I spent most of yesterday horizontal ...this congestion stuff is yucky....and with temps finally warming so that I can enjoy Florida...just makes it seem worse! But we did manage to up anchor and spent lazy time cruising to Ft Myers. More than once we got the impression we were headed the wrong direction. Sunday afternoon is a busy time...and they were headed to the beach. The miserable mile wakes reminded us of  NYC...lots and lots of boats...zipping, zagging...getting in the way...We headed to the gas dock...208  gallons later, we are feeling like we can make it to the marina. No problem...Floyd took Rick's new Cadillac to Walmart for battery purchase ...Dakota and I napped! Really that's about it for me...got up just in time to go to bed...and then slept 12 hours....feeling a bit better today...but I'm staying in and low key til this stuff disappears.
Legacy Harbor is one of the nicer marinas...heated swim pool, laundry, close to Publix, and lots of loopers. Dakota has made lots of friends already...plus we have access to Rick's car...the other plus is that we had mail. Yes, our correct coffee carafe!!! After almost 5 months and lots of missteps and costly errors...we got the right one. I guess I'd better get on the phone and order another one for back up....Cough, cough, sniffle, sneeze! We not going anywhere til I'm better, Captain's orders.

Good to be motoring again....3 weeks at the same marina was a bit much for us...so we didn't mind the mooring field at Sarasota one bit. Good to have space between boats. We'd already seen the sights here, so Friday we headed to one of our favorite spots...Cayo Costa State Park. When we arrived, the place was packed...Floyd counted 29 boats at anchor in the Bay Area...and we know there are more on the other side...Dakota ran a bit...everyone is happy. Though for some reason our generator battery is struggling...gonna have to replace that in Ft Myers.

Saturday morning boats started clearing out...we dropped to around 10 by noon...we dinghy'd Dakota over to the big sand bar and let him run....his 6 foot leash was firmly attached, just that no one was holding it...probably a rule violation, but he was having so much fun. Our plan was to take "new canvas" boat photos on the return trip....boo hiss, camera battery died! What is with these dead batteries??? Shortly after noon, my sinus started aching...so drugs and bed were the order of the rest of my day. At about three, TUMBLEWEED was visited by Rick and Pam aboard TOURIST. What a surprise! We were planning to visit them in Ft Myers...but instead here they are...with company aboard, we compared plans....hopefully we will catch up with them on Tuesday . My congestion continued to worsen...so Dakota and Floyd had to shoulder the bulk of the work and social activities. Even bigger surprise, they brought us a coffee carafe...Rick was just sure it would solve our issues, but alas, it is a perfect fit for the one Floyd bought on EBay ...that makes terrible coffee and won't keep it hot!

At about 4 , the fog rolled in!! And boats congregated like flies....back up around the 20s, but not as many as Friday. We sure hope it rolls out in the morning, we've been running the generator to keep batteries charged, so now fuel is low. We can't hang around....gotta take care of business. So off to FT Myers on Sunday...with Rick's car keys...that should be a great help! Groceries, gas and batteries....then we head south! But first I've got to kick this crud!!

February 19.... Canvas work is D O N E!!!! We think it looks great! Black Bimini , screens all the way around, screen covers for port hole winds, and black weather stripping around the aft deck. It is so crisp and sleek!! The only thing we didn't opt for that I wish we had is a new cover for the fly bridge console ....the old one hasn't fit for 8 years...he added new electronics. But hey, in the always leave them wanting more ...that works!! I have tried a few photo ops ...but this marina is just too tight to do it justice...so you'll have to wait. We should have good opportunities in the next few days...as we anchor out on our way to Ft Myers.... Can't wait to be moving on! So fuel and pump out in the AM...Sarasota tomorrow night, then on to one of our favorite stops last go-around, Coya Costa State Park. Lovely beaches...and with warmer weather, we may stay more than just one night! Woo hoo, life is good!

Valentine eve....and we have a new black Bimini ....Steve thinks that he'll have us finished up on Friday or Monday....I'm thinking Tuesday or Wednesday....but the Captain is getting excited about getting outta here. Not that it is not a delightful place...we are just ready to move on....south!! To warmer weather.

We've spent most of this week looking for items...at Sears, West Marine, hardware store etc! The saga of the coffee carafe continues.... We loaded up the under counter model and took it to Sears with us...tested several and bought a coffee maker just because we thought that carafe would work! Yep, you guessed it...a few minor imperfections that resulted in disaster! In desperation, I began looking at the Black and decker web page...contact us!! And you are not going to believe this.....$8.95 they seem to have thousands!! I spent a lovely hour on the phone with customer representative Patty....because shipping to where was an issue....but I think maybe when we get to Ft Myers we'll have a coffee carafe!! Cause for celebration!

