(Maybe the beginning of the now infamous: Big Bling Theory!)
Early Tuesday morning...Day 2...The "Music Boat" docks in Key West...beautiful day! And my first really good look at the ship in the sunlight compels me say to myself, "Lord, this is one beautiful Ark!"
(I imagined the Lord answwering, "Thanks Noah...and be careful where you step!")
Once we all arrived in Key West, everyone pretty much went their on way... so much to see and do! Many took the little train tours around the city...
A Few of us who arrived in Florida early Sunday and missed church decided to attend the Tuesday morning service at the cool Key West "Motorscooter Church"...
Unfortunately, the church was just about empty...
Later found out most Key West people are LUNATARIANS (only meet on Mondays)...oh, well!
Ernest Hemingway's house seem to be one of the "Must Sees" on about everybody's list...but Judy and I were longing to just settle down and meet the locals...and feed the chickens that seemed to be runnning loose everywhere!
Our first try at chatting with the locals was a little un-nerving... the first guy we met was a giant! and really stiff... I told Judy maybe we should move on and try someone else.
I looked over toward the waterfront and saw a colorful old sailor...
now this is the type of Keywester (Shortens to keester) I've heard about!
This was so exciting! ... for a moment... down deep inside... I was experiencing one of those warm Forest Gump moments as this old wind tossed lover of the sea scratched his beard as he reminised about his many encounters with pirates and sea creatures and such... (Also noticed Papa john's four meals aday on the boat are beginning to show a little!)
I asked the old sailor where we could charter a boat for cheap... he pointed down to the water and suggested we try the "Jolly Rover"
In Key West there are boats everywhere but after a few minutes we finally came across the "Jolly Rover"
Judy decided she would just go swimming nearby while the Captain and I would throw the nets overboard for a little in-harbor fishing. He told me we probably wouldn't catch much with the nets so close-in but at least I wouldn't have to thread any hooks with worms... and he wouldn't have to charge me the regular price for actually going far out to sea.
Sounded cool to me.
We threw the nets overboard and waited a few minutes.
While we were on deck just cooling it a little , Captain Jonah and I talked about how times had changed... how he used to encounter pirates at sea but as the old pirates aged out they had come back to land and set up shop.
Right when I was going to ask him what he meant by that, we heard this loud rustling noise coming from our nets...
WOW... I believe we got a big one this time!
I was literally beside myself as we pulled the nets in...
"Oh my," the Captain yelled out..."By gally, we've caught ourselves a real mermaid! And she's a beauty!"
"UH...Captain Jonah...which way to Ninevah?"
"Uh...uh..Judy sweetheart I am so sorry...uh..I didn't know you were swimming that close to the boat...uh..here, let me help you of that old net...uh...honey...you know I'd never ever let anything like this happen on purpose! Never!."
(Note: john in deep seaweed... needs to exercise some quick thinking pronto!)
"Sweetie...please don't be mad at me... When we get back to town I'm going to buy you that nice, big necklace set you've been wanting!
Promise!"
(While that seemed to calm Judy down a little...it didn't help me much. My heart was a fluttering as I wondered in my head where in the world will the money would come from for "The Big Bling" I promised)
Now...take a deep breath...because...
you're not going to believe this...(and you probably shouldn't)...
just as we got back in town I looked over and saw this beautiful chain, locket and giant matching earring set just hanging on this old building!
God is so good!
A perfect fit! And Judy absolutely loved it!
8 solid pounds of "Made in-the-USA" bling!
Truly a treasure at the end of the rainbow!
And as Mathew West says..."it's not the end but almost the end..."
"I'm singing this song ... And this really is the ...!"
When you are at mile marker zero and your next exit is Cuba, you know it's time to head back to the boat for "Formal Dining Night".
Just a little side note... it was neat to see the US Coast Guard escort us back out to sea..must be because of all those aged out pirates Captain Jonah referred to...LOL
OK... it's "Formal Dining Night" and the question lingers... Big Bling or no bling?
We left our love for bling back in Key West! LOL. But it was nice to dress up eventhough the Music Boat folk assured us Sunday Jeans would work as long as our running shoes were spit-shinned...no T-Shirts, though.
It was also neat to hear our waiters attempt to do Toby Mac's "Made to Love" in Spanish and several other languages all at once...It was so wild I thought the "Tooty Ta" might break out but no such luck! Still...A Great Night!
Formal Night was a great time for photos... I think Judy was flashing back from our Key West adventure... I gotta ask her about that.
Sara and Becky were a part of our local crew..I caught a quick pic as they headed down "The Red Carpet" for the evening... on our way to Leeland and Casting Crowns...
The Music Boat snow storm that suddenly appeared was a nice effect, too...LOL
Everybody loved Mark and Casting Crowns as usual.
Packed house...everybody on their feet!
Other concerts of the evening included Leeland, Joy Williams, Ayiesha Woods, Rush of Fools, Britt Nicole and Newsong on the Lido Deck under the stars...
And as usual....after the "Late night under-the-stars concert"... EVERYBODY made a mad dash to the 24 hour pizzaria or the late night buffet....Had to race this young lady for the pizza... can't tell you who won...