It's supposed to be hot this time of year in Florida, but this is getting silly. The weather has blown past the usual cap of 96 degrees. Tomorrow the forecast is for 99 degrees, with a heat index of over 110. Satan's Ass-Crack is going gangbusters, and it's not even July yet.

After a good long walk/run up a hill on Monday, I was prevented from doing any more exercise this week by constant rain, a migraine, and a sick kiddo. But this morning I got up and worked out hard, and I'm basking in the glow of my own self righteousness ( Read more... )

A jumble from the past few weeks.

I have been gardening more this spring than I have in the past three years. It feels really good to see beautiful plants and flowers out my window, especially the Florida native species I'm trying. The Virginia Willow or Sweetspire is a fantastic new addition, with its red branches and spires of small white ( Read more... )

Today is a day of weatherly perfection, cool and warm at the same time, with enough breeze to make the trees dance lazily and whisper sweet nothings. Elliot and I went to the park to listen to the wind, watch the birds and squirrels and ants, and, yes, stop and smell the flowers. After playing briefly, Elliot got mad at the swings for swinging back ( Read more... )

Today, after Gillian went to ballet and then to the park with her friends, we went to the Arbor Day celebration in Windermere. (Yes, Arbor Day is usually in April, but not in Florida. We can plant trees here any time, so we celebrate Arbor Day in January to avoid heat prostration while digging holes.) We had funnel cake, Gillian got her face ( Read more... )

We spent the morning in St. Pete hanging out at Kuya Kevin's house, then drove along the shoreline (which reminded me alternately of Hyde Park Blvd. around 51st-53rd Street, and Lincoln Park) until we got to the Dali museum. I went in with my sister-in-law, while everyone else played in the park and walked along the shore. A fisherman let Gillian ( Read more... )

When I'm in Windermere, I sometimes pass a sign for a church. It has pictures of smiling, happy people, and says, "MAXIMUM LIFE CHURCH." That, to me, is not a name to inspire someone to visit a house of worship. It sounds more like incarceration than enlightenment. I can just hear the sermon now: "You have been sentenced to the Maximum Life Church ( Read more... )

1. Gillian completed her project, Gillian's Elementary School Musical, and we had a premier party in her class yesterday. I brought in the DVD, and the kids watched while eating cake and drinking sparkling grape juice. It was a huge success, and had 3 encores. Her teacher pulled in other teachers from the hall to show them. A great time was had by ( Read more... )

( November 6, 2008. )

( November 5, 2008. )