft.
Fortunately, one of the women who does the art leads an exercise group across the street from the marina at the City Park. I can walk there in 15 minutes from the boat and meet her as the exercise "class" ends to hitch a ride to wherever we are meeting. Today I packed lightly for the outing with just cardstock paper, my colored pencils, and the pictures on my phone from yesterday's research of ideas.
I decided to do a boat scene. It gave me something basic to work on while chatting with the other ladies.
I did not get a picture, unfortunately, of the artwork of two of the women there. They brought hammers to the gathering and used them to pound on flower petals to make an imprint on cardstock. One of them brought an hibiscus, which even she agreed was too pretty to pound into pulp, but she did it anyway! The effect is interesting. I might try it some time.
It is a lovely group and I am honored that they have welcomed me into the fold!
While I was out this morning, Clark pulled out his guitar to play / practice songs. While doing so, he received an invite from our friend John to meet at the church to practice together. I got back to the boat in time to make him lunch, and then he was off by bike to the church.
Thus, I found I had the afternoon all to my self and had options on how to spend the time. After deliberating with myself, I decided to go check out the pool. I brought my phone (for games) and a book. I opened neither one as when I got to the pool, I found several boaters in the water and decided to join them.
Almost three hours later I finally left the pool area - a bit more wrinkly than when I got there. I spent most of that time swimming in place (basically treading water) while chatting with my boating friends. I enjoyed exchanging boating stories with a couple of the guys in the pool. I talked engine repair with Ed and exchanged anchoring stories with Bill. How the time flew by. I couldn't believe I was at the pool for so long.
Just as I was ready to leave, Clark appeared. He said he found no one on the boat so he came looking. I was wet and chilly and headed straight back to the boat. He stayed for a while to listen to the live music at the pool bar, but came back by the time I was done with my shower because he said it got "gnatty".
After dinner, I decided to continue working on colored-pencil art while we watched television. I put finishing touches on the piece I worked on in the park and then worked on a second picture. Neither one turned out as well as I would have liked. I will have to do some training exercises from the how-to-draw books I received for Christmas!
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| House on water reflection |
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