You know, it really isn't all that bad.

Here we are in mid-November and the sun is shining and the breeze is blowing and it's a comfortable 79 degrees out...ok, so the high is forecast for 90...and I'm thinking it could be worse.

We survived our latest campout at Sebastian Inlet. Surfers amongst you will recognize the name. It's a beautiful place about two and a half hours north of us that is infested with bloodsucking insects that lie in wait for unsuspecting campers. Apparently, it's not enough to be bitten, many people are allergic to the bite. No luck escaping that one. Piper's immune, but the rest of us look like we're recovering from chicken pox.

The next camping excursion is to Disney World's Fort Wilderness campground. Should be fun. I think the adults in our group are more excited than the kids. Say what you will about the place, they treat people well and the kids always have fun visiting the mouse.

So, I find myself looking forward to visiting the great frozen north. I'm stocking up on sweaters and closed-toe shoes and looking forward to wearing a jacket or even a scarf! I can't wait. Of course, lately, I shiver sitting outside after 6pm when the sun starts going down, so this will be a true test of how I've adapted to the sunnier clime and whether or not I'm doomed to be one of those old ladies who stands in the sun in August with a sweater on trying to warm my old bones.

I should be so lucky.

If you're reading this, have a happy Thanksgiving and know I'm thankful for knowing you...and that we've always got room at the inn.

Ask, and you shall receive...

The lizard community knows we're friendly. I've had to fish the basilisk out of the pool...we thought it was dead, but no...just taking a dip. We have one iguana, with new tail growth, that frequents our patio and sleeps in one of the palm trees. Then we were visited by four new iguanas one morning, casually strolling around the edge of the pool and climbing up the waterfall, catching some sun. They like plums, but not so much fans of the tomato. Now you know. It's a party.

In other news, there was a full-scale lock-down at the school last week. Apparently a house was robbed in the neighborhood and they locked the school down and put up road blocks at all entrances and exits to our neighborhood. I didn't know whether to be terrified or assured that the police presence was so strong.

We survived our first tent camping trip. I'd always camped in a camper as a kid, so the experience was new for me. The tent was, fortunately, easy to put up since Michael got home from work three hours after he was hoping to. Thankfully, I drive like a lunatic and we made it to the campground just in time for the sun to set while we put our weekend retreat together. We did see a Ford GT on the way, for those of you into cars.

Now, some of you are aware that I was casting aspersions on my husband's good judgment regarding his need to acquire an AIR CONDITIONER!!! for a tent. I thought this was ludicrous. It was not. We would not have slept if not for the genius of Michael. Apparently, newer Coleman tents even have a sort of port designed specifically for air conditioners. Who knew? Now you do.

The big downside to the whole weekend was the bugs. OH MY GOD. I still, a week and a half later, look like I'm recovering from the measles or chicken pox. Apparently, it's not enough to spray the bug repellent on the front of one's legs, one must also apply it to the back. Won't be making that mistake again. Who camps in a swamp? We do. Not like there's much choice down here.

That's about all for now...tourist season is starting up...in case anyone wants to take advantage and drop in, the pool's open - just ask the lizards.

Duck Season...

...is on. That duck has officially crossed the line. It is on notice. It came after me this time, as everyone else in the pool was able to get out of the water fast enough. I'm starting to have nightmares about ducks.

Oh, and we've also had raccoons in the yard. It's not an animal conspiracy, yet, but the word is out...I think they were drawn to the fruit I was leaving out for the lizards. Sorry lizards.

In other news...we missed Ike, thankfully. Had a few stressful days of wondering and amassing dried fruit and turkey jerky, but we dodged a bullet there. Only two and a half more months of hurricane season!

Otherwise...school has begun and I've signed up to help out on about six different committees, plus the library and school clinic. What was I thinking? At least it keeps me from going back to sleep after dropping the kids off. Damn. What WAS I thinking?!

In the next episode: Our first family tent camping trip! Yeah, that should be interesting. I've been promised we'll have electricity, though, and Michael's looking into a tent air conditioner. We're so not tent people!

Wake me when hurricane season is over...

Sunshine State, my ass. It's been raining for a month.

On the bright side, there's only three more months of hurricane season! (Notice how I always try to see the bright side?) We've been lucky, so far. Hanna is looking to brush past us, but move back north - ironic that this storm coincides with my mother being in Florida, her last name is Hannah, but that's close enough for humor's sake. Then Ike's on deck. How many Ike Turner jokes are going to be made with that one? Let's hope it's not too violent of a storm...haha.

Hurricane prep is ongoing. The currency to hoard is apparently bottles of wine to share with the neighbors when you're all sitting around doing nothing because the power's out and the kids aren't in school. Oh, and don't forget to have toilet paper on hand...you don't want to have to run to Publix during a hurricane because you ran out of crucial paper products!

If anyone's interested, here's a link to the hurricane tracking site from the local weather station. I've been checking it daily: http://www.local10.com/hurricanetracker/index.html

Now anyone reading this can watch with me and see how much fun we're in for! Break out the wine and turkey jerky! Anyone up for a game of Uno by lantern light!?

When does it get better?

I realize looking at homes for sale in the old neighborhood is probably a bad idea. Thinking about a girls' night out at the Mexican restaurant isn't helping. I even bought some closed toe shoes and that's just not making me less "homesick."

