Christmas Day 2020 - Merry Christmas! I just happened to be the Net Controller this Christmas Day here in Boot Key Harbor. This evening Susie and I exchanged Christmas presents and had a small portion of the huge chunk of BBQ brisket that my brother sent me from Angelo's BBQ in Fort Worth for dinner.

Saturday, 26 December 2020 - A lazy day for Susie and me here at her house in Key Colony Beach, then we had baked potatoes and lobster tails for dinner. I think she's trying to fatten me up...and it's working.

Sunday, 27 December - Today I took advantage of the high speed downloading here at Susie's house and backed up the files on my laptop, then updated the operating system. It's been cold (in the low 60s) here the last few days and the wind makes it seem even colder.

Monday, 28 December - Today I went kayaking again with Mary Ackroyd of the M/V Island Girl and Walt of S/V The Gloaming. I also invited Fred of the sailing vessel Otter II and Mary invited a female friend, Kelly along; that made five of us. We exited the Burdine's trail into Silver Pond and Fred got curious to get a closer look at Odie's vessel, Cloud Walker, which he keeps in Whiskey Creek inside the mangroves. Since we headed over there, which is a real shortcut to getting home, I suggested that we run the rest of the mangrove trail in the reverse order from which we normally do to add a bit of interest to the day. None of us had ever done that and it was a bit disorienting, which made it more fun, at least for me since they seem to consider me the leader. We spent about the normal four hours to run the four miles of trails, which is about normal. Although it was quite windy outside the island, inside, under the protection of the mangroves, it was virtually windless and nice. The only time wind was a factor for us was when we doubled back across Big Lake on the return and as we came back outside the mangroves to head home into the wind.

Tuesday, 29 December - I spent a good bit of time looking up information on the internet and entering data into one of my spreadsheets today; slow, tedious work, but at least now it is out of the way.

Wednesday, 30 December - Another very breezy and, occasionally, rainy day. About all I accomplished was going to West Marine to get another life vest that I had ordered online to pick up at the store. I keep two life vests on the dinghy all the time; one under the seat and out of the weather, and the other exposed to the weather at all times so the I can quickly reach it. Because of that, the sun destroys about one a year and I need to replace it.

Thursday, 31 December - The Paper Reduction Act may, or may not, have reduced the amount of paper dispersed by our government, but it certainly didn't reduce the time wasted and frustration levels involved in dealing with the government, at least online. I spent two hours or more today just trying to fill out one form on the IRS website. It kept telling me that it couldn't verify that I am me. After two hours of filling and refilling the blanks on the form, changing minute details like the spacing between words or using abbreviations, or not, etc., it finally accepted the way I had originally entered the information the first time. Go figure.

Friday, 1 January 2021 - New Year's Day - I had the honor of being the first Net Controller of the year this morning and everybody that participated seemed to be in a pretty good mood. That's a good way to start out the new year. Just after the net, Fred Rybczynski from S/V Otter II came over to borrow one of my kayaks for the weekend with the promise to return it on Monday.

I hope you had a very Merry Christmas. May the New Year be much better for all of us. Happy New Year!

                        "Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!" - Hunter S. Thompson