Cough,cough, sniffle, hack. Luckily this is a virus that I cannot share with you over the computer. Yes, I have a summer cold. And it seems to want to stay with me ALL summer. A slight exageration – it has only been 10 days. Surely, soon it will release me from its evil clutches.

Life at the Boat House is slowing slightly. The number of boats has dipped already but we still manage to be full every night. It is just fewer hours of madness now – like maybe 2 or 3 in the middle of the day. Instead of almost the whole day.

We lose our first staff member( other than personal or health issues which have already claimed 2 ) this week. And then there were five. That number should stay constant until approx Sept 1 when everyone will depart. And then there were two. Until I go to work in the bar, and Mur is on his own.

His carving is coming along again as he has some time during the day to work at it. He will give one to each of the dock staff as they leave. He has started to carry a sea-bean in his pocket now to sand in his spare time.

Me – well, I am knitting some Christmas surprises. And supposedly, working on my Morse code so that I can take my test this fall. It will be difficult to send though, as my surgery this fall will be on my right hand. Do you need to hear me send code, Dave?

Several friends have stopped by to visit. Mostly arrive by boat but some by car. It is wonderful to see them all and spend a few hours with them catching up or reminiscing on past adventures.

Last week an aluminum power catamaran passed through Killarney. It was a vessel we had seen many times in the Bahamas called Dyad. We managed a radio contact and had a nice chat with Dave and Kathy as they headed on. They will motor down to Chicago and down the Mississippi to the Gulf coast and back to the Bahamas. What an adventure they will have to tell us about.

So, other than old and new friends, beautiful boats and lovely sunsets there is not much happening up here. No anchors dragging in the blackest night, no howling winds in the rigging, and definitely no midnight runs to emergency departments. Life is quiet. I think maybe that is a good thing.

We sure hope that your is quiet and beautiful too. Hugs,

Murray & Heather