Hopefully, with school starting soon, I'll get back into the workforce and make my own place here, but I keep looking for jobs 1200 miles away. That's a tough commute.

Today's craving: Tim Horton's Iced Cappuccino.

On the up side, I have two new lizards in the back yard: a basilisk (www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/reptiles/lizard/Basilisk.shtml) and an iguana. One of them likes bananas.Here's a link to a cool article on National Geographic's website about the basilisk or Jesus lizards: news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/11/1116_041116_jesus_lizard.html

It comes down to this: I wouldn't mind vacationing here, but living here is getting really boring. It's not that I'm a glutton for punishment, but I miss the changing leaves, watching the shoots come out of the ground - wondering if the hyacinths are coming back, the daffodils peeking out of the ground. I miss the snow too. Not the ice and the bitter wind, mind you, but the quiet blanket of white that covers everything and makes it all white and forces everyone inside to bundle up and be together. I'm tired of painting my toenails and wearing shorts or capris and open-toed shoes.

There's always winter break, I suppose.

I know people in Ohio aren't perfect...

...but this whole East Coast meets South American sense of me first and I deserve it is ridiculous. Not only are people rude, they are actively teaching their children to be rude.

Today, I hate this place and can't wait to leave. I'm going to go take a mega-B vitamin and hope I feel better tomorrow. I don't want my kids growing up here.

Urgh.

PS: please do not patronize NY and Company. They are rude too and I am now and forever boycotting that store.

More ramblings...

...So it has been a busy week or so. Some friends from high school came by for a visit - that was fun. Everyone should break out the yearbooks every now and then and try to remember who all those people who signed your book were. Apparently, Steve and I had a great time in Journalism and he'll never forget me. Sorry, Steve, but I don't ever remember taking Journalism, let alone who you might be among the nine hundred people I went to high school with.

Took the girl to Wannado City...where the kids do what they wannado. Apparently, by lunchtime, my daughter wanted to scream her head off for ten minutes about a funnel cake. So we left. That's the point where the mom does what she wants to do.

We also went to the county park near the house...there's a small water park there and it was our first visit since arriving in the Sunshine State. Two big slides, a lazy river, and a kids area. Didn't see my kids most of the day, except for lunch and to reapply sunscreen - mental note: reapply sunscreen more often. A good time was had by all. High points: women with grocery bags on their heads to protect their new do's and the woman who was wearing a bra and white mesh panties instead of a bathing suit. The latter was asked to put something else on, but the entertainment value was already spent.

Things I've been missing this week:

• sitting on the front stoop chatting with the geezers;
• Mac's Cafe burger and tuna melt - on wheat, with cheddar;
• book club;
• hanging at the elementary school playground.

That's all for now. I'll be taking orders soon for life-sized cut-out copies of myself holding a margarita...it's useful for parties and neighborhood gatherings. "Excuse me, I need to go talk to Amy." It's a great way to get a away from awkward conversations. :)

I can make a jointed version to be placed in a chair. Also, a holiday version will follow with appropriate attire and beverage.

Is that turtle running into the surf, or away from all these kids?

So, it's been a few days and I have to admit...Florida didn't suck too hard today. Other than the rain.

The kids and I went to a talk about sea turtles and then watched some hatchlings making their way to the ocean by the light of the moon - seems they head toward the brighter horizon. Which is why beachfront development is screwing the turtles up...they hatch, see all the neon, and start crawling toward cheap beer and all you can eat crab legs. So, it may have been the full moon rising over the Atlantic, or the tarted up cruise ship a mile out that my son thought might be a UFO. Anyway...some of them were clearly clued in and crawled into the surf and that was very cool and encouraging. The kids cheered them on and celebrated each one that drifted out on a wave.

Of course, my kids then complained about sand in their shoes.

On the plus side...

Ok, a few things I DO like about Florida...

• it's sunny almost all of the time. No more perpetually gray, hazy days;
• the air is clean;
• it's green...everything is green...all year. Ok, maybe not in April/May when it didn't rain for six weeks.
• it's easier to convince people to visit...did I mention this before? How nice it is to visit?

Anyway...the kids are doing well and getting tan (of course, this means I'm convinced they'll develop melanoma, but let's not borrow trouble, eh?). Summer is almost over - thankfully - and they've not succeeded in killing each other. Thank God for small miracles. Yay for all day kindergarten!

On the home front, I finally, for the first time in my adult life, have a room that looks like it was decorated - or at least finished to a degree beyond "hey, that rug is cheap and it'll fit." It's only a bathroom, but it's something.

Baby steps...

Inaugural musings...

Hello, is there anybody in there...

Ok, so first in a series. No promises. Down and out in Broward County...down as in SOUTH and out as in OUT of the loop. It's been almost a year and I'm still undecided. It's not that it's necessarily bad, but it's not there. At least people visit here. Somehow, Ohio never made it on the vacation hot spot list.

Today's observation is that it is just as hot here as Ohio(and vice versa). At least here I have a pool. The downside is that in order to keep the south half of the house cool, the northern half is freezing. I am getting some use of the long sleeves and sweaters after all.

Things I miss most about Central Ohio:
• friends and neighbors
• Graeter's ice cream
• people who use turn signals - I can't believe I thought it was bad before moving here.
• maple trees - especially in the fall
• peonies
• topographically diverse car trips.

The list will grow, I'm sure.

Until next we meet...