Lazy Lakes RV Resort, Sugarloaf Key, FL:  Warm and sultry today.  We walked around the lake for the first time. I used my trekking poles because there are lots of coral to trip on.  The lake is looking very pristine again this year.  Stopped at Char and Jerry’s site for a little while.  Then continued the rest of the way back to our site.  Ray stopped by with Munch and after he left we headed to Key West to have lunch at the Stoned Crab.  Back to our park and sat outside until some ugly clouds rolled in.  Came back inside just in time as it started pouring down rain.  It’s supposed to cool down into the 70s for most of next week.  Then back into the 80s.  

Curry Mansion--Key West

Lazy Lakes RV Resort, Sugarloaf Key, FL:  Had breakfast this morning at the Galley Grill and then we stopped at the Flea Market on Big Pine Key.  Bought a bunch of spices and just walked around checking everything out.  Drove back under threatening skies.  Sat outside for a while reading while more clouds rolled in.  Then we headed inside to watch our Netflix movie, “Albert Nobbs”, which was a much better movie than I thought it would be.  All cleared off now so we went back outside for a while.  83 today.

Key West

Lazy Lakes RV Resort, Sugarloaf Key, FL:  Off to Mangrove Mama’s for breakfast this morning. Our waiter was from Serbia.  He plays professional tennis and spends the winter here and the summers in Maine. After breakfast we headed to Key West to run some errands.  I bought one of those vacuum storage bags to store our wet suits and get them out of our closet.  We’ve had them for at least 4 years and only used them once or twice.  But you never know.  Was sitting outside reading and one of our neighbors found a snake in his tree.  Went over to check it out. Looked like a rat snake.  At least he didn’t kill it.  Read for a while more and then we washed the gunk off our truck.  They’re finished with Johnson Road now, so no more mess I hope.  They have crews putting in sod all along Hwy. 1—both on the new bike paths and where they’re putting in the new sewer pipes. Looking forward to going biking again.  81 today and pretty windy. 

Doors of Key West.

Lazy Lakes RV Resort, Sugarloaf Key, FL:  Had set up an appointment for Stanley Steemer to clean the carpet in our fifth wheel today.  Fortunately, they showed up early—around 9:00.  After he cleaned I scotch guarded everything, and now it’s a matter of waiting for everything to dry out.  So, we headed out to run a couple of errands and then went into Key West to see “All Is Lost” at the Tropic Cinema.  The movie was riveting.  Doesn’t make you want to be on a boat any time soon.  Mike dropped me off in front of the theater and then we walked back to the Eco Center where he parked.  A beautiful, balmy evening.  Checked out a lot of the Christmas decorations on the drive back.  Just as we pulled into our site, Ray stopped by on his walk with Munch.  He and Jo lived on a sail boat for 10 years.  They have some great stories.  Low 80s again today and beautiful.  Pretty breezy this evening.  

Iconic statue of Marilyn outside the Tropic Cinema--Key West.

500 years!  Wow!

Home in Truman Annex all decorated for the holidays.

Our favorite Christmas decoration is lit up--so it's now officially Christmas in the Keys.  The middle "HO" needs to trim some of the mangroves in front of their house.

Lazy Lakes RV Resort, Sugarloaf Key, FL:  An iffy day today.  Good day to do the laundry.  We went over and used the KOA laundry facility, which is quite nice.  While there it poured down rain.  Undaunted, we finished the laundry and then went to Pizza Works for lunch.  Their pizza is the best—the dough is made fresh daily, and it’s fun to watch them fling the dough around to make it round.  Came back to the park with some delays because our road into the park, Johnson Road, is torn up because they’re digging trenches and putting in the new sewer pipe.  It’s interesting to watch these guys whip these huge front loaders around in such a confined space.  They’re just about done on Johnson Road.  Our truck is covered with this slurry-like stuff from the road, so we’ll have to wash the truck ourselves.  Something we never do, but full service car washes are non-existent here in the Keys.  Sat outside reading for a while after lunch.  Really humid now.  Low 80s today.  

Little cottage in Key West.

Key West Mounted Police.

Lazy Lakes RV Resort, Sugarloaf Key, FL:  Jerry stopped by on his walk around the lake this morning.  We’re trying to decide whether or not to head to Key West tonight to see our friend Fiona Molloy who is an awesome performer.  She sings and plays the guitar.  Mostly Irish songs.  Turns out she’s working a cruise ship in Puerto Rico right now, so I guess we’ll see her next week.  We probably wouldn’t have gone anyway.  Went to Big Pine Key and got my hair cut and then we did the grocery shopping.  Glad that’s out of the way.  Had lunch at the Galley Grill before my hair appointment.  While there a couple of police cars went screaming by and shortly after that an ambulance went screaming by the other way.  Another accident on Highway 1 no doubt.  Mid-80s again today!  Love it!

The front gate at Lazy Lakes.

Lazy Lakes RV Resort, Sugarloaf Key, FL:  Mike went over for donuts this morning and I did the cleaning—sort of.  Sat outside reading after getting our chores out of the way.  A pretty and breezy day.  Watched the Australian pines across the lake swaying gracefully in the breeze.  I love these trees, even though they’re not indigenous to the area.  They have these long needles that give it a lacy look.  The locals aren’t too fond of them, but there are a plethora of them around the Keys.  Went to happy hour for the first time tonight, which went okay.  Didn’t go to Boondocks with the rest of them.  Maybe next time.  Low 80s today.

Lazy Lakes