Thursday, February 03, 2011

Happy to Live in Florida

Seeing the news the last few days and looking at the weather map, sure makes me happy I live in Florida.  The front line, separating the cold from the nice whether sits just north of me.  It'll come close to 70 today here.  Sure beats the -32 in the northern mid-west.  It is cloudy, and I'm definitely a sunshine-kind of person, but after spending some time outside this morning playing in my gardens, I won't complain.  I have lots of seeds growing up in my planters on my porch...can't transplant them to the garden until I'm really sure it won't freeze again.  My broccoli and pepper plants in my garden are looking good.  After a frigid (for Florida) December and cold January, I would be just fine without a February freeze, but won't tempt fate by planting my little lettuce, cucumber, and onions too soon.
It's February, so we are now surrounded by all the Valentine's Day hoopla.  I've just never liked the pressure of Valentine's Day.  Hubby and I are going out to a great restaurant, Rigatoni's, a week AFTER Valentine's Day.  Fewer crowds, lower prices, more fun.  In fact, Hubby proposed (well...his proposal was less than traditional, but we call it his proposal) to me on Feb 15 of 1984.  He wanted to do it on Valentine's Day, but he said he knew I'd probably say 'no' on principal since I think the hoopla around the day is so overdone.
We celebrated 26 years December 29.  We had a great time.  Nothing like spending your life with your best friend.  We went on Hotwire and got a great hotel room downtown on the river for a steal.  So we went downtown that afternoon with the idea of going skating at the constructed outdoor skating rink they put up at a park on the river (in a tent-like structure to help prevent thawing in the 60 degree weather).  I'd been reading about the rink in the paper and wanted to go ice skating outside (we've a great indoor rink just a few miles from my house).  Well, the rink was smaller than a postage stamp, way too crowded and all torn up from all the skates.  So we passed by the rink and kept walking to the downtown library.  To many, a couple of hours at a library on one's anniversary might not sound wonderful, but to me it was pure heaven.  The only drawback was the heat was on too high.  The downtown library is wonderful...multi-leveled and two sections (east and west) separated by a clear 'tunnel'.  After browsing (and both picking up a few books) we sat and read magazines.  Hubby said we'd have to plan to do this regularly in retirement.  Don't subscribed to any magazines, just plan to spend an afternoon every week at the library, getting our info there.  Now...I'm one lucky girl to have a Hubby like that!
The Singer is back at college, burning the candle at both ends.  She went off to the March for Life in DC the weekend of the 20th.  The next weekend she was off to the FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) convention in Tennessee.  She got back late Sunday night and by Tuesday was running a fever.  After running a temp of 103, she headed off to the college clinic and was diagnosed with the flu.  She's wishing she were home for Mom's TLC.  Fortunately she has lots of friends.  They did a drug store run and got Tylenol, orange juice, chicken soup, tissues, and some movies.  So she's in good hands.
The Imp starts school late today due to Junior Class retreat day.  So I gotta go take her in.

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