Enjoying the beautiful, sunny, balmy weather the last few days while seeing images of ice and snow on the Weather Channel reminds me of why I like living in Florida. My stuffy nose, watery eyes, and sinus headaches remind me that the wonderful weather also allows/encourages year pollen. There is always some plant blooming. My girls are highly allergic to oak pollen (the yellow/green stuff that will coat everything) and suffer through February and March every year. I do react to oak (especially when the pollen is 2 inches deep on everything) but my time of suffering is when the cedar/juniper trees are pollinating. The Pollen Alert let me know that we are indeed in the cedar/juniper season, not that my nose hadn't already informed me of this. But I guess I'd rather the allergies than the ice and snow.
I actually like snow...in moderation, but my last winter up north (Maryland) was 1993/1994. Our area had 16 winter storms...13 were "wintry mix" translated to ice, sleet, slush and all around miserable. Living in a townhouse with no garage, having delivered a baby in December and with a 3 1/2 year old to entertain, it was an unpleasant experience. Remembering the claustrophobic feelings of being trapped indoors, isolated from everyone, unable to get out even in our tiny yard, makes me grateful that I'm in Florida now.
The school year is winding down. The Imp is taking her Algebra II exam right now. She's got 2 exams tomorrow and 1 on Friday. She really stresses at this time of year. She gets sooooo excited about Christmas and her birthday she can barely sit still, but she knows she has to focus on academics. Then she worries that her excitement will prevent her from focusing enough. I'm often called into her room at 10:30 with her asking me to tuck her in, and rub her head so she can calm down enough to fall asleep.
Hubby normally saves vacation so he can be home during the school break at Christmas. This year with our extensive vacations to NYC and Lake Powell, he's short on vacation and has to work through the 23. The Imp is a little down about this, because he's normally home on her birthday on the 22nd. She's having 5 girls over on the 22 for a sleep over. The 23rd we'll celebrate her birthday with her cousins, and then it's Christmas Eve with her choir singing at the 7pm and Midnight Masses. Our tradition has been to go out to dinner at Bennigan's after the evening Mass. The Bennigan's we go to has always been opened on Christmas Eve because it was attached to a hotel. "Our" Bennigan's is now closed. So we are researching to find another venue for our Christmas Eve tradition.
After Midnight Mass we'll head home, put Baby Jesus in the manger, sing a few carols, have hot chocolate (even if it's hot outside) open one present each and finally send the girls to bed sometime around 2 or 3 am. Then Santa gets to start his work. Christmas day we tend to stay home, in our pjs, and enjoy our small little family. We'll be travelling to SC to see my folks on the 27th. My dad just turned 80. He doesn't seem that old to me.
I picked 2 green peppers yesterday and have a few cucumbers still growing. Living in Florida has its perks.
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