Happy New Year from Cold South FL

It's thursday the 3rd and this is the first time I've had to get on my computer since I arrived in Ft. Lauderdale/Miami area. Jan and I drove down here on monday and checked into our hotel just off the ICW in Ft. Lauderdale. I've been quite sick since the week before Christmas with very bad bronchitis. I'm still having a pretty bad problem with it after 2 weeks and I'm pretty darn tired of it.

I have some coughing fits that last up to 45 seconds or so and are very violent. I'm on a lot of different medicines and I actually think it's possible things may be getting slightly better today. I hope so.

Anyway, I'm a big fan of where the hotel is here - it's only about a mile from the best ribs in the world (at Bahia Cabana) and just across the street from the largest marine book and chart store in the U.S. Also, just around the corner is the Southport Rawbar and Grill (which my uncle introduced me to in the mid 80's). Just down the street is (what must be) the largest West Marine Store in the U.S. - where I stopped in this morning and got myself a new Icom Marine VHF - courtesy of my mom (for Christmas). So in general, the hotel is located in a good spot.

Jan and I had lunch at Southport Raw Bar on New year eve, went to the marine book store and then around 9pm went to Bahia Cabana for ribs -with the intention of staying there to ring in the New Year. I was really feeling crappy, so we just went back to the hotel and watch the ball fall in Times Square on TV before going to sleep. Jan flew home on a quick hop the next morning and I came to work at the Orange Bowl.

We've had 2 set days for the show (most major shows have 2 set days) and now I'm sitting in our production truck just 'hangin' until it's time for the ball game at 8pm tonight.

I'll drive home in the late morning (I'll be working til at least 2am). I had planned to leave on monday to begin my sailing trip to the Bahamas. Some schedule changes may be in store for that one. The photos below are all posted from my iPhone. The ZZ TOP one looks really bad, but it was very cold outside while I was working the camera and I couldn't hold the phone still. Last night broke a 100 year low record for Key West. If global warming gets any worse - we're gonna freeze to death!!