s/vYOLO Swab's Log Blog Day 231 Entry 0040 Happy New Year 2014! Celebrate like a local!

s/vYOLO You Only Live Once Swab’s Log Blog

Posting Date:  New Years Day, Wednesday, January 1, 2014  

Day 231 Entry 0040

Boot Key Harbor and Marina Mooring #W10 http://www.ci.marathon.fl.us/government/departments/marina-and-ports/

Marathon in the Middle of the Florida Keys

Actual Date:  December 31, 2013 Tuesday

Subject:  Happy New Year 2014!  Celebrate like a local!   

Weather:  A little cloudy, cool 70 to 80 degrees, breezy on land and windy on the water – wind 10 – 15 mph gusts to 25.

Last New Year’s Eve we were in bed by 9pm.  Captain Steve and I went to Hawaii for 2 months on January 1.  I got a really good deal on the cost of the flight but it departed at 6am, so we went to be early.    

http://www.gohawaii.com/

 7 year grandson Liam surfing!

View of North Shore of Oahu from our condo.

This year we are going to celebrate!  But how?  Well like the locals celebrate! 

Captain Steve and I looked for local traditions to celebrate the New Year!  Southerners believe that eating black eyed peas http://americanfood.about.com/od/resourcesadditionalinfo/a/New-Years-Day-Tradition-Black-Eyed-Peas.htm  brings good luck.  And since we are in the south, I bought a can of Margaret Holmes brand  of  'hoppin' john' blackeyed peas with tomatoes, and onions  (I don't think Delmonte makes them.)  grown abd prepared right there in South Carolina! http://www.margaretholmes.com/products/     NO! I didn’t cook them.  Give me a break , this is my first New Years in Florida, but it won’t be our last!  I also don't know anything about black eyed peas.   But I am willing to learn.  So I will have to do research for some real southern recipes, or if you have a recipe that you want to share I would really appreciate it - just post it in the comments section!  

OK I know what we are going to eat.  Now what to do?

Sea u later!   Subject:  Celebrate like a local!  Part 2

s/vYOLO Swab's Log Entry 32 Day 223 Merry Christmas Eve!

s/v YOLO You Only Live Once Swab’s Log Blog

Posting Date:  Tuesday, December 24, 2013  Day 223 Entry 32

Marathon  Marina and Boat Yard - Slip 63  
http://www.marathonmarinaandresort.com/

Middle of the Florida Keys

December 24, 2013 Tuesday 

Weather:  Beautiful!   Temps - 73 - 85 degrees.  Winds ESE 5 to 8 knots, sunny with blue cloudless skies.

Good morning world!  Merry Christmas Eve from Marathon Key, Florida.  We have a busy day for today (just like most people all over the world today!)  We will go to the grocery store to pick up a few things, very few things, since we will be riding our bikes; decorate the boat and wrap our gifts to each other. 

I am very surprised at the number of other cruisers who are spending the holidays here.   We were invited to the dock Christmas Eve party this evening.   I will bake cookies for the party.  I am looking forward to the party and meeting other cruisers.  Hopefully we will meet the captain and crew of s/vOur Nest.  (Will let you know.)

It is very weird not to be in the kitchen cooking up a storm, polishing silverware, ironing table clothes and napkins.  But I am ready to try new ways of celebrating. 

I spent a few Christmases in Hawaii.  Many Hawaiian families celebrate by having a pig roast on the beach!  So instead of cooking up a storm in the kitchen; people sit around the oven which is a hole in the sand.  Instead of polishing silverware, you eat with plastic forks or your fingers.  No one irons anything, so leaves are used instead of table clothes.  Napkins are not needed; just rinse your fingers in the ocean.   This is so totally foreign to me.  I am so used to the ridged formality of family dinners.  Nothing is written in stone, with the exception of tomb stones, Captain Steve and I are open to trying new ways.  Celebrating Christmas differently from what I am used to, will be just another one!

One thing that I clearly remember was Santa all decked out in red board shorts, suspenders (sans the shirt) and flip flops. 

That vision of Santa was so odd and far fetched to me.  I always thought Santa wore the red board shorts after Christmas when he is on vacation!   People adapt traditions and incorporate them into their way of life.   To be perfectly honest Santa would have looked ridiculous wearing a white fur trimmed red velvet suite and black boots.  At least the Hawaiians’ kept the color red!  I can’t tell you what Santa wares in Florida, since I haven’t seen him yet!  Hopefully he drops by tonight!  (I’ll let you know.)

Got to go – have to make our Christmas Tree so Captain Steve and I can decorate it.   Another thing that is totally new to me I never made one before.   

This evening at 6pm, just when the sun is setting here in Florida, Captain Steve and I will be sending you warm wishes and happy thoughts for a safe and very Merry Christmas where ever you are!

I have included the URL for pictures of Santa Hawaiian style.

https://www.google.com/search?q=santa+in+hawaii+pictures&num=20&newwindow=1&tbm=isch&source=iu&imgil=aTLT3QUBWCjmxM%253A%253Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fencrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com%252Fimages%253Fq%253Dtbn%253AANd9GcSFdH7b9b0bv7qr5tg8tPLH_AqeC6yk-o2b6uJLKmK2rpQTp0MUXA%253B380%253B320%253ByFj39NSidOme5M%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.travelandleisure.com%25252Farticles%25252Fbest-hotel-santas%25252F3&sa=X&ei=4ZC5UtTnMOTn2QXa4YHADw&ved=0CDkQ9QEwBQ&biw=1366&bih=652#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=oSenGam6UA3-iM%3A%3BjDklCBCRM6-LDM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252F4.bp.blogspot.com%252F_048g8goJhH0%252FTRitXjOtfHI%252FAAAAAAAABPE%252Ftxp3lquE5rA%252Fs640%252FSanta%252Bin%252BHawaii%252BAttending%252BThe%252BFederal%252BBar%252BAssociation%252BDecember%252BConference.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fcopyrightlitigation.blogspot.com%252F2010_12_01_archive.html%3B320%3B480

Sea u later!  Merry Christmas Eve!