SSK, WEEK 4, DEC. 21-27, 2009

 

It’s been a busy Christmas week here at Sunshine Key.  We hope all of your holidays were happy.  I made cookies for the cookie exchange on Tuesday.  There were not too many people there, so we were glad some of the husbands came over to join us for wine, egg nog and delicious treats.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many loads of pea gravel have been delivered to the campground and they are busy spreading and leveling it on all the empty sites in preparation for all the campers arriving for the new year.  We put some under the area where we park our boat and truck.  Hank was thrilled with the project and got lots of advice from our neighbors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In spite of the cooler weather, we were able to hold the Christmas party by the pool on Wednesday afternoon.  Great afternoon with good music, food and friends.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Christmas Eve, Richard, the resident magician put on a magic show for all the children in the park.  He is such fun to watch and the children—and adults—all loved the magic.  Santa made an appearance dressed in casual Keys attire—white shorts and a Hawaiian Christmas shirt.  Unfortunately, the batteries died on both our cameras and we got no pictures of his visits with the kids.  Some of us played candy bar bingo with the kids after that and it made those of us desperately missing our grandchildren feel better to be surrounded by children.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas Day was made brighter by the arrival of the triplets!  Delaney, Braydon and Byron and their parents, Jim and Gaynelle, have been spending winters in the Keys for many years and we have delighted in watching these busy and loving youngsters grow up.  We missed them last year and are amazed to see them 8 years old already. 

Hank and I skipped the brunch here in the clubhouse, as we knew we would be attending the Christmas buffet at Key Colony Inn with Toby and Chris and Rita and Ed.  We had lots of fun and a delicious holiday meal.   We spent much of the day working on a puzzle of a picture taken with us and the grandchildren at Sleeping Bear Dune this summer—a present from Jack and Molly and Ben and Emily.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hank and I scooped ice cream Saturday night at the clubhouse and watched the gang set up to play R-L-C.  Sunday we gave our coach a much-needed washing and welcomed Rich and Joanne back with their new boat.   We are getting ready to welcome most of our gang who will be arriving back this next week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SSK, WEEK 3, DEC. 14-20, 2009

 

The night sky has been filled with so many stars and we saw a few streaking meteors at the beginning of the week when the Geminids Meteor Shower was at its peak.  The calendar is beginning to fill up and some of the weekly activities began this past week.  Water Aerobics got started on Monday and Chris opened her Computer Class on Wednesday.   Hank and I were “elfed” this week—a Christmas gift was secretly left on our doorstep and we passed the elf and a gift on to someone else, very stealthily, the next night.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Several loads of pea gravel were delivered to the park and the staff was busy spreading them on all the vacant sites in preparation for the winter people arriving in the next two weeks.  Even Marlene, park manager, was involved.  She said she hates to see all that gravel on her newly paved road!  There are lots of Christmas lights surrounding the office.  We especially like the pink flamingos.  Our pink flamingo is wearing his Santa’s cap.  And, as you can see, I finished getting all the planters filled and our traditional hibiscus stands by the front door.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lots of dining out this week.  Wednesday night we shared dinner up at Lazy Days South (located where Cabot's and Frosty’s used to be) with the Rohrers, Becks and Jimmy and Stanley.  Great meal and fun company!  Thursday brought the first Ladies Luncheon at Key Colony Inn.  Though our number was small, we had a great deal of fun.  And on Sunday night we had dinner at Hideaway Cafe on Grassy Key with Chris and Toby and Rich and Joanne.  We have heard about the place for years and are so glad we finally ate there—we definitely will return.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The end of the week brought a huge storm, high winds and cooler temperatures.  We now are wearing our jackets and sweatshirts, but that was only fitting as we went to see the Christmas lights behind San Pablo Church up on Marathon.  It took 4 people over 2 weeks to string all the lights and the results were amazing.  Hank and I will be thinking of each of you as Christmas arrives and wishing the very best to each of you and your loved ones.  Merry Christmas, 2009!!!!