Says who?!

It happens all the time – the palm trees get you. I swore it would never happen to me. All my life, I’ve had family all over Florida – Miami, Jacksonville, Daytona, Crystal River, Dunnellon, Cocoa Beach, etc. Coming to visit was a semi-regular thing. I always said the same thing: “Florida is pretty and all, it’s fun, great for visiting, but I’d NEVER want to live here.” Yet every time I came, I ended up mesmerized by the palm trees – particularly when driving up and down A1A (not “Beachfront Avenue!”, you Vanilla Ice freaks). Wouldn’t it be great to have this kind of view every time I had to drive to work or school? Wouldn’t it be nice to be a virtual stone’s throw from the beach at all times? Yes and no.

Yeah, yeah, I know – I live in Daytona now. Chalk that up to wanting to get the hell out of Indiana (you’d want to, too), going back to school, and making an effort to be close to family in the area for the time that I’m here. None of those things, as it turned out, were at all simple.   Those are other posts for another time.

Those of you that are diehard and/or native Floridians can relax. Don’t even think about getting your panties in a bunch. There are some great things about this state – the beaches are pretty, the seafood is fantastic, people always want to visit, there are some cool cities basically within 6 hours of anywhere, and hey! – we’re the first state to require drug testing in order to qualify for welfare. But look, I just die in the summer. Right, I know, why would I live somewhere like this if I don’t like hot weather? I ask myself that every day. The redeeming qualities outweigh the weather as long as I have AC to hide in for 6+ months per year.  And hey, you can’t beat the sunsets.  

The point of my seasonal ranting? There are plenty of things I do like about FL, but one thing I never will – lack of “real” seasons. Being a “northerner” my entire life has “taught” me that Christmas calls for snow. Autumn calls for colorful leaves falling from trees, hot cider, and bonfires. But here I am, almost to October, still waking up to 90 degree days- whew!

So, those of you already pining away for summer again already, take one evening and enjoy some brisk weather for me – just one! And when you’re freezing your butt off on Christmas morning, try to imagine what it would be like walking out of the house with no jacket… Only to see palm trees with Christmas lights and pink flamingos with coconut bras. It IS funny, I’ll give you that, but it’s not “Christmas”; at least, not to me.