Lazy Lakes RV Park, Sugarloaf Key, FL:  Cloudy this morning, and really humid all night last night.  Not complaining though.  We headed to Big Pine to do the laundry and grocery shopping.  After I got the laundry started I went next door and got my hair cut.  This gal decided I needed something different, so she gave me a stacked bob.  And I like it.  After finishing the laundry we had lunch at the Galley Grill and then went home and put everything away.  By now the clouds had dissipated and the sky was clear and blue.  Not much wind, so the no-see’ums kept Mike inside.  We decided to go to Mangrove Mama’s for some margaritas and invited Terry and Floyd.  Picked them up at 5:00, pulled into Mangrove Mama’s and were told they were closed for a private party.  Soooo, we drove to Summerland Key and had drinks and dinner at The Wharf which is on a quay where some of the commercial fishermen come in.  A beautiful, calm, warm evening dining under the stars.  Back into the park and stopped at Carol and Ray’s site and checked out their Christmas decorations.  Mid-80s today.

Morada Bay, Islamorada

Another beautiful Keys sunset.

Lazy Lakes RV Park, Sugarloaf Key, FL:  Another beautiful day under a clear blue sky.  Two young guys who are working for the RV cleaning/detailing outfit down here this winter had pulled into the site next to us yesterday.  Nice guys, and they have a little dog, Sparkie.  But the rental RV in this site was too small for them so they moved down a few sites.  I was talking to them this morning when I walked down there.  They already have a lot of business just in this park—ours will be one of the first I hope.  Ours is in desperate need of a cleaning on the outside.  Most of their business will come from the KOA just a mile or so from our park.  At happy hour last night a couple of others expressed an interest in getting their units cleaned.  So they’ll be busy.  Speaking of happy hour, about 20 people showed up and it was great catching up.  One couple is from New York where they have a summer home on a lake in the Adirondacks and they spend the winters down here.  After several drinks at the KOA pub a few of us drove up to Boondocks on Ramrod Key and had some dinner.  I sat outside reading part of the day today, feeling the warm sun and tropical breezes on my skin.  Looking to be a great winter down here which will pass all too quickly.  Low 80s today.

Doors of Key West

Our little lake--used to be a quarry

Lazy Lakes RV Park, Sugarloaf Key, FL:  A beautiful, sunny, breezy day.  I did the cleaning.  Mike called a doctor to see about getting an appointment.  They said they’d get back to him, but never did. We’re heading over to the pub at the KOA next to us for some drinks and then probably on to Boondocks for dinner.  80s today.

Little cottage in Key West

Pub at the KOA

Lazy Lakes RV Park, Sugarloaf Key, FL:  Ray and Jo stopped by with cookies she had just baked.  Chocolate chunk oatmeal with cherries and apricots.  Really good!  After they left Mike went up and got a Sunday paper and we kicked back the rest of the morning.  We watched the first three episodes of “The Kennedys” last night.  Really good.  Mike walked the Netflix up to the outgoing mail in the office.  And Dale stopped by with a beautiful bouquet of orchids from his garden.  Thanks, Dale!  Watched Tiger play golf all afternoon.  And he won!  Had spaghetti for dinner.  80 today.

Beautiful bouquet of orchids Dale brought over.

"Fat Albert" the spy balloon keeping an eye on the waters around the Keys. 

Lazy Lakes RV Park, Sugarloaf Key, FL:  A mixed bag today.  Started out clear, then clouded up, then cleared up.  But it hit 80 today, so all is good.  We drove to Big Pine Key and had lunch at our favorite pizza joint.  Then drove down to the blue hole.  No gators.  Saw a Key Deer though.  So far this year, 139 Key Deer have been killed!  I wonder how many are left?  After lunch we headed back on Hwy. 1 and about mile marker 22 the traffic came to an abrupt stop.  Sat there for a while.  Finally we got going again and we passed the accident scene—a truck and a car flipped and were in a gully on the side of the road.  We’ve seen a lot of accidents on this road in the 7 years we’ve been coming down here.  Got back finally and walked around the lake.  Stopped at Captain Bill’s site and he invited us in.  He has created a beautiful spot.  They live here year round.  Continued on around the lake and stopped in the clubhouse and sat around talking with a bunch of people we hadn’t seen in a while.  Then the mail came, we picked up our Netflix and headed back to our site.  Watched Tiger play golf.

Ft. Zach

Lazy Lakes RV Park, Sugarloaf Key, FL:  This morning it was rather cloudy, but it quickly cleared off to reveal a pristine blue sky.  Breezy—but then it usually is down here.  And, oh, it was so nice and warm last night.  Think the low was 70.  That’s what we’re talking about!  After lunch we made our first foray into Key West.  Parked in the lot by the old sub base and walked through Truman Annex and up to the Tropic Cinema to see J. Edgar.  I thought it was really good.  Probably Academy Award nominations for DeCaprio and his co-star.  Think it was 76 today.  A gradual warm-up is on the way.

Chickens of Key West

The iconic Marilyn Monroe
Metal sculpture in front of the Tropic

W. P. Franklin Corps of Engineers Campground, Ft. Myers, FL, to Lazy Lakes RV Park, Sugarloaf, FL:  Left this morning at 9:00.  Instead of taking I-75, we took Rt. 78 east to 80 east and then Rt. 29 south through the beautiful Big Cyprus National Preserve—which is the last refuge for the beleaguered Florida panther.  Not sure how many of them are left.  Picked up I-75 east and then turned off on I-27 south.  My back was killing me, so I pulled off at about 12:30 and Mike took over driving.  Got on the Florida’s Turnpike, gassed up at one of the service centers, and then got on Rt. 1 down into the Keys.  Worked our way down through the beautiful, turquoise waters of the Keys.  We crossed over the 7-mile bridge and put a Howard Livingston CD on and rocked on down. When we got onto Big Pine Key a Key Deer ran across the road in front of us and we almost hit it!   Pulled into Lazy Lakes at 3:00.  6 hours!  Asked if there were any sites down from us where we could turn around, and they said there were a couple on the lake side.  So we pulled down and tried to back into one of the sites down from us and turn around, but there was no room.  So, Mike had to back all the way back around the loop and we finally turned around and backed all the way in.  The problem is Craig’s motor home across from us which doesn’t allow us enough room to pull in and back into our site.  We have to either turn around or back all the way in.  Poor Mike!  We finally made it into our site by 4:20.  An hour and 20 minutes!  We weren’t set up until 5:20.  Then we headed to Mangrove Mama’s for several drinks and dinner.  We’re finally here!  Yes!  And we have full cable for the first time in a month.  We’ll let cable wash over us tonight.  69 when we pulled into Lazy Lakes. 

Bon Appetit!