Kimbel's in the Keys

First off, let me tell you how we are related. My mother's sister's son's daughters, Julie (married to Mark) and Jody, and Jenny, who is married to my mother's sister's son, but is not Jody and Julie's  mother. Did you get all that? There will be a test later.
I remember the summer days on the Rock River at Mom and Dad's, when I would drag them around behind the boat until they learned how to water ski. What great times we had down there on the river.
Now that I have them here in the Keys, I'm going to drag them around again. No, not to water ski, but to squeeze as much fun out of the Keys as possible in two days.
They arrived at our boat Sunday afternoon and we had rum punches and apps on the fly bridge and played catch up. Oh the memories.
After an afternoon of catching up on all the family and family stories and trashing people who needed to be trashed, we headed over to one of our favorite spots, The Keys Fisheries. We pigged out on some of the best stone crab claws and oysters the Keys have to offer and listened to the rooftop music. (yes, he plays on the roof of the building next door to the upstairs tiki bar we were at). After our fill of seafood, a whole bar toast to the sunset and an end to another day in Paradise (and a few more drinks, stories, and trashing, it was time to send them down to their motel in Key Weird to rest up for a fun-filled day of play.

We picked them up in the morning (Key West is only an hour away from us) and headed to Irish Kevin's for a fun time where our good friend Bil Krauss plays. We had our first drink on the table before noon (hey, you can't drink all day if you don't start early) and we were ready for a key crazy day. As usual Bil's show was a blast. Some people did some crazy things, (I won't mention any names) Bil played great music, and only one person I know of had their clothes fall off. (No, Key West didn't see any Kimbel boobs) Before we got much farther, I needed to get some food in them or I was going to lose them early. We went to another one of our favorite stops, Fogerty's, where our friend Bil joined us for lunch. After lunch we walked the streets and did a little people watching and hit some of the shops, but it was time to hit another spot because the buzz was wearing off. Next stop, Hog's Breath. A good place to get another couple of drinks and let them call friends and family up north and have them log onto the Hog cam. Yep, you can log onto the Internet and see us at the bar at Hog's Breath. After waving, toasting, and wishing you were here, we headed out again, hit a few spots, then it was time to head to Mallory Square for the crazy goings on and a beautiful sunset. After a stop at the Chart Room, that's the place where old salts have their ashes interred into the bar, (only in Key Weird) it was time to hit Schooner Wharf for some of the world's best wings, music, cigars, and a few more drinks. (Hey, after all that walking and playtime a person gets real thirsty) After a fun time at Schooners Wharf, and Jody and Cigar Guy figuring out that they weren't right for each other, it was time to end a fun day in Key Weird. It was a good day, no one got hurt, no bail money needed, lots of laughs, some great music, plenty of liquid so we didn't get dehydrated, and none of our clothes fell off. You will understand that one when you scroll down and see the pictures.
It was so great to see some of the family here in the keys, but time flies when you are having fun, and it's always sad to say goodbye, but I know that we will see them again, and hopefully others in the future.

September Song (fun with family) out
Bob

Jody, Mark, Jenny, and Julie, on the fly bridge of September Song in Marathon on a warm sunday afternoon. How much snow and how cold is it back home? Jody showed me a picture of her kitchen window with a snowdrift half way up the window. 17 inches the day before they left. Sure don't miss it!

This guy plays music on the roof of Keys Fisheries

Stuffing our faces with stone crab claws, oysters, and, well, OK, a few drinks.

Our good friend Bil Krauss playing at Irish Kevin's.

Cheers to all our friends and family up in the cold North from warm, sunny, Key West.

Do you really know why the chicken crossed the road. She does now, and if you want to know, you need to catch Bil Krauss's show at Irish Kevin's.

Bil being his wild and crazy self.

The Key West Kimbel's at Irish Kevin's.

Jody making new friends.

Bil says give me a HOO HOO HOO! And the crowd goes wild!

Body wash anyone? See the one on the left. She is the one that had a clothing malfunction thanks to her husband.

Are they having fun yet?

Wild and crazy at Irish Kevin's!

Jody helping Bil reel in customers with a chicken. Don't ask, I don't want to spoil the show for you if you make it to Key West for Bil Krauss's show. No, I didn't misspell it. He only has one L in his name.

In the next picture you will see what this guy is giving a big thumbs up for.

I had to crop this one to keep my blog from being rated "R". What is it about Key West that makes peoples' clothes fall off? Not that I'm complaining!

Julie and Mark at Hog's Breath.

Mallory Square at sunset for the weird shows.

Sunset at Mallory Square.

The last stop of the day is always at Schooner Wharf for the best wings in the world, a cigar, music, and a last toast to another great day in Key Weird.

Jody, Jody, Jody!

Cigar Guy is in love

Times two, but I think he proposed to Jody.

You never know

We headed to the Key's Fisheries for a seafood fix, drinks, and sunset with Norm and Vicki on Tide Hiker, and this nice couple was sitting at the bar next to me. As always when we meet someone, we ask, "where are you from?" They said they were from a place called the Quad Cities. The QC's is my home town and from there the relationship began. The do you know, have you been, etc. etc. etc.
They wanted to know where all the fun was in the Keys, so of course we said you need to go down to Key Weird (West). We gave them a list of good places in KW and they decided to go down the next day and we would get together again with them the day after. Well, they had so much fun they didn't make it back that night, but found a place to lay their heads for a few hours and hit it again (first stop Schooners Wharf for AM happy hour) and didn't make it back to Marathon until that following afternoon. (same clothes they started with the day before)
We got together that evening on the fly bridge of September Song for happy hour and lots of stories from their Key West crazy time, and then it was off to Sparky's Landing for prime rib night and great music by John Bartus.
By the time the night was over, we said we would meet up again, maybe in the Islands.
As Jeff and Karen on Taking Paws say, "It's not about the places, it's about the people you meet" and we have met a ton of new friends in our cruising life.
Damien and Michelle are back in the COLD QC's after their short trip to the Keys and I'm sure from the looks of the weather up there they wish they were back in the sunny and warm Keys.
Had a great time with you guys, and hope to see you again.

Look for my next post "The Kimbel's descend on the Keys"

September Song (always fun to meet new friends) out
Bob


Stories of Key Weird on the fly bridge of September Song. If only our fly bridge could talk it would have lots of stories from over the years of happy hours.

Bring on the prime rib!

As always, a great night of music with John Bartus.

Michelle and Damien