Home Again in Key West

It's good to be "home" for the winter. After a second day of downwind spinnaker racing with Sand Castle, we arrived at Boca Chica with fog horns blaring and friends waiting to take our lines as we approached the dock. Just as the snowbirds left one by one in the spring, so we we return in the fall. Cocktails and conch blowing began on a Monday as the first returnees arrived. We sailed in from Boot Key on a Wednesday, and by Friday, there were 17 of us enjoying the sunsets over the marina once again. We celebrated with the Vetrans Day parade and a happy hour at Kellys. Happy to be here.

Another Loss

Such a sad November for us. Rick's brother Barry passed on after a valiant fight with melanoma. He was a good man, a loss for all of us. He was honest, loyal, and had a warm laugh that cheered you just to hear it. As Rick wrote in Barry's eulogy: he loved his family; he loved his job; he loved travel; he loved a good meal; he loved life. Barry was not ready to go and we were not ready to lose him, but these are not choices we are allowed to make. Life moves on and gaps appear where loved ones used to be. Barry and his wife Denice visited us in Texas in 2004 and sailed with us on lake Texoma. At the time of his diagnosis, we were planning to spend time together in Florida and hoped to have Barry and Denice join us again on the boat in Key West. This was not to be. Instead, we spent time at his home, speaking of cherished moments, that for a short time, took us back, and brought alive memories that sustained us all.