Just another day in paradise - Key Largo style

Today was kind of a catch up day for us.

We got up kind of late, did our weight exercises and enjoyed our diet breakfast.

While outside, my friend Kim called from Michigan (to tell me how very, very cold it was there) and as I was talking to him I wandered a few feet to our dock and saw a very, very large creature floating near the surface.

It was a Manatee, the very same creature we have been trying to see on several previous trips to Florida.

Heck, one day last April Joan and I spent an afternoon driving around Vero Beach unsuccessfully trying to find the places people told us we could see them.

As soon as I spotted the Manatee, I called to Joan and she came over, leaned over the dock and began talking to it. You have to know Joan and her affection for animals and science to appreciate how big a deal this was.

I took some photos (a couple here), finished my phone call with Kim and then went back to our exercises. About 10:30 a.m. we got cleaned up and then headed out to check out the Visitor’s Center in Key Largo.

Elin and a friend are flying down her together on Saturday for a couple days of warm rest and relaxation so we checked out a couple beaches for them to lie on. I made reservations for a glass bottom boat tour of a nearby coral reef and also reservations for a sunset dinner on Monday in Key West.

With the pickings getting slim, Joan and I went to a nearby Publix store and stocked up on salad fixins’, fruit and wine for Joan and the girls. Then while she had her nails “filled” I brought the food back to the trailer and then returned to pick her up.

While waiting for Joan I noticed this white bird perched on a nearby truck, so I grabbed my camera and took pictures of it.

Spent a little time on the patio here reading my book , but got chased by some rain showers. Tonight we’ll just chill in the trailer as the rain passes through. It is supposed to clear up by Sunday, so that will be good.

Key Largo welcomes the Smiths

Getaway day at Jonathan Dickinson State Park started early. I took advantage of a late check out time to take another 3-mile hike through the park and get in all my weight exercises.

Hooking up the trailer always takes about an hour because I prefer to do it slowly and methodically so I don't miss a step, like not attaching an important safety device to the ball and hitch, that kind of thing.

I always try to hook up the trailer and then take my shower so I will not be all hot and sweaty while I drive. Because we didn't have a sewer connection in our campsite we made a stop at the dump station and unloaded our excess baggage. No sense dragging that to the Keys with us, not to mention the extra weight and lower gas mileage.

We saw a lot of speeding police cars through the Miami area and later learned they had two police officers killed in a shooting today. Very sad and our hearts go out to the officers' families.

Except for the extra police activity the trip on the Florida Turnpike was uneventful.

After arrival at the Calusa Campground in Key Largo I had a very tight spot to maneuver the trailer into, but made it on the third try. Except that the park management stopped by after I had leveled and disconnected to tell me that I had to move the trailer about six feet to the east.

After I explained the difficulty I had squeezing into the spot, they agreed to send a tractor by to help maneuver the trailer into its proper spot. After that small hitch, we got settled, Joan got our laundry started and I finally got around to working on the computer again after a week's hiatus.

For dinner we enjoyed yet another Uncle Pete creation, a wonderful meaty chili that he sent along for us. The dish included some block Cheddar cheese and some cut onion. Needless to say we had a great dinner. (I'll include a photo here of Joan toasting Uncle Pete before we dug into the food).

We have Internet, Cable TV and a four-foot walk to the boat channel out our trailer door. We are in paradise, at least for a week.

Departure Mileage: 54424

Departure Time: 11:17 a.m.

Arrival Mileage: 54580

Arrival Time: 2:33 p.m.

Catch up time: Our Jonathan Dickinson/Space Coast adventure - Day 6

Jonathan Dickinson Day 6

I started the morning with a three-mile nature hike while Joan slept in. Later, when she got up I joined her for a two-mile walk. After cleaning up we went to the nearby Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge and the Hobe Sound Nature Center and we saw lots of interesting critters and took another one mile hike along an educational trail.

No one can say we didn’t get our exercise today. After that we headed to Uncle Pete and Aunt Judi’s house in Stuart where we visited and watched the Australian Open (tennis) before getting ready to head north to Vero Beach to visit my cousin Kenny, his wife Khlai and son Koa.

Uncle Pete navigated while I drove up Federal Highway (US 1) which was a slow, but beautiful trip along a section of road we had not traveled before.

Once in Vero Beach we drove to Ken’s house where we picked up Khlai and then headed to a local baseball field where we picked up Koa who was practicing with his local team – The Orphans – which is a traveling Little League squad.

We watched a little batting practice and then we headed to the Lobster Shanty along Inland Waterway in Vero.

A full moon greeted us and so did Kenny. We had a wonderful fish dinner, even better conversation and said our good byes and headed back to Stuart.

In Stuart we said our farewells, grabbed a few hugs and then headed back to our campsite to get some sleep before our trek south to Key Largo tomorrow.

Catch up time: Our Jonathan Dickinson/Space Coast adventure - Day 5

Jonathan Dickinson Day 5

Today’s trek was out of this world.

Ever since we were rushed through the Kennedy Space Center on our cruise tour back in November we have been looking forward to returning to the KSC to finish the tour.

Up early, we headed back to Titusville and the KSC about 8 a.m. for the two hour drive. Crowds were light and this time we were able to see the IMAX movie we missed the first time and enjoyed an “Astronaut Encounter” with John Fabian, who flew on Shuttle Missions 7 and 51.

His talk was entertaining and light and the pictures he showed were unbelievable.

Astronaut Fabian was a Vietnam combat pilot and I got to speak to him ever so briefly after the talk and Joan and I had our photos taken with him. That one thing was worth the drive.

The orange gantry photo is the same one used by Apollo 11 astronauts (Neil Armstrong, etc.) to climb aboard the Apollo spacecraft for the historic journey to the moon.

We took the KSC bus back out to the Apollo exhibit and caught a couple of displays we missed the first time through. We visited the “Rocket Garden” which included the catwalk that was used by Neil Armstrong on his historic flight to the moon. Kind of cool to walk where Neil and the other astronauts walked just seconds before they were strapped into the Apollo space capsule and launched into space.

Following the tour of KSC we headed over to the Astronaut Hall of Fame (admission included) and spent about an hour looking at the many artifacts there. I am particularly interested in those involving Alan Shepherd, America’s first man in space, as early in his Naval career he served about the USS Cogswell, DD-651, which I also served on a decade later. It’s a tenuous bond, but a bond nonetheless.

After that tour we headed back to Uncle Pete and Aunt Judi’s house in Stuart. Joan went to a Bingo dinner, which obviously was a dinner that included Bingo. I know, I know, pretty self explanatory. Pete and I stayed home and enjoyed watching tennis on his big screen television and Pete made some wonderful steaks for dinner. If I haven’t said it enough before, Uncle Pete is a five-star chef.

After the ladies returned home, only Pete’s sister Jean came home a winner, we returned to our campsite for some sleep.

Catch up time: Our Jonathan Dickinson/Space Coast adventure - Day 4

Jonathan Dickinson Day 4 (January 17)

Today was full of little adventures. Started the day doing my new weight program, then took a shower. Picked up my Aunt Judi and her sister-in-law and brought them into the park for a nice nature walk.

Following that we drove to nearby Jupiter, Florida and took a tour of the Jupiter Lighthouse and Museum. Joan’s knee is still bothering her from her early morning fall on Sunday so she didn’t quite make it to the top of the lighthouse.

(Photo above is from the top of the Jupiter Lighthouse).

Then we came back to the camp and I washed Michigan off the trailer with the help of a high pressure hose attachment that Uncle Pete loaned to me. The trailer looks a lot better.

About 4 p.m. we headed back to Aunt Judi and Pete’s home where we enjoyed a wonderful Sicilian pasta dinner. Joan, Aunt Judi and Jean went to a line dancing class at the clubhouse at another resort in the area.

Catch up time: Our Jonathan Dickinson/Space Coast adventure - Day 3

Jonathan Dickinson Day 3

With plans to visit my high school friend’s church this morning we were up with the chickens and Joan was almost down for the count when she missed one of the three steps leading out of the trailer this morning.

Still dark, Joan believes she caught her shower shoes on the top step and then stumbled forward, missing the second step and ending up falling painfully down onto our patio mat outside. She laid on the ground for several minute feeling woozy and in lots of pain. We also woke up nearly every campsite within hearing distance of ours.

Fortunately nothing was broken and after a few minutes of being curled up on the cold ground, we determined she was able to make it to the shower.

Even with the fall, Joan was able to get ready and we were on our way to Port Canaveral (actually Rockledge, Florida) about 7:45 a.m. We arrived at St. Michael the Archangel Church at 9:45 a.m. with a little time to visit with Drew and his family before the service started at 10 a.m.

It was a wonderful experience for me to finally get a chance to see Drew “at work” after 37 years of his ministry. It was the first time I ever received communion from my lifelong friend. I was extremely moved by the experience. He also gave a wonderful service on the sacredness of life and Joan and I were blessed to be with Drew and his family on Sunday.

After service we went to a nearby restaurant (Jimmy’s) at a country club and had breakfast and extended our visit with the Wales family. Julie, who is the worship leader at St. Michael’s, is an incredible help mate to Drew and Joan and I have grown to love her in a special way.

The lunch also included their "adopted" daughter whose name I wouldn't even try to spell. She is from Pakistan and living with Drew and Julie for a time.

Following lunch we said our “until laters” and then headed the two hours back to Jonathan Dickinson State Park.

Joan headed to bed to put her leg up and to watch a little playoff football and I started my latest adventures in the “Master and Commander” book series with Book 5 “Desolation Island” sitting outside in the 73 degree warmth, surrounded by palm and pine trees.

Life is good.

Catch up time: Our Jonathan Dickinson/Space Coast adventure - Day 2

Jonathan Dickinson Day 2 (January 15)

Michigan washed down the drain

Since 30 seconds after we left Lapeer on Wednesday the Tahoe has been covered with a layer of salt and mud. My first priority today (Saturday) was to find a car wash and rinse Michigan down the drain.

On our trips back and forth to Judi and Pete’s we looked for a car wash but were unable to find one.

So I called OnStar and they found us one just a few miles in the other direction. It took awhile but I scrubbed 99 percent of the grime off the Tahoe and I, and it, feel much better.

Now we just have to borrow a spray nozzle so I can do the same to the trailer, which is equally coated in Michigan salt and mud.

After the car wash we headed to Aunt Judi’s to pick her and her sister-in-law Jean up for a trip to West Palm Beach and a tour of “The Breakers,” a five-star hotel on the ocean. All I can say is “wow.” Make that “Wow.”

On our budget we would never be able to stay there, heck we didn’t even stay for lunch ($25 for starters) but we did have an hour or so to look around and tour the place. I did make a purchase at one of the shops in the hotel, a $5 pack of postcards.

Then we headed downtown for a walk down Worth Street where the other half not only lives, but shops. You know when you go into a store and they don’t have price tags on anything that you have ventured into a world where you don’t belong.

You know, $500 slacks, $700 sweaters and $5,000 dresses, are a little beyond the Smith budget. But it was fun to walk along the street and watch the fashion models working the restaurant crowds with their attractive ensembles.

Following our Worth Street tour we headed back to Uncle Pete and Aunt Judi’s place for dinner.

Pete, who is a top notch chef, stayed home to prepare a special dinner for us. Marinated Cornish Game Hens, “potato negro” (a variety of potato that are black in color), a Caravella family recipe string beans, homemade bisquits (Aunt Judi made these) and a homemade sugar free dessert.

My Aunt Judi is always looking out for me.

We watched a little football and Joan and I headed back to the campground about 9 p.m. in our spanking clean Tahoe.