Kelli and crew made it to Florida...and the day we chose to meet at the beach was anything but pleasant! In fact, I'm sure no one who lives in Florida would have said, "Hey, let's go to the beach!" Cloudy, windy....cool to say the least...but Ryne didn't care...and we managed to have great fun for a couple of hours. Then the clouds turned stormy...and we headed back to the boat...yep, we'd left the windows open. Bumper to bumper traffic...very slow going...but we managed to get back before the rain started. Kelli and crew, not so much. By the time they arrived it was pouring. No one really wanted to get that wet....so after Ryne made a brief visit to the TUMBLEWEED...they exited stage left. Later we discovered that Kelli had picked up our rental car key, thinking it was theirs. But...great problem solving ( esp since it was our ONLY key)... She overnight FedEx' d it....we had it before 11 the next morning!! And, you know I try to not go anywhere before 11!!!!

We had several conversations with Susan and Carolyn...visited their new boat, Dakota encounters, they've been to the TUMBLEWEED...we had a delightful meal with them at the marina restaurant (FISH TALES). We are going to play musical cars with them tomorrow, as they need to move their boat into the Bay Area for some repairs...and it is kinda difficult to tug that car along behind you. So we'll help.

We are hoping to get with the Neer's again...they've moved over to the Pass-aGrill area...so we'll see how that works. But we are counting on being outta here by this time next week.

How time flies when you ae just waiting around for things to happen! This week has been mostly full of clouds, rain and cold. People here are freezing...but we are not complaining...Kansas has been hit hard by cold, snow and wind. While it is not exactly delightful here...it is way better than Kansas.

W spent a delightful weekend hanging out with John and Diane...watched a very disappointing Super Bowl ...and then they were off...headed south...who knows if/when we'll catch up with them again.

Monday through the wonders of Facebook...we were able to hook up with Dakota's sister's forever parents...the Neers are in the St Pete area avoiding winter ...while they don't have Sophie traveling with them, it was fun to meet, greet, and compare dogs from the same litter. They had found a small dog park...so Dakota got to play while we chatted.

Tuesday the air conditioner man made a visit to check all ACs...though we haven't needed them!! Still using heaters!!! And we made a quick trip to Clearwater to pick up important mail...Floyd's cigar shipment and a carton of Dakota's chew bars....then we meet our friends at the local Tapas bar for half price Tapas Tuesday ....excellent food...and fun catching up with them. Floyd thought it was a mostly girlie place.....I thought it was wonderful. I'm sure we'll see them often in the next couple of weeks.

Boating projects have kept us busy....runs to the hardware store, pump out, laundry, cleaning, cooking and  walking the dog. We have managed to find several dog parks in the area...so when it stops raining, we dash over to get the boy some exercise. Haven't seen much of the canvas crew, but what we have seen is encouraging. They came and removed our Bimini cover...found the rod pockets full of mud dobber nests...thank goodness is was all dry, brittle, and dead.....ugh!!  Kelli and her crew are in Orlando this week so we are hoping to spend some time hugging that cute grand baby.  It's a busy and friendly marina...just depressing with all the cloud cover, rain, and coldness. Folks here are complaining...we just stay in, find projects, and nap! Tough life!! Soon we'll start planning our trip south...for now we are just hanging out. Kinda nice!!

Thursday went according to plan. Dakota went to the groomer and while he was gone we had a visit from Steve Lippincott, head man in charge of Lippincott canvas...we talked about all sorts of canvas, got some prices, then whittled it down to fit our budget. We are getting black Bimini, black screens for front and side windows, black canvas weather strip around the aft deck, and some sort of awning thing that will keep rain from dripping on/in the hatch. They won't start til the end of next week...and he promised to get us on our way as fast as he can....still saying 4-6 weeks.

He returned with paperwork etc after we picked up sweet Dakota....and fell in love!! Why are we surprised?? Anyway he is looking for the perfect boat dog for his parents...and he really wanted to just take ours. We assured him there were more available...so hopefully Dakota won't go missing. If he does, we know where to look.

Friday weather was suppose to clear...but that sure didn't happen. We did laundry and a few inside jobs...but not much. This cold drizzle is depressing. Though not as bad as the ice storm they are having in Wichita and Fredonia. Our weather looks to get better this weekend...and we are are just a little stir crazy.

We have plans to get together with our friends John and Diane (TUTTO BENE) Saturday night...super bowl is on Sunday so we'll have to find a sports bar ( though we'd rather be in Fredonia at Bauman's fab party).... Tuesday is our day to get together with the ladies on WHY KNOT. I think we are going to visit the tapas restaurant. Other than a little WSU BB and boat projects, we'll just be hanging out on the TUMBLEWEED...tough life! Ha